July 2009: Grinning, wolfing, rolling and puking! :)

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Hi thought I'd take the bull by the horns and start a new thread. Hope the weaning was covert enough! Fire away!

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YAY!!! that's great news!

Just recovering from having read the abcess threads in feeding christiana - those poor women. Am utterly horrified - what brave ladies.
I'm sooooooo pleased you haven't got one chuck. I can send you a wide toothed comb if you need one to help with the lumpy bits?

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Christiana Soooo very happy for you that things are ok!! Glad you can relax and enjoy your family over the holidays!

How is everyone else?

I actually had a fab night. Some of my girlfriends came over last night for a girls night. I made sure that the kids were all fed and upstairs watching movies (except for Marco who was passed around the group!). I figure, if I cant go out, may as well bring the fun home! Everyone brought part of the meal, and we just sat around catching up. Lots of laugh and good fun. Really needed that! After everyone left, DH made me one of my fave martinis and I went to bed! Too bad Marco didnt co-operate and sleep. He was up at 2am! Sigh...

So I'm really starting to worry about continuing to BF. Today Marco has been using my nipples like a teether! He has no teeth (or any sign of them yet) but has decided its fun to clamp down and bite me! In the last feed alone, he has done it at least 5 times, not to mention at least 3 times this morning! He also starts nursing then yanks his head to one side taking my nipple with him. Either way, I am getting terrified of when the teeth come in! It hurts now, later I imagine there will be bloodshed!! DD2 bit me twice, drawing blood, but I got her to stop right quick by poking her in the mouth with my fingernail and giving a harsh 'no'. Marco doesn't seem to take the hint though, and just gives me an evil smile!!

Baby Ouch. Noah does everything you just said but he has a bottle. Sorry i have no advice, hope you can stop him.

Christiana Great news

Hey folks - sorry I've been manic this past week so have just had a skim...

Christiana sounds like you've had a nasty scare, so glad it's not the abscess.

BabyB yikes at the nipple yanking (and the evil smile) are his gums a bit 'spongy' yet? Sid's are and I've been putting bonjela soothing gel on them before a feed as he does the same to me. Otherwise he arches his back and turns away in pain (often taking my poor old nip with him - OWW)

and all you organised lot with your christmas baking and decorating

the only decorations in the Activity household are on the festive kitchen roll

I think DP will be working on Christmas day anyway, he can earn nearly a month's rent by providing some last minute cover. I don't know whether I mind or not, really. We are skint, and there'll be other Christmases..

More excitingly, I'm off out of the city for a day next week - on my own! DP is looking after Sid so I'm going to meet old friends and shop. Bit nervous about leaving him on his own for so long for the first time (daft, i know...) - I'm happy for DP to formula feed him for a day, but I should take a breast pump with me to keep supply up, shouldn't I? I'll be gone for over 12 hours.

christiana great news. I bet you are relieved. What are you going to do re BF. I am assuming still continue? My only advice would be to very careful about getting mastitis again. I have been faithfully taking Acidophillis (sp?) tabs, Lecithin, and wearing my bra loosely at night to make sure there is no pressure on the breasts. What we do for our LO's, eh?

baby I have been bitten and Tristan has 2 teeth. I have done that 'no, don't do that' talk but he just giggles. I can't really feel a difference in feeding since teeth have come except when he unlatches himself*. I try and take him off when I notice he is fluttery and losing the latch as he is finishing his feed. I am hoping once solids are introduce he would feed less so the teeth won't be an issue.

Activity how exciting to get a day out to yourself. I don't think supply will be an issue so far into BF but if you are missing more than a couple feeds express if you can. I would be more worried about a blocked duct or mastitis. As for DP working Christmas day, would it be all day (as in out the house by 8am and back at 7?) or would you have some time together like for a Christmas breakfast?

We are at IL's this year so nothing for me to do. Yippee.

Sleep LO was up at 1:30am and again at 5:00am and would only sleep in our bed. No wonder I have lost my mojo - 5 1/2 months of broken sleep doesn't make me feel the sexiest of wives......

Activity - My dh is working christmas day too. He's working 7am-7pm and the same shift christmas eve and boxing day . His colleague who he will be taking over from on christmas day has said she doesn't mind staying on her night shift an extra hour or so so he can see the kids open their presents though so that's quite good.

Evening all - Hetty has finally succumbed to the cold so I have a cough-y, snotty baby now. Any tricks for getting Calpol down these babies? I've tried the spoon and the syringe but it seems to end up coming back out again, no matter what I do.
She coughed so hard that she barfed up an entire feed yesterday morning - all over our bed. Wouldn't have been quite so bad except DP had the sodding washing machine in bits as it had started leaking. So I made a mad dash to Mum's with a carrier bag full of vomit-soaked bedding, pyjama's, gro-bag, and a poorly baby in tow.
Working at Christmas - done some of that myself in the past and it's pretty miserable. You have my sympathies activity and phoenix
Must get my ass in gear and finish the Christmas shopping

Jetli sorry to hear Hetty came down with the cold. Poor you. Not a good time for the washing machine to be broken either. Always happens that way. I usually find the syringe works best for Marco. Aim it at the inside of her cheek and not down her throat so it doesn't trigger her gag reflex.

sick Marco scared the crap out of me this morning! He has still been stuffy and coughing. So this morning he projectile vomited all over DH, who then ran a bath for him. Marco moaned and cried a very weak cry through his bath. He then started shaking like a leaf! His temp was about 38.7 degrees. He has NEVER done any of that! He was pale as a ghost and not himself at all. Well, DH rushed him off to the emergency while I stayed home with DD2. So now I am here waiting, and very upset. So far they have done another chest x-ray, put in a catheter, and have done a nose and throat swab. They are trying to rule out swine flu or any other virus. DH says his temp has gone up and then down, and that he is acting more like himself again. Sigh... sick babies always frighten the hell out of me! I am going so soft in my old age!!

On a happier note, got my baking done and everything turned out fab! Of course that means I will be gaining an insane amount of weight in the next 2 weeks!!

work I have had to work Christmas over the years as well. I do shift work, so I have come home after a nightshift to stay awak and watch the DCs open gifts, had breakfast with them, and then gone to bed. Its hard, but we do the best we can. Its been nice being home for the holidays for the past 4 years between 2 mat leaves, and being pregnant and on modified duties (when on light duties, I got to work Mon-Fri 7am-3pm with bank holidays off which was fab!).

How is everyone else? christiana how are you feeling??

Baby Any news? poor Marco, it is terrifying when they are ill. keep us posted, will check in later on xxxx

Well DH was at the hospital from 9am til 4pm today! Marco had another chest x-ray, a nose swab and urinalysis done. Everything came up clear thank God! Was on edge all afternoon though. We just have to keep giving him his puffers and make sure his temp doesn't go up and the doc said he should be fine. They didn't even give us any clue as to what might be causing this. Hopefully he finally gets rid of this sickness. We are going on at least 2 months now and I am tired of it!! Anyway, off to clean up, since I have done NOTHING around the house today, and it shows!

Hi Baby what a relief for you. poor you and Marco, nasty.

We are all fine, it was a manic weekend as I had my sil and niece staying, which was lovely but chaotic. I was so tired by the end of it. We went out on saturday night and dh and I spent the rest of the night throwing up as did 2 others who were in our group. The only thing that we all ate was some pork so it must have been that. Nightmare, but it was yummy! DOn't think I want to eat pork again though!

Kids start holidays on friday so I am trying to get organised beofore that. So much to do and so little time!!

Hope you all ok xx

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Christiana have you tried just soothing Ish when she wakes up, but not feeding her? Have heard this sometimes works. Baby wakes up and we just assume they are hungry. Its worth a try before trying the controlled screaming crying thing

Christmas Have now gotten 80% of my shopping done! Am trying to run here and there during the couple hours when DH is home, and this way I dont have to drag the LO's with me. Am thinking, one meore trip to the mall and I should be able to get the job done. Will spend tonight wrapping when every one has gone to bed. Christmas is soooo tiring! On Saturday we are going to my Mums' for Christmas dinner, so I have to prepare a couple of dishes for that. Better than doing the whole meal myself! Then on Sunday, dinner at a friends' house. No real cooking for me this weekend!!

sleep forgot to mention... actually got some last night!! Marco went to sleep at about 8pm, then was up at 1am (we were just getting ready for bed, so the timing was perfect) we gave him some cereal, and he slept til 6am, then back to sleep til 8am. Doesn't seem like much I'm sure, but I was quite happy with that.

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Hi all
baby - bloody hell what a scare! I'm so glad Marco is on the mend.
christiana - glad you're on the mend too - try and put your feet up a bit (easier said than done I know). Banana is meant to be a bit constipating so maybe avoid that? Other than this, I'm no good to you really on either the constipation or the sleep milk.
Called the cavalry tonight and dragged DP home from work early. Hetty is cough, cough, cough, scream, scream, cough, scream..... you get the picture. She's dog tired, poorly and will not sleep. She's coughed herself to barfing twice so the washer has been non-stop today. The whole Amby is in there so heaven only knows where she's going to sleep tonight. The second barf was all over me, the pram and the hall carpet, at which point I broke and rang DP to come home. The little bugger treasure is now fast, fast asleep in her Daddy's arms. Still failing miserably getting any medicine into the child, with syringe or spoon so I've just pumped 50ml of breast milk off and when she wakes she's having it with a dose of Calpol mixed into it. But thanks for the cheek tip baby - it initially looked like it would work but then 10 seconds later she blew a raspberry and out came all the medicine with it. Oh well, at least I know there's no point weaning her just yet - it'd drive me batty if she kept spitting food out
Hoping she's going to perk up soon - it's the baby group Christmas party on Thursday and it's the highlight of my festive calendar, given I have no life anymore. If we miss it, I'll be gutted. Its the only social event I'll get to all Christmas!

Jetli stroking their necks down the way whilst squitring slowly into the cheek works for me - yes you need to be an octopus

Christiana how about prune juice mixed with something? It's quite sweet (tastes ok mixed wwith baby porridge)

baby I know exactly how you feel I haven't put Alfie down for a week he ended up with really severe croup and was struggling to breathe and now has his own pharmacy on the work top. It is the first time in 5 years of parenting that I have truely been scared they would die it was so scary he would cough and cough until he was gasping for breath and going blue He is all better and back to his normal smiley self now though but I now have a week and a halfs housework to catch up on (read washing washing and more washing!)

Sorry if I missed anything only quickly scan read the posts

Hi everyone
Baby Jetli QF can't believe how ill your LO's have all been. Hope they are better. Knock on wood, no trips to A&E yet.....Babies seem so vulnerable this time of year.

Sleep is severely disrupted here and I am nearly at the end of my tether. I know I am lucky to have a baby and he is such a joy full of smiles but feeding every 2 hours from 10pm - 6am is not where I thought we would be 24weeks on. DH is working til midnight most evenings (either at the office or at home doing private freelance work) so he can't help during the week. I look and feel like crap and even worse, eating crap again.

Moan over.

On the positive I have a wax and massage booked during the Christmas period. Hooray.

Christmas our tree is up and shopping nearly done. I still can't believe it is next week. Anyone else think life is just flying by? Our LO's are 6m (or thereabouts). We will be chatting 1st bday party ideas before we know it.

Snow due tomorrow I am going to be a bit humbag about it. They never ice the side roads or paths here so not looking forward to sliding about during school run.

Baby crying better go.

MissP with you on being at the end of my tether with night wakings. Marco was given cereal at 9, the BF at 12, up at 4, then 5, then 6. During the last feeds (if you can call them that), he would suck maybe twice (enough to get the milk flowing and squirting everywhere), then start using me as a chew toy! By 6am I was fed up and refused to nurse him! I told DH that I was done and that he could get up and give him a bottle! I can live with waking every 2 hours for a good feed during a growth spurt, but this is just useless wakings!! At 4am he latched on, only to help him push out a poo! In one end and out the other! As soon as he was done with the dirty deed, he had no interest in the boob either!! Let me tell you though, I was ready to punch DH this morning after he makes a comment like "well, you didnt even try to feed him" after I told him my boobs are full and sore from not nursing last night!! The CHEEK!! I told him to let Marco chew on his nipples a while and see how it felt! LOL

Christmas Got the shopping done last night! Just need to wrap everything and I can breathe again.

Time This month has definitely flown by. Marco will be 5 months in a week and a half! Not sure how the time is managing to get away so fast. Was watching Marco sleep last night, and actually got sad thinking he was my last baby, so I should try and enjoy this time. Hard to do when you are as sleep deprived as I am! Not to mention DD2 is being a handful as well. At least her daily screaming fits when I put her down for nap seem to have come to an end. Now she just screams the rest of the day!!

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hi everyone! has everyone else got snow??
trying to catch up with posts so sorry if i miss anyone!
christiana so glad you dont have an absess thingy must be such a relief.! a friend of mine has just got out of hospital after having one removed, and was really upset to have had to stop breast feeding.
jetli hope hetty is getting better, bill has a nasty cough at the mo. i manage to hold off on the calpol, but at bedtime he's at his wost and find myself giving in and giving him some! worried im gonna do him damage!
babyblu what a horrid scare, im glad marco's ok!
stoppingBreastfeeding ive started mixed feeding bill during the day, ive caved from lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion! plus he really started pulling and chewing and ive got one of those bleb (SP) things on my nipples now which absolutely kills when he feeds! feel very, very guilty especially when i go to my post natal group, but then my baby is the oldest and the only one to not sleep! still breast feeding at night and odd times during the day, just trying to get him in a routine with bottles at set times during the day then topping him up with boobies if he wants it as i can only get him to take 3oz at a time! since i started this on sunday he now goes 7 til 7 with 2 wake ups at 11.30 and 4ish.
controlledcrying i think they recommend this from 7 months?? sure i read that on the sleep thread when desperately seeking answers for why bill wont sleep! have to admit though we were told by sleep specialist to do this for esme but she just screamed til she was sick
xmasworkes you have my sympathies dp used to do alternate xmas's but in this secondment role he doesnt have to, but ive been there and know it's a bit pooh!
syringe def recommend back and side of cheek then squirt!
growingup i keep getting a bit teary at the thought of no more babies, especially as my sister and her dp are now trying. i cant even remember much of Bill being a newborn it seems to have whizzed by. i keep getting sad that i'll never get to use the boys name i really want (sob)
Right there is a box of quality street with my name on see you all later!