Fantastic 40+ Mums

[Hpbp]

Mum of 2, DS1 nearly 4yo and DD2 almost 11 weeks. I hope to find here advices from experienced mums so that I can avoid mistakes... I made some with DS1 and my life sometimes is hell, it is hard to unlearn wrong behaviour, so hard.
At the time being, DD2 is a very sweet baby, she is easy to decipher, cries are always related to some kind of discomfort and I managed to learn what they mean, or almost. Only one issue with her ATM is that she rejects bottle feeding even with expressed milk. I'd like to be able to escape a bit from the house to get a haircut or a facial. And I am sure DH would like to feed her sometimes too.
I struggle a bit more with DS1, who is usually a good boy, energetic, happy and loving. But after school, getting him to take his bath is a battle and falling and staying asleep all night are big issues. The problems did exist before but now with the recent arrival of his sister, the intensity has increased. Or maybe they are the same but to me they seem bigger and need to be addressed quickly so that I can look after both without raising my voice.
All advice are welcome. I need help here.

Also I'd like to invite all the graduates from the Fantastic 40+ Mums to be thread to join. You have been truly fantastic and so supportive during my pg. I hope to be able to keep on sharing with you this wonderful parenting adventure.

So envious Midget, wish I could go with you too to the movies...
VQ, glad DD2 is feeling better.
LRM, well done baby M for the yellow poo ! Your Mum must be so proud ! I use 2.5 tog sleeping bag and long sleeve sleepsuit and a vest in a room at 19C, don't need to add blanket on top.
Trying to get a nap now.
Hugs to every one

Just wanted to pop on and say hi to everyone, and I love reading all about your gorgeous babies! Oh and to say I have my ELCS booked in for 17th Dec, so all being well, should be joining you all before long x

Hey knotty. Looking forward to see u grad x

Hi knotty - good luck!! elcs is a great choice, you will be up and about in no time, and also able to sit down! :)

Well folks, we slept away the morning, and I have stumbled around bleary-eyed this pm while baby seaside has a massive sling-sleep, the little tinker. Off to supermarket for emergency supplies of cotton wool balls and biscuits. Also picking up a baby nightie and popper-less short vests in an attempt to make night-time changes less wakey-uppy. My claustrophobic indoor past-natal life has led to a serious baby-related internet shopping habit. Also just bought some buggy lights - what a great idea.

Anyone else going to be watching the Killing 3? They are selling baby sarah lund lookalike jumpers at POP, and there's 20% off at the weekend,no way I'll be able to resist that in my current susceptible state, although way too expensive. Fjord you probably already have a baby wardrobe like this!

Buggy lights? Whatever next! I need to find the lock for mine. Apparently they get stolen. Never had a nice one before.

Lights like this?

Oh the killing 3 brillant did not know it was on excellent. The first lot I watched while up the duff did afternoon power session of em.
Also buggy lights where r the from?
I am sat with baby monkey feeding with ewan looking on! !! He seems quite calm feeding this evening after today's constant grumble screaming session while on and off the boob.
My friend is bringing me her stepper exercise machine this week. Should make for. An interesting few mins which is about how long I think I will last before I collapse in an exhausted heap. Yes my expectations are quite low. Now looking onind shopping eating. Biscuits and or cake now we r talking ladies
I need to start some Christmas shopping this weekend really. Got baby some stuff already ;

Midget. How did your day go at the flicks? Did baby midget get a popcorn head! !

seaside Babygoat always sleeps in the sling. Cries when first put in, then is out like a light. Even slept all the way through Skyfall! Yes, I too went to a parent/baby showing yesterday. Whose DH was it that said the place would be full of sleeping mums with their boobs hanging out? Well I fell asleep and my friend had to feed most of the way through so not far off! We really enjoyed it though and the LOs were impeccably behaved. Better than the elderly ladies behind us in the ticket queue muttering loudly about how babies should not be allowed in cinemas and we better not be in their screening!

lrm I admire your exercising! I am doing mother and baby yoga, not enjoying it much (mainly because BG isn't) but st least it's something, I guess!

I'm liking the pimp-my-pram thoughts...

Goat I struggled to stay awake too, The dim lighting was so alluring. There were 2 old ladies in our screening - why the hell would you choose to watch a film with a load of babies and boobs?

LRM I took my own picnic tight arse so master midge has cupcake and houmous head.

Bad night for us, too much sleeping in the day for the boy meant he was wide awake and wanting to play at 3am. Will hopefully get to nap today. Oh to have a nanny so I could have stayed in bed rather than getting dd ready for sodding school.

Thinking of investing in a sleep suit thing but buggy lights to just one step too far...

goat don't know about you but I've never heard as much burping, farting and puking as I did yesterday at the cinema. Think some if it may be from the mothers using the babies as cover.

Midget. Pissed myself at the thought of all the baby body sounds at the picture's.

Had breastfeeding consultant come again as I have grumblimg non latching baby monkey. Seems I did not have him quite I'm the right position. All good again. Silly worry brain switched off. Hard work using these boobs. May start to express nearer Christmas. Does anyone else use expressed milk during the evenings ?
Spent the day cleaning house and looking at eBay. Used a baby sling so was domestic godess.
Put on 80s radio station for a bit shit made me feel old as hell. Wham played I rembemer when I saw them play a gig. Ah happy days! !!! '

LRM, I have been staying at my Mum's for the past 5 months and left the place about 15 years ago, have sorted old stuff that took me back in time to year 1995... tell me about feeling old !!!
Don't worry about BF, you will get there because you have help and advice. I have expressed a little bit, milk was fatter in the morning so I stored it in the fridge to give it in the evening, I expressed both sides, maybe this combination of fatter milk and big quantity helped Anastasia to sleep through (I could get about 350ml in total from both sides - that's a can of liquid ! - she would get whatever she wanted, and I could not tell how much as she spat part of it, she did not want the bottle, cheeky princess)

FF, those buggy lights are funny ! Quite certain Seaside did not buy those. I used light reflective tape for bikes on my previous buggy. It worked wonders. I will do the same with the BJ City Mini GT I have ordered today, it is cheap, easy and efficient.

Anastasia is feeling better. She sleeps better at last. And DS has been given a magic spoon to keep bad dreams at bay during the night, he too slept through last night. But I couldn't: stupidly ate 2 kiwis at 6pm, was still wide awake at 1.30am. See Midget, I could have babysat Master Midge !

VQ, I am impressed you can manage reusable nappies with 3 DC. I gave up with only 2 kids. So, ladies, where do I get cheap but reliable disposable nappies ? Anastasia uses about 150 a month, I am planning to buy big quantities. Should I order online or just buy from supermarket ?

I know, it is a weird question but I have to be sensible money-wise now that I am a SAHM. I am looking at every single cost I can cut back on. And nappies are a real budget.

Well the only bit of the movie I seem to have missed properly was Javier Bardem saying how BAAAAD he was. And saying it some more. I woke up and he was still going... (BAAAADAAAAS...)
Not a lot of extracurricular soundage in our showing, midget !!

lrm you are indeed a domestic goddess. Especially if you danced around the house wielding the hoover, singing Wham word perfect at the top of your voice.

hpbp old is when you meet primary school children you used to teach and they have children of their own...
How does a magic spoon work?!

We had jabs today. Babygoat slept like a log until 12:30 and we have been awake since. Major puke and all. Right on the bed where I sleep!

Poor baby goat being sick. How many jabs do they have? Baby monkey is due his in two weeks. Hope he sleeps.
The domestic godess has a bit of backache from carrying around the little guy in his sling. Oh well need to build up my strength for Christmas and all those lovely treats. Saw that Morrison's have large tins of quality treats for a fiver! good breastfeeding fuel I reckon.

Hpbp glad Anastasia is feeling better. And I will start expressing during the weekend. Do u think it gets more of the fatten milk out. Wishing for a four a 4 plus hour sleepimg session

Bythesea. How's ewan doing? Mine has been busy this evening. He is a good boy

LRM, I don't know if expressing gets more fatten milk, maybe you can as the BF consultant, the only advice I can give is to make sure you empty completely your breast, so depending on the pump you have it takes more time if you do it manually. At the beginning I used a double electric pump from Medela and now from time to time I use a single manual pump from Avent. The fatten milk comes at the end, it is a bit like dessert after main meal, it is this milk that allows them to put on weight, I reckon this is why we are advised to wait until LO push back the breast instead of watching our clock and take it out from him/her.
Goat, my Mum used to teach reception children, when my younger sister was in primary school, now those kids have families and the youngest of my younger sister's children is 7. I do feel old sometimes ! But even more when I see papers I wrote when I was taking my baccalaureat (1988...), which is roughly the British A Levels. On top of that, DH was born when my family left South East Asia, I arrived in France when DH was only 1 month old ! I was then already 7!!! But still, apart from a few wrinkles on my forehead due to lack of care and hydratation of my skin and white hair, i don't feel old everyday nor look as old !

Hello! Its official- we no longer sleep at night. At all. but baby seaside and me have just had two and half hour nap with her in cot, so i don't know whether to be depressed or delighted!
Fireflies haha yes i would like to light up my pram like that around my precious baby actually got some buglights from provis , seemed like a good plan with my v. black pushchair. Which I've yet to take out yet. need to practice putting it up and down first! maybe this pm, but it does look a bit rainy out there, and im convinced that baby seaside will scream in the pram bit.
so jealous of you cinema goers! Must find nearest place for us to go. is the cinema noise not too loud for babies? midget to mum farting in the dark
Yes goat which jabs are they? Baby s coming up to 8 weeks and we haven't been contacted about them. i should prob make an appointment myself? are these the controversial ones that some parents get done separately, and drs get cross about it? Must do some research
hpbp thanks for milk info, I've been waiting for baby to decide when she's full, so prob getting the good stuff, and explains why she's finally looking lovely and round!
lrm i need a tin of chocolates today, can't wait for Christmas! feel like ill never get to do housework again. on one hand. great. But the house us a tip ... i have sling-related backache too, and baby s is still only teeny. not sure sling will work for me ...
Hi all other ladies. vq fjord fireflies are you doing ok?

Bythesea. Bless ya honey. Must admire your positivity with regards to sleep. Do u get any help during the day? I also have sling backache. Baby monkey won't settle in the day very well. So have marathon sleep on my chest after 6 feed for a couple f hours goes in the sling so I can brush my teeth and do my hair snd when I say do my hair I mean run a brush through it. My hair straighteners have not seen the light of day since august. We went for a power walk today for an hour. Visited gp six week check all ok.

I am suffering major exhaustion now. Could fall asleep on a pile of rusty nail hammered into a board next to a smelly tramp :'( sometimes u get a second wind I fear not this evening and we all know when we r going to have a challenging night.
How is everyone coping with the lack of sleep What do u do to get some? top tips so very very welcome. When can I expect four or more hours sleep ? :

Hello everyone-on-the-other-side!

I have been keeping up with this thread, but have a tendency to read, get tired just thinking about what you are all doing, then leave without saying hello...

Great to see how well you are all getting on, but at the sleep deprivation!

I am 31 weeks now and just trying to get on with bits of shopping, clearing out the house and booking in builders so that I can get the baby's room ready (all with the help of trusty friend Mr Spreadsheet)

Seaside I have been watching your babybay exploits with interest, giggling at the thought of you having to stick your head in it! Did you get a proper German one in the end? God, babies are just so ungrateful at times eh! I am half expecting baby Eagle to shriek in horror at the sight of the hammock I expect her to sleep in during the day - let's see how that one goes... I will of course get round to ordering a babybay myself soon..

I saw the Ewen on line a few weeks ago and made a mental note - is the general concensus yes or no? There does seem to be mixed responses from the babies here so far!

Anyway, I will slope off now and try and lift my angry, swollen sausage feet onto a footstool. Meanwhile, I am thinking of you all lots and hope you all get some quality sleep soon x

LRM, try to sleep when baby monkey sleeps, forget house chores, just close your eyes when he does, be it 2 or 3 times a day and as short as 10 or 20 minutes, it will help your body to cope with broken nights.
As to when you will get 4 hours, it is hardto tell, ittook my DS up to 6 months, and until 22 months he used to wake up 3 or 4 times a night, but Anastasia is the opposite, she has been sleeping 7/7 when she was only 9 weeks. Now at 15, it seems that she has entered the 4 month sleep regression, or is it her runny nose ? Hope it won't last too long. Trying to manage so that she does not get bad sleep associations. And my only solution is to get enough sleep myself by napping with her, she is in her cot and I am in my bed, no co napping even if I'd love it !!!
Knotty, glad to see you ve marked your place. Countdown has started for you. Let us know as soon as you can about the precious bundle.
Eagleray, looking forward to seeing you on here too, 31 weeks, well done, 2 months to go, it will fly away in a blink, get some sleep now. Hope the consultant will find a solution for your elephant foot. But your first reflex of putting it up is a good one. Don't wantto scare you but with DS, I had elephant feet for a week and the little man made his entrance at 39 weeks.

Good night every one

Evening all.
Came up to bed early thanks to DH taking a shift. Poor Babygoat still a bit unsettled from jabs, I think - had a fever today, though that is gone thanks goodness - so ultra grizzly. seaside those were the 16 week jabs, three of them, two in one leg Babygoat was not impressed! The jabs that some parents still get separately is the MMR that babies get at one year old. This was stuff like diphtheria, tetanus, polio and whooping cough.
seaside and lrm I really sympathise on the non-sleeping. BG was like this until a couple of nights ago when he decided to sleep a bit between -(painfully slow-) feeds. As hpbp says, sleep during the day, and you have to coerce DP to take an early or late shift so that you can catch up a little. Unfortunately with a prem it takes much longer to settle sleeping habits, so I know I have at least another 6 weeks of newborn sleep routine - haven't had four hours straight yet. sorry!...
lrm funny, I was just thinking about my hair straighteners today too, and wondering where they are!! Also that I have not coloured my hair for ages and thus look my extremely advanced age.
Hello knotty and eagleray the last few weeks will fly by! Looking forward to seeing you on here. Hope you are spoiling yourselves in late pregnancy!
hpbp my DH is younger than I am too I like to remind him that I am older and wiser than he is... He never seems suitably impressed! realises that great wisdom is currently masked by baby brain

vq what's wrong lovely?

eagleray hello!! You will be here before you know it! Yes, have had some interesting chats with very polite helpful German amazon and babybay staff as we had a dud, then struggled with minimalist instructions - give me a shout as all sorted now bar the actual sleeping ...
lrm was thinking same re straighteners, also not used hairdryer for 2 months! Hairbrush used , but shall we sparingly ... haven't dyed for a year so also grey and elderly looking. what a catch i am :)
goat fingers in ears about the sleep stuff lalala ... really?? Didn't sleep till 6 am last night ... aaargh. barely know what my own name is today
hpbp im trying to follow your nap advice, we cuddled up for couple of hours this morning thank goodness. i usually feel desperate to get stuff done when she sleeps tho, not housework or anything mad, just eating, shower, loo, dressing ...

Hey everyone else x

Ps babyseaside utterly scrumptious this morning