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

[mzzzf]

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

Oh what a poorly bunch we are!! Hope everyone is feeling better!
I am so tired today, I was up all night worrying about Molly's temperature after jabs, she seemed fine and slept pretty well, just my anxiety! Had the hospital today for her clicky hip scan, all seems fine and the loud noise and crunching is apparently just ligaments rubbing?! She's been grizzly today and my DH is out all night. Ah well! Soldier on I must.
Oh and you'll be proud of me, for lunch I demolished a sausage hot pot which was meant for two people!

Clstow- I can't begin to tell you how much you've made me crave a nando's! Why don't they deliver?? Glad your DH appreciates your hard work though!!!

Siani - you sound like you'd make an excellent bf councillor, the one we had as part of our NCT was as much use as a chocolate teapot, we've all decided she should be sat down by us new mums to explain what it's really like and what she needs to say going forward!!

Corblimey - hope your LO is ok, molly had hers yesterday, it's still knocked her for six today, I felt I could definitely tell when the calpol wore off x

Lily- That's some good sleep right there! Hope you get the same again tonight!!
What the hell is Parkin cake?! I need it in my life by the sounds of it!

Hello everyone, to add to the sicklist, I have the tail end of a cold, so after going into town to run some errands, spent most of this afternoon snuggled on the sofa with DS. He's finally fitting into newborn sized stuff (at almost 7 weeks!), so I had a little sniffle about how he's growing and then exchanged some of the unopened tiny baby clothes for more interesting bigger ones!

DH is out for drinks tonight, so if DS is in a cooperative mood, I have baking to do - a thankyou cake for our lovely neighbours who gave us baby furniture that was their daughters for free and dessert to take to friends' for lunch at the weekend.

Definitely identify with the needing to find an adultier adult and like the babysitter for DS - I'm sure someone is going to come and take him back to parents who know what they are doing!

Hello all

Welcome to all newbies!! Lovely to see new people on the thread.

Siani I agree. Think you'd make a lovely breast feeding councillor. A good councillor makes such a difference. I can't remember but was it your cousin that wrote 'food of love'? Re giving formula - know it's a v personal and can be emotive but just to say we gave a bottle before bed for a few weeks. It was a life saver for my sainty. We are now back to just Breast feeding (mostly cause am too lazy to sterlise) so it doesn't have to be forever. Did no harm to DS and my supply. But as I said realise is a personal decision. Just thought might be helpful to share. Just do what is right for both you and baby. As clstow says happy mum = happy baby.

Speaking of happy mum, oh my god the jabs were hard. DS seems totally fine. Had a big cry when jabbed but soon settled back down and he loved the calpol.

Food diary does sound like good idea but also fear it would show up cheese. And really life without cheese is no life.

Thanks all for the kind words and sharing your experiences with BF and formula. I've bought a pack of the premade stuff with the disposable sterile teats that go straight onto the premade bottles just so I know that I CAN have it available if I need it. Weirdly, knowing that has made me feel a lot more confident that I won't need it! But it's good to know that my OH can take him out and will be able to feed him if he gets unpredictably hungry and they can't get back to me in time.

Kbro yes, it is my cousin. :) it's such a good book, I basically memorised it while pregnant and fully credit it for being able to tell when Fergus was hungry before he cried while we were in Hospital. That on its own made learning to feed him SO much easier.

I don't know if the photo is very good. I'm at 45 degrees and she's lying on me with her mouth opposite my nipple. She just bobs about til she finds it and sees to herself. I find you get the best latch that way and no messing with squeezing the boobs. It is my favourite position to feed in as it leaves one hand/arm free to cuddle dd1 with. I'd love to be a bf supporter. There aren't any here hence why I only know one other bf mum. You should totally go for it. Such an important job. Too many women feel guilty and helpless and upset when bf doesn't work.

Took the girls to the animal sanctuary today. Glorious weather and dd1 got to cuddle a baby rabbit. Talk about delighted! I thought we'd have to take Bunny home!

Happy weekend everyone!

Evening all! I hope all poorly mum's and jabbed babies are feeling better tonight.

Your dad sounds like an awesome guest bringing all that food lily! Tell him he's welcome here any time

Glad Molly's jabs and scan went well fanby. We have the jabs next week and the scan the week after.
Congratulations on the sausage hot pot demolition!

I hope your cold is better tindel. Well done to your ds on all that growing. Putting the tiny baby clothes away must feel like a proper milestone

I'm another one who thinks you'd make a great breastfeeding support siani. We don't have them here and I would have really appreciated someone to talk to at times, especially someone like you.

Thank you for sharing that photo jockstar. I might give that position a go.

Does anyone else here use a feeding pillow? I use one all the time at home and ds loves lying back on it to feed. But he seems to be really uncomfortable without it now and it's making feeding when we're out and about bit tricky. He gets all squirmy and doesn't seem to know where to put himself. Has anyone else had anything like this? I'm hoping to find a middle ground solution that doesn't involve taking the pillow out with me everywhere or stopping using it altogether!

Yay! It's the weekend! I still totally get that Friday night buzz even though I don't work in an office anymore . Hope everyone is having a good evening.

Ah, lily sending you sleepy vibes for another good night. Pretty sure ours was a one off as grumpy 2 is showing no signs of settling tonight.

frolic that's interesting about the yoghurt. I'd heard the same thing, that dairy is just a bit tough for tiny constitutions. It's a shame it's such a tasty food group.

Hi cor hope the jabs haven't left you with a grizzly baby. We've got ours next Friday and I'm dreading it. By the time I stopped feeding DD1 I was down to a couple of feeds a day and my boobs adjusted really quickly, dig out the breast pads again and you should be back to normal shortly.

clstow your description of your OH's evening flying solo made me chuckle. We did shared parental leave with DD1 and it was a steep learning curve for DH. I think he thought it was going to be a lot of pratting about in the park with his man bag full of nappies. Little did he realise... Has made him an amazing hands on Dad now though.

Anyone else still panicking when their LO does the random holding their breath thing? I can't remember at what age they start to be able to breathe through their mouth but it can't come soon enough!

Grumpy dwarf 1 had the most spectacular meltdown this evening. Ended up being carried upstairs foaming at the mouth in a firemans lift. One of the most depressing things is realising that the terrible twos are a myth. Tantrums continue way beyond that point

Fresh bread and hot pot - you ladies know how to rock!!

Hope the sickos (ha!) are feeling better. My snotty nose is clearing up a treat but I now have the sect flaky skin around the nostrils thing!!

My two great mates have flown up to visit me today to stay for the weekend and it's bloody wonderful having girlie chat all day. I could ducking breeze this baby malarkey if I had more girly time and cake Makes me terribly homesick for my friends and family though. Life would be easier with them nearby but such are the realities of being married to an army guy! I'm sure I'll get mates up here too but it'll just take time. Lonely parenting us tough - thank fuck for you guys!!!

Also one of my mates has changed my life re bath time screams. After plucking dd from the shallows and wrapping get in towels we aimed a hairdryer at her too. White noise coupled with warm botty and fanjo worked s treat - not one single note of a cry! Hope it wasn't just s fluke!!!!

Also coming to the stark realisation that I actually have to force DH to do more. I'm sure I'll sound like a bag but it's just not bloody fair that I do everything all the time during the week and he 'helps' at weekends. I'm of the mindset "it's quicker / easier to do it myself" which makes life easy for DH and in the short term for me too BUT I e noticed he's now expecting stuff to be this way and it's harder for dd to relearn bonding with him everytime he takes over as she's become so used to me.... Deffo need a plan of action here!!

Fanby- sausage hotpot sounds amazing! I cannot believe you haven't heard of Parkin!! Although I have just googled it and realised via Wikipedia that it is a northern particularly lanacashire/ Yorkshire thing so I'll let you off (unless you live there!) it is a gingerbread cake with a really squidgy sticky layer on the top (the best bit!) and is associated with bonfire night and the surrounding months! Tastes similar to bonfire lollies I think too! Mmmmm you need to experience it!

Oh Tindel- it's awful when you have to start packing away their tiniest clothes isn't it!

Siani- glad you are feeling more confident now you know you have emergency supplies on standby.

Slowwife- oh no for your toddlers tantrums and hope they have calmed now!

Mzzf- hearing you on the DH thing! I asked DH if now he is back on days whether if I do all night feeds etc so he isn't tired for work (and because he annoyed me doing them so noisily I may as well don't them myself) if he will do 1 night a week all night when he is off the next day as that's the agreement a lot of friends have with theirs. His reply- of course he will but he'll have to have a nap the day after!!!! He genuinely couldn't understand why I was annoyed as I never get a sodding nap and do it every night!!!

Taking DS to his first swimming lesson/ sing and swim tommorrow and I'm a little nervous! One because I'm dreading having to be in swimming cossie with the extra blubber and stretch marks- although thankfully only tiny ones on one high will be visible! And two because I can't work out the logistics of getting us dried and dressed after! I can't decide whether to try and shower him in the showers there holding him against me very quickly and then dry and dress him before dressing myself, or whether to get us both dried and dressed straight away and bath us at home? Any experiences or ideas to share ladies? I'm thinking bathing at home will be easier but worried about bit washing the chlorine off him and his skin drying out- already a bit dry! Confused!

Re the swimming deffo wash yeah chlorine off at the pool. Not need for soap though jus loads of water, although you could wash too but just an super quick one. Have your wash bottle and towels at the front of your locker out of your bra so it's ready to go. Then my advice is to get one of those family booths etc or if not you basically do him first from dry to dressed, with a dummy if he takes one whilst you get sorted. If you're in a private booth get naked and do this and you'll be pretty much dry by the time you finish anyway! Don't worry about combing your hair through or pants etc. just do loose joggers, flip flops, bra hoodie - GO! Then when you get home do your other bits whilst he's entertained (hair, face etc) and he can still have a bath at night.
Now depending on how far away the pool in you might have to give a little feed at the pool but if it'll take you less than 10-15 mins to get home you could make a mad dash for it. Either way scoff will be on the agenda Brenda!

I can't wait to take mini mzzzf - is it obvious that I used to teach swimming

Morning! Wow you're a chatty bunch - I love it!

Can I ask what might seem like a really obvious/stupid q? How do you all keep up with the messages?! You all do individual replies and remember what everyone's said and who's said what and I'm finding it tricky to keep up with on my phone, lol.

Re swimming: I'm thinking of taking dd soon. Is it essential to do it as part of a class, or can I just take her to the local pool myself?

Actually his newborn clothes are more interesting colours and patterns. Tiny baby stuff is mainly white, so nice to have him in colours! Am loving the variety, will post a picture later ...

Last night was a bit of a washout. Got him snuggled asleep in the Moses basket by 8pm, tried to cook dinner and set the smoke alarm off! Cue the next 3 hours of crying despite being fed and clean. Eventually got him back to sleep with lots of cuddles, but wrote off my evening somewhat ...

Frolicacid, I have a feeding pillow which I use at night and sometimes during the day when I remember to bring it down. The rest of the time, I either use a cushion or roll up a jumper on my lap or even try crossing my legs to give him a bit more height?

Thanks for the advice mzzf that makes sense! Although I have I itty bitty titties so won't fit my wash bottle and towels in my bra!!! I love typos! I was wondering when you said you hadn't been yet how you knew so yes you being a teacher makes sense!

Count- don't worry about replying individually to everyone, we actually discussed this on the last thread and agreed it didn't matter as it was too hard! Most of us will just so individual replies if we have time or to those that we remember or have something significant to reply with! Hope that makes sense! I'm also on my phone but through safari rather than the app and I tend to scroll up and down mid writing if I forget what I wanted to reply to! Swim wise I don't think you need classes- I just don't have a clue what I'm doing so this way I get confidence at holding DS in the water without worrying I'll drown him etc!!

Tindel- oops to the fire alarm I bet you were gutted! I had a similar written off evening- DH put DS down at 8.30 which is a record only for him to wake up 10 minutes later! I went up to settle him but he woke up even more and after about 20 minutes decides to scream as he was hungry! So finally got back downstairs at 10pm!! Good job we'd decided not to bother with tea last night anyway as is been out for lunch! I was so sleepy from sitting in the dark so long as well we came up to bed ourselves at 10.30!! Rock and roll Friday night!

Have a good day everyone! I'm off to shave my legs so I don't scare the other babies at the pool! Lol!!

DS slept from 11:30 until 5:42, then had a couple more hours snuggled in bed with me. Another good night. I doubt I will get that tonight! But it doesn't matter either way as DP will be round later so he can do the night shift

fatty you've had a couple of great nights!! The most my DD has managed is 4 hours but usually she wakes up every 3 hours for a feed. Toddler DD is usually in beside me too so I have to quickly get a boob in babies mouth before her crying wakes toddler up - meanwhile DH snoozes away in spare room......

I haven't taken DD swimming yet but when I've taken other DC when little I shower with them then get them all dried and dressed (put baby lotion on to keep skin soft after chlorine) - by the time they are all done I am dry so just pop clothes on and away we go. I have been to mother and baby classes and taken baby myself - the classes were nice in that you mixed with other mums and babies - we sang nursery rhymes and danced around in water, however they were quite expensive and you were restricted to a certain day and time in the week which wasn't great if your baby was sleepy or not in the mood. At least if you go yourself it's not so expensive and you can do your own thing but I found because I hadn't booked and paid for it it was too easy not to bother - pros and cons for both. I've done swimming from an early age with all my children - the 4 eldest belong to a swimming club with the oldest 2 competing - it's been a really good sport for them keeping them very fit and healthy - think we spend half our life at the pool!! lily have a fun swim

frolic I use a feeding pillow like tindle - recommend one or a big cushion to support your arm

slow I sympathise - I too have a tantruming toddler - my other 4 DCs never tantrumed - boy is DC5 making up for it

Another glorious day here - hope it's lovely where you are too......

Wow this thread is hotting up. I can't keep up, so sorry for drifting in and out of the conversation.

Thought I'd better let you know that I didn't leave ds out for the wolves in the end. Or more like mangey urban foxes round here. He screamed himself into a trance and then eventually gave up and went to sleep.

He's been really grumpy the last week, basically either feeding or crying when he's not sleeping. It's so stressful not being able to help him more. Although I think I did bond with him quickly after he arrived I feel like I'm losing my connection with him now because he's so often just screaming at me. I really don't miss him at all when DH takes him out for a stroll and I'm disappointed when they come home. Can't believe I've said that tbh. I think it's just not coping with the cumulative lack of sleep.

I also seemed to have a weird mini period yesterday, confusing as I'm fully breastfeeding. Wonder if this has any implications for my supply?

DH has really stepped up a bit though, I think he can see I need some help. He even got ds to have a nap in the crib yesterday!

The swimming logistics are baffling to me too. How do you even wash a baby in the shower without dropping them? And pool showers seem to operate at either scalding or freezing settings!

Sorry for the me me me post. Hope everyone is having a good Saturday.

I am so tired! Night feeds are suddenly taking much, much longer than they used to so I've spent so much of the night nodding off while feeding on the sofa. Is it just me who feeds to sleep? The idea of just popping DS down and him drifting off to sleep is so unrealistic it's funny.

Argh that happened to us with the fire alarm the other day, you have my sympathy Tindel.

Hurrah for lots of sleep Fatty, hope you're feeling better.

Glad that your DS isn't being raised by foxes Effin, you'd only find him rummaging through your bins before long. I've decided that having a baby is like having a never ending to do list... It's exhausting and I definitely have moments where I question if we should have had him, but like everything else these moments pass and I'm sure with more sleep your bond will come back.

Gotta go as the tiny dude is wanting yet more food... He should be a right heffer the amount he's eating at the moment!

TFI Saturday and all the DPs are around to help out. Mugabe a good day everyone!

Mugabe morning all!
I'm at the hairdressers and dh is at home with ds and some expressed bottles. I know I should be enjoying this and relaxing, but I feel really anxious and weird not to have ds with me.
Yesterday I was desperate for a break and now I'm seriously considering running home quickly with my colour on for a quick feed and squeeze! The only thing stopping me is that I look like side show bob with my ginger hair all over the place and may scare the baby .

Have a lovely weekend with your mates mzzf.

Donn't worry about individual replies count. I use safari on my phone and try to keep up by scrolling back, but I only do that because my memory has left the building since ds was born and I can't remember who said what for more than 3 seconds.

Rolling up a jumper to use as a cushion when out and about is a great idea, thanks tindel.
Sorry you had a bit of a shit night. So did we. Dh joined us from the spare room and ds would not settle in his crib. We eventually gave up and dh went back to the spare room and the little monkey went straight to sleep next to me. Good job we're not planning any siblings for him! He made up for it by giving dh the biggest of smiles when he came in to us this morning.

Well done on another great sleep baby fatty! You give the rest of us hope.

effin. It's really tough when they cry and nothing seems to soothe them. I feel like I don't know ds at all when he's like that. How old is he now? Do you think he's having a growth spurt or developmental leap? I'm sure it will pass soon. Go easy on yourself. Great that your dh is stepping up - make sure you take advantage and get some rest. Everything is easier to deal with when you've had some sleep.

Have a happy Saturday everyone

Mugabe!

Mzzzf - hope you're having a lovely catch up with your friends! Sounds like you were massively overdue some girl time!
Most of my old friends have been utter shite since I got pregnant, I feel incredibly grateful for you guys too!! Thank the Lord for the tinternet!!
I've let DH do a fair whallop of baby duty today too, yes, he's not going things how'd I'd do them but molls is still alive and well so I'm just keeping my mouth shut and letting him get on with it, as you say they have to learn! He did take her to the shops to run errands this morning and so I had a lovely long shower and washed my hair, by 11:30am he proclaimed he was knackered, he has no idea...

Lily - haha no, I'm a southern fairy who is from Essex and now lives in London...bonfire lollies, again you're going to have to educate me, what are they? Toffee apples?!
How was swimming???!!

Speaking of swimming, with the disposable swim nappies, like the huggies swim ones, do you need one of those happy nappies over the top? Or just the swimming cozzie?
Also what temp should the pool be roughly?

Fatty - excellent sleep, very envious! Hope it's helped your recovery and your feeling better!

Effin - sending you a massive glass of . The screaming days are sooo tough. I'm glad your DH is stepping up.

Clstow - no I definitely feed to sleep at night and during the day where possible!!

Frolic - no advise except im the same, DH has taken molly solo all of about three times as much as it seems like a treat, I can never relax. Hope the hair is looking gorge!

Hello. Sorry I can't keep up either, especially as I don't know everyone's 'back stories' yet.

Frolicacid well done on hairdressers. I haven't made it yet so my hair is not great!

DS2 survived his jabs. I am getting stressed out though about our inability to settle him without rocking etc and also that we've got into a strange habit where he wakes at about 6am and husband brings him downstairs for a bottle only for him to fall asleep down here for anoth couple of hours. This means the day's timings are all over the place. He is also sleeping a lot during the day which doesn't help nights. I want to be able to put him down in his crib sleepy and have him fall asleep. I don't know how to achieve that or if it's totally unrealistic. Our eldest son was a good sleeper as a baby but I can't remember how we achieved that or when. Perhaps it was just him and the baby is different?! But I am not good without sleep and worrying about the current all over the place pattern is stressing me out.

I've no advice on making babies sleep. They either do or they don't.

MN is my lifeline. I don't really have any friends IRL. The two people I did count as friends abandoned me when I was pregnant, because I couldn't get out of the house.
They say will be there but one hasn't even met DS yet and he's 11 weeks today. The other has seen him about twice. And the first time she turned up when I was just out of hospital with her new partner who I had never met!
I try my best to be there for them but I've given up now. I get nothing in return. I'm expected to run round after them and they don't give a stuff how I am.

Bonfire lollies = treacle lollies, gorgeous things. I need to buy some.

Lily and Frolic Thanks for the tip, I've ditched the app so hopefully I can reply and keep up with you all more easily!

Clstow You're not the only one who feeds to sleep! I've had family members say it's not good dd does this but it's in their nature so if it works for you, don't worry about it!

Frolic I hope you're hair is now looking lovely and you're back home enjoying cuddles! I really need to book mine, not had it done since before dd was born!

Cor I'm wondering about everyone's back stories too! Is there any sort of stats bit for everyone to say if they have a dd or ds, when they were born etc? (Just being nosey!)

My DD won't put herself to sleep either Cor . She will sleep at night in her moses basket if she is put down asleep. However, she won't settle herself to sleep at all. She has to be rocked and sung to and won't go down at all in her pram or chair or anything. She immediately wakes up. She never cries or screams, she'll just go all day long without sleeping unless she's rocked and then held. It's very tiring :(

Sorry your 'friends' are like that fatty . My closest friend has stopped all interest in me since I got pregnant. It's quite upsetting, a baby really does change so much! Like you, MN is my lifeline to keep my sane and have people to chat to! Glad I found this thread :)

effin how old is your DC? Sounds like a growth spurt / developmental leap and boy are they hard to get through. and for you. It's definitely true that babies test you in ways you can't imagine before you have them. I remember shrieking at DD1 when she was about this age out of sheer frustration. It's a totally normal response especially in the context of sleep deprivation

count this thread is awesome.

My back story for those who don't know.
I'm 24, have 3 DCs. DS1 will be 7 in 11 days time. DD is 22 months and DS2 was born on the 1st of august. He is now 11 weeks old. He was 10 days overdue and weighed 10lb 10 at birth. Vaginal delivery. No stitches. Pushed for literally two minutes (please don't ask how because I've no flaming idea!)
I had a horrendous pregnancy. I suffered severely from SPD and am still not right now. I was on crutches from 17 weeks and by the end I couldn't move at all without help.
I live alone with the 3 DC as DP lives separate. We've had our issues, and things seem to be working this way.

Err, I'm 5 foot 5 and weigh somewhere between 14 and a half, and 15 Stone. I need to lose weight desperately bit exercise hurts and I eat way too much crap.
I think that's about all