thumbsucker blues: sandbox parenting thead

The crap thing about pumping is that I'm seeing the amount coming out and it looks so feeble, which makes me anxious, which makes the milk less likely to come... so it's a vicious circle. But I'm getting there. And most of the time I'm on a total high despite it all :)

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20144310@N00/sets/72157594427098596/

Also, I had a problem where I was so engorged at first that it seemed like the milk didn't want to come out. What helped was applying hot rags to my breasts with disposable diapers over them (to keep them warm) before pumping. Taking a hot shower or bath would likely do the same. (I don't know if that helps at all, but I suppose it can't hurt...)

The type of tea that is supposed to increase milk production is fenugreek. LLL doesn't recommend beer anymore due to the alcohol and also it isn't a substantiated thing that it increases milk production. Frequency of nursing should increase milk production.

I hope that helps some... if I think of anything else (or she mentions anything else) I'll post.

Just heard an awful awful story... Woman being beaten, babies not really being treated well... It makes me so sad. :-(

I miss my belly too Nath! Although I still have the sad deflated football version of it... I can't believe Alice came out of there to be honest.

Thanks for all your support - it will make getting up at 4am to feed/express that bit more endurable...

Archel - hope some of those ideas help! I totally remember getting up in the middle of the night to pump; my husband used to try to get up, too, so he could wash up the equipment afterward. One time I tried to get up quietly so he would get a bit of extra sleep and he got irritated with me. I was like, "one of us should be sleeping here!!!!" I think he got my point... otherwise, that whole first year is kind of a haze...

Cutest swaddler ever:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/155/331222961_f7acbbf084.jpg

Did the cookie dash across SE London tonight with our homemade gifts for the neighbourhood mums, and received a few visits ourselves. What a lovely start to the holiday - especially the big, unprompted kiss from little Campbell when I dropped off their present.

Tallulah has finally dozed off, Ava has been down since her bath at 8pm.

A merry Christmas to you all!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Parents!!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/333146077_1553762b97.jpg

Ava rolling around in gift-saturated heaven:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/125/333143296_c4dca8edde.jpg

Ava showing Tallulah there's no hard feelings despite the clashing outfit faux-pas:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/125/333135029_42e71d6498.jpg

However she's grown fed up with the formula milk so I think we'll need to introduce a *proper* breakfast and give the milk as a *side dish*.

I spent most of yesterday firmly in the "basic zone" on the 300D but I'll start experimenting with it a bit more today having had a peek at the manual. The top two above were taken with the 300D, the bottom one with the Ixus i. It's pretty great - God bless Pam, eBay and PayPal accounts linked to credit cards...

With the Fischer Price house.

I'm very keen to get myself a SLR camera - once I have saved up enough money - cause the one we have now is sooooo fucking slow to react! If I want to take a pic NOW, that doesn't mean five minutes later cause then O is somewhere ELSE. Grrr.

RInging the doorbell!

Ah, nothing says Christmas like pacing the room with a crying baby at 3am... and yet mere hours later she looks so angelic:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/334185899_22bb9309ca.jpg?v=0

Oh and I love Ophelia's skirt nathalie.

You know, ILxors make some pretty good looking kids!

The skirt is from Mexx. Personally I love it, but I prefer Gap. Sadly (or luckily financially speaking) we don't have it here. My parents do send me stuff from Japan. I have warned'em once that I'm in Japan - in february eep! - I'll be going there on a shopping spree. :-)

Yeah, O is big, I know! Noone fucking told me that she'd be no longer a baby by the end of the year. BOOOHOOO. :-( But it's so much fun having her crawl around so much. :-) We're now decided to NAME EVERYTHING. She's been pointing at things like mad so I figure I better teach her what the things are. :-)

On the way to the football yesterday we passed a horrible building that I happen to work in:

Mark (7): It's kind of dull looking isn't it Dad?
Me: Yes.
Mark: What does dull mean?
Me: Well you just used it correctly so you should know.
Mark: Dark?
Me: Yes, like the opposite of bright and colourful.
Mark: Okay... what does "YOU ARE GAY!" mean?

Nathalie, those pictures of Ophelia are great, but I keep going back and looking at your excellent shoes. Square toed loafers? Give me your shoes.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/335610826_d9592eed1e.jpg

here he is at 12.5 mos next to his 28 mo cousin.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/328345071_d9228b92a9.jpg
after shots.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/326471527_f38f43ad2a.jpg
I think the cuteness of this pic may force my family to move closer.

He's so big! And gorgeous! I want to smooch his cheeks and grab his little chubby arms and legs. Oh teens, I am in love with your babydoll.

She's been pretty grouchy the last couple of days, I think it's because we're still struggling to second guess her feeding patterns/needs. Can't just shove her onto a boob when she looks hungry, unfortunately. I am growing to hate her bottles and the eternal round of washing, sterilising, measuring, warming... not to mention the dreaded breast pump. But she's putting on weight like a trooper which is the main thing.

But weirdly she seems to be able to stay fast asleep even while snuffling and spitting up, so she must be reasonably happy (if messy).

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/92/336141033_b160ec521e.jpg?v=0

i am SO sick of being pregnant. over it over it over it!

here's something weird though: i've had morning sickness throughout this entire pregnancy but while I was in Australia I didnt get, or feel, sick at all. now, i've been back in the US for 24 hours and I've already puked 3 times. what the hell?? does baby want to be born downunder?

Just how financially secure should potential parents be?

This is Mr Pumpkins main reason for not having a baby, he says he doesn't want to just 'manage'. I think he's being unreasonable.

Whatever you do, don't go thinking that you'll get pregnant straight away. Yes, it might happen, but I think the current stat. is that one in six couples experience problems trying to conceive that means it takes over a year. The longer you leave it, the more risks you take with dwindling fertility.

However, I'm not a parent (yet, hahaha....)

We figure the amount we would save on not getting to go out ever again should be enough to keep a baby in baby things forever, but this doesn't mean I'm going to try this hypothesis out.

I would probably go back to work part time, but to a better paid job.

He's terrified of losing the flat, but at the moment we're left with a full wage to live on after all the bills are paid.

(though it is a good time to go looking elsewhere, and you hand your notice in as soon as possible after you return - well, that's what colleagues of mine have done in the past)

Ah for the olden days. Bet our grandparents didn't worry about finances and careers before hopping into bed.