August 2015 - Jaffa cake wars and many Mugabe greetings to you!

[mzzzf]

New thread ladies - praying for a decent sleep tonight!!

Dozy, I'm not surprised - when it hurts, you don't want to feed, but have no choice, its the worst thing. I had similar issues a few weeks back, so got checked out. It turns out as J got bigger, I needed to hold him differently. Pain went away virtually at the next feed.

I feel a mixture of crappy and delighted - I have a head full of cold, but we only had the one feed at 0045! Took almost an hour to go back down, but then went to almost 6 for the next feed. Feels like we're getting there - a few more nights like this and I might start to feel more human again

Morning all, sorry to all those in Mugabe nights last night.

For those on second set of vaccination I found dd slept lots after them, that day and the following day also there's no meningitis B on the second set so less chance of fever

Not a good morning here, haha. Dd keeps wanting to sleep on me at night, since she was poorly last week. I keep waking up with her asleep on me but I can't remember putting her there, so either she's mastered climbing out from co sleeping and laying on my chest or I'm so tired I'm moving her in my sleep. Bed at 8pm tonight to counter this!

Yesterday was a really crap day, dd1 actually asked to go to the childminder today which shows how shit it was

On the plus side I'm determined to make today a better day! I'm trying to stay positive, have some activities with dd1 planned and looking forward to Christmas!

Morning all!! Only up once in the night - feel very refreshed this morning. Baby still sleeping - pack lunches done, school bags packed, breakfast laid out and I've even done 20 mins on cross-trainer!!

frolic I will need to try Grace & Frankie - all I watch is trash - too embarrassed to admit in RL the rubbish I like - can't wait for I'm a Celebrity to start.

fatty hope you are feeling better today

ruby I just feed DD on demand and before we go out anywhere but don't have any set time to it.

dozy initially I had cracked and bleeding nipples and when they cleared up it felt like my nipples were really bruised and sore - took about 2-3 weeks to then feel ok - hope things work out for you

mzzzf. Can't believe only 7 weeks to Xmas - I LOVE it - mad in this house with so many DC. Have already bought DD a Jumperoo!!

lily I love the Cha Cha Slide and confess to winning the best dancer at a children's party whilst doing it - can't keep me off the floor when it comes on

Slide to the left, slide to the right..............

It's fine to cry over the cot sides isn't it?!
I'm so tired I would actually pay someone to have her for 4hrs so I could sleep! Alas we have jabs and dog walking to do today - joy!

Am literally saying to myself "come the fuck on Bridget" (my names not Bridget I just love be film!!)

Have had Nutella straight from the pot already and Dd is in front of CBeebies going nuts to Raa Raa the Lion. Bad mum or what!

Loves - you're a legend!!

So I didn't even make it into mugabe nights as was just staggering around outside in a daze. Went to bed at 11 and fed DS after which he slept but I couldn't. Finally drifted off about midnight and got 3 hours until the next feed. Put DS back in cot at half 3 and he was so unsettled for hours. He's in a grobag and did seem to like them hut just kept startling himself awake again last night. He was in a long sleeved vest underneath which I thought would be enough? He is sneezing this morning though and I feel a bit ropey again. So he woke up at 6 to feed and did one of his screaming fussy ones then just didn't settle and wanted feeding again at half 7. Went mental if I put him back in cot. So now we're all up, he's on our bed cooing and smiling away, and I have such a busy day arggh!!

Mugabe!
Shit times (literally) chez frolic one again. The mutt is still poorly. And the baby decided that daytime sleeps was for wimps yesterday, resulting in grumpy tears for a while last night. He did sleep well once down though. Shame we were up multiple times with the dog. Poor little thing has decided that dh isn't the one for her now and just wanted to sleep on me. Good job ds is getting good at settling in his crib.

I can't remember who said what, but mostly a big load of empathy to those having shit nights and feeding difficulties. Last night was a busy one at the bar by the looks of things.

Thank you for all the Christmas tips. I think ds will be getting a sack and bauble with his name on, a few ikea toys and a sheepskin for his pram. We already have a jumper and a romper and he will get new pj's for Christmas Eve. I'm so bloody excited! We've booked to go away to do some shopping at the end of the month. We usually go to the markets in Manchester and have a big ole' mulled wine piss up, but this year will be quite different as ds is coming with us. His first little holiday!

Re: feeding, we go on demand, which tends to be every hour or two in the day with a cluster most evenings.

Glad you finally got your coil lily. Did you have to wait until 12 weeks? That's what the gp told me, but she didn't seem to know her stuff so I'm dubious. The period pain went in a few days when I had my last one done. Hot water bottle in the meantime.

Grace and frankie is still good a few episodes in loves. We don't watch I'm a celeb because veggie dh gets cross and upset by the eating of live insects .

I wish we had some Nutella mzzf

May today be better for us all.

I'm still unwell. I feel awful. Have been in tears all morning and don't think I'm going to stop crying any time soon. I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep

Snot fair

Trash tv: we've basically had Animal Planet on non stop for the past month. I've learned that Animal Cops Detroit is WAY grimmer than Animal Cops Phoenix, Houston, or Miami, and they don't blur the gory bits on RSPCA Animal Rescue or Bondi Vet. And I've developed a crush on Jackson Galaxy and learned that it's ALWAYS the owners fault their cat is an asshole.

I think we all need an exotic trip away we are all falling apart aren't we!? and to dozy, Tindel and fatty hope things feel better soon!

Giraffes it's horrible not knowing what you've done whilst asleep isn't it- I used to think I still had DS in bed with me even though I've never co slept- think I was paranoid of falling asleep holding him- and used to spend ages in a half sleep searching the bed for him, and carefully moving lumps in he duvet thinking it was him!! Sleep deprivation does some awful things to us!

Loves I'm amazed at your busy morning especially the x trainer! I've lived out some new trainers for my birthday and I am determined to get my bum moving abain

Damn hit post to soon....
Mzzf- it is definately fine to cry over the cot don't beat yourself up about it I'm sure pretty much all of us have done it! Eat more Nutella it definately helps!

Magrat- DS is in a grobag now- he is in long sleeved vest, baby grow and a cellular blanket over the top but it is only a 1.5 tog bag as we were bought it as a gift in the summer and wanted to try him in it before buying more season appropriate togs. Plus I'm tight and don't have the heating on in the night!

Frolic- good shout on ikea toys I'd forgotton they have nice stuff and decent prices too! I didn't have to wait till 12 weeks as such I went 2 weeks ago and the doctor refused to do it despite doing a PG test whilst I was there which was negative in case I was pregnant in the few weeks before the appointment as I couldn't remember the precise time we had last dtd!! He was an utter idiot but it's done now at least and hopefully I can forget about it for 5 years!

I've just been texting a friend from work and I've actually just admitted to them I'm quite looking forward to being back at work- does this make me an awful mummy!? I love DS to pieces don't get me wrong and I love the days where we are busy and love being with him but at the same time I miss the feeling of my days having the structure of being out to work at a set time and probably the adult convo/ laughs we have at work. Oh I feel terribly guilty saying that now as I'm sure I'll be devastated leaving DS at nursery the first few times! It's ridiculous too as I know it wasn't long ago I was posting on here about not liking my job and not missing it at all! Maybe it's just because DH is off this week so I'm doing a lot of hanging around the house in between being out and about whereas when he's at work I will keep busy all day even if that means sitting in Costa for a few hours so I don't have to look at he same four walls at home or going on a random long walk. He on the other hand would rather be at home lying around watching TV and if we go to costa the minute he finishes his drink he's standing up saying 'you ready' and only goes for a walk to take the dogs which he will only do on a set route that they know so they don't pull at new smells!! Sorry I'm generally just whingeing today feeling sorry for myself!

lily its fine to admit that you want to work, it doesn't make you a bad mum, it just means that you're human.
I'm a sahm but I do want to work. I got my qualifications, then was told that I needed my level 3, fair enough but I needed a job to do my level 3 and no one was willing to take a chance on me, then when the rules changed and I could do my level 3, I had to cancel going back to college and stop volunteering (working in a nursery I was worried about the children knocking me and obviously I got SPD so would have been useless anyway) as I became pregnant with DD and then 10 months later I was pregnant with DS2, and all through these last two years I've been in pain. So I've never actually had a job but I really want one. I miss volunteering. I'm in no fit state at the minute though and I won't be for a while. Which means I won't be able to do my level 3, unless I have a job, as I will likely be too old for the course, argh!

Lily I still do that now when I wake up and search the bed for dd and she's safe and sound in her crib heehee. It's the first thing I think of when I wake up.

So I've wussed out today and rang my mum to take piper to her playgroup so I could go back to bed. Got woken up by postman at 11"30. Still led in bed now though. I've got slight tonsillitis type thing so haven't slept well and with the nipple pain and lack of sleep I'd just had enough this morning. I find it so strange how she'll happily take the nipple shield first thing in the morning but an hour later when she wanted a bit more she wouldn't bloody take it. And then I have to settle the crying down before trying again before admitting defeat and just giving her nipple. Luckily I had some expressed milk so my mum will give her that then I can express now so as not to waste any and it given my nipples a bit of a rest. But then I worry about the bottles and how she'll start preferring those anyway because she really doesn't cry at all with bottles so I'm just traumatising her with the breast.

I'll be in a better mood tomorrow I promise.
Jus drowning my sorrows.

Frolic poor frolic dog. Doesn't sound pleasant at all xxxx

Sorry to hear a lot of us are having bad days. Fatty I really hope u feel better soon. It must be so hard dealing with 3 children all by yourself when not feeling well yourself.

Lily I wouldn't worry about missing work. I think a lot of people feel like that. I don't miss mine at all and I'm dreading going back which I feel awful about as it'd a good job and I should love it but it's so stressful and I work with so many people who stress me out. It's nice being away from work people and just surrounding myself with people that I like and who like me. I'm much happier.

Uuughhhh thanks for the sympathy ladies. I think fatty and I should just hide in a corner and eat Nutella until
We're sick!!

Managed to drag my arse to mums and tots, I really MUST make friends up here. DD also did well with her jabs bless her. She's now conked out on me and I have two minutes to rest my brain with mumsnet...

I've started looking out for little jobs for me so don't feel guilty about work!! I'm sure I'll have a wobbly bottom lip on the first day of nursery though

It looks like its happy hour here at the Mugabe bar. I am so glad that this dive opens for lunch!

I'm sorry to hear so many of you having rubbish days, for whatever reason. Its all highs and lows this parenting lark and whilst the highs are absolutely amazing it does mean the lows are pretty dark sometimes.

Grumpy 2 is finally napping in her pram, we are on daytime nap refusal as well frolic, must be a 9 week thing . I'd finally given up after hours of her sleeping on me (we started this dance at 11am - me doing the ninja transfer then her waking up ten minutes later) and popped her down awake in the bassinet while I quickly dived off to make some lunch to eat whilst having her asleep on me. Of course the little blighter was only sparko in the time it took me to butter a Ryvita How do they manage it?

lily nothing wrong with missing work. I missed work terribly during my maternity leave with Grumpy 1. I went back at 9 months and DH took over the rest of my mat leave. Fast forward 4 years and I have been a happy SAHM since January. People who have known me for years can't believe it, but I love it. I found that I wanted to stay at home more as grumpy 1 got older. It probably makes me a terrible Mum and I'd never say it in RL but tbh she became more engaging for me as she progressed through the toddler years. Second time around I am finding the baby stage much more enjoyable. People change, often within the space of a week or so! Just roll with whatever choices feel right in your gut.

dozy Have you thought of maybe exclusively pumping an bottle feeding for 24 hours just to give yourself a break? I'm absolutely sure that Piper is fine but it might give you a little time off. My midwife suggested it for me when I was screaming in pain at 10 days and it really sorted me out. Gave me some headspace and allowed my poor nips to recover a bit. If its crap advice just ignore me.

giraffes hope today is going better for you. If it is any consolation grumpy 1 was known to ask to go to her preschool on days off even before grumpy 2 was born so we must have equally, if not more, crappy days here at the dwarf house

Right, off to google B toys (thanks joskar). Also very excited as our 2016 season tickets for our rugby league team turned up in the post this morning. Seeing '2 adults, 2 children' printed on the cards made me a little teary (how long can you keep blaming the hormones for???)

Happy afternoons one and all x

Mzzf hope dd is ok today. Go you for making it mum's groups. It definitely helps having people to speak to in rl.

I'm gonna try expressing today to give my nips a rest. My mum's been great looking after piper. I can't express enough to fully bottle feed her but at least having a morning off should help. I just worry she'll then not want the breast at all and it's not solving the latch issue but it's giving me a rest.

Don't google B toys! I want no responsibility for the condition of your bank balance afterwards! If you do see any you like on Amazon then check the url on www.camelcamelcamel.com. My friend told me about it. It alerts you when the price goes down. One of the things I want for dd1 is PS37 full price, it's PS27 today but it sometimes gets down to PS15 so I'm sitting on it waiting for that.

to everyone having a shitty time. This too shall pass. This too shall pass.

I'm enjoying mat leave much more this time I have to say. As with everything else baby related it's a million times easier the second time round! I'm not really cut out to be a sahm full time I don't think. Major respect for folk who do it. My Dh does part time when I'm not on mat leave and even that's tough enough. I'm the main (often only) earner so there's no option for me so it's a good job I like my work.

Afternoon everyone, sorry some of you are having a tough time. Lack of sleep, pain, colds etc... all make the hard job of being a mum to a small baby 100 times harder. It will get easier but in the meantime do what you can to get though. No shame in having a cry, expressing, taking a morning for yourself or eating a jar of Nutella. I like breadsticks dipped in Nutella just like those kp dips. Yum.

We had a pretty good night and ds1 is currently with Mil and ds2 is having a nap on me. I am just enjoying the peace just now. Dh works late on Wednesdays so I am doing the tea, bath, bed routine by myself. At first I dreaded this but as I have done it more it has got easier and now we just muddle through.

DS2 has his second set of jabs tomorrow. Hoping it goes ok and he gives me a good night's sleep. Fingers crossed. Ds1 has his flu shot next week, has anyone else's little ones had it yet? It's a nasal spray I think?

DS1 had the nasal spray today. They sent this letter home
And DS2 is due his second lot of jabs tomorrow. He would have has it last week but the nurse was off sick.

peachy took Grumpy 1 to have her nasal spray a fortnight ago. The nurse consulted with the Doctor and they decided to give her the injection instead - apparently the nasal spray is live and they were concerned that grumpy 2s immune system wasn't up to it. She was only 7 weeks at time though. Grumpy 1 was NOT impressed!

Evening all

slow sorry to hear I'm not the only one with an underappreciative older dc. Yesterday dd1 was asking for every toy she saw in Tesco. So I explained that she can't have them all etc, that mummy has to go to work and earn money to buy food, toys etc. So now she keeps asking when I'm going to work so I can buy her the big doll she wants, the fairies etc etc. Clearly having mum at home is not good, she wants me out earning money, cheeky monkey! She actually offered to go to the childminders again so I can go to work then she'll buy the toys with my earnings

Does anyone else have no routine whatsoever? With dd1 I had a vague routine, but this time I'm always rushing around (and doing some self-employed work) so baby giraffe is getting carted around everywhere. Today she came to a town twenty miles away with me, came on a house viewing, slept in her bouncer whilst I worked on some spreadsheets, went in the sling round a park with dd1 and sat in her car seat whilst I visited a friends house to feed and tend to her pets whilst she's on holiday.

Oddly dd2 seems more content with the chaotic schedule than dd1 was with all the routine, dd2 just seems to 'fit in' and naps when she feels like it rather than having me fussing over her. I still find it hard to amuse both dds when I have them both needing attention though.

On the Ergo slings I feel like she's a bit big for the infant insert now, but a bit small to go without. It feels a bit uncomfortable at this stage tbh, I'm probably doing it wrong...

Does anyone have any tips for improving latch? Baby and I are not doing well at bf at the moment, she's still got green poos all the time.

Good luck with bedtime all!

Aww we went to baby yoga today and DS was all smiles :)

Giraffes I feel like we have no routine at all. We're trying to do the same sequence of events leading up to bedtime, but he doesn't play ball. We'd got as far as bath, story and cuddles when J fell asleep on me tonight. He was too asleep for a bottle, so DH took him up to bed and he lasted about 5 minutes before waking up and crying, so DH has gone up to feed him.

Neither of us are very good at routines, so hoping not to confuse J too much. I never seem to be able to have the same behaviour at the same time each day, so it's hard to get into any sort of pattern. Any tips / inspiration would be very welcome!

Ahhh both boys in bed after an unexpected bonfire and firework display in the woods behind our house and dh isn't not home yet so I'm treating myself to a chilled glass of wine.

Thanks for the flu spray info. Ds1 seems to have had a runny nose for about 8 weeks now I'm sure another couple of weeks won't make any difference.

Giraffe I'm the same. I seem to remember ds1 having more of a routine at this stage but ds2 just has to fit in with what's going on. He naps a lot in the sling, we have a connecta, I really like it. Easy to use and he seems comfy in it.

Re latch I have had similar issues. With Ds1 I could only feed rugby ball style for the first few months. It has been easier with ds2 but can still get that rasping pain if I'm not careful with getting him latched. I try to remember to keep his ear, shoulder and hip in a straight line and keep him very close to my body. I then wait until his mouth is really wide. (This can take a while) then when it is, I sort of throw him chin first into my boob and aiming my nipple more to the roof of his mouth rather than dead centre. I Hope that makes sense and sorry if if have already tried that.