March 2013 - 6 months down, 210 to go!

[StormyBrid]

Old thread.

Keep on rambling, ladies, we have a whole new thread to fill!

Get used to the Hellish teething demon? Not likely. Where did I put my ear plugs...?

Stormy when I'm flying solo, the only thing that keeps me sane is to plan to be out a lot. Eg seeing friends, going to baby groups (and probably more than usual), any other free/cheap sessions in libraries or children centres, shopping around town, going for a walk.

Yes it's knackering but then DD sleeps in the car or buggy more and tends to grumble less. And if she does grumble I'm out somewhere so it never seems to matter as much.

I appreciate that's not for 3 weeks at a time though - the max I've had to do in a row is three days :(

And breathe.....
Has anyone tried the EBW's Pick up put down method of sleep training (or similar)? How did you do it and what was your experience like?

I'm very nearly crying broken!

We've not needed to try it, eco. Which I'm thankful for, because to me it looks like a good way of pissing baby off! But my total lack of experience means I'm not really qualified to comment.

My thoughts exactly Stormy. That would really get on my wick too. I really want to understand the logic!

Eco I tried it & lasted about 2 hrs of constant picking up & putting down before I had a complete breakdown & co- slept!

I can't get madam to sleep here at all so we're co- sleeping but it's knackering my back. Not fun but necessary at the moment & I'll tackle the consequences once we're home.

Hope it's more settled tonight Stormy & everyone else with bad nights.

Night all.

What's EBW? Something-baby-whisperer?

DH and I spoke earlier about whether to start controlled crying with DD but I think we're going to wait until she's properly on three meals and also off the boob and onto just formula, which will be by the time I start work in about a month (ARGH going too quickly!). And then who knows, DD might be sleeping through again by then... Ha!

Eco I have a theory, and that theory is that all the sleep training methods either work, or they don't, based on your baby. The pick up/put down thing works here if the tiddler has woken due to a bubble of wind and it comes up when I lift her. If she is hungry, or just not tired it doesn't.

Here we pace, which apparently is wrong, but it works, and what is more is allowing us to move towards a self settle. The worselet is now at the point where she will send herself to sleep provided I wait until she gives her sleep cues (rubbing eyes and tugging ears), put her in her gro-bag and then pace to the point where she snuggles into me. It's cut the whole bedtime routine down to about 10 minutes.

On the water front, I have to trick her. I give her a bottle of water before every feed, and several times during proper meals. She'll drink quite a bit before she realises it isn't milk. Poor child is destined to grow up hating me isn't she. Mean mummy

Stormy it may not seem like it now, but you will get to the point where you actually find it easier without DH messing up your routine. The tiddler and I have a nice little thing going. We have lots of fun, nappies are changed on cue, meals arrive when expected and the pram/sling appear the second nutter baby is starting to put in an appearance. DH is a top dad but he doesn't read the signs hence we have a lot more upset.

KFF it was radio4... and thanks everyone for all your lovely comments, which have swollen my head to the size of a small planet. Good job I have my dad here to remind me I am a mere child, so should largely be seen and not heard... and preferably not seen

And the worselet progress report - another tooth they're sharp aren't they (I'm not offering her my finger to chew on again), and she's now super mobile having discovered the power of the multi-roll. Put her at one end of the carpet by herself and she can cover a good 20ft in about 3 seconds to get to where she wants to be. It's scary. The days of popping into another room for a second are definitely over.

The E stands for Evil, Wing.

worse the man's excellent at reading baby cues at the moment. Four months out of work meant he spent as much time with her as I did. It's a shame to lose that. Glad we had that time though, else I suspect he'd have had some trouble bonding. At least he's not under my feet leaving a trail of biscuit crumbs everywhere, I suppose.

I think I'm finding it harder this week because she's being so very shouty. I'm assuming teeth, as calgel helps. At least last night was okay - she half woke for her dummy at 3.15 then not a peep until 7. At which point I fed her, told her to go back to sleep, and came outside for a fag. Really need her to sleep until 9, because a two nap day just doesn't work otherwise.

Oh, and agreed about sleep training methods being dependent on the baby. We did cc at six weeks, and it worked a treat because she just needed the opportunity to figure out how to fall asleep by herself.

Agree too about training being dependent on the baby. I had an acquaintance call me last week having a meltdown (I'd only met her briefly twice through a friend! As she had noone else to speak to and I counselled her for an hour. One of the problems was she was reading those darn books and trying to force her child know a routine that it clearly (to an outsider) wasn't going to fit. Envelope why half the mums who use, Gina Ford, love it and half detest it - it depends on the baby. DS got himself into a routine fairly early on that fitted very much with BW and DD is another story!

Talking of which, we dropped the 'dream feed' last night an DD slept tons better!! I got out of bed twice in the night but sat back down on it and waited and she self settled and ten didn't need a feed till 5:30!
Bet it's just a one off though, to lull us into a false sense of security...

Hope you've all had good nights x

Madam decided last night she would only sleep if she had a boob in her mouth to occasionally suck for comfort. Hmmm. This resulted in multiple occasions of me saying no, her screaming crying and clawing at me for a while and eventually me giving in. Today she is smiley and lovely and I am broken. I'm tempted to drive home and collect her travel cot as the one her is just too narrow and she freaks out every time she touches the sides so its just not worth it. Tonight I'm taking her for a swim just before bed. She will sleep!

I'm wondering whether we will resort to sleep training at some point and when or of, as I keep telling myself, it'll just sort itself out eventually!

Have a good day everyone.

It will sort eventually, SoYo, but eventually could be years away! If you do try some form of sleep training though, remember steely determination is the way forward. Whatever you try needs to be consistent. But again, I'm no expert.

Morning all.
After 2hrs of whinging ds is finally down for his morning nap. Last night he woke up every 2hrs. I think its his teeth. Poor boy.

Re sleep training. Hmm. Im waiting for ds to sleep through himself. He has got himself into his own routine for feedings, naps and self settling. So im hopeful he will sleep through. I may think differently when im closer to starting work though. I cant be waking up every 2hrs when im working. Ive told dh we will sharing night waking. We will do night duty every other day. He wasnt happy about that but thats life.

worse i missed the link in your previous post. Will have a listen a little later. You are our local celeb now.

I think we'll be doing the same KFF. Stormy that's exactly why I'm not doing sleep training, I haven't got the determination or heart to see it through as much as I'm sure this madam would need so it'd just be stressing us both needlessly if I gave up halfway through. I'm sure you think I'm bonkers for not doing it but I've coped thus far and hopefully we can just continue and one day magically get it! I'm ever optimistic!

Nothing bonkers about parenting the way you want to, SoYo. How you've coped so far is beyond me though! I suppose the next thing to look forward to is mobility - once she's zooming around all over the place, she might knacker herself out enough to just go to sleep and stay asleep. Or she might not, but there's no harm in hoping!

Aggghhh teething is at its worst today. 2 bottles since 3am and only 1hr nap since 6am. Im assuming its teething. Solids have been refused too. Ive tried ibroprufen (sp?) teething granules and teething rings.hes chewing on a remote control as we speak. I cant wait for dh to come home.

So. The end of an era. I have just put the boy to bed (after a slightly hellish day of inexplicable grumps, nap and bottle refusal) and here endeth my maternity leave. Does this make me the first to go back (apart from Rainbow who I know was back at her home office within hours days weeks )? Wonder how Eig is doing as she was due back next week at one point... If you're lurking Eig hope all going well.

I feel a bit odd. Have spent the last few days revisiting the work wardrobe and culling it to the (rather small and somewhat eclectic) bits that fit me currently. Have packed my handbag (removed all stuff from changing bag ) and have a bit of a back to school vibe. I have filled out the nursery registration forms today and will post tomorrow so I can apply for childcare vouchers at work. He will start in the new year when dh returns to work pt.

Awww pud im feeling all emotional for you. I hope your first day goes well for you.

Pud hope it goes ok for you. Are you full or part time?

I go back a month today. We've had he nursery place for a couple of months, and I had a serious wobble earlier this week about using it. But then we sat down and did a bit of maths... Our plan is for me to work until baby no.2, at which point I'll likely stay at home for a couple of years.

Wing like Stormy we found early success with cc. If I had to do it again I would. Consistency is key I think. Ds is a happy little boy so I'm sure my selfishness has only caused some very deep seated mental health problems (for anyone who recalls the hooha I caused in April).... Seriously though, it worked. He sleeps, we sleep, he wakes up smiling.

Stormy four months? Wow. Lovely you had such a long time together. I'd have killed my DP if he were getting under my feet for such a long time. But then he's another who fails to notice cues and wonders why the baby has started to scream. To pass the time we go for long walks nearly every day, we play, giggle a lot and I pop him in his walker/on the playmat if I need to get anything done. I have a list of regulars to visit. Like Wing says, the grumbling baby isn't so worrisome when you're not at home.

I think I've finally started to succumb to the plague. This may mean postponing our dirty weekend. Bugger.

Full time. Dh goes pt when he returns in jan.

Thinking of you Pud, going back will be rubbish but once you're in the swing if the new routine you'll be grand. Good luck!

Did you get some respite Kff?
Pud, you are trail blazing. Really hope that after tomorrow is out of the way it all starts to feel less weird. Lovely that your childcare is dh though. One thing less to worry about.
Soyo miniyo is loving the upgraded center parcs beds then? Is the poo situation any better? We recently had fourteen days of poo every two ish hours but she kept feeding and wetting nappies. Hoping yours is shorter.
Stormy has it got any easier now it's day three (?)?
Wing hoping you get a second night of Great self settling and that a habit is emerging.
Plonky I guess your dirty weekend would be a bit too dirty if there was too much mucus flying around. Hope you fight it off quickly.
Thanks everyone for your opinions on sleep training. Last night sucked. Having previously been a good sleeper these last two months have been horrid. She's screaming a lot overnight. Not even a feed helps. One of the multiple wake ups was 2.25 hours of screaming last night. I've posted in sleep to see what other POV are out there. Feel free to bump! No one's biting yet. We changed our bedtime routine for first time to include a feed in light, sleep bag on then story to ensure awake to cot and that bit worked. Let's see what lies ahead.

Hope you guys all have good ones.

Morning all!

Good luck Pud. I hope you enjoy getting back to your career, and with DH at home until Jan, the transition will be an easy one for ds.

Eco sounds rough. Teething? Or maybe a wonder week? The worselet had a weird period recently where she wouldn't eat in the day, woke hungry at night, and generally had a bit of a stroppy moo on. That was followed by a week where she ate so much she now looks like a sumo wrestler and I am tentatively wondering whether I should ration her rations . That's a joke btw Hope last night went better.

Stormy like Plonky I'd have found 4 months of DH under heel a tad trying. He's lovely, helpful, all of that, but I'd get nothing done and no MN-ing. The worslet would have loved it though. When he is here the pair of them spend most of the day doing the flying baby trick round the house with him making aeroplane noises. I have never seen a baby laugh so much. I get a nervous tic worrying about him dropping her, but then again I figure she's weeviled her way up above the cars in his affections, and given the slightest dint on one of those would send him demented, dropping her on her head is would seem unlikely.

Plonky hope the plague lifts soon. It has descended here . I've woken with a stonking sore throat, to balance out my wrecked back, so had probably head out to buy one of those baby snot sucker things today. If I'm ill, dd's will be too.

KFF no advice, just sympathy. We're mid teething too, and it's so sad. I really feel for her. Meal times have degenerated into a spoon biting opportunity, and she really bites on it, until her face goes red and her eyes tear up. It's breaking me.

Have good days all.

Eco the nappies have been pretty much back to normal for the last couple of days, 2-3 a day, but she's still not back to normal. Much grumpier & more clingy & a viral rash on her chest & back. I'm desperate to see the back of it!

Wors I hope you feel better soon!