August 2021 Babies - Running on Caffeine and Baby Smiles

[PurplePansy05]

Welcome to the chattiest post-natal club on MN!

We have welcomed 31 gorgeous new babies together 💖💙 ...

We have filled up several more like a hundred threads in the antenatal birth clubs chat...

...and now we have finally graduated and officially moved to the postnatal birth clubs chat! 🥳

Graduates of the August 2021 (and thereabouts) thread:

@Smurf123 & baby Sophia 💖
@wimbler & her baby boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles & baby Ebony💖
@Inmypjsagain & her baby boy 💙
@PurplePansy05 & baby Leo Alexander 💙
@WinterBabyof89 & baby Rosie 💖
@Winecoffeeteamum & baby Emily 💖
@Ready2020 & baby Rowan 💖
@Magik01 & baby Isaac 💙
@Hoares3 & baby Ellis 💙
@Daffodil21 & baby Elliot James 💙
@sarah13xx & baby Freddie 💙
@MrsB2019x & baby Ella💖
@biscuitcat & baby Rowan 💙
@Whatshouldbemyusername & baby Arya-Nyah 💖
@notinthestarsigns & baby Erin 💖
@Aaaaa1519 & baby Anum 💖
@Angelesque & baby Isaac 💙
@Millymay13 & baby Ethan 💙
@WolfMother326 & baby Alasdair 💙
@BertieBotts & baby Alex 💙
@RandomCatGenerator & baby Solomon 💙
@lucyrp & baby Evelyn Rose 💖
@HopefulB & baby Chloé 💖
@Mmr224 & baby Alasdair 💙
@Smallbean27 & her baby boy 💙
@Fran919 & her baby girl 💖
@Caz1226 & baby Dougie 💙
@Ava50x & her baby boy 💙
@dirtyfries & baby Frankie 💖
@ame88 & baby Lily 💖

Tagging @Dia12, @livingwithbees, @Sheisfee, @Alittlexmasmagic and @LottSE20 in the opening post so you know we're here as and when you wish to rejoin/share your updates 💐

Here we go!

Which one did you end up going for @Daffodil21? I know we've all discussed several different ones recently! Is he holding himself well in it posture-wise? Leo has always had strong neck for his age and he's now able to hold himself straight when held or sat down on my lap, with minimum support still, but I don't think he'll need it for long. Then I might buy a chair too. I am really surprised, I didn't think he'd be so strong! xx

@PurplePansy05 we went for the Joie Multiply 6 in 1 'Petite City'. He feels so secure in it and he's definitely not too small for it. I think it's from 6 months so I half expected not to use it yet, but he's definitely robust enough.

Ignore the Christmas tree in the background - it's about to go in the garage 😂

@Daffodil21 are they his 8 or 12 week jabs ?

@lucyrp 8 weeks - he's actually 11 weeks on Monday, but I delayed for a week because we were away and then they delayed by a week so he's only just had them today

@Daffodil21 oh okay I was going to say if they were the 12 week ones they don't tend to unsettle them as they don't have the MenB one at 12 but do at 8 and 16 which is when most people notice the differences. DD had her 8 week jabs yesterday and she's been a bit grumpy and clingy and slept more but nothing overly different

@lucyrp so far he's been asleep since except a brief wake up from some food. Hope yours is ok!

@Daffodil21 look at him! He’s loving life!

@RandomCatGenerator I have the best photo of my husband chatting to him and DS grinning back at him from ear to ear while in his chair, but thought I probably shouldn't post that on here (even though I've outed myself far too often on here already!).

@sarah13xx @Ready2020 did you get the bear fleecy thing in your baby box? It's so snuggly! Been using it all the time lately now the temperature has dropped!

@Daffodil21 yes I've been using that! If its the one I think it is I think it's already a bit small for her. But it's very snuggley.

It was a miracle today that I put DD in the pram (bear suit on) ready to go for a long walk so she can get a good nap, and she just fell asleep before I even left the house! So she's maybe a little warm now in her suit and might not do more than one sleep cycle but that's the first time she's fallen asleep without being walked for 10 minutes. I've got one episode of Grays Anatomy dove already. I should probably do something more important though.

@Daffodil21 Look at him 😍 Such a lush boy! I see what you mean, he's definitely quite tall and holds himself up well. Looks like he's loving life 🥰 xx

@Daffodil21 yes someone had it on at my class today and we were saying how handy it is 😊 love his high chair! I just ordered the hauck one with the seat from birth that can go on at first but my friend was saying about the Joie one after I’d ordered it.

Is he holding his head yet? When do they normally manage it? I’ve noticed he can sometimes hold it but I always need a hand behind it still or it will just randomly go flying back 😂 He slept A LOT after his 8 week jags. He basically went to sleep that afternoon and woke up again 24 hours later back to normal 🙈 hopefully the 12 week ones won’t affect him so much

@Ready2020 hope you got a bit more Gray's in!

@sarah13xx yeah he holds his head well, weirdly he has for ages! I don't think that's normal though. He's been asleep pretty much all day. Hopefully it won't disrupt his sleeping patterns, the nurse did say it shouldn't

Hey ladies, hope everyone’s day is going ok. I am thinking of getting the Seraphine parka that a few of you have, what would you say the sizing is like on it? Although a bit cold it’s been a lovely day here today so drove out to the coast (only about 20 mins away) to take dd for a walk, however she just wouldn’t tolerate the pram at all so ended up in the carrier again, which was fine, but this is why I’m thinking I really need a baby wearing coat of some sort for the winter.

I ended up pushing an empty pram round Morrison’s with dd in the carrier before putting it back in the car to go for a walk, it’s turning into an expensive shopping trolley 😂

I put ds in his snuggly bear onesie pramsuit today. I forgot how cute they look in them 😍 definitely going to need a handlebar cosy soon though. My hands were cold!

We’ve got 12 week jabs tomorrow. I forgot they don’t have the menB (thanks for the reminder @lucyrp) so hoping he will be ok afterwards! Dd is in nursery though so if he needs lots of cuddles after it’s doable.

@Daffodil21 2 and a half hours nap!

@notinthestarsigns I'd go normal size or smaller for the coat. It's got pulls to get it in at the waist but it is made for maternity wear too so it's loose. I don't mind that though. It's very cosy and has a very soft lining

So another is it normal and any suggestions please.

Our bedtime routine is all good and DD sleeps fine once down. The only but I wasn't too sure about is the step where she is held/swayed to sleep. So she's fed, changed and bit of massage, dim lights etc. Then (usually) OH will gather her up on a cross cradle position and sway her. She automatically starts bawling and spitting her dummy out. This lasts for 5 to 10 minutes until suddenly she stops and is asleep. Wait 15 mins or so then gets put down.

Is this crying normal? She can get quite upset. We have a firm hold on her as she flails her arm about. I'm not sure how else we would get her to sleep or any other stage we can add to the process to make it a calmer transition.

My insomnia is getting worse. I've got a Dr's appointment Tuesday next week about it. I've been in bed since 8pm but just can't switch off. It's getting ridiculous now. I just want to cry!

@Ready2020 how long has she been awake before this? I find he does exactly that and just won’t go down without being held/rocked if he’s been awake over an hour and a half prior to his bedtime. It can also cause it if he hasn’t had his usual nap routine during the day. He usually has an hours nap in the pram in the morning (I just go out 1-1.5 hour after he’s woke up in the morning so I know he’ll sleep). He then has a 2 hour lunchtime nap that starts sometime between 12 and 1 usually. Yesterday he got none of these naps and screamed continuously from 2-8 pretty much.

I’m really trying when he’s not overtired not to do the whole rocking routine as (eye roll) my Gina Ford book says if you do that every time they won’t be able to settle themself and then if they come into light sleep or wake during the night they won’t be able to get back to sleep without crying for you to do the whole routine again. I think a lot of what she says is too far but I can totally see the value in some bits like that. We’re very loosely following it (he’s in our room though not his own room) and he’s slept 11:30-8 everyday for the last 3 weeks and today even slept til 9 😬 Just woke him at half 11 for his ‘dream feed’ and after sleeping 10 hours last night I just got this feeling that I maybe should stop trying to wake him at that time if he isn’t waking himself and maybe isn’t needing it but I did it anyway. Changed him then went to feed him but he wasn’t hungry at all and just went back to sleep. If he wakes at the usual time tomorrow morning that will mean he can last 12 hours! I knew from the start he was a good sleeper but I wasn’t in my wildest dreams expecting 10-12 hours by 10 weeks 🤔😂 Maybe he’s going to be an absolute roaster as a toddler and I’m being eased in gently!

Tried him in the seat unit of his pram today in the house to see what it was like. He looks tiny in it but he actually can’t fit in the carrycot of his pram now with a pompom hat on or he has to bend his legs right up because he’s so squashed in it 😕 He’s always been really tall but I’m like is my child an actual giant to have outgrown that by 10 weeks?! 🙈 I think it’s a smaller carrycot than some and luckily the seat unit can be used earlier as it lies completely flat but just don’t want to put him in it quite yet ☹️

@sarah13xx naps are usually an hour in the morning then 2 or 3 hours in afternoon. So she has 2 hours or so before bed awake.

So you can put him down to sleep without rocking? My DD would just lie there looking at me!

@Ready2020 sometimes or sometimes he starts off with the noises which quickly escalate into screaming and you know you’ll have to pick him up and try again. For his lunch time nap I take him into our room with the curtains shut and lights off, put his ewan the sheep on while I’m holding him and he’ll start yawning within a few minutes. I can chance it sometimes at that time of the day and lie him in just as his eyes start flickering. I go a second over the hour and a half of being awake though and he acts like a toddler having a tantrum hitting his arms out and everything 🙈

@sarah13xx I've put mine in the seat but of the pram now. I thought he might looking out in in and he does (facing me, not away yet!). It reclines as well but just doesn't go flat but he's not in it for long periods of time anyway. I felt the same as you, that I wasn't ready to stop using the carrycot so I have both parts in the house so I can choose which one I want to use. Havent gone back to the carrycot yet though!

@Ready2020 if she lays there looking at you but doesn't cry if not rocked, I'd try not rocking her. DS isn't always asleep before we put him in his crib - if he's awake but happy we often put him in there and he usually goes to sleep himself. It's funny though because during the day he can't seem to go to sleep himself, but at night he can!

This is 2 hours earlier than DS's normal time to wake up. I hope this does not become a regular thing!

@Daffodil21 once DD is moved into our room and settled we'll certainly try that.

We get the travel cot tomorrow and this weekend are going cold turkey on the downstairs pram sleep and putting her down on the travel cot in the bedroom from 8pm. It'll probably take a few nights for her to settle into sleeping elsewhere but it's worth doing. Her first stretch of sleep is getting longer and it ends up like we have now, with OH gone to bed and pram moved to bottom of stairs with me listening out for her waking.