August 2014 Babies,half way to one and staring at you while you eat.

[GingerCuddleMonster]

I've been told via Whatsapp by a MN'er this morning who used to be a member of the ante-natal group that there's a Facebook group, but that they won't accept anyone or her back (a bit weird if you ask me, but each to their own, and have really left a PND suffering mum feeling like shit, but I doubt they care in their "clique")

So are there any August Mums left on here willing to chat, without connecting to Faceache?

As much as I am exhausted and feeling pretty lonely from the lack of sleep and DH being evicted to the spare room, DS was so sweet at one point he woke up last night. He crawled over, put his head on me and gave me a proper hug and promptly fell back to sleep.

His food has gone backwards again. He's stopped eating proper food and for the last two nights has had pureed fruit from a spoon. I could swing for him.

We have four teeth here. DH thinks no 5 is trying to put in an appearance. I'm kinda hoping as that might explain the food/sleeping.

His separation anxiety is a bit mental at the moment too. Even DH can't console him atm (which was one of the reasons DH is sleeping elsewhere as he can't help). He does just seem to want CONSTANT cuddles right now.

It's probably just a phase red , they say that 8 months is the stage when they start to realise that you are separate from them, but they don't understand that when you leave the room you still exist, so they panic.
Mines been going through it but she's coming out of it now thank goodness.

I think she'll be walking soon though, she's cruising round the furniture now (until DS comes and pushes her over shouting 'no, my sofa!').
I don't know if I can't wait for her to walk, or if I want her to stay crawling for longer. It's all going so fast this time!

He's been going through it from about 5 and a half months. Its ridiculous and I'm fed up of the 'its a phase' stuff as its being going on for so long and it doesn't sound like anyone is having quite the same level of problem with it.

DS is on the verge of walking too, he's been cruising for a while and I think he's capable of walking but just lacks the confidence to do it. I want to get it over and done with as my MIL is being a competitive bitch over walking.

Red I'm in a similar situation with separation anxiety although its not been going on so long, about a month. DD will only tolerate being held by DH if I'm in eyesight and if i go to another room or sometimes even just putting her down on the floor will make her wail!

her latest trick is that she's started saying mama but it seems to be used as a desperate bid for attention like when i try to do something in the kitchen I put her on the floor and turn away, but about 10 seconds later i hear MAMAMAMAMAMA in a kind of loud panicky sob! it definitely works as i feel so bad i have to give her a cuddle straight away. its quite cute but I'm basically getting nothing done this week!

He won't let go of me at all today. Its really unlike him to be THIS clingy.

I'm sure DS is saving up all his separation anxiety to have a major meltdown when we go on holiday in just over a week - we are hoping to be able to put him in grandparent/holiday club care for some of the time but are braced that it might not be possible!

I think we may be out of the worst of the separation anxiety. dd used to howl if I just turned my back on her to wash my hands, or walked over to a different part of the lounge, but she is getting better with that now. She can also amuse herself with her toys and random objects pretty well too. Mind you, we still had a little meltdown yesterday when I left her with a friend while I nipped to the loo.

I don't know what I am going to do when she goes to nursery. I cry just thinking about it! I don't know how I will be able to leave her if she cries! It's still a few months off yet though. I still want to give up work but really need to go back for three moths otherwise they'll make me pay back my maternity pay minus the statutory part.

red you may be fed up with people saying this to you and apologies if so, but I found a sling a lifesaver when dd was at her clingiest. it's tough though and you have my sympathies!

Sling won't work unfortunately. I have one and I've tried. DS HATES being restricted in any way. We've had to abandon the sleeping bag recently for the same reason.

He's a total nightmare. He's unbelievably wilful and I'm starting to worry about giving in to him all the time. But we did persist with spoon feeding for two months and he still refused. And we've used the sleeping bags until we really couldn't any longer. He wouldn't breastfeed so I expressed and gave him bottles. Now he's totally refusing bottles. So I can't not feed him through the night as not only is he screaming but he's obviously hungry. I can't 'just leave him' in the cot, as I'd have no sleep at all (not to mention I'd struggle to lean over and put him in asleep as I'm too short).

I'm just tired and fed up, as DS doesn't seem to be following the manual.

Oh Red, hang in there! they are such hard work sometimes, the little sods!

I'm struggling with feeding too. DD is such a fidget now and when i breastfeed constantly grabs my skin or is trying to stick her finger up my nose or pinch my arm. But she still hasn't figured out a sippy cup and just chews the teat of a bottle. its very annoying and becoming more of a battle than it should be

Oh red, it's shit sometimes isn't it??

I totally get how you feel, when people tell me 'it's a phase' or 'this too will pass' with DDs night waking, I just want to hit something.

But it's true. It is a phase. Just a long one for you. He will come through it. He won't be 2 years old and still crying every time he's put down, and somewhere between now and then he really will come out of it.

for you

My brother cried and didn't sleep for 5 years.

Felkov, we're going through a grabby phase during feeds and I've just got a fiddle/teething necklace which seems to be helping a bit. May be worth a try. This is the one I got: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hand-made-Nursing-fiddle-breast-feeding-baby-wearing-teething-necklace-baby-gift-/171745670463?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item27fcd6f53f

Red, tons of sympathy, sounds like you're having a really tough time of it. Don't know if any of these survival tips are of any use: www.askdrsears.com/topics/health-concerns/fussy-baby/high-need-baby/parent-parent-20-survival-tips-parents-high-need-children .

Thanks Jess I'll try almost anything once so will take a look!

evening ladies hope you are all well. We seem to be in seperation anxiety hell at the moment to red

I can't leave the room or do anything without DS he just screams. he has spent most of today screaming, it got to bed time and he was still crying so I laid him in the cot and just sat on the bed with my head in my hands taking a breather and suddenly realised it had gone quiet, my baby literally cried himself to sleep, I feel Luke a crap mother .

ginger you're not a crap mother at all! Sounds like maybe your ds was just overtired and needed a sleep! dd gets very cranky when she's overtired.

felkov we too are going through a grabby feeding phase. Sometimes giving dd a muslin or wearing a scarf for her to play with helps too. Right now though once she's finished her feed she'll pop off and pinch my nipple. Not a good development to say the least!

Ginger, never feel bad for taking a breather when you need one - I'm generally very much against leaving a baby to cry but there are definitely times when it's vital to step away and give yourself space. Sounds like it helped you and did your son absolutely no harm at all.

I have been mia due to no WiFi or data!

Hey all,

how is everyone doing?

as for us finally starting to get the odd night sleeping throsugh which I'm greatful for also have changed jobs. I will now be working 30hours a week Wichita is much better for a charity. so very happy .

Hello all, very long absence from me, challenging few months - I had to have emergency abdominal surgery. Couldn't lift DD for a few weeks and I live overseas with no family nearby to help so it was all a bit difficult. Thankfully through it now and DD seems unscathed!
Just been on our first family holiday which was lovely although not quite how holidays used to be
DD learned to 'high five' today, she seemed quite happy and found it funny. When I tried it again later in the day, she seemed to get very upset by it, very strange!

Great news about the job ginger! That sounds fantastic!

tall sorry to hear about the surgery, must have been really tough especially with no family around. Hope you're a lot better now.

Dd has a cold at the moment and is teething again. bizarrely she has 3 bottom teeth but only one on top although I think her second top one will soon be through.

Been quite worried for the last week or so as she's off her food. She's never eaten huge amounts but just hasn't been that interested recently. Hopefully it's just down to the cold and teething but it does make me anxious.

Morning! hope you had a good weekend? we're in househunting hell at the moment. DH and I both very indecisive and I refuse to pay over the top for a house as I don't want to be burdened with a massive mortgage for the next 25yrs. but the result is we seem to find it impossible to agree on what to do about moving house. DD has just started to show signs of crawling (agggh nooooo!) so now i really feel like we're running out of time and space in our flat. carrying her up and down 3 flights of stairs everyday isn't helping my mood either!!

we've seen 2 houses recently that we like and hopefully can afford. one is a 100yr old 3bed end of terrace in the city with a small garden and in the catchment for a really good secondary school but it needs doing up and is right at the top of our budget. the other is a 1990s 5bed detached with a big garden outside the city and in the catchment for an OK but not amazing school. it doesn't need any work except a bit of painting and maybe new carpets. we like both for different reasons and now stuck trying to choose!!

congratulations Ginger on the new job. does that mean more family/spare time for you now?

morning all

tall so sorry to hear of your operation, hope your recovery is going well

felkov I don't think me and DP could choose a house together it would drive us mad, the 5 bed sounds nice for the garden and the room, you could probably make it your forever home and expand your family in it, would be my thinking.

Yes I'm now on 30 hours a week 5x 6 hour shifts with about a 35min commute, I'll be working for a military charity offering advice and support on a helpline. I'm also going to do some courses when DS is a little older. The wage decreases is significant as it's a NMW job, but I feel it's a job worth doing for the element of giving back and helping others. I am financially secure so I see no reason not to help if I can.

mrsmilk DS goes off his food every time he gets a tooth through, Dr in paediatric said it's the iron taste in their mouths that puts them off apparently