November 09 - solids and crawling underway but sleepless nights still here to stay!!

[scarlotti]

New and shiny thread

Tamlin welcome back, glad the move went well but hope it cools down soon for you.
I've just started to loose some of my baby weight, I've lost 18lb but still have another stone to go.
jemjabella Good luck with the camping, I would be interested to know how you get on, we've just sold our tent and got a caravan but haven't ventured out yet, I hope we won't keep the whole campsite awake!
My dsil is going home later today, I'm going to miss her company and help.

Hope you all have a great weekend and hope the christening goes well jucylips

Nice to see you Tamlin. I remember that heat when we lived in America. We'd go from air conditioned house to air conditioned car to air conditioned mall. Stepping outside was like opening the oven door. We did have loads of amazing outdoor pools in the neighbourhood though. Have you looked into that? I would spend the whole summer in the water and my hair turned blonde in the sun, then blue from the chlorine

Tigger well done on completing your course. Are you going to be an adviser as a job or voluntarily? I'd like to do something like that.

Jem and Pav have fun camping! Where do you put the babies - in bed with you or are your tents big enough for travel cots? It sounds fun!

laugs in theory baby goes into his own travel cot. You can buy camping ones which take up much less space than the 'pack n play' one we have, but DH is not impressed as he thinks bear cub will just cry as not enough room to move around in it, but think that will settle once he has got bored with moving (although, not sure if that will ever happen ). The good thing with us taking the pack n play one is we put it outside the tent in shade and let him play when we need to/he wants to. We have a soulpad which is quite big, and nice and airy in the day so he can go in there in his cot if too hot.

But the reality is, he spends half the night in it, and half the night in with me as I get fed up with the up and down and up and down to see to him .

laugs in theory baby goes into his own travel cot. You can buy camping ones which take up much less space than the 'pack n play' one we have, but DH is not impressed as he thinks bear cub will just cry as not enough room to move around in it, but think that will settle once he has got bored with moving (although, not sure if that will ever happen ). The good thing with us taking the pack n play one is we put it outside the tent in shade and let him play when we need to/he wants to. We have a soulpad which is quite big, and nice and airy in the day so he can go in there in his cot if too hot.

But the reality is, he spends half the night in it, and half the night in with me as I get fed up with the up and down and up and down to see to him .

Sounds like a normal night in our house then! I just looked at Soulpads - Pav you discerning camper, you are glamping!

Nonononono THIS is glamping We do have a swathe box, with coloured sparkly muslin, some mobiles (one with 'love' on), some windchimes, and lots of tealight lanterns I am not allowed to take most of it this time due to space, apparantly. I am also not allowed to take our kingsize duvet . However, DH insists he likes a sleeping bag, fine, but i don't so he can sleep in a sweaty bin bag but I am taking a single duvet for me

I just force fed some medicine down bear cub due to a temp and croaky voice, and he cried and screamed, and when I gave him some milk to calm him after he bit me! like 'got you back mama!' the cheek, and it hurt, with his one single new sharp tooth!

Oh all that talk about camping! Very brave.

Not much to report from here, mainly because I'm fed up with talking about how bad the nights still are. DH went to Vienna for the weekend to celebrate the 33rd birthday of a friend who lives in London too
And Paula and I will fly to my parents on monday. All the flights so far have been really easy but I'm a bit worried about this one as I'm on my own and I am not convinced she will be happy with sitting all the time (tube, train, airport, plane, car) and no opportunity to crawl. DH will join us after 10 days and then we'll come back together.

Oh, and I hope everyone will have a nice and sunny weekend!

Help! I woke up in the night with one boob feeling very bruised and tender. It doesn't actually hurt to feed. Does this sound like a blocked duct? What do I do, just keep feeding on that side? This is so typical, because James slept until 5am without a feed and I bet that is why as my boobs are used to being drained far more often. Grr and Humpf!

Laugs It might just be your boobs adjusting to feeding less? Or is it more painful than the usual engorgement? I've never had any problems bf, touch wood, so can't help much! Hope you feel better soon. x

It's just painful in one area, with a slight red patch. . Just hope it doesn't develop

I vaguely remember reading something about feeding with the baby's chin pointing towards the sore bit so maybe change position if that would work?

laugs I have had that, it went after a couple of days, i think it was a change it amount of milk being needed with weaning/bottle introduced etc. Can you get some savouy cabbage, have heard that can help?

Roo is saving 'mummmm mummmm' i am not sure he is directing it at me, although he says it in my direction, so i am pretending he is saying it with meaning! DD is now saying to him every 5 mins 'say bella, say Beeeellllla!'

Laugs Check out kellymom site, it might help. My boobs have become engorged this week as C wasn't feeding as much.

We're not sure if C has chicken pox. He hasn't been feeling too well this week, which I had put down to teething. Lots of spots have come up on his chest and tummy, but he seems much brighter today. Could be a mild form of chicken pox or a viral rash (doesn't look like heat rash). I think it's too early to say, maybe in a day or two. DS1 hasn't had chicken pox, so will catch this if it is. But, do I stay home?? C is happy and eating well today. I'm not sure what to do. It's the weekend and I don't want to trek to an out of hours GP as I don't think he'll be able to confirm a diagnosis. I am going to stay clear of people and children for a few days as a precaution. Does anyone have words of advice?

Pav It's so lovely when they call your name! I'm also mummmmm mummmmm and it gets louder the hungrier he is!

I can't remember who came up with the pancake tip and fresh fruit. But, thank you! I made one for C for breakfast and he loved it Such a nice change to toast or cereal.

I'm making pizz tonight with my own pizza dough (without salt). Not tried it yet, but hope my efforts are appreciated by my DS'.

Please let's keep the food tips coming!

Laugs- Yes, sounds like it...nurofen (NOT paracetemol) or if you're into natural things pulsatilla...use cold not warm as it will bring swelling down and feed feed feed. If yu start feeling feverish or fluey get to a dr asap!

I read that too DWB but don't think I'll be able to do it with the position it is in. I have been feeding him more on that side, but don't want the other to become engorged. Why not paracetamol Turtle? I can't take nurofen as am asthmatic. I don't feel unwell anyway so hopefully all will be well.

fruit we had blueberry pancakes this morning too. Yum. They went down well with all 4 of us. Your pizza sounds like a good idea.
I'd probably try and stay in if it looks like he might have chicken pox. I guess you would know by tomorrow. Can you and DH take it in shifts to leave the house so you stay sane?

Laugs I remember having something like that a while ago. Keep feeding from that side and if you can, massage the sore area when you're feeding. As turtle says, any flu like symptoms is a trip to the docs.

Fruit tbh, if it is chicken pox he will have been contagious for a good few days before the spots come out so don't worry too much about staying indoors. Obviously don't go to a kiddies party or anything, but things like trips to the park is fine. The spots are the end of the incubation period - which can be anything up to 21 days. Your other DS may well still get it up to about another fortnight.
A great natural remedy for the itching is an oat bath - fill a stocking up with porridge oats and hang it over the tap when you run a bath so the water runs through it. The milky water is great for relieving itching. If you want the medicine route then piriton is great but am not sure how old they need to be for that.

One of my favorite quick go-to dishes lately is store-bought tortellini (it keeps for a long time in the fridge) that I boil and then saute with whatever other yummy things I have lying around (last time it was fava beans and sun-dried tomatoes and some goat cheese). I haven't tried yet but presumably the LO could eat some of the plain boiled tortellini pre-sauteing?

On the subject of rashes - M has had a mild red rash around the top of her chest for a while but in the last couple days it's gotten dry & flaky looking and she's started scratching it until it bleeds I don't think it's anything to do with laundry detergent as it really coincides with the area of her skin not in contact with clothing - it's the bit of her chest exposed to sun when we're outside, for instance. I guess that makes it a heat rash? But we're having a particularly cold summer here so that would be rather ironic...

Pav he is definitely talking about you

longwayaway it may well have been dribble rash? but has become fungal, bear cub had this, under his chin and on his neck, doc gave us some canistan type stuff and this cleared it no problems, he said it was common.

Oh and meant to say fruit as well as an oat bath, camonile tea in the bath is also great for releiving itches and healing the skin quickly. Just make up two cups of camomile tea (brew for 5 mins) and pour into the bath water (its actually quite relaxing for us mothers too )

Hello ladies, well we are back to our talkative selves aren't we?

Love all the food tips and can't wait to try the pancakes idea, thanks for that...turtle?

Am cross. My mum is here visiting and so DH and I had arranged a lovely evening out having dinner with our friends on their houseboat. But I am ill . Some kind of yucky virus, the details would be way TMI. So I am in bed. If I don't move I am fine. If I do, serious nausea attacks and horrible belly feelings. Urrgh. Should go down and suggest a film to watch with my mum. Such bad timing.

Luckily Roo went off to sleep fine and I am hoping for another night like last night. After 2 weeks of horrible bedtimes exacerbated I think by separation anxiety I started putting her down fast asleep as I said. Still lots of wakings through the night and screaming blue murder. But last night...No wake up (that I heard anyway) til 6.30am. WOOOOOOOO! Thought that was why I felt sick in the morning - too much sleep.

Have obviously cursed it now. What happened after your long sleep night laugs?

How was the christening juicy? Was it today?

it's tomorrow MissI, Hope you feel better soon. What a pain to be ill when you have a chance to go out, it seems to always happen to us when we get a night out.

I am almost prepared for tomorrow. Still have a few things to do but am leaving them til tomorrow morning. Have been running round like a blue-arsed fly today. House is much tidier. Cake is decorated (store bought though) DD's outfit is ready, and DS's Shirt is hung up but he is staying over at his Nana's tonight as he wanted to stay so they are bringing him back in the morning before we go to church. I delegated a few jobs to mum in the end. Will report back tomorrow evening!

Have a lovely day tomorrow Juicy

MissI What a shame about your evening. Hope you feel better after a good nights rest.

Laugs How are you feeling?

Thank you for all the CP advice. I'm thinking it's more of a viral rash now. C seems in good spirts and the spots look less red. I'm living in hope that they are CP as he's got away lightly with them. Tomorrow should be more telling.

I made my pizza dough but C couldn't hold out for it to rise as he was chewing his hand off! I had to whizz up a meal of cod, pasta and cheese sauce. He is managing to spoon feed his meals with the help of me loading his spoon and alternating with 2 spoons, one for him and one for me. It makes life easier when BLW as it's so much cleaner! DS1 ate his way through 2 pizzas! They were a fair size and he really enjoyed helping me put the toppings on. I've made extra dough for the freezer.

Longway Hope the rash calms down. Like pav mentioned, could be dribble rash. If the tortellini doesn't contain much salt then it should be fine for LO's.

I really need to get more organised in the kitchen and plan our meals better. We have spoilt ourselves the last couple of weeks by food shopping in M&S. I love their food. Their mint truffle chocolate bars are lovely. I've had to top up with the supermarket for other supplies. Can't do it every week, but the odd time for a treat.

Hi, not had a chance to catch up properly but will do in a mo! Just wanted to say welcome back to Tamlin hope you are feeling more settled now and keep in touch more!

I have taken some tentative steps in making new friends over here and joined some on-line Mother and toddler groups. The first group I'm going to is a reading group at the local library, everyone brings a book and takes it in turn to read to the other children, sounds like fun!

My stuff turns up tomorrow that we have shipped over, I can't wait, especially as like you Tamlin I have been without the high chair, but also can't wait to have both the kids toys here. Also, we did a massive shop this weekend and bought lots of household things to make the apartment more homely. It's all coming together!

Right, I'll catch up now, hope everyone is ok and having a good weekend!

I've caught up!

laugs hope you are feeling better, try massaging your boob in the shower, use the shower head and aim at the sore area and move down towards the nipple, hope that makes sense! I did this when I was engorged and it helped.

Fruit how is C today? Better I hope...

missinterpret oh no, poor you. Tis sods law, hope you feel better soon and can re schedule your night out.

juicy How did the Christening go? Hope you had a lovely day!

Waves to everyone else!