Post-grad Brookers book in here!

[TooImmatureTurtleDoves]

Thread 2.

Oh come on scream, we need these sleep tips!!! Glad you had a good photoshoot. It's never occurred to me to have professional pictures done... Sounds like a really hectic weekend, I'd never have managed that!

Now look, I'm back on eBay looking at changing bags!!!

Oh, from eBay I see the biggest skip hop bag is the double duo deluxe.

All you experienced Mummies will already know these tips I'm sure, it's only a revelation for clueless newbies like myself. After we did the awake pictures with Autumn the photographer turned the heat up in the room and suggested feeding DD a little. DD did her usual 5 min feed (ebm from a bottle because we stayed in the studio with the photographer) then I winded her and tried the shushing swinging thing that usually works for DH. DD was still wide awake and looking around, so the photographer took her, held her against her shoulder, and started patting her firmly on the nappy. Now I usually hold DD that way myself, and rub her back, which never works. Yet after 5 mins of bum patting she was drowsy with her eyes closed. Then the photographer put her down on the cushion, in the pose she wanted, and as DD started to stir/fuss (still sleepy with closed eyes) the photographer literally just held all her limbs still. It was a little like a swaddle, in that her movement was completely restricted, but it was in a posed curled up position and held in place with hands. DD stopped struggling within a couple of minutes and dropped into a deep sleep that lasted through all her remaining poses! I couldn't believe how easy the photographer made it look!

It totally didn't cross my mind to have a photoshoot, until all the Mums in my NCT group started talking about theirs. I missed the boat for a newborn shoot, but I'm still hopeful for cute pics. Apparently it's quicker and easier with newborns because they sleep almost constantly. I'm really impatient excited about seeing the pics in a few days.

Too my SPD is miles better, thanks for asking. I'm having to keep a close eye on my sciatica though, I keep sitting in really bad positions while bfing (mainly in the middle of the night when I'm too tired to get up and arrange all the cushions on the bed properly to support me). A couple of bad nights and I end up taking ibuprofen again to relax my back muscles. I need to be stricter with my bfing posture and with latching on, also with spacing out feeds, and not letting DD sleep on me, plus a thousand other things!

Gotta get to sleep now before DD wakes up. She's been very teary the last couple of nights, I'm hoping now we're home and she's getting proper naps in the day again that she'll return to her usual chirpy self.

How is everyone else doing on the sleep front? I always worry that Autumn wakes so much more frequently than all your babies at 6 weeks except the poor dreamy twins with their colic

Sorry for the me me me! I meant to say that I'm No Brooking for Wants and little D - I'm sure it'll be nothing. I understand your worry though, I took Autumn to A&E at midnight for a bruised toe! (It looked like it could be broken).

Also No Brooking for all the poorly No Brookers, Mamas and babies alike.

Wishing us all a good night's sleep tonight!

So much to catch up on...

I've had a very busy few days. Bad weather meant we were restricted as to how much we could do. But we did manage 1 full day out at an outdoor theme park for DS. He loved it. I really felt it the next day though. I thought I'd more or less fully recovered from the EMCS, but it turns out it still feels very sore after a long day of standing and walking around with a pram.

Still going with the BF. DD seems to be having another growth spurt. Other than shovelling down my dinner I've had her permanently attached since 5pm.

Wants no idea about the shoulder, hopefully the GP can make a quick diagnosis.

Biscuits very pleased to hear E is on the mend.

Scream the bum pat thing has always worked well with both of mine, usually while gently jiggling them at the same time. Thanks for the limb holding tip, I shall try that. The photo shoot sounds fab.

Loopy I had a Storksak last time which which I loved the look of, but struggled with practically when it was full. Not enough sections or pockets. I have an OiOi this time, so far so good.

Sorry for missing everyone else, will try and catch up properly tomorrow. Brooking for a good night's sleep for all.

Oooh, I do bum patting but not limb holding. Will try. When I put the dreamy twins down I put them on their side & always leave Ben there & carry on patting until they've stopped wriggling. Ben has still not stopped crying and fussing tonight fucking colic but dh says he'll do til 2 now so best try n sleep.

Laters brookers

Scarlet, same,here - DD has been almost constantly attached since we got in at 5, with the exceptional of a quick bath which she screamed throughout. Nipples killing me and I want to cry each time she latches on...

Scream, the photo shoot sounds great! Also YYY to baby clothes. I'm lucky in that I like the majority of ones people picked out for Isabelle too! I'd still like to buy some myself though. Luckily yesterday DD's great grandmother gave us a cheque and told us to buy her some clothes - hurrah!

Forgotten everything else I wanted to say. Three consecutive bad nights. So tired and in so much pain...

Scarlet, same,here - DD has been almost constantly attached since we got in at 5, with the exceptional of a quick bath which she screamed throughout. Nipples killing me and I want to cry each time she latches on...

Scream, the photo shoot sounds great! Also YYY to baby clothes. I'm lucky in that I like the majority of ones people picked out for Isabelle too! I'd still like to buy some myself though. Luckily yesterday DD's great grandmother gave us a cheque and told us to buy her some clothes - hurrah!

Forgotten everything else I wanted to say. Three consecutive bad nights. So tired and in so much pain...

also had small boy attached with intermittent screaming bits where he was too wound up to feed, but really wanted to.

i was ready to go to bed but DS2 needed a feed to sleep, so i sat in bed before i went to brush my teeth. needless to say i have not long woken up with a v sore neck from slumping at a stupid angle and a fuzzy mouth. Ew. need to get DS2 into the crib so i can brush, but this failed as he's now ready for a next feed. it's all gone wrong!

brooking lots, will catch up next time DS2 is up, say 2 hours if I'm lucky...

also do bum patting here, think i copied my dad when DS1 was born. not tried limb holding, but i do sometimes keep my hands on their back/chest as i put them down for a sec, or as dream (i think it was) said, keep patting a bit.

I'm feeding DS2 on top of a folded in half flat crib sheet, then transferring the whole thing with him for warmth. seems to work most times to avoid the cold bed shock!

better try it now...

Wow it sounds as though we're all putting in the hours at the moment!

I think (or maybe I hope?) we're having some sort of growth spurt here too. After we were making some progress with ds2 waking less overnight, he's starting waking a lot more often. But also when he wakes up he screams as if he hasn't been fed for days rather than, say 2.5 hours . Normally he'd grumble a bit, cry a bit but then be quiet (ish) throughout the nappy change (I always try to do nappy first at night so I'm not faffing about when he's sleepy after a feed).

I say we were making some progress as if we have any say in it Ha! Of course it's all up to ds2 . This is the third night of query growth spurt so hopefully it'll improve soon.

Oh and ds2 had his 12 week jabs yesterday. Seems ok (other than feeding like a demon). He'll be 3 months on Friday . I can scarcely believe it!

Anyway, I'm hoping everyone else gets some decent sleep soon.

Scream the photo shoot sounds so cute! I'm not sure I've ever done bum patting or limb holding. Or at least I often do bum patting while I'm holding him but not aware it's ever sent him to sleep

Wants good luck at the docs this morning (both for the appointment itself and for getting there for 9! ). Brooking like mad for DS3 xx

Dream hope the dreamy twins are, in fact, dreamy now it's your shift.

^Scarlet* your day out sounds impressive. We haven't done a Big Day Out yet so you're very brave. Hope DS1 enjoyed it all

Musical, Jaggy and Scarlet hope your respective DDs and DS are letting you sleep for longer after stocking up on food earlier in the evening and that Musical your sore boobs are getting a rest. DS has upped his feeding so much that even when he starts a feed my boobs don't feel like there's much there soI'm not feeling that sort of satisfying feeling of hearing him swallow lots iykwim?

Anyway, the milk monster had finished feeding until I shrivel up so I'm going to hop back into bed.

Hugs all round xxxxx

Jaggy, the feeding on top of a crib sheet is a good idea - one I may have to nab! I've tried using a Muslim, but I don't think it has been,particularly successful in the past..

DD slept until 4.30- meaning I've already had more sleep than on any of the last 3 nights! Granted it was next to me rather than her basket, but hey, sleep's sleep!

Brooking that everyone gets a bit more sleep...

Yay for more sleep Musical

You can be in charge of making tea and toast today for us all

i was using a muslin too musical, just kinda folded under his head to catch sick. I'm not using the flat crib sheets in the crib anyway, i originally had it under him just to protect my feeding pillow from the night time pukes, but then started transferring him over with it.

i really just need a solution to me falling asleep sitting up. DS2 is reasonably safe snuggled in the pillow, but my neck is not going to thank me for this! even sitting reading mumsnet doesn't seem to be keeping me awake any more.

maybe once I've recovered a bit better from the cold bug and caught up some sleep not sure when that would be it'll be easier.

brooking for a nice day for all. :)

I'm impatient to get this hospital appointment out of the way tomorrow, just not sure what to expect. DH wants to come too so we'll have to take both boys. I've suggested that he carry DS2 in the sling as i think DS1 running about plus DS2 in car seat might be hassle, especially as he doesn't always settle in the seat or pram!

Argh. Bad night up every 2 hours, 1 hour to settle at 3am. Dh ill and sleeping downstairs.

I'm feeling crap and am a bad mummy to both of them. Dh has taken dd1 to nursery. Dd2 currently screaming in her cot, nothing I do comforting her (because you're TIRED baby, get a clue, go to sleep) and I can't quite deal with her just at the moment. Feel horrible listening to it but I just don't know what to do :(. A has slept for two longer stretches in 14 weeks and dd1 was up during both of them.

I don't know what to do to get us some more sleep. Tried to express but getting nothing so ebm plan shot to pieces.

Oh I knew I'd forgotten something, meant to say Jaggy you poor thing. I read your other thread, unbelievable how many people were able to guess what was wrong and thank goodness they did! I hope it is just a temporary thing.

We had a bad night too Pomme. DD didn't let me get in bed until 2am, then woke up again at 5am for more. Then kindly puked it back at me.

I almost don't dare make this announcement in case I jinx it, but I'm so happy I have to share...

DS has had no wee/poo accidents for a week now. Every single poo and wee has been on his potty. It's taken a long time, we've even abandoned the idea several times but I think it might finally have clicked with him. He even asked for the toilet during our day out which completely shocked me as I thought he'd be too excited and lazy about it. I've still had him wear a pull up at night, but when I've gone in to him each morning his potty has been filled with wee already. Bless, he's even been doing it on his own in the night . Any of you struggling with toilet training, take it from me, you will get there eventually, I really was starting to think we had serious problems. We tried all approaches, but it's the relaxed and let him get on with it one that worked for us in the end.

Snap pomme up at 12, 2, 2.30, 5, 6 gave up. Crying with tiredness

It's so hard isn't it hawthers?? I was weeping by three thirty too.

I've decided feeding to sleep for every nap/sleep night be our problem. It somehow helps me to have a 'problem' to focus on and I guess delays me deciding its all down to bf and giving up!

She fell asleep post feed at 9 and think I can hear her stirring now - twenty minute naps suck.

How come they don't need more sleep? A can only have slept for twelve hours max yesterday.

pomme, here here with not knowing what to do to get any sleep. The bad news is that I have to get up in the night to express... I get best results between 2&5am. I could do 6 I'm sure but 5am on is unsettled babies time. So if dh has given a bottle so I've had longer between feeds I have to get up before I'd expect the babies to wake, go downstairs and fire up the pump.

That's awesome Scarlet . Well done DS1 - I feel quite proud of the little guy . And to be doing so well at night too - that's like a little bonus to make up for the daytime training being such a mission!

I concur though - I felt at times like we would never get there but also found that letting him get on with it worked the best. It's such a good feeling the first time they ask or take themselves . My mum and MIL both seem to think that he needs to be taken every so often and I just leave him to it. I know he'll take himself if he wants to go (bar the occasional accident, but they are v rare now - only one since E was born so at least 3 months and probably much more).The only time I get him to go is before we go in the car for a longish (20 mins+) journey.

But yay yay yay - what a champ! Well done indeed.

And the nighttime thing - ds1 seemed to just get it all of a sudden too while we were working on the daytime stuff. I wasn't even anticipating trying at night but when it dawned on me that his morning nappies were mostly dry, I started noting down if they were wet or dry in the. One book I read said if you got 10 dry mornings in a row then they might be ready for nighttime too. So when we had that we tried it and he has never had an accident at night . He doesn't get up to go though - just must have a massive bladder as he can happily wait till 8 or 9 o clock before going in the morning. I make him go before we get dressed though (otherwise that has led to a couple of accidents!)

Lots and lots of and sympathy for the mega tired people xxx

Think of it this way though - I bet with our DC1 we all went through a phase of just not knowing what to do - and it passes. It really does. I think the tiredness is emphasised this time by having an older dd/DS to look after too so you can't rest when the baby does. But it WILL pass. I promise. Granted this is mega extreme tiredness (especially for Dream) but I'm brooking for each and every one of you that sleep comes soon xx

Ds2 has decided that a good activity while feeding is to windmill his arm

R always seems to have his hands up round his face, even when feeding. i kept thinking i had a lumpy boob, but it was actually a tiny hand digging in from underneath. he's kind of clinging on with the top one too. which does look cute but all these flappy wee hands fair get in the way latching on!

am trying to imagine the windmill arm!

Hello all, we have just been discharged from the children's ward. GP sent us straight there. Poor D has been stripped, prodded, poked and xrayed! Final diagnosis- fractured clavicle.:( they think it happened at birth but because it wasn't a particularly difficult birth and he ws not showing signs of distress it wasn't looked for! The lump is where the bone is starting to heal.
I had to deal with it by myself as DH went away this morning and won't be back until late tomorrow night. The staff were lovely and looked after us though.

Oh no wants! That must have been a bit of a shock? It sounds like he's been pretty calm for having a broken shoulder bone poor thing. Are they going to do anything further or just leave it to heal? Hope you're okay.

There is no treatment pomme. they just let it heal on it's own, I was feeling so bad for not spotting it sooner but a really lovely doctor reassured me that it would have been difficult to detect before the swelling came up because D was not showing signs of pain. HCPs didn't pick it up either.