May 2008 - we just couldn't wait!

[thefortbuilder]

for everyone who's popped already and congratulations to us all!

Sorry, should have said if leaving baby for half an hour make sure its not just ?watching half hour?- so say oh, nappy will need changing, feeding time, time for fresh air or instructions to turn off the tv and talk/sing songs with baby.
lm74- gangrenous ovary?!!!! Gosh she?s lucky too, to just find it ?by accident?. Wow, what a special baby . Glad the potty training has gone so well. You must have got it just right , its gone so quick!
Macaco- well done on getting your money- happy saving/spending!

Ycbs- Your dp is quite impressive- one nappy/ 40 minutes looking after Harry? What planet is he on? on your behalf too!

Babylove- he might earn the money but he chose to have a baby too. He finishes work and leaves the office everyday- you don?t get that luxury. If his earnings are so precious get him to put a price on your time- and be glad you?re keeping that money in the family (spending on what you choose) rather than contracting out straight away! You cannot continue forever without a break- and its his job to help you not make your life harder. I know I can?t understand the situation but your partner sound like one I?d push for the half hour at a time- either you get out, a good walk can just blow away some of the stress, or send them out for fresh air while you do what you want alone.

A story of a different situation on the opposite end of the scale:
I have one friend who was very protective of her precious (real struggle to get pg, stay pg, then had strep b scare at delivery) daughter. She couldn?t join us for a meal out from start to finish until her daughter was over 2yrs old- her husband couldn?t get her daughter to bed or settle her on his own. She wanted to do everything and discouraged interested (but working away sometimes/long hours/etc) husband. She describes their life as ?traditional roles?, husband out working, her running the house. 2 years sounds like a long time without an uninterrupted evening out to me (and they never had an evening together either, no babysitter was up to it all). They?re absolutely fine, this certainly fit in with their life choices, but they had a real battle with their strong-willed daughter when my friend decided she was ready to ?share? and get out for an evening!

Indigoblue- glad your baby bounces ok- its amazing how tough they are, isn?t it? I?ve dropped DD2 (not too far!), accidentally pushed DD1 down a step,and yesterday playing table tennis just about every other shot nearly hit, or did hit, DD1- my brother in law and DH found it hilarious. Apparently their sister was like it with her kids (they?re all in Perth,oz, now). Oops.

Well done Asics on getting out for your runs. Especially with all your hills!!

Pina- please look after yourself! Eat first, clean up afterwards. The dishwasher and washing can wait, honest. Hugs for a horrible evening. If he?s not eating it, put it in the freezer. You don?t have to look at it and it?ll still be ok for him to eat if he must...better than my first idea of binning it!

JBR/mocat- hello [waves] nice to hear from you! Hope you gradually find more time for you (i realise not everyone is addicted to mumsnet )

Can you tell J is still asleep? And I don?t feel like doing my jobs? Hugs everyone, I wonder what this week will bring?!

You know life with a new baby is settling down when you get time to come on and write a little!

asics I had my first run yesterday, only about 1 mile but it felt great! I had been concerned that my section scar would hurt but it felt fine. The rest of my body behaved itself too. It felt like I was back to normal! Glad your running is going well. I did wonder if it would change my milk in any way but DS fed away as usual.

Indigo I hope your baby is fine after its fall. I have propped DS up against a pillow with a pillow under each elbow and left the room for a few minutes. Twice (like can I not learn my lesson once!) I have come back into the room and he has wriggled down and turned his head into a pillow. Gave me such a gut-wrenching fright. Haven't done it since the second time. Shouldn't have done it after the first.

JBR Hopefully your DS is settling at school and the report card is helping him keep on top of things.

mumblesmummy How did the christening go? Lots of yummy leftovers this week?

To those who are BF, can you see yourselves feeding for 6 months until you introduce solids? When DD was a baby it was advised that you gave started spoonfeeds at 4 months and she was certainly ready for it. Alex has wild hungry days when he just feeds and feeds and then 'normal' days when it's every 4 hours. Are the bottle fed babies the same?

Waking up noises from next door, got to go.
Take care all.

mocat I BF for DD1 exclusively for 6 months and started her on solids when she was 5 and a half months. She wasn't a very hungry baby though.

More later, just had time to read but haven't got time to post but will later.

LM xxx

Just realised I've contradicted myself on the timescales above, but you know what I mean!!!

DS2 passport arrived this afternoon, exactly two weeks and we didn't use check and send. Because we went into post office and they said photo not suitable coz we printed it at home and that I needed to send loads of documents coz I was not born here. Even though I knew I didn't so just sent if off ourselves. And everything was fine.
Booked two weeks in a villa with pool leaving on saturday can't wait, just need to
organise how we fit carrycots,prams, formula etc for someone who gets no luggage allowance.

Sorry to everyones DP and DH who are not very helpful.

I had written replies and comments to everyone but I lost it before I sent it and don't have time to write it all again.

Welcome back to those who haven't been on awhile- nice to see you!!! And don't worry about short messages, having a newborn is hard work especially your first.

I am lucky than I am in the minority and that DH is very helpful with the kids and doing his share in the house. I wouldn't have 3 kids if he wasn't.

Macaco: a question about majorca/spain what nappies are equivalent to pampers/huggies and can you buy sma gold?

Thanks LM, I take it you didn't go back to work before she was weaned? Either that or you kept DD1 under desk between feeds?!

Mitchell81 How lovely to be getting away to Spain. Well done to get passport without fussing and leaping through hoops.

Mocat: my DS is bottle fed and also has days when he takes a whole extra bottle. He takes between 5 and 6 bottles of 150mls/5 ozs.
When are you going back to work?

mitchell you can buy huggies and dodot are also very good. you can't buy sma gold the common brands are nestle, hero, hipp and aptamil. hth...when is the holiday?

hallo

just a quickie! mocat i bf ds1 exclusively for 6 months before we tried him on solids. we did baby-led weaning too, and he tried to eat bits of stuff from around 6 months, but didn't really eat huge amounts until he was more like 8 months iirc. i went back to work when he was 7 months but it was part-time and working from home; i remember doing lots of expressing to make those bottles up for nursery! i found he drank milk less frequently from the bottle - he was quite a 'snacker' at the breast.

mitchell glad you got passports sorted. have a lovely hol!!

we've been to york today, to the national railway museum. was great to do something specially for ds1. he loved it! ds2 spent most of the day asleep in the sling i woke him up to feed him tho'... fingers crossed we will still be ok tonight

trying to get my head around going on holiday next sat - help! i always get really stressed about packing anyway and not too sure how i will do it with ds2 around... he's not much of a one for daytime sleeps atm (except in the sling when walking outside lol). we'll see... dp is at home on weds so he will help, but i'm such a control freak i know i'll have to do most of it just to be able to relax at all otherwise i'll be constantly at him going 'did you pack x? whereabouts?' etc.

nonetheless i'm really excited about going away we're off to the seaside rah!! i'm taking my trainers so lovely runs on the beach here i come

Acisgirl: where are you going, sorry if you have already said. Enjoy your holiday, I packed most of the stuff this weekend just past whilst DH could look after the kids.

macaco Thanks for that information, we leave this saturday 19th.

mocat LOL a baby under desk!! ( I don't have a desk job anyway.... I would hate it!!) No, I didn't go back to work til DD1 was 8 mths old. I BF for 6 months then went on to formula/solids.

We had a lovely day out at the park today, not quite hot enough for DD1 to play in the splash pool but she loved the park and the ducks and didn't want to come home, no toilet accidents either, even with two half hour car journeys, one of which she fell asleep on!!! DD2 fed at the park then slept in her pram, so it was lovely. DH was off work so came too.

All this talk of holidays!!! We haven't even been on this year's holiday (official hols not til October thanks to our mini breaks at superbro's!!!) and we are already looking at booking next year's holiday!!!! We're hoping to go to Cornwall in May.

Re- DH's workload (in response to mumofk&j)
We split most things 50/50, i.e. cooking and cleaning and shopping. We either go shopping altogether or one of us goes while the other has the girls. DH always dusts and hoovers, I tend to clean the bathrooms and kitchen and do most of the washing and ironing (although he insists on ironing his work uniform as I apparently don't do it properly!!). DH mows the lawn and does the garden and always sorts the rubbish out (I hate doing the bins!!). He takes the recycling to the dump. I generally tidy up at the end of each day.
With regard the childcare, we totally split it 50/50, as much as possible, depending on his shifts. If he's on his days off, we do equal share of nappies, giving DD1 dinner/lunch etc, obviously only I can feed DD2 at the moment.
I know I've said it before but I really do know how lucky I am, and I honestly don't think I would cope if I didn't have such a wonderful husband.

Right, I'm off.

Are you OK today YCBS ?? Not like you not to come on MN???

LM xxx

hi mitchell, we're going to hornsea on the east coast, near hull. it's a really nice little 'proper' old-fashioned seaside town, very sedate, fish and chips, grannies eating ice cream etc. you can walk for miles on the beach. terrific. keep trying to go somewhere else but just love it so much. this will be the fourth year in a row we've been! we might have to get a caravan soon, lolol.

lm74 at cornwall plans - i love cornwall but we haven't made the trip since the dcs arrived - can't face the drive as it is hours and hours from west yorks! and dp doesn't drive so i do it all... maybe we will go on the train once the dcs can carry some of their own stuff, lol.

Hi everyone.

The christening was lovely thanks. We had it on a Saturday. Fortunately we got a great priest. Everyone liked my dress, and baby was in a little cream suit with a cravat and he looked lush.

We had a huge party afterwards with pie and peas and everything, but quite a lot of my family left early as nana died this week so we've all been devastated. There was between 80-100 people there though, so still plenty left.

Like all family dos there's always one, and DPs cousin had been invited purely because te rest of the family had been invited so we had to ask her too, but she kicked off and made the whole day about her and in the end the police came.. we'd gone by then though fortunately.

Had a brilliant time and will definately do it all again with the next baby.

Is anyone trying for another baby yet? LO makes me so broody I want to do it all again!! I'm starting trying again in March.

Sorry I've been out of the loop for so long, I'll try my best to get integrated again.

xxx

mumblesmummy so sorry to hear about your nana. glad to hear the christening went well - tho' at dp's cousin!!

ycbs you poor love. so sorry the long weekend was such a let down. what happened? why did you end up looking after the DSDs too? far too much for you to do especially after looking after harry on your own all week

i do feel for you with the 'take some time off' comments too. don't know why people assume this is so easy to arrange - like you can just collar some random teenager to take the baby out or something...

but nevertheless - i'm sure you're thinking about this but... is there anyone who could take harry (and the chocolate dog maybe!) out for a walk for an hour? a neighbour? i know it's so hard with your pfb (god knows i'm the same) but if they take the buggy harry will be fine. i was walking down the street with ds2 screeching in my arms the other day - in tears (both of us!) and one of my neighbours came and said, look, if you want me to just hold him for a little while so you can do something else... it was so kind.

i've been shopping this morning and ds2 has been having lots of cuddles from motherly shop assistants while i try things on! he was most unimpressed to be put back in the sling after relaxing on all those ample bosoms, lol. i had a weird experience actually - went shopping for sports bras as none of my old ones fit any more and the lovely and very knowledgeable lady in the lingerie shop measured me and i have been buying completely the wrong size!! mothercare measured me as a 36B (so i bought 36c for nursing) but I am apparently a 32E

no wonder my bras never fit, lolol. i have spent years in 'pull on over the head' ones 'cos normal ones fit so appallingly. blimey!!

so watch out for me on a bravissimo advert near you soon, 'how do you feel asicsgirl?' 'i'm in shock mate!'

asicsgirl enjoy your 32E's!!! I had the same shock when I was measured recently, thought I was 36D and I am 34F/G !! Wise words to poor YCBS too.

YCBS I am so sorry to hear you are down. It's a bit naff that you can't have a holiday?? I would've thought DH would be happy to stay in the UK because of all the travelling he does?? It sounds like the 3 or 5 of you could really do with some time together, esp. for DH to get better aquainted with his son . We've just booked a really luxurious 5* self catering house in Cornwall for next year (it has a nintendo Wii!!!!!), so holidaying in the UK can be just as much fun. Do you want the holiday company details?? The specialise in luxury accommodation in Carbis Bay, which has a great beach that the girls would love....maybe they could help you persuade DH????

I'm having a good day today, despite DH being back at work after 10 days off. DD1 went to the CM this am and DD2 slept, so I went mad sorting things out, like DD1's clothes ready for DD2 to wear (gave them a wash and freshen up!!). DD1 is being well-behaved today and actually ate her lunch . She then was really cute showing DD2 all her toys. She's gone for a sleep now. DD2 is whinging a bit behind me....I suppose I should go and amuse her!! [bad mummy emotion].

YCBS - I am sad to read you sounding down . How about somewhere suggesting a weekend at Centreparks? I can't remember how old your DSDs are but a friend of mine with 3 kids (dsd 14, ds 6 and dd 2) went last summer and she said the kids had a great time and she got some time to relax while they were off enjoying all the stuff there is to do there.

Things here are going ok. Went out to celebrate dd's 2 month birthday yesterday evening to our local Japanese. She smiled all evening - she is a little angel. She still wakes up twice a night but we don't get up until 11 most days and during the day when she isn't sleeping or eating (her favourite passtime ) she is smiling and gurgling. Well, she does cry - scream even - but only when she is dirty, bored or tired.

My dp issues are getting better. Or maybe I am just happier and not so bothered .

VERY ANGRY at dp's mum . Without going into the history, I've made a big effort to include his parents. Indeed they come over once a week when dp is at work and stay for hours (like 7 or 8) nd akways say they'll help out but like to sit and talk for ages. Anyway, they love dd and so I am happy to put up with having my previously minimalist house filled with random stuff they insist on bringing, making endless cups of tea, listening to suspect views on the world etc.

So, they get back from holiday and text from airport to ask if they can come over. I see them arrive from the window and dp (he came home early) and I were so shocked by his mum's face he ran out to the car. Her face was really swollen, one eye was almost closed and she looked very unusual. She tells us she has an allergy to something she's eaten on holiday and had been to doctor in Spain, was taking medication etc etc. 6 hours of cuddling dd later they leave.

Next day she calls to "run something by me". She has been to dr and he confirmed she has bad impetigo. She says she thought that's what it might be and that's why she hadn't let dd touch her face! She goes on to suggest that every kid gets it at nursery anyway so I shouldn't worry (dd is 2 months old and doesn't go to nursery). I look at nhs direct which informs me it can scar newborns and take her straight to dr. She is fine but he said to keep an eye on her. So now we're scanning dd's body every 5 minutes for signs!

Enoguh moaning from me - today is supposed to be a happy day.

MM

P.s I booked then forgot about my post natal check up . What exactly do they do?

monkeysmama If it's just with your GP then they ask about your mood, check your blood pressure, take blood if they think your iron might be low, feel the old tummy to check uterus has shrunk, check your wound if you had a section (though I had and my GP didn't look at it, she said she was happy to take my word for it that it felt fine) and talk about contraceptives.

asicsgirl Wow at the bra story. I ran in 34A sports bra the other day and these definitely aren't little A boobs at the moment but I'm reluctant to spend on a bra that won't fit in a few months. Probably unwise.

I'm due to return to work at the end of Oct when DS will be six months. I will need to have introduced formula by then as I can't see myself expressing enough each evening to do the next day's milk. How would he get enough milk from me in the evening if I'm expressing loads for bottles? I'd love to carry on feeding him myself as long as poss but I can't afford to stay off work for longer. Also, as I was off sick for so long during pregnancy I think I've seriously harmed my reputation in the work place so if I didn't come back on time my name would be dirt. Though even as I write this I'm thinking what does that matter compared to DS's happiness? I haven't got childcare sorted yet so I might be forced to stay off a while longer... .

All the hols sound lovely. We're off for a walk to the beach before tea!

just a quickie mocat is there nowhere you can express at work? also maybe if you start expressing before then you can build up a little stock? i've started just expressing one feed a day (in the morning when i seem to have most milk) this should also help to increase my milk supply i hope.

i know it's all a lot of work but... ?
love a x

mocat I agree with asicsgirl re expressing. I'm not doing it this time around cos it's just not as easy with a 2 year old around, but with DD1 I expressed on one side every morning while I fed her on the other. My mates used to laugh at my 'milk farm# in the bottom of the freezer!! I had loads stock-piled.
Alternatively, another thing I did with DD1, when I was getting a bit fed up of BF (don't stone me for saying it!!) and also it was getting colder so a bit harder to feed in winter clothes, I used to feed her just first thing in the morning and last feed of the day (7pm). That way, she still had breast milk for longer than if I'd given up completely, IYSWIM.
I also have a feeling that your employer has to legally allow you time and an appropriate room to express in??? I may have imagined this but try posting on the BF threads, I'm sure some-one will know.

Blimey, isn't it muggy today??! .

I too express every morning while I am feeding dd. It takes a bit of practice balancing bubba and bottle with expressing machine attached but is possible and I find I get a lot more milk that way. Then I freeze it in a pre sterilised bag (Lansonil I think) and pop the date on so we know which ones to use first. They take about 5 minutes to defrost under the hot tap.

p.s. oh and monkeysmama...... at your MIL....how stupid!!! My Dad gets cold sores and for that reason he will never kiss my DDs on the lips, he just kind of 'offers his cheek' for them to kiss him!!! Very thoughtful .

Boots do their own brand of milk storage bags which are a bit cheaper and just as good too .

Thanks for the good advice about expressing. I hadn't thought of expressing now and building up a supply in the freezer. I can't quite believe I didn't think of doing it now and saving it up . I can such see my boss's face when I ask for a room to express in - it's an all boys' school and boobs are for one thing only!!! (Drawing on geography books obviously!) They are also obliged to give you a fridge to store it in or make one available, isn't that right? That would be a surprise for the staff who are always stealing milk from the staffroom fridge ... Only prob, DS likes to feed from both sides usually at one sitting; that doesn't give me much opportunity to get any milk to store. I'll work on it. Thanks though.