August 2021 Babies - They Had To Be Gorgeous, Just Look At Us

[PurplePansy05]

Welcome to the chattiest post-natal club on MN!

We spent a year together chatting about all things pregnancy and baby...

...we've tried and tested countless baby products...

...exchanged hundreds of tips...

...talked about all the big things in life, all the little things, the good times and the tough times...

...we had a good laugh together 😁...

...and somehow we now have gorgeous 3 month old babies without looking a day older ourselves 😅 (must be that good laugh!)

Graduates of the August 2021 (and thereabouts) thread:

@Smurf123 & baby Sophia 💖
@wimbler & her baby boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles & baby Ebony💖
@Inmypjsagain & her baby boy 💙
@PurplePansy05 & baby Leo Alexander 💙
@WinterBabyof89 & baby Rosie 💖
@Winecoffeeteamum & baby Emily 💖
@Ready2020 & baby Rowan 💖
@Magik01 & baby Isaac 💙
@Hoares3 & baby Ellis 💙
@Daffodil21 & baby Elliot James 💙
@sarah13xx & baby Freddie 💙
@MrsB2019x & baby Ella💖
@biscuitcat & baby Rowan 💙
@Whatshouldbemyusername & baby Arya-Nyah 💖
@notinthestarsigns & baby Erin 💖
@Aaaaa1519 & baby Anum 💖
@Angelesque & baby Isaac 💙
@Millymay13 & baby Ethan 💙
@WolfMother326 & baby Alasdair 💙
@BertieBotts & baby Alex 💙
@RandomCatGenerator & baby Solomon 💙
@lucyrp & baby Evelyn Rose 💖
@HopefulB & baby Chloé 💖
@Mmr224 & baby Alasdair 💙
@Smallbean27 & her baby boy 💙
@Fran919 & her baby girl 💖
@Caz1226 & baby Dougie 💙
@Ava50x & her baby boy 💙
@dirtyfries & baby Frankie 💖
@ame88 & baby Lily 💖

Sorry if I've missed anyone, please join in! xx

Thanks @Inmypjsagain We have no family for 5000 miles, which may be why I’m not feeling it too.

I hate Christmas Day. It was always so awful and stressful when I was a child (very unhappily married parents and some really awful relatives). I love carols, mince pies, mulled wine, carols, lights, baubles, did I mention carols…but I get a horrible tight knot inside even thinking about the day. It makes me feel sad and anxious for weeks before. I don’t want Solomon to feel that way.

Not looking for any responses or suggestions really, but thanks for letting me just write that down.

Oh random I just want to give you a hug. I know this time of year can be really difficult for lots of people. Hopefully the next few years seeing Solomon getting all excited and have a great time will help to heal those old wounds for you.

Alex has discovered a new game. He sits on DH's lap, launching himself backwards until DH goes "oof" and then he laughs his head off :o:o it's so cute and hilarious!

I think the first Christmas with a baby can be a bit flat especially if it's just the three of you. Different if you have big families with loads of cousins etc. It's fun when they're one (although they get a bit overwhelmed so we had to spread the presents out over several days at that age) and then from about 2 onwards it starts to get really exciting and magical.

@RandomCatGenerator I wasn't really planning on doing much more than a book as I thought it wouldn't be noticed the way Danish Christmas works but then dh said he think we should keep ds Santa stocking to the 25th and let him have it then. My brother has bought dd a stocking as her Christmas present which will be opened with family presents on the 24th so I think ds might question why dd didn't get her stocking filled by Santa too.

@Inmypjsagain exactly I just feel he's being incredibly inconsiderate of the kids just because he's a bit bored on his own. My own dad had it a few weeks ago and spent the 10days completely isolated in his bedroom while mum slept downstairs and none of them- my mum or brothers would come near us even with negative pcr tests until the 10 days were up just in case they'd pass anything on.

Positive news though me and dh results from this mornings pcr have just come back negative 🎉 still waiting on mils to come back as her test was done later

Great news re PCR @Smurf123 😄

@Inmypjsagain Re SATC, I have very mixed feelings about it, don't think it's aged that well and it belongs to the 90s/00s era, and that's what I want to remember it for. Just Like That got decimated in so many reviews as well, would be a shame to end on a low note! (And where is Samantha anyway....she carried this show IMO!).

@RandomCatGenerator If I'm honest I am celebrating with stockings and gifts because we've waited for Leo for so long. Had things go to plan, I would have had a 2 year old now, due just after Christmas in fact. So it's celebrating the relief he's finally here after so many MCs and building my hopes up to then come crashing down. Last two Christmases were horrendous, it was a stark reminder of still not having a baby. I am also still in disbelief I've been blessed with a child and feel like it's all too good to be true - that's part of my anxiety. So trying to squeeze as much as I can out of every moment. I'm sorry this period is causing you anxiety for other reasons. Do you think you can focus on your little family now and turn these feelings around into something positive? Draw a line and make many happy memories together from now on? I'm far from my mum too this Christmas and it weighs heavy on my mind. xx

@Inmypjsagain as in does he lean forward in the high chair? Yeah sometimes, but he still feels a month or two off sitting independently.

@RandomCatGenerator we haven't done a stocking, my mum has though. Sorry to hear you feel that way about Christmas, that's not very nice. I hope this changes over the coming years now you can do things your way.

I had a big red bleed last year just before Christmas. I obviously thought it was mc number 4 happening but didn't bother with a scan because I was sick of hearing 'congratulations everything's fine' when a few days later it wasn't. I poured myself a glass of wine with my Christmas dinner, and thankfully gave it to my mum, just in case! So personally I will be taking a big sigh of relief, and enjoying an actual glass of wine with dinner this year, with Elliot sitting in his high chair next to us. I can't think of anything better ❤️ We will do stockings and things in future years, but for this year we've kept it to a minimum, partly because I am very conscious of the fact that from Feb I will actually be unemployed until I sort something out. I know my mum has gone a bit OTT so I kind of feel like we done have to, although of course he wouldn't know either way!

I didn’t get round to getting a stocking either. Did think what could I have put in it but now I’ve realised I could have got bibs, socks, one of those cups that doesn’t spill when tipped (can’t remember the name) etc. Really that would be for no one’s benefit though when I can just wait and buy that when I need it 🙄

I think I’ve seen the SATC films but never the series’ so while up late doing my orders that’s been my thing to watch. The episodes are so short I’m into series 2 already. It’s mental the things tv programmes used to say and not think twice about that would get them shut down now 🙈

@Daffodil21 I vividly remember going for a scan at the RMC on 21 Dec from work, took an afternoon off not to tell anyone as I was so convinced it'd be bad news again and Christmas would be ruined. And then there was his heartbeat, the first glimmer of hope. I then had a hideously rotten Christmas Day, I felt and looked so poorly. Didn't have much of my Christmas lunch at all. Not touched any cake or chocolate over Christmas and DH had to eat them all, he put on half a stone. He's still laughing at this 😂 And now look who's here to laugh with is this year 🥰❤

In case you're wondering Leo woke up at 5.40am for a feed...so we're not 100% there yet, but I'm enjoying today. DH is off and we're taking him to the Christmas market 🥰 hope today is a good day for everyone xx

@PurplePansy05 I was offered a scan on exactly the same date. I turned it down though. I'd had one only a month earlier with false good news so I didn't see the point. Anyway, totally different this year!

DS wouldn't settle in his crib between 1-5am last night. He was coughing with a runny nose yesterday and apparently was sneezing and would only settle on DH or on the bed. DH offered me the spare room again last night so I took it, and he didn't bring him in to me. So he's been up from 1-5am and then left for work at 7:30 🙈 we had planned on going on the group walk this morning and swimming with our friend and her toddler this afternoon, but I think he'll still be asleep (in his crib thankfully) for the walk this morning and it probably isn't a good idea to take him swimming either. We're travelling on Monday (the long all day train journey) so I really hope he's ok for then. Looks like it's a day in again for us 🙈 same as yesterday which felt so long!!!!!

Sitting independently has become later these days due to babies being put to sleep on their backs, so some older milestone charts will have it as a 4-6 month milestone, when really 6-9 months is more usual these days. DS1 (despite crawling and pulling up at 8 months) didn't sit unaided until 9 months old! That was considered perfectly fine by my HV although on the later side of normal. Long term the fact it's shifted doesn't matter or cause any problems.

I have been sitting DS3 up with the C pillow and he loves it! Bit wobbly but he does sit up more than I thought he could.

@Fran919 how did your TT appointment go?

@Smallbean27 good luck for today!

Got DS2 weighed yesterday and he put on almost as much weight as he did for that whole month so the procedure seems to have worked!

Great news @Smurf123 regarding the negative results!

@RandomCatGenerator we weren’t planing on buying Isaac anything- we have brought things that we would have brought anyway like a cuski. But I have brought Freddie the firefly due to you ladies! 😂 plus I think because DS1 is now at an age where he’s really excited for Xmas and Santa he might question if Isaac has no presents.

@Inmypjsagain I watched all three episodes yesterday! Are you liking it so far? Did you cry? 😂

I’ve been quite unwell the past few weeks, turns out I did have tonsillitis and still have a lot of rubbish on my chest. Keep testing negative though. Anyone had their booster yet?

Small win last night, he slept for 4 hours rather than waking every two hours like he has been doing for the last few weeks. I’ve been so tired!

Sorry I know this is going back a bit but what was the recommendation for a cold? I should have noted it at the time but thought I'd remember and obviously I haven't!

@Magik01 it went well, the consultant snipped it there and then and she fed nicely afterwards. Annoyingly it’s probably why BF didn’t turn out well because she has such a limited range of movement with it, he was shocked we weren’t referred straight away (he also works for the NHS) it’s funny watching her explore it and she keeps moving it around and I’ve seen it poke out a few times so definitely the right thing to do.

How’s recovery been for your LO?

@Daffodil21 for a cold we used a saline nasal spray and calpol plug in, worked a treat.

We’ve officially dropped all nights and sleeping extremely well 🙏

@Fran919 perfect! That's exactly what the pharmacy round the corner says they have.

@Magik01 brilliant profess! Sorry you've got tonsillitis though. I had my booster a couple of days ago

@Fran919 recovery is great, didn’t really know what to look out for tbh but the HV had a look yesterday when I got him weighed and said it all looks good to her. It’s so cute isn’t it, he’s been really moving his tongue around as well and making loads of different sounds. It just be so weird for them to suddenly have all that movement 😂

Its so rubbish that it gets missed on the NHS, I don’t think midwifes are particularly trained in what to look for (same for most HV) or they are just so over run that the waiting times are so long. I know the person who normally does it on the nhs around here is off sick until the end of Jan which is a shame if you have a really newborn and struggling, private is the only real option.

@Daffodil21 apparently if you put a bowl of water by the radiator it’s meant to help as well as central heating can make the air really dry. Also could try putting baby in a bouncer while you have a hot bath/shower.

@sarah13xx @PurplePansy05 and @Magik01 I have similar thoughts as Pansy, that SATC didn’t age particularly well but it seems they’re trying to make up for it going other way in the new series. Having said that I’m enjoying the clothes, bags and apartments in the new series so I’ll watch for now- I really miss Samantha though (she was the best, they’d never have fallen out…) and I always really disliked Big so had sort of hoped Carrie divorced him! and yes, embarrassingly I did cry in the second episode! And as I did I was wondering why!!

@BertieBotts c shape pillow is great for everything!

@Daffodil21 we’re on day 2 of a cold, it’s horrible hearing the snuffles. We’ve tilted the cot, we’ve got snuffle babe bubble bath, chest rub, calpol plug in (this is actually great, I’d like to use it all the time, but you will need to stock up on refills because I think you only get 2). Saline solution too, rather than the spray. We’ve also got snufflebabe vapour oil which I’ve rubbed on the radiators and have in a bowl of hot water in each room- everywhere smells like menthol! Calpol on standby but we have no temperature. Hope Elliott feels better soon

Glad TT appointments are going well.

@RandomCatGenerator sorry to hear that, Christmas can be so tough. I really hope this Christmas and all the following ones are a better. I’m hoping the magic will come back soon when they’re old enough to understand Santa!

Thanks for lovely messages. Just had a full on panic attack at DH so going to bed for a few hours I think.

@Daffodil21 a bit of eucalyptus oil on the pillow can help clear the chest and throat too.

@Magik01 thanks. We've actually turned the radiator down in our room a couple of days ago because it's not as cold here atm. I've cracked the windows open a bit today to get some fresh air in for a bit. I'm actually fine so far, hoping it stays that way so we can travel!

Thanks for the extra tips @Inmypjsagain @RandomCatGenerator

Oh no @RandomCatGenerator definitely go and get some sleep. Come back and tell us what happened if it'll help

Snuffle babe stuff isn't stocked at the local pharmacy and Amazon is too long to deliver. Hoping the saline solution and the calpol plug in will be enough. I meant to order the things you were all suggesting for the cupboard so we already had it when needed, but of course I didn't get round to it 🙈

He wouldn't settle in his crib between 1-5am. He would only sleep either propped up in bed or on DH's chest. DH offered me a spare room night again which I took him up on, as he hasn't been waking until 5/6am lately, so I was none the wiser! I told him he should have brought him in to me but I'm soooo glad he didn't!!! Poor DH had to leave for work at 7:30am and he won't be back until 6:30 tonight so I've offered him the spare room tonight!!

Try Boots/supermarket, they tend to stock it.

Only quick message as on walk but @Daffodil21 you can get baby olbas, similar to snufflebabe, might have that instead? We got the bubble bath from Amazon xx

@Magik01 I'm an idiot. You meant bring him while I have a bath so he gets the steam - I thought you meant if I felt ill 😂😂

Thank you @Inmypjsagain we've actually managed to get some of the bubble bath so I'll use it tonight and then the plug in thing over night. The saline solution are drops, which I think would cause him more distress tbh as he's not that bad yet! But at least we have them on hand

@RandomCatGenerator Big hugs Have a rest now and take good care of yourself xx

@Magik01 @Fran919 appt went well, he did have a tongue tie. So got it snipped, he cried but seems ok generally.
Same as you probably the reason BF didn't work out which is really frustrating!! But too late now and we have moved on, it would have saved a few dark days at the start though which I just wasn't enjoying!
He is still abit noisy and leaking when drinking but hoping it will get better as he gets used to it.
Have you been doing the exercises with your finger in their mouth?

@Smallbean27 glad it went ok!

We’ve not been given any exercises but encouraging the tongue to come out of the mouth so touching bottom lip, sticking our tongue out etc.

He said feeding improvements can take up to 2 weeks and sometimes babies benefit from a change of test to re learn, thinking of switching from mam to dr browns (normally DD hates them but might try and again now she’s got more movement)