November 2014 - the one where we all get a good night's sleep

[moggle]

Here's hoping, anyway...

Oh you poor things!!! We've managed to miss the colds so far, but no doubt we will find one somewhere!

DD has decided that sleeping during the day is obviously not something she has any interest in but to make up for it she's going 8 hours straight at night! Just means I'm getting sod all done in the day

Peculiar thing just happened here - DS was lying on the spare bed while I sorted out some clothes and was fisting his mouth, must have stuck a finger in then gagged on it ( he'll gag on anything, nipples included!) then I rushed him to bathroom and he did a massive vomit in the bath. I've changed him and brought him down where he's promptly fallen straight asleep on the sofa. Strange boy.
Tbh he was overdue a nap I'd say and had eaten loads already today so maybe it's not so strange but it's weird how easily he fell asleep and I can't believe I've had to add another thing to the list of things that'll make him throw up!

Those breastfeeding. Do your babies kind of absentmindedly reach up to pat and stroke your skin or 'milk' you as they feed? It's pretty cute.

Yep, the last week I was able to do it he was doing that.

Yes! dd particularly likes to have one arm under the boob to tickle/stroke me as she feeds. love it.

Well 3 hours of powercut is fun isn't it! Supposed to be back on by now

Yes she's now started stroking or holding the breast as she seems to be becoming aware she has fingers not just fists. It's lovely.

DD massages the breast as well. Although it's funny as she'll do similar when falling asleep whoever's holding her and DH is very ticklish.

Morning all. Things have improved here somewhat. DS napped yesterday for about 7 hours in total throughout the day, I reckon. He was exhausted. But he was in good form when awake.

And then last night he was OK. He woke for a feed every three hours on the dot, but not in between. No distress. Thank god!

At the 5am feed he was a bit squirmy but I just kept sticking the bottle in his mouth and he passed wind and settled fine afterwards.

So its certainly too soon to say if it'll be any better long term than the last formula (as we had some good nights on that too so I'm wary) but at least the deterioration seems to have been only for the first 24 hrs.

anna glad you had a better night.

DD woke up just after 4, coughing, sneezing, snuffling, mining, groaning, struggling to feed with her nose blocked, crying about it, then wide awake. Eventually fell asleep at about 6 but only because I let her lie on her front on my chest which wasn't much good for me sleeping. Her older sister woke up not long after. Why does my baby sleep well on the days when her sister is at pre-school so there would be chance for me to catch up on sleep in the day, but not on days when I have to entertain them both all day? DH suddenly decided he will finish turning the spare room into DD1's new room, which he started many months ago with the aim of her moving in before baby was born! He is having surgery next week, so will have to work on it after work each day and all weekend (and he has arranged for his parents, sister and 3yr old nephew to come on Monday to 'help' when my mum had planned to visit, not looking to telling my mum that later). At least I am getting used to doing bedtimes etc on my own before he goes to hospital and isn't here to help

Anna really pleased you all had an easier night.

It's jabs day for us today. Dreading it as DS has just started to settle into a nice night time pattern of feeding and sleeping and I selfishly really don't want that to get messed up and am equally terrified about seeing him upset and poorly. Bought some Calpol yesterday just in case.

Crap night here, she slept 8.30-11pm and then fed, was awake and taking ages to settle lots more times after that with her stuffy nose. So tired!

Jabs today here too.
We have generic paracetamol and ibuprofen suspensions - which one is calpol? Also how on earth do I get it into him?

There's a syringe in the Calpol box. You just squirt it in slowly. Its strawberry flavoured so they don't mind.

We syringe everything, we got an ordinary one from the chemist for Dentinox & gripe water. SYRINGES 4 LYFE!!

Hhmmmm. I'll have to see whether the generic one has a syringe. It's paracetamol suspension that is the same as infant calpol. I bought generic as I didn't want him hooked on calpol like I was! . I still remember my first dose of calpol 6+ and being horrified at the different taste.

Yes, Calpol is paracetamol suspension. What does your generic one taste like?!

Just a bland sweet taste. The GP gave us a script for calpol anyway so I can give either. I may as well try not to get him hooked on branded stuff though. Can't believe the nurse successfully got the squirty drops immunisation down him. Very impressive.

Dreading the jabs next week... DD was offended on the whole world after the 6 week appointment, especially hips checkup. What she will make of about the jabs?!

Today she seems back to her growth spurt regime: eating every hour and sleeping all the time. So it's a reading time for me now, have managed to iron pile of bedding in the morning, do the first month record in her "bump to birthday" journal I have been religiously keeping while pregnant, have hot chocolate and so on. Following on the discussion about second babies, thought today that even if we decide for another one, he/she most likely won't get all these niceties like DD: journals, pregnancy yoga and massage to bond with the baby, stored special outfits, 4d scans, baby photo session etc. it will be all mad rush and lack of time and than DC2 will inevitably inherit DD clothes, pram, etc. the 2nd child herself sulking here

Ha ha. DS is pfb but has had none of the luxuries you list! Imagine how neglected DC2 will be - DH and I are both 3rd children so almost everything DS has is secondhand. I've saved up for maximum time off work so am loathe to spend on things. Will be doing some classes at the surestart - think they're all free or £1!

The jabs really weren't too bad and no sign of fever. I've checked his temperature twice since and 36.2 both times.

amy my employer is very family friendly and has extremely favourable policy towards pregnancy and maternity (eg., 6 months full pay maternity leave), so I could afford all of those things money wise (though, PG yoga was with DVD in the loft every weekend). Didn't know all the benefits before I got pregnant myself, but it did explain why there are always at least 2 pregnant women on the floor at any moment of time.

I'm desperately hoping to stay off after my year mat leave - DH is trying to get a better paid job to make it happen. Going to turn into crazy coupon lady if need be!!

My employer is ftse500 and there's no enhanced package. Tight, sexist bastards. I went straight to my ceo when I got pregnant and told him he had 6 months to change the policy. He just laughed (after asking when I'd come back). I'm taking 9 months, going back 1st week in August. What's everyone else doing? Anyone using keep in touch days? I was supposed to use one today for my appraisal but I cancelled as dd was poorly.

I am on year mat leave and planning to take accrued annual leave of 2015 straight after, so it will be beginning of 2016 when I am back. There is another person covering me now, it would probably be handy for her as well as December isn't the best time for job search, everybody too busy with Xmas. Might use some keep in touch days in December to catchup with mat cover person about the changes during this year.
My appraisal this time was more of a formality to secure I get bonus for corresponding months of 2014.

I was on a contract which ended so I'm unemployed. But its fine as that job was 50 mins commute each way so no way would I continue with it with a child anyway.

I'm a nurse and want to do agency so I have flexibility. Ideally I would do one long day a week initially. That'd be amazing as DH could work from home that day so we wouldn't have to fork out for a creche! And I'd still have loads of baby time.

On the flip side I'll probably have to go back to work in May as we'll need the money. But hey ho.

My ex-employer tried to fire me after they found out I was pg, lady, so it could be worse! (And was for them in the end, bwahhaha) now I have my own practice, so of course my mat leave is a combination of ongoing and nil. Started back checking emails after about 2 weeks, but trying to keep things quiet on the new work front as my profession is project-based. Am not managing it though, as actually getting a lot of enquiries for new work which are hard to ignore when it's your own business.
Had a bit of a teary deeply unprofessional meltdown at both dh and dm this week, about not having enough time for ds2, who is now at the utterly gorgeous stage. We've decided I need to hire my first additional staff member, so I can offload some drawing work on them.
Argh.

A has bee snuffly and we use the calpol plug in, at the wall a few feet from the bednest. It seems to help a bit but he's still snuffly by the morning again.

I am back in my fatter jeans but only about half of my overall trousers fit. All tops more or less okay, but I look to me like the typical mother of two who's just slightly given up. I HATE it. Have 1st 4lbs still to go, although back to size 10-12, which is a bit odd but hugely rage - inducing. Honestly if there was a way of lasering it all off I'd be on it like a shot.