Post-grad Brookers, over here! We will Brook No Argument that all Mini-Brookers sleep 12 hours a night and behave angelically during the day

[TooImmatureTurtleDoves]

Over here!

[ScreamIfYouWantToGoFaster]

Oooooo so Jaggy are you affected by that article I linked to about the mats? Or do you think it's nothing and you're going to continue using the mats for DS1? Does DS2 use them at all?

Gah! Every time I resign myself to not buying the mats I come across another friend who has them! Surely with so many out there and no reported cases of health problems, I should just buy a set for DD?!

I wish I'd never found that article.

Thanks for the alternative suggestions. I haven't come across any sheepskin rugs that are the kind of size I'm looking for Pomme, at least 2m by 2m. Also, if it was that big, or if we got a duvet as Wants suggests, it would be difficult to pack it away easily. Our house is teeny and the only place we can store a rug/duvet that size is up in the nursery, so we'd be forever carrying it up and down the stairs. The playmat tiles could be easily slid behind the sofa (which is where we keep the playgym atm). Too I prefer carpets in lounges usually, and we'll definitely get a carpet once we move. However our current house is a 200 year old cottage and the front door opens directly into the lounge, so we put down laminate to avoid having the carpets wrecked by outdoor shoes. Unfortunately we've just discovered we can't move until I go back to work in April (stupid mortgage company) and it's possible by then DD could have been walking for months.

Grr, I soooooooooo want those tiles! DH wants to get the mat but just put some kind of sheet over it. That would make it slippery and not protect against inhaled chemicals right?

No brooking for all the poorly mini No Brookers. DD's temp has been better tonight, so I haven't had to dose her up with baby ibuprofen like last night.

[jaggythistle]

pants he's awake again after not even an hour. maybe his throat is scratchy too so he needs a drink.

I'd never even considered the mats tbh! they're a Homebase garden toy but they're in the house so far.
DS2 doesn't use them, he's maybe been lying on them for a few minutes once or twice when DS1 first got them and they we'9 out a lot.

[ScreamIfYouWantToGoFaster]

Sorry to hijack the thread with my obsessing over the last few hours. I've decided to buy a mat in the end and I just wanted to explain why I've changed my mind in case I've put anyone off the mats.

Firstly I found this article. This finally addresses the issue of whether having this chemical in the mats actually affects kids playing on them. In essence it says that the only danger is from inhalation of fumes, NOT from sucking/chewing on the mat. The fumes decrease significantly after the mat has been aired for 1 month, and even when the fumes are at their highest point, the theoretical risk of adverse effects is less than 5%.

So I've tracked down a brand which has been tested to show it has extremely low levels of this chemical to start off with (skip hop, according to this link, and I'm going to ask my parents to keep the mat out at their house for the whole of September (there's no risk to adults). So by the time DD uses it after we get back from holiday, it should be safe.

Yay! I've finally found a solution I'm comfortable with! So sorry for dragging you all into the crazy world of my head for the last 24hours!

[Biscuitsandtea]

Awwww Scream I love it when you do your little research thing - you're so thorough . I think it's so nice that you really take the time to look into things .

I don't think I'll bother with the mats this time around as last time we sort of matted one corner of the room and it worked well but this house is a different layout and I couldn't put them down so easily without having them somewhere that ds1 would be tramping all over them all the time. I don't want him to trip over them and fall into my tv I don't know what I will do though as threat still leaves me with the laminate floor problem

I think I have also come round to preferring carpets for a lounge. They are warmer and so much easier to clean with being able to Hoover them. I hate sweeping laminate as the dust just moves around. And every speck of dirt shows up. I guess a carpet is probably equally dirty but at least I can't see it as much! Mind you we didn't put the laminate down at this house and it's not great quality I don't think. HOWEVER Scream our reward comes at potty training time - it is soooooooooo much easier to clean up accidents on a wooden floor and suuuuuuuuch a pita to mop up on carpets.

Once ds2 is potty trained I think we'll change our downstairs floors and I might think about carpet. I think DH prefers the look of laminate but to be fair, he's not cleaning it!

[Biscuitsandtea]

BTW, both boys still asleep here .

My boobs might explode

[pommedechocolat]

just one thing though scream ... you know she'll crawl off the rubber mats anyway don't you?

My friend who had beautiful stone floors in her house (and the worst case of pfb ness ever) bought lots of fluffy rugs and cushions for it and then on the bit near the patio window had a traffic mat thing. Will try and find a link...

[pommedechocolat]

It was rubber on the bottom and kind of felt stuff on the top... still looking!!

[pommedechocolat]

Not that pfb ness is bad she was just the most extreme version of it ever, but very very sweet with it!

She still covers her eyes when her pfb jumps on things at soft play (at nearly 2 and a half!)

[jaggythistle]

I'm a bit like that when my pfb disappears into the depths of the soft play pomme. I quite like going to the small local one, the bigger one in the nearest town is just a zoo. I've only ever been on a Saturday and i was v scared!

i ended up doing my nervous co sleeping to get a rest last night, DS2 was struggling with his cold. we got to sleep until 7.15 when DS1 shouted for me.

[Biscuitsandtea]

We have one of these from Ikea (although it's not on the wooden floor - I might bring it downstairs actually instead of the foam mats. Also Ikea do this one which is slightly bigger

[Biscuitsandtea]

I suppose the only thing with then is that they don't offer any padding for learning to sit?

[scarletfingernail]

Is there something wrong with road mats Pomme?
DS has this one

[scarletfingernail]

Oh I see! I thought you meant that she'd been all careful to put nice rugs and cushion out for her PFB and then and did something stupid like buy a road mat. I realise now that you meant that the road mat was safer to have near the door.

Not looking forward to him having a blood test

[Biscuitsandtea]

Brooking for DS Scarlet

When does he have to have the blood test? Hope it goes ok. He was a full on trooper with his jabs wasn't he? Xxx

[PetWoman]

No brooking for poorly DCs and families. Hope things improve quickly.

We've got wooden floors through most of our house (only carpet is on the stairs, landing and our bedroom) so we're thinking of getting some of those foam mats for DS. DH already bought a road mat thing for DS's bedroom. I'm trying to be realistic about health risks and not stress about anything which isn't obviously dangerous!

[PetWoman]

BTW, harking back to the last thread, Dream I'm interested that your little ferret feeds quickly - that gives me hope that maybe my grumpy one is just being very efficient though I doubt it . Also, I totally agree that having a loving, affectionate child is so much more important than which baby walks first! Let's hope all the brooking babies have beautiful characters to go with their other qualities!

[PetWoman]

Oh, and Too I hope you had a better night - and that goes for all exhausted parents!

DS has now had several nights in the cotbed in his room and it seems to be going well - I'm not waking when he briefly fusses any more (assuming he is doing so and I just don't hear it) so have only had to hop out of bed a couple of times to feed / resettle him most nights. FX this wonderful situation continues without major regression any time soon!

[TooImmatureTurtleDoves]

Scarlet, when will DS have the blood test?

[Wants3]

We have a curved pillow and a Galt play gym for the wobbly learning to sit stage!
I need to use my ergo more,D was not that keen last time but I need to use the insert a bit more before he gets to big to justify buying it! I think DH was hoping to wear it at the weekend.
Re:naps, my boys never had a set nap time, just slept when they were tired and slept through the night early on. I suppose as with everything else, each baby is different so just do what is best for them and you!

[NinjaChipmunk]

Hi! I'm just very quickly popping in to mark my place. Apologies for my absence but real life has been a tad busy recently and will be till the end of next week so I haven't forgotten about you all, just not getting a chance to read let alone post. DD had her 8 week jabs this morning, poor sausage. She's currently fast asleep on a floor cushion whilst I grab some lunch. I will try to catch up with posts asap, dp out tonight so I may be able to then hopefully.

[Wantsnomore]

Just checking in with my new name! You can still call me wants so no confusion for me
I want to put some photos up( now I have finally got around to sorting my password) but I haven't figured out how to do it from my iPad yet!

[TooImmatureTurtleDoves]

A minor miracle has occurred - M is asleep in her cot and has been for 20 mins! It's as if she was listening to my napping rambles (I was discussing the idea with my sister on the phone) or possibly reading over my shoulder and decided to cooperate.

Is the Galt gym like this, Wants? I have a thing like that - it was a present and I didn't really know what it was for. I'll have a go with it later.

Poor DD, Ninja!

[Wantsnomore]

Yes it is too ours also has the activity arch over the top. We have it semi inflated ATM and D loves to lie in it batting at the toys! He has also napped in it a few times.we had one for the boys but this one was a present from work collegues.

[pommedechocolat]

Love the name wants!

Both dd's have loved that galt thing too. Great for when they can sit but still fall occasionally. Shove them in with some toys!

dd1 managed to climb out of it at 6/7 months though and crawl off. gave me the shock of my life when I came back into the room and it was empty!

[ScreamIfYouWantToGoFaster]

Those Galt rings look great! I doubt I can sell DH on it though, since little A will have outgrown it in only a couple of months.

Biscuits it looks like I'll end up with the worst of both worlds - laminate floors while DD is learning to sit/crawl/walk, then carpets by the time she's seriously potty training! Sigh!

Scarlet how did the blood test go? Hope you and DS are both okay!

I'm on my way to a posh dinner with a good friend right now. DD is home with DH. Why is it so hard to leave her with anyone else?!?! I need to man up before my overnight work training course on the 13th Sept!!