Due May 05 part 5

[logic]

I think it's time for a new thread! The old one was getting huge...

I am here because ds was up at 4:30am and refused to go back to bed. If I start talking rubbish, then you will know that I am delirious after 2 nights with 4 hours sleep!

We just got the pram out of the garage to wash and we were horrified by how mucky it was. I am even more horrified by the fact that to wash the covers, dh had to take an electric drill to it. Some bits were riveted on. Not exactly clever design Oh well, we will have to see if we can salvage it.

As for bf with a toddler, ds would only take 5 mins on each side at a time and be full to the point of possetting! He must have had a really small stomach - still does I suppose. I am hoping that the new baby will be the same because I won't have time to spend 45mins out of every hour feeding either.

northstar - yes, we will be putting baby in his room (almost) straight away. We did with ds from 2 weeks, but he'd already been using his cot for daytime sleeps before then. We like having our bedroom to ourselves! And once he was on formula, it meant that one of us didn't get disturbed when the other went to feed in the night.

I hadn't stopped to think about breastfeeding with the toddler around. I suppose that I'll just have to be very good at it in case I need to do something to help ds - or ds will have to be very good! I've broached the subject with ds about how the baby will have his milk from mummy's breasts. He looked very happy with the idea - but that's because he doesn't want the baby nicking his milk from the fridge!

We put ds in his own room at 3 months, much to the horror of the HV who lectured me about cot death and bad motherhood Still, we couldn't sleep in the same room because he made so much noise, so we bought a monitor with a breathing pad.

Some HVs are so out of line. I would have been livid. In fact, I wouldn't have ever let her in my door again if she did that to me.

But, then, I can't really be bothered to listen to health visitors who can't respect that I too have credible views on what's good for my children. If it makes you feel any better, DD got sent to her cot because she was keeping DH awake when she was about 2 weeks old. I expect DS will suffer the same fate. And you know what? DD is hands down the best sleeper around. I think it's partly because she has always been in her cot in her room. It's much harder (in my humble opinion) for a baby to get used to sleeping with mummy and daddy and then be banished to his/her own room when he/she is old enough to know he's been banished.

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Myermay, I am SO jealous of you, I would love to visit mothercare world. But dp would say it's a good thing - I am completely broke because i just bought a leather sofa which i justified due to the easy cleaning properties nothing to do with the fact that i am nesting big time and need everything to be right in the house.
I spent five full hours cleaning downstairs today. I am exhausted but unnaturally happy sitting in my sparkling sitting room. Even the skirting boards behind everything are gleaming! I only have a two bedroom house, so not sure whether to put baby in with ds or with us........ I think i would prefer us to be woken than ds - but some mums have said that their older children seem not to be too bothered by a new baby crying, it is just the parents who are programmed to wake and respond. Will have to see how things go.

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Ds has his 2 + 1/2 year review tomorrow which means a nursery nurse coming to the house at 10am () so once ds is in bed, I have to clean, clean, clean Can't think of anything I want to do less.

Myermay me too - got flash erasers for the first time last week and was WAY too excited!!!
Logic, I would come to your house and clean for you if i was closer- I am on a roll at the moment......But seriously, please dont think the nursery nurse is interested in your paintwork and the condition of the back shelves in your cupboards, if she WAS she'd be in a different job

Meant to say yesterday, thanks for the support, Uwila...

AH, did some say broke. I'm sure I qualify to join that club. Speaking of which, I organised a wonderful money saving deal this weekend, and I'm rather proud of myself. A friend from my antenatal class when I was pregnant with DD had a boy then and she is now pregnant with a girl. Since I have a girl and am now having a boy and neither of us plans to have any more kids, we just swapped all of her boy clothes for all of my girl clothes. I'm sure I'll buy some things here and there, but the bulk of the wardrobe is all set up until about age 2. Yippee!!

Of course, Logic. I find the information I get on this website from other mums to be generally more helpful than that which the HV has on offer anyway. I lot of the advice that I have recieved from HV and midwives (and often it seems HVs are former midwives) tends to be subject to opion and current trends in mecal practice. Things like whether to use a dummy and which room to sleep in are subject to opinion. If you feel strongly about your decisions, then sho is she to make you feel bad about it. After all, it is YOUR child, YOUR life and YOUR choice.

I hope you have a better health visitor this time (if you feel you need one at all). I have yet had an occassion to solicit the advice of a health visitor.

One of my best mates is a HV and put her first baby in their own room almost straight away. It conflicted with the advice she was supposed to be giving out, but she said - in reality - life is just different isn't it!

Personally, we kept DS in our room for 6 months, but they wriggle don't they! He, and we, slept much better once he was in his own room!

Plan to try and bf again, but have no idea how this will work with my 2 years bounding around.

Feel particularly massive this morning. Can't believe still got 10 weeks to go! My SIL goes on maternity leave at the end of the week and am very jealous! She is now 35 weeks.

Just been reading up on this thread, as I have been off for a week with a rotten cold. I have put my ststs on the thread now, and nice to read all of yours. Interesting to see what everyone has out for breast feeding and bottle feeding. I would like to breast feed, but I think I am going to wait till baby is here to see if we can both get on with it.
On a slightly different subject, has anyone bought a sterilser yet? I am looking at getting an Avent one, which is a steam sterilised. But I want to be able to put dummies, etc in as well as just bottles. Has anyone bought one yet?

I have my previous one, it's very simple just put water in the bottom and into the microwave for few mins. Its a Maws one, and their bottles are great if you are combining breast and bottle as their teats only allow milk out when baby actually sucks rather than drizzling the milk out iykwim. I found them fantastic and they also have a heat sensitive strip on them so you can see at a glance if they are too hot (maybe thats just a first time nervous mum thing but i liked it)

Hi Sam, welcome back.

I have an Avent one from DD. I remember reading a review that said it was a bit fiddly to put together, but I have no complaints. It does come with a basket up at the top for small things, like dummies.

Hi. Sam, I put dummies and everything in my Avent steriliser. It was ever so easy to use.

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We used an Avent steam sterilizer and put everything in it, dummies, toothbrushes etc... We have bought an Avent digital one this time because tbh the old one, after being used at least once a day for 2 years, was pretty much knackered. Definately recommend them though.

Ds' review went really well today. The nursery nurse (to my surprise) was really lovely and supportive and gave me some great suggestions, so good ones do exist!

I bought a Tommee Tippee steam steriliser. It too has a basket at the top for little items like dummies. I liked it because it's slimline but still fits 6 wide neck bottles. Also it came with a load of stuff included - 3 bottles (1 of them heat sensing) plus a beaker, bottle brush, tongs etc. I also liked it because it had £10 off at Boots, plus I got loads of advantage card points as part of a special offer. I'm always falling prey to these offers!

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Oh Myermay, that one thing I didn't pack and should have was FOOD. This time I shall cook some meals, and put them in the freezer. Then it will be DH's job to heat them up and get them to the hospital before they go cold.

Possibly a whistle for when they ignore you in labour/delivery/recovery. I remember lying in recovery (after emergency c-section) and there was one other women in there (who had had emergency-c for twin). It was shift change. We were both literally yelling for someone to come. Nobody heard us. So, as I think back, a whistle would have been handy.

hi myermay, it was his NHS 2 + 1/2 year development review. The local HV team includes 2 nursery nurses and they do the reviews. Suffered my first exam anxiety for him over it though. I was dreading him clamming up completely and looking dim but thankfully not

I'll take some snacks into hospital too. They fed me a lovely dinner last time but of course, dh got nothing and I didn't get any breakfast because it was a 'fetch-it-yourself' job and I wouldn't leave ds to go to the dining room. I only had an open hospital gown to wear anyway!

Morning Ladies

I plan to use the Avent Microwave Steam steroliser again, it was brilliant and we could jam a lot of stuff in it!

Logic, nice to hear some areas still do the 2 years check. They are being fazed out, so I just got a call and a questionnaire, which I think is pretty cr*p. However, I can imagine I would have felt nervous about it too!

I had so many comments yesterday about the size of my bump. Note to self, don't wear anymore cream, makes me look like a whale. Back to black!! My neigbour is being induced tonight and in a way I am so jealous that I still have 9+ weeks to go. Keep thinking I won't go as long this time as I definately feel bigger.

I'm planning to work up to 4 weeks before.. but I might be waddling by then. Train seats are so uncomfortable and hot at the moment. I keep getting really twitchy feet and spend half my journey willing the person opposite to get off the train so I can stretch my legs out!

Ho Hum.

Preggars, they are trying to phase out the reviews here too. Next time, it's a questionnaire apparently
I am looking like a whale no matter what I wear now. I'm getting to the stage where I don't care any more either, as long as I'm comfortable!
What you need, preggars, is a badge like they have been advertising on the tube saying 'baby on board' Someone might give you their seat then!