December 2008 - Its not wind they are smiling.

[JamInMyWellies]

Here we go ladies Rosmerta suggestion.

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cat - i was scared of that - my dad also wimped out of coming down from suffolk to see me to cover dh being away for the whole of tomorrow, so i walked to and from muswell hill (pretty far and up and down the sodding hill) in order to meet someone for lunch. fancy meeting tomorrow? could meet halfway - maybe finsbury park? will email.

I wimped out of going out today. I will have to go out tomorrow though as we need some dog food and DS1 needs some wellies. Plus I do quite like the snow so it would be nice to go for a walk.

What shop in Derby LT, sorry you don't feel svelte enough to go to your reunion but I completely understand.

Some cheeky ingrate came a bit too fast on the corner and slid straight into our car. Unfortuntely I wasn't watching so didn't get their number and they drove off. We aren't sure if we will be up for the insurance excess because it is a lease hire car through DHs work.

Did have a fun afternoon toboganing with friends and their kids. Ds1 and I had a great time together as ds2 slept in his pushchair so we went sliding down the slopes together it was lovely.

Oh Turnip, it was Jonathan Coe. He's a nice man really. And I am very fat. Trying not to obsess about weight but it's difficult.

On another note, has anyone seen or heard of the book 'Someday'? It's a picture book for mothers, was a New York times bestseller. My SiL bought me one as a present and it's all about a mother's love. Trouble is, it brings one to noisy tears. Not just me, but DP and the two other people we showed it to. It's a killer! I have had to put it on a high shelf. But it's a lovely book.

Veggie. it's a sign which sticks out and advertises Ladie's Wig's - a smasher for anyone who enjoys a rogue apostrophe. I will try to remember where it is in Derby. It was near quite a grand building which is now a big pub serving food.

Keep cosy everyone.

Turnip It is raining her now and it is starting to get slushy too. Apparently the north is meant to get lots over night. They have forecast up to half a metre!!!

Speaking of books I read a great book called Momzillas by Jill Kargman. It is very good when you have just had a baby.

Bloody spelling mistake. Here not her!!

oh the excitement of the snow today. It is so unusual to get it in Brighton my DD could not contain herself. Reminded me of being young-waiting to hear if school was shut. It was lovely in the local park with all the kids throwing snowballs, sledging (someone lent DD a skate board with the wheels taken off) and building snow men. Turnip mine were eating the snow too.

That book sounds great LadyT. I love a good cry. Managed to cry again at 'Mamma Mia' the other day when watching it with DD (at the bit when the mother is feeling sad about her daughter growing up). My DD was very amused by the whole thing.

Lady T, I empathise with you regarding the author thinking you were pregnant. After I had my DD I was made redundant and had to go to a solicior's when she was a few weeks old to sign all the forms for my pay off. This gorgeous, trendy, young solicitor walked in to see me and asked when my baby was due. I was crushed. You can strike that writer off your idols list anyway.

Cat/GBB hope you get some more sleep soon.

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turnip - thx, i may well take you up on your offer - will possibly call if i need distracting and feel i can make it to your neck of hte woods (although dad is making noises about coming down -afterall, how bad can the M11 get???). feel really weird about possibly being trapped here with a screamy baby who gets bored of mummy at home alone. no, didn't see the show last night, although dh did in order to see all his friends who are now famous (although one of my best friends was featured on a poster which appeared in the background a lot).

ladyt - WHO WHO WHO WAS THAT??? lovely to have you back!

a question for everyone... how do you know if your milk supply isn't enough? dd is beginning to be really fussy at feeds - she plays with the nipple and doesn't settle like she did in the past few weeks. could it be because she is generally going 5-6 hours for her first sleep of the evening? should i be expressing to increase supply. may try to go to a breastfeeding drop in sometime this week to see what they think, too, but thought i would ask the gurus on MN.

WG you will always have enough if she wants more she will just keep feeding to encourage your milk, which may be what she is doing, could be a growth spurt, or has she been a but sniffly lately. Go to bf drop in though, it's a good idea.

Lady T I will look out for it, not surprised around here. I have a friend with a linguistics degree who gets a bit annoyed by the grammer here, and she grew up in Derby.

Cat your friend is silly doing yoga already even postnatal and the instructor shouldn't let her. My postnatal pilates lady said def 6 weeks is the earliest cos your belly isn't ready let alone your regions nether.

Waitinggirl I have the same question - I'm never sure if I have enough milk especially when the babies are being fussy about feeding and don't seem full afterwards. My doula (Marslady on here) says it's often a growth spurt, could it be that with your LO? I'm afraid I finally came to the conclusion that in the evening I don't have enough so I'm giving formula then, and I must admit they seem to settle easier - both fast asleep now and should be for 3/4 hours.

The snow was lovely today but going out was a bit daunting - I was relieved I didn't have a screamathon as the only way I can deal with those is by going out (I can totally sympathise Cat). My DD1 was beside herself though, she has been babbling rubbish with the excitement all day and just wanted to be out in it costantly - thank goodness for DH being around at the mo.

LadyT maybe I can make you feel better by telling you I put on 5 stone for my pregnancy of which only 2.5 has come off. I am mahoosive (though NotQuiteSoBig) and I have a lovely smile of skin hanging down on my belly (affectionately known as 'twinskin') which I presume will only get happier as I lost fat (she says hopefully) and more skin is liberated. Ugh.

Anyone braving postnatal yoga? Anyone around North/East London? I'm wondering if I could get away with going with two babies. Would be good to get recommendations on where would be best able to cope!

Was totally excited about all of the snow today! DH and I went out to play in it for a few minutes. Judah slept the whole time we were outside! We did get some really good family photos! Will try and post a few.

WG Where do you live again? I was thinking that we live somewhat near each other. We could meet up sometime if you'd like also.

Cat sorry to hear that ds isn't settling. Many {{{{{HUGS}}}}} to you.

Turnip When's your 6 week check up? Will you meet with Yinka or the midwives? Maybe we could get together when I'm over in your neck of the woods!

veggie Sorry to hear about the car. DH went out for a walk tonight and saw someone slide off the street and almost take out a brick wall to someone's garden. Glad no one was hurt!

Hi LadyT glad to see you back on here!

photos are up!

Our snow has completely gone You would never know it snowed nearly all day yesterday. There are more forecasts of heavy snow this afternoon.

What lovely photos Kimberly. Am also a bit of a snow nutter. Poor Nancy got chucked in the sling and I trudged 2 miles up the Old Kent Rd yesterday morning to buy the last sledges from toysrus. Was worth it because DS absolutely loved it. Took hours to calm him down last night as when he hadn't been out in the snow he was marching around singing his songs for snowy weather (the more it snows tiddly pom - with much foot stamping).

LadyT glad the funeral went ok and that your DP could get some comfort from friends. And oh no about J Coe! Although share your love for him. I re-read Rotters Club this pregnancy. Shamefully haven't got round to reading his last one - is it good? Am sorry weight it getting to you - it will go I promise.

Veggie Am glad you got to go sledging too (although for you and kmp that presumably means standing at top of slope telling everyone they're no good in sweary fashion). Hope things are ok with the car.

Cat hope last night was ok.

NotQute - just a salute to you really. Have no idea how you manage all this with 2 and your DD.

Am taking them both out on my own this morning as DH has gone to see a man about a job. So much more stuff to take in these conditions. Have laid out all we need in the hall. Feel a bit like Scott of the Antartic - had he been a Mum and lived in New Cross. And only had to go to Greenwich.

Yesterday awful all day - screamy, windy, not settling for more than 5 mins at a time- took longer to settle last night than normal with M/blanket and all but did so at midnight, and didn't wake until 0545. He seems ok thismorning but I have gripe-watered him up! I can totally relate Cat plus I am also suddenly feeling 'trapped' in the flat with the weather and therefore a bit low... how did your night turn out?

Turnip yeah - right place to be seem but doesn't ever bother with injuries to himself much - grabbed a bandage and that was it.

Notquite don't know how you do it [hat off emoticon]

Majormoo snow in Brighton must be interesting to see! Was it you that moved from up North late in pregnancy?

Kim nice photo's

DS is due 8 week check tomorrow - GP said they would contact me but so far nothing.... must call them I suppose?

Q- do most of you feed to a schedule? If so how often? Or are people demand feeding?

Ow, that beautiful sunshine on the snow actually hurts! Apparently it's absolutely lethal out there now the slushy snow has frozen over. Off to toddler pub for us - we've found won near us (Victoria Park) which even opens for us, and as all our older kids are off school (how rubbish is Hackney), it seems the best option.

KMP1 we're trying to feed to a schedule but it's VERY flexible (roughly 3-hourly). I demand feed when they seem to be on a growth spurt or are just making too much noise for us to bear. We try to stick to the bedtime routine though again the time moves every day. Major breakthrough though - both slept from 8-ish to 1-ish last night. Like an idiot I didn't go to sleep until midnight as at 10.30pm I thought they'd wake up any time and it wasn't worth trying to sleep. I must stop making that mistake - it's always worth trying to sleep!

Ooh and gorgeous photos Kimberley. I must get my DH to upload ours, they're still stuck on the memory card and I can't be bothered to work out how to do it .

Re the demand feeding, yes I am demand feeding. I would love to stick to some form of feeding routine as he seems to be getting rubbish at sleeping during the day, and when he's not sleeping, he roughly does, feed, happy to play and gurgle for 20 mins, then scream and demand feeding, continue. is this normal? He never falls asleep after playing or just being awake, only after feeding. Is that a bad habit I should be trying to get him out of? If I put him in the sling he shuts up and then eventually goes to sleep, and sometimes he goes to sleep after feeding.
Maybe I need to be making more of an effort to get him into a routine? But how do you do this?

hurrah, dad is coming down. dad to the rescue. slightly felt i was losing it - bit weepy, feeling trapped - and he rang, and then i immediately felt better and dd stopped screaming and fell asleep.kim - great photos! yes don't live too far. once driving isn't so treacherous i'll pop over.

Afternoon all...

Given that lots of our babies seem to be in a bit of a meltdown at the moment, even though they're different age, might it be something to do with the weather? Does the changing air pressure affect them maybe? (v dodgy theory I know...)

Another failed attempt at the dream feed last night, she happily took bottle from dad at about 11, nodded off, then woke up when we finally went up at 12. Sucked on my finger which I thought was her usual 'trying to get to sleep' thing, but when I looked at the clock and she was still going at 1 am realised she was hungry (already?!). Fed her (she wanted to keep going for an hour ), she fell asleep til about 4 then woke up yelling from wind, brought her down, she just wouldn't settle so chucked her at DH and stormed to the spare room with instructions that if she woke before 6 he'd have to deal with it, after that I'd feed her again. in the end he woke me at 7 after 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep - apparently she'd dropped off quite quickly for him . Who'd have though 3 hours could feel like so long...?

Bad mum. In fact, I keep thinking this song in my head James Brown

Demand feeding - she seems to have got herself into a very tentative routine of wake up, feed for about 45 mins (sticking to one boob after NCT BF lady suggested swapping too quickly might be adding to her wind problems if she gets lots of foremilk), then play or be grumbly depending on time of day for another 45 mins, fall asleep if I catch her in time and put her in the sling.

Unfortunately this seems to continue 24/7 ie she hasn't yet worked out how to go more than 3 hours overnight without feeding (see above...). I'm just looking at it with a "this will pass" jaded feeling and really hoping that soon she'll be able to fit more in her tummy and stay asleep for longer. I feel kind of guilty about the dream feed thing - forcing her to eat. And especially because there's just something about the dependence they have on us - unable to help herself. And the way their eating is all mouth and nothing else - on the one hand it's endearing but on the other I feel so sad for her that if I really was a bad mutha and decided not to feed her, she'd have no way of helping herself to find food. Am I over-analysing all this owing to a lack of proper sleep?!

dammit. Can't even do a link properly. Try this one

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf9kr02JSt4

Oh and while I'm in confessional mode - does anyone else find they get so impatient with their babies then wracked with guilt afterwards? Last night when she wouldn't feed but wouldn't settle and it wasn't nappy, wind, hunger, tiredness or anything else I could work out, I swore at her and said I wished she'd just shut the f*ck up. And then of course felt horribly guilty because she's only a baby and it's not her fault, she doesn't know what she wants either and even if she did she couldn't tell us.

I'm naturally a very impatient person with inanimate objects that don't do what they're meant to (sticking bike locks, frozen computer programmes, etc etc) and I really hoped that with her it would be different because she's a person - but it's just the same. at myself.