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

[PurplePidjin]

I'm so so so tired. This child will sleep 3 hours in his Moses basket and then is wide awake until we take him out in the pram (therefore i can't sleep). He won't be put down and I'm sick of bf and having to plan any time without him with military precision in case he decides he's hungry half an hour after his last feed. My mum always says shell help and come round for a couple of hoursnsoni can get some sleep but whenever I really need it she's always got something more important info and will come 'later' and invariably comes round when DH is back from work. I do t see any point in going to be early and leaving D with DH as I'll still have to wake up and do the feeding.
It doesn't help that D is a cherub most of the time for daddy and a little bugger for me - I think I'm doing something wrong.

Sorry. Me me me post

Thanks for the welcome and aptamil recommendations think we'll get a couple of ready made cartons to try next week....

Thankfully after mammoth night feeding, C slept from 5.30am til 8.20..... But is now grumpy and fussing at me.....

I've also heard the same about relactation Willyou

Honey sorry to hear your having such a hard time, when ebf it does feel a massive mission to go anywhere on your own (I've still not gone anywhere as Dh can't cope with C crying)

I'm also scared of co-sleeping - wouldn't mind it on my own but not with Dh there, would be worried she'd get squashed

Sorry you're feeling so crap honey bf can be really suffocating. Are you still giving a couple of bottles a day to give you a break? How much sleep are you getting? If you did go to bed early and get a couple of hours if really would be worth it. I go to bed at half seven some nights!

Honey - I agree with spotty, I go to bed after C's feed between 8 and 9 pm and sometimes get 2-3 hours kip before she wakes - it definately helps with the tiredness.

Welcome mrs m.

Honey this whole breast feeding is so tiring and demanding yet its such a great thing you're doing. Can you prebook some time with your mum so that you can get some rest?

I keep telling myself it will get better...!

It has to get better!

DS has been refusing sleep all morning. I decided to try a biological nurturing 'hold' so laid him flat on my chest while I laid flat - figured he'd find his way to the boob and feed while I pretended to sleep. He flailed around and got his head stuck face down in my armpit - where he promptly fell asleep! He only slept 5 mins though, anyone else LO just doing power naps? It doesn't seem like growth spurt behaviour as he's not feeding much really, just fighting sleep even though he's obviously as tired as me.

stacks that's what O does all night - it's exhausting but then he normally sleeps for an hour or so in a chunk from 7.30/8ish so I'm just getting up really late. (still in bed now and have friends for lunch at 1!)

honey agree it IS worth grabbing sleep where you can. O often is quiet if not asleep in the early evening so dh cuddles him as he gets more sleep overnight and i sleep on the sofa beside them both rather than go to bed.

Waiting for sleep deprivation to kick in, so far F is behaving and has gazed nicely at his mobile and dozed in his chair, which he was refusing to do last week, think he was going through a growth spurt.

Poor honey. It is worth it if you can grab a bit of extra sleep - being tired makes everything so much worse. I know what you mean about your mum - when I was desperately tired at the end of my pg my mum and mil would be full of the right words but often just not that much help in the end!

Bfing can feel suffocating when they're at it all the time, but it really does get easier, I promise. If you're really finding it too much, it's ok to stop and ff instead. Sad mummy doesn't make happy baby. Do what is right for you.

We go to bed as a family around 7:30/8 and dp either sleeps or keeps me company. I try to keep things quiet during night wakings - a large prefold is fine overnight so no nappy change - but if he wakes up we can then snuggle when R goes back in his crib. Works for us :)

Welcome Mrsm, i've heard that aptamil is the best.

Honey sorry your feeling like this, hopefully your LO will surprise you with a easy day/night soon.

Well my LO surprised me and my DP last night with long sleeps to the point where me and the partner had felt comfortable enough to have some 'us time'. We both feel so much better today.

What are peoples thoughts on combined feeding? Heidi is 5 weeks and i'm really not comfortable bf in public so i'm considering combined feeding. Plus it gives me a break.

Went shopping in Guildford and fed ds in McDonalds (classy ) would be so much easier if he opened his bloody mouth!! Instead he was looking all around leaving me squirting milk everywhere was fine once he was on though and dp bought me some new uggs

Went to town today to meet an old friend of DHs for brunch. Managed a nice discreet feed. Felt lovely to be out for a couple of hours. Spent some of our giftcards and managed to pick up part of the 'new baby' present for BIL and SIL.

Sorry to hear of others bad nights. Ethan was up every 1-1 1/2 hrs but he just feeds and then sleeps so mentally it's not as firing as if he was screaming.

After such a sleepless night I have had a bed day - my husband gave me almost 2 hours of sleep this morning, and though I tried to sleep again this afternoon when C was, I just couldn't drop off. At least I was lying down with eyes closed - it may not be sleep but surely it's better than nothing. I have just showered (what a slattern!) and after my husband has his shower I think we'll have a quick walk around the park to give everyone some fresh air, and then it's hermit time again.

Oh honey and everyone else - it's a difficult time, isn't it? None of us are alone though.

A question for those who mixed feed - why do you do it? I have exclusively breastfed so far (5weeks + 4) but when I spoke to my sister on skype this morning she asked whether I would consider a bottle of formula on very bad nights. I said no, as I don't think food is the issue, but it did get me wondering whether sometimes it could be helpful. I'm not worried C will get confused as she is fine using the bottle for expressed milk, but I just don't know what indication I would get that would tell me 'this is a good time to opt for a formula feed'. So for those who do give a bottle of formula occaisonally, what's your thinking behind it?

:) for everyone who's had a good Sunday. C just fed consistently for 30 minutes , had a good burp and spew, and is now sleeping in my arms. Fingers crossed she'll sleep well tonight and if not [positive thinking] then we'll get through it.

Glad you're feeling more rested mamapo!

We've had a good Sunday so far - had a friend round for lunch and between dh and I managed to cook a full roast. Have O in the "cradle' position in his sling so managed to feed him for the whole of lunch under the fabric (don't yet feel militant enough to inflict my boobs on people while eating) without breaking latch AND have my own, hands free. Feel like civilisation may yet be attainable.

Not been posting for a while, hope everyone's had a good weekend!

utopian That's impressive about feeding and eating at the same time! What kind of sling do you have?

mama and hales I'm considering mixed feeding so that I can have a break sometimes and hopefully it would make DD sleep longer. So far she has been refusing bottle though when we've tried to give her ebm - does anyone have any tips how to overcome that? And those who give a bottle of formula in the evening, what time do you do it?

I've been awake for 17hrs and now he decides to cluster feed! Starting to go loopy!

I mix feed and have been for about 2-3 weeks. I give 1 bottle of formula at bedtime ie when I go to bed lights out etc and I feel it fills her up slightly more than breast milk. As I don't like/haven't braved bf in public I take a bottle of formula out with me if I think she'll need feeding. It's working for me, do what makes you happy/comfortable. I don't think there is a right or wrong, like someone said earlier a happy mum is important.

Utopian - impressed with double feed!

Spotty of new uggs lol!

We've just been for a lovely brunch and Aurelia first restaurant outing - fab afternoon.

Honey - have you managed some sleep?

MAma - I've not yet started combination feeding but we are really struggling with dd and sleeplessness and have a number of friends who bf but do one bottle of formula at night which gives them a longer sleep than with bf - we are hopeful that this will work for us plus also give me a bit more freedom without having to express (I seem to get very engorged whenever I express)

I only bf ds but that was 8 years ago when my husband and I lived with my parents so had a lot of support plus ds was a very easy baby with no colic etc (god I was lucky) but dd has other ideas!!

Glad some of you have had better days today - we've had a pretty horrendous day of screaming and frequent feeding , C has only just had a decent nap all day!

Utopian - also impressed with feeding in sling - ive got a caboo which you're supposed to be able to bf in but yet to try it but like the idea of being hands free.

Does anyone else dread the uncertainty of evenings and nights (not knowing whether it's going to be a good / bad night)?

I keep considering introducing a bottle of formula in the evening as I can only express enough for one bottle every few days but then I think I've come so far with the feeding do I really want to give him formula (which is silly as dd was ff) not sure why I think that maybe because I know he's my last baby or something weird also the two times we've tried it when I've been having a bad night he's refused it!

And we put the film Ted on, and the DVD has played twice, been so busy with F, we didn't notice it finished and restarted!

Have uploaded a new pic of Aurelia - DP calls it her chav baby grow - I like it lol!

Bella I love how bright it is, not chavy at all. We have been giving a bottle at 8, however is seams to wake F up rather than put him to sleep!

Silly question but do you warm it?