Nov 2007..... Once we pop, we will not stop!!!

[sparklygothkat]

I can finally start this, as someone else has had her baby.. woohooo!

SparklyGothKat - 25 Sep (8 Nov) BOY - Callum Eden
KaylaBMummy ? South Wales - 18 Oct (8 Nov) GIRL - Katie

RG, we've been trying the routine thing - DD doesn't like it yet and still gets agitated of an evening... but we're trying...

Choudru - I don't know how everyone's got the energy/inclination either!!

Our Christmas was a bit stressful to be honest. First my 92 year old grandmother had a fall and ended up in hospital - she's in there for at least a couple of weeks as things stand. Then there were a lot of people and two large dogs and my usually contented DD was not content at all! She was hot and bothered and got a rash on her neck, so we called NHS direct who talked us through a million questions and ultimately decided it was heat rash. Meanwhile the rest of the family sat eating their roast dinner and pointing out smugly that we were overreacting and it was obviously a heat rash. (I add that we had been on the Internet and it didn't look even slightly like a heat rash, plus DD was wailing and she never wails...) The days apart from Xmas day were fine, though; she was her usual self.

Until the day before yesterday I got a stinking cold and have had it ever since. She was awake almost all night last night and it's clear she's getting the cold, poor thing. I was feeling crap and not in a state to deal with it.

Oh and she has become a bottle refuser!!! She rejected my EBM the other day. She's only had it a handful of times but this is her first angry refusal.

Am utterly whacked now from too little sleep - we're going to try to go out for lunch. Hope lo doesn't think it's a bad idea!
Have a good day all!

(Forgot to say - I hit the Next sale on Thurs and got lots of gorgeous baby things... that DD didnt need...)

Right, just started DD's routine. Have bathed, fed and bedded her. Have been downstairs for 2 minutes and she's already stirring lol. I can see a night of up and down the stairs coming on.....

choc- sorry to hear about your grandmother, hope she makes a swift recovery.

rg - I'm hoping you've had some success with the routine. It took us a few days of going up and downstairs all evening before it started working. It is worth it though - Megan is less grumpy/clingy/screechy if she's not overtired. It also allows us time to eat a meal together and catch up on how are day was. HAving said all this our routine has sort of gone to pot a bit because we've been away and she's been ill. She still settles well at 7pm but has been awake from 10.30pm after her last feed until 1am the last few nights. Then sleeps til about 5/5.30 so not too bad I suppose for a 7 week old.

Anyone elses baby just learned to shout? It's like Megan has discovered her own voice. She a wide range of noises - cute cooing and gurgling being the nicest. But shouting is now taking over instead of crying when she wants attention (not when hungry though that's still a wailing sort of cry)

Hiya everyone! i am in awe at all of you who are still posting regularly! i am made up if i manage to get the dishes done at the moment lol!

jarm- hope your feeling better? how is the feeding going now? was it difficult to get your LO to take the bottle? Raimee wont take EBM at all, she took the first one but wont take a bottle since then which is pretty soul destorying with such sore nipples- still not better despite latch being fine and a ton of lansinoh- on the plus side my doctor has prescribed me lansinoh which saves me a tenner a pop!

rg- shes gorgeous! good luck with the routine! hows it going? im hoping to start a proper routine myself this week, and hoping to teach her to settle herself a bit better! we bought her a bedtime bear from boots for Xmas-it sings lullabys and lights up if she stirs, which is great and seems to help (esp while shes in the moses basket and the mobile wont fit on it!)!

hows LOM and Loopy??

on the sex thing - i actually do want to but still seem quite bruised/sore when doing kegel exercises etc. we have tried a couple of times but i get really scared and stop it before we get anywhere! my check up is at 8weeks but am hoping we manage before then! have started on the pill anyway so fingers crossed !

quick update- everything is great with Raimee apart from the sore nipples! sometimes she sleeps for 7hours in the evening which is brilliant tho mostly it is 4hours!she is absolutley gorgeous and we love her so much! had a bad night a couple of nights ago- we had a pack of asdas little angels nappies on a friends recommendation and at 4am found out that the whole pack must have been from a dud batch- the sticky tabs did not stick! that was our last pack so DP had to rush out to the 24hr asda (as of course the garage had every size except new baby!) and ended up getting pulled by the police who laughed at his nappy story! quite an eventful night as her cord also dropped off onto me (finally after 3weeks!) whilst we were waiting for DP to get back! pampers all the way now!

raimee is waking now so will have to go! hope you all had a brilliant christmas and have a great new year! cant wait for next year when LO will understand it more and maybe have a mini christmas dinner!! x

well, Callum is a bit older than your babies, but we had sex before my 6 week check (just to make sure nothing was wrong) and in 14 weeks we have only managed it twice. Thats because I am so tired at the end of the day.

afternoon all

WEll not tooooooo bad a day here, Daniel seems to be settling better and better - didnt go near the dreaded car seat all day yesterday and has only been in it today when we have actually been in the car! The carrycot for the pram is now his new bed, but im sure we can get him out of that soon too!

Slept from 8pm til midnight, fed and straight back to sleep until 4am, same again and then slept til 7am. Cant complain when we are only up for 15 mins with him instead of the hours that it has been!

Have managed to get my sorry arse out of the house today, took the girls (and daniel) to the park and had a good hour or so down there - rain and everything! All got wet and muddy and are now home to snuggle up in front of the TV with a hot drink!

Feeding wise, am completely on formula now, Daniel is happier, the girls are happier, DH is getting to bond with his son at last and Im just trying to keep myself sane and not fly off the handle at every little thing - not always sucessful but im trying! (Although had an almighty row with my dad last night... and me and my dad NEVER argue!)

Sex still hasnt happened - got until 15th January to try, DH is getting more and more eager but has said he is waiting for me to be ready..... i told him if he is waiting for me to initiate it, he will have a bloody long wait!!!

Afternoon everyone

Well last night wasn't too bad. As predicted, we spent 3 hours in the cycle of baby crying, baby falls asleep, baby gets put in basket, baby wakes up as soon as parent touches door handle to exit baby's room etc etc. She finally fell asleep (and stayed asleep!) at around 10pm. We went to bed around midnight and decided that we would be happier if she was in the room with us so we brought her basket into our room, which consequently made her stir and wake up

Well done RG! You're beating us! DD seems to like pubs though, so I bet you had a good time this afternoon.

Hi Sam - sorry bf is still painful - hope it gets better!

Well, another crap night's sleep here! DD has always been a rubbish sleeper but she has now plumbed new depths (wouldnt sleep from 4 pm until 10.30 pm, then slept for 30 minutes, woke up, made a racket, went back to sleep eventually for an hour, woke up, DH took her and soothed her back to sleep, an hour later she was up again yelling for food, I fed her, she refused to go back to sleep for hours, and eventually at 5 she went to sleep for an hour and three quarters. Grr! I have an awful cold and wonder if it's unsettled her... any advice anyone?! We are trying a bedtime routine but she is determined to ignore it!

What are you all doing for NY? We're doing the same as usual - trying to get DD to sleep...!!

oh Choc - I'm so sorry. I had this for 2 weeks solidly a few weeks ago - it is soul destroying. Just remember it won't last forever. I went and bought the gina ford contented baby book and it is working better than without it (I'm not rigidly sticking to the routines but generally following the advice)

Sex - the mind is willing but the flesh just isn't up to it yet - far too physically tired!!!

Hi everyone!!
We had a good day- went to the pub for long leisurely lunch and wine etc DD was very well behaved and by the time we came home she had a bath, big feed and is now crashed out in bed- result!

As for NYs not sure will maybe go and visit friends during the afternoon and then home with some bubbly to see the new year in.

By the way I see some of you have the Gina Ford book is it worth a read?? I just had a read of The Baby Whisperer some good ideas but some of it was a bit weird any one else read it. What did you think. Any other good ones out there? I like to read alot and take bits from each and make up my own ideas as well.

Megan fed and in bed now so catching 5 mins to do a longer post (whilst cooking tea for dh and dsd and dss)

Choc - Gina Ford would suggest that the slepp problem happened with staying awake from 4.30 til 10.30. Once they are over tired we seemed to be buggered and can't rectify the situation. She says small babies shouldn't be awake for longer than 2 hours at a stretch. It sounded weird but I put Megan down for a nap approx 2 hrs after she has woken and even if she doesn't look sleepy she generally self settles and goes to sleep. It's the same with feeding - I offer her a feed before she screams for it and generally she's hungry.

Since doing this I've found she cries less. Last few days haven't been so good though. She's got a cold and we went away for xmas which disturbed her routine - just didn't work at all at my mum's house. I would say this is worth a try. After 2 weeks of having zero sleep at night I couldn't cope anymore. That's why I stopped expressing and switched to formula. My milk dried up and I was too exhausted to find hours throughout the day to express. Since then I now at least feel human most of the time .

Fiona - I obviuosly think it's worth a read. I think you've got the right attitude though - read whatever you want but also trust your own instincts.

rgpargy- im the same! one pack upstairs and one down! hope Ellie was good in the pub! we managed to go for a meal in the pub last week and DD slept the whole time! - quite an achievement- is it just my LO or does everyones elses wake up as soon as you get your dinner/ a cup of coffee?! you are definitley beating us in the relations dept!! tho i might try again today if am feeling brave! is it painful or weird? thats all im worried about!

ChocolateHobnob- hope you have a better night tonight! weve been quite lucky so far that she only wakes up for an hour tops in the night but am sure we will have a bad run too. even that is knackering though so i really feel for you!!

Jarm- giving you a big hug! hope things are ok with your dad now, xx

am just putting up some new pics ! x

fiona- i think ill be reading the gina ford book too! ive got the supernanny confident babycare book which is quite good and has been helpful for me as a first timer (though i had already read alot of it in magazines and other baby books etc) but not a huge amount on setting a routine (mostly just to do a diary of babys waking times etc and then devise a routine from that) but i havent read past the 3months part yet!

NY will be pretty boring here! DP will be working (taxi driver so he may as well make most of double fare as January is quiet month on the taxis!) and just coming home for an hour for midnight if im awake. but we are having a "fake new years" the next night to make up for it with party food and pjs! i was going to go to my sisters tomorrow but feeling quite rough so dont think il be going! x

Sam - she looks adorable. I don't know which photo is cuter the santa outfit or the sleeping one!

New Year is silk household - dh's stepbrother, his wife and son are coming over to join us and the step kids. Hoping babysilk might be asleep for most of the evening. I'm doing party food from Tescos - all stuff to chuck in the oven - zero effort required. Our guests are bringing pudding. Dh bought some champagne and pomegranate juice this afternoon (he said Jamie Oliver does it on an advert!) I shall be drinking very little no doubt - breaking with tradition as we've got pissed as farts with the same people for the last 3 years.

Trying Megan in a growbag thing from Boots tonight - mil bought it for xmas - doesn't say what you should wear with it. I've gone for just a vest underneath and one layer of blanket over it (it seems quite snug and fleecy). Room is 18 degrees. Megan just managed to poo up to her shoulders btw before I put the growbag on thank goodness

silk- you don't need a blanket over the grobag. It's vest and bbaygro on baby and then the grobag. Was there not a guide with it as to what she shoudl wear. Hae a look on the grobag website but I put Swyn in vest and babygro

Hi all

Thanks for the advice, Silk. We kept trying our routine - bath, feed, lullabies, sleep - and it did work last night, although it took an eternity for her to go to sleep (hours!!!). When she did drop off though she stayed asleep a decent length of time and went back to sleep after her feed after only about 2 hours which is good for her. Relief.

You all sound like you're going to have fun NYEs! We're going into town now and going to get party food just for us, but I will be sleeping when the baby is, rather than staying up for the sake of it. She is more likely than not going to be around at midnight anyway...

Question. Rebecca is nearly seven weeks old. She was last seen by a HV and weighed when she was 4 weeks old. She had put on loads of weight - gone from the 20th centile to the 50th since birth. The baby clinic is on Friday afternoons here and the first one since she was last weighed is this coming Friday. However the following Friday she is having her 8 week jabs and is going to see a health visitor, a nurse and a GP anyway. Do I have to take her this Friday or can I just wait till the following one? (We dont get apptments for the baby clinic, although I do have appments for the following Friday with the GP etc) The reason I don't want to take her this Friday is that DH has the day off and we wanted to do something nice as a family, and that clinic means an awful lot of hanging around so the whole afternoon would be gone). Would I be a bad mother if I didnt?? I'm not worried about her weight gain: she is growing fast and eating well. She is lively and happy and interacts well. All she doesnt do is sleep!

Thanks!

Sorry meant to say - my grobags say at 18 degrees you need vest, sleepsuit/babygro and no blanket if the grobag is 2.5 tog.

I last had DD weighed at 4 weeks and they said not to come back until her 8 week check up. They don't do anything except weigh her anyway and it is a pain to undress all the winter clothes and then dress again. She is definately gaining weight and happy so no point I think.

I have a gro-bag and I haven't tried it out yet cause don't want to do a nappy change at night with it on. Could be a mission. I try not to change nappy but she normally needs one change. By the way last night I feed her at 6.30pm and then put her to bed she took about 40 mins to crash out and then woke at 4.20 am for a feed!!! That nearly 10 hours betwen feeds!!!! (proud mummy smiley) She then slept till 7am, fed, and then slept till 10. Now she's up and super smilely. She had done major poo up back and out both legs which her daddy dealt with so I am feeling very spoilt. He may get 'relations' very soon.

Afternoon all! Hope you are all ok.

A bit of an unsettled night last night, but a lot of that was me rather than him!

"relations" happened last night, cant say im all that eager to try again any time soon, but hey, its over with! Was too busy listening out for Daniel to concentrate on what DH was doing

Daniel has hardly slept this morning, is very over tired and cranky, so hoping he crashed for a good chunk this afternoon.... not that I care, im off to tescos with dad to escape!

Happy New Year all of you xxx

Afternoon everyone!

Didn't have too bad a day yesterday all in all. Ellie was a grumpy pants all day tho and i ended up taking her out twice to settle her coz she was crying with colic-ness. We had our takeaway curry last night and just as DP and FIL walk through the front door with it, Ellie takes her cue and wakes up for a feed. Typical, but i'm getting used to her always waking up just as i sit down with some food or a coffee! So anyway, our trip to the pub was fine. She slept through the entire thing - think it must have been the hub-ub of noise that pubs create that keeps them quiet.

Didn't have too bad an evening when we got home. Ellie woke up about 3 times (i think?) during the night and in the end DP and I ended up in her room, trying to console her and eating Lindt Lindor chocs at the same time. Now THAT is what i call making the most of a miserable situation!!

The health visitor has just been (i completely forgot she was coming - oops!) and has weighed and measured Ellie. She now weighs 9lb 1oz and her weight and measurements are bang on the 50th centile mark. The HV said she was very very pleased with Ellie's progress, particularly as she said that normally BF babies tend to dip down off the 50th centile line for a while and then go back up again, but Ellie has stayed firmly on the line all the way and is doing brilliantly! I'm so proud that my mummy milk is doing it's job!

I had a chat to the HV about Ellie's colic and she told me that it could be that her latch has got lazy and she is swallowing air along with the milk. She said to check the latch at the next feed. Thinking about it, i think we have both become very lazy about latching. I tend to just chuck her on and if it doesn't hurt i leave her to it. If it's a little painful then i know that it's not quite right and remove her and try again. The HV also suggested that she could be too far up the breast as well and that sometimes us mums tend to try and prop baby up to feed when in reality they really dont give a stuff if they're laying flat etc. I'm guilty of propping slightly because i dont want any reflux to happen or anything but i think i will be trying new strategies from now on to see if it helps the colic. We've got to try something coz DP is back at work very soon and i cant have him up all night too!!

New year's eve - nothing going on here except a bottle of fizz and hoping we dont spend the entire night in the nursery cradling and jiggling a screaming baby!

Choc - so sorry your night the other night was uber pants. I really feel for you. HOpe things have improved a little for you or that at least you are sleeping during the day when DD sleeps. You must look after yourself and rest when you can. You are no use to her if you are poorly and perhaps your cold is your body's way of telling you to rest up a little more. Sod the dishes/housework/hoovering etc.

Fiona - sounds like you had a lovely lunch at the pub!! I really must try it sometime! As for books, the only one i've got is one called Babies by Dr Christopher Green. I bought it years ago when DS was a baby and found it really really useful and the slight tongue in cheek aspects of some parts of teh book help to lighten things up a little. It's been republished and updated now so i bought it again recently. I am still finding it really useful the second time around so thoroughly recommend it! I'm not looking at it as a baby bible as such, but the theories and advice in there are both comforting and useful.

Silk - that's interesting stuff re the sleep and feeding. I might try that one myself! Not sure if Ellie will settle herself tho or whether she'll just get hysterical (as is usually the case). good luck with the grobag. Let us know how you get one. I'd be interested to try one, but Ellie's not really a wriggler so for now she's fine with a blanket i think.

Sam - hope you enjoy your fake NYE!! Sounds quite inviting actually! I'm tempted to pop to Asda to get party nibbles too! Oh i'm with you on babies waking up just in time for your dinner and coffee!! Your pics are LOVELY!!! She's so cute!!!!

Fiona - Wow, sounds like DD had a mega sleep!!!! PMSL at your DH earning himself "relations" thanx to an up the back poo!

Time for some lunch i think. Have a good day everyone!

DJarm - glad you got relations out of the way! I take it you have now made up with your dad? Good stuff!! Enjoy your break round Tesco!

Happy new year to everyone too. xx

Was about to log on an hour ago when William threw up all over himself and the pram - nice! Poor thing, he is still full of cold and the sick is mainly snot, so at least it doesn't smell of sour milk!

We love grobags - our DD was in one until she was 2, and we've just started putting William in one. I find it brilliant for the night feeds as he doesn't tend to stir when being put back to bed, and we only do nighttime changes when he's pooed. (I say we - I make DH do it, after all I'm the one doing the feeding!)

I notice quite a few of you are giving EBM - what pumps do you have? I used an Avent Isis one last time and can't decide whether to try a different one, or go for the same. Any recommendations gratefully recieved!

No plans for NY, thought we pop out to a friends' house - they've 3 kids so it won't be a riotous affair, and we'll probably leave before midnight so DD can get to bed!

Jetgirl - I have a 2 weeks old avent isis here that I no longer need, along with 10 avent via cups that can be used with the pump and stored in the fridge or freezer. Loved the pump, but with everything that has gone on, no longer need it. Would like £25 inc postage for the whole lot, cost me £33. Yours if you want it! x