October 2012: onwards, upwards and rolling over?

[YompingJo]

Is this part 5 already? Where did that time go?

Oh you have made me giggle London. Thank you x x

But please don't smear baby shit all over your face. No.

I wondered what the fuck smooth transitions ate supposed to be too.

My DS looks like he has been attacked by Edward Scissor hands. Bloody feckin nails.

Hiding under the covers watching the snow with Jess laughing my head off at Londonmrss (sorry)... uh, now the blizzard has just stopped giving way to bright sunshine, wtf!? My poncy baby group has been cancelled... I will go actually insane if I "play" with Jess for 8 hours straight... right, let's find me a mate with kids so we can pool them and drink tea...

Huffle hugs, I so feel your pain. We finally had a better night last night but while baby girl made noises and writhed about every hour between 1 and 6 but didn't actually wake up, I was wide awake each time and getting ready to feed her! Ironically,DH, who had built the cot for the nursery and got everything ready to whisk her off into there and take her for the night the minute she didn't settle for me, got the best night's sleep!

Cherry I would go to the doctor for weeping eczema. DD has it on her legs so I have been researching and found out that it's good to put emollient cream on it straight after a (warm not hot) bath and Aveeno products are good. Vaseline also seals in moisture but I'm not sure if emollient does the same as Aveeno cream plus Vaseline. To be honest, I'm not actually sure what emollient is! Apparently soap nuts are good to use for laundry and very cheap if you buy in bulk, can get them online, they are natural so won't cause allergy problems unlike some washing powders. Failing that, use non scented non bio powder and no fabric softener. No idea how much any of this will help, will let you know how we get on!

Mickey, sorry to hear about flu, very unfair. Get well soon and make sure your DH runs around like a madman looking after you and bean as much as possible.

Elpis, any tips on adjusting the Babybjorn? I find it really uncomfortable on my back and no idea how to set it up properly, I tightened all the straps but it still hurts. DD is tall and seems too low down in it even though the diagram seems to suggest that taller babies need to go lower down.

I refuse to read anything more about what my baby should be doing! She seems fine to me!!

Though I am reading The Politics of Breastfeeding - it's along the lines of an expose on drug companies I read recently, Bad Pharma, and I think it's going to make me very grumpy...

No, we are back to blizzard!

oh huffle that is shit. properly shit. can you find some baby yoga videos online so you dont go totally mad?

London I totally agree re the incredibly vague language in wonder weeks. irritates the hell out of me.

Good night here. only one feed between 11pm and 7, though she shouted on two other occasions she did settle without me getting out of bed.

and... very good news...we have been referred to a paediatrician by the GP re dd's allergies and reflux etc. Despite improvement there is still much grizzly behaviour, short, frequent feeds, spots and projectile vomit so we havent resolved things yet. I suspect she is also intolerant of eggs and goats dairy products. Hoping for some good advice.

london "Your baby will behave like a total asshole this week, but at the end off it they'll probably be doing some new cool / cute thing and it is this cuteness which prevents us from eating our young." Brilliant, just spat tea everywhere reading that, v true!

I think things are settling here, sleep is still scuppered by the cold but she seems a happier baby in the day and has started napping a bit in her crib again which gives some much needed headspace. Sorry to read a lot of you still having a shit time, would echo advice about getting out of the house whenever's poss and getting others to take over for a bit. Had my haircut last weekend while dh babysat (keep saying that - can you really babysit for your own daughter???) And made me feel 100% better. Worth pointing out to OHs that there is a difference between then randomly playing with baby for a bit or doing the odd nappy change to saying right I'm taking her for the next hour, you don't have to think about her till then, go and do something else!

The children's centres are a bit of a lifeline, all the ones here have sensory rooms that you can book and go and sit in for an hour, sounds not very exciting but does seems to keep dd more amused than at home and she has a sleep afterwards so might be worth looking into if you're struggling to find groups to go to? I started going with a few ladies immediately after baby massage and we've enjoyed it so much we've booked to go next week even thought the massage is finished.

And finally keep in mind what my mum keeps telling me - they change all the time and the bigger they get the more active they are, the more they tire themselves out and the better they sleep, it WILL get better, maybe only slowly and maybe only in a two steps forward one back way but in the bigger scheme of things better.

Right off to try and hang the laundry before she wakes...

Squid, I started clear of that breastfeeding book for exactly the same reason... far too much that makes me grumpy already .

Feel much better after a better night but still didn't get any quality deep sleep so going to take it easy today. What's the betting that she sleeps fairly well while DH is off then goes back to terrible nights when he is back at work and can't look after her all night so I get some sleep???

London, that book annoys me too, think it is its glib, lighthearted tone while it tells you your baby will be possessed by the devil for weeks on end! I think the transitions thing means that up till now ( as a result of previous leap) they have been able to make individual movements more smoothly, and this leap is about putting them together in sequences so they will start to be able to roll over (which needs a sequence of moves to be discovered, repeated then learned: legs up, one arm down, fling legs to side, keep arm down, turn head and da daaaaa! - at least I think that's how mini yomping will manage it eventually), and to be able to do other things that require a pattern of movements. Can you tell I was desperately reading it yesterday trying to find some positives about this hideous phase?

And if I explained that needlessly, throw dirty nappies at me. Maybe I am missing teaching

yomping sounds about right - my favourite bit is at the end of every chapter it seems to have a bit that says 'you'll probably want to shake your baby this week - don't.' in the same 'cheery' tone as the rest.

Yomping - don't know which model you have, but have you adjusted the big front strap with the measurements on it? That's the first thing to get right - it needs to be longer if the baby is in a snowsuit. Check you can slide the prongs into the front without difficulty. Then make sure shoulder straps are flat. If they're ever folded over or wrinkled I feel it quite quickly. Then adjust the waist straps (assuming yours has them?). I wear mine over under coats and jackets.

I have a scratchy, eye-water-inducing throat. There is some kind of devilish blend of hail and rain bouncing off the windows with the might of an Atlantic gale behind it. Only London's description of WW is putting a smile on my face. I think you should re-write your own special version of it... :o

A big hug to huffle and others contending with raptor feeders x

Haha London, exactly! All I really want to know is when it's going to end and what I'm going to get out of it. Smooth bloody transitions indeed.

Thanks for the great eczema advice Yomping. The soap nuts sound intriguing! We went to the doc and have got some steroid cream, though showed it to dad (GP) on Skype later and he said it's possibly infected, so may have to go back for antibiotic cream.

YEY for good sleep and referral Livvy!

Fingers crossed for a happy baby on waking Huffle. Enjoy your cake, you've made me want some now. I feel a baking frenzy coming on...

BTW I have an Ergo and find it much better for my back if I have the waistband right on my waist, resting on top of my hips and quite tight so it doesn't slip down. This means my hips take most of the weight, but it does mean baby is quite high so it might not work if you have a shorter torso. Not sure how it would translate to other brands.
I'm still using the infant insert, but with legs out.
The Moby wrap is definitely easier on my back though.

london please go back to comedy writing and write something about being a new mum, hilarious.
huffle thinking of you. Can you try and get a nap in today?

Just been to a mums group this morning. Does anyone feel like they are always putting their foot in it/saying the wrong thing? I feel like I'm constantly treading on eggshells in case I offend someone. Chewing my fist at something I said this morning in my very sleep deprived state.

Also those of you who feed lying down, how do you do it?! I end up feeling totally twisted. When i do it I feed on my side with baby next to me on his back but then he has to turn his neck to feed - not good. Also I can't fully lie on my side or my back but in between in order to get nipple in the right place for him. It's very hard to hold this position for a long time. I've tried putting a pillow by my back to prop me up but it only helps a bit.

I should say the reason baby is on his back is I can't seem to keep him balanced on his side to feed.

Thanks all for your sympathies. Just spent another half hour dementedly rocking and pushing pram to get him to nap. Rocked in arms for 10 mins but no chance. Then swing, no chance. Half hr pram did it. All the time eyes rolling in tiredness then the head from side to side sleep refusal! What is his problem?????!!! I'd love someone to be putting me to sleep!!! Poor silly little nobber baby.

I am still eternally grateful to Londonmrss for reminding me to look for him being tired about 2 hrs. He starts getting fussy before hour and half and if u haven't managed to convince him to sleep before 2 hrs, he is nearly beyond it for another hour. Day time naps do improve as they get more active, right? Someone posted that earlier. My dad keeps insisting that is the case!

We need fresh air. No way could push pushchair in snow. Back slightly better today. Wonder if baby bjorn would be stupid idea? Had planned to go to sling library meeting on Friday but didn't manage it. Not finding bjorn comfy on my weak back and don't want to buy anything else incase he just too heavy for me. Is now about 8kg

Sorry. Totally me me me. Not a good day.
Non MN style hugs to you all.

Bloody hell DH has actually volunteered to take DD out to tesco with him. I have feet up, drinking tea, heat mag in hand and phil and holly on the telly. Is it bad that I hope they're gone a long time?!

Ta Smorgs. Feel bit too wired to sleep. Humph. I too find lying feeding totally impossible. I do manage to lie DS on side but I need to hold him. Back and neck and shoulders all end up tensed up. Gave it up as bad job weeks ago. Any insight appreciated here too!

Cherry I couldn't bake a cake if you paid me.

London, London and Yomping , very glad you had better nights. Very very.

Off to put feet up on sofa in vague hope of catching 40 winks myself.

re lying down feeding, I prop baby on her side with a cushion behind her, lie completely on my side and just hold my tit in place. it works ok but then I'm the last person who should be giving out feeding advice...

huffle that was me about the daytime naps, mum swears all three of us, once we were mobile suddenly started having a good 2 hour sleep early pm, sometimes we were too tired to eat dinner (lunch). So living in hope here too (she says rocking pram back and forth with foot while trying to finish tea... )

Thanks Wooly! That sounds like the type of parental input I'm pleased to hear!!!!!!

Not jealous at all Cheesy you lucky cow.
My nobber DH walked in from work at the exact moment DS finally went to sleep, after me "feeding to sleep" for 45 mins, then "rocking to sleep" from crying 3 times, all whilst starving hungry and with aching back. Perfect timing.
And tomorrow he's off to America, so I won't even have anyone to swear at.

I do laid back feeding. Lie back, slightly propped up with cushion or pillow, lie DS on top, belly to belly. Ta dah!

Phew, just wrestled Jess down for nap. Lots of tears!!! Go in your basket dammit, mummy wants a baby-free cup of tea.

( it's so not worth my time, since starting writing that have been in 3 times in 45 minutes to re-settle)

Well today I drove out in the blizzard to the very posh side of Sheffield to pick up a beautiful unused mothercare cot worth about £300 for £20, parked on the main road due to the snow, tramped up a little lane to the biggest house I have EVER seen with Jess in the sling... stood there gawping at it wondering if it was actually a hotel/nursing home... then lovely posh woman came out, cooed at Jess, told me all about her four children and how Jess made her want another, told me I was an idiot for coming in the snow (I knew that already)... then helped me carry the bits of cot down to my (tiny) car, bless her. I insisted she left before she watched me trying to fit a dismantled cot in a tiny car, it would have been just too embarrassing. For some reason I had MASSIVELY underestimated how big a cot would be!! Wodged it all in nearly killing Jess in her car seat in the process.
Then I carried it and Jess up the stairs to my flat! I am a hero!! I will try and assemble it before boyfriend finishes work. And I guess I need to locate a mattress. Love you, ebay.

So I want a baby free cup of tea and half an hour to read my book dammit

cherry i tried that position and so wanted it to work but I find it really uncomfortable on my nipples, like they're being pressed inwards or something.

I feel like i'm back at school. There was a woman at the same breastfeeding clinic months ago and we kept bumping into each other. Eventually we swapped numbers, met up a few times and went to the same baby group - where we met another nice woman who we swapped numbers with. Now I've seen them both several times together on the high st without having heard from either of them. Ha - it's not exactly like I am upset, given I could have easily made arrangements but I admit my ego flinched a little