FEB 07 ***** A brand spanking new thread

[peachygirl]

Thought it was about time!!

FFT enjoy your time away

To everyone who told me a p&t double was what I needed and then was when I said it was too heavy, well I must appologise, it isn't to heavy, I just hadn't inflated the tyres , well they had put it together in the shop for me so I assumed they had done it !!

hi folks - and medals for the single mums, thank goodness for friends.

Mixed bag with us at the mo. DS2 is a delight when awake, smiling, gurgling and very nosy (currently enjoying lkg at computer rather than feeding). Feeds seem miles quicker all of a sudden. 10mins on each side seems to keep him going. But he is a nightmare sleepwise. He settles reasonably well, sometimes by himself, but for the last week or so has been waking every hour or so with a horrid crying/coughing/gagging thing. No idea what it is, doc says no infection, so have posted elsewhere in hope that a MNer can help us out. fingers crossed...

Babydriver - DD does this sometimes but usually only when she is in a light sleep. Hopefully someone else can help.

Marmite, how was your tea?

DD is managing despite all the noise going on all around us; we are having the house reroofed and the din and dust are quite something. Still not as bad as having the windows replaced a few years ago .

Snugglebumnappies - another query for you. How long are old style Tots Bots size 1 nappies meant to last. They still fit (DD is 5.3 kg) but when I use a booster, I can barely fit her in. Does that mean I should look out for a larger size. I was given some all in ones as well but find that now they are not so brilliant containing all the wee.

Has anyone else got a baby with really runny poo (sorry if too much info...). DD was no problem when she was mainly breastfed with infrequent poos but now she is having more formula, things have changed a lot. Any advice?

Bienchen, the size one should fit up to 18lb or 8.16Kg, however an extrs booster is going to take up a lot of space so this may be the problem. If you are looking at a size 2 it sounds like your LO wees a lot so a bamboo nappy may be the way to go, they are slim and very absorbent and you can get bamboo boosters to bulk them. Although Tots Bots are very popular the Bambineo (was the Wambamboo) are a better quality nappy and a bit cheaper (they are soon to be rebranded as Bambinex, just to confuse you more!). What AIO have you got? You could add a booster to these but I have to say the two of mine who are in nappies are heavy wetters and AIOs just can't cpe with the ammount of wee they produce

this is a one-handed posting (hence the lack of uppercase letters) as i am trying to rock don't call my mummy yummy to sleep in his pram. he is yet to learn that the first rule of library club is - don't scream it down. we are not leaving though as i only get 1 hour's internet use a day and wanted to
(pause for quick lap round the non-fiction aisle)
...ah peace. i just wanted to say a big
(pause to drag dcmmy out of the pram and under the poncho for a covert feed)
...thank you for all your kind, wise and supportive words, i know we'll be fine just
(pause to wind dcmmy and pop him back in the pram whilst trying not to flash nipple at the pc user next to me - too late, drat)
...the two of us. we're even going to our first festival next month, an arty literary type thing courtesy of a friend who will be performing
(pause to listen to a passing librarian telling me a) i shouldn't give dcmmy a dummy because it will 'make him talk slow' and b) my pram's 'a bit high')
...so that should be fun. has anyone else experienced backseat parenting from complete strangers? 'talk slow' - !?!??!! and as for 'a bit high' - i don't think they've spied the stokke explory round these parts before. i would respond but fear it would result in me being shhhh'd out of the library for evermore.
(pause to retrieve escaped breast pad from floor)
so that was it really, thanks everyone and - oh, time's up...

Hi everyone,
Afternoon tea was great, ate and drank far too much . I think we all preferred the Ritz though but next year we are going to try The Dorchester.
Also we had a lovely time in Stratford upon Avon although the Japanese/Chinese tourists were a bit overwhelming at times (dd didn't seem to mind though and produced huge grins every time we were hijacked).
As suspected dd did not want to go to sleep in the evening, eventually success resulted in 20 mins sleep in the pram before one of the other children bumped the pram and woke her up so off I trotted back to our room where she fed straight away and then went off to sleep by herself in the travel cot.
Fairly good night, usual waking at 5am but I have now found that a nappy change (disposable I'm afraid ) and dummy replacement does the job and dd goes back to sleep.
We went to Warwick castle on Sunday which was very busy and hot and I struggled a bit with all the walking.
Moosma - website looks great, must get my self organised with sorting out stuff to sell
Hope everyone else is well.
BTW I've finally worked out how to upload photos to my profile, come and have a look if you've time

Hello (it's Cadbury btw)

Can I just pop my head in ad say hello to you all - sorry I've not been around - there just aren't enough hours in the day to mumsnet anymore (never thought I'd hear myself say that).

Aimie is doing well at 16 weeks now and doing well. She is pretty smiley and is desperate to move about - always wriggling round 90 degrees on the floor and has turned over a couple of times. We seem to have got oer the colic phase and she is definitely teething - it's drool and grizzle city ehre most days. We don't have too many horrid nights thankfully.

Bang on cue (ie me sitting down to type) she is waking up. Everything gets done in short bursts.

Will try to read up on how everyone is doing. Hope you are all well.
Cadders

Hi everyone

MoosMa - love the website - hope all goes well - how will you make money out of it??

DCMYM - sorry to hear of your troubles - Im sure you will survive - us women have an uncanny knack of coping because we have to.

We have just had a lovely weekend at Center Parcs - DD had a ball but would need a whole week (or even two) to do all the activities she wanted to do! She especially enjoyed the swimming we did (jsut her and me) after tea - at the time she would usually be going to bed!! T slept alot - probably al the fresh air and maybe also the comfy pram ride! We took our bigger three wheeler which has air tyres so is better off road! I had great fun spotting all the prams (being a bit of a pramaholic!) - only saw two bugaboos (dont like them) and one Stokke Explory (dont like that either abd the mum pushing it had a smug look on her face like she was better than the rest of us!! ). It looked too small to last in my opinion! The rest were a mix of Maclaren, Maclaren and ermmm Maclaren!!

Took T to docs today - he has had a sticky eye for ever - got some drops for it.

Not much else to report - T likes holding some toys now (even if he does bash himself in the head usually) and is on the urge of rolling from his front to his tumy - not sure what he will do when he gets there as he hates being on his front!!! They grow up too fast!

Hi everyone,
Moosma I like your site too
I'm going to try to sell some stuff at the local NCT sale but if things don't go I will put them on your site.
I had a lovely day today baby singing at the library with 3 antenatal friends and they came back to our for lunch and a big chat. We covered everything .. and I mean everything!!!
Intereting about the bamboo nappies I am nearly at the point of getting organised to buy some .. actually I will be waiting for that back to work pay packet. Snugglebum I will eventually take you up on your offer of advice.
We are off to the baby screening of Pirates 3 tomorrow woo hoo!!

andyrobo I love doing the buggy spot. At Bluewater I had a great ogle at everyones. I especially like seeing people with my buggy and exchanging a 'kinship' look

peachygirl - what buggy (or make that plural!!) have you got??

A silver cross 3D but I'm thinking of getting a micralite for a lighter 2nd buggy as the SC is not great for off roading and there are some good bargains on ebay.

I've \not seen the micralite - will have to google it! I love the SC 3-d - it would have been my choice if getting a new pram.

I have (currently!!) an ICandy Cherry (like the apple but smaller and lighter - use for school run as car seat clips onto frame) and a M&P pliko pramette - bought off ebay for the school run before I got the ICandy! I sold my M&P 2 in one pram and the two chassis's and a M&P pulse buggy. I still have my M&P 3 wheeler which is fab!

Ohhh I hear DD crying she is too hot!!! Better go!

I'm feeling v proud of me & Sandy today. Sandy has achieved his first front to back roll... and I've been asked by my HV to go to an ante-natal breastfeeding workshop to demonstrate and answer questions. I doubt anyone remembers that far back (3 months seems like years ago now) but I had a terrible time getting the bfing established and nearly had to give it up altogether, so this makes me feel v good that I am now being asked to help others with it.

On the prams... I've got a Jane Carrera Pro, and I;ve never seen another one out there... I got pushchair, car seat & carry cot, which are interchangeable on the wheels all for £250 brand new on ebay. Total bargain and great to use, as well as absolutley the only puschair that umbralla folds into the back of a Ford Ka (I know, I know, I need a bigger car, maybe when I get back to work and have some money)...

I love buggy watching as well. I have is a Britax Vigour 4 (bit like the Icandy apple)which takes the car seat directly or with a carry cot at the moment, seating unit says not until 6 months but I think I may have to get it out sooner as dd is starting to get bored with lying down.
I spent hours researching and even ended up producing an Excel spreadsheet so I could compare my options but everyone who's pushed and folded it says how easy to use it is so I guess the research was worth it. I looked at the Micralite but decided it was not sturdy enough for me to lean on when walking, was very light and does fold up very small though.
Tent style travel cot has arrived and was very easy to put together

lol, I love the buggy watching too. My mum says I'm worse than my dad when we're out - he points out cars, not buggies! I have... A quinny buzz from when we had DS. Still use it a lot for DD - the frame with car seat when at the supermarket and more recently she can face me in the pushchair bit. I have a buggyboard but DS hasn't quite mastered it yet. A combi dash DX as my lightweight shopping stroller for either of them - wanted a micralite or perhaps a zapp but this was only £50. A mothercare twin stroller, a freebie off freecycle - use it once in a blue moon but will freecycle it again soon. And a nipper double - £49 off ebay, american older model but great all the same. Ended up getting a refund for it too as it had a major problem they hadn't reported. But my dad managed to fit it up. And we'll put the money one of the local kids groups party.

I'd have more if I was allowed. But I think that spending £350 all in isn't too bad.

Suis - well done on the antenatal thing. I trained as a bf peer supporter last year and am hoping to train as a counsellor soon so I can help others more. It's lovely to be able to 'give something back' and I'm sure you and your stories will be an inspiration!

secretly I'm coveting buying another buggy as I think I'm going to miss DD facing me soon. I shall see how we go.

I'm with you peachy! I reckon I might use the car seat attached more often, as he can sit up and face me for a bit longer. Did it for the first time the other day and it was good, and I'm less worried now about him being in the seat for a while.

I have a bright blue Stokke Explory (a gift from my ex's grandparents, otherwise it would have been a shopping trolley nicked from Tesco and filled with cushions) which admittedly looks like an alien golf buggy but I love it and it's good being practically face-to-face with DCMMY on our little excursions. We even managed to take the tube once - passing men are dazzled by its design and then you rope them in to help you lug the thing up the stairs. It's so big it's become part of the living room furniture and I wouldn't fancy trying to collapse it in the rain but as I'm a walking/public transport mum it doesn't matter. Oh, and the bag underneath is MASSIVE.

Looked round several nurseries today with sis in law (who has experience of using nurseries). Still don't know really what to do, the one at the end of our road (on Dh's way to work so would be most convenient) has lots of children and the rooms seem a little cramped, they also don't seem to be meeting the required staff/child ratios although this may be because of breaks etc and the young girls sit at the end of our road smoking (we did ask the manager about this). The one I liked most is a bit tricky to get to and doesn't have a proper garden only a small paved play area but the staff were really nice and I had "good vibes" about it. Might have a look at some child minders as well for another option. Am going into work in 2 weeks time to discuss plans although I don't want to go back (part time) until October, I want to get it all sorted out now so I can enjoy the summer .
My hire Wilkinet arrived today as well so looking forward to trying it out, dd seemed to be a bit small still for facing outward and ended up licking the front panel which made me laugh (I was standing in front of the mirror) and then she was laughing too when dh came home, I think we looked like right clowns.
Going to nephews summer fete tomorrow, hope it doesn't rain and then the cinema for Pirates 3 on Sunday.

marmite - I originally considered nursery for my DD (now 5) but none had vacancies at the time, so I went down the childminder route, which turned out fabulous. It is a bit different between part-time and full-time childcare, but I felt that all the local nurseries seemed to be staffed by young girls who mostly were more interested in what they were wearing to go out in that night (a bit of a generalisation as there are many young girls who genuinally love babies!), and my child minder was fab - she was of a similar mindset to me, and took them out to toddler groups most days, and other such fun activities. She gave it up and we ended up having to put DD in nursery - but it was attached to the school she now goes to as they provided wraparound care for the school nursery. For DS I have already signed up with a local childminder who was recommended to me by the lady that gave it up! You do get a 'vibe' about these things, and you are trusting someone with your most precious thing - but if you end up with a nursery that you are not happy with, then you can move your LO to somewhere else! Good luck with the search.

Not much else to report - been busy with PTA stuff today as it is the school summer fair next weekend. T is being really gurgly and chatty at the moment!

My SIL has jsut emailed us (once I had finished laughing!!)) - she wants to get the whole family together for a formal dinner for New Year 2008/9 and wants to book a place at Chatsworth (probably very lovely) - giving us plenty of notice so we can book time off work for the week - charming! I dont like people planning my hols for me - as I dont get many (but wil prob be off as it is Xmas and school is closed) but DH works in retail and is lucky if he gets either New Years Day or Boxing Day off (he prefers Boxing Day so that he has two days off together). We can all go on long brisk country walks - no I;m sorry five year olds dont do that and a baby in a pram is not an ideal scenario!!!! She lives in London and forgets that everyone else has their own lives - my other SIL (married to her other brother) only has her dad and she doesnt like to leave him on his own for too long - so I;m sure she will be best pleased aswell! My mum wants to do this for our family this Xmas - so I wil tell her to book it and DH can come for a day or so - as it is ok for me to have to spend all my xmas hols with his family!!

Rant over......

LOL marmitemad about your LO in the wilkinet. The front of ours I'm sure will never be the same as DS sucks and chews it with gay abandon. (When he's not practicing his pub trick of stuffing his fist into his mouth and then gagging.)

On nurseries, FWIW, I'd say go with your gut feeling. We viewed 3 for DS1. First one we both hated the instant we walked in, second and third we both liked. We revisited them both once DS1 was born and had a very definite good gut feel for one of them and have been very happy with it ever since. Sadly as DS1 starts nursery (school) this autumn with the infuriating 2.5hr day we will have to use a childminder for him so may as well do the same for DS2 - not against childminders, just that we're so happy with the nursery we'll be sorry not to use it again.

Ahh we now enter the childcare issues. I have managed to find a childminder. She is actually a parent of one of the children I have taught so I know her and had been to her house. I think I'm really lucky as she want something part time... I want 3 days a week and she only wants one child. She has a two boys, the one I taught and one who is about 18 months old. We have always got on well so I'm hoping it will be great.
When I go back for my three weeks Dh has to go in for a day and we are going to do a bit of settling in and use that day as a bit of a trial.
I would also say really trust your gut instinct. I once had training where the speaker was talking about looking at residental care for adults with SEN. He said he looked deep into their eyes to see if they would love and respect their charges. I think this is good advice for nurseries too.
andyrobo chatsworth will be lovely at christmas even if it not ideal with small children
Marmite where did you hire the wilkienet from??

Thanks for the advice about childcare everyone, I think I am quite lucky really as there are loads of options around here and hopefully the plan is to have 2 days nursery/childminder and 1 day split between my mum and MIL. I might try to get organised enough to leave the house around 8am tomorrow to test the journey to the favourite nursery.

School fete went well although very hot, nephew was very funny doing the maypole dancing but fully tested the Wilkinet and dd seems to like it, not sure how long it will last though so I might try a few other types. I hired it from here , as recommended by another mn user, the lady gave me very helpful advice.

Very annoyed this morning to find that DH left the freezer door open last night so everything had defrosted, what a waste of food and money (probably around £150), he was very apologetic and it was an accident but still , Dr Who was excellent though

marmite, that is a great site. I am a bit of a slingaholic and would quite like a sling I could wear on my back one Dh could wear too. Hiring one would give us a chance to try it out.
Dr who was good last night