Mums Running Club

Manic days of rushing around after two fast crawlers is not helping with my belly, maybe when they start running themselves it will.

I am a pretty serious runner mrs o. Training for half in october, hoping for 85 mins so get a place at London next year, but we'll see, not sure am that fit yet. I have a 10k next weekend which hope to get under 40 mins.

Hetty, yes they just have a big load of boys clothes which they normally share, although I do have faves for each one, tops that suit their character and all that, but now we have a pile of 6-9 and a pile of 9-12. Hopefully Harry will catch up, I think he's on a bit of a spurt now, as eating loads more than Joshie.

I also find it very awkward with mums I meet up with as have been very lucky with my two and sleep. Both slept through the night 7till7 from just before 6 months with no problems, and before then we had 11pm till 7am from 12 weeks. I have friends with twins and babes the same age who are still up two or three times to put dummies back in mouths, and one friend who has a babe over a year old who still has a bottle around 3am! I'm so glad we didn't have to go down the dummy route, although we will have the trying to stop thumb sucking problem instead.

Ditto, Mitchie Moo.  We've been very lucky with the sleeping too - although my mum often tells me that it's not just luck, it's because we got Kit into a routine very quickly after I came out of hospital so he's always known where he is and what to expect.  I do think there's an element of luck though!  Like yours, he slept through 11pm-7am from 11 weeks and we dropped the night feed just after he turned 6 months - that was probably us being overly cautious though as I think he probably would have slept through a bit sooner if we'd tried to cut out the dream feed earlier.  What's really nice for us is that when he wakes in the morning he just babbles to himself and plays with the soft toys in his cot - we don't even hear him most of the time.  He has started saying "Mum" and looks very pleased with himself when he does so!  Hubby is desperately saying "Dad, Dad, Dad" to him all the time!

MM, 16-mile runs - wow!  Was impressed with myself last night as did a hilly (3 pretty steep hills, quite long too) 4-miler and didn't have to stop at all - first time I've managed this run without stopping since I started running again.  The last and steepest mile I managed in 8:01 so was pretty happy with that.  Will never be as speedy as you and will probably never find time for 50-60 miles a week, but will take what I can get!  I have a GFA place for London next year - assuming I ever remember to send off for the application ...

Cragchick, holiday sounds fab and you seemed to cope fantastically!  Glad the kids were good and you even managed to do some reading!  I have about 5 months' worth of Runner's World mags still in their celophane wrappers as just have not had time to read.  Could read in the evening but always seem to watch TV instead!  Suppose I could read instead of coming on here but where's the fun in that?

CC - sounds likeyou had a great holiday - camping is such a good family holiday, I think - we've done camping in France for the last 4 or 5 years and really enjoyed each one. With 3 children now I think it will be our holiday of choice for a good few years to come.  And well done on your running  - I'm madly envious of all of you doing proper length runs!  Minks - sounds like you're doing really well as well - I'm using you as my post c/s running inspiration!

But - I'm v. excited this morning - did my first 25 min. run-walk last night which went really well - no discomfort at all around the scar and the 1 min. runs felt great! I know it'll be hard to build back up to all running, but it's good to have made a start.  And my FLM GFA (too many initials!) application form came this morning - hurray!  So I will definitely be doing FLM 08 (barring injury, of course) - it looks like there might be a few of us planning to - just seen MM's post (hope you get your champ. start! My husband is hoping to get one for next year - he's doing a half in October with the same aim) and Minks - do you think you'll take up your GFA place? And I think Janey is planning to too?  Anyone else? We could have a virtual Mums' FLM training group! 

Sleeping's not going too badly for us either at the moment - after going down around 10pm Eddie normally wakes twice a night but he's had the occasional night where he just wakes once - he slept for 7 hours the other night which was fab. (although I was desperate for him to feed by the time he woke up!). Just hope we don't get the same scenario as we did with DS1, who slept beautifully from 6 to 12 weeks, and then started waking up again and didn't get back into a proper routine until he was around a year - aagh!

It's nice to back in the school routine as well - the older 2 seem to have settled well into their new schools, and it's lovely having some 1 to 1 time with Eddie in the day. 

Hi folks - me too, I'm in FLM.  I'm a bit scared though cos I desperately wanted to beat my last time and I don't think it's going to happen.  I'm worried I won't be able to/won't want to fit in the training because I'll have to get serious with it at exactly the time I am going back to work.  how can I go for a 3hr run and leave my wee girlie when I have had to leave her in nursery for the whole week?  Plus I feel like I am going to be starting from even less than scratch this time around. 

We had our first experience of 11pm - 7am this morning and it was blissful.  Except that my boobs are used to being emptied in the middle of the night and the right one was like a watermelon!  I am trying not to hope for the same again tonight but at the same time I'm saying little prayers!!

Cool EF! I'm trying not to think about a target time at the moment - I'm sure once we all get training properly it will be fine.

Good luck with tonight's sleep - I'm just off to assemble my breast pump - I keep it by the bed in case Eddie sleeps for longer than expected - it's so hideous waking up ready to burst!

EF, know where you're coming from re. FLM training getting serious just as you have to go back to work.  Not sure how mine is going to pan out yet, but am thinking I might do my long run early Sunday morning so I'm back around the time Kit wakes from his nap - although his naps may well have changed by then!  Idea though is to have as much of the day as possible with him.  Trying to think about how I could run home from work once a week to do the midweek semi-long run, and the other runs will just have to be fitted in at lunchtime at work or in the evening if they're 6 miles or less.  I have a secret dream of beating my last time but realistically I think aiming for sub-3:45 to guarantee another GFA place would be the most sensible option.  My 3:23 was achieved on 5 runs a week averaging 40-50 miles a week.  Now I can only manage 4 runs so that sort of mileage isn't an option.

Kit rolled over from back to front four times today - he finally seems to have got the hang of it without getting stuck halfway.  He still isn't interested in sitting though!  Funny how they progress in different ways - he has excellent fine motor skills and has been using the 'pincer' grip (thumb and forefinger) for a while now when picking up toys etc. and he is actually saying "Mum" at just 6.5 months, but when I try to encourage him to sit he just hurls himself backwards so he can lie down again!  He's such a happy little soul though, always smiling - I feel so blessed to have him.

It does amaze me how different they are Minks. When you have twins its really noticeable. Harry is very observant, and very dextrous with his hands, whereas Joshie seems to be more vocal, again said Mum and Dad very early on and is very strong on his legs, can stand now on his own for 5 seconds, but does get scared and sits down.

I have two big smilers as well, the childminder loves having them, so happy. They only grumble when they have reason, usually cos mummy is out and about and its lunchtime and they are hungry!

Off to inlaws this weekend/this afternoon, the journey is awful down to Somerset, fingers crossed traffic will be OK.

Minks and EF - I know it seems daunting but I'm sure you'll both be able to manage fitting in the training and spending time with your little ones - Minks, sounds like you've put a lot of thought into it already.  It's not quite the same, but last year DH and I both managed to train for the NY marathon with both of us working and 2 children to look after (and we organised our wedding at the same time!) - admittedly the children are older and I worked part-time so the situation is a bit different.  However, I'm hoping we can do the same again for FLM - we had to be really organised for NY and plan each weeks training well in advance, so I'm hoping we can do the same again.  I did end up doing some runs at stupid o'clock in the morning (and I am not a morning person!) but even that was OK if it meant I could tick off the run on my schedule. I've just sent off my application form and cheque for FLM - was very excited about it!

Eddie and I have just been for a 3 mile walk in the lovely sunshine - he slept happily the whole time, and he's asleep again now. I think this means he'll be awake for a lot of the afternoon - hopefully our planned garden centre trip later will entertain him (DS1 has been looking forward to going to the garden centre all week - he's currently very keen on gardening!).

MM - hope you have a lovely weekend with your inlaws and the journey's OK. 

AAAAGGGH!  Just lost my post...

Just taking advantage of some extra time today as Ted is crashed out after having had his jabs.  It was fine, I think SCBU really toughened us both up as he didn't cry too much at all.  There were other mums who were really upset and then another was the girl who was next to me on SCBU, we seemed like real hard cases!

SB - You are inspirational with what you've achieved.  Am I right in thinking that you didn't start running till you had children too?

EF - We've had a sleep through too!  Not quite as long - 11-6am but it felt so much better. 

Minks - Sounds like Kit has really got the hang of rolling over - he'll be on the move before you know it!

MM - It is amazing how different all children can be isn't it?  My friend has twins too and they are so different in personality.  They're just over a year old now but gorgeous.

CC - I can see myself having to sheepishly admit to Ted sleeping pretty much through the night too.  Someone has suggested lending her my copy of The Baby Whisperer which talks a lot about bad habits  they thought it could be a subtle way of dealing with the situation!

Really envious of those of you with guaranteed places for FLM.  Just keeping everything crossed for a ballot place but I'm not hopeful as it's my first application.  You never know I may be lucky but we'll see.  Keep thinking about the possiblity of trying to raise £2500 for BLISS (I got the impression my applicaiton to them could be seriously considered as I have had a baby in SCBU) but it's really outfacing.  I think I'll just wait for the outcome of the ballot!

Just a question about weight.  Ted is putting on weight but it's fairly slow - around 3.5oz per week.  He's really dropping off his centile line and I'm certain it's not helped by the fact that he is a VERY sicky baby.  The HV keeps fobbing me off about it but I'm starting to get worried.  He is breastfed except for his last feed, and I know that the charts are based on bottle fed babies, but whenever I meet a baby of the same age he is usually a good few pounds smaller (he's now 9lb 5oz).  Do you think I need to start being more forceful or listen to what the HV says?  Ted is happy in himself, very alert, but she said to come back in a fortnight and then we'd review the situation as to seeing a GP.  I really had to force the issue to get her to talk about it today so don't know if I'll have any joy then.  Just wondered if anyone could give me so amunition!!!

 Hey all, I'm a lurker.  Love reading the posts but never really have time to send any in as I'm at work full time. It's always nice to read from like minded people.

I am also hoping to do the FLM next year although I haven't sent back my form yet.  I did it last year which was not the best idea I'd ever had with a 4 mth old at home.
I managed to get through 50% of the training with lots of help from hubby, in-laws and babysitters.  Not sure how much support I'll get from my hubby this year, he's already complained about how much time it takes up but we'll see.  

JT - With regards to baby weight issues I've found health professionals reluctant to do anything once a baby is healthy and alert.  Although I have to admit they do seem to be right most times I have been worried.  I would not worry too much about the chart readings, but if your gut feel is that something is not quite right do not let it go.

Janie, how old is Ted now?  I'd cautiously suggest that a 3.5oz gain per week is a bit low at this stage.  I don't think you should worry unduly but if he's dropping way below his centile line, there may be a need to see the GP.  I would say you're right in thinking it's likely to be to do with him being very sicky.  Do you think he could have reflux?  Kit's birthweight put him on the 75th centile but since then he's followed the 25th - which is probably more realistic given that neither hubby nor I are particularly big.  I'd agree with Tonia though - as long as the baby appears healthy and is alert, HVs never seem to be that concerned.  There are some good ones at our clinic and also a couple of pretty useless ones.  I was trying to discuss Kit's excessive pooing earlier this week with one of the HVs on Tuesday, but she just kept telling me how bright, happy and alert Kit is (which I know - I'm his mum!) and didn't appear to listen to a word I was saying.  If your instinct tells you there might be a problem, go with it and insist they listen and take you seriously.

Sarahbob, you've really inspired me with your talk of training for the NY marathon.  Where there's a will, there's a way.  I'm determined to fit in my training and still spend as much time as I want to with Kit.  Photocopied my 2006 FLM results and my passport today so will send off for my GFA application form next week. 

MM, hope your journey to Somerset is OK.  I hate the journey to my in-laws too: they live in mid-Wales which is beautiful, but once off the M54 it's almost all single-carriageway A-roads and we invariably get stuck behind a tractor or someone who won't go above 30mph.  We made the mistake of going the day before Good Friday at Easter and the journey took us nearly 7 hours (it usually takes just over 4).  Admittedly we had to stop a few times as Kit was only 6 weeks old but 'nightmare' doesn't cover it!

JT, my sister's 4 children were all very little and gained little weight compared to others.  Her first HV really panicked her making her think there was something wrong.  By the time no 4 came along and the same thing happened everyone was much more relaxed.  The HV even told a trainee before arriving that the baby would seem very light but would be fine!  I think it is good that you keep an eye on it and keep bringing it up but as everyone says if he is bright a cheerful he might still just be fiding the percentile that he will be on.

 My sister and husband are both quite tall and have tiny babies, my husband and I are quite small and have a monster sized baby so it does not always work out the way you imagine.

What percenile is he on with his height?  I guess if they are similar then that is a good sign too.

Also, he is gaining weight, maybe slower than you want or expect, but he is going in the right direction.

My friend's little one is over 2 yrs old, purely breastfed to start and always 'causing concern due to his weight' my wee boy weighed almost the same as him at 6months!  He is bright ad great fun.  The only problem is that lighter ones seem to take off earlier and be speedier! 

Tonia, there's a sequel book for the baby whisperer, The Baby Whisperer solves all your problems, - that might possibly be better for you rather than the original though I have both and found some nuggets in each of them.  We're kind of following a combo Baby Whisperer cum Gina Ford.  Can't do the 7am feed and the rigidity of Gina Ford but some of what she says makes sense and to be honest a lot of it is similar to Baby Whisperer.  As a general rule we are doing Eat Activity Sleep - and then the time for You part sort of happens though personally I don't think washing, ironing, sterilising should count as time for me but hey ho, at least I get the chance to do it! 

think Louise is having a growth spurt again, she's demanding food a lot more - it's an effort to keep her to 3hrs and so she's been getting fed approx every 2.5hrs - and is eating stacks more at each feed.  She normally takes 150ml  of expressed milk but is taking 180 - 200ml and is on my boob for about an hour.  This happened all yesterday and today so hoping that's us through it. 

On Wed we saw the Doc for a follow up app after 6 week check.  she decided to refer Louise due to concerns about her hip.  I got a call on Thursday from Sick Kids asking us to go in on the Friday at 2pm!!  What service!  We went in and although she had some markers to indicate a problem, such as an extra skin fold on her thigh, ultrasound showed that her hip is normal.  Phew as although it only involves a foam splint, I really couldn't face it. 

Janie, what about expressing a second time and giving Ted two feeds from the bottle.  I do that and I feel that at least I know Louise gets two really decent sized feeds then.  I've cheated today and she had a bottle at 5ish and at 8ish and will get one at 11pm too.  I also give her one in the middle of the night!  I just make sure that I express whenever she has a bottle as that will keep my body remembering that my baby needs a feed then.  I do know though that a girl in my ante natal class, her baby has only gained 1lb since birth and that was at 7 weeks.  The health visitors are not worried about her either, saying that Rachel was probably bigger at birth than she's meant to be and that she's just adjusting to her "proper" size. 

Thanks everyone, I must admit I agree with you Minks with thinking that 3.5oz is on the low side.  That said, there are some good points about all baby's being different.  Ted is nine weeks on Monday and still only weighing 9lb 5oz and I do think that there is a possibility of him having reflux.  Hubby had it as a baby and it sounds like I had something along those lines too - Mum says I just ate too much!  Think what is worrying me more is that he's on the 50th centile for his height.  That said there is lots of very high metabolism in the family but feel I need to check this out for my own peace of mind.

Just felt on Friday that the HV was concerned about her breastfeeding stats rather than the issue in hand.  I've been whittling about this all weekend so think I will phone the GP tomorrow as I hate to think what I'll be like by a week Friday!  Mum wasn't terribly helpful - just had her usual response of 'perhaps he needs a bottle?'  Not really what I wanted to hear!

Have to say Plod that the idea of him of the move earlier on is probably more worrying  I want to try and keep my sanity!!!

EF - Sorry to hear that Louise has a problem with her hip, but it sounds like they're getting onto it very quickly.  It's great to hear that you can get quick service on the NHS these days!

Been a hectic day today, Ted seems to have had some reaction to the jabs today and was very sleepy this morning and very grizzly this afternoon, even Calpol didn't work.  Hubby and I are exhausted!  He's gone down fairly easily tonight but hope he's better tomorrow, could be a very long day...

I wouldn't worry too much Janie, but of course best to see your GP if its worrying you a lot. My two were tiny babes at only 4.5lbs each at birth. They did put on the 6-8oz a week that is suggested, but are still pretty small. They were pretty sicky babies, but didn't have reflux. If you think he has reflux it can be treated with infant gaviscon, or have you tried infacol. Gaviscon made my two more sick, but then they didn't really have reflux, just general sickiness, which still sometimes happens although is decreasing thank goodness. Harry is now on only the 2nd centile and Joshie on the 9th, so still pretty small.

Journey there was pretty awful. Boys didn't get their tea till 6pm, an hour late, had to pass back bits of bread and raisins in the car ( the joy of forward facing seats!), but back home was OK. Both come home with bad colds though, have been up with Joshie last night he has very upset and so snotty.

Right off to Tesco!

Hello all!

VERY quick hello as there's so much to catch up on, both on here and at home! I will be back to tell all about our first holiday experience when I have the chance...good bits and bad bits...and a not so lovely holiday memento: food poisoning, feeling weak, so might lie down and have some more Lucozade Sport!

Catch up soon,

A x

Eek! Poor you AP, that sounds horrible.  Make sure you have lots of full sugar fizzy drinks, natural yoghurt and rice.  Wonderful combo - I had salmonella after visiting India when I was 19.

MM- Glad you survived but what a nightmare car journey...  Ted was on the 9th centile is dropping fast to the 2nd hence my worry.

Well went to the GP today and he was fab.  He's well know for being sensible and has children of his own.  He said that as a parent he would have worried too, not that he thinks there is a major problem but with the amount he's sicking up.  He thinks that Ted probably has reflux and has prescribed infant Gaviscon. 

He also said that there is a potentially serious condition that cannot be over looked and would need very prompt treatment which is a narrow feeding tube that causes the feeds to come back out again.  From what he's said it doesn't sound like that as it usually involves projectile vomiting which we don't have.  He said that if the Gaviscon works it rules out the other condition. I'm not overly concerned about that one, (sorry can't remember the name!) as he only seemed to mention it in case I'd been researching on the 'net I think.  Administering the Gaviscon is a nightmare.  It's a foul tasting liquid  (sounds like the adult one!) (15ml) which Ted doesn't want to take.  They recommend giving it in a bottle or a spoon.  Resorted to a syringe as he won't take the other two, any advice on trying to syringe the liquid in?????  Feeling much happier today, got to go back on Friday to check out the results so far so will see what the situation is then.

Glad I didn't listen to the HV...

Janie, glad that you listened to your instincts and saw the GP.  I was going to mention the infant Gaviscon to you as a couple of the mums in my antenatal group have very sicky babies and use it all the time, but they bottle-feed which obviously makes it easier as you just dissolve the Gaviscon in the baby's normal formula.  Unless you're expressing I wasn't sure you could use it if breastfeeding.  Hope it works and stops poor little Ted from being so sicky.

AP, poor you with the food poisoning.  Looking forward to hearing all about your holiday!

EF, what was the suspected problem with Louise's hip?  She wasn't breech, was she?  We had to have a routine hip scan when Kit was about 8 weeks as he was breech.  Apparently dislocated hips are common in breech babies because of their position in the uterus but luckily Kit's were fine.  I didn't honestly think there was a problem as he kicked his little legs loads from the word 'go' and there was never any 'clicking' when he moved his legs.

MM, that reminds me of the first journey we did with Kit to my in-laws.  He was only 6 weeks and about 6 miles from their house we got stuck in traffic.  Kit's feed was already running late as the journey had been horrendous, and he was screaming blue murder in the back of the car.  I had to keep unbuckling my seat belt and kneeling on the seat facing the back of the car, to rummage around in his car seat (rear facing!) tring to find his dropped dummy and manoeuvre it back into his mouth.  Repeat ad nauseum until arrival at final destination

When we got there we had no spare sterilised bottles as I'd bought some disposable single-use ones to use with a carton of formula.  The disposable bottles were AWFUL.  The milk just flooded out and went everywhere - poor Kit couldn't regulate the flow.  We had to sterilise a bottle and then physically cut off the teat of the disposable to get the milk back out as once sealed you can't reopen them.  Kit screaming all the while!  We soon learned never to go anywhere without a spare sterilised bottle!

Am still a bit concerned about Kit's bowel movements.  He seems to be doing 6+ dirty nappies a day which seems a bit excessive to me.  His bottom is OK but the skin either side of his testicles is red raw.  I change his nappy immediately after each bowel movement and make sure the area is completely dry, then slather on Sudacrem but by the end of the day the skin looks so sore.  When I mentioned it at the clinic last week the HV just said he was probably teething.  He may well be but still feel he's doing too many poos!  At the moment I'm experimenting with his diet to see whether there's anything that makes it worse - have cut out pear for the moment as have read that it can cause loose stools and he has it a couple of times a day usually - once in the morning with his porridge and once in the evening with his baby rice.  Today I gave him plain baby rice this evening and no fruit with his porridge this morning - will see whether he settles down over the next few days.  Oddly the first couple of weeks he was on solids we had the opposite problem - he was quite constipated.  So I guess he could be teething.  He's fine in himself - happy and smiley - so am not overly concerne, it's just exhausting for me constantly having to change nappies and is making going out a bit difficult as can't go anywhere that doesn't have changing facilities in case he has an explosion!

Hello everyone, been reading all your posts, i would agree that HV are often a bit too keen to see babies staying on their centiles and think they overly worry mum's about their babies putting on weight.  Isla has been following the 75th centile for weight and even when she dipped of it a wee bit the HV was mentioning it, they had me worried one day as they went and got the dates wrong and marked her weight down at 15 weeks when she was only 13 weeks, stupid woman.  Found HV to be ok on the whole, but just really useful for basic info and most of the info they were able to give me i could have got of my sister (she has 3 under 5yo), anything else go see your GP.

 Anyway just really come on here for a moan, for those of you still on maternity leave, cherish it, this is my first day at work after a bad night and i just want to go back to bed.  Yesterday Isla was up at 5am for her feed and took an hour over it, then wouldn't go back to bed so tried taking her into the bed with us for a while, she just played with a toy, poked us and by 6.30am i gave up and took her downstairs and got ready for work, so never got any sleep after 5am.  Then last night she was up at 12.30, 1.30, then 3am, didn't help that the electric had gone off at 12.40 so had to go fumbling about for candles and feed her by candle light at 1.30am, then she was up at 6am for a feed and that was us up for the day, now i just want my bed !!!  Wouldn't be so bad but she is almost 11 months and usually sleeps quite well so not so used to disturbed nights any more.

Is anyone else still breastfeeding at 11 months, i'm just a bit worried that Isla's got too used to being fed to sleep at night after reading some of your earlier posts.  At the minute she takes one or two big feeds at 7pm and falls asleep on the boob and that's usually her till about 5 or 6am.  If she wakes in the night (not very often) she usually needs a wee feed before she will go back to sleep but sometimes a cuddle is enough.  In the morning she wakes anytime between 5 and 6.30am and takes another big feed and never falls asleep after that.  She doesn't get any feeds during the day as i'm back at work and so far she won't drink formula, although she does drink water and juice throughout the day.

I really want to get her off the boob at 1 year old, but am just worried we're going to have a bit of a battle on our hands with getting her to sleep at night with no boob !