June 2008: birthdays, bunting and bumps make mummy a little bit tired!

[pureeandpearls]

Bring it on!!!

Just seen purees news - that is great ESP as know things haven't been easy at times.But when are you due? No news and still ttc here but tbh I am not hopeful but trying to be philosophical as edie is so fab.
Deb did your dishwasher get fixed?
Sympathies re babies who know no fear and also don't know no although we are some way behind on walking stair climbing antics.
Holiday was good despite shaky start as edie had very bad gastric bug ( which meant a 2 am trip to hospital as wouldn't hold anything down- typically no net access as know lots o you had similar). Dh had milder version so first few days of holiday were not fun. Recovered to enjoy rest ESP rugby, visiting lion cubs and sight seeing in Jo burg and around. Will post photos on fb

And thanks for being so sweet about how you broke it- expect will get down re ttc again but will cross that bridge when I get there.

Rolf, feeling alright, thank you - and thank you for asking . V relieved that the weather is crap again - apologies to all those who were enjoying the sun!

Ali, thanks for the vid - looks like I need to spend some time playing on the stairs! Maybe we could P and A to race each other ?!

ktpie, sorry to hear about the MS .

BDQ, sounds like you had a fab birthday week !

poppy, welcome back!

Hi all, just marking my place. I'm done in. Birthday celebrations all very good, but exhausting. Had a very rough night last night too, so I'll catch up properly later.

Hi all - haven't been on here for absolutely ages! (I was allnew by the way!).

Can't believe we have a few more pg ladies! So as well as sponge ktpie and also puree - have I missed anyone else?

Will try to read as much as poss to see what you're all up to, but just wanted to say hi!

whinegums, sorry to hear you've had rough night

allnew welcome back! Prison Break fan by any chance?

Poppy - sorry to hear that Edie and dh were poorly to start your holiday, and good luck with the ttc, and no, dishwasher isn't fixed

Whinegums - surely tonight will be better

Ktpie - hope the MS isbetter tomorrow

MrsMS/Allnew - welcome back, how are things with you?

BDQ - go for the big bibs
and thanks for the info about S and his weight. Ethan started off very heavy, I think the heaviest baby on here, so I think that's why the Dr is worried. I tried really had today and cut out his afternoon feed but it didn't make any difference.

Yep sponge, bit of a Wentworth fan!

Thanks deb I'm good thanks. Been settling A into nursery recently. He's still crying when dropped off which upsets me, but I guess that's normal. Sorry to hear Ethan hasn't been eating

BDQ I can't do that monday as have to do the on-call shift from 5 and would hate to get stranded in Edinburgh, but I could do another Monday after that!

will catch up properly later - photos of birthdy currently uploading on FB, including bunting, essie style!

Deb sorry got bit lost in posts but what is concern re ethans weight -it's dropped or gone too high?

Deb, is it maybe counter-productive to cut feeds? The message from the brestfeeding board always seems to be that breastmilk is more fattening than most foods. Also,if he then doesn't eat more you have lost even more calories. J, as you know, is a useless eater and I have ignored calls to feed him less as I am sure it will make little difference to his eating but will deprive him of the breastmilk calories.

They do need around 20oz of milk anyway and I doubt that J takes that during his very fast breastfeeds. I try to give him yogurts as desserts to add maximum fat, and I also offer cheese as a snack at such point during the day. Often this ends up being the only thing my annoying little brat eats but cheese is very good for you... Try not to worry too much. A baby's birth weight is about how much fat you put on them, its weight at a year is about how much they want/need. If he is active and happy then he is doing fine, the charts are a pile of poo sent to worry us unnecessarily. In 4 years time they will want us all to have slim kids to beat the obesity figures, Ethan and Jamie are just advanced for their age!

Just a quick one as am at PILs for a long weekend.

Deb - I asked my friend whose baby was a skinny minny what advice she was given. She was told to replace milk with cream when cooking things like white sauces. That was all she could remember. Try not to worry. Having met Ethan he is clearly very healthy, happy and active.

Hi MrsS.

Poppy - looking forward to photos. Nice to have you back from your hols.

Poppy - yes his weight's dropped

Sybil - I was wondering that myself about the breastmilk. Today I cut out the afternoon feed and as we were out it didn't seem to bother him, unfortunately it didn't seem to improve his appetite either. Today he's had 1/4 weetabix and a few dry cheerios, raisins, a banana, about 4 chips and a tiny piece of chicken, a mouthful of chocolate cake, half a rice cake , half a slice of toast and a little yoghurt.

Ali - thanks

Very proud Mum here today, my big boys finished school and got their end of year reports which are soooo important here. Tristan in the 1st class got 1's(top mark) for everything including German and Stefan in the 3rd class got a 2 for German and 1's for everything else. I was beaming all afternoon! Took them to the spa bath as a special treat which was great.

See Deb, I would be thrilled if Jamie had eaten all that. I just don't get the 'give them more food' advice. How? How do you get a child to eat when they just don't want to?

Just a quickie - Deb, Sybil, I'm the local expert on small babies! Iestyn eats like a horse - massive amounts of food. Makes no difference to his weight, it seems. Agree with Sybil on how to get a child to eat - and also drink more milk! I got into a row with a BLW person on here who claimed that BLW works perfectly well for really small babies like Iestyn (I'd argued I wouldn't take the chance and he needs to eat properly with me in control!) and said I should just make him drink more milk. Er, how? Force breastfeed him? Or give him a bottle (yeah like hell...! )

Well done your boys, Deb! And welcome back Poppy and Allnew who is now...Mrs something, sorry!

Hi All, have been lurking a bit and will lurk a bit more as we have a supspected case of swine flu and Luke has been desperately ill all day. He perked up with a massive dose of calopl (under doctors instruction) and he's asleep now so we'll see how he gets on in the night fingers crossed. Three cases of it at the two other branches of his nursery. I don't think there is anything to stop it circulating now, schools have been instructed to stay open. i am hoping we have had the worst day today - poor mite had a temperature of 40. I've been in tears all day. Thanks for the support Essie (Luke and Iestyn were playing together yesterday so I made sure I told Essie and she didn't freak out so big thanks)

Amber - what a worry for you, how's he feeling now? Is he sleeping?Let us know how he is tomorrow.

Sybil and Essie - thanks for the support!

How frightening for you Amber - I hope he's feeling much better tomorrow.

Deb - on the feeding, it's so bloody difficult isn't it? What's your gut instinct telling you? As I wittered on here far too many times, I had loads of angst about S's feeding as he tumbled down the centiles which kind of coincided with him dropping milk feeds. S certainly didn't seem to eat as much as other babies, so I was in quite a bit of turmoil about dropping feeds as he approached 1, because like sybil said there is a strong message (especially on MN) that milk has way more calories. It's been a long time since I looked at the breast/bottle threads, but I'd always assumed that the 'milk most fattening' was comparing milk to the early weaning foods, but I have no idea at all! Dropping the afternoon and morning feeds has worked well for us over the last few weeks, but it has taken a couple of weeks for me to notice an improvement in S's appetite. I have no idea what the impact it will have on his weight though - I'm trying to avoid getting him weighed just now, because whenever he gets weighed it makes me worry! The one thing I do know is that Ethan looks pretty fit and well (and very grown up ) in the most recent pics I've seen of him on FB.

Sybil and Essie - so with you both on wondering how to get babies to eat more?!?! Everytime S was weighed it was all, 'you just need to feed him up'. I'd like to have seen them try and feed him up tonight when he grabbed the bowl and spoon and flung it in temper quite forcefully away to indicate that he was done

MrsM - S still screams when we drop him off at nursery, nearly 4 months down the track. However, we went to his first parents evening this week and he's doing absolutely fine.

Viva I cant do the week after so maybe the week after that? It's around the 18th or 19th or something. Whatever the Monday is. How about you whinegums - a wee train adventure east?

Sponge - glad you're enjoying some rubbish weather. I just hope the rain clouds stay over your head and away from mine .

Right, I'm finally going to go and put some birthday pics on fb!

Thanks BDQ for taking the time to reply in detail - it is reassuring hearing other people's experiences, especially as I'm quite isolated here so can't compare him to other babies the same age. My gut instinct changes daily - what's new? I feel like I should be stopping the breastfeeds in the day anyway and so it coincides with the food issue, but then after a bad lunchtime for example I might think well at least if he has a feed he's got some nourishment today!

I can't believe you've had a parents evening!!!

I know! No report card though thankfully Love the photos you've put on FB tonight btw.

Crikey, it's gone 11, I really need to go to bed...

Amber - sending you lots of hugs.

Deb - thinking about what you said about Ethan not having been with any peers to compare to. Maybe it was unfortunate that we were the ones to visit. You do know don't you that Peter is not a good comparison don't you? He is not average. I haven't met anyone at home whose baby is the same size. I really think (in my non medical opinion) that Ethan is just fine. Agree with the others that you can't force a baby to eat. All you can do is give them plenty of opportunities to eat. Tell your big boys well done on their school results from us

Amber I hope Luke's doing better - hugs! It is so scary when they are sick ! Fingers crossed that he had an okay night and is a bit better today.

deb we had the same thing with Fraser, although he wasn't quite as big as Ethan, he was still on the large side (9lbs) and dropped very quickly to the 9th percentile. But his brother was there too (although lighter at birth as D was early, and they never gave me a hard time then because he stuck closer to his centile) so I'm sure my boys are just skinny like their father. The 9 lbs at birth had everything to do with paprika crisps I think... mmmm...

Amber - how's Luke today?

Ali - lol, yes I did realise that Peter was the opposite end of the spectrum weight wise!!

Abdn - I think Ethan's heavyweight at birth was down to the creme eggs!!

Amber- how worrying for you. Do let us know how luke is- I agree that he won't be last baby on here with it. Have you searched the site as seems fair few on here have had it.
Deb- Edie is very erratic on eating as I think I have mentioned before . Some days has lots others nothing-am still on three milk feeds a day as until she is
more regular re eating don't see why should drop
em. Is there anything that tempts him (creme eggs ? ) and am assuming other boys were different. Fwiw from everything you say and photos ethan looks great.
Essie- I would pay good money to see a health visitor try to give iestyn a bottle ...
Does anyone else have a child obsessed with bins or is it just me? Seems no matter what you do or say she will make a bee line for it

Amber virtual hugs for luke.

deb another light weight here, who has also dropped down the charts, was 8lbs at birth and dropped to about 15th centile. She is clearly fine though and I'm not worrying about it (and judging from your photos, Ethan is fine! (in my medical opinion!)) was Ethan overdue? I think they put on a lot of weight in the last few days, more than they would if they were on time? I wouldn't worry about it!

BDQ I think Monday 17th may be OK, but will have to check and see if my Mum is going to be visiting that week...