March 2013 time for shoes!

[Plonkysaurus]

New thread ladies...

Plonky have you tried Aveeno cream? It comes in a brown tube that looks for all the world like posh hand cream, but it is the best thing ever for dry skin/eczema type rashes. We've gone from her entire trunk and under chin sore to the point of bleeding to one very small dryish patch on her shoulders. Routine is cream first thing when dressing, and last thing before bed, with top ups at each nappy change if need be. Bath every other day, no soaps or bubble bath of any kind, just a little dentinox cradle cap shampoo. This has worked where oilatum and cetraben creams failed.

Sorry to hear so many are poorly this evening. Get well soon all.

Thanks for the tip Worse. We've already switched to an emollient bath milk thing but ill pop down the chemists with him tomorrow. I hate taking him to the drs unless absolutely necessary, and I don't think he has an infection. Anything to avoid a gps waiting room!

I've now been stuck under him for 30 mins. I have no hope of getting out. The cuddles are lovely though. The snoring not so much.

Plonky I second Aveeno. I use it for DDs eczema and my legs post-shaving and it's worked a treat.

Awww soo many poorly babies. Get well soon to all the poorly babies.

Out of interest what type of thermometer do you use?

I have one you put on the babies forehead, which was good when ds was a not so active wriggly baby. I have to confess i don't actually use a thermometer regularly. I usually touch the back of the neck. I am thinking i do need to invest in one where you put the thermometer in the ear.

Worse it was a great night. But the baby screamed for half an hour at half one ;-) I get aveeno on prescription for my eczema. Might be worth exploring as the little people get theirs free and you can use gallons.

Get well babies. When we were having the low temperature problems with ecobaby our GP said he never uses a thermometer on his own children, instead trusting instinct and hand on head. We have one of those in the ear scan things used in NHS. Expensive though.

Stormy you are a whipper snapper with a future fecund with exciting possibilities! Please don't be sad at this point. Your babies will come. Perhaps hand in hand with the man of your dreams. In a while. Doesn't sound like you have time for the man of your dreams just yet.

We had eight beaming steps of walking today yummy so we're heading towards your gang. Ecobaby is thrilled with herself. And weirdly I am thrilled too.

After a couple of days of not seeing other adults I spent nap time today filling my weekdays for next couple of weeks with lunches and meet ups for walks. I spotted the early signs of going nuts so I grabbed the bull by the horns.

We've had a picnic outside pretty much every week of the winter (can't disappoint Gerry in the slightly crazy stakes) but today's was a real joy. I wasn't chilly at the end of it. The first warming sun of the year really gets my verve for life flowing. And we sat next to a playground so ecobaby watched the children playing and happily chomped her whole lunch. Good tactic!

Speaking of which, worse and stormy, we have had a nappy change breakthrough. If we change her on a folded up fluffy duvet which is a bit like a nest she languishes and doesn't race off. That's my hot tip.

Wine Wednesday here Very nice. It's good not feeding overnight from a wine point of view.

Gah, I missed out on Wine Wednesday due to a theatre trip with DSis which ended up in McDonald's for a tea afterwards, surrounded by students on nights out and me relieved not to be one of them. I'm getting old.

We are also on the verge of walking here, I can almost taste it! The most he's done is seven steps but a few here and there between various bits of furniture otherwise. I get so proud!

I'm very much on the side of waiting for DS to be a bit older before ttc. Ideally, I'd like him to just be at school when the next one pops along. I admire people who can cope with two littleys.

So sorry to hear about all the poorly babies. Hopefully the Dr's will sort everyone out. I hope sleep isn't disturbed too much. plonk are you still under a snuggly babysaurus?

cantturn I've been thinking about you, hope you're all doing ok and you have some treatment for DS.

yummy we have a thermometer that goes under DS's armpit. I have to clamp him down to get a temperature though. It came in a set with an ear one and a dummy one but we've never used either.

Wishing everyone lots of nice sleep

Yummy we have an ear one. Pricey but much simpler with a wriggler.

Rough night. And busy day at work for me. Dh at home today. Hope DS picks up. Temp back over 39 at 5am when the calpol wore off so still high. Calpol gets it into late 38's but he feels like he's burning up. No rashes or vomiting though so think we just keep on for now.

Loving the vocab Eco. DS has just discovered that he can roll over and crawl away mid nappy change so I may have to try your duvet tip. bit afraid of getting poo on the bed love the sound of the picnic even if it is mental.

Like eco's dr I try to go by instinct. DS slept really well but was still warm at 3am. He'd had calpol at 6 but a bit of ibuprofen and some milk, and yet more cuddles, appears to have helped. No idea how warm but the back of his neck is warmer than mine.

I got cuddles all night though and we've woken up with smiles. It's going to be great fun trying to work today while he's off nursery.

How is MiniBetty? Sorry miniPuds not so good, hope they both get better soon.

Thanks Plonk, mini-Betty is a bit whingy and feels a bit warm but much less so than yesterday. I have to confess I don't use a thermometer usually and just feel but when she's massively hot I like to check, if her temp was over 40 I'd probably want her to be seen by someone or over 39 & not coming down with calpol. We got an ear thermometer during the Boots baby event when it was half price.

Betty glad things are improving. High temps scare me. I have a 2 in 1 ear/forehead thermometer which was admittedly expensive but worth it. The forehead version is actually the most popular as it beeps and everything. She sits stock still and giggles, which is handy. I wish calpol and eye drops were that easy.

Eco I think our babies are on a telepathic link up as we had similar screaming. She was hungry though.... which is what happens when small people turn their nose up at dinner. Honestly there are times... I knew she was hungry. She knew she was hungry. But would she eat her dinner? Of course not .

The nappy duvet thing has been long established here. I add in a selection of toys. I work on the basis there has got to be one toy that is captivating enough to distract her for at least 3 minutes. That basis is often wrong which is when I let her chew cotton wool like gum

V cross DH to contend with today, as the builder went off piste yesterday and chipped out a whole load of original brickwork and capping stones. The capping stones are apparently custom cast. There is no known explanation for why he has done this. I long since ceased to care about trivialities like this, but to DH it is a major 'thing'. So, I'm busy playing piggy in the middle, which is fun, as you can imagine.

Can't if you are lurking hope you have some answers and some treatment. Hugs.

eco i have taken your idea to have a picnic in the park today. Just got to the park and shock horror ds has fallen asleep and ds snoring. Im so gutted there isn't a decent coffee place round here.

cantturn hope the doctors have given you some answers so you can look at treatment.

Ds has woken better go. Catch up later.

Gah! I was so looking forward to a big lunchtime nap. Half an hour in, I can hear men talking and lots of banging. We have workmen on the bathroom roof, right outside DD's room. Argh!

stormy we missed our lunchtime nap too because he slept for a whole 10mins in the car this morning. Grrrr. See this is why i am so inflexible with my routines.

Makes me glad I don't have a car for DD to fall asleep in! And she's been napping for two hours now, thankfully. Nights seem to have finally reverted to good at last too. Last night, she was in bed by seven at went straight to sleep. Squeaked a bit around ten. Woke for milk at twenty to seven, then went back to sleep until nine. Bliss, particularly after three months of snot related sleep regression.

We went to the doctors this morning. Thankfully it seems to just be yet another virus, but he prescribed Oilatum for the dry skin. DS has slept all day, eaten next to nothing and been sick this evening.

Such fun. Someone cheer me up!

Blimey. Those of you with one year olds- any of you get all emotional putting them to bed the night before their birthday? I'm a wreck! DH is away with work so I'm sitting here all teary, reliving the last year. Stupid things keep setting me off, remembering what our bedroom looked like with the Moses basket, the fact that for two weeks we just ate stuffed pasta with sauce, tinned fruit, full fat coke, and biscuits, because that was all DH could manage to put together. The night feeds. People are right when they say you'll miss them.

Anyway, this is getting nothing done. I'm off to order party food online, wrap presents, blow up balloons, and tidy up for all the visitors we've got over the next few days. Hoping all poorly babies feel better soon, looking forward to over familiar Friday tomorrow!

Gerry I was the same and I'm once again sat here sobbing because it's my first day back at work tomorrow. I've just put DD to bed and won't see her during waking hours until Monday and I feel like I've really screwed up. She still has never taken a bottle or cup of milk reliably for a daytime feed, never mind a night feed and has never had a bedtime without me and now she's going to have to go cold turkey for 3 days. I feel like it should have prepared her better despite all my hours of trying and I feel like I'm going to be leaving her knowing she'll be distressed and not being able to do anything about it. I'm also bloody terrified about being able to do my job after over a year off. I have no idea how my morning is going to run or when to set my alarm for and I can see it all being a total disaster. I know this is a huge trivial moan and I can only apologise for that but tonight if am a silly sobby mess.

Gerry have a lovely baby birthday and make sure you treat yourself as well as toddlerGerry.

Hi everyone else, I'm on the phone so can't scroll back and now that I've talked about nothing but my woes I can't remember what everyone else has said. Sorry! Can't I please give my big slushy group hug for over-familiar Friday early as I won't have time tomorrow?

Big hugs Betty. It will be ok and minibetty will get used to things quickly once she has to. She's one now, she doesn't need milk for everything. She will manage even if she doesn't want to given the option! And you will no doubt enjoy yourself in a funny way - getting back to being the old you, and too busy to do too much dwelling I expect! Totally understandable that you feel a bit wobbly but it will be ok. Big overfamiliar hugs heading your way.

Dear Betty Remind us who will be looking after dd?
I did my first full day away from eco baby today. My previous work days have been half days or dh came with me and I slipped out at breaks and lunches when facilitating training so today felt very different. For me and dh! Today was first day she hadn't had milk from me during day time. dh have her water and snacks instead morning and afternoon and she was fine. Also, she might surprise you with bedtime and go down like a lamb. And you'll feel bad because she did if you're anything like me :-)
Remember she'll not be on her own and that she'll have someone to listen to her moaning about your absence....apparently that isn't just hippy shite....if they have someone to validate their feelings by listening it's a positive learning experience for them. And, remember, three days makes a habit so it's the perfect length of time to be gone. Our sleep trainer made me absent for the first three nights for that reason. And, finally for now, you'll be able to go in at night and watch her sleeping for a few minutes which will be a lovely treat after work.
Oh, and, you're doing an important job helping women like us get babies they go on to love as much as we all do. Go Betty! You can do it! Hugs back x

Aw Betty the anticipation is always worse than the event itself.

She will be fine. You will be fine. You've prepared her pretty damn well if you ask me. She's happy, loved and I'd be willing to bet she feels secure. Just because she's a boob monster it doesn't mean she's not ready to leave you for some of the week. And it's normal to be a whimpering mess before going back to work.

I hope it all goes smoothly for you in the morning. Doubtless by Monday you'll have a good morning routine and getting out the house will be a breeze. Remember what Eco says about the positive learning experience - it applies to you too! Having a good job and being a good mum is a hell of a balancing act but it's so rewarding. Enjoy it!

And have some , even though it's not Wednesday. it's Thirsty Thursday

Betty Good luck! You'll be fine. Bettybaby will be fine. Time away from you will be great in building her confidence and independence. She'll miss you to start with, but babies are very adaptable and she'll soon get used to the routine.

Betty, we're a right state aren't we? I turned to the wine, a tactic if highly recommend

Anecdotally, when boobs aren't around, one year olds very quickly forget about boobs. She may drink very little milk over the next few days, but that can easily be made up for with other dairy and water. She'll no doubt cope with it all much better than you. Your job will help, you'll be so busy that you will probably have moments when you realise you haven't thought about her for hours! then you'll get The Guilt but just ignore that

As for work. I can honestly say that I'm not finding life any more difficult now I'm back. Obviously my job isn't quite as high pressure as yours :) but it certainly has its moments. But now, I don't have time to fart about, so I don't. Working smarter and all that jazz. And, whilst I've always been pretty organised, this is a whole new level just wish DH would catch up

What I'm trying to say is, you'll be fine. It'll be tough, and tomorrow you will drive home as if your life depends on it, but it really will be fine.

Good luck betty for your first day back tomorrow. Dd and you will be fine. She will learn to adapt to the milk feeds.

gerry fear not - it's a blimmin emotional time and you'll live tomorrow hour by hour. I can see how you're all being lulled into having another from the nostalgia induced longing for those squishy newborn days...

betty All will be ok - minibetty has most probably been waiting for you to give her some space so she can get started on your mother's day present. You will both be fine and think how happy you'll both be to see each other again!

And yes, i made the cake. And yes, it was delish

Happy birthday toddle gerry !
Good luck betty! Mini betty will be fine. But harsh for you to start back on a weekend on call though! Hope all goes well