July 2014 - sleepless nights but lots of smiles

[NancyinCali]

The old thread is nearly full so here's a new place for us to chat about our July babies. Help yourself to some tea & cake to keep you going through the sleepless nights .

That's funny auntie as long as he's happy- ds used to suck the teat so hard it would almost fold in and not work!

Spoke to hv yesterday and she suggested weaning in between feeds with baby rice to get something in him - he loved the spoon just not the food! Wasn't unhappy but it just dribbled out!

How long did the four month sleep regression last for everyone? I thought we were over it but last night she was awake 5 times. I'm more tired than when she was a newborn. Can't wait till my parents get here - two weeks to go!

Hello all, hope everyone is good. I haven't read back over the thread as DS has been waking somewhere between 4 and 7 times each night, and he seems to want to just chomp on my nipple and then sleep on me, so I'm exhausted. Any ideas how I can break this cycle? I've tried giving him a dummy, which has worked a couple of times, but mostly he just spits it out and cries. I've also tried picking him up and giving him a cwtch, but he just cries until I feed him. He then feeds for a minute or two and then goes back to sleep. We've just started giving him some baby rice in the evening around 6ish, and the first few nights he then slept through, but now we're back to lots of night wakings. I'm reaching the end of my tether now, as his day naps are really inconsistent so I'm just not getting anywhere near enough sleep. Sorry for the rambling!

becky is he teething? perhaps try some bonjela on his gums before feeding?

Am I the only one who feels a bit sad now when I get my period?

I think he is teething - his gums have gone very hard and he's dribbling loads, but nothing has come through yet. I'll try some bonjella and hope that helps.

I've either been mixing the rice with breast milk or water. He is still pooing well, and he seems to enjoy eating. In general he's really happy and well, other than a bit of eczema.

I'm hoping it's a phase and that "this too shall pass!"

It will becky but so much sympathy as sleep depravation is a nightmare especially as they don't sleep for hours in the day to allow us to catch up or even have a break!

more ds has also started feeding less- we've started to give a bit of baby rice/fruit &veg as he was sitting up independently and generally fascinated by all things food related. I'm enjoying the weaning process so far but probably because can just be chilled and not mind how little he takes at the moment! He is also super clingy AGAIN! Just when we thought we were passed it and dh could have him for a day etc no no only feed for mummy, only calm for mummy, only go to sleep for mummy! So draining and heart breaking for dh- although he takes it better than I would!

becky feeding while teething is supposed to be painful so that may be why he's feeding for a few mins. You could also try some baby ibuprofen before bed as it's good for inflammation. When ds gets like that with his feeding and nothing else will work I resort to a bottle as he'll quite happily take it almost hot which I think may help sooth his gums so maybe you can try expressing or giving some formula?

ickle ds can sit up but doesn't because he's too busy lunging for stuff - he now wants everything and has started doing a lovely screeching noise he thinks is funny

Making use of these 'every 3 hour wake ups' to catch up with the thread. yawn

becky

I recommend Dentinox teething gel, worked better than Bonjela for us. nicer taste too.

Love the name zing

ds has started screaming when he's unhappy that I have left the room - dunno if he's clingy because of the teething or what but it seems to have calmed down again.

Thanks Zing, I've bought the dentinox one, so hopefully tonight will be a better night. He's really happy in the day, but last night was up every 2 hours.

Auntie DS also screams when I leave the room, and gets really upset if he wakes up and can't see me.

I'm sending DH out for Dentinox too. DD is refusing to feed from me so I'm expressing for her. I hate it. Hopefully it is just her gums bothering her and not a desire for bottles only. I loathe all the faff of sterilising bottles. And expressing is not fun.

She's also spent most of today crying, and is waking loads in the night. I've resorted to using a dummy.

ok the screaming is wearing me down now :( he usually whinges if I leave him but today he has been screaming and I've been right next to him

Auntie. Hope he's happier soon.

How much do you give your babies in their bottles? We've been doing one 4 ounce bottle each evening to get her used to it, but I'm not sure if that's enough for each feed during the day while she's refusing the breast.

6-7 oz but only cos we started with the ready made bottles and he almost finished it but he varies between 4 and 7 oz.

He's pretty much sitting on his own now but not happy about it - could the screaming be related to progression and teething?

He's 24 weeks now so 5.5/6 months depending if you go by weeks or calendar months and I'm due to start solids soon but I don't want to just yet in case it makes him worse

Thanks both. I've got 140ml in the fridge for an overnight feed, and I'll have to express more if she does wake for a feed. Such a change from our normal 15 minute wake ups. I don't know how you all cope with regular night feeds and bottles.

snow Thanks. Spoke to HV who said all manner of things can upset them and make them clingy like your hormones, teething, feeling a bit off, etc and that she's not worried as he seems perfectly happy in every other way. She also said not to leave him crying (but not rush to pick him up) because up until about 6 months they still have the fear of being abandoned so to put off anything that involves leaving them to self settle until 7/8 months.

Having said that he's been adorable today - really funny laughing at the most random things this afternoon. I think he just thrives on interacting with other people and likes company.

I also got some advice about starting solids so we'll be trying some carrot and veggies over Christmas when dp is home or maybe some porridge.

hope you're all doing well

Hi all,
Sorry been a bit awol. Glad others are starting to wean as well. He demolished a whole portion of baby rice yesterday. Keep trying to remember to cook extra veg in the eve because otherwise I can't be bothered in the day!

auntie I'm definitely trying not to pick ds up straight away not because I want him to learn to cry more but just because I need some me time. He needs to be able to be put down. He's got croup though so crying makes the coughing worse very quickly so not doing it at the moment.

kiwi premade formula and a flask of hot water is how we coped with night feeds!