December 2007: It's all worth it for the smiles.

[claraquitetirednow]

I've never started a new thread before - has this worked?

Anastasia - if its any comfort my Childhealth book (NZ version) says that you can stop sterilising at 3 months - just make sure to give the bottles a thorough clean in hot soapy water. Am looking foward to dropping that rigmarole in a couple of weeks myself. Now down to 1 bottle per day of EBM, rest formula. Still, quite satisfied to have made it to 10 weeks, last time only managed to 7 weeks.

Hi everyone

DD seems happy in her bouncy chair so just grabbing a chance to look at mn.

Macdoodle - so glad to hear that your dd has recovered. I can't imagine how scary that must have been for you.

We are going on holiday tomorrow for a week! Just up north (Scottish highlands) but it'll be nice to get away. I've tried to start packing and we are going to need so much stuff! Its's a self catering apartment so at least there is a washing machine.

Thats good buzzy, the sterilising I can live with, it's the boil water, wait 30 mins, make up feed, use within an hour. Blimey, I thought that bottles were made up in the morning for the day. But we had our first bottle and success, guzzled straight down. Quite pleased now Daddy can feed her too.

Sunny day here so I must take the Dog out for a long walk. Anyone have any favourite (disposable) nappies? I've used most of them and my fav are Lidls nappies, they have a colour change strip on them when they are wet so you don't have to check.

of holiday Louise..

Anastasia - I favour Huggies, they're the only ones that don't leak.

Am polishing my halo today. Have just finished sorting out DS's clothes. He's out of the 0-3month ones now so am assessing what we have for the next size up. So much stuff that hasn't even been worn. It's all going up to the attic for the next one, if there is one.

Yikes, thought I'd try some yoga whilst ds sleeps. Just tried to do a sun salutation - can't do it. I'm so unfit. .

macdoodle poor, poor you . Thank goodness she's ok.

We have also booked a holiday- hurray! Off to seville for a week over easter.

Wizz- you mad woman! get yourself a custard cream. Am very admiring of anyone who can be doing exercise.

Millie's not slept through the night since the first time 3 nights ago. Bugger. I am sure she takes more from the bottle than from me at the 10pm asleep feed, so will go back to that tonight.

Suey - took your advice, am sitting down with a nice cup of coffee. Distastrously there are no biccies in the house so am having to make do with a chocolate petit filous.

Thanks all
She seems more settled and I feel less wobbly though still terribly teary (not me at all I never cry)...big gummy smile and I am sobbing ..
She is a bit clingy or maybe I am - just feels so good to hold a solid healthy looking, baby smelling, gurgling baby...have forced myself to put her in crib for nap ...have had a tidy, hoover, put a wash on, a lovely soak in the bath and am eating a WHOLE box of chocs which one of my partners brought this morning....

Macdoodle you poor things having to go through that, I really hope the wee one is ok now and on the mend. Reading what you wrote brought back memories of when we were readmitted when Fin was 4 days old, he had the same symptoms as your wee one and I felt exactly the same - was He going to pull through etc and then on returning home 11 days later I was (and still am) super paranoid when he's behaving out of sorts (hence a trip to the out of hours GP on Tuesday night at 12.20am).

Good on those that have booked holidays, we are planning to use our Tesco clubcard points for a long weekend to New York but we haven't looked into it properly yet.

Suey that nanny sounds perfect, not putting down any other aged nannies or childminders etc but I really love our childminders who are a retired married couple in their 60s, it works really well.

Hope you all have a nice weekend,

Cross posted Mac, (yes took me THAT long to post as had to go for a walk inbetween!) Glad she's on the mend now, enjoy those chocolates!

Oh my goodness Macdoodle, that must have been utterly terrifying for you. Makes me feel bad for complaining about DS's screaming fits, I should just be grateful he is healthy! So glad she is on the mend, and enjoy those chocs, you deserve them!

A quick reminder to everyone to check their LO's cot fittings etc-DS's crib was making a knocking noise everytime he moved around last night and when I checked this morning one of the screws was working loose. I seem to remember in the instructions it said it would need tightening after being used for a while but would have forgotten to check if it wasn't for the noise.

McDoodle - how scary, but glad to hear everything is better now. Lots of hugs to you and your little one .

Ambi - love the new name - but why the change? We used Pampers - size 3, which means I don't have to change DD2 nappy at night if she hasn't poo-ed.

Took DD2 to HV today to get weighed - 11 pounds 14 ounces at queried the vomitting after each feed (recommended to put her in a bouncer for 1/2hr after each feed to help the milk go down) and also green poo (told it's to do with wind and advised to give 2 ounces of cool boiled water a day).

Does anyone LO enjoy being put on thier tummy? HV recommended 5 mins of tummy play each day, then building up the time as she gets older - but she hates it and cries the house down when I try.

amani millie didn't like it to begin with, but i put something really interesting for her to look at and she tolerates it for, ooh, minutes now.

amani - martha seems to like being on her tummy but seems to alreadt be trying to crawl....i fear she is going to be a very active baby.....

anastasia - you can make formula justbefore you need it. get the bottles ready with water, add formula when needed and heat up. we are also thinking of introducing a bottle of formula this weekend. like you am pleased to have got to 12 weeks pure breast.

Thanks Claraq, I've done that after reading some FF threads.
I just fancied a name change, but it's a bit of a mouthful so may go back to Ambi soon. .
Feel soooo much better today getting out, after the few grey days I had. Picked up a swim nappy and blowup thingy from scary Mothercare (does anyone else find that place slightly disturbing or is it just me?)so hoping for a swim this weekend with DHs help. Also got some wine on the way back, lovely weekend treat for the success on the bottle.
Hope you guys have a fab weekend

Yes, have a good weekend everyone.

I've got a glass of wine on the go and DH has just gone to collect a curry. DS is sleeping. And tomorrow I can stay in bed with DH while the little one coos away and smiles. He's always in a good mood in the mornings. He laughed today for the first time, a proper little giggle. It absolutely melted me.

Amani - I thought green poo was too much foremilk and not enough of the rich stuff.

DS does go on his tummy but can't take 5 mins at a time. He does push himself up a bit but then starts dribbling on the mat. He doesn't seem to mind much but there's lots of grunting from effort.

Oh brilliant, Crufts is on. I can watch that and dream of the dog I can have when I don't live in a small flat anymore.

DS looks around when on his tummy... then usually vomits. Must remember not to put him on his tummy too soon after a feed

There is an alternative philosophy to the "tummy time" one promoted by HVs should any of you be interested. It is derived from the well respected Pikler Institute of Education and Care in Budapest. Basically it says that children should be respected and not "forced" to do anything they don't instinctively want to do. The idea is to provide them with an environment which they can explore in comfort. Under this philosophy babies should not be put on their tummies unless they want to (i.e. they prefer/roll over etc). Equally they should not be propped up until they are ready to sit on their own etc. I'm not sure I'm a complete convert to this philosophy but I can see its merits - and it certainly reduces the amount of crying! It is quite similar to the education philosophies from Reggio Emilia which you may have heard about at nursery schools.

Oops hear crying!

evening everyone

macdoodle - how completely terrifying for you, no wonder you are still feeling shaky. But thank God she is OK now

amani - ds doesn;t seem to mind being on his tummy for a few minutes but I remember DD used to HATE it. She was late(ish) to crawl and I'm sure that is why

suey - will Millie be 5 months when you go back then? I'm going back officially in June but hope to do the odd afternoon here and there before that. Have already started building up a supply of milk in the freezer in preparation (polish halo)

clara - we don't iron either and never have. At a push DH might for a wedding or something..

clairey - no he wasn't from Botswana, he was English and just travelling around southern Africa

DS has been feeding interminably today - I didn;t leave the house until DH came home at 5pm. Think he must be having a growth spurt (12 weeks - does that sound right?) so not looking forward to tonight - beanster - do you think Freya could be having a growth spurt too?

Loucee - yes I have a huge flabby tummy that I hate. I'm sure it wasn't this bad with DD. And I've been doing loads of exercise and trying not to eat chocolate etc. But I have read that you tend to lose a lot of weight at about the 6 month mark (presumably when they start on solids) so am hoping it will disappear then with no effort from me!

DH is out tonight and DD had a nightmare, DS needed feeding and a man came to deliver a chest of drawers all at the same time. Just about managed to get my boob back in for the man at the door and then fed DS while trying to hug DD in her bed... aaaagh how on earth do you parents of three manage??

amani- dd had green poo for weeks, and i was worried every time i changed her nappy. suggestions were too much foremilk (she's bf), tummy bug, and to change nappy wearing sun-glasses. gp was v happy to do swab tests on the poo.

Currently having breast agony now I'm stopping BFing, I know I should have done it gradually but I didn't want to confuse DD. So currently have sore swollen breasts, how long will this last for?

Anastasia/ambi - I can only speak from my previous experience, when I gradually cut back on breastfeeding one feed at a time over a matter of a few weeks. That way I don't remember having any problems. You should probably express a bit at one or two feed times initially as you could have problems (blocked duct, mastitis etc) otherwise.

This time I am planning to cut out the 10pm feed first (from now), but carry on with all the other feeds untilnext month when I will try and cut back each feed perhaps one a week, to stop completely by May.