October babies. Don't get lost

[lisbethsopposite]

Come in come in.

Anyone else find themselves standing, swaying only to realise... You're not actually holding the baby?!

cheesymonster haven't heard from you for a while, hope you're reading and things are looking up.

Gotta dash shark attack

wantan that sucks a bit - sometimes it's hard for fellas to see how they can be involved thou, is there a job you can hand over to him and make his responsibility (like bathtime). We've done this and I haven't had to give her a bath for weeks. I get 15mins to get ready for bed in peace and he gets a bit of quality time. He really enjoys it and is taking her swimming in the ny.

yomping I'm no expert but I feed dd every time she wakes (boob is pretty much my answer to anything). This has not stopped her being a reasonable night sleeper (last night slept 4hrs, 3hrs, 4hrs) so I wouldn't worry too much about rewards for waking, that probably applies when a biy older? Going downstairs might send the wrong message thou - does he put lights on and play with her then?
Sympathies but no advice re wind, I think colicky problems self-resolve around 12 weeks thou so hang in there, sounds like you're doing everything you can under difficult circumstances.

Merry christmas and happy new year to you all.

Hi smorgs you must be psychic, I just came on to post. Thanks for thinking of me . Things are very good here. Baby cheesy is doing very well, sleeping through almost and only waking up once to feed in night. I am feeling much better, been on anti depressants for about a month now and no longer feel anxious about everything and useless.

Think baby might be teething already - she is very dribbly, sucks her fist and smacks her lips over her gums. Someone who hasn't yet met her saw a pic of her and said "ooh she's teething already" -apparently her gums look white? She doesn't seem fazed by it though apart from one meltdown but that was fine by me cos it was at MIL's Xmas party and meant we could leave early without me looking like the bad guy

One question - what are you all dressing your babies in?! I just put DD (shes 11 weeks tmw) in vests and onesies every day apart from Xmas day, boxing day and the above mentioned party when I put her in pretty dress and tights. Am I being very lazy? When should I start putting her in "outfits"? DH's cousin dresses her 20 week old ds in shirts, jeans and shoes...

bella wish theatre but nothing that exciting!

Cheesey glad things are settling down for you. Long may it continue.

Off to Scotland with the kids for nye. Car packed, boobs packed and I'm off.

Giggling at your boob packing Midge, have a great time in Scotland!
No idea what to do tonight. Had DD not been here I would've been out with DP, smoking and getting trashed. Oh well, DD can keep me on the straight and narrow
Sympathies to smiley for going back to work so early. I do often wonder how I would feel about going back to work early- part of me would quite like too (part time), but then the rest of my body (and my boobs) tell me this would be a huge faff as I would have to remember to express all the time... I dont really want to give her any formula, I figure breastfeeding is going pretty well (sorry, im not bragging) so why waste the opportunity?

*what i meant by not wanting to waste the opportunity, was that i'm fully aware that some women just cant do it, through no fault of their own.. sometimes it just doesnt work out. unfortunately xx

smiley - really feel for you returning to work already, I wonder if I will be in the same position with second baby if second baby ever happens. You will be great! But so hard leaving babies so little and following the tough days of birth and newborns - we are all rooting for you.
smorgs - yes, regularly, in public, I find myself singing out of tune lullabies, whilst swaying, empty handed. Hilarious for onlookers I'm sure.

anyway

HAPPY NEW YEAR NOBBERS!!
I am off to my brother's pyjama party

I leave you, and 2012, with my sister's parenting motto: remember, idiots around the world do it every day.

Gah, haven't done proper catch up but Yomping have you tried swaddling DD? Our bean sleeps for ridiculous lengths of time when swaddled, even if we only swadle one arm. It really is worth trying - and don't worry if she goes mental the first few times you do it, they do love it once they're in!

Orange hope you're okay. It is easy to pass like ships in the night with DHs, especially if they are working. Downtime becomes so precious. Your DH does need a kick up the bum though because YOU need some quiet time too.

Midget enjoy your cross border adventure :o And you are right about the boob packing thing - after all the agonies of the blocked ducts at the start, BFing really came into its own when we were away over Christmas - we had already filled the cars even without bloody bottles and formula etc. But as Mickey points out the downside is when you want to go back to work / bean to go into creche etc pre-weaning.

Happy New Year Squid :o

smiley yikes good luck back at work. poor you, that's a really tough one. will be thinking of you

orange sorry your dh is being such a nobber. hope things improve.

cheesy vests and babygros here too! comfy and practical, and hey they're only babies once! they have the rest of their lives to wear real clothes. and shoes too early on can be a bad idea - tiny growing feet shouldn't be restricted.

all those discussing routines - we're nowhere close and I'm not sure will ever be with a toddler around. ds2 just sleeps in the Moby when he's tired. can't figure out how to do daytime sleeps in cot without staying in all day as both boys would nap at different times, and without one waking the other up. sigh. one day I'll have a minute to myself, right?

I'm having a shit day. dh back at work, nobody to see and nothing to do as everyone else on holidays. will come back when I have something positive to say!!

Just popping on to say Happy New Year!
I have left you all (except the NZ peeps) behind in 2012
Hope you have a great night whatever you do - I brought in the New Year by breast feeding in a darkened room to the sound of white noise great timing DS!

Catch up tomorrow.

Cheesy I think outfits on tiny babies look a bit daft tbh! DD wears vests with either a babygrow or soft leggings and a top (pyjamas really). Or jersey type dungarees. I think they need to be comfy and easy to change. She has one party dress though. I saw a Dad heading to the baby changing room with a LO about 1 month old today, dressed in jeans, a shirt and Nike trainers. He's just pooped himself, he doesnt care about having Nike trainers yet! I personally wouldnt want to sleep in jeans.

Thanks for the sympathy over DH. I am trying to deal with things rationally. I can rant and get very upset very quickly and it doesnt help, it just makes me look crazy! So I have calmly said that he needs to figure out how to settle DD without me, and he needs to get up in the morning and pull his weight. I have also suggested we sit togther and write out a daily routine for the kids (trying to find DD's natural routine) so we both know what we are doing when. He is currently unemployed and finished uni so he has no excuse.

Mine wears sleepsuits all the time, except for a Xmas outfit I bought her.

I have been wandering whether that contributes to us having no routine - I mean, we don't get up and dress her, and we don't bath her every night and put on pjs, if you see what I mean.just change her if she looks a bit grubby!

Sorry for just dropping in and out. Just wanted to say on the clothes front DS is pretty much exclusively in sleepsuits and vests. We change him into a clean sleepsuit and s/s vest every morning and then put a long sleeved vest on but the same sleepsuit (unless he's had a bath) before going to bed

Just popping on now while DS is happily batting things on play gym. Have not caught up properly today. Shit shit shit night. Asleep by 9. Woke for dream feed at 11.30. Up again at 2, 5 and 6.15. Fed each time, no pacifying. So I am bloody giving up on dream feed notion!!! He has also slept loads today (routine naps??! Ha !) and is a grumpy little shite poppet. So I am hoping growth spurt as opposed to awkward little fecker deciding he gets up 3 times from now on!!

My poor sore nips.....

So we will be in bed asleep by 9 at the latest and the new year can see itself in!!

2012 has certainly been a year to remember!!! And I do not know how I would have coped without you all. Only this morning, post shitty night, I said to DH that I am so relieved to have you all and hear how other babies and parents get on, cos we know that shitty nights are par for the course and everything passes!!! From nipples to naps, Lamentations to lamaze toys, the collective font of knowledge and nobbers is just amazing!

I sincerely thank you all so much and wish you health and happiness for the year to come. By this time next year we will have very different kids!!! Who will be on a new antenatal thread by then????? Now there's a challenge for you!! Won't bloody well be me!

Happy New Year! We will get through it together!!!!!!

And sleep suits full time here too. Crappy boring stained ones for bed, just so we put new clean ones on after bath!! Generally they get leaked on my his morning poonami!

Had one day last week in wee soft dungarees and he looked v grown up! But he looks comfier in babygro.

Have returned so many outfits bought as gifts as he is just too young and comfy for proper clothes yet!!!

I hate to see babies dressed like fashion victims or grown ups!!! Looks so damn uncomfortable. The Santa suit on Christmas day was only on for grannies to see and coo over!

Sorry if I'm offending anyone.........

Thanks everyone.

Just joined the fb group too

Just popping on to say happy new year! Can officially say that 2012 was the year that my life changed completely, what a ride it's been! Looking forward to watching our babies grow up together the way only this generation can... Through the medium of mumsnet!
Here's to 2013 bringing happy, healthy babies sitting up, crawling and walking, saying mummy before daddy and SLEEPING! Xxxx

Haven't been on much due to Christmas exhaustion but wanted to send a big fat Happy New Year cheer to my fellow October-er-ers and wishes and hopes for all you and your family's 2013!

Hurray for MN and you guys! :) Weird fucking day - lovely until a couple of hours ago... Had gone and bought a roast, getting it in oven... Then find out a fav close relative is in ambulance on way to hospital. On a trolley in A&E while they try to find him a bed. He only got out of hospital 2 weeks ago. Can't go down there because of distance / mad weather / bean. He's been ill for a long time and has more lives than a cat but we've all had a bad feeling over Xmas even though he had rallied a bit after being a bit poorly.

Fuck, I'm snivelling now. Just so sad :( Getting old and death is so shit :( We called down to see him on Sat night and he adores the bean so much, she really cheered him up. He put on a brave face while we were there but apprently was as weak as a kitten after we left. Hopefully he'll just tick off another life and recover.

And bean has been really bugged by her teeth today, keeps getting screamy and DH who is usually awesome is fucking me off sitting playing on his phone and holding her but not really paying her any attention so she gets upset and I have to rush away from dinner making or whatever.

Anyway, sorry for misery rant. It's a strange day but it has been an awesome year and thank you to all you guys for everything! It's been so great having peeps to whinge to and cheer on. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO US ALL!!!

OK wow, just did a few pages of catch up reading - I should NOT have left it so long :( I can't do the name checking I'm afraid but big hugs to all struggling with everything. Just so y'all know - you're all amazing, thoughtful, conscientious, wonderful mothers who are clearly doing an amazing job with your babies. So there.

Had a few days of worry with ds - he's started only feeding 5 mins each side and I was stressing about my supply. When I expressed, I barely got anything. Cue more stress, convincing myself poor ds was starving. Thankfully I posted in Food section where MNetters reassured me that it sounded all normal!

I met DH at work - he was a geeky, gorgeous IT boy with an afro and looked ridiculously hot in the stupid work polo shirt. I used to break things on my PC and call him up to fix them Then I left, asked him out on a date to the Tate Modern and we fell crazy in love. 7 years later we're married with our little Quincy and life is good!

Work - I am worried. I have until July off. I hate where I work (horrible US corporate) but not what I do (digital marketing). I'm hoping once Quincy is a little older and I get my brain back, I can set up a freelance consultancy and actually market myself into some work! But I am even stupidly afraid of just addressing the issue with work re when to resign and not have to pay ML back. I'm also afraid of quitting in general - of not earning money, of DH being self employed, etc, etc. It's all too scary! I really want my own business but I don't know what, and when DH quit to be a personal trainer, we had my salary to cover everything.

Angelico lots of hugs and very, very, very best wishes for your relative. Really hope he's OK and that he pulls through. Take care x

Clothes-wise we're in sleepsuits or bodies with tights. I occasionally sling over a pinafore or baby dungers if we're going out & a cardigan if she's cold. She leaves the house in all of that, plus a furry pram suit & bobble hat (it IS Norway - we need serious layers. Actually, most babies here are in wool in the winter).

Wollybob - I live in Norway where you are entitled to a year on full pay & a second year on reduced pay but with added child benefits. Sadly, as I have never been employed here I am entitled to zip and will pay myself a subsistence level mat pay out of the proceeds of the sale of my flat. (And no one is more frustrated about that than me. Doh!)

squid your NYE sounds just lovely!

nenehooo - loved the fact that your love story resembles a Human League song!

smiley good luck with the return to work. I think you must be a rather fabulous GP - you sound like you have bucket loads of compassion.

Wantan - sorry things have been a bit grim but sounds like you've done totally the right thing sitting down & talking it through.

bella your leaves tradition is totally lovely & I too may have to adopt it! :-) hope your son feels better soon!

Oh and Angelico - thinking of you. What a bittersweet way to see in the new year. Hope your relative pulls through xx

Right - having a quiet one with DP & our 3 girls with fireworks at 12. First red wine since before I found out I was pregnant! Good ole pump!
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you & your beautiful babies! Xx
(Plenty more I wanted to name check but will have to be tomorrow on the ferry or the day after).

God, sorry for offloading in the early hours last night/this morning. It all feels so much worse in the middle of the night (and, strangely, so much better right now, after drinking a very large glass of wine and having the entire house to myself for 2 hours!).

In reply to suggestions, London, that's interesting about waking them half an hour before they usually wake - to feed them, or just to disrupt them? She doesn't have a set time, just 2 hours after she goes to sleep, whenever that is. Do you think I should wake her 90 mins after she goes to sleep? (shudder!). We had 6 sessions of cranial, as she had a wonky head after very long second stage and forceps delivery. Helped the wonky head. Didn't help the crankiness (or maybe it did and she would have been much worse without it, but she's still very cranky!)

Beccus, I've tried to ignore but it's hard as it disturbs my sleep so I kind of want to do whatever will settle her the quickest, which seems to be to feed her. That's a good point about not giving the Colief at night if it's not working but I'm getting superstitious about it and scared of missing a dose

Angelico, we swaddle every night. Think we maybe swaddle too much, read somewhere the other day that 6 hours is max you should swaddle for (in one go, or per 24 hours? no idea...) so I'm sticking that in my little bag of guilt that I carry around with me, but I figure swaddles sleeping baby is better than non-swaddles, non-sleeping baby?

Wooly, envious of your sleeping! Yes, he puts lights on and plays, talks, then settles her in sling or on him and watches film - but she's always wide awake when he takes her anyway, it's not like he's waking her up himself.

Happy New Year all

happy new year to all you wonderful ladies who have reassured me, informed me, made me snort with laughter and so much more. May 2013 be filled with happiness for you all.

We (DF, MIL and I ) had a quiet evening with cluedo and choccies rather than champers and dancing but it was fun. I was in bed by 2130! rock and roll.

yomping she says to wake, not feed, but will need to read the section again and tell you.

angelico so sorry re yr relative.

night feed over. I'm off to bed. I hear drunk people in the street. oh how my life has changed.