OcUK Dadsnet thread

[Devrij]

I read an article a few years back that sockets guards were useless and could even make the sockets more dangerous.

This is the website the Institution of Engineering and Technology released regarding the matter http://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

NHS also released a statement https://www.cas.dh.gov.uk/ViewandAcknowledgment/ViewAlert.aspx?AlertID=102494

"This Alert is issued to highlight how, in certain circumstances, the use of plastic 13A (13 amp) electrical socket inserts (sold as safety accessories) can overcome the safety features designed into socket outlets."

Ah good, that's what I thought, but nice to have it confirmed in detail

My poor kids, the only child protection we have is the stair gates.. Everything else is fair game

To be fair, we were the same until we moved into our new place and we were forever having to pick up a crying girl because she's fallen into something

 

[bakes0310]

Really good thread and one i read regularly even though I'm not a dad.
Me and my partner want kids one day, were looking at about 5 years time. We haven't really got are ducks in a row yet. We're moving out together for the first time into a rented house in may. I've just started a new career that I'm just above minimum wage for the first year and then goes up a little bit more. My partner is in a job that i can see leaving in about 6 months and has no idea what she wants to do job wise. We also would like to get married and have are own house before we have kids. We're lucky that the house we will be renting belongs to my partner's step dad so we're getting it cheaper. But we have till 7 years before the lease is up and we could potentially buy it if we have enough deposit and get a mortgage on it, or we have to look elsewhere. Anyway back on topic, say if we get most of our goals out the way, stable jobs, marriage and a good amount of money behind us for a deposit or even halfway to one. Would it be a bit unwise to have a baby in a rented house. I know millions do it but if we were trying to be sensible, we would be worried that we couldn't save a deposit and run a baby as well. My partner is okay with renting and having a baby, she thinks we could still save a bit, but thinks it's a good idea to have the deposit or near to it and we could still cope.
Basically it comes down to can a couple on low paid jobs have a baby while saving for a deposit on a house, or should we have deposit and get the house first.

 

[theone8181]

Also never underestimate kids climbing. I've got a video of my daughter climbing onto the window ledge via a sub but I'm not sure the best way to link it in. I guess I could upload it to facebook and try sharing the link.

 

[firstborn]

Ah good, that's what I thought, but nice to have it confirmed in detail

I read the article when it came out as as a - let's make a name for ourselves by causing a major scare that mumsnet will propagate like wild fire. The key thing is the quote "in certain circumstances", in certain circumstances my 4 year old could manage just about anything. The hazards posed by the covers are so overly contrived in some of the examples it's laughable. You can displace the pin covers by anything you can shove in the earth socket. As far as I can see the article isn't written/published by the IET - it's written by member's of the IET, somewhat different I imagine.

 

[Droolinggimp]

The only thing we have for safety is gates. One for the kitchen, Hall way and his bedroom. We used these things on corners of his drawer units but he just peeled them off after 10 mins. Bangs his head he bangs his head. Not done it yet but considering we attached (and he de-attached them) them over a year ago hes not really bothered about doing anything near his units now. His climbing on them has stopped, he doesn't open his drawers and empty his clothes out either.

Edit: to be fair he is a little hard *******. Yesterday we were all in the garden as it was nice and he kept going inside and back out again. Our french doors have a good 10 inch drop to the patio and we hold his hand when he wants to go out and he steps down. one time yesterday he caught both his feet on the bottom of the door frame and fell forwards, I still had his hand. His face hit the patio slabs and had a little graze on his forehead, he cried for like 5 seconds literally and slapped his head where he grazed it and carried on playing.. Nutter lol

 

[I_M_Weasel]

Really good thread and one i read regularly even though I'm not a dad.
Me and my partner want kids one day, were looking at about 5 years time. We haven't really got are ducks in a row yet. We're moving out together for the first time into a rented house in may. I've just started a new career that I'm just above minimum wage for the first year and then goes up a little bit more. My partner is in a job that i can see leaving in about 6 months and has no idea what she wants to do job wise. We also would like to get married and have are own house before we have kids. We're lucky that the house we will be renting belongs to my partner's step dad so we're getting it cheaper. But we have till 7 years before the lease is up and we could potentially buy it if we have enough deposit and get a mortgage on it, or we have to look elsewhere. Anyway back on topic, say if we get most of our goals out the way, stable jobs, marriage and a good amount of money behind us for a deposit or even halfway to one. Would it be a bit unwise to have a baby in a rented house. I know millions do it but if we were trying to be sensible, we would be worried that we couldn't save a deposit and run a baby as well. My partner is okay with renting and having a baby, she thinks we could still save a bit, but thinks it's a good idea to have the deposit or near to it and we could still cope.
Basically it comes down to can a couple on low paid jobs have a baby while saving for a deposit on a house, or should we have deposit and get the house first.

You're probably never going to have a perfect time. Kids can be expensive especially when you're in that new born phase and so many different things you (think) you need. I don't see any real difference between having one with rent or with a mortgage, in a sense I think the impact of having a child while on a low income might not be as bad as when you're in a more middle income bracket, on a low income some state benefits such as housing benefit may well step in while your partner is off work so in that respect you'd be better off starting a family while in rented accom.

Lots of variables though but if you wait until finances are perfect you might then be at the point where conceiving is difficult.

 

[DanTheMan]

I should probably update this thread as my wife gave birth to our daughter on 13th March at 06:55. Definitely the best feeling ever; I've never wanted to stare at something so much in my life, she's beautiful.

I feel like I already can't remember life without her. I'm looking forward to watching her grow and develop, it's such a satisfying feeling.

 

[Freefaller]

Congrats mate

 

[Devrij]

Really good thread and one i read regularly even though I'm not a dad.
Me and my partner want kids one day, were looking at about 5 years time. We haven't really got are ducks in a row yet. We're moving out together for the first time into a rented house in may. I've just started a new career that I'm just above minimum wage for the first year and then goes up a little bit more. My partner is in a job that i can see leaving in about 6 months and has no idea what she wants to do job wise. We also would like to get married and have are own house before we have kids. We're lucky that the house we will be renting belongs to my partner's step dad so we're getting it cheaper. But we have till 7 years before the lease is up and we could potentially buy it if we have enough deposit and get a mortgage on it, or we have to look elsewhere. Anyway back on topic, say if we get most of our goals out the way, stable jobs, marriage and a good amount of money behind us for a deposit or even halfway to one. Would it be a bit unwise to have a baby in a rented house. I know millions do it but if we were trying to be sensible, we would be worried that we couldn't save a deposit and run a baby as well. My partner is okay with renting and having a baby, she thinks we could still save a bit, but thinks it's a good idea to have the deposit or near to it and we could still cope.
Basically it comes down to can a couple on low paid jobs have a baby while saving for a deposit on a house, or should we have deposit and get the house first.

Nothing wrong with having a kid when you're renting (we are doing that), but it isn't cheap so look into what support is available from the government in your income bracket, or start thinking about career progression. Childcare for us is about £1k/m, and we earn about 55k between us which about covers rent, bills childcare and the rest.

Really sit down and work out what you get (maternity pay, etc) and work out if it's doable or how much of a gap you need to fill. You don't get to change your mind once the baby arrives!

I should probably update this thread as my wife gave birth to our daughter on 13th March at 06:55. Definitely the best feeling ever; I've never wanted to stare at something so much in my life, she's beautiful.

I feel like I already can't remember life without her. I'm looking forward to watching her grow and develop, it's such a satisfying feeling.

I remember feeling the same! In a few months (or whenever) if you have a weekend away from her you'll feel weird like "oh man, we can just walk out of the hotel and get dinner!".

Congrats!

 

[Rexxar]

Looking for a few answers from other dads, can anyone say when they got their kids off of 1) Night Time Bottles 2) Daytime (Morning or Afternoon) Naps, and 3) Out of Nappies during the day?

Thanks

 

[Whoop]

Looking for a few answers from other dads, can anyone say when they got their kids off of 1) Night Time Bottles 2) Daytime (Morning or Afternoon) Naps, and 3) Out of Nappies during the day?

Thanks

Go on then

We have a boy (about to turn three), for us they were -

1) One year and four months, we swapped from milk to water and he stopped waking up for it.
2) One and a half for the morning nap, two for the afternoon nap.
3) We haven't... boys are awkward so we are waiting till his birthday is over and then forcing it (we are going away and don't want the tantrums and mess till we get back).

 

[theone8181]

Looking for a few answers from other dads, can anyone say when they got their kids off of 1) Night Time Bottles 2) Daytime (Morning or Afternoon) Naps, and 3) Out of Nappies during the day?

Thanks

For my daughter it was a case of 1) breastfed so went to cows milk at 1, started sleeping thru at 11 months. 2) she still has naps (turned 3 in Jan) can be as long as 2 hours but that could be due to her getting up at 5.30 most days, when she was younger she had anyone in the morning and an hour a night but they just sort of joined together at somepoint and 3) we potty trained her over Christmas just gone and she was dry inside of 3 days. We left it maybe a month and then tried it thru the night and so far she might have a night time accident maybe once a fortnight. Since she was potty trained I don't think we've ever had a daytime accident.

 

[LewisRaz]

My wife and I are expected our first on sept 29th... This thread has been helpful

 

[Master_X]

My wife and I are expected our first on sept 29th... This thread has been helpful

Congratulations
Yep a bit of homework never hurts

 

[Rexxar]

Go on then

We have a boy (about to turn three), for us they were -

1) One year and four months, we swapped from milk to water and he stopped waking up for it.
2) One and a half for the morning nap, two for the afternoon nap.
3) We haven't... boys are awkward so we are waiting till his birthday is over and then forcing it (we are going away and don't want the tantrums and mess till we get back).

For my daughter it was a case of 1) breastfed so went to cows milk at 1, started sleeping thru at 11 months. 2) she still has naps (turned 3 in Jan) can be as long as 2 hours but that could be due to her getting up at 5.30 most days, when she was younger she had anyone in the morning and an hour a night but they just sort of joined together at somepoint and 3) we potty trained her over Christmas just gone and she was dry inside of 3 days. We left it maybe a month and then tried it thru the night and so far she might have a night time accident maybe once a fortnight. Since she was potty trained I don't think we've ever had a daytime accident.

Thanks both, Puts my mind at ease that things are progressing at a good pace with mine and not lagging behind, had been worried recently!

 

[Droolinggimp]

Our lad is now 26 months old. He went onto cows milk (full fat one, blue top ones) at 1 year old. He slept through from 10 weeks so we had no issue to work out regarding night bottles. guess we were lucky but it also happened with my daughter many moons ago. Iirc correctly we put him in his cot bed in his own room at 12 weeks, this must have helped with night bottles not being needed and also it may of helped him sleep through constantly. the odd wake up granted but once a week or once a every two or three weeks is nothing. I am 99% sure I did this with my daughter when she was the same age. His average sleep at night is 7/8pm till 7/9 am

Nap wise it all depends on what time he wakes up. He only has one now and that is between 11am and 3pm and either for only an hour or 3 hours. This obviously depends on what hes been doing during the morning, if hes at play group like he is right now, when I collect him he will be tired so I will stick him in bed and he will more than likely wake around 2/3, then he has his dinner/lunch and plays. This 1 nap a day started about 8 months ago I think so he would be around 18 months give or take.

Nappy/potty training. We have not started this yet. He can't really talk much but he is saying things. He knows hes done a 'dirty' when he has his nappy changed as he says it and wafts his hand around and looks at his nappy as we are changing him. I think there are some signs he is doing something like straining when he pooing which we should have really got the potty out and tried him on it our bad really. Weeing is harder as there isn't much he does to let us know. The only thing I can relate to is he grabs his groin area, maybe this is a sign he's done one or wanting to do a wee. Not sure. Saying all this once the weather gets warmer he will go nappyless in the garden and whne he wants to do anything or we see him doig it we will get potty out but for now I think its time to get it out for number twos so at least he knows what a potty is and what he has to do on it etc.. Potty training is something I have never done as I split with the ex before we did it with my daughter and never go to see her

 

[Droolinggimp]

Go on then

We have a boy (about to turn three), for us they were -

1) One year and four months, we swapped from milk to water and he stopped waking up for it.
2) One and a half for the morning nap, two for the afternoon nap.
3) We haven't... boys are awkward so we are waiting till his birthday is over and then forcing it (we are going away and don't want the tantrums and mess till we get back).

How old is your little one?

Edit: damn i need to go to specsavers. Juts noticed at start of that post.

 

[subbytna]

Go on then

We have a boy (about to turn three), for us they were -

1) One year and four months, we swapped from milk to water and he stopped waking up for it.

Yep, god I wish I'd known that earlier. Get water in a bottle and they soon stop waking up for one. It's like a treat for them so don't make it a treat. It also becomes habit which they don't really need if they have a bottle before bedtime and a good dinner.

 

[subbytna]

...I say they a lot as I've twins.

 

[Gambisk]

Greetings Dads of OCUK.

All being well I'll be joining the ranks in August, right now we are looking a prams/travel systems and I'm totally baffled by the array of choice and conflicting reviews. We are looking for something that can handle gravel paths and country parks as we have a dog and will be out for long walks as a family it also needs to fold up small enough to fit into a Seat Ibiza.

Contenders currently are the Upababy Vista, Babystyle Oyster Max and the Jane Crosswalk, does anyone have experience with these or other suggestions that meet my needs? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.