November 09, new skills are fun - look what I can do now, Mum!

[DontWorryBaby]

New thread for our little handfuls!

Thank you all for asking about Paula. She seems better but is still very clingy and it is sooo difficult to get her to sleep in the evening. Not only are we back to feeding to sleep (which once took 1.5 hours), but also it got almost impossible to put her in her cot. In fact, yesterday I gave up at some point and went to bed at 8.30 and just kept her with me.
I'm still not sure what the actual problem is, I am now convinced that it is NOT teething. Maybe a virus that she took actually really well? She had a bit of fever at the beginning and maybe that killed most of the virus. Whatever it was/is, I guess I have to wait until it's over.

And I am soooo annoyed as I am already getting varicose veins (wispers: on my labia too ). The second trimester has just started and I am supposed to enjoy the next three months. This is so unfair.
Sorry for the rant, and I know I should actually talk about that on my antenatal thread but I do feel more at home over here.

MsI, I hope your friend will enjoy the pizza. If not you can pass it on to me :)

scarlotti, I can't believe that your trip will be so soon. I am sure it will be a great experience and also allow you to think about yourself and the relationship with your husband.

katster, has the eating improved? How is he doing weightwise? I know it is hard not to worry too much but many children are very fussy eater and turn out to be fine. Cucumber contain a lot of water, maybe you could find other "refreshing" food, maybe peppers? Or how about cooked and purreed fruit? Whenever Paula is on strike, she would still eat fruit purree, I usually mix apples with rasberries or blueberries. And you can cheat a bit and add a bit of babyrice and more water plus butter or vegetable oil. I guess it is a bit of a step back but whatever makes them eating is fine.
Oh, and sometimes I give her a tiny pot of just the fruit "instead" of her lunch if she refuses it and all of a sudden she will eat her lunch too.
Sorry, if you have already tried all these and I annoy you with my useless tips.

tigger, congratulations on your new house! And on the fact that you do not have to worry about this estate agent.

Juicy, I can only imagine how hard it must be to give them antibiotics at this age. You can't explain or even use bribery. I really hope you will get enough in to make sure that they are working.

helips, I'm sure Millie will get used to the new feeding schedule. And I know what you mean by stepping backwards. I never give in when Paula asks for a feed in the middle of the day.

Ok, I hope I haven't forgotten anybody. But that is probably unrealistic so I am really sorry about it.

Scarlotti your trip sounds fab, glad you've raised all the money you need and can't wait to hear all about it on your return. No signal means no mumsnet though, aaarrgghh!

Juicy hope Annabelle is on the mend, is the medicine in tablet form or liquid? If tablet I was thinking you could crush it into some food...

Ursi You poor thing, no advice re the veins but feel free to vent here if you are more comfortable doing so, we don't mind!

I gave in the other night and fed Millie back to sleep. She loves her morning and bedtime boob too, I've no idea how I'll ever stop feeding her!

My in-laws are already making themselves useful, babysitting this morning so I can do a pilates class and looking after the kids on Saturday so me and dh can spend the day together on our own, can't wait!

Hello everyone else, sorry if I've forgotten anything but I'm reading and typing in a hurry knowing that the kids will be back any minute!!

Helips its liquid form, I've tried mixing it into things but somehow she always knows then wont eat it/drink it. Have resorted to just doing it very very quickly and just trying to get as much in as possible.

Ursi I was the same in my second pregnancy, so I feel for you as I know how uncomfortable it is, baths are the only thing I can remember that helped relieve it temporarily. Hope you manage to find a solution.

Hope A's doing ok juicy

helips enjoy the rest and time with DH

scarlotti congrats on raising the cash! How exciting!

What are the early signs of chickenpox? Or are the first signs spots? We have poz at nursery and a poorly Rosa...seems like a cold but she's only just got over one.

In other news: DH has been asked to deliver a paper at a conference at Harvard! V proud of him, if a little jealous that this time 2 yrs ago it was me getting ready to go there, with a baby bump in tow. Sometimes I miss my high-flying days...

MsI my ds' have recently recovered from chicken pox. Ds1 had it mild but ds2 got it quite bad. Apparently the pox can be a lot worse when passed between siblings. High temps and colds symptoms were the first sign with both my boys. But nothing stood out that they were coming down with pox. Ds2 caught it 23 days after ds1's first spot appeared. Ds1 had immediate red spots where as ds2 had a couple of bumps under his skin which I had noticed but thought they were heat bumps. The next day they were whopping blisters and spots were appearing before my eyes. Not nice but very glad they caught it together and it's over with. Hope Rosa gets better soon.

Going to catch up on the other posts now!

Hi all, just a quick hello as am On my phone and not the best typist!!

juicy hope A is getting better, I squirt medicine at the back of Ioan's throat via a syringe if all else fails. Slightly to the side then he doesn't gag! Thanks for sponsoring me too, much appreciated.

Helips enjoy the ils and your day with dh

Hope everyone else is doing ok. Good here, training is now square and boxercise so feeling the burn!! Had a nice evening with DH tonight too, life seems on the up so fingers crossed.

Oh, and well done to MrI on his Harvard trip!

MrI says thank you very much scarlotti

Hi all,

Usigurke not at all annoyed, am v grateful! I don't know what answer is really - what will work one day will not be tolerated the next! I think teeth and/or a cold are making things worse at the minute as today he has eaten virtually nothing really, but then grabbed a chocolate biscuit out of my hand and managed to bite a chunk off so he can't be that bad. Grapes normally work, but the thing we now have is that if I turn the tv on, he is so transfixed, I can poke bits of food in and he eats them. Once the tele is off, he won't have anything. Not a good habit to get into, I realise. He hates his high chair though. Arrrgh.

MsI well done to MrI! Do you get a free trip to Boston?! Maybe that would ease the pain!

Well, due date is Wednesday (according to NHS.... I think technically impossible and next weekend more likely) and am panicking!! Every twinge I get makes me panic, as I recall how horrid childbirth is, and I wonder if I can somehow get out of it!! People with two + babies, did you find it scarier the second time?!

In other news - so, we moved to the other end of the country, DH got a new job which he loves....and the company is being threatened with a winding up order We should find out exact situation tomorrow, but I am feeling v v stressed. For the first time in my life, I am unemployed as I resigned when we left London - the plan was, I take a couple of years out being a full time mummy, and we live on one salary. DH's line of work is v ondon-centred, and we were really, really lucky that he got a suitable role in Yorkshire - finding another would be almost impossible so we are facing the fact that we might have to now move BACK to london, and lose the £1k deposit on the 12 month tenancy we just signed two weeks ago. Big, big, big headache that I don't particularly want to be dealing with 3 days before baby due. Sorry for massive whinge. I know in the grand scheme of things we are v v lucky, especially as we are living with my parents and they are being amazing, but it's not ideal, and I want my own home to bring this new baby back to, not feel like I can't give him a proper place to live

Oh katster, so sorry to hear this especially so close to giving birth. I'm sure it will all work itself out. You will need some extra hands to help when baby arrives so your parents will be a huge help I'm sure. I know it's not like having your own home, but with second baby you will be needing the support for a short time. I hope tomorrow brings good news for you both. With second births, your labour will hopefully be a lot quicker. Thinking of you. With the feeding. I did the TV thing with Ds1. He was a nightmare to get any food down him and found it helped distract him. No great advice from me I'm afraid. He will eat and won't starve himself. I know how hard it can be. It may be a blip and it will come right with a bit of time. I use an ikea cheapy highchair and find it works better for us to have ds2 in a lap harness as he can sit without feeling too restrained. Might be worth go. I did baby ked weaning with ds2 due to ds1 being so fussy. I felt i needed to try another way with weaning. Ds2 does refuse certain foods but on a whole he's not too bad, but awful eater when teething.

Hi everyone

Been lurking, just not posting?

Juicy Hope A is recovering well?

Ursi I didn?t have the burst of energy you?re supposed to get in second trimester. I think a lot of this is aimed at first time mums and I?m sure we all got that in our first pregnancies? not quite so much with a toddler to run around after! Hope you are keeping well?

MsI So did it turn out to be chicken pox after all? I?m dreading dealing with chicken pox! And well done MrI, that?s some achievement! Roo has some very clever parents!

Scarlotti If you don?t mind posting a link to your page again, I?d like to sponsor you. Can?t believe it?s so soon, you must be really excited!

Katster Sorry about the job and money worries. You?ll find a way through. We may be in a similar boat shortly if DH doesn?t find a teaching job for the next school year. I?m doing my best not to think about what might happen and just concentrate on what?s going on now ? when it comes to money and jobs, worrying really isn?t going to help. What will be, will be, and I?m sure your husband will find a way through for you all. You need to focus on yourself and the boys at the moment. And regarding the labour ? remember second time should be shorter. You?ve managed before, you will do it again. This time around you know you can do it, rather than just thinking you can, or should be able to. Stay strong!

Pav Hope all is ok with you, you?re very quiet of late! Is Roo still sleeping better?

Not much new here, 29 weeks tomorrow. Still having SPD and sciatica pains but not permanently, just on bad days, so it?s manageable so far. I was offered a seat on the train this morning ? first time ever, six and a half months into my second pregnancy! Chivalry is not dead? unfortunately rather than graciously accepting I said ?No thanks, I?m fine? and blushed! Will have to work on an ?acceptance speech?, if it happens again!

And I still have nothing arranged for this baby arriving. Going out with my mum this weekend so I think we?ll take a list of things needed for hospital bags and start getting that ready at least. Time is running out!

Katster, I hope you've got good news about your DH's job. But in any case I am sure you will manage fine with your little family. Maybe you are already 4? I am thinking of you.

MsI, congratulations to your husband. I am very impressed. And how about the chicken pox?

DWB, I know what you mean with not having arranged anything. We won't need much for the second one and there is still a lot of time for us but I feel like I do not spend any time even thinking or connecting with this baby. I went to pregnancy yoga on sunday and I was very happy to have one hour just the two of us. And I bought a little newborn vest as a symbol that I actually care about it already now.
Oh, and good luck with your "acceptance speech". It is definitely worth it.

Is scarlotti still at home or already on her trip? I'm a bit lost in time. Good luck for you anyway.

Not much to report from here. MS seems to have gone now completely, I am now rather at the "is there still some food left?" - stage. Varicose veins seem to be under control for now and I've just got a delivery from Germany with many rather alternative products (special herbal tea, special massage oil and also something to put in the bath) to help with it. We'll see if it works.

I hope, wherever you are, the weather is as nice as it is here in London :)

No chicken pox, just horrible, hacking cough, now caught by rest of family.

Urghghg, feel awful.

Non-infectious love to you all though.

Another lurker here too...

Full of some bug this end so have been reading but not posting. Still in the UK - don't head off to Peru for another 2 weeks so better I caught it now I guess!

DWB here is my page thanks for thinking of me.

Katster hope all comes together for you, will be thinking of you.

ursi glad the MS has gone, enjoy the food part!

Nothing much to report here. MMR jab last week seems to have thrown out the night times so we're back to wakings and I've caved in twice over the last week and given a bottle. Am wondering if maybe I'm not offering enough food in the day? How do you work out portion sizes?

MsI you have my sympathies... I seem to have slept about 5 extra hours yesterday and today and am only just starting to feel human. Have been paying for childcare so I can get some rest - madness!

fruit how are your boys now? All recovered and back to full strength?

Juicy any news on the cast and A's leg?

[waves to everyone I've missed - apologies]

Hey Scarlotti, A still has the cast on and will have it on til at least the wednesday after next when we go for her appointment, where I guess it will be decided if it can stay off, or she has to keep it on or in the worst case I'll have to stay in Southampton hospital again with her, but hoping it wont come to that. She seems quit happy regardless of the cast being on, toddling about and doing what she wants to do. At least she is eating properly again and being my happy smiley baby once more as she hadn't been her normal self when the cast went on but that might have been due to the Antibiotics more than anything.

will write more in the morning, so tired after finishing work. night all!

Juicy glad to hear A is coping with her cast. Babies and children amaze me how they just get on with it. Wishing her better quickly.

Ursi Great your ms has ended. Hope the alternative meds help your problem.

MsI and scarlotti wishing you better Hope you are managing some rest.

Scarlotti my boys were on the mend until C caught chronic conjunctivitis. With the help of ointment he is on the mend now but has been very uncomfortable with it. It's been a long haul of illness in this house.

Hope everyone is seeing the lovely sunshine today.

Sorry, lurking, not posting.

I have a massive post to do, but it'll have to wait until the evening, as trying to catch up at work after a couple of days off. Imagine that, having to actually work at work, instead of MN... Honestly...

Scarlotti, thanks for the link, I meant to sponsor you too.

Will be back tonight, promise.

Hope you are all well.

Fruit, oh no, I really hope all will be on the mend soon. You surely had more than your fair share of illnesses...

Juicy, what a sweetheart. I hope it will be good news and she'll forget about it in no time.

MsI, crikey, congrats on such a clever man! Well done MrI. Good news about the pox, but not so good on the cold. Hope you all get better soon.

Katster, so sorry to hear about DH's position, definitely not what you need. Hopefully the storm will blow over. Thinking of you. And sending positive birthing vibes :)

DWB please don't say that about lack of energy. I am so lethargic at the moment that second trimester bloom is the only thing I can see as a bit of respite...

Ursi, my sickness seems to have gone, too. Just get the odd twinge, but it's more like a memory. Still can't seem to think about food much, but feel already huge and sluggish. I might come and say hello on the Sep thread soon. When I have a bit more energy.

Had a nice few days off, pottering about, visiting friends, celebrating DH's b'day. Lucy's sleep sort of got better, but I got reminded of the power of jinx on Sunday night when she was just awful. At one point DH couldn't help but chuckle that now he had her crying and me crying...

MMR jab on Friday. Seemed OK, but Sat morning I noticed a reaction on her thigh (not to MMR, but the Pneumococcal), red blotch getting bigger, hot to touch and obviously painful for her. On Sunday went to out of hours GP who prescribed an antibiotic, as suspected infection... Seems to be working, but sleep back to being a bit patchy. You may be right on the money there, Scarlotti. Or it could be teeth. I think I give up.

MW appt on Sunday, she listened to the baby's heartbeat! I had no idea you could hear it this early. Makes it that little bit more real, I suppose but, like you Ursi, I just don't have any time to think about this little monkey. I just cannot believe how different this one is, no time to gaze in the mirror and listen and try to connect. 12 week scan on Friday. Oh, and my EDD is 21 September.

Well, you have been warned, it is a massive post, sorry.

Hope all well xx

Juicy glad to hear she's coping with the cast ok, fingers crossed for the check up.

Fruit poor C, he's been in the wars. Hope that your house is healthy from now on.

skorpion lovely to hear from you and interesting to see you have had similar oddities since the MMR - we also have teething too so not entirely sure what is causing the upsets, just hoping they die down soon!

Both you and ursi make me chuckle with your realisations of 2nd pregnancies and the lack of bump gazing etc.! It certainly is a whole different ball game the second time around and onwards.

My illness seems at last to be passing, thankfully! Went to work a bit spaced out this morning but feel much better this evening so hopefully it's on the way out. Just as well as the house is an absolute state so needs sorting out. Shame I don't have the illness excuse anymore - I really don't get motivated for housework at all ... must have been at the back of that queue...!

Many thanks fruit and skorpion for your sponsorship xx

juicy, it sounds as if A is doing really well so hopefully your visit to the hospital will bring good news.

fruit, I really hope your family will be completely healthy soon. You really deserve a break.

skorpion, I'm a little bit jealous that your MW listened to the heartbeat. I had asked mine but she refused as it was too hard and unlikely to hear it at 12 weeks. I wanted to now as we had to meet friends that weekend and it would have been nice to be able to tell them. Well, it doesn't matter anymore as we had the scan about a week later and there it was anyway.

scarlotti [sticks out tongue]

oh, and skorpion, I think there are about three september threads, I'm in the one in the antenatal section, but there are two others in pregnancy. I don't know about the others but ours moves extremely slow, which is good for me as I can actually follow. I would have been unable to follow a fast moving thread like ours was.

Just back from "28 week" check up - at 29+6. Apparently my iron levels were low at my last appointment so they've given me iron tablets. Not impressed - my last appointment was the 4th February and instead of getting in touch in the interim they wait 5 and a half weeks til my next appointment! Goodness knows what my iron levels will have been today as I've been totally exhausted all weekend. At least now I know why! So Skorpion your second trimester may well be a blooming one - mine seems to have been a struggle because of anaemia! Grrr!

No updates from Katster yet? Hope baby is here or arrives soon safe & well.

Hi all, sorry to de-lurk and re-lurk so suddenly all the time, I just keep getting swept up in everything.

Juicy Thinking good thoughts for you and Annabelle.

DWB Take the seat!!

Fruit Your house should be free from illness for a year now, right? Yeesh.

MsI Curious now what you (and MrI) do. I used to go to two conferences a year but I've missed them the last couple years. Here's hoping our high-flying days aren't entirely behind us...

scarlotti paying for childcare to get some rest sounds genius to me! My mum has offered to pay for a few hours a week so I have some time for myself, just have to find the time to find someone to do it. Sigh.

skorpion Hope Lucy is feeling better and the jab site has healed. Very exciting that you can hear your new LO's heartbeat already :)

oo wondering about katster now!

Latest developments here: I decided to stop BFing today. Left boob has completely given up dispensing milk and the right one isn't offering much and it's time anyway. DH put M down for the evening for the first time (with a sippy cup of warm milk) and she hardly fussed at all. Feeling grateful it lasted this long but also a little :(

Ten teeth now, still lacking in the hair dept (most people think she's a boy unless she's in v girly clothing) and doctor has me all worried about her weight - she's dropped in percentile 50th at 9 mos. to 5th at 15 mos. She's a picky eater, won't eat meat, so he prescribed olive oil and cream (!) to be added to all her favorite foods. Alternate suggestions welcome!

dwb hope the iron tablets start to work very quickly. Heard they can constipate you though. I bought the liquid sachets from holland and barratt and they worked brilliantly.

Long way I'm trying to pick the best time to also stop bf. Sounds like your dd is ready to stop as well. I had c weighed yesterday. He has also dropped percentile from 50th at 8m to 7th at 16m. He isn't a big eater and can fuss about certain foods. HV said to add butter to his meals for extra calories. I try and keep lots of yoghurt, cheese and pasta/carby foods on the menu to bulk him up a bit. Not a huge meat eater but he only has 4 teeth to munch with. Sorry I'm not much help but as long as they are active and happy the weight should not be a problem.

Scarlotti how are you feeling? Hope you're getting lots of good food down you before you set off on your hike.

Meant the 9th not the 7th percentile

dwb that really is a shame that they didn't tell you earlier. It would have made a big difference for you.

I've just dropped the feed-to-sleep-feed as well. First I gave her a little bit to make sure I would produce less milk, than my husband did the entire bedtime routine on his own twice and last night it was "the night". Actually it seemed to work quite well, she asked for milk, I said no and she accepted it. But then she couldn't quite fall asleep on her own and suddenly started screaming "sleep, sleep" (at least not "milk, milk"). As my husband had just come home, he took over But I'm sure I would have managed. The problem is that carrying her around usually works but I felt like that would be the wrong way for me as I shouldn't carry her around for long times and I really don't want to start that as a new habit instead of bf. Maybe I should start a bit later tonight to make sure she is even more tired.

Longway and Fruit, I hear often that babies drop in the weight percentile. I wonder if it is not just a natural process. Paula dropped as well, from over 75 to 25. But as the GP pointed out, her length and head circumference are actually on the 25 as well. So this seems to be more "her" weight. Do you know on which percentile yours are lengthwise? Maybe they are just in general on the smaller side.
But in any case, adding high quality fat to their meals seems right to me. I followed an Austrian weaning book and I always had to add a tablespoon full of vegetable oil to the purrees.