September 2011 babies are rolling into 2012

[ssmileWithFairylights]

Hello in new thread come over and chat part two from the September edd babies arriving thread.
Just watched strictly dancing final part one but can't keep eyes open for part two so off to bed now will watch.it tom. Sleep well.....zzzzz

Well done those getting some sleep, send some my way. Am also excited about first mothers day, if dh has forgotten card i will be really upset especially as we are at his mum's so no lie in - would be nice though.

Hey all. Sorry, this week has been ridiculously busy!

Loves, how are things with you now? :( Sounds rubbish for you.

feral, I know, it's quite mad isn't it, all these babies keeping us on our toes. Well done on your weight loss too. :) We have the sidecar thing too and I find the grobag LO is in seems to stop her crawling quite so far, I do arrange a lot of pillows on the bed strategically so if she gets out while we aren't in there and we haven't heard her moving she can't get far. She makes such a noise when she's trying to crawl in the grobag as it restricts her a bit that we would hear her moving and get her before too long.

ssmile, we have had the travel cot up for a long time now, for that specific purpose, so far she seems happy in it, although the time she stays in it as a playpen is a lot less now as she just wants out a lot of the time, but it's been great so far to allow me to do x,y or z knowing she is relatively safe there. Ssmile, fingers crossed the sleep settles down soon then if 27 weeks is where it stops, that's today for me!

sebs, I'll pencil it in the diary then for the weekend before :) Then your non-virtual hen weekend will have a LOT to live up to. You aren't a crap mum by any stretch of the imagination, please don't feel like that. My LO sometimes goes off on her own, sometimes doesn't, she'll get there eventually and I'm happy settling her now, and trying to settle her on her own when I can. I find putting pressure on ourselves to be able to do things just makes us feel bad and I'm trusting that I'm doing the best for her, and she will do things in her own time. Given her moving around like she is, I figure she's learnt so much in that, she will learn the sleeping thing - in her own time.

candr, you aren't alone in the sleeping thing, the night feeds or the BLW. It's very hard at times and in the morning I'm tired.

Minky, hope DD is better soon :(

SArah, I know (standing) I have moved the bath now, and not yet given her chance to do it again in it, but she's using other things, like my legs to get into a on feet position! Great stuff about the settling for sleep :)

Hey jimmi :) Sounds great about the joint baptism and wedding blessing :) Sorry about your DH getting his bum cut, tell him it won't be a patch on having a baby come out of your nether regions

Hmm, I feel like I've missed someone out, I really hope I haven't. If I have, big apologies.

Yes yes yes to first Mothering Sunday :) I'm looking forward to it. I pre-empted the card thing and casually mentioned that I would be expecting a card, OH had already got one! I however won't be getting a lie in, it's LO's baptism. So looking forward to it.

BLW seems to be going well, there is evidence of food that has been eaten! And she made a very obvious swallowing noise earlier on, so that was good.

Can't think of what else at the moment. Other than I'm writing a blog, about the LO, my crocheting and cake making and any other random thoughts. :)

Oh and we are (aka it'll be primarily mine) getting an iPad - the new one huge

100 we've had to stop the side-car arrangement as, despite my pillow and duvet barrier, DD managed to crawl across the bed and fell onto the floor a couple of days ago after her nap I was in the shower so I didn't hear her wake up and she obviously got bored waiting for me; as I got out of the shower I heard the dreaded thump followed by that horrible split-second silence followed by the screams. She was fine though (although I cried a bit )

Forgot to say earlier that DD has started trying to haul herself up a bit too. Not using furniture or anything yet but whenever DH or I are sat or stood anywhere near her, she'll grab hold of our clothes and pull herself up onto her feet. She was doing it on the cot side too this morning, clearly trying to get out of her new 'cage'

We're getting a Macbook this week too, DH will use it when he's out on photography jobs and it'll replace the desktop that we now have no space for. Should be here on Thursday DH was trying very hard to get me to buy an ipad as well!

Oh feral, it's heart stopping isn't it. Our LO nearly fell off the bed a while back, we caught her as she went off the side of the bed, shook me up, she just rolled over so fast, it's easy done, horrible but it happens to loads of people. I'd find it really hard to give up the side car cot as she's waking so much in the night, unless she starts escaping properly in her grobag we'll be staying as we are for a while longer yet. Well done to yours pulling herself up too. And yay for MacBook, we have one and I love it.

Thanks for all your comments... it's very reassuring to read everyone's comments and thoughts here and it reminds me that everytime I try to "go by the book (or HV)" and end up stressing myself out, I come on here and remember that so many babies don't follow the rule book and that we all still have very young little ones, that as so many of you say, will get there in the end. I've been so stressed about getting her to fall asleep on her own using this cry it out method, that I've now decided to soften it and just try and settle her but stay with her, when it seems to be working, but when it doesn't work, go back to rocking. I know we're supposed to be consistent, but I think I should just go with instinct and how LO seems. Last night was awful, she went from quietly whimpering to full on screams within seconds, and started to make herself sick. Immediately scrapped it, and OH rocked her to sleep (I was crying myself in our room) and she had a fairly good first half of the night - managing to self settle a couple of times. She ended up in our bed about 12.45 (which is better than the 10pm of late) and slept ok - thrashed about a few times, but I did seem to get some stretches of sleep. I really do want her to improve - for her sake - but will take it in a much more gentle way than sticking to the cry it out - which is just not for me or her.

Jimmi - yay, welcome back! Joing blessing and baptism sounds lovely :) But ouch to Piles removal

Feral - good luck with the double lie in, double choc etc!! Not sure it works that way, but you never know!!

And, Feral and 100 - wow to your standing and crawling across the bed babies! Mine still doesn't even roll over (she can, chooses not too!) but loves standing whilst being held although tends to keep kicking her legs all the time - as if she's still in the bouncer! And, to your new Mac Book and iPad!! I keep eyeing up my Dad's iPad and keep hinting that he needs to update to the new iPad 4... not working though

Well, LO lapping up her food - to the extent that she's pooping all day!! Seem to spend my day cooking, defrosting food, feeding her and then changing her!!! Still, it's lovely seeing her enjoy her food.

I've already had my Mother's Day card - it came in the post yesterday :) OH decided to post it as a surprise! And, I got to make myself one at a Post Natal group on Thursday - with LO's footprints! Not sure if OH has planned anything else (lie in or pressie) ... tbh, I doubt it as he doesn't go for birthdays, celebrations etc much, but you never know! Just to be a Mum on Mother's Day is present enough for me though, after waiting till I was 40 to finally get there!

Hope you all have a great Mother's Day, get pampered and spoilt and enjoy the day!! to everyone!

awww 100 enjoy you (lo's) baptism 2moro!!

sebs our lo started rolling over a few weeks ago but isnt crawling or even sitting alone yet (tho occasionally can sit up for a couple of seconds, rare tho) so no chance of standing! from memory our eldest 2 started walking around furniture at 8months ish, or could it be 10. hmmm will have to dig out those red books!

ds1 has an intolerence to dairy, he can have a bit but too much and he gets constipated and sick. back when he was a baby I didnt know about introducing allergenic foods one at a time and thought these things were just how he was until we ended up in hospital with him for a few nights.
lo had cheese as his first allergenic food. he has a full blown cold at the moment but has also been throwing up feeds. improved yesterday so i gave him some yogurt/fruity heinz baby cereal this morning, he only took 1 or 2 spoons then threw it back up and has been ill all day again. when he's better will try him on dairy again to see how he reacts :( hopefuly it is 'just' a bug

sarah hows the ormula feeding coming along? any tips please send them my way!! our eldest 2 had the odd bottle from just a few weeks old, so i've not had this problem before

Arrh sebs your SO not a bad mum. Some kids sleep early on some don't I'm a huge believer in nature over nurture. Our two DDs are very different temperaments even at this age. Our first sounds bit like yours always needed "help" getting to sleep no matter what we tried. I felt awful failure as a mum at times and mostly exhausted all the time. This time around I've had the confidence to follow my instincts and this babe self settles herself relatively easily nothing like her sister and weve not done that much different! Gd luck keep following your instincts Lo will get there in the end they all do, just at different ages :)

Well we've had a day of bed moving. Yesterday I moved Lo crib from next to the bed to the end of the bed, as she will need to go in cot soon and it doesn't fit by the bed. She was up 5x last night and struggled to self settle. But she has been SO hungry her appetite has really rocketed in the last 3days, I spoon fruit&veg&cereal mush in as fast as she will let me, then she helps herself to variety of stuff on her highchair chunks of chicken, cheese, piece ham, bread, whole strawberry she demolished today. We had dinner out today for my mothers day treat she was as good as gold had strips garlic bread off her big SIS plate&penne pasta, anything really she has a go :) We have also put our eldest back into her old bed which is smaller in the hope one now she is back on the ground (she had been in cabin bed) she will find it easier to get dry at night, as no ladder to navigate and we can squeeze the cot in the room too when we are ready.

Fingers crossed we have some sleep dust on our kids and babes tonight and lovely lie ins and breakfast in bed for all mummies tomorrow :o

:o :o Lo slept 12.30-6am best mothers day present ever :o

sebs I hope you're feeling a bit better about things now, the fact that you are going to so much trouble to help your lo shows just how much you care so in no way could you ever be a crap mum! I have had mixed success with getting lo to settle in her cot so can totally understand your frustration, I feel so amazing when she does it but soooo frustrated and confused and like I've failed when she doesn't - when just a few short days ago I never would have believed that she could fall asleep in her cot! It does help to remind yourself how far you've come but I'm rubbish at doing that. Just like you it certainly helps me to know that there are so many babies in similar boats on here and that a book can't give us all the answers, our instincts are the most important thing.

jimmi changing over to formula isn't going particularly well or fast! It's hard because she has much less interest in milk now anyway and doesn't want to take so much, she is gradually taking a little bit from a bottle and she seems to know how to drink from the bottle (we have the breastflow ones) but I think I probably need to try her on it when she is more hungry! I really have to force myself to do it as its so much easier and more convenient to just bf!

ssmile Amazing sleep and wonderful mothers day pressie! Well done lo!

Wishing you all wonderful Mothers Days! Hope you have a fabulous time xx

That's it.... I am going to try formula at night. I need some sleep and he is just getting worse. Please tell me that he will sleep better on a formula feed??? I still plan to bf during the day and night. Hope you all had a nice mothers day.

Did get a card from DH after I reminded him several times not to forget his mum's card, get the feeling he would have if we hadn't stopped at a shop on the way to MIL. DH away for 2 days now so will have to find stuff to do (that is free) to make time pass quicker
Well done to standing babies, DS stand well holding our hands but has always been an 'upright' baby, has started crawling backwards but really wants to skip that and walk

candr there's no guarantee but it will give your body a bit of a break. I've started feeding both boobs at bedtime. Lo was falling asleep or very dozy on one boob and I had been putting her down. Now I'm winding her upright so she wakes up abit then offering her second boob and she taking that too. It has helped her sleep bit longer on first part of the night. Hope you can keep yourself busy whilst DH away.

We went to a music &baby group today. Lo loved it kept trying to stand up the whole time not sit nicely like the other babies :o she definitely flexing her leg muscles at the moment and loves jumping in her door bouncer.

Had mostly normal Sunday did get a card after lots of hints, and I took my own present of an hour out on my bike ALONE powering along our lovely cycle path by river in the morning. But DH had 3hr nap in arvo so I played solo mum. He had been up &down with our eldest half the night the scary monsters were keeping her awake again :( hope you all got some mummy downtime on Sunday.

Thanks again everyone for support and comments. We've got to managing to get LO to go to sleep without rocking - with tummy rubs and her soft cuddly doggy! (Thanks Ssmile for that idea). She does cry but for about 5 mins, and one of us are there with her so they never escalate, and she's crying out of tiredness more than anything - that still makes me feel like I've let her down, in that she can't just go off to sleep, but she's getting better at it, so I'm feeling better, and hoping this is the start of a long journey to better sleeps all round. She still thrashes and wakes about 12 to 1am and comes into our bed then. Before then, she'll cry and dummy back in and quick tummy rub and she'll keep sleeping. But for some reason, around 12.30, that won't do. I'm on my own Tuesday and Wednesday night (kids go to their Mum's as OH away till Thursday) so we'll see what happens and what I can manage to do to keep her in her bed, without the worry of OH and work the next day.

Got a card, but as predicted, that was it. Was a little disappointed as I'd worked myself up with it being the first Mother's Day and the first I've not dreaded in about 20 years (10 years of Mum's illness then 10 years without her). But, OH comes from a family where Valentines/Mother's Day etc didn't mean anything. But, we had a lovely afternoon - picnic by a river then a 2 hour walk along the river.

Was quite funny - we took a jar of baby food (Organise HiPPs) - the first for her and she took about 2 mouthfuls and decided she didn't like it! Felt quite proud of her really, preferring her Mum's food!!! But meant trying to squish a banana into her yoghurt in the yoghurt pot!!!

Well, the mouse has finally died... 2 years and 3 months (and mice supposed to live for 1 year only) so it really was a Super Mouse! TBH just hoping DSD doesn't want another one (she stopped playing with this one, so hopefully not)!!

Well, sun's out so best go take the dog for a walk

Bah, had a totally rubbish day yesterday. DD's got conjunctivitis, DS has got an ear infection so DH took DD to the walk-in dr during what was supposed to be my lie-in and DS and I made cheesecake for lunch. We were all knackered and DH and I did competitive tiredness right up until we had a monster barny last night and I ate a whole bar of Green and Blacks on the sofa. Mother's day; bah humbug and

Today was also shaping up to be pretty crappy as DS was up all bloody night and DH woke DD up at 4.00 am stubbing his toe on the landing and shouting so, again, we're all shattered and Dh looked so rough this morning that I didn't go into school for my KIT day and stayed at home to help him with the sickly kids instead, forfeiting a shed-load of money.

BUT our new Macbook has just arrived so I am now and everything's better!

Candr it does always seem to me (as someone who has always exclusively BFed) that FFed babies sleep better but I dunno if that's just a case of the grass on the other side seeming greener. I've also started doing two boobs at bedtime like Ssmile, I hold off putting DD in her sleeping bag until she's had one side so it wakes her up a bit iyswim. I think she goes a bit longer when I do this and I also try to give her a nice carby dinner of pasta or polenta to help her sleep.

Sebs I'm glad that you've found an easier road and a bit of a compromise. Yes we can beat ourselves up for being inconsistent but I think it's just as important to realise if something's not working (either for us or for a DC) and figure that we need to try a different tack.

I waited until DS was 9mo before going cold turkey on the night feeds and doing CC; it worked really well for him then as he was eating loads and was able to self-settle a bit anyway (after we'd done a slow sort of weaning him off feeding to sleep). DS has never had much staying power and he just used to grizzle for exactly 8 minutes and then drop off. I used to go in to reassure him after 1 min, then 2 mins, then 5 mins then, theoretically, 10 mins but he never used to get that far! I really hope I don't get to this desperation stage with DD as she is a much more determined little soul and I can't see CC working with her at all!

Ssmile, awesome sleepage! DD is a step or two behind you, she's waking at 3.30ish most nights but then settling back without a feed. I'm really hoping that she's able to go through this bit of the night by herself in the next week or two.

Jimmi hope you had a nice day with the blessing and baptism yesterday? Sounds like a lovely idea.

Hi to everyone else, sorry, I know I've missed people out but I've already written an essay

Just wanted to add that I am feeling very smug as DD settled herself for her nap this afternoon really well; wide awake when I put her down, spent 5 mins or so twiddling about then complete silence since. What an angel!

Just a quick one (I promise!)... Feral - YAY... what an angel indeed :) Sorry your Mother's Day didn't prove good though, and you've missed out on your KIT day. Thanks for the comments too.

Also... re the FF babies sleeping better... mine is FF and as you all know, not the best sleeper in the world! So I certainly buck the trend there. I think SSmile is right... nature not nurture depending on how well they sleep. Mind you she doesn't feed at night anymore but still doesn't sleep through.

Well moved dinner earlier 5.45 then bath. Tried to give formula at 7.00 but he cried and refsed it so had to bf. He then cried and stressed till 9.00 when he passed out knackered from crying. Will try some formula during the day to get him used to the taste but have another long night ahead of me I fear. I will try to stay awake enough to rock him to sleep when he wakes between feeds tonight as DH away so can let him cry a bit. Bet I give in and feed him in bed and end up co sleeping. A so tired I often realise I am feeding with my eyes shut

Wow, after being a PITA to settle last night (not going off until gone 9pm and pooing and puking everywhere) DD then slept right through until a quick feed at 5am after which she settled herself and then didn't wake until 9am

Unfortunately DS didn't manage to do anything near as good and was up most of the night with a hacking cough. Typical.

fera sorry i must have typed it wrong, our blessing and lo baptism isnt until may :)

about to buy a baby monitor :)

lo's 2 little sharp teeth are now very painful, he's started biting and pulling my nipple at same time, or just clamping down hard and keeping ther when i try to get him to let go-then he laughs!! cheeky monkey. he's moving onto bottles!!

someone else on here was having trouble with bottle / formula feeding - i went on cow and gate chat thing on facebook, they suggested trying a faster flowing teat, so ive brought one but lo felll asleep before drinking it, typical!

No you didn't write it wrong Jimmi, I read it wrong as I'm a div! DD has just gone through a phase of nipping at me to let me know that she'd finished her feed but she seems to have stopped now thank goodness.

Rather than buying more teats, DH just made some extra holes in our NB ones with a hot needle and that worked for him and DD for a while. We've now given up on bottles and just moved straight onto cups with her and she's dead happy with that when I'm not around which is just as well as I'm back at work for proper after the Easter holidays

Feral, well done with the sleep that sounds like a dream.
Jimmi, my DS nips when he is tired so often at 4amish which makes me jump resulting in waking him but am still reluctant to give up bf as enjoy it and is convenient.
DS still turning nose up at formula, have tried it twice today and got DH to try but no luck yet., maybe should try in his beaker or different teat.
Hope you all get some kip tonight.

Hello all

Well had an eventful few days, mothers day was lovely. Had a lie in, well I didn't get out of bed, also got a bacon butty and a cuppa in bed . Mum came round for lunch and then in the evening I baked dd cake as mon was her 4th birthday. We had a lovely day, a visit to the farm park place and then a family tea party at mums. On tge flipp side da has been terrible at night, really bad

sebs, babies don't follow the book, so therefore you don't have to either, just follow your instinct. And some times I change the way we do things, it isn't always possible to be consistent, much as you try.

Thanks jimmi, how is LO doing now, is he better? I hope it's a bug and not a reaction, but if it carries on do ring the study and get advice from them.

ssmile, I hope the move from the crib to cot goes OK for you. And great sleep there for you :) My LO also loves to stand and bounce like that as though she is in the jumper. The hour alone on the bike sounds fabulous. I might go swimming one weekend.. got to arrange everything to make sure LO is OK as we haven't any expressed milk left now.

candr, I hope you find some relief. Love the backwards crawling!

rough weekend for you by all accounts feral. :( But yay for the Macbook, I can say this for certain, you will love it.

Jimmi :( for bitten nipples :( Not nice. LO clamps down occasionally, but no teeth at the moment.

Loves, glad you have a lovely Mother's Day.

So the baptism on Sunday was lovely, small gathering of close friends and family afterwards, all cooing over LO. Was quite a busy day and I wish there was more time as not everyone got to have a cuddle with LO or chat with me/OH. But that's the way these things go. I was really tired afterwards and then we had the journey home, so didn't really rest at all on Sunday. And LO was a bit tired from being over stimulated so I let her have a play and that when we got home to let her just be 'free' from being held/shown off.

Went to bumps and babies yesterday and LO was crawling round, found a plastic crate and used that to haul herself up to standing, in front of all the other babies and mums, which was ace, but she's now trying to use our furniture. She's also everywhere and so fast across the floor and the laminate only stops her getting to her feet, so she can crawl wherever now.

Weaning seems to be going well. She is getting to grips with chewing and swallowing, there is much evidence of food in the nappy! And her poo is firmer now. It's fab to watch her picking stuff up and munching on it.

I managed a full 4 hours of sleep in one stretch last night, longest for ages, granted now I've said that I'll probably be awake every hour tonight! Bah.

Hmm, what else, can't quite remember. I'll be back soon.

No you didn't write it wrong Jimmi, I read it wrong as I'm a div! DD has just gone through a phase of nipping at me to let me know that she'd finished her feed but she seems to have stopped now thank goodness.

Rather than buying more teats, DH just made some extra holes in our NB ones with a hot needle and that worked for him and DD for a while. We've now given up on bottles and just moved straight onto cups with her and she's dead happy with that when I'm not around which is just as well as I'm back at work for proper after the Easter holidays

Huh? How did I manage to post that twice? That's weird...

candr my Lo won't take formula either. I've given up bottles and keep trying the sippy cup. I've also got a doidy cup coming as the nursery I've got her booked into from Aug puts the Los straight onto doidy cups now so I'm going to persist with that. My eldest took a sipy cup with formula at 7.5mths after trying endlessly at every meal for 2mths and getting constantly rejected a few days before I went back to work she just picked up and started drinking front it. So I'm very much hoping this one does the same!

100 your lo sounds SO sweet crawling around its such a lovely age I much prefer this bit now I like active babies. I hope your sleep gets better now the food is going in :)

feralgirl :( at back to work after Easter. I really hope it goes ok. Is OH looking after Lo or have you got to do some settling in at nursery?

jimmijam hope biting passes soon, I had good week of it then it eased but last couple of days she been doing it again. Sometimes I think the milk not coming out quick enough so I switch sides and off she goes again :)

loves hope you get a better night tonight.

sebs hope it going ok with OH away this week.

I had to go into work today for a meeting and had to take Lo as DH away. She was as good as gold despite being over tired for a nap. My new mgr has got a promotion so I've got no idea who my new manager will be now! Still I don't go back till end Aug but I'm going to do a few KIT days so I can get some money in June, July, Aug. Still I'm enjoying my Mat Leave so much this time around I'm SO not ready to go back yet :) I've just done the very boring job of ironing some new black out curtains for our bedroom and Hung them up whilst Lo slept in her cot but still got light streaming in around edge of the Windows hmmm may need to get a blind too if Lo staying in our room for few more months! She was up every 3hrs last night, I just fed her on demand as I knew I had long day today with work and OH away but tonight will try knock out the 2am feed again as she will drop it if I ignore her mostly just sucks her bunny back to sleep.

Ssmile, DH is having mid-April to August off to be a SAHD so no nursery. And then I'll have the summer hols with the DCs and then DH will go down to three and a half days in September and will share the childcare with my parents. The nursery that DS goes to doesn't take kids until they're 2 so hopefully we'll be able to keep that arrangement going until DD is ready to go there. In theory, it should all work beautifully without us having to pay for any childcare but we'll see...

re blackout blinds, I was a blackout fiend with DS and found the best way was to use stick-on velcro around the window and a sew-on strip of velcro down the side of a home-made blackout blind. That was the only way I could achieve total pitch black and stop him from waking up at 4am during the summer

DD was even worse settling to sleep last night; it was 10pm before she finally settled and, despite me lying next to her and stroking her back, she still howled for the best part of an hour. Why is it she'll self-settle for naps but not at night? She's not over-tired or hungry or uncomfortable. I think she's just got herself into a bit of a habit now. Oh well, these things shall pass...