March 2005 babies - we are very quiet

[popsycal]

So how is it going for everyone? Most of us have had our babies so how was the first few weeks?

thinking of buying a high chair (like to be organised), can anyone offer me any advice as to what to look for?

if i was starting all over again with baby buying bits like highchairs, i would've got the basic one from ikea. my one is from mothercare, very big even when folded.

actually folks...
I have set up a new account to save people having to CAT me just for this. Mail me at
popsycal2005
at
yahoo
dot
co
dot
uk

lol
will just use it for this purpose

Hey Popsy, how has your been day been? Hope good

Hey guys, about the weight loss thing. I am going to start going to the gym on Monday after the 6 week check.

Well here goes!

MY STATS.

WEIGHT: 96 kg (15 stone)

BODYFAT: 28.4%

WEIST: 106cm (41 Inches)

THIGHS: 118cm (46 Inches)

BUM: 122cm (48 Inches)

I need to loose just over 4 Stone (26 Kg), so who's with me. Those of us who are not ready to do it themselves could perhaps offer us moral support. (smile)

We did agree to do this on Friday didn't we?

Hello!!!!!!!!!!

Well the last few days have been really rather good! Harry is now asleep in his cot - decided that I needed my evenings hands free once again. DH has gone out, both boys asleep, kitchen cleared and living room tidy . So a bit of two handed MN with a small glass of beer .

Since Wednesday (massage day) Harry has been so much more settled. I have been practicing on him twice a day and he totally loves it. He coos and smiles as soon as he sees me rubbing the oil into my hands. I can't recommend it enough. And we seem to be starting to see a bit of a pattern/routine developing. And dare I say it, nights seem to be a bit more predictable.

LAst night, he fell asleep in his cot at around 8 after feeding at about 7. He woke at 10 for a feed and was asleep again by 10:40. Woke at 1:30. Short feed. Then slept back in his cot til about 5:45. And then went back to sleep after that feed til 7:30.

He seems to be going longer between feeds too.
So! Next week, I am going to try to structure things a bit more to get him to go 3 hours between feeds and try to get his daytime naps sorted (although they seem to be developing into a pattern - short nap around 8:30/9ish, longer nap around 11, then awake time in afternoon with nap around 3:30, then brief catnaps around tea time before bath and bed).

So fingers crossed.

It is lovely to hear how you are all doing - I don't respond as much as I would like to everyone's posts as most times when I am on MN, I am typing with one hand and wrestling DS2 to drop off to sleep

Anyone else for the photo albums? We all have such cute babies don't we!!!!

whoops
speling mistake
practicing ought to be practising - sorry couldn't ignore it

Good morning everyone, Dylan has just woke up (6.40a.m) after going to bed at 9pm last night. i seem to function so much better with a whole nights sleep uninterupted.
I am struggling with the weight loss thing, i joined slimming world last week and so far its going well, i'll keep you informed.
Anyway, have a lovely day everyone!

Girly - really sorry to hear about your fight while on holiday with your mum etc.... I read your other thread and am very disappointed for you for their attitude to your bfing. I hope you all make up though. Parents can be really destructive.

BabyD - the highchair I plan ot buy is one that converts into a raised childrens chair once the child is big enough to take the bar at the front away. I haven't looked into it properly, but seems a good idea as the child can use it until its big enough to sit on a proper chair. Its called a Trip-trap and Stokke make them - I guess other companies make them as well.

stokke Trip-trap

Jambot - I find Niklas quite draining at times as well, its ok if we are out for the day but if we stay at home (like yesterday as I had a lot to do here ha ha!) he needs a lot of stimulation and entertainment and I think he just gets bored being at home with me on our own! !

Norash - I meant to addd something about the weight yesterday but didn't get a chance. Don't know all my statistics, but I want to initially lose 3Kg (which will probably be more of a struggle than what you need to lose), so I am out to support you! I plan to cut out the cakes, biscuits and sweet sugary food to start with then cut more fat out of my diet. I have already started exercising as much as possible. Have a target to do a mini-triathlon at the end of August.

Popsycal - great to hear that things are improving with Harry ! Thanks for setting up the photo album. It took me ages yesterday to get a picture on it, but i'll add some more as soon as I can.

Morning everyone, seems ages since I checked in, but I know we are all in the same boat re getting on here and actually typing something!

DH took me out for a lovely meal last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The meal was lovely, and being able to have an uninterupted conversation with DH was new!!

Norash - I'll be brave and join you in the weight loss challenge. I said to DH that after last night I was going to stop over eating (I'm just always sooo hungry!). I weigh 13st 4lbs, which is upsetting because after Faith was born I was only 12st 9lbs . I figure if I just eat meals and try to have fruit in between if I'm hungry then with all this BF I should lose quite quickly. I'm a total fan of weight watchers and used to help run a meeting, but not sure if I'm ready to stick to points yet.......hmmm, we'll see. I shall do my measurements later.

I'm trying to organise Faiths baptism but all the godparents have chosen this year to holiday abroard a one time or another, so finding a date when they can all make it is proving a challenge. So far it could be as soon as the 19th June - and I would really like to look non-chubby on the photos!! Ideally I'd like to lose 3st, I'm 5ft 4ins and this would be the upper end of my ideal weight range - but I really like to be curvy , so this should be a good weight for me 10st 4 ish.

Popsy, thanks for setting up the photo site - DH is very impressed! I love seeing all our babies . The baby massage sounds like it's working wonders, I bet it's really nice to do isn't it?

babyd - re high chair, we have a really heavy but hard wearing one which isn't great if you need to move it around a lot, but it has lasted and we tend to keep it set up to the dinning table. I do agree with misdee though, with hindsight I'd have bought a cheap, light fold away one from Ikea after seeing them the other night some are really quite cool.

Girly, sorry you are having probs with parents . I really feel for you - I have nightmare in-laws, who don't support anything I or DH do. Try not to let it get you down, concentrate on what a good mum you are and enjoy your little family. You're doing so well!

Jambot - I know what you mean! I have found having Faith so much easier than the first 2 DDs simply because I have so much to do - ie school run and hav to be out of the house a lot of the time, Faith seems more content than her sisters were. Poor love just has to fit in really . I felt like I was being driven mad when I had the older two as even when DD2 was born DD1 was only 18mths and didn't go to pre school so I never needed to go out.

Norash - all the best for tomorrow .

misdee, shalaa, bonym, pidge, zoec, leogaela, cristina7, kerryj and anyone else I've forgotten (sorry) Hiya, hope you are all well and babies are happy .

Before I pop off for what could be a while, I was reading on another thread about 7BF a day being normal and needed to keep supply up. Is this correct? I have worked out that Faith has 6 BFs a day and a bottle at around 10:30pm ish, do you think my supply will dwindle?

So sorry it's such a long one - so much I wanted to say, and this is the first chance I've had, or might get for a while!

3mummy - Dylan gets 5 or 6 b/f a day and a formula bottle at 8pm which i'm sure is the reason he sleeps through the night until 7am, and i have never had a supply problem. The body is amazing and adjusts to your babys needs.

Feeling a bit down at the moment, my partner doesnt seem to be bonding with Dylan, he only picks him up if he's crying and i'm not around, he never gives him his bottle, changes him, dresses him or baths him, its all left to me, even at weekends when were both at home. i feared this when i was pregnant but the first week in hospital he was great and i thought it would be o.k but its not. The only time he has looked after him was when i went into hospital for a day for a g.a d&c, and he coped o.k but now he's gone back to doing nothing unless i ask him too.

It is upsetting me, especially when i see other dads cooing over their babies. I know he loves us very much but i need him to interact more with Dylan. (god, i'm nearly in tears writing this)

Does anyone else have this problem or any advice for me, like anything else if i tell him how i feel, he makes an effort for 1 or 2 days and then goes back to how it was b4.

Sorry to go on, but its getting me down now.

BABYD - sorry you're so upset over this. You know, some men just don't know how to interact with babies and don't really get involved until the child is a bit older and can walk and talk (dh's best friend was like this with his children). Another possible reason is that your partner doesn't have enough confidence in himself that he can do things for Dylan. Do you watch over him when he changes a nappy/baths him/dresses him etc. and offer advice as to the best way to do it? If so, he may feel there is no point in him doing things as you can do them better. Have you asked him why he's not keen to get involved?

BabyD - my DH holds DD when needed or will pick her up by himself if she's crying etc. He doesn't bath her, change her or dress her. It just doesn't happen as i do it. He'll give me a hand if asked but won't initiate or offer. I'm OK with that. He was the same with DS and went on to be a fantadtic, very hands-on, very involved father. I love the baby phase and since i'm the one on maternity leave i don't mind doing all the stuff. DH does the cooking, shopping and other things around the house. I get to hold the baby, so it seems like a fair deal to me.

Will try and get back later. Getting ready to watch Eurovision.

my dh doesnt feed (well she is breatfed), change, or bath serena, but he has pretty good excuse IMO. he does cuddle her though.

I added my pics to the album the other night.

i am curious on who uses cloth nappies and who use disposables here.

we're clothies

Hi everybody,

I've read everyone's posts..crikey it's busy on here at the moment!! Sorry not to do personals, but I'm trying to get dinner ready at the mo, but a hello to anyone new and popsy, I have to say it's great news that Harry seems to be settling down for you!! Thanks for adding me to the album on Photobucket - I've been on and added some of Toby. Had a quick look at the others on there - and my word, March was a good month for producing the most gorgeous babies!

We're okay here - Toby has a cold so is up every 2 hours in the night and seems to have taken to waking at 5.30am with no intention of settling down again. dh and I are taking it in turns to get up early with him...which isn't easy, as I am in no way a morning person! He's slept loads today and has been really difficult to rouse, so I fear another sleepless night ahead. It's wierd that he was far better in the early weeks, and just seems to be getting worse. Sleeping for more than a 4 hour stretch at night is a distant memory.

Have his cranial osteopathy appt on Tuesday so I'm pinning quite a bit of hope on that. Will let you all know how it goes.

Better go, can see smoke coming from kitchen!!!

Thanx for the support and advice. Yes i do watch over him when he does change him and so i can see the point, why should he when i can do it better.
I dont mind doing it all, its not the work, i feel sad that he doesnt WANT to do things for Dylan. Even in the evening, he says hello to him and thats it, i have to juggle Dylan, cooking, washing up and feeding 3 dogs, i wouldnt mind a bit of help sometimes.
Anyway its really nice to have your support.
Thanx ladies

do what i dom when dh is sitting watching the telly, just give him the baby whilst u get a few minutes of having 2 hadsn for once.

Tried that, he sits him upright towards end of his knee, he doesnt seem to cuddle him.

Does anyone know how to rotate the photos, i,ve tried clicking on edit then rotate but nothing seems to happen.

At least you have your men around. I am staying at my folks at the moment as our renovations that should have been completed end Feb are still ongoing. My DH has to sleep at the house as we work from home(publishing) and have a lot of expensive computer equipment that we can't afford to have stolen. And being in South Africa, that chance is pretty high! Shouldn't temp fate though, things have been fine so far. Problem is that I really only see DH when he comes down in the evening for dinner or I take it up to him. So he only really sees DD at the worst time of the day - pre bath and bed when she normally is not at her best. Can't wait to move back home even if things aren't finished totally as feel DH is missing out on so much at the moment. As I'm sure you are experiencing, there's a new little noise or development nearly every day now. I want him to be able to see her face light up when she wakes up in the morning - makes any bad night worthwhile! She woke at 12:00 for her bottle last night! Normally stretching till at least 3:00am now, so don't know what happened there. Also woke at 6:00am which is early for her - and me!! Another hour added on to the morning is not fun! Always have a panic when she goes 'backwards' in her sleeping habits - paranoid this means that every night is going to be like that from now on!! AM ACTUALLY OBSESSED WITH DD'S SLEEPING HABITS - NOT HEALTHY!

babyd - how about trying to leave him on his own with Dylan, say go out for a couple of hours and give him the space to find his own way of being with him. That helped dh get more confident with dd1. I also put him in sole charge of baths, and wouldn't stay to watch. He muddled through and in time became very good.

Hope he gets more confident and interested soon

jambot i rarely have my dh home, he speands most of his time in hospital. when he is in hospital i'm lucky to see hime twice a week

Babyd - its a real shame that your dp isn't showing more interest and affection for Dylan, he may realise too late that he is missing out. I would encourage him but don't put pressure on him. He will find his own way and his own level with him and when Dylan is more responsive and starts to play he will probably take more interest. If you see ohter friends wiht babies and children maybe point out how the fathers play with them etc.. I don't know about you all, but my father never did any nappy changing or bathing or looking after us at all (and I have 5 siblings), it was normal then and only recent that the men have got more involved in the basic care of the children.

Last weekend we were away with 2 other couples with babies (7 week old and 10 month old and Niklas), when i told my mum she said 'oh my goodness, how did the men cope with that, I suppose they cleared off out of it all day did they!'! If your dp was brought up wiht that kind of attitude then likely that's how he is behaving. He probably doesn't know any different.

Sorry, sunday afternoon Niklas is sleeping and its raining so I'm sitting here waffling away.....

Strange evening yesterday, we went to (middle aged childless) friends of dh's for dinnner. when we arrived Niklas gave them a really big smile, but he just was just ignored by them . He is used ot getting lots of attention from people and I think he didn't expect to get no response. he looked very disappointed and confused.
He was really unsettled the whole evening and I found it a real struggle. dh didn't get hint when I said it was time to go home, I had to tell him 4 times, we finally left an hour an a half after the first time ! Niklas was really not happy at all.
Got him home and into bed and he was totally hyper, thrashing around like mad. so we took him into bed with us to settle him, he stayed there all night, the only one of us that slept well was Niklas! I'm not a fan of co-sleeping.

Hi everyone, just a quick question for all you experienced breast feeders - How can I increase supply? I've been a little stressed (ok very stressed) lately and I've noticed a slight decrease in supply and an unsettling in Faith while she's feeding and I know this could also be down to a growth spurt, but I would like to do all I can to increase my milk supply. Any ideas?

When are growth spurts meant to happen? Lauren has been getting exhausted so quickly all week and has to sleep every 1 and a half hours. Problem is she won't go down for more than half an hour in the morning. Sat in her room with her this morning, hoping to catch her as she stirred, but she wasn't having it. She obviously needs more as she is quite exhausted and miserable by the time her feed comes round at 11. Today I fed her at 10:30 and put her straight down and she slept for nearly 4 hours. Her afternoon nap is also very short and she was in bed at 6:45 tonight - dead asleep in a minute. When do you think she'll be able to handle being awake for longer periods?