FEB 07 - 6 months down already!

[suzi2]

A new thread for the second half year

DS was 18lb 10oz yesterday, so has gained 10oz in the last 3 weeks (he's 9.5 months). Was really pleased as he has really cut down on the amount of milk he'll drink - the other evening he only took 1oz from his bedtime bottle! Generally what he doesn't drink goes into his food one way or another and I try to compensate on days he won't drink much by giving him cheesy sauces, yoghurt and fromage frais so I was pleased that these tactics appear to be working! Weight gain in babies is a strange thing though - in the previous 3 weeks he ate really well and was fine with his milk, yet only gained 2oz. In this 3-week period he's had a cold, been a bit off his solids as well as cutting back on the milk, yet gained 10oz. I should just worry less!

Poor little poppet has a cough too - kept hearing him in the night but he didn't cry or anything. Kept wanting to go into his room to make sure he was OK but managed to restrain myself. Did go in once at about 2:30am - he was having a coughing fit and I'd woken up for the loo anyway so crept in. He was sound asleep and absolutely fine. We are v. lucky as cannot remember the last time we got up in the night. He has slept through (from 10:30pm dream feed) from about 3.5 months and from 7pm from 6 months (when we started solids).

Have bought him a Christmas outfit for Christmas day - stripey cream and white jersey trousers and a cream top with a knitted Rudolph on the front (from Next). Very cute. We don't really have any Christmas traditions but now we have DS it might be the time to start some.

Am panicking about DH's present. Have got pretty much all the others but he is a NIGHTMARE to buy for. Everything I get him seems to end up being returned, yet he won't give me any ideas for presents either. Grrr! I like to be organised and he doesn't seem to appreciate that it's only a week until Christmas so I'm running out of time!

I need to join in here and pick all your brains, please
DD3 is 10 months and a rubbish sleeper
She has a nap for about an hour and a half after lunch, and another 45 minute nap at 5ish. She is currently going down for the night at 8:30ish, but wakes lots in the night and I'm wrecked
She is breastfed, but I'm tempted tp try giving her a bottle of formula at night to see if she'll sleep for longer..
I'm wondering what everyone else's routines are like, maybe I should change something?
DD2 was a great sleeper and I thought I had it sussed

HI sazizi Welcome I'm afraid I personally don't have much advice for you as DD sleeps OK at night but is a terrible daytime napper. There will be others about though who can help more we have a real range of sleepers here some good some not so!
I give DD give her a bottle of formula at bedtime though.
On the weight front I had DD weighed yesterday and she hasn't put on any weight at all. At 18.2lbs. The HV wasn't too concerend as DD has been unwell and is very active wizzing around the floor crawling at speed and standing alone now!

Welcome Sazisi, I'm afraid I can't help either, in fact I was going to ask for ideas on why my wonderful sleeper has recently started waking in the night. She settles down if I stroke her back and sshhh her but the moment I take my hand off her she cries again and I have to feed her to get her to settle again .

I've just looked at your profile and your girls look lovely, how do you pronounce your DD3's name?

T took some steps today, holding Daddy's hands mind you, but she seemed to know what to do with her feet, it was so funny to watch her chubby little legs stomping away! She's getting to be very good fun recently, she laughs at everything and loves to join in with whatever DD1's doing (much to her disapproval sometimes!). DD1 does love her though and she enjoys playing Mummy to her too, just the other day we were in the car and T was crying, so DD1 turned to her and said, "Alright Tabby, go to sleep"..... "Don't cry 'bout it, just go to sleep!"

Hi Sazisi, really sorry I can't help either as DS is currently an absolute angel - sleeps 7pm until at least 7am every night (this morning we had to wake him!) It could be though that because she isn't napping much during the day, she's getting overtired and can't settle herself at night.

I would try putting her down for a morning nap - depending on what time you get her up this could be around 9-9:30, for about 45 minutes. Then let her have her nap after lunch as usual, but I would avoid letting her have a late afternoon nap - certainly one as long as 45 minutes. If she can't get through without a nap, restrict it to a 15-minute "power-nap". Hopefully this will make her more tired by bedtime and she'll settle more easily. I haven't tried this, BTW, but it's what I'd try if I was in your position.

My DS is 9.5 months and goes down for a morning nap at 9am for anything up to 1.5 hours, then will have a lunchtime nap around 12:30/1pm depending on what time he woke from his morning nap. This nap tends to be shorter, around an hour or slightly less. He then often doesn't have an afternoon nap but if he does, it's about 4:30pm for no more than 15-25 minutes. He has his tea at 5:30pm then his bath at about 6:15 and is in bed by 6:45. He has slept through from 3.5 months (we woke him for a last feed at 10:30pm until he was weaned at 6 months and since then he has slept 7pm-7am). I hope this helps as you must be shattered

MoosMa, was just saying to DH yesterday how much fun DS now is. He wants to join in everything and really loves being part of whatever is going on. He isn't crawling yet but is leaning further and further forward from a sitting position so he's almost on to his knees - he then rocks his bum up and down which is really funny! I don't think it will be long before he's on the move - I can see he's desperate to start exploring! Is not keen on being fed at the moment either - had to ditch his tea last night and give him toast and chunks of Babybel cheese so he could feed himself. All good, of course - but takes ages to eat his tea!

T slept through last night with only a quick little 'shh' at about 1.30 but DH was ill with a stomach bug so kept me awake from 11.30pm-1am - typical! I think T might be coming down with it too, she seemed uncomfortable in the pushchair this afternoon and has just flatly refused any tea

She had her first injury yesterday (other than the bruises she gets everyday from falling over!), DH opened a door too quickly and she was behind it and got her fingers caught between the door and the floor - ouch! It's taken the skin off the back of 2 fingers up to the first knuckle but has healed over nicely overnight and doesn't seem to bother her too much. The poor little thing needs a holiday I think!

Sazisi I think I agree with CB about restricting the late sleep in the day - T either has 45 minutes at 11.30am and 3.30pm or she just has 1.5 hours at 11.30, I find if she's very tired in the afternoon when it's too late to go to sleep I can give her something to eat (like rice cake etc) and some water and she perks up for a bit. Then she has her milk at 4.30, tea at 5.30, bath with DD1 at 6.30, milk at 7.30, bed at 7.45.

Thanks all for the advice and friendly welcomes

I tried giving her some formula last night, but she wasn't really going for it at all! Think I'll just keep trying though; it seems to be a part of her personality to be resistant at first to anything new

Had another night from hell last night, even hours of being fed to sleep in our bed didn't work this time DH eventually got her to cry herself to sleep in his arms

She used to settle really easily (but wake up quite often!), but is now just like your DD to settle, Moosma. I'm putting it down to teething..

Currantbun, I'm going to try what you've suggested, think I'll have to keep a little late-afternoon nap though, because I've tried dropping that and she just gets over-tired and really, really whingey! She used to have a morning nap; reinstating it might make her calmer.. def worth a try! Oh for a baby who sleeps 7-7

Thanks Moosma Aoibh is pronounced just like Eve in our house, although a fastidious Irish-speaker would pronounce it more like 'ee-uv' (I can't actually speak Irish at all, only know the odd word)

It's lovely to hear you all describing your babies' antics ; they are just so sociable at this age aren't they? Aoibh keeps doing that thing of joining in whenever anyone laughs, and she made a little friend on the bus today
I've no idea what she wieghs now, although she is due a check..

Sazisi, good luck - really hope the nap thing helps. Interrupted nights are just hell.

My mum looks after DS on Thursdays and Fridays when I'm at work and yesterday she took him to the pillar box to post Christmas cards. For some reason he found the cards going into the letter box absolutely hilarious and was guffawing with laughter. Mum said she was crying with laughter in the end as he was so funny! Bless!

He is being a bit of a monkey with his food at the moment. I know we've made a bit of a rod for our own backs because last week he had a cold and was a bit off his food, and the only way we could get him to eat anything savoury was to alternate spoonfuls of it with spoonfuls of yoghurt of fromage frais. He wasn't having much milk either and I was concerned about getting food into him in any way I could - but now, of course, he knows that if he refuses his food he'll get yoghurt (which he'd sell his soul for!) Question is, how to get him back on track? Do I just remove his food if he refuses it and give him nothing else, or do I try gradually reducing the amount of yoghurt? TBH I literally just dip the tip of his spoon in it but it seems to do the trick - but obviously I want to 'cure' him of this a.s.a.p.

Any suggestions?

current bun we do the yoghurt thing here too and end up doing it pretty much every dinner time. I think things have been worse since DD was poorly too.
We ran out of yoghurt today and she had a pot of pureed fruit instead which she ate for pudding. Could you try different things?

Glas to see that Sophie isnt the only yoghurt fanatic! I must admit though she is generally a good eater but if she ever has a day when she doesnt fancy eating much else I know she will def have a yoghurt and her wee face lights up wi th excitememnt when she sees it.

Cant give much advice on the sleeping front either as dd2 goes down about 7-7.30 after her bath and breastfeed. Then tends to wake up ever half hour or so til I go to bed and will only settle at night for me which is driving me insane as dp has always been the one to settle her when she is upstairs and we are downstairs - he always goes up to her but this week she just isnt having any of it and screams til she gets her mummy!! Past few nights she has been sleeping right through once i am in bed till about 6am. She is sleeping in with us which I hate - really need to try and get her back into her cot now that I have stopped work for the holidays. Starting tonight with a bottle of formula cos I have decided that the time is right for us (i think - lost count of how many times i have said that). My nipples are really sore at the moment and its all getting me really down cos my boobs are odd sizes and Im hoping they will return to normal when I stop feeding - otherwise dp better start saving for an op!! lol

Think the food thing is teething-related actually. He was much better today - ate all but the last two spoonfuls of his chicken casserole without the need for yoghurt! Had to get up to him in the night last night, for the first time in 6 months. He did so many nappies yesterday I lost count in the end, and his poor little bottom was red raw. He pooed again around 12:20am and must have been so uncomfortable because he was inconsolable - changed his nappy and he just sobbed and sobbed, poor little mite. Eventually calmed down after about 20 minutes of cuddles and a dose of Calpol, then slept fine for the rest of the night. Seems in good spirits today and has eaten well, has also only filled one nappy so far but I used cotton wool and water to clean him instead of wipes as his skin is still pretty sore.

I haven't been around for ages, sorry.
Ds is 10months and walking around the furniture, climbing stairs and anything else that takes his fancy really. No teeth yet! Still bf'ing waking at night which I have a feeling is down to sleeping with us and wanting the comforting of nursing during the night. Lack of sleep is hard but I'd rather not do the other route if I can help it just yet, hey ho.
Has anyone on the thread got pg again? Jus' wondering

Are you trying to tell us something there sorky? I'm most definitely not and (hopefully) never shall be again! I'm counting down the days until T is potty trained and we'll be a nappy-free house!

No, no, jus' wondering ....erm, I'm thinking about having a fourth .
Wondered if anyone else was thinking broodily.
Anyhoo, how the heck are you moosma, how's your little cutie? x

Hi, just checking in briefly. Nipper is doing OK, lovely during the day, full of smiles, bouncing, standing, loving playing with anyone or anything. Still having difficulty with his poos - regular, but hard work poor little lamb, so am now doing half goats formula/half Hipp and hoping to go full goat over the next few days. (All the rest of us seem to do better on goats than cows milk.) Nights still variable. He seems to wake once or twice (or sometimes more) every night, but usually needs only a very short cuddle before dropping off again. Don't know if it's teeth, wind, habit or whatever. Can't really offer advice to anyone as I don't know what's up with us!

Had a lovely day today btw. Went to central London with the DSs to see the lights and the Trafalgar square tree, and spend some time with DH too. End of term and (DH) work looming so looking forward to family time over Christmas.

Right, now need to go searching online for a gift for DH to buy me...

Hi all, Welcome back sorky!
No plans for another yet with us we are oing to wait a bit. BUT one of my antenatal friends told me today that she is PG again!!! I think she is due end of August.

Things not brill here. My very dear uncle died on Thursday. He had cancer but we had only known about it for a couple of months. We are off to Nottingham on Thursday for the funeral on Friday.

Sorry to hear about your uncle Peachy, ho9pe it goes ok on Friday

We're ok here thanks Sorky, although T is having difficulties sleeping. She woke at 2.15 last night so I fed her, then she woke again at 3.10 so I gave her calpol, at 3.35 I took her downstairs so her crying wouldn't wake DD1 and DH and we slept on the sofa together.

I've noticed something a bit strange recently, I've had to stay with her while she goes to sleep a few times and I've noticed that as she's going to sleep she often stops breathing or holds her breath for a few seconds before gasping and crying a bit. I might take to her to the doctor if it carries on as I'm worried that one day she'll forget to do the gasp.

Peachy, so sorry to hear that. It's always worse so close to Christmas too - hope it all goes OK for you on Friday.

One of my antenatal friends is also pregnant again! Her DD is 4 weeks younger than my DS, so only 9 months. Will be 14 months when the new baby arrives - scary! I seem to be obsessed with babies at the moment and feel quite broody, but I don't think I could cope with two so close together so will be waiting a while before we decide if we're going down that road.

I just adore my DS. He's such a happy, smiley little chap and is so much fun to have around - really looking forward to our first Christmas as a family [OTT gushing emoticon].

Sorry to hear of your loss Peachy x hope it goes as well as can be expected.
Moosma I would go to docs. We had a non-blanching rash a couple of month ago and he frightened the hell out of us. Doc's don't know what it was, virus probably which is the standard "we really haven't a clue what's wrong". I've always been pretty laid back until that happened and now I think I'd rather check things at GP's asap regardless of what it is/isn't. They'll no doubt be sick of me by the time he reaches 1yo.
How close is that as well, v.scary!

She slept for 12.5 hours last night
I'll see how she goes tonight and if she's still funny then I'll take to her the doctor tomorrow...

Hi all, just popped by as had DS2 weighed and it's 23lb 14oz at just 9 months is he officially the biggest bummed baby in Feb 07 .

Moosma, sounds like sleep aponea, not usually a prob but I would get her checked out.

DS2 still not sleeping well, will try and pop on later to catch up with everything, on my way out now with DS1 and his friend to their karate party.

Nice to hear from you CWCE, and good to hear the nipper's growing (very) well - oddly I was just wondering in the shower this morning how you were getting on. (OK, I'm officially a saddo...)

And yes, sorkycake, seems like 1yr is rushing up fast. I dug out DS1's 12-18mo clothes at the weekend and DS2 fits a fair few already, so babyhood definitely fading quickly.

Oh, by the way, did the last bf yesterday. Scraggy old maternity bras off to the fabric recycling, a good stiff drink tonight, and I'll be scoffing a Snickers tomorrow woohoo!

Sorry to hear about your uncle peachy.

We're having a tiny success with some controlled comforting to get DD to sleep in her cot. It's taking a good hour, and she's still waking every 45 mins so ends up in beside me by 11pm. But it's a start. I'm not a fan of anything where she has to scream, but feeding, rocking or singing to sleep had stopped working and we were literally left with no option. I stay in the room with her and let her hold my hand through the cot if necessary, so I don't think she'll hold it against me forever. Determined to give it a good couple of weeks while DH is off over xmas and if things are no better then we'll try something else. DH is away for 2 wks again next month and I really need her to be less attached to me all evening/night so I can deal with DS if necessary.

I'd highly recommend an 18 month age gap . Whilst it's been tough at times, i can imagine having a newborn in the house with the age DS is at now (2.4) much worse! And they're enjoying each other these days, but they're a wild, wild pair. I'm not looking forward to DD walking (which looks like it will be soon given the attempts she's making!) as they'll bw so much trouble. DS does like hitting and squashing her at the moment. But she'll get her own back in a few months I'm sure!

Sorry to hear about your uncle Peachy.

Just posting to send a big Merry Christmas to all New Mummies and their Big/Little Bummed Ones, I imagine you're all thinking back to last year when life was all about big knickers, big bellies and a thimble of Champagne Shandy to toast the New Year.

Congratulations to everyone for surviving the past year and wishing you all lots of sleep-filled nights in 2008...

lol yummy, I'm looking forward to a champagne breakfast this year! and maybe a good few more through the day.