The One Where It All Comes Out

The boy has been constipated.

There's no way to dress it up, the poor little fella has been bunged up.  

The situation got so bad that, the other Saturday, he got worse and worse until about 5 o'clock he refused all food and was doubled up in pain.

One of his library books is a Hairy Maclary story which has a character in it called Bottomley Potts.

"Mummy my Bottomley Potts is hurting" exclaimed the boy and my heart melted at his pain and his sense of humour through it.

He hadn't had a poo since Wednesday afternoon so I had a fair idea he was constipated but I called NHS 111 anyway and actually had a good experience, (not something many Mums shared when I posted on Facebook). They noted down all the symptoms and said someone local would call in the next 2 hours. 

In fact the local hospital called back straight away and asked us to come down to the Out of Hours surgery as soon as we could. So we bundled the boy in the car and anxiously sped off.

The hospital is only a 3 or maybe a 4 minute drive away. It's no time at all, especially when there's no traffic about, as there wasn't on a Saturday teatime, so in what seemed like an instant we were there and checked in for what could be a long wait.

No sooner had we arrived though, coats off and a corner of the waiting room found to make camp, than the boy crouched down in a familiar position.

"What are you doing darling?' I asked, knowing full well what he was doing. 

"Nothing" came the urgent, red faced and strained reply. "Go away Mummy. Look over there" 

Toilet training is still an on going process and although the boy will wee for England on the potty he won't poo, so thank the lord I'd not gone al fresco with the pants up to the hospital, and had the foresight to put a pull up on him just in case. 

"Are you doing a poo poo honey?"

"No!" 

From the smell he quite clearly was. 

He then stood up, happy he'd finished his task, trumped loudly and exclaimed,

"Ah that's better!"

You couldn't make it up could you! 

The One With My Gums and a Posh New Toothbrush

Sponsored Post 

This post is an entry for Mumsnet Blogger Network Challenge sponsored by Oral-B, promoting healthy gums. Get tips and advice on www.oralb-loveyourgums.com

There's lots of health and well being issues they don't tell you about when you become pregnant. Mostly embarrassing things about going to the loo, or not being able to go to the loo, or not being able to reach when you've been to loo.

Stuff you, unfortunately, have to find out for yourself .

One of the things that never seems to get mentioned is that, during pregnancy, you can develop gum disease. In fact between 50% and 70% of Mums-To-Be experience what the NHS call

“ Hormonal changes during pregnancy, which, can make your gums more vulnerable to plaque, leading to inflammation and bleeding.”

NHS Pregnancy and Gum Disease

Basically gum disease.

And even after pregnancy 1 in 2 of all adults suffer from gum problems, which is the major cause of tooth loss. A frightening thought. As I get older I can get on board with dying my hair to cover the grey, using face cream for my wrinkles and taking cod liver oil for my aching joints but I draw the line at false teeth!

I only found out I had gum disease when I was carrying the boy because I was recommended by my dentist to go and see a hygienist. In my naïvety I wondered why ladies get free dental care when they are expecting.

I was soon to find out why!

Given the state of my gums, which bled when I brushed and were starting to recede in places, the hygienist and dentist were very strict with me about my dental routine in the future. Not just flossing but proper Interdental brushes to get between the teeth, alcohol free mouthwash morning and night and brushing for two minutes with an electric toothbrush.

I have been a good girl since then and kept up the routine but it's easy to let it slip now and again. I know that my 2 minutes was sliding back to more like the average of 42 seconds that adults in the UK spend cleaning their teeth instead.

So when the chance came along to try out the Oral-B Triumph 5000 with SmartGuide I wanted to give it a go. 

The reason being it times your full 2 minutes brushing for you with a whizzy Smart Guide gadget that shows you how long to brush each quarter of your mouth for. 

It also tells you if you are pressing too hard on your teeth and gums and adjusts the speed and pressure accordingly by using the Triple Action Pressure Control System.

It's the gaps between my teeth that capture food particles and cause plaque but this brush gives a really deep clean and gets in all those hard to reach places.

Over the last two weeks I've been using the Oral-B FlossAction brush head, one of the three brush heads the toothbrush comes with, along with Oral B Pro Expert Premium Gum Protection toothpaste, and I've been noticing a much deeper clean on my teeth and fresher feeling in my mouth, especially in the mornings. Always good when you've been up all night with grumpy 3 year old who's full of cold.

Although my boy is too young to use this brush at the moment he loves the smiley face on the Smart Guide and older children are going to be encouraged to brush for longer because of it too.

There's 5 brushing modes so you can choose what you need, when you need it. After all your teeth don't feel the same everyday, it depends on what you've been doing, eating or drinking. I've been using the daily clean mode mostly but there's a deep clean which gives you a 3 minute brushing time, which is good for a weekly cleanse. Then there's a sensitive setting for when it's been one of those days and your mouth feels like it's done ten rounds with Amir Khan. There's a massage mode for the gum equivalent of a back rub with some soft lights and sweet music and finally a whitening setting for those nights when you've

been on red wine with dinner followed by a coffee, gone to the bathroom looked in the mirror and frightened yourself because your teeth were grey?

All in all this is an amazing piece of kit. It's a pretty hefty investment to buy it in the first place but the whole family can have their own brush head, with you all using the one main base unit, so you only need to buy this and not a separate electric toothbrush each.

The brushes last 3 months so a pack of 4 for £17 will last you the year and makes each one £4.25, which is more than I'd pay for a toothbrush but then you are getting a much better clean than a manual brush. It feels like it does when my hygienist has done my clean and polish and given me a pat on the back for keeping up my regime.

When I saw her in September she told me I no longer showed signs of gum disease. My persistence had worked and I had stopped my gums receding. I was delighted but it had taken nearly 4 years of hard work to stop the rot, as it were, and put a smile on my and her face.

Now I've got my Oral-B Triumph 5000 with SmartGuide smiling at me every morning and evening my hygienist will be smiling even more the next time I see her.

The One with The Mental Health

When it comes to health I always find there are two topics that send people scuttling away into a corner of embarrassment. One is sexual health and the other is mental! 

Mental, mental chicken oriental.

Mental. That's mental! You're mental you are!

Insults hurled across playgrounds, and some places of work, since time began.

Will we ever get rid of the stigma of "mental health"?

October is mental health month. We all have mental health but we rarely think about it or consider it. It's just there.

Until it goes wrong.

In exactly the same way we don't always consider aspects of our physical health, until something hurts or twinges.

Or breaks.

In the depths of the various levels of depression I have experienced over the years there have been times when I have felt broken. Physically and mentally broken.

In pieces. 

Telling a person with depression or mental health issues to "pull themselves together" is no more useful or constructive than telling a person with a broken leg to "get up and walk you lazy cow"!

You have to let things heal before they can strengthen and that healing can involve all kinds of different things, including taking pills. 

If I took a tablet everyday for blood pressure or thyroid who'd bat an eyelid? Why is taking medication for a mental health issue any different or more embarrassing than taking one for a physical health issue?

Yet it is, isn't it? Or maybe it was? 


In recent months I have posted two Facebook statuses on my depression and the medication I take for it. The responses have blown me away. Not only have people been supportive but they have shared their own mental health issues and if they take medication too.

As I tell the boy on a daily basis "It's fun to share!"

And you know what, it has been. Telling people I have depression and I take medication for it has been one of the most liberating things I've ever done.

I refuse to hide in a corner. So I talk about it. Because talking about it helps me heal and it, hopefully, stops the rest of the world being embarrassed and treating mental health as something we don't mention. 

Because that's just mental, isn't it! 

The One With the CCTV and the Gin

We had no gin in the house. Believe me, this is a crisis beyond belief. So I took the boy off to the supermarket to get some.

He loves a trolley adventure does the boy and we did need other stuff too. Tonic, lemons, ice... no honestly it wasn't just a desperate middle aged mother on a gin run. Promise!

The boy was being very good, helping me put things in the trolley and pushing it nicely and not just ramming it into random people's ankles, which was a pleasant change.

We got to the the booze aisle and I was scanning the shelves for a special offer when a little voice said,

"Mummy, can I have a cuddle?"

It may be foolhardy of me but I have a policy of never denying my boy a cuddle, wherever we may be, so I bent down to embrace the little fella.

"Look it's Mummy." he said and pointed upwards. "Wave Mummy." 

The drinks aisle has CCTV cameras and TV screens for security and there we were, up on the big screen, having a lovely Mummy and boy hug, with me clutching a bottle of cheap, own brand gin in my hand and waving it at the camera like a drunk Aunt at a wedding, doing the bending down dance with a toddler.

Bearing in mind at this point my trolley only contained, tonic water, beer, wine, some chocolate and a child's toy, which we needed as a present for a birthday party, I looked like the kind of Mum who only looks up now and again to sling her kid a new Moshi Monster and a packet of buttons, whilst she drinks her "special medicine"! 

Hello, social services.

I do hope those CCTV pictures aren't recorded for training purposes or that's going in the Christmas party blooper tape for sure. 

God I'm classy! 

The One With Thomas and Something Nasty

As you know potty training has finally gone into full swing here in the Randomhousehold. 

The boy has decided he will now do wees' on the potty but, to quote Pirate Pete's potty book, "he's finding doing a poo much harder".

That's ok. We can live with that. It's a letting go thing. I've read it's quite common. I'm just excited that he'll do anything at all. So excited in fact that I have employed some top comedy parenting skills and taught him to say 'ta dah' when he rises triumphantly from his potty after doing a wee. 

It's a sight to behold! 

Lemon Cake Lady suggested he add a bow or some showbiz jazz hands as well, but we don't want to completely, and quite literally, take the piss do we! 

Today however we had a breakthrough. The boy was out in Nanny P's garden when he asked Grandad Atu for the potty. A rarity in itself, as he normally waits for us to ask him if he needs to go. Unfortunately the boy couldn't wait and by the time Grandad had got back he'd curled one out on the path.

But hey it's a start! He didn't ask for a nappy and he 'let one go' to coin a phrase. And at least this time he hadn't started moulding it like some organic, hippy Play Doh! 

You see the other day I went to empty the potty of wee in the bathroom and came back to be presented with Thomas the Tank Engine looking a bit grubby,

"Thomas has fallen in the mud Mummy" said the sweet voice of the boy as he presented me with the train "He needs a wash down"

"Honey what is that? Where did you get mud from in the lounge? Oh my god that's not mud is it? It's poo!"

The boy had obviously done a teeny, tiny little poo after his wee whilst I was out of the room, scooped it up and pressed it into the wheels, fender, firebox and funnel of poor old Thomas the Tank Engine! 

Not so much 'Thomas, he's the cheeky one' as 'Thomas, he's the shitty one.' 

I quickly ascertained that he hadn't put his fingers in his mouth and then performed not so much of a wash down as a mass clean up operation of boy, carpet, sofa and train. 

We then had a long talk about about how we don't play with poo and poo isn't mud. It's poo. And poo is dirty with lots of germs that can make us ill. So don't play with it, you cute but rather poo obsessed boy. 

God bless the Dettol wipe is all I can say. 

Much like life, it's amazing how a little bit of shit can go such a long way isn't it! 

The One With The Blurred Lines

Every Sunday evening I listen to the Top 40 as I cook dinner. It's a throwback from my childhood, when I had a Sunday night bath and hair wash before another school week and Mum wasn't allowed to put the hair dryer on until I'd heard who was number 1.

I lived for the Top 40. Who'd gone up, who'd gone down, non movers and new entries. I soaked it all in as I lay in the bath and would memorise the Top 10 for the whole of the next week, ready to reel it off to anyone who'd listen. 

Nowadays I haven't a clue who anyone is, but recently I like the Robin Thicke Blurred Lines song. 

You know the one. That one. The one with the nudey rudey video which it didn't need to sell it because it's such a catchy tune (or choon as the youngsters say) anyway. 

I've downloaded it onto my I-Tunes - well just the song, not the video, although I've seen the video and those women are fit. Especially the brunette. Oh come on - you know who I mean and as Ken always says "There's a little bit of lezza in all of us!"

Anyway I don't play it in front of the boy as it's got "language" in it. But of course the tame version has been played on the radio all the time.

Despite it's potentially misogynistic lyrics, when it comes on in the car I am guilty of turning it up with the comment,

"Oh Mummy likes this one"

Of course the boy is a sponge for anything vaguely musical and loves nothing better than a good song to get his perfectly formed milk teeth into!

So he's obviously been taking note, as I discovered the other day when, in the middle of Waitrose - the poshest and quietest  of all the supermarkets - he proceeded to sing at the top of his voice,

"Oh I know you want it, I know you want it, cos you're a good girl. Want it. Oh I know you want it. Good girl"

Over and over again!

Now I love it that he picks up songs so quickly and easily, but I didn't realise he was taking any notice of the radio. I thought if it wasn't a Thomas the Tank Engine song or Postman Pat's Special Delivery Service he wasn't interested. But it would seem the lines between just listening to children's songs and taking notice of pop songs have become... um.. blurred. 

Maybe I need to watch what I have on in future as we drive around in the car! 

As for these Blurred Lines I think I'd better teach him a new song.

Anyone got the lyrics handy for "Baby Got Back"? 

The One With All The Changes of Clothes

By George, I think he's got it!

I bring exciting news. After a year and a half of cajoling, bribing, talking about it and reading Pirate Pete's Potty book over and over and again at bedtime, until I could probably write you a 10,000 word thesis on it's main themes and imagery, the boy has started to do wee wees on the potty.

Of his own accord. Happily. Without screaming.

He's also suddenly embraced the idea of big boy pants. Previously, when I was trying every single trick conceivable to tempt him to start potty training, I took him to buy his very own big boy pants. We went to the stand where they were and I asked if he'd like the ones with guitars on or monsters on? He actually physically turned his back on the display and screamed NO!!

I had a feeling he still wasn't ready to give up nappies just yet.

But this week, well he's like a different little boy. A switch has gone click in his brain. For weeks we've all been telling him if he does a wee wee on the potty he can have Hiro (yes that is how you spell it)  from Thomas The Tank Engine. "Hiro of the Rails" is the film of choice at present so Hiro is a big deal. He knew the engine was upstairs. I'd shown him the bag he was in. Hiro even went back and forth in Nanny P's handbag when the boy went over there in case he suddenly decided to comply at her house.

Then this Monday morning. Eureka! So Hiro was given as an instant reward as promised. The boy had a glazed at us with a look of 'Oh shit, they weren't bluffing. They hung out for the wee wees but now I've got the prize" and this seems to have done the trick.

Of course this first week has not been without it's little accidents. 

On Tuesday I took his own potty to nursery and there was only one change of clothes required. He'd done exceptionally well on only his second day without nappies.

Today was a nursery morning again but in my hurry to leave the house in the pouring rain I forgot the potty. What I believe they call an epic Mummy fail. 

Never mind, they have plenty of potties at nursery he'll use one of those and I've packed about 5 spare pairs of pants and joggers, he's only there until lunchtime. He'll be fine.

When I went to pick him up at 12.30 he was dressed as a power ranger! He was perfectly happy and greeted me with his usual gusto but he was dressed in a black, rather grubby, power ranger costume. 

Something wee based had obviously occurred. At least 5 times.

"Oh hello." said one of his key workers 'I'll just go and get his slip and see what he ate today?"

What he ate? Are you kidding me? With the best will in the world I'm not that arsed about what he ate. I'd rather know why my son is dressed as a Power Ranger. Or at least have it acknowledged as the first thing we discuss as they hand him back over to me. 

"He just had the broccoli today I'm afraid. He wasn't too bothered about the BBQ chicken."

"Was he not." I replied "And....?"

" He did have all his dessert. I can't remember what that was. Would you like me to find out?"

"Nah you're alright. Anything else you want to tell me maybe...?

" He's enjoyed "Harry and the Bucket Full of Dinosaurs" story today too."

"Lovely. He rocks a dinosaur does the boy. So how's the.. er... potty training gone today?"

"Ah yes. I'm afraid he wouldn't use our potties so there's been a few accidents."

"Just a few hey."

"Yes. Probably best to bring his own potty in next week. And you can bring... umm that back... when you next come in too" she added indicating the fancy dress costume.

"I'll give it a wash. Bye"

"Yes bye. He's had a lovely morning though."

I'm sure he had. He's been soaked in his own piss and dressed as a super hero for most of it. That's a good morning out for a 3 year old boy.

"Have you enjoyed being a Power Ranger" I asked as we left

"Can I take it off now please?" he said

"When we get home darling" 

"Can we go and get a Freddo at the shop?"

"Maybe not today baby. We'll find some chocolate at home for when you next do a wee wee on your potty. Yes."

"Yes."

And to be fair, he's been back to a mean, keen, weeing machine since he got his own throne back this afternoon. 

Go, go Power Rangers.....