gurgle.com blog

What to buy my nanny for Christmas? This is the girl that devotes her entire life to looking after The Bean, changing her nappy, keeping her happy, warm and well feed. most importantly she keeps her safe.... There was only one thing for it - Topshop vouchers! Topshop vouchers have got me out of all sorts of fixes (forgotten birthdays in particular) over the years and they are a present I love to get myself (hint hint). Scarily, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I'm buying them for The Bean...

Today at gurgle we're shocked that Britney Spears' sister is pregnant at sixteen and that Lilly Allen is pregnant with her boyfriend after just four months of seeing him. When we fall pregnant and what circumstances we find ourselves in at the time are sometimes beyond our control, but as long as we are good parents it shouldn't matter. If you are confused about whether you are pregnant or not, see our feature Am I pregnant? or our video Am I pregnant, to find the classic signs and symptoms of pregnancy.

The Bean is meeting Santa today at nursery so I have wrapped up a Thomas the tank engine that was supposed to be a stocking present. Being a London nursery, I was informed that this year Santa would be a woman, and did any of the parents mind?I didn't mind at all, especially as The Bean seems to trust women more than men. However, I was just informed by Lula The Bean's nanny, that Beanie was the only one to cry when Santa appeared at nursery and she wouldn't go anywhere near him/her. I think The Bean knew something was up - perhaps Santa's glossy painted nails poked through the red outfit, or the mascara on the eyes gave it away, but it seems The Bean likes things traditional!

If you are stuck for what to call your baby or your bump, why not visit gurgle's babynamer where you'll find a huge list of baby names suggestions. Here you can search for names by origin or names by meaning. You can also see lists of cool baby names, quirky baby names, exotic baby names and classic baby names among over 20,000 names indexed. Good luck!
 

Reading this morning's Metro I was shocked this morning to see the birth announcement of the newest royal! The countess of Wessex gave birth last night to a boy by Caesarean section weighing 2.8kg (6lb 2oz). Sophie and Edward's first child Lady Louise Windsor was the first of the Queens grandchildren to be born on the NHS. (Bet she didn't have to change her own bed sheets like I did three days after The Bean was born, when I could hardly move from the C-section scar!) My shock was purely because I hadn't realised she was pregnant. What happened to big royal announcements? Shouldn't we all be having the day off work today? Oh yeah, no one really cares about Sophie and Edward! (except me, congratulations!)

Because we don't all have royal connections and people to pack our bags for us, read our features on what to pack in your hospital bag before the birth and watch our videos Breathing techniques in labour and Delivery positions for birth. And for those who are wondering about what will happen to your relationship after your bundle of joy arrives read our feature on the impact of a new baby on your relationship.

This time next week, we'll be opening that big box of Quality Street for breakfast around now!

This morning we're black and blue in the gurgle.com office. The Bean gave me my first injury (not counting the C-section scar) yesterday when she grabbed a huge tin of quality street and banged it down on my head catching me right between the eyes! My nose ran, my eyes watered and I was convinced I would be coming to work this morning with two black eyes! The Bean of course thought it was funny... Luckily this morning all I have is a cut between my eyes which looks a bit like a spot (thanks Beanie!). In a similar incident, Sasha, another mum who works in the gurgle.com office got hit over the head in the same area by her daughter brandishing a wand at a Christmas pantomime over the weekend. So we just want to say thank-you to our daughters for making us look like we've had serious 'domestics' at home!

This morning at gurgle we're testing lots of exciting new features on the site which you should see over the next week, as well as adding festive features such as Ten ways to get into the festive spirit for those who need a Christmas boost. Also see our features on Mood Swings during pregnancy and Dads and emotions if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed. Don't forget to visit our Ovulation calculator to find out when you are most fertile over the Christmas period or our due date calculator to see when your baby might be due.

Like one of my earlier posts about working mums having that 'Friday feeling', I definitely have it today! Perhaps it's that Christmas is around the corner and there is a holiday air in the office, or perhaps it's just that I have the whole weekend with The Bean? Of course for The Bean everyday is the weekend so she was non plussed when I told her over her Weetabix that Mummy was going to be with her for two whole days. Lucky old Bean, she has no worries, her days are spent playing and having her food prepared lovingly for her. She's never too cold or hot, she has a midday nap (if only I could sneak one into my working hours) and she never has to commute to work on the tube! I know she'll have all the worries of the world to come when she gets older and childhood is hopefully, for most children, a time of worry-free happiness, but to have one day in her shoes would be a lovely Christmas present! (This post is for the benefit of Father C if he is listening)

Today at gurgle we're working on a few new elements of the site and you should hopefully see them over the next week. We have had a few requests from people about joining birth clubs - basically if you rejected joining a birth club when you registered with gurgle, the system has you down as rejected and might not let you join up in the future. If this is happening to you, please send me as email at nifa@gurgle.com telling me your username and I will sort the problem out for you. I know how many of you love chatting amongst your birth club peers and we want you all to experience it!

For any newborn Christmas babies, see our articles on swaddling your newborn, and our video how to swaddle your newborn to see the benefits of swaddling your baby. (especially good during this cold spell!)

It's funny how your life shifts once you have a baby and you spend more and more time with your 'mummy friends'. I know why, it's because friends without children do not want to sit through a whole meal discussing how The Bean has learnt to say 'upside down' - fascinating to me, rather dull for anyone else! Last night I went out with three of my 'mummy friends', two of who are newly pregnant with their second children and one who is breastfeeding (so obviously we danced on the bar whilst necking tequila shots all night). The conversation turned to, what else, labour and birth. It seems even if you've gone through labour and birth before the same fears crop up second and third time around. How long will labour be this time? Will I feel more in control? If I had an episiotomy last time, what happens this time? Luckily I was able to direct them all to gurgle where if there isn't an article on what you want, at least you can post a chat discussion up, or ask a question for other second time around mums to answer. I also felt a bit like a GP as they were firing questions at me, but that's what you get for being the editor of a parenting website...

Today on gurgle, we know that Christmas is drawing closer and i'll bet most of you aren't organised enough to have bought all your Christmas shopping yet (impossible to be organised with young children - right?) That's why we have articles on Your baby's first Christmas, Travelling with a baby and car journeys with toddlers, to make Christmas more bearable for everyone this year. Good luck and let us know any survival tips you have found useful in our Chat forum.

There is one story in the news today which I wholeheartedly agree with, that working mums are happier than those at home. Being a working mother myself, I obviously jump on stories like this to quell my guilt at leaving The Bean day after day. There are two saving graces, a) I love my job, and b) The Bean doesn't seem to be distressed by my leaving in the mornings (apart from the occasional tantrum every three weeks) and she actively encourages me to leave the house by saying 'bye-bye' about twenty minutes before I have to go. Of course I believe working mums are happier, because there is never time to contemplate where you are in life, you're just far too busy! There's something about that Friday feeling that stay-at-home mums don't get. Mind you, they probably don't feel the dread of work on Sunday nights! My self-righteousness at being a working mum doesn't stop me from being jealous of my part time working, or stay-at-home mum friends though!

The second bit of news concerns Caesarean babies and how evidence has shown that babies born by elective Ceasarean are up to four times more likely to have breathing problems than those born naturally. Mmmm, I had an elective Caesarean because The Bean was breech and I had Pre-eclampsia. I'm sure the medical evidence is completely sound, but probably like most mums, I believe what I want to believe for the sake of my daughter. So, yes working mums are happier and it's a load of old rubbish that Caesarean babies are more likely to have breathing difficulties. Selective news believing: I think we're all guilty of it...

See today's new article on the financial impact of having a baby, so you can be well prepared and also financial help for parents to see what assistance you might be eligible for.

Last night was the gurgle Christmas party. So, armed with our handbags and gladrags and the song 'here come the girls' (we're not all girls, but hey), we headed to a swish Knightsbridge location to start partying. The problem was, once a mum always a mum. Half way through ordering a champagne cocktail I dug into my bag and a handful of The Bean's nappies fell out, much to the dismay of the cocktail waiter who didn't take my joke, 'they're for later if I get too drunk', as very funny. A quick check around the gurgle.com staff revealed our handbags contained: dummies (for babies and our babies' dollies), Ella's kitchen pea and parsnip food, rice cakes, old wipes and all of us had raisins in the nooks and crannies of our bags. You can leave your children at home for the night, but there's no escaping who we are: Mummies through and through!

Despite a few sore heads (don't worry, just like Cindarella, most of us had to be home for the babysitters before midnight) we're getting into the festive spirit here making sure you have lots of features lined up over the next few weeks to quell your Christmas woes. See today's features on Quirky baby names, if you need a little help deciding what your future progeny should be called. See also our features on Postnatal depression and mental wellbeing with a new baby if the cheery festive outlook is proving too much at this time of the year.

I took The Bean to Swiss Cottage leisure centre on Saturday where they have an aptly named toddler's world which has a soft toy play area, ball pit and slides. It was pouring with rain and we both got soaked getting out of the car and dashing into the building. After we queued for ages (by this time The Bean was starting to get rastly and I could sense the beginnings of a tantrum starting), I was told that because The Bean was 19 months old she was too young for Toddler's World as children have to be over two to be allowed in. I was wet, tired and fuming. The Bean stood with her little nose pressed against the glass looking in at all the other children playing, like Oliver Twist looking into a butchers shop. I cursed my honesty and inability to lie when it really matters!
 
As a parent you want your children to be as honest as possible and to never tell lies, but if it means getting them into a play area, classing them as infants when they are over two (to get cheaper fares) or changing our postcodes so we are in catchment areas for good schools, you can bet we're all willing to tell a few porkies. I've just got to practise mine in advance for when The Bean starts nursery...

Today on gurgle we're impressed that some mums are reporting back with their birth stories on our chat forum a few days after giving birth! (Don't think I could physically type for about four months after having The Bean). Well done for keeping us up-to-date and for informing your birth clubs of what may be in store for them! If you aren't in a birth club yet, follow this link: birth clubs to find and join your group. Don't forget to visit our handy tools on the site, the ovulation calculator, to predict when you might be fertile, the due date calculator to find out when your baby might be born and the pregnancy weight gain calculator to check on how much weight you might put on during pregnancy. Again, telling fibs to yourself about your pregnancy weight might also be essential here...

I have been wondering when The Bean would attach herself to a certain toy, or discard other toys (I was secretly hoping she would hate the bear given to her by someone that annoys me!) And she has finally settled on a soft rag doll she named 'Lula', after her nanny. The Bean takes Lula everywhere with her, on plane journeys, car journeys and to the nursery drop-in mornings. Because of Lula's soft-bodied nature, I'm sure I can wash her in the machine, although her blue afro might turn into dreadlocks in the process. Luckily when her little dress got covered in egg yolk it was easily removed and washed without The Bean noticing anything different except a more Persil-smelling Lula the next morning.

What is fascinating for me is to see my young daughter's maternal instinct at such a young age. At 19 months she makes sure that Lula has sips of milk or juice and Lula certainly eats more food than The Bean. She gets tucked up every night next to a menagerie of bears and never complains! She receives her fair share of cuddles from The Bean, but alas, you have to take the rough with the smooth. As the tantrums are starting to surface so is the frequency Lula gets hurled to the floor in a rage. And there she lies until The Bean is calmed down and decides to love Lula again. The question is, is this maternal instinct built into The Bean, bestowed upon her by nature, or has she just witnessed Mummy having one too many strops and is the world's best mimic? Whatever the case, I feel I am glimpsing a little of what I might experience during The Bean's moody teenage years...

Today on gurgle it's Friday, so we're all preparing for a cold, wet, but family weekend. Our newsletter yesterday should have kept you up-to-date with whatever stage of parenting you find yourself in, but don't forget we're adding articles daily that might interest you. Why not read our articles on Building social skills, Communicating and understanding your baby and How to encourage an inquiring mind.  for help developing your child's understanding of her environment.

Don't forget to share your experiences of being a parent, or becoming a parent in our Chat forum or Questions and Answers area where you can submit any question and other parents will try to help out. Alternatively, if you know the answer, do step in and help with any parenting queries other members might have.

So The Bean has taken to waking up every night at about 2.30am. I know it's a habit and that nothing is actually wrong because it's the same time each night. Being a typical working parent I always opt for the lazy and most convenient option - bringing The Bean into bed with me. She loves it, we both get some sleep and child psychologists across the land are shaking their heads in horror! The problem is, I can be the best parent in the world - at the weekend. During the week when tiredness becomes a major issue and I have to go to work, all my good intentions go belly up. Poor Beanie even had to have Crunchy Nut Cornflakes the other morning as we ran out of the 'nutritious organic bird seed stuff' that she usually eats. Of course The Bean seems very happy with these arrangements, especially the Crunchy Nut Cornflake one...

At gurgle this morning we are busy sending you our weekly newsletter packed with all the relevant information about your stage of pregnancy, baby or toddlerhood. If you haven't registered on gurgle yet - make sure you do so we can send you your personalised newsletter every week, pointing you towards articles and videos that are relevant to you.
For those parents who are nodding in sympathy to my sleep deprived nights, here are some helpful sleep articles i'll be paying special attention to myself; Sleeping through the night, what to do if your baby won't nap and because we probably all do it, safe co-sleeping. And for those with a bit more willpower, how to stop co-sleeping...

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by Christmas present buying and what my nineteen month old might want, I took her into the Early Learning Center to get some inspiration. The Bean was immediately drawn to a tiny little kitchen and sink where she pretended to cook for a while. Perhaps she's a future chef in the making but more than likely it's because she sees mummy cleaning and cooking and probably senses deep down that she'll have to do these chores one day.

In the end she attached herself to a little doll with mad blond hair. She carried it all around the shop and even danced with her to the Christmas tunes pumping out the pink sound system. When it was time to go I took the dolly off her and of course I could sense a tantrum beginning to erupt. Luckily the shop assistant bounded over and explained to The Bean that she would look after the dolly and give her a kiss and cuddle before bed so she didn't feel lonely. The Bean seemed satisfied with this and settled for the cheapest toy around - her thumb! It got me thinking... What Mummies need is shop assistants coming up to them as they turn away from expensive size eight dresses, saying to them, 'that dress will make you miserable, leave it in the shop to have a lonely night with all the other skinny size eights. Let me show you a much happier size 14 at a fraction of the price, now this dress would be very happy if you took her home...'

Today at gurgle we're busy writing features and updating the site for you. We know that many of you will be expecting Christmas babies in the coming weeks so we're pointing you towards articles that might help you out. See Assisted delivery for information about forceps or ventouse deliveries, Breech birth for babies who are facing upwards and birth plans so you can plan what your 'ideal' birth would be, whether it happens that way or not!

Don't forget to look at our babynamer to pick up inspiration for your babyname list!

Last night we went out for my Great-Grandfather in-law's 85th birthday. (Pretty amazing in itself) What I have realised is that bringing a toddler to any event (Christmas, birthdays, even funerals) means that they steal the show. Eighty-fifth birthday or not, the night was all about The Bean! The restaurant had an alcove with lights on the floor and glass on the windows. The Bean thought it was hilarious to dance in the alcove to the background music. Everyone thought this was a hoot to watch until it was pointed out that The Bean's chosen dance space resembled a lap dancing podium... suddenly my husband and I looked at each other in horror and decided The Bean should come and enjoy the birthday meal instead of entertaining the restaurant!

Some of you may notice a little blip on your profile pages of the site which muddles up boys and girls... we are frantically trying to fix this so please bear with us if we have mixed your little ones up... we promise it will be amended soon. Have a happy Tuesday...

So over the weekend I bought The Bean her first pair of wellies... I've been waiting for her feet to grow bigger so she can fit into little wellingtons. However, what is supremely exciting to me, is lost on The Bean. She took one look at the wellies and ran a mile (in her socks). Not even the promise of puddle splashing would get her near them! What I am increasingly discovering is that what is exciting for the parent and not remotely interesting for a toddler.

The Bean has also started having tantrums. Like most mother's I was in denial about tantrums happening. The Bean wouldn't have them, after all I breastfed for a year - surely that would make us exempt? No, it appears all children have them and there's not much we can do about it. I understand it is a developmental stage where The Bean becomes more assertive and independent from us, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to run a mile when she is having a scream up in Sainsbury's.

Luckily as the editor of a parenting website I can easily look at our archive of features including how to deal with tantrums, helping your child to overcome frustration and  our video about tantrums to pick up on a few tips. I'll let you know how The Bean and I get on, but any tips welcome...