July 2005 babies

[AussieSim]

Welcome all those with fresh new babies. Oh the joys and tribulations. Post the lot here!

I hope I haven't overlooked a previous thread here for us. Anyway, here goes.

DS2 was due 3 July but arrived 29 June, 9lb 6oz. He has been growing nicely and is 4 weeks old today. I am breastfeeding and have already had mastitis and thrush but am pushing on with it. Biggest problem is sometimes he sleeps too long in the day and then wakes up a lot in the night, not that he stays awake for long, just long enough to feed and go back to sleep. The Midwife says that I shouldn't worry about his lack of wakefulness for the moment in the absence of any other issues, and to see how he is going around the 6 week mark. She also said I should wake him up during the day, which I have been reluctant to do, but I think I will have to do. Anyone else got an overly sleepy baby who doesn't seem to be growing out of it quickly enough?

Morning All! Still haven't caught up with the posts I'm afraid, so sorry if I miss someone out.

Hoxtonchick, recognising hands is about 10-12 weeks IIRC. Re: the buggy - yes you should buy it (I have turned into something of a buggyaholic I think although it takes me ages to decide which one I like ).

mrsd, so glad to hear about Harriet's scan. I can remember ds1's various appointments after his surgery used to get me down too, but five years later and it is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be - in fact I often forget that we have them, my mil reminded me yesterday that there is one soon.

Harriett, hope you enjoy all that country air. I must admit that it is one of the things that keeps us in Cheshire rather than nearer Manchester city centre. dh's colleagues think he is mad to do the commute but we love being on the doortep of the countryside .

Eulalia, I'm beginning to think that you are superwoman! I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with all the routine when ds1 starts school next week - do you have any tips for us first timers with school aged children/babies and toddlers? BTW, Paul is gorgeous, he looks very contented too.

Pinkmama, sorry to hear that you have been having baby blues. I heard somewhere that taking a supplement with zinc in it can help - especially when breastfeeding. I have been doing that and I must admit that if I miss one out I do notice a difference.

Had a bit of an unsettled night last night as ds2 had his first set of vaccinations yesterday. He didn't have a temerature but he was noticably grumpier and ended up in bed with us again! Could really do with that crib turning up as I am petrified that I will squash him or he will fall out without me realising.

Hoxtonchick, I must also add that my period returned too at the weekend - I'm feeling very cheated as they didn't return with dd until I started her on solids. I think that the supplementary bottles may have something to do with it though, plus the large chunk of sleep that ds is having at night.

Right, going to go and have breakfast whilst I have the chance (ds2 making up for lack of sleep last night I think). Have nice days everyone!

Harriett - I've sent you a CAT.

MrsD - really glad to hear the tests went well. I can understand that all the appointments leave you feeling down. Hospitals are not the most cheeful places and I'm sure that you just want to get on with your life. Poor you. You mention that you live by the beach. You're Cheshire aren't you? My inlaws live by the sea up in Cheshire. Maybe next time we go up we could meet up? My inlaws drive me mad and it woudl be great to have an excuse to get out of the house. They're in the Wirral.

Pinkmamma, I get waves of feeling down. Not sure if it's the baby blues or just beign p**d off with dh as he is doing nothing at the moment around the house of with either of the dds. He sees my maternity leave as a 'holiday'. He's drivng me mad!!! One thing thats making me feel better is a mother and baby yoga class. The stretches seem to get rid of loads of tension and relax me - and dd2 seems to sleep well afterwards. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Better go now, dd2 has woken up. Need to get her out of the cot before dd1 does!!

Enjoy the sunshine!!!

Hello

Eulalia, we just went camping about 20 miles away so if all went wrong we could come home. Being away with 2 of my friends who have definately stopped having babies, but who are still a bit broody was also a major benefit as I never really got to see Violet! and I agree with Bagpuss, you are superwoman. Please send your top tips for getting in routine and to school. I am dreading next week when dd1 starts juniors. I have to admit we are not unused to being late, but feel I ought to make an extra effort as it is a new school. However it was 10am before I got them breakfast this morning!

Thanks for zinc suggestion Bagpuss. I will give it a go.

Good news on results MrsD. I can understand why the hospital appointments get you down though. It must be stressful.

HC!! Missing you! Also miss being able to go and feed those ducks. Ruby and I killed many an hour walking down to them. Had a sudden homesickness moment then! Get the buggy, and do it before you get me ranting about the brilliance of mountain buggies again!

shucks thanks for the compliments.

Tips on routine. Well just muddling along really. Get clothes ready the night before and school child dressed first. If you are taking the car? then don't worry about other child(ren). dd comes out in her nightdress several times, ds2 also just tags along often not even nappy changed yet...

dd is a bit older and she is at Playgroup 3 days so it does give me a bit of time and she can dress herself, toilet etc altough I have to deal with the tantrums often (usually ignoring). I do worry about her being 'middle child' but she seems cheery enough when she's not throwing a wobby!

I love camping (was brought up on it) but dh doesn't so when the kids are older I'll just go without him probably with my sister.

Still waiting for ds to smile - he is 4.5 weeks... and I think he may have BLUE eyes but not sure yet. My other two are brown eyed (like dh).

Got to go he's woken...

HC, not sure about fixed front wheels myself. i've never tried tham but I love my pram with unfixed ones. We can turn on a dime.

we've had a drop down funny morning today: getting a passport picture out of him had me singing that song from the sound of music: how do you solve a problem like maria cos he was like 'how do you pin a wave upon the sand?'. Though I think mummy singing badly just made him wriggle and gurgle more. Anyway, its done and
we went and sweated up the Kentish Town Road, got it printed and lets see if they accept it: he fills the frame a bit much....

don't y'all melt today now

Quickie: hi all, I've got a Mountain Buggy Terrain and would second pink that the company make good products. They are strong and well-built with decent plastics, and aluminium tubes. Nice.

The Terrain we've got is a fixed wheel, and we live in London, so do our fair share of shopping centres etc. and I thought A LOT about whether to get swivel or fixed front wheels. (search archives for an obscenely long discussion on this, with charleypops). A fixed front wheel is no prob, IMHO. The fixed wheel buggies are designed so the centre of gravity is further back, closer to the handle, so it is an absolute doddle to apply downward pressure to it, lift the front wheel, and spin to your heart's content. You can also push the buggy in front of you with one hand without needing to control the direction like you do with swivel buggies IYSWIM. Plus, the Terrain is a little narrower and lighter than the Urban, which is nice.

I haven't seen / tried the one you're contemplating, HC, but it's obviously fairly similar to mine, and you're welcome to come round and try it if you're interested (nearest tube Golders Green).

HTH

Cruised through the hearing test no probs. Interestingly, because Camille was in NICU / SCBU they did an additional test using a different machine which tests more of the audiotory nerve pathway (I think)...

Funny thingy at the weigh in the other day: dd had lost a tiny bit of weight in the last week. Last weigh in 3.93 kilos, this one 3.90... although the prior measurement was immediately after a big feed, and this one was immediately before a big feed, which explains it somewhat, I think the HVs felt their 'cut back on the overfeeding, give a bit of water' advice was slightly pants. Hmmm... not impressed. I think I'll just let munchkin drink what she wants, and attempt to not 'prod' her for a bit more bottle in an attempt to not encourage her body morphology in the direction of her two, ahem, 'wholesome' parents.

H2D - is there a shop in GG that sells Mama and Papas cots? I have a vague memory of that...may come up this friday...xfx

There is a nursery shop called Yummy Kids run by a bloke called Yummi not too far from the station (but nonetheless a bit of a walk)... it's at the back of a slightly dodgy clothing store called 'Destiny' I think. He has decent stock, good attitude, seems to price match without aggro and is very helpful. Not sure of any other nursery stores very close...

John Lewis, Brent Cross is good, ITH.

And there is one called Bushy Babes on the A41 / A1 junction, which is about 10 minutes ride away that sells loads of different buggies, and they seem to have a VERY complete M&P bedding / accessory range, so imagine they have all the other stuff.

DW may be going there on Saturday if you want a lift / want to do lunch etc. If you're on your very best behaviour, and the vinlet is asleep, I'll watch him for an hour, ITH - or keep your dp company whilst the laydees go fuss over baby bits etc.

On reflection, not sure if Yummy Kids do sell cots... lots of buggies, so probably, but do phone and check.

cheers h2d - big vin is coming this w/e tho (my dad) so we're entertaining...will try and call tmrw see if mr yummi has m&p - we don't have a car (yet)

Bushy babes deffo did have cots. Would you order just from catalog or would you prefer 'hands on' to test anti-vin lock, taste the teething bar, bounce on the mattress etc etc. ?

as far as i can find - m&p seem to be a bit precious about their products and don't let them be sold online! you havta go endure the sales pitch too....do please anyone correct me if i'm wrong

i would get something else but nothing i see much suits. we're going to get the manhattan cotbed - Big Vin's treat.

Booked our first holiday for the little family Vinlet today - includes helicopter transfers WOOOHOOO!

Excitement for the adults here - sure Vin won't even notice. We niether have been in one.

I'm off to kill grammar somewhere else now. xx

Merryberry, Glasgow Pram Centre have some online, but not the one you are looking for sadly.

omg, we spend 4 hours on the a1 & this thread goes mad . home safe & sound, ds was most disappointed daddy wasn't home to greet us, we've been applying serious emotional pressure on the phone. dd was a dream in the car, only about 10 mins screaming at the end.

i'm seriously tempted by the buggy. small & light & they sell for £250 new. only thing i'm not sure about that it doesn't seem to go very flat, but i've seen people use them for newborns.

holiday sounds good mb. glad i remembered right about the hands bagpuss, & pm, i'll ring you tonight.

xxx

oh & we can get pmt together now bagpuss!

lol HC .

Whilst we're on the subject of buggies - could someone please tell me should I buy another Maclaren Techno XT or buy the Techno Classic? Or maybe something else? I'm going round in circles here and need to make my mind up soon as I zoomed off in my car at the weekend without pram in the boot as I had forgotten to put it in! Needs to be something light and smallish to complement my bigger three wheel job which we use for walking. Plus ds2 is sooo heavy now that I know I will struggle to carry him and keep control of the other two should I use the car for the school run (which is likely to begin with). I am sick of looking at baby equipment websites!!

Right, best be off and make some tea for ds1 and dd before they eat the furniture or something!

MB: When we were at John Lewis we picked up a very large, detailed M&P catalog. Very fat. Not apparently available on display (as in you have to do a secret handshake / ask for it etc.) and it did have excellent product shots etc. If I've still got ours (100% unsure) do you want it, or do you go to Brent Cross as religiously as my dw, LOL ?

Your holiday sounds fun ! I proposed to dw in a helicopter. Figured if she said 'no,' I could just give her a large shove. No one would ever know futurehub2dee had been turned down.

hc: if you wanna CAT me, I'll send you photos of a Mountain Buggy Terrain folded up, if that helps. My one has quick release wheels which also helps get it into a small boot etc. I'd agree they are no small, like ultra-compact normal 'umbrella' buggies, but they do fold easily. We get the buggy plus the carrycot into the boot of a Saab convertible which is really pretty teeny tiny. If you have any (very good) friends going to America, the whole range is very much cheaper over there, ITH.

Sorry, Bagpuss30, haven't investigated strollers yet. Erm: Get the XT. OK ?

I can feel a mountain buggy love fest coming here so must control myself - I find fixed wheel no rpoblem, very easy to turn, and I dont think mine lies completely flat but ds and dd2 seem fine in it and it does say you can use from birth, not sure if breeze different. BTW HC, saw that lovely pink mountain buggy in the park today, it is very pretty, maybe you should go back to considering that!

HV came today, finally got a weight for Violet and she is 10.6 so has put on 2lbs since birth which is reassuring. Was also relieved that he doesnt think I am mad for worrying about her birthmark, and agreed it has grown considerably since he last saw her. He said if I get fobbed off again then he will talk to GP about why he thinks she shoudl be referred. Mind you, he could be saying just do it and get the nutty anxious mad mother off your back , and that was before he did my edinburgh test which I think just proved that I may be mad!

Eulalia, what 3 gorgeous children!

Lolasmum - I'd love to meet up next time you're up here. Bagpuss - are you keen as well? Anyone else in the NW?

LOL at Hub's plan B when he proposed to DW!

I'm with everyone who is unsure how they'll manage the school run AND the baby! DS1 is going into year 1 and DS2 into reception, so for the first two weeks (when DS2 is part time) I'll be doing the school run for 9am, 11.30 and 3.15! From the amount of bags strewn around the house, we seem to have bought every item of school uniform John Lewis sells and it all needs name tapes!

Where's your holiday, MB?

Positive buggy vibes to all those who need them!

DD is fast asleep but I have the fidgets. How annoying. I bet she'll wake up as soon as I want to sleep and I'll be goggle-eyed all day.

mrs d - 'twas only a night feed post, not an all-night mumsnetting frenzy on Gski's thread.

Oh yes, officially July 05 is THE Mountain Buggy Lovefest thread.

Munchkin awoke with a hunger last night, let me tell you. 200 mils spread over a couple of hours. Most unusual. Funny thing is, they balance it out, as her feed just now was only 80 instead of, maybe 120....

awww... clever little self-regulating bundle of lurrrrrrve.

OMG Name Tapes! I had forgotten about those. Did an online order for school uniform from M&S the week after I had ds2 and the whole lot is still in its packaging in a drawer -ds1 hasn't even tried it on yet!!!

Mrsd, yes I'd love to do a meet up sometime - we have been surviving on one car over the last few weeks but all being well I will have a new one as of tonight [very excited emoticon]. Have just also remembered that ds1 is part-time at school for 3 weeks - in the afternoons and dd is at nursery a combination of mornings and afternoons so I will be tied up with that for a bit, but maybe end of Sept we will finally be a bit more settled.

PM, you've just reminded me that I really need to find out what ds2 weighs now. Anybody else finding going back to baby routines/equipment etc really difficult? I had forgotten how much stuff you have to cart around and also how long it takes to get out of the house!

LOL hub, you mean there is baby equipment still needing your research .

Right, off to get a headache again trying to decide what to buy .

yes pls H2D, if youhave the M&P catclogue. sorry got to dash now...hossie follow up appt due, xx

Just had ds weighed. 9lbs 9oz, he is 5 weeks old tomorrow.

Forgot to post the link with my whole family here and pic of me not looking too tired I think...

Eulalia's family

On that thread there are links to ds1 and dd. Quite pleased with myself for managing to do all that!

Yes to routine (or lack of). Last night was crazy, ds1 was bouncing off the walls, he tends to be a bit hyper anyway but was worse yesterday. dd wouldn't go to bed and ds2 was irritable and dh decided that was the best time to book our car for our holiday so was tied up on the computer filing out the forms online.

Anyway finally got everyone to bed by 10pm and watched a DVD but I fell asleep in the middle of it.

DH has been using DD's sweet little baby bath to bathe his horrid man-feet, and he doesn't understand why I find that revolting!

DD is having a very shouty day, but the boys are being v sweet

xx