July 2005 babies

[AussieSim]

Welcome all those with fresh new babies. Oh the joys and tribulations. Post the lot here!

I hope I haven't overlooked a previous thread here for us. Anyway, here goes.

DS2 was due 3 July but arrived 29 June, 9lb 6oz. He has been growing nicely and is 4 weeks old today. I am breastfeeding and have already had mastitis and thrush but am pushing on with it. Biggest problem is sometimes he sleeps too long in the day and then wakes up a lot in the night, not that he stays awake for long, just long enough to feed and go back to sleep. The Midwife says that I shouldn't worry about his lack of wakefulness for the moment in the absence of any other issues, and to see how he is going around the 6 week mark. She also said I should wake him up during the day, which I have been reluctant to do, but I think I will have to do. Anyone else got an overly sleepy baby who doesn't seem to be growing out of it quickly enough?

Thanks mears. On the nipple confusion thread, someone (chipmonkey IIRC) posted a link to some decent teats. I'll try a few out.

Ameda hire - would you suggest the SMB or Elite or it makes no sodding difference ?

Not sure dd gets colic - screaming fits are usually very short, and legs get kicked out stiff instead of clinging to chest (unless different babies just agonise differently, IYSWIM)

Night.

Go and work on your assignment or I will glare at you.

Dr Brown's bottles

You can get them in Boots and Mothercare. I have seen good feedback on mumsnet about them. A friend who used it thought it was brill.

They are good because baby dictates the pace and air is avoided. They have been shown to reduce ear infections too.

Assignment still calling - have got till 15th August to get it in. Just can't summon up the will to do it . Am working nights Mon and Tues so will try and finish it then. Promise.

On hiring front could you trial them both and see which is best? I think we use Elite at hospital but that doesn't mean it is the best.

In support of Nipple Shields, I used them with my DS1 till he was about 4mo when he weaned himself off them. They were the Medela Contact ones and they come in different sizes. DS1 had nipple confusion after being born premmie and badly jaundiced and remaining in hospital for two weeks. They are a bit inconvenient compared to straight-out breast feeding - needing to carry them around and clean them all the time, but way better than giving up. I went on to breast feed till he was 16mo.

My DS2 has his first cold. He only gets very snuffly during the night and last night was the first time it seemed to interfere with his feeding. I guess my DS1 bought it home from childcare and the whole family caught it. DS2 and I are coping a lot better than DH and DS1, the doctor says the fact that I am breastfeeding is helping both of us manage it better. But it does put my plans to institute a more rigourous routine in place once he turns 6wo on 10 August on the back burner.

Hi,

34 years old had DS2 on 21/07/05 at 41 wks+6. 9lbs 10 oz, bit peeved as was not told he was going to be big as DS1 was a wee 7lb 7oz!! But have most adorable little lad. DS2 has shoulder distocia and has first physio on the 16th, Ealing Hospital has been really good and looked after us really well as birth was complicated.

Glad to be able to BF again, only had to wear nipple shield for a day or so - not bad going, its been 14 years since I last breastfed . Have to say that nipple shields are a lot better than when I last used them in '91 and the babes don't notice them, so it won't do any harm to give them a go. Not had any signs of thrush, but this time around I've made sure that my boobs are clean after every feed and breastmilk on the nipples to prevent soreness.

Still on a high after the birth and its fun watching DH and DS1 going potty over my little lad. I say little as I object to people calling him a bruiser!!

Thanks AussieSim and mears for the advice.

Will be buying a few different bottles / teats to try out. Will post any monumental discoveries, and desperately hope no one sees me trying to drink from one in my Official Test Scenarios.

I'll be checking up on you, mears....

Sorry - hi, rosiewitch, welcome.

hi again, I am definitely not having a yummy mummy day today, we went to the doctors as my back is still very painful, it seems that all my muscles are sprained from the epidural so have now got even more knock-me-out painkillers to take, it's very annoying and looks like it's going to take ages to get better. Poor little Duclie has conjunctivitis and has now got to have eye drops to clear that up, and she has just had her first projectile vomit all over my clothes, cushions, sofa.. and of course over my lovely birthday watch!!! Plus all these painkillers are making me all bunged up IYSWIM, not pleasant at all
it's all too glam for words... I take it this is parenthood then?!

Poor you Harriett. Is your sore back definitely from the epidural and not from your stomach muscles being too far apart to support your back? That's happened to me and (to cheer you up - I wasn't going to share...) I have been given a TRUSS! It's a lovely tubigrip thing that I wear round my middle as my muscles are not the usual 2 fingers' width apart following childbirth, but 8! Can anyone top that for sheer glamour?

mrs d- I want a truss too! and maybe a corset as well, and a bustle at the back...
The doc thinks it's definitely from the section, especially as (now I am going to share the gruesome details..) the final epidural didn't work properly and I felt the whole thing. I am having to eat two jammy dodgers to get through this btw... so it probably isn't too suprising that I am still feeling the pain.
Are you also on pain killers or is the tubi-thing helping you out enough? I hate taking drugs so would try anything else.

you poor love. I'm not surprised you are freaked out by such a frightening experience.

No, I'm not taking any painkillers, just trying to do the exercises the physio gave me and watching my posture. It really doesn't begin to compare with what you must be going through.

You are a paragon of restraint eating only two jammy dodgers. A packet of jaffa cakes would be more my approach. You can get a whole jaffa cake in your mouth without spraying crumbs.

It's a shame trusses only come in tubigrip colour. I'd like trusses for different occasions, especially as the only way I can feel slim is to wear maternity trousers which keep falling down, exposing said truss.

BTW Merryberry, I would go for more vitriol with Jude Law. Something along the lines of "Adulterer, Spawn of Beelezebub..."

Heavens, I can hear the two boys talking about what they think about girls. They are wearing only underpants and playing with light sabres. Are they 4 and 5, or 24 and 25? Is there any difference?

Hello and welcome to Rosiewitch.

MrsD, maybe you can sew some sequins onto your truss to liven it up? (I'm sure you've got plenty of free time....) Sounds like our dds share a timetable. Dd2 wants to feed like crazy between 5.30 and 7.30. The exact time when dd1 is at her most demanding and needing bathing and putting to bed. By 7.45 everynight I can be found with a glass of wine in my hand!

Harriett, after your ordeal I think you can have 2 packets of jammy dodgers. Maybe you should join in with my wine drinking too! Poor you. Hope your back gets better soon. Remember though, its probably going to be a lot easier when you go for no.2!!!!

Hub, hope Dee is OK. Sounds like she's been having a rough time of it.

Well, I surrvived my first day at home with both dds today without any friends popping in to help. I'm keeping dd1 in nursery 3 days a week so I'm only going to have 2 days on my own. Lots of respect going out to those of you who are doing it full time. And, to those of you who have 3 - well, I'm just not worthy to be sharing a thread with you. Lots and lots of respect!!!!

Well, better go and do another feed. The evenings are rather frenzied on the feeding front. But, at least my poorly nipple no longer looks like its about to drop off!

wow, this thread's gone mad.

i think you should keep your stuff for now mb, you'd be gutted if you had to buy it all again. though i think i might start getting rid of ds' clothes - i was intending that dd could wear the unisex ones but then i'd have to stop buying bargains..... and still talking to mb, i have loads & LOADS of weight to lose so we can hassle (sorry, motivate) each other.

harriett, you poor poor thing, hope the painkillers kick in effectively. hey, are you around on thursday? ds is at nursery & dd & i are most keen to be ladies who lunch/coffee.... i'll cat you.

DD's had a lovely evening - she's slept beautifully, occasionally lifting her leg to fart! She seems much more comfortable. She is sleeping peacefully in a fug of yellow poo smells . Instead of going to bed and catching up with some sleep, I have addled my mind by watching Big Brother (the shame). Maybe getting her into an evening routine will happen after all...

Well done on your solo day, Lolasmum. The nursery plan for DD1 sounds like a great idea. I have DS1 and DS2 at home until school starts, although they are both doing a week in holiday club towards the end of the month so I'll have a nice week with just DD. DS2 does just a few hours of school for the first few weeks, so it will be late September before I have a full day with just DD at home, so the week in August will be lovely.

I agree with your bargain strategy, Hoxtonchick. Things I had previously thought of as unisx now look awfully boyish. It's lovely shopping for a girl isn't it?

I'm sure it's just hormones, but I am quite broody!! I guess it's so lovely having a baby agian that I want more! It's the same attitude towards chocolate that has led to my excess weight, so it clearly isn't a virtue
Has anyone else been feeling the same way? Merryberry, your baby thoughts sound quite rational, or is it deranged hormones speaking for you?

ds is broody mrsd . he said "mummy, florence is getting very big isn't she, shall we have another baby? i really liked having a bath with you when you were pregnan." the boy's mad!

this is my 2nd day alone with both of them. we're going to ikea!

has anyone thought about, ummmm, contraception? i've got my 6 wk check today, and am going to ask about a coil. and then forget about it for 5 years....

have a lovely time at Ikea today HC.

We are looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow, K wants to come today but I'm sure she can wait another day!

Good luck at Drs today, hope you are seeing someone nice!

thanks kid . is 10 ok tomorrow?

Happy Belated birthday Harriet - sounds like you had a wonderful day. Its my birthday soon - the 15th - my 40th!!! dh has asked what I want but I've got my present already - ds of course Hope your back gets better soon.

Well I seem to have had the easiest C/S ever. Tossed those leaflets away about not hoovering/driving for 4-6 weeks as I feel so fine. Not being silly of course but was hoovering after 4 days and back to driving after 8 days - just short distances of course. Scar is almost healed up and I have very little discomfort at all, just a little achey at the end of the day.

Mrs D - coping fairly well as mine aren't too close together (6 and 3) so its not as if I have more than one in nappies. However dd (3) is giong through an independent stage and wants to cook everything - toast is OK but she also likes making an omellete - mixing the egg etc - in some ways it would be easier if I could do it myself as I have to supervise. ds also fights with her to help out with certain things too... then other times he is hard work with his special needs ... however he is back at school next week and dd starts playgroup 3 days so things will be much easier. dh is back to work now so much the same as yours... I think he only held ds2 for about 10 mins last night, but he's been getting lots of cuddles from me - we sleep mostly together - mabye 1/3 of the night in his carrycot and the rest beside me.

hub2dee - hope your dw is improving. Thanks for info on files - seems awfully small though but will see what I can do.

yes 10 is fine HC, I'm sure my darling kids will have me up at 6:30 as usual

Oh, no this thread has gone mad, I can't keep up!

Right, well, the Wilkinet has just arrived . Will post what I think later.

Mrsd, glad to see someone else is suffering the delights of the light sabre. ds1 is particularly in love with a ps2 game with star wars lego characters in it, which is driving me slowly mad. Maybe we should just stick them all in a large padded cell and bugger off for a coffee together . Poor you with your truss - hope you won't need it for too long.

Harriett, at your birth story - go and get yourself at least half a dozen bars of green and blacks now. You deserve it .

Hub, sorry to hear about dw's mastitis (again). Keep meaning to say that I have a load of newborn sized white babygrows which have hardly been used if you would like them for dd (not sure of her size now but if they would be of use then let me know).

Hello to everyone I have missed. Got to go, ds2 is shrieking, back later.

Eulalia - sounds like you have made a great recovery. I couldn't drive for 6 weeks, could hardly walk for the 1st week. I wasn't completely recovered until 14 weeks after my section. I had it over 3 years ago and still get pain on the scar. But I will admit to being a complete wimp!

DS2 has just asked what DD would look like with a beard . I'd better hide the pens for a while! He's also just said that when he's a man he'd like a beard and a necklace.

Hope you get on with the Wilkinet, Bagpuss. I'm definitely up for locking the boys up together with their weapons!

Never mind about my truss, I'd rather have my lovely children than a pretty tummy (although both would be quite nice!).

I salute you, HC, going to Ikea solo with 2 children. Very brave. Good luck at the doctor's. I havn't thought much about contraception. Condoms again I suppose (bleaurgh - not too keen). I'd like to leave my options open for "accidents" so don't want anything like a coil, depo etc, and I can't stand the pill.

Eulalia - I'd forgotten that your DS1 has special needs. A new baby must be a particularly big upheaval for him.

Accidents mrsd, just remember the pain of childbirth, that should do it. I was very broody 3 weeks post delivery. Now I am just happy to have my children, think I will never have to go through labour again and really just want to get the whole idea of more children out of my head forever . Seriously, my midwife did remind me on leaving hospital that you can ovulate around 2-3 weeks after birth so I think it was just that - an overwhelming desire to reproduce just because I can!

HC, good luck at Ikea - can't even stand going there with no children let alone two. LOL at your ds, my dd says she wants a baby sister next time and ds1 wants another baby called George .

Haven't thought about contraception either - dh leaving it down to me as usual but can't say I really fancy a coil and knowing my luck, it would be me having the accident if I had to take the pill. At the moment celibacy seems like a good option .

Celibacy rocks .

HC - Ikea AND shagging? What kind of goddess are you?