December 2011: Of Mice, Men and Tables

[NorthernChinchilla]

Here we go...I hope!

Quick straw poll: how do you guys get your LOs to nap in the day? I still have to rock DD to sleep and no matter what else I try she won't sleep. I spent TWO HOURS this morning lying down next to her and trying to get her to sleep without rocking but I had to give up and feed her to sleep in the end. I was hoping it would help her to self settle in the night but she's just not having it. Am I the only one?

Gee I've always fed both DD's first then laid them down in cot/Moses basket straight after winding. If they are awake they self settle now.

Controlled crying maybe your answer here.

Hi everyone,

Well good news, the kids dad has been to visit today and he has been good and repeated alot of what I said to the kids.

Social services called DH this afternoon and they're going to visit the kids mum on Monday am and then come here to visit the kids in the afternoon. I've told them to tell ss everything and they won't get into trouble or be taken away etc.

The kids mum has been moved back to the original hospital which has an interpreter as English isn't her first language, so that's good as its only 20 minutes by bus so I can take them into visit any time they want if she's not discharged on Monday.

Re. Daytime naps, DS and I had a battle of wills a month or two ago and I won! I waited to see the first sign of tiredness and put him straight in the cot. It was a case of shushing him and letting him cry for 5 minutes at a time before picking him up to stop the crying and then straight back in the cot. It took about 15-20 mins in total and this went on for two days until DS realised I meant business!

I felt a cow, but he's alot happier for it and he needs the sleep. Now he has a nap at around 9-9.30, and a second one around 3-3.30. If he shows any sign of tiredness at lunchtime I will put him straight in the cot. I find the easier I catch him, the better he settles.

gee you totally have my sympathy. dS is currently half napping on me having pigheadedly refused to nap more than 2x 10 minutes all day (grudgingly once in buggy and once in arms). He is shattered but does this at least twice a week if not more. He is SO much happier when he manages 20 mins am and pm and an hour after lunch (but that's only achieved about once a week). As he's my DC3 though, PFB behaviour like dedicated nap time in a blacked out cot space and not going out is not an option: where we go as a family, he comes too. I am hopeful that with time he'll get better at it, and am going to try putting him in the back carrier (the R&R one I bought last week: it's SO comfy!) as it has a sleep hood thing on it for if he will sleep in there. Not a long term solution but will help with the stealth DIY and decluttering!

(Today I washed down the bannisters, and bought some shiny new stuff (rugs and another dual light). Also decluttered a kitchen cupboard- well it's a start....)

Can I join in the declutter and titivating? I'm dedicating summer to getting stuff done in small chunks. I've started with the kitchen. I've cleared off the table, which has been masquerading as a dump that Stig would have been at home in for the last two months >_

According to BOi, daytime naps lasting longer than 20 minutes are for wimps...
Did I tell you about the nautical theme? Hang on, I'll just put the spuds in, Back in a minute. :)

Octoboy sleeps for hours if we're out and about, not so well at home though I can sometimes convince him to have an hour here and there.

DS has a half he nap in mornings and then 1.5hrs in afternoon, he would come back from the cm and his daily diary would say 1.5hr naps which I couldn't believe because he never did that at home but suddenly now he does which is great

What is not great is that he still refuses to go in his pushchair I had to abandon car seat shopping today because he was making so much noise and fuss I couldn't bear it. Somedays he's not so bad that today was awful I can't afford to buy a different pushchair in the hope that he will be better in it, well technically I already have 1 since we have a very cheap spare pushchair and he's the same in that. I absolutely have to start remembering to take the sling out cant bear the screaming any more or the arm ache.

We've had more runny sweet smelling poo today but he's not acting unwell it's strange

...anyway, so I went with nautical. I found lots of gorgeous cot bedding sets, I finally decided on the plan and then found out tat they are 'merican and won't hsip to the UK... or rather they will for some bits (at astronomical shipping charges), but not for any accessories. So the bedding, a mobile and 3 wall hangings are being shipped to our US office... I found a picture of a compass rose on the ceiling. I've been searching for suitable decals. The prices are really reasonable, and loads easier and better than painting. But I couldn't find what I wanted, but as luck would have it, we've had a huge graphic installed in the office this week. So i had a chat with the supplier - if i gave him the artwork,... I asked him for a price, I told him to say no if it wasn't the kind of thing he did... anyway, he's going to do it. FREE! He doesn't do normal wall decals, so it'll be some kind of vinyl sticker, and may be bloody hard work to install, but sod it, it's free, and it's going to be amazing. He muttered about doing two for me, just in case. If he does, and I don't need the second one, you ladies will have first dabs. :)
I m on my second martini and already feel quite squiffy. (Squiffy - a funny word which I always associate with Miranda Richardson's Elizabeth I in Blackadder - I have no idea why.)
have a great weekend.
X

Figgy what pushchair/a does Figgyboy detest?

Oi that sounds marvellous. Excellent tactic on the shipping

Octoboy is finishing a feed then we are going to sleep. Last night was bad due to selfish neighbour. To Ioght will be better or my tenuous grip on sanity will be forfeit.

Typos for Northern courtesy of iPhone and exhaustion >_< :o

Oi Fab thinking on shipping your wonderful sounding items to your US office first

Figgy What buggy do you have currently?

LMF go have words with your neighbour. Tell him/her to grow up and remember you have kiddies in bed at night. If they are still being mindless t*ats they call police for noise harrassment!

oi that does sound fab!!

lmf it's a baby jogger city mini and my spare is just a basic stroller. I wonder whether if I had one which had a reversible seat unit so he could see me/dh he'd be ok but I don't know anyone with 1 I could even borrow. Don't like quinnys have seen so many lo sitting on them rather than in them as the seat unit doesn't look very big and I have a 23lb chunk

Had an okay first day of 6 weeks hols. Both girl's are fast asleep now and hopefully it stays that way

Most of the order of day done just the last few to go

In 27 days I'm marrying my love, my best friend & my rock and I can't wait

Figgy the quinny has a a secondary seat unit you can get for older/sturdier babies. I know as I have one. It's a deeper wider one, you slide the normal one off the frame then that one in. The pram itself is insanely heavy, though nice to push on pavement. It's a bitch on the bus though, and the front wheel can be a pain on tiled floors.

There are better options. The obaby zezu is wide, as are the old hauck icoo infinity prams. Both of which are forward and rear facing. Mamas and papas solas are popular at the minute and the seat unit is reversible and generously sized. eBay can offer some bargains, set your search to a ten mile radius and look for local pick ups. You might score for something insanely cheap. If not beg, borrow, steal from a friend if you can, just to check. If you were local I'd loan you one of mine:(

Bedtime now:o

Sorry - me post but need some advice. Can you get PND 7 months later, or am I just a crap mother who can't cope when DS plays up and Freya cries and all the other things that need doing in the day? I am just not a very nice person a lot of the time at the moment , particularly to DH as I try not to get at the DCs. I went back on the pill a couple of months ago to a new one and not sure if that has coincided with the bad moods as well.

I just seem to get irritated and angry really quickly and am much shoutyier than I would like. I also feel like crying too easily. Freya is such a good baby but when she yells for over an hour tonight and wont settle
i just can't deal with it and get angry. But most of the time I feel ok - we had a nice day today and I can sleep ok and dont feel lethagic or anything and have the energy to get out and do stuff , it is just the anger and the crying feelings. Not sure if I should try a different pill or go and see the gp anyway.
or perhaps it is just normal and not helped by the fact DH and I are having a bit of shit time but that is mostly caused by my moodiness so its a viscious cycle. Anyway any advice gratefully received.

I'm quite sure you're not a crap mother, but know very little about PND or depression in general
I was a cow with DH, and still have my moments, bit never felt frustration with DS.
It must be such hard work with more than one DC. - maybe you just need a better schedule with more support and a bit of time off?
Chin up, chuck. X

jiggle (((hug))) I'm pretty sure you can get PND anything up to a year (?) after giving birth. I'm sure someone else will be able to clarify/correct accordingly. It could also be the pill I guess, is there maybe a friendly female GP a your surgery you could see? How old is DS? My DS is 4 which I believe is older than yours, and some days are just bloody difficult, I still seem to struggle to have what I feel would be adequate time with both DC's and doing the housework.

Whoever asked about naps Eva is also very reluctant to nap during the day. She often falls asleep feeding, then wakes when I try to put her down. I don't like her napping on me though as I don't think it's fair on DS when I could be playing with him. She woke up both times I tried to put her down today, so has had around 15 minutes all day. I got fed up with overtired grizzlyness and put her to bed just after 6.

oi nautical theme sounds excellent.

figgy does he cry as soon as you put him in the pushchair? Babies r us let you try pushchairs to see if they fit in your car, I can't see why they wouldn't let you pop DS in one for a couple of minutes to see if he'll cooperate.

dsm not long now! Are you organised?

Our friend who is buying the flat saw his solicitor today, they said 6-8 weeks. I was hoping it'd be a lot sooner, everything at our end is already done as they were prepared for if we sold the flat at auction. I made a huge pan of chicken casserole for Eva earlier for the freezer, and a chicken and vegetable gratin which was really tasty and I struggled not to eat it myself.

jiggle I also meant to say I'm sure you're not a crap mother! And like oi poor DH feels most of my frustration.

If you feel low, speak to somebody Jiggle. Please do. Your doctor or your health visitor. Depression is something that can be managed well. In your shoes which I've worn many times before I'd make a short list of 'symptoms' before going in to see my GP, as I have a habit if clamming up and at the last minute minute trying to rationalise and belittle my feelings. Be brutally honest, with yourself and the doctor. Most of all, don't panic, as if it is PND there's an excellent chance of a short course of treatment (be it medicine or talking therapy) can bounce you out of it:)

In a distinctly non-mumsnet approved style:

Octoboy slept for five hours, which I needed. Neighbour was silent :o

jiggle, sorry you're finding things hard. I'd definitely speak to your GP. I've no experience here so can't give more advice I'm afraid but I'd go and talk to a sympathetic GP. Hope you feel better soon.

Oi, good idea re US office. You must post pics of the finished result!

I had to go to Cam today to see my supervisor. Mr Mopsy brought minimopsy to nursery. She was upset in the morning but I thought it was just constipation. Then he got her there and she projectile vomited all over one of the nursery girls :( he took her home and she projectile vomited all over the house all day. He spent the day cuddling her and trying to clean carpets/furniture and do laundry all day. I got back after 8, she was asleep but I woke at 3 to hear her retching. She was vomiting bile as so dry. The poor little bean, she's miserable. Her temp was apparently 38.5 earlier but it's 37.6 at the mo which is ok. I just tried giving her a small bit of milk, 1/4 oz then another 1/4 oz 10-15 mins later but she vomited that too. So I just gave her a tiny bit off a spoon and will do again in 5 mins on repeat. Don't want her to get too dehydrated. But she's also so sleepy so maybe I sd be letting her sleep. Don't know. We were supposed to be going home on Sunday to see my sis & her baba. No idea if she will be better by then. I only need to go to GP if it continues/she gets dehydrated right?

If you feel low, speak to somebody Jiggle. Please do. Your doctor or your health visitor. Depression is something that can be managed well. In your shoes which I've worn many times before I'd make a short list of 'symptoms' before going in to see my GP, as I have a habit if clamming up and at the last minute minute trying to rationalise and belittle my feelings. Be brutally honest, with yourself and the doctor. Most of all, don't panic, as if it is PND there's an excellent chance of a short course of treatment (be it medicine or talking therapy) can bounce you out of it:)

In a distinctly non-mumsnet approved style:

Octoboy slept for five hours, which I needed. Neighbour was silent :o

Ack, stupid phone >_<

If she's taking some fluid that's good. Even when they vomit they retain some of what they've taken. If you're worried though you can ring out of hours, they can advise:) Hope she's on the mend soon:)

She just vommed up even the cpl of spoons I gave her. She's currently asleep on me. Might just leave her sleep I guess?

Thanks LMF. I'm not too worried yet, she doesn't look too dry. Apart from the bile retching. She's miserable but alert. Might ring doc tomo though if it keeps up. She can't even keep a spoonful down. It's horrid when they're so miserable, isn't it?