FEB 2010 Tottering into our second year...!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

A few first birthdays left, then we're full tilt into walking/talking and a mountain of mischief

I know MIL will love this child like she does DD. Although I hope we have no more barging us out the way, but I have accepted that we will be on the outside and not wanted for a while. I applied for my first job. It's not one I particulary want but thought I'd start the process rolling.

at SG and her slanket

LBH it is normal for them to have one hting after another, especially when joining a childminder of nursery. Doesn't make it any nicer mind. Ask the nurse about the MMR and see what they say.

We had a good night last night (well I didn't sleep until 12).
Bed 5om (no feed)
Feed 8pm
11:30pm resettle
1:00 feed
1:30 resettle (DH managed to do it last night)
5am Feed
Then was put down a few times, one time did 15 mins, then did an hour, but we got her through to 6:30.

The aim is try and get through to feeds without waking up in between and try to stretch the time to the middle of the night feed.

I also agree with the sentiment that they push BF on you in the UK but don't you any means of being of being successful. That is for you to research and find out. I felt in the hospital they did not set me up for sustainable BFing, all they were interested in, was making sure I was BF when I left (so it will look good on their statistics)

stoof :(

That sounds tough, so many people you're trying to care for. My youngest two siblings got some bad news this week and it's hard being away from them adn I'm worrying how it will effect them, especially sis as she is halfway through A-levels.

PA I may have a slanket - but it has skull and crossbones on it.

If that's what you have to tell yourself, Stangirl then go ahead

disclaimer: I'm secretly jealous

I am at my desk feeling awful :(

This is how my night went:

7pm DD went to sleep
9.05pm DD wakes
9.35pm DDwakes
12.05am DD wakes
1.30am DD wakes
2.24am DD wakes
4.20am DD wakes
5am my alarm goes off
5.15am DD wakes
5.40am I leave the house for work feeling like shit.

I dont know what is going on with her, it wasn't her cough waking her up, she didnt feel hot or cold. I gave her Calpol in case didn't make the slightest bit off difference.

She almost slept through three nights last week, served me right to get excited.

God I hope tonight is better and that she is ok (worried in case I am missing something)

Better attempt to do some work.

Argh, LBH, that's a bummer. I don't know what to suggest. I hope she settles down again soon. I'm glad your shopping trip went okay.

Hi stoof - sorry to hear you've been having ups and downs. Good news on the new place, though.
Don't stress about keeping up with the thread - we do natter on a lot, so it lengthens quite quickly. Just tell us if you want an update on any major news and I'm sure one of the more prolific posters will happily fill you in. It's always lovely to hear from you! Don't have it on the "to do" list, though. Look on it as a treat when you've got five mins!

Paso a paso as they say in Spain, PA wrt sleep. Pasitos.... step by step....little steps. It's all moving in the right direction, eh?! Sounds like your DD's having an adorable phase during her waking hours.

We had a lovely day yesterday. DD and I met my pal and her DS who is around the same age. We did a bit of shopping (I bought a new skirt! Yipee!) then went for lunch at a baby-friendly Italian restaurant. Both babies enjoyed themselves (as did their mums), especially when they were allowed to crawl around the restaurant (which was pretty quiet) after the meal. The waiters were entranced, bless them.

DD took a while to get off to sleep at bedtime (without a fuss though - I could hear her chatting) then woke at 05.30, which is a good hour earlier than usual. Luckily, she was content to snuggle up with me for a while and we both snoozed a bit more until getting up at 07.15. We've had a week of (more or less) sleeping through, so I'm not complaining.

LBH I am so sorry to hear that. Is there anyway you could ignore/block out the waking noise? Earplugs? Turn off the monitor (my personal favourite)? If you know DD is safe and well I advise ignoring her. That's what we do.

Our main problem at the moment is constant illness. Since DD started nursery there hasn't been a day when all 3 of us are well.

dd2 is trying out new words every day now and kept saying 'Oh dear!' at breakfast, which had dd1 in stitches...

LBH So sorry you had a bad night. She may be coming down with something which is not yet identifiable... I have had that a few times, wondering what on earth the problem is and then a few days later suddenly understood that they were feeling really quite rough.

Stan The illnesses will settle down after a few months. Hopefully sooner rather than later for you! Children in nurseries like to share... (incl bugs)

Stoof Great to hear from you. Did you know we have a fb group now? It's got a few pictures and videos on... Might be easier for you to have a quick look there rather than read through all this .

IC Your lunch sounds wonderful. I am making mental notes to go on holiday to either Spain or Italy again at some point. I like the proud mummy feeling when a very fit young male waiter goes completely gooey over the 'little princesses' . You are unlikely to get that in the UK... (well, only in authentic Italian restaurants).

Still thinking about the bf article and different attitudes. I never managed more than a few weeks with either of mine and feel a little about it because I was very motivated. My sister successfully bf hers but her experience in Germany couldn't be more different to mine. She had cs for both (breech babies), stayed in hospital in a single room for over a week, with proper support (and breakfast buffets for bf mums ). When she got home bf was well established. With dd2 I only stayed a few hours after she was born, in an open 'ward' with 8 other crying babies. No one checked on me or baby, I had to go and ask for a pillowcase to put on the plastic pillow, and was told I couldn't have a blanket because there were none left... . Only thing I can say for NHS hospitals is that they do make a mean cup of tea although it wasn't appreciated at just after 6am when I had just managed to get ten minutes sleep...
Anyway, sorry about the essay. Hats of to those of you bf and especially those (LBH, IC) having managed against the odds.

Hello everyone,
Stoof great to hear from you, I also find it hard to keep up! I go on MN every three or four days and it takes me ages to catch up. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate so I wouldn't worry about MN, it should be a place to go for support and not another source of stress

DP and I are exhausted. DD has been waking two or three times a night, she has a couple of teeth coming through, I had dropped the morning feed but have reverted to bringing her into bed with me in the mornings and feeding her because I'm just too knackered to get up.

DD had her MMR this morning, poor little mite . It is awful to see them get so upset. She is asleep now. I just managed to get her to sleep, and the bloody doorbell rang (Jehovah's witnesses)... and the dogs barked and woke her up so it took another fifteen minutes to get her down...

Anyway, must go and do something productive while she's asleep! Will come back later... hope all you pg ladies are putting your feet up! DP and I are TTC at the mo which is lots of fun... so think of us at 7.30!

Sorry about your night LH That's what DD was like last week, which I'm sure was a combination of teething and developmental spurt.

We had a good night
5pm bed (no feed), sleep no problems
9:30pm feed
1:30 resettle
2:45 feed
5:00 resettle
5:30 feed and then up a while. Was being put back to bed when I left at 7:15

I hired a babysitter for DD yesterday, as although he wouldn't admit, DH needed a break. He was a bit emotional at leaving her, but he had a great day in the end (which is good as it was bloody expensive so he won't have it again for a few months).

Nice to hear from you again abs

Abs for me it's not the door bell, it's the phone just when Ds starts to drop into sleep; I could murder that person most of the time

PA nice thought for your DH

DS has been a bit clingy and tearful at nursery today so they took his temperature and he was 37.6! Thankfully it wasn't above 38 or he would have been sent home My guess is that he is teething badly at the moment as I can see his gums are 'swollen', red and lumpy. Hopefully they'll come out soon.

LBH poor you

I went out tonight (not late obviously). We went to the meateasy again and sat at the VIP table (with Neneh Cherry) and stuffed ourselves. I saw a few friends I've not seen for ages including one who moved to Holland a year or so ago so I don't get to see her much. It was great except I had to be home for 9.30.

I actually have a stitch from eating to excess.

When I got home there was a fat man pissing against my wall. I said "charming" and he mumbled something, could have been an apology but could equally have been him telling me to fuck off.

DS slept from 7.15 to just before six without a peep last night which was amazing and I actually slept pretty well too.

Hi all. I'm with Stoof on finding it a bit stressful when I can't keep up - you lot are soo lovely about giving me lots of support and then I read and don't have time to do enough personal replies to offer what I consider to be a decent amount of support back.

Have had DS1 at the dietician today where we found that he has lost weight since January and she is now concerned about him. It is also affecting his height growth rate now too. I now have to make stodgy puddings for him (and now gluten and entirely dairy free too) This seems like one ask too far for me at the moment when I'm working four full days a week etc.. However, I will obviously do it, even if I'm making them at 10p.m for the following day!

It seems that the consultant is another of the 'I am God' types who doesn't believe in dialogue with parents and I even got told off by a nurse on the children's ward tonight when I had the audacity to ring to ask for DS1's stool sample result from when we stayed overnight.

I keep trying to remember that saying about 'give me the serenity to accept what I can not change' or something, as I feel it might be useful at the mo. Can anyone help? Both boys now awake - one coughing and one crying so time to go up for the 'night'!!

Sorry for lack of responses to you all and for moaning as usual. Really will become 'red red whine' by name one of these days!!

It's not moaning bethylou it's much needed talking and ventine. We're here to remind you, that you are indeed normal and not unreasonable in the things that you ask of the medical profession.

Are you back at work yet? Must be stressful dealing with that and all of this hugs. It's great that the consultant is concerned though, means the situation will get taken seriously. Try posting on some of the food of allergy boards for recipe ideas or places to buy some from.

I didn't mean to put that link in, i put the wrong brackets around the word and I guess it did an auto thing.

I have a big bar of raspberry dark chocolate

Well, DS decided that his day will start at 5am. So after leaving him whining for 30 minutes, I got up, went to have my shower and went I got out of the bathroom he was back to sleep! I'm now grumpy but it gives me the time to go on MN.

bethy vent as much as you want. I agree with PA about looking into the other board, Mn has an allergy one where you may get some help.

bc sounds like you had a good night.

I need coffee... Waves to everybody else

Aaaaarrgh am soooooooooooooo tired.

Havent got time to post much as at work, but last night was hell.

Woke 8pm and again at 9.15pm. She was crying and was hysterical when me or DP left the room. Was quiet when we stayed and just sat looking at us. Tried to let her cry it out for half an hr, tried co sleeping. In the end about 11.45pm DP told me to go to bed and he made a camp on the floor of her room.
I woke at 2.30am to hear crying and DP shout "GO TO FUCKING SLEEP!!". I went in and he said she slept for an hr. So I took over, got her to sleep on floor next to me and put her back in her cot when she was asleep. By this time it was 3.15am and I got up at 5am. She woke at 5.05am sat up and crying, I managed to lay her back down very quickly and she was asleep still when I left for work.
:(

Morning, SB...sorry to hear you had an unwanted early morning call!

bethy don't worry - no need to address everyone by name each time. You've got enough to worry about without adding the thread to your woes! I'm lost in admiration about how you cope, working as well as tending to your DS' and their health issues.

Bc sounds like a fun evening and how fab to have such a good night's sleep!

Aw, PA, bless you for giving DH some respite! If only some husbands were as thoughtful as that about their SAH wives...

The talking sounds amazing, SocC! I had a very vivid dream last night that DD was talking - and walking. It was great!
Ugh, don't like the sound of the hospital you were in. My obstetrician friend said standards of post natal aftercare and cleanliness in UK hospitals are among the lowest in Europe. It doesn't exactly fill me with confidence about the idea of having DC2 in the UK....
Sorry you had a hard time with bf. Spanish hospitals are very pro bf and encourage you. I was lucky that in the 5 days I was in, they were very keen to try and help me get DD on the breast. Their advice wasn't always the best, but they certainly did their damnedest to support me.

Good luck ttc, Abs! I'll be joining you now.
I bought some folic acid and a pg test yesterday. The pg test came back negative and all the bleeding has stopped, so I reckon it's time to have another crack at it.

Mind you, I was too knackered last night, then DD decided to be awake for around 2 hours - DH tried to resettle her for an hour, then I took over. I think she was too hot, the weather's warmed up a lot lately and I need to get her a lower tog sleeping bag.
So, the likelihood is I'll be too tired to start the campaign for DC2 tonight.... never mind.

Grumpy here too. DD2 started before 5 am (before the birds started singing, which is around 5, DD2 broke my clock a long time ago!)

Back asleep now after the school run.

LBH I would agree with soc that she is on the verge of having something. Viral infections are crap. I remember having the flu after DD1 and my whole body was aching and waking me up for a few days before the more obvious symptoms appeared. Hope it gets sorted soon.

bethy vent! and try not to stress too much. When you have a sick/allergic DC whole the "healthy" eating can go out of the window. My friend with the very skinny DD resort to ice cream and cakes (I think dairy free or gluten, one or the other).. not necessarily home made either, to keep her DD going in between meals. DSB as a kid was so skinny and malnourished that he had to drink flat beer (1 per day) and flat coke, he used to hate both as an adult. (but that was the 70s, I am sure they have found something more appropriate now )
You are definitely not asking too much of the health system either. by their attitude!

I went to a SALT with DD1, and she is definitely tongue tie. The good news that it is not affecting her speech and eating, so no follow up. She might get self-conscious later on said the SALT. I interpret that she might have problem kissing, DH went , then "no man is ever to come close enough" .
I am a bit that it has been missed in the UK when we had problems BF. And reassured that she is not going to be deformed and unable to talk as some romanian docs told me .

I am jumping form one extreme country to the other extreme .
The second one is very stressful on the nerve of mothers especially for the PFB. I had a talk with some french mums at a baby group and I was glad to hear I wasn't the only one in tears after doc's visits.

DD2 had her jabs on monday, 2 boosters, not a pip again . She is a tough cookie! It might explain her grumpiness though. 83 cm and 11.85 kg of fun back on the curves (almost), and exactly like her sister at the same age.

Xpots with IC good luck! Hope you find the strength.
PA I was thinking waaah too, how considerate! I wished DH thought about that one

Good morning everyone

Schro 83cm wow that is TALL isn't it? Good going on your little girl for toughing out those jabs. Much less stressful for you that way! on the tongue-tie though. (What is a SALT?) Could she have treatment if she chooses later on?

LBH your night sounds awful, you poor thing Hope that whatever's bothering your DD hurries up and gets on with it so she can get over it.

bethy I too find it stressful when I've not been on MN for a few days and have lots to catch up. I wonder how on earth everyone finds the time to post so much. Then other days I'm probably lurking twice a day and posting whatever random rubbish comes into my head Even though I tell myself it's a pleasurable thing to do, I do find that catching up gets shunted onto a "must do" list and makes me stressed. So silly isn't it. (And I hardly ever find time to visit the FB group but then I hardly ever go on FB these days.)

Oh yes and I wonder too if you can buy the gluten/dairy-free puddings. You have soooooooo much on your plate, you shouldn't really have to start a midnight baking club.

stoof great to hear from you. Fab news about the house, hope the move goes well.

Abs hope you had fun TTC last night! And good luck for tonight IC, if you're too tired why wait until tonight, what is wrong with this afternoon?!

Sorry to anyone I've missed.

I've been feeling glum these past few days. My mum friends are all back at work so there are several days when I used to see them, and now have nothing to do. There is a group I could go to at 11am today but I've been before, with a friend, and didn't particularly like it so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it on my own. It's a nice day so I will walk into town and do some bits but I just feel flat and lonely.

AND bloody HMRC tell me they calculated my tax wrongly back in 2007 and I owe them £1,300 It was £2,300 so a small improvement but FGS, it is their error and now I have to find well over a grand from somewhere when I'm not working! It makes my blood boil. I could have paid it without noticing when I was working. Now I'm not it will cause no end of problems. Tossers.

Just re-read my post about the group and will tell myself to stop moaning and get off my arse and go to the group - or just stop moaning.

PS very jealous of the day's babysitting for DH PA.

Crikey, Shro, your DD is literally head and shoulders above mine!

Ah, Scones, that's infuriating about the tax - bloody tax office. I'm not surprised you're so angry. I hope it doesn't cause too much stress in the family finance department.

Sadly DH works in the afternoons.... (and DD's naps either require a walk with the buggy or turning the trundler back on every fifteen mins, so not conducive!)

Still, I booked myself in for laser depliation on my legs on Friday - something you can't do if you're pg. So maybe holding off a day or two would be a good idea, just in case!

IC laser depilation... tell me more Does it work/hurt/is worth the money?