We are approaching the first big milestone, 1 whole month living down here. Swiftly to be followed by a day later, hubby flying to New Zealand for almost 2 weeks!!
That's not only the longest we have ever been apart, but nearly 2 weeks of just me and the children. As much as I adore them, that is a bloody long time. 2 weeks of bedtimes, just me, getting 2 children bathed, dressed, 1 breastfed and down to bed. Did I mention on my own?
A couple of weeks ago, Hubby went to Austria for a couple of nights and I had to do it then, it was hard work, but I managed. However the thought of 2 weeks.....arrrggghh. I seriously take my hat off to single parents.
Talk about being thrown in at the deep end, not only do I not know anyone down here, I'm going to be totally on my own! Would it be cheating to ask my Mum and Dad to take a week off each and come and stay with me, or should I tough it out?
Tuesday 6 November 2012
Monday 5 November 2012
That age old debate - Breast & Formula feeding
I am downright sick of this so called 'debate'. Yet again have I seen something on facebook about this debate and yet again my blood starts to boil. I shouldn't let it bother me but it does. It's not necessarily the formula v breast debate that winds me up, but the fact that some Mum's insist on having this debate in the first place.
Why can't we all accept that we do the best for our babies and ourselves and that may be formula feeding, breastfeeding or a bit of both. If we all were the same then the world would be boring. Why should it concern you how the baby next door, at playgroup, down the street etc is fed? Why can't Mum's concentrate on feeding their own baby, and not worry about other babies.
Both sides are to blame in this too. Some breastfeeders spout the usual 'Breast is best, blah blah blah' making those who tried and failed to breastfeed guilty. And then you have some Formula feeders who are intent on letting the world know they are not harming their child by using formula and how dare breastfeeders suggest so.
I am tired of reading the same old thing over and over again. I personally couldn't care less how you choose to feed your child. I really couldn't. Its your decision, based on what is best for you and your baby. And I can wholeheartedly say, whatever you decide will be the right decision. What really irks me, is when you then have to constantly reinforce this decision to anyone who will listen over and over again.
This doesn't apply to all Mum's, of course it doesn't. There are positives and negatives to both ways of feeding. I know formula feeding Mums who have suffered greatly with the guilt they feel about not being able to breastfeed, but their baby is thriving on formula, so they shouldn't feel guilty. I know Mums who breastfeed who feel out of place at baby groups because everyone else is bottle feeding and they feel guilty for breastfeeding almost.
I have a friend who has stopped going to a particular baby groups because she is the only one breastfeeding and the others have made comments to her about her feeding. Likewise I know formula feeders who have felt uncomfortable bottle feeding at a babygroup because others are breastfeeding. I even had someone say to me once, that breastfeeding a baby past 6 months was for the Mothers' benefit only and was only serving to make for a clingy badly behaved child in the future. Incidentally this person is also a health visitor, though she was speaking to me as a friend at a party not in her professional capacity.
I am just tired and fed up of reading it all to be honest. Tired of some breastfeeders making some FF's feel guilty and inferior. Breast is not always best for a happy baby and a happy Mummy. I'm tired of some formula feeders feeling the need to constantly spout about how well their baby is doing on formula. If the tables were turned, they would feel outraged.
How about we just get on with feeding our own babies and let others worry about feeding theirs. As I said previously, I don't care how you feed your baby, as long as you and your baby are happy, healthy and growing, and I bet you don't care how I feed mine!
I'm sure though, that as long as we keep having babies, this debate will continue to roll on, its human nature I suppose.
Why can't we all accept that we do the best for our babies and ourselves and that may be formula feeding, breastfeeding or a bit of both. If we all were the same then the world would be boring. Why should it concern you how the baby next door, at playgroup, down the street etc is fed? Why can't Mum's concentrate on feeding their own baby, and not worry about other babies.
Both sides are to blame in this too. Some breastfeeders spout the usual 'Breast is best, blah blah blah' making those who tried and failed to breastfeed guilty. And then you have some Formula feeders who are intent on letting the world know they are not harming their child by using formula and how dare breastfeeders suggest so.
I am tired of reading the same old thing over and over again. I personally couldn't care less how you choose to feed your child. I really couldn't. Its your decision, based on what is best for you and your baby. And I can wholeheartedly say, whatever you decide will be the right decision. What really irks me, is when you then have to constantly reinforce this decision to anyone who will listen over and over again.
This doesn't apply to all Mum's, of course it doesn't. There are positives and negatives to both ways of feeding. I know formula feeding Mums who have suffered greatly with the guilt they feel about not being able to breastfeed, but their baby is thriving on formula, so they shouldn't feel guilty. I know Mums who breastfeed who feel out of place at baby groups because everyone else is bottle feeding and they feel guilty for breastfeeding almost.
I have a friend who has stopped going to a particular baby groups because she is the only one breastfeeding and the others have made comments to her about her feeding. Likewise I know formula feeders who have felt uncomfortable bottle feeding at a babygroup because others are breastfeeding. I even had someone say to me once, that breastfeeding a baby past 6 months was for the Mothers' benefit only and was only serving to make for a clingy badly behaved child in the future. Incidentally this person is also a health visitor, though she was speaking to me as a friend at a party not in her professional capacity.
I am just tired and fed up of reading it all to be honest. Tired of some breastfeeders making some FF's feel guilty and inferior. Breast is not always best for a happy baby and a happy Mummy. I'm tired of some formula feeders feeling the need to constantly spout about how well their baby is doing on formula. If the tables were turned, they would feel outraged.
How about we just get on with feeding our own babies and let others worry about feeding theirs. As I said previously, I don't care how you feed your baby, as long as you and your baby are happy, healthy and growing, and I bet you don't care how I feed mine!
I'm sure though, that as long as we keep having babies, this debate will continue to roll on, its human nature I suppose.
Sunday 4 November 2012
The difficult second post
So, I started this with the intention of keeping it upto date, but for one reason and another its now over a week later!
Buuuut.... my lovely hubby surprised me with my own pretty blue laptop before the weekend so I can now blog to my hearts content. Before I usually browsed the net on the iPad or my phone, but I couldn't blog on there so relied on nabbing the laptop from my hubby when I could. Which is not very often as he always working it seems.
Anyway enough of my drivel, the upshot of it is, I can now blog whenever I want, kidlets permitting obviously.
So what has been happening with me.....well we are now 4 weeks in. This weekend our best friends and their 5 month old daughter came to stay with us. We had a lovely lovely time and It was so nice to have my bestie back for a good chat.
I have been plodding on with going to my playgroups. I am getting lots of help from the staff which is nice, trying to engage R or holding T for me so I can spend some time with my girl. Its really nice and helpful, but I want friends too, if that makes sense. I recognise a few of the Mums now and we have a brief 'Hello, how are you' type chat but no one really has made any prolonged conversation with me. And whenever they do, I find myself saying the same thing to everyone..... 'I've just moved here, I don't know anyone, blah blah blah' I must sound so boring to anyone that overhears me, so they don't come and try to talk. Plus everyone has their own little groups. Its really hard to break into
I'll keep plugging away though, I'm hopeful that it'll come in time.
In the meantime, I have arranged to meet a couple of girls that responded to my 'please be my friend' advert on Netmums. One girl I have already met, she was nice, though she had a little boy last week so may be out of action for a while. Another girl, I was supposed to meet tomorrow but she is 37 weeks pregnant and so is feeling it a little, so it may be a case of waiting til she's had her baby before we get to meet.
That's all for now, I'm tired after a weekend of late nights and screaming babies (though luckily not mine, just in my house!)
Buuuut.... my lovely hubby surprised me with my own pretty blue laptop before the weekend so I can now blog to my hearts content. Before I usually browsed the net on the iPad or my phone, but I couldn't blog on there so relied on nabbing the laptop from my hubby when I could. Which is not very often as he always working it seems.
Anyway enough of my drivel, the upshot of it is, I can now blog whenever I want, kidlets permitting obviously.
So what has been happening with me.....well we are now 4 weeks in. This weekend our best friends and their 5 month old daughter came to stay with us. We had a lovely lovely time and It was so nice to have my bestie back for a good chat.
I have been plodding on with going to my playgroups. I am getting lots of help from the staff which is nice, trying to engage R or holding T for me so I can spend some time with my girl. Its really nice and helpful, but I want friends too, if that makes sense. I recognise a few of the Mums now and we have a brief 'Hello, how are you' type chat but no one really has made any prolonged conversation with me. And whenever they do, I find myself saying the same thing to everyone..... 'I've just moved here, I don't know anyone, blah blah blah' I must sound so boring to anyone that overhears me, so they don't come and try to talk. Plus everyone has their own little groups. Its really hard to break into
I'll keep plugging away though, I'm hopeful that it'll come in time.
In the meantime, I have arranged to meet a couple of girls that responded to my 'please be my friend' advert on Netmums. One girl I have already met, she was nice, though she had a little boy last week so may be out of action for a while. Another girl, I was supposed to meet tomorrow but she is 37 weeks pregnant and so is feeling it a little, so it may be a case of waiting til she's had her baby before we get to meet.
That's all for now, I'm tired after a weekend of late nights and screaming babies (though luckily not mine, just in my house!)
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