December 2005 It really was like waiting for Christmas!!

[flutterbeedreaminofawhitexmas]

OK this is it I have started the thread in the vain hope that someone on the December antenatal thread will pop and come and join me, I have been waiting for over 3 weeks now and to be honest with you I think your all being a little selfish making me wait around on my own .

Can't believe I am the one starting this thread I'm not due till 18/12/05 yet by then George will be nearly 6 weeks old, I tell you what though I feel really really sorry for the last person to give birth from December as they will be dying to get onto this thread by then.

As sad as this may seem over the next few days (or weeks if you lot don't get popping) I'm going to post on this thread little messages so that when people start crossing over they have something to read, well that is what I intend to do anyway but whether George lets me do that is a totally different thing.
I shall deffo post my birth story on here I have waited so long to do it so expect that to appear in the next day or so.

So come on over ladies the grass really is greener on the other side.

HERES WISHING YOU MANY HAPPY NAPPIES [GRIN] [GRIN] [GRIN]

CONGRATULATIONS JAYSFIRST!!!!!! WELCOME BABY HARRIETTE

Congratulations Jay, hope you are home soon and fighting fit.

congratulations jays.

Ninah - glad to hear you are doing well. I hope you had a good xmas and new year - sounds like p is behaving himsself a bit better. I keep meaning to e-mail you but you know what it's like. Perhaps I'll get a chance this afternoon!

Just wondered how much bedding everyone is using on the babies at night. I'm not sure if I am using too much or not enough. Ds wears a short sleeve vest and sleepsuit and is then wrapped in a doubled up fleece blanket. Sometimes if it's extra chilly I rest a wool blanket over the top too.

Right - I should do some housework but instead I think I'll sit down with a cuppa and some choccies

hi all
congrates jays on the birth of harriette...bless

ninah glad you found us..lol About Adam being funny he was for a few days at first. He wouldnt talk to me at all when I came home with Hannah and was a daddys boy. However he is now ok with me but has taken to being rather boisterous with DH. So when DH comes home from work he tends to be hitting a lot but I think its in a playful way...I hope anyway. However like louis he is great with Hannah although health visitor did warn me it can kick in again at around 4wks as they realise the baby is here to stay.

SH who needs to do housework enjoy your cuppa its always there tommorow..lol For bedding if hannah is in crib i use short sleeve vest, sleepsuit a thin sheet and a small fleece pram blanket. When she is in the crib I tend to swaddle her although will be trying a grobag tonight.

Oooh Nemo let me know how you get on with the grobag I have been toying with the idea of getting one. I generally have George in a short sleeve vest, all in one baby grow and then double over a blanket for him the room he sleeps in is constantly between 18-21 temp wise and I think one doubled over blanket is what they reccomend for this. I would not hesitate to pop another thin blanket on if I thought he needed it and have occasionaly popped a pair of socks over his hands to keep them warm if they felt a bit cold.

So..... how is everyone and their new babies?

Alex is doing great now we are home. Have been trying for 2 days now to get milk supply back but not really having much luck! Fed Alex-Leigh formula last night and tried to breast feed today but she really isnt bothered so have almost decided to bottle feed from now on! Not sure tho so could still go either way! Alex now weighs 6lb 13oz which is a good weight gain from 28th dec when she weighed just 6lb 4 oz so am pleased that she is thriving!
Registered her birth today so she finally feels all official! Went for a meal at harvester to celebrate, just DH, me and Alex, was really nice and i had a malibu and coke!!! (at 11.30am!!!) SHOCKING!!!!!!
Night times are not too bad here, Alex feeds at 12am then again at 3ish then sleeps till 7am so i am getting small blocks although feel knackered today! Dh is downstairs trying to keep Alex awake till we can feed her a little early, she gets quite gripey at this time of night and would happily feed constantly but we would then have her up all night so am trying to be tough and get a loose routine in order LOL.
How different to all your babies look from birth then? Alex is now having longer periods awake and with eyes open which has really started to change her facial features! I am still going through a whole mixture of emotions when i look at her, from joy to saddness, I love her so much but still cant quite believe that she is here and she is mine! Still feels im going through the motions slightly in caring for her. Does that sound odd? Am still terrified something will happen to take her away BUT then i still feel like that with DS and he is 5!
Ok enough from me, am off to have healthy yoghurt and banana snack! Am determined to keep off the weight since realising i am now 2 stone 4lb lighter now than before i got pregnant! Got some trousers on today that i bought in sales last Jan and never worn cos they were too tight!!!! Are you all jealous??????

just being nosey from the nov. thread..

baby sleeping bags are ace IMO, we've had DD in them since about 8wks.

thats all..

Good to hear Alex is doing well Bonkerz, you sound happier as well. We don't have scales in the house and I can see me wearing maternity trousers or tracksuit pants for January at least
With the sweet tooth would disappear when the baby arrived though, I keep searching the cupboards for biscuits, which I don't keep in the house for a good reason
Was hoping to be discharged from the midwife to the hv yesterday, but dd2 had only gained 10g in 2 days and they would have liked a 50g gain, so mw is back tomorrow to check her weight again. She's feeding loads so hopefully has got back to her birthweight to keep them happy. We had a good night on Tues night but she was very unsettled last night, up and down between 11pm-3am. dh got up to her though and got her settle a couple of times, helps that he doesn't smell of milk I think
dd1 still coping well with the new arrival and changes she has brought to the house - hoping that doesn't change in any major way but will see what the next few weeks bring.

hi all

scully my sweet tooth has also stayed postnatally...typical..lol

FB grobag worked ok for first half of night but not so good later on as Hannah wouldnt settle. However she did better than Adam ever did as I had same grobags for him and he hated them but he had less arm control than hannah seems to.Plus hannah sounds a bit chesty so may be why she was clingy in the night and has been all day.

well call me soft but I have started adam on potty training today and so far so good.He has been ready for a couple of months but when pg i was too tired to follow it through.so he has been in underpants since 2pm and so far he has used potty when he has needed to..so wish me luck..lol

hi all!
just popping in b/c dd1 is still poorly w/a cough and i have been in the flat all day. dh is taking her to doctor in a bit here. she just asked for some water, however, so that's promising.

SO hoping roisin doesn't get this!

so pleased to read about everyone's little ones! bonkerz especially. after such a scare.

roisin is feeding SO well! i'm sooo pleased w/how it's going.

am wondering, however, when to introduce bottle of ebm into her diet b/c unfortunately i will need to go back to work in early april.

nemo, i'd started dd1 on potty traing as well before she fell ill. she is thoroughly interested in all things loo-related and in fact, anything in the bathroom - helping draw her bath, washign her hands, brushing her teeth.

here's hoping it's an easy transition for you.

expat think its around 3/4wks when they say to intro ebm or you can from then..hope dd1 is better soon and that your training goes smoothly too.

expat - you can introduce a bottle whenever you want. We have stopped using a bottle with Lucas now and he has gone back to breastfeeding OK.

I'm finding it quite hard with him at the moment as he has no set pattern he keeps to - he'll do something totally different every day. Last night he was awake between 3am and 5.30am - then he only slept till 6.30am so I am totally knackered today. I'm having to go to bed at 8.30pm to get any decent sleep which I'm finding really depressing as all I seem to do atm is feed and sleep.

Any ideas on how to get him to stay awake during the day?

I can't believe he's nearly a month old already. He's started giving little smiles which are beautiful - although very few and far between at the moment. He really makes eye contact and then his eyes light up when he smiles - it's so cute

Hi all,
how hard is it to find any time to catch up with you guys!!! My life has been taken over (yes, all laugh at the first timer!!! )
Jake has decided that sleeping is rubbish and will happily spend all night feeding then screaming so we are a little worn out. Milk is dripping everywhere so think it is just that he is a greedy bugger!

Any tips from anyone on getting a night routine that doesn't consist of me feeding constantly???

Sorry for the quick message, thinking of everyone. xxx

Also thinking of everyone and so want to say so much to all you guys BUT where do i find the time????
Hope you are all well and thinking of you....Cant believe this time 3 wks ago i was feedind my newborn son xxxxWhere does the time go?

Well George is 8 weeks old today and we have our Mother and baby check at the doctors at 2.30, think I might post a thread asking what to expect, and we have just had a letter from the Dr's telling us he needs to go for his first jabs on Wednesday when he will be exactley 2 months old. Just waiting for the letter from the hospital about his ecg and then we will be set.

Hope you are all doing well and getting a little sleep, Georeg slept last night from 1am through till 7.30am I was very chuffed, and even though he didn't feed for over 3 days when he had brochiltis he has still managed to put on 7oz and now weighs 9lb 14oz.

Flutter, I'm so - that is a lifetime of sleep!

Better night for us last night (I think!!). Have decided to try to get Jake into a routine of settling into his moses basket after feeding and for the first time we actually got him settled quite a few times. Admittedly he woke up quite quickly but it is a start.

Can't believe I've only just got myself up properly & it's nearly 2.00pm

Know what you mean about night-time being all over the place sh and george. I was feeling quite pleased on Wed am after dd2 had slept and fed nicely on Tues pm. But of course the last 2 nights she has wanted to feed continually between 11-4am with little breaks in between, but wants to be held during those little breaks, not put back in her moses basket like during the day. The one benefit of this is that when the midwife weighed her today she had gained 54g in 2 days & is now 10g over her birthweight on day 12, which I'm very happy about dd1 struggled to gain any weight in the first month, so at least b/feeding is better this time, so far.
So sorry, no tips for keeping them awake during the day so they sleep better at night, I think they just sort it out themselves during the first 8wks or so. Only think I'm conscious of is reinforcing the difference between night and day, so when she is ready to notice the difference, we're already being quiet at night, with little interaction when feeding, changing etc, compared to during the day.
Expat, with dd1 she had a bottle from around 3wks, as well as being b/f and coped fine with both.
Here's hoping for a more settled evening tonight

hi all
ebbie time has flown hasnt it. Hannah is 3wks old today.

George good on you managing to settle jake in moses basket. Hannah is a tinker for settling in crib but once there she is ok.

Last night we had a fab night, hannah slept 12-5.30 quick feed then back asleep till 8 Adam didnt wake till7.30am so a generally rested family. Also managed my first trip out alone with 2 kids..took adam to his toddler group and had hannah cooed over too..lol

hope you are all ok.

justa quick moment ladies, having four is def a houseful!!!
george, you catn really keep them awake so they sleep longer at this age......only end up with cranky overtired baby, do relax alittle and remember they are newborn right now, and just because they dotn sleep now doesnt mean they wont forever! do as v wise person said (was it you scully) shut your eyes and sleep when the baby does, during the day too. and the photo you emailed was gorgeous. Jake is lovely.
ninah, sweetheart, I owe you emails! I know I know...honestly keep meaning to, just run out of hours.....s/h your family are beautiful and my goodness!!! your children look so alike, its adorable
daisy is heavenly, easy and pretty laid back. or maybe i am this time!! she is 'awake' and abit unsettled between 12 and about 2am/3am, not ideal I guess but not really awful, she sleeps three/four hour bursts other than that. shes so very beautiful, I am totally smitten. Mollie adores her and loves her, no adverse behaviour (yet!)
scully, glad to hear bfing is going better this time round. daisy is also a natural, expat. she never lost weight after being born, so thats fabulous. I do hate the constant weighing thing tho, nothing like losing a ounce or whatever to stress mummies out. silly really, you can certainly tell if baby is not well/not gaining, without a scale. IMO!!
daisy sleeps fifty times better next to me in bed, bedside cot or moses basket (downstairs) for naps but to settle at night its next to me. its rather lovely snuggled up together.

hows everyone after birth? I seem to have 'recovered' fast this time, uterus contracted (painfully!) down double quick. I was lucky; didnt have any stitches or grazes tho to mend.
s/h gosh lucas a month already! wow! bless him on the smiles cant wait.
covers? um, daisy has vest, babygro, and is swaddled in stretchy knitted blanket, thats all. I figure, being cold will wake her and I can fix that but overheating.........far more dangerous. guess you cant really use us all as a guide line tho as everyones house is going to be different temps? they do a fabulous grobag temp gauge in with the grobags (or they did last time i bought one)that says add or take off a layer if tis 'this' temp etc. found ti really helpful last time.
re grobags; dd2 lived in hers, but we didnt put her in one til about 8wks i think, but after that, until she could walk, they were our lifesaver!
okay, thats itm time up for me, who must now feed my gorgeous greedy daughter..........missing you ladies and reading lots more often than I can post!!!!

Morning all - lovely to hear from you DQ. Lucas has a similat waking time. He's generally awake for about 2 hours around 2am. Dispite my constant "I will never give a child a dummy again" speech dh and I are considering giving Lucas a dummy as he will fall asleep but wakes up as soon as I put him down. Hopefully by giving him a dummy it will stop him stirring - well it's worth a shot at least!!!!!!

I have a growbag but am yet to use it - it just doesn't feel thick enough to keep him warm. Perhaps in a couple of weeks - he still seems to like being swaddled at the moment.

Hope everyone else is doing well - just busy with babies.
George - little Jake is beautiful, oh and I seem to be constantly feeding too if it's any consulation - I think it's a boy thing!!!!!!

That is the problem we are having SH. He drops off in my arms and then wakes as soon as we put him down.
By the end of the night we don't know whether we are coming or going - nor does he!
Dp has gone out on a mission to buy anything that looks like it might help a baby settle.

DQ, how do you do it, 4 in one house!! You have my complete admiration. So pleased that Daisy is being good for you and things are settling down nicely. Can you send some of your relaxed vibes my way, esp at about 4.00am in the morning?

Midwife disturbed me a bit this morning by suggesting that I may not have enough milk & that I should consider a bottle of formula in the evening to help him settle. Probably lack of sleep but I thought things with my milk were OK and so she immediately started me stressing - Grrr! Surely if milk keeps dripping from me there isn't a supply problem? Not ready to start offering formula yet so going to ignore her for a while.

Afternoon all, In complete disarray here as Alex decided to feed constantly last night despit being on formula full time now! Im still in my PJs and so are DSD and DS Only people dressed here are Alex and Dh! Alex was up till 1am then wanted to feed again at 2.30 then again at 4.30 and again at 6.30. Problem is that by the time ive fed her and fell asleep again myself she is awake for another feed! Need to constantly remind myself how much we wanted this little baby and how much i love her!! That sounds awful i know.
Email was great George and Jake is perfect! With regards breast feeding, do what feels right for you. Part of me still feels guilty for giving up when i did and im sure if i wasnt so tired and feeling so low that i would quite easily be able to start again. Keep it up, sounds like you doing a great job!
Im feeling like a complete control freak with regards routine! Alex isnt 3 weeks old till MOnday and already i am panicking about the lack of routine! She really is a snuggle baby and just loves being held ALL the time, normally this wouldnt be a problem BUT im due back at work on 6th March and im not sure how i will cope with 4 little girls under 3 years of age! especially if one wants to be held constantly!
Am going to have to drive next week as Dh is back at work and i start my greif counselling, cant catch a bus as its 3 bus rides away so am going to attempt to drive! Naughty i know but i feel fine after my section and am already doing all the things they tell you not to do!
Gotta go cos madam needs another feed! May try and get dressed tomorrow!!!!

george - I'll let you know if the dummy works Dh put it in his mouth earlier today and he sucked it like mad so heres hoping. Although he was very awake this morning so he may have tired himself out from that.

George - if you are worried about your milk (not that it sounds like you should be) you could try expressing off an ounce every now and again. Removing the milk is what makes you produce more so it would help stimulate the production whilst leaving you enough to feed with. My mw also told me the other day that your milk supply is constant - it never simply runs out. Also that after a feed you milk will be fully replenished in just one hour so even if your boobs don't feel full they actually are.

I hope those facts are helpful. If jake is alert and saitsfied (food wise)and you are getting wet and dirty nappies from him then he is getting enough - some babies are just snacky eaters!

We have been out looking at new cars today - Dh has decided we need a bigger more "family" car. I've found one I quite like - now I just need to find one with the right price tag too - Oh and go through the riggers of selling mine!!!

george!!!! shame on your midwife!! your milk is not from all your accounts, undre any problems at all. its fine and JUST what jake needs! ignore that woman! heres hoping your HV is better and more informed. expressing, just like s/h says will increase your supply AND allow you to feed jake bottles of it -therefore measuring how much he takes etc, if you think that will help reassure you. daisy eats often and alot, esp around her most awake time, its fine and very normal. daisy will also wake if i put her down at night so i co-sleep. she may stirwhen we lie down, -at which point i shove nipple in her mouth- but then she sleeps wonderfully next to me for hours. i know its not for everyone, but worth a shot maybe? am sending you the relaxed vibes. i swear its the biggest difference this time, i am much more 'oh well' about everything. all babies are different, and all of them alter as they grow. if its any kind of help, dd2 never slept. and i seriously mean never, just an hour here or there. she was 20mths before she starting sleeping. i was a wreck as you can imagine!!! now shes 2 and a half, goes to bed wide awake, settles herself, and sleeps in if she can..........not meaning to say you have to survive til 20mths but just wanted to say even the really awful sleepers DO sleep in the end. dd1 was different from dd2, and ds different from that..........guess thats part of why i'm so chilled out about daisys waking/sleeping, Nothing can be as bad as mollie!!
jake is still soooooooo new, try not to worry every night will be like 'last night'. LOL at you sending dh out, what did he come home with? btw, theres some interesting articles on things you eat affecting your baby via bfing - i know someone who cut out lots of things in her diet in early bfing and her baby suddenly started sleeping better.
s/h thankyou for email, makes my day keeping in touch with you all on here and via emails.
bonkerz do take it easy with the driving etc....dont want you back in hospital. and i'm sure alex will find her routine soon.
ninah, do come and check in soon.......

Hi everyone,

Nice to hear from you DQ, glad everything is going well.
George ignore your midwife it sounds like you are doing just fine.

I took George to our mother and baby check up on Friday, got in there and the Dr pointed out that George wasn't actually a patient at the surgery yet turns out I hadn't dropped that red form in to register him, what a stupid thing to forget, he still did the check up though and said he would write the notes up next week after I have dropped the form in. He also sorted out my deafness, when I said sorted out I mean he gave me a script for decongestants which I thought was really good as I was expecting to have to make another appointmet.

Since posting on here that George goes straight back to sleep after his middle of the night feeds he has started to scream as soon as we put him down from them, we have changed nothing, we don't interact with him at all during the night, the lights are on really really low and there is no noise, he's just being a little bugger. We have ignored his screams for 3 nights now and it's getting no easier listening to him but after about 15 mins he shuts up and drops off. Aaah well it will be all change again in the next few days I expect.

Hope your all well, I wonder when Jay is going to be able to get on to post and am I right in thinking that all December ladies should have popped by now as everyone was scheduled for induction if they hadn't gone by now weren't they??????