The Zoo!

[WinomoreTheFruitbat]

Is it feeding time yet?

pull up a rock or patch of grass and get comfy in our new enclosure!

WOOOHOOOOOOO Fabulous news Penguin am soooo happy for you , baby boys rock !!! Sounds like it was all a bit rubbish labour-wise but like I said before, who cares as long as the wee poppet arrives safely ! After all the placenta moving/not moving you ended up with a section anyway. Hope you are taking it very easy and enjoying your new son xxxxx

Congratulations Penguin and Mr Panguin and welcome to baby Ieuan Lovely name and can't wait to see some pics. Sorry labour wasn't as you had hoped, but as Hippo said, the main thing is mum and baby are both well.
Hyena Sorry to hear that J isn't putting on weight as he should be - is this according to the mw? Hope things sort themselves out.
Meeow Sorry to hear you've been having some bf issues too. Have you tried sitting I astride your knee to feed so that she's upright when she's got a cold? It's what I do with E and it usually works.
We've had a bit of a lurgy in the Impala household this week, it started with E being sick on Sunday, once mid-afternoon after we'd been out for lunch and then twice in quick succession at bed-time, which meant stripping the bed twice. She was sick all over me too as I was feeding her to sleep at the time - ugh! She was fine though, crawling around and laughing as DH and I were battling with the sheets etc and she didn't have a temperature so I thought it was just the tail end of her latest cold and due to catarrh etc, especially as she was fine by the morning. However, I woke up feeling ropey yesterday and by lunchtime was feeling really nauseous and achy, although I wasn't sick. Poor E had to entertain herself for most of the day whilst I lay on the sofa feeling sorry for myself! Yesterday evening I went to bed at 8.30pm to try to sleep it off then woke around 10.30 to go to the bathroom and I must have had a temperature because I came over all dizzy and nearly passed out. Very scary, especially as I was on my own in the house with E as DH was on the night shift. Rubbish night's sleep too as E woke up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep for ages. Fortunately I felt a lot better this morning and more or less back to normal tonight, although still not very hungry. DH has got it now so is in the spare room and hasn't gone to work. Honestly, since E started nursery it's been one thing after another as every week she seems to come back with a different bug!
Hope everyone else is fit and well!

impala sorry you havent been too well and E has been poorly too i found that DD was always ill when she went to a private nursery too!! i ended mup getting a CM instead and started giving her extra vitamin drops in her breakfast she seems to be in very good health usually (apart from the odd cold when some other kid decides to sneeze on her or lick her)
hope you are all ok

I got the spelling wrong - it's Ewan. He had to go to special baby care and have his IV last night and they decided to keep him there because of his breathing and grunting. Penguin expressed every two hours last night which is impressive and her headache is a lot better but she's still feeling sore. Will update when I hear anymore.

Impala L was ill lopts when she started nursery too. She always had a snotty nose but now she has a fantastic immune system and seems to brush things off very quickly on the rare occasion that she's poorly. Try and eat even if it;s only a small amount to keep your strength up xxx

Hey Penguin. HUGE congratulations as the arrival of your little man. Very very very very very pleased for you and Mr Penguin that he is finally here. Hope this is the start of a wonderful chapter in your life after all the shite you've had to wade through over the last year. Am waiting for the full gory details and the pictures. xxxx

Huge congratulations penguins and welcome to the world little boy!

Penguin - Congratulations to you all. I am so happy that Ewan is finally here, love, love, love the name.

It just seemed wrong somehow that you weren't a Mummy and now you are and it is fantastic and you will love it, even though it's going to be hard sometimes. The difficult journey you've had to get here will make you appreciate it all the more I'm sure.

Take things easy and enjoy these early weeks as they are soon gone.

Lots of lovexxx

Ooh - quick message for Mr Penguin - Congratulations to you as well and GET SOME PHOTOS ON FB!

Congrats Penguin Fantastic news, hope you're all home soon Lovely name too!
We have dd2's 4th bday party at home tomorrow morning. Predicted temp is 32deg.... She is so excited about it all though, I'm even looking forward to the jumping castle arriving at 9am
I think that's quite normal, about getting sick in daycare, especially through their first winter there. Also isn't it around the age of 1 that they start to lose some of the immunity they were born with, and gain through bf?

Hey, still no tinterweb back from move yet, just wanted to congratulate penguin! And mr penguin too of course! Will catch up when have phone line back, dh phone v hard to use. Twins doin great, goin 6hrs straight at night now and weighing 8lb 5 each

morning ladies

im just in work...bored

hope all is well with everyone

penguin how are you settling into life as a new mummy??
at everyone lurking
xx ei xx

Am one handed typing. Penguin said to add her DH on FB if you want to see some piccies of E. You'll find him by looking at her relationship status. She's having a tough time with the little man being poorly.

Am back with two hands (for a few mins no doubt ).

Wanted to check with Penguin before I went into too much detail here. Poor E has been very poorly. After being moved to SCBU his breathing wasn't good so he needed to be placed on oxygen. They then did some tests and he tested + for BStrep. On Friday when the oxygen came off, Penguin and Mr Penguin were informed that on Thursday that E had been so poorly and the doctors weren't sure how things were going to turn out. Today E's had to have a lumbar puncture to rule out meningitis. The first results are clear but they can't rule it out for five days. Penguin is recovering but suffering from headaches due to the loss of spinal fluid so she will have to stay in longer than usually required after a c section.

It's obviously such a tough time for both of them but they're staying strong. I spoke to Mr Penguin before and he's taking care of Penguin but has to go back to work on Tues.

Let's keep them all in our thoughts and keep everything crossed for a speedy recovery for both of them. I'll let you all know if and when I hear any news xxx

OMG poor Penguin, she so doesn't deserve this after all she's been through. I was so sure it'd all be plain sailing for her from here on . I'm keeping everything crossed for a speedy recovery for them both, hopefully this will all soon be a horrible distant memory and the Penguin family will be at home bonding xx

penguin bloody hell!! so sorry that you are having to deal with this!! i hope you start to feel better and E feels better very soon xx (((((((((hug))))))))
puts things in perspective that kind of thing
i am sorry for being so sensitive and grumpy recently ladies i am VERY lucky to have my DD and i had such an easy birth and the early days were, although hard work, not fraught with problems in any way. i am massively grateful for my lot in life and it will be a bonus when i have my baby (IT WILL HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER!!)
(((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))) to one and all xx you ladies are great xx

A quick update....little E took his first feed from the boob last night for around 10 mins. The first set of results for meningitis came back clear but the consultant isn't prepared to rule it out for five days so for now they're assuming he does have meningitis. He is however doing really well and the consultant's words were that he was "brighter and confident of a full and healthy recovery". I'll update when I hear more xxx

Panda Love the PMA (as hard as it must be). We're all here if you need to talk xxxx

thats great news i got a text from penguin earlier and she sounds in good spirits and said she is starting to feel a bit better and E is improving i am glad thisngs are looking up
hyena hows things with you?? has the infection cleared yet??

Things are good thanks. I've been a bit naughty and stopped the anti bs after five days (rather than 7) because they were making my stomach spasm so much. My (.) is feeling less sore but the lump is still there and I think I possibly have another one coming. The feeding is going well though (particulary from the other boobie!) but he was still 2oz under his birth weight on Weds and the HV made me feel as though I was starving him because he's happy to go 3.5-4 hours at night without a feed and I should wake him....so much for feeding on demand when the little monster is feeding every 2-3 hours during the day plus snacking and having plenty of wet/dirty nappies and is very alert. He'll be weighed again on Weds so fingers crossed for a bit of gaining .

ahh IMO HVs are poo and pay too much attention to the wrong issues (like being supportive instead of putting you down and making you feel poo about BF etc) S was still below her birth weight 3 weeks after she was born and the HV said that i mustnt be feeding her corrctly as she wasnt gaining weight fast enough the MW had said that as long as they get back to the birth weight by week 4 then she is happy how many weeks is he now?? 3?? you are doing a great job so if J is feeding on demand and not waking for 4 hours during the night then that must be all he needs at that point tell the HV to F off

oh and did you try the thing with the flannel? are you sure its a blocked duct or might it be like a spot under the skin? i get this sometimes and it is bloody painful and goes away after a few days or so. it might be hanging around due to J feeding on that side and irritating it get back to the docs and get some more ABs and finish the course this time woman

Oh penguin I was getting a little worried that we'd not heard anything and have been thinking of you lots. Very pleased to hear that the consultant is sounding more positive that E will be fine. Sending you all lots of love.

Hyena Remember - chin of J on blockage, even if that means upside down feeding - worked for us. at HV - ignore her - you know best! They go on and on about BF and then at the first bump start undermining your confidence.

Panda You are sweet, we absolutely understand your sensitivity and are here to help/listen/whatever you need.

Lots of love to penguin again xxx

Hyena, try and track down a lactation consultant, there should be one based at your hospital. When things aren't going as they should, you need to talk to someone specifically trained in bf, not just a hv or midwife. Not to say they don't have knowledge, but lactation consultants have done extra training and are more up to date and generally more reasonable with their opinions. My sister is one, as well as a midwife and nicu nurse so I know the amount of training she has done over the years. dd1 didn't lose or gain weight for the first 4wks, stayed exactly at her birth weight. We started supplementing her feeds with formula, but in hindsight I wasn't feeding for her long enough on each side, I've since realised But she is now 7.5yrs old and full of nonsense beans, so my lack of bf knowledge and using formula and shields at times, did her no harm
Penguin, thinking of you and ds and hoping you're all feeling better soon and can be home and getting on with your new life as a mummy
Great upbeat attitude Panda, you do so well to stay positive most of the time, you are definitely allowed to feel down whenever you want, you've had a rough time of it the last two years as well.
Was 34 degs on Sat and Sun, stinking hot for dd2's 4th bday party, but all went well The Disney Princess jumping castle arrived at 8am Sat morning and was in our backyard for 5hrs so the girls loved it, as did all the party guests. They all played on it, blew bubbles, there was a ball pit, swings and the trampoline, so between that and eating they were pretty happy Ice cream cake was a hit as well, just had to eat it quickly
We went here on Sunday, for the work family Xmas day. Was great, and even ds had a some swimming time

I want to go to Mamafox's DD's party!

hyena hv are so unhelpful! The feeding on demand thing got on my tits pretty soon (lierally!) As 'I' would feed hourly then sleep for 5 hours without a feed at times, I just worked on a 2-3 hourly Plug in after a couple of weeks, whether she seemed hungry or not. (Except for at night when I let her tell me)

penguin so sorry things have not gone smoothly, I really hope things improve very soon xxx

penguin so glad E is improving xx

Hyena why do we even bother with these flippin' HVs ? Honestly, all they do is make you feel crap. I remember at 2 weeks E had gained weight and I swear my HV was disappointed she had nothing to scold me about ! EVIL woman - mine was particularly pants though ! She was no help atall with my BF problems and just told me that her children were FF and were fine !!! She is probably struck off now ! Just follow your instincts and if he doesn't wake through the night just thank your lucky stars, don't wake him, that is complete madness !!!! Has she never heard the old age 'never wake a sleeping baby !'. You know yourself my dear that mummy knows best