June 2008: Nine months in, nine months out

[Essie3]

Here's to the next nine months!

PFB sticker coming your way But honestly I was wayyy worse with DS1.

Our nursery uses yoghurt as the tummy-filler, they often offer it if they think a child is hungry after a meal. You might want to ask if this is normal, just say that then you want to make sure he doesn't get too much yoghurt at home too.

Yes we have 2 little grumpy feverish people here too - hard work isn't it! Poppy I now don't worry for just a fever even if it lasts a few days, I just keep them dosed up on calpol and nurofen (and actually only even that if they're uncomfortable), and would only take them in if they're really ill or there are other symptoms. But this is after 2 1/2 years of dealing with this stuff and with my PFB I was back and forth to the dr.s loads in the early stages - it's all part of getting to know what you're comfortable with, what the dr.s will do and how your particular kids respond to being ill. When it's a baby the dr.s are always happy to see them repeated times if you're worried.

viva yes 6 days is a bit extreme - I think stopping breastfeeding suddenly was my body's cue to ovulate and get weirdly hyper-fertile - I think of it as being mugged by Nature! So be warned anyone considering stopping bfing! Can't complain really though as it saved me a few trips to the fertility clinic

AH surely there's no such thing as too much yoghurt?

BDQ - we all get that sticker the first time around. I was weirdly obsessive about when ds1 breastfeed and for how long. Thank god Jamie wasn't my pfb they'd have carted me off to the looney bin months ago given his issues.

Hi all,

Sorry to hear everyone's woes with sicky babies and no sleep. I am in exactly the same boat. Luke was sick three times this morning. I am still amazed at how much can come out of one so small. He was sick all over me just as I had got dressed for work. It went everywhere and all in my hair so the hairdo has been washed away as I had to get in the shower to cleanse myself of baby puke. He's been really miserable today poor thing. It's not like him as he's usually happy even when he's ill. He's had a runny bottom for days now too and I know he's losing weight as his trousers are too big round the waist. The HV said leave it a couple more days.

For those having broken nights, I have been back at work full time for 6 weeks. Only 1 night has Luke slept until 6. All the other nights I have been woken multiple times and then up for the day anywhere between 4.30 and 6. I am starting to get used to the tiredness and feeling dizzy/faint at work and it seems almost normal now. There - hope you feel better!

hi all systemsaddict glad its part of becoming a vintage mum ...she was a lot better after sleep at lunch, even ate something so felt embarassed taking her in -however saw nice doc (dr tactless was out) who looked her over adn thought she might have an ear infection so has antibiotcis. then got home and she got much worse again..but now seems ok again - i guess you learn over the years!

still going to keep her dosed up though as she gets very uncomfy with the heat (made worse as likes to sleep on me) - have dug out hte summer weight grobag for tongiht tho.

must say found it very draining -dh away , had loads planned so all been cancelled so was feeling very miserable, worried and lonely (had a little sympathy cry with edie early )-glad I've got mn tho.

So I definltely need a pfb sticker...

don' know how you're coping Amber, working full time and being this exhausted, surely the phase will come to an end soon

Amber - sounds like you are having a tough time. Is your nursery still letting look come with the D&V?

Sorry Luke

amberthat is so rough -but it can take ages to shift bugs like that - esp if the nursery is the cause. Poor you and poor luke.

Aw, Amber, Luke's birthday buddy has been exactly the same today - poor babies.

This has probably been suggested before, but can you not get your night nanny back? You can't carry on with that level of tiredness Amber - even if you can't get your original nanny could you not get someone else? Even if for a couple of nights a week or once at the weekend so you can catch up?

poppy, sorry you're feeling low too .

Morning all.

Well it was 4.30 and 6.15 this morning, one of each.

If you can remember my bank charges problem, Lloyds have not refunded them but has given us a goodwill gesture payment of £290. Woohoo.

And the other good news is that my old cat who lives with my parents has made it the 4 miles from their new house to their old house safely.

Five - that cat story is amazing!! Wow!

Poppy - hope your LO gets better soon poor thing - it's horrid isn't it and you worry so much.

Yes Luke is allowed with D&V bizarrely as he doesn't have a temperature and that seems to be all they look out for.

Our night nanny has gone to Tenerife until May so we can't have her and I don't know how Luke would feel with a completely new person. If things get worse I will think about it but I am 'coping' at the moment. Saying that Mark is going to Tokyo ion business from Monday to Friday so will have to do everything alone - hope he's better by then!

amber she is a lot better today (after last night) - almost normal although still going to take it easy with her today as know how quickly she can turn. By the way, is it normal for antibiotics to cause interesting/violently coloured nappies (apologies for TMI,the reason I ask and don't think its a bug is that the colour of the nappy is rather close to the nasty colour of the medicine).

could you get a baby sitter in to help next week - that way at least for a few hours someone else could settle him? I can see how you're dreading mark being away as even if you're doing the settling at least someone else can be company, get you a cup of tea etc etc

sponge how is a today?

5 that is good news re charges and the cat - I remember how pissed off you were re bank.

Glad she's improved poppy and yes, I think the nappies sound normal too.

Amber you sound like you're doing very well with a herculean load there! I remember very well from when my son was a baby that feeling of going to work while being so tired I was dizzy. I couldn't believe it was possible to cope like that but it's funny how you adapt, isn't it? Hopefully it shouldn't be for too much longer!!

Oddly, I am being woken up Caitlin just as often as I was by Liam, but somehow I'm not nearly as tired during the day - maybe my body has completely adapted to this as the norm now and when I do finally get my first full night's sleep in 3 years or whatever it is I will not be able to function

oh and 5, what a clever cat!!

Well done Amber - lucky you with the nursery. I have just had to persuade them to take DS as he has been throwing up (positive that is due to weaning of Gaviscon) and dodgy nappies (think I fed him something).

I had a lovely wasted 30 minutes this morning. DS was due his 8 month check, second appointment as was very poorly when his first one was. Went in, did the touch screen, no appointment came up but just presumed (stupidly) that the HV's work on a diferent system. Went upstairs to wait, 30 mins went by so came back down and told receptionist that was going but haven't been see. Apparently she was in her room but didn't get that I was waiting for her. She didn't even have the intelligence to check the waiting room. Have also asked the Doc for a refferal to dietician/nutritionist and poss paeds as I can't go on diagnosing and feeding Sebastian with information from here.

Was the check worth it after the wait 5? My was basically my lovely hv agreeing with me that J doesn't need to be weighed again until 2 yrs and handing over the free books. I could see the point of it when they needed to do the hearing check but unless you have a problem which you'd surely see them about anyway I don't really think they are that relevent. Feel free to disagree though

no sybil I completely agree (given we're not going to get one anyway cos all hv round here have left - what a joy this PCT is ).. we had early hearing test in hospital so I'm not concerned about that. As you say if you were worried you'd go to the GP...

Yep we had ours last week and while it was nice to see my HV, who held my hand a lot while I was learning this baby stuff so I feel fond of her, I didn't really feel we got that much out of it - beyond being told Caitlin has a small head - but having seen the amount of wriggling she was doing while HV was trying to measure her I wasn't overly concerned! Books were good though

At my 8 month check (which they f'd up by the way timing wise) they were a bit concerned about Luke's height (off the end of the scale)and they checked his spine to make sure he wasn't growing too fast. He has dropped weight wise a bit but still bang on 50 so that's not too bad. Thing is with his height he's the same shape as a golf club - long and thin with enourmous feet!

Thanks for all the concern ladies, it's really nice. I don't want to bring in a stranger now to be honest as when Luke was 6 weeks he couldn't have cared less who fed him in the night, but if he woke up now and a stranger tried to deal with him he'd quite rightly be frightened I think. I will cope. I think I will get my friend to come round for a night and stay over. It can't last forever right? That's what I keep telling myself! Luke was sick all over me and Mark last night at midnight poor thing. I think I will get him a docs appt tomorrow.

Lol @ Luke looking like a golf club - bless him!

poppy, glad edie is on the mend. Alex is really really poorly unfortunately - he has been sick again today, so three days in a row now, plus horrendous diarrhea which came out of the top of his babygro this morning . He is at present fast asleep in dh's arms after throwing up all over him . He's a horrible grey colour and his little tummy is all shrunken.

Hope it doesn't last too much longer - it's awful seeing him so listless.

Hope everyone else is having a better day.

Didn't stay for the check, needed to get him in to nursery as had things to do.

Amber worth getting an appointment. DS was like this and was put on diorolite for a few hours and no food to help get bug out of his system

oh sponge thats tough - but think 5 idea a good one.

sponge sounds like classic D&V get thee to s doctor. S was like this a couple of weeks ago was managing 3oz every 6 hours, 12 hours on rhydration stuff worked wonders.

Lots of poorly babies by the sounds of things, so sending virtual support far and wide.

Thanks all for kind words re my pfb status. Nappy was fine yesterday, but his naps all over the place so I'm trying to tell myself that it's just a settling in process and not that they aren't paying attention to his needs.

I'm obviously very subconsciencely worried about him being at nursery as for the last few weeks I've been waking dh in my sleep with cuddles and comforting words of 'it's ok, mummy's here'