December 2011 - This too shall pass (with the help of imaginary woolly mammoths)

[Mmmmcheese]

Have gone with LMFs title suggestion :)

The only routine-y thing I do is making sure that the morning nap happens really. Anything else is just because of the times that the big DDs tend to do things!

We were supposed to go to home ed group today, but I am too tired. I have one of those tiredness headaches. DD1 could have gone with a friend, but is refusing to do things without me at the moment. I have warned her that I am likely to be a very boring Mummy today though!

bee sounds like a crappy attitude from your GP.

Brilliant that you have figured it out kri5ty I found our birth reflections service really useful after DD1's birth, wish I had done it sooner than I did really.

northern glad we're not the only household with alternate names for things... Vampires in our house are called bamfires cos DSS couldn't pronounce vampires!!!

Thanks for the link Kri5ty I'll see how things are when I have my check-up in 6 weeks, but may resort to the kegel8 if no improvement. I've also avoided any bedroom activity due to the prolapse Bee but they actually said at the hospital that we should have sex, that I should squeeze on DH and he could then give me feedback

Northern the results of the big weigh-in are in....DS is now 13lb 10oz at 7 weeks 4 days, and is back up to 91st percentile. Health visitor said 91st is obviously where he wants to be, that there's clearly no problem with my milk supply, that if I was over-feeding he'd be sick a lot, and that some babies just like to graze. She also pointed out that at least he has things the right way round with him feeding more frequently in the day and going a bit longer at night. She said she's neither pro or anti-dummy but said if we wanted, we could offer him one to establish if it was genuine hunger or just comfort feeding. I'm not sure DS would take a dummy even if we did offer it - I finally managed to express a little milk at the weekend but he wouldn't take a bottle, he just looked confused and chewed at it!

DS managed to wee right over the side of the scales, all over the desk and his red book and nearly got the health visitor too!

I hadn't been to that clinic before but will definitely go again - there's a cafe in the same building run by volunteers and they provide free coffee and cake

Its oliver twist day so i have name changed!

We have been to assessment thing and air has the emotion ability of a 7yo for sharing and is very confident! So he is fine They have said he has a normal attention span for his age.

Question: How do you posative disapline if you are an attachment parent?

The HV put in the minutes of last meeting that i canceled her viste when it was her that cancelled on me so i hope cshe turns up for me to ask her about it.

Hope and i are going to baby massage on friday

The big weigh-in : 13lbs 11oz at 8wks 3 days, and perfectly in line with his last weigh in 3wks ago.
Sadly no cafe at our clinic, nor any chance to mix and chat to others.
A day of sorting out and packing up here.

kates coffee and cake.

I managed to burn lunch through tiredness. I would like Benedict to turn up at my door with large quantities of coffee and cake now please.

aethal it took me to the very very end of your post to realise you were joking - there was a second I was almost pondering it! I have talked to DH and he says I can have it :)
Kate77 I have tried quite a few times DTD with DH, its just unbelievably uncomfortable and the idea makes me want to go and curl up into a ball which is obviously causing problems for us... the kegel8 is definitely going to be bought!

Big weigh-in results here... and DS is 12lb 11oz (but was only 7,7 at birth so has gone up the centiles big time) and 24 inches long. So sounds like our LOs are just grazers then kate; and yes, far better that they go longer at night! DS has a dummy sometimes in the day- if I put him down I try him with one to sooth him, and sometimes he takes it. My GP said essentially the same- he's fine, no need to worry and is just chunky!

Joining MsB on the at the coffee and cake. All I got was the chance to book my next smear test, which isn't quite the same as cake (or Benedict). Hope you feel a bit better, and/or get a nap? soon, and that tonight is quieter for you.

MissRee we have tonnes! The local supermarket was Booths, so you can imagine what that got mangled to, and remains .

Seeing as LO shows bugger all intent of settling, as usual, we may go for a walk this afternoon. He kindly spent half an hour staring at the 'fish tank' so I could eat my lunch, so mustn't grumble. I think it was HLC that said something about if LO is on her, he just goes crazy rooting for milk because he can smell it, and so often is happier being held by other people or sitting in a swing, or basket, etc.

Ah, he squawks!

Having a wobble today. Going to ignore my head and continue as normal.

anyone?

with you on the wobble today lmf have a biscuit too (am on my fourth packet)

weight gain still not great over here. f was born on the 25th percentile (7lb 4oz) and now hovering around the 2nd percentile (6 weeks - 8lb 1oz). totally depressed by it all but trying and failing to put a brave face on it.

plan is to feed him every 2 hours during the day and every 3 hours at night which means frequently waking him up so then i worry that he isn't getting enough rest to actually grow or enough awake time to develop argghhhhh.

sometimes i manage to be a bit more relaxed about it and not stress bearing in mind our second hosp stay but mostly i'm pretty upset about it.

me me me

blah blah blah

god i'm really boring myself over here.

LMF, is the wobble one that you should ignore, or is it 'there might be something wrong with LO' that your head is telling you? Hope it passes and go for a if it won't.

Hope for your sake it's nothing and soon goes, you've been through enough as it is.

And hawthers, sorry if it seems insensitive going on about weight gain when your DS is little. That is a damn good worry though about the 'not resting enough to develop', (I have similar when my LO is grizzling with bags under his eyes), it definitely deserves a haddock.

On that schedule he will gain in weight, but I guess you won't feel better til he does.

Having just settled DS, the fucking fucking fucking PPI arses called and woke him, I came as close as I have ever done to swearing at a call centre person. So, despite nowhere near enough sleep, no nap for me. Am going to shove LO in sling, go for a walk, then cheat and go to bed again.

We are going to see vicar tonight to discuss Hope's Chirstening on 27th May, i'm so nuvours.

No offence caused by any weight gain chat - just got my own issues around this x

Oh god did I not get the joke

Jealous of those going most of the way through the night or just one feed. I am still doing 2 feeds at least a night and Freya's colic seems to be worse at the moment so isnt settling at all in the evening. DH is meant to do a bottle at ten and settle her but he has given up a few times and dumped her in her moses basket crying - cue 2 hours of me trying to settle her, getting her down at 1am. Then she wakes for a feed twice from then and then DS will yell out about something (not always buts always on the nights when F is at her worst) - so tired and a bit pissed off with useless DH.

Freya is 10lb 6 today (8 weeks ) so staying on the 25th percentile. I think she needs to be a bit bigger before she goes through for longer.

Sadly we dont have much of a routine. I am going to try and start an evening one and leave her upstairs between evening feeds I think. Her one definite sleep is the morning one and I try to get her to have one long lunch/early afternoon one but often fail!!

kate, bee ki5sty I am with you on the weak pelvic floor and possible prolaspse. I have been told to do 3 months of intense pelvic floor exercises and see if any improvement but it is so weak I cannot tell is I am doing them properly even when I can be bothered. I can be referred to a specialist physio but not sure if I could face that. DH and I havent DTD yet either, whereas after DS it was only a few weeks. Mixture of reluctance on my part , knackerness all round and lack of opportunity with mix of a baby who is up late and a 3 yo who is up earlish. One day perhaps!!

Jiggle Edward is up every couple of hours still. Tired times:)

Same here jiggle, and it's been worse the past couple of nights because of LO's blocked nose, so 4.30am has been the end of any proper sleep.
That's so rotten with the colic- apart from 'hospital' illnesses I don't think there's anything worse for babies. And knowing that it will pass eventually is no comfort when you've got a puce, screaming, inconsolable baby to deal with all evening.
Sorry you're not getting the support you need from DH

Right, shopping list calls..

You feeling any better LMF?

It's OK hawthers you're not alone with the weight thing:I don't have any "issues" with weight worries as I firmly believe that most babies will gain OK with time, patience and sensible feeding: but I know that until DS's tongue tie was treated at 4 weeks he wasn't getting quite as much milk as he should. I've not had him weighed since it was done 6 days ago and am trying to hold out as long as possible to give the little chap a chance to find his own level. Do remember your LO has been poorly and that usually means it takes a bit longer to gain. It's not a problem and don't drive yourself potty with trying to feed him up, your own sanity is important too! 2 hour schedules are tough: just do your best and be kind to yourself. ((hug)))

lmf, boo for wobbles, hope it is small and short. Have some virtual aldi 70% coacoa chocolate (5 mini bars for £1.09. Yum.) goes well with tea.

I know i should make an apt with the gp about the pelvic floor, and also the lovely polyps!! I'm just to !

jiggle i hope the colic improves :( we ended up using dr brown bottles as we are ff, dentinox, a tummy tub, sitting up to feed and lots of winding, and tummy rubs in the day, it has improved a lot. Feel for you as thats exactly what he was like, and OH was the same!

Just put saul to bed and he is crying in his sleep. strange boy!

jeeeez i'm so tired. I have so much respect for single parents, i really do. With OH shift patterns, combined with his laziness i end up doing 90% of the work, and all the night feeds etc. The one feed or so he does every couple of days i feel like i should be doing something! I have no idea how single parents manage

just off to clean the bottles, quick tidy and hopefully grab a shower, i havent managed one in a few days... saul wont let me!! Hopefully his snores will last though and he wont wake at the end of his first sleep cycle demanding more food!!

Hugs hawthers, hang in there. Your LO will catch up soon.
Hugs for lmf too. And to those with pelvic floor problems.
DH is keen to try again. And I bought some Durex Aloe Vera sensitive lube juice... But really, I am off the idea. For now. I cba.
I'm with you ladies with the constantly grazing babies. Today, if I'm honest, I'm a bit fff-ing fed up with it. The idea of some kind of routine seems impossible. He only has very short naps during the day. I can't get anything done, and have a never-ending, ever-growing list. Top that with the fact that tomorrow we're starting to house-sit at my mum's. they're going on hols for 2wks and we have to look after their dogs. It'll be a grand old pain in the arse. They only live 5 miles away, but I'm going to have to come home every day or so to feed the fish.(like I haven't got enough to do) as well as take the dogs for walks. How I will manage a pram and 2dogs. Why did I ever agree!?!? It was too tough to say no.
Miserable me! Moan moan moan! Me me me!
And their dryer is in the garage (no internal connecting door)!
But they do have a dishwasher.
Grumble grumble grumble!
Wine!

Yep Kristy I'm with you there. DH comes home, I pass LO to him and get on with the jobs I haven't managed during the day, or start on tea. Grrrr!!! I need a holiday!

kri5ty you sound exhausted, you poor thing. I find it v v hard to leave minimopsy cry but sometimes I have to to prepare a bottle and I must admit that I find it essential to shower every day. I try to in the morning but it doesn't always happen but if she has to cry for 3 mins while I jump in, quick scrub and out again, I just let her. It is essential for my sanity. Is that bad? I wouldn't let her cry for more than a few minutes. How is the tummy tub? Minimopsy has terrible wind so thinking of getting one.

I, too, have the utmost respect for single mothers. They must be amazing. Finding it hard enough with only one fairly content baby and a very supportive husband. I'd be a wreck on my own.

Re: embarrassment to go to GP, please ladies don't be embarrassed! They've seen it all before and it will heal so much faster if you go and get the proper advice. I've been about potential piles (pooing bright red blood) and had to have internal exam (sorry if tmi but just trying to let you know it's ok) and yes, it's a little embarrassing and uncomfy but SO much better to get it seen to sooner rather than later. I'm all fixed now! Plus if you get s prescription no need to mention embarrassing medication out loud, just hand in your script et voila! Honestly I am sure we are way more embarrassed than necessary, GPs must see this all the time, it's a very common side effect of birth. So don't keep suffering' go see your GP and get it sorted. From someone who has had a colonoscopy!!!!!

Oh and jiggle, we're usually feeding on and off from 7.30- 10.30 then at 2.30-3.30 and then at 5ish. So two night feeds (though on some nights they blur into one long bleary on-off-on-off feed. I sometimes don't post cos I'm too knackered/semiconcious to focus on the screen....

I actually think my life would be easier day to day if I were a single parent (although with money from OH!) I do everything generally in the house apart from diy and cars. I also do nearly all the child care and all the night get ups (for both children). DH adds to the work generally as he is a messy bugger and expects dinner every evening, whereas I would be happy with a jacket potato or something. I also would then expect to do everything, whereas I am always hopeful of help and then get frustrated when it is not forthcoming. I realise the reality of life as a single parent would not be great and ds would obviously miss his dad.

aethel 2 of my night feeds can blur into one too!

kir5ty I have to shower every morning or I am awful. I put F in the bouncy chair in the bathroom with me or leave her to sleep and ds either plays in the bathroom too or watches cbeebies.