October 2012 babies - over here nobbers!

[Smorgs]

This really will be the thread where all our babies start sleeping through the night... right?!

Feeding again. Sorry not to name check anyone. Hope you are all having a better day than me.

Cherry, poor you it's hard when you can't put them down and they won't sleep. Sounds like my world so can offer you heaps of sympathy. ((hugs)).

Having said that, sleep getting better here, she's getting more in the daytime and seems happier for it. she slept for 7hours last night again. Lovely for her! I automatically woke up at 2 to feed her then spent the next 2hours wondering if her noises and movement meant she was waking up (they didn't and she wasn't) and whether I should just wake her to feed her anyway since I was awake and it might mean she's sleep for longer afterwards. Then I fell asleep and woke up at 7as she did. Then gave her Colief mixed with (what I realised afterwards was) gone-off breastmilk and fed her and promptly ended up covered in all the milk from the feed... both sides. Nice!

Pelvic floor! (just testing, smile4me )

First-time, thanks will try those tips next time I use stroller. Huffle, straps probably too loose here too but she's pretty much laid down so we figured she wasn't going to go anywhere.

Arrgh, so many posts! We are such nobbing chatterboxes. Just to answer 2 quick questions-

shellwedance hey! I haven't had any leaking when running but I do feel very "heavy" sometimes, like things are dropping down, when running, which frankly alarms me. I do a LOT of pelvic floor exercises! I try to do them every time I bf, and any other time I am reminded. Running is unfortunately pretty hard on the pelvic floor. I can only advise to do as many pf exercises as you can bear to, and take it all slowly. I did a lot of walking/running intervals before I got into running proper.

smile and wantanorange thank you so much for cloth nappy reassurance, I just need a bit of handholding I think! Yesterday was a good day with no leaks, and I also went out for a walk, coffee, feed and 2 changes with reusables and no leakage. I will make sure I change every 2 hrs minimum, and I have ordered some bamboo inserts. I am currently using microfibre, so a combo sounds perfect for me to try. thanks!
yomping good luck with it too!

huffle i think i was supposed to have one but ive still not heard anything. have got a physio appt today though

and as for a 6 week check at the doctors i wont even be offered a smear test, because im under 25. regardless of the fact that i have had a child. so ridculous. but thats next week.

cherry i hope your day improves. he will probably go back to normal tomorrow. This too will pass!

zara with regards to being eco-friendly/pro-natural birth/etc, it doesn't make you a hypocrite at all, giving birth and looking after a baby are just bloody hard work and I think ANYTHING you can do is a bonus, rather than we all "should" be doing certain things. I meant to use my reusable nappies from birth but couldn't get my head around the idea be arsed until 3 months. And as for natural birth, well I had what was on paper a good birth, but I have to say, after 30 fucking hours of labour, I have ABSOLUTE sympathy with anyone who wants an ELCS! (My boyfriend is a big fan of home births now , I think he felt very safe and looked after and liked that he could contribute more than in hospital (making food, tidying etc) and keeps saying how he wants a second kid at home too, and I'm like.. yeah... or I could go to hospital and have an epidural...hmm!!) All this crap is hard enough without the ridiculous guilt trips that come with it.

I know I am an idiot and beat myself up about all sorts of things, but generally not motherhood - it's tough and everyone here is doing their best!

Sorry if that was a bit of a garbled train of thought, but I wish people wouldn't make it a "statement" using cloth nappies or how high and mighty some people can get about bf etc (no one on this thread, but you know the type) - we should all be more supportive of each other!!

oh and RE gunk. dd gets this in her hands, armpits and in her.neck. WTF is it?! its not like she's dirty or anything!!!!

smileyhappymummy you are amazing for managing to go to work! (let alone babysitting)
I plan to go back part time when I do and am very nervous about it. How do you make the transition from facepainting one day to rushing around the wards on the next (I know you're a GP, but same principle!)? It just seems like it would be very surreal...
Anyway been thinking about you a lot and hope you're not finding it too hard being away from your little one. Finding clothes that fit, aren't covered in vomit, and not promptly leaking milk all over them is an achievement in itself!!!

2quick questions: does anyone else worry about damaging their baby by picking them up under the arms? Just seems like a lot of weight for tiny shoulder joints to bear .

Also, those who are getting back into running, what sports bras are you using? I went out for a run this morning and had to hold my boobs for most of it, the industrial looking high impact sports bras that I tried on in M&S before buying just couldn't stop the bouncing! I've gone from a C to an E/F so am not used to bouncing at all and I'm sure it's not good.The running was great though, feel so good for having done some proper exercise.

Mini yomping needs to be renamed maxi yomping... 11 and a half weeks and 14lbs 3. My back hurts.

yomping
cheap and excellent - well you're not going to be that size forever are you, so I was reluctant to spend a lot. Hope they have your size.

I have gone from DD to F and have managed fine with that bra

Walked to the health station in the fog this morning & got the vaccinations . She seems ok now but very sleepy. Have some liquid paracetamol on standby for tonight as have been told to potentially expect a fever :(. Just kind of want to sit & watch her all day...
She had 2; one was pneumococcal disease & the other was a 5-in-1 for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio & Hib. How does that compare with the UK?

Feel better hearing of other sweaty babies. mickey - yes to the gunk but don't know what it is. Was embarrassed at the hospital in the earlier days when they found a roll of gunk in her armpit & said 'you might want to wash this off in the bath...' and gave me that 'what kind of mother are you?' look. I was a bit mortified. I had never spotted it in the bath as her armpits were always clamped down so tight & my 'finger washing' there clearly hadn't been enough to dislodge it .

smile that's awful! Can totally understand how upsetting that must have been.

londonmrs - sorry your DH is being a nobber. The days when mine is it makes life seem 100% more stressful.

firsttime nightmare! Sounds like something I'd do! Call it a trial run ;)

Guess I'm mostly so strung out about my post-natal check 'cos my post c-section belly still feels so uncomfortable & I'm supposed to have been re-checked for diabetes after my GD. Paranoid I may still have it & will be a bit devastated if I do.

OK going to attempt a proper catch up - DS sleeping, second mammoth nap of the day

Firstly, three cheers for Fjord and your huge catch up! Don't feel guilty for saying how well your DD is sleeping, you had such a hard time at the start you deserve some good times! I keep trying to remember that although Smorglet doesn't sleep through, I have been very lucky that my birth was ok breastfeeding hasn't been too much trouble. Your vaccinations sound similar to France, although they offered us Hep B too which I accepted.

October we have the Phil & Ted's Sport double buggy (planning ahead). Tey don't make that model anymore, it changed to the Explorer and now I think there is a new one, but I can recommend it. Quite heavy and bulky but great if you go off road, which we do a lot. I got it second hand with doubles kit, rain cover and carry cot for about ?200 but I think that's because they aren't that popular in France. In the UK I know they hold their value on eBay quite well, so good if you want to sell on afterwards.

Orenishi I wouldn't pay too much attention to your DS's weight, he sounds like mine - quite long and thin. They're all different. Weighing once a week sounds a bit much at this stage, they did that at the start out here but now it's only once a month, and the French are obsessed with weight!

Londonmrss Quel désastre! And French engineers are normally so good I know what you mean about that feeling of being away from your child - I went swimming on Saturday and felt bereft the whole hour. Go for it though, I'm sure you will feel good in the end.

THE ORC HAS AWOKEN... BUT MY COMPUTER TABLE IS BOOB HEIGHT - RESULT! oops caps lock.

elpis laughing at your glasses moment. to be fair, I did stuff like that before pregnancy. I've been trying your fenugreek tea tip to up supply as I felt I wasn't producing enough. Tried to pump the other day and produced nothing, but maybe i wasn't in the right mood? Using old seeds from my spice rack, how long before you see a result usually?

huffle glad your pump has arrived at last.

squidI'm thinking of going to reusable too, the price of nappies out here is

zara I'm totally the same, was all pro natural child birth and now rabbit on about amazing epidurals to anyone who will listen.

firsttime at your calf

cherry hope your day improved. I've had ones like that, they're the worst. Remember it will only last a day or two and it's just a phase. Sometimes I think they just wake up in a bad mood, like us. I take DS out for a walk when he's like that.

Yomping Can you do a pelvic floor reminder like that every day please?! I agree re. shoulder joint, esp as they are really supple at this age. My cousin dislocated both his daughters shoulders by swinging her round by the arms. He was mortified, but the casualty docs said it was fairly common up to a certain age - she was 3 at the time I think? Anyway, I shouldn't be spreading scare stories sorry! Problem is if I try to pick him up with one hand behind the neck and one under bum I almost drop him.

What do you guys do at home with your babies? We've got going for walks down, and we'e started baby pilates and massage this week.

I'm ashamed to admit it but when she's awake I just don't know what to do with her. I coo at her a bit, but that doesn't last to two hours she's awake she's ten weeks now. Not really interested in toys or books.

Please help! I feel like I'm shit at this looking after babies thing

Ha! Using swingy chair for the first time, big hit. Although it is pink and flowery as inherited from a friend with a girl. He doesn't seem to mind.

So our trip to baby cinema yesterday was interesting. He was the only baby! The rest of the cinema goers were all middle aged, art-house cinema types who did not seem too impressed to see a baby! The lights were totally out so couldn't really see to breastfeed and the sound did not seem to be turned down, luckily it wasn't a very noisy film though. Smorglet started crying a little bit as I bought the ticket and the man said: "You'll have to calm him down before you go in." Which was just the spirit I thought You don't realise how noisy breasfeeding is until you do it while watching a fairly quiet film with a load of non-baby people.

Woke up the other morning as Smorglet was coughing and gurgling awake and thought I would leave him until properly awake, but suddenly his sounds changed and he seemed to be struggling to breath so leapt out of bed, lights on, only to find the blanket was totally covering his head. It was a knitted one my mum made and has lots of little holes in the design, but still he was definitely struggling to breath. It was scary. Anyway, we are now using grobags that were previously too big for him.

I'm also thinking of changing to reusable nappies and have found a company out here who will let you try before you buy, and I think even wash them for you if you pay a bit more? I mainly want to because nappies are so expensive out here, but also for environmental reasons. However can't find definitive answer as to whether they are 'greener'? France incinerates most of its rubbish, so disposables wouldn't go into landfill, but 80% of power is from nuclear, so washing wouldn't be using up fossil fuels, but still good not to use too much energy right? But then the energy and resources used to make the disposables.... gah!

Our bedtime routine currently goes; bath, feed and songs in bedroom with lights low then bounce on the bloody Swiss ball until asleep and put down in Moses basket. However, we are trying to wean off the Swiss ball as it really hurts our backs and want him to learn it's ok to go down in the Moses basket awake and nod off by himself with a bit of rocking. Going ok so far, just bouncing a bit on the ball until he is calm/almost asleep and then transfer to basket.

Anyone else noticed foods are getting shorter? Before they could last 40 minutes sometimes, but now he's often done in 10.

And lastly, I need my wisdom teeth out. If I have a GA will I need to pump and dump? Anyone had experience of having them out under local?

hey bora i remember feeling exactly like that a few weeks ago! it helps when their feeding/napping gets more predictable.

i usually do 2 "playtime" sessions a day about an hour each. I put her on the sheepskin rug i have and strip her down to her nappy. I tickle, massage, etc. We do tummy time. I hold her up to the mirror she loves that (arrogant! ) I put on music and sing her songs (this is her favourite even though i have awful singing voice). I help her to feel different textures etc with baby books. I talk to her and kiss her a lot (she opens her mouth as if to kiss me back, it's so cute). Er... that's about it. I kind of made all that up.

If i'm too tired or need to do other bits or drink tea I put her in bouncy chair or play gym and these days when fed and rested she's happy there for 30-40 mins.

hope some of that helps! I find putting her on the rug and deciding it's playtime makes me feel less stupid, lol

BoraBora Yes sometimes I struggle to know what to do. I don't want him to feel abandoned on the playmat, so tend to shake the toys for him, tickle, kiss etc. I also sing a lot of nursery rhymes to him - pattacake pattacake, row row row your boat, twinkle twinkle, Frere Jaques... and a weird song my big sis used to sing to be about prunes being wrinkled?!

Thanks Yomping, I know I really shouldn't complain when others have to deal with it every day and he's normally quite easy-going - sorry. It just goes to show, I would never be able to cope if my baby had colic or something (fingers crossed, touch wood, god forbid etc. etc. )
And DH and I were just talking yesterday about the armpit thing (Great minds). It doesn't seem to bother DS, but does seem a bit wrong. Often no other way to do it though.

Speaking of armpits, I have yet to find any scum under there, because I've never really looked tbh. I shall go on a bit of an expedition tomorrow, I think.

My day didn't get better Smorgs, but it's over now and he is passed out in bed. Tomorrow's another day!
Pelvic floor!

One good thing about today - my M&S delivery came. Loads of cute clothes for DS. But their sizes are huuuuuge! He'll be wearing winter clothes in August at this rate.

Fjord, Jabs here are Hib, pneumococcus, BCG, hep B and then diphtheria, polio, pertussis, tetanus as a 4 in 1. They also offer Rota virus (sp?) which I think is unnecessary, but DH wants it costs a fortune

Bora on a good day DS spends a lot of time on his baby gym, he loves it. Other than that I put him on my legs and chat to him a lot, sing nursery rhymes with actions and make up most of it cos I've forgotten. If that doesn't take him to nap/next feed we might put music TV or the iPod on and have a bit of a dance! I read to him too, but have to do that while he's feeding because he doesn't like to sit quietly. If that's not enough, I feed early!

I can't go to the gym either Livvy, or for a run or a swim as I also have no one to babysit. Could do weekends, but that's not really enough and I'd rather spend it as family time. I don't know what I'm going to do.

Soooo jealous of all your baby massage, yoga, Pilates, cinema etc. they have NOTHING here.
I did find some mum & baby yoga (miles away), but it costs about £25 an hour!!! Is this normal?
Baby swimming doesn't start til 6 months at my pool .
I think I'm going to write to the cinemas and suggest baby-friendly showings, because none of them do it. I might start a petition
But I AM finally going to the mothers' group on Saturday.

Really sorry about your poor calf Smile

Thank you, that is helpful. I guess we don't have any structure so it throws me a bit! I'm fine with the "practical" stuff, but I feel I need to entertain her all the time. I'm sure that's silly though as ill probably end up overstimulating her! I also feel guilty when I'm not prancing around in front of her! Gah!

Squid, DS loves kisses, and "kisses" me back by opening his mouth too! Sooo cute, our favorite game!

Wow Cherry! My baby Pilates class is £6 per hour, and that's in rip off London!

I could cry Bora