Feb 2011- a bit late, but we're finally in post natal!

[debka]

Welcome everyone!!

eles sounds like you had a nice holiday.Goes she wake for a nappy but no feed? I so shes obviously not hungry is she? If you want i guess you could make the dream feed earler and earler untill its the bedtime feed.did you look on the tin and see how nuch she should be having in 24hrs? D has 5-6 bottles but they are only 120mls thats why she is on high cal milk. The cleft mekes sucking hard work so she gets tired easily.
Am having a lie in,asked dd to bring me tea and toast,i got tea and dry toast ugh.

just put loads of butter and jam low fat spread on the toast ledkr

Alice been really chatty this morning

elle glad you had a good break - was it cambridge or have i got muddled? did you go on the river?

ledkr if you can manage a clean cream sofa in a playroom then maybe my sofa will survive intact.

ponyo I struggle to be convident enough to say no to people too re: passing around. That's how I had such a tough evening last week when MIL over excited alice at bedtime. I knew it was too much and should ahve said something

DH planning on doing some DIY today so may get bored and waste spend the day usefully on mn....we'll see

Thanks ledkr she's not waking through hunger - this morning I changed her nappy at 5 and she didn't wake for food until nearly 8. I think I'll try again tonight without it and just change her nappy when I go to bed. DP starts a new job tomorrow so he'll be up fairly early anyway.

reastie Yep, we were in Cambridge and it was lovely. We're city types so didn't fancy going anywhere too quiet. We had a lovely punt although R's hat did fly off into the Cam! It was just nice to get away for a few days, am hoping for a week somewhere in the summer but I think we'll leave abroad until next year unless we maybe go to France on the Eurostar or something.

Morning, dp gone to car boot and taken dd so am feeling a bit unsure what to do...?!

ledkr and reastie I need to get more confident saying no to people, luckily dp agrees with me on this so hopefully we can back each other up - I have a feeling the next family do will be one of his

Elle hope the weathers nice for the picnic, its really cold and grey here yuk. Might have to put the heating on in a bit, I hate being cold

Am going to make myself a cuppa and get some toast with jam and butter agfter reading these last few posts!

ponyo i feel that now we have done the big pass around i have something to go by, i can say,can i have her now as last time she was very fractious etc. Also with D she hates to be led down and grannies alway want to hold them led flat so she was never happy on them. Im wondering whats going on with pils,they have not tried to visit for ages-i think they phone dh on his mobile-they are still hanging onto his camera tho,so will be using that to ascend soon,its pissing me off to be honest cos we are missing out on so many picures of D.
reastie yep go for the throw option. Im suprised at wiggles i thought all Irish Mothers had their best sofas covered in plastic

dd is the same ledkr she hates being held 'like a baby' as I say, she likes being held under the shoulders upright, and yes all the old dears yesterday tried to hold her like a baby (even tho I said she didn't like it). I think everyone thinks "oh but she'll like it if I hold her like this"

I thought you were talking about my PIL at first - we havn't had a visit since dd was a couple of wks old

Under the shoulders?! Under the armpits I mean

Re Sofa's - I don't like throws, so I have pleather leather sofas and we have a dog that I let on the sofas so we're buggered anyway

Elle if R isn't waking up for bottle she's not hungry, so I wouldn't wake her up to feed her, I would do the same as Ledkr and try and move the dreamfeed earlier and it'll become bedtime bottle at some point. Enjoy the picnic.

When we visit people if A is asleep when we get there, she always sleeps in the car, I don't lift her out of her carseat until she wakes up. She slept the whole way through my sisters wedding because she was left in her seat. The bloody photographer wanted her lifted out for a photo, needless to say she got "the look" and left us alone. My family hand Anna back if she gets a bit grumpy and she would see both our families 1-2 a week so they don't feel bad at not holding her the odd time.

ponyo it's freezing here, heating definitely on.

Ledkr I don't have "good" anything well I have good mugs for when pils come, my mum used to have a "good" room and we used to take the piss out of her constantly, we still do. Thank God for DFS not only are do they wipe clean but you never have to pay

Oh Anna likes being held upright too, or in the crook of your arm facing front, she doesn't like being "nursed".

I dont think any of them do after they are aweek old,my Ella always gets cross at too many people hoiking Delilah under the arms,she is a tiny skinny thing herself and so was "picked up" untill quite old and she remembers it hurts.
Im a funny bugger arent i?Hate the pils coming then get all shirty when they dont. Dh got up with D at 7.30 -as if it was 3.30 all tired and grumpy-he has been sat down at the pc eversince watching wrestling on you tube,does anyone ever feel like they are married to a "boy" He seems worse than ever at the mo,the last two sets of reat days he has literlly done sod all unless i ask,D was having her bottle for ages and i think it was because he is so engrossed with the pc that he was forgetting to squeeze her special bottles,stupid twunt. I dont want to be divorced-again-but i often fantasise about just being on my own again

Hey girls

Well dh has buggered off to the Chelsea match today so am on my own but my brilliant sister has just come to collect ds1&2 (Thomas & Owen now that we are using RL names) and Mikey is asleep so am going to read my book after posting. Lush. It's been a bad week, feeling stressed and anxious with kids. Am trying to make sure I get out loads so not going mad indoors. We are off to centre parcs next week so that's nice. I feel a bit 'strait jacket' at the mo as dh can go off and play golf, go to football whenever he wants and I have to move heaven and earth if I want a night out or even a break. Anyone else feel that way? I don't begrudge him going out but I just feel a bit depressed that I am tied to the house. I told some friends I wanted a night out and they have arranged it for a Friday so I may not even be able to go as we never know if dh will be home from work in time as he is often called into the Brum office, esp on Fridays! just feel a bit down trodden at the mo. And he makes me feel bad for putting M in the crèche at the gym cos e is so young but my argument is that it's best to get him used to it at an early age rather than wait til he gets upset at me leaving him. Plus I need to loose weight and have one fecking hour a week when I am not at everyones beck and call.

Sorry it been all about me. Am feeling a bit huffy.

elle fwiw I kept up the dream feeds til weaning was established. See how it goes though, good luck - it can be nerve wracking making changes! It's hard to remember that we are the boss! (supposed to be anyway)

And also, going back to Zizzis later for dinner - a freebie from their area manager as an apology for last time. Am secretly dreading it :-(

40 hope you're enjoying reading your book and mikey is still asleep. and enjoy zizzis - hope it's problem free this time - just make sure you order the most expensive thing from the menu if it's free . Have a good time at center parcs. have a friend with a baby who went there last week and really enjoyed it.

wiggles we have 2 leather sofas in the 'best' room ie sitting room one is a cheapie wipe clean style and the other is my prize one. When we bought the posh one we thought leather would be all practical like the wipe clean one but turned out this one scratches easily and can only have special cleaner/polish on it . Wipe clean one is by far more practical.And, to make you think I'm even more obsessive about my special posh sofa - I have a lovely throw over the back of it to protect it from sun damage as it's near the window (sad but true ).

ledkr there's (another) bank holiday coming up soon I think - maybe PIL will dump themselves turn up at yours then. seems odd they were so desperate to see dilly and now they don't try and see her for ages (not complaining though :) )

DH painting the kitchen window and door so alice and I stuck in bedroom as I'm a bit worried about the overpowering gloss paint smell with alice. Have bought her play gym up but think she's starting to get bored

Oh I would love a new sofa but our leather one is wipe clean and soo practical with wee ones. Owen and Mikey were both born on it too so would be hard to part with. But if we move and have a 'good room' (I sound like my mother!) then I would deffo get new ones!

Thanks for the advice 40. I'm tempted to do the same as you and keep up until weaning. We're at least halfway there now. But then it would sometimes be nice for both of us to have an early night.

Just back from a picnic - it was very grey ponyo but we persevered and the 3 years olds ran around like loons and the younger babies rolled around on the blankets. We did all escape to my mates for some tea in the end though as it was too chilly!

2nd jabs tomorrow for us...i think i'll need some chocolate to get me through it!

40 weeks, I feel exactly the same about being trapped in the house with the kid. I always have to arrange a sitter or ask dh if I want to go out. I went for a run yesterday for the first time in almost a year and felt I had to ask dh permission whereas he just tells me what hes doing, then says is that ok? As if I'd challenge him!
In laws have sat with the boys today while me and dh went out for lunch at Bottelinos, they've now taken Ben to there house for the night and Noah has gone for a nap in his cot (yes, it's a miracle fifth nap in his cot in two days!).
I'm feeling a bit lost actually having time to myself!
Ledkr, hope D is ok today after your scary incident yesterday. Poor D and poor you!
Yes, to old people insisting on holding Noah like he's a newborn! Drives me crazy, he fights it and cries and they look at me ad if to ask why he's crying. Uh, cos he wants to look around!
Elle, we did dream feed with ben and just moved it earlier every few nights by 15 minutes once he started weaning so it ended ip being his feed before bed. Glad you had a nice break.

dont worry bh is well covered as dh working and im away
40 i get like that too,felt a bit,felt a bit last night as it was a Saturday,dh was off and we went to bed at 10. Just doesnt seem to be any fun to life these days,everyone wants a piece of me.
D hasnt slept all flipping day,fell asleep briefly twice in pram but wont stay asleep its weird,going to get her in bed for 7tonight,i need to stay awake for the last walking dead on tonight.
40 good job they are wipe clean as you keep giving birth on them

bensmum yay to N having a nap in his cot I felt a bit lost earlier when dp was out with dd so I cleaned and mn'd. That was it really

ledkr I was asking dp why his parents hadn't been to see their grandaughter the other day and was being a bit huffy about it, maybe its because I'll have some good stories to post on here when they've been haha!
I wouldn't feel bad about wanting to be on your own again sometimes, you and your dh sound very different (not a bad thing) and I can imagine you and Ella having a fab time together without him.

Elle I would deffo get yourself some choc for the jabs, I found it easier than the first time but still, not nice. Dd was a bit 'off' for a couple of days after just so you know, sleeping more and being generally fussy.

40weeks at your dh making you feel bad for putting M in the creche - its a good thing in my very humble opinion, tell him instead he csan look after him if he doesn't like it?! Hope zizzis is ok - shame your dreading it but think I can understand why and would prob be feeling the same. Agree you should order most expensive thing and sure it'll be fine this time :)

Dp is cooking a roast and I'm so hungry dd currently asleep with her fingers in her hair again :)

I have a question - what do babies sleep in when you stay somewhere overnight and they're not in their moses baskets anymore?

Ooh ledkr have you been enjoying walking dead, I loved it, can't wait for 2nd series...

erm, ponyo do you mean if you stay in a hotel or something? You can get travel cots. We've got one but I think loads of hotels/self catering places supply them for that purpose. This sort of thing www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Travel-Cot-Cloud/dp/B000TGK6RC?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_1&nodeId=42764041&sr=1-1&qid=1305473245&pf_rd_r=1SVXKKEWA1AJR5WGQ6N3&pf_rd_m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=0&pf_rd_p=231490887&pf_rd_s=center-7

woah - that's a long link - I wish I knew how to do it so you didn't have the whole long address on show

Is that what you mean?

Yeah to bensmum for all the cot naps and elle help yourself to all the galaxys and aeros in my kitchen cupboard that I wish I hadn't bought last week as temptation is way too much

Yes thats what I meant reastie, aha I suppose the clue is in the name travel cot isn't it I've seen them just didn't think of them

We're staying in a hotel in a month so will ask them if they have a cot in the room. Thanks for that :) Hopefully babies don't notice the difference between the travel cot and their normal one?

Just a double decker for my pudding

ponyo will there be a 2nd series? I hope so,im a bit of a zombie fan,love anything by romero.Have you seen the zombie threads on mn?Hillarious.
I cant believe you havent heard of a travel cot tho
Btw 40 i am actively looking for a gym with a creche so send dh in my direction if he has a problem,im planning on using it at lesst twice a week too.

ponyo We've been away a couple of times already and so far have just put R to sleep in her pram (we have the Oyster travel system with the carrycot) but I guess it wont be long til our LO's are too big for them though!

reastie I would help myself to your choc stash but I think I'd probably get sacked...I do betray my Cadbury loyalty with the daily odd Malteaser or two though...

bensmum Good work on the cot naps! Really need R to get the hang of long naps...don't really care where!

Think we just finally decided on a nursery...scary!

DH has taken to sitting alice on her own on the new to us second hand sofa we picked up yesterday - she loves sitting up on er own - have put a piccie up on profile

elle I forgot you worked at cadburys . In my head it looks like the chocolate river scene in the charlie and choc factory original film ..mmmmmmm

oh yes - a question to ff people. We do one ff at night (I bf the other feeds). Up until now we've always used a carton of formula but thinking of using powder. Things I read conflict. I know I can't make the milk up in advance but can you safely store boiled water in a thermos before going to bed and use that water of do you have to use freshly boiled?

Apparently the 2nd series will be later this year, poss Oct ledkr. Yep I'm a zombie fan too, I loved it when I found the zombie threads on mn and have had many a discussion with dp about it though it does worry me if I think about it too much, what if it does actually happen etc...

See I've heard of a travel cot but never actually thought what they look like... I think I thought they were for much bigger babies?! I'm not ashamed its what you lot are for Oh and dp just reminded me a friend got us this pop up baby tent thingy which I think is a travel cot. I didn't have a clue what it was when we were given it, thought dd wouldn't be in it for years haha.

Elle dd just had her biggest nap of the day and woke up half an hour ago, I hope that doesn't mean she's not going to be tired at bed time soon We have a carry cot too but like you say, they'll be outgrowing them soon