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!

Hi Scarlet and the rest of the Post-grad Brookers. My due date is one week and 4 days away (if I can add up lol, 5th Oct) so hopefully will be joining you all properly soon

Oooh Cakes that really isn't long! I can't remember if you have any dc already? Do you have any history of being early / late. I had had both ds's before I got to where you are now .

Is anyone else due now / soon?

This will be our first dc so am very glad that I found MN and all the brookers otherwise I think it would be a much scarier prospect.

Fluffy is due 6th Oct.

FFS

F*ing AF. This is not right surely? She only buggered off a week ago and now seems to have returned. Anyone have any knowledge why this might be? I was so relieved when it seemed I'd be AF free for my holiday and now I'm worried again.

Biscuits I think Fluff and Cakes are due within a day of each other. A great week for a baby to be born

No way Scarlet - that is bang out of order!

Hope it's not as painful as before. In fact I hope it's an administrative error which is quickly rectified and by tomorrow all is normal again and you have been reimbursed for your inconvenience

Oh no, Scarlet, that sucks! Go away AF, you are not welcome! Do I deduce that your birthday is around the 5th of October, btw? Mine is the 7th, so yes, it is definitely a great week to be born in!

Hello Cakes, looking forward to it! There was an 11 week old at today's bf group and it looked so small compared to M - newborn tininess is once again beyond my comprehension.

Have never been to America, Scream, but it sounds lush! Have a great day today! Is Yogi Bear from Yosemite Park?

Biscuits, I kind of want a steam mop now. I only have moppable floors in the kitchen and bathrooms, so there really isn't any point, but I want one!

BLW question: when do they stop being quite so messy? Gave M fish pie for dinner, which was a huge hit - think she actually ate some. I definitely saw a prawn go into her mouth, although DH said he saw it fall out again, and she must have taken in some fish by osmosis through her skin. We nipped to Ikea this afternoon and bought her a highchair and a new sleeping bag, an 18 piece plastic cutlery set and two new bins for me to separate recycling into. Damn you Ikea!, pulled out the kitchen table and sat down to a proper meal en famille. I put M's fish pie on a plate so it could cool down and put it on her tray to get it out of my way. DH plonked M into her highchair and just as I was saying 'tip the food onto the tray before she throws the plate', she tipped the food onto her tray herself and threw the plate against the wall, where it smashed. Then she chewed her spoon for a bit, then dropped it, and finally proceeded to eat and smear fish pie everywhere. She was coated in it. She was wearing just a vest and a pair of tights, which are probably ruined. The dog was sitting under the highchair eating everything that dropped. M went straight into the bath afterwards and I tipped the highchair onto its side for the dog to lick, and there was so much food on it that he didn't finish it. I did wipe it down afterwards! Oh, and when I put M to bed she barfed fish pie sick into my cleavage. Anyway, that's a very long-winded way of getting around to my question - when does she stop making such a mess?

My worst fear. DS has vommed all over his room. He said earlier his tummy was hurting but I didn't think he meant it and I made him eat his dinner even though he said he didn't want it.

DH is so proud of me. I cleared it all up on my own, even the carpet. DH cleaned DS up but then DS said he wanted a cuddle with me so I sat up with him for half an hour and he was saying he loved me and I felt such a shit mum for being so flakey because inside I was just terrified it's going to happen again, or that I will now get it, or DH.

It was nearly 2 hours ago. I really want to believe that's the end of it but my mind won't let it go

3 more weeks til my councelling, it can't come soon enough.

You poor, poor thing . But please, no feelings of being flakey - you've just done amazingly to clear it all up! I think that proves what an amazing mum you are, so quite the opposite of being flakey. The fact is that you've managed to comfort DS and clean it up despite your fears which is amazing and a testament to your super-mum status.

I am brook brook brooking that it is in fact a one off. Kids do seem to get sort of one-offs. Ds1 has only ever been sick a few times, perhaps once or twice when it's not connected to him already being poorly (eg when he had chicken pox) and on those occasions it has indeed just been a one off. I was still there with a bowl every time he so much as breathed but it has only been a one off.

Also, this might be a bit grim, but if he's already thrown up what he's eaten then he shouldn't probably be able to do another 'big one', even if he was sick. But he's not going to be because I'm brooking about it. Fact.

But your worst fear has happened and you have dealt with it all admirably so I am sending you all lots of hugs and hoping that DS feels better soon.

Roll on three weeks for your counselling too xx

Back in the hotel after a long day in the park - it's amazing!!! Sooooo beautiful. Just driving down the road through the park you'll turn a corner and just stop breathing at the huge vista in front of you! Can't wait to go back tom, I'm determined to get at least a couple of photos that properly capture the sheer scale of the views!

Sending lots of hugs to Scarlet, that sounds so stressful. I second everything Biscuits said though, you've been incredibly strong to deal with it already. I'm No Brooking like a crazy thing for this to be a one-off, never to be repeated! Roll on the counselling!

Also Scarlet, the virus was only in a very small part of the park (the park is HUGE) so we're staying well away from that bit. It was passed on by campers sleeping next to the faeces of infected mice - nice! I make a point of avoiding both camping and mouse faeces at all times anyway!

Sorry to hear about AF, she needs to bugger off ASAP! She's just about to visit me as well, heralded by three days of super sensitive nips while bfing! Sigh. Dreading the thought that she might be as awful as the first time

Too your description of M's dinner made me laugh so hard I had to read it out to DH by way of explanation! Slightly terrified of little A starting blw next week though!! Note to self - buy dog! (I wish I could buy a dog but our house isn't big enough )

Yay to Cakes & Fluffy joining us very soon with gorgeous newborn bundles!! No Brooking for your pain-free sneeze births!

scarlet i agree that it sounds like you did great clearing up and looking after the wee guy. hope the counselling helps lots.

i have a very slight fear of mess and am a bit nervous when DH or DS1 are ill, i do the bowl hovering thing. i was actually a bit freaked out by DS1's first and only poo accident last week, because by the time we found it he'd jumped about everywhere and i was paranoid there was poo all over the house. he got 2 couches and his bed. 30 secs before his toddler friends arrived...

sounds like a great trip scream!

i really hate listening to windy weather, found it hard to get back to sleep last night.

looking forward to welcoming more tiny new brooking babies

DS1 has told me that he really wants another baby, a baby sister called

Thanks everyone for

Gag! Thanks everyone for making me feel better. Very embarrassed that I made it all about me when it's my poor little boy that's not well and he's being so brave! He was sick again at 4am and also about an hour ago. You were right Biscuits there wasn't nearly so much and luckily DH managed to get him to the bathroom on time. DS is a real trouper. This last time he just said "oh not again" as he was doing it and I almost cried. When they're poorly it's a big reminder of how little they are still. He's so brave though, he didn't even flinch again during his blood test yesterday.

I'm still being a wuss and have already phoned my mum and begged her to come over ASAP as DH has a meeting 200 miles away today. Poor DH is shattered and now has a horrible long drive which I've made him postpone til Mum arrives. Again I'm embarrassed.

Too the fish pie incident has provided me with a laugh despite my trauma. Sorry, I'm sure it wasn't meant to be amusing!

Scream glad you're enjoying Yosemite. I knew the virus was something to do with mouse poo but didn't realise it had been contained to a small area. That is good news. When we arrived there after a 10 hour drive from Vegas and drove past the sign that said welcome to Yosemite we felt such relief we'd finally arrived. Then we went through the checkpoint and the ranger said it was another hour and a half to our hotel! That really put the size of the place into perspective!

Ewww my house stinks of puke. Really going to be paranoid now about catching it. I don't want our holiday to be ruined.

You poor thing. Brooking really hard that DS is much better now and there is no more vomming. You did so well to clean it all up! Also brooking that his blood test comes back completely normal. As for phoning your mum, that's what mums are for!

The fish pie thing was very funny - particularly M just heaving her plate at the wall. I started thinking about it again when I was feeding her to sleep last night and got the giggles, which didn't help with getting her off to sleep! I am putting off breakfast, though - not sure I can deal with yoghurt-coated baby at this time in the morning. Might wuss out and give her bread and butter instead. I do have one of those giant plastic bibs that covers her, arms and all, but she doesn't like wearing it.

Shouting baby - gotta go!

Scarlet I genuinely don't think you've made it all about you. Making it about you would have been flouncing out of the house the first time saying 'I can't work in these conditions' .

Conversely, you have made it all about DS and dealt with something which is really hard for you in order to help him. Totally fair enough to come on here and have an 'eeeeek' moment - that's what we're here for. And I know I would have been on here complaining about having to clean up sick!

Is there any chance it's something he's eaten? Has he eaten anything different to you in the past few days? Or could it be related to his recent mystery illness? Does he have a temperature?

Brooking no argument that no one else gets it

Scream lovely to hear from you - your trip sounds IMMENSE! . Maybe you can post one of your amazing pics when you're back?

Ergh about the mouse poo though. I think avoiding camping and mouse poo is an excellent way to live one's life

scarlet, you've done fantastically well with the puking incidents. Your brave ds too . I'd have tried to make Dh stay and he'd have buggered off anyway, and y y y to ringing a parent for instant help.

scream . That is all :)

My rant:
Argh!!!!!! 3 dc with stinking colds = Dh and I up most of the night. Literally.

Tell me any top tips for babies who won't be put down they're that bunged up.... Karvol plug in already tried!

Also Dh issues hawthers . Sometimes I just really feel like I irritate him so much and he doesn't even like me... All this is refuted if i talk to him, but he's not an affectionate/ in touch with his emotions person. He's the least romantic person I've ever met in fact! But that combined with literally no time to ourselves, as evenings have still not been reclaimed, are adding tensions and worry for me.

I have a kindle, not 3G. I just download books at home . I'm s big 'real book' person but also love it n just have the cover with the light.

I too liked the fish pie story too - especially the 'dh thought he saw it (the prawn) fall out again though'. genius.

A's eating is a little less messy over the last two days. nearly 2 months of spoon weaning in... Just be glad you have a dog!

A is now moving backwards around the living room. A sleep refuser and an early mover? Universe you are not kind!

Oh, and biscuits, not checked out the mop yet... But when will you get a chance to use it that wouldn't be better spent on mn ?!

The other twin mum with girls is inadvertently making me feel bad for not blw. Is there not a middle ground that's sensible? Like spoon feeding yoghurt but letting them tuck into other things?! Your story sounds great too but how are you meant to do it while out etc? The thought of stripping two babies who don't like getting dressed three times a day doesn't appeal

well done scarlet by the way. sounds like you did amazingly. x

dream - snuffle babe on chest and soles of feet?

Oh no for babies with colds Dream - no ideas I'm afraid

Not sure when I'd use the mop Dream. According to my mum I 'just need to set 30 mins aside and I could sweep through downstairs every day'. Right. Where am I supposed to find 30 mins? My mum does like to sweep when she comes so perhaps she can use the steam mop?

I can't quite figure out if the HV are currently recommending full on BLW or some sort of half measure but to be honest I'm sort of doing a mix of spoon feeding some stuff and doing finger food of some other things. I've read some of the BLW book and have purchased the BLW Cookbook as it has some nice family friendly recipes. I made a lovely butternut squash soup from it.

I really struggle with the argument that BLW allows them to manage their own appetite at this stage, as I am sure ds2 can't eat as much as he wants because his lack of skills outwit him. The argument may well be valid later on. But also I can tell when he's full and I stop feeding him. Simple. I've never tried to force feed either of them. We've had phases where ds1 says he's full (because he wants to do something else) and then wants to come back to the food later but I don't see why that wouldn't happen with BLW. To be honest that only really happens since he's been feeding himself anyway. So the way I work it is he eats until he's full but then that's the end of the meal we don't come back and forth to it.

I genuinely think BLW is one approach to weaning. And is just different to spoon feeing, not better or worse. There may be pros and cons to both ways. But looking at DS now and his friends you can't tell who did BLW and who didn't. Possibly BLW might lead to being able to operate a spoon and fork sooner? Don't know. Not much in it certainly. Anyway, that's just my opinion.

So for me, the mess would be too much I think to do full on BLW, but I am being more adventurous with finger type foods this time around, as ds2 seems quite good at them. But I'm still spooning things I would eat with a spoon broadly. But that's not to say I think BLW is bad or wrong or anything. It's just another way of doing the same job.

Dream if you have 3 children that have food in them by the end of the day, do it any way that works for you

Oh, what I was going to say about the HVs was that I'm not sure what the official line is but mine seems to advocate a sort of mixed approach.

I'm liking the little notes to dp idea, might do that. Not sure if dp will think I have finally lost my marbles though...
Glad they seem to have worked out the problem with your dh jaggy hope he's fighting fit soon.
hawthers how crap of your dh! Does he even realise what he said has upset you? I hope you get him to make it up to you soon. It has made me realise that even though we are not married, I have been with dp for 15 years! Where did that time go?
I don't have a kindle so no help on that one I'm afraid. I do need to start reading a bit more again soon, I think i'm starting to forget words...
Lovely to see you here cakes ooh not long to go now for you or fluffy!
scream I am totally jealous of your holiday. I would love to go to yosemite, it sounds awesome.
Glad the bf class was good too and great news about your multiples group too dream. BTW we did a bit of blw and a bit of spoon feeding. I couldn't be bothered to get too worried about 'doing it right' as long as some food went in and ds was happy and enjoying it.
scarlet is it worth checking with the gp re your af? Massive well done on cleaning ds's sick. Hope he feels better soon. And good luck with the counselling. I think you should deffo tell them about this incident.
too these are what you want for blw, stripped down to a nappy/ vest underneath. There are other places than ikea to get them and you just rinse them under the tap after, they clean and dry very easily. I have a fab pic of ds with a bowl of pasta on his head somewhere. Feeding is fun but they will continue to be messy for quite a long time if i remember rightly.
School still seems to be going well here luckily, and ds is making new friends. I need to start thinking about getting some boxes and putting things on ebay to get rid. Plus some trips to the dump too. We really need to go through all the crap in the garage that hasn't moved in years and see what can be chucked. I also have a massive pile of magasines to go through and chuck away too. Just need to stop procrastinating and actually do it though. Sigh. I need another cup of tea.

Am doing a mixture of blw and spoon. F mainly won't let a spoon in his mouth unless its got pudding on it.... So the savoury stuff is finger food mostly and he is getting yogurt etc on a spoon. Am going for the "do whatever you can to get some food in and hope to god it makes them sleep better" approach.

F was up for most of the time between 2.30 and 4.30 when I gave in and he slept on me. He was crying but mostly wanted to just crawl around his cot and play with toys... Oh lord hope this isn't a new thing

I am doing hawthers approach to weaning. The 'do whatever and hope to god for sleep one'. Good. That's settled then.

we did a mixture of finger food and spoon stuff with DS1. will probably do the same with DS2, but make more effort to serve the same as us and not make millions of wee portions for him. no idea if it'll help avoid the fussy phase, but it'll be easier.

DS1 actually happily eats a few fruits and some veg now after stopping for ages. we had strawberries at lunch and i was unreasonably chuffed.