Five months on

Well, it's five months now since YoungBloke arrived (2 weeks ahead of
schedule) and changed our lives. I thought I'd let you know how he's
doing and then head off out of mkp on account of shortness of time.

He was born weighing 7lb 7oz (3.37kg) and had doubled his weight by
the time he was 3 months old - all on mummy's milk! Yesterday, at 5
months old, he weighed in at 17lbs, or 7.7kg, so the weight gain is
slowing a bit, but that's to be expected, I think. He's gradually gone
from just under the 50th centile at birth to just under the 75th now.
The health visitor and her student reckon I'm making gold-top or
straight cream!

I've no idea how long he was at birth because length is no longer a
routine birth check in the UK but Bloke reckoned he was about the same
length as a juggling club when he was a couple of weeks old - that's
about 21" or 56cm. Yesterday, since he was in a placid mood, I got the
health visitor to have a go at measuring him and he seems to be about
62cm. That puts him at the 10th percentile, down from around the 75th!

It would appear that I have a short, wide boy - he takes after his
dad. He can nearly sit up alone (has a sideways list after about 10
seconds) and loves to stand supported. He smiles at everyone and has a
wonderful laugh. He is still 100% breastfed but we're starting to
consider weaning (the way I consider things, he'll be 6months when we
get to it), and he's chewing anything he can get in his mouth so I
reckon the teeth are shuffling around even if he's not actually
teething. He's a gem and Bloke and I are amazed and thrilled on a
daily basis at what we managed to make.

I'm doing fine - despite the fact that YB wakes at least twice at
night, people tell me I'm looking fresh. I certainly feel cheerful if
a little tired around the edges! My body hasn't recovered from
pregnancy yet but another mother told me it took her body two years
before she suddenly realised she didn't have her longest post-natal
symptom of sore feet, so I'm being patient. I think my knees and back
are complaining mostly about the fact that I'm now picking up and
carrying an ever heavier baby, but the hip, pelvic and foot aches are
down to the loosened ligaments, I'm sure. I got back to my old weight
surprisingly quickly, but I really don't think I'm ever going to be
back to the old shape!

Pics (nearly uptodate) at http://www.zen18019.zen.co.uk/jack/ and if
you want to see how the bump progressed from showing to baby, have a
glance at http://www.zen18019.zen.co.uk/bump.html and wonder where I
managed to put the 3 stone (42lb) weight gain!

I can't recommend breastfeeding enough - it may take a few weeks to
really get things going but it's worth it. And I /really/ recommend
pelvic floor exercises. Every time you wash your hands after going to
the loo, before your babies arrive; every time you feed your babies
when they're here!

To those of you waiting for your babies to be born I wish you healthy
pregnancies and safe and simple deliveries. To those of you TTC I send
baby dust and sticky vibes. I got years of great education and support
through this group and hope you do too. I'm off to mkb now for more of
the same!

Good luck and enjoy the trip!
--
Linz
YB: 5 months, 17lbs

Linz wrote:

Well, it's five months now since YoungBloke arrived (2 weeks ahead of
schedule) and changed our lives. I thought I'd let you know how he's
doing and then head off out of mkp on account of shortness of time.

Oh! I hope you'll come back to visit once in a while.

Thank you for sharing your pics! It's neat to see how a belly
progresses. ;-) Also, Young Bloke is definitely a very cute and smiley
baby. A happy baby. I loved the baby pics.

On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 09:49:28 -0500, Vicky Bilaniuk
wrote:

Linz wrote:

Well, it's five months now since YoungBloke arrived (2 weeks ahead of
schedule) and changed our lives. I thought I'd let you know how he's
doing and then head off out of mkp on account of shortness of time.

Oh! I hope you'll come back to visit once in a while.

I should think I will - I want to know how people get on!

Thank you for sharing your pics! It's neat to see how a belly
progresses. ;-) Also, Young Bloke is definitely a very cute and smiley
baby. A happy baby. I loved the baby pics.

Thank you - he's sitting at my feet singing, giggling, and making
friends with his earlobe as I type!
--
Linz
YB: 5 months, 17lbs

It's wonderful to hear that he is doing so well. I loved the bump photos!!!
I keep hearing such positive things about bf so I am definately determined
to give it all I can.

Thank you for sharing :-)

Camille

"Linz" wrote in message

He was born weighing 7lb 7oz (3.37kg) and had doubled his weight by
the time he was 3 months old - all on mummy's milk! Yesterday, at 5
months old, he weighed in at 17lbs, or 7.7kg, so the weight gain is
slowing a bit, but that's to be expected, I think. He's gradually gone
from just under the 50th centile at birth to just under the 75th now.
The health visitor and her student reckon I'm making gold-top or
straight cream!

Sounds like he is doing great! I was so excited when DS doubled his
birth weight--feels like confirmation that we're doing a good job :-)
I'm looking forward to his weigh-in at his 6 month check up. I believe
he is close to 20 pounds now.

I've no idea how long he was at birth because length is no longer a
routine birth check in the UK but Bloke reckoned he was about the same
length as a juggling club when he was a couple of weeks old - that's
about 21" or 56cm. Yesterday, since he was in a placid mood, I got the
health visitor to have a go at measuring him and he seems to be about
62cm. That puts him at the 10th percentile, down from around the 75th!

We have lots of trouble getting a good measure of DS at home. He is very
wiggly and we only have a regular sewing tape measure to measure him
with (at the doctor's office they have a little contraption that sits
right up against his head and then they pull his leg all of the way down
to get him straightened out for the measurement--we can't get him
arranged like that at home!). He is somewhere between 28 and 30 inches
from what we can tell!

It would appear that I have a short, wide boy - he takes after his
dad. He can nearly sit up alone (has a sideways list after about 10
seconds) and loves to stand supported. He smiles at everyone and has a
wonderful laugh. He is still 100% breastfed but we're starting to
consider weaning (the way I consider things, he'll be 6months when we
get to it), and he's chewing anything he can get in his mouth so I
reckon the teeth are shuffling around even if he's not actually
teething. He's a gem and Bloke and I are amazed and thrilled on a
daily basis at what we managed to make.

His pictures are so cute! He really looks like a sweet, chubby little
fellow!

I can't recommend breastfeeding enough - it may take a few weeks to
really get things going but it's worth it. And I /really/ recommend
pelvic floor exercises. Every time you wash your hands after going to
the loo, before your babies arrive; every time you feed your babies
when they're here!

I do 100 pelvic floor exercises every morning during my yoga routine and
second your recommendation. I also second it for breastfeeding, of
course!

Glad to read your update and see how well things are going for you!

--
Em
mama to L-baby, 6 months old this Sunday!

"Em" wrote in message
news:BxJ6c.43294$_w.616092@attbi_s53... and I snipped:

We have lots of trouble getting a good measure of DS at home. He is very
wiggly and we only have a regular sewing tape measure to measure him
with (at the doctor's office they have a little contraption that sits
right up against his head and then they pull his leg all of the way down
to get him straightened out for the measurement--we can't get him
arranged like that at home!). He is somewhere between 28 and 30 inches
from what we can tell!

The staff in our pediatrician's office put the baby down on the paper they
use to cover the examining table, mark the position of the top of the head
on the paper with a pen, and stretch the babies body and legs to mark the
position of the bottom of the feet. After the parent removes the baby, they
measure between the marks. I don't know how exact it is, but I've been
watching them do it for years. I've never seen the contraption you're
talking about.

HTH,
-Patty, mom to Corinne (6y) and Nathan (3.5y)
and stepmom to Victoria (13.5y)

"PattyMomVA" wrote in message
"Em" wrote in message
We have lots of trouble getting a good measure of DS at home. He is
very
wiggly and we only have a regular sewing tape measure to measure him
with (at the doctor's office they have a little contraption that
sits
right up against his head and then they pull his leg all of the way
down
to get him straightened out for the measurement--we can't get him
arranged like that at home!). He is somewhere between 28 and 30
inches
from what we can tell!

The staff in our pediatrician's office put the baby down on the paper
they
use to cover the examining table, mark the position of the top of the
head
on the paper with a pen, and stretch the babies body and legs to mark
the
position of the bottom of the feet. After the parent removes the
baby, they
measure between the marks. I don't know how exact it is, but I've
been
watching them do it for years. I've never seen the contraption you're
talking about.

The contraption they have sounds like it does basically the same thing.
They lay the baby on a sheet that has a metal plate at the top that his
head butts up against and then pull down his leg and make a mark (the
sheet is marked with inches too). So, I imagine the results would be the
same or very similar to making marks on a paper. They seem to be able to
keep him less wiggly while doing it than we are capable of!

--
Em
mama to L-baby, 6 months old this Sunday!