40's + Mums and Mums to Be.

[johnworf]

Hello, good evening, and welcome. Our ovaries are tired and withered but we've still managed it despite what the Daily Mail says!

Come on in for a gossip, cake, parenting tips and the nonstop drivel interesting chat.

Newbies welcome :-)

Congratulations, Herb. Phew that it all turned out well in the end, but very scary for you.
I confess, I am worried about pig flu. Am I really the only person around who is? All my mates seem unconcerned. Tamiflu isn't licenced for babies and isn't a cure anyway. Keep calm, Tabitha, keep calm.

Lanolin is a common ingredient in lots of moisturisers including those for dermatitis and eczema sufferers. I was recommended woollen socks for eczema on my feet! Unfortunately I can't use lanolin-based products on my face or on key eczema flare-up areas but it is supposed to be good for that too.

heron sounds like your scary fall experience has got you fretting. . Can you have a gin or a bar of chocolate (ask MrsB to lob you some) to help you get a bit cheerier? Hope your LO has a restful night and you wake up refreshed

JW The nappy trick worked, thank you. I know it seems obvious but I'm a novice...

night night all. baby went down at 9.30 and I have no idea how long it will last...

You are not the only one who is worried tabitha I am not panicking over it but I admit if I wasn't worried about this I would be worried about something else.

Problem is it will be so widespread and apparently penetrates deeper into the lungs than normal flu viruses so can cause very serious damage.

Still, could be worse - could be the parents of one of those 18yr old boys killed in Afghanistan.

On that maudlin note...

Tab I am concerned about the LOs but not sure what you can do apart from hand washing, the death rate at the moment isn't as high a "normal" flu it's just that doesn't get the headlines like the Swine flu does. I just saw the news and a GP has died as well.

Right it is off to bed time.

OH forgot to say Dawntigger I hope the milk is flowing better.

As usual it has taken ages to catch up. What a weekend for taking down Ambies (been there, done that) and selfweaning from the nork (sorry for you JJ...but beginning to think that is better than having a 21 month old who still wants feeding day and night without a sign of getting disinterested)

JW Good decision....best play safe for both their sakes the consequences of not doing dont bear thinking about

Tee I hope your sling does the trick.if not, I used a home made version of this cost me £5 in stretch jersey from the market...Alex slept and fed in it,just loved...I used it as a sun/light shade over his pram when out...as a picnic blanket...and I still occasionally use it with him on my back now!

Heron Glad lo is ok, dont beat yourself up...my GP told me you wern't a parent until you had let them fall off the bed at least once

Herb Congratulations!!!! Your induction sounds just like mine for the first part...fortunately my lo never got into difficulties but I was warned in the beginning that there was a risk that it could have gone exactly as yours did (he was head down but wasnt engaged). Ditto JJ about does it get back to normal...no I'm now permantly wiping tears from my eyes
for one reason or another....but it is better than the alternative.

Dawntigger Hope everything settles quickly

Bella Welcome and congratulations...I had my DS at 43, he's now 21 mths old. I hope the next few months go happily and uneventfully

Just had a weekend of madly trying to clean the house for visitation of old pal who has been living in Italy for 10 yrs (she's a domestic godess of the highest order and I didnt want to blush at the state of my home in her presence)...we had a fab afternoon of reminicing and laughing and A was absolutely entrance by her...need her to visit more often because he miraculously SLEPT! from 7.45pm-5.00am! and then went back off after a feed until 7am!!!!! Never before...and knowing him polly never again (until he's 14) 'twas amazing!!!!! And this morning we went to pick up Dh from the airport...and A was soooooo thrilled to see his daddy again...he ran to greet him squealing and just hugged him for absolutely ages...it was beautiful....I cried

aww floria how lovely

still sounding v glam though, with the visiting Italian domestic Goddess and all.

/compares own life to Floria's and finds it seriously wanting for glamour...

Oh lordy mrs just read what you wrote about lung and flu That frightens the life out of me for K as her lungs are already damaged.

Myself and DH has decided to cancel today's eye appointment. It's not necessary and the eye exam has shown that her eyes are fine so far. That clinic gives me the shudders when there's no bugs flying around. Talk about dregs of the earth..............

So day 1 of DSS being off. Bless him. He said to me last night 'I'll keep my uniform for Friday when it's play day'. He thinks he can just pop in for the nice day Had to explain to him it's for all of the week......and I've just remembered, once of his classmates has a b'day party at Laser Quest in August (Trafford Centre). Dunno whether to just send the card and gift with an apology (send this weekend so he can invite another child?). Or is that really mean on DSS? I feel awful now but places like Trafford Centre must surely be breeding grounds for bugs? Oh cack. It's a dilemma!

Well DH finally reached the finale of Torchwood but I missed the last one as I fell asleep. He seemed to enjoy it though.

There's a story on DM about a 72 year old trying to have IVF. Not read it yet but made me smile. Goold ol' DM! hehe. I think there's a story above it about a 45 year old who 'left it too late to have a baby'. They're bonkers over there!

Morning all

LO slept from 12 - 3 and 3 - 6...so I think we are back to our 3 hour pattern! He's back asleep now after some food.

JW that would scare me as well. But, again, there ain't much you can do about it. Other than keep her at home, which you were planning on doing anyway. I don't have any advice about the party that DSS is invited to. I don't know what Tafford Centre even is!

floria sounds like a lovely visit with your friend. I don't think I could recreate that sling on my own, fabric and I do not get along!!

tab I guess I just don't worry about things like that. I can see why people would worry, but to me, its a waste of energy. There is no way to block it, as its in the air, and really no way to prevent it. I am sure I will be horribly frightened if Adam or I or DH gets it, but to worry about catching it? Nah.

hedgepig that's exactly it. Thousands die every year from regular flu and we never hear about it because they are usually pensioners. The death rate of Swine Flu is tiny!

tee pleased to hear that A has got himself into something akin to a regular pattern of nocturnal sleeping

Trafford Centre is a mall. A large one at that.

I'm not panicing btw. I'm trying to think of ways that we can reduce our chances of getting it. I mean, realistically, we can't take DSS out of school until March 2010! I think basic hygiene of washing hands, covering nose/mouth when coughing and sneezing etc etc is all you can do. Only other option is to go and live a solitary life on an uninhabited island

Morning all. Oooo, Jw life on an unihabited island has a certain appeal at the moment!
I think you'll be ok in the Trafford centre - it's not like a classroom or hospital when the air change is limited or via air con. Much of the news surrounding the virus is because people are waiting to see if the strain gets worse. The little girl who died is quite close to us - West London. To be honest, round here I'm more concerned with looking into TB than swine flu as TB is literally rife. There is talk in our local council that we can have TB jabs for the under 10s as it's alarmingly prevalent.

floria Awwwww, it sounds like A may have experienced his first crush! So cute. And the happy return of daddy is lovely. I second mrsB .....there's an underlying glamour there! I have glamorous friends....they just don't come round these days!!!

tab HELLO! How's it all going?

hedgepig cheers for the tip - we have now written. It's bonkers - it really is - they've totaly ignored what put on the form. I mean if we were entitled to that amount of money we'd be earning practically nowt! Hope O is feeling perkier.

Oh and on the lanolin front - I'm highly allergic...well, I am if it's in cosmetics and I certainly flared when I used Lanisoh. I think I'm ok to cuddle a sheep though

MIL has Iris today - so it's so the shops for me and Verity...boring chores and the bank.

JJ Trafford Centre is air conditioned AFAIK.

I do not have any glamorous friends - apart from floria

Oh I did think of you y'day floria and your DH coming home and how A would be. Bet A slept soundly last night with daddy on the night watch

JJ if you've got a surplus of money you're not happy with, I'll happily accept it on your behalf!

Aye, TB is on the rise. Frighteningly so. Funny hows it's not reported though. Prolly not scary enough to make the news !!!!

Morning all

Well, 9.30 till 1.30, then another feed at 4.30 and then sleep from 6.30 till now isn't too bad, is it? Esp cos I went to bed at 9.30 which was lovely

JJ and JW I was to see the nasty TB jab scab on my 10 month old niece at the weekend but DSis reminded me they live in Brixton and it's recommended at something like 3 months! Was the same when we lived in Harlesden, although I didn't opt for it. TB has re-entered the UK with people coming to the country from places which never got rid of it, so anywhere with large immigrant populations living in small spaces (ie. most places in or near London) is now advising the jab for babies.

Floria what did your Italian friend do to make the babe sleep? Could it have been your housecleaning exertions with A in sling which wore him out? . Glad DH is back and got a big welcome.

hedge ta for nappy sites. Thus far JW's advice has done the trick but the bigger nappies my sis gave me are different so I will acquaint myself with all possibilities! They are enormous compared to disposables - makes A look like a teletubby - but then that's what we all used to look like, with the added horror of pink frilly plastic pants in my case.

Ah, the sleeping has finished, must go to feed angry baby. He has had sticky eye for 5 days now and cleaning it with cool boiled water and squirting breast milk into it when I have a chance seems to have down nowt. Will ask HV when she comes for her first visit this am.

l8rs xx

I think it's unanimous - floria IS the most glamorous amongst us here! hands floria* sparkly crown, some Manolos and a glittery handbag

jw I'd willingly take the cash - but it's such a huge, random amount. I've put it away (in an off-shore Cayman Island account )but it makes you wonder just how much they're going to ask for back

Think TB isn't addressed because it raises cultural/ethical issues. The UK doesn't require people coming from abroad with visas to have any vaccinations - unlike many other countries. It would basically be seen as a 'dig' at poorer places such as Pakistan and parts of Africa. It's always being talked about here and one primary school has called for injections as parents are home schooling!

The girls are mad as March hares today - like horses in a field with the wind up their tails!!

Shameless x post

Sam went to sleep about 2000 last night, I think he was exhausted. Woke up at 0030, 0230, 0400, 0600 and 0700. I actually got some sleep as I went off soon after he did Am feeling a little better now not looking forward to tonight though!

As for Swine Flu the ABM are saying if you are breastfeeding carry on. If you get the flu you will start to develop anti-bodies which will be passed to your baby.

Information here for our bottle feeders (from the USA).
Here from the NCT it gives some info on breastfeeding as well.

Couldn't find any info for older children sorry

WorriedAboutItAsWellTiggaxx

morning ladies!

I've decided not to fret about piggie-flu. Bog all I can do about it - just up my inhalers -and keep away from the Drs? Although maybe go and see Asthma nurse soon after sprog is born. I am worried about my asthma as after M was born my asthma went really bad and a dose of a bad cold went to my chest and I ended up in A&E. Had a panic attack there and seriously thought I was going to die. So going to do everything to stop that happening again.

jw - have you used lanolin on K before? I don't have diagnosed eczema but lanolin based anything makes my skin go scaly like a lizard - even just one wash with the dispenser soap at work. Also - not wanting to teach you to suck eggs but have you checked K's washing stuff for things containing sodiumlaurethsulphate ? It actually opens up the skin surface, deoils it and makes eczema more likely ... and it is in loads of baby stuff (Johnson and J for example) and all this other crap.

jj is the little one still off the boob? It's really sad to have it come to an end. Nice to have your body back though - and 14 months is brill! Also - fancy swapping places with my sister re: the overpayment? Her xP is now £15,000 in arrears with the CSA (no proper payement since August last year) - but as he pays £100 quid now and again he's not considered an urgent case to chase!!!!!

JW I think the trip to the TC is a difficult one... it would be hard on Dss to miss it... One of the things that my ENT consultant told me was that most virus bugs get killed by mucus in the sinus membranes but if we dehydrate just a tiny bit (2% he said)the membranes dry out and the bugs get in...perhaps if you insist Dss prepares for the trip by drinking lots of water for several days before, has a shower as soon as he gets back and you spray a disinfectant like teatree oil in water round the house you might be able to consider allowing him to go? I must admit that I am concerned but as you say TB is just as rife and worrying( I read a while ago that it is apparently becoming resistant to abs!)
A. did sleep quite well last night thanks.. though a very late nap (due to being too excited about daddys return) meant he didnt go down until 9.45! ... but only woke at 4am and demanded up at 6.00 when Dh gave me an extra hour and a half (bliss!). Dh going off to work this morning was a bit of a trauma though.. tears and cries of "don' go!" (no, not from me, honest!)

Can't help laughing at the "glamourous" tag ...I'm glad no one has suggested a mass meet up as I wouldn't want to spoil the illusion. Actually the friend trained at the RNCM at the same time as me but sadly the voice didnt have what was needed to make it in the business, but she is quite glamourous in a frightfully English/daughter of the colonel crossed with Bohemian sort style... my mother refers to her as the 'butterfly'...I think of her more as a willowy blonde Nigella Lawson.
Oh and meant to say last night to those who feel guilty about los head injuries....try letting it happen twice in 3 days! A. ran round a piece of equipment at gym tots on Thurs, I followed too slowly because he came back rubbing his forehead tearfully saying "head! bump!"... and there was a lump with a bruise forming already! But he didnt want to go home, just let one of the mums (an off duty nurse) look at him and carried on playing...I kicked myself for not watching closer but then on Saturday, we went to pils for dinner, A. ran out of the door into the garden while I was taking my cardi off and promptly fell down 2 stone steps hitting exactly the same place as before!!!..cue lots of screaming (grandmother and aunt as much as A!)... trying to apply an ice-filled towel to the duck egg sized black lump that appeared instantly!...and lots of discussion as to whether a trip to A&E was sensible. He had a comfort bf and a spoon of calpol but showed no sign of sleepiness, wobbliness or problems with vision ...he ate his dinner happily enough and didnt want to sleep until the usual time but I felt/feel like the most negligent mother ever....babies? wait 'till they are toddlers!!!!!!!

bonzo thanks. Not everyone knows that Sodium laureth sulphate is nasty. I check everything - everything being shampoo as she bathes in Oilatum (does this contain it? Not checked. OOOps. Assumed not). I wash her face with water only. As for lanolin, would it affect her skin if it was used on something that she sits on but has been washed and dried? Not sure.

K has started crawling backwards. I could see her trying for past few days and she's finally got the hang of it

Spoken to school and they were very understanding about DSS not going in. No panic throughout the school at all. Only one other off.

We've decided not to send DSS to the party. Of course we feel dreadfully guilty but hey ho. Better no party than him gasping for his breath a week later.

floria awwwww poor A missing his daddy so much Was he holding onto his trouser leg this morning? sniff bonzo you making the most of this week? What have you got planned?

jj- not really that big yet. Am still wearing mostly non-maternity clothes (obv the roomier ones!) and have put on 7kg overall, all in the tummy. Am losing weight from everywhere else! 5 weeks to go till due date and counting... Had scan last week, baby estimated at 4 lb 3 oz, which bizarrely puts it on the 5th percentile even though I reckon it'll be about 7.5 lbs (feels the same as the girls did at this stage).

Hi and thanks for the welcome everyone! My head is dizzy trying to follow everything but sure I'll get the hang eventually.

Pretty uneventful here (thank goodness), often still forgetting I'm pg till I look in the mirror Tomorrow I get my glucose test (argh I hate needles) and next week FINALLY is my first proper midwife's appt. Feels like I've been left to my own devices for months now, prob only weird after the IVF where I was in and out every week at least once......

Otherwise seeing how much stuff I can get on freecycle before I give in and actually have to start spending money!

OMG after Adam ate half a bottle at 6? He fell back to sleep until 10!! As I was falling asleep as well, here on the sofa, we both went back to bed! Nice long lie in for the whole family!

JW so glad there isn't tons of panic and that the school understands why you've taken DSS out. If this really does get as bad as they are predicting, it will be the people staying out who are healthy that, IMHO, will really cause things to come to a standstill.

I'll have to agree about floria being the most glamorous. Especially since its 10:30 and I'm still in my nighty and dressing gown!!

dawn thanks for that link. Of course, with my luck, if we do get it, DH and I will both get it and then Adam will get it because there is no one else to feed him!

I had no idea TB was on the rise. I find that much scarier than swine flu!!

morning, I've had a shower does that make me glamorous??? , it is not a word that has ever been used to describe me.

Interesting about the sodium laurel phosphate Bonzo I can't touch and Johnsons products could it makes my hands sting (so obvioulsy I don't use it on my children) maybe that's what is doing it.

JW will DSS remember the party if you don't mention it?

Ollie is still full of cold he has just fallen asleep so I must rush around and do job...or maybe more coffee .

hedgepig nope. He won't remember the party. By then he'll have been out of school for 3 weeks. A lifetime to a child I won't remind him if you don't! We'll make it up to him by taking him to the park instead.

tee just to give you an idea about TB, the hospital where K was transferred to in Manchester routinely gives all asian babies born there a TB jab. I think if you are white you can request it too. That hospital covers a lot of inner city deprived areas.