MSE Newborn to 1 year (& beyond!) baby club 2

Elelyn

Yep, I have to repay all the occupational maternity pay if I don't go back. Which is not an option unfortunately, as much as I'd love to tell them to stuff their job. To be honest, I think that's what they are trying to entice me to do, but it aint gonna happen!

Peanut, yup that's totally normal. Theo didn't really start to take an interest in any toys until he was about four months. It was about three months before I even got any eye contact or any real smiles out of him too. Worried me sick it did as I couldn't understand why he wouldn't look at me. We even had him at the hospital getting his eyes checked as I was convinced he couldn't see! But he was fine and he's now 6 months and into everything. I found that you just have to be really patient and wait for them to start doing stuff in their own time.

katiechoc_2

Morning all, you've been talkative, had pages and pages to catch up on - and have forgotten it all already anyway!

What I can remember -

peanut yep, totally normal to not be bothered about toys at that age. G wasn't fussed for months months. One day he'll twig on to it and there'll be no stopping him.

nutella re shoes - I asked this on one of the many Fb groups yesterday! I'm holding off til he's walking independently and will be on his feet outside, he's cruising like a pro at the moment but he's fine in his bare feet or socks. And I'm a cheapskate

sammie soft play - go for it! I take George once a week and he LOVES it. The one we go to is aimed at younger babies but I think most places have an area for pre walkers even if the main bit is for bigger kids. It wears him out too so I can normally get a decent amount of housework (or tea drinking!) done when we get home!

I'm going to pick up his bday present today (vtech garage off eBay) and to see some friends who have just had a baby last week. Will be weird seeing George next to such a teeny baby!

fluffnutter

Peanut2013 wrote: »

Ladies, is it normal for a 6 week old to take no notice in any toys?

He'll happily sit on my lap and smile if I pull funny faces at him and just watch the world go by. But if I shake a rattle he won't turn his head towards the noise or anything.

Is this normal?

Yeah, toys are pointless for newborns. I assume he reacts to other noises? Loud bangs etc. And he's had his hearing check? I think I'd just want to feel confident that he wasn't ignoring the rattle because he couldn't hear it. But other than that I wouldn't worry. It takes a while before they show much interest in things.

fluffnutter

Elelyn wrote: »

Evening all,

I am not a happy bunny tonight. Had a telephone meeting with my manager about my request to change my hours on my return from mat leave. I wanted to do 3 days a week. This is not agreeable to my manager and I have been told I can either return full time or do a job share which means either three days one week, two weeks the next or two and a half days a week. I most definately do not want to do full time but the job share option is far from ideal as I'm still going to have to pay for two days of nursery (DH is doing one day at home) as my travelling time is such that we couldn't do a half day at the nursery. So it looks like I'll have to take the two and a half days option but end up with half a day when I'm at home at little man is at nursery. Plus it means losing another two days pay a month and I really don't know if we can afford that. I'm worried about how we'll manage. Also majorly peed off with my manager as she had led me to believe that I could do three days. Not happy at all

That's a real bummer. You do have the right to appeal. However, as your employer has suggested another similar alternative, I'm not confident you'd be successful. They're agreeing to flexible working, just not the specific details that you'd like.

Still, it's worth a chat to see if there's any chance of negotiation. Plus I'd want to know their reasons for refusing your request for a 3 day week. It's actually in their interest to keep their employees happy, something that I think gets a little overlooked at times...

I think it's also worth mentioning your concern about being led to believe that your request was possible; it's unreasonable for your manager to have raised expectations ahead of the facts being known.

fluffnutter

Elelyn wrote: »

jonno7, they've said that they will need to recruit another person to fill the rest of my post as, even though they are making major cuts right now and there are redundancies being offered left, right and centre the department can't function on less staff. Even though they didn't bother to get maternity cover for my post and they've managed just fine for the last 7 months. Apparently, they will be able to recruit someone to work two and half days but they won't be able to get someone who wants just two days. Sounds like an excuse to me, I think they're just being awkward. I am not my managers favourite person. I could appeal the decision but I'm not sure it would get me anywhere. I'm going to sleep on it for a few nights before I decide anything. Really wish I didn't have to go back there at all. Think I'll start playing the lottery...

This would bother me, and form the basis of my appeal (if I appealed). Have they tried to advertise the post on the basis of two days per week? Have they asked whether there's anyone else in the organisation who wants to reduce their hours and would consider a job share on those terms?

If they haven't taken measures to attempt to fill the post in this way, then they can hardly argue that it's not possible. I'd also want to know what's been happening in the seven months of maternity leave - if it's a critical full time position, how have they managed with no one doing the role?

Do you know who's made the decision? Can you speak to your manager's manager? HR? (Although IME HR are the most useless waste of space imaginable. Worse than useless - dangerous).

Peanut2013

He has had his hearing check and all is fine his startle reaction is good too

Breakthrough last night! Slept from bedtime feed at 11 until 6! Then fed and slept till 8.30

Very happy mummy

Cake4brains

Morning all. Had a childless night last night, the girls slept over at Grannys so DH and I had a few drinks and caught up on some films we had recorded. Was a strange feeling! We still woke up at feed times though strangely enough :rotfl:

Just had a little cry. My phone has suddenly stopped working, cant get it to turn on at all and I have hundreds of baby pics and videos on there that I cant get to now . Hoping if I take it into a phone shop they can help, would be devastated to lose them

I used to Bluetooth all my pics to my laptop but the new laptop I got for Christmas doesn't have Bluetooth. Apparently is soooooo last decade but I'm lost without it :cool:

fluffnutter

Cake4brains wrote: »

Morning all. Had a childless night last night, the girls slept over at Grannys so DH and I had a few drinks and caught up on some films we had recorded. Was a strange feeling! We still woke up at feed times though strangely enough :rotfl:

Just had a little cry. My phone has suddenly stopped working, cant get it to turn on at all and I have hundreds of baby pics and videos on there that I cant get to now . Hoping if I take it into a phone shop they can help, would be devastated to lose them

I used to Bluetooth all my pics to my laptop but the new laptop I got for Christmas doesn't have Bluetooth. Apparently is soooooo last decade but I'm lost without it :cool:

Your pics will usually be on the sd card which is removable. Even without being able to switch the phone on, you should still be able to access the card. What phone is it?

janninew

Hope you get your pics and video's back Cake, I'm sure a tech person will be able to retrieve them. My laptop had a virus recently and I couldn't even turn it on and all my pics and video's were on it (and not backed up!) and I took it to a laptop repair shop and they managed to get all my information onto discs!

Starting to think about taking the dummy away shortly, dreading doing it though as she sucks it all night and it seems to provide lots of comfort. What are others doing with dummies, am I being a bit mean taking it away at this stage?

Good news on the growing front, we have finally moved onto 6-9 month clothes, going to bag up my 3-6 months and get them to a charity shop.

My very good friend is due her baby today, she is showing no signs and feeling very fed up!

janninew

Ohh also anybody got any recommendations for dry skin cream? I'm using E45 at the moment but Poppy has very dry cheeks, knees and arms, I'm thinking its from all her rolling about as that is the only way she is moving at the moment!

Good news as well on the pooing front, she had 5 very dirty nappies yesterday (my poor mum!) so I think her backlog is finally clearing!!