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

[PurplePidjin]

There's a couple of threads on the breast / bottle feeding section about making up formula bottles. For me, the easiest way we've found (apart from using cartons) is to have a bit of boiled cooled water in a sterilised bottle ready in the fridge, and then, when we need it, add boiling water so that it's over 70% (takes some experimentation to work out the right proportions of cold/hot for the particular volume of formula) and add the formula. It then doesnt take long for the bottle to be drinkable (a couple of minutes in a jug of cold water). That way you get the formula added to hot-enough water so that the bugs are killed, but you don't then have to wait for it to cool all the way from boiling.

Bfing is sooo much less hassle than ff in my experience (part of the reason I wanted to bf this time) although being able to get somebody else to feed without having to milk myself would be a nice perk!

So much stress atm. We're going to have to move, probably up the country as property is ridiculous round here and we're skint. Trouble is we're skint now and have to sort jobs and housing and stuff. Urgh I hate being skint!

Skint sucks :-(

Sorry that was very self pitying. It's just with my time off work during the pregnancy our savings are gone. Feel I'm letting the dcs down. Really don't want to move area either but needs must.

Sorry about you having to move stacey I know its hard but try not to stress about the situation, I'm sure you're not letting your dcs down.

Ds has been sleeping since 7, dp since 8ish. I was able to watch my soaps, eat dinner, wash up and express another 4oz. Think its time for a bath and bed.

Great news spotty! That must be a big weight off your mind.

Agh pidj that's so annoying, I hope they sort it out without too much involvement from you.

I've got a couple of grobags but can't use them yet because it's too warm. We've been using these with just a nappy underneath, they're brilliant! www.lovetodream.com.au/babySwaddle_organic.htm

WLMum I feel like I'm neglecting my other DCs, but they are being brilliant about it and I know it will be different in a few months.... if DS ever naps during the day without hours of settling that is!

stacey that sounds stressful. We were in the same situation when DS1 was 3 months old, we had to move and I went back to work full time. You're most definitely not letting the DCs down at all.

We had a bit of a drama yesterday, DS has been really unsettled for a few days, mostly straining and screaming. Anyway, I'd just fed him at lunch time and he did a posset that was full of bile. My heart sank because I know that can be a sign of bowel obstruction in babies. I called the GP and was told to go straight to a&e, we were there until 7pm! Thankfully he's fine and I'm hoping it's a weird one off. We've got to back at 4pm today though.

Off to the postnatal group today, hopefully to meet some nice local mums... if I can hear them over DS yelling!

oh stacey - no it's an extra pressure on top of dealing with a newborn.

the other nct girls were talking about the issues of stopping their child benefit the other day. I just blinked. oh to have that hassle!

that must have been worrying seymore, glad he seems ok. I dread George being ill for the first time, but something like that would be awful. hope it is a one off. - I didn't know about that happening.

the increasing straining and yelling worries me sometimes but my adoptive doula friend reassured its normal. (she's not a doula just a very chilled experienced mum. her dd2 had cleft lip and pallet so she really knows the difficulties of feeding etc. she hadn't even heard of the word doula!)

Looks like we're doing 2 hourly again - yawn

WL us too!

And us!

There must be something in the air! 2 hourly here too

Not 2 hourly here but a v bad bottle feed. Husband frustrates, baby wouldn't take bottle, I had to put her to breast briefly to remind her what to do. Of course she's wide awake now and husband too annoyed/frazzled to manage her effectively so I'm rocking her. Expressing in order to skip a night feed - didn't work tonight!

Got to bed at 11ish (yay!), up at 2 and still awake. Argh. Dh is starting to crack, having stats way more upbeat than me about bed. When did people's dcs start sleeping, even for 1-2hours at a time, in a basket?

Got the hammock as read so many positive reviews about it helping sleeping, but no sign on this so far. Having said which, he's capable of being a right bugger even in our bed too.

stacey sorry to hear about moving. We really need to move area too or otherwise sell our house/downsize, but reliant on Dh finding a new job in London for it to happen and he's not started applying yet. I'd really like this and he says he would, but it's controversial as would take us further from pils than Dh has ever lived (only 2.5/3hrs though,) and closer to my parents, so don't want to push it too hard.

If he doesn't find something soon though I'll have to point out we need to put the house for sale to have time for a deal to complete..

Utopian DS has slept in his from the beginning but not always for long! I put him in almost fully asleep but not all the way. That said I'm currently lying on the spare bed with him as he had a meltdown the second I put him in it after the 3am feed. He fell asleep at 10 though so can't complain

DP doesn't get it though. He seems to think J is the only baby who hates his Moses basket. I really should show him this thread!

We're having a really bad night too

utopian Ethan hated his swinging crib but was okish in his Moses basket from around week 3 without too much hassle. But we picked up a 'breathable' cot number thing at the weekend and now he's happy to go in the swinging crib too. (about bloody time it means I can stop lugging the Moses basket upstairs at night!) but I put him down asleep mainly because I love sleepy snuggles!

He's been feeding since 3.45, I'm bored now!!

we had utter baby armageddon from 6 till midnight, full on exorcist routine, then a mammoth feed then actually went down till 4:30!!! I got 3 hours!

we've just employed waves on baby monitor plus I have an old dawn wakey uppy light thing which has v loud white noise on - employed both so either exhausted himself or white noise worked!

G always slept in moses as wasn't quite with it for the first 10 days - I used to worry he didn't cry!!!! - but now a bit more fussy. a trick I was told that others have used is hold on to their arms for a while so the startle reflex doesn't wake them - might take 2 of you, some to hold as he goes off in arms and one to place hand over arms then gradually make the transfer. a few of the nct lot have had success with Moses basket allergic babies. it does work for us too if he's lightly sleeping.

Ds's been awake and fussing plus feeding on and off since four dd will be up soon too

Oh spotty Sorry to hear of another bad night. I was exhausted feeding Ethan lying down at 6 this morning. Now school run then work! Yippee. Lol. Does dd have nursery today?

clarella that sounds like an interesting night for you. Good to hear u got 3 hrs!

Nope no nursery today! Haven't got to go anywhere though I just wish ds would develop some kind of pattern

Duvet day :)

The only pattern we have is morning when he wakes at 6 to feed, then up at 8 to get dressed and feed before school run at 8.30. But I think this is only because he has to fit in with the rest of us! The rest of the time we fly by the seat of our pants tbh.

sorry for bad night / morning spotty and anyone else. we will get there in the end!

occasional patterns but then the problem is you can get lulled into false sense of security!!

Our usual crapish night with added gaviscon refusal resulting in puke in our bed!

Sorry to hear about all rough nights. DS has been doing 2 hourly for the last 2 nights, whatever's in the air must cross continents.

Weighed in today at 13lb 6oz at 6 weeks and 1 day, now I feel vindicated for eating like a horse...