March 2013: Smiles, sleep & excellent feeding.....the thread of wishful thinking!

[SoYo]

Well we may as well start the thread on a positive note before the grumbling about the little darlings begins!!!

Leni - there is nothing wrong with your milk. Unless you've been main-lining asparagus that is, in which case it might have a certain tang, but even then it would be nectar to a baby. If he's thrashing about he has in his mind a problem - probably a wind problem. Madam here can do a fair amount of thrashing when she isn't actually hungry though, just over tired, so frantically sucks for comfort and then kicks about as too full. She usually finishes off this little routine by puking the excess on me. I've learnt the hard way to close the milk bar in these circumstances and take her for a pace around the house to calm her down.

That said, I have heard of some babies refusing the boob as too hard work once they've discovered the fast feeding joy that is bottles. Maybe there's a bit of that going on.

Probably a good place for me too stop waffling, given when it comes to all things baby I have at worst no clue and at best less clue than everyone else

Gorgeous sunny day here, and her ladyship has just napped for 90mins in her pram. This is a cause for celebration. Even more cause, I have found a baby sitter so tonight am going out to dinner. A proper meal unaccompanied by any form of small person either latched on or grizzling.

Right, we're home. Friday was rather unexpected and quite distressing as seemed a bit of an overreaction, but we have been in for monitoring and assessment. Three hourly feeds with formula top up, and me expressing in between. He's gained 175.5g (over 3oz) in 36 hours so they have let us out. All bloods and urine were ok. We have to use different teats on the bottles for topping up which are less hard work for him (seems he's too lazy to work for it if not actually ravenous) and I will be in touch with the feeding coordinator tomorrow about the plan to keep us on track going forward, and hopefully how to try and reduce top ups again over time if possible, but it may not be. Seems that my supply was at fault as quantity of nursing hasn't changed despite routine change, may have been caused by stress, but poss just never going to get there which is sad, however, for now he is still getting milk from me and it all helps I guess. The final encouragement for them to release us was an outbreak of rotavirus on the ward. Staff were amazing trying to keep us clear, and fx so far so good.

We are home too pundat. 2 hour drive with both kiddies on my own and LO slept the whole way thank god! Here's to no more illness and some rest!

Great news Eig. It's such a relief isn't it? Can't imagine how you coped with 2 hourly feeding. The 3 hourly has left me exhausted with the expressing too, and I don't have another LO requiring attention! Hear hear to weight gain and healthy babies!

Eig and pud. Glad to hear you are home. Cant imagine what both of you are going through. Sending virtual hugs.

Eig and Pud - you're doing amazingly. Not sure I could handle being back in hospital now fx for both.

Wors i think he is lazy - we spend ages snacking basically, not really getting a proper amount down, so not sure how to remedy it. Weird because for a while he was fine with just one bottle a day.

Tried to go to a pub close by earlier with a friend, stupidly took the stretchy wrap instead of the carrier because I thought he be ok in the buggy. DS kicked off as soon as we arrived and I had to wrap him, and then stand bouncing him the entire time , couldn't get him settled enough to put him back in the buggy so had to carry him home in the wrap, which now doesn't hold fatty in position! My back is so sore annoying because it's so comfy to wear. So far bought four slings!

It's nice to get back on here to some good news from Eig and pud! Interesting weekend here- journey to the West Country was great, apart from phone call halfway there from person we're staying with cancelling. Thank god for smart phone- hotel booked within 5 mins and journey continues. Lovely weekend had by all (was a reunion of uni friends) then on the way back dd suddenly decided, in a very loud way, that she no longer likes cars. Apart from the odd 10 minute nap to recharge, she screamed the whole way- 4 hrs in total. Initially I was stopping at every services to calm her down, feed her, check her, and try to get her to sleep, but realised we were prolonging the agony so did the last hour and a half straight. Needless to say I am a broken woman with an exhausted baby.

We're weighing in tomorrow for the first time in a while, a little worried myself as her poos are getting increasingly green and her spine is feeling seriously bony. Fx it's just usual mummy paranoia, am I right in thinking the poo colour thing isn't quite as cut and dry if you're mix feeding? (Although she has max 5oz formula a day, rest is boob)

Agree re: mam bottles but do be careful, they leak quite easily, having looked online it seems really important that they don't come into contact with boiling water too often (steam seems fine?) some people talk about making up formula in other bottles and transferring in- although I think the tears fit in the original avent bottles (not the natural ones, typical as that's what we've got)

Go MiniPud and BabyEig! So glad everyone's in their rightful place now.

Vj I believe Leni had the hot water knackers mam bottles early on. I got very pissed off with then the first time I used them as try leaked everywhere but I've since learned to leave the water in the kettle for 15 mins while I clean/sterilise everything. Not an issue for DS as I make up five bottles every morning and pop them in the fridge. bad mother! I also microwave them to body temperature, do you think I can expect a visit from SS any day now?

Green poo...I am expecting the bfers to come on and mention foremilk/hindmilk, although this was a problem we had when we gave DS sma. If your LO has dropped a few centimes the hv may have some tips, providing you've not got one that's as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Somehow DS did 7.30pm to 6am. I'm sure it was a fluke and will never happen again but I was rejoicing all morning. I've been really worried about his sleep as we're leaving him with my mum on Saturday night so we can go to a wedding. I don't know how I'll be able to socialise with adults that don't give a crap about babies. What is there to discuss if not nappies, travel cots and pushchairs?!

Also dp and I have been discussing weaning. He's of the impression that we'll only need a highchair, because the tiny bibs we use for ff, the ones that cover an entire four inches, will be protection enough. And apparently only badly behaved babies throw their mushed up food about so we don't need anything to protect the landlords lovely carpet. I'm so tempted Togo back to work and let dp handle weaning...

Typos aplenty there. We're in Togo now...bogland was crap.

Leaky bottles... I had a mad morning of screaming DS and during the melee forgot to put the vacuum bit into the Dr Brown bottle so it leaked all the valuable BM everywhere. I proceeded to stick various combinations of teat on and decided all our bottles had simultaneously broken. Later I asked OH to check them and he straight away asked if I'd put the vacuum part in... What a twat I am!

But the Mam ones really did leak.

plonko you can probably manage with very little for weaning. Throw a tablecloth under the chair to catch all the bits, and you can tie a muslin round his neck for a bib. He will still manage to get bolognese in his ears though, I'm warning you now.

I went to bed two hours ago yet am still not asleep. Stupid insomnia!

Vj, green poo can be an indicator of various things, and Plonko is right to mention foremilk and hind milk as one thing it can be a symptom of is too much of the former in relation to the latter - solution, make sure you empty one breast before offering the other.Can also be a sign of lactose intolerance. Any other symptoms?

Here's a thing for the bfers out there... I have been having to really work on DS latch again recently as he's got a bit lazy. Anyone else find they know when it's right cos they can feel it in their shoulder blade? Very odd referred sensation.

Weaning... That will be one for DH as I go back to work at 6 months and he takes over...

Glad you're both home safely Pud & Eig - Pud I get the shoulder blade thing too but thought it was just my wired, knackered anatomy!

We've had some form of miraculous night which I'm sure wont be repeated for months. Madam went down after ridiculous mega screaming fit when bad mummy left it too long after tired cues at 9.45 & has just woken up. That's 7 hours! She wasn't even crying now but my boobs are absolute agony & have woken me up every hour for past 3hrs! Now feeding from the first & I'm concerned the other might actually pop.

So what are the chances she'll go a couple more hours after this feed? Slim right? I need to make the most of this now because its jabs day here so cue a very unsettled few days!

You never know Soyo, DS normally has at least another hour after waking from a long stretch

Have you all seen this?

farm1.static.flickr.com/1/35985_31dc201cd4.jpg?v=0

Green poo - we had it when adding formula or changing the ratio of formula to BM. Still have the odd green skid mark! I was told the odd one is pretty normal, but if it carries on then stick to one boob at a time as people have said.

I'm so excited - going to Richard Herring's Leicester Sq Theatre Podcast tonight and the guest is Stephen Fry!!!

Yes Stormy my shopping list was highchair, mess mat, more muslins, plastic spoon and bowl.

Apparently only naughty babies make mess

In weaning my advice would be plastic wipe clean catch the bit bibs. Here the tommie tipper ones are good. We had two, the cloth ones are a but rubbish with food! Muslins work too put be prepared for lots of washing. The annabel karmel book of baby recipes is great as it also had suggested times and routines to introduce feeds and then slowly move to three meals a day. Buy it so worth it. I have dusted mine off. For those with bigger budgets a baby cook is fab as you can steam cook everything and then blend it to a super purée that babies love. We still use ours now for fruit for our three year old. If you have a well equipped kitchen you probably don't need it but it makes stuff so easy!

soyo we have the vaccines tomorrow. Let me know how you go. I thought they would suggest delaying a week but as chest clear they are advising go ahead. My memory is 12 weeks was worst as babies immune system mounts a defence this time so more likely to get a temperature etc.

worse how was dinner!

Yes Worse tell me you dragged it out to five courses and two bottles of wine!

Eig good tips, I'll have a look into it. Am also planning to get an extra couple of ice cube trays to freeze baby mush. It's great that dd is considered well enough to have her jabs, must be so reassuring for you that it's not set her back any. On the other hand I guess it means more fussy poorly baby when you're already overdue a good break!

We've got jabs on Wednesday, really not looking forward to it. Calpol at the ready again (though we didn't newsboy last time). Is baby nurofen any good?

Leni

Good mornining ladies and babies!

After 2 great nights of sleeping from 10pm til 4.30am we went back a step. Ds woke up from his own farts. Nice!

Im getting ready for baby massage session. Worried i might have to massage my pfb in chip fat especially as i plan to go out in the afternoon to show him off to some friends.

soyo and pud i had problems a week ago with pain in my shoulder. I blame the pushchair.

We have jabs on wednesday too. This time dh is coming as well. I think dh will faint when he hears how much ds screams after jabs.

Re: weaning. Are you all going to follow the 6month recommendation to start or try baby rice etc abit earlier? My Dm is horrified of waiting til 6months. I cant wait for this stage. It will be a time to get the camera ready to capture the messy faces.

Re: baby massage. Ds will be due a feed and a nap during the session. Agh this is going to be another challenge.

Seven hours, SoYo? Give miniSoYo a high five from me. Did she go back to sleep at all? Mine did; fed her at 6.30 because she woke up, told her to go back to sleep, and she did until 8.30. I definitely needed that lie in.

leni if you could see your way to kidnapping Stephen for me I'd be much obliged.

plonko I think your bloke's got some strange ideas about just how capable babies are. It's not that they're deliberately messy (at least, not all the time). I remember with my younger niece, she used to rub her ears when she was tired. If she was tired during a mealtime, that meant food in her ears. And sometimes she'd have food in both hands, and be so interested in one hand that she'd forget what was in the other and drop it (whereupon the cats would swoop in). No actual naughtiness but a lot of mess nonetheless.

KFF DD woke herself up farting at 1.45. Daft child! Looking forward to when she's mobile and can work her own farts out during the day.

Jabs on Wednesday for us too. Just the first ones, as we're running a month late on them.

Baby rice? Not bothering with that. I seem to recall reading somewhere that it's basically just empty carbs, and gets kids into the habit of filling up on such things, which isn't the best thing in the world given how easy it is to gain weight in our society. As for when we'll wean? When DD moves from staring at my bananas to trying to steal them she'll probably be allowed to try one.

Stormy I think he's terrified of mess and dirt, so the notion that our baby will create a crapload of mess is beyond his comprehension. Have directed him to his mother in the hopes that she might talk sense to him.

Nah I'm not convinced by baby rice when fruit and veggies are tastier and good for you. Being that I've cut processed grains out of my diet on the basis that we're not evolved to eat them, I'm not going to jump at the opportunity to give them to DS. Oh bugger, I'm going to be one of those weird food mums aren't I? We'll wean when he shows outward signs of being ready.

KF whenever we have bedtime issues its always due to farting. Can't wait until he's crawling and can propel them out if his body with little to no fuss.

Oh, you're going the paleo route, plonko? How's it working out so far? DD will still be getting some processed grains, because toast is good. And small children tend to gravitate towards high-energy food (hence their ridiculous sweet teeth) because they need the energy to grow, so you might find a solely foliage-based diet doesn't go down too well. Sugar = high energy, hence they like sweet stuff rather than vegetables.

Health visitor due at some point in the next two hours to see how feeding's going. Fortunately it's going better than it was a few weeks ago. This child still isn't particularly interested in milk though. She'd much rather be standing up all the time and having her dad blow raspberries on her stomach. I need to learn how to blow raspberries too (lip ring gets in the way) cos she loves them.

He can have pasta and rice, because daddy has them. I have gone down the paleo route yep, but that's obviously way easier for me to stick to when I cook all my own meals. But I still have dairy and small portions of beans. It's going pretty well, I've lost an inch off my waist so far and the carb flu's not knocked me too badly.

How's DD's milk intake these days Stormy? I bet you'd be relieved if she grabbed your narna! And speaking of facial piercings - the face grabbing phase has started, so it may be the end of the nose stud.