March 2008 births

[MarchNowFebMum]

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

lovely pictures c4it!
hope pascal is OK turtle.
spugs and everyone else on an emotional rollercoaster: BIG. BIG HUGS

(...as long as you don't spit up on my shoulder, this is my last clean and ironed top, don't you mind)

I'm confused... my hv came round today and we were talking about DD's feeding pattern because she seems to always go roughly 3 hrs between feeds except in the evening were she can have 3 bottles in 6 hrs. the thing is, it seems to make no difference to whether she has 2 oz or 4 oz. so the hv said she should be having 4 oz every feed and I should make her have it by not letting her nod off.
so the last 2 feeds that's what I've been trying to do but with the last 1 after taking 2 oz in 10 minutes I've just spent the last 25 with her gagging if she tries to swallow, letting it pour out of the other side of her mouth and just refusing to open her mouth at all. And I thought that you couldn't over feed babies because they won't eat more than they need and you should let them set the pace. At the moment, she's asleep in her moses basket, but if she wakes up I'll see if she wants more but that to me seems like 2 seperate feeds. At least it looks like my major genetic trait (inordinate stubbornness) has been passed on.
I appreciate I am a control freak who doesn't cope well with the randomness of little babies so I don't trust my judgement but I really thought at 4 weeks (today!) should I be trying to whip her into shape or not?

oh lord, trust yourself and trust your baby, she seems to be giving a clear message, what does everyone else think?

she's growing, happy, contented, peeing and pooing? imho she doesn't have to fit anyone elses template. it is probably worth seeing if she dozes for a short time if she'll have more after, as mine can sometimes get so milk drunk he passes out for 5/10 minutes, i always offer him more but let him decide if he wants more or not.

If it helps any, she sounds like she is eating in her ff equivalent of the way GG takes his breastmilk. he wakes up, has a big feed, has another two hours later then goes 3 to 4 hours between feeds until the evening when he has 2 or 3 shorter and i think smaller feeds (as my boobs feel less full) between 5 and 8pm. From what I know, cluster feeding in the evening is pretty univeral in babies, its what gets them through the night.

I usually give mine an extra dream feed when I go to bed, which is not a big feed usually. Then he has just one huge feed 5 or 6 hours later and we're back to the start the next day. I do the dream feed so I only do the one night time feed, otherwise he wants 2 feeds between 10pm and 6am.

cute baby clothes, oh my

ooh like the toys. DH will NOT thank you for finding that website! gotta love the internet shopping. although I ordered letters for Evie's door the other day and they turned up in the post this morning missing a letter. No fking use that at all really!
re the feeding, I know I shouldn't panic but part of it was the hv was concerned that she wasn't putting on weight fast enough. she's not dropped a percentile or anything but still.
Part of it is a complete inability to believe that anything to do with me can have the words 'dainty' or 'petite' applied to them. Apart from in a debate about synonyms and antonyms.
I've just realised, DD is asleep, DS is asleep on sofa and yet Underground Ernie is still on the tv. I could understand it if it was Charlie and Lola!

Oh, hellothere!

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, but it sure feels like it! Can't believe how long it's been since I've posted. I have been lurking, though, and keeping up with all of you. Sounds like everyone is doing great! (Turtle, hope Pascal is OK. x)

Griffin is doing really well. He's 5 weeks tomorrow (!) and a smiley, happy little boy. New photos on profile. He's so sweet natured; we are very lucky!

Still figuring out feeding/sleeping schedule but basically following his lead, which seems to keep him happy! Hoping that we can go a bit longer between feeds though, in the next few weeks. Tends to be 2-3 hours still, and a bit longer at night.

I'm trying to get myself out and about more (still can't drive after c-section) and my NCT friends are so great about giving me lifts. I'm determined to do something everyday, as it really helps the day pass and Griffin seems to enjoy watching the world go by.

To those experienced expressers: I want to try to express now, so that I can go out occassionally. Any tips for expressing for the odd feed? I've heard that it's best to express in the morning. Would you recommend doing it after his first feed? He usually goes down for a nap then, and would give me a chance to do it then. Should I start with the other boob, or the boob I finished on? Should I just automatically freeze whatever I get in a storage cup? Do it everyday, or every other day? Tips please!!

Would love a meet-up, but would prefer not to take public transport just yet, as it's hard enough with two people, let alone by myself. As of next week should be driving, so SW London or thereabouts would be best. WIll hop over to other thread....

Hugs to all Mums and babes!

Wearehipsandmakers / merry - my DS sounds very similar. Great feeder in the morning then really fussy and on and off the breast late afternoon (and the past two days it's been all evening as well). He also needs a 10 min break or thereabouts in the middle of the feed. At 11pm we give a formula feed so that I can see he gets a decent feed inside him given the snackiness earlier in the evening. We offer 4oz and he invariably takes 3-3.5oz before clamping his mouth shut and refusing to consider any more. HV told me that a baby shouldn't ever drain the bottle as you need to know he is taking exactly what he needs and is not left hungry. If he was draining it we would need to put more ozs in the bottle until he leaves some to be certain that he has taken what he needs.

I too am such a control freak and not very good at the randomness, especially as DS has largely got himself into a routine without our prompting which is great but then occasionally decides not to follow it at all! He's 3+2 so I'm hoping by 6 weeks he is a bit less random... Am I delusional to hope this?

JFly - was wondering only today how you are doing! Loving the photos and now adding some of my own little Griffin (well, my own little Leo Griffin)! I'm v interested in the answers you get on expressing as I'm completely haphazard and not very successful with it at the moment which is why evening feed is formula. I try to express some so that it is a mixed bottle but have not yet got into a pattern and can only get 2oz out on a good day at the moment. I'd love to get enough that I could offer him 4oz of EBM at night, but I suspect by the time I've managed 4oz EBM per day, he'll be needing 6oz!

c4it - thanks for that link! I'm trying to do my best to not get obsessed about his weight gain this week but will be on there if he hasn't gained much by next Monday's weigh in. I tried a slightly different position after following a link on one thread to some bfeeding videos here and he seems more comfortable, so hopefully that will translate into more food!

turtle - hope pascal is better.

JFly - I managed to express regularly with dd2 so that she nearly always just had EBM for her 10pm ish feed, kept it up for about 6 months I think (although 4 years ago and memory is vague!). I think I expressed in the morning, once she had gone down for a nap and dd1 was at playgroup. I would pump from both sides - there is a knack though to make sure you get a decent letdown. I think I used to do a few pumps (hand pump not electric), wait, then repeat until it started.

I think I started doing this at about 7 weeks (we moved house then, and I don't remember expressing at the old house, but can't be sure), you need lots of patience, the first few times you might not get much, but I have managed to fill the bottle at times. If you do it regularly, as we are told so often, the supply and demand thing should kick in.

Ds is now 5 weeks (can't believe how quickly it has gone), and I just can't be bothered to express regularly. But it is very very useful to have some in the freezer (I use breastmilk freezer bags as I don't have enough containers).

I can't remember who said that their PND questionnaire came up with a high score. Although you maybe feeling unsure about this, you have done the right thing in being honest with how you are feeling. With dd1 I lied so as to get the 'perfect score', when really I think a bit of support would have done me a world of good. I hope your HV is being supportive.

wearehips sounds pretty standard. my dd (8weeks taday,can't believe it!) is extra hungry in the morning - feeds at 21/2 to 3 hr intervals, less hungry in the afternoon and starving in the evening! I'm sure the evening cluster feed is to fill up for the night and because i have less milk then. i express in the morning and give her the ebm last thing, sometimes i give her a bit in the morning too. she always falls asleep at least once i give a 5 min break and then she starts again. sometimes a half way burp helps make a bit more space, or sometimes she has an awake break just looking around for a bit ! but once she's finished there's no way she'll have anymore!
jfly - definately easier to express in the morning, i find imagining dd finding helps let down!
bf is such a love / hate thing. i love the closeness and calmness of feeding her, especially at night, but i hate spending hours sitting in a chair to do it and that it takes an hour each time!

Took GG for weight, height and 6 week doctor check this am.
He weighs 12lbs11oz, so has gained a pound plus the 11oz he lost in first week and is now 95% centile.

Still measures 60cm, so one of the measures is wrong before or now as he has clearly lengthened by his clothes.

His neuro and muscle development is past that of a 3 month old, smiles, coos and laughs, grasping etc!

His testes are only half descended (this is normal at this age, check again at 6 months), She fidgeted them so much my eyes were watering.

MB stop tempting me with websites, LO doesn't need any more clothes for at least 6 months!

Jfly and HQ, how did I miss your boys names? Griffin's great!

Turtle, hope Pascal's getting better

And Preggers hope all's ok with you, haven't heard anything for ages.

Glam and Mods - how many weeks for your period to return after stopping bf (if at all)? Thought mine was making an entrance yesterday but after making the mistake of sticking the mooncup in, won't be doing that again in a hurry as, ahem, things are a little dry down below so took 5 mins of agony to remove!

Went for my first drive yesterday even though not having the 6wk check until Tues. Felt absolutely fine. Getting the Xplory into the car was more hassle as I'm still getting used to which bit to press to get wheels collapsing, handle adusting etc! Only went out to do a quick mystery shop so no need to worry about changing bags/feeding while out. And bonus, nice girl on changing room attendance showed me into the disabled cubicle so had plenty of room for buggy and me as well as to try on clothes. MIL has volunteered to take LO at least a day a week now to give me a chance to be by myself during the day, and DH is covering Sat nights with LO in the spare room so I get a full night's sleep to recharge.

Anyone else find it impossible to nap during the day as they suggest to do when LO is asleep? I find it really hard not to use the hands free time not to do anything practical like housework or Mnetting! Or playing Scrabulous on facebook

Had the girls from work round last night and we got curry delivered which was excellent. Nice to catch up with them at last, but did get a bit annoyed when discussing formula feeding and boss just assumed i did it for convenience; she seemed really surprised when I mentioned I'd been in tears for weeks over the decision to give up bf! {angry]. I'm not stupid enough to deny there is a convenience element but as i see it, that's the compensation for not doing things the natural way...

Oh, in the last week, apart from first proper grins, a few chortles (particulary funny when he's asleep and doing it!) we've also had our first proper tears and first noticeable change of tone of cry. Shame i still can't work out what the different ones mean, but boy do they hurt your eardrums

Right, better stop gossiping and go book flights for parents to come visit.

dd2 is 2 today unfortunatly she decided to steal her cake off the work top lqast night and slob all over it! shes definitly having the terrible twos.

left iz with her dad why i got my hair done yesterday, first time ive left her for longer the 15 mins but was nice to get away. came back to house out the window and dh pulling his hair out!

how old were everyones los when they started to smile? dd1 & 2 were 4 weeks but iz hasnt started yet at 5! i keep on joking that shes just grumpy, but i always thought that 4 weeks was about normal! also shes getting a flat head on the right hand side as she wont lie any other way no matter how much i try and pursuade her.

spugs re: head turning, osteopaths can help sort that out, GG had turn to left from his womb lie positin and/or his shoulder dystocia. he stopped it after his treatments. she also recommended a sleep pillow, will look later and see if i kept her note.

fn41 where do you parents fly from? Hope they don't have to endure T5!

Just had friend and her 3 and 1 year old over for lunch and play. My choices now are to

a)Stitch house back together (in pieces despite protective measure of keeping all in one room at a time and spreading into garden) or

b) Commit hari-kari.

B looks a lot less grief.

and gg smiled at 13 days. we shrugged it off as wind but he just carried on doing it more and more, days 14, 15 etc. he can chortle now like at the doc this am. I think it is because of his size and post dateness.

has anyone heard of mantanium? my health visitor recommended it for nappy rash but on a quick google I'm only getting a website for a dubious thrash metal band in sheffield and something in possibly polish. Why am I thinking she meant metanium?or something similar? She wrote it down for me so it's not like I misheard.
Evie slept 9-12 this morning and then had 4.5 oz without any dribbles or anything. I'm so proud!

yup, just googled metanium. that's the stuff. I have a muppet for a health visitor.

metanium worked for me with ds1, fab.
ds2 has teflon bum so far.
mind ds1 needed it when teething, so we're a way away from that.
i hope.

mb, no issues re T5, parents are in Belfast so flying into Cardiff. Good choice of flights as we're midway between Brizzle and cardiff so 3 or 4 low cost airlines to chose from.

Nappy rash - only had the one instance so far which cleared up in a couple of days. Found I'd been given some bepanthen (sp?) by a friend but haven't tried it yet. Have used aloe vera gel which worked well and seems a bit gentler as I don't want to put too many chemicals on eddie's skin.
Also got some zinc stuff as a free sample with one of the magazines the other month but no idea if that works either!

My LO was smiling at 6 days but that may just have been the "wind" grimace Pretty much as soon as he kept his eyes open more he was smiling but may be due as MB says to him being 13days overdue. Still coming to terms with him having bloomin teeth buds already, HV confirmed they weren't my imagination!

Hello all,

News from Turtle They're on their way home from hospital, hurray!

fitnfortyone With DD my period came back six months minus 2 days from the birth. It arrived on Christmas Day, no less. This time, because I am formula feeding, it only took 7 weeks to make an appearance. Funnily enough, I got another prescription for my Pill the day before, so I would be ready to pop on the first day. It's quite scary knowing I could conceive again right now. Well, obviously not right now, that would be very wrong, I'm mnetting and DP is at college but you get my drift .
Oh and btw, PMT + Tiredness + Ill DP = some marital conflict but all is good now, got a dozen roses. About time!!!
Charlie is so big now, in 3-6 month vests and too long for the 3 month sleepsuits. MB Charlie is 60 cm too. Still wants to feed almost every 2 hours but he's started to go 3 or sometimes even 4 hours in a night now. He's eight weeks today and smiling properly now. He took a while to do itand we have an opthalmic appt for him because we had some concerns over his vision. Which can be connected to smiling. I'm not too worried though, we'll just have to wait till 16th May to find out.

To everyone having a hard time right now, I'm sending you hugs.

Ok I take it back - DS has just put on 1lb and 1/2oz in 8 days! We must be better at this bf malarky than we though .

On the down side we are all now full of cold and DDs terrible twos seem to have hit with a vengence - I swear UN peace negotiators have nothing on me

Hi guys. Not been on for a bit. Its taken me a whole day to catch up. Couldn't get on here much when dh was at home, then we had Easter Hols. Dsd's went and stayed with their mum for 10 days, which was actually brilliant as it meant I could rest and really get to know Luke, so I did not a lot except watching tv. I did manage to get into London one day as we had to go and sign our wills. I have also managed to get back to watching my footie team, Luke made his debut away at Basingstoke at 2 weeks old!

Congrats to Prisci on being the last one of us to join us on the other side.

I am happy to report that Luke is doing really well. Breast feeding is going well, so much as he never went under his birth weight (6lb 14oz) and at 5 weeks weighed in at 9lb 5oz . I too am now going to try and express on a regular basis, so that I can either do a big feed before I go to bed, or dh can do a overnight feed. Luke has in the last two days started having a 5-6 hour sleep from about 9pm which has helped me no end. Getting up twice a night was ok for a bit, but now 5 weeks in the tiredness is kicking in, so these extended sleeps are a godsend.

MMH I saw your message a meet up anywhere in London is fine. Wednesdays and Thursday (although not 1st May as their school is closed for polling!) are better for me as the dsd's go to the childminder after school.

Right sorry for the drivel must go Luke has just let of a tremendous sound from his nappy and the smell is eminating (is that a word!) upwards.

Feel a bit of a stranger here, i dont seem to find the same amount of time as you guys to get on here. You kind of lose the drift of the thread if you miss a few days, so apologies for not responding as such to you all.

Tried to get in for my six week check today
(LO 6 weeks today) it was atrocious, there were no appointments at all, and they have said there isnt any for tomorrow either. Going to Devon on Monday till Thursday, so will have to try and get in next Fri...i dont know

Still, managed to get DS weighed at a local playgroup. They have a rota set up with local HV, they visit the Playgroup once a month. It was handy as i had put of having him weighed for a cpl of weeks, waiting on the checkup. Anyway.. hes piled on the pounds and is now 14lbs 7ozs feels it to when i have to lug around that car seat!

Can anyone tell me what the first tell tale signs of Breat thrush are? I have a few little red spots appearing around both nipples, its slightly itchy and it stings a bit when feeding, have also noticed one nipple has a crack under it..which is ouch ouch ouch if DS doesnt get the right latch...

Not sure if i mentioned before, but DS had a tongue tie. I was told that nothing would/could be done, untill i told my MW who put my in touch with a lactation consultant, who was brill, she then put me in touch with a consultant who performs the 'snip' and we had it done last week, its so much better for the wee chappie, now he pokes it out at every oppotunity, his tongue that is!
Hes also smiling and gurgling a lot, making the sweetest cooing noises, hes such a treasure. Pics are up on my profile if anyone wants to have a look

Hugs to everyone xx

ps. Merryberry, your MC hammer story made me PMSL!!!

Oh god I'm tired. Been in hospital since midnight Monday and they kept saying things like meningitis and freaking me out. He is much better, but due to diarrhea caused by ab's am up every two hours feeding to stop him being dehydrated. Rotten DH chose today to get food poisoning and now I am all alone as he cant be near the baby. I am still very scared as he wont feed well, but this time yesterday he had a gastric tube and a canula in his head, so trying to stay . more tea, please...

welcome home turtle, i hope you all start to get better now you are in your own place. it is very tough this kind of thing isn't it? especially the uncertainty of what is going on.

Jay, sorry no experience of thrush. It sounds liek a great result the tongue snip...are they a bit shy of doing them nowadays, like tonsils, sounds like you had to dig quite hard to get someone to do it?