AUGUST 2010 - welcome to post-natal :o)

[CherryPie3]

I know I'm not around a great deal lately but we don't yet have a PN thread - so here we are.

Love to all xxx

:)

Hello ladies

5hrs straight through last night!!! Fantastic, but still feel exhausted

I can only get 2oz off each boob atm too. With DD i only expressed and was pretty much getting enough, but think at this stage she was having one top up of formula every 2 days or so.

Hector DD went from 7.4lbs to 6.1bs in her first week and seemed so tiny. She was in the small baby (up to 7.5lbs) clothes til she was 6weeks old, now a rather undainty nearly 3yr old (will put a pic up on my profile)

Need to get shifting, DD has ballet this afternoon....

Hector, I completely understand how you feel, though to be honest I think everyone worries about their child's weight unless they're precisely average! DS1 has been exactly on the 50th his whole life, and I've still managed to fret about him at various points . S is on the 80th, so periodically I worry about him growing up fat... And the 25th really isn't all that little. My friends' twins were on the 8th for ages after they were born, and now they're very healthy, bouncing 3 year olds. So try not to worry!

ApoloGies for missing anyone out but I'm trying to ses a message on my iphon while feeding S. She's still doing her cluster feeding thing almost all day every day but now we've introduced a bottle I generally get one 3-4hour sleep a day (her, not me, I spend most of it expressing!). Anyway makes it all bearable and even managed to meet my nct ladies today (did have to whip my boobs out three times in two hours but hey ho!).
Anyway we had her weighed today and my
5 and a bit week old now weighs 13lb placing her above the 98th centile so it's not surprising I'm struggling to keep up!
Alice - so glad you got a bit more sleep - maybe growth spurt over? We do have. Sling but S hates it with a passion :-( in laws just kindly got us a 'from birth' push chair we can fold up (we usually use our lovely silver cross pram) so hoping that works. Still a bit daunted about the flight (and needing to get to the airport for 7!)....
GYA have a lovely break in Spain!
Chulita so sorry to hear about your friend - must be devastating for her and difficult for you. I'm sure any acknowledgement of her little boy will e appreciated.
Elusive - we're off to Oxford soon (dh has a conference) I wonder if you spotted baby friendly things to do when you were last there (iirc you went as a couple but being a parent thnlen you're more likely to have spotted things I didn't!)...
Well I had a fun yesterday. S gad been storing up 2 days of poo that she decided to present me with yesterday in the middle of john lewis. Through a nappy and two layers of clothes she conpletely coated herself. So I get her naked and cleaned up, pick her up to get fresh clothes down and she wees all down me. I ended up holding her over the sink! Dh laughed so hard. Her was, however less amused when giant poo take two came along yesterday night when holding her an went through right onto his trousers. Nice!

My DD fell off the bottom of the growth charts! Don't look at the charts, look at your baby . It doesn't matter what they weigh compared to other children as long as they are gaining weight overall (not necessarily every week at this age).

2-4oz is loads to express in one go! Can you do a couple of sessions a day to get more (I used to do 7am and 10am)

Feeling happy happy happy today

weehector Sam's slid from the 75th to the 25th, he only puts on about an oz a week due to the reflux. he's still not had his 1st jabs at almost 11 weeks because we moved, I must get cracking and register him.

Do you hasve room for a stray? I brought cupcakes - freshly baked >looks hopeful> :)

I hope you're all well, I haven't read through the thread yet, I stil don't get much time but I'm hoping I can come on most every few evenings to read updates.

Love to you all - I've missed you!!!!

xxxxx

As you can see - I still can't type!

Only cos you brought cupcakes

hello cherry! i was wondering where you'd got to :)

we've had 2 good days of feeding, only using nipple shields during the night when i can't be arsed am too tired to get him to latch on properly

Does anyone think it's too early to buy a highchair?

Evening All, thanks for the advice about feeding I have fed DD approx 2.5 to 3 hours since last feed and no signs of green poo so far.

For those of you BF-ing and still awaiting your LO's first vaccinations I would definitely recommend breast feeding during them. As with Neenz the health visitor wanted Nina across my legs to administer the vaccine but I insisted on BF-ing, Nina cried for about 10 seconds after each jab and then carried on feeding, also as I was concentrating on the feeding I didn't get upset either- So seemed to benefit both of us!

I have started to feel a bit aimless at the moment, I think I thought at 8 weeks our routine would fall into place naturally and I would see improvement in naps and night time sleeps, but I actually feel we are doing worse than a couple of weeks ago! Is anyone else experiencing this? I have started to feel like I might need to dig out my Baby Whisperer or even the dreaded GF books to try and help give DD some more consistency and put some structure back in my life, could this be a good idea or is it the sleep deprivation talking???

Hope everyone gets a good nights sleep (well as good as possible)

cherry nope, high chairs are the new buggies. Currently researching which one will suit for us & eyeing up those Bumbo chairs as well. Only a few weeks until we'll need these things!

Health visitor was cool yesterday - he's still a twitch but just perfect according to her.

Yesterday was Officially A Good Day in Hectorland. Napping, time spent in cot, no grizzling, A looking cool in his new big boy babygro, baby massage (my chum from yoga was there, I may be on the outskirts of new mummy friends!), a clean-ish house & homemade brownies. Fingers crossed for today..expect it'll all go to shit now I've jinxed it.

Hi all, tiring couple of days as E has been uncharacteristically grizzly, think she's been having a bit of trouble with wind and has been quite needy. 5am feed ended up effectively being the beginnng of the day for the last two days as she needed constant attention . That said, left her with my Mum for the first time while I got my haircut and she slept all the way through .

I have a possible expressing tip - I started out regularly getting about 5oz and it had been going down so I remembered reading a suggestion that you express off one breast while feeding off the other. I got 3 1/2oz off one breast alone!

Re growth - Elodie at 10lb 2 is pretty much bang on the 50th centile, which is as well - we had to go up to 0-3month babygros immediately to accommodate her hip harness, if she was a massive baby I'd probably have to go up another size already, and she's not 7 weeks yet.

pamplemousse I live in Oxford, what kind of stuff are you looking for? I'm still pretty new to the mother and baby scene - but there is a fab family centre called Donnington Doorstep which does free drop ins, cheap food, and is just a hive of friendly baby chaos.

Flying visit. Having a good day - managed to go round the shops and take DS1 to his swimming lesson this morning, so feel I'm doing well .

Pample I'm afraid I'm not really well versed on what would be good with kids in Oxford (only been there as a student and a couple). If it's a nice day then a walk in University Parks would be lovely (nice and central, with good paths for a buggy), and if you're looking for some culture then the Ashmolean museum has recently been revamped, so I'm guessing it should be pretty accessible now.

Also, re high chairs, I can't recommend the Stokke Tripp Trapp chairs highly enough. They're stonkingly expensive, but are, in my opinion, the Rolls Royce of high chairs, and supposedly last until your kids are practically teenagers. Don't know whether you can get them with a food tray, but as long as you have an appropriate dining table, you don't really need one.

hello people, we just had our first proper outing that wasn't to a breastfeeding group. I took him into work to show him off to my colleagues and he behaved beautifully :) Then i went into town and he got hungry so i fed him in the baby room in Boots - most uncomfortable chair for bf ever! Now my back is really sore. The chair had sides which meant he wouldn't fit lying across my lap so i had to perch sideways on the edge of the chair. hmph. glad i'm home now. hoping he'll have a nap so i can too. was awake from 12.30-4ish last night

Hello all, I hope you're all well and not succumbing to this crappy cold that is doing the rounds. I have it and I passed a mild version of it to Alex. I also started my period today, this is despite still exclusively breastfeeding at least every 2 hours.... really sore boobs and feel very tired!

Also, the doctors have lost my blood sample for a second time! My iron went down to 5 after the haemhorrage (sp?) in hospital and I was given 3 weeks supplyof iron, so that ran out 2 weeks ago and now they've lost 2 lots of blood tests so I don't know what my iron level is. I do still look pale and feel physically drained (although I guess I would anyway with a newborn) but unfortunately having moved to a new area my new doctors aren't fully aware of how serious the blood loss was since they don't have my records yet. Its all just a mess, anyway had blood retaken for 3rd time today and hope to get results within a week.

Luckily I have a nice HV who is helping to push the process along for me.

I've got my eye on the Stokke highchair since we are in love with our Stokke Xplory stroller, it is so well made and easy to use. When the time comes I reckon we'll go for the highchair too.

Alex is 5 weeks and a day and weighed 10lb 14 earlier this morning. He still wakes up around every 1.5 hours in the night, although last night was terrible he had me up every 50 minutes or so and at 5am I just gave up and got up because it was starting to feel a bit like mental torture! He is really smiley and lovely now though, and of course worth all the sleeplessness although i am envious of anyone getting more than 2 hours unbroken kip. I can't remember what that feels like!!

evening girls :)

this is the 3rd time I've tried to type this msg as my new laptop keeps restarting itself not sure why, it says 'configuring windows' and I don't know what that means...

anyway, what it basically said is...

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking about high chairs although I don't think our budget will quite stretch to a Stokke, I've been looking at this one I love it because its so reasonably priced (and it's stripey!!)

Anna I never realised you were allowed to bf during vaccinations - I wish I'd have known cos I felt so guilty when Corey screamed after his jabs :(

Weehector what a fantastic day you had! I'd like one of those please :). Corey likes to feed all day and sleep all night (not that I mid the last part) so I get hardly anything done that I want/need to!

bellygazing Hi, I don't think we've 'met'. How are you? :).
I'm very impressed and a wee buit jealous that you managed to get your hair cut, I haven't managed that for months!!! My hair literally almost touching my bum and it's bugging me now.

Elusive Hi!! :)

Marzi I think they're standard issue in boots baby rooms! They're truly horrible aren't they? I like the sides cos it helps me feed ds2 'rugby ball' style, but they're really hard plastic and horribly uncomfortable. Hope your back doesn't stay sore for long.

Vix Can't believe the doctors messed up again, so annoying!!! Hope they get their act together for you soon. Alex is a brilliant weight, for 5 weeks!
Corey has to be weighed again next Wednesday cos he's still underweight :(. He'll be 14weeks tomorrow and last weeks he was only 10lbs 9oz, heres hoping he's put some on so
the hv will stop breathing down my neck!!

Love to you all, dh just arrived with kfc - yummy!!

xxxx

elusive I'd love a trip trapp...it would match my stoke sleepi which A must have spend oh, about 4 hrs in total so far...(our record is an hour, he was furious that we'd tricked him). We have the stokke changing unit & wardrobe too..tis great quality.

Feeling quite capable today...though we had an up & down morning (see brief to follow, the house smells like the portaloos at Glastonbury & A howled with his wee sore tummy)..we made it to breastfeeding group, baby yoga & went for our first sail on 'daddy's boat'.

Right about that brief..who is the creative amongst us again? Literally a shitty morning in Hectorland.

Required: brand identity for ShiteFest
Consider as wording alone or as a creative lock up with a graphic device (which if used, should reflect explosiveness/mess of infant bottom incidents or use relevant icons e.g nappies.
Needs to work with 'a celebration of poo' strapline too - please show both versions
Colours: can be full colour. mandatory - mustard. Consider meconium green if you feel it needs it to give logo standout
Notes: needs to work across a full range of collateral (bibs, badges, etc as well as as marketing materials). Consider splatter effect wall decal for outdoor
advertising or suggest other appropriate creative formats.

Man, I found typing that cathartic. The floor was thankfully washable but the changing mat may have to be burnt.

heehee - weehector that made me chuckle!!

I'm very jealous of your ability to do things with an infant. Today should have been breasfteeding group but alas Corey decided that screaming was the in-thing today and so I have rocked and walked and driven and even tried the white goods method - but nothing worked. He has yelled all day, only the mighty boob would settle him, resulting in him throwing up all the excess milk that his tummy just didn't need.

I think he's.......TEETHING

damn bold didn't work :(

should also add that I am absolutely incapable of even keeping up with the housework and laundry as well with all the
screaming that Corey likes to do these days.

With this in mind I delivered 2 bags of to-do laundry to mums house this morning with a promise that I will buy her some Daz laundry liquid

Mums are ace aren't they??

Hello Mummies and babies all

I do love hearing the tales of poo, pee, milk and wailing - keeps me company in the week hours of feeding. We had our 6 week check today and Sadhbh is doing well at 10 lbs 10. Gives me a real boost as I am still finding feeding excruciating so it encourages me to carry on.

One thing though - Doc didn't examine me at all - just prescribed contraception and asked how I was doing emotionally. In retrospect I should have perhaps asked but should my stiches have been looked at or my tummy felt? I'm sure all is fine as I'm feeling well but I'm super keen to get back to the gym - is 6 weeks enough time?

xx

wow LCR thats fantastic that Sadhbh is doing so well, I find it's a brilliant confidence booster. :)

I honestly don't know about the gym but I would assume if you feel well enough in yourself to do so then perhaps a gentle trip to the gynm wouldn't hurt.

FWIW - the doc didn't check me over either, just asked whether I wanted more babies in the future and what contraception I wanted. Bet I was only in the room 3 or 4 minutes.

xxx

Hey

LCR we had our 6 week check at Dr's last week. Basically asked how i was doing, asked about contraception, checked F (weighed, hip check etc) sent me for a blood test and that was it. F is now 7wks and i have been back on my horse a few times, muck them out every day etc and it's fine. This is after a cs, but i am lucky as i seem to recover very well.

Cherry much sympathy for demanding children, between my two i seem to struggle some days.

F had his 6-8wk HV check today. The little chubber has put on a lb in week - that may be why he was feeding every 2hrs for a week then?
The HV said he was a very good advertisement for breastfeeding

Starting to feel the strain with DH working the long hours now. I have moments when both children need me, but i am dying for a wee, trying to cook dinner and empty a potty all at the same time when i wnt to go into the garden and throw plates!

Just finishing this post after dealing with a toddler poo incident, whilst running a bath and praying for DH to walk in the door any moment. Also trying to avoid huge chunky spider that is eying me up from near the airing cupboard.

Have a good evening all....

Evening ladies... have name changed a little...

I've come to lurk for the first time in a little while. Thank you for thinking of me over the weekend with all the troll and SS malarky. I'm not sure what I believe anymore if I'm honest, worried that I can't trust my own judgement.

I'm doing ok - I've started seeing a councellor and I think its positive at the moment. I've started a public blog, and I think that helps to get it all out. I will also be going back to work on the 3rd Nov. My school are being amazing and I will only be doing half day for a month to start off with. Considering I only work Wed-Fri now anyway I think they are being generous.

I've decided to only go back part-time as was originally planned. Partly because I think that will be enough to deal with to begin with, and when the time comes and we're pregnant again I think working part time can only be a good thing for that. (I will whisper that I think we will be ttc from around Christmas/New Year onwards - although I'm very very nervous, I don't think I could survive going through this again... I honestly don't know how I live this forever as it is.)

DH has finally had some sort of diagnosis regarding his hands. His 2nd MRI showed there is tissue and nerve damage in his neck, probably the result of an infection that went to his spine. Consultants are going to look more closely at it, but it will probably be a case of just waiting it out as these types of things can take well over a year to heal. He will have another MRI in about 2/3 months and if there is no improvement they may start looking into steroid treatments to try and push it along. Its all still a bit airy and there could be more details to come following next appointment. We're just hoping it can be fixed now and isn't perm...

Hope all you lovely Mummy and babies are doing well.

Chulita - my heart goes out to your friend. As others have said recognise her son, just as all you lovely August ladies recognised Belle. Another lovely gift I had was "Name a Star" in memory of Belle... would it be possible to send something like that to the US? I love that a little star in the universe is called Anabelle Violet...

I will PM you a "Wish List" I got from SANDS. I put it on my FB to help my friends understand a little. I don't know your friend, but I know I'm desperate for Belle to have the ongoing recognition my (God Willing) future children will have. E.g. remember her birthday... I rambling now...

Tomorrow marks the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week. (9th-15th Oct). Next Friday (15th) at the end of the week, there will be a "Wave of Light" at 7pm for one hour across the UK to remember little angel babies. Can I cheekly ask that if any of you are able, to light a candle for that hour for Belle. Tonight I've emailed my local newspaper about it - I'm hoping to get them to do a little piece about us/it to raise awareness and advertise SANDS Why 17 campaign.

www.why17.org/

Much love to you all xxxx