Babies Born October 2007 #21

[Tiff+2]

Qu for everyone: How many of you still wrap your bubs? If you don't, what do you do???
I have had Tiera in the SIDS sleeping bags for a while now. I stopped wrapping her when she grew out of her 'My little bed' as I was worried if she was wrapped and rolled onto her tummy, she wouldn't be able to get herself back over without the use of her arms (I'm a worrier!). Also I thought she'd be happier with her arms free.

[Saffi]

Tiff - I haven't wrapped L for a couple of weeks now. He was working his way out of the wrap and this was upsetting his sleep. I have also recently moved him into his cot. He is covered by a sheet and light weight blanket but mostly he wriggles up the cot and sleeps with nothing covering him. I am dressing him in a long sleeve long legged jumpsuit so he is relatively warm. Also he sleeps on his tummy now no matter how many times I turn him over onto his back and move him back down the bed. Have bought a sleep bag from Myer in the hope that it will keep him warm while he moves about the cot.

L is having huge sleeps today. He slept 3 hours this morning and is getting towards 3 hours for his afternoon sleep. Please, please,please let him sleep uninterupted overnight!

[Willow]

Just a quick one from me, so sorry for lack of personals! Gotta get dinner organised.

Wrapping - we are still wrapping at the moment but getting rid of the dummy (hopefully) is the first step in weaning him off it. Don't want to have to deal with him knocking his dummy out once his arms are unwrapped. I want him in a sleeping bag asap because he is rolling onto his tummy wrapped and then can't get back over. He is really good and cries out for me when it happens so not too concerned. Saffi - once they start sleeping on their tummy's by themselves there's not much you can do. I think it's probably a lot more comfy for them just quietly...

L had his needles today, was very brave and hardly cried at all. He's having a sleep now so hopefully he'll be fine with them. Didn't have an issue last time. Will give him some panadol before he goes to bed tonight just in case of fever etc.

Drum roll.....I think we're officially now the chubbiest bubby - his weight today was 8.1kg!!! YIKES! BUT he did have on a very wet cloth nappy so I will need to get that checked at the clinic next week.

BBL...

[misskate]

hello ladies. how is everyone?
its been since xmas or so since i have been on.
well, lachlan and i are going REALLY well. he is still sleeping through, it was from midnight till 11.30 for a while which was ok by me but whenever my friends wanted to do anything it was at that time or earlier so i cut out the midnight feed i do a 9pm instead. this means he wakes up at about 9.30am so its still bearable for me(i dont get to bed till after midnight as thats when craig gets home and i have to see him sometime)

eating: we are sort of breast feeding. i gave in about 4 weeks ago and was doing one bottle a day. now i still do one bottle a day but after each breast feed i usually top him up with some formula. still not interested in solids but im guessing we will be soon as he watches everything that i eat or drink.

in about the space of a week, he started all new things, rolling from tummy to back, sucking his thumb, holding his bottle, laughing and generally becoming more interactive. this means i enjoy him SO much more cos he plays an laughs at everything i do. so cute.

we had our 4mnth needles on monday, effecting him pretty bad this time. not sleeping during the day near as much as he was, must feel like carp so wants to be cuddles. i know how he feels, thats all i want when im not feeling good.

we had 3 weeks where he only put on 150g for the whole time. but backed it up the following week when he put 350g on in one hit. but he is still a little bubba weighing in at 6kg at the moment. he is quite tall though. will upload a recent pic into my gallery in a minute.
thats about all i have at the mo, will continue to pop in to check on everyones progress.
See you all soon

[YoYo]

SO OVER IT!

I am getting pretty fed up with the boob feeding. All this fussing, and pulling and yanking....driving me NUTS! It seems he hardly feeds for long at all. One feed today totalled 8 minutes from both boobs and that was with all the fussy goo gaa in between....I think I'm ready to pack it in! Doesn't help that I got a blocked duct last night and it's pretty sore still!

Max will be 5 months next Wednesday so I am going to get him weighed and see if he is still gaining weight OK on what 'seems' to be less bb milk. If he IS then I know that he is feeding OK...if not, then I'm going to put him onto some food and start mixing it with formula to get him onto that too.

Anyone have any suggestions on getting off bb onto formula. I feel kind of bad, but am so desperate to do it at the same time. Tough!

Maybe all this fussing does mean he is more hungry....after all, he WAS sleeping through the night for ages, and now we are up at least once a night (not that bad I know!) The night time feed is the only one he does 'properly'

All this hard stuff....it's a good thing they make them so CUTE!

To answer some questions. I have never wrapped Max (only in hospital - plus I was carp at it!), he was in a sleeping bag as soon as we got home. Glad I did that coz he is used to it now!

Favourite thing to do with Max is take him for a walk with the dog. So relaxing and I get to pamper my pooch at the same time Plus I like playing on the back lawn after his 4pm feed. He gets his 'free willy' time!

Take care all

[ninja_turtle]

julia - i'm in exactly the same boat as you. it seems we go through a bit of the same stuff at the same time.

jj is fussbag central at the moment. i'm not sure if it's the hormones, the antibiotics for my feet, or just him that's causing it but man I'm so over it.

i love BF when it works. when i have heaps of supply, when he feeds every 3 hours and everything is normal.

at the moment he is doing about 11 feeds and i'm exhausted. he's not happy with the boob but refused that first formula i tried. i'm going to get some other sample ones next time i'm at the chemist because i reckon we're coming to the end of the road.

on the cross-over thing, i read somewhere that mixing EBM with formula mix to trick the baby into is one way, and probably what i will try if he rejects more.

he had two lots of baby rice today and STILL wanted boob. i'm sure it's a double-edged sword.... he feels bad because of my antibiotics, wants more milk to feel better but it's the very thing making him feel bad.... (i think)

about wrapping - mr wriggles won't have it. like saffi, i'm doing long suits and sheet w/ bunny rug (both folded in half). he's sleeping pretty well with it so that's that. he's lost interest int he dummy but then the 4m+ ones are nothing like my nipple so i'm not surprised. these dummies look like hippo nipples

[~Trish~]

Julia - You are doing such a fantastic job with Max! Apparently 4 months of age is a very common time for bubs to get fussy when BF'ing. My first DS Joel became extremely fussy around then and I ended up topping him up with formula and by 6 months he weaned off breastmilk and went straight to the bottle. I wish I had known that it was a phase that would pass, but I had no support back then. My friend's bub is 6 weeks older than Kieran and she went through the same problem as you when he was 4 months-ish and she stuck it out and he is feeding like a champ again. It is so stressful to go through though so you just do what you've got to do to keep sane . You could always post in the breastfeeding support area to get some advice.

Viv - You deserve a medal, you have been doing it tough with James. I really admire your perseverance, you are a fantastic mum! I promise you it will all get easier very soon . Why are you on anti-biotics? Have you been unwell? Hope you don't mind me asking!

Misskate - So good to hear from you! I've been wondering where you have been. Glad you and Lachlan are doing well.

Willow - L sounds like he did so well with his needles. I hate getting them done though!

Saffi - Yay to L for doing big sleeps today! Hope you've made the most of the free time!!

Tiff - I still wrap Kieran. If he so much as gets one hand out he won't sleep. So annoying!!

Rebecca - Glad Caitlyn's eye is OK. What a fantastic sleep she did last night! Hope she has another great night for you.

Becky - Yay for Chelsea having a good night last night! How did your mum cope with the two kids? Hope you all get better soon

Leah, Amber & Ange - Do you find the Ergo easy to put on by yourself? I tried one on today and loved it, but I'm worried it will be hard to put on by myself. Thanks for all your help BTW!

[Willow]

Just wanted to second what Trish said about the fussy phases of B'feeding. I fed my DD till she was 16 months (we weaned because I'd lost my second baby and was in hospital sick and devastated, but still feel guilty about that!) and I can promise you fussy stages will come and GO! We had a pretty bad one a few weeks back where he refused the breast for about 11 hours straight. Next day he was fine.

The other thing is Julia, as they get older, they get more and more efficient at feeding. Max could be feeding for 8 mins and be getting 150-200mls of breast milk. There's no way for you to know how much he's taking. Both my babies have been fast, efficient feeders. I remember getting ourselves into all sorts of trouble with DD because I was positive she wasn't feeding for long enough so would try to put her back on, she'd get upset, wouldn't feed and around and around we'd go. It wasn't until an LC watched her feed and told me she was very efficient and fast, a no nonsense kind of feeder, that I relaxed. In the end she was done in about 5 mins flat. If Max is gaining weight and seems happy and content generally, then I'd say you're doing a perfect job

At the end of the day, you have to be happy. If you feel like your time is up, then it's up. But if you're just worried he is not getting enough or like Viv, you've hit a rough patch of constant feeding/fussing/whatever, I found most of the time it passed, it never lasted long.

Viv - if you're on anti'bs and are ovulating/have had AF come to visit, then massive chance that's why jj is fussing. How long are you on the antib's for? Some babies become fussy every month due to hormonal changes - one of my best friends girls is like that (she has twins) but its just for a day or two and then she's back to normal.

So if you want to, stick with it! We're all here to support you.

[YoYo]

What can I say....You all ROCK

[ninja_turtle]

trish - i'm on antibiotics because i had two major wedge resections done to my big toes (3 stitches each). it all started from when i was walking with the stroller in the beginning and bashed my toes on the brake because:

1) bit of a gumby from tiredness and not seeing past my belly in the early days
2) my stride was long... brake was black etc

i also ran over my toes, or kicked the big fat wheels when someone else was pushing. consequently the trauma caused ingrown nails right down the sides (not just corner). i put it off for as long as i could (can't look after baby incapacitated). anyhoo, had the surgery last week and the antibiotics was to cover me for infection because they were nasty, deep, faint-worthy cuts. wooo. gag.

i hate antibiotics. bleh. so does james. i'm using tea tree oil on the wound now (not telling Dr because they're so pro-meds). boy, this is boring.

anyways.... that's why.

james is asleep. what a little angel (when asleep, heh). he likes his fingers now instead of dummy.

*prays today is less draining feed-wise than yesterday*

[~Trish~]

Gaaahhh Viv! Oh that sounds so painful! Sorry, I don't take injury stories very well, I would never make a dr, I can't even HEAR about people's injuries, let alone LOOK at them lol! Man that must have hurt so much... I'm guessing you have lovely long legs and that probably makes you more susceptible to stroller injuries. I hope you aren't in too much pain now, do you have to keep off your feet?

So anyway, regarding Ergo's...I am now a stockist! Hee hee! I know I sell pre-loved stuff, but DH really wants me to sell some new things too and he rang the distributor yesterday and I have 6 carriers on their way! Obviously I will be keeping one myself . Hopefully they sell well and I can keep ordering them, it would be great to have something constant to sell rather than one off things all the time.

So I am meant to be starting up the biz this week, but I have been doing more prep than actually having customers (I'm just leaving the answering machine on). I think I will get into the full swing of it after the long weekend. By then I will have the shop all tidy and clean and ready to go. I have NO idea when I will find the time to update the website, but I suppose I will just work it out. I feel a bit nervous and stressed about it, but I think if I just take my time I will be OK. I really need something else to do other than feeding/playing/putting to bed all day!

[~kellie~]

Viv - that sounds like it really hurts! Ouch!

Trish - good news about the carriers... might have to give you a call, cause I'm trying to convince my DH to get one for Tahlia... she seems to hate her pram, and my back also hurts with the one I have

we picked up some professional photos of Tahlia last night, and spent way too much cause they were so cute! Now I have to go out and buy some frames!

[Khaleesi]

Trish how exciting, well i can't wait for you biz to stat back up

Viv that sounds painful, hope it heals quickly.

Not much happening here, ordered Maddi some cloth nappies.
Finally getting one of those Bitti D'lish nappies & Some leg warmers so she can show off her nappies.
I have a new fav nappy now The Gad pockets, they are so soft & last awhile before you have to change.

Hope everyone is well

[Claire]

Nic - have a nice time at the wedding! Nixon was fine, don't worry! He was no messier than my own child - it wasn't a problem, honestly!

Viv - Can I ask your opinion? I think Harry is having a reaction to something passing over in my breastmilk - he's eczema seems to have cleared up but his poo has become really weird. He's pooing a lot less (but that might be normal) but when he does it's very runny, very creamlike with no specks of breastmilk in it - it's almost like it's been whipped up??? Not foamy but very creamy and the smell is very offensive. He's still spewing a lot too. I've been sneaking dairy back into my diet after an almost dairy free pregnancy but I also eat most of the other known allergens.

Did you see a nutritionist or paed before eliminating? I'm thinking I will cut out all known allergens and flavours, colours and preservatives as of tomorrow.

[ninja_turtle]

claire - frothy poo is usually a sign of too much lactose. the boy did have the frothies or creamy poos last week himself. there's so much crazy stuff going on in my diet (with the antibiotics etc) so god knows. today was the first day it looked like normal curdsy poo.

the offensive smell sounds bacterial to me. did he have a rotavirus vax lately? if it continues to smell then get him checked out.

[alz]

Hi everyone,
I will apologize now because I am about to have a big whinge. I am soooooooooo over trying to get Ethan to sleep. For the last week and a half he has been a nightmare with day sleeps but the last few nights he wont sleep at night either. I am so tired and fed up. DH has been a great help but we don't know what to do.

Day sleeps - he sleeps for about 35 to 40 min and then cries blue murder. I used to be able to re-settle him but now he wont go back to sleep at all. Do I persevere and keep trying to re-settle him for the rest of the sleep time or do I just let him get up and have a cranky bub? Not sure what to do. I don't know how much more of this screaming I can take. Thank goodness it is friday and dh will be home for 2 days. HELP!!!!!

[~Trish~]

Alz - It's hard sometimes isn't it? Kieran did the same thing a few weeks ago where he would wake after 40 minutes and would not resettle. I kept perservering and tried to show him that it is sleep time now. Sometimes I would pick him up and rock him back to sleep and that would work. Does Ethan sleep in his pram or a sling/baby carrier? If you just can't get him back to sleep in his cot you could try and take him for a walk so that he goes back to sleep. I stuck at it for a week or so with Kieran (not without pulling out my hair and crying at times!) and he is now getting the idea again about sleeping longer than one sleep cycle. It is HARD work this sleep thing! Let your DH try and settle him/wear him/push him in the pram over the weekend to give yourself a break. I hope he sleeps better for you soon

Mo - Love your nappy fettish! I haven't tried MCHNs because I can get sposies for so cheap (a bag of 100 for $13.50). Not sure if I need the extra laundry either!

Kellie - Make sure you show us some of those gorgeous photos! I'm happy to do you a good price on an Ergo if you can convince your DH to get one!! Go try one on if you can, you won't believe how much better they feel on your back.

I'm taking Joel to kinder soon, not looking forward to the usual carrying on . I gave K some Farex this morning and he didn't seem to mind it. I think it will take him a while to work it all out.

[Khaleesi]

Trish i'm really loving MCN's who knew you could become so addicted to nappies lol.
All this talk of Ergo's makes me want to buy one, Maddi is another baby who isn't a fan of her pram.
I do have a Baby Bjorn but it's a back killer.

Alz