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M

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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 28 September 2011 - 12:40
Hi Ladies DD has been swaddled since birth. She is 13 weeks old now and we are concious we have to stop swaddling her at some point. Plus, she is such a strong girl that she is able to get out of any form of swaddling, no matter how tight. This morning she had somehow manouvered her arm through the top of her pyjama neckline despite being tightly swaddled! So we bought one of those sleeping bags and she just cannot remain asleep in it because as soon as we put her down in her cot (after rocking her to sleep), she starts wriggling around which leads to moving her arms slightly which then further leads to her flapping her arms and waking up. I'm sure this is normal and I don't want to put any unnecessary pressure on me or DD but I am interested to know how other mummies have dealt with hyper babies and whether those babies eventually grew out of it or developed the ability to remain still! TIA!
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Latest post on 27 September 2011 - 14:39
Thanks again for your advice everyone. DD has silent reflux and takes Losec, Motillium and Zantac. She has been on Losec for two weeks and all her reflux symptoms have pretty much gone away since she started taking it. I'm sure this means she isn't cured but the main thing is she takes her milk, is putting on weight and has stopped screaming and crying after her meals. We have almost weaned her off the Motillium per the doc's advice. The Neocate was recommended to help manage what the paed thought was a milk protein intolerance. She has been on Neocate for five weeks now and we started mixing in the Aptamil Comfort about 2.5 weeks ago. I've put in a call to the paed to check in with him and I will be quite direct and ask him why he specifically suggested the AC.
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Latest post on 27 September 2011 - 12:13
Thanks for all the advice ladies. Lemondrops - DD has no issue drinking her milk, she has been on the bottle since day 5 as I couldn't BF. Based on your advice below, do you think I should try the other formulas now rather than waiting for the 4 month mark? I could try mixing it in with Neocate just in the same way I am doing with Aptamil.
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Latest post on 27 September 2011 - 09:02
Hi Ladies DD is 13 weeks today and has silent reflux which is being managed by medications. A few weeks ago we also discovered she may have an intolerance to cow's milk protein. At the time, we had tried SMA Gold and Lactose Free and her paed recommended Aptamil Comfort. She immediately developed watery stools and a lot of gas to the point where she would thrash her legs around all the time and find it difficult to sleep. Even when in our arms, she would wriggle around so much and cry whilst trying to pass gas. The paed eventually suggested Neocate. DD responded quite well to it but went the reverse way and had constipation. After 2 weeks on Necocate, the paed suggested we begin weaning her off it by re-introducing Aptamil Comfort. We have been mixing up her formula at every meal. Initially we started with more of the Neocate and less of the Aptamil in the mix but have now got to the stage where we are supposed to be giving her more Aptamil than Neocate. For example, in a 180ml feed, she should be having four scoops of Aptamil and 2 scoops of Neocate. But, in the past three days where she has been taking more of the Aptamil, the symptoms she had previously have returned, this time with a vengence. She basically cannot sleep without being held. When held, she wriggles so much that sometimes I'm afraid I'll drop her. She thrashes her legs and cries a lot more than before. Whereas she had been sleeping through the night from 10 weeks of age, now it's a battle to get her to even close her eyes at night time let alone get her to settle for a sleep. Hubby and I are exhausted. The trouble is our paed insists we continue with the Aptamil and I am not sure why. I have asked him about switching to another brand (several times) and he says we shouldn't change formula too often and need to give it time to settle. Clearly though, DD is not responding well to Aptamil Comfort and we need to do something about it as it has been more than 3 weeks that we have been trying to get her to adjust to it. I've read through previous threads and it seems as though HIPP Organic and S26HA are two formulas we could try. I would be grateful for any other suggestions you ladies may have. Many TIA.
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Latest post on 25 September 2011 - 19:21
Hi Dubes We actually got married in Greece so the process was a little different for us. But, I had to get the Greek certificate certified and attested which required stamps and signatures from DFAT and then it had to be sent to the UAE embassy in Canberra. I'm not sure whether you have to get it done or not - we did as ours was from o/s. good luck!
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Latest post on 21 September 2011 - 21:30
thanks Ladies - good to know we are not the only ones and I will certainly try all these tips. This week we have tried sitting her in the car seat during her alert times. She has been quite happy to sit in the seat and watch TV!
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Latest post on 21 September 2011 - 21:28
Hi NinaSimone Congratulations on the birth of your little boy! Don't stress - I had the exact same issue. DD was born with tongue tie and the lactation consultant at hospital told me to keep breast feeding and expressing. I tried for four days only to be met with howls from DD who was obviously hungry and it wasn't until we introduced formula on day 5 that she actually fed well for the first time. I did it gradually. Either before or after formula, I would give DD the breast for a few moments to help empty my supply - about 5 minutes. Like someone else suggested, I then pressed in the shower to help unblock the ducts. You'll have to massage for a few days to relieve any pain or blocked ducts. By the second or third week, I stopped doing this and had no problems thereafter. I would suggest you have the tongue tie looked into. Turns out my DD's was quite pronounced and she had to be admitted as a day patient to have it released. It will also help your LO with bottle feeding as otherwise he might take in too much air and then have problems with gas. Down the track, he might also encounter speech problems. Dr Patrick at City Hospital performed the procedure. All the best.
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Latest post on 20 September 2011 - 13:46
Hi - we recently had to go through this. You need to get the birth certificate from the government hospital (Al Baraha?). Once you have it, you have to apply for Aussie citizenship by descent. You do this by going to this website: http://www.vfs-au-gcc.com/ . Make an appointment at the visa centre (it's located near Healthcare City) and download the correct form. You'll need two photos of your LO which must be seen by an authority which is listed on the form. We got our paediatrician to do ours. He completed a section of the form and also signed the back of DD's photos. You then go to your appointment, hand in the documents (note they require copies of passports, marriage certificate, original birth certificate etc all explained on the form) and pay the amount. This all gets sent back to Oz and is returned to you with a citizenship certificate for your LO. It took about 10 days. Once you have the citizenship paper, you then need to apply for a passport. Go back to the same website and make the online application. Again, you need an appointment time but this time you have to ring them to make it. You bring all your paperwork with you, they review it and submit it. Once again, paperwork goes to Oz and a passport arrives within about 7 days. The office is in Burjaman Business Tower. The whole process took us just over two weeks. You must obtain the citizenship paper before you can get a passport.
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Latest post on 14 September 2011 - 17:24
Hi, My little one was very strong too, hooked one arm out then the other then the whole blanket was off/over the head. I panicked a bit when i always went to check on her and the blanket would be over her head!! so we bit the bullet and put her in a sleeping bag before she suffocated herself. She has slept all night every night since. Some babies just dont like being restricted imo. :-) Thanks GEA1984. What sleeping bag did you use? DD protests every time we swaddle her and is now developing an angry cry as we are trying to settle her, I'm convinced she feels uncomfortable ...
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Latest post on 14 September 2011 - 14:34
Hi Ladies My 11 week old DD is very active and strong. She can easily get out of her Miracle Blanket swaddle from Mothercare - no matter how snuggly hubby and I wrap her. Can anyone recommend other swaddling (restraining LOL) blankets or offer other suggestions as to what I can do to ensure she doesn't wake herself up from her active reflexes? Also, she has just started sleeping through the night. I know at some point I have to introduce sleeping bags and give up the swaddle but I am dreading her staying awake all night long minus her swaddle. How have others dealt with this? TIA! TIA
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Latest post on 14 September 2011 - 14:27
Infant Gaviscon has never been available in Dubai or the UAE for that matter. Your best bet would be to order them online from the UK (I used chemistdirect.co.uk) and shipped to Dubai through Aramex shop and ship. The pharmacy at City Hospital sells it but they order from the UK and stocks run out quickly. I last checked in with them two weeks ago and they said they were still waiting on more stock to arrive ...
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Latest post on 07 September 2011 - 19:33
GRRR!!!!! Thanks fairycakeyumm, I'll check again on Sunday when I am there next. In the meantime, mum is already on the case, might be cheaper in Oz so we'll see how we go!
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Latest post on 06 September 2011 - 16:22
Thanks ladies. Being Aussie, not sure why I didn't think of it earlier but yes, you are right, now that I recall, many parents in Oz use the sheepskin liners. Checked in several kiddie stores at Dubai Mall today but they didn't have them and as usual, the staff at Mothercare were clueless when I asked them to order one in. I'll ask my mum to courier one to me. Thanks again.
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Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 17:19
Hi Ladies My 10 week old sweats terribly in her car seat and her pram to the point where she gets so uncomfortable and cries. I have tried laying a variety of different fabrics on the head support pillow and the back part but she still gets sweaty. This happens indoors no matter the level of AC. Any tips on how I can make her more comfortable? thank you!
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Latest post on 02 September 2011 - 18:18
I totally agree with what Kiwi says about room temps. We have a baby monitor positioned on the cot next to the baby. We were amazed at the difference between the temperature reading on the AC and the actual temperature in the cot. Sometimes it would be about six degrees difference, ie, we had the AC set to 22 and the temperature in the cot was 28! Hubby got up on a ladder and moved the air vents around until we found a setting where the monitor reads exactly what the AC says. We keep the temperature at 24 during the day and 23 at night taking into account the type of clothing she is wearing under her cotton swaddle.
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Latest post on 02 September 2011 - 11:03
Thanks kiwi, it could well be a vaccination issue as she had hers earlier this week. She had a really good night, managed to sleep from 8.30pm to 6am with one short whinge in the night when she was looking for her dummy. We'll keep an eye on things though.
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Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 15:27
I saw it at our local Life pharmacy today at the Meadows Town Centre
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Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 15:18
Yasmine - she was on SMA lactose free for a few weeks and the ped decided to change to Aptamil Comfort. He changed it because her reflux symptoms were not improving. However, for the entire week she was on Aptamil, her poops were all watery and stinky, absolutely no solid bits. Since on Neocate, she is pooping normally and even has managed to poop in her sleep, without any pain, crying or complaining. Hoping this is a sign of good things to come : ) (Never thought I'd be that excited about poop!). Interesting point Kiwi, I should be getting the poop test results tomorrow which will indicate whether she had any bugs at the time of being admitted. As they say in Dubai - let's see .... Lynney - your son's symptoms sound very similar to that of my DD. I am seeing her doc tomorrow and will ask him about this. Every time they examine her belly they say her belly is soft, not bloated but gassy. Thanks again ladies for all your suggestions, it's amazing how talking these issues through with you all not only helps in sorting out my DD's problems but also gives me moral support to keep going : )
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Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 11:28
Thanks Kiwi and Yasmine. Yasmine, I am glad to read you were able to sort out your son's problem : ) No, she is not projectile vomiting, just spitting up her food. Other symptoms such as excessive arching, leg thrashing, screaming, not sleeping, crying etc are lessening which is good but not completely gone away. Since she has been on Neocate, she has been gulping her feeds which compounds the problem. I have tried different bottles, different sized teats etc but she gets cranky on NUK teats and gassy on Avent size 1 teats. I spend a total of 20 mins burping her during and after feeds. Apart from Neocate, are there any other hydrolized formulas that work and which you can buy in Dubai? Neocate is so expensive and she goes through a tin in three days!!!!
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Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 09:56
Hey M - I have some infant Gaviscon that my mum brought from Oz if you want it? Let me know, am based in JBR. I believe you can also get it at the City Hospital pharmacy, when the doc prescribed it there he said he could get it in but I already had some. No longer need it though so you are welcome to it. You can email me on caterina underscore strano at yahoo dot com dot au Hi Sydneygal, I've sent you a PM to your email. Thanks for your kind offer!!
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Latest post on 27 August 2011 - 19:40
I know in Doha Neocate is free from the government hospital if you have a prescription from a Dr there, maybe the same in Dubai? Out of curiosity have they actually done proper tests for reflux or were they looking for something else and ruled that out so they assume reflux by default? So far the diagnosis has been through observation in the consulting rooms and two hospital stays. The scan I mention was an ultrasound on her digestive system to observe any anatomical issues and the blood, urine and poop tests were to rule out any infections or viruses. Do you think we should be asking for something else???
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Latest post on 27 August 2011 - 17:57
Oh dear, just returned from another short stay at the hospital. We were there for three nights whilst they conducted an ultrasound, blood test, stool and urine tests. DD is nearing 9 weeks and all tests came back fine so the docs are 99% certain she continues to suffer from silent reflux. On this occasion they have added Gaviscon to the Motillium and Zantac she is already taking. Also, they think she may have a cow milk intolerance (she is on formula) and have changed her brand of formula to Neocate - formula designed for premature babies which I believe can only be bought from pharmacies at AED200 per tin! She seems to be doing better and I have my fingers crossed that things will slowly start improving. Only problem is no one seems to stock infant Gaviscon - can anyone shed any light on where I can purchase it? TIA
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Latest post on 22 August 2011 - 15:00
Hi Alimart - Good to see your DS is responding well to the slight change in routine! DD gets so cranky if her bottle doesn't contain the right milk amount! I've tried giving her smaller feeds more often but she gives me a right telling off if her 150ml is not available!! On a related note, has anyone tried NUK teats and bottles? We were using them for a while but DD finds the flow too slow and again gets very cranky. We've had to go back to Avent but she gulps in so much air with the Avent bottles. I think we have to try to increase the size of the hole in the NUK teats.
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Latest post on 22 August 2011 - 12:06
Thanks Kiwi, words of wisdom as always.
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Latest post on 22 August 2011 - 11:36
Kiwi - haven't tried feeding her at 1am but am worried that if I do, she'll have two night feedings. Who's told you that she should only have 1 night feed? If you wake up thirsty in the night, wouldn't you go get yourself a drink? I'm following DD HAK, since day 1 she has fed well at 10pm, 2am and then 6am. She is exclusively on formula (long story, not my preference) and as she is feeding well, she takes her feeds every four hours or if she is hungry. Also, we were in hospital last week for three days of observation so that her reflux issues could be sorted and her doctor and nurses also recommended the same feeding schedule. Kiwi - she doesn't display the typical hungry signs and I am conscious of over feeding her particularly as she has reflux. The two nights prior to last night, she slept from 10pm to 4am without waking up in between. So I am not sure that she is hungry or thirsty but I'll take your advice and give her a feed if this continues tonight. BTW, forgot to mention, she doesn't actually wake up and have her eyes open, rather, she still has her eyes closed whilst twitching and making the "eh eh eh" sounds. That's why I wondered at first whether it was a gas issue and not a hunger issue? Sydneygal - yes, definitely, perhaps when we have both had some decent sleep? : )
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Latest post on 22 August 2011 - 09:24
I should also say we keep her swaddled and I regularly check to make sure she is not cold or too hot. Kiwi - haven't tried feeding her at 1am but am worried that if I do, she'll have two night feedings. I guess though it is worth a try considering she is already keeping us awake! On other occasions she has fallen back asleep on her own but the restlessness is now too regular. Sydneygal - hang in there, I know it doesn't solve the problem but it does make it easier knowing you are not the only one going through this and it's common for babies to behave this way. The doctor tells me the leg thrashing is gas but I've tried everything now to limit her gulping air. The restlessness continues this morning, she won't settle in her cot but has taken to the sofa ... so far so good. What part of Syd are you from? We are from Brighton : )
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Latest post on 18 August 2011 - 19:53
Hi Waterbaby Congrats on your progress!! Quick update on my DD - we spent three days in hospital this week as her doctor wanted to observe her reflux issues which as I have mentioned before, have been really causing my LO a lot of pain and sleeplessness. Following a change in the dosage of medication and moving to the comfort line of Aptimil, DD has improved significantly and is now happily falling asleep after a feed rather than going berserk with pain. Like your DD, mine sleeps for longer spells and I understand this to be primarily due to her reflux. I therefore let her have her meal at the scheduled time, let her nap for a few minutes after the meal to help with digestion (although she doesn't always need to sleep) and then slowly wake her to have play time with her. However, I don't force DD to stay awake for the hours that GF suggests as she gets irritable and then sleeps less due to over-exhaustion. I do however follow GF's suggested wake-up times to feed DD as to me, it's important DD receives regular feeds. I've been following the sleep schedule since day 1 and even if we have a day where it's difficult for me to manage the schedule, DD pretty much loosely follows it herself. Today I split the feed as usual with 70ml at 5pm and 60ml at 6.15pm. In between, DD was quite alert, played a bit but screamed as usual when it came to massage (I've given up on bathing ... well, avoiding it for as long as I can LOL and as Kiwi points out, newborns don't need to be bathed frequently). So in my case, having DD's reflux issues attended to has greatly helped in managing her feeds. I haven't yet found that the extra day time sleep impacts on her night sleep. She takes one feed at anywhere between 2am and 4am and usually lasts until 6.30am. She does wake during the night and this is usually because she is searching for her dummy (bad habit I know but dummies help reflux babies). Interestingly last night I actually had to wake her at 3.30am for her night feed. I sat in bed for about 10 mins wondering whether or not I should wake her but decided to wake her as I'd rather have a dream feed session than a crying hungry baby waiting for mumma to prepare her bottle! She only took 60ml ... hopefully a sign that slowly but surely GF's feeding schedule will help us drop this feed altogether - hopefully!
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Latest post on 16 August 2011 - 21:37
Dr Ibrahim's wonderful manner doesn't stop in the consultation room. He delivered my first baby 7 weeks ago and has since operated on me to resolve some issues with my uterus post delivery. He is a truly caring and personable doctor, I would not hesitate to go back to Dr. Ibrahim should I fall pregnant again!
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Latest post on 14 August 2011 - 21:28
Hi waterbaby Today was a bit of a nightmare as DD had little sleep again today. Normally she is a sleepy baby too and naps for about six hours during the day but something was bothering her and the only time she had a decent sleep was between 8.30am and 10.15am. The rest of the day was spent with me consoling her as she cried within 10 minutes of being put down. Because she barely cat-napped in the afternoon, I decided to feed her at 5pm and planned a top up at 6pm (if she managed to stay awake). However, she only took 40ml at 5pm and began crying whilst feeding. After a diaper change, top and tail and some cuddling time, she took another 40ml at 6pm and eventually fell asleep at about 7.15pm. So far she has woken only once, at 9pm, which is good considering how bad her sleeping has been today. I cuddled her for about 5 mins and she allowed me to put her down in her cot again. I can see the poor thing is exhausted but she just refuses to transition into a deep sleep. Bath times are another problem - she hates it. She has a bit of a cry in the bath but then wails uncontrollably until she is barely breathing when we are trying to dry, moisturise and dress her. Because she gets so agitated, I am considering moving bath time to earlier in the day as otherwise we can sometimes spend an hour or two soothing and settling her to sleep. This might also explain why she is reluctant to take the 6.15pm feed? I don't know how other mums and babies manage to adhere to GF's routines??!! A friend whose just had her third baby follows GF to the last detail and her babies have all been compliant - GRRRR.
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Latest post on 14 August 2011 - 20:15
Thanks Ladies, all worked out well : )
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Latest post on 14 August 2011 - 20:07
Oh dear - what a rip off! I'm 33 and hubby is 37. We paid 24K and I was 22 weeks along when I applied and paid. I had two pre-existing medical conditions which I had to supply medical reports for and why the premium was slight higher. But I am surprised they quoted you so much : (
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Latest post on 14 August 2011 - 07:26
waterbaby - my 7 week old dd is identical. i tried replacing the split feed last week and fed her at 5.30ish. it worked, she took 90ml initially and then another 60ml after a short break. she slept through to 10pm and then again until 3am. never through the night though - how did you manage that???!!! mine is also incredibly distressed when feeding but this is a reflux issue. in the past week her intake has been quite variable and she has been sleeping variably through the night too : (
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Latest post on 13 August 2011 - 20:53
Thanks guinness and faircakeyumm for your helpful tips. KKS - I would never dream of making someone work 10 hours straight, particularly as she would be helping me look after my baby, it was simply a question of protocol coming from someone who has no experience with hired help.
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Latest post on 13 August 2011 - 17:13
Hi Ladies, I posted some questions earlier this afternoon relating to the employment of mais and the thread seems to have been removed. I have also posted it on the maids page - please can you take a look and provide advice. thanks!
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Latest post on 13 August 2011 - 16:35
He's going down between 7 and 7.30 but yes I will try and move it a bit earlier tonight, around 6.30-7 if we can. In terms of the 3 reasons I think the 2nd two are part of the issue - definitely uncomfortable being unswaddled so will go back to swaddling....not too hot or cold I think but definitely tired! And he does obviously need reassurance too... thanks so much for all the suggestions and support - I really appreciate it and pray tonight is a better night. x Hope you get it sorted out Sydneygal. DD is very jerky too which is why I queried reflux as we had both discussed it on a previous thread. Although DD does have a medical condition, I am wondering whether the extra blanket has made the difference in reducing her kicks and thrusts which are also waking her. Even though the temp gauge may be set to 25 or 26 degrees which would be fine to leave baby in a swaddle only, the airflow with our AC is quite strong where the head of our bed is and where DD is sleeping. Conversely, DD hates getting into the car seat and going anywhere in the car. Again I think this is a temperature issue as even though I have the AC set to cool in the car, DD's head and back are very sweaty and she wails whenever she sits in the car seat : (
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Latest post on 13 August 2011 - 08:14
Hi - try posting an add on the classifieds on this website. I have recently hired a nanny for my newborn using the classifieds.
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Latest post on 13 August 2011 - 08:12
hi sydneygal - so sorry to hear you are still experiencing problems : ( i really feel for you as i know exactly what you are going through - dd is 7 weeks and is displaying similar symptoms. why did you rule out reflux? dd has the classic symptoms - including restlessness and short sleeping spells. i visited the paed last Tuesday again out of shear desperation and his advice was to continue on meds (which another doctor had previously advised me to drop) and if there is no improvement by this coming Monday, he said he would admit her for two nights at City for observation so that they can get to the bottom of the issue. Regarding encouraging sleep, there was another discussion here the other day with some tips. The only additional things I would add are trying to introduce a comforter - I stuffed one down my top for a few hours and then gave it to dd who immediately snuggled up to it in the cot - and to check the AC - I was always under the impression that it was better to keep a room at the 24 degree mark and to only use the swaddle but I have noticed that dd sleeps better when she covered with a light blanket too. let me know if you would like the details of the doc at City. take care : )
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Latest post on 08 August 2011 - 14:50
Hi NinaSimone Not sure about vaccinations. DD had hers first lot done in hospital before discharge and I did not get a bill. The only thing that hasn't been covered so far by ADNIC was a hearing test for DD - this is optional and costs 500 dirhams. FYI, ADNIC apparently doesn't cover epidural, just got a rejection letter today : ( Suggest you ask ADNIC to clarify everything in writing beforehand as I was under the impression epidural was covered. Re govt health care card - yes, you do need a visa and I do not think any services are free for expats but perhaps someone else can shed some light on this. : )
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Latest post on 08 August 2011 - 14:46
Hi Ladies I'm following aspects of the Gina Ford routine, in particular, the scheduled times for feeding. I allow my DD to deviate and I do maintain flexibility where possible as she suffers from reflux and tends to sleep right after a meal before waking for a short play time spell. DD is 6 weeks old, weighs 4.7kg, is putting on an average of 300gr per week and is formula fed. Over the last few days, DD has been extremely restless after the 6pm feed and is not settling during the 7pm to 10pm nap time. She wakes every 20 minutes or so. I am still splitting the feed as suggested by GF and giving her 90ml at 4.30/5.00pm and then another 60ml or 90ml at 6.00/6.15pm. What I have noticed though is that by 6pm she is very sleepy and doses off. I am wondering whether I should drop the 5pm/6pm split feed and combine into one 120ml - 150ml feed at around the 5.30pm mark (her previous feed is at around 2pm). TIA
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Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 20:20
Hi NinaSimone Yes, I'm online, you can email me: magdalena.suder@gmail.com CoffeeGal is right - my husband had to join as well so the total was 24K for us. He has utilised the policy several times as well. I tried to dispute this several times as my husband also had his own cover and it wasn't until I visited the ADNIC office to pay that a helpful lady there told me that the only reason why hubby had to join was because ADNIC would otherwise lose money if the cover was for me only. As far as I know, the policy does cover you for early delivery, I was not told otherwise and have checked the contract and there is no mention of this being excluded. The only thing it does not cover is elective c-section. All the major hospitals in Dubai are covered, including Medcare. The policy will cover you for a full year. Your baby will only be covered up to the moment of discharge from the hospital. Once you leave the hospital, your baby is no longer covered and you will need to have the baby added to the ADNIC policy ... at a fee. My advice here is to try to ensure that any medical treatment your baby may require is all done whilst you are still in hospital if at all possible. We are going through this process of adding our DD to our policy right now. ADNIC requires a range of paperwork including the birth certificate, copies of your existing ADNIC membership cards and a passport photo of the baby (which you can take at home yourself and then email to them). The policy we have is the basic one - SHIFA Silver. If you wish to put your baby on your ADNIC policy, organise it as soon as you have your hands on the birth certificate : )
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Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 18:53
Fab advice ladies, thank you : ) Never considered bringing change of clothes for me or hubby but it makes sense to do so! Kiwispiers - I'm trialling the white noise apps at the moment, DD loves the heartbeat one. She has been extremely difficult to settle all day long today and only calmed down at 5pm when I remembered your post and decided to trial it.
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Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 18:46
Hi there - sorry to hear about the lay-off : ( It was me who posted about the instant maternity cover with ADNIC. 19K is for those over 30 and everything is covered leading up to and including the delivery. If you go with ADNIC, your baby will be covered for any medical requirements up to the moment of discharge. Once discharged, you will need to get your baby on the policy. If your husband is working, I would suggest you could add your baby to his policy (if you are happy with the quality of the policy). Whether or not to take out insurance with ADNIC is a decision to make once you have calculated the risks and benefits. Even though I was a low risk pregnancy, I had complications during and post delivery. The fees associated with my medical care were all taken care of by ADNIC and outweighed the cost of joining. If anything should go wrong with your baby, I have heard NICU costs can be very high - I know of one couple who were 100K out of pocket. Sorry, don't mean to scare you but you have to be realistic and careful about these things. Assuming nothing goes wrong, why don't you calculate the cost of a standard delivery and the antenatal visits you will have leading up to delivery? It might be close to 19K. Also, if your doc suggests you might deliver early, it might be best if you do go ahead with ADNIC? On another note, how much notice is your employer required to give you? Have you checked whether or not they are obligated to continue your insurance through your notice period? Good luck : )
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 19:41
[b'>[i'>[i'>Hello ladies! I have questions about finding a live-out maid... Do you go through an agency to find this person? If so, any recommendations on that? Do you still have to "sponsor"? I would like for her to be able to do household duties, help out with children during the week and occasional babysitting on the weekends. I have no clue how to even start the process. Is there a guideline out there that helps with interview questions and putting together contracts? Things to look for and what to avoid in a candidate? We have only been in Dubai for 1 month- I have alot of questions...about everything! Thanks for any help/tips you can provide! [/i'>[/i'>[/b'>:) Hi Tara K I posted an ad in the classifieds on this website and got quite a few responses from nannies/maids looking for live out positions. Alternatively, you could go through an agency - they will handle everything for you but will charge for it! If you or your husband have PRO services at work, you may be able to have your PRO organise all the admin for you. Under the terms I have stipulated in my arrangements with the lady we are hiring, she will live out in her own accommodation and we will supply her with visa/sponsorship and an all inclusive salary (including flight home). Unfortunately you cannot hire someone to help you (even part time) without offering them sponsorship, it would be regarded as illegal. Good luck!
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 02 August 2011 - 11:31
I found that having a light snack helped. I also didn't sleep well, was in constant pain and the pregnancy pillows did nothing for me. On the bright side, the lack of sleep now will prepare you for when your baby arrives : )
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 19:22
Thanks Ladies. Whilst checking references, I found out her current employer pays 1000 dirhams less than what she has asked me for. So I will offer her the same wage as she currently receives with an option to increase in six months subject to good performance and also an hourly rate for any overtime/weekend work. thanks again for your feedback.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 31 July 2011 - 14:30
Quick update - new paed did a very thorough check on DD and concluded she does have reflux and is having problems digesting formula (based on listening to her digestive system). She suggested dropping all meds including Infacol except for Zantac. She also suggested a lactose free formula, not because DD is lactose intolerant, but possibly, as Shaf pointed out, she had lactose overload. I'm to try this for a week and see how things go. So, since getting home, DD had her first lactose free formula feed and it was a lot calmer. No frantic kicking or back arching. Less crying and no gurgling sounds coming from her tummy as she was sucking. Burp came up quickly and she didn't cry when it did whereas normally she would. I then swaddled her and left her in the cot, awake. She fell asleep on her own. I have every finger and every toe crossed ....
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 31 July 2011 - 14:21
This is the number to the gynae clinic at City, tell them you are an existing patient and are due for a follow up: 04 4359806. I found the appt people only give you an early appt if you insist you are an existing patient and require a follow up.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 31 July 2011 - 14:17
Oh yes! Back pain was my friend for the duration of my pregnancy even though I consider myself a very fit and active person and my baby ended up weighing 3,2kg so it's not like I was carrying a lot of weight. In my case, pregnancy hormones caused by bones to "relax" and I experienced pretty bad pain. I also had tennis elbow and carpal tunnel which can be associated. I'm afraid that pregnancy pillows did not help me at all and it's just something I had to live with. The worst part was not being able to sleep due to the pain. The only thing that helped me was stretch and flexibility exercises which I did at home with the help of a pregnancy pilates DVD. All the best!
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 31 July 2011 - 06:50
thanks again for the tips. typing one handed ad holding dd in the other! i have decided to get a second opinion and am going to the doc today. infacol has helped with the gas and the other two reflux meds have reduced the arching of the back and wild screams but she still cries during and straight after a feed. DD is on formula as i cannot bf : ( she has been on sma for five weeks now. latest developments at my end are that dd is only drinking half her formula but is not feeding more frequently. i'm quite worried about this ... SG - hang in there and hope you get some good advice on tuesday. Shaf - how did your DD get over her symptoms/distress? Kiwi - great advice as always, gives us new mums loads to consider : )
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 30 July 2011 - 12:01
we do try and put him down as soon as he seems tired and he does go to sleep eventually but seems to have this ticker that wakes him after 30 mins, or even earlier sometimes! I do darken the room, have white noise going and use a dummy too. I too am anti CIO esp at this age so we will see what Cecile comes up with...hopefully something!! Thank god last night my hubby took over for the first half of the night and I got a bit of sleep in another room. Don't think there is any day night mix up - he doesn't sleep enough in the day for that...and I do always keep him in bright light during the day except when trying for a nap. Luckily my mother in law is here at the moment otherwise I'd be going mad - she is currently trying to put him down...we will see! thanks for the support...!x Sydneygal - how did you go with Cecille? Another person whose baby had reflux recommended Cecille but like you, I'm not a fan of the CIO, particularly if the baby is in distress. DD is now spitting more than usual, the rocking around the clock continues ....