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

[scarlotti]

New and shiny thread

waves thanks for all the nice messages

can i please get some advice on below (please feel to anwer as many as you like or tell me to .........off)

a) how much your children actually eat during the day? dd is on 3 solids a day but thats only few spoons at each meal (unless mango or yogurt...) i really hate how fussy she is!

b) day time naps? dd sleeps about hour am (9-10 around school run) then 12-2 (hardly ever though usually only an hour) and then 3-4 (agin school run) - can you tell she ONLY sleeps in the buggy?

c) weight - i havent lost any (here is where you tell me you havent gone skinny ok?)

d) how much water yout babies drink during the day

e) how many milk feeds in a day

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaase and thank you

and I am on facebook now can I join you guys?

yeah i think you just have to search for mumsnet november 09 group, with a knitted boob and one of us will accept your request

a) how much your children actually eat during the day? Too much he is an absolute dustbin. He eats 2/3 of one of those tommee tippee pots of food for each meal, sometimes he will have a bit more. He also likes a bit of rusk or toast in the morning. And today, well, he stuffed anything he could get his hands on! He had his normal food and then a munch on a baby bel (not my idea) and bit of avocado, two bits of brocolli and a chunk of home made pizza crust . BUT, it does not matter how much they get if they are having milk. Food is Fun Until they are One - that the old mantra isn't it? It is about introducing, opening their senses to taste texture and learning to chew, swallow etc much more than nutrition and amount at this age.

b) day time naps? at your naps. Bear cub is quite random. He did have a vague routine, at around 9am for 1-2 hours then 2pm for the same. Now, it is hit and miss. Maximum 1 hour at anytime between 9am-midday, same in afternoon but more often than not he will crash at midday for an hour, and often power naps for 10 mins on the boob 3-4 times! I wish I had a better grip on that.

c) weight - No Comment I had a sicky pg though.

d) how much water yout babies drink during the day - i offer water at each meal now, from a free flow sippy cup. He gets probably a couple of table spoons in total each time? Guessing there, he gulps it back, but also sends lots back out in a big arch . Although for some reason he likes to drink straight from an open cup and guzzles that.

e) how many milk feeds in a day - 6am /9am/just after lunch (12-1pm ish)/3-4pm/7pm (both sides)/11pm/2am/4am/5am - any other time he wants it tbh, and sometimes I miss the 6am one/one after lunch and the morning/afternoons can be earlier/later and the night ones vary too. So 9 including evenings? Oh thats a lot isn't it? I am working on the 2/4/5am ones!

Does that help?

Ioan is a food monster so bear that in mind here!
a) 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks. Meals are 2oz food pots then pudding which is 2oz pot of fruit or a petit filous. Breakfast this morning was a whole weetabix! Snack is a pot of petit filous or some fruit.

b) On a good day we get 0.5 hour around 9:30, 1.5 hour after lunch and then 0.5 around 4ish.

c) I lost it, then found it again so am now starting to think about exercise. The trek I'm doing will be my motivation!

d) barely any, on a mission to increase it as he's getting constipated

e) he's dropped them himself down to morning (can be as early at 3am), bedtime and dream feed at 10pm I miss them.

dwb sorry your dh did not get the job. fingers crossed for some change of luck for you both work wise.

Talking of work, i spoke to my new boss yesterday, as I have changed teams. Going in for a 'keeping in touch' day in july to attend a team meeting and meet the new team (its new for us all, they have gone and 'reorganised' back to how they were years ago!), check out my new desk, and generally get back to the feel of it all. With sickness, leave etc, I have been out of the work loop over a year. Although I was there, it was so sporadic I lost touch. I am, I think, quite looking forward to it. Don't get me wrong. I love being at home with the children, but ML is sort of limbo land, I feel like I am sort of 'waiting' now. When I am back, we can get a routine going which will be how we will work from then on. And I am hoping they will accept my flexible working proposal, cutting my hours down from 32 to 21, do you think it would be doeable to ask to start if from septemver though? easier all round with new school for DD and DS in nursery.

thanks girls thats really helpful

so you know she does sleep during the day but ONLY in the pushchair as she got used to it because of the school run so now even at the lunch time nap i have to "shake" her aroung in the buggy for a litlle bit otherwise she would scream the house down if she was anywhere near her cot! i know it is really bad habit

i am going to work in september too. cannot afford not to really. but cutting down from working full time to 4 shorter days in the office and friday short day from home. not sure how i will cope. think will cry buckets but it has to be done! financially and also i am better mother if i have a life...

ooh cannot work facebook yet. only started yesterday. please help.

Koumak lovely to see you back

DWB sorry about the job. One door closes, and another opens, and all that... Hope things fall into place soon. x

Still no teeth here either Though according to my mother this means he can't possibly be biting me I did offer to latch him on to her to see if she thought differently!!

a) Three meals a day here - a pot in the morning (have just converted grams to oz, and that's around 4.5oz), normally a 5oz of mush for lunch, though recently he has been having finger foods as he doesn't like eating in the heat, then 4oz + 1oz of fruit purée for dinner. Sounds like such a lot But this seems to be the amount he is happy with, and he by far prefers solids to milk unless he is tired or upset

b) Day time naps? What's that? He will sometimes have a few short ones, or one mammoth one. Today he had two lasting about 45mins each. I have given up trying to get him to sleep during the day. Just results in us both being more stressed than necessary. He will sometimes sleep in the buggy.

c) I haven't weighed myself. People keep telling me how good I'm looking but I still feel like I'm at least six months pregnant appearance wise.

d) A little after every solid meal. The rest of the time he just wants to play with it

e) Today he has had six I think. Though they are only around ten-fifteen minutes on each side. Nights - normally three. A hugeeee one in the morning.

God he eats a lot

DP has to work this weekend So I am stuck here going to hopefully grab lunch with him on Sunday. Though my mum did offer to have Bryn on Saturday night so I could go to the cinema with my friends, which I really appriciated; she was telling me how I still needed to be Me for a bit, not a daughter, not a mother, not a girlfriend, just Me. I was quite touched. She drives me bonkers but sometimes she does say and do exactly the right thing. Unfortunately my friends now have to do an extra shift at work. But the thought was there

i have just requested to join facebook!

i havent been out since dd's arrival. very not with dh or by myself. come to think of it i am never alone. so enjoy!

do you need to know my name or anything? see i told you i know nothing about facebook.

When you try and join the group, someone will add you and then we will all see your name on the group membership and can add you

thank you! i am in! great to see you all!
now am i supposed to add you as friends individually or not or what

Yes - if you go to the members list then you can add us all (if you want ).

i have tried... but off to bed now. thank you and goodnight

Hi ladies - I keep checking in and then remembering that I am online when you all are sleeping (or trying to!) which makes me feel a little out of the loop. I should try to get online in the morning when I have a chance of catching your afternoon.

I'm starting to look for jobs, having enjoyed 6 months of stay-at-home-mothering, but alas our savings are running out and we're starting to feel a bit strapped and ready to have some more income.

The 6 month mark seemed to bring on a slew of new developments - M seems like a whole new baby these days! Stronger, more willful, better coordinated, more interested in eating solids (I've been lazy at introducing them), sitting up like a champ, babbling away, smiling at everyone (including some people I'd rather not make eye contact with!), staying awake and going longer between feeds.

Apologies again for not adding anyone back on Facebook - it's a decision I made to protect my husband's privacy, I have nothing against you lovely lot!

SirBoobALot I heartily agree with your mum - so hard to find Me time these days, and I never know what to do when I chance upon it!

a) how much your children actually eat during the day? I'm not sure, maybe two spoonfuls of mushy food but she seems to be constantly chewing on bits of this and that.

b) day time naps? Really varies. Sometimes we get a good couple of hours but generally half an hour here and there, generally in my arms after a feed which can be a bind.

c) weight - No idea, but really not skinny! Still got a belly.

d) how much water yout babies drink during the day- None. She's breastfed so no need.

e) how many milk feeds in a day- Blimmin' loads! It seems whenever I pick her up, she wants a feed. I'm sure it is habit a lot of the time tbh. She has massive feeds first thing in the morning and last thing at night, then "snacks" all day.

a) how much your children actually eat during the day? Breakfast:3/4 dessertspoons of porridge, a little fruit and few bites of toast - Lunch: finger food and yoghurt - Dinner: pre-prepared meal from feezer - spoonfed 3/4 ice cube sized and dessert.

b) day time naps? if woken at 6am, 45 mins before we leave for school run. 10.30am for 1 hr, 2.30pm for 2 hrs

c) weight - Back to normal weight (but lost loads in the first 4 months of preganancy with MS)

d) how much water your babies drink during the day- Approx 1 beaker a day

e) how many milk feeds in a day- morning, late afternoon, bedtime, 2/3 during night

Scarlotti Sorry Ioan is still constipated. The apricots would work on the same day of eating them. Have you tried them on Ioan? You could mix up a compote with prunes for breakfast, or mix some in with his porridge. Never tried the brown sugar remedy but heard about it. I've also used diluted orange juice. Does Ioan enjoy fruit?

Hello Longway Good to see you back!

DWB Sorry your DH didn't get the job.

Have been awake since 4am C has now gone back to sleep and I'm catching up on lots of Eastenders that I've missed. I'm going to pull DH out of bed when C wakes up and I'm back off to bed!!

Have a lovely day ladies

scarlotti Just thinking back to DS1 and his constipation. He was fussy with taking water (still was until recently!) In the end I had to give him very diluted apple juice.

longwayaway lovely to see you again

SirB sorry your friends are now busy, but your Mum is right you need some me time.

Fruit he does enjoy fruit, he ate the apple/apricot compote and wolfed it down but it's not moved things. When you give C porridge, how do you make it up? Sounds odd but I'm used to doing a lot in a pan for DS1 - do you nuke it in a bowl? I think it might help more than ready brek. He takes a little water with diluted juice but nowhere near enough. I wish he would take a beaker a day! Think I need to make it a priority and remember to constantly offer.

Had a good night last night, although he was in with me from 11:30 as he kept coughing. He likes to sleep on his side which he can't do in the hammock. Meant he slept through though until 4, when I gave his dummy and then he slept again until after 5 so I fed him. Slept again then until 6:45!! {shock} I feel like a new woman.
Of course, now it's tempting to have him in with me to get a decent sleep!! DH keeps miming the rod I have on my back

I have a question .. mainly to those with older dc, but welcome any opinions!!
For my findraising efforts I am thinking of having a stall at a local community fair type thing. I am thinking of doing a stall where you buy a blank card and then choose some crafty embellishments in a pick and mix style. Thought something along the lines of £2 for the card and 5 chosen 'bits'.
I am wondering if I should try and sort out a way for the children to stop (with their parents!) and make the card, or whether this is a step too far. I like the idea, but would need others to help me so I have more hands on deck iyswim.

1. Do you think it's a good idea?
2. does the price sound ok?
3. do you think I need the area for them to make their card, or will taking a little pack home be ok?
4. if the craft area is a winner, can I charge a little more for them to sit and make it? A bit like eat-in or take-away?

Thanks

Guess I should make it clear that the area I'm thinking would be a little table and chairs, where I put out some crayons/glue/scissors etc and they can spend 10 mins making the card under the supervision of their parents.

I have loads of craft stuff here so won't need to buy it, will need to buy crayons/glue/plastic bags for the cards etc.

1. Do you think it's a good idea? Yes
2. does the price sound ok? I think £1.50 or £1.75 sounds like a better price.
3. do you think I need the area for them to make their card, or will taking a little pack home be ok? you could do both
4. if the craft area is a winner, can I charge a little more for them to sit and make it? A bit like eat-in or take-away? I would keep it simple and have one price

Hope that helps.

scarlotti I've used porridge oats but do find them a struggle to get to the right consistency. I have bought the baby porridge and C takes to them far better. I have some ready brek but not used it yet.

Good afternoon to you all. Still struggling to retain information against the backdrop of dd1's constant whitter but I'll try. We had such a hard day yesterday - dd2 didn't sleep at all really and won't let me leave the room so I can't do anything! DD1 also had booster jabs, and we were running late so she was zooming down the hill on her scooter whilst I jogged (!) alongside her with the pram. She hit the base of a steel fence support which sticks out into the pavement and landed face first. Thank goodness she was wearing a helmet otherwise she'd have been in hospital. She escaped with a few bruises, but we still had to dash to the GPs before she was calmed down fully. The nurse giving the jabs was obviously hurried by our lateness, but she didn't take the time to speak to dd1 about her accident and calm her down, despite her being hot, bothered, shaken and emotionally fragile. So the needles came out and dd1 went beserk. DD2 was taken off me and given to the receptionist (where she went berserk because I wasn't in the room) and I literally had to hold dd1 in a full body restraint whilst she got these jabs. I wouldn't be surprised if she was scarred for life . I then had to get tea ready, recieve a call from a fragile friend and get everyone fed, bathed and in bed before 7 so we could go and see Reginald D Hunter. MIL arrived half an hour early amidst all of this which was most inconvenient. DD2 apparently screamed from when we shut the door until 10:30pm. SO I reckon that was a maximum of ONE HOUR's sleep she had from 4am to 10:30pm yesterday [exasperated sigh]. Thankfully she slept until a feed at 7am and then again until 10:30am today, otherwise we would all be in the loony bin. Reg was good though. It was nice to get out.

DWB sorry about DH's job. How was everyone else, especially your brother?

Scarlotti lovely idea. I agree £1.50 is better. You could maybe have lollies or something to charge extra for if they sat and made cards.

lonwayaway good to hear from you.

koumak your questions are very revealing. Here are my answers:
a) how much your children actually eat during the day? DD2 is baby-led-weaned and is currently on 2 meals a day. Today she has had a slice of melon and a quarter of a slice of toast. She'll much on 3 sticks each of 3 different types of veg for tea and may eat most or none of them.

b) day time naps? I am SO of these sleepy babies. As I said, 1 out of 18 hours yesterday, and one hour's nap so far since 10:30am so far today. She can't do napping any more for some reason.

c) weight - I'm back to my old weight but on a freakish diet due to intolerances. I'll balloon when I stop bf.

d) how much water your babies drink during the day - she is offered the sippy cup after meals and sips a lot but the water level doesn't seem to drop much.

e) how many milk feeds in a day - usually (ish) 4am, 6am, 930, before lunch, 2 more before tea, 6:30pm. And more if she wants/it is hot.