April 2009 - Chapter 1: We're not pregnant, just fat!

[PuzzleRocks]

We made it!

The fab April ladies and their blessed progeny...

12 Feb: Skiingone: MARIANNA 4lb 4oz
20 Feb: Glaskham: RUBY MARIE 4lb 3oz
04 Mar: Barbarella: ESTELLA, ROSANNA, OTIS
05 Mar: Kazkiss: ISABELLE FLORENCE 4lb 6oz & OLIVER THOMAS 3lb 7oz
15 Mar: Babypringle: OSCAR WILLIAM 7lb 2oz
28 Mar: Claireykitten: VIOLET ROSE 7lb 9oz
29 Mar: WhatFreshHell: FELIX DEVLIN ALEXANDER 10lb 5.5oz
31 Mar: Mumblemum: ORSON XERXES
02 Apr: Oddeyes: ELEANOR 9lb 8oz
03 Apr: Bleuravin: MEGAN LILLIAN CONSTANCE
03 Apr: Bumpalump: JACOB 8lb
04 Apr: BabyBolat: KARAHAN 6lb 5oz
05 Apr: Mrsfossil: ISLA LILIAN 7lb 10oz
06 Apr: BoffinMum: FELIX DAVID GORDON 7lb 9oz
11 Apr: SpringySunshine: GEORGE NATHAN 8lb 15oz
11 Apr: RachelinScotland: CLEMENT JAMES 8lb 14oz
11 Apr: Lou031205: ISLA SOPHIA 7lb 9oz
11 Apr: Electra: ISABELLA CAROLINE 6lb 3oz
11 Apr: AuldAlliance: ALEXANDRE 7lb 6oz
12 Apr: Phdlife: Name TBA GIRL 9lb 3oz
12 Apr: BethDivine: Name TBA GIRL 9lb 9oz
13 Apr: MathsMummy27: AMELIA CHARLOTTE
14 Apr: Purlease: ADAM 9lb 2oz
15 Apr: Juwesm: HUGO GEORGE 9lb 2oz
15 Apr: Bronze: ISAAC JOHN
15 Apr: HeidiT: HEIDI
15 Apr: Kalikaroo: Name TBA BOY 8lb
15 Apr: Minush: ZAFIRAH ROSA 7lb 12oz
15 Apr: FatandFedup: EMILIA ROSE 7lb 6oz
16 Apr: PuzzleRocks: HOLLY ELIZABETH 8lb
16 Apr: Brettgirl: HANNAH GRACE 6lb 15oz
16 Apr: ReallyTired: Name TBA GIRL
18 Apr: Staryeyed: Name TBA BOY 7lb 11oz
20 Apr: LuLuBai: SEBASTIAN 9lb
20 Apr: Swaliswan: BETH 7lb 9oz
21 Apr: Kittycatisgettingfat: GABRIELLA AUDREY BIANCA
21 Apr: B52s: SAM MARTIN 7lb 9oz
21 Apr: Schulte: HAZEL LOIS 7lb 9 oz
23 Apr: Tristaleejac: LEWIN 8lb 4oz
23 Apr: NuttyTaff: TIAHNA SKYE 8lb 8oz
23 Apr: Purplemonkeydishwasher: ISLA ELIZABETH 8lb 14oz
24 Apr: Soon2befamilyof4: TALIA 7lb 6oz
26 Apr: Carameli: THEO LAURENCE 7lb 6oz
26 Apr: Surprisenumber3: EVIE ANNE 8lb 2oz
26 Apr: Bicnod: OSCAR MATTHEW 8lb 1oz
27 Apr: Lauren61: OLIVER STEPHEN 7lb 7oz
27 Apr: Gingersarah: VERONICA ROISIN 9lb 1oz
30 Apr: MegBusset: ARCHIE 8lb 15oz
01 May: Satheresitting: Name TBA BOY
03 May: Conkertree: Name TBA BOY 8lbs 8oz
06 May: Frekkles: HARRIS MERLIN 8lb 5.5oz
07 May: TarteTatin: ALBERT JOHN
10 May: Ilovesummer: Name TBA BOY

Oh BB Orbit had his jabs on Friday too, it's horrid isn't it? My doctor is lovely though and did his 8 week check very gently, but the injections are always very brisk and businesslike. Orbit was most indignant at being stabbed with needles and screamed the place down, I think they regretted jabbing him as he really does have the most ear splitting shriek !

BB make sure you have some Calpol in the house for later, neither of mine were ever very bad with jabs but both ran a little temp for a couple of hours, and Calpol fixes it straight away. Don't wait until Kara gets cranky to go and buy it

Hello people.

Sleep is for the weak. I am managing on four hours a night at the moment ... it might have been different last night, only the boys got a tummy bug and puked my lovely home made lasagne over the bedroom and shower room carpets on several occasions. DH and I spent the night scrubbing things and changing beds. Then I realised the Vax carpet cleaner needed a new water supply pipe, which takes 3-4 working days to come. In the meantime it will just have to smell minging up there.

They are currently at home with me and restless. Felix is feeding hourly. I also have a large boil/abcess thing on my areola which burst open last night in the shower and is still swelling up ready for another go - I think it comes from wearing Lilypadz too much.

Cute quote from DS2: "You are treating me like it's a real hospital. Thanks mum. I would like to kiss you but I shouldn't".

Some responses to other people:

Electra - hope they get you sorted. I admire your strength.

Ginger - chuck out the books and follow your instincts FGS woman! I carry my kids around a lot when they're babies, because I am a primate and that's what primates do. (Luckily I don't have the chest hair to go with it).

Auld - it sounds like tough times, but I reckon you're right to put off big conversations until after the new parent phase.

Swali - bad news about hips. No advice but I hope it's not too awful. At least they can fix it (my great aunt born in 1907 had it, and was never treated, and it's not nice).

Nutty - Methinks a second opinion from someone might be a good investment. It would cost around £100-£150 for a hour with a private consultant. You could still wangle the operation on the NHS if it was medically advisable.

WFH - Calpol check - went and got it straight away - some industrial sized thing that has a shelf like of 3 years so will always be in the cupboard!

LOL at Boff's hospital - glad the boys are appreciating you! Hope they get better soon -

I love my mums Vax carpet cleaner - they are AMAZING! Have saved us a fortune in carpet cleaning fees!

BB if your mum fancies coming over with her Vax I will worship her forever.

I hate sick.

Do you have any of the cleaning fluid - I often use that neat or slightly diluted to get most of the crap up and then mask the smell!!

• another blocked duct/ milk blister.

Fuckfuckfuckfuckholyfuck it hurts!

Hi everyone! Hope you're all fine and not going too doo-lally with sleep deprivation (I went to the supermarket yesterday with a huge list of things to get in my head and only managed to remember milk when I got there... )

Is anyone else having problems with a sore back after the birth? I think my upper back got knackered during the birth and is really bothering me, especially when I'm holding A. It's also a bit sore around the epidural site, but most of the research I've read says that epidurals don't cause back pain...hmmm

A is feeding really frequently at the mo so maybe he's having a growth spurt.

A question for all you knowledgeable mums: last night he was really restless and even though his eyes were shut he as wriggling around making little groaning/squeaking noises. Every half and hour or so he would wake up from this and cry. When I picked him up he instantly fell asleep but would start the whole thing over when I put him down. Is this just wind?? (I winded him for ages, but it didn't make any difference). He's had this a few time and it only seems to be at night . Any ideas what to do?

Our nurse has suggested probiotic/prebiotic drops for As digestion - has anyone tried these? She said that they're really good for stomach discomfort and other parents she knows have said they're good. I bought some the other day and they were bloomin' expensive, so I hope they are!!

oops - sorry for the me, me,me post...!

Juwesm - ouch! That sounds sore! Poor you. Is there something you can put on it?

to everyone's babies who've had to have their jabs. Poor little things - A has to have his soon too. They give them a few drops of sugar solution here before giving them jabs or taking blood.I think it's meant to help them feel better (maybe by distracting them!). A had lots of blood tests for jaundice while he was in hospital and the sugar solution helped his pain a bit.

Boff, I also hate the smell of puke! Luckily we have lino throughout our flat, so any puking, pooing, peeing etc. incidents get mopped up without too much bother. When I moved here I was a bit about having lino everywhere (it's a rented place), but I love it now! Just needs a bit of a sweep and an occasional mop. I'm never going back to carpets! (I'm allergic to dust too and never realised the difference it made living in a place with no carpets - I really recommend getting rid of them to anyone who's also allergic to dust, mites and pollen.
Ok - will step down from my non-carpeted soapbox!

Hi Kalikaroo - just a quick one to say that the wriggling and groaning is probably bubbles of air making their way through his digestion and giving him colicky pain, Orbit did this a lot at night but seems to be growing out of it now. Infacol helps, don't know if they have an equivalent over where you are?

Boffin you poor thing, I hate sick and the smell of it too. Hope all your pukey boys are feeling better soon.

Orbit managed to wee all down me on Saturday when we were at DP's stepbrother's house, then follow it up when I had just dried off with bringing up most of a feed all over me. And guess who had forgotten to bring spare clothes for either me or Orbit? D'oh.

Juwesm - poor you! the fuckfuckfuckfuck mantra does seem to be the only way to get through it, doesn't it? Hope it heals soon.

Orbit managed to sleep from (drum roll please).....10pm to 6am last night! Of course, being a mum, I couldn't just be pleased about it, but started worrying about whether he's feeling unwell from his jabs or whether he's coming down with something and whether he's getting enough to eat etc etc ad infinitum.

Hi all

DD1 still sick and we're constantly fighting her high temperature . Juw if you're around... she's now on Amoxicillin and I gave her a double dose (10mls) to start with at 2pm. It says three times a day at regular intervals... I know at the hospital they actually give it every 8 hours and wake the children up for that but can I do something like 8am, 2pm, 8pm instead? Or would that not work as efficiently? Thanks for advice... am really worried because the doc doesn't actually know what's wrong with her and has prescribed antibiotics 'just in case'.

Oh Juw hope DD1 is OK!

Sorry again to jump in with me post but K has done nothing but sleep since his jabs at 09.30 this morning - is this normal - he is also really grizzly in his sleep - he is waking up for feeds but then straight back (he also rolled off his pillow (only about 3 inches high) while I was out the room so am worried he may have hurt himself but he wasn't crying when I came in! GAH how are you supposed to cope with all these things!!!

Soory - juw ouch, Schultes, hope DD1 is OK - do they really just give out anti-b's 'just in case'? you ok?

BB my DD1 did nothing but sleep and grizzle after her first set of jabs. Think that's normal. x

Thanks Schultes! How is DD1 now?

hi everyone - an odd moment of ds1 and ds2 being asleep at the same time so had a quick skim through.

bb - sounds fair enough - someone just jabbed him with a sharp stick so he sleeps to block it out. and wouldnt worry about the pillow - ds1 knocked ds2 out of our baby swing a couple of days ago - just knocked the whole thing over - my heart leapt into my mouth, but ds2 hardly cried and i then worried that he'd banged his head or something, but he was fine - think we were lucky but also think they are quite resilient wee things.

wont be using the swing again when ds1 is around for a bit though as he will think its a game.

hope the boys are better boff - i always find that bicarbonate of soda overnight and hoovered up the next day works well to remove the smell.

sorry to hear about your back nutty - for you that you're not getting the operation. glad you had a good night out though.

Hi Schultes - that sounds fine. As close as you can to every eight hours, but I can't see how waking a poorly child for the sake of a couple of hours will help. Hope she feels better soon (((hugs)))

BB Orbit has been very sleepy too, and DS1 was the same with jabs. As long as Kara's still feeding and doing wet/dirty nappies, then he's just sleeping off the effects of the jabs.

Orbit and I had a trip to A&E last week as well, as I slipped on the stairs and had to let go of Orbit with one hand to stop myself falling on him, so his poor head and top half sort of snapped back and forth from my shoulder. They checked him over and said he was fine, thank goodness.

Schulte hope your DD is better soon xx

Hello all

so sorry for disappearing for so long. Hope all ok? No way I can begin to catch up after such a long gap but just been getting teary eyed reading the list of baby names.

All well here. Right now I am the proud mother of two sleeping children, and apart from the permanently on washing machine the house is completely quiet. Bliss. Won't last for long, so just a mini me-update before I go back and try to get an overview of what's going on with everyone.

Sebastian is 6 weeks old today and pretty lovely (ok I am biased). DD adores him. So all is good. Slight chaos as DD has decided now is the right time to potty train, but being particular about where she pees and poos inevitably has accidents. So am doing a lot of laundry and cleaning and carrying many many spare items of clothing with me whenever we go anywhere.

But other than that, life with two is easier than I thought it would be (I really was bracing myself for the worst!). And we are loving living back in our house and getting back into the swing of things.

We now have a functioning computer. The last one was causing some problems which were put down to 'transit damage' from the house move but I think DH pouring a glass of wine on it may have contributed a bit. Computer was clearly pissed!

So with a brand new (and sober) computer hopefully I won't be out of touch for so long again.

Now going to catch up a bit

xxx

Juw thanks so much. Will have to wake her anyway to give her Calpol and Calprofen AAAARgh I hate these viruses!

LuLu! You're back! Yay! You've been missed!

aaah thanks Schulte

I have missed all of you too.

Sorry to hear DD1 poorly. And the BoffinBoys too. DD got a lurgy a couple of weeks ago and twas soooo hard looking after them both. Hugs to all of you and hope everyone better soon.

hey lulu!!!!! WELCOME BACK!! you really have been missed! Wow you are a braver person than me to try and catch up!!!!

OOoh WFH so glad he is ok! must have been very scary - K seems fine, he was awake for an hour or so earlier and was cooing around in his bouncy chair so think he is fine he's hot but nothing other than the pure heat we have here at the moment! he's now asleep on my lap again heating me up to the point where I feel like I have wet myself!

DH is working late tonight - am trying not TBU but am a bit annoyed about it!

OK everyone awake now, so no more catching up but promise will be back again soon

xxx