Feb-May 2011 Mommies

HI Girls,
Congratulations to Emsmom on your baby. All the moms and baby pics are so adorable. My phone doesn’t allow me to put pics onto moomie and I don’t have time to play with photobucket. Oh well. I haven’t been able to get pics on fb either.
Things are rough here at the moment. We all have the flu so if one child isn’t crying then the other is.
I gave up the potty training because Sulaiman decided its more fun to wait 2 minutes after we have taken him off the potty to wee on the carpet, needless to say I decided that I would wait a bit longer, but today I am up in arms. He took his nappy off again and made a huge pooh on the carpet and proceeded to play with it. I didn’t see it but smelt it and didn’t look where I was walking and needless to say I stomped into it and mushed it into the carpet. *PUKE*. I threw him into his bath cos he was covered in it. I had to throw a teddy bear in the wash to. Thank heavens he didn’t get a chance to smear it onto the walls or my bed.
Tomorrow I am going to social services again to hand in all the paperwork for the 2nd child grant. I was there last week to get told what I need. On Friday I am going back to SARS as I was there earlier this week but they turned me away without even letting me in the front door stating they had a 4 hour queue… MY ARSE!!! Sorry that is such a huge lie. So anyway I am going very early on Friday.
Next week I will go to home affairs and ask whats going on with my confirmation letter and go to family court to try find out what the story is there.
My mom has started to feed me thick vegetable soups for lunch to hopefully pick up weight as my weight is still dropping… which is not good at all, but I know it’s the breastfeeding.
I am going to Shariah Court at last next week on Thursday. My husband isn’t in cape town so I am not sure if he is going to come here for it or not, if he doesn’t they will probably grant me my annulment. I called last week and asked them to set a date because they were waiting for me to give birth and I was waiting for a letter and we had crossed lines. My husband STILL thinks I will change my mind and go back to him. He wants to rent a place for me and when he comes to cape town then I must open the door and my legs…. NOT A CHANCE!!!
Table Mountain paid me double so I was honest enough to tell them they have made a mistake but now they are taking forever to tell me how much I have to give them back, I am thinking of telling them, well you guys are so slow that I have spent the money and you will have to take it off when I am back there in October. I think I owe them around R1300 and that money would come in good use now, but I am not sure what the legal angel on this would be…just now they try sue me. I already have standard bank wanting to sue me for R10 000 and I told them to go ahead cos I have no money and all I own is a bed and they won’t get much for it. The sad thing is that R10 000 is debt I created for my husband and he hasn’t paid it back. He owes me close on R40 000 and slowly the people are sending me post demanding the money. I am not stressing about it because I know that something will give at some stage and that debt will get paid.
Abdul goes up to 5 hours without drinking off me so at least I can get things done, but at night sometimes likes to wake up every 2 to 3 hours and have a small drink off me. Last night I was up about 4 times. I am a little tired today as a result, but he is such a little angel and hardly ever cries, long may it last.
Tazzy good luck with the gym, I won’t be heading in that direction any time soon cos I have the opposite problem and to be honest I hate it.
Oh I heard the other day that a lot of the people, nevermind ladies that end up at Groote Schuur that have to have stiches come out looking like they have been butchered like me, so it’s a common thing that happens there. I wonder why though that they do that to the less fortunate people. Its really not the way to treat people.
Joli and Meags I hope that your little ones decide to take the breast at some stage. Sulaiman totally refused the breast by the end of 4 weeks and wasn’t gaining weight, so I lost the battle, but it turned out that he was allergic to it and that’s why he didn’t want it, so that is something to think about.
Anje I am sure your baby will arrive soon!!!
Schatsie and Mistymom, hope you are managing your last few days at work and bet you cannot wait to get on ML.
Sorry about anyone else I have forgotten, its not on purpose.
Chat soon. Hugs

Oh Meags you are doing SO WELL! All that milk OMG how brilliant! Try and remember you are doing YOUR part (being present for M, the breastmilk, etc etc etc) and his unsettledness is just a personal thing for him - I have a GOOD feeling that it's about the tongue thing hey? So glad you could see a professional and he is nice and helpful - and more especially that he saw for his own eyes one of the fits!! Otherwise these ppl think one is over-reacting, so that's awesome. W only briefly gets gas (thank God!) his face goes all red and it's very scary I can only imagine what that's like for a prolonged period - so WELL DONE!!! Also glad you getting dh to participate and it looks like he is doing ok hey? He also looked VERY comfortable with Matthieu as Kimika said - how lovely! Here's to a nice positive change - you must be exhausted though try sleep and pls let us know what specialist says - I am really hoping for you taht once the tongue is sorted you are going to be A for away! Know that for now YOU are doing everything right and that's awesome!!!! Well done.

Lucy - she is too cute! Lovely!!! The feeding sounds like it's going great and the crying jags are good and normal and cleansing! I haven't cried since that first week and it's been the happiest most wonderful time! I agree with Lucy Amy - really really don't be scared! My c-section experience was awesome. I was up and about on like day 2 and within 1 week it was like I'd never had an operation 0 in fact my mom said by day 5 i was like someone who had never had an operation. A positive attitude REALLY does help so try positively affirm "I give birth quickly and easily and my body recovers well after my c-section" it really worked for me. Good luck!! Like Lucy I had an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic in fact they had to knock me out cause I got v distressed but only for few mins then I was back and he was saying ok your baby will be here ni a few mins!! soooo awesome! Feeling the tugging also made it feel 'real' although very strange I must say!!!!!

Kimika LOL the tummy OMG - Meags pls post your belly pics although I will probably be jealous LOL! for the first 4 weeks I was great and lost 10 of the 12 kilos I put on..but this past week oh Lord have been really indulging - well I've been indulging all along actually there's been endless cake and chocs!!! - so have put on a kilo and a half BLEH and am looking very fat and my stomach - the pouch is ridiculous and the top part is also flabby. Ag nee!!! Exercise is going to have to be an essential!!!!! Which I knew, but must not put off any longer!! Really I can't afford not to lsoe the preggy weight PLUS at least another 8 kilos then I won't even be thin-thin just normal nice size 12 weight. Wish me luck but we all know - it's simple but it's HARD!!!!!

I played tennis on sunday and will do again today - very gentle game though lol anythign more than 2 meters away i didn't run for ha ha!

Mistymom and Schatsie - glorious maternity leave starting soon!!!!

AFM william has had his feed and is lying in his cot looking around and waving his arms around .he is such a good baby oh my word - last ngiht we had friends over and he was upstairs (its like a loft setup so you can hear if anything is happening) and I thought he was sleeping and went to check on him and there he was (no dummy) kicking his legs, looking around, all quietly like a little nu=nu angel. So I brought him down to the lounge while we played our boardgame (we never lower our voices etc he is so used to noise by now) and he lay there coo-ing and waving his arms it's toooo cute!!! I think he's not really TRULY smiling so I'm waiting for that - maybe he has once cause there was eye contact but the other times have been rather random! The 'laughing' he does (twice now at night) is beyond gorgeous!!!

My dh is working from home today so i'm upstairs, william is relaxing in his cot and we have classic fm on and the sun is shining and motherhood is so wonderful! How did we exist without this little munchkin before!

Love to everyone
cathm
xxx

testing ticker (wow cant believe Ive had all this time to do all this!! but now its time to wake him for his 50ml...and then need to pump again before dinner)

sorry Faw I forgot you. how are things going?

I am exceptionally jealous about your weight loss. man I was so sad to only have lost 5kg with the birth!! was hoping for 7kg...oh well.
kimika my tummy is also floppy and gross. I hate it and all my clothes are tight fitting...arg.

took a pic of tummy 1 day post delivery and 5 days post delivery. will post them now (for those who want to see how one's tummy evolves afterwards...) of course everyone is different so this is my progress (which seems is no progress!)

KarinM and Tazzy I guess you are super busy with your babies...saw on FB Tazzy is back to gym. Hope I find the energy somewhere to do something after the 6 week check up.

ok hope you all enjoyed the manual I just posted!

ok I am going to try catch up and post before Matthieu needs me AGAIN

ok firstly I just have to say, I always thought at first "Why cant the moms post when their babies sleep?" Well now I know why!!!

I am going to give you my update then do personals if Matt allows...

ok breastfeeding is none existent. He refuses to latch and gets so worked up at the breast eventually he is blood read, screaming his lungs out and can hardly breathe. I have tried to perservere and keep going for like 20-30 minutes hoping he'll give in, or get so hungry he'll latch - but he doesnt. then his feed is a nightmare and he gets all crampy from swallowing so much air from crying...

So when we got back from the hospital I tried to pump with the manual pump and it was useless. so ordered DH to take me to buy electric pump as if M refuses to latch - I will express for him.
So we do that - and it costs close to R3000. Not sure DH is very happy about that but by this time I hadn't expressed for about 6 hours and my boobs were about to explode, red hot and sore.

So M's first "attack" (crying spell) happened shortly after getting home. DH went upstairs and didnt come back down. Eventually after more than 1 hour of attack M gave in and slept. I went to see what DH was doing- he was f+*king sleeping!!! Well I just about lost it. Ended up going into the bathroom and crying. At this stage I had only had about 5 hours of sleep in 4 days so exhaustion was an understatement.

M has these "attacks" for most feeds now. Even when I dont try the breastfeeding. He is so hysterical. So anyway its horrible and it really doesnt help with my mom in the background saying "ah shame" " poor baby" etc. I mean I am trying my best...

He is eating like a real pig. He drinks about 100ml EBM (expressed breast milk) and like an hour into fighting with him to get him to try sleep or at least stop crying, he wants another 40ml of something (EBM or formula). And this is like every 3 hours, sometimes less. You can see he's not actually still hungry, but feeding him is the only thing that stops him from crying!!!!! So we saw the paed today and he confirmed that Matt is over eating. He should not get more than 50ml per feed so he suggests I rather do more frequent feeding with smaller amounts. He was born weighing 3280 and left hospital weighing 3200. He now weighs (after 2 days at home) 3370. so yes...he has gained way too much already!!!!

my day routine is in a 3 hour period...
so first I pump (about 30 minutes to pump, put into storage, clean pump). Then feed Matt (30 mins) Then an hour of "attack". then 1 hour (or less if he wakes before) to clean the bottles, eat or sleep or whatever then it all starts again. so it really sucks and I wish he would just latch...

Paed says it sounds like the attacks are gas...so the smaller amounts of food should help this, plus some other over the counter medication (like telement) and soy based formula (if I give formula). so please God let this work. he also says M might not be latching as he is a bit 'tongue tied'. his frenulum (piece of skin under the tongue) is quite far forward and may require to be snipped. so tomorrow I am seeing a lactation consultant who will assess if the tongue tie is affecting the feeding and hopefully she can get this child to flippin latch cos no one else can (all the nurses and 2 lactations in the hospital couldnt succeed except for once)

DH took over during one of the attacks last night and it was around the time he usually goes to bed so I was impressed he even offered to help. But after about 45 minutes I told him to go to bed as it was getting late and baby just was not happy...he also called me today to see how I am and if I managed to get a sleep so that was nice since he never calls for anything. he took thursday and friday off (we were in hospital and baby mainly in NICU), saturday he worked and slept at home to get some rest. sunday he slept while baby screamed. monday he took off cos I told him to stay home and sleep as I was so pissed off that he didnt help on sunday so I said he must catch up on sleep and start playing his part. today he's back at work. he will take paternity leave from 15-25 April. my mom leaves on 21 April so at least we will have a few days alone together and hopefully by then M is more relaxed and in a routine.

my stitches are slowly getting better but I have a very heavy pressure feeling down there?? any ideas anyone? And I think there is a laceration on the other labia that wasnt stitched and it is burning a lot quite often! eek! but otherwise I am so so. breasts are sore (guess thats normal) but I kind of 'enjoy' pumping to see what I can achieve at each pumping session!! on a bad one I only get 75ml and on a good one I get 110ml. So at least it is definitely enough for a feed at this stage. got lots in the fridge. I am exceptionally tired though. my mom looked after him this morning so I could nap but I could hear him screaming his lungs out and I really didnt rest. when he finally settled, I think I slept for 30 minutes then woke up in a panic like I was running late for something or not sure what I was suppose to be doing.

ok I think thats all my news...got newborn shoot on Friday - hope M is more settled by then. Paed I have is amazing. what an incredible guy. he told me if M is not better by Thursday at the latest, we must try something else (maybe reflux meds) as he doesnt want me suffering for a week. Also M had an attack at the paed (most of the time I was there!) so paed saw exactly what I was talking about and was actually quite distressed that M would not settle, even with a bottle or a dummy or being held or rocked or anything! He referred me to lactation consultant too for help (and for tongue tie) so he seems really nice. he also said to call any time of day or night if I need him and he'll phone me back!

Lucy - congrats on Tessa! She is absolutely divine. Wow all the girls born are beautiful! Sorry about your experience - but glad you loved your birth anyway.

BettyF hope all is going well and you get the nursery stuff going!

Rakker - hello!

MistyMom and Schatsie - only a few days of work left. Man you must be SOOO excited!!!!!!!
MistyMom - well done on completing ante natal classes - do u feel ready?
Schatsie - how is the pain?? are you using all the pillows every night now to help?

EmsMom - congrats on your girl am I allowed to say congrats on your fatty boom boom?? I dont mean it in a bad way I just love fatty boom booms!! they are so squishy and cute. Bet your DH is ecstatic its another girl

Kimika your cupcakes are divine and I am sure u are going to look gorgeous at the wedding.

Joli - sorry about Callum fighting the breast - at least he has taken it!! I have to say that at first I wasnt bothered about just expressing for M. But each day I am growing very heart sore that he wont latch. I really feel like I'm missing out on something special and it hurts me that he wont even try

Cath - you are so lucky with William! arg I wish Matt was a good baby. But honestly - he is far from it. He doesnt go longer than 3 hours between feeds and then its a fight to go back to sleep each time. I feel so bad that I even say he's not a good baby - but mommy is tired and I feel like nothing can just go right or easy!! Since the labour there have been problems with everything and I'm really just wishing just one thing could work out right for once.

Amy - please dont be scared for your birth! a c-section is not that bad. you can make it special and unique just think that in 1 week you'll be holding your precious bundle

Anje - wow you still going...sometimes I think it would be better to still be pregnant than going through all this drama at the moment glad you're enjoying it - you're so patient!!!!!! ok things I can think of to help bring on labour that are safe/non invasive:
-bounce on birth ball
- long walks
- eat hot spicy foods
- Eat eggplant parmiagane (apparently labour starts within 48 hours later...it did for me!)
- watch videos of childbirth on YouTube (got this tip from one lady...I went into labour that night!!!)
- Evening primrose capsules (2 vaginally, 2 orally) to try help soften the cervix to prepare for labour
- Talk to the baby and ask her to come out
- Jump up and down
- nipple stimulation (15 minutes each nipple at least 5 times per day)
- sex
ok thats all I can remember for now...

ok that is all I can remember. I am so sorry for anyone I forgot.
and I dont know when I can post again - I just dont get a chance with this naughty rascal who never sleeps. If we can just get him to relax and get onto the breast, that will save the 1 hour of fighting and the 30 minutes of pumping. so already more time in the day to rest/moomie!

Congrats Emsmom!!! So happy for you and your family on her safe arrival. I am sure you are loving evry moment.

Meags - What a gorgeous family!! You all look so content. M is too cute, I love the one of him in the car seat How is the bonding going now that you are home?

Amy - Lots went wrong in my c sec and I can honestly say I loved evry minute of it. It is only the recovery which I am finding traumatic. But I am a big girl and can deal with that.
I imagine your concerns are the before and going in etc...... I was a bit nervous but also excited so I didn't find that bad in the end. Also evryone from the various drs, nurses, midwives etc were sooooo nice and caring and comforting that really don't stress. The absolute sorest thing about the whole procedure is putting the drip in your hand. You feel NO pain but you can feel movement etc. Which I had heard about before and that also worried me, but I ended up loving it as I felt I could feel the birth, my DH is not squeamish so he watched and I got him to tell me evrything they were doing. So I had an idea of what all the movements were about. Honestly I loved my birth and wouldn't change a thing. It is just unfortunate about the complications and I am paying now. But I know I will get there soon. Take care hun and try make the most of it, because it will be so much nicer if you have a positive birth experience. That is what I hols onto when the pain gets too much. PM me if you have any other questions. I will do my beat to get online but I am battling to at moment.

HEY TO ALL MY FRIENDS!!! So sorry I am so absent, Tessa has jaundice so having to up her feeding which leaves me with no time!! But we are home now and still loving every moment. Had lots of Cath's crying "jags" but that is just what they are ..... next moment I am holding my scar I am laughing so had when DH gets poo and wee everywhere ....... go Tessikins!!

Hi girls!! Well our adsl line is out AGAIN!!! Can you believe it!!!?? And the 3g is sooo super slow..

Meags, thanks for sharing those pics!!! He is just too cute for words with those cheeks!! Your hubby looks really comfortable with him? Im burning to hear how things are going and if he is *enjoying his paternity leave* How are things going with Matt now? Ag I can just imagine how much you are enjoying him now! Already seems ages ago that you were still preggie hey! How are the stitches doing now?

Betty, hope the tabs work! hehe.. I also did the same mistake on ordering the cot etc too late with my first boy. Only got them at 38wks!! And by then I was begging the lady to put a rush on things.

Joli, R does the exact same thing with pulling away and moaning and kicking. I even remember Pieter doing the same thing! Thats why I mentioned the paed telling me that at about 8wks they go through this fighting thing that they will fight breast. So not sure if its that.. sometimes I think its because R has a wind and he is still hungry (thats why he tries to latch) but then the wind is bothering him so he gets upset... other theory is that he is actually full already but just wants to suckle a bit and the milk is in the way? Im putting out all my theories here ! LOL

So great that he is weighing in so well now!! He grew a lot the last month hey? And I totally agree, it helps a lot to see them grow if you breastfeed since you are never sure of yourself

Anje, how you feeling???????? hehe.. Im going to ask you every day! I believe in walking lots, and birthing ball. I also did squats with my first boy. Try Meags' method of cooking up a storm How did the brazilian go? I guessed baby will come today so I was wrong there too. I got my dress today.. little bit boring I must say.. need to find something to spice it up a bit *sigh* And I had to go buy one of those Woolies grandma panties to tuck in my tummy Its all floppy and huge and there is no indication that its going to get smaller soon.. Ill have to start considering excersise!

Mistymom, yay for completing your antenatal course! What do you guess your baba to be?? Any sixth sense about it? (no need to tell you mine was wrong with myself too )

Schatsie, glad your dr is still happy with you guys. So must I change your c-sec date to the 21st??

Cath, it could very well have been a proper smile! I had one from R already and his brother smiled at 4wks too. You will see the smile is in response to you talking or cooing at him, and he will look you straight in the eye. The gassy ones are just random and he will prob be looking away.

So the 3 first born tiny darkhaired boys are all measuring the same now How cute!!!

Found an interesting article on surviving the first 6wks

www.fitpregnancy.com/yournewlife/motherhood/40731392.html