March 09 - there is no snooze button on a baby that needs milk.....!

[meep]

over here ladies

Law I am so envious of your lo only waking twice in twelve hours! Last night Melissa went down at 7.30, woke at 11pm, then 12.30am and then 2am - by then I was almost in tears and sent her downstairs with DP, who was up for two hours trying to get her to sleep. Fed her again at 4am then she was up and perky at 6am. We've now bought some formula in case it happens again but I'm worried that supplementing will cut my milk supply. Then again I'm SO desperate for sleep. It's such a quandry as I really wanted to bf for longer this time round than with DD1.

Here's hoping for a better night tonight - Melissa's hardly slept today so I'm hoping I've worn her out

Sorry for mememe post - needed to vent!

Oh Miss That sounds awful! No wonder you were near tears - mine wouldn't have held off, I'd be blubbing! I really hope she settles, maybe a growth spurt??

We've had a busy few days in the Slick household - It was DH's birthday on Sat and also the gala day so I gad to take DD1 to that then come back and get things ready for 23 adults and kids arriving for a bbq in the p*ssing rain!! Typical. It did pass and stayed off enough for it all to go ahead but it was a shame as there's been a lot of lovely days. Oh well. DD1 was at 2 other parties on thur and sun so by last night her head was buzzin' and she was still awake at 11pm!

FB has been doing well - 3 nights ago he slept from 8pm right through til 6.20am!! he had stirred at 4.30am and then i was awake every half hour waiting for him to wake!

Then since then only once a night (sorry Miss ). He is tho, still a wee darlin' and quite happily sits looking around at what's going on and I just try to give him as much attention as I can. It is hard with the other two as well tho.

Re: Nappy rash and previous mention (last year) of egg white being a miracle cure - it is, but I have since been told that you are best to do a patch test on the wrist as some are allergic to it and it can cause anaphilactic shock apparently. A french woman I know said she had told her Dr in Paris that lots of Scottish women put egg white on nappy rash and apparently he couldn't believe it as it can cause this reaction. I've never known of one and so far whenever I've tried it it has been fine - and worked wonders, but I thought I should mention it.

Right, must go and speak to a "Turf Guy" about, er..turf.

Morning all !

missmod - sorry to hear about your terrible nights. I sympathise. On the subject of formula - I give Lara one bottle of formula at bed time. I don't think it makes any difference to how long she sleeps but

• it gives me a break from feeding
• DH can do it at weekends
• I know she has had a good feed pre bed even if it doens't make any difference
• It has made no difference to my supply and I have been doing it since 4 weeks

To be honest, sometimes when I am having a terrible night I give another bottle just because I get fed up feeding !

On this subject - for those who are breastfeeding and your babies are sleeping through the night () do you express in the evenings ? I have started giving L's bottle at 7 ish and so sometimes I am going 10 ish hours without feeding and worry that this will effect my supply.

sorry to hear about the nappy rash - none here yet but will remember these alternative remedies when we do !

Wheelybug - I'm exclusively Bf-ing and Penelope has slept through on about 5 or 6 occasions, but more generally wakes up at about 3am for a feed and then goes back to sleep until 6:30 or 7am. I don't express on a routine basis, only when I need to make sure there is some for a bottle for DH to give her 3 or 4 times a week, just so she knows how to take from a bottle so she is prepared for me to go back to work in September. Sometimes I have expressed at 4 or 5 in the morning when she has slept through, just because my boobs are bursting and I am soaking the bed sheets! I am also trying to build up a supply in the freezer, so there is a bank of milk for when we have planned trips away over night (our first night away from Pen is due on July 10th, and I want to make sure I leave enough for my friend who is having her overnight).

So, having raised the issue, have any of you left your baby overnight yet, with a friend of family? Pen will be about 4 months by then, and it will be my first proper time away from her. Because I am BF-ing and we have only just introduced a bottle of EBM every now and then, I have only spent one evening away from her (with DH in charge) which was last week from about 6:30pm until 11pm (night out with the girls!) Am a little apprehensive about leaving her when she is so tiny, but it's an overnight work thing (DH's work) and he says the break will do us good. I know he's right, but I still worry that she won't take the bottles I leave for her (she is still a bit fussy if it's not my boob feeding her!) and that my friend will have a devil of a time baby-sitting! Probably worrying over nothing...

Other than that, Pen is going great guns. Had her second set of jabs this morning and she's still asleep since she went down for her 11am nap. Bliss. Have been getting all my jobs done in the meantime but wish I had gone to sleep with her as am a bit knackered at the mo'... but then aren't we all...

Latest photo of Pen on my profile. Would love to see your latest photos Meep, Slick, 3cute and Jolly... and everyone else's of course.

Did we ever find out what happened to Emma and MKG? They were such prolific writers on the ante-natal thread...

xx

miss that sounds awful - fwiw I broke when Rosie was only 2wo after a night like that and got the formula out, so you are a real trooper for getting to this stage.

slick Rosie sounds like FB, just chills and looks about while her sister whirlwinds round her. When I do get a moment to coo with her she looks so delighted to get some attention that I do feel a bit guilty.

boobz I am very of you getting a night away. I think I left dd1 when she was about 7mo - I was very neurotic and pfb about her .

I was also wondering what happened to Mandy - she was my virtual hand holder when we were going through our amnio.

As requested - up to date photos on my profile. Can't believe they are getting so big - Pen looks really grown up (and happy 30th Boobz!)

Love the piccies Boobz. You look remarkably unfrazzled if I may say! I've not been brave enough to leave Amy at all yet. Dh and I really want to go to the cinema (I need to see Terminator on the big screen), but the thought of leaving her with anyone terrifies me.

On the waking at night front, Amy goes to bed with us about 11pm and gets to sleep maybe half an hour later. She then wakes sometimes (rarely) between 4 and 5 before waking more properly about 6, but more normally she wakes at about 3 (although last night was 2!) and then about every hour or so after that. I have her next to me in bed so I can just feed her as she wants.

Jolly We have smelly neck over here too I can't seem to shift it so if anyone has some advice I'd be grateful. Obviously it goes when I wash it, but it comes back really quick.

Amy has decided she will not part with her burps which resulted in much screaming over the weekend. MIL gave us some gripe water yesterday which Dh tried to give her with a syringe. Unfortunately he shot it at the back of her throat which resulted in very bad choking (I was beginning to really panic), me crying and an argument in which he ended up asking if I've gone off him! Not a nice evening. I tried explaining that I feel a bit weird about myself having torn and been sliced and diced down below, not to mention that my boobs are constantly out for the purposes of feeding (and most definately do not feel the same) and it's nice for them to be left alone for a minute. I do not feel remotely sexy.

It doesn't help that the two times since the birth that we have bd'd he put the moves on while I was changing her nappy! (yes, seriously)

grinning I think the smelly neck is from milk dribble - so check the neck folds after a feed, unless of couse Amy is fast asleep!

lol at your dh - men just haven't a clue!

Thanks boobz - I do have soaking the bed moments - especially last night when I had to change my top, it didn't help when L vommed all over me mid feed (thankfully a very rare occurence).

Lovely photos boobz and meep. Will try and upload my camera as I have some from a wedding we went to on saturday.

On the smelly neck front - if its looking sore sudocreme does wonders although there may be more natural remedies out there ! We have it too - thought we were escaping it because of less dribble with b-feeding as dd1 had it terribly but we're not. Grotty neck folds here too !

Boobz and Meep love the photos I will try and upload some more soon.

Wheely I don't express any milk during the evening / night. I only express milk when I need it becos I am going out. Mae feeds at about 9ish now and wakes at between 6.30 and 7am, and then goes back to sleep till about 9am. It works OK for us albeit we will have to change this when it is nearer time for her to go to nursery. Currently not having any problems with milk supply, so the 9 hours without feeding don't seem to having any impact. Cross my fingers this all continues!

Boobz we have left Mae with my parents for a few hours on a couple of occassions and I have left her with my DH a couple of times too. She isn't good at feeding without me, even though she seems to have overcome her fear of the bottle. And to be honest she has been known to be a bit of handfull, we left her yesterday with my parents to go and get us all chinese take-away and she screamed the whole time we were gone! But the parents survived and she just dropped off to sleep as soon as we were back!

Yet more photos of Mae available for viewing!

Gorgeous Jolly

I've just put one of Lara enjoying (yes, she is laughing not screaming !) her first bounce on a bouncy castle.

awwww - aren't all our babies just adorable

Afternoon ladies...

Wheely - I found that my supply was affected the first couple of times that George slept for 7/8 hours at a stretch, but it seems to have sorted itself out now. I think your body's supposed to adjust to your baby's schedule.

Boobz - haven't done a night without George yet, but when I started working occasional evenings I was convinced he would be awful and refuse to feed, and my DH would have to bring him to the marquee so that I could feed him. In the event, it was all absolutely fine and George slept all evening and took his bottle like a little lamb...

Am experimenting with my cloth nappies now, and can see how they could end up being a very expensive obsession. They seem to last a good 4-5 hours without leaking which is great, and are washing without issues. I splashed out on a tiger print velour itti bitti today. Am guessing George is not going to thank me for that when I show his girlfriends his baby pictures in later life

Gorgeous pictures everyone, btw...

Just had to share this one.... went to check on DS1 and he's gotten into the Sudocreme. It's all over his face, pyjamas, bed.... And he's looking so pleased with himself the little scamp!

I'm hoping he's not eaten much of it, I've already had to call NHS Direct before for the effects of Persil tablets.

laumiere that reminds me of when DD1 had chicken pox (when L was 5 weeks old) and found the Eurax cream (that you're only supposed to use 3 times a day) and SMOTHERED herself in it.... I panicked and rang NHSDirect and spoke to a lovely nurse who assured me no harm would come!

My first night without L is a week on Friday - DH is taking DD1 and L down a day early to our holiday - I'm going to see Take That with a few friends - can't wait although bit scared about leaving DH on his own with the two of them

Hi all ? lovely to have news from some old-and-familiar faces.

Good days and bad days here ? after a decent stretch of non-fussy evenings, we?re in the midst of a rather horrid one at the moment. Been putting R down since 8.30 ? he?ll sleep for five minutes, wake up howling, and we?ll soothe him and try again. Kind of doing our head in, to be honest. Sigh.

ellie, lol at the idea of looking for a baby-rolling intruder. R occasionally rolls over from back to front, but, as laumiere said, it seems more by accident than design.

Lovely pics, jolly, wheely, meep and boobz (happy 30th!).

Have put a few of Rhys up from this weekend ? 10 weeks old already, eek! In one of them, I swear he?s channelling a university professor. All he needs is a pipe and tweed jacket?

fearless, Rhys has been doing the tweaking-and-twisting thing while nursing as well. What is up with that??

We are going to visit my ex-sister-in-law this weekend ? our first road trip (Brussels to Strasbourg). Am nervous about it on several counts: R not wild about his car seat (to date he?s not one of those babies that obligingly falls asleep and stays asleep on the road), and am afraid of being judged on my parenting skills (ESPECIALLY the rather complete lack of routine and inability to self-soothe) by a mother of 4. Just have to keep telling myself no two babies/families are alike and we?re just going to muddle through, right?

mdavza, sympathies on the short, short naps and kudos on the long ones that have just started! R is generally a 45-minute napper at most.

We?ve not left R overnight yet; I did just have my first evening out last week, leaving R with DP and a goodly supply of EBM. It was LOVELY to be out on my own, wearing clothes that I wouldn?t need to nurse in, having a couple of glasses of wine ? bliss! I?m on the hunt for a babysitter, though, as DP and I haven?t been able to have a night out together yet.

Grotty neck = no. Icky armpit cheese = yes.

Corgi I doubt anyone, least of all a mother of 4, would be judgey about a lack of routine/self soothing at this early stage! It sounds like you're doing a sterling job from where I'm standing, anyway.

Melissa hasn't quite rolled yet, but I left her in the baby gym this afternoon she managed to wheel round 180 degrees so her head was pointing in the opposite direction. I had no idea she was so mobile.

And now I'm off to bed. Gearing up for another night of broken sleep .

missmode I feel soooo sorry forvyour broken nights! Must be beyond hard. Hope she settles soon!

corgi a trip to Brussels, you're v brave. Four kids, woohoo, amazing! We want to go away for a weekend but need to scrape together more confidence, being petrified 1st time parents. Are B&B's ok with babies? We've ordered ds a cycle trailer, hopefully he'll love it.

laumiere he is eating like a champ, only on v weak rice cereal, and continues to drink loads. He's tall and hollow, apparently

Today we went swimming for the 1st timeaaaaaaah! He didn't mind itbut got a bit cold. But he was super relaxed afterwards, want to do it at least once a week.
Stressing a lot about going back to work pt in Aug, I dread the idea of leaving him with a stranger. Almost feel like not going back but it will be good for me, and we need the money... to pay childminder.... How does one do it?
Have to sleep now, bye!

corgi my sil is a mum of 3 and I worried all the time with dd1 that she thought I was a bit pfb (I was!) - but actually she was very supportive and a huge source of information and help. I remember phoning her while she was on holiday in France to ask how to use the steriliser she'd passed on to me. I was in tears as I was switching to formula - and she was great.

Just remember though that she'll have almost forgotten what it is like with your first one and how every teeny tiny thing is a big big deal!

love the photos of Rhys. They are all transforming into little people from scrunchy babies!

Hope everypne had a good night sleep!

Meant to ask your opinions - Rosie is getting her 12 week jabs tomorrow. But she's only just getting over having runny poos (first slightly solid one this morning - hooray!). Would you put the jabs off for a week to make sure she was in full health?

She's not been "ill" - no temp or ill signs - pretty much her chirpy wee self until she wees/poos on her sore bum

I had to change her at 2am as she had a wee cry because she'd done a bit of poo. Amazingly she went straight back to sleep and was woken up at 7am by her big sister shouting "Rosie's toes" (don't ask!) over the monitor!

mdvaza Sounds like my DS1! He's over a metre tall at 3 and still only weighs 15kg, by contrast his little brother is 7kg at 16 weeks and is built like the Incredible Hulk! (We had to cut his fringe this week, so he even looks like the Hulk now [hmm}).

meep Our HV always says leave it a week if you have even the slightest doubts, G had his 8w jab at 10w and his 12w jab at 15.

laumiere - my dd1 is 4 and only just weighs 15kg (and that depends what scales you weigh her on !). But then my dh is 37 and 9 stone so I guess its in the genes !

meep - if you're in any doubt postpone them. I postponed Laras because she had that cough and she was over the cough by then and hadn't had a fever or anything but just thought it was better safe than sorry. So, she goes tomorrow for them... and I get a smear test too ! What a fun morning we're going to have.

Lovely photos of rhys Corgi !

Are any of your babies still suffering terribly with wind ? L spends all her time parping which wakes her at night. I should porbably go back to using infacol to get it up better at night as she is v. difficult to wind at night.

Morning! What gorgeous babies we all have!! Loving the photos ladies. I must download some new ones - haven't had the chance.

Meep I know I sound like a battle-axe granny who puts everything down to winding/teething or a growth spurt () but it doesn't sound like she's been ill and maybe just an upset tummy and sore bum with teething? Mine have always gone that way when they are. If it is that, then the HV would say she is fine to get her jabs. It tends to be more if they have a temp, bad cold, bug etc that they avoid it. Maybe you can see what your HV thinks?

Boobz Happy 30th! Re: leaving of LO's for the night, erm, yes, I've left mine a few times now to go to mum's for a break of a weekend! Leave them with DH. But the difference is, FB is now bottle-fed so that is different and I rememeber the first time I left DD2 who was breastfed and I was far more anxious about it. So I don't really know what to recommend other than I'm sure she'll be fine! I also think I'm a bit more relaxed on these things 3rd time round. but I say if you can get a break TAKE IT!!

Lol Laumiere at the persil tabs. I know I shouldn't laugh, but sorry it did make me chuckle.

Corgi Good to hear from you and I agree with miss - if you do find she's being a Judgy-Pants just remind her as you said, no two babies are the same (and stick your tongue out at her for good measure.

I had a shocking night with FB last night, 12.30am then 2.30am then 5am and every half hour. Big argument with DH this morning who said I should have got him up through the night but I was trying to give him his night off - we take it in alternate shifts, every other night (although I always wake anyway). I felt he wasn't being helpful by lecturing me as he had done that after a shit day yesterday which I won't go into but it involved two trips to Asda in the pissing rain, one to buy a present for child's friend - the other to return the same present when I found out she had been given two of them already; a major tantrum from DD2, Fb throwing up on me at the same time (and all day) and me having to make a crocodile tail out of thin air for my DD1's school play tomorrow. So yes, I'd had better days and come back to a lecture: Why didn't I ask him to get things etc. Well you're at work, it doesn't occur to me. etc etc. His intentions are good but the way he goes about it makes me feel I'm doing things wrong when actually I'm doing my damndest to keep everyone bloody happy. Ach. Sod it.

Never mind.

So Grinning You are not alone! Although I actually accused DH of not finding me attractive anymore as he hasn't made a pass for ages and he used to be horny all the time! When I sulkily asked him about it he kind of laughed (as in 'don't be silly') and said that we were just out of the way of things. I know what he means as I have been pregnant or bf-ing for 3 years now practically, but still....

But I def don't feel sexy when my boobs look like two empty crisp packets and when I stand side on, instead of my boobs sticking out and my tummy going in, my tummy sticks out and my boobs go in. It's all wrong! It's upside down! How can a girl feel sexy when her body's upside down???

P.S. Meant to say, Fb has the stinky neck thing going on too - too much milk dribble and sick lurking in there and it doesn't seem to matter how hard I try to keep it clean it's still stinks. But I was told by my old doctor with DD2 that putting vaselene there (and on the bum sometimes) acts as a better barrier cream so I have been putting that on when I remember.

Lovely photos Corgi - he looks like he's quite the little thinker.

Grinning - I know what you mean about your DH - I think I'm in the same situation as you. My DH is a randy bugger, all the time, so he's taken it hard that for at least a year now (9 months of pregnancy and 3 months of Penelope), there has been a massive reduction in our bedroom antics. We're up to twice a week at the mo', which with me constantly bf-ing (and especially as they are huge and rock hard by the time we go to bed at 11pm), means my chest is firmly strapped in and off limits, which doesn't feel sexy for me either. And I'm knackered too, obviously, so it does require a bit of energy to motivate myself to get going. I'm always glad I do... get going... as it's worth it in the end but I seem to forget that the next night when he tries it on again! I think he feels rejected a lot of the time, but he's very understanding too. I hope that sex drive and boobs get better once I stop bf-ing when Pen goes to nursery and I go back to work in September.

mdavza - We took Pen swimming a couple of weeks ago, and she was very relaxed about it all (but a bit cold at the end too, bless her). We're going again today, and I am joining the gym at the same time as it has a creche (which Penny can now finally go to as she's 3 months old)... so here's getting a flatter stomach soon!

Right, Pen has falled asleep on my lap so am going to put her in her sheepskin suit on her chair to see if I can keep her that way for a long time... she had her 12 week jabs yesterday and slept for 3 hours afterwards - bliss!