June 2020 Babies-Six months on: mobile babies, feeding adventures, and still sleepless nights! 3rd thread

[UKtoSK]

Hi everyone! I made a new thread as we were at the end of the last one. A new thread for the new year! I changed the title as we don’t have newborns anymore!

Rowan loves his jumperoo, keeps him happy, can't keep him in there long even if I wanted to because it always makes him poo 🤣 yeah I work in childcare and it always upsets me thinking some people will just leave babies in jumperoos all day because they can't be bothered dealing with them.

Rowan rolls back to front, think he's only done front to back once and by accident. And on his front he keeps lifting his bum in the air but not realising he has to lift his body up to crawl.

He also loves standing with support will do it any chance he gets and now bouncing too, so me and dad are pretty much climbing frames now

@gigitree @picklesbaby I think mine much prefers sleeping that way too, he instantly rolls that way and stays that way all night - usually with his bum in the air!! Its so hard not to worry though. He is very strong with head and things, and I know the NHS say it's okay after 6 months..but I'm still checking and zooming in several times a night!!

@MrsMarrio hmm we have had a couple of poo explosions with the jumperoo - must be something about it that makes them go!!

Yes @SRS1311 I think Grace is becoming a tummy sleeper too last night she was asleep on her tummy again for the majority of the night. I’m the same with the multiple checks and zooming in 😂😂😂

Anyone know how long it’s supposed to take your periods to settle back to normal? I’ve been formula feeding Grace since she was a week old and I have had 2 periods since then, it seems almost like either I’m having mega mega long cycles or I’m having a period every other month.
I had some spotting a couple of days ago so I assumed it was on its way, but still nothing today. Just not sure when it’s time to be concerned/speak to a GP. I know when you’re bfeeding it can be a long time for them to return to normal. But I had expected my normal rhythm to have come back by now especially as I’m not using hormonal contraceptives.

Weaning here is mostly a mix of purees, baby friend crisps/wafer things and I've started doing a bit of BLW style. Tea just now was mashed potatoes and then some carrot and broccoli. Tried her with some spaghetti bolognese the other day which mostly seemed to end everywhere but in her mouth.

Charlotte likes to sleep on her side or front.

No teeth yet and also been using the teething excuse for ages, but it does look like one might be finally one it's way.

Charlotte has been rolling and crawling backwards for ages, sitting better is a more recent thing and she loves to sit and play after being on her tummy for a while. I'm assuming forward crawling may be on the way next. She's learnt to play a sort of 'peekaboo' with a muslin and she can shake her rattles.

My 3.5yo is off nursery at the moment as it's closed due to nursery. Balancing him, Charlotte and homeschooling my 9yo has been an interesting challenge this week. I hope everyone is going OK

@Gigitree did you have consistent and regular periods before pregnancy? My friend formula fed her daughter and didn't have a period for 12 months post birth. I'd get in touch with your gp to find out whether it is something to be concerned about or not

@Gigitree hmm I would probs ring the docs just to put your mind as ease more than anything I think anything upto a year wouldn't be a concern? I went back on contraception when lo was 6 weeks okd and my periods sadly returned straight away as I EBF I was gutted as thought I was going to have months without but now we are TTC again I'm glad they have returned.
It sounds with the spotting and cramps your body is gearing up to do it again x

@Gigitree after giving birth I didnt have a period for well over 3 months and started to get a bit concerned. I did ring the GP and they didnt seem worried, I think it can take a while for everything to settle down. I only breastfed for a couple of weeks also so expected them to return sooner. I had 2 periods before then going on the pill. The cycles seemed long...like 38 days! I had spotting too and since I've been on the pill which I've been double checking with the GP but again, all seems normal and just to do with the body sorting itself out again!

Thanks @mrssunshinexxx @MrsMarrio
Mine have always been regular like clockwork which I think is why I’m probably feeling impatient for them to get back to ‘normal’
Thanks @SRS1311 that’s useful to know that your GP seemed to think it’s quite normal for them to take a while to settle down. I’ll see how things go and maybe call my GP if they don’t settle down soon.

@Gigitree I've been the opposite, period came back as regular as clockwork after delivery started the mini pill in October but it was making me loopy and very depressive so came off it 2 and a half weeks ago, had a withdrawal bleed and now I'm getting awful cramps and spotting as if I will get my period. The last time I came off the pill it took 6 weeks to have a period 🤷🏼‍♀️. It's very annoying when you have the typical 28 cycle and it gets messed up

@Gigitree with Charlotte, I had a period when she was about 7-9 weeks, but then I went on the mini pill and haven't had one since. With my 3.5yo, I didn't take any contraception and he was ff from 10/11 weeks, and I think it took about 6-9 months for them to settle back into a regular pattern. They did pretty much return to normal though. I can't really remember what happened after my 9yo, but i had the coil fitted when he was 12 weeks old and didn't have any for 5 years after that. After my MMC, however, they settled quite quickly but into a new 23-25 day cycle, rather than my usual 28.

@MrsMarrio that's interesting about feeling low due to the mini pill. I didn't even think of that as a possible cause. How did you determine it was that and not just due to lack of sleep or whatever?

@HaichMal Low mood and depression is a possible side effect with all hormonal contraception if you have a history of it. I was perfectly fine before taking it, then I started it and had a complete personality change. It was so drastic it was awful. Came off it and it's like the fog has lifted. I feel so much better.

When I was on it when I was younger I was fine as I had no history of low mood but I had a stillbirth in October 2018 and haven't been the same since, I didn't think taking the pill would make it so obvious or affect me instantly. Me and DH didn't get on at all the whole entire time I was taking it. It was like WW3. Seen the dr about it and they just said I'd have to weigh up the pros and cons of taking contraception and whether I could live with the side effects as they didn't think switching would make much difference.

We had the worst night last night , stayed asleep 30mins max each time I put him down , I honestly don’t know what I’m doing wrong 🤷🏻‍♀️

These times are hard, I feel sorry for Dd she is missing school nursery terribly and is being extra needy but I’m too sleep deprived to do anything but function and keep the house going 😅.

Anyone found any nice activities to do with baby? I just want to be able to look back on his first year and have some nice memories !

@Picklesbaby I sympathise, we had a horrible one too, 8 wake ups 😭

Partly because I decided I need to stop bringing her into bed with me every night at midnight when she won't resettle in her cot. I don't sleep well when I do that, and I think she knows now that's what I do so does it on purpose! so I am tackling that once I've cracked it and she starts going back down with ease, I'm Moving on to night weaning. She's on 3 meals a day now and doesn't need milk 8 times through the night! My boobs need a break! 🙈

I can certainly sympathise @Picklesbaby Ivy is so unpredictable with sleep Sunday night she was up every 1.5/2 hours but then can do much better nights 🤷🏻‍♀️ last night she was up 10:20, 1:50 and 5:00 I can handle that sort of night but no one night is the same as another. She's been in her own room and big crib for a week now but can't say it's improved things all that much. She is still teething badly but I can keep using that as an excuse 🤦🏻‍♀️
@Smiffette have you any plan for weaning off you in the night? When ever I've tried with Ivy she's just cried and cried till I give in and feed her.

@Busylizzie85 I read about cutting the feeds short bit by bit, which is easier said than done when LO is clamped on nipple! but I did give it a go a couple of nights ago and it went better than I thought. It also made me think that probably 1 maybe 2 of the feeds are for hunger as those I couldn’t cut short, where as the rest were for comfort as she released easy and stayed asleep.
Like you, I’ve tried just not feeding and then she just cries and forces herself to my boob!
I really don’t mind waking up to 3 times, that’s normal for her age and what she used to do and it meant we both had good 3-4 hour chunks of sleep. That’s what I’m aiming for again.
I think it’s going to be at least until she’s a year old before I see her sleep through with no wake ups.

@Smiffette I always give a little tug to see if she’ll let go easily and if she’ll stay asleep because otherwise she’d be on there all night! I get so tired and I get like a restless leg syndrome feeling in my left arm sometimes and I can’t sit there any longer! Maybe I’ll try cutting down by two minutes each night to see if I can wean her off of at least one of the feeds. She used to let me just rock her back to sleep some of the time but now she cries for the boob every time.

We had been doing really well with naps recently. Still mostly 30 minutes but so fuss free and then since my husband has been home every day for the school holidays it has all gone to shit again. Refusing to nap, screaming and crying until I boob her to sleep, past few days have only been two 30 minute naps all day! We had just had a couple of long naps last week and I thought things were magically getting better :(

Lo seems to of cracked the sleep training I'm so glad my hard work paid off because it was a few hard nights after months of 5/6/7 wake ups !

It seems like we just have boob loving babies ! I can also now tell when he wakes for hunger or when he’s just using it to get back to sleep

@Busylizzie85 oh I love a 3 night😅 His best nights are 12,3&5am wake ups, that I can cope with !
@Smiffette let me know how you get on , I’ve never once been able to get him back to sleep without feeding 😶

@UKtoSK yeah I usually do the arm test and see if it just falls when I lift it... although sometimes she suddenly wakes even after doing that.

@Picklesbaby we sure do!
I will update when we have some good progress, I'm hopefully tonight will be better again and may even see one less wake up! 🤞🏻

Me and @mrssunshinexxx have been supporting each other through the sleep training and the babies seems to have really clicked to it this week, we are also down from 5 wakes to only 1 last night, I was pretty sceptical to begin with but the hard work is definitly worth it for both mummy and baby. It definitly helped going through it with someone else. Had my first COVID vaccine today in prep for returning to work in April, was having massive second thoughts about it as still breastfeeding but the research seems to suggest its safe. Anyone else having/ had it?

@Cornishbumpkin 😘

@mrssunshinexxx @Cornishbumpkin really happy to hear that you have had success with the course. Is the course made up of videos? Can you lay your babies down awake for naps abs bedtime? I'm trying to transition from rocking to sleep to placing LO down tired/awake.

Am i the only one terrified of finger food!? Gosh my heart rate increases at lunch time!! Does anyone have a favourite recipe book for weaning? I'm tempted by what mummy makes.

Also is a bibado worth the investment!? Xx

@Magpie21 I'm also terrified of finger food! I gave him ellas kitchen melty puffs the other day and nearly had a panic attack when he shoved the end in his mouth and started to cough and I had to scoop it out.

I've bought the Ellas Kitchen books and really like them

@Magpie21 I've done the same as @MrsMarrio we've used Ellas kitchen, the first foods book plus the pouches of food. Ivy really enjoys it, she loves the melty puffs and sticks as easy to eat.

@mrssunshinexxx @Cornishbumpkin that’s amazing, I’m glad it has worked for you both. Let us know how the next few nights are as well. I am so tempted when I see success stories like yours and @umabb’s but I don’t know if I can do it without someone literally holding my hand through it. She gets so angry and upset when she cries when she wakes up, I feel like I won’t be able to follow through with it or it won’t work and it will just be a lot of stress for both of us.

I want to get the vaccine but I keep seeing conflicting information about getting it while breastfeeding. Korea is being pretty slow with it, not expecting to have it for young adults until October anyway... So I am mostly hoping that if my parents can get it soon they will be allowed to visit Korea and finally meet their granddaughter. But it’s not guaranteed they’ll be allowed in.