Babies born~July 1st-15th 2010 #1

[Salad]

Hi Girls hope all its well, just a quick one as I have lots on today getting things ready for DH's surgery in Melbourne tomorrow. E got weighed before and he has put oln 820g in 6 days so he is back on track now weighing 6.1kg's, looks like the formula is doing the trick.



Dr Tal - I just wanted to add my thoughts on you rocking/patting B to sleep, dont listen to people who tell you it will be a problem as its not, I BF DD to sleep until she was 12 months, she weaned at 13 months and she didnt have any problems going to sleep without the boobie. I rock E or pat him to sleep now, the way I see it if it works then do it, they grow way too fast and before you know it they are too big to rock or pat and then they are off to uni lol. Just savour every minute as I know you already do, feel him in your arms as he is such a little gift. Everyone is different and you know what works for you, just smile and nod to others that disagree with your ways.

[Dr. Tal]

Sal - Thanks It's nice to know that there are people out there who understand where I am coming from...as in not having issues with rocking my baby to sleep IYKWIM

I'll be thinking aboiut you and your DH tomorrow Everything is going to be fine!

That's really fantastic about E as well. You must be really stoked.

OP - Wow sounds like X is still growing fast...his 0's are getting tight lengthways!?!

So how do you know when your baby is trying to sit up? Is there anything you can do to help/encourage them? So many things I don't know!

AFU -

****

WARNING MASSIVE VENT TO FOLLOW****

So B is sick....again poor little tyke. He has no clue what is going on and is so miserable and out of sorts. He was basically up all night last night AND the night before, and consequently both of us are exhausted. He's only just fallen asleep for the first time in ages, I tried to lay down for a nap but just coulnd't sleep. Guess I am too worried about him. I took him to the doctor today and he has congestion on the chest. Apparently it's not quite a chest infection, but it could become one very easily. I'm worried that he's going to be like I was. I almost constantly had a chest infection or bronchitis or bronchialitis when I was little. Seemed like every time I turned around I was wheezing and coughing. I was told I need to keep a really close eye on him and if his breathing seems to get laboured at all I need to take him straight to the emergency room.

So you're wondering where the vent it. They just don't get it!!!!! They as in MIL, SIL and DH even although he's not even clost to being as bad as them....well I think he might get it now after last night and today at the doctor. You might remember I mentioned earlier that when nephew is sick they still let him snot and slobber all over B. DH even said he doesnt' really see the problem, but won't let it happen when I'm around because he knows I don't want it to. Well he's still sick...with guess what...a chest infection. He's wheezing and coughing and has been to the hospital 3 times that I know of, yet I still catch MIL and SIL letting him get his germs all over B. Worst is that nephew is on antibiotics, but SIL keeps forgetting to give them to him. He was suppose to have finished giving them to him about 2 weeks ago, but she still is giving them to him, I saw her about 3 days ago which means nephew's bacteria are probably VERY antibiotic resistant by now.

So I can't help but draw the conclusion that B may very well have caught his 'almost chest infection' from nephew who has a full blown, potentially antibacterial resistant chest infection. So the other night when I noticed B wasn't quite his normal self I told DH I wasn't going to be bringing him out to see MIL. I don't even understand why DH feels the need to see her 3-4 OR MORE times a week anyway. She's a horrid cow, she's downright nasty to me and uses DH, and he knows this, but yet he still goes. So he gives me the 'she's his grandmother, she has a right to see him' bull$#iT!!!!! Stupidly, because I wanted to avoid a fight I gave in, so we went to MIL and SIL's. I go to the toilet while I am there and I come back out and find nephew practically mauling B snot all over his hands, then he coughs on him gives him big open mouth kisses THEN BLOWS HIS NOSE ON HIS SHIRT!!! I grabbed B and stormed out.

All that night B was restless and tossing and turning and giving little whimpers and his nose was so congested he was snuffling and he was asleep but not really ITMS and I was awake the whole night because he was so restless. So last night DH wants to bring B to his mothers AGAIN! Well I lost it..the converstaion/yell went something like this....minus all the swears and foul language.

I do not care that she is his grandmother. I don't care that she's your mother. I hate the woman. She is a nasty, childish, manipulative person that the world would be better off without. She knows B is sick, yet she still lays the guilt trip on you that 'she never sees him' what kind of bull is that she sees him WAY more then what she should...but as usual you roll over and give in like the spineless idiot you are. Well MY SON is not leaving this house, it's clear that I'm the only one that really cares about his health and it's sad that you as his father are putting his health behind the wharped illusions of your mother. He's my son, HIS HEALTH comes first and it will be a cold day in #ell before he leaves this house. And he WILL NEVER set foot in your mother and sisters house again if ANY of them are sick.....EVER.

Of course I was over reacting and he's not as sick as all that, and it's just normal for kids to get illnesses I can't expect him to never get sick....blah blah blah.


So last night I made DH get up EVERY time B woke me. I made HIM get out of bed and comfort him and rock him and hold him. ALL NIGHT. Every time B wheezed I elbowed him, every time he whimpered I hit him with my foot. If he grizzled I made DH get up to him. Then HE had the audacity to complain to me how tired he was this morning and how unfair it was. So I then called him in sick. Told his boss he wasn't able to come in today, and proceeded to keep him awake and take care of B. Then I made him take him into the doctor with me and hold him while the poked and prodded him and made him cry while they tried to figure out what was wrong. And I think the penny FINALLY dropped when the doctor said he is a VERY sick little boy and that it could get a lot worse. She also said that we need to keep him away from anyone that is sick as he has a compromised immune system and had he been around anyone lately who had a chest infection. To which I answered yes his cousin. She was disgusted when I said that they let him wipe his snot all over him knowing how sick he was. DH left feeling like [email protected] and apologised profusely to me and said he didn't realise and yadda yadda yadda, but I'm still furious with him. Of course something that's bad in a 2 year old is going to be even worse if a 4 month old gets it It just makes me so mad that he lets his mother manipulate him the way she does and even madder when it's my baby that gets the raw end of the stick for it! He needs to but B first. He needs to stop giving in to his mother's every wharped demand and realise that his family....myself and B come first!!!!! ESPECIALLY when it's B's health that's at stake

[delphmoon]

Hi there-

Just a quick one from me. I did post earlier but when I hit reply the comp crashed and my hard earned 2 hours of stop starting post was lost

DR T-Oh Lordy !! I would be FURIUOS. I do NOT think you are over reacting one little bit. Your MIL is a rotton cow!!! Hmmpphhh to her and your SIL too!

Poor B and to you. your having it rough at the moment

Am thinking of B lots and hoping he gets better and you get sleep very soon AND I hope DH grows some dangly bits between his legs and sticks up for you and your son in the future.

Sorry for the short post- I have a non sleeping baby ATM that requires CONSTANT mummyness- driving me MAD!!

ETA: Good onya for waking up DH! will keep that in mind in the future!

[Dr. Tal]

Delph - I just was/am so furious abiut the whole situation. Mostly because B is so miserable. Don't get me wrong, I Love my DH dearly, and he is a fantastic father he just can't stand up to his mother. And I get that she brainwashed him for 20 some odd years of his life into beleiving that things are just wrong, but he has seen now that her world isn't the 'real' world and that she really firetrucked (that's my new word for the f word ) him in the head. And he's seen/understands how much she lied/lies to him, but he jsut can't seem to shake that hold she has on him and that makes me just as mad. I hate seeing how torn and miserable she makes him and just wish he could tell her to take a flying leap so he can get on with living his life....a happy one, not one twisted by her wharped 'family' concepts!

Had a good old laugh at you hoping he grows some dangly bits

[~StarBright~]

OMG Dr Tal I say GOOD ON YOU!!! I think what you did was EXACTLY what your DH needed to hear- straight from the Drs mouth, i bet he felt bad and so he should!!!

Salad.. All the best for tomorrow. I am sure it will all go well xxoo

[OceanPrincess]

Quick post to say good on you Dr T

Hope things improve really quickly with poor little B!

Sal - thinking of you xx

[EmmaJane]

Dr T, so angry for you! Grr. What evil ILs. The kind you wish lived far, far away, not close enough to see you every day!!! Just outrageous that they let such a little baby get slobbered over by a sick kid. Sounds vindictive even.

Grr again.

Sal, I hope everything goes well with your DH. :hugs:

Delph, non sleeping baby huh? I know how you feel. I'm hoping T's recent behaviour is due to getting his 4 month shots on Wednesday and that he will become a happy boy again soon. Can you put gumnut's down to anything in particular?

Now ladies, on the subject of solids. Until about 5 minutes ago I was adamant that I was going to wait until 6 months to introduce solids. This is despite the nurse at the local GP clinic and both my mum and MIL saying I should start him on rice cereal now (mainly because that was what they did and they believed their children needed it). My plan to wait until 6 months was based on the WHO guidelines as espoused by the ABA. BUT I just checked my ABA folder on my email account and noticed one email about introducing solids. Anyway, I clicked the link and read this article. It sounds to me like what is backed up by research is that introducing solids between 4 and 6 months decreases risk of allergies and that there isn't any research to support the idea that breastfeeding exclusively until 6 months decreases the risk. But then they say in the box at the bottom that it does. Can anyone else have a read and tell me if they see what I mean??

To be honest I've already given T a couple of tastes of mango and one taste of banana, just little tiny bits that were totally mushed up on the end of my finger. He pulled a face at the mango (so cute) but gave no reaction to the banana!

Anyway, would love to hear what you girls think about this article and its conclusions if you get a chance to read.

[EmmaJane]

So many things I didn't get a chance to say this morning before T woke up...

OP - Thanks for that little rhyme, it's really sweet! And for the reassurance about the lack of house work getting done. And for the record, going at least a week without vacuuming is par for the course around here. And we have a very furry cat!

Dr T - I told my DH about your spoon trick and he can't wait to try it with T! Thanks for the heads up about Raffertys. Did you think of good finger food for B? The only thing I can think of is steamed vege sticks, maybe cooked apple or pear.

AFU - The past few days T has really got the hang of moving around. He didn't roll for ages after I saw it for the first time the other week, but lately he's rolling front to back and back to front, as well as wriggling himself around so his head is at the opposite end plus pushing off the floor with his knees. I really do wonder if it has been the transition to the cot that has encouraged him to be more mobile! Actually, I've also noticed that he has much more success in manoeuvring himself around during naked baby time. Those chunky cloth nappies must restrict movement quite a bit, which is a shame! Sleep time is still fairly traumatic. Even with my willingness to rock or feed him to sleep, some times it just takes ages and lots of crying for him to enter the land of nod.

I have a feeling I've forgotten something else I had planned to say. Doh.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

[Dr. Tal]

Emma - It certainly is all confusing isn't it? It seems like everyone has an opinion on it and most of them are conflicting. I was told at clinic when B was 4 that I needed to start him because he was 'ready' mind you she never asked me if he was shoing any ques or any questions that would have really let her know if he was ready.

After listening to the ladies on here, and doing lots of reading myself, I decided I was going to go on my 'mummy instincts' and watch B and decide for myself when he was 'ready'.

I initially wasn't going to start him before 5 months (so next Friday) and really had intended to feed him his first solids next Saturday. But lots of things have changed in the past week. Last week he wasn't showing any interest in food at all, and really could care less when DH and I were eating. But that's been chaning until last night when he near about lept out of my lap to pounce on the pasta I was eating I only just caught him before he had both hands straight into it. He's also been playing with my water bottle a lot this week. Again last week he showed no interest in it at all, but the past couple of days it's all he's wanted to play with and he's even figured out which end you suck (I make sure it's closed before I give it to him) and will turn it around until he gets the spout then will suck and suck on it.

Also last all day yesterday and today my breast milk just hasn't seemed to satisfy him. He just wants more...he even drained both my breasts first go this morning, he'd slept through the night and both were engorged and dripping, usually when they are like that it will take him 2-3 feeds to empty them, but he emptied them first feed I got to thinking that maybe he was ready, I also thought that maybe the extra iron in the food might be good for him being sick and all, so I thought what the heck, if he doesn't want it I'll leave it till next weekend.

So I mixed up the rice cereal, really diluted though, I put in less then half of the rice cereal and more then the amount of EBM the recommended. Well he LOVED it. The first spoonful he made a bit of a face as if to say 'hey, this isn't breast milk' but he mushed it around in his mouth some then down it went and his mouth opened for more. He would have eaten a bit over 1 tablespoon I'd say. I took as very short video of it for my mum. If you're interested in seeing it I can PM you my photobucket account.
He also 'helped' (read this as flailed for the spoon until it touched his hand, then shoved it in the general vicinity of his mouth) his daddy feed him. SO CUTE.

Guess that's the really long winded version of saying, do what the other mum's on here have suggested and go with your gut, if you think T is ready then he probably is, but if you think you should wait, then wait.

As for finger foods, I've been thinking alongthe line of avocado wedges and banana for some of his first foods after the rice cereal. I might mix some steamed apple the cereal as well.

Everyone else - Thanks for your well wishes for B. He seems to be a bit less miserable today, but his poor little eye was all gummed shut this morning and he's really snotty
he coughed/spat up a huge phlem ball (right onto my chin EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW....did I mention EEEEEWWWWWWWWW) first thing this morning!

Also, if anyone else is interested in watching B eat his first meal and you don't already have my photobucket account information, let me know and I'll PM it to you!

Almost forgot!
Delph - How did the bbq/lunch thing go with your DH and gumnut? or has it been yet? Was he able to keep nephew away from her?

[OceanPrincess]

Girls quick post as on phone again but be careful with banana as it can cause constipation... That combined with the added iron in farex/rice cereal can cause a bit of a blockage!

[EmmaJane]

Thanks for the tip OP! I always thought it was only if the banana was under-ripe, but I don't want to take any chances with an immature digestive system.

[delphmoon]

Hi ladies

Interesting discussion regarding solids. Thankyou Dr T for the idea about the spoon with EBM. Great idea. DH and I have done it the last 2 nights and it is quite amusing. DD is very very interested in watching us eat, grabbing our plates and grabbing our cups. We won't start her on solids just yet (4 months 3 weeks old) but the spoon thing seems to keep her happy. We will look at solids at prob 5 and a half months- hopefully later though. My MCHN suggested pumpkin and sweet pototo cut in 'long chips' works well as they are sweet in a way.

Dr T- My DH's family had a family get togehter today. I am stressed about the xmas day one because I will be at work so DH will have to tell off pain in the butt nephew. Well anyway- today his nephew was being a right little S&it and was not listening to anything. DH sorted things quite well actually. My DH comes from a HUGE family- 16 brothers and sisters in fact, so that 32 adults and millions of children...My poor DD sometimes gets treated like a parcel and is passed fro person to person wile I sit there completely anxiety ridden that soo many people are touching her and getting in her face. Am I being silly or protective...? I don't know...anyways I love DH family (most of them) I just get stressed with the big family get togethers because my DD isn't a parcel- she is a human IYKWIM....
Opps- sorry abit of a vent there

DD is still sleeping throughout the night (WOOHOO). 1 week, 6 days till I'm back at work and I'm feeling a mixture of and LOL

Well must go- tea time!

Sorry for lack of personals..totally drained today...sorry

[Dr. Tal]

Emma - I tried to PM you but it said your inbox is full. So if you clear a few out I can try again!

[OceanPrincess]

Hi ladies! Two asleep again so let's see how the catch up goes!

Delph - what a good Gumnut, sleeping through! Fantastic I understand your mixed feelings about going back to work, it is only natural. I think I've already asked but remind me what you do again? Are you just going back part time? It is tough but I'll be doing it sometime soon too, I feel your pain...

WRT your family - it is completely understandable that you're a bit anxious about Gumnut being passed around like a parcel. She is so special to you guys, it is your right to cherish her and be precious with her! Sucks that your family can't see that. Don't apologise for venting That's what we are here for, isn't that what you told Salad??

Dr T - how exciting that B is onto the solids adventure! Can't believe how fast our babies are growing, sniff sniff! Sounds like he is really getting into it!

How's B going? Is he all better now, poor mite? Err ewww on the glob of phlegm stuff...

Emma - read that article, you're right, it is a tad confusing isn't it? Ironic considering its an article about confusion... hmm. I think what it is trying to say is that there is no real research that shows introducing solids before 6mths has any benefit at all, for allergens or anything, so they still maintain waiting til 6mths. That's my take anyway.

I think it comes down to what Dr T says - trust your instincts. It might be that T tells you he is ready before 6mths, it might not! My cousin's youngest bub (just a bit older than my DD) got quite sick around 4mths of age, was fighting bronchitis and some other things for a number of months, so she just wanted BM all the time and they didn't even bother with solids until she was about 8 or 9mths. And then they just started giving her what they we eating. And she's fine today!

You can always give him a little bit and if he doesn't like it, or isn't ready, he'll let you know

Sal - thinking of you hun, massive hugs

SB, Jessey, anyone else who is lurking, hiya!!

AFU: X is going well, he's started rolling, its so cute - he rolls back to tummy and gets this look on his face like "How'd I do that?" He's pretty wriggly too, sounds a bit like T, Emma! He can do full 360 turns around on the floor.

No teeth yet - lots of dribble though, like LOTS, and everything gets shoved in the mouth and gnawed on, so we think maybe teeth aren't far away.

He wakes maybe twice overnight at the moment, I'm pretty tired but getting through.

We had a wedding on Sat that he came to as he still doesn't take a bottle... so along to the wedding he came! It was a family wedding so he was passed around between his grandma, aunt, uncle and one of his great aunts all night and he loved it. He smiled and gooed and drooled all over everyone and completely charmed the pants off most people. He even got a mention in the speeches

Then last night we had a nice dinner out for MIL's 60th bday, we asked some friends to come and baby sit at our house and I decided we'd leave X at home with them. They are pregnant with their first bub so we all agreed it was good practice.

I told them X usually fed to sleep around 7pm, sometimes stayed asleep but most nights he'd wake again around 8 or 9, but he didn't *need* a feed as such... I would feed him but more for comfort. My MIL has been successful in getting him back to sleep without a feed... so I told them to try and that I was just down the road if they needed me.

Well they had a shocker of a time! He did a big poosplosion and they had to deal with that and the cloth nappy repercussions, then he was still crying so they defrosted a bottle of EBM and the cheeky monkey drank the whole thing!!! First time he has ever had a bottle! They tried to get him back to sleep, no joy, he got pretty worked up so they made the phone call and home we came. We'd had dessert so we didn't mind... but then by the time we got home he'd gone to sleep!

So it was sort of successful! Sort of! At least he took a bottle!

[Dr. Tal]

OP - B is doing quite a bit better, but he is still quite snuffly at night. Although after he coughed up his phlem ball onto my chin his chest congestion seems to have gone....which is good....but would have been better if it had gone anywhere but on my chin

I've done 3 days of avocado now with B. He didn't really like it I don't think. I'm going to perservere though, I might mix it in with some other foods......once he has other foods to mix it with! I only managed to get about one spoonful down all three days I gave it to him. He pulled faces, he pushed it out with his tongue, he scooped it out with his finger, he mashed it about his face...and his hands....and his bumbo....and the dogs, they liked it....Yesterday was his third day of it. I think I might try some pumpkin tonight. I might go a different approach though. The avocado I just mushed all up into a pasty puree, I think I might cut the pumpkin into fist size pieces and steam them into mostly mush and then just let him mash them about and play with them, and shove them into his mouth....if he wants.

Sounds like your friends had quite the adventure with X. I guess in some ways it was good that he wasn't perfect with them because at least they'll be somewhat aware of what can/probably will happen, from time to time when they have their own (although you're never truly prepared). It's good that he took a bottle from them though. Would he take it from a sippy cup do you think? I know B tries to drink the left overs out of the tupperware container when we were spoonfeeding him the EBM. He did a fairly good job of it...sometimes.

Delph - WOW 16 brothers and sisters??? as in he's one of 17?? MASSIVE family!! Honestly, despite he fact they are family I think I'd be a bit stressed about it too if it was B. Especially if there are lots of other children as well. I've noticed big families (my mum comes from one) tend to get a bit blase with the children once there are a few of them ITMS. Is there maybe anyway you could mention to your DH how you feel and the two of you work out a strategy so she's maybe not the parcel in pass the parecel so much?

That's great that gumnut is still sleeping thought the night. And I completely get what you mean about the mixed feelings in regards to going back to work. I am looking forward to when I do, in so much as I get to have adult conversation again, but I'm not looking forward to leaving B at daycare, and I'm worried that I';m going to miss so much.

Sal- How did things go with your DH?

Hello to all you other lurkers out there

AFU - B had his big trip down to Sydney Tues/Wed. He is now officially a dual citizen. The little guy was such a trooper through it all. He still didn't feel to good and he hardly got any sleep at all...just too much goign on that was new he just refused to go to sleep, but he hardly made a peep, beyond a giggle or a squeal, the entire two days. He did four plane flights in total, two down and two back and didn't cry on take off or landing until we were making our decent back home last night. By then I think the lack of sleep and not feeling well, and being overwhelmed by everything finally got to him and he just wailed. It felt like ages to me, but everyone around me and all the stuardesses commented on how good he was and how he hardly cried at all, so I think he probably only cried for a couple of mintues, but it felt like ages to me because I hat3e it when he cries, and I felt so helpless. He wouldn't feed while we were landing, poor little belly was probably too full, so his ears started to hurt and he started to cry, then we hit turbulance and he vomited all over and choked a bit which scared him which made him cry more and he just wailed and wailed till he was hoarse, then cried himself to sleep. It just about broke my heart that I couldn't do anything to make him feel better

[delphmoon]

HI guys.

Just want to pop in and say hi. I have come down with a terrible chest infections and its knocking me around abit. DH is playing Mr Mum as I am trying not to go near gumnut- its hard you know- I just want to squeeze her and kiss her all over! Can't wait to give my baby a cuddle!
DH is loving being mr mum- good preparation for next week he says. He told me this morning that DD knows I'm not around and is getting clingy because when he tries to do anything she 'calls out' to him. I explained- well no- thats just DD...THATS why I never finish anything...LOL...he whinged about not being able to sit in the toilet- he has to do 'fly by toilet stops'...ummmm...yes i know the feeling DH..

Hope everyone is going well- hope to d a massive post tomorrow

[OceanPrincess]

Oh Dr T, you poor thing! I've been in almost that exact same situation and I know how horrible it is

And Delph, you poor thing as well!!!

In fact just

[EmmaJane]

Hi ladies. I second OP's !

OP - Woohoo for an evening out with just you and DH. Even if it was fairly short (but if dessert was had, that's the main thing, heh heh) and there was a fair bit of crying at home.

Dr Tal - so how long was it after you introduced rice cereal before you gave B other things?

Is there any recommendation regarding timing of that I wonder? Apart from the cereal manufacturer's recommendation, they'll want you to use that as long as possible, lol.

Sal - Have we heard from you since DH's surgery? Hope it all went well.

Delph - hope you feel better soon! Good luck starting back at work next week. You can bring us news from the real world. I'm back in February, thankfully only 1 day a week to start because I have NOTHING organized for child care yet. I'm on the wait list at 2 day care centres but haven't heard back from either yet.

Experienced mums, can you tell me how they even look after bubs this age at day care? I guess it depends on the centre, but if there's one carer to four babies how do they organize their day?

AFU - T definitely has a tooth on the way, I can feel the bulge at the front of his gum. I remember there was some talk about teething ages ago but don't remember hearing that a tooth had actually surfaced. Have any other teeth in the group come up? When do we start brushing them?

Hee hee, T just sneezed. He always finds it so funny.

Time to start the day I guess! Hope you all have a good weekend.