March 2008 babies: Why aren't humans born with teeth and other important topics!

[MarchNowFebMum]

new thread - old one getting too big for some...

{{{HQ}}}, at least you know now what's wrong and it can be treated and was presumably easy to find.Something muscular could have been a lot more difficult to spot. I'm with wearehips, something we'll have to get used to and nothing to feel guilty about. x

hi everyone and happy new year!

I need some help on how to deal with a jetlagged baby. We spent three weeks in the Caribbean over Christmas as my mum lives there. Boy, am I paying for it now! Matthew is still on Caribbean time - he has just gone to bed. .

How can I nudge him back into his old routine? I can't cope for long with these late bedtimes!

HQ- oh no! well top marks for your cautious gp and his rec to go private, at least you know what the problem is, it should heal rapidly though due to his age. What is the treatment plan?

morning ladies. feeling a bit better this morning after a good night's sleep (thank you DS )

after thinking about it, i feel better because they're not treating his leg at this stage. makes me feel like maybe it's not as bad as it sounds. apparently there is no point putting a cast on it as he isn't walking or anything so the disadvantages (dressing, bathing) would outweigh any benefits. Dr says he is so young that it should just heal itself really well as babies bones are less brittle than ours because of all the growth they do anyway. she wants to check him in a month by which time he should be weight bearing again. i guess the fact that she is happy not seeing him for a month and happy for us to go on holiday etc. suggests that it's not as serious as perhaps it sounded (when i heard it was broken that was all i really took in at that moment!). main issue will be that it just puts him behind a month or so on his development re walking/standing/crawling but maybe having an immobile baby is no bad thing.

apparently it's not so much healing that is the problem as future growth so they will need to keep an eye on it to make sure the bone doesn't grow funnily. so he'll have his check in a month to make sure it's mended and then if it has will have a check in 6 months to make sure it is growing okay and it isn't causing him any mobility problems.

i just feel shocked - it sounds so horrible - but kind of in awe of DS who appears to be in no pain except when that leg is touched more than gently and is being his usual happy, smiley, gorgeous self. it's amazing that he instinctively knows how far he can push it, as he will happily wave his leg and kick soft toys with it but won't put weight on it or bang it hard on the floor. he also discovered how to make big waves in the bath yesterday by bashing his legs around, so i guess it can't hurt that much

just don't want to tell people really as it sounds terrible and i feel like i'd be really judged (i know deep down that i wouldn't, but i feel like i've failed him somehow so feeling a bit fragile about my competence as a mother)

OH HQ, what a shock for you. Poor little monkey. What a relief that he's not in much pain.
And take it easy on yourself. I don't know how I haven't done something similar myself - I am so ridiculously accident prone I'm always tripping over my own two feet. These things happen.
Where's your next holiday, then???? Maybe take him swimming a lot - like mini-physio!

purly queen, someone at Neal's Yard suggested arnica for jet lag. I didn't end up giving it to G b/c he started to settle, but you could try it. I tried to get G into his routine right away - meals and naps, etc., at the same times. The first day we slept most of the day but G still slept all night. Then it was up at 7am, nap around 9, lunch around 12, etc. I would wake him in the afternoon if he slept for more than about 2 hours. Seemed to help him adjust.

Hi girls,
Computer at home broken, so just a quick dash on my lunch break at work.
HQ- you're a great mum, these things just happen!
I also recommend what JFly is saying for getting over jet lag. Get him up in the morning and treat the day as normal with the same meal and nap times if possible. Hope it settles down soon!
Hopefully be back online soon, and apologies to all I've missed!
ps. Does anyone have a slow-cooker? Recommended? What do you cook in them?

I think lavender on pulse points is also supposed to help induce sleep, while lemon/citrus scent is a waker upper PQ...suppose with the baby factor, you could put some on a tissue or clothes rather than direct unless well diluted in a base oil?

I'm wondering how to manage the time diff to our advantage when we go to LA, it's doing my head in as the numbers are floating round in front of me without making any sense. They're 8hrs behind, we leave here around 1pm, get there 6.30ish (so stoopid oclock uk time), though he'll prob(I hope!) sleep lots on the flight. What would be nice is for him to dose a bit more during the day so we can have him awake a little later into the evening, but maybe he'll sleep ok in his pushchair. Hotel doesn't do babysitting or anything child friendly like that. Bit nervous in case they don't come up with the travel cot as it's only "request noted", otherwise we'll be cosleeping

HQ, glad you're feeling a bit better about it, fingers crossed for a smooth knit on the bones!

ps ILGB - I have a slow cooker, is great for casseroles/stew type things as you can chuck all the ingredients in in the morning, leave it on auto all day and have a meal ready when you get in at night (assuming you're out at work or otherwise preoccupied all day
Since I went veggie I haven't used at all though, not so exciting menu options!

ILGB - I think I have a slow cooker in the cupboard under the stairs, still boxed and never used. If I can dig it out, do you want it?

HQ- So sorry to hear about LO's leg. Remmber, though, that he is a happy smily little chap despite this which must mean you're a fantastic Mummy!!!
Re slow cookers...they're fab. Stews are so lovely this time of year and if you are veggie beans and lentils are lovely in them!

very pleased to hear how well baby is managing HQ. i hope you're ok too.

slow cooker, use mine at least once a week. wonderful thing. all time fave dish is lamb:

cut neck fillets into large chunks, turn over in flour and herb mix. heat olive oil and brown meat, lob meat into slow cooker. i then add a bit more oil and brown very quickly chunky chopped onions, carrots, celery and swede and add to cooker. then deglaze thepan with a slug of brandy and add into cooker. top up with water and bouqet garni and a large handful of barley. then walk away for several hours. i go back an our before we want to eat and see if i want to add salt (can take cupful for baby at this stage), stir it all through and top with dumplings for the carbs, they are done in that last hour.

damn i'm hungry

MMMMM yummy (turtle going across road to butcher's immediately.)

Yoooooooooooooooooooooow...just had my first milk blister. Not fun. Ugh.

Hi guys sorry not been on for ages. Can't believe where the time has gone since christmas. Big hugs to all of those who have experienced that dreaded vrius over the last couple fo weeks. We all had it here last week. Not funny and not clever. How I managed to make the girls sandwiches for school last Monday with throwing up, I'll never know.

This week is a week for me. I go back to work full time from Thursday. Luke started nursery full time today. It seems so strange and quiet without. Normally I'm trying to stop him joining me at the computer, or stopping him chewing the cables. He's starting to get very mobile now. Don't think it'll be long before he is walking properly. He can do a few steps between me and daddy before falling forward. Right I'm off to do all thise things that needed doing since I went on Mat leave last year that haven't got done still!

hi timmy, good luck on thursday and good luck with nursery

hey TiaT, you only have 2 days in work this week, that's a good into/breaking in session. It'll be fine, just think of it as a means to an end until you get into the swing of things again
As for nursery, I love nursery day here, I can spy on my LO on nursery cam and he gets much more freedom to do stuff I would never do with him at this age...today they were painting and playing with yogurt, and have loads more toys to play with than round here (hard though that is to believe at times!).

Hello all!

Severe lack of posting due to moving house and having no internet but should be back in a week or so.

HQ - you poor thing, glad DS is coping admirably. Don't feel guilty! It would have probably been your ribs if it wasn't his leg, accidents DO happen to all of us.

DD has been sent home from nursery twice in last week, once for coughing herself to vomiting and today for conjunctivitis. I am so sick ('scuse the pun) of this, I don't think my employer are going to keep being so understanding and what with a new round of redundancies in Feb I am feeling very worried. Any ideas on boosting immune system? [hopeful smile]

Just looking at booking holiday as really need a break and some sunshine, we're thinking Sharm El Sheikh although the hotel that one of you stayed in (can't remember who, HQ?) seems to be uber expensive but plenty of nice 5* hotels. Any recommendations or things to do out there apart from diving and relaxing?

Nurserycam that sounds cool, dontpanic. Think I'd be on it all day if they had one in Luke's nursery. He had a little cry this morning, but had stopped by the time I got back in the car. I could see him through the window smiling at one of the nursery nurses who was holding him .

Unfortunetly the DSD's tried to kick off this morning. A bit of shouting and then when arguing over who was going to sit in the front of the car, DSD2 slammed the car door nearly catching DSD1's leg in it. Think they are really going to miss having me at home all day.

Ewe I'm worried that Luke is going to pick up every bug under the sun at nursery too. He's been going one day a week since November and the next day he normally has a runny nose, cough, nasty poo etc!!! And thst just one day, dread to think what he'll pick now he's full time. So any ideas about boosting the immune system gratefuuly received.

I'm off to do stuff (like cleaning) that I'll be able to do in half the time in normally takes as Luke is not here following me! TTFN

Morning all!

Timmy - I bet Luke was just crying to see if you would stay and then when he realised you weren't thought "oh well, i'll have some fun". I'm sure they're now at the stage where they are fully aware that they can manipulate us

Is anybody else finding this a completely adorable (if exhausting) stage? DH described DS as "infinitely curious" yesterday which is so true. He is fascinated by everything - a crumb on the floor is as worthy of attention as a pigeon on the fence, the flashing lights of the recycling lorry or his favourite toy. DS is not even officially crawling, yet even despite his broken leg he can successfully shuffle and slide across quite a wide area of ground.

Ewe - Four Seasons is uber expensive but DH managed to get some ridiculous deal through Trailfinders so was more affordable (albeit still a big treat). We've also stayed at the Hyatt Regency which we really enjoyed (good pools, nice choice of restaurants, free bus into centre of the resort where there are lots of good restaurants, bars and cafes) and there were lots of families there as well. Snorkelling from the beach at that hotel is the best we've ever done. Main things to do are snorkel, dive and relax, but you can do desert things like camel rides to Bedouin camps (all very touristy but nonetheless beautiful night time stargazing in the desert). You can also do a trip to St Katherine's Monastery (where the burning bush allegedly is) and even to Cairo to see the pyramids, although I imagine you probably wouldn't want to do either of those with DD! Oh and if you can get a babysitter, then in the centre of Sharm they even have Pacha!

Trying to sort out nanny for DS before we head off on holiday (South Africa) on Sunday. Decided to get nanny ourselves as we can just afford it, and then once my work is sorted out properly and we have things in place we'll advertise to share. Trying to organise a share at the moment but it's a bit tricky because I don't know the days I'm working yet so probs easier to get someone to fit around us later. Got DS's name down for fabulous nursery locally, but they won't have a place until he is probably 18mo as they are so oversubscribed!

I'm thinking of changing my name - don't be surprised if I reappear called something completely different. Anyone got any suggestions?

Hi HQ. I agree, Luke can stare and play with a bit of fluff on the carpet for ages, before trying to put it in his mouth!

Ah yes, fluff in mouth... I know that game well

Meant to say - this is my new name for now, unless you guys come up with any better. In honour of my DS and my fave West Wing character (DS wasn't named after him - I just realised the coincidence afterwards!)

Ah, fluff in mouth...I am suddenly realising that having two dogs and a baby is just STUPID, especially in this weather. the dogs march all sorts of crap through the house, and before I get a chance to hoover it up, Ff is on it like a shot. I am hoovering at least three times a day, and am constantly on the carpet with dettol wipes. I am not a stickler for hygeine, and believe that a bit of dirt never harmed anypone, but some of the local dog owners aren't as thorough in their poop-scooping as I am [yuck emoticon].

She is on her feet now, so wants to stand ALL THE TIME, insisting on using only the most dangerous and unsuitable furniture/toys to steady herself on. Anything static or soft and she doesn't want to know. Sharp corners or wheels, on the other hand...

Suddenly realised that now Christmas and New Year are over and done with, Bloke's deployment is coming up. Have known it was coming for a while, and he didn't miss her 1st Christmas and will be here for her birthday, but 4 months seems like a long time.

FfFf, how do you keep in touch when he's gone? dO they get internet/webcam/phone access? or is it letters? do you know where he's going?

all i can think of doing for immune sys boosts is to add a bit of lemon juice to puds and some savoury for vit c (also helps preserve a bit!) and parsley to potato-y dishes for C also. then it's down to good hand hygiene, a good dose of fresh air and luck, i think. i really fight my inner lazy to make sure they get out each day, and fresh cooked food for one meal at least.

got of lightly this week. both boys were starting to stream colds yesterday but had good sleeps and woke up fine today. praise be etc. i'm too bored to be stuck in with sick kids this week.