March 09 - there is no snooze button on a baby that needs milk.....!

[meep]

over here ladies

I think it is something to do with melting the bottle plastic ? I use boiled hot water too boobz!

Love the pic of L - so smiley and cute!

Well before I slouch off to bed as exhausted and DH is buggering off to Paris tomorrow to record guitar for our Neice who's having an album made right now - am all very pleased for him, but with I have scorching PMS coursing through my veins and am due in a couple of days so the timing is a little off! Also, I felt HBB's gum tonight - he was v. grisley and the tooth has broken through so I don't know how he will be.

Anyway, I was going to say, I heard this year via my parents that the bottles with Paraben 5 - a heavy plastic - should not be exposed to temps above 70 degrees as the plastic chemicals start to go into the milk or be released. That's why they had me change to the new range of tommee tippee bottles which said Paraben Free on the box and also to stop boiling to sterilise. I thought about mentioning it earlier but I didn't want to be a doom-merchant. Esp as I would make the bottles up the way Lizzie makes them, but I don't know how hot the microwave gets in a short space of time. Although I have gone back to Avent as the tommee tippee ones leaked and the Avent I'm sure has the P5 in it but am cold water sterilising anyway. the bottle might have numbers on the bottom and if number 5 is on it, I'd avoid a high temp. Sorry.

Ah ok Slick - maybe that's why. I am using the new Tommy Tippee ones (closer to nature) which are Paraben free so that means I should be ok to do boiling water I think.

Blimey - its a minefield out there.

Am using Tommy Tippe ones too so looks like we're ok. Phew!

Ah Wheely She's lovely. What a happy baby! .

I know, I was really angry when I found out, because I just thought of all bloody things, this sort of thing should be safe and it annoys me that they keep this thing so quiet. I found tho that apart from the leaking with the TT ones, the new bottles (feel softer) don't have the same obvious markings on it and are difficult to see through the night! And also we found that the wee disc at the bottom of the temp guage stick thing would come off easily, esp when started hot and then would pour out everywhere. Anyone else had this?

Is it just me or is it like a furnice today?? Am boiling and it's raining too. Maybe it's my mollies on the way!

Hey all!

Well Gabe can sit up unaided now and is quite steady, but can quite get there himself yet! We're hoping it'll mean he can play and amuse himself a bit on the beach when we're in Spain.

Also new mums, I can't recommend the 'That's not my...' books, they are so brilliant! DS1 still loves them at 3 and they have some that aren't stereotypically girl/boy too. Currently they're £3.49 each on Amazon. DS1 has That's not My Dinosaur and Gabriel has That's not My Bear for their plane books (we buy them a new book each for a long trip, keeps DS1 quiet for at least 20 min!)

slick - no temperature guage on my bottles. Also, with the closer to nature ones they seem to have 2 types - the softer ones with difficult to see markings and harder ones with black markings. With the ones we've got - the softer ones they seem to give out free (i.e in steriliser etc), the harder ones I've had to buy !

I agree - tis horrible sweaty here. No rain (yet) though.

lau - Well done Gabe. I agree with the 'thats not my' series. Although I wish I'd thought of it - its the same thing repeated over and over but we have erm... teddy, bunny, fairy, dolly I think from dd1 and dd2 has been given princess. Must look through the box of dd1's old books and see what we have.

hello been too busy to post, even though i can keep up with reading, via the iphone! i don't know where the day goes???!!!

missmod, re sterilising, (and the whole debate goes on), i usually dishwash bowls and spoons, especially from 6 months, but would tend to sterilise bottles/teats, until one year in theory, but probably less in practice.

bed routine: changes a lot, but generally the most tired one goes first. the three ds share but the oldest ds goes last after a bit of reading. the hardest is the toddler and baby combo, sometimes both go together and i read a story, play music etc. sometimes there is total meltdown and everyone seems to be crying. it does get more straightforward as they get older.

teething already?? mine seem to be late teethers coming through about 8 months or so.

boobz, re HV i see mine when i need advice. our LO is going for regular weighings at the moment because she is a bit little and they are keeping an eye. i can ask to speak to a hv, whom i've known for 5 years, which is reassuring. they don't do as many visits as they used to, just have regular clinic times you can attend. they send out questionaires now, which i think means more paperwork, and isn't as good as a home visit.

anyway decided to get going with the weaning to solids here, baby rice went down a treat with her!! yeh!

lovely pic wheely! she does look like life is just fun fun fun.

xx

Hi all, thanks for the tips re sterilising and bedtimes. Slick you made me chuckle with feeling like anything's possible after getting the toddler off - as did Kanga's meltdowns with everyone crying! Fortunately I only have to put both dd's to bed on my own once a week, but there have been some choice moments when all three of us have been competing to scream the loudest . Glad to hear it gets easier .

So.......

Just how do I stop my poor boobs becoming shredded??? The new little teeth are bloody sharp, and madame seems to think she should use them Not constantly during feeding, but enough to make me wish they were made of teflon!

Boobz On the hv front, we were visited at home 6 times in total, and 5 of those visits were before A was a month old. I've taken her to get weighed twice at the monthly clinic. Not really discussed much as I just wanted to make sure she was gaining weight with the boob feeding, but the visit this week about weaning was very good.

I do wish she had given me something written down now though - brain like a seive!!

Must go. She is being a very grizzly monster today. Going to try and get her to sleep...

Woo! Got to go out with the DH last night and had a great time . My good mood is also helped by DH pointing out he's only in work for 1 week in Sept as we've got the rest booked as holiday (more ), and his paycheck for all the extra shifts came in too....

Off to enjoy the lovely weather with DS and buy odd stuff for my mum that you can't get in Spain.

Halo there, Iaaam baaack (in my best Terminator accent)
The in-laws are all safely returned and all is once more quite here in the household of king Ben. It was such a great few weeks, great to have my MIL to help, and she and the rest were thoroughly charmed by the lo. I must say, he is seriously cute! Will add a pic.
I looked at all the photos of your babies and they are all gorgeous! If you don't mind, I'll ease my way back into the conversation, too tired to respond to all the posts.
Ben is now approaching 6 months and he is 74cm tall, he is still loving his food, and his milk, and gest so peeved if things don't happen quick enough. Btw, I still sterilise his bottles but not much else. Today I put him down on the sitting room floor and left him to play with his toys, and a while later, when I returned, he worked himself over to the piano and was sucking on the corner of the footstool. I sewar he had a guilty look on his face when I called his name! So now we're putting away all dangerous stuff and putting on the Ikea safety stuff. Can't believe we're at that stage allready.
He's also chatting away , saying dah-dah-dah and making sounds and sometimes shouting without crying. And a master burper, he did a big one in church the other day, we felt v proud!
And I went back to work, it was real hard but he's staying with my dh in the morning and then with my sil, so that made it much easier. I rushed back from work only to fiond him extremely chipper and chilled out, and was a bit miffed. Thought he might miss me more...
About sleep training: From what I've read and heard about Ferber's methods, well, it just seems so cruel to make them cry and cry. Even in book www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Baby-Week-Ultimate-Caring/dp/0091910552/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid= 1250970021&sr=8-1 speaks about some babies vomiting after a few hours of crying. I just find that hard to stomach, but then again, I have a very good sleeper. I used a lot of the Babywhisperer suggestions, and that has helped us to no end.
Last night dh and I had the first talk about a second one, because we both seem to be thinking about it: he with dread and I with mixed feelings. In the end I think I'd want another one, and since I'm now 35, it's better sooner rather than later, I mean, this pregnancy and birth was very hard on me (and on him)...But he definitely doesn't want another one soon, and he said maybe never, sigh. I suppose I can live with that for now, any wise words from others? Do men cope better with wee ones as they get older? He loves lB and is such a good dad, but he still finds it real hard.
I'm going to get ready for the df, ate too much chicken tonight, will have to cycle again tomorrow...

Quiet, I mean, quiet...

Mdavza

My DH doesn't 'do' babies as such. He is much better with them, once they walk and talk.

I think alot of men are afraid of babies because they are so small.

Mdavza Welcome back. Laughed at the burping in church! go Ben!

Re; Having another, I think it is always a daunting thought at this stage and even if you were to start trying you never know when you would conceive either way. But I would say the idea of it all is in many ways, worse than the actuallity of it. And I do think men are more scared aprehensive of the idea than women. Bunch of jessies that's why.

Also I agree, I don't think it's a good a idea to leave very young babies to cry for long periods for because young babies need constant reassurance and hugs, to know they are safe and that will come if they need you. I also think that it takes a long time before a baby starts 'taking the piss' or pushing buttons, and when they are older, if you know they are fine, have checked everything, then I do think you need to leave them to cry if they are having sleep issues. But God, the thought of doing it when they are very young actually makes me feel quite sick.

Laumiere Glad things are going so well for you right now, you deserve it.

Anyhoo, am shattered. DH is still away and won't be back now til Mon night (late). DD2 has been playing up, being really moany and having tantrums - missing her daddy no doubt, DD1 is being hecktic and HHB, bless him, is being great as usual. Am soooo tired tho. Very long days and very short nights! typical I had to have my period too and a dodgy back! Oh well.

I gave the two wee ones a bath this morning and I thought, "Oh, this is good, I'm managing this ok..." Until, suddenly, I thought...'what's THAT?' and realised that there was a lot of poo floating about in the bath. I knew it was HHB who was the culprit as I had heard him straining but must have ignored it. So there it was, lots of bits of poo floating around. Talk about counter-productive.

What is it with mine and relinquishing their poo in odd places??

mdavza - love the pics - what a happy wee man!

I firmly believe that any parent who has not experienced "poo in teh bath" has not been fully integrated into the world of parenthood . I got dd1's first PIB but was more amused when DH got her second - what a flap he was in - I couldn't help for laughing!

I was out on a hen do last night. Because I am at the tail end of a cold I have no senseof taste and was drinking wine like water - ugh! DH sent me to bed when I came in as I was a wee bit merry - then I slept in till 11am. Would have been bliss if I didn't feel so rough today.

Rosie is 5mo old today - can't believe my baby is growing up so fast!

mdavza I was 36 when I had dd1 and thought we'd better try sooner rather than later for 2nd child. We decided to wait til dd1 hit 1yo before going for it - then conceived on eth first go - yikes! I have to confess that I cried when I found out - we really did not think it would happen so quickly (18months to conceive dd1). It is so much easier the second time round and the baby just slots in with teh family - so the upheaval is not so bad. Definitely worth it!

Got to go - can hear dd1 wailing!

Meep Lol, I didn't realise that it was such a common event that there was an anacronim for it! I am amazed that it has taken 3 kids (and a boy at that, naturally) for it to happen! We must have got off lightly.

DH is not back tonight - he is staying on an extra day in Paris cos the recording is going well, so I guess I have to look at it as extra brownie-points. But I do feel crippled with exhaustion. DD2 has been a nightmare, HHB has teeth busting his gums and DD1 is just as hectic as usual. Went shopping for a school coat and other school sh*t today and there was NOTHING in her size and it really was hell with one or all of them crying and moaning, that I nearly broke down and cried myself a few times! Bloomin' periods.... (That's what I'm blaming, not just my crap weakness...)

Hope you enjoyed your hen night meep sounds like you did!

anacronim. WTTF?? When the hell is my spelling going to return?? An acronym! Muppet!!

mdavza He's a wee cutie. I noticed you have one of those bike attachments? Do you just use it on paths etc? I'm too scared to get one. What are they like?

So much useful advice on this thread, thanks everyone. I've forgotten half of what I did with DS, so MN is invaluable. I second meep's advice on the Ikea highchair - it's fab.

So going on holiday with 2 children was never going to be easy in terms of packing: so why oh why did we also decide to have floors sanded while we were away, requiring the emptying of 3 of our biggest rooms the day we left?! Insane. But a good hol with DH's family. Rosie loved the attention.

Poor little thing suffered really badly from her 4 month jabs which we got done at 5 and half months (she was snuffly and had mild sore throat for weeks before). Two DREADFUL nights of not sleeping, and she has developed a screach that must nearly wake the dead. Thank heaven no more jabs for 7 months.

Not very happy today what with the heat and MAJOR dribbling and grouching - probably due to teeth. Eventually gave her Calpol and teething powder and that made her a bit happier. Could never get the powders in DS's mouth - but he didn't teeth until nearly a year. Rosie just grinned when I popped them in her mouth!

Started "sleep training" a couple of days ago. We were on a BF at 7pm, formula at 11pm, then BF at 2am and 4am, then she didn't want to feed until late morning. No way is that a way forward, so am trying to get her back to sleep and only offer one feed in the early hours of the morning. Feel dreadful letting her cry, but we do the "quick pick up, cuddle and put down" approach, repeated as required, which hopefully won't make her think we are horrible parents.

Weaning going well but keeping it slow: started at 5 months old, 10 dys of baby rice at 6pm, and have just done a week of adding fruit puree at 11am, just a few spoons. With DS I waited until 6mo to wean, but didn't take it as slowly. Have to confess that with DD I'm hoping that weaning might help her sleep better.

We're still sterilising bottles, and will do until a year - despite Rosie chewing everything she can get her hands on. TBH, making up bottles seems such a minefield and so much conflicting advice. I'm sure it was easier with DS (2 years ago). Laziness will just mean I BF Rosie for longer.

Hey Jaz. Yes we like to think we are all omnicient on the the matters of babies in March Mums, but the truth really is we are all just winging it like everyone else!

Sorry to hear your LO had such a bad reaction to the jabs. How horrible for you. We've been quite lucky so far in that respect, but you just never know what's going to to hit them, so I just keep my fingers crossed every time.

I'm also sorry you are still up so much through the night, thtat must be really hard going. I weaned HHB onto solids to help him sleep too. It takes a lot to fill the tank with him. I started at lunch time with his, and then I think I progressed to tea time and then breakfast. I think that's what I did. That's terrible, it's only been about two or three weeks and I can't bloody remember such is the exhaustion. Anyway, my point is, in this last week (she said holding her breath) he has started sleeping through, and I'm fairly sure that was once I got him onto 3 meals. But I took it gently and when I say 'meals' they are only little half pots of baby rice with whatever fruit or veg I stick in.

Anyway, fingers crossed it seems to be working. Hope it helps Rosie.

Hey all.

Don't think I ever said hello to Jaz - think you joined in when I was away so 'hello' ! I'm often up a similar pattern to you in the night. I too have started to wean in the hope it helps. It seems (or something does) to have made some improvement. I'm doing breakfast (fruit) and lunch (veg) at mo and going to add tea at the end of this week. We've had the odd night that's been great (relatively). A couple of nights ago I gave a bottle in the night to see if I could 'tell' whehter it was hunger or comfort. L downed the bottle no probs and v. fast and straight back to sleep. That makes me think she is hungry.

We also have the screeching - its painful. It seems to be L's favourite method of communicating pleasure, hunger, tiredness, crossness etc. Particularly pleasant at 5 am.

So, after next week I'm going to seriously start cutting down on bf-ing and upping food. We're away this weekend and my parents are lookng after dds afternoon/evening on saturday so easier not to add in more food for them !

I have definitely now come to the point where I'm ready to stop bf-ing and L seems v. happy with bottle feeds where I've replaced them and not missing the bf-ing which is a relief.

slick - I have to apologise. I was saying the soft tommee tippee bottles were the free ones. I bought a load more yesterday and they are the softerones. Do you think this means the hard ones I have (with black writing on) might be old stock and have parabens in ? Would be typical as I switched to these bottles because of the paraben thing and probably find I've been using them all along.

lovely photos Mdavza. He's a real cutie. What age can babies go in the trailer with another child ? We're going to the new forest in October half term and it'd be nice to hire bikes and bung the girls in a trailer.... L will be ...er.... 7.5 months.

Hey Wheely* Erm, well maybe. Certainly before the hard ones with the dark writing on them had the parabens in them, but I don't know now if some of the new hard ones don't? Look for the number 5 on the bottom, that's usually a sign. I know it sucks, but I'm sure it'll be fine. But I think that's the down side with the softer ones is that they can't use the same ink and you can't see the markings!!

Have just realised that a topic I started last night is top of the discussions of the day! How priveledged am I?

Is the 5 the with parabens or without ? Am not sure if they have it or not.

Ah well. DD1 would have had paraben infested bottles from birth and all the time so DD2 is better even having had the paraben-y bottles. Typically though I erred towards using the ones with the dark writing because they were easier and didn't go orange in the dishwasher.

Congrats on your 5 minutes of fame