January 2013 Part Two: Coos and smiles but not always so much sleep...

[SpringFlowers]

Our first thread has almost finished so I thought we'd need a new one!

Hi all glad you are all well :)

Creepy let me know how you get on with the drive. We're going to my family for Easter, it's a five hour drive, DP is coming back separate so that will be an interesting experience for me! Baby Whisperer says a dummy is ok in the car though.

Lora\ anyone - with mix feeding, how do you know how much to give them? I am totally winging it now, just trying to follow cues hopefully he will not end up massively over or under fed...

Anyone picked up any hints on what triggers a cranky evening? We find about half are calm, half cranky. Tried different tactics, maybe they are unavoidable at this age. Having just introduced some formula I am interested to notice that when he is cranky he rejects the bottle as well as breast - it's not something wrong with me then! I was thinking my flow was too slow or something but apparently he was just contrary!

Today was interesting, while out he got very hungry and then when we stopped he took a whole 200ml of formula, then slept for 4 hours, woke for a bf then would have happily slept much longer if I'd left him. Here's hoping he goes down tonight... Wish me luck.

I always give him bottles of six ounces. Only cos thats what the box says, 9 times out of 10 he'll finish it and aslong as hes winded properly he wont cry again til hes hungry, not even for a new nappy. Rest of the day its boob on demand and he will come off on his own accord. He definatly wants a bottle by the ten oclock at night feed becaus he gets all ratty at the boob and i cant settle him to feed properly but he takes the bottle no problem. I

dont worry about under/over feeding at this age they know when they are and arent hungry and they cant lie about it so just trust them

Just been reading what you've all been up to. Glad everyone's ok ish!

Had a hideous day yesterday - up at 5am to get poor DD1 to hospital for a scan under general anaesthetic. She has an underlying risk and its always a heartbreaking experience, but back home now and all happy again.

I'm fact, DD2 slept a record 8 hours last night! And DD1 slept 11. So I got my first 7 hours in a row for about 2 years which has made up a bit for the shit day yesterday.

Re sleep - I kept saying I reckoned it was feeding during the day or sleeping less in the day that helps sleep at night. I now think that could be bollocks as I've thrown the routine out the window the last couple of days and DD2 has slept the most yet. I guess baby will sleep longer when baby is ready. Or, someone told me when they get to 12lbs they sleep for longer, so anyone who's baby is nearly 12lbs could be in for a treat soon!

Ps on room temp topic from earlier, mine is warm at about 20 degrees as even if I wrapped her snuggly her whole head would be out in the cold air and I'd feel guilty with mine half under the duvet and with lots of hair keeping me warm.

Not that I'm hairy. Hair on my head I mean

Thanks Lora but how do you know he is getting enough bm the rest of the time? Is he obviously taking "a full feed"?

Worried due to the poor latch and sleepiness at the breast.

God I constantly worry about the heat levels too! Usually about 17 C here, costing us a fortune.

I think it was happy or hormonal on here who told me when they are finishing up on you boob its more a fluttery feeling than sucking. Honestly if your baby is not getting enough they will cry for more or get ratty on your boob. Also i think someone on here gave a link to kellymum or something and it shows they need less boob milk ounces than if they were on formula all day. Not sure why but there must be some reason. Honestly stop worrying though and just listen to your baby theyl tell you

Meringue my DD has a very shallow latch (doesn't hurt though) and feeds for 5-10min max but she has loads wet nappies and is putting on weight so it's just what suits her.

Breastmilk changes in consistency as baby gets older to make available more calories and nutrients in the same amount of milk. Formula obviously has to be increased to get the same effect. Thats why babies taking ebm sometimes only want 2 or 3 oz at a time as opposed to 5 or 6 oz formula.

Thanks guys... Wow ok that makes a lot of sense. Explains why the ebm filled him up for such a long time yesterday! Thank you all. Think I just need to have a bit more patience and be less anxious about every little thing. MIL and DP's aunt came to visit today, both 70+ and v old school. MIL bf two DC and ff one. Said she hated bf. Aunt said she bf one DC for six weeks then ff because "could not be bothered bf", MIL also said she gave DP solids at 3 1/2 weeks because he was a big baby and "needed a crust"!

meringue 3 1/2 weeks !!!

Lol, meringue!! The old ones are the best, as they say!

Please tell me how u all amuse your little ones when awake? Charlie just gets bored with everything

I was given cereal at 3 weeks. By 8 weeks (same age as my DD) I had moved onto custard and chicken broth.

And apparently I stopped night feeds at 4 weeks.

I read through this (it's in my baby book) when I was pregnant and for some reason thought that my DD would stop night feeds at 4 weeks too

My dh keeps saying we should give Ivy solids as she is huge and always feeding . She is 12 weeks old ffs and our 4th so honestly he should know better! Spent ages patiently explaining that none of the others had anything else till just over 4 months and i plan to leave it as late as poss as weaning is such a faff and bf is easy!

Hormonal i just talk a lot of nonsense to Ivy and sing and wave toys at her! Tbh it helps that dcs are smitten with her and will do anything to make her smile :)

Our journey today was a success! She slept all the way there and all the way back, apart from when we had to stop at traffic lights she had a little whinge. Thanks for all your advice, I just popped a blanket over her and she was toasty the whole time.

I entertain Nancy the same way as apple does with Ivy, talking shit and showing her toys. I've also found a video on YouTube that's just black & white patterns that change which she enjoys, she always reaches for the phone when I put it on.

There's some good books on ideas for playing with baby. Eg one called 'clever baby' is good as it goes up to 24 months and very easy to read

Linky

www.amazon.co.uk/Clever-Baby-Simone-Cave/dp/1859063233/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364405411&sr=8-1

Downside is some of the suggestions are very obvious (eg make faces at baby), but might give you ideas of some things you haven't thought of

Meringue that sounds like my MIL!

DD was ok yesterday after her jabs, she slept well ..... Unlike her big brother who I found watching TV at 2am this morning ... He is 2!!!!

I've got to leave DD tomorrow with her aunt as its my nanas funeral

I talk crap to DD too! Weather/washing/shopping anything to keep my sanity

Real belly laughs from Daniel when we blow bubbles at him

When i run out of entertainment ideas i repeat what the tv is saying he loves it i was on the fone yesterdayto insurance and he loves my number plate too ...

I got excited when his tummy time thing arrived today. So much so i answered the door with half my boob out... Not the good one either, the poor woman copt an eyefull of my manky boob. I also lost my nip shield in the process and losing one of them is as bad as a contact lens!! Located it on my blusher brush ffs

lora how is the tummy time thing? I'm conscious that dd doesn't really do tummy time, she just flops forward then cries if I try.

so I went for my smear today, it was horrible. I thought after giving birth I wouldn't even notice, but I was wrong.

lolli sorry about your nanna.

I entertain dd in the same ways others have said. she likes mirrors at the moment. I have a couple of the black and white baby books which she likes too. mostly I just talk nonsense to her though.

I completely fail with tummy time. He just hates it and cries. However I hold him upright on my lap and his head control is way better. Surely that's better than nothing...?