Newborn and baby advice

@ Desiree, Its not raining today:) I had to laugh about your comment though. We have been having a severe drought (virtually no rain for the last 5-6months) and everything is dead (Durbs looks like Johannesburg in Winter and my garden is a sandpit). This week is the first good rain we have had, and most durbanites are throwing parties and doing rain dances to keep it coming!

Just a quick update, My colleague and I had a huge blow out yesterday and we are now not talking (well it seems like she is not talking to me) basically she thinks that if I do less hours I'll run her practice into the ground, so I tried to come to the party and said that fine, I'll see more patients, but then James has to be with me and I'll bring the nanny to the rooms with me, so that I can be available all the time and she refuses that compromise because she thinks a baby crying in the background is unprofessional (which is strange because I mainly treat children and they often cry??) Her solution - I need to just give James a bottle and learn to leave him with other people! Last night I was so angry... I always say to people that I am lucky that I can schedule my work around having a baby, so that I can breastfeed and spend time with James. I would be very sad if I was like most women who have no choice but to put their babies in creche/leave them all day with a nanny. Why should I have to do things her way when I'm doing her a favour? Anyway it was left with her saying that maybe she should just close her practice for three months (which I think is more detrimental than having a baby in the background being looked after by a nanny?)

Just to give you a picture of how things work, I see mainly kids. I do hospital rounds in the morning and maybe 1 homevisit and then late afternoon I see outpatients (and occasionally will have to pop back to the hospital for late referrals/twice daily patients). Out patients are seen at my colleagues house who has converted a granny flat into a nice big practice, so she is down the road from me, but I'm not at home. She sees mainly adults and has a much bigger patient load (her lg goes to daycare, so she works all day) I keep my patient load small because I want to be at home more...Anyway my dad says I should just start practicing from my house now and save myself the stress of a business relationship going sour:( That would be great except for the small problem of me not having the available space!

Hey Ladies

So just a quick pop in.

Desiree: So happy to hear your baba is better.
I do so believe they know how to wrap mommy or daddy around their little fingers. Training us very well. hehe.

I so want to see a pic of Connor in his swim gear.

Adri: Dont worry that will come. And so will the "But do we have to go?"
Oh and congrats on the first laugh. G still doesnt laugh very often, only if he is really in the mood. But I think he doesn't like doing it as every time he gets hiccups.

I also like watching what other babies are doing, gives a nice guideline as they are all so different.

What are you putting your babies to sleep in now? How much clothing?

Will come chat more in my next break.

oh, and I forgot to add that Connor now weighs 8.5kgs and is 67cms - he's gonna be a little shorty like his mommy it seems!

Oooook...so update time!!

Connor is doing much better today, but I feel a little sad now - we had a great day yesterday, and Monday, even though he was sick, it felt like I was on maternity leave again......and at this age its FUN!! why can't we have maternity leave now.....at this stage in their lives, now that they're fun to be around....and responsive and all the rest? nooooooooooooo...we get to have them when they're all crabby and colicky and just lie there, lol - dont get me wrong - I adore my child, but honestly, I love him even more now that ever - he's got such a little personality and I understand him now...in the beginning....most of the time I had a "wtf" look on my face, ha ha -

So I drop Connor off at creche this morning and Im all apologetic because he's been a little difficult and I tell them hes been a bit miserable and crying if Im not holding him, and i tell them he hasnt been drinking or eating well since hes been sicky....etc - anyhooo, I phone now to find out how hes doing - and they tell me he has been in such a good mood....laughing & playing & finished ALL his milk at 9:00am and then polished off a bowl of cereal too....hmmmm.... seems to me he had me hook, line & sinker....lol

@Adri - the reason I got to play with Connor yesterday was because I had 2 days off work to be home with Connor cause I didnt want to take him to creche when he was sick.

@Yoza - nice to see you popping in again, how are your lo's doing?

@Scribbling - I had major withdrawal symptoms from not being on moomie, I rely on you guys for all my baby advice, lol - Connor did like my sweet potato and cinnamon, and I've made him carrots & butternut too - he loves it MUCH more than the stupid Purity veggies.....and its cheap & dead easy too - I'm making him mixes now, sweet potato & carrot....courgette & butternut....we'll see how he does - I've been mashing banana for him at lunchtime & giving him that with some full fat yogurt, that I buy at the kiddies range @ Woolies - speaking of which, Woolies also has a fab baby food range....I've bought a few meals and have frozen them for future use!!

For all the JHB solid feeeding mommies - check out this site, I found a pamphlet at my paeds office and think this is the next best thing to preparing your babies food at home - a nice alternative when u havent had time to cook yourself - www.babytastes.co.za

@Bundle - Connor grew very bored from the rice cereal, now hes on Nestle Gold Cerelac - the apple & cranberry flavour and he LOOOOOOOOVES it - very good for their tummies too, he's pretty regular!!

We leave for our holiday on Sunday, but I'm a bit bummed, it seems like its raining all the time in Durban, we'll be lucky if we even get to see any beach with Connor *sigh* - I hope we get a little sun at least...I so want to swim with Connor, I've bought his swim nappy and everything!!! I even bought him a swimming cozzie and sunglasses from Babybanz, lol

Ok...let me go do some work...will check in later!! mwah - missed you all!

ScribblingAl - Thanx for the book info....mmm I wonder what the differences are. Do you think you will get a lot of use out of the book? Do they have recipes and info on what to give your baby and when and how much?

I negotiated with work that I work 9-3pm. I wanted to work half day but that was pushing it, so they said they are happy with the 9-3 at the same pay so I was like...I'LL TAKE IT!!

When you came down to Cape Town I think you stayed in Partenoster? What was the place called? I'm Looking for accommodation for a weekend break and the west coast is a nice quick drive and lovely.

Welcome back Desiree...can't wait for an update in the life of you and Connor.

I've just ordered my Annabel K book from exclusive books, can't wait!! (Not that Kara is on solids yet ), but it's a start. She's 5 months on the 18th, so I think I'll give her a little tast of food for her 'birthday'.

ScribblingAl, I agree that it's nice to know how our babies compare, but I was actually speaking for myself that I have to calm down on what and what not Kara can do. Especially as she's a bit younger than most of your babies sometimes she seems miles from where they are and I worry in advance. It's silly, I know. She's doing just great!

This morning when I dropped her at nursery I placed her on the floor with a toy, and she didn't even look up to see me go...which is good cause I know she was happy, but would have loved her to smile, wave and blow kisses.

Yay Desiree, welcome back. It's crazy how much we miss the forum when it's not around. I guess we have been part of each others' lives for about 15 months now... Do you remember some of the ladies from our Pampers forum - JanineK and Amee - Janine's baby was born quite a bit prem and Amee had the twins. Wonder how they are doing. And how is Connor?? Hope the sleeping's improving.

Yoza, great to have you checking in. You're right - we've come so far. When I think back to those first few weeks I'm amazed. We really have come far.

Adri I agree about the comparisons, but I like to know what Emily should be doing and what to look out for. The teaching would be nice hours-wise, as well as for the lekker holidays. Computer science is also an in-demand subject so you could probably command a better salary than someone who teaches a subject that is more popular.

Bundle, the Annabel Karmel book is either the New Complete Baby & Toddler Cookbook, which Desiree got or the New Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner, which I got. Don't ask what the differences are because I don't have the foggiest. The cookbook's going for R140 at Kalahari, so they're around that price, I guess. They're hardcover too, which is nice. So nice that the daycare centre's just down the road from you. Where do you work that you're home at 3.30pm? Mommies with babies at daycare complain about sniffles and stuff but on the flip side it's boosting their immune systems. My breasts also don't feel very full. This morning's feed (the only one I don't top up) felt like a bit of a sad affair, but the one was still leaking while I was feeding her on the other so maybe they just feel more empty.