Postgraduate brookers - Brooking No Argument for happy, healthy and sleeping DCs..

[musicalmrs]

New thread time!

Happy birthday ninja.Sorry about mastitis again:(
I am on the Sussex coast.
I have 2yrs 5mths between ds1&2 and 14yrs 9mths between ds2&3! There are pros and cons to both.
SFF and not minding when AF shows up, life is good biscuits! :)
musical do your reusables last all night? I to change d every 3-4 hours during the day but am using the gnappies biogradable pads at night so I don't have to do a change when he wakes. I would like to maybe buy a few all- in- ones for nighttime.

I misread that Wants as 'there are pros and cons to both SFF and not minding when AF shows up'! I'm thinking 'what are the cons?

Then I read it properly - d'oh!!

Also on the age gap thing I think the family dynamic is about so much more than just the age gaps - its the personality of each family member too. Sometimes an age gap can work differently for different families. But at the end of the day, you generally can't imagine anything different. I'm much happier with the age gap we have than I though I would be, but that's not to say I wouldn't have been as happy had we got the 2-3 yr age gap we wanted iyswim? I was going to say something else but got distracted by the heptathlon high jump. I'll see if it comes back to me later

of Katerina Johnson-Thomson's tummy.

Oh yes - Scarlet, ironing is NOT necessary! Seriously. Put the iron down and put your feet up.

I'm currently sitting v quietly hoping that DS1 decides to have a nap today. I'm exhausted when he doesn't! also my friend is coming round and i am already bad at finishing sentences without watching a toddler scaling furniture.

we've 2 years and 7 months between the boys. I'm not sure there is an ideal really. it's nice that DS1 can talk about things, but he is probably more demanding and tantrumy than he was a year ago.

need to start planning his birthday cake, it's less than 2 months till he's 3! is your DS1 September too biscuits or have i imagined it?

argh that sucks about the mastitis ninja. :(

Oh lord DS1 will be 3 in less than 4 weeks! We have 2yrs 4m between our boys. Pros and Cons to that as well. Am def broody and the thought of not having another baby makes me feel v sad. Just need everyone but DH to butt out of the decision. All and sundry seem to have an opinion as to whether we should have another baby given our experiences with DS1 and 2 which were essentially bad luck in both cases. Anyway its none of their fucking business! Grrrr. Oh sorry got a little wound up there, not had a lot of sleep this week...

Managed the pinnacle of motherhood - both boys asleep at the same time so time for a cup of tea, feet up and some lympics action. Ignoring the mess in the kitchen, the washing, the dishwasher...

Instead of booking a hotel for his birthday, I've bought DH tickets to a musical I really want to see I'm sure he'll enjoy it as well...

Thanks for all the age gap advice. You all seem to have 2 years plus, and I can definitely see the advantages to that! It would be nice for DD to be 3 yrs old and therefore entitled to cheaper childcare by the time I go back to work after no.2! Plus having DD able to communicate better and possibly potty trained, all sounds great. I agree with all the comments about making it work whatever the age gap ends up being, that makes a lot of sense to me!

On the other hand I just mentioned 18 months to DH to gauge his reaction, and he didn't actually object!

I'd love another given unlimited time and money. not really practical in this house.

both mine asleep too and desperately attempting to tidy for friend coming!

I'd love another too, but sadly we're too knackered and skint so no DC3 here for sure. Maybe if we won on the lottery. Which reminds me, I've not yet checked my Euromillions ticket from last Friday.

DD is doing some absolutely rank farts today.

Is anyone else losing or lost an obscene amount of hair? I'm shedding all over the place. I remember losing it after DS but not to this extent. It's only a slight exaggeration to say it's coming out in handfulls. Should I be worried?

In my next life I'd like to come back as Jessica Ennis

Hair loss is common and normal scarlet I think it is a hormonal thing. DD sounds like a real lady btw!
Arrgh! Why does the dog always decide he wants to come in just as D latches on. He is now whinging at the back door. The neighbours must think I am being mean.

Evening ladies, hope you and the wee ones are all doing well.

Forgive the intrusion, I still have 6.5 weeks to go.....but I was hoping that some of you could pop over to this thread I have started with some suggestions.....

Breast Pump advice

Many thanks!

I thought we'd have a nice little walk before dinner, cajoled DH off the sofa and everything. Forgot to take the dog's lead, but thought it wouldn't matter as we were only going to tramp around the field behind the house. Bloody dog took off into the wild blue yonder not once, but twice, causing us to wander through the undergrowth behind the field shouting very loudly, stepping in puddles and getting caught on bushes. Honestly, I thought he'd had a heart attack somewhere (vet told me on Tues that dog has a slight heart murmur). Eventually he came back looking knackered but happy (if somewhat guilty). At least DH was carrying M.

Scarlet, my hair is also coming out in handfuls. I removed something that looked like a dead mouse from the shower drain the other day, but it was just accumulated hair. M keeps pulling it out as well. I keep having to unwind strands from around her fingers.

Brief break there to go change a nappy.

Scream, baby no 2 sounds like it might be on the cards! Exciting! 18 months gap means you've still got a few months before you start ttc again - plenty of time to think about it.

Oh for goodness' sake, baby! Stop filling your nappy 2 minutes after I change it!

Handfuls of hair coming out here too - the hairdresser even commented on it .

I'm hoping it might start to ease up soon....

DH is well jel though (as the kids say ) that so much hair can come out without leaving a bald spot

scream, I'm pleased with my 18, nearly 19 month age gap. DD adores the boys, still had absolutely zero jealousy (I know, I know, wait til they're mobile and try and get her toys etc), she does mostly sleep through now- she's not the cause of my exhaustion mostly!! Bedtime can be hard but think she's on the brink of stopping napping so is genuinely not tired if she's had one. She is strong willed and knows her own mind ie won't wear something unless she wants to, chooses her own shoes (!!), fussy eater etc etc but not enormous tantrums yet. And I think it'll be great when they're playing together. If i had one baby, I'd just use a sling a lot to be with DD. If one's awake and one's asleep I do often find it fine, or at least managable. its hard if the awake baby is ill, crying, fretful etc. I'm lucky because i can and do feed anywhere and everywhere so can be out and about a lot- if i only had one baby it wouldn't be too awful. I do really struggle with 2 though...

Had a horrible day yesterday and have that same blocked duct again today so feeling achey etc...

Oh, baby kick off, back later

A minor miracle has occurred. M was refusing to feed to sleep - fed and then started to howl again - so I put her down in the basket, closed the curtains and lay down on the bed to see what she would do. She actually went to sleep! Lots of kicking and wriggling, but no noise, and then gradually the kicking stopped and her eyes closed.

Brooking for your duct to unblock sharpish, Dream. Your 18 month age gap sounds good...

Go M , go M, go!!!! & then come and speak to bloody S

Ninja, happy birthday! Sorry about yet another bout of mastitis - you've been so unlucky with it :(

Wants, yes my reuseables last all night! They're bitti tuttos, and each one comes with 3 soaker pads - one double length, so effectively four layers of absorption. During the day I use 3 layers in the morning (she does huge morning wees!) and two for the afternoon, but all four at night and haven't had a leak yet (touch wood).

Scream, I know what you mean about having to calculate a second baby carefully with regard to your career etc. I was very lucky this time round - maternity pay from two employers, which is very rare as a freelance musician. I won't be so lucky next time, so will have to work out when it's most viable financially..

Oo, and which musical?! :)

Dream, your 18 month gap sounds lovely :) Think it may need to be a bit further in between here if I'm to sort out something income wise..

Too, hurrah for M!

Mini miracle here too! Iz has been in her own bedroom for two nights now - only waking once/twice during the night. Tonight, after fussing while feeding, I tried to put her down asleep but she woke up. Kissed her goodnight, left the room.. and 10 minutes later she's asleep! HURRAH! However, I'm fully aware that she'll probably wake up earlier as a result.. but it's still a little victory :)

Especially seen as she's been a lot more refluxy today :( Crying after or in the middle of every feed, and lots of sick. She seems to go through phases, and today (and yesterday, come to think of it) were particularly bad.

A weekend with family ahead, which should be lovely!

Thanks for the 18 month gap encouragement Dream! Although given your superhero status I'm not sure that I could handle 2 under 2 as easily as you would! No Brooking for your blocked duct to clear asap!

I'm another one who's been losing vast quantities of hair. My Mum and baby sis were round while I was brushing through my hair the other day, and they both commented on the thick swathes of hair falling to the ground

Musical I've booked tickets to see 'The Book of Mormon' a comedy musical from the creators of South Park. The show was launched last year in New York and it's had amazing reviews, it just looks hilarious. It opens in London early next year and I've booked us tickets to the previews Can't wait! (DH loves that style of humour as much as I do so it is a genuine present for him!)

I've been book shopping for DD and I've bought her all my old favourites! Dear Zoo, Where's Spot, and Guess How Much I Love You. She already has The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I just love all these old books! I'm really looking forward to sharing them with DD!

I ordered The Very Hungry Caterpillar weeks ago and it hasn't shown up yet. I got The Tiger Who Came To Tea, though - I love it! Next on my list is The Cat in the Hat - Mum used to call me and my sister Thing 1 and Thing 2 because we destroyed the house just as effectively! I love Guess How Much I Love You too, but I know my little sister has heaps of baby books and I was planning to nick them all the next time I go home.

I love South Park: The Musical, Scream - hope this one is as good!

Yay for Iz, Musical! How grown up, going to sleep when left alone! Poor her (and you!) with the reflux, though. Have fun with your family - sounds great.

Ugh, I keep getting bitten by horrible insects! I think it's the wet weather encouraging more midgies and nasty biting things. I took M out to hang out the washing 10 mins ago, sat her in her Bumbo and got on with things. M suddenly yowled, and her head was covered in little black flies! I had to take her back inside and now she has red bite marks all over her scalp. I have raised red bites all over me from the dog bringing in bloody harvest mites, plus I was bitten by a horse fly on Tuesday on the ankle. I look like I have fleas, and I haven't!

We love all those books here too Scream. I love buying the ones from when I was little. We're going on a bear Hunt, The Tiger who came to Tea, Funny Bones and Burglar Bill are DS's favourites at the moment. I used to love South Park, it was so shockingly funny in it's day. Still makes me laugh now though when I catch it. I snigger a lot at Family Guy too. Think I should be a teenage boy really!

Thanks for all the hair assurance. I was starting to worry about alopeacia. Not sure that's the right spelling. MIL saw me pull a handful out and told me about an old friend of hers who that happened to who ended up bald! Thanks MIL!

I love all those books too Although I've never read / don't have Guess How Much I Love You. Should I get it?

I think the books from when we were little are just as popular now - they translate better than the tv programmes from our youth don't they. DS loves those books in their own right, not because it's something I've told him I liked iyswim?

A lot of these books were already old when we were young, they really are timeless. The Tiger Who Came To Tea, and The Cat In The Hat, are definitely next on my list! There are only a few nursery rhymes I remember from when I was little, and all the ones I don't remember just sound nonsensical when I read them to DD. I've decided to skip the nursery rhyme stage and go straight to reading books to DD!

Biscuits 'Guess' is a really sweet story of a little rabbit and his Dad comparing how much they love each other. I particularly love the illustrations and actually this book is the theme for DD's nursery decor. There are illustrations and quotes from this book all over her walls and cot.

Sorry to hear about all the biting things Too!! Sounds like the kind of thing that would really wind me up too! When DH and I lived in Australia for 6 months the very worst part of the whole trip was easily all the bugs!

DS1 loves 'Nog' the Forgetful cat

My boys really enjoyed the Old Bear and Percy the Park Keeper books. I still have them in the loft so they will come back down for D!
Thanks musical I might invest in some fleece boosters.