June 10 babies are growing apace, teething and crawling all over the place.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Here we are ladies. Let's see if we can manage to chat a bit more on this one :).

That's quite amazing foot growth Barbeasty!

Goodname, your age gap will be close enough that pretty soon Fergus won't remember a life before the baby so he won't feel put out by it or hard done by. He may demand more attention for a while or act differently but you won't have the kind of resentment that we have been dealing with. There are 3 1/2 yrs between mine and ds will still not tolerate Emma at all and still remembers things we used to do before she came along - and wishes she wasn't here (despite all of our attempts to bond them). I know it's got a lot to do with character, not just age gap but a bigger age gap isn't necessarily easier. I waited as I thought I wouldn't be able to manage with the two / two and a half year gap that a lot of my friends had but in retrospect I wish I'd just gone for it then. Don't beat yourself up about the coffee! I'm sure a couple of cups a day won't be a problem (disclaimer: I'm not a doctor!)

Thanks madamefreckle for the reasurance. If it helps at all I have a sister who is 18 months younger and one who is 3 years younger and I get on best with the one 3 years younger these days altho we did all fight a fair bit growing up :)
Can I ask all you people with 2 kids what type of double buggy did you get or did you not bother/use a sling instead. Cant make my mind up what type would best. Fergus will be almost 2 when the baby comes.
Sleep has gone from bad to worse last few nights, am hoping there is some reason for it and he will get better v soon (tonight would be good)

Goodname - we've got a Phil&Ted (and a 28 month age gap) but worked hard to convince DD1 that she could walk as much as possible, so used our old Bugaboo for Mia except on big outings from early on....hth :)

Mia took 18 steps unaided last week, and will walk around happily holding one hand now, but we havent sorted out shoes yet. Her 12-18 month slip-ons still seem to fit and DD1's size 21 Ecco boots are waaay too big....what size is 21? Anyway, we're using them regardless, for when we're out and about, and she's barefoot at home and nursery....I'll invest in some shoes when she's walking a bit more regularly. Does that make me a bad mum or just demonstrate her third-child-ness?!!

Size 21 is a UK size 4.

We waited until Ruth had been walking independently about 6 weeks before getting shoes, but the weather was a bit better than this!

I think they say to wait 6 weeks, don't they Filly?

Goodname - I think it depends how much you drive. I don't drive so walk a lot with the DCs. I love my double. I got a Baby Jogger Classic. I love it. If I was going for a new one I might by a lighter Baby Jogger model as long as it had air tyres, but I think air tyres on a double is an enormous help. Mine is easier to push than my single because of the air tyres, even though it weighs 16k. You're in trouble if you get a puncture, but I never have and have been using air tyres for nearly four years now.

Sling, for me, was only good for a few weeks as I walk a lot and Ds is a chunk. I loathe the buggy board and so does DD. It makes the pushchair so hard to push and DD doesn't feel comfortable at all.

Oh yes, buggy boards....great in very specific circumstances (amazing in airports, for example) but otherwise utterly crap and back-ache inducing, too, as there is no way any normal human being can walk behind one pushing a buggy. A great example of a fine idea that fails slightly in the execution...

Can't comment on slings, although lots of good friends swear by them as the single buggy/2 child solution. Guess it depends on the size of your baby!

21 is a size 4??? OK, that explains why they are so ridiculously big on her....I reckon she's a size 2 at the moment. Amazing, as her feet were pretty big when she was born but, like dd1s, seem to have stopped growing in proportion to the rest of her

PS Today was my first day back at work. Is that some kind of record for this thread, for those planning to be wohms?!! I seriously felt 'first day of new school' all weekend and was practically in tears last night.

Today was fine, but doing it all over again tomorrow is going to be tough.....

Sending you a supportive hug Filly.

Manly pat on the back filly.

My mother's help started today. 4 hours per day from 2:30-6:30pm - bliss!

Goodname. I would wait a while before deciding what to do. My dd didn't use a buggy after the age of 2, so if Fergus is like that then a double would be a waste. With the boys (20/21 month gap, with ds1 being the latest walker of my lot (13 months for proper walking) and the laziest by far) I got a double which can also be used perfectly as a single (with a very useful HUGE basket), which is great. It is the Babyjogger City Select. That said, however, ds2 spent the first 7 months of his life in a sling (I massively recommend the close baby carrier if you don't already have one), so we haven't had to use the buggy as a double very often - just on occasional day trips out in the main. I think if I had just had the boys with that age gap, and not dd as well, then I would probably not have bothered with a double buggy at all.

Did I mention that we finally got our first tooth a week or two ago? And the second one has just about cut now too. About time eh?!

Hi all. Does anyone have any recommendations for nappy rash (curing, not causing...) Tom's always been in reusables and has never had a bit of nappy rash and all of a sudden his bum is raw, poor little chap. We tried going into disposables for a week which didn't seem to make a difference and sudocreme relieves but doesn't seem to cure. It may be because he is getting his last few teeth, though he never bothers much as they come through. Any ideas to cure this nasty business? Thanks all.

Metanium elena .

yup, metanium!

filly hope the next 2 days at work were ok, must have been tough. I've been doing very little work during the last 7 weeks, as DS has been at home all the time prior to starting nursery, and even 7 weeks has been weird and felt like some sort of Mat Leave all over again.

Alice has done 2 steps and 3 steps this week, so we are some way away from needing shoes yet. Life here is rather focused on DS starting Reception class on Friday - I am in a right old state about it and cross with myself, it just feels like a big event. goodname, like madamef we have 3.5 years between DS and Alice, for the same reasons, and their relationship still has some massive moments despite our best efforts. I think every permutation of age gap has pros and cons.

Weleda calendula nappy cream is really good, always gets rid of any rash and its totally natural. (www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000V3MFUY/ref=asc_df_B000V3MFUY4423277?smid=A2NWCJS30RQR6Y&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22230&creativeASIN=B000V3MFUY)

CSWS and greensnail can I just ask a quick question about bf while pregnant (as I presume you both did). Can the hormones which produce all the nasty pregnancy symtoms get though to your milk as I have noticed Fergus has been much more unstettled since I got pregnant and seems to have a lot of upset stomachs? He aslo seems to be rubbing his eyes a lot and jabbing his ears and I have had really itchy eyes and ears since I got pregnant too. Just worried I might be making him feel rubbish by continuing to feed him? He also seems to want to feed more, keeps pulling my top and going ahh at inoportune moments

goodname - I don't think the hormones can come through in your milk. I've never heard of that and it didn't happen to me. It could be that your supply has dropped a bit or the taste has changed which is affecting his feeding habits. Do you have the book Adventures in Tandem feeding. Lots of good info in there about feeding when pregnant. I'd be happy to post you my copy if you like. CSWS has fed through two pregnancies so might know a bit more.

WWISA - hope your DS got on well at school. We're preoccupied with DD1 starting nursery at the moment. She had 2 induction days last week but i'll be leaving her there for the first time tomorrow. Feels like a huge deal to me as she's only ever been left with my parents before.

I don't believe that the hormone gets through goodname, no. But your milk supply does change during pregnancy, and for some women that happens earlier than others. If you were late in pregnancy and he had an upset stomach then I would say it's probably the colostrum coming through, as that does do funny things to toddler tummies, but at this stage, and with him wanting to feed a lot and pulling at his ears too I would say he's probably teething! And if his teething is disturbing his sleep then he's probably a bit more tired than normal, which would explain the eye rubbing :).

Entering week 2 at work with a sort of "I cant believe this is the rest of my life" feeling, and desperately missing the dcs :(

They're all totally fine, of course, although it definitely helps (them and me) that I don't work on Wednesdays at the moment, and that I managed to work at home last Thursday.

This morning was soooooo hard though!

Sorry, I'll stop grumbling now - I know I'm incredibly lucky to still have a job after a 15 month break, and even luckier that it can be a bit flexible, I'm just finding the adjustment hard....

Mia is soooooo nearly walking - she still doesn't crawl properly, sort of half sits with one foot flat on the ground to push herself along, but she is starting to get up and toddle off randomly to get to something....fingers crossed! She's still teething like mad....we seem to get a couple of good days/nights, and then the next one starts coming though....sigh....

Hi there everyone. Just dropping in to say hello. I do read the thread, but then tend to lurk.
All is well here. Been back at work for 2 months now, and all going well. The nanny is a superstar, so delighted that the DCs are having such a ball with her.
Well done filly on new job! I know what you mean about "this is the rest of your life". Weird to think that what lies ahead is 20 years or more of hard graft.
Size 2 feet? Blimey, how petite! The boys have size 5.5/6 feet, and DD (2.10) is size 9.5. Her shoes look like canoes....it's all my fault, size 8 feet.

DH away at moment so home alone. Had an action packed weekend which I am now regretting as totally wiped out. Am dreaming of one day, having a day to myself to do absolutely nothing at all....

Hi all! Popping in to say "hello" and CONGRATULATIONS Goodname! Fantasic news to hear you're preggers again. Best wishes for a healthy and happy pregnancy.... oooh, I'm very envious. I never want another baby, but I really suffer from bump envy.

George is ace. Running and climbing and being all independent and FINALLY sleeping through the night! I have a niggling feeling that he might be developing a foul temper and he's starting to squeel like a stuck pig when he's fighting with DD, but he's still ace and I love him to pieces.

Thanks for all the bum cream advice - of course it cleared up the instant I posted but I have noted the suggestions for next time!

SO tired pregnancy exhaustion combined with evil baby is not good. Thanks CSWS and Greensnail, still not convinced though as he has very similar symptoms to mine, seems very weird. He is teething but has been for ages now and the symptoms are a bit different. Would really like to read that book greensnail, was looking at it on amazon but couldnt bring myself to spend £15 on it! Really struggling with feeding just now as Fergus has stepped up his nightly demands and as well as being so tired it really hurts. Considering stopping but he is a bit milk obssessed just now and not sure how I could.

Filly and MonkeyMargot really feeling for you with regards the next 20 years. Never though about it like that before but it is quite depressing. Feeling very lucky to be able to work part time.

Goodname - just pm me your address and I'll pop the book in the post for you. you have my sympathy, early pregnancy combined with night feeds is not fun at all. I remember being really confused about whether I wanted to continue ro fed our not, but the book helped me to feel it was ok whatever I decided.

Still not sure what the right answer was, I think there are strong arguments for whichever way you decide to go.

thanks greensnail, have done

Just jumping back ont he thread for now.

I've been indulging my Danny's taste for Schleich animals. They're 3 for 2 at ELC ATM, plus you can get 20%off with the code ELLA1 (just in case anyone else shares my taste)

Oh thanks LaT, I love those animals although we only have 3 just now as they are quite expensive. Will go online asap.