January 2011

[MacMomo]

Thought we should have a post-natal thread so we can stay together from our ante-natal one. Technically, DD was a December baby after coming early on new years eve; hope you don't mind if I stay with the January group after all this time. How is everyone doing?

Sorry I've been so absent - I keep trying to catch up on all the news and then falling behind again before I've had a chance to read to the top of the list! If I skip a few pages, forgive me - I've missed being on here.

blanche my exclusively BF dd has just been diagnosed with milk allergy. the paed said it is rare but was very confident about the diagnosis. I had to fight to get the referral bec GP said I was imagining the reflux and there was nothing wrong with the baby. Apparently, we have the right to request a second opinion, I'm glad I did. (Eczema was one of our symptoms. )

pelvic I think they take a bit of practise to, erm..... insert!

The jury is still out!

comrade hello again. just a thought about your reflux and blood in stools - the paed who diagnosed dd's milk protein allergy did ask whether there was blood in her stool, and said it would have been additional evidence of allergy. Our sleeping regressed massively after a really good early start (up to week 7 or so), I blame the reflux. She's now napping really well but still difficult to get to sleep in the evening. The medication helped a huge amount.

MacMomo - sorry to hear about your little one's allergy. We are seeing a dermatologist at the hospital and are now on some quite potent steroids which have cleared it up. However, once we stop the steroids it soon flares up again. Has your DD'd eczema cleared up since the diagnosis?

We have started weaning this weekend but I am sticking with just fruit and veg until 7 months and then slowly introducing dairy and eggs. If I can, I plan on leaving wheat until 12 months.

Pelvic, yes I tried to introduce a cup at 4 months to no avail but she is very keen on taking water out a Tommee Tippee starter cup (the cheap one) now. I have to leave her for her bedtime feed in October for 1 night with my Mum so hope she is proficient by then!

Cadle, I have also just moved DD to her own room as she couldn't possibly fit in Moses basket anymore and was in with me. She has been in her own (darker) room for 2 nights now and is sleeping much better! Only waking for a bf once a night so far and sleeping until 7. Last week we were in a holiday cottage with white curtains and she got up one morning at 3.45am. Yawn.

House move progressing nicely. Just at the stage where I seem to be continually writing cheques to solicitors....

blanche dd's ezcema cleared up 90% within 2 weeks of me cutting out all milk protein from my diet (I didn't risk soy or other milk either as they can also cause irritations in a small number of cases). I also gave up caffeine (that was the hardest!) just in case and now I stay off it as she's hard enough to get to sleep! We are just using a 'base' ointment (Diprobase) on her remaining patches which are mostly invisible but feel rough. Paed's weaning advice for dairy was to try yoghurt first at 9 months, if no reaction then cheese, if still no reaction then try milk. The reflux improved a lot too after cutting out the dairy. As did her champion farting!

argh I typed a whole post the other night and I must have not posted it!

Hoping all going out with moving home, non-talkative hubbie, weaning, allergies, placement, farting babies, hello to returners and all else. Sorry no time to retype all my individual replies

All fine here, just not much napping, also waking up often through the night. DD has started BLW 2 weeks pre 6 months - have had fun, messy and also bit nerve raking a few times with her putting too much into her mouth, but it all just slips back out again. My mum is here for a few days and she was laughing today saying my auntie will have a fit if she sees the mess! In my book I think it is amazing that such a young baby can be handed a pre loaded spoon and she can make it to her mouth and even a few times pick it up, so the fact that occassionally she misses, drops, turns it upside down isn't bad. She is getting better at picking food up.

So sorry to hear about all the babies suffering allergies, horrible for you and them .

We've also just started BLW and it's going very slowly. DS1 shovelled everything in right from day 1 and I spent my time worrying that he was eating too much, DS2 has waved food about, given it an occasional lick, gagged and thrown up. His poo smells worse than it did so I think something must be going through but he hasn't visibly eaten anything and, in the process, has thrown up a fair bit of milk too. I'm sure he'll get there when he's ready...

Cradle still H :( . Mooncups are good though. They don't leak like a tampon and aren't ick like a pad. I recommend them at night, or when you are at home but absolutely not good out as you can't give them a rinse in the ladies - ugh.

cradle blanch beat pelvic and walk thank you for support re: H. Have not managed to do counselling yet - not sure how to A: pay for it and B: find the time.

Hello Comrade - hope DD is better and sleeping

Hannah hope placement is going well.

MacMomo sorry to hear it's a breastmilk allergy. Same happened to a friend and baby was allergic to dairy and soy in her diet - luckily she found it out but the soy she had to work out herself and it's in so many products.

DD is hopefully my last but DH is trying to get me pegnant

Finally things slightly better at home. I told H that I didn't want to emigrate with someone who can't talk to me, and that it is horrible for me and the kids. He is being a bit nicer, but maybe because he wants me to get visa sorted.

Reading a book called Shattered at the moment; all about how women get the shitty end of the stick in motherhood. Mumsnet gets a good thrumming in it too. It is a bit moany in parts but has some strong arguments backed up by research explaining why women lose their equality once they have children.

Started weaning, so far: celeriac, rice porridge, broccoli, strawberries, avocado, mango stuff from packet. Trying BLW a bit but also doing mush as my DS is a right little chatterbox and he had mush.

to all of you out there.

Lots of encouragement to those about to go back to work.

first half of placement finished and now back home until the start of August, enjoying being back in our little routine.

Glad things with H are improving sarrita

weaning still going well here and DS now sleeping up to 14 hours a night! which is great but only having one daytime nap meaning the evenings can be pretty awful.

Have had alot of drama about nurseries over the past few months with nowhere having place even though we put DS on the waiting list in February. Have finally found one which is lovely, but they're asking for a months payment in advance, which is £1000! just crazy, desperately trying to scrape around and with trying to find somewhere to live next yr also a problem atm, things are rather stressful.

hope all babies with allergies are doing well!

Hi everyone, I'm always up-to-date with reading this thread then realise I haven't posted for ages. Good to hear everyone's news. Walk and Pelvic, we are also having hilarious antics with BLW. I did the purée approach with my dd so am finding this different way really funny but also amazingly easy (lazy)!! I am also giving him things I wouldn't have dreamt of giving first time round - like cocktail sausages on yesterday's picnic :). He gets his porridge in his eyelashes, his ears...but is so sweet seeing his look of determination
to get that spoon at least NEAR his mouth! Got so sentimental with him reaching 6 months, my gorgeous last little baby! We're changing the pram into a buggy tonight and seems another step away from babyhood!
Sarrita am so sorry things are still difficult, albeit a bit improved. Not surprised you are having serious concerns about emigrating, is such a massive thing to do for someone, you'd want to be feeling pretty rock-solid about them. How much time do you have before the emigration becomes an immediate issue?
MacMomo, I so hope your dd continues to do well now her milk allergy has been diagnosed - what a stress for all of you with these things to contend with (Comrade that must have seemed really frightening at times, hope you've had good support and that things are better). My feeding this time keeps lurching into disaster with cracked nipples/double mastitis etc - even the bf consultants have no idea why I keep encountering these problems so far into our feeding relationship.
All the best with house move Blanche, are you in yet?

Hi all - can I join? I think I was with you earlier in the process but then went wayward but Saskia was born 27/1 so I qualify! Just reading back to catch up, agree with all about the slight as they move away from babyness!

Travis, good to have you back, how is your dd doing?

Welcomeback travis.

beat I can't bear to change the pram into a pushchair, so I have a little cushion to prop her up. I want her looking at me (tbh i want to look at her )

I'm doing a bit of both spoon feeding and BLW, the funniest so far has been the banana, which was too slippy to hold so she chased it around the tray with her mouth .

Sarrita where are you emigating to?

Me too Cadle - I have Saskia propped up in her pram because she is still my baby goddammit! :) I have visions of her still dressed in babygros when she is 12 way too old!!

sarrita I'm kind of impressed with your H's determination if he's trying to get you pregnant whilst giving you the silent treatment, but it doesn't sound like a pleasant situation. Is there any benefit to you in emigrating or is it something you'd be doing entirely for H?

hannah sounds like you've got loads going on! Ouch to the £1000 up front for nursery and housing troubles.

beat poor you still having bfing trouble, hopefully the weaning will start to take a bit of the pressure off soon.

Welcome back travis

cadle I cut little fingerholds into banana, melon and any other really slippery things. DS2 gets frustrated quite easily and I find they help, probably not as much fun as watching them chase round the tray though.

DS1 and DS2 are starting to interact a little bit more now, it's very cute to watch except when DS1 removes toys "no DS2, don't chew that, it's not yours, it's MINE". I'm trying to teach him the swapping rule so if he wants something DS2 has then he needs to bring something in exchange - which he occasionally manages. DS2 got 3 goodnight kisses tonight (I only got 1!) and he was really smiling at DS1!

cadle I had to laugh at the mental picture!

We never got a pram , I just liked the sling better! We got a £35 stroller from Tesco for grannies to use and that seems to have ticked all the required boxes (I've only used it once myself). I have to carry dd on my back now instead of snuggled in my front, and I'm a bit sad about that, too.

Sleeping seems to have clicked really nicely here in the last 4-6 weeks, I wondered if it ever would. Now doing 2-3 naps a day, really predictable (unless disturbed by constipated weaning poo) and sleeping about 12 hrs at night, though waking a few times for shushing and a midnight + 4 am feed. I'm just so relieved! The night sleeps settled when DH went away with work, maybe the house was just a bit calmer. I think it helps that I'm more consistent with my actions too, rather than being influenced by the other parent!

Emigrating is a difficult thing - I emigrated to the UK and I'll eventually go home; it's so much more emotional than people expect. Good luck with that sarrita - it can also be a wonderful adventure!

anyone recommend a good highchair for a really small kitchen/dining room? BLW on my lap isn't much fun anymore!

also - anyone recommend a good playpen type thing?

The high chair that MNs seem to rave about is this one although noone has done a review. It is the one I see in a lot of independant cafes.

high chair

MacMomo How about one of these? There are also ones which clip on to the table instead of hanging off a chair but they never look that safe to me (although I'm sure they do adhere to all safety standards)! Good for transporting to Granny's too if that's a consideration. I'd imagine the laundry from lap BLW is pretty excessive!

If you need a playpen you could get a travel cot and use it for both, I know a few people who did and had no problems. Useful for folding down and transporting as well.

I've heard of the Antilop but they don't deliver this item and I live 2 hrs from Ikea (seriously out in the sticks). I like the idea of the Halfords one, seems cheap and simple which will suit me for the a couple of months especially as we're off for 2 weeks in the campervan and it looks like it could be used over a folding picnic chair! Question - at what age will a baby be able to get itself out of it? I'll be moving house back to civilisation in September so can get to Ikea then. Thanks ladies!

It probably depends on the baby. I've not used the halfords one, only a similar one in a cafe, but I think they'd be as hard to get out of as a high chair, not sure how big the leg holes are so I don't know if outgrowing would be a problem.

Very of campervan!

I have just made a version of the Halfords one (getting a bit too creative with the sewing machine!) and I tied a year old to the chair very successfully . I am only using mine as a travel chair not on a long term basis.

You can't go wrong with the Ikea Antilop highchair. Can be wiped down (even hosed down) in seconds and nowhere for food to hide. Stick it out in the sun to get rid of tomato stains if needed.

Don't be tempted to get a chair with lots of cushioning or fancy recline functions, etc. It is amazing where weetabix, pasta, etc can be dropped or wiped and you don't want something where you have to take it to pieces to clean.

I also have one of these for travelling, holidays that I picked up last year in the Tesco sale. Not used it for DD2 yet. If you want to try something similar out take your little one to Wagamama for lunch!

cadlecrap I'm impressed by your sewing skills, did you use a pattern or just do it freestyle?

blanche those table clip ones freak me out a bit, I went to lunch in wagamama when DS1 was little, along with a few other friends and babies. It just didn't seem quite right hanging all the children off the table , I know this is irrational...

I have decided I'm going for the October submission of my OU module (other option was the end of this month, which isn't really an option any more given how long it'll take to do the EMA). DS2 still isn't going to bed until about 10, I can't concentrate enough to do it with him on my lap and by this time of night I'm no use to anyone! I'm hoping I'll either be able to do it in little segments or he'll start going to bed a lot earlier before then.

DS2 is stuffing food down now but there's not much coming out the far end, I'm starting to wonder where it's all going . I'm wondering if his lack of daytime sleep (2 tiny naps today) and the late nights are due to his stomach bothering him. He's been doing a fair bit of early morning waking too.