Babies Born October 2007 #21

[Willow]

Trish - you bugger! All this talk about Ergo's made me curious so I've been checking them out and they look great!! Put L in our bjorn this morning for playgroup (2 hours) and he's just getting too heavy for my shoulders (I've got a dodgy shoulder too). How did you find them to get on and off? Are they easy to do on your own? I want something good but something that's easy to get on and off, that's why I love our bjorn.

Convincing DH to buy one will be another thing seeing that they're a bit pricey...maybe if I sell my bjorn and my ring sling (which I haven't used for weeks cause it's too hard to work out on my own), he might let me...

[ninja_turtle]

saffi - are you eating enough? i know i certainly wasn't. since i've started hogging it back, my supply is better (after his suckathon the other day with the bopping and screaming)

[~Trish~]

Evening all!

We had another pretty dodgy night last night with K sneaking another feed in so I thought I'd try him on a bottle of formula before bed at around 7pm. He sucked enthusiastically for a few seconds then decided he didn't like it . Such a waste. So I pulled out my breast pump I've been holding onto just in case and decided to try expressing and then I'll top him up tomorrow night. I didn't think I'd get much because it is the end of a hot day (my feet are swollen btw!) and I managed to express 140ml in around 15 minutes. I have no idea if this is good or not! I thought it seemed like a lot seeing as it is later in the day. It is an Ameda double electric breast pump so it was mega-efficient. How much should I be giving him? I'm just hoping it will help solve the hunger problem seeing as he has reacted to the Farex. Time will tell I guess!

Willow - Hee hee, sorry to mention the Ergo! It seemed pretty easy to put on, but I think it will take a bit of practise. It comes with a DVD to show you how to put it on, but the website also has a demo. You wouldn't believe me I'm sure, but I have a dodgy shoulder too! I had a work accident about 13 years ago that damaged my left shoulder and my lower back/pelvis so I really need a carrier that doesn't aggravate things. When they arrive I'll let you know what I think!

Rebecca - Is your DH back from working away? If so, how did you survive?

Viv - It's frustrating when you have a little pattern of sleep going and then they decide to get unsettled on you! Luckily K was much better today, I think it was the Farex that was upsetting him. I hope not, I want to try it again soon. Did your MIL fold your laundry for you? LOL, I would hate that too!

Saffi - It sounds like Lachlan might be ready for solids too! I hope you have better luck than me with them.

Alz - Yay, I'm so glad Ethan is sleeping better for you!!! I hope he keeps it up for you

Julia - GL with weaning Max! I remember how freeing it was when Joel weaned. It was great to be able to go out without worrying.

Celtic - That's so awesome your DP got the promotion! I love your new ticker pic btw, so gorgeous!

Hi to everyone else, have a great night!

[Willow]

Trish - 140mls at that time of the day is an awesome effort!! I'd say he'd have around 100mls, maybe a bit more. That's been my experience with EBM so far anyway.

L has been a lot more settled today too thankfully! Took him to the osteo again today and she said he's improved that much she doesn't want to see him for a month

Ahhh, there's one difference - my dodgy shoulder is my right shoulder!! LOL.

[Saffi]

Trish - 140mls in 15 mins is amazing. It takes me about an hour to get that much. Mind you I am using an Avent single electronic one. That and my dodgy supply really makes the whole expressing thing an effort. I would think using the calc (weight in kilos x 150mls / no. feeds per day) would tell you how much he should have.
Viv - no I'm not underfed. I think that perhaps I am not BF'ing/ expressing enough and hence supply is low. Very off-putting when L screams when I put him on the boob. Doesn't mind the EBM mind you so its just me he has problems with

Intro of solids - has anyone given their bubs rusks or other things to suck on before starting the farex? The Robin Barker book I have suggests this before starting solids for real.

MIL suggested that a way of getting L to sleep thru is to give him water when he wakes overnight. She said he'd soon learn not to wake up because he won't get any food. DH reckons I need to feed him because he is hungry. I usually BF him at 3amish. He will then only sleep thru to around 5 - 6am. So thinking that tonight I will give him 200mls formula or EBM if I have enough and see if that knocks him out until 7am.

[Willow]

Saffi - I agree with your DH hun. I think if L is waking at the same time every night, and it is at least 3-4hrs after his last feed, then he's hungry. That's why I haven't bothered trying to get my L to sleep through. He's obviously not ready if he's waking for feeds and I'd rather give him a quick feed, pop him back into bed and be asleep again 10 mins later myself than trying to resettle a hungry baby in the middle of the night. Just not worth it IMO, and if he's really hungry, he probably wouldn't settle for long anyway. I did use the water trick with DD, but not until she was older.

[Rebecca77]

Trish-No DH only left on Saturday - should be back this coming saturday.
I'm sorry but yet again this is going to be a selfish post.
My normal work hours are 10-3 which is ok cause I get a little done in the morning and a little done in the afternoon before i pick miss C up. Yesterday my boss asked if Icould work 830-130 instead. Great I thought - do not a lot in the morning and really hook into that dreaded study and give it a clean.
So i get to daycare to get C and they tell me that her eye has been gucky ALL DAY!!! and that I have to keep her home tomorrow (today). I dont mind that I have to keep her home i understand completely. What I dont understand is why the heck didnt they call me and tell me that I had to come get her if its that bad? As it is....I can't take the day off to be with her today cause there is only 4 of us in the office and the boss is going to Mt Isa to fly to brisbane to do a conference and one of the other girls has to drive her there! So that leaves me and one other girl! She can't lift due to a work injury. So of course I have to take C to work with me. The girl driving the boss toMt Isa was going to do a few personal things while there but she has been fantastic and said that she would just come straight back. Of course in this *****hole little town with one Doc's surgery I doubt I am even going to be able to get her in to see anyone today.....maybe if I had known yesterday! They know I pick her up around 5! Not impressed at all!!
What *****s me even more........I had no problems with her eye over the weekend! Not at all. No red, or weeping of yukky stuff - nothing. 7 hours at d/care and its red, weeping and glued shut!!! Surely they are supposed to call me!! Oh if the situation were reversed and soem other kid had a gukky eye and my kid went to daycare with them I would be asking why is that kid still here with that?!!? Its highly conagious. Oh and of course she has caught a cold too! All while DH is away.
Oh but she slept well last night - 730-430. Then a feed and back to bed - she has just woken now - off to clean her eye and give her a feed and get her ready to go to work! Oh and me!!! have a great day all! MWAH

[Junglemum]

Woo hoo! I'm connected! Got a whopping big dish on the roof, hope it doesn't upset the banjo players all the way out here.

Will try and stay up to date.

Anyone got any tips on re-settling after first 45min sleep cycle? She self settles initially but i can't, for the life of me, get her to go back to sleep if she wakes after one sleep cycle. I know she's still tires b/c she's grumpy! All advice welcome.

Sorry to be a right royal PITA. But have another Q. Lu is an absolute piggy. LOVES food. She has had rice cereal and water, pumpkin and banana. She will eat 2 Tablespoons full and cry when it is finished because she wants more. Not sure her GI tract is reay for more. How much should i give her?

Trish There is no way i could express that much. Nice work. I gave her rice cereal and water b/c expressing is a PITA and i have never been bale to get alot. On the topic of a meet up, i still drive to Frankston regularly, and am only an hour from Melbourne, so could easily meet up sometime. Would you mind pm'ing me your website details so i can check it out? Have disabled signatures and images etc on PC until i work out my download usage and costs with satellite.

Saffi- i give Luella one of those mesh bag things with ice or banana in it, she loves chewing on it. Havn't given her a rusk. Sounds like a good idea to me though, she loves chewing on stuff.

viv- Ouch, toe drama with sleep deprivation might have tipped me over the edge. Thanks for suggesting to someone else about eating enough. I THINK i wasn't eating enough and supply was low. (Too worried about muffin top, not worrying about baby. selfish mumma) So now feeding face again in hope of boosting supply. Gave her a sample sachet of formula the other day, guzzled it like it was liquid gold. Pharmacy here has a few samples, did you get hold of some other ones? Natropath in my mothers group recommended Caricare goat formula. Goat is apparently closer in structure to human breast milk than cows'. Gentler on their stomachs......

Willow- When i was weaning Lu from Wrap i put her in a sleeping bag and wrapped over the top. Both arms, then one arm out. Then both out for day sleeps, then no wrapping just sleeping bag every sleep. She then got used to the idea that sleeping bag meant sleep.

Rebecca- I'd be asking child care to let me know if there are ANY probs in the future. Hope today is better and the sticky eye resolves. (I think i read someone got an over the counter med for gunky eye type thing from pharmacy, might be worth asking.....)

Sorry for marathon post, have alot of catching up to do.