October 2012 babies - we meet them at last!

[YompingJo]

Getting thread in place in readiness!

Angelico I was told that BF produces very little waste because it's taylor made, so some babies dont poop very often.

Squid I think it gets easier, and you get better at coping. Physically it gets MUCH easier, emotionally, it gets...different.

DS used to love being swaddled but DD doesnt like it much. I keep at it. When shes really crying it keeps her arms out the way at least so she can latch on.

Agree that those with toddlers as well deserve a medal. DS is 6 so much more independant, and we are relying a lot on the GPs. They've taken him to watch his first football match today.

Ive actually managed to do the dishes and get a load of washing on the line this morning by putting velcro baby in a sling. She had about quarter of an hour on her play mat and quite liked it too.

crazy you can let DS2 cry for a few minutes if thats what it takes. Its not like you're leaving him for hours.

Thanks Wantan - think you're right! Checked Dr Google and found a couple of old MN threads about same problem! Am :o at 'poonami' (read it!) :)

watch out for the farts, too, Angelico - they can get pretty stinky!!

The poonami arrived - just as friends did They got to meet the new Bean in a stinky cloud of noxious gas - yes Crazy the farts were spectacular, we all stood in wonder at how something so tiny and beautiful could create such an ungodly stench :o Anyway two malodorous nappies later peace seems to have been restored in Beanie's bowels...

Quick post re pumps used a medela symphony in the hospital which is the industrial version which was So easy to use. No other experience but medla does fare well in reviews i have looked at.

just to chuck another breast pump in the ring - the Ameda Lactaline Dual is excellent. The lactation consultant we saw for DS1's tongue tie said it was her number 1 choice but I know lots of hospitals choose the Medela. Figure at that price range they've got to be pretty much similar, but it is handy being able to do both boobs at once (you do feel like a freaking dairy cow though)

Thanks for pump suggestions! Sister is coming up tomorrow and bringing her pump for me to try so will let you know verdict! :)

MIL babysat tonight so we could go out for dinner - was really tired beforehand but so nice to get out! Felt so strange looking round restaurant - it's one we went to a lot pre-bean but that feels like a different life Trying to stay awake long enough to feed bean in ten mins then going to crash out! Here's to quiet nights for all of us! xo

angelico - I totally hated my tommy tippee manual, I had it for emergency use while bub was in hospital (ugh engorgement!) have used the medela swing now - not at all bad. Also comes with a super-fancy breast mimicking bottle, which I out together wrong the first time - milk EVERYWHERE. Once I put it together properly, it was fine... Five spills later...

elpis LOL to the cord threat! Hilarious!

Don't want to curse anything or make anyone feel bad, but it seems that baby Jamie is a thoroughly cruisy little man. He sleeps pretty much all the time, wakes exactly two times in the night making a grumbly noise instead of crying, and when he's not sleeping or eating (my lord can that boy eat!) he's staring at things... Disconcertingly he has a preference for very bright lights. It's weird to see him zoning in on whatever light is on in the room. A physicist in the making?

Following the midwife's advice and adjusting his position breastfeeding has had a massive impact on his wind, which I thought was just him (awful pain after every feed). I'm convinced - it is clearly a good idea for breast feeders to get advice from experts. Will be along to la lache league this week, for all that they're militant firm in their convictions.

Baby also had first outing today - a walk in the botanic gardens! Only took us two and a half hours to get out of the house

Phew... survived the hardest 48 hours yet with Jess feeding every 20-30 minutes for 2 whole days and screaming in between. I was near collapse yesterday and started wishing i didn't have a baby...

then... miraculously... she just fell asleep at 8pm last night and woke up TWICE ONLY in the night, and briefly at that. I slept 5 hours in a row at one point!!!! (She was like this initially, before she turned into crazed milk monster - i thought i was going to have the easiest baby ever! hah) No rhyme or reason to what's going on, i am just rolling with it... last day of boyfriend's paternity leave today so at least he will have a happy awake girlfriend for it!

gave her first proper bath yesterday, she loved it, so cute (though did have to fit it in very quickly between 2 mega-feeds)

she is 2weeks old today

we have been out loads of times, boyfriend thinks it's v impressive, but i am still restless and impatient to get out again properly. we have been out to the market once, for about four short walks round the river, been to 2 different parks, out for lunch 3 times now (just to say fuck you! to the people who claimed i\d never eat out again) and to the children's centre for midwife appts 3 times. got newborn hearing test at the hospital wed and midwives have asked me to demonstrate how to bath her / change nappy at an antenatal class this week too (i hardly feel qualified tto do this!!!)

sounds like a lot, actually! no wonder i'm tired... still trying to master the moby sling, not very confident yet, though she is happy in it

really miss exercise but have promised boyfriend will wait till november. I miss my clothes. i am well small for maternity clothes but about a size too big for my jeans i think. i know i shouldn't really expect more than this at this point but oit would be such a boost to be able to wear real clothes again.... silly squid, focus on the important stuff,

going to catch up now, scuse typing, no good one-handed.

Planktonette Really glad to hear latch is fixed - I'm going to come out as a La Leche League member, though I don't go to meetings through a combination of working 4 days a week and no meet-ups in my area. It's just reassuring to read about other mothers who breastfeed toddlers, because it's so uncommon and regarded as wilfully perverse. Will maybe try to get to central London branch now I'm on maternity leave. Fingers crossed your local members aren't militant - not all of us are!

squidkid Am also at the one-size-too-big stage. I found it was about three to four months before I was back to my previous size and another two before I was too thin for pre-pregnancy clothes. I am dying for a swim but read that I shouldn't until my six-week check. Grr. Anyhow, lido where I swim in summer is now a numbing 11c to which I haven't been able to acclimatise and couldn't possibly take DD. If it's any consolation, slings are really good for building upper-body strength!

DS' wakeful stage is 3am-5.30am. He likes to just remind himself that he can have some milk, and then drift off for ten minutes.

Angelico the broken sleep is tough, isn't it?! so glad you have MIL there. I find if someone else takes her and brings her through to me for feeds it's so much easier - maybe i sleep better knowing i don't have to listen out for her waking? ah it's tough. know what you mean about the olympic effort too! baby squid looks so smug and happy when she's finally done a giant poo...
as for toys i was wondering the same... i have a book called "games to play with babies" asomeone gave me, but it's mostly about stroking/singing at this age. what do you do with the black lines on cards?
I am so sorry about the massive cry, we've been having a few of them in the squid household too... everyone keeps telling me this bit is the hardest. and your mum is a selfish cow sorry

firstbubba thinking of you and hoping the bf-ing gets easier! i am putting sudocrem on any red bits but not any kind of expert ask the 2nd time mums

crazypaing engorgement for a WEEK, poor poor you... i had a day and it was miserable..... i found cabbage leaves, massage in hot bath (if you can find time!) and ibuprofen helped....
hmmm, getting a bit tempted by this noisy sheep.,.. (nearly asked boyf to buy a dummy yesterday too but am holding off for a couple ore weeks maybe)

planktonette wow, i nearly called baby squid james/jamie/jaime too! it was my 1st choice for a boy and 2nd choice for a girl name, though as my mate jess delivered the baby i couldn't think to call her anything else! Anyway - good name!! salutes baby Jamie :)
it feels good to get out doesn't it? i tend to dash out and try and do everything i want to before she hsas time to need lots of equipment! we take one nappy change, sling and my boobs! (possibly this is why i am still finding outings a bit stressful!)

at Elpis's cord stump threat.

cross-posted with elpis - yeah, most people have told me 2-4 months... never really liked the sound of that 9-months-on-9-months-off business... I bought very few maternity clothes and am not keen to go buy a load of other sized ones now! I like exercise and healthy food so am hoping that will make things easier than if you hate both. (Could live with going one size smaller ... though tits might look a bit stupid. )

oooh!! "Play-gym" - gift from younger brother - MASSIVE success - from screamng to cooing in 2 seconds flat! I thought she'd be too young to enjoy the colours/dangling things... is just lying on her back looking really happy and interested!

Angelico a night out sounds wonderful! Did you manage to relax and enjoy it? It can be a bit surreal, seeing "real life" again! It will stop feeling so surreal, honest!

squid sounds like you're doing really well. And imo it's perfectly natural to have moments (some longer than others!) where you desperately look for the return address on this tiny squawking gremlin that's taken over your life. Children are wonderful but tough - mixed feelings is part of being human I reckon.

Elpis that's a rather antisocial waking time! Hope it shifts later quickly!

Planktonette really glad Jamie seems to be a chilled chap. Really hope for you that's his personality and you have a lovely easy ride!

I'm hoping that perhaps DS2 might have an easygoing personality that might kick in at some point... It's still possible, right?! He tends to feed very little in the day and either have to be carried everywhere or sleep tightly swaddled with the sheep making noise (his favourite seems to be the weird heartbeat/breathing/church bells combo ), and then feeds every 2hrs like clockwork at night.

My boobs are doing my head in, still engorged and I get random let-down reflexes at random times in the day which are really uncomfortable. I'm using Lansinoh disposable breast pads and having to change them regularly as they get completely sodden.

He's been asleep since his last feed at 7.30....will prob wake up just as DS1 goes down for his nap. Could do with a snooze today, feeling quite tired.

Angelico are you BF? What did you do about feeding when you were out? I'm worried about how much uni I'm missing, and DH is at home so childcare is not an issue but midwife said not to introduce expressed bottle until DD is 4 weeks.

I tried baby massage with DD this morning and she loved it. She wasn't sure at first but as soon as I did her back she chilled right out. She was an angel last night, feeding every 3 hours then back to sleep, now she is making me pay!

Crazy engorgement is horrible. Have you tried breast shells? I liked cabbage leaves too but I I did smell a bit funny!

Evening peeps :) MIL took Bean overnight and she slept like a champion - we got 5 hours!!! :o Followed by another 2.5. Unfortunately I got my seemingly weekly engorgement and a painful blocked duct. Sister was bringing up Spectra 3 breast pump for me to try (useless for my gargantuan bosoms although think you can get a special wide adaptor separately), managed to get an ounce off plus an ounce in the shower with crap Tommee Tippee handpump. Same thing happened last week - got engorged overnight Sat night, gone by Sun afternoon but fucking agony all morning Going to order the Medela swing so thanks for recommendations.

Also mum and dad came up for first time since 'the row' and all passed off peacefully. They picked up some bras for me on the way and brought some flowers. Having others there helped a lot. Hopefully in a week or two we'll all have forgotten it... Also had sis, BIL and 2 nephews plus MIL and DH. Am now exhausted from all the excitement - as is the bean who is now shrieking in the other room :( Shit better go, MIL is trying to settle her. More later... xo

Back. Thank God for that dude Harvey Karp and 'Baby Bliss' book about the 5 S's. Took the first 4 S's there but Bean went from totally overtired, frenzied screaming meltdown to sleeping like angel in 5 mins flat. Poor critter was knackered - have only seen her that mental a few times

Right, where was I?!

Planktonette - thanks for info about pump, going to order it tonight. I find with all pumps my boobs are obviously weird shaped or my nipple points up or something - seem to have to bend over pump with boob pointing towards floor which isn't very comfortable. So need a good fast efficient boyo so I can get the milk out fast. Really glad Jamie is so chilled - but then you were so brave and chilled in the stressful first week he seems to take after his mummy :)

Squid it's lovely you're getting out so much - can't wait to get to that stage! Have only been out in garden with bean or out places in car rather than walking there but really looking forward to just walking into town with her, picking up a few groceries etc :) The moby wrap seems to be identical to the Kari-me one but haven't tried it yet, did bring it downstairs though to practise :) Isn't it so brill when you get some consecutive hours of sleep?! :o On the lines thing it was in Baby Whisperer book - think at this stage they can only focus on black and white lines. Apparently you can get flashcards but BW lady suggests saving money and just ruling some lines on white card with a thick black marker. We keep forgetting to get a marker so haven't tried it yet. We tried play gym first week but it made bean go a bit nuts and overstimulated. Might try again this week...

Elpis your bean may re-set the wakeful stage - we were in despair when it was ON but it's easier to cope with now that she's having it in the evening hours.

Crazy night out was lovely thanks but was genuinely so weird to be there without bean, knowing that's what life was like before :) Major sympathy on the boobs Hope they go back to normal soon. Sister got mastitis but just managed to feed and pump like mad woman for 24 hours and she got rid of it. Know what you mean about the wee personality thing - can't decide about our bean. Most of the time she is angelic but occasionally has the mad meltdowns where she just gets herself totally worked up. Also little things like wind pains or pooping can set her off when she's tired. Don't know if that is normal or if she is just a bit over-sensitive about things.

Wantan am thoroughly overexcited about the impending arrival of Ewan the sheep! I am investing him with almost Messianic powers!!! :o Bean normally only feeds 4 hourly (breastfeeding), sometimes 3 so just fed her and went straight out afterwards as soon as she was in her little carrycot snoozing. Restaurant was very local so only 5 mins in car, we were only out a couple of hours. Baby massage is lovely, I love petting her wee legs and feet :)

Ooooh Downton Abbey is on at 9, looking forward to a ham and cheese toastie, cup of tea and a bit of a lech over Branson - assuming Bean stays asleep

Downton Abbey was tonight and I whimpered at it (blaming hormones!). Also ninja Bean escaped her swaddle and had to be removed from living room by DH to have mini-meltdown so I could watch it in peace! Am almost scared to write that she is sleeping peacefully now...

One arm escaped the swaddle before I put her down in cot and I foolishly was too soft-hearted to do it again... lesson learned as she woke herself up and wriggled to freedom! She will be trussed up like a loin of pork tonight!

The black and white lines thing was based on one pretty iffy bit of research and is now thought not to be true, but babies are drawn to high contrast colours, so any bright colours side by side or on a white background. What newborns love most is faces, especially mummy's face.

Angelico that you can pop out for a meal. DD feeds every 2-3 hours but likes to have 5 minute top ups in between, or to just suck me like a dummy, won't take an actual dummy though.

Hmmmmm Wantan will maybe stick bean back on the madly colourful gym mat and sod buying the black marker then...! She does love faces just lies and stares up, it's quit endearing when I've had enough sleep

MIL going to take her out for a couple of hours this afternoon straight after feed. Ordered one of those vibrating chair things and the Medela breast pump from Amazon. They do a good deal at the minute - they have a 'baby club' which gets you £10 off baby stuff so got the pump for £84.99. Also if you have Amazon Prime you get an extra £25 off if you spend more than £50.

Don't know what is going on with my keyboard keeps leaving letters out and have to go back and add them in - grrrrr!!!

Angelico when you've finished with your MIL can you wing her over my way? She sounds amazing...

wantanorange have been using cabbage leaves a bit. Apparently breast shells are bad when you have oversupply? or something, mind's a bit fuzzy and can't remember what I've read where and why any more. Zzz. The engorgement is lessening somewhat - hopefully managing my supply already. Then when the next growth spurt hits all hell will break loose of course

Had a bit of a horror of a night last night with DS2 keeping DS1 awake until 10pm with his screaming. DS2 didn't sleep until midnight Poor DS1 went to the childminder this morning looking like a total zombie. I fear when I pick him up in 20mins all hell is going to break loose as he's going to be overtired.

DS2, on the other hand, has been feeding and sleeping like an angel since 8am so I've caught up on sleep today. Turning into a vampire slowly... Really hope this doesn't mean a repeat of tonight as I'm not sure any of us can take it! Poor DS1 particularly needs his sleep

Discharged from midwives today with DS2 at 8lb 8oz. Not gaining the full lb a week DS1 did at this stage but he's much less of a boob monster atm - am aware that may change! He hasn't pooed since Saturday, which in some ways is lovely, but I wonder if it contributed to the screamathon last night.

Right, better get ready to go and pick DS1 up. No doubt in the next 15mins DS2 will do a poo and wake up shouting to be fed

We've been discharged from midwives today as well - baby smiley now weighs 3.12kg - gained 120g from birth weigt and 220g in last 6 days. Really pleased esp as so different to dd1 who spent 3 weeks at around a pound under birthweight, so relieved as well. She is still spending most of her time asleep or feeding but does seem to like having a nice bath!
Planning to try putting sling on later today but not sure if it might be a bit sore in CS scar...

Hello you gorgeous mummies! Missing you.