September 2006 babies - smiles all round!

[clairemow]

New thread for us....

LC you sound exhausted...hope you get a break this weekend

cruisemum - do you have to stop BFing? you obviously don't want to...

cruismemum, why stop? Reading between the lines it sounds as though you really don't want to & you've given no reason as to why you'd want to introduce FF either! If you are happy to continue to BF & have the milk then hey, keep going I say! Before you know it they'll be on solids anyhow...

tassis and cori - I guess people (my mum, in-laws, older motherss etc. think it is bizarre to still be bf and often ask 'how long I am going to carry on', 'have I started him on solids', 'why don't i give him the occasional bottle of formula' blah blah blah. I suppose they make me feel stupid for continuing. I do worry that it is not filling him up esp since reading what bristols just said about her supply dropping. No real reason really except everyone who knows me seems keen for me to start bottle feeding!

cruise, there's no reason for you to stop if you don't want to

i never gave my ds a bottle, just dropped feeds gradually as I introduced food and eventually got him onto a cup. By the time he was about 10 months i was just feeding him first thing and last thing (so no one really ever saw us - not that I'd have minded) and we kept doing that until about 15 months.

it was really lovely and I plan to do similarly with dd

please don't feel forced into doing something you don't want to do.

Munki re: sound of silence ... am looking forward to the day I'm not responsible for any crying baby I may happen to hear.

Someone please clue me in - in UK is it common to stop all milk/formula at 4 months? In US if someone's going to bf the goal is 9 mos ... at least 6... Then strongly advised to keep feeding - if not bm then formula - until baby's a full year. Food is just supplemental at first, then gradually takes over, and we're told no cow's milk until 1 year. How does this compare; just curious?

J. has an ear infection; Dr appt in 2 hours. Thus my comment about crying babies. It's been bad.

Four-month checkup is Tues.

Due Sept 2007 ... Wow; glad that's not me!!

Called my bootmaker yesterday ... reward for not buying clothes last year is a new pair of boots. My first boots are the most comortable, versatile shoes I've ever worn ... so can't wait!!! Will take 2 mos ...

DS1 is chomping at the bit for J. to play with him - tries to involve him in his make-believe: "James! Percy is going off the track - you have to save him!" & J. just sitting there drooling. Poor DS1 ... ah well, soon enough.

Kseaj re sleeping - it's not broke; don't try to fix it would LOVE for J. to do the same!

Compo - J.'s having 6 to 8 oz per feeding, at 4 mos 1 week, and 5 feedings per 24 hours.

Ezridax - I think it's a good idea to think ahead like that; better more choices than less.

Sorry so long! May be another 5 days before I can get on again.

tassis - that's reassuring. thanks

Wow Marls, you have a bootmaker?!!
In the UK we're advised to only give cow's milk in food from 6 months onwards. Formula for a year if not breast feeding and then at one year bottles can be cow's milk. So from 6 months babies can have weetabix with cow's milk, mashed potato etc with cow's milk added but no bottles of cow's milk.
Thanks for all the responses re. quantities of formula - sounds like dd is average, I think it was 35oz today.
LiquidClocks - well done fr getting back to work so quickly. Who is looking after your lo? It sounds exhausting!
Re. schools in my county it makes no difference if you put their names down early as everyone is considered equal when the apply the term before the child starts. It makes me laugh at Mothers and Toddlers people were saying how they'd put their child down for the best primary school at six months - they obviously don't realise it makes no difference. And some were talking about maybe starting to go to church to get into a certain school Me and dh are atheists through and through and could never do that!!

Marls ~ re: length of time to bf - i, as a yank in the UK, have also noticed the difference of time of bf over here vs. US.

I'm very very happy to know that most of the mums here (in the thread) have been bfing. The average percentage of bfing mums in the UK is 2-3%, overall! this is a national statistic given to me by my GP...im shocked tbh. I always wondered why i get the look of "Oh Wow!" from my GP when i tell him that im bf'ing.

still, im not sure if i totally believe the statistic... but yes, it does seem that the length of time is different over here. ((i have to say now that im bfing ALL the time, as he's wanting more, i can see why some may consider weaning around this time...))

anyone wanting a great laugh should visit the "You're a bad parent" thread. It is hilarious!

To clarify - It's under 'Parenting 'and is titled "I think you're a bad parent"

Thanx for comments. I have phoned a local school and have an appointment so we will see - just wanted to know if i was weird.

Re BF - it's quite hard BF feeding exclusively, LO will be 18 months this wk end and will NOT have a bottle. I expressed and he will not have a teat in his mouth or a dummy. Part of me feels proud but the other part of me feels disheartened.
I have come to the conclusion that i will just have to wait until 6 months before i can cut down on BFd's.
I must say on the other hand i love BFding my son and know i will miss it when it finally comes to an end.
It's just that motherhood is so hard and whilst BF people can only help so much - i'm V tired.
But i guess this is what i signed up for.

I hope i don't sound to depressed i am actually loving it!

Oh i must say that all you ladies have helped me a great deal on this board - it helps to know that other people are going through similar situations

Cruise, how on earth did you find that thread? its super hot and funny! ((makes me wish i had a 3 year old so i could add to the stories! hehehe...)) but i suppose i will have all this to come, eh?

oh, btw, how about those flowers? ever get watered?

Cruisemum - I don't think there's a particular time when breast milk tails off, if at all. I started giving DS FF at bed time and then decided to do FF through night and BF through day, mainly to share with DH. Before long, DS was drinking three 8oz bottles through the nights (7, 10, 4am)and BF all day. I spoke to my HV who said that he was probably getting all his nutrition at night and just taking the edge off his hunger in the day. She said that my supply had probably fallen and that I could increase it again. This would mean resting lots, drinking 3 litres of water a day and putting him to the breast every hour for a while. I just couldn't face all that and although very sad, decided that it was time to make the change. I'd rather do that than stick with BF and start to wean.

If your LO is satisfied and you are happy with the way things are, then carry on! I feel very sad to have stopped but I was assured that the number of women who breast feed past a month is minimal. So that made me feel better. I gave him the best start.

Ezridax - hadn't even thought about looking at schools. Our local school is having open mornings but I thought that was a long way off for us. Will have to look into it.

Liquid - Great admiration for you getting back to work. Have a relaxing weekend. If you can!

Hi ladies, long time no post. LO been rather exhausting as getting onto a 4 hr routine and still windy.
Compo, re the formula quantities he is on 5 feeds in 24 hrs of 8oz each; doesn't always drain the bottle but has most of it usually; that makes a total of 40oz...he's a big boy tho - 18lbs at coming up to 4mths (long 67cms not just wide hee hee). Guess solids will be needed soon - he liked the pureed apple i got him to try at Xmas but I'd like to delay solids as long as I can.

Looking into childminder care for a day or so a week but this could be tricky to arrange (and afford) so I can see new clients soon and get working again.

Hope all the LOs are doing well - and starting to sleep more

munki - great isn't it! btw - yes they effing did!
another fab nite wiv ds. bed at 6.30pm wake 10 and 4. finally up at 8am!

Thanks for your pats on the back! I wish I didn't have to go back just get, it's just the way maternity pay rules are.

Cruise - if you go on the BF/FF boards you will find so many women who are still BFing their 18 month olds and plenty who have fed until past 2. Don't let anyone pressure you into stopping. Our parents generation only find it weird because they were actively encouraged to FF so they're not used to BF.

thanks liquid. i do feel a bit pressured adn find myself agreeing that it would be best to wean from breast to bottle and then onto solids just to avoid feeling uncomfortable or 'freakish' in the eyes of family - namely my mother, sister, niece (all of whom bottlefed from birth). I shall learn to ignore them.
Have you checked out the You are a bad parent thread under Parenting? It is sooo funny!

I will when I have a chance - DH has man-flu and is being all whingy so off to feed DS2 now. Any time you need to feel completely un-freakish and get a bit of supprt just start a theard in the feeding section - there'll be loads of people there to support you. A good friend of mine has only just dropped the morning and night feed with her DD who is 26 months, she loved every minute of it but only stopped when she felt they were both ready.

cruise, haven't got much time, but I wanted to say keep feeding for as long as YOU and LO want to. There is no reason why your supply should drop, esp if you don't introduce any formula. I know mixed feeding works for some people, but tbh, I found that once I'd introduced just a couple of bottles of formula, the transition to fully FF was really quick - I did really want to keep bf twice a day, but just couldn't keep enough supply. I think you're doing really really well, and your LO is having a great start in life. Good on you. Ignore anyone who tries to get you to stop if you don't want to. Our mothers' generation were very very unusual if they bf, and many just don't understand.

To illustrate this, my friend was told by an older lady to "move away" from the 'adults only area' in the gym the other day because she was feeding her baby there (it was quiet). We change there every week with Fraser and her baby, and we've seen the same woman there lots of times, and she's never said anything before. She waited until Fraser and I had gone into the gym before saying anything as well. Coward.

DH's birthday today - he's decided he wants venison in red wine and chocolate (?) sauce for dinner, so DS1 and I off to Waitrose - figure venison might be a bit posh for my normal supermarket!!!!

PS Cruise, with DS1 I did bf and weaning at 4 1/2 months as per advice then, and he only had formula later on after 6 months.

cruise, im so very thrilled that your LO slept so good last night. i hope tonight is as equally well.

i put my ds down a little later than usual tonight. about 40 minutes ago. either he's become used to going down in his cot after my attempts at 'very mild CC' or he was just very very tired cos he went right down. no cry. no fuss. just put the dummy in, gave him his Cuski and his eyes dropped. if i had any sense, i'd get myself to bed to make up for sleep lost with ds's rotten sleep from last night.
but as we all know, this is 'me' time.

good night ladies.

Hi there, my DD is 16 weeks now, I was on this thread before she was born, but have dropped off after that. So nice to hear about others in exactly my place in time with LO
Crusiemum, Don't let them beat you down!
Breast Feeding is best! I will not be stopping until DD is onto solids and then I would hope to keep going for as long as she needs. I figure night feeds, at least, until she is one and I will see how I get on from there. I don't want to get stares so I will stop when she is getting a bit big for it all.
I really, really do not want to ever give her formula. Why should I when I can give her everything she needs?
Sorry I am coming across sharpish but I am so strong on my BF cos I struggled so hard to get started, I won't give up for anyone!!
Maybe I am wrong though, is there any benefit to giving FF?

fairy - thanks! I think there are benefits...knowing how much your lo has taken, knowing you can leave lo with someone else over a feed time in the safe knowledge that they will not starve, never having to sit in the smokers corner of a cafe cos that is at the back end of hte restaurant when you will not be seen by as many people. But, I feel that I enjoy bf so much I am prepared to forgoe these little luxuries-

Thanks Pistachio!

Hello All (Again!)

I'm new to Mumsnet and this my first posting. I note the September 2006 babies title thread and thought I'll join this one. My baby is also a 2006 September baby. She weighed 6 lbs 3 ozs when she was born and now at 15 weeks - 14 lb 3ozs. She is mainly a bf baby, although I do give her bottle formula as a supplement. However, recently she is refusing bottle even when she is hungry. Any ideas why and how I can convince her in taking the bottle?
Would love to hear from you all..