MSE Parents Club Part 16

Becles

It's pro's and con's with three.

Mine are a bit squashed in the back of the car (Ford Focus) but they have to make do. It's a bit easier now Charlotte is big enough for a booster seat rather than the bigger baby seat.

Most recipes are for even numbers like serves 2 or 4, so you need to be creative enough to add a few extra bits to eek it round 5. If you like "fling in the oven" stuff, often ready made pies, battered fish fillets etc., come in boxes of 2, 4, 6 etc., so you need to buy more then have odd ones rolling round the freezer.

Days out can be expensive when they assume a family is 2+2, so you have to pay for the extra one. If you join English Heritage or National Trust, you can take several children with your adults membership, so you're quids in there.

Age gaps can be a problem sometimes. The boys want to go and see Pirates of the Caribbean at the cinema but Charlotte will not sit through that so I'll have to leave her with my Mam. Likewise, Charlotte and James will go to a soft play and be happy but Josh will be too big for it.

But on the other hand, at the hotel we stayed in last year, it was all twin/double rooms with a sofa bed in. We had two rooms with us and Charlotte in one, and the boys on their own in the other. They're at an age when they can be trusted and they were fine.

If they were closer in age, you might need to factor in the need for a double buggy and how you are going to store that. They always look heavy work to push, although I've never used one so the might be easier than they look!

The boys sometimes are embarrassed to have a little sister tagging along, but when girls are around they're happy to take her out as they get more attention from the girls when they play with her :rotfl:

Love them all to bits though and would even have more

Krystaltips

digitalphase wrote: »

11lb baby club :cool::D

Yeah we don't have T-Shirts or badges, just a lifetime supply of Tenna Lady... :rotfl:

That's reassuring, thanks hun. It's difficult to know how much he's getting, whereas with a bottle you know easily. He often falls asleep when feeding, so I have to stroke his cheek or blow on him to get him suckling again Or he releases the latch then gets really cross and it's hard to get past the flailing arms and he goes so rigid, he's so strong. I try holding him across my body with one arm and trying to get him to latch on with my hand supporting his neck. I'm not sure he always gets a good latch and maybe that's why he drops off and gets frustrated. He will stay on there ages sometimes.
Today I have fed exclusively breast and it is very tiring. Especially as I have a really painful back. Will keep persevering though, and will probably take you up on your offer to PM you - thanks

My back is still giving me problems now and J is coming up to 12 weeks (I think?!) It is a lot better than it was though, and I remember it took a good 6 months after C to settle down so I'm not too worried at the minute... I did get a letter inviting me to call the physio but I just haven't got round to it... Might dig it out and give them a call this afternoon while I'm thinking of it...

Anyway, the point I wanted to make was, try to relax a bit more when feeding... Prop him up on cushions, or have a go at doing it lying down... It does get easier, promise!! The first week or 2 are the hardest and then it all picks up after that

gizmodo wrote: »

Unfortunately the number of breastpads I'm going through - it's not been very MSE and with the bras I've bought (because the first fitting was wrong) it's probably costing the same as formula.

<snip>

I miss being pregnant. We're going to start trying for no 2 in January I've been thinking that maybe I want 3 children now! Those with 3 kids...what's the difference between 2 and 3 children? Financially, does it make a huge difference?

Have you thought about washable pads? I resisted getting them with C because I kept thinking my supply would settle down... I got them in the end though because I was just using so many... I got some more this time around (since you can never find anything in this house!) and I have only had to buy 1 box of disposable ones

As far as 3 children, financially it hasn't impacted us much at all so far... We splashed out on an expensive double pushchair because we got a grant and there wasn't really anything else baby related we needed because we still had it all... If there had been a bigger age gap then we wouldn't have needed that either...

The biggest thing I have found is how tiring it is having 3 compared to just 2... There is always something needing to be done, or someone needing your attentio... Again, that could just be down to the age difference (and the fact C is such a livewire!)

gizmodo wrote: »

I didn't even think of the car. Is it possible to fit 3 car seats/boosters in a normal car? We have a 3 bed house, but sharing is OK isn't it?

I need to come up with some pros so I can talk OH into having three

A stage 0 with autobase, Stage 1 and a high back booster all fit across the back seat of an Astra fine, we went for the best ones available at the time, and seeing how easily someone crashed into us on Sunday, I'm really glad we didn't skimp!!

And I have a 2 bed house... Sharing is normal here ;-)

jennynoo

Sammy_Girl wrote: »

Hi Digital and Madness - great to see you.

I'm sorry Digital, but I still can't get over an 11lb baby at birth. Hats off to you. Were you measuring big beforehand? I hope you and baby are settling into your new house well

I gave DD her first 2 ounces of cooled boiled water today and it went down well. I was expecting her to pull a face and spit it out, like she does with her dummy when she realises theres no milk in there! But she drank it. I might try again tomorrow I think.

Sorry, flying visit, just been reading back a bit. Why are you giving her boiled water Sammy? I though you weren't supposed to give them water until they are eating food.

jennynoo

Metranil_Vavin wrote: »

ooh lots of familiar faces and activity..hello everyone!:wave:

Smartie, Fuzz, Dusty..great to see you all!

rach - hope things start to improve soon on the sleeping front.

Sammy - great news that Esme is putting on weight nicely Good work!

Josh is 17 weeks on Friday and now weighs a hefty 16lbs 12 oz! He is getting very heavy to carry and my poor back is taking the brunt of it.

I went to look at a nursery today, it's the one that i really want Josh to go to. Unfortunately it has a 12 month plus waiting list and costs £1350 a month :eek: The joy of living in london!

I'm due back at work in jan, but I'm still not 100% convinced I'll be going back..mostly for financial reasons, but also because I was getting pretty sick of the place by the time I went on ML, and the thought of going back now leaves me a bit cold! We'll see....

I'm broody for no 2 too. Have instructed OH that we will have to crack on with it next year as I'm hurtling towards 40, and want to get another one in before I'm too old!

Hope everyone is well

Mine is £65 a day but it is super lovely.

jennynoo

digitalphase wrote: »

Hi all, I am wandering over fresh from the Pregnancy Thread to hopefully pick up some tips

Baby Alexander was born on 6th May 2011, at 1.09pm, weighing 11lbs. He was delivered by low cephalic forceps eventually as I couldn't get him out (understandably) and he had come down as far as he could. The delivery was very traumatic for me (and his daddy) and it will be a while before I can move on from it. I suffered a third degree tear, have hideous back pain, but apart from that I am loving being a mummy. It's true when people say it's all worth it. I am going to write my birth story down soon as think it will help to close the book on it and move on.

I am breastfeeding DS now after a shaky start. The forceps had made his upper lip swollen so he wasn't able to latch on in hospital, so had to have some formula. I have also given him some formula to 'top up' as I worried I wasn't producing enough yet. My milk hasn't come in and he's a huge baby, and I worried I can't satisfy him. Although I am determined to do it and DS is able to latch on now and is very interested. He gets frustrated though and often falls asleep when suckling. But we're getting the hang of it I think. He's had two good BF today and I am going to express some in a bit as need to go over his grandparents so I can have a bath to soothe my stitches

Will have a read back when I get a chance

You can keep him awake but tickling toes or blowing on their face! However it's normal for them to fall alseep, it's surely the nicest place to fall asleep :A

Sammy_Girl

jennynoo wrote: »

Sorry, flying visit, just been reading back a bit. Why are you giving her boiled water Sammy? I though you weren't supposed to give them water until they are eating food.

Hi Jenny - DD gets quite bad wind, so it was suggested by a few peeps (incl. MIL and HV) that I should try 1-2 oz of cooled boiled water to help ease things along. So we've been doing a little a day along with the gripe water and her wind is definitely a lot better.

Dusty - sorry, I'm a bit late in posting this, but I know our LOs are close in age. I'm the kind of person that needs a routine, and the one we are working with at the mo is suiting us both well. I know it's controversial, and not everyone's cup of tea - but we are following Gina Ford's routine. We start at 7 am every day, and every night DD is asleep by 7pm, I wake her around 10-10.30pm for her "dream feed" and then wait until she wakes up, which at the mo is around 3am. After both night feeds she is back fast asleep in her cot in her room 30 min later - no fuss. Now, I know this is liable to change at any time, and I count my blessings for every half decent night kip I get lol! But it's nice to have some evening time. Especially when DH isn't at work (he works nights), like tonight we sat outside sharing a bottle of wine - haven't done that since pre-pregnancy!

Sammy_Girl

Sorry, should also add that DD is FF, so not sure if that helps clarify the cooled boiled water query.

dustystar02

Thanks sammy, so instead of me buying the gina ford book can you roughly tell me your routine? DS is feeding roughly every 4 hours, I haven't put him in his own room yet but ive just upped his feed to 6oz. My problem us getting some evening time too. OH works nites also and I find I'm pacing s screaming baby from 8pm onwards most nites

jennynoo

Sorry Sammy, should have remembered you posted about that. Was just worried you had been listening to my mum and been trying to give your LO water to cope with the heat! It's a good job I don't listen to my mum all the time.

sir_monster

Dusty t was like that for what seemed like a long time (but prob only a couple of months) was very unsettled after 7 till about 9, we did everything bath/bf/bottle, but just seemed to click after a while (sorry), I remember driving round at about 10 on a number of occasions as just wouldn't settle!! However now he goes down at 7:30/8 and sleeps till 6 or 7 and he really started d settling better around 4 months. I know this doesn't help you now, but just to say things do improve.

Sammy sounds lovely re your evening.

My little one is developing so quickly is creeping backwards and pulled himself up tonight!