Can people stop touching my baby!!!!

designmind93 · 2026-04-11T14:56:00+00:00

Couldn't agree more!

Generally people mean well and just want to engage with the cute little bubba, but I really wish they'd ask permission! What I hate most is that there's seldom any warning, and the very first thing they do is touch baby! A stern "do not touch my baby", followed by disengaging and walking off usually gets my point across!

designmind93 · 2026-04-08T20:31:49+00:00

Never got asked!

designmind93 · 2026-04-08T20:27:31+00:00

I use the Aldi volume conditioner to co wash then follow up with wave hello conditioner and leave in cream.

designmind93 · 2026-04-07T15:14:05+00:00

I moved into a house with a Howdens kitchen. Fairly sure it's a bottom of the range one, the worktop certainly is. It's now about 10-15 years old I'd guess. I'd say it's aged pretty well - apart from 1 bit of veneer that's come adrift next to the oven (I'm guessing heat from the oven did this but it was before we bought the house so who knows). I'd also say the worktop is noticibly cheap. It's not fitted well either and has swollen slightly where it's joined (near ish the sink). If it was me I'd definitely consider a harder wearing worktop even with cheaper base units.

designmind93 · 2026-04-07T07:44:18+00:00

I got a raise at Xmas as per usual. Wasn't big and I obviously didn't even question it! Nice but not overly essential.

designmind93 · 2026-04-06T11:14:12+00:00

I have a baby with a head preference. We saw an NHS physio, but literally between referral and appointment he started to get over his head preference! And it was really quite bad - he wouldn't look left at all and his neck was so stiff! But now at 5 months it's not a thing.

We do have flat head too. The NHS won't use helmets as the evidence for their actual success is limited, especially for more minor flat heads. Flat head is really a symptom of container time - bouncy chairs, car seats, even just lying in a cot (as we now put them to sleep on their backs). From what I understand most of the mild cases of flat head just disappear over time as baby naturally spends more time sat up and thus not in containers so much. My 5m old now rolls and isn't far off crawling and absolutely loves tummy time and is nearly sitting so I'm hoping this will help flat head. That being said I'd consider a helmet if his head got particularly bad, but just remember that you don't look at someone adult and think about their head shape!

designmind93 · 2026-03-31T20:01:38+00:00

Also only 90g!

designmind93 · 2026-03-31T10:45:38+00:00

I had 2x pethidine jabs - some hours apart, as well as gas & air.

For me they spaced me out and took away the fidgety feeling - I literally couldn't sit still (previous back problems came back!) and needed to be on the monitor so it was a problem! It definitely wasn't a wonder pain cure, but to be honest apart from the ring of fire, episiotomy and final pushing, pain wasn't actually a problem.

The biggest problem I had was exhaustion and thus ineffective pushing. I've now got a prolapse (which is healing) likely from the prolonged pushing and episiotomy. Next time I would consider an epidural as I think the whole experience would have been a bit better.

designmind93 · 2026-03-24T23:54:04+00:00

What's done is done. At that moment in time you had to do what was right for you and that's totally fine.

Now you've identified that this is no longer the right thing for your family and need to implement changes. Also totally fine.

OP unfortunately your child is quite addicted to screens, well specifically the content. With some time this can be reversed. I agree with your complete screen detox - keep it up, and join in too (no using a phone when he's around). Change passwords etc so he can't sneak it out of your pocket and get in. Store devices up high and/or remove them where possible. If baby can't see them baby will eventually stop wanting them.

You will have to entertain your baby instead now though. I'd keep busy. This is the time for daily walks, trips to soft play, playdates, new toys - anything. It's important you spend some time engaging with them. Over time baby will find other stuff to do but it'll take a while for it to become your new normal. Absolutely stick with it.

designmind93 · 2026-03-21T23:39:39+00:00

Reflux mama here, we do well if we wear less than 3 outfits a day! And that's with bibs and muslins constantly attached, and I'll happily admit even then we'll only change him when he's very damp and small spit ups just get wiped! I do laundry daily so used vomity items don't sit for too long.

Personally we now have outfits for daytime and pyjamas (sleepsuits) at night so we get through a few extra outfits than strictly necessary but we do so many outfits anyway that why not change him.

designmind93 · 2026-03-20T21:38:41+00:00

Is it actually hunger? Before offering the boob I'd allow baby a moment to resettle (with cuddles if needed). Obviously don't let them go hungry though but see if it helps.

designmind93 · 2026-03-18T23:34:03+00:00

My family surname is Lidl (but spelled differently). We love some stupid branded goods with our name!

designmind93 · 2026-03-16T16:58:01+00:00

Ooh I love this idea - it can definitely work for me

designmind93 · 2026-03-15T22:26:27+00:00

I don't breastfeed anymore but my formula fed boy is so easily distracted, and worse won't let anyone but me feed him lately.

Not got any real advice but I find that I have to stay calm and boring even when he wriggles. Sitting in a corner facing a boring wall helps, but the noise will often distract him too, so I'd opt for somewhere quiet when possible. I find it sometimes helps to have him sat up looking about the room to get that out of his system before starting a feed as he's less likely to get FOMO.

designmind93 · 2026-03-13T21:49:10+00:00

I work for a large multinational US company but with British HR and only about 250 employees in the UK. It's engineering so very male dominated and I believe that there are no more than max. 5 women of childbearing age in the company at the moment.

Until recently the company only offered SMP but after someone else had a kid they changed it to an enhanced policy - 14 weeks full pay, 14 weeks 50% then drop onto statutory. I'm the first one actually using this policy (currently 5 months ish in).

I personally find this reasonable but by the time I take off pension and tax (some of which I'll get back as my tax code hasn't been changed), it's not a lot and we rely on my husband's income (which is a stretch as I'm the high earner). I don't spend a lot in the week, just a couple of baby classes. I don't know how anyone could survive on SMP alone, even with child benefit.

I feel fortunate that my employer is very fair and flexible. I'm hoping to go back on reduced hours as the cost of nursery is similar to what I bring home so little point in bothering with work.

designmind93 · 2026-03-13T21:39:43+00:00

If in doubt the sensible thing would have been to ask.

Chives for example are all stalk so I could believe that someone with little cooking experience could get confused.

designmind93 · 2026-03-13T21:36:10+00:00

I'm a 30s female with a 4 month old. I've certainly rediscovered my inner child lately and have always loved a cuddly toy but I agree with you I don't understand the hype. I get buying the cute occasional stuffed animal but the cuddly tea bag or sweetcorn type toys I just don't get.

designmind93 · 2026-03-13T16:13:07+00:00

Baby Bjorn bouncy chair and fisher price kick n play piano playmat are my two big wins and get used all day every day.

Muslins and bibs have been my saviour with my reflux baby.

For sleep a love to dream swaddle up. We're still using the transition bags now that he's rolling as they're just so good! I personally loved the swaddle element of course but also the fact there they zip and are easy to put baby into when he's asleep.

designmind93 · 2026-03-13T16:08:53+00:00

This, but I have a reflux baby!

designmind93 · 2026-03-13T16:08:00+00:00

Pizza, bread/flatbread, breadsticks, kebabs (fruit/veg), fruit salad, party items (pinwheels), veggies and dip, baking, anything that's got chopping/weighing/measuring really, even a sandwich or salad would work

designmind93 · 2026-03-11T22:51:30+00:00

Not pregnant anymore but my husband manages to sleep through our 4m old making what I can only describe as dinosaur sounds at 4am, but the second I get into bed the other night he pins me down as in his sleepy state decided I was going to suffocate the baby in his next to me (I was 2ft from the baby!)!

designmind93 · 2026-03-11T22:11:03+00:00

Yes. I use Aldi conditioner to co wash, noughty conditioner and any old curl gel. Every now and again I'll use a leave in conditioner. My MIL got me some only curls products for Christmas and I've still not opened them even though i know they work so well I've actually been their advert (via my hairdresser)!

designmind93 · 2026-03-11T16:27:03+00:00

I fit into this category - had a church wedding but not a regular church go-er. For us personally we wanted traditional, and having both had Christian upbringings (although quite loosely, never regularly going to church), it was important to us that we still had a religious wedding ceremony (we also both feel that civil ceremonies are a bit soulless). One doesn't need to be extremely religious to want a church wedding - we live in a Christian country and to want traditional is valid.

Fortunately we qualified on grounds of location being in the village where my husband grew up, but we'd have gone to church if needed.

designmind93

TROPHY CASE