November 2011 - early birds, just in time and late to the party, all welcome!!

[TwoJackRussellsandapumpkin]

Hi all,

just starting up a post natal thread for all the due in November peeps on the antenatal forum and anyone else who would like to join in too, hoping to see my arrival by the end of the week, so officially an early bird I hope :)

I think that was me - I'll dig it out!

I got my wall sticker from an American company, who were excellent. I wanted different colours from what they showed on their website but they sent me what I wanted. Very quick delivery too.

WWW.wallstickeroutlet.com

pam I decorated nursery for DD in 2010 and used these stickers weegallery.com/store/wall-graphics/

Ds is now in the nursery and I decorated dd's new room with woodland animal stickers took me blimmin ages to find and decide what to get. I used this website to find stickers and then found them cheaper on amazon.

I also got some butterfly stickers to dd's room and she loves them. We count the stickers before we put her to bed. V sweet.

Sorry, that was for gold

Went to my first pilates session on wed and made prat of myself there too. Instructor told us to pick up circular item of equipment. I turned around from her and picked up a ball but she was holding diff bit of equipment. I said 'well, it is circular...' I did enjoy it though!

I always imagined I might fall asleep at pilates and I think that's even more likely now I'm sleep deprived! What kind of stuff do you do and would I stay awake?!

somersaults I thought I would fall asleep as well! I'm doing an intro to pilates for 5 weeks and then can go into their classes. One of them was on next door and it sounded extremely full on. Looked in window to see very red faced women and men.

We did intro to finding your neutral pelvis, spine. Actually v hard work. Laying on back with legs bent and slowly moving out to the side and then down and move back up again. If you are shaking you are using the wrong muscle and not in correct position. We did other exercises but can't remember them all. The classes look really, really good. Hoping to get muscle strength and tone up a bit especially stomach area as it is saggy. Nice.

I think treacle has been doing pilates for a while and loves it. She might be able to explain some exercise better than me.

I did enjoy the 1.5 hours away from kids and DH. Nice walk to studio and back to. Felt really energised when coming home.

Only been to one Pilates class, and it was full of farting old ladies! I couldn't stop giggling every time one of the darlings let one rip...

Cali I was worried I might do that too! . How is abi doing today? And you?

Abi needs her Ranitidine upping, but otherwise... Great! Eating between 3-6 ounces in mostly under an hour, depending on mood, wake state and stomach. But I'm reserving all judgement of the situation until we're weaned and happy in 6 months time. Have another paeds appointment on Monday. I'm doing so much better after last weekend...

That's brilliant news Cali. So pleased abi's feeding is improving.

My thumb is extremely painful and am finding it difficult to pick up both kids. It's most painful when trying to grip. Not good. Have read about DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis and I think it might be this. Bugger.

Anyone else had this?

Quick visit, this is a few months late.... www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2012/1/17/porn-for-pregnant-ladies.html

Cali glad things are going in the right direction!

One the edge here. F bleep nursery was Informed 9 months ago we need a FT place from May for DS. A very impersonal letter informing us they now don't have a place. DH having narrowly avoided redundancy will have to pack in work as I can't find 2 FT places in this area with 3 months notice. I will bloody blast the owner on Monday. I am beyond fuming.

Upside is it made us focus and I admitted to DH in tears I feel sick at the thought of DD and DS being full time. DD is loving being at home more. I work from home so I can do breakfast, lunch and dinner with them!!!

Skint, we will be so skint. Never mind.

Hugs to all you Mummy's. Apologies for self absorbed post.

Katie at least you've seen the upside and it is a big upside for both your DCs and you. Not ideal by any stretch and terrible from the nursery but you do have a lovely silver lining.

Katie That's rubbish! Are there no alternatives?

We're looking at moving to Sweden or DP starting a Foundation year for Uni when my Mat. leave is up, and me going back to working in HR. We'll see how the jobmarket is by then, though!

cradle cap i noticed that dentinox was making ds's scalp v red, so couple of days ago I started using this and cradle cap has been easier to remove, and lots of it.

With DD I found johnsons dried her scalp and found halos and horns which is lovely. Can get from boots and lasts for ages. Tried it on ds and it suits his sensitive skin as well.

Somersaults you are going to regret having asked about pilates, I am a pilates bore.

Ok, the classes I go to are quite full on, they are not just wee tiny movements for an hour (although we do those as well) there are a lot of leg lifts, sit ups, shoulder bridges/pelvic lifts etc. But there is such attention to your posture, core muscles etc that I suppose its that which differentiates the exercises from a standard bums and tums type class. We use resistance bands and these wee resistance things www.amazon.co.uk/Pilates-Mad-Pilates-Ring-Double-Handle/dp/B0014DPCTG/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1327862141&sr=8-12 to make things harder. Its definitely a tough work out, although not necessarily of the hot and sweaty type, but if you've done it right you can feel it in your muscles for days afterwards.

I'm starting back to my exercise classes this week, and I'm all excited about it.

cradlle cap - I'm using olive oil and it is keeping the worst at bay. I don't use a lot and I don't wash it off with soap, just warm water and cotton wool. Seems to work.

Hello ladies
Having a very quick session, as DD1 is home from kindergarten with a cold and DD2 is sleeping.
I admire people who do double full-time kids at home - its so hardcore! Not sure I could manage very well. I have signed DD2 up for the same nursery that DD1 went to and hope to get a place this summer.

But not sure what I will be going back to in terms of work this autumn - as they did a major re-structure and sacked 8 people last week, and have rolled the department I am in into the main agency. Being on maternity leave you are totally protected, otherwise there is a chance I may have gone too. Hopefully there will be more work this autumn but I will have a dilemma of going back full-time and getting full salary but needing some help with picking up kids, or asking to go part-time and taking the money hit. I think it would be hard to do double drops and pick-ups from nursery and kindergarten and my DH can't do that much as he works in Sweden, which is a 40 min train ride across the bridge.

But hey, the sun is shining and I can't worry about that stuff right now!

DD2 cradle cap has completely cleared up, using a shampoo from the chemist here called Sascha (contains salycic acid but you only use a teeny bit). And is maintained with an oil called Ceridal. I just wish I had found it early - all that oiling and scraping meant that she lost about half her hair.

How's the weight loss club going? I am so off the diet and exercise - was down last week with some malingering coughing virus that I got in the UK at Xmas but may venture to the gym tomorrow.

Hello all. Popping in to finally post a message as haven't been able to for ages.

DS is 8 weeks tomorrow and a total milk monster. Despite being almost completely ff, he still feeds every 2 hrs in the day. He can take up to 40mins to feed too, which leaves very little time. Hey ho. At least he now sleeps from 8pm in our room, which gives us some time back in the evening. he was going through till 5am (waking himn at 11 for a dreamfeed didn;t work - he still woke at 5) but last night he woke at 1am and I fed him, then he chuntered on and off from 4.30am. DP has flown to Holland on business for 4 days, so I am knackered! He wasn't hungry at 4.30am as he zonked out till 7.30am eventually and then really didn't want his bottle. frustrating as at this age DD was sleeping 7-7 so I'm feeling this!!

Work/childcare is so difficult. DD goes to nursery 3 days a week and from Sept she has a place at pre-school nursery but very few schools offer wrap around care, which we would need. One that does, i went to see and just came away shuddering. Her current private nursery is so fantastic and we could keep her there till she is 5 but I worry she will get bored (they are nursery workers not teachers) and we will have to find about £1,100 a month for DD and DS to go 4 days a week.

Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

Right, we really need to sort a trafford centre meet up - don't mind if we meet for a coffee in Starbucks at first, then play it by ear. Any takers for a week on Thursday?? Happy to sort via pm.

Hi all

I am up for TC week on Thursday, earlier the better for me as its nice and quiet in the morning.

Weight loss here 2lbs a week at the mo - I am so hungry though I am eating loads. I have lost 10lb in total since starting SW so slow but steady I guess.

Do any of you have babies who won't settle in the evening? DH is having to take Luke on a walk around 8 every night to give me an hour of peace as he would feed all evening still.

School run to do - must dash

I've lost 8lbs in 3 weeks but had a few days off last week as I had a meal out with some Mummy friends from DS1 - been finding it tough though, eating plenty buy feeling a bit drained - will prob do 2 more weeks trying really hard then have a break (just maintaining weight) til the spring - it has made me think harder about always reaching for the biscuits & the extra calories allowed for bf do allow for a few treats. My main prob is the need to be organised & get the right foods in

Wow, respect to you dieters. Maybe i should do SW online. I would have to substitute a lot thought because you can't easily get all the same stuff here. I have never seen low-calorie cooking spray, for example.

I am off to an international mum's group today, that meet in a big cafe at the top of a department store. I am really forcing myself to go because I have been hermiting for ages...

Blake still doesn't sleep till 11. I give him massage n bath at 6:30 then feed then into his basket, with dummy if necessary, for 7:30 and he will nap but then wakes up again bright as a button. I try to keep everything calm but it's like he knows that he'll only get quality time with me when DD is asleep

Going to a sling meet tomorrow to see if I can find one that suits us, quite excited about having 2 hands free!

Ooooh where is the sling meet? That sounds good!

Hi Ladies. Sorry I haven't been around for a few days. busy, busy.
Sas Thanks for asking about me I think I was just feeliong a bit overwhelmed with this little pooey non sleeper of mine. I have decided to carry on feeding as I would be really disapointed if it made no difference to his tummy problems. Sorry to hear your little one is also a night owl.I think they just like mummy cuddles all the time- much preferable to bed.
Sling meet sounds good. Let us know which sling you go for. I am still using a Moby Wrap which helps stem the crying - if I keep moving!!
For all you mums who use reusable nappies what do you use to clean them with?? Every single nappy I have used is now stained a lovely orange colour. I must be a rubblish laundry lady. Soak them in nappisan then rinse and spin on machine then wash at 40 with non bbio. Anything else I should be doing? Also nappies tried so far are Mothercare Smart system, tots bots, bum genius and bambino mio ( Not a nappy obsessed mummy but bought a few different types second hand to see which were best)
Also whilst on subject of poo Sorry TMI coming up. Little one appeared more upset than usual with his tummy yesterday and his poo smelt kind of fishy- he is also constantly hand chewing is this teeth or a little tummy bug. Can't remember the teething with my last one his just appeared with no trouble apart from making his eczema flare up)
By the way (sorry if I have already mentioned) went to baby massage last week and it was lovely.
Well done to all the dieting and excercise mummies I will start tomorrow seems to be my favourite saying at the moment!!
Hope you all have a lovely day