March 2016 - I can't think of a pithy title because I'm too sleep deprived :/

[DomesticAnarchist]

New thread?
Sorry, really couldn't think of something humorous!

But yeah you can always pump/mix feed. Maybe post on infant feeding board for advice??

dom sympathies with the reflux. E is a pukey baby and has managed to run three separate rivulets down herself on to my jeans today. That I am still wearing them is a measure of my falling standards..

Hmm good question about weaning off BF. Think it depends on teeth development tbh, I had 9 months in mind. From October I will be out 8h a stretch at work but should be able to BF/pump for most feeds. it will be closer to 10-12 from Jan with no obvious means to pump. We shall see. Depends on the enthusiasm she shows for solids too.

I bf dd1 for 15 months and stopped in an attempt to improve her sleep (it didn't). I'm aiming for at least 18 months this time. Teeth never bothered me with dd1, so hoping they won't with dd2. With dd1 her nursery is at my workplace so I would go into feed her twice a day (she went into nursery at 9 months old) and on days when my mil had her I just gave expressed milk. She was a bottle refuser but would quite happily drink milk out of a cup so hoping dd2 is the same. If I was in a position where I couldn't feed her in nursery I'd send in expressed milk. When she turned one I just had her drink cows milk on days when I was at work and bf her in the morning and evenings, then just bf on demand at the weekends.

Sorry to hear about your hideous night maybe. It does sound like it could be the four month sleep regression which can last several weeks... 😞 fx things improve for you.

Loving all the baby pics - here's my little cutie smiling after her morning booby! 😍

Ftm I wouldn't worry about two week weight gain. They recommend only weighing once a month as their growth isn't linear and they could have a couple of weeks of little growth followed by a couple of weeks more. Also as swear said, they only start to worry if babies drop down two centile, not one. And tbh, you know your baby and if they are happy and alert with lots of wet and dirty nappies then I wouldn't worry about weight gain if I were you.

Aww so cute marmite!

Yeah I'm starting to think 4 month sleep regression too...argh! DP keeps telling me to go to bed when DS does but no way can I sleep at 6pm That is when he usually does his longest stretch though - 4 hours if we're lucky - so maybe I should think about it.

First I would dearly love to start working now (14 weeks) on a slow switch to formula to be done by the time C is 6 months because I have pretty much hit the point where I just hate bf'ing, but he's thriving, loves it and sleeps really well so why mess with it? He's EBF and takes the odd bottle of pumped milk when DH is looking after him, and I'm considering staying off work until January when he'll be just over 9 months old.

Had him weighed at the baby clinic today - officially double his birthweight, he's now 15lbs :)

Why won't she sleep !
She hasn't slept since 1:30 and has had just an hour since 4:30am
Why is every day such a fucking disaster. Each day I wake up thinking "this is the day. It'll be good today " and it never is. I give up now. I've tried everything and she doesn't respond. Just shouted at her to and have had to walk away for five minutes. So fucked off right now though.

I'm so sorry time.

If it's any consolation I'm really struggling with DS's sleep atm too.

I think you can try everything and sometimes babies just don't play ball. Is she very grouchy?

She is,
:(.
I wouldn't mind if she was happy but she's not :(. I just know it's another night ruined now though again...
I'm sorry your struggling to. I hope it gets better for you.

I'm sure you've tried absolutely everything but when you try to put her down for a nap is it in a dark room? It's 10x harder to get DS to sleep if it's light.

Yes.
Sitting on the bed now with the black out blinds down whilst she's whinging in her cot.
Close to tears. She's going to straight to my other half when he gets in.

Sympathies maybe and time. I know you've both tried lots of things and it's probably a case of "this too shall pass" but I remember often feeling similar with DS1. When I look back with the benefit of hindsight and the experience of being on baby #3 I think I struggled more when j was less busy. Somehow the baby being your whole world an focussing on all the timings etc made things harder, when we were busy and distracted, even if it was a bad day, at least it went by quickly. time you had some success in the early days heading out for long walks and a cafe for the day, could you try that again? A trip out on the bus? Random growth-size-related comments from the general public can be a distraction!

You know when you get so busy you don't know what to do?? I have a categorised to-to list with about 10 categories and 8 items in each. We're flat out with 'stuff' for the next 4 weeks including 3 trips away (1 abroad), the usual end of term stuff, 2 parties to organise, DH trip away with work, various social things, oh and a KIT day at work. I'm paralysed by what to do so am sitting down with a cuppa an a baby snuggle to contemplate.

Had DS1 home today due to teacher strike (fully support them!) which had been actually lovely as DD was still at playshool and he hardly ever gets my undivided time. We've had a great day.

That sounds so hard time you have my sympathies.

FTM I completely understand your worries. My DS is 15 weeks on Thursday and weighs less than 11lbs. He was born 11 days overdue on the 75th centile and is currently only maintaining the 2nd.

How is he developmentally? My HV is reluctant to refer me as he is meeting all his milestones and is a very happy and alert baby.

Also, is anyone else feeding their little one anti-reflux milk?

Tri I'm strongly thinking about it too DS is 17 weeks just trying to think through the best option really, I don't mind breast feeding just find it quite restrictive as I'm not that confident breast feeding in public (I have giant boobs sorry tmi and I tend to breast feed with DS to the side with a V pillow and this isn't something I can do out and about ). Sorry to hear time and maybe that you are struggling with sleeps and napping. DS went through a stage like this where I could of just chucked him out the window at times or the dog especially when I'd spend hours trying to get him to sleep and the dog would start barking and wake him up! I'm hoping it gets better for you both!! for you in the mean time to keep you going

Mummy I also have massive boobs - HH cups! Gone beyond caring now tbh, if DS wants feeding everyone gets an eyeful of tit

So my oh rang the door bell so I put c in the middle of our bed to answer it and I come back to this !
Argh will have to wake her after our dinner though or else she won't sleep tonight.

Yes the pram used to work but she hates the carry cot now and her big girls seat isn't suitable yet so she goes in her car seat on the pram. She's to busy looking around to fall asleep but she won't fall aslee in the carry cot either. I do still go out though- so much less stressful than being stuck indoors with a restless baby.
Been out this afternoon.

Worst thing is when I snapped ans shouted at her she smiled and giggled back at me !
Just hoping she sleeps until we've had dinner now...

I have giant norks too, 32J is my best guess size. DS still feeds an awful lot now but his cluster-feeding up to 12 weeks nearly broke me completely. The weight of boob is starting to strain my back and I'm sick of feeling absolutely touched out all the time, I'm a bit sick of feeling like my body isn't mine. The fact that there's something up with righty at the moment doesn't help.

Maybee haha that made me laugh but good on you I really wish I had the confidence but I might just have to suck it up and get them out lol...
Tri I totally get where you are coming from! I was saying to DH the other day apart from showering I've been constantly wearing a bra with pads since DS was born I can't wait to not have to wear a bra to bed!!

ah, sorry to hear it's not so practical for you, maybe. It took me many, many years to appreciate being small-boobed. But now I do.

FTM I'm planning to carry on till DS2 is 2 years, as I did with DS1.

With DS1 I returned to work in the September (he's a march baby too!) and pumped for the first 6 weeks till he was 6 months, whilst BFing whenever I wasn't at work. This worked amazingly well for us! Boobs coped with weekends fine too! When he started solids I figured it was silly being precious about milk, so have up the pumping (yes!) and he had formula with the childminder. I carried on BFing till he was nearly two, though it greatly reduced in his second year to just morning and evening.

Continuing to BF felt a bit like compensation for going back to work full time! It was the one thing only I could do. And the morning feed got me an extra half hour in bed too!

For reference, DS1 had teeth at 4 months. They do bite, but they learn not to when you screech at them.

Thanks 1french! I did eventually change my t shirt. He's now just wee'd on my clean jeans. So they're out too now.

Sorry to hear you're struggling too Time. If she was whinging in her cot earlier, might it be that she's just tired? It took us months to realise that DS1 would whinge when he was tired. And that if we went in and picked him up to try to comfort him it just made him worse. There was a definite different in cries, though. And it took a while of hovering by the door to learn to just leave him to it.

DS being a bloody nightmare tonight. Usually goes down between 6 and 7 no problem and stays asleep for a good 3/4 hours before waking to feed but tonight he only stayed asleep 45 mins before waking up grumpy. Trying to get him down again but it's proving tricky. In for a long night I suspect!

Sorry to hear about everyone's sleep problems!
I've decided not to go back to work if I go back in September I'll be paying more in childcare than I earn. If I go back in Jan when ds1 gets his free playgroup place just over half my wages will go on child care and it just doesn't seem worth it.

Hi all, lovely pics!

Sympathies to time and maybe and all others dealing with sleep issues and nap refusers! I was at breaking point on Friday but DH took DD all day on Saturday and of course she was perfect and only gave him trouble with one nap! He also managed to put her down awake on the night and she went to sleep my herself! Haven't been able to replicate it since but of course he thinks he's the baby whisperer now! It was lovely to not have any responsibility for the day though and just go see her for smiles and cuddles/feeding. Must be how the husbands feel!!

I plan to BF for as long as I have milk, but since I only produce 5-8oz per day, I'm hoping to eventually replace all formula with solids and just BF evenings and mornings. Don't know how long my crappy supply will last, but still have a cry every couple of days about FF so hope to preserve it for as long as possible! So envious of all who can EBF but hearing the struggles of some of you who have babies on the boob constantly it's making me realise it's not always rosy however things work out!

Is anyone struggling with babies too distracted to eat? I take her in a dark room with white noise now but still struggle to get more than 3oz down her as she's just smiling at everything and trying to loo 360 degrees around a room! It means she's getting up at 4am starving where previously she slept through till about 6.30, grrr!

FTM I'm another one with a dog that is just begging to be chucked out of the window. My fault for getting a pup 4 weeks before my due date. He can be a bit of a velcro dog at times and likes to bring me toys when I am breastfeeding, distracting E in the process. Or cones up to me with a muddy nose which equates to another crater in the garden..

E is wide awake, chatting to / yelling at the toys in her bouncy chair. I should probably try an earlier bedtime routine but a feed at 10 sees her through to 4-5 so works well for now.

E was desparate to roll 2 weeks ago (she is 15 wks), getting really frustrated, head right back and on her side. Then, just as suddenly she gave it up. Will be interesting to see when she tries again.

wooden we did similar sums but as I earn more than DH he is the one staying at home.

ffaux E goes through phases of being really distracted, it is suck, suck look around while I try to avoid spraying too badly. DH has to keep quiet as she really likes to turn towards him but itherwise there is no real pattern. Luckily she has been okay in public so far (famous last words). I do tend to keep radio or tv on when at home, that doesn't seem to bother her.

Does anyone else find their baby is more settled when it is just them? Maybe just coincidence but E's grouchiest days seem to be when DH is home. From early days as a baby whisperer he is starting to get a complex

1french thats a gorgeous picture.

D doesn't get distracted he's used to his crazy big brother charging around yelling all the time. its the one plus to havong a hyper toddler.

D rolled really early but can only go back to front then he gets stuck and and screams because he hates being on his front.

Dom that's amazing! Well done you! DS fought the tiredness from 7pm until 10pm tonight had to feed him to sleep as per but he's asleep now and hopefully that will be him until 4/5am fx!!
I'm currently in talks with my work to go down to 4 days per week and see how that goes, I would rather not go back at all as don't want someone else seeing DS' 'first' things however unfortunately we are not in a financial position to do that unless DH worked every hour under the sun which wouldn't be fair.
French we have a 2.5 year old pug and as he was our sole baby for 2 years he's getting a bit jealous and acts up he's not stupid and knows what he's doing its so frustrating sometimes I say to people I don't know how they cope with 2 children as I struggle with a dog and 1 baby let alone another so I do take my hat off to all you mums with multiple DC's...
Hope everyone has a good or better night tonight!!

Can't remember who said about hiring a sling online but before I found a local sling library I looked into online hiring and found theses who do postal hires www.itsaslingthing.co.uk/
I didn't need them in the end as found local library but might be worth a look. I hired a connecta, loved it and brought one! £85 off eBay tho which i was shocked at as that's more than off the website but they are always out of stock and this one was new and DS loves it so was well worth it!