March 2012 - Brewed to Perfection!

[TroubleAndFyfe]

Hello all, come and add your babies to the list and let's see what adventures they bring!

Oh, broody, sorry to hear about your sleep troubles! It's probably not a huge help, but my friend from the States sent me a book called 'The Happiest Baby on the Block' by Harvey Karp. I'm not sure if it's available here -- he has what he calls the five S's, that are supposed to be able to calm infants. It's basically what you and others have talked about, but perhaps something about doing them all together is useful? The five S's are: (1) Swaddle, (2) Side or Stomach (hold them on your arm or against your chest, with their belly supported and them facing either down or out), (3) Sush (loudly! or use some sort of white noise/hoover/etc), (4) Swing (or jiggle or whatever) and (5) Suck (your finger or a pacifier). I've tried it on a few occasions when Tessa just seems really upset, and it does seem to work, although I've needed to keep the sushing/swinging up for a good 30-60 minutes to get her to actually sleep. According to the book, though, if you do it regularly, the babies start to recognise what is happening calm down as soon as you swaddle them. It might be worth a try.

We just got our second set of shots and got weighed she's now 13lb 11.5oz! Almost to the 75th centile line again. I'm so glad, and think will finally allow myself to relax that she's eating fine. In fact, her weight gain had best slow down soon, otherwise we'll be off the charts :) The next challenge is that I need to work on expressing again I've got a 2 hr meeting already in my first week back at work (gack, only 3.5 weeks left...) and want to be able to leave DH with something to assuage hunger if necessary. We'll also need to figure out how to give it to her -- they recommended avoiding any artificial teats at all to avoid her having the same palate problems I did. So I'd like to make sure I have a good stash in case of spillage. I'm hoping the early pumping difficulties (I managed a max of a half an ounce, usually only a few mls...) will have magically vanished. And if not, it will just have to be lots of small sessions added together, I suppose.

Has anyone else noticed things 'stopping' for the summer? The local Mums (and Dads -- one SAHD, which is nice for DH, as he'll be something like that) group is stopping for the school holidays, as is La Leche League meetings and Baby Massage (and apparently, not starting again as they are short-staffed :( ). The only thing left is the breastfeeding group, which takes me out of the house for 3.5 hours for only a 50 minute meeting (the bus gets me there 5 minutes late, and I need to leave 5 minutes early to catch the one home), which feels like a bit of an awful lot of effort for not much.

arden that time has gone so fast, only 3.5 weeks left . Some things here are stopping for the summer but nothing that will really affect us I don't think.
We had the HV on Wednesday (4-6 month visit) Fyfe has dropped from the 75th to the 52nd centile in weight but they are not worried about this, just want me to get him weighed at clinic in 4 weeks. He has also gone from the 50th centile for height to the 75th which may explain the weight difference a little! Anyway, she was really pleased with him and he is meeting all his milestones etc.
We're off to a wedding tomorrow in Wiltshire and Fyfe will be camping for the first time! He has a cute little suit to wear and I have done some sewing and added the bottom of one of the popper vests he has outgrown to his shirt so that it stays tucked in. He's going to look very gorgeous!

Hello ladies, I wonder if I can join you (rather late). A couple of you I recognise from the antenatal thread... I was Reallea. I had Charlotte who is now coming up to 4 months. She is fab! Ebf as expressing at night on health visitor's orders to keep supply up- she went from 91st percentile at birth down to 25th by 12 weeks. All else good although struggling a bit with having DS aged 2.1 as well.

Welcome five, I remember you - I was carlita.

Hi Five

Trouble - is Fyfe quite an active boy? Could explain dropping down the centiles a bit. Some babies seem to kick about a lot while others are more sedate...if he's active he might just be using more energy? That's what out hv said to us a wee while ago about Erin.
And how was the wedding and camping with Fyfe? Will you put a pic up in your profile of him looking dapper in his suit?

So Erin started rolling at the weekend. She can only do back to tummy at the moment but it's her big thing. She can't seem to get enough of it, although she gets frustrated that she can't get back to being on her back and will cry after a wee while for me to turn her back. I try to give her time to get back over by herself because I want her to be able to, just for in future when she's in her cot, but can't bear to hear her cry/see her upset. Any advice on how to help her with this? Means I'm no longer slack about leaving her laid on the bed and am starting to think about baby proofing our living room!

Broody, I second Arden's shout on Happiest Baby on the Block. We saw a video of it at our parents group and his ideas work a treat. How is the sleep stuff going?

I didn't take any pictures of him I'm always holding him when we're out so it is hard to! It's my sister's wedding in two weeks though so I will make sure I get one! he is very active and had been especially so the week he was weighed!
I need to put Fyfe down on his back more, he is never on his back and I guess he needs to be to learn to roll! He rolls on to his side on the changing mat but there's no room to go further due to the inflatable sides, I'll have to find a big mat he can lay on in the living room! Must start that soon!

Welcome five! I love your name :)

Tessa has stopped rolling now - I think she's gotten too heavy for it. bee, Tessa only rolled front to back when she was doing it, opposite of Erin... She stuck one arm up over her head and pushed with the other, and her knees propelled her over with kicking. The big fails came when she didn't get her arm above her head, but instead out to the side -- she'd push and kick, but her arm kept her from rolling! You might try encouraging Erin to one move arm out of the way (or do it for her) and push with the other?

Thanks ardenbird' This afternoon I discovered there's a Jill Murphy book called Five Minutes Peace so I just ordered it off amazon- I was doing the thing on _chat where you type your user name into google images and see what comes up- the front cover was my image but it sounds like a lovely story for DS who already loves Peace At Last

bee dd has also started rolling but she only does front to back or from back to side. I'm so impressed your LO does back to front - that's the hardest for them! Clever babe

Sleep wise - eugh. still no joy during the day. She was knackered yday but refused everything I tried so was incredibly grumpy. Getting me down a lot tbh.

Plus - i can't remember if I have said this already - she hates shopping. To get me out the house on our non group/class days, I want to go into town or one of the out of town shopping centres (matalan or mothercare for example). She hates it and cries to be picked up out of the car seat that she's in on the wheels. I've tried putting her in the sling but she cries with that too. It's getting beyond a joke now. I'm just so frustrated and upset that I can't even do a little retail therapy - or just look at the shops, not even have to buy anything - without her balling her eyes out. We have the HV coming this morning so I'm going to mention it to her but pls any advice would be v welcome %23endoftetheryetagain

sorry to her that broody, must be really hard! Fyfe's not overly keen on shopping, I have to jiggle around with him in the sling or take him out and carry him (he's then totally happy) but then I don't do much hopping so it's not really an issue for me, I'm more of a cafe/pub person and he's happy sitting on my knee. Could you try her in various different pram positions? Laying down with dangly toys or sitting up in big girl position so she can see around herself?

Trouble- just sent you a message.

Broody- could it be a temperature thing at all? Ivy used to cry in one shop in particular because it's always so hot- if she had any blankets on they all had to be peeled off. I also really have to watch she doesn't get the sun in her eyes. She's generally happier either lying down with the sun shade on so she's almost totally enclosed (when she's sleepy) or as Trouble suggests sitting up more, so she can have a good look around. She also has one of those cheap foil windmills that spins in the breeze- she loves watching that as we go along...

We had another hospital appointment today- the hips are still in position, so another check up in a month's time, and hopefully the brace will be off altogether in two months. Really can't wait. I think Ivy will be a bit late with rolling etc because she finds it quite uncomfortable with the brace to be on her tummy very much.

Great news kiki!

Great news kiki
Re temp in shop - defo for primark! So hot in there always but not in the shopping centre. I wonder if it's just too much for her to see?

trouble I don't want to necessarily shop, more browse than anything, just nice walk and look around. She tends to be ok in pubs and cafes - prob cos i tend to feed her there - so maybe I should just stick to coffee and cake

Yes. More cake will definitely help!

Hurray, kiki! :)

Hmm, broody -- my DD is the opposite. She doesn't like me to sit down or be still, we always have to be moving. I've had to stand up and walk around at parties otherwise she starts whining.

And she has suddenly gotten incredibly distractible! Nursing is getting hard, as she keeps going "ooh, look at that" midway through a feed. I can't tell if she's done when she comes off or just fascinated by something else. And she's having trouble falling asleep, too, when she didn't before -- just so much interesting out in the world. Then she gets all upset and crying and is hungry and tired and can't eat or sleep! I heard that this is a phase. I hope she gets over it soon.

Hi all enjoying the rain?
Think we might venture out to Westfield today as nothing planned. We're going to Spain in a week and am panicking that dd has enough of everything. I know she does but may have to buy one more dress in the sales
broody the day time nap thing is hard. O will sleep when we go out but has to be well timed if you get me after feeds, play etc. she has often screamed though as we go to get food shopping someone said its because the floors are smooth and they like bumps! Will your dd go off to sleep after crying a little or does she keep the screaming going? If o is tired she cries for 5 mins or so. If I'm not going out she will sleep in her bouncy chair for her morning nap but the other day she didn't sleep from 11 am till 7pm. Would the bouncy chair work for you? It makes it a long day when they don't sleep.
trouble Fyfe sounds like a cutie you'll have to take some pics of him at your sis wedding.
kiki well done to ivy bet you'll be relieved when she's done with brace.

Has anyone had any photos done? My ds boyfriend is going to do some at the weekend. Let's hope we get smiles

Omg nightmare day
broody I thought of you the whole way round Westfield. Would dd sleep? No way!! She happily fed and played in the cafe but let me buy a swimming costume absolutely not god knows what I bought! She has finally fallen asleep now but now don't want her to sleep too long as going out tonight and put her down at 7pm aargh!!! Have also just eaten a large amount of cake so will prob not even fit into whatever costume I bought today

poor you punk!

Took a (for the time being) last trip to the osteopath yesterday. She said Tessa was doing great, no more tongue-tie-related tension, just a little bit of teething tension (hah! so she is teething). She also provided a good tip for teething: dampen a muslin and put it in the freezer, then take it out, warm it up briefly (just in your hands, so that it isn't completely ice), and let baby chew on it. She says that works much better than the hard teething toys. She also said that osteopathy can help with teething pain, as they get all sorts of tension from it, so I'll keep that in mind too.

Return trip was unexpectedly exciting as the car broke down in the middle of nowhere! We had to emergency upgrade our AA membership, as the 10-mile coverage we had wouldn't get us anywhere of use. Expensive, unfortunately, but not as expensive as paying the tow rate to get back to civilization. I was glad I managed to make breastfeeding work, as even though the trip was extended by a good 6 hours or so (it took a really long time for the tow truck to find us), no problems feeding Tessa.

I'm wondering -- what size nappies is everybody in now? Tessa is just outgrowing 2's (probably did sometime last week, but I'm finishing up our packages), and into 3's now.

Oh, that's me, arden :) Name change...

Fyfe just rolled, front to back three times in a row!
mad thank goodness for bf! That could've been awful! Fyfe is teething too, I'm using a combination of powders and bonjela and teething toys and, similar to your tip, an ice cube wrapped in a muslin (good when out and about from the bottom of your iced coffee) I can now see his bottom two teeth under the gum.
As for nappies, we use washables but I know people with 3 month olds in size 3, my sister's 7.5 month olds are in 4+ and they go up to 5? Their growth in that area must slow down presumably? Fyfe's one size nappies are on the 2nd setting of 3 so again seems a little

Go Fyfe!! Orla started rolling at the weekend too she finds it a bit tricky though when she has her bulky nappies on
That sounded like a bit of a nightmare mad. Bf is so handy. We were out all day Sunday at a food festival with my sister (basically in pub most of day!) and it was so easy to feed with no hassle and stay out as long as we wanted.
Right off to baby sensory for messy session think they fit to sit in jelly

A sudden burst of activity on here!

I was going to ask about the nappies, actually. We're using pampers 'til the brace comes off, just because the sticky fixers are longer than anything else I've tried, so make it easier to change. But the sizing on them is really weird. Size 2s are loads bigger than size 1s- we started using the 2s but they're too big to contain some dirty nappies- but size ones are only supposed to go up to about 11lbs. I'm not sure of Ivy's precise weight at the moment (we have the HV coming on Mon, so she'll be weighed then), but she's been tracking the 25th centile, so she's not exactly tiny.

She can't roll right over in the brace, though she can do a half-roll, and as she can't fit properly in a bumbo etc I've been propping her upright against cushions & things, and holding her in a sitting position, and she sat unaided for about 20 seconds the other day. Her absolute favourite thing at the moment is playing with my old mini Casio keyboard- it's hilarious. She plays it really seriously- is completely absorbed in it, and plays the individual keys rather than just thumping it, which is what I assumed she'd do. If any of you have anything similar knocking about, I'd recommend it!

I suspect she's approaching teething, too- although her gums don't look sore yet I think they're giving her a bit of trouble- she's always chewing & dribbling. Can you give them Bonjela & the crystals before the teeth actually start coming through? xx

I found the pampers to be the biggest for each size Tessa outgrew Tesco size 2 a while ago! She fit in huggies size 2 only very briefly. They were too big at first, and quickly turned to too small. The pampers 3 look huge, I'll probably go back to Tesco for a while until she gets a little bigger, although I'm stocking up on Huggies and Pampers as Tesco has them on sale right now. I figure whatever appears to fit is fine Tessa is actually outgrowing the leg holes, as the rest of the Pampers 2 nappy would fit fine otherwise. She must have massive thighs :)

Yes kiki, you can give them bonjela and powders from 2 months (thank goodness)!