May Babies

[GeorginaA]

Have we got enough that I can officially open this thread yet?

How are your little ones doing prufrock, twiglett, snowbird?

I think mine is going down with jaundice. Dh isn't convinced, but it's either that or he's got a lovely tan sigh. I remember all the stress associated with that last time with ds1... hoping ds2 doesn't get it as badly.

He's still being a very sicky baby, about a couple of teaspoons a few hours after each feed (which is odd - I'd have thought if it was a reflux type thing it would happen immediately after the feed?) Midwife seems to think it'll settle after the milk comes in but if not then we'll look at some sort of baby gaviscon. Poor little mite, can't be comfortable for him... and we're sure getting through a lot of laundry!

Feel so bloody knackered at the moment, fed up of bits leaking and being sore, and it's only day 2! How long is it before you start feeling human again? Please tell me that it's sooner than the 2 week paternity leave dh gets!!

Don't talk to me about clothes, DS has a wardrobe that would make Posh Spice jealous! and he already has an England kit - that can't be worn for at least 5 months . . . .

I am cream crackered - he doesn't seem to be sleeping much at the moment. Although tonight we gave him a bath, then a feed and he is flat out - lovely. Although I may be speaking too soon . . . . do you think the weather is making him grizzly?

He seems so alert all day long (but doesn't cry much) and his feeding pattern has altered so evenings can be epic!

spots: saw your comment on the April babies thread re: putting your dd down. Have you considered cranial osteopathy? I mention it because one thing the osteopath mentioned to me was that ds2 was bad at settling (unless in arms or in his chair thing) because the compression in the back of his head made it uncomfortable for him to lie flat. Could that be similar to what's happening to your little one?

The weird thing is that she settles fine at night. I've followed the CO thing with interest but not sure if it's the thing for her - no signs of physical disomfort. She seems to accept (I touch wood as I say this) that nights are different, feeding for shorter times and with eyes closed then going down - in pram - on back. Why this doesn't translate to daytime behaviour is beyond me. (Keep telling myself she's too young for the word 'behaviour' to be relevant but can't help myself!)

Dunno. We seem to have a random pick of: good daytime sleep, good evening sleep or good night sleep. Very occasionally we get a pick of two out of three if we're really lucky, but never ever get a good 24hrs. I'm sure if he could just get a good run of sleep he wouldn't get so overtired... it seems to be a vicious circle.

Feel horribly guilty because I seem to have a choice of: letting ds2 be miserable and seeing to ds1 or letting ds1 be miserable and seeing to ds2. I can't seem to win. I remember all the attention I gave ds1 at this age and feel even worse.

Resorted to a dummy today (which I said I'd never do!) so I'm probably storing up loads of sleep problems for later. And it's not really that effective at the moment. I get him to the brink of sleep, remove it and then he's wide awake again. Or he doses off and wakes up 10 mins later as he realises dummy has gone. ARGH!

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I am trying to feel upbeat about the fact my son already has a football kit at the tender age of 4 weeks and at least I haven't had to wash it yet

In all seriousness, my "first time" mummy worries get the better of me at times and no matter how much you imagine what parenthood will be like - its still a challenge! (also there is a distinct lack of babies in our circle of family and friends which gives us nothing to compare DS to - eek!)

I think we're all having our good moments but perhaps we are making the most of them and not daring to say it out loud for fear of jinxing!

My little darling is currently sleeping with his hands firmly clamped over his ears and his little feet pressed into some kind of weird homage to yoga . . . and no doubt he will announce his awakening with the usual windy trumpeting very soon! (and no-one else would be forgiven so readily as he is!) I am loving it! (when I get to appreciate the quiet moments )

positive things to post...

I had a visit from my friends from work yesterday who brought presents and cooed over the baby and told me all the gossip.

I can now lie on my back and breathe at the same time

I'm now back in my jeans but can only get into about 3 tops as my boobs are so huge

DD1 doesn't seem as stressed by dd2 crying as much as she was and loves to hold her and chat to her

I've discovered that I can cope with both dd's on my own in the evenings while dh is at work because basically I just have to get on with it

Breastfeeding seems to be going a lot better now. Have introduced one bottle of formula a day that dh gives to dd2, feels good as it gives me a rest and dh gets to spend some time feeding dd2.

On the down side...

The colic started today
dd1 was also 3 weeks old when her colic started seems like dd2 might follow suit and all my avoiding fizzy drinks etc probably hasn't worked. Was talking to a friend tonight who told me to try Windypops from the health food shop as she used it for her son when he had wind/colic and it was brilliant. Might try and get into town tomorrow to buy some.

dd2 hates her bouncy chair at the moment hoping that she'll get used to it soon

dd2 also screams everytime we go visit my granny, therefore granny is convinced that dd2 doesn't like her( it's just wind but she won't believe me) and keeps telling me that dd2 shouldn't be left to cry for so long as it's not good for her and she'll make herself sick etc etc etc

Does anybody elses baby have a spotty face? My dd has spots on her face and everyone keeps asking me what's happened to her face? I tell them that it's her skin changing and I'm sure it also happened with dd1 but people look at me as if I'm making it up. Please tell me that she's normal and I'm not imagining that dd1 had the same spots.

gotta run as dd2 is about to wake for her feed. my new mantra is it will get better, it will get better, does anyone else have the same one?

Hiya Linnet,
My DS has spots all over his face, chin and shoulders. The midwife says it is baby acne, very common, and is due to hormones passing through the placenta. She suggested using sudocreme (can't spell it and can't find tub to look at spelling) on the bits not near his mouth.
I have completely the same mantra. I'm not a newborn person (something that other people find unbelievable!!) and so this is definitely the hardest stage for me. DH is away 2 nights next week and I'm trying not to think about it at the moment. It will just be head down, grit teeth and get on with it!
Oooh....positive things.....DS is good at sleeping once we have got over the settling stage and so we have got most of our evenings child free (oh boo, does that sound like I don't like my children??!!).
Friends came to visit today and DD played very happily with little boy.
DS will have the most gorgeous wardrobe once he is 3-6 months. We have been given the same Next "little surfer van" t shirt 4 times now! Mind you, he is 13lb at 4 weeks so he will probably be in it way before 3 months! (obviously from 6 months onwards, he will have mum and dad-bought clothes..so everything with a red dot on the label!)
Got to go, need to watch The Cure on Jonathan Ross..

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Okay. I finally have something positive to post!

Ds2 held his head upright for quite a while during his shoulder burp this morning! He's also been making vaguely cooey noises and having a good look around during his "proper" awake time (as opposed to the "supposed to be asleep about three hours ago" awake time). Very cute!

Even ds1 said today "can we keep him, mummy?" (mind you that was only an hour after he'd got so frustrated with the baby he'd slapped ds2's head quite hard).

So, not selling ds2 on Ebay quite yet. Tomorrow maybe. I shall continue my doom and gloom on the colicky threads instead

Hey Spots - have replied to you on the April thread. I know what it's like. I never thought thought it warranted cranial osteopthy - she never seems majorly uncomfortable either, just needy!

Ok positives:
ds is looking round, trying to grap at caterpillars ears and, to her great delight, pushing over the towers of megablocks that dd builds for him.
he's only done one projectile vomit in the last week, and there were bits of green mucus along with the milk that came back, so I'm fairly confident it's snot that's making him sick and not reflux
Whilst he's still only doing max 3 1/2 hour stretches in the night (11, 2.30 and 5.45 last night) he does at least feed and go straight back to sleep so I'm only up for 30 minutes at each one.
DD has decided that ds's hair contains lots of kisses, so spends lots of time grabbing handfuls, then stuffing them into our mouths and pursing her lips ready to receive them back, or "eating" them herself and then giving them to us.

Negatives
I screwed up feedng yesterday and fed twice from the left breast, so my right one has gotten enorged and really sore. And the supermarket didn't have any Savoy cabbage so I'm sitting here with a cold gel pack in my bra!

I feel like ds is a project, not my baby. I know that's silly, but I am so busy with everything else, well avtually with dd, that he just has to fit in. I am desperate for him to go to sleep quickly at the alloted times during tehday so I can get back downstairs and do the promised painting, building or whatever with dd, and I'm desperate for him to settle quickly in the evenings so I can go and put dd to bed because she asks for me when dh tries to do it. And so I feel like my little boy is being terribly shortchanged - he's properly looked after, but not doted on like I doted on dd. I haven't got the time to spend hours staring at his ears, or wodering if his eyes look like mine. And I know he'll never realise, but it makes me feel sad...

I think a lot of us with two will be able to empathise with the last bit of your post prufrick. although it is DS I feel for more, I think.

DD's cold is much better. and this morning she smiled at DS. at least we think it was a smile.

Am very envious of Linnet being back in her jeans. If I wasn't breast feeding I would do a green face.

Ooh yes - forgot that positive bit - I weighed myself last night and am under 11 stone for the first time since before dd. I think it's because I am so very thirsty all the time (is that a normal side effect of bf - I don't remember it from last time) that I am drinking 2-3 litres of water or juice a day, so am not very hungry.

Libb, I sent a message to you, gat a wee bit confused by all the technology... did you get it alright? Hope you're ok. (sorry for butting in!)x

Positives; She is gorgeous and my nights are spent looking at the faces she pulls instead of Big Brother.
I can nearly get back into size 10 trousers as long as I dont attempt to do the top button up and also ignore the fat hanging over the top
We get to speak to lots of new people while out.
I can sleep in new poitions and dont need to wee all the time.
Negatives
I have joined GeorginaA ON THE WINDY/CRYING THREAD.
HOW COMES dd SLEEPS FINE DURING THE NIGHT BUT DURING THE DAY WONT LET YOU PUT HER DOWN AT ALL AND HAS TO SPEND THE DAY IN MY ARMS OR SCREAMS THE PLACE DOWN.
dO THE BABY CARRIERS REALLY WORK?sORRY ABOUT THE CAPITALS AND THAT MY COMPUTERS REALLY SLOW AND i COULDNT SEE WHAT i WAS TYPING UNTIL 5 MINS AFTER.

Kbaby am having same debate myself re. putting down! see april thread for talk about it...

I have a big nice thing because dd really does seem to be smiling! I KNOW it's supposed to be wind at this age... but I have seen a lot of windy smiles from her and this is different... she looks right at you and you can see she's in a perky mood... so you smile at her as much as your mouth will allow... and she curls one side of her mouth then the other into the most winning lopsided grin. Only has happened once a day but quite distinctive and makes me burst! witnesses have agreed...

dd1 gets lots of smiles from dd2, don't have the heart to tell her that it's wind and not a real smile as she's so happy that the baby smiles at her.

Went to the health food shop today and bought windy pops gave it to dd2 and she had a lovely dirty nappy after her feed, not sure if it was coincidence or to do with the windy pops but hey at least she didn't scream while she was doing it like she has been the past few days. Has since had another feed and is a bit windy but not as much as last night so I guess the windy pops is working.

My cousin was round tonight and she thinks the spots are milk spots, she said this in front of my granny who of course accepted that it must be true if my cousin said it even though I've been telling her this all week, can you tell my granny never believes a word I say?

I feel as if I'm neglecting dd1 sometimes. Today dh was working during the day and we all got along fine except at lunchtime while I was feeding dd2 and dd1 told me she was hungry and I explained that I had to finish feeding dd2 before getting our lunch, of course this then resulted in dd1 telling me that I obviously love dd2 more than her

Judd, I'm not really a newborn baby person either. I much prefer them when they are about 6-8 weeks and can see better and smile and are more responsive. but I know that I have to get through the first few hard weeks to get to that stage. But hey dd2 was 3 weeks old yesterday so we're almost there.

Hope you're all well and enjoying the sunshine.

Ace - glad I am not alone, Linnet! We are creeping towards the 5 week mark (next Tuesday) so 6 weeks is within my grasp.
Sometimes I could cry for DD1 because I think she is still so bewildered by all this new baby lark and not having me at her beck and call. She seems to be really tired as well, although she doesn't wake in the night so I'm assuming that its more an emotional tiredness whcih is overwhelming her at the moment.
SO glad that the holidays are over and there will be something to do from Monday onwards. Roll on Toddler Groups and their plentiful selection of custard creams !!

Judd, Linnet - I've got an April baby and also don't find the newborn stage particularly appealing... dd is 8 weeks today though and it's lovely when she smiles

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Has to be done Twiglett! We tend to have mostly hand me downs and "red dot" clothes so that when we see stuff that is gorgeous but more pricey (for us that tends to be Pumpkin Patch) we can buy without feeling guilty!
Enjoy all the pink and frills! My DD never goes out to Toddler group without a string of pearls at the moment!

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hi all
sorry i've been totally slack about posting this last 2 weeks. what a shock to be a mum! havent had the time to breathe. also havent read posts below so not really caught up, but thought i'd drop in and hope you are all coping ok. shall try my best to check daily now
what's happened to the smilies?

Aw, gorgeous dress, twiglett! Well worth the money!

Can I be a really sad proud mummy and post another cute picture of ds2 please?