December 2012 - Smiles all round!

[SpottyTeacakes]

And the one where Spotty's gang gets some sleep

There's a fair bit of sleeve sucking happening here too. But he seems to be using it as a method to self-soothe (he just put himself to sleep and we'd usually need a pacifier for him) so I'm inclined to leave him to it.

seymore we're coming to Aus (melb) next weekend for a few weeks. Any tips on helping the baby handle the heat? What should I dress him in?

Ooh seconds are you flying direct or stopping somewhere on the way?

My experience is anything under 33 degrees is manageable for bub, once you start pushing 35 degrees I have to stay inside during the hottest part of the day, but mostly because DS is a real fatty and not really a hot weather model! A short sleeved vest is enough for when you are out in the day, if it's really hot just a nappy is fine. A vest plus a sleepsuit is enough for a cool evening or if there's a good breeze during the day. If you're breastfeeding you'll be doing a bit more of it, the heats makes them quite thirsty!

What pram do you have? DS is in a bugaboo and can overheat because they're quite stuffy. I open the whole thing up and then use clothes pegs to attach a large muslin to the hood and drape it over the handle so that he's still in shade but there's lots of air circulating.

Are you staying somewhere with air con? We don't have it so DS sleeps in a short sleeved vest with his swaddle over the top, this thing. Thin muslins are also good for swaddling. If it's really warm just a nappy and a swaddle are ok for bed time.

Not sure about Melbourne but in Sydney it can be sunny and 35 degrees one day, and 22 degrees and rainy the next. So bring things you can layer up if it gets a bit cooler.

mamapo thanks for London travel tips and hope you enjoy Amsterdam, it's been years since I've been.

hales that sounds really worrying, don't wait til morning if the rash keeps spreading, get thee to a&e

DS woke up shouting for boob and has fallen asleep on the job after less than 10 minutes, I just know it won't be enough and if I put him down he'll wake again in an hour for more ... Grrr

Oh, and F also sucks his hands, thumb and sleeves. Definitely a comfort thing for him. I agree with feeling like this is better than him wanting a dummy (which we do use sometimes, but I'd rather not)

Thanks seymore for all that information! We're flying with a short stopover of a few hours in Singapore where I'd imagine we'll be in an air conditioned airport throughout.

I'm breast and bottle feeding so I'll probably find myself doing more of both, I'd imagine.

Pram: we've got an uppababy cruz which we use with a Smartmuff to convert it into a flat pram. I was worried about the Smartmuff because he'd be lying on a furry base, but I've bought a big tshirt made of wicking fabric that I am going to put over the base and cut slits for the straps, which should make it cooler. One good thing about it is that you can remove the whole top layer of Smartmuff so the baby isn't enclosed by anything, so it shouldnt get stuffy. And the hood bit of the pram has a sunshield that pulls out of it. I can then do your muslin trick if the whole of his body needs shading.

For most of the time we'll be at my husband's parents house which doesn't have aircon but does have evaporative cooling (although not in the bedroom). I would imagine Z would sleep with just a waffle blanket or some layered muslins as he doesn't like being swaddled.

We're also taking the baby Bjorn, but on a hot day does one have to be careful with them as the baby will be getting your body heat too? We've got the "active" one (or whatever it's called), that has vented fabric.

My previous trips to Melbourne have had very variable weather; one time it was 40 degrees and another time it rained every day and I lived in my 1 pair of leggings under my summer dresses. I guess baby clothes are quite easy to layer aren't they.

Good old crazy Melbourne weather! It's my hometown. Seconds, hope you have a great time.

Coffee - snap! C just fed for 8. Mins and now turning her nose up for more.

She is another one who I think might suck her thumb but all she can manage is finger licking so far!

I have a hand licker but only when he is hungry! I'm sure he would try to suck his thumb if he didn't ball his fist up all the time!

6hrs, he has started to make 2-2.30 his regular wake up time, previously 12-12.30 regardless of what time he goes to bed. Managed to change his nappy without screaming while his bottle was warming, we are making progress!

This years holiday will be butlins or Weston super mare in a caravan!

honey I know a fair bit having been through some fun at the end of my pregnancy - PM me and I'll try to help?

Others re thumb/hand sucking, O has definitely started hand sucking but hasn't worked out his thumb yet. Is this good for them? Am sort of keen to avoid this/dummies for some vague and probably unfounded reason as neither me or bro sucked thumbs or dummies, but can see it could be useful if it helps self soothe?

So it seems we are definitely off to London after or cover Easter! DH told his parents who were okay about it if not over the moon, phew.. (was a bit worried but we did explain it won't be forever as we'll probably be making a move to shropshir/herefordshire as a final family settling place.) We'll be staying in woking with family for six months while we look for somewhere to buy so:
Anyone near woking know of jolly things/groups to join with DS? Will be looking for nct groups as a starting point..

Also where would you recommend looking to live in London? We want to be within 45mins commute of clerkenwell by bike for DH and to the north so the trip back up to manc is as short as possible. And ideally somewhere we can afford to buy a two+ bed flat with some form of outside space for less than £350 that isn't ex-authority.. So a nice easy set of criteria! (i jest)

For those of you Londoners, what's Leyton like?

I'm nearish to Woking not near enough for groups but near enough to go there shopping etc I expect there'll be a big choice of groups though plus only ten minutes from Guildford where there's lots of things going on. I think WL lives near too?

Oh and dp just poked me and said 'don't fall asleep with your boob in his mouth' as I was lying down feeding ds

utopian I live about 3 miles from Woking and work in Woking! You won't struggle to find groups and stuff to do but stay in touch and perhaps we can meet up! I don't actually do anything specifically for T as she just tags along to stuff for dd1&2, but it's a busy town so you'll be fine I'm sure.

Re thumb - t won't take a dummy and I'll be thrilled if she does manage to get her thumb. All my 3 were/are very sucky so a thumb is great for self soothing wherever you are - no howls because it's been dropped in the car on a long motorway journey or getting up to replace it at night etc. Dd1 is a big thumb sucker and personally I don't care if she is still doing it in 10 years time if she feels she needs it. Me and both DBS were thumb suckers and all just stopped when were ready.

Dd sucks her thumb and dp and I both did until we were ten ds lives his thumb when he can keep it in!

Aargh, he has been fidgeting and grunting constantly since 3.30, fed him at 5.30 and he will not settle properly. He's clearly tired, but just can't wined down. I have to get up in 10mins with DH to take him to work, no doubt us moving will wake F again and I'll have to get ready one handed/listening to screaming banshee!

Glad the IL's took it ok Utopian. I have the task this week of putting our house on the market, sadly think it's a bit of a pointless endeavour, houses just arn't selling round here, but I'm feed up of the 70-100mile round trip to visit our parents

Personally as an ex thumb sucker I prefer my dcs to have a dummy. I didn't stop sucking my thumb until 13! I find dummies easier as they can be removed. Neither of mine then when on to thumb suck when the dummy was removed. They didn't regress sleep wise and they didn't tantrum. So I'm sticking with dummy for ds2 as well. And when he's 2 (like ds1) he will leave his dummies out for Santa who will replace them with his presents. (Dd gave hers to the dummy fairy at about 17/18 months as I was pregnant with DS1 and didn't want her to steal the babies one!

Bad night.

Work and stay and play group today. DH is off work to help with dcs for half term so I can work. Lets see how much help he is (only joking)

Yeah ds was a dummy sucker, I like the fact it can be taken away so we are encouraging it with dd, did have a few days of poor latch when she first took it but that seems to have sorted itself out. I do remember the whole having to get up and route around for a dummy in the dark being a pain in the arse with ds though!

spotty I regularly fall asleep with a nipple in dd's mouth, I actually think its a bonus when I do as not losing too much sleep . I think I'm making a bit of a rod for my own back though we have one of those co-sleeping cribs attached to the bed which is fab and just requires a pull across to feed dd then a general lift to return her, however, I have for lazy and often pull her across for feeding then co-sleep. By the next feed I think OK, gonna lift her back and it takes a good 10-15mibs to settle her again she didn't even used to stir before!

Have to ring gp to make an appointment for her too, she has a granulona on her previously healed very well belly button

Yeah I was glad to be sleeping but it wasn't safe as he could have fallen off the bed!

I'm such an idiot ds's jabs are this afternoon they made the appointment after the last ones

Yay no measles just viral infections i think its from when we had a cold as DP also has a rash now and we all had colds together last week.

Chloe hope your LO is ok.

H is also a hand sucker, but i thought it was part of the development for this age group.

Fantastic news. Hales - bet you're relieved.

Hope the jabs go well Spotty.

N has started hand sucking too. As it's co-incided with him being much more dribbly than usual I was worried that I might have another early teether so good to see that it does just seem to be a normal development stage - I've forgotten so much!

Hales that's good. I will sound like a copy but ds1 has had a rash for a few days, but no appointments available to get it checked but after what you wrote I took him to the pharmacy and he thought measles. Not sure how as he has had mmr but something is wrong he has slept all morning. I phoned doctors who will arrange call back. I have explained I am extra concerned due to e. Fingers crossed I will have a similar outcome to you though.

Lovely news Hales, very reassuring. Ispy I also thought it was teething, but since there were no other symptoms I just assumed he was a dribbler!

F has fallen asleep under his play gym, if I move him he may not go back to sleep, so covered him in a blanket and removed the bells, fx he settles for a while.

Pmgkt, oh i have my fingers crossed for you that its not. If you can't get a Drs appointment take your DS to the walk in centre. You'll be seen quite quickly due to how contagious it is, we were sat in a separate waiting room this morning. Apparently theres been a huge increase in cases in the last few weeks in West Lancashire alone. I really hope its not though and that its just a viral infection like us.

H also is dribbling alot more so it must be a developmental thing unless we've all got early teethers

Eww! Poor DS has a yellowy green smelly pus in his navel. I have a doctors appt at 9am tomorrow but wasn't sure if I could do anything in the meantime? Maybe just wipe with cool boiled water? I didn't want to put any creams on though.

Any ideas?

hales so glad your LO isn't seriously ill. pmgkt fx for you

hales great news for your lo.
wlmum would be great to meet a fellow mnetter once we move! My grandmother lives in st johns so I know it from being small but have no idea as a new mother!

Have just removed O from sling after a useful morning with two free arms and straight to boob. Happy little thing and I have my chores done.

Poor baby coffee. I would do exactly as you say and wipe it regurlarlt with cooled boiled water, maybe add a bit of salt for natural antiseptic. Sounds like antibiotic territory.

Hi WL, I have a sneaky suspicion you are right, I hope it will be an antibiotic cream rather than anything else. Giving him calpol is hard enough!