Jan 06 babies - no sleep til....!

[GeorginaP]

Hi there. Anyone feel up to joining me from Jan 06 ante-natal thread?

just a quickie as Libby down for a nap.

Sweetkit - your boys deserved to win. we played like a bunch of girls . though not as badly as the welsh did on sunday .

Lisa - I think you should give yourself a pat on the back for all the hard work you're doing trying to bf. quite honestly, if it were me, I'd have given up trying ages ago. i was bottle fed and am not over wieght, have no health probs and am fairly sane most of the time . you're doing the very very best for Lola. good on ya girl.
g xx

Just checking in have left DP to deal with an explossive poo situation so far today we have had 5 outfit changes due to sick, wee and poo situations! Luckily Talia seems to deal with wind very efficiently poor DP has been blamed for quite a few.

Lisa and Clare - I think you have both done really well for getting this far with breastfeeding especially you Lisa. If it is making you feel miserable then you wouldn't be a failure to switch to bottles. I always said with DD1 that if it made me miserable I would switch to bottles (very nearly did a few times) Bfing is bloody hard work no one tells you that before hand. Have you spoken to a BF councillor? Please try to I had someone from LLL come round when I was struggling with DD and showed me different positions, how to latch etc. I've been very lucky with Talia she came out looking for a boob. Remember happy mum = happy baby.

Another rough night last night, Talia was very sniffly and was unsettled from about 2am, woke up twice to change my t-shirt and bra as they were soaking (hate that) I know it's not forever.

It shall pass, it shall pass, it shall pass

hiya

good to hear from you all. i'm having a late night, get me! everyone else is in bed (and i am usually, but i've been feeding most of the evening so i just fancied a bit of time to myself. so here i am with a small whisky and some cheese and crackers - yum!

i've been busy today, in fact i feel as if i could do with a day at home to get organised, put washing away and tidy up a bit. my mum's been poorly so i was over with her this morning, then went for a walk with some nct pals, then to john lewis for coffee and cake (we needed it as we got well and truly pissed on, then got to the cafe half way on the walk only to discover it was closed on mondays!!!). we do go for regular walks, but we need our cake treats to encourage us. we were heartbroken when we got there and found the doors shut.

i am enjoying alex more and more especially now that he's smiling. he has SUCH a gorgeous beam, i must get a decent photo. i've been printing some out, but the ones we've taken look rubbish on paper, but ok on the computer.

alex has his bcg jab tomorrow, i'm dreading it, i hope he doesn't get a bad skin reaction. one of the babies at baby massage has had it and he has a huge orangey red swelling, it looks horrendous, but his mum says it doesn't seem to hurt him, which is the main thing i suppose.

well, i think i better head up the stairs now to bed, hope we all get a good nights sleep.

laters x

Lilstarry, Alex has problems with trapped wind too, although it seems to have clamed down a bit now. We used Infacol and (from 1 month) Gripe water. Neither of those seemed to have huge results. What works best is to try and burp him more often. He doesn't seem to burp easily but sometimes he does when he is lifted up while he leans forward withhis chest on one hand. Other hand on the back obviously. THis way there is quite a lot of pressure on the chest and sometimes he coughs and burps at the same time. Also, I spend a bit of time wiggling his legs every day. This is something I remember from a baby yoga class I went to with DS1. I lie him on his back and push one knee in towards his abdomen. Then the other one. And sing a little song to make it seem like it's fun ;) Massaaging the tummy helps a bit as well. I do find that what may help one time, may be completely fruitless the next time so I just keep trying different things. There's always great excitement inthe house when he does a burp or a fart :)

Poor mum2oneandonemore. I hope you've had a talk with DH. It really sounds like he needs to be helping out more - it's defintely not you being too demanding. Gosh, my DH does just about everything around the house and I still get nackered. Respect for having lasted this long. Please do let him know what you are feeling. Good luck.

Alex has milk spots too, as did Thomas when he was little. They appear in random places on the face. I wipe them clean with water too and they will just disappear, although it can take quite a while. Yesterday I picked at one on Alex'cheek and I was quite pleased with the result but then today when I wiped the area wwith water it started to bleed! Not huge amounts of course but my poor little darling had blood onhis face and it was my fault! No more picking.. no more picking.. no more picking!

SK- Alex seems to have had a cold almost all his life so far and we often give him some saline nose drops just before a feed. Really helps with the breathing. But you probably already knew about those. Hope both little ladies feel better soon.

Lisa, I know there's probably not much we can say to make you feel differently but really, you're not a failure if you don't succeed at BFing. As SK said, it's bloody hard work and it seems like people who haven't done it just don't understand how draining it can be. Even if all is going well! I BF Alex but I give him bottles of EBM or formula as well for the simple reason that I just don't like BFing. Alex loves it though so I'm still going but I'm not sure how long. The most important thing is that you are happy and can enjoy Lola.

Today the last of our guests left so I am hoping to get Alex' nusrsery baby ready again soon. It is such a mess! Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to put him in his cot for naps. He's been inhis pram in the lounge up until now which has worked all right but I do want him to learn to fall asleep onhis own a bit better. Having him so close by I think I've been jumping up a bit too quickly when he stirs.

Hi all

Sounds like we're all in various stages of knackeredness and trying to get out more (think you're out and about more than most though Lyra - sociable and organised, respect!! ). Things can only get better for the rest of us!!

I feel so sorry for my DH at the mo. Every time he gets back off a trip I feel like I'm shoving Dom at him so I can get on with doing something with two hands (though part of me doesn't feel bad since he's had a chance to catch up on some sleep!!!!)I'm feel like I should be much more organised than I am though - and I thought I'd at least get a couple of months period free but no. AF arrived this morning (explains the mega choc fest I've been on and the extratired feeling I suppose) I really have to sort out the contraception now!!!

Dom's feeding frienzy had worsened over the last couple of days but but he only seemed to feed for about 5 mins before falling asleep. I'm making him wait for the full 3 hours between feeds today (probably pay for it tonight) in the hope that he'll be properly hungry & not just snack on me. He's definately on a growth spurth though - his fingers & toes have gone really long)I got him weighed today & he'd put on 12oz in the last 6 days! but unfortunately his face is worse (he now looks almost acnified ) and his belly button has herniated too(right word?) so we're off to the docs tomorrow. I was going to post some pix on yahoo (nice ones - not of his hernia ) but I don't seem able to since the format changed. Can someone repost the link please.

Lisa you deserve a medal for determination! I'd have given up looong ago. Your Lola sounds like an absolute angel too.

Mum2One - how are you hon? Did you manage to speak to DP about how you were feeling or to your GP/HV. Getting used to looking after 2 children is really hard but it will get better. Though it may not feel like it you have loads of support - including us

Rach - how did your weekend away in Devon go? it was lovely weather here (though v cold) did you take all the children or just Finn? (how's he doing btw?)

Question for all you 3rd/4th timers... When on earth do your boobs stop growing? I had to buy even bigger bras at the w/e again. I've gone from 36C pre pg - 36DD whilst pg and am now a whopping 36G and the bra is still tight before a feed I'm only 5ft 3 so it's starting to look really silly

Anyway - best fly off to feed again - hope you & your LOs are all snuggly & well in this snowy weather x

Hi everyone, snowy here again! Think it is a conspiracy to keep me in the house - am beginning to get addicted to Noel Edmonds and 'deal or no deal' on channel 4 - how sad... Must start walking more and eating healthier, am v fat and have no energy at all.

Weekend away was fab thanks, thoroughly recommend the Hotel Barcelona in Exeter for lovely staff and fantastic food. Alias hotels have 4 more, all different, all unique. Other kids went to center parc with their dad so only Finn with us - breastfed him through dinner and breakfast - am sure no-one even noticed! BTW Iris - I think boobs settle down fairly soon even though they are producing more milk. Finn has milk spots too and they tend to be more noticeable when they're hot and sweaty ie just after a feed when they've been cuddled up. They do go!

Lisa - I think you've done marvellously with trying to bf, I would have given up by now, don't beat yourself up and let it spoil Lola's early days. My ds1 was very sick 'floppy oesophagus' they called it - all I could do was sit/prop him up most of the time - have you tried raised on end of the cot/mattress? It was very frustrating as I was bf and if half the feed came back I couldn't exactly rustle any more up very quickly!

Clare - what a nightmare you have had. I'm a lapsed catholic and Dominic is certainly a very popular catholic name (like Benedict - think monks!) I think it's Latin.

Still sadly in love with my nappies - have a bamboozle now and fleecy wraps - me and dd are like a pair of girlies playing with dolls with them! I don't soak them or add any oil/vinegar etc - just a 60deg wash with fairy non-bio (in love with the smell too!). Obviously thank god for tumble driers :)

Georgie - advice I've heard is to try the mini-pill first for a couple of months and if you're ok with that to try the mirena - it's difficult to blame any of the usual pill symptoms on the mirena coil then as it contains less of the same hormone progesterone. After some initial heavy bleeding I totally forgot about mine and only had a couple of light periods in a year. Got pregnant two weeks after it was removed.

Mum21 - hope you are feeling better, come and moan to us here anytime. My ex-h was out from 7am to 7pm when I had 3 under 4 and I felt like a single parent. Give your ds loads of attention and dh none at all!

Finn is 12lb 6 now and 6 weeks tomorrow, time is flying - 2 weeks till jabs! :(

evening all

i'm supposed to be having an early nite as i was so knackered at 5pm, so i'll be brief.

am totally smitten with alex, he seems to have a lovely calm disposition and is turning out to be very smiley.

had my 6 week check today, all well but still bleeding slightly. iris poor you getting your af already, you fertile woman you!

rach
i love the nappies too, but dh doesn't want to use them, which is a bit of a pain as he tends to do the first and last of the day. i suppose he'll have no choice when the disposables run out .
i like the sound of your weekend in a hotel, sounds very spoily, just the job.

iris, believe me i'm NOT organised, i just swan out and leave the house in chaos. i'm just about keeping up with the washing, but no ironing or cleaning WHATSOEVER is going on. i'd rather play with my baby, the house will still be there when he's wanting to play with someone else!

right, bed now, sleep and the time traveller's wife are def calling!

Lyra - my body clock is all over the shop! I too am totally in love with Finn but he does not have a 'calm' disposition! he has a right temper and a loud voice ( don't know where he gets those from )somehow though, I just can't get impatient with him. He knows when to drop in a beaming smile which is reward enough. I'm with you on the housework front, but then I am naturally not very houseproud I have managed to get dp to use the reusables, with tots he only has to slip in a liner, fold the booster in half and wrap a wrap round. I think he would hate to admit defeat on baby business out of a stubborn sense of pride. However... I am much preferring the nippas as they fit better and don't have a rigid aplix waistband - I think I will have to save them just for him!

Actually I don't think it is a given to be in love with your baby - I honestly don't think I was with ds1 (too frightened) or ds2 (a difficult baby). Dd was easy in comparison. With Finn I am just more laid back.

Hi all,

Glad to see everything is going ok & all bubbas are doing well.

I am feeling ok, still down & getting very stressed & short tempered

If you have not seen my thread on here (horrified my ds could have been dead today) you will not know what has happened, basically ds escaped from nursery through a fire exit & was founf 30 mins later half a mile down a main road by a man. the police were called & now ds will not be returning to nursery ( have my hands very full now).

This has totally upset me & pushed me that little bit further down i am truley gutted & devastated i could have lost my son today when i thought he was safe

Anyway Sophie is doing well, we are off to register her tomorrow, we have decided on calling her Sophie Ella, & we are really happy with it, its taken long enough

I will write a longer post when i get a chance i have my hands full now & am also having to go visit many nurseries for ds as i really need to find him a new one, he is going to really miss nursery, bless him.

take care all xx

M21, what a horrible experience! I suppose DS is much less traumatised by it all then you but you're right - to think what could have happened! It will be a busy time for you until you find him a new nursery - good luck.

My little Alex is super cute but I don't feel like i'm hugely in love with him yet. He's been sleeping a bit too much for that. This past week he has been a bit more awake in the day so I am now starting to spend more time playing with him and bonding a bit more. Just yesterday I realised I was sitting there staring at him thinking he was so lovely, and I realised that that was the first time I was enjoying him in that way. Great feeling!

Last night was a good night. He fed at 10.30pm, 3.15am and then 6.45am. That's one night time waking, really. It's great when their stomachs get a bit bigger and can hold more milk. I wanted him to be awake for a bit from 7 but he went straight back to sleep after his feed. I will have to try and move this morning sleep to start at 7pm rather than am, that would be ideal. Easier said then done...

It's a beautiful sunny day here and I am planning on having Alex weighed again today. Not looking forward to the huge wait. I don't know what people do when they're with the HV but it sure took ages last time I went. Also have to go to the library as I have some books that are about a month overdue! Oops!

I have just added some baby pics to the Yahoo site. I had to create a new album for myself since my first one no longer allowed me to post pictures. Or at least I could not find the option anywhere. It's called Eshay Album 2, it's on the last page of albums, after all the "Due in..." etc.

oh loads to read here, have managed it at last, Talia is asleep and Abbie running around wrecking the house and telling someone off (me I think)!

I cannot post any pics in yahoo either so will have to create a new album too I think

Lovely sunny day here today as well, we went to the park and Abbie went on the swings (v hard with Talia in the sling) hard to control Abbie, will have to take pram next time. They have both still got the cold poor Talia's seems to be worst in the night after her first night feed, poor wee thing feels like she is chocking, I don't think nasal drops will help it sounds further back in her throat. We are generally getting one or two wakenings in the night not too bad.

Think we had a proper smile yesterday but who knows as she is younger than most on here (her stubbornness at wanting to stay put) don't think she is laid back either more a fiesty little madam. She certainly lets me know when she wants milk.

M21 - what a nightmare poor you, think I would have cried for a week. Maybe you can find him another nursery in a few weeks when the dust has settled. Sophie Ella is lovely, we would have gone with Ella too but thought it didn't go two names ending with an a so chose Erin instead.

Lyra - my DP was like that with washable nappies to start with but I just kept telling him about the money they saved, am still a bit at using disposables. Don't think I have ironed since Talia was born can keep the downstairs reasonable, upstairs another matter, washing just about on top of I think. I try to do some housework in the morning whilst Talia has her first nap but limit myself so we can go out later on or just play and chill. It only gets dusty again anyway.

Iris - hope the feedings settled down all I seem to do at night is feed, she fed for the whole of ER on Monday and was still going strong at 11.30pm think I fell asleep.

Hope everyone else is doing OK too and the sleep deprivation isn't too bad.

o m21, haven't read your other thread, but poor you . How could they leave a fire exit open??? Hope you're ok about it now - don't let it simmer and make you feel down - talk about it on here if you have the time.

i have dd2 at home for 3wks while her childminder is on hols... So can sympathise with m21 and sweetkit and everyone... toddler at home + 6wk old = chaos.

I iron so infrequently (ie weddings, christenings & so forth) that last time I got the ironing board out ds1 (aged 5) said "what's that?"

Our washing machine broke down on Thurs - you should have seen the piles of washing by the time they came to fix it on Monday. It has now been in constant use :)

Have finally broken bedroom embargo, so DH a happy bunny. Speaking of bunnies, must get contraception sorted. Think another one would kill me

Glad to see everyone is doing so well. I get the occasional down day - but it's just tiredness, and I agree that the best way forward is to sod the housework and spend some time smiling at our gorgeous babies (when toddlers and other siblings are otherwise occupied/asleep!)

Still snowing here, but hoping to get to the mainland soon to look at a new car. Also need a haircut & some new clothes. Nearly every day I am wearing something that is between 5 & 10 years old. Not good!

Lots of love to everyone, will try to check in a bit more often & put a new pic on yahoo.

t xx

Bad day here today Abbie was sick last night first time ever she didn't know what was happening and was so upset and trying to run away from it, I changed her jammies 4 times. Was so so tired last night Talia was struggling to breathe in the night too. This morning she was sleeping on her front (had rolled from side) and lifting her head from one side to the other. Abbie was still ill all today I've not got out my jammies all day either. Found it difficult when they both wanted me constantly, feel drained today.

M21 - how are you feeling today?

Oh Sk that sounds awful how is abbie feeling today & is talia's breathing any better? Sophie has quite heavy breathing at night not sure why i know it was down to a cold a few weeks back but she does not seem to have one now. I really hope your 2 girls are doing better today i bet you feel drained it must be hard especially when you have had hardly any sleep.

Thanks all for asking after me, i had a bad night last night, i think the pressure of everything lately and the lack of sleep really got to me & i exploded i sobed like a baby, dp was really nice to me he talked to me about everything & then ran me a nice hot bath with radox in & put some nice music on for me in the bathroom, oh it was heaven it really helped calm me down

I felt down when i woke this morning, my mum picked ds up at 10.15am & toke him to an indoor adventure thing then they went for lunch with my sister & then back to a park she droped him home at 2.30pm so the break was bliss & just what i needed.

I have felt alot more brighter this evening & am starting to try & feel more positive tonight, i get like this though i keep going up & down again is this PND or are you just down all the time with PND? i never suffered with ds so this is all a bit new & emotional for me. My health visitor is coming next thursday so i will have a chat to her & i think i have to do one of those test things where it asks you how your feeling anyway, so as long as i am honest i will be fine.

I have got a pre-school to visit tomorrow morning for ds & also have another one to visit on Tuesday morning so things are looking up there i am also thinking of getting ds into a private nursery just for one morning a week, he really does love going to nursery he loves mixing with other children & doing new things & learning so i feel i need to find him somewhere else, if it means we have to pay then so be it, its worht it if ds is happy

How are you all doing & how are your babies anyone had there little ones weighed lately? Sophie will not be weighed till she is 8 weeks now so have another 2 weeks to go.

Anyway i must go & do the washing up & put the bin out, i want to say thankyou for listening to me moan, dont feel you have to answer me i just need to let it all out sometimes & this seems to be a great place & it really helps talking to others.

take care x

She's a bit better tonight but still sleepy ty. Sometimes I wish there was someone who could look after her even for the odd hour so I could catch up on some sleep but cannot dwell on it.

M21 - you sound a bit more positive tonight glad you spoke to your DP about things. I haven't had PND but have suffered from depression for many years you do have better spells during the day well I did. Hope your HV is understanding and can point you in the right direction. Do not apologise for moaning thats what we are all here for we all feel up and down especially now and it's nice to know we are not alone. Take care of yourself x

Sk - Glad Abbie has perked up a bit i hope she is fully recovered soon. I know what you mean by someone having the kids so you can catch up on sleep, its very rare for anyone to take my ds out & give me a break as my mum works nights all week & my sister is normally abroad working (she leave again on the 18th) she is going for a yr this time to america so gonna miss her.

Mum has been really helpful lately which is great cause i have struggled a little with ds i just feel bad as she is tired from her nights but i have been quite desperate espeically today.

I hope you can catch up on your sleep at some point sk can your dp not look after the kids for a few hrs at the weekend & maybe you could try & sleep? its hard isnt it?

Sorry you two are having such a rough time :( Mum21 make sure you let it all out to the HV, that's what they're there for. don't you wish we had these babies in the summer when the weather was better and we could get out more? At least they will be six months and sitting up on teh beach this year :)

Toddlers are much harder to care for physically I know but I have been having much fun and games trying to look after mithering Finn and keep up with homework and costume making/eisteddfod rehearsals/karate grading this week - it was St.Davids Day and world book day (dd went as Mrs Twit - in my clothes! and ds2 was Willy Wonka - but more like Professor McGonigle if you want my honest opinion). I have resorted to pushing him round the house in his pram while we do everything - eat, cook, not clean... etc - watching us at a high level seems to distract his vocal chords!

On a lighter note - dp and I have a pack of condoms that came with some kind of lubricant, I thought it was ky jellyish so ideal for half-hearted efforts but it turned out to be 'tingle' imagine ralgex or deep heat on your bits... (certainly woke me up! )

M21 - thankfully my DP will look after them at the weekends so I can get an hour or twos sleep. Abbie is eating today but had a few interesting nappies, both are still really snotty though

Rach - you so made me laugh with your tingly bits must get DP to buy some condoms only thing is when to find the time??? The minute Abbie goes to bed Talia wants fed constantly. At this rate it will be 2010.

Went shopping today and on the way out we had a snow blizzard (it has so far skipped us) so my precious baby had her first snowflake fall on her, it's nearly all gone now. Other massive achievement today is that I have tackled and scaled the ironing/washing pile. Spare room look odd far too spacious.

hi all

sk and m21 - thinking of u. i'm up and down 2 atm, quite tearful at times, tiredness and sleep dep finally catching up with me. alex has been v windy and unsettled 4 last 24 hrs, feeding hourly. v tiring. other 2 have gone 2 grandpas 4 weekend. hoping 4 sleep and a bit of nookie if alex will settle.

washing getting me down a bit but will drop bedding at launderette 2mor.

off 2 bed 2 try to settle this little windbag

ds has been a gem the last couple of days, but just won't settle at the moment. have put him outside (it is summer) in the shade in the hope he will just cry himself to sleep. He has had food, nappy, and is just past the point of no return.
Am trying to get into some sort of routine ie. he feeds, has a bit of playtime, sleeps and round it goes as his routine was just feedtime, crytime, feedtime, crytime. This afternoon we have had that but it has been getting better.

For those of you having a hard time, I've had some days when I just want to shut the door and walk away, knowing of course I can't but boy is it tempting.

mornin all

chuffed, great to see you again. envying you the warm weather, it's snowed here, and it's very cold.

well, i'm back in the saddle now , and i'm glad, although it was a bit painful, but not too bad. it was just so lovely to get back close to dh again.

baby boy slept ok last night, i needed it after his whingey night the nite before. he did four and a half hours, but i'm finding it harder to go back to sleep now, hence the early posting. i'm so full of milk this am, after his feeding frenzy of the previous 24 hours. can hear him stirring now, so i'll go back to bed and get some tit relief.

more later x

rach, sk and all you co sleepers

i have been co sleeping with ds since having him and that has been working fine. i use a single duvet so as not to smother him in the double one. dh has been sleeping in the spare room. now i'd like dh to come back in with us, getting back in the saddle and all that, but i'm worried about the baby getting smothered in the double duvet. how do you resolve that?

i suppose a bedside cot would help for feeding on one side, but when he's feeding on the side near the middle of the bed, there still would be worries about the smothering issue wouldn't there.

what do you think?

Hi all - it's a beautiful bright day here but no snow for us unfortunately

Lyra - Congrats on getting back in the saddle it's quite an emotional milestone isn't it. Sleeping in separate beds must have been especially hard though - I couldn't have done it (though I have had a few stints of being on my own when DH was away so know that you do sleep better with LO in the bed on your own).
FWIW I stopped having Dom in bed after I woke up with his head wedged between my boobs & him gasping for breath - I was mortified I think I was cuddleing him too close to stop him being squashed by us & it went wrong!! DH has moved the cot into our room now so he's in that but still not sleeping particularly well. We get the (very)occasional 4 hours but he normally only goes 2 or 3 hours between feeds. I tried making him wait 3 hours during the day but it backfired hugely as he wouldn't sleep at all as then was up feeding nearly all night. He looked a right sight & even had black bags under his eyes to match mine - not an attractive look with his awful milk spots !

Chuffed you your lovely weather. They always sleep better int he fresh air don't they. Dom always falls asleep within seconds of us leaving the house. I can't wait until the weather's better here so I can just plonk him out there for a few hours.

Rach - PMSL over your tingle gel. I had my PN check yesterday & the Dr stressed the need for contraception especially now that AF is back. I really don't want to take anything so looks like we'll be on condoms (I soo hate buying them) I'll look out for the tingle variety - it might make DH a bit happier about using them

Sweetkitty - - really feel for you with a poorly Abbie as well as a cold ridden Talia Hope you managed to get some rest this weekend.

Mum2One - so pleased you managed to speak to your DP- and what a result! Blokes really do need it spelling out don't they - but can be so lovely and helpful once they know what's going on.

Went to a mates house last night & she had a lady there who sells hats (anyone here a hat person - I love 'em). We all had a try on and it was such a laugh (apparently I looked like Ermintrude off the magic roundabout in one little number ) I bought a gorgeous red & black angular one in the end (shouldn't have really but decided that me & DDs joint birthday party in Nov could be a hat party so thought I ought to be prepared )Will post a piccie on yahoo when I create a new folder (couldn't find yours btw Lyra!?)

Anyone doing anything this weekend?