Baby G is 8 weeks old now and has been called up tomorrow for her first lot of jabs, not a nice Mummy moment.  I found it pretty distressing first time around with Lil’ H and I remember I wrote an email for friends would had also become first time mums just a few months behind me to help them along.  I’ve dug out that email to remind myself and have prescribed myself a dose of my own advice … thought I’d post it as it may help others and I’d welcome other tips about managing babes during and after immunisations….

Dear Mummy Friends,
 
I hope this finds you well, I thought the information below might be helpful for you and your babes as you approach their vaccinations. 
 
Having Hugo vaccinated was a big deal for me and I really debated whether to or not, I mention this because I was pretty agitated this morning having spent a good few weeks making the decision (and by the way it is yet another no win catch 22 one!) and Lil’ H definitely picked up on it so my top tip number would be for you to stay very calm. 
 
OK so here is what Lil’ H had, how the vaccinations were given and how I managed him with them …
 
At 2 months they have two jabs – one in each thigh, the first contains Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Hib, Polio and Meningitis C and the second contains the Pneumococcal vaccine.  About 1/2 an hour before I gave him a dose ( 2.5ml) of Calpol, no idea how much he got as he spat loads out but I think it helped.  The first jab he didn’t seem to notice (he was already crying though so it was hard to tell) the second one does hurt them, it stings apparently and he definitely felt it as he gave the hideous ”silent scream”!  I held him on my knee, they gave the first jab, I turned him round and they gave the second.  Top tip would be to dress him in something that isn’t too fiddly to get the legs out of – if its warm just a vest or sunsuit would be perfect.  Lots of cuddles and kisses straight after and I went to another room immediately to feed him at the health centre before going home – I think this is quite important as it is a shock for them.  I fed him again when we got home to get him off to sleep, my friend came over and gave him a Bowen treatment for shock.  He has definitely been more touchy today, wanting to be held and he was crying more than normal today and it was difficult to settle him up to about 5pm.  After that the evening and bedtime was normal. 
 
So tips are…
1.  Stay calm, it helped me to have Mr L there too.
2.  Dress babe in something easy to get his legs in and out of.
3.  Calpol 20-30 mins before the jab
4.  Feed babe immediately afterwards
5.  Lots of cuddles – skin to skin is also recommended so you could plan to return home and both go to bed for the rest of the day.
 
Hope it helps. 
Claire xxx

A pre-post warning – if you are under 3 years old this is a sad story, if you are older I hope you will find it amusing! 

 Two months ago when Baby G was born both Baby G and Lil H were given helium balloons to celebrate  their arrival in this world and promotion to big brother respectively.  Lil H has always been a big fan of helium balloons and has had a lot of enjoyment over the last 8 weeks with it.  But 8 weeks on and what was a big, full, round balloon bobbing & bouncing along the ceiling had become a floppy, saggy, crinkly bit of foil limping around the living room floor.  Mr L put H to bed whilst I put the living room back in order returning the toys to their correct boxes and refilling the toy box in anticipation of it all being emptied again tomorrow.  This pathetic bit of foil limped towards me.  On the basis that it frankly didn’t qualify as a balloon anymore, I mean it didn’t even float for gods sake!  I didn’t think anything of picking the flaccid foil pocket up, swiftly putting it out of its misery with the kitchen scissors and then unconsciously I stuffed it in the kitchen bin.  I did all this without a first, second or any other kind of thought.  If it’s not there my little H will never notice nor know or care.  Shortly after Lil’ H appeared downstairs holding his cup requesting more milk, he then spied his consumed “fruit squeezy” from tea time and decided he’d prefer that to milk.  I told him to go back to bed and I would bring his milk up, I also told him to “pop that in the bin on your way please”.  Again I did this all without thinking, the total absence of thought is very evident at all times throughout this tale isn’t it?!

H reappeared at the kitchen door holding the flat, lifeless, bounce free bit of foil.  “Mum you squashed my balloon” he accused.  I didn’t know what to say, I think I may have even started to blush!  “Mum you squashed my balloon” he repeated louder and even sadder.  I had to turn away as I felt a bad case of the giggles coming on because he looked so, so, so disproportionately sad about this!   H was soothed with the explanation it had “popped” and returned to bed with the promise of a new one. 

Phew – thankfully he isn’t old enough to examine the evidence, if he has he would have seen the clean, sharp, deliberate cuts of the kitchen scissors wielded by his mother in the unprovoked slashing! 

I confess I am a Helium Killer!

Lego is, please excuse the pun, a building block in my childhood.  I really am looking forward to building stuff with Lil H, his imagination is developing at rocket speed now so I have no doubt we will have a great time!  We have fun with Duplo but I really am desperate for him to get into the “proper stuff”.  You know what I mean by proper stuff?  The red, yellow, green and blue bricks that are 4×2′s, 2×2′s and the never enough of 2′s etc.  The bright bricks that really, really, really are excruiciatingly painful when you tread on them in bare feet.  The stuff that makes parents treading on it swear out loud, no matter how they try not to and wander off muttering under their breath because they can’t be cross with you for “quietly playing with Lego”! 

Mr L’s family live near Legoland in Windsor and a visit there is on the “to do list”.  However much closer to home (a little PR fairy tells me) at the Trafford Centre in Manchester, a Lego Discovery Centre is due to open before Easter on 22nd March 2010!  That’s less than four months away and the other great news is that it is aimed at families aged 3-12years (that’s me! me! me!) or up to 36+ years young if like me you still love your Lego!  Sadly my skills are rusty, in the Lego building halls of fame I am an amateur and would be seriously out classed should I have applied for the role as Master Model Builder – think X-Factor contest but in Lego.  Indeed the lucky candidate who wins the appointment will literally be paid to build Lego models all day long.  Yes, seriously, this job exists!  Wanna be Kylie, Ryan Giggs, Terry Pratchett?  But can’t sing, play or write?  No fear!  If you can build ‘em in Lego your ideal job does in fact exist! 

I’m writing about this new opening because I am a North West girl and a big supporter of the regeneration of Manchester and its surroundings.  We have some fab attractions and frankly living in the UK (until global warming really starts to take off!) the more indoor attractions for families the better.  Its being opened by the guys who do Legoland (obviously, duh!) The London Eye, Madame Tussauds and Alton Towers.  The Legoland Discovery Centre whilst the first in the UK, and they picked MANCHESTER, but of course, will be the fourth in the world.  So I’m thinking they will have worked out what works, doesn’t and we’ll have a really great family day out on our hands.  The Manchester Legoland Discovery Centre promises to be the best yet.  Amongst a host of themed Lego attractions, it will host:

• ‘Miniland’ featuring key landmarks from Manchester and the Northwest including Salford Quays, the Blackpool Tower and the Lake District
• An interactive and immersive LEGO themed ride
• A 4D cinema where you can reach out and touch the stars
• Learn some building secrets in a Model Builder’s Workshop
• Birthday rooms for that special big treat! (FAB!  Outsource for excellence I say!)

So that’s what I know about what’s coming from Lego in March, I will write more as I hear more, but for now I’m off to hone my brick building skills.  Whilst writing this post I was tweeting about trying to find some Lego Kickers for Lil H, my tweet got misread as Lego KNICKERS, as in underwear, and I now appear to have started a Lego Knicker building contest!  As a Wannabe Master Model Builder I am determined to win … if only I could find more yellow 2′s …

Ten years ago I was 26 years old.  I was single.  I was in London.  I had been celebrating my birthday for a week already and had more than two more weeks of Christmas parties to go! 

Today I am 36 years old.  I am married with a toddler and a 8 week old baby.  I am tired!

I am very much looking forward to my girls night out on Friday with two very special appearances from two great mates all the way from London and Egypt – let the good times roll!  For just a few hours we will pretend it is 10 years ago, quaff cocktails, totter in high heels, play dares and keep an eye out for good looking men, perhaps even flirt with some!

So if like me you are a Saggitarius and are celebrating your arrival in this world round about the same time as me let me wish you a Very Happy Birthday because I know having a birthday in December sucks!  Mr L’s is right at the beginning of January and these are RUBBISH times to have a birthday because …

1. Everyone’s too busy, even those people who are never busy!
2. Everyone’s skint
3. Everywhere is packed with Christmas Do’s
4. Everywhere has Christmas set menus
5. The weather’s always terrible
6. You can never get a cab home
7. You get COMBINED presents
8. Your birthday gifts get wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper
9. If your birthday is after Christmas you get unwanted gifts passed on
10. If during holiday fortnight you never get to have a party with school mates
11. You are given Christmas decorations as gifts (addition by @StefanieHopkins)

For all the above reasons I have celebrated my birthday on the Saturday of the second bank holiday in May for the last six years and this year is no different and I am rainchecking turning this birthday until May 2010!

This week I took Baby G to make a plate for my mum, her Grandma, for Christmas.  I did this with my lil’ H and wanted to create the same in pink so Grandma would have the “full set” - please note there won’t be anymore to collect! 

Violet Posy is hosting a “Thrifty Christmas” carnival and although this is a late addition to the carnival there is still time for anyone inspired into create their own baby plates to get them painted, fired and collected in time for the big day!

I’ll be collecting Baby G’s next week … ok whilst that’s one gift sorted there are still many more that aren’t so I’m back off to Google … ciao for now! Cx