Leila is still the chuckingest baby I’ve ever met (and I don’t think that’s because I haven’t met enough babies - I’ve met quite a few and none of them ever chucked like her). On Friday the chuckiness got to the point where I was approaching my wit’s end. So I asked for help on an internet forum.
It’s not something I would normally do since you’re more likely to be told that your problem is caused by not wearing your tinfoil hat every time you set foot outside than you are to get any real advice or assistance. But I was at the point where even a crackpot theory was going to sound good so I did it. I was pleasantly surprised. I got some really good advice and support. And no one told me that Leila’s chuckiness was because I was an older mother and what business do people over 35 have having babies anyway? Don’t they realise that they’ll be old before their kids leave home?
The really valuable piece of information was that, even though Leila isn’t screaming her head off in pain all the time, she could actually have reflux which contradicted what the Maternal & Child Health nurse told me. This sent me off googling for information on reflux and I found the Reflux Infants Support Association site which has lots of really, really good information. Based on reading it and my extensive recent experience of being chucked on, I’ve decided that Leila does actually have reflux. I might go and get an actual diagnosis at some stage, but for the moment I’m satisfied with my own opinion. Read the rest of this entry »
When Leila was all new and has her price sticker on and everything she was a champion sleeper. At the time I thought it was wonderful and hoped it would last forever.
I still wish it had lasted forever as she is now awake a lot more and quite disinterested in sleep a lot of the time. I don’t thinks she minds much but I know it means Nicky is pretty tired.
All the same she will be all big soon and we’ll quietly wish for when she was just a little baby.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8XbsDFb6A8]
I’d never met a little baby that needed to wear a bib. I’d always thought that they were for older bubs who were eating solids or teething and drooling everywhere. The tiny baby bibs I saw in the shops just seemed ludicrous and silly. Then Leila came along.
A chucky baby needs to wear bibs to protect her clothes. Of course, now that I needed them I couldn’t find any of those ludicrous little bibs, could I? So I decided to make my own. I found a free pattern to sew them but, being a knitter, I wanted to give that a go first.
The free knitting patterns I was able to find didn’t grab me. They looked amateurish. I figured it couldn’t be too hard to develop my own. I used a jumper pattern and knitted a front and then the top part of a back, extending one shoulder to make a flap to be buttoned. I used some Anchor Magicline Cotton I had in my stash which is self-striping. There’s polar fleece sewn on the back to stop the wetness getting through to her clothes.
I was a bit concerned that the neck might be too tight, but it’s perfect. Roomy enough that she’s not being choked and neat enough that I don’t think much will go down her neck.
Pretty good for a first go, no?
Our Little Princess is 6 weeks old today.
We’ll have to honour family tradition and make her first movie in the next few days.
I’ve been having trouble getting Leila to go down for a sleep during the day. She’s been insisting on being held until she goes to sleep and then only sleeping for a short time once I put her in her bed. It’s been very tiring.
When I was putting her down for her lunchtime sleep today I spied the iPod Shuffle in her room. We put lots of soothing music on it a few weeks ago, but really hadn’t used it. I plugged the speaker into it, turned it on and crept off to have my own sleep.
It’s been over 2 and a half hours now. I’ve had a sleep and some lunch and played on the internet. Miss Leila has been asleep the whole time.
I may be starting a sleep association that I’ll live to regret but, for today at least, it’s been a life saver.
Most babies bring up a little bit of milk during or after a feed. Every baby I’ve ever known has done this. Some babies vomit copiously. Finn didn’t. Leila does. Our Little Princess is getting to be known as “Chucky”.
It’s rare that Leila doesn’t vomit a bit during or after a feed. I’ve worked out that it mostly occurs when I hurry a feed, move her around too much, don’t have her positioned exactly right, or when it’s been a while since the last feed and the flow of milk is a bit quick for her (she also lets a lot of it dribble out the side of her mouth at these times - things can get very damp). I’ve been trying to stick to my routine, take my time about feeding, and position her carefully to avoid it. But sometimes she throws up anyway. It doesn’t seem to bother her, except when it’s associated with wind, so it’s not reflux and there’s no reason to see a doctor about. It’s really just annoying and messy.
Today I’ve had vomit down both my front & back, in my hair and on the rocking chair. My top is in the wash and the back & seat pads from the chair have been washed, but I haven’t made it to the shower yet. I’m still in my pyjamas and dressing gown and I smell like baby chuck. When they said being a mum wasn’t glamourous they weren’t joking.
Just a couple a minutes ago Leila did her first deliberate smile at Nicky.
Clearly she has good taste and loves her Mum.
Leila is one month old today.
It’s trite, but I have to say it. It feels like she’s always been here and it’s hard to believe that only a short time ago she wasn’t.
The days fly by in a haze of sleeps, feeds, nappies and awake time. I have nothing to talk about other than baby stuff. It sounds boring but it’s not - except for at 3am when Leila won’t go to sleep. That’s boring and frustrating, but only for a little while and then it’s not. Our Princess GrumpyBum is growing like a weed and becoming a different little person almost daily. There’s nothing boring about that.
Next week Mark will go back to work and Leila and I will spend the days that Finn is at childcare on our own. I’m excited and daunted by this all at once. I’ve never been home on my own with a little baby … but I can’t wait.
Sleep is becoming something of an issue here at home. Little Miss has good sleeping times but mostly she has time to be a bit grizzly.
This is having a little bit of an impact on me, her Dad, but is pretty much clobbering her lovely Mum. This will pass in a few months but this is one of those times when I wish time would fly.
