Dec 08 mums - from rolling to sitting and everything inbetwean

[waitinggirl]

there i've done it - hope that is ok.

Well the Apprentice was good, re-branding Margate, classic!
And baby show next week so should be extra amusing. The clip showed them with Birth Pool in a Boxes, presumably sans puncture unlike my experiences with them

Well tonight I fed DS some formula for the first time. We are going mountain biking in the weekend in Wales with some friends of DH's and we will be taking it in turns to ride. I decided I couldn't be faffed with frozen expressed milk when away from home, didn't really know how it would work, so I thought I would check he would drink formula. I am most insulted that after a bit of squirming and trying to turn towards my boobs he was soon grabbing the bottle instead. Meh. I think DH saying how hard he is to feed from the bottle is either to make me feel wanted or more likely to make him seem very dedicated. He only drank 2 oz as I forgot that I was going to try out formula on him and had already fed him some of his evening feed.
Happy anniversary njan, does sound like an eventful first few days back when you met . I first met DH in 1999. We didn't get together until summer 2000 though. I thought he was a total geek when I first met him (bad bowlhead haircut back then too). To be honest, I was right (about the geek thing), but I just didn't see his redeeming features too
ladyt sorry to hear about the house. They may be bull$%$%ing about pulling out though and just trying to hurry things along. Still, if there are loads of problems with the survey that are not resolved yet, then maybe it is not somewhere you want to buy after all, and sounds like you have uncertainties anyway. Always crap when these things fall through though, as you do feel like you have invested loads of time and emotion into them, when you've got as far as having surveys done, etc
veggie I quite agree, raspberries are much cooler than rolling.
DS is also a little charmer with his smiles and giggles. Some random lady came and cooed over him earlier today and every time she spoke to him he just smiled and giggled. It was quite vomit-inducingly cute. She loved it though. njan I am sure DS reserves his best smiles for total strangers, not family members! Sniff. He doesn't have a brother to smile at though.
effie poor little DS1. Hope his foot is better soon, for your sanity as well!

wg sorry crossed posts, I feel really bad that I just wrote about how easily DS was taking the bottle when you were saying that DD wouldn't take one ...sorry.
Maybe you could try every day to just get her to hold a bottle in her mouth (maybe with boiled water, not ebm so as not to waste) and maybe she will gradually get used to it?? I have no idea if what your HV says about it being virtually impossible is true...sounds a bit pessimistic to me...we havent' fed DS that often from a bottle (maybe 10ish times in total, and usually just an oz or so to top up when I have gone out and he isn't quite asleep)
and he seems ok.

WG your posts read exactly as I was with DS1 and I have to say I have no advice for you, I look back now and wonder why I was so fearful of leaving him with anyone. If I was away from him I was so scared that DH would drop him or he would cry for me so I was never away long. I remember it becoming quite stressful when ds1 was around 5.5 months. All felt really removed from all my friends (society in general), I felt such a weight of responsibility and felt I was losing myself. I can say is it did eventually get better.

I tried bottles a couple of times and he took once but after that refused point blank. I think it is more the child than what you do. However around 6 months he started taking beaker bottles with soft tops, they were practically teats I think they were tommee tippee will have a look online for a link. These led on to the harder beakers. I have never heard this about the bottles I don't think it would hurt to try though I have to say if she was unhappy the first time it may be difficult. I'm sure you know this but it would be best to get someone else to try feeding her and it's best if you are not in the room possibly not even in the house.

NJAN, the trouble is I feel like I know him only too well, already Well done you for getting to fourteen years.

WG - gosh, I too had no idea was such a Herculean task to get a babe to accept a bottle after they have been breastfed for 4.5 months. Perhaps someone will come on and say this is wrong? Is it worth just trying her with one again? (I don't know, of course, just instinctively want to zig if a HV says zag). Listen, if you want to go to Westfield could you not take DD with you? Would she sleep in a buggy? There is a wonderful feeding area with private cubicles, lamps and comfy chairs.

I hope you can sort something out.

SL I feel bad but I'm getting a bit sick of people stopping me in the street or in shops to look at DS2. I guess being 2nd time around doesn't help. He gives people the biggest grin and really looks into their eyes, like his brother used to, which I think people really like. But it means I get held up trying to get stuff done. However, I have to agree with them he is gorgeous and does have an outstanding head of hair. Its just I'm the one who has to listen to his sore toothy whining so I should get all his biggest grins.

Lady DS2 has that funny baldy bit on the back of his head. It's weird because he often sleeps on his side and is on his tummy for a lot of the day so I've no idea how he managed it. But looks cute. I met a baby at baby yoga who has a proper Mohican!

Right I'm really going to bed.

Hi Summer, glad you didn't tell me who got the flick in the Apprentice! Wow, a baby themed one next week - should be good. Did you by any chance see the Michael Portillo documentary on Horizon last night, about violence? One of the tasks involved him looking after a couple of baby simulators which cried a lot and you had to guess whether to feed, change or comfort them. After hours of sleep deprivation he felt quite violent. I thought of Jump and Trace and others who are suffering bad nights, and how upbeat they sound. Obviously made of far sterner stuff than Michael Portillo....

Right, Sainsbury order then bed!

Hi Summer, glad you didn't tell me who got the flick in the Apprentice! Wow, a baby themed one next week - should be good. Did you by any chance see the Michael Portillo documentary on Horizon last night, about violence? One of the tasks involved him looking after a couple of baby simulators which cried a lot and you had to guess whether to feed, change or comfort them. After hours of sleep deprivation he felt quite violent. I thought of Jump and Trace and others who are suffering bad nights, and how upbeat they sound. Obviously made of far sterner stuff than Michael Portillo....

Right, Sainsbury order then bed!

At least it only posted twice.

WG - I feel your pain with the bottles, but for your sanity I think you need to try it.

I was SO fearful of leaving my DD1 that I built a bit of a rod for my own back and it took my wise and wonderful babysitter (then cleaner) to get me out of it. I had not had a decent night's sleep in months (and was not to get one for some months to come) nor a decent night out when she offered to babysit. I fannied around as Lucy had only had a couple of disastrous attempts with bottles (with my mum at the helm - cried for about 3 hours solid with mum pacing up and down the hall as I'd taken the keys!) but Sacha persuaded me to go. I left a small novel of instructions but Sacha reminded me she had had 5 kids and managed not to kill any of them, so a quick pub trip would be manageable. I left EBM, Lucy cried, Sacha cuddled, we all lived and I felt so much better and FREE for the first time in ages. This was about 4.5 months so there is hope. Have you a baby loving type who would relish some cuddling and fussing with babies? Heck, I'd be happy to do it but I think you are N and I am south.... Honestly, I am so not a fan of CC etc but the worst that will happen is that DD will be a little unsettled for a short time, you will get a bit of head space and will come back to DD refreshed and ready for the next challenge. Formula or EBM is not important, but your sanity very much is. Time away is vital IMO.

NJAN - 14 years is impressive, well done. LadyT - I have a friend who met DH in Dec 2006, preg by April 2007, DD1 in Feb 2008, preg again in June 2008 and had DD2 end of March! 2 kids and a wedding in 2.5 years - that's some going! She's having her Mirena fitted tomorrow (honestly!!)

Pox on the wane in DD1 thank the lord. Other 2 as yet unaffected. Sleep well all.

WG - In my very expert opinion , that is rubbish that your DD won't take a bottle because you haven't tried until now. We did a bottle of expressed BM most days for the first few months and then he just started point blank refusing (he started taking bottles again once we tried the Playtex bottles, but there was at least a week of refusal). There are no guarantees no matter when you first try it. She may take to it easily! Also, the cup/beaker thing may work too. I gave DS a beaker with a spout today for the first time with just an oz or so of BM and he picked it straight up and drank it. It certainly can't hurt to try and worst case you go out for a few hours and she is a bit grumpy and stocks up on the boob once you get home! You hear about babies refusing the bottle for the entire day at nursery and then just tanking up once Mum is home from work.

Hope you are able to make something work that you're happy with!

WG DS1 was exclusively breastfed for at least 6 months (had no bottles, I mean). He took milk from a Tommee Tippee breast to bottle bottle from the staff at nursery when I got flu and couldnt come in to work to feed him (they got him to do this, I was nowhere near), and after a little while he refused to breastfeed anymore and wanted formula from the bottle instead. It was surprisingly easy after I'd been told the same thing by the HV. I think it probably takes a bit of persistance and someone who isnt so emotionally attatched to get it to work. There were also a few breastfed chidren there who never took from bottles but Tommee Tippee cups instead - it is possible.

DS2 hasnt had a bottle at all because I cant express much milk. I will be trying him out with things over the next month or so i will let you know.

BTW, I went out for an hour to a farmers market at the weekend with a friend and both DSs screamed for the entire time apparently. I didnt feel guilty and niether should you - you have to get away sometimes because you are a person in your own right. You work so hard putting them first that you have earned an hour off here or there and no damamge will come of it.....

LadyT The upside of 14 years is we both remember when we were young and sexy.

The downside is that was a long time ago

Morning,

LadyT Sorry about the house. I hope you find another lovely house with a garden.

WG I hope that your DD takes a bottle soon.

Njan Wow 14 years is great. We've been married 3 years in July and together 4 years.

My bike arrived yesterday and he is building it so should be ready today or tomorrow!!

It WW tonight but it is that time of the month and I have been really hungry this week. So dreading being weighed.

Hope you are all well today.

Happy Anniversary NJAN! 14 years, that's amazing! Hope you have a lovely day, we will raise a cup of tea in your honour at the N London meetup.
It's very reassuring to hear what you say about leaving the DCs and having to get away - my DH is constantly trying to get me to go out and I tend to use tiredness as an excuse (which is also real!) but it's also to do with control (as WG mentioned) and me wanting to be with him every second to make sure he's as happy as possible. I think it all goes back to the early days when he would scream for 10 hrs day and now he's such a happy little fellow I can't bear to see him cry but probably just need to get over myself .
Sybil, v glad to hear your DD1 is getting better, you must have proper cabin fever by now!
Effie, how is DS1 today? And was DS2 any more settled last night?
Lady, sorry to hear about the house, that is v disappointing. Maybe when they see you won't be bullied they'll back down?

morning, how was everyone's night?

njan 14 years wow! Happy anniversary

wg am a bit at hv's advice. I know babies who have taken the bottle after bf, & I know others who wouldn't but did move straight onto a cup. I think you might need to try it a few times and as njan suggested, by someone who isn't as emotionally involved.

ladyt sorry to hear about the house but well done on not being bullied. It might be that she's bluffing & trying to force your hand but if it does fall through, then its probably not meant to be. And I'm sure you'll find a much nicer house with garden

sybil glad the pox is on the wane!

effie hope ds1's foot gets better & that the batteries on the fire engine die out quickly

I'm feeling a bit of a fool. I started weaning ds1 thinking that he was ready & he was 6mo etc. Took him to be weighed yesterday & he's only 5 mo . So I've stopped for the time being & leaving it another few weeks. I mean really, what kind of mother can't work out how old her child is?!

Been trying to catch up and failing miserably, so just a quickie from me.

WG you can cup feed her instead if she wont take the bottle buy a doidy cup much easier to use if you are cup feeding.

LadyT what a bugger about the house.

NJAN wow 14yrs congrats.

For LadyT my fellow harlet I met DP in July 2006 then we both went off overseas for work for a month then we decided to go away for a wk came back found out I was pregnant DS1 born June 2007, moved house April 2008, DS2 born Dec 2008.

No rolling or raspberry blowing here wither or sleeping through am hoping he will have mastered a tleast on of them by the time he turns 18.

Right back later off to friend for cwaffee and cake.

Syb hows the pox?

wg I just want you to know you're not on your own in this. We are in the same boat. My HV told me the same as yours and TBH she seems to be right. DH and I and a friend have all tried very hard to get P to take a bottle and she will not. We persisted for several weeks - same time each day, formula or EBM, thinking she would eventually give in, but she hasn't. I know that is not an encouraging thing to say but I'm finding at the moment that I need to accept that there are things that I can't fix, even with love and determination, even though the world and his wife are quite sure we can... Maybe Madam will...or maybe she won't. I too am feeling unable to go anywhere because of her erratic waking and me being the only one who can feed her. Yesterday I put cooled boiled water in a beaker and let her have it with her toys, and every now and then I'd offer it to her - she accepted it in her mouth and teethed on it, and took the odd accidental suck which surprised her, but she didn't get upset. I'll try that for a while adn see if we get anywhere. My worry really is that I go back to work in a few months and need to have it sorted by then. I'm also feeling a bit strange that I can't choose to BF as long as I want, because it really can't work when I'm working (although I could do morning and night?). and the thought that the decision to stop has been taken away is bothering me. You are not alone. [hug of solidarity emoticon]

veggie - Has aunt Flo come even though you are BF? How horrid. I thought I'd be Flo-free till I stopped. Careful lady - you can definitely get preg now! And thanks for asking about the boob - it's still quite sore in one area but I'm feeling better in myself. Still headachey though

P did better last night - woke at 10.30, 1.30, 3.30 then 6.30 - real progress for us .

Tilly - LOL at you forgetting how old your ds is! How are the eyes? P has had green gunk coming out of hers for 2 weeks - I wonder if it's conjunctivitis? I just thought it was a sticky eye but it isn't getting better.

P's awake... back later xxx

Trace, its ds1 but yes its green gunk! It did seem to be getting better but its started out of the other eye now. It woudld help I'm sure if he would let me put the eye drops in. As it is, it takes 2 of us to hold him down & squeeze a drop in each

Glad P seems to be getting better at night again, long may it continue

Hope you are having a good meet up today. I'm meeting all my ttc friends next week in York.

We might be going to my Dad's in Norfolk at the end of June so might be able to come to a London meet up!!

Kayz or maybe you could come to Cambridge in June?

Just found out a friends baby who I saw yesterday may have chicken pox - do you think I should not go and see my new nephew tomorrow if it is?? What about if she is still not sure if it's chicken pox tomorrow?
Bummer, I was looking forward to seeing him!

Yes Cambridge would be very easy. There is a direct train line to London which goes through Cambridge.

thank you all so much for bottle/beaker advice - will investigate those tommee tippee breast to bottle things - sound good. i don't need her to take them all the time, just the odd one now and again. i don't tend to feel that trapped, but dammit i just want to see dh's recordings and have the odd night out. must be stricter with her and myself and not care so much.

off to our tiny n london meet up now.

oh, and suddenly i am also worried that if she takes to a bottle/beaker she won't want me anymore a la njan.

bloody hell, i can't have it both ways, can i?

thank you all again so much - will let you know.

wg the reason I suggested keeping trying was because I read this written by someone on here.
The whole blog seemed pretty good tbh.

I have a few friends who are in the same boat as you. Does R sleep well in the evenings? I go out often in the evening and E doesn't need a feed while I am out, in fact we had been trying to check he would drink formula for the past month (someone told me it tastes v different from ebm so I wanted to check before we went away) and every time I went out he just went to sleep! Though I think he may have cried a bit (I don't ask too much about this, as DH is much happier to let him cry a bit than me. But I have to let him do things his way) My friend who's baby won't take the bottle will come out in the evening as her daughter is so reliable sleeping she is pretty confident she won't wake up and need feeding. when are your DH's recordings?? How long would you be away from her for?
Enjoy the meet up

Whose not who's. Sorry.