August 2012 - sunny (ha!) summer babies

[ImissMiniPop]

they're starting to arrive, so here's our 'Due in August' post natal thread. To talk poo, pee, burping and everything else, too...

Here's link to antd-natal thread for those we'll be waiting for www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1511603-Due-in-August-Thread-Part-6

Have borrowed Needles list, which I'll start here, please feel free to add your details to it. I'm rubbish at list keeping, and hopefully Needles will be along to keep it updated :o

BIRTHS
tigger8 (?) DC? due 27/7/12, GIRL born 11/7/12
missjemima (?) DC2 BOY due 3/8/12, born 10/7/12
PoppySeed34 (34) DC1 BOY due 4/8/12, born 28/5/12

Personally I found Ben much easier from 5 weeks onwards - maybe it was my confidence, maybe it was that he started sleeping in the day - but I'm loving being a mum!

I think Ben has had a bit of a cold too, Ham, and if you think about it, they do need to pick up these bugs etc to build up their immunity. His lasted 3-4 days I think.

I'm now convinced that sleep breeds sleep - Ben had 4 long naps yesterday (kind of trying to fit in some kind of Eat - Play - Sleep routine) and then slept from 8.15pm-3.15am, and then 4.00am-7.3-am. Amazing! DH is still complaining about being disturbed in the night though - I get up as soon as Ben wakes up, feed him in the nursery and then go straight back to bed. Did he not think a baby would wake up in the night?

I think I'm going to start investigating some baby groups soon. Hopefully there'll be some good ones in my area so I can meet some other new mums.

gnomi you are making me very with that description of bens sleep. Is he in a cot at night?? Are you bf or ff? Sandy sleeps well at night but only because we cosleep. And by well I mean 2-3 hours between feeds! I think our probs come mostly from colic and will improve when it passes. Here's hoping!

We did get two, albeit short, stints in the Moses today which was good. Funny how efficient you can be when needed and how much you can squeeze into an hour! He's starting to fuss now as it is the colicky witching hour so thinking of getting the sling on and going to do some very mild gardening.

geek prob only a week more and she will be looking for you and smiling :)

That's adorable about minipop loving his dad

Hi everyone,
Not posted for ages but been trying to keep up with the posts. Really helpful about the cranial osteopath ham thank you! I've been looking into one near us but they seem to charge a little more around here, but well worth it if LO is a happier afterwards. Her birth was less ideal resulting in cs and her head was a really odd shape as I think she was trying to come out forehead first.

We're at the 3 weeks and 2 days, DH is off to Germany for work for the rest of the week and is back at the weekend. Yikes, not sure how I'll cope as LO has been unsettled for last few days and more crying, feeding etc. Tried a soother and it seems to have helped but don't want to rely too much on it, am I right that MAM ones are good? I remember seeing that the closer to nature ones were not so good.

Hope everyone is doing really well.

gnomi amazing sleep by your LO!! How old is he? Defo agree on the sleep breeds sleep.

Do you have a bedtime routine? I don't yet but where possible try to do the bath, feed and then go to sleep on me in our room. Problem I find is as soon as she wakes up she wants feeding NOW and then goes to sleep again. Guess still early days. Still won't take a dummy which I'd kind of like so dad could soothe her.

Hang in there ham! My friends LO was v colicky and both had a tough time some days. You sound like you're doing really well getting out and about still so hopefully it will ease up soon :)

Started to get a few cheeky smiles here too. Last night after a nappy change she was quite awake so put her in our bed instead of basket. The little grin was so sweet - a real "he he I get to go in the big bed and not the basket" smile :)

Where are people getting MAM dummies? I haven't been to Mothercare yet but couldn't find them in the supermarket or John Lewis or a small Boots.

Lois, I got mine at a big Boots, but they're also on Amazon. I've got the MAM tiny newborn ones called Start I think.

Re lambskins, we got one as a pressie from DH's granny and she got it from John Lewis. It's lovely and he loves it (plus has many uses).

Having had a good day, he's now been unsettled and twitchy all night since 6pm. Hungry, yet fussy at the boob, tired yet not really sleeping but I think he's tired and wants cuddles. Agh. These babies are so tricky.

Today we tried him on his playmat for the first time for 5 minutes which he quite liked, even though he only looked at the floor!

Will be interested in people's routine ideas as we're starting to think about what we're going to do in the next couple of weeks. It's all such a big learning curve!

Off to try and express a bit for later. Night night all x

Lois, i got mine at the local pharmacy. It's a proper granny place!

Ham Ben is in his cot (and in his own room - please don't report me! ) He was too big for his moses basket and kept hitting the sides and waking himself up so we moved him into his own room at 5 weeks. I think this was probably quite instrumental in developing his sleep, as we started to develop a proper bedtime routine. He has his bath, then a feed upstairs in his room, low lights and quiet, and then he is put into his sleeping bag and given a dummy. Either DH or I will sing him a bit of a lullaby and then leave the room, switching the lights off. He seems to settle better if the lights are completely off - I figure, it was dark in the womb so he won't mind too much! The first few nights we had to go up and settle him quite a lot - perhaps 10 times between 8pm and 9pm, but each evening he has been asleep by 9pm. Tonight, he went to bed at 7.50pm, and I went up once when he shouted because his dummy had fallen out. I don't think he's necessarily been asleep all that time, but he's been quiet and I presume, content.

Once we had the bedtime established, I started to put him in his cot with the sleeping bag and dummy for daytime sleeps. I also started to pay a lot more attention to his sleeping cues. If he's upset and I know he's not hungry or needing his nappy changing, I'll try putting him to bed. 9 out of 10 times, he'll fall asleep within 15 minutes or so. I've worked out that he can really only stay up around 1 and a half hours before he needs to sleep. 2 weeks ago, he was miles away from this, and was ridiculously overtired. I'm not obsessive about him sleeping in his cot - he slept for 2 hours on me this afternoon, and also had a short nap in his pram when we went out.

He's always been fairly good about sleeping at night, so I think I've just been lucky with that. He wakes up once, (has only ever woken up once or twice) feeds, I change his nappy, and then put him back to bed. I don't think he goes to sleep straight away as we can hear him chuckling and grunting, but he's quiet and not shouting.

2 weeks ago I thought I had a difficult baby who cried all the time though! Turns out he needed more sleep . I found this website quite useful: TroublesomeTots It has some very sensible information. By the way, Ben is 6 weeks and 3 days, so a bit older than many of the August babies! He's also EBF, but doesn't seem to have colic or anything.

Oh my word, that's a really long post! I really hope I don't come across as bragging, but hopefully this might give some hope to those of you who are despairing of ever having a routine or more than 2 hours sleep in one go.

I have also probably jinxed myself and he'll be awake every hour tonight!

Hello All.

First time I've logged on for a few days. Isla is now 2 weeks old and had er first visit from HV today. She was 7 lb 1.5 oz at birth and just at 7lb 2 oz today, so now very slightly above birth weight.

However, it appears she has oral thrush as she has a white tongue. Has anyone else's LO had this? And if so, did it bother them much? Isla is normally pretty chilled but the last couple of days, she has been less settled. She's beem given nystan drops which I have to try(!) and get her to keep in her mouth for 1 minute and I've got daktarin cream for the ol' bosoms...

Hope everyone is well and surely we've all had our babies now?

Don't know if it's just because he was a bit sick or if it was the cranial but sandy was a lot better yesterday yay! There has been a lot more farting and bubbly noises from his belly too since the cranial so hoping its helping with the trapped wind and colic!

Interesting reading gnomi I'm going to keep that in mind for the coming weeks. Sandy is 7 weeks tomorrow so I'm really hoping its the colic and him getting a bug that has regressed his sleep progress. Lucky for me he does sleep well in with me and I get a decent nights sleep because of it.

Going to start on a bedtime routine soon as he is getting a bit routiney. In the morning for example he wakes for a feed around 7 and I will get up after leaving him in bed and clean up, have a shower, prepare my feeding area etc while he snoozes. Then he wakes and I take him through and we have some wakey time when he is always smiling and gurgling and shouting happily :) then I feed him and the rest of the day isnt in a routine at all but no matter what when I take him through to our bed at night and feed lying down with lights dimmed he sleeps after and then we sleep and feed all nights about 3 hours gaps. I think ill use your tips gnomi on trying to extend the routine into the earlier evening :)

I got mam dummies in a big boots too

Hi,
How are all the babies doing?

My little man, Charlie is being vey naughty. Last night he got up for a feed at 11.45pm and I got him settled, ie, to stop the rigged, purple faced screaming by oooh, 5am . Yes that's right, 5 hours 15 minutes of S C R E A M I N G. Give me strength. So, I have so far had 2 with reflux disease. Not just the sicky baby reflux but the more serious GERD. They were on medication for it for 1 year each and life was HELL for the first 6 months.
I thought, aha, I managed not to have an early baby this time. A nice big 7lb 12oz full term baby - no chance I would have to go through that again whoo hoo.......it's not looking good is it?
It's following the same pattern as DD. Started off just a windy baby, wind is increasing, then after every feed he is in severe pain for up to 2 hours after, then he has started being sick and I can hear it come up then back down again then screaming ensues for hours. Now it is day and night and hours and hours and hours of walking the floor with him rigid and screaming - did I mention the screaming?

The only sure way of knowing is when it gets to the point (usually5/6 weeks) when they pull on and off the breast, bending their back, backwards like a banana shape in pain. Desperate to feed but in too much pain to stay latched on. Part of me knows that he is showing to many signs already but part of me hopes this is actually a normal baby pattern and he will grow out of it and not need medication (dreaming).

Anyone else having similar problems or does this sound worse than 'normal' newborn behaviour?

Sorry, he is 3 weeks tomorrow.

Just read over some post. *ham n cheese, it does sound like Sandy might have reflux. There is different degrees. With first DS the feeding was just like Sandy. He didn't get fed properly. It took 4.5 months before I got a diagnosis so was hell. DD was much more severe. She screamed like Charlie day and night and tried to feed constantly with lots of pulling off etc. Much more distressing but I had her on the meds by 7 weeks.

Sandy could just have had a bad cold and wasn't able to breathe so im not sure.

As a precaution, tilt his bed/head end up on books, lots of. Don't put him down on his back, for nappy changing or anything for at least 20 mins and keep an eye on the feeding pulling off thing. If he is still doing this in a few weeks and it is getting worse - it's reflux, definitely. That's how they diagnose it from anything else. Omeprazole is the best medication. It is the more expensive one so they would try and palm you off on gaviscon and the other one beginning with 'R'.

I tried Osteopaths, natural remedies, books, different doctors and came to the conclusion, if they have proper GERD (reflux disease) they NEED the medication or their esophagus is being damaged by the stomach acid. It's pretty harmless stuff.

Most reflux disease starts off silent - ie no/not much sick. If you listen and watch though, if he has it, you will here it come up then back down again, his face will screw up then he will scream.....followed by endless hickups which adds to the wind.

I hope Sandy hasn't got this but in my experience, it's better to know and treat it than to not know.

Hi all just checking in.

Baby is 12 days old now and I'm totally smitten - I can not get anything done!

Going stir crazy not being able to get out but been told not to drive for 6 weeks, and not to go anywhere on my own for 4 weeks. DP works 8-6 every day so it does not leave much time for him to take me anywhere :( Its frustrating because I feel so well and I know after a emergency C section you shouldn't do anything but I have only been on paracetemol 4 hourly and 2 diclofenic before bed for the first 4 days after op and now am not taking anything at all and have no pain!

Baby is a delight, she seems to have her own little routine going on. Wakes at 7 for a feed, feed bum change then sleeps til 10am. Alert and wriggling and kicking for a couple of hours then cluster feeds for a couple of hours, sleeps again between 4 and 7 ish, really alert until 10pm/11 ish then feeds for a couple of hours til 1-30ish, then sleeps til between 5 and 6, then wakes for a feed.

I am finding feeding ok and she has put on 6 ounces since birth so is now 6 pounds 6 ounces. I just wish I could calm down my worrying side. I think its because we came so close to losing her during the birth that I don't feel relaxed and keep getting upset with myself when I think about what might of happened. I don't want to wish her life away but I find myself willing the days to go so that she gets a bit bigger and a bit stronger. HV and MW are very pleased with her and say she is fine but I can't shake the feeling that something is going to go very wrong. The first night she slept for longer than 3 hours I woke up fretting something was wrong with her. Today she has been a bit whingy and think she has trapped wind and I keep checking her temp and worrying :( I am normally so laid back!

She managed to roll onto her side yesterday a few times too which I don;t think she should be able to do yet.

Loving being a mammy though. I am in awe of her and can not believe she is actually here, mine, and more to the point so bloody perfect!

gnomi 5 hrs screaming match! Oh dear... you are made of strong stuff. I give up and call myself all names after two mins.

We do get the banana arch if we lift ours whilst she is sleeping or use the cradle hold when she wants to be fed upright. Could this be a good sign for you?

Mine is 4 weeks tomorrow...

Bah! !quickchat not gnomi!

Hello all. I haven't posted in ages. Tom is 5 weeks and suffering from reflux. He's on infant gaviscon and ranitadine which seem to be helping as he is much more settled. I want to get a sling as being upright helps him with his reflux, any recommendations? I'm looking at a Kari-Me or a Moby. Has anybody had any experience with either of these?

Interesting quick and sorry to hear your baby seems to have reflux and you are getting so much crying. Question... Sandy wil do quite a lot of what you say but it is very sporadic like will feed with no probs sometimes and not others. Did yours always show signs of reflux at every feed? I'm hoping he just has wind as he only screams at the breast now and again usually at the colic witching hour. Otherwise he comes off to push and I often find he is sick after strenuous pushing.

Does anyone else feel that they will be making this their only child? I think even if I could manage the first four months of pregnancy again... And he direness of the last three months, that I couldn't bear to do this colic thing again. I feel like I'm missing out on all the good stuff. Everyone keeps saying oh enjoy it treasure it they grow so fast but honestly what's to treasure? Watching my son in near constant pain? Having to spend every minute uncomfortable because I can't move as have a baby on me? Having to endure peoples comments on their experience which frankly means noting to what we are dealing with?

Never wanted an only child but I think it might go that way.

Oh ham, sorry to hear you are feeling that way. It probably won't make you feel any better but my SIL swore she was never having any more kids after her first and is now talking about baby number 3! I think we all have our good and bad moments - when Isabelle wakes me up in the middle of the night and then refuses to feed and just fiddles around with my already sore nipple for ages it is hard to stay positive but then there are so many lovely moments too and they will only get lovelier as our little ones get more responsive. We just have to grit our teeth through the downs and remember what an amazing job we are doing!

Totally unrelated question: can you guys all get your wedding rings on again? 10 days after birth and mine still doesn't fit :( Am I going to have permanently fat fingers?!

Sorry some are going through particularly rough time atm :( Biscuits and tea all round , although did indulge in a small glass of vino last night which was a tasty treat :)

So, maybe coincidence but last evening put LO on the playmat for a while, on her front propped up on one of those cushions that look like a neck support - oh my - the farts that came out followed by a lot of poop! Funny (and slightly alarming!) how burps, farts and poo can really make or break your day. Will be trying that again later :) Thought I'd share in case it works for anyone else, and frankly who else but a load of new mums would appreciate that information!

Hope everyone has a good day :)

Oh Ham I am feeling just like that - after a traumatic pregnancy, adn the chance it could happen again, plus the NICU and poor MiniPop has so many problems - reflux (GORD), colic etc... that I dont want another one, which is a real shame as I wanted two.. :( but just not sure I could go through the whole fiasco again. DMP is worth every second of it, but might quit while I am ahead :)

ham the colic does get better, as everyone told me it would, but it's still not easy.

fairtrade you probably still have fluid retention on day 10, sure it will go down soon enough. Not sure I could say the same about my arse and thighs 5 wks on though...

Thanks fairtrade I know I probs will want another I just don't know if I will bring myself to do it. I've said it before in the middle of a bad time but he has finally slept and is doing so again but with my practical hat on I feel just like minipop I love him so much and would never undo any of it of course, and I would never wish I hadn't experienced it all but I just wouldn't like to have to do it all again and feel like I do now with sandy around too... How awful for him. You never know though. It'll be a good few years anyway for work reasons and also my own sanity! Like mp said... The idea of quitting while ahead seems like a sensible one at present.

I created a colic support thread btw incase anyone is on the same boat or finds they develop it.

On the rings front I'm 7 weeks since the birth and they still don't fit. Considering getting them resized...

So Theo is two weeks today and DH went back to work today - first time we've ever been in our own! It was hard, Theo is usually a calm baby and happy to sleep or just stare at the world from his pram after feeds but has. Been becoming increasingly windy and wants to feed all the time I think for comfort but he's formula fed and so can't just eat all day, I really worry about over feeding him we started infocol yesterday so hopefully this will help - he hates it though and keeps trying to spit it out!!!

Although I've not had much time to post I have been keeping up with the comings and goings on here and totally relate. Especially to whoever it was that it constantly worrying, I don't sleep for more than 20 mins without getting up to check Theo is still breathing!! I'm really worried about doing something to hurt him too...

I also totally agree with ham about thinking this might be my only one, previously I always thought I wanted 2 or even 3 but even though I had an easy pregnancy it was still pretty miserable, 9 months is such a long time when you are constantly worrying. The birth was horrid, worse than I'd feared. Then trying to breastfeed and ending up back in hospital and the feelings if guilt that I was starving my boy. It's a lot better now, mostly just tired but I don't want to go through it all again. I think I'm a bit traumatised by the birth as every time I think of it I burst into tears. I love Theo so much and would go through it all again in a heartbeat for him, I just don't think another child is on the cards...