November 05 Babies - They're here!

[rodeo1]

Well, some are here!

Morning all.

Firstly, Congratulations to Kristina. Well done & it really was a good decision to have a section with such a big boy!

Chacha, hope your trips out get better. Its good gentle exercise to go for a walk with the pram. Speaking of which, when I first took Ella out in the pram to collect DS from school, it took 10 mins of swearing to put the pram up followed by another 10 trying to put the car seat on the brackets. I don't think anyone was watching.... It does feel strange taking your LO out for the first time, doesn't it?

Jenjam, poor you! The things we do just to get washed. I guess you'll never be cold with LO strapped to your chest! Sounds like me when I had DS. He loved being cuddled up to me & used to holler loudly whenever he sensed I was putting him down. At 9yrs old he still loves being cuddled up to his mummy. I've trying to follow BW so that DD will go to sleep without me & it seems to work 75% of the time. If I haven't got rid of all the wind she wriggles & draws her knees up then ends up crying very loudly.

It's a big help listening to everyone elses night time horror stories. DP expects some kind of routine which is frankly ludicrous at 3 wks old. The problem is at night it's harder to let her cry for a few mins as she gets herself off to sleep. I've started taking her downstairs to feed her so DP gets more sleep. The other thing is if I feed her lying down in bed we both fall asleep halfway through, she doesn't get winded & is only half full. I'm sure you can guess what happens next!! One baby & one mummy!! Anyway, the good news is her weight is now up to 8lb 15oz. Just wish my weight was going in the opposite direction. Might be due to the chocolate.

good morning all
Well im getting ready to go to the first nativity today!!! dd is very excited.
How is everyone doing???
I can't belive that this will be josh's first xmas,it seemstoo soon somehow.
well must go and feed josh
twinkle

Hi all.

OK so I'm being paranoid but Nathaniel slept all through the night again last night from 10:30 pm to 6:30 am - I suppose I should feel blessed that he does sleep through but slightly worried that he shouldn't be and that I should wake him up for a feed half way through. He's only a week old. I'm nicely rested though .

Enthusia - I know exactly how you feel about the whole BF thing - I've been topping Nathaniel up with formula twice a day once in early afternoon and at around 10 pm basically since he was born. I was feeling really awful and a complete failure about it, but it works wonders for him and he's a nice healthy boy so who cares what other people say. You've got to go with whatever works and my feeling is that I'm going to give the BF a few more weeks and if I'm still having problems I'll probably give up.

Well gotta run - hungry baby is stirring ...

J xx

LILJ are you MAD
don't wake him up!
finn sle[pt through 1 a.m. until 9 or 10 pm EVERY NIGHT. and we thought the same thing as you.

i say enjoy it, it may naturally not last, apparentloy the evening whinging, IF it will happen with Nathaniel, is likely to start arouned week 4 or 5...............

so i say count your lucky chickens!

tee hee

meant to say 1 a.m to 9 a.m. 1 a.m to 9 pm would not be normal and i would be visited by the health visitor if i didn't wake him up

Afternoon all.

The boys only woke once last night - third night in a row! Although Ezra did have a 3am screaming fit but I just let him get on with it.............

LilJ - I agree with JenJam, make the most of it, Nat won't be sleeping the entire night forever.

JenJam - If you start on the gin don't foeget to invite me round, not that I've got any sorrows to drown, I just like gin! Anyone tried that nice new sloe gin produced by Gordon's? It looks like Ribena and is only 25% alcohol. Have to say I am a bad mummy who has the odd drink and then BFs babies.

Enthusia - don't feel bad, as long as Sam is happy and healthy you are doing what is best for both of you.

Sloe gin is yum, have you tried it with bitter lemon? Looking forward to a wee snifter of port over christmas, and we've also got that new Pimms winter to try.

Enthusia - I've had a really mixed reaction to bottle feeding, you've just got to say balls to everyone and do what makes YOU happy. Also, babies on formula (not too sure about combined) tend to get thirsty so you could try an oz or 2 of cooled boiled water during the day which also helps with bowel movements. Just don't give it too close to a feed as you don't want to fill them up.

Nat is now out of her lovely routine due to jabs, hopefully this will only last a couple of days. Also discovered that what i thought was an outy belly button is in fact a hernia! They said it should heal itself by the time shes a year old.

gatecrash Alert

Beksmum - thank you so much for your lovely message on the june thread, ncie to hear from you.
I am doing well thank you, 15 wks today i am thrilled, still taking every day as it comes, but so far i am looking like a little elephant, belly is massive already Bought myself a doppler so can reassure msyelf 10 times a day if i need to.
Hope you're doing ok too, and you're little reasure is being good for mommy.

diddle-nice to hear from you, and soooooo pleased everythings going well for you xxx

jenjam- if you hit the gin, CAT me and I'll be round quicker than you can say boo, some days it feels like im trudging through treacle......doing lots but not actually seeming to achieve anything!- ps I prefer Finn Cahill Williams to the other way round

Enthusia-You have to do whats right for you, at the end of the day its your baby and no-ones buisness how you feed him

elclose-welcome to the thread, we're a friendly bunch

not much to report here, still having trouble getting Alfie to sleep not on me, fell asleep at both feeds last night, think i may end up having to go sit on a chair or something to keep myself awake during those early hours...
nipples are sore again, dont appear to be cracked though and i keep getting shooting pains down my left boob?? not sure what that is??
Still cant beleive I have 2 children now, its bl**dy hard work!! dont know how people cope with even smaller age gaps with young children........

Right better go, L xx

Bam, I've read on here that thrush manifests itself as a shooting pain in the boob. Also, if Alfie's tongue is coated in white, if it comes off then it's milk. If you can't wipe it off then it's thrush. There are a few threads about this to read. Or do you think you might have a blocked duct, perhaps? Any hard red lumps?
Know what you mean about wading through treacle. I've decided to come downstairs to feed at night now. That way I can make sure she takes a good amount & is winded well without disturbing DP too much.

BTW, in the interest of instilling a routine (ha ha, I know!!) I was wondering what LILJ is doing to get such a good sleeper? I'm not ready to read GF yet as I'm persevering with BW. From what I can gather, is GF easier if your baby is on formula? Has anyone had any success with a totally BF baby? She goes (on average) 3 hrly with a few 2hr ones thrown in.

Nova - love sloe gin with bitter lemon - that is my drink - we are clearly kindred sprits!

Hi all. just a quick message while baby is asleep. Its day 3 today for me and milk came in with a vengance last night - have boobs teh size of barage balloons. baby seems to be latching on Ok although has cracked both nipples badly with his sucking. However as I'm on industrial strength painkillers after teh section its bearable.

I got sterilised after teh section on Monday and have now discovered that this makes it much more painful - i have sharp stabbing pains high up in my groin from where the tubes were cut. No one told me this befroe .

i am really lucky as have lots of help, as I came out of hospital 24 hours aftr CS. My lovely SIL has come to stay for a few days and she deals with DD - takes her to school, plays with her after, does nice auntie thinsg like go shopping and bake and make Christmas cards. DH is looking after DS and he's been in nursery some extra days. So I get to lie around on teh bed, feed baby and not a lot else. Wish i had doen thsi afther teh last babies.

jenjam - we are married and all the children have

christian name + my surname + Dh surname

I think its quite usual these days, especially as lots of women dont change their own name when they get married

IME 5 yo girls like baby doll things, barbie stuff, and craft stuff. OUr 5yo DD is obsessed by baby annabelle. If you dont know the child, arts and crafts stuff is safer, in case the parents dont approve of barbie or child thinks baby dolls are childish. What about a DVD like Madagascar? Or an audio DVD or tape - like Roald Dahl or Enid Blyton or Angelina Ballerina. I know its old fashioned but DD loves them. You get them in good bookshops. Kids can listen to them in teh car . Unless thye are posh enough to have in car DVDs or whatever they are called???? Most girls alreday have too many soft toys so woudl avoid them. DD also likes getting clothes, hair things, pretty Pjs, cute slippers, jigsaws.

Hello all.
Things are going ok - although like most of you, no sign of a proper routine yet - but guess at 3 weeks, it is a bit early! Am not reading any of the books GF or BW - not sure if it would be worht it or not, am just going with the flow at the moment - despite thinking I would go for a 4 hour routine rather than demand feeding - have found that demand is much better, as it is very obvious when he is hungry.

Ds has terrible spotty rash on face - HV said it was nothing to worry about - but it looks so painful and unsightly - has anyone else experienced this? Am sure it is nothing to stress about - but you can't help it.

JenJam - IME 5 yr old girls love anything pink and girly and sparkly - Bratz are a good option, but there are so many out there that it is a bit of a minefield! Boots do a good range of arty/crafty or educational toys (and they are on the 3 for 2 promotion!) - or what about a book?

Hope this helps!

DH has ds for evening and is currently doing feed, so am taking opportunity to go late night Christmas shopping! Our work is never done!!

Apologies in advance if this is a long one, seems I only get the chance to come on here post 6pm these days.

Kristingle - Missed your birth announcement!! Big Congratulations to you and your family. That's the November ante-natal group all done and dusted then ..

Rodeo - My m/w suggested the peppermint tea. It tastes awful even when I add honey but am gulping it down regardless in the hope it helps with baby's wind.

Busy - Thanks for the invite. I will log on later and post some pics. Your little ones are just adorable. You must be a very proud mummy.

Karma - Thanks, I ventured out again today, this time nearer home. Sat in a coffee shop and wrote some thank you cards and then discovered a booth where they take pics of the baby and put them on keyrings/magnets etc.. Got some done for the grandparents and was really happy with baby's pic so not a bad morning am pleased to say. I killed 4 hours outside - couldn't believe it was getting so dark and cold on way home!

I too am doing the 'sofa shift' to give DH a bit of shut eye. Baby sleeps under his arm for the first part of the evening and then I take him downstairs where he sleeps lying on my chest for the rest. This morning for the first time in absolute ages DH and I went back to bed together for an hour while grandpa took over. Absolute bliss!! No big bump in the way, just leaky boobs!

Will continue later, baby is awake and am demand feeding

LOL-We manged to get both the boys bathed and dressed for bed ealier-dp was bathing Alex and I was bathing Alex, anyway, had just popped Alfie in the bath when I saw breastmilk leaking from his nipples!! told dp who totally freaked out!! hehe, told him, at least we havent got a baby girl, because then he would be freaked out! hahaha (ps-for those who dont know, girls sometimes lose blood from their vagina, its all to do with the fact that they still have mummy hormones inside them) hehehe-you should of seen his face-hahaha!

Hi everyone,
borrowed a copy of gina ford and let me tell you it is def the biggest pile of crap i have ever read!!
Well that is a little strong i know but all i can say is thank goodness this is my second baby and i am only reading it out of interest and not for advice. Some things are quite good but it would really stress someone out if they tried to follow it to much and if you were a little anxious as many first time mums are then it would just make you feel incompetent. It even tells you when and what to eat!!!
I fell into a natural routine quite similar to the one gf suggests with dd1 one but it was a natural progression not a military exercise, Anyway i'll stop now....xxx
According to gina i should now be 7 mins into expressing both breasts before the 10.30 feed!!!

Well Nathaniel sleeping through the night was a short lived thing! After having thrown up all over the cot as soon as I put him down for the night he then woke up twice - once at 1:30 and then again at 3:00 am. He did then sleep through until 7 am. I know it's silly but I'm more comfortable with him waking up a once or twice in the night than sleeping through and as I'm a very good sleeper I manage to go right back to sleep after he's been fed so I'm getting almost 8 hours a night and catch up a bit in the afternoon when he's napping.

Not a happy day for us here today as DH has to go to the States for the weekend as his mother is dying. We haven't had any contact with her for the past 8+ years (long messy story), but DH rang her once Nathaniel was born (her first grandson) and now has to go over if only to support his sister in the last week(s) of their mother's life. I know it's is awful to say but I'm very resentful that she's taking Nathaniel's Dad away for four days so early in his life, but I also know that he has to go otherwise he could regret it forever. I have my brother and various friends & relatives coming over to help out over next few days so I won't be short on cooks, nappy changers and baby bouncers.

Well gotta go as we're going to give Nathaniel a much needed bath before DH heads off to airport.

J xx

Hiya all

Feeling better about whole formula thing now. It is stupid, I have no problems with other people using formula and I actually offer support and tell them they are doing the right thing and would never consider anyone else as a failure, but for me it is different. Think it is becuase of the picture I had painted in my head of what me being a good mum would look like. Mind you I had one of those for the birth and that didn't go according to picture either and I am happy enough with that.

Oh and on that topic, I was so impressed with your birth JenJam, you had the same experience as me to begin with but I chose to have my waters broken and then an epidural, I was very impressed that you waited yours out, much braver than me, well done!!!! Hope your tear is ok though!

Well better go and do some other things whilst little one is asleep. Sorry if I've missed anyone again.

Enthusia and Sam - 5 weeks
Well I think Sam has just filled his nappy, it stinks in here, I am one happy Mummy though. Googled constipation in babies and apparently a baby can go up to 2 weeks without going, and still be healthy. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

LilJ, know how you feel about DH going away, mine was a way part of last week and is away at the mo, am very resentful of work. Also we have made contact with his parents who we hadn't had contact with for 7 years and they are now 'involved' to a degree and are coming tomorrow and I am resenting that a little too. I know it is the right thing to do etc, etc but it makes me feel weird!!!!! From nothing to involvement and needing to see them etc, just seems odd. Mind you DH feels the same so at least we are not battling over it!

Has anyone else got bruised nipples. The breast that has given me all the problems, craked nipples, mastitis etc, has now got a bruise on it. It is where Sam latches the roof of his mouth and is really sore. Any advice? Have tried rugby ball hold but them it is squeezed by his bottom lip area so can't win.

ChaCha - glad you had a better second outing, the keyrings etc sound like a great idea. Can someone please show me where to put my pics as well desperate to show off my little bundle now!!!!

ChaCha - what do you think about me taking the deputy position at my school, from your teaching stand point? I am quite confused about whether it would be a good idea or not. It would start in September so Sam would be 10 months by then.

BAM I had no idea about milk or blood etc leaking from babies, how scary/weird is that!!!! Glad you knew about it though.

Beks - are you going to Spain for xmas???? we leave on Friday next week.

Ok how did the end of my message end up in the middle??????????????

Browniechick - spots very normal, think all babies get them, it's a shame because just when you want to show them off they start looking like a teenager! Nat still has a few left at 9wks, think its just their bodies adjusting to the outside world.

Elclose - think there are a few GF followers on here, but I think MN is the best 'book' to follow. Always very reassured by the experiences of everyone on here.

LilJ and Enthusia, you have my sympathies, something about having babies that makes your own families change. Sadly my mum has deteriorated since our visit and we're not sure if she'll make it through christmas.

oh and to all you routine followers - just you wait until the first set of vaccinations! Natalie has been monster baby since having them done and all feeding/sleeping times have gone out the window.

oh and to all you routine followers - just you wait until the first set of vaccinations! Natalie has been monster baby since having them done and all feeding/sleeping times have gone out the window.

oh and to all you routine followers - just you wait until the first set of vaccinations! Natalie has been monster baby since having them done and all feeding/sleeping times have gone out the window.

just in case you missed it the first time!!!