Hello.Again.Kitty | ExpatWoman.com
 

Hello.Again.Kitty

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Latest post on 09 August 2011 - 13:15
it costs a bomb, even by Royal Mail and will take weeks (2-3 days to get to Dubai from the UK and then the rest doing whatever the Dubai Posties do!). I had to have a <500g package sent over and it cost £16.
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Latest post on 09 August 2011 - 13:12
Complain to the Ministry of Labour. They take it very seriously. I would, however (in light of how seriously the Ministry take it) tell your employer that because this ongoing issue is unacceptable, you are thinking of putting in a formal complaint - that way, he might buck his ideas up.
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Latest post on 09 August 2011 - 13:01
Definitely a dress with cut-outs that's a size too small... or a sheer animal print top (again a size too small) with only your bra underneath and some hotpants, but you have to make sure that you get the "muffin top" (unless you're really slim, in which case you get a hipster one)... and get some temporary tattoos - the bigger the better - and use the whole pack. Arms, midriff, legs, chest... all good. Don't go for much jewellery - but everything you do wear has to be chunky gold and look very cheap.
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Latest post on 08 August 2011 - 12:03
"Zog" by Julia Donaldson (The Gruffalo et al) - Zog learns how to be a dragon, with his dragon friends with mixed results, befriends a princess in the process. Very sweet... and I think he's red.
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Latest post on 08 August 2011 - 11:23
HAK - thanks much. I know the cues when my baby is feeling sleepy already; yawning; rubbing her nose against my shoulder, etc. And I always avoid letting her awake for more than 1 and 1/2 hours as per the advice I got here before. I can put her to sleep but for whatever reason after 5, 10 or 20 mins she is already awake. :( hmm... good stuff already then! Maybe look to how you're putting her down and where. maybe also try to pre-empt that first sign (with my son, first yawn and he was in his cot!)... Lastly, look to ways of soothing her back (without picking her up) - comforter, quiet pat/shush combo, dummy (as long as you're happy Bf-ing is well established). We all work in 45 minute sleep cycles, or thereabouts, so aim for that at first. I can't really think of any other tricks really, but I do think that once you crack it a couple of times, she'll be "reset" so to speak - it's pretty well-known that overtired babies ironically don't sleep as well as well-rested babies (or toddlers for that matter!)
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Latest post on 08 August 2011 - 10:58
I answered on your thread on the main board. In short: - learn baby's sleep cues. - be realistic about your tasks for the day (because if baby is accompanying you, this will also stimulate her and since she is clearly overtired, she needs periods of less/ no stimulation) - some babies need routines, others don't... yours *may* benefit from one to help her to sleep. - "formula helps babies to sleep" = biggest myth (and greatest sales ploy) around!
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Latest post on 08 August 2011 - 10:46
I would imagine she is very, very tired, bless her! Look at your day too - are you rushing around like a mad thing, trying to cram in all the stuff you used to do before bubs? Are you taking it easy/ going to coffee mornings/ seeing lots of friends? My point is, some babies - not all - need a very structured routine with clear patterns of wind-down and activity, in which case you should really look at fitting in your stimulation at the same time as bub's. DD didn't need this at all and was very flexible, but my son was like clockwork - it took me 6 weeks of screaming to work it out - and would settle to sleep on his own in less than 5 minutes if I put him in his cot at 9h30, 15h30 and 19h... virtually on the dot. If I missed those cues/ slots, there was h3ll to pay. In fact, he wanted to be left completely alone - rocking or stroking would get on his nerves and keep him awake! Try and work out your baby's sleep cues and act on them immediately. Our gut feel when breastfeeding is that ever murmur is asking for milk, but it may not be the case. It's also completely not the case that formula makes your baby sleep better/ longer/ more. Your baby may blink for longer, pull at her ears, yawn, rub her eyes, make more of a "wahhhh" crying sound (the Baby Whisperer book is good at describing the different crying sounds). I am sure that if you pop her down to sleep *as soon as* you see one of those cues, she'll sleep. Above all, don't beat yourself up about not getting that long list of things done. Adjust your expectations and plan ahead, but allow for flexibility - even now, and mine are 2 and 4, my best laid plans will be sabotaged by the kids, almost inevitably, in fact. Didn't manage to cook dinner one evening for your husband? Point him in the direction of the kitchen or failing that, the take-away menu. It's no great shakes.
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Latest post on 06 August 2011 - 01:30
rest and relaxation are as important as revision - no-one internalises information or learns productively when they're knackered, so make sure to take breaks and sleep well. What you don't know the night before the exam, you won't suddenly learn the next morning, so the evening before, take a step back, focus and draw a line under your learning. You know it.
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Latest post on 06 August 2011 - 01:27
if he's planning on moving out, I would just leave it, especially if the replacement cost is going to be more than his deposit... Play hard-ball with the "LL"... gosh, if you're paying in cash monthly and it's looking likely that you won't see the deposit back, just don't hand over your last month's rent - she hasn't got a leg to stand on! It's actually got a film on it that contains the shatter, so from a safety point of view, it's not really a worry. Sometimes also windows will fracture if there's movement in the structure (through heat, etc...)
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Latest post on 06 August 2011 - 01:21
there's a good site called "check-a-trade" that allows you to see real people's recommendations for each company. I use them as my first port of call for getting work done, but really, meeting them in person is the best way, so you can get a real feel for their attitude towards the work in hand. <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 06/08/2011</em>
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Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 02:09
Dr Nicholas & Asp above the Starbucks in Marina Walk have a paediatric dentist. DD saw her once (all fine) and I generally rate their other dentists highly.
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Latest post on 04 August 2011 - 22:23
I've got that on/in my teeth. I think it's "just" a calcium/ mineral thing - certain no dentist has had a fit about it. Make sure your DS is eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of calcium to build those teeth. Try not to give him anything like tea. Also, use a toothpaste that's age appropriate, and only a pea-sized amount at that (which apparently they shouldn't swallow - ha ha ha, yeah, right)... this is to do with getting the right amount of fluoride. Certainly don't use any kind of adult whitening toothpaste.
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Latest post on 04 August 2011 - 21:33
Lol! Hilarious! :) I must be really tired coz I read it and was thinking why you would take a child who'd swallowed panadol to african and eastern ;) And then i thought 'you shouldn't mix medicine and alcohol" ;) (blush!) loL! * off to ice my head and get coffee* edited by ashc on 04/08/2011 Now [i'>that[/i'> really would see me being denounced to social services - my daughter's just over-dosed and I'm off to the offie to make sure I have enough gin! A&E = Accident and Emergency (and yes, I always smile when I see the alcohol emporium of the same acronym - "OMG!! It's an emergency - I'm completely out of gin! Quick, off to A&E with you!") ---- Hmm... more coming back to me now. Was bf-ing DS and heard the front door open, so shouted to DD to not go out. Of course, she did, ran straight into a rose bush and came in with her cheek pouring with blood. She's still got the scars... BUT she's never run out the front door since. Was chatting to someone in JBR and DD, then 9 months old, was crawling on the pavement (that isn't even ok, really, is it? Eeek)... the person then asked, in passing, what DD was eating, so I remembered I was the mum and prised her mouth apart. It looked grey and crumbly, so I looked around where she was. Rat poo. Was [cough'> probably typing some parenting words of wisdom on EW with my back to the kids. I catch a whiff of nappy, but think something along the lines of "oh, it can wait until I've finished typing"... some minutes later, DS pulls himself up on the sofa and chuckles, so I turn around, look at him and go... "what have you been eating?!" Bleugh. <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 04/08/2011</em>
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Latest post on 04 August 2011 - 18:56
hahahaha here comes all the dirty little secrets lol, although i prefer to call them tips heheheheh OK so one really bad one that i forgot to mention is when I bought some laxatives and when home i kept all the shopping on the ground to run to bathroom, when i came back ds opened the box of the laxatives and managed to swallow 2 of them *_* the best part was that i had over 5 bags on the ground yet he found only that one haha. i got soo scared and he pooped for 3 days like crazy hahahahaahha hmmm... swap that for Panadol Extra, as wot happened in our family (DH left some on the table without me knowing)... DD [i'>obviously[/i'> found them and started popping her new "sweeties" as I was hanging out the washing. I deduced that she'd probably taken 3, so whisked off to A&E. Thankfully apparently you need to have about 10g of paracetamol before it starts getting dangerous, but seeing her on a hyper caffeine high did lighten the mood - her jumping up and down on the patient's bed with a broad grin on her face shouting "hello another doctor!" as the paediatrician came in.
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Latest post on 04 August 2011 - 16:11
17. FORCE MAJEURE out of a contract from Nakheel interruption or failure of utility service including but not limited to electric power, gas, water or telephone service; failure of the transportation of any personnel, equipment, machinery or material required by the Seller for completion of the Building; delay for any reason by any contractor or subcontractor in carrying out their works or any matter; or cause beyond the control of the Seller rofl! Loving the transportation bit - oh, my bus broke down, so I couldn't get the chaps to the site to finish your house, sorry, but "force majeur". No mate, force majeur in that case may be if there were no busses to be had anywhere in the Emirate, but last I heard there were such things as "hire companies". "Normal" delays are NOT force majeur in any standard building contract - in the UK at least. As for utilities not being connected, that smacks of p*ss poor planning on the developer's part. Don't think "incompetence" is usually force majeur, but here, well... it seems a true work ethic. Again, I'm no lawyer, but I would say that under "normal" contract law, if the developer can't have the product up and running on time due to poor planning, then it's them breaking the contract and the investor should be able to have a refund and walk away. <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 04/08/2011</em>
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Latest post on 04 August 2011 - 12:02
Thanks ladies for your replies. It makes me feel more at easy as I think I can handle it. I already have some lady that comes and cleans and my husband will be at home with me for 2 weeks, plus he is self employed so if needed he can reduce his normal hours. oh, that's ideal! You'll do just fine!
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Latest post on 04 August 2011 - 11:51
Oh goodness... I've racked up so many! The latest being that I've taught my eldest how to turn on the television so that she doesn't drag me out of bed and some unearthly hour. I have a stash of breadsticks in my bag whenever we go shopping and pull them out like a trump card when it all gets a bit too much. I have also been known to lob them at the kids in the back seat of the car when I'm driving on the motorway and they're screaming at me. With 2 kids 21 months apart, I have been known to fall short of having 24/7, 360 degree vision. Best one was when I was chatting to friends, DS was about 18 months old, playing in the sand, chat chat, mention DS, look to where he was... gone, look around and then look up... oh, there he is, teetering at the top of the climbing frame! Oops, Bad Mummy! DD sleeping in the buggy (same afternoon), chat chat, mention DD, point, ah, gone... look around and she's wandering around wondering where she is. Bad Mummy! Saying goodbye (same afternoon - should really write this one off), 2 kids, check check, chat a little, look for kids... check... oh, ah. Friend points out that DS is being carried by a member of staff... turned out he was halfway to the pool. Speedy little mite! <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 04/08/2011</em>
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 22:19
you don't actually need anyone, but it does help. You simply won't be able to schedule in cooking or cleaning (hang the cleaning, it's the food that's important!), so either get someone in to help out (even hubby - shock horror!) or be super prepared and have the list of take-aways, a freezer full of prepared meals to hand and/or a stock of food that can be cooked one-handed! Can you husband take a couple of weeks off around the birth? Mine did both times (even if it was unpaid) and that was great. I didn't have any help first time around (apart from DH), but second time around, my MiL came along for a few days right after the birth and then my mum took over for a couple of weeks when DH had to go back to Dubai and leave me with 2 screaming under-twos! You'll be fine - just prepare what you can in advance... most of all anything that requires more than 10 uninterrupted minutes! Stock up your food cupboard and get hold of the bulky things you usually buy.
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 20:06
I'm confused - I always thought that pregnant and breast feeding women were exempt? Obviously neither would openly eat a big fat hamburger in public, but nonetheless if they were seen to be discreetly eating then can they seriously get in trouble? my interpretation was that too - the same for children - as long as you do so discreetly and not stroll down MotE chomping away on a big brownie! Realistically though, there are plenty of places that you can nip into for a snack or a drink and if you're in your car, driving around, then the likelihood of anyone glancing at you long enough to see you nibbling is small.
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 20:02
soooooo.... does this mean that DD's last OPV was probably a waste of time considering I breastfed her just before and right after cause before she was thirsty and then after v upset?!! :D hehe - who knows! That's the thing really too isn't it - if our kids don't manage to contract x, y or z, then we'll never know if it's because the vaccine warded it off, breastfeeding warded it off or if they simply were never exposed to it. Some people would use it as a compelling argument for vaccinations, others as one for natural antibodies... I just have to research things a bit more when the person advocating something plays on a very emotive "what if" argument [i'>and[/i'> is likely to profit from it.
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 17:35
I can't see how this can be described as "back end deal broking" as has been implied. I think that was a reference to the fact (?) that the chap on the American approved board who was driving the approval for the Rotavirus vaccine had failed to mention that he also owned the rights to it. Pharmaceuticals are big business! Anyhow, I really, really don't have a militant stance on vaccinations. I know what I'm following and why and quite frankly, that's all that counts, just as your opinion on it is right for you and your family. I have friends who have gone for everything under the sun without questioning them and others (OK, one other) whose nearly-4-year-old hasn't had any vaccinations at all (and thankfully he hasn't caught anything). Who am I to question or judge another person't [i'>informed[/i'> decision or to say that it's wrong? The point is, to inform ourselves.
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 17:26
You shouldn't have to justify yourself, but hey, sometimes you may have to. I would just eat discreetly - maybe in your car if you're driving (being very careful and concentrating on the road of course! ;) ). There are also a good few places open, albeit behind curtains, where you can duck in and recharge.
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 16:39
same here - DS dropped his afternoon nap and has spent the last year moving his only nap of the day gradually backwards... it's always been 2 or 3 hours long, started off at 9h30 on the dot (almost), then moved to 10h... spent a long while at 11h, toyed with 12h30-13h and now I can get him down at 14h. Once he tries moving it further back, I'm going to have to go all hard-core and stop him from napping at all, otherwise it'll mess up dinner and bed.
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 16:34
I don't think its correct to sat you are "extremely contagious" after a live rotovirus or polio vaccine though, you are given a very weakened strain and there is a very small risk that someone immunocompromised could become ill from that, but not the general public, unlike if you actually had rotovirus in which case you are very contagious to those you are in direct contact with. just reading up on both - one site said that polio is so contagious that it's estimated to spread to 100% of the children that the infected person comes in contact with and 90% of all adults. The consequences of polio can hardly be likened to those of rotavirus (nasty, but temporary and no lasting damage)... The same site estimated that by age 3, everyone - vaccinated or not - will have caught rotavirus at least once. As for the live vaccine and breastfeeding, the point is that the antibodies in breastmilk are so strong that they kill off the live vaccine without it even taking hold. Live vaccines work by introducing your body's immune system to the nasty stuff in a controlled way, so that it holds it in memory, but if your immune system is already strong, it's going to whoop it's a$$ anyway. Soooo... yeah, sure, inject away, but from what Designbabe has linked, it won't do anything.
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Latest post on 03 August 2011 - 12:17
The conclusions of a recent study was that lots of studies should look at stopping mothers breastfeeding before and after vaccination, to overcome this "negative effect”. Good lord, what [i'>have[/i'> we come to when it's recommended to stop doing healthy things in order to pump our children full of more nasties?! I'm aghast that Drs seem to be propagating a blanket approach, regardless of whether the vaccine is effective or not for that particular baby. Again, and always, whether or not to do a vaccine should be a decision based on incidence, risk and consequence (either in doing it or not).
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Latest post on 02 August 2011 - 15:20
we've never had a tumble drier (although I have to say that it would've been rather convenient in winter in the UK) and I've only just started using fabric softener again. Realistically, they'll be dry outside in Dubai in a few hours, so there's no real worry there... I just give them a good flick when I'm hanging them out and another one as I'm taking them off - always soft! ... and I never iron... anything. :)
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Latest post on 02 August 2011 - 15:11
The legal requirement in Dubai is that they have to be "IN" school before their 5th birthday. However, homeschooling is also legal here.... Yup, but I'd venture as far as to say that enforcement is... zero. DD is coming up for 4 and we've had no communication from any official body telling us that she's coming of age to start school. I think that also, in a system where everything is private and there's no fall-back or help if, say, you can't afford the fees, any "legal requirement" is just lip-service.
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Latest post on 02 August 2011 - 14:11
give them a good shake out and they won't be stiff. Babies' skins are still pretty tough - they're not going to fall apart!
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 13:44
Thanks HAK! I did think that such a small amount shouldn't do any harm but it's always nice to have another opinion. "First Time Mom Syndrome" I think ;) it's fine! :) In hindsight I was sooooo OTT with DD - no salt, no sugar, only organic, no additives and would have a mini melt-down if I was "forced" to feed her anything else... but as they grow up, they'll go to parties where there's ketchup and dayglo crisps, be given sweets and treats that you can't always control. Far better to find a healthy balance and teach them to keep that healthy balance too. DS, bless him, got whatever was to hand (I still shop carefully, but not *that* carefully)!
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 13:40
I think phil n ted s is too big ... It depends on your budget the size of your boot and wether u would want to lug it in and out of the boot... I ve had a lot of three wheelers and expensive ones over the course of having children and I always go back to the maclaren as it's light easy comfortable for lilttle ones and grt to take away on holidays etc I agree, but the "little" double umbrellas are horrid to push over anything but smooth floors. My one feels like it has square wheels in comparison to the P&T... but I guess it depends what you need it for. I do lots of walking outside.
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 13:38
yup... never did dreamfeeds, but my two stopped any kind of night feed at 9 months and 11 months respectively. DD was going 19h-3h-7h (then pushing back the feed so 19h-4h-7h then 19h-5h-7h until she stopped) and DS dropped his 22h/23h feed pretty early on, but then did 19h-1h-3h-5h-7h for ages until he dropped them all suddenly. <em>edited by Hello.Again.Kitty on 01/08/2011</em>
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 13:33
Geesh im talking about 2 mornings a week , if i was back in the UK she would be in nursery full time as i would have returned to work by now , i dont see why i need to post the reason when im simply looking for a recommendation. as it happens i want to start her off gradually so that when i do return to work its not so much of a drama sure, but circumstances are different (my two would be in childcare for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week were I still in the UK, but hey, that's part of why we're not!)... you came asking for advice. We're just saying that if your motivation is "socialising" her, then it'll be wasted - there are other interesting, and cheaper ways to go about that. If your motivation is to have a break, then that's fine and there are plenty of decent nurseries that can take her off your hands.
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 12:52
yup, nursery for a 7 month old is a bit extreme (she'll probably sleep half the time) and to be honest, babies don't actually really play with other children in full interaction until they're 18 months or 2 years old. Instead, try to hunt down mother and baby groups (not just at a coffee shop because the kids don't really get to play) or some "classes" - there are lots out there (Rhyme Time, Boogie babies, Baby Yoga, Mums and Tots, Baby Massage, Swimming...). You are the most important person in her life and that won't change any time soon.
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 11:25
realistically, very few of the additives in food are likely to do instant harm to our children, so you/she'll be just fine - they're in such small quantities! I also try to avoid additives, preservatives and colourings whenever possible, but once in a while, I just let it go. I think it's about having a balance and a bit of common sense - if you were feeding your child dayglo-coloured stuff for every meal, then you could probably expect some kind of effect, but a strip of dried fruit... nah. By the way, most dried fruit have been treated like this.
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 11:20
Phil&Teds double. Vibe is heavier than the Sport/Explorer, but either way, it's a fabulous workhorse of a buggy and very comfy for both. Agreed, although as they get older #2 gets sick of looking at #1's back. Mine is 14 months and just sits and kicks his sister. I saw a city select (I think that was the name) in the states and it was very similar to the P&T but both kids could see out. If I did it over, I would try that. true - that's my only little gripe with the P&T (but its flexibility outweighs that). My DD goes int he bottom one because she gets in and out a lot and very occasionally she kicks up a fuss, but I just tell her she has a simple choice: get in and be good or get out and walk!
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Latest post on 01 August 2011 - 00:49
Phil&Teds double. Vibe is heavier than the Sport/Explorer, but either way, it's a fabulous workhorse of a buggy and very comfy for both.
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Latest post on 31 July 2011 - 17:24
oohhhh yes. Are you pg with your second in close succession? If so, then really, really, no kidding, DON'T OVERDO IT. My lower back/ pelvis started acting up from 25 weeks with my second (got pg when eldest was 12 months old) and I carried on thinking I could be supermum and working through the pain - developed into borderline SPD at term and yes, 2 years on, I still have back pain.
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Latest post on 30 July 2011 - 11:32
Maybe some of the pediatricians should read that poster, was talking to a woman the other day who had been told by her Dr that at this stage (her baby was one) her breastmilk was "junk". seriously?! Gosh! Anyhow, much as I find it interesting, I will always be of two minds about this kind of presentation. Formula remains the best alternative to breastmilk and allows many women to feed their babies safely and healthily, whether they do so through personal choice or necessity. Of course it's filled with more recognisable chemicals/ ingredients, because the developers have to try and get it as close to breastmilk as possible with the commercial ingredients they have to hand - it's not like they can engineer "3’:5’-Cyclic adenosine monophosphate" and all the other nucleotides in a hurry (or at all). The result of these things is often to make the mums who wanted to breastfeed, but who encountered problems and stopped, feel even worse about their decision, which simply isn't on. Those who chose to not even try breastfeeding won't care about "the science" because that's often not their key motivation.
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Latest post on 28 July 2011 - 11:18
Personally, the GTT is the only test I wouldn't skip. I all 4 of my pregnancies, I have refused any form of testing ( for Downs Syndrome etc), as the outcome of the tests would not affect our decision to continue with the pregnancy. The only test I allowed was the GTT, and the first 3 pregnancies the results were clear. I naturally presumed all would be OK 4th time around- but this wasn't to be the case. I had gestational diabetes during my 4th pregnancy and was insulin dependant. It does have some serious side affects ( large babies, small babies, hypos during pregnancy and for baby after delivery etc) I was monitored very closely for the remainder of the pregnancy ( my bub was measuring small for its age as the placenta had been affected by the diabetes). Whilst the pregnancy ended well, and DS didn't suffer any sugar drops at birth, I am still struggling to control sugar levels *sigh*- 6 months after his birth. For the small inconvenience (fasting, drinking the revolting drink and a couple of blood tests)- personally I would take the GTT. Sure, but my point is that the 28 week GTT isn't (or shouldn't be) the first line of diagnosis. The urine tests flag up anything a bit strange first and then (in the UK), if they do, then you're sent for the GTT - just because it's not a blanket procedure doesn't mean to say that the women who develop gestational diabetes are left undiagnosed. My cousin developed it in her first (and then second) pregnancy and they were really on top of it straight away. BUT I also think it depends on how on the ball the midwives/ consultants are. I can't help feeling that in the UK, the midwives really look at the urine results every time, whereas in Dubai, since the GTT is standard, they may rely on that more for diagnosis and gloss over the urine test results.
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Latest post on 28 July 2011 - 10:48
Maybe its summer, and things are slow? Dont worry, just keep trying , I am sure you will get responses soon ! I'm not losing hope quite yet ( just moved here 2 weeks ago....) but it's sort of disturbing....had to quit the best job I've ever had to move here.... I should expect no less ( maybe I'm too positive...LOL) than what I had back home! The also pay differently too - possibly 12-20k... mainly because of the "CAD technician wanted. Pakistani/ Indian only" attitude.
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Latest post on 28 July 2011 - 10:45
well... I think you may have hit on one aspect of Dubai that beggars belief - some bosses/ companies see some job roles as limited to certain nationalities. Architectural CAD especially. Added to that, a blanket approach to sending out CVs just isn't going to be effective - it's the job-hunting equivalent of junk mail... you may get lucky, but 95% will go straight in the bin. Did you call up the recipient to follow it up at all? Have you contacted a recruitment agent to do the leg-work for you (the "gulf-style" CV is the biggest con out there)? Agents will know who's recruiting and at what level, so it's often far more effective. Lastly, as I'm sure you know, construction is having a bit of a hard time at the moment. There are lots of candidates out there and many companies have a recruitment freeze on.
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Latest post on 28 July 2011 - 00:14
I very occasionally put soft toys in the washing machine on a normal wash or sponge them down. However, DS's sucky toy gets washed in the washer every 3-4 days (otherwise it really smells!) and will occasionally be put in a wash with fabric bleach.
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Latest post on 28 July 2011 - 00:12
Can't help with the Dubai-side midwife, but I had all my antenatal checks in Dubai and went back to the UK at 28, after having touched base with them at 16 weeks. I took a copy of all my Dubai notes and they were fine with that. As for the glucose test, if your UK midwife doesn't think you need it (she will have considered your history and current urine tests and general well-being), then you don't. I didn't for either of my pgs... and she's right in that it's quite an involved and traumatic process to go through, especially if you're at very little risk.
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Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 16:45
I know I wouldn't feel comfortable with a maid minding them full time, which is why I thought of a nanny... Just be aware that many women bill themselves as maid/nanny, with the latter being "just" someone who's around the house looking after the children. Few will have what we would consider proper childcare qualifications and many of them, if they say they have children of their own, will have left them with family members in their home country in order to come and work in Dubai, so essentially will have limited childcare experience in terms of child development, first aid, etc... Agencies often use "maid" and "nanny" interchangeably, depending on what the client wants.
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Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 01:07
besides, if this is for a perfect beach-bod, no-one sane can drop a dress size in a week and if you're not toned today, then you won't be next week either. I'm sure you look good already, and what sunshine and big smiles can't do, PhotoShop can! ;)
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Latest post on 26 July 2011 - 23:16
Thanks ladies... Interesting, eat more, exercise more! basically yes - always eat back the calories that you've burned (more or less), that way it's telling your body that it has the green light to speed up and burn that fat, not having to worry about where its energy is going to come from. Anyhow, I've apparently burned 408 calories doing gardening and DIY today, so I'm going to have a beer! ;)
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Latest post on 26 July 2011 - 22:02
1200 is officially the minimum your body needs to keep functioning if you are lying down doing nothing... but in fact that minimum figure depends on your height and weight - mine's 1340cals/day. Anything less than that and your body will tell itself to store as much as possible, especially if you're exercising too (it thinks "oh gosh, lots of effort with no fuel?! Let's hold on to what we've got and slow down our metabolism to make the most of what little we have"... but the inertia of it means that it still thinks that way once you've stopped giving it a pounding.)
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Latest post on 26 July 2011 - 19:24
aww, bless! I haven't got any help for the actual reflux, but just in general, at 4 weeks old, do what you need to do to get her comfy, even if that means cuddling her or having her in a sling all day long. As for you (and hubby), try and get time out, look after yourselves, eat properly and rest when you can. Lastly, if you ever feel that you can't cope, talk about it. If you've got to the stage where you can't bear to be around a screaming baby for even one more minute and can feel yourself losing it, pop bubs down somewhere safe and go into another room for 5 minutes to calm down. Sleep deprivation and incessant crying should be banned by the Geneva Convention because it really can be torture. Good luck... never forget that these weeks pass quickly and before you know it, these dark days will be over.
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Latest post on 26 July 2011 - 19:17
Yup - I was knackered of an evening with my first (haven't got time to be knackered with your second) to the extent that I would get home from work and go straight to bed. Don't worry about it - just follow your body. If you feel the need to sleep, then sleep, if you are hungry or thirsty, then feed yourself.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 July 2011 - 16:55
have you not got a car-seat that you'll be taking with you on holiday? You could try cramming bubs into his/her infant capsule.