May 2009 - we're all here! btw, does anyone know what the Hungry Cry sounds like?

[Momino]

phew! how many threads have we done since last aug?

pula I've been selling stuff on eBay for a few years now, mostly clothing of the dcs that's too small. fi has given you quite a few good tips. I want to add that a good gallery picture always attracts buyers. Also find a good title that describes your item well + will make it appear in potential bidders' searches. I tend to start most of my auctions at 99p, unless it's something that I feel is worth more, mainly to keep the cost of posting the item as low as possible. I've only ever done buy it now once (it's still running) for something I have double and I'm hoping it'll guarantee me not loosing too much money on it.

Bedtime now. Goodnight everyone. I wish you all a restful night so everyone can feel a bit happier tomorrow

dandy I'm not due 6wk check till fri next week.. must get round to making the appointment. they do the pnd quizzes here.. but by hv not gp. i've been told my old hv.. who retired and is now back helping due to staff shortages is contacting me about it. looking forward to showing her g and how much ds has changed since she last saw him. loved my last hv she was brilliant.. font of useful but not preachy advice.

morning all. I've been awake since 5 when Harper had a quick feed but not able to get back to sleep so I've emptied dishwasher, read a bit, now having a cup of coffee in bed next to H who is snoring a very little snore . I daren't move her!

dandy, my HV and GP have been taking cues from me, I think. No one has given me the test but i've been very enthusiastic about how positive i've been feeling. I was doing fine but have been recently having anxiety 'moments' so am seeing GP Tue about it. I stress that it's my own actions though: they are depending upon me to tell them how i'm feeling. Are you doing ok?

Great ebay tips here. i'm going to put a few more things on auction soon.

One thing i must do today is Child Tax Credit. Anyone do theirs yet? i need to update for DD1 &2 anyway. Have already applied for Child Benefit.

Hope all ok today.

morning momino i'm bleary eyed in need of caffeine this am. g's snuffly nose disturbed her and me a lot last night. ds up raring to go is currently watching little princess.. while i feed g.

we've managed to do tax credit form but only half way through child benefit..

Morning - another bleary eyed person here!! ds1 keeps waking ds2 up during the day, but dh managed to get ds2 to sleep when he got in last night. The only problem being he (ds2)was all bright eyed and bushy tailed at 3am this morning

Seriously ds1 is driving me mad at the moment. He wakes ds2 up and then gets upset because I have to stop him from crying and can't show him any attention.

Big hugs to all those who are feeling down at the moment. Some thing Momino said the other day made me think. The honeymoon period is over now along with all the attention etc, so now we have to get on with the humdrum of life. I struggled with this last time, {makes me sound really vain, I know!} You get loads of attention lavished on you when you're pregnant and again when the baby is born, but after awhile it all stops. Hope you can see what I am waffling about!!

I managed to hash up my tax credit form last night! Still have to go child benefit form too.

We've got our 6 week check today...

Dandy glad you're blood pressure is back to normal.

Child Tax Credit - do I need to look into this? Who can get it? Not sure what it is (which I think is particularly appalling on my part, considering my pre-maternity leave job )

Ended up giving Edie one dose of calpol at about 7pm (she had jabs at 4pm). Other than that she's been fine. Slept well. She's in quite a little routine now. Bath every night at 8pm, into her sleeping bag, then cuddles and kisses and into her moses basket. Sometimes she goes straight to sleep, sometimes she lies there gazing around for a while, then drops off by herself, sometimes she'll shout for a feed, so I'll feed her. But not sure if this is the right thing or wrong thing to do, am not trying to time bedtime with a feed (I started doing this and it didn't seem to work due to the demand feeding, if she doesn't want it she just doesn't want it), so a feed isn't part of her bedtime routine. For the past few nights after being put in her basket at about 8.30, she's waking at 2am and 5am for feeds. Am overjoyed by this, it may last, it may not!! I feel like we've been blessed with a very chilled and laid back child, I'm sure we'll get our comeuppance (sp?) if we're fortunate enough to have another

What's everyone up to today? I'm waiting in this morning for a new mobile delivering. Mine died the day before yesterday and on the one hand I feel like I've had my right leg chopped off being without it, and on the otherhand I feel liberated not having an electronic device almost always attached to my person!

Daizy am completely with you on the attention thing! One set of my PIL talked about this alot whilst I was pregnant that they wouldn't be the ones to ignore the new mum and just give attention to the baby... you can guess what happened - I felt like I didn't exist each time they visited. It's much better now, but was really hard for me for the first few weeks, as I have a fantastic relationship with them and it felt like that relationship had ended. I also had a complete meltdown in the hospital on the 2nd day, was completed overwhelmed by the amount of visitors (who didn't say they were coming and just turned up) and I was expecting my bestfriend (who's wedding I couldn't attend the next weekend and who was driving 1 and 1/2 hours for a 15 minute visit with us) and Edie was being passed round without my permission and I completely lost it!!

Am wittering on now , will go and twitch the curtains watching for my mobile delivery that I'd be happy if it didn't turn up... a life free of a mobile phone, I wonder if I could cope???

Morning all.

Momino Hope you feel by talking about it a bit on here, you don't feel so down.

Saw Sophietom and her gorgeous not so little boy on Tuesday, and had a nice chat. I'd walked in the glorious weather, and just as I was half way across the park - racing against the weather- I lost and got absolutely soaked to the bone.

Child Tax Credit I'm embarassed to say I haven't claimed it. Problem is dh is self employed, so for tax purposes his income looks massive, compared to what he actually takes out of the business. I'm not sure we will qualify for it, although we could REALLY do with some help.

gah dh is in a foul mood so far today.. wish he would bug off and chill for a while. i'm in the wrong with everything even when i've agreed with him! even got the blame for not washing ds's hair enough when dh has been doing his bath time for last few weeks

the tax credit website has an eligibility quiz to see if you qualify. www.gov site.. the basic award is £547 a yr for over 1yr olds more when they're under 1yr. you only get the working tax credits (in addition) if you have low income. dh was in inland revenue before his transfer so keeps up with this for us.

Jennster DH has his own business, he only pays himself minimum wage as a salary, so on paper earns very little, he takes other monies as 'dividends' (I think), which aren't classed as part of his salary. This (let's be honest) cheat was devised by his accountant . I am rather uncomfortable with it, as I see it as dishonesty but then the past few months he has only taken his pathetic salary and nothing else, to ensure the business pays everybody.

All this means that, as my wage is buttons anyway, we get Tax Credits. However, the majority of our Tax Credits were for Childcare and we no longer pay for that, so I would imagine we'll get very little now .

I'm hoping DH will give himself a pay-rise (he has given everybody else a pay-rise).

momi Hope you're ok, I think the fact that you recognise the anxiety and are actively doing something about it is a major step.

I was thinking about the bonding issue, I had awful PND after DD1 and I was on my own (her father left me when I was 3 months pg, after threatening to 'abort it' if I didn't, he was a lovely bloke ) and I feel that I never really bonded with her, I love her to bits but am much harsher on her than DD2 and never quite got that overwhelming rush of love that I felt with the other 2. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this, I'm so ashamed of it, as I know I favour DD2 over her and try not to. However, I think some of it is the fact that she's the eldest and I expect so much of her as she's intelligent and sensible (most of the time) and kind and sweet (when she's not being moody teen).

That was so memememememe, sorry, but I feel better for saying it.

And I do love her, she's great!

Oooh Fi I hope you're not going to report me and DH to IR via your DH.

FWIW, we got severely audited by the IR a couple of years ago and we have a mini-audit every year (I just rang them the other day to confirm all our details and our salaries, etc, they will be doing the checking now), we are paying back and over-payment they made to us (their bloody fault I might add), which they take out of out TC.

morning all..

well took M up to bed at 10.15pm last night put her straight into her moses basket and she settled herself off to sleep and didn't wake for a feed till 5am - yay!
fed her 5-6 she went back to sleep till 9am
then fed her 9-9.45 and am bf her now.
We are havin a v.chilled morning, bf lots and am gonna try to give her just one formula top up today by dh. hopefully my milk production will increase so I can express more

re: attention. I must admit I miss the attention I used to get when pg, altho M does get alot of lovely comments when we are out and about

off to mum&baby group at 2, but only for an hour as I've got to collect my great niece from school

have sorted out child benefit so we are getting that monthly now and posted filled out tax credit form on monday so waiting to find out if we get anything

still behind on my wages so any extra would be great as money is tight and I am a little worried

must list some more stuff on ebay later

don't worry everyone my dh would not be interested in you all. he is in investigations but deals with big stuff.. he's not allowed to talk about what he does even to me! for him to get his new job we all had to get get vetted again for his new clearance level it was a real faf!

when M stops feeding next I must get into the shower! Have managed breakfast, opened mail and washed up but that's about it.
Just hope M will have a little nap in a bit I know she would if I gave her some formula as it seems to knock her out more, but am perservering with the bf today.

Hi ladies! Been trying to keep up a bit...

Pula & momi So sorry to hear that you are having a bit of a hard time. I know how you feel and your not alone. Glad you are both going to talk to people and hopefully get some support. I did and so far it has helped a lot! (sends virtual support)

Today is day 7 on the antiD. So far so good. I know it takes some time, and I do still have my moments but I have noticed I am a lot more calm and can deal with things. I have not snapped at DD nearly as much as before. I don't know if they are working or if she is just behaving better. Hopefully a bit of both! I actually managed to take both to the park yesterday and I am ashamed to admit I have never even taken DD before so it was a big achievement and I was so proud of myself. We had fun too picking flowers and kicking the ball while S was in the sling. I baked banana bread before we went so we came home to a nice snack. I feel like I am enjoying DD's company more now rather than feeling like she is just something else to take care of (if that makes sense?)

DD can get out of her cot now so that has been hard at night to get her settled. She always would go straight to sleep. Last night I lost count of how many times I had to put her back in her bed. I stood at her door for an hour. This morning as well she was out at 5:45 so I spent another 45 min putting her back as I could tell she was crabby and needed more sleep. Glad I did as she woke in a much better mood later.

rutines I would love if S was in a better one, but I just cannot seem to change her schedule. She seems to be alert most of the day with little cat naps. However at about 6pm she will wake and then feed, feed, feed and only sleep on me. If I put her in her bed she wakes. Then about 10:30 she will lie in bed with me for yet another feed and then I can put her in her bed. The great thing is that she will sleep until 7am, so I do get a great sleep. I would much rather have some of my night to spend with DH and get up once in the night though. I miss my time with him. I have even tried to fake her out and lie in bed with her earlier but it doesn't work. Weird...

Right well DD is pulling on my leg and screaming so I think she wants some attention. Hope everyone is having a great day!

Pula Huge hugs my love, I have been quite low this time around and it's hard to open up about why you're feeling like that (especially for me as half the time I have no idea!) I hope you're feeling better soon and DEFINITELY take your HVs idea of napping in the evening. I read your later post and I think that what you've described is perfectly normal for someone who has maybe been hit with the PND bus - won't you speak to your HV/GP? The way you're feeling - it's not your fault doll, it's your hormones messing with you x

Belgian Can't remember if I answered you, Greer will be six weeks this weekend. I'm still in mega amounts of pain, can't bend down, can't get up & down stairs and the ibuprofen doesn't really do an awful lot. I have my 6 week check today though so I'm going to speak to my GP.

Grumpy I'm okay doll thanks, DH has been off this week with a migraine/cluster headache so I haven't been completely on my own which has helped a little. Mind you, had a shower for the first time in a week yesterday. That's my classic sign of depression - I just can't be bothered having a shower which is a major thing for me because I love the shower usually!

3ofeach Nightmare! Hope you're okay x

Fi That sounds familiar too - I think a lot of the bonding thing with a 2nd/3rd etc baby is because we know what to expect. Does that make sense? There's none of the shock and awe of having a first baby and I think that affects the bonding process a little.

Hi All,
Just got 5 mins while A is asleep so actually got on the computer so hopefully not so many typos today!

Just waiting for the HV to arrive to check A's weight, given the amount of feeding she's been doing I hope its gone up a bit more. Had an unsettled night last night, only realised at 4am that A had done a poo at some point in the night so no wonder she was acting uncomfy [bad mum emoticon] It didn't smell tho so I think that's why I didn't notice

Pula and others bit of a belated response to yesterday but didn't manage to get on with mammoth cluster feed yesterday pm. I think getting angry is a bit normal, the other night A was faffing about latching on and I snapped 'for god's sake just open your mouth' at her then felt awful. The fact you recognise you are feeling low and are going to talk to someone about it is good too. Big hug/pat on back from me.

looby well done for perservering with the bf, sounds like you're doing a fab job. Ooh that reminds me, need to take some more fenugreek.

Tax credits, thanks for the reminder will look into. Have posted off child benefit forms this week tho.

Right, the milk monster is stirring (again!) must go change her bum and then settle us in the armchair in front of wimbledon.

Hope all are ok.
xx

Bugger! thought M had finished bf so put her in her bouncy chair while I had a shower, came back to find her crying inconsolably, tried to bf her again but she just screamed at me so had to resort to a bottle of formula

am I ever going to just be able to bf?

am going to take some fenugreek now while I remember.

does anyone know if there are better times of the day for expressing?

looby- i think you just have to express when you can fit it in. If M sleeps well in the night, you may feel quite full in the morning, so there's the option there to express off one side while she feeds off the other.

looby- i think you just have to express when you can fit it in. If M sleeps well in the night, you may feel quite full in the morning, so there's the option there to express off one side while she feeds off the other.

looby i've been trying to fit in the expressing any way i can.. but hard to find the time. can't in eve as g constantly feeds and days are sometimes manic. only managed twice in last ten days

just had my root canal done.. just waiting for dh to come back and get me. face all numb on left side.. feels very weird!

Fi, hope your mouth feels better!

looby, i used to express in the morning when quietest. I've only expressed a few times so far as we seem to be doing ok without. will prob try again as it would be nice for DH or older DDs to give a bottle.

dandy, re: period - i thought that as well about exclusive BF you don't have a period but do know you can ovulate.

blotted, daizy and others having 6wk checks, hope they go well.

emmabsmom, glad ADs helping

Hope all of you are taking it easy on yourselves.