Babies born ~ September 16-30th 2010 #2

[Buzzie]

Connie - I'm the exact same with dtd, it's the depth that becomes an issue now. And we had to start using a lubricant. My gp said all that will change with hormones. Plus being on the pill now of course.

Wite - that's funny with David, only 1/2 hour of it! Lol I'm always saying that about pain too lol

Injections in 3 hours

[CoNNiE_Melb]

How does everyone go during the day? Getting George to sleep is a struggle. If I leave him in his rocker so he can determine when its time for a nap, he seems to cry like crazy. During the day our time is spent as follows: Feeding - 20%, Playing 20% - Crying 30%, Sleeping 30%.
During the night he is so perfect. Feeds at 6:30.. goes to bed at around 7:10, sleeps till we wake him at 11 for a dreamfeed, goes down at 11:40, and sleeps till 6am. Betwen 6 and 7am, he is so much fun because he has clearly had enough sleep. The rest of the day, he is a nightmare.

[fuzzy]

Connie - wow 11:40-6 am is a huge stretch! Chloe wakes at 11, 1:30-2, 4:30-5 and then 6:30-7. but when she wakes she is generally back asleep within 15 mins (she is a guzzler).

I would say during the day time is spent as follows: 35% sleep, 10% feeding, 45% other (ie playing, looking around), 10% crying. She will generally sleep between 4 - 5 hours between 7am and 7pm in any day (not at once but broken into 3 or 4 sleeps). I cant put her down and have her go to sleep but I can put her down mostly asleep and if she wakes in her cot I can usually get her to sleep without having to pick her back up. Thats progress on last week when she would only go to sleep if I was holding her!

Deanna - how is Blake going?

[dory]

Connie - Hannah doesn't really sleep that much during the day either and can struggle against sleep. I've not worked out the percentages of how we spend our days, but a lot of her day is awake or feeding. Today she had 3 naps of about 45 mins each. She was pretty happy throughout the day, that's not to say there weren't grizzle periods, but I assume she had enough sleep. I still go through the sleep routine though, just to give her the chance to fall asleep if I see her tired signs or if I think it's about time - about 90 mins of being awake. She is having a couple of days where she needs to be held more than usual and to be honest, I am happy to oblige, as this won't last forever and I know I am going to miss just holding her, and nuturing her and looking at her perfection and whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Sometimes she will go to sleep when I put her down and others not. Sometimes that is as frustrating as anything, and others I am better at coping.

Hannah does seem to have developed a routine that no matter what time I start her evening sleep routine, she will be asleep by 7.30/8pm and won't usually wake til 12/1. Then she's awake at 3/4 and 5/6. She is awake for about 30 - 45 mins each time at night - 20/30 mins of feeding and 10/15 of settling. Dreamfeeds don't work anymore for us.

Do you see an Endo for your PCOS? I have a first appointment in Jan 2011...I am curious about fertility, though that doesn't seem to be an issue for me more recently, but I am worried about the longer term associated health risks. Was also thinking maybe the PCOS was contributing to my lack of breast milk supply. Anyway, just curious.

Buzzie - hope those injections went well..

Bec - How is Isaac and you after your fright?

Deana - how's Blake? Hope you guys aren't in hossy.

I can't remember who wrote about farts, but maybe that's Hannah's deal sometimes, as she does pass a lot of wind. I think I even got a recording of her cute farts today in amongst all the cute gaaing and squeals of delight.

[belfie]

Pantha/Belfie - Chloe often spits up a little amount. And she will cry and scream and pull off the boob - go straight back on - pull off, kick me etc (usually at the end of the day). For Chloe, its not reflux - its really bad wind. My let down is really really fast and as a result she often gulps at the breast and takes in air when she is feeding. If I dont burp her enough at each feed at the end of the day she has bad wind. So from 6 pm I feed her lying down with a heat pack between us pressed against her belly. I stop frequently to pump her legs up to her belly to get farts out. Last night before her bed I got 7 farts out of her!! Her wind has been particularly bad this last week - waking her up during the night. They are supposed to grow out of this 'colicky' phase around the 12 week mark. So nearly there..

This is such a good point - the difference between colic & reflux can be hard to tell. And as I said, maybe I just see reflux everywhere cos of Annika lol... I know what was different for me over normal wind/colic was the hoarse voice (which is now back to normal), WAAAY more spits, the timing of the distress (yowling right after a burp/urp/spit etc) and the sharpness of the crying (so saying, colic crying can be pretty darn unhappy!). I also noticed the reaction to feeding... as in really arching back in pain part-way through the feed when she'd been perfectly ok to start with, as opposed to a fussy/fretful feed which I reckon they probably all do at some stage (with Annika she'll still do that in the evenings most often). With X, when he had colic/wind, lots of pulling legs up & unsettled crying but I guess just not that specific pattern that I described above. She would burp/spit, then just YOWL. I wouldn't expect to see the timing of the burp + yowl with a colicky/windy bub. Oh and lots of distress when laid down flat. Classic "pick-me up velcro baby", whereas now she's soooo much happier to lie & watch the world (not always of course, but before she NEVER would let us put her down flat happily). Hope that helps for anyone who is wondering.

As for growing out of colic, yeah, love the magic 12 week mark, but then there's the growth spurt... lol.

Hi to everyone, would love to post longer but bed is calling. Enjoying the reading though. Must say, I couldn't even estimate percentages either. Our timing has settled down though. Standard day is feeds at roughly 7am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm & 9pm. Seems to work for her. We don't dreamfeed and that's mostly based on what she wants. She sometimes has quite a good big sleep through the middle of the day (which I'm loving for Xmas shopping! 3.5 hours the other day, heaven). Sometimes I try to stretch her a little... ie if the second last feed is too early, I know I'll struggle to get her through till 8.30ish or 9pm... so I'll often go for a walk or wrap her in the evening to get us through.

Oh and Deana - hope Blake is doing ok.

[Buzzie]

Dory - I have suffered from PCOS since I was 12! I've had shocking 'attacks' where the cysts have burst and cause me to not be able to walk or straighten my legs even. I was told fertility was slim if it didn't improve in 2007 little did I know when it was at it's worst I had actually fallen pregnant with Ash. So it's a very strange thing, and lucky to say I haven't had it since him so I can't comment on it effecting breastmilk.
I saw lots of Gps and you can get referred to a OBGYN.
Hope you don't have it cos it's an awful thing to have if it causes pain!

[CoNNiE_Melb]

Dory - I was diagnosed by an Endo when I was 18. The PCOS has never caused me any pain though, I think that is quite rare. Mine came about when I was getting laser hair removal and it wasn't working... a hormone check was suggested and it along with an ultrasound showed PCOS.
I don't know about it affecting breastmilk, but it would explain why I couldn't produce enough.
In terms of fertility, there are different levels... some people don't get periods at all and dont ovulate at all, some get irregular periods and only ovulate sometimes - I got my period each month, but only ovulated every 2nd or 3rd which is why Clomid was perfect for me.
Anyway, it is now managed by my OBGYN, but there really isn't much that needs to be done, well not until I want to have another baby. The only thing I do to manage the symptoms is take the pill (Diane - it helps with the hair and acne). Apart from that, it doesn't seem to cause me any issues.
I think the biggest health risk is diabetes and high blood presure, and those come about if you are overweight - usually a symptom of PCOS. Thankfully that's the only symptom I dont have.

I dont know if anyone has explained to you what the cysts are?? When you ovulate once a month, your body matures eggs and eventually one drops from your ovary (ovulation). In someone with PCOS, the eggs dont always drop so they just hang off your ovary instead, creating cysts.
The cysts clear up when you are pregnant (because your body doesnt try to release eggs to ovulate), but it usually comes back afterwards.

[dory]

Buzzie & Connie - thanks... I was diagnosed by an gynaecologist in 1998 after my period becoming irregular, weight gain, hair (on the back of my thighs - thank god not my face). I had loads of bloods taken and eventually the cysts were evident on u/s. Tried Dianne but it gave me the most terrible cramps. I was taken off the pill in 2003 after ongoing nausea andGP thought it might have been the oestrogen. Never went back to the pill and had no probs conceiving, phew. But I do have to watch the weight and BP. Looking back I had probably had it ages before that with the symptoms I had...Buzzie the cramps sound awful!

Connie - interesting that the hormones caused the hair removal not to work! But it makes sense.

Hoping to go shopping here today ....get a pressie for DH and some ingredients to bake with. And if I can manage it some things for the christening, some coke and beer and bubbly... I might even have a tipple... probably not as the boob is a very convenient way to settle Hannah, so will need that more!

[Buzzie]

Dory, the reason for me being in such pain was because 2 reasons, your overies are only supposed to have 2-5 eggs at one time because your body can only take so much at one time. In 2007 (my last ultrasound) I had 15 on one and 20 on the other. They are supposed to be the size of walnuts and I had and an orange and a mango
I had very irregular periods and was what I though due for one in 2 days but when I was 2 weeks late I still thought nothing of it. I was so lucky to have been pregnant

[dory]

Blimey Buzzie - you could have opened a fruit shop!

[fuzzy]

Seeya guys! See u in 8 days.. off to Bali take care x

[Buzzie]

Pml dory, that's how the gp described it for me lol

Fuzzy - have an awesome time!!!

[bec293]

have a fantastic time fuzzy! I hope Chloe travels well

Connie - I have no idea what percentage of time Isaac does things for, but now I want to know! I'm keeping track today

[Deana]

hey everyone

sorry i havent been on in a long time, trying to sort out what im going to do. DP ended our relationship as we were bickering to much. I guess it was all to much for him to handle. I thought we were great but i was wrong. Now that he has left, Im stressing out as I cannot afford rent on my own. Our lease runs out on the 4th Jan next year, but i dont know if I should renew it or find somewhere else. I have never been this stressed with what to do. I tried to talk to housing but there is such a klong waiting list and the only way I can get priority is by living in a refuge for 60 days. Its a bit hard with a 3 month old and I know how rough those places are. I have no idea what to do. Im hurting so badly and never though DP would EVER walk out on his family espically since his own father did. I know DP will always be around for Blake's sake but I never wanted Blake to go thorugh a broken family as had to go through it and it was so hard. DP is coming over after work today to talk more about child support and custody. Love is the most hardest thing. I love him so much and didnt want him to leave but there is nothing I can do if he wants to go. All I can do is give him his space and prey every night that he comes home eventually. My Parents are so angry with him and told me not to take him back if he comes back, but I cant do that. I love him way to much. I wish i was stronger.

Sorry everyone to go on, but its just hard. I have to be strong and keep my tears away for Blakes sake. He comes first and needs mum right now espically since he has the flu and has been clingy and waking up 4 times a night. Its hard when DP isnt around to help me.

Better go Blake needs me again

[kirsten74]

Oh Deana, I am so sorry to hear about you and DP! This is a stressful time even with a healthy bub, but when they are sick and unsettled, the stress becomes so much more! Now is not the time to be making such huge decisions and I guess you can just hope that DP realises what he is missing out on by not being with you and Blake! I wish there were something that I could do from up here, but the best I can offer is big cyber hugs and a shoulder to cry on! You are a strong person and will sort out living arrangements soon I'm sure.

Big hugs

Kirsten

[belfie]

Oh Deana so sorry to hear you're having such a rough time

[bec293]

oh no Deana, huge big hugs. Hopefully your DP comes to his senses and realises what an amazing little family he has. All you can do is be strong and think about what you are going to do next. I know it all must seem overwhelming right now, hopefully you have someone close you can talk it through with to make everything seem clearer. If a refuge as a stepping stone to a house you can afford is a last resort, that is probably not so bad. You never know, the others staying there might be in a similar situation to you. I hope you and your DP work out something when you see him. And I hope Blake is ok, I seen your fb status saying he is sick, poor bub.

[Buzzie]

Deana - omg I'm so sorry to hear that. God I know too well how much that hurts!! I don't blame you for not being strong Hun, you have shared so much with him and I know exactly what wanting that family thing feels like! Men can so easily walk out on kids it really blows me away! Rob has had WAY too many second chances and everyonetold me I was crazy. But they will always be apart of our lives through our kids so I always wanted to keep trying to be civil.
I guess the only advice I can offer (also coming myself from a broken family) kids will always know when there's conflict. And what ever happens to your relationship I've always said it's better it happens whilst there this little not old enough to remember it so try to keep things as civil as you can with him and sort out something that works for the both of you. I will always be thankful my parents never fought infront of me and our visits was always a smooth happy time. I told rob before we started being nice to each other I will never say anything bad to the kids about you but you need to do the same so the kids still respect there parents for making the dision in the first place.
If you can stay friends that's great as hard as I know it is why emotions get in the way.
I do hope you can sort your living arrangements out, I've always been stuck with mum cos I just can't afford it too on my own. I can only hope Rob and I are strong enough so I'm not left with our house on my own.
Also try to avoid courts as much as u can, it's a very long and upsetting process!! I started it with Rob and just didn't want to put my kids thru forced agreements!
And with childsupport - NEVER EVER budget for it. Partner don't always pay it or on time and CSA (child support agency) are hopeless!! Robs been 3 months behind several times and i ring and they will alway say oh sorry we will follow it up ... Best advice my mum gave me!
The first thing you should do is ring Centrelink and apply for single parenting! I'm getting $1100 a fortnight (not including baby bonus and Isabella was only an extra $100 for 2 kids) so add ur baby bonus onto that as well.
If your need any more info or a chat please go for it! I really feel for you. It's very tough sometimes. Big hugs Hun xx