March 2011 Windy bums and a good nights sleep - Will these wonders ever cease?

[GeekLove]

welcome to the new thread fellow March Mums!

Now they are all rolling suckin and gearing up for weaning!

I was there with you in spirit at 4am Sam!!!

We had 7-7 unbroken last night!!!!!! So I got about 8 and a half hours sleep!!!! (Sorry sam and cherub that's not what you wanted to hear this morning!) Almost certainly a fluke as she has done it before but not for ages, but it came at the right time as I was feeling TOTALLY shattered, especially after that one awful night she had last week. She had a good dinner of pureed sweet potato so maybe that kept her going.

hippo yes, re: milk, peanuts etc, as soon as L is 6 months (in 2 weeks time) I'm going to give her everything, apart from honey which I don't think is recommended until after one. Oh and weetabix is magic stuff - DS would live on it if he could! How are the wedding plans coming???

cherub sorry to hear about your holiday, that's gutting. Can you re-arrange? My DH forgot to ask for the time off when we went to Center Parcs so we almost had to cancel that - I went mad at him!! Sounds like this isn't your DH's fault though, I can't imagine he's as disorganised as mine!! Where did you get your baby bath chair from your FB pic by the way?

sam wowzers, you're kind, babysitting for someone else - I can hardly be bothered to babysit my own, let alone anyone else's?! I hope they were very grateful??

Right got to crack on with a photo album now - it's our 3 year anniversary on Sunday. Three years is "leather" so I've bought a leather album to record us as a family of 4 now. All our photos are of the kids, there's about 2 or 3 with either DH or me in - and I think one with all 4 of us in!!! Realised I've spent over half our married life pregnant. What a shocker!!

A is very nearly sleeping through now, 9pm-7am weds, 12-8 last night, and that was without having a bedtime feed last night too (although he was eating right up until he went for his bath!)

I discussed dropping the bedtime feed with HV as he was starting to feed to sleep and I know he doesn't need to do that. I was also kind of force feeding him because I was convinced he wouldn't sleep through without milk (bearing in mind though his last bf was normally 90 mins before bedtime and he's now having solids on top of that!) so decided to take the plunge and brace myself for several night wakings but only got 1, which is pretty much the norm here really (touch wood!).

I'd thought the bedtime feed would be the last to go! Hopefully it won't be the night feed the last to go though!

petty My DS never really had much bedtime milk once he was on solids, he just wanted to go to bed. It didn't seem to disrupt his nights - I always used to brace myself for a bad night but he was always the same whether he had a lot of milk or not.

well, it would seem Cassie has seperation anxiety...great! God love her, i can't even have a pee without her screaming the house down, so i guess that will be why she woke so much last night?? just making sure i am there? but sweet Jesus how long does this phase last?? It's probably the hardest phase yet as at least with the sleep regression i just fed her more!!! This is every 40mins she woke until she slept in my arms from 4.30am til 6.30am. On top of that not being able to do anything during the day as well as she always needs a cuddle which i love but you know sometimes things have to be done and it makes me all flustered . I can't remember off the top of my head whose baby was born in Feb too but her baby will have gone thru this already i suspect , can she tell me how long it lasts!!!
Sorry can't stay but yep you've guessed shes looking for me again!

Haven't been around as have been in hospital with pneumonia. Back home recovering but it's going to be a hit f a slog as can barely walk up the stairs. I hate having to rest, we normally are out all day so I am going to go stir crazy.
Glad to hear babies are doing well.sorry about sleepless nights and the dreaded separation anxiety.

Lozario - its the safety 1st swivel seat which I got from John Lewis online. Great as I can have my hands free to bath big boys and to bath Ollie all at the same time, and Ollie can play with toys happily!

Cheese - sorry to hear you have been so poorly. Get well soon!

aw cheese hope you are feeling better soon :(

Lozario its reassuring to here from others who have already been through this! Actually its great being at the "back" of the March class - I kind of get advanced warning on whats to come!

Weaning is getting bloody annoying interesting We are having to take a 2 spoon approach as Arthur now wants to feed himself, and chucks the nearly empty spoon on the floor when he's done and ready for the next spoon. Also introducing finger food - he seems to get on best with either very soft or very hard. He's decided that vegetable are crap unless they look like a cheesy wotsit Any suggestions for finger foods? Rice cakes, toast, carrot wotsits (those organix things) have all been ok. Banana and real carrot leads to much gagging as he bites off too much and doesn't chew properly. Broccoli was nice in his hand but he didn't like the taste...

Hi all.

Seem to just be busy constantly, if it isnt school runs, it washing etc if it isnt that its reading if it isnt that it just out and about making the most of it before winter sets in.

I fear that I will be a sorry I have been missing but still here poster from now on, but will try to read everyday so that I at least know whats going on.

Cheese - saw the word hospital in your post so sending you warm wishes.

Hello to all... loving all the FB updates by the way.

OMG ladies I haven?t posted for an age ? v sorry have been reading, but not enough time to post as in the throes of getting DS settled into reception class and not able to get on the proper computer (am poo at typing on my iphone).

Cheese I hope you are on the mend ? sounds horrendous and I sympathise with the cabin fever I hate not being able to get out. At least the start of autumn heralds better stuff on the goggle box!

Right?

Getting DS started in school seems to have taken an age and been a bit of a mare. He was in FT nursery (well 3 or 4 days since E arrived, but FT until then so used to the whole going somewhere other than home for the day routine). He finished nursery on 2 Sept then week at home (exhausting) and then afternoons at school until today which is the first full day. Full days from now on ? yippee. But feel like a rotten mummy as he keeps crying when he goes in ? horrendous. I just dash as hanging around and dragging out the goodbye only makes it worse. Not nice though.

E is getting big (no idea how heavy as not had her weighed in an age (2nd child syndrome), but can she is growing. Started weaning 10 days ago ? she is not that keen generally although liked pear yesterday. Doing mainly puree, but did try some broccoli as finger food. Not sure any was consumed, but much mess ensued. Did nectarine and porridge earlier in the week and now she has a sore bum ? ouch. Also think lots of teething as seems like litres of dribble, red cheeks and constant biting on everything ? hurry up teeth.

Sam wonder if E might have a bit of sep anxiety as lots more crying this week when I am out of sight ? sympathies. Can?t remember how long it lasts.

Lozario good news on 7-7 hope sleep is improving for others as well.

Cherub hope holiday not cancelled. at your DH hope it gets sorted. Hope he is not a solicitor ? they are the worst for cancelling people?s leave.

Muser homemade hummus ? v v v impressed!

BCG didn?t get offered it here in Brum. We live in a quite a leafy bit, but on edge of an area that has v high incidence of it. Is it worth paying to get DCs done privately ? does anyone know?????

Petty your posts often make me laugh ? love the comment re: cheesy wotsits ? those organix things do look like giant wotsits . How about some dried fruit (ripped up a bit so not choking hazard), finger sandwiches (DS loved a bit of dairylea in bread from about 7 months).

Sorry not to do more personal posts, but need to attempt to regain some order in the house. DH is away at stag do til Sunday so I need to get mega organised for tomorrow as tennis lessons 9.45, followed by bday party 11-1 and another 2-4 both at opposite ends of town. Methinks I will say sod to weightwatchers by 7pm tomorrow and drink lots of .

Hello to all.

xxxx

Those who aren't still bf their lo's to sleep, would you mind giving me a run down on your feeding routine/schedule including solids? I still feel a bit all over the place wrt routines and I want to stop feeding to sleep as I need OH to be able to put Ethan down for naps and bedtimes. I don't mind still feeding in the night if he's hungry then he's hungry I won't deny him milk last night it was just one waking at 5am which is a great improvement on 2-3 wakings a night.

re the safety first bath seat- we had this with dd, now ethan has outgrown his m&p bath we'll be buying this again - I have forgotton though -does lo need to be able to sit unaided to go in it? or will it support him? E is not quite there yet, but has balanced on his own for about 5 seconds-anyone's lo sitting yet? also E IS finally rolling from his back to front cant go front to back yet.

Also he is now lifting his head and chest clear of the floor when on his tummy, though will only tolerate it for a minute or two, it took him a while to master that one! he will be 6 months on sunday.

one last thing - can anyone reccomend any good toys? or activity centre type toys? we have bought a dino popping toy from fisher price but he is too young for it as really needs to sit to play with it.

Me our routine is a bit like this:
7/8/9am wake up and bf in bed. if its a 7am wake up A will usually fall back to sleep until 9am

9am-ish solid breakfast

10.30am-ish nap

11-12ish wakes from nap, bf

12/1 - solid lunch

1.30pm-ish - nap again

3/4pm-ish bf

5pm-ish - might nap, might not... (in his cot as I type NOT napping but exhausted and bloody noisy!)

6pm-ish- bf then solid tea

7pm- bath

7.30pm - bed (I have just started to read him a book with him in his cot instead of bf-ing him)

12am or 4am (seems to be his favourite times) - bf

I say "ish" for everything as times are roughly 1/2 an hour either way - all depends on when he gets up! Some naps are only 30 mins, some are 1hr 30mins. I guess the key thing for us is that he feeds after naps. To send him to sleep I tell him he's going for a nap, put him in his cot, pull down the blind and say "bye bye sunshine, Arthurs going for a little nap now, and when he wakes up he'll be ready to play again" (DH refuses to do that part lol, but I tell him off because A needs to know what's happening and consistently). He generally shouts a bit before going to sleep but it suddenly stops (because he's even shouting IN his sleep ).

A put himself in to his own little routine, with a bit of help from the Baby Whisperer (eg I had no idea how long babies could stay awake for, what the sleep cues were, what "type" of baby he is (spirited, which i think is a nicer way of saying loud and demanding ). We follow the EASY routine (in so much as anyone does - all babies eat, activity, sleep one way or another) but I don't follow the 3hr or 4hr aspect of it.

phew - mammoth post! Going to go and get Arthur back out of cot as he's clearly not going to nap before tea. Tired baby + weaning = ? Don't think i want to find out....

Oh cheese hope you get some energy back quickly. You poor thing. Not what you need with a LO to look after. Much sympathy.

Me My E is sitting up unsupported- he's 23 weeks. Very glad he's mastered this trick as he will NOT roll! So at least he's got something to be proud of! He's a lot happier sitting and playing with objects than lying down so it means I can leave him to his own devices for 5/10 mins now.

I've started soothing E to sleep by hand holding/ tummy patting in the cot now when he wakes at night. He's crept up a centile since I started giving fruit & veg (because he's not rolling/moving and not burning any of it off!) and he has lots of milk before bed so I know he's not hungry when he wakes 2 hours later! I will happily feed at 1/2am but if he wakes much sooner than that and any sooner than 6isham we are soothing him back to sleep to break the milk feed to sleep pattern.. early days but we're getting there.

Our "routine" is this (ish- daytime naps vary a lot!)

6/7am wake up
BF

7.30am/8am back to sleep for 30/45 mins
Baby porridge (Make it with breast milk)

Try to offer BF again before next nap but he seems to be refusing it

10/11am nap for 1 hr +

12/1pm
Lunch- veg & fruit at the mo & finger foods to try

2/3 nap for 1hr +

3/4pm
BF

5.15pmish
Tea- chicken for first time today & fruit & veg & finger foods to try

6.30pm Bath

7pm
Big BF & bed

(numerous wakes!)

Hi all, sorry I've been a bit quiet, just ticking along as normal here.

Jupiter I hope DS starts going into school happily soon, that must be heartbreaking.

cherub I hope O is starting to get this cup business so you can return to work without worrying as much. I saw your thread on BF/FF but had no advice to give.

cheese Your poor thing! I really hope you feel better soon.

sam That sounds hard with C, please pass on your tips to the late Marchers.

lozario Brillant news about the sleeping through Happy Anniversary, a leather album sounds like a lovely gift.

me23 Hannah has just got sitting up this week (24 weeks) and if not tired could balance for about 3 or 4 minutes I think. She is very wobbly though. She is also enjoying sitting up alot more and I have a nest that I can leave her in safely whilst I MN go to the loo, make her food, drink tea etc.
This is our vague routine. I don't BF to sleep but don't have a great sleeper (as you all know!) so this might not help!

6-7 Awake - BF in bed.

7/8 Solid Breakfast (1 hour after getting up)

8.15/8.45 Pre Nap BF, back into sleeping bag (I don't dress her until after this nap) dummy in, musical seahorse on, leave the room. If she fusses I go back to replace dummy, reassure and leave again. I don't let her cry but she never gets that upset. This just suddenly worked, like she knows its sleeptime.

Nap 8.30/9 for 45 mins (I keep her up a little if she rose particularly early.)
Post Nap BF (we often go out at this point and she is rubbish at feeding in public so I "top her up")

11.30-12 Nap for often just 30 minutes in the pram, I might try lunch at this point to push the nap back to 12/12.30.

12.30 BF

2.30 - 3pm Nap 30 mins - 45 mins same routine as earlier except she is in day clothes.

3.30 BF

4.30 Solid tea

5.30 Start bedtime routine of bath, BF, sleeping bag, dummy in, seahorse on. I close the blackout blind at this point and also put the hall light on which glows a soft red.

6pm Asleep

Night feeds 9.30, 1 and 4 (ish!) She often wakes about 7 and 9 screaming and I do PUPD to settle her and then replace the dummy. This is an overtiredness thing i'm sure but its horrible. Often at the 9 waking she won't settle so I feed her. This however often wakes her up and she lies awake full of beans for nearly 2 hours until going back to sleep. Not fun when all I want to do is get some sleep!

Looking at that it means I still feed her 8 times a day minimum. Usually there are more day feeds than that but at no set time, I follow her cues. IE if she is fussing before a nap and won't settle with her dummy, gets upset by the hoover, falls over from a sitting position and bangs her head (I felt awful) Looks like others are on just 2 naps a day but Hannah wouldn't cope with that, she needs more sleep as she isn't fully rested after her naps. I am working on extending the naps but I can't get anything to work. Occasionally she naps longer if I lie down with her. This afternoon we had an hour together which made such a difference.

Also is it normal that Hannah isn't that bothered about food? I know she is one of the youngest but I can't help but worry. Its just like having a newborn worrying about their food intake! This week we've tried pear, carrot and banana. Some days she seems slightly more interested than others.

I've tried finger foods but she just looks at them, picks them up and throws them on the floor. She did put the carrot to her mouth, gum it slightly and then drop it. I did want to try as much BLW as possible but not sure I can take the pressure of her not really eating much (back at work January) I've bought the BLW cookbook which looks really good but hard work (I'm not much of a cook) I think our family diet needs good look at both for health and financial reasons. I'm hoping Hannah will be the kick I need to make more from scratch.

Evening all

Just a quickie from me to ask a poo question - did any of your LOs struggle/are struggling with the "new poos" that solids bring? Lara just screamed the house down because she did a hard-ish poo - when we went up there and calmed her down, I changed her nappy and holding her legs up she did a bit more, I think the way I held her legs helped it come out but she was really in pain - both me and DH jumped up and RAN upstairs, the initial scream was so piercing! (Especially over the monitor - why do they have to make it so much louder??!) So far, Lara has only had baby rice, sweet potato, carrots, some banana and has chewed on brocolli and cauliflower. Oh, and half a rusk. Are these particularly binding things, does anyone know? Her poos have changed quite dramatically, I don't remember it being so extreme with DS! Think I've said before she's not a big breastfeeder though - do you offer your LOs water throughout the day too?

halo Lara could give or take the solids too, and with the finger food I actually hold it for her, which is BLW-cheating I know.... She's only been on solids for a week and a bit though so it's early days. She polished off sweet potato today and yesterday so maybe that's an encouraging sign.

cheese sorry you've been poorly, that sounds awful! Do you have people to look after you now? It's so exhausting looking after LO, I hope you can completely recover with some extra help.

KPidgeon the soothing to sleep sounds like it should work, especially now he's on solids. Well done - it's hard to keep your resolve in the wee hours when you know that shoving him on the boob will get him back off!! You're doing the right thing. I'm a bit worried that Lara's feeding to sleep last thing but usually we only have one night-wake around 4am so I feed then as I think she's prob hungry. I will have to crack the feeding to sleep in the evening at some point though as we need to put her in with DS!

me sounds like your nights have improved dramatically - 5am only is great! Although your post has made me realise that I'm the only one who puts LO down for naps.... DH will put DS down but he's easy - you just plonk him in bed with "Bear"!

Jupiter have you been reading the other MN threads about kids starting school? I have even though DS won't start pre-school until this time next year and I'm already stressing about it. It must be SO hard. I agree it's the best thing to do when you leave sharpish but it must be heart-breaking! Have you had feedback about how he's been the rest of the time after you leave?

mixed you sound busy!

Right well that wasn't as quick as I thought but I am waiting to go to bed - Lara still chatting to herself after her poo trauma, I fed her but put her back still a bit awake after this thread reminded me to beware of feed-to-sleep - she seems to have settled now. (I was so tempted to just curl up with her in my bed when she was so upset - I would have if I'd had my pjs on already!! In my heart I'm a co-sleeper but my head - and DH - say NO WAY!)

PS - she wasn't upset going to sleep - just after her poo before I fed her - in case anyone thought I left her bawling!

gosh aren't we all busy posting today!!
Me - safety 1st seat is supposed to be from 6 months but we used it with O from 5 months as he was flipping out of the baby bath seat thingy we used in teh big bath. he does lean back in it so I put a flannel behind his back to make the plastic a bit softer.

Halo - O is completely not bothered by food either. seems to really not like spoon feeding as just cries and then it dribbles out. More results with a big chunk of carrot that he was interested in yesterday and banana today so may have to go BLW route which makes me feel like a beginner again as did purees etc with DS1/2.... he is also at least allowing a cup into his mouth and I have seen him swallow the small amount that accidentally got into his mouth, so am hopeful he will actually start drinking properly from a cup.

Holiday situation might have been vaguely resolved. We told DH's work what it would cost to cancel and what it would cost to get friend to come out to help me and they went with that option! DH will probably come for 4/5 days of the holiday and I won't be on my own the rest of it. not to have DH there the whole time as feel like ships that pass in the night at the moment. he is back tomorrow morning after a week in the states and we are trying to go out for quick dinner tomorrow night to catch up. boys have missed him terribly. He managed to call them tonight and it was so sweet listening to them. might try to go away for a week in the christmas hols to make up for this holiday.

just been gazing at my sleeping boys - its the best thing to do in the evening as they are never still during the day for me to look at them properly!

And she is awake again. Its not playtime! Gah. I think I'm going to buy a sweet potato tomorrow and see how that goes down.

Hi all,
sam seperation problem sounds tricky!!! Sorry no tips - hopefully I won't get this as Bethan is now going to our childminder and has settled well (so far)
Cheese Sorry to hear you have been so poorly..best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Bethan is so behind all your lovely babies.... still no rolling, not sitting up unsupported and has no interest in finger food (but loves food from a spoon) - I know that all babies develop in their own time and some of the delay will be down to the turners syndrome so trying not to get too beat up about it!! She is however a happy baby and is becoming quite chatty. We have 2 bottom teeth and I am sure there are more on the way due to her runny nose, temp and dribbling this week...

Beth had a kidney scan on Thurs as Turners babies can sometimes have horseshoe shapped kidneys and then suffer from urine infections... Great News is Beths kidneys are NORMAL!!!
Our Oxford cardiac apt has been changed from mid Oct to Next Friday so fingers crossed for that too.

Many thanks for people that have look on the fb page and have voted for Bethan in our local paper competition.

Work is going well.. my new little reception class are really quite sweet, although a few little pickles to keep in line.... one little boy described his brother (that I have previously taught) as a D...head!! think we may need to work on appropriate descriptive words!!

I am now much more organised with the slow cooker as my best friend, I have managed to have girls in bed and bags/lunches ready by 7.30pm this week!!!! Long may it continue...

I now need to search the house as can't find Beth's red book anywhere

Hope everyone well and sorry for long post x

Only me again!!!
Sam and Petty looking forward to our 3rd meet-up on Thursday... I have made a suggestion on fb page - check it out and let me know what youy think x

purple great news about her kidneys- big relief I'm sure. Lots of luck for the cardiac appointment.
Slow cooker is such a good invention isn't it- bung some meat and veg in and leave it and the meal is ready when you want it. We love ours.

Lozario thanks for your supportive words- after feeding E at 7 and he went to bed he awoke at 10 and it took 40 mins of me soothing him back to sleep (on and off)- he never really works up into a big rage but just grizzles and shouts/cries out a fair bit, I can see he's trying to get back to sleep so we are just working on him self- settling. I'm sure it will be better once he's in his own room but that won't happen until we move house (and the solicitors are rather slow-going!)

I still feed him to sleep- only at his bedtime though (not nap times) I'm not fussed about it really- want to continue with that feed for a year if I can (BF) so I'm happy to use my boobs as a sleep aid!

Also wanted to say Lozario- E was soooo unhappy doing his first pooh! Think it was the shock at pushing/straining a bit after all that gooey BF pooh. Only happened the first time though- now he just makes a comical face! I was surprised how "solid" they were given that he just had fruit and veg for weeks.

We're on chicken and salmon now too- and tomorrow I'm going to try some scrambled eggs.

E LOVES to suck/chew on courgette pieces as a finger food- by far his favourite!

Also wanted to ask- I know you should be careful about salt intake with LOs. What are people doing about bread? I'd like to do rye or wholemeal bread but that seems, like normal bread, to have a lot of salt added- should I worry? (Haven't done any bread yet) And cheese? Are people just going to give normal cheese? (OR have you with your first children?)

Thank you!

Good news Purple on Beth's kidneys! And yes to JUMP on thurs.

KPidgeon I have given Arthur slobby white bread only because he was getting cross when I was eating it. I have now switched to wholemeal. Cheese wise he's only had dairylea so far. Working slowly through dairy as he seems to have a bit of an issue with milk. Butter and cheese seem to be ok, yogurt no

A had a huge strop yesterday lunchtime because there was lumps in his lunch (sweet potato and a mashed up fish finger) but it was the best thing ever by tea time

Anyone elses LO doing such horrific screaming that it sounds like they are being tortured but actually they are happy? Sometimes its displeasure but you can't tell unless you actually look at him. Little bugger darling is always finding new ways to flumox me

petty Lara screeches like a banshee - then you look at her and she's beaming. She's weird!!!

Purple GREAT news about Beth! What was the outcome of the baby in the paper thing? Would be amazing if she won.

KPidgeon once DS was past 6 months I'm sure I just gave him white bread - someone told me white was better than brown for them for some reason, I forget what - I think the wholemeal fills them up more or something? But either way he definitely had both from quite early on. Mainly because my NCT group were all a month or so ahead of me age-wise and so when they gave their LOs all this, I didn't want to feel left out!! He had cheese pretty early too (after 6 months) - in sauces and then in little chunks. He would have lived on bread and cheese given half the chance.

Lara is SO constipated now that I've taken her off solids for a couple of days - her poos are so hard she's screaming and they're only coming half way out her little bum!! Feel so sorry for her! So just trying to breastfeed her loads - do you think that's the right thing to do? Who is our resident HV here - is it me????

And cherub how is the potty training going - we started yesterday and it went brill - but now I'm on my own today it's SO hard??! DS weed 7 times in 2 hours this morning??! (All on the potty, but he spent most of the morning on the potty so we'd have been unlucky to have had an accident during the 10% of time he was off it!!) And just did a poo halfway through his nap.... :( Seriously I have no idea how you are managing with oldest at school too, school runs etc - you are a legend!!!

If anyone else has any bright potty-training ideas or experiences please do share! I think DS is doing ok - he is a very good talker (2.3yrs) and definitely understands the concept. I have the GF One Week potty training book and the woman is almost delusionally optimistic!!!

lozario she sounds pretty bunged up. You can try pureed apricots or prunes. Some people squeeze the juice from an orange into some water. Failing that, pop and see your Gp for some lactulose.

Am lurking at the moment, not enough energy to post properly. Good luck with potty training!

Thanks cheese - we actually have lactulose here already for DS. Why do my children have such a problem pooing??! Hope you're on the mend now x