Trusting thyself

We all know the books say 6 months. Er pupo seemed to be getting hungry a little before 4 months, but I waited 2 weeks to make sure it wasn't a growth spurt. His nurse had broken her elbow so was off sick, but I spoke to another one who said to give him formula if he was hungry! Anyway, I ignored that because if he needed milk, I could give him milk, and just kept him on the breast for another 3 weeks before finally giving in and giving him rice in breastmilk once a day (starting last Sunday).

So today he goes for his jags and sees his own nurse and he has gained only 800g in 2 months! I lose more than that spending 20 minutes in the hot tub! The nurse agreed that he has probably been hungry and needs to go to at least 2 solid meals a day, in addition to his usual milk. (He was well above average weight at 3 months, so it hasn't done him any harm to slim down, but it is still heartbreaking to see him plummet down the chart when I KNEW he needed solids!!!) She said that if a baby was satisfied with milk it was great to keep them on just that for 6 months, but if they need more they will tell you. And he did. And I didn't trust him or my own instincts.

I'm determined to trust myself and my baby in future. Poor thing was telling me he was hungry and I kept giving him a dummy and sending him back to sleep. So he's getting a carrot tonight!

That deam I had...

In January, I "dreamt my baby."

In said dream, we were at a wedding, my sister's. This Friday past, we were at a wedding of some friends of ours. It was a small registry office do following by hanging around in a bar. And suddenly, as we are chatting, I remembered the dream. And it was pupo. He even has soft blond hair coming in (though not as much, perhaps, as I had envisaged) and definitely those rosy cheeks (teething).

So there you have it. And if you think this is all a lot of tosh, so be it.

First Rice

Today we finally did it. 4 teaspoonfulls of babyrice in milk. More milk than rice. And more on the floor, the bib, the father, the walls than in pupo. We're lucky if one teaspoonfull actually went into the boy. And I think 4 teaspoonfulls just poured out of him. These things take time...

We're Back!

from Scotland. Pupo and I went to Scotland as a surprise for my dad's 60th birthday.

Pupo was fantastic on the way over. He was brilliant on the flights (2) and the train (7 hours) and everybody was so impressed with how gorgeous he was. I was deeply impressed by how many people insisted on helping us on and off the trains :) God Bless Scotland!

We spent a night with SAHM, her husband and boo and had a great time catching up together. I called my dad in the morning to say I wanted to wish him happy birthday early as "I wouldn't be home tonight." Not one to tell lies, me ;) He hadn't a scooby that I was calling from West Lothian.

Pupo coped rather well with loads of strangers pawing him and insisting on a cuddle (though by the end of the week he was getting a bit fed up of crowds and strangers). We got a bad cold on the plane going over, which meant he couldn't sleep properly which meant I couldn't sleep at all, because he was up every hour :( It was soooo much work looking after him on my own. Single mothers, I salute you!

He turned into hell boy on the way home. We had a bad start at Glasgow airport, because we had to wait 40 minutes to clear security and he understandably got fed up in the pram and ended up in my sling. It was really hot too, and I thought I might faint, so goodness knows how bad he felt. We got on the plane by which time he was very tired and I thought he would sleep, but no, instead, he just screamed all the way to Iceland. As the fasten seatbelt sign came on for landing, he THEN fell into a coma and I didn't dare try to put him in his pram again because I couldn't take any more screaming, so I had to battle with my case and the buggy while he was tucked nicely in the sling. We got the bus to Reykjavik where my friend came to meet us and then he took us to his mum and dad's and then went back to work! I hardly know his parents!! Pupo woke up on arrival at their flat and proceeded to scream for another 2 hours. (I think he had sore ears from the plane, because I have never heard him scream like that, and certainly not for so long). My friend's mum was great and held him while he bawled so I could sit on the floor in my own tears for 5 minutes. He slept on the plane to Akureyri, cried on arrival, got fed and then.... was perfect angel baby all night, delighted by his dad, his play mat and his bouncychair with tigger, poo and piglet, and slept from 10pm till 9.30 this morning. He's back to his chirpy self this morning. I think he feels safe and secure to be home. (as does his mum!!)

Good news is: Boy having pooed 3 times on a 2 hour flight on the way over was pooing only once every 2 days by the trip back. Despite being changed on a shoogly, slopy, British Rail change table the size of 2 postcards and not getting his daily airtime, his bottom behaved impeccably and is just perfect :)

Needless to say, my dad was most surprised to see us. In a good way... I think. Well, at least for the first 24 hours....

I definitely won't be rushing into any more 3 day journeys alone with pupo any time soon. We're off our winter excursion to Scotland and Italy over Christmas and New Year soon, but hubby will be there, so that should half the load and at least allow us to grab something to eat now along the way.

Contented little baby

A week has passed, all is well. I continue to feed pupo and he is now on 6 meals a day, albeit, rather large ones. He's quite happy so I'm not going to rush the weaning as he doesn't seem to need it after all. (Meanwhile, it means I can scoff whatever I want and not put any weight on; I'm now just 1kg more than my pre-preg weight and have been off my diet for about a month. And Hurrah of all Hurrahs, he is no longer affected if I eat chocollate!) He is sleeping from about 9.30 or 10 till 8 or so in the morning, so we are all happy with that.

More news to follow soon but right now, shhhhh... it's a secret....

Officially the cutest baby in Christendom

I've long had the suspicion that pupo is in fact the cutest baby every to be born this side of the Tigris. However, I've also had the lingering doubt that this opinion may not lack in mummy bias. But this morning I awoke to 2 emails from 2 friends, one in the US and one in Canada, both telling me that pupo is in fact absolutely gorgeous. One of these women has a little girl the same age as pupo and has viewed a LOT of baby pictures.

Still haven't weaned, but we have bought a spoon. One step at a time...

And if you want to see for yourself and you're not some internet weirdo, drop me an email and I can send you a recent pic of the boy.