March 2013 - 6 months down, 210 to go!

[StormyBrid]

Old thread.

Keep on rambling, ladies, we have a whole new thread to fill!

SoYo wine in the baby food is a-ok. It all burns off and I fully support giving the baby proper grub. Naw 17 weeks, so young!

Vj It's taken three different kinds of cup but we've finally got DS to start drinking water. The soft spouted one was the winner. I was really fretting over the contents of his nappy too and started giving him fruity compotes with yoghurt. Yesterday I made apple mango and blueberry and I've eaten most of it he seems to like it. I've also been offering 'wet' meals like pasta with lots of sauce. And he's just wolfed down chicken and veg risotto.

Stormy hope your sleep improves. That really sucks.

We're off out for a walk in the rain before I lose the plot.

Urrgggh. Remind me never to call dd 'a good sleeper' again. 3 screamy wake ups between 1 and 2am. The type where you've just got back into bed and got comfy. Gave up at 2 and brought her in with us. She then kicked and grisled from 5-6.30 when I eventually gave up and we got up. She's of course mega grumpy today, not least because today I'm trying to stretch the gaps between naps in order to cut out the late afternoon nap.

I REALLY want to try leaving her to it when she wakes up, but I'm just not sure I've got the guts.

Today, I will be mostly eating biscuits.

stormy fx the tablets help and also that the paediatrician can help the thrush problem!

Oh man, I've totally forgot what everyone else has said due to being on the damn phone! Gah. DS is going to the Dr once we register with a new one since moving house as he has pretty bad dry, red skin on his face and tummy. The last Dr said it was eczema and told us to use coconut oil but it's still there so I'll see if another can prescribe something else. I'm not too worried as it is only eczema which is fine, it just looks all blotchy. Poor thing.

plonk we too are off for a walk. To Tesco. To get Lemsip and Halls and all manner of cold fighting products. Ah the high life. That's also why I've been a lurker for the past few days, I've been too grumpy because of this ridiculous cold. And since OH has it too, we're both milking it for all it's worth

Stormy I hope the thrush gets sorted!

Something madam here has eczema too and is often red and blotchy, she's got steroid cream for it that helps so I'm guessing you'll get the same from your GP. They can be a bit funny about it but all the GPs I know slap it on their own children for everything so as long as its used sparingly I'm sure it's fine.

Miss Madam just had her first curry, a mix of my veg paneer and Daddy's chicken balti puréed and mixed with a load of yoghurt. It was a bit hit! Especially with some naan to dip into it! Fingers crossed we don't see the result in her nappy overnight!

SoYo I can't help but think the impending nappy is going to look pretty similar to how it did on the plate. Do keep us updated!

Fartypants approves of sausages! This is progress, and in a suitably carnivorous direction.

I slept! Only took half an hour to fall asleep, woke up three times and went straight back to sleep after each. Yay for sleeping pills!

Stormy you must feel like a new woman! So pleased for you, there's nothing like a good nights sleep. Did DD wake you or was it natural end of sleep cycle stuff?

Well I am having a wonderful time. Last night getting into bed I stepped on my Kindle and broke the screen. I tried to read a book from the Complete George Orwell and kept dropping it on my face cos it's so damn heavy. I left DS's bottles cooling in the sink and forgot to put them in the fridge, so I had to perform my full repertoire of baby distraction techniques IMMEDIATELY upon waking while a new bottle cooled. I then spilt the fresh boiling hot bottle all over myself (thankfully no burns) and nearly fell over the cat, who might have just learned not to stand right behind me at all times. Open the post and OH LOOK! Not one but FOUR Npower bills, two saying we're in credit to the tune of 1200, two asking for money.

Seriously, who let me become a responsible adult? I want to move back in with my mum so she can take care of all this crap and feed me and give me cuddles.

Well done stormy.

Oh dear plonky do you want to start the day again. I usually wake in the morning to find powdered milk scattered all over the floor like snow.

4am i wake up and ds is playing in his cot and talking to himself. I made him milk and he fell back to sleep until 6am. I left him in his cot until 7.

Hes due for a nap and yes you guessed it his fighting his nap again. For baby number 2 im in line for a baby that doesnt fight sleep.

11pm, woke up when the man was feeding her and she was squeaking. 2am woke up because he'd forgotten to turn the thermostat down, and the heating came on - radiators upstairs clank a lot. 5.50am had to flip the baby. Up for the day at 7am. Felt quite groggy for an hour, but fine now.

We've had a fair bit of nap resistance this past week, so I'm experimenting with keeping her up for two and a half hours rather than two. Hopefully it'll work alright and won't bugger up the schedule too much.

Right, found you!

Urgh, far too much to read... I've skimmed the first 20 ish.

I can't get DS to drink water either and his poo this morning was a sort of solid flat lump . Are we supposed to give them any other sort of liquid? He's only wanting about 4oz bottles, but having two after midnight still (just can't get him to have them in the bloody day time). He's also on 3 meals a day, loves fruit purees best. I put banana in his cleava mama feeder, which turned grey in minutes and just got smeared over the carpet after being chewed!

In other news, my GP has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works after nothing came of my bloods - she thinks I might have MS. As much as I know this isn't a final diagnosis by any means and I'll have to wait until the neurologist referral comes through, something definitely isn't right and it's actually affecting my ability to look after DS now

OH has actually been much nicer to me since my gp visit which is a plus, but at the moment I can't even undo buttons on a sleepsuit so going back to work in 4 weeks seems crazy!

If I'm quiet it's just because I'm lurking and typing isn't my friend atm.

Anyway, we have a sliver of tooth finally here, and boy are they sharp?!

Oh Leni, hopefully you'll get to see a neurologist quickly who can start investigating & at least you'll know one way or another. It doesn't sound like you'll be back at work in 4 weeks, you need to be taking it easy not adding more stress. I'm glad DP has stepped up a bit!

Thanks Soyo, a diagnosis would probably make me feel better actually!

Luckily my boss has a disability and I work in the accessibility team at my company, so I'm confident that I can discuss this with him without judgement as health issues are well catered for. I am slightly worried about going to meet him with DS on Friday alone, just because I don't trust my body to behave and it looks outwardly as if I'm drunk . I tend to use the buggy more like a zimmer frame...

Thanks soyo for the advice re eczema. After researching googling I've seen that steroid cream is what's next so I'll push for some. We were told not to use sudocrem but tried it last night and it seems to be helping!

leni I hope you get some answers soon and at least your work will be understanding, but I agree, probably best to take time instead of going back in 4 weeks. It sounds like you're struggling too much to go back just yet!

As of last night, Mr has turned into a snotty mess of a boy. He woke up about 3 times just wanting cuddles and has been very dopey all day watching OH on GTA, but that'd send anyone dopey. So, that's 3 of us. At least we've all got it at the same time! And a revelation: rusks are a slobbery hit!

Oh god Leni, that is a worrying possibility. I hope you get a proper diagnosis and treatment soon. Does the fact you are a full time carer for a small baby give you a leg up the waiting list? Is it worth asking? Thinking of you.

I'm another who's being a bit more of a lurker than a poster at the moment.... all is slightly mad here at present. Builder related chaos mainly, with it's knock on effect on my free time, or lack there of .

Gosh, as a collective we have a lot on our plates don't we.
Leni I just hope you start to feel more yourself soon. IT must be hard looking after a baby. You deserve some good luck very soon.
Worse how is napping with The builder noise? What are you Having done? Or is that nosey?
Something have you Got a nasal aspirator? Great fun, as I think I've mentioned before.
Kff how many weeks is your lo? Might it be the dreaded wonder week still? Baby may emerge on other side a brilliant sleeper. Here's hoping.
Soyo we start weaning tomorrow. Very late to the party. Your curry sounds fun. Sounds like You blw all the way? Can I ask how you approached the first week? Did you start with puree to test swallow skills? WE had planned on dahl recipe from blw book tomorrow night but on reflection that feels a bit in at the deep end.
Plonk tomorrow is another day! Things can only get better. I had comedy of errors on Monday morning. It must be the week for it.
As for us, we purchased something ridiculous. About four months ago one of our nct group showed us their jumperoo. I duly said to dh 'what an enormous piece of plastic tat, we're never having anything like that'. What was it you were saying about the sorts of parents we are compared to the sort We thought we would be!
We can't see the telly anymore.

Oh, how could I forget what led me to be lying in the bath comatose:
Today Eco baby (you will appreciate the irony of this name when you read this story) and I awoke in Wales. after a play and breakfast with a pre schooler and a toddler we headed to bristol to meet a four week old and then went onto Reading to see a friend's girl who'd just started school. BEfore again hitting M4 and M25 and M11 at rush hour to get back to Norfolk for seven pm.
Insane. Don't ever be tempted by this sort of nuts road trip. Thank heavens the ridiculous jumperoo was in situ to gain me Brownie points. I feel like I have gained some of those there bad mummy points today.

Eco good move giving in. The jumperoo is a hideous monstrosity but it's worth it's weight in gold, it's like a third parent in our house!

We originally started out with BLW then about 3 weeks in we added purees to the mix and now it's a bit of everything and anything. We started with vegetable (lightly steamed) and fruit sticks and bread products but within a few days we were giving her a bit of anything we had, we only started like that because she was under 6m so I felt we should start slowly. She didn't have anything on a spoon for ages. She's now having quite a bit of purée too, meals are often a bit of our dinner puréed which we load onto spoons and she feeds herself and a bit of our dinner in its pure form for her to mush in her hands and face and hair and clothes and play with and chew. Just go for it! She won't eat it if she doesn't want to and there'll be a lot of playing at first anyway!

I'm having a glass of red wine the size of a small vat and I can feel it. Mmmmm.

And finally, yay for sleep stormy! It'll take a while to catch up but bet it already feels bloody great

Oh my goodness leni I do hope they find out what's wrong soon. Must be awful for you having lost he ability to do simple things like that for your DS :(

DD also has dry blotchy skin, mostly under her neck and the top of her chest but also sometimes around her chin which I had just put down to drooling all the time. I've been using Vaseline but I'll keep an eye on it.

eco I finally started weaning DD today as I was getting totally freaked out by the way she was just STARING at our food and our mouths the past few days especially. I was putting it off because I was being lazy!

Going for the mix of finger food and spoon feeding, she had baby rice at lunchtime, and because I've been so disorganised she was just in the bumbo on the kitchen floor. I started off with very runny baby rice but that was a bit nothing really so kept adding more until it went extremely thick and she was having a hard time eating it, bless her! I stopped after that

Then this evening she had some mashed potato. As lumpy as I normally make it (!) with a knob of unsalted butter and a splash of whole milk. She sat up happily in the highchair for it and I stupidly put it in a little bowl but the first thing she did was to grab it and try to stuff it in her mouth! I took the bowl away She really enjoyed it and was just slurping and sucking it off her fingers when there wasn't much left!

It was lovely just having her in the highchair up at the table with us and not down low in her bouncer or sitting in the bumbo. I forgot to put a bib on her though and must've chucked all the great plastic ones we used with DS so I'd better get some pretty quickly.

Hope we all have a good night's sleep tonight. With or without medicinal aid!

I'm going to have to google these jumparoos, aren't I?

Not a bad night's sleep here. Squeaks at 4.10 and 5.45, and from 6.30 she was just chattering and farting to herself in her cot until I got her up at seven. So I still haven't managed eight unbroken hours, but it's better than only managing three.

I fear food may be causing some baby digestive issues. She's farting like a champion, struggling to poo at times, and woke up from a nap howling yesterday, which was solved with an enormous burp.

Those with babies who are eating well already, do they have teeth yet? Am vaguely wondering if there's a correlation. Also, is anyone bathing the baby in the sink, and if so how do you stop them sliding around? Our baby bath (which she's just about outgrown) is going over the road for my brother's baby in, crikey, four and a half weeks. Where did the time go? Anyway, I'm a little apprehensive about the move to the sink.

Morning all

As I write the tiddler is rolling about in her play pen beside me, loudly discussing the merits of hands over feet. How long I have to write largely depends on how much she can find to say on the subject, before getting bored. Probably not long then!

Eco you are insane brave. That's a lot of driving! All good practice for the Trans-atlantic trip though. Speaking of which I was reminded the other week about our scheduled Chicago trip. Transpires that one has been canned as it coincided with a deal deadline, and fee earning trumps internal conferences. Can't say as I'm sorry to be honest. A holiday to the states might be a lot of fun. Trailing along as the loyal wife. Less so.

And the building work - well fortunately nothing really major, but pretty disruptive none the less. DH in his wisdom has decided that rather than a rather useful dog yard and outbuilding, what we actually need is a conservatory . I'm not convinced I could ever need a conservatory, but it will be nice to have and will open up a stunning view of the garden from the back of the house. The current view of kennel and ramsackle barny thing lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. It doesn't really affect naps, what with the worselet being completely nap resistant any way, but it does increase the amount of time I have to spend doing dog walking as rather than being loose all day the poor mutts are penned. They are really quite pi55ed off.

Ah so much more to say and so little time.... having exhausted the scope of the various baby entertainment options available (no jumperoo.... perhaps that is where I am going wrong) someone is now cross.

Waves to everyone... especially those having rough nights.

worse for baby entertainment, may I suggest furry cushions? I've been making a U shape of cushions round DD when she's sitting on the floor, and she absolutely loves to cuddle them, squeal, then throw herself forward. Also a big hit at the moment is the soft plastic basket I just got to keep her toys in downstairs. If it's within reach, she likes to pull it over and investigate the contents.

She's been trying to pull herself up to a standing position, with the aid of the sofa, or sometimes my leg. They're going to he walking before we know it, aren't they?

Stormy we have no teeth here and I'm hoping that will remain the case for a while yet. I, not looking forward to being bitten with teeth as its already agony when she does it with just gums.

As for baths, the sink doesn't work for us as she just slides around and under and we've never used a baby bath. It's in the big bath for Mini-Yo. We just put a couple of inches in and lie her down in it. Now she's sitting she loves it as she gets to sit up and have a good splash and play with her ducks before lying down to get washed.

Madam was up 3 times but is now fast asleep beside me. I think she's going to be like me and her Daddy, much prefer late nights and a lie in to the alternative. Oh well!

Lots to catch up on and soooo little time.

leni i hope you get a diagnosis soon. Im glad your OH is being a bit more helpful. Re other fluids. I give ds water as well as juice for babies. You should find it in the baby aisle next to the baby food. He has taken to it well.

eco we are 28 weeks tomorrow. I had to check that ive totally lost count. For us every week is a wonder week where fighting naps are concerned. I can see myself on supernanny in a couple of years time.

That reminds me anyone see that awful 3 day nanny show last night? Giving a 3 yr old a big knife to chop veg and allowing them to wee against a tree. Wtf!

stormy we dont use the sink. i usually have the sink piled with dishes. I got this seat from kiddicare for about £9 i think. I just put it in the big bath.

Not a bad night night. Ds slept from 8.30pm until 3.30am. This is a big improvement. Although after his feed he was in a light sleep and i could hear him wailing. I went and hes was a sleep. My only explanation is that he must have been dreaming if there is such a thing for babies.

Wow Kf, that's a 7 hour stretch. Hopefully it'll just get better as he gets bigger.

Stormy proper food caused some digestive issues here too. It's settled down now but we had mega farts for a week or so - poss