January 08 - shiny new-year babies!

[Naetha]

Thought I'd start this thread now as I think there's already a couple of people to go on it, and I know there'll be an awful lot more!!

Will update when I get a chance

Naetha - it is as if you were talking about cerys - that is eactly how some nights go for us as well. Sometimes a dummy helps, sometimes swaddling, sometimes she just has the scraming ab dabs for 5 hours and I am beside myself. I have no suggestions, only sympathy and a sense of relief that it isn't just me and my baby. Will think of you all when staring into moses basket at 4 this morning!

Have just been having conversation with dear dear friend who was given bad news today about her likelihood of ever having a successful pregnancy. Made me acutely aware of our blessings however tired we are.

Amani - much sympathy over boobs. Friend is bringing round an electric pump for me to borrow to night as I have had no luck with the Avent hand pump. HV said to me yesterday that you'd have as much success trying to express with a feather it was so pathetic.
Gingeme - my lochia the same as yours!
big hugs all round

Hi guys,

I've tried to catch up but I know I@ve missed a lot. Sorry.

Barristermum, I remember reading a post a couple of nights ago where you were feeling down. I don't think you're alone! We've had some awful times in the last week, what with the lack of weight gain, illnesses and two hourly feeds. Hope you're feeling better and sending you hugs anyway.

Awen - LOL at Samuel's antics.

Fruitful. Sending you hugs about your hospital visit and wishing you some sleep tonight.

Amani - good luck to you.

Gingeme - in awe of you for breast feeding in public. I'm not sure when it's going to get on my 'to do' list but I'm not quite sure I'm going to get up the courage. Sabela likes to bob around first sometimes and eye up my booby. Whichis fine in the living room but...! I'm sure I will do it eventually.

I really can't remember much of the last few days. I can't tell you how awful our gossipy health visitor has been. She means well but she's a shocker. A choice comment of hers when i was trying to explain that we'd been told int he hospital to feed on demand but Sabela hadn't demanded was, 'Yes, in the animal kingdom it's the ones who don't cry who slip away and die'. How the HELL is that supposed to help me. I'm attending to Sabela 24 hours a day!

All I know is that it has been worth it as SAbela has put on weight.

Hi all,

Bath didn't pan out! Went to run it and we'd run out of hot water and to top it off the central heating is now broke (pilot light won't stay on)

Aly is doing well, we've got a breastfeeding co-ordinator coming round for a chat tomorrow and the MW's are due as well. Also had a letter from HV to say coming on Tuesday.

We had photo of Aly professionally taken in the hospital and they arrived in the post. It's abso gorgeous so I'm sending off the money for that tomorrow.

All go here, DP is just about to set off for a run (he's become this health freak it's really funny)

Not read everything properly and i'm really sorry but hope everyone is ok. xxx

Hi me again. Sounds like your having a tough time of it Barristermum. Keep your chin up it does get easier
George is my best baby as far as wind goes. He does the most manly burps and farts. We all laugh when he sits in his chair trumping away. Just like his Daddy
Been leant a breast feeding book by my friend who is a bf counciler and the pics in it are so old and groovy. It does hve a few good pointers in it though especialy about breast feeding and trying to include your other children so they dont feel left out.
Susiemj what are you worried about bf in public? There are many ways you can do it discreetly. Once you feel better about feeding then youll get the hang of it.
Well time for bed now. Expect lo will want a feed soon.
Take care all xxx

I hate to go on about my PFB, but I took a video of him waking up (usually takes several minutes and lots of stretching!) and think it's just one of the cutest things in the world!

If anyone's interested, can be found here - just ignore me if I'm going on!

Please post piccies/videos of your LOs as well

Naetha - Dead cute and hasn't he got LOADS of hair?!

There's pictures of Aaliyah on my profile by the way

Is anyone else having a really pucky baby? Seems to be everytime she feeds she throws some of it back up. I'm not too worried at the moment as she doesn't want for any milk but was just wondering if anyone else had it.

Lucky - my dd always brings up a little milk after feeding and HV said this is 'normal', as long as baby is putting on weight and shouldn't worry unless if it is projectile vomitting.

Still hate my boobs ....

gingeme - lol @ george trumping.. samuel is a farty bum too

Naetha - wow, loved the little video. He is adorable and I love his hair. A real cutie. He is still all curled up in the video which is so sweet.

Luckysalem - love your pictures and very you have one of you two together post birth. DP didnt take any pics post birth which i wish he had.

Went to breastfeeding support group today which was really good and they fed us !

Had a good night last night again. Fed him at 10.30pm till 11.30pm. He wouldnt settle in moses basket so i popped him on breast again which he took a little to settle and he slept in bed with me only waking at 4am for a feed and then again at 7.30 so feeling much more rested.

Amani - xxx

Awen of your nights rest. George will go about two hours between feeds at night though but has only done one stretch in his moses basket.
Neatha how cute is Ben. Wow I thought George had a lot of hair!
Lucky she is just lovely.
I have been asked to my neighbours hen night in a couple of weeks. Not sure weather to go or not as I havnt attempted expressing yet and not sure if I realy want to in case it mucks up his latch. wont be able to drink either so it sems a bit pointless. Shame cause shes a realy good friend. See hoe I feel next week.
Why do you hate your boobs Amani?
Taking George to be registered on Monday. Hes got his BCG Friday 1st Feb. Hate to do it but it needs to be done because of where we live. All the others have had it done.
What do you all have planned for the weekend? Not much doing here. Shopping and library tommorrow. Probably pop up mil's Sunday.
Have a good one all xxx

Evening all sorry haven't been around much and i can't even say it's down to Martha as she is a really contented baby , by far my best and is sleeping 3/4 hours through the night albeit co sleeping but i know i am very lucky with her. p.s my midwife said this was fine if none smokers and haven't had drink !
DD though has been quite difficult this week i think she is finding it all a bit overwhelming so we have been concentrating all efforts there.
I have a couple of ques if anyone can help.
How long do you put a microwave steam steriliser on for ?
Also do you need any paperwork for registering baby / getting family allowance etc. I can't remember and we weren't given anything on leaving hospital ?
Thanks
Hope you all doing ok and will try to catch up or if not keep up with you all now things are settling down here!

Lol - plans and weekend don't come into conjunction any more!! Nah that's a lie Just hoping to have a nice chilled out weekend, do a bit of food shopping (although we've been doing sterling work of emptying our freezer over the last 2 weeks!) and if the weather is good (for good read not raining and not blowing a hoolie) we might go for a walk to the park with the little feller

Finding my boobs to be quite troublesome at the moment (although nothing too bad!) They just produce so much milk - I go through between 6 and 10 breast pads a day because they leak so much, and my let-down reflex is not only very strong (squirts covering several feet!) but also quite painful. Earlier on Ben was asleep on my lap, and he started sucking his lip in his sleep. 10 seconds later I got huge cramps in my boobs and wet patches on my t-shirt as another set of breast pads had been saturated! I'd be tempted to express more to reduce the engorgement, but won't that stimulate even more milk production?

On the subject of videos - also got a great one of the cat last night! www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjfFaaVQpn4. We've decided to really make the most of our digital camera as there's very few photos of us when we were children/babies and we want to make sure we have plenty of photos of Ben

As for the hairiness - not only is he hairier than his dad, but his hair has grown considerably since he was born! Just a shame it will probably all fall out soon and he'll be a baldie!

Good nights' sleep still evading me, but going to try a tactic of putting my top that I've been wearing the last couple of days (thankfully not the one covered in milk!) around the moses basket mattress to see if the smell of me helps him settle a bit better. Worth a try eh! At least tonight DH can't have a go at me for disturbing his sleep on a work night!

Lily - We were given a pack from Bounty with all the Child Tax/registering the birth stuff in. You can get them from Asda if you go onto Bounty's website and print off a voucher.

Amani - Why do you hate your boobs? I'll admit i'm not liking mine at the moment cos they're too big and I stupidly bought breastfeeding bras before my milk came in so they're too small now.

As for vomiting we've done ok, it's just a little bit and just down the side of her cheeks. She did just get us good though! LOL.

We're having a bath tonight the both of us. I'm really looking forward to it, bet she gets me good in there though.

Lilyloo - the Tommee Tippee steriliser I use needs to microwave for 5 minutes in an 800w microwave oven.

You should also have received your bounty pack in hospital that contains (as well as lots of freebies) the forms you need to claim child benefit etc. Your MW/HV should be able to get you a replacement. As for registering the birth, the paperwork will have been sent automatically to the nearest registry office, so you shouldn't need to take any paper work along with you, but worth giving them a call first.

Good luck with DD - must be tough for someone else to be getting all the limelight all of a sudden!

Thanks ladies i never got one as we left hospital pretty quickly so will look on line if not midwife coming Monday so will ask her.
DP been brill with dd we bought loads of craft stuff for her so he has been making wands, crowns, jewellery boxes etc. Think ke could go into buisness if the mortgage work dries up Luckily ds is coping much better and got a certificate off his teacher today in assembly for being a good pupil and big brother so he is quite proud of himself today!
The bath idea sounds lovely i might try that.
I was the same Naetha with ds with the leaking boobs but don't seem to be as bad with the girls

Hallo ladies! Can I join you at long last!!!

Just done my birth announcement:

Baby Toby was born on 23rd January at 11.56am after a marathon labour! He was coming cheek first (face, not bum!) and I laboured for 2 nights at home until transfering to hospital (my decision, I felt well and truly "stuck" despite doing everything to shift him). I did birth him normally after 6 hours of syntocinon. He was titchy for me, only 7lb 6oz (unually have 9lb`ers!) but totally scrumptious.No tears and plopped out my placenta myself.

Congrats mum2sons

Naetha I have a pile of washable breastpads here that I could send you if you'd like them!

Ds stayed awake for 2 whole hours this morning, I put him under his babygym. It was lovely to see him looking around and showing an interest and generally behaving like a baby instead of a small snoozing sausage.

Although he doesn't like to sleep at night in his cradle, it seems. So, how do you do this co-sleeping thing and actually get some sleep yourself?

And Congratulations mum2sons!

Fruitful - I put a pillow along the one side of the bed and lie on the other. I put Aly on top of the covers with her own sheet or blanket. Although I'll admit I don't get much sleep cos i'm constantly waking up and checking on her.

So do you just have her sleeping next to you? Ds2 wants to be held - so I lie on my back with him on his front on my chest, with my arms around him. Nice for a bit and then very uncomfortable!

Well he slept all night last night so didn't need to co-sleep!

I hasten to add - not all night - he woke every 3 hours, fed, went back to sleep in his cradle. And dh did 2 of the feeds and I had a lie-in so I am a happy bunny today.

congrats mum2sons
Fruitful i usually lie Martha on her side and i lie on mine and feed her and then i tend to roll away from her so she get's half the bed and me and dp get the other ! It's a good job we are tired then put pillow on her other side.

birth story here ladies if anyone wants to read it