Sept 08: the thread for when they may start crawling, and there will definitely be some separation anxiety bawling ....

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Welcome ladies

Well, there's no crawling going on in our house, but there's defo some separation anxiety bawling going on .... tears, screaming, the works - oh joy!

Amen to that Hopefully

(and how else would you get T a sibling )

hopefully good to hear you are now pain free down there . I have bottom issues too, I must see the gp in the next week or so. I would cut back on eating to make it better, that was the only thing that worked after ds but I need a big chocolate intake now I have 2 dc's so keep scoffing! (No self control!)

Ex p kicked off again late last night and to cut a annoying + stressful story short the police have fined him and cautioned him for harrassment. I really hope it keeps him at arms length for a while. He is scarily self destructive at the moment.

DD is getting better with drinking out of beakers, at least she will be able to do it before the warm weather arrives. I must try her on watermelon, ds loved sucking the juice out when he was little.

DG, I hope this will make you feel better: I have had regression too, both in eating and sleeping. Diego today has decided NOT to have any solids except for licking a few penne and asparagus heads. He has had no solids for dinner, which makes me think he'll probably wake up hungry during the night. Unlike you, I've been doing both finger foods and purees. My fridge is like a Mondrian: a landscape of colour coded frozen cubes of steamed and pureed fruit and veg - for which Diego has expressed profound and unequivocal repugnance.

Also, I either had a stomach bug or food poisoning and was puking last night, so today was a write-off (to the extent that the thought of chocolate made me gag. Not good on Easter Monday). DH took over on the baby front.

How about another get together? Fancy an early lunch in that french bakery place? Any other ladies can make it to North London?

Jesus Meglet, I hope you and the DC are safe. You are being amazingly strong and composed, and I think I'd be hopeless in your situation.

Hopefully, glad the ishoos got resolved. Marital exchanges have been resumed in the Pacita household, and I really thing it makes things more intimate with DP. It's nice. One thing I'd say though, [TMI] they stitched that blasted episiotomy too tight, so getting going is a tad sensitive! ...

Meglet - Sorry to hear about ex-p still being an arse.

Ladies, I have a bit of a bfing issue and wonder what I should do. DD has been ill on and off for 6 weeks, she's had a cold of varying degrees that's reduced her feeding. She then got Conjunctivitis and stopped bfing on one side altogether and only a tiny amount from the 'good' side. I did try and bottle feed her and the tiny amount she did take she couldn't keep in at all, bfing or bottle.

She's now not been feeding properly for so long that my supply has really dipped. She's always favoured one side but as I've said, since she's been ill she's either only stayed on the bad side for a couple of mins or completely refused it. On my 'bad' side my boob is now considerably smaller than the 'good' side. When I put her to that side she sucks furiously, arches, wriggles about and invariably ends up crying. I've yet to be able to keep her on it for long enough to stimulate the let down (which incidentally is taking a LONG time since she's been ill).

So, I've decided to start her off on the good side and then switch her as soon as I can feel the let down, but even then I can see that she's really struggling to get anything out. She's really sucking but there's hardly any swallowing and so far I've only managed to keep her on there for a couple of minutes before swapping to the other side where she feeds normally. I offer the bad side at the end of the feed now too but I think I've lost my milk on one side and am going to be lop-sided forever

Should I just keep going as I am in the hope that the more she's demanding the more my supply will increase, or should I be doing more? She's still not feeding as much as she used to so I think she'll naturally start wanting more soon and it'll be a bit like the old newborn 'growth spurt' days. I keep thinking I should express but it's really not practical as I'm not in the house very much during the day and in any case I don't think the pump is very good as I never get more than an oz even if I get the let down.

Sorry for the life story, but I'm rather worried that I'm not going to be able to get my supply back. Any help would be appreciated.

Oh Meglet I am so sorry. You are having to be so strong I bet for yourself as well as for your children.

I don't know if your remember but I have 2 children the exact same ages and sex as you do and I absolutely cannot imagine doing this alone, (although I expect I could, like you if I HAD to) and I'm mighty glad I don't.

On top of no help you are also having your ex put additional stresses on you.

As offered to Splish, do let us know if there is anything you need, and even if not able to help directly some of us might be able to make suggestions.

Pacita I 'think' that regular servicing will sort out your problem, but if not you can have it attended to (or just having another child will stretch it).

Lollipop I've built up knowledge about bfing in the early months but not so much about later months, although I would be inclined to think that you haven't really much to worry about.

I'd probably call a bfc helpline.

However, I do know:

Babies get more and more and more efficient. 2 minutes is like the old 30mins so she may well be getting everything she needs.

Solids reduce the babies appetite for milk

Breast compressions (you'll need to google) are good for getting the let-down and supply going (as is expressing if you do find time)

You might feel lopsided but when you have finished bfing you should even out.

Do keep offering both sides (not normally needed now but in your case I'd do it)

You may, as predicted, get a bit of a difficult couple of days if her feeding picks up when she is feeling better and wants to improve your supply.

Thanks for the support everyone . starlight I do get some help, dad + stepmum had ds this afternoon and mum is coming round in the morning so it takes the pressure off. But I do have to do most of the 'grunt' work myself. Bath night is a bundle of laughs . Police are very very good, they said that if ex p did try to break in I would hear it well in advance and the police patrol the roads in town all night so are only a 2 min high speed drive from anywhere, they rate domestic's as level 1 crime and take it seriously. So I feel happier knowing that realistically we're pretty safe here. Still stressful, but its under as much control as humanly possible

Pacita I can probably make North London (I'm such a meet up hogger).

Meglet Sorry to hear your ex is being an idiot again but it is good that the police are being helpful.

Our burglar alarm keeps going off, has been setting off all night. DH just thinks it has gone funny but I've been lying awake listening for the burglars to come back since we turned it off.

I feel really stupid being downstairs since 5am when I gave up on the idea of sleeping, because C has obviously decided to sleep in for a change (and is still in bed now!) plus I can't even do any jobs as all the washing that needs putting away is in our room and I cleaned the downstairs yesterday.

I wonder if we have a mouse rather than a burglar!?

I am up before T! There is something sooooo lovely about sitting down with a cup of tea before T gets up. Wish I was motivated enough to get up at 6:30 and do a few bits and bobs before he wakes every day. Maybe when he starts sleeping a bit more (so in about 6 years' time...)
T's sleep is hideous again - he's needing resettling every hour and feeding every 4 hours - but to be honest I just don't notice it any more. I'm not even very sleepy in the mornings!

Going to do some gardening today - we are attempting to grow veg for the first time. Does anyone else here do this? I seriously have no idea what I'm doing. I bought compost and big pots yesterday (no beds in my garden) and some beetroot and salad leaf seedlings, and ordered seeds for some other veg online. I'm quite excited!

Meglet I am so impressed with you holding it all together. You are Supermum!

Lollipop I had a phase where T really wasn't impressed with one side - he has always favoured the right, and was feeding less and less from the left till eventually he virtually stopped. I managed to get it back on track by offering the left side first, till he got cross, then onto the right. Then, once he'd had the let down on the right and a couple of mins to abate hunger, I'd put him back to the left, then back to the right when he got cross. Once he was pretty much full I'd put him back to the left again. It took a while (perhaps 2-3 weeks? Quite a long time) but the time he spent on the crap breast got longer and longer till eventually he would have half a feed from there. I also pumped perhaps once a day from the crap side - I get virtually nothing from pumping, but I figured 15 mins stimulation couldn't hurt production.
Also worth checking she's not got sore gums/ear etc on one side - perhaps give her a couple of days without trying at all on the bad side to give anything that might be causing discomfort to heal?

As expected, Diego abandoned his good sleeping habits due to refusing dinner: bed at 8:15, fed at 1am and at 4:30am and up at 6:45. It's not horrendous but it is really frustrating after being able to sleep through, and having been feeding only once from bedtime for the past month. Sigh.

Hopefully, I am in awe of how philosophical (and stoic!) ou are about the whole thing. Lack of sleep just makes me a grumpy old witch. Bah.

Jenbot, that would be great to meet you at a North London Reunion. I'm pretty easy most of the time, but will have my parents over at the end of April, so either before or after? Are you in FB?

hi everyone, hope you all had a great easter. Ds1 and2 have had some sort of a virus- they have been a bit grouchy but had a rash, like slapped cheek for ds1 and on Alfies back and head. Sort of comes and goes, very odd. I am feeling a bit sore-throaty and coldy now too, have also had the rash on my forearms

Have been doing BLW for a couple of wks now, very lazy really, depending on what we are doing he might have 1, 2 or 3 meals offered. Dont think he's really been taking very much in at all but I feel he is hungry so am going to start feeding him a bit more too. I know milk is the main food for him but i just get the sense he wants FOOD and is frustrated he doesnt know how. He is really good at grabbing stuff and getting it into his mouth but just usually spits it out again. Anyone else similar experiences?

OK, I know I shouldn't, but I'm getting a bit depressed: every time I sit D in my lap he goes for the breast. It doesn't matter what time it is, or whether he fed half an hour before. I feel like a walking tit. And this means any sort of a routine is thrown out of kilter. I don't exactly want to run him like a military operation, but this is becoming unmanegeable! Any ideas?

Pacita F is the same, he goes for the boob all the time, i think he only wants me for milk

I cant leave the room without him having a fit at the moment, he wants to be held all the time.

I have a job at last, i start tonight, im so looking forward

hopefully we are growing veg too and ours is also all in pots. We've got potatoes, onions, carrots, lettuces, rocket and chillis all from seed and peppers, blueberries, strawberries and tomatoes all from little plants (well the blueberry is quite established but still in a pot). Oh and rhubarb in the ground that gave us our 1st harvest of the year yesterday.
Apart from potatoes and blueberries we grew them all last year too and had lots of success. Didn't find it too hard and we didn't really know what we were doing either.

Anyone see the 'due' threads and miss our antenatal one?

I do. I miss the excitement. Weaning is so dull (even though I love this age overall and Baby Starlight is very charming)

LOL Perhaps I know why.....I'm training to be an antenatal teacher after all, - not a gardener. Rhubarb doesn't really do it for me. It's great that we have moved on though (and sad)!!!!

As you were though. I expect it is excellent for your children to see food growing and eat fresh veg from the garden.

meglet glad you've got your folks on hand, I've just had two weeks without my mum and I think that's partially why I've been so cream crackered.

pacita yay! love to meet up again. Thursdays still good with you? and yay jenbot are you a norf londener too?

So DS woke up again around 3:15am, but spent the first 40 minutes quietly amusing himself till eventually DH went in to check on him and realised he needed his nappy changing.

No appetite for solids at all this morning. So got lots of extra Bfeeds. Then he woke from his morning nap and again amused himself for about 5 mins till I fetched him and realised he'd had a diarrhoea (sp?) explosion that had gone through to the bedsheets. Poor little thing must have had a little tummy bug these past few days (possible from teething). Anyway, appetite returned at lunchtime where he heartily scoffed on breadsticks and avocado. Followed by lots more milk. Am determined to flush this out of him.

Oh, he just did it again.

Thanks for the tips, have bought spatone. How long before it starts to take effect? And should I be limiting my caffeine intake (can't be helping the dizziness)?

Starlight I'm following the Due in Aug thread as I have a RL friend on there. Makes me feel very nostalgic for those days. Loved the second trimester, but still remember the discomfort of SPD (crunchy clicking groin, not being able to walk far) and the massively swollen hands and feet I had (unable to wear any shoes except my flip flops) and waking up every morning with carpal tunnel. Still, having a little wriggly kicky thing growing inside me was wonderful!!!

DG good on Alfredo for getting his appetite back. Diego had a bit of a temperature the other day, and has a runny tummy today. Is there a bug going?

Thursdays are definitely still good. I could even do this coming Thursday if you and Jenbot can manage? I think next one I'm having a friend visit, but it's not set in stone, so that's a possibility too.

Looking forward to it!!!

Can't read everything properly at the moment as DD is getting fed up but I can't do next week for north London as I'm in Leeds! Will come back later and read more and reply more...

(I'm out of London but can get a train to Tottenham Hale.)

I don't half miss being pregnant. NOT a reason to try for another baby mind! I loved virtually everything about being pregnant though.

There's something in the air though - C is very grumpy and won't take much food, even mummy's wonderful homemade chicken broth!! She has a bad cough and her gums seem sore. She has got an appetite though - it's heartbreaking to see her cry real tears, sobbing while she tries to stuff potato in but it hurts too much to chew

Meglet I am so sorry that you are really going through the mill with your ex-P

Oh, and anyone feeling the end of maternity leave looming?? I go back to work full-time in exactly 3 months tomorrow. I am dreading it, even though we have a fab nursery lined up, she knows 3 other babies going there and MIL is having her 2 days a week and will love her like only a nana does! I am sure c will love it - it's her mummy that will sob and sob for the first week or so I'm sure.

awe thats sad imo. My ds1 was like that last week with tonsillitis but as least he had a bit more understanding about it hurting too much to eat. If C is coughing maybe she has a sore throat as well as sore gums.

starlight ds1 is fascinated about where his food comes from and last summer he started eating carrots and lettuce purely because he had helped grow them and pick them.

glad to hear the police are supportive meglet

I'd be up for a norf London meetup.

Feel guilty about being knackered as A seems to sleep better than most babies here, but he is very yowly in the early evenings - def teething pain, poor love.

imo Going to nuresry next week to talk about start dates, settling etc - returning to work in August. Just had to trawl through all my email from when I was last at work as they decided I needed an appraisal after all. Not only can't I remember what I did 11 months ago, but thinking I wasn't going to get appraised and feeling like death on a stick did affect my commitment... at least I'll be going back to a more interesting project.

We're going to the in-laws for a long weekend this w/e. First time A has been away from home overnight. Should be fine except for two babies and a 3-hour drive. I may come back with A by train...

debi after reading your earlier post I got out in the garden and planted a few more things, wild flowers, sweetpeas, morning glorys, brussels, mixed lettuce and onions. But it's since dawned on me that not only do i have to protect them from the slugs & bugs, I have to protect them from DS too . He keeps tipping things out of pots and fiddling with them all. I might have to padlock the little plastic greenhouse so he can't turn it upside down!

last year he loved picking the raspberries off the plant and scoffing them .