August/September 2019 babies - #3

[Stroan]

Just spotted we were about to finish the last thread....

Oh Dyra, 20%!

I've got 3 weeks until DD starts school, DS turns 1 and I go back to work. All in the same week. Too many emotions.

Morning im new to this so not sure how it all works. Just want to know im not alone. My nearly 10momth old is doing okay with sleep then the past week or so hes waking at 1 and not going back to sleep of he does hes restless causing me not to sleep. Hes fed watered nappys clean ive tried a bit of calpol thinking hes teething and in pain nothing seems to help his rooms the correct temp. Im at a loose end. Dad is as much help as a chocolate teapot once asleep doesnt wake up never has in 10 months unless i shake him away then complains When i do. Now im struggling to sleep as i onow ill be awake again soon enough. Help!!! Xx

@Stroan that's a power week!!!! You will all ace it, but yikes!
DC2 starts school this year, she's raring to go.

@Newmumtoone you are not alone! It's a grim patch, but it WILL pass. And no room for chocolate teapots, you need to have A Chat with your partner. Can he take your baby out for long walks st the weekend at least, so you can nap??

We should have ..... dc1, 2, 3 and 4 all returning to school which for dc2 is move to high school, plus me returning to work and dc5 turning one all in the same week

@Newmumtoone
You're not alone. My 10 month old is doing the same. No reason as far as I can tell. I'm exhausted.
How are you now?

Also dreading my return to work in september. My employer has effectively changed my role without consulting me. They have been shit since I got pregnant and I've had enough now and I'm trying to look at other jobs whilst looking after the baby etc. All a bit shit really.

How are people's childcare providers dealing with settling in COVID times? Our CM isn't keen on allowing me in the house. No idea how it's going to work.

Im Still breathing. 😊

@Stroan that's doing to be a big week!!

@THATscurryfungeBITCH you're just crazy!!

@Newmumtoone the chocolate teapot needs to let you nap in the afternoons and do a weekend shift.

@iano that's shit about your employer. I've found my bullshit tolerance is significantly lower since having my ds and my boss has been better since I've been back. Do you think it might be better than it seems? It's such an emotional time thinking about going back, especially at the minute. We use a nursery but I was only allowed in once and the session was just us and his key worker. All the other settling in sessions he was alone - 2 x 1 hour, 1 x 2 hour, 2 x 3 hours then onto 6.5 hours (his full day) usually they would do it more gradually but to be fair he has been fine, he loves it but doesn't sleep there very well so that's the only problem we have.

Felt a bit emotional today - ds was crawling all over, pulling himself up and cruising all around the living room, he's turned into a big boy all of a sudden!! Where have the babies gone!!

Thanks @kyles101

Sadly they have been rubbish for a number of years but it ramped up when I got pregnant culminating in me losing a part of my job that really interests me.
Frankly I've had enough.

It'll be easier to find a new job from my current job so that's why I'm going back.

Sorry posted to soon. Your settling in proposal sounds ok. I've only been offered two sessions which isn't enough imo.

I think it'll be ok long term as I know people who used that CM and really rave about her. It's just the settling I'm concerned about.

@iano grimness re work! Have you looked at pregnant then screwed? They might have useful stuff. And looking for pastures new sounds wise too... re your childminder, does she have a garden? Might she be up for some outdoor settling in sessions? Presumably she's panicking about it, it's all so unknown.
@kyles101 v glad your boss has improved!!!
@THATscurryfungeBITCH no comment on your power week, that's going to keep you all in your toes! And you will take it in your stride, no doubt. (Also- commenting without SPD! That's got to be an improvement!) how's uni going???

Trying to plan meals for the week but I think going to bed might be a better plan...

My friend is one of the advisors on pregnant then screwed. So I've been talking to her lots. Thanks for the recommendation!

I'll chat with the CM about outdoor settling. Good idea!

Uni is good. Halfway there now. All passed so far and next module starts October. I am returning to work VERY part time to ease myself in to the chaos that is 5dc / work / uni.

Yes everything without spd is better!

Haha, handy friend to have iano!
Glad you are giving yourself a gentlish start decaf, very wise. I can't believe you've kept up with the uni stuff!!!

@iano that's crap about your employer. Why do they think they can do things like that, grr, so out of order.

Busy week coming up for you @THATscurryfungeBITCH

Crazy that they're all going to be turning one very soon. The year has flown by and I'm sure the rest of it will too. Haven't got too many birthday bits. The one toy I really want is sold out everywhere. I should have picked it up when I saw it ages ago. Am hoping more will come back in stock.

As for me, I was struck down again by mastitis this week. Was worse than last time and I seriously felt like I'd been hit by a truck. I don't even know how I got it again. Just hope it doesn't strike again in the next few weeks before I wean as that was truly hideous!

@Geegrl19 Sorry to hear about the mastitis ☹️ Do you mind me asking what the signs of having it were? One of my boobs is incredibly sore atm, not being touched by ibuprofen or paracetamol. But there's no lumps and no red patches so unsure if I should worry/ go to the doctors.

What's the toy you're looking for? I have no ideas for babies 1st - we have all the big ticket items from DD1 and no space for anything else!

We had our first poop in the bath today... not fun. It was massive! Well seemed massive to me. Maybe it's always that size but normally mushed in a nappy.

For Arthur's first birthday we are giving him a Grimm's rainbow. :)

@iano sorry your work are being crap. Pregnant then Screwed are great, I hope your friend can help. I was effectively demoted while on mat leave with DD, then refused flexible working. Thankfully, they had made a LOT it mistakes so HR sorted out voluntary redundancy with a big payout because I had such a strong case for a tribunal. I was shocked at how widespread maternity discrimination is.

@THATscurryfungeBITCH you are an actual hero for raising 5 kids and keeping up with uni work! I've just applied for a part time masters so might need some tips. And a baby who sleeps.

@dustydoorframes DD also raring to go. I'm a bit heartbroken, she's such good company and I will miss her on my days off.

@geegrl19 sorry about the mastitis, hope it clears soon.

@horehound the Grimm's rainbows are lovely, we got one as a gift for both kids when I was pregnant. DD, who is 4, really loves it.

DS is 1 in exactly three weeks. I can't believe my last squishy baby is almost a toddler, so bittersweet. He has two nursery settling in sessions soon, he's barely spent an hour without me since he was born so I'm interested to see how they go. But he's a happy and content little soul so he might ace it. I'm relying on nursery having special sleep powers though, they will hate me and my feeding to sleep ways!!

For presents, family all chipped in and we got him a double swing and slide set for the garden. He doesn't need anything at all and has already had lots of use out of the swing. we've also got him a scuttlebug and I have a traditional of getting a really nice hardback book for when they are older, so need to sort that.

Any celebrations planned? We've invited people to drop by the garden at any time on his birthday and will just do some BBQ food at various points in the day. Considering a bouncy castle for the older kids. I don't think it strictly fits with the COVID rules here, but we have stuck by every single one and feel that it's a balanced risk.

Voluntary redundancy sounds amazing! I'd love that!!
Some lovely birthday ideas. I'm at a loss as to what to get DS2

stroan luckily dc5 has turned into a pretty good sleeper 7pm til 5/6am most days

@iano it was a double edged sword really, obviously it's easier to negotiate part time hours when you already work for the company so it took me two years to find a part time permanent job. I contracted for a while but I really need job security so it wasn't for me.

My only aim for this mat leave was to not lose my job! Not sure how safe it is now, but I'm sure we'll work something out.

@THATscurryfungeBITCH the dream! DS has slept for more than four hours ONCE. That's it. We are in the middle of trying pick up put down because if he isn't fed or rocked to sleep he screams the place down. It's hard.

@Stroan Nate is still a terrible sleeper too. Longest stretch is first but if the night. I try to resettle him by constantly laying him down. He still sleeps next to me in the cot and I stick my arm in and hold his hand. Not very comfy, but he's too much of a crawling risk in the bed. Hopefully the message will get through eventually. I think he just wants the human connection all through the night too.

@Littlehouseinthebigcity. I hope you've managed to get rid of the soreness and it hasn't developed into anything else. First time I got it boob was bit sore and lumpy and then the chills hit me - think once that happens you're screwed and you need to get to the docs asap. I did try to express more but was at work and it didn't really shift the lumpiness, had a red patch too Second time it happened in the night -had no indication going to bed that anything was amiss! Got the chills and the whole of my boob was rock hard like the blockage was behind the nipple. I fed Nate but was so painful I cried. I really don't know why this has suddenly happened and so scared it will again as this time it's really hit me hard. No redness this time but not sure if that's cos it was more behind the nipple. Doc sent me to the hospital too for a scan to check no abcess. Thank god dh drove me as I was completely useless and would have been a danger on the road.

As for the toy, it's a Fisher price linkimal. A range of toys that teach stuff and talk to each other. We've got the llama but I wanted the bigger sloth for him. I keep checking every day to see if it's come back into stock.

I hope that

Oooh @horehound. Code brown in the bath is so gross isn't it 😆 not too bad if a lump and you can get rid of with one scoop.

I remember dd2 did one in the bath when dd1 was in there with her one time. Never seen her move so quick in my life, lol

@Stroan yeah the part time thing is an issue. I'm looking into Civil service jobs as they seem flexible. Hard to get in though by the looks of it.

@Horehound Oh no! We've not had a code brown yet... touches all the wood Hopefully it was easy to clean up.

@Geegrl19 How crap about the mastitis. Hopefully the antibiotics have kicked in quickly, and it's already on the way out. Was it the same breast as before? Hope your boob is also feeling better @Littlehouseinthebigcity.

That's quite the week @THATscurryfungeBITCH! I have no idea how you have the time, never mind the energy to do it all.

Ditto with the hoping nursery have magic napping powers @Stroan. Still feeding to sleep and being held for naps here too.... If DH wasn't working from home I'd try pick up put down. But he's perpetually leading video call meetings, so can't really have a crying baby in the middle of the day.

Utter bollocks about your work @iano. Hopefully you'll find something better quickly. Good idea about the possibility of outdoor settling in sessions. Hoping that way you might be able to get a couple more sessions before LO is there full time.

Alice's first birthday celebration, we're having a BBQ, and inviting family over. Nothing too fancy. I think we might have to have more than one party so as not to mix too many households together though. Would prefer to just have one big party, but ah well. More burgers! More fun! More cake!

I'm thinking of getting her an activity table/cube. Or a water and sand table. We'll see. Off to in law's next weekend, so we'll look in on Smyth's while there.

Boob was very sore yesterday but I tried to feed from it as normal and seems slightly better today so hopefully can avoid the doctors! Don't know what was going on.
We have had many 💩 in the bath in the early day's but thankfully less so recently! She got a bit bunged up the other day and was crying when she was going but a pouch of prunes sorted her out 🤣
I'm with you all on hopes for nursery sleeping powers. She still feeds to sleep for me but when I'm at work she'll be cuddled to sleep by daddy so hopefully they can do that! My issue is she's meant to start in September and they're closing for the last two weeks of August to do a reset before reopening fully. Which I totally understand but don't know when she'll have any transition!