Feb-May 2011 Mommies

Howdy ladies!

Well its finally week-end and I dont have to set my alarm tomorrow!! Em sleeping out tonight so I can just chill tonight

Misty, nice to hear from you! Dont worry about R's weight gain, you cannot over feed a BF baby! With Em she was "over-weight" but as soon as she started walking the became skinny.
And look at Kate, she was 6.2kg at 8weeks! Gaining 500g a week, the nurse says its wonderful!
Also, with having wine - go ahead and dont worry about it hitting your breastmilk, I have a vodka everynight. You have to drink a serious amount before it will get near your breastmilk.

Meags, maybe when you chat with Mael, do not make it about you - dont say you need the help cause then he can throw the nanny or maid argument at you. Tell him you worry about Mat not knowing his dad, and that it is so important for a relationship to start early.

Betty, glad Sarah is gaining nicely, and good luck with the building! You are braver than me!

Lucy I clip it before, and just leave them clipped, the nappy will strech a bit. Although Kate is now getting too big for them and I'm needing to unclip.

Kimika, I hope R's night time sleeps inprove, not nice when you've gotten settled into something and it changes for the worse!

Cath, how were the shots? Hope he looking like he's getting better. Great news on the sleep. Kate also gave me 6.5hours last night. I love it!

So I had a bit of a burn out this week, got pyhsically sick yesterday and spent the first half of the day vomitting, and the second half sleeping. But at least feeling better today. Got my cousins baby shower tomorrow, but thats all, and thankfully only at 2pm so I can sleep in

Hi ladies

Friday already, the weeks seem to fly by. Sarah is 4 weeks today!
And finally the building work has started. So far so good, the are considerate and not too disturbing. The work is all exterior so far, so no workers in our house.

Schatsie- I think Arno's weight gain is great. He was due on the same day as Sarah, and she is weighing about 4kg now. Although some of her new born outfits are getting a bit tight for her, I have the same problem with the 0-3 month clothing being too big.

Cath- how did it go at the clinic? Is W still sneezy? Hope he does not get sick..

Meags- you are lucky to have such a wonderful person as your Godmother!
To get DH to help is really difficult. The reality of the situation is that the men just carry on with their lives and the mom takes on the new responsibility. In our family got DH to help with M by bathing him, and also he used to walk him up and down the house when he screamed for hours with his colic and reflex problems. Now with Sarah's arrival, he really does not do much to help with her, but still helps bath M, reads to him and puts him to bed.
It is difficult as Sarah is a needy baby and cries the minute you put her down, and holding her all day is draining...
But start off by getting him to do small things, cleaning the bottles.
As for your MIL, I would wait until you get to France and see how you feel about her looking after M when you are there. I went to Madeira with my in laws thinking they would loom after M and DH and I would go out, but the opposite happened, my in laws went out till all hours and we came home earlier - lol.

Kimika- well done on the early morning baking..I do hope that R changes that night time routine quickly.

Mistymom- great to hear your news. And what a day from hell. I too would be fuming and need a glass of wine. I did have a glass of champaign with a friend lad Saturday.
Your clinic sister sounds Devine. I just get a wick weigh and chat for R60. Going again on Monday.

Oh as for the washing machine, I think I must turn the temperature down and I will get a shorter cycle. Thanks fir that tip. Og course it would help if I read the Manuel.

Lucy- I am dreading the jabs for Sarah, and I so hope they don't bring any constipation or anything with it.

Anyhow - got tea at the clinic today and this afternoon we will be visiting my Mom.
Have a wonderful day everyone!

Quick one!

Misty- Tessa put on 600g in 12days on BM. In fact she still gains between 250 and 300g a week. So don't worry. I was a very fat baby and was not/ am not fat as an adult. Your day deserved the vino. I had half a glass last weekend and did not express the milk, fed as normal and tessa is none the wiser. She just had a happier mommy!

Meags just a comment about massaging. Tessa hated it too when I bathed before a feed. Now I bath after a feed and she loves her massage. In fact I now do it after her 10am feed too, when I change her nappy. I use a baby massage oil from woolies. It is my best time of day with her. She smiles, laughs and chats away. Even loves the tummy time while I msg her back.

Kimika my gut still tells me it was the jabs for tessa. The first 2 weeks were a nightmare she cried so much and you could hear the pain, she eventually sounded tired with the pain too. Week 3 things started getting a bit better and the last 4 or 5 days I have a new child. Jabs due again now though, grr. My understanding is it is from the rotarix, which I don't think they get at 10 weeks only 14weeks when their digestive systems are a little more mature. I hope I am right about not this time, must check her card and see.
Whoop whoop on the last order. Bummer that it took so long though.

Missesmom. Do you clip the cherub tree smaller before or after putting in the insert? Seems to long for after . Loving my big padded bum.

Hi Girls

Kimika - I guess men are like that...and I suppose a lot of them don't help with the feeds...and I know he probably will be more involved when Matt is bigger. But I think since Matt is a high needs baby, he needs to be more involved as I am totally exhausted by the evening. Thank the Lord the colic has been gone about 3 weeks now or I honestly think I would have comitted suicide. But the feeds are SO draining emotionally and since I have to carry Matt the whole time he's awake and either put him in the sling and do face paced walking or bouncing, or rock him in my arms, I am physically exhausted too. I also think its more the concept of it...I wonder if he actually volunteered to help if I would even make him. Since he has been doing the 7am feed on Sunday I usually never give him the feed if it's before 7. So if Matt feeds at 6am - I do that feed and leave DH to sleep until the next feed at 9am.
As for the feeding...if he was taking 60ml every 2 hours it would be fine - because he would essentially be getting the 120ml he needs every 4 hours. but he only wants 60ml every 4 hours! That is the problem!!
Well today I mixed formula and BM and he was NOT happy...eish...
So after that I started the BM and cereal and he drank 120ml (I warmed the milk too). Then after 2 hours he was sucking his dummy hard so I thought "well let me just see if he'll eat..." and he drank 60ml. Then after 2 hours I was putting him to bed and he drank 60ml again but I got him to drink 90ml after a little bit of fighting because I want him to atleast go 4 hours now.
So it seems the BM warmed with cereal is going ok. But this is not ideal as we are trying to get him onto formula for when we travel!!!!!!
So...my POA for the night...
Mix BM and plain formula (I have never tried with plain formula...always a soy or protein sensitive one) and add cereal.
So we'll see how it goes. I have already taken out enough BM for tomorrow too so the following day I will try to get him to take formula with cereal and no BM.
Wonder if he likes it warmed? If so, I am buying this bottle (I dont care how expensive it is... www.yoomi.com)

MistyMom - I have to say that Matt actually sleeps quite a lot!! So that's when I get time to type
Our day is as follows (give or take the hours may be 2 earlier or 2 later depending on feeds).
So say he feeds at 5:30am...back asleep by 6:30am. Sleeps anything from 45 minutes up to 90 minutes (usually in my bed so I can sleep too).
Then awake until the next feed around 9-9:30am.
Asleep around 10:30ish - sleep for atleast 2 hours - usually 3!!!
Feeds between 2-3pm. Doesnt always sleep now...which makes the night routine difficult because he's exhausted. I try not go out after this feed because then he will sleep about 90 minutes somewhere between 3:30pm-5:30pm.
Then the next feed is due around 6-7pm. So depending when it's due I start the bath about 30 minutes before that.
Bath, give a 10 second massage (he hates it so much but I try massage a bit while rubbing in his lotion!) Then feed. This feed is not a good one as he is tired and I want him to drink as much as possible to ensure he sleeps well...
Then he will wake anywhere from around 12:30 -01:30am. Then again around 4-5am.
And that's my day!
So I am lucky I do get quite a few naps. When he does the long one, I sleep too if it was a bad night. Otherwise I clean bottles, do dishes, do laundry, open curtains (!!) go on moomie etc.
sometimes in the night (like last night) he woke 2 hours after a feed and I knew he cant be hungry....so just have to settle him again. other times he is impossible to re-settle and just wants like 40ml milk then sleeps.
If I am out during the day, he basically does not sleep and the "routine" is really screwed up and he is severely grumpy!!!! He really needs to sleep after being awake for 90 minutes. Otherwise he doesnt stop crying.
Also, during the day he sleeps in the swing. perhaps I'm creating problems for myself...but he likes to be put in the swing awake, white noise on, rocking motion going and falls asleep in about 10 minutes. then if he wakes for some reason, the rocking motion puts him back to sleep. If I put him in his crib, he usually wont sleep longer than 40 minutes....oohhh the trip overseas will be interesting without my trusty swing!!!!

WHAT a day you had MistyMom!!!!! where in all of that did you pump???
I have heard you cannot overfeed on BM so dont stress.
Matt gained 600g in 12 days...(ok granted it was formula) but they gain different amounts each visit. other times he hasnt gained that much.

As for the pumping... i dont think my milk is decreasing?! After 12 hours I am sooo sore...but I really try stick it out as long as possible. Can usually make it to around 18 hours. I pump about 130ml per boob in 10 minutes but I just stop there. My boobs are no where near empty and the milk is still happily flowing away....surely if I only empty 130ml the boob is suppose to adjust to that and only produce that amount?! That is not happening!!!!! I cant pump less yet as I have very sore patches around the boob that if I dont pump enough are not relieved and then I cant even make 6 hours before being desperate to pump again.

DH and I were emailing today...and he said he's surprised I didnt write another letter today after last night. I said I'm done trying - that maybe when he's waiting at the airport for me and I never arrive, he'll realise I was serious about not returning!
So when he got home I asked him what he thinks about that...he said he is going to get more involved on the weekends and be a better father....said he'll do more feeds....well we'll see. I'm not going to ask anymore. All that will happen is once Matt is old enough to recognise people, he will be afraid of DH since he hardly sees him. So either he gets more involved and Matt knows who he is - or Matt will reject him.

wil not post pic..will try later its 2am! Oh yes...pre preganacy jeans fit

anyway that is how today has gone! ANd boy oh boy did I enjoy tha that glass of wine!

Question: what are you bathing baby with (soap wise?)

sorry girls that is it fro now...but promis eto get back in the loop...I need my moomies!

Betty...I have a FL LG...love it, like somebody mentioned if clothes not to dirty put it on a quick wash (29 min or 61 if temp over 40)

Faw - how is the back? GL job hunting!

Schatsie - glad all wnet ok in hospital

Meags...where do you find time to type? You must be releived to be stopping the pumping!

Whoever asked about the pumps...i am using teh medela lactina (hired double pump at R150 a week) but had to buy the actually attachments (part that goes on breast myself) anouther R500...at least it is double and i get about 70ml each side in about 4 minutes. Love it...not had any probs. I also have an AVENT manual fro when I am out (mostly just pump an dthrow away milk....lol speaking of which...i landed up pumping the other day in a changing room and when finished realised had nothing to put milk into! coul dnot put into nappy bag as it is not leak proof...so had to feed R the bottle i had and then pour the expressed milk intyo his bottle. O

hi to all others gotta go feed my lovely little man! Oh ya whoever was asking for pics:

Ryan wearing his socks on his Hands cos his mom cant find mittens!

Good Morning ladies....yes I am still alive!

Just really do not know where the weeks go too! I have read all the posts since my last post, but since it is 1am and I have read so much I cant do personals, but hope to get back into the swing of things and not neglect moomie again!

Where to start? I am still pumping milk fro Ryan as he is not able to latch. I pump between 2-3 hours each day and then once during the night. Think thats what seems to take up my time. Often I will feed Ryan (which can sometimes take and hour), put him down and then it seems time to pump again. ANyway i really do not mind as he is getting Breatsmilk, so that is the most important hing fro me. At his last clinic visit (at 4 weeks) he weighed 4.755 (4.355 at birth). I coul not beleive it as he had gained 580g in 2 weeks since his last visit. We have the clinic again on Wednesday for the dreaded 6 week vacs! I am not looking forward to that. I asked the sister if there is anything I can do pre coming like taking panado etc and she freaked out adn said no as that can make the vacanation not effective (REALLY?). Besides that she is really a nice sister adn I just love going to teh clinic (have been twice). It costs R120 but she spends an hour with us and she seems even more thura (OMG lack of sleep brain just cant think of teh spelling) than his paed in all her examanations etc. Afetr discussing the vacs with her I have decided to go the government route. We do have the money for private in our MSA but i think its a waste of money. I was also a bit worried that he had gained 580g in 2 weeks and asked her if i was over feeding him and she said you cant over feed on BM (is that true?). LOL i just do not want to land up with a fat baby!

My mom was here the whole of last week as well as our new nanny as DH was away, so it was a full house adn I was a bit stressed. SHame the nanny wanted to help so much (i really did not wnat her her all week but DH was worried that i would be alone as at that stage we thought that mom would still be in hopsital). So mom would be with the baby and then thet nanny would want to be with him and me! Anyway that week is over! The nanny is thankfully now coming 2 days a week until I go back to work. I really love teh way she intercacts with Ryan and liek schatsie said its like living in a hotel! I told her she does not need to clean teh bathroom everyday and mop the floors each day but she does...so yay....at least the house is always clean!

ok so here is how my day went today (and y I landed up having my first glass of wine in 10 months!). Woke up and as the nanny was here today I took advantage and had a lovely long shower and washed and straightened my hair (2 hours!). Then I bathed Ryan and we went to Canal Walk to do a bit of shopping before we went to viist my mom. Anyway I pop the car into the carwash and when I get back they had acidently opened teh back window so my back seat was soaking wet! I was so mad as obviously the person who cleaned the inside of the car would have noticed but did not bother to repoer it. ANyway so now i had asoaking wet back seat and teh manager was liek dont worry we will dry it. SO i had to wait anouther hour. They dry it with this huge pipes going into the car blowing hot hair. SO once it is done my car is liek a sauna! I mean its just full of hot air. There was no way I could put Ryan in and i was mad. SO I put my parking ticket on the dash board and open all the windows (all this going on while poor RYan is screaming his head off as our shopping trip was now 3 hours instead of 1). ANyway I eventually sort everything and then lean into car to get my keys adn parking ticket of dash board adn the ticket falls into teh dash board! I am now so stressed, Ryan is screaming, im starving and I also have not pumped in 4 hours! ANyway I just drove to teh boom and pressed teh help button...nothing...cars building up behind me (BLIND!) so i have to reverse and go to teh next boom and thankfully when I pressed the help buttton the boom just opened... yay at last something good happening!

SO now I am driving to mom and hit a horrid traffic jam. Ryan still crying, im so thirsty (lesson learmt always have water in car, no matter how cold the day). SO get to mom and then remmeberd that I had not taken money out the ATM when at Canal Walk to pay teh nanny. So left Ryan with mom to nip down to the BLue Route to use ATm. They are busy doing alterations, so half teh car park gone. SPend 15 minutes looking for parking then eventually into teh mall to find the bank is no longer in teh mall due to alterations. So what a waste of time. I coul dnot use anouther bank ATM as needed to do special transfer between accounts as i have no money in my cheque account as no salary this month blah blah wont bore you but anyway stressed out again! Then come home to find the microwave is broken (crap crap crap as it is 14 months old and gaurented fo ra year). ALso it was not a cheap one and i need it to sterilise my pump and bottels every few hours. Now I am just plain mad! Told DH i want a glass of wine (plenty of expressed milk for RYan and I REALLY neede a drink). No wine in house! SO ddrive down to PnP, get wine get to till...no purse in bag. PANIC PANIC PANIC that its been stoled out my bag. Call DH and luckily its at home...so back home then back to PNP....it really has been one of those none stop days full of hassles. going to actually post this before i loose it!