UK SMOG Wannabes July

[zanacal]

Thanks guys x

I started putting the children to bed at 6 tonight and I sat down just before 9, ugh! Babymad - how do you deal with getting the 4 children to bed? My biggest two are giving me such a hard time lately and I know we've been crap recently and they've had no bedtime routine so I decided tonight to try and sort that. I bathed the youngest 2 first and put DS3 to bed (DD doesn't go to bed in the evenings yet but she's been asleep in her carrycot travelling rount he house with me all night!). Once I'd done that I did it all over again with the biggest 2 - and they still played up. Argh! I removed DS1 from their room to ours and didn't have to go back up so it wasn't too bad in the end but I'm absolutely knackered!

DH is brilliant. He doesn't get home from work until late and as soon as he walks in I have him helping with bedtimes - it's usually 9pm or so before he eats his dinner. He irons all the school uniforms and lays them out in the mornings and does lots of other jobs around the house too.

I am going to do Weight Watchers but am waiting for 6 weeks because of breastfeeding. I'll start some time this week or next. I'm so fed up with having nothing to wear too. I ordered some stuff from the Boden sale yesterday - if I'm going to lose weight it won't fit for long but if it's a decent brand I can sell it on Ebay or something!

[Kell]

Zanacal we have three boys between us aged 9,7 and nearly three. When we have them all here it is a chore getting them to bed, and they all share a room so it can be quite a challenge!
I usually do the same as you and put the youngest to bed first, he will fall asleep within about 30mins and then I send the other two to bed, if they play up Unfortunatly for them it leads to loosing something! Tv time, ds, a toy anything or they get sent to bed early the next day which they do not like at all! But persistence is the key I've found, they know what is expected of them now and we tend not to have many problems these days (touch wood lol)
I'm yet to add the newborn to this mix yet!!

[zanacal]

Yeah, mine all share a room too unfortunately! They do lose DS time if they don't go to bed nicely but it doesn't put them off in the slightest. Monkeys!

[Inglewood]

Charlie, what a scrummy boy he is!!! Hoping he's home with u all soon. What are the boys saying about their new wee brother? BIG hugs! xx

Z, OMG!! your post sounds just like me!!!!!!!! My house is a tip and gets worse by the day. I've been so dizzy for 3 wks now and on stemetil for labrithitis with no joy! Thought it was due to irregular eating and have managed to eat so much I've gained 20lbs SINCE the girls were born.... forgetting I'm no longer able to eat whatever! I was so chuffed I only put on 22lbs during the pg and now have 5 stone also to loose to be my ideal weight! So depressed about that!!! Since I'm feeding the girls every 3hrs and it's an hour each time (30mins each) I spend so much time sitting and can't get out as the weather is so crap!! Raining so heavy there is flooding. Plus my body aches so much still from section. My dh is a great 'hands on dad' no complaints there, but he starts work at 0630am at the mo mon-sat, so EVERY night feed is up to me. I get sa night off. I'm usually up 3-5am every night. sometimes longer if girls unsettled.

With the girls being so unsettled, the colic, reflux...... I get 1 settled and the other starts. I'm stressed, shattered, miserable about how I look (still in mat clothes) and can't believe I'm due back to work beg oct. I'm saving so hard to try and take at least the 9mths off as being the bread winner I can't afford unpaid time off Money worries me too, well lack of it! I NEVER get out with the girls like I did with the boys and get super envious of girls out and about with their babies when I'm dashing into asda by myself, to rush back knowing dh will be having a time of it with 'greetin teenies' (as I have affectionately called them). It's a military operation trying to get out with 2 babies (no joke) and hands up I'm struggling! My poor boys prob forget that mummy can be fun sometimes and not stressed.

The HV told me to change the girls milk AGAIN due to constipation and STUPID me did!! Back to aptamil from SMA and they are back to being restless, not sure if it's that or the fact they should have 2 sachets of gaviscon but can only have 1 as they don't take 225mls/8oz of milk. They were getting 2 sachets till I realised the doc's mistake! and now I think it's the gavsicon causing the constipation??? so now they have had 4 milk changes due to Dr's and Hv's and so wish I'd stuck with SMA as they were ALOT happier on it (I'm sure I'm not dreaming) but don't want to change milk a 5th time. I'm taking them to a Mctimoney chiropractor/Homeopath on thurs and hope maybe they can help.... they have started to teeth which ain't helping. They are never content to sit and smile and coo, always seem restless. All u mamma's able to read these books are so lucky!! I can barely catch a minute to update on here nevermind read a chapter of a book.

DEAKS, were your boys constipated on it??? the winding trip u mentioned I was taught in the hosp this time and it does work!! My mum swears by gently rubing the back of their necks (like a soft pinch a few times) and that often works too.

I'm so so so sorry for ranting, just all getting on top of me and Dh is a "just get on with it" kinna guy.
The boys are going away to my BIL's tomorrow till fri then my MIL's fri-sun, so bless them they need some fun and attention. I'm gonna get my act together for them coming home and get my mum/dh to have girls while I take them someplace cool and have fun as there is no holiday for us this year (no £ to go anywhere) and boys bless them are happy with days here and there. We went to sealife centre yest. I'm 7yrs married on sun (15th) so my mum gonna watch girls while dh and I go for a meal where we got married (for the 1st time in yrs). Can't say I can be bothered, nowt to wear!!

Need a good SHAKE!!! or kick up the bum!! lol

Sorry again ladies, feels kinna good getting that off my chest, but poor you all reading it! x

Charlie, just thinking after I wrote that, there I am worrying about all that stuff and ur worrying about ur gorgeous boy, makes my rant seem like nothing compared to how u must be feeling. HUGS x

[Inglewood]

Kell, keep missing u to post a quick pic of my girlies! Did u say u don't have FB? x

[Kell]

Wow inglewood I am sorry you are struggling also. All these weight issues should be the last things on everyone's minds, you've all just had babies girls! It takes 9 months to put it on, and often takes longer than that to get it off!
Inglewood your health is more important at the moment, but I do know how it feels to be consumed by low self esteem when it comes to weight, so I'm sure you will have to remind me of this post soon enough!

Bloody hv and doctors they are always on such different wave lengths, the poor girls
Your boys sound amazing! Kids are resilient they will be just fine, I'm sure your feeling guilty and they are just fine, it's a shame the weather is so bad, we've had the same here, our school holidays start the weekend of my due date.

Don't be worrying and pictures of the girls inglewood, it's one less thing you need not worry about I'm not on fb no, it can cause was too much hassle lol!

What's wrong with Charlie's little man??

[zanacal]

Oh Inglewood, big {hugs}. I keep meaning to mention to you that I'm still getting dizzy too. I had labrinthitis once too so I wonder if it's one of those things you can be prone to? The headaches I was having have subsided (though I still get a few a week) but I often feel like I'm walking on a boat iykwim. I'm at least getting some decent sleep but you must be absolutely knackered, which can't help! What a shame we don't live closer together so we could share a glass of wine! It sounds like the Health Visitor is floundering a bit, getting you to change the girls' milk back and forth all the time. Is the Gaviscon helping with the Reflux but making them constipated or not even helping? Perhaps they could try a different medication, I know there are others. I'm going to email you some stuff from the site I was telling you about the other day - I'm sure you know most of it already but just in case there's something in there which may help you x

[Inglewood]

Z, that was a fab email going to take some notes once I've got girls dressed. My BIL coming for boys soon. Lots in it about positioning I haven't read. Know the 'boat' feeling well!! It lasted a week last time and wa so severe. I've had it 3wks now and it can apparently last 3-8wks!!! nightmare! Wish we did live closer for that glass of wine, but we couldn't live much further apart!! Your way on the south coast???

Thanks for your lovely words Kell, the weight will vanish sometime, just not fast enough. When I had the boys I was early-mid twenties...now at 33 think it take a wee bit longer!! My boys are amazing wee boys, so kind and never jealous of the girls, attentive and eager to help.

Need to dash.... couple of screamers here!!! x

[deaks66]

oh inglewood im so sorry things are so hard for you at the moment. Wish i could give more helpful advice but it sounds like you are trying all the right things. Keep pushing with the doctors though because truly i haven't known many people rely on ONLY gaviscon for reflux. Most people seem to find it does the job temporarily but then things regress. Also their weight will play a huge part of how many sachets (or dosages of other meds they might end up on) so if they need to be on two sachets, go with it and try giving them a little water or something too to help with any constipation. As for the milk thing i really cant help. In my area it is commonly known that sma is very rich especially for babies who are sensitive and thats why we all end up with aptamil and many aptamil comfort. But it really wasn't until both my sons were on ranitidene and domperidone that life got easier.

I too wish lived we all lived close enough for a pop round and a glass of wine

Things seem really busy this end but i think its just that ds2 isn't all that well, bump is slowly getting bigger (though i really cant complain about that as still tiny), having to order masses of school uniform etc. But trying to read posts even if i don't get a chance to respond.

Much love to you all X

[Sunset]

Hi laides!! I apologise I don't post much at the moment - I do keep up with your posts though!

Zanacal ~ I think we can all relate to how you feel! Don't be too hard on yourself though, you've just had a baby a few weeks ago! You are doing a brilliant job I'm sure!! I know what it's like though when it feels like the housework is getting on top of you and seeing the mess makes you even less motivated to do anything about it.. it was like that for me after dd was born and it's only now that my mum is visiting that i'm getting the help to sort it out.. dh's family is useless at helping out unfortunately. Remember hun that life won't be as hectic forever, it's only for a few months and then it should start to settle down.. ((hugs))

Petal ~ 8 months already bless him how time flies! how's the weaning going?

Inglewood ~ oh hun... i don't know what to say really i hope things start to get easier soon for you!!! ((hugs))

Babymad ~ enjoy your holiday!!! my mum is here now so i have only had time to make a start on the third mr grey book.. i don't have time to read at all when she's here. love the books though

afm, nothing really new to report here. my mum is visiting at the moment and it's so so lovely to get a bit of help with the housework and the children as i said earlier, i'm not posting much at the moment but i still try to keep up with your posts and i cant wait for the meet in august