August/ September 2019 babies #2

[kyles101]

Thread number 2 for our August / September 2019 due date babies.

DS is having a regression on nighttime sleep since moving over to combi - seems to want to wale at 1am whereas before would always go through until 3am...

Yay @Horehound that all sounds fab!! I hope you're all tucked up and snoozing nicely! Hopefully rolling front to back isn't too far away either and then it won't matter so much about him being on his tummy.

Ds is asleep but I can't get there even though I'm exhausted... it's like I'm just waiting for the wake ups to start...

@horehound hope you had a good night.

What you said about anger really resonated, I don't get angry at DS but at the situation. And then I feel so crap. Thankfully he's super cute and shakes me out of my grump fairly quickly.

We had a better night last night for absolutely no rhyme or reason. He slept on me downstairs from 8.30-10.30. Upstairs for a feed and asleep in the co-sleeper by 11. Woke at 1.30 but didn't want to feed, had a cuddle and went back to sleep in our bed. Fed at 3, then up for the day at 6.

DH can't understand why I am still tired this morning....

We don't bath every night either @Horehound and our routine is nothing really- in PJ's about 7.45, bum done, last bottle downstairs about 8.15 (this is the second bottle in one cycle, she would have had one at about 6.30 when she woke up from her nap too), then upstairs as close to 8.30 as possible. Dark room, star projector on and white noise on, into sleeping bag and a little cuddle, then lay down with a comforter. I normally then potter about upstairs for 10 mins as she'll talk to things/ grizzle/ need her dummy back in. If she cries I'll have another cuddle then back in, pat her chest if needed. Normally asleep anywhere from 5 mins to 30.

We do exactly the same on daytime naps if we're at home- she's currently laid talking to the stars in her room next door, but it's all going quiet now.

One of the books on sleep I read said that it's about this age that they start to struggle being cuddled to sleep, and all of the old guaranteed tricks you had stop working. This was really true for us. It recommends that you really try getting them to self soothe, in small steps, as there's too much stimulation going on in your arms. It also says to remember that self soothing is an essential skill, but one we learn rather than know naturally, so it can take a little while. Indie couldn't do it at first, she screamed! now she doesn't need any patting or stroking, and only occasionally us in the room.

But also putting my hand up to say with you on the shit nights! 5 weeks of this fucking regression and counting. Last night seemed slightly better, she came in with me and was thrashing a bit less than she has been. Instead she has had a dodgy tummy and I've had to change her bum 3 times during the night 😩 she hasn't wanted night feeding at all during this regression though- it is purely comfort. So I'm quite hopeful that when it's over (please be soon, I'm on my knees!) she'll go back to the sleeper she was. I'm not averse to sleep training in 2 months if needs be.

@Horehound, just to say that I'm sorry it's so hard! But also not to pin your hopes on the sleep training just yet- one of the mum's on the FB group is trying the little ones sleep training program, and while it's sorted out the daytime napping fantastically, it's made the night time go even more to shit in the short term. Sorry ☹️ I really would just concentrate on making his room his calm, happy place, help him learn to self settle, and hope that he's coming to the end of it soon.

@happydays00 up at 5am 😱 you poor thing.

I hope you got a good night @Horehound. Good for you asking for help. Nobody else realises how hard it is and thinks you can just carry on even though you're at breaking point. How did Arthur sleep in his own room?

I've been going to bed extra early, like 9pm, especially on work days as I find this is the only way I can manage at the moment. Thankfully no early start tomorrow so looking forward to a leisurely morning. Have sold the bassinet on Facebook so got someone hopefully picking that up in the afternoon. Kind of sad to see it go as Nate slept in it so well! Would still be cramming him in there if he still fit as he always slept in that!

@KnobJockey interesting re the Little Ones program. That's the first negative I've heard about it - I knew there had to be some out there. I bought it with DD 3 years ago to try and sort out the early rising but as we didn't have any of the bad sleeping habits it discusses it wasn't really of any use to me.

@Geegrl19 I'm feeling very anxious about returning to work. Has the brain fog lifted at all? I usually go to sleep at 9-9:30 but last night was up till midnight with friends over and this morning feel dreadful. DS had a better night, one feed at 3 but then up for the day at 5:30 😩

@happydays00 I'm pleased to say that this week has been much better and things falling into place. The first week was terrible! My work is pretty crazy though and things are thrown at you left, right and centre. I'm frazzled by the end of the day. It's good though being in a different head space for a change. I do love getting to daycare at the end of the day and seeing him though 😊

@happydays00 things may have changed by now with how she's finding little ones, but I know she's found it a massive help with the daytime so far, just having someone tell you a routine, what time naps are, etc as she was finding it stressful and not easy to put him down in his cot. As far as I'm aware he's now on 3 regular naps in the day and self settling after a couple of days, so a great success from that side! It's just this bloody regression that's got us all on our knees.

Hello everyone and thanks for all your wishes that I got a good sleep.
I didn't but I could have! So Arthur went down pretty well initially and DH brought him through to me in his first wakening for a feed which was fine. He then slept another couple of hours and managed to get him back down himself without the need for a feed. So all this time was perfect time for me to sleep but could I? Nope! I tried two mindfulness sessions and still couldn't sleep. Then after that Arthur's sleep became bad so I fed him, managed to get him into his cot awake and got him to sleep using shush pat. Didn't work for the next time though even though I allmoosstt had him and then basically he was up every hour. Even in the day he woke at 8am after a 45min sleep but didn't sleep next until 1.25pm.. far too long but even then he was fighting it.
I had my facial though which was lovely and there was a but if a shoulder/arm/hand massage too so I felt quite good after that.

I managed again to get him to sleep shush and pat on my parents bed then I went to do some shopping and he was awake when I got back 50 mins later. We live 30 mins from them so he does sleep in the car at least.
Now DH just had a bath with him and I intended to feed and keep him downstairs for 45mins before bed but he is sooo tired so DH is up there trying to shush pat him to sleep. It's actually just gone quiet now so fingers crossed!! Oh no, just checked and DH has picked him up. Ffs that's just a step backwards now.
Honestly. So annoying
I'm reading Lucy Wolfe baby sleep solution and it's pretty good.

Oh forgot to say I bought some weaning spoons and a wee pouch of apple and mango puree and he was loving it! Was reaching for the spoon to go in his mouth hehe

Just to update I had a shit night yesterday evening. Fell out with dh over the picking him up and ended up not talking until 11pm when I absolutely broke down crying, hyperventilating.
We had a chat and made up and then he did every single wakening in the night and brought Arthur to me when he needed fed. I slept downstairs in the furthest away room so I couldn't hear Arthur cry and actually I did get a good amount of sleep. I feel a lot better now and if we do the same tonight I can see myself feeling normal again.
Hopefully that was rock bottom and I can only go upwards now.

Hope you are all starting to get more sleep with your little bundles. Thanks for everyone's help, advice and we'll wishes again.

@Horehound aw bless you, so sorry you're struggling. Glad you managed to sort out a system and hopefully things pick up for you!!

Hang in there @Horehound! Sounds like you’re doing everything you can, hopefully once you’ve got some reserves back you’ll start to feel better! Wishing you happy sleeping tonight, I swear by reading if I’m struggling to get back to sleep, seems to rewire my brain and make me sleepy again

It's amazing what a couple of good nights sleep can do. I've said it before but sleep deprivation is genuinely a torture technique, it messes with your head. We physically need sleep. Sounds like dh has well and truly stepped up now, long may it continue 👏 sweet dreams x

Another shit night here.. honestly when will it end 🥴

In non-sleep related discussions: DS is doing well with purees but when he has any finger foods he gags severely and/or vomits. This is with anything: toast, eggs, steamed veg. I'm not too surprised as he's a very refluxey baby but the amount of vomit and gagging is a bit traumatic and struggling to know how best to move forwards. DD did a bit of gagging when I weaned her but nothing like this.

Has anyone experienced similar previously? Any advice on how to move forwards?

Hey everyone. Breastfeeding question. Anyone's little one causing them pain again? Nate is a real fidget when feeding and it's become painful. He pulls his head as far away as he can each feed, stretching my nipple and will have his arm braced and grinding into my boobs when doing so. Is so uncomfortable, it's doing my head in. He'll also just pull his head away when feeding without opening his mouth, double ouchy, feeling rather sore, will have to bust out the nipple cream again I think.

Sorry to hear re the bad nights continuing. I'm full of such hope when I go to bed each night only to have it crushed every night 😴😴😴

How are you doing today @Horehound

@happydays00 that sounds hard, the gagging is so alarming. I haven't experienced it but maybe he's just not quite ready for finger food? Could give it a week or so and try again?

@geegirl19 DS likes to stop feeding and have a good look around but thankfully he mostly unlatches first. He had a little phase of grabbing handfuls of my boob and twisting, so I bought a silicone teething necklace and he holds on to that. But feeding is definitely a two handed job now, between that and flipping his legs back.

Oh and on weaning, I've got myself another one that won't be spoon fed. Spits out porridge and purees, rejects the spoon unless he is the one flicking food round the kitchen but will attack a lump of broccoli and helped himself to one of my crisps the other day.

@Geegrl19 my LO did this for a bit and I was all ready to give up feeding her it was so sore but she just suddenly stopped, it seemed to just be a short lived phase thankfully. I did find spacing the feeds slightly (I’m normally totally responsive feeding) helped relieve the soreness at the time because she was less likely to mess around if hungry. I’m now back to just feeding whenever.

Another day, more progress!
So DH has basically seen to Arthur every sing waking and nap time and he has nailed a pat/shush thing (which I started and DH has kind of perfected). Arthur ate and slept quite Alot yesterday to the point I thought maybe he has having a growth spurt. I know there is one at six months but obviously don't know exactly when that's Gona be. Anyhoo he went down for the night around 6.30 but hadn't eaten much before this sleep so he did wake an hour later for a big feed, then awake at 11 for another feed but I then next for woken up at 3.30 and again at 6.45. DH then played with him until his next nap and now we've just out him down again. Getting him down and to sleep is taking less than 10 mins...it's so good! I feel loads better now I've had a lot more sleep than I was getting.
We've agreed to trial me doing the nights on my own sun, Mon and Tues then DH will do wed and Fri and sat although I did say I was happy to do a weekend night because he does need time to himself too without working the next day.
So we will see how that goes. Mum did offer to come and do some night times too but we said we will trial this first and see how we get on however I have asked her to make us some dinners for our fridge and freezer and if she can come and do a day or afternoon once a week and maybe I'll go up to her a day or afternoon a week that would help me.
I feel a lot happier, I am at the light at the end of the tunnel I think although I know this is a big change from just two days ago.
@kyles101 yep, i can see why it's used as a torture technique! I'd actually be interested for a test like the army could give mother's of six month old babies a code and then see how long it takes them before they give the code away! I bet it's longer than the average army man lol

@happydays00 hang in there! Have you got support? Arthur choked on some toast so I'm not going to try that again for a long time! He is also doing pretty well with the purée. I can't help with the choking or vomming though cause I'm a bit scared to try Arthur again in chunks of food. I'm happy doing the spoon feeding for now and he seems to enjoy holding the spoon!

@Myspiritan I deffo should have picked up a book. It crossed my mind but I kept thinking "any minute now I'll drop off" and then the minutes turned to hours eek. I'll know for next time

@Geegrl19 yes Arthur is scraping his hands down my breasts and his nails dig in so I'm all scratched. He doesn't really pull his head back with my nipple in his mouth but he does keep coming off and looking about/ stopping to look up and smile at me! I think I'm just lucky for now and it'll change. Only think I would suggest is maybe try feeding in a darker room so less distractions?

@stroan heh that's so funny helping himself To a crisp!

Well done you @Horehound! And to your DH, Mum and Arthur himself. Hopefully sleep will be plentiful for the three of you soon enough. As for the code thing.... Well not giving it away would be dependent on remembering it first!

Really sorry to hear about all the sleep woes lots of you have been having. Hope they get much better soon.

@Stroan LOL! Bless him. I hope he enjoyed gumming his prize!

@Geegrl19 Alice does this on and off. A teething necklace helps with the grabbing, but I've not found a solution to the looking around without unlatching yet.

I've had a return of blocked milk ducts for some reason. Forgot how sore they were. I manage to clear one, but then another one gets blocked in the other breast.

Alice thinks it's hilarious watching us eat, but doesn't make any move to grab our food. Sometimes I show her some BLW appropriate bits of what I have before I eat it, but she's more interested in having it disappear before her very eyes than trying it herself.

Thanks all for making me feel better about Alice not rolling the other day. ❤️

@horehound @dyra he's just helped himself to a whole slice of brown bread from DHs side plate. He enthusiastically gummed it into teeny bits of minging soggy bread! Highly doubt he has ingested much, but happy to continue with finger foods.

@horehound was it definitely choking, or could it have been gagging? I panic every time DS gags and I've done this all before. I keep thinking that I should maybe do a first aid course as DH dealt with the only choking incident we had with DD

I found this helpful for choking Vs gagging

4.bp.blogspot.com/-0zjNLFoA3fU/WTcD2onaepI/AAAAAAAAAec/eVSrV2KJVgol8FpyLCUyhBU-q69Z6RJSgCLcB/s1600/choking.PNG

Oh thanks @stroan it was gagging definitely. Didn't realise we shouldn't try to help them which is exactly what I did... whoops. Just going to share this with dh now! We did just talk about a child first aid course earlier actually, think it makes sense to do it

I wouldn't worry about intervening, he's obviously fine! Glad you found it useful, didn't want to patronise but watching them gag is so alarming.