January 2014 -- the birthdays are coming!

[TobyLerone]

Just wrote a long message on the old thread only to have it not post because we'd filled it.

We really ought to do less chatting and more sleeping

Puggle you sound like me and DH. We weren't actively TTC but had decided to leave nature to run it's course due to the time it took to conceive O. This baby is only coming along because it was our wedding anniversary and we thought we should make the effort . Just fate that decided that I would ovulate for the first time since having O right at the same time!

I think I might have ovulated a week or so ago so hopefully periods will start again soon. No chance I'm pregnant though as haven't actually had sex in over a month due to lack of sleep.
Isn't formula powdered cows milk with added vitamins? So it wouldn't make sense to oppose cows milk (for ethical/health reasons) and use formula. Vitamins thing makes sense though, I really struggle to get A to swallow his without spitting half of it out.

Just organised A's MMR with the gp for next week. But I think I got a letter about dd's back when we lived in the UK. Was at 13m though not 12.

MrsG we got a letter through saying it was due.

I've not heard anything about giving vitamins. I even asked the hv about swapping to cows milk as she came round after I moved house as its a different area and she didn't mention it.

Also re toothpaste I got given some and a toothbrush at the 9 month review The little front tooth S is getting still isn't big enough to brush.

Feel like a zombie this morning. Managed to get to sleep at 5 then woke up because of DPs alarm at 6 I really would like to know why on earth she keeps waking up at 3ish and not going back to sleep!

This is probably going to sound a bit sad but does anyone else not really get out much with their baby? We have literally been in the house all week apart from a 20 minute walk the other day and play group this morning. I am such an introvert and the thought of joining new groups and going new places really terrifies me, but I feel so bad for S as we sit inside playing and watching TV for most of the week. I'm turning in to such a recluse!

All this talk of ttc is giving me the willies! I can't decide if I want another one or not. I don't think I'd cope to be honest. I am one of 4 though and I'm very close to my sisters and I think I'd feel bad if S didn't have that bond too.

Sorry Felix that made me laugh. Thought of TTC is giving you the willies Haha!

Felix we leave the house every day but only because I work so O has to go to the MIL . We also go to tumble tots on a Saturday and Swimming on a Sunday. I go stir crazy otherwise (as I can see all the mess and housework that needs doing!), at the very least we take the dog for a walk. Are there things around that you could start? I found the places that had a regular group of people going (rather than stay and plays etc where different people may turn up each week) were better for meeting people and gives a good incentive to go. How is your anxiety? Has that reduced at all since changing your contraception? I am a creature of habit though so as long as I got myself into the routine of going somewhere I found it easier to keep going IYSWIM.

I was going to ask how much tv you let your LO's watch. Pretty much every day when we come home we have the tv on for the hour or so before O starts getting ready for bed, and in the mornings as well, but at the weekend it's usually on a lot!

We get out sometimes. And sometimes we stay in. I'm a massive introvert but I force myself to go to groups. We do baby signing and music. And we've just graduated from the NCT Bumps and Babes group, because M turned 1 and can't go any more. Some of the other mums with similar aged babies suggested that we all keep meeting up once a week. So there's that as well. That's about enough for me! I.wouldn't bother, only M really seems to enjoy being around other babies.

Toby do you have to be a member of NCT to go their groups? We have some round here but I wasn't sure.

nature you shouldn't have to be a member.

Tarka thanks. I've seen some that I may go to when this bump arrives as the children's centres have had massive cuts so aren't running as many things anymore. I may join NCT anyway but just not sure of the benefits at the moment. I'm a member of the local NCT facebook group so I can see what is going on.

There are no benefits to being a member as far as I can see (I am one). I still had to give 30% of my takings from the nearly new sale to them, and pay a fee to sell in the first place. I pay the same as everyone else to go to the groups as well. I do get 10% off in their online shop, but it is so overpriced that I never buy anything there anyway.

The thought of having another baby gives me The Cold Fear. I've only started treatment for the PND and prolapse from P this month! DH announced the other day that he was holding off on getting a vasectomy for a couple of years in case we change our minds. I can't tell you how unlikely that is. No matter how much I love little P, the last year has been the worst of my life in many ways. All that said, fingers crossed for those trying, I know how stressful it can be.

Thanks to those that asked about Mum. She was coming home tomorrow, but that looks unlikely now. P was fantastic again yesterday - the journey is 3 hours door-to-door by train but she never cried and was so good in the hospital.

I think we've got the onset of MMR measles here. She's super ratty and has had a bit of a temperature, won't eat or nap, and has just started with the cold symptoms. Poor P.

Nature it's virtually non-existent since I stopped taking hormonal contraception. I can't believe the difference and how much of my life was ruined by anxiety. It's quite sad really because I don't feel like I really enjoyed my child free time because of it and now I really regret that.

S watches TV for an hour when we get up so I can get some housework done then we have the radio on and she usually watches an hour before bed. Sometimes I put it on in the afternoon if she's being mardy because it keeps her quiet when she's tired

We have an abundance of groups around here that I could join in with. I know once I've been the first time then I'd be fine but I hate not knowing where to go/what to do, if that makes sense. I just need to push myself to go. I wish we had moved house when she was tiny as I think everyone with older babies/toddlers have their own friendship groups now and I find it hard to join in when everyone already knows each other. At least everyone is new when they are newborn!

I'm with book. No benefits that I can see to being an NCT member. And you don't need to be one to go to our local group, but I don't know about all of them.

I wish M was interested in tv. She doesn't give a monkey's!

Wrote a long message that didn't srnd :(

Felix, we don't go to many groups either, but I'm starting to go batshit so feel I need to make more of an effort to go out too. Since the Witch HV offered to go to groups with me, I thought I had better go to something just to get her off my back! (Thank you all for the support with that, by the way) I went to an NCT group this week and I loved it! I had only been to the organised music type groups before, as a friend had said they are easier if you are shy as you don't need to speak to anyone if you don't want to. However, I found no-one spoke to each other! This coffee morning was so friendly and I didn't stop chatting for the whole two hours !

If you can, Felix, you could find out the organiser of a group you like the sound of, and email them and just let them know that you're a wee bit shy, and would they mind taking you under their wing for the first visit. The NCT organisers are usually very friendly, and will introduce you to others.

nature We watch far too much tv with H. We have to put it on to distract him during nappy changes, and it just never goes off after that. I'm now a bit worried that it's slowed down his speech development, as he's only saying dada, hella, and tssss (which means teeth). I can't believe I've become a mum who allows their child to have the tv on all day .

Fizzy would watching the tv really slow down his speech development like that? I haven't got a clue how these things work! I've always assumed O was going to be a late speaker as she is much more interested in the physical stuff, but she does love to read books (she picks one out of her box and brings it over to you to read - it's the cutest thing ) so I would have thought that would be ok. She is saying stuff but I wouldn't consider it proper words yet (apart from No which she seems to have picked up! Particularly when eating accompanied with a forceful push of said food away with her hand!).

Toby O loves Frozen at the moment! We have had it on so many times now she starts imitating things before they are even on! She had started making the sound of a clock ticking (the sound you make with your tongue) and we've realised it is from the film! She's ever so proud of herself when she does it! Haha!

We have an eclectic mix of tv programmes we watch, Frozen, In the Night Garden, Teletubbies and Nursery Rhymes on YouTube!

Fizzy glad the group went well. There is an NCT coffee morning in the park right by my house (well in the café in the park!) so I was planning on going down there when on mat leave again so definitely will try it now.

Bamboo that's so annoying when that happens!

I was really worried about TV delaying L's speech, so I've not let her watch hardly any. And she still doesn't really speak at all! I am a bit worried as she's one next week, and kind of says 'mumumuma' and that's it. But she has been really early with physical stuff, so maybe she was just focusing on that?

Felix are there any groups like baby yoga or bounce and rhyme? I'm really shy and have bad anxiety problems and had to force myself to go to groups. I started with structured things like bounce and rhyme, because then there is no pressure to talk to other mums. I gradually started to stay and chat for longer afterwards and now feel a lot better about going to groups.

We're not TTTC until June as I can't do my OU, look after L and have morning sickness at once!

fizzy, I don't know anything about it, but surely watching TV ought to be beneficial for.babies' speech? They say you should talk to them all the time, but that's not possible, so isn't it just like someone else talking to them?
M also says 'teeth'. She says 'teeeeesssssss', and she's very proud of hers. All 2 of them :o

I tell you, wonder week 55 can cock right off. M is SO moody! Crying for no reason, constantly wanting to BF, only napping on me, pulling at my clothes when I can't pick her up... Aaarrrggghhhh!

A says "dis" and "dat" whilst pointing and is increasingly getting cross about us not providing what he is after immediately. He's said "hat" in context once (although tbf it might have just been "dat" instead).
Dd was an early talker and had a few words by 1 but lots I her friends only really got into talking at around 2 and now you can't really tell the difference between them at nearly 3.

Meant to add, dd has watched loads of tv from 13m onwards from when I was pregnant with A and I think it's taught her loads of words and sentences. But I know the advice suggests it's bad.

S is almost 13 months and only says 'hiya' and 'daddy' very occasionally. The first time she said both she said it all the time for a few days and now it's about twice a week she's not bothered. My nephew is just 10 months and says full on sentences like 'what's in here?' when he opens things it's mental.

mrsg I'd assumed the same about O as she was early with the physical stuff. But it sounds like she is fairly similar in speech to a lot of yours.

Apparently according to the quick research I did at the end of work! TV doesn't stop their speech development but it's the lack of interaction that reduces it (they assumed TV on means no talking with adults) so as long as that is still happening I don't think there is anything to worry about. Also educational TV doesn't really work until they can understand it which is not until over 2. But I literally did 5 mins of reading that's it so probably not the best research!

P can only say "BABABABA" really loudly, and "mumumum" when she's upset. She refuses to say "dada" in spite of many hours of coaching from me. DH is heartbroken over it. She has also said "no" very clearly a few times, and I thought she said "owl" once but maybe not as she never did it again. She's quite physically active but she isn't especially early with anything I don't think. She also only started pointing yesterday, which I had been really worried about.

We occasionally watch CBeebies via iPlayer on a wet afternoon (she's obsessed with Waybuloo and Bing), and In The Night Garden is actually part of her bedtime routine I've got no problem with her watching TV though, providing it is age-appropriate. She got quite upset when DH put The Nightmare Before Christmas on, so now I'm being a lot more careful about what she's watching.

She flipped over today and bit through her lip. Combined with her new habit of chewing her tongue it has made her look like she's having a stroke. I may have had a few minutes of panic over this earlier...

M has only just started to.point this week too.

They are definitely planning all this behind our backs by text or email or something. TBs

Henry doesn't really watch tv, but it's on a lot.
He can say "mum, dad, brother, hiya" that's the extent of it I think. The occasional "grandma"