April babies...part 2

[KristinaM]

Here it is

Fennel!
Bf ds 6-9 months (started solids at 16 weeks and introduced formula during the day at 6 months). Would have given up bf by 12 weeks this time if it hadn't have got easier!

I know what you mean, Fennel !!

Another night looms...We're determined to get ds out of his waking up habit, but not looking forward to going to sleep as we never know when we're going to be waking up again..!

Mrs D - ds is also going through a squealing phase - and very loud it is too!! He's also into blowing raspberries while he's eating, which he thinks is very funny..!! Lots of rolling to the side and turning in circles, and a tiny bit of sitting up - but only for a few seconds!

How was your night, dot?
I have just dropped ds at school for his first full day (he went half-time from April to July). He clung to my leg a bit and was fighting back the tears. I know he'll be fine, but it was hard to leave him . Although I am not due back at work yet, this is now a new chapter for me, as I have just one child (dd) to look after between 9 and 3.
I was apprehensive about looking after the two of them over the school holiday but now I think I will miss him...

Well we have a waking up rhythm again. Asleep at 7, wake up at 2.30 then up again at 5.30.
I tried to give her water last night to try to break the habit of milk but she just sucks and then lets it run down her chin. I didn't turn the lights on but could feel it and didn't want her to get soaking wet so bf it was and she then went straight back to sleep.

dot you are very brave doing crying, I don't think I could let dd cry for 90mins.
Glad nursery went well mrsD, i have another month to go but am not looking forward to it at all.
HD big hugs, I can't even imagine what it must feel like it's funny how it seems to be harder for us than them isn't it.

Even though sleep isn't going too well I have to have a little brag in that dd is sitting completely unsupported and has been for about a week or so. I had the hv appt yesterday and sat her on the scales and felt really proud.
She is shuffling crawl backwards and in circles and gets really frustrated as she tries to go towards a toy on the floor and ends up in the opposite direction. Sorry couldn't resist.

Thanks for the hugs chuffed . It must be nice for you that dd can sit unsupported - I know my dd will be less frustrated when she can do that (though I know what you mean about trying to reach for toys).
My dd is going through a phase of waking in the night but I'm not sure it's hunger - I do bf her to settle her though, and take her into bed with me (maybe that's why she wakes up? )

Hi, can I join. My Ds is 18 weeks today and is a charming little chap most of the time! He doesn't and has never gone through the night, is breastfed and not tried solids yet. He got his first tooth on his 4 month birthday and enjoys giving me a gnaw!

Hi Lowryn! As you can see, I am mourning the loss of my son (first full day at school) by sitting in front of mumsnet .
DD (19 weeks) is very sleepy in my arms - she is getting teeth too.

HD was looking further back on april thread (to 'research' 16 week growth spurts!)...How is your dad after his op?

DS was waking every two hours a couple of nights ago for a feed, but I am not sure whether that was a growth spurt or teething.
He isn't normally one for comfort feeding though, so maybe it is that time of their development for increasing the food!
Can we post their websites on here, or is that a no no?

Do you mean posting links to baby pics etc, Lowryn? It's up to you if you want to put a link on the web.
Spots - my dad is doing really well, thanks for asking! He had a triple bypass and was out of hospital by day 6. Walking each day and building up strength.

hi ladies, am needing some cheering up - DS has been waking every 2 - 3 hours overnight for the last 4 weeks. I was still exclusively bf until a week ago (when he was 17 weeks). We gave him his first baby rice last Thursday, starting with 1 teaspoon, and have increased it to 4 teaspons as of last night. Yet still he's waking up every couple ofhours, for example this morning fed him at 4:00 for 30 mins-ish, he woke up again at 5:45, crying.

Am completely knackered & at my wits' end - so much so that I can't even express enough of a bottle to let my mum (who's staying with us for a couple of weeks to help out) do one of the overnight feeds to give me a break. Vicious circle or what?

I really don't want to introduce formula if I can avoid it, but am so tired that unless he gives me a bit longer really soon, I'm going to have to.

There's no sign of teething, and surely a growth spurt can't last a month! And I've been trying to feed him more often during the day to keep him topped up...

Any reassurance / suggestions?

Vik

Vik, sorry to hear that you are struggling. It sounds very tiring indeed.
Is he really hungry, or do you think he just wants you to feed him back to sleep?
How do you feel about co-sleeping? If you are knackered it might help short term as he could feed whenever he felt hungry?
Make sure you drink plenty of water and eat well while this is going on, your body should be able to catch up, but I know how horrible it is when you feel empty and the baby is demanding more.
My DD now 2 was put on solids in the vain hope that she would sleep for longer at night, and it didn't make one iota of difference.
Good luck

oh Vik, this is what my dd has started doing... aged 16 weeks tomorrow. Is he feeding that frequently during the day too? (mine is... hence my thoughts on growth spurts) Yes, knackering, and all I can do is offer sympathy. but at least you're not alone at 4.30...

HD how great about your dad. Isn't that amazing... 6 days! humans are so tough (sometimes)

Hi everyone. Mrs Doolittle - my ds is starting nursery too. I go back to work part-time next week. He's doing 1 hour one day and then 3 hours on another day and then after that 2 whole days a week. He is the youngest there by just a week!!

hi Geordievik. I think my dd3 is coming out of a month long growth spurt! she's 19 weeks now I think (have lost track). she's also bf with a very little bit of solids (maybe a teaspoon twice a day) but has started feeding a bit less this last week. it's been exhausting me too though I have to admit she still sleeps better than many, the feeding has been totally draining.

don't know what to suggest though. If I were you and getting woken lots at night and couldn't express I'd try formula (from someone else!) at night or evening.

Just out of interest, how many people here actually think starting their baby on solids really helped their sleeping, for more than a night or two? I never noticed a lasting difference with dd1 or dd2 and dd3 has started sleeping better anyway, but is on so little solids it can't be really due to that. am interested to see if giving solids has worked for people.

It improved it a bit, took until she eats solids 3 x a day. She is still waking at about 2.30 and 5.30 am but goes to sleep at 7 and then gets up about 8am. Before solids she was waking about 4 times between 7 and 6, wasn't even getting from 7 til midnight.

Geordie,

Sympathies on the night time disturbances. Go on, try a bit of formula at bed time - its not the devils work, honest! . I breast fed almost exclusively (only 2 or 3 bottles of formula per week, i.e. not even daily) until ds was 3 months old, dropped down to just morning and evening when he turned 4 months and quit entirely about 10 days ago. I sort of miss it, but frankly am enjoying the simplicity of a 7.00 am, 11.00 am, 3.00 pm and 7pm bottle, rather than feeding him every couple of hours whilst my 2 year old went mad with jealousy at the attention he was getting. Not suggesting you give up breastfeeding - excellent if you can keep it going, but the occasional bottle of formula might give you the respite you need to continue with breast feeding.

Good luck to everybody who has a baby starting day nursery or who has just started. My ds did 'jelly play' at Day Nursery this morning apparently!!!!

Btw - am I the only one who hasn't started weaning yet ? (laziness on my part not principle). Ds is now 20 weeks old (today)

Message withdrawn

handleme.. I am not going to wean yet. I wanted to see how close I could get to the recommended 6 months before caving in! DS is 18 weeks, and the thought of pureeing and all that malarky is putting me off anyway.

Hi all - sorry havent been posting much. Baby is now 17 weeks - still BF with about two half bottles of formula at night for a top up. Like all of yours, he is waking a couple of times during the night. Sigh...

for those of you who are going back to work soon. I'm so lucky to be able to stay off until next year.

Am feeling very tired ( I know - who isn't!!!) and have just been diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis. Do any of you know much about this? I'll post on the health page but a MN search has revealed.......not a lot. Mostly on the TTC threads. Which isn't very high on my agenda at the moment

Hi Ladies, especially our newcomer Lowryn. I think we should all be very proud of this thread, I am sure we are more active than any the other months
Today is the final day of dd's nursery preparation, she is in from 8.30 - 4pm and it's the first time I think I have actually felt truly bereft leaving her. I am at home now and it is the first time in over a year (pregnancy included) I have been in the house without her The only consolation and I mean, the ONLY consolation is that she was so tired when I picked her up at 2 yesterday that she slept until 5.30pm and then again from 8 - 6.30am! This is the first time she has slept through since July I should also add that yesterday was the most amount of food she has eaten. I have been reluctant to fill her too much but the nursery fed her breakfast and lunch yesterday, she ate the whole banana!!! I had only ever given her breakfast and tea previously. The staff said they couldn't get over how well she ate. Then I also gave her swede at around 5.30pm when she woke up.
So in answer to your question Fennel, I don't know. Dd was weaned simply because she had become unhappy that I couldn't produce enough for her anymore, the fact I had become ill coincided with her growth spurt I think. However, she has always eaten well but I have obviously not given her enough up until now. I think I have been very aware that until 6 months her primary source of nutrtion is milk.
I also believe that in the last week or so she has grown immensley because I have seen it. I don't know if it's the formula or food. Finally, (MrsDoolittle is writing another epic ) I am still breast feeding her last thing at night and when she wakes up, I am really pleased about that because I was not ready to give up. Having said that I'm like Handlemecarefully, I like the freedom during the day.
Dd is noway near sitting up yet, though she tries hard. I have started tummy time for a few minutes a day and her she holds her head for a few minutes and grunts with frustaration because she can't push up on her arms yet. Whenever I have tried her sitting unaided she just sits and slowly falls forward until I catch her, otherwise her nose would hit the floor

Goerdievik, I am sorry that you are having a tough time. If it's any consolation, I was going through the same thing at about the same time as you. I was very reluctant to give in to formula, I was desperate to feed her myself for aslong as possible but both of us became miserable trying. I have never been able to express adequate amounts and was truly shocked to hear Fennel expressed 18oz one time I now believe that solid food does take a while to kick in and can't take the place of inadequate milk feeds. Dd is a much happier baby now than she was a few weeks ago and I really did beat myself up about it at the time. I hope this helps

Mrs D - sounds like your DD is a happy wee lump sitting at nursery stuffing her face with food and enjoying all the attention and activity .... while you are sitting at home missing her (((()))). I left DS at home with his dad for about 2 hours while i went to the dentist (oh big excitement) and i felt bereft!!! How sad are we...........

Hi all - sorry Kristina, I don't know anything about thyroiditis. GeordieVik, I hope things get better for you soon.
Took ds to school again this morning and he clung to my neck very tightly (while I was bending down, with dd in the sling). The teacher had to prise him off me .
Hope your dd gets on ok in nursery today, MrsD.

Thanks Ladies. Kristina you made me laugh. I'm a but sad really. Actually, I should go into town I been meaning to buy some clothes for work as this time last year I was preparing myself to buy maternity clothes. Now it's nice to go and some some "proper" clothes. I have recently been shocked to discover that I am lighter now than I was before I was pregnant - explains the feeding problems, methinks!!!