October 2012... PELVIC FLOORS!

[Londonmrss]

Ready...
Steady...
And squeeze!

Is there a 4.5 months sleep regression too by any chance? Day has been a total right off and now at bed time so far 45 mins full on screaming and still going. Even worse, I thought we were just winding down from it but seems to be cranking up to the full on thrashing purple faced screaming again. arghhhhhh am dreding what the night holds after the last few nights of being up every 2-3 hrs despite being otherwise good.

Just wanted to share an observation. Sorry if it's obvious but I've just noticed it the last few days. If we go for a long walk with babyLondon awake and just relaxing in the pram, she doesn't settle very well for her next nap. If instead we've been art home but she's been kicking under the gym or in the jumperoo or generally very physically active, she settles for the nap much better and after less time awake. So she sleeps better when physically tired.

London DD born on 29th (due on the 26th)The last week or so has been miserable all day, but screaming hysterically at "bedtime" (we don't put her to bed as such, but she normally goes do sleep at around 7) and not going off til 9:30 ish. She is also waking for the day at 6am , where its usually 8-8:30. Some days this week her maps have been very short, but yesterday and so far today naps have bee good.

According to wonder weeks week 17 is particularly stormy week. That's been true for us. She's also come on developmentally quite significantly lately (and her head's grown!)

Londonmrs I've had the same with DS, only realised it now readily your post!

DS asleep in my arms like a little angel while I watch loads of Channel 4 docs saved on Sky+. DH at work today.

Trying to sear this peaceful cuteness into my memory. Before I know it DS will be a big lad towering over me, and delighting in helping his dad to wind me up.....

God it's making me all weepy, the thought of my baby boy growing up....

babyLondon rolled over for the first time! She rolled back to front. Isn't that the wrong way round? I managed to film it!

Yay go baby London! Don't think there is a right and wrong way to roll is there? I get what you mean about them needing to be tired out a bit to nap. I find if we have had a day out and he has been in his car seat or buggy all day then he is really cranky by evening. He needs a good kick about on the playmat to burn off some energy. And MAN does this boy have a lot of energy. The doctor even said yesterday 'Is he normally this active?' Umm yes, he spends most of his day flipping around pretending to be a wet fish. You asked ages ago about French Kids Don't Throw Food. Pfff, it's ok but not my experience of France. The deal with food is three meals a day, no snacking apart from le gouter at 4pm, varied and balanced diet and parents try to introduce a new food three times before giving up. As long as the child tastes it that's ok, they don't have to finish it if they don't want to. Mum and I concluded that it wasn't particularly French parenting, just 'old fashioned' parenting like she used to do. They publish the menus online for creche and maternelle here - its a.ma.zing. They have 4 courses?! Cambridge is a great city, you'll be very happy there. I grew up down the road in Essex the Hertfordshire borders and went to school in Cambridge for 5 years. Hated the school but have very fond memories of drinking cider and snogging boys outside a pub called The Mill I think? Was the only place we could get served. It took me a while to settle in here, but I am getting a good group of friends now. Just don't expect it to happen overnight.

lisbeth poor you on the insomnia. There is a good section on the mumsnet front page about sleep at the moment.

zara sounds idyllic. I keep trying to take mental postcards when he is calm and alert to get me through the tough times.

Go baby London!! That is awesome.
Insomnia is awful lisbeth and somehow seems even crueller when next to a sleeping baby
Hope you are having a better and more relaxing weekend smileyhappymummy

I have been to a spa with a mate. It was awesome. Jess was very well behaved and even had a little swim!! Dozy afternoon breastfeeding on sofas with hot chocolate, hot tub on the terrace while boyfriend held the baby. SO NICE! Don't hate me!

squid sounds fab!!

london ds rolled first time front to back. He just rolls side to side as he sees fit. Sometimes he'll roll back to front. But he quite enjoys tummy time.

Had a lovely if not chilly ride this morning!!! Slightly scared that two weeks today we have a 32km endurance ride. I did my last one at 24weeks pregnant although competed in dressage till 34 weeks. Just hope I'm fit enough to do it!!

Hurrah Baby London! Baby Shell did a day of rolling and has never done it again. Obviously thought I've mastered it and I'm over it!

Ooh Squid, that sounds nice. Am going to a spa for Mothers Day (eek our first Mothers Day!) and can't wait.

Just read the sleep section in the French book. Completely unhelpful. Apparently the French 'pause' when a baby wakes up crying to see if they can connect their sleep cycles on their own and wait for up to 5 minutes. And they also believe their babies will sleep through the night. If that doesn't work they do controlled crying... Also feel the writer is milking the cash cow for all it's worth because she's get a second book of tips out and when I looked in the sleep section she'd basically just cut and pasted the original chapter.

Hope Turnwest is having a nice weekend.

Nice family day today, which was good. Now I've got the kids' viral lurgy - coughing, feverish and feeling sorry for myself. Not so good.

Don't fret Zara - whichever age your own DC happens to be is always the cutest, IME... That's why I found it a bit tough when DS arrived - she very obviously wasn't my baby girl anymore.

Thanks for sympathy re my job imploding. The union has been in dispute with management over compulsory redundancies, but apparently they've reached a deal whereby everyone on the redeployment register (ie people whose job titles have been axed) will be offered 'enhanced' voluntary redundancy. That would be brilliant, because mine was axed just after the VR scheme closed and I was (am) afraid they might withhold it because of my 'unprofessional' tweet, and just force me to resign with nothing. Keeping all my fingers crossed. A decent payoff would mean I could afford childcare one day a week, maybe, and also mean I wasn't entirely dependent on DH.

Yomping, I know you've mentioned you wouldn't mind being a SAHM. Do you still feel that way? How do you feel about having to ask DH for money (assuming you don't have savings etc)?

Took DD to the theatre today, and DS too. Had to take him out after half an hour because he was crying and wouldn't feed or settle. Sat just outside the exit, having told DD (nearly 4 and very familiar with the theatre itself) that I'd be outside waiting for her at the end.

Then DS' stomach gurgles loudly. Oh no. Gushing noise. My hand is damp as a poonami seeps through his trousers. Check clock. Should have 10 minutes. Rush off to loo to strip him down. He's naked on the changing table. Then I hear everyone coming out of the theatre. Shit. Literally. DD will be aghast if she can't see me. Leave DS on table, explaining to couple of women preening themselves that I'll be back in 30 seconds but just have to get my daughter. Rush out. DD already in tears, hand held by a kind mother. Dash back to loos. Angry woman standing over grinning DS. 'I was worried about the BABY,' she says. Try to explain. Stick DS in nappy as annoyed queue developing and search building for quiet corner to dress him in. DD still in accusatory tears. Ladies, this is what awaits you with two... Next time the poonami will have to wait.

I am so out of touch on this thread! No chance of catch up. Elpis I keep meaning to add my sympathies on the Job. What a bollocks. Glad to hear there is some hope with redundancy scheme. Fingers crossed. And u think u coped v well in the theatre today!!

I cannot vaguely begin to catch up. Sorry!!

Oren no sign of u for few days? Hope all ok?

Horsey think I've just added u to group.

Oh elpis that just sounds so incredibly stressful - I can empathise!

Hello hello hello!

Apologies in advance, I can't possibly catch up on everyone's news so will start by saying I hope everyone is well, and no matter how tough things seem right now, they will get easier I promise.

For those of you who don't know/remember me, my little cherub Naomi was one of the first babies born on this thread, and will be 5 mths on Monday.

It wasn't easy, she was in hospital for 2 weeks due to being prem, and spent a week in hospital before Christmas with a breathing infection. She is fine now, we have had first smiles, goos, coos and giggles, and (sorry to some of you) Naomi cat naps in the day and sleeps the majority of the night, only stirring to search for her dummy.

Sorry this is a bit me me me but I don't know where else to turn. The Health Visitor has been out to see us once a month to measure Naomis head. Don't ask me all the details but basically she's saying it MIGHT be growing too fast (her measurements keep jumping up a centile (spell check) on the chart in her red book. The Health Visitor is saying this MAY be a sign of hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) and has now referred us to hospital with the possibility of a brain scan being on the cards. Apparently the health visitor is not concerned though, she is putting on weight well and meeting milestones.

Here are MY concerns

Yes she is fine, beautiful etc, BUT sometimes her head does look too big. She has met milestones if we take her 6 wks prematurity into account, but it is taking her a long time to do each step. She's only JUST began to reach for and hold toys, makes no attempt at all to roll over and is very floppy. Also, my sister has hydrocephalus and learning disabilities. I'm so scared. Of course we love her no matter what, she is gorgeous and brings us so much joy, its just a shock as her older brother is fine with no health problems.

On a lighter note, my 5 yr old son has grown up immensly in the last few months, and suprises me every day with the stuff he comes out with. For example on the way to school the other day, "mummy, are we allowed to say boobies?" Oh dear God, help me.

Hi CWest! Lovely to hear from you- I often think of you. I think you were the first baby on the thread and I remember your situation.
Sorry to hear about your current worries. I think your current attitude of knowing that you will love her no matter what is the right one. Do try not to panic- it sounds like the hv isn't sure at all. Also try to avoid comparing with other babies' milestones- if you take Naomi's adjusted age, she's probably the youngest on the thread and they all develop at such different rates. Whatever happens, she is a beautiful and perfect little individual with her own set of talents and quirks.

Don't be a stranger!

blimey elpis that sounds awful. i read your post the other day about splitting the cost of everything in half with DH.. We do that here too. but DP forgets that i dont earn nearly as much as him.. and it gets to me. I hate having to ask him for money if i want to go and get a haircut or something because ive not earned it. does that make sense? but at the same time he buys himself beer and pickled onions (dont ask) every day and if the situation was reversed i would be happy for him to have money. I just feel so.. dependent now. When i never have been before. its very difficult getting used to it.
sympathies on your job though, got my fingers crossed bout the redundancy package for you.

and im probably a bit late to the party, but i think whoever said that sleep and babies are luck of the draw is totally right. Pippa started sleeping 10pm-5/6ish at 10 weeks, and has since then gone on to do 9.20 (precisely, how funny!)-7/8am. I didnt do anything different, i think she was just ready for it.

zara- i dont think its a bad thing to give ds mashed up banana.. but then saying that i gave dd a chunk of lime to suck the other day, and got a huge lecture from DM about how bad it was for her stomach. i totally didnt know. goes to show that maybe you should read A parenting book or two... (she did a pretty minging poo the next day but was otherwise fine, but i still feel bad!!)

at your arse tatoo londonmrss. what is it? yay for baby london rolling!

hello!! its good to hear from you- have been thinking of you. i concur with everything londonmrss just said. if the HV isnt too worried then do your best not to worry either- but like you said you will love her no matter what. xx

Ugh, and im joining the hair loss brigade. DP actually came downstairs quite worried the other day when he saw the amount of hair in the bath thankfully i have loads to lose, but i suffer with alopecia (not terribly though, ive got off lightly) so it always gets a bit worrying when i start losing loads of hair.

cwest just wanted to jump on quickly to say hi! I am fairly recent to the thread so you may not know me. Anyway a baby at our baby group was suspected of the same thing. He has a very very large head and the mum was referred to the hospital. He had a scan and everything was fine, he's just got a large head, as does his dad apparently. I know this isn't directly relevant to you but HVs and doctors like to check everything out thoroughly just in case. Babies are all different, develop and do things at different rates. Milestones and comparing with other babies can be misleading and cause unnecessary worry. When I see my DD next to babies of the same age at our baby group they are all so different you just couldn't compare them.

Cwest - my baby is 5 mo today! No rolling here. He holds toys I put in his hand and will reach but not able to really grasp.
I know all this is normal because the range for normal is huge.

My BF baby's head size went off the charts. She was scanned and monitored and nothing wrong. My sil who is a MW and public health nurse says the vast majority they refer on are fine but once the size is there they have to refer. My friend was repeatedly asked about development and hearing. I think pressure would squeeze ocular nerve. Can your baby hear?

Far more likely to be all clear. Try not to worry.

Spoke too soon re sleep regression, up every hour at least. Oh God.

cwest lovely to see you again, we've been missing you! What you're going through does sound scary but it sounds like, no matter what happens, you have a beautiful baby girl who you love to bits. That has to be a good thing. When will you get your appointment - I think waiting is horrible.

off to wales today... longest car journey we've ever done with pippa. i must be nuts