Discovery Home & Health

Summer, Hope you are ok....you must be totally exhausted. Jake and Thomas are so gorgeous...you must be so proud.

Baby, Yes little Liberty definately looks like you. She totaly gorgeous hun...i love the pictures...she looks one happy little babe

Zoe, how is Violet doing now? It's stange how they can just change routine over night. Alfie is doing that....he is waking up about 4 and yelling at me to go and get him...he's not even particularly hungry. i want to knock that on the head though as he was doing pretty well.

Ali, Is Darcey any better o during the night now?


Alfie has his two teeth coming through and has a rotten cold so is really unhappy at the moment. On top of that DH is working all the hours that god sends so i don't really get to see him (it's his busy time of year) and i'm am totally knackered by about 8.30pm and just want to go to bed. I don't remember feeling this tired the first time round. Oh and on top of that i'm so completely bloated i look about 6 months pregnant and i am constipated like you would not believe. TMI Alert....i haven't been number two's for a week So all in all it's a barrel of laughs at home at the moment

Anyway i hope i cheered you all up

Oh, meant to ask has anyone ever tried the controlled crying method of getting babies to sleep. Alfie is a nightmare to get to sleep...it normally takes me about 45mins to get him to sleep and that's for his day naps! And i know he's tired but he really fights it

Peardrop

Hi girls

How is everyone today??

Hi Peardrop - I have been stalking you on the October 2007 thread so keeping up with your pregnancy there!!!(hope you don't mind!!) I wasn't as tired with my second as with my first but then again my first was 15 months when I fell with my second - so not quite such a tiny. I did look pregnant quicker with no 2 though (and even earlier when I had Darcey - I think the stomach muscles just gave up on me and went to South America - and haven't yet come back I hasten to add!!) so I'm not surprised you look further on than you are. Poor old Alfie - Darcey hasn't got any teeth yet although there is defo something cooking in there. Darcey is a bit better at night - it goes in spates which means that you never really know what is going to happen (how to keep an idiot in suspense?!?!?)

I sort of tried the controlled crying methods with D in the daytime as she initially wouldn't settle anywhere apart from on me. One day I just got fed up with rocking her and left her to it, and to my total amazement 15 mins later she was fast asleep. She normally cries for a bit now and then goes off (unless dp is home in which case he runs to her side at the slightest murmer - we had words about this this morning in fact!!! - his excuse is that it's "what daddy's do!") So I would suggest that you just bite the bullet and let him get on with it one day - leave it 5 to 10 mins before you go back (unless he gets hysterical) re-settle him and leave it a bit longer each time. It will prob takes two or three days but eventually he will get the message (and you will get the rest you currently need). Hope that helps a bit!!

My house is a complete disaster zone at the moment - we have the plasterer in doing the kitchen so I am living in the dining room and there is dust and crap everywhere - yuk!! Add to that the horrid smell and the damp of the plaster drying and it's just great. Dd and ds are coming back from their dad's today so it will be fun for the rest of half term!!!

Anyway - hoping to take Darcey to the clinic to be weighed this afternoon but she fell asleep half way through lunch so once she wakes I need to try to finish that off and get to the clinic all before picking the kids up from the station at 3.50pm. She normally only sleeps for 30 mins or so but of course, because I am on a time limit today she has decided to sleep for longer - typical!! Oh well, can always go next week I guess!!

Take care all.
Lots of love
Ali + Darcey
xxx

Hey girls-hope you managed to get everything done Ali-what does Darcey weigh now?

Hope everyone has a lovely romantic Valentines

Morning all

Well, got everything done eventually. D now weighs in at 14lbs 11oz and is following her line on the chart beautifully so feeling quite virtuous today!!!

Had a lovely Valentines morning - got chocs, champers and red roses (and a card) but dp then went into work at lunchtime and didn't get home until 1 in the morning so I spent my Valentines eve scrubbing plaster off the kitchen floor!!! What about the rest of you girls - hope you had a good time.

Talk later - have a great day.

Ali + Darcey
xxx

Well i started the controlled crying method with Alfie yesterday and so far so good, i put him down and he cries so i wait 5 minutes before going back in and resettling him and saying 'ssshhhh'. i leave after 2 minutes and he normally cries again so i wait for 7 minutes before going back in again. By the time i've resettled him he is normally fast asleep .
I'm really please about it, he went from 7pm until 6am this morning...i couldn't believe my luck....i am not sure whether it has anything to do with this new method but i will keep at it.

Ali, sounds like you had a lovely Valentines morning. DH sent me some Roses and Alfie sent me some Choccies

Zoe, Thank you so much for Izaak's jeans. It's so kind of you....they are like brand new. Thank you. He wore them today when we went for a walk.

Hope everyone else is well. Haven't seen Autumn on here for a while hope she's ok.

Hi All
Well it's been a while! I do appologise,
Summer the boys are adorable but try & get some rest hun! You'll be no good burnt out.

Zoe sorry Violet had a tough time with her jabs!! Is she all done now until she is 1 year old...

Peardrop babies & sleeping I hope Alfie is settling down better, Joel has started waking again so i know how ur feeling!

Baby Liberty is so adorable, I went on msn a while back & yes i was having problems with pics as I have a really sweet one of joel crying but you can see his teeth!! So I will try photobox too, Thanks for tips!!

Joel was weighed a couple of weeks ago & weighed 16lb he is on 3 meals a day now & seeing dietician on thursday next week for his lactose intolerence problem.

All is ok here got zilch for valentines day dp doe'snt believe in it, But the weight is dropping off I have lost 4 stone since Joel was born, Just 1 more to go then i want to lose another 3 stone on top.

I can't believe Joel is 26 weeks today!!! How time flys by... I'm back to work now & my mum has been offered a 2 bed bungalow near where i live so i might not be around for the next few weeks sorting that out.... Holiday booked for October can't come to soon were going to turkey 2 weeks all inclusive at the holiday village got a right good bargain & there are 13 of us going!!!

I hope everyone is ok

Speak soon
Joanne x

ps Peardrop Alfies suit sainsburys by any chance LOL, Joel has two one in beige & one in blue LOL

evening all!

We had a ped appointment today, Harry is doing fab so feeling very pleased atm! He was well impressed with him lol

Im feeling a bit bored lately - well not bored I spose but like I need to do something for me, that sounds a bit selfish doesnt it but I just feel a bit wiped out and like Ive lost 'me'!! I dunno!

Anyway, Hope your all well, give babies a snuggle from me and Bo xxx

Hi girls

Just a quickie to catch up with you all. Nightmare day here - Darcey is teething and has been grotty all day - the house is a disaster zone - ds is soooooo knackered coz his dad took him to see Mary Poppins in town on Tuesday night and they didn't get home until midnight (and he's 5!! grrrrrr....) so is just being so naughty coz he doesn't know what to do with himself - and the carpet came for Darcey's bedroom but it meant moving all the furniture out of there elsewhere so every room in the house is now trashed - I need a lie down in a darkened room!!!!

Anyway - glad to hear that Harry is doing so well Missc - I know what you mean about wanting something for you - I feel like that too but not sure what I want to do. What makes it worse is that I had got dd and ds in full time school before falling preg with Darcey so have "tasted" freedom and now am back to square one - ho hum!!!

Joanne - amazing weight loss hun - what's the secret. I need to lose about a stone but can't get motivated at all. It's so easy to snack badly when you're tired rather that eat healthily. I though about joining Weight Watchers but don't think I've got the brain capacity at the moment to cope with it!! Any pointers gratefully received.

Peardrop - well done for your controlled crying - hope it's still working. Darcey seems to be going backwards at the moment on that front but I'm hoping it's due to teeth - not that I can see anything at the moment mind.

Hi to everyone else - Zoe, Baby, Summer and all you others.

Right - must go and do the ironing while I have the chance - talk soon.

Ali
xxx

hey hey

Tried Jake with some formula... he sucked furiously for a second then carried on crying and refused to take it. So I put him back to the breast and he was happy as larry
Made a decision then to try dummies and let him feed just every 3 hrs the next day... and it worked! He just wants to suckle it seems, so hes quite happy with a dummy inbetween feeds. Last 2 days have been so much better, though its all gone a bit to pot tonight. Got fed up of trying to settle him and eventually gave in and stuck him on the breast. Poor boy is over tired now but has finally gone to sleep on dh's shoulder. Was determined that the boys wouldn't follow in Daisy's footsteps and need cuddles all evening to settle, but its all gone wrong already! Was fine before Jake went back into hospital but hes much more needy and demanding since then

Tom is now just over 4lb 8oz .. and the exciting thing is that we'll find out if they're identical or not this week! The Drs have decided it'd be medically beneficial to know as hes (Tom) having a few liver probs at the mo and they want to work out if there are any syndromes going on. Also waiting on lots of complicated blood test results for all sorts of rare things.

I'm not surprised you feel the way you do Erica. You've spent so long focusing so intently on Harry and his needs and hosp appts that you can't have had a moment to relax and focus on yourself.
I had a bath last night and just shutting myself away for half an hour and leaving dh to it was bliss!

Hope you're doing ok Peardrop. Not read Oct lately. The tiredness I felt at the beginning of this last preg was almost debillitating. By 4pm each day I just wanted to lie down and sleep soundly for hours. Would regularly fall asleep on mum's sofa in the afternoon while she entertained Daisy.

I could put my head down now on the table and just have a lovely sleep but have got to got express and sort a pile of washing out, so I shall be off.

Lots of love to everyone and babies xxxxxxxxx

Hello Chatterboxes!!!

Jo.lovely to have you back hun and well done you on your fab weight loss!!! You must be really pleased with yourself!

Missc hun......I know how you feel about losing yourself a bit.........I wouldn't change being a Mum for the world but somedays I sit back and think of some of the fun I had years ago that I can't really do now partly because I don't feel the same person anymore..........bit deep for a sunday night but I expect some of you know how I feel!!!
Doing the mudane things in life,all the routines etc etc can leave you feeling a bit flat .

Missc you especially ( and Summer ) have ( as Summer said ) been so busy with appointments and worrying about Harry that it's no surprise you feel like you have left yourself behind a bit.

Ali Violet is teething too.....amazing that on friday I could just see a little white blob below the surface and then a few hours later a little hard tooth was just sticking out!
She also has a cold and lots of messy nappies so although all the professionals say its not related to teething we all know it is!!!

Peardrop hun......oh poor you........you must be feeling rotten at the moment.........have you been going on lots of walks..........get it moving!
Try that Lactolose stuff I was telling you about if you don't go soon as the other stuff you are using is obviously not working.

Glad you like the jeans.....don't remember Izaak wearing them very often so glad you could make use of them. I will send you anything else I find in bigger sizes later on as I know I bought Izaak lots of Next 3 quarter length trousers for the summer so that would be 12-18mths I think......................will need to dig them out.

Oh and with the controlled crying...I think if it works then it's good!!! well I never tried it with Mabel or Izaak because I would always worry about leaving them to cry BUT I may have been overly paranoid about it all back then..BUT I find that Violet sometimes crys if she is over tired and to kind of get herself to sleep .........usually she'll cry and then stop and then cry again and I find it's best to let her cry a bit and get herself off to sleep rather than keep going back and disturbing her.
It just seems to work for her and providing I know she hasn't had a poo or that she's still hungry or whatever then I think it's ok.
I'd never let her cry hysterically but you can usually tell a over tired cry so I think that's a good idea with Alfie and it seems to be working for you xxx Its all trial and error isn't it?!!!

Ali your DP sounds very romantic...lucky you!
Violet was 14IB something on thursday so it seems like she's probably going along the same centile or whatever......think Violets is the 25th one???
As for weight well I was slimmer after giving birth to Violet than I am now!!! I need to lose about a stone.......my goal is before the summer!!! Not sure how I'll do it though!!! Started going on walks last week so hopefully that may shift it a bit!

Well last week I forced myself to do stuff as the kids were off for half term and it was mentally draining!!!
BUT who gets the prize for biggest MORON?!!! ME!
Pre_school rang me on friday....yes friday and not on tuesday or wednesday to ask if I was bringing the kids in!!!
YEP post pregnancy frazzled brain went into over drive and it is actually half term THIS WEEK ...AAAARRRGGGHHHHHH I almost collasped on the floor in hysterics due to the fact that I know look a complete arse and I have another week trying to entertain the kids!!
I blame my Mother since it was her that told me me it was half term a few weeks ago and I took her word for it!!

Summer..........Tom is doing so well hun and I'm all for Dummies if they save your sanity !!!!
Really hope the tests come back ok.
Do you have a preference with regards to whether they are identical or not?


Anyway I have really rambled!!!!

Hope you are all ok

Zoe xxxxxxxxxx

Hi girls
I weighed Liberty on our bathroom scales this week and she is 15lb 6 I am starting to give her a few tastes of baby food and she seems ok with it she doesn't have much though-about a teaspoon if we are lucky!! she quite likes baby porridge though.

I'm with you on the weighing more than after i had Liberty Zoe-I had done so well all through pregnancy but now its all gone to pot-must try something very soon though.

got to dash now-grumpy baby

Hiya Girls,

Jo, well done on your weight loss...that is amazing!! How did you do it? I have lost most of my baby weight now, still had about a stone and to go but seeing as i put on about 5 stone i don't think it's bad going.
I'm being really careful with this pregnancy...making sure i don't have any crap in the house and always making sure i have something at hand to eat like a big veggie curry or homemade soup in case i get hungry. Much better than reaching for the Doritos or chocolate like i did last time.

BabyUsa, if i remember rightly you didn't put on any weight with Liberty did you?? How did you manage that??

Summer, Alfie is a really sucky baby too...he needs his dummy to get to sleep....he even tries to suck my thumb when we're having a bath together . Glad Tom's weight is increasing nicely...that must be a weight off your mind.

Missc, i feel like you do sometimes hun...except you must feel it a lot more because of all the tests and appointments that Harry has to go through. It's not selfish to feel like that...we all need sime time out sometimes.

Ali, Is Darcey getting her first tooth through? Poot little luv...it's horrible when they feel grotty .

Zoe, i did laugth at your scatty mummy brain . Hee-Hee that's the sort of thing that i'd do.
Didn't know that teething is associated with messy nappies That explains why Alfie's nappies have been so bad. I thought he had a touch of Diah Dirr...the sh*ts.
Still no progress in the toilet department though Zoe, i already take Lactulose, Fiborgel and now Senna tablets and nothing has made me go. By friday i was in tears and felt sick as i hadn't been for 10 days so i went to the doctors and saw a different doctor this time who was brilliant...he gave me some enamas to get rid of the backlog (sorry that sounds gross) and said if it continues then i need to see a specialist as i could have a condition called 'Hirschsrung disease' which is quite a rare condition but quite a dangerous one too. I've been like this since i was about 13 but it seems to have got worse with this pregnancy. Why this has never been suggested to me before i don't know...i'm not saying i have it but if i have i'm going to be really p*ssed off about it as i've had to suffer this for 15 years of my life and i get fobbed off by doctors telling me to drink more water and eat more All Bran

Sorry about the rant.

Haven't been upto much this weekend....been going on long walks which has been really nice. I've had morning sickness for the past 3 days so hoping that will pass soon. Can't face having evening meals...just tend to eat little and often now.

Anyway hope you have all had a lovely weekend.

Speak t'ya all soon

Peardrop
XX

Peardrop.......just been ahving a giggle on your October thread......just congratulated you on your 4IB delivery!!! ha ha ha bless you..........I know how sht*y ( excuse the pun ) it is to have constipation......blimey 10 days!!!! Agony!
So can they do anything for this suspected condition and are you going to have tests to see if you have it?
How often do you get constipation ?
I guess the hormones are making it worse.
Poor you hun xxxx

As for teething.....well most people will tell you (and it applied to all 3 of mine ) that most babies who are teething will be quite hot and snotty and have really dodgy nappies!
My baby book says it's NOT related ( possibly because they don't want anyone to just assume that a poorly baby is a teething baby and to take those symptoms lightly ???) but it's a bloody strange coincidence then!!!

Hope your pregnanacy symptoms get better soon hun.......it's harsh in the first trimester but also reassuring to have them!

Take it easy hun

I all. I've got lots of catching up to do, so I won't do personals today. Sorry.

I've enrolled Kai into a really good day nursery, that is close by too. He doesn't start until July, but they said to sign him up as soon as possible. They're really thorough, they do a home visit and then I go to them for half a day to settle Kai in (more days, if needed).

Best news of all, Kai got his first teeth!! 2 at the bottom, just poking through!!! I discovered them Friday, when I absentmindedly let him put my thumb in his mouth.

That's all for now and I'll be back soon.

Evening all

Just a quickie - Darcey still hasn't got any teeth (I feel like forceably extracting them) so maybe she's just getting out of her cot the wrong side!!!

Hi Autumn - good to hear from you. Glad to hear that you and Kai are doing ok.

Peardrop - you poor thing. I have been badly constipated throughout all three pregnancies. In fact it was one of the give away symptoms for me!! Hope you're feeling better soon hun and that it's nothing more serious than a hormone overload.

Zoe - what a disaster getting half term wrong - a week is bad enough!! My two spent the entire week squabbling with each other so I was very glad to deposit them back at school this morning. How is the weaning going??? Darcey is on the 25th weight centile too and now that she's on three meals a day I'm a bit lost. I know that at somepoint I'm supposed to drop a milk feed but I can't remember when or how. What are you doing bottles and solids wise???

Summer - I sympathise totally with the dummy dilemma. I really didn't like them (dd and ds didn't use them - dd didn't need one and ds was only interested in something in his mouth if food came out of it) but I got one for Darcey and it has really helped her. She only uses it to go to sleep with now and not all the time at that, but it has helped on the sanity front on more than one occasion.

Hi to everyone else - hope you're all ok.

Talk soon.

Lots of love
Ali + Darcey
xxx