July 2011 - Feeding, sleeping, burping!

[Eglu]

Hi all,

I thought I'd better start us a postnatal thread, since it's now September.

Think we should have a list of babies.

Eglu - DD - 26th June

[buttonmoon78]

want2b I've just moved S onto level 2 tonight. I was terrified it would end up in a huge up-chuck but so far so good!

I'm feeling a lot more positive at the moment. Had a good weekend which helps! After our large bust up last week, dh really thought about what I said and is trying his best (when he's at home) to be more helpful which is very nice indeed. And we've agreed that the girls are to start earning some pocket money. They already do some non-negotiable jobs like unloading the dishwasher, walking the dog and making packed lunches, but I'm going to extend their repertoire to cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming and ironing - stuff like that. We've agreed that they will get £15 per month each at the beginning of the month following and that if it works it will go up to £20pm in the new year - carrot. If they don't keep their end of the bargain, money gets deducted - stick. I'm hoping it will take some of the pressure off me, give them some independence and generally make the house a nicer place to be!

We've also decided to get dd1 a joint current account with one of us so she can learn how to use a debit card etc. She's 14 which is scarily close to being independent so it's about time she learnt how to budget etc.

I'm now going to open a bottle of white, trough through the packet of parma ham I bought as a treat and do a bit of essential mning before I have to feed ds again!

[cara2244]

Button, I like your ideas for chores, I'm filing that one away until my kids are older. Hope it works for you.

Well DD took an ounce of expressed milk today, phew, had to throw away the other 3 though! Hopefully she will continue to just have a small amount to tide her over until I get back. Anyone thinking of expressing, get an electric pump. I used to sit for ages and ages with a hand pump with DS - it's definitely worth the extra money for the ease of the eletric one.
Allyj lots of people swear by water babies classes for baby swimming.

[Want2bSupermum]

button I had the same fear about Level 2 but it has gone better than expected. Love the budgeting idea.

Anna is also starting to grow again. She is rolling over from her tummy to her back. When is the next growth spurt?

For swimming what do you do about their pooping and pee? I have seen little swimmers but they are only for larger babies. The huggies small size is for 16lbs+ and pampers smallest size is a 3 which is for 20lbs+ here in the US. DD is only just 11lbs (when full of poop).

[scarthy1975]

cara I definitely agree about the electric breast pump. I used a manual with DS1 and it used to take me ages just to get 1oz. I invested in a Medela Swing this time and I get 2oz in 5 minutes - sounds like i'm a cow but well worth it.

I never took DS1 swimming when he was a baby as I think if you fill up the bath enough it gets the same results. You spend more time getting them dressed and undressed then actually in the water and you get really cold as they don't really move much.

[buttonmoon78]

I used to take dd1 swimming in a place which also did rehabilitation for disabled people so the water was blood warm and the changing rooms lovely and toasty. Otherwise I wouldn't bother either!

want2b I think we get more choice over here. Would it be worth getting a pair of the washable sort? I know Mothercare do them - do they ship out the the US?

[isitreallythattime]

Afternoon ladies..

So, I have put my breastpump to bed last night and feel good for it. Have been mix feeding but decided i am going to wind down with it now and move to ff. Feels quite nice to finally have made the decision.

Going to leave morning feed to be last to drop as she likes that.

So question today, is how do you all make up your morning feeds. At the moment i feed dd from me while kettle boils and cools, but i imagine, with a screaming hungry baby first thing this is not going to be possible once i finish bf.

Suggestions welcome x x

[Want2bSupermum]

button thanks for the idea of washables for swimming. I called the pool and they only allow the disposables. Will just get the bigger ones for 16lb+ babies and wrap them real tight!

isit Our peadiatrician said it was fine to use bottle or tap water to make formula. We use bottled water which is kept at room temperature. Also, with formula your little one should be able to sleep longer. I feed every 4hrs starting at 6am. The last feed is at 10pm. I get her bottle ready at 5.50am and wake her up for her first feed.

[buttonmoon78]

I sterilise all bottles and fill them half way with boiled water. Then I fill a flask with freshly boiled water and use that to make up the half of the water as and when needed. It stays really hot for about 10/12 hours so makes nice warm bottles which dissolve the gaviscon nicely. I know it's not the current recommended way, but I think I'd lose my marbles if I had to do that!

isit a brave decision to make, but I agree - once it's been made it really takes a weight off doesn't it!

want2b it's odd they won't let you use them. What do they think you'll do? Not wash them?! Wrapping extra tight seems to be your only option then. At least you can - over here the swim nappies are like pull ups so if they're too big, a little nudge and they fall down!

[buttonmoon78]

Just heard that my grandma has got cancer. Started in her stomach. Now riddled with it. Sounds like she won't make it to the end of the month let alone Christmas

I'm just so grateful my grandad's so far gone with dementia that he'll never know. It would've killed him too otherwise.

Makes me a bit cross as she's been having tests for weight loss, constant trots, stomach pain etc for 18+months with no indication but suddenly she's got cancer and it's everywhere. I know it would've happened anyway and at 85 something's going to get you sometime but still.

[Want2bSupermum]

button I have learnt not to question the logic behind the decisions that Americans make. Some of the rules are there just as a power trip. With regards to washables, a lot of places don't like them because parents will rinse them out in the handwashing sinks so the sinks are left with poop in them. Putting signs up doesn't work here so management just ban the item causing the problem. I bought the smalls and we tried them on her last night. They are HUGE and DH was telling me to wrap duct tape around to keep them up!

Sorry to hear about your grandma having stomach cancer. My grandma passed away 10 years ago and I still really miss her. I would have loved for her to have met DH and our creation.

[SpannerPants]

Sorry to hear about your grandma Button - stomach cancer is horrible and unfortunately the early symptoms can be quite vague, so by the time it's diagnosed it's usually spread :( I hope her remaining time is as painfree as possible and that you get to spend time together.

Want2b just imagining you and your DH duct-taping your DD into a swim nappy made me LOL!

I want to take DS swimming but our local place for it won't let you take car seats or buggies into the place - I don't see how I can get the baby changed without something to put him in, he'll roll all over the place! It sounds a bit stressful to me. We've been playing a lot more in the bath, running the water deeper and encouraging him to kick and play with the bubbles.

DP is going away with work tomorrow for 48hrs so we're going to stay with my mum so I can have a bit of a break - I can't wait! I haven't had more than 2hrs sleep in one go for almost 2 weeks now so I'm really tired.

[buttonmoon78]

Oh want2b I properly welled up at that - 'our creation'. To be fair, I can well up watching the Simpsons at the mo but even so.

Thanks both. She doesn't even know yet. My mum and my aunt are telling her today. Nobody else knows - I only know because my mum had to stay with me and she didn't think the cloak and dagger stuff was fair if she was here. They didn't want to tell nayone else until she knew but didn't want to tell her until they had some firmer news from the consultant.

It seems everyone's got cancer just now. DH's aunt is on borrowed time - it's now in her brain too. Another family friend has it and it's terminal. My cousin's cousin (as in linked to me by marriage only) is dying of cancer - he's only 22, can't swallow or anything now - must be days left. And now my grandma. It's far easier to rationalise it with older folks though. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose your son at that age when they should be so full of life

Oh dear. Time to buck up or I'll be no use to anyone!

[cara2244]

Button, sorry to hear your news.

Bloody OH!! Grrrrrrrrr. So I do nothing all day?!? thanks so much for your complete lack of support.

[Want2bSupermum]

button Just enjoy the time you have left with your grandma and get any of her fab receipes. We all miss my grandma's mince pies, her apple crumble and her technique of yelling at the eggs before making a souffle!

We tried the swimmers in the bathtub. Was a disaster with the diaper and bits of dodo floating around. DH was laughing so hard at me as I had her in this ring around her neck. He tried run to take a picture but I had her out of the water quickly as she has started to grab things....

[buttonmoon78]

Thanks guys. Grandma's not really a cook (iykwim?) but her Millionaire's Shortbread truly is something to behold. And Mars Bar Cheesecake. Are you guessing she has a sweet tooth?!

Had to speak to paed today as S has been in dreadful pain since Weds night. From 3am today he would only sleep held tight against me sitting bolt upright. So he's been taken off the ranitidine and put onto Omeprazole instead. Apparently it's a souped up version of ranitidine but it's not licensed for babies so doesn't come in a baby-friendly format. I have to open the capsule and dissolve the powder in liquid. Apparently water or juice or yoghurt. She said that S probably wouldn't take it in water and to try juice but I'm not sure about giving him juice just yet

Had a bit of a wake up call today. Put on a size 16 coat in Next and it was rather snug I'm not really that much bigger than before it's just in different places. So I went into Tesco (next door) and bought a whole load of nice veggies. Think I'll be making veggie soup tomorrow morning to try and fill me up with good things rather than convenient and dreadfully fattening things. My friend who has a 6mo has given me some jeans which she's just grown too small for which are a tiny bit too small for me so that's an incentive. I can do them up it's just they're not really that comfy yet and I have a terrible muffin top in them

Ho hum. DH back later. Hopefully he'll be useful but I'm thinking it'll be much more like your scenario cara though he'll be able to say 'what have you been doing all week?'!

[nicolamumof3]

Hello all sorry I keep losing thread. Button so sorry about your grandma sending you hugs. I miss my nanna still so thinking of you. All ok here dd is very good still I am very blessed after having non sleeper ds3 she slept thru 3 nights but as you can guess by time of my post hasn't managed it tonight!

[nicolamumof3]

Oh and as for ff dd has been ff from birth now on 7 oz every 4hrs sleeps 7-8 with one wake up in night. I'm lucky that she's very relaxed so always have time to make bottles as I go use ice to cool down if I'm in a hurry at night tho

[Want2bSupermum]

Thought I would post on here that DD had her first day at daycare yesterday. Was very happy with the place. They asked me to call in this morning to go over the activites that she does. They said she is developmentaly at about 5 months and they would like to do more language and motor skills work with her as they said she is very close to sitting unaided for more than 3mins at a time.

[buttonmoon78]

I;m glad it went well want2b.

Our reflux journey continues... spoke to our paed again. We've been referred to someone even more specialist than her. Got prescription for nutramigen and going back to ranitidine.

[Want2bSupermum]

thanks button.

I bumped into my friend this afternoon who has a very refluxy baby. She was running to the 'family' pharmacy. She told me that they make up the mix for her baby to ensure even dosage. I remembered you were having issues with the drugs not being in a baby friendly format and she said her dr told her that it is very important that it is mixed properly in a solution easy for a baby with reflux to digest. The stuff her boy is on is mixed in something oil based as the drug won't mix as well in water. You should see if a pharmacy near you can mix it for you.

Also, she said that she had tried different formulas after changing her diet a zillion times while breastfeeding. They ended up on alumentum formula which I think is the one which is on script in the UK. She had me in stiches as she was telling me about going to the 2nd hand store and asking for stained clothes. She told the owner that it would make her feel so much better to think that another mother has gone through the same reflux issues as her! Only in New York!!!

[SpannerPants]

we're off to London on Tuesday as we're taking part in the EAT study, I'm not looking forward to coordinating a 3 month old plus buggy etc on the train but luckily my sister lives in London and is meeting us at the station to give me a hand.

DS has been incredibly grouchy for the last few days, MIL keeps telling me DP had his first teeth at 12 weeks so I wonder if he's teething. He's certainly very dribbly, I've had to invest in some plastic-backed bibs as all his clothes get soaked through minutes after getting him dressed!

[Eglu]

Hey all, I kepp losing this thread so haven't posted for ages.

I'm a bit tires to read and catch up atm though so will read and write more tomorrow.

[buttonmoon78]

Morning all.

spanner I took ds on the train on my own the other week. It was pretty hideous. Look no one in the eye - they won't help you so the fact that they are staring at you struggling will just get you more flustered! Mind you, we made it intact so it can't have been that bad

I am getting really down with this reflux. On Thursday we began the numtramigen. I mixed it with the aptamil and reduced the A and increased the N by one scoop every other bottle so by Friday night we were totally on the N. On the upside, the little bits of eczema he had have disappeared. On the downside, he is even more sick than before. It's pure watery acid that's coming back. It doesn't seem to bother him much during the day but having been a bit more settled during the evening we're back to screaming til he falls asleep exhausted and sobbing.

Also, his nappies are much less wet than they were before. We're using cloth so it's quite easy to tell - whereas after 3-4 hours the whole thing would be wet, now the top, sides and back are bone dry, even after 4-5 hours.

I'm going to ring the paed again this morning because I'm quite worried, esp about the nappies. I feel like a neurotic mum with a pfb though

I feel like everything I do just makes him worse though. Everything we try seems to have more down than upsides

[nicolamumof3]

oh button, it must be so frustrating feeling as you are getting no where with him. Hope the paeds can help xxx

keep losing this thread too. All good here, Dd sleeps thru some nights, some not but she's such a good baby so can't complain. Also think she is teething and full of cold atm bless her.

[JimmyChoo17]

12week jabs done! He's been much better than last time.

Keep losing thread but hope all are doing well.

After having a brilliant breastfeeding baby who wakes only once at night and naps well to one who won't breastfed other than during the night (so am now a human cow...there is nothing fun about milking ones self) with a baby who won't settle on own or nap for more than 20mins and wakes several times during the night.....hmmmpffff....[insert sleep deprived emoticon here]

Still...he's so gorgeous I'll forgive him anything :)