Journal Live - Blog Central

Never again will I have a proper nights sleep

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:09:42 +0000

Baby five months

My mother-in-law told me she'd never had a truely unbothered nights sleep since her eldest son (now 39) was born. Blimey, I thought - and quickly after "that won't be me".

But now the realisation is starting to creep up on me.

I haven't blogged for a while, this is for a few reasons, I have managed to mainly remove Otis from my lap for his naps (mainly), Otis is sleeping less and feeding quicker (only 10 mins breastfeeding instead of 30) but the primary reason is the terrible lack of sleep.

Techno Mums

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:10:20 +0000

How did new mums cope before the internet? What did they do before newspapers were available online? Before you could use facebook, babycentre and check email?
Ok so you have to type with one finger but the internet keeps you up to date with what's going on around the world and allows you to have a social life from your sofa.

Anxious mother?

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:12:27 +0000

My own mother accused me of this today when I insisted we drive back from a short walk with Otis' Swedish cousins near Houghall in Durham.

Otis was crying his little eyes out, clearly unhappy at being held and we hadn't brought his pram as there wasn't the space.

Yep I was pretty anxious as my pulsating eye showed. Otis' cry immediately provokes the reaction in me to do whatever the hell I can to stop it come hell or high water. Not for me the Gina Ford school of parenting. Certainly not with a three month old.

Salma Hayek's wet nursing

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:57:46 +0000

Footage released this week of actress Salma Hayek breastfeeding a newborn baby while on a Unicef visit to Africa have sparked debate and unsettled feelings ( look on www.youtube.com for the footage).

"How could she feed another woman's child? How could the baby's mum let her? Weird.."

Vaccination scare stories

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:57:27 +0000

Baby 13 weeks

There's been a lot of coverage recently on the legal threat made by a London radio station to the journalist Dr Ben Goldacre regarding his exposure of one of their presenters outdated and frankly dangerous views on the MMR vaccination.

Slowing down

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:07:01 +0000

Baby 12 weeks

One of the hardest yet most rewarding things I have found about new motherhood has been the change in the pace of life.

With the blurry first month over time has been passing in a very different way to the previous decade.

Joys of the pram

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:30:58 +0000

Baby 12 weeks

Have you ever noticed how, no matter what the weather or time, there are always people walking outside with their prams?

Keep an eye out next time you are out and about - there will be several mums, dads and grandparents out and about in all weathers (yes even this week) with steely expressions of determination on their faces.

Cold tragedy

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 08:43:22 +0000

Baby 11 weeks

Today Otis has a terrible cold, his first. To many people it would probably be a normal cold but to me it is an evil, evil thing brewed in the steaming pits of hell...

Last night the poor little thing woke up every two hours sneezing and coughing and crying in confusion. It wrenched at my heartstrings and left me crying into my pillow.

Smiles

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:57:15 +0000

Baby 10 weeks

People have looked at me in a number of different ways over the years, with despair, frustration, anxiety - and confusion, mainly.

But no-one has ever before looked at me with a smile which spreads from ear to ear and which speaks of incredible joy.

"Breast is best"

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:51:04 +0000

Baby nine weeks

Yes of course it is - everybody knows that, I knew that when you're pregnant no-one tells you anything else but that, so of course I was going to breastfeed.

Oh little innocent me - perhaps its because my family have been lucky with breastfeeding, perhaps its because I work in a male environment (very little chatting about family matters in the newsroom) but I was completely naïve.

Welcome to motherhood

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:52:16 +0000

Baby eight weeks

My sweet Lord what on Earth just happened?

There I was applying lotions and oils to my body in preparation for birth, doing yoga, calmly sorting out clothes and making the house look nice - then, all of a sudden, bang.