October 2014 // thread 6 // baby's new year resolution is to sleep more?!

[sazzlehopes]

The crying to sleep thing is annoying. It'd be hilarious though as adults if we all still did that?! Imagine screaming in bed before you went to sleep

Moose I'm mainlining caffine again today. 2 recents nights and then last night awful. Waking at 12 and then Awake after feeding for 1.5 hours at 4am - so frustrating, the boob is normally Magic sleep inducing but not last night. He seems to have a cold though, so much snuffling and pulling off the boob.

I'm tempted to try a boob/bottle dream feed as we normally have 2-3 wake ups in the night and its be great to drop one of those...

Got images of my husband crying hysterically because he's too tired to sleep.

High fives for all the good sleepers last night. Positive thoughts for better nights to come for those who are tried today.

Splendide - If he doesn't like being woken when asleep then absolutely don't do it. Trust your instincts, you know your DS best.

Sazzle - do you feed lying down? You can sort of half sleep throughout the feed that way.

Tatty - I understand some babies do just cry when trying to get to sleep. We use dummy to sooth this so don't get the crying. With DC1, when we didn't use a dummy (until she was 20 weeks) we ended up needing to continue to swaddle her until past 5 months old. We used to do this in-cot rocking thing. She's be swaddled and we'd place a hand over her swaddled stomach and rock her whole body side to side while lying down in the cot.

I actually wouldn't recommend it long term because while it got her to sleep at the time, it developed into difficult sleep habits when older. What about helping your DD find her fists/fingers to suck if you don't want to use a dummy?

Dummies are not evil by the way. Just loco nipples for breastfeeders. Great way to sooth and settle a baby as though they were comfort breastfeeding. But I get that a lot of parents would rather not use a dummy.

Weird thing just happened.

Heard a baby (sounded newborn) cry through my Motorola baby monitor. But DD is here with me downstairs.

Only for a few seconds then it stopped. Going to need to dig out the manual about how to change the frequency we use if I hear it again.

When I have really bad insomnia it is not unknown for me to cry with exhaustion in the middle of the night.

fate I'm not against dummies, but so far she's not taken one. I'm going to try again because I do actually think it would help. And yes, I don't want to get into always rocking her to sleep. Basically what we've been trying is soothe the crying, put her down, shush her in her crib, then she'll either grizzle into sleep or start to howl, in which case repeat. Any advice for alternative strategies welcome.

(basically all of my sleep strategies have been based around ordered priorities- the most important thing for me is that she sleeps reliably and in her own bed. The second is that she goes to sleep relatively quickly. The third is that the method be manageable. So I don't mind for example having to sit with her, or hold her hand or whatever, if it means we get one and two. Please someone tell me if I'm being naive because I'd rather know now).

I dont like tea or coffee...maybe thats why im not coping

Weight was crap, dropped to 25th now fron 75th at birth. Wish i could get him to eat more. He's covered in patches of dry skin too, elbows, back, knees, thighs. Back of knees and ankle creases are red and sore looking. Feel like epicly bad mother

What I've done has varied really
Dd1 didn't really cry much because she had a dummy
Dd2 was a monkey to settle so when she was about 4 months I left her in her cot after last feed she cried for 15 minutes then slept. Next night it was about 5,night after went straight to sleep. I kind of tried it thinking if it went on longer than I was happy with I would stop but it actually went better than I thought it would.
Ds1 was the incredible sleeping baby so didn't need to do anything.

I had a rule once they were put in their cots they didn't come out and would sooth them if they needed it when they were lay down.
I think self settling is one of the hardest things they have to learn. I've found when they can get their hands in their mouths (and keep them there!) it really helps.
R is getting better dp put him down last night awake and I he was chatting away in his cot I was listening waiting for the crying to start and it didn't! He went to sleep! I was so surprised I tols dp he could do every bedtime
Nap times are not so easy he usually wakes after half an hour and needs a rock back to sleep but I'm ok with that at the mo, one step at a time :)

You are not being naïve Tatty, the priorities system is a genius and workable plan. I've not really thought about it like that, but I suppose I work on a set of priorities in a similar way. I wonder if other Mums do?

Didn't you say earlier that you had a bottle break-through recently? We couldn't get DD to use a dummy or bottle at first and (like you) it took a lot of perseverance. But once she's have the bottle, she's also figured out the dummy too.

Before then I could see that look on her face: What is this thing you are putting in my mouth and what on Earth are you expecting me to do it with? Get it out. She didn't even realise she needed to suck. It (both bottle and dummy) would just sit in her mouth. She got it in the end.

Aww wonder don't feel like a bad mum you're really not its bloody hard
What have they suggested?
If you were still thinking of topping up with formula I would lie and say you've given up bfing.
I'm no bfing expert but did you say baby moose is feeding little and often? Could it be he's not getting enough hindmilk? I'm not even sure if that's right just trying to think of things

Virtual hug for ((Moose))

Stop taking him to be weighed if it makes you feel rubbish. You know full well you are am amazing Mum, we all know that.

Dry skin - what about baby massage with oil?

Oh I just remembered I tip I got when introducing a bottle with dd1 was tilt the bottle so the teat touches roof of their mouth makes them suck. Something to do with where the nipple goes iirc. I do it to encourage r to drink a bit more and it does work.

Yeah, we did a thing like that Preggers. Also touching/rubbing teat or dummy down from nose to mouth to stimulate the open mouth ready to suck in breastfeeding.

Your breastfeeding advise made me smile btw You are really lovely and thoughtful.

Wonder - Is that the first time Babymoose has got to a 2 centiles drop? I understand this is the trigger point for further investigation. Don't be scared of a paeds referral though, they will continue to support your breastfeeding if that is what you want and baby is otherwise healthy.

I've had a better weigh in finally, he's put on 300g! Still way off the bottom of the chart so much more serious issue than you Moose but it's progress. We're leaving it two weeks to weigh again.

Seriously you've done great though Moose. My paed did not support breastfeeding to be honest but then my DS actually lost weight at one point so very different to your baby.

Product Review: Clevascoop

For anyone who is formulafeeding, I would recommend the Clevascoop.

I realise that counting numbers of scoops into the bottle is not exactly rocket science, but this product is inexpensive and genius. Just one scoop into the bottle.

When I spotted this for only £6 thought what the hell, if it's rubbish I'll just give it away. It's actually quite a brilliant, simple product.

That does look useful Fate. I'm only using ready mixed at the moment but will probably have to move to powder at some point. We already have to have a whole kitchen cupboard shelf of little 200ml aptimil bottles.

Sorry to hear you've had a bad weigh in moose, I remember how shit that feels from dd. It is not your fault. Some babies (like my daughter) just fine feeding really hard work so take the minimum they can get away with, and fall asleep from the effort. Some of the things that helped a bit with my dd were: trying everything possible to wake her up and keep her feeding when she started to drift off (strip clothes off, tickle, blow in her face, hold her under armpits and dangle upright), breast compressions, and switch feeding ( because she would doze off after the initial let down, so switching gave her another let down, and another...). But, I also remember how annoying it was when people made suggestions of obvious things I'd already tried, so please ignore me if suggestions aren't helpful!

Just watched Cyberbully. It was on Channel 4 last week. Brilliant film! Definitely recommend if you have an hour and a half to spare.

DD been sleeping like a trooper today. Immunisations yesterday so that will be the reason. She has been asleep infront of me in bouncy chair since 10.30am. It is 2.30pm now and she's not woken yet. I'm going to wake her now because she'll need a feed before the school run. She has missed a feed though, don't know how it will affect her later.

Oh god fate did I say one of those things you're never supposed to say to bfing mums should have kept big mouth shut sorry moose

Not at all Preggers. It was really sweet the way you were making every effort to help. You said the right things as far as I know .

Gotta face the cold on the school run now. Not looking forward to crawling from my comfy spot on the sofa under a blanket.

Ha!

I dont think youve said anything wrong unless ive missed something?
Hes just a massive fusspot and very lazy, if it isnt squirting down his throat he isnt interested.

Dietician finally called me back and is angry at gp so ringing them for me this aft. Im really surprised at how much im considering top up feeds/mix feeding, ive always insisted i would ebf for 6 months..
The hv didnt seem arsed at all about the drop, maybe when it goes below 25th they'll do something.

I really appreciate all bf /feeding in general advice so feel free to shout things out, theres bound to be something ive not tried.

Im not going to get him weighed again until his paeds apt on 4th feb. Its too stressful.

splendide thats a great gain you must be happy with that :D glad its starting to sort itself out

Refusing the bottle again. Feel like knocking my head against a wall. My meeting's the day after tomorrow. Dp says go. I don't know what to do.

My vote is to go Tatty

Splendide - Forgot to say, great news about your weigh in

Moose Formula feeding has a lot of benefit too, just like breastmilk has lots of benefits.

Would you mind messaging me with some of the benefits? All i hear is about bf which is making me feel incredibly guilty about considering formula :s the way some hv's talk about formula you'd think i was asking to give him wine!

I'll probably go. I'd just like to feel less like a rotter about it.