Babies Born April 1st - 15th 2008 #1

I don't think i can take the stress anymore. i'm so sleep deprived i can't think straight. i'm malnourished and underweight. Ci isn't getting better and i have to swaddle him at night so he won't scratch and i feel like i'm restraining him - he hates it. we both cry. tomorrow i am going to eat rice and chicken and pear and that's it. i need to know what is triggering him. the diarrhea has gone on too long, it's full of mucous and smells like vinegar (yeast, probably). his skin inflames after every feed. i've been off dairy for three weeks. they say it takes 6 weeks to clear from the system.

i was crying at the supermarket today, I couldn't hold it in. i'm a mess. how long am i supposed to go on like this? why does he have to have this, after all we've been through? I'm so angry. I'm so sad. I'm so empty.

Janine- i dont know what to suggest to help you, tbh i would have given up by now.

I have uploaded a pic of my baby girl in hosp Here
She seems to be on the mend today, I have actually been having to express cause shes not feeding the best and i dont want my supply to drop

Big :hug: to you Janine. I've asked the Universe to give you strength and to help you along... Just remember we love you and are thinking of you. I wish you were nearby so I could come and help! :(

Ness - Poor MJ.. the photo is so sweet, but sad! Hope all is well soon.

Meg - :hooray: Congrats! I hope you have a long and happy life together!

Steph: Liam's also in a 'pattern change' - last night he fed at 6pm, fussed around until 8pm when he went to sleep (all of a sudden), we put him in his cot and he didn't wake until 4am!! DH went & checked on him a few times to make sure he was ok!! Then he had a feed, went back to sleep and woke at 8am happy as anything - talking & playing in his cot for 1/2 hour before he was ready for another feed. Through the day he was still on 2.5 - 3 hrly feeds, but he's had a feed at 7.30 pm tonight and we'll see how long he sleeps for... He's also been sleeping a lot which makes me think he's in (or getting ready for) a growth spurt.

Went out for a cuppa today with my manager (and friend) and we talked for about 2 hours... personal stuff (with a touch of work stuff!) - was lovely to catch up with her and I'll be going in to meet with her at work in the next few weeks to plan my 'comeback' in mid-September.

Also returned my breast pump this arvo :( I can still manually pump if I want to, but I haven't pumped for 3 days now (except to let some pressure out in the shower - a few squirts, that's all). I'm satisfied with what I've done though.

Can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can go out for longer walks. The cold is really messing up my plans! I'll be starting a diet next week however to try to shift some of this excess weight before my return to work - worried I won't fit in my work shirts!!

Hope everyone has a good weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing my sister & niece tomorrow. It's my Mum's birthday tomorrow and we usually try to get together for it (my Mum died in 1999) to 'celebrate'.

beatrix glad to hear MJ is recovering. that must be a huge relief.

fire :hug: i'm so sorry to hear things aren't going well. could you perhaps ask a pharmacist or doctor about something to use on ci's skin to give him some relief until you establish what the problem is? as for swaddling, how about just getting one of those bonds wondersuits with the built-in mittens? he might still try to scratch but at least you wouldn't have to restrain him. sounds like you're at rock bottom emotionally - things can surely only get better.

shoegal hope your building goes well this weekend.

grubi how did your active day go? i haven't asked ds why he wants to sleep with me - he just says he wants to. to be honest, i often miss it too.

hi to sharon, mummymeg, babywrangler, steph and anyone else i've missed. hope you all have a great weekend.

Janine! You sound like you could really use a hug, a stiff drink and a long sleep in that order. You poor thing, I'm sorry things are so hard for you. You're doing such a good job taking care of Ci, you're working so hard to do what is right for you both and that's really amazing. I don't know if I could do it. Sometimes the things that are the hardest to do, the roughest to live through are eventually the most worthwhile. It can't can't CAN'T be like this forever. I wish I could drop by with some nice food and arms so you could sleep. Please look after yourself. It's ok to compromise a little bit to save yourself.
Been looking at the stuff online, I realized I asked a silly question as soon as I saw the sheer volume of literature. Its interesting, a lot of the stuff seems like common sense to me- like small children being frustrated by adults who make them the center of focus and so they push them to see when the adult will be an adult. Very interesting...

Beatrix- So good to hear little MJ is on the mend. That sounds so scary... :hug:

Nettie- I hear you about the cold messing with "plans." How the heck am I supposed to tighten everything back up and slip back into my cute clothes when its so cold all I want to do is cuddle up on the couch with the baby and eat fatty food? Sigh. Measured myself today for some clothes I'm ordering online and was a trifle depressed to note I'm still carrying an extra four inches on hips and waist. Didn't even bother with the bust. That's the one that's really getting me down. Oh well.

Meg- CONGRATULATIONS!! That's so wonderful, do you have a date or anything yet? Are you just absolutely beside yourself happy?? :)

SG- I was afraid of rolling onto Lila or the covers being pulled over her face when she was smaller, but now she's so very substantial that it hardly seems likely. I kind of started to like her being in the bed with us in the morning and so did DH. She hasn't wakened at an ungodly hour for a few days and we kind of miss her. Kind of.

We're back on the 10/11pm-8/9am sleep pattern and that's a relief. She has little kips during the day but that's it. I've been putting her in the bouncernet or the highchair when I'm in the kitchen because she's too big to be easily front-carried when I need to work. Still good for outings. I think she laughs about twice as much as she cries- everything is hilarious. Got a shock this morning, I put her tummy side down on the rug and slipped into the bathroom. I came back and she was all but on all fours. Looking around a grinning because she knew she was being clever. I thought we'd have another month or two before she was doing that.

Also I've been intrigued by things I've run across about teaching your baby to read so I'm experimenting. I have a stack of big flashcards with words on it that she hears daily. I read them out to her and run my finger along the bottom. She is interested, looks very intently at them. It's kind of a game, I'm not like being a Nazi about it. Very interesting. I assume it works because I don't remember not being able to read myself. Anyway we'll see.

Well Mj had a great night last night, sleep for 7hrs!! I had to express after her feed again this morning cause of her not feeding well i am getting very engorged and sore and dont want to get mastitis

Steph- thats great about the sleeping!! I wish j would sleep like that but i guess I was very lucky with my older two as they slept stright through from 6 weeks

Steph OH yeah, beside myself happy is an understatement!! It sucks coz he had to go back to work the day after, and i miss him like crazy :( Altho he is home between shifts, he is mostly sleeping. Its cool with me, but i just wanna lovey dovey him with lots of cuddles and kisses..but i cant coz he needs his sleep lol..No date set yet, waiting for Bens week off so we can look at venues etc to book so we can set a date.
Beatrix Hows MJ today? Any better hun?

Isabell has been more consistent with her sleeps. She will be in cot asleep by at most 9pm. Sleeps til 4amish, 6am if im lucky like today. Then is up by 9am for the day.

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Ok, so quick question... before I head off to bed.

I got my first AF last month, and I normally go back to normal once I get first one back to monthly. But this month, and over due 5 days. Had anyone else AF been late when they came back? We have been having s*x again, thank god I so missed it, and the closeness. But am on BF pill... I can't be pregnant yet could I?

I want 4 kids but I want to enjoy Wyatt for aleast a year before we start trying again. Not that DH wants anymore kids, Wyatt was it for him, but not for me.

Please tell me this can be normal... And I'm worried about nothing....

Talk to you all tomorrow morning

Cheers
Sarah

just a quickie... what time do your ones do bedtime for the night? are any at a regular 7pm-ish yet?

Sarah- sorry hun, cant help you there

Fire- umm she goes to be somewhere between 7-9pm but we are still feeding 1-2 times a night


Mj is on the mend, unfort i have been told this horrible cough she has can last up to two weeks more. But at least she isnt struggling to breath anymore and is starting to feed more again.

while she wasnt feeding i did manage to get some more supply in the freezer though!!!




Well i have a tupperware party today and need to clean, but my other two kids are not helping the cause

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just a quickie... what time do your ones do bedtime for the night? are any at a regular 7pm-ish yet?

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Baxter feeds and sleeps as follows Janine:

Feeds at 5.30pm.
Sleeps until feed at 7.30pm.
Awake until feed at 9.30pm.
Usually sleeps until 7.30am.

HTH! :hug: How are you feeling today hun?

Ness - glad to hear MJ is on the mend.

Steph - Lila is a clever littl bear! Baxter still wobbles his head around a bit, I must admit, I'm not that vigilant with tummy time though.

BW - thankyou! Your wrapping photos are awesome, and wasn't BJ so good for his Mum while she took those pics!

Me - girls, I am off to my parents house for a few days, DH has work in Perth so I'm off for rest and relaxation, I hardly get a hold of Baxter when Mum is around!

Love

SG
xo

Hi Shoegal,
My pleasure...and whilst he looked wide awake and smiley, I picked him up off the floor and put him into bed....3 and a half hours later, he woke up!!

As fr the 7pm ish bedime.
Bj's day is as follows:

Bj wakes about 6:30, then I doze in 20 minute blocks between dummy returns til between 7:30 and 8am
Has about 100ml of milk and some floor time
about 8:15-8:30 its Farex time
by 9am Bed time.
10am dummy return
11:30am out of bed
between 11:30 and 12:30 he has another 100-120ml or bottle
Stays up til about 1:30-2:00 (has another 50ml of bottle)
2:00 into bed
5:30 (approx) awake and bottle (120ml)
Plays til about 6
6pm Farex
6:20 (approximately) Bath
7pm outta the bathroom after a bath, play in the water, dried, little massage/rub with either lotion or powder
Bit more of a play if not festy...
if festy, into bedroom, wrapped up, anywhere between 50 and 100ml of bottle (usually the leftovers!)
If he plays, he lasts about 15 minutes and is in bed by 7:30.

Last night though he did that, then he woke about 9pm...between 9 and 10:30pm he had 230ml of formula then went to bed til 6:30am!!!

Fire how is Ci? Im SURE you would have thought of this but I just have to throw it out there anyway...is it possible that Ci's skin reaction is to do with the washing powder you use or something?? I know you say its worse after a feed, but that could possibly be due to the extra body heat that gets created during the closeness of feeding?

Im probably wrong, but I just thought I'd suggest it.

Isabell is usually in her cot by 9pm at the latest, she starts getting grumpy around 8:15-8:30, so i rock her, then put her in her cot. She will wake at around 4am, rarely at 6am, ill give her a feed, then she will wake up at 8:30amish and ill keep her up thereon after..with a few naps inbetween and one long sleep too. Im really ontop of it now.

Hi Guys,

Sorry I have been AWOL for ages. Things have been really getting me down to be honest... but more about that later! I've only briefly read through the thread, so apologies for missing anyone in the personals.

Shoegal - Thanks for letting me know about the split sweetie... very kind of you. I have to admit the other thread had grown quite a bit.

Fire - So sorry that things are getting you down. You have been doing such a great job and I know that all your research and advice have been really useful to me and heaps of other mums on here. We are all here for you and hope that things start to improve for you very soon. Have you tried goat soap? I know another mum who's baby had really bad eczema as well and it cleared it up within a few days.

Beatrix - You poor thing! And poor little MJ. I'm so glad that she is on the mend now. I hope that she is back to 100% very soon. Must have given you a fright.

BW - What a good boy you have! I so wish my little one would sleep like that!

Nettie - You have done so well to get so far with the expressing. I take my hat off to you. You have given your little boy a wonderful start at great effort on your part.

Steph -Well done on the flash card things. I am hoping to start on something like that soon. Babies brains are like little sponges at this stage!

Meg - HUGE congratulations on the engagement. How very exciting. Have fun planning the big day!

Sarah - Ooooohhh. Do keep us informed! I'm starting to think another might not be so bad, but financially we just cant do it at the moment.

mgm - hope all is well with you.

Well... the good news is that my boy is doing well and gaining weight as he should. He's been rolling from front to back for about a month now and is starting to do the sit up thing and trying to figure out how to balance to sit. He's giggling and belly laughing and trying to communicate in strange dolphin-like language. I on the other hand have been a little down. I don't think its PND or anything, but I have been feeling really isolated at home and really really tired. So tired I'm having trouble sleeping. Jack is still not sleeping the best at night. A typical routine for night is as follows:

7pm - bath, massage, story, and feed.
8pm - sleep
1230am - feed
2am - feed
4am - feed
6am - feed
7am - feed
8am - feed and up for the day.

Talk about exhausting! And, yes I have tried dummy returns and other settling to get him to sleep, but he makes it fairly clear that he needs a feed. On the odd occasion he sleeps for a 5 or 6 hour stretch but not that often. I'm at my wits end. During the day he'll sleep for 30 to 40 mins about 3 times during the day. Everyone keeps telling me that I need to do controlled crying, but I'm so not comfortable with that. Its really staring to get my down and the sleep deprivation is making everything harder than it should be. Any words of wisdom?

Leyla: Will do keep all updated. Am not and was not thinking about another baby until Wyatt was aleast 1. I blame DH he should have gone and gotten snipped like we planned.

Anyway on the CC I was totally against it, but with 2 other children, life has to go on around Wyatt. I was at emotional break down about 4 weeks ago now, which helped me to see it was ok to let him have a little grizzle. So I tried it, I don't let get worked up.

And if turn from grizzling to crying then I will pick him up. But I know he does it to get mummy, I stay in the room, and he grizzles with eyes shuts. I only let him do it for maybe 2-3 mintues then I will pick him up and give him more boobie, and he was fall to sleep within seconds. I had been getting up to 3hrs nap from him during day, then he got cold, and we are down to about 40-60mins so we need to start having a grizzle again now he is all better.

BUT again I blame DH he brought me a lovley rocking chair to feed Wyatt and its just right for a cuddle, and but the time I look down he is asleep.

Give it a try, stay in room out of sight, and if at any point you dont feel compfortable then pick him up. But can it really hurt to try??? I feel better emotional when it only takes me 5 minutes to get Wyatt to settle rather then 30 mins. Anyway just my point and it works for me, but not for you.

Cheers
Sarah

To those of you feeling 'blue' - the time of year isn't helping you. It's common for an increase in 'feeling down' at this time as well as more lethargy and feeling isolated. It will get better. Come on spring!

Bedtime routine:

anywhere from 4pm - 7pm: big feed. Fusses for anywhere up to 2 hours then crashes it for about 6 hours.

Early hours (1-3 am) feed
4-6 am - feed

wakes up and plays anytime from 7 am (sometimes a little earlier!). We often hear him on the monitor 'talking' to the mobile that hangs above his cot! He did this for 40 minutes this morning before grizzling. Made it hard to sleep in - but it was very cute!

This afternoon, I put him in his cot as he was grizzling in my arms and he 'played' there for an hour! This gave me the chance to fold all his MC nappies and some other jobs.Then he grizzled, I wrapped him and got him to sleep in 10 mins. I'm probably setting myself up for a bad bedtime with all his playing in the cot - but at least I know he's safe there. He doesn't like it as much on the floor or in the rocker...

I should point out too that DH does all the 'night' feeds. I get up after 6am ish and look after Liam all morning so DH sleeps in until 11-12. I'm a VERY lucky woman!

Leyla - nice to see you back! Those nights are sounding a bit rough! I hope you get some support in the day so you can take a break and a nap. Well done on the rolling & sitting - Liam's trying to sit up all the time, but he's not rolling yet. I think the bulky MCN don't help this though! We often say that Liam's doing a pigeon impersonation with his strange language!!:cryinglaugh:

Sarah - Can't help you with the AF business I'm afraid. Not back on the pill yet (will talk to Dr in Aug about this) and we haven't DTD yet so no risk here!

Ness - Poor MJ. Those coughs suck! I hope it won't bother her (or you) too much and it goes away quite quickly.

Steph - I hear you on the clothes! I ordered a wooly jumper and some tracky daks from Ezibuy and went for the larger sizes just in case! Don't care if they're baggy as long as they fit (most of my pre-preg clothes are a bit tight or short because of more girth iykwim). Am starting a diet tomorrow - meal replacement drink for lunch and just tidy up the other stuff.. I'm sure it won't take me long (lost 18 kgs before falling preg but have it all back now :( )

Hi to everyone else! :hello:

Hmmm interesting..

Mj must be lazy as she isnt rolling yet... oh well the longer she stays still the better :lol:

She still has a nasty cough but other then that its ok, wish she would cheer up and little, looks so sad still

Layla- sorry hun cant help you with the naps, Mj falls asleep anywhere as long as she is wrapped.


We dont really have a bed time routine here, we dont have have any routine at all with Mj. I just do what she wants when she wants

Sarah - Thanks for the advice. I've told myself I'm going to wait till he is 6 months old before attempting CC and am trying to get a copy of NCSS in the mean time. But if thing gets too desperate I'll do whatever I have to.

Nettie - LOL on the pigeon language. Its so cute when they discover a new noise. They are so pleased with themselves! Unfortunately I'm on my own at home from 6am till 7pm. So not much rest for me. You are a lucky lady with the night feeds!

Beatrix - I'd say that MJ is perfectly normal with the rolling. They are only supposed to start rolling at around 4-5 months. I'd rather have a baby that sleeps through than one that rolls early! Jack is not actually able to sit on his own yet, but is struggling to sit up and if I put my fingers out to him will pull himself up and look all smug! So cute.

Last night was ok. He always goes to sleep no problems, its the waking constantly thats the problem.

8pm- feed and sleep
9pm - feed
11.30pm - dummy
12.30am - dummy return
1am - pattting
1.30am - feed
2am - patting
2.30am - patting and dummy
3am - patting to no avail so into mummy's bed
5am - feed
7.30am - feed
8.30am - up for the day

I decided to see if he was really hungry or not, hence all the patting and dummy returns. I also suspect that he was a little cold last night as he really stopped fussing once he was under the warm covers with me.
Anyhow, I'm wondering if I am not giving him enough, does anyone know if it would be worth trying some farex mixed with breastmilk?