August 2007- More boys than girls? Our beautiful summer babies are arriving at last!

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Thought I'd start a thread to give somewhere for Jem, Washersaurus and Bresha to discuss their little ones and make all those of us waiting impatiently jealous!

Who will be next??????

Hello everyone - we're on day 3 and dolly parton eat your heart out! BF still (longest I've managed) and not too sore - they hurt but not bleeding so must be doing something better this time! As I've not ever managed to get through the engorgement bit please can someone tell me how long it lasted for them? The only way I can feed today is lying in bed (not very practical if I want to go out of the house!)

Am very proud of myself as I did first ever public feed when we went out for lunch yesterday!

Also having clothes problems - refusing to buy any newborn stuff as would last about a week. 0-3 hanging off him and all the wrong season (lots of t-shirts and shorts in this lovely weather!!) as hand-me downs from DS1 (how weird to type that!!!)

Am very tired and rambling - Euan not sorted this day night thing yet!

PS - anyone else having problems calling their LO the right name? I seem to work my way through DS1 name, the dog and end up calling him it! DH then tells me off say he's not an it!

Uki - good luck. Guess it seems like a long wait.

Good for you loler. Hope it works out for you - sounds like you're doing really well. Some people have said it gets better after a week and others have said they were pain free between 4 and 6 weeks.

afternoon - just back from a nice lunch out with DP and baby heather.

uki - hope it all goes well on monday. i'm waiting to hear from one of my friends who is actually at breast clinic today - she keeps getting abcesses especially when she's tired and run down - so to be on the safe side they are checking her out (again- she's been several times).

olive oil works a treat for dry skin - though i do feel like i'm basting baby

off to pick up DD1 from childminder - have a good weekend everyone

HI Everyone,

Managed to get online again. Been very busy this week. DS1 has his last day at nursery today I can't believe he's off to school next week.

Loler I am glad I am not the only one who doesn't get thier childs name right. I keep calling him his brothers name then I resort to the nickname I use for DS1 as well it's all too much for my sleep deprived brain.

Well I've tried my real nappies today and it's been a constant run of wee and poo everywhere. Think I am getting to grips with them but Alex is one of those babies who tends to poo after every feed and I'm not quite containing it in these nappies yet.

Uki - hope the tests go well for you will be thinking of you.

stretchmarks - hard to post at mo - but what type of nappies r u using? might be able to help - or know someone who can. xx

Oh Uki - what a worry for you. Hope you're managing okay in the meantime. I did notice that I had a few lumps in my right breast when my milk came in but they've gone now.

I feel as though I need to start reading about stages of development with babies as I haven't a clue when they start doing stuff. Can anyone recommend any fairly liberal-minded parent books? I don't get on with the ones about strict routines etc.

Glad to hear everyone's muddling along too

Annie, apparently Jo Frost (Supernanny) has just published a book called Confident Baby Care which I haven't read obviously since it's only just come out, but she always seems quite logical and fair, I bet she'd be the same in this book.

Personally I'd really recommend How Not to be a Perfect Mother it's hardly a parnting manual, but it's really funny with good tips, and a darn good read if nothing else!

hey annie

the most useful book we have is this (new edition here) - it's meant as a textbook for NNEBs, people studying to be nursery workers etc.
No comforting chatty parenting stuff but lots of excellent photos of babies at different stages, bullet lists of developments and (best of all) lists of age-appropriate toys and activities.

We are on our first day of cloth too - they look so much comfier than the paper ones, esp round the leg holes

I have at last managed to upload some photos!

Cant wait to start using my cloth, what are you using?

got t a message from my text buddy:

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

Hersetta is delighted to announce the arrivl of Caitlin Sophie at 3.11pm yesterday (31st) weighing 8lb 5oz - delivery by cs. all doing fine.

had a not great night - after two nights of lo settling well, he decided last night to cry for food every time i put him down. decided to give up trying to sleep between feeds at about 5.30 and just read.

there is no way he can be that hungry - although with the weight thing - like you Gill, this lo put on 1lb 3oz in 10 days so maybe he is hungry. but really- he needs to give me chance to make some milk in between feeds.

with nappies - had one go with tots bots and will start using them more as soon as i buy liners - the trial one did feel much wetter than disposables but i think i will just need to make sure i change him regularly.

great photos pinkranger - your ds looks very proud to be a big brother.

hope things go well with the scan uki - I went to my GP about three days after coming home from hospital as a couple of people had told me to have a mole on my foot checked out - have an appointment at a dermatology department to have a punch biopsey done on it on 25th september.

am trying not to worry about it as hopefully will not come to anything, but really could do without the worry right now when there is so much to get used to with a new baby, so i can empathise with you uki.

hi everyone,

lovely photos pink.
and big congrats to Hersetta, Caitlin was eventually born by cs?? what a runaround! I hope your feeling fine

Mila is still sleeping most of day and spending 5 hours in the evening feeding/ sleeping/ waking/ repeat.. but yesterday I bought Gina's contented baby sleep book. It has a nice confident tone, I felt a sense of relief that I'm about to find out how to fix sleep issues early.. we'll see. First job will be to try and keep Mila awake a bit longer in day, harder than it sounds. She's really determined to sleep, still following her inutero routine. I saw the jo frost book but at least first half seemed to be just how to change a nappy and run a bath and other really basic stuff.

Yesterday a woman in a shop eyed my bump and asked when my baby was due, even though I was pushing a pram containing new baby! Dp and ds have already learned not to comment as there have been tears when I've been teased. Midwife coming again today, still not discharged as fundus not moved down properly yet.

Had the worst night ever- Euan woke up at 12.30 - had a feed - slept for 1/2 hour then fed constantly until 6am. Jordanesque boobs seem to be stoppping him latching on - hoping for better tonight. DS1 found a really old cup of juice and downed it before we could stop him so was up being sick last night too!

Today has been mostly washing!

Will also have to start on cloth - normally use them but have given washing machine a break for this week! I've found that it doesn't matter what nappy you use it's the wrap that determines if it will leak. I've never had a motherease Airflow leak yet! Just pick which nappies you like - I like tots bots personally as the babies look like fairy washing up liquid babies with them on.

Had a bad night last night. Alex fed around 9:30 and just wouldn't settle so I couldn't go to bed early. Had to feed him again at 11:30 and then at midnight dd woke up asking for medicine for her cough. She ended up in the bed with me so dh had to go downstairs. I decided not to wake him to help out with any of the night feeds because we had arranged to go to his nan's today so he needed enough sleep to cope with the long drive there and back. I was exhausted and really wanted to sleep in this morning but he made me get up. I spent the whole journey there in tears (either baby blues kicked in or just sleep deprived). Managed to keep it together while we were there but I still feel quite tearful.

Had a major attack of guilt yesterday for giving up breastfeeding. On sunday I felt so relieved and happy about the decision but having seen all of your posts made me think that I gave up too easily and should have stuck with it for longer. After all, you're all having the same problems as I did. I've definitely still got milk so I tried to get Alex to latch on this morning. He really wasn't interested. I guess it's because the milk just starts flowing with the bottle and he generally guzzles it down really quickly. I'm going to start expressing to try to increase my supply again and keep trying to put him on the breast to see if he'll latch on. I know it's a long shot but I think it's worth trying.

Stretchmarks - I have the same problem with names but call Alex his 2 cousins' names.

Big Congrats to Hersetta and all the other new mummies.

Annie, I don't do strict routines either. My fave at the moment is Baby Calming by Caroline Deacon and its on sale too www.nctsales.co.uk/prodshow.asp?id=718&cat=69&scat=81&parent=69

Conkertree, we've had a few rough nights recently. Last night I put a hot water bottle in her carrycot while I fed her then removed the hot water bottle and put her in it thinking, no way will she sleep in that, but she did, for 2 and half hours. Fed her again, put her in it again and she slept for 3 and a half hours! So much better night. After that feed I fell asleep holding her and woke up at 6am, but at least most of the night went well.

Can't remember who was having trouble with their stitches, think it was Pink, but if anybody is a bit on the tender side then have a look at this, loads of people I know have sworn by it www.valleycushions.co.uk/ Your local branch of the NCT should have one for hire (they come with individual covers so no worries about hygiene)

Sorry its a long post, again, but these days I have to post when I can!

Congratulations Hersetta.

I am using bambino mio nappies it's fine for just wet nappies but so far we have been getting poo on the wrap and we only have a limited supply of wraps at the moment. I'm back on disposables today until the washing is done.

Gill hope you're feelong better soon, sleep deprivation and hormones can play havoc with your emotions. Hope the expressing works for you but don't feel guilty for giving up. You have to do what is best for you and what works for you.

Thanks stretchmarks. I'm not going to go mad with it. I'll try him a few times and if he's really not interested then I'll carry on with the formula. I think you might be right about my decision being affected by hormones and lack of sleep though.

GillL, I'd go with what stretch says, you have to do what is right for you and your family.

Hope you feel a bit better soon.

Stretchmarks - I find the sme with the bambinomio - which is what we are using- my nappy lady swears by using a girl fold - fanning out the back to its full width, and then a nappy nippa to bring the whole thing more like a "normal" nappy - then covers as usual. i can't get it to work (but I think that is coz Evie is big) - I'll try and take some pictures to show you what I mean.

GillL - seriously, don't feel guilty..... I have just been out to buy bottles and formula, so that my evenings can be stress free - I will know Evie has had enough and can give my boobs a rest. Did my first "public' feed today... milk bloody everywhere..

Itchy - do your stretchmarks hurt? My skin is like someone has taken it away and put it through one of those lattice pastry makers. My bump is fairly good too, and as I didn't put any weight on anywhere else, it looks even bigger! But - I did weigh myself yesterday..... 1 ENTIRE stone less than at 40 weeks!!! Scary!!

Thanks all for the luck, it really is a bit scary, Hopefuly all your good wishes will serve me well
Not sure how i'll sleep tonight as I really don't wan to hear bad news tomorrow, I definately won't cope with that.

Gill- sorry b/f isn't going easier, wouldn't be great if it was the piece of cake you imagined i think the imprtant thing is you feed the colostreum and tried it. I've heaard some babies get nipple confusion with bottles when young either won't take bottle or opposite, so maybe A has alredy decided.

ichy- hope you get some better sleep soon

mrs badger - that bool child development looks good, i have another textbook from uni days that's good, but that looks more in depth.

Conkertree- good luck with your foot too, it's funny how we need to get someone to tell us, i'm such a hypercondriac i thought i was being silly but sil and dh finally said i should ask dr. the stupid thing is i just always thought my boobs were lumpy so didn't know what a lump was, so i have had this a while.

we are in a really late sleep routine here LL has a feed about 11, so i go to bed after that, which means only getting woken twice, and then up about 8;30am ds gets up then too, and dh gets up with him. Works quite well, although i hope i get a baby that sleeps through before 9 and half months/ 2 years as ds wakes again now.

Hersetta- CONGRAT'S on Caitlin- and welcome (my niece's name) Is that the last baby that made August????

Sorry about my bad spelling, I was rushing

morning everyone - another fairly difficult night - awake from 2.40 to 4.40 then every half hour or so afterwards. but then took him into my bed about 7 and slept till 9 so maybe i should just have done that sooner.

uki - i am the same with the foot thing - i noticed it a long time ago but assumed it was nothing to worry about so left it and its only now other people told me to have it checked, but when the GP asked how long i'd had it, i really couldnt say cause i didnt take notice when i first saw it.

gill - good luck with tthe expressing - hopefully it will work for you.

hope you all had better nights sleeps last night.

Conker- that does sound like a bad night, you poor thing. I always end up with LL in my bed in the early morning too, by that time dh has abandoned us coz ds wakes at about 5am and needs settling so dh falls asleep with him. LL has his best sleep from about 6am -11am

I don't know about you, but I will fel pretty silly if lump is anything and I've been ignoring it. My breast is sore today so maybe it is mastitis, but massaging doesn't help.

Does anyone else feel slighty nauesous when starting b/f??? not sure if it's just freaky me or something to do with antibiotics i'm on?