Ttc first baby catch up with our babies!

[Fivebyfive2]

Just putting this on in case anyone wants to catch up? We're all at different stages, so might be able to help each other out?

@Delilah7 @RanchoRelaxo @MrsR16 @thumper59 @trashkitten10 @Bostonfern @crossfitgirl sorry I know I'm missing people, I'm blaming newborn brain!

I'll leave the link on the 'pregnancy' catching up thread xxx

@MrsR16 ahh thanks for explaining your night routine - I am tempted to get a monitor with a camera as just have a sound one at the mo. OMG look at Ethan sitting up - what a clever boy. He looks so proud of himself (and rightly so)!

@PippaPug awww they sound gorgeous and already with distinct personalities. Nap fighting is the worst isn't it?!

@MrsEG ahh thanks, but the weightlifting is definitely more of a needs must thing! I bet hulking a double pram around kills...you'll be feeling fit again no time I reckon. The boys sound like incredible sleepers - what kind of sleep training have you been doing?! Share your wisdom!! M sometimes wakes up just once in the night, but more often than not she wakes and needs resettling (not hungry). We're still swaddling her, but she's 8 weeks now so we need to stop soon really as she could theoretically start rolling.

@Fivebyfive2 aww Joe is just gorgeous!

How's everyone coping with lockdown?

We're doing OK, like MrsEg said, if nothing else it gives you plenty of time to work on things like nap schedules. M is turning into such a little character now with all her cooing and smiling. She even started laughing the other day which was just the most glorious thing in the world...she won't do it again despite my enthusiastic attempts to encourage it! We're just about to head off for first round of baby imms. Not looking forward to it at all. Calpol at the ready! x

@purplefig the jabs are much worse for you than they are for the little ones!! Make sure you've got lots of cuddles to hand! 😊 and yeah, definitely calpol it up! I'm sure M's going to be a trooper though, bless her!

As an aside, I still swaddle Ethan! He's still not rolling over and he's nearly 20 weeks old! 😂 we're doing ok - Ethan's been crap with napping today lol but he did sleep in till 07:15! Can't really complain... haha

@purplefig, we only stopped swaddling Joe a couple of weeks ago and he's just over 4 months 😀

@MrsR16, Joe slept a little better last night. He had 2 wake ups but just fed and went back to sleep, no 2am parties 😂 Sorry to hear Ethan is fighting the naps.

Joe has been making lots of new noises the last couple of days, it's adorable 😍

Hey ladies hope your all well, and coping in lock down! It's hard work isn't it.

Babies all look beautiful! I'll have a proper catch up tonight with a cuppa

Freddie is rolling both ways and in his own cot now. First night was shit, second night was good he went 7:30-5:30. Last night he was up 1-3, then had a bottle and went off till 5:45 then I managed to get him off till 6:45 then he was wide awake ready for the day! We still struggle woth day time naps. He'll nap for ages on me but only does 20-30 mins when I put him down anywhere. He's been having baby rice for the last week or so too which he loves! Can't wait to wean him properly.

A few pics of the boyo attached, he is huge 😂

@thumper59, helloooo!! Freddie is such a handsome happy chappy 😀Almost relieved to hear Joe isn't the only one who loves an early hours party... We've been up since midnight and he's showing no signs of going back down 😕 Let us know how the weaning goes! Xx

Hi ladies, sorry for disappearing again - thankyou for all of your lovely messages and links sent for the PND, I read them all and really appreciated it but I've mentally not been with it so needed to take a little break. Thankfully feeling a little better, I don't know if it's PND or my anxiety with the whole situation but either way it's a stressful time! Dina has dropped a few centiles too and was already a tiny baby so was just another thing to worry about 😓

@Fivebyfive2 hope you managed to get some sleep? Are you at the four month regression? Is Joe doing those adorable cooing noises? 🥰he's so gorgeous!!

@thumper59 awww Freddie is so cute!! I can't believe how much he's grown 😭

@MrsR16 20 weeks?! I can't believe how quickly that's gone! Sounds like he's sleeping well without the naps?! How's he coping with teething?

@purplefig how did the jabs go? How lovely that she's laughing 😭 I bet it's the best feeling hearing it!!

@MrsEG glad you got the boys jabs sorted too, how are you? How're they doing? X

How are all of you doing? Sorry if I've missed anything/anyone xx

@fivebyfive2 hope joe settled a bit better the other night. Night before last Freddie was up 3-4:45 went back down then up at 5:30 for the day. Last night he went 7-10:30, had a bottle then went until 6:15 so hoping this keeps up! How old is joe now?

@cupcakesandglitter sorry to hear you've been struggling. It's weird times at the moment isn't it. I'm glad your feeling a bit better though. Hope Dina is doing well!

@cupcakesandglitter, yep we're definitely into the regression stage! Although to be fair he didn't do too bad last night so fingers crossed we're getting somewhere 🤞🙏 And yep, Joe is definitely finding his voice these days, we're getting lots of 'geeeehhs' and squeaks 😀😂

@MrsR16, how's Ethan doing? Joe was raging most of Wednesday, OK yesterday and seems a bit distraught this morning, hopefully he cheers up soon! His little face when he's sad.... ☹️ I'm sure he's teething, he's been getting red cheeks now along with the drool and constant chewing!!

Movement wise, he's still trying to roll from back to front and is loving his little 'back shuffle', but still quite a way from being able to sit up. Even with cushions he's really wobbly!

@thumper59, he's 19 weeks, about 4 and a half months. He sleeps well early evening, usually from 7 to 11 or 8 till midnight. But if he can't get to sleep straight after that feed, all bets are off!! He can be up for 2 hours sometimes! The last couple of nights he's been OK, gone back down after 30/40 mins. Then he wakes about 3 or 4, has another feed. Sometimes he'll sleep then until 6 or 7 but yesterday and today he's been wide awake from 5.30!! How old is Freddie now?? Hope he does a repeat of last night for you tonight 😀

@thumper59 oh dear god, Freddie's so adorable!!

@cupcakesandglitter hello lovely! I'm so pleased you're feeling a bit better! This whole situation really isn't much fun at all and I can imagine much less so with PND. I can't believe he's 20 weeks already either! Just insane where that time has gone! He was a little bugger last nights lol he woke up at 04:50 and was wide awake for an hour! 🙄 his teeth haven't been too bad but I'm sure they'll kick off again at some point today... calpol at the ready!

@Fivebyfive2 oh dear, Joe!! I hope he does better today! The drool... dear god, the drool!!! 😂 it's just crazy and then he'll try and gnaw on my fingers or leg or something and just get dribble everywhere!

@MrsR16, ha ha yep, pools of drool everywhere 😂 Do you find it tickles when he chews your arm?!

I need to catch up on this thread more often! It’s not like I’m doing anything else these days haha!

So the big news for us today - the boys had their first full night sleeping in their nursery last night and they slept 7:30-6 - I cannot believe it went so well. Please don’t be a fluke!! I thought they’d miss sleeping together but clearly not! Not a peep out of them all night. All my work on feeding and sleeping routines is paying off!

@purplefig I still swaddle! My sister was swaddling at 5 months. If they’re not rolling over you’re fine! How did the imms go? I have the boys 12 week jabs in a few days. 12 weeks!! Where the hell has that gone.
So the main book I’ve read is Charmian Mead, 7-7 sleep routine. She knows twins well too! But the principles are fairly simple - well fed and rested in the day, they’ll sleep better at night. I never let the boys stay awake longer than 2 hours before a nap. Naps are always in the nursery in the dark swaddled. Proper consistent bedtime routine at the same time every night. It’s been brilliant for us!

@thumper59 Oh Freddie is gorgeous! Can’t believe how much he’s grown!

@cupcakesandglitter try not to worry lovely - I know how it is, Conor was on the 0.4th centile until he was 9 weeks old. They stress you out over it but honestly they soon put the weight on and he’s thriving now.

@fivebyfive2 Love the idea of Joes little back shuffle!!

@MrsR16 Hope you’re doing well lovely!!

Better run the gruesome twosome are hollering for their bottles!! I got this pic the other day - clearly someone wasn’t loving his new summer romper!!

@MrsEG, omg that picture, what timing 😂 I love it! Sounds like you're smashing it, that's awesome about them sleeping through.

Can I ask what sleep training you did with the boys? We haven't really done it with Joe yet. We figured he was a bit little at first, then at 12 weeks he just suddenly got loads better on his own (random!) Now we're in the regression, so not sure if it's worth starting now or waiting until 6 months when he's in his own room... Such a minefield 🤯

@Fivebyfive2 yeah it’s so hard to know isn’t it! I’ve been using a book by Charmian Mead called the 7-7 sleep routine. I’ve found it really really useful so I’m just following that, really! It’s all about efficient feeding so they are totally full at each feed, plenty of good naps so they’re well rested and not overtired. We have the boys napping in their nursery with white noise in the dark swaddled and since doing that they nap for a good 1-2 hours at a time, and they’re so much better for it! With settling too she has a 2-min rule so when they start to fuss or cry I wait 2 minutes. If they settle themselves I leave them; if not, then I go to them. 9 times out of 10 they calm themselves right down! I definitely recommend the book though it’s worked wonders for us and I’ve never once felt like I was being cruel or force feeding them; it’s just about efficient feeding and making the most of feeding time etc!

@MrsEG fab pic. They are gorgeous! They've come on so much. Well done for mastering the sleep!

@fivebyfive2 Fred was similar. He was sleeping dreadfully until he's just gone into his own room. Even if he still wakes he sleeps so much better. He sometimes gets up for a bottle in the night still but he is such a big lad, he's just hungry!

Carrots was a success 😌 and another little pic of him chilling in the garden yesterday!

@thumper59, glad the carrots went down well 🥕😋

@MrsEG, sounds interesting and it seems to have done the trick for your 2!

@MrsR16, how are you guys getting on?? Hope Ethan is happy today! Xx

So, here we have a mixed bag... Joe has conjunctivitis and some sore skin in his neck folds ☹️ But he's still pretty happy, has been making sooo many noises, he's gonna be a right chatterbox! He also had his best night sleep since before his jabs almost 3 weeks ago; he slept 7.15 until 2.15, then 2.45 until 6.15... Cracking 😀 Just hope he keeps it up 🤞🙏

@Fivebyfive2 it really does tickle when he drools on legs/arms/generally any skin! 😂 we're doing better! Thankfully he's being a very happy boy today which is good! He's super chatty which is just adorable! I'm sorry to hear Joe's got conjunctivitis! And then sore skin to top it off! Bless him... he's obviously doing well with sleeps like that! Such a good boy 😊

@MrsEG that is an epic photo!! Oh bless them 😍

@thumper59 ooh, carrots look like they were super yummy!!!

Afternoon all!

Sorry it’s taken me ages to get round to joining here, but mind if I join now?
Finn turned 1 month yesterday and I can’t quite believe how the time has flown.
Being totally honest, it’s taken nearly a month to feel some semblance of ‘normal’ again! Anyone else feel like this; or did feel like this?
I’m trying to get my head around new things to worry about, like the little noises he makes? Are newborns meant to be so noisy, haha?!

I hope you’re all ok!

@MrsR16 I didn't end up going in for the jabs as only one person could and DH had her in the sling, and I didn't need convincing! It was horrid though, despite keeping up with calpol she had multiple screaming sessions like nothing I've ever heard before. Suffice to say I am not looking forward to the next ones! Great to hear you can deffo swaddle for longer by the sounds of things - I'd hate to have to give up the swaddle atm. What do you use? M is a master wriggler and always coming out of hers.

@thumper59 what a gorgeous boy! I can't believe he's in his own cot already, big boy Freddie! Sounds like it's going really well. Great news on the carrot front too

@cupcakesandglitter how're you doing this weekend lovely? I know it's stressful for you, but Dina is so lucky to have a mum who cares about her so much!

@MrsEG oh my goodness they are scrumptious! What swaddles do you use? M is a right wriggler and always escaping hers which I swear is the reason she wakes up half the time! OMG I cannot believe they are sleeping 7 - 7, what absolute troopers and clever you! I'll have to try out some of her tips. We do always put her down for naps swaddled in her dark nursery, and she goes down at the first hint of tiredness (normally 1 - 1.5hrs after she wakes up). But she's still waking up twice in the night for food. I don't mind too much at this stage, though I've felt a bit poorly this weekend and it's taken it's toll I must say! Still....12 whole hours....just bliss.....!

How's everyone doing? I had a bit of a rubbish week what with the imms (and consequential screaming sessions) and then just general fatigue of lockdown life. I'm also feeling a bit under the weather (and of course can't help but convince myself it's COVID19...99% sure it's not). Let's hope next week is a bit brighter. x

@ELW85 same time! So lovely to hear from you and he is just GORGEOUS, just look at him!! FWIW I felt like I'd lost my mind for a good few weeks post birth...I cried so much and felt completely overwhelmed and anxious. I found things got better in 2 week increments, I think around week 3/4 was my lowest point and then things started to get a bit easier as you learn what your baby is like / needs etc. On top of that, we're living in such mental times and have none of the usual support available to us...so it's bound to be incredibly trying. Feel free to PM me anytime x

@purplefig - so lovely to hear from you too and I’m so pleased you’re feeling a bit more like yourself.
Can’t agree enough that there are so many factors you just couldn’t have ever accounted for (like lockdown) that have made being a new parent SO challenging.
We ended up back in hospital for a couple of nights when Finn was first home as he was super lethargic and would be wake for food. Long story short, he’d lost 9.5% of his weight after birth because of BF and we needed to stay in for some support and to monitor his jaundice. The sleep deprivation, worry and covid basically made me feel like I was losing it.
DH wasn’t coping well with broken sleep and the first three weeks were so tough I genuinely didn’t know if we’d ever get back to being ‘us’ again. Very happy to say we’re out of the other side now, but it was a huge shock to the system.

And I’m really sorry to hear this week hasn’t been great. Next week will 100% be brighter and we’re here for all of the good and bad of it isn’t what you’re expecting! X

@ELW85, I absolutely felt really strange from week 2 until about week 6. I think the adrenaline had worn off, dh was back at work, Joe had his first growth spurt and was cluster feeding... I actually had a few 'wtf have we done, this is life now, forever' moments. And we weren't in lockdown so can imagine it's so much harder for you! But then it was almost like a switch clicked and things started falling into place. Even my mum said she noticed a change. Look after yourself, things get easier. Xxx

@purplefig, we used sleeping bags with wings, found it a game changer! They're all different, obviously, but Joe started sleeping so much better when we used them. And now we've stopped, we just leave his arms free. I'll put a link up 😀
Was it her first set of imms? The 2nd one isn't nearly as bad, honest! 3rd one was a bit rough, but we knew more what to expect so didn't seem quite as bad as the first.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07C6GX3FR/ref=yo_ii_img?psc=1&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

I think we'll definitely need eye drops from Dr's tomorrow, poor Joe is not having a good day at all ☹️

Also, dh is mostly awesome, but he's really annoyed me today! He keeps saying 'try feeding him' whenever he's upset (which is often today!) I say he's just fed or whatever, but try anyway... And if he goes on then he's all 'see, told you'?! Wtf, he's doing it for comfort because he's upset and there are other ways to comfort him you know!!!

I can feel a Chinese takeaway coming on... Stress!!

@ELW85 Oh Finn is gorgeous, what a pretty baby!! Yes it’s very, very normal. I was actually diagnosed with PND at 6 weeks; we had a very rough start both boys were poorly and in hospital at 5 days old (needing a 4 day stay, in the smallest room ever) and I really really blamed myself for it; I also had a really shit time in the hospital trying to look after two newborns on a busy ward. I think that coupled with the usual baby blues and the fact I had twice the babies to look after it just completely overwhelmed me. I am so much better now though; I can’t explain why you just find your groove you really do. I still have my moments but generally I’m actually enjoying parenting now!

@thumper59 He’s loving those carrots! I’m so excited for weaning. Question - how he’s a bit older does he hold his bottles himself or is he not quite there yet? It’s the one thing I cannot bloody wait for with twins, feeding two is a nightmare at times!

@Fivebyfive2 Oh poor Joe is he feeling any better now? Oh hun sorry to hear it. I get frustrated with DH sometimes for just playing on his phone when the boys are on the playmat - like sodding play with them!!

@purplefig We use plain old blankets! Tried groswaddles etc all hopeless they wriggled free. Just good old cellular blankets and they’re tucked right in! Then we’ve moved in the Gro Bags at nighttime. They’re so tired for bed that they don’t need the swaddle! Oh bless her - imms are the worst. The boys have their next set on Tuesday 😫

Boys are coming along so much at the moment - did anyone else notice huge differences in their babies at 12 weeks?? I can’t get over it, feel like they’re crying less, much more settled when awake, full of smiles and coo-ing away at each other! Where did my newborns go?!

@Fivebyfive2 glad to hear about the sleeping going well! Sorry joes not great today tho and DH is doing your head in! Mine is driving me crackers too.

@ELW85 congrats! He is beautiful.

@purplefig. Thankyou! He loves his cot, and his food 😂 hope your feeling a bit better soon!

@MrsEG he can hold his bottle-ish. He sometimes needs a bit of help keeping it in his mouth! I usually feed him with just my fingers on the end of the bottle now and he holds it himself. Regarding the difference in them, yes! Although I have noticed an even bigger one from him turning 5 months. He feels like a little boy not a baby now and like he's really independent x

@MrsEG, yep we definitely saw a difference at 12 weeks! He was soooo much more aware and it was also when he started sleeping better (although it went to pot again around 17 weeks!) Dh started to find it much easier around this time as well.