October 2009 babies - Waving arms and gummy smiles make the sleepless nights worthwhile.

[HumphreysCorner]

Here we are on the other side-finally. Well done ladies!

On 2nd lot of AB's and they are suitable for BF so no expressing needed.

HC
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Ummm...hello everyone.

Haven't been on here for ages and ages - have just been so busy as a new Mum.

I hope you are all well, and I'm looking forward to catching up on this thread properly to read all about your little ones.

Life here is settling down, Joe was 3 months on Friday. It is all racing past so quickly. He is getting fatter and cuter by the day, and now weighs in at a hefty 13lbs 7oz. I am still breastfeeding although I have found it really challenging at times, and we do tend to resort to a bottle of formula in the evening which helps him to sleep. He is sleeping well though, from about 9pm to 6 or 7am so I am starting to feel human again! Generally he is a lovely little thing, and has a lovely temperament.

I have met lots of local mums, so life is now a whirl of coffees, lunches and baby related events. I'm really really enjoying maternity leave, but of course the work thing is hovering on the horizon. I need to start looking into nurseries which is upsetting, but needs must.

Anyway, twinkle I applied to join the Facebook group, my initials are SF.

HB xx

morning all

so, Ruby is still on a growth spurt

she is waking every 2 -3 hours at night still and i am a zombie.

Saw a breastfeeding counsellor on Friday who was really fab and encouraging but am not sure how much longer i can go

Am off to the GP on Tuesday as her nappies are always green and watery/slimey

silent reflux - my DS had it. We weaned at around 23/24 weeks and as he got more upright it improved and he was off meds by 7 months

HB - nice to see you again

devils - your night out sounds fab

princess - i can't put Rubes down awake at night but i can for naps

HC - we didn't go for the jab. I was invited along with DS but we declined

am sure i have forgotten personals so hello to everyone and will catch up more this week
please send me all your sleepy vibes ... i really need them

Have been thinking about weaning too. Was thinking about maybe giving it a whirl soon, and bought a box of baby rice. But she seems to be happy enough on her current feeds, so i might leave it for a while. I had been swayed by people saying that most babies are ready at 4 months, but I've read a bit more about it and I think I'll wait a bit longer. We went to friends yesterday who have a two year old and they showed us the video they made of the first time they offered her solids (at six months) and she was grabbing the spoon and couldn't wait to get it into her mouth. I would much rather Isabel was like that than having to be coaxed to try a spoonful so it's convinced me to wait a bit longer.

What we are doing is having her sit at the table with us while we eat our dinner (in her Bumbo on a dining chair) so that she can see how we eat and get used to the idea. She was watching in rapt fascination while I ate my porridge this morning........

morning all!

Had a very GOOD night with Ruby last night

put her down at 8pm, up at 11 pm for a feed, then she went through until 3.15 am and gave her a mega feed and she woke at 9 am!!!!

as you know i have really struggled with her sleep so i decided to put her in her own room and last night it seemed to really work

her room is much cosier and darker than mine so i wondered if that helped

she also napped really well in the day ...

who knows what has worked but she slept although i didn't

anyway, done a load of painting with DS this morning - he had a great time although he needed a bath afterwards

how is everyone else doing??

x

Just popping on quickly as I have 2 OU assignments to complete-this degree is bloody hard work but I'm enjoying it.

ruby-yay! So glad to hear things are improving and glad to hear the new sleeping arrangements are working so well.

Treats -we're trying to do same thing re bumbo on dining chair, seems to work well

hckneybird - big wave, great to hear from you

devils - I love The Woman in Black, so atmospheric

All well here, Joe now feeding every 3 to 3.5 hrs rather than every 2 hrs and will sometimes go in carrycot for naps.He wakes frequently in the night but is often self settling bac to sleep, much to my delight! Feel really sorry for him with the teeth though. I've just bought a Baby Bjorn baby sitter balance after he managed to tip over in his normal bouncer-luckily I was right in front of him. Am so looking forward to receiving it and it will last until age 2 so excellent value for money(bought 2nd hand on ebay).

Oh and I've developed a passion for making cupcakes

Hope everyone with a cold is feeling better x

Hello ladies

HB great to see you posting again!

Bella was so wonderful to meet with you last week, Nathaniel is mmmm yummy And I'm flattered that your daughter's middle name is Annalise - I think we both have good taste then . As we discussed, we should have a bigger MN Oct mummies meet up... Anyone, anyone..?

treats hello and we are also doing the bumbo thing but Annalise has no interest in eating thus far, but she's only just 4 months so not too worried.

devils your night out sounds really lovely, glad you had fun! Saw the woman in black ages ago and loved it too.

HT I am amazed you can continue with your degree, you really are incredible!

Having a real rollercoaster of a time emotionally; went to GP about Annalise's total lack of weight gain and have been referred to a local feeding clinic. GP put 'failure to thrive' as the reason for the referral and I cried on the walk home. Having to fend off everyone saying I should give up BF, but I feel quite strongly against that for reasons that aren't probably very logical - pride? Don't know, but will wait to see how the clinic pans out. Also have been sleep training A with the Baby Whisperer 3hr EASY routine, has been hellish, but today I've had a real breakthrough and she is napping well. Cried a lot yesterday, final grieving for my old life; spent HOURS of it yesterday in a darkened bedroom fighting a war with Annalise's refusal to nap despite being tired and wanted desperately to go for a long run along the Thames, meet with friends for a long lunch and go to the cinema with DH. Feel much better about it today

ooh Annlise is awake - had a 1.5hr nap, yay!

Hi all

Matthew has started crying all the time again but luckily only during the day. If you walk near him he thinks you are going to pick him up so stops, when you then walk away he screams louder than ever. If you pick him up he is fine. My mum thinks I have caused it by always picking him up when he cries but I don't agree. I usually let him cry for a bit before I give in. Perhaps he is starving.

Good on you HT. Don't know how you do it though as I have tried to sort M's room out as he is having DD2's furniture so everything needs swapping over and toys need sorting but with M crying I only got a bit done. I love making little cakes, quick and easy and lets me pick M up while they are cooking.

Yay for Ruby! I think M will be better when we set up the big cot in his own room. Will be able to put him down for naps during the day instead of him napping on my boob.

Will be glad when my cold and sore throat are gone.

Big wave!

HC
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meet up - would deffo be up for a meet up!

Ruby i wonder if being in her own room means she isnt smelling the milk from you? Glad you got such a good nights sleep!

Hi HB, glad you are back with us.

Calypso, wait to see what the clinic says, if the worse is you having to use a bottle, at least you can look back & know you did everything you could. When do you go? I hope you are able to continue with the BF xx

Faith is still sick, but with all this snow & cold weather (-11 most days) its not surpising!
Also been told that it looks like DS may have Asperger Syndrome, he trashed the school again today & attacked 2 teachers. They arent trained to cope with him & until we get assesments all done then he wont get the help he needs.They dont have the right schools or teachers here to deal with kids like him. But it does look like we will be getting posted back to Northern Ireland, he needs a more stable life, and i need the help of my family. For a 5 year old, he has had a very hard life & i hope now he can start to have a better one.

Calypso just had to post to send my support. Will go back to check on details as I've been rubbish at keeping up. I've been there, desperate to continue but torn by guilt that your baby is not matching the growth charts. I know its hard and I have a mini crisis of confidence myself when the HV sucks air through a teeth at my 9th centile baby but I reassure myself that my babies have been happy, alert, meeting their milestones and not dehydrated. I've just started a BF support course and was interested to hear that they should be gaining 4-6oz av a week, can you get plotted on a bf chart rather than red book chart? How is BFing going for you? Is there a support group near you?

If meet up is London based, I am actually in London for a few days in April over a weekend. Need to find a baby friendly hotel, we're there for a wedding. Tis a muslim wedding so I need to buy an elegant trouser suit that hides baby drool

I have been trying to record the audio elements of my course assessments but Joseph has been in fine vocal form all day(booooooo gaaaaaa all the way through along with lots of gurgles and babbling) so I'll wait until later tonight. Part of it is talking about him so I suppose it lends authenticity. Degree is BA Modern languages-am studying Spanish and Italian.Had to give Joseph some calpol for the teething pain and he's now asleep, subliminally learning Spanish! My gp told me that the gums throb terribly at night when lying down so thats why teething babies are so hard to settle late afternoon onwards.

Calypso-You are doing fantastically well and have persevered through such difficulties. See what they say at the feeding clinic. I sobbed my heart out when we had those problem weight gain weeks- failure to thrive is a very emotive phrase that makes a mum feel awful. Hang on in there, I hope you get some answers soon x

littlepea Sorry Faith is still unwell. Re Aspergers-have a loo at jkp-Jessica Kingsley Publishing. Major publisher in the field. They do a set of Liam books for young children with Aspergers to help teach appropriate behaviour in social situations (go to jkp.com an just type Liam in seatch box). Anyhow, I still have a set-they're yours if you want them.

HC Baking is so relaxing isn't it? Is Matthew teething? Might explain the crying.

Love to all

HT - we could do it in April ...

we should get a consensus

calypso - failure to thrive is much more than losing weight/not gaining weight

it is about failing to meet milestones, no eye contact and much, much more. You have done fantastically well to keep going with the breastfeeding which is the best thing for her

huh - shush/pat is proving to be freakishly effective (at last); put her down awake in her hammock, three pats on the back and she was out like a light!

HT Languages? {shudder} despite being bilingual I really am completely hopeless at languages, bravo you

ruby yay to meet up and double yay for an improvement in little Ruby's sleep - And April is good for me and I'm in London so thats ok too, how does that suit others?

littlepea I hope Faith is on the mend soon and lots of luck with helping your DS, must be so hard for you without a support network.

HC poor little Matthew, I hope he's ok.

Thanks for your support - BF I think is going well, although I am feeding for 40mins-1hr per feed, every 3hrs but in the last few days my breasts feel much softer and not firm when starting a feed, feeling concerned that my milk supply has changed in some way, or perhaps the supply is just meeting the demand more precisely? Anyway, many wet and pooey nappies (she poos during every feed still - is that normal for 4 months?) so I hope she is keeping most of what she doesn't redeposit on her clothes/my lap/the floor

smallone thanks also for your post, but Annalise has only gained 1oz in 2 weeks which is rubbish on every chart! The HV is {uncommonly} supportive of me BF and she alone hasn't mentioned formula and together we've been plotting Annalise's weight on the WHO BF wave charts but she is still falling from 45th centile at birth to below 2nd centile now...

I'll wait to hear back from the feeding clinic for my appointment, hopefully not too long.

calypso don't get too stressed about the weight, my friends babies are all small and drop hugely on the red book scale.She keeps away from the HV.Make sure there is nothing wrong.(which I am sure there isn't)then relax and let her find her own way.I think as a mum you know when something is seriously wrong.As for your old life it is normal to want it back (dH and I often talk about it as we collapse into a heap in the evening)

HT well done you fordoing a oU course.I on't think my brain would work very well at the moment.

devilslovin that you had a good night out lol at the lack of milk drunk.

littlepeaI will keep my fingers crossed for your posting to Northern Ireland.My mum is 30 mims away and she coms most week days to hep with the school runs etc.She is an amazing support and we are vey close.

I would love to meet up, however I don't think we will make Londondoes anyone want to meet in Scotland or is it just me up hear?

Baby Fidelma does hae silent reflux.The GP has proscribed gaviscon.(haven't had the courage to use it yet)

I am off to the hospital tomorrow to let them have a look at my breast lump.I am looking forward to tomorrow night.(hopefully getting the all clear)

littlepea-has DS had a confirmed diagnosis of Aspergers? There are loads of support threads on MN.

HT-did wonder about M teething as he dribbles terribly and chews on his hands. Though I felt some sharp bits when feeding. Can't feel any teeth through his gums though. Will get some teething gel.

Londom and Scotland are too far for me too. I'm in Lincolnshire.

Just given him some Calpol as he is beside himself. Better go and boob him.

HC
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Hello everyone!

Just catching up, have been ridiculously busy the last few days so haven't had much time to post.

hc I think Amelie might be teething, she's been sucking her hand like mad the last few days and she get absolutely soaking with dribble, I can't feel anything in har mouth though.

devils sounds like you had a lovely time, It made me feel excited about my trip to the theatre in London in May!

ruby really glad to hear you had a good night with little ruby. Was it you who mentioned about green poo? Green poo's can sometimes indicate an inbalance in the foremilk/hindmilk ratio. Usually it's too much fore not enough hind, although it can be the other way round. Is ruby having alot of short feeds? do you swap breasts when you feed? There is of course other reasons that the poo may be green but we always check about this first as it's quite easy to solve, it's just a matter of trying to keep her on one side a bit longer so she is getting pleanty of the hind milk. Then the poo's should become more yellow in colour.

calypso I agree with the others that 'failure to thrive' is such an emotive phrase, there is so much more to it than just poor weight gain. Hope you find the feeding clinic helpful. From what you have said about your bfeeding everything seems to be working absolutely fine, as long as you are seeing pleanty of wet and dirty (yellow poo) nappies then she must be getting the milk. I know that the weight gain is worrying and you are doing the right thing getting it checked. I personally think that they should be looking at the reflux situation rather than your ability to breastfeed. I had a friend in a very similar situation to you (although she was formula feeding) her baby wasn't gaining and he had terrible reflux, she saw a specialist and they told her to start weaning (at 18wks), It didn't make that much of a difference tbh he was still got alot of reflux for a while after, but eventually he grew out of it and he's now a perfectly happy average weight 2 year old. Also don't worry about your boobs feeling soft, it's completely normal and is a sign you milk supply is getting well established.

ht I really don't know how you are managing to do any studying, my brain is complete goo. I have to use a calculator for easy sums even though I have a maths degree! Well done you

littlepea Hope you are feeling positive about your sons 'diagnosis' at least you are getting closer to him getting the support at school he needs, it can be fustrating that these processes take sooo long. I really hope you get posted home soon, it must be so hard for you out there. A good friend of mine had her 1st baby while posted in germany, she HATED it!

smallone glad to hear you are enjoying you bf course, who are you training with? You're not on one of my courses are you, we have a few running at the moment.

I would LOVE to meet up with all you lovely ladies although if you are having a london based meet it's unlikely I will be able to make it We should maybe have North/South/Scoland meet ups hc you're not too far from me in Yorkshire, is anyone else up north?

fidelma good luck at the hospital today.

I'm off to my sisters in Berkshire today for a few days, I'm not at all organised! better go and pack ...

london in april is fine for me too!

can no longer put c down for a nap/bed awake. have abandoned all attempts to get into a routine! was stressing too much about it and had a terrible day yesterday. wore myself out trying to settle charlie in his cot. was also 4 years since my dad died

lilpea - at least now the sch can take steps towards getting support. wil they be aplying for a statement?

cf - hope you get it sorted soon, you've don so well with bf this long!

after charlie not taking a bottle this weekend, i'm wondering whether to go straight to a cup at 6 months and not bother at all. what is everyone else thinking?

DA, I didn't bother with a cup or a bottle atall for milk. Just bf and cup for water when on solids.

Meet up- I could prob make April in London...

Just wanted to say about the green/yellow poo thing.
A lot of people gp/hv/bf councellers have said that any type of poo is normal in a bf baby.
I've shown them some of F's green poo's and they weren't worried.

Lots of hand chewing and dribble here, I'm double bibbing F! It could be teeth or just that he's discovered he can chew his hands!! I too felt spikes during feeds which is what it felt like just before dd's teeth came through, but it could also be thrush again as F is on the Ab's.

Brought some of dd and ds's toys down from the loft and F loves a noisy flashy one
He's just started to try and hold toys too

devils, sorry about your dad. I can imagine it will not get any easier with each passing year.

When DD2 self weaned at 9 months I went straight to a Tommee Tippee cup as DD1 was a nightmare to wean off bottles-took until DD2 was born when she was 3 years old. Was looking at cups to put water and juice in but they said 6 and 9+ months so will carry on just BF because he should be getting everything he needs.

Matthew is having his 12 week jabs later so I expect him to be extra clingy. Hoping he will poo soon as his wind problem is getting worse and v. smelly.

Laters!

HC
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Calypso Hope you can get some answers soon. I'm glad your HV is supportive. DD had weeks were she only gained 1-2oz and it made me feel awful. I had an undersupply problem and ended up taking fenugreek and expressing morning noon and night to up my supply. Most things can be overcome with the right advice and support. I hope you find something that works for you soon. Just wanted to add that my babies have dropped from the 75th to between 2nd and 9th, but dd is now 3 and on the 98th centile!

Twinkle I'm doing the LLL in Herefordshire.

devils w're having the same issue with the bottle-ie not taking one. I've lost count of the expressed milk I've had to chuck, its so frustrating. I wondered about a tiny doidy? cup- the bf counsellor in hospital gave me one when I was engorged and Joseph wouldn't feed. Sorry about your dad and the tough anniversary. I had a v bad day thinking of mine on Sunday, was really missing him and trying to imagine a world without cancer

fidelma hope all went well for you at the hospital

HC, Twinkle and fidelma Am up North, near Liverpool. I think theboob is up here as well. Have done nice short journeys to Edinburgh and lots to Nottingham if thats any good. Lucky you HC living in Lincolnshire, I love it there. We almost ended up in Lincolnshire with dh on a very different career path-guitar making business-to the one he has now.Sometimes I wish he'd taken the plunge and done it, he'd be a lot happier.

twinkle Have a great time at your sisters!
smallone good luck with the training, sounds v interesting.

Calypso definately thin the reflux is an issue, hope you get answers soon.

HC good luck with the jabs and poo!

Terrible night here last night with the teething. Even giving a little 2.5ml spoonful of calpol didn't help. He went to sleep eventually but was quite restless and chewing on his fingers in his sleep-pain is all on the left side. Ashton & Parsons is the only thing that seems to help and then, only a little. The degree has kept me sane and helps me still feel like me. I did Linguistics and Japanese first time round but didn't enjoy my time at uni-my father had terminal cancer and I had to drop Japanese at the end of yr2 as I couldn't go out there for the year-was supporting my family with a series of pt jobs and didn't want to run the risk of my dad dying when I was so far away. As it was, he held on until 2 days after my final exams but my whole uni experience was tinged with the family situation. So I feel this is my second chance and I'm loving it!

Must get some more toys, Joseph getting v bored by some of his. Any suggestions? His favourite is a v noisy Vtech driver that was my neices, he adores it. Me, not so much-there are only so many times you can listen to engine rev/screechy brake sounds and "Dinah won't you blow your horn beep beep" without going slightly potty!

Sorry if I've missed anyone, love to all x

ht - lost my pops to cancer too. he was diagnosed beginning of my 2nd yr at uni. also, the noises on toys gets worse as they get older. several of ds1's toys are banned from downstairs!

i guess i'll just carry on bfing at 6 months. i had planned to ebf until 6 mos then wean on to ff. i suppose he won't be so dependent on me when he's having solids.

today has been a much better day, thank everyone for the kind words x

So, have just taken Matthew for his 12 week jabs and got him weighed. He is 17 weeks on Thurs and weighs 14lb which means he has dropped onto the 25th centile having only put on 4oz in 2 weeks. I am not worried but the HV wants him weighed every 2 weeks. She gulped when I said he has a little feed every couple of hours. Was in the middle of telling her I am not in a routine so never refuse him milk but she wandered off to see another mum.

M has some little toys out but is not bothered about them. I have a few noisy toys that the girls had but thought I would wait until he grabs things before I get them out and also need to be migraine free before I do.

Cancer is just awful So sorry you girls lost your dad to it.

Have just lit a coal fire but I see it has gone out. Better go and sort it as it is cold today.

HC
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weight issues seem so common with bf babies. makes me think that the charts are wrong.