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

[PurplePidjin]

Hear hear, seconds!

Well said seconds must remember to use it to stop beating myself up as well as reassuring others

Emily get that checked out even if just nhs direct, I was told to watch out for any changes in my legs

seconds Well said! In the past 4 weeks I've often thought how things would be easier with a whole community around to help you...Past generations and other cultures seem to have got that right. It's such a lonely task being a mum these days, unless you're lucky enough to have an amazing support network around you. And even then you might struggle - I have a wonderful DP and in-laws and friends close by but I still feel like I should be able to do this alone!

I listened to the radio 4 programme this morning and it was so good to hear that I'm not the only mum struggling to come to terms with motherhood. Definitely worth a listen.

cod So jealous about your LO being settled in her basket! Since coming home a few hours ago DD has fed every 20mins or so, in between I've tried to settle her with the bouncy chair and sling (dancing around the house) but she's not happy for longer than 10mins max. I'm exhausted so wonderful DP has taken DD to another room so I can have a break. Why oh why does he have to go back to work tomorrow??

Which reminds me, how was your day mama? Didn't your DH go back to work today?

DS is fast asleep but I have to finish the online food shop, fold the washing and fill in the tax credits form argh!

Spotty I still need to fill out the child benefits form, he will be going to uni at this rate before I get round to it!

Prepping the first formula feed, already messed up by dropping the bottle on the floor and having to re sterilise it, why am I so anxious about this?

Gripe water is genius!

Ha ha spoke too soon!

Oh be quick eggs they only back date it six weeks!

Grrr my posts keep going astray.

Can't retype it all, main thing was straw poll - do your babes have any happy awake non-boob time? Tabitha seems to have 3 settings - asleep, boobing or crying. Boobs always solve the crying. Not sure if it's just because she's still little - 3 weeks today or if it's something I should get checked, dreaded reflux? She does puke alot.

Loving the fb work!

Someone asked me today if ds was sleeping through yet

Hi everyone well it was back to work for me today :( thankfully Ethan was very very good and fed and slept all day (worked 10-3) so it went quite well. His awake time is 4-bed. He's been under his gym for 10 minutes happily and now he's having some tummy time, he's not so happy with that!, he just started screaming! Lol

I've managed to completely forget most of what's been discussed today. Sorry ladies. Oh and I am sorry to hear people are having such a horrible time, for various reasons. I remember really struggling with dd and ds1 were little, somehow Ethan is a lot easier and Im not finding it as hard this time around. It does get easier, but you need to take one day at a time.

DH pissing me off royally insisting there's something wrong with Ethans hearing as he wasn't reacting to him clicking. He won't listen to me telling him to stop worrying and that Ethan is fine and he's now being a sarcastic cunt bastard and going 'oh thank you doctor glad you're here' fuck sake!!!

WL DD's rarely happy when she's awake and not on the boob (she's 4 weeks tomorrow). I try different things but she usually starts crying again after 10mins (sometimes 20 if I'm lucky) so I offer the boob again. It's a never ending cycle! I have been wondering if it's normal? And when do babies stop crying so much and start being happy even when awake?

Stacey did he have the newborn hearing screening?

Ds can be happily awake for a few hours, sometimes I have to bounce his bouncer to keep him happy though!

Dd's got nursery tomorrow so I'm going to sleeeeep!

Hmm, haven't clustered for a while but little C is wide awake and keeping on rooting, so am stuck to the couch.

Peony, not sure if it was you who asked - first day after paternity leave went well. Got up with my husband (a real change - we'd been staying in bed until 11-12) and for lots done round the house. My Mil came over in the afternoon and cuddled her while I lay down for an hour and went grocery shopping. She even slept again after Mil left. So the day has been pretty easy but this evening has been more tricky - in very tired and feel a bit tied to the baby now. I hope she settles soon so I can go to bed.

My baby does have some happy awake time, but still needs quite a lot of close supervision. She doesn't yet really tolerate being left on her own.

spotty yeah he passed the hearing screening in the hospital (12 hrs old). But DH decided I wasn't to be trusted when I said Ethan was fine so he googled and found lots of 'it's not accurate' stuff online. The thing is he is fine he reacts to the sound of his rainmaker when he's happy, and jumps when he makes a loud lip smacky noise when he's pissing about not latching properly. But apparantly I can't be trusted! Urgh.

Goodness Stacey back to work already?! I can't imagine!

Thanks peony, you and me together then!

What's so interesting about dh clicking? he should try singing or blowing raspberries - something a baby might actually want to respond to!

About 5 weeks here for the happy/awake combo, and still only for 10-15 minutes at a time.

I'm back at work on Thursday but i only work one evening a week!

God knows pidj something about it being a loud noise and he should react to it whereas I think Ethan is so used to the kids rushing round screeching (both when I was of and now) that loud noises just don't bother him!

And yep, back to work. But I work from home so im still with ds, and have worked out how to position the v-pillow so I can feed him and carry on working.

For those of you who have frequent cluster feeding days- does it affect your mood? We have them rarely - maybe every 10 days or so - but when I do I am really tearful. Tonight I feel like I did with the baby blues! I just cried at my husband about how much I love him. Hmm, maybe being so tied to the baby emphasises the changed nature of our relationship - all I'd like to do tonight is lie in bed and cuddle him, but instead I have sent him onto the sofa bed to ensure he gets a decent night's sleep.

Motherhood is weird and odd and often doesn't leave me with much dignity.

mama Glad to hear you had a good day! Hope you'll have plenty of those! I'm trying to be positive about tomorrow

stacey wow, feeding while working - I'm very impressed!!

Co-sleeping mums - if you wake up before your baby, do you leave them in your bed or put down in the moses basket/cot? We usually end up co-sleeping in the morning and I'm worried that if I move DD she'll wake up and I won't get a chance to have my shower/breakfast but not sure if it's safe to leave her in the big bed on her own either. So far DP's been there with her but I'll be on my own from tomorrow.

blushingpeony I pop Z in the carrycot rather than leave him in the big bed by himself. I also often take the carrycot into the bathroom while I shower.

I can't remember who asked about happy/awake time. z is 5 weeks + 5 days and I would say it's the last 7-10 days that we've had any real periods of him not sleeping, feeding or crying - before then he'd look around for a few minutes at a time but that was about it. Now he'll do a lot more eye contact and will look round the room and at us loads more. And we can put him on his animal activity mat thing now and he seems entertained by looking at it.

Dd cluster feeds every evening at the moment. Mostly I'm ok with it, but some days, particularly after a bad night it leaves me feeling a bit smothered and sad that I don't have time for affection with anyone else. I just keep telling myself that it's only a short phase...! Great to hear you love DH so much though , he must feel pretty special. Oh and a glass of vino while I'm pinned down helps too!!

Thanks for answers about happy awake time, hoping it's just an age thing then, will give her another week or so to mature!

I do move T into her basket when I wake up - normally because I'm desperate to change position and defrost under the duvet but it almost always wakes her up.

seconds - you summed up quite a lot of what was said on that programme.

I'll hav to catch up tomorrow been ordered to sleep while Dh and visiting pal do bottles. yes gripe water too :) - which one pidj there's a lot!