FEB 2010 Teeth, nosh and smelly bums - it's all go, six months on!!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Where did the last half a year go??!

Just a short post from me today as things are getting busier with the getting ready to go back to work... wanted to say thanks to bear for the yoga mat idea. It's brilliant!

And another 'me' update from me: DS2 currently waking every hour in the night for as yet unknown reason! Has been happening for a week now and I'm well and truly shagged!

DS1 has confirmed anaemia and we're now treating it and trying to find out why. Unfamiliar GP suggested poor diet - I could have slapped him!! DS1 also needs to be circumcised for medical reasons - this came as rather a shock, on top of everything else going on. Tonight he had the biggest toddler tantrum i've ever seen and I feel awful that I couldn't help him avoid it. Want to go and give him another big cuddle, even though we ended the evening on a positive note.

Christening of DS2 was fab - the weather was great, the company was cool and the doddery octogenarian vicar managed not to drop Ds2, even if he did chuck three loads of water in his face !!! Suggested to DH that we should contemplate asking whether or not he should still be doing baptisms, but DH is happy to leave it.

Off to bed and sending sleeping vibes to others who also need them. Please may it be a good night, pretty please...? Where has my sleeping baby gone?

bethylou the description of your christening made me laugh out loud, although of course it's not funny... Glad your ds2 didn't come to any harm.

dd2 has almost totally refused to eat any solids today but was fine with her milk... which makes me wonder if the whole BLW has come round to bite me in the bum because I was somewhat critical of the extreme form of it . Will offer her toast tomorrow morning and see if she's happy to feed herself, rather than have cereal from a spoon...

How is everyone today? IC are you back in Madrid yet? Weather must be better than here... We (expect dd2 in her pushchair) got totally soaked twice today because I was determined to walk and wear dd1 out, rather than take the car.

BG I have had the odd day like that with DD2 (refusing solids) and I have just put it down to that old chustnut "teething". Obviously there's nothing to see in DD2's mouth (I'm fully expecting her to emulate her sister and be nearly one before she gets any teeth), but I seem to remember reading somewhere that they can be a bit sore when they are erupting below the gum.

I'm a strong believer that nothing is a habit until it lasts three days in a row, so maybe she's just having an "off" day?

Hope you've dried out by now. It tipped it down where I am today, and I was very glad that I had chosen to trek into London yesterday and not today (and proved to myself that I can walk much further than I used to but that the SPD is still there to nag me if I overdo it).

Off to my parents for a few days. DD1 had an absolute meltdown at bedtime so I'm not looking forward to it as much as I have been in case she decides to do it again. But then, it was only once, so by my own rule she needs to do it the next two nights before I should worry about it. But I really hope she doesn't!

watercress have you considered writing for parenting manuals etc rather than pharmacy/medical? You are so right and I will definitely keep watching her. She has two bottom teeth but has been chewing and drooling a lot the last few days, so something is definitely bothering her. Never had this problem with dd1 who loved her food (but for a while could not tell apart hunger and thirst and refused to drink from a cup...)
I also have problems still with SPD (and didn't realise for a while that that was the problem). I am fine out and about with the dcs and a pushchair but when I try to walk anywhere at normal (as opposed to toddler) speed and without holding on to something I find that my posture is all over the place. And walking too much makes me very achy, so the SPD has not quite gone away

Good luck watercress with the visit! DS1 didn't repeat last night's tantrum if that's any reassurance to you. Do you, or anyone else, know whether we are supposed to see a physio about the SPD or whether it will settle in time? I stopped feeding about 2 weeks ago so assume hormones are still up in the air, but would really like to get it sorted now as it's much worse than last time.

Abs (I think) I'm having first period now, having stopped feeding two weeks ago. From my NCT group last time, it seems very random when people start having them again - some during feeding and some not for a while after. I haven't missed them I have to say!

BG DS2 has munched through apple and porridge, broccoli and rice and sweet potato today but has not finished his last two bottles so think maybe I've got the balance wrong. Not going to lose sleep over it though (as I wouldn't be asleep at all if I did!!)

The Christening really was like something out of the vicar of Dibley. The same vicar tripped on his robes in the carol service at Christmas and hauled himself up against the front pew, so I wasn't keen for him to hold DS2 in the first place!! The organist could have been Les Dawson - seemed to play 'He's got the whole world in his hands' in a minor key and clearly had not counted how many verses he was supposed to play before the beginning of each hymn - an elementary error!!

Have just finished gardening in the dark (results seem as good as those in daylight which is a little worrying!!) and ready for some snatches of sleep now.

Sure I should reread the previous three pages to check who I should be sending messages to in person, but my brain is too sleepy - love to all.

BG DD1 used to refused food with anything regarding the mouth (still does at 5.5 yo). Teething, illness, sore throats, mouths ulcers.... I agree with watercress if it lasts more than 3 days I would start worrying otherwise just top up with milk and let her do what she wants.

Guernesey thanks for the tour of the island! Is it worth sleeping there on a day trip is better?

Yogurt I used to give DD1 Onken natural set yogurt (plain, look like french yogurt). And sometimes, I could find fromage blanc and petit suisse in tesco. (mind you not always and it was 5 years ago)

bethylou I can imagine "the vicar of dibley" Xtening I guess it is better than "father ted"'s one...

DH finally better and of to work [relief emoticon]! DD2 still has a rash which looks bruised (definitely not allergy or heat rash) but is otherwise fine, she is very pale so the doc order some anemia check as well.
DD1 swab came back + for Staphilococcus a tad worrying, and will have to be check again in a week.
bethylou I hope you DS is better and that the results will be fine.

DD2 is a nighmare (for me) at night she seems to flip on her belly and cry to be put back (or she is looking for her dummy ). anything between 3 and 10 times per night. Ok, I am lucky she settles really quickly, but not me, especially around the 3/4 am wake up (which often means I won't sleep again). DH is useless, he doesn't seem to hear anything .

AbsB According to my peads. after 6 months, there is no need for milk at night, if baby is weaned (at least with cereals, not always working with just fruits and veg), above or on target weight. If underweight LO might still need the night milk to catch up. but they still wake up for confort, water (boobs), playing.... wether you give the breast is for you to decide, you can give a bottle of water, a dummy or a cuddle instead. they also need turning ...

DD2 is teething teeth number 3 seems to be very big, she has a hole in the gum and a bit of teeth comming through. apparently painfull

SunnyMummy which sling do you use? DD was 17lb a few weeks ago, and both DP and I are finding it tough to carry her for more than an hour or so in the sling. We have a Babasling and a Close baby carrier. I would love to find a sling that doesn't pull on my neck/shoulders.

Abs shame about the nanny . Are nannies different from CM then? I thought with CM your DC goes to their house.

DD is 23 or 24 weeks I lose count, but she's just a couple of weeks off being six months (WHERE has the time gone?!). The thing is she slept through at about 12 weeks, I knew it was too good to be be true, and it was .

mamaloco glad your family's on the mend.

bethylou for your DS1. Glad the christening went well even with the doddery vicar!

I have a question for all those who give their LOs finger foods. How do you avoid choking? I've been giving DD the odd piece of peeled peach/plum to lick and taste, a large bit to avoid choking. The other day she must have gummed off a piece of plum and she started choking, it was very scary, all my first aid course knowledge went out of the window (in fact I need to refresh it), and I thumped her on the back very hard. After what seemed like ages, but was probably a few seconds, she coughed up a piece of plum. Now I'm terrified of giving her finger food, for a few seconds there I thought she was going to choke. She coughed it right over to the other side of the room.

I was quite looking forward to trying finger foods along with mushes but now I'm too scared. Any advice?

Thanks Fizzy DD2 is 22 lbs and I use a ergo baby carrier
and I find it really confortable with a heavy baby. No digging as it looks like a back pack (a mix between a back pack and a sling) www.ergobabycarrier.com/

dd2 is 18 lbs and I also can't carry her for long. I have a bushbaby bachpack carrier but it looks a bit odd in the city and is more use for walking holidays.

fizi that sounds scary. No real advice here but I guess I am really careful at the moment, like mamaloco said, they can bite bits off with two teeth but have no more teeth to chew. I am sticking to banana, ripe peach, ripe cherries etc, ie. things that more or less dissolve in the mouth. dd2 also likes to chew on bread but her bite is not strong enough to tear chunks off when it's gone all soggy..

For the choking, I haven't found anything safe. Bananas, whole apples, big pieces of breadcrust, very ripe apricot, rice cakes are the only things which seems to work if i control the amount she gets in one go (i.e. me holding it), I have to be careful as DD2 can bite big pieces of almost anything. The only things we didn't have an accident with is rice cakes, and whole apple.
Purees with lumps are the way for us.
Some food recommended for BLW have been a real problem for us like apple slices (it breaks) and precooked carrot sticks...
I don't like the mesh idea, but may be you would like it? I think chinook post a link to it a while back (old thread?)

Thumping on the back is the right thing to do. With the flat of your palm in an upward motion.

fizi I found the food net thing on ebay here and here for example. It may put your mind at rest to use one?

22lbs

I'm hoping we've made it past 12 this week

cc don't worry I took ds to be weighed today and he is just under 15 lbs, so a long way behind the others too.

fizi sorry you had a fright with the choking. Are you sure it was definitely choking though, as gagging looks similarly scary and is a normal refex, and is how they learn to move food around their mouths. It is all explained on babyledweaning.com much better than I could do.

My thoughts are with those of you with poorly dc's. My mum has been admitted to hospital this week with a small blood clot on her lung which has caused a touch of pneumonia. She is so fit and active it has come as a real shock. We are heading up to see her tomorrow. Just me and 2 dc's for a 270 mile drive. What could possibly go wrong??

CC 12 lbs? She's tiny!! But very cute!!!!! Wish I had small/light babies but mine were both born small (6 14 and 6 6 respectively) but then caught up in a big way! No fun carrying around I can tell you. dd1 still likes to pretend she's a baby and wants to be carried like a baby... not good for my back at all.

chinook good luck with the journey and hope your mum is okay. (We do 150 miles one way most weekends, but 270 is another matter altogether)

fizi that's scary. On foods, over in rainbowhouse we give finger foods which will disintegrate easily in the mouth (e.g., papaya, banana, mango, ripe nectarines/peaches (peeled), microwaved tomato, avocado, steamed sweet potato) or will slide easily down her throat. plums can be a bit hard - as a test try putting the food in your mouth and press with your tongue against your upper palate. For foods that are a bit hard like plums, grapes, squished blueberries, I break off into small pieces which will not choke though may cause gagging / squish them slightly. Tried lentil wedges recently which went down well, but not as well as papaya yesterday - downed half a papaya.

DD's just decided she doesn't like being fed with a spoon and prefers to bite off pieces herself that we hold for her (and she controls and brings to her mouth by holding our hands). Modified BLW :)

Choking guide here I hope we never have to use it but just in case. DH is more adventurous at giving "challenging" foods than I am which worries me no end esp since I'll be leaving them both alone :(

mamaloco glad things are improving though sorry to hear about the staph on your DD1

bethylou you must be pleased the christening is all over and safely passed

Well first day at work tomorrow, wish me luck!

rainbow good luck tomorrow!!!!

Good luck Rainbow with work and Chinook with the long journey. Sure it will be worth it to see your Mum. Hope she is better soon.

Mamaloco - with you on the constant turning - I can't fault DS2 on the fact he goes straight back to sleep but getting out of bed 6-10 times in 6 or 7 hours is no good for anyone! It's much harder to cope with the stresses we are currently facing when we are going through a (non)sleeping spell like this. I've taken to waking DS2 at about 10:30p.m., getting a huge burp from him and then putting him down again. This seems to reduce the wakings at least to some degree. might be worth a try?

Been swimming again tongith but had to go to Sainsburys after so not as relaxed now as usual, though did wear my pre-pregnancy costume for the first time (now I'm not feeding).

Feel I am struggling with the stresses we're facing at the mo and not really sure how to relax. I swim once a week which is all we can really fit in at the mo as have no regular family help. Can anyone suggest what you do that relaxes you? I might be able to pick up some tips. I'd love to [play the piano more (and have done so int he past for relaxation) but DS1 likes to play 'with me' - 'plink plonk..' in the day and it would wake them in our open plan house at night.

Thanks for the net link BG I think I may get one. I am very nervous now. Although from the choking guide (thank you rainbow) it looks as though she was gagging not choking. I should definitely do another first aid course, it wasn't that long ago I did one at the Childrens Centre but I've forgotten it all already (babybrain ).

rainbow how old is your DD? I'm so impressed you're cooking special lentil wedges for her. But also slightly [aghast] at the prospect of all the extra work.

Good luck with work today!!

mamaloco how long can you carry DD2 in the ergo for? I'd like to be able to carry DD for a couple of hours or more. The last time I tried, I definitely strained my neck.

bethylou what a shame you can't play the piano at night, seems like that would be a perfect way to relax. There is definitely no-one who could take the DSs off your hands for a couple of hours each week? Do you like reading, is there an hour when the DSs are in bed and you could take to a bath, shut the door and read something frivolous? From what I've read, you are coping really well with lots of different and difficult problems. Well done you for staying sane, and getting up each day and getting on with it. You're doing a fabulous job!

rainbow good luck.
fizzy I haven't try to carry DD2 that long. It sounds weird that your neck is affected. Are you tying your wrap high enough? It should be very high (the bum of the baby above your navel) and quite tight. so the baby weight is supported by your hips not your back IYSWIM. Do you have a local sling group, who can show you other way to tie it and check that your neck is not affected?
I know some people who used the ergo without problem for more than a couple of hours but their DC was around the same weight as mine as a toddler (so in and out), but would be carried for all his nap.
rainbow Impressed by your baby cooking too (doesn't that defies the BLW's route?). I just use a plunger to mush what we are having. Can't be bothered to do special cooking either. [lazy emoticon]
Bethylou sorry not so sure what to advise for relaxing. I love yoga but it is not the same if you do it at home or in a class (much more relaxing with the later).

Oh Chinook Really sorry about your mum, sounds scary. Good luck with the 270 mile drive and hope it all goes well. Deep breaths and a sense of humour might keep you sane!

Fizi I think a nanny comes to your house and a CM can have quite a few children although only one under a year old at her house. I am trying to find my DD one to one care for the first year or so and then gradually I want to introduce mornings at nursery and so on. We are rather short of money as I resigned from work at the end of July... so I'm going to be the SAHM but I just need a couple of mornings to do something non-baby and if I don't paint I'm just not a nice person to be around!!!

Mamaloco Thank you for the advice, much appreciated. My DD is only just five months and I haven't started her on solids yet, I'm waiting until she's six months. She is on the 25th centile which I'm happy with. I'm hoping the sleep thing will improve once my DD is on solids.... I want to try the babyled weaning thing but a bit worried after Fizi's choking incident. It makes me realise that my first aid training is out of date (did a course at school when I was about 15)... Oh and I looked at the pictures of the mesh thing and don't understand it at all (hides pregnancy thick brain in hands and sighs!)...

Oh and I am not missing my periods at all. I'm not looking forward to giving up breast feeding ever really... as I'm worried about all my back pain coming back, and I've always had really painful lousy periods so if BFing is a way to keep it all at bay, I may have to continue until DD is 18 !!!