July 2016 #2

[Bluebell20]

A new thread as we (hopefully) move towards longer sleeps and lovely little smiles!

Super pics ladies!

Ruby I would also love the link to that article. Sounds good.

Just got to share this trauma of the day... At in-laws', and have 2.5 bottles of breast milk in the fridge, which I have conspicuously been adding to all day with breast shell collection. On my last feed of the evening I went to add some milk to the third bottle, only to find... An open packet of raw bacon balanced across all three bottles!

Didn't lose my shit, but did request quite loudly that people did not balance raw meat on my carefully expressed breast milk in future. MIL leapt to my assistance and sterilised the lid of the third bottle as that's the one that I keep having to touch as I top up the milk. Really fighting the urge to just pour away all three bottles of milk so that I can be absolutely sure though... This is where I find it quite hard to draw a line between my OCD tendencies (genuine OCD, not 'I really like a tidy living room' OCD) and what might constitute a genuine health threat. I figure as long as I wash my hands after touching the outside of each bottle, and transfer the contents to a fresh bottle before feeding Ruben, that should be okay?

On the plus side I have been sufficiently freaked out by it to not want to express overnight so have been having a go at breastfeeding. First two haven't been great, but they haven't been terrible either. He is just so lazy - he doesn't open his mouth, then when I don't let him on the nipple he cries, so I try to get him to open his mouth again and he just goes back to a tiny little lapping kitten mouth. I've let him get away with a medium open mouth which has resulted in me feeling a little sore but is a lot less faff than trying to express on someone else's house.

Becks - gorgeous pics! His facial expressions look so grown up! Especially the photo on the left.

Bluebs - I'm afraid I genuinely don't know how much of a health hazard that is. Sorry that you've had to deal with people's astonishing inability to think about what they're doing. But glad that you've at least had some success with the BF. You'll get there step by step. It happened gradually for me, that jasper started opening his mouth wider and I stopped being in pain. Recently it's actually started feeling strangely nice when he latches.

I'm thinking of setting up a females-only commune where we all look after our babies together and help/support each other in doing so. So, who's in?

A girl can dream, right?

juflin my bags are packed ready for the commune! I think that's how it was in the 'old' days when traditionally women didn't work. They'd all rally around the new mum and baby. Now I think there is pressure to do it all on your own, in a clean house with a healthy dinner having done educational play all day! In reality I let DD1 have chocolate whilst watching the lion king, house looks like a bombs gone off and we had steak and chips

becks 11 weeks! Wow! I feel so far behind with my 5 weeker!

Miss Hallie looking lovely as ever indians. Her face is really starting to change I think?

blue i think milk will be fine. Breastmilk has anti bacterial qualities/stuff (so technical) in it
So you should be fine. It would piss me off too though. I hate when people just shove stuff in. Move things around!!!

DD1 was a turd today. All I wanted to do come bedtime was down a bottle of prosecco. Settled for water instead lol!

I am in! Bags are packed just give me the postcode! I am having major in law dramas at the moment... Long story but it's causing major issues to say the least...

bluebell I sterilise bottles and shells then top up a bottle in the fridge through the day and just keep a lid over the bottle in between top ups (so the cap/teet aren't on it) and just wash hands before I top it up. I think as our babies were full term and healthy we don't need to worry too much!

Annie has been really odd the last few days, constantly rooting (as in if she is in my arms she's rooting) and really pissed off. I don't know what to do! Also seem to be having shooting pains in my boobs during/in between feeds? Feel like I'm losing control a bit. She's constantly slipping off the nipple as well and not latching properly but like you julfin she screams if I don't let her have boob arghhhhh! I wish she'd take at least one full bottle just so I know she's not hungry and take it from there. She's also slept awfully last night, woke up every hour - I'm shattered!

Also am getting sick to the back teeth of people commenting on breastfeeding as though I'm doing it wrong. She's a little and often feeder, it doesn't bother me so why the bloody hell is it bothering other people (looking at you mil ). Usually comments from people who only breastfed for a week or not at all!

Your lovely photos have cheered me up though :) Ben looks so old! Amazing how much they change!

Anyone else struggling with cradle cap? Any tips?

Primary - I don't know much about it but could the shooting pains be thrush? I know that is a symptom because I looked it up a couple of weeks ago when my boobs felt a bit strange. If Annie has oral thrush too she might be uncomfortable feeding? Just a thought. Hope things improve for you soon. Grr to your MIL!

Love Annie's little striped leggings! Girls' clothes are so cool!

I had thought Ruben was a whopping baby but having spent a couple of days with his 9 month old cousin I now think he looks tiny. It is really weird; I actually feel as though he has shrunk!

becks was he 11 weeks yesterday? If so, he's Adams birthday buddy!

primary for cradle cap I was advised to rub grapeseed oil into the scalp half and hour to an hour before the bath then to wash it off with shampoo.

Is anyone else's hair falling out in clumps? Shocked at how much I'm molting. I think I developed thicker hair when I was pregnant but that was 11 weeks ago!!

Hi sock Ben was 11 weeks on thurs. I'm also losing loads of hair. I'm very grateful for it to be honest as I have very very thick hair naturally. I used dentinox shampoo for DD's cradle cap and I picked it a lot!!

primary Annie is gorgeous!! Ignore MIL you carrying on feeding when she wants that's how it works. I'm sorry the PIL are giving you a hard time. You can always rant here.
Re Annie, are you winding her often? I find Gracie gets so fussy if I don't wind her. Could also be a growth spurt? Sleep deprivation is killer, try relax today.
We've had really dry skin here. I think cutting dairy out has helped but also Aveeno has just launched its baby range. We used it twice and her skin cleared up!!! DH has really bad eczema and loves Aveeno so I'm thrilled there is a baby one!

Got it in boots. It's pricey at £8.50 but you need the tiniest amount

Does anyone have issues with leaky nappies? Adam tends to have rather explosive episodes (thanks comfort milk) and this is the third day in a row I've had to wash his clothes!! Right down the legs!

He's been amazing today! We took him swimming and he loved it. For the first time he was awake around asda and just sat there cooing the whole time. We always leave an asda trip until his nap cos were scared he'll kick off and we'll have to leave. Boy did he prove us wrong!!

Picture of our milk drunk little man!

Ha ha, brilliant photo, Sock!
Yes we have nappy leakages quite a lot. Sometimes I think it's when I've used a public changing facility where the change table is at the wrong angle so I've put the nappy on wonky. But other times it's just because there's too much liquipoo for a nappy to hold. Or maybe I'm doing something wrong...? I think I'm going to have to throw out a couple of his outfits

Ps glad he enjoyed swimming and asda! I'm looking forward to swimming soon hopefully

We're doin swimming next weekend got a little baby wetsuit off eBay. Any tips or hints to make it a successful session?

Thanks for the company! I had been feeling better until a huge argument last weekend stemming from abusive FIL then annoying MIL. It's set me back emotionally, saw my perinatal councilor on Friday and have decided to keep seeing her for a while (was meant to be my last session) as I don't want to slip into PND :(DP tries but where his family is concerned he doesn't get my issues with MIL and has so many issues with FIL it's impossible to unpick- so I've gone non contact with him now (his parents are long divorced so two separate matters).

Regarding explosive nappies - dd had loads until we went up to size 3 and they are much more contained - maybe try the next size up? Also I cannot recommend enough the vanish stain remover bar, has totally got rid of all luminous yellow poo stains. I got mine from bm bargains for like £2 and it's saved so many outfits!

I'm off to buy that cream tomorrow Anna thanks for the tip :)

And loving the milk drunk photo!

Been absent for ages, sorry. The new kitchen is taking shape though which is good.

Rose is doing well and is now 9 weeks old. She's a happy little soul.

Primary - sorry you're having in-law problems. That sounds like a nightmare. The last thing you need. Hugs.
I second Vanish stain remover. I've been using the spray rather than the bar, because it's easier to use whilst carrying a baby in a sling! - but I've used the bar in the past and it's excellent.
Love those pictures of Annie 😊

Anna - sorry DD1 was being difficult. How old is she?
Yes I was thinking the other day that, in the olden days, young mothers wouldn't be so isolated. Families lived much closer together, and everyone knew their neighbours, and there would always be other women around to help out. So they wouldn't have just been stuck at home on their own. The way modern society works, it's so much harder and doesn't seem natural to be doing everything on your own.

Sock - I haven't been moulting, but I remember reading about it - how it can seem as if you're losing loads of hair but it's only because it got so much thicker during pregnancy. I guess it's just taking a couple of months for your body to return fully to normal. I wouldn't worry - unless you start getting bald spots!

Floss - Rose has a beautiful smile!

Does anyone else find they need to use more deodorant / shower more than they used to (or is it just me 😳)? I don't know whether I'm actually more smelly, or whether it's just because my sense of smell is so much better at the moment - or perhaps I'm just being paranoid!

On a nicer note, I'm feeling quite pleased with myself. On Thursday I went to a sling library because I've been finding my (borrowed) Close Caboo really uncomfortable and wanted to try some alternatives. But instead of getting a different one, the sling lady spent ages showing me how to tie the Caboo properly. It has made SO MUCH difference! This afternoon I wore it and jasper slept for ages, during which time I:
⁃ Walked to&from the grocery shop and carried home loads of heavy stuff
⁃ Hung up the laundry
⁃ Loaded the next load of laundry
⁃ Stripped the bed
⁃ Made the bed up again
⁃ Did some house-tidying.
All with the sling. Very impressed with myself! This baby malarkey isn't always as hard as I'd thought! I know there'll be good days and bad days, but it's nice to know that I can stand on my own two feet without my parents around.

And in other good news, I'm back home with DH, and he's been interacting really positively with J today. (Since his paternity leave he's only really seen him at weekends and was increasingly struggling to engage positively.) He played with him for ages today and actually seemed to enjoy it. And we've done a lot of talking and have also had a really nice day together. Trying not to get my hopes up too much, but it seems positive.

Have we heard from Thom lately?

I seem to have dropped off for a bit but this is only a short one before we go to mil's. I wanted to attempt to save the clothes! I soak very soiled things in Napisan for a minimum of two hours before rinsing them out and washing as normal. My dm got me onto it as it's what she and her friends used to do.

Best thing for poo stains is sunshine! I use Vanish Gold stuff with scoop too, but sunshine will bleach away anything, even tomato-based stains. Remember this for when these poo-machines are eating proper food..!

primary sorry I missed your question about swimming! Big bit of advice is how you plan on getting out of the pool at the other end. It helps if there's another person! If not, take a robe to put over yourself and get the Annie dressed first and pop her in your car seat if you take that in with you while you get changed yourself. Or use a family changing cubicle with a changing table if there is one!

jufin so glad things seem to be going well at home. Be kind to yourself.

Sleeping bag question - first night in a sleeping bag (was sick of the blankets being kicked off). Do I need a blanket too? It's a 1 tog bag and the room is about 20 degrees. Can't believe how clueless I am!!

Lol 'the annie' should just say Annie! I should go to bed!

Sock, i think we're on the same wavelength!! I put Ben in a sleeping bag for the first time last night. He was in a 0.5tog and had a baby gro on underneath. No idea on room temp but I was cold. Tonight I'm going for a 2.5 tog sleeping bag with the babygro on. Ben's cot is underneath the window which is slightly open overnight.

From my Grobag room thermometer guide:

1 tog bag in 20 deg = sleeveless vest with long sleeve top over it

2.5 tog bag, sleepsuit if room is below 16deg. That's pretty chilly, prob only a little different to tonight's outside temp (depending on where you are). Long sleeve vest if temp is 20deg.

DD (2.5) is in a 1 tog with short sleeve vest but her room (our 1970s house) is roasting!

bluebell I'm very cross on your behalf- raw meat and breast milk?! Well done

great boobie feeding efforts!! You're doing amazingly!!!

primary really sorry to hear about your crappy in law dramas. Hope things calm soon. Really not needed I'm sure. Ooo I need this magical bar you talk of! I've run out of spray but have just been rubbing on the powder /soaking. We have had similar behaviour which has luckily now passed. I'm thinking its a development /growth thing. He never seems satisfied and doesn't sleep for more than 10 mins at a time like all day? I really hope it passes for you/Annie soon. Oh and I'm guilty of picking cradle cap also. I've been trying to 'exfoliate' with a flannel post bath . I never had much success with dentinox with DD2 (she got in up to 2 1/2 quite badly) and my best tip was to use an oil to soften it, massage and let it soak in (in the bath) then use a nit comb on it (wouldn't work for a baby I know sorry)

julfin I second a bigger size! We are transitioning to #3s now! Thanks for the well wishes- he wasn't himself for about 48 hours but is much much happier today. Really pleased you and DH seem to be settling into everything, and the bonding sounds very promising :) my DH has struggled with bonding this time round (big time actually) so he's not alone (and he's lived with him the whole time) your parents sound so supportive and fab. I'm very interested in the post natal anxiety, there really should be more about it. The awareness would be great. I really think I've been suffering on some degree with what could be this. But I've never brought it up to anyone because I don't consider myself depressed (I've suffered with depression before)

sock Yey to your successful day! Swimming sounds great and a shop too- go you guys! Loving the milk coma snap!

anna I've heard good things about aveeno I might have to invest in this!

Gorgeous pics ladies!! Must get you an update. Right I'm massively tired and Georgehas been asleep for a while so will have to leave my catch up there I'm afraid

Night all

I have also switched to a grobag. The nights are getting a bit chillier and it means no messing around with kicked off blankets.

I can't wait for Rose to go a bit longer after each feed. It's fine if she goes to sleep, but if she's awake it's still pretty much constant boobing. I can barely get anything done.

She also hates her car seat which sucks as I have a 450 mile round journey to make on Wednesday.

julfin jeez put me to shame why don't you?! I had a go at unloading the dishwasher with the close caboo, but after bashing Ruben against cupboard doors a couple of times and his head flopping out when I bent down to get the cutlery tray, I decided not to bother with productivity any more... Seriously though, well done you - that must have felt amazing!

primary sorry about the family troubles xx

So I ended up chucking away all the breast milk - it was just easier. And not a bad trade for all the help I've had with Ruben over the weekend. DH even went out on an all night party night in Bristol with his friends, and I stayed behind with the in laws at hand in case of difficulty. Earned me some mega brownie points, that did.

Just did a mahoosive sort out of all the clothes we've been given, and stashed them away in drawers according to size. We won't need to buy any clothes at all until January at the very earliest! I've also sorted out a second load of clothes to be given away, having already donated a huge bag of stuff to a pregnant friend. I'm keeping half a dozen of each size in case of a second baby, but that is it. Determined not to gather too much baby clutter!

Our cot mattress arrived today, which is why I've been sorting - we had been using the cot as a giant storage bin up to this point (so handy!). Ruben is getting too big for the Moses basket - he is 3/4 of the length of it, and it's now too narrow for him to hold his arms up beside his head when he sleeps. He keeps hitting the sides with his fists and startling himself awake. So it's the big boy cot for him... Only trouble is fitting it into our room. It is going to require some serious furniture Tetris!

Have a happy baby photo!