March 2013 - time to wrap them all up in tinsel

[StormyBrid]

Old thread here.

worse we're like Plonky on the timings - we keep mealtimes and milktimes separate. I spotted something in Evil Baby Whisperer that suggested around this age milk should be at the time you'd give a snack. Thinking about it, that's pretty much what we do - milk at the crack of dawn, 11am, 3pm and bedtime, food at 9am, 1pm and 5pm. It seems to work, and Fartypants is definitely in the process of reducing milk herself. Those middle two feeds, she's having about four ounces now.

How is the worselet on mush? Does she show any preferences? If we were sticking with baby led weaning we'd be getting absolutely nowhere. Savoury mushes, she'll try a mouthful then get distracted by the cat. Fruit mushes, she practically inhales. For a reduced stress option, can I suggest getting yourself to Asda? They've a hell of a range of cheap fruity mushes, and then at least you're not having to throw away purees you've spent hours lovingly creating.

Incidentally, six month old Molly may love her porridge, but all that means is that Molly's a total weirdo - porridge is vile. It's weetabix all the way round here, with mashed banana in.

eco hang in there, it does get better. How long until 37 weeks for you?

I am thanking my heathen gods we don't have crawling yet. Nappy changes with rolling are bad enough. Especially when it's a particularly horrific one.

Afternoon all. Wish I had time to comment back on everyone's posts, but I'm running out the door in a minute. Well a minute and a half. Someone is doing the grunt face and we all know what that means .

Will try and catch up later, small person permitting. Small person should however be tired. She did her 2 hour nursery settle this morning, and given how calm and happy she is now I'd say she loved it. I'd have loved it more if my car hadn't decided to break down on the way home, meaning I spent my morning off at the garage. My guardian angel, if I have one, has a decidedly warped sense of humour. Gerry if the CM doesn't work out I can definitely recommend the nursery. It's near to your mum.

While we're on the subject of nappies again... ... Did someone - Eco? - say they were getting stained dark purple or black? I've found the culprit - Calpol. Unless you buy the colour free one (thanks dh for not bothering). But apparently it will wash/sun out eventually!

anyone want to exchange their baby for a night time party animal new one?
The joy. A sleepless night ahead of a work day. It's almost like it's the law. And I'll be coming home to no husband this evening. Moan moan moan.
Other than that we are full of the joys of spring here. The delightful ecobaby is currently laughing at me and making bird noises. How lovely.

and thanks for calpol tip pud. I'm so rubbish I didn't even know there were different sorts.
Is there one with some of Stormy's sleeping tablet drugs in?

It's amazing... I think I have discovered a cure for non-sleeping babies. Nursery, a massive night feed and a really good belch. For the babies that is... not the mums. When the staff said she'd 'been into everything' I don't think they were exaggerating as she's been upstairs for 11 hours now and not a squeak. Reckon she must have done the equivalent of a physical and mental baby marathon and wiped herself out. I for one am extremely grateful as DH left at 5am yesterday, won't be back until late tonight, and as the gates are broken I have to supervise the dogs as well as the worselet every time they are out. Anyone who might be thinking of getting a dog and is unsure as to breed. Don't get a collie unless you are mad.

Eco sounds rough. I wonder if Ecobaby is going through the phase we've just been through. It does pass though - promise. We still have bad nights, but nothing like they were. The only thing I've changed is I end load her milk. She has 2 day time feeds at 7am and 3pm, which she has reduced down to 160ml, then before bed she has a 200ml bottle, lots of winding, then I change her into her pjs and give her a 100ml top up. If I miss the top up, she's awake and hungry at 12.30am. Guaranteed.

Calpol nappies? I had no clue! That said we haven't used it more than a 3 or 4 times, infacol was the poison of choice here for a long time. I do have a calpol tip though - get a syringe from the chemist. You'll get more in the mouth than down the baby that way.

Any is it possible DH actually is unwell? He sounds like he's coming down with something. I often feel a bit non-de-script bleurgh a couple of days before a dose of flu or something. I guess if he is you probably know by now, and if he's not, well it's his turn to do the nights

Rainbow I'll google that car seat as your sling recommendation was spot on. I love this forum for many reasons, practical advice being one of them.

Today's dilemma, do I or do I not go to music group? Obviously it would be good for the worselet, however it will be less great for me. The extra time needed to exercise the dogs when they can't run loose is eating up my day. Plus exercising the dogs is kind of fun, so if I don't do it I will be missing out as well as them. First world problem. Obviously.

Oh, how I wish the sleeping tablets still worked, eco. Doctor won't prescribe them long term or up the dose for sleeping, only for back pain.

My main trouble at the moment is cats. I went for a pee at 2.15. At 3.15 I was able to catch one of them and throw her out to yowl in the rain. I was almost asleep when the baby woke up at 4.15. Then howling from the other cat. Then baby awake again. Then sodding heating rattling like a bastard. Then the man's alarm clock. And his coughing fit. Then he went for a fag and let yowly bastard number one back in. Then the baby woke up again. I have had four hours' sleep, and have been awake since just after two in the morning. DD is going through a screechy phase. Would anyone like an extra baby and some cats?

I will swap you for a morning nap refuser. Anyones dc dropped to 1 nap a day? For the past few days he will not sleep in the morning. I thought it was early days to drop to 1 nap a day. Im gutted because that was the time I had my morning coffee in peace.

worse don't bother with the music group. Whilst walking the dogs, sing to her and bash anything in sight to make your own music. 2 birds 1 stone.

We often only have one nap, yummy. She has a habit of refusing the afternoon one. She gets hard to entertain and ends up going to bed early, but she copes. My middle niece rarely napped at all by this age. Wouldn't nap at nursery in the morning, and her granny's always been a soft touch and wouldn't force naps in the afternoon.

Oh no its a sign that my baby is growing. Time has gone so fast. Well it looks as if our routine have changed. Ive moved lunch to 12noonish then afternoon nap is 1ish.

yummy we only have one nap a day in the morning here now at around 10:30 ish for 30-45mins and that is all. Sometimes DD gets tired mid-afternoon but won't nap so I tend to take a break from work and have some quiet time with a breastfeed and cuddle in bed or on the sofa for 10-15minutes or so, followed by a snack and that seems to re-energise her unti bedtime.

yummy we've just had the morning nap gi out the window too - she went down for 10 mins at 9.30 then I spent half an hour persuading her it was sleepy time so she had another 10 mins then I gave up. She went swimming at 11 and was properly knackered by 1pm so had 2 hours. It's deffo WW witchery so i'll let you know if we get the morning one back...

He's napping twice a day now but I think nursery has a lot to do with it - he is proper knackered! Seems to be enjoying it ok though which is good.

I lost you all! Glad to find you again. In case you were wondering, wors did make it to music group. I know this cos my mum told me. Which I find a little weirdo they now see each other more than we do!

I'm up and can't sleep despite an exhausting week because I'm bricking it about our second trip to the childminders tomorrow. I'm taking her sleeping bag this time in the hope that dd might nap!

Talking of which, you really all do have crazy awake babies! We're still on 2 naps and have been since about 6 months. Sometimes it's 3 as she usually sleeps the half hour drive home from mum's/CM too. and then usually 13hrs overnight but I promised I wouldn't tell you that

Right, I know some of you were talking vit drops recently. Is this a thing I should do? We're on 18floz milk, but she eats whatever I put in front of her, and I'm pretty good with giving her a varied diet. But sometimes I worry about iron as we don't eat a huge amount of red meat. (Loads of spinach though...)

Re: car seats, I think ours is up to 15 months, and she's still a tiddler so quite a way off the top. I must double check that. Although if it relies on knowing her weight I'd be no good as I have had her weighed since October, and am unlikely to until February.

So, on Saturday I'm going out with some mum friends we met through swimming. I'm excited and nervous in equal measures. One is a designer, another a stylist. I am stylistically challenged AND losing weight so have nothing that fits. And no money. Going to have to get creative I think.

I agree with Gerry, everyone else's babies are wide awake! We usually have two naps a day, totalling at least 2 hours. I don't ever want it to change.

Language developments coming along nicely here. Last night I asked ds 'wheres the cat?', he looked at her and said 'ber'. And again this morning. That's words in my book :)

I did indeed Gerry and I'm so glad I did as Gerrybaby and Worselet are firm friends which is so sweet. They definitely interact with each other far more than with the other babies and even swapped toys... nicely! The dogs didn't miss out either, although the trip to baby clinic had to be canned. Given I have only made it to clinic twice, ever, my no shown will not have been a surprise to anyone.

I'm not giving vit drops yet either (we're on 600ml, which isn't far off 18flozzes), but that said shepherds pie is her favourite food, and the only one that doesn't have to be coaxed down on crackers so her iron levels are probably ok. Two naps also, but only if I take her out in the pram. If I don't she drops the morning one, and the afternoon one is a real trauma for both of us.

Got to dash now as it's our second nursery trial day which means dressing her in something coordinated, and thinking of a snack to pack. Given the night I've had my brain would rather not have to think just yet. An hour of pacing and then DH got up at 4am, turned on all the lights, stomped about a bit, and then left for work, leaving me wide awake. Charming.

We may only be having one nap at the moment, but it's a long one. All this week she's Bern sleeping two or even two and a half hours. Night sleep improving after the snot attack of last week too. She didn't wake until six this morning, drank four flozzes and went back to sleep. She's woken a couple of times since, but gone back to sleep before I've managed to drag my arse out of bed. Should probably go get her up soon...

Ds' afternoon naps also last over 2 hours which is great. Bedtimes are a different story. Trying to get him to sleep is a nightmare. Gone are the nights of 7.30/8pm bedtime its now past 10.30pm with lots of crying in the cot but full of happiness when he is out of it. This has been since he has stopped napping in the morning.

Could be your timings have gone a bit wonky, yummy? When does he go down and get up for his nap at the moment?

Ah we are back to normal. Ds has just woken from is morning nap. He slept for 1 and hours and I managed to have a shower and coffee. Bliss! Maybe I did get the timings wrong I have no idea. Past couple of days he has slept from 1 until 3pm. Morning naps were 9ish if he woke at 7am.

Yummy my MIL had some good advice for me - she said that with all three of her babies she found that the more they slept, the more they wanted to sleep. This is certainly true of my DS, and I find that if he doesn't nap well he doesn't sleep well at night. Could he be overtired on the days he doesn't manage a morning nap?
Hopefully his nap today will stand him in good stead for the night ahead.

Gerry I meant to add, I think the reason they have to do vits is because they don't absorb everything from their food at this stage. I could be wrong but the contents of DS's nappies frequently suggest I'm right . He cut down on bottles naturally as he increased his intake of solids but I think their guts aren't really mature for a few months yet.

Quite like this working from home malarkey. Admittedly there's zero banter but I started work at 9, have done a fair amount already in addition to putting a shoulder of lamb in the slow cooker, 2 loads of washing and a dishwasher load. Not battling rush hour is amazing. Ahhh lunch. My favourite time of the working day.

Hi ladies,
any hope your DH is behaving better. We
have moments like that too and it grinds
me down.

We aren't doing vit drops now DS is on
formula. Should we be??! I did when BF.

We are also on 2 naps- the occasional
fight but he needs it. Although if he was
sleeping in until 9.30 like mini storm I think
we'd only have time for one too.

Not much goss here. Knackered as usual.
Starting to dread returning to work when I
Though I was ok about it. Guess it's been
a long time since I've been there. I've not
missed the work much!! Will be nice to see
everyone again though I guess.

gerry have a great night out. Maybe go
for something simple to wear and statement
Jewellery?! Enjoy anyway- you deserve it.

plonky i think your mil is right. On days where he has rubbish sleep he wakes up several times at night and does the whining in his sleep thing. Lets see how he settles tonight as I miss my 9pm bedtime.

Working from home is great. I tend to get a lot more done, housework and normal work wise.

I have clocked up more bad mummy points as I don't consistently give him the vitamin drops. It smells vile and smell lingers for ages.

shattered when do you start back to work? I have mixed feelings. I felt so fed up and down yesterday I wished I was at work. If and when I dc2 I won't be taking the whole year off. I feel sad to say but im not cut out to be a sahm. I don't have the stamina for it.

I have had a sort out today more clothes put away, soft toys being washed and the baby walker is stored away. I have space in my kitchen again. Yay.

Yummy I bloody hope I won't have to but might be eating my words later. I've just fetched DS from nursery, where he has only napped 1 and a half hours, and only in the morning. He's happy as larry at the moment but that will all change, no doubt!

Bit his keyworker again. Oh god I'm going to the be the mother whose bitey child never gets to go to birthday parties, aren't I?

Shattered and Yummy, going back to work is easier than you'd anticipate. You'd be amazed how easily you fit back in.

I'm currently struggling with hearing someone I know is giving their 9week old babyrice I mean how hard is it to follow weaning advice? DS was grabbing toast off me at 20 weeks so we slowly introduced solids then (not that much was swallowed for a month or so) but I very much doubt the 9 week old went into the cupboard and filled their own bottle up.

It's official, I love nursery! The smallest person really enjoys it, napped there for a whole hour, and I got loads done. I even went for a run. I also had a proper lunch for what seems like the first time in ages. I'm rubbish with food planning, and by the time I've thought of something balanced and baby friendly that the tiddler will actually eat, I've pretty much lost the will. On the downside, judging from the amount of snot she has gone down with a stinking cold. Poor thing.

Plonky biting you say? I'm afraid we've ticked that box too! Vicious these babies, aren't they? No idea how to stop it, as she thinks it the funniest thing ever.

Respect to those of you who can pull off the working from home thing. I tried it once, but found I was too distracted by stuff to do round the house and the ability to go outside for a walk. Admittedly I was much more efficient when I knuckled under, but it was the knuckling under that was the problem. I found focussing much easier when I lived on my own and had far fewer i.e. no other responsibilities!

Gerry jeans, something pretty and floaty on top that can get away with being a bit too big, and a pair of boots? That's pretty much the uniform of choice on a night out round here isn't it? I wouldn't worry though, as at the risk of sounding stalkery you're very pretty so what you wear doesn't much matter. Have fun