March 2013 - gurgles, giggles and going on holiday (for some of us at least!)

[pudtat]

Will this do? Never started a thread before so hope this works...

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worse yes we are lucky DH is around a lot as he generally works from home so his commute is 10 seconds to the office! The other thing that helps is the bedside cot which means none of us get out of bed until 8am and all we have to do is stick a hand out to sooth DD if she gets restless is the night so DH taking charge from 4am doesn't usually mean he misses out on much sleep. Our equality in division of childcare also stems partly from the fact that I started working again when DD was 6 weeks old. I work from home and do my hours around DD's needs like when she is napping or in the evenings and DH is so supportive of this. He loves his daddy/daughter time and sees it as a precious gift because we missed out on it with DD1. Amazing what blessings can come out of great sorrow - DD2 truly is a rainbow baby!

Evening all, back from holiday & DD did brilliantly on the long journey but a lot of sleep today might not make for a great night. I'm off to Ireland for a few days next week so went out & bought a travel cot today. She's started waking herself up banging against the sides & ends of her basket so I've set the new cot up by our bed to see if that's any better as a test tonight.

I'm feeling much better today after DH has pulled his finger out & helped a bt more the past 24hrs & I've just as the mst delicious curry. Yum! Overnight I'm now taking the stance that if I fail the transfer after a feed its then DHs turn. I'm sure this isn't popular but eve can't really argue & is doing a good job so far!

Rainbow I'm so jealous of your well behaved baby. I've been trying to put DD down awake since she was born but no matter how sleepy she is,she always finds the energy to scream blue murder & I'm a long way off leaving her to scream & see if she settles. So instead we have a baby that's rocked/sung/fed to sleep & I assume this may be the case for a long time. According to Dr Sears we have a 'high need baby' rather than just a mummy making life difficult for herself. No matter what I've tried there's just never been another open for us! Oh well, hopefully I'll get payback when she's a really easy teenager .

worse hope you have a lovely break. Ours was fun & lovely with lots of quality family time although I think saying it was relaxing would be pushing it!

Hi all :)

SoYo I can still remember telling the nursery staff how to shush-pat DS to sleep and he started nursery at 9 months. I never, ever remember it being a problem though and you can get to that stage too.

DD finding her thumb has really helped here though. I am still putting her down really tired (as opposed to the wide-awake-but-just-yawning stage) and after turning her head from side to side (like her brother used to do - it's amazing how I remember things from years ago like that) repeatedly with perhaps a few short cries, she stuffs her thumb in her mouth and it soothes her. My DM says she's just like me

We went to a big steam fair today to see some monster trucks which DS loves and DD was great. I had to feed her as usual in various odd places e.g. squished up next to strangers on a bench, watching the monster truck show. I wasn't militant enough to do it without asking the man first and luckily he was with his wife and their older baby/toddler (I hadn't noticed when he'd sat down) and she immediately said 'oh I remember doing that! Please go ahead' which was lovely. She found them a bit loud but slept through or looked about for the rest of the fair either in the baby bjorn or in the buggy.

DD has been asleep in her basket upstairs for two hours now so I'd best go and wake her for a last feed. Ooh and she's in the sleeping bag for the first time! Bit too much of it for the moses basket but I'm hoping it'll stop her waking up chilly like I think happened last night...

First tube journey - done. If only I could replicate the movement at home when DS is in his cot...

Still waking at 2.30am and last night we caught a burglar!!! I heard a noise outside by the garages where someone already broke in last week by wrenching the garage door up with a crowbar, looked outside to see a man. Called the fuzz who arrived pretty quickly and they apprehended the f*cker before he'd got in!

They said he was on their wanted list so even though he hadn't actually managed to burgle this time around they could arrest him for other offences. I felt really angry that he was here actually. Next time I might go out there naked and run at them screaming... I've had enough of criminals now, especially ones who come to my house

leni how terrifying. Glad you caught him before he burgled this time round. Well done on first tube journey. I have yet to face any public transport with ds. I shudder at the thought of it.

wing that sounded like a nice day out. Is it anywhere near london? Cant wait for ds to grow up so i can take him to these places. I want him to have other interests other than football.

soyo welcome back from your holiday. I think you should let dh do a bit more and let them realise just how hard it is to raise a baby know matter how good they are.

rainbow im happy you are having a great time with your dd. It sounds like a very happy home. It makesme feel a bit im not able to create a happy home for my ds ALL the time. The lack of unbroken sleep and currently having mil staying with us is pushing my patience. Dont get me wrong i love ds and do miss him when hes a sleep sometimes but sometimes i just am a miserable witch.

We are having a trip to Bristol for the day tomorrow. Im petrified of doing a long journey with ds. Im hoping for ds to sleep the whole journey and no poonamis pleaseeeee.

Looks like ds is has got my cold. Hes woken up with a blocked nose. At least hes old enough for karvol and calpol this time.

Fathers day tomorrow. I got a card but nothing else. When mil goes i told dh we will celebrate it better and he agreed. I will make him a carrot cake (his fave) and order him an iphone cover with a photo of him and ds together. Funds are especially tight with us at the mo as dh hasnt worked for 2 weeks and wont be for another week. Even dh is counting the days until she goes but is a lot more patient than me and wont make rude face at her behind her back.

And any i hope mini any is getting a bit better. Its horrible when they are ill. It knocks your routine out of place.

Hello everyone. Lots to catch up on and on phone so apologies if I don't remember everything or name check wrongly.

Leni, wow! Scary but well done you for calling the police. A little mentioned additional benefit of breast feeding eh?

Soyo, glad Hols were good and that dh is giving you a bit more support. Hope you can get some more rest and feel a bit brighter as a result.

Hope coldy LO's are better soon .

Wedding went well, bf through ceremony which kept him quiet . Tried same trick through speeches later but less successful as he kept getting startled by the sound of applause or the room laughing and it made him cry. He was better when I held him up so he could see - bless. Skipped out a bit early from the party as he got rather overtired and wouldn't settle, but overall ok.

Stormy, DS has now done wedding and funeral though feeding was my cunning plan for both which doesn't really help. As for night dream feeds I've sort of given up on top ups. He takes the 10pm dream feed really well and generally isn't interested the rest of the time. However, he is gaining well again so I am less worried that we aren't hitting the daily formula target we were set, as it seems he is getting enough.

We seem lucky with DS re sleep. Although I tend to feed 2.30 and 5ish (late to bed so all moved tonight) he goes back down like a charm. Not sure I'd be coping if it was a struggle each time.

Hope all other babies are behaving over night.

Well thank the stars for Calpol! DD slept from 9 - 6! Feel somewhat like I may have drugged her but she's had a decent sleep and so have I (hallelulia) so we can face the day better! She's still snotty but hopefully will be a bit brighter today
Happy Father's Day y'all - hope you all take it to mean that your DH must do everything today, so that he can be the best 'father'!

Any- you joke, that's exactly how I'm taking Father's Day! We're on holiday in Suffolk and as DH is always away with work, i feel he still doesnt really know her. I'm seeing this as a chance for proper daddy daughter time, I've told him that he's completely in charge and doing everything apart from the 5 bfs a day!

Don't worry about the calpol thing- remember all you were doing was making LO comfortable enough so they can sleep that long despite illness. You're not sedating them!

Thanks vj - and you're right to expect more Daddy time today. Mother's day is about having a day off and Father's day should be the same, for Mothers! Right, off to make DH breakfast in bed.......Ha! He'll be lucky to get a cup of tea!

Ooh lots to catch up on.

It does rather sound like some of us are experiencing the four month sleep regression thingamy. I've not read into this particular issue but am trying to steel myself for harder nights to come.

Eig I love the idea of a baby spa! Might have to google to see if any such thing exists round here (doubt it, we still have lidos). I think my mum and I are going to take DS swimming soon.

Leni when you nakedly apprehend the next breaker inners could you bop em on the head with a heavy pan or such like? Our freesat box misbehaves so instead of East Midlands today we get London news - I eagerly await seeing you on my evening news. Joking aside, I hope you're ok. Well done on the tube ride, I hope you celebrated with a glass of wine.

Our bedtime routine usually involves popping him down drowsy but not totally asleep (unless he falls asleep on the bottle). I'm not allowed to do bedtime as from bath time onwards its Secret Boys Time according to she. He loves this as its the only time they spend together during the week. But yeah, if we put him down fully awake we just have to keep trudging upstairs to replace dummy, pin down gently secure his flapping arms and give him his little monkey to hold. If he's dozy he falls asleep on his own within about five mins.

Stormy only ten weeks to weaning! I can't wait. May try DS with some puréed carrots etc a few weeks earlier as I'd like him to be able to munch a bit with us while we're on holiday in September. And I'm ridiculously excited by weaning.

We've had a lovely weekend with DP's family. His grandad is recovering from a pneumococcal infection and thankfully no longer contagious, but it seemed right to give him more time with his great grandson. Everyone was very impressed by DS, and quite right too!

Well I've posted my flexible working application. If it gets turned down I think I'll start something low key I can do from home. I don't really want to go back to my old job (its shit) but we need the cash. However I feel that having a kid has thrown my life into relief and I just keep thinking that life's too short to waste it working in a job I hate. Oooh philosophical rambling, I apologise! I'm just getting the message that maybe I should find something I actually want to do!

Wow...Can I get my thread-killer cap and gown now, please?

Plonko - I figure people are more scared of crazy women than much else! Which wine would you recommend? I keep getting invites to wine tasting - a friend goes around the world buying wines to sell in his rather posh Hampstead shop, but I've never been

I'm off to see Russell Brand tomorrow! Had several dreams about him already

DS has been chatting non stop today. Another poonami this morning - they keep going up his front somehow even when I'm there poised to change him immediately.

Did anyone know you can buy test strips for breast milk to check you're safe to feed after drinking? Brilliant!!

plonko and anyone else interested in weaning check out BLW

Hello everyone. Been poorly and therefore absent. Lots to catch up with!
plonko I would delay weaning if I could so it's interesting to see you so excited about it. Hoping your enthusiasm will rub off on me! I'm essentially lazy so a move from boob to having to premeditate food is scarey! And, exciting career aspirations. Becoming a parent provides some food for thought eh?
kkf how was bristol?

Oops! Posted in error. Dh now finished his job application and is beckoning me in from garden to watch ides of march which we've been trying to find time for for ages so better dash. More later!

Leni recommendations depend on how suggestible you are but after apprehending a robber and dealing with the filth I'd be tempted by a big shouty red, like a strong Malbec to match a steak. Or manzanilla sherry with a few olives. Either way, at least 14%.

Ood good link! Have scoured that website tonight. I take it Aitch is the Aitch of mumsnet fame?

Eco sorry to hear you're feeling poorly. I hear Ides is a good film though. Am exciting by getting DS to enjoy food with us. My family's very fat food-centric as grandad was a chef, so everything, and I really do mean everything, is celebrated with a feast. When I realised DS will be 9 months by Christmas my first thought was 'ooh he can eat goose by then!'

Yes the cogs are whirring. If only I'd had the foresight to choose a degree with an actual career path attached to it instead of minimal contact hours and maximum pub time. Effing useless Classics.

eco get well soon! Bristol was good. We visited dh's family. Im very proud of myself on managing ds during a 3hr journey and a poonami on the way there. Was very impressed with baby facilities at a service station on m4. It was clean and had seperate feeding area.

Oh yes roll on weaning. I may get shouted at but i hope hes ready to wean soon so he sleeps better through the night. My friends baby sleeps from 9am til 5am. Has a feed and goes back to sleep and shes 2 weeks older.

Flexible hours- do we have to think about already. Hope your request gets accepted. If not this may give you the motivation to start a job you love.

Question re blw. stupid question alert Do you still have to cook your food without salt? Or can baby handle salt content in food once they are 6 months?

KFF I have the Annabel Karmel weaning book and it says no salt for under 1 year olds as it can damage kidneys and cause dehydration.

There's a salt limit. It's tiny but I balanced over a few days rather than over one day as bread is one of the worst things for it. I don't cook with salt anyway. Also means if you have a meal out and baby shares you just make sure the next day is minimal salt.

Plonko Yes it's that Aitch.

KFF my plan is to cook usual meals without seasoning, just put salt and pepper in at the table. Remember salt occurs naturally in food anyway, we really don't need much at all.

So, this sleep regression...how do I make it stop? DS has slept through from 8 weeks so waking up at 2am was not fun. I absolutely admire those of you who wake up multiple times in the night! He had a cocktail of milk, Calpol and bonjela for his midnight feast. After being grumpy and unusually warm and snotty for the past couple of days, MIL stuck a finger in his mouth and felt an inkling of a tooth. We've all had a good rummage since and there's definitely something there!

plonko I just had a bit of a google on flexible working and hope it all goes through for you. I think that's something I want to look into as well. The problem is that if mine wasn't accepted then I would go back full time because although my degree was also useless (theatre), I do actually work in a theatre!

I too am looking forward to weaning. I can't wait to make smaller mashed up versions of our food. It might actually make me a bit more useful in the kitchen, OH would welcome that. I cooked him breakfast yesterday and refused to let him help. Cue me frantically running around the kitchen to OH's remarks of 'do you now appreciate when I do it all by myself?' hmm!

Stupid sleep regression. I feel like a corpse. DD woke up at 10, 1, 4.30, and 7. This is just a phase, right? She'll go back to only waking once at 4am soon, yes?

Stormy I'm not sure I can answer your question since I'm not sure you can regress when it was crap to start with! We're having multiple transfer fails still, taking a long time to get her down, 2 or 3 wakes a night & coming into bed at 5ish for a clue of hours of nipple chewing/boob punching/kicking & a small bit of snoozing! I think I'm getting used to it now.