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 .

just a thought - if they have a cough but breathing becomes a bit weird and wheezy like Darth Vader it could be Krupp (Croup?), and they will need their oxygen levels checked and probably a little steroid (liquid form they swallow) to help them breathe.
there might not be a fever with this.

DS4 had it when 9m, and DS5 was I think 4 or 5m.
both had to stay in over night to be observed, but got well very quickly

We've got the calpol plug in vapouriser but the blue night light on it is annoying!

with the olbas oil I put some on a muslin and tie it at the top of the cot out of ds's reach and during the day put one over my shoulder if he's asleep on me and he's really congested. some people swear by putting vapour rub on their feet but it's never worked for me and I didn't notice a difference with ds either.

There's also things to do with onions I think boiling them or something or putting near them but I've never tried!

@auntiemaggie - oh yeah we stuck electrical tape over the light!

snow ds had a holiday in November and I found the week after really hard because was so used to having him around /actually getting some sleep! I learnt this week to keep really busy so didn't miss having him post Christmas so much!

auntie we put muslin with albas oil on radiator when heating on so vapour in air

zing ds had croup last month was horrible - luckily not bad enough to need hospital but still. ..

I'm also struggling with DH back in work. The days feel very long at the moment! Snow I sympathise.

Sorry to hear so many of the July babies have been poorly. DS is still snuffly but seems much happier today. Hope all the other DC are on the mend.

We're having an inadvertent trial run for the one day a week DH will look after DS today as I have come down with a horrible stomach bug and am too ill to look after him. DH seems to be doing ok so far but I think he finally gets what I mean about it being a very long day looking after small babies!

Oh dear its hope you feel better soon! Dh had to do that for a day when I had gastroenteritis and could hardly crawl to bathroom in time let alone look after ds! I'm sure he did a great job!

Just need to vent my frustration - sorting childcare and drop off time is a bit of a problem. I need to be at work by 8 but ideally earlier (used to get in at 7.15!) Dh normally leaves at 7.30 so I thought arranging childcare to start then would mean he could do most of drop offs and I could get into work early and make sure was always back to pick him up. Dh is now saying he won't be able to drop off as needs to start leaving earlier - I know he has occasional meetings that mean he haa to leave earlier so they would be fine and I would just lump it! But it just feels like I'm the only one having to adjust with work. Am only doing 3 days a week but want to be able to do my job properly... ugh sorry moan over!

ickle we're going to have to negotiate start times too - I'm used to doing 7-3 and dp 8-4 both leaving about the same time and I think it's probably going to be me doing most of the change!

Feeling a bit better today, thanks! We're in a similar position with pickups/drop offs ickle and maggie - because DH is moving to compressed hours so he can have one day off a week to look after DS I will have to do all the pick ups from our childminder and most of the drop offs, although I'm trying to convince DH he could do at least one drop off a week. Am v worried about having to always leave work on the dot of 5 and what people are going to think of me, especially as I'm freelance and don't get long to make an impression! I will just have to make sure I am super efficient when I am working and cut back on my lunch breaks.

Well had honest conversation with dh yesterday and he's agreed to do drop off when he's local - its that's great that your dh will get a whole day

In even better news dh did the night shift for the first time (except when I was ill and ds slept through at that point!) We I have agreed that he will do one night a week! I just got ds to sleep but as I've not had this much solid sleep in months I'm wide awake so on here and considering making a cup of tea - except I'm in bed and it's nice and warm...

I know that feeling ickle... ds was in his new cot in his own room last night and stayed asleep when we put him in it but I couldn't sleep cos I missed him :( he woke twice but went back down with no fuss... where has my baby boy gone?

Hi all!
Haven't posted on here since DS was a couple of weeks old - he's six months next week.

I've just come for a (lengthy) read of past posts and to see how everyone is doing. Does anyone else who has had their first DC feel like they have absolutely no clue what they are doing with older babies or is that just me?

The newborn stage was fairly easy but now I'm faced with a six month old and I feel like I've got no idea I totally knew what to do when my week old wouldn't sleep but now DP and I find ourselves sitting most nights wondering what to do with our excited baby who wants to play at 3am!

I wish there was a parenting manual out there

collie my eldest is 13 now. I still haven't a clue

at 6 months soft & noisy toys to chew on are ace. put baby on tummy put a toy in front but bit out of reach, see if they try to catch I then give it to them after a few minutes. music & singing at any age is fab too.
mine is fascinated about Christmas lights so tree stays firmly put for a bit longer.

bkack and white pattern soft books or toys are interesting to them (or a top with wide stripes to look at)
cool-able teething rings
and tickling and chewing on their ears or toes - BabyZing laughs his head off at those!

hth

moresnow we don't use any blankets. We use a gro bag instead so DD isn't able to wriggle underneath anything, or kick the covers off and get cold. In terms of getting her into the cot I think it's just practice to do it without her waking, or for her to be able to self settle if she is awake. And also some babies just seem to be better at going in than others.

Zing thanks, it's good to know I'm not alone in my cluelessness!
He'a really into toys, particularly "crinkly" books as we call them, which are fab during the day, but my issue is just the middle of the night wanting to play, he used to sleep 8pm-7am!

Collie it's not just you! I have no idea what I'm going to so with my 6 month old DS lol. So many challenges ahead like making sure he learns how to sit-up, crawl, walk, potty train, etc. And the pressure of making sure he does all these things at the correct age otherwise everyone blames the mother for not having put enough effort into him that's why he's late! Lol

My DS has started waking up at night too :( I used to boast about what a good sleeper he was! He would sleep 8pm-6am!
Now i really feel for all you moms who go through sleep deprivation hugs and kisses

It really is the worst thing!

Moresnow I usually give my DS a dummy when I settle him. He goes to sleep himself then. Sometimes i rock him a little as well although my health visitor did say don't get him dependant on motion to sleep. But sometimes I can't resist as I just want him to go to sleep lol

moresnow gro bags here- life saver! Short sleeve vest, grosleep suit (thick arms) and 2.5 gro bag or long sleeve vest, sleep suit and gro bag.

Yes to dummy and white noise helping to settle here! (And cosleeping in spare bed if need be)

vip I think it's harder to go back to broken sleep when used to getting solid blocks. We were getting 7-3 and that than made waking every 2h so so tough. its just a phase....please let it just be a phase!

Hi All. Hope everyone had a lovely christmas and new year with the little ones. Sorry I am not on here much, work took back my smart phone and I can't mumsnet on my personal one. DD doing great, over 6m now and still no teeth.

Another first timer here who found the baby stage much easier as I (sort of) knew what to do. Am a bit lost now but just going with the flow. Am back to work in 6 weeks and cant wait!

auntie be kind to yourself

DD also went through a phase of broken sleep after sleeping all night from a very early age. I don't know how some of you cope! She seems to be settling for longer now though so fingers crossed she will go back to her longer sleeps. She does not nap at all during the day, not sure if I should be starting to put her down or not?

DH found another job which pays £10k less so he started that today, thank god as we were sriving each other mad. Moneywise its going to be tough but hopefully we can get some tax credits, particularly when I go back to work.

Moresnow we also use grobags. Depending on the temperature DS either wears a long or short sleeve vest, a sleepsuit, and then either a 1 or 2.5 tog grobag - he used to kick blankets off and then wake up cold.

DS has been waking every 2 hours for weeks now. I'm exhausted, and getting really worried about how I'll manage when I go back to work, I'm starting 2 days a week in February before going back to 4 days a week in April. I don't see how I'll cope on this little sleep.

On a nicer note, DS is discovering new sounds every day, so I was woken this morning by his new mantra of bababadadada on repeat. This is definite preferable to the screamingly!

little

night time waking after sleeping through tends to indicate they are ready for weaning/more calories.

so if you haven't started giving solids start soon. give it in the evening.
it should make a difference in a few days

little to add to zings advice my HV said they go through another development thing/sleep regression around 6/7 months so advised me not to sleep train yet.

moresnow ds has short or long sleeved vest, sleep suit and sleeping bag. If it's chilly I also add a blanket but mainly just to cover his hands or sometimes if he's having trouble dropping off to swaddle him. We use breathable blankets not quilts or thick ones so even if he does cover his face with it it's not too much of an issue. The sleeping bag will also prevent him moving around too much - ds used to kick the cot quite violently but can't do that now!

He needs to be held and put down when he's asleep. If he wakes I first put dummy in and stroke his head if that doesn't work I cuddle him if that doesn't work I check his nappy and maybe feed him.

becky the noises are cute aren't they? ds sounded like a dolphin yesterday!

DS can sit but he hates it unless in his high chair or on your lap and puts himself on his back or front which he also hates but he can almost crawl.

I know what you all mean about learning to deal with 6 month olds... The downside of DS finally sleeping through the night (well 5 nights so far, I'm sure it'll all change again in a week) is that he now refuses to nap in the day! I was totally on my 90 min/2 hour max awake time thing and he's thrown a spanner in the works. Have no idea now when to put him down for naps! But on the whole I think I'd rather have the night's sleep...

liquid glad DH found a new job.

moresnow yep, we do the sleeping bag thing. When DS wakes at night I usually bring him into our bed to feed him, although that doesn't always seem as calming as it used to!

zing did you do blw with yours? I want to do this with ds but he's not swallowing any bits that come off in his mouth when he chews on food so am worried about him choking. Wondering if I should mix puree and blw until he does...