February 2019 babies - thread 2

[Celebelly]

New thread, ladies!

Thanks @mummymummymummummum. My DH really wants her to be given a dummy at witching hour (unfortunately this kicks off just as DH arrives home from work so I think he wants peace and quiet) whereas I’d rather limit dummy use for exceptional circumstances (we have managed 8 weeks without it so don’t want to give her one for no good reason and make a habit out of it).

DH thinks I’m being a bit cruel as it does settle her quickly so clearly she is comforted by it!

Hi everyone and thanks for setting up the new thread @celebelly. Baby O was eight weeks yesterday and has turned a real corner this past week: lots of smiles, happy noises, cooing at toys and...whisper it... improved sleep. Nothing compared to some of you ladies but some good stretches.

Plus eight weeks in and we are still breastfeeding some of the time. Never thought we’d last this long as he has been so fussy and hard to feed. But BFs still at night and 2-3 times during the day. It’s a slightly eccentric regime in that there is no discernible pattern to it apart from nighttime and morning. But it’s working for us and enabling me to keep BF him longer than I had hoped. Hooray.

Main challenge is big brother (3.5yo) now. After being gorgeous and affectionate he is now being very challenging. Still nice with the baby but some mega tantrums and quite horrid aggression towards me. I guess the novelty has worn off and perhaps he is jealous now that baby is a bit more interactive. Any other 2nd (or more) timers got this and any tips to help? Breaks my heart to see him so angry.

@bubblybrit - we do have a dummy for Emma but actually hardly use it. She doesn't have it at night whatsoever. The only time I have it is when she's fussing in the day / or out and about but she actually spits it out once asleep. She must have it 10 mins a day if that (someone days not at all).

My son however loved his dummy. He never had it all the time, naps / bedtime and if he was upset. He has lovely teeth and his talking is good so I wouldn't worry if your lo needs it x

Id love M to have a dummy (as it is meant to help with reflux, to give my nipples a rest, & because it lowers risk sids) but shes having non of it. She sucks it once realises no milks coming out then launches it. Anyone any tips on how you got baby to take it? She progresed from being thumb sucker to thjst sucker and makes herseldf gag 😢

@Yakadee. She definitely doesn’t want it/need it all the time. Perhaps I should give it to her purely to help settle her on the days where she is overly grumpy! We have just had a feed now. She took the dummy for 5 mins afterwards and spat it out. She is now happily snoozing x

Dd didn't have a dummy until she was 10 months old. It was only bought because we were going on a flight so wanted it just in case. It was only used on the flight and when camping. She wasn't bothered when it wasn't there but didn't like giving it up when we used it. She ended up dummy obsessed at 15 months and would take dummies in nursery. Ds has got one but only for when he's really fussy. He often won't take it though which I'm quietly pleased about (he looks strange with a dummy but I've got no issue with other babies having one).

@AmberRose17 my just turned 4 year old has had some epic tantrums since his baby brother arrived. Like you he is very loving to the baby bit we are beating the brunt of it. Baby is 10 weeks now and his behaviour has actually improved over the last week or so and so I hope we are turning a corner. I try and make sure that if grandparents etc are over I leave them with the baby and spend some one on one time with him building Lego or doing play doh etc. Over Easter weekend I've also promised him I will take him to cinema to see dumbo and leave baby at home with daddy which he's really excited about. I'm not breastfeeding though so it's easier to leave baby I guess. I think that as they are that much older they are used to having us to themselves and so must be a huge shock to them. I'm hoping we continue as we have been over the last week. Fingers crossed for you too!

I'm persevering with giving DS2 a dummy, he's not fussed but I'm very in favour of them for sleep as I think they help so much - I credit DS1's continued good sleep to dummies! He wasn't fussed on it until he was older mind, about 4 months. He only had it at night once he got to about 8+ months. We took it away at 2.9 and he was distraught for one night but soon got over it, I would take it away earlier this time tough, maybe around 2.

Amberrose17 3 is a very challenging age I've found! My son is 3.3 and is pretty good with the baby but he is so strong willed and defiant, and definitely acts up a lot. He was like this since he turned about 2.9 though so I don't know if it's just his age. I hear 4 is a lovely age so I'm hoping it passes soon.

DS2 is almost fully on formula now, just a couple of BFs a day but he's usually then topped up with a bottle.

He's only up for one night feed which is great, but is only really sleeping for about 4.5 hours maximum for the first stretch, less for the second as he often falls asleep on his middle of the night bottle. He falls asleep on his bedtime one too and only have about 3oz whereas in the day he will have 5oz most of the time (6oz in the evening followed by a bottle of EBM 1.5-2 hours later!!! The evening hunger is still very much there). Tonight we might try and give him a couple of Oz of his bedtime bottle before his bath, then the rest after, in the hope he has more and sleeps a bit longer!

A couple of weeks ago he was doing 5-5.5 hours stretches of sleep for a good few days which was heaven. I know he's only 7 weeks so I should be patient but because he was sleeping longer before, I'm keen for him to be doing 5+ hours again. He seems to be waking up between 2am and 2:30am like clockwork regardless of what time he falls asleep (last night he fell asleep around 9:40pm but Friday night it was after 10:20pm, still woke at the same time) so I hope it's not a habit. Anyone found that?

bubbly I'd been wanting to ask the same re dummies. I'm a total dummy convert this time round. With DC1 l was adamant that he wouldn't have a dummy and had preconceptions. I now realise that dummies are just another tool for comforting baby just like rocking a baby or giving a comfort feed.

For example today baby R has been trying to nap but I've been having to stop rocking and holding him to deal with toddler toileting and tantrums. He's now overtired and no amount of walking him round will settle him so dummy has gone in and he's straight to sleep in his bouncer and I have my arms free to make lunch We've only been using it in situations like this or during the witching hour, I don't feel comfortable letting him sleep overnight with it in and l don't want him waking when it falls out so it's strictly daytime only. Hoping he doesn't become dependent on it and I'll try and get rid by 6 months. I'm just waiting for my MILs disapproval when I tell her that R has a dummy!

Amberrose it's lovely that you are able to combi feed still in a way that you are happy with. I'd wanted to achieve something similar but switched to ff early on. My 2.5 plays up for attention sometimes so I've just been trying to give him undivided attention when I can when daddy is looking after the baby.

Can I ask how much formula and how old the formula fed babies are? I'm having trouble judging when to go up an ounce because of the reflux. R is finishing all his 6oz bottles but I think he's quite a sucky baby and will overfeed if I let him.

I have been using it sparingly @sunday38. She was so grumpy earlier this afternoon. Tried everything to no avail so in popped the dummy! She instantly settled and was snoozing within 10 mins. She is pretty good though as tends to spit it out once sleepy enough and doesn’t need it popped back in!

@sunday38. Also baby A is almost 9 weeks. She tends to take 5oz bottles but feeds every 2-3 hours. Sometimes she won’t take the full bottle though. She is still putting on weight and we do feed on demand so not too concerned.

Hi all, been out of the loop for a while, kept forgetting to check!

My DS is 9 weeks today and jabs have made him a bit grumpy today! Hope everyone else is good

So we are at the point where we are starting to think about buying clothes in the next size up. (Long lean baby! So currently between newborn and upto one month or 0-3) And I am struggling so much to know what size to get as find each brand or shop so differant.

Would anyone else find it useful of we all pooled together our experiences on how clothes fit.

Does anyone know how h&m fit? Or tu @ sainsburys.

So far ive found

M&S=bigger
Next=short and wide
Jojo Maman=big
Boden=long

@Notquiteagandt - yes! I'm off today to buy some more baby grows (3-6 months) and we've suddenly just grown out of the smaller ones!

My friend loves h&m for her two but I've never tried them, I really like sainsburys, especially for my son (who is 3). I find them a decent length and not too big around the body, they wash nice too.

I'm going to try matalan today as a friend bought me one from there and it was lovely, the little build in mittens but was stretchy too which I quite liked - I'll let you know x

I've also found next and JoJo to be too wide for my little girl.

I like H&M stuff (although not tried their sleepsuits as they don't have feet) as it seems to be long and skinny. And it comes in size 1-2 months which fits perfectly but we'll need 2-4 months soon!

I've had outfits from Sainsburys which seemed quite big (size up to 1 month and she's still wearing them) but the right proportions, and wash really well.

White Company fits well but horribly pricey. We've also had a few gifts of the Ted Baker range from Debenhams. Their clothes seem big and wide but the sleepsuits (which are gorgeous) fit well.

Looking forward to other recommendations 😁 we need more sleepsuits. Preferably with feet and not too pink!

I've also bought some little blouses etc from Zara - ridiculously impractical but soooo cute 😍 their sizing seems quite small.

Sainsbury's I've found to be good usually. I think it's the longest of the supermarket brands. Tesco isn't bad either but Asda is short. I don't usually find next too short. Joules is long (but expensive). I haven't tried H&M baby clothes but they're quite short for my toddler.

I'm really struggling with clothes for ds. I thought it was difficult with dd who was tall and skinny but he's another level entirely (below 9th for weight and skinny but 91st for height and big feet). I don't know how I'll ever get anything to fit.

John Lewis is on the longer side too but not usually well proportioned width wise. It seems like the expensive brands are better for tall and slim ones. 🙄

@lanalawr hear you on that my little beanpole is 60th for length and 0.2 for weight and has strangely large feet too. The foot seems always end up rubbing her as always fall in her arch. Shes all legs too. Shell be happy when older if stays same proportions 😂

Those who said like sainsburys. Their next 25% off event starts 2mo rumour has it. So was thinking trying their vests.

@Notquiteagandt - interesting! I'm always at sainsburys so will have a look. I really like their stuff x

Our LO appears to have huge feet so grows out of the JL onesies quite quickly! She’s 10 weeks but her feet are bursting out of the 0-3! Still fits everywhere else.

We have our 8 week jabs on Thursday, 2 weeks late. I got there on time (!) last week to be told that the nurse was on annual leave and that the appointment was booked by mistake . I had been worrying about it for days so really annoyed!

I still haven’t got round to having my post natal bloods done and as I can barely get off the sofa with exhaustion I think I should probably do it today! I can’t really tolerate iron tablets or liquids due to diarrhoea so it’s hard for me to keep my levels up.

We found last time and this time-

Jojo- small for babies, generous for toddlers and 12. But super wide ime.
JL - big
H and M - generally small
Joules - small but long
Zara - long (toddler mostly clothes wise here)
Gap - variable.
Petit bateau - long and narrow

DD1 was v long and slim. DD2 is much smaller - almost 10 weeks and still in 0-3. Jojo stuff drowns her, joules and John Lewis fitting well. Petit bateau vests my fave as they fit perfectly as v narrow and lovely quality.

Although anyone else found that Jojos hats are tiny?! All the newborn stuff has had to go away already - and DD2 has a tiny head!

Re tantrums - we’re ok on that front, no more than usual really although she is playing up a bit (3 yo) but sleep is still dire. She was in our bed again last night after an atrocious night the night before too!

@Since2016 - not sure we ever got a jojo hat on her head! Her head is 98th percentile though 😂

H&M stuff comes in smaller age ranges like 1-2m 2-4m - they do the wrap vests so liked them for that reason! They are very thin and not that well made but doesn’t really matter for a few months wear, plus vests will be good for summer for lighter layers.
Our favourite vests have been from Frugi as they have wraps that are amazing quality and good value in the sale, but full price way too much. The sizing is so generous she’s still in newborn for them!