The Nappy Lady

Hi Sparky, Just seen your other thread...you will probably find pockets leaky with your new baby, but you can use a folded muslin fasted with a Nappi Nippa underneath and then use the Bumgenius just as a wrap over the top. I know you said you don't like two piece systems in general, but for those explosive newborn poos this is your best bet if you want to use cloth from birth this time (not sure what you did first time around). If you want to see the latest nappies and things first hand I have a huge demo stash and am based in Nunhead, just the other side of East Dulwich, so a lot closer than babipur (I see you are not in East Dulwich from the other thread, so thought you might not know about me / the service). Good luck with baby number 2. Molly x

Enjoy it reren, it is the most magical time. Molly :))

laura C, I took my daughter to the 23 week scan...she was (thinking).....coming up to 4 at that point. Not freaked out at all, very happy to hear we were having a baby girl, but other than that quite disinterested in the whole thing (actually it was a bit distracting having her there, and having to keep tell her to sit still etc - given the valuable medical equipment in the room)! She was 4 1/4 when baby arrives, so older than your daughter, and coped with it all really well. The sibling rivalry is most noticable now - in that her 16 month old little sister gets very cross if I give her big sister a cuddle - comes up, 'rages' at us, tries to pull her off me, or climb onto my knee in her place etc! No social niceties at all, but we will get there, and her big sister is just so good at not lashing out back at her. I suspect that is where it would be harder with a 3.5 year old as they are just that little bit less developed emotionally. Is your little girl into dolls? I found my daughter really embraced having a baby sister, and that by letting her help me where she could with fetching nappies, helping choose outfits, change nappies etc. she felt part of everything and coped with it so well. In this respect I think it is easier having your 2nd when your 1st child is a daughter in most (but of couse not all) cases. Molly

Sorry Pickle, thought this was part of reren's other thread I'd already posted on...confused. Should be typing nappy advice letters so will go and do that and stop hogging the forum :-$ Watch out - by the time you've been in NZ for a few weeks I'll have my stuff spread out all over the place, feet up on the settee in the Family Room, and all my beer/wine in the fridge!! PMSL. :)) Molly xxxxx

....or those who want to do something can all pile over to mine and we'll have wine, pizza and either a good old gossip or a very girly film?!!!! God, I am getting old, this sounds the like the perfect night out/in if you know what I mean. You can even bring your slippers if you want! Molly

P.S. Brierley Office: 020 3299 6163 Usually someone there on weekday mornings, at other times leave a message and they will call you back. xx

Hiya, Phone Brierly NOW and book yourself in. You don't need to go to Kings first, and the sooner you get with them the better. Ask them whether they can book you in for the 12 week scan or whether your doctor has to do it (may be your doctor). You would also get a letter from Kings inviting you for your booking appointment with midwives, but you can just 'phone them and tell them you are with the Brierley if that happens and they just cross you off their list, no problem. Don't worry about neighbours, even if they hear you, it is a one off occassion, and a VERY good reason - they will cope with it (mine was just mega excited as guessed what was happening and couldn't wait to see the new baby)! She didn't hear much anyway, was just aware of our lights on all night and midwives arriving etc. You do have to accept you may have to go to Kings, but if you do then yes, Brierley will go with you and stay with you. You can change your mind and have a hospital birth instead at any point, but if you don't book Brierly now it is highly unlikely you will be able to change your mind and get them later, so better to book home birth and change to hospital if you change your mind. Keep asking! Molly x

Hey Millsa, Congratulations! There are some fantastic books you can get to read to toddlers to help them make sense of all this....I can't recall the names of specific ones, but others on here may be able to, if not I'm sure a hunt on Amazon would throw some up. I think this would be a great way to start to introduce him to the idea. I think one of the hardest things for toddlers to cope with during pregnancy is slowly not being able to sit on your lap any more. I think you can introduce the idea of a baby growing in the tummy without him knowing it is happening to you yet, so he gets used to the concept...then when he notices your tummy growing you can tell him why. 6 months is a long time for a 2 year old, he will have no concept of time frame, so I think it is too soon to tell him yet, you'll just get fed up with him asking you when the baby is going to come out! How bizarre is this - my little girl predicted my pregnancy - she told me "Next year Father Christmas is going to bring you a baby Mummy", and then 2 weeks later I found out I was pregnant, and a week or two later, before I had told ANYONE but her Dad, she went up to a good friend and neighbour and said "My Mummy is going to have a baby"....I stood there open mouthed and flushed bright red!! No way she had heard us discussing it, as due to all the trials and errors we didn't want her to end up upset if things went wrong so had been very careful. Spooky. Molly

Hi reren, This is part of the 12 week scan, although they would check the nucal area again at the later scan I believe ...at 23 weeks. Kings is amazing - because it is a teaching and research hospital they also take your blood and test it, and this, combined with the nucal scan and measurements of the nasal bone, a valve in the heart and blood flow in the bowel taken during the scan gives them very accurate predictions for the risk of Downs. You will not have missed the chance, you just need to tell your Doctor and he will refer you to Kings, who then send you a letter with an appointment date and time. My advice would be to then telephone them and say you can't make that appointment and ask them to move you, and try to get an early morning (first thing if you can) slot....they get more and more behind as the day goes on, so much better to get there for 9am, and you only have a (relatively) short wait. I should think you could just telephone and ask to speak to your Doctor to get this sorted (the receptionist should be able to get him to call you back) no point going to sit in the surgery and taking up an appointment slot to sort it out. Molly

....and whilst I can in theory do it I am alone with the 2 girls as hubby is in New York for 9 days (and guess what I am most jealous about?....the thought of guaranteed sleep without any children waking him up!!). Have got a babysitter lined up, but fine if we reschedule as am likely to be on my knees by 8pm tomorrow. Molly x

You are supposed to unclip the shoulder straps Lorraine, and then attach in a different way....I watched the video too, but it looked like too much of a faff (I'm sure if I did it a couple of times it wouldn't be, but I'm just lazy :-$ ) Find the front or back carry suit most situations though. The only thing is, with the back carry the Ergo seems to sit quite low across her back, even if I get someone else to give it a good pull up it still doesn't sit sort of level with her arm pits the way it seems to show it in pictures. I wonder if it is simply that she is long in the body like her sister, and both parents? Has anyone else had similar? It isn't a problem, except that she looks a bit like she could throw herself backwards and out - never has, and feels perfectly safe, just looks a bit worrying - do get the odd person saying "are you sure she's in there safely?" etc. Molly

Not quite the same reasons, but my doctor has been very happy to refer my daughter for some tests, and to see a nutritionalist, all via the NHS, so you should be able to get this sorted very easily. Good luck. Molly x

I'm fine with a sibling being there if they want to be and think it was fab a boy of that age wanted to be. I'm sure it will help him to be a better husband and father himself one day. Not saying it is for all, but I see nothing weird about it. Then again I grew up on a small holding, helped goats give birth, shared baths with Mum and Dad, saw them naked etc etc for as long as I remember so nudity and openess within a family group is generally very normal to me. I think the secrecy around birthing and bodies in general is partly what leads to such fear of giving birth. I know I sound like a right hippy now, but Im not...honest. Would have had my 5 year old at her sisters birth if need be, but main concern was that it may scare her, especially if things went wrong. In fact it would have been fine, but she has seen the video instead! Molly

....sob....esme.....how could you??!!!! Molly ;-)

Update: baby C only woke once in the night and re-settled easily. Much more herself today with a bit of help from Calpol. Phew. Molly

Heidi, Do you HAVE to buy the matching accessories? A suggestion....check out Snunkie for fantastic cosy toes - made in YOUR choice of fabric, with applique if you want etc. - http://www.snunkie.co.uk/ totally unique and personal, I love it and think it makes your buggy a bit different from every other one you see. Wouldn't bother with an umbrella - they are useless when it comes to bloking the sunshine when mobile, a UV net or similar works much better (was a thread on this last summer). Glad you've found a potential solution, I remember the stairs and can see why it would be difficult for you. Molly

Yes, you've had a rotten run of sickness too haven't you. The girls had the sickness bug over the weekend too, so one way and another I am worn out. Funny thing is in some ways it is easier with her poorly because I can literally sit and cuddle her and watch TV, like with a newborn, it is just the tension....I seem to get so tense. Sigh. Did get to watch a 3 hour film one Sunday lunchtime which was pretty amazing, haven't done that for a long time! Molly

LOL, thank you, thank you girls for reassuring me that I am not the only one with a buggy obession. I have been REALLY good though and not bought any new buggy's since having baby C...went through 6 with by first daughter...still have 4 of them, but will be selling off some of the stash soon. There are some fab buggys around now though. Don't like all the small wheel buggys so never been up for the Mclarens, but do like the look of that new one Heidi. Has anyone seen the new Mothercare Spin...it is very cool, great if sun is in their eyes and you just want to turn them from one way to the other quickly and easily. I keep wanting to call it the Swivel though LOL. Molly

Update - both my girls had the Swine Flu Jab yesterday at 4pm....my 5 year old decided she WANTED to get it done, and she's been fine other than going to bed early both last night and tonight...sore arm and very tired, but OK. Baby C, 16 months has been really poorly today though....went to bed OK last night, but was awake from about 4.30am on and off, in bed with me, crying, and temperature top end of normal, with regular doses of Calprofen since 5am. Her thigh where they injected is clearly very sore as she can't bear you to go near touching it. Poor little mite has spent the whole day in my arms, or breast feeding, and wimpering. Totally listless. I did manage to do a Nappy Demo, with her Godmother cuddling her for 2 hours (thank goodness for her help), but I feel totally exhausted, and my back feels like it is locked solid from tension, and from cuddling her all day. Does anyone else find that when their little ones are ill they seems to absorb tension and worry like a magnet? All my common sense tells me she will be fine in another 24 hours or so, but even so I feel really drained by it all, and upset for the poor little girl, and guilty for having put her through this. Molly

Don't be tied to getting a parent facing one, he will most likely be shouting to go forward facing very soon. Xx

Oh dear....wondering if I should lurk for Mr Snowboarder and warn him to ban you now! LOL. Molly x

You know, thinking about your comments Sillywoman and others, Im not that surprised that lady had trouble pushing her baby out because she really didn't seem to be relaxed or in tune with her labour. I agree that her and her hubby had their own way of dealing with stuff but I am not convinced she was 'in the zone' to push the baby out.....do you know what I mean, does it make sense? I took the midwives at face value and assumed their approach was because things were getting serious.....baby's heart beat was frighteningly slow. Will be interesting to see what they are like in future weeks. I suspect you only get a 'temple' birth at home or birthing centre type place. Snowboarder, go to Channel 4 OD and search for 'One born every minute'. Molly x

Ah that was fab....I loved the lady at the end who snapped at her hubby re the Gas & Air "Slow enough for you?". Reckon he is in for a pretty bad time! Tee hee.

No, no epidural R&A. It just amazes me the way the midwifes keep control in what is clearly getting to be a dodgy situation......I think they handle it magnificently. Don't honestly know if I could do that, much as I want to believe I would.

Pickle, I so agree, with all of that. I would have slapped the hubby! Why is she apologising all the time, silly woman? Son is really sweet when father is out of the room. OMG wait 'till you get to the birth....