June 08 babies - I know there's a few of us about!

[isaidno]

Thought I'd start a thread inbetween breastfeeding, laundry and bossing DH about tyo do stuff!

Let's make a list of members!

ISAIDNO - baby girl; Poppy Elizabeth; born 18 / 6/ 08; 6lb 4oz

feeling a bit zombie like here too. Isaac fed at 10, 12.30, 3 and 5 last night and I have been up since 5 as DH has a long day at work today.

josey fab news about olivia crying

Thanks for the tip re the Fybrogel - will have a look for it tomorrow (payday) as I have enough money today to pay for carparking so I can go to the BF cafe in town

To those with PND - I suffered from depression before I was pg and seeing my CPN now has helped me talk things out. Have you asked your GP to refer you to your maternal mental health team? they are really good here and I have had loads of support. If you want to talk about how you are feeling I have loads of resources for dealing with things. You can email me on ruthhayllar at aol dot com

Josey that's fab!

Re: vmoiting - DS has had some projectile vomiting moments but they were definitely after a period of guzzling. HAve been careful of that, and touch wood, no further vomiting so far.

Haven't seen ERnest on for a while - she's not gone too has she?

thanks for the London and nappy advice. Now I just need to take the plunge - on both fronts!

Great news about olivia's crying josey. You must be chuffed.

Just dressed peter in a trendy outfit that a friend gave him: tshirt and combats. Suddenly my tiny little baby had gone and it just looked so wrong. Whipped the combats off and he is now happily feeding in tshirt and nappy. Back to baby grows for us! Does anyone else feel like this or are you super cool mummies with designer babies?

ali we also have loads of outfits bought for us. Generally by people that have no idea about babies. We only dress Isaac in them if we are going to see that person!
They look so cool in babygros anyway and they are much easier to wash/change and pop a couple in the nappy bag

Hi all quick one for me this morning as busy with prep for the wedding this weekend.

Woke up this morning with the onset of mastatis and a very big red patch on my breast so I am with poppy on this one

Josey so glad Olivia is picking up so quickly, you must be sooo proud. Sorry to hear how you feel about your body, it was an accident and really nothing you could have controlled. You are such a good mother it pains me to think that you are feeling this way about yourself.

Makescake was wondering where you were, it is not like you to stay away for so long. I really feel for you and hope you are getting the help you deserve

Hello to all the others.

It pains me too that people are leaving. It is much harder to post and keep up these day, but we all went through so much together, it seems a shame.

I'm totally with people on keeping the baby in a babygro. We have loads of outfits but haven't used any as the lo seems so much more comfy in a babygro - we are using the short babygros in the hot weather and they are fab too, no uncomfortable buttons or straps etc.

Josey, it is great news that Olivia is doing so much better, and proving the doctors so wrong. Try not to be so hard on yourself, this isn't in any way your fault and you are doing a fantastic job, the photos are beautiful by the way.

Does anyone else find that their bay feeds less when it is hot? Jamie seems to want to just take a drink and then nap which I am assuming is down to the weather.

poppy sorry to hear the mastitis hasn't cleared up, that sounds really hard going.

needahand hope your's doesn't last long and clears up soon

makecakes sorry to hear you're feeling low

Well after a good night's sleep (9.30 - 2.30!, 3.30 - 6), today is a nightmare. A is only happy today when feeding/cuddling on my lap, so can't even leave the room. Got unreasonable resentful of DH as I called him at lunchtime and he was in the pub

Allnew - I get resentful of DH too - he was working away for 2 nights and I was totally mad with jealousy (sleep!). However, he took the middle-of-the-night feed last night so I got 8 hours.
Funnily enough, Iestyn seems to be one step ahead of us (!). I was intending to get him into a Gina routine on the weekend but he's already almost there - he's been napping and feeding as expected today, apart from one extra feed just now (but that's ok, it was a time to be awake!). He also went from 10.30 to 3am, then 3-7am last night.

Josey don't worry, I think it's good for you to make me feel guilty - not totally wracked with guilt but I do need to be more appreciative of what I have and stop moaning about silly little things. And excellent news about the crying - although I never thought I'd congratulate someone for a crying baby!

Well, news here is that I was interviewed and by 11.30 I had got the job! The difference between departments...my current department kicked me out of my office at Easter and are furious about my pregnancy (contract ends Sept, I get maternity pay for 9 months, beyond the end of my contract = an unexpected expense!). New department: they have suggested I say I'm finishing maternity leave at the end of September, and am coming back to work on 1st October, full time. They will pay me full time, but I can stay at home, there will be no teaching or meetings or anything until after Christmas. (I will need to prepare a course, but that's fine because I'm teaching within my expertise and already have half a course ready). So basically, full pay for staying at home and doing some light reading and prep!

Now I'm off out to buy a small plastic bowl. Cheapskates that we are, DH and I thieved took several of those handy cardboard bowls from hospital for top&tailing. They've served us well but today they've all grown a load of bright pink mould. Not so great!

Sorry, long post. Not depressed today - but things are always better when I've had sleep, and, more importantly, have company. I think you're right Aberdeen.

Ok - really dumb question alert... when people talk about babygro's what type of clothing are they referring to? I get really mixed up with what's called what . Our DS is mostly in little cute short romper suits, which are good in this weather and also good for photos with visitors. All the outfits he's got have been in bigger sizes thankfully. We have had lots and lots of little body suits though, which I haven't used at all and he's already grown out of some. I've got a load of white bodysuits/vests for under his clothes but haven't really needed to use the bodysuits. He doesn't go through that many clothes in a day so haven't even needed to pop him in a bodysuit when we dont have visitors. What I dont understand is all the sleepsuit & hat sets we've been getting as gifts? The sleepsuits very handy, but the matching hats a complete waste! Do people take their LOs out in sleepsuit/hats combo? Maybe its me getting it all wrong!

Anyway, moving on from clothing... HV has suggested DS might have colic, thus explaining the grumbly nights. So onto the infacol later. Anyone got any tried and tested colic remedies? Feel so much better knowing that there is a reason for the sudden crying sessions. As I'm mixed feeding she's also suggested that at feeding time he either gets all formula or all EBM rather than a bit of each, so its easier to anticipate when he's due a feed. EBM during the day because its digested quicker and the formula at night as it'll keep him fuller for longer. Fingers crossed for some sleep heading my way sometime soon...

alipalli - good luck with the nappies!

needahand and poppy - hope the mastitis clears up soon

allnew that completely sucks! Hope he sleeps well later

sybilvimes - during discussion with HV today, she suggested that in this weather babies often just thirsty and not hungry. Although mine seemed to be crying for a feed a lot yesterday, he wasn't taking anywhere near a full feed. She did say I could think about giving him some cooled boiled water but not sure if this is advised if exclusively bf (which I'm sadly not )

hedgehog - hope you get some sleep later too.

Right, I'm going to attempt to leave the house for a walk...

I'm also gutted about people leaving. But I only have Storm, and imagine if I had more than one child I'd find it impossible to post...

josey that's amazing about olivia's crying - the news we've been waiting for Talking of your pictures - I've just noticed how much she looks like her older sister - it's so sweet! I'm sure you will feel better with time - altho period arriving now isn't exactly ideal... thinking of you a lot as ever - am so glad you're happy to stay here - I always look forward to hearing your latest news.

Storm is on the sofa next to me, chasing rabbits in her sleep - she is so adorable and has been fantastic (so far) today - even went six hours between her middle of the night feed and the next one!

rolf it was bloody hot yesterday - maybe it was just the closeness of the weather which caused the sleep probs? It took me longer to get Storm sleepy again after her night feed than normal.

allipalli I've put Storm in a dress a couple of times, but it just looks weird to me. She's currently in a nappy wrapped in a cotton sheet as it's too hot for much else, but normally she's just in a vest - also, why do all dresses have buttons at the back? And scratchy neck labels? So annoying!

sybil when it's hot storm feeds constantly - sometimes for several hours at a time (the record was seven...) she's a hot baby and v difficult to keep cool! I tried boiled water but she pulled a face and spat it out - was pretty funny actually! It's a vicious circle because she gets hot when I'm holding her and won't always feed lying down .

essie well done you on the job! I really don't want to go back at all at the mo, but am the main breadwinner so no choice. Still, DH will be staying at home, so we shouldn't have childcare issues, which is nice.

tjuice Have been meaning to say, your baby is a stunner!

Ok, marathon post as usual. Later!

Dylansmum sorry you're going, we'll miss you! Do check in once in a while ...

I think I am actually relying on this thread more than I did ante-natally (apart from those final when-will-it-happen few weeks that is), I can't get to any post-natal groups this time round and there is just something very comforting about talking to other people at exactly the same stage. Who else, really, will appreciate what it means that Caitlin obviously hit the 6 week growth spurt yesterday and fed constantly from about 2pm till 10.30pm? And I mean pretty much constantly - certainly throughout the evening she screamed unless she was actually latched on to me. I haven't quite got the hang of positioning her right for feeding with the harness on and my nipples are starting to get sore again. (Huge sympathy to those with blocked ducts and mastitis, it just takes over doesn't it?) But I must admit I rarely have time to catch up on everything, and I do post selfishly about my own stuff first, so I am sure I miss lots.

Reusables I use Onelife nappies and Motherease airflow wraps and love them. They don't fit well under C's harness so she is in disposables at the mo and I am really looking forward to getting her back into proper nappies. And they work for both babies. I also use Fuzzi Bunz with ds which work well for a toddler as they are v. quick to put on!

Josey it's so exciting to hear Olivia's progress, and you are truly inspiring. I'm so glad you are here with us!

Essie good luck with the job interview (prob retrospectively now). I hope you are feeling better today. The transition from academia to motherhood is really hard. After years of being in control of your own time and judged on your capacity to put careful rational arguments together based on detailed research, you are suddenly thrown into a completely responsive mode of repetitive tasks day after day, at unpredictable intervals, interspersed with irrational screaming which you can often not make sense of, while completely sleep deprived. One of my colleagues described it as having an alarm clock strapped to your ear and never knowing when it will go off, day or night ... We are not well prepared for this! Plus it sounds like you had a lot of crap to deal with at work beforehand too, and you've done loads since Iestyn was born. I hope there are people around you that you can talk it all through with. I had counselling after ds1 to come to terms with my 'new normal' eventually, which helped loads, and several of my mother-colleagues did too. And it does get much easier over time.

DQ re colic - I cut cow's milk out of my diet and Storm's difficult evenings disappeared overnight... It's a pain, but totally worth it. Also, if you're mixed feeding, the cow's milk in formula can be a prob - can you try a goat's milk/ soya version? It made a difference for one of my friends.

Ooh, cross-posted Essie, congratulations - sounds like a fantastic job!!!

Systemsaddict agree totally on the transition from academia to motherhood. (Not just academia, of course, many other jobs too!). It's the whole problem solving thing - if I don't know the answer, I research. But you can't research a new baby, and 'rules' don't apply. Plus, having done a PhD (although this could just be me) I'm used to setting strict timetables and routines, and suddenly I'm without... My friend Paula (regularly mentioned here!), who was also a high achiever in her career before children, says that it's much harder for intelligent women/high achievers/ but basically 'older' women. Most of us here fall into that category - i.e. we're not 16 and having babies, mainly mid-twenties and upwards - so we've had a taste of life, have worked hard etc etc. So whereas a 16 year old wouldn't think twice about giving a baby a bottle from the start (then ribena ), we stress about it. And dummies, and routines, and sleep...

That was long! Philosophical again...

Speaking of rule books - had just changed Iestyn, after feeding him, and he was still crying. That 'extra' feed I mentioned in the previous post - unnecessary. He'd done his biggest nappy to date just after I changed him. (And to make matters worse, I'd just used a brand new clean nappy as a shield when he peed, so that's 3 nappies in 15 minutes! Washables sooner now...)

Colic (assuming Iestyn had it) - tried Infacol, didn't work, but you do need to use it regularly. Not convinced about the gripe water either. However, cooled boiled water was tried last night and it seemed to make a difference. It could just be that Iestyn is 'getting better' though.

Oh, yeah, DQ - I thought I'd sorted the whole clothing thing, but no...

Vests - the little things with poppers at the crotch. (However, there are short and long sleeved versions.) I use them under what I'd call babygros but other places call sleepsuits - the ones with feet on. Iestyn mainly wears those (it's colder here). Sometimes I use a vest and a little pair of trousers when I'm playing dolls .
But there's the other things - the ones which look like edwardian swimming costumes: t-shirt like on top and with short (open) legs. What on earth are they?

DH won't buy anything without poppers. But a new rule this morning - nothing with poppers on the back. We've got some Jasper Conran sleepsuits with fasten up the back. Really annoying!

I think essie could write a paper on baby clothing now. The Edwardian things are romper suits I think. The friend who bought the combats is now coming over tomorrow so I think they may get their first (and only) wearing.

Bit of a moment in town today when I realized that I had forgotten to replace the best pads I had removed before I left the house! Had to hot foot it to mothercare to buy a packet. I then hid amongst the travel systems whilst I shoved the pads down my bra. I really am a slummy mummy.

Dh and the nct dads are having a night out tonight complete with taxis home (I.e. A drinking sesh is planned). Apparently they feel that they haven't got out much lately. What about the girls hey??

Hahaha, yes indeed - from contracts and arbitration in medieval Welsh law to...babygros and romper suits. With footnotes and a bibliography, obviously.

My slummy moment (! yeah, I'm always slummy actually) was changing a very very pooey nappy in the changing room of Blooming Marvellous whilst pretending to try on nursing bras...

Hi guys, just a quickie from me - thanks for all the info on routinues, seems it's one of those things that you either want to do or you don't, we've decided to stick with the demand feeding and not waking Alex at the moment. We're v lucky in that he's an extremely contented baby and only cries to be fed so not much need for routine at the moment I suppose.

He slept from 9pm til 3.30am last night too which was fab, and then again til 7am.

Josey, Olivia continues to confound all the 'experts' doesn't she. Fantastic news and lovely pics.

Essie, congrats!

Clothes - the KIS rule applies here! Keep It Simple - Alex doesn't wear tops and trousers, what a faff! In this weather he's in little no-legged, short-sleeved all in ones. V cute, v cool and v easy to change nappy! However, the other 6 girls in my NCT group all go for loads of fancy outfits and stuff for their babies and I feel I'm maybe being a bit lazy, but it works for us and he's not exactly going to complain is he? Whatever floats your boat I suppose!

Question, Alex is ff and I was assured by my HV that I couldn't overfeed him cos he would just turn his nose up at food if he wasn't hungry. Have been to clinic today to weigh him and he went up from 10lb 8ozs last week to 11lbs 4ozs this week and I'm now being told that I am overfeeding him and I need to be careful and maybe give him water if he has fed recently and seems to want to feed again.

Now I'm really confused. I don't want to damage his health by making him fat but I don't want to deprive him of food if he's hungry - the thought of calorie control at barely 6 weeks old is too sad for words . Anyone else had this problem, just continued to demand feed and it all sorted itself out?

Don't want to be fretting about this for weeks.

That wasn't much of a quickie was it?!

Essie - congrats, that sounds like a wonderful position. Glad you're not having to teach until Christmas, prep is one thing, but actually teaching is another.

systemsaddict, I love your description of the transition from academia to motherhood. I found it really shocking with DS1! I'd forgotten that you were in academia too (I have to admit to getting people mixed up).

It's hard to switch from a career you're good at, to motherhood, which you always feel not-good at (even though I'm sure we're all wonderful mummies). I really felt lost for the first few months with DS1.

spongebrain - with a night like that, I'd not change a thing with alex! He sounds great. No idea about the weight/feeding issue - but what do your instincts say? HV don't know our babies so their advice has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Hello all writing this with four fingers so excuse typo errors!
No! not cause Fleur is my arms she is upstairs in cot asleep (smug emoticon) but because i have hand plastered up with splint down on side!!!!
Just what i need with a two month old!! I broke my wrist as a teenager and it still plays up now in the last 5 years ive had it bandaged up 8 times. So im used to coping with 1 hand but bit different feeding and changing nappies!!!

Also have infection in lower parts so on antibiotics too!!

Im sad people are leaving but can understand as its hard to catch up and post. Ijust want to say dont forget me!!! i read every day but dont always get time to post what with baby and uni assignments so Hello!!! im still around and will post when i can!

ALI- My DP going out for drinks tomorrow with a mate!!! lets see what happens! My friends are all away on hols so will have to wait!!

Re baby clothing aaargggghhh i hate things with buttons!!! why put buttons with tiny holes to post them through on newborn clothes and sleep suits that pop up at back !!!

DQ Re colic keeping an eye on that here too pediatrician going to monitor fleur this week to see if pos problem cause although smug bout her asleep now last few days she wakes again at 8 and wont settle has wind etc. She suggested little and often in eve

Josey - Excellent re crying another milestone to add, big hugs to you and keep going strong i think you are doing a fantastic job xxx

Well done Essie on job1 I go back before Oct half term so a while yet too, am lucky cause not on own as Dp also a teacher so he is off til september

Hope all of you with mastitis etc get better soon and Makecakes, keep strong and hugs xxx

Oh and someone wanted us to post routines:

9.00am Feed
10.30 Nap til 11.30/12.00
12.00 am Feed
13.00pm Nap til 14.00
14.30pm/15.00pm Feed
From 15pm she dozes on and off sometimes napping
17.30pm/18pm Feed
18.15 - 19pm Bath, massage, story , song and EBM feed (3oz)
19.00pm Bed in cot upstairs
Anytime between 10pm-11pm FF Dreamfeed with DH
02.00am Feed
06.00am Feed

Josey - That is great news.

Makecakes - Hope you've had a better day.

DQ - Ernest posted on another thread, so is around.

Alipalli - If you fancy meeting up when you come to London, let me know. RE: Clothes, you have just summed up exactly how I felt when DH put DS in exactly the same outfit (combats and t-shirt). My baby looked far too grown up and I think this was at about 2 weeks! I much prefer babygros, esp those a bit too big because it makes him look even smaller and cuter.

Allnew - I'm jealous of DH having lunchbreaks and time on the tube in the morning to read. I have been carrying a book around for two days to read when feeding DS, I haven't even read the first page yet!

Essie - Great news re: the job!

Greenfairy - I am the same re: not wanting to go back to work. But like you, finances mean I have to and Dh will take over.

I can out do you all on the slummy mummy front! I had eyeliner on yesterday (make up again, woo hoo!) but didn't take it off last night, as soon as DS went to sleep, so did I! This morning realised I'd run out of make up remover wipes and couldn't reach the cotton wool. As such i took my make up off using baby lotion and disposable breast pads

Sponge - fleur gained 500g in 4 days a while ago, my mw said no probs if she is gaining its good and if she is hungry not deny it, she will put on weight but soon lose it once she starts to move apparently. Oh she is BF with one FF a day.

Make-up, whats that then? Ds is 7 now so its been about 7 years since I did daily make-up it is strictly special occasion only now!

Jamie has been asleep most of the afternoon and refused to wake up despite my best efforts. I am expecting him to be awake most of the night therefore.

Sponge - I have no particular advice about the weight, as my bf babies have had the oppasite problems of putting on too little weight not too much. One of my best friends did have this however and basically ignored the hv. Her dd and my dd (who was underweight when her dd was overweight) are now very similar sizes. Generally it does all even out in the long run, which is why I am determined not to get too stressed by weight issues this time around, in 12 months time a few extra/less ounces now will mean absolutely nothing.

Thanks all for advice re colic/babygros. Now see that what I call sleepsuits also double as babygros. Which explains the cute 'babygro' and hat combo sets. I've not been using babygros during the day - it's been really clammy here, so like sponge have been sticking with the short all-in-ones/romper suits. Have put him in some top/bottom 'outfits' for visitors but only if they are very soft cosy ones.

On the colic issue, we'll monitor things over the next couple of days and see how we go. He's not been too bad tonight, we've changed from ready made formula to the powder stuff and he's been going longer between feeds (around 4 hours). Fingers crossed that he settles tonight!

LOL PP at your eye make up remover and alipalli for equal slummy mumminess. I went out without breastpads the other day but didn't realise till I got home!

Paro - sympathies on your infection, I've had the same here too!

Sponge while I'm not qualified to advise on the overfeeding, I wouldn't have thought one big growth spurt is definitely evidence of overfeeding. I think they are all a bit quick to make judgements. In Struan's first week I was told one day to shorten time between feeds and the very next day to try and leave him longer by the same midwife!