My lil Man- Cameron Elliot

[Hope81]

In Greece they advice to give chamomile tea or a mix of herbs tea between feedings for colicky babies or after 3 months to get them used slowly to have a drink other than milk. Also for normal weight babies over 3 m that they gain weight steadily they advice to offer first at night baby tea and of they don't settle then to offer milk (providing that they drink enough through the day)

So they sell in the supermarkets and pharmacies granules of that tea that you mix it in a bottle with boiled water but you can boil you own camomile tea as its absolutely the same the other one is just easier to prepare as its in granules.

Here in Norway they do that too and hv advised me to try her on that tea for her colics.
As long as they gain weight ok they can have 40 ml x 3 times per day until 12 weeks then they can drink as much as they want.

Amelie loves it and we used it quite a lot when she had horrible colics, now we use it when she gets hiccups.

I didn't get to try her with the baby tea yet as we had a window broken in the nursery and I sent her in the basement to sleep with my parents last night until we repair that today.

But I am trying her tonight as metabolically she really Dosent need more calories during the night and she is above centiles anyway the little chunk lol.

Glad that cam is doing ok. I am dreading the jabs. She has the first lot on 10 December (here they start at 3 m)

 

[Emily0505]

Today I need a slap!!

I am getting myself all down over bf. There has been a lot of talk about bf/ff on here the last few days and it has really got me thinking about my own experiences. I don't feel like I've failed Cam- he's doing really well, gaining weight, big strong and thriving but I do feel a failure in general when it comes to bf if that makes sense.

God help me, this morning I was contemplating trying to start it again! I can get the tiniest amount of milk out if i squeeze but I still have the domperidone and the fenugreek and I was stood there with them in my hands this morning!! Seriously!! WTF IS WRONG WITH ME?? I couldn't feed him myself when he had a tummy the size of a sodding marble and he takes a good seven oz per meal now and I haven't fed him for the last seven weeks so how the hell do I possibly think I could be successful now!!!!!

I had a moment at mum and baby group yesterday as two of the mums there breast feed. One of them I had never met before but I instantly knew she was a bf mum as her boobs were enormous!! My boobs went up one cup size in pregnancy and never got any bigger thereafter. Even when my 'milk came in' they didn't get bigger! I saw her feed her son and felt such a strong and sudden pang of jealousy and sadness that I really had to take a minute to compose myself as I was on the verge of tears!!

Ii had so much support for bf as we were in hospital for the week- probably more than most mums have. I had a nurse come to help me latch him at ever feed day and night until I could do it myself and I never dreamed I wouldn't be able to do it. I knew it wouldn't be totally plain sailing but once we had sorted out getting him to latch, I never in my wildest imaginings thought I wouldn't have enough milk for him.

I sit here now and think what if... what if I had expressed a bit more, what if I had done more skin to skin, what if I had upped my doses of domperidone and fenugreek, what if, what if, what if... but that's so easy for me to say now, when I am not exhausted and emotional, when I have been having full nights sleep for the last three weeks and a happy baby who is gaining weight well! At the time topping him up with formula was the right thing for us to do I'm sure. I remember the feeling of horror I had when the midwife spoke about us being readmitted to the hospital due to his weight loss- we had only been home for a couple of days!!

I loved bf Cam so much, which is why I stuck with the combi feeding for so long despite it being such a faff and taking so long to do. I just wish I knew why it went wrong. I tried so hard... I think the stress of him being poorly played a major part. I was in such a state emotionally. I also didn't like expressing either which probably didn't help. I remember the first time I sat on the pumps, I cried as I felt so vulnerable and helpless. I had to get hubby to wrap my dressing gown over me and cover me up as I felt ashamed and didn't want him to see me like it.. But despite all that I still did it and still got nowhere. I do wonder sometimes if anatomically I am just not built for bf. I mean, why didn't I get these enormous engorged milky boobies that everyone talks about? I felt no different when 'my milk came in' than i did before other than my nipples would get a bit tingly when he was due for a feed. Maybe I don't have very many milk glands or something? Oh, I don't know!!! I just need to give myself a mental shake and deal with it. I tried my best, i did my best and I have a happy, healthy little boy. I have a lot to be thankful for...but... I still wish I could bf him.

XX

 

[Emily0505]

Going to be a busy weekend for us this weekend.

Tomorrow evening we have our first xmas dinner to attend and then on Sunday I am going to an agility competition (providing its not been flooded) and of course Cam is coming to both.

However, this means he will be out late on Saturday night and up early on Sunday morning- could end up a disaster!

My plan is to dress him in a xmas baby gro so he can wear it to bed and take the carry cot section for his pram, so he can lie down and go to sleep as we will be arriving at the meal half an hour before his bedtime. If people want cuddles then they'll have to be quick! I begrudge dressing him in xmas outfits in November but to be fair it is a xmas meal and he will look sooooo cute and I also think he will have grown out of it by xmas!

Sunday morning we have to leave the house at seven and he normally gets up between eight and eight thirty, so my plan there was to get myself and the dog up and sorted and get Cam up as late as possible, feed him, change him, dress him and go. Will get everything ready to go tomorrow, to try and save some time in the morning.

I've bought a litre of ready made milk to take with us and had to buy two more bottles to make sure I've got enough for the day. This is especially when I wish I could bf, as I wouldn't need to worry about having enough bottles or milk or somewhere to warm it, I could just whip out a boobie and be well away!LOL!

I'm looking forward to taking Cam to the agility competition though. At Easter he is coming away to a three day competition and we will be staying with my mum in her caravan! Exciting much!!

I feel much better about the whole bf thing now too. Yes, it would be lovely and easier and cheaper but... I can't do it and thats that. Think I just needed to get it all out- thank goodness for my journal.

Had my coil fitted today- ouch!! Having period type pains and bleeding since she put it in but she said that should all settle down within 48 hours. That is it now though... I have had quite enough of people poking about in my fandango! No more!! Apart from hubby obviously

Cam is doing so well. He's growing so big! I've washed all his 3-6 month clothes ready for him and I think he'll be in them by the end of next week. He sleeps through the night eight till eight- the most I have to do is put a dummy in his mouth and even that is getting less and less. He actually put some effort in during tummy time today and bothered to lift his head, normally he's just like 'Meh...I'll just lie here and suck my fist!' He loves to stand up and look around though, nosy little parker! I think mum and dad have got him a door bouncer for xmas which he will love i'm sure and it will give my arms a break from holding him up. His co-ordination is improving and he is getting better at picking things up and putting them in his mouth! Clever little man!

XX

 

[Hope81]

My experience with bf was quite similar. My boobs never got that big during pregnancy and I didn't even notice when supposingly my milk came in...still cry about that I pray that she will be healthy and no suffer any health issues because I didn't bf her more

I die to see cam in its little Christmas outfit!!! He will be so cute
I am so jealous of him sleeping through the night already! What a clever little man
Good luck with the competition

 

[Emily0505]

Aww thanks hun.

Well done for reading through my essays! I would appear to be a serial waffler!!

I'm sure Amelie will be fine hun! Just look at her, she's a big healthy girl already! I was ff and there's nowt wrong with me! I just really loved bf and am sad that I couldn't so I understand how you feel hun

I will get a piccy of Cam in his baby gro. It's a little Santa suit with a hat and everything. He is going to look so cute I think I shall end up squealing so only dogs can hear me!!

I have just managed to teach Cairo how to do the weave poles, haven't bothered before, so this will be our first competition where I can actually fully compete!! I'm really looking forward to it! Should be good fun.

XX

 

[Emily0505]

So the agility competition was cancelled as the road leading to the venue flooded. Can't say I'm suprised after all the rain we've had (and are still having!)

Cam was a good boy at our xmas meal last night. Looked soooooo cute in his outfit- will post a piccy tomorrow. Mind you i picked him up out of his pram when we got there and he threw up all over me! Had been there less than five minutes and covered in upchuck! Great! Lol! He was very reluctant to sleep, too worried he might miss something. He eventually fell asleep on my dads chest. Nawwwwww bless! I did worry that the change in routine may upset him but he slept fine when we got home and woke up at usual time. He's been a bit grizzly today but i don't think that's due to last night- the bright red cheeks, fist munching and dribble make me think things may have been rumbling in the teethies department.

Going to put him in 3-6 month size clothes tomorrow as he's just getting too big for 0-3 months now. Growing so well

XX

 

[Emily0505]

Here's piccys of my lil man in his crimbo outfit (even though its still November) and doing standing up with daddy...

 

[Emily0505]

And here he is today in his first 3-6 month size outfit, a prezzie from my brother and his fiance...

 

[Hope81]

How gorgeous he is
Can't wait to see Amelie in her Christmas outfit!!! Also love the 3-6 outfit!!!!

Amelie outgrew in height her changing mat and the 3-6 outfits
Currently in 6-9 pants and 0-3 shirts... 6-9 vests that are way too wide for her...
Such a science to dress her lol.

Is the puppy concurs going to be rescheduled btw?

 

[Emily0505]

I don't expect they'll reschedule as it was a small independant show.

Apparantly i was a pain to dress as i was sooo tiny as a baby. Had to wear dolls clothes

I'm going to get some more xmas outfits for Cam, but Santa will bring them for him.

Need piccys of Amelie in her xmas outfits. She's going to look soooooo cute!!

XX

 

[babyem]

Aww, I love hs little christmas outfit!! So cute!! x

 

[Emily0505]

Awww thanks hun.

I begrudge dressing him in xmas outfit in November, but we were going for a xmas meal and I'm not sure it will still fit by xmas as he's growing so big!

XX

 

[Hope81]

Checking on you and Cameron

H&M do cheap gorgeous Christmas outfits if he outgrows the one that he has now and you want one more

first meal in slow cooker was delicious

Trying a chilli today in there to see how that will go ...

What are your plans today? Was hoping for some good weather to go for a stroll with Amelie....

Oh and can I ask you sth about the puppy? She started getting curious with the baby and goes all around and smells her and that's fine but sometimes when she is on the bouncer at the floor she seems to act like she is one of her toys as the baby is on the floor ifykwim and I am not quite sure what to do about that? Dreading the crawling stage lol.

Do you go at any baby classes with cam? I am so jealous as we don't have those here. I am quite curious what they do in the sensory classes, I want maybe to try to so sth with Amelie at home.

 

[Emily0505]

Hi Hope,
So sorry it's taken me so long to reply!!

With regards to the puppy, allow her to investigate as you have been, that's fine as long as puppy is gentle. Redirect any playful behaviour onto puppy's own toys and away from baby or if you don't want puppy getting playful when Amelie is near floor level, give puppy a chew or another quiet activity to do instead. Basically distract her from what she is doing and refocus her attention elsewehere.

Glad the slow cooker meal was a success! I've not done a chilli in mine yet. Will have to give it a go.

We go to a baby group on a Wednesday afternoon and the babies all sit in a big padded playpen with loads of toys etc. Last week, one of the HV came and did a talk on weaning which was good. I haven't been to a sensory class so don't know about that I'm afraid. It is a shame that they don't have mum and baby groups where you are. Do you know any other mums at all? I know... come and live here!!!! Then you can come to baby group with me! lol!!!

I hope you are all feeling better now? I know you all had colds

Poor Cam has most definetly had some rumblings in the teeth department. I have never seen such red cheeks!! Bless him.

Here are some recent piccys...

 

[Emily0505]

Now, not to terrify anyone who reads my journal with awful semi nude piccys of myself, but I have taken some photos of my mummy tummy.

I have always been very lucky to have a very slim figure and although weight wise I am now pretty much the same as i was before I fell pregnant, my shape has changed so much and it is taking some getting used to.

I have hips that have appeared from nowhere (emphasised by my love handles) and my tummy is all loose and wobbly where it stretched when I was preggers. I knew my shape would change obviously having had a baby and I don't feel too bad about myself but I am most certainly not as confident about myself as I was. I have gone up a cup size in the boobage department which I am muchly happy about, but I know it is only a matter of time before they shrink away now that I am not bf.

My husbands still says I am gorgeous and it has had no impact on our love life but I do feel a bit self conscious around him sometimes. We have a good giggle and a bit of banter about my little wobbly tum but underneath the banter, I am a bit like...

So may people have commented on how quickly I have got my figure back after having him, but I guess I just don't see what they see.

Also, i can't wear my wedding and engagement ring still. I can put them on but underneath my finger goes reallly red and sore. I wonder if it's because they are a fraction too tight still? And... my hair is majorly falling out!! I have little bald patches on the side of my head

Being pregnant and having Cam has been the most amazing thing I have ever done and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. But, I guess all those joys of pregnancy don't disappear as soon as baby is born...they linger...

Viewers of a sensitive disposition should look away now...

 

[Hope81]

I will have a good read later as Amelie is due to wake up soon but I stopped to tell you cam is just gorgeous and I can't believe that he is already busy with an activity centre??? Amelie would just sit in there looking around and that's all!
Clever little man!!
As about tummy I suppose that will be a tough one for all of us. I can't properly see the pictures on my phone but I bet it's better than you actually think. I know though how hard it is to just not feel right about your body. Don't let me start about that.
I think there are some fitness groups In uk where you meet other mums and you do stroller fitness lol.
I will be back later

 

[Hope81]

ok made it to the laptop...
your tummy is not even that bad, the stretch marks will fast fade but because of them (stretch marks are practically loss of elasticity) it will take a while for the skin to firm up, but it will happen.
dont make the mistake to exclude completely the fat from your diet to loose weight as the fat is quite important for the elasticity.
as you are generally so slim and quite active with your puppies , never mind cameron too lol i am pretty sure that everything will go back to absolutely normal just in time for swim suits.

about your oh now, well with that you will have to really work on your self esteem rather than your body wear your best smile and he will love you forever and ever.

my fingers are still swollen but i am not even surprised as i am washing all day bottles, clothes etc etc...

my hair didnt start falling yet, or better say it never stopped falling actually but never mind that... it will all even up eventually when those bloody hormones will finally settle down for us

 

[Emily0505]

Awww, i love you Hope, you always make me smile!



XX

 

[Emily0505]

Wow! Just noticed my journal has five stars!! Why did it do that??

XX

 

[Hope81]

I have it 5 stars so I find it easier lol