April 2012 - Feeding, Facebook and finally summer!!

[Flisspaps]

Apologies for the rubbish thread title - thought I'd cobble something together though!

Thanks jambalaya!

I feel a growth spurt coming, may start solids soon! L wanted feeding last night at 930pm, 1am, 4am and 730am.
normally just 10pm, 2am then 7. She stayed awake from the hours of 4 till 6! Full of energy and the chat.
Is anyone else having problems with there baby staying awake after a feed in the night, for 1-2hrs?????

I've tried everything to get her back off, cuddling and leaving her, none if this works! :(

Wow - that's hardcore, Vicky - you must be exhausted. Am I right in thinking that you are right at the beginning of April? How old is your little one?

I'm planning on waiting to wean as long as I can...until DS indicates he is ready (I really love the fact that bf-ing is free and, as the moment, hassle-free too. I'm a bit like Fliss - lazy parent!) - but it sounds like you are getting signs already. DS is a mid-monther so we may be a bit later but I'll be reading everyone's experiences with interest. :)

Wow, this is a poorly composed posts. Apologies.

Thanks Jambalaya!

I'm also planning to EBF until around 6 months and then give baby lead weaning a go. I've been doing a bit of reading and research on the subject of when to wean and find it so confusing and conflicting. I suppose its best to go with your instinct and whatever is best for you and your baby. N was born on the 4th May so I'll be very interested to see how everyone else gets on too!

N had a very fussy week last week (in line with the wonder weeks book). I've noticed that he is starting to develop a bit of a temper. He has developed a growling, angry cry when he is cross - I find it quite funny!

I've just got my first period since N was born - yuck!

Is anyone else's hair falling out? Mine comes out in clumps even without the help of N who loves to tug at it!

I hope you are all well.

laughing I'm on my 2nd :(. My hair fell out a lot on my first it does grow back, it's due to hormone shifts, just don't dye your hair for a while so it can strengthen.

A has physio today for his neck but I think he'll be signed off as its not too bad. He also has a new hobby, blowing raspberries. He soaks his clothes doing it, now I remember why you need quite a lot of clothes lol.

Today I am at the end of my tether with my screaming children.

A hasn't been signed off his neck is quite bad so got loads of exercises and will have both group and private sessions.

Tomorrow I am goIng to get my eardrums removed. Tia.

My hair has also begun the big shed. I believe you lose very little hair when pregnant & the hair not lost in pregnancy is then shed when your baby is born. So, you won't end up with any less hair than you had pre pregnancy, honest, just means you'll need to clean the plug holes more

On the business of weaning you may find this interesting.
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/solid-foods-weaning.aspx
I believe it is based on the WHO guidelines. Interesting to note things that are NOT signs that indicate early weaning. Each to their own but I would say try not to let excitement & a longing for more sleep lure you into early weaning. In all likelihood it will not make a jot of difference to sleep as first foods are low in calories.

Poor you hug screaming days are the worst. Also must be disappointing that A was not signed off today as you'd expected. Does he enjoy the exercises you need to do with him or not? I would say treat yourself to something yummy but I think you are being amazingly hard working with exercise etc so that might not make you feel better. Maybe a lovely bath & a toenail paint?

Do keep your eardrums, you'll need them to hear all the sibling giggling when they are a bit older & not screaming their heads off. Honestly listening to my older two making each other laugh is possibly the best, most priceless sound in the world

buns I bet that is lovely :). A is now blowing raspberries and ds1 is asleep so peace and quiet lol.

It is a bit of a shame but the flattening on his head is quite bad and the tightness on the side of his neck that made him have a lie preference (hence flat head) is still quite pronounced. He's ok with the exercises but I have to try and keep him off his back as much as possible which is hard with a 4yo to entertain, it will be easier when term starts. I gave up and he's on his back for now as he was so worked up but it will start again when dh gets home.

Hope everyone has had a good day. I'm going to have a look at that article now.

Glad peace has returned hug. It does sound tricky re not laying A on his back. Could you try a bumbo seat for short periods or side lay with support against his back?

Buns thanks for the link, I was trying to remember what the readiness signs were. Am also planning leaving weaning till six monthsish for the same reasons as hen - laziness! I'll be doing baby led weaning again and its really rather messy, no desire to start cleaning high chairs and floors and faces and hair and bibs (and walls on bad days) until necessary. Watching them shampoo hair with butternut squash and poke banana in their ear is fun though. I also know at least as many babies whose sleep was made worse by weaning as those whose sleep improved...

I'm excited about weaning but will also be waiting until 6 months-ish. Planning to do BLW too - I'm slowly reading the book when I get time.

Hug Sorry A didn't get signed off today. We've got E's 4-month check tomorrow so will see what her doctor says about her flat spot. I can't notice any flatness but then I couldn't before either!

Have you all seen the Bumbo recall? USA Today story (but presume the same recall is in place in the UK.) Basically babies are falling out of them - particularly from elevated surfaces (which of course they shouldn't be on). Looks like they're sending out harness kits for them.

Hadn't seen the story vintage ty. We have one that I bought second hand for £10 as ds1 hated the bouncy chair. We used it for a couple of months with him (on a carpeted floor only). It has been lent out to several friends in between. Also if used on the floor I can't see if they are any more dangerous that wobbling over when sitting.
This is not to say I haven't experienced the terrible guilt & heart in mouth moment when my ds bounced his bouncy chair (yeah, I know the clue is in the name) off my kitchen work surface when I turned my back for 2 seconds he was unscathed but it took me a long while to get over it. Lesson learnt. Bad bad mummy.

Have just read about the Bumbo recall. Seems that it's only in the US and Canada at the moment. Apparently Mothercare aren't aware of any recall in the UK, but new ones (and presumable old ones retrospectively) are going to have safety belts.

Henrietta DD is 19wks old, so she is pass the guideline for puree foods of 17wks.
I can't believe she will be 5 months next week!

She just seems real hungry all the time, yesterday I did 10 feeds and in the night I was up feeding every 2hrs. We did 3 night feeds instead of just a 2am one!
I'm so tired, I think she is nearly ready for weaning, and I understand it won't make her sleep right through! Hey nothing can be worst than at the moment. She slept more when she was a newborn! Lol

Don't worry to much about your little ones fall buns your not a bad mummy!
Funny you say that about bumbo's!!!!!
lyra can lift herself out of hers. I was thinking I must keep her on the floor, and not any tops! X

Hi all! Managed not to pick up DS2 at every single stirring and he must've been tired as he only woke at 1:30, 5 and 7:30, then slept through till 9! We're off on holiday tomorrow so am wondering how he'll take to the supplied travel cot. I'm actually going to miss having him at my level - its so easy to check on him. We're bring his mattress topper so hopefully it will feel familiar for him.

vicky that is tough. Some babies are just frequent feeders. Ds1 was one of those and nights were hard. It helped when I lowered my expectations of what a 'good night' was . Also, after say 3 nights of non-stop feeding I would express and get DH to do some of the feeds. We did one 'daddy bootcamp' night where I slept in ds's room and dh and ds slept in our room so dh could deal with all the wakings. It sometimes breaks the cycle of regular wakings for short feeds. You need earplugs though or you end up lying awake in the other room wondering whether to 'rescue' them because you're awake anyway.

Couldn't do it this time round as dh is still doing daddy bootcamp with ds1! Hoping starting school next month will break that cycle! Either that or his little brother eventually joining him.

Right - off to make a list of what to pack...

hug just a thought, do you do much baby wearing? I read that babies carried upright in carriers or sling wraps develop strong neck muscles earlier as they're having to keep their head still while you move around. Perhaps you could try that as an alternative to putting him down on his back when you need both hands free. I tend to put ds2 in the ergo whenever he's tired and won't be put down and I need to prep lunch for ds1. 5-10 minutes later he's asleep and I can put him in the cot.

DD is playing with her feet ! DS did this a bit later , maybe around the average 5 m , DD is 4 m next week . I put DS Lamaze foot finder bug rattles on her feet when I saw her holding her toes and she loves them :) ! Also I found her on her belly from the basket after her mid morning nap . There's not much room to roll in there so don't know how she did it . It's starting to be time for the cot I think if she's doing something like that. She's been there a few times and seems happy but it's in her own room on the other side of the landing since there's no room for it in our bedroom. We can hear her easily though so shouldn't be a problem . I think I moved DS to the cot at this age when the basket became small but the cot was in our room for a 1 1/2 y until we moved to a 3 bed .

I started with the baby rice at 5 1/2 m at the health visitors recommendation last time . I was going to wait until 6 m since I worried about allergies ( we have other allergies in the family but not food luckily). She said about the dwindling iron stores and told me to start . DS was ready and it went well although he was not the best eater ... We did have him tested for allergies at 1 y because he had horrible exma on his face . He doesn't have any food ones but by now has developed hay fever like me and DH. I think I'll do the weaning around the same time and start it slowly. We only did a new veg or fruit every couple of days and looked out or any reactions . I kept a list of everything we had tried .
DD is making much more different sounds than she used to and has a proper little laugh like yesterday when I pretended to eat her chubby cheeks ... No sign of teeth here yet but she continues to eat everything and there's rivers of drool ofcourse . She loves people singing to her songs like the grand old duke of york ( with the actions of course :) ) . Will sign her up to Gymboree and a music class I did with DS when schools start . She seems interested . She hasn't been rolling much after starting recently but is trying to back to front more and more as well as the belly back .
We're off to Finland next wed and am praying for good weather since we want to take the kids to my parents weekend place in the countryside. DD is more active so dreading the flight of 3 h with her in DH lap with out the Lovely sky cot we had on the way back from Texas...

digital no I don't have a sling but I'm going to google sling libraries to see if there are any near me as that's a good idea.

People keep telling me to start weaning soon but I'm not sure. I wish people would stop telling me what to do as ever since a has been born I feel like I can't trust MY judgment and things aren't happening as I would like them too. I have in my head what I wanted and it's just not happened so far because of other people in real life.

hug that sounds tough. I find maternity leave saps my confidence as children can be so demanding and it's not like the world of work where expectations and targets etc are fairly clear. Also, when at work, you don't get the whole world telling how to do your job, all with different opinions. I was like a nervous jelly when I first returned to work after DS1 and it took me a while to go back to being 'me'. It's better this time - I think because DS2 is a much easier/happier baby and so I'm not wondering what I'm doing wrong all the time.

Digi its reassuring to hear your DH is doing bootcamp with DS1 as my DP is too. It feels very odd to have a 4 month old who is virtually sleeping through the night and a nearly four year old who is waking once or more every night and howling for me!

Just back from E's 4 month check. She weighs 16lb 8oz! Poor thing is sleeping off her jabs now. Talked to her doctor about sleep - she said the main thing is to make sure she's getting the calories during the day so she doesn't need them at night. I definitely notice that on days that we've been out & about - and therefore she gets distracted feeding and doesn't eat as much - that she wakes more at night.

DD has a neck torticollis too and she spends lots of time in a sling. Just make sure you get one with a good head support as his neck muscles will get tired quickly. We use a Close for day to day so I can tuck her head under when she starts flagging, but we also use a Babytrekker for hiking which has a great padded head support at this age.

Since the 4month sleep regression DD's sleeping has been appalling. I'm torn between doing what I did with DS (co-sleeping, feed to sleep etc), and persevering with trying to teach her to self settle. Tonight she went off to the White Noise app. Thanks to whichever of you lovelies recommended it!

Hug are A's neck muscles strong enough for a door bouncer? That would take pressure off the head wouldn't it? I've noticed my DD has a slight flat area more to one side on the back of her head - it makes me a bit sad that she's not the absolutely perfect baby she was when she was born but I'm sure once she has more hair I won't notice (and it's so slight I doubt anyone else has noticed it). She is loving the bouncer (I think they aren't meant to do more than half an hour a day now).

She did 2 nights on the trot of sleeping 11-6 which was amazing but that hasn't been repeated. Luckily though she doesn't stay awake for long periods when she wakes - last night she kept going back and forth between my bed and her basket. She seemed to want to feed all night but at least I could sleep while she did. Amazingly DS didn't wake up until gone 8!!!

DD is a lot stronger than he was at this age - but then he was a low birth weight preemie so I don't have a 'normal' baby to compare her with. She rolled at 11 weeks from front to back and did back to front very soon after. She loves sitting upright on a lap and looking around - also eats her feet and hands and can pass a rattle from one hand to the other. She breaks out into a massive grin if you make 'kissy' noises at her. She tries to grab my cutlery when I'm eating and even managed to take a handful of cake from a slice I was eating the other day (I got it back). I am going to wait the full 6 months for weaning though. This is a good piece - www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2011/01/starting-solids-facts-behind-todays.html

bear our house is strange and you can't put a bouncer in our doorframes which is a shame as one would really help. I'm glad you had a good night, it does make a difference.

hug - I'm with you. I think, I might have not had such a awful time if I had listened only to my heart and not to other people. I'm also under pressure to wean early, R is 16 weeks next week but as we're off home & nobody is or can tell me anything once we are there, I won't do it.

DS is also rolling a little bit, he's done side to side "always", I didn't know that this is difficult too. He started front to back last week but only does it to the left. Maybe the other side will come ... I'm sure he's able to do it in a few weeks time. No back to front here, but even I think, what's so interesting on the floor to see that it's worth rolling there?

I've read so many bad reviews about the Baby Bjorn that I'm now to worried to use it, but the sling doesn't really work for us as he's such a sicky and it's just not as nice walking around with old and new vomit on it all the time. The Bjorn can just be wiped. I don't know :(

Do you take supplements? I've been told off for not taking anything but although the old preg pills are still there, I just forget to take them every day.

The GP thinks that he might have caught a virus: I have 3 - 5 poos a day, slimy yellow, lime and green. Very runny but not explosiven as he did two on the mat yesterday, the second one looked like green foam. But otherwise he's perfect, normal vomitting, happy, dribbles, is awake for ages and also sleeps well. Even if it is a virus, there is not much you can do, is there?

Spoke to my mum yesterday and kind off hinted my concern re DF Alzheimer & the baby in the house. She said that dad is talking about the little one every day and all the things he'd like to do with him (sing silly songs, walk in the garden ...). It put me a bit at ease as I started to get really upset in case dad is out of his routine with so many people in the house. I spoke to the Alzheimer Hotline and the lady I spoke to said that she never heard that a Alzheimer patient had hurt a baby, actually the opposite, they have a positiv effect on them. We just see how the first few nights are going to be and take it from there.

I thought it's going to be hot hot hot today?

thaleia if R seem ok in himself, I wouldn't massive worry. I'd he has got a virus and the Dr doesnt seem overly concerned I'd just keep an eye on him.

DD has a new obsession: her feet :) they are constantly in her hands when she's on her back! They were nearly in her mouth this morning :)

She went in her cot and Gro nag for the first time last night. She lifts her legs in the air so much that the gro nag ends up tucked under her legs... Anyone else have a crazy wiggly baby??

She's also grown to like tummy time (took ages) her legs and arms move to try and crawl (I put one of her toys in front of her) it's just that she can't physically do it yet!