bluesuperted

Not happy with the term breastfeeding fanatics at all - I am very pro-breastfeeding and becoming rapidly anti-formula companies (not anti-formula feeders, who am I to judge, every woman's situation and decision is unique). I think most pro-breastfeeding women are simply that, passionate about something they believe is completely normal (and amazing) but that lacks support and is often villified. It makes me so sad that people would rather turn against people trying to help than turn against massive multinationals with scandalous practices and ethics. I also am surprised by the Kings experience reported; ED and Kings probreastfeeding stance is not representative of the rest of the UK and Claire and her team have been of immeasurable support to many round here, as have the caseloading midwife teams. Again I think these are examples of dedicated and passionate people, not those who are fanatics or mafioso. Anna_r - the sibling aspect must add an interesting dynamic - while my litte one is consoled by gnawing on a rattle or wooden spoon in his highchair while the giants eat (despite being very interested with grabbing if near enough!) it must be a lot less clearcut to your little one when she is in the pecking order so to speak! Why is the other mini person getting involved etc?!

Yes I also heard about the developmental leap and think this is the case for my baby - yes he drinks a lot and still wakes in the night but he seems so happy on milk (and cannot yet sit unaided) that I'm sticking with my original plan of BLW at 6 months or thereabouts. Will be sad to say goodbye to the ease of just bf-ing even though discovering food will be very fun I'm sure!

Radrach - just interested in what signs your little one is showing that he is super hungry and not happy on breastmilk? The reason I ask is that my 5 month old is also very big (98th weight, 99th height) and yet is super contented both in general and when feeding. Yes he wakes in the night for 2 quick feeds and then straight back down but I was under the impression that breastmilk (of formula) is the most calorific thing they can eat at this stage - am I wrong and does baby rice have more calories or is it just heavier to digest? Am interested in these signs in case I'm missing them (don't think I am!) as I also want to wait til 6m for baby led weaning...

As you know, mine was a sicky baby, but now his small spit ups usually (but not always) occur connected to tummy time, jumperoo or daddy throwing about time! Usually partly digested too and often just before he gets hungry again! To give mine a break from tummy time I sit him up on the floor supported or on my knee and do 'seated' games, row your boat, songs while seated, playing with toys in the highchair etc! Acts as a good distraction! x

I think that too Nappy Lady - even worse imagining how a teenage boy would react!! Probably just pat me on the head to humour me if he keeps growing so fast!

We've customised it too. At one point it looked a right state with pram toys dangling off every leaf etc but our boy seems to love it too. He multitasks, grabbing toucan by the scruff of his neck and hitting the elephant rattle! Wish I was a baby some days...!

We have the Fisher Price Rainforest gym, which is garish but great, with not too awful music choices (in fact the rainforest noises are quite relaxing!). And my very large nearly 5 month old managed to roll in it yesterday several times! This is the cheapest place at the mo, we got ours from Amazon. http://www.babycity.co.uk/gyms-playmats-tummy-time-activity-gyms/fisher-price/fisher-price-rainforest-melodies-lights-deluxe-gym-pd-1425.html?pageId=pd&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=marketing_medium&utm_campaign=froogle_feed

Thursday morning generally good for me but next week is the new Peckham mother baby viewing. Go ahead without me if that works better though and I'll make the next one :) x

Sounds grand!

Haven't sampled the lunch on offer in the MIND shop Keef.... ;P

Let's smuggle the chair in Anna! I think Love... too, I like the Focker films too but even the trailer isn't funny this time... Yay, film and cake!

Congratulations on your Christmas bundle! Since you fed your first baby the law has changed. I believe it's now illegal to discriminate against breastfeeding mothers feeding in public even with babies beyond 6 months. I've breastfed in most eateries in East Dulwich since my baby was born in August and have never had any trouble whatsoever. I kind of want someone to say something so I can throw the book at them, but I can be a bit bolshy at times ;) Maybe I've been lucky but one breastfeeding highlight for me was going on a very exciting outing to the new shopping centre near St Pauls with two nct friends and us all breastfeeding a) in a Zizzi restaurant filled with city workers and b) in a cafe next to a windowed room with a business meeting clearly taking place! In both places we had fantastic waiters and no one batted an eyelid. If that is the case in Cheapside then i can't imagine any problems in predominantly mummy friendly ED!

Hi Belle, we cross-posted - I agree that it's not as heinous as it appearing in a newspaper but I still think that Heat needs to think carefully about its responsibilities to its audience; yes Heat is a magazine that does poke fun at celebrities, but its also a magazine read by women and girls - it's not Nuts or FHM and in a similar way to issues like anoerexia being discussed sensitively, so too should breastfeeding. Many of Heat's readership are already mothers or will be mothers in the not too distant future and this kind of negativity around discussing potential breastfeeding problems is very damaging to the work currently being done to encourage mothers, particularly younger ones, to breastfeed. I agree it is great to see any celebrity support of breastfeeding, but I think any such positivity from Natalie Cassidy gets lost here and the underlying message here seems to be, breastfeeding and its related issues, are not the kind of thing to be discussed in a magazine or indeed over lunch... (the journo better not come round to my place for lunch any time soon, they might be a bit horrified!).

Sorry for making you rage Ruth, I feel bad for sharing the misery that is that, as you say, so-called article, but it's all so interlinked with the Facebook rubbish and the general ignorance in the mainstream media about breastfeeding. Well done for continuing to BF against the grain both. I'm 29 (for a few more day at least!) and am lucky that I come from a staunchly breastfeeding family (so very supportive and no 'when are you going to give the bottle' comments) and all but one of my mummy friends have breastfed, some of them through much adversity, so I've had lots of people to share stories and tips with. In contrast my friend who couldn't breastfeed had undiagnosed and for a long time untreated tongue tie, breast abscesses, infections and hospitalisation so did try incredibly hard, she's determined to try again next time and I hope she gets better support as it was pretty poor in East London where she lives. The thing that annoyed me most is, given all the ridiculous minutae of information we get from celebs in magazines, a woman talking about feeding her child, a basic human endeavour surely, is somehow (ewww, ick etc) akin to talking about your bowel movements, and far too much information. And don't even get me started on them using the term 'bitty'! GinaG3 - I had two EDF sign-ons for a while and was the 'Buggles' who bought your ace snowsuit! Absolutely love it so cheers again!?

Grrr it makes me so angry. I have looked for a link to complain to Facebook but can't find one using my iPhone (one-handed whilst breastfeeding - HAH!) so will look later. Also just to infuriate you both further, here's a link to a pretty embarrasing/inaccurate/childish article from Heatworld about Natalie Cassidy and breastfeeding... (found this link via babycentre, Heatworld is not a site I usually frequent!). Makes me very sad that the same kind of magazine carrying GinaG3's said airbrushed women has published such piffle about breastfeeding to its impressionable young audience... http://www.heatworld.com/Celeb-News/2010/12/Natalie-Cassidy-cant-breastfeed-any-more/ I'd like a trip in the time machine too...

Second red sea.... Lovely and warm in April...

I really recommend Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome by Luke Jackson. The author wrote it in his teens and tells the story of him and his brothers who are all on the autistic spectrum. Fantastic insight into all their lives and the writing is amazing for a teenager. Sounds like you're already a great aunt for trying to find out all you can. Hope this is useful :)

New year meet sounds lovely, count me in! Hope you're feeling a ok now Sophie. X

Also don't think acidophilus tablets are harmful at all - I took them in an attempt to clear my son's oral thrush and was recommended to do so. Also I took the rehydration sachets and it helped me a lot so if you can get a baby version that would be great I imagine.

Nothing helpful to add but hope your little ones feel better soon. I've just had the bug and never felt so ill in my life! It was bewildering enough for a 29 year old! Just praying my 18 week old doesn't get it now...

I second the baby carrier idea. Also a massive ergo fan (even with a 20lb 4 month old!) as I know he loves peeking out of the side when he's not sleeping in it. Agree with nylonmeals that you sound like you're doing a great job, singing and talking are brilliant for babies!

Hi paperina...? This is such an interesting thread to me as it mirrors a dilemma I have (albeit my son is only 4 months and I'm considering a job opp that starts next year when he'll be just over one). I too have done the maths and worked out that we'll be only ?250ish a month better off if I go to work 2.5 days a week from?September. And that's with nursery or childminder care rather than a nanny which I'd much prefer. My dilemma is that the opportunity for work ok September is almost too good to miss - I'm starting out following a career change and the job is working with my fabulous ex tutor and good friend and the role is local and to die for in terms of experience (something I'm especially grateful for given I'm a new mum and need something family friendly). But I think in your position I'd agree with previous posters and wait for something better suiting your lifestyle with two little ones unless it really is the job of your dreams... I have my own little chimpanzee and I'm loving this stage so much I feel grateful that I can stick at home with him for another 8 months at least (realise looking after two must be a lot more demanding though!).? I'm also very lucky as I do some freelance work (couple of days each month) from home which I would recommend as I find I can just turn my brain on for a few hours in the evening when my husband is home and it feels nice to make a bit of money without compromising on time with my son while he's little. The freelance work I do is sadly from my previous career life so that's why it won't satisfy me to just do that longterm. In fact it makes my own dilemma harder as I can probably net the same profit per annum doing my marketing freelance work as I will doing this job in September, which I'd love but will ?will take me away from my son for 2.5 days a week... I'm afraid I don't know what my answer is yet which makes the fact I'm offering advice slightly comical!! Argh it's all so difficult! Good luck with your decision (sounds like you've already made it really!) and sorry for hijacking your thread a little and mixing your dilemma with my own in my response! Lx ???

Very interested too Sophie! Lucy x

This post resonates so strongly with me... I read it in bed last Sunday morning (and only just getting to post!) with my gorgeous three-month old boy next to me and welled up about 5 times just thinking about how all these lyrics mean so much now that he's 'in the world'... Absolutely love the Adele and Abba songs too... Yorkie - your comment 'becoming a mother you lose a layer of skin which never grows back' is just SO true. I feel happier than I've ever been but also more emotional and soft around the edges - because there's so much more at stake now! To add my own song - there are too many to list them all - having bought my lovely boy a Disney album for us to sing along to, I chanced upon Baby Mine from Dumbo which I hadn't heard in years. With practice I can now sing it without tears but if I think about the simple words too much, it can get me everytime. It completely captures for me the terrifyingly strong feelings of the newborn period and beyond...and when I sing it I always think how he will never be this dependent on me again which makes me happy and sad at the same time: Baby mine, don't you cry Baby mine, dry your eyes Rest your head close to my heart Never to part, baby of mine Baby mine, when you play Don't you care what they say Let those eyes sparkle and shine Never a tear, baby of mine From your head to your toes You're so sweet, goodness knows You are so precious to me, cute as can be, baby of mine Thank you for making an already soppy new mummy cry once again!!

Oh no Katy, Anna r and I were there - sat by the bookcases in the corner of the back room - sorry we didn't clock each others bumps (with 3 weeks to go each ours are fairly out there but we must have been hidden from view!). Definitely up for more meet ups and also daytime good now that maternity leave has begun :) sorry again we missed you!