November 05 Babies - They're here!

[rodeo1]

Well, some are here!

Congratulations Chacha! Sorry you had to have emergency c-section, but at least baby and you are OK

Diege - with keeping them awake during day - get a hyperactive DH who wants to play with him, change nappy after feeding and not before, try and get him to sleep well, take baby gro off and leave in bodysuit, top and tail, bath, change, make sure room temps not too high, and finally if all else fails leave the poor thing alone b4 he gets too upset! That's the hardest thing about GF - if you can't keep them awake when they're s'posed to be the whole thing goes to pot!

LOL Beartime! Yes, I agree that Gina does very much depend on keeping them awake, though touch wood still seems to be keeping up with nighttime Gina routine. Will try the nappy thing though, and bath time certainly wakes her up! She's 4 weeks now, so (from memory) the sleepiness does fade in the next few weeks, and then you wish it hadn't gone !
LOL Londoner re: cloud cuckoo land . Seriously though, am finding temper with dds extremely fragile at moment, which I know isn't good. Any tips on 'holding it together' in the face of extreme provocation from 3and 4 year dds?!
Diege

congrats chacha
glad you have crossed to our side!!!
DIEGE the 10.09 is better for me if thats ok????
Arndale is good and trams to get there are realy easy from picadilliy
got to go explosive nappyneeds to be changed asap!!
twinkle

Yes mine's a lot more awake now, but if he doesn't sleep well one nap, then it is hard to keep him awake the next time around. And it's kinda mixed feelings - it's nice them being asleep cos you get lots done, but then you think how much sleep am I going to get tonight???!

Does anyone know what the PUL wraps are like for ordinary terry nappies? I read somewhere they are better for nappy rash as more breathable than the waterproof pants? Would I use the same as with other washables, like the motherease etc. or is it different cos it's just ordinary terries? Sorry - I'm clueless. I just don't like the waterproof pants that much, and I have to put barrier cream on everytime.

Diege, have to admit to being the same at times when coping with 6 and 3 year old & new baby, it's not easy. Tiredness distorts everything and makes your ability to cope with situations/emotions so hard even if you have a 'good' baby. The thing that helped me most was getting out into the fresh air if going got too tough, or 'phone a friend' was another thing, these two things can enable you to see things more objectively.... it's important to realise the things you are doing right as well as wrong....
I think in the end I found it helped if I could warn the kids when I was getting cross and that I needed 'time out' sometimes too? I also used 'time out' (and still do!) for them.... I tell them to go and sit on the stairs and think about it, it works for me.... I don't leave them there for long... I already feel better if they go and sit on it. If they won't go and sit on it I go and sit on the stair while holding them, just quietly but firmly until both of us had calmed down and could talk about our feelings.
I don't know if any of that is helpful to you, or if it could work, but keep trying things IMO, even if nothing works at least you pass the time.
Also, if you feel out of control could you tell someone close to you? Someone you trust, ask for a hand?

beartime, yes, I use ME airflow and rikki wraps, love them both and have used with terries/muslins and a nappi nippa, airflow are my firm faves, def worth a try I reckon!

Thanks Londoner . I think just knowing that others have dealt with the same thing helps (and lived to tell the tale!). The sad thing is that they are at school/nursery during most of the week, so it's not as if I have 3 at home all day! Strangely enough, they seem a lot easier when they are off, and I can really get into doing things etc. I think it will help when I pass my test, and can get us all off and out in the car somewhere, though we are good walkers/cyclists so make the most of the fresh air. Like the idea of telling them I'm getting cross, as I think it'simportnant that kids know that mummies do get angry and cross at times! Thanks!
Agree, BEARTIME that them sleeping is a double edged sword . BTW, solved the 'how to keep her awake' issue. Decided to change bed and her eyes flicked open - wide awake! Unfortuantely, crying commenced, but still, at least awake! I'll be interested to see if it has a knock-on effect tonight!
TWINKLE: 10.09 is fine for me. Any idea where we could meet? Perhaps by the main entrance? Getting excited now! .
Diege.

Londoner, how do you wash them? And how often do you have to wash them? Is there a good place to buy them 2nd hand?

oh, and how is the nappy rash - do you still have to apply cream every change?

Diege, glad you solved the awake issue - you're not going to change the bed every time though are you

Nova - what was the name of your sling? Nat looked so cosy in it.

Evening all.

There's lots of posts to catch up with, again! Not been at my computer for a few days as I've been too knackered. We've had a couple of sleepless nights & I'm trying to remember what I did on the night she actually slept/fed well. It's like being a detective sometimes, isn't it?

Had a great laugh today. A friend popped round to take some photos of us & Ella. What with one thing & another, most of my mascara ended up down my face from laughing so much. Then the MW arrived & she joined in too. I'm crap when I have my pic taken, I just end up giggling. Anyway, the photos are great, apart from my double chin. There is a truly gorgeous one of Ella which I shall endeavour to post at some point.

About the lochia, I have the same concerns too. When I asked the MW today when it would stop, she knew EXACTLY why I was asking. I said DP would have to wait a bit longer for some rumpy-pumpy! Its not DP that's getting frustrated, it's ME!! I realise I might be in the minority here but I can't wait to resume activities, although sleep is still taking priority ATM. Needless to say, not having stitches makes the thought of it less painful.

Big congrats to Chacha on the birth of her son. Hope she is recovering from her section. That's always everyone's worst nightmare so I hope it wasn't too traumatic.

Looking forward to Kristina & LilJ joining us soon.

I must say, I feel quite lucky when I read how you are all coping with a new baby PLUS toddlers. My DS is 9 so I don't have these problems. I think I'd be on prozac if I had 2 or 3 kids under school age.

It's also interesting reading how some of you are managing to get your babies into a routine. From what I can gather, I don't think I could cope with GF but I'm sure her style suits some babies & others not. Beartime, I swaddle Ella & it definately does work. The HV recommended leaving a hand poking out so that they can self-soothe by sucking on their hand. The BW says that babies have a need to suck even when they're not hungry so it makes sense.

Londoner, Ella is very contented when she's not squirming & pulling her legs up so I know that this isn't a serious problem. She does bring her wind up quite well but I've learnt that she has to burp twice to be really settled. I also lie her down on her side rather than her back, so her knees are up. The theory is that if her tummy is sore it will be more comfy for her. I also roll up a small fleece & put it behind her back so she feels in contact with something there too.

Well, dinner beckons. Hope we're all going to get lots of sleep tonight. That includes you too, Kristina!

Ooh, forgot to mention..Ella has gained 1lb & half an ounce since birth!![very proud emoticon]!!

Karma & Ella (15 days old)

Wow - Karma, I'm impressed. Had my boys weighed yesterday and they had both put on 1lb + 8oz, but they are nearly 4 weeks old now. They have gone down from the 75 to the 25 percentile - but health visitor is happy with that?

whoever went to their meet up with a sling... was it Nova? I was just wondering, how do you eat at a restaurant with a baby in a sling?

hi golden and nova, i enjoyed our long lunch on tuesday (felt human again), your little ones are lovely. would like to do cinema or repeat long lunch sometime soon

finn has 'turned' into angry little baby in last 36 hours, constantly crying, won't settle in crib. it's very hard work, and difficult to tell what problem is. haven't had much sleep, don't think i'm making enough milk for his needs right now.

unsurprisingly i haven't got time to catch up on posts but will do sometime soon...

Being a stay at home mum is more full on than i thought!!! don't know when i'm going to fit in christmas shopping - have to do it all online

hope everyone is enjoying their babies

Jen

hi golden and nova, i enjoyed our long lunch on tuesday (felt human again), your little ones are lovely. would like to do cinema or repeat long lunch sometime soon

finn has 'turned' into angry little baby in last 36 hours, constantly crying, won't settle in crib. it's very hard work, and difficult to tell what problem is. haven't had much sleep, don't think i'm making enough milk for his needs right now.

unsurprisingly i haven't got time to catch up on posts but will do sometime soon...

Being a stay at home mum is more full on than i thought!!! don't know when i'm going to fit in christmas shopping - have to do it all online

hope everyone is enjoying their babies

Jen

hi golden and nova, i enjoyed our long lunch on tuesday (felt human again), your little ones are lovely. would like to do cinema or repeat long lunch sometime soon

finn has 'turned' into angry little baby in last 36 hours, constantly crying, won't settle in crib. it's very hard work, and difficult to tell what problem is. haven't had much sleep, don't think i'm making enough milk for his needs right now.

unsurprisingly i haven't got time to catch up on posts but will do sometime soon...

Being a stay at home mum is more full on than i thought!!! don't know when i'm going to fit in christmas shopping - have to do it all online

hope everyone is enjoying their babies

Jen

hi golden and nova, i enjoyed our long lunch on tuesday (felt human again), your little ones are lovely. would like to do cinema or repeat long lunch sometime soon

finn has 'turned' into angry little baby in last 36 hours, constantly crying, won't settle in crib. it's very hard work, and difficult to tell what problem is. haven't had much sleep, don't think i'm making enough milk for his needs right now.

unsurprisingly i haven't got time to catch up on posts but will do sometime soon...

Being a stay at home mum is more full on than i thought!!! don't know when i'm going to fit in christmas shopping - have to do it all online

hope everyone is enjoying their babies

Jen

oh dear click click click. things are really not fraught in our household or anything

Hi girls, just sitting here reading the thread after Thomas woke at 2am for his feed, he now won't settle so is having a yelling session in his moses basket behind me, I've tried everything to get him off to sleep so need some time out - so excuse the typing.

Rofl at the cat biscuits in the washing machine and setting the cat on fire incidents and my cat thinks its hard done by at the moment

Ahh peace reigns, dh has rolled over and is holding Thomas's dummy in his mouth for him.

Diege & tessa, can understand what you're going through re demon 3/4 year old, I find that I am very ratty with Ben at the moment & then feel really guilty for giving him a hard time. His new trick is to burst into over dramatic tears whenever he can't get his own way which drives both dh & i nuts.
However, if he's being particularly naughty we get him to sit and face the wall until he calms down or take away one of his toys and put it in a black bin bag until he can behave himself again - worse thing is we often forget to give them back to him - bad parents

Someone mentioned struggling with nappy rash, have you tried Metanium cream, it's thicker than Sudacream and much more effective

Londoner, loved the 1950's image, your post really cheered me up.

A cautionary tale for those of your who have mentioned falling asleep with their little ones in their arms my dh dropped Thomas on his head last weekend when he fell asleep winding him - thankfully Thomas is fine but a quick call to NHS Direct and a visit to Gwent Royal Infimary (we were staying at mil's) for x-rays certainly ensured that we both sit in the middle of the bed when we've got him in our arms from now on. Poor Dh was in a terrible state and is certianly a little greyer from the experience.

Well I hope the rest of you are sleeping soundly, my dh is now snoring and Thomas has finally fallen asleep so I'm off back to bed, before the next feed - he's only going 3 hours so I'll be up again in a minute if I don't go now. Take care for now BEKS

Hey JenJam maybe it's a growth spurt?

Or u might be right about the milk - my HV said if I have a bad day (i.e. lots of crying) to take it easy, rest, drink lots and eat.

Hi Guys!
Diege, agree that kids are much easier when on school hols and feel I really 'get my children back' IYSWIM during the breaks.... I think school life is pretty stressful for them (esp when 'my mantras' are thrown in for good measure, i.e "we're late! We're late!" etc. ). We're not the only ones. BTW I don't drive either...but also really love walking and cycling. Glad you found something I said helpful.
beartime, I wash the wraps in machine at 40 or 60 with the nappies , and only have 4 in 1st size as only change them when they get poo on, if only a wet nappy they don't seem to need a wash..they don't smell and any moisture on them evaporates while you're changing to a fresh nappy. No nappy rash here but I do use barrier cream (zinc & castor oil) every time as a preventative measure, always have done, with disposables aswell... You can buy wraps 2nd hand on eBay and some of the nappy shops too (can't remember which though sorry).
Thanks for your 'windy baby' advice Karmareal Godsend I'd forgotten about putting them to sleep on their side, could be the answer I'm looking for. Lol at your photo session, oh and can relate v.well to double chin scenario... Oh and congrats on Ella's weight gain, gold top standard milk I reckon.
rodeho thanks for that advice from tiktik, really soothing words I needed to hear....
golden well done on boys weight gain, you sound concerned though about their shift on the graph? Mine have all done that at some point but I know it worried me and I like you sought reassurance from the HV. I was told to look at the child/ren and i) did I think they were healthy? ii) did they look well? iii) were they filling out their wrinkles? iv) getting a double chin? v) periods of alertness? ..so I always use those as a measure to help myself... any good for you?
Jen Elizabeth seems to be feeding constantly too and wouldn't settle in crib last night either until 1.45am, was hallucinating again when I closed my eyes all I could see was enormous 'Elizabeths' in full close up detail! Am in the same boat as you with chrissie shopping, although I find online shopping so laborious! Our connection is v.glitchy and slow for some reason... hope you have a better day today...
BEKS was so relieved to hear Thomas fall asleep during your post and thought of you tucking back into bed enjoying that rare pillow on cheek sensation...... oh, and glad my previous post cheered you up.

morning all
really getting the hang of one handed typing now
Diege 10.09 is great and yeah meet in the front entrance,i cant wait
Well things r mad here ds & dd are bridesmaid/page boy at bf wedding in york tommorow!! so obviously ds front tooth has fell out and dd got up with a full on cold this morning!!!!!!argghhh trying to pack as we r staying overnight and then driving to ne on sunday drop off xmas pressys and see relatives etc etc I really dont think i can get everything together!!!!ah well.Hope you are all well and happy
looking forward to christmas
twinkle & joshua 4 weeks today!!

Beks and Jen - know the feeling - can hear mine wailing their heads off. Have to let them get it out of their system - their lungs must need the exercise!

Christmas shopping - did a mad dash to the shops on the weekend and got a few bits, but have done loads on line this year. Just hope they all arrive before Christmas.

Jen/Nova - fancy the Rio next Thursday?