The 5th Gemini luxury bus - the one with babies!

[FrustratedSycamoresRocks]

As we have all our gorgeous babies now, welcome aboad the 5th Gemini bus.

Drinks and previously banned foods supplied in bulk, Car seats installed, slings and prams at the ready, as we head into parenthood, and all the excitement, and sleepless nights our little ones will bring along the way.

So, after yesterday's turmoil, I had a long chat with my Lactation Consultant. She didn't think it was Reynauds either, as it would be a very odd thing to come on in this heat (it's a circulatory problem that manifests itself in cold hands and feet and is far worse in cold weather!). She thinks it is far more likely to be a 'Bleb' or blockage in my nipple. So I have spent the day attached to a hospital grade breast pump and my boob isn't hard anymore, the white patch is still there but the nipple area hurts much less. My mum came over to help and Nora has been a text book baby, took the bottle of expressed milk really well and is snoozing happily in the sling again. She's mostly slept today, which I think is good in this heat.

Ive been re-reading our threads today and been really grateful for them and all the advise and support we've shared along the way. We all have out challenges and our joys!

Ps. AGnu, who are you? I'm easily confused in this state!

it is so hot today. Went to take ds to visit family.

Ouch lib I hope your nip gets sorted soon.

Lib that sounds like great progress. Hope it clears things up for you.

I know what you mean about these threads. I've found them so valuable, reassuring and friendly.

I'm really disappointed with my Tommee Tippee sensor monitor. The night time picture on the screen is rubbish. I can barely see baby

Lib I immediately thought of a bleb when you mentioned a white spot on your nipple. Major ouch! If it's not clearing after pumping check out this protocol to help it pass: kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/nipplebleb/

Oh man, I remember the days when DS1 was 19 months and DS2 was a whopping 1 month old and trying to contain the chaos. I've been there Agnu and Kitty!! The little monsters will try anything when you've got your back turned when they're that age.

So sorry to hear about your dh troubles kitty Sounds infuriating! They can be the most clueless creatures at times.

M made her first appearance in the midwifery community today during a midwifery meeting and got lots of cuddles from many lovely ladies. It was so nice to be around friends and colleagues again!

Can anyone recommend a good thermometer? I was going to get the Tomee Tippee but after being so disappointed by the video monitor I'm having second thoughts about the brand!

I'm sorry to hear your monitor isn't great pear, I don't have the tv one so couldn't tell you if there's anything you could do or it's faulty etc Ive always been pleased with mine but I've only had experience with the mat and standard monitor one, could you email them and see what they say? It might be worth it even if they just give you some tips or money back?
We had a mixed night, the start was horrendous, dd2 hadn't slept well yesterday and was over tired and at night nothing would placate her, she point blank refused a bottle and got herself worked up, then was sick, then seemed gripey, she ended up seeming to enjoy some water though so maybe just really dehydrated , I think we got her off about 8:30 then she slept til 5 which was great but I didn't bother to express at 10 as I'd fed her and that was a mistake! From 4 I've been leaking everywhere then I just managed to get about 30 mins more sleep til dd1 has woken at 6:30 and I have to sort her as dh was at work til 4 abit irritated as what should have been a good nights sleep was abit crap with the heat and leakage

Kitty ~ 8:30 till 5am!! No sympathy for you Thats easily 8 hrs sleep for you. Arrrghh can we swap?

Oh OK 7 hours if you woke up at 4. I bet you didn't run to bed at 9pm though did you?

After a lot of persuasion and rocking baby pear finally went to sleep at 11pm and woke up at 3am but refused to go back to sleep

A couple of friends have been posting pics of their Gro-egg thermometers as its so hot. It looks cute and seems to work fine, you ciuid try one of those Pear.

I am in the bath...alone. I love Daddy mornings!

No a body temp thermometer Lib

We have a cheap digital one pear (runs of hearing aid batteries, and we have plenty of those) but I might be tempted to spend the money on a in-the-ear one just for ease.

No pear I didn't go to bed to 10, after dd2 went to sleep ( it might have been neerer 9 in just a nappy her room was over 30 ) dd1 woke up with her pillow wet through poor mite, I went to bed at 10, your night sounds worse though

I'm really loosing my patience today. Baby Pear keeps falling asleep on me so I've tried putting him down 4x now but he wakes every time...grrrrrrr! I'm exhausted

It's ok kitty I'm just jealous I will complain about my monitor, you're right about that!

My ds has been plonked on a beanbag pear Useful as it keeps him in the same position.

Hah hah Frus that's a good one

Sounds like we all had pretty awful nights! I didn't get to bed until 1am due to DH faffing & my breasts deciding they did not want me expressing. I've not yet got around to ordering more nursing bras that fit so I had to squish myself into a too-small night bra while my nursing bra was in the wash. I woke up at 3am feeling cold, shivery & dizzy so made myself drink some water & put several blankets on the bed. I fed DS2 & went back to sleep. Of course I then woke up a couple of hours later absolutely boiling with a thumping headache & convinced I had the m-word thanks to the poorly fitting bra. I had to take pain killers just to be able to get out of bed! I seem to be ok-ish now though, although I have slept all afternoon & could quite happily go back to sleep again now! I doubt I had more than 2 hours sleep max last night & it had nothing to do with the children!

Agnu fx it isn't m. I feel like that in the mornings sometimes, and my joints hurt so so much. But have discovered that its worse if I'm dehydrated.

Can I gush please? I'm still totally loved up with my baby boy. Seriously he can do no wrong. He's such a good boy, even when he's whinging and keeping me up. I am one loved up gushy mummy.

Ah that's nice Frus

Baby pear won't settle. He went down in his crib 4x and then woke up each time. Do you think this is injection related? He's been so unsettled all day. Perhaps it is his reflux causing the problem. I wish someone had told me to keep using the dummy and bottle and that it doesn't interfere with breast feeding...that's just a pack of confusing lies

Could still be injection related pear. It's not unusual for them to be uber clingy koalas for a day or so.

The dummy/bottle/bf debate is confusing and conflicting. My dds both had dummies and bottles from an early age. Dd1 was a week or so and I had enough of the comfort sucking used to dribble it out her mouth and soak me and dd2 had a dummy within days. they could certainly tell which supplied milk, and i bf dd1 to 18mths, so it can't have confused her that much.

I don't know what to suggest for not settling pear sorry

I've found that sometimes when M sleeps most of the day or sleeps a long stretch at night, she's much more clingy and wants to nurse all the time the next day. Sometimes they are just more unsettled and don't want to be put down when they're feeling uncomfortable too. You're the thing that he knows will help him feel better! Hang in there mama, he'll be back to his old sweet self soon.

Re: dummies, I just tell mums to wait to introduce them until they feel like they and baby have gotten the hang of a good latch, which is usually at around a week or so. Bottles- the recommendation is around 6 weeks when your milk supply is established and baby is able to distinguish between the two different types of sucking that come with breast vs bottle.

Awww frus I LOVE IT! These little creatures really are the best. I love babyhood so much! Please, please keep gushing about your cutie!

Pear did he have a dummy at the beginning at all? You could try it again now although my dd1 would never have one and in a way your past the hardest weeks where they are really handy, do you try and put him down while he's allready asleep on you or when he's awake?

Oooh I love a good gush! My baby is so cute, I love the bones of her, and her bright beady eye when she wakes, like a blackbird, and the way she snuggles in close, such a tiny, helpless little kitten!

I took her into town last night to a live relayed screening of Macbeth. Kenneth Branagh was incredible,but totally out-performed by Alex Kingston as Lady Macbeth. There were 5000 people there and my little star of a daughter snoozed happily in her sling throughout. I left before the end as it was getting a little chilly and I was feeling tense about the logistics of feeding her, but I'm so chuffed we ventured out and were part of it!

Nursing is getting much better (which made going out a possibility). I have the most awesome, hospital grade pump and N takes a bottle beautifully off DH, so my nipples are getting a rest but we've not had to give up.on feeding. I love expressing, but makes me feel a lot like a cow. I'm now feeding N off of my Bleppy Nipple and it feels much better. Going to keep up w the regime as described in KellyMom.

Love to all your hot babies and little ones, hope it cools down today.