April 2005 babies!!!

[Gem1355]

Hi

Howz everyone doing?

Darcie is doing well but losing abit of weight after she put it on after inital weight loss but okay other than that.

would post a picture but don't know how!

Thinking about weaning too. DS2 will be 4 months next Tuesday. I guess you let your baby decide when they're ready. DS2 is huge and doesn't seem satisfied with bf for as long. I'll start him on rice and veg, then fruit for the first 2 months.

Verso - you can continue bf when you go back to work. I fed DS1 at 7am and 7pm and it worked really well. If you are happy to give formula then no need to express at work.

I am self-employed and have got a few days work over the next 2 weeks. My mum is here looking after the ds's but suspect it is going to be quite stressful! I will see how it goes.

Ds2 also teething like mad. The constant dribble has made his skin sore - poor chap!

hiya, know what you mean about going back to work, I was due back in November but have decided to take a couple of months unpaid and go back in Jan. Not sure how it will work financially but sure we'll manage somehow!
Started weaning Freya this week, just baby rice at the mo but more of it seems to go in her hair/ears/up her nose than in her tummy. Was planning to wait until 6 months but she is now 18lbs and seemed v hungry so decided to just go for it. I saw a thread on here about early weaning recently and the mums who wanted to or had weaned at four months were really slated. I hardly ever post on the other threads as it seems to so often turn into snipey criticism. Seems a real shame that such an incerdibly useful site can sometimes bring out the worst in people. Tend to just look things up in the archives when theres something I want a bit of advice or info on!
Freya seems to be getting a bit of a cold at the mo, used some baby balsam on her chest but she is very snotty - quite revolting! Looking forward to the time when she can blow her nose!!
Hope all the babies are well and not too hot and grumpy!! x

Hi everybody and welcome newcomers
I started Jasper on babyrice this week too at 19 weeks and he seemed to go for it (although he prefers to eat the bib so I don't think he's particularly discriminating yet).Touchwood he's gone back to sleeping better at night and lunchtime too. I've just made a load of carrot cubes for the freezer. I'd forgotten how dull that palaver is (especially when you have to wash everything so well before). (Mind you with dd I was utterly paranoid about sterilizing everything with boiling water as I went along - I even bought a "stay hot" kettle specially for the purpose - which seems ridiculous now! Poor 2nd children.)

Have been thinking about weaning for a while but I was one of those m'netter wrapped on the knuckles for thinking such a terrible thing whilst ds eats his own fists and salavates over my food!

Have bought some of those little First taste jars today from Hipp as they are only small and organic (have got a few bits of fruit too before I get shot for buying just jars) But so far Jack just delights in seeing how far he can spit them out accross the room. Had some proper chuckles the last few days from him & my heart melted into a puddle of goo!

Well, i have decided to go for it on Sunday and start weaning Jack. Have been making pureed Carrot, Sweet Potato, Apple and Pear. Worked out his meal planner based on Annabel Karmels book.

Went to work yesterday and they have agreed to me having Mondays off in October to ease myself in, and also to help out with not being able to get Jack into nursery on a Monday til Nov. They also told me that I had been given a payrise!!! Couldnt beleive it. I thought I would have to go in and really sell the idea of Mondays to them, but they agreed straight away

Hi everyone, how come I'm running around like a demented creature packing for our holiday tomorrow and Husband is sat on the settee with baby, fast asleep? Has anyone holidayed with a 4 month old yet? Can you believe how much stuff you have to take... at least we're only going an hour and a half down the motorway. She seemed to sleep ok in her travel cot last night so keeping them crossed. I can rememeber when holidays were times to relax

How lovely Aprilmeadow, sounds like you've got a lovely boss, payrise too, double whammy!

Swampduck am going to Spain 2 wks tommorrow, think I had better start packing now (got a good tip about sterilisation bags from my friend for when I go)Tried Jack on the Danone Baby fromage frais today...he went mad, absolutely loved them

I just got back from hols today. have been gone for 2 wks. Only to devon but that is a long drive from co. durham. We drove during her long daytime naps and night sleeps. Our car was full to the gunnells with her stuff.

One tip: when you get home from holiday, put lo back in cot/room to play a while so that they remember their beds when you return home.

dd looked really worried when I took her in at bedtime and spent 30 mins soothing her before I put her down.

Hello folks! Mind if i join in? DS was born 19th April. Having his final primary jabs today. Hate doing this to him (I know its for the best, but its the whole having to hold him bit whilst he gives the nurse a huge smile, that i hate!) I havent read the whole thread yet, but congrats Aprilmeadow. Wish my boss was as understanding. (I havent actually heard from him since i went off on maternity leave - havent even had a congratulatory text message, phone call or card. Had flowers and home visit with Baby Gap goodies when my 1st was born!).

Hi vicki: my dd was also born on the 19th. off to get more jabs tomorrow. we are behind a month as we went away and fell behind with them.

she is going to the nursery today (and a few more days) for an hour to get her used to the place. I go back to work full time on 5th Sept. Its all gone so fast and I am really enjoying our time together.

i will speak to my boss today about giving me time and place to express as work as well as leaving work to bf 2 days a week. her nursery is close to my workplace.

Hi Vicki and welcome.

Well the payrise was nice, but i did get a full appraisal whilst there and was told that i need to cut down my talking!! They were very nice about it, and did say that they appreciated that in the last 2 years I have planned a wedding, got married and then fell pregnant 5 weeks after wedding, so have had a lot to talk about..... but they have noticed that my cover doesnt say much and want to carry on in a similar fashion. They also want me to cut down on my emails to friends and surfing the net. oh well, good job my apple mac faces away from them .

Started Jack in a proper rountine this weekend, and so far, fingers crossed it is working. Feeds at set times, and bath, bottle, bed. Have managed to get him in bed asleep by half seven the last few nights. This is a massive change from getting him to sleep in buggy infront of tumble dryer!

Alux, hope your meeting with your boss went well.

got both kids to sleep at the same time during the day - a first as 2 yr dd never has a sleep - yippee!!

Agree with some of the other holier than thou threads on here - went on one about veggie weaning (as am veggie) and got completely slatted for giving toddler meat (didn't even tell them it was a mcdonalds happy meal or they might have found out where I lived!!)

Also worrying about packing for holiday - can't work out how to get all the stuff for 2 kids and a dog in the car, even begining to see the attraction of a caravan to sick stuff in (never thought I'd say that!)

Feeling very sorry for those planning to go back to work - I'm off until next April. Although I did go back fulltime when dd was 5 months, first morning was bab but after that was absolutely fine. Have to say it really killed my ambition though and just went to work to do the hours and put in minimal effort. But suprisingly on my review before I left boss thanked me for putting in such a contibution to the team - must have meant keeping everyone chatting and letting them know what the latest gossip was!

Hi Vicki and welcome! I got let off the hook this week as far as jabs go. DD was due her third set but both of the two baby clinics locally had run out of vaccine! I'll have to go next week instead though and would have liked to get it out of the way.

Had a big day today; a meeting with the head of midwifery at my hospital to review my complaint. I won't go on about it today as I'm quite drained, but it was a turning point for me I think and more productive than I anticipated.

Good to hear I could continue to BF once I go back to work. I did think it was possible. Anyone else got tips on this? Ideally I would still feed at night and in the morning. I hear your supply adjusts but I'm not sure how to go about doing this best to avoid engorgement/mastitis and other delights. That's what I meant about cutting out feeds, btw... just cutting down gradually to the number I intend to be doing once I'm back at work.

Although a lot of this maternity leave has been awful (long story for those new here - I will spare you! - suffice it to say bad birth and nonexistent postnatal follow-up) I'm now getting a bit misty-eyed at the thought of it ending. I really love some of the quiet middle-of-the-night times with DD. Can you believe I'm saying that when she hardly sleeps?!

Sigh.

Verso, when I stopped bf'ing Jack i cut it down gradually - didnt intend to stop so soon, it just kind of happend - and i didnt suffer with any nasties. I expressed mainly and after a few weeks it had all but gone. I did try to get it back, but it wasnt happening - took 30mins to express 1oz!!

I know several people that have just fed babes in the am and pm and it worked for as long as they wanted it to. Perhaps you could express in your lunch hour, if you have somewhere you can go??? Maybe you could take a mini cool bag with ice blocks to work to store it in afterwards?

thinking of doing some expressing at work too. planning to rent a double pump from NCT for a couple months hopefully. I go back F/T on the 5/9. I will play it by ear, seeing how much I can express at work and supplementing with formula.

Message for Roobie

Hi there. I saw your post about your baby's flat head and wanted to encourage you to visit groups.msn.com/PlagioUK

It's a support group for parents of babies with flat heads and if you use some of the repositioning tips, you can make a difference to your child's head without the need for a corrective helmet.

Claire

Hi! thanks for the welcome messages! Sorry you had a tough time verso - had a bit of that experience - from what you've said - myself with my DD. I go back to work mid october and im really not looking forward to it this time round. Anyone else feel like this?

Thanks for the link ck1 - I have already been adopting many of the repositioning techniques and I think they are making a difference. We are seeing the paed on Weds so it will interesting to see what he thinks - although frankly everyone I mention it to says they don't notice anything!

I am so proud of my little Jack, he rolled over for the first time on Thursday, although it was at 05.15 and in our bed... But has been doing it every time i lay him on his mat. It seems to have taken ages, but we have got there at last!

The weaning seems to be going well so far. We have tried Pear, Apple, Sweet Pot, Carrot - didnt like that much - and Parsnip&Potato. Think i need to get a bigger freezer as all the pured veg is taking up loads of room!

Routine is going well, have been getting him down by 7.30pm every night - wish i had been brave enough to try it earlier rather than sticking him in front of tumble dryer.

Hope everyone has been enjoying the lovely bank holiday weekend weather.

Verso - under health and safety law (workplace (health, safety and welfare) Regs), your employer has to provide you with an area to express or nurse even, where it is practical to - this would be in most cases. If you want further info on your rights you can get a free leaflet from HSE, I think you can down load it from the HSE website (hse.gov.uk)

We haven't got nice bank holiday weather here! Need to get out as dh has just realised that dd constantly whines, ds crys at the the wrong times and dog barks if left in the garden but eats all the toys when let in the house. dh is now in a strop as says this weekend was meant to be relaxing!!!

hello all

Well nice to see everyone is well!!!

I'm fine, been so busy, my mum had keyhole surgery on her knee so has been home and hobbling around, Darcie is power walking backwards in her walker.
Had her weighed today weighs exactly 15lbs!

I can't believe she's 22 weeks tomorrow, its gone so fast, i'm already planning for Xmas!!!

Hi all, Eleanor weighed in at just under 15lbs today so well pleased also - congrats.. aren't we all doing well! Only one blight, she has just gone from sleeping through from 7:30pm till 6:30am to waking at 3am with a smile on her face and nothing APPARENTLY wrong... If you pop her dummy back in she goes off to sleep straight away but then wakes again and calls out very soon afterwards - several times, same pattern each time, goes off when you pop her dummy in. Anyone had this happen? Surely I don't have to spend the next x months getting up to pop dummy back in? I'm sat here now trying to wean her from her dummy and she's not happy!

Saw the paed today about A's slightly flattened head and, as I thought it is no big deal and really common since the back to sleep SIDS campaign. He thinks it should round out again as he gets older (even if it stays the same I wouldn't be bothered) and to keep on doing what I have been doing with the repositioning etc. Had him weighed as part of the appointment and he is 17lbs 13oz (19 weeks)
Hope everyone's OK and those going back to work are all sorted .... I go back at beginning of December

Ooh, swampduck, I'm v of Eleanor's previous sleep pattern. I still get overexcited if my baby does over 5 hours in one go!! Not sure what to suggest about the dummy, as mine never really took to hers (despite me trying quite hard when she wasn't settling at all)!

Roobie - I was feeling quite sorted about going back to work but (as I've posted on another thread) I'm a bit annoyed with our HR who are being very negative about my suggestion of maybe doing full time hours over four days instead of five from January. I thought it was a good compromise, but they aren't at all keen, so I will probably have to do 'normal' hours instead.

Trying to convince myself it means I'll get to see DD for a tiny bit longer each evening, but I'm still disappointed, especially since other mothers/managers at my company do four days a week part-time, so I was offering them more hours of my time! At least I'm doing part-time until Christmas, in any case. (We can't afford for me to do it longer than that, unless we up sticks and move up North or something...)

Nervous about putting DD into nursery as it gets closer. She just seems so small and young . (Well, not exactly small - she was 16lb 15oz at her weigh-in this week - but maybe you know what I mean.)

Suffering a bit with my painful joints and finally mentioned it to the GP this week. I kind-of wish I hadn't, as she thinks it's probably arthritis. Having just started to recover from depression, that's all I needed to hear... Anyway, we'll be doing blood tests in a few week's time if it doesn't clear up.

Having read this back, I realise it's come out a bit more negative than I intended. Sorry!