The March-ers 2019 - Baby Talk #2

[Angelmiracle]

Thread 2 for all our newborns ❤🤗👣

@AssumeItWasSomethingClever I’m oop north it’s warm and muggy but there is a breeze with the windows open. Dd is in a long sleeve vest in a 1.5 tog sleeping bag even though it’s warm she seems to sleep better with long sleeves.

@assumeitwassomethingclever My LO is just in his vest, still seems hot, but with the window open and the fan on I'd be worried he'll get chilly otherwise. But it's "only" 24.3°c in our bedroom.
I used to love summer, now I'm ready for it to end.

I'm not even sure what is happening with my LO, he's really struggling with sleeping/naps at the moment. Don't know if it's the heat, overstimulation/overtiredness, sleep regression or what. He's finding it hard to fall asleep, real bad. Even on the breast, which is usually pretty reliable! Thanks to being tired his feeding has been pretty crap too (poor latching, bobbing off a lot etc), which worries me a bit. Do others have similar issues?

We've had our first real laugh today though, which is so awesome. He dropped it on me out of nowhere!

@cardboard33 Thank you for sharing your experiences, it really helps. The op sounds so scary, but I've been reading about experiences of other mums with the same and they all say what you said - the thinking about it is the worst. Babies are ok soon after. I feel anxious even about the general anesthetic he'll have to have for his CT scan (no way he'll lie still for 10 minutes), so several hour long operation like that is just very scary.
I have my questions for the peadiatrician ready - he called me back today, but as luck would have it I was just on the train with no signal, and now have to wait for another call tomorrow.

My room is nearly always between 22-24, I have little one in vest and 1.5 grow bag. She always seems to wake around 4-5 and I'm not sure if she's a little cold, I put her next to me and she falls straight back to sleep.

The past few nights she's been pulling her legs up and thumping them back down when I put her in her cot and it's been taking her between 20-45 mins to fall asleep when usually she's straight out. Anyone else's little ones do this?
Last night she was really bad doing it and also moaning, fighting going to sleep. OH had to take her and walk around with her to get her to sleep. She's usually so good when it comes to bedtime but not this past week. Hoping it's just a phase

@Sheeni mines been the same when it comes to naps and bedtime. She's really starting fighting going to sleep now. She was 16 week Tuesday so hoping it's just a phase.
Those first laughs are so cute, she's just started doing them also.

@kee80 yes mine does the leg thing too. There are nights that he will lie and do it for ages and also in his sleep. @Sheeni my lo has also been very difficult to settle the past week or so for both naps and bedtime. He's 19 weeks tomorrow.

I put him to sleep in just his nappy and a cellular blanket. He has slept through every night for the past 3 weeks but woke up 3 times last night and guzzled his bottle... very unlike him! So he must have been thirsty poor little love.
@Sheeni like you I used to love summer. Now it just seems such a Military operation.

Does anyone else find that the bright evenings make it harder to put their lo to bed? I'm starting to think that's one of the reasons he wakes up and doesn't go down again. I have blackout curtains up but light still gets through. In saying that, last night after his 45 minute wake up he went back over quickly with my husband walking him in the carseat. Normally he just starts chatting and playing with his feet lol. He is still very unsettled since the jabs and he is also biting everything in sight and then getting frustrated (possibly with pain). I just wish I knew for sure that it is teething because I would rather not fire some calpol into him "just in case". He has never had flushed cheeks but the frustrated biting on everything surely points in that direction? Hmmm.

@Sheeni @kee80 along with the leg thing he also lifts his arms and drops them down hard on his tummy! I think they are just at a little unsettled phase in their sleep regression and don't know what to do with themselves! Little E goes from absolutely hyper, thrashing about to eyes rolling and falling asleep in seconds.

@Sheeni honestly the nights before you'll be a wrek but it's the thinking about it that will get to you more than him actually having the opp, regardless of when it happens. Is the CT scan definitely as long as 10 mins? I ask as all of the CTs I've had on my head have been a minute, if that, whereas the MRI is much longer. You do need to be really still though (Ive had loads and struggle) so there's zero chance a baby would stay still meaning it will be nicer and better for him to be asleep for it, even though it might seem more painful for you, and it's also very bright and noisy meaning it's impossible for them to stay still. When is the CT scan? That should give you more answers, hopefully, although after my first CT scan they told me I'd definitely had a stroke and shipped me off to the stroke unit for more tests before telling me a few days later that I hadn't... so it's not always conclusive and it may be that they find he doesn't have this after all. So annoying that you missed their call too, especially if it's a private number and they leave an unhelpful voicemail... It hate that, or you'll answer on a train and not want to say too much beyond "yes, no" even though you've got loads of questions. Good luck tomorrow anyway, I'll be thinking of you.

Someone give me strength. I literally feel I've got my 2 day old baby back who doesn't sleep a wink . She's gone from sleeping 10-10 to waking 2-4 times . To being impossible to get to sleep and then waking almost hourly and not going back to sleep for 30-40 mins a time ..I've been awake most the night. She's been like this since Tuesday after injections. Surely it's not injections tho ? Anyone else having this . . Don't want to experience this every night as I'm on my own with her till I move into my house with my partner but that's not for a few weeks . Don't want to be that sleep deprived depressed mum again . Was just starting to really enjoy everything

@Jenlou1992 sounds like the dreaded 4 month sleep regression, sorry! Mine goes down with minimal fighting (most nights) about 7pm and we've started dreamfeeding about 10pm which is working well in getting more milk into him (he's getting so fussy during the day, I'm worried he's not having enough) but doesn't work in helping him sleep longer. The last few nights he's been up at 1ish and then again at 4 or 5 ish although luckily he hasn't been too hard to settle again after his feed. Add to that DS1 waking once a night because he's cold / hot / duvet fallen off / heard a noise and then he's always up about 6:30, it's amazing how quickly you become the new mum zombie again 😴😴😴

I don't know if ours is "typical" of the regression but we do seem to have the occasional night where he sleeps a bit better then back to waking once or twice so...maybe some promise in that it's not every night?!

@Jenlou1992 We have it fairly similar. My LO wakes up a few times per night at his best, but these days I think he's up every hour or so. As he sleeps on me I honestly just boob him and he eventually goes off again. I'm so tired anyway, as waking up every hour through the night is not fun. Hopefully it will pass soon. Wise books say 2-6 weeks, let's hope we're closer to the 2 weeks mark. Even that seems like forever.

@cardboard33 I don't know yet when the CT scan will be, likely in about 3-4 weeks. I spoke to the doctor yesterday, and I think you're right that they just won't do everything fast enough to be able to do the endoscopic surgery. I think I'm OK with that now, as the huge downside of the endoscopic is that he would have to wear a helmet for several months afterwards, 21-23 hrs/day. That sucks.
Anyway, as the doctor is not specialised in the field, he didn't really know about the helmet. He actually said that I will likely know more than him about all of it, which is fair enough.
It was the doctor who said 10 minutes. Maybe a lot of parents say their LO surely can stay still for 1 minute and then they can't, so he now claims it takes longer?
CT should be fairly conclusive. X-ray is sadly useless in this case. Doctor said it's still possible it's not it, he just wants to be sure. 🤞

@Jenlou1992 yes since little E had his jabs on Tuesday he's been so difficult to settle, waking several times in the night. Last night he woke at 3am and was ready for action with very lively chats! I'm exhausted! He was up several times before that crying. It's good to know I'm not the only one but dear god make it stop!!

Morning everyone. Can't believe im actually saying this but due to my age (37) I really have a feeling that I'm going to go through the change early. My mother didn't till she was 50 but my Nan her mother did at 39. This past week I've started to feel really "different" kind of like pms but not due my period, also been having hot flushes quite a lot and night sweats. Not sure if I'm being paranoid but it's on my mind now that maybe I could be experiencing early symptoms!

Me and oh have been discussing this and it's really got to him, he said he wants little one to have a sibling, and he wants to start trying in the next few months. I would really like her to as well but was thinking not until she's at least 12 months.

Not sure if I'm just being paranoid but what would you ladies do if you was in my position??

Thanks all and hang in there during this sleep regression. I'm dreading feeling how I did when she was first born with the sleepless nights

@kee80 is there anything you can get tested at the doctors to confirm ? If not then personally I would start trying for a baby. It may not be the gap you wanted but before the choice is took away from you I would try . But it's something you and your husband need to agree on .

@Brobot it's horrible isn't it . I can't even count how many times she woke up. I used to be able to give her the boob and she would go back to sleep . But nope not now . She was very much awake and chatty and all hours this morning . Till about 4/5am then she slept for about 2-3 hours .

@Sheeni so sorry to hear about that news. Glad to hear the recovery is relatively quick but still couldn't imagine what your feeling . Always reach out on here if you need to .

@kee80 my sister is 41 and is being tested for early menopause. You can get your hormone levels checked I think. I have always wanted more than one child but after the experience I've had up until now (horrible birth, colic baby, postnatal depression) I think we are saying we wont have a second. It makes me so sad to think I wont give him a sibling but I honestly don't think I could do it again. Apparently postnatal depression gets worse with each baby so I'd be terrified.

@Jenlou1992 I'm going to go to the doctors next week and discuss my concerns. I would really love to have another but certainly not yet!
Hopefully I'm just being a little paranoid and this warm weather is the reason for the hot flushes/night sweats

@Brobot that's what I'm going to do next week ask to be tested. I honestly could cry.

@kee80 It might just be post pregnancy symptoms. I'm no expert but am always hot since having my first baby and with this weather recently I've been getting night sweats. I don't know about the PMS symptoms but periods can be very different after having a baby - shorter, heavier etc - so it could be that you're feeling different for this reason?

I'd speak to your GP to see if they can do anything to determine if it's "normal" post partum stuff.

@Sheeni hopefully by the point of the CT scan you'll have been connected to specialist teams who do know what they're talking about... My husband and I are now invariably the experts in the room when it comes to me and it's so difficult trying to explain things in lay man's terms in a concise way as possible, particularly when it's not actually the focus of the appointment like when I was pregnant. When we see the specialist people it's good as they see people with brain tumours day in day out so they don't think anything of it, and also, it's just nice talking to someone who gets it. That's good about him not needing to wear a helmet if he has it when he's older - there's a little girl at one of the groups I go to who has one and whilst they've jazzed it up with bows etc it can't be that pleasant for her! It's also good that they have potentially worked out what is wrong as sometimes you can be going round and round with the NHS until you see someone who happens to think "oh what if it is X" ... We were v lucky with my diagnosis as it all happened v quickly whereas others with more symptoms than me can spend years going to the GP before they get sent for a CT scan.

@kee80 sorry you're going through that, do you want to try for another baby now? As you could always say to your husband that you're happy with just one ... Or if you were set on trying towards the end of the year anyway, then you could say that a couple of months doesn't make that much difference if you feel time isn't on your side? For aforementioned reasons this is likely to be our only one which is very sad but I suppose it's much better to have one than none at all.

@cardboard33 @Jenfur thank you both for your comments. I'm really in 2 minds about another. I really would like one but just not yet. I will most definitely make an appointment with the doctor and take it from there. Thanks again

@Sheeni so sorry to hear of your worries. I agree that in the long run actually not having to have a helmet on will be easier on your LO. Hugs to you; you're doing so well.

@Jenlou1992 Baby J has been sleeping like a champion for weeks and weeks. He did 10.5 hours the night before last and has been reliably sleeping through from arpund 8.30/9pm till at least 5.45 if not 6.30am every single night... except last night, when he wouldn't go down till 9.30pm then woke at 12.30am and 4.30am for feeds. I know I have been spoilt until now, but that one night had made me feel broken! (I have terrible dreams on interrupted sleep and was also up several times to deal with my 3 year old - at 5am I let him go and get a banana to eat in the bedroom because he was hungry and I was desperate, and I then went back to sleep and had a vivid nightmare about a load of black widow babies coming out of his banana and spreading across his carpet - arrrrgggghhhh!) Anyway my baby is 4 months today. So I am hoping this was a blip caused by the noisy music from a wedding in the village, and not how nights are going to be from now on!

@kee80 oh that is upsetting. I've been reading up a lot on menopause because I will go into early menopause when my ovaries are removed due to my BRCA gene, and that does sound like menopausal symptoms. If you want another baby then there's nothing to lose by trying now. I have a friend who has a 15 month age gap intentionally and it's worked out well for her family. I guess if you are peri-menopaussl then it's a question of what you would rather: potentially two children with an age gap smaller than you would like, or potentially wondering if you missed out on a pregnancy through delaying trying. Hopefully it's just the hot weather though!

God I'm exhausted but that bloody dream about the spiders has really unsettled me! (Don't anyone tell me any banana spider stories please - I don't need to fuel this fire!)

@kee80 oh I'm sorry to hear that. I've not got much advice really but have found myself also being very hot since being pregnant and quite sweaty which i wasnt before. I've woke up soaked sometimes. I know its warm but thats never happened unless I'd had the flu. I hope it is something related to post pregnancy but definitely worth a chat to the GP.

@Brobot sorry to hear of the coldsore and hope youre managing ok with your anxiety.

Sorry to do a really short catch up post, i will try and catch up. My anxiety has been really bad this week and haven't been online much.

I'm just wondering if anyone has been through or is going through something similar. For the past 5 days George has only finished one feed. He was on 7oz for about 6weeks and had been draining them for 3 weeks so we moved him up to 8oz 3 days before his 16 wk jabs.

He started taking 7.5 oz then the full 8. However since the jabs, in fact since his morning feed just before his jabs (so not sure how it can be related since it started just before them) he has only taken a max of 5oz per feed. Sometimes 4.

It seems to be that once he's been winded he won't take anymore but not sure if i can leave him the whole bottle without winding as he would always just throw some up if we did that previously. We try leaving it a while and trying him again but he won't have any. He doesnt seem hungry inbetween feeds. In fact he's just napping more and still being incredibly cranky when its time for a nap. Scratching, arching his back, kicking out. I think that started around the 14week leap and he's 18 wks tomorrow. Not sure of why the feeding has changed though, I'm just worried as he has gone from 35ish oz per day to now about 20-25? Is anyone else going through this? I've got the HV coming on Tuesday for a weaning discussion so some will mention it then.

Oh and just to make things more enjoyable, think we're definitely going through the 4month sleep regression. The past 10 days have been....fun!!