March 2008 births

[MarchNowFebMum]

Welcome March Mums (and late Feb/early April Mums!) from the March 2008 threads.

feedmenow - Lovely of you to pop in and say hello, you and your family have been very much in everyones thoughts. Take care of you and yours and post if you want to on here, you will always be very welcome.

derah - Sorry to hear things haven't been great for you. I know not bfeeding comes with a whole host of guilt for some people but personally I think if it will make your whole family a lot happier and you and baby more content it may be the right decision for you. I am mixed feeding and tbh I don't think she gets a huge amount from me as she still tends to take a full bottle afterwards but I enjoy and know she is getting a little bit so seems to be the right thing for me but I'm sure it'd be slagged off to high heaven by any bfeeding counsellors etc!

AFB - JoJoMamanBebe had some nice bfeeding tops when I popped in over the weekend. Plain but a nice cut!

I have the black pouch sling from Hotslings arriving in the next day or so which should be fun, MrHeels made a sling out of an old bedsheet tonight for him to use which is working a treat.

Merryberry - were you saying about breastmilk for a gunky eye? DD is quite gunky at the moment and was wondering what you do with it - just wipe it over the eye?

Yes jojomamanbebe is the make of the nice slimming one i have from a couple of years ago! just went and checked.

derah - am with you on the Toddler front, acting out ++. Am supposed ot be doing the potty training delayed from Xmas, but can't get past the tantrums to it yet. no words on the baby unsettled front, so sorry its tough. will be interesting to hear how the bottles go for you this w/e.

MMH, you need baby awake and lying down on back, preferably milk drunk as derah described. then pour milk (either direct from hand expressed breast which i can't do, or from pump bottle) into the eye socket to make an eye bath. doesn't have to last long, you are just trying to achieve a quick application of milk into the eye. I'm still not sure mine ever had eye open, but the results were amazing - the lime green infected colour of the gunk vanished to pale after one applicatin and the gunk stopped coming out after just two applications! MW said to do at every feed for up to 3 days, then take to doc for antibiotics if no result. apparently its the concentration of immunoglobulin in early breast milk that does the trick. be very interested to hear how you get on.

obviously, have something at hand to catch the inevatiable run off, and use cooled boiled water and cotton wool to wipe the eye clear of gunk at other times. she also said to not fiddle with the water/gunk cleaning too often, just do it a couple times a day. doing it infrequently will help reduce irritation/extra infection.

think gg got his infection from shoving baby fists in eye - he has found his hands to suck, but gets it wrong sometimes.

she was great, i miss her. she also said to try having sex just before 6 week check up, so you know if you have a prob needs looking at.

Hi folks. My older two can't be classed as toddlers anymore, but I sympathise with those of you struggling. We've got school hols at mo, and although lovely not doing school run, I am feeling v irritable and impatient with them - then obviously quite guilty.

I started using my cloth nappies about a week ago. I didn't with the other 2 until they were on solids because of their tendency to do huge runny breastmilk poos and getting in a huge mess. But little man is quite farty and generally produces about 6 or 7 tiny poos a day (I's sure you are all finding this fascinating ) and I hate to feel that I'm not getting my moneys worth out of a disposable. Only problem is I only have enough nappies small enough to fit him for about 1 and a half days, but I figure that's better than nothing, I then use disposables until the real ones are dry. I have started to use reusable wipes too - I'm surprised at how easy they are to use. Worth saying that I'm only finding this possible because farty little man is very laid back and relaxed.

I'm desperate for something different to talk about - any suggestions? I love being completely absorbed in my gorgeous little man (and the other two obviously), but every now and then you remember there's a whole world out there passing you by.

Oops - I's should be I'm!

feedmenow - amazing lady you are...lovely to see you popping by. As HQ says you are in all our thoughts.

to everyone else, particularly those not finding life a bundle of roses I send hugs.

love imjin.

feedme - good to hear from you, you are in my thoughts.

derah - if ff would make your baby, your family and you happier i wouldn't feel too guilty about it, especially if you are starting to feel resentful. being able to enjoy baby is so important. easier said than done though!

mb - i've got a hug-a-bub too, its great, only prob is that it would be hard to put on outdoors as it is a wrap and the ends would trail. it's v comfortable though. i'm getting on really well with nappies (bumgenius v3). it might be hard to interchange with disposables as the nappies would be hanging around for a while till you had enough to wash! i'm still using disposables at night - but about to stop. Highly recomend washable wipes too - much easier than cotton wool and kinder than packet ones.

mmh - when my dd had a gunky eye mw told me to squirt milk in straight from boob and wipe from the nose out, new piece of cotton wool each time. i used my eye make up removing cotton wool so as not to risk adding bits of fluff to the problem. worked a treat but got a v milky baby trying to get the milk to squirt in the right direction!

Savouring this golden moment...thrush is gone, he's sleeping and feeding well, his feet are improving, the house is clean, washing done, i have makeup on and have slept 6 1/2 hours last night. This may never happen again so am enjoying today!

feedmenow - {{{hugs}}}

MB slings- using the baby carrier (from Bringing up Baby) Very comfortable now i've got the hang of getting Ed in and out of it. Not sure how to go about walking with him in it when it rains though - how do you cope with wet weather as a waterproof over the top might not be the best idea

bellybutton - dry, flaking and numb. Stretch marks itchy as hell. Backache from bad feeding posture and a twinge of sciatica. Apart from that the CS scar is healing brilliantly

nappies - Tots Bots coloured bamboozles, look great, take ages to dry though. Odd compared to disposables since they get soaked through so quickly meaning more changes a day and haven't worked out yet what fold to put the disposable liners into to get them at the most comfy inside the nappy?

LO has a red bum at the moment either due to squits overnight being in contact too long or a change in the wipes we're using so have to go back to plain old water and cotton wool till it clears up. Using aloe vera gel rather than sudocrem as it clears it up nicely. Now have to get DH to get over his cotton wool phobia... he won't touch it! Also won't play with the real nappies yet, so we use disposables when he's in charge (well, until i point out we'll run out of money if we don't use the fluffy naps soon!).

He's farty as hell - and the faces he makes when he's about to let rip are amazing. Goes so red and indignant then screams his head off. Have been trying infacol which has made a difference but keep forgetting to give it every feed. At least he burps more now instead of projectile vomiting. Don't think he has proper colic as the screaming fits aren't regular times of day or duration, but you feel so helpless when they do cry and you can't work out how to make it stop!

Chubbster got weighed again today - now up to 10lb 1 from last friday's 9lb 6. Will soon be heavy enough to carry me around in a sling

correct link for close

feedmenow I have been following your other thread. My thoughts are with you and your family.

fitnfortyone I find Bepanthen cream to be excellent for little bottoms.

Derah Sorry to hear you've been having a bad time. Hope it eases very soon.

MB I have a baby bjorn and I love it. We're already on the outside fasteners of the two though as Mr Gigantic is well, so gigantic.

Got to dash, school run.

Hi all, I'm amazed at you all for coping and finding time to post .

BF is going ok - still very sore on one side but seems to be improving and I can't believe how much time it takes and always at the most inconvenient times ie DDs bedtime.

Derah/MB I'm with you on the naughty toddler front - DD nearly kicked DS in the head in front of the mw the other day so can't leave them alone for a second. And Derah re ff/bf decisions - rembember you don't have to do one or the other, you can do both, although you might find one becomes the main preference. I had loads of problems bf DD and gave myself a hugh guilt trip which ment I didn't enjoy those precious feeds that did go well because I was so busy worrying. Now I know that was a complete waste of time/energy. Do your best for you and your family.

feedmenow - My thoughts and prayers are with you often.

Slings - I have a Karime which I love. I find it easy to use and easy to get DS in and out of.

I second the March Mum Mantra - relax, enjoy (if possible) and make milk . xx

Feedmenow - big hugs to you.

Derah - I'm with you, and have been feeling very much the same. Last night LO got so distraught at our in-laws that we had to retreat home as his screaming got so hysterical that it was scaring our MIL/FIL. I still can't work out what is wrong, and it makes me feel really down and out of my depth...Not sure now whether it is colic as it's happening at different times of the day - infacol didn't seem to make much difference, and am now trying colosinth (sp?) crystals, but haven't seen any improvement yet..

I also thought about switching to FF, but apparently that can cause even more wind so might not be the cure.

I'm trying to keep positive when he does feed/sleep well and everyone keeps telling me that it's just a phase so am counting on that being the case. It is always good to hear that others are going through the same.

Evening ladies

Thanks for the support and advice. We had a much better day today, and LO seemed to be happier. She even finished a couple of feeds looking happy! She started crying this afternoon less than an hour after I'd last fed her so I gave her a bottle of formula, but she wasn't really interested. So maybe it's not a hunger problem but is just digestive issues. Some days are better than others, and I guess it will clear up eventually.

DD1 is also doing much better. She went to the loo every time today instead of going in her nappy. We'll try her in pants again tomorrow and see how it goes.

Anyway, for those of you who suggested mixed feeding, that is my plan, more or less. I just get a bit depressed bf-ing when it seems to make her so unhappy and bottles make her happier. But sometimes bottles maker her cry and sometimes the breast makes her happy so I'm a bit confused altogether!

derah it is hard isnt it! dh asked how much it would to cost to hire a 'baby watcher' at 6 am this morning

i deliberately didnt toilet train dd before baby came to avoid regression probs and now i have to cope with the guilt as she wants to use the toilet and i simply cannot cope with that atm. So whatever you try with toddlers it wont go your way.

I squeeze in dentinox drops the shove my knuckle in his mouth so he has no choice but to suck so drops go down.

any mums of boys- is anyone else have trouble with nappies leaking, ds seems to be able to pee straight out of them! i tuck his willy down and press the nappy up against it but it all seems to shift and i end up having to change his clothes and sometimes sheets, not fun in the middle of the night as he hates being naked and screams, causing wind so is a nightmare to settle after.

littleducks - we've had the same problem a few times in the middle of the night, and it's a real pain having to change his vest, swaddle and sheets as well as his nappy as he loathes it and screams blue murder!

I think because our DS only wakes once to feed between 11pm and 7am he actually has time to make his nappy very wet in a way he just doesn't during the day. Have you tried different nappies? We're on disposables at the moment (may start on reusables next week) but have been trialling different ones until we find one we like - personally we have found Moltex better than Pampers, Bambo and Nature for containing both wee and poo as they seem to be a snugger fit for him even though they are all supposedly for 3-6kg babies. So maybe pick up a couple of packs of different nappies and see which ones work best for your DS.

Oh and we've just started to experience the joys of being weed on by him when we change his nappy - not had projectile poo yet but wee from a boy is naturally projectile, is copious and travels a great distance! I love parenthood

I'm using disposables with DS til he gets a wee bit bigger and fits his cloth ones and I have to say that Sainsburys own are far better than Pampers or Huggies. they are 1.50ish per 24 and fab! No leaks yet!

Glad to see I'm not the only one with a baby who hates being naked. He goes all red with his screaming and looks at me as if to say 'Why are you torturing me?'

Can't wait for the projectile poo - not!

Does anyone else have a LO who has to be held/jiggled etc etc every single moment that they're awake or they just cry and cry? She will last maybe 5 mins tops in the swing chair, hates the baby gym and won't even just sit quietly in my arms unless she's being jiggled. The only other way to keep her quiet is to put her in the sling so she falls asleep. It's just madness!! Especially as she's spending more and more time awake every day. Anyone got any tips?

derah-vibrating bouncy chair. Usually works wonders with babies like yours, but you can only use them for a little bit or they get overstimulated. I'm afraid the other alternative is earplugs!

derah- is it connected to the digestive issues she has do you think? is she better more upright, is it the lying flat she hates?

you could try baby massage to get her to chill a bit (if you ever get a minute) but they do scream through that the first time or two which is off putting.

must be hard on you and dd1 to rely on the sling or listen to the wailing. hope someone has a great solution in a min.

derah - my dd cries rather alot. she's 6 weeks now and i'm starting to get the hang of which distractions work best. vibrating chair is good, bare bum time, looking around at stuff, jiggling and (i'm afraid) dummy all work - but only sometimes! she also likes being whistled at - but this drives the dogs crazy! If she could be 'on the boob' all the time i don't think she'd cry at all - but i'd go mad! dh thinks i should just leave her to cry - but it seems so cruel! thinking about crainial osteopathy.

Derah Piggyp's post just reminded me. i have afriend who's son is 3 days younger than Charlie, therefore 6 weeks today. her son has terrible colic, bless him and she's booked him in for some cranial osteopathy. She's a pediatric nurse so eminently knowledgable when it come to these things. The cranial osteopathy may well help, even if it isn't colic.

I'm on tenterhooks here. DP is laid up with what we think is flu. We've all been sharing the same room and I'm slightly concerned that Charlie may catch it. Just have to wait and see.

You know, the terrible thing is I've been thinking that if I get it, I will be forced to stay in bed. I may go around licking DP's glasses and cutlery yet. Sadly though, I usually have the constitution of an ox and I guess I don't really want flu. I just want to stay in bed too and have someone make me homemade chicken soup and go out in the rain for paracetamol and bring me lots of drinks and take my temperature hourly, whilst looking after two children and mainlining coffee just to stay vaguely alert.

I rang my mum yeaterday morning pleading for help. Which is quite a big deal as they live 200 miles away in Manchester and we have a somewhat volatile relationship. On my turf though, thigs are usually calmer as I don't tend to regress to 12 years old . I don't want them catching DP's manflu though so they'll probably come when he's better. By that time I'll be on my knees, I imagine.

Oh dear, Charlie is waking, better go. X

My DS has been grizzly all day today - started with his last feed last night at about 11pm when he wouldn't settle and continued from there. He needs to be permanently cuddled to stop his grizzling, and he's making a horrid noise when on his own where he sounds like he is retching. He's not been feeding very well either and seems generally just a bit out of sorts [sad} Derah - I have much sympathy for you at the moment as only a day of this is both upsetting and enervating! I'm getting nervous as DH is back to work tomorrow and I'm worried how I'll cope - DH much better at settling him than me because I think my boobs cause too much of a distraction.

On the retching sound - sounds like he is either trying to be sick or is clearing his throat in a 60-a-day sort of way and is accompanied by lots of sucking of hands when he can find them. Does this sound like he might have bad wind?

hello - much to respond to! we're really in the thick of things now! :.)

derah - FORMULA NOT POISON - is v v v good for babies. echo others comments about doing it if good for family.

sling - have the tri cotti which i love - is very easy and comfortable but am thinking will not last beyond 4-6 months. am going to try and borrow a baby bjorn then i reckon but have heard they aren't as great as people say. any thoughts? LO in sling now as it's the only thing that calms the farts :.)

LO doing really well beyond also being farty (may be time of development as frequency of other posts suggest). Was relieved Friday that her hip is actually fine - they did ultrasound and all looks normal. My main task these days is to try and get her on a regular feeding schedule (still doing 2 night feeds and not happy about it) and cursing all breast pump makers. Started with hand held Avent Isis which is SHIT and then bought Medela swing that everyone raves about and now it's failing me as well - not working and I am sure there is an easy fix but guess what, i hardly have time to pump much less fix a broken pump!! Wish I had just bout the £200 luxury whatever one now.

nursing shirts - try everydaymaternity.com

nappies - am feeling guilty but I haven't started with my lovely lollipops yet. am scared as poos are so runny, it seems much less appealing then when i bought them. also my washer is on the fritz so i am definately waiting until after that's fixed (or find new excuse :.).

dummies - am happily using dummy liberally- but at sleeptime only. nanny jo and baby whisperer both approve this :.)

imjin - claire cook is my hero - would not be still feeding without her. i don't know how expensive she is as I met her at a talk she gave in swiss cottage. call her and talk to her about the NS - she really reassured me. so what if they are lazy (they are :.)?! if lo happy, gaining weight, doing good feeds and you two are enjoying the time, go for it. she's lovely and very practical AND she'll also tell you if it would be better to do bottle (not saying that's the case, just nice to know she is practical).

just realized my post seems a bit hyper, apologies....

ps had crainal osteopathy appt on thurs at the active birth centre for dd and it was helpful - we talked a little bit about how to deal with wind and excessive crying as well. no magic tips but good reminders on how exactly to wind, foods to avoid and that these little creatures are still adjusting to their world and can be out of sorts bc of random reasons that have nothing to do with what we do or don't do. again - hard to tell that to yourself when peircing screaming starts but it did help me a little bit on the guilt factor. one thing she did show me was to hold baby with legs above bum (like a bucket seat) to help get wind out. my dd seemed to respond to that as well as being draped over our shoulders in a superman pose.