Ruth_Baldock

My son never had a fontanelle- didn't get past 4/5 engaged and was a csection. Nevr bothered him, gp wasn't worried.

peckhamboy, I certainly hope that was tongue in cheek...

LEDF: My son doesn't even eat at night anymore! Hasn't had any boob in the early hours since...8 months? So NO IDEA what Husband was doing, if Baby S stirs, it's normally a case of replace dummy, say shhhh night night, replace blanket and he's out like a light. Apparantly my (hard working, allright allright- he did 7am-9pm yesterday. Then cycled home in the snow) wasn;t able to get out of bed. Grumble grumble.

Ours are from John Lewis, girls section. Grey with multicoloured polka dots and teal with lighter stripes. V unisex, to be fair and are really snuggley. Have survived umpteen washes and are still good! Would def. recommend.

I think a lot of us probably HAVE shared these points with our OHs. I have. But I think, in my case, I have accepted that my husband is never going to take over 50% of the childcare, really. It's annoying and less than ideal but really, not the end of the world. He's a good bloke, excellent Dad and lovely to me really despite all his lazy/archiac ways. He's a damn lot better than my Step-Dad, thats for sure, and a lot of my friend's husbands. In an ideal world, he'd do all the cooking/cleaning, not moan about the house being less than spotless, not work 80 hours a week, and not be AS lazy as he is. But this isn't an ideal world, and truth be told, I knew what he'd be like before I had Baby S. I think the same can be said for a lot of us.

I can only speak for myself, but generally Husband is so crap and lazy that if I waited for him to do the cooking, I'd starve within a week. I do actually enjoy cooking (lifelong dream is to go on Come Dine With Me. Am sure I am not alone in this, come clean people!) but sometimes, I am so knackered I just cannot be bothered. It would be nice if Husband made dinner without b*tching about the state of the kitchen every now and then (it's clean, but not spotless. I have a 1 y/o, 2 jobs, am pregnant and a bit a crap. Need I say more?) However, husband IS a bit 1950s-ish. He never used to be, but since Baby S arrived he's gone a bit...archaic. He bought me a 'good housewife' book as a joke and I went mental. I bought him The Vagina Monologues and a Bev Skeggs book about feminism and motherhood (sort of...social class and gender, but motherhood/marriage was covered a lot) as revenge.

I might get Mr Baldock to defend himself! Although after last night, he hasn't got a leg to stand on (He woke me up to tell me the baby was crying. If you're awake, DARLING, then why don't you go and calm him down? Prat.)

Carlito, I agree. My Mum was a single parent with me for the first half of my life (Dad died when I was tiny) and I remember her talking to my Aunt, who was having a right old moan about her (frankly, useless) husband. Mum said 'Yes, but theres someone THERE in the house, isn't there?'. She said the lonliness of it just being me and her, particuarly before I could talk, was crushing. I was a good sleeper, but Mum would sometimes wake me up for company(!). I do love not having to make proper dinners when DH works late/away from home though. Doritos and marmite for tea are a particular favourite of mine. Nom. Hats off to you, I have said umpteen times over the past year that I have NO idea how single parents do it. I certainly couldn't!

Both toys terrible and hilarious. Embo71- EXACTLY the same thing happened with Me, my Mum and Grandad when I was about 7. He looked after me in Bristol whilst Mum was gallivanting around in labour with my sister (Well, not gallivanting...). The induction took 3 days and she was in hospital for another 2 after that, so he had me for 5 days. We went to Maccy D's AND The Harvester a few times and it was immense! LOVED IT! Mum a strict Vegan and health food nut, so she was NOT impressed. I was.

Snowboarder, I FEEL YOUR SNOTTY PAIN. Me, Seb and DH have had a cold/cough for about 4 weeks. It is never-bloody ending. Seb now eating and happy in himself, with massive pneumatic sneezes but nights still a bit touch and go. I want some lovely hard drugs to shift this, but I'm only just out of my first trimester and scared silly. Bah bloody humbug.

Another congrats! 3 babies, I would DIE from cute overload for sure. Have you tried contacting the NCT? They might have a multiple births group somewhere. I know that Surestart in Dulwich/Camberwell had a 'twins club', sure that extends to triplets too!

hh, I totally know what you mean re: 'work' vs 'domestic work'. I work part time and when I've had a tough week with S, I am practically gagging to get back to my boring 'work problems'. I know Husband works his bum off to support us all (my wage is pitiful, we totally rely on his income). I also know that I don't ask enough for help and he's not a mind reader. Got a lie in and a (decaff) coffee in bed this morning. He has said on occassion (4 times in the past year, he's not forthcoming with emotion) that he appreciates everything i've done (i.e. basically given up my life/life long dream to parent). Last night I said 'You're taking 4 weeks off after Mystery Baby arrives in the summer, no arguments'. He was shocked I'd even suggest otherwise, and said ' I'll take over baby/toddler care so that you can lie in bed resting and nursing, you know that'. I think he's very extreme- extremely helpful and supportive or extremely crap. Ah well!

My husband goes through stages of being ultra helpful, and then so lazy I consider murdering him. He once went 5 months without bathing baby/changing his nappy/feeding him/dressing him/getting up in the night with him etc. He played with him and was all lovely like that, but the nitty gritty? Forget about it. He's sort of going through a stage like this at the moment and I am NOT impressed, being pregnant and suffering from a 3-week-long cold myself. However, on the flip side, when Baby was born he did EVERYTHING for him. Absolutely everying. He'd even help to latch him in the night whilst I lay down in bed, too exhausted to even open my eyes. I don't think I even knew how to change a pooey baby bum when he went back to work!

Belle that sounds lovely! Num num nums as Seb would say! Husband's family always has prawn cocktail which I used to be repulsed by but it's grown on me over the past few years. I once made a savoury smoked salmon cheesecake. It was fab but way too filling!

Poker face ;) but when I look at myself in the morning, I sing "pizza face" to th tune of poker face. I might as well be entertained by all this...

Ladyruskin- mine is on my chin too. Ick. And forehead. Have a crap fringe at the moment but can't pin it back because of terrible dot-matrix style forehead. Roll on payday (nice expensive haircut time!)

Ah shucks,SW :-$ Last night, my husband tried to console me from howling 'My faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace, my beaaaaaaautiful faaaaaaaace...' by telling me the strawberry chocs counted as one of my 5 a day... I think facials/treatments may be the way forward. If only for the 'me time'. I keep telling Husband that he should be extra lovely to me as I am a 'holy and sacred vessel'. He's definitely getting sick of this now, at this rate Mystery Foetus will be the last one!

Rest? REST?! Are you taunting me? Although, saying that, Baby Baldock has got a lot better with sleeping 12-14hours at night (long time coming, he used to only sleep 6hrs/24). Yesterday we had a 3 hour co-sleeping nap in my bed, lovely! Have started to nap at work, too. At least I am keeping up with my fluids/pre natal vitamins. I suspect going through boxes of Quality Street is NOT helping...

Maybe Mystery Foetus is a girl? I wouldn't know what to do with a Baby Girl, am so used to Seb and his cheeky boy antics.

When I was pregnant with Baby Baldock, my skin and hair were MAGINIFICENT. I was radiant and lovely, truely. It was brilliant. This time round, with Mystery Foetus , my hair is an absolute joke- greasy, lank, crap. DON'T get me started on my skin- it's never been this blotchy and gross, not even when I was a teenager. The usual 'sort yourself out, you greasy mare' products aren't working and the thought of another 5 odd months of looking like a frightmask is too much to bear. Are there any products that all you lovely Mums recommend? ANYTHING? Price no object, Husband feels guilty about it all and offering to buy shedloads of maternity related items("It's my fault you're in The Family Way, afterall..." think someone needs to give him a lesson on The Facts Of Life, two way street and alll...) Ta all!

I think 14 months is fine! The age cap is 18 months officially but wee had a coupe of two- 3 year olds on occassion.

Keef- bumps and babes se22; we are held at the goose green centre, Mondays 10-12. Were on next Monday and then not again till 10th Jan

Lovely to meet you this morning! Thankyou ever so much for the badges- they were a bit of a talking point I think! They'll be out every Monday at the group and I hope they get mums chatting and help with everyones confidence post baby :)

Could be one of several things: 1) Comfort feeding, like you suspected. 2) Growth Spurt or 3) She can 'smell' the milk and fancies a tasty snack. My son did this and I night weaned him but you can only do that when they're a bit older (sorry, know this isn't what you want to hear). It sometimes helped wearing a different bra, with pads, and t-shirt to bed than I had in the day, and putting a pillow between us. It also helped to call up my husband, cry, and demand he came home so I could nap. Not bad habits at all, we all just wing it when we have little babbies. I know I did (ahem, still do).

Thanks Pebbles :) it just occured to me that we DO always have Seb's godfather and his fiancee who ADORE him and want lots of practise with babbies before they start trying for their own. Am definitely sure they would help out too. Now that I think about it, this shouldn't be so hard. Wish I could get Mum to come and stay but she isn't retired yet (she works in gynae and obs and is a spring chicken at just turned 50) so she couldn't really drop everything anyway. Boo hoo.