Babies April 2015

Hi Ladies!!

I have just figured out that exactly now a year ago I went into labour....couldn't help thinking of you all!!

Nelsn, how was your boys first birthday?!!

We had a lovely day in the bush veld yesterday celebrating her birthday with family and friends (that is actually tomorrow).
I baked a beautiful cake. Will post a pic as soon as I get some pics from the photographer.

Hope everyone is doing well and will be enjoying the "big one" birthday that are still coming for the other mommies later this month.

xx

Hi Ladies

I am sorry I have been so scarce. Seems I hardly get time these days to breathe. Battling to balance baby, work and finishing my studies. I have read back on all your news. so lovely to get an update. I love seeing those of you I am friends with on facebook... much easier to scroll on there with one hand while feeding than type on here haha!

I guess a brief summary of where we are now will suffice as an update for now. After all the bed rest etc... I was a whopping 96kg... I am now down to 76kg but still far away from where I was before all this baby stuff haha... battling with the last kilos. Thankfully my muscles have knitted nicely, I cannot imagine what you ladies are going through

Baby E is a big strapping boy... very broad with a rather large head... which apparently caused all my pregnancy issues haha. He is a very happy child and at 9 months and two weeks he is eating solids like a beast, has one tooth, is crawling and using everything he can move to help him walk around He loves water and his doggie and is generally a happy child. We had a rough first 6 months with bad colic and reflux but that's all better now He loves school and playing with other kids... he has only caught two bugs at school thankfully so I think we are doing well healthwise. We are loving cloth diapering and I weaned him off breast milk at 6 months... mainly coz I was very ill and lost all my milk... I would have loved to carry on.

Excited to start chatting on here again. I am seriously battling with this teething story... some nights he is in so much pain he just lies in my arms and sobs

Hi Ladies!!

It is wonderful to hear from you and read your posts!!!

RonelleB - Baby L is adorable!!! Those cheeks are just too cute!
Shame, the tonsilitis is unpleasant, my first girl got it the first time just after she was a year old and not ever again. Weird.
Baby M is now just over 9 months and she has had a cold 4 times already! She gets it from her sister who gets it from school...
Thank you so much for the recommendation for the "good night people". I have the card stuck to my fridge and will use them when our own methods are not working anymore - which might be soon as the 8 - 10 month sleep regression has hit us hard! Some nights are better but some nights are just HECTIC!! I am still breastfeeding and all she wants to do some nights are drink the whole time...I guess it will get better in a years time or so??! I am with you about the chocking, last week I was about to call an ambulance as she choked on water and was getting all red in the face without breathing which felt like FOREVER! You are so right about the holiday....! Things do get easier as theay grow, but I reckon I will have a normal holiday once the kids are grown and out of the house one day.

I also have diastis recti. Because I have lost so much weight with the whole prolapse condition I don't see the tummy bulge so much, but I can feel a huge gap in the muscles when I lie down. I am not doing any exercises for it except my recommended prolapse exercises which is also safe with diastis recti. But I know that a fisio will be able to help you with the correct exercises as traditional tummy crunches will worsen diastis recti. Best to get expert help because doing more tummy exercises won't help if you aren't doing the right type of exercises.

We have that funny hair washing hat but she just pulls it off before we can pour the water over her head...mmm

Nelsn - Wow, it is amazing how fast time is flying - he is almost walking?!! I totally agree that they grow up way too fast. This time round with a second baby it is going so FAST. I am also still BF with one formula supplement at bedtime (which I doubt is making her sleep better...). My cycle hasn't returned yet due to the breastfeeding which I am so thrilled about! I am loving the BF so much this time except I am ready to night wean (if possible). Are you stil BF at night?

Seems as if the boys have quite an appetite?! It feels as if I am perpetually making baby food and freezing it into little cubes and bowls!!

On my side:

Baby M is a real busy body and climbs onto everything and rides her feeding chair like a rodeo!! It is impossible to keep her strapped into any device to feed her (We have 2 feeding chairs and a stroller as feeding stations) so I have resorted to putting her food on the floor (I know this is crazy) at times with the dog closed in another room otherwise it is a circus show!! She has no fear and I reckon she is going to be swinging by the curtains in a months time! She is the total opposite of my first child which is quite special to witness how they are totally different. Her big sister loves her to bit and loves to play with her despite the huge age gap. We are really such a blessed little family now.

Baby M still needs her checkups for normal skull growth till 18 months but so far so good. She is also on an iron supplement as the pead said her colour doesn't look good. He said I must also have my iron checked since extended breastfeeding can deplete your iron stores fast.

I will keep the prolapse rant short as I know this isn't really pleasant chit chat....There has been at least some improvement with symptoms of the prolapse. The intensity of the chronic pain in my pelvis has decreased and I do have times during the day with no or little pain which I am insanely grateful for. My uterus is still just barely inside my body and it doesn't seem as if it is going to move up by itself. I still have great difficulty going to the toilet and are on chronic stool softners as prescribed by the doctor. I still battle to accept that this has happened to me but I guess I need more time to process the huge change in my quality of life. In the meantime I have heard of so many other ladies suffering prolapse, even my mother in law, it really just seems as if women do not talk about it. Anyway, I am trying my best to take each day as it comes and do my exercises and be grateful for all the blessings I do have.

I hope to hear from the other ladies too?!

Will try and post a pic later. xx

Baby k is 10 months today, loves to dance and sing to any tune that plays. He is trying to walk but still prefers holding onto items for balance. He is growing up way too fast. Am still b/feeding, tried giving him a bottle to no success. He EATS alot like his brother, its like he has a sack somewhere that is always empty. His brother is enjoying being with him.
How are the rest of the mommies doing?

Oh how nice to hear from you Ronelle. She is beautiful. Beautiful eyes.
Im so glad to hear she is enjoying daycare. Nothing makes a parent happy then know your baby is well taken care of and happy too. You sound like you doing well, change is hard at times especially when a new little person comes into our lives. I hope you still find time to chill with hubby and enjoy each other. Glad to here the sleep training worked well. You have started a great ritual of reading books, glad to hear she even cries for one. Please keep us update.

Oh helloooooo fellow mommies! Geez, it feels like a lifetime since I last logged in here (yes, things got a bit out of hand and hectic!). How is everyone? I do miss our chit chats

An update on things my side:
Laila is now 8 mnths 1 week... she's well rounded (not fat! ) and still above average in length - says the pead. She has 1 tooth only and is still not crawling though I see her trying to motion herself every now and again so I suspect it will happen soon enough. She still suffers with some reflux but much less so than in the beginning. In the interim it's become clear that she has tonsil issues. She's had two severe bouts of tonsillitis in the last 3 months soooo it gets a bit rough at times. She absolutely hates washing her hair at bath times - but loves the bath and splashing about. She also loves her daycare group and teachers and has turned out to be quite the social butterfly (unlike her mom!). She can wave and loves a good giggle, always having a smile ready for whoever comes around. We've consulted with Good Night Baby (sleep therapy people) and we're having waaaayyyyy better sleep at night - recommend them! She's also now eating bits n bops by herself like bits of chicken, banana, pumpkin, cheese, noodles, and of course the occasional Boudoir biscuit. It's scary though as I always freak out thinking she's going to choke. She has become somewhat addictive to bedtime stories and books and I have to physically hide her book until she finishes her bottle else she won't finish it and screams for the book!

It has been rough, tough and quite the experience for me. I really struggled with getting used to the change in my life and lifestyle - still getting there! - but I guess I am getting there. We had a little holiday over December - went to the coast - but like I said to DH, it really is not a holiday anymore, it is just parenting elsewhere!! I am ever so grateful for daycare - though I miss her during the day and feel guilty for not seeing her so much and or spending more time with her, it does help a lot to have a spot where she is safe and cared for so I can get some of my senses back!

I have thankfully lost a bit of my pregnancy weight - just struggling as I have severe diastasis recti i.e. lending to a rock hard but very protrusive mummy tummy and I can't seem to mend those muscles again. I am trying all sorts of exercises, but any suggestions will help?

Mmmm, I know I haven't even scratched the surface with everything I want to share with you guys but I think this will be a good start. Please let's resume this chat so we can exchange ideas, advice and support?


PS Attaching a pic or two... cause you know we need to brag!

Hello Moms how is everyone doing? Been unable to post due to the site not loading on my phone for some odd reason.