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

[debka]

Welcome everyone!!

Those photos are so gorgeous reastie! Nice sofa btw

Tbh I would say re: the formula feed to make it in advance. I've done that since early days and as long as you're sensible you'll be fine. So make up the bottle, put it in a sink of very cold water to cool it down quickly, then when its cool put it in the back of the fridge until you need it. Then heat it in a jug of boiled water, takes a few mins to warm up.

I keep dd's bottles in the fridge for no longer than 12 hours (hardly ever that long now) and if you're making it in the evening then using during the night it'll be nowhere near 12 hours. Though to answer your actual question (sorry!) yes use freshly boiled water but let it cool for a bit (say 15 mins) before putting in thermos otherwise it might be too hot. Tbh have only used a thermos a few times so someone else who uses them more regularly might know a bit more...

reastie I don't want to spoil your dreams but there's no chocolate river. I did hear the R&D team's made a giant Creme Egg once though.

We formula feed and I make up feeds in advance. There's a thread on the Breast and Bottle feeding thread which gives some good advice on page 13. We flash cool our made up bottles before popping in the fridge, then warm slightly when required in a jug of boiling water.

Cross post jinx ponyo !

reastie there is a thread in Bottle/breastfeeding section called Support for those who ff, the most recent guidelines re making up formula in advance is on pg13 - sorry can't figure out how to link, not having the smarts today. Speaking for myself and only myself, usual disclaimer etc, I make up 2 bottles before bed, flash cool them, store them at back of fridge and microwave boil a kettle to heat them up when I'm first aware of A stirring.

Elle A had her second jabs during the week, she was fine with them, much better than first ones.

Ponyo I love travel cots, with dd1 I had one, my mum had one, my mil had one, basically anyone who minded her, she loved it and she always slept brilliantly in them, we have used them in all the hotels, apartments we've stayed in. They are also really handy to use as a playpen or to throw all the toys, mess in at the end of the day.

40 weeks hope you have a good evening. I put Sofia into an actual creche when she was 3.5 months old for half a day a week. I went back to work when she was 5 months old and needed to get her used to it. It was for four hours and she loved it, so M will be absolutely fine at the gym creche, I tried to put Olivia into same creche when she was 7 months old for the same amount of time, the less said about that the better, it was a feckin' nightmare for all concerned

Anna is 3 months old today and she seems so big, she slept really well last night and today and has sat on my knee, giggling, playing, listening to the girls and doing her upmost to pull herself up.

Don't hate me ladies but Mr W has just booked flights for just the two of us for Paris in December Know its ages away but we got a really good deal and I'm not giving my mum any time to back out of having the 3 girls for 2 whole nights.

wiggles I am so We've a few baby free weddings over the summer...one in the Lake District which I'm trying to decide between taking my mum with us or leaving R with her. Will depend on her dog sitter but it would be nice to have some baby-free time with DP.

Have people just got the basic travel cots or something jazzier? I need to put it on the list of things to get, along with a high chair.

Elle I didn't leave dd1 overnight until she was 10 months, that said more about my lack of social life than not wanting to leave her I just have basic travel cots - one from Mothercare and the others from wherever was doing them the cheapest. I really liked them but I remember the first few times I tried to take them down - I got so frustrated the bloody thing nearly got bucked out the window I also spent a fortune on a highchair for dd1, it was so awkward, couldn't take off certain bits to clean, straps got really, really messy, stained, desperate looking. This time I'm off to Ikea for the £11 ish one, my friend has it and its fab.

reastie love the photos

Great minds eh Elle and wiggles

am at the thought of a giant creme egg, yum...

wiggles that sounds good about the travel cots, am loving the though of being able to shove all the mess away into them too, thats what dds cot is currently used for. Am of course of your trip but good for you, sounds lovely and bet it'll be Dec before we know it. Anna sounds so cute, is she giggling already?! dd showing no signs of giggling but lots of cute gummy smiles today :) Oh god that makes me sound like a competitive mum doesn't it, am not honest

A friend of mine has been recommending ikea for everything, inc cots, so will bear that in mind for the highchair too.

loving the thought not though. My typings awful atm.

Anna giggles if you tickle her tummy with your chin when she's lying down or if you do an over loud comedy sneeze or if Mr W sings at her - strangely he's a good singer but she seems to find Radiohead and Morrissey strangely hilarious. Am also getting my cot in Ikea

I'm fancying a Trip Trapp thingy high chair because they look so nice. PIL are buying so I don't think they'll be expecting us to ask for a cheap Ikea one....does that make me sound grabby? I do like the wooden ones though.

No giggles here although R does a really cute chortle, a bit like a hiss with her teeth when something's funny. It's usually her toy lion that's funny although she also likes being tickled!

wiggles I pottered off on a hen do a couple of weeks ago for 3 nights. R was with her daddy though so I suppose quite different to us both leaving her.

Aw your girl's got good taste in music wiggles! dd does big smiles whenever we blow a raspberry at her, good sense of humour that baby

Ah wiggles I am green with envy. How lovely. My dh wouldn't dream or organizing something for the two of us.

Which leads me right into my bitchfest about a drunk dh (actually i am stripping him of his 'd' - tonight he is just 'h') who turns upto Zizzis talking in his loudest boom boom decibel voice, at 5pm and although I am sure he didn't mean to shout at me, everything he said was at a shout and so pissed me right off. No one else could hold a conversation! Then when he realized I had the hump on the way home he threw a wobbler, making the kids cry. While I was putting m to bed he puts his head round the door as though nothing has happened and now he is downstairs with MUSIC on, I tell you. Can't remember the last time he didn't just switch the Telly on - I hope this isn't an attempt at 'romance' - I hate it when he does this, pretend that nothing has happened.

Am waiting for M to drop off as he was late to bed and so had more milk than normal and he isn quite sure what to make of it all. He also has a new cleva mama baby pillow to prevent his head from going flat so he must be wondering what the hell is going on.

Ah the Telly is on downstairs, I can hear, thank goodness. Now I can go down and reclaim my wine. He had better not have started on my Aero

Chatty lot today!

Re travel cots- make sure you get one with a bassinet if you're putting a little one in it- nothing guaranteed to wake a precariously sleeping baby like a controlled drop to the bottom of a travel cot so speaks bitter experience

We have a Tripp Trapp style high chair for Ims which we bought in Slovenia for 40euros- almost worth going out there just to get another for Bina. She's been in it since 5mo and it's brilliant. And looks a lot better than horrid bright plastic jobs. AND easier to clean allegedly.

Had a lovely day today on my own with the girls. I got Imy a Peppa Pig magazine which had a free pair of purple Elton John style glasses which she has worn all day and even took to bed with her tonight! Not really looking forward to DH and his cloud of misery returning tonight, not least because I washed our sheets today and had a bath myself and I know he won't shower before he comes to bed and he'll make my sheets all dirty

wiggles that sounds brilliant, something to look forward to. DH for his faults took me to Bruges as a surprise birthday present last December, I'm looking forward to when S is old enough to leave with her Granny and we can go away.

elles ive got the oyster with carry cot,im really pleased with it are you,although i did laugh the other day when i used the buggy bit and "folded" it up,i swear its bigger than when folded,gret big bulky thing haha,it fits in my boot tho,just dont buy too much.
wiggles you made me laugh about the microwaving the bots,my sister is a ttc no kids neo natal nurse and was horrified that i microd the bottle at her house yesterday,my mum joined in and i had to put them in the know as too if you followed the rules you'd be sterilising every bottle at time of use and boiling a fresh kettle and waiting half an hr every time you made abottle.To be honest i work on the asumption,clean and sensible. Working in child protection i see all sorts of things,i once watched alady make a bottle for her newborn using water at a suitable temperature from the tap!!A few neo natal units including bristol dont sterlise at all and i have to say i use so many syringes for D's meds and have always washed and not sterilised them as you have to take them apart and it ruins them.
I used to take a flask of water to bed,sterilised bottles and powder in those measured out things,cool the bottle rather than heat it.
D has been annoying tonightt,despite not sleeping all day she is still not in bed,falls asleep then wakes up as soon as i put her down,i have handed over to dh now as i am feeling a tad stressed
I think she laughs and giggles but its a distant memory tonight haha
reastie lovely pics and great sofa,needs a throw tho

40 weeks Mr W is 40 this December, so its his birthday treat It's so irritating when someone is pissed has had a few drinks and you're not. Every little annoying thing they do is magnified. Have to say having a little snigger at him downstairs swaying to some "sexy" music while you're upstairs. Hope you still have your Aero

Ponyo Both dd1 and dd2 (5&3) are already well trained in how to use the i-pod . When dd1 was young I had to have a quick word with Mr W about what he and Sofia were listening to in the car. Didn't think a 3 year old with an indepth knowledge of Ice Cube was the best way forward when starting nursery school

haha 40 he is probably feeling horny cos of the booze,they dont realise how unnatractive and annoying they are when drunk
Bloody D has finally settled and then Ella is calling.Dh was making nice plans for the gym tomorrow luckily i overheard as i have the glam job of going to get my nan up and dressed etc. My Mum is at the end of my tether and i had to pretty much inist on going.
Wiggles meant to say thanks for coming on the breast cancer thread,what a load of heart less bitches eh? MN makes me laugh,they aggree with things like that but if you moan about people claiming benefits or anyone parking in the p and c spaces you get flamed. Was glad Dittanny was on my side tho

Ledkr I was really surprised at some of the posts on that thread - I know there's two sides blah, blah but it was almost as if some posters felt that it was the womans' fault she had cancer, not 100% sure what the fact that her husband claimed she had an affair had to do with her ability to look after her children . Wasn't going to post on the thread, a bit gun shy re breast cancer, its rampant in my family and I try not to let it into my head especially with having 3 girls. Having Dittany on your side is worth several posters on the other side. Have to admire her style ...... from afar with my head down

Debka my 2 love magazines, especially with the free gifts, I fully intend to load up on them before the holiday. Bruges is supposed to be lovely, a man I work with goes there quite regularly and loves it. Glad you had a good weekend.

40 sympathy on drunk DH. Mine just got back from Liverpool (obsessed football fan) pretty worse for wear, obviously he expected me to heat his dinner which I had 'lovingly' plated up earlier.
He has really pissed me off tbh. I sacked off the barbecue held by the baby group woman today cause DP wasn't here and evryone else was taking their partners, plus it was cold rainy and I just DIDNT WANT TO!!! He told me off and said I should be looking after Cassia's future social life by befriending local mums. Sanctimonious tool. Its easy for him to say, I am the one who goes to endless groups while he eats biscuits and dicks about on a PC all day and calls it work! Grrrr!
ponyo if you are ever at a loose end you should take pity on me and meet up with C and I, then DP can't accuse me of not being sociable with other babymommas....
reastie I FF and always make up bottles in advance, since I did with older DC and they survived unscathed.
wiggles whoop to Paris (yes I just whooped). You must be so excited its a gorgeous city (DP proposed to me there so I have v fond memories) also laughing at Ice Cube - my two older DCs are currently obsessed with Flight of the Conchords songs on youtube - v inappropriate....
Sorry if been a bit meme but so many posts since I was last on that I got a bit muddled...

ledkr I'm loving my Oyster too, it's dead light but I have to agree about the pushchair when folded together. It's much smaller when you take the seat off and fold separately. Strange!

40 Sympathy to you having to deal with tipsy hubby. I'd be tempted to fall asleep without even going near him and his music...

I'm watching Lady Gaga on the R1 Big Weekend. She's a lunatic but to be honest I expected a better show from her. Definitely looki g forward to Take That next month now!

He is face down asleep on the sofa, I am in bed watching tv. Wally

wigglesI have a girl crush on Dittanny,she doesnt give flying fig does she?
Sorry meant to say fab news on the paris trip,well deserved id say. Psst if you ever want a good moan re familt history breast ca,im your woman,have history on Dads said but bit sketchy but apparently cos i was so long it may as well be in my genes,I had preventative surgery-ie had em off!! Got a fine pair now,very Jordanesque will higly recommend it to my dd's should they test positive.
ponyothat was scary wasnt it?I think id have stayed and got blown up rather than face the zombies.
Was thinking of getting festival tickets and taking dd's but then tried to imagine being at a festival sober and decided to get a sitter

BLOODY BABIES grrrrr. Can you indulge me in a minor rant? After being a mare to settle last night she started the fidgeting at arounbd 3am and managed to keep me awake until she woke up at 7.Dh has taken her down but i have to get up with Ela and then see Nan so cant sleep. I told dh i am moving permanently into the spare room from now until she goes into her own room and will be doing some serious research on the sids risks today.I may be over reacting but she will be on the lower floor and she's had so many probs i dont feel like taking any chances. Ok thanks im ok now,just needed to share.
We are meant to be going to the pics later but i would just sleep in a darkened room. God how i wish i was a heavy sleeper.

Morning girls,

wiggles i'm very jelous you are off to Paris, i love it there!

40 weeks looks like my DF is no the only one in the dog house then, he was out yeaterday watching football and came home steaming drunk. I can still hear him snoring away.

Ah balls! Walking dead didn't record (bloody rubbish digi box)! Is it repeated?

I was at a friends house yesterday afternoon and had to leave as i was feeling so uncomfortable around their baby girl, it is the first i have felt that way so was a bit shocked with myself. I was fine until she started to cry, the crying brought back some memories of my labour, as i could hear a woman giving birth and her baby's first cry.

Jane Walking dead is repeated or chan 5 have an catch up website.
Im not suprised you felt like that yesterday,you have done very well being on here listening to our baby stories and with friends babies,its bound to be hard. I would imagine you will always have triggers that remeind you of not only Zoe but the traumatic time you went thru. the mind is very powerfull,if im at a hospital and smell a certain smell i feel very sick-it reminds me of chemo and i stil well up when i see the school kids coming out of the secondary school where ds's mate went.
I think its good that you acknowledge your feelings tho rather than smile and carry on.