November 2014 - the one where we all get a good night's sleep

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Here's hoping, anyway...

So jealous. We're on 45 min naps here and he needs to nap every hour or so or he goes into meltdown but each time its a screaming match before he gives in to it. He fights it like mad.

So this means I'm screamed at numerous a day for 20 mins at a time before he conks out, and then he's awake again 45 mins later and and hour later it all starts again and I'm sick of it. Its too hard.

Have been Googling how to extend them like a mad woman.

At lunch today dd slept too long and I leaked through my shirt. She then had a quick lunchtime feed and another quick feed just now so I'm really full and its quite painful. Expressed from left (and promptly spilt it everywhere) but I can't get anything out of the right one and that's the most painful - any ideas what that's about??

Anna dont be jealous, it probably means that we will struggle to get her down tonight as she will be wide awake . Today definitely is out of ordinary. Was thinking maybe it's about finishing off with the 8 week growth spurt? About 2-3 weeks she has been feeding pretty much every hour during the day, so the naps also have been very short. She practically was hanging at the end of the nipple day in day out. Since yesterday afternoon she has been taking longer between feeds again.
And yesterday she was very crossed about taking her to sensory as it coincided with the time she wanted to nap, although she was very interested in what was going on as well. At the end of the class she was shouting and crying so bad that I thought I would not be able to get her settle and go home.

The only time we've had longer naps was during growth spurts, so quite possibly.

Anna that sounds a lot like my dd is with naps. Today I was late getting her down for her morning nap & she was sozzled - screamed for another 45mins before conking out on the school run, slept 30mins, woke, cried & fought all over again & repeat all morning. She finally settled & had a good nap 2-4pm. What tonight will bring - who knows?!

As for how to extend - there's not an awful lot you can do - its developmental & something they have to grow out of. in the thick of it it feels like it will never end (I too am finding this bloody hard work) but I keep reminding myself it is just a phase. This too shall pass.

Thanks everyone for the advice against housework! DH agrees with you about telling my mum that it just wasn't possible to do anymore than I have done, but I don't think she will be convinced. No pre-school tomorrow so am hoping for a bit more sleep if the girls let me.

Successfully expressed a bit of milk today while lo was having a v short nap as it turned out. dh managed to feed it to her from a bottle. So double hooray! How I'm now going to find the time to wash and sterilise the pump I don't know! lo has been feeding solidly ever since! lo currently having a little poo break (enforced as she was thrashing around too much).She's also having her laughs and talks with nobody I can see up above! Always think this is my late Mum and / or others in spirit paying us a visit!

Happy hope u have a restful day tomorrow.

Awww juulie what a comforting thought.

Quick question: Do you all wake lo to feed at 10/11pm before going to bed? Or just wait for them to wake up themselves?

DD has suddenly dropped the 11pm feed & is going through from 7pm til 2am - unfortunately this means we are back to 2 night feeds as she wakes at 5am too. Wouldnt mind so much but takes me a good hour to settle her after each feed (cant just pop her down or she wakes). DS gets up 6-6.30 so often dont get back to sleep after the 5am feed & am knackered!!!. Contemplating waking her at 11pm but put off by fact that when we tried this with ds it made no difference.wwyd?

Dd is still struggling to find her fingers. She is desperate to suck them but hasnt got enough control to get them in her mouth & keep them there. Is anyone else's lo able to do this yet? How old are they? Hoping she works it out soon - she's 11 weeks.

omama DS found his hand to suck about a week ago. He is 10 weeks today. It takes a lot of hitting himself in the head but he gets there.

He slept 11.30-7.30 last night. I am doing a little happy dance here. It was the first night my OH got back from 4 nights away. Coincidence?

Aaargh!!! 111 and their endless stupidity. Has the child been in contact with anyone possibly suffering from Ebola, is the child breathing and responsive, are they bleeding? If any of these things I wouldn't be calling you, I'd be straight on to 999!! It's the same script every time no matter what you call for.

Called yesterday as it's the third time in 2 days I've found DS with blood coloured snot just above his lip and also dried blood inside and around his nostril like he's had a nosebleed. Queue 4 hour visit to children's A & E and 3 very distressing blood tests. Only to be told he's fine be and it's not surprising given he has a cold and the blood vessels are all engorged. His white cell count is a little low possibly due to his cold so repeat blood tests are needed in a week

omama DD has been sucking fingers for some time now, she is 9 weeks. I have opposite worries - she sometimes puts them so deep in mouth that it looks she will throw up on her hands. At night when light is out the sounds she makes are as if she is choking, but when I switch the light on it appears she simply has her fist in mouth.

Another fist-muncher here - we're trying to get him to suck his thumb rather than stick two fingers down his throat!

We never wake him up but reliably sleeps 9-7 so not really relevant.

Definitely going swimming to one with a warm baby pool. Eek.

dd loves a finger suck. She'll put pretty much anything in there. She has some very soggy lamaze toys by the end of the day. Also prone to being a little too enthusiastic and gagging on them...

Car needed to be recalled as a part needs replacing. We made sure we booked it in for a waiting appointment otherwise it takes all day. Turned up at garage and they have it booked as normal. I may have waved DS very obviously around making a fuss of when he needs his next feed etc. Been told to go and sit in Mcdonalds next door and they will be as quick as they can. We will see!

Btw about the nail clipping etc., I tend to do most of DD maintenance work while she is asleep. Works well with nail clipping, cleaning between fingers and behind ears, all the things which you need the baby not to wriggle around.

It ended up being only 80 mins. The garage really stepped up and were very helpful putting the car somewhere I could get DS in easily etc.

DS has slept loads today. He is currently dozing in his car seat from when we came back from the garage. He slept 11-7.30 last night which was amazing. Think he must be having a growth spurt. x

Right, question I never thought I'd ask.

It's really tricky getting under dd's chins to clean her neck wrinkles. I try and get a baby wipe in daily and a sponge when bathing but I still find when she does tip her head back its full of dead skin and quite smelly and now its getting a bit sore in there. Should I put cream in there? Isn't it already too moist?

(If dd ends up being prime minister/marrying prince george I never asked this question)

I'm a bit of a hippy so I'd probably use water with a couple of drops of tea tree oil in it and a flannel rather than a wipe then dry it with a towel. Definitely DON'T use talc / baby powder as it's not good on their lungs.

ladyditto about smelly neck wrinkle. DD doesn't me going anywhere near it, so we trick her to get an access. Sometimes she falls asleep with head back, so I have a go at it. Otherwise we do the walkabout around the house: DH has DD and me - baby wipe. Eventually DD finds something interesting on the ceiling and lifts her head backwards then I appear with the wipe...

dd was 3 weeks early if she'd come on due date she'd be 8 weeks so maybe this is why she hasnt mastered the finger suck yet. Very jealous of all of you getting 11pm-7am nights. Hope to god dd gets there soon!

ladydolly we also get the smelly neck situation. I wipe twice daily with a baby wipe (& again each time she is sick) & give it a good wash when we bath her. I used to use cotton wool but found the fibres got stuck in there! Bit of sudocrem will sort out any soreness. Oh & check your dd's armpits & behind ears - these go similarly gunky if not cleaned enough . The things you discover when you have a baby eh?!

I think the problem with the wrinkle is that there is very little oxygen getting there and not much we can do about it, just keep it as clean as possible. The redness tends to disappear after wiping it.

And all sort of bits between the toes....

We haven't had any buildup but its a miracle as its so hard to get in there. I just give a right good dig in. If its getting sore I'd use Sudocrem as its drying rather than moistening, if you know what I mean.

We have however had cradle cap (and eyebrow) and an inexplicable build up of dry skin behind the ears.

I sorted the ears with liberal dollops of vaseline repeated daily. I tried every damn thing for the cradle cap starting with all the hippy things but none of them worked so in desperation I washes his hair with Head and Shoulders. Its worked a treat. Please don't judge me!

What drives me absolutely crazy though are the little smelly paws which are constantly wet with slobber and clenched tightly and then seem to get all whiffy no matter how many times a day I wipe them.

About to go out for dinner with DH, woo!!
Mum is downstairs trying to give DD a bottle... Idea was that she'd have it after I had left but she got hungry sooner and is putting on quite a performance down there (I'm hiding in our bedroom!). Oh well at least there's still time to bf her if she really won't take it...

Oh god I'm so glad someone mentioned the neck/ear/toes thing. Was having a panic about being a rubbish mum!!!

dd has been a total diva all day. Crying as soon as she's put down. Having 3 ounces every 2 hours then falling asleep but not deep enough for me to put her down then crying again.

Sorry girls feeling a bit like we've had a huge leap backwards and I'm a bit upset ( also serious lack of sleep that I can't blame the baby for ) does this sound like a growth spurt? I miss my chilled out baby :( I know I've had it very easy compared to all of the rest of you I'm just feeling a bit like I'm not very good at this.