susyp

hi just to say really that as someone that went through the whole reflux/colic thing i really feel for you - but it does get better. in my experience giving up dairy etc didn't help. sometimes when they are little they have a mire of intolerances that they grow out of and you can't possinly work out each one if you are breastfeeding. my daughter had loads but now at 5 is dairy allergic and soya/beef intolerant - which is manageable. best to get onto neocate asap perhaps. i still get a bit upset when i get emails from friends saying how easy they are finding the first few months - my boss did this recently and i felt really miserable all day. it's so hard when every hour is a struggle but there are plenty of us out there who experienced this and you are not alone in this . susypx

yes my mum kept lots of stuff and it is really nice that my daughter can play with it. this is my dilemma with the happyland stuff - we have so much of it and it would be nice to keep it so maybe i will just try and store it nicely somehow- i was obsessed with that sort of stuff for years as a child so thought it would last but she seems not so much into playing - prefers to be out and about or doing something arty. And we do have some nice non plasticky stuff too which to her credit she is still playing with! (girl with more taste than her mum!) think i might get the trofast stuff as you can get lids which helps with the battle with dust and it seems that you can get shelves so when she is older it could just turn into something a little more grown up with little baskets. total copout and pebbles i love your idea but i am not as arty as you = plus half our house is still plaster so if the paintbrush comes out it's doing the walls! i got some lovely fairy lights today so she has gone to bed thrilled - about to put up the ones i got for the lounge to make me thrilled ! the nesting instinct that i never got when i was pregnant seems to have arrived 5 years on! susypx

2 questions! 1) how ruthless are you with your children's toys - i have just begun getting rid of literally baby toys from my 5 year old's room as it is just out of control now. Hubbie and daughter are very resistant so i am doing it subtly once a week (bag full) and no-one has yet noticed. She has 2 big boxes of happyland stuff which she never plays with but did once love. I was thinking of ebaying the lot and promising her the money - she has just started getting pocket money so you never know - or next time she asks for something saying she can have it in exchange. Not sure this will work so may just have to get rid of it slowly also, i am not sure she will notice! 2) we currently store her books in an expedit system from ikea - it's pretty big but she has a lot of books and more with mammoth selections from the library - this is fine as seems to be her main interest other than drawing (and that;s another storage story!). apart from that everything is in ikea plastic boxes. What do you use for your children that won't look babyish when they are in junior school - seen the ikea trofast and stuva systems - not sure if they would work for older kids though? recommendations please? love the gltc stuff but just so expensive. any ideas on making her room lovely would be brilliant! thanks susypx

i think it was the new conditioner I used - she has seemed better - i gave her some antihistamine and it's been fine since then. weird the things they're allergic to! thanks for all the advice much appreciated! Susan

meatballs are good as you can premake them and the sauce - sometimes i even pre cook the pasta if it's likely to be a really bad day! omlette also really good for an after school supper- i find things that are easy to eat work better. susypx

thanks sunbob yes i have come across eric before, when we had no 2 problems! great website . i don't mind her being in nappies it's just that she is ocnstantly (and i mean constantly) getting urine infections. Although she has come down with a stresming cold today which might explain some of her symptoms (although obv not the sore foo foo when weeing). I've put white vinegar in her last 3 baths now which does seem to have calmed it down - it's worked in the past . i might just make it her daily routine from now on - she doesn't seem to smelly to vinegary! susypx

yes thanks someone told me that a while ago as well - i do it sometimes but havent tonight - i just have all the sheets and everything in one big drawer so it doesn't take so long - it is nice if you layer it up though - i've been known to do 4 layers ! it's just the washing that gets tome. susypx

yes we did try the potty the time before last and she never used it, but you never know. Good idea about how many wees and just believing her. On holiday I did say to her that if she had a dry nappy she could have a chocolate bar before breakfast which she was quite excited about , but never managed it. She has seriously had about 7 doses of antibiotics in the lsat year. I'm putitng away the bubble bath too - obviously that could be a cause of the infections too susypx

right, firstly arggghhhh. we went back to night time nappies 2 weeks ago. And now, it hurts when she wees again - so another infection! arggg. I have put white vinegar in her bath - told her to try and not wee in her nappy and to use the toilet of course - the nappies are only there to catch accidents. She just came down straight after i put her to bed to say that it hurt as she had weed n her nappy. Now i know you aren't meant to make a drama out of night time wetting but i know she was awake and she still weed in her nappy. It's so bloody annoying. Her nappies have been sodden the past 2 weeks - so obviously she wakes up and does a wee. It's driving me demeted that she won't even try. so now because her foo foo was hurting we have taken off her nappy - put back down the waterproof sheet and bed mats and back to no nappy as i really think it is giving her infections. I can't work out what is worse - getting up twice in the night to change sodden sheets or going to the doctor every fortnight to get antibiotics. And they often don't believe me as she has no temperature but i can tell by her saying it hurts and she becomes really really grumpy and has tummy ache too. is there a chance that she could learn to be dry at night if we stick at it?? She doesn't wake up to wee - but i know she wakes up in the night a couple of times and rearrangs her toys as i shared a room wth her on holiday! So i've told her to get up and wee then but she';s so bloody stubborn about going to the toilet anyway she just won't. Even in the day she waits until she is absolutely bursting to go before she goes. feeling very wound up about this - needed to vent! I did get a little cross with her now but maybe it will make her realise she does actually need to try and do this. I never tell her off for wetting the bed when it happens - but to wee in her nappy 2 secs after i have left was really really annoying. susypx just to add - would there be any point at all in doing a half way house - ie no nappy for the first half the night (when i presume most wees happen) so that she has to go to the toilet just before going to sleep , and then i can lift her at 10pm - to wee - so she gets used to that - and then stick a nappy on. Presumably that would mean that the nappy might not get so wet that it gives her infections? She's been coming downstairs in her nappy in the mornings whereas really i should insist that she takes it off first thing and gets in the bath - she's being really difficult and shouty at the moment so sometimes I just can't take the fight first thing, but i think she needs to start realising a nappy is only for accidents - it's not a toilet!

Since the end of last week my daughter has had a really itchy scalp at the base of her hairline. I had used a children's conditioner on it for the first time - so assumed it was that - it was worse last week and she had scratched so much it was bleeding in parts. So i washed her hair again to wash out any residue conditioner. Since then it's been a bit better but today she has started scratching quite a lot again. I haven't washed her hair for about 4 days as i thought maybe washing it too much would irritate it. I've checked for head lice - she has auburn, quite fine hair, and i would have thought that by now i would have seen something? I've read about tgel shampoo being good for eczema on the scalp but it's not for under 12s - she is 5. I'm a bit perplexed. I suppose I should take her to the GP next week, but is there anything i can do over the weekend - can i use a tiny bit of tgel on her? susypx

Well last night I successfully lifted her, only to find her completely sodden at 430am. We are back in nappies and she is getting a new DVD as a reward for trying. But going to put nappy on after stories as suggested and make her do wee first as she always wees in it at story time. But I am satisfied she can't wake herself to wee. Will try again next summer! She ll be 6 then which seems a key age from some of the advice here. Susypx

she did ask for a nappy tonight but only as she said it felt weird not wearing one - she says she doesn't need it - but i know the minute i put it on her she'll be weeing til kingdom come. i auspect we will carry on with this until she gets her first chronic cough of the winter (ie next week) and then back to nappies as i definitely won't be waking her then. susypx

i've just put my daughter to bed and already miss her even though she is going to year 1 so i should be used to it. time for wine.... susypx

thanks for both your messages! very encouraging. She thinks she has "got the hang of it" so i can't really put her back into nappies now. So will just crack on. She definitely doesn't wake up to wee so the key seems to be getting her bladder emptied at the right times. Just was finding it awkward as she is very competitive with our neighbours daughter and sometimes she has come running out the front to see her when still in her nappy - under her pjs but I would hate the other little girl to notice!! And her bottom looks better already - its had septic spots for about 2 months now with on and off antibiotics whenever she feels ill - they've all gone now so i think this is the right way to go. WIll look at those protectors - we've been using the pampers mats which are very good at soaking up but it has still spread up to her toys on a couple of occasions - teddy can go in the wash but we also have one of those build a bear ones with a sound in so that can't !. susypx

My daughter is 5 and I have just persuaded her to forgo nappies at night. She was never dry but definitely at times choosing to wee in the nappy and also has urine infection every few months which are hard ti shake and I think down to her very wet nappies at night She was very proud as first few nights were dry- I lifted her at 10pm . However one night she refused to go to the toilet and had 2 accidents. Another night she wouldn't wee and had an accident. We had a talk and I woke her up fully then and that might was dry after a successful lifting. However tonight I went in at usual time and she was already soaked. I try and feed her by 5 but last few nights she has eaten very slowly and so finished about 530 hen had her drink after meal and is in bed by 7. I am guessing I need to bring her meal time maybe half a hour earlier , but I am getting disheartened. I just suggested a nappy but she said no and I think it is good she has mentally dropped nappies, but I see months and Months of washing ahead? Any advice now I am here? Thanks!! Susypx

I would definitely call, at the least it sounds like a family who could do with some support. I am sure you can be anonymous. I have no idea what the procedure is but at the least surely they would send around a social worker to see if they need some help. Better than doing nothing i think. Tis tricky though I know. susypx

also after a term of struggling i finally found that it helped to have a proper routine when you get home - she was so tired and grumpy and i was so disappointed that she was like that - school was fine she was just so tired that first term. so we now have a routine of snack on pick up, milk when she gets in, she watches scooby doo, then she plays or does some drawing, then dinner, bit more telly (yes lots of telly) bath and bed. As she knows what is coming next it seems to help her when she is exhausted - but then she is that sort of child! hope that makes sense! and try not to worry - my daughter was the youngest in her year - very tired that first term or so - but LOVED reception. And now is desperate to go back to school. they do so many interesting things and in reception it's very play based. My daughter told me she was very nervous those first few days but she really wanted to be there. Susypx also agree with canela that they tell you stuff in their own time and definitely not on pick up! my daughter tells me when we are reading books just before bed.

if ever someone deserved good karma in life - it is you! how nice are you! (note to self to try harder). hope you get it sorted soon x susypx

Holland and Barrett do an aloe Vera mouthwash which is amazing for ulcers. Susypx

Acupuncture is a good thought. It worked wonders for my Insomnia a decade ago. Will investigate . also will try cutting down on rubbish food and wheat. just found a fab soup stall near my work and amazingly a lentil based soup keeps me full for hours longer than a sandwich! x Susypx

with a zip car - what about one of those travel car seats? i have one and it's pretty light and easy. Not overly convinced it's a safe as a proper car seat for a motorway though perhaps. thinking of going zip car way also. susypx

so there I was today, having taken my daughter to the cinema on this lovely sunny day because i was too tired to do anything else with her - then having pizza as i was too tired to cook - looking dreadful with my greasy hair just bunged up anyhow, wearing an old t shirt and holey jeans as i haven't bothered to iron anything for ages - and my lovely little 5 year old said to me with absolutely no irony "mummy, you're so glamorous" ! one of those moments that just makes a difficult day the best day! susypx

wow it's very reassuring that it's not just me and also that it seems to be a problem after having children. I can't take any type of hormone therapy but it's good to know that this is common. a while back i did start taking iron supplements and i remember a burst of energy - but that was before I started tracking my period so may have related more to my cycle. Am trying to be a bit more consistent in taking iron now but i think it is definitely a hormone thing - my period tracker said my days of ovuluation were either last saturday or sunday and i was utterly utterly wiped out both days. i think i am going to look into diet related help and try and up my exercise a bit as that has definitely helped with period pain (which i have posted about before - much better now - also taking pain killers a day or so before period is due) . but there must be natural ways to try and even out hormones. if anyone knows of any good books or anything i can read to learn about this would be very interested to hear. thanks so much i just feel much better knowing that this is not some weird thing that only i get as it never used to be a problem (but then i was on the pill)! susypx

Does anyone have extreme exhaustion during ovulation? It's becoming totally debilitating for me- I notice it More on a day I am with my daughter as I find it so hard to parent. Anyone else get this- what Can I do? Also find it hard to sleep. Susypx

Hi, does anyone have any experience of this? My 5 year old daughter has just started having nightmares - around the same time everynight. It's been going on a month now. She wakes up absolutely screaming the place down and trying to get out of her bed - i run in and often catch her as she falls out . As soon as I cuddle her and she wakes up she is fine - which happens immediately so it's not massively traumatic but just very puzzling. Is this a developmental thing? thanks! susypx