May 2008 - gurgling, laughing and maybe even rolling!

[thefortbuilder]

new thread everyone!

I read the post from Mumblesmummy and I am so shocked at how horrible some of the respondents were. Would you really take the effort to put such malicious thoughts into words? I'd say we have struck gold here with the members of this thread.

nssa I hope the sun shines for you all week!! Keep smiling.

Lm I hope your shoulder pain eases and that you have a better day today. I can certainly relate to being a bad tempered mum when under pressure. I hate when I am like that but what can you do?

No more mice since last week but I can hear them scuttling under the floorboards. They are just taunting Mo. DS has just woken so off we go - he'll give me a big smile when I go into the room!

Having a much better day today thanks, I went to bed at 9pm and had a whopping 10 hours sleep! Not unbroken as DD2 woke at 5am, but I left her to cry cos I knew she wasn't hungry as she had 5 bottles yesterday instead of 4 and had some solids. She eventually went back to sleep 50 mins later, til 7am. Much more manageable!

Shoulder pain much better too.

glad things are better NSSA, and you've had a better day lm74!
just been trying to catch up on a page or so here, but it takes forever! (esp when I got sidetracked as to why mumbles had left- this little bit of MN is lovely though).
I especially liked the wonderful mummy things. I'm enjoying the special smiles J has for me and her big sis, and daddy, well anyone really but when she's beaming a you you feel like the most wonderfullest person in the world.
We've started going to sing and sign, only the poor teacher didn't make it tis week, her car got broken into. I invited the other two mums who turned up for coffee- and before being a mummy Id never dream of doing that! Ok, then I did get into my obsession and show them the slings I had in my bag. But they did ask, honest! I didn't mumnap them (kidnap sounds far too scary).
ANyway, we don't sleep much in this house but we're coping....no teeth but having looked up in K's book her first tooth was a molar and didn't land until 13 months, so I'm not expecting any to appear, just tons of drool.
arrggh just seen the time and i'm late for getting K!
mumofkand j

Wow, it is quiet here sometimes. I guess we're all so busy in RL now they are starting to/can move!
I never found the start of the question about keeping socks/shoes on, but I haven't found Gap socks any better than others for staying on, sorry (after stocking up) but I now use socks that are obviously too big.
I have all sizes of socks from newborn to 3 yrs old, but can I find the ones I need???
Sorry, I digress. Anyway, we use baby legs, baby legwarmers. With them on top of socks of any reasonable length J hasn't managed to lose any yet. They are suitable for boys and girls and I'm loving them. I think I got mine from [www.mama-licous.co.uk] but they don't have pictures, so this site has some pics [http://www.bigmamaslings.co.uk/zen-cart/babylegs-p-172.html]. We have cow print and rainbow for J, and K felt she was missing out so she has girly flowers. And they don't grow out of them!!
ohh hallowe'en smileys!

Hello everyone
I used to be one of you and I'd like to come back again! I was Wolverina but now I've changed my name as that was more a pg name.

I haven't read much of the thread yet as there's so much of it, but will start working my way through it! We are all fine here in sunny Singapore. I love love love having 2 dss, it's the best thing ever! Ds1 has surprised me how much he loves being a big brother, not how I thought he'd react after being the only one for over 5 years. Ds2 is just a perfect happy baby, we're all besotted with him!

Ds2 is still fully bf at the mo, and I'm thinking of doing blw in a month or so. I've read a few threads on it and it sounds really interesting and worth a go. The closest he's come to food so far is when we were at Ben&Jerrys last week, he was on my lap and lunged at my ice cream (Chocolate Therapy - very tasty!) stuck his hand in it and knocked it on to my lap and while I picked it up sat there sucking his hand looking very happy with himself!

Right, will go off and read thread now!

Hi deathbymonkey - nice to have you back again! I'd say weaning would be very successful if babies got chocolate ice-cream as their first food. Yumm!

Ds seems to be reducing his milk intake. He would normally have had 3 feeds by midday but he's cut it back to two and the second of those isn't a huge amount (still BF so I don't know how much he is taking). The afternoon sees him just having one feed until another at his bedtime. Obviously, I have to follow his cue but I'm wondering if any of the other babies are doing the same thing. He is 27 weeks and getting two spoon feeds a day: lunch (stewed pear, milk and baby rice) and dinner (carrot, milk and rice). What are your babies eating?

Welcome back deathbymonkey - it is always lovely to hear a mummy sound so happy.

All good in the monkey household though still dealing with our on going sleep deprivation. Our initial issue was getting dd to sleep more than a few hours without wanting feeding but now she won't go to sleep properly and is waking even more in the night. We've tried controlled crying for the past 4 nights (& on the 2nd night she did sleep a bit longer) but last night - after almost an hour (48 minutes to be precise) I decided I just can't do it. When I was pregnant I got given different books by different friends including the one we're not encouraged to mention on MN (Ms Ford's) and another on Attachement Parenting - the two extremes perhaps. I was naturally more pulled towards AP but decided that I'd follow my instinct. I keep wondering if I am a bit weak (not something I'd usually be accused of) but the crying stuff goes against every mummy instinct I have. I do appreciate what Dr Marc says about not responding to crying in later life - so when dd wants to cycle without a helmet and cries I won't give in - but I can't do it. So, not entirely sure what I am going to do but hey ho. I feel better now I've decided to stick with what feels right to me as Stella's mummy rather than what I think I should be doing.

Anyway, enough about my boring sleep problems!

Mocat I haven't started weaning yet but I was reading some info about it today and it seemed to suggest that reducing the milk intake was natural....

Mumofkandj thanks for posting links to the baby leg warmers. We've got this great shop locally that sells loads of slings, organic clothing & toys and even pre-loved stuff. They sell the leg warmers but only in plain colours which isn't very exciting.

DD is finally starting to get some hair but I am now so used to everyone telling me what a beautiful son I have it'll be a shock when someone realises she is a girl. Today we went out and she was wearing a brown dress with big bright pink flowers all over it, a bright pink polo neck, stripey pink & brown tights and a pink beret. She was sucking on a mams dummy with "Baby Girl" in the middle (unlike me dp is upset she's mistaken for a boy) and 3 different people still said variations on "Isn't he lovely"!

I read the posts from/to Mumblesmummy - . I'll keep my opinion to myself but I must say after my weaning post I've thought twice about posting somethings more widely than our thread. Not that anyone was nasty - just that a lot of the posts were from people who had something to say no matter what the question. Though on the other hand you do get some nutters on here! Sometimes when I have time and read other topics I laugh out loud !

Well, best be off. Our food shopping from Sainsbury's arrived earlier and had 14 substitutions most of which make no sense to me so I am going to be very unlike my usual self & call to complain! I was planning a lovely meal of fresh fish and some veg I got from my mum's garden but they sent some battered chip shop style fish instead of the one I'd ordered. I must be tired because it has made me very

Have a good evening everyone
MM

Welcome back Deathbymonkey...great name!

MM, so sorry to hear about the sleep problems. I think Dr Marc is fab but it's obviously not working right now for you and Stella, so I'd just go with your instinct for a while and see how you go. These books are all fab to give you ideas and great when it appears your dc has read it too and follows the stuff in the book but when it's not working you just have to go with the flow I think.
Ds is being good about sleeping although waking earlier at the mo and any semblance of Dr Marc style naps is long forgotten. Now it's anyone's guess... 45 mins here, an hour there. No rhyme nor reason.
Solids wise he has some most days but some days he's just mini napping all the time and there's barely time for him to have his feeds! I'm not too fussed...food is for one until you are one and all that! He mostly has stuff I've made and i have to say he seesm to like it better than jars. I don't find it a problem, I make up a batch and freeze in ice cube trays then into freezer bags and it lasts for ages. Or we just mash a banana/avocado.
How are you doing NSSA? Hope all is calmer this week.
Hello to everyone else and hope all is well with babs.
xx

welcome back deathbymonkey!

Speaking of socks, anyone tried these?
just ordering some so i'll let you know if they work.

Mocat we're giving the same sort of stuff too, pureed fruit or veg with baby rice. I'm enjoying trying lots of fun combinations! DS loves everything so far!

Article here on weaning from the guardian but nothing we clued up may mummies didn't know already!

MM LOL at the daft people looking at your DD, my cousin has exactly the same problem with her DD so she dresses her in SO much pink. Glad it isn't bothering you, it shouldn't!

NSSA glad things are a bit sunnier for you now.

All's well here, had a gorgeous wknd in Whitby with some friends (apart from DS refusing to sleep anywhere but between us, what a waste of a lovely bed!) Still, lots of long walks, tea, cake and fish & chips so feeling a bit refreshed.

Baby halloween party tomorrow. Costume? help!

baiyu where are you? i have a black legless baby gro with flourescent writing on it - sounds hideous and we were given it so it's never been worn but perfect for party. if i can get it to you you can have it

will catch up more later

nssa hope all ok and i know what you mean when you say sometimes nothing you do is right - dh has that same streak to him...

full of a cold which doesn't bode well for rest of this week - my birthday on friday and various things on from tomorrow evening!

Thanks for nice welcome back! I got a bit overwhelmed with everything in real life but now I'm more on top of things it's lovely to be back on our nice friendly thread. I've been lurking on mn, not really posting, but my god some of those people are quite frankly terrifying! How they can get so worked up about something a stranger says on a message board I'll never know!

I really liked the things you love about motherhood thing you had going on.I have so many; the intense frown and funny mouth shapes ds2 gets when he's trying out new sounds, how solid and warm he feels in my arms when I'm feeding him, how smooth and chubby his little body is, and the way my two boys are always so happy to see each other. Even when things are tricky (like now - trying to encourage him to self-settle for the first time and he is not impressed so have to keep going back in) it's all completely worth it.

DBM (aka Ms Hallmark )

HHHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPPP!!!! I swore I wouldn't get stressed about weaning this time around but it's happening!!!

Arghhhhhhhh! Most people I speak to seem to say 'oh yes, DD/DS just loves food and gobbles up everything we give him!'......so why don't my girls do this !!

I only started a few days ago, and only one meal a day (in an attempt to control my stress levels!) And that 'meal' is an icecube sized bit of mash potato or BSquash etc. DD2 is not in the slightest bit interested . Mouth firmly shut, and when I do manage to shove (and it is a shove ) some in, she just spits it straight out, or chokes, or vomits .

I hate weaning!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone got any tips? The only thing I can think of, is that she's never been a very hungry baby so she's not that bothered. She's 26 weeks today.

monkeysmama Have you considered taking Stella to a cranial osteopath? I can't recall what her birth/delivery was like? I'm so sorry to hear about the problems you are having. I know Dr Marc (back me up on this Dr Marc fans) says that a certain small % of babies are just very unsettled, maybe Stella is one of those?? Maybe (if you're brave enough!) post a thread and see what peoples experiences of cranial osteopathy are?
Or could she have something like reflux? A friend had a DS (now 17yrs old!) who was very unsettled, and after about 9 months, they discovered he had a small but relevant problem in his bowel I think, he had it treated and was then fine. Maybe see whay the useless very helpful HVs say? Or go to your GP?

This might be TMI for some of you. I went to GP today (to have coil checked) and mentioned that I had been getting really sore after 'how's your father'. I get sore for 2-3 weeks after one 'session'. DH thinks I'm making excuses.She had a look and said I have a small tear which hadn't healed since childbirth, and the sex was obviously aggravating it. I have some cream and should heal up now. She said to avoid sex for 10 days. I told DH she said 3 weeks (he's just so bloody rampant at the moment!)!!!!!!!! I just need a break from being asked every night....."so....uh....how you feeling tonight?"

Hope that wasn't TMI for you .

P.S. Welcome back DBM

Lucky Pumpkin74- Don't worry about weaning! You're gold top will be more than enough for ages (someone said food is for fun until they are one, and I liked that idea) but, for other ideas, J HATES mush food. She eats/sucks on cheese on toast, bread, risotto, etc but hates spoon feeding. 'No!!!!! to banana lumps, banana porridge, definate super yes please MORE NOW for whole banana to suck on! However, she is slightly more likely to try something on a spoon after she has had her hands in the dish. Boy was I dissapointed to find that out.
Incidentally, J's favorite toy is a spoon. Nappy changes much easier if I have one for her to play with....that's why we have sppoons all over the house and none in the drawer, honest!
Oh the other thing is the the gut- closure thing happens around 6 months- not dead on. May be your LO just isn't ready yet??
Bugger about the tear though- is it ok to think yippee at least you know what the problem is and there is a straight forward solution?
Monkeysmama- I personally can't listen to J cry. With K I would be trying to 'sleep train' her so would be with her but have her crying sometimes for hours. I found it tough then, and then realised with J they had similar sleep patterns anyway, so I don't feel making K cry was constructive ( with hindsight of course, I though I was doing the best thing then). I know controlled crying works for some people, but if your heart isn't in it then it sounds like torture for you (your baby won't remember!). I figure if you are going to do it, then you've got to stick with it ( my big issue). A book that is reassuring about going to your baby when they cry, and not feeling like a failure if you try a 'programme' and then change your mind is the No Cry Sleep Solution' by Elizabeth Pantley.I wouldn't say its good at actual different things to try to get more sleep, but I like it for making me feel better about the sleep I get.

Just for the record, J takes a good hour to put down, sleeps in our bed and feeds 3 or 4 (sometimes LOTS more!) times through the night and she's 6 months old. THis is fine for me at the moment ( not going back to work for a while yet) but some days are better than others.
Argghh I'm writing essays here, sorry!

LP74 i'm with mumofkandj on the weaning issue - if she's not taking to it, just don't worry about it and leave it for a while - even just a week or two - you might find she's suddenly really ready for it then.

don't stress over it as well as she'll use her little baby intuition and pick up on it and really go against you

LP74, I agree that if it's too stressful weaning just leave it for a while, and how about seeing if she'd prefer a more blw approach, by giving her something she can hold and chew/suck/gnaw, eg banana, steamed carrot, small rice cake etc? Some babies just seem to prefer controlling their own food intake - maybe a sign of independence to come!

If we're talking TMI, has anyone else not, ahem, got back in the saddle yet, or am I the only one? Maybe because of bf hormones, but I'm just not interested, and dh is working so hard (as per usual) that he hasn't tried to persuade me and I don't mind.

I totally recommend cranial osteopathy. Ds1 had a very difficult forceps birth and suffered from ENT infections basically his whole first year, but after having 3 sessions of c.o. he has so much better and hasn't had another infection, and he's now 6. (Well, he will be in 2 weeks anyway!)

baiyu re halloween costume i have been given a black babygro with skeleton on it - too big for my DS but might be good for yours? text me and I can drop it round later today

Had a bit more luck with a bit of weetabix this morning...... I will persevere, but try not to get stressed, esp in front of her!

DBM don't worry, I really think it's very normal for your libido to take a dive after children come along. Talking to a lot of my pals, they all feel the same. Many of them didn't have sex for about a year after having a baby. I would discuss it with your DH and as long as he doesn't see it as a problem, then don't worry . We have enough to do!!!!

VERY excited cos I'm going to my sisters for the night!!!!!! Going over to watch SATC dvd, and staying over as she lives quite a way from me and DH said I might aswell stay over.....lie in !!

LuckyPumpkin very jealous of your night out sounds fab. Agree with everyone else, why not leave the weaning for a bit and try some BLW a bit later on?
Not doing anything for Halloween here but can't wait til Mothercare gets the Xmas babygro's in! Saw them last year and they were gorgeous!
As far as nooky goes, I wasn't interested AT ALL while bfing, felt like gerr off! Like I was all touched out but felt more like it once I'd stopped. Still find I'm not that fussed, mostly cos of tiredness I think.

DBM I am also sadly a member of the no nooky club . For me it is more an issue of dp feeling uncomfortable. Part of it has to do with dd sharing our bed often and the fact I'm still breast feeding but it does make me feel quite lonely and unloved increasingly often.

Thanks for the suggestion LP I hadn't thought of that and will check it out.

Dd's just woken up so best be off. Enjoy all those Halloween parties and btw Mothercare have their baby Christmas outfits in already. I got a very cute reindeer one for Stella already! Poor lamb.

MM

can I ask what you all think about this?!

I had no idea of these guidelines, but also can't believe how people get so uptight about suxh things.....

LM: I do exactly what you do, all I was told is to not make up the bottles beforehand. I add the powder to cold previously boiled water. Not been told anything about powder not being sterile.