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 .

He's been unwell so a bit of weight loss is not uncommon.

also a timely poonami just before weighing can make a big difference.

Auntie You're doing a great job. Babies are hard work. Just when you think you've got it figured out they change or have a difficult day and you've got to work it out all over again. I think sometimes our expectations are completely out of whack because babies are all so different. I think seeing your GP is a good idea. Might reassure you, or find a way to help you feel better.

Honestly, DD1 is nearly three and I still worry that I'm doing it wrong most days. It's tough, this parenting lark.

Oh auntie I feel like every day is a battle too- if he wont bf would he take a bottle? When ds doesn't want milk he will often have baby rice so at least he is taking some milk. I have also on one desperate morning given him milk from a cup. I know that the weight loss would be really worrying. I think the sleep depravation can easily lead to us feeling depressed. When ds is ill and nothing can cheer him up we either go for a walk or just cuddle/rock around the room! Make sure you don't compare him to easier babies it only makes me feel worse! Chin up and going to dr even if just to talk/get it all out can help. Hope your hv is good- I've cried on mine many times!

BabyZing has just turned onto his tummy, from his back! wow! he is grinning proudly

Clever babyzing ds did once then just looked confused. Not done again but hardly goes on his back as prefers standing way too much!

Thanks ladies :) Feeling better today. Yesterday was a bad day.

My gp is aware of how up and down I am and I was having counselling but I ended it just before Christmas as it wasn't helping. Just waiting for them to come back to me with other options.

DS will take a bottle I just thought I'd be feeding him for longer. I guess it's not the end of the world.

ickle I try not to compare him but end up . comparing myself and how I'm coping to other people. As challenging as ds is he's also a really lovely funny boy when he's in a good mood. He's rolled onto his front several times bit then either rolls straight back or cries as he hates being on his front. We got him a jumperoo for Christmas - took him a while to figure out bouncing but now he has he keeps doing it even when he's crying which is quite cute/funny.

Just checking in, I'm so bad at keeping up with this thread.

AuntieMaggie DS1 was like that with breastfeeding. Once he was about 6 months we were down to 2 breastfeeds a day. He kept that up until about 9 months, then 1 breastfeed a day until 14 months. You're doing great, it's a massive adjustment having a baby.

ismarah Try not to worry about what other babies are doing. If it helps, DS5 is still toothless even though DH's step nan keeps saying she can see a hint of a tooth . He's not rolling or sitting either and mostly just makes a mess when weaning. He weighs just under 15lb I think. Although he tried to fling himself backwards yesterday when I sat him on my lap facing me. Turns out he wanted me to sing row row your boat with actions . He got so excited when I finally worked out what he wanted!

Thanks ellie DS has just refused to BF for his night feed so I don't know if he's just lost interest or if my supply is low. Not sure what to do.

DS does that for row row your boat too... Though he then goes really stiff and I end up doing it with him standing

Tried to feed bean a banana this morning after feeding her at lunch time previously and went a bit better. After a few days of not eating anything she took almost half the portion I made, so about 1/4 of a banana.

She's very vocal. Lots of making sounds and consonants and chatting, which is very nice.

She also loathes lying on her stomach so every time I put her on it she rolls to her back. If she rolls onto her stomach she gets very annoyed and then just puts her head down and cuddles the floor. It's adorable! But not very developmentally useful..

Ugh. DS appears to be sleeping really well tonight but I'm not as my breasts are rock hard and HURT - decided yesterday to make the third daytime feed formula (as I'd dropped the other two over the last week with no ill effects). Have hand expressed a bit but still in pain - almost wish DS would wake up so I could feed! Aiming to just BF morning and at night as going back to work soon. Wonder if I should make the last feed before bed a BF again so that breasts are completely drained before bed? Any advice? Wish I had some cabbage in the fridge...

Its how have you managed to get your DS to take the formula? I'm going back to work in February so I also want to BF just in the morning and the night. I've been trying to give him formula in place of some of the daytime feeds but he won't take a bottle or a beaker at the moment. Any advice would be much appreciated!

becky I got ds to take formula by first mixing it with breast milk and making sure it was quite warm - he was quite fussy at first and would only have it almost hot but now will take it at any temp. It also might help if someone else gives it to him initially.

Thanks snow I'll ask gp when I see her later this month.

DS is currently laughing at bam bam on the sky baby tv channel - very cute!

auntie been trying for months to get ds to take formula cold - gradually reducing temperature but no luck!

Ds is currently asleep on me. He finally went longer than 2-3h at night did a 5h then 4h. He woke at 7 fed but was then miserable so got him back to sleep and he still is. Have an appointment at 10.15, need to leave at 10...currently trying to work out how late I can leave getting up...am guessing now is the time to stop mn! If he needs another feed I'm stuffed!

ickle ds will only have the ready made stuff cold having said that I've not given him any colder than room temperature.

becky we had a long process of trying to find a bottle DS would accept! In the end some Tesco own brand ones did the job. We persevered with the Tommie tippie ones for ages because DS had taken them when he was younger but I think we actually kept trying them for too long. We started with the feed before bed and I'm now swapping a feed every 4-7 days. So I guess my advice would be try one brand for a few days, see how you get on and swap if that one isn't reAlly working. Because DS would occasionally take the Tommee Tippie, we thought we should just keep trying but I think we should have swapped much sooner!

Also I know everyone says let someone else feed them, but actually annoyingly DS seemed more willing to take a bottle from me at the start! So it might be different!

ickle yay for a good stretch of sleep from DS . We were also supposed to be out the house by now but my hair's still wet, we needed to feed, maybe in the next hour or so we'll actually make it out the door...

Thanks, I'll try warming the formula and also pick up some different bottles. When he was born he took expressed milk from the avent ones, so I'll try something different.

Its and Ickle I hope you manage to get out of the house! DS has a cold and is back to only wanting to sleep on me, so I haven't even showered yet!

Any advice for dealing with a blocked nose? I've given him some calpol and put a bit of olbas oil on the foot of his sleep suit, but he's still very snuffly and unhappy.

Snuffle babe nasal drops becky clears everything out quickly!

We made it out of the house and had to drive as ds not only wanted food but also a huge poo! Boys!

Oh well after feeding well this morning back to refusing milk only wanting actual food ...oh well

becky saline Nasal spray and boots vapour rub and a blanket under mattress

That sounds really tough snow . I hope things get better.

Aww snow sending you a hug - I know how you feel. It was hard enough with one ds ill never mind 2!

Hey Snow. Feeling your pain. Baby Kiwi had bronchiolitis right now. Spent a couple of hours in hospital this morning. Her breathing and coughing break my heart.

Hope your little one is better asap.

We got the Calpol vaporiser for colds, I think it does work (best with the door shut or pulled to) but the refills are infuriatingly expensive!