November 2012 - the best post-natal quiche on MN

[StuntNun]

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/1655656-November-2012-sleeping-through-yet

The answer to the sleeping though question was a chorus of "no"s but there were a few resounding yesses and a lot more keeping quiet because the rest of us would be well jel.

I am so jealous of those of you getting decent stretches of sleep!!

I haven't a clue what DS natural sleep pattern would be like as he has has a cold for approx 2 months of his 3 month life.

Think I need to start going to bed at 8 to make the most of his long stretch between 8 and 12.

Oh, I like the Samuel l Jackson Clio. Can't remember if I've already posted this but I like this one too -

Chunky I have been using a second hand Medela Swing. I recently hired a hospital grade Ameda Elite. The amount I get per session hasn't changed that much (about 2-3oz rather than 1-2) but the real difference is the time it takes - 10-15 mins with the Ameda (double pump) compared to 30 mins each side with the Medela Swing.

It means I can pump 2-3 times a day without it taking up loads of time. I pump about an hr after bf.

I can't compare the two hospital pumps (Elite/Symphony) but were told they're much of a muchness, but that's my experience of a quality electric pump vs a hospital one.

I pay £33 a month and for me it's worth it.

Valium if its any consolation we're still having shit sleep at 15 sodden weeks. The nights seem to be one big blur. I think he wakes 2 or 3 times. But I couldn't tell you what times. I do look at the clock but have forgotten by the next feed.

I have the ameda lactaline and the avent electric pump. Bought the avent first but needed to double pump so got the lactaline. They are both good. The avent can be used as a manual.

hello all - just tried to catch up. Gosh we can talk! Hugs to those having a tough time of it - especially those with sleep avoiders. Sleep deprivation is used as torture for a reason. VQ I would have tried CC long before you have - so don't feel bad. I couldn't have handled what you have.

Now J is medicated we are v lucky sleep wise he goes down between 9 and 11.30 (always on me - hmmm need to work on that) into the bed nest when we go to bed and up to feed like clockwork between 5.10 and 5.20am - he used to go straight back after a feed but now tries to chat for an HOUR!!!! eventually he goes back and sleeps until 8.30 - 9 most days. I would like to get him into his own bed time but don't want to mess up the sleep we're getting!!!

Obviously when we were mid move and staying at my cousins he wailed the house down but he had picked up a tummy bug and felt the need to demonstrate his call social services cry! He was as good as gold on the plane just suckled and snoozed!

pikz not sad, just a loving mummy. I too was cuddling a monitor last night. Still have the monitor for DD2 as well.

kyordz be grateful!

detective just wondering as gestational age has been mentioned as going up to a year. They do it with early babies, but I guess your boy is rare being so late.

chick I guess because yours was early that might result in sleep coming a bit later perhaps. Sorry you and others are suffering too.

YW thank you for that. CC is rather frowned upon by most I find, but sometimes it is needed. I could not have coped with another night like that. My neck still hurts, but not as bad as it would have done.

pass you are right. DH is far from perfect, but on parenting we are pretty much on the same page. He hated doing it, but knew he had to for my health and wellbeing.

Well, J settled around 9.30 and slept to 12.15.
Fed and took 1.5 hours to settle. Slept from 1.45 to 4.15 so actually went 4 hours between feeds.
Fed and settled after an hour. Slept from 5.15 to 7.15 at which time I brought him into bed.
Fed for 15 minutes, slept instantly and woke 10.15.

Not bad really. A whole night in his cot, with quality sleep, albeit in not huge chunks. Efficient feeding. Enjoyable feeding. Just the settling we need to work on. I plan to dismantle the cot side bed today as it is too much of a temptation.

Will bath the little cherub tonight and feed in his room. Holding him for a period was how I managed to settle him, and giving him a major burping session as twice he woke with wind. I will also look for sleep cues post birth. With such a hectic household it is hard to watch for cues sometimes.

I still feel like crap though, and have told the mummy I cannot go to the party. DD1 is fine about it. I would have had to take all three kids and am struggling to manage with my neck, so carrying a car seat would not be good. That is without even factoring in the snow.

stunt do you recommended the spectra then? Is it comfortable? Sorry for the Qs. I really want an electric one, I have the tommee tippee manual and its not to bad but my hand hurts and I have to pump for a good 30 min to get 2oz and DD thinks sleep is for the weak! is awake a lot so I don't have time to sit down a few times a day and pump

I wrote a (slightly crazed) post in the dead of night last night - the first nocturnal post ever. Usually little pig is easy to settle, even if it isn't in her bed. Last night she had a right billy-doo for nearly 3 hours, screaming and shouting, so was forced to come downstairs and make a drink.

The thermstat, which is in our hall, read 12 degrees and when I opened the lounge door it was colder still stupid open fire

evil where in devon/cornwall are you?

I remain jealous of all who are getting good nights at the moment - think our 7 hours was once again a blip/false start etc etc

notsonervous I have the same problems as you with my manual pump, although last night due to massive engorged boobs (for no good reason) managed to get 4oz in about 5 mins could have kept going but bottle was full It was tricky trying to explain to dsd what I was doing when she caught me mid-pump...

Meant to add, the crazed post DIDN'T POST as mumsnet was broken - of all the times for it to break! So sat, alone in the cold, for the duration

VQ LO normally starts her last bottle at about 9. She normally then has a crying session, like a short version of colic. Jst about 20minutes or so. I think this is when she is fighting sleep and just doesn't know what to do with herself. I wait for the first calm moment, then as soon as she rubs her eyes or yawns she goes in her cot for the night. It's normally at about ten or half past ten. Babies have sleep cycles too, and if we miss the cues then they can get past needing sleep or being able to settle, so then they are up and restless and miserable for another cycle (90 minutes or so just like us).

It's like when we are totally knackered but stay up a little more to set the dishwasher off, or watch the end of the film, or whatever, and by the time we'e done we can't sleep, whereas if we go to bed when we first feel we need to we will drop off more easily (insomnia issues excepted). I only read about sleep cues a couple of weeks ago, and checking them does seem to have worked quite well.

I just wish I could sleep. We've been arguing with our previous landlord about our damage deposit. Tey say they have to keep it and billed us an extra 200? when we left the house we rented back in September. Even though my DH had used up all his holiday leave repainting the damp horrible place with damp proof paint and we left the house in a much better condition than when we got it. Anyway the landlord's SIL was our childminder and we sacked her for a whole lot of reasons including starving DD1 and the landlord is taking revenge. So obviously we refused to pay the 200 and claimed back most of the deposit, but they are refusing to budge an inch. Next step would be court, and with everything that has happened recently we just can't be bothered to fight for months. Even though we know we would win, as their behaviour is outrageous, and any judge would take our side. So early this week we gave up, wrote them a cheque and ever since I have been lying awake at night trying to work out how I can take revenge on the entire family, as they have caused nothing but hassle and heartache for mine.

Bastards. They are the main reason why I don't sleep at the moment.

Those first sleep throughs of seven or eight hours are flukey but it shows they can do it BigPig and they will happen more and more often, and then one day, you'll wake up in the morning and rush to the cot to check LO is still breathing

J weighs over 15lb! 7 flipping kg! This is on bathroom scales. Only looking for a general idea on weight, but clearly we have no worries about weight gain!

PR you are so right about the sleep. About the landlord, I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around. Vengeance however, just serves to make you more unhappy, meaning that they are hurting you even more. Do not let them hurt you any more than they have done. The best thing you could do, IMO, is forget all about it and enjoy your home and family x. Easier said than done, I know.

Wise words VQ and I know I'll probably never do anything except, possibly, report the childminder to whoever you have to report them to in France, but that wouldn't be revenge, would just be the right thing to do (but have been a bit busy with life since sacking her and not quite sure how to go about it).

I just need to stew on it for a while and get the anger out of my system. Concocting ludicrous revenge plans is helping, and once I've stewed enough I'll put the whole thing in a bubble and blow it away :)

PR no need to rush to the cot as the little bugger darling is still in our bed

PR yes, reporting is appropriate to protect other children. Try to enjoy the stewing then. One thing I have found helpful in the past is to write stuff down and burn it.

She doesn't have any other mindees at the moment as she put herself on long term sick leave a few months ago. A guilty little voice inside tells me that her sudden change in behaviour towards DD was a symptom of her sickness, but the lioness in me meant I had to get my daughter out of there and NOW. I don't think she ever actually hurt her but she certainly frightened her by threeatening to hit her and, towards the end, mentioned that my never to that point fussy daughter was being difficult at meal times so she wasn't finishing her meal (she was 14 months). Then on the last day she sent her home with a full lunch box, told me she had been naughty so had gone without her lunch, afternoon snack and milk. I was already getting very angry and that was the straw that broke the camel's back so I sacked her, paid her a month's pay but didn't take DD back. A couple of weeks later I heard that a tumour had been discovered in her thyroid. I don't know if that can have an effect on mood and behaviour (it was benign) but she hasn't worked since, so no-one to protect at the moment.

pr how awful poor little dd1 - it really pisses me off when people (you, me, us) work really hard to have a good life, nice home, well behaved kids etc.... Get taken advantage off by landlords/builders etc... And we pay the price to avoid repercussions ?? like vq said karma will come back around and hopefully pay them back!!!

vq how're you feeling today? Your posts sound more upbeat - my mood can change within a heartbeat with regards to dd2 - hope you and j are having a good day x

I have the ameda lactaline and can get 4ozs in 15 minutes but only from one boob ?? have put done expressed milk on the freezer to see if Dottie will take it when thawed - don't want to stockpile it if she won't drink it!!!

Dots had a fab bath with her big sister last night and seemed to settle down around 9.30 until her clumsy ass mother knocked a Moses basket stand flying down the stairs why do I turn into a clumsy clown the minute she goes to sleep after cuddles with ds I actually got a shower without dh being here she went down at 11 until 4 when she fed for 15 mins then would not settle so I was getting really grumpy cos I was freezing and bed was toasty when dh suggested I check her bum - doh!!!! Am so used to her doing a poo once every 3/4 days I forgot she had a runny sore bum - changed her and slathered cream on and boom off she went back to the land if nod - I can be a thick cow sometimes!!!

She let me lie in until 9.30 wooo!!

Things seem to be getting better here but I am not holding my breath.

Then girls are over their colds and I have had 2 good nights sleep, only having to get up a couple of times each night. P although he doesn't feel like my partner, more like my third baby, my triplet has cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed the house, packed away the Tesco shopping and changed our bed linen. I wont get too excited though as that is not nearly enough for 3 days (he had Friday off work). But it is a start I guess.

The girls have their 4 month immunisations next week. As soon as they get over one lot it is time for the next lot. At least there is a big break now until 12 months. I can't believe how big they are getting. In 3-6 month clothes now but still no idea how much they weigh. They haven't been weighed since November

Welcome back YW

I'm just watching that 16 kids & counting (a little behind on trashy tv currently). How in gods name do they do it??? It is bad enough with one baby, one adult baby (dh) and one part timer (dsd).

Saying that, dh is in my good books as he cooked me breakfast

You are way behind bigpig it is now 20 kids and counting!

garden 20 kids and counting is the American one isn't it?

No idea how they do it! Scares me

Hmm, I thought Bigpig meant the American one. Ignore me, have only watched tv about 5 times since babies were born

glenda bit better thank you. Feeling a bit better prepared for tonight. Glad I did not go to the party. Off to grandmas shortly as my beloved brother is visiting. They are serving the fatted lamb. Missed the fatted calf last night. He deserves it though as he has had a shit year.

PR no excuse for that behaviour. Poor you.

I am not sure you could give the love deserved to 16 kids. Time would not allow. I have not seen the programme though.

garden an hour long program has taken in excess of 2 to watch. And have clearly flaunted many of the health visitors rules in order to watch it - LO is overdressed in car seat . Needs must.