Belle

A friend gave me a great idea yesterday that would work for breakfast - eggy bread - perfect finger food, and you can do enough for both of you...

Hi, we started off with the steam steriliser already mentioned, was really good. But if you're not sure about splashing out (they are pretty dear - we borrowed our's) - could you borrow or just get a bottle of milton in? I have to say I was glad I'd borrowed a pump, steriliser and bought bottles as breast feeding never worked out and I was under a lot of pressure to get a certain amount down the little babe. Theoretically in hospital they will have pumps but they couldn't find one when I was in. I'm more relaxed about sterilising now my baby is 7 months but do still sterilise his bottles because it's the milk-loving bacteria that I'm most worried about. Agree with others re monitor - you might find you can just get it later - BT 150 is really good. We found it useful once we started putting him down at a set bedtime every night (about 5 weeks I think) - before that i don't think we used it.

Oh yes, forgot to say that I sent a lengthy complaint to King's and was really pleased with the response I got. It really felt like they took on board my points and even acted on some. However that response was from the midwifery team - I've yet to hear from the obstetric team, who are also due to reply apparently. Sorry, don't want to hijack with mundane details, at the moment letter writing will be the last thing on your mind!

Aw, congrats, what a nightmare birth story for you, but what a lovely ending! I had a traumatic birth and was lucky enough to have the midwife who was with me come and see me to talk thorugh my notes - an idea for further down the line maybe. I found it very helpful and therapeutic. In the meantime just go easy on yourself as you're in recovery!

Hi, our little boy has this too. He's now 7 months and still has it (gets v interesting once on solids...) - basically we use gaviscon in every feed, which did seem (for us - others may have different experiences) to alleviate the pain he had in feeding and digesting, though for us it didn't minimise the vomit much. this means on a practical level we always have a million muslins over us/him at any one time and go thorugh loads of bibs, luckily we have wipe clean floors and no carpets! I think if the baby is putting on weight the GPs tend not to worry to much and just tell you they'll grow out of it. We were offered a referral to a paediatrician but the GP said it wasn't particularly doing him any harm and he'd just get put on some drugs which cleared his stomach quickly. We chose not to go down that route... In terms of the pain at night-time etc, we had, until very recently, his mattress propped up and this helped hugely. We just put a pillow underneath it, doubled up, and I really think that helped as he used to be sick in bed a lot. He still is occasionally but doesn't have the pain on lying down which he used to have. So basically a mixture of gaviscon, practical stuff (you're already doing the keeping her upright thing) and time seems to be what it takes. I've been told he would grow out of it with weaning but so far he hasn't...my nephew grew out of it at about a year old, others are quicker. Oh, also, i did go to see a cranial osteopath and that may have helped. hope that helps. With the gaviscon we are bottle feeding which I think means it's simpler to use, but either way I'd recommend persevering with it as it definitely made feeding times a lot calmer and less upsetting all round.

think that's on a Friday. I think the library's baby and toddler session is on Thursday morning but not quite sure of the times, it runs in the early afternoon too.

also, li ke Snowboarder I have a baby who doesn't always respond to traditional methods of soothing (ie driving, pushing in pram) and that includes the sling - so really some babies just will cry whatever you do at times, I think. Though am loving the dummy solution!

grr, don't get me started on HVs' crap advice...just spoke to a friend recently whose baby was premature, and who's going back to work at 6 months,a nd they advised her to wean at 4 months so it's 'all sorted out by the time she's in nursery'. For a baby who was really early!

That's so weird - have just started reading this book and was thinking of posting on the forum about it but given I haven't read much of it yet thought I'd wait! My mum got it for me. So far it's v interesting, though haven't got to the bit you mention Fuschia. Must admit we DO let our boy cry when we put him down often, as it seems he almost has to get stuff out of his system and protest about being put down, before he can sleep. But think that's poss different from leaving to cry when clearly in distress/needing something. Apols, off topic... Will post again once I've finished it!

Ah, sympathies over long stints in MAU, I had the same and found it constantly BOILING and very boring. Not long now though...

I don't think it's a bonkers decision at all. I've thought about it a bit and think we probably will do the combined jab but completely understand the thinking behind someone wanting to separate them. As HeidiHi said, personal choice. To be fair, neverendinglaundry didn't ask for our views on MMR but for a place to get single jabs...

I have the BT one and it's really good - have no complaints.

Yes digestion def part of it but he's a lot better (in terms of burps - still screaming away!) now. Yes am now guilt-free about the dummy, totally agree -w hatever works! Especially when at the end of your tether. I think he's just v impatient to be moving around, feeding himself etc. And very loud!

Yes, have been told that particularly from 3 months on though - particularly around 4-6 months. Lots of 'it's so nice when you start to get something back isn't it?' which I think is hilarious.

I think my baby's trying to crawl...but guess it might take him ages to get there (not in a hurry - it's hard enough as it is, without having to watch him every minute!). But anyway, those whose babies have reached this point, does this sound familiar? He props himself up with his hands - kind of rearing up - and also pushes up onto his knees. Separately, he does a lurchy thing - often ends up several feet away from where he's put, not just by rolling, but we're not quite sure how! This morning he got to the top of the cot, and was playing with the soft toys there. I know all babes are different etc, but guess I just wondered if all babies do this at this stage (6.5mths) and it doesn't necessarily mean crawling is around the corner?

We've only been weaning for a few weeks but as it's early days we're not wedded to times really so although it's definitely extra work (and hard work) I do find I don't have to change my days. Yesterday for instance, me and my mum wanted to get out and about early so we didn't do breakfast - but instead he had quite a lot of stuff for lunch. but am doing baby led weaning so that does lend itself to being flexible I guess. I've only just signed up for a class because I found up till now I could never tell if I'd be able to make it or not. Now I'm a bit more gung ho and will just go ahead with plans even if he's being a nightmare, for my own sanity and in the hopes that it'll calm him down.

hi, there have been a few people posting about the nursery, there's a positive review here; http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?25,269006,270105#msg-270105 but if you do a search for Bright Horizons I think you'll find more mentions (as far as I know it's a Bright Horizons nursery?).

Dulwich Library rhyme time was def on last week - on Weds, at 11am. I think it's on next week too.

baby rhyme time at 11am on Wednesdays. Then the baby & toddler group is on Thursday m ornings and Thurs afternoons, they ahve a short story telling bit I think at the end.

That's great news Heidi and not long to wait now anyway, sounds like he's v co-operative!

Thanks everyone :) dummy already much more in use and helping a lot! Agree sometimes it seems as though they end up forgetting why they're even crying, but getting really wound up and the hiccups thing has definitely happened.

I won't be fooled, mine does that on occasion too - most commonly after a day from hell when his dad gets home, as if to negate my tales of having had a terrible time! Do hope you manage some rest this week - give me a shout when you get back and we can compare notes on nightmare babies...

We moved him at 3 months. He went out of the moses basket and into cot at 8 weeks - although he'd liked being swaddled early on, at about 8 weeks he seemed to want to spreadeagle. At 3 months we moved him and it was amazing - he definitely slept better and from a selfish point of view it was great: no more whispering to husband at night, could finally read a book in bed again, loads more space in room. We hesitated about doing it sooner because he's got reflux and at that point was often sick in his sleep in the cot, so I wanted to keep an eye on him. But he stopped doing it gradually and also his head/neck strength got better so I felt it was safe. We never slept in separate rooms although were advised to frequently, I just used to take the baby out and feed him in his room the minute he woke so didn't disturb my husband. On bad nights my husband would help with winding or just giving me a cuddle if I was at the end of my tether!

high intensity sounds about right - though to be fair we've been very lucky with his sleeping, after the first few months anyway. Lots of my friends are having a rough time at night and then easier in the day, we're the other way around - having both must have been a nightmrae Helena! Have to say today we've had one of our first 'good' days for a while - and have used the dummy loads, so I put it down to that. Hurrah! He is def hard work right now... When he wants out of the highchair he doesn't look disinterested/moan, he screams blue murder. Then the minute he's out, he's fine. Plimsoul - like the swings and roundabouts analogy, I was hoping that might be the case! ps very happy to meet up with snowboarder or anyone else, esp as we've prewarned about having a screamy baby!

Brilliant. We do use them as find them v helpful for daytime naps especially but I'd always thought that I shouldn't use them when he's just crying, I think it was something I read somewhere about stopping their expression?! But yes, bollocks to that - whatever works I g uess! Glad at least it's not just me - I had to leave an NCT meet up the other day as he was shrieking so loudly it rendered conversation pointless. I felt like a pariah! Especially when they look so shocked at his sheer volume...