Newborn - 1 month, August 05

Welcome to the Newborn to 1 Month thread for August 2005!


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Newborn to 1 Month List - August '05

Forum Name:
State:
Baby's DOB:
Baby's Stats: Weight - Length - Head Circ -
Gender of Baby: Boy / Girl
Baby Name(s):
Baby's Website:
Health Concerns: (e.g. eczema, reflux, colic)
Notes: (e.g. 9 days early, breech etc.)
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Forum Name: Jo_gee
State: WA
Baby's DOB: August 2nd 2005
Baby's Stats: Weight - 4180g (9,4) Length 53cm, Head Circumferance 36.5cm
Gender of Baby: Boy
Baby's Name: Samuel Luke
Baby's Website:http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joanddarren/
Health Concerns: NIL
Notes: perfect lil happy feeder born via c section
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Forum Name: Yvette
State: Vic
Babies' DOB: 24th August 2005
Babies' Stats: Weight – Asha 3075g/6lb 12, Lauren 2670g/5lb 14 Length – Asha 48cm, Lauren 47cm
Head Circ - Asha 35cm, Lauren 33.5cm
Gender of Babies: Identical twin girls
Baby Name(s): Asha Frances & Lauren Rose
Babies' Website: http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/t/twingirlslb/
Health Concerns: Lauren being syringe fed ebm, just learning to sustain sucking, both pretty skinny
Notes: induced by arm at 38 weeks 2 days, normal vaginal birth

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Astro, thought I had done this, but maybe somewhere else??? Anyway, can you add me??

Forum Name: Hayseed
State: Country Vic
Baby's DOB: 06-07-2005
Baby's Stats: Weight - 3100gm (6lb 13oz), Length - 48m, Head Circ - 35cm
Gender of Baby: Boy
Baby Name(s): Thomas Mark Simpson
Baby's Website: http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/p/pup7
Health Concerns: none
Notes: was a caesarean birth because of breech presentation and also mild pre-eclampsia. Born 10 days before EDD.

Rach/Bec, I missed the conversation about the wrapping ro swaddling of babies and when you stop. I was just wondering that myself the other day. When do you normally start putting them in a made up cot?? I still swaddle Thomas (like in the hospital) and cover him with a couple of bunny rugs (layering).

Rach, Yay for the real smiles. Thomas looks like he is smiling, but deep down I know it is just wind. Won't be long now though I reckon as he is definately following some things with his eyes and certainly seems to recognise my voice. My mum reckons she is going to count a few of the fleeting smiles as real ones, rather than the wind!

The 24hrs off for my nipple has worked well, although I did put him back on because by boob was quite sore underneath and I thought it might be because I wasn't expressing all the milk ducts as effectively as Pup is suckling them. So I put him on in fear of getting a blocked duct, although I would have liked to have one more feeding off it. Also last night (at 3am) Pup was buggarising around on that nipple and I'm afraid it became a bit sore again. But I did use the football hold this morning and it is definately less sore doing it that way. I'll just persevere witht he different hold.

As to friends and bubs, I have quite a few. Two very good friends of mine will have bubs around Pup's age. In fact, one is due tomorrow! But they live a reasonable distance from us and we don't catch up all that often. But within my DH's baseball team, there are 4 of us that were all pg at the same time and 3 of us have had bubs (one was the girl I was talking about that is in hospital right now). Also, a girl who lives next to our property also has a baby that is 3 weeks older than Thomas. So there is a bit of an explosion of babies amongst people I know!! And that's not counting the mums gp I'm attending.

And I hear you ont he tv thing....except in our house it is not SBS, but sports! I like sports, but not ad infinitum! We have pay TV with added sports channels which makes it worse! Sigh....

Well, all going ok here today. Not much to report. Pup a little wingy today - dunno why - but he is asleep at the moment which is good.

Hayseed

Thanks for listening to my ***** about SBS, Hay. It makes me feel so much better. I do have to say - now that he's not watching tv - that he likes to play online games (yeah he's a gamer) in the evenings so I usually have control of the remote. Guess I just don't like him stomping on my turf!

Wow, there is a baby explosion around you, isnt' there!? It's great knowing other mothers and although I love Bellybelly and can discuss all sorts of things that come up to do with a newborn baby, its great having face to face contact too. I'm not sure if there's a mothers group I'll be able to join. I'll have to speak to the MCHN when I go on Thursday. Beacuse I'm a second time mother I may not get offered although seeing my DD is 8 I try to join and get to know mothers with babes around Blakes age too.

Glad to hear the break from the boob helped you heal. Hopefully the different positioning and expressing some more will fix it all up for you.

Gotta fly as DD wants to show me her obsticle course outside.

Ooh, BTW we bought some new towels for the bathroom today. We went out for breakfast this morning and then were trying to decide what to do next. We decided to go to Brandsmart which is like the Direct Factory Outlet centre in Moorabbin - lots of outlet stores in one centre. Anyway as we were walking around, not looking for anything in particular DH suggested we look at towels as he thought the ones we had were a little thin - they were 8+ years old as I bought them when I was pg with DD. We out we came with 4 new bath sheets, 4 face washers, 2 hand towels and 2 bath mats. $143, and this was 10% off the outlet price cause we asked if that was the best price they could do. I love asking places if its their best price cause 9 times out of 10 they will offer a better price. Makes me sound like a tight ass, but hey I don't mind asking if it will save me money!

Hope you have a good night.

PS sorry to everyone else reading if this sounds like one big personal to Hayseed. It's just that there aren't many other posters on here so we tend to chat! :)

Hi Hayseed and Rachel and everyone else.

Hope your baby's are all well. Rachel, that's great about seeing Blake smile, I am waiting for Amy to smile and hope it will be soon. Sounds like he is feeding well. What Maternal Health centre are you going to? Our closest is Bluehills so we are going there. Have our 4 week appointment next Wed. We should still start a BB Baysie mothers group when Tracey has her baby - there's three for a start. Saw your post after my birth story, would love to catch up. Can't drive yet because of the caesar but I don't think we live too far from each other and could meet at a park that's close to both of us.

Hayseed, hope Thomas has been good for you today. How are the cows going? Are you milking again yet? That's great that you have some new bubs around you.

Amy is well. We are trying to feed her 3 hourly and she stretches to 4 hourly from 2am to 6am most mornings. She is getting used to more of a routine but tests us sometimes. We bought some stuff to mould her hands and feet and we did a hand today. She wasn't impressed because it was cold.

Will try to post more, thought I would have more time on BB but I have been busier than I thought with Amy. DH does the 11pm and 2am feeds so I get to sleep through the night which is good.

Welcome to August Ladies. :)

Hope all is going well with you and your little ones.

Hayseed, you are all added.

Gemma are you bottle feeding or expressing so that DH can do the night-time feeds? Thomas seems to have a little bit of a routine, but like Amy also test us. For example, last night after his 1am feed, he was awake until 4am!!!! Sheesh. Not grupy or grizzly, but just awake. And when I would put him down he would cry because he was bored (I guess :smt102 ). He just wasn't even drowsey. Eventually, I gave him another quick feed (at 3.34am) and then just put him into his cot. I could hear him grizzling, but I ignored it. I went to sleep at about 4.10am and then woke up again at 7.30am when he was really crying and ready for a bum change and a feed. So I guess he slept inbetween.

Geez, I wish he would sort out his awake times!!

Rach, I would think that you would be able to join a mums group even though DD is 8. They go on the fact that you have a new bub I believe. From what I can gather, most mums groups would like new members to support them!

I have been getting home help for the past 3 weeks because I had the casear and our shire council pays for 3 weeks worth of home help when you return (for first time mums that had casesars and for mums with other kids at home and just had a new born. Not available to new mums of first baby born vaginally though). It has been really good to have someone come in and mop, sweep, change beds and hang washing out. The lady is here for 1.5hrs once a week. Sadly, today is her last day. :cry:

Well, best go and see to the boy

Hayseed

Alexander's feeding times are all over the place as well. The other problem is he does seem to get terrible wind and it really upsets him. I wouldn't say he has colic, but he is definately a candidate. He is crying for about an hour a day, if you add it all up.

I have next to no time to write here on Belly Belly, but am checking in on you all now and then. Glad to read your posts.

A friend of mine who I was going to school with here has sent me an sms and she is having her baby today! Very exciting!

So wonderful to see a smile from your little man, Rachel. Does he continue to smile everyday now?

I wish Alexander would speak and let me know what his problem is now and then!! I would settle for a smile though! :)

We got our first real smile today!! :D . I almost cried! And what's more, we got two smiles, and the best thing was, DH was actually inside to see them! I'm so proud!!

On the wind thing, Pup is not too bad with the wind thing, but I found that early on, I wasn't very good at burping him. Not suggesting that any of you girls are not doing it properly, but I found I wasn't putting him high enough on my shoulder to get a good burp out of him. I just had his head resting on my shoulder, rather than hischest and stomach. Perhaps hitching your little ones a bit higher when burping might help (????, mind you, I'm no expert 8-[ ).

We had our first outing in the "farm pram". The farm pram is the big Emmaljunga one we bought on special. Seems rather ostentacious to have such an expensive pram just for bashing around the tracks and through the cow yards, but the cheaper ones just would not have done the job. Really need the big pneumatic tyres. For town trips we have a McLaren Stroller/pram which weight buggar all (5kg) so is very easy to get in and out of car.

Best go, MIL just walked in with our steak for dinner!!!

Hayseed

Hi girls, Not much news from me today - for a change!

Went shopping - well more walking than shopping yesterday with a girlfriend which seemed to take all day although we had Blake's hearing test yesterday. He was such a good little boy managing to fall asleep in perfect time for the test. I was so worried he wouldn't seem 'on demand' as they needed for the test that I got there early. I fed him as soon as I got there as he was due for a feed and he fell asleep as I was giving him the second side. The woman doing the testing said she would do him straight away so it was perfect - we were out of the centre before we were even due to start, and Blake's hearing is officially fine, although we do have to go back when he's 10 months for another hearing test to be sure.

Today I took Blake on his first trip to Bunnings! I wanted to buy a rail or ring for the hand towel. We haven't had one before but seeing we'd bought new hand towels I decided we needed a proper place for them to be put. I bought two different types as I wasnt' sure what to get and one of them - which is suction mounted is already up. If DH doesn't like it he can put the other one up. Personally, I think it looks great.

Hayseed, Congrats on getting your first and second smiles today. It's fabulous to see your little one interacting with you and their smiles are the best. Sounds like a fabulous day for you with your outing in the 'farm pram' and smiles :D BTW how lucky were you with your home help. *green eyed monster looks your way!* I only dream!

Hi Kate, Glad to hear that Kelsey had a great sleep so you could come and visit us. I hope she sorts her sleeping out for you so she's like that all the time.

Gemma, we go to Park Crescent (or is it Avenue) MCHN down by the library in Boronia. I have our next appointment this Thursday when Blake will have his 4 week check (at 5 weeks!) We're a week ahead because we were in hospital an extra week and by the time we got to the centre he was already 3 weeks.

I'm gonna have to go cause Blake's all fidgety. He was still in our pram after the walk home from school which took FOREVER!! and now is just dozing. I think it's because he's not wrapped as his arms keep flying around he's all on edge. Will come back and continue later. Might even try for Tuesday night trivia if he lets me. :)

Sorry have not been posting much, but life is busy !! Took Dion on his first "big" outing on Sunday. went on puffing billy, and to the festival at Emerald. He was great, Tahlia ( DD#1)threw up in the car on the way there, and got a bump in the nose on the jumping castle, so I had spew and blood from one end of her to the other!!!! By the time we got home and I cleaned it all up, then Dion fed constantly all evening! He then had a 6 hr sleep though ( me too!!)

Monday we had a MHN visit, and hes already more than his birth weight, how long did it take til your bubs reached their birth weights??

Well I keep saying today Ill get on the puter and spend a bit more time, but it just doesnt happen LOL.

Catch u all soon.

Hi all!

Kate - kinda glad to hear you're having some of the same sorts of issues with Kelsey - I was beginning to wonder if Alexander was unusual.

The health nurse paid her scheduled visit today and observed a feed. She said my breast milk is flowing quite strongly and he looks to be virtually drowning in it at the beginning of a feed. She said to try and get him to take a break and try to burp him more frequently during the feed, especially at the beginning. He guzzles it down and is a strong feeder and seems to really enjoy eating! He is weighing 4.6 kgs now...that is 1.1 kgs more than his birth 23 days ago. He is gaining twice as fast as usual. So his tummy problems could be from simply eating too much.

She suggested a new burping position. I usually do over the shoulder or sitting on my knee and patting his back. I also use the Fit Ball to bounce him a little and get some out of him that way. But she recommended I put him over my knee - eg my right arm is under his chest and holding him under his left armpit. So his belly is resting on my knee and legs are hanging. He finds this position very comfortable and i have burped him this way twice today. My mum just got him to sleep in this position too.

Sometimes one feed will produce 4 or 5 burps and about as many farts. He really gulps down the milk and the air! We could spend an hour after a feed trying to get all the wind out of him...poor little blighter... But as you say Kate, its worth it so they feel better and rest well.

Alexander complains loudly if he has a dirty nappy, so the nappy change can be at any time before during or after a feed. He really is a creature of comfort!

My friend had her baby yesterday. She's a French lady who lives in the same neighbourhood as me here. Its great to have met someone who is going through similar issues as me - new to the country, learning a new language and with bub.

Anyway..back to burping! :D

Hi girls,

Well, I'm almost outta here - Pup is 4 weeks today but will be 1 month on Friday (by the dates). I can't believe how fast time has gone. In fact, in a few days, we'll all be outta here!! Maybe I'll wait and jump over to the next thread with you all.

I don't think I am burping Thomas for long enough - giving the length of time you girls are talking. I guess in the midst of the night, I try to feed him and get him down as quick as I can. Hence, I probably only burp for about 5 - 10 minutes. And to suggest that this is the case, we have had a couple of unsettled periods after feeds for last night. In fact, I only got 3 hrs sleep last night. Thomas was awake from 10.30pm - 12.30am and then slept for 3 hrs and was awake from 3.30am - 6.45am. He then went back to sleep until 10.30am during which I went to sleep too. But ughhh.....

I find it a very fine line to tread in not stimulating him too much during the night-time feeds and getting done what needs to happen that will usually result in him waking up properly (eg nappy change, feeding, burping etc). I don't know what to do. I feel like if I spent ages burping him, then I will be overstimulating im and hence be up for hours in the middle of the night. But on the other hand, if he doesn't get all the wind up, then I guess he'll be awake for hours anyway.

But then again, as he is 4 weeks, perhaps he is just going through a growth spurt. A couple of weeks ago when he had a 2 week growth spurt, he was fidgety and a bit grumpy.

What do you girls think??

Vanita, Thomas was back at birth weight at about 10 days of age.

Hayseed

Hi everyone,

Just got home from the MCHN and all is well. Amy has great head control and neck strength. We had a few grizzly nights but the MCHN thinks it is because she is overtired. We did have a 3 hr car trip Mon and Tues so that could explain it. We thought she had colic because she seemed to be in pain and we got some Gripe water, poor thing she hated it. Mothers group starts on 31 Aug, I think I am going back to work in Oct because I may be getting a promotion. I love being with Amy and like work. DH is doing a fantastic job with her and she is already daddy's little girl.

Kate - The dogs are doing really well with Amy. The oldest dog got to sleep next to her on Mon night. My SIL have moved their 15 mo into a bed so the cot is in the guest room. He was so excited as the dogs and cat are not allowed in the nursery and the door is shut. Not sure if I mentioned DH cut a retangle in the top half of the door and put alum flyscreen in it and it is covered by a custom quilt. In summer we will have the sceen only. The oldest comes and tells us when she cries and lays outside her door in the mornings. We have a monitor but he doesn't know that. Sounds like your girl is doing well with Kelsey. I think any age baby can start bad habits, they are smarter than we think! You sound spoilt by your mum and dad, what a great mum and dad helping you out. Hope you had fun at K-Mart.

Hayseed - How exciting for a smile, that would have been the best to see. Still waiting for ours. Amy is 100% on formula now. I have posted my birth story with the details. When I was BF I was expressing and DH did some feeds. We have found that if we settle Amy and not get her up she eventually goes to sleep if she is having a rough night. We just rub her chest gently and tell her it's time to go to sleep. It is working well as she was starting to train me to get her up when she cried.

Rachel - Did you put Blake in the Bunnings trolleys? We go to the Bunnings all the time to get things. Your new towells sound great. Did you pick your MCHN or did you get allocated it? We will have to catch up sometime, maybe meet in a park between our houses.

Have a good day everyone. We are off to the shopping centre and a walk in the sun after Amy's next feed.

Hay - DH does the 2am feed and doesn't wake up Amy. He changes her and feeds her and she is asleep the whole time. She is very awake when I do the 6am/7am feed so maybe she now knows the difference betwen night and day.

I will be joining you in the next thread too as Amy was 4 weeks old on Monday.

Just a quick post while the boy is asleep. I want to grab some lunch and finish my thank yous so I can put them in the mail tonight.

Gemma, we were allocated to Park Crescent. There used to be a MCHN at Haering Road which is where Viv went to kinder and is about 5 minutes walk from our house. Unfortunately it closed and amalgamated with Park Crescent about two years ago. Yes, I did put Blake in one of the trolleys at Bunnings. I was only flying in to get one thing and he was asleep and had been in and out of the pram when we went down to Kmart and Coles just before hand and I couldn't be bothered getting the pram out again for such a short visit. I just grabbed Blake and a blanket and took him in. When I got to the door I saw they had capsule trolleys so I put him in. Saved my arms and made shopping easier except I forgot his dummy so good thing I only need one thing as he started squarking (he very rarely actually cries, he just squarks if he's unhappy). PS: I will send you an email about catching up.

Hayseed, I don't burp Blake for very long at all, perhaps 5 minutes unless he has a particularly bad tummy pain. I'm very lucky hes such a good baby. My DD had such terrible tummy pain and would also throw up constantly. Blake feeds, plays, poos and sleeps. Makes a huge difference, and really as a second child I'm thrilled. Couldn't imagine my stress levels if he was chucking all the time while I'm trying to get Viv to and from school and her skating lessons!

Vanita, Blake had gained weight before he had left hospital. ( I think it was your question). He was 4110g at birth and by the time we left hospital 6 days later he was 4200g.

OK my quick post has turned into another marathon.. gee and you thought you'd got rid of my marathon posts when Blake turned one month... sorry, I'm still here chatting with you girls.

I'm off to grab some lunch before I cook dinner, pack Viv's skating things and pick her up from school... (From school it straight to skating and then we're home about 5.45pm) Gee where did the day go?!

Enjoy your afternoon.

Deb, great advice on the different burping position. I just tried it and it worked a treat. Lots of wind came up and Pup fell asleep in that position straight after. It is looking to be a good middle of the night burping possie. Thanks!

Gemma, you are lucky that AMy doesn't wake up for her nighttime feed - that is how I am roused to provide a feed to Thomas; the fact he cries for something! Usually he goes straight back to sleep, but last night and the night before.....well, let's say I hope that those nights are no indicative of the norm I can expect!!

Wardy, you've just shamed me into getting off my bum and doing my thankyous!!

Hayseed

Don't be shamed Hayseed, although I finished addressing most of them and putting photos in the ones I wanted to send them too, they are still sitting on my dining table. And since I sorted through and wrote what I needed to last week, more cards and present have arrived. I know I should be grateful we've be so spoilt, but sheesh, more thank yous!

Yaaaay, she's back :D Congrats again Fletch!