Babies Born April 2008 #2

[mgm]

Fire I had an awful nurse one night at hospital (thank god I only had her once) who asked whether I was happy having the baby in bed with me. I said yes, I was. 'She'll get used to it, you know', she said - I replied that this was fine. Besides, I'd had a c-section the day before and bed was really the only place I could keep my baby to be able to look after her. But not able to leave it alone, she told me that the smell of the mother's milk is 'unnerving' for the baby. One of the most bizarre things I've ever heard from a midwife! She added that having her in bed with me was against hospital policy (it wasn't). I couldn't be bothered even entering into a discussion with her. If I'd told her I co-slept with DS til he was almost 4 she would probably have died of shock!

Tarnee I have a friend whose babies all fall asleep by themselves, with little or no assistance. They were born this way and have remained great sleepers. Some people have all the luck!!

Sharon hope you're feeling better and that Oliver's crying will ease up soon. DD isn't much of a vomiter but the times that she has, she's been extremely distressed by it. It doesn't take much to set them off... or maybe it is just to torture us...

green poo - any babies with this? DD's has been bright green for a week or so, although there are signs it may be returning to a more normal colour. MCHN is suggesting lactose intolerance - but oh god i don't think i can give up dairy, life is difficult enough already! i may just cut down and see if it makes a difference.

[alittlegrubi]

MGM - re the green poo - if DD is entirely breastfed - it is a warning sign that all is not well. Is DD not gaining weight? Does your milk supply seem fine? If so it could be that she is getting too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. As the foremilk is more dilute, with more lactose and less calories, it stimulates your baby's digestive tract to move the milk along too fast producing green, often explosive, nappies! Try starting on the breast you last fed on or only give one breast per feed and see if that helps. otherwise it could be an intolerance to something in your diet.
I still co-sleep with my son and like you because of a c-section I've had DD in bed with me too.

[sarah_dobbo2]

MGM: Wyatt has has Bright green poo for last week and bit, MW said that it ok/fine. As long as they are putting on weight nothing to worry about. He's starting to turn to yellowish/brownish now.

[mgm]

thanks sarah and grubi. i know about the imbalance thing - but it's not that, and dd is gaining weight well, 600g in two weeks last time we checked, and she was a tiny thing at birth so that's a big gain for her.

sarah i'm glad your nurse said green poo is ok! maybe it will just go away and i will be able to continue drinking hot chocolate at night...

[Nettie]

Having a rough day here people... very teary.

Is anyone else still bleeding? Mine tapered off and has now come back with a vengence (sorry if TMI). I mean I've gone back to super sized pads! I'm also getting crampy pains along with some aching in my gut (ovaries??)

I'm also VERY tired (not just from lack of sleep, but actual lethargy) so I'm a bit worried that I'm iron deficient or something. Rang today to get in to see an Ob (not my usual one) and the earliest appt I can get is next Wednesday! Think I'll ring the MW tomorrow to ask for her advice on this.

Poor DH copped it today from me being all moody... he's such a saint putting up with me! He even cooked me a nice beef schnitzel for tea! AND did the dishes!

Liam's now in bed, but this is his 'unsettled' period - so I'm expecting him to wake anytime soon. Might lay on the couch and watch Ramsay...

BTW - I don't have a Greater Union cinema near me unfortunately. I'm also highly likely to get irritated with other people's kids at a babies session! Selfish, I know, but realistically I can imagine me not enjoying myself properly. I like to lose myself in a movie and that's hard to do with someone else's kid screaming behind me. DH & I will go in turns to our local cinema (only $7.50 a session too!) if we really 'must' see a movie in the cinema! Thanks for the idea though - very much appreciated!

[Sharon19270]

alittlegrubi well the chucks that Oliver does do, do tend to smell 'acidy' so I am thinking he may have reflux. Take it easy with the housework hun, if your SIL wants to help out by doing them for you, then let her.
Nettie ooh, I can't wait for the next Indiana movies, I Lurve Harrison Ford I also want to go and see the sex in the city movie. My AF went away for about 4 days but I have started spotting again, since yours has come back at full force, do you think it could actually be the start of your cycle?
Tarnee I have to agree that Charlotte could be having a slow weight gain week, because in the end it all averages itself out. I am lucky, the majority of the time when I put Oliver down for his sleep he is still awake (kind of), he usually looks at me as I am tucking him in, I will give a little shhhhhhh, and softly stroke his head, and 9/10 times he will settle himself off to sleep.
Fire my DH has been fantastic too, last night after calming Oliver down, and getting him off to sleep, he took Jordan and went off and did the weekly grocery shopping, came back an hour later, and then cooked Jordan's dinner, and offered to cook me something too, I really don't know what I would do without him.
Beatrix yay for finding something that will give your boobies a break. Oh and I added you to my msn, my details for msn are ce_nedra2005@hotmail.com
mgm feeling a little better today, Oliver still had a screaming session at 5.30pm but luckily DH got home right at the start of it and immediately took over, I took over after about 45 mins and wrapped Oliver, then sat in his room in my rocker and he eventually went off to sleep.

Well, had a better day today, but after the 'witching hour' and DH cooking me dinner, and much discussion between us as to whether Oliver could have reflux or not, since he seems to regurgitate a fair bit, but not actually 'spit it out' and then this is followed by screaming, I decided that I was going to get the Karicare AR formula (the same that Jordan was on) but also had to buy teats that can cope with the thickened formula. He had his feed with the new teats (which also happen to be slightly bigger, but he didn't care) and formula, he drank 110ml, and he didn't seem to be gulping as hard, and his burps weren't as 'forceful' iykwim so I don't want to jinx myself but will wait and see what happens when he has his feed after his bath tomorrow, it goes well.

Nighty night all, i'm now heading off to bedfordshire

[Fire]

MGM, milk smell unnerving the baby? : pees-self-laughing: I guess absolute bliss can be translated as "unnerving" to some! Ci feeds in the wee small hours, pulls off and then uses the boob as a pillow - then a luscious smile comes over his face in milky bliss as we fall asleep in each other arms. Yeah, I'd call that unnerved! Geebs, the things they use to try to get us separated from our wains, eh. Good for you for standing your dig. :folds-arms-and-nods-appreciatively: You may have seen my birth story where I had an issue at the hospital about my empty "plastic box", which is more fit for a dog or gift holder than a baby.
Ci also has green poo at the mo (seems we are all going through similar things at similar times, must be largely developmental most of this stuff). I've heard it is as normal as mustard colour, but I am checking on google to be sure. I just dealt with oversupply and normalised so it isn't that for us at least. We went the other way for a while (too efficient at cutting back milk, I was!), a bit constipated with difficulty going so I actually had to UP my supply again with frequent feeds and he started going every day again, but some are green, yes. I'll let you know what I unearth!

Nettie! Big hug for you. I hate those rough days. They bite. I would get your bits checked out, that doesn't sound right. I lost blood until two days ago, but not that much. Although I have heard bleeding comes and goes for weeks and is still normal. My pain seems to have finally gone too. So I would just rule out anything suss.

Sharon, good hubbie! We should give them a raise.

Someone asked who I'm in love with at the mo... everyone it seems. Maybe I'm turning manic! Up one day and down the next. Although, I think it's just that everything seems so right at the moment, even the carp stuff, such as last night when Ci's snuffles blocked him up and he was restless from 2 until 3.30am. Blech. Seems when I feed him it clears it so I was marathon feeding last night.

I tried Aletha Solter's philosophy about the unexplained crying episodes being trauma and stress release yesterday. I did it with DD when she started tantruming at the age of 2. It worked a treat with her, she stopped tantruming forever and became more centered. So I did it with Ci yesterday when he was fussing at the boob, then wouldn't take it, was dry and all other needs attended to, I let him cry while I held him tight and listened to his sad story. It was soooo sad, too, he had a great scream about it, and I cooed sympathy in his ear. He revved up even more, then he slowed down, listened more often to my soft voice telling him "I know, it's horrible, I love you and I wish I could take your pain away." and he just went silent, gently placed his head RIGHT up against my neck and nuzzled (SOOOO cute I nearly cried) and sighed and fell asleep. He was in such an easy mood after that. I think Ms Solter is onto something. He may have several weeks left up his sleeve of balancing, but I'm up for the challenge. Makes me feel more useful than when I was flibberting around looking for ways to suppress his sadness. So, all in all, I feel pretty good today!

Warmth all round, Aprilites.

[Clueless]

hi there, I am now joining this group!
My daughter will not sleep during the day. I am talking awake from 6am and still awake at 8pm!! So sharon I hear you - I wonder why she crys so much- I'm a nice person, I sing to her, she's been fed, shes warm etc..... She is alert too for most of that time, but i cant do anything to get her to sleep, even an hr out in the stroller, she immediately wakes up as soon as we walk back through the door.
at least she sleeps at night quite well.
Anyone have any ideas for good bottles and teats to minimise air intake?? Daphne loves to spew up my hard earned expressed milk which makes me cry. Ive bought gripe water and infacol and will start trying them today, but we will need to move up to the next size bottle very soon and if Avent is not the best I'd like to change.

[Sharon19270]

Fire I have to admit, that when Oliver is screaming after a little while of just talking calmly to him he does tend to settle down, DH usually sits there with him talking in a very loving voice, but saying things like "what a load of rubbish" "such a lot of noise for a little boy" etc so maybe at this age it's not exactly what you say, but how you say it LOL
Clueless have you tried watching out for the tiredness signs, and then wrapping/swaddling and then going into dimly lit room (close blinds/curtains if you have to) and then trying to get her to go to sleep. I found, especially with Jordan, that if I missed those 'signs' (sucking fists, fidgeting, eyes not focussing or looking at you, grizzling) it was much harder to get him to settle, with Oliver, as soon as I notice 1 or more of those signs, I wrap him and put him in his bassinette, it can take up to 20 mins for him to go to sleep, I don't let him cry himself to sleep, but try at first without a dummy, if he starts to grizzle, I give him a dummy, stroke his head, give him a quiet shhhhhhhh, and softly pat his tummy, then walk out, but in saying that, I know that I think I am very blessed to have a baby that can settle himself the majority of the time. Jordan drove me crazy, he was a catnapper, and I did end up going to tresillian when he was 6 months because he then started to refuse to go to sleep at night too. Otherwise all I can suggest is that you may end up having to invest in a sling or baby bjorn.

So far, so good with the thickened formula, he has had 3 feeds, and all 3 of them he took around 110ml with little to no pain at the end and with little to no regurgitation, I am still going to wait and see how he goes with his feed after his bath, but am feeling quietly confident (but also a little nervous)

[Fire]

nak

sharon, did you get him checked for reflux? babies chuck as a way to self regulate how much food they intake, as they are like goldfish and will eat until distended at times. this is very often mistaken as reflux and thickeners are given; effectively jamming that chuck mechanism. reflux is a sphincter problem, and much rarer than most think.

just me two pennies again. i promise myself i won't ramble anymore but it seems i can't help it when someone's in need... sorry if it annoys at times...

[Sharon19270]

Fire no we didn't get him checked, thought we would see how he went, DS had reflux so bad that he made his esophagus bleed and he ended up being medicated until he was 8 months old, when he did finally start to improve. I really don't think Oliver's vomiting was an over eating problem, as he had dropped down from taking between 90-100ml each feed to 70-80ml each feed, sometimes as little as 60ml, and he was only feeding every 3.5 to 4 hours, and since he weighs 5kg he should be having around 600ml/day but the way he was going he was getting, at most 480ml/day. Like I said we will see how we go, and I may try and get up to see the community nurse on Monday or Friday next week and just find out what she thinks. And please, keep up with the advise, it is great to have different points of view and perspectives of things when it comes to babies

[alittlegrubi]

Fire please don't concern yourself with annoying anyone with your 2 bits worth, there are often things that you post that make me go off on a google search like your Ms Aletha Solter's philosophy post, I'm going to research that one. We might get annoyed, but after all we won't all find the same things work for us as they do for you, but I love having the opportunity to try new ways.
Clueless DS was like Daphne, could only get 45 mins max in my arms during the day. Try as Sharon said going into a darkened room, I found that getting DS to sleep by laying him on my chest, his tummy on my chest allowed me and him to get some sleep. We also experienced the same thing with the pram - have you tried just walking around the house with the pram?
Sharon that Oliver stays good.

I also thing I've worked out why I was in pain yesterday, pants were cutting in just above the incision when sitting and that seems to have caused some pain - so back to wearing maternity clothes for comfort ATM.

[Tarnee]

Fire - please don't apologise for your advice - I think you are so knowledgeable and really value hearing 'the other side'.

Yes, they did tell me to let her cry for a few minutes after I have put her down and then return to her (and said that at first I might have to do this 12 times before she 'learns'). I haven't (and won't) do that. I have though, been putting her down and leaving her when I start to see the 'tired' signs and she is contented and have found that if I wrap her, she goes to sleep all on her own with no fuss.

The couple of times that she has cried, I have found some other way to soothe her (boobie, classical music on the mobile, long cuddle) and then when she is contented again, I have put her down and left her and have not had to go back to her a second time.

Also, since I am trying to pork my little princess up, I am finding that she is spewing more often (obviously because she is over-full). So think I will just go back to following my gut and just feed her like I was before!

Is anyone suffering sore joints???? - I wake up with really sore knuckles. I googled it and found one article that suggested that during BFing, oestrogen levels are really low (as they also are during menopause) and that oestrogen hides the symptoms of arthritis. A bit scary to think that I could have arthritis at my age!!! Anyone else know anything about this?? I asked my GP (first week out of hospital) and she said that it is probably just fluid retention (cause I also had high BP still) but it feels like soreness in the bones!!

Oh! me bones, me bones!!

[Sequoia]

Sharon - Bedfordshire hey...it's called Club Doona in our house!

Clueless - welcome, I second the others suggestions for bubs being wrapped and in quiet surroundings.

Me - well, it turns out Baxter has a UTI! I am so happy with this news, finally, an explanation for his slow weight gain. In saying that, he put on 170gms in 8 days after I had him weighed this morning. He's on antibiotics via syringe for 6 days then a repeat urine test.

This is such a relief, I am so glad my MCHN picked this up.

SG
xo

[Nettie]

Welcome Clueless!

Fire - please don't stop dispensing advice... you're a breath of fresh air!! You're not forcing anyone to take your advice... but those of us who appreciate an 'alternative' point of view certainly appreciate your expertise!

I rang the MW today and asked about my bleeding & pain. She suggested I go to see a Dr today as I could have an infection in my uterus or I could still have some 'product' (how she put it) in there. So I trooped down to the clinic and waited for an hour to see the 'on call Dr' (no appts avail) and he has put me on two different antibiotics and has ordered an ultrasound for sometime next week (can't ring until Mon morn now). Pretty bummed about this as I've been doing really well, but am hoping it's just a mild infection (no temperature) which will clear up in a week. Really hoping there's nothing on the ultrasound... otherwise I'll have to have a curette

Drs reckon the only things that can affect Liam with me taking antibiotics are mild stomach upsets... so I'll watch out for those. I'll be having extra biodynamic yoghurt to compensate for the antibiotics so hopefully it won't be a big problem...

Think Liam's waking, so will have to go for now. Hi to everyone!

[Danielle]

Hey girls! :

just a quick post Im soooo so busy all the time with my 3 y.o little girl and Ryley all the time I never get the chance to come on here alot anymore, between the 2 kids and lookin after my hubby Im run off my bloody feet!

annnnyways.... Is anyones babies smiling yet? properly?
Ryley responds to us everytime we speak to him in "baby" with a huge open mouth smile from ear to ear, he has been doing this from 2 weeks old but now is doing it more frequently when we talk to him.

we know its been real smiling, you can tell in his eyes they smile too! And he only does that when we talk baby to him hehe little cutie! No one else beleives me his granny seen him smile a week ago she was amazed, he gave her a huge open mouth smile cause she was talking baby to him he melts hearts!

Grubi: I know how you mean about pants I tried wearing pants befor I cant yet I look bigger than I am still cause Im still wearing loose dresses that dont come in contact with my Csect scar, I get in agony after wearin pants or anythin that rubs on my scar, my grundies were rubbing on it today and my bellys horribly sore again and now its weaping again! argh! I couldnt wear pants until at least 6 months after last time but I healed slowly last time and had a crappy recovery, I am doin so much better now, driving the car can reach the floor without screaming again now, just gotta watch i dont accidently overdo it from feeling so good coz i really feel it when i do to much!

Sounds like alot of you girls have crying babies like mine! hehe, he only has wind though and has trouble gettin his poo out he screams all day until he poos of an evening some days and theres nuthin ya can do for that pain i dont think. And his sleeping habbits are drivin me up the wall he sleeps most the day away then is awake unsettled and screaming all night, and i cant sleep durin the day wif him coz o fmy DD, sometimes I get so tired i get wobbly on my feet and cant see very well last week i only had 3 hrs sleep in a 48 hr period and almost collapsed, so DH sent me to bed before I fell and hurt myself. It does get so so hard.

My hormones had been all over the place too I actuallyt hought I was getting Post natal Depression couple weeks ago, cause I said to hubby I just dont feel like I love him as much as my DD, and I cant bond with him for some reason, well I think that problem was due to breastfeeding problems and him screaming constantly after feeding for an hour and still bein hungry! Since I switched him to formula I feel more fulfilled, and am bonding with my darling son now amazingly! I think it also had to do with lack of sleep and unbalanced hormones too, but now I know i dont have post natal depression i feel alot better, and I dont feel like a bad mum no more now I am bonding with him and I can feel it now I do love him just as much as my DD I just hadnt gotten to know him yet

And anyone thats having problems with crying babies that wont stop - just know your not alone I have days here when Lilly has poo accidents (up the wall of the toilet all over the toilet - clogs the toilet and poo all down her legs!) and i have to shower her cant leave poo everywhere and Ryley just screams and screams sometimes i have to leave him for up to 30 mins at a time bythe time i reach him again hes purple! I rush and run and do the best i can trying to get around to both of the kids at once, and There are days i sit on the couch and just cry, and cry, and cry, not cause there is anything wrong with me but because It is a dam hard job being a mother! And sometimes we all need a little release! I think I am getting used to his crying now i just go "oh well thats just Ryley" and I am managing to remain calm and pick him up lovingly instead of a stressball, and calming him down meaningfully and lovingly, most of all patiently so he doesnt pick up on mummys stressed out vibes.

Thank god for forums like this so we can all get the help and support we need off of each other who are all expereincing the same thing!

[alittlegrubi]

Danielle I've said it before and I'll say it again, Danielle I take my hat off to you and others like you who manage to be a full time mum and wife with little help from DH. If I were in your shoes I think I would have killed one of the kids by now. You will probably find you have a lot of PND symptoms because of the sleep deprivation. The best thing that you can do for yourself to help keep the chemical balance from tipping over is take vitamin B and Fish Oil every day. It helped me get back on track when I was stressed out due to the sleep deprevation with DS after returning to work fulltime when he was 4 months old and he didn't sleep through the night until he was about 20 months old.
You are doing a marvellous job. You should give yourself a
I know how hard it can be with two the weekends can be hard for me if DH is gone for extended periods of time, I have to stop myself from becoming intolerant of DS.

I have left DS in nappies so I don't have to deal with the toilet training issues at the moment. However, he is being a pain about changing his nappy to the point he has a nappy rash and redness on his penis and he argues about putting cream on too. We have just finished a course of antibiotics for a dribble rash so I'm hoping it is just nappy rash and not an infection. I'm also having trouble with him having a bath and washing himself ATM. There are times when I find I have to juggle doing things with him - like baths and pick Greer up when she is crying to try and avoid the long periods of crying, even if it is just a minute to soothe her and put her back down to cry for another five minutes.

My 2 cents worth - It might be worth trying to soothe Ryley before he goes purple on some occassions or he may develop trust issues later in life, even if it means only half cleaning up DDs poos before letting him know that someone is there for him.

Nettie hope it is nothing serious for you

Tarnee no sore joints but have been waking with headaches and have a sore ankle.

Shoegal I am sure you are relieved to know that Baxter simply has a UTI. Glad that things are working out and that the issues will be easy to remedy.

Fire Have you actually obtained Solters books? If so do you know of a way of getting them other than ordering off the AP site?

[alittlegrubi]

Okay I can't get her to even come up for air on the crying.
I've had no sleep today and DH is out, if he was good he would have been home by now!!!
DS is sleeping, but I am going insane!!
She doesn't even want to comfort suck.