September 08 Remember what we were doing this time last year?[wink]

[Debs75goldrings]

So what were we all doing this time last year?

Starlight - I was watching that thread, but didn't dare posting, I people can disagree with others, but personal attacks are just un-necessary... I'm amazed how you kept your cool

when I had DS I was like you hopefully, but DS must have read GF book whilst in the womb as he was on her routine before I even started it. But with Maia, well, that's another story...

'The anal retentive's guide to parenting' anyone?

Sore boobs, T is feeding like a beast at the minute - not feeding more regularly, but feeding for a long time and really going for it the whole time! He's been off his feeds for a few days, so hoping that this signals the beginning of the end of him feeling poorly.

I've also been following that CC thread with great interest, altough I haven't read it today.

I almost feel inadequate for not having put as much thought and consideration into my parenting as those who have contributed lengthy posts on that thread. Almost. Sometimes I think, perhaps if A had been consistently terrible (he may be in future) at sleeping then maybe CC would be something I would resort to i.e. if he was crying nightly anyway. But we seem to get by. He's never slept through the night but if we have a couple of bad nights DH and I take it in turns to lie-in. I'm also happy with our 2.5 hour bedtime ritual at the moment: bath, pyjamas and grobag, looong feed, then sometimes we have about an hour of re-settling. He goes down easily as is clearly sleepy, just sometimes wakes up after a few minutes and needs bouncing back to sleep.

I try and keep an eye on how many naps he has, so I can predict when he will get tired before he gets cranky. But he often catnaps after a feed so the number of naps varies day to day.

Anyway, in other news. Another of my NCT buddies has completely moved onto formula. I feel like the only breastfeeder in RL. I have a feeling a few of them will be weaning early too. No-one really makes me feel bad for continuing to BF but I wonder if they think I'm trying to be some sort of martyr by BFing through A's massive feeding frenzy climbing from the 9th centile to the 50th (I'm not, I just don't feel like it's as much of a nuisance as I suspect they did).

starlight/foxy if my EBM were to run out while I was out and the odd bottle of formula was used (perhaps once a week or every other week) would it affect my supply at this stage? My expressing abilities have dwindled to 40ml per session, I rarely go out without A but I would really like to go on more 'dates' with DH.

[DG] Nope, your supply will cope. However, A will loose his virgin gut.

6th bullet point

Also, so far YOU grew him all by yourself.

Sorry, this is a very biased post. I gave my DS1 formula on day 5 and then occassionally. I weighed up the risks I had access to and our family needs. I have better information now and since bfing is going well I won't be giving formula. But if dates with DH are important, the risks of formula are very small if you are bfing for the majority of time.

hth

Thanks Starlight - Would he still have a virgin gut after I had to top-up his feeds with formula for the first 10 days of his life? Have not fed him formula since.

I think it takes around 2-3 weeks for the gut flora to return to that of an exclusively bf baby. Think that equates to a virgin gut, but it isn't my strong point I'm afraid.

If you had a night out, would you be able to express a large amount when you returned due to not having been feeding that evening, which you could use for the majority of the feed the next night out? Would that work?

I've been very lucky on the expressing thing so can't really know how it must feel to not be getting enough or to be that tied to your baby. In truth I have had hardly any time away from BS, but pyschologically knowing that I could, must make a difference to the pressure.

I have a serious case of brain loss. Went to the post office today to send christmas cards home to sweden and after handing over the cards turned to go. The counter lady had to call me back to pay

Also, Pacita, and was it hopefully, I found my envelopes with the tummy massage routine I promised to send in my bag just now I'm so sorry and promise to get them sent out asap.

Very proud - A is 3 months today, weighs a stone, and I'm still breastfeeding after all the thrush problem finally went away thanks to the fabulous lactation consultant at the Croydon Baby Cafe. In fact I haven't used any formula at all for over a week, not that I'm particularly against it, but simply the bf is now working! Even through A having a cold and now a growth spurt.

No thanks to the GP who said I'd have liver failure on flucanazole and needed to stop bf...

But A is thriving - beginning to get some hand-eye coordination and usually a happy little munchkin who sleeps OK.

I do hope I could express after a night out then have some for the next night out. But as you say, it's wanting the feeling of choice (to have a few hours away from A) not necessarily wanting to go out every night. At the moment I do feel as though he would perish if I were to leave him for more than two hours and I get incredibly anxious about the idea of leaving him with anyone other than DH (who I know can console him wuthout feeding him).

NC A is also getting better at swiping, although does hit his own face quite a lot. My friend's baby who is a week older than A can reach out and grasp his little toys, bring them to his mouth and chew quit happily. I have to physically put toys into his grip and then I'm not quite sure if he realises he's holding anything.

DG T is still hugely unco-ordinated, I have to try not to laugh when he biffs himself in the face! His grasp is also absolutely rubbish compared to babies the same age at NCT group, but I'm sure he'll get the hang in the end - one of the babies at NCT group is only 16 weeks and is already staring at her mother eating and trying to grab food out of her hand and stuff it into her mouth! Can't really see T at that stage in 3.5 weeks...

Sass no worries - I was going to email to see if I'd given you the wrong address as we only moved recently!

How did you get rid of the thrush NC??

hopefully A watched me eat a plate of spaghetti today with a huge smile on his face - although I doubt he'll be an early eater, he prefers to hover over things and drool on them. I realised yesterday that he prefers to move his head towards objects (for drooling) rather than using his hands to bring them to him. He's obviously going to have very bad table manners !

Visions of A stuffing himself head first of a plate of spaghetti in a few weeks time!

Starlight you'd make a great NCT advice person (can't think of the name now!). I think you're very empathic.

Morning everyone.

Not so good night, M fed every 2.5 hours - why oh why? She goes longer in the day. Never mind, dh is on works do and away until this afternoon so at least I wasn't interrupted by snoring I did get cuddled by smelly dd1 who'd wet the bed again so we've all had a bath together this morning.

M was soooo smily this morning though, so I've decided to forgive her.

It's all rainy here today so I have to think of something to do to amuse dd1 who is getting stir crazy - play place I think

DD1 went to the Panto with daddy yesterday afternoon hence my burst of mumsnetting. last night and this morning she's been running around shouting 'abracadabra, you're gone! / in the washing machine! / etc.'

The magic wand which daddy was blackmailed into buying outside Alladin set him back a fiver.

DD2 has been on a feeding frenzy the last 18 hrs or so. currently asleep on my chest.

Nearly all packed up. Tomorrow, DD2 gets baptised in the afternoon by my lovely priest. I've had an irrational worry about taking a little pagan all that way. What if something happens! My post natal brain screamed at me. Then the rational side laughed back: Afraid she becomes a Muslim while over there? So the irrational brain won and I went and begged the priest to do us a favour.

Hope the journey goes well Foxy and glad that you're not going to come back with an infidel

But I am coming back with an infidel, Ninjinglebells! In fact, I am hoping to leave the UK with an infidel. (whispers) I am just worried about coming back with a believer.

I hope you have misinterpreted my previous post as I'd hate to think I have caused offense, from reading what I think you meant to say.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS GIRLS!

THIS TIME LAST YEAR I DIDN'T KNOW YOU. I think despite the crisis and bad time during the pregnancy,unusual family circumstances having Lorea and seeing her with her big brother and my dh has made 2008 the happiest year of mylife.
This time last year I was dreaming of getting pregnant and be a family of 4!And now we are.
I wish all of you an even better 2009.
Feliz Navidad!

I was only joking, honest!!

[whew] [wipes brow] thought me one few and far between attempt at humour had fallen on its face.

ninjungle - went to the Baby Cafe in Croydon (fantastic organisation, www.thebabycafe.co.uk), where there's a lactation consultant who will see everyone who turns up - unlike the one at Georges who has a 4 week waiting list. Also means you can be there all morning and get help feeding when your baby wants to feed, as opposed to having a set appointment time. And you get tea and biscuits!

She noticed that A really did have thrush but hidden at the back of his mouth, and prescribed Daktarin gel and another 2 weeks of flucanazole for me, plus acidophilous capsules 3x daily, and the sugar-free diet which I'd already returned to, and suggested grapefruit-seed extract, both to drink to lower my pH, and to wash my breasts in.

Managed to get GPs to prescribe the drugs, tracked down the rest at a local health store (not H+B who didn't know diff between grapes and grapefruit...), stocked up on sugar-free chocolate (surprisingly good!), and within two weeks was a LOT better. Now eating a bit of sugar but not much. Any remaining problems are just tingling when A hasn't fed for a while now he feeds less often, and sometimes a dodgy latch on the left as A likes sneakily sliding off it.

Now just need glass in the windows in the loft to stop rain coming in, and I'll be a happy bunny!

I'm so pleased for you NC and I'm glad croydon did you proud, I'll think of you when I'm back there for 2 weeks over Christmas.

hopefully I think she-who-must-not-be-named reckons on about 3 hours sleep a day for a 3 month old. Sometimes ds has three one hour naps, and sometimes short, long, short, but at 11 weeks he's still pretty much on 4 1/2 hours a day. Gonna try our first early dreamfeed tonight - gonna jump from 10:30 to 10 and see if he still sleeps through. Here's hoping...

My chum who you might remember from swinging by here a couple of times, is dedicating her daughter at church tomorrow, then we're going to celebrate with an eat all you can Chinese. Happy days!

Dh is at asda, both dcs are alseep, and I'm off to catch up on last night's strictly

It's my birthday today . We have just got back from having lunch at a beautiful hotel. M was an absolute delight and charming everyone, and I got slightly giddy on one glass of pink champagne

DP bought me a ring for a joint birthday and 'giving him a baby' present. Luckily I chose it otherwise it would have been rank

hopefully - M has anything between 3-4 hours daytime sleep. Normally 2 hours in the morning, an hour at lunchtime and an hour in the afternoon. However that is subject to change depending on how the first nap of the day goes.

happy birthday iliketo...

starlight have you seen this video before? grab a sandwich and a hot drink first. long.