December 2012 - the sleep and poo thread (too much of one, not enough of the other)

[PurplePidjin]

I'm so jealous of your 4 hour gap and Pidj maybe your brain won't let you as it thinks you'll get woken up from your sleep to quickly

thanks for the advice, yes I'll try the top up idea. thing is I suspect lo is beginning to need boob sometimes more for helping to sleep/ comfort which dh doesn't quite get yet nor has begun to factor it in as a possibility.

he's completely wide awake right now. I find that as hard as the yelling at night as here's no telling which way it will go. he's lying in Moses basket staring at b and w books making lots of noise

hope everyone else's night goes ok/ is going ok

We've been up ALOT tonight, lack of eve cluster feed (I guess) has meant baby t has been up every 1-1.5 hours rather than 2-2.5 but good news is that for the most part she has settled beautifully in her basket - I guess the gaviscon is working. Just wary about it's effect on her poo now - she didn't do one yesterday whereas we'd normally have 1 if not 2 poosplosions per day.

hmmm yes clustered since 2:45 here. I got 2 hours earlier but prob won't manage today (I really struggle to nap now - anyone else??) and supposed to be meeting all the nct lot at 4 for our 'reunion' - which is exactly when I start to get sleepy!!

if some things eg smiles and colic are linkedto gest age, I wonder if growth spurts are too? eg as g went to 42 weeks would the 6 week growth spurt be nearer 5??

Clarella, little C came at 38 weeks and her growth spurts have been bang on actual, not gestational, age. Smiles too (though theyre quite early).

First night in bed together for a while and my poor husband has decamped to the couch once more as his cough was waking the baby. I can still hear him coughing, poor love.

C just woke up completely ravenous after 2.5 hours - i think she was too sleepy to feed enough last time. I wish I could find a way to wake her up to feed to satiety.

I love gro bags! F has slept so well, we have a really cold house (monitor says 16c) and he wriggles a lot in his sleep, so think loosing his blanket wakes him up a lot rather than hunger. Slept from 11-2.30, 3.15-5.45, and just about to put him back to bed after a feed now. Also think I have the gripe water to thank, although he is struggling to poo (little straining faces!)

And to t

I love gro bags! F has slept so well, we have a really cold house (monitor says 16c) and he wriggles a lot in his sleep, so think loosing his blanket wakes him up a lot rather than hunger. Slept from 11-2.30, 3.15-5.45, and just about to put him back to bed after a feed now. Also think I have the gripe water to thank, although he is struggling to poo (little straining faces!)

And to top it off, DH has slept all night in the bed with me, first time this week!

Clarella I express a max of 3oz, but F can drink 7oz of formula in the evening and still demand the boob, so definitely think it's a comfort thing.

We've had two hourly feeds all night. I don't understand why he won't go longer still wondering if its the latch... Will be seeing someone Monday hopefully

Well we definately had a growth spurt -feed from 8 - 12 and then DP gave 5oz of formula! Result was A has only just woken up!

Clarella I'd agree with others try and keep the nightly bottle up so DP can feel part of it but just explain he may still need a top up and that's just how it might be for a while. Also A was born at 38.5 and growth spurts have been bang on - 6 weeks today!

Clarella, i'm pretty sure mines having a growth spurt also, shes 5 weeks and the last 2 days i've noticed a massive increase in the amount shes feeding.

Due to the amount of time Heidi has spent breastfeeding the last few days, my nipples are now really painful constantly but worse while she feeding for the whole feed. I'm pretty sure i now have Mastitis in the other breast now as well. Any suggestions to stop the pain? I have got lansinoh. I really feel like giving ip bf now, as its more about the pain and i'm starting to dread feeding her.

Hales you need antibiotics really if you have mastitis keep going you're doing really well

Ah lost my phone down the back of the bed last night have only just re-discovered it. Just don't feel like she's getting enough and won't settle. Always had a good supply but feel like she drains a lot then gets angry as boobs go squishy and then won't stay on. So frustrating.
Sorry to hear of other wobbles too. I don't know how you keep up cod how do you manage with all the other dcs to look after?! I struggle with dd1 wanting my attention with dd2 stuck to my boob.

On a separate note- i wish my wrap would hurry up and arrive!

Hales I ended up having to have a double bout of antibiotics to cleat the mastitis. I found laying a hot water bottle on top of my breast helped as the milk flowed easier, nurophen, gentle massage and hot baths. It will clear but I'd go back for stronger antibiotics as it should have improved within a few days

My midwife recommended breast shells which have really helped my sore nipples. You wear them after (and on the other breast during) a feed and they just let the nipple get the air slightly and protect them from the friction of breast pads/bra etc. If I lather on the lansinoh then wear those for a bit, it makes a world of difference!
Other thing is they'll collect any leaking milk so if you sterilise them you can use it later.
Anyway, I'd never heard of breast shells and they've made a huge difference! We got them from Boots for £6.

Poo question...what colour and consistency are you're LOs poo? Aurelia's are orange and watery - is this normal for 6 weeks? I breastfeed and then give one bottle of formula at night. We tend to have 2 poos a day.

Bella, I'll be binning the menu of any Indian takeaway that comes through the door - chicken korma

Funny that I haven't had an Indian for 6 weeks

Korma poo, sometimes it's thick, other times its watery. Still not pooed since yesterday morning, not looking to cleaning up that nappy!

Formula makes it thick like korma. Dd's (ff) was always toothpaste consistency and ds's is always runny! And more yellow

Getting K to have a full quote of naps per day is impossible with a boisterous toddler plopping things on her head or yelling next to her ear....arghhhhh! I think this is the reason for some of the evenings meltdowns.

K's are mustard colour with curds......nice....

Afro dd is always trying to wake ds up or grabbing his head when he's asleep. We've no chance of a routine for him!

Well it's as if Keira knew I was having wobbles and has slept in 5 hr stints last night giving my nipples chance to recover and the antibiotics have also decided to start working so much less pain today!

cookies I'm lucky that my youngest ds is 4 so their all quite good at amusing themselves during feed time plus their at school during the day. Also we feed every 3-4 hrs and only occasionally cluster feed after 9pm which is when I should really introduce a dummy as its literally just to fall asleep. I hope things are a little easier today and if not you've made it this far so be proud of that!

Spotty - i give up, just hoping K learns to sleep through it all! its so different to when I had DS, I was out pushing him in the pram to get his naps in, I still don't have a pram! Things were a million times calmer. Yesterday k was listening to tens of marbles cascading down DS's marble run, hell of a noise, but at least it wasn't him shouting.

DH is off to do the weekly shop with DS, I've just washed my hair and plan on going out for a walk with K.

ditto poos and yes growth spurt clusters at 5 wks - hope it doesn't last a full week! (though I do as I want him to put weight on!)