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

[moggle]

Here's hoping, anyway...

Haha Amy I was in cinema last night and DD was with DH for 3 hours. Came home and found both very cheerful, but DH had fed her about 200ml of EBM in that period of time. Basically all the stock I had in the fridge... Was so shocked that got online googling how much on average BF baby should have per feed, apparently she has had about 2,5 times more than she should have. Needless to say she is not THAT hungry today . So I am working on the EBM stock...

Utopian - I think any front sling or carrier would have the same probs- it's more just the difficulty of having to take different positions than normal, eg if doing food prep on the counter top I have to stand further back and have arms extended so as to get round baby on my front. I never feed quite as dexterous!
If she was always needing to be carried around the house I'd just get on with it but as it's not often she needs it, I end up a bit achy from the slightly more awkward movements required. And it's a good excuse to veg out a bit.

We've definitely cracked the bottle now! I thought we had a few weeks ago but it quickly descended into screaming and refusal again. In desperation I borrowed a bottle off a friend - a Munchkin Latch - and DD took it with no complaints, even holding the bottle herself almost! She's now had a bottle from DH and my mum, and even took one from me! I can't believe the difference and DH is loving that he doesn't have his time with her ruined by the issue. Happy days!!

Sympathy to all with ill LOs. We've all got a sickness bug so that's fun.

I'm going to start a new thread. Any ideas for title?

Oh no lots of you with poorly ones - hope all get better soon.

moggle - I too find front carries in the sling arkward. Crouching down is bloody hard work & like being heavily pregnant again, think it must be down to centre of gravity being altered. And like you say cooking, hairstyling (straighteners), ironing, hot drinks are all no no's so its mostly useful in my house for folding laundry, hoovering & washing up. TBH DD is getting a bit heavy for the caboo now so I mostly try to do these jobs while she sits in her bouncer watching. She doesnt seem to like her play gym much at the moment.

We're having a cuddly lie in at the moment. Trying to bank enough sleep for her to cope with another kids party today. Went to one yest & she only napped 20 mins ALL morning!

Brilliant toy alert!

Bright Starts Clack n Slide Activity Ball. In Argos. He can grab it easily with his little paws and is thrilled with himself.

Annarose2014! Stop recommending toys - I am very easily lead!!!!

Hello again all! Haven't read the whole thread as I've been blessed with a DD who sleeps a nice 5hr stretch at night but refuses to nap in the day - so not been over here for best part of 3 months!

Hope you're all doing fabulously!

Welcome back posy!! These sleep refusers are a bloody nightmare eh?

I shouldn't really complain as she'll sleep fine overnight from about midnight to 5am (well, she was until this week anyway) but not in the day, so by the evening I just want to collapse with a stiff gin

But today she napped! For nearly half an hour!

Welcome back posy & great news on the nap! Small things eh?!

DD slept in til 8 this morning then screamed the place down at the party as expected. Mind you hundreds of kids at soft play arent exactly going to lull her to sleep! She's had a 3 hour nap on my bed this avo plus a half hour catnap in my arms to make up for it & is now fighting bedtime even though she's clearly still tired. Meanwhile ds has developed a sickness bug & also had a 3 hour nap so who knows what time he'llgo down tonight! Am also slightly scared about looking after both of them tomorrow if he's still being sick

We were also at a child's birthday party today. DD1's friend's party at soft-play. We were there a couple of weeks ago too, and DD2 also loves it, so exciting, so much to look at. My parents came over to drive us there, as DH is still not well enough to drive really, and my dad moved the furniture into DD1's new bedroom, freeing up the nursery for Dd2. That is a joke, because DD2 only sleeps right next to me, not in a cot, certainly not in adifferent room (not that I really want her in a different room yet). Also the cot is still in the attic and DH can't climb up to fetch it down or move the piles of boxes taking up space in our room so we can fit a cot in. DD is increasingly disinclined to sleep anyway. The last couple of nights she has woken every couple of hours, fed, then taken ages to settle down again. She is currently sleeping on my chest but I really need to lie her doe n so I can sleep. She hardly napped today, but I'm not sure if that will mean a better night.

omama hope your DS is better soon.

First separation from DS successful. Went to a gig, left at 9 and just got back. DH was awake when I left and DS asleep in basket upstairs with monitor on. Came back and the only thing that had changed was that DH had fallen asleep on the sofa! All that stress about bottles etc for nothing. Good outcome but it doesn't give DH a chance to "parent" solo. Hate the word parent as a verb

Well the last two evenings have been odd. Saturday night Dd drank so much milk she threw some back up at such velocity that it came out of both nostrils and halfway across the living room, had a big cry then slept 11-6, then last night she drank too much Again ( but was asking for it ?!) and threw some back up, cried but was then just shouting and squealing in my ear. I put her in her basket cause I just needed 2 mins to myself and when I came back she was fast asleep and slept through till nearly half 6......

The sleeping times are fab I just wish we didn't have to do the exorcist style vomming before hand!

My car is finally being MOT'd today!!! So close to being mobile again! Hope you all had a half decent night ladies and babies and those poorly ones are better

Sounds like the new title should be 'The one where we suss these babies out'!!

Delighted you're finally getting your car!

I'm struggling a bit as this last week DS has started napping like a newborn again i.e. Can only stay awake an hour tops. Then the yawning and eyerubbing starts. But he's a nap fighter so this means that every hour I'm trying to rock a flailing bundle of fury. He only takes 5 mins to put to sleep, but they last an eternity. Its getting to me.

If it goes longer than an hour and a half though, he has a full on meltdown. I'm constantly watching the clock.

He wants naps so much he'll gladly drop a feed to have one! Screaming if the bottle touches his lips, then Zzzzzzzz.....

Add to this our lovely new 5.30am wakings and I feel on the verge of tears most of the time. Dad is deteriorating by the day, and its horrendous to witness, and I'm just not ABLE for this baby fuckery, I'm just not.

Oh and if one more person says "take care of yourself" HOW???? How can anyone do that with a 16 week old???

Oh anna I'm not suprised you feel so rubbish. Dealing with your dad is so hard and so Is having such a little one to look after so the combination must just be exhausting. I've spent the last month or so constantly on the verge of tears so I know a little bit how you feel. Getting a bit better now at last.

for you.

So sorry anna. I know its kind of conventional to say sorry, but I really am. It must be really hard to have your dad slipping away in any situation never mind when caring for a baby. People often get clumsy and say silly things in difficult situations even though they mean all the best they can possibly imagine.
DD has started to scream and arch like crazy if I try to give her a boob when she is tired. I guess those days i could just pop the breast out to send her asleep are gone...

Anna, you poor thing, you sound so frazzled. The stress of a newborn and having all this happen with your dad is huge. Is there any way your DH can take your DS for a bit each day just to give you a small break where you're not having to constantly manage him as well as all the emotions of coming to terms with your dad's illness?

I know it feels impossible to find time to do that but your sanity is as important as your DS and your dad. huge hugs xxx

My DS is also sleeping a heck of a lot at the moment, and when he's not asleep he's horribly grumpy. It took me ages to realise that although he'd only been awake an hour that he was already overtired and needing another nap. I'm assuming this is all part of development?

We tried swimming last week and he screamed the place down. I was gutted! He loves the bath and I'd found a nice small, warm pool for him so thought he'd love it. Sadly not. We're going back this week I am a glutton for punishment Hoping he gets used to it soon.

Thanks strawberry. Apparently this morning the Palliative Care nurse was in to him and told the staff she wanted to discuss discharge this week to a hospice. He was only diagnosed on Feb 9th! Its all racing too fast, I feel like I'm going mad.

I had a meltdown earlier. DS napped for one hour then woke up by himself crying, I tried to gently ease him awake by whispering etc but he worked himself up to a screaming the house down. He wanted to go back to sleep but instead he went totally postal. Thank god DH was in the house having a shower so when he came out he was confronted by a screaming baby held by a totally hysterical sobbing wife. I just can't cope, tbh.

Going to the doctor tomorrow to get anti-depressants or similar. I'm not actually depressed but I certainly can't cope with a rapidly dying Dad and a baby going through a difficult period. My anxety is off the charts. Hopefully he'll be sympathetic and find something to bolster me.

thisis He takes him from 6am - 9.00 every morning and today I'm visiting my poor Mum and he came by after work and took DS home and will put him to bed. So I'm having a break right now. Tbh if it wasn't for him I'd have lost my mind by now.

Your DH sounds like a star Anna. So pleased he's so lovely and supportive. Good luck with the doctor tomorrow. You're all in my thoughts. Xxxxxx

Btw ladies, having managed to put a disposable nappy in with the wash this morning I can confirm that it was a catastrophic thing to do. EVERYTHING is covered in the tiniest white fluff I have ever seen, thus rendering it impossible to remove.