Night Feeders Part 4 Up All Night Feeding, newborns, sleep regressions, toddlers, every knackered Mummy welcome!

[Cannotbelieveit]

Here's a fresh thread!

Let's start by introducing us/babies again

Since going on maternity leave I have seen so many better-paid jobs that I could apply for. It's so annoying!

That's why I'm applying for this new job - I will be about £500 a month better off (and that's after tax) and the hours/shifts mean I will need less paid childcare too.

Unfortunately I have to go back to my current job for a minimum of three months otherwise I have to pay back my 6 months of maternity leave at full pay. And obviously I'm not keen to do that!

Thankfully I work for the NHS so as long as I return to the NHS after my Maternity Leave it doesn't matter what job I do or where it is. It just has to be an NHS job

I'm going to feel very guilty about leaving my current job though as they were so good with me during my difficult pregnancy. Mind you, they are the ones who wouldn't accept my request to go back on reduced hours and it's because of that I need another job. Such is life.

Cariad can you start looking for other jobs once you're back though?

Writer what hours did you request to go back on? And why did they say no? If I don't find something locally I will have to go back to my old 3 day a week job and see if I can put in a flexible working request for 2 set days (I already know they wouldn't agree). Although the stupid trains means I add 4 hours onto my working day! It's only bloody 20odd miles away! I need to look locally (Stratford upon Avon) and hope an employer will be agreeable to the hours I can do!! Hoping all my experience and past achievements will help!

Oh yes, definitely. I'm taking six weeks if annual leave just before I go back too, so that will also count. I wouldn't mind something that paid more but on the other hand I've been in this job five years and they are pretty easygoing. So...

I used to work 30 hours over 4 days and I asked if I could reduce it to 3 days which would be 22.5 hours. Throughout my pregnancy and the first few months after DS was born I was always given the impression I could go back on reduced hours so to get an official letter declining my request (I had to put it in writing a month ago) came as a big shock. My Line Manager said she couldn't agree to it as the workload couldn't afford me to do 7.5 hours less a week. Well now they're going to be 30 hours less of me instead!!

The new job is a pretty much definite (interview is formality really) so it feels like a big step. Me and DH have discussed all the Pros and Cons and have decided I should just go for it.

You aren't too far from me cannot - I'm on the outskirts of Nuneaton

Ooh good luck with your job interview Writer!

I'm actually desperate to get back to work. It's a business that I run with my husband and one other business partner and I know things are getting in a pickle without me being there and I feel so powerless to sort things out stuck at home with a baby all day. I love the very bones of my DS but I know that being a SAHM is definitely NOT for me!

I'm desperate to get DS to the stage where he can be left for 2 days a week with his GPs - he'll either need to take EBM or formula from a sippy cup or just last the day with solids and water. It seems like a million miles away now but as my SIL reminded me earlier - I once said I could never see DS self settling and then lo and behold he started doing it. So hopefully he could turn on a sixpence and just start eating/drinking and it would take a large weight off my mind. I'm starting to really want to get some independence back - and for my DH to start taking much more of an equal share when DS isn't completely tied to me because of breastfeeding. I've loved it and wouldn't change it for the world but EBF is SUCH a burden on the mother!

Today has been pretty hard work. He was refusing to take a nap this morning so ended up being fed to sleep and waking up after 30 minutes. Then we had waterbabies and all he had after was about 20 minutes in the car seat. He's finally sleeping in his cot (had to be bloody fed to sleep again because he wouldn't settle) but I'm going to have to wake him up soon otherwise he won't go down to bed at a reasonable time. Typical!!

DS is having a marathon nap - 3 hours and counting! Nice change from yesterday when he only had two half-hour ones but he should probably wake up soon otherwise he won't sleep this evening.

Good luck with the job Writer!

Let me know if you're ever over this way writer!

We can swap babies for the night to see which is worse

I'm just feeding DS now in the hope he will be asleep by 9pm

Mine is probably worse tbh!! He went down at 8 so let's see!

never thought I'd hear myself say I'd be happy to see him get to 2am! That would be an improvement on the last week or so. I'm going to make sure I'm in bed by 10.30 latest so I can catch up! I'm just glad when he is up in the night to feed that he feeds and is straight back to sleep, thankful for small mercies

Predictably, after his epic nap DS is now fighting sleep :(

He's still not bloody asleep!

Oh no Cariad!! - I really hope he is asleep by now??

DS has been asleep for two hours now which is unheard of in terms of how long he sleeps for before waking up after he first fell asleep. He's usually had 2-3 wake ups by now. I'm too scared to close my eyes and go to sleep because it's Sod's law that when I do he will wake up and start crying!!

He dropped off at about 1015pm. I really hope this means he'll have a lie in tomorrow and not wake at 730am!

Oh crap I wrote a post then it disappeared, ds and I are heading off to bed he has finally conked out. He at last managed to breastfed last night due to some new smaller breast shields hope we have the same sucess tonight!

Up feeding after 4.5 hours, could be worse i suppose

I turned my lights off and settled down to sleep just before 11pm - it is now 01.10am and I haven't slept a wink. I just can't shut down!! I can't believe I've been lying in bed, wide awake for over 2 hours.

DS hadn't woke up yet though so that's 4.5 hours so far.

DS has woken up screaming twice since 1am. Got him back to sleep both times but I am wide awake now. Bah, he does this without fail whenever I have plans to meet friends the following day.

So he fed til 1.15am pretended to go to sleep in his cot and suddenly woke and has been kicking and grumbling since, I've left him in his cot but I can sleep with his whinging! He's yawning constantly but fighting going to sleep! Wtf baby?!! I must admit to calling all sorts of names

*can't sleep

And it's wake up number three...

I had to cave in and feed the bugger again!! Grrr he better stay asleep this time, don't ever see his sleep getting back to what it used to be