August 2021 Babies - Final evictions and the fourth trimester

[BertieBotts]

Time for a new thread! :)

29 gorgeous new babies have joined us already, welcome to the world 💖💙🥳

@Smurf123 - Welcome to the world, baby Sophia 💖
@wimbler - Welcome to the world, baby boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles - Welcome to the world, baby Ebony💖
@Inmypjsagain - Welcome to the world, baby boy💙
@PurplePansy05 - Welcome to the world, baby Leo Alexander 💙
@WinterBabyof89 - Welcome to the world, baby Rosie 💖
@Winecoffeeteamum - Welcome to the world, baby Emily 💖
@Ready2020 - Welcome to the world, baby Rowan 💖
@Magik01 - Welcome to the world, baby Isaac 💙
@Hoares3 - Welcome to the world, baby Ellis 💙
@Daffodil21 - Welcome to the world, baby Elliot James 💙
@sarah13xx - Welcome to the world, baby Freddie 💙
@MrsB2019x - Welcome to the world, baby Ella💖
@Biscuitcat - Welcome to the world, baby Rowan 💙
@Whatshouldbemyusername - Welcome to the world, baby Arya-Nyah 💖
@notinthestarsigns - Welcome to the world, baby Erin 💖
@Aaaaa1519 - Welcome to the world, baby Anum 💖
@Angelesque - Welcome to the world, baby Isaac 💙
@Millymay13 - Welcome to the world, baby Ethan Benjamin 💙
@WolfMother326 - Welcome to the world, baby Alasdair William 💙
@BertieBotts - Welcome to the world, baby Alexander 💙
@RandomCatGenerator - Welcome to the world, baby Solomon 💙
@lucyrp - Welcome to the world, baby Evelyn Rose 💖
@HopefulB - Welcome to the world, baby Chloé 💖
@Mmr224 - Welcome to the world, baby Alasdair 💙
@Smallbean27 - Welcome to the world, baby boy 💙
@Fran919 - Welcome to the world, baby girl 💖
@Caz1226 - Welcome to the world, baby Dougie 💙
@Ava50x - Welcome to the world, baby boy 💙
@dirtyfries - Welcome to the world, baby Frankie! 💖

Counting down until till they welcome their munchkins:

@Dia12 - EDD 8 August, Girl 💖
@livingwithbees - EDD 16 August, surprise 💛
@Sheisfee - EDD 19 August, Girl 💖
@Alittlexmasmagic - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@LottSE20 - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@ame88 - EDD 28 August, Girl 💖

@Ready2020 we are in a small ish 3 bed also. Our downstairs sounds similar though no loo downstairs. We have a gate across the living room to separate dog from baby which makes it feel smaller. We aren't quiet when she sleeps though, ds is regularly thumping hot wheels car launchers on the floor while she sleeps in her chair during the day and in the evenings I watch tv while she feeds/ sleeps. She don't particularly like the dog barking at the postman/ delivery guys but otherwise isn't bothered by noise. She cried yesterday because I stopped hoovering 🙈
I do find it small when I have her playment out and ds has a bucket load of his toys out also but it's manageable. Sometimes we bring the pram in too if we need dd to be up off the floor

@Daffodil21 I don't think there have been any conclusive studies showing how well antibodies pass through BM, they certainly do but it's hard to say how long to continue if this os one of your prorities. Logically the longer, the better, but I don't think anyone fully knows how these things work yet.

@Ready2020 We don't stay quiet if DS is sleeping during the day, it's business as usual here.

Re small new builds, everyone I know said this once their children were born, not enough space or storage. It's how many of these properties are built these days, which is a shame. xx

I think we fell into the trap of she was waking up initially with noise so we then kept quiet so she wouldn't wake. Our house isn't overly noisy, just the cat really, so any noise seems loud.

We had actually had an offer accepted on a different house but it fell through and we had to buy this one as second option. OH always says I'm never happy where I am but it's not wrong to wish for better things.

It would be a lot easier without loud cat Milo but I've had him for 13 years!

@PurplePansy05 Covid anti bodies via breast milk isn't really a consideration for me at all because I feel the vaccine while pregnant will have given him far more protection than one feed per day of BM milk, but of course no one really knows!

@Daffodil21 you’ve done well to do almost 6 weeks. That’s what I had planned but slightly regret how easily I gave in and just switched to formula, 6 weeks is a really good achievement!

@Ready2020 our house is exactly the same as yours, new build 3 bedroom, with a living room, kitchen/diner and a downstairs loo. Thankfully though DD can be in her chair sleeping and I can Hoover etc around her and she stays asleep. Our cat is also testing my patience recently 🙄

@Daffodil21 you’ve done really well to make it to 6 weeks, I know how hard and time consuming pumping is. Whatever your decision you can be proud you made it that far, and some breast milk is better than none.

@Ready2020 your house sounds similar to my previous house which we had when I had DS1. It was a “new build” which was around 12 years old when we brought it. It had a living room, downstairs loo by the front door and a small kitchen diner. It was quite small downstairs compared to upstairs and I did feel quite squashed once DS1 was around. Didn’t help that we have a Labrador who’s bark is so loud, and he used to bark at everything outside the window which always woke my son up! Very stressing. I told DH that there was no way we could have another child in that house dispute it being a three bed, hence the move late last year to a larger house. You’ll make it work don’t worry.

@Ready2020 I must add it's me OH DS and DD living here with irritating cat

Thanks ladies, you've all made me feel less shitty about maybe stopping! X

@Ready2020 our house is similar, it used to be open plan but we now have a separate kitchen and living room which is a lot easier with the dogs. Freddie is used to it being quite noisy but one of my dogs barks when he thinks someone’s at the door and will continually bark until he sees you’ve gone to check 🙈 Freddie’s moses basket is right next to the window and he’ll bark so loud right next to it. Every time I’m like negotiating with him to please stop and he hasn’t got a clue what’s going on 😂 luckily he almost never hears him, I think he must have heard it so much when I was pregnant because he came home from the hospital like that

@sarah13xx My dog is exactly the same and DS ignores him too, as you say, he must have got used to his barking. He'd react if he's awake, but just curious, not startled. The only way my dog gets quieter is if I walk to the door slowly and quietly and whisper to him, he still barks but less and quieter.

One of my cats is a PITA too, she howls whenever she wants to play and between her, the dog and the baby it can get crazy 🙈 luckily my other cat is just lovely, we cuddle up when we both had enough 😆 xx

@PurplePansy05 😂 I always say the baby would be easy on his own, it’s the dogs that are the issue 🙈 I’ve tried showing him the dogs but he doesn’t really seem to notice them yet.. can’t wait until they’re friends!

@Smurf123 Get the BabyAuto Dupla isofix instead. It's basically the same as the Excalibur, with the 25kg harness but it also has the possibility to use rear facing until 18kg so should do DD for a while :) It needs top tether but so does the cozy n safe. Or there are a few rear facing options that would suit both a 3yo and 1yo but they are more expensive.

@Ready2020 We live in a 3 bed flat which felt fine when DS2 was a baby but too small now we have 3! The main issue is the living room being so close to DS2's bedroom, so he can hear everything. It is bigger than UK flats tend to be and we have lots of green space all around luckily. We don't find we need to keep quiet for baby, just toddler when he's falling asleep.

@PurplePansy05 @lucyrp @sarah13xx joining the annoying cat club here! Our old lady (14) is fairly unbothered, there were babies in her previous home (she’s a rescue). But the young one (2 year old) who we got as a street kitten has never not been the youngest and centre of attention and he’s not taking it well….

@Daffodil21 I’m wondering exactly the same thing. 6 weeks is my first milestone at which we will review I think - which is a week away for me. I’d like him to keep getting breast milk until he’s six months but it’s impractical to pump for hours each day (I’m doing 3-4 pumps each day).

@BertieBotts sorry, I missed your message. I am indeed power pumping! 25 mins in all from each boob for each pump session, but split into 15 right, 15 left, 10 right, 10 left.

Thank you @BertieBotts I'll have a look at that one! Are babyauto seats safety tested above 30mph?
What age do they normally move to a high back booster? Weight wise ds is big enough as he's above 15kg but I feel a bit uneasy having him in a high back with just a seat belt atm. But maybe that just because it means my baby is growing up too fast! (I would still want him in a harness for Christmas just thinking ahead as we have 2 joie 360s currently one of which we don't use as my mum won't be minding ds until Easter time and he will definitely be needing a new seat for her car then too and she won't be minding dd for the first couple of years at least)

Anyone else just had enough with visitors now? We’re almost 6 weeks on and the visits are still going. We’ve got more next weekend too. DH’s sister said the first time she met him that she’d forgot the present but then came another twice without it and a present has never appeared. It’s not about presents obviously but it’s the fact people lie 🙈 Our neighbour also said she had a present for us when we met her out a walk. We then met her again and she said she didn’t have wrapping paper, again, a present has never arrived. My friend is coming this afternoon and I’ve got her a housewarming present because I thought I’d feel bad if she turns up with something for him and I haven’t got her anything so I got a lovely gift for her and actually spent quite a bit on it 🙈 She’s texted saying she’s got him a present but it hasn’t arrived yet. The baby is 6 weeks old, let’s face it you haven’t bothered to get him one. It’s just bugging me that people are even going to the effort of lying. We really don’t need your present, but just don’t kid on you have one when you haven’t 🙈

@sarah13xx It's like my work colleagues, initially sent flowers when I went off on leave, lovely gesture. HR said send us photos, we'll get him a little something, blah, blah. Then nothing. Exactly as you say, I was thinking to myself what's the point in saying this, just don't say it and don't buy him anything, it's fine 🤣 However!!! Last week they did send beautiful gifts, I was really touched. Baby was 6 wo then and I forgot all about it, so a nice surprise 😊 I think people sometimes rush/forget/don't realise how much time has passed. It's not always an excuse of course, but overall they mean well.

I agree though, enough visitors. We still haven't seen everyone, people still coming next week and in October 🤦🏼‍♀️ And then round 2 before Christmas 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ I find it exhausting. I'd much rather meet them out on my own without juggling the baby. And I really wouldn't see them all in a space of a month or two! xx

@PurplePansy05 yeah I think that’s it, just don’t say anything unless you actually have 😂 it’s never ending! I’m so hoping next week is the last week but I feel it won’t be 🙄 it’s funny with covid the one way to guarantee you end up with it is seeing all these people one after another 🙈 If I have another one I’m having a bbq and inviting everyone for a 2 hour window. Once they’ve seen him that’s it done and everyone’s out the way in one go 😂 I’m not the most sociable person at the best of times though. Just want a weekend to relax without waiting on the next person arriving

@sarah13xx I find it exhausting too. I have friends from different circles and they don't all know each other. Plus they work different jobs/self-employed/have kids themselves, so it's quite difficult to arrange something for the lot of them in one go. The most stressful ones by far are those visiting with toddlers. I know DS will be a toddler soon, but of course we'll have time to proof the house beforehand, and he'll know the house, the pets etc. Those friends who come with toddlers and let them run riot frankly piss me off. I don't need to worry about their kids in my own house on top of everything else, thanks!

You're right re covid, I'm a bit more anxious about it now. Also RSV is doing rounds. I might postpone some of the remaining visits and use this as an excuse. Truth is I'd much rather just chill out within my inner circle with DS now. It's tiring to have to tidy up before every visit, sort myself out a bit, get the biscuits out and whatever not, whereas with my closest friends we can just relax. One has a young baby and it's always so nice when we get together xx

I feel terrible today, btw, tired, DH is doing some DIY and I've had no break at all. All week I'm looking after DS and now the weekend too 😔 Normally at least DH would play with him and soothe him.

And DS pulled a load of my hair today too, I've been juggling him crying and putting his vests aside and he just went, omg it hurt. I've instinctively pulled my head and upper body away whilst holding him and I think it gave him a shake accidentally 😭 I feel so bad. He seems ok though xx

@PurplePansy05 yeah totally agree! The ones we’re seeing tomorrow have a toddler so thatl be fun 🙈 The last time they brought him to see our dog when he was a tiny pup and I said they were to be careful because he was a puppy and was nipping. Of course they completely ignored this and took him up to pat him, low and behold he nipped him 🙄 They then proceeded to say ‘don’t feel bad’ etc, eh I don’t, I told you not to 🤔😂 So the dogs will be out the road tomorrow!

People have been so generous but I’m well and truly over it now and just want peace 🙈

I decided to track all feeds and sleeps today. He woke up around 8am and I've just brought him to bed, it's now 10pm. Since we were having some convos the other day about feeding and sleep duration and frequency. This is what a random, fairly typical day looks like! I'm not going to track every day because it was exhausting :o Red is feeds, blue is sleeps. Some overlap.

This also included:

Getting toddler up and dressed, breakfast
Sort through outgrown clothing
Wash load 1, hang up
Supermarket shop/weekly food shop
Nap for mummy
Friend came to drop off double buggy, demoed usage
Toddler dinner, bath and bedtime
Wash load 2 + hang up + take down yesterday's
Eat dinner (DH cooked)

About eleventy poos. 3 stray wees. 1 fresh outfit. Some tummy time, first ride in a trolley and lots of cuddles.

Oh well I didn't mean to put both versions up but never mind! The second us where I tried to combine two screenshots to show the overlap better.

I think we are having a growth spurt day.. Dd had hardly slept and fed constantly.. Currently fallen asleep while feeding and I'm afraid to move and wake her as I need a break from feeding!

I somehow fear I’m on the night shift again. The deal is I do during the week (he does 11pm) then at the weekend it’s meant to be him but I really just want one night off so I’m not too bothered about him doing both. Last night Freddie was soaked through and screaming so I got up to help speed things up a bit.

I’ve just done tonight’s 11pm feed and while I was in the other room with Freddie, DH’s alarm started going off in our room (to wake him up for the 11pm feed, which I was in the middle of anyway). Bearing in mind he’s had a couple of ciders and half a glass of wine tonight. After 2 minutes I thought why can’t he hear that?! This went on the entire time I sat there. I just came back through to put Freddie down and physically shook him to wake him up. 23 minutes it had been going for!! What chance has he got of waking up when Freddie starts making a noise tonight 🙄 other than the two times when he’s managed to sleep 6 hours in one go, I don’t think I’ve had an uninterrupted sleep in the last 6 weeks 🙈