jan 09; dream feeds, sod mummy's needs, shes on her knees...the one where it all starts to get better (hopefully)!

[fourlittlefeet]

here we are; a bit early, but one more task done. tick

Spink LOL at 'budded in nip'...

Thanks for cradle cap advice - hopefully it won't last for too long. I'm not sure the shampoo will help as its not actually on his scalp as such - more along the front of his hairline and across his eyebrows. It def looks better after first olive oil session last night but has got worse during the day.

Hello and welcome feedmenow - great name!

MM busy morning! Once again am stunned as to how you find the time to do all that while I seem to take all day just to feed, dress lo and myself, and change a couple of nappies!

Wow, what a lovely day it's been here - sunny and mild. Had lunch with friends in a lovely cafe in Highgate Woods - elkie have you ever been? Not sure how close you are, but they do brilliant mums & babies 'power-walking' sessions every morning there - I often used to see them walking around the woods with their prams, and then they all go for cake in the cafe afterwards! Looks like fun... Anyway, hope your mum & baby group went well. I love just being somewhere where no-one gives you a dirty look if your baby won't stop crying!

x-posted with you Lenni - the CRV sounds fab, I really want one now!

What do you farm?

Yey for your DS sleeping! That's ace. Nye is also gradually sleeping more and more - although right now he is fast asleep on my breast with his face squidged between my boob and the pillow - not sure quite how he is managing to breathe!

T-Shirts mainly MissJ! And 20 sheep. We still have sheep on the land but only 20 are "ours", although they are cared for my a farmer, we just do the day to day stuff like counting them and things. DH sells clothes on the internet and has converted the outbuildings to a warehouse and offices. Not as exciting as your DH's trekking business.

LenniEd coincidentally with you being in Solihull this weekend, we are up North next weekend visiting some of our our old friends (and haunts) in Lancashire.

What did you get up to with the DCs? I'm always complaining there's nothing to do round here - you must know something I don't.

Sorry to hear about arthritis being bad.

DD also slept well, from 11.00 till 7.00 am, through her snuffles and grunting. I on the other hand hardly slept for worrying about her breathing!

Moose - there was so much to do we had to leave loads of things for another visit! But it is always easier to find things when you've never been before. We loved Hatton Country World, although the reindeer looked like she would be better off elsewhere. The trampolines and things were fab for DD (who is 2.3) and she loved wandering around the farm animals. They had a soft play place too but DD was happy enough with the trampolines, ride on tractors etc. so we never went in. DD and I had a ride on the teacups too

We went to Cadbury World in brum, was ok but not worth a second visit.

We wanted to go to loads of the National Trust places we had a leaflet about - will dig it out. Loads of other places we had earmarked too... will find list...

Where are you off to in Lancs? I might get a few ideas for places to take DD!

MissJ I don't usually. Most days I just manage feeding, dressing and changing DD and eventually manage to change out of my PJs around lunchtime just in time to get organised for the school run! It really depends how cooperative DD is feeling and if she'll settle in the swing for a while.

DD had really nasty dry skin in and between her eyebrows a couple of weeks back, the calendula oil sorted in out no problem. I just kept it with her change things and applied a little at each nappy change.

Lennied we got our bedside crib off ebay. It was shipped from Germany and still much cheaper than buying one in the UK. They look awful in the listing as they are all dressed and draped but we have ours 'au natural' so to speak. Its better than a lot of the main brand ones, as it has an extra panel that fits between the crib and the bed to avoid having a gap. You can either buy-it-now or get one on auction, if you time it right, you can get a real bargain.

We have this one. (Minus the frills.) I think we paid about 30 pounds plus delivery for it.

Hatton, you were just up the road from my house then. The kids love it there, but it can work out expensive. Fortunately you can often pick up kids go free with an adult vouchers in places like the Early Learning Centre and Tourist Information. They do a pick your own pumpkin in the week before Halloween, my boys love it. We've never been in their softplay area either. Keep meaning to take the boys to Hatton Locks which is a flight of 21 canal locks in less than 2 miles, its a lovely walk and there is a nice cafe too.

Not been to Cadbury World (DH is very anti Cadbury's, personally I find it hard to be anti when I love so much of their chocolate!)

Favourite places in and around Lancs are the beach at St Annes - fantastic for running the dogs. Hebden Bridge, hours of happy time spent there both before DS1 was born and after (and while in labour with him actually). Love to get chips from our favourite chip shop in Lytham and eat them on the green. Also the Windmill on the green as the boys will probably like that now they are older. Also we love a walk up Pendle Hill (you used to be able to follow a walk out of our back gate across the fields and all the way up the hill at our old house), Haworth, Skipton Castle the list goes on. Sadly we will have to pick just one or two places as we are only coming up for the day and have friends to visit as well.

Next time you are in Solihull, Kenilworth Castle and Warwick Castle are worth a visit if you are interested in historic buildings, although very different from each other. Nearest national trust stuff is Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton, then just up the road in Stratford there is all the Shakespeare stuff.

I guess you forget about all the things there are to do when they are there all the time and you grew up in an area.

Right, going to make a vague attempt to catch up...it's been a busy busy weekend.

Tree- Has the amby nest helped? DS is a wind bag, don't think he has colic but is very hard to settle and much crying between seven and twelve. He hates lieing flat, but stops crying as soon as he is upright again and he farts non-stop and hardly ever burps!

Took him to the osteopath DP goes to today as I had noticed he always lies with his head to the right and osteo noticed some stress and tension in neck and back so we're going to do a few sessions withhim and see if that helps.

Congrats also on DP's job.

ray and missj- Pretty sure sushi is fine when you bf. I chomped my way through salmon sashimi non-stop through both pregnancies, there was no warning against not eating it where I was living at the time and couldn't resist my cravings this time...it was definitely what my body was demanding!

Moose- hope dd is better

Elkie- Hope baby group went well, how was it with the two? Hope the anxiety wasn't too bad.

Feedmenow- Hello! Congrats on birth of DD3. Sounds like you had a tough time of it, glad things are going ok now. Your DD was born on the same day as my DS! Routine? What's that?

Lennied-Seychelles what an amazing placee to get married. I think I'd like a small ceremony with just family and close friends followed by a right proper knees up with all our friends.

MissJ- That cafe in Highgate woods is lovely...great chocolate cake. My brother used to live near there so I used to take my nieces as a treat.

Am knackered tonight. Had a fab weekend. Went out with some friends in Shoreditch on Friday night and left dp with the babies and a freezer full of EBM. It was a bit of a novelty being out on a friday, it's been a while. Got back around midnight and poor dp looked a bit shell shocked! Saturday we had BIL over for dinner and engagment celebrations and sunday the weather was fab so we went out and enjoyed the sunshine. It's so nice being outside again in the fresh air.

Took DS into work today to show him off and to check how my students were doing. Have been roped into going back for a few days next month to do some moderation, have made sure my boss will pay me on top of mat leave though, so the money will come in handy.

Right DS has just started his first round of evening crying and I need to put DD to bed.

Sorry for the mammoth post...I've been trying to complete it for about 2 hours but keep getting distracted!

Welcome feedmenow, I've certainly read your posts before but don't know where either.

Thanks everyone for responding when I said I was anxious. ds has a slight rash which apparently dp's colleagues reckon is a milk rash, and after rather infrequent dirty nappies has gone to the other extreme, yet he really doesn't seem ill. I'm easily anxious after having both my babies taken back into hospital early on for serious weightloss - ds1 was more ill as he had jaundice, although ds2 lost a higher proportion of his birth weight, and was much bigger to start with!

Moosemama, Hebden Bridge and Haworth are West Yorkshire, aren't they? Skipton is North Yorkshire, though not far from Ilkley where my mum lives. The slow train route between Leeds/Bradford and Manchester goes to Hebden Bridge.

On another subject, why is your DH anti Cadburys.

MissJackson, I have been to Highgate Woods with my first postnatal group, and it was a nice trip out, but it's the other side of the borough from me. I don't mind travelling sometimes but I'd love to meet more mums and babies in Tottenham and more immediately neigbouring areas (Wood Green to the north west, Stamford Hill/Stoke Newington to the south).

elkie Hebden and Haworth are West Yorks, but just a short hop from where we used to live on that side of Lancashire. Thinking about it, we only used to do Skipton when we went for a 'big day out'.

DH and Cadburys, yes, well, he is generally anti any multi-national corporations so that's obviously a big part of it, the sale of one of their brands 'Britvic' to Coca Cola a loooong time ago didn't help either (don't get me started on how he feels about Coca Cola!). He could probably give you many more reasons, but as I said - don't get him started!

Lennied and Elkie, I used to haunt the TTC threads a lot, then the TTC after mc threads a lot too. I tried the due Jan09 and due Feb09 ante natal threads but never quite settled. I also spent a lot of time on MN after dd2 was stillborn last year. So you might recognise my name from any one of those places!

Interesting reading about the bed side cots. I seriously considered getting one but went for a Natures Nest instead. However, have never used it cos I couldn't use my breathing sensor monitor in it (essential for paranoid me after dd3's sting in hospital and surgery, etc!) Wish I'd gone for the bedside cot now, but hey ho!

Feedmenow Welcome!

missj Sometimes i don't even GET dressed!...Sod it, if i'm not leaving the house, why not stay in my super comfy Pjs!

HKZ Glad to hear the green light for Sushi! MMMMmmm

What a gorgeous day!!! We took Esme for a walk in the sling when OH got home from work.

Think she MUST be having a growth spurt, she was VERY drowsy yesterday and has spent today almost feeding constantly. She is usually a REALLY quick feeder, but has been hanging off boob most of day!

feedmenow we have invested in one of the nappy clip breathing monitors as my DD was rushed to hospital after stopping breathing a couple of weeks ago. They were recommended by Dog and having it really has given us some peace of mind as it can be worn all the time, anywhere rather than just in the cot/crib. We have the Snuza baby one and can recommend it.

We got ours from here (scroll down to see the one we have)

MM - It was lovely around Hatton, you must live in a nice spot. I look out on Pendle - we must have been near neighbours! I love going up it, DS hasn't been yet but that will be one of the first things I do when the days are longer and the weather a bit more predictable. DH and I met on a blind date in Skipton! And we love Haworth too, we took DD on the Santa steam train from Haworth at christmas, was really good, think it will be an annual trip!

Which fish and chips in Lytham? Have been meaning to take DD to the beach at St Annes for a while - might be able to convince DH to come if there is fish and chips on offer.

Feedmenow - I am sorry to hear about your DD2. One of my brothers was stillborn about 5 years ago now and although I can never understand what it must have been like from your point of view, it really took my family apart, we were all devastated.

another one from Lancs here.... though somewhat south of Pendle....
I also spent all of Friday in Solihull small world!

hkz- its worth getting a gp to check ds' neck- he may have torticollis... I'm sure the osteo will be able to sort if he has, but gp can give you a series of exercises to do at home each day to improve.
dd had it- she would whimper if you touched the side of her neck with the shortened muscles...and it led to her developing plagiocephaly- lopsided head, due to her only resting on one part of her skull.

Hello - can't stop as eyes nearly bleeding with tiredness. ouch!

Not a great day here, been to chiro and feel like hippo sat on me. So have both the dd's. ordered probiotics for dd2 as matbe my breast duct thrush has unbalenced her flora whatnots.

Night not great really, although she slept in amby from 6 till 9.30am. on mums shoulder rest of night though. god help me tonight and tomorrow as on own, and if I have to hold her upright all night i'll struggle!

Am hopefull won't be like that though.....

Have read thread but can't remember what I read so I'll just potter offffff....zzzzzzzz

Morning,

I haven't caught up on the thread yet, i just wanted to check in.

I have been feeling awful over the last couple of weeks and i am struggling to cope. My dd (2.5) is going through the terrible twos as well as being a little jealous of the baby. I am constantly telling her off or putting her on her naughty step. Finley (9 weeks) is ok, he was ill last week because he caught a virus from dd which was a fever and then a rash, plus he didn't go for a poo for days and it was really hurting his tummy (then it all came out in one evening)

I am struggling at night too. The last three nights Finley has woken at 12am, 3am and 5.30am and for silly little feeds (2/3oz) and it's doing me in. I just feel really low at the moment.

My dp works from 6am-5/6pm so i am here on my own. I have been seeing my mum quite abit but even though she is a help, she also does my head in after a while. One of my friends is due toi give birth anyday so i haven't got her and the other one thought i was having my dc too close together (2 year 3 month gap) and i don't want the smug i told you so from her so i can't tell her anything.

I just feel totally isolated and my every waking moment is me attending to one of the children and when they both start crying together, well that just makes me want to run away somewhere and hide.

I have been going on walks but again i still feel alone. I hate those M&T groups because they me feel worse. I am not good at talking to new people and i am abit shy so i come away from them feeling bad.

I just feel like my life is full of dds tantrums, feeding ds day and night and lugging loads of stuff around (car seat/change bag etc.)

Sorry to moan so much

Actually i wanted to ask opinions on feeding.

I have been giving Finley 6oz of formula and he has 5 feeds during day then wants little feeds during the night. What do you think about me giving hungry baby milk? I think that might make a difference during the night because he is more satisfied during the day, maybe he won't want the silly little feeds in the night so often?

hi

sorry u are strugglig miss sparkle.
my dd1 is 3.5 years and a right pain doesnt listen and keeps being naughty it is hard to not be cross all the time.
not sure about milk situation you could ask the hvs see what they think.
bracken is 8weeks and feeds 2 hourly or 3hourly and has 2ozs, we feed her @ 11pm then she just wakes @ 4-5am

tree that does sound like a knackering night but hopefully LO will start to build up more time in the amby nest. Hope last night was better.

Sparkle - sorry to hear you are having a tough time - can your mum take DD off for a few hours to do something fun, thereby giving you some time with just one to look after?

I've spent the morning shopping in yummy mummy central - aka Muswell Hill! So many buggies and babies! Felt like a real country mouse after so long away (3 months). Went a little bit crazy with the credit card in lovely baby shop but then got 3 fab outfits in charity shop for 50p each, thereby bringing down the average price per item to something approaching reasonable... or that's my logic anyway

Bought the weleda candela oil AND dentinox in an attempt to blitz the cradle cap - fingers crossed.

Hi MsSparkle- you know whatever age gap you had there would be hard times and easier times- I don't think there's an ideal! If she's your friend, then the last thing she should be coming out with is 'I told you so'- friends would keep that thought to themselves- she may surprise you if you talk to her.

Whereabouts do you live? I haven't been to any 'groups' yet- DD doesn't go because she's at nursery... and there never seems time now I have 2 dc! I am rubbish at chatting with people too- even with my friends, I don't really do small talk, but I think most people at them are shy too, just desperate to have normal people to talk to, who don't answer every request with 'But Why mummy?' or 'NO NO NO'

Can't help with the milk thing I'm afraid, but I'm sure others can. DS was doing that last night- waking up more frequently, but only having one side [grr] not fun at all, especially when usually he only wakes once- makes you feel it even more. Lazy monkeys- why can't they feed properly, then sleep properly?

My LO does the 'snacking' thing at night too - in an attempt to combat this, I feed one side, then change his nappy which wakes him up a bit, then offer the other side - but he still falls straight back to sleep - only to wake again when I try to put him back in the cot!

Last night however, by some miracle, he slept from 8pm until 5.20am! Unfortunately my boobs were AGONY from lack of feeding, and I couldn't quite bring myself to get up and pump because I thought he was about to wake up at any moment... and I also had to keep checking he was breathing as I couldn't believe he would sleep for so long! In the end, I picked him up at 3am and fed him a little bit both sides, he completely stayed asleep... this is totally unlike him and I can only put it down to all the fresh air we got in the woods yesterday. His nappy was still clean at 6am so that must have helped too - he normally wakes up every time he poos.

Maybe, just maybe, he is getting the hang of this night-time thing.... ?

missJ Goooooo Nye!!

miss Sparkle So sorry to hear your feeling so low. I'd def second whoever said maybe get your mum to take DD out for the day, and maybe even BOTH of them out on a walk or something so at least you can have an hour to yourself and a soak in the bath, etc.

With the hungry baby milk, i'm first timer, and breastfeeding, so i can't give you any personal experience, but it definately helped my friend and her little girl out. Good luck!

"I just feel like my life is full of dds tantrums, feeding ds day and night and lugging loads of stuff around (car seat/change bag etc.)" MsSparkle - you just summed up exactly how I feel! My DD is 2.3 now and having the tantruming time of her life most days DH told me this morning he thinks he will come in from work one day to find me and DD throttling each other! Not too far from the truth! I'm finding it really hard too with never getting a single minute of the day to myself and then working in the evenings and housework at the weekend - wonderful existence eh?? I'm hanging onto the knowledge that we are most of the way through the worst bit now and even DD who was a really terrible baby (easy to say now!) was starting to get easier by 12 weeks. It will get better quickly once they get to 6 months too, and the tantrum phase should be easing a bit soon...