Feb 2011- a bit late, but we're finally in post natal!

[debka]

Welcome everyone!!

Hi all, feeling very calm and happy today with BOTH GIRLS ASLEEP!! justonemore I know how you feel! My 2yo hasn't napped for a week so this is lovely :)

S woke at 5 for a feed, put her back in her cot and she chatted for a good half an hour to herself before I heard the telltale sucking noises, and she went back off to sleep at 6!! She was in her cot and I was in bed (v thin wall between rooms, booo), but it would have been nice if I'd been able to sleep too. I finally dropped off about 6.30 only to be woken by bloody DD1 at 7.

I'm feeling a lot happier about her feeding now. I'm making her stay up longer and trying to make her sleep longer, so go longer between feeds, and she is feeding so much better now, taking much more and we've had more wet nappies too.

DH smokes, he's given up when I've been pg then again when given birth each time but always starts again. DD1 was trying to roll a fag the other day but I let her do it to try and shock him into quitting. Didn't work.

Think byron is in Greece???

feathery strokery what book is that from??? It's a rubbishy chick lit one isn't it?

Wow! i dont know how you ladies keep up with this thread! I've just sat down for the first time today... (and just heard a little sqwark from next door where Leo's supposed to be asleep)

Just a few things:

L's been doing a lot of dribbling and sucking his fingers the last few days, surely it's too early for teething... anyone? Not sure whether it's cos he's hungry, or just wants to suck, anyone any dummy advice?

40 I've expressed a bit, have a couple of bottles in the freezer. I found either first thing in the morning, especially if L's slept more than usual and i'm very full, or before i go to bed to be the best. I struggle at other times as i always feel i'll be depriving him if i express during the day - silly i know as i always make more. I found being in the room with him to be the best, some advice i got from here was talking about how you get a better let-down if you're thinking about your baby/looking at them. Btw, i use an electric pump.

How many of you have moved your LO's into cots now? L's nearly grown out of his basket, but we don;t have a cot for him yet. DP's making one (long story, but the only furniture we can get here is v poor quality but v expensive so carpentry is DP's latest hobby). We've got a mattress, but not cot...

Also, when you move them into their own rooms, do you use a baby monitor overnight, or just rely on hearing them in the night?

In terms of weaning, what stuff do i need? My sister's coming to visit us in a few weeks and i'm trying to plan ahead a bit and get some stuff ordered for her to bring. Spoons, i got that far, what about cups/beakers, when do they move onto those? Anyone any tips?

I've had a few days recently when i feel like i've really understood L, got all his naps, feeds, changes just right so there's been hardly any crying, and then other days when i feel totally clueless and can't work out what's wrong while he screams and screams! I foudn myself in tears the other day while feeding him to sleep as it was the only way to settle him. It doesnt help that our car is broken at the moment so i can't get out during the day, I can't go walking on my own from our house as we live in the bush and it's not safe.

Phew, got it all typed, and he's still asleep

deb glad feeding is getting better :)

I also thought byron was in greece

ledkr my DH the same - much less affection for me but heaps for alice. I don't mind him being like that with alice- I think it's great, but I would like some too please!

had alice weighed today and (proud parent alert) she was a poppet - she kept grinning at me and hv and when i popped to the loo and the hv watched her for me she was grinning and babbling to hv - she wrote in red book notes tghat alice was 'happy, content and delightful' and kept going on about how a was making her broody . Do you think hvs have snaeky speak in their comments for how a baby is eg in school reports when i write 'energetic student' I mean won't sit still, and when I write 'participates well in class' it means won't shut up?

well done to all those given up smoking - I've never smoked but can imagine it's a nightmare - I can't even give up chocolate

Have bought a tub of bubbles (those ones you blow) and off to see if alice will be excited by them of if she's still too young...

canoe my LO is the same with the constant sucking his fingers, I wondered about teethIng or if he is just a sucky baby.
M has been in his room for a few weeks now as he is too noisy at night, grnting and sighing and wotnot. It's right next to ours though so don't use the monitor at night. He is in his big cot too, seems quite happy swaddled in there. Where are you? Sorry of I missed that info.

I know what you mean about getting to grips with the bubbas and then they throw a curve ball.... M has also started fussing whentrying to get latched on, queue more screams

canoe DD has been in her own room from the start. She is right next door though, so I can hear her when she stirs unfortunately. She is also dribbling a lot and sucking her fingers- think it's more to do with the fact that she CAN rather than teething! DD1 got her first teeth at 4mo but her cousin didn't get any till 8mo and he was dribbling at 3mo. Re weaning- I'm planning on doing BLW with S like I did with DD1, where they just finger feed themselves what you eat. You don't bother with purees, they do it all themselves. DD1 never had a bottle or a beaker, she went straight to an open cup too.

angels no, I think Alice really is happy, content and delightful :) well done you :)

canoe where do you live? Reminded me of when we were in Slovenia and my neighbour told me not to leave DD1 outside in her pram as the snakes would smell the milk and come and bite her.

Don't know I keep referring to DD1 as DD1, her name is Imogen, she is 2 and very lovely :). She told me she had a dream the other night about a red monster who was sitting on the sofa watching CBeebies. I asked her if the monster said anything and apparently he said: 'nice to meet you Imy'!!!!

Can you tell both girls are still in bed? Really ought to get off MN and tidy up!!

All you guys whose babies sleep alone for their naps I am very jealous! Noah just wants me! I tried him at lunchtime, he wanted his dummy and I swaddled him, then sat and cuddled him until he was asleep, then as soon as I left the room he started crying. I'm so exhausted I just grabbed him and went to bed with him.
Almost every night now he ends up sleeping with me from 3/4am and I really would like to stop it, but when he's been dreamed at 11pm, then I've already been up to help him find his thumb once, I'm too tired to argue and just take him to bed!
Debka, I love the name Imogen, gorgeous!
Wiggles, well done with the non smoking! I gave up 10 years ago and boy was it hard!
I too am feeling a bit put out over dh and his love for Noah and Ben. Once they've gone to bed he has his tea and goes on his computer! The only affection I get is the dig in the back in the middle of the night! He doesn't stand a chance! I have suggested to him that we take the boys to the in laws on Sunday and go for lunch and maybe to the cinema. Gotta make the effort!

deb Love the name Imogen, it almost made it to our final two for R. She sounds a real cutey.

40 I was mix feeding until last week when R moved totally on to formula. I used to express twice a day - first thing and last thing and would get about 75ml from each side each time. It did eventually dwindle hence why I stopped. You shouldn't have supply issues like me though. I used a Tommee Tippee electric pump which I really got on with.

angels A sounds like a real sweetie grinning at the HV. We missed our clinic this morning as the nursery visit took longer than expected. Still keen to get her weighed though so i might see if my Aunt who's a midwife will weigh her when we visit at the weekend.

Oddly enough I'm not quite so keen to weigh myself tomorrow for my first WW weigh in....

Yep - I'm in Greece (you've had much better weather for about the last 6 weeks) and canoe is in Botswana (kudos). Sorry, haven't done the whole weaning thing yet but I think a good food processor is useful...
I've tried with a manual pump and it's not much fun, but I only do it occasionally as DS won't take a bottle as yet. the look of disgust on his face when we tried yesterday was priceless!
angels alice sounds adorable, she'll be a heartbreaker
I just bought the Nigella Express book and my it is NOT one for anyone on a diet - the dirty goodness she comes up with... I might have to try another recipe later

Oh yes and ice cube trays are good for weaning portions

Canoe, for weaning with Ben I used a blender at first for the fruit ad veg purees and had lots of little pots for storing them in the freezer. I used the plastic, long handled spoons first, several bowls etc. I also encouraged Ben to have finger foods such as breadsticks etc. I'm tempted to do blw this time, seems a lot less hassle especially with an older child to cook for, either that or Noah will have to eat whatever the family do, just blended into a gloop!

question but do babies not choke on things like carrot/bread sticks when you blw? I like the idea but a but scared of how they can chew.swallow these things initially.

Babies tend to suck rather than chew these things. I would say go with whatever your comfortable with.

angles babies have a natural gag reflex to prevent choking.

so blw = lots of gagging?

Deb do you really want your dh to quit smoking-argh he'd be even more moody

I will get away with blw cos D cant do it cos of the cleft,tbh its not a new thing all my dc;s had finger food but after of as well as some puree,eg,sarnies bead sticks etc but with a mashed banana or yogurt afterwards,or mushy dinner followed by cut up fruit or rusks,I will be takiong wiggles hands over ears lalala approach cos all mine eat anything at all and are neither fat or thin so not changing a thing.
D is extremely loud today,is shouing at the baby channel whilst i help El get ready for brownies,gettign louder and louder madam.
bensmum at Noahs mummy fixation,he is very determined,i gave up with ds3 and just accepted he was a leech,it did stop when he was sitting up and more mobile.

bens mum, sling? I love mine its a bright sparks,D wont stay in it long tho cos she too bolshy,also i was thinking,its amatter of time before you are running around like ablue arse fly after him,make the most of the rest.

just uploaded a piccie of the 'delightful' alice taken earlier today. PIL over in a min to use shower (long story) which means no time for a bath for alice and so whole bedtime routine is off

Hi all, right here is my slimming top as recommended on another thread M&S

Makes a difference (need good posture too!) and I have a couple of 'do's' soon so will be making use of it then.

angels really cute pic :)

canoe dd has only recently discovered her hand and been sucking on it loads, I don't think shes teething or hungry, I think she's just finding something new to chew on :)

deb I'm another fan of the name Imogen, lovely. Really like Imy tho, very cute!

Am and at the thought of BLW etc etc, it all sounds rather confusing for me at the mo! Thats ok, I have you ladies to question nearer the time

Debka what a great thread you've put together. It's taken me several days to get through the comments and even now I've had to skip a couple of pages or I'd never be able to keep up!

Jane I was so sad reading about your news, and then about your prat of a FIL acting true to form. I am so impressed with your attitude and am sending positive vibes your way.

Angels I'm not at all surprised Alice is delightful! What a lovely thing for them to write.

My DS is weighing in at a collosal 15lbs today, age 10+4. Gulp. I need lifting gear! He's a lovely little boy, though has colic AND reflux, which makes for sporadic screaming. On the plus side he is now sleeping from about 7pm to about 6am without waking most nights, though I need sleep training as I wake up listening out for him!

He's been in his own room since 4 weeks (very noisy sleeper) and in his cot since 8 weeks as he was outgrowing his moses. Canoe he's also been sucking his fingers and dribbling a lot in the last couple of weeks and MIL (health visitor) says it's just because he's discovering his mouth and wanting to put things in it to explore them.

Angels, that pic of Alice is gorgeous! It suddenly hit me how much our little ones have grown already.
I went to a Stay and Play session today and some of the mums there couldn't believe Noah is only 11 weeks! He was as big as a five month old!
Lol Ledkr, I hope Noah isn't still a Mummy's boy at the age of 21!
He does really snuggle in which is kinda nice! Hope he grows out of it and I don't have to force it!
Noah is too big for his original sling, he's such a fatty! I've discovered that he loves a muslin to snuggle into, do you think it's safe to give him one to cuddle when he's asleep? They are very thin material but am a bit clueless as to what would happen if it went over his head.
Well, day one of dh being away and so far so good. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

angels she is a real cutie. I would put some pictures on if I was competent enough!

I have an Imogen too! Think we have discussed this before deb haven't we? She is 18 months and a proper cheeky monkey, just starting with a few words - 'no', 'bisbis'-biscuit, 'chocly'- chocolate. As far as she is concerned every animal says quqck quack! Seems five minutes ago that she was the size of Archie!

I will be doing the laid back (lazy) approach to weaning. Basically giving him what ever is easiest. Sometimes finger food and sometimes mashed up our food and there will be the odd jar or Ellas kitchen meal!

One if my friends admitted to me that when she weaned baby no2 it was mostly on jars! We all spent so much time pouring over Annabel Karmel books and evenings making these bloody purees! I think with your first you enjoy all the food prep but I don't think I'll be so worried this time!