December 2012 - the Christmas buns are coming out of the oven

[PurplePidjChickIsNotTheMessiah]

New fred...

willyule thank you - I was wondering whether Z needed anti colic bottles but we have had a far easier time than you. He does sometimes make the funny noises at night but still sleeps through it. Perhaps I'll buy 1 and give it a go - anything to make his life easier, even though this will be about the 10th bottle we'll have bought! (Tried cheapo ones - ok but didn't have a slow teat available - then closer to nature but found them TERRIBLE for wind - now Phillips Avent which are the best we've tried so far). what brand are you using - is it Dr Brown?

Welcome back bubbless

Welcome back Bubbless I had been wondering what was happening with you!

Welcome back Bubbless so exciting and it will all be worth it

Seconds We've got the tommee tippee anti-colic bottles as a friend of mine had some unopened in the cupboard. The only problem is I've only managed to get hold of 2. I have some on order at Argos but until then I'm washing and sterilising constantly! I have heard really good things about the dr browns though

Thanks everyone for your advice! It helps to know that I'm not the only confused mum here and that others advocate the breast soothing technique too.

I know I'm being a very nervous first time mum and probably over-thinking everything and that I should really learn to relax more! I just get so confused about all the conflicting advice (about breastfeeding, routines, etc) and I'm constantly worried that I'm doing something wrong/not doing enough for my baby. DD is gaining weight and seems pretty content most of the time though so I know I shouldn't worry so much...I wish I could trust my maternal instinct a bit more!

I'm going to take your advice on routines spotty and try not to impose one just yet, getting up and going to bed at the same time every day sounds like a good idea for now. In between I'll just try to relax and go with the flow...

Ds follows this toy with his eyes and his eyes go really wide with it! Dd loved it when she was a baby too.

Now, would anyone be willing to pop round and clean my bathroom for me I'll pay? It's not been done properly since I went into hospital on the 15th Dec . I feel like I'm risking cholera every time I go in there, but I seriously can't be arsed. I should've asked for a cleaner for Christmas!

WillYou wound you like to borrow dp? Cleaning the bathroom is his job!

Still trying to arrange two more hospital appointments but the hip scan dept (for ds) don't answer the phone and Southampton (for me) said I was 11th in the queue I decided not to hold....

willyule thanks for that re the bottles.

Re the cleaning, our cleaner is the best money we spend all week.

Hi bubb welcome back, I detached myself for a while too and totally understand. Good to hear you feel better about everything now.

Although we weren't having too many wind issues we had a couple of nights she was in pain (and I cried) so I bought some dr browns bottles again as dd1 had them. I'm on my second day of using them now and still think they're ace. Infacol seems to be helping too but didn't help at all last time.

My mum is here cleaning the floors at the moment, she's great.

Yes please Spotty, DP would do it badly but he's gone back to working 6 days a week so I'd feel guilty making him while I'm off

Rant alert:

Before Christmas I phoned the try and make an appointment for ds' hip scan. The woman was having problems with her computer and after being on hold for ten minutes I hung up (I know it was this long as I looked at the phone and the entire call was 12 minutes).

I tried calling again on New Year's Eve- no answer.

Tried this morning no answer.

Just called and the woman answered said the appointment had been made for tomorrow afternoon. I said I couldn't make it at such short notice and explained about first phone call. She told me I wouldn't have been on hold for ten minutes (so called me a liar) and that they wouldn't have made the appointment without telling me. She then wanted to know why I couldn't make it at such short notice and I said I have an appointment for postnatal in the morning, a five week old and two year old and I live forty minutes away. Got a new appointment in the end but she was just so rude I'm so angry

Welcome back Bubbless, you were missed!

Spotty that's a pile of shit, when is the next appointment? Our trust switch board is as equally crap, they cut me off all the time!

F seems so sleepy today, but every time I put him down he bellows his heart out, smacks his lips for a feed then falls asleep again after 5mins of feeding! Silly baby!

It's not for three weeks and then she was moaning at me because they like to do it between four and six weeks and he'll be nine then!

Ds has been asleep all day too probably have a bad night now!

My poor little man has suddenly stated being sick after fond of his feeds. He is nearly 3 weeks old and hasn't been doing this at all up to now. He also seems to be getting bad wind now and jeeps pulling his knees up to his tummy. I am going to try him on Infacol. Does anyone have any other advice?

Dp's coming out tonight :o

We'll stay at MILs tonight and bimble home tomorrow

FoD, my little one almost never burps after feeds and she gets grunty and strains trying to fart/poo. There are some good YouTube videos on other techniques to bring out the wind from the back end - ill have a look and post the one I have copied. Cycling legs doesn't really work for her but some of the other ones do. Ill be back...

Great news pidj!!

I agree FoD, baby massage could work. It is about 2-4 weeks that they start being such if they're going to be sicky

Fab news pidj.

Good news from here, T was weighed today and has put on 7.5oz in 5 days so maybe I can start to relax a bit about the bfing and stopping the top ups.

Meant to say now past her birth weight and signed off by midwife. Hooray! She's 15 days now.

Great news pidj

Well we've have a lovely day. Ds has fed, slept and played at regular intervals. We went to a friends house this afternoon, 15 min walk with dcs walking and Ethan in the sling. Just got back, Ethan's eating again and the big dcs are getting ready for bed. If every day could be this easy I'd be greatful!

Great news pidj

Well done wl and T

I'm pretty sure I'm breaking all the rules with Lily, I can't lay down feeding so I make a nest, I've shoved my bed against the wall and have 3 huge pillows behind and each side of me and 'big dave' the pregnancy pillow wrapped around my front so I can feed her sat up almost and even if my arms moved she wouldn't, not that that they do, I wake in the exact posistion I go to sleep in, even down to my phone in one hand, and that's how we sleep, she cluster feeds all evening and settles between 11.30-12.30, sleeps until 3-4ish, 20/30min feed and sleeps until 7.30ish, quick feed again and slept until 11.20 today, thank goodness dp is here to help with our big two as today I just slept with her.

I'm hoping once the big ones are back at school I can shape her routine more and at 4-6wks ill focus on settling her in the hammock every time as such, now I try and if she doesn't want to so be it.

Wonderful news, Pidj! I'm afraid I haven't been keeping up with your other thread - is he going to be getting outpatient or community rehab?

FoD, this is the video I use. Often the one where you squeeze opposite shoulder and knee together gets a good toot out!

This afternoon I put little C in the wrap sling I made - similar to a Moby. She's still in it now and seems happy enough (a good burp - and nappy filled too) although she resists having her head tucked in, and wants to lurch around looking at everything. She fell asleep eventually. I quite like wearing it, but might wear the more structured Ergobaby when we're out and about.

That's brilliant news Pidj, did you say you were expressing so your dp can feed R?

I expressed today for the first time in 2wks, my supply had definitely gone up! Going to buy freezing bags tomo in prep for leaving F with his grandparents, just need reminding to express, buy the time I finish feeding him I'm too exhausted to start expressing!

Welcome back bubless glad you are looking forward to the arrival of your daughter :)

pidg such good news really happy for you

Am i right in thinking that now ds is 2 weeks old i don't have to worry if he doesn't want to feed every 2 hours and i can just feed on demand?