The Baby Has Landed

[Sotiredsomuch]

Anyone watching?

I love stuff like this.

I've never seen one of those apron things in real life but if she feels the need to use it in her own house maybe it's because of the camera man (and the thousands of people watching it on TV).

Exactly.

I've seen it being used before in real life

I've seen those feeding aprons used a lot, before they were a thing people used shawls. She was clearly comfortable using it ,no big deal.

There's no way big family man would say yes to another baby if he wasn't happy about it. To me it just looked like a bit of a running joke that had been edited well to make him look like he'd been pushed into it. I do get the impression on MN that 2 kids are the norm and anything more than that is seen as excessive as 2 yorkies

I do think that if he really felt strongly about it he'd say no. Some people are just like that

2 children is the norm though in the U.K. 5/6 kids isn’t.

6 children all under the age of about 8 (?) would be impossible to manage out and about on your own (if husband was at work for example). I mean just walking to a local park or something would be a problem from a safety perspective.

In a childcare settting, the child to adult ratio for under 5s is one adult to 4 children and that's in a secure indoor setting!

I suppose the family would be relying on outside help from a nanny and extended family, grandparents and so on just to operate.

She said she didn’t think she would ever feel she had completed her family. That’s why I think he was worried.

Have tried to catch this programme here and there. Really enjoyed watching the true reality of having a new baby on our screen.

I really liked all of the families. They are all doing their best in the situation they are in, but I'm shocked the family of 5 now want another child . Where do they get the money from? I'm surprised the dad agreed to more. He seems to be not keen on the idea a lot of the time. It's nice the gay couple were willing to show themselves getting a bit snipey at each other when the twins arrived. It was both comical and quite touching. I completely sympathise with the mum getting upset with how she looked and felt. Breastfeeding 24/7 made me feel like that too. It can being really restricting.

Shame this thread has turned to mum bashing and weird comments about class. What has the decor in someone's house got to do with anything too? I'm a bit baffled by these comments as they kind of miss the point of the programme, but this is mumsnet after all and it's sad people have to do this to make themselves feel better. I don't know any parents who follow guidelines to the letter and, shock horror, some of them are middle class!

The SIDS issues simply point to the fact that information is not getting out there when it should be. If you go on to any of the postnatal threads you will read about babies co-sleeping and sleeping on chests, in car seats etc, as the baby will not sleep any other way. Unless you have had one of these babies, it's easy to judge. When I said about co-sleeping to a midwife, she was straight away giving me advice on how to do it safely and I think this kind of advice is also seriously lacking in many places in the country. It is also really unsafe to put a baby in a cot in a room on their own, but these people seem to get less criticism about this.

Was one of the small Nkrumah boys sleeping on a pull out bed? It doesn’t look like they’ve got much space in that house, it’s going to be a squeeze with three teenagers!

We have one of these. They are great for freeing up space in a room to play. My son loves his. I think some kids are a bit of a liability in bunks, my son being one of them! This is a great alternative. The boys are lovely, so can't see that this arrangement affects them negatively, but I will probably change this for my boys when they are teenagers. Surely space is more of an issue with the family of 7 (soon to be 8?) though?

I suppose the family would be relying on outside help from a nanny and extended family, grandparents and so on just to operate

It wasn't so long ago big families were the norm and they didn't have nannies

That's true Mrs my nan was one of 11! They weren't all in such quick succession though.

I bet the father has taken up cricket and is keen to bat without any of the usual protection down there!

If any producers are reading this please please do another show showing these families In a years time!

I’ve been watching it during late night newborn feeds and really enjoyed it. My son is by no means as alert as baby Ramiyah

Also she isn't just in her home, she's on TV. I think it's reasonable to be conscious of what she's showing

Watched this for the first time last night- it really captures the raw emotion and exhaustion of a newborn and has truly squashed any broody feelings I might have been having 🙈. Great program though. Sad I've missed the start.

In a childcare settting, the child to adult ratio for under 5s is one adult to 4 children and that's in a secure indoor setting

Obviously childcare ratios have to err on the side of caution - you are responsible for other people's children. Also ratios do not change when you leave the 'secure indoor setting'. It's 1:4 when you take them out too. I'm sure you'd have strategies to safely take your own children out

I also really felt for Hermisha having a wobble. I remember feeling overwhelmed with emotion and not feeling like my old self in the early days and having real trouble articulating why to my husband!

Agree bigger families were more the norm in the past, perhaps not with such close gaps between them though. There is evidence that having multiple pregnancies in quick succession can increase health complications for mum and baby. It must take a real toll on your body.

On a lighter note poor baby Abigail was practically waterboarded by the vicar

The couple with 5 children just annoy me. Mum obviously has a brain but comes across as pretty stupid. Dad is just a drip. 5 children is already too many and she wants more! Do none of these people think about the future their children are going to face?

Mo should take that job. Ok it's not great being away from his young baby but 2 weeks at a time is not that long. Some men have to work away for much longer periods.

Syler and Mo could likely save if he took that job and get their own place away from the bossy MIL. They are never going to get away unless something changes.

I wonder if Syler's mum is honest, she doesn't want her daughter and grandchild moving out. She certainly wasn't encouraging them in any way and was almost obstructive to any of Mo's ideas to change his situation.

I'm sure she is a lovely woman and has welcomed Mo into her home with open arms but probably enjoys her matriachal role and level of control in that set up.

Mo came across as a real people pleaser really to his own detriment.

Ok it's not great being away from his young baby but 2 weeks at a time is not that long.

It’s basically what the cabin crew dads are doing. They are both working two weeks on and two weeks off.

Catching up. On the Welsh family, I can barely watch it having been there. They're so brave continuing with the show.

WireBrushAndDettolMaam its not quite the same, the cabin crew dads are working 2 weeks on and off, but as I understood it they could have a 4 day trip then a night at home, then a 2 day trip...they arent away for 2 weeks straight. In addition the job could have called Mo at any point to go into work.

It’s basically what the cabin crew dads are doing. They are both working two weeks on and two weeks off

No they aren't,they work either the first two or last two weeks of the month,they aren't away for that long. they also have a really nice lifestyle for cabin crew which isn't well paid afaik
Mo turned down the job as in the end he might have been working away 3 months at a time not the 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off as initially thought.

The SIDS issues simply point to the fact that information is not getting out there when it should be.

I agree with this! When i gave birth I had hardly any information giving to me about SIDS or anything else for that matter. Everything was a rush to discharge me as quick as possible.
The only thing they did keep pushing was breast feeding, everything else was forgotten. I didn't get much information until I met the health visitor.

Those of us with newborns at home, how do you think you'd be portrayed on this show?

I felt for Twin Dad alone with two s screaming babies and a messy house. At least he can drink caffeinated coffee!!!!

I was desperate to feed ds in SCBU and they couldn't have been less interested in helping,all they wanted was for me to express. That was 18 years ago, they kept banging on about breast is best but no sign of it ime.