Mugabe Nights: sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your (sleep deprived) pain!

[mzzzf]

New thread ladies!
Buenos are still free, the bar tab is still open and you can leave your healthy living resolutions at the door!

Oops....

Thought that her sleep would improve but nothing has changed. :(

Evening all. Had a lovely day at a rare breeds farm with DS in the sling was so lovely having him close as he goggled at all the animals! We even saw two lambs actually being born. Naps have gone to pot though and he was so hard to get down at bedtime. Read that it could be the start of separation anxiety which makes sense. I usually only leave him for five mins to see if he'll settle but tonight I sat in his room as he went off and it seems that that was all he wanted. Now feel utterly crap and mean and horrible for leaving him to cry for five mins recently especially if it is separation anxiety and he's genuinely fearful.
Argh don't know what to do.for the best. Maybe I should carry him all the time and Co sleep but I genuinely think it's better for both of us if he sleeps in his room. He won't settle on my lap anymore and hates bring downstairs in the evening. Maybe just more cuddles needed!

fanby. Sorry to hear you're feeling poorly - I think lack of sleep really lowers your immune system - a cold that would usually last a few days lasts a few weeks - not good

mcgrat that sounds a lovely day especially seeing the lambs being born😀

We have had a very busy weekend. DD2 was 8 today🎈🎉. Yesterday we met friends at soft play then went for pizza. Today we went to Edinburgh and the birthday girl and 2 younger ones got bears made at Build-a-Bear - yikes - no change from £100 - warning for you first time mums - never venture in there!!! Went for burgers and another play. She is having a pool party for all her school friends but not until next week - never ending week of partying!!! Fortunately babyloves is very easy going during the day and just smiles or sleeps through the day - pity this does not happen at night.

Can't believe it is nearly Monday already - so tired - 5am comes around way too quick - wishing us all some quality sleep xx

Happy birthday lovesDD2

Oh...and this is awesome

What's the FB group? I only joined FB a few weeks ago to keep up with the night feelings. Like here, I'm mostly a lurker :)

If you pm dozy or I think frolic they can add you x

Magrat - how fun does the rare farm sound?! I can't wait to take molly to things like that. How incredible to see lambing!!!!

Love - HAPPY BIRTHDAY DD2. What a fun week of partying in your house!! Oh to be 8 again :)

Fatty - never understood the appeal of Nutella! I reckon I could eat it out of the jar like that but the idea of putting it on bread/toast makes me feel a bit bleurgh to be honest haha!

fatty glad that still works as a snack

grok sorry to hear the sleep is so bad, good luck with the consultant, let us know if it helps.

Happy birthday to lovesdd2 - I always assumed Build a Bear was extortionate, but sounds like she has a lovely week planned.

fanby I give up with leaps, they don't seem to correlate with J at all! I think it just gives me a countdown to when things might improve (they rarely do though)

Meant to post last night saying I was tired and still ill. Although J threw us both for a loop and slept 10-5! He hasn't done that for a while, so am feeling less shattered, although still not feeling great, health wise. Hoping he will go back to sleep after this (too much to ask?!) and we can start the week refreshed!

Sorry, have been neglecting this place. Somehow easier to keep up on FB. But I'm not leaving!

Crafty - as everyone else said, very rude!! My DD had a dummy a lot at this age. She needed it for comfort and liked to suck. No one else's business. Disclaimer she still has it age 3, but as she got older we cut down her having it. Now they stay in her bed so literally just has them for falling asleep. Keep going with what works for you.

Fanby, leaps don't seem to make much difference here. They just make me feel bad by building up my hopes! Hope sleep improves for you soon.

Margrat, I replied on Facebook but just keep doing what works x

Loves, that all sounds very busy. I'm still in awe that you get up so early with such disrupted nights. You really have a superhero!

Grok, we are sort of sleep training. To be honest I've already cocked it up. I'd be ok ish with leaving DS to grumble cry a bit more than I did, but so afraid of waking DD, as she is laying the other side of the same internal wall! So I ended up picking up and feeding earlier than planned, which has probably just taught him if he cries long enough he'll get the boob. Oh well, I do at least have my bed back for the time being. Technique said to not pick him up, but I have been when he does upset cry as feels wrong not to. So maybe a bit more like pick up put down? What are you planning to do with the sleep consultant? I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Tindel, sounds like good sleep!

Random, hope all is ok with you.

Sorry can' pt go back any further. DD is at nursery today so I'm going to tidy up the carnage of puzzles and toys in the living room and maybe attempt some cleaning. DS is napping in pushchair now so should probably crack on!

Thanks everyone for all the support about the dummy comment. We went to the park yesterday, and as we went to put DD on the swings, another mum came in, smoking, and put her DD on the swings but carried on smoking. She didn't even try to stop the smoke from going in her DDs and my DDs face. It made me realise there are worse things I can be doing as a parent than giving a dummy!!

Dozy thanks for the confidence boost. It's actually nice to hear you think I'm critisced sometimes too, as I do think I'm going mad sometimes when I feel I'm being judged a lot.

Lily I love the “well I don't approve of your face” comment 😂 wish I had said that, haha.

I hope you all had a good night. We had a wake up at 3am so dh did that feed. Then she woke at 5 and I did that one and co slept with her until 6.45. So a bit of a better night. My ears are pounding though. They always do when I'm mega tired. Dh is back to work today :( So I feel a little bit wobbly being on my own again. I'm sure it'll be fine though. I've cleaned and tidied upstairs, so have downstairs to do and carry on with my house/job hunting!

Hope you all have a good Monday :)

Oh, forgot to mentioned about DDs eczema. She's been using the cream since Wednesday and it's sooo much better!! It's completely gone from her tummy, and faded lots on her legs and arms. Her face still flares up a bit at morning and night, but that's faded too. Should I still be using the cream on the parts where it's gone now? Or just on the parts still left to go?

MaGrat the farm sounds lovely, really want to take DS2 somewhere other than for coffee and cake. Need to up my game!

for those having rubbish sleep. DS2 won't stay downstairs of an evening, between 7 and 8 he starts grumbling and wants to go to bed. I feed him to sleep in my bed then come downstairs for a bit. His ornament cot is on one side of the bed and have a pool noodle under the fitted sheet on the other to stop him falling out! Works for us at the moment. He's ok till about 3ish then wants to be latched till he wakes up.

Happy Birthday to your DD loves!

Instant snack fatty and no washing up either!

Yay for the 10 till 5 tindel Hope you got another hour in. Anything before 6 is too early. DS1 still remembers a Christmas when he was about 8, he woke at 5 and I sent him back to bed till 7. He says it was the longest 2 hours of his life!

Happy Monday everyone

Anyone else ridiculously excited when there's evidence of food consumption in the nappy?

Finally watched her escape from buzzy chair completely earlier - decided to sit and watch ready to catch head if the got all the way off - which she was quite pleased to do. Frantically sorting worst of house before in laws arrive in case we need babysitting tomorrow - at worst they can sit with her in hospital waiting area and call me when I'm needed. Kind of dreading them doing her nappies as there's an art to leak avoidance (which even we fail at) as she's slim enough for 0-3 trousers even with a cloth nappy and still right at the bottom of the btp size range.

Sleep wise we did better last night - think we had growth spurt for a couple of weeks with lots of night feeds - definitely hungry and feeding a lot of the day too.

Currently have cot on its highest setting so it's easy to hold hands in the night. When she starts rolling/sitting up will sadly need to drop it! Tried co sleeping last week - found I got pinched a lot and didn't sleep amazingly as very much in light sleep mode but it reassured her that food wasn't far away so she slept a bit.

She's still with us in the evenings - usually napping on one of us while we flop in front of the tv.

Happy monday all. Another week ready to roll by.

Completely agree about wonder weeks. The endless hope that sleep will improve and for it not too is too much disappointment.

Well done baby J. Thats great Tindel. Pleased you got some sleep. Crafty good luck flying solo. I always find the thought of it more stressful than actually doing it if that makes sense.

Re dummies - i had one till i was 3 and have managed to be a functioning member of society that can sleep as an adult without it. And still have all my teeth. 😄

We've had a nice day up till 5pm and then grumpy baby returned. Not sure what is wrong other than probably over tiredness. Ds just have a proper nap love.

Exciting news in kbro land. My mjm and dad arrive tomorrow. Am imagining a couple of afternoon naps. Hurray.

Lovely day here at playgroup then went for a walk on the river but naps are now 30 min max even in pram!! Then bedtime came. Wow. Hardest one for a long time. Took him up usual time as he looked shattered. Tried out his new inflatable duck bath which he was eyeing with suspicion. Naughty mummy ran it too hot and he went mental. Took him out and put in some cold but he just went crazy again...not a good start. Did usual routine but every time I went to leave the room he just sobbed. Even when I sat next to the cot he cried. In the end I rocked him to sleep. I wonder if there is a six month regression? His sleep has changed really dramatically so quickly.

random yup except it wasn't in the nappy! I cried tears of pride and horror as ds curled out his first formed adult-like poo since starting solids on the changing mat 💩 😂

Re acts of kindness, it's only when I (rarely) leave the house without ds and people aren't getting out of my way, holding doors open, stopping traffic, that I realise how many acts of kindness I receive every day. Too easy to take for granted.

Talking to a friend yesterday about sleep, and caught myself saying 'oh it's much better now, only every 3 hours for some of the night'. Since when did that constitute a good night's sleep?! But hell yes I'll take it right now.

joskar have you done the bf photoshoot? How did it go?

magrat farm sounds so lovely. We went to the aquarium yesterday and DS seemed to like looking at the colours and shapes in the fish tanks.

Happy birthday loves dd2 and high fives for arranging party week. Are your 6 dc's birthdays spread throughout the year? You must have them coming thick and fast sometimes!

Ds was 2 weeks late, plus I never believed the due date they gave me from the 12 week scan, so I keep changing the start date in wonder weeks. None of them seem to correspond with ds's behaviour although that doesn't stop me preparing for a nice long sleep every time we reach the end of a leap.

Sorry for those feeling poorly and tired.

Evening all,

Sorry for the absence, I am still here just the combination of being on holibobs and the atrocious sleep that ensued has rendered me too incompetent to actually post. The good news is that back in her own bedroom/cot grumpy 2 did manage a decent stretch (1:30am - 6:30am) last night so feeling more human today.

Sorry to hear that people are struggling with sleep - it really is the nemesis of parents. I've said it before but if its any consolation I'll say it again,

It does get better.
It's nothing that you are doing as a parent.
Just hang in there.

And YY to sleep deprivation doing terrible things to personal relationships. It really knocked me for six first time around how mine and DHs relationship deteriorated in the months after grumpy 1 was born. Fortunately we get on too well for there to be any lasting damage but it was a bit of a shock at the time and we have done much better this time thanks to hindsight.

We too smashed a rare breeds farm over half term. Bawled my eyes out watching a baby lamb being born - clearly those hormones are not entirely back to normal yet... Speaking of which AF no.3 turned up whilst we were away, is anyone else finding that short and heavy is the order of the day on that front now? It was all done and dusted in about 72 hours but OMG it was like a massacre down there

Haven't ever read the Wonder Weeks stuff as suspected it might simply lead to disappointment...

loves that sounds like a birthday to remember for DD2. Great fun! I hope you survived Monday.

fatty pass me a spoon!

kbro yay! for parental visiting, I hope you have a lovely time with the grandparents and that you get some sleep.

Our news is that we (finally!) started weaning last night. Sweet potato and carrot mashed up. Grumpy 2 enjoyed the sweet potato but the carrot came back out. Tonight was parsnip which, tbh, I thought smelled rank so wasn't convinced but she chowed down on it okay, followed by gumming some banana and a lick of a strawberry. All good fun

Apologies to anyone I have missed off.

F is a savoury girl. Tonight we attacked cauliflower, carrot and shredded lamb. Dog got lucky with stuff lobbed on the floor! Not allowed in the room when we're eating but hoovers afterwards!

Evening all! Have had a day of lots of feeding and napping - J fell asleep on me about 4pm, having already had 2 catnaps. Woke him at 6, he whinged to be fed and then promptly fell asleep again! Trying to settle him now and hoping he does stay down tonight.

F's one of the older ones and we've definitely been having a mini sleep regression last 2 weeks. Lots of feeding day and night.

Anyone else's boobs getting speckled with random bruises and claw marks? Was getting worried until unexplained large bruise on arm matched door handle for location and size (DH reminded me of the occasion when I swore at it for jumping out at me) and I saw F's fingers perfectly match one of the many on my boobs. Collar bone gets butted many times a day and she kicks hard into my thighs. Had no idea that babies could be so violent!

Babies are vicious random Nathan head-butted DP the other day and split his lip!

Morning mugabeans😀

random my other DCs are fascinated by what comes out of babyloves nappy!

kbro bet you can't wait to see your mum and dad - hope you fit in lots of naps💤

effin lol at poo - 💩😂. When toddler did her first poo in the toilet we took a picture of it - totally gross I know and pre children that wouldn't even cross my mind but she was so proud of it and the whole family had to come in and see it - the things you are reduced to doing!! Birthdays are Feb, March, May, August (of course!) and 2 in December (not good planning!) for the DCs - a never ending year of fun in my house🎈

slow I agree with you re sleep - it keeps me sane knowing it's not forever but it is so hard when it's your first and you have no experience of this and think you will never sleep again in your life.

fatty ouch to split lip - at least it wasn't yours!

I need to try and get party bags organised for DD2 party and order a cake today. Not got much else planned.

My eldest two DCs are leaving their swimming club and joining another one - it's all very serious in the world of competitive swimming - they tried out for the new club on Friday and they want them but I've still to tell the current club - hate confrontation - keep typing out emails then deleting them - will have to see them face-to-face as I'll have to return club cups they have won - yikes - very stupid I know - I'm an adult who used to have a responsible job but now I'm a sleep deprived stay at home mum who cries at eveything😪

Morning!
Sleep is getting progressively worse for us. Waking every 60-90 minutes now. This is the baby who slept all night from a few weeks to 3 months. Gah!

We've got 2 days until the end of this leap fanby. I'm hoping for great things by the weekend 😉 Yes to feeling so run down.

My boobs are covered in war wounds from Ds' scratching and pinching random.

Swimming club stuff sounds major loves. Can you e-mail first? Then just dump the cups and run away?!

Happy Tuesday mugabeans! I can't reply to everyone as I can barely see out of these tired eyes!

Boo frolic. Passes coffee.