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!

[scarletfingernail]

Dream I'd definitely recommend the nursery/playgroup thing. Even though I'm a sahm DS started going aged 2 for 2 mornings per week. Like you I was in two minds about how much he'd actually benefit from it as we also spend a lot of time with other children anyway, but he seriously started coming on leaps and bounds as a result of it. He's had a speech delay and we didn't even do any signing, but he made sure his needs and wants were heard somehow. He loves other children and I believe the time away from me (and my PFBness) does him the world of good. We increased the hours when he turned 3 because of the funding.

As for you it would surely cut you at least a bit of slack? Even if you did nothing but stay home with the twins during that time that's a bit of time where you're not beating yourself up that the twins aren't being stimulated, while safe in the knowledge that DD is having a whale of a time?

[Wantsnomore]

Just been clothes shopping with ds2! He has basically chosen the same as he was wearing but in the next size up!:)
dream a lot of nursery/ preschools use basic makaton in their sessions. (I did the course a few years ago) if you could book DD into a session when you had your lady in, you could get some one to one with the dts!

[Biscuitsandtea]

pet I do feel sorry for DH too - as you say he'd rather not be working on holiday. I will still be milking this for everything I can

Dream I kept DS in nursery when I became a sahm partly because he'd got used to the social side, but it had taken some getting used to and I didn't want to take him out and then him have to get used to it all over again at an older age. Partly it was to give me some time too to get stuff done . Then I was pg so it gave me time to rest. And now it gives me time with ds2. From jan 12 he got his hunting do he does 15 hrs a week now. I think it would be worth it for you to get a bit of time with the twins on their own. A two year old is difficult to entertain at the best of times. You should prepare yourself though for the idea that she might take a few weeks to settle in, especially if she's only doing a few half days. But I bet she'd enjoy it?

Also, DS1 went to nursery when he was 1 and was Non verbal but he also managed to get across what he wanted etc. and like someone else said, often they understand some of the signs anyway.

Oh and one other thing, on the £££ side of things, nurseries are quite expensive but you might find a playgroup type thing (that you leave her at rather than a stay and play type thing) that might be cheaper? It even a childminder?

Also, have you thought about what she might do when she gets her funding? Ie where you would put her for that time? It might be worth thinking about now as maybe you could send her to the same thing now to save her having to change at a later date?

Dream did you ever get anywhere looking at the cranial osteopath?

How's DS Scarlet?

[hawthers]

Grr dream left a comment for you earlier but mn ate it. Def pop your dd in for a little bit. DS1 went to nursery at 16m when I went back to work and stayed on for two days a week when f was born. It was a total life saver - I wouldn't be able to cope all week without it! He has a chance to not be constricted by a baby and me splitting my time, f gets 1 on 1 and I get a break from juggling the two.

DS1's speech and confidence has come on leaps and bounds since going. I really do think it would give you a chance to spend some time with the bbbbs and your dd will enjoy it after the first couple of weeks. Give yourself a break woman!

[musicalmrs]

Just got back from a long day in London - we went to the Science Museum! Iz loved it, when her teeth weren't getting her down!

Scarlet and Too, yes the SIL solution may be perfect! As I have a couple of months to decide, we're going to see what happens with regard to SIL's career, my freelance career and my private teaching, and make a decision nearer the time. If I decide to go back, the sooner I go back the sooner I can stop teaching in London - so that's the predominant reason for considering going back so early. However, I'm beginning to think April anyway! I have a KIT day coming up in mid September (around the time of your work overnighter Scream - eek! - at least mine's only one day!), so

Ignoring all the talk about foam mats! I have a slightly padded one - think it has a bit of foam in, but not much. We have wooden floors here (have to sweep them ALL the time!), and she loves being on the floor kicking around so had to buy something to put her on. She absolutely adores it - the colours and the textures particularly (especially the crinkly bits!).

Biscuits, I do the same with Iz - she's hit and miss nap wise. Ideally she has two naps a day- mid morning and mid afternoon - but it depends on what's going on. For the last two weeks, when at home, I've tried putting her down for them - either awake or asleep - and it's never worked. She's always awake again withing 5-10 mins! In contrast, she can sometimes nap for 1.5-2 hours if on my lap or in a sling. Rather frustrating... however, she can self soothe at night, and happily goes down awake but sleepy. Or rather, she did...

I'm wondering if she's not self soothed since she started having teething problems. I've gone back to settle her from shouting twice tonight so far, and I think a third time is on the cards. I used to hear her chat, sometimes do a teeny bit of shouting, but then I'd hear her sucking her fists and she'd go back to sleep. Brookers who have been through the teething phase - does the self soothing return? Is it all to do with teething, or is it something else? :(

Dream, I'd definitely try and get DD to nursery for a couple of mornings if you can. It would give you a bit more quality time with the DTs, and give you a tiny bit more of a break! I bet she'll love it too - other children her age to socialise with, in a different environment!

Biscuits, grrr at your DH! (sorry, replying to the thread in order!). I have no idea what I'd request to make up for it, but it would have to be something good..

[pommedechocolat]

musical - teething is WEIRD. Dd1 never had an issue with teething except for her funny extra tooth and her back molars. Even then it wasn't bad. Dd2 however, well who knows what's up with her most of the time, but I think teething pain really bothers her. It seems to be a very personal thing.

A has been up and downstairs with us since 8.15. She has been grumpy today and has a streaming cold so I'm thinking gp tomorrow for a check up!

[ScreamIfYouWantToGoFaster]

Little A had her first 3oz of formula this afternoon, and seemed to love it! No ill effects spotted so far, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no lactose/milk issues. It's highly unlikely, but I'm going to keep it at only one bottle a day for the first week just in case. I feel freer already though - it was soooooooooo easy!!!

Dream I'm going to just echo what everyone else has already said - I really think a little bit of nursery time could be a hugely positive thing for your DD as well as the DTs and definitely for you! You'll still be a superhero Mum!

Musical ooooooooooo to the science museum! I love that museum, it's my favourite! along with the natural history museum, the V&A museum and the Tate Modern Glad you and DD had fun!

Biscuits grr at your DH! Well done to you for rising above though. You're being supportive of your DH AND making sure you get something in return (I second the spa day suggestion!) which is good for your whole family. I hope you guys have a great hol, and the meeting is shorter than expected!

[pommedechocolat]

If she's given a clean bill if health at the gps tomorrow then I'm giving her away to someone in the waiting room. Why won't she sleep??!

[DreamingOfPeace]

pomme, me too. In fact I'll pay someone to take S away. I lost count but think S up hourly at least, if he'd even go back to sleep last night. DD up for 90 min too , she's teething so grumpy, off her food (wincing when she tries to eat) so calpol and cuddles last night. I don't know whether to hope A has a clean bill of health or not . No, I do, I hope they say she's fine but just the cold giving a blip in her ever improving sleep . Fx. I feel your pain, its Soooo relentless.

Dh wants to do controlled crying for S. I don't, I think he's too little and its too hard. Tension there.

And thanks for nursery advice. I am waiting for my career break application decision (I pretty much know it'll be declined but I can't help holding onto hope..should hear soon.) and then we'll look at what we do. I hadn't thought of a playgroup where she goes without me, genius biscuits. If I'm not going back it may be too early for our budget to take the pain of nursery. Plus our local one, the only local one, is linked to the preschool of our only local school so I'd go for that one probably and they don't take them for half days til they're 2, which she nearly is now. I also think they didn't want to do one day a week so this could scupper my plans anyway...I wouldn't want two days at this stage. Something to think on though...

[DreamingOfPeace]

[pommedechocolat]

Urgh last night was really bad. Up every 30-90 mins squawking. I had her in with me from 1.30am again but was more careful this time. I dont know whether she might have just been cold anyway

Someone up thread suggested a childminder dream - do you know any? they're much cheaper.

Hope A was ok post formula scream - can you see freedom??! I have decided I would like to keep bf A for am and bedtime and all nightime feeds but would love to get her drinking a couple of beakers of formula during the day.

My daycare plan is that both will do a day at nursery on a Thursday and I will go into the office and work a full day (A starts settling in when we get back off holiday ready for first day beg of Oct - eek!). Then dd1 will be doing two afternoon sessions at the preschool of where she will hopefully go to school. If A likes nursery I will book her in for one of those pas as well and do some more proper work). otherwise on days when I just have A in the pm I will try and get lots of the yucky company admin done.

I have ummed and ahhed about dd1 doing the preschool - I booked it before the Italy thing came up thinking it would be a great way to settle her at her school. They can't guarantee me a reception place now but have said its very likely we'll get one when we come back anyway... Confusing and difficult decision! It's a private school so they only have 14 places a year. We need to do the Italy thing though to make sure that we can afford to send both the girls there though so it is a vicious circle really...

[DreamingOfPeace]

My night was utterly crap too pomme but I've decided it was the full moon.

Your plan sounds good!!

I'd rather not a childminder, as I'm at home and could get my mum/dad to take her away out. Or I could just get the nanny lady to take her out than that (though she often says 'noooooo, mumEEE' if its suggested and i hate to peel her off me so hence we all stay together mostly) . Ideally, I'll get my career break, be off til Jan 4th 2014, start DD in nursery in 6 months and practice spending some time away from her before that

[RubberBullets]

I don't envy you Dream but even though you don't think you are coping, I still say you are doing better than I would.

More nappies arrived today I must stay away from eBay

I had my smear results back today, all normal :)

[TooImmatureTurtleDoves]

Oooh, Rubber, did they say anything about smear tests and bf? I'm supposed to have one (haven't had one since 2005 ) but read somewhere that bf can affect the results in some way, so was using that as my reason for not booking it.

Right, off to pack for 3 and a dog. The dog is easiest - just need to remember his lead! M on the other hand requires entertainment items (books, toys) and something to sit in (Bumbo, pink inner tube or baby walker, despite baby walkers being the work of the devil) as well as clothes and nappies and such. And DH wants me to find him 'comfy trousers', without specifying which of his trousers are comfy. And of course I want to pack clothes for me which are comfy and practical yet make me look stunningly gorgeous and skinny as a rake. This may take some time another 3 months to lose a stone and about £500 to spend on clothes

[RubberBullets]

I was due for one in November but as I was pregnant they amended the system to August. The nurse asked me if I was bf when she did it. She also asked if AF had returned. 3 days later it did I assume that she wrote this down and sent it with the sample. On the plus side she said that things were looking normal down there :o

[Wantsnomore]

D is on his second nap of the day and both times he has just quietly dropped off:) he did wake at 4.15 this morning though and then co-slept until 7.30.
I bought D a Chan Pie Gnon,it came today and he loves it! He can squeak it himself. Unfortunately the dog likes the noise too and pinched it out of the Galt ring! I was just changing Ds nappy and I heard the squeak coming from the dogs bed:( luckily it is really easy to clean.

[Biscuitsandtea]

Quick question, what book should I get on BLW? Just gave e a carrot stick at a buffet and he loves it :-)

[PetWoman]

Wants what is a chan pie gnon?! at the squeak from the dog's bed - bad dog!

Biscuits my NCT friends are reading a BLW book by Gill Rapley, I think.

[ScreamIfYouWantToGoFaster]

Yes, what is that Wants? at the cheeky dog!

I've got the Gill Rapley book Biscuits. It's okay, just a bit annoyingly preachy. I understand the benefits of blw but I don't think I dooming little A to a life of obesity if I start her off on a few purees pre-6 months!

FX for Dream's career break application! Your ideal plan sounds perfect!

How did the doc's appt go Pomme?

Little A has had 4oz more of formula today, and slurped it down! Still no ill effects spotted - yay! We spent the day doing touristy things in central London with a cousin who's visiting from Canada. It was a really nice day. At the end we went to the local park with little A and took some "autumn" photos to be used as her naming ceremony invite. I'll put the final pic up on my profile for a day or so in case anyone's interested?

[pommedechocolat]

Docs was ok - a has a red viral throat and dd1 has red viral ears so have been giving them calpol etc.

It's very quiet here! On this thread i mean not my house!

[DreamingOfPeace]

Had a meltdown at 5am after having to get up to resettle S every 5-10 min from about 3:50, giving up and ignoring his wide awake gurgling and singing at 5- then Dh emerged from the box room and wanted to know why I hadn't moved him before he woke b and DD. Bad move Dh.... He did take him away after another failure at feeding to sleep though (as in I fed, he went to sleep and S woke up as he hit the cot, again, as I'd already tried, plus holding in dummy and shush patting etc etc). B slept 8-7, little angel at night atm that one.

Have got a recommendation for a C O finally, but everything I read says its about stresses on their body after labour/ delivery and he was a CS so I'm a bit but I'll ring.

Also waiting to hear what D's toy is wants

Was last night any better pomme? My full moon mad lady theory did not come to fruition :)

Glad A is enjoying formula scream, me for the pics!!! Are they up now?

[DreamingOfPeace]

And it is blooming miles away for the co... Two hours was his maximum sleep last night, and that was 8:15-10-15...

[ScreamIfYouWantToGoFaster]

((hugs)) to Dream. S just sounds impossible at night right now. No Brooking hard for a sudden miraculous improvement.

Also no brooking for Pomme's DDs to get better asap!

The pic of Autumn is up.

Having naming ceremony invite nightmares over here. On family alone we have 70 people on the list. Inviting just 15 friends takes our list to 85, but also causes HUGE stress over the people not invited. It's just a very basic get together in a small local hall, with a bit of cake and my parents saying a few words about Autumn. I can't have 85+ people for a few cheap sandwiches and a bit of homemade cake!!! It's a naming ceremony so we don't even have the formal church bit. Sob sob I desperately wish we were just having 30 people.

[pommedechocolat]

70 family people???! Bloody hell scream that's massive. i'd be eloping for the naming ceremony at that point

What a gorgeous photo of a gorgeous little girl!! What was she smiling at? Love the hat too!

dream - last night was marginally better but only due to nurofen at bedtime and a half dose at 4am I reckon. At 6 months and masses of solids I reckon she should be able to manage on just one night feed. Especially as she's started dropping blumming day feeds now...grrr. My dh was annoying too - came up from downstairs spare room to look for mice on the garage roof at her 11pm wake up....

[ScreamIfYouWantToGoFaster]

Sorry, I hope I didn't sound too harsh on S before? He's obviously a gorgeous happy little baby, who's just struggling to get to sleep. Poor little man. Autumn is very similar! On Thursday night she literally woke up EVERY time I put her in her cot. She didn't get more than 20min stretches of sleep at any point all night. We were both zombies in the morning. No brooking for all mini No Brookers to sleep through the night, EVERY night!