January 2014 - hoping for more sleep

[beccajoh]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/1952352-Jan-2014-And-lo-there-appeared-a-star-Our-babies-start-arriving

What's the deal with threads being closed? Is there a post limit?

I am soooooo tired today. Archie has been really unsettled the last few nights from about 4am onwards. Sometimes he's hungry, sometimes he wants to play, sometimes he wants his dummy. The last two nights he's ended up in with us as it's easier to replug the dummy, pat etc.
YAWN.

Still no sleep here. It's really starting to get to me. I wish we had family close by who would offer to just take Sylvie for a few hours so I could get some sleep. DP is revising for exams at the moment so no help there until at least next week Also wish we could have a couple of hours to do something together as it feels like we are drifting apart a bit. It's silly but I have friends who have babies and they regularly get to go out for a meal or something as a couple and I'm so jealous!! It's a bit of a selfish issue in the grand scheme of things but I just feel a bit sad. I need some time to be a normal person and not just a Mum

Hi ladies, soz not been around for aaaaaages. Completely forgot about this thread then saw it pop up in active posts. Had a lot on. Can't remember if I've posted about this or not, but a month ago I was diagnosed with skin cancer, melanoma. I had surgery to remove it and all of the lymph glands on the left side of my groin. That was on 20th May. Was in hospital for a week, and have been on total bed rest at home ever since, aside from trips to the loo. As you can imagine, it's been fairly shit but we're keeping positive. My kids keep me going - I have to keep going for their sake - but I can't do anything for them at the moment, not even giving Archie his bottles. Thankfully we've got a lot of people able to help out.

Just read up thread about weaning. Archie is 4.5 months now and I think DH wants to give it a try, mainly because he's dog tired and hoping it might help him sleep longer. I don't think he's ready at all yet have persuaded DH not to try for the time being.

Becca wow, you've really been through it! I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis and surgery, it must be very hard glad you've got lots of support around you, and a fantastic sounding DH

I wouldn't start if you don't think he's ready, but of course it's entirely up to you. I started 2 weeks ago at 21ish weeks so rather early, but she was definitely ready. It's weird because if you'd have asked me at 20 weeks I would have said no way! She seemed to grow up loads over night! It was very strange

Just had to count the weeks as I couldn't remember! He's 20 weeks. Trouble is he's very fussy about having his bottles and waking up more at night - classic sleep regression I think? How long is it meant to last? Difficult to tell at the mo as he's had an atrocious cold the past few days, so has been grumpy and unsettled from that. My mum also thinks he might be teething as he's got two little bumps on his bottom gum.

So many things could be wrong eh! We just had to guess which one it is!

Soz me again, just reading about baby rice further down the thread, that stuff is revolting. DD quite reasonably wouldn't eat it, but it was useful to thicken up purees if they were too runny, not that she had many. She wouldn't eat much of anything until about 14 months

Hi again, becca. Sorry you've been having a rough time :(

Re weaning, it's a fallacy that starting solid food early will help babies sleep longer. Milk is more calorific than food (for the amount a baby will eat), so they're actually taking in fewer calories so are likely to be hungry even quicker IYSWIM.

I agree, I've found food hasn't made a difference with Sylvie's sleep. She's been waking every hour for the past few weeks (I started weaning a few days after sleep regression kicked in) and she's only got slightly better the past couple of nights. We are trying sweet potato tonight! Exciting

becca hugs. Sorry you're having such a hard time. Hope you're being well looked after.

felix if there's one near you, you and dp could go to baby cinema. Hopefully Sylvie will nod off through it and then for a meal? Dp and I haven't been put for ages either. I do totally get the whole 'just a mum' thing. I had a little cry yesterday that I felt crap and like a milk machine/chef/house maid. I hope you get some time for yourself soon.

I think I agree with toby. DS1 didn't take to food very well and it was 7 months or so before he really got into it and 10/11 months when he slept through. Though I think that may have been him going into his own room as opposed to the food filling him up.

Cal had his Hv check up today and he seems to be doing well. And that should be the last time we see HV till 1 year. It's a shame because I quite liked her (HV for DS1 was awful), though I'm sure she thought I was some sort of liberal English hippy with my bfing and baby led weaning. Fwiw, I'm not, I'm just lazy and hated making purees DS refused to eat.

Thanks enormouse. We have an everyman here and they do baby club but it's on a Wednesday morning and DP works mon-fri.

I think I'm just finding it tough not being close to family and friends. My Mum regularly offers to take my nieces for an evening so my sister and her fiancé can go out for dinner/cinema etc. but I suppose it's my own fault for moving away! I keep reminiscing about the times where I could just wander round the shops on my own, and we would go out for a few drinks on the spur of the moment. I'm jealous of all my babyless friends who are doing things with their life, and I feel like I wasted my time pre-baby just doing fuck all and not going out and enjoying life. I think it's partly because I suffered with anxiety for a few years so spent most of my time avoiding social situations and staying in being a loner. Now the anxiety has gone, I feel like I've massively wasted those years. I'm the first one to get pregnant and all of my friends live miles away so I'm feeling a bit left out and rubbish

Sorry for venting! It sounds so trivial and stupid.

becca sorry to hear that, hope you're ok

I fed Henry for the first time today, early at 17w on Monday but I feel he's ready. He had sweet potato and wolfed it down. Today's the most content he's been in a while, although understand it's probably a coincidence!

Getting glad he enjoyed it! The book I read said to only expect your baby to eat around a teaspoon of food the first few times but Sylvie scoffed a whole bowl of food too I couldn't believe it

Becca - you've been through the mill, take it alowly

felix - you're feelings are normal. I'm pissed with how much time and money i wasted pre-kids. They say youth is wasted on the young, i get that now.

getting - how lovely!

Henry has started wolfing down food and milk! It's like a switch has flipped dh said (sadly I've not seen it happen. I've spent maybe two hours with my kids since Wed, i get home and have 30 mins then it's more or less bedtime.) in three weeks time i will have a shift change and then will be able to see them more during my working week. It's pretty tough, but i love my job and it's the best for my family at the moment. I feel like a shit mom more than i thought i would. I speak with customers on the phone who are judgy because Henry is so young. They actually say stuff like "oh. Didn't you want kids?", "I couldn't do it", and my favourite "doesn't that make you feel like a bad mom?". This is from other moms! Fuckers.

sorry about the vent!

Million, what do you do as a job? Tell them to F off in a work friendly way There's definitely no shame in going back to work and it's great that you love your job. You don't have to just put your whole life on hold because you've had a baby. Also glad Henry is enjoying his food

Great news million. Ignore them! Ask if they would be buying the babies food and putting a roof over your head so that you could stay at home. Each to their own, no one should judge

Starting food already
Haven't started baby pumpkin yet as she doesn't seem ready yet (5months on 7th june)& she doesn't seem ready just yet.
She is so chubbylicious just from sma, just love to kiss her lil cheeks

Thinking of starting her in a couple of weeks as I find weaning at 6m is a lil late and I had such trouble introducing my last baby to lumps because she started so late as I listened to silly government doo dahs. She wasn't eating finger foods until 18m!

I'll probably start at around 24/25 weeks. DH is going to San Francisco in a couple of weeks, so.I'll wait til he's back and see then.

Becca - you've had a hard time, take it easy and were here if you want to talk.

Felix - so feel the same, I can easily hide and fell away from friends over the years. Now feel quite detached when I try and get back involved.

Million - try and ignore the horrible comments, you are doing what's best for you and your kids. Hope your shift change comes quickly.

I'm waiting until I've seen the dietician to introduce food. Scared of extra allergies. She's allergic to milk and now suspecting egg and soya :(

Thank you to everyone on the fb group earlier. Had a major wibble over something silly but really got to me. Had been thinking I was getting better but maybe not! Thinking of taking to my gp as suffered from depression badly in my early 20's. Will chat with dh.

becca you poor love! hope you can take it properly easy for a while.

fly don't feel bad asking for help. I'm so glad you did, isn't that what we're here for? Also, if you do suspect it's more than a bad day(s), I'd speak to the HV or GP, as if it's a touch of PND, it's unlikely to fix itself, and there is MASSES they can do for you. Trust me.

felix you're way more than 'just' a mum. The time with your DH will come back, and you'll be sick of the sight of him! In the short term, could you try either lunches out at the weekend, a date night in, or even a local babysitter for a quick meal/drink?

million yay for the food! boo for the fucknut comments.

getting also yay for food!

nature glad the christening went well.

We're going to trying solids in a week or two (she's 19 weeks tomorrow), as she's suddenly grown up - almost out of 3-6 clothes, will sit unaided for a minute or two (before faceplanting the carpet/sofa), is so fascinated by food, and can move milk/calpol about in her mouth (the signs our HV told us to look for).

Oh, and she had her first tumble today. Out of the Bumbo which was not on the kitchen table, oh no it wasn't cushioned by the bench which has a seat cushion thing on, and from there to the floor. No harm done, a bit of a shout, but my heart rate hit the roof! Never moved so fast in my life. Poor love don't tell the NSPCC, she won't do that again!

Oh dear humpty that has made my heart race even reading it, glad she's ok :)

Henry is also almost out of 3-6 months, the skin tight sleep suit he's in on Facebook tonight is 3-6. He has some 6-9 stuff and still wears 0-3 clothes that I find he hasn't worn yet, the man in gap was right, I did buy far too much! and he's not even 17w yet. Whopper

Sorry I haven't been posting lately, I have mostly been reading while bfing or pretending to pack, and it is too hard to type one handed!

Becca sorry to hear you have been unwell, I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you will be back on your feet soon. It is good to have you back!

Felix your blog is great! I may well nick your idea and blog our move back. . Second it being totally normal to feel like you need a break. It is really hard. I hope you get some more sleep soon.

million congratulations on going back to work and great about the dress sizes.

pumpkin I hope baby pumpkin feels better soon!

How scary Humpty, glad A is all right. It always sounds worse written down, doesn't it?

enormouse congratulations on getting everything in. I hope you can enjoy a bit of summer before getting into the job search.

Since I last posted things have been manic. N's passport finally arrived last Wednesday, but the next day we found out that my aunt's passport hadn't so she couldn't visit us and meet Nour. We ended up booking last minute Eurostar and meeting up at dad and step mum's house. Got back mon night and have been trying to catch up on preparations ever since.

We are not at all mostly ready for the move tomorrow. Now that it is so close I am feeling a bit funny about it. I think it might hit me later once I have left.

Yesterday was DD's last day at school and she had a good time, I think. Thursday was a holiday here so she went to the park with two friends and swapped presents. She and her bestie had to be literally prised apart, so I hope they will both be ok. They always ask for each other at home abd get quite upset if they don't see each other every day. After being initially quite keen on going back to egypt she has changed her mind and now wants to stay here with her friend.

Her teacher has also been absent this week so it was sad not to be able to say goodbye, but I made a big batch of rice krispie cakes with smarties for the after school club and they had a party for her.

When we walked past later last night though, DD asked where all the people were and stood knocking on the school door for a good five minutes asking to be let in and saying she wants her school.

N clearly knows that we are going too, as he woke up a couple of hours ago with a temperature of 38.8. I hope he will be ok to travel tomorrow. He is so sniffly and sad.

I do however now have a kindle and I love it!

altered massive good luck today, will be thinking of you. Hope Nour is okay and that your DD doesn't get upset.

Humpty that sounds scary its definitely something you won't do again though. We had the same with the falling off the settee incident and now we avoid it like the plague.

Altered good luck with your move. You sound super busy! I'm sure dd will be fine. Hopefully she will find a new place very exciting

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I'm going to bring up the subject with DP and suggest we do more stuff together. We went to bed early last night and watched telly (and even fit in some hanky panky ) and it felt nice just to spend a bit of time together. We are both so tired that when he comes in from work he will have Sylvie on his lap and sit on his laptop for hours and I'll cook tea etc then sit on my iPad in the same room as him and we hardly say a word to each other!

In other news - Sylvie has leant to blow raspberries and it's very cute but not at 1.45, 3.30, 5 and 6 in the morning

Good luck with the move altered, hope nour gets better soon and your dd is okay.

humoty that sounds so scary, glad A is okay.

felix yey for time with your DH, hope you get some time together over the weekend too.

Still feeling a bit off this morning, trying to convince dh to go out as it's a lovely day. He just wants to say in and play with A, play on the laptop. He works really long hours so is often like this at weekends.

Need to sort out a swimming costume for me as starting baby swimming next week. Hopefully A will like it.

Oh dear no hanky panky going on here! I mean obviously not whilst I'm recovering from surgery, but is was just feeling up for it again when I found out my not-good news, and then was too stressed. Poor DH! It took six months after DD was born because I was so traumatised from her birth, and it think it's going to be that same amount of time again. Ho hum.

My mum has been staying with us since I came home from hospital and she's going home today. I never thought I'd say this, but it's been lovely having her here and I'm sad she's got to go. We do have a good relationship, but a day spent with my parents is more than enough usually!

Good luck altered, sounds like you're very busy!

fly I usually take h swimming a couple of times a week so if you ever fancy a swimming buddy just give me a shout

I'm off into London tonight to Kensington roof gardens for a hen do. Mil is coming down to babysit so spent all day tidying, doing washing and changing beds. Could just do with a nap now to be honest but sure I'll be in the mood when I get there. It's always just such a hassle with transport, circle line is closed as well :(