July 2016 #3

[primarynoodle]

Hello all! Can't believe we're on thread 3! Let's kickstart with a then and now photo :)

Here's Annie at 4 months 4 days

I keep failing to post! So this has turned into a whopper, and half of it is probably out of date now! Oh well.

I've been enjoying Jasper's smiles and giggles today, and marveling at his wonderful blissful ignorance of the omnishambles that is modern global politics.

Tams/Sunday - Thanks for the support re the sleep routine. Yes, we're all much happier this way.

Tams - yes I can see that the baby gig could be addictive! That's lovely that you're already thinking about it.
Jasper will, and does, suck everything!
We moved to the pushchair attachment a couple of weeks ago. It was partly because J was getting too long, but mainly because he gets so bored lying on his back. He loves being upright and seeing everyone/everything around him.

Sunday - I'm glad you've put your mind at rest re the ironing!
Well done on your long walks and weight loss.
Good work re sitting up nearly unaided!
Is the Sunday household healthier? Disaster re the chocolate! I've been eating my hot chocolate powder with a spoon 😄 and have nearly finished it - oops...

Indians - keep us posted re how things go with the modeling 😊 Fantastic that you have a potential modelling contract too. I love the idea of submitting applications whilst pissed. I need to apply for a new job for March after mat leave - maybe I'll take the same approach 😉
Is Hallie much healthier and happier now? Lovin' the wide eyes photo!

Becks - I LOVE the sleepsuit! The foxes are awesome. Reminds me of the Little Prince.
Sorry to hear that your joints are falling apart too!
How's Ben? Is he feeling better? Looks v happy in the pic! Amazing that he's almost crawling!
Which door bouncer did you get, and how much? Did you do a lot of research (that I can steal from you) on the best ones?
J is very bubbly and dribbly too. More dribbly, if I'm honest. Charmer 😄

Anna - So glad Grace is better. I'd likewise assumed that if J didn't have a temp then he was fine - so that's useful to know - thank you.
Cute pics! I love the sitting up photo! Definitely ready for the pushchair. And rolling from back to front? Amazing!
Thanks for the tip re the high chair. I'll do some browsing online.
Mmm, pate and prosecco! 😊
For Christmas we've got my parents coming to stay for two days, and then we're going to dh's sister's for lunch with all the in-laws a couple of days after Christmas.
I've started my Christmas shopping - first time in my life I've done some in October! I'd highly recommend a trip to FARA Kids if there's one near you - there's some great quality stuff in there.
J did an explosion up to his shoulder blades the other morning. My sinkful of orange/yellow laundry is starting to spiral out of control 😝
I've lost count of the weeks now too, except that J has now had his 16 week jabs. He'll be 4 months next week!
Talking of biscuits, I rediscovered fig rolls recently. Opened a packet yesterday. The recommended serving is two fig rolls. I ate ten in one go 😳

Primary - I'm so sorry to hear about your worries re weight. It really is a good sign if a baby is eating well and looks solid - regardless of whether boy or girl. Please try not to fret or to let society's messed-up ideals be projected onto her. You should be proud of producing/feeding such a healthy baby.
Glad to hear that your dp is stepping up, albeit slowly.
For the wedding, how about the Tuscan hills around Florence? Beautiful, as is Florence itself.
Can we see a photo of the shark footmuff please? 😀

Sock - sounds very much like teething to me.

Elliz - really nice to hear from you. So sorry to hear of all the illness in the Ardo household. Sending big hugs.

Dats - your 'spice drawer' made me snort!
Yes I also find things easier when DH isn't around. At least during the week I only need to keep myself and one man happy. I find it exhausting trying to keep two men happy at once. So that's one good reason for never having an affair...
Glad Joss is less sicky now, but really sorry to hear that you've been unwell. And really sorry about your cat too.
I had my sixth and final session of cognitive behavioural therapy last week, and have been successfully discharged. I have to say, I found it extremely useful. I'd highly recommend it. Mine was provided through the nhs. Very happy to chat one-to-one via fb if that would be useful.
Ha ha yes it's always deathly quiet on the thread at weekends!

Beaut - glad to hear you're doing ok and getting into the swing of things. I can't even imagine having four, especially with your dh away.
I've been losing hair like there's no tomorrow. I'll soon be as bald as Jasper and dh at this rate...
Well done on the weight loss!

Birchy - welcome back! I hope Daniel copes well with the jabs. I was fearing the worst so was really pleasantly surprised after ours yesterday. Some loud crying when he got jabbed, but once I'd given him a milky cuddle he was absolutely fine. Very happy and smiley for the rest of the day and today actually. No fever, and didn't seem to be in any pain. I didn't even give him calpol.

Ruby - lovely to hear from you. I know, it's so depressing isn't it, feeling so old with the broken knees, moulting hair etc...
That's great that you've extended mat leave until April.
Cool cardigan!

Bluebs - I love your positive attitude re night feeds. Glad you're feeling human again. Jasper feeds a couple of times during the night I think, but I tend to lose track because the first time he wakes I bring him into bed to feed, and after that I barely wake up - we feed and then fall asleep and then feed again without really surfacing. Lovely and snuggly. I never intended to co-sleep but it just started to happen more and more - and I like it. It might make things tricky at 6 months though, if I move him out of our room and he has to drop the night feeds.
I have a brilliant image of you meticulously colouring in squares, deep in concentration with your tongue sticking slightly out of the corner of your mouth 😂
I'm delighted about your shopping success, and that you're feeling more able to have adventures now. Very liberating.
Glad you had a nice time in Dorset. Sounds blissful. I'd love to spend more time in the (proper) countryside.

Rolly - thank you. Ups and downs, but at least there are ups! Fingers crossed it'll keep getting easier.
J sits on my lap while I pee. Share and share alike 😄
Yup I've been bagging up clothes too. Emotional times 😔
Let us know re your friend and whether she's upduffed.
Try not to let annoying HVs freak you out. If he seems happy and healthy to you, then he's bound to be fine. Babies do grow at different paces at different times.

Cookies - J is in a mixture of clothes sizes: mostly 3-6, but some 6-9, and still some 0-3 too. It really depends on the shop and the type of clothing. I'm sorry you're worried about slowing weight. I'm afraid I don't have any good advice really (I haven't weighed J since the summer - he eats well and looks porky so I'm happy with that), except I'd say you should follow your own instincts and try not to worry about how he gets his nutrients, as long as he's getting lots of good nutrients. BF or formula are both very good nutrients - plus it won't be too long before you start weaning anyway.

Apparently when we were little, babies used to be weaned at 4 months, or even 3. Weird to think of feeding our littlies real food so soon. I'll miss all the snuggles when I stop BF.

Any advice/preferences re different bouncers? Currently J just has a bouncy chair, which he enjoys but I think he's ready for something a bit more energetic where he can get a good work-out on his legs and doesn't feel tied down. I'm thinking of a door bouncer rather than a jumperoo-type bouncer, but would welcome any views - thanks!

What will people miss/enjoy when they go back to work?
Miss: I'll really miss having jasper to myself five days a week - I hate to think about it - weekends won't be the same as I'll have dh too (and everything that goes with that).
Enjoy: it occurred to me today how nice it would be to have a big poo in peace and quiet with no time pressures (and maybe even read a book at the same time). I'm definitely planning to make the most of the facilities at work 😂

Really looking forward to seeing some of you in London and Bath later this month! (Am I overkeen, going to two?!)

It's Remembrance this weekend. I dread to think what new wars might now come about in the next 4/8 years.

Ruby Yeahhhh to stockings - can't wait to do one for Ruben this year!

Beaut Wahoo on the weight loss - you trooper! Mine has completely stalled now. I've been to the gym twice this week though and am going again tomorrow, so maybe I'll shift some more? Doubt it though, the amount of peanut butter I'm getting through...

Rolly LOVE the bauble idea. Nicking that one! I can't see why your HV was so judgey about Raff's weight - as long as he's happy and gaining, what is the issue?!

Cookies sorry you had a wobble, but glad you are feeling a bit better now. He is gaining: that is what you need to focus on. I think maybe I would mention that you're doing a formula feed next time so that they have a full picture? I totally, totally understand how emotional it all is. And listen: you have already BF him for four months. That's four months more than I got as a child! It really isn't the end of the world if you have to give him formula top-ups - and you can still carry on BF alongside that. Can you ring the HV for a chat? If you don't feel like you want to talk to them, perhaps try the NCT helpline, or La Leche League?

birchy I am, I admit, a tad envious that you still are getting a full night's sleep!

Sunday yes I think it could be sleep regression. One of my friends suggested trying him with a dummy during one of the night wake-ups and seeing if that sends him back to sleep without a feed. He fed at 1, 3, 5 and 7 this morning which seems slightly outrageous! All together he's feeding about 9 times in 24 hours which is painful on the old nips.

becks I am laughing, picturing Ben moving himself across the floor! I always think that when I put Ru on his tummy he looks like a little maggot, raising his head and squirming around!

primary you're not giving her too much milk! If it helps any, two of my slimmest friends had the FATTEST babies, and they are both now beautiful slim children - well, one is seventeen so a young adult really. DH's brother was so fat as a baby that he couldn't walk for ages - and he is also now lean and mean! Babies are meant to be chubby. Feed away!

Anna you genius! Christmas shopping browsing! I totally did this during night feeds last night. On that note - I am a little bit paranoid about using my mobile near Ruben. I do use it during feeds - maybe one in every three feeds - but I tend to have it on wireless-only mode, and I also hold it as far away from his head as I can. Am I being paranoid as usual? Is there any actual research to say you shouldn't use mobiles near babies, does anyone know? I just feel instinctively a bit uncomfortable about it, but also... I am weak, and I do love browsing during a feed!

julf - so glad the CBT has worked. I found it incredibly helpful. It's the only form of talking therapy that I would say has had a lasting effect on me - and I am someone who has been in and out of counselling over the years (oh dear!). I also went to a top-up refresher course a couple of years ago when the anxiety started spiralling again - it was a large group course provided by the NHS, the idea being that you wouldn't have to be on a waiting list for ages but could attend very quickly. It was so helpful!

I too have been spooning the hot chocolate in at desperate moments. Trying to have the odd mug of hot chocolate too so that DH doesn't wonder where it's all gone when we run out...

I love the idea of co-sleeping - it sounds so delicious - but DH is a clumsy sleeper (he once got me in a headlock while we were asleep - no kidding) and I wouldn't trust him not to roll on Ruben.

I'm also starting to think about bouncers. I just stick him in his car seat at the moment and he rocks away in it, but obviously that's not ideal!

I'm not planning on going back to my previous life as a teacher, so I guess I'll be enjoying working for myself, from home, when I choose! I'll definitely miss the time with Ruben. Although I'm not 100% sure how we're going to manage it yet - whether DH will have him on the days I'm working, or whether we will need to get him into a nursery. I feel a bit sick when I think about putting him into nursery, so I'm not sure. I may end up working in the evenings as much as I can manage... Haha, YES to big poos, with a book.

Now, my little sausage has been in his car seat for just over an hour - he's been fast asleep ever since we got back from swimming. I'm going to have to get him out (my HV is very insistent about it being a ten minute break every hour) and I really don't want to because I don't want to wake him up and interrupt his nap (and my peace and quiet!) :( I think I might leave him for another twenty minutes. It's so hard to know what to do for the best!

Bluebell just leave him in his car seat. As long as you are there watching him I'm sure he will be fine. I thought the "rule"was out every two hours. Even so I think this is more to stop people leaving the baby in there for like five hours!

And to anyone worried about the weight, we are the other end of the scale. Sophie on 9th centipede so only about 12 pounds now. Was 7lbs at birth so not particularly small. She's formula fed too which I thought would make her put on weight faster but nope she's following the line perfectly. I'm enjoying it while I can as at least she is getting the wear out of her clothes! Having said that she's long so in 3-6 month clothes but with the sleeves rolled back for short arms! I find her a struggle to hold for long now so god knows how I'll cope when she's 20lbs like some of yours!

Thanks Anna I needed that! Have armed myself with a few grips now ;)

Julf - I will miss not being the main person in Annie's life - like you said weekends just aren't the same! I will enjoy my job, but I really wish I didn't have to go back till she was 2 :(

As promised - shark footmuff!

20 weeks tomorrow - 4.5 months and weighing in at a hefty 16lb 3oz!

Had to take Adam to out of hours at 4am today. He screamed solidly from midnight till about 3am, threw up everything and would not take a single thing. Refused more milk, just water, wouldn't take his dummy and spat out the calpol. We were really scared but doc said he's constipated. He did a couple of poos this morning and they were really thick and gloopy, not the usual yellow ones, you know the ones that shoot up the back!

He's slept loads today too so hopefully he's on the mend. Seems content in his jumperoo for the time being. Poor wee guy.

Sphie I left him in there up until the two-hour mark in the end. Gave me a chance to eat lunch and do a bit of writing. Fabulous.

primary OMG I love the footmuff. I already have one for Ruben or I would be purchasing one tout de suite.

sock sorry to hear about the constipation, but glad things have, um, progressed! Ruben did an enormous poo through his babygro onto my hand this morning. Rather disappointing for mummy. However, we were in bed at the time so I am just grateful that my hand protected the duvet! (He then proceeded to grab hold of his poo-covered willy while I was changing him... Arrrgggh chaos!)

Friday weigh in: Still 4lbs above my target weight. Lost half an inch round my tummy but none round my waist.

Friday word count: 19,824. Which is where I'd hoped to be by the end of October, so not too far off target! It is pretty low quality writing, though...

Bluebell yes to eating lunch!! I always feel like it's a successful day if I manage to eat something proper before 6pm! My diet otherwise consists mostly of biscuits...

Sophie has discovered her feet in the last week and is obsessed, loves having her nappy off as then she can pull them higher! Almost in her mouth now. Nappy changes are such fun now, and she pulls her socks off

bluebell were you secondary or primary? Im tempted to apply for a secondary maths post as I think the workload will be nothing compared to primary but is that wishful thinking? :S congrats on the word Count! I can't wait to read it

sock poor Adam :( I hope he's getting better now

sophie I have to roll back sleeves on flipping everything! Problem is she sucks the sleeves then it doesn't dry and she's just moist all day - eww. Also Annie keeps pooing through nappy, babygrow and outfit EVERY TIME! It's not exactly a fun nappy change time but it is, err.. long!

Friday weigh in - still 10lb 2. Grr all I want for Christmas is those 2lbs to bugger off!! I just cba any more!

primary I was primary too. I think that might be wishful thinking, especially in a core subject. My subject is English (obvs), which is one of the huge reasons why I chose to train in primary rather than secondary. Didn't fancy the exam results pressure. Little did I know the pressure of primary... Ha. Ha. Ha. My future SIL is a secondary Art teacher and she struggled with workload in her NQT year, though seems happy enough now. I think if I had to teach anything, and I could choose, I would probably like middle school Art or Textiles.

Soph I don't buy biscuits for exactly that reason! If they're there, I have to eat them. All of them.

Indians augh, the cuteness of both your children!

Right, must make the most of the afternoon. Come on, word count...

PS my notonthehighstreet Chrismtas catalogue arrived this morning. It's the only catalogue that I look forward to reading like it's an actual book. Lust lust, covet covet. I am going to have to order this book for Ruben: www.notonthehighstreet.com/lucysworld/product/the-day-you-were-born-personalised-new-baby-book

Bluebell - if and when we set up our Mummies' Commune, I'd be very happy if it had a never-ending supply of chocolate powder and peanut butter 😀
Ha, yes I'd been thinking Jasper looked like a worm 🐛 on his tummy.
Gosh, I hadn't even thought about the risks of using a phone/iPad near a baby's head. I've just looked it up on webmd and they say that the risk to children/babies/foetuses is much higher than adults. Their recommendations: 'The first is that "distance is your friend." He says holding a cell phone 15 cm (about 6 inches) from your ear "provides a 10,000-fold reduction in risk." Unless a cell phone is turned off, it is always radiating. When not in use, it should not be kept on the body. The best place for a cell phone is somewhere like a purse, bag, or backpack. Devices should be kept away from a pregnant woman's abdomen, and a mother should not use a cell phone while nursing, Morgan says. "And baby monitors should not be placed in an infant's crib."' I've been using my phone during pretty much every feed over the last 4 months - gulp.
Re co-sleeping, I always sleep with J between me and the crib; DH is on my other side. Otherwise, like you, I'd be worried that DH would squash him. I only bring J into the middle during weekend lie-ins when we're all awake and just chilling in bed.
Glad you're looking forward to big poos too. Just be careful you don't get locked in again 😂
I can't see why your HV wants you to limit car-seat time to just ten minutes. I guess it depends how often you use it - clearly if you were leaving him in there for an hour several times a day, every day, then that would be a problem. The occasional two-hour stint sounds ok.
Oh god, willy-grabbing. The horrors to come! I used to work night-shifts in an old people's home so I've had to deal with more poo-covered willies than you'd probably care to imagine 😝

Primary - love the shark!

Sock - poor Adam. Glad he's on the mend. Was he better again today?

Sausage - I've developed an addiction to Nairns oat biscuits, which means I can happily kid myself that it's to boost lactation 😉

Hoping someone can explain something to me. Re the number of feeds per day, I don't think J has reduced much - it's still about once every three hours i.e. 8 per day. Slightly longer gaps at nighttime, I think, so maybe 7 per day. People (not on this thread specifically, but mummies in general that I've encountered) seem very focused on reducing the number of feeds. Why is that? Is it better for the baby to have fewer (and larger) feeds rather than 8 smaller ones? Or is it just for the convenience of the parents? I can understand that if the baby's being moved out of the parents' bedroom at 6 months, you ideally don't want to be getting up loads to feed during the night. But I can't think of any reasons to reduce the number of feeds in the daytime too. Any answers please? Thanks!

I'm planning to take J swimming soon for the first time - for some reason it hasn't happened yet. I plan to go to a warm pool suitable for babies. Advice on swimwear please! I've bought a "happy nappy". Do I also need a waterproof nappy underneath? Anything else? Presumably don't need arm-bands etc because I'll be holding him? Argh, I have no idea what I'm doing! Any tips welcome. NB I don't have a car so can only take whatever kit I can fit under the pram / in a rucksack.

This morning I've been watching quite a bit of the news, about Remembrance and Leonard Cohen and Trump. I then wanted to put on my makeup so I popped J in the bouncer in front of babytv. He looked up me with a Look on his face as if to say "What, mummy, MORE television, really?"

bluebell I was always crap at English! The reason I was thinking is that maths is a gazillion times easier to plan, prep and mark, even down to the feedback marking (Bain of my effing existence that!). I can imagine any other subject at secondary is very time consuming but... argh maybe I'm just wishful thinking. Doubt they'd hire me anyway as I trained in primary teaching for my degree.

julf depending on the swimming pool I would maybe invest in a little wetsuit or similar as it keeps their core temp warmer - we use the local council pool which is freezing and can manage 30 mins max before she gets too cold. And yeh I'd use a disposable too! Nobody wants a leaky pooplosion haha

Primary - what will you use to get the print onto the bauble? I am in no way broody, but was discussing this with DH the other day - a friend got pg when her DD was the age our babies are now, just can't imagine being pg knackered and baby tired all at the same time Ignore the world and it's ideas holds head in hands at thought of teenage years Great footmuff, keep thinking about it and humming Jaws theme tune while making H 'swim' through the air. Officially lost the plot.

Becks not laughing at the carpet burns, but great mental image. Go Ben (again)!

Rolly I was told to never turn up to see the HV looking anything but rough!

Anna There speaks the voice of reason once again I definitely feel like you're doing a cracking job of mothering your two and all of us sometimes x
Did the formula make any difference to Grace'a sleep?

Cookies I had a chuckle at the idea of baby boot camp: 5 mins in the bouncer - loud whistle - 5 mins the tummy time - loud whistle - 5 mins leg kicking...
I'll second the la leche league for advice, plus going to a meeting if there are any near you. I went to one last month and found it fascinating, almost intellectually stimulating and very open minded.

Julf I'll miss same things & just can't imagine H being in the care of someone else. I'll enjoy having adults to talk to - after popping into work the other week, DH commented on how chatty I was that evening, I think it reminded me how to have a proper conversation!!

Blue sending virtual ice packs for the nips, any improvement last night? Goid work on the word count. I was also told 2 hrs in the car seat and I agree with sophie that it's mainly to stop people using them as a permanent sleeping place once they get to this age.

Sock poor Adam and his poo, but I do have to say that his socks are truly 'socktastic'!

In order to stop eating the hot chocolate, I seem to somehow always have Flapjack ingredients in the house these days...
...and, yes, the lunch race happens here too, have just dripped soup down my (white) too and cleavage in my haste to eat mine before H wakes up.

Apparently he's pretty much mastered sitting this morning, look at him go!!

Eek, we're all posting at once this morning!

julf phone guilt here too. Erm, I'm sure it will be ok?!
Swimming... yes a happy nappy is technically ok on it's own, that's all we've used. BUT, it hasn't been tested for poo containment yet and I know that most official swimming lesson groups insist on doubling up.

V sad about Leonard Cohen, I've loved his voice since I was little and we had our first dance to 'Dance me to the end of love'.

Thanks Primary!

Ruby - ha! I LOLed at the jaws air-swimming!
Interesting that you were more chatty after visiting work.
Great sitting! How old is he?
Brill choice for first dance

Thanks julf

He's 4 months and 2 days, and has better core muscles than me, that's for sure.

julf oh, shit, I will definitely stop using the phone around him then. I have generally been holding it away from his head - and mostly I've only used it while he's been nursing on my left side, so that I can hold it away from him with my right hand - but better safe than sorry. Thanks for looking it up; I was too scared to!
Yikes to elderly poo-covered willies. My metaphorical hat is very much taken off to you. My DH had his very first retch over Ruben's poo this morning, and he wasn't even changing the nappy! (I called him out of bed to hold Ruben's hands to prevent them from getting poo-covered again.)
Afraid I have no idea about the number of feeds.
I can help with swimming, though. My swimming lesson lady insists on a swim nappy covered by a happy nappy, and after Ruben did an ENORMOUS poo in his swim nappy last week, I can see why. It leaked out of the swim nappy but the leakage was contained by the happy nappy. However, you only rinse out the happy nappies in cold water between uses - you're not supposed to wash them properly - and really, I would not be happy if I couldn't use soap and hot water on that big a poo. I was very grateful to be able to chuck the swim nappy and just deal with the tiny bit of poo that made it into the happy nappy. No, you don't need arm bands. And Ruben is mega floaty - it's really cool - try floating Jasper on his back with your hand underneath his back and his head... Then try taking away the one under his back. Ruben stays floating with me just supporting his head!

primary to be honest I think if you're looking for a reduced workload, teaching of any kind is maybe not the place to be looking!!! Do they have middle schools in your area? That might be a way of getting secondary experience without secondary training.

Ruby he just woke at 1 and 5 last night, which was v helpful. Everyone except for the people in my area seem to have been told two hours in the car seat so I'm going to be a bit less rigid about keeping him in for one hour only now, thank you. Wow, look at H sitting! Big boy!

Speaking of core muscles, probably ought to go to the gym today. I'm nearly a quarter of my way through a first draft of my novel though, whoop whoop! That's assuming it would be 90,000 words completed. And obviously I don't really know how long it's going to be. And the quality is terrible. But still! I'm quite pleased, especially as I only started it on Sep 23rd!

Oh julf also, if you look at my FB timeline there is a video of my swimming class, with the babies being ducked for underwater swims!

Am I know the only one stubbornly not joining the FB group? Do I need to join to prove that I'm not an axe murderer?

Ruby - wow - very impressive for 4 months! Strong boy!
Re fb, I expect we can trust you if you'll post a pic on here of yourself NOT wielding an axe...? The fb medium isn't as good for getting to know people, imo. It's more Q&A style, and posting pictures - you don't get the same sort of ongoing chat that you get on here.

Bluebs - people keep telling me how much worse-smelling the poo is once they move to solids. So I'm thinking of procrastinating on that one 😆
Thanks so much for the swimming info - really helpful. I'll have a look on your timeline (get you, using the lingo!). Yes I love floating J in the bath. It's also fun on his front - he looks like a pookie wookie doodle 😀
Re the elderly willies - it's amazing what a uni student will do to earn money! Oh, but I think I already told you about my friend who masturbated horses?
Great work on the novel. Really smashing it out aren't you - well done!

Since having his 16-week jabs on Tuesday, J has been having really long daytime naps. He's currently feeding ravenously after fasting for 5.5 hours! While he slept I treated myself to a mini-manicure and a couple of hours in Starbucks 😊

On a creepier note, the man opposite me keeps staring. He doesn't have a book/phone anything, but has just gone to get a second copy. Literally just staring. Think it's time I took my breast-feeding elsewhere. This is the first time this has happened to me.

Here's J today.

Primary you may need to go up a nappy size, we had a few poosplosions until we moved Ben to size 4's we've not had a problem since.

Indians beautiful pictures

Julfin re the number of feeds, is it formula feeders wanting to reduce the number of feeds? I formula feed and Ben is now on 5 feeds in 24 hours I will then aim to drop that to 4 once we start weaning and he's taking a decent amount. This is wgat the guidelines on the tin say.

Wow ruby great sitting by H ( I'm also not in the Facebook group)

Went and weighed Ben today, 20 weeks and 16lb exactly. Still following the 50% line.

You've talked me out of it ladies, I shall remain anonymous and enjoy our chats on here. Anyway, we all know that julf is the one to watch, what with hunting down two groups at meet-ups

I feel that the sitting was a one-off, possibly to impress the lady who runs the sensory class, he was clearly quite in love with her today and has refused to do anything except face-plant the carpet at home.

Thoughts on feeding - bf estimates are that babies need roughly the same amount (750ml average) from 1-6 months. They might naturally drop a feed and take in more at others, but unless you were exclusively pumping there's no way to force this to happen/monitor it. We average 6 feeds each day, with one of those being ebm, when we give 125ml (750/6) which seems to be the maximum H wants anyway. Much as I'd dearly love to regularly get 8 hours sleep, I've accepted that this will only happen when H is ready if I continue to bf.
There's always an obsession with something! Around me it seems to be teething. Every time a baby dribbles/puts a hand near their mouth there's a conversation about how many different remedies people have tried. Maybe, just maybe, sometimes they're just dribbling?!