Hello again, have neglected my blogg over xmas, so here goes on a 6 week update.

After refusing to sleep in the moses basket for the first week (would only go on chest of mum or dad), we continued trying and as hard as it was seeing her scream red in the face every night, she gradually took to it and now we have no problems at all. Not quite sleeping through the night (the best we have has is 05:30), but does not take long to get a top-up and falls straight back to sleep afterwards. So we have been lucky on that part. I read a few recent comments giving advice on getting in to a quick routine, and would most defenitely agree. It is hard to begin with when they look in so much pain crying, but is best for the long run for both parents and baby. Our general philosophy has been so long as they have a clean nappy, are not too hot/cold and have been fed then thee is not much you can do for them apart from keep an eye on them ehilst they cry themselves to sleep.

After the first couple of weeks she began to get really bad spots/rash on her face, chest and back. We were advised by health worker that it was due to heat so tried to keep her 'cool' but obviously not cold. Looking back this coincided with what we thought was very bad colic, crying/screaming whenever she was not sleeping. This may be complete coinicidence but after receiving a very snug and warm 'all-in-one' for xmas we kept her in it for the whole of boxing day and no 'colic' crying since!!! we think she was just cold, so hopefully that saga over. And her spots have gone!!

Baby no.1 is still enjoying having a baby sister, always helping out at feeding and nappy changing (he is just 2) and asking mummy to 'get booby out' when she is crying of hunger! We have found that trying to include him in as much as possible where no.2 is concerned has really helped. I cannot say all has been rosey though, having a newborn with a 2 year old who wants to constantly play has been pretty tiring. We have tried to split responsibilities to give each other a little rest in order to share burden and has worked pretty well. The wife does the 'night-shift' in that she does the feeding whilst I sleep (not much I can do when baby wants mummies 'boobies', then I get up with baby no.2 (he wakes at about 7:30) and take him and the newborn downstairs so mummy can have a lie-in and I do the mid-morning feed from a bottle (using powder milk if mummy could not express enough before having her morning sleep). Mummy then gets up at about 10:30 and we go from there.

We will only be able to do this at weekends when I go back to work on Monday, but for the first month or so I have been lucky to be off work and this has worked really well.

Lastly, I hope everyone had an enjoyable xmas and wish you all a prosperous new year.