september edd new babies arriving come share the ups and downs here

[ssmile]

Hello. Think i was first to deliver off the September EDD thread so waving to see if anyone else out there yet to join me :)
Had my 2nd DD on 26aug by C-sec. We now home but struggling with BF and baby lost 10% body weight in 3days. Started to top up with formula in syringe to try give cracked. Bleeding nipples a rest, but milk is starting to drip out now leaking everywhere! Hoping for a better night tonight after 3nights of hourly feeds and snatching 2-3hrs of sleep.
Anyone else struggling too?

Bah to Janet, she is just sooo blah. I like Marcus best atm, now that bonkers Kitty's gone. I had never watched X Factor before this series and I am now totally addicted!

Ssmile, that is just so scary about redundancies, I really hope that your DH is OK. It must be really difficult for all of you if he doesn't get to spend much time with you

Love, I hope you have a good day tomorrow, remembering your dad. 'Good' seems like the wrong word but, you know what I mean. Maybe 'positive' is a better word?

Jojo, it was jimmijam who had the new phone. I was just replying to her. :)

Sorry to hear about the job feral.

My OH did the Leeds Abbey Dash, it was a 10K road race.

Firework, I hope tomorrow is OK for you.

Had a lovely weekend away, was quite busy and tiring as we saw lots of friends. LO slept really well on a couple of the nights and I managed to get a stint of 5 1/2 hours sleep the one night in one go :) Woohoo, didn't happen last night at home, but still, you got to celebrate the positives when they happen.

She is actually asleep right now in her cot. It's the first time at home she has gone down so early and OH and I are both in the front room without her!

Went swimming again today :) she went under 3 times and didn't seem too bothered by it, did have a few tears at one point, but not from the dunking. I've had my flu jab and other than a sore arm so far I feel OK, fingers crossed I'm OK tomorrow.

Looking forward to a rest tomorrow, although I may have to nip to the hospital to drop off the milk I've expressed so far as I have about 1400mls in the freezer.

lovebeinfirework hope your specialday is gd memories, and not too sad.

100yrs glad you had gd time away and Lo sleep is slowly getting longer stretches. Well done of OH run.

Talkin of tellie did you see garethMalone The Choir -Military Wives, I watched it on iplayer yest was excellent but had tears rolling down my face. I struggle not seeing my DH most nights for bed,bathtime with two and it gets stressful and tiring, these women don't see their DH for 6mths+ and I know its what they sign up for but their kids don't and that's really tough on them. I don't know how they managed it was fab prog if you haven't seen it. I'd love to join a choir again, I did a little funky gospel type choir before I got married and they have new one nr me now at 7.30pm, so maybe in few months when Lo established on solids I can try it out again :)
Right hopefully Lo will resettle now of my shoulder night....

firework all the best for today. Anniversaries are so tough to get through, but they do make us remember, which is a good thing.

100years - 5.5 hours sleep... bliss! Hope that's the start of a pattern for you. Well done on your weekend away and the swimming! And VERY impressive on the expressed milk front too. Hospital will be very grateful, I'm sure.

Ssmile - all the best too for the redundancy situation. I went through that a couple of years ago, and it's so stressful (thankfully, wasn't made redundant, but a few colleagues were... it's so stressful and sad to see people go, the atmosphere at work was awful). No, didn't see the Choir thing... but yes, take my hat off to them for coping alone for so much of the year. Really don't think I could do it. My OH is going to be away for about 4 days every 8 weeks or so with his new role in the New Year, and I'm dreading that!

Re X Factor - yes, I liked Janet at the start, but, like Gary (!) I am so bored of her now. Who is voting for her??? Like Amelia and Marcus, think Misha B has an amazing voice and looks a star already, and liked Kitty too... not that I'm a fan or anything...!!! (OH actually voted the other Saturday!!). Although, I am a huge Strictly fan... and loving Robbie Savage on it (he's from my home town and is a friend of a friend too!!!)

Hi firework, hope it all went ok. Does anyone else have a very sensative LO?, he falls asleep on me or sofa but if I try to move him he wakes up. Am trying to get him to sleep in travel cot downstairs during day and crib upstairs at night but wakes as soon as moved and won't settle to sleep unless back on my lap grrrrrr!
RE x factor, are they the ones singing on an advert at the mo cause the girl with red hair has lovely voice and I would but something sung by her - who is she?
Just took pic of DS in xmas outfit that DGM bought him to use as xmas cards as he will have out grown outfit by then, looked sooo cute with little matching hat. I guess you can only do that when they are tiny so they don't get to embarssed

Also and don't hate me but DH had day off yesterday so we did xmas shopping. Was so quiet on a term time weekday so now have all gifts bought and wrapped and am feeling pretty smug Hawkins Bazaar was great as got loads of gifts there so cut out trailing round loads of shops. Also did bf in public place for first time and was quite relaxed so pleased to have another 'first' ticked of list.

Hello ladies. Good to catch up on your news. Not much to report my end. LO is ten weeks old today and in 3-4 hourly sleeping/feeding pattern. Still ebf and gaining weight well - haven't been to hv recently but I can see the chubby cheeks appearing - recon he must be about 13lbs. Very coo and gurgle these days and still a happy chappy.
Had the full-blown assessment feedback for ds1 this week - he is not autistic spectrum but mirrors some of the traits as he is above average in cognitive development but average for his age in social and emotional development so a bit of a mismatch that at this age causes some difficulties. He is also borderline ADHD - my husband calls this grey area "little boys" - I tend to agree ! So basically an intelligent child with lots of energy - not a bad thing to have I would say - yipee - now maybe I can stop worrying so much.
Am doing well on Christmas shopping too - hocked in a years supply of tesco clubcard vouchers in the double-up promotion and have used them to buy loads of toys for the children - boy is Santa generous this year, he will have to save his vouchers again now for next year !
Anyway, mist drag my lazy butt out of this bed and get cracking with all my chores.

I too been getting the xmas presents in. Done about 85% now, agreed mostly not to do adults this year and just do the kids in extended family. We going to have meal out instead. Managed to get first smile on camera this morn! Everytime she smiley I got camera out she stared fascinated instead of smiling Doh Her awake times are getting longer but nighttimes have been getting bit hit and miss last few days, mostly one 5hr stretch, then lots wiggling and waking 1-2hrly. I was hoping she would start settling more after 1am but its really hit n miss.
candr my Lo mostly falls asleep in my arms, I have to wait 20-30mins to put her down or she does wake up.if she is wrapped in blanket or sleepbag I can sometimes put her down quicker, if her bed is warmed eg. I'm sitting on her blanket which I put in cot just before she goes down or use a warm "hot" water bottle to warm the sheet might help.

hello just quickly catching up, sounds like lots of lo's are sleeping better- so y isnt ours? mmmm he went 5 hours 1 night then the last 3 nights has woken up LOADS!
think our eldest ds is feeling left out, its horrible 2 c him as he is, so dh has just taken him to the park with some sweets :-) ds woke last night thrashing about on his bedroom floor after refusing to go ibto nursery- he sat outside screaming curlled up in a corner, nursery worker had to come out and take him in, so sad to see :(

Woohoo ladies. Once again I'm posting in here while LO is in her cot asleep However it was not an easy journey to sleep for her. OH decided we would try getting her down at 8, so when she was tired at her just before 8 sleep I went through to the bedroom to feed her. She dropped off I put her down, she woke 5 mins later and screamed the place down! So start over, another feed, another put down asleep then she woke, more screaming, no calming down until I went and decided to change her bum then she started smiling and cooing at me. So changed bum (which she seems to love you doing and watches us and chatters away), fed in the front room, put her in her sleeping bag again and held her in the front room until she dropped off. Left it a few mins, took her through and she didn't wake up, and is still asleep 40 mins later. So not brilliant, but she's down. It's horrible her crying - screaming - as it's because she was tired, we didn't leave her at all(just cuddled and rocked her), I can't do that, but it felt like I made her cry, obviously put her down a smudge too early. I put we in bold as so far it's been generally me who settles her for bed as I'm feeding on demand it's a lot easier for me to do that, so when OH decided it would be 8pm I went along with it thinking it was ambitious given how late she usually falls asleep, he has said that tomorrow maybe we'll try for 9pm! I think we will get her changed and I will just feed, put her in her bag and see what happens. It's all trial and error, tomorrow she might fall asleep at 8pm without us even trying!

I got another 5 1/2 hour sleep last night :) Yay. Although I woke part way through for a wee myself, but I didn't have to feed at all in that session so I count that as a proper stint. Fingers crossed for more of the same. I never count my chickens though.

Hope you managed to get back off again fairly quickly ssmile after your post the middle of the night. I didn't watch that programme, haven't really watched a lot, other than uni challenge. I have a programme on the inlayer to watch, but not got round to it yet.

Thanks Sebs. I'm sure the sleeping will change again at some point, and am expecting next week to be a bit mad as she is due her 12 weeks growth spirt, which so far the growth spurts have all been bang on time on the Friday night.

Candr, it depends on how asleep LO is when I move as to whether she wakes up or not. sometimes I can do anything and she doesn't wake, other times I go to scratch and itch and she wakes. Well done on the christmas shopping, I've not started yet!

Hi Minky. Great that you have a pattern to sleeping :)

Jimmi, it must be a bit weird for other children to get used to another child around. It's weird for adults to get used to a baby being around, and we can understand things better.

100 years - tough isn't it with sleep patterns but it will get easier - just try and remember that crying is natural and won't hurt her and sometimes we all need a good scream it's harder for you than for LO.
Jimmi - that's tough with ds1. I am lucky that this time ds1 and dd are older and so we haven't had the jealousy bit to cope with. Good plan to use the park as a treat - I remember those days!
Ssmile - well done on getting smile on camera - it's harder than you expect isn't it. Dh filmed LO on iPhone and posted it on YouTube - very funny. Think its called "hairy baby talks" as lo has lots of hair but dh managed to get it going in every direction! Very cute.
Well off to sleep while I can - night night peops.

YouTube clip is called "crazy hairy baby speaks" (don't ask - dh does these things !)

Been into nearest city this morn first time with Lo. Im not at all into crowds of people but got in by 9.15am straight after dropping DD1 at school. Was amazed at some of heavy discounting stores are doing. Managed to get a pair jeans and top that fit in Evans. Anyone else struggling to get clothes to fit big milk filled boobs?! I'm trying on size 20-22 tops but then they look huge on arms etc as I'm 16 on the bottom.

100 this may sound odd but have you tried putting Lo down earlier? With my Lo depending on how tanked up her feeding been going if I miss 6.45pm winddown slot she always takes a lot longer to settle instead of 7.30pm in cot it ends up nearer to 9pm. But I like her down early as that fits in with DD1 bedtime as we all get up 7am latest.

minkyj we all parent differently but for me personally I can't leave a baby this young to cry.Its their only form of communication. Past 6mths I may do bit crying, past a year yes in the right situation when all their needs have been met. This is no way criticism of you just how I feel. I wish I could let her sometimes but I actually leak milk and it feels like a physical hurt.

My comment about crying comes from a background of trying to do controlled crying with DD1 both me and my DH separately tried at 6/9/12mths+ it just did not work with her, hence why this time around I'm doing a more attachment style of parenting and I have a happier baby, happier mummy and I'm getting a whole lot more sleep :)

Hi all. Just popping in. Not had time to read through everything since my last post.
Is it me or is it really tough getting enough sleep now that winter is upon us? In the early days I could go for 3 hours then up to express for an hour then bed again. I have to force myself to get up now and every scream or cry, during adult sleeping hours, is painful! I'm such a sleep monster. I am really grumpy if my deep sleep is interrupted. DH really pisses me off in this matter as he gets a whole lot more sleep than me yet acts as though he only has an hours sleep per night! Usually when DD wakes he doesn't even hear her.
Anyway after her 2 week illness I have managed to get DD back somewhat Onto a slight sleep routine. Her bedtime seems to be from 17:30/18:00 until 01:00. Wonderful if she could actually shift it a few hours forward! DS comes home and shouts and does the whole "look at me" for 2 hours whilst I try to get DD to settle which usually only takes a bottle and a swaddle then a 5 min crying moan in my arms. DD falls asleep and is placed in her chair as she will stir for the next hour. I get some time with DS and prepare dinner and DS packed lunch. 7pm we shut up shop. DS knows the drill although I do have to threaten him with sending his Lego to charity if he doesn't hurry up. DS gets into my bed. DD gets put into her basket or sometimes we have her in bed with us. I give DD a dream feed. We all go to sleep. I usually get a 2 hour nap and then I get up to cook dinner as DH gets home at 22:00. DD is supposed to get up at this time but usually stays asleep until 1 when she will wake abruptly and scream for milk (usually just as I have managed to doze off). It's then anyones game from then on. Could be the hourly wake for more snacking or could be nice and 3 hours before next feed. This is the time zone I want to get sorted as even with co sleeping it is difficult. I am also trying not to give her formula as I have noticed she poos more when she has some and when I make up 3 oz she will take 1oz. Anyway, 100years ( I think it's you) maybe you could try to swaddle your LO if you're trying to go by strict times? My DS hated it and always broke free. DD feels insecure without it and screams if she is taken out of swaddle when she hasn't had enough sleep. There are some YouTube videos on how to swaddle tightly. When viewing them I also came across the 5s technique and was going to buy the book for this. I have totally forgotten what it's called (baby brain!!!!) but haven't got round to doing so.
Xmas pressies are all sorted and wrapped for the kiddies both ours and others. I think all we need to get are the in laws which DH can sort out for once as they're his bloody parents. They don't think about what to get us and usually end up buying something pointless which ends up regifted or charitied. Mil told DH that she had got our kids pressies already and got DS more Thomas stuff. DS has moved on and is into Lego now he is a big boy of 4 yrs. he also has so much Thomas stuff that there really isn't anything left to buy that he wants from the range. DS is trained well though and always says " I really wanted this". The outlaws annoy me in that they don't ask what DS is into and therefore end up getting him something too 'young' for him. Last year they got him one of those toddler bikes with the handle on for his birthday. He was 3! He'd been riding a 12" bike since Xmas last year! Oh I think I'm sounding ungrateful now but they annoy me and DH has been getting annoyed with them too. They always moaned about not seeing their other grand kids but never make effort to see any of them.

Next topic... X factor. Have you noticed that they have changed the m&s advert? Frankie is out and Amelia is now in it and features 2x now and closes the ad. I bet Misha felt a bit put out by this. I like Misha as an artist. She really is the only one out of the lot who has x factor but the show is really not about the x factor anyway. It never has been. Seriously, how many of the winners have the full package? I can't stand Janet. Her singing is awful and she always manages to murder good songs. I think Marcus or little mix will win and Amelia and Misha will be in bottom two this week. I think Janet is the Cher Lloyd of this year. Lots of teeny bopper fan base with no musical taste! Having said that I will probably never buy an x factor single and I will never pay to vote in their competition!

Ah anyway I think I should go back to bed now. I am trekking to Oxford street in the morn with DD and DM to get some pressies for my bro as Dparents are going over to see him next week which means no
More help from my mummy for a whole month how will I cope?!!!!!!
Hope you all master the night time run soon. Lots of sleepy vibes to y'all.

Pixie, my ILs are the same with presents for DS; they spend loads of money on plastic tat that's too young for him, without having asked what he'd actually want, and it then clutters up the house. I can't get rid of it coz they live nearby and come over quite often. They also have an infuriating habit of buying clothes that are too small for him, even though I always ask them not to buy him clothes. I figure that if I was a 3yo boy, I wouldn't choose clothes for a present, I'd choose toys! I know I sound ungrateful, but it's hard to be grateful for presents that you know someone hasn't put much thought into, especially when I think really hard about what to get for our spoilt rotten nieces!

I have done almost all the pressie shopping but I do it all online (done early, in case of more snow this year!) I can't be doing with wheeling a buggy around town and we're a long way from anywhere with what I consider to be proper shops.

We got the cot down from the loft yesterday as DD has suddenly started being unbelievably wriggly at night and scrabbling her way out of the bed nest and into bed with me, under my winter duvet, on her front on my soft mattress: not good! We've set the cot up with only three sides on so it's a side-car arrangement against our bed and it worked brilliantly last night.

DD has also suddenly stopped just dropping off to sleep anywhere, she gets really screamy when tired and fights it until taken somewhere dark and quiet (or on the move). She had a bit of a meltdown yesterday so I put her in her cot and she carried on screaming as I shushed her and stroked her head, then I got up to close the gap in the curtains in case that was what was bothering her and as soon as I left her alone, she went instantly to sleep!

DS was the complete opposite of this and would howl unless I stayed with him until he was fast asleep whereas DD seems to just want to be left alone. It never ceases to amaze me just how different the two of them are.

Yay X Factor tonight. I love the way that DH will wander into the living room, sneer and mock me for watching it but then sit down and get totally involved in it! My money's on Amelia going tonight after a sing-off with Misha. I really like Misha but I think it's a bit of a mockery of the voting system that the judges keep her in every week, despite the fact that the public obviously want her out.

Whew. That was a long post!

PS Minky @ your crazy hairy baby! Your LO looks way older than 2 months and is v gorgeous!

Minky - your LO is very cute. Was watching some of the baby lauging clips with LO on my lap and he was transfixed by giggiling babies and did not stop smiling. He has not really worked out how to laugh, he tries but no sound comes out or sounds like a yelp that surprises him - makes us lugh though

minky u reminded me of a clip we posted on you tube a few years ago of our eldest when she was little called 'crisps 'piss' off' funny :-) yet now she's reading, she sometimes thimks H is the letter P, very funny when she reads the word 'his'! :-)

100 you're right about adapting to baby. ds1 seems back to normal now thank goodness :-)

ssmile i LOVE the results u hear about ppl doing controlled crying. Ur much better than me! i'd prob cry hearing him cry so much im such a weakling, i only let him cry for a few mins when he's tired cuz I know he'll fall asleep then

summer wow to long post, sorry to hear you've been ill, ooh oxford street sounds fab (im jealous)

fera i agree with lo's wanting toys for presents!!!! tho I'll b honest, our 2 eldest (and lo) have such a silly number of toys cluttering the place up, plus 3 toy boxes full, all right for their ages yet they rotate slowly thru most of them and dont play with a few (but i wont to keep those for when lo is bigger) so i dont intend to buy them any for xmas-especially knowing other ppl will get them some anyway. tho this does make presents really hard, so far they just have new clothes, dvds and a HUGE tube of jaffa cakes each. boring i know. and we wont b home for christmas so im not sure wether to give them their pressies from home on the 23rd or 27th dec? mmmm....
our lo often screams when he's tired too, i often find ptting him down for a few mins in swing or on playmat and he'll soon fall asleepm, if not he'll soon fall asleep after being picked up

went to see lights turn on in town last night (free mince pies :-) ), q 4 santa- we moved a few feet in 30mins, no-one that came out looked happy and after exploring we couldnt even find the end of the Q, so gave up. went up the road and was another santa on a sleigh-no Q, for free and the kids each got a lollypop- ideal

VERY tired tho, and ratty, lo been waking a lot during the night :(
got implant last tuesday, arm hurt that eve and wed but now only when i knock it, didnt realise its 4cm long! still on the pill til tues- not helping witht he being ratty

blimey that was long!

Wow to lots of long posts :)
Minky - cute! And, I agree, he looks older than 2 months.
Pixie - hope all's better now after illness. Welcome back!
Jimmi - Yay to the q-less Santa!!! We've just had our first mince pie... Christmas is on its way...

BUT, I'm ashamed to say, and very jealous of you all, I've not started any shopping yet. Mind you, going to make photobooks and calendars for my Dad and OH's parents, of kids and LO, so I sort of have started, as they are made, just need to order them tomorrow!

Had first night out ... well, girlie night in (at friend's house) with take-away, but it was out for me, and without LO. And, came home to LO just settling in basket... followed by 5 solid hours of sleep... BLISS. She went 7.5 hours between her 10pm feed and the next one... so we even managed an hour after her feed so felt more human today. She's getting better generally but we still have the odd bad night (like the night before when I got about 3 to 4 hours broken sleep only :( )

Very proud Mum though - have taught LO to pull tongues! Well, it's the copycat thing I'm going for, but she smiles and giggles when I pull tongues at her, and then pulls her little tongue out too! It's soooo cute. She's laughing and giggling a lot and a very noisy baby, especially when on the playgym. She chatters away loads. And, the highchair is a big hit. It's great her being at worktop height when I'm cooking, and alongside the table when we're eating.

Yay, Saturday night... Strictly followed by X Factor and a "takeaway" curry (from Morrisons) (What has my life become???) Agree with X Factor comments and that it will probably be Misha and Amelia in bottom 2, despite them being the most talented on there (well, except maybe Marcus) although Little Mix not bad... just crap name!

Just heard a bang on the ceiling... OH is putting a crib together as she's grown out of Basket -best go see what he's up too...!

Have a fun Saturday night everyone...:)

mmm i think amelia could win, dh says she doesnt stand out from other artists but i think she's easy on the eye and can sing giving her an advantage over others. love little mix but think they could go this week, used to love janet but bored of her now, and she forgot her words!!!!!

Please can I have a hug?
Struggling at the mo with LO and ds1. We have no family nearby, recently moved house so don't really know anyone and dh out at work 7-7. I know I signed up for this and made the choice etc but it is so bloody hard sometimes...I am just so tired by the end of each day - whenever LO catnaps I am either trying to give ds1 some attention or just do some basic household stuff. Feeling like a bit of a failure as a wife and as a good parent at the mo

BIG HUGS to you China If you're looking after your 2 little ones, then you can NOT be a failure at all. You're doing a brilliant job at a very stressful time. Can you talk to your Health Visitor? Maybe look for local mother and baby groups you could go to and get to know a few others in your area - the HV usually has lists of them. You're not alone... all of us on here I'm sure has felt (or feels) how you are feeling. Try and get out, even if only for a short walk, to break the day up a bit. Reading our posts on here does help as you realise we're all in the same boat, if slightly different set ups, but all get frustrated, tired and angry at times. Also, try to talk to your DH - does he help out at weekends, give you break?

On a quick aside... THought Janet was awful last night... hope she goes... And so much for LO sleeping well - seems to be every other night, as last niht wasn't too good... ah well...

Oh, China, I'm so sorry you're having a tough time of it. I would definitely try to get to some baby groups; my local BF group is great as you can sit and chat with the mums whilst feeding the baby and a HV or peer supporter will basically be running a creche in the other half of the room for all the toddlers. Free cake too. Does DS1 do some time at nursery when you could do a buggy fit class or baby swimming perhaps? I was in a similar position when I had DS three years ago and had to force myself out of the door to go and meet people but I had a lovely group of friends after a month or two!

And YYY to Janet going tonight, really, she can't possibly get away with that drivel! The judges all seemed to like her complete massacre of Under the Bridge but I was cringing!

heehee last night dh said he wants 2 write and complain to lg about the speakers on our tv- cuz we seem to be hearing different things 2 what the judges are hearing!!

china i have been there and yuou WILL get thru it!!!!!!!!!! i found it SUCH hardwork going from 1-2 dcs, took me a few months 2 settle and feel happy and normal again. but we still went 4 dc3! now we also dont have family or friends around us this time and it feels incredibly lonely, i now look at the kids smiles etc in a whole new light-they make my day.
how old is ur dc1? 17months between our 1st 2, almost 4 years between our last and 2nd. can u join a local baby group? or is there an evening or weekend dance or gym class u could go to? or weekend college courses u cvould join? they do sewing, walking, massage, sugercraft and allsorts..