December 2006 - Terrible Two's here we come!

[Olihan]

Here we go. I thought the title was apt as ds2 has morhed into a stroppy little horror overnight. His favourite expression at the moment is 'I cwoss with you, I sceam at you AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH' .

Happy Birthday ToddlerJabber and ToddlerEli .

DD is poorly again. I swear every bug in the vicinity has some kind of magnetic attraction to her . She has a bit of a temp, headache and earache today. I need to buy shares in Calpol and Medised I think.

Aoa, hotel is a very good idea - go for a posh one so you can have a vvvv hot, deep bath!

Is op Weds then? I had it in my head it was Thurs - getting confused with pre op, I think .

No, Tuesday oops, 5 more sleeps. And I used to love Maths at primary school

Thank god. She just threw up the ton of milk and very little solid she had for supper. Enough, already.

Actually, Oli, you are legitimately confused - pre-op Thursday. I, otoh, have no excuses, appalling or not

Extreme sleep deprivation and stress is your (very valid) excuse, Eli.

5 sleeps will really fly by, tomorrow is the weekend, once that's gone the op is pretty much here. It's times like this you really want a fast forward button for your life, isn't it?

Sorry if I stole your thunder, Lennied figured you wanted me to post your news & wouldn't get on here for a few days durrh what was I thinking? Are you on a high? I was after both ds2's and the dt's, couldn't sleep for a week for adrenalin.Still, NOT doing it again. Agree with Oli about the crowning, ooooooouch!

We are counting the sleeps with you, Eli, the nightmare all over soon I hope [double hugs]

Castles, I felt so bad for you when I read that, imagined what a punch to the guts it would feel like.Think of how differently & lovingly your children will feel about you as adults, despite the example you were set

ds3 now on gaviscon to try and settle what I, gp & hv think is reflux. Does that explain why he's so rigid all the time, he's like a ramrod except when asleep, virtually horizontal when you wind or feed him. Anyone with experience of reflux can tell me if that's a sign? Have though of osteopathy if that doesn't improve with the gaviscon, but apparently expensive.

castles - you can contact me on facebook if you want to talk about some of your family stuff. I have similar (but different) ishoos with a parent - all very negative.

AQ, yes, does sound reflux-y. I hope Gaviscon helps, but just in case it doesn't, wanted to let you know there are quite a few for whom other meds work a lot better...Gavison didn't do much for dd other than constipate her (she did throw up a bit less, but not much, and it did nothing for the pain/screaming) so she moved on to Ranitidine and Domperidone, which helped a lot, lot more. Others have had to move on to Omeprazole, but thats less common.

Thanks for the hugs, and all of you for wise words about days flying and fast forwarding and it all being worth it. Its just soo good to have a place to vent daily about dd, and I know its been going on for weeks...really do feel you've counted down with me. How rare is that?

Can I suggest camomile tea? Ds had bad, bad colic and I fed him on camomile tea and it does relax them, so may help AQ.
I used to make up a pint jug with one bag and a teaspoon of brown sugar if he wouldn't take it without, wait until cooled and then refridgerate taking half a small bottle and topping up with hot recently boiled water.

Not sure of the age of your lo, but I gave this mix to Ds from just a few weeks...

Wow! I have been away too long. Congratulations Indith and Lennied!!!!!!!!! BebeSpain, you kept that one quiet!!!!!!!!!!Congratulations!
Eli good luck with the op.

Castles and solo thinking positive thoughts for you.

Not much to report here in not so sunny Spain. Ds has broken out in a strange rash on his face, looks like stubble rash, he may have been kissing the cats.

lol at DS snogging cats Amapoleon!

Eli, your last para gave me a lump in my throat (very unusual). I feel exactly the same way Wow! Tuesday (though am still slightly confused if that is right) that is really near.

AQ, yes, rigid = reflux ime. I found Ranitidine really good esp for the silent version (when they don't puke that much).

AA, thanks. I will FB you. I had no idea

I have to say I'm feeling pretty positive about things

I have just eaten 2 jammy dodgers nad 2/3 pack party rings. There will be raised eyebrows from dh later!

Managed to get to toddlers this morning so ds now napping. Dd also asleep but in sling as it is the only way she will stay asleep this afternoon so no chance of a nap for me.

Eli - am thinking of you both. Will check in before the op but just in case please know my thoughts will be with you on Tuesday and I wish you both a smooth ride. It will be worth it. Chocolate, coffee, plenty of both. Hugs to you both.

Castles, as you know you have my empathy and sympathy. It is very very hard. Try to be kind to yourself, you have done nothing wrong and don't deserve it. It is her loss that she isn't part of your life and your wonderful children's lives. And you will always be a fabulous mother, more so for knowing what it is like not to have that privilege.

Solo - am sorry to read your story, must be very hard.

No thunder stolen AQ and thank you all for the support over the last few months - wasn't expecting to be on, just wanted some to read about b/f so thought I'd stop in. He's fed almost constantly since he was born, seems to be going well, no pain or sore nipples but afterpains dreadful, was sobbing as I fed most of night last night. DH relatively supportive but not really much he can do, think he felt a bit useless. Milk starting to come in now - that'll be the next challenge.

Reflux here was the vomiting type with DD, gaviscon helped so she'd feed again after being sick but ranitidine had more long term success in stopping the screaming/sicking cycle. That said DD's took so long to diagnose that I don't think we really saw the benefits we would have seen if she'd had meds earlier so you might be more successful with the gaviscon.

Yes, am still on a high. Feeling a bit weary now though, can't put him down for a minute with all the feeding and would like a bit of sleep.

LenniEd, chocolate and um, decaf coffee/herbal tea for you too, methinks - and thanks, I will, aplenty!

You are fast becoming a SuperMum, did you know that? Feeding day and night whilst sobbing with pain: definitely a sign of SuperMumhood. Its only when one is out of that part that one realizes what a hugely enormous, amazing undertaking having a newborn is! Kudos to you and Indith

Hope the afterpains go v soon.

Thought I'd write down the birth story whilst have the chance as no doubt this phase won't last. Apologies for it being very long winded. Want to remember myself. If you can't be bothered just read the last paragrpah

SO.... it all started Tuesday night with period type pains coming and going from about 11pm. Didn't dare believe this was it since had so many false alarms. Went to bed and slept on and off until about 4am. Was starting to struggle with sleeping through the pains then and kept getting up to go to the toilet and pace around a bit. By 8am I decided perhaps things were about to kick off and started trying to get things together for DD to take her to PIL. At 9.30am we decided to call the hospital and ship DD off to PIL but couldn't get hold of them. Was starting to panic a bit that they'd gone out but MIL turned up here at about 10ish so DH took DD down to them and came back. Rang delivery at about 11am and they told me to stay put for a couple of hours if I could. Decided to sod chance of getting piles and made myself poo - thought it might speed things up, seemed to help . By 12.30 the contractions were every 3-4mins and I was having a panic about whether the TENS would arrive in the post so sent DH out to look for the postie (Can imagine DH to postie conversation - DH told him 'I need my post my wife is in labour and there is something for the pain in there' postie said 'If it's valium or morphine you aren't having it' ) Went in to unit at about 1.30pm and arrived there at about 2.15pm. Got there and got changed. Midiwfe about to start checks when shoulder dystocia alarms went off and I went into hormonal wreck mode and cried a lot and shook and eventually went home, was only 2-3cm.

Got home and pains came straight back on strongly. Was knelt on floor next to sofa with my head buried in a pillow on the chair moaning through them whilst updating MN decided I was going back in and wasn't calling them first, I was just going. Car journey awful.

Arrived at hospital at about 6.30pm - felt some leakage as I got out of the car. DH reassured me it was my waters even though I was walking through hospital going "I'm wetting myself...help...I'm wetting myself" Got to lift up to delivery and had massive contraction in the lift and liquid everywhere. Had completely wet myself in the lift, soaked through. (Who was it worrying about dignity in labour??) Checked and was 5cm, paced about moaning for about 45mins, had a shower and then got cracking on the G&A whilst knelt on the bed with head buried in pillow, DH massaging my back. Told I had to wait until 9pm for the shift change to get in the pool, lovely MW lying to me about how long I had to wait in a very effective fashion. (Kept telling me it was running and she was just getting temp right and blah de blah... excellent sales patter..) Finally got in pool at 9pm, and contractions were coming almost constantly. Felt like it would be less painful to die but finally gave in all worries about getting too high on the G&A and just concentrated on breathing steadily and blocked everything else out. Felt like I wasn't in my body anymore, and my body was writhing and jumping about with all the contractions, my legs kept flying up by my head and all I was doing was breathing and listening to the midwife's voice. At about 10pm my waters went. Was like a bomb going off in my stomach, worst pain of the whole thing. Followed swiftly by blood and poo (mine - ick!) and my whole body just felt empty except for this big hard thing moving up and down in me. Told MW I wanted an epidural and didn't want another baby, was quite happy just with one and wanted to go home . MW told me I could have an epi if I wanted but should reach down and feel first... reached down and could feel babies head and kind of floated up out of the daze into reality for a second and felt really in control again. She told me to push and I pushed once and the baby came right down, and then went straight back up. I floated back up with it and told her what had happened and she told me it was all ok, that was nature's way. All I had to do was breathe. So I breathed and the head was born, and then the shoulders twisted round and were born too and she lifted Dylan up onto my tummy and he just nuzzled and looked at me. Second stage lasted 9 minutes. Total labour 4 hours. They got me onto a chair to deliver placenta and had to have one stitch. Then he fed a bit. DH and I stayed on delivery in a nice double bed with DS tucked up next to us. Bliss. However, not a chance of ever doing it again.

That's just gorgeous, LenniEd. Am very about being able to snuggle in nice double bed with DH and newborn.

It is lovely how we all support each other, Eli. Trust me, we are all behind you, and your DD of course.

Wow Lennied

Eli - you must be so knackered now. Hope time flies for you.

Aaawwww! lovely story

Aaah, LenniEd, lovely...I'm so glad you put all the details down, for us as much as for you . What a great way for Dylan to start life.

Am also of the snuggling in bed bit, but mostly because I waaaaaant my bed

Your, and Indith's, birth stories are heart warming, and if I get born again as a female of birth-giving abilities I will hope for one of those!

Easy to say, of course, not having experienced labour pains

BP, yes, I feel that, not for the first time. I was telling someone today why it was hard having my Mum here over Xmas unexpectdly (because I can't voice any worries or fear around her, she gets overwhelmed and can't cope ) and what a relief it was having my MN pals to vent dd-fears to over the holidays. As I said it, I realized how true it was - iyswim.

Thanks, AofA, yes I am, but soo soon now I know I can hold out!

Well done Lennied. x

Wow, lenniEd, that's incredible

castles, therapy really can make a huge difference. Good luck with that.

margo, hope things are going better.

eli, countdown to op!!!

Aw LenniEd, I had a little tear in my eye as I was reading that [damp ]. It sounds perfect.

Just watching the Mamma Mia DVD MIL bought me for my birthday (DH refused ), gosh I heart Colin Firth A LOT, phwaorgh .

Eli, 4 sleeps . I think we are exceptionally lucky to have this thread, it's been a bit of a lifeline to all of us over the last 2 and a half years in one way or another.

BP, are the steroids doing their stuff now?

2.5 years

OMG, you are right, it has been 2.5 years. Should we have a huge, transatlantic, transeuropean party if we make it to 5, d'you think?

Yes, BP, been wondering how you were doing with the steroids...aren't you reducing the dose, now? Hope its going ok.

It'll be 3 years in March/April, Eli, how weird is that?

It seems ds has not been kissing cats. It was a temperature rash as he has tonsillitis. Oops!