November 05 Babies - They're here!

[rodeo1]

Well, some are here!

Ops - overdoing it on the shopping. Went to Sainsbury's and the market with twins in double buggy. Bought so much stuff the buggy was on the verge of tipping over! I think it was the frozen turkey that did it!

Think the boys finally have names - Ezra and Nathaniel. They are so good, still going 3 - 5 hours between feeds, giving me lots of time to myself. Feels so strange to watch them empty a breast and the guzzle formula as well - especially as they are usually asleep after the breast, but take the bottle anyway!

Have to go and wake Nathaniel for a feed now - he is sleeping soundly, but it has been five hours since his last one. He was cluster feeding last night - his choice, not mine, so I suspect he has some extra reserves to use up today.

Ezra has a 'sticky' eye, looks a bit gungy, so off to the GPs today. Impossible to do it on my own as surgery is fronted by a load of stairs.

Anyone fancy meeting for a coffee in Giraffe on Essex Road soon - looks like a fav. haunt for mums and babies. JenJam?, Little J, Nova - are you up for travel to N. Ldn? any one else?

Rodeo, your poor friend . I never know what to say in situations like that (people breaking up), but add children into the equation and I'm completely clueless. I hope you're able to offer her some comfort.

Have been working on the BW whisperer routine, and last night added in the dream feed as Nat had slept for a 5 hour stretch the night before after a 9pm feed and I thought the dream feed would mean she'd sleep from 11 - 5 or 6. WRONG!! She woke at 2.15 but I shoved a dummy in until 3 when I gave in and fed her. She grumbled about half hour after I put her down and then the smell wafted over of a giant poo so had to change her, and after that she was WIDE AWAKE!! Couldn't get her back to sleep properly after that, even after her 6.30 feed. Not sure whether to keep trying it or if it's overloading her system with food...she was crying for over an hour this morning and farting like a trooper.

Jenjam - I'm with you on the sling in the shower, the thought has crossed my mind every morning. At the moment DH has taken to getting up early so that he can hold her while I shower and get dressed.

Rodeo, Nat hates her vibrating chair so far, she tends to projectile vomit when we put her in it.

crossed posts Golden - I'm up for meeting up, not sure where you're talking about but I'll go and have a peek at the A-Z now. Still not brave enough for public transport so may take a cab anyway

wow Golden, you are an inspiration! LOL re: loaded buggy, with memories of our double full to the brim, but so difficult to push! Libby has had a sticky eye too, but I just bathed it with cooled, boiled water, and it cleared up in a few days. I don't know a newborn who hasn't had a sticky eye at some point!
Ready to brave the bus this afternoon, with dds x3!! Have decided to be 'ultra - chilled' mum this afternoon, and not freak out over where the two toddlers sit, as I usually do, but to let them find their own seat and stick to the front of the bus myself. Will then brave cafe, then walk home. Sounds like military operation, and may result in war-type manoevres at some point. What I have learnt over the last few years though, is that it's better to be brave and just take them out, than playing safe (lots of deep breathing and a thick skin to fend off 'stares' of others also helps!).
Diege. .

Nova - agree too about vibrating chair . Libby gets so cross when I 'press the button' (all together now!). Maybe they will come into their own when the bubs are a little older!
Diege.

last one from me - honest!

Does this sound irrational:

On monday I went into an art shop to get something for DH. It had quite narrow aisles so when I went to pay I left Nat in her pram at the end of the aisle about 1-2 metres away from me. She started to cry but as I was handing over my money I knew I wasn't going to be long.

Anyway, I looked back round after handing over my cash to see one of the shop assistants shaking the hood of the pram going 'shh shh be quiet'. She had ONLY JUST started to cry. I got very upset and this, told him in a loud voice to leave her alone, and stormed out of the shop without waiting for my change (which was only 30p).

Was this totally irrational of me?? The only thing is I got the wrong thing for DH so I need to go back to the shop - lol!! Feel like I was justified, but also feel silly. What would you have done?

Nova - no, it doesn't sound irrational at all - I would have been quite cross. Though the assitant was probably trying to make things better, people can be quite thoughtless like this at times (I used to have old women cooing over the pram when dd1 started to cry, saying 'doesn't your mummy feed you' !!!, and as they get older comments like 'is she tired?' don't help when your toddler's in the middle of a tantrum!. Hold on in their with your head held high, though shame about having to return to the shop! .

Diege - I've been using cooled boiled water for a few days and it is getting worse, not better. Midwife told me to squirt breastmilk into his (closed) eye, as it contains natural antibiotics. I'm dripping, rather than squirting at the mo, so can't do that. Want to clear up sticky eye ASAP, before it gets to the other eye and other twin!

Think you are right to tough it out/ignore stares/sighs from bus passengers and take the girls out. If anyone does not like it just remind them it will be your girls paying taxes to provide their pensions in 20 years time.
Nova - Giraffe is close to the junction of Upper St and Essex Road N1.

Nova - I agree with Diege - assistant was probably just trying to help, but being insensitive. I would just go back to the shop and get what you need - they have probably forgotten about you/baby already.

Knock Knock!
Just dropping by to say a big HI to you all. Hope you're all content and happy mummies, I still can't actually believe that this baby will eventually be making an appearance!

I don't think i posted the message on here but just to let you know that Enthusia is loving motherhood, baby Sam is doing well (eating for England apparently) and her parents left just a few days ago. Her net is down so won't be online until for a little longer but is looking fwd to catching up with us all again.

In this cold weather how do you strike a balance between having a warm home but not too warm that it is detrimental to baby? I am quite worried about this in light of terribly cold weather forecast.

Love and hugs to you all. Miss you guys x

Thanks Golden!The bus trip turned out fine, though the cafe was a little 'sressful' even for new chilled out mum! One of the waitresses had to take dd2 for a wee for me - hadn't realised how little things like that are so much more diffult with 3! Wouldn't change it for the world though! Hope Ezra's eye is better soon (love the name BTW!) - understand your concerns about it spreading. Any advice for coldsores in a 3 year old? Would prefer something 'natural', and not sure if adult zovirax type stuff can be used anyway??
Hoping for a better night tonight - last night's highlight was hour long tantrum from dd2 (she with the coldsores)at 2am , refusing to get off the toilet (didn't seem funny at the time!). Still, at least I can nap tommorrow if it's a bad one, with dds at nursery/school. I always panic more when I know I have a busy day ahead.
I'm starting to ramble, so I'll go .
Diege.

Hi everyone

Thank you for your messages.

Haven't quite found the energy to join you yet and to be honest after a quick scan of your posts, I feel a little incompentent. Am relying on dh a lot and can't wait till I get my energy back and body stops aching.

Take care.
X
CADS

CADS - dont feel incompetent, its such an individual thing...after Ds was born i felt like i had been beaten up or survivied a car crash...completely traumatised . i hurt all over , not just in the obvious places!!!! Baby wasnt well, Bf was going really badly. And then i woudl read mumsnet where everyone but me seemed to have had this really easy birth and have babies who slept through the night

so dont be so hard on yourself. you need to take as much time as you need to recover your strength - mental, physical and emotional. I wish i had spent more time just with the baby as we had so many visitors I felt overwhelmed. i knwo its a cliche, but those early days go by so fast......thsi time I am hoping to rest more and let Dh deal with the other 2 children.

Well thats the plan anyway

Thanks Kristina. You're right definitely feel worse this time but then labour and birth were longer and harder. Feeling like a car crash surviour. Recovered alot quicker last time. Also, thought I would have master breastfeeding by now having done it before but have sore cracked nipples. Isabella has a strong suck and seems to use me as a dummy. Am starting to wonder whether I have the strength and determination to carry on and my milk has even come in yet. Right enough whinging.

quick one from me as am trying to pump some milk out of breast and it's not happening. am sitting here on sofa in unco-ordinated underwear - not that i was co-ordinated before baby but at least my bras were pretty and not 34H! with a mismatched skin colour back extender wedged in the back. ooh lovely nursing bra....(if anyone has a sexy one can you tell me where you got it from...!!!) have medula breast pump wedged under armpit and big fat roll hanging over maternity jeans. nice.

golden - funny enough dp and i went to giraffe today! finn screamed his head off all the way there (making me wonder why i had thought it was a good idea...) but he was calm and happy once we got there. had salmon and rice. very tasty and healthy juice. it's uplifting to get out. buggy also overloaded with boots stuff - breast pads and the like. yes would love to meet but can't do next week (except Monday) as have MIL coming to stay. but week after is completely clear! let me know when you fancy it

now tell me. truthfully. does your/did your lochia whiff at all? and did you discharge any lumpy stringy bits that looiked like offal or chopped liver?? it was very yuck this morning - my own body is making me gag! are 'chunky' bits normal do you think

finn also has the gammy eye thing - why do they get this? going to try boiled water AND squirting breast milk but to be honest the squirting business feels a bit cruel! and is breastmilk the answer to everything. health visitor told me this morning to squirt it up his nose as he has been nasal/mucousy in the throat.

anyway dp is getting irritated because he has paused something we were watching on telly waiting for me to finish typing so must dash.

jen

Hi jenjam,
I lol at explanation of breast pump jeans etc!!
Breast milk is fab for eyes much better than antibiotics,josh had a really sticky eye and it has clearded up with just breast milk
As for your lochia you could have a bit of an infection without seeing it its hard to tell!!! I would tell the midwife and she will just take a swab.
I know what u mean about uncordinated underwear i look like a cross between bridget jones aka big knickers and a milking heffer ah well the joys of motherhood
well must go
twinkle & joshua

CADS - I also thought bf would be a doddle 2nd time round having fed Tessa for a year. However got really sore and had to go back to basics (and re-read all those leaflets!) Ash is now 16 days old (how did that happen?) and I realised tonight that it doesn't hurt when he latches on now. It actually got a bit easier once my milk came in as at least he would fill up and fall asleep and not just suck for the sake of it. If it worked the first time it should work again, that was my mantra anyway.

Jen - love the pumping imagery! The glamour of motherhood Haven't started expressing yet, thought I'd let sore boobs sort themselves out first and I need to remember where the pump is!

After several evenings with a gripey tummy we have gone down the Infacol route again. It worked a treat with Tessa and Ash hasn't been as bad though he doesn't seem to burp at all - makes up for it the other end but that seems to be what upsets him. Looking forward to orange flavoured burps again!
Other than that though he is Mr Laidback - sleeps, eats, poos and watches the world go by

Hurrah for green cord Wilkinet slings. They wash like a dream too which is great when the baby is big enough to be facing outwards and chews/dribbles all over the front.

Right Ash asleep in my arms so I'm off to bed. Night night

Morning everyone!
Hope everyone got some rest last night . Not a bad one for me - woke Libby at 10 for a feed (Gina) and she then woke at 2, then 6. Only problem is that she is really difficult to settle after the 2am feed - really grunts and strains, though nothing appears in nappy. Never happens in daytime. If she was in another room, I probably would sleep through it, but there is no other room in our 3 bedroom house! (not that I would necessarily chuck her out yet!). Apparently advice from drs years ago (1950s) was to put baby in the room furthest away from your own! - though I admit to a strange feeling of admiration when thinking about it!
Have been thinking about work, and really want to try and get something more flexible, so I can spend a bit more time at home - even something that would fit better with school hours. I've always worked full time as a lecturer, but have been thinking about combining part time hours at my present job, and then doing some 'on-line' tutoring with Open University (if they'll have me of course!)The thought of going back full-time to an unsupportuve bunch of bullies who winge at vany notion of 'flexibility' for parents is not appealing, though I know it's early and not time to go back till March/April!
Had flask rage last night . Poured the boiled water all over my hand, and cursed the manufacturersw for not preventing this. Do the rest of you (who bottle feed) use a bottle warmer? I can't bring myself to leave the bedroom at night, as I can never get back to sleep after feed if I do this.
Jenjam: re: lochia, mine has a rather unappealing smell, but not, I think, an infection. Probably best to get a swab as Twinkle suggests though .
Well, poor Libby is screaming when she should be sleeping (I'll have to get her to read the Gina book so she knows what she's supposed to do), and can't stomach controlled crying just yet !!
Diege.

Crying has stopped!! Will look for remote control dalek on web while I have an extra 5 mins!!!

PROJECTILE VOMIT: How do you like yous?

i) all over your freshly changed sleepy baby

ii) down your front after a shower & fresh change of clothes

iii) in your freshly washed hair

iv) on your sofa & carpet

v) all of the above

Discuss..............

Morning all!

rodeo, thanks for your comment yesterday.....feel really good now & am glad to hear I've been spreading some cheer too.....shucks. Glad to hear you've been reunited with your Wilkinet successfully....lol at instruction manual showing baby in 'wrong position', this picture sprang to mind after your post,lol...
nova, sympathise with you greatly on cringey shop situation, think the others are right about just pretending it never happened if you can manage.... shop staff are probably beating themselves up about it too....

Diege, v,impressed by your career plans.....sound like really good ideas! Can really understand your feelings re: bullying lecturers, having worked for 18 months at a Uni before this baby. Any luck locating Dalek? lol

Oh, still catching up with posts and saw your query @ cold sores....have you tried tea tree oil? Can be applied 'neat' with a finger....or cotton bud for more accuracy.

Jen lol @ your breast pump/underwear post....can relate to it only too well ,lol!
Golden lovely names! LOL at you tipping up pushchair wiyh frozen turkey ha ha ha lol...very good imagery! Am so impressed you're out & about in such an organised Xmas shopping fashion,wow!
nova ,hope u had a better night last night? Wha did you do in the end, stick to BW or just follow baby?

Thanks Londoner! Will try the tea tree oil; hope she will tolerate it (imagine it would sting?). Thanks too for positive comments about career - what is it about academics ? I'm in Sociology, and you would think they would be the most sympathetic and non-judgemental, but sadly not .What was your job at the uni?
LOL re: projectile vomiting . My most recent 'choice' involved all over my clothes, her clothes, sofa, new rug - oh, and it came out of her eyes too!!!The worst part of it for me though is the thought that it might happen at the next feed...
OOh, looks like snow is on the way!!!
Diege

Jen lol @ your breast pump/underwear post....can relate to it only too well ,lol!
Golden lovely names! LOL at you tipping up pushchair wiyh frozen turkey ha ha ha lol...very good imagery! Am so impressed you're out & about in such an organised Xmas shopping fashion,wow!
nova ,hope u had a better night last night? What did you do in the end, stick to BW or just follow baby?
Hi CADS........ godness me, give yourself a chance, you've only just had your baby, give yourself some time.........no more beating up on yourself okay...I'll bet you're doing wonderfully. Tuck up with your cute baby & try to get as much rest as you can to heal your aches & pains & give you time 2 think about the life changing experience you've just been through. Am glad yo've got supportive partner, let him continue helping you, I bet he gets a lot of satisfaction from looking after the woman he loves...
twinkle' lol at your Bridget jones knickers post, v.good! Glad Josh's sticky eye has cleared up, well done!
tessa lol at Ash's orange flavoured burps!!!Ha Ha Ha! Glad 2 hear he's such a laid back baby, excellent stuff.
Diege...re: tea tree application.......do it while she's asleep?....he he he Or get some on your finger when she's not looking ad say to her, 'ooh, hang on, you've got something on your lip' & pretend to wipe it away while applying oil, then big smile & say 'oh, well done that's better'?????Something like that mabe?
rodeo....to answer your questions...Elizabeth is doing great thanks, I'm officially completely in love with her, & love being alone with her all the school day, as of course it's P8icadilly Circus here at all other times ! And DD1 Kitty just adores having a sister, is besotted and v. loving, as are the boys....lovely stuff