September 2014 - Into the new year!

[RedToothBrush]

Shiny New Thread for a Shiny New Year.

Topmam I did not know we have same age babies; ds is 24 weeks (yesterday) and last week he was 20lb 4oz. There is an august thread now if you care to join :)

Holls I was going to write the same thing Team has written about C Section; even the bio oil part! Which reminds me: does bio oil really work for the scar and for stretch marks? If so I have to make myself use it regularly.

Zan, don't feel bad; I tool ds to classes since he was 8 weeks and only in the last couple of months he is really into them, and last few weeks have been fab.

I don't know what other Mums with older children think? But I really don't think there is much to be gained by the baby from groups (with the possible exception of swimming) until they are older - crawling walking age. While babies are still small, any group really is more for the benefit of Mum, rather than baby.

So if you aren't going to groups or don't want to, don't worry about it since your baby isn't missing out on anything really. But it is nice for Mums to meet other Mums. If that's not your thing, no big deal.

To the people that are going to groups, where are you finding them? Are you all going to SureStart Children's Centre ones or other? I should take advantage of the children's centre so nearby but also think i'd maybe like something a bit more structured that has a start date for all, so everyone is in the same boat and can avoid the cliques. I want to do swimming with her but not until later in the year, preferably when we have moved back to an area I am more comfortable with.

Thanks for your input everyone!

Thanks Naz, she's still pretty underwhelmed by sensory class but it's only the fourth class today, so maybe a few more and she'll perhaps not cry halfway through, though I think that's mainly to do with the timing of the class as more often than not she won't have had her morning nap by the time we get there so had a big grump (it's looking that way today as well)
After some input on swimming for babies:
I myself am not a very confident swimmer (if my feet can't touch the bottom I freak out) but I don't want Z t be the same. Has anyone else done WaterBabies or anything like that? Or any other recommendations? I'm conscious to try and start before she's six month old and still has the reflex to hold breath under water.

On a different note : Z met my dad for the 1st time yesterday (we'd not spoken in over two years, and she's his first grandchild) and they got on great! Was a v happy day for me . One of my long term work colleagues (and surrogate mum) actually cried when i sent her a pic of the two of them. Just hope it lasts.
Right , I've 90 mins to shower, dry hair ,change and get a feed ready before we have to be out of the house!! Oops!

Lilone our children's centre has mix of play group type sessions as well as structured sessions such as baby massage, yoga etc. They also host external companies such as mummy fit, tumble tots etc. There is a Facebook page for parents in our area that lists all of the local groups. Church halls normally hold mums & toddlers groups. Once you go to one session you will probably find out about a lot more from other mums.

I agree Fate, other than baby massage I go to the groups for me. DS does the same as he does at home at mums & toddlers just with different toys. Once he's a bit older & plays more he'll get more out of them but that's likely to coincide with me going back to work.

lilone - Your surestart centre is probably the easiest place to start. Then as a means to have something to talk about with the other Mums, ask where they go.

It is not unusual for schools and churches to run parent and toddler groups. Your library may run singing sessions for babies - they are usually nice because they tend to be short, just half and hour or so.

Often you will find community group playgroups too - run by other Mums for Mums in the area, on a voluntary basis.

For a little giggle : www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152809458341130

I found groups online or through children's centre. we do waterbabies...love it.
I come across as really confident but am horribly shy so struggle with meeting new people.

We also do Water Babies and find it brilliant, started at 7 weeks & due to finish up the first term this weekend.

I do quite a lot of class, have done since he was 5 weeks old. It's mostly to get out of house as I struggle a bit to keep him entertained. He loves just watching the other kids. I did the course through sure start (baby massage, first aid etc) which was free and good. He starts baby sensory on Monday and hopefully swimming if the local pool is warm enough. I looked into water babies but just cannot justify £145 for 10 lessons! We go to another 2 or 3 free classes/groups a week if we can be bothered.

Lil - I would also recommend starting at your sure start centre if you have one. Ours has a mix of drop in sessions and booked in sessions in which you all start at the same time. Since going there, I have discovered other groups in the area.

I do agree though, the groups are mainly to get me out of the house, I go to 2-3 a week. Although its nice to see A starting to play with other toys, and it gives me an idea of things to buy him. And he loves watching other babies, and being chatted to by the other mothers (he's a baby flirt haha)

I use the children's centre too. Can't fault it. Unfortunately all the staff at the centres in my area are having to reapply for their jobs due to budget cuts. This government stinks. Anyway moving swiftly on!

I do water babies too. It is expensive but I'm glad I'm doing it. Not doing the underwater photo shoot as to buy just one photo not even a digital copy is about 70 odd quid. We just started doing underwater swims where I go underwater too to collect Jessica who is released under water by the teacher. That scared me a tad.... mostly because I'm so rubbish at going underwater myself lol. I hope it will build up my own confidence though.

Ah I did see the new August thread Nazly but I'm not sure I'll bother joining it tbh! Quite comfy here and on fb

Hello all :)

Ds is exactly 24 weeks today! He was weighed a couple weeks ago and was 16 lb 5oz. Where has the time gone!

We have been going to classes since he was tiny, I love getting out of the house and he is now getting more out of them.

We do a bumps and babies on a Tuesday, sing and sign on Wednesday and baby massage on Friday. Looking to do a water babies to. And I love the sound of baby sensory.

Got another bad cold again :(

That is bad about the staff at your children's centre topmammy, I do think it's such a good service to be available. Yet I hear today they are thinking of handing out £400 of vouchers to women who manage to stop smoking while pregnant. Madness! I was smoking before I became pregnant and my baby's health was all the incentive I needed to stop!

Went there today for the HV clinic and one of the staff gave me their updated activity schedule and suggested some groups. All in the morning though! But might push myself to go to baby club or something next week.

Following the weigh in Molly is now 15lbs 8oz at 19 weeks!

Sooo....the grobag a genius idea. Though swimming probs helped too! Got home at just before 2, b guzzled 8oz, had a bath and was in grobag by 2.20 - slept till 3.30 then I picked him up, he fell asleep on me. Then we had to pop out, and he is still asleep in his pram! Due a feed shortly but did have an extra one pre swimming do not too worried.

Our children's centre are great.

Ems been swimming since she was 6 weeks old and she loves it. She's quite happy to go underwater now and tries to swim, kicking her legs and flapping her arms.

Her lessons are much cheaper than some of you £62 for 3 months which I think is quite reasonable.

Great sleeping there Holls. Hope everyones evening is good too.

No real snow here yet. Flurry but nothing much. Anyone else got any?

I almost signed up with WaterBabies until I saw misog's post about lesson @ £62 for 3 months, which made me search a little harder and I've found a local swim school that charges £7 per lesson :)

Fifth night here of very distressed crying about an hour or so after DD has gone off to sleep. Like she's having a nightmare, she's usually still asleep as she cries. It's v weird. But a gentle stroke of her forehead has settled her

Zanashar I am not sure if it is the same but sometimes ds cries after an hour or so of falling asleep, but nothing will settle him even cuddles, only a short feed; I used to assume it is wind or something

It actually happened tonight too. I was thinking tonight if I should really feel bad and terrible that only breastfeeding settles him quickly and effectively at nights or if I should just let it have its course.... Surely It will pass at some point...

Ds had his first food like food (veggies) yesterday and today he had a bit more -he was 24w yesterday- He had quite a few tiny spoon full of mixed veggie followed by fruit desert. I thought this would replace a food perhaps. For all I know he was hungrier than any other day even though he had some solid, and fed as usual (or shall I say more than usual).

Argh. Jessica's crap sleeping is really really really getting me down now. It takes me from around 7pm til 11 or even 12 to get her down. She manages between 20 mins to 2 hours sleep at a time only. If I could just have half an hour to myself in the evening to brush my flipping teeth and go to the loo and make myself feel human again I might cope better with so little sleep. During the day it's been relentless too. My hubby is working nights so I feel very alone. I hope I feel better in the morning Just so fed up. Sorry for the rant.

top no need to apologise I would be really struggling if ds slept that badly and to be fair the one or two wake up's I get are slowly killing me. For one who likes his sleep so much he does make a fuss about waking up l

Currently on first wake up since 8.30 and he is back asleep just waiting for a bit before I put him back in or he will wake screaming blue murder at the injustice if being put in bed asleep

I gave looked into waterbabies but may do more research at other local pools. He won't be going anywhere near a pool for a while as he is a snot monster again :(

Thanks cookie. She just did 2 hours 30. Better than the 39 minutes she did when first getting her down but still not long enough. Sleep deprivation is absolutel torture!

Top - they use sleep deprivation as a method of torture for a reason! Certainly no need to apologise for ranting! We've all ranted on here, and it is certainly one of the reasons I love being on this forum. The ability to rant and get it out can be very therapeutic

What is happening between 7-11? Just wondering if we can to a bit of group brainstorming to try to help? They say two brains are better than one, so I reckon all of us together must be pretty flipping amazing!

The house is currently silent. I'm scared to get out of bed and break the spell, but I really need to pee...