Nov 2008 - sleepless nights and exploding poo, dear oh dear now what do we do??

[Dozymare]

Sorry that is soooo crap but we needed a new thread!!!!!

morning all just want to clarify that in my previous post, in no way,shape or form was I suggesting that we split into 2 camps - those that routine, and those that don't but rather, that we started a seperate thread for those who did want to do some form of routine so we weren't boring those who had no interest in it!!! Hope that clears things up!!!!!

Heart didn't know you homeschooled - how long have you been doing that for, and what was your driving force behind the decision? A friend of mine is considering it and although I have pointed her in the direction of MN many times, she is yet to do it!!! Hope DS3 is ok...that must have been such a worry, I know that zonedout posted the same thing happening to her as well......would propping the cot up help do you think????

For those wanting to know how to wake a sleeping baby for a feed - I used to strip them back to thir vests and put onto the boob whilst tickling their cheek or underside of chin/foot and for Tiger, I still strip her back but put the bottle in her mouth.........would more than likely be a dream feed though althoughy ou will find that they wake up if they have been asleep for a while. the only time it doesn't work is if they have been up for a few hours and despite being due a feed, choose to fall asleep. not much you can do there IME.

ceebee Tiger also went from guzzling 2oz to 4oz overnight - she is meant to be on 5oz now but takes between 4 and 5oz.

Off to do DS2 lunch now, hopefully I can get him to chill on the sofa with cbeebies so I can MN. Otherwise will be back on later as it's swimming tonight (YUCK)

cricri the mussy trick is fantastic!! Also very good if baby has a bit of posseting as you don't need to change the sheets just the mussy!

WARNING THOUGH - You may end up with a 5 year old who can't go to bed without their mussy though! Both of mine still like to go to bed with one!

Well, it worked for half an hour and then she started screaming! Looks like she was hungry though even though I'd only finished feeding her 45 minutes before We'll keep persevering though as it seems to be working!
DM Watch out - my sister didn't give up going to bed with her mussy until she was about 10 I don't have a problem with that though. About your suggestion of a routine thread I'm happy with either option - continue discussions on here or have a separate thread just for chats about routines for those that are interested, although this will remain the main thread obviously!

Hi Ladybuzz

I am just going on the school run but I would use the Lanisoh cream if no one else wants it, using loads at the minute. Let me know how to pay you postage etc. Will be back on later.

My email katielois at yahoo dot com.
X

Coolkat I have e-mailed you let me know if you don't get it.
J is OK just full of cold, Doc said his chest was clear but to keep an eye on him.

Afternoon all - is anyone else getting lots of smiles out of their LO now (bull**t that its not till 6 weeks!)?? M now smiles lots when he is wide awake and I love the fact I know how to make him smile - by looking like a plonker sticking out my tongue and wagging it from side to side!!

His lovely smile almost makes me forgive him for the wailing at 5am - almost!

Choco Oscar started smiling at three weeks, nobody believed me when i told them and said it must be wind but they were definately smiles. He smiles more and more each day now and will only be six weeks on Thurs

Anybody else on here using colief? It appears to be working for us but just wondering how other people administer to breastmilk when babies want feeding on demand? In advance, I have been expressing an ounce of breastmilk into a bottle adding the colief then storing in the fridge and heating to room temp when required before giving the rest of the feed from the breast but it's a real faff, anybody else do it different. I cannot hand express as it goes everywhere and if i try and pump express on demand for a feed, Oscar gets very impatient (also not great in middle of night) any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Heartmum also wanted to say that what happened to Zack also happened to Oscar a couple of nights ago - very scary and i called NHS direct at midnight who put me straight in touch with a doctor and they saw Oscar yesterday. They think it might be the start of a chest infection, he seems to be quite mucusy etc but at least i feel much more reasurred at having his chest/breating listened to etc. Hope Zack is ok

Hello everyone... and THANK YOU!!!

I am totally up for the meet up in the new year and would plead with someone to remind me or point out the date when it gets agreed because I can't get on here very often and I always miss the good stuff!!!

I think you lot are GREAT!

Sauraus i love your new festive name!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx HUGS TO YOU ALL xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Heartmum, that sounds scary! How did it go at the doc's? Did you manage to get them to take it seriously?

Barb, I feel your pain. Ow, poor boobs. Re: bath ? I am a horrible evil selfish mum, but I wanted a bath so much I could taste it, so I ran myself a bath with only hot water so it was scalding and wouldn?t get cold, shushed him til he went to sleep, then jumped in and soaked until I heard wakey-wakey noises and washed v fast so I was back in the bedroom by the time his little eyes opened! It was planned with military precision and worked rather well but I?m not sure I?d get away with it again.

Tell you what, though, the bath helped with the sore boobs!

Ceebs, you crack me up! I can just imagine the response in Costa. I am sure someone would call the police and report me. Today he has been the opposite, on a total hair trigger til 3 this afternoon?

DH is an arse club - it SO is the lack of nookie. My DH has made this clear and says he is keen to go back to the way things were before, using small words so I understand this is why he is being an arse. Thing is, I don?t want to go back to the way things were before because he?d got lazy and I was losing interest (not unconnected). I would like to restart on a less, erm, one-sided basis but don?t know how to put this without him hearing ?Can we have better sex now please? It was crap before which is why I sleep in my sweatpants with the drawstring padlocked?. Sorry for TMI but seriously, any tactful and serious suggestions considered.

Plus I am not sure if I have healed up yet and I am scared because, hell, I had a bloody great slice made in my bits. I have told him this and his reply was ?Well, sure, I understand that, but just because you can?t have a good time doesn?t mean I can?t.? . Now there?s an incentive for me? I think he meant we didn?t have to have actual sex, but still. Gah.

This is not how I imagined my sex life for the next 30-40 years panning out. I thought that maybe there would be more chandelier-swinging, more romance and champagne? [sigh]

Smiling ? I feel robbed as everyone ? books, MILs, etc ? said they don?t smile before 5-6 weeks and I was writing it off as wind. I have even been saying ?Aw, his smile?s going to be lovely when he does a real one?. So I cannot say when Fin?s first smile was but I think it was bestowed on DH when he was pulling faces at him about a week ago. That was going to be a massive landmark. Sob.

Pinkali, I was getting a bit morose there what with one thing and another and have just read your post and feel v cheered. Just checking, you?ve not been hitting the Infacol, have you?

Seriously, ta for positive vibes, I will stop being such a moaner. I am also up for meeting up but will insist on having cake even after Xmas. Coffee and cake with the girls contains no calories.

Mulled wine all round at this point, I feel. Anyone like a mince pie? Sherry?

phew

Will has just gone to sleep in his chair... what a day!! He has spent the whole day attached to one boob or the other or howling when not (me too!) Now I have one very lumpy sore boob - why is it lumpy? Going to google it!

Saurus I would have gone with your plan for a bath but have had a very awake boy today, it will just have to wait til dh gets home now! Sorry about your dh and his 'demands'!! I couldn't even begin to entertain the idea at the mo I don't know what to suggest... He will just have to be patient!

Re: smiles - We caught a smile very early on - check my profile 2 days old!! But it doesn't count as it wasn't on purpose - prob wind!

Evening all same old, same old in Dozy household....all 3 tucked up, fed, watered etc by 6:45 tonight - I love it!!!! Dinner on and just waiting for Dh arrival...very stepford wife (except I am sitting her in yoga trousers, hoody and watching ANTM that I sky +'ed!)

Firstly, heartmum how is DS3? what happened at the doctors??? Tiger is also a bit sunffly with a sticky eye and sounds a bit rattly - I haven't taken her to the dr yet (shocking as DS1 PFB would have been there at the first snuffle) but I may take her tomorrow if no improvement as I think they will say it is just a cold......have put a bowl of water in her room to add moisture so may help.

as for resuming "relations" It took us 4 months after DS1. This was down to constant feeding/not sleeping etc for 9 weeks and then just not getting into the swing of it..the longer it went on, the worse it got....DS2 was about 2 months, and after Tiger, well we did the business this weekend just gone

Have a lovely evening - has anyone heardf from merrymari

Gosh I'm glad to hear you say that about 8 weeks, Hana. Must tell DH!

Does anyone else ever catch a comedy series on BBC radio 7 called "Revolting People"? There's a running gag about a couple where the wife is always fobbing the husband off with lame excuses such as "not on days of the week with a 'd' in them, dear". Anyway, the wife had a baby (not his) and when hubby next proposed marital goings-on, it went like this:
W: "Not this soon after having the baby, dearest.".
H: "How long afterwards would be considered proper, my love?"
W: "Oh, about 23 years."

Barb, lump sounds naff, poor you. Boobs are complicated things, no? I still find it weird thinking of them as food dispensers rather than a good way for me to get a free drink...

Fin is lying on the floor playing with his toy lion and I am SURE he will be able to roll within the next week. There goes being able to pop him down on the bed while I go for a wee. But v proud, obv.

Also, he got weighed in at a massive 10lb 11oz today - that's my boy! It was the first HV visit and she mentioned a few times how "round" he is. And called him "a little Christmas pudding". and possibly . I shall stop calling him fatty, poor little mite. Anyway he's NOT fat, he's festively plump. And I love all his chins.

Settling to sleep - it is REALLY cold in our house so I pop a warm hot water bottle in his basket to warm his sheets and that seems to work quite well. I think the milk would just make him hungry!

hi all
hana I like totsbots the best- they are certainly the most leakproof I have found.I like Ellas househemp ones too, but they can leak at the legs sometimes.

The size 1 look soo dinky next to DD1's big size 2's!! I am going to start potty training her soonish as she keeps sitting on the loo (but not acutally doing anything yet)

barbs lumpy boobs no fun. Warm bath, a bit of handexpressing as hana suggested. Can you take the baby in the bath with you if he won't settle?

dinky has a bad cold. Very gummy eyes and v. mucusy, poor sausage. Dr not too worried, as her chest is clear, just a tickly cough.

Pinkali glad you are feeling positive

Evening everyone

Saurus are we married to the same man??? Seriously, although DH is trying to be patient, patience (when it comes to sex) is not his strong point!! He is not directly hassling asking me for it, he makes references/mentions it, ooh at least 20 times a day!! His reasoning is that as I had a cs, there is no reason why we can't be getting 'back in the saddle' - maybe because I am still bleeding and am knackered??? I have no advice for you unfortunately - maybe we should both administer a swift kick where it hurts eh??

Routine - I don't think we should have a seperate thread - those that don't want to read about routines etc can just skim over the posts etc (they probably do anyway )

Not really sure what has happened today but Sam's feeding routine has gone completely to pot Was going well until this afternoon when I fed him at 3, he puked most of it back up so I gave him some more just before we went to pick DS1 up at 4.30 as we didn't want him screaming all the way there and back. He only had a little bit at 7.30 and is now fast asleep and I suspect I won't be able to get a dreamfeed into him....so who knows what the night will hold (but am I really that bothered as it is DH's 'shift' tonight )

MW came and signed us off at last - yeah!! Sam now weighs 9lb 6oz so it has taken him nearly 3 weeks to regain his birth weight - but he is nearly out of his newborn clothes (which is just aswell as I only had the bare minimum and I am bored of them already!!)

Right, football about to start - come on Chelsea!!! (Oh while I remember, I got an e-mail yesterday with 15% off at the Chelsea shop - bought Sam an adorable little trouser/top combo and a rattle for Xmas )

ha, I am withholding full sexual relations on the basis that he refused to do the deed when I was pregnant and horny.....he kept me waiting for four months, so I'll do likewise . Except I'm pretty sure my resolve will be stronger

been trying to catch up all day, but PILs were here all day and then DS1 had a friend home from school and since bedtime DS2 has been his usual cheery self and I was on my own as DH had gone to do the supermarket shop. DH now home and holding the baby so I can MN

Our little charmer partied from 11 until after 3am last night so bleary eyes all round today. DS2 got to sleep in his chair all day though only waking to feed. Looks like another restless night

Did the school run this morning...all by myself, with only a little help from DH. He is going fishing tomorrow (mad fraek) so I really will be on my own. And DS isn't speaking to me as I smacked his bum tonight after the threw a book at me and then tried to thump me with a wooden sword. What joy!

right now I can catch up properly.

Sorry - this is going to be another me post

Do you think I could avoid bfing from the painful boob? Is it the only way forward - pain is soo bad, it makes me feel sick when he is feeding from it. I am going to have a bath and try to massage the lump away. Would Will get enough from one boob for the night? Maybe I should try to express?

Feel like such a bad mummy because I feel like I can't feed my boy

barbs {{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}.....as a veteran of blocked ducts when I was feeding DD, the only thing to do is keep the milk flowing from that boob to try and clear the blockage or it will lead to mastitis. the best way to do that, unfortunately, is to feed, but you can try hot flannels and massage, and as hana said, combing. Get a wide tooth comb and rub it in soap (to lubricate it) and then comb from the blockage to your nipple. It is sore, but once the blockage is cleared things will get back to normal very quickly. You can also try expressing as well, but I discovered after months of recurrent blocked ducts that it was my pump that was causing the problem in the first place. Information from kellymom (I should get shares!!)

you can take ibuprofen for inflammation and paracetomol to help you through it.

Barbareebaa, I honestly think the best was of trying to get rid of the lump is to continue to feed off the offending side... or maybe pump that side, but baby is much more efficient. I hope it clears soon for you.

Right, been to the dr, who agreed it could be reflux and prescribed infant gaviscon. Is a faff with a breastfed baby, but I shall persever. He has only had 1 dose so far and if anything, he seems worse. Although he hasn't been sick today, he smells sicky...nice...not! Will try another dose at his 10pm feed and then see how he gets on tonight, but considering he is making lots og gulping noises right now and is dozing upright on my chest, I am not expecting his bedtime feed to stay down for long MummyNic are you giving 2 sachets per feeding?

thank you for your sympathies x have been in bath and massaged and hand expressed a little. I think I knew I would have to keep feeding on that side but was looking for an easy? pain free option!!
Well I'm going to give it a go now with Will ow ow

HM2J good luck with the gaviscon - hope it resolves reflux prob x

Thanks for the link daisy

HeartMum I am so glad you posted - J makes those sounds too and I was going to suggest reflux to you. Should warn you that the noises are still there after feeding - I keep him upright for at least 15 mins after feeding and that seems to work.

J is on half a 1 dose (half an open packet) now. The first doc said 1 dose but my GP today said halve it (I was concerned that the packet says 6 a day and J feeds 7 - 8 times and on the ones where I left out the Gaviscon he was being ill again). So a double dose packet (as they come) will now last me 4 feeds. J is 4.5 weeks and was 8lb 5oz last Monday so the dosage is half of what the packet says... I have only given 1 half dose and if it doesn't work I'll be ringing the doc to see if I can up it to 1 dose per feed. The doc says we need to be careful of the sodium intake 9J has no illnesses though so I think he's just being cautious).

Daisy I have it down to a fine art now....

express some milk - 4oz is more than enough for a day - and keep in fridge.

Before feeding I have 2 little dishes (like medicine pots) that I put 5ml in 1 and 10 ml in the other. I do this before feeding him so they can warm to room temp.

After feeding I make up the Gaviscon in the 5ml - using a teaspoon to mix, then add in the 10ml (as per instructions) and mix.

Then I syringed it into him... However I am now using a bottle as the syringing took too long.

Job done. Wash and sterilise...

Hope that helps - using a bottle has made it quite painless really and the benefits far outweigh the screaming!!!

Oh, here's a scary one for you.

I have a Tommy Tippee sensor pad monitor. Since James started with reflux it has gone off 4 times . We startled him to breathe each time but can't be sure that he wasn't breathing in the first place as we were in too much of a hurry to make him breathe. It goes off after 20s of not breathing / no movement. It has never gone off until last week. I have read that reflux can cause apnea.............

I am going to try and stay calm if it happens again and try to see if he really has stopped breathing (not sure my instinct will let me though). Doc said he'd be pale / blue after 20s of not breathing - but I didn't check his colour either.

Really odd!!!

Nic That must have been frightening for you. Like you say it will take alot of fightng your instincts to be able to check him if (and fingers crossed it doesn't) happen again.

HM2J glad they have taken you seriously, hope the Gaviscon does the job for you.

Barbs ouch hope you get your blockage cleared.

Northern ladies I too wiould be very much up for a meet up in the new year, MIL will be retired by then so I might even be able to have a peaceful day without DS1 how awful to say that but he is soooo full of energy!

DH is making a valiant attempt to resume relations and bless him it is getting him nowhere

J had a better night last night, we propped him up a bit and that seemed to help he is still very snuffly though so I am off to stem him in the shower! (not literally IN the shower obv

Ooh forgot to say re smiles DS1 definately smiled at 2 weeks - I have photographic evidence
J however is 5 weeks and we have had a couple of 'possible' smiles but no big grins as yet. It is heart melting though!