November 2008 - Cooing babies, tired ladies

[LackaDAISYcal]

now I'm off to catch up.

Obs a couple of next directories do a great job of propping the cot up.

Baby bath- I haven't used our baby bath this time- DH never got it out of the eaves in the end. I just put her in the bath with my arm around her back and holding her under her arm, if you get the idea. Either that or get in the bath, too. Though TBH she only gets one a week at the most.

Daisy re-ear cheese. I'll never forget going to the HV with DD1 and the HV found loads of it in DD1's armpits. I was mortified, and it had gone a bit sore, too, the poor mite. Fucidin cleared up the soreness very quickly, and I was soo vigilant with the washing afterwards. She had very rolypoly armpits, in my defence

Lacks I reckon E could give your Bumble a run for his money in the staying awake stakes Pleased he slept for 6 hours solid last night though, hope he does it again and for longer tonight!
I have a question for you - E had a 6oz bottle of EBM at 6.30pm after feeding on and off for most of the afternoon whilst in the sling. But she's still hungry! Is this normal? I read posts about gaps between feeds and feeds taking 15-20 minutes and I know all babies are different but I just can't believe how hungry she seems to be all the time. And it does seem to be genuine hunger.
Ceebee Sorry Sam isn't smiling yet. My friend's DS2 didn't smile until 12 weeks and the hv was concerned but he just did it in his own time and now he's a very smiley and cheerful little boy. Hope you don't have to wait that long and that he gives you a smile very soon.
Obs Good to see you posting and hope you're feeling better. What a tough decision to have to make re bf But your health has to come first.
Juanitad I use a foam bath support similar to this and have found it very good. E seems very comfy in it too. You only need a few centimetres of water in the bottom of the bath. Once she can sit up then I'll stop using it.

cricri, I would suggest a visit to a baby feeding group or calling one of the BFing helplines for some advice.....or speak to the lovely tiktok or hunkermunker or grendle on here.

bumble seems as though he wants to feed lots when he is very windy, but as soon as he gets letdown he comes off again screaming. He is getting pretty clever at sucking without stimulating as my letdown can sometimes be five minutes after he has started! We do the finger test now....if he sucks hard on a finger, he just has wind; if he mucks about with the finger, then he wants nipple!

also, I was told by my BFing leader that a breast fed baby will often slurp down a bottle of ebm immediately after a breast feed, even though they can't possibly be hungry.

hi ladies. Not been on for 2 days and tried to read the posts quickly so apologies if i have missed anything.

tiger - hope you feeling better but completely understand your feelings.
obs - at your big 'O'. DH has been gradually been begging me more to 'resume business' but now is terrible since I went for my postnatal on Thursday. at your hypo. Hope you and DS are feeling ok and that things didnt go further with the police. You need to start, hard I know, putting you first and if giving up BF will help then so be it. I guess unhappy mummy unhappy family. Trust me I know ... to help you with whatever decision you make.

Baby Alyssa - Last few days been having a 'bedtime' routine and seems to be working. But I must admit it isnt by 7pm. Could be anywhere from 7-8ish. She has been feeding great and no vomiting since been on gaviscon for the last few days. Although she has been pooing more and its the type of poo that soaks into many layers of clothes.
DS - Getting more jealous as time goes on. If he gets 100% attention he is great any less then a pain in the arse and he is relentless. Even at times started to resent DS as I will be being fantastic with him and then get hit/kicked/shouted at/bitten (twice so far) for no reason. Also the fact that A is fantastic and I wish I could only have more time with her as because of DS she only gets the minimum to look after her. DH commented on it this morn when I got up after a lie in .
Last night were supposed to go to friend's house who live around the corner with kids but I was so drained by DS I cancelled at the last minute. Couldnt face it and just thought that I just want DS in bed cant deal with him until late at their house. He went to bed at 7pm no probs.

Alyssa QUESTION - She has for weeks not been one for waking (try everything) at the 10.30pm ish feed and we are lucky to get 1oz/30ml in her. SHOULD WE DROP THE FEED? Just it should be the early am 2.30am ish feed she drops first shouldnt it.

ME - Had postnatal and everything seems fine. Discussed contraception and I'm not going for the big 'O' until it is sorted. Even though me and DH said 2 kids is our limit I felt emotional talking about no more kids. Seemed so final. But then came home and thought yep 2 it is when DS started.
I had 10+ hours sleep last night when I woke just before the alarm at 10am this morn . I must have needed it as normally wake early because I just do or because I have heard the kids. Feel better sleep wise but still feel physically and emotionally weak.

FORGOT to mention ... been thinking about IF I'm going back to work at end of mat leave because if I am I need to put A name down on the waiting list like NOW. Well I think financially with A at nursery 3 full days (maybe) and DS at school half days then nursery for the other half of the day it isnt worth my while . But didnt even get as far as working out if worth while financially as realised no point working 1 hour, after taking off travelling 2 and from work and dropping kids at nursery then driving back, 3 days a week. Nearly 9 years of experience in the s**tter as would need to retrain in future never mind could set of guys i work with and loss of income.

QUESTION FOR EMPLOYMENT GURU - If I dont return to work do I need to pay back the childcare vouchers work have had to pay me whilst on mat leave?

good not could. DUH! Boy o boy i have scared everyone off with my monster posts and questions. Sorry not been on for days.

lol vbab, I'll save you from talking to yourself

but not sure on the routine question....if i could do routine I would as bumble is driving us nuts. He is such an enigma!

do you think DS's behaviour is just normal toddler stuff, or a bit more? It might be worth chatting to your HV about dealing with him/coping strategies for when he behaves like this. It really sounds to be getting you down

gotta go, milk monster is awake and huuuuuuungry!

Hi babes,

Well, after a lovely weekend in which I achieved cock all apart from having a lovely tea, all is calm and bright chez Saurus this evening. DH is just going to iron his work shirt for tomorrow after changing Fin and getting him back to sleep and we have had a lovely sulk chat this evening in which I have promised to stop whining at him and he has promised to stop shirking all housework and behaving like a teenager.

The silence is lovely and the kitchen is clean.

Off to catch up and then will chat properly, unless conjugal demands are made.

Just re Lacks' last post, I am desperate to get both Fin and DH into a routine but both are somewhat reluctant. Reading Gina only made me depressed!

Sorry, "Hi babes"? Was texting at the time.

Okay, gosh, Obs, poor you. Hope you're feeling better.

Vbab, sympathy in big bags coming your way. You still up for Meadowhall on Tues? I am but understand if you are feeling pressured and don't want to add to it.

Tiger, I will add my name to the list of people who feel awkard in social situations. I tend to either mumble or get over-effusive and then DH gets embarrassed as I interrupt people all the time.

I've just got this mental image of the Trafford Centre meet up - a big gaggle of pushchairs, Hula jeans, toddlers and social blundering! It sounds ace and I for one am looking forward to it!

Big O - have managed 3 medium ones iykwim but hey, that's probably more than in the previous 6 months!

Twinkle, smiling is lovely but Fin grins when I am trying to get him to sleep and he isn't in the mood, which is cute but a leetle trying at 2 am... I wish he'd take it a bit more seriously but he obviously thinks it's a wonderful game called "Shush" that mum and dad play at night with him.

Spoke too soon about the silence - DH is currently starting round 3 of "Shush", having been outwitted in the previous 2 rounds. I'm gonna do his shirt for him as he has now been at it for half an hour.

Evening all

Obs sorry about your hypo. Just not what you needed on top of the other stuff, but glad you are feeling better now. Re the reflux pillow etc, we bought a thing called the cocoon from www.babyreflux.co.uk, which positions the baby at a slight upward slant and also hs an inbuilt heartbeat sound for soothing. We actually got it so we could co-sleep safely (my DH is a big bloke so we wanted something that would raise her up in the bed so that he couldn't roll over her by mistake.) It works well for us - Tirion still has sicky issues and wind problems, but I think it helped a bit.

Juanitad - I do as hana does and have Tirion in the bath with me or DH. She really loves it too - a real water baby! We just wash her first before we have used soap or shampoo so the water is clear of chemicals and then hand her out. Possible on your own but a bit less easy.

Hana - how do you get on with your tummy tub? I thought they looked great but couldn't work out how you would get your hands down the side of the baby to wash its bum!

growth spurts - DH and I almost at end of tethers today as Tirion very grumbly, witha lot more screaming and cryoing (and not obviously caused by wnd like usual) and was questing for food constantly, even just after a feed was finished. Just figured out (we think) that it might actually be the six week growth spurt. We had a similar few days at 2-3 weeks of age and apparently these are classic times (2 weeks, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months). I was surprised TBH that these growtn spurts were not more widely advertised by MW, HVs etc as we have been taken aback and not known why LO ws so upset and screamy on both occasions until we figured it out through googling. Did your LOs have them too?

lacks - thanks. I thought I was going to have to chat with the voices in my head then . RE DS and talking to HV they all say the usual:

• try to ignore behaviour that isnt severe or doesnt put DS or A in danger. I DO but trouble is majority is severe but also believe if you let a child get away with something once they will keep doing it as think it is ok or mum doesnt care.
• no smacking. Fine did it once, regretting it and made no difference to DS behaviour.
• use naughty chair or such like. ERM it is obvious she has never met my DS.

To be honest just something me and DH have got to get on with and hope it passes soon. ruth - Yep still on for meeting Tues. Shush method - well done to anyone who does it successfully. A just doesnt seem to like it. 10.30/11pm* last* feed - Decided to try dropping the feed as, mentioned in post, A only has about 1oz of feed after ages. MISTAKE!!! She woke at 12.30 after going down in basket 7.15ish after feed . Then 4.15am, then 6.15am after whinging for ages . ME&DH - Last night he made the mistake of saying "are we going to talk about us then". I told him EVERYTHING I was feeling and have felt since long before A was a twinkle in my eye. What he is like with me and DS. What my daily "life" is like. That seems like I am here just to do stuff and get treated like a worthless piece of s**t. That when I went for my drive the other week, which he didnt even no I'd gone, I thought "would anyone miss me" and thought "no" but dont want A growing up thinking she must of been the cause or DS growing up being seen as the cause (part if the prob not all). DH, who was slightly emotional, kept saying how much he loves me and finds me attractive and always has. He wanted me to cuddle, that's it, but just couldnt as feel so hurt. I should feel better for getting it all out in the open but just feel numb and raw now.

vbab glad you managed to talk it out with DH, I know it feels a bit shitty at the mo but it will have done you good to say it and hopefully will start to get things back on track.
You have my sympathies re DS i'm having similar problems with mine, I'm sure its just the terrible twos deep down but boy is he winding me up. He too is a love when he is getting the attention but torture as soon as I do anything with Jay, and like you I am resenting not having the same time with Jay that I had with him. He screams at me which is prob my fault for screaming at him.
He said to me yesterday 'Mammy am I torture?' ooops
Jay is finally going to bed around 8-9pm which is progess, we've dropped the late feed and have had 3 very different nights. 1st night 12:30, 6:15, 2nd night 4:30 only, last night 12:30, 5am. I'm going to give it a couple more days and see if the good nights outweigh the bad!

Oops sorry that turned into a ramble.

Hello all,
I have not posted on this thread for ages as I have had everybody in this house with flu and my MN time seriously limited. First dh then dd1 ( they overlapped ) dd1 seemed better and dh was almost out of the woods then dd1 relapsed and then minirosa got a version of it . I seemed to be doing circuits of doctors ( to get dh exemption of work certificate). Then dd1 doc then on sat the emergency paed for minirosa which happened to be our doc ( phew) as she was on the borderline of having to be admitted due to her age and temperature.However it all seems to be down now I have gone grey in the process and am stuffing myself with vitamins and hoping its not my turn.
On my next visit I will try and read through all the posts and catch up .

HELP So Esme had her first injections last Wednesday and she is still 'OFF'. Not herself at all. Quite sleepy, not taking all her bottle and grumbly when awake. She also has a very bad stuffed up nose and woke herself this morning at 01.45 in a panic and she sounded like she couldn't breath proerly it was awful. How long can the injections maker her feel poorly for???

pinkali - Not sure how long they should make a baby poorly for. But maybe worth just calling doctor for advice.

ladybuzz - thank you and also sorry that you are having probs with DS too.

Vbab we will get through this together
Pinkali I don't think it should be this long but i can't be sure, Sounds like she has maybe got a bit of a cold? I would phone the doctor it can't do any harm and will put your mind at ease if nothing else. Hope she is OK soon. Jay is very chesty and it is scary at times.

Hi all,

What a night, what a night... Fin finally down at 1am after we started the whole grisly process at 9pm. He actually emptied both boobs - I dodn't think it was possible and at one point got through 4 nappies in half an hour. We had given up and just popped him down on the bed after a change, turned round and the little git was asleep! Worked out we must have been keeping him awake.

So he is sleeping now but I am going to go and wake him at 10 so he doesn't sleep the whole morning through (again ).

Hi Rosa - sounds like my Xmas but SO much worse - poor you.

Pinkali Fin was the same - temperature, funny poo etc - and only really sorted himself out on Saturday after his jabs on Monday but maybe she has a baby cold on top. Have you tried saline nasal drops? They are brilliant but gross - and work immediately so have a tissue on standby! I used them on Fin and this HUGE green bogey appeared as if by magic. Disgusting but effective and weirdly satisfying. And he could breathe properly again so all was calm and bright.

They also stopped DH from snoring for a night!

Ladybuzz hugs for Jay's cold and DS1's stroppy.

Vbab, much the same hugs plus an extra one for your conversation with DH and I know what you mean. I keep having the thought that they would all be better off without me but then I remember how I felt (and still feel sometimes, tbh )missing my mum after she died when I was 8 and they would miss you like crazy, hon. Kick DH in the nuts by all means though, and I'll do mine and then we can swap for a bit!

Hi to everyone else - gtg as I am nearly at cage-rattling time...

morning everyone,

goodluck rutho on waking up F!
vbab and ladybuzz hope things start to improve soon with DS 1's.

hi rosa hope you escape the lurgy!

Done it (smug grin)! OMG, what a successful morning so far - change feed poo change sleep change feed poo change play! And so it goes.

We're going to try out the rain hood on the Bee in a bit - library and then baby massage - and I'm going to walk so that I burn of a calorie.

He's alseep AGAIN! I turn round and Gah! Snoozy baby! I give up - I shall become nocturnal too. It's only a student routine he's following, anyway - he's usually up by 3...

LOL rutho i started GF routine with my bundle today (well roughly, looks way too much work to stick to it 100%) and got up at 7am!! unheard of for both of us, surprisingly enough he didnt want to wake up at 7am and it took lots of stories, singing, dancing around with him to keep him awake!
phew, im knackered now!!

rutho...it's obviously a "Yorkshire Fin" thing, lol.

not too bad here....he slept for a couple of hours in the evening; I woke him up and fed him at 10.30. DH had him awake downstairs until 1, then he fed and was asleep (and here's the important bit), in his own bed from 1.45am until 5.45am. We feel like we are making progress of sorts.

Went for a walk this morning; about an hour and a hlaf, and pushing a double buggy so feel like I've had a workout!

Finally got the Wii out of the box and did some step and hulahooping and yoga breathing exercises; it's good fun. My Wii fit age is 32.....yay, I've knocked 8 years off before I even start (although how that's possible I have no idea)

vbab, have you read the book called "toddler taming". I've heard good things about it. Also, can you try a reward chart? DS really responded to star charts when he was younger.

I think the saline drops are also great . We also have a spray here for the older one which she actually doesn't mind . It brings the gunge down especially if they have not learnt to 'blow properly'. Minirosa did some gret bogey projectile sneezes. She is still snuffly but I think much better. We have injections at the end of this month and I am not looking forward to them - dd1 had a bit of a fever reaction to some but not all .
I too got friendly with my Wii fit this morning - I moved it , patted it and put it back. I must do something more but I am scared it will say ' get off you are too heavy and past hope '. I am trying now to get minirosa to slep in her cot / moses basket during the day ..not doing very well despite her having a ramp of baby pillows due to her snuffles. We can but perservere !