jan 09; dream feeds, sod mummy's needs, shes on her knees...the one where it all starts to get better (hopefully)!

[fourlittlefeet]

here we are; a bit early, but one more task done. tick

Hi all, nice to be able to read the thread easily again, and the Plath poem. It was on all the postnatal threads and was reported to mumsnet by a few people, Tech sorted it this morning.

What's everyone else doing with their CTF vouchers? C's arrived this morning, and I'm still meaning to open a cash savings account so I can stop my extra £10 into DS1's share based one and put it there instead. It's a bit depressing having it actually go down instead of up!

Elkiedee We are going to do the stakeholders one - I have got to believe that the stock market will be worth more in 18 years time than it is right now - and interest rates for cash are depressing!

Had a really boring morning trying to get LO to have a nap so that I could help OH with his admin - nothing was working, so eventually OH took him off in the tractor for some pasture-rolling (not sure exactly what that means but sounds like fun!) which always does the trick! So have had an equally boring couple of hours answering emails. It's days like these when I miss work! Is anyone going back soon or is everyone SAHMs? I'm torn really - I don't want to miss out on a moment of LO's development, but I also don't want to go crazy! Unfortunately in my industry (telly)there is nothing local or part-time, so I would have to retrain for something child-friendly. The other option is to help out with OH's business on a more regular basis.

Anyway, just thinking aloud really... hope you are all having more interesting days than me!

hi

hope the dogs get well soon glad u got treatment for them
got bracken weighed 10lbs5ozs so has gained 5ozs this week following 25th centile

Hi tink, glad bracken's weight gain is back on track. Elizabeth is following the 25th centile as well.

Have you had a look in the Debenhams sale? Saw some nice baby clothes on there this morning.

miss J - I understand your problem . My (D)H keeps asking me when I'm coming back to work (it's our business and he hates doing what I normally do and he's covering it while I'm off!)

Miss J, I'm going back to work. It's not a very exciting or career type job but I actually earn marginally more than dp, although with 2 in childcare, plus fares and other costs of going to work, I won't see much of my wages. It is a requirement to go back for 6 months to qualify for my quite good maternity pay scheme though - I have 6 months of not being at work on full pay before and then we'll be skint. I think I will enjoy being on maternity leave because it's a break though, and I'm aware that it's for a time limited period, more than I would enjoy staying at home for an indefinite period of time.

I'm relying on moving out of London back to Leeds as an escape route - even in the current economic situation the fact that we bought more than 10 years ago makes this more possible.

moose- glad dogs are being treated- hope it works.

rray- if it's just on her face, it may be hormonal...

I got a hot milk bra- which is really nice. Much better than my mothercare and m&s ones... which I have to say I'm still wearing, simply so that I have enough bras going through the wash- for some reason (didn't happen with dd) my milk seems to soak into my bras all the time... either leaking (never had that before) or when feeding ds, it runs down front of breast [grr] going through them so quickly, so its good that I have loads, even if they're not great.

DS was weighed & measured ready for his 6 week check- 13lb exactly- 91st centile, so still on the same curve.
He has been eating less today though- I think his cold may be turning into an ear infection- his cheek was red this evening, which is what used to happen with dd

EPPM i have a hot milk bra too- i love it, my fave of all bras by a mile! i also seem to be leaking LOADS when feeding now, think she is spilling some out as she guzzles. With the skin rash on her face, hormonal as in my hormones from B.milk? Sorry- bit confused!

spink no, havent tried weleda stuff- will give it a whirl! Thanks.

MissJ i'm not going to work anytime soon, but, i'm in a rather different situation in that i'm not on maternity leave from anywhere, we decided to start our little family when i graduated from uni, so i've actually not used my degree yet (Surveying.) Plus, not really the time to be trying to break into the property based proffessions.

moose / Tink - Esme too on 25th. Born onto & staying on it.

oh, funny thing from her 8 wk check yesterday, doctor called her a "noisy child" haha. i KNEW she made alot of noise, sort of assumed everyone did/does... but no... i have a particuarly noisy bubba!

nite nite

ye for weight gain
bracken started on the 75th

Lots to catch up on. Spink - will email, anything specific you want to know?

MissJ - I went back to work after I had DD for a couple of months before I gave up. I also work part time for DH so can give you my experience of that if it helps with your decision? I actually enjoyed going back to work when DD was 6mo - she was hard work as a baby and I was ready for a break, but I would have gone part time if I could, there just wasn't the opportunity at the time. I am a high school physics teacher by training but was involved in SEN provision and have gone on to specialise in social inclusion and the issues surrounding deprived communities which has taken me away from schools now and into research really so I've used my time off work to do more research, get my masters and publish some bits and pieces which has been a nice way for me to keep in touch with my career without going to work. I do DH's admin for a bit of money and so that my NI contributions are kept up but that is not without pitfalls. I love helping him out but I regret not clearly defining my job role from the start and although I love him to bits sometimes it causes a bit of friction when work tensions spill over into home life. It's also hard to get away from work and we are constantly talking about the business. I think part time work is a good balance if you can get it but some people say that has all the benefits of both work/home and all the bad bits too....

FYM - Maternity leave from your DH - I am very

Elk - yay to moving to Leeds! I went to uni there and lived there 7 years, loved it.

Weight gain - DS started on 50th centile - now on 91st... he's a little fattie! DD was the same, she's about 6inches taller than her same age friends though and walked at 9mo. Giants both of them. I breed fully grown toddlers not babies, I'd have liked a proper little baby that was all floppy and needed me but no, not in our genes apparently.

Also soaking bras and clothes from spillages. They must have hit a guzzling phase! DS is interested in his surroundings so much now he doesn't zone out on the boob anymore. Drives me mad when we're out and I'm trying to feed with him looking round at everything!

Ooops - mega post

rray- hormones from you, from pg, from birth... hormone rashes can happen for first few months I think...

HV or GP will advise. If it were eczema, wouldn't it be everywhere? My dd had v sensitive skin, so I don't use any fabric conditioner on dc's washing- would that help? (easy to try)

Hello- can I join you all??
DS is nearly 12 weeks old (but 5 weeks early) and also have a DD of 20 months.
Going OK but feel pulled in all directions and feel poor DS gets neglected as life still seems to revolve around his sister.
Had a quick read of the posts and seems that that's pretty common! No routine to speak of and nights still rubbish

Welcome tvfriends Yes - sounds pretty familiar!

Can't stop as on way to toddlers and sat in my undies with 5 mins til need to go... oh and still need to feed DS and brush DD's hair... eek...

Back later

hi
wow lenni!

opposite here baby seems to thrive in my tummy then when they come out eight drops off

welcome tv

congrats

i have dd1 who is 3 and a half years and dd2 bracken who was 9 weeks on mon.
it is hard juggling 2!
dd1 is @ nursery 3 mornings a wk which really helps
we put bracken up in our room in moses @ 8pm then wake her @ 11pm for a feed then she just wakes @ 4am for a feed.
in the day she drinks 3ozs 3 hourly.
she is so placid and good

Hello all,
I am still around but have had no time to post, so have been trying to quickly squizz through and catch up on thread. Seems like lots to catch up on, maybe I will have time one day! Congrats to all those brides-to-be (think there were 3 of you!). And glad all the babies seem to be settling down a bit.
Zach is now 11 weeks and weighs in at over 16lbs so I am well into the stage of hearing the 'isn't he a little buster/pudding.... insert any other word that just means fat!!'
DD being very good at night but now a complete nightmare in the day, VERY obstinate. I am convincing myself its just a phase. Does anyone elses DC seem to have an obsession with an imaginary friend/t.v character so much so that they talk to them alllll the time? It was cute at first but annoying the hell out of me now.

On the work subject, I am going back to my job as a science teacher in september and not relishing the prospect of dropping off/picking up at 2 different places as we can't afford nursery for both of them 4 days per week. Also whats up with all the childminders quitting at the moment? I guess the increased paper-work must have made it tough for everyone. Makes me very at my friends that have parents who are willing and able to look after their grandchildren a few days a week. Afraid a daily commute to Bognor Regis is not quite possible, however much my mum would love to do it!

Welcome TVfriend!

I definitely feel like DS gets neglected! makes me quite sometimes... but I do know he gets attention when dd is at nursery thank goodness. Her behaviour has really turned a corner- she's back to her usual angelic self... just in time to change nurseries after Easter- she is going to start a new one attached to a school... so will be a big upheaval as she has been at her nursery for over 2 years- she is going to miss them so much- the staff there are marvellous... but it's time to move on now.

Sorry forgot to say welcome to TVFriend, think all of us with 2 or more children would sympathise that 1 or other of them gets neglected from time to time. In my case its also poor little DS who gets carted around all day in the taxi service I run for DD. Luckily he is so placid, nothing seems to phase him, even being clonked on the head with the 'hungry caterpillar' and various plastic tools
Lenni just read your post and had to chuckle, our DCs sound very similar. I also have a proper fatty in Zach and recall DD being the same (also walking around at 9 months). I often joke to people that I give birth to toddlers, its sometimes great but has its downside!
While I'm on and having a moan, anyone elses DH doing their head in? Mine is moaning that he is constantly starved of affection, either that or he comes home moaning about having such a hard day at work. My response is usually to tell him to shut it and give the kids a bath .

Books Aw, bless our LOs. she seems very long, but narrow, baby grows have tonnes of width, but not much length. Finding that NEXT and sainsburys baby grows are LONGER than others.

EPPM Hadn't thought of the isolation to her face meaning hormonal. makes more sense now. GP said "quite normal" when went for 8 wk check a few days ago, but didn't actually tell me what it was/ what to do with it. doh. Have been using non bio so doubt is that - hopefully clear up soon, although is clearly bothering me more than her.

just got back from baby massage. 5 of us from our nct class meet weekly, and there is a baby massage instructor nr. us who does private sessions (Blossom and berry, think she covers all of essex/ suffolk- although i don't think any of you are near me!) Esme absolutely loved it. This was week 1 of 4 sessions.

Have finally found a baby pool, about 20 mins from me. OH and i going to take Esme on sunday, and then i think NCT ladies and i might go next week. keen to introduce her to water other than bath (loves bath) Have got boots baby float, a mothercare baby warmer (goes over cozzie to keep main body warm- looks like mini float thing, XS huggies swimmers from boots, and a GORGEOUS little polka dot baby Cozzie from Gap.) Anyone else taken their little ones swimming yet?

Has anyone applied for bubbas passport yet? i have, but i need to get photos done asap, as we're off to disneyland in june! woo! i know she is still v. dinky, but the sounds and stuff of the parade i know she will love!!

did baby massage with ds1 - would highly reccommned it!

DS2 is 98th centile (same as bith centile) and about 13lb now

Just lost a massive post [grr] and now DS awake so will have to wait until later. Short version is:

Baby massage booked for June
Might need double swim nappy for DD ray - pool will tell you if do
Can't settle on a pre-school for DD, having a crisis
Used to be a science teacher too Pat - don't envy workload
Not got passport - DD been away already by 12 wks, PFB.

Spink - messaged my email to you on fb. Books, are you on fb? Feel free to email if you want to discuss pelvic floors!