March 2016 - quick, a new thread!

[Swearwolf]

Sorry for the terrible title, I saw the old thread was up to 996 posts and panicked!

Ooh don't I feel important

Enjoy your night out MrsElls!

Thanks for all the nappy advice, I am going to try boots, will pick some up next time I'm in town. In the meantime, DS had no dream feed last night because I fell asleep however, he slept well, considering, with 2 wake ups at 12.30 and 3.30 neither of which required a feed to resettle him, just dummy. (Although several trips back and forth to his room at the first wake up.) So I'm not convinced he's waking from hunger anyway. I don't think I'm going to do it tonight and will see what happens.

Trinpy console yourself with the fact that even those whose babies are sleeping through might suddenly stop, like mine did! It's amazing how much your expectations change, never in a million years would I have described a 2 wake up night as good a couple of months ago, yet now it is amazing to only be disturbed twice!

Ah, Trinpy midnight to 6:30 sounds like bliss! But I'd waste it by waking anyway and checking the time! We get more like wakes at midnight, 2ish and 4ish then I get up at 6ish and DS2 sleeps on... at least it means I can get me and DS1 ready!

Going back FT has been a bit mega, logistically, but it's been ok. Evenings are all bottle washing, sterilising, pumping and more washing & sterilising making baby packed lunches and getting to bed as quickly as possible to try to get some sleep!

I like working FT. DS2 is enjoying cm/nursery (I went down to feed him at lunch today and he very quickly was grumbling at me because he would rather get down and play! I chose not to take it personally!)

The H,F&M's been round here too. I think we have avoided it so far. Hope you're all fit soon.

Enjoy yourself MrsElls!

I'm so glad it's half term. I'm so, so tired! Happy, but very tired!

Ha! Dom I was going to ask whether the h f&m had made it as far as you yet! I keep imagining ds2 is at the centre of this epic virus breakout that's fast taking over Devon...
Thanks for telling me your experience of being full time too. I think when I'll go back I might just switch to formula in a beaker in working hours because I just don't have the patience for expressing everyday. I think you (all of you on here) who have expressed milk for your babies as a regular thing are amazing - I found the expressing bit the worst part about going back to work with ds1. I started applying for jobs today so fx I get something soon.

Me I'm sure you will have your good sleeper back soon. You lucky, lucky thing .

Hope you're having a great night out tonight MrsElls.

So my night didn't end quite as planned, after feeling sick and having a couple of lightheaded moments I gave up at 10 and headed for the train. I had the d&v bug last week but i felt exactly like I was coming down with that again, by the time I was almost at my station I felt shocking and was seriously considering telling dh that he had to lock the kids in the house and come and help me with the 3 minute walk home. I made it home to find out that dd was up at 9.45 just awake, she is normally a solid 7-6 sleeper. I think the problem is she has learned to get from lying to sitting but then needs help to lie back down again. She's now been awake since 2.40am and I have finally relented and am feeding her. The chills I had when I got in have been replaced by a fever and a headache . I only missed her final 'top up' feed before bed which is never very much but I felt like i needed to express when I got in so not sure if it was a slight blocked duct or something.

On the upside I found out I am being given the most prestigious project to manage when I get back and so many people said they were desperate to have me back without putting any pressure to go back before Feb. It was really nice to feel valued for something other than being a mum.

Sorry to hear your night out didn't go to well MrsE but it must have been lovely to have colleages eager to have you back. Nice to have a good project to look forward to as well. Solid 7-6 sleeper though, wow! DD wasn't too far off (c. 9-6 for a couple of months) but a streaming cold and my return to work have seen at least 2 wakings in the night, 1-2 feeds and a lot of general banging around her cotbed.

Trinpy I'm with Dom, return to full time work is suiting me but is requiring real discipline to ensure bottles and nappies (we use reusable) are ready, we are all fed and the house is vaguely clean. What has worked well this week is cooking 3 dishes in one go so 2 nights are just a case of reheating. I'm expressing on the train to and from work and during my lunch break and it is not too bad, a bit of a treadmill when I just want to snooze but strangely satifying too.

Trin! I'm planning on winding back the pumping after half term. I'll need to continue for comfort for a bit though.

The evening pumping sesh is pretty much a waste of time already.

Shame you felt rubbish, MrsE, but that's brilliant about the project! Hope you're feeling better today.

1french we didn't go back to the cloth nappies in the end. And the house is shocking! I'm impressed at your train-pumping!

Dom I am hand expressing as I can't be faffed sterilising pump equipment. Is that crazy? Everybody I know seems to use a pump.

Well DS is safely installed with his DGPs for the night and is asleep. I feel guilty even though it's my first night away from him and I know he'll be just fine! I hope my poor DPs are not up in the night too much.

Despite my guilt I am looking forward to an early night followed by a good night's sleep!

Hope you're not coming down with anything MrsElls. I find I drink so rarely now that I feel lightheaded after 2 or 3 drinks and not in a good way, in a sort of I might be sick if I have another one way! I used to be a huge drinker ... wonder if I'll ever get it back!

Respect to those who are back full time already. I am just crossing everything that DS is sleeping well again by Jan when I start back.

I am a mega-lightweight these days too.

1french I'm terrible at hand expressing. I find it uncomfortable, get milk all over myself and it takes me ages! But if it works for you then that's ace!

DS2 just seemed to do a 'proper sick' just before I put him to bed. I really hope it's nothing. We all had norovirus when DS1 was 7 months old and it was the worst 48 hours ever. I can't do that again!

I now have The Fear, which means I've got anxiety-belly anyway!

MrsElls sorry your night out didn't go as expected. Hopefully you are feeling better now.

Me I hope you have managed to get a nice full night of sleep, and that DS didn't keep your parents up too much!

Dom oh no! My DS did a projectile sick a couple of weeks ago that looked and smelt 'real'! I have issues with sick so automatically had The Fear, and was up half the night convinced I was going to be sick. DS was fine though, he had a cold and I think it was due to that. I'm keeping everything crossed that it has turned out to be nothing for you. I don't know how I will cope when he goes to nursery and brings home lots of germs!

DS is now officially 7 months old, and is absolutely lovely! Weaning is going well, we are doing finger foods very slowly, for me I think more than him. I have to just sit on my hands and let him get on with it! I was stressing a bit as DS is not yet sitting on his own and nowhere near crawling like some babies his age at the groups we go to, but he will get there and I've managed to chill out about it. He loves standing - I think we might skip the sitting and crawling altogether and go straight to walking!!

I too have respect to those who are back at work full time. I don't go back until March and only on part time hours, but already I can't stand the thought of not being with DS for two days a week. Help me!

Er, yeah, Dotty - I think it was cold/snot related! He's been fine overnight! I am a sick-overreacter!

I shouldn't worry about the sitting/crawling too much. They all develop at different rates. DS1 skipped rolling, hardly crawled and went directly to walking at 14 months.

Believe me dotty if you have a second you will be more than happy if they are still for as long as possible! I used to be able to leave ds on his play mat and have a shower until about 9 months and I was desperate for him to 'catch up' with some of his friends. Unfortunately when the 2nd ones have someone to copy they tend to do things quicker and I can't leave dd for a second without her getting something she shouldn't have. I can see her eyeing up ds's shoes at the moment...

Nope she decided to steal my slipper instead, clearly going to be a shoe girl!

Glad all is ok Dom. I am pathetic about sick, it's bonkers considering I am a nurse! I'm fine, just, with it as long as I know I am not going to be sick myself.

Haha MrsE she's going to love her shoes! That's what I keep thinking, make the most of it while we still don't need stair gates up yet and eyes in the backs of our heads! Saying that I can't leave him on his playmat to get anything done as he rolls about like crazy and we have a wooden floor. I don't really get the sitting though, if I put DS down in a sitting position against something like the corner of the sofa, he will stay there for a little bit and then throws himself backwards propelling himself with his legs. I don't see how he will ever sit unaided if that's what he is going to do as he will just go flying. Maybe I just need to persevere. He has good balance for a short time, it's just all the flinging himself around!

Dotty I had an amazing nights sleep thanks! I woke up briefly at about 3am but just checked the time and went straight back to sleep, until 6.45. Then just snoozed in bed until 8. DS apparently did his now usual wake for an hour or so around 2.30. My DM said she changed him as his PJs felt damp. His nappy seems to be leaking overnight now even when he hasn't had a dream feed so we're definitely going to try some other brands - I am going to go into town tomorrow and buy some small packs of Sainsburys and Boots to try.

I feel so much better mentally just for having had one night "off duty"! DS seemed so happy to see me too when we picked him up this morning, little dear.

Dotty do you have a bumbo or similar? I borrowed one from a friend and it really helped DS get the idea of sitting!

MrsElls DS is obsessed with shoes too. He regularly crawls out into the hall so he can play with the shoes, I generally allow it until he starts trying to put them in his mouth

Dotty, DS1 was a flinger, he'd just fling himself backwards so we had to keep him in a nest of cushions for ages.

We've just left on a 2 hour trip to IKEA and DH has announced something is disagreeing with his insides. I can't cope with the stress!

Your night off sounds wonderful MrsE!

Oh Dom! I am so hoping that it was nothing and that your DHs insides are all good.

Me I'm glad you had a good nights sleep and that you feel well rested. It didn't sound too bad for your parents either. We had a spell of leaky nappies during the night and DS was waking up absolutely saturated bless him. We have been using the pampers magic pod thingy nappies just at night, we use tescos own in the day but they were the leaky culprit so I don't recommend! The pampers have been good so far though.

I have just ordered a Bumbo seat with a tray from Boots which I should be able to click and collect on Tuesday. It was £29.99 and looking around they seem to mostly be around the £36-£39 mark so it's quite a good deal if anyone is interested. I know typically DS will probably and hopefully learn to sit up quickly now so the Bumbo will be a bit useless, but we can always use for baby no 2! I also know that I shouldn't worry and that he will do it at his own pace, but I am starting to get a bit frazzled about it, and if paying £29 helps my DS to sit on his own then to me that is money well spent!

Hello from our 'holiday' in Wales! Currently lying very very quietly in a dark hotel room in case we wake up the dcs with any movement or light. Last night Dh and I were in bed asleep by 9pm! Remember when holidays used to involve staying out late in bars, nice reataurants, etc? We've eaten at the Harvest Brewery across the road A LOT on this holiday.

Dom ooh did you get anything nice from Ikea? Did you take the dcs? I've been wanting to go for ages but I dont think my stress levels could take going as a family. Going just with Dh is stressful enough.

Me lucky you getting a whole night to yourself. I bet it did you the world of good having a break after all the rubbish nights you've been having recently.

Dotty I think 6/7 months is still quite early for crawling. I always think of 8/9 months as being the most common time. Maybe you've just been unlucky that the other babies you've been mixing with are all early crawlers so it seems like your baby is being slower to catch up iyswim? He's probably busy concentrating on doing other things.

My baby projectile vomits daily so I never have The Fear. I did panic a tiny bit this morning when he vomited blood until I realised I was the one who was bleeding (very bad latch) and he must have swallowed some blood accidentally. No wonder he was sick .

I decided to try I tip I've seen recommended elsewhere on here tonight and have put DS in two nappies! The second one on back to front over the top of the first one! We'll see if it makes any difference ...

Trinpy hope you're having a nice holiday! Dh and I had the same with ours last week, early nights and very different to previous holidays! It was still fun though.

what did you buy Dom? I love IKEA!

Yeah, so DH is fine too! I think I might be more sleep deprived than I realise!

Trin, we went to get bunk beds for the DSs, except we're going to attempt a Pinterest-style 'hack' and put the cot bed (which DS1 is currently still in) underneath. We also got the obligatory £100 of random crap - I mean, accessories such as a lamp & shelf etc.

We took both boys. Big one was super excited and pretty well behaved. Little one in the carrier and mainly slept. Wasn't bad at all! And both slept most of the way home.

Let us know how the nappy trick goes, Me. I've just put DS2 in a Tesco's one instead of the usual Boots overnight nappy. Oopsie...

Oooh Dom did you get the Kura? We currently have it in the low position for DS (4) and DD is in the cot bed as a cot. If we're still in the UK when she's ready to take the bars off, the bed will get flipped and the cot bed will go under.

No the Mydal. DH has started 'erecting' it while DS1 watches films and DS2 is supposed to be asleep.

Are you planning on moving ds2 into his brother's room soon then Dom? I'm slightly jealous that you managed a non-stressful trip to Ikea with 2 small children

I've never heard of that nappy trick before Me, you'll have to report back.

We got back home this evening and both boys were asleep within 5 mins, they were so exhausted. I wish every bedtime could be like that...

Well done on bedtime Trin.

I think the main bonus was that DS1 knew we were there to buy him a Big Bed so was super-excited. And we made sure everyone remained well fed throughout!

I'm not planning on moving DS2 ever! Well, certainly not while he's waking several times a night.

The double nappy trick worked a treat. DH put him to bed last night and I forgot to tell him to do it and lo and behold, damp pyjamas again this morning! So I'll be continuing with it for now - I'll buy a pack of cheap ones to be the over-the-top ones. I was thinking hm this is a waste of money putting two on, but then I rationalised that it's no more expensive than changing him in the night because he's wet!

After a 6 week ish run of terrible sleeping, the last 3 nights have been bearable. One wake up a piece and back to sleep with minimal fuss. I daren't hope yet that it's over though!