u/Born_Improvement_856

I keep seeing posts on here of people (rightfully) calling out their mum groups/mum friends for sleep training or giving sleep training advice. I thought I'd share something positive for a change: I go to an early mothering group every Monday, for mums of babies aged 0-7/8 months. Sleep is obviously a recurring topic we discuss as we all share our wins, struggles and questions. The group is moderated by two amazing women, one is a mum and doula, the other is a grandmother. Every single conversation around baby sleep is always had through the lense of biologically normal and nurturing sleep practices. This Monday, a mum shared about happily co-sleeping with her 5 month old and how judgmental her own mum was about it, and asked advice on how to shut down her mum's criticisms. Another mum was saying her toddler was waking up several times a night so she resorted to co-sleeping with them again and wondered if she was taking a step back - one of the organisers replied "your toddler is likely begging for reassurance and connection. We live in a society that wants to impose rules on baby sleep and what's normal and what's not. The only normal that exists is what works for you and your baby. They won't beg for co-sleeping at 14 years old". Anyway, I thought it was so encouraging that this group of many many women all think along the same very nurturing lines 🥰

I (5m F sparkling fairy of the woods) love to put all of my toys in my mouth, then get angry at my toys for not fitting entirely inside my mouf, then throwing them on the ground violently for being bad toys, then realising I much prefer them in my mouf rather than on the ground, then gently expressing my desire to retrieve the toys from the ground so they can be placed back inside my mouf by screaming like a petrodactyl. Mama (fossilized) says I can't have the toys back once they've been on the ground because they are dirty with germs and I will get sick. But getting sick is for the weak, and I am a strong big girl, so I grab the toys anyway when mama isn't looking and put them back in my mouth!! Idk what mama is on about they don't taste any different. Anyway I am also not stupid I know that if you get a lot of germs you will build a strong immune system which will come in handy when I start nursery next year. So, AITA?

.... but that was before. Now, I have a naked sticky sweaty 5 month old strapped to my equally naked, sticky and sweaty self as we try to co regulate in a 35 degree heatwave (UK based), while at the same time enjoying ✨the first day of my period✨ and 5 hours of broken sleep last night. Am awaiting the sweet release of death or alternatively 500 pints of ice cream

does anyone know of air conditioned spaces in Bath where I could spend a significant chunk of time with my 5 month old? I was thinking the M&S café, but wondering about the likes of the public library/any museums (she's a very relaxed baby) - anywhere that isn't the freezer aisle of the supermarker essentially!! Thanks in advance

For context I am in the UK. I always thought Eloise was a bit of an old/classic name, but well known and not so incongruous that people would seem surprised by it or mispronounce it. It's my baby daughter's name. But I guess I was wrong because it gets regularly butchered (best so far is a GP calling her Elois-ee, but I regularly get Louise as well) and people look really confused whenever I introduce her. Like they'll go "oh, El...oise?". Maybe 3 people have reacted saying it was a pretty name. Not that I expect everyone to love it, but I thought at least they'd know it, especially since Bridgerton (although to clarify Bridgerton is NOT the reason I named my daughter Eloise!). Anyway, thoughts?

edit to add that I am French and my husband is British, so we wanted a name that worked in both languages. The French version of the name is Héloïse. I wanted this spelling but my husband vetoed it 😩 it's a fairly well-known name in France but not hugely common.