November 09 babies are growing up quick, and mummy's getting used to getting covered in sick!

[PreggoK8]

Hope this has worked...

Scarlotti you are dead right about boredom in the carrycot, we are going to deffo get the seat bit for our buggy out of the loft this weekend, Hedy is madly clinging on to sides of the carrycot and trying to sit up- very determined and strong, these Scorpio children!

Weaning the only thing holding me back is the memory of all the mess and constant pureeing I know I ought to say I'll do what's best for my baby first and foremost but she does look a bit hungry and I'm holding back out of sheer fear of the drudgery, the fiddliness of ice cube trays, washing the blender eight times a day etc and the extra hassle generally. Bad mummy!

Oh OBEM was soooo lovely and sweet last night- at last a midwife I liked and the things that were said about babies and love and families were so aaaaaaaaw. My sister found out yesterday she's having a girl, due in July- hoorah!

Wook I agree, at long last a nice midwife! Joy was so funny, she really made me laugh but I can't believe how long they waited until her c-section. I think Joy put it very well at the end of the program, the feeling of having a life growing inside you... just can't beat it!

Oh yes, the mess of weaning! I remember too wook! Ds needed a new wardrobe because most of that stuff just never washes out! I've just realised that we gave our steamer to my sister last month as we hadn't used it since, well since ds was weaned-forgot we'd be doing it again! May have to sneak in and steal it back

Anya is currently lying on her mat desperately trying to roll over, she can get on her side then gets stuck! GOing to go give her a push...

DWB and Wook have you not like the other MV on the show I thought they all seemed quite nice? How do you think kelly from last night will get on with her 3,2,1 and 0 aged children???

Brood glad you night was better!

ReLosing our facebook group if you type mumsnet november 2009 in its search bar at the top it should come up!

P.s I think only admin can create events for facebook groups!

Well, just got back from the doctors. Arrived there and went to the desk to check in. It wasn't until the words came out of my mouth and the receptionist gave me a blank look that I realised I was a week early {blush] I'll probably forget next week.

scarlotti thanks for all that info from your weaning group. Will have to check out all those links too and get ready. Our LO's are at a pretty similar stage - James even woke up at 1.30 and 5am last night too - and, like you, I can't see getting to 6 months without introducing some lovely mushed broccoli etc.

London Week of the 22nd March sounds great. I was looking at the tube map for central places with step free access and the best one I could see was Waterloo for the South Bank. Lots of outdoor space & cafes if it's nice weather and a host of indoor alternatives if it's not. And of course there are trains to there too, which might suit some. What does everyone think?

BBL When my sister weaned her kids she did a sort of half 'n'half thing of having BLW at lunch with lots of finger foods, bread etc and a more spoon-y dinner. Seemed to work for them and meal times seemed pretty relaxed. Will have to ask her more about it, still swimming in ignorance over here really.

Brood your sleep. I'm shattered from going back to waking three times a night, I can't imagine how strong you are having to be right now to keep going.

DWB I was empathising with Joy sooooo much last night. I was only in hospital for 48 hrs before my EMCS, not 96 like her, but a lot of her emotions were exactly how I felt at the time - the boredom, the impatience, the exhaustion. And esp that huge smile when the baby's born and you suddenly don't give a stuff how long you've had to put up with contractions for.

pav That all sounds really interesting. Fingers x'd that it all comes together in time.

Took LO to the pool for the first time last weekend. We had to form a protective huddle near the steps as the pool's only recently re-opened and the training pool was heaving with excitable toddlers and tweenies. James seemed pretty cool with the whole thing if not overly impressed. Was a bit mortified when I realised that in my hurry to get out of the house I'd packed my maternity swimsuit by mistake so had swags of material hanging around my tum. Not a great look.

Venus you would have been mortified if the swim suit had fitted

I just got on the scales for the first time since I got pg. +3st OMG. Still at least I faced it as now I feel able to do something about it.

venus I've got to wear my maternity swimming costume as my pre pregnancy one is indecent around the boob area to say the least! The stopping breastfeeding doesn't seem to have made any difference.

We went to a free baby massage course this afternoon, which was lovely. Isaac seemed so happy and stayed in one position for longer than he ever would normally, It's on again for the next two days so will definitely pop along.

I've started to think about childcare for when I go back to work in August and have heard that if you want a guaranteed place you are supposed to put your child's name down after the 12 week scan. Madness!

Am up for London meet that week. The south bank sounds good and there's always somewhere like the Tate Modern if the weather's terrible. They have a cafe

www.tate.org.uk/modern/eatanddrink/cafe.htm

where you can book and they say they welcome larger groups and families and there's baby change facilities etc in the tate.

Ninja and Brood I've invited you to the event on fb, don't think I can move it to the group. Brood you have to accept my friend invite before I can send the meet up invite!

London meet-up cool, let's do somewhere on the South Bank then as if nothing else, it will make us sound like yummy mummy's What days are best for everyone? My whole week is free at the moment!

Venus our boys are the same age I think, pretty much. Ioan is 17 weeks on Sunday and was 2 days late, so we'll be starting this weekend. Was thinking of you the other night (at 2am ) and our conversations on how we were stretching the boys sleep from 3am to 4 then 5. Oh how I'd long to be able to have that conversation now! It was 1:30 last night so weaning can't come soon enough for me, as it takes a good few weeks before they eat enough to make a difference.

lemon good luck with your childcare hunt. I've just decided on a childminder for Ioan after visiting a few and some nurseries and it's a weight off once you know you've found one you really like.

Like the idea of the Tate cafe - then we could pretend we were going for a cultural meet up rather than a gossip and some cake!!

Im up for the tate that sounds lovely! Please can it not tuesday that we meet as I need to take Pearl in for her jabs!

lemon I would like to take Pearl to baby massage I have inquired about a free course near me but they haven't got back to me yet- hopefully they will do soon! Think it's rather popular as its free and most round here you have to pay for!

Me and Pearl are starting swimming lessons in april and I need to find a tummy control swimming costume any ideas?
I used to wear bikini's but there is no way I can now

Just wanted to quickly report back from weaning workshop as I learned two things which I can't remember reading about anywhere (on my phone again so brief,sorry to just barge in like this!)

1. they don't recommend pureing now, as introducing lumpy food later is shock to system and may create fussy eaters, so: steam/boil food and mash it with a fork so it still has texture. Also good to start letting baby play with food even before starting weaning, if nothing else it keeps them occupied while you eat (and if they're not ready to eat they'll just get to know the smell and feel of food, if they're ready they'll prob help themselves to a little bit.)

2. apparently should've started introducing a sippyy cup or beaker at 4 months (with EBM or formula) as sipping and swallowing needs to be learned rather than sucking and swallowing. ho hum. Again, good to first give the empty cup to play with, then put milk in.

For those things, it was worth going. Not so much for the lessons in how to peel, chop and boil a carrot. (But some people seemed genuinely interested in that too...)

Brood lol at the carrots! Not having to puree is a massive relief !!!!

Well, today I went for a so called 'informal' visit, pre applying for a job, to a school. You know the sort of thing- informal visits are most welcome at the bottom of the ad, so basically you really ought to go to show you mean business with your application. Suit on, high heels, looking v professional, brain in gear. Got out of car thinking 'go for it, you can do it' etc.
First qu? 'How long have you been in teaching for then Wook?'
Me 'oh err umm, about eight years I think. no, sorry, must be ten. since 1999 anyway. or was that 1997? yes 97 so that's 14 years, oh no hang on it can't be that long....umm 12 years? Yes. 12 years.'
Yes, that really is what I said.
OMFG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm honestly a really capable teacher. But clearly not a very capable person!! I felt like I had not only let myself down, I had actually let down womankind!

lemontop Tate modern is a great idea, but it is about a 20 min walk from Waterloo - longer if you go the river route. Not good if it's raining. Maybe the Southbank Centre would be better?

brood Great news about the puree etc. Sippy cup shopping starts tomorrow!

scarlotti Yes, James is just a bit younger than Ioan, but is also a big baby. Ah, the happy days of streching their sleep periods! It all seemed so straightforward then. Blub! We don't even get the previously solid 7pm - 10.15pm snooze guaranteed any more, he's waking 15 or 20 mins before I'd go up to him. Going to have a serious chat with the HV's tomorrow. Last time he was weighed, a couple of weeks ago, he'd dropped off his 98% percentile. If he's drifted further off it I suspect they'll be the ones pushing me to start weaning him. Already feeding him 3hrly in the day rather than 4 to try and keep him full, so not a lot more I can do there.

South bank area works for me... Will be relying on Scarlotti to know where we're going Just thinking - should we have a thread on the group with descriptions of buggies / carriers and if we're travelling in small groups? To make it easier to spot each other.

Any day except Friday would be good for me, though if it has to be Friday can try and rearrange my therapy session.

Hope you're all well. Still having a bit of a rough time, taking it on an hourly basis currently.

Southbank Centre works for me (and SirBoob ) - looks like we're down to the choice of Monday, Wednesday or Thursday.

Maybe we should just all have a knitted boob on our buggies

Venus feeding 2 hourly here during the day

Interesting that it's not purees anymore, much easier if it's just mashed with a fork. Went and bought a sippy cup today

SirBoob hang on in there hon, hope Bryn stayed asleep for you for a while today.

South Bank sounds great, good plan!

I've just started knitting a scarf...but maybe it should be a BB!

wook tehee, you poor thing. I will remember that when I go to look at schools. Hope things went up from that start... So far only one part time job come up in my area. Are you thinking of going back after Easter or was the job for September?

A tip I found when introducing DD1 to sippy cups (no idea if it is the same for all children) is to remove the "non-spill" attachment (if you remove the top, there is usually a clear plastic contraption on the underneath which will tug off) as she couldn't manage to get anything out with it on. Of course it means it is more likely to get spilled.

Evening everyone. I have been busy all day, i have done a deep clean in the kitchen. Not intended but everything felt a bit 'sticky' so i have cleaned the doors, the tiles, taken everything off the sides and clean right into the edges, took all the clutter off the top of the cupboards and fridge, cleaned out the fridge, got cotton buds on the buttons of the washing machine and dishwasher, polished the cooker (not done inside yet!) and i am worn out! I have also washed and hung clothes, put another load on and cleaned the bathroom like the nesting of a pregnant woman about to drop, only a bit late . Reuben was happily in his rocker in the kitchen while i did it, with me going 'boo' to him every few minutes and him grinning and wiggling at me! DD needed a quiet day today as she has not been settling in the evening/night so was very tired, therefore i did not feel so guilty about letting her be watching tv all day.

sirboob keep talking to us. And remember how great you are, as a person, and as a mother.

scarlotti ninja and Brood - for the Ikea meetup - 1pm is perfect.When we say cafe, do we mean the restuarant cafe thingy where i can get a huge plate of pasta?! If i get there too early i am sure i can amuse myself by wistfully gazing at all the nice things I want to buy filling my cart with crap . I am very excited to meet some of the November babies and mummies .

broodzilla what are you doing your PhD in? What do you hope to do with it, or is it just for yourself? What is a '1+3'? I would like a studentship, of course, who wouldn't! But would be happy with fees paid, or some of, especially if I can do it while working part time, I am going to try to persuade my employers to give me some study leave, given that, if i do get onto the course/research team it will be completely relevant to my job. I am not doing it for money, but so that i can call myself Dr Pavlovthecat {nice ring to it eh? )

Do you think you will be able to extend your maternity leave? I am hoping not going back til end of July. We really cannot afford it. By the time i return, i will look like a hobo, not had my hair cut since just before Reuben was born, and got knows when it will get done, or when i will buy any new clothes. And I do not care if we eat beans on toast every day til then If i really really have to, i will consider going back when Reuben is 6 months, but not before and only if i really have to.

ursi i completely agree that with weaning you need to understand what you can and can't give, be guided by advice and literature in terms of reducing allergies etc. When I said 'trust your instincts' i guess i meant more relating to when to wean, rather than what/how. But even then there are so many trains of thought about allergies, ie should you expose them to allergy risks early on to desensitise/build tolerance or remove the risk completely? I suppose even then, it is down to personal preference. I decided to go for the 'saturation' theory regarding peanuts when pregnant, mainly as that was all i could eat at one time and it suited my own needs to follow that train of thought . I tried desperately not to give DD peanuts til 3 as recommended but when she was 2 a friend gave her a slice of peanut butter on toast without me looking and bam it was done. I was like nooooo! and then thought, well, she is not going red...i had visions of taking her to A&E and camping outside before giving her a spoonful just in case . From then on she had smooth nut butter.

I am not sure how we intend to play it with weaning this time, Reuben is a very hungry boy, but he also loves his milk, so i am happy to keep it at that while he is, until he is around 5 months. If he is desperate or really interested before that, we might offer him something and see what his reaction is, but see how it goes.

longwayaway how is it going all the way over there

wook I am sure you were fine! They probably allow for pregnancy adled brains and nerves! I hate it when that happens though and you feel so silly for not being able to get the right things out !

weston I meant to comment earlier on what you said about joint pain. I was cursing my body for suddenly becoming old and creaky now i have had a second baby! I am also finding my skin is incredibly dry and my hands in particular seem quite wrinkly and so does my face (lines on face rather than wrinkles). I am trying to drink more water, it feels like the dehydration from pg has suddenly taken hold and zapped the liquid from me. So with wrinkly skin and stiff joints, i am feeling really old!

Weston How's the potty training going? I am incredibly jealous of Scarlotti doing it in 2 days. It's taken us a year . So I think the most help I could be to you would be not to offer any of my bad advice!
Can you remind me of the situation when DD was not gaining much weight and you were advised to top up - how long had it been going on for etc? I'm a bit worried as James had only put on 4.5oz in 3.5 weeks the last time I had him weighed. I'm going again today so will see how he's going. He seems happy enough which must be a good sign.

I am at all these meet ups! I am actually in London on 27th and 28th March, but that's a weekend so I can't imagine it would be ideal for others? Please take some pics so we can see you all having fun.

This might be quite handy for anyone visiting London. Step free guide to the tube. At the bottom it tells you exactly which platforms and stuff you can use and if there's a step etc.

www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/step-free-tube-guide-map.pdf

It says that Waterloo is only step free from the Jubilee line. I don't know it well. London Bridge seems to have lifts but it's a bit of a walk in between.

We had a much better night. had 5 hours sleep I think? Up drinking tea feeling like a new woman. Off to a sling meet today then more baby massage.

wook it is so easy for us all to laugh because everyone of us on here would probably have come out with some similar babble! I'm sure it was more obvious to you than to them

Brood that good news about mashing food, will make it much easier! I too shall be buying a sippy cup today! And thanks for the tip butterpie.

My goodness Pav you have been busy! Can I come and live at your house please . I too had blitzed our house a couple of weeks ago as we had planned to sell it. However we have decided to stay put for a couple of years as we have an excellent primary school on our door step and want to get ds into it first. So now I feel like I was tricked into tidying the house and de cluttering!

You potty trained in 2 days scarlotti???!!!. Tips tips and more tips please, we are starting tomorrow!!!

lemontop I am taking Anya to a baby massage taster session on 16th, I don't know if she'll stay still for any length of time though. KNowing my luck she'll cry all the way through it! Great news about the sleep too, here's hoping it continues!

Pav I'd love to stay off until July but we can't afford it so I'll be looking to start working again around the end of April. He's 6 months on May 8th so I haven't done too badly. My work got cut short early at the end of pg so I knew this would happen, sadly it was all out of my hands.
Sore joints here too, was thinking of going to the doc actually as hips are really sore. Dry hands too, figure that's all the washing/wiping bottoms I'm doing so my hands are always wet.

Laugs don't be DS1 used to sit on the potty at nursery for ages during nappy changes, they all used to sit in a line. We then talked about it for weeks before going on holiday and went and bought new pants. Meant that the day we'd chosen, DS1 said 'today is pants day' and was well aware of what was going on. All my friends had done it months before!!!

So after all that weaning chat and thoughts, and the repeated wakings at night ... Ioan went through until 4:30 last night, fed, went straight back to sleep (albeit in my bed) then only woke again at 6:30 for a feed before napping again So now I am very confused. Maybe the last 4 weeks have been a mammoth growth spurt? Don't know whether to delay it all now or what. Sigh. I hate these dilemmas with babies as you are always worried you're going to make the wrong decision - or I am anyway.

lemontop thanks for the link, think we'll be going to Victoria as that's all flat and has a link to the Jubilee line, although thinking about it there's stairs to get down to the tubes...