March 2005 part 3 - Support for the sleep obsessed!

[bonym]

Which of course, we all are

i have updated some arent clear as they are from my camera phone.

I felt the same way about having a second child, Jambot. I didn't think I'd love another as much. I was wrong. There's 5.5 years between Dominic and Sylvia and I hope they'll always love each other as they do now. My sister is 14 months older than me and only in our 30s we started getting on really well.

My new haircut and colour look OK, it seemed like a big change on Friday when it was all styled but now i've washed it, I just look like me again. I've got used to it.

Swan Lake in the Matthew Bourne production was wonderful. I don't think i'll be able to watch a classical interpretation of it again as it will seem fussy and dull in comparison. I'd definigtely go and see it again and take DH too next time.

Thanks for the input, mums of two or more. Sure everything will be fine when the time comes.
Misdee - Serena looks so grown up with all that hair. Looks much older than the follicly challenged babies! Did your other two have that much hair at birth? I think all our babies would win a baby competition hands down, they are all so lovely. But then I suppose every post-natal thread says the same thing!

Doesn't it bug you that you can never get your hair to look the same as the hairdresser did it? Once you've washed it once, it's back to looking ordinary. No matter how much I blowdry, I never get my hair to look as smooth and silky as they get it.

Misdee, Serena is such a cutey and what a cheeky smile she has. I love the one of her sleeping. I've never got tired of looking at both of mine when asleep and DD is 7 years old now

Harrison is still very much 'follicly challenged' (loved that Jambot) but is trying hard to grow a very nice mohican. DD didn't have too much hair at this age either so plenty of time yet. Also DD and I have masses of curly hair so I keep looking at Harrison's to see what's going to happen. I soooooo don't want him to have curls as whilst I think it might be cute for a year or two, I know he'll absolutely loathe it as he gets bigger (bad enough with DD)

Last night wasn't too great as expected. He woke at 2.50am and was awake for over an hour. The good thing was that after half an hour I got back into bed to see if he would settle himself and after much chatting, arm flapping and leg kicking, he did He then woke again at 4.50am but went back to sleep after 5 minutes but only for a short while and we were up at 5.45am. Fed him and brought him into bed with me but still took until 6.45 to get him to go back to sleep.

He's definately under the weather as he's been really grumpy this morning, wouldn't eat breakfast (although quite happily did his bird impression when DD was feeding him her pancakes) and sounds very snuffly today. So have been out and bought Medised to try and help him through today.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend

Lauren's hair is coming in thick and fast now. Her bald patch at the back has gone and it's going quite dark, like her dad. Have just been sitting outside under the tree as it's a nice day. Spent the whole time stopping her putting leaves in her mouth.

Busy - Grace had also got the mohican look going! I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Harrison is the same!

She slept much better last night - went down without a murmur, and although dh went to her about 9.30pm to give her back her dummy, neither of us had to go in again until I fed her at 5am this morning. She did cry out in the night though but must have been asleep because it was only the one cry and then she went quiet again. Appetite is back again as well - not sure what was bothering her at the weekend but still no sign of any teeth!

Put her up for her sleep this morning as usual - after about 1.5hrs I could hear that she was awake so went up. She had somehow managed to turn over onto her tummy and was pushing herself up on her arms. Nothing very strange about this except some of you may remember that she sleeps in an Amby Hammock which is supposed to make it impossible for babies to turn over! Not quite sure how she did it but will have to keep an eye as I don't imagine it would be easy to turn back again - may be time to go in the cot.

We have another tooth - one of his top ones in the middle popped through this morning and it looks like the one next to it will come through any day now. At least that explains all the not eating, restless nights and grumpiness during the day

Unfortunately, his daytime naps which were always fantastic ( 2 hours am, 1.5 hours pm) have gone awry in the last 3-4 days. I think he is working towards dropping his morning nap as he now won't go down until he's been up for close to three hours and then only sleeps for an hour. He goes down again about 3 hours after waking and again is only sleeping for about an hour. Today, he woke after 35 minutes. Hmmmmmmmmm

Can cope with sleepless nights when I get two nice rests in the daytime but this is just the icing on the cake at the moment. Will have to see if he settles back down once the teeth are actually through completely.

In himself, he seems much better. Smiley and happy again so it's just mummy who's grumpy now

Spoke to soon - sobbed her heart out tonight when I put her down. Finally settled about 8pm (1.5hrs) after I first put her to bed. Just had to go up again as she'd started crying again.

No idea what it is - she goes down fine for daytime sleeps and has eaten well today.

Dh is away tonight so I am feeling a bit stressed with it -poor dd1 had to more or less bath herself and get ready for bed and I didn't even manage to read her a story tonight. She's so lovely though - said it didn't matter and she understands. She's so grown up for a 7 yr old bless her.

Send me sleep vibes please girls - need them tonight.

"too soon", obviously!

Am zombie-like today...

Oh dear, sounds as if there are lots of babies not settling to sleep at night, waking too often in the night and inconsolably crying and also not well . Glad to know that Niklas is not the only one !

Niklas was ill over the weekend, he had a temperature getting too close to 41°. We took him to the hospital on Saturday (dh panics if he hears Niklas cough a bit or if he's a bit snuffly, so you can imagine what he is like when Niklas has been really ill!). Had bad nights of him waking up very often and screaming through coughs. I took the day off work yesterday, first because he was still not too well and secondly because I was exhausted.

On the nice side my brother and his girlfriend are visiting, Niklas absolutely adores my bro, its really funny. He stares at him smiling in adoration! He is the first 'stranger' that Niklas has really crawled up to and climbed on the way he does to me & dh.
Its been really foggy here, so Monday we took a trip up a mountain to be above the clouds where the weather was amazing. Absolutely breathtaking views, the mountain tops looked like islands floating on a sea of cloud. I've seen views like these so many times before but it still takes my breath away every time.

At the nursery last Thursday they told me that Niklas had been standing completely alone and unsupported , I am proud of him, but I was also really disappointed that they told me ! I know that other people are going to see him do things before I do but I would rather not be told about it so I can feel like me or dh am the first ones to see him do things for the first time. He was too ill to repeat his latest trick for me at the weekend!

As for 2nd babies, it was really interesting to see what you experienced mums have to say about your feelings towards a 2nd baby. I have been feeling how Jambot does, wondering how I can love another baby so much. By the way Jambot, I was advised to wait at least a year after having a cs before getting pregnant again.

Such a bad night bonym !
Have you tried Grace in the cot yet? Maybe she will sleep better now she is bigger when she can move around more? Then maybe she will just do what Niklas does and throw herself around it.

Sorry, that was supposed to be

'such a bad night Bonym !

Leo - sorry to hear that Niklas has not been well - how amazing about him standing though. He's very physically advanced - guess he'll be walking soon !.

With regard to trying Grace in the cot, we had it assembled and in her room before she was born and I used to put her in it for her daytime sleeps. Then a few weeks ago I started putting her in her hammock for daytime sleeps and she started sleeping for much longer periods which meant she was also more settled at night. We then took the cot down about 2 weeks ago and put it back in the loft for now!

Oh well - she is sleeping now anyway (and went down without a murmur). It's just the nights that are problematic at the moment.

Right, group hug everyone as we all seem to be in the same boat with regards to unhappy, poorly, non-sleeping babies and therefore need a bit of TLC

Last night for us was good and bad (well, bad really but I can see some positives ) On the bad side, Harrison was awake at 1.50, 3.45, 4.20 and 5.40 when I got him up to feed him. Have given up trying to settle him back in the cot after this feed so just fed him in bed and snuggled down with him until 7.40. So Bonym, can totally sympathise with the zombie feeling today.

On the good side, he is now back to going to bed with no problems (has been back on track for over a week now) and also has stopped waking 2-3 times before I go to bed myself. However, the biggest result last night was that each time I got up to him (which wasn't even every time he woke up), I just tucked the cover around him, stroked his face and told him to go back to sleep ....... and he did None of this 'being awake for hours' that we've had recently so I'm hoping (and praying) that once his teeth have actually cut through the gum, he'll settle again (famous last words)

Daytime naps are still all over the place and on that note, I have to go as he has just woken up after only 50 minutes of napping

Leo, sorry to hear about Niklaus being soooo poorly, I did wonder if everything was OK as you didn't post yesterday. Hope he gets better soon.

Hmm- someone on another thread yesterday reckoned that their two children were always unsettled around the time of the new moon . Going by that theory we should all have terrible nights tonight but better tomorrow!

We shall see...

Anybody got any bright ideas how we persuade Iris that 5.30am is NOT a good time to rise and shine!?!

On the plus side, she went straight through from 7pm to 5.30am, so I shouldn't complain really should I. It feels like a miracle compared with the trials of 10 days ago.

She is definitely tired out though - very grumpy this morning, despite her usual 45 minute nap. Have been trying to cook lunch for a friend, with baby in one hand, wooden spoon in the other!

Pidge - it seems that every time we hear from you you are whipping up some culinary treat! Perpetuating our view of you as a domestic goddess!

5.30am is a bit harsh - pretend you can't hear her . Actually, in all seriousness, I heard Grace shout (only once) about 7.15 this morning and decided to ignore her as I was exhausted. I went in 20 minutes later and she was just lying there quite happily playing with her blanket! Is there any chance Iris would go back to sleep if you left her? Or does she cry when she wakes at that time?

still ill
been back at work for 2 days and mum had harry but today childminder will not have him...back at docs in night again
am getting fed up of this

Ah popyscal - you are having a bad time of it at the moment. I hope that Harry gets better real soon.

Oh popsy - really sorry to hear this. It's a nightmare when they're ill and you have to work isn't it? Not only do you have the worry of them being sick but also the stress not wanting or being able to take time of work and trying to sort out alternative childcare.

I remember this so well when dd1 was small so can really sympathise. Hope things improve soon.

An hour and a half to get her to sleep again tonight . Wondering if it's separation anxiety?

Bonym, I've also wondered with Niklas if the night time fuss is some kind of separation anxiety, dh is convinced he is afraid of the dark. I now think its just that Niklas knows he is going for a long nights sleep and is preparing himself, using up his last bits of energy.
He is sleeping in our room at the moment as he hasn't been well and none of us slept much again last night! Maybe it is to do with the full moon, but Niklas just couldn't settle himself properly and kept standing up all the time. Maybe he does it in his own room every night and we just don't see it.

Popsy, sorry to hear that Harry is still not well. For me there was no question about taking a day off to look after Niklas when he was ill. In Switzerland its the law that parents can take time off with a sick child under the same conditions as if they were sick themselves. It makes a lot of sense.

Well, we finally have internet access at home now, so this weekend I will try to log in to make sure that Pidge isn't left having a conversation with herself again !

I wish you all lots of patience and energy for your overtired, ill, teething, waking too often in the night, not falling asleep without a fuss babies. ....and lots of fun for the other times!

Aaaaaaarrrgggghhhhh

Had the worst night that I've had in ages. Harrison had NO AFTERNOON NAP yesterday apart from 15 minutes in the car on the way to the dentist, so he conked out when I put him to bed at 6.30pm. Woke screaming after half an hour and ended up giving him Nurofen as he just wouldn't stop screaming. Woke again at 9.00pm but settled quickly. Woke again just after 2.30am and at 4.15am !!!!!!!!!!! I gave him more medicine as I just couldn't get him to settle He carried on crying until 5.00am when he just shut his eyes and fell fast asleep (from exhaustion I think). I staggered back to bed and collapsed, just in time to hear DD running to the bathroom to be sick Sorted her out but she wanted me to stay in bed with her so the two of us squashed into her little bed until 7.30 when Harrison woke up, bright as a button !!!

Remarkably, I don't feel too bad today when you think I've been awake pretty much since 2.30am. DH is away on a business trip so he got to miss all the fun, not that he'd have woken anyway !!

Am going to find out when the next full moon is and make sure I'm not at home that night

Leo, how is Niklaus?