Our little boy has been doing things early. Yes he is keen to stand, walk, sit up and do everything. He has not got the memo that he cannot stand, walk or sit up yet, but it does not stop him from trying.
Alexander is talking and telling us very important things. Some things he gets very worked up about and his chats go on for ages. Some chats are short and they consist of umming, blowing raspberries and trying out new sounds. Some chats end with him in a fit of giggles, maybe he has just told me the best joke in the world and he cannot control himself. Pity I don’t know the language to know if it was a fabulous joke or the winning lotto numbers.
He has laughed, and smiled before experts say he should have (Smiles and big laughs have been had since he was about a month old). He has big chuckles with things…. I think he has a great sense of humor already. He is a very happy baby (Obviously if he is in pain or annoyed he is not happy)
He has rolled over well before he was three months, at nine weeks he was trying and partially sit up. At about two and half months I noticed he was drooling, putting his fists in his mouth and just wanting to chew everything. He loves chewing the sleeves and the front of his outfits, of course this makes everything wet due to the baby drool (Many outfit changes later to ensure warm and dry clothes – I think he is giving the twins a run for how many outfits he can wear in one day)
Of course I thought he was teething and then dismissed it. He is too young. It cannot be happening now.
Drool and fists in mouth persisted and of course then upset baby that needed mummy cuddles.
Alexander having tummy time and also to putting his hands in his mouth to soothe his gums. I just love his fab hair, it looks so stylish and funky.
I checked gums and did not see anything until he forced my fingers into his mouth and then I felt the teeth working their way through the gums. My little boy is indeed teething and has been for a while now.
This was really silly of me to not see the signs. I just thought he was too young. I should have known better after having two kids that have gone through the same thing, although years ago now.
I must say that the twins from memory were good regarding teething. I just took the edge off with some painkillers and some bonjella and they were good. Although out of sorts but not screaming the place down like our little man is. He has some medicine when he needs it and then cries and needs mummy cuddles and attention until he falls asleep. We all know mummies cuddles fix everything don’t they.
The baby does see the twins race around the house and I can see that he is wanting to join them. I do understand that children learn by seeing others, and therefore thought that my third child might be quick with some things. However I did not think he would be teething so early. I mentioned this to nurse at the local medical centre and she told me that it could still take a while to see a tooth. We have not had a tooth erupt from the gums yet and not sure when it will happen, I’m just amazed that the process has started so early.
This milestone chart from BabyCentre UK lists some of the things that our new baby has done… so that is not too far off when it happened for us. According to this table we are on track. However other sites say that it all should happen later. I know that every baby is different and this kid is unique and an individual. He will do things when he is ready, it does not matter if it is early or later, just as long as they happen is all I am concerned with.
One person I know who also has three kids told me that his third child did everything much earlier than the first two. He believes it was the fact that he saw his siblings do everything and wanted to be like them. Did this happen to you? Did the first kid/s help the other children do things earlier?
As per my previous post called, “Our latest Family Member”, we had to go to Nepean to have our third child. I did not want to go there due to what happened with the birth of the twins. However we had no choice.
Having birthday cuddles with our latest addition
We were finally at the hospital and due to the stress of the situation hubby parked in the car park. Yes I thought he would drop me off at emergency and go and park the car later. I asked why he did this at the time and he said, “Well, we are going to be here for a while”. Yes true but for someone that is finding it hard to walk due to constant contractions walking across a carpark to emergency to then be told to go to another building was not ideal to say the least!
Once parked hubby told me to get out of the car when I was ready. He had to wait a bit due to a contraction happening just as he opened the door. My legs were like jelly and I found it really hard to move due to the contractions making all my legs, pelvis and back go into spasms and just freeze. It was very painful, and I had to wait until they were over. So if you can imagine me walking then having to stop in the middle of the carpark every 5mins that would give you a picture of what it was like. Maybe a wheelchair from emergency might have been the way to go! This was arranged when I had the twins…. Although I think the race to get to the hospital freaked hubby out and he just lost it with the idea of a wheelchair and just wanted to get us to the hospital.
Once we figured out where we were supposed to be (the birthing suites or rooms) the nurses/midwives knew who we were due to Katoomba Hospital ringing ahead, which saved a lot of fussing about explaining everything.
I was then asked, “Would I like some pain relief?”
My response was YES! OF COURSE I WANT DRUGS TO HELP ME
Someone then said what would I like, and I then said, what do you have????
Yes open to everything and all if it helps make the pain go away!
I was offered morphine (I was told that I needed to use the gas to get the morphine injection. I found it interesting that I was having gas to therefore get another drug. The nurse said the injection can hurt a bit, and she was right. I think someone I mentioned this too said that it is injected into the muscle and that would explain why the nurse wanted me to be on gas to have the injection. I thought it was strange, but it did help a bit) and once that worked it helped a great deal. It certainly took the edge off the pain for a bit. Hubby said that once it started working I looked very out of it. I did not care! Bring on the medicine to make it not hurt as much. I am not a fan of natural birthing that you will feel it all. Even on drugs to take the edge off it hurt, so I can only imagine how horrible it would have been without them.
During this phase of the night I was telling hubby that I did not want to do it anymore, that I just wanted to go home and not be here. I don’t want to do it. Please can we go home I said? He just looked at me and said, “It is a little late for that” I know it was but I was scared and did not want to do what I knew was coming.
Why can’t the husband or partner do the subsequent child? I have visions of saying it is your turn. I then can hold his hand while he pushes out our child. Science has given us so much and maybe it can work on this. I know that men having kids will probably never happen but why can’t the baby come out small via your belly button and grow on the outside. Maybe a good idea???? (Maybe a futuristic idea) Not sure but might save all the bother of pushing a baby out of your bits…. Let me know your thoughts.
While I was still under the trippy and nice effects of morphine they prepped me for an epidural. Although before this happened I explained my fear of having it again and not working. When having the twins I had one and felt everything but could not move my legs. I was constantly asked by the doctors, nurses and midwives with the twin birth to move my legs but could not. I told them if they wanted them moved they would have to do it. Annoying that they never listened. I was hoping that this birth would be different.
I did not know what to do. I did want the epidural but did not want a repeat of what happened last time. I know that there can be no guarantees but I thought I would give it another go and hope for the best.
The anaesthesiologist listened to my fears and what happened last time as did the midwife. I then decided without a doubt to see if it will be different this time. I was told all the horrible things that could go wrong and the chances of it happening. I was completely freaked out. I still thought it was the way to go.
I had it done and the epidural started working. It was so good that I managed to fall asleep. Yes I slept while still having contractions. Who knew that this was possible? This epidural was completely different from the twin birth, I could not feel anything, I was blissfully unaware of anything for a long time, well until it started to wear off and the baby was pressing on my hip bone and pelvis and I could not get comfortable. I asked for more drugs… however they said that I could not have more and it was time to get the baby out.
The midwife told me that due to the morphine and the position of the baby that its heart rate was dropping and I needed to get it out as soon as I could. I said that I would do my best. She mentioned that we still had time and that it was not in distress yet, but if it went on any longer it could be and then they would want to make an executive decision on how they vacate the baby from my belly. Gosh, NO!
I did not want to have a C-section or have any unnecessary things happen unless it was life threatening, and I do understand if the baby is under distress but I was so close to having it happen naturally.
I tried to push while lying on the bed and sitting up a bit, but it was no good. I could not get comfortable and it was terribly painful due to the baby’s head on my hip and pelvic bone…. Very sore indeed!
It was suggested that I be on my side with a leg up in the air and to help reposition the baby… it did not help with repositioning but it was more comfortable to push from this weird acrobatic position. Not the way I was thinking it would happen and definitely not glam but childbirth is not a glam affair.
I was told to put my chin to my chest, hold my breath while having a leg up in the air all on my side. Yes a strange visual! I then had to hold my breath while working with the contraction and these contractions this time I felt over my belly and also to in my back but now I understand what contractions actually feel like. I found it hard to do all this while holding my breath. I had a terrible time as holding my breath made me want to pass out and I could not let out a sound or a grunt due to losing the momentum to push (energy or something with the breath). The midwife wanted me to do it in lots of threes so that we could get the baby out. Oh god, I found it hard just doing one!
After holding my breath I found that I wanted to throw up and they were concerned and I had a sick bag just in case. It did not happen but I felt nauseous and also had a bit of reflux during the whole process of holding my breath to try and get baby out.
During all of this a doctor came in to see how progress was going. I think the midwife wanted the doctor to check in to make sure that we had a backup plan if baby went into distress and needed help to come out. GOSH, now the doctor was talking about forceps and other things…. I hated the salad servers last time and due to the epidural not working I felt everything…. It was like I was being killed. I did not want that ever again.
The doctor left and then the midwife and nurse were talking about cutting me. WHAT THE???? YOU ARE GOING TO DO WHAT NOW?
They said that it would help the baby come out. I said no PLEASE DON’T CUT ME. I ended up negotiating them to give me more time to get the baby out.
I did not want them to cut me. No please no!
They were very keen to give me an episiotomy but I had no idea that is what they were wanting to do. I just did not want to be hurt even more if not needed.
I was so determined to get this baby out now! Hubby said you need to get the baby out. I got angry and just pushed and pushed and pushed. I was nearly passing out due to holding my breath and my acrobatic poses but I was on a mission.
The midwife yelled, wow we see a head full of black hair! Oh gosh, really this baby is going to have darker hair? I thought it would be like the girls and be bald and blonde, but you never know right. We still did not know if it was a boy/girl that was still a surprise. I however knew once I got told the hair colour that it was a boy, I just had a feeling. Strange but true. Hubby said that it could be a girl, but I just had an inkly at this stage that it was a boy.
I kept on pushing and then baby was out and here in the world. The midwife and nurse said that they should have threatened me with the doctor and episiotomy hours ago.
Alexander and I on his birthday
I was lucky that all went well, I could do it all naturally and that I did not get cut! Yes very lucky indeed. Maybe getting angry was the magic ingredient.
In comparison to the twin birth it was much nicer. We only had the midwife a nurse and hubby and myself in the room. With the twin birth we had 2 doctors for each baby, a humidicrib for the baby and about 30 or so trainee doctors it felt. The room was packed and it was crowded. I did not have any stupid things that happened before happen this time. When was about 5cm dilated and in the birthing suite waiting to have the twins I had two doctors come in to tell me it would be great if I could wait till I was 36-38 weeks….talk about stupid! I also had nurses try to give me medicine I did not need after I had the babies and the list continues. This did not happen with the birth of our third child.
I was very upset to not be able to have our last child at Katoomba Hospital but was grateful that the experience was better and nicer than the last. I must say that pushing a person out of you is hard and tough, but the ladies that helped us for the birth of our son made it a more calmer process. So thanks so much to you all. One thing that was a bit weird was that the midwives that helped me had the same names that I had. The night before the baby was born the midwife on duty had the same first name, then there was shift change and the next midwife had my middle name. It was like I was meant to be there. Odd indeed.
What was the birth like for your second or third children? Did the process and what happened differ from your first child?
Was it more of a calmer experience with the second or third child compared to your first? Let us know.
With Kate Middleton due to have her second child any day, there has been a tonne of advice about going from one to two children.
It has taken me back to my early days with my mother’s group when I first had the twins.
Okay, well I had two children right off the bat but had I not had twins, I may have shared the anxieties many of the women in my mother’s group. [Don’t get me wrong – I still had anxieties, ‘wow, how am I going to cope with twins?’]
The mum’s in my group wondered: How were they going to manage going from being mum to one, to mum to two and still leave the house?
How would they get out the door weighed down with enough stuff to appear as if they were leaving home never to return?
How would they get their older child off to school when new bub is napping?
They were all so worried that the difficulty factor would be so overwhelming it would be easier to just stay in.
“I have accepted the fact that I will need to find a new normal! I’m still working toward what that is going to look like, but I know that we will get eventually there. And although there are days that are tough, when I look at these two sweet babies of mine I know that it is oh so worth it!”
Well, I can tell you from navigating all those challenges but without a running start, that you will do it.
Of course Kate will probably have a nanny for each child making life a tad easier.
For the rest of us mere mortals, I would share my own experience. I remember when I was worried about how I would cope with the twins.
I did stay in the house for a bit and was very concerned that I might not be able to work my pram. What if there was an issue? I would be on my own! I practiced putting the pram up and down in the house and when I was confident I ventured out with the babies.
It did not matter if it was to window shop at a major shopping centre or just chill under a tree at the park. We were out of the house and for me that felt like a success.
I had the pram in the boot, I strapped kids in car then once we arrived at our destination I somehow managed to assemble the pram and get two babies onboard. When that mission was accomplished, I was on top of the world.
If you had seen me then, you would have spotted a woman walking around the shopping centre with a big smile plastered on her face. I know it was a small thing to do in the scheme of life, but I thought it was an amazing accomplishment. I got out of the house with two babies! Yeah, Me!
“Children reinvent your world for you” Susan Sarandon
Sibling Love
I have spoken to many mum’s bracing themselves for the shock of having two children.
Reading about Kate’s impending birth – and the interesting Women’s Weekly cover all about how George will cope (anyone else think that a bit odd?) it hit me, I have no concept of having one child.
However, for those about to know what caring for two children is like, here is my two cents for what it’s worth:
It’s okay to feel a bit daunted
It is hard but it won’t be hard for long. You got number one to sleep through the night and got him/her potty trained. That part for me was fun –double the challenge but once we were through it, we were done. Bravo.
Soon your little baby will sleep longer and you will get more rest. It will all just work fine.
Remind yourself that you did it once and you can do it again.
Having a schedule is great too. Make sure that the baby sleeps and eats at certain times.
The new baby has to adjust to life in your house, if you have some noise don’t suddenly become a super quiet household due to your new little person. I know sleeping time needs to be quite but you have to live life as well. A little bit of noise will not hurt, as long as it is within reason. I think the baby will adjust.
Don’t forget playtime and having a bit of sunshine does help you feel good and helps baby as well. Make sure to pick the safe times in the day to be out and about.
Having two kids is great; they can play together and will hopefully be great company for each other. It is nice that we have given each child a sister and having that support is lovely in life.
The most important thing I think is: Getting out and about
I must say the biggest challenge is getting out of the house and to all the normal appointments that you keep. Just putting yourself out there no matter how small the step is a wonderful achievement.
You should have been a fly on the wall when I managed to get kids in the crèche at the gym and be in an aqua aerobics class, now I felt that this was deserving of an award! Have you done something similar that you were super proud of when the kids were babies?
Not only did I get two kids fed, dressed and in the car. We arrived at the gym at the right time, I got them into care and I made my exercise class. Again I was the mad woman in the pool smiling at how brilliant this all was. I might have looked strange, but I did not care. I was at the gym. I was exercising and I got there with little babies with me. I was very happy! Did you have moments like this?
Getting out and about with your new baby
Are you about to have your second child?
Have you had other mums or parents confide or seek advice on having two kids rather than one? Let us know.
“Every baby born into the world is a finer one than the last” Charles Dickens
I do wish Kate Middleton well and hope all goes well for baby number two. Also if anyone else is set to have their second, third or more I wish you all well too.
Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
