January 2011

[MacMomo]

Thought we should have a post-natal thread so we can stay together from our ante-natal one. Technically, DD was a December baby after coming early on new years eve; hope you don't mind if I stay with the January group after all this time. How is everyone doing?

at walkthe dog and dentist. My DS didn't go to the dentist for the first time till 2 and a half. Surely your DD has no teeth!

I wonder if that's a Scottish thing as you have to wait until at least 2 1/2 here as well, I guess even if they have no teeth it's about getting used to the chair and the atmosphere so probably a good idea.

no teeth yet - her cousins both had at 4 months though.

It must be a Scottish thing - called childsmile. You get seen at 6 months for advice re teeth cleaning, what cups to use (get a free tommee tippee cup - already got one from HV - seemingly the best type for teeth) etc. And as pelvic says to get them used to the dentist. I've also already been given 2 packs of toothpaste and a brush.

Hope everyone had a good mother's day .

DS2 did his first laugh for the occasion! We went to see DP's mum and she asked if he'd laughed yet, we said 'no', she cooed at him a bit and he started with a few 'heh heh's, then produced a proper laugh. I think it made her mother's day too.

lovely story pelvicfloorsofsteel

lovely first real mother's day (always celebrated it since had dogs - any excuse!)

Hi guys,

Just emerging from a stinker of a cold that has floored us all (apart from DH thank god). Started last week with DD1 who ended up with a temp of 39.5 and a hacking cough ad sent home from nursery. By Friday DD2 and I had it and we spent Saturday and Sunday in bed.

So hard watching DD2 coughing and spluttering. It's been one of those that makes every bone in your body hurt and DD2 is still the worst off and struggling with mucus which is making it hard for her to eat or sleep. Basically if she isn't asleep (in sling) or feeding she is crying. DD1 has also been very hard work as she is feeling under the weather a bit still and just wants cuddles from Mummy and DD2 is stuck to me like a limpet or screaming the place down.

I would just love a day in bed (on my own) but that isn't going to happen. It is so hard looking after kids when you are ill. DH just started a new job Friday and I made him work from home yesterday as I couldn't face both kids on my own. DD1 back at nursery today and DD2 asleep in sling so at least getting some internet time in and getting the groceries ordered.

Lovely to read all your stories.

Please share your tips for getting your LO's to nap in moses basket, I've forgotten how I got DD1 to sleep elsewhere than my arms (probably I didn't do anything, she just did it at one stage) and DD2 is really beginning to hurt my back now but she just screams when I put her down during the day.

feel better soon blanche

Hit and miss with the napping. Try amd put DD into pram when looking tired or getting grumpy. Rock the pram and sometimes give her my pinkie to suck (not too keen on dummies but she won't take one anyway!) Sometimes she screams and if doesn't stop very quickly I know not to continue, usually then take her out, at the moment ususally she needs to feed again, no matter when last fed, then will either fall asleep on cushion on my lap, in my arms or can put back in pram. Know they don't recommend feed to sleep or sleep in arms, but I am avoiding what the experts say and doing what works for us both. If I have problems later then I will just have to deal with them. Occasionally I have taken her to bedroom and put her in crib, but she is so fly that I need to stay in the room else she wakes up (she does this in the evening too - wee monkey!).

OH reminded me that DD's beginning is nearly here, hard to believe a year since then.

Oh Blanche, what a nightmare, big sympathies from me!! Can't imagine being ill on top of dealing with two ill kiddies, and a not-well baby is saddest thing ever! Hope things pick up really soon. Constant crying drives you to state of hysteria...

Things good here apart from difficulty in getting them both to bed when I'm on my own (DH works shifts. If we're both here it's fine). Does anyone else find this tricky? Ds is sleeping really well, 12 hours with one dreamfeed and one brief wake-up so not complaining, but do feel a bit stressed on evenings when I'm running the show. Wondering about putting them in together, any opinions anyone?

Loving hearing about the giggles, we're not quite there yet, can't wait.

Got lovely big driftwood sign for Mother's Day saying 'Too blessed to be stressed' and without being twee, am going to adopt this as my mantra in times of chaos!!

How horrible blanche, I keep on thinking now it's spring things should be getting better but there still seem to be some vile bugs doing the rounds.
I'm afraid I have not a single tip for napping in the moses basket, DS2 has slept on me, in the sling and in the buggy - he has never had a nap in the moses basket (although he does do a good 7 or 8 hours in there at night after feeding to sleep ). Most of the time he also wakes up the second the buggy stops or if I attempt to sit down with the sling on. DS1 was exactly the same but eventually did start napping in the cot. Even with the sling DS2's been having rubbish sleeps the last couple of days, I think I'll have to borrow 'too blessed to be stressed' .

deedee I've only done bedtime for both of them by myself twice - and found it difficult - anything which might make it easier must be worth a try, if it doesn't work you can always move them back.

No repeat laughing here, not sure if we're not as funny as Granny or DS2 is just in a bad mood due to lack of sleep!

Absolute snap with nap situation Pelvic!!

I lugged the moses basket up and down satirs every day with DS, I don't bother with DD,I just put her in the pram and let her nap there. (It does lie flat and I think it is probably more comfy than the moses basket)

I have a friend who's DD became so fussy about napping that she would only ever sleep in her cot. Sounds ideal until you want to leave the house and have a 6 month old that refuses to sleep ANYWHERE and then is really grumpy at the end of the day.

have been lurking to keep up with news but too busy with reflux baby and a few Breastfeeding issues to post. Hope everyone is doing well x

Can I just say it is nice that you all talk about things that are not going so well, otherwise I would wonder what is going on with us and DD. I know that we have quite a fussy baby, who can easy go into a loud long rage that is difficult to stop, doesn't always nap and isn't sleeping all night, but she is adorable, bright and fun. However over the last few weeks I have been to a few things and met mum's (with baby's of about the same age) whom all are either lying or have angels - very little crying, napping, sleeping all night, able to go wherever and whenever they want etc. Not helped by a HV at a class I have been to the last two weeks making comments when LO has started crying, if I wasn't so stubborn and sure of myself, I could easily have not gone back. So thank you all for making me feel that we are normal and their perfect LOs are an exception.

walkthedog there is always some lying bitch smug mother that goes on about how their precious child slept through from 3 days and smiled at 4 days. I always think "yeah! but your kid is ugly compared to mine!!"

ha ha cadlecap Yep DD is prettier than those perfect babies!

I think everyone struggles with something, I'm sure the people who really do have angelic babies will suffer at some point - they'll probably have hideous teenage years. Rubbish HV making comments walk, they're supposed to make everyone feel welcome. Are the other mums there nice?

I had a lovely day with DS2 today while DS1 was with granny, DS2 has been much more smiley with some undivided attention. When I have both of them I sometimes get to the end of the day feeling like neither of them has had enough quality time, it's just a long round of feeding and nappies with some dashing around in between .

DD screaming for hours at bedtime. It can't all be reflux. She just didn't used to at all. Someone tell me it's normal and will get better, I am beyond exhausted and dh will be away with work soon.

Oh macmomo hope that bfing issues resolve themselves quick and that the reflux is lessening as little one gets bigger and stronger.

3 months - 5.5kg, 12 lbs. Lovely chubby thighs, lots of smiles and coos.

No Walk definitely not sleeping through. But I'm not bothered as much as I was with DS. Getting some time with her on my own - but she seems to thrive on gentle neglect; she settles in her bouncy chair, or pram or whatever and sucks her thumb. Probably because I can't always go to her when she cries.

2nd round of jabs all fine. Big brother came and watched; he's had all his and can't remember a thing.

DH's Gran has died - so he will be heading off for a week to attend to funeral etc. Should be fine - but childminder on her hols and maybe over Easter, and sister away too.

blanch never used a moses. DD sleeps and naps in hammock - curved, bouncy seat - curved, like a log in carseat (again curved) or in pram but only when it's moving. DS never slept in a moses. I think they don't like being flat. DD will sometimes pass out with me in the bed - but sleeps longer and deeper in the hammock. PS Get well soon.

Had to go to physio for back this week. Ouch ouch.

You are my antenatal group. Thank you for being there.

Macmomo you posted while I was writing. It will get better. Lots of the problems pass after the first 3 months. But since she is 3 months now...

If it seems unbearable do contact your health visitor; they are there to help.

There may be a cause:

Intolerances to thing in your diet that are passed through your milk, like lactose and soya can give her tummy ache.

One of my friends little girls teethed from a really early age. She spent a fortune on cranial sacral massage and it turned out it was her teeth. She is a lovely little girl she just had sore gums.

Good luck :)

sarrita thanks! I need some perspective. It can't go on forever! Tearing my hair out, though. Yes, have given up all dairy and caffeine - no chocolate ! A day at a time: sadly I might have to wean her early. And spending a fortune on an osteopath, which had helped her neck a lot (she couldn't look to the right).

Napping only on me too, here, though dh can easily get her to sleep during the day, he swaddles her in a sitting position and she sleeps for hours but won't let me do it!

macmomo (((hugs))) More often than not with babies you try everything and nothing makes any difference and then one day things just get better and you never know what was wrong and what changed to make it right.
DS1 was very colicky in the evenings so I know exactly how horrible it is having a screaming baby that nothing will console. The only advice I have is don't worry about the future too much, do what works now. If DD will go to sleep upright on you then I'd let her do it and transfer to moses/cot later. I wish I'd spent less time worrying about bad habits and all the rod for your own back stuff when DS1 was tiny. He often starts heading up the stairs and getting into bed by himself when he's tired so all the napping in the sling and co-sleeping didn't do any permanent damage!

Hi everyone, hope things are going well for everyone. MacMomo, let us know how you're doing, hoping things are brighter.

Walkthedog, could not agree more on how refreshing it is that we are honest on this thread about problems we are facing. My NCT antenatal group for my first baby suffered from competitive baby syndrome - and worse, they would compete about how 'in control' of their baby they were: 'yes, I left her crying for half an hour to teach her who was in charge, have you heard about deedee, rushes in on the first squeak, no wonder her dd is fussy/won't sleep' etc! Drove me mad! My friends this time around certainly don't do that!!

I feel have found the key to naps! Tried it 3 days, has worked 3 days! So still early in my experimenting but good so far. Wondering if was this thread or another, but is 1.5 hour rule. Once your baby has been awake for 1.5 hours you 'facilitate' sleep before they become overtired. Doesn't sound anything special but it works with ds! We get up at 8ish and at half 9 I put him on his beanbag with his dummy and remove my dancing 3 yr old and incredibly he drifts off to sleep. Would never have thought to do so so early. Then about 1.5 hours after he's woken up I put him in his pram and we go out to park/library etc and he sleeps. Then has short power nap after another 1.5 hours playtime before bed. It sounds not much of an idea but I have been amazed how he has settled, simply by not being overtired. However, know my livewire dd would never have done this, so obv not for every baby, but worth a try? Thanks to whoever told me to do this!

Summer seems to have suddenly arrived, hope it lasts!

Beautiful weather here and we have spent the whole day outside. Feeling much better and Abigail seems to be getting over her cough a bit and has started smiling again. This time last week we were all in bed ill so glad we are over that hurdle. She'll have a great immune system by the time she is 6 months!

MacMomo big ((hugs)). So sorry to hear about the crying. How is she in the sling? We have had a couple of nights like that but not something habitual. I put it down to over stimulation here. I agree with Pelvic, I fed DD1 to sleep for over a year so do whatever works for you, but I know it is harder when you have others to look after.

DeeDee I stick wee one in the sling after about 1 and a half hours and let her snooze. It does seem to work. This week, however, she has started drifting off in bouncy chair while DD1 is dancing around entertaining her. It is lovely to see them beginning to interact and DD2 seems fascinated by DD1. I even braved a bath with all 3 of us in together. A bit splashy but fun!

I'm off up to Scotland for Easter. Going to travel up at night so the plan is to get everyone in PJs, fed and watered and head off about 7.30. Hope to be there by 1am for DD2's feed. Last time we went we forgot the pram so will have to park more carefully this time.

Talking about forgetting, on the nursery run I had got about a mile from the house in the car when DD1 asked "where has Abigail gone?" I had left her in her car seat in the kitchen!! Oops!!!

blanche LOL at forgetting the baby - we've all done it to some degree or other but don't tell the people in AIBU as they'll call SS on you for "neglecting" your child and say that the house could have spontaneously combusted

I was wiping under DD's chin yesterday and she gave me the most beautiful giggle. I then spent the next half hour wiping her chin just to listen to the laugh. Babies- they are such time wasters

deedee i've not heard the 1.5 hr thing before. Upto what age does it work? Will it work on a 3.6 yo?