Jan/Feb/Mrch 2012 Momies to Be

Hi Ladies,

Just a quick update as I need to get back to work. For those of you not on my Face Book. Milah is 2.6 kg's and doing well. C section has now been moved to 3 February so only 17 more sleeps.

Juandre congrats on passing your exam.

Anyone heard from Mummoo?

Latest calendar attached. Again if there is anymore info I can add pls let me know.

Thank you so much for the advice Amanda. We have also told M about the baby from the beginning. And she will come and say kiss baby and will kiss my belly. She even tries to give her dummy to my belly button- LOL!!! She loves other babies and runs up to any pram to have a look.
I had a friend tell me (she has 5 kids) that whilst breastfeeding she would use that time to read stories to the older siblings.

Guilt is so a mother thing, no matter how old your kids are. Shiloe is a very independent 9 year old and I always feel guilty that I dont do enough.

AFM- I only went to be at 12 last night after covering all of Shiloe's books and putting her name on every koki, pencil, pen etc... I told DH that this year I am sending it all to her dad to do. Ive done it for 4 years now it is his turn. I also warned DH that we when our two little ones are at school Shiloe will be old enough to do her own stationery and that he will be doing one and I will do the other. Dad's always seem to get off lightly!!!

So I passed my exam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to get over 94% and I got 97%.... I was so sure I wouldnt get the 94% required. Now I have 4 more of these exams to do to get my certification- shew!!!

Juandre - since my pregnant bump showed we'd tell Dieter that there was a baby inside my tummy. As soon as we found out it was a girl we'd tell him that his sister was inside my tummy. We always referred to her as HIS sister to make him feel more a part of the whole thing. I bought this little book for ten bucks about this boy who's mommy is pregnant, and she's going to go to the hospital and granny is going to look after him and they will bring home a brother or sister for him. Don't know if that helped him.
I think in a way we were "lucky" that we could ease Dieter into it - introducing him to Vica. First at hospital he was able to see her every now and again even though she didn't look like a baby with all those tubes and being in an incubator.
We just carried on tell him that was HIS sister.
IF ever she opened her hand we'd say she was waving at him. He'd then wave back. So cute
Then he started going with me to hospital and saw her closer. Then also I breastfed her in front of him (he is still being breastfed too - that was my biggest worry).
We also kept telling him (when we knew it was closer to the time) that his sister will be coming home to live with us.
Now that she's home we involve him. He washes her feet when we bath her and when we change her nappy he wipes bum cream on her belly button (her belly button sticks out and will (apparently) eventually be "flush" because of the tubes that were in there.
The best advice I got was to always put the older one first because they are old enough to remember. The baby won't remember if you let them cry just 10 seconds longer (for arguement's sake) to attend to the older sibling.
Today is my first day alone with DIeter and Vica (hubby went back to work). And I am so scared I don't do enough to reassure Dieter that we love him just as much. a mother thing I suppose
For now we are luck that she sleeps a lot.
I think its going to be harder when Vica is older and stays awake longer and wanting attention... I"ll cross that bridge when I get there.

Chubbychick yip we are about a week apart in our due dates - I am due the 16th of March How was your pizza evening - that is so nice that you got away for some time with your DH.

Carol all the best for appointment. Your lb is going to be here so soon I bet you cant wait. How is school going with Ruan?

Carlene sorry about all the work you have to do. That is awesome that things are still on track for your vbac - I really hope it works out for you!

Annie it is definitely normal to feel guilty. I still feel guilty and my LG is 2 and a half. I never feel like I am doing the best job I can with her and yet she is happy and healthy. You could never have known she wasnt getting enough milk and it was great of you to ask for advice which then showed that to you. Eglynol is very good for making more milk and so is the jungle juice recipe Juandre put up. It also helps with overall energy! You are doing a great job - the most important thing Talluah needs is love

Juandre so glad you had a nice weekend away but that sucks that there was no fans, the heat is so hectic this time of year. YAY on MG sleeping better - hope it continues and just gets better and better. Thanks for the jungle juice recipe - I lost mine

I have an appointment on Wednesday - I cant wait to see how things are going with my LG and to see how much she weighs.
Bekah is settled in nicely at school so that is good. We took the dummy away this weekend and it went much better than anticipated - she cried a little for it Friday night, didnt ask for it on saturday night and only asked for it twice yesterday but no crying. She only had it for sleep time but she had chewed it so we decided to just cut it out now.

Zelf goodluck with paed appointment this week

Morning Ladies,

I see there have been no new arrivals

Zel- what a gorgeous pic of Millay, she really is beautiful!!!

Zel/ Amanda-MG will be 21 months when this baby is born, any advice on how to socialise her into it all?

Annie- I used Eglynol the whole year I bf. I only started when I started to express and didnt have enough for a whole feed. When I was just bf her she was putting on lots of weight so there was enough milk. Some woman can express enough for more than a feed other woman dont manage a feed- I am one of those. I have told my gynae I want to be put onto Eglynol beofre I leave the hospital. Another thing is to try the Jungle Juice-

1L Apple/ Grape Juice
1L Water
60mls Schlehen Blackthorn Berry Elixir
1 sachet rehydrate
I used this from the time I got home from hospital for the first few weeks. You drink a glass or two with every feed. It is great for energy too.

AFM- we had a lovely time away except the place didnt have any fans- I mean it was a 4 star guest lodge, how can the rooms not have aircon or fans especially in Natal. So I didnt sleep very well
McKeilagh is sleeping much better, only waking at 4ish. I then take her back to her bed and she sleeps another hour or so.

Lumine-Annie your LG is gorgeous and I love that little pink romper she's wearing. I used to be so anti-pink but now that Vica's home I just want PINK PINK PINK! ha ha ha

I also set my alarm for midnight, 3am and 6am, so remember, you are not alone

I have no idea who Vica looks like, I can never tell, even with my son Dieter. But sure enough everyone comments. One person will tell me Dieter looks like me and then another will say he looks like his dad. Frankly I don't give a damn.

You say you don't know how the ladies can post here with kids at home, what impresses me is how you remember everyone's name and story and reply to each person. That's why I stay quiet mostly. I'll just get confused with who did what. I remember the stories I read but don't remember which story belongs to which name!

Good luck with the breastfeeding, don't give up. Expressing is annoying. I hated that when Vica was in hospital. Blegh. Glad those days are over. I have to just complain however. I went to the labour ward to get my bottles of milk from their freezer (we all know breastmilk is liquid gold....) so a cleaning lady emptied them all! She probably knew Vica has left the hospital so just assumed I forgot the milk there and threw it away.

Its strange to me having a baby who sucks a dummy. But they had to let her suck a dummy in hospital to practice her sucking reflex. They'd drop breastmilk in her mouth with the dummy so she'd continue sucking.

Every night after the 9pm feed, when I put her down she's restless and I give her the dummy and she goes bedonnerd She sucks that dummy like she hasn't been fed! I have an idea she's actually doing the cluster feed thing night time. Its just at night between 9pm and midnight (when I want to go to sleep!). When she's not happy with the dummy I give boob again. Its a bit difficult as her pediatrician said strictly 3 hourly feeds so I can't let her sleep longer (i've said this haven't I... sorry) Can't wait for her to get fatter so I can let her sleep! My luck the fatter she gets the more she'd want to feed ha ha ha

Hope you are all having a relaxing weekend. Good luck for those still working, may maternity leave come quickly so you can (try) rest before your little one comes.

Hubby is going back to work on Monday and I'll be alone at home with a newborn and a 20 month old (ooohhh 21 month old tomorrow!) toddler. Vica would've been born via C-section on MOnday 16th of January. So MOnday she's officially a newborn

I have been super blessed and I appareciate my little girl who's had such a rough start to life and that she's come this far.

When Vica was born I joined preemie groups and forums to learn more. It's a sad "place" those prem baby groups and forums. There's always a little one that doesn't make it or whom is born with problems. I am super blessed. Thank God.

Take care ladies. Enjoy your pregnancies and babies x

1 week old Tallulah