June 2008: new year, new diets, new resolutions, but when push comes to shove creme eggs are still the solution!

[KnittingRocks]

Sorry, couldn't cope with Christmas anymore!

Go Neenz! Did you mention you had a bf peer support qualification? Which one? I have one with the ABM. (But no twins, obv, so you're better placed than me on that one!)

Neenz and Rolf - what's the best way to arrange this meet up?

Just popping in to check for news of Maya.

But also, I'll keep my head down this week - Hilary's funeral is on Thursday, and I'm totally upset by her husband's facebook status (people just didn't know because it had happened so quickly - so he had to tell people, and just his comments on the future he and his little DD will be having now...). Also have major work issues but I do have lots of help with those. But don't spend time thinking of me - think of Hilary's family instead, they really need all the help and prayers they can get.

Dewin thinking of you and of Hilary's family. My cousin's husband died very suddenly (RTA) when their younger child was about the same age as our LOs, and my cousin organised memory boxes very early on. She's a very organised person and whilst it surprised me that she sorted out her DH's clothes etc so early on, it was something she needed to do. I think that doing a memory box for each child, very soon after her DH died, was something that really helped her. It might even be something for Hilary's friends to do, actually, and a constructive way of helping her DD "know" her mother. Hope I'm not being intrusive...

Re meeting up. I'm afraid I'm still not driving so am dependant on someone with a car able to pick up the crib. So long as I have a good bit of notice I can get DH to go to storage and pick it up from there and bring it to our house. Would you or your DH be able to pick it up from me, do you think, or shall we try and think of another way of arranging it?

Dewin every night I include hilarys family in my little prayers.

Maya had a boy called Felix - hurrah!

Neenz thanks for the post! We are still topping up with formula from a bottle but it seems to be ok at the mo. Had a fairly good night with plenty of sucking and small 30ml top ups which has been all they needed. Madeleine has blood sugar issues so we need to be careful. Feeling a bit better about it and had a fab mw last night. Trying to get another 2 nights on the health insurance fingers crossedso I can go home confident and my milk might have come in. Thanks for everyones good wishes. Missing Luke very much but seeing him will upset me I think so probably going to just wait till I get home.

Way to go Amber! I know it is patronising but I am so proud of you. Just remember every bit of breastmilk the girls take tells your body to make more milk. The more they suck the more milk you will have. The more formula they have the less they will suck! So more sucking less formula . But it sounds like things are going really well. I won't sugar coat it - it will be tough to exclusively bf them with little nighttime help and a toddler to look after, but if you are doing the night-times alone anyway, bottles will be hard work too. If you can learn to bf lying down, that will help loads. I used to get one settled and then lie down to feed the other one. Then you can have a nap while you feed. It is perfectly safe as long as you don't smoke, take drugs or are totally exhausted (if you feed lying down it can prevent you from becoming exhausted).

Feel free to message me on FB if you want to .

Dewin, I'm an LLL peer supporter. What messages was Hilary's husband leaving? Could he be a bit overwhelmed and depressed if he is posting strange things (would be understandable)?

So glad to hear of the safe arrival of Felix!

Congratulations Maya, what a lovely name

dewin - thinking about Hilarys family

Oh, Neenz, nothing strange or anything - just a perfectly reasonable summary of the situation, which is so shitty it's unbelievable.
"Facebook is wholly inadequate for this message, but some of you won't yet know that my beautiful wife was taken from us by cancer on Christmas Day after only a short illness. Please pray for her and for Becky and me as we face a future tougher than we hoped it would be, particularly this week as we prepare for Thursday's funeral but also in the lonely weeks, months and years to come."

It's a desperate situation for him, it really is.

Dewin, am also thinking of Hilary's family. Such an awful situation for them. When my friend lost her husband last year (just after their DD's first birthday )there was regular similar types of updates in fb, and it was heartbreaking.

Congratulations Maya! I hope it all went ok and that you're both doing well.

Not much to report here. Just a pretty normal Monday!

Dewin So heartbreaking.

Maya Congratulations, really cute name!

Oh dewin, how awful, I've got tears welling up here. It just doesn't bear thinking about, that poor man.Hope Thursday goes as well as it can.Don't know if this is the done thing at funerals but how about having a book like we had at our wedding where everyone who attended wrote a message. Maybe the family and friends could do the same for Hilary's daughter, so that she could look at it in the future?

I think the book is a lovely idea where people can share memories and stories. Nice to read back how loved she was. It's a bit like when I used to read back all the cards when my mum died. Very comforting.

Bf is still a nightmare even though I am now leaking mik! Isabella will do it with lots of help (mw sitting there shoving my boob in her mouth constantly) but Madeleine is still not staying on but she has a good latch. Going home tomorrow and I'll be honest I will try but I can't keep up this level. Come on little babies! They are healthy though and within ranges for weightloss.

Hope everyone is good

Meeny congratulations I love Felix it is such a fantastic name1

Dewin the whole situation is just so heartbreaking. I don't think there is anything anyone can say that isn't going to hurt - that poor man. My heart bleeds for him.

My friends with twins only managed to get her breastfeeding established when she was at home. She did have an au pair to help with her older daugter, maybe you can get extra help at home for a while Amber until it all gets a bit easier?

Dewin - that made me all teary too.

Maya - Congratulations! Looking forward to hearing more, and seeing some pics.

Amber - it sounds like you are doing really well.

Neenz - Feeding lying down is great, but I didn't manage to do that with either of them until they were a couple of weeks old.

Big news - J used the toilet at the library yesterday, until now he hasn't needed to go while we were out, apart from once saying as we were nearly home in the van "Wee, wee, home!".
We managed fine, apart from the automatic hand drier which he managed to set off a couple of times, that really scared him.

congrast Maya! Felix is a lovely name. Hope everything is going well.

Amber all you can do is give breastfeeding a chance and not beat yourself up if it doesn't work. I found it difficult to get started both times and that was only with one kid.

dewin I will keep Hilary's husband and daughter in my prayers. It's my worst nightmare, losing DH, and because of his job I dwell on it far too much.

Yeah I bet you do Abdn . It's awful to even consider. I hope Hilary's husband and daughter can get through this OK.

I think I fed Daniel lying down as soon as he got the hang of it but it will def be easier to do when the girls have a good latch. Amber the MW shouldn't be putting your boob in her mouth. Just run your nipple down her nose or against her cheek and she should open her mouth wide for you to put the boob in. Hold the baby with her whole body facing you, not just her head, she should be in a straight line rather than with her head turned toward you. If she doesn't want to latch, do as much skin to skin as possible and don't get too stressed. They should latch on when they are ready. Good news on the weights. I had a terrible time with Esther's weight gain, she fell off the bottom of the charts but I felt she was doing ok and eventually she caught up. Abdn is right, you definitely mustn't beat yourself up cos BFing any baby can be hard, never mind two, but with the right techniques you should be able to carry on (if you want to) even if you supplement with formula too. How are your nipples? Lansinoh can really help if they are getting dry. The MW should be able to give you some or you can get it at Boots etc. You can slap it on and its still ok to bf with it on. xx

Neenz just got your message and will call when I can as got my friend coming in 5 mins. Might be tomorrow though.

Have serious baby blues today. Just been crying thinking that these are my last babies even though I hated being pregnant. Hormones are fucked.

Fabulous advice Neenz . Amber sorry you're blue.

I think T may have broken her thumb. She dropped a desk lid on it (one of those old fashioned school desks). It wasn't fully open but is heavy enough for just a few inches to have hurt. She cried for ages, to the point where her teeth were chattering. It's very swollen and sore. even 4 hours later. She's a bit calmer now but is holding her hand really awkwardly and it is horribly tender. Anything touching it has her crying again. A GP friend had a quick look at it at school and said it was really difficult to tell as bruising could make it swollen and tender. I'm going to try to get her to sleep as she's tired now which is making everything worse. But I'm ready for her not being able to sleep because of the pain and if/when that happens I'll take her to A&E.

hormones are hell - you have my sympathy amber!!!!

rolf oh no - I hope T sleeps okay and it's not broken. have you given her calpol?

Neenz just got your message and will call when I can as got my friend coming in 5 mins. Might be tomorrow though.

Have serious baby blues today. Just been crying thinking that these are my last babies even though I hated being pregnant. Hormones are fucked.

Abdn I couldn't get any calpol down her. The others are mad for calpol so I just had a regular spoon with the medicines, not one of those syringe ones. I'll need to get one from the chemist tomorrow.

She's asleep now but I imagine that whenever she rolls over in her sleep she'll bang her thumb and wake up, and then I'll bring her in with me. I'm just hoping I've done the right thing in keeping her at home and reviewing it tomorrow.

Rolf, hope tonight doesn't go too bad, let us know how she is tomorrow

Your poor DD Rolf, hope you both manage to get some sleep and that it's not as bad as you fear.

Not posting much else tonight, had a terrible day at work which I'll not go into as it's about something very sad that has made the local news so not really appropriate to blether on about on t'internet.

Hope both Amber and Maya are doing well!

Marking spot.

Rolf - how is T

Keep calm - sorry you had a terrible day

Maya - love the name Felix. Congratulations. Hope all is going well.

Amber I've been out this morn at the doc's but I should be in for the rest of the day so feel free to call any time. Daniel and E have conjunctivitus, not too serious though, just gunky eyes, I don't think it is bothering them too much - although I was up at 12, 1.30, 3, 4.30, 5 and 6.30 with either one or other last night so maybe I am wrong! D has gone from one feed a night to three (last night) so will give it to end of the week, try to get as much milk down him as poss in day, and if his sleep has not improved I might try him on some food. He is just over 5mths now. I know they say food makes no difference to sleep but it did with the twins.

Rolf, poor T, how is she today? My sister's DD hates taking medicine too, it is a nightmare! She makes herself sick .

T had a lovely conversation with my mum on the phone the other day. up until now they have enjoyed holding the phone and listening but not speaking. After preschool on mon mum was asking him about it and he was nattering away saying 'buses', 'trains' etc - when I put her on to Esther she said 'grandad' .

I tripped over a potty in the kitchen the other day and went flying onto the floor. Theo looked really worried and said 'Are you ok mummy? Are you ok?' Esther couldnt have cared less - she just stepped over me as if i wasn't there!

sorry you had a crappy day keepcalm.

Rolf I think you did the right thing keeping her home. I once (accidentally obviously) caught ds1's fingers in between the front door and the door jam and took him to hopspital with a suspected fractured finger. He was a very similar age. After waiting ages to be seen and x-rayed the dr's said his bones were so small it was impossible to tell if it was broken or not! I'd take her if you think it might need re-setting though.

J had his first day at pre-school yesterday. I spoke to his keyworker before I collected him to ask how he'd been. She said he had been fine until quite close to the end then he cried for a good 10 minutes before calming down but she didn't know why. When I saw him he came rushing over and said, 'mummy I lost you. I lost you and I cried' I felt awful.