Re: New Mommies to be May, June & July 2011

MsDee, I had 3 months unpaid leave and you can't imaginge the debt I have to get rid of now... So I would have loved to have paid leave, even if it was just for 3 months. And for the BF issue, good on you for making the decision as I know it wasn't easy. You gave your baby the best you could for as long as you could, so well done!

Laurakim, I have to drag myself out of bed these days. But I am sure I will adapt and make changes so I can get more sleep, because that is the thing that gets to me most. Last night I had to get up for Cherise twice and once for Alexander (he couldn't find his dummy after letting it fall off the bed ). And that in a night of 6 hours. So I really must try to get into bed earlier. Just not sure if that will happen, because there are just so many things to do from the time we get home.

PhilipaJane - I do the same with the gripe water and I have some herbal life aloe which a friend recommended which I use as well! We have started Jack on rooibos tea - some days he loves it and others he hates it

I really want to start introducing formula. I am not enjoying breastfeeding any more. I dont mind the night feeds because he generally only has 2 of those and goes down easily but I really want my days back!

Ms Dee - I totally understand your decision on breastfeeding - I am nearly there too. I want my body back - its been almost a year that I have given it to Jack and I do/did it willingly and happily but right now I want it back!

Rakker - sorry Those first few months back at work are the hardest!!!

Hello

I seem to be getting to a point where i don't even think about my boy when i know i have to be away from him for a long time. I went from not being able to even function when away from him and obsessing, to now just being at peace. But when i'm around him i still find it difficult to allow anyone else to touch him incl, his dad!

@Laurakim, Jack is sooooo cute!

@Rakker, i fully agree with you. Hence it makes me so mad when companies won't even give for months paid ML. At least mine is four months paid and an optional extra 2 which you need to claim from UIF. But still that's only available from management upwards. The rest only get paid a portion, the rest they have to claim from UIF! Such things really make me mad!

TaNasha any news?

I finally decided to stop BF but no one seems to quite get it esp hubby. I have really come to a point where i had to say, it's my body and i can do what i want. The only person i owe anything to is my boy, who seem to be enjoying formula and doesn't have any stomach upsets except the poop does have a stronger smell for bottle fed babies. And maybe i'm not taking it so well either as my doctor gave me anti-enxiety meds cause I crued a whole lot when i finally had to admit the whole thing wasn't working.

Enjoy you day ladies. will chat again later.

Hello all! Hugs to the mommies feeding and expressing themselves to death . I need to express 400ml every day for the feeds at the creche and it really gets to me. I am seriously contemplating sending formula to creche, but I have promised myself to only start doing that when she is 4 months old. I will still breastfeed at home, of course. Don't know if my boobs will survive it if I do not express at work, though . I might still express once at work for this purpose and by doing that I will ensure that I still have sufficient milk supply. I am renting an electrical pump as I didn't have the R1000 for the Medela mini electric conversion kit. And I definitely couldn't keep up expressing with the manual pump.

Cherise is doing well. She goes to bed late, usually after few short naps in her bouncer chair thingy in the kitchen. Then she wakes up once during the night and then only at around 5, when I also get up in any case. During the day when I am at home (weekends) she feeds often, too often actually. I'm just glad she doesn't do that at night. She laughs and "talks" so cute these days. I do miss being at home with her and it gets to me at times. I really think it is criminal to not be with a baby most of the day for the first 6 months. I think they have an emotional need for it. But maybe that's just my mommy hormones talking.

I realise more and more how difficult it is to be a mother. And even more difficult to be a working mother. *Sigh*. Let me go back to work. Meeting in 20 minutes .

...

PhilipaJane - you have just described my life!!!!!!!! Jack also did the 2 hour thing and I cried and cried. David was in CT so his moms came and spent the weekend with me.

Karien - agree about the routine. Even though all they need is food they are exhausting and I never seem to get anything done. My friend has lent me her tigo wrap though and I LOVE it. I pop Jack in it and I can do what I need to.

We are now feeding 3.5-4 hours - mostly 4 hours though thank fully. I am also expressing for days like saturday where we had soccer for 3 hours and their is nowhere to sit comfortable to feed and really I don't need 100 10 year old boys asking me what I am doing And also so D and I can go out for longer than 3 hours.

I had my 6 week check up today and all is well. Jack goes this afternoon for his injections and then to the paed tomorrow afternoon!

Some recent pics of my gorgeous boy

TaNasha, can't believe the "baby" of the thread is almost having her baby. Not too long now! Sorry for no other personals. I really need to work. I have a meeting at 12 .

This "granny" of the thread is already back at work. I started last week Wednesday and boy, it's hard to be back. At least this time I cried a few less tears when I dropped my LG off at creche. But I really miss her terribly. I mean, we were together for 3 months and of course the almost 9 months before her birth. But life goes on, what can I say.