March 2013 - still too sleep deprived to think of a funky title

[StormyBrid]

Old thread here.

We seemed to be running out of space (again) so I made us a new thread.

[StormyBrid]

Might be worth keeping an eye on milk intake, vj. Less than a certain amount (300ml a day iirc so about ten flozzes) and iron supplements are a good idea.

[LaLaLeni]

Today we had more success with one spoonful of baby rice made up, each spoonful followed by a bit of milk from the bottle, after a few goes DS started opening his mouth ready! Also licked a plum, and learned how to use the new sippy cup, which is one of the ones they have to suck like a bottle. Seems very fast flow but I was impressed at how quickly he worked out what to do - at the start he was just thrashing limbs and frantically jamming the sippy bit into his mouth like some sort of rabid animal

I went out without the buggy for a walk and noticed my left leg isn't really doing what I'm asking it to - the weird pins and needles are getting worse too. I keep feeling dizzy and just generally uncoordinated. I'm worried when I'm carrying DS that I might fall over... Urgh. It's not pleasant.

[worsestershiresauce]

Leni that sounds really scary. I'm worried for you. GP again tomorrow if you can?

[WingDefence]

Evening all. Blimey leni please get yourself to the GP. I'd say this was pretty urgent. {hugs}

I've been missing newborn cuddles recently as I realised it's been many weeks now since Dd fell asleep on me, whereas at the start she slept mostly on me or DH. She's just very good at snoozing in her bed in the daytime or car seat/carry cot if we're out. I'm trying to stop reading/watching TV/MNing/FBing while I'm feeding her now and just stare at her instead as soon that time will go. Sob!!

I'm feeling especially emotional as DS starts school tomorrow. I haven't felt sad/emotional about it at all up to now but all this talk of our babies growing up is starting to get to me. Perhaps I should go and watch something completely random on TV to take my mind off it.

[KFFOREVER]

leni please see you gp. Its very scary what you are experiencing.

Ok stormy and vj you worrying me about DS milk intake now. He barely has 5ozs a bottle around 5 times (from midnight to midnight). This started at least 2 months ago which is why i started baby cereals with him thinking at least he will have some milk that way. He was weighed at 5months and no problems with his weight. There have been times when he doesnt feed for 12hrs during the day.

vj have you tried giving water in a sippy cup?

Right im off to zzzz before my night owl wakes.

[Anypants]

What about OBEM wing? That'll help. Or that Midwife thing on after GBBO tomorrow night?

leni - sort it out. Everything in our lower regions has been skewed by childbirth - I know my hips are wider than they were and I have a very different walk now (still more of a waddle) so maybe you're out of alignment and need someone to help you back?

[christilass]

Stormy i went on to Aptimals follow on milk 4 weeks ago as mini farmers also dropped milk amounts due to stuffing his face ... i was concerned regarding natural iron store depletion ,and the follow on has higher iron level to counter act .

[SoYo]

I wrote a massive post earlier & it's not here! Bugger!

Eig I hope your Dad's ok.

As for weaning its a very mixed bag here, we started baby led as madam will shove anything in her mouth but we've tried some purees now too and she bloody loves them! I feed her half and she feeds herself some too (just to add to the mess) and we just do a bit of everything. It's definitely the lazy mums guide to weaning here though as I give her a bit of what I'm having if its suitable and the purees are mostly supplied by Ella and her kitchen. I figure she does organic, no added stuff, in nice mixes for the same price as I could do the ingredients and with much less hassle and I'm sure much nicer taste! I keep sneaking a few spoons of each one, they're lush! I, considering going on a weeks purée diet in the style of slim fast!

VJ I think we're probably having the same problem as you with regards to milk consumption. Obviously it's harder to tell with BFing but she seems to be taking less and messing about more at each daytime feed and I think my supply is going down too. Unfortunately she still seems to be topping up with as many feeds overnight!

Stormy thanks for reminding me about the vitamins! I need to get some! Bad Mummy points this way yet again.

Right I'm off to bed, which means madam will wake up in about 20mins! Lovely!

[worsestershiresauce]

Just reached the end of a loooooonnnngggg day here as dd decided to get up at 6.30am (I know that's not early for some, but it is for us, and in my defence she is a day time nap refuser) and DH is working on a deal so won't be home for a wee while yet. For all my complaining I actually quite like an alone day with the tiddler as she is great company, and goes to sleep much faster in the evening is daddy isn't around to stir her up. Evening with mummy = bottle, lullaby, bed. Evening with daddy = messing about with bottle, dancing, more messing about with bottle, TV, a bit more dancing (because she likes music ), outright bottle refusal, handed over to mummy, drinks rest of bottle without quibble, bed. You can probably see my point here

SoYo I've got some of those Ellas pouches things. They are most definitely yum. That said the worselet's favourite to date was a jar of chicken and squash from SIL. Anything I have hand mushed and poured love into has been treated with utter disdain. It isn't a huge incentive to do the earth mother home purée thing.

Speaking of which, a friend of a friend had her dd rushed through on an urgent paediatric referral when her baby's skin turned orange. All kind of organ failure scenarios were considered. Actual cause..... an excess of home prepared sweet potato purée. Oh how we laughed to discover Ms Perfect Parent had dyed her baby

Wing Aww school. Good luck for the big day. I bet ds will have a ball and make lots of new friends.

Big day tomorrow, I am considering turning up at a mum and baby coffee and a chat thing in the village. I am not a natural in this world, so it takes some level self motivation to get myself in the door. Not entirely sure what I'm worried about, as it's fairly hard to mess up in half an hour, and I'm sure her smallest-ship will enjoy herself. She loves other babies, I think all babies do, and any form of socialising sends her into a good long nap. Bonus.

Night all, wishing you sweet dreams and sleeping babies.

[vjhist85]

Leni- seconded/thirded that you need to get yourself back to the gp. Have you had your blood tests yet? I'm sure they'd want to see you regardless if things are getting worse.

Wing-hope you've got your camera at the ready for those 'first day' pics. Mum's still got all of ours up in the kitchen and I remember them being taken so clearly!

Re: Ella's pouches- I have only so far tried the fruity ones (I just can't get my head around the idea of puréed savoury stuff, makes me feel a bit pukey to think of it so think we might find ourselves blw for savoury and purees for sweet!) dd goes a little bit crazy for the banana ones. Never seen anything quite like it!

Milk intake- we're definitely way above 10 flozzes at the mo stormy, but thanks for the heads up. I don't know why it doesn't sit well that she's reducing her milk intake so much...I know it's normal. Maybe I'm just not comfortable with having so much control over her nutrition! My weight implies I don't have a great relationship with food myself so I'm really nervous of messing things up for her. Milk is so easy, I trust cow and gate more than I trust myself!

Worse- definitely go tomorrow, getting myself out there was one of the best things I did. The best thing about babies is that people talk to you! (Also the worst thing, I'm now totally bored of old women talking to me/dd and have to put a lot of effort into not telling them to fuck off...is that just me?) but I digress, mum and baby coffee mornings are not scary, not filled with competitive mums, and in my experience mainly first time mums so as clueless as the rest of us! I've ended up with a nice little group of mums, we drink coffee, eat cake, and discuss how little we know about what we're doing (similar to here really, just with better coffee!)

[LaLaLeni]

Thanks all, haven't made it to get bloods done yet as OH has been working and I can't take DS to a clinic where we'd have to wait three hours, so going on Wednesday. I have a feeling I'll be on the going back to the GP rollercoaster for a while... But it seems more scary because I'm worried what would happen if I passed out when I was alone with DS

Hoping that won't happen obviously!

That's crazy that a baby actually turned orange from eating sweet potato?!

Who's stopped sterilising amongst us, anyone yet?

[StormyBrid]

KFF didn't mean to worry with my complaining about only 33 flozzes. It's flozzes divided by bottles that I was stressing about. 33 over 6? Grand, she's only left half an ounce in each. 33 over 7 means she's not even managed five flozzes per bottle. Our normal range is 26-29, with the occasional 30+ on days with six bottles.

Still think she doesn't like milk though. Had five at 11pm, fed her just now and she barely cleared four. How can she not be hungry?

leni another vote for doctor, asap.

Wing they grow so fast, don't they? My younger niece is about to start school too. It's weird, I still imagine her as a toddler.

[KFFOREVER]

stormy dont worry im just a worrier. What is more annoying is all that milk we waste as their apettite is unpredictable. Maybe its that they are too interested in their surroundings to drink milk.

leni im still sterilising. Im not sterilising the sippy cup though im not sure why not. Maybe if and when he starts crawling i may not sterilise because he will then be exposed to even more germs than he already is.

wing good luck to your LO or not so little anymore starting school.

Im waiting in hope for DS to go back to sleep so i can have a snooze.

[WingDefence]

Morning all. worse I went to a MN meet up yesterday (I'm a Local Ambassador for my MN area) and it's just lovely to chat to people in RL about stuff. In fact, I'm going to work compressed hours when I go back to work (full time hours in 4 days - I must be mad) so I can have one day off a week with DD and I've chosen a day when there's a lovely baby&toddler group on so I can make it a regular thing.

DD keeps rolling onto her front in the night and waking herself up unhappily. I normally wait before I go into her room (and have a loose agreement that anything before 3am is his turn as I'm less likely to end up feeding her) but I was in such a deep sleep when she woke at 2 that I bombed into her room thinking she'd been crying for ages and just plugged her on without thinking. DH said he's never seen me get out of bed so quickly but at annoying as she's not fed before 4 let alone at 2am and apparently she'd only just started squawking when I rushed in there.

Another feed at 5 and then awake for the day at 6:30. She's been waking at 7 recently which has been far better but I was awake anyway thinking about today...

[StormyBrid]

Hopefully she'll grow out of it soon, Wing. The getting distressed, I mean, not the rolling - you're stuck with that now! We found it a bit shellfish when DD started doing that, but fortunately now she's figured the dummy out she's usually happy enough on her tummy.

The milk wastage! It drives me mad. The man has an interview this morning though, so hopefully I can stop fretting over wasted pennies soon.

[StormyBrid]

Wtf, shellfish? Hellish!

[StormyBrid]

Oh, and we still sterilise bottled, but have never bothered with bowls, spoons, or sippy cup. Given she sticks everything into her mouth, fretting about germs seems like an exercise in futility.

[SoYo]

Big news! Madam slept!!! I put her to bed at 8 and she did her usual wake up 30mins later do I brought her downstairs and she fell asleep watching masterchef within 15mins so was transferred back. She woke up at 12.15, 5 & 8.15!!! That's a record, only twice before have we only had 2 night feeds & I don't think she's ever spent the whole night in her cot! I feel like a new woman!

Good luck Wing! I predict DS trotting off to his class happily while you stand teary eyed by the gates! I'm sure he'll love it.

No sterilising here. As madam is a bottle free zone and she's now over 6m I don't sterilise any weaning things. I'm not sure if really I should be but as she gets licked in the face by the PuppyMonster a few times a day it would seem a little futile!

I've got a rare day where nothing is planned today so I'm not sure what to do. A whole day at home with the dastardly duo has me at my wits end! I'm thinking maybe a wander to the shops in search of vitamin drops and maybe a trip to the library after a nice long walk in the park for the pooch.

[Anypants]

Yay soyo!

[StormyBrid]

Good job, miniYo!

Meanwhile, in weaning-nappy-land, we have just had quite the horror. Picture a yellow skidmark with some unappetising lumpy bits, that goes all the way up the back to the shoulderblades.

[AnnMumsnet]

hello ladies - sorry to butt in but I am looking for MNers to take part in an online group next week about weaning.
I'm specifically looking for first time parents with a baby aged 4-10 mnths who are starting to think about or wean onto solid food.
There's a prize draw for taking part. I can send you full details if you PM me
thanks very much......

[WingDefence]

Stormy

SoYo - yay!

Well I managed to hold back the tears - phew. Only got a bit teary when he walked in with his class. I think he is the smallest in the class, little diddly thing he is.

Still, done now. I swear DD's grin was even bigger when we got back as if to say 'yes! I have you all to myself now!'.

[WingDefence]

AnnMumsnet unfortunately I'm a 2nd time mum. Shame otherwise I love doing MN surveys and have just done two this morning (one of which is the secret one ).

[ecofreckle]

How was the first day wing? So you are a MN devotee? Sounds interesting. I don?t think anyone else in Norfolk is on MN!

Great work team soyo! I hope your new found burst of va va voom has been fun today.

stormy I feel your poo pain. We have had a poo every hour for the last 4 days and the health visitor suggests that if she?s still feeding it?s all ?OK?

leni doc tomorrow yes? How?s today been? Hoping you get some help tomorrow.

vj totally agree with you re: savoury purees! Bleurgghhhh?. I?m working on the basis that I?ll feed DD anything I?d be prepared to eat myself better get myself weaned onto cold broccoli then as babies seems to go nuts for that

worse did you brave the mum and baby chat thing? How was it? Survive unscathed?

any what is OBEM?

KF if you ever want night time company I?m your gal! This too will pass and all that.

So, today the baby broke me. Finally. After 23 weeks of surviving. After lip trembling around the city for 3 hours on the brink I finally caved outside Hollister (which frightened lots of trendy teens enjoying the last day of their summer hol) and had a full scale meltdown. I have several possible explanations:

• I have had an easy ride thus far and things are just hotting up now
  
• things are still Ok and I am a wuss
  
• Things have actually been challenging and tough thus far but I?ve had some steely determination to ?get on with it? but have finally caved
  
• I am a teeny tiny bit insane
  
• Sleep deprivation and personal space deprivation have rendered by resolve weakened
  
  Not sure which of these it is. Probably all 5, but I sure as shite feel crap and I just want to ring Mum and sob down the phone. Like yearning for red curly hair when you have brown straight hair we always want what we can?t have don?t we?

[StormyBrid]

eco you're not insane, don't worry. Babies are just designed to drive you demented. So long as you've managed to stop melting down and don't make a habit of it I reckon you're doing grand.

Four poos so far today, two of them with back splatter. Grim.

OBEM is One Born Every Minute. Documentary set in a maternity ward. Lots of screaming, idiot partners, and people turning up and carrying on like they're being eviscerated then being sent home as they're only 2cm dilated. I was determined not to do that last, having watched a fair few episodes while pregnant, which is why DD almost ended up being born in my dad's car.

Sure we've discussed it already, but can anyone give me a brief overview of non hormonal contraceptive options? Damn pill's playing merry hell with my brain.