The CRESH Creche and Spa - What's your excuse for not going back to work?

[Backinthebox]

Liking maternity leave too much? Can't be arsed to go back to your old job? Why not get made redundant, set up a company, have another baybee or even fall off a horse? Anything to spend more time with our little darlings! And it's so naice here - pass the gin!

I hate float tops, because of the boobs they just balloon and I get this whole mama cass thing going on. :( got a smart shirt from crave which I hope will help. Last time lots of people at work didn't realise. Bless 'em, male engineers and procreation? A foreign concept! Yep eye drops are pure h2so4 I think.

I miss when kids used tobe invited up to the cockpit. I remember being completely convinced when the pilot told me that the plane doesnt' actually move through the sky, it just stays in once place and the world rotated around it until the desired destination was reached. I may have been a slightly gullible child...

I am suffering a bit of a clothing crisis. As I no longer need to rotate my 4 breastfeeding tops (woop, woop), the entire content of my wardrobe is available to me. Except it seems that it seems I did my best to stretch my normal clothes to fit me for as long as possible when I was PG. Literally. So they are all a little, er saggy, looking, if not completely falling apart. Should go shopping for some new stuff, but need to lose weight first. I seem to recall my mother stayed in that phase for about 15 years of her life, constantly wearing manky clothes because she wanted to lose weight before she bought nice stuff. Should I just Get Over It and buy some clothes the next size up I wonder....

And I would deffo be happy to listen to cycling talk . Missing being able to jump on my bike and go where I want in town, but won't be long now before Squib fits the co-pilot seat. We used to do lots of long distance cycle/camping trips - last one we did was Ft William to Aberdeen via Inverness. Don't suppose that'll be an option for a very long time now we have small appendage. So cycling in Yorkshireland is nice is it?

Now is a great time to go shopping as all the lovely autumn stuff is coming into the shops.

We went to Greece when smallboo was nearly one. He spent most of his time at the back if the plane with the air hostesses, they were briliiant with him. He didn't want to sit with me, so he sat with them and counted Euros! Can't remember who we flew with now but they wore red uniforms. They were bloomin' ace.

Do they allow baybees in biz class?

Would I need a bassinet thing? Thinking not!!

We want a bike carrier thing too do we can get out and about avec K9. We do like to cycle.

I need new clothes. I was hoping to go back to work "in shape" alas it's not to be. So my new wardrobe will reflect this. Primarni here I come. Saw a lovely top in Asbo's. Til I saw a 75yr old woman cooing over same said top.

silva I guess as long as you've payed for the ticket, I can't see how it could not be 'allowed'. I've travelled BC when there have been babies present. I actually think its better as there is more room although you might get some twatty business types frowning at you. I wish I had thought to do a cockpit visit at some point during my long haul years. But it never occurred to me.

We are going to pick up the mattress for the bedside cot today. Greenbaby fail again. Ordered it from them, waited a few days and then went to check when it would be delivered. My account said, 'waiting for stock from supplier' despite it stating they are in stock on the website. So I rang and they couldn't tell me how long I would have to wait. Cancelled and have ordered from JL for NEXT DAY collection (I luffs JL). I think that's the final straw unfortunately, no more greenbaby for me. Excited, though as I am hoping this is going to make night times a bit easier and I won't get woken up by Sprout hitting the sides of her basket in her sleep

one verh verh tired honeymoo here. Last night was a bit of a nightmare with babymoo's temperature going up and up. Eventually spiked at 39.1 and he slept a bit until midnight and then again until 3 when it went down again. All things considered he's on great form today!

I called the emergency doc's line but they weren't very clear about when you are allowed to give calpol and calprofen - i.e. he said to alternate but as one is every 6 hours and one is 4 how does that work? I always thought you could give both together as they don't interact? I'm going to really dose him up tonight and pray for a better night teething wise. His upper gums look a bit swollen if I'm not mistaken so I hope this is it.

Moo you can give both together, but they say to alternate them so that you can give Calpol, and then 2 hours later you can give Calprofen, and then another dose of Calpol 2 hrs after that, etc. If you end up going into A&E with a temperature they weigh the baby and then they dose up according to that, not age. So when LG ended up in hospital he was a lump and they gave him extra. His temp was over 40 though.

As for baybees in Club, you can put your baby wherever you have paid for it to be. As I am a spoilt BC regular, I could not travel for over 4 hrs even on my own if I did not have a flat bed and champagne . But then again I probably know the driver. You can have a bassinet ( and the leg room that goes with it) till the baby is 18 months old.

Box that's what my other half said, as I was worried about overdosing but he is probably larger than most 1 year olds so I guess he will be ok! Bit worried I am giving it preventatively at least a good few times a week at bedtime and 1030pm. Worried this is overkill. Do you think I should wait for onset of teething pains/temp or give it to him earlier?

Aren't Malyasia Airlines meant to have banned kids from first class?

I hope babymoo is feeling better soon moo.

We are not having holidays this year so all the holiday talk is making me feel very jealous.

Oh bollocks. Baby has woken up and I am trying to find out how you make brownie nachos.

I spoke too soon! We are having a holiday after all. Just 4 nights up in That Scotland, but the in-laws will be there so there can be babysitting. Woot!

hurrah for holidays!

There is a spa there too. A spa. I am already planning my massage.

Spa sounds the biz muse!

Need some advice oh wise ones. Bedtimes are becoming uber traumatic.

Routine is bath (not always), pjs, milk and bed. Usually put to bed asleep. When he was younger I could put down awake and he'd settle. Now he screams blue fucking murder and I'm spending half of my precious evening up consoling MB til he drops off.

In fact I'm in his room now. He's smiling at me through the cot. If I leave it's not whining, it's heart wrenching, hyperventilating sobs with real tears and everyfink.

He's 9mo. The Wonder Weeks say it's a crap time but this is ridic.

Any miracle cures suggestions?

Good news on holidays with babysitting Muse!

Silverino sometimes when he doesn't settle well it's because he's not tired enough. I tend to just take him out of the room go into our room, distract him with book/Tv/whatever until he starts yawning, then put him back. Generally works unless teething in which case I mainline calpol!

I should add this can take anywhere between 20-40 minutes!

I have no tips to give, Silv - OH does the bedtime routine. When I try he just crawls around and giggles at me, and then screams if I leave.

Today LG has mastered the crawling up and down steps. We have a lot of steps in our house. (These are single steps, not a flight of stairs.) He was so pleased with himself he proceeded to demonstrate his new-found skill for the next half hour non-stop. Given I have to get him to crawl along behind me through the house like a little puppy atm and cannot lift him at all, his ability to negotiate the steps means I can go into the kitchen and the living room now without leaving a shrieking, wailing baby behind.

Anyway, the cast comes off on Thursday, which I was feeling very happy about till I spoke to my cousin tonight. She works in the 'bone' industry, and was all doom and gloom about my ankle, going 'ooh, it'll never be right again. Abandon all hope of being able to go on next year's ski holiday/ back to work/ get on a horse ever again/ etc.' Basically she thinks I'm fucked in all ways. Then I remembered she's broken her ankle too, and her pelvis, both arms and her back in 5 places. She is so full of metal she has her own magnetic field! So I took it with a pinch of salt and decided to carry on with my plan of making it a full time pursuit for the next 6 weeks to get my leg working again. Yes, it's sore, weak and stiff. But it's just a matter of getting on with it, right?

Silv could also be a bit of separation anxitey. Peppa balls when I leave the room - thinks I am abondoning her. Moo speaks wisely though and that is what I would do. Moo how is the wee man now? A bit better?

I am a bit cold. Went to Lolibop today and got totally drenched. Of course I had change of shorts and t-shirts for the kids as well as sun cream but it I was not prepared with rain cover for pram, warm clothes and wellies! Fucking British weather.

silv We found Bear got worse around that age, until the state we currently find ourselves in - and part of the row yesterday. He says I never put Bear to bed - true, it's something I prefer to avoid because JB has chosen to initiate a programme whereby he lies next to him for up to 2 hours until he falls asleep. I will not do that. He will not allow me to try any other method. So the responsibility falls upon him. Btw, "Asbo's" made me lol.

muser Why on earth would you take the children club class? Surely they'd be in the back with the nanny anyway?

box Great news about MB being able to follow! And I rather agree with you about your ankle, you can get on with it and do any exercises and physiotherapy recommended or you can make a martyr of yourself and spend the rest of your life exaggerating your limp and introducing yourself as "boxer, yes, terrible break, yes, limp, life over".

I think I made a bit of an arse of myself on sat, but am not sure. Went in to local baby emporium to scout double-buggies - that's a no btw, either so wide I'm not sure they'd fit through the door or about 5' in length. Ghastly things. Anyway, whilst scooting around dodging the first-timers buying "everything" (haw haw) I found a really cute pair of PJ's which would fit Bear now with a 50% off label on them. They were only 8 euros originally. So she rang them up and the till said 6 euros, I questioned this and her colleague came over and said "oh, they should've been 25% off". So I said, thanks but no thanks, if you mark them up I'm not buying them. I could hear them muttering "It's only 2 euros", and I know it's only 2 euros, but it's the principal of the thing. Imagine had I found a Stokke Xplory with a 50% off label only to be told at the till "sorry, we meant 25%" - are you fucking shitting me?

Our bedtime routine is complete shit. We are useless.

box When I smashed my right hand and wrist I was told the absolute worst. 'This is the worst broken wrist we have ever operated on.' 'You will never have proper use of your right hand again - learn to write with your left hand now.' 'You will definitely never be able to ride again.' 'You will develop arthritis in the joints within 5-10 years.' etc

Yes, it was really bad to start with, but I took the same attitude as you. I thought about all those mountaineers who become olympic champions after losing an arm and a leg to frostbite or whatever (perhaps I exaggerate) and thought, well I just need a portion of that determination and I'll be fine.

It worked! Apart from some freaky scars from the pins and some occasional aches you would never know. I wonder sometimes whether doctors say those doom and gloom things because they think people like to see themselves as victims. Not me - and not you either I'm sure!

Feeling happier about it this morning - thanks for the positive words! I don't want to be an Olympic champion, just be able to go hunting after Christmas and ski competently from bar to bar in Feb. I never liked black runs that much anyway, far too fiddly - much happier on a red run going really fast and then stopping for a chocolat chaud avec brandy or a gluhwein. Not sure Cluck is up for the really fast bit, but I know she agrees with me on the drink bit. My cousin is a walking hardware store herself with the number of screws, pins and plates she has - she had to have the rods taken out of her back though because they gave her grief - and she's planning her hunting and showjumping for the winter. I will just have to have a few lessons without stirrups to make me less dependent on my legs, and if the worst comes to the absolute worst, I shall have to be a propper laydee and ride side saddle, haha! Don't need my right leg for that at all. Actually, that's the best idea I've had all week!

Back in the world of sleeping (or not) baybees, LG is now of a mind to not want milk on a night, but would like to have a little chew on something to relieve his sore gums and for a bit of comfort. Oww oww oww, is all I am saying there. So naturally I hid the boobies and refused him access to them at which point he howled with rage from 1:09am till 2:16am. In a cute moment he decided that instead he would snuggle up really close to me but with his back to my tummy spoon stylee, and that was lovely, but then he settled on his final position for the night with his bum in my face. Hey ho.

Kids in Club - I ain't taking my paid nanny on holiday just yet. And my mother expects to be in Club with me. If anyone gets left down the back with the kids it tends to be OH.

Phil & Teds Alps - 2 babies in a normal sized pushchair, transforms to cradle & chair for when baby is really little and 3-wheeler to boot. I can highly recommend

I'm with Okes on the separation anxiety Silv. At around the 9 month mark they start to think that when you leave the room you're gone forever - reddit in a book. This is also why I reckon Boxer is being tailed by LG. Not sure what the solution is....maybe go in settle him and leave the room, go back to re-settle & leave, repeat to fade....

fans No tent sex, Artie slept with us most of the time as it was so frickin cold at night I was worried about him all alone in his room. He went to bed alone but came in with us when he woke.

Light, we drove through the night as we figured it was kinder to Artie. We did shifts sleeping / driving and it was absolutely fine, honestly. Having said that, I would have thought flying / hiring a car is possibly an easier option tbh.

buggerlugs just went on BESH to say hello  you can get cycling maternity shorts from minx girl ? Debbie there imports them, but tbh you don?t need them, I was coping fine in my Enduras, you just need to find the right panel configuration. Debbie at Minx actually cycled all the way through her pg and is really helpful with advice so she would be able to point you in the direction of ones to try out. I found I had to give up the road bike at about 18 weeks as I just couldn?t get comfortable, the front was too low and it didn?t work with growing bumpage. Mountain bike I rode much longer ? I think about 27 weeksish. That was proper off road stuff as well, I just walked a bit more if I didn?t fancy the look of a technical section and rested a lot more on the ups. I could have carried on but got lazy so just gymmed it after that.

silv I hear you! We are just coming to the end of bedtime shenanigans like you describe. Artie now (mostly) gets himself to sleep, I am just about to start gradual withdrawal. It is just a phase, honestly. It was nothing we did differently he just suddenly started taking longer and longer before he got upset and then one night he just fell asleep

alps You had the same reaction as me the first time we looked at double buggies. They are enormous! We went to the shop so many times to try to work out whther we could make the Phil & Ted's work for us, but kept concluding that it wouldn't - one child would always be stuck behind with no view, or unable to recline, etc.

I know loads of people love them, and I really wanted to, but I just couldn't get past the tandem thing. I think one factor for us is the closer age gap is more difficult for P&T to accommodate.

In the end we went for the Baby Jogger city mini double. It's not perfect, but it's the narrowest side by side double and fits through normal doors. The kids really love sitting next to each other.

I do hate being 'the mum with the double buggy' though. I take the single whenever I can. In the early days I slinged Clyde. Now I make Bonnie walk if we are going somewhere safe-ish and not too far. (But she insists on pushing her own buggy too, so we take up just as much room as before. And more innocent people get their ankles rammed.)

'lo all.

Hey Silv, I posted a thing about this book our Swedish friends recommended awhile back, and it seems to be doing the trick sleep-wise round these parts. TBH, Squib was usually reasonably good at sleeping at night, but my worry was that he was relying a bit too much on being in a pushchair/being breastfed to sleep, rather than learning to do it himself. I ordered her book and just finished reading it, and it seems to be working - basic principle is that when your child is crying, so long as they are not hungry, they are asking you to confirm that they are safe and protected, and the best way to confirm that is from outside their bedroom door, rather than rushing in and disturbing them. You only enter their room once they have reached major hysteria, and that only briefly. You have to develop this "jingle" that you say as you are walking out of their room, and that you recite through the door as a sort of "you're safe, I'm outside guarding you from the wolves, go to sleep now" sort of message. Anyways, that's probably a completely rubbish paraphrase, but you can find a cheat sheet which gives you basic guidance here. I only started using her technique on Saturday night, and I've been finding it takes me 15 minutes max to get Squib to sleep at night, and down for naps in his cot. Her book specifically says that major problems can arise at the 9 month mark, when they've been out as long as they've been in.

Happy to lend you my copy if you PM me your address? It makes for interesting reading even if you decide it's not for you.

In other news, my boobage is officially now my own. Squib had his last BF on Saturday morning...the top 2 teeth were really getting a bit uncomfortable, and I really think by the end I was doing it more for myself than for him.