May 2010: All the babies have arrived, welcome to the other side!

[rachelfruitloop]

Here we are ladies, a new Postnatal thread! I wonder if we'll fill this one up as fast with one-handed typing?!

[pamelat]

just quietly .... how rubbish are we at football?!!!

[Carikube]

rubbish enough that I think I'm going to go to bed in disgust [keeps fingers crossed that Alice has another night of staying asleep until at least 4am...]

[mustbemadno3]

hello everyone, not been on here for ages well since my cry for help having a screaming baby! Nothings changed really, she screams usually from 10.00a.m to bedtime which could be 8 or 10.00 p.m. Everyone says its colic, but my instincts tell me otherwise.
Anyway cut a long story short, at my 6 week check I had somewhat of a nervous breakdown in the middle of the drs reception when I was told my appointment was Wednesday not Tuesday. The receptionists calmed baby down and me and basically told me I was too tense so I would rub off on her! Well I wasnt tense until i found out they had knackered my appointment!!
Anyway dr given gaviscon for silent reflux and if no better by monday then they will do lactose intolerance test. Which will prob mean I wont be able to bfeed anymore???

Alle what weight is your baby now? I noticed ours were the same birth weight a day apart! I was topping Lillia up on formula at night, and planned to introduce more formula within the next few weeks. But as she has been so awful I havent had time to even make a bottle. Also she was having aptamil and I swear it didnt suit her. So today I brought sma and instead of tommee tippee bottles I was using, I have brought the mam bottle to try and she feeds perfectly from it. Which means I can get the gaviscon and detinox in the bottle.
Also Alle dont worry if you feel down it will get better. I had post natal with my ds1 and Im very tearful with Lillia, but think thats mainly because of the screaming and I dont spend anytime with the other children.

Can anyone tell me if its o.k to start expressing now? Will my supply increase too much? I want to store my milk in freezer ready for when I wean her. Also want to do afew bottles for in the day when I need to put medicine in. Thats if shes not lactose intolerant.

first1 I am so sorry you are having a difficult time. I think having children drive you apart at first as they consume all of your energy and as your so knackered it makes you more irratable. My dh has said some wicked things the past couple of weeks and I have tried not to take it too heart but men dont go through the emotions we have after childbirth. I hope you can work it out and if not he will be missing precious time with his daughter and will regret it one day.
Know what you mean re weight loss. I put 4 stone on!! and have lost 3 in 6 weeks. But its purely because I never get the time to eat as Lillia screams so much, I cant put her down and when I do I realize I have missed meal times.

I have only scanned posts sorry, just not had time. Going bed now, before she wakes!

[brightredballoon]

Hi everyone

First 1 sorry to hear about your DH, how bizarre for him to suddenly fall out of love before the birth, are you suspicious he has met someone else ? Hope you can really focus on your little one to help you through this.

mustbemad you poor thing that Lillia is so unsettled. What is her weigh gain like? I really am thinking of you and hoping that the gaviscon will do the trick. Do make sure you eat a fair diet though with the breastfeeding, I know its hard to fit it in but even if its a bowl of cereal or a cheese sandwich etc.

Thanks to everyone who shared what they are eating on a daily basis. I have cut down what I have been scoffing and have lost 5lbs in a week, yay! I started back jogging as well so I think that will help my food efforts as well.

Goodness, my little one will be 8weeks next week, I have delayed her jabs by a couple of weeks because she was 1wk early. I am so broody for another one (but would wait a few years) but then seeing my 4 and 2 yr old niggling and bickering with each other all day today has made me think otherwise!

carikube my HV said she is looking for 3 or more ounces weighgain in a breastfed baby a week so your little one is doing fine. How old is she now? I find my DD2 is taking more efficient feeds now she has a larger mouth and is starting to see things she isnt as panicky or in a rush for a feed like when she barely opened her eyes!

pamelat couldn't agree more, however at least we have made it to the World cup unlike a lot of other countries

Racquel you are a saint for putting up with both sets of parents staying at the same time! I am sure it has been fun and lovely to have them around but I agree, comments about feeding etc arent helpful!

alle01 My children are also really fair. I keep them in the shade when they are babies (e.g until they want out of their pushchairs) and often put a think cotton muslin over them (so it covers their arms and legs or any other exposed skin) loosely if they are outside a lot in the summer. The rays reflect off lots of surfaces so even in the shade they might get the rays but I find the sun lotion so thick I am worried it would irritate my fair skinned kids. DS (2yrs) and DD (4yrs) are great with sun cream now and it doesnt irritate them.

homebirthmummy glad you are having a debrief, I hope it helps. Will look out for your birth story as well.

Just seen the time, sorry for missing out some people, bed is calling...

[sweetkitty]

So much to catch up on, it's 6am here everyone else is sleeping and I cannot for some reason, think it is the cold plus DD1 managed to fall out her bunkbed last night and onto her face. DP drove me mad he was going on and on about how she had managed to do it meanwhile blood is squirting from her nose and she is in a right state. I think she is fine apart from a really sore nose.

Jacob still very unsettled in the evenings, he feeds loads but then must get too full so bobs on and off and cries, DP cannot settle him at all so it usually means me taking him to bed early and feeding for ages until he finally falls asleep, we have no evenings at all now. In fact DP was in a right old mood last night saying he had nothing to look forward to this weekend it's the same old things all the time and he needs a break! Cannot be easy for him, can it??!!

I must admit to looking forward to when Jacob can hopefully be left alone in a swing for 10 minutes gumming on toys or watching his sisters, I feel he is hard work right now

anyway enough about me, am sure we are all feeling the same way

brightred - 8 weeks already wow

mustbemad - you poor thing I know how bad it is and Jacob usually does sleep in the daytime, fingers crossed the Gaviscon works, hope she is not lactose intolerant. An allergy specialist told me that true lactose intolerance is very rare and that babies should not be allergic to BM otherwise the human race would have died out, don't know how true this is. Have you tried her in a sling, J loves his and it means at least your hands are free, I eat a lot of cereal right now as well.

Raquel - glad all os going well with you, I remember the "when is she DUE a feed??" questions from DD1, parents seemed utterly obsessed with the four hour feed rule don't they?

alle - I never put suncream on any of mine until they were walking and actually playing out in the sun. I feed Jacob out in the sun but cover him up, either that or he is in his pram. My three girls all had dark blue eyes to start with which went to light blue within a few months, Jacobs started off a dark grey/black colour and have been getting more brown now.

Dancingthroughlife - happy new name, don't know what the advice would be re sore nipple, have you tried different nursing positions, lying down/rugby hold?

pigley - glad the sleeping is going well

homebirthmummy - yey on the weightloss

ML - I kind of know how you feel re family, I feel very alone right now, Jacob has only had one visit from a grandparent since he was born 6 weeks ago, oh and my brother came up then as well. SIL has seen him 3 times but she lives an hour away as well. Inlaws are both dead now and I don't talk to my mother now. I get so when I see friends with doting Grans and the help they receive, ho hum,

Need to take DD1 and 2 for some Fathers Day presents today and get a puncture repair thingie as the pram still has a puncture.

[mustbemadno3]

brightred n sweetkitty - think weight gain ok shes 8.8 now she did go down to 6.2. And think your right sweet kitty most lactose intolarance babies are usually temporary but when she screams for so long i dont know how long temporary means 3-4 months or more.
ive cut back on dairy as heard that helps so cereal out the window! never got any milk in fridge anyway!!!

sweetkitty - hope your dd1 ok after falling out of bb. Also lillia dos same as jacob in the evening. but i had enough last night so gave her the sma with medicines in our bedroom at 8.15 gave her little cuddle and left her screaming surprise surprise! and by 9.00 she was fast off, i couldnt believe it, dont know if a flook but trying again!

Anyway all this moaning ive been doing i should think myself lucky when you hear stories like homebirthmummys - hope virginia doing well.

[rachelfruitloop]

Hi Ladies,

I wanted to just pop on to say that I am feeling like a lot of you, very emotional, and wondering if I am going to ever get into a good routine. We all have a cold here now too. I'm sure I'll be able to post more when DH goes back to work, that sounds backwards but he's always looking over my shoulder and I'd rather keep MN my thing IYKWIM. He's gone to Sainsbury's now so had a moment to type this. So much I want to respond to. I may tell DH that I need the computer this evening if I'm not too tired to write a post! Thinking of you all, though!

[pamelat]

mustbemad - your current experience is what (sounds like) Iwent through with my DD 2 years ago. She was diagnosed with silent reflux but to be honest I dont think she had that, the gaviscon worked for a few days. Colief was better but nothing "fixed" her as such. She was our first so we wondered if it was normal and she literally cried all the time. I was told it was because I was stressed by a well meaning GP but I was only stressed because of her upset, vicious circle I guess.
I have re read a diary of when she was 6 weeks old and we gave her gaviscon and I talk blissfully in it how she then slept for a solid 2 hours I know realise thats pretty "normal" behaviour. I remember being jealous of friends moaning about 2 or 3 wakings as at least their baby slept between feeds, we had to alternate sitting up holdng her for an hour at a time keeping her upright definately helped.
not sure i have any advice as such, dd now 2.5 and brilliant sleeper and fully healthy little girl. they tried to say various intolerances but i think she just had highly sensitive nervous and digestion systems? i am no expert. by 18 weeks she was fine and sleeping through but know that may seem long time away.
sorry you are having it tough, now i have alex he seems so easy and he isnt really, still a hungry one. my dd did over feed i think but she was breastfed so know that meant to be impossible but she had stomach pain and would often be blue around lips with wind it was awful but did just "go away".

[pamelat]

and mustbemad dd never lost weight so had issues with some doctors saying cant be reflux (which am not sure was but gaviscon helped a bit) and she was rarely sick, just in pain and upset She leapt from 25% to 75% percentile by 12 weeks, she fed constantly and am sure it was to mask pain. not saying that shouldnt have fed as was my only way to soothe her, just that wind was big issue for her.

[hollyoaks]

Morning all. Making an attempt to catch up with everyone's news.

Rachel - I like to keep MN to myself too, dh doesn't understand why it's helpful and just nice to talk to other people in the same situation as we are so he's always asking what I'm saying or what has been going on.

SK - hope dd1 is ok after her fall

BRB - glad your feeling broody too, I am but I think it's more because we had decided to stick with two and feels like the end of an era. Weird when I really don't like being pregnant and can't get anything done with the two I already have.

Mustbemad - I don't have any advice for you as I've never experienced a baby with reflux but wanted to say I'm thinking about you and how tough it must be. Hope the medicines make an improvement. Remember, you must eat though and look after yourself.

Carikube - hope you had another good night with Alice Glad she's ok after scary hospital visit.

Raquel - I'm sick if the 'she's not feeding again is she!' comments too, it seems to be around teatime when we're visiting family, but she always cluster feeds then but it means she goes longer at night. I'm the only member of my family to bf too (except sil) so lots of comments about putting her on the bottle and about how will I ever get out of the house, what if I had to feed! I just told them I'll feed her when I'm out if I need to and so what. If someone doesn't like it that's their problem, I'm not embarrassed.

Alle - well done with continuing to bf, it sounds like its been tough for you. Nice to hear from you too.

Dancingthroughlife - love the name change, sounds like your all very happy at your end. I think the phrase 'let sleeping dogs lie' should apply to babies too, unless they've gone over 6 hours.

Pigley - hope Lucy is continuing to sleep well too

Peakylovessummer - me and the dd's did some foot and hand prints on Friday for father's day too. DD1 did a mug for her first father's day and they have both done a plate for him this time round. It's very cute.

Homebirth - I've been home 2.5 weeks and still haven't figured out what snacks are quick, healthy and nutritious to eat while bf so still shovelling the junk food . I would also say to you try not to feel guilty about her arrival but I can't stop feeling guilty about Grace's colonic atresia. It's caused by an 'interuterine vascular incident' and although it's just 'one of those things' I can't help wondering what I did wrong. It's easy to blame yourself, I'm trying to compensate with lots of cuddles. It will get easier with time.

Tomlin/MDM/booboo - the cinema sounds like fun, just need to get rid of dd1 so we can go.

Tomlin - dd2 has the ability to know exactly when our tea is ready or I need a wee.

Pamelat - hope your fil is ok, hope it was caught early.

Molly - glad you feel MN is so supportive, I'm still plucking up the courage to spill my guts completely but will hopefully find it just as supportive when/if I do.

First1 - happy belated birthday , hope things are going ok with or without dh and you are being looked after.

Itshappenedgain - congratulations on passing the exam Big relief.

Cupcake - congratulations on sitting down

Berelin - welcome to the thread

Hobnob - glad lo finally passed her hearing test, one less thing to worry about.

Well, we had a good night, grace slept from 9:30 till 6:30 only waking once for a ten minute feed at some early hour. The other brilliant news is that her cord has eventually fell off and although its quite gunky her belly button seems to have shrunk slightly and looks quite neat. Hopefully she won't want plastic surgery on it when she's older as I'd rather not go through that experience again. We also have consultant appointment on Monday so thinking up lots of questions to ask her.

Unfortunately, dh and I had a minor argument yesterday as he had arranged to pick up tools from his mates house just before we were due to have tea and my dm's house meaning I wasn't going to have time to pick up fathers day presents and I would have to do it today by myself as he is working again. Anyway, he was still huffy this morning and it escalated into me not appreciating him working all the time (he's only had 2 days off in the last 10 days) which is not true and that he is finding it difficult to bond with Grace as I am feeding her all the time!!!! I'm not switching to ff because of the problems with her bowels so not sure what I can do?

[Sassles]

Very quick and selfish post here as off to try and have snooze.

Had quite rough two nights this week. Sam waking an hour after feed through the night and then waking 20-30 mins after feeds the next night. Then ate (felt like) constantly from 11am till DH came home at 5pm to find me in tears. Just drained. He is getting tons of milk and is def sucking and then falls asleep. Trying to wake him up to make sure he is not sleeping before full, but he is being sick a fair bit when burped etc, so def getting tons. Can't surely be another growth spurt already.

Then had a nice day yeateday, Sam slept for longish speels, but no longer than 2 hrs at anytime (would sleefor 3 and a half hours during day sleep in first 2 week. Now 4 weeks).

Went to bed last night and he slept from 11.30pm-3.30am. This would have be bliss if I hadn't then been woken at 1.50am by a pneumatic drill outside my bedroom window for an hour!!! DH went out to see what the hell they were doing at that time in the night. Turns out there was a gas leak and they had to dig down through the road to get to the pipe. You seriously can not make this stuff up.

They finished just after 3am only for Sam to then wake up once the drilling stopped for an hour feed.

If I didn't at it all I would probably go mad!! Really needed that good night as bad nights so frequent at mo!

HV is an idiot. After the overfeeding comment she also talked nonsense about contraception. I said implant probably suited me best. She then told me you HAVE to keep it in for 3 yrs and they don't like removing them before that. I then read the hospital guide and it said it stays in for a max of 3 yrs and can be removed at anytime. GGrrrrr.

[Carikube]

Sassles sorry to hear you've had a hard time of it over the last couple of days. If it's any consolation, we got woken up when DD1 was only a few weeks old and for once it wasn't her - it was a policeman arresting a man in our front garden . It's typical isn't it, that this sort of thing happens the one night you start getting some sleep....

[Carikube]

BTW, DH upset me a bit tonight by saying that he doesn't feel that he has bonded with DD2 the way he has with DD1 I'm hoping that this is just because DD1 is more 'interactive' whereas DD2 still doesn't do much and that he'll bond with her as she starts doing more. Has anyone else's DP/H said anything like this and does it get better?

[mollycuddles]

Quick post as no charge on iPhone. Dh had the same response when dd1 was born. He clearly remembers thinking he would never love her like he did ds. Now they are so close. The age difference this time means the other two are at school so he is getting time just chilling with Molls so is bonding. It will come.

[sweetkitty]

Quick one from me as the boy is crying as usual, about to go to bed, 10pm on a Saturday rock and roll.

carikube - don't despair my DP is the same, he loves them as babies but doesn't really bond with them. He just not a baby person, he had a bad time with DD3 as she was the same as Jacob, he couldn't comfort her at all, all she would do is cry for a boob same as Jacob does now. I think it really frustrated him as he couldn't give me a break or stop her crying. Now she is older he is utterly entranced by her, he prefers them as they get older and become more interactive. Also I have found that a lot of the time I do the baby things and he gets to play with the older ones so spends a lot more time with them IYSWIM? It will be fine promise.

sassles - poor you it's tough isn't it, I am sure we are all feeling the same in one way or another. I think Jacob could really do with a dummy but he just won't take one.

DD1 is fine thanks but what a scare thought she had broken her nose or worse. Didn't sleep last night was worried about her, went to bed at 1ish, J got me up at 2, then at 5.50am and that was me awake.

annoyed with my pram too, haven't been able to use it since Weds got a puncture, tried to fix it today turns out it had 3 punctures, tried to repair them all but have now ordered a new inner tube, can't go out with the two of them until it is sorted

On a good note this morning whilst non sleeping I treatred myself to a new changing bag after weeks of deliberation. I got a pacapod bag if you want a nose. Hope it's good.

I have been doing a bit of research into colic and crying babies and there is a theory called the 4th trimester in that human babies are born so immature that they cannot cope in the outside world so cry for the womb, hence the 4th trimester and everything settles down at 3 months usually when colic goes. Certainly makes sense and I do think a lot of the reflux/colic/digestive immaturity is normal in a lot of babies and the cause of all the crying.

For first timers it does get a lot better honest and nothing to do with how you parent.

Right off to bed for me, here's to good sleeps for us all x

[brightredballoon]

Hi everyone

SK do you have a Halfords near you? I went to the one in Hamilton at the Palace Grounds and got a new inner tube from them and they fitted it for free and it had a bent valve so easier to pump up and it was just £5.99. When I got my Mountain Buggy last year the company I bought it from (Chariots) and they said it came fitted with slime tape so I will do that to my nipper inner tubes if I get another puncture.
I also get the 4th Trimester thing about babies. My dear friend who is a doula and has had 4 children herself recommended me a book by Dr Harvey Karp who explains how human babies are not ready for the world until they are 12wks old but for obvious physical reasons we wouldnt be able to birth them at that age.
I think thats why my kids have all liked the coorie sling because it is so tight and they look in a very odd position!

Hollyoaks, Carikube my DH doesn't get much time with DD2 but like a lot of you guys my wee one just wants to hang off my boob for most of the evening before finally nodding off around 9.30/10pm. However she will let me have 10/15mins breaks if she is getting cooed at so I hand DD2 to him when I need to use the loo etc. MY DH needs a reality check as he also seems to think his evening should still be the same e.g that he should be able to use the laptop/go out/play his PS3 until whatever time he wants and then get up anytime he wants. When the kids get up early he complains but I say well we know what they are like so we should get to bed earlier and he just doesn't get it at all. I can usually get a nap in the car if he drives on the way to the shops at the weekend etc so I always get up with the kids, its not worth listening to the chaos that is going on downstairs if DH gets up wtih the older two as he will be trying to doze on the sofa or on the laptop.

Sassles do you think your wee one has trapped wind? My friend swore by Infacol for her very windy breastfed DD.

mustbemad you can get soya milk or use orange juice on cereal

Got to get to bed, DH put a film on earlier so we watched that then I couldn't help but catch up with Big Brother!

[memorylapse]

a quick post because Im so shattered..I cant think straight!..not from extreme lack of sleep but have been incredibly busy..

Friday helped out at the school fayre..was very busy but Olivia slept in her pram and didnt stir..then yesterday took dd2 to a teddy bears picnic at Erddig country estate in Wrexham..beautiful place and lots of garden s to walk round..yesterday evening I couldnt keep my eyes open..and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow...Olivia woke just once again in the night at 2.30 then slept till 7 but I felt exhausted this morning and as I sit here Im struggling to keep my eyes open.

no fathers day spoiling for DH as he has had to go to work...DD1 is coming round later with her boyfriend so I have to cook dinner for 8 as its her birthday celebration..not her birthday till 1st July but she is going away for 6 weeks fundraising with St Johns Ambulance

[sweetkitty]

Happy fathers day especially to all the new Daddies we had a rough night last night so DP let me sleep in a bit bless him. Still think this cough is bothering him and he was sick loads last night projectile not the usual.

brightred - now you tell me!!!! Hamilton about 5 mins from us! Have ordered one from specialist £15. I think the 4th trimester thing is spot on, these babies do need another 3 months (but can you imagine 9 is hard enough)?

I feel Jacob is just permantley grumpy, he has 3 modes, crying, asleep or feeding in that order. He never seems contect to lie in his pram/swing/moses basket/baby gym for a minute. Likes his sling though so that is something.

[AnAngelWithin]

hello all. sorry for fleeting (and selfish) post. Am so busy its unreal, think PND is rearing it's ugly head, dd3 is very grumpy baby, me and DH arguing, plus DHs decision to take on a friends 'housetrained' dog that they couldn't look after anymore, seems to like peeing and being sick everywhere is getting me down big time. Stupid stupid stupid. Think I have also trapped a nerve in my hand or something, all my thumb hurts when I move it and its a bit swollen. Been like it for over a week now. Headaches galore so went to see the doc about going back on my beta blockers. Worried about them passing to dd3 though through breastmilk.

[homebirthmummy4]

morning all,hope you are all enjoying fathers day. angel, a dog? really? have you not got enough to do?
hollyoaks, was it you who ended up in scbu with your newborn, i remember reading about it with tears pricking my eyes but so much has happened since and my brain is all over the place, i can barely remember my own name. hope Grace is fully recovered now, Virginia seems to be doing well but she has developed a strange little rash on her forehead and scalp. its like hundreds of teeny tiny whitish spots, any clues anyone?
at 5am i took her to change her nappy, we have moved into muslins now, they are a dream, i cant believe how easy i am finding them, however at 5am i removed a dirty one, whilst putting it into the nappy bucket she dirtied another, then another, and believe it or not ANOTHER, half a days nappies later i got her into bed but she is so cute i had to smile.
today she is 12 days and (apologies for being gross) my discharge seems to have gone, is that normal? also i am still weeping often, birth memories, looking at photos of Virginia with cannulas and oxygen tubes, and now knowing that DH who has been my rock throughout has to go back to work tomorrow. he has been there for me constantly but we have only been home for 4 days and i really feel like we have missed his paternity leave and he has lost out on bonding, i know he didnt find it easy to just cuddle her etc in scbu and he is more than making up for it now, they are both asleep snuggled up together on the sofa right now, its very cute. when does it all get better and you begin to feel human again?
anyway, enjoy this beautiful day everyone, much love.

p.s. as ive not been here since the very beginning, did i read somewhere that there is a group facebook? i dont do fb yet but maybe soon i will.....

[hollyoaks]

Homebirth - yes it was Grace who was in the intensive care unit after she was born as she had to have a couple of surgeries to correct a couple of bowel problems she had. She is doing really well now, feeding regularly, plenty of dirty nappies and putting on weight, thanks for asking. I bet Virginia is doing well too, much better than us, they are very resilient and certainly won't remember their difficult starts.

I feel very similar to you in that ddh is struggling to bond with Grace as he had to go to work the day after we got home from hospital and has only had 3 days off since. It was difficult to cuddle her in hospital due to a combination of physical barriers like all the tubes but also we were frightened to get too close in case the worst happened. Silly really because cuddles or not we were totally in love with her already.

On a positive, once dh went back to work I spent most of my time getting into a routine, planning visits and trips out and very quickly the hospital seemed like a lifetime ago. You've just got to focus on the day to day. One thing my counsellor said was when you find yourself tearing up or remembering a particular scary or sad moment to force yourself to continue the story on in your head until you get to the happy ending with your dd recovering and coming home.

Hope you start to feel better soon.

[homebirthmummy4]

hollyoaks thank you. what you have been through and 'survived' is inspiring. i hope i can soon be as positive as you.

[hollyoaks]

Thanks homebirth , trust me I'm not this positive every day and there are still lots of check-ups and tests to get through but it seems like she's going to be ok. The fear that something else will go wrong is never far from my mind.

You will feel better, Grace is only 25 days old and each day is easier than the last.

[pamelat]

homebirth and hollyoaks, I really admire both of you for coping with what you have been through.

Hollyoaks, you have even established routine?

Alex is 5 weeks old today, his feeding is still irregular, am hoping in 2 to 3 weeks there is more of a pattern. In general he needs feeding 7am, 9am, 1030am, 12 noon, 230pm, 4pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, 2am, 5am etc - basically very often! - am still finding it tiring and basically if he wakes he needs feeding.

I am going shopping with my mum today and just feel I will spend the entire day sat down feeding .

Am really looking forward to having a more "knowable" routine, or being confident enough to say to myself that he isnt hungry and can wait ..... maybe 2 minutes!!

Had a bit of a stressful (not in serious way) fathers day, lovely morning in with DH, DD and DS but foolishly went a walk pre lunch with some family members. I had asked questions about the duration and buggy suitability of the walk but I guess until you have children you don't know ..... anyway I ended up carrying the buggy, whilst persuading DD to let others carry her (clingy since arrival of DS) over most of the walk, over stiles, across planks that made up bridges ... the half an hour became an hour and a bit. I had terrible hayfever, as did poor DH and DD. I did the last 10 minutes with my eyes partially closed. DH carried DS in a sling and managed to keep him asleep until the instant we got back to the car where he screamed for food but we had to drive 10 minutes to the pub (longest 10 minutes). I dont think he could believe I had denied him those 10 minutes as he fretted to be fed all afternoon, so breastfed throughout the entire meal.

Then our food was 2 hours from ordering until arriving (well 1 hour 48 but thats long enough!!) so poor DD (2.5) was starving and border line kicking off.

Anyway thank goodness its just me and Alex today, and my mum later.

I am totally sick of "oh hes feeding again, all that child does is eat" comments, he is 5 weeks old for goodness sake, what to people expect, football????!

Rant over, sorry

[pamelat]

ps) see how I am "allowed" to say that all that he does is feed but not anyone else!