TTC First Baby Catch-up With Our Babies Continued!!

[ELW85]

Hi all

As I’m rubbish and keep double posting I thought I’d start a new thread as we’re nearly at 1k.
I don’t have all of the OG’s so apologies for anyone I miss or anyone I miss in general (blaming lack of coffee this morning!!)

@Delilah7 @RanchoRelaxo @MrsR16 @thumper59 @trashkitten10 @Bostonfern @crossfitgirl @Fivebyfive2 @MrsEG @purplefig @LarryDavid @Lemonysherbet @Stormtrooperjulian @MrsH497 @LokiCat @Cupcakesandglitter

@ELW85 bless Finn hopefully moving in the right direction. You definitely need your sleep though you poor thing

How do I force Charlotte to nap to prevent the overtiredness?! Maybe today isn't the day to force naps and get her more settled with the jabs being this morning.

@MrsH497, will she nap in the pram or car seat? I know it is not ideal but sometimes when they need a nap but won't settle it can be a good fall back option. I once walked Joe around for 2.5 hours in the late afternoon, as our neighbours were having work done and he hadn't had a good nap all day! Another thing that would sometimes send him off was proper cradling/cuddling him while walking / rocking a bit and singing. He's 7 months on Sunday and only the last month or so has he been reliably napping without being on me for the whole time! Good luck with the jabs, I'm sure she'll be fine... Calpol and cuddles, all will be well 🙂

@ELW85, I think the closer it gets to Morning, the more inclined they are to just be awake! If Joe wakes before 5 I can re settle him, but 5am or after, I can pretty much guarantee he will just be too awake, even after a rubbish night!

@MrsH497 I still have that argument with Ethan when he decides he doesn't want to nap properly... 🙈 you're doing great though! That's so nice of your mum to sort dinner for you 😊 isn't it wonderful that we can actually see other people now??

@ELW85 I'm glad he seems to be doing ok! I hope this is the start of things moving forward and making it a bit easier for you 🤞

@MrsH497 - how are you helping her get to sleep at the moment?
Obviously there are lots of different opinions on how much you should help a baby sleep, but at one point Finn was so overtired I just ended up feeding him to sleep and letting him nap on me to break the cycle of overtiredness!
Are you swaddling and putting her down or physically helping her to sleep? There isn’t a right or wrong way IMHO, it’s all about what works for you and little one.
Now he’s a little bit older I’m doing gentle stuff with him to remind him he’s more than capable of falling asleep without help but I feel ready to do that now, without tears!

Good luck for today! Lots of cuddles afterwards and if she’s anything like Finn, she’ll spend the rest of the day sleeping after jabs!

Sorry - no idea why I didn’t see the other posts!

@Fivebyfive2 - yes with the 5am cutoff! His legs go like the clappers and unless my hand is on his chest or jiggling his bum he’s not happy 😂 although to be fair, it was 6am for us this morning.
It’s awesome that Joe has just taken to napping off you. Can he have a word with Finn!? Did it just come naturally?

@MrsR16 - it’s bad craic when you consider every 2 hours a luxury! Luckily DH was supportive of coming to bed early and doing the experimental earlier bed time. And he was asleep before me.
Cheeky bugger...
How’s Ethan doing?

Jabs all done calpol given now for lots of cuddles she did so well only a few tears. Mummy did ok as well! Weighs 10lb 9oz now my little chunk

@ELW85, he kind of got there on his own, one day he fed pretty much until asleep and instead of snuggling into my arm to settle, he just rolled into my lap and slept like a starfish?! This kept happening, so I'd move him from lap to snuzpod and he'd stay asleep. Sometimes I can put him in there and he'll go off in the pod now, otherwise I let him fall asleep on my lap, then slide him over.

@ELW85 it is bad when every 2 hours is a luxury, but it will only get better!! 😊 it's already better than every hour, so take the little victories 😊😊 Ethan's doing ok today - eating me out of house and home though! Greedy bugger...

@MrsH497 yay for you and Charlotte!! She's doing really well! 😊

@MrsR16, omg I feel you with being eaten out of house and home 😂 Joe demolished his 2 meals yesterday!! I need to do a shop and some more batch cooking, he's ploughed through 2 ice cube trays of 'ready meals' and that was with interchanging them with pouches and ready brek 😂

@Fivebyfive2 - I’ve been starfished before 😂 I know exactly what you mean!

@MrsH497 - pleased it went well. FWIW I even got a smile from Finn after the second set so they’re not as bad.

@MrsR16 - I’ve got an awful feeling Finn is lying awake at night. He’s knackered today and just had a screaming fit with overtiredness after being awake for 1h20 (he’s usually awake closer to the 1h40 mark).
He sleeps right beside me though, so he’s not crying. I’d definitely know all about that. Feel awful.
Do you have one of those TT Steamer/blenders? They look great but sold out as they were half price.

@Fivebyfive2 oh Joe! These boys are just growing so much and are clearly both enjoying their food 😂

@ELW85 I actually don't! I'm gonna throw my hands up and say that I use the jars/pouches of baby food for Ethan at the moment 😂 I'd love to have the time to cook stuff (not that I'm any good at cooking) and do it all that way, but I'm shocking, don't overly enjoy it and so jars work for us for now. I think if I had a blender/steamer like the TT one, I might do a bit more home cooking haha

@MrsR16 - I’ve just bought the TT one today as it’s half price but I 💯 will be buying pouches as it gathers dust 😂

£55 pretty good!

www.tommeetippee.com/en-gb/product/baby-food-steamer-blender

@MrsR16 @ELW85, Joe has pouches on the regular! I think they're good, really convenient and looking at the ingredients it's all good stuff anyway. I do batch cook as well but just really basic stuff like boil a bunch of veg and blend it or put a bit of our pasta dishes aside and then it all gets blended and frozen for whenever. But if I'm at mums or I feel like Joe 'fancies a change' we do pouches. Also, now we're giving 2 meals a day, he might have home cooked for lunch and then a yoghurt / porridge / fruit type thing for tea or something.

@PippaPug she was alright after jags really. Quite sleepy, been a bit cranky the last few days but we're in the middle of leap 4 so who knows! But oh my the poos!! Went through 3 vest changes yesterday! 😂

@TrashKitten10 Thank you! Yes she is desperate to stand and get going! My DH started walking at 9 months so think I might be in trouble!!

@ELW85 Esme was late too, she is 18 weeks past due date but only 16 weeks plus 4. We had a slightly better night last night so hoping we're through worst of regression!!

@MrsH497 well done getting through first jags! I was sobbing before they even started at the first lot. Managed to not cry at all this time 🤣

@MrsR16 im going to be a pouch/jar girl too!

We’ve just realised that Finn nearly takes up his entire Snuzpod in length and we’re not even 4 months in. DH thinks he’s going to have to bring his big cot into our room. Christ!! It won’t fit through the door 😂
How’s everyone’s Fridays been? All good I hope!

@Fivebyfive2 - sounds like you’ve got it nailed!! I’m quite excited for shopping for pouches as sad as that sounds! We don’t have anything to blend stuff with now if I did want to do our own so I thought I’d bag a bargain 😊
I’ll 💯 be asking you for tips when the time comes.

@LikeTheFruit - that’s great news that last night was a little better for you! Keeping everything crossed you’re coming out the other end.
I totally forgot that Esme was late too. How’s the leap treating you?
I’m not seeing anything huge yet other than the vuuu thing we were talking about and his increasing obsession with his hands to (attempt to) self soothe.

@ELW85 my DH has said no haha!! 😂 "we have a steamer and we have a soup maker which basically does the same thing!" Which of course is true, but I'm a sucker for gadgets! Hehe! As far as the cot, we still have Ethan in our room - DH dismantled part of the cot to fit it through the door haha!

@Fivebyfive2 we're going to my parents' tomorrow for the weekend (after my much needed haircut!!) and I'm taking jars/pouches as it's by far easier!

@LikeTheFruit woohoo! High five for jar/pouching! 😂

I'll give you an idea of what my greedy little man has had today... he's had a big bowl of banana porridge, with some apple puree squirted on top. He then proceeded to have the rest of the pouch of puree! Then for lunch, he had half a jar of creamed cottage pie and half a pouch of butternut squash, parsnip and sweet potato... as well as demolishing his bottles! 26.5oz so far today and he'll probably want another 4 at 10pm! 🤦‍♀️ making up for lost time while his teeth were popping, it seems! Picture just for cuteness factor added in 😂

@MrsR16, omg, go Ethan you adorable hungry caterpillar 🐛🙂 So today Joe has had a breastfeed roughly every 2 hours between 6am and 9pm (obviously it varies how much he takes each time) Food wise, we're not on breakfast yet, but for lunch he had 4 ice cube portions of a carrot, pea and potatoe mix and for 'tea' he had a pouch of mango yoghurt porridge, then cried because there was none left, bless him! We'll see how he does tonight; I've tried really hard to keep offering him feeds all day, as I'm worried that between him getting so distracted with life and having food now, he's not been getting as much milk in the day, thus waking constantly at night to feed... Ohhh I'm hoping to take Joe and stay with my parents in a few weeks now my bro and sil are moved into their new place! Have fun, I bet they'll love having you 😀

@Fivebyfive2 he's just had that 4oz 😂😂 hasn't actually woken up yet! Maybe tonight he'll sleep through 🤞🤞🤞 aw Joe's doing really well!! Bless him, crying because he'd eaten it all. I must admit, I'm looking forward to going to stay with them! DH and I have a conference on Sunday (online) and it's nice that my parents can look after him for a couple of hours while we squirrel away upstairs 😂 good luck for tonight!

So mostly successful last night! Joe did 7 till 1 (he did wake when I came to bed at 9 but not counting it; only 5 mins and it was me that accidentally woke him) Then did 1.15 till 4am...then 4.15 till 5 when he would not stop chattering (very loudly) so dh took him downstairs. He's just gone down in his pod again... Would people class this as a nap or the very last of his sleep after a prolonged night wake as he woke at 5?? I've been classing the 5am as the start of the day and any sleep after as his first nap, but on a thread the other day I saw some people class anything before say 7 (I guess going off the 12 hour rule of thumb for sleeping) as a night wake / last bit of night sleep... Confused now!!

How was everyone's night? Anyone got weekend plans? Xx

Fingers crossed we’re coming out of this regression! Finn did 8-12 and demolished a 6oz bottle then 12.45-4.40 then resettled til 6.
I was so proud as he was wide awake in the middle of the night when I put him back down and he settled off to sleep by himself.
Tried to get a nap in the very same Snuzpod this morning. Wouldn’t have it.
I actually regret holding him for his naps now; I feel like he’s never going to get to sleep on his own but he does so well at night. Doesn’t make sense.

@MrsR16 - ah yes, MrR, but do they do them all in one jug with less mess? 😂 I just got it cos I love the perfect prep and I still think I’ll be using pouches etc but would like the chance to make my own stuff. Yeah, I can see how that’s gonna go. Gathering dust etc...
I think we’ll have to dismantle Finn’s cot too. Worth it I’m sure!
How adorable is Ethan?! It’s great that he’s got such an appetite!

@Fivebyfive2 - that’s great, what an excellent night! I would class 7am as the first nap of a v early wake because you’ve taken him out of the sleep environment etc so you’ve started his day? Could be totally wrong though.

@Fivebyfive2 that sounds a great night! Well done Joe! I tend to count anything before 7 as night sleep... even when he wakes up at 5 😂 Ethan actually did really well last night! His 4oz bottle was a dream feed last night and I only heard him a couple of times which was his dummy falling out and then him moaning about it. Plugged it back in and he was happy/still sleeping! That was possibly the best night we'd ever had! Tonight's going to be much more complicated haha different place, so I'd be amazed if he sleeps through again.

@ELW85 don't regret holding him for naps! He won't want it forever... he's perfectly capable of settling himself - he just prefers mummy cuddles during the day! 😂 Ethan is definitely the same! I was trying to tell DH that it does it all in the same machine, but he still wasn't having it 😂 definitely worth dismantling the cot and having less room in your bedroom - Ethan slept much better with lots of room! Aw thanks 😊 I think he thinks he can handle more than he can, but that's all learning!

Happy Saturday you lovely lot!

Hi ladies! I’m so behind again! Have had a rough couple of days, damn teeth. They’re affecting everything! I just feel so sorry for the boys as they seem so unhappy!
Also, my job called me yesterday to rescind my agreed flex working of 3-days per week and have now said it’s a 4-day minimum so I’m really pissed off about that. Physically can’t afford any more childcare so I honestly don’t know what to do. Just a stress I could do without.
Also found out yesterday my thyroid has become under active again after me really pushing for blood tests after the endocrinologist took me off my meds the day I delivered the boys. I was so out of if I just accepted it but I’ve been feeling dreadful and had it confirmed yesterday. I have my meds again but just so frustrated I could have been on them all this time.
The only good news I got this week is that my sister is expecting again!! Weirdly she’s due exactly when the twins were born, literally her due date is 3 days difference! I foresee many a huge joint party in our futures!

@PippaPug I have two very very greedy babies they drink a lot - if you’re worried about his milk intake could you have a chat with your health visitor about it? Hope they’re doing better at the moment!

@ELW85 I actually won a BabyMoov steamer blender thing this week, just in time! We’ll be weaning them in about 3 weeks. I actually am gonna try and make all their food as it’s just not about the cost of buying jars and pouches for two!! DH and the dog already eat me out of house and home!!

@Fivebyfive2 Sounds like a good night! I was told if they fall asleep within an hour of being taken downstairs it’s still nighttime sleep, anything over an hour is a nap!

@MrsR16 Have a great time with your parents!! Enjoy the break! I love the picture, he is just absolutely adorable!

@MrsH497 Glad she did well with her jabs! I’d say you can’t really force naps, just see where she is happy sleeping at her age and go with it. If I thought the boys were getting overtired at 8 weeks I’d just take them for a walk in the pram as I knew they’d go right off!

@MrsR16 - I know, I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t regret the cuddles, just now regret the tears he’ll have when he has to nap in his crib or at nursery. Urgh.
It makes me feel better that lots of us are in the same boat though!
He might prefer the extra room you know 🧐 hmm... I see some DIY coming on!

@MrsEG - no way!! Surely they can’t rescind your flex working? That’s bullshit. Ah mate I’m so sorry, that’s the last thing you need. Have you told them your nursery place is based on their prior acceptance so you can’t get any more childcare allocated and further their decision is putting you in a financially detrimental position to the point of irresponsibility on their part?
Can you tell I work in financial services, haha?
Amazing news for your sister! I know you had a feeling about that 😊
And interesting on the nap/night sleep too!

I’m so tempted to go for a drive today and pick up some afternoon tea from an amazing place up in the country. I’m tired and emotional so surely it’s ok?!

@Fivebyfive2 That sounds like a much better night! Hopefully your work I'm feeding him up in the day is working

@stormtrooperjulian Oh god, maybe we need to start a support group for mamas with spirited babies 🙈

@ELW85 Well done Finn! Nap times will come, he clearly has the skills in place. Pick us up an afternoon tea while you're out will you? ☺️

@MrsEG That's terrible from your work! Have they said why they've gone back on their word? If they refuse your request they have to justify this with a valid business reason. Not the same as you as mine was never properly agreed but my work asked me from the beginning of pregnancy what my plans were to return to work and never raised an issue with me coming back to work 2 days. Asked me to put in a written request which I assumed was just a formality and they refused it and said it was full time (50-60hr weeks + 10hrs commuting) or nothing. I was so bloody upset and backed into a corner at the thought of having to juggle a job I already found full on with being a mum. I've ended up finding another job which was another stress in itself (completing interview tasks during nap time and praying she didn't wake 😂) but I'm hoping this new job will work out better anyway. Not always that easy though to just get another job, especially at this time. It's not fair as women and mothers that employers make it so hard for us :(

Well yesterday was quite the day. First thing in the morning while I was still in my jimjams my little wild child fell and got a massive bump on her head. I'd literally only turned to mop up yet another sick spillage and in this time she scaled the side of the shelving unit, lost her footing and smacked her head on the edge of the shelf. The swelling and bruise came out immediately and I panicked and called 111 who advised a trip to a&e. She quickly stopped crying and seemed fine so I thought this was probably overkill but you don't want to go against advice so off we went. By the time we got there (quickest change into actual clothes and packing of the change bag ever!) she was all smiles and it was already looking better. The staff were lovely though and said they are extra careful with under 1s so we stayed up there a few hours to make sure all was well. She seems entirely unperturbed by the incident and is still trying to climb EVERYTHING whilst I hover around like a nervous wreck haha.