June 2008- Some are sleeping, others weeping and some are just eating

[poppy34]

Thought I'd start the new thread using paro's suggestion

Amber not an expert, but I'd just keep going as you are - Luke is lean but not thin. To me he just looks like a long tall baby rather than a short fat one, but totally normal - no skinniness or unhealthyness about him.
How did you work out the 2 week old amount? Just I thought Iestyn needed more expressed milk now he's bigger, but apparently not - the amount stays the same. A bottle of ebm is worked out on no. of feeds per day, so if he has more feeds, he has a smaller bottle, or vice versa. This could all be totally irrelevant, but then I still stick to my guns on the 'formula is the closest thing to breastmilk' line.
So there's a pointless and irrelevant bit of 'help' for you...

HH don't apologise - it's my problem for being a selfish person! In my previous life, this is what I did, and I frankly struggle to find talking to a small person who only does pigeon noises* back and playing with squeaky toys to be intellectually stimulating.

*DH says Iestyn's happy little cooing noise sounds like a pigeon. And it does...

Needahand sorry x-posted. Sorry you're having a tough time.

Must go, Iestyn has been quiet for half an hour and I need to make sure he's ok!!

Oh needahand sounds like you've got a lot on your plate at the minute. Sorry to hear the feeding isn't going great - I really hope he starts to take formula soon. And it's so hard when they won't go to sleep during the day - very wearing!

G43 that walker looks good, thanks for the link

What an awful day so far. After 3 weeks of trying to shake off my last cold, I've got it back with a vengeance. Still I was determined to take A to baby massage and despite the rain made it there. He was ok for most of it but screamed the place down at the end and I had to run out, sneezing and sniffling as I went. I was in such a hurry to get him into the car that I shut the door on my changing back and broke the handle . I'm hoping DH can fix it or I'll cry - sounds stupid, but sometimes it's these things that are the final straw!

amber A is also very lean but quite long. I tend to worry a lot as there is no way he takes the 'recommended' number of ounces (although he is bf and I have no idea how much he has). Even with EBM he will only take 3oz max at one go, and so I'm always to hear that other babies are having 6/7 oz. I guess this is harder for you as because you can measure what Luke is having all the time. Obviously I'm no expert, but it sounds like Luke is progressing so well and is very strong, so even though he may not look as 'sturdy' as other babies he must be getting plenty of what he needs to grow

Glad you are all with me on the unreasonableness of SIL - to be fair she isn't even proper SIL yet, as wedding got postponed when she found out she was preg.

pp love the idea of an all blacks babygro, but am going to go with black vest - which has a transfer on the front with a pair of pale brown dungarees and probably change the vest before the wake coz I have just got one of these in stripes through the post, as a present.

happy birthday to all the other october mummies. I cannot wait as it is my chance to be spoiled and for the first time in about 10 years I will be seeing my parents as we are heading West after DH finishes work (7pmish)

essie WOW

we are off swimming again by ourselves on THursday and am going to speak to them about the creche as they now have it with the yoga and pilates classes which they didn't used to

HH what a great website!

Amber, I'm sorry if you thought I wasn't taking your concerns seriously . Yes, I would worry, but I worry about everything. Don't know what to suggest if your HV is no good.

needahand, sorry to hear SJ is unsettled and that the feeding thing is difficult. And having to deal with problems with nurseries on top . Can't offer any advice but hope you feel a little better for off-loading.

Just been to a weaning talk at the clinic and the HV thinks that we're going to struggle to get Alex to 20 wks before starting to introduce food. He is constantly hungry at the moment and has upped his feeding from 5 to 6 bottles a day. We're going to change to hungry baby to see if that helps, but when we were looking at all the baby foods today A's eyes were out on stalks. Think Christmas for our BLW experience is definitely out of the window now .

Talking of things to worry about, I'm now also beginning to wonder whether my plans to be a SAHM are totally unrealistic in this present economic climate. Dh's company is Amercian and if it goes tits up we're deep in the crap. I, on the other hand, work for the local authority and have a much safer job. Is now the time to be giving it up?

Any other SAHMs having these worries? I feel sick just thinking about it. It's just all so insane - did these idiots who kept on lending money left right and centre never stop to think about the implications of what would happen if it couldn't be paid back?!

Sorry, separate thread needed for that discussion!

Just quickly wanted to say thank you re DH, Im so worn thin I think this will be the breaking of me....Still dont know what is wrong with him...going to the hospital tonight.

The G&T was just a cup of tea and me pretending or I think I very well may have not stopped and drank myself stupid!

Amber on quick glance of posts, Im looking at putting Olivia onto a High energy/calorie milk, not sure which yet she doesnt take enough and hasnt put weight on as such in 3 weeks now, I know the difference on the SMA gold and white is one is made with Curds and the other with whay(sp) and the white is more filling for hungry bubs as its fattier, putting them on a hungry bubs milk will not do any harm in trying, they say ask HV but you are the expert on your baby. They have said to me its possible Olivia has just stretched.
As a last resort there is something you can get which you mix with the milk to give more calories, I would think that it needs to be given by the doctor though as its O's consultant I would get it from.

Sorry message is garbled a bit my head isnt making sense to me at the moment, hope it helps a little.

Love to everyone sorry I havent really read the posts

PP thanks for tip re cold - she seems a lot better and was more feverish than anything

amber sorry to hear the feeding nightmare continues - I would echo what essie says..luke is a lovely healthy little thing and those feeding guidelines are just averages not set in stone - do you have a good GP if you're worried you could chat to?
needahand so sorry to hear that you're not having agood time of it - I know what you mean about how frustrating it is when tehy seem to be going backwards on waking etc - it may just be a phase though..

on simiilar vein - edie still doing occasional night waking and eveyr time has thrown up when I've tried to feed her (as in projectile vomit..lovely at 3am in teh morning ).. think this is likely to be wind as she is not usually a sicky baby but anyone else had this/any tips on what to do ? she does eventually settle back down but doesnt actually seem particularly hungry (she isnt crying for food just awake and when do feed her the sick incident is inevitable outcome).

would appreciate thoguhts here - might go post on one of other threads- I expect its just a phase and sick is cos she is not actually hungry but anyone else seen this

amber btw my dad is a gp and reckons most hv talk a load of bollox re feeding as lots fo kids different - if no obvious signes of illhealth etc (and doesnt seem to be)thinks should just accept that kids have differnet appetites (ie wean etc at different types). I trust my dad as he very experienced and usually dead cautious (ridiculously so when it comes ot his granddaughter).I can see why you'd worry as I would and go see your GP (if nothign else that is prob first step to dietician referral like tiktok suggests) but it may just be luke is a grazer.

Amber - try on hungry baby, Sebastian is on 6-7 bottles a day so the guidelines have gone out the window with us, so try upping the amount in the bottle and amount of bottles.

Sorry that is 6-7 bottles with sleeping from 8 until 630

Essie - 2 week amount is what it says on the side of the tin - 6 feeds of 120 ml. Luke should have 5 feeds of 210ml - a massive difference. Sponge - didn't mean you weren't taking it seriously! Phoned up Cow & Gate and they advised me to give him the comfort milk for babies with dodgy stomachs (i.e. reflux) so we'll see if it makes a difference. Hope so. He might be turning his nose up as he remembers when it hurt him to feed, he may still have a touch of reflux, who knows. Anyway - am NOT going to stress about it as, as you say he is a lovely healthy baby. Cheers to everyone else who offered advice too (poppy thanks for asking dad!)

Sponge I also get angry thinking about the get rich quick merchants that landed us in all this brown stuff. Makes me sick that the people who are really on the receiving end are the average joes.

HH - what lovely baby clothes - and cheap too. I think it is silly to make a baby wear black to a funeral as he doesn't know what's going on, maybe it could be a lovely circle of life thing. I would just put him in something smart like non bright coloured trousers and T shirt.

I bought Luke shoes for the cold weather - this week will be awful - bit I can't get them on his feet!! I also bought myself some jeans which are not maternity. Haven't tried them yet - am too scared. x

amberc while we're talking feeding - do you just mix your milk powder with distilled water when you're out? cos I'm flying on friday got to try this method (plus no harm in getting into it as its no light weight lugging cartons of formula around) - also isnt it particualr types of mineral water you have to use (have to use this as dont want to have to open sterile water to test at security

Amberc which shoes did you buy Luke. I ordered ds a pair of grommies as his feet get cold even in his leather shoes.

5gomad, out of interest how many ml does Sebastian take at each feed, how old is he and how much does he weigh? Sorry for all the questions, but just interested in a comparison with A before I start thinking about introducing food.

Amber, maybe milk just isn't Luke's thing - he might start piling on the pounds when you introduce food!

poppy, I thought you were only supposed to use tap water to mix feed?

Wow, Amber, 210ml!! Iestyn gets 100ml expressed, and usually leaves around 10ml.

My boobs definitely don't hold 200ml!!

Love the website HH - and they do long sleeve bodysuits, halleluiah!

On the subject of clothes - sorry, a split post - what do people do with dressing their boys? It's just that we have lots of lovely short dungarees which Iestyn hasn't grown into yet but will do soon, but it's a bit cold for the bare leg look, presumably? Anyone got the answer and a stockist?
Long socks or something?!

Sebastian is 13lbs 14 oz and 14 weeks and can drink anything from 120 mls to 210 mls depending on what he is feeling like

Amber - we tried him on that comfort food ans is good although it made his poos very green and runny so we cahnged to the hungry baby one, you may find as it is thicker that you will need to go up a flow size on the teat.

Poppy - you need to look for the mineral water with the lowest sodium content, my old HV told me which ones and I cant remember now, you should be ablt to get cartons in Boots once through the barrier, I know that other MNers phone up the day before and reserve cartons. That is what I think I am going to try and do in November.

Essie - don't laugh but tights

Can't help sorry essie as don't have any of those. I am currently short of clothes for A though - have a good few nice outfits in 3-6 months which are still too big, but he's outgrown all the 0-3 months lot! Really trying to stop myself from buying any more though

Thanks 5gomad. Essie, A still mainly in babygros so can't help, though have just been looking at that fab website that HH posted. Like allnew, I'm trying to resist the temptation to buy more clothes - he doesn't wear half of the ones we have!

Essie I would also put him in tights, well I will put ds in them anyway. I put them under the girls trousers when it was really cold so don't see the fuss in doing it for a boy!

Thanks all again for the feeding advice. I think he will do better on real food once he's older as he certainly eyes up anything I eat. Bought the comfort milk and he spat it out. Not surprised as I tasted it and to say it is minging would be a compliment. Chucked it.

Poppy - For air travel just get some cartons airside - much easier! I'm sure the water in France is OK but Evian and Volvic are safe but you need to boil it. I take pre measured powder and boiled water with me now. Luke has feeds at room temperature which is a godsend.

G43 - lovely little boots! I got Luke little conver style things from Tesco £3.50 and a pair of fake timberlands from mothercare for a fiver. I can't get his heels in though and I think they were a waste of moeny for now and I'd be better off with bootees but i'd ruin his street cred.

Essie - you've seen Luke's clothes - he wears big boy clothes - jeans, jumpers and T shirts. I got long sleeved bodysuits from Gap - they have lovely things in at the mo. Also all the jeans are lined with fleece so lovely and cosy. I do love greenbaby clothes - they would be good for Iestyn - I've got loads from there - get him 0-3 - Luke can wear 0-3 in green baby tops. All ethical organic cotton. green baby

PS just ordered these

socks and the scull and crossbones dummy!!

Thanks amberc -dh just gone through terminal 5 and said that they've got SMA.

Thing about pre boiling water is its fine if you're out and about but not if you're travelling as they make you check it (prob still ok but I prefer to leave bottles unopened).

anyway sitting here expecting to go up to settle her again as she has been unsettled all evening ..could be a long few days