Nov 05 Babies - They're ALL here!

[Rodeo]

Here we go, was going to write something lovely and meaningful, but I'm not very good at it so I'll leave that to someone else.....

wow, just had a flick through the dec thread after what you said Rodeo, and they do seem to be having it very rough

Hurrah! Nathaniel has made it back to his birth weight & then some!! Midwife finally discharged him today. Having kept track of his food intale over the last week I do think that I was probably unedrfeeding him before, but now he's a very healthy 9 lbs 9 ozs (7 ozs more than birth weight) and we've got a good feeding routine set up now. I've started expressing each time I feed him formula so he gets about a 50/50 mixture during the day and evenings and a proper breastfeed in the early morning.

ChaCha - I think that you should feed a 6 week old about 120-125 ml / 4 ozs for each feed and they should have about six feeds a day. I find that my breastmilk decreases as the day goes on so I can express 125 ml easily in the morning and then it goes down to about 80 ml by the evening when I'll top him up with formula.

Well should run as DH is expecting to try and accomplish some things today (like put up the blind in the new blind in the kitchen - yeah right ) and I'd like to get out for a walk as part of my new start to try and get back into shape campaign...

J xx

LilJ - good news Nate (is it OK to call him that?) is putting on weight and is above his birth weight.

Rodeo - PND - no time for that I'm afraid! It really is full-on with the boys now. Double the trouble but double the kisses too!

Did I mention I've been getting fantastic smiles from Nat for weeks now. Ezra only just starting to smile - but lots of frowns.

Feel very pleased with myself. Joined a power walking group this morning and did an hours hard walking. Then was given a pedometer, foot massage and homemade soup - thanks Surestart! Will def do that again.

The good news is that I have found a personal trainer that specialises in post-natal/'mature' women. The bad news is that the nursery nurse can't do a shift for me - but she thinks she knows another NN that can. Hope so - I need a regular break, my roots need doing!

Eeek - just got a reply from a private school in the city with a pre-school nursery that I like the look of. They take children from about 3 years old. But - Waiting list is full upto 2009 - which is filling up fast............

Better get their names down I suppose. It's bloody stupid - don't even know if we will still be in the area then, but just in case................

Hello - anyone there?

Just bought two more buggies - single ones, so when I am out with a friend or DH we can split the load and even get into shops and cafes for a change.

Hi GO, sounds like a good idea to get the 2 buggies. I have visions of your house looking like Mothercare with the mountains of carseats etc! I hadn't even begun to think about childcare but you've spurned me into looking into our alternatives.

LilJ, congrats on Nat's weight gain. I've just started expressing & have also noticed that I can get lots in the morning but zilch in the evenings. What is that about? I wonder if it's due to lower prolactin levels in the evening. Also, do you think your boobs don't produce as much milk then which could result in your baby not being able to fill up at bedtime? I may start a thread about this.

Nova, I read Junior once at the start of my pregnancy...I bought every magazine going until I discovered MN!! I thought it was very flash with gorgeous photos of babies in adorable outfits. Very impractical, eh?

Rodeo, I agree with you about Barrymore. Apart from the slurred speech he seems to have a split personality thing going on, don't you think?

Well, Ella has basically only had catnaps today. This may give us a good night or a crap one. Oh, & I've frozen my first batch of EBM. [proud emoticon] She only had a brief feed this morning so I expressed what she didn't take & got 4oz! My boob felt rather strange afterwards....a bit deflated.

Karma - house already looks like Mothercare!

Well done on the expressing. Wonder if I will ever get mine out of the box.

Evening girls one handed typing again, as Thomas has decided to go to sleep in my arms - he's been asleep most of the afternoon so I hope i'm not storing up trouble for myself tonight as dh is away at his friends wedding - no kids were invited so i got to stay home & unfortunately i was a real b**ch to dh before he went out 'cos i was nervous about having the boys all night on my own but thankfully they've both behaved beautifully so far!

Enthusia i looked at the instructions on multi map & they were the same as i would have given you for monday. It is basically a straight road once you get on the A20, just keep going straight over the flyover, watch out for the speed cameras immediately after this then keep going till you get to the traffic lights where you'll see burger king on your left, keep going straight on to the next set of lights, through those to the roundabout, go straight across this, keep in the left hand lane, go through the lights and you will eventually come to some shops and you'll see two pubs on your right, one on each corner, ones called the Tigers Head the other is called either the new or the old tigers head (they are very imaginative in Leegate!!!) Turn right between these pubs and follow the road up the hill to the top where you'll see a roundabout turn right and follow the road down into the shops this is Blackheath - hope that helps i don't think i've missed any lights etc but this is from memory so you'll have to forgive me - i'll cat you my mobile number in case you have any problems.

Sorry for the long post hope you're all well & i'm looking forward to seeing some of you ladies on Monday Beks

evening,
diege its no problem for you to use my spare car seat!!! if you are not getting to hadfield till later on i will get dh to pick up kids up from school so we dont have to rush back.is that ok for you????? i wonder how long it will take to drive over to meadowhall????I guess we will go over snake pass,must look at map. oh right must go nappy explosion in progress!!!!!
twinkle & josh

Evening! Busy day today, with dds organsiing a party for the toys - more complicated than it sounds, with full-on birthday cake, pass the parcel and (of course) party bags. Nearly as hard work as a regular birthday party, and the toys didn't seem very grateful . The girls did enjoy themselves though .
Interesting Rodeo about fish oils. I did suffer from mild PND with dd2, and had heard of the benefits of the oils so have taken them regualarly throughout this pregnancy and after (I'm on flaxseed oil now which is equally beneficial, though the dosage is a pain). Touch wood, I feel fine, so different from this time last pregnancy . Not sure if this 'proves' anything but I'm keeping on taking them just the same! Sad about the December ladies...
NOVA: I love Junior magazine, and this month's edition has some really interesting articles - LOL at parenting class article which looks at childcare philosphy that advocates never telling your children off - EVER! . Love the fashion ideas too - would never pay the prices (cashmere babygroes???), but am a bit of an Oilily fan and do enjoy dressing up my 3 dollies!! Libby has an outfit that includes pale pink chenille leg warmers, which I loved until people (my mum included)thought her legs had been bandaged up! BTW, LIbby's left fist is getting redder and looks quite sore through chewing - usually when she is tired.
Golden - congrats on getting a personal trainer - you will be svelte and toned by the summer!! LOL re: roots! - I've been doing mine at home, very quickly and patchily while Libby sleeps, but have given in and booked at the hairdressers. Went today to get my extensions taken out (just call me Jodie), and felt really strange walking home. Realisesd it was because it's the first time I've walked up the hill since the birth without having the pram to push!.
Well, here's hoping my 'angels' behave themselves tonight! Hope everyone has a good night's sleep!
Diege and Liberty .

Hi Twinkle! Have just asked DH who knows Sheffied and he said it won't take us long, an hour tops? That's great about the car seat - also, I will probably bring sling rather than buggy, so that will free up boot space for yours! Getting excited now, like we're going on a big adventure!How are you map reading skills BTW? (memories of us in Manchester spring to mind!)

Oh, and that's fine about not having to rush back, as my DH will get the girls anyway , as long as it's not too much of a hassle for you .

Morning all, getting excited too about Meadowhall! Also meeting S&Lsmum on Tues, looking forward to that too

Jess got her self off to sleep last night! I was amazed! I usually leave her upstairs asleep but yesterday I put her in bed munching on her fists (another one!) I had just fed her BTW, went up 10 mins later to check, she was still munching away, I would have probably brought her downstairs at this point but because she was still not crying I left her again, then she drifted off at about half 9! I'm really bad though for leaving them, feel guilty about leaving them awake with the lights off and I know this is where I go wrong! I must try and get over it! She slept til 4.30, fed then up at 9 so I feel that I've had a good night

Keep finding myself rocking too when I'm not even holding the baby, or rocking the bouncy chair with my foot when she's not even in it!

We're off into the country this afternoon and then I've got a beef sunday din to cook when we get back, so hoping for a nice day

Right, off to watch Countryfile x x x

Oh Diege you sound dead glam! I'm going to have to dress up to go to Sheff

Beks, hope your night went well without dh

Hello Ladies,

LilJ - You must be very pleased that Nathaniel is back to his birth weight. Do you really believe that you were underfeeding him though? I have been thinking the same but can't understand it - surely I would know if he was hungry! I mean, it's not like he's quiet when he needs a feed!! He's always alert, produces wet nappies and is generally a happy little baby. Gosh, I've been posting a lot about this on the b/f threads. I managed to express just 3oz this morning but am pleased, the electric pump is fab, will take your advice and try pumping in the mornings before supply decreases. Thanks.

Beks - How did your night go alone with the boys? I would be the same if it was my DH. It's just worry. Would be the same with just one!!

Golden - Surestart sounds fab. What a great programme - love the massage and homemade soup. Very jealous.

Karma - Congratulation of first frozen bath. Hurray! I know the feeling.

Rodeo - Have a super day out!

Well, loads to do today esp organizing myself for a busy week of hospital appts and making sure that DS is fed as much as I can.

Love ChaCha & Z (6weeks)

sorry Karma, did not mean to congratulate you on a frozen bath!!!! Meant frozen batch! Duh....

chacha, ha ha, did wonder what you meant!

Good afternoon........

Karma - glad PND all seems behind you now, well done sticking to a healthy diet.
Diege - lol at you and your 'Heat' mag tantrum, he he! Hope you had a better night last night?
ChaCha - cute image of Zayn holding his dummy.... got a pic?
Golden - good news about prep school keeping your ds1 til year 8, wow didn't know that. ...At pre school for ds2 + 3 needing to be signed up now, good job you seem so on the ball!
Rodeo - maybe I should read the book too....
Well done on getting Jess off to sleep by herself...yes! Hope you have a great day out...
nova - lol at Natalie making her fists cold and wet, we tease E for doing that too,lol!
LilJ - congrats on Nathaniel's weight.
Beks - see you there @ 12... first one there grabs a table? Don't have a mobile I'm afraid...
Oh, have put a few pics on the yahoo album, they're from Glastonbury last summer though, will take some more recent ones soon..... in fact will try & remember to bring camera to meet tomorrow, yeah!

Enthusia & Jen Jam are you coming tomorrow? ..... Hope so, looking forward to meeting you all.

Londoner - Have just had a look at pics. They are lovely. You are quite as I imagined you - look more like their sister than their mum! Beautiful pics!

Enjoy the meet up everyone. Do we get pics again or was that only for the ante-natal thread? Go on!

Evening girls, last night was fine in the end, both boys very good, ds1 down by 8pm and ds2 fed at 10pm then 4am horray - better than when dh is here!!!

LOL Chacha & Karma I scrolled down to see what I'd missed about Karma in a frozen bath!!! That'll teach me to read on won't it!!!

Londoner yep, see you there, as you say first one grabs a table, looking forward to meeting you and Enthusia & Jenjam. I'll bring my camera.

Best go and sort out ds2 as he's just woken up after a mommoth sleep, planning on grabbing a bath this evening letting dh take care of him now he's wide awake [hee hee]

Speak to youll tomorrow Beks

Arrgghhhh! Just lost a post! Why does it do that? Nothing particularly exciting to report anyway; had a nice day of sorting through dds old baby toys,and out for a walk with my mum and dad. It is getting soooo cold again here!
LOL: Rodeo at you bouncing the empty chair! And congrats on Jess's sleep. Don't feel guilty - the fist chewing is apparently a form of 'self-soothing', which is seen by child experts as a sign of a pretty clued up baby, who feels secure enough to get themselves off to sleep (so says Christopher whatshisname from the Toddler-taming book!) - not to imply the screamers are insecure of course! (I hope!). LOL too at me being glam - nooooo, as Twinkle and Enthusia can no doubt attest to! .
Londoner: had a much better night last night, with dd2 getting the message I think! Libby is gradually pushing her night feed later and later (4-5ish), and only takes about 3 ozs (well, she has no choice really as this is the nighttime feed I make up - not very hungry, and always leaves a bit too)). She still isn't particualarly keen on 7am feed after this, but not keen just yet on restricting it further just yet!
Hope I haven't jinxed myself!
Dawn and Liberty .

hi everyone, hope a good weekend has been had by all

we got given one of those sets for doing a plaster impression of your baby's hand for xmas, so I decided to do it today as it's her 3 month 'birthday'. Now, if anyone out there can get their baby to open their hand out whilst they put it in plaster they are lying!!! I managed to force her hand open for a bit but as soon as it hit the plaster she clenched it again, so the handprint is very smooshed. Then I decided to try a footprint next to it, but as soon as her foot hit the plaster she clenched her toes up! Then came the fun bit of trying to wash all the plaster off her foot and hand. Glad we did it though, even though they aren't perfect.

Rodeo - I also cooked a beef dinner . I can never usually get beef right, I always overcook it, but today it was perfect. BIL and his girlfriend came over to join us and sadly Natalie missed her afternoon nap so was a misery until bed time. Touch wood - but this is the 4th night in a row thats she's not needed any extra soothing to go to sleep. Usually I put her down, stroke her chest for a couple of mins then leave, then about 10-30 mins later she sometimes cries for a bit of extra attention before she'll sleep completely. I think it may be because when our monitor was broken we missed some of her cries so she's got used to settling herself .

Hello, yes i plan to meet for lunch tomorrow am going to take the tube as have been zipping about all over the place in the car ALOT over the weekend, rather ambitious plans to see people who live other side of London and pretend that my life isn't AT ALL RESTRICTED. Anyway loads of traffic (average speed 11mph in london on sat afternoon. I feel a little bit bad about poor little finn being stuck in the car seat. so am going to get the bus and train from London Bridge. Should get into Blackheath around 11.30 if all goes to plan. realise now i don't have anyones' mobile numbers in case of delay. but will cat you mine beksmum so you can call me if you;re waiting and wondering....

look forwared to it. now going to prepare everything, clothes, pram, wallis and grommit style, so i can make a quick exit from the flat in the morning

byee Jen

Just a quickie. Found a website that shows how to swaddle. I shall try it with Ella as she is able to wriggle out completely & flails her arms like a bloody windmill. Here is the link to the thread I started about it. See what you think.

Off to bed as I'm knackered.