Fab Feb 2009: attack of the zombie mums

[dinkystinky]

So here we all are, complete with babies and gro-bags under our eyes

spotty, I heart co-sleeping but my mate swore by her Prince Lionheart Slumber Bear.

SMS sounds like your DS1 is the one who could do with some time in the sin bin play pen. I don't know what to suggest as I seem to remember having to take DS2 everywhere to protect him from his big brother. Repeat the mantra: It is a phase, this too will pass...

Re: snotty babies, if they are bunged up, you can try a nasal aspirator. Back where I come from, the traditional method is to suck the snot out yourself!

Hurray for Sam, Catstar.

I had a lovely lie-in (till 11.30 [smug]) with the tiny guy today cause my outlaws took DS2 out and missed the postman delivering fluffy post!

God i'm crap at keeping up
Adding myself to the list....if you would like a birth story I can do that too

TinkerBellesMumandFifi2 - DD Sîan Anne Denise, 4lbs 8.5oz, 02.01.09
Dinkymum - DS Isaac Christopher, 5lbs 8oz, 19.01.09
Ooogs - DS Luke Daniel, 8lbs 6oz, 20.01.09
Herbgarden - DD Amy Hannah, 5lbs 14oz 23.01.09
idontbelieveit - DD Freya Rose, 6lbs 8oz, 26.01.09
laidbackinengland - DD Mabel Lucy, 8lbs 14oz, 29.01.09
tinasan - DS Enrico Marco, 6lbs 10oz, 29.01.09
onwardandupward - DC2 [I'll put name on fb], 8lb exactly, 30.01.09
stacysmom - DD Tabitha Rose, 6lbs 15oz, 31.01.09
MsLucy - DS Stanley William, 8lb 7 oz, 02.02.09
LittleMissNorty - DS Ewan Scott, 6lbs 13ozs, 02.02.09
swampster - DS Jacob, 7lb, 02.02.09
Jelliebaby - DD Olivia, 7lb 3oz, 02.02.09
MarkStretch - DS Frankie, 7lb 15oz, 03.02.09
Pempe ? DS Harry, 03.02.09
Nkweto - DD Alexandra, 8llbs 11oz, 04.02.09
MamaGoose - DD Indigo Norah Rose, 4.15kg/9lb 1oz, 04.02.09
SomeMightSay (lbb)- DS Luke Alan, 7 lb 13 oz, 04.02.09
fgpl - DD Phoebe, 8lb 9 oz, 05.02.09
McDreamy - DD Abigail Louise, 7lb 1/2oz, 06.02.09
Rosieposey - DS Milo John William, 8lb 10oz, 06.02.09
mumoverseas - DS Harrison William, 3.1k, 08.02.09
Questionkid ? DS Alexander George, 08.02.09
PinkTulips ? DS Aaron Matthew, 8lbs 2oz 09.02.09
Dinkystinky - DS Daniel Nikhil, 8lbs 6oz, 10.02.09
MrsY ? DD Meredith Lilian Faith, 7lb 7oz, 10.02.09
Givethedogahomebirth - DD, 8lbs 15oz, 11.02.09
KT1983 - DD Poppy Louise, 6lb 80z, 13.02.09
Pluto - DS Albert David Magnus, 10lbs 10oz, 13.02.09
JenniferTurkington, DD Harriet, 9lb, 15.02.09
America - DS Leo, 3.3kg, 15.02.09
KazzaL - DS Benjamin Hector Douglas, 8lbs3oz, 16.02.09
Astarte - Dd2, Xanthe Seraphina, 8lb 12oz, 16.02.09.
winemakesmummyclever - DS Issac Alexander, 7lb 4oz, 17.02.09
TheHouseofMirth - DS Tarran James, 7lb 2oz, 18.02.09
Fruitstick - DS, Arthur, 8lb 13oz, 18.02.09
Calico1 - DD Lilian Helena, 7lb 4oz, 19.02.09
Mentalpup - DS Harry, 7lb 10oz, 20.02.09
Neerly3 - DS Charlie, 7lb 8oz, 20.02.09
Cocodrillo - DS Rufus, 8 lb 8 oz, 20.02.09
pinkbabybump - DD Eleanor Catherine, 6lb 14oz, 20.02.09
lardybump - DS Owen Francis, 8lb 12oz, 21.02.09
Catstar - DS Samuel James, 9lb 1oz, 22.02.09
eejaykay - DS Alfred, 6lb 14oz, 22.02.09
chilledmama - DD, Niamh Lauren Hannah, 8lb 5oz, 23.02.09
Littlesez ? DD, Isobella Rose, 8lbs 23.02.09
katieblirdsnest - DS Ivor, 8lb 4oz, 24.02.09
ihavenewsockson - DS Viktor Jake, 8lb 15 oz, 24.02.09
ScubaGroover - DS William 7lbs 10 oz 26.0209
Spottypushedherbabyout - DS Samuel James Edward, 8lbs 1oz 02.03.2009

WHO'S NEXT.....

Munteria - DC2, due: 11.02.09 (age 37, Putney)
Ranirani - DC1, due: 13.02.09 (age 35, Herts)
Justme84 - due 14.02.09
Bunsen - DC2 (girl) due 21.02.09 CS booked for 16.02.09 (age 32, Leeds)
fruitstick - (a suprise), due: 18.02.09
DizzyBrummie - DC2, due: 20.02.09 (age 36, Berkshire)

Pempe ds1 was like that with sleeping. I had to rock him to sleep and in the end, for naps I held him for hours on end for the first 6 mnths, that's when I found my love of day time tv, especially Jeremy Kyle, makes me look nearly normal! haha. This is by no means ideal for teaching them to settle themselves but with ds1 I rocked him to sleep, then very carefully lowered my whole self to wherever it was I needed to put him, be it crib or chair, I then put him down with my arms still around him and slowly moved away whilst shusshing, and stayed for another few mins with both my hands rested somewhere on him, then very quickly but carefully swapped my arms for a thick blanket. If at any point he woke up, I'd have to do it all again from the beginning, that was until he was about 3 months when we switched to putting him down and rubbing his eyebrows for upto 2 hours until he fell asleep and then I was naughty and did CC at 4 months. That was awful, which is why I am not making a huge fuss of holding Luke all the time and definitely not if he looks like he's going to sleep. It may sound cruel to some but I had an awful first 4 months with ds1 and cannot go through it to that extent again. pempe I know that prob doesn't help you but it worked for us at the time, it meant I could sleep.
PT Thanks for that. I know thousands of people have dc's with this age gap and it all works out, but like you say it's hard not to fly off the handle sometimes when your instinct is to protect the newborn. This morning while I was dressing Luke, Jacob came over and I was explaining that Luke likes to be stroked and kissed, so Jacob held both of his hands, palm open over baby's entire face!!!! Needless to say, if I was silly and left them unattended, that could have ended very nasty. I keep forgetting that repetition is the key with toddlers, and also that ds1 is still pretty much a baby himself (in the grand scheme), don't imagine I'm doing anything or coping any worse than anyone else though tbf, I just have to stay calm. I'm now trying to get them to sleep at different times so I sacrifice my nap but get 1 on 1 with both of them. Luke is only having his physical needs met at the moment and not much of the emotional I'm ashamed to say. I thought this morning that in a couple of weeks, he'll start smiling at me, but then thought, why would he smile at me? I'm not managing to talk to him much or smile at him much or anything like that because when I am holding him, my attention is focused on trying to distract ds1 and keep him happy. Don't think I'll win either way for quite a while yet! God that sounds like I'm an awful mum to Luke doesn't it? He has the bases covered though, he's fed, warm, clean, dry and loved so suppose he'll be ok.
Pempe I'd say f**k street cred, whatever makes life easy, I (at 27) love those old lady trolleys, they are very handy, I have friends that use them (under 35!), and they also come in quite funky designs now, they are only 'old lady' because younger people are too scared to use them. FWIW, I've already told dp I'm getting one when I don't need the pushchair anymore.
catstar so pleased Sam is doing well. Really hope you get home tomorrow, must be such a relief
PT That's quite sweet in a man kind of way. We've agreed in this house no gifts for each other at all until we are financially balanced. I told him if he feels that bad, him and Jacob can make me things or scribble draw me pictures and make cards, as long as my mother's day card this year is addressed to mummy and not Nicola , can you believe that? My first ever mother's day card said To Nicola. Dumb arse!!
swampster Love that phrase, sin bin! Made me giggle. Dp said that, I shuld use it to dump ds1 in when he's being difficult, but he still needs to sleep in it and Grandma's, although he's too long for it, but he won't settle in a bed and can you imagine if I used it as a sin bin {grin] and then made my mum try to get him to sleep in it?

Have been to the park this morning which was nice, we had a nice run around the grass too which has worn him out so he's in bed, Luke is asleep despite my efforts to keep him awake for some love time, babies hey? and there is crap all over my house so should be sorting that out but not today!!
Think I'm figuring Luke and his feeding out, the latest pattern I've noticed is 4oz, then 2.5-3 hrs later 3/4oz then 4 hour break, then 4oz and so on........
Because feeding time is difficult in regards to getting ds1 out to the park or playgroups and the like, would it be awfully confusing for Luke and wrong for me to sometimes go 4 hours and sometimes 3? I wouldn't force it, but if I know we'll be out, I could feed him before we go and if he doesn't take it, then ds1 can just be strapped in for safety whilst out.

Wow, that was a mammoth post!
Hello Astarte Congrats on arrival of Xanthe. Was wondering where you'd got to. Everything ok?

Mothercare do a 'sucker-upperer' for snotty noses which we use, it's a brilliant little device, can't find a link for it tho'

I've seen the nose suckers, similar to what they use at the hospitals to do initial clear out. I think I'm going to get some saline drops for baby as he sounds quite raspy and dp is convinced Luke has a cold because he'll sneeze evry now and again. Again, I'm not convinced, he might just be a rasoy baby which is not unlikely considering I'm a selfish cow and continued to smoke .

Silly question though, if I buy saline drops, is it a different product to saline solution for contacts? I'm a bit thick aren't I?

Yes SMS everything going fine really, surprisingly so.....

She is feeding well, weighs 10lbs now and seems to have slotted into 4th position without too much bother
The other 3 adore her, particularly ds2, who we thought might've been a bit tricky, but he's actually very loving towards her.
She wakes and feeds once in the night, about 3am, then sleeps until 7am, so no complaints really.

I have her in the coorie sling as I type, but she's about to stir for a feed.

Mothercare snot-sucker, it is a slow day in my swamp. Woke up to the more gorgeous gummy grins this morning (and no, it wasn't just wind).

Better go unpack my shopping seeing as it was delivered about an hour-and-a-half ago. [slattern]

We tried the saline drops for the first week as dd2 was a bit snuffly, but they weren't much use tbh.

That sounds great Astarte Glad it's going well.
Right, really must dash, I need to at least pick up the dirty clothes and wet nappies from my living room floor
Will be back on later no doubt. x

DOH! For more read most...

Congratulations - love the name Xanthe.

Swampster the one I bought is different to that one. It has a long tube with a little mouth bit that you put in your mouth and attached to the other end is a little nasal thingy you place at baby's nose, then you literally suck the snot out yourself.

reminds me of the bug sucky things from school biology field trips :D

Nosefrida?

Crikey SMS - a huge post!!! Lots of it could have been written by me though as feel the same as you with DS vs DD.

So, in brief, having spoken with the health visitor because I wasn't sure how far to discipline DD over the hitting/pulling/shouting "no baby"/throwing at DS!!! Basically, In the first week I think I had been so careful not to be seen spending too much time with DS that when it came to the three of us being on our own for the day, she was not used to seeing me feed, wind, talk to Sam etc that it was all too much. So, when Sam's sleeping, he goes upstairs in his crib (although this creates it's own probs - do I bring DD up with us or leave her downstairs crying at the safety gate....). Then he's out of harm's way and I can turn attention to DD. All violent behaviour is totally unacceptable and must be disciplined with an explanation of why it's wrong. I was also starting to lose it with DD, much of this down to lack of sleep i think, so of course need to keep it together. HV also said not to ignore Sam while he's awakw if he's happy and to make sure I talk to him - i.e. he doesn't just get attnetion when he cries. Basically it's all a phase and will pass - isn't that the same for everything?!?

That's probably no great revalation, and we will have taken a few steps backwards having been in hospital all this time. Monday will be a tough day in Chessington!

Congrats Astarte!!!

Littlesez - so what happened to Isobelle's finger?

Sorry have forgotten loads of what I have read and can't scroll back on this notepad thing so will catch up again later!

Ah, found a link, smashing little gadget.

Perhaps we could negotiate a bulk discount

astarte congratulations on the arrival of Xanthe, cool names

SMS, you've made me chuckle about your OH being a dumb arse (I've got one too!) I've just read the bit about mothers day cards out loud in front of my dumb arse in the hope that he will take the hint (having 'forgotten' valentines day)

swampy you've reminded me that when DD was a baby and had a cold we had a bogey sucker outer gadget. Must go and rummage in the bathroom cabinet for that.

My DD has started playing up a little too she was so good the first few weeks but is being a little madam now. This morning I caught her a few times poking at him in the double buggy (side by side one and starting to wish I'd re-mortgaged the house to buy a Phil and Teds so they could be one on top of the other and out of poking range!) she also keeps pulling his hat off and his socks and generally bugging the hell out of him. I'm ashamed to say I lost my temper with her this morning when she kept doing it in the house when he was on his play mat then she pulled out a box of toys which nearly landed on him and then jumped on the lid. I ended up throwing the nearest thing at her which was one of his bottles Trying to work out whether I've got the start of PND or whether its simply withdrawal symtoms from chocolate which I stupidly gave up for lent. (MOS hoping that someone on here says its the lack of chocolate that may justify me giving up the giving up, for the sake of my health of course!)

Congratulations Astarte .....where's your birth story then???

Sounds like you need some chocolate MOS - sod lent!

Lack of sleep definitely contributes as well....my DD is testing my patience to the limit....today, I feel quite with it due to a (rare) good night with DS....and I'm so much more tolerant with her today.

MoS Agree with LMN forget Lent, am sure Jesus will forgive you for being slack for 1 year. Go and have loads of chocolate and ask forgiveness on your deathbed. After all, God is all forgiving so I'm sure you'll still go to heaven.
Personally, I think this is far from the time where we should be giving up our favourite things or at least that's my excuse for the smoking, that will be tough enough without the stress of ds1 vs ds2!
Thanks catstar for all of that. I was the other way around and tried to getds1 used to me being with baby, maybe I did it too quickly, but I wanted to involve him so when I was holding Luke, I asked ds1 to come over and kiss him and stroke him which ds1 did really well, then got him to pass me nappies and bottles and cotton wool balls etc, he now puts nappies in the bin for me too. I said in a way earlier post that I think dp is frightened of small babies as he didn't do much with ds1 when he was a baby and he's not too hands on with Luke either. If I give him the choice of dealing with one or the other he always picks ds1. I also try to get Luke in his bouncy chair infront of me and ds1 when he's awake and me and ds1 are playing or reading or anything like that but Luke doesn't like the chair so mostly is out of view in the moses basket, maybe he needs to be in view a bit more to help the novelty wear off?

Luke fed this morning at 6:45, then again at 9:20 and went until 2pm, when he got very restless and I thought I'd better feed him. He brought up a bit, not alot, I wouldn't call it sick, but it had yellow in it, what's that? Mucus?

MoS - get yourself some cake (surely you havent given that up too for lent) and life will seem better. Hope your house no longer smells of egg and melted pan...

Spotty and Pempe - I swear by swaddling to get baby to sleep in their cot/crib: we do that with Danny for his night time sleeps in the cot as it feels to him like he's cuddled all night. Other things you can try (which we did with DS1 to get him used to his cot - worked abit too well as he refused to sleep with us at all after getting used to his cot) is putting a worn piece of your clothing in the cot (so it smells of you), hotwater bottle in cot before you put baby in (so cold cot doesnt wake him up) and white noise (sometimes they like being in the bed with you as they like the "white noise" of your breath). Spotty - hope you get some naps in today and DS1 sleeps better tonight. Pempe- I'm still bleeding; it definitely does get heavier when I do more active stuff so maybe the long walks have made it heavier? Hope your wound is ok and if not the doc sorts it out quickly. And when slinging DS2 I use a backpack for light bits of shopping - if you're doing heavy shopping I'd definitely say get a granny trolley for it: much better that than doing your back in/tiring your arms out.

SMS - sorry the play pen idea didnt work; only other suggestion I can come up with is sticking Luke in a sling while he's awake so you have him with you at all times but not really ideal. I really hope that DS1 gets better with DS2 soon - it will turn a corner (or so all my friends with several kids tell me) and this will all be a distant memory.

Astarte - congrats on the arrival of your little girl and lovely names! Snotsuckers are great - use ours all the time on the bogeymonster that is DS1 (to save us having to chase him with a tissue 24/7) - steamy bathrooms are great for loosening the snot up too without as many tears as saline drops.

Swampster - most envious of you getting gummy smiles and your lie in; that's a lovely start to the day!

Pink - sounds like your DP is being hormonal! Hope he cheers up and helps out around the house soon. Glad the mastitis is clearing up.

Herb - Danny had a similar night to your DD last night; exhausting isnt it? Hope you have a good day today and lovely time at lunch.

dinky Maybe the sling is worth a go, it might get ds1 to see that Luke can be around 24/7 but that me and ds1 can still do things together iyswim. Might try that tomorrow.
Ds1 has now been asleep for 2.5 hours so will have to get him up now or he won't go to bed later.

I've lost ds's reigns. He was in them on saturday, I took them off in the street to put him in pushchair and I must have hung them over handlebars and they've fallen off somewhere. Trip to Boots tomorrow then.

mark

Catstar- Hope Lo on the mend!!![crossed fingers emoticon]
Mmmmm-cake...carrot cake with fluffy icing on top!!!!!

I'm tired.

Are other people's babies crying tears yet? We are yet to see any...