Post Grad Brookers - we're in here....

[Biscuitsandtea]

New thread - t'other one got full up....

scarlet hope DS1 is ok. They are quite bouncy but its really scary when they properly hurt themselves.

pomme can't believe its taken so long for someone to diagnose reflux. Poor a - I really hope she is happier on the medication soon.

biscuits f rolled front to back first but has now got back to front sorted (only this week reliably though) and now whenever I put him down he flips onto his front but seems to get stuck there.he's forgotten how to get himself back.

dream how are you doing chicken? Hope you are getting some sleep - surely the colic should be clearing by now? Fingers crossed it all gets easier soon.

scream i was at Wimbledon station at 5 in the evening yesterday! Are you close to there?! Had an epic day as had to take our car to the garage and for many boring reasons had to drive over to earlsfield to drop it off then kill loads of time. If you're near we could have a little brookers meet up next time our car breaks!

jaggy where are you driving to? We've got the journey of doom coming up. We're driving to the south of France. It's going to take forever and actually think DS1 will be fine but worried DS2 will get totally pissed off.

too amazing weight loss well done! I've not been doing so well recently. Malt loaf keeps falling into my open mouth... But having 10 days on starvation rations due to aforementioned holiday in the south of France. I really hope I can see some difference in that time...

fishcake hope things are picking up re friends. I found monkey music a good source of really nice mums.

purple lovey to see you - sorry you've had a rough time. Hope all us on the way up now.

Hmm more to say? On phone so can't check back but hope everyone else is well and getting some sleep.

Oh and f is 6 months old today - where has the time gone?

Scarlet so sorry to hear about your poor DS. Hope he's ok.

Pomme glad you've got a diagnosis. Hope the medicine is easy to administer and you see a real improvement in little A.

Scream :( about Wimbledon but wasn't play rained off anyway?

Hawthers I'll be staying in that area during the Olympics - will have to look out for you south London brookers! And happy 6 month birthday to F! :)

I fell off the diet wagon today. DH keeps asking me to make cake so I finally obliged and had to lick the icing bowl . I will get back on when the cake is gone, promise!

hawthers we're driving from Scotland to north France (D i s n e y). we're taking a few days to do it, so at most 5 hours in a day i think. obviously with stops to let the boys out of their car seats and feed R.
poo you've all made me realise that with less than 2 weeks, I've bugger all chance of doing anything about my big jelly belly before i go. the rest of me isn't as awful so I'll have to stand behind the buggy for photos or something...

can't believe F is 6 months already! R seems huge at 2 months. :)

Jaggy - DVD player for ds1? Works a treat for my ds1 when we've driven to Scotland (although I get heartily sick of whatever is on!)

i suggested one of the ones that hang on the back of the seat to DH but he wasn't keen. i reckon DS1 will sleep a bit if we time it right, but might be too excited! we can watch dvds on the car satnav screen when stopped so that will be good for the tunnel etc.

Feeling rubbish after an astoundingly bad night. Will they never sleep?! Considering formula at night again now.

Be back later Brookers to actually reply. Hope your night was better pomme & A happier on the ranitidine

Hawthers and Jaggy - do low carb. Trust me, it works! [evangelical glint in eye]

Dream, could the twins be needing ranitidine too? I thought B at least had reflux.

Pomme, oh poor you and poor A! How did she get on last night?

I went on YouTube and found a on how to teach your baby to roll. I rolled M over and she looked v surprised, pushed with the arm trapped under herself and rolled back. Not sure that counts. Then she filled her nappy and got tired and grizzly so I desisted. Will try again later!

Scream, I am very sorry, but I failed to Shred yesterday either. It's my own fault for letting M sleep on me instead of putting her down. Then in the evening she was so grumpy - she wailed and howled, little face all red and mouth square - that it took ages to get her to bed. DH sang to her and rocked her and she fell asleep in his arms at about 10.30, but she only lasted in bed for 20 mins and then was up again for food, luckily in a better mood.

Scarlet, hope DS is okay today. Poor little mite!

I'm in SW London Hawthers, so pretty close to Wimbledon, Earlsfield and also Ninja! I'd love to do a SW London meet up, perhaps when Pet is also around (for the olympics)? You, Pet, Ninja and I - is anyone else interested/nearby? I had thought you lived in North London for some reason Hawthers, but are you actually south of the river?

How did A do with the ranitidine Pomme? I hope you both had a much better night.

Dream you poor thing, what went wrong in particular last night? Or was it the usual evil colicky night? The colic just has to go soon, the boys are 12 weeks now right? No Brooking hard for you!

My DD will only go to sleep in someone's arms, and usually requires bouncing/walking as well. I'm getting more and more concerned about this because she's 9 weeks now and I'm pretty sure she's habit-forming. She can't settle herself back to sleep when she wakes for no reason in the middle of the night without someone holding her and walking around. For the last few days I've been trying to put her down in the cot while she's awake but sleepy, however she immediately awakes up fully and cries to be held. All the shush-patting and white noise in the world hasn't been able to get her to sleep, it hasn't worked even once all week.

So last night I tried a dummy again but this time I stayed up and put the dummy back into her mouth for her every two minutes time it fell out. It actually worked! She immediately settles down as soon she has the dummy, and will happily go to sleep lying in her cot by herself so long as she's sucking on it. The problem is when she gets sleepy the dummy falls out, and she immediately wakes and cries if it's not put straight back in. So even though this is the first night she's gone to sleep not on my chest, I still didn't get any sleep last night because I was on dummy duty!! Argh!!

Someone please tell me it gets better?! How are other young babies keeping their dummies in? I've tried every brand and every shape, the ones that fall out the least are the MAM ones. If I stay up for another couple of nights will she eventually work out how to hold it in herself? (She can't grasp it yet, so she would need to learn to hold it in with her mouth alone). Did anyone else have a similar problem getting their LO to settle to sleep in the cot, or is it just A? So unsure what to do and how to get her to sleep better! It's not food as well, 9 times out of ten when she wakes she'll go back to sleep with the dummy rather than food. The only times she insisted on food not dummy were about every 4 hours, a vast improvement on her usual hourly snacking (where she would use me as her dummy!)

DH really wants to give controlled crying a go and I just cannot imagine it when she's still so little. (Not judging anyone who does, lots of our friends have done cc since their DC were 2 weeks old, it's just a gut feeling for me personally.) I need to find a way to get her to sleep better at night asap to stop DH pushing for cc! We're not expecting the heady delights of sleeping through, but feeding every 3 hours or more, and going straight back to sleep after feeds, would be a huge marriage saving improvement!

Advice please?! We're very lucky in that A hasn't had any colds, and doesn't seem to get much wind or reflux at all. She just likes company!

Soooooo sorry for the mammoth post ladies! I'm just a little exhausted/frustrated/stressed. My apologies to anyone who lost the will to live before reaching the end of it!

Too the whole aim of our 30 days is simply to lose weight, via any means necessary! You're clearly doing much better than I am even without Shredding every day, so hats off to you!! I've been Shredding each day, but my diet didn't seem to be working even before going off the rails for a day yesterday, sigh. Back on the wagon today but very of your amazing weightloss so far, I haven't got on the scales yet but I definitely don't feel like I'm losing any weight at all. Will keep at it, but I think all the fruit I eat is sabotaging my weightloss - I'm too hooked on sugar to give up fruit as well as chocolate!

Just nipping in - what a day! I am in such a bad mood for various insignificant reasons.

Just wanted to check in on Scarlet's DS? Is he ok? xx

No dummy tips I'm afraid Scream - we've never used them - wish I had with ds1 as I can't very well take his thumb away now

scream Ben would also fall asleep sucking I think, he'll suck my finger, but because of the dummy falling out reason I'm resisting them. My friend used to have to get up to put dummy back in 6-8 times a night!!! Mine can't self settle. The hv tells me not to worry until they're 3-4 months. Mine are 3 months next week . We all know hv talk total rubbish but this advice actually agrees with the ' healthy sleep habits, happy child' Chicago sleep centre paediatrician who says it doesn't matter how you get them to sleep under the age of 4 months but if you rock/push in pushchair etc ideally you stop the movement once they're asleep. She's too little for cc. Nowadays it is not advised or advocated under 6 months, anywhere you read. Imo it is cruel to leave a 2 week old to cry.

Crap, wailing, must go...

Oh all these cheeky babies refusing to sleep! They are little tinkers aren't they. I don't know how to improve it - if I did I would definitely have shared the secret! I am brooking for them all to get the hang of it soon.

Dream I have every confidence that your two will crack it once their teeny tiny digestive systems get the hang of what they're supposed to be doing. I know that doesn't provide much comfort when you're having so little sleep but you know they WILL get it one day. And Scream, A will get the hang of it too eventually. I don't know anything about dummies but I'm sure some clever brooker will. How old is she now?

Was going to say something else but I've forgotten it....

Oh, and the night was bad as Seb is seeming to be worse with reflux, when he's always been better than Ben. He's vomiting more, coming off the boob screaming when he's still hungry and unsettled after feeds. Hence much walking and jigging in the night, eventually put him in a bouncy chair to be more upright. Might have to try him on the gaviscon, if he doesn't improve fast.

I think I was actually expecting a 12 week miracle. I can't shake off the feeling I'm failing at something because I can't get them into a routine. Even in the day- in the morning yesterday, both woke at the same time, changed their sicky clothes, fed them, clean nappies and another feed before playgroup at 10am, pushed them to sleep in the pushchair- one slept 2 hours, one 20 minutes, and this is what always happens; one awake, one asleep... bedtime routine has now been in place 7 weeks, they still don't go down...

too, amazing weight loss, go you.

And go Shredders, go! . I'm failing at healthy eating, using chocolate/ sugary snacks as a pick me up...

hawthers, yay, a sleep through!! Good for F.

Right, one awake, one asleep again, but the sleeping one is on me. Doh. In two minutes they're bound to both be awake when i put him down...

Thanks for the concern for my DS. He's back to his mischievious self today and driving me up the walls so I think he must be ok thank goodness.

This awful weather we're having has sent him a bit wappy I think. When it was thundering earlier he was running round closing all the curtains and turning lights on. DD did the most horrific nappy this morning. Has anyone else ever had to actually cut the clothes off the baby with scissors because they were completely covered in poo? There was no way I was pulling that vest over her head

I keep trying the dummy with DD too Scream but it keeps falling out. She seems to like sucking on it but can't keep it in. I keep trying every couple of days, I'm sure she'll learn eventually.

Sounds like a proper expedition you're going on Jaggy. Fun though. I bet DS1 will love it when you get there.

Hawthers what did you do about ordering an Ergo in the end?

Scream I thought the same as Dream in that controlled crying isn't recommended until after 6 months. Maybe you could find some info online to show DH about it? My DH is another who moans about crying and jokes about putting DD's moses basket in the shed. Really winds me up.

Oh Scream I really feel for you with the sleep problem (and needing an urgent solution in order to save DD from DH's method!). I wish I had some advice, but I just don't, as DS generally sucks on his dummy till he's asleep (or it falls out / he accidentally pulls it out and he cries a couple of times, I pop it back in and then he's asleep). I do hope someone else has something more helpful to suggest.

And Dream big hugs for you. It will happen eventually. Hopefully very soon. You're doing everything right - those little boys will get there for you in the end...

Sorry just a quick one to say scream I'm Brixton dulwich way.

scarlet if I get a leak that bad I take the vest/clothes off downwards. Those best necks tend to stretch enough to get arms and the like through (taught to me by a neonatal nurse who took pity on a clearly green me!).

I ended up buying a new ergo by going to the us site, then to the eu site then findibg an authorised stockist from there with a 30 day money back guarantee. Once I've got that I'll investigate sending the other one back.

Doing quite well on diet - have eaten just one packet of crisps today. This is because I have spent the morning in a and e with Abbie who is in so do much pain. This was post a visit to the nct bf lady who is also a nurse.

We now have a px for omepazole which of it is going to work will give us considerable improvements by sat/sun apparently.

She is still rejecting my left boob and it is rock solid. Need to express ASAP. Have managed to only cry once so far today but am constantly on verge of tears. Thank god dd1 at nursery and my mum here.

Brooking for all the babies to sleep soon!

Scarlet the weather seems to have sent DS1 into some kind of melt down today he's driving me nuts. Thank god DS 2 is being delightful ie asleep.

Scream, I don't know either - we tried the dummy for a bit but then M stopped taking it and spat it out immediately so no go. M always has to fall asleep before she can be put down, and has to be either wrapped in a blanket first so she's cosy or else have the hot water bottle in basket/pram. I think she must self-settle a bit if she wakes up, though. Luckily for me when she wakes at 6/7am she feeds for maybe 15 mins and then falls asleep again for another couple of hours. So basically we feed to sleep every time. Does that work for Autumn?

Mmm, have eaten a massive tuna nicoise salad - the advice to stop eating when you're full doesn't work when you're trying to eat quickly because ominous noises are coming from the pram! I'm far too full now to Shred. Will do it when DH comes home.

Scarlet, that sounds like a nappy and a half! Bleurgh. Would probably have pulled it off overhead and then wound up bathing M, so points for quick thinking re scissors.

Dream, You. Are. Not. Failing! What was the story with their reflux? You've got Gaviscon, but what about Ranitidine? Would that be better?

Hawthers, pleeeeeeeease will you post a link to the page of authorised stockists?

I've only just learned, will applying and I applying romper suits, that those envelope necks can do down if necessary. Prior to that I'd have been at the clothes with scissors!!!

Pomme at spending the morning at A&E. Are you home now? Hope so. Can your mum look after A while you express? Don't want you to get blocked ducts on top of everything else. And one packet of crisps for all that? You're amazing!

I had a Kitkat chunky after dropping off a super grumpy ds1 at pre school.....

Oh Pomme, oh no!

Yeah, Dream, what she said. You. Are. Not. Failing. I've never managed to get ds2 into a routine yet and he's an 'easy' baby! Ditch the idea of routines my lovely. Just get yourself through each day at a time. Things will get better. They are getting better compared to those really early days. Just hang in there. Oh how I wish I could come and help you

Big hug for dream and another big hug for pomme hve you tried the rugby hold on a and your left boob so try ro con her into thinking its the right one as she'll be coming from the same direction. Perhaps its teeth/ears that are sore so she doesn't like lying on that side.

dream we are def not in a routine wiyth f - he has to fit in around DS1 :(

biscuits will try and find link now. I used first signs.

Cheers Hawthers, will google first signs.

And yes, I think ds2 doesn't have a routine because he has to fit around ds1. So I barely notice how much sleep he has in the day, or when etc