July 2016

[primarynoodle]

Hopefully this works...

So we can keep in touch and pass on words of wisdom!

Perhaps someone clever could link to the stats?

anna - Grace is beautiful, what a lovely name too!

Thom what a cutie!!

I've been off for a couple of days - Maurice feeding constantly and not very well as he always seems hungry. He's put on weight and I know I'm lucky that he feeds well but it's so bloody painful!!! Especially as he's not giving me a break really. It was non stop yesterday and same today since 5am. Soooo tired and bit dejected that according to NCT helpline he's apparently not getting enough calories as so frequently feeding. Feels so pointless! Rant done

Sock so sorry you're having a rough time with your DP. The lack of sleep is not to be underestimated - great that you're gking to chat to your doc at next check up. Look after yourself lovely. Xxx

Thom I love that outfit! Where is it from please?

I take the sterile bottles. I think the ones with the teats attached are only 70ml and he needs more than that.

I've not really made up my bottles for the day but I'm going to give it a go as I've got the tommee tippee warmer. I've got the perfect prep machine (jeez I'm a bleeding tommee tippee walking advert!) which is great as I have his bottle ready in 2 minutes. The boy will not wait for a bottle!

Asda sizing baffles me! 0-3 sleepsuits fit fine. This is the tshirt from one of their dungaree sets! Safe to say he's back in his romper suits.

flossie - I can't remember but when I take it off this evening I will check the label & let you know.
Has anyone got the belly bandit? I am confused about the amount of types there are. Which on has anyone gone for?

With regards to making bottles. I put 4scoops of powder in, mix with 1.5oz of boiling water to dissolve powder and kill any bugs then top up with 2.5oz of tap water. Cool in a washing up bowl of water for 5-10 mins then stick in the fridge. 20secs in the microwave and bottle is ready. Ben doesn't mind it cold so if I take one out with me i don't warm it. If I'm going for a while I'll take the cartons of ready made SMA and clean sterile bottles I don't warm these either.

sock as others have said, it's hard to know if it is pnd, sleep deprivation, or OH being a pain - or some combination of the above. So glad you are speaking to the GP about it.

Having my nan here has been amazing. She's not very mobile so it's not that she's been able to help round the house - but she's cuddled the bairn while I've showered / cooked dinner / cleaned the kitchen, and it's enabled me to be more than a baby milk bar for a couple of days! Lovely. Makes you realise why some cultures put such emphasis on multi generational living!

Loving all the cute baby pics.

Cheery we are going through a frequent feeding phase as well. The midwife just said 'growth spurt' to me...

What are you guys doing about tummy time? I hadn't done any at all until this morning. We managed about thirty seconds before he started bawling!

I'm supposed to be going to a wedding next weekend but I think I'm going to have to cancel. It's a 4.5 hr drive without a baby, and with the rule that you have to take the baby out of the car seat once every hour, plus his current feeding rate, I can't see how we are feasibly going to make the journey. I'm a bit worried about telling them though - it seems so rude of us to cancel with only a week's notice. I just had no idea what newborns involves when I accepted the invitation... Argh...

Bluebell - advice re: car seat is every 2 hours no? I spoke to midwife about this as we are off to Wales in September (4 hour drive) and she said it's not a problem - the guidance is there to discourage people from routinely using car seat for naps/a pram. The odd long distance journey is neither here nor there. I guess it's personal choice though - although as you said it's more a problem with the feeding schedule!

Seriously hoping someone has some advice for me - Annie is 4 weeks, we've dealt with cluster feeding but for the last 48 hours ALL she has done is fed. I'm talking a max of 1 hour between feeds overnight but majority of yesterday and today I'm lucky to get 20 mins between feeds before she screams again. Up til now she hasn't been a crier really either but she won't even be held or held in the sling - only wants to be suckling at breast. Won't take dummy either. I'm at my wits end!!!

Wish I could help primary but nothing helpful to add, sorry :(

bluebell have tried tummy time in the last few days, mainly he just looks like he's having a lovely rest and doesn't really do much. Slightly more successful if we try with him lying face down on my chest, but that could just be looking for more food...
(Also, is your nan available for hire?)

Going away for one night tomorrow and can't believe that am worried that everything won't go in (reasonably sized) car - what would everyone else do for somewhere for 4 week old baby to sleep? Currently taking Moses basket. And half the house.

We do a lot of tummy time. It's great for getting wind up so I do it after every feed for a few mins and at other times in the day. Ben seems to enjoy it. He'll happily sleep on his front too. DD hated it. We found she tolerated it more if propped up on a couple of pillows. I think it gave her more if a view.

Thanks indians and bluebell feel bit better about that now. He has grown so much this week!

primary same here. I ended up giving him 60ml EBM this morning at 5am as I was at my absolute wits end! I was trying to avoid bottle after he'd been bottle fed in hospital and his latch isn't great as a result but my boobs were so sore. He's calmed down loads today so hopefully you'll get a bit of respite soon xx

bluebell we just cancelled gking on a family holiday next week to Lakes as 6hr drive and we just don't feel ready. You have to do what feels right for you! X

primary I'm sorry you're having a hard time. I had a nightmare with DD1 she would only sleep for 30 mins at a time and screamed a lot!! Are the feeds coming back up? We discovered DD1 had reflux. Got her done meds and ate was a different child. Maybe google it and see if you relate to it at all. There is lots you can do to help it if it is that.

bluebell I thought it was two hours in the car seat? I think as a one off it would be fine. But it's really hard to know how you'll feel. Cluster feeding is a nightmare but it does calm down eventually.

Grace is so far a very good baby! Can't believe it after DD1 was so bad at sleeping/still is! I'm just totally besotted with her and DD1 is great to. She runs up to her basket and says hi ya and gives her a kiss. I've managed to sit with DD a bit today so she gets my time and attention too. I'm recovering well just keeping on top of painkillers and resting as much as I can. So far it's going we'll but I know that I'm living in a bubble with DH around!

I'm just waiting for my salmon and roasted veg for dinner. Another crazy Friday night! I did have two small glasses of champagne last night to celebrate coming home. Was delicious. X

We've had the wee man in his car seat for longer than the allotted 2 hours and he's been ok, we wouldn't make a habit of it though.
My best friend has asked us to be godparents for her wee boy. The christening will be in Staffordshire. We love just north of Edinburgh so That'll be an eight hour car journey or a flight and car hire at the other end. Do car hire companies hire out infant car seats too?
How do you sterilise bottles when staying in a hotel?

Not sure about car seat hire. You could always ring the company to check. Some airlines will let you take a car seat on the flight (probably not an isofix base though if you use one).

Sterilising wise I would suggest cold water sterilising in a hotel. Minimal equipment needed so as long as you have enough bottles to allow for the half hour sterilising time you should be ok.

I do cold water sterilising. It's 15mins to sterilise. Milton do a travel steriliser that does 1 bottle at a time and can also be used as a microwave steriliser. You don't need anything fancy though. A tupperware container with a lid will do. If you want to do more than one bottle the proper Milton kit was £15 and will do 5-6 large bottles at once.

We finally chose a name we love for DD. We hastily chose a name when she was born, but people immediately started shortening it and I was a bit so we've chosen Ivy. Figure no one can shorten Ivy, plus it seems to suit her more.

Love it kate.

Ivy is really lovely!

primary and anna, my health visitor definitely said a ten minute break every hour for the car seat. Just one more thing where the advice differs, then! I ended up telling my friend this evening that I can't make it and he was really understanding, bless him. As you say Cheery, we just don't feel ready. The furthest I've gone with Rubes other than my in-laws' house is a coffee shop down the road!

Ruby and becks, thanks for the tummy time tips! Will try lying him on me / propping with pillows and see how that goes.

New quandary! Just fed Ruben till he was asleep. Put him in the basket and he woke up - but he's totally chilled, doesn't want more food, doesn't want winding. He's just lying there wide awake and peaceful. Is it awful if I try and go to sleep now? Or should I really be engaging with him because he's awake? I feel like if I turn the bedside lamp off now I'm ignoring him, which isn't very nice!

Good god bluebell - sleep! It'll soon be made clear if baby finds that acceptable!

Thanks for advice/help - she has started to bring up the odd feed so think maybe it is reflux? She seems to bring up loads when she's sick and it's sort of curdled white consistency, is that reflux or normal? If reflux then why not every feed? I'm shattered but scared to sleep now in case she's sick and I sleep through it:/

primary - I don't know if it is normal or not, but Emmie is the same. Sick often and it is sometimes curdled (I assume old sick) and sometimes it just comes straight back up (no curdle) it happens pretty much every feed, sometimes straight away and sometimes after a while. My mum has reassured me it is normal and I was the same. But like you I worry that something could happen while asleep. It also means we get through a lot of bedding! Not very helpful sorry!
flossie - the outfit is from baby gap and currently on sale - just looked. They also have it in strawberry and lemon. I am going to get the next size up for her a I love it. Starting to think that I should be putting her in outfits more. I might even get a little dress to try her in. has anyone else tried their baby in a dress? And are you using tights or leggings underneath or is the dress enough?

Adams not often sick - a bit of possetting now and again but otherwise he's ok. Other than the time I was in such a daze feeding him I just let him go on and on and on... Yup, spew everywhere!!

Can you try infacol? I know there's no proper evidence to suggest that it works, but there's no evidence to the contrary either. It can't help giving it a go.

I will check out the Milton stuff. We don't even know when the christening is yet but I'm pretty sure she wants it this year.

kate ivy is a gorgeous name. Congratulations!!