March 2005 part 3 - Support for the sleep obsessed!

[bonym]

Which of course, we all are

Why is it the better I sleep at night the more tired I feel during the day? Think I need a multivitamin; just have no energy. It's half seven and I'm thinking of heading to bed with my book. We've still not had our satellite dish installed as our house is still not quite finished. Haven't watched TV for months and even though I miss the odd programme am happier without it. If we had TV now and would go and sit aimlessly in front of it till 10, flicking from one channel to the other. Did enjoy that BBC programme 'Little Angels", which we get on satellite. My DH and I would sit there with our mouths open watching some of the behaviour of the kids on that programme. I know we don't have older children, so shouldn't judge the situation too critically, but come on, some of those kids were running wild. Was often amazing to see what a difference small changes made to those kids lives.
Lauren has stopped her feeding time crying business. Convinced her poos were hurting her and just happened to coincide with food. We just get the 'I want the spoon' moan now.
Was so sweet today. Showed Lauren a picture of her Nanas and for the first time she seemed to recognise people in a photo and got quite excited. The Nanas' will be chuffed!
Are you going to give yours a Christmas present? What are you planning to give? Even though I know she'll probably be more interested in eating the paper, I'm thinking of one of those walker type thingies that convert into an activity table that they can push along when they are learning to walk.

Hi everyone,

It's been a mad week for me. Sorry I cannot catch up on all the posts as haven't been in here for nearly a week and after the day I have had with Kieran, reading all the posts feels to me like climbing everest . I do hope everyone is well though.

. I know I need them .

just having a quick peek - hi everyone

Jambot - give Lauren her own spoon to play with while you are feeding her. That way she gets to have her little play with the food and putting the spoon in her mouth while you can get on with the actual business of feeding her. Worth a try.

bye now (feel like I have split personality hopping between here and the April thread, tho' I don't think I've posted on there for a while now, must go say hi)

Hi Jambot just read your post, yes "little angles" can be extremely shocking at times. Sometimes I sit there with my mouth open , but just like you I do not like to judge (well I try not to anyway )

Glad to hear Laura is feeling better, and ate her recognising the pictures.

Oh, I nearly forgot. This morning my husband was going off to work so he kissed Kieran and waved goodbye as usual. Wait for it ......................... he lifted his hand and waved back. It made my day

Hi Motherpeculiar, hope all is well in your neck of the woods . I give Kieran a spoon to play with too sometimes. He was so tired today he went to bed at 7pm, I dread to think how many times he'll be up tonight.

Popsycal - good idea on the baby updates - I do get confused!

Iris - same birthday as Jambot's Lauren, i.e. coming up to 7 months on the 9th.
Weighed 8lb 4 at birth and continued to get fatter ever since, now weighs over 20lb.
No teeth and not much hair!
Was sitting before 6 months, and longing to crawl, but just falls on her nose.
Breastfed exclusively till 6 months, now revelling in parsnip puree and mashed banana.
Sleep was terrible, but has just done two nights from 7 through till 5am, then 6am without waking (that will have jinxed it won't it).
Hero worships big sister (age 3).
Favourite activity - chewing onion peel plucked from our vegetable rack.

busywizzy - good luck with your job negotiations.

leogaela - hang in there, it really does improve.

jambot - I sometimes feel like that with sleep too - I think sometimes the more you get hte more your body realises what it's missing out on. Plus when you're totally shattered you get that kind of adrenalin rush that keeps you going.

Hi everyone.

Huge sympathies on the sleep front to those who are suffering - esp. popsy - don't know how you manage to keep going and has made me realise that I should thank my lucky stars that Grace only wakes a couple of times in the night.

Anyway -

Grace, born 20th March so 6.5 months.
Weighed 8lb 10oz at birth, now 16lb 2oz.
Exclusively breastfed until 5.5 months when we started solids.
Sitting really well now, not crawling yet but trying very hard!
Adores big sister (who is 7).
Sleeps reasonably well - usually wakes once or twice in the early hours for a feed.
No teeth yet but think one is almost here!
Into everything - nickname "Dora the Explorer"

Well - saw the health visitor last week who said that Grace shouldn't be feeding at night now - ha ha. Said I should stop and within 3 nights she will be sleeping through. Ha ha again.
However, what I have decided to do is gradually reduce the feeds, so gave her 5 minutes first night, 4 the second etc. Don't know if it is really working but the first night she fed at 2am, next night it was 3.30am and last night (well, this morning really) 5am. As it was so late (early) I treated it as her morning feed so didn't limit her. Think her teeth must be bothering her though as she also woke at 1am and wouldn't settle for almost an hour - didn't even want her dummy. Gave her Calpol in the end which probably accounts for the late feed.

Leogaela - it really will get easier with work. DD1 was 6.5 months when I went back and a couple of months in I was really starting to enjoy it. She settled well into nursery and I enjoyed having grown-up conversations and the luxury of having a quiet cup of coffee or going shopping at lunchtime without baby and buggy! Can't remember if you are full or part-time?

Norash - at the wave. We don't have anything like that yet but looking forward to it. Hopefully we will have a full repertoire of signs in a couple of months (we are doing baby signing classes) .

Busywizzy - hope you manage to get your redundancy - will keep fingers crossed for you. If you do, how long do you think you will remain at home? I am hoping to stay home until Grace starts nursery at 3. I am enjoying being at home for dd1 as well - she used to go to after-school club so it is nice for her to be able to do after-school activities and have friends round for tea etc.

Jambot, we probably will buy Grace something for Christmas - not much though because you are quite right - I remember when dd1 was the same age, she had more pleasure out of playing with all the wrapping paper than anything else!

Well this is clearly the week for some of the babies sleeping better. For the past two nights Harrison has been an angel and has gone to bed at 6.30pm with no fussing and not a peep out of him all evening. Night 1 he slept through until 5.30, had a feed and went back to sleep until 7.30 and last night he slept until 6.00, had a feed and (eventually) went back to sleep until 7.45 I feel supercharged with all the sleep I've had. My lovely happy and contented boy has also returned during the day and he's all smiles again Not sure what was wrong but whatever it was, thank goodness it's passed (until the next time) Like Pidge, also hope I haven't jinxed him by saying out loud how well he's been doing

LG - hope your first week back at work wasn't too painful and that you're having a lovely day with Niklaus today

Jambot - we'll be buying Harrison a few things for Xmas that we would have bought him anyway (some books, new clothes, maybe a new toy) but like Bonym says, they'll only want to play with the wrapping paper. I also remember DD being completely overwhelmed by all the fuss everyone was making of her (she was the first baby in our family) and spent most of the day crying

Bonym - if I get made redundant, I'd like to be a childminder Absolutely adore babies and children. However DH would have a fit at this suggestion as his house is his pride and joy and he can't tolerate any children other than his own so maybe that's a bridge too far

Happy Friday everyone

Hi all,

sorry it's been ages and I've not caught up - I will have a read in a minute. Can't believe 6 months are gone already. I see we're doing updates so here's Rebecca:
Born 18/3 so 6 months and a couple of weeks.
Approx 19lb (on bathroom scales)
no longer breastfed - did 4 months then succumbed to thrush.
loving solids now - starting on proper soft but not mashed or pureed meals now, and she loves whole rusks and rice cakes, and toast fingers to chew.
She sits really well unsupported, is properly crawling and can go from crawling to sitting and back again really smoothly - I took her to toddler group yesterday and everyone just stared as she crawled across the hall (proud mummy moment ). Now she has the hang of crawling, she is starting to aim at higher things and crawls up to them and pulls up on her knees. My 3 year old is doing her nut as no toy is safe anymore

Think that's about it really, I adore this stage - it's so different this time around - dd1 was a bum shuffler and never crawled or rolled so it's lovely to get a 'textbook' one, albeit a bit quicker than I'd expected.

Hope everyone's ok - will try to catch up but I am way behind I'm sorry.

Oh, and I started back work this week - it's evenings so I'm still full time mummy, just with the addition of a 16 hour part time job in the evenings. Am shattered but I'll get used to it.
She has a mass of hair still - never lost it from birth thankfully.
Sleeps from 7pm-7.30am, with a bottle at 11pm. Disturbed nights only when teething really.
Has cut two teeth - front bottom.

I've added a few new pictures of Harrison to the photobucket.

Note to self - never ever ever ever ever say on mumsnet that your baby is sleeping well!!! Having gone through to 5am and 6am two nights in a row, last night Iris awoke at midnight and was utterly inconsolable. Actually not inconsolable if cuddled, but I wasn't prepared to spend the whole night standing in her bedroom, holding a 20lb baby. Anyway, got her down again eventually.

Still, a dream compared with popsycal's average night.

Finger foods - tried her on a stick of cucumber the other day which she adored. I think it helps not having teeth as she can't bite bits off and choke, she just gums and sucks everything. Also loves rice cakes, and have tried cooked carrot batons. Would love to have a go at banana but just mashes it up in her fingers and gets really frustrated!

Hi ZoeC. Nice to hear your news. How about some new pics of Rebecca on the photobucket? She sounds like she's doing really well. Very advanced in the movement department. Lauren doesn't even sit yet and she's older than her.
Just back from the monthly visit to the clinic. Lauren now weighs 21 pounds (9.6kgs) and nearly 29 inches (37 cms). She grew 3cms last month and is on the 99th percentile for height. All is well, although the MW thinks Lauren should be eating more protein than she is. Don't know if she will as I battle on what she's eating already. Have to drop her morning bottle to 6 ounces from 7 as well as give her less for breakfast, so that she is hungrier at lunch and eats all her protein. Lunch is her least favourite meal (think it's those greeny leafy veggies) and she often doestn't seem very hungry. Plays around more than anything. The MW thinks her two top teeth will be through any minute and may account for a few unsettled nights and the waking at 5 this morning. She seems fine during the day, but something is definitely bothering her at night. The MW is writing a book about babies and wants to use Lauren as a model. Supermodel here we come! Very proud Mummy of course ( who thinks her pumpkin is the most gorgeous on the planet - as we all do)!

Is HArry the pnly one who is not in his own room yet? Or even inhis own cot very much....hmmmmm

Feeling like a crappy mum today

Jambot, why does your MW think Lauren needs more protein. She's a fit, healthy little girl who feeds well, is putting on weight and sleeping at night. How can that need changing? Don't mean to be rude (in case that's how it might read) just enquiring, as Lauren always seems to me to be doing so very, very well.

Popsy, Harrison still sleeps in the same room as me, although this is because DH snores so badly, I'm camping out in Harrison's room

Why are you feeling such a crappy mum today? Has anything in particular happened or is it a build-up of no sleep and going back to work

BUSY - because Lauren's height and weight is actually that of a much older child, she is supposed to be taking in a similar food amount to someone that age. My MW swears by protein as the key to good sleep and minimal waking and as Lauren has been a bit unsettled this week, am going to up her protein and see if that settles her again. MW also says her top teeth are about to come through so that could also be reason for her being a bit unsettled, even though she's not niggly during the day.
This lady I go to is Cape Town's answer to the 'Baby Whisperer' and I have been going to her since Lauren was six weeks old and wouldn't settle at night and wouldn't nap during the day. She picked up that Lauren had reflux and Lauren was a changed baby after we sorted that out. She's also a big one for routine, which suites me, and I must say that it has worked very well for Lauren. She's not for everyone, and if you're into 'attachment parenting' , definitely not, but she's helped a lot of mums and I'm willing to give her advice a go at least once.
Cheer up Popsy - sure you're a great Mum.

Pidge - I put Lauren's banana into one of those net container thingies with a handle. Lets them eat the food through the netting, ensuring they don't bite off chunks etc. It gets mushy in the bag and they suck it out. Do you know the thing I mean? Wish I had a picture.

sorry - forgot about photobucket. Have updated. Can't do a pic of her crawling as it's on the (old and not digital) camcorder so I will have to get my camera ready tomorrow. All the babes are still utterly gorgeous .

Hi Popsy, also feeling crappy today. Caleb is still in a cot next to the bed but sleeps in bed with me alot. We are going to move him into his own room on Saturday Only had 3hrs sleep on Monday due to Caleb waking up all the time so feel quite rotten. Also not very patient with him this morning, i'm withdrawing from AD's at the moment and am feeling a little low sometimes.

oh update Caleb was born 21st Feb and weighed 5lbs 15oz, he's now 20lbs and in the 75% for height. Drags himself around everywhere and can almost crawl, has started trying to pull himself up in his cot so he can stand is very nosy and talkative and gets bored easily. Still BF and I try to give him at least 2 meals a day

Shalaa, sorry you're having a tough week too. Hope it gets better soon.

Zoec, Rebecca is gorgeous and so much hair. She looks like a proper grown up little girl unlike Harrison who is a baldy so still looks very baby like.

Wow Jambot, lucky you to have access to such a great person. Have you tried giving milk puddings after Lauren's meals as milk has protein. I find Harrison loves rice pudding and custard and it doesn't seem to matter how much he eats of his 'main' meal, he's always got room for these. I also give him lots of food with cheese sauce, another good source of protein (macoroni or cauliflower cheese, vegetable gratin etc). Annabel Karmel has some really good recipes.

Hope everyone has a good/better nights sleep. Harrison was so tired tonight by 6.30pm (despite having two very long naps today) that he only took half his bottle before he zonked out. Not sure what that's going to mean to us tonight so fingers crossed.

BW - I am sure that Freya could rival Harrison on the 'baldy' front. Suffice to say I won't need to worry about hair bands and ponytails for a while yet!

Freya born 17 March (St Patrick's Day) 7lb 4ozs
Current weight - no idea (really must visit the health visitor!)
Fully BF until 22 weeks. Now up to 3 meals a day. Only has goats milk (no dairy cos I am worried about eczema - DS1 had it really bad and as yet the no dairy thing seems to be working and Freya has babysoft skin)
Sitting, but sometimes a bit wobbly. DS1 and I have great fun playing 'baby fall'. (sit baby in middle of bed and then bet on which way he/she is going to fall over - very amusing). Nowhere near crawling.
Often sleeps thru, tho often throws in an early morning feed at 5ish.

My bamboozles arrived today, am currently prewashing so can test them out. Look a slimmer fit than the original tots bots that I use at the moment.
Misdee - You're a bamboozles fan, aren't you?

Joe - How about some pics of Freya on the photobucket?
Pidge - how about some new pics of Iris?
Rebecca and Harrison are lovely. Rebecca's hair is amazing - makes her look so much older than she is.

Bamboozles are great. wish i could afford some more. you really have to try them.

Grace is still sleeping . She has a cold though, so is probably feeling rough poor love.