OMG it's good afternoon! Where has the day gone? Am still in my jammies... however I've done loads of washing, folding, putting away, vacuuming, nappy changing and feeding! Just had a big chunk of my chocolate birthday cake. Have also expressed another bottle for freezing... I'm finding that the process of expressing has really made my supply ample, I think I'm making much more than with my previous 2... hope it doesn't start to diminish after I return the electric pump and go manual... guess I could just rehire it. I'm starting to experience the phenomenom of thinking that I'm not very full because my breasts are soft then all of a sudden they tingle and fill up fast! This is happening in the bath when DH brings Niall in for me to hold and wash. He starts snuffling around, sucking water off my chest etc and looking so cute with that particular look of desperation he gets and then *tingle* here it comes! I swear some times I can see my breasts growing as they fill up... by the time I get out of the bath I'm almost 'engorged' and need to pump off some foremilk so that Niall can attach more easily.

I forgot to say "Welcome!" Lisa great to have you on board... looking forward to hearing your story.

Candy: I definately agree with the others who suggest you at least go along to one or two Mother's groups... they are definately all different (like the different threads in here ie July Buddies was quite different to our Junies). I've been to several and some are definately more supportive and friendly than others so it's hard to tell until you try one.... and if that one's no good try another! When you find a good one it's fantastic!Same as PlayGroups... my current one is just sooo good... quite different to the ones I went to with my daughter... I found this one because i got chatting to another mum in a local cafe... she told me about it and said she was on her way to one and asked me if I wanted to join her... so I did! Pays to get chatting to other mums in your area and establish good networks because being a SAHM can be incredibly isolating.... also unless you have lots of family with young children around you it becomes increasingly important that your child mixes with other children... I'm starting to find that Wade would benefit from more contact with other children his age even though he attends regular playgroup... learning to interact and get along with other children starts from babyhood (observation of behaviour) and is really important. But it's a subtle trick of getting the ammount of time with other children just right... too much can be just as bad as not enough.... but I'm getting way ahead of things now!

Nappy folding therapy: yes it did surprise me IK LOL especially as I was much younger (24/25) and had been used to a highly unstructured self indulgent lifestyle of inner city sharehousing. For me the whole process of folding flat nappies kinda gave me a feeling of connectedness to a tradition of nuturing that I'd never known before... finding myself unexpectedly a mother and kinda lost in the role I think I enjoyed the idea that i was doing something that millions of women had done before me and that it was something I could master quickly and get a sense of achievement from. Plus I've always enjoyed the use and feel of fabric (have worked in a fabric shop etc) and also enjoyed using my hands... i especially enjoy doing the "newborn fold" ... am not so keen on the older baby "kite fold". And now I need to join you in the nappy thread before i get too carried away!

Uh oh... Wade awake early... gotta go deal.