August 2015 - Jaffa cake wars and many Mugabe greetings to you!

[mzzzf]

New thread ladies - praying for a decent sleep tonight!!

ruby242 I just feed on demand. If he looks hungry (fist sucking, doing the hungry face, sucking) , or is grumbling, I try offering the boob. Sometimes that's every hour, sometimes he goes a few hours, sometimes he cluster feeds basically without pause. It's rare for him to go more than 1.5 or 2h if he's awake.

Just been having a good givgle at Nathan
He was laughing his little head off at me. He usually naps through JK, but today he has been fighting it and only had one small nap on me. He is now having another nap. But before he went to sleep I told him what a bad baby he is for not letting me and DD watch JK (she claps for JK, then usually shouts at the telly ) and he was proper laughing his little head off. Then the biggest cheesiest grins when I was kissing him. Stuff like that makes all the bad worth it.

Yay for siani and getting enough sleep! The postman must have heard our ranting too as grumpy 2s 6-week check appointment turned up today. It's not for another couple of weeks by which time she'll be 11-weeks but better late than never I guess!

frolic boo hiss to poonami's, canine and human. Hope your day is improving. I'm getting vomited on a lot, not huge quantities but the really smelly, cheesy kind so I have stayed in and am letting her sleep on me to keep her upright. I would be enjoying the cuddle so much more if she didn't smell like a Camembert !

Christmas, I am skinflint Mummy and haven't really done much by way of presents yet. Last year we got grumpy 1 her first bike but that was it from us. I have found that friends and family end up buying lots of bits and pieces and tbh when they are really little they haven't the foggiest what is going on. I remember grumpy 1 getting proper present 'fatigue' at her second birthday and basically begging me to stop making her open presents so she could play with some of the things she had got. Since then DH and I haven't bought her much ourselves and if others go overboard we do hide stuff away and ration it out at a later date. We will get grumpy 2 her own bauble for the Christmas tree though, that's a family tradition. Oh, and we do have two Christmases because we have to do the whole Finnish thing on Christmas Eve and then turkey on Christmas Day so there is always plenty of food

Sorry ruby missed your post. Like siani I entirely feed on demand. I reckon she feeds around every 2 hours when awake but I don't keep too much of a track on it. As soon as she starts to be anything other than happy I offer her the boob and usually she takes it

fatty how are you feeling now?

I've got Nathan stuff he can play with when he's a bit bigger. So soft animals and an activity thingy ma bob. (Some fisher price tower thing with square balls) aa crawl ball I think it'scalled, and those hoop stacker things. I've asked others to get him clothes in his next size.

More mobile now thanks but still can't eat or drink.

And today's lesson is don't attempt a physio therapy appointment while accompanied by a baby who has just had her jabs that morning. Dear fuck it was awful. The physio yelled summat about pelvic floor exercises over the screaming and told me to make an appointment in two weeks at a "better time".

Give me strength. No. Actually don't. Give me gin. And chocolate. Give me gin and chocolate.

ruby I feed on demand - during the day I aim for minimum every 2 hours, but it's sometimes less than that if J wants. During the night, it's sometimes every 4 hours, but not guaranteed.

Oh god, I am so glad I'm well rested, today has been HARD. DS is cluster feeding pretty much non stop and I think I have thrush or something in one side, it's AGONY during and after feeding. :(

Siani- have you seen white patches in his mouth? If you get it on one side you'll probably get it on the other and he's probably got it in his mouth. You need to get a swab taken at the Drs and both get daktarin anti fungal cream. Someone on here has had it recently. It's awful. The breastfeeding network do a leaflet on it. If you google it you'll get a PDF version. My sympathy.

Evening augmums. We had a great time meeting the roots of Empathy class. 27 6 -7 year old. They all shook ds2 toes and he really enjoyed it. Really smiley and only cried when the instructor sang round and round the garden which he usually loves.

Also took ds1 to soft play and did bath bed routine so feel like we are getting along better. We are going to a local baby and toddler group tomorrow which we really like. Some mums I met with Ds1 introduced me to it and we are now all on our second. It's nice and informal, I have a cuppa, chat to my friends, feed ds2 all while ds1 runs around like a loon with his pals win win.

I breastfeed on demand but it works out about every couple of hours. I have also done preemptive feeding if I think we won't get a chance for a while so today before we went into school even though he seemed fairly content.

Not sure what we are getting Ds for Christmas. We have loads of stuff from ds1 to hand down. Would I be a scrooge if I just wrapped up that? I don't think ds1 would remember most of it. And ds2 probably won't care.

Right ds2 has fed and fallen asleep so going to set record for catastrophe and head to bed. Wishing everyone a good night's sleep.

Ooh Siani sounds painful. I too am in agony nipple wise. Fanby, I haven't purposefully stopped using nipple shields, i would have happily carried on using them but piper has suddenly started refusing to use them anymore :( so apart from the fees first thing this morning she has been going straight on without them even though ice tried to use them and now I'm dreading her needing feeding because the pain is so bad and it's getting worse the more I feed. I keep trying to encourage her to use the nipple shield but she just has a paddy. She has a paddy without it too though in saying that. Anyway its made feeding in public hard work again. Had baby massage today and a baby group meet up and had to feed at both and she had one of her paddy's at both. It's so annoying when we've doing so well and it was 'easy' to breastfeed and now I feel like I've gone backwards to the beginning where it's hard and painfu . She's asleep right now so I'm hoping she stays asleep now until her bottle at 10 so at least they get a rest overnight.

I really want to buy those dungarees from frugi that u have fanby. They are just so cute. I'm quite sure she doesn't need any clothes but I haven't chosen any 3-6 months myself and I want her to have something I've chosen.

Hope my nipples toughen up soon.

Fatty hope you're feeling better.

Hugs and wine for those that have had bad days or nights.

Mzzf yeah I wonder if she'd be the same on a bottle although she does take her bottle really well at night. She only cries if u dare to take it away from her to wind her.

Ruby someone asked me today how often piper feeds and I honestly have no idea. I just feed her when she wants it and don't pay attention to time anymore. I always know how long she sleeps for though if it's a long sleep lol.

Frolic sorry to hear about your bad day. U should totally check in to mugabe nights to unwind.

Car seats: I took the insert out because dd also cries a lot when we're in the car but I didn't look very safe without it. Her head looked a bit unstable if I was actually in an accident so I put it back in. Did manage to move it up a hole with the straps but not sure that made much difference. If I go on a long enough journey she will eventually fall asleep but sometimes she cries the whole way. It's horrible because there's nothing u can do. I want to keep her rear facing as long as possible. Really hope she's not one that cries being rear facing and hoping it's just because she's a baby.

Oh dozy sorry to hear your having a tough time with breast feeding. It's so bloody up and down isn't it?

Have no advice about the pain but just lots of sympathy. It's horrible. DS is a v fussy feeder too and often cries and screams during feeds. I also get the just give him a bottle advice when I just want a moan and some tea and sympathy. And as others have said, both Breast and bottle have there challenges. Just think there is no easy route with a young baby. DS' fussiness is very related to over tiredness and gets worse as day goes on (hint DS - a bloody nap would help. Just saying son)

Ah siani welcome to club thrushy boob. The fun just keeps on coming with motherhood. Kellymom has some good stuff on about it but get to gps and get the anti fungal stuff asap.

Ah jokstar sorry to hear about the hearing test and the shit day. Someone get that woman a gin.

DH has some time off so we ventured to the beach today. Hoping the sea will help DS sleep. So far not.

Oh and I went mad in mothercare and bought DS the cutest christmas dungarees with snow flakes on. So so cute! Think for Christmas I'll buy him so clothes and toys for the next year as will be long time till his bday. Can always put them away again for few months. Although I will not get carried away. I will not get carried away. I will not get carried away.....

Sorry everyone for my abscence! DH is on leave this week and we are busy whizzing about here there and everywhere!

Sorry to hear a few are having hard times with hospital appointments, BF and sleep- extra free shots at Mugabe nights for you all- which i am loving by the way!

DS hasn't had a night feed since last Wednesday but after the first couple of nights where I got a good couple of long chunks of sleep the last two he has been stirring and murmering almost none stop- between 0115 and 0200 last night I put his dummy back in 5 sodding times!!!! DH has at least been doing his early morning feed though which has given me some kip!

Xmas wise- I said we weren't going to bother getting him things as he's too young etc but have already been suckered in and he has an elf sleepsuit for Xmas day plus a top with kermit on as I love him and. The smallest size they had was 9-12 months so I decided it could be a pressie! Going to get him a jumperoo as well (not brand new though) which I think he will love by the new year as he already loves 'standing' and being nosey! Few other sensory type toys which I might even make- a lady I met at one of our groups is making her daughter a sensory tent- fairy lights, different textures etc which I thought was a cute idea.

Had coil fitted finally on Monday- couldn't believe how quickly and simply it was done! Had a pretty much constant mild period type pain since and some spotting but nothing I can't handle and hopefully will settle down soon.

Birthday on Thursday (same as someone's DH I noticed- can't remember who!) and I've got some new clothes and running trainers- chosen myself which will be weird not to have suprises for the first time but all change this year I suppose! I won't be being woken up to 'happy birthday' being sang either (our usual tradition) but to DS whingeing no doubt!! We have booked a meal on Friday (the bring your own alcohol place- oh dear) and will be leaving DS with PIL at our house as its only round the corner but eeeek first time he will be being left I'm a bit scared!!!

Off to catch some zzzz's hopefully before the constant stirring begins!!

Oh lily the constant stirring and grumbling is so annoying isn't it?! Well done on dropping the night feeds - how much is your boy having each day now?

Well after the giant sick yesterday I lowered mini mzzzf's feeds but annoyingly she's not slept all that well, maybe connected?! And she's taken to loving a 2hr 'nap' before bath time routine. How on earth do you keep a sleepy baby awake?! Going to have to try tomorrow/today though.

Also I could kill DH, woke him to keep and ear out for DD so she doesn't go bonkers in the time it takes to get her milk and he firstly doesn't respond so have to wake him again, with a gentle shake to his leg. To which he grumps at me for waking him up with the phrase "no need to be a twat about it!" I mean is he fucking kidding me?! I'll blame it on tiredness BUT he should feel bloody blessed that I do ALL the nighttime waking and only ever wake him when j have to run to get a feed. Poor hard done by DHs eh?! You'd think we had a baby or something that needed food every 4hrs!

On positive news she did do a 45min nap in her cot this afternoon. She literally fell asleep almost instantly once I put her in...will try again tomorrow/today.

Got 2nd set of jabs tomorrow at 10am - eeeeek!!

Re Christmas: I bloody love it so DD will get pressies but no in any great quanity. She's getting a jumperoo though from her Nannie and I'll request other sensory type toys from the other GParents as she's wanting more and more interaction now. I've spied the Christmas outfit I want and hopefully will get it next week! Only 7 Friday's to go to the big ho ho ho!!! Wonder when I can get my mickey bubble Christmas cd on in the car?!

Evening all! We are trying out the new monitor and also a dummy, as half my NCT class were singing it's praises during last night's crapness.

Dummy was an utter failure - J gagged on it and then spat it out - but we had him settled and asleep by 9.30! I think we may aim to get him down for that time.

He's been really lovely today, we actually had a lovely play and chill to music and DH also got the first proper smile! Which I guessed would happen, so am desperate for the next one!

Oh joy. DS has been awake since 00:10 and shows no signs of going back to sleep. Aargh. Trying and failing to feed him in to submission and it's not working. I've always fed him to sleep at night so have no idea how else to get him to sleep. Feeling pretty useless right now.

Sorry to hear about the BF troubles Dozy and Siani. It's such a massive rollercoaster and it's always changing, you have my sympathy. Hope you both find pain free feeding soon. And agree with the others Dozy not to feel pressured to swap to bottles if you're not ready.

DS feeds every 2.5-3 hours during the day Ruby but I'm going to try and increase this in a bid to consistently cut down on night wakings.

Hurrah for Christmas but we are feeling Scrooge-like and not planning on any presents for DS. Figure he won't know and I'm sure will get spoilt by the GPs anyway. There's no way I'll be able to resist buying some Christmassy outfits though!

Does anyone know how wind works? I don't burp DS at night because of the feeding to sleep but the little dude is straining like he needs to fart. Does burp wind become fart wind? Or are they two seperate things and I'm going mad in my sleep deprived state?

Gin gin gin. Yes please. Make mine a quadruple.

Mugabe everyone! Sleeping through would seem to be a fluke. :(

I'm going a bit mad on Christmas, I'm afraid. I think we'll probably just get DS a few new books for his bedtime stories, and any toys that seem good for whatever he's into then, but I've already got him a Christmas Pudding costume, a pack of three Christmas sleepsuits, and two Christmas bibs. I just really like Christmas... And he'll be wearing them all regularly in the lead up to Christmas so he'll get wear out of them!

mzzf no jury in the land would convict you if you killed your DH for that! Re: stopping babies sleeping, it's really hard!! I just try to keep playing with DS, and passing him back and forth to DP when he isn't feeding. He rarely sleeps if DP holds him. When he falls asleep after feeding, I pass him to DP and he wakes.

Clstow I've wondered the same thing about wind! DS is a very farty baby, and I wonder if it's my fault for feeding to sleep without burping him. The farts usually don't bother him much, and DP finds them UTTERLY hilarious, so I don't really worry about them apart from that.

Make mine a triple with 2 tequila slammers to chase!!! In fact make mine whatever the hell DS is on!!! Thought we were doing well with only a few stirs so far but no apparently 0345 is party time!!! He is literally thrashing around like he's had 5 red bulls, cooing and breathing really giddy!! Wtf!??!! Been sat here with white noise blasting in a bid to calm him down, tried patting him and leaving him to it for a bit but he shows no signs of stopping! To top it off I'm hungry as we are out at 3pm yesterday so didn't fancy any tea- Mugabe nights does food orders right??? Nachos with extra cheese please barman!

Doh just lost a post!

Mzzf- he generally has 6oz 5 times a day now- he's been doing this on and off for a few weeks though so I think it's just his age rather than how much he's having of a day that led to the night feed dropping. He was only taking about 2oz overnight anyway so I think he decided he'd rather sleep! That said in a bid to stop the partying I've just fed him and he's pretty much took the 6oz! I can't complain I've had a week of no night feeds it was good whilst it lasted! He's still sodding wide awake partying on my shoulder though!! Ffs! Another you DH with a pillow- no one would blame you! DS like to nap before his bath as well but it doesn't seem to affect his sleep at night so I tend to let him!

Clstow hope your LO finally dropped off and you are sleeping! Wind wise I used to find when I hadn't burped him properly then he got very farty- I think they travel down but that's just my opinion!

Must go DS wants me to join in the cha cha slide with him arghhhhhh!!

Good bf resources at the Pump Station and Kellymom websites. It's not your nipples that need to toughen up. I've been feeding continuously for two years and I still get latch issues with both girls. Biological nurturing and the flipple are good for improving the latch. Lots of videos on YouTube. Also lansinoh like mad to avoid cracked nipples. Good luck!

We're hoping to be quite restrained at Christmas (mat leave pay, boo) but B toys are really lovely. I'm thinking the splish, splash boat and the squashy blocks for dd2. The B toys are ruinously expensive on Amazon but I've got the on camelcamelcamel alert so I'll buy them at half price. The Book People have great deals on Julia Donaldson books and loads of others. I've already had a big order come. Oh dear! This is not restrained at all!

Dd2 had her first jabs yesterday. She's been so out of sorts poor wee toot. High temp etc. Just looks miserable. Fingers crossed for a better day.

See Dh and his snoring! He's sleeping in the barn if he doesn't stop!

Morning all,

First feed of the night here at the dwarf house. Lucky grumpy 2 has had a good long kip, DH and I have been awake since stupid o'clock anxiously trying to hear her breathe!

I asked my midwife about the burp / fart thing as I was interested to know if they were different. According to her they are, burp wind is trapped wind from gulping down air whilst feeding, hand sucking etc. Fart wind is milk fermenting in their gastric system. You can't get fart wind out by burping or vice versa. Grumpy 2 used to suffer terribly with trapped wind of both types between about 3-6am every morning - drove DH mad trying to settle her - but it seems to be getting better, presumably just as her digestive system matures and she feeds less at night.

Right, off to pump as I fear I might water board her at the next feed if I don't empty some of this milk out. Oh how glamorous, no one tells you that even when they start sleeping for hours, you don't get to

I love piper's farts . They're hilarious. They're like full on man farts. Make me laugh and better than trapped wind. She certainly has no trouble getting them out.

Joskar biological nursing had hurt my back because it puts pressure on my lower back when I'm lying down so I can't do that now. Ruby ball hold is better but can't do that while out and about. The more she feeds without shields the more painful it is gaining. I've used cream and she's currently latched on wit nipple shield but the reached the point of being painful no matter what. The problem is my nipples are small in comparison to my boobs so in order for her to get a good latch, it means her nose is squashed and she can't breathe so she pull off a bit which means her latch isn't as good. The shield helped to keep a good latch and be able to breath . The pain is horrible. It's so annoying as I've reached 12 weeks now of breastfeeding and was finding it easy a last and now I'm back to square one.

The nipples aren't cracked or blistered, it's almost like a repetitive friction type pain of that makes sense. So the cream doesn't seem to be helping.

Sorry just feeling very sorry for myself at the moment.