Just Mumming 8 - the one with the fire crawlers, wind machines and the Health Visitor revolt

[WilHarlot]

Add your stats Viroids (or don't bother). I feel like there's something I'm supposed to write here but don't know what it is...

[Pisghetti]

They're both still alive. Phew!

B screams the place down when she's tired so 'crying to sleep' is inevitable. I only actually leave her if she's asleep or quiet. If she's crying I stay nearby patting her tummy or stroking her face until she calms down. If I try and offer her things she doesn't want (boob/hugs etc) it really riles her!!

[RPopz]

Put him in a cot for naps you mean Dulcet? Mini sometimes cries because he's tired but can't/ won't go to sleep. So naptime can get a little shouty. I mostly boob him to sleep and then stealth transfer him into his cot. I think there's big difference between crying while you're helping him to sleep, comforting him etc and just leaving him alone to cry. The menfolk say stupid stuff without thinking how it sounds!

[DulcetMoans]

Thanks for translating log of years to lots of tears! Silly phone/lack of attention! Yeah, he didn't mean it nastily but made me wonder if I was doing the right thing. I haven't been putting him down for naps in the cot but that's my plan. So far I've got him to nap yesterday but mostly on me. It's progress though!

Wine obtained. Children alive. Mission complete pis!!

[Minion]

What is it with people wanting to feed our kids? When I first had R the midwife said don't let anyone else feed her for 6 months as she was to get used to us.
That lasted for one feed.
But the faces on my ils when I told them that I was going to feed my 4 day old...
Obviously I palm her off when they offer now.

It's my last day of mat leave today.
I'm very sad. As hard and as monotonous these last 8 months have been in gong to miss that cheeky grin and ramming into my ankles in her walker.
I do have leave to take so that's a bit better.

Good work on the weight loss guys! I'm in awe!

R sometimes cries before sleep, releasing her tension from the day (what tension?) I think.
Totally normal
Speaking of r she had decided that 5:30 was a great time to wake up, tried her with a bottle have given up and left her shouting to herself.
She's gone suspiciously quiet now tho.

[WilHarlot]

We get tears when tired. If I try to comfort her in her cot she just goes boogaloo though so I follow Popz's route of boob and stealth.

Always get the blister about half a day after blockage starts so definitely related. I don't pump when overfull as didn't want to encourage production. (And am too lazy) Should I be doing that?

Sad times Min. Mine ends next month. Where has the time gone?!

[ZylaB]

Yay pis for the weight loss! I also won the fruit but wasn't slimmer of the week (boo) because someone else lost 5 and a half lbs but didn't stay!

min enjoy your last day and fx work is ace tomorrow, it'll be weird!

[RPopz]

Aw min! Gutted! Are you doing anything exciting with your last day?

[Minion]

Oh noo, it's not my last last day, I still have my accrued leave to take, think I'm back October. Just last day of actual mat leave. Boooo
Although that means I'll be getting paid again!
Just hanging out with my post natal group today, nothing fancy!

[teejayem]

So glad I wrote off last night and today (and poss rest of week). We didn't have anywhere near the fever or general reaction to first set of jabs compared to this round, so I'm assuming it's the men b doing its thang. Poor little guy slept in 20 minute bursts, then boob, then screaming, then runny poop then repeat. He was so hot as well but refused to be put in his snuzpod, even when I tried to stealth him in. Gave him a little toot of calpol at 6am and we've hung out in bed, he's napped on and off and has been on my left boob for 40 minutes. I can hear the cats making outraged noises downstairs and I am hungry.

My hair and eyelashes are falling out. Thought I'd escaped that particular woe.

[ZylaB]

Aww tee hope he feels better soon! My hair fel out loads, it does stop though eventually

H just bit me while feeding. Ouch ouch ouch!

[RPopz]

Oh bless him tee! Sounds nasty. Plenty of snuggles for you today at least!

Oof zyLa mini's teeth feel a bit nippy sometimes but he has yet to actually bite me. Poor you. Hope it doesn't become a habit!!

Apparently MrP's only plan for this holiday is to sit on his arse and stare into his phone. He just sat back and let mini put one of the dog's chews in his mouth because I "was closer" .... He's only been off work two days and I'm ready to cave his fecking head in already.

[minimooo]

Just got back from Sainsburys. Went to buy Aptamil Comfort milk for E as it's the only milk that doesn't have her screaming in pain. There were no boxes on the shelves so I found a man and asked him if they had any in stock. He looked at me, looked in the pram and (I kid you not) said "ahh, let me guess...is she a fussy little princess?" wtaf??! No, she has got colic you mind-numbingly dense individual.

Sorry I haven't read back and caught up - will do in a bit when I sit down - but am totally shocked by this guy's dickheadery!

[RPopz]

Did you manage to get any mini? I heard there was a shortage

Guess we better tidy the place up for the new arrival!

[ZylaB]

mini he needed a slap!

So still no wedding ring and our youngest cat has gone missing now too, this is his second night gone! I wasn't too worried last night as he's often very late in, but he would have turned up by now and I'm so so scared something has happened to him.. He is chipped, but I've been trawling the street shouting him and I'm worried he's hurt somewhere and can't get to me :(

[minimooo]

It's really hard to come by popz. It's rare to find it in the shops so we've got various family members out on the lookout for us. Going to try again tomorrow when Sainsburys get their delivery.

Oh zyla, that sounds painful!

That sounds well crappy of mrPopz. Can you steal his phone while he's asleep tonight and hide it down the back of the couch? Or maybe 'accidentally' knock a glass of wine over it? Very frustrating when someone stares at their phone for hours on end ignoring the real world going on around them

Poor tiny tee! Is he feeling a bit better now tee? My hair is falling out all over the place too. Have to keep unblocking the shower plughole

Well done on the weightloss girls! Fantastic stuff.

[Fleurchamp]

Ocado have it min I got some yesterday for a nct friend - she was struggling to find it, I added it to my order fully expecting a substitution but it came!

Saying that I am sure there are local variations but could be worth giving it a go.

[Fleurchamp]

Hope your cat turns up zyla

[FurryScoob]

sainsbury bloke was a twat mini hope you get the milk soon.

Hope your cat turns up soon zyla it's horrible when their missing

popz for your sanity break the phone! Mrfurry may have his inserted in a painful place if he doesn't get off it soon. How auto trader can be so interesting for 12 hours a day when he's not even buying a car is beyond me.

My hives are getting worse, off back to doctor before I scratch myself to death.

[DulcetMoans]

That's awful mini! What did you say to him? Will keep an eye out for the milk for you. Can always post it!

Hope you find the cat soon zyla. So horrible when they disappear. Our most recent missing episode I think she was shut in someone's shed. Is it worth a couple of posters around the area?

Tell mrpopz that is not his holiday plans popz. Keep him busy. It's a shame he doesn't just want to but he probably just isn't thinking.

Sorry that TT is suffering tee! We have out first jabs Monday, not looking forward to it!

[ZylaB]

I'm putting a thing on the local facebook page and mrZ is going to knock on neighbours' doors tonight asking them to please check garages and sheds. He always comes home in the morning if he stays out all night and he comes for a cuddle if something scares him so I'm worried it means something bad has happened :(

[RPopz]

Aw zyla - you're not having a good week are you Hope he turns up soon. My old lady puss has gone out for about a fortnight a couple of times now - and still turned up again. Crossing everything for you.

I've thought many a time, I would happily smash DH's phone up with a hammer!! But he has photos on there of miniPopz that i don't want to lose. He's been quite useful today though - we're doing lots of cleaning and house jobs as the house is going up for sale and the agents are coming to take pics tomorrow. So he is forgiven for now!

Hope you're ok scoob?? Are you allergic to something?

Hope you managed to track some comfort milk down mini. Terrible that it's so hard to come by when there's babies and parents who clearly rely on it!

[FurryScoob]

Has he come home yet zyla?

Maybe just hide DH's phone when needed then popz

No allergys, I've just developed extremely sensitive skin that's reacting to everything. The doctor wrote my name on my arm with a pen lid & within seconds I had my name in hives written on my arm! I now banned from shower gel, bubble bath, shampoo & washing detergent. I've also got a course of steroids to take which are the same ones my cat takes for arthritis! The itching might stop but I'm gonna stink

[ZylaB]

He's not home yet. Have called the rspca and local vets, no one has had any black cats handed in (he is chipped but I thought I'd check in case the chip was randomly broken!), have been around neighbours houses and they've all looked in garages and sheds, nothing :( I keep crying.

[LaLaLaaaa]

Hi viroids!

How is everyone?

zyla I'm crossing everything your boy comes home :( mine went for a week once and it was awful, we were devastated. A week to the day she went missing she suddenly appeared - thinner and with scuffed claws so we think she was shut in somewhere that the owners only went in on Sundays (the day she went missing), perhaps for gardening or something. Keep knocking on doors and putting up posters and I'll be thinking positive thoughts.

Just to check - are your details definitely up to date on his chip? We phone numbers all the time for chips on animals we pick up and the person has moved and not updated.

Men and their phones! (or women come to think of it - can't remember the last time we went for a meal or drink and folk weren't on their phones the whole time). My dh can't watch tv without googling actors in it, or what other series' there are etc etc... and it does my head in when he's got B on his lap who's starting to smile and laugh at our faces and is looking at dh, only for him to be looking at his stupid phone and ignoring his beautiful son!

Can we start a campaign to get Ewan the sheep to last longer than 20 minutes? I'm sick of jumping up and down pressing his buttons all day and night.

mini I'm sure they had it in Boots when I was there the other day? although obviously other Boots are available and may not have it - disclaimer

And yes, the man was a dick.

I am not looking forward to jab time - I think the cats might actually leave home for good.

Well done for the weight losses! Fantastic! I'm starting to think about going back to exercise class but I'm not allowed until 12 weeks apparently and I'm only at 6.

dulcet what you're doing with J sounds perfectly fine! I do a thing with B where I am trying to get him to self settle. We have feed, activity/cuddle etc., I make sure he's nice and calm and a bit sleepy and then put him down - with dummy if he's being sucky. I then walk away. I come back a few minutes later - or earlier if he starts to fuss, stroke his cheek or tummy, close his eyes a little with my hand and walk away again. If it works then he goes to sleep. But if he cries then I don't leave him, I come straight back and either stroke him - or if he's more upset/awake then I'll pick him up for a cuddle and repeat the process. I had real trouble trying to get my dm to understand that I don't want her to rock him to sleep every time - which is what her instinct is to do. I find if he wakes now sometimes he'll settle himself back to sleep which is great.

Sorry for absence by the way. I'm struggling a bit and didnt want to be on here moaning and groaning constantly. It's weird because technically I feel like I'm doing much much better. I've got to know him and can spot what he wants a lot of the time. But I'm just feeling really down and rubbish, which I think is the tiredness. He is still very windy and never sleeps for very long. Through the night I will just lie down and he'll wake back up and I'll have to sit up again. Over and over for hours. He did sleep for 4 hours two nights ago but the rest of the night it was every hour wake up.

People keep assuring me that he'll start to space out feeds soon and go into a routine naturally. We are doing the best we can making day light and noisy and night dark and quiet, giving him bath and cuddles at 7pm to signify the change over to night. But it doesn't seem to be getting any less relentless or in any more of a pattern. Day time is a free for all as far as feeds go. Often I have to feed around whatever we're doing so I'll top him up before we go and usually feed on his cue when we're out. I think the problem is during the day he rarely gets a full proper feed, it's usually snacking. I struggle to get him to focus on it long enough - he tends to feed for a few minute and pop off because he needs to fart/poo, or fuss because he's tired (due to not sleeping properly). The wind is waking him up still (he's just woken up now with a big fart).

He rarely sleeps more than 20 mins during the day - is that normal?

Bf wise we're doing ok, but I am sore and tired from the constant feeding day and night. I tried to talk to a lactation consultant at bumps and babies about combo feeding, but got the usual standard doom and gloom about supply dimishing and warned off doing it, which made me feel very depressed because I think if I was to be given the right advice I'd be more likelly to continue bf alongside formula, rather than feeling a I do just now - that it's too difficult to do both so I will have to just give up bf altogether.

B is currently farting away to himself in his sleepyhead. Do your babies fart this much? it's like he's made of wind! I'm starting to keep a food diary to see if it's anything I'm eating that makes him have windier days.

Anyway, sorry - gigantic post. Bet you wish I'd stayed away!

[Fleurchamp]

Good to have you back la

Please don't worry about moaning on here I do enough of it that's what we're here for.

Yy to the wind. Copious and loud. So loud it's embarrassing.

I have been giving a top up formula feed every night around 9/10pm for the past couple of weeks. This has saved my sanity. S then sleeps until around 3/4am (once 5am!!).

Having some decent sleep has made all the difference. Not saying it would work for you though as, as we all know, all babies are different.

I don't think it has affected my supply. I never had much milk in the evening anyway after cluster feeding. I still feed him myself - from 4pm until about 9pm I tend to get maybe half an hour between feeds but he is still hungry

He gulps down the formula (5oz - so a proper feed for a baby of his size), burps and goes off in a lovely sleep whilst I hold him upright (for his reflux - I hold him upright for 10/15 mins after a feed).

When he wakes at 3/4am ish I have extremely full boobs

I think, without this feed, I would have given up BF by now. Plus, I keep a ready made carton and a bottle in my changing bag in case of emergency - I like the reassurance that if needs be, I can feed him wherever I am.

Giving myself permission to feed S formula has helped me, mentally, to keep BFing. Also, I keep telling myself I will give up at x weeks (currently 12 weeks, was previously 8 - where I am now) it helps that the finish line isn't weeks and weeks away.

During the day I am lucky if S naps for more than half an hour a couple of times. He fights sleep during the day. It's getting a bit easier as he becomes more alert and I can distract him with toys / bouncy chair etc. so it's no longer a case of him being either asleep or screaming.

He does still scream a lot though.

Good idea about the food diary, I am also drinking fennel tea which is supposed to help (but it's an acquired taste!)

S's jaundice is still not going away. Blood tests show enhanced bilirubin (as expected) but also high liver function readings - he had an ultra sound today which ruled out any obvious liver problems and I am going back to the consultant tomorrow to see what the next step is. These babies are so worrying.