March 2011 Windy bums and a good nights sleep - Will these wonders ever cease?

[GeekLove]

welcome to the new thread fellow March Mums!

Now they are all rolling suckin and gearing up for weaning!

We've been a bit naughty Loz and used the forward car seat since A was 19.5lbs but he hit that at 5.5months (our baby seat broke so I got a replacement seat and upgraded). I think its also based on them being able to sit up unaided for 20mins and length, so there are a few different criteria even if she is not the correct weight. Lie to any sales assistants though, I think they have to stick to the 9kg mantra.

This week A has managed to stand unaided for a few seconds at a time, mostly when he is distracted and eating welsh cakes He has also taken to having just one nap after lunch, but only for 45 mins - argh! He needs longer as he wakes up grumpy but he won't go back to sleep. Any ideas?

Love the video of Cassie sam, can't wait to see her in action soon!

sam love the video!
lozario I have been limping along bf ollie at just 7pm and 6.30am for a month now so I think it is possible to bf even when demand is quite low. Though wierdly one boob gave up the ghost about 3 months ago so he only gets it on one side! Feel quite proud to still be doing any bf when nearly 1yr and working ft !

Have a house with 3 sick boys. Temperatures all up and down with high of 39.2 so far. Dr said there is a very Nast virus this yr where there is fever and aches for 7-10 days with chesty cough, no appetite etc and then hacking cough for up to a month! Great!!!

Hmmm well the weigh-in was 8.14kgs - 17lbs 15oz?! She's just above the 9th centile but they said they weren't worried because to look at her she doesn't look "skinny" but she's short so sort of in proportion. (DS wanted to be weighed too - he is also short, but on 75th centile?! Little porker!!!) Anyway do you think she's still way too small for the upright seat? She can sit on her own unaided for ages... I just sort of feel if we wait until 20lbs she'll be able to say to us, "mum, dad, why am I still in this tiny baby seat?!"

stealth I really sympathise with the illness - sounds like a worse version of what Lara had as she only had fever for 3 days but still that was bad. Sucks doesn't it.

petty crikey, A was 2 pounds heavier than Lara when he was half her age! It's absolutely amazing how different they all are isn't it. re: the sleep - mine do that sometimes if they are overtired. Could you move lunch earlier to put him down earlier to see if that gives a longer sleep, or give a mid-morning snack, get him down even earlier then late lunch when he gets up? I know the problem then though is that they get overtired and grouchy at teatime - quick powernap in buggy pre-dinner maybe?

PS I'm starting to feel a bit of pressure about breast feeding - like you stealth I'm doing a morning feed and bedtime feed so just 2 a day and I had it in my head to stop at 12 months.... But it has come around very quickly. (well just over 5 weeks away!) DH is starting to make noises about it and my mum was surprised the other day that I'm not winding down yet but in truth I just don't feel ready to stop! Anyone else who is still BF feeling a bit odd about it? Maybe it's the memory of crying for a WEEK when I stopped BF DS! Maybe I'll move the goalposts to 13 months...

Lozario I'm still BFing and don't really want to stop, but we're TTC DC2, so cutting back would probably help as I've only had one period since S was born. (That one was last month, but I haven't gotten it this month and tests are negative, so I think my body is still adjusting.) S has a good feed after breakfast and before bed and sometimes a small feed after lunch.

I'd like to drop the post-lunch feed, but what's the best way to do this? Part of me just says to let her drop it naturally on her own but that probably won't help much with TTC so I'm open to suggestions. Do you give formula or cow's milk instead during the day? Or water? I'm trying to increase the amount of water S takes, but not having loads of luck yet.

Luckily, I'm not under any pressure to stop BFing, and I really love that time we share together, but I do want to get pg again asap ... hitting the big 4-0 this summer.

stealth I definitely think you should be proud to be still BFing while working FT. That's very impressive. :)

So exciting to see the babies turning one. Happy birthday, little ones!

(In case anyone missed my name change announcement, since I'm around so little these days, I was edeluna.)

lozario I think i'd like to keep bf'ing till H is 15 mo ish although i'm taking it month by month, week by week. Was it the hormones when you stopped feeding DS? That sounds awful! Hopefully this time you won't get so upset.

Hannah was moved into her big car seat at 9 mo but she is a chubber so not sure what is best. Could you have her next to you and turn the passenger air bag off?

edeluna Good luck TTC. I am hoping to join you soon but know I need to cut feeds to get my periods back. I feed morning, 4/5ish, bedtime, 10pm, then approx 2am and 5am. Clearly too much to stand a chance! We don't use anything though so fingers crossed it will happen anyway. No first hand advice with regards to dropping feeds. My HV advised a cows milk drink after lunch so you could try that? She might not drink much though and then I think its just a case of distract, distract, distract until she's forgotten about the boob. They don't need as much milk once they are 1. Am I right in thinking its about 300ml?

Stealth Hope everyone gets well soon. You have had more than your fair share of illnesses.

sam I just love that video of C. I hope her Daddy got to see it quickly.

Are there any other March MNer's in their twenties? I'm sure I'm not the youngest? (26) My main reason for wanting to TTC is because I think I just want 2 and i'd like the baby years "over and done with" so one day I can work on a career. I'm not sure what I want to do but have a few ideas. Plus I have such a close relationship with my sister and i'd love H to have that too.

eversomuch I am that you are turning 40 this year!!!! When I met you at the London meet-up I thought you must have been in your twenties! What's your secret??!!

haloflo DS started biting every time at 9 months and so after a couple of weeks of that I had to stop - I couldn't face it anymore, it was like russian roulette! It did mean that I stopped quite suddenly though - from 4 feeds to none - so got engorged and yes I think it was the hormones. I cried SOLIDLY the day I stopped and then whenever I thought about it for a week afterwards. DH thought I'd gone mad!

Oh and I'm 31 now. That's interesting though - how old is everyone??? I'm sure we did this during the antenatal thread but as if I can remember anything from when I was pregnant!! Halo and everso we have a 21 month age gap between our two and it's fabulous.

re: dropping feeds I literally just did a straight swap one day for post-nap feed from boob to formula. I've only bought one tub of formula and once that's gone I'm just going to switch it to cows milk as she'll be nearly 12 months by then I think. Anyway if she's not that interested in it I give her a snack with it too, breadsticks and a babybell or something, which encourages her to drink a bit more too.

Also thinking of TTC here as well - feel quite excited about it. Its actually only just possible again, so fingers crossed in a few months I might have some news!

On the BF at a year +, one of my friends says they call it "bitty milk" for her DS who is 13 months! They say it jokingly as they don't have a problem with it (obviously!) but recognise that it starts to get a little bit out of todays "norms" whilst it is, in fact, very "normal" in most of the world! O loves his mummy milk and when I say "mummy milk" to him he crawls over, climbs on my knee and gets into position - quite funny really! In fact he really cries for it, even if he has just had a big meal, as he seems to really want it at set times! DS1 lost all interest at 8 months and DS2 at 10 months. I know I will be really sad when it stops, and am sure that my supply is already starting to wilt, but am keeping going as long as I can! I think I cried too previously as I think the hormones make it very emotional!

Thanks, lozario. I've reached the point where I actually appreciate comments like those, and am more amused than annoyed when I go home to the States and get carded for buying alcohol. I jokingly attribute the youthful look to my long-term vegetarianism (20+ years). If anyone decides to give it try to test the result, do let me know! Maybe we could market it then. :)

I would have loved an even smaller gap between babies. We started TTC at the end of October, but it was mostly wishful thinking since my period hadn't returned. Other EBFers, when did your periods return? Were they regular right off the bat, or did it take a while?

Good luck to you, stealth and halo, for when you start TTC. Looking forward to hearing some good news soon.

I am still bf-ing A but just once a day. I dropped his afternoon feed last week, purely for selfish reasons (because I want to wear dresses and proper bras again). It was and still is hard with the afternoon feed - the boy knows what he wants and will go to any lengths to get it (and it breaks my heart, but then I imagine wearing a proper bra and my steel comes back)! My aim was to feed for a year but I am happy to keep going with the morning feed for a while longer yet. I have used milk in a cup, snacks and distraction (thank god for swings/parks) to wean him off. My periods returned at 8 months after A dropped to 2 feeds a day and have been more regular than I was pre-baby.

at this point in your bf relationship your milk supply is pretty well established so you might not get that "full feeling" anymore but you will still be supplying all baby wants. Your supply may be "lower" if your baby has feeds outside their "normal" times but otherwise your body still reacts to the demands whether they feed once or 10 times a day. It's normal for babies to have nursing strikes for several weeks and your body will still supply milk when the strike finishes (might need building back up a bit though).

All my friends cried when they DC's gave up BF. Think I probably will too - I won't have anything to offer DS anything that no-one else can iyswim?

Hoping to TTC before the end of the year but haven't told dh yet

I have 2 hours left of being in my 20's - eek!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETTY!!!!!!!!! Hope A gave you a nice lie-in!!

Everso I only got my period back on saturday which is why it is only just possible to think about TTC! Have only had about 5 periods in just over 5 years as have always been either pregnant or BF!

Also desperate to wear nice bras again - I just look flast chested at the moment in this horrid BF bra even tho it is a "nice" Elle Mcpherson one!

hi everyone,
I'm still bf ds and working full time, he feeds in the morn and eve and at night cc has gone tits up literally as he has had a cold so I started feeding him again in the night, I am going to wait until I have a few weeks off then do cc again as I can't face it when I have to get up at 5:30 for work after doing cc all night.

re car seats E is still in his rear facing maxi cosi we are going to buy an extended rear facing seat as after doing my research I am not comfortable about him going foward facing so young, rear facing is 5x safer and in sweden by law children have to travel rear facing until age 4! www.rearfacing.co.uk/

Hi ladies,
sorry not been on for a while but have sick kids in this house , Oscar got tummy bug and Cassie ear infection but is also throwing up after food..so i am knackered and stink of puke!!!!

ITS MY BABY'S !ST BIRTHDAY TOMORROW

OMG i can't believe how fast this year has gone!! I know we all say it but really those 9 months i was pregnant were the longest ever!! If it wasn't for you lot it would have felt like my PG would never end!!!!

Its such a shame though that Cassie is poorly for her birthday, i have even had to cancel her party I haven't even been able to get out to buy her cards, or pick up her present, (Its a scramble bug hehe!!) At least she doesn't know what day it is i suppose!!
Well, happy birthday to petty for today

Glad you all enjoyed cassies video!! She hasn't progressed much snce then!!!

Right going to have a nice hot bath and bed in case its a long night!!!

sam happy birthday Cassie!!!! Is she any better today? I hope so xxx

Happy birthday, Petty, and enjoy your 30's (wish I were as mature and together as you in my 20's...)

And Happy 1st to Cassie !!!! :) Hope she's well and enjoys her present when mummy has time to pick it up!

Am so impressed by the BFers, and think it's funny that some of you want to wear regular bras again when I'm still wearing my pretty and comfie BFing bras though haven't BFed in 9 months! I love that they don't have wires!!!!! I dread looking for new bras and figuring out my new size .

Franz is still not sleeping through the night, though his 2 naps during the day are a big hit since he's so tired!

Just dropping in quickly before i pass out on the saofa!!
Cassie not any better, started with vomiting on tues and then ear infection wed, continuing vomiting = hospital last night on her birthday .
She kept on being sick after food and water , and i was getting a bit annoyed with the g.p who kept telling me to give her water?? Oh like that never crossed my mind . I HAVE been offering her water, juice etc but after a few mins it was coming up, she had her nappy on for 14hrs overnight and there was one wee in it, so anyhow, i took her to A&E last night and they kept her in for a few hours trying to rehydrate her. We finally got home at 2am!! When i asked what happens if she's sick again they just told me to replace the same volume sh had vomited???? I understand that theres not much you can do, but i don't think its normal to vomit without some reason?? But, neither am i medically trained .

Right, have to go sorry for no name mentioning but if theres a 1st birthday over the weekend.... Happy Birthday

Will pop back again after the wekend xx

Sam Poor Cassie! Surely she has a bug of some sort? Has she started keeping water down yet?

Happy belated birthday to her, you will have to have a late party when she is better.

ckny H is a good napper too. Do you ever wake F? I think i'm going to have to get her up soon even though it pains me.

Also yesterday marks the day when I defiantly got AF back. Unlike the weird light one I had 4 months ago this one is crampy, painful and generally horrid. But does mean I might be fertile again soon.

Thank you for Birthday messages - had a truly fab weekend away with the whole family. Celebrations are ongoing with a girls night out next saturday for cocktails. Out. In the night time. no babies. no sick all over my clothes (well maybe by the end of the night?). Chances are I'll be home and tucked up in by 10 because I have forgotten how to drink, dance and stay up late . Hope its like riding a bike.....

CKNY I'm now sat here in my new full underwired bra, not as comfy as they used to be but my boobs are no longer waving at my belly button When I am done having children I'm going to save up for a boob uplift and have them pushed under my chin

Sam I really hope Cassie is starting to feel better . Are you still up for Thursday?

Well done to everyone still bf-ing, especially those at work!

Arthur has just found the spare windscreen wiper blade and is waving it round like a sword and looking a bit too pleased with himself best go save the cats...

sam Sorry to hear Cassie has been having an awful time. Poor thing. Was there much improvement over the weekend? Hope she's feeling better very soon.

Happy birthday, petty. Good to hear you are taking full advantage of extended celebrations. Enjoy your night out!

All fine here, although Sabine has hit a fussy period as far as eating goes. For the past week or more she's been spitting out anything that a) isn't covered in natural yogurt or b) she can't eat with her fingers. She's also only taking about half to two thirds of what she usually does at a meal. She's been sleeping through the night and BFing well, so I'm not worried about her going hungry, but things sure have gotten messy! Very little interest in the spoon yet, but hoping that changes soon!

Happy birthday petty glad you had a great time.
sam I hope cassie is better soon.

Is everyone's lo's eating normal food now? In the last 2 weeks E HAS really taken to 'proper' food mostly thing he can pick up himself though.

me we are definitely on normal food but ollie has always refused baby food or anything remotely puréed. He is now trying to stab food with his fork and even managing to get peas on it.
Funniest thing was in nandos on Sunday the only thing he wanted to eat was the chilli peas. I generally take the view if he is hungry he will eat. I think he has another molar coming though so it's putting him off a bit.

Hope cassie is a bit better. Seems like everyone has been poorly.

What is everyone doing for 1st birthdays?

Ds2 is 3 on the 20th so ollie is gate crashing his party at a soft play centre....
I apparently have to make a gaston the ladybird cake!

We do normal food too. To be honest I started off pureeing things but I lost interest very quickly and got fed up of making 2 meals so he has what we are having and we have a family tea each night. Me and A share breakfast and lunch most days. Arthur really likes rich, garlicky things, which makes life a lot easier. The unexpected bonus of eating together is that me and DH are eating better He does have the occasional jar though if we are away. Also he gets very fussy when teething - he wants his food bland, smooth and cold.

RE: Birthday, as its not til the end of march, I'm going to cross my fingers for a sunny day (well 2 sunny days as he's having 2 parties). First party will be a tea party in my parents garden for all the family. Second is a picnic in the park with our friends in Cardiff - I think this will be a joint party as a few of his friends are also end of March/Early april. My dad is fuming that his birthday will yet again be overshadowed by Arthur LOL (it's the day after A's and last year was his 70th - my mum ended up cancelling all their plans - oops!). Ah he's old enough to get over it.....

Morning all. Just stopping by quickly before heading into central London for the day. Big news: got a BFP this morning!!! DC2 is apparently on the way!

I've only had one period (in January) since S was born, and I'm not sure exactly when I ovulated this month it definitely wasn't when I expected it so I've no idea about my EDD. November sometime is likeliest, I think, but we'll have to rely much more on the dating scan this time. But that means about a 20-month gap between the two, which I'm very happy about.

I'm planning to go to the EPU in the next week or two because I'm also concerned about my grapefruit-sized fibroids and how they may impact this pg. Waiting a little bit to make sure it's far enough along to be able to detect a heartbeat. Fx!

I'm sure I don't really need to say it, but allow me to be a bit paranoid and say please, please, please do not mention this on Facebook if we're connected there. Thanks!!!

Congratulations eversomuch - wishing you a happy healthy pregnancy.

Back later with a proper update - we are off to rhyme time shortly.