November 09 - Autumnal times are drawing near, soon our babes will be one year!

[MsInterpret]

Hello ladies, hope no one minds me taking the liberty of creating a new thread and approves of the name choice. We've been moving a bit slower than antenatal so though we'd most certainly have some year-olds by the time we finished this one!

Pav that's fab!!! You must feel like a new woman!
Ioan would have slept longer this morning I think if I'd not gone in as quickly to give milk. Will delay a little longer tomorrow.

Have noticed a distinct drop in appetite with him, although he doesn't seem bothered. Anyone else got this? Is it normal?!

That's great news pav!! We are improving here too. C slept Saturday night from 6pm-6am with one wake up. Last night, he slept 6pm-5am (milk at 9pm) and slept an extra hour this morning until 6am with milk and a cuddle. My body is in shock with all this sleep. I realise looking back at last week at how low and exhausted I was feeling. He isn't sleeping much in the day, hence the early bedtime.

scarlotti I hope you're doing ok. C went off his food a couple of weeks ago, which was down to teething. Is Ioan crawling or bum shuffling? C started crawling 3-4 weeks ago. All the worry about weight bearing was not needed as he's started to stand a lot more.

C had his Hib Men C jab today. He didn't flinch or cry. I was so proud of him. I think the MMR will upset him a bit though

Fruit hooray for your sleep too! Ioan is still bum shuffling although making efforts now to try and climb and will bear weight on his legs for a short while. HV was waffling the other day about how I needed to keep an eye out as he's not crawling or wanting to stand, and if he still wasn't at 18 months then there could be a problem with his hips I wish they'd just leave well alone sometimes!
Think he is teething so that might be it. Today he's barely eaten anything but he seems ok so I'm not going to worry.

fruit that is fab! i know that feeling of not quite realising how low you are until you are on the up, although by thursday last week after being told i was taking leave from work i realised i must have been a fright physically and not managing mentally. That was a turning point for us, when I realised I could not go on. Now, I feel terribly tired, but now almost like my bed again, rather than dread bedtime which i was doing. I say almost as I am well aware that this miracle is going to burst any moment .

I hope you get more nights like that though, lots of 6-6 sound good!

scarlotti Roo went off his food for the last 2 weeks or so, in particular his lunch. But in the last 4 days or so his apetite has improved, mostly due to DH stuffing him chock full of food at bedtime . I think he has a new tooth though, but can't see it well as it is next to his gorgeous little bottom two and he won't let me look wthout nipping me! I am sort of sad to see those two on their own go, they are just so cute and baby like!

Pav Here's hoping we are both on the path to more consistent nights . Another couple of things I've been suffering with is bad PMT (my poor DH!) Also I've not felt well after meal times. Really uncomfortable with indigestion. Never had this complaint before other than when heavily pregnant. I think it's due to stress. I'm hoping it will calm down with a bit of time. Otherwise, off the docs to get checked out. My Mum kindly and nicely reminded me that I'm not as young as I was and these things can start happening as we get older .

Scarlotti Forgot to say. I agree with you not to worry about Ioan. As you know, I've been worried for months and C is still jelly legs when he feels like it. If he wants to see or show me something he then finds the willpower to stand. We are on the waiting list for physio. Hopefully won't be needing the appointment when it arrives.

Happy birthday to Toby and Annabelle. I'm glad you both had lovely days with your families

And hooray to Fruit and Pav on getting some sleep. Do you feel even more tired?? I think I did that time when I got some sleep a few months ago! Just wait until you know it is a regular fixture though - you will be like new women!

You have all spurred me on actually and I'm starting trying to make some changes with James in the hope that we may sleep again. The last few nights he's had a bottle before bed (to try and fill him up). Tonight he had BM first, and then he fed himself from the bottle in the cot, and went to sleep like that. I'm not all that hopeful that I can get him to do the same later, but I'm going to try. I'm pleased that he enjoys the bottle at least. I have become really fed up with breastfeeding as it is now hurting me (he has lots of teeth and a strong jaw...and all those hourly feeds!) and he is becoming quite clingy. I'd so love to be able to just feed him once a day.

Scarlotti I hope you feel like you can move forward now that DH has moved out. It's time to take care of yourself for a bit, and hopefully things will work out with him in due course.

Fruit I'd heard that PMT and period pains get worse the more children you have. Still haven't had a period this time round, so can't confirm that.

Oh and Pavlov please could I have that dhal recipe you once posted on here? I'll swap you for Turkish rice pilaff with chickpeas and apricots which we had tonight - a hit with both children (I left out the almonds in James's - when can they eat nuts?)

Pav am so chuffed for you :)

Bryn has teeth three and (nearly) four through. Just appeared this afternoon! He's been struggling for a while with them, so hope that having two top and bottom it will get easier now.

Ah, great news on sleep Fruit and Pavlov!

Laugs they can't have whole nuts until they are three apparently. I have tried almond and peanut butter with Lucy and she loves it. As for feeding, Lucy seems to have mixed up day with night, too. I feed her first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and sometimes often in the night as well if she can't settle.

But I give up trying to investigate any sort of a pattern: Sunday night I fed her what seemed like constantly and last night only once! And I think she only woke up last night due to a horrendous nappy. What's that all about, do you think? She hasn't had a soiled nappy at night for absolutely ages...

Scarlotti your DD sounds like such a mature and nice young lady. It must be difficult for her, all those mixed emotions concerning the present situation, but it looks like the relationship she has with you is a good anchor for her.

Isn't this fog strange? Oxford looks like an enchanted city. Full of horrid traffic, but still...

Thanks Skorpion. I knew it was whole nuts at three (that's due to a choking hazard isn't it?) This recipe used flaked almonds, which I can't imagine you could choke on, but I wasn't sure about the allergy risk.. Anyway, he liked it without.

It isn't foggy here - really bright and sunny with blue skies but freezing. The best weather, if you ask me.

I have to tell you as we had a GREAT night. I fed James at 7ish, he sent himself to sleep around 8, feeding from a bottle while I stroked and shushed him. He woke at 12 and we did the same again (although he had a poo in the middle, so was up for a while! - funny Skorpion as James never normally poos in the night either). Then he slept from 1am until 5pm, came in with me at 5 for a breastfeed and slept until 7am! WOWEE!! I'm hoping that him going to sleep in the cot is on the road to self-settling, even if I am right there next to him.

Oh i am so pleased to hear that some babies are sleeping a bit better . laugs you are right, i do feel more tired, and in fact I have been going to bed early as I have been very sleepy! although fell asleep on the sofa last night til 2am . But, I have noticed that my skin is less crap already. it is not glowing, it is not beautiful by a long shot, but no new spots, ulcers have gone, and my mood is much improved. Last night Roo did not settle so well, he woke up with DD crying about something at 8:30pm after settling at 7:30pm and took DH cuddling/leaving to cry/cudding for 45 mins to go back to sleep, then woke at 4am and DH and I dared to speak and he heard me so only wanted me. We are going to use a couple of night time phrases so he knows it is time to go back to sleep not time for milk like 'good night' 'sleepy time' or that type of thing, as I don't want to feed him milk before 5am. He was confused last night as soon as DH picked him up he giggled as he thought it was time for milk. He slept til 6:30am though after that. So I cannot really complain!!

DH said he has noticed an improvement in his behaviour, me too. he was always a chilled baby but a bit more crying over the last few weeks, for a few days he is much happier, laughing more.

laugs we gave DD crushed/blended nuts/not peanuts at around 1 or so, intended to not give peanuts til 3 but she was given some peanut butter on toast by a friend at 2 and was fine. Roo on the other hand has already had peanut butter on account of stealing my toast fro my hand when I wasn't paying attention. No allergic reaction so I am presuming he is fine, and being much less bothered by it all than I was with DD. I ate peanuts in and there are no significant allergies in my family. I personally would be fine giving him flaked almonds. I am looking forward to doing that recipe though it sounds delicious!

here is the dhal. I make it the same as this, but minus the curry paste/powder for the children. I even use the same spices/ginger as this recipe now as both the kids love it, just minus the salt and add to our own at the end. I also use tinned tomatoes instead of fresh (easier) and fresh ginger instead of powdered, and any curry paste I have rather than the madras powder. it is one of my fave dishes, on its own or with dry chicken curry. I often make up the amount in the recipe and freeze it all for the children.

Thanks Pav, it sounds good and I have most of the ingredients, so just need to buy a potato and then I can make it tonight

Ooooh, so pleased to read about sleeping babies. Let's hope they've all turned a corner!

Sad to say it's not the case here... had a really, really, really bad night last night. It was about 3.30AM when he finally settled enough to sleep, before that he was constantly whimpering (with or without boob in his mouth, but without a boob he was howling...) it's getting to the point where I worry about it affecting our neighbour's sleep... and also where I think I might crack. Ended up crying in the early hours because I am just. so. tired.

The thing is, to me, it seems that he is actually in pain. If it was an insecurity thing, he wouldn't be whimpering with me right there, with a boob in his mouth, would he? He's TRYING to sleep, I can tell, but he can't. Last night he was all cold and clammy too. And I feel horrid, because at times I feel like just walking out and sleeping in the car or something because I am so desperate for sleep, for ME. Then again, what kind of a mother am I if I can't fix this for him?

Had his jabs this morning, ended up being MMR and another one even though I thought that he was going to be having the MMR on its own seeing as I refused it last time. I just couldn't wrap my head around the schedule and just agreed anyway.

DH is going out after work and won't be back until after bedtime (well, the time that should be bedtime, it's a joke really). Feeling like I'm having to dig really deep to find a fun, loving, cuddly mama. Don't know if I can. What do you all do, on the days when you feel like rubbish but need to put on a brave, happy face?

brood i am so sorry you had such a bad night on those days, when i feel so low and have to brave it, i go for a drive, with my make-up bag, and pray little one has a sleep. I drive to the sea and while he sleeps I put on some make-up helps a little but not great as normally when I am feeling that bad I have not had a shower/done my hair and look/feel minging anyway. I tend to drink more coffee and hide away. I wish we all lived closer, us non-sleeping baby mothers, we could all have a zombie creche for an afternoon and leave the babies screaming while we drink coffee in another room in --solidarity support each other, give each other 20 mins each to go have a break or something!

Oh Brood, that sounds like a horrendous night. You do have to be a mama every day, but you don't always have to be a happy, fun one. Sometimes it's just too much and you say to your baby, 'I'm sorry I am tired today and I will be fun again tomorrow.' Just get by, doing what you can do, and don't worry about what you can't. Coffee helps! Singing does too. Just lie with him and sing some songs.

Oh, Brood, so sorry to hear that. Every one of us has bad days and I am sure we all feel like the worst mothers in the world at times - I sure know I do. I go out for a walk, have to agree with Laugs, love the weather like this. Remember, in the morning he'll look up at you and beam and it will be the best feeling in the world.

I also must admit, that sometimes when I am near loosing my patience at night, I actually remember what you said a while ago, about falling in love with them more and more each day. At the risk of sounding like a groupie - it works.

Well, I know what it was about now - the nappy at night. Had to pick up Lucy from nursery today as she has diarrhoea. Thing is she seems to be happy as, just fills her nappies frequently. What should I do? Do I need to do anything other than feed and water her? She hasn't lost her appetite...

Good to hear of some sleeping babies!

brood so sorry you're having a hard time. When I feel rubbish I try to go for some low-maintenance mummying like bung her in the pushchair and have a walk round town. Hopefully she nods off and I race into the nearest cafe for a hot chocolate and a read of the paper or a magazine.

Just being outside makes a difference here, a change of scene. I know it's so cold at the moment and wrapping them up takes a long time but at least once you're out it's low maintenance mummying...

Also agree that just lolling around a bit is totally fine, as long as they're not screaming the house down they're fine and a bit of toy playing/living room crawling by themselves while mummy has a rest on the sofa is entirely necessary at times!

Brood sorry to hear that :( Days like that are the ones I tend to have to leave the house on. Whether its to go grocery shopping, meeting a friend for coffee, or just a bus ride. Really doesn't matter, just those walls always feel so much more claustrophobic, and the child that much more fractious, when you are exhausted and trying to hold it together. I hope today is a better night.

I finished my peer supporter course today :) I feel stupidly proud of myself. This is the first thing I have completed, and the first at least vaguely academic thing I have done since being ill.

well done on finishing your peer supporter course sirboob ! you should feel proud too!

Thanks Pav I literally am grinning ear to ear! I made it to every session as well. DP took us out on his lunch break to celebrate with pizza :) He knows how much this has meant to me.

And, ladies, I now have a knitted boob all of my very own

Brood how are you doing now? Hope he's managed to sleep tonight. We all feel like that from time to time - cut yourself some slack and don't put pressure on yourself to be the perfect Mamma all the time. He won't remember if for 15 minutes you put him safe and have a quick bawl in the loo. Let it out, then stand up and square your shoulders and go in for the next round. Hang on in there as it WILL pass.

Well Done SB Great news
Brood Hope you got some sleep last night. I hope it helps to be able to share how you're feeling. As scarlotti said. Hang on. It will pass. That's what I tell myself when it's been a tough day/week.

C slept through last night , but woke at 5am. The central heating goes on around that time which may be disturbing him. Need to change the clock setting and hope that helps.

fruit YEY! fabulous news. how are you feeling atm, any more human? 5am is the wake up time here really too, regardless of what happens in the night. I am ok with that given how shite it has been previously! Roo went to bed at 7:15pm, so about 45 mins earlier than when he normally goes down (but I had to start the bedtime routine at 6pm with the two of them and DD was exhausted and asleep by 6:45pm, I had wanted him in bed before her!). He woke at about 1am and I fed him (no willpower ) and then at around 5am, milk and dozed til 6am when DD woke up.

However, i did not sleep well. Because, in the eves of the loft room, above our bedroom there is this toy of DDs stored, buried. And it is turned on. And for some reason it decided to start talking. It is a footsteps/counting and there was a little boy intermittently going 'two, t-t-t-t-two-two' All. Bloody. Night. With a gap, just long enough for me to drop off to sleep but not quite before doing it again! And can DH hear it? No. He thinks I am making it up/nuts/something. Because it stops everytime he is listening for it. Grrrrr!

brood how was your night? I hope you managed to get some sleep, and you too laugs and everyone else with bad sleepers.

Does anyone's babies climb stairs yet? Roo loves it. We have yet to get around to putting a stair gate on DDs stairs [lazy emoticon], but really do need to. I often turn around to find him halfway up the stairs and giggling his head off when I tell him 'no'. but, more than that - he slides down them . He goes up a few steps, then lets go with arms and legs and goes 'bmpbmpbmbp' all the way down on purpose! DD does this. And has done for a long time (can't stop her), I recall though the exact age she was - 2 weeks shy of 15 months - as we were on our honeymoon and there were steep stairs leading to a concrete/tiled floor and her older cousin did it. When she first did it I thought she was falling until i saw the look on her face as she stopped and started climbing again (adrenaline junkie). DS' face was exactly that, and so was mine, I thought he was falling and remembered when DD did it. I must get the stair gate put up.

Roo has one more tooth. Might have explained his 'cold' last week and some of his night discomfort? He won't let me look at it though!

Fruit hooray! Great news. Here too if he sleeps until 5/5:30 then there's no going back to sleep afterwards. I remember that from DS1 and it only took a little while until it stretched then to nearer 6.

Pav hooray for another better night. Well done Roo on the stairs - do you need a stair gate if he's mastered going up and getting back down? I'm not convinced you have to have them - and am struggling to see where they'll fit on my stairs as we have dado rails.

Last night the boys were with DH for the first time. It was odd dropping Ioan off at the childminder yesterday morning and knowing I wouldn't see him for two days. Work took my mind off it though and this morning I'm now excited about seeing him. I think it's just because he's so young, and he's not been away from me before. So did I get a good night's sleep...? Yes, but I bloody woke up anyway around normal feeding time!! Must work on that one!