December 2008 - Its not wind they are smiling.

[JamInMyWellies]

Here we go ladies Rosmerta suggestion.

[kayzr]

LadyT I hope you don't mind but I have borrowed your arguement that a name can't be posh but the person can be.

How can Freddie be posh??

[jumpjockey]

turnip you cheeky blighter implying I've been on the booze [hic] erm, rumbled! We took dd to the pub in the sling to meet a couple of friends and I had a very lovely pint of ale.

trace bizarrely I find that my feet get really hot when I'm feeding?? so at night I end up half kicking the duvet off then getting really cold once she's finished. It makes no sense!

Bisou thanks for the cloth nappies info, not sure if they're available in the uk but one to add to the list. Thanks also katie, I've heard of the tots bots ones so will keep an eye out for them too.

everyone who's been to the loo with nipper - well all I can say is if you've got a baby in a sling, it does make loo trips much easier but do make sure you've adjusted the straps otherwise you may get a nasty surprise when you stand up

oh and thanks everyone for your lovely comments on dd's attempted grin - she clearly is the most lovely baby ever to grace God's green earth

[kmp1]

LadyT which Baby Bjorn do you have? I nearly bought the "Synergy" but then I was given my nephews old carrier which was barely used and it seems ok. Do you have the original or a newer one?

[Veggiemummy]

Hooray we are postnatal. I haven't actually read any of the thread yet though just bookmaking myself on here. I loved the stats V. Interesting, and hooray to the big 'ol homebirth bubs.

I too would love to come to a London meet up so if it is on one of the weekends we are down there will come along. We are coming down to London tarn sometime in late feb to show off Jordy to our friends down there and also meet our new nephew. SIL had a boy today.

I dropped my mum at the airport today it was sad saying goodbye and DS1 has loved having her here and will
miss but it will be nice to go back to relative normality and get back into some sort of routine with my little family. DH is still working from home and has next week off as annual leave then after that, my sahm maternity leave is over and it back to just me and my boys.

DH looks set to be away a lot from then unfortunately but we knew I'd be left alone eventually so hey ho. A mum at ds1s nursery also has a husband who is away a lot and we are meeting for a coffee tomorrow as she desperately needs some adult company and we have bonded as we both are left alone by work away husbands and she is also new to the area too.

[chutneymary]

Morning all

Veggie, IKWYM about getting the routine back. It must have been great to have your mum over but now you are back to normality it all feels much more real, doesn't it? Does this new friend live close by? I ask as if your DHs' dont go away at the same time, you might be able to pop over to hers in the evening with J or she come to you. I went to a friend's at the end of the road (with M) on Monday and being out in the evening made me feel much more like my old self.

KMP, I have the "old" bjorn and it is great. I don't like it as much when they are bigger but for the first few months it is a lifesave. I also have a very wholemeal fabric sling which I am looking forward to trying. I think if you want informed sling advice rather than just my ramblings, you need Effie, the sling queen.

Dr JJ, your DD is gorgeous! I didn't realise that she and M were birth twins.

Kayz, you get the medal for tenacity and bravery with your feeding. No one could have done more to give BF their best shot. How has it been since that post? I sometimes look at M when he is very still and wait for him to let out a huge sigh, just to prove he is OK.

LadyT, I am so very sorry about your DP's friend. Things like that tend to bring one back to reality with a bit of a bump. Hope your DP is OK, well, as far as he can be in the circs.

Turnip, big love to you and your little boy. My DD2 is struggling too and it's heartbreaking. I am sure they will both settle soon but in the meantime it's so hard. Give him a big cuddle from me.

Verso, have texted you.

ZJ, thanks for all your stats work, it was very interesting reading.

Hello Bisou, sorry about your nips. Hope you are feeling better soon. WHat is the opera you are going back to? I love opera and am lucky that a friend has just got a job leading the ENO orchestra so cheap tickets for me will abound.

Sorry not more joy at the Craniologist Cat. Is there anything else you can try? hope T feels better soon.

Sorry not more replies - DD1 wants to watch Angelina while I have a bath. Hope the sleepers have slept overnight and everyone is OK.

Must go - have a good day everyone

[rosmerta]

morning all, hope everyone had a reasonable night

ladyt sorry to hear about your dp's friend.

kayz I tend to hover over ds2 as well, sometimes I wake up with a start if he's too quiet when he's sleeping and have to put my hand on his chest just to check!

turnip my ds went through aweek or 2 of not been himself as well. He just seemed sad which broke my heart. We just made sure he had lots of reassurance, cuddles & 1-2-1 time with either me & dh & he quickly recovered. He's fine now apart from the occasional wobble but then he is 3!

trace & anyone else who's managed it, I'm in awe of you being able to hold the baby & go to the toilet, not something I've been able to master. The one time I tried when ds1 was a baby I nearly dropped him down the loo

Ok, will be back to finish but one of my boys is stinky, need to administer the sniff test

[rosmerta]

London meetup: you all beat me, I was going to suggest a Tues or Fri when I don't have ds1! Never mind, I'll see if I can get dh to have the morning off. Have we got a date or place yet?

[kayzr]

Morning,

Chutney and Rosmerta I'm really glad I'm not the only one, I used to do it with DS1 too. They should snore or something.

Last night wasn't too bad, but he wouldn't go to sleep until half 12, then woke up at 6 so I really can't complain. Except DS1 has started waking up every time DS2 does, we've been giving him some milk but I think we will have to stop that.

Watching GMTV and Mr Motivator(sp) is doing exercises with babies.

Hope everyone is ok.

[hattyyellow]

morning all,

verso, huge hugs. has the formula top up worked? it was the best thing i ever did both times around, my babies never stop feeding either and the more stressed and tired i get the more i struggle to make the milk. sorry if i get shot down in flames here..but is the breastfeeding that crucial? the most important thing perhaps is that you get enough rest to stay sane and well and enjoy your family..i mixed fed with my twins and felt so guilty but it saved my mental and physical health to help myself a little..hope i don't offend you by saying this..

kayz, huge hugs to you, hope the health visitor is sympathetic and supportive.

turnip, congrats to your friend with twin pregnancy! i've been wondering how gbb is getting on too..

re night feeds, i stopped co sleeping after week 1 both times as i was just sooooooooo tired that i felt wired and worried the whole time that i'd injure dd. she will settle in moses basket at night now but during day its hard to get her to go to sleep..and in evenings i feed her and she then falls asleep on dh who wakes her for her formula top up last thing...that feed really keeps me sane, just knowing i can switch off for one point each day..i know she technically shouldnt fall asleep on him but shes still so tiny..our twins didnt go for routines until 6 weeks and they are great sleepers now..i think hv's rush in too fast to talk about bad habits at a few weeks old..

my health visitor is coming tmrw and the first thing she said on the phone was that i was mad to breastfeed with two kids already at home as well!!!

am trying to take things one day at a time, when i have more sleep i'm fine, when i have a bad night and then all 3 kids at home i'm a bit of a wreck! and i can't wait for some milder weather to get out more also!

those of you at 6 weeks and beyond are the nights getting easier? (clinging to straws of hope emoticon!)

[traceface]

hi.
I am too hormonal to be let loose on society! this morning I cried in the playground at school, not because Lucy was upset about going - oh no - she skipped merrily in and gave me a big smiley wave - I cried because someone else's child was upset! Never met the child or the mother, don't even know the name, but seeing her sad little tear stained face as she clung to her mummy and had to be gently extracted by the teacher...it was all too much for me!

kayz - has your hv rung you back yet?

so...what is everyone's favourite thing that their newborn does?
for me it's this thing where phoebe sneezes, then she goes to sneeze again, but instead of a sneeze she lets out a little tuneful sigh - very cute indeed - it's the nicest sound in the world to me!

excuse the lack of capitals - am typing 1-handed as usual. phoebe is asleep on me - or at least she was until my tummy just let out a mighty rumble - think i need some fodder...

[kayzr]

Yeah, she said to give it a few days and if I still feel down to ring her back or see GP. I feel alot better today though.

[Turniphead1]

kayz glad you are feeling better. The newborn period really is "waves on the shore" one day good, the next less good - that's how I find it!

trace bless you and your empathy for that little girl! I love your favourite thing your DD does. Mine is head bobbing like a meercat as she seeks out the twinkly lights we have round our glass roof lights in the kitchen. MUST post some photos otherwise you will all think I am a fantasist and made her up...
Oh, and I still sweaty at night.

Seems to be around 3/4am - hormone rush and yuk, hate it. A taster of the menopause (nice!).
How is DD1 enjoying school?

On Things That Made Me Cry that Wouldn't Normally - my DD said to DS the other day as he scoffed a bit of flake off a Flake Cake (can't imagine what said pastries were doing in my house) wistfully "oh, what does that taste like Eoghan". She is allergic to milk, egg and kiwi since birth and has never tasted milk chocolate. She is so good, never whines, just knows what she can acn't have. Just about broke my heart (but normally wouldn't have made me sob uncontrollably...)

Hatty I must say, I agree with your comment re; is mixed feeding the end of the world...Yes, in an ideal world etc etc. But as my Dh says - he would like his children to be breastfed if possible but would much rather have a sane, semi-well rested wife than a total nutter...and if the two are connected, well. Frankly, I do not think I would still be exc. breastfeeding at the moment except for the fact that we are lucky to be able to afford a temp fulltime nanny to help with the other two. (so - hats off to you Hatty - not impressed by what your HV said. How about - "aren't you f*cking fabulous to be looking after three tiny people and breastfeeding one of them!!" (scuse the bad language) but a little positivity might not go amiss. Well done you!

Chutney thanks for your hugs to my little man - I send some back to your DD and any siblings coping with the Brave New World. Yup, it will pass and he seems a little happier today. As others have mentioned the lack of routine and upset around xmas doesn't help. Once we get into day to day life it will be easier.

rosmerta hmmm - time and place for meet. ..OK, we need somewhere spacious (so many ladies, so many prams - it will be like an uber NCT meetup). The cafe in the National Theatre on the South Bank is quite big I think - very open to ideas anywhere central/on tube.jolly hope you can come!!! Hope as many as poss can come, like Nolda Kayz and so on. Nolda edwin is a lovely lovely name.

veggie glad you have someone to spend time with when Dh is away. It's great he has been around for a nice long time but then I imagine it will be tough once he is away for trips away. What does he do if you don't mind me asking?

Jump what a lovely lovely picture. I was about to say..I can't wait til L smiles (and then I remembered she is my last baby and I am not wishing her newborn days away ) What a sweetie.

ladyT so sorry about your DP's friend. It puts life in perpective all right.

KMP I really hope your DH's grandad improves if that is a possibility.

Right better go feed my pumpkin.

[Turniphead1]

"I still sweaty at night" English is my first language. Honest.

[kayzr]

There is an offer in the local paper for cheap tickets to London. So we might be up for it. DH wants to take DS1 to the transport museum.

[emmanbubba]

Hi All,

Found you! Yay we are postnatal.

ZJ thanks for the stats, make for very interesting reading

Amber is 2 wks old today. Had the HV round for the first time and Amber has put on weight and is above her birth weight, so much for me worrying about BF and how much she was actually taking.

So tired, LO doesn't settle down after night feeds and it can take 2 hours to get her back to sleep. She seems to be of a snacker. Anyway I have finally resorted to a dummy as she just wants to be attached to me the whole time and is making me rather sore. Not sure if this is wise and or whether it will confuse DD but it's worth a try.

Sending hugs to all sorry for not doing personals. Only managing to log on about once a week. Right better go and check on the bubba

[traceface]

ooh phoebe just did a scary choke-and-go-blue-round-the-mouth thang. She's fine now but that was horrid. A bit of sick went the wrong way I think. Yikes. Saw gp yesterday and got gaviscon for her reflux - if it is reflux - so will try that today. Don't want a repeat of the blue-lips.
turnip that's so sad about the flake cake. does no-one make a milk, egg and kiwi-free flake cake?!! it would probably taste vile if they did. your poor dd.
kayz - glad you're feeling a bit better today.

phoebe just exploded and managed to get her poo to come out of the nappy, through the vest, through the babygro, on to my trousers and into her hair!!!! I stripped her off, left her on the changing mat and went to run an emergency bath, came back to find she'd piddled on the mat so was swimming in pooey-wee, which also trickled onto the (not new) carpet...I gave her a bath, made her beautiful again and then as i lifted her out she vomited all over herself! cleaned her all up, got her dressed in clean dry stuff, and she's just puked down that!!!! I think I need some chocolate - when she finally stops emitting bodily fluids!

[traceface]

emma - we do dummy and BF with no confusion - i think some babies are fine with it

[emmanbubba]

Ooh Trace poor Phoebe, sounds like she is having a rough time. Hope that is it and no more blue lips / poo / sick.

Thanks re dummy and BF. Do you take the dummy out or let baby decide when enough is enough.

[traceface]

she usually lets it flop out when she's asleep. i do it because like yours, she likes to suck and my nips need some time off!

[zoejeanne]

LadyT so sorry to read about your DP?s friend, how sad for his family and especially his two children, you are right about it putting it all in perspective ? I?ve given DD extra kisses today, just because I can. And KMP my thoughts are with your family today as well.

Jollybear ? my maternity clothes are in a pile waiting to be packed up, but I can?t quite bring myself to put them away just yet, I do still miss being pregnant even though I love having DD.

Congrats to veggie?s SIL

Trace ? please don?t hate me, but I am laughing out loud at the mix of fluid that has come out of your DD. Oh just wait til my turn comes, then I won?t be laughing!

DD is a noisy snuffly snoring sleeper, but when she does quieten down I breathe a sigh of relief for a bit of peace, followed swiftly by giving her a poke to check she?s fine, getting those snuffles and snores started again and keeping me awake. Seems like there?s a whole gang of us poking babies when they?re too quiet!

These favourite things are lovely ? I think my favourite thing is watching DH and DD have a cuddle, they just stare into each others eyes for hours and its beautiful and my heart melts for them both every time. She is already a daddy?s girl and will want for nothing her whole life, I?m sure.

Last night DD had a mammoth feeding session that seemed to last for ever, but afterwards she (and I) slept for 6 hours without waking, I think that was the best thing ever. But how long before she does it again I wonder?

[rosmerta]

Am liking the favourite things, mine so far is watching ds1 play with ds2, giving him toys etc. Ds1 also gets the biggest smiles, I just know ds2 already adores his big brother [sappy smile]!

trace hope dd is ok, I remember ds1 doing poos like that, we ended up cutting his vest off once!

zj good sleep!

turnip South Bank is good for me, there's a disabled exit at Waterloo which makes it a bit easier for pushchairs. Unless anyone can think of anywhere better?

[kayzr]

My favourite thing so far is when DS2 tries to hold his head up and he nods his head like one of those nodding dogs you can get for your cars. He looks so cute.

[artichokes]

hello

i can't believe we have graduated to the post-natal boards! it made me feel a little sad when i saw the link, no more births stories and suspense. talk about rose tinted glasses - i complain all pregnancy and throughout labour and now i am nostalgic for it all.

zoe - i loved your stats. well done you. interesting how many more of us went into labour early, i think that is quite unusual.

ladyt - your poor friend. my mum lost my dad to a sudden brain haemorrage when i was five months old. i can't imagine how she, or your friend, coped. what i can say is that i didn't suffer as i was too young to miss him, hopefully that will be the same for your friend's kids.

kmp - thinking of you, your dh and his grandad.

kayz - your persistance is admirable, your ds is lucky to have a mum so willing to fight for what is best for him.

poisondwarf - nice to seeyou on here. is your little one growing into her name? i get so many nice comments when i tell people dd's name. i tyhink we chose well!

verso and cat - i hope you are both coping. you deserve medals for putting up with so little sleep and still being such loving mummies.

news here is that the bottle battle continues. we have found a teat that dd will occassionally suck but she still takes very little and gags alot. this afternoon i had a lovely 2 hour break (shoe shopping in westfield) and dh stayed home with dd and some expressed milk. she took 50ml over 2 hours which sounds nothing but is the best yet. does anyone know how many mls of ebm is a full feed at this age?

other news is that dd is now 11lbs 7oz! she is huge - 99.6th centile.

i am loving our lists of fav things. my fav thing is when dd does a sleepy stretch. she looks so cute stretching out her little hands in front of her face and pushing her neck up. dh says she looks like bagpuss when she does it.

[artichokes]

sorry i meant to say...

turnip - southbank is good for me. when are we thinking of? i can't do mondays and fridays might be hard, but i hope i can fit in with whatever.

[artichokes]

and me again!

am i the only one still having to wear maternity gear??? everyone seems to be packing it away . if i did that i would need to buy a whole new wardrobe several sizes bigger than my usual one .