May 2017 #16 Sleep deprivation, mumnesia and first smiles

[crazyzooo]

New thread to celebrate the small things (like first smiles and eating steak with one hand), commiserate over the less fabulous stuff (poonamies, vomit eruptions and wind spring to mind) and someone to talk to at 4am

We have jags on Thursday, dreading it. They all seem to get a temperature now with the menB ( though I'm glad it's included now unlike the £360 it cost to get DS covered )

My HV cancelled her last visit this week so I'm not sure if I'll see her again. Took DD to be weighed and she's a chunky 14lb10oz at 8 weeks, so doing fine I suppose.

Last time I expressed and DH gave the odd bottle but he still became a bottle refuser after a few months. Don't think I'll bother this time.

Wow Acorn. That's an impressive weight. No idea what baby Bees is now, but I suppose they'll weigh her at her 8 wk check. We paid a fortune for DD1 to have the memB too. Totally worth it but glad it's included this time.

MrsJW if it's only an occasional bottle what do you do about pumping? I have such paranoia after getting mastisis again that I'm loathe to skip feeds.

mighty we haven't had ours get but hope the temperature has gone down now. Sometimes the calpol takes a while to kick in, but if it doesn't go down I'd call 111 for advice. It's horrible when they are suffering. I still set alarms to wake me up when dd1 has a temperature so I can check on her.

Thanks @EsmesBees
Pleased to report that his temperature is back to normal and he's currently pulling all manner of poo faces in my arms 

He's had a horrid two days though, even before the jabs so it was a perfect storm!

To those who are about to have theirs, you should.l be given a form to take straight to your chemist after for some infant paracetamol, so besides that you just need a good baby thermometer and some nerves of steel ; )

@Paige84 how's baby Paige doing? Hope you're bearing up too

@Badgerbird you were in the cranky baby club too weren't you? Hope baby badger is a bit sunnier, even if the weather isn't!

@mightymouse76 we didn't have a fever but impressive lumps on the legs where the jabs were.

@EsmesBees we're doing a bottle a day, usually an evening top up of breast milk. I like to have the option of going out without him, even if I haven't done it much yet!

Morning mighty we also had jabs yesterday. Temp overnight with impressive screams and giant red lumps on his legs but this morning he's giving me some of his finest smiles and gurgles so here's hoping he's on the mend (calpol is magical hey!)
Not so great on the OH front. I'm not entirely sure I still have one actually. I'm just so tired of it all and I'm trying desperately to not let it ruin this time I have the baby. Before we know it he'll be grown and we can never get this time again. Off to HV this morning to be weighed, last time he hadn't quite reached 9lb but he's filled out so much in the last 3 weeks I'm guessing at least 11lb now!
Hope baby mighty is feeling better this morning

@Paige84 awww what a lovely baby!! Lovely sleepsuit too ⛵️
I'm so sorry to hear you're still not getting the support from H. For what it's worth you sound incredibly strong given the situation. Your approach to focussing on the wonderful side of baby amid the crankiness and sleep deprivation is sensible, not to mention impressive.
I do wonder if those of us whose relationship dynamics have twisted for the worse will find that the OH's will eventually 'get it' when our babies are more responsive in a few short weeks, but it's certainly a test of patience.
I'm sorry if this has been answered before but do you have family within travelling distance, or friends with children nearby?
Could you go away and stay with someone for a few days to show him the reality of how he is making you feel?
It might shock him into behaving more appropriately...

Mighty is currently in the sling napping - first time he has let me put him in it for two weeks. Our babysitter wore him, African style (using just a bed sheet!) on her back yesterday to calm him down so I think it's broken him in a bit. He hasn't pooed since last night and was very upset after breakfast so I'm trying to jiggle it down this way. He gets annoyed if I use my arms too much though, so think I might just pop the tv on for the morning and stuff the toast in...

@Paige84 wish I could come and give you a hug and make you a cup of tea. Maybe mention it to the health visitor? There might be support locally you can be referred to. If OH is low on confidence with the baby would he go to a dad's group? On the other hand perhaps he's just an arsehole and it's never going to improve. You're right about trying to enjoy this special time with your gorgeous wee baby! One of my best friends OH walked out on her when their DS was 7 weeks and whilst it was no walk in the park for her she has the most amazing relationship with her boys and has really thrived on parenting her way without dickhead him in the background.

@mightymouse76 did your babysitter do that terrifying thing where they sort of twist the baby wrapped in the sheet into her back? It obviously works and looks very comfortable but I remember feeling shocked the first time I saw it!

@teainbed no she just did the equally terrifying thing of draping the sheet over her back, bending forward and sort of slinging mighty round onto her back like a tiny frog before folding the sheet up and weaving some kind of magic with it.
It was all I could do to leap forward with my arms open to catch him, and when I asked if she needed a hand, I was met with dare I say I slightly withering look to suggest years of wearing her four children over the decades was plenty enough practice, thank you very much!

Hugs @Paige84 - not sure I can suggest much but hope it improves soon.

@EsmesBees I use a NatureBond a few times a day - collects leaks and let downs - and that collects enough to have a small supply in the freezer. I then pump while she has her bottle to avoid messing up supply. I haven't been pumping beyond that, too much hassle and I'm still very leaky 😫

Morning ladies

@paige84 - sorry to hear that oh still is pulling his weight.

@mightymouse - interesting to hear that you got given a prescription to get infant paracetamol after the jabs, as I've been told to bring calpol with me as well as giving baby a dose 30 mins before his appointment. Baby will have his jabs on Friday so am hoping any illness that comes about will be over by the end of the weekend.

mighty it is amazing to watch :)

Esmes similar to mrsjw, the plan here (not carried out much the last two weeks or so!!) is to only have the one bottle a day and to pump when that one is given to keep up supply. I'm also pumping first thing in morning for freezer stash. Tempted by the nature bond though....

I'm interested in naturebond, those using are you mixing with pumped milk?

May I add to @vanilla8 's naturebond question?
I've just had my first use to catch let down (30ml, which is quite surprising for me)

I've put it in the fridge with the cap on.
Could I keep topping it up with each feed throughout day, then decant to a sterilised storage pot in the evening? I should I decant straight away to an ice cube tray or similar?
What do you all do?

@savagehk would you/have you ever tried it? DP wants to learn how to wear him like that. Guarantee I will be standing by with arms out for that attempt!!

Quick note on post jabs stuff for those yet to have- mighty is a bit constipated today. Loose poo before bed and nothing but wee since.I thought it would be the opposite what with the rotavirus vaccine but hey ho-it's a lot of stuff in one go for a small baby. I'd probably struggle too tbf...

@jennymac31 I must confess I didn't read the notes so didn't have any with me- probably better to do as you've been instructed as dosing before might prevent the temp from developing.
And it wasn't a prescription as such- it was via a voucher system. The docs gave me a form to register with a local chemist, and i can go to them with baby's minor ailments and receive free over the counter treatments, or if needed, they will refer us to the GP. Good scheme, probably devised to not clog up doctors surgeries. Assume this is nationwide?

There are YouTube videos about the African way to carry, really not difficult looking but you'd have to be really sure to do it yourself!

The paracetamol thing is different all over the country. Technically I could get loads of free stuff on the Minor Ailments scheme but I think I'd feel a bit funny about using it. I had a voucher in my red book I could have taken to the pharmacy. Other areas in England I hear are really cutting back on prescribing over the counter stuff like paracetamol. Really just depends where you live.

I know what you mean tea, it's strange that it's not means tested. Grateful of it yesterday for my lack of preparation, but not sure I would be a regular user, much like the free dental.

On the naturebond - I do that on the other side during a feed, or I do it after a short feed to get the remaining hind milk, or I pump. I mix the different vintages and baby doesn't seem to care!

NatureBond - I put it on both sides when using it to catch fore and hind milk. I don't do it every feed (can be tricky lying down!) but a few times a day. If Baby W has slept well I can get a good few ounces in the morning but it's slower in the evening. I mix various vintages as @CoxsOrangePippin says and that's fine. You just have to make sure they are the same temperature. So I empty the first one into a milk bag and store in the fridge. For the rest of the day I put the NatureBond in the fridge for an hour before combining. When I have a decent volume I freeze the bag.

@mightymouse76 I don't keep adding to the thing itself partly because of the temperature issue, partly because I fear spilling it and losing it all!

@vanilla8 I only pump if she's having a bottle (only done a couple so far) and I use the NatureBond at the same time. Then mix it all together!

I'm a big fan so far!

Thanks @MrsJW15 and @CoxsOrangePippin I'm sold, will be getting one now

Thanks tea, a hug and a cuppa would be nice. In a bit of a slump tonight. On the bright side, bubs is a fabulous 11lb 7 and is tall for his age (his father is 6'6 so I'm not surprised!) I tried to introduce OH to dadsnet but hit a brick wall. He has a son from a previous relationship who is autistic. He sees him 3/4 days per week and is great with him. I often see my OH comparing the boys and wonder if that's contributing to his behaviour towards this little guy as he once said something about not coping with 2 autistic children.
Changing the subject - another naturebond fan here!

I have a heap of catching up to do, been out for walks making the most of the sunshine while we have it.

Quick question first though, I'm visiting a nursery on Friday baby Rise will be going in December but I have no idea what to look for in a nursery.... anyone with more experience got a bit of a check list they could share?

@1004Rise the best advice I was given is to go with your instinct. Trust me - you will either like it or not. Ask if they are happy to follow your routine, what is the ratio of key worker to the baby etc.

Well I'm completely baffled! Ordered a naturebond yesterday after seeing it mentioned on here and just used it on the other boob for my first feed of the night and got almost 50ml in about 20 seconds.

I have no idea how it works but it's amazing. I've struggled to pump much more than that in the morning with the electric pump and I don't really leak so wasn't expecting much at all.

I'm currently feeding from both sides at every feed during the day and struggling to find time to express to build up a stash. I only do one side during the night though so this will be perfect to collect a bit extra!