JUNE 2008- tantrums, shrieking and lashings of Gin (and that's just the mums!)

[pureeandpearls]

Thread number 123 or something like that

shattered and skimming but just a few things - Essie it's fine to give a bit of cow's milk now as well as bfing / formula, just don't switch to it completely. I stopped expressing a couple of weeks back and also felt weirdly , especially since it'll be my last time. Nice not to have to plan it in to the day though.

Deb sorry about your dreadful experience with Tristan, it sounds awful, I'm sure he will bounce back before you will! I am still emotionally scarred from Liam having a canula inserted without local when he was really sick in September - he forgot all about it very quickly.

Josey so great that Oli can go home and Sponge fantastic to have had such a good scan!

Now, how do I babyproof a living room when Caitlin crawls over to the walls, peels off the wallpaper and starts eating it? I also tried her in a travel cot as playpen and within seconds of me leaving the room Liam filled it up with all the small dangerous toys I was trying to keep her away from. my life is impossible on all fronts at the moment.

Systems at least you're not crying! Thanks (and also Abdn) on the cow's milk thing. I think I just got confused - 'main drink' = 'any drink at all'! I was expressing loads until before Easter, then over Easter I didn't express during the day, just before bed, so now I can't express during the day, and I don't really get much before bed. Bizarre, I've found expressing to be so annoying and such a chore, and I have plenty of ebm in the freezer, but it's weird how sad I am. The bfing isn't really that amazing any more either (seems more functional really), but I still don't want to stop.

p.s. anyone seen the tip of the day? Brazilian wax much the same as labour? I think not! I'd want a spinal block if not general anaesthetic for a Brazilian!

Rolf, as far as I'm aware you can do either - most clinics wouldn't have the facilities to do a lap and dye for example, but can do a HyCoSy which is what I had originally and was then referred to the local hospital for a lap. Our clinic does a full check up of both man and woman - which I would prefer to going the gynae route cos the clinic are more aware of exactly what feritlity-related issues they are looking for. At least that's my experience!

Your little girl does sound like a handful - but you never know, school might be the making of her!

paro, sounded like you had a fab birthday .

Ali, poor Peter . Hope it's just a 24 hr thing and he turns a corner today.

Essie, KWYM about the pram thing - bloody wierd IMO!! I've only been on there once but I just could not believe how obsessed they all were with different prams - how do they cope when their kids start walking and don't need them anymore?!!

systems, what a little monkey Liam is - giving C all the small toys ! Sounds like you have your hands full - Alex has just discovered the wallpaper too and is trying to remove it in certain areas. My answer is to strip it all and paint but that might not be practical!

Thanks for all the talk about cow's milk btw, v useful to know we can start giving it now. May switch Alex's afternoon bottle to cow's milk and see how we get on.

josey, such fab news that Oli is home - hope you are having the chance to enjoy some sunshine .

Systems lol at Caitlin and Liam.

Sponge thanks. I don't think the whole IVF route would be an option for her as she is pretty devout RC, so she may be more comfortable in a gynae clinic than anywhere else. I think I'll call my midwife and see if she has any recommendations. My poor friend is so distressed about the whole thing that she is like a rabbit in headlights and really needs her hand holding. It makes me realise how lucky we all are to be here with our lovely little babies.

Rolf just caught up on your most recent dd adventure - think you sound a perfectly reasonable mother to me, your neighbour clearly has no idea what toddlers are like. This morning I threatened to put Liam in a box and leave him there all day if he didn't let me get him dressed ... I think a few minutes in the garden is preferable to that!! He also does the screaming / smirking thing now. Overall I prefer the toddler stage to the baby stage but the power struggles are really wearing me down ... and it all takes SO BLOODY LONG! we were up at 5.30 this morning and he still wasn't ready to leave at 8.30

I find the first year ok - you know where you are in that you'll be sleep-deprived and covered in vomit, and you know the baby will seem to be settled and then everything will change. But that's all normal. Then the toddler stage with all the hysterics and power struggles is really difficult, I find. I've just received the admissions letter for DD1 to start school in September. She'll be barely 4, poor little thing

Will be interested to hear how she gets on, Liam starts September 2010 and his birthday is 27 August so it will be just a few days after he is 4 ... when is your dd1's birthday?

It seems so young, doesn't it? DD1 will be 4 mid-July.

Hello all, I have read everything but am still soooo tired I haven't the energy to respond to everyone but Josey - fab news and spongelet - hello and don't kick mummy too hard!

I have been laughing at the older kids stories - all this to come - what joy!! And I do hope all the little ill children feel better soon.

Still having mares with wakings. Nothing we can do though as Luke is just waking after the sleep cycles and crying. Much as we do leave him and he goes to sleep fairlyquickly afterwards I still hear him and wake up. Ho hum. Now need to think about work seriously as there is nothing else we can do as tried everything. Been frantically applying for any part time jobs I see on the internet but they all have about 100 applications already!

Oh Amber hugs - it seems relentless doesn't it? It's still early days remember, and things might well improve over the next week or so. If he's going to sleep after waking on his own then he's nearly cracked it, he's learned to get himself back off - but it might take a little while longer before he stops crying at each waking. Did the sleep guru give you an idea how long she thought he would carry on waking for?

sorry you're still not getting much sleep, "Amber"

Thea is so miserable. She's kept down some milk so at least she's hydrated, but her poor tummy keeps going into spasms and I'm sure she will throw up again. She hasn't smiled or crawled for 2 days - she's asleep or in my arms all the time

Oh poor Thea - have you tried diorlyte? (sp) Doctor told me no milk when Luke was sick and to give Diorlyte and stuff like toast to eat with plenty of water. Would she try that?

Systems - bot of a case of how long is a piece of string. Could be days/weeks/months/never!

Thanks Amber. She doesn't want any food or water - she's just having some breast milk. I'd wondered about milk when she is so phlegmy but it's all I can get her to take. If she's still like this tomorrow I'll take her to the GP.

Rolf - -poor Thea! I think breastmilk is the best thing as it is gentle. When dd had s&d as a baby a friend who is a pead. nutritionalist said to feed little and often, as often as she will let you. She also said that even the best bulimic can't completely empty their stomach so the more often you can get milk in there, the less chance she will get de-hydrated, iyswim.

Ali - I hope Peter is better today, it is just exhausting when they are unwell.

Amber oh hugs love! I was hoping things had settled down a bit. It's so horrible to be woken up when you're exhausted. Do try for a leave of absence if you can rather than making any permanent changes. They do sleep through eventually, I promise.

Ali hope you're day is okay and P healthier.

systems sounds like you're having a rough spell too (ongoing rough spell?) I have solved your problems though - when my DS1 refuses to get ready in the mornings, I confiscate a toy and put it in a cupboard (and unless DS1 asks for it later I tend to forget to give it back). If you did the same, you could take all the non-baby safe toys and eventually C would be safe and L would be dressed... (if only it was so simple). Seriously, I do use this technique and always preferentially take the choking-hazard toys away for my own piece of mind.

Rolf poor thea! breastmilk is supposed to be the best when they're sick, if you're feeding little and often then it'll be more foremilk IYSWIM. Hope you have a better night anyways.

Amber how was your night?

Ali how is Peter today?

Thea is still coughing and retching, and her tummy is still bothering her, but she hasn't been sick and is keeping milk down. Still no smiles though, and I've caught the chesty cough.

Rolf - my night - fecking awful. I had about 3 hours lseep. Luke has the worst cough I have ever heard - like my dad's when he had lung cancer (i kid you not). I just don't want him to end up on antibiotics again which to be honest I don't actually think do anything that time wouldn't have done anyway. I hope Thea is a but more perky today. I'm going out today even if I pass out from tiredness. Otherwise I will turn nocturnal.

(((hugs Amber gently))) Babypearls has had an awful cough for a good couple of week now. It's very worrying.

Hoping all the other babies get better soon. Don't mind saying we've had our fair share of sickness over the last couple of weeks and it's hard to believe we didn't have any of this worry last year!!

Here's hoping the next few weeks bring healthier happier babies......speaking of which, I am now THREE WEEKS away from having a one-year-old. WTF???? Babypoearls has just 'helped' wrap her gifts: she's getting a playhouse put in the garden (tune in on Tuesday for photos!!) but DH wants something for her to open so have bought her a book and a playtunnel (hoping to train dog at the same time )

Now just have the party and the Christening to arrange....ho-hum [puree commits herself to asylum]

Blimey, Amber, you do have my sympathy.

Puree how is babypearls doing now? Thea is on the mend, I think. She's having another big sleep now. Have you recovered from your op now?

rolf - glad to hear Thea's a little better, how's dd1 today?

Amber - sorry you've had another bad night

systems - how are things with you today?

Puree - 3 weeks , how are you? still eating purees? Ethan likes his play tunnel but not tunnels through mountains when it goes dark in the car! Are we going to see you with your performing dog on next years Britain's got talent then?
Good luck with the preparations for christening and party, I'm currently getting hassle from my dad as we haven't had the boys christened. Someone on my Stepmum's side of the family is having a big christening do and he feels he's missed out.Not as if he's religious though, only at church for weddings and funerals(oh yes and christenings)and he doesn't do family gatherings either - AARGH.

sorry that turned into a rant, does anyone else have parents that still treat them like children, I'm 40 FGS.

Ah, babypearls must be one of the youngest then after Neenz's twins. Need to be on the lookout for these birthdays...so let's start a list! I will start one!

Birthday list

Sponge Alex 15th June
Amber Luke 15th June
Essie Iestyn Seiriol, 16th June
Ali Peter 16th June

I only know those either side of Iestyn - and he doesn't share a birthday with any babies on the thread.

Deb x-posted. My Mum is always trying to educate me (she was a primary school teacher - we're talking primary school level!) and whenever I leave to go anywhere eg London, PILs, she says 'remember to behave'!!!

oooh lists

Thea is another of the Fathers Day babies:

Birthday list

Sponge Alex 15th June
Amber Luke 15th June
Rolf Thea 15th June
Essie Iestyn Seiriol, 16th June
Ali Peter 16th June

She's a bit better, thank you. She's sitting on the floor playing right now so a big improvement. Still no solids or smiles, and still an upset tummy, but definitely on the mend .

Aw, sorry Rolf to miss Thea out. I was busy on that particular day. No, I've met Luke and Alex.
Glad she's better - here's hoping for a big smile for you. Maybe that first smile of the day?

Iestyn's first smile is quite funny - well, it's lovely, but I always seem to catch him by surprise, because he's really busy in his cot in the morning before I go to get him. Having conversations and things, but he's busy. Not lying there waiting or anything. Quite bizarre!

I'm quite obsessed by lists...