Jan/Feb 05 chat - Thread #3

[Deb_in_oz]

thanks julie - she is still not eating but at least is taking good amount of bottle and today slept til 7:30am and had a 2hr 15 min afternon nap for the 2nd day in a row (the positive side to a very bad cold/cough i guess)

with the self-feeding - alex started trying to do it more herself after a year and got the real hang of a spoon around 14-16 months (was good with porridge first and then graduated to other foods and a fork)

glad you had a good time with your family.

Happy Thanksgiving americans - i miss that holiday a lot - was one of my faves.

[Daniel's mummy]

Well, we did get to see the doc on Thurs.  Daniel barely ate all day - milk or solids (the first time since he was born!  He has never even once turned down solids before so I knew something was def wrong.)  The doc said he has an inflamed eardrum (part of the same chesty infection) and prescribed some meds.  Must say they seem to be working already.  Yesterday he mostly got his appetite back.  This mornng though he just screamed each time we put the bottle to his mouth.  Ended up taking about an ounce of his usual 8oz:shock: Did eat a little breakfast though.  He's back to sleep.  Still wheezing a litte but the dr said his lungs and breathing sounded fine :?   Just said to keep an eye (or and ear!) on it.  I'll try feeding him the bottle again when he wakes up.

It's strange really how much we've got used to Daniel being in an EASY routine.  Now that the routine is all kind of out the window I feel slightly lost!  When he wakes it's no longer so easy to work out if he's hungry, thirsty, still tired etc...  To think some mums do it this way every day!  At least I know that once he's better he should go back to the old routine (here's hoping!)

And Daniel is defintiely anther one who just does not want his bedtime bottle!  I don't know if this is just coz of his cold (it seemed to be getting more and more difficult for a couple of weeks though even before his cold came on) but I'm trying so hard not to worry.  I know he has PLENTY of reserves :lol: My hv also said the same about dropping this one and doing one in the afternoon instead.  I just always thought the bedtime one was the last one to go (the one I enjoy the most!)

Debra - glad Olivia is taking good naps.  I keep expecting Daniel to as he is really tired but he still wakes up after about 1.25 hours.  But for the most part he's happy so I can't complain.

Jaime - how did Luke go sleeping in the bathroom?!   :lol:

One quick question - when is it ok to feed Daniel tinned tuna?

[sedona314]

Hi Group:

Havent had much time to write since the hurricane.  We wound up being without electricity for 15 days.  I know people who were without for about three weeks.

Anyway, missed you all.  I'm trying to catch up on all the posts so gimme some time and I'll get there.

We went to my brothers for Thanksgiving and Matty cried the whole time!  He was scared the second my brother opened the door (with a video camera to his own face).  We took him into a quiet bedroom and he would calm down a little and the minute anyone entered he would freak out again.  I mean he was really upset.  Even if I left and returned he would wail when I walked in before he realized it was me.  I held him and fed him (can you believe he still drank most of a bottle?) while dh ate and then I never got a chance to eat.  Neither one of us got to socialize wiht anyone there, dh ate with me in the family room while everyone was at the dinner table.  We didnt go for the dinner until 5:30 so I'm sure that had something to do with it - but that's when my brother was having the dinner, so I didnt really have a choice.  I had brought Matty's pak n play hoping we could put him down to sleep and drive him home sleeping. Yeah, that didnt happen  :roll:

  I was dissapointed because I wanted everyone to see my adorable baby (and they wanted to see him too!) but the poor little guy couldnt handle it.  We left after only 2 hours and he fell asleep in the car seat on the way home.  When he woke up I was walking him into his room and as soon as he saw his stuff he broke out into a huge grin and he was so happy.  Like we had kept him away from his room for months!

Today we took him to the pet supply store and he immediately became very upset but we kept him there a bit and he calmed down after about 15 minutes of walking him around.  I have never seen these reactions with him in public before.  True we dont get Matty out a lot, but during the hurricane while we were out of town, he was in at least one restaurant with us every day (some very crowded) and he was fine!  We even met relatives in a busy restaurant over there and he handled it really well! that was only three weeks ago.

Any input on this?  could this be a new stranger anxiety thing kicking in? Or are we not getting him out enough perhaps?

Nice to see everyone.

Julie

By the way, Matty was 26 lbs and 30.5 inches at his last checkup two weeks ago!!!

[dkjokisch]

Just a quick note to say hi.  We just got back from Thanksgiving at the beach.  It didn't go so well.  Maya was cranky almost the whole time.  She's been almost inconsolable today.  We even called our ped - which we almost never do after hours.  Poor thing - she's tired, she's got two teeth coming, I think her cold has resulted in an ear infection, and she's constipated.  She gnawed on her pacifier so hard this morning, she bit it in half.  And she's taking her third nap of the day - on dh's chest - she hasn't done that in ages.

Must go, sounds like she's up.

[Leah's Mom]

Poor Maya and Matty!!! It doesn't sound like either of them had very Happy Thanksgivings. 

Julie- Leah has never had stranger anxiety or seperation anxiety much. But the last few days she will crawl over to me and want up. She NEVER used to do this. She is very independent and loves new people. Could be sep anxiety or an illness or teeth? Funny about him laughing as he entered his room!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Leah had turkey also and loved it. We have basically given up spoon feeding. She is only happy to eat finger foods. I took some chicken noodle soup and drained off the broth the other day. She ate it all!  :shock: She loved the chicken chunks, noodles, and carrots. So we just eat finger foods now. Lots of bannanas (sliced the long way like Julie B - way better that way!), beans, cooked carrots, cooked sweet potatoes, chicken noodle soup, munster cheese, toast with applesauce, cheerios, pear and peaches chunks, and our new thing - chicken! I bought the kind that comes in the container like tuna - very moist and easy to chew and swallow.

Hazel - We have done tuna. Not sure if we were supposed too or not, but we did and she liked it!

[sedona314]

I hope Maya is doing better, she has been through such a rough time lately.
 
Just a quick update, we took Matty to the grocery store today and it was very crowded and he was fine.  The guys at the deli were giving him samples, (stuffing and sweet potato) and he was eating away having a great time, totally unphased by the crowds and people coming up to him. 


So go figure.

Anyway,  Matty gets a tummy ache if he eats banana, I tried a little bit last week and he did okay.  Im going to try again this week.

Julie

[Daniel's mummy]

Julie - nice to hear from you again.  Glad you are getting back on your feet after the hurricane.  15 days without power?  Sheesh!  Must have been soooo hard. 

Deborah - poor little Maya.  I really hope she gets well soon. 

Separation anxiety - we are wondering if we are starting to experience this now.  Daniel goes down to sleep fine. He just wakes up a couple of times most nights.  He cries and then as soon as we walk in the room he stops.  We do nothing other than touch his head and give him his lovey, say goodnight and leave.  It is very weird.  It's almost like he just wants to be reassured that we're still around.
Our other thought was that he's maybe cold and it's that that's waking him up.  He has so many layers on but when I feel his chest he still seems quite cool :?   Who knows?!  I know there's another thread going at the moment about sep.anxiety and all the babies discussed there seem to be around 9 or 10 months so I guess Daniel fits the bill.  The funny thing is he shows none of this during the day.  He will happily be held by anyone, we can leave the room, he doesn't seem phased at all.  Is it common that it only affects them at night? 

Weightloss - I lost 2 lb last week so that's a total of 7 lb in 3 weeks!    I am so chuffed.  Dh said he'll take me out for a meal when I get down to 9st 7lb (and I'm 3lb off that right now!)  Or at least I told dh that he could take me out for a meal when I reach 9st 7lb :lol:  :lol:

I made up a meal with tuna in it but Daniel didn't seem too keen.  I'm not sure if it had more to do with his cold though, so I'll try it again tonight I think.

Crawling - Daniel is well on the way now.  To us it looks like he'll be crawling quite soon, but then who can be sure.  He is happy now to wriggle around on his tummy for ages.  He still doesn't go up on his knees but he scoots around and around in circles just pushing with his arms.  It's so sweet to watch.  It seems like he's just beginning to realise that he can actually move if he wants to.

SIL is due today.  It's her first baby so we're guessing she's gonna go over.  I am so excited though.  She lives quite close so hopefully we can hang out together a bit which will be great.  It's so funny because by about 38 weeks  I could barely walk with Daniel. Just so much pulling and discomfort.  But my SIL is LOVING it.  All this last week apparentlyshe has been shopping and running around (not literally!) doing last minute jobs.  She said she's gonna try and relax this week! 

I'm off to have my hair cut today.  My mum is baby sitting so that will be nice.  (My mum and dad live and work in Zambia, Africa but they have been home for the last 5months.  They return to Zambia on Jan 4th so I'm already starting to dread saying goodbye to them.  Won't see them then til Sept.  Just glad that they are around for Daniel's first Christmas.  They're spending it here with us.  Yay.)

Right I'll stop feeling sorry for myself and go and get on with my day.  Look forward to hearing how everyone is getting on.  The thread has been very quiet recently.  (I blame thanksgiving :lol: )

[klt]

Hi all

Long time no write as I went to London to see my mum's new house and we had a very hectic time with Ciara being very unsettled  So many things I want to reply to ut now I am writing no doubt I will forget most of them -Hazel - Hope Daniel gets be

[klt]

had a little help there from Ciara on the keyboard! -

Hazel - hope Daniel gets better soon, poor little mite, Ciara also has had a cold.  She was doing the waking at night thing before that though and also would go back to sleep with just a touch or word from me (had to be me though  :? )but while we were away it went to record breaking lengths - waking every 45 mins I tell you - all my plans for visitng friends, shoping etc, went out the window as I tried to catch up on sleep in the daytime.  And my mum wasn't too helpful - she's all about take her into your bed, rock her to sleep, feed her at night etc (the opposite extreme to my MIL!)  I do think she was cold for some of the time as well as being v unsettled by the whole journey, even though during the flight etc she was chirpy as ever, chatting everyone up!  She also refused her bedtime fed a couple of times so I then feed her at her first awakening an hour or so later, so it all ties in....

We;re having a meltdown so gotta go for now...

[Deb_in_oz]

just a quick one as Hazel mentioned it's been quiet... i thought i'd say hi

glad to hear from you Julie - my mom was without power for quite a while too and it sounded terrible (she looks after my 93 yr old G'ma who is a pain in the a@s under normal circumstances, but sheesh not a good time IYKWIM  ) glad that Matty seems back on track...

Hazel - congrats on the weight loss! i have 10 pounds to lose and so far keep losing and regaining the same 2 lbs (1 kg)  :roll:  It would probably help to stop eating tons of yummy food but i have zero self control  :lol:

i have caught olivia's cold and am miserable alternating between stuffed up and sneezy/runny nose OH THE JOY! it has also been raining here on and off for about 4 days with no end in sight so not a good combo (ill and horrible weather)

food issues still driving me bonkers - i swear i am days away from going insane. i dread each and every mealtime  :cry:  we are averaging 1 good solids meal per day although there have been days where all 3 meals have been a bust.  the cold is still here so there is no way for me to know if it is/isn't responsible until it goes away and we see if she eats better.  right now she is taking more milk at her feeds (cries for at least 1 top up and sometimes her total for a feed can be 8 1/2 -10 oz  :shock:  especialy 1st and last feeds) her pattern seems to be refuse 1-2 feeds and then get so hungry that she will chow down at a solids feed and then reject a couple more  :roll:  VERY FRUSTRATING- i need it to end!

does anyone know how much - if any - nutritional value there is to watermelon??  Dh bought a whole one and it is sweet and yummy and i know Liv loves it, but i worry there is nothing really to it so don't want to give her too much (she loves melons and pears)

[branwen]

Hi everyone!  I hope Thankgivings were fun for those that celebrated 

Deb, Julie, Hazel etc- re: Bedtime Feeds- I am not sure I have suggestions for you but I can tell you what Eirwen is doing on her own now, which I am not sure is good??? :?  Instead of refusing the last feed of the day she has dropped to only eating from one side per feed...so half of what she normal takes.  She does this at almost every bf feed now and when my dh gives her a bottle at any of her regular times she only takes 4-5 oz.  I have been thinking of reorganizing her feeds so she only has 3 but after reading your posts I am wondering if it is not better to just have her doing what she is doing?

Julie- I guess if Asher doesn't want the feed at all anymore I too would drop it.  I thought it was always best to go with the baby on that??  It is rather odd that it is that one, normal one of the last to go I thought?  Have you tried just not offering it for a day or two? What does he do?

 :?: about the spoon thing- i too am wondering this? when do you give them their spoon- also when do you drop purees completely, I know some of you already have but what is the standard? anyone know?

Watermelon- I thoght it was loaded with vit C and water so that is good right? :wink:

Hazel- congrats on the weight!  You must be feeling so good!  I think Daniel and Eirwen must be in sink because she too is now "crawling" but she is not up on her knees, it is more of army crawling and pulling herself forward....kind of looks like a frog leap without the leap.  It's too funny and she can get all across the room.  It's crazy! She just goes...I think she will be up on her knees well before Christmas!  I am so proud really...I have been waiting and now I am more relaxed about her development.  I wish secretly she would have waited until this Friday when we get to our new place in CO but I can't have everything I want :lol:

Julie- I am happy to hear from you!  I don't know how you survived without power for even that long :wink: We had a going away gathering last night and Eirwen was the same way, my dh ended up taking her into the kitchen and feeding her dinner away from everyone.  She is just very sensitive to some people.  I have also discovered that she needs her space (unless it is me or dh) but at LEAST a 3 ft radius. :lol: As long as she has that she is ok, but when people get to close, laugh to loud at her or approach her really fast she is TERRIFIED!  Last night even I had problems settling her.

US- Eirwen's top teeth are coming down really fast- so cute!  But now she's getting the next two on the bottom and she woke up screaming today at 6am.  I finally got her down a little bit ago but she was just miserable this morning.  I thought I saw some white on the sides of her bottom teeth and then I felt and it is all quishy so they are on their way :roll: I must say I don't like the teeth business :lol: It is my least favorite issue.

We leave for Colorado this Friday! I am SO excited!  I am feeling very emotional lately because of it though so that has been interesting for me. I did not expect to feel sad too :?

[klt]

Branwen I will be thinking of you this Friday!  Hopefully we will be leaving for CO in the next couple of months too - I can't wait  .  In fact in the airport back from London (wet and grey) returning to Amsterdam (wet and grey) I bought a pair of sunglasses to remind myself that we will be back in that sunshine again soon!

So, anyway, if anyone was following my ramble, our trip to London was not much of a vacation after all although on the good front, she started shooting up stairs (actually is that so good?  :? ) and cruising a little bit and at least I didn't have to contend with 4 flights of stairs in and out every day which did my back some good  .  Came home to dh having cooked and done his version of tidying - a pigsty but at least he tried  :lol: She also has been refusing breakfast now but not sure if that is linked to having her last milk feed later than usual... sounds like a few of us are having similar problems right now

Last night we had a very unsettled night - I think she was cold on top of all the excitement of travelling and she is being very clingy.  This apartment is so draughty it was cold even with the heating on max - I hate it  :evil: and I was so tired that I ended up just taking her to bed with us - first time since she was about 8 wks old and not something I want to start up again!  but at least we all got some sleep....  Please cross fingers for tonight....!

I love coming on this thread too - I was even showing my mum he jusspress vids proudly!  I have some cute pics to attach when I upload them.

[klt]

Oh and I forgot - spoons: my cousin, a Montessori enthusiast, got Ciara to use a spoon on this trip - she put a little bit of yogurt in a bowl and put her spoon in there and she knew what to do with it, some patience needed, obviously!  Same with a piece of pear on a fork.  Not sure if I could be doing that every day though, it was very time consuming  :roll:
Watermelon - I would go easy on for the bellyaches  :?

[thitz]

Ahhh...so glad I can get on the computer.  Dh won't let me near it when he's home on the weekend.

Jamie, Emily started having a reaction to the eucerin cream, so I stopped it and went back to our old cream from glaxal/base.  Also I'm starting to give Emily a few drops of flaxseed oil in her food cause I read it might help with eczema and also constipation.  No difference yet.

Branwen, so glad that you're moving Friday!  You're going to be busy!  Also good stuff that Eirwen's moving around.

Hazel, that's awesome that you've lost so much weight.  I'm kind of like Deb, I have no will power.  I'm hoping Emily starts moving more like Daniel.  She did go from sitting to tummy twice this morning and turns in circles slowly.

Julie, I'm fearing that what happened at your thanksgiving is going to happen to Emily at our boxing day celebration.  We have about 20 people over and it ends with everyone throwing wrapping paper at each other and shouting (in a happy way of course)!

Us, I got us all dressed up for Christmas pictures and got to Walmart and I got the date wrong :evil:  :x  :cry: !  I was soooo mad and upset.  I couldn't stop crying for hours.  I was so upset cause I messed up and I had spent all morning ironing clothes, getting emily lunch ready to take, and putting cortisone cream on Emily's cheek all week so she would look good.  Anyways, I rescheduled it for next Sunday.

Deborah, hope Maya starts feeling better soon.

Christine, good idea about the canned chicken.  I used canned tuna but never thought of the chicken.

Debra, I'd say just go with Olivia's flow till her colds over.  And then maybe don't let her have more than 6oz of milk at a time.  Maybe then her feeds will even out better.

JulieB, Emily is also refusing her last feed.  So I've been mixing half into her dinner porridge and I get about 2oz into her at bedtime.  I think cause she's stuffed from her bottle at 3:30pm, her dinner at 5:00 and then her bedtime bottle's at 6:15pm.

Gotta go, Emily's waking early from her morning nap....Tarri

[HeatherC]

Hi!  Just thought I'd pop in for a second.  Not much going on here except that we are dropping to 3 bottles.  2-3 of her bottles were going unfinished, so I've consolidated them and she's doing fine with that.  Our schedule still needs some tweeking, but I think I'm headed toward the right direction.  I'm sure she's teething again, and that's been rough, but I know we'll get through just as we did before.  It can't last forever, right?
Thanksgiving was a bust for us.  Kelsey wouldn't nap in a different bed, so over-exhaustion led to a grumpy night, and I hardly got to visit with my family.  My whole body hurt the next day from carrying her around all day, and I was quite frustrated.  I threw myself a little pity party, but I'm better now. 
Well, that was quick, she's up so I better go.