Dec 08- Must keep chocolate & cheerfulness near, teething time is nearly here!

[pmk1]

Right.... back to post the link now!

Trace - I should have said that up until very recently I had NO hope of spacing out feeds. He would scream blue murder in the time it took me to unclip my bra. Then all of a sudden I realised that he was letting me distract him a bit longer than 2 hours (like 5 minutes...seriously). So maybe your DD will surprise you one day too.

Well, have just finished expressing and it's 21:45 so better get to bed before the wake ups begin. What an exciting and glamorous life I lead!

Thanks Veggie - I think deep down I know to just go with the flow. Most of the time I am fine with this, but then I have a very tired moment where I think "maybe if I just try THIS he will sleep for 12 hours". Instead of reading about things to try to make him sleep, perhaps I should just go to bed myself?!

I won! I won! Two new nursing vest tops are winging their way to me for only £6. hurray! I've never won an ebay thing before. get me! I just rang DH at his friends house to ask him what his paypal password is so now he's worried...

Mom - hope you get a good night

I bought a new teat today which is supposed to be just like BF (yeah, right) so will try that tomorrow, but also bought 2 types of cup which both say suitable from 4 months...I'm determined to get her taking at least one feed from DH during the Easter hols!

Spot - sorry you're body clock was against you again last night. How are you feeling these days? You sound chirpier than you did a couple of weeks back. Did you leave the ADs in the end?

soppy moment warning! Don't you just love it when they first wake up and do a massive stretch/ And then give you a big gummy grin because they know you're their mummy [grin}
My tummy flips just thinking about it!

Right I'm off to bed now although I'm not sure I'll sleep with the buzz of my ebay win!

Hey Everyone!
I can't remember what page I was on last time... so I started at page 18... sorry if I've missed anyone.

Daisy Can't believe your MIL ignored you! I have a feeling we'll have similar problems when we go back to the US for a visit in May.

Kayz I saw the December 09 thread too! Can't believe that around this time last year we all realized we were prego! I also agree with veggie to never cut Freddie's hair! I love the curls. Also... can't believe your GP!! I was anemic while pregnant and they told me it should go back to normal too. But it never has. I'm still taking the spatone stuff everyday. I've found that if I stop taking it I tend to feel bad again within a few days. Do you think you could go ahead and take the iron supplements and see if you feel any better??

Veggie Judah really likes "Hey Jude" by the Beatles! We sing it to him all the time... especially when he's a bit cranky. Also sorry to hear about your sore boobie. Hope it's nothing major and clears up soon!

KMP We are currently doing the 6, 10, 2, 6, 10 schedule. So far seems to be working quite well. Sometimes the times change by an hour or so if DS gets hungry early or later. DS also sleeps with a dummy and tends to spit it out once asleep. Sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night and we put it back in. If he continues to cry after putting it back in then we know he's hungry and we feed him. Most of the time he goes back to sleep.

Welcome back modern lal sorry to hear about your thumb! Hope it heals quickly so you can get back to using it!

Have a question for all of you FFers. DS dropped his night feed and so is now only feeding 4 times a day. Since he's only been feeding 4 times a day, we've noticed he's not pooing regularly anymore. I went ahead and upped the amount he was getting at each feed (now 7oz). But he's still not pooing everyday. Do you think it's because he's not getting enough to eat? The box of formula says he should be getting 5 bottles a day but he never fusses like he's hungry... and we've tried giving him water to drink in between feeds (which he HATES). Any ideas??

you're body clock? What's wrong with me?!!! The your/you're police will be after me for that one

also please excuse the superfluous /

and I meant not [grin}

time for sleep me thinks!

oh and going back to the Billy Joel, I think it was 'Through the long night - v apt!

Trace What kind of teats/bottles are you using? I use the Playtex Nurser bottles and really like them. I think someone else on here tried them as well and had some success (I think). The teats on them have a slower flow so that they have to work harder to get the milk out... but you can get faster flowing one too.

Hi all, just got back from a lovely swim in my not so lovely local pool

Trace, my dad's worked on the railways all his life as well! What's they betting they've worked together at some point?! Am loving the pulley description. And thanks for booking the restaurant.

Veggie, glad you can make the Yorkshire meet up. If there's time I'm going to take ds1 to the National rail museum as well

Lal, sorry about your thumb, hope its operational again soon!

Trace< I never took the ADs in the end, but they are lurking in the cupboard just in case. I do feel a bit better thanks, prob a combination of the weather, T being generally happier in himself and DP helping out with the feeds.
I agree it's so sweet when they do their gummy smiles. T saves his most ravishing grin for the fridge and kitchen units but I still try to convince myself that when he does grin at me, it's not because he can spot a particularly attractive line or corner just to the side of my head....

I love that too Trace, especially when he does a big stretch which makes him fart, cos that makes me giggle which in turn makes him giggle. I also love our morning time together. Some time between 6 & 7am ds2 wakes up has a feed and I bring him into bed with me and I lay his head up on my pillow, DH is usually asleep or if ds1 is awake he is playing with him, or away. So ds2 and I are free to spend time alone together and just smile inanely at each other with our faces so close on the pillow it's lovely. His eyes are always a bit puffy in the morning so he looks especially cute and even more like my lovely laughing buddha. We snuggly up and drift off back to sleep or dh & ds1 come in & interrupt our little coccoon. Oh I love him.

Hi all,
Well i'm convinced he wasn't getting enough from me BF alone / and with his snacking thing. Today I topped him up after BF every feed and I was able to do the 6-10-2-6-10 feeds! he's like a different baby today! He napped for 3 hours this morning and then maybe 20 mins this afternoon in the trolly while I went grocery shopping, and then just smiled / giggled at me the rest of the day! Also B-fed better at 4 hours rather than 3 as my flow seemeed to be faster given it was a bit longer between feeds.

After the 6 pm feed he was a bit irritable to go to sleep but after a big burp he went down at 7 and we woke him at 10 for his next feed which I always do with EBM from the mornings milking!

Veggie I didn't think FF babies might sleep through, I think I think I must have worded my post badly! I was just wondering becuase with the FF babies, they would know exactly how much they were taking in. but with the BF and the fussing etc associated with it, I never know really how much he is getting which is why I wondered if a lot of the FF babies were sleeping through / not sleeping through etc... Just curious - it was more about the known quantity than anything.
I have no doubt that he is going to wake again at 2 am though, even though I know he's had sufficient today with the top ups so I'll let you know in the morning!

I love the morning too as after DH goes to work I'm feeding B in our bed and then he stays in our big bed with me, watch a bit of telly (well I watch the news) and then I put the baby channel on - (I know, I know) and within seconds he's all happy and back asleep asleep! Then I open the dairy and pump..... I might actually be the pump that puts him to sleep!

Kim yes I first tried this 4 hourly thing way back when my friend was doing it and it worked fine but when he started fussing the HV had me put him back on 3 hourly feeds if possible since he was sleeping through and not getting that extra feed, and his weight wasn't great. However, now that he's getting what he needs at each feed the 4 hours worked great today, and I hope it continue's as it's most acceptable to having a relationship with my husband, and went back down no trouble after the 10pm feed tonight, so we'll see.....

Trace well done - I'm addicted to Ebay !!!!
I get so annoyed if I don't win auctions! i've bought so many brand new with tags baby stuff on there which is half of the price that it is in shops!

Hi Modern! Lal Hope your finger feels better
must check meet up thread

Veggie wish you could have made the london one!

Effie love the cow....! Our sleep sheep is working out really well! I have the travel size one too which I'm glad about as it will be no trouble to take on holidays...

Sybil hows your head??

Right, DH snoring, and B asleep so I'd better too just in case of that 2 am wake up! I'm not counting my chickens just yet...

Why don't I go to bed earlier when I could. Am an idiot. inspired by Effie have been watching Brideshead. Marvelous.

Thank you for asking about thumb. Trace is proper housewife injury - I was v proud of my new super sharp vegetable peeler and then gouged a chunk out of the end of my thumb when doing potatoes. So on the upside - peeler is as sharp as it claims it is. On downside though I am covered in cuts and burns and scrapes. When I'm really tired I'm clumsy and so regularly injure myself in the kitchen.

DS's favourite song is Hell's Bells by ACDC. I know. The logic is that he liked the 'dongs' on the radio for the 6 o'clock news (when he was really tiny thought they were hysterical - used to rock in his high chair slapping the tray) so DH thought he might like Hell's Bells. So we travel around in the car to the sound of Back in Black. That and freaking Paddington.

Hi Kim good to hear from you. Don't really have any suggestions (sorry) - only to say that DD seems to have days where she poos and vomits copiously and days when it's not so much.

Veggie you're so right when you say 'they'll do what they want in the end...' is completely gutting when you have a babe that won't sleep though. Is different world with DD compared to DS. So really feel for those of you going through it.

Arti meant to say am glad you enjoyed the wedding and even more pleased that mastitis hasn't come back.

Right. Must get some sleep. In laws descending for the weekend tomorrow...Good nights all.

I'm lurking on eBay for more of those bandana bibs they are brilliant for the Master of drool, that is my second born son. I swear the boy must lose half a pound in body weight from saliva each day.

Mmmmm..... I really should sleep to have just fed ds2 so have a few hours of sleep available but can't seem to get off the couch DH is doing work so nice to be kind of around each other in the loungeroom. It is nice and quiet except for his key tapping and my erm....trumpy bott...mmmm. Right off to bed.

OMG! OMG! OMG!

Only three wakings last night! It's a MIRACLE! and two of them count as two halves of the same feed so that's the same as one waking, isn't it?!

10pm (DH bottle)
2:30am/3:15am
6:30am!!!!

My baby can sleeeeeeeeeeep!!!!

(Sorry am bit happy. I don't mean to be insensitive but this hasn't happened for me in MONTHS and I am SO GRATEFUL!)

brilliant!

Not a bad night for us - awake at 1 and 4, the 6/7 for mega feed. DS1 slept through till 5:30, then asleep again till 7 so I got a reasonable amoungt of sleep . Hope everyone else had good nights,esp Trace and Daisy.

Boy 2 is getting v chatty and smiley, no idea what he is on about but must be v important! I'm trying to get him out in the sling in the afternoons as it gives him a chance to look at stuff, plus he doesn't sleep so deeply and seems to be easier to settle at night. Haven't switched to the double seat in the p & t yet, as it says from 6 months (not sure what you do when they grow out of the cocoon but hey)

Well... 2 wakings 1am and 4.30, and DD never woke once So I feel much better today.

Now I need to sort out DS naps during the day. Basically unless he is in his pram or car seat he won't sleep! He has about 30 mins in the morning in his cot. But no sign of settling in his cot at any other time of the day. So his last nap if I can get him to have one is between 4 and 5 then he goes to bed at 7.

Interesting re: the top ups pmk long may it continue.

I think DS isjust generally getting less interested in the boob. Regularly comes off grins and looks about and then I can't get him back on! I'm hoping that he might get better when we start weaning as he'll have something other than milk to look forward to

Right best go and do some ironing before it takes over the house and I lose a DC in it all

VERSO YAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very happy for you!!!

I'm going to try some spatone and see if that makes me feel any better and if it does then I might go to see another GP. I honestly don't think it is just general tiredness especially on the nights that DS2 sleeps 11 til 7.

Veggie I'm not sure if DS1 is coming yet but if he is then I'll dress him in his Arsenal shirt.

Weigh in went well. I've put on a lb since Monday but I am on their fast track diet where you have 18 points a day for a week and it starts of your weight loss.

Hope all of you are well.

morning all, glad everyone seemed to have a good night, especially Verso, you needed it!

In contrast, I have had a horrible night . Ds1 up and down until I brought him into my bed at 11. Then ds2 up every hour or so from midnight. I ended up getting up at 5am with him so he wouldn't disturb ds1.

I just feel really drained & irrationally pissed off with dh. He was going to sleep in the spare room & I asked if he would take ds1, 'I'd rather not' was his reply. Then he did ds2's 12am feed but just put him straight back down without winding or even hanging on for 10 mins to get him back to sleep, just went to bed.

I just don't know why he's chosen this particular year to do the marathon, hence him needing his sleep to prepare for the long training runs. I've not said anything when he's moaned about being tired but I'm getting close to pointing out he decided to do it the year we had a baby!

Anyway, sorry to bring the thread down a little. I'm going to try & get my head into a better place for next time I post.

ros I don't think you are being "irrationally" pissed off with your DH at all. He's being really selfish IMO. You need to have a straight talk with him. The marathon can wait, surely? You NEED his support. What is it with these men? How about if you did the same back to him? "I'd rather not" my arse. GGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRR. Am very on your behalf.

Just had an email from my DH at work. He had a meeting yesterday to talk about the possibility of flexible working (not putting in the application, just talking about options) and his old boss said he should give up work completely and claim a disability pension . There is so MUCH wrong with this I don't know where to start. Anyway, he's cc-ed me on an email to his current boss stating his concerns re this - basically occupational health have always said he is fit to work so his old boss is talking rubbish (but put much more diplomatically of course ). Am v on his behalf though that she is still so obviously trying to get him out the door .

Verso and Effie - A good night for a few of the not-so-great sleepers, mine included! He woke at 11 (which he never does) for a feed and I was scared of what the rest of the night would bring. Then didn't hear from him until 5. Hurrah! May have to reconsider that whole dreamfeed thing.

Off to the baby cinema. Hope mine doesn't contribute to the "Big Scream" this week.

Bugger....all ready to walk out the door and just heard him do a massive poo. Why????

MOM, They always do that don't they!! Both my boys have a habit of doing that. Or just after I have left for the shop so that when I get there everyone thinks he smells!

Great night here also - feeds at 2200, 0200 and 0530! He was in cot for 2200-0200 part and in with me for the rest. I agree it is so adorable when he wakes, stretches and turns to face me with big smile.

Mom - good to hear another success story with the nipple shields. My HV was not happy I was using them but if I hadn't I would not have ended up bf.

ros - I'm sorry you had a bad night. Your DH needs to be putting you first and supporting you rather than thinking about the marathon (hope you don't mind me saying that with just returning to thread).
Verso - maybe his current boss will see more sense with the situation.

Having a day in today as with swimming, baby group, post natal group, trip out with mil and visiting a friend earlier in week - we are exhausted! (you wouldn't believe I barely left the house for the first three months after the birth!)

Hello all.

Got a splitting headache and I haven't even been drinking. For all my pronouncements about relationships, had a stinking row with DP this morning...and he will say anything in a row, it's awful - any old low thing. I think we are doing well given that I had only known him 9 months before I was pregnant, and then having to move all the way over here away from all my friends AND have a baby...but sometimes it is very hard. There is a really annoying chap who lives in the flat beneath ours and he and DP have beceome as thick as thieves, and it has caused many a row. This bloke is boorish, full of s?&!, has the most appalling attitude to women but heroworships DP and the whole thing makes me sick as he is constantly phoning at all times of the day and evening (he could probably shout and we'd hear him) and the pair of them are like two sniggering schoolboys. Anyway, DP's riposte was "at least my friends are REAL' (alluding to MN!) What a cheek! I have heaps of friends in RL but they are all miles away - and besides, you lot have been such a Godsend to me, and you ARE real, and worth so much more than that knobjockey who lives downstairs. I am only going to London on Sunday instead of the whole weekend, as I wanted to spend time with DP and DD, and DP seems disappointed as he was evidently looking forward to spending a chunk of time with the neighbour

Anyway, sorry for huge rant but I could scream sometimes. I have sacrified a huge amount for DP and I do at times wonder why on earth I bothered, when he acts like a twit or says mean things.

So Ros, I am sorry you are having a bit of bother with your DH too. It sounds like he is being selfish. The trouble is that most people don't actually intend to be selfish or realise that they are doing it. Does that make it better? I never know. Don't do what I have just done though and tell him exactly what you think and feel in a big loud voice, as it will just lead to a horrible, not very constructive row like mine this morning. Tell him nicely

Lal, how is your thumb? Ouch. I fell over taking the bins out last night so just as my legs were getting better I have really hurt my knees and am back to walking like a pensioner.

Kim, my DD is on four formula feeds a day of 7oz. I too have noticed that five is suggested on the box, and wondered about it! But she doesn't want more and that's that, and clearly isn't losing any weight. She averages a poo a day but some days it is two, some nought! I think it's ok but I may start increasing the feed to 8oz soon as she often drains the 7oz now and cries when it is gone.

Verso - good about the sleep! Perhaps things are on the up.

Grand National tomorrow, girls. I will cheer myself up by reading the form.

Hello everyone,

We're having a day at home too as we've been out and about all day this week. My friend has just popped over with her bumbo for loan. DD's expression when she was first put in it was a picture of confusion and amazement - "I've never been able to do this before".

trace Wow your Dad must love his job. My dad and brother travel all over the place to see 'specials'. We can talk to Veggie's DS1 and impress him with our railway knowledge!

I had a look at the cups in boots yesterday thinking of you and quite a lot said from 4 months. The non-spill ones are meant to be hard to drink out of and can be more frustrating apparently. I tried drinking out of the sippy cup we got free with the steriliser and you have to clamp your teeth down really hard to get anything out.

veggie DD's naps are very erratic. Sometimes she'll sleep a lot (she's on her second nap of the day now) and others hardly at all. She quite often has a late aft nap and it doesn't impact on her bedtime.

verso Hurray for a good nights sleep!

kayz If you eat meat then having something like braising steak (made with bovril) with some green veg and orange juice would help with your iron. It's so easy too - I make it for DH all the time as it requires about 1 min prep!

ros Oh how very annoying. My DH says similar things sometimes and it makes my blood boil. "Would you like to do her bath?", "No not really". GGgggrrrrrrrrrrrr.

ladyT Sorry to hear about your argument. Your neighbour sounds interesting . How very inappropriate ringing him so often. Having a baby can be isolating at the best of times, never mind when you've moved to a rural community where you don't know anyone. It must be hard arguing with someone who does it for a living.

Has anyone starting reading up about BLW? I got a book but am rather irritated by the tone. Lots of claims are being made about how wonderful BLW is, but they don't give any evidence. They make claims but don't give any references. I'm not expecting it to be a fully referenced peer reviewed book but to claim something like.. to paraphrase "BLW is a good approach for children with allergies because they often avoid foods which they are subsequently found to be allergic too". That just sounds a bit fanciful! I am obviously too scared to go and give this opinion on the weaning topic . I was allergic to milk as a child and given the opportunity I'd scoff ice-cream, chocolate, drink milk even though I knew there would be vomiting and skin rashes later . Maybe I'm just odd??!