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

Afternoon ladies

Hope you are all well.

Burst water mains in Bristol has caused havoc today. Dd's nursery had initially closed but decided to reopen when I arrived to pick her up. Was happy for her to stay at nursery but she wanted to stay with me and baby nate instead. Took her to meet the mums from my ante-natal classes along with their new babies. Emma was so well behaved and they all adored her (along with baby nate). Just got home and am trying my hardest to keep her awake or else it will be a nightmare trying to get her to bed tonight.

@teainbed I wasn't even on that one I was still hiding and paranoid about writing it down anywhere!!

I think we'll stick with I iCloud photo sharing, I think it's in the too hard box to explain anything else to my ILs

@mightymouse76 and @EsmesBees hugs  I hope you're feeling a bit better today? You're both doing an ace job and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

@Badgerbird Molly is blue eyed, pale and blonde/brown hair which looks as though it's straight for the moment. I'm blue eyed with straight blonde hair but was bald as a coot until I was 2 and DH is brown eyed with curly brown hair which was straight and white blonde as a baby so we're super intrigued to see how she changes over the years!

@Rustler74 I'm ok FB too - Helen  I think a London meet up could be lovely, the zoo would be nice but could be a bit steep. We could try for something like a picnic in a park somewhere - although as @Rockyroad17 Says, the weather could be a bit hit and miss.

@teainbed I oddly miss being pregnant 🤦🏼‍♀️

I'm up for a London park picnic

Anyone else been told their baby isn't gaining quite enough weight? He was bobbing along just below the 50th percentile line but is now on the 25th...he seems really healthy to me and I try to feed him til he is milk-drunk. So I hope he catches up of his own accord...

Wowzers, I didn't even know I was pregnant when thread two started!
I am fair skinned with light brown hair and blue eyes. DH is dark and olive looking. He tans really well. Both of my DC have (lots) of dark hair and dark brown eyes. Both have olive skin too, which I think contributed to the jaundice look in the early days.

I've been to a weaning session today offered by my local HV team... they told me for any purées once weaning to use cows milk from 6months onwards... I always used breast milk with DD. Obviously not in food like mash as she grew older! () but I was told last time around that the BM would help them adjust to the different tastes, each batch with less milk...

I'm not sure how I feel giving cows milk so early in food... and there's no point me freezing much BM if this is the case!!
Might just stick to what I know and be one of 'those' parents !

Sorry if this has been covered a million times over but wondered if anyone had any magic ideas regarding bonkers grunting noises? Little man doesn't tend to make a sound during daytime naps (ha! What are they?!) but when putting him down at night he'll grunt and thrash around pretty violently for a good 30 mins. Doesn't tend to cry but obviously very uncomfortable. He'll sleep soundly on his back in pram but for the past few nights is even grunting when falling asleep lay on my chest. Already on infacol which had settled everything nicely for about the past 3/4 weeks. Perplexed!

paige we had the grunting. Managed to lessen it a bit by using Colief in his bottles. It's quite normal apparently and think it's trapped wind. Try getting her back up and wind her once she starts.

Is it normal that they don't eat as much after 8 week jabs ?

cox they will shuffle around on the percentile lines at some point IMO, I was a massive baby and am now petite. Admittedly it might be a bit soon, but if baby isn't going to be that big anyway, it has to happen sometime. Mine is probably going to tail off from the 91st or whatever at some point :D

But worth making sure your nutrition is good, you're hydrated and eating well, hobnobs always a good idea (oats, good for milk production... )

Cox I was told by HV DS isn't gaining enough weight. He started on 2nd centile and is now 0.4th centile (the bottom line on growth chart).

They've suggested formula top ups or an extra formula feed and sent me to breast feeding clinic (even though I'd been 3 times already for a latch review). BF clinic suggested oats and fenugreek in case my milk supply needs boosting, but they didn't think it was practical for me to express or fit in an extra feed as DS eats so regularly already. I don't see the point in BF and topping up with formula - the extra faffing would make me want to formula feed only but I wouldn't know how to go about swapping from BF to FF, and I don't know the rules about formula prepping etc - can you make in advance and just reheat and how long do things stay sterile for? Anyone who is FF I would love some advice on how to do it all efficiently. I'm giving the oats and fenugreek a week before deciding on what to do (I have to take DS to be weighed in a week).

@Barnes79 that is dinky, are you or DH very petite? If he is gaining and otherwise happy that's good advice you've had re supplements. And I suppose someone has to be on the bottom centile, are you worried or ok about it?

Re formula, if you're just topping up then ready made formula might be best, there's not a huge price difference actually. I believe the advice re powdered formula is to make each feed up as you need it, in practical terms I think most parents will make them up in batches and keep in the fridge. I know people who swear by the Perfect Prep machine, it seems expensive to me but the convenience is obviously worth it. If you're continuing breastfeeding it might be an unnecessary expense though. You don't have to top up with a bottle, you can cup feed or finger feed if you're worried about that.

Tea neither of us as adults are dinky but as a baby I was - I was 6lb when born compared to DS who was 6lb 3. I gained weight a bit faster though when a baby. I'm not panicking yet as he's still gaining weight but his 'curve' is looking flatter each time he's weighed so I do worry it's only a matter of time before his weight plateaus.

He already has a formula bottle at night so DH can help otherwise I'd get about 3hrs sleep a night (DS takes between 0.5-1.5hrs to settle to sleep each time he wakes), so I'm not worried about that aspect.

@Barnes79 we have a perfect prep and six bottles. Every time he has a feed we wash out with hot soapy water, rinse with clean hot water then put them in the steriliser. When we are going out we use the ready made bottles of formula and just pour them into his bottle.
Jacob currently demands a bottle every two to three hours during the day and very quickly gets beside himself if it's not ready - this is where the perfect prep is a life saver.
I still feel guilty about not BFing but as long as he's happy and healthy that's all that matters. Just wish he hadn't inherited my impatience.

@Barnes79 similarly to @BouncingBlueberry we have a perfect prep machine. I don't know what I'd do without it as you can make a bottle in literally seconds instead of faffing around with boiling kettles. When we're out we also use the ready made ones. Once you get used to the routine of sterilising bottles it's really easy if that's what you decide to do

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. DH did a bottle dream feed last night and I went to bed at 9. Therefore, feeling much more human and rational today. Yesterday was tough but I kept focussing on tea's everyone fed, noone dead mantra. Sometimes it's hard to see the wood for the trees.

Badger thanks for asking. It has been a bit of a year. I'm thinking of a day out at the seaside where we used to go on holiday as kids for the anniversary. Need to run it past my sister though.

Acorn that's why we started the potty training too, DD just started taking her nappy off and using the potty so she appears to be ready. But it's not a great time, I was in the middle of feeding the baby yesterday when she declared she needed a wee.

I'd be up for a London park meet, or maybe the Southbank centre if wet? That's very baby friendly.

Cox I spent a ridiculous amount of the fretting about dd1's weight. She was born on the 25th and fell to the 9th, and looked visibly smaller than her peers, which meant a lot of 'isn't she tiny' comments, and I worried it meant she wasn't getting enough milk. Looking back, it's just how she was. She was above the 50th line at her 2 year check which surprised me. As long as weight is being put on I would try not to worry.

I'd also be up for a london park meet. South bank centre is a good wet weather option @EsmesBees

Hello! Wondered if anyone had a recommendation for a baby carrier...? I have several that I was given as hand me downs but I'm not too happy using them as I don't think they are hip friendly ones. I have vouchers to use for John Lewis so possibly a close caboo or ergo carrier? I know the ergo is considerably more expensive but if it is worth the extra cash i would be happy to pay. I do have a manducca but it seems way too big (guessing they have inserts for younger ones?) I keep not getting around to going to the sling meet and I reckon by the time I do it might not be that worthwhile buying one!

rocky I have a close caboo lite and love it. She naps in it for 3 hrs sometimes. I find it comfortable to wear aswell

That sounds like a lovely idea esme ;)

Rocky I have a Babylonia flexi and love it!

Southbank sounds good! Shall we look at a midweek date in Aug? That way if anyone from outside of London wanted to come it might be cheaper - I can open it up to the ladies on Facebook too and we could offer to our NCT groups perhaps?

Rocky I have a close caboo but I just can't get it right. Even if it's tight it just rides up at the back and DD gets lower and lower. She finds it comfy though. I prefer my stretchy boba wrap. For a buckled carrier, like the manduca, I use a boba 4g. It has an insert for them to sit on till they're bigger. It lasts for a couple of years too if you want to carry for that long.

Hana baby carrier is very nice and comfortable.

Sending warm wishes to those of you struggling. So impressed by those bf despite so many issues & struggles. Kind of feel like I gave up at the first hurdle & should have persevered a bit more!

Baby Sipper had her injections today - I've never heard her scream so much!

rocky we have an ergobaby 360 - its brilliant. Has a newborn insert. Just spent a week in Yorkshire- did some long coastal walks - baby was super happy in it & v. Comfortable to wear. Its quite 'structured' so good for out & about, and long walks.

I'd be up for a London meet!

Those with ergo carrier how do you find doing it up on your own? I've heard it's hard work due to buckle/clip at back? Does baby get very hot in it?

rocky you can use the Manduca from newborn. You just use the flap inside as a newborn insert to lift them up, and open the zippy flap to support the head. I find it much more comfy than the caboo. Baby bee spends a lot of time in ours. It's very hip friendly (I have arthritis in my back which manifests as hip pain). I prefer it with the straps crossed across my back.