Trapped toddler parents of the fabled Winter 2020/2021. Puddle suits at the ready..hello Christmas!

[footprintsintheslow]

New thread as the other one is running out.

A place to find find and share ideas of how to get through these crazy times with lockdowns and babies and toddlers.

New members welcome.

I'm here everyone. No news. Just washing the pram and nappies and we trying that I'd overlooked. Also packed hospital bag...6 days to go!

Dinosaur tuff spot here today with rice and oats. Thought we'd do a last messy one before baby comes.

I've bought some trespass now boots for toddler off fb marketplace just in case we have snow anytime. Bargain at £8 new with tags.

@footprintsintheslow aww, we were getting excited!

Decided to keep DS1 off preschool so that we can keep seeing our support bubble (not willing to expose them to all the preschool contacts). Will see how we’re getting on in a couple of weeks.

I bought a Kuhn Rikon child knife set in the sale which just arrived. Planning on getting him involved in cooking more. Wish me luck...

Well I’ve had a little cry this morning. Was meant to be going to a breastfeeding support group today but they’ve cancelled until they can complete their risk assessments again. Which I understand but bloody hell I really wanted to go. I’d even put some make up on to leave the house in, feel like a bit of a tit now.

DD is now totally constipation by the gaviscon so I’ve stopped it and now she’s puking up constantly again. And she won’t nap when DS is about as she needs feeding/rocking to sleep and DS being 3 is very demanding of attention.
DS’s nursery is staying open but I’m totally conflicted as to if I should send him. I only send him for socialising and to keep me a bit sane, he goes two days a week. Oh I don’t know.
Sorry for being miserable, I know we’re all experiencing the same thing. It’s fucking shit.

But oh praise be to the inventor of kinetic sand.

I'd send him tbh. In your shoes, if I had that option for DD2, and I had a refluxy baby on top of it, I'd send her like a shot- we're a low risk, rural area, and there's barely been any cases in our village. I think I would have stamped my feet and cried like a thwarted toddler over the group cancellation, especially if makeup had been applied - I mean, mascara doesn't just grow on trees, and applying the stuff when you've small kids around is akin to climbing the North Face of the Eiger.

I know this is probably preaching to the choir, and you know this already, but re the reflux, have you tried cutting out dairy etc in your own diet and seeing if that makes a difference?

Thanks @ReallySpicyCurry for not just telling me to crack on.

I think I’m going to send him, he likes it, it’s small bubbles, so far no bubbles have burst since they’ve started them which I’m impressed with. And frankly I need a breather with DD being up multiple times in the night.

I’ve not tried cutting out the dairy to be honest, That’s next weeks plan. I do weekly meal plans and food shopping, I can’t bring myself to replan all the meals this week. But next weeks meals can be converted to dairy free.

On the plus side I looks hella pretty, I just stink of baby vomit. Fuck me.

@MonkeyPuddle hope your day improves, thats rubbish. A rainy Tuesday in January is inherently a bit of a challenge even without all this other stuff going on! Its not A* parenting but we have a baby swing for DS (now 4 months) which has been a lifesaver in terms of daytime naps. Ours is a Joie secondhand one and its not a particularly attractive addition to our living room but it has made my life so much easier. Definitely going for a playpen this time around too

@Lostthetastefordahlias. Play pens are ace. I know there's mixed views on them (baby prisons etc. ) but they've been great for us.

When DS was younger, I was studying for a degree and, from when he could crawl around 6 months, I used to leave him in his (two playpens combined so it was huge) with some toys for max 15-20 minutes at a time so long as he was happy. I sat in the next room with the playpen in line of sight so I could see him and cracked on with some work until he became bored and wanted company.

We’ve got a bouncy chair that lays back which she loves.
Decided to pull my head out of my arse and have done a Joe Wicks work out. Bought myself his app for a year as a lockdown/maternity leave/sort my fat ass out treat. I quite like it so far. Have done two weeks of meal planning, prepped brekki and lunch for this week, removed —most of— the snacks out the house and hidden the booze.
Did the work out while DD napped and DS joined in/hindered me but it was fun and I feel better for it which is the main thing.

@MonkeyPuddle you’re doing vastly better than me today! So far I’ve managed to...tidy the playroom. And even that was really my mum doing most of the work whilst the baby slept (tired from being up all night, clearly).

On the gaviscon - have you tried a half dose? That’s keeping us ticking along, a manageable amount of spitting up but no constipation.

I had a very refluxy baby, turned out to be GERD and cow's milk protein allergy. Gaviscon didn't work, after a lot.of trial and error he was on losec (omeprazole) which worked a dream! When weaning him off that he was on gaviscon for a but, and I agree with a previous poster, half the dose or don't add to every bottle. Obviously get gp advise first!

Yes yes to kinetic sand, honesty so grateful to the posters on here that recommended it as it's fab stuff!!

Phone call from the nursery today, unfortunately my son won't be starting this month as planned :( The head teacher is only allowing vulnerable children and children of networkers to attend as she doesn't want the virus to spread to the teachers. I'm so glad the playgrounds are staying open this lockdown.

Yes I need to give myself a kick up the bin too as I'm not doing any exercise and generally eating alot more crap than usual! I did a month if no chocolate and felt so much better in myself, but Christmas has been my downfall. I need to sit down Nd write up a meal plan that I'm going to stick to. I'm thinking of doing those yoga by Adrienne you tube videos too, anyone tried them?

Hi all I totally dropped off this thread - really struggling with the newborn + toddler + lockdown combo...seems like I’m not the only one 😭.

@MonkeyPuddle I really feel for you with the bf group. Ours are all cancelled so I’m forking out for the lactation consultant again because the baby has inexplicably developed a shit latch and I think her tongue tie might have reattached. Toddler is massively struggling and I feel like world’s worst parent. The baby will.not.be.put.down. She’s attached to me 24/7 so the toddler feels pushed out but I simultaneously can’t really give the baby any attention as I’m trying half heartedly to play with toddler so basically failing them both. DH has been great but back to work this week and I just feel awful!

Where do those of you with new babies put them down to sleep in the day? She will only sleep in my arms or the sling atm and it’s so draining. She’s 8 weeks (still waking every 2-3 hours at night) - is this going to get better soon???

@FolkSongSweet I remember that stage well, you are right in the thick of it. It does gradually get better, I can’t remember exactly when but I think once my youngest started crawling. Then she wanted to explore and wasn’t attached to me all the time. (Of course the exploring creates new problems!).

I was rubbish at getting both my babies down to sleep. With my youngest I used to put her in the sling and take my oldest to the park, we spent lots of time every day throwing a ball/kicking a ball about together. But this was in the first lockdown, so nicer weather which made it easier.

@FolkSongSweet my DS is 4 months and the last 4 weeks have really been so much easier - waking less at night, feeding at more predicable times/ intervals, digestion better and less grunting and noise at night (which was driving me mental!). I seem to remember the same with my DD at 3 months - so I think it does get better very soon!
DS sleeps in the swing in the living room in the day for short naps and in the moses basket (we have a large moba one) on the stand for his main nap at lunch - I bring it through from the bedroom in the morning. When he gets too big for that I might see if he will nap in the pram for a bit.

@FolkSongSweet mine both had prolonged jaundice, so were very sleepy/placid. I had the opposite problem - getting them to wake up to eat.
DS1 never sleeps now, took me to 9.30 to get him to sleep and then I had to wrap stockings (do them on the ephiphany in Italy).

@PinkDaydreams I really should join you in the doing some exercise, I feel like I've started creaking. it's finding the time though! I've not tried the yoga by Adrienne videos but I do some living room yoga on the rare occassions I wake up before both DC and it really sets me up for the day.

DS2 took two steps today! Neither DH and I saw it though. My dad came to pick up my mum from babysitting/homeschooling and he took two steps towards him.

My living room is a state, have to tidy up though as DS1 has zoom assembly tomorrow.

To the pp who was thinking about playpens, I'm all for them! I'd definitely get one if I had room.

@FolkSongSweet it is so tough. DS2 won’t be put down for naps at the moment (5 months) so we end up all snuggling on the sofa in front of the TV. I need to change that. I’m thinking of getting a travel cot as a nap spot and playpen. DS1 slept in his pushchair (eventually, after a good six months of only sleeping on me), but pushchair is now constantly muddy and I can’t be doing with bringing it inside!

Also thinking about exercise. I’ve resolved to join the low carb bootcamp starting next week (though I decided that before I pulled DS1 out of preschool, may need to allow for an occasional G&T!). Thinking of just finding a dancey/Zumba thing online and doing it in the mornings until DS1 joins in! Also need to get back in the habit of cosmic kids yoga.

Fell asleep putting the baby to bed tonight. A nap 19.00-21.30 has me feeling much better!

@FolkSongSweet my DD is 9 weeks and won’t sleep unless she’s got my nipple in her mouth or swaddled to fuckery, but getting her swaddled wakes her up so she’s back on the boob and so the cycle repeats.
It’s not you, it’s nothing you’re doing, it’s just that, personally I think babies are generally little shitheads. I know mine are. But they’re just being babies. But bloody hell it’s hard work. I hope you get some help with the lac consultant. I also think that acknowledgment and just saying that it’s hard really helps with the not feeling quite so alone feelings.

I shouted at DS today, I didn’t mean to, was just overwhelmed and touched out and he’s going through a very understandable limpet phase where he needs to be touching me all the time, but my god, I need to not be touched for an hour. And I’m saying this with DD feeding on me.

@PinkDaydreams I think yoga with Adrienne is doing a 30 day free trial at the minute? I love yoga, a good cat cow and some sun salutations always makes me feel better.

I've struggled today DD didn't sleep and then they both woke up at 5am. DS has been in a wild and crazy mood, usually I can work through it but I snapped and told him go away ☹️ tomorrow is a new day though so will try to get back to 'fun mummy'

I used a travel cot as a playpen for DD, it worked well as it was smaller and I could wheel it around to move her (very handy for hoovering)

This counts as a play pen right?

MonkeyPuddle definitely
My mum always says its good for toddlers and young children to see that you get annoyed/ upset too occasionally - so thats what I tell myself anyway!
Everytime I get woken in the night/ early in the morning I massively regret not going to bed til 11:30 - so tired this morning - why do I do this to myself

@MonkeyPuddle. Looks great . I wouldn't mind having a nap in there myself.

I would happily sit in that playpen, with a book and a cup of tea. What do you mean, it's not for the parent?

There must be something in the air, as DD2 has also been a complete rocket recently. There's no real reason for her to wake up at 1am,3am,5am and 6am,when she's been sleeping well for months, yet here we are.

Thanks for the lovely messages - it is actually a big help to just say some of this stuff and know I’m not alone! I don’t feel like I can complain at all in real life as so many people going through really hard times atm.

Exercise is a great idea. One of those things that feels like a massive effort to find the time to do but when you do it it’s so worth it.

Maybe I will get out our travel cot in a few weeks and see if I can encourage the baby to sleep in there. DS slept on me/sling for the first 6 months and then slept in his pram (so I don’t know why I didn’t expect DD to be the same) and to this day has never napped in his cot. I think I need to start earlier with DD but it all feels a bit overwhelming. Might leave it til she’s out of the 4th trimester and make a plan in the meantime.

Right tree is coming down today. DS is at nursery, DD is napping (praise the bloody lord!)

Our nursery have an app where they pop the kids days on, picture of DS playing with Lego, he told them he was building a river, that we’d been to a river in the woods (a bloody stream) and when he walked through it his feet got wet as his shoes had holes in them! He had wellies on! And was jumping! Little liar

Can’t do anything other than a bit of stretching today, Joe Wicks has destroyed my thighs, bloody squats.