January 08 - shiny new-year babies!

[Naetha]

Thought I'd start this thread now as I think there's already a couple of people to go on it, and I know there'll be an awful lot more!!

Will update when I get a chance

hey e.veryone...

Amani.. am having thesame thing with DS1. he used to wake up around 7.30 - 8.30 but for the last two/three weeks he has been up between 5.50 - 6.30. He is wide awake and ready to start his day... I just give him breakfast put on Cars (his current fave film) or Cbeebies and lie on the sofa whilst he eats and doze. Not the best solution, but he seems to like it.

Last night I was actually awake from 1.30 - 6.10 with small dozes in between with one or the other mainly DS1 actually. Shattered today.

Susie - I have a light box like that havent used it much but will give it a go.

glad to see everyone is as fine as a can be expected.

Have some slightly crazy news actually:

I have just sent my CV off for a job.... madness. It is for an evening receptionist with a law firm 4 hours a night from 4pm - 10pm. Paying ridiculously good money for part time have discussed with DH and I just thought I wont feel like I am comprimising any time with the boys and will be able to give them 100% and work 100%, still be able to go to all our toddler groups and things. Plus will save in childcare as my mum/dad will come round till DH gets home and DS1 will hopefully have one r two afternoons at nursery. Quite excited actually as it really feels like not going back to work as I dont feel like i will be missing out on my time with them and feel very in control of the situation.

evenin' all - not back as soon as i intended!

mixedmama - sounds like you fancy a bit of kid-free time for your sanity, i can totally relate!
dh agreed that on the weekend, if i can get ds2 fed, then i shd head off out anywhere/nowhere just to keep from going stir-crazy. last time ds2 hit 6mo and i realised i hadn't had more than 2ish hours off during the day! not going to let that happen again. hoping the weather will improve and i can just take my book to the beach for an ice-cream

my ds1 is up from 5.30 too atm, what is going on with them??? hophing the clocks changing will help tho i get totally confused twice a year and can't remember which way they are going

i never found that light thing helpful with ds1 as it was too noisy so have one sitting upstairs, if anyone coming to the meet-up next week fancies it, i can bring it along?
(ask for more details if you want, and i don't mind if you see it and don't want it, will just bring it home again)

can i ask an expressing q - have been building it up for the last few days, got up to 4oz last time , but what's the plan? i haven't given henry a bottle yet, and part of me thinks why bother? never really got the hang of giving ebm last time either. anyone who's doing it regularly give me some tips please...
(so far just freezing it for future use - maybe mixing with puree/baby rice at weaning time which i did with ds1).

dh out tonight so i am csi-ing and small glass of red wine, off to get some chocolate (hmm, icecream, biscuits or straight chocolate????!).

well charlie as unpredictable as ever but does seem to be getting better at going down after her bath at 6-30-7.00. Have same problem with the overtired thing. only thing that works for me is holding her quite tight patting her back rythmically and saying shh shh shh. even though she hates being swaddled.

It seems to calm her down, no rocking jiggling and if i can no walking up and down.

But charlie does weird sleeping pattern which means she sleeps for a long stretch between 8 and 2 but then wakes every 3 hours so I am still up the same number of times during the night as her long sleep is whilst i am awake and she is missing out her 11pm feed and i want her to miss out the one at 1-2. Am going to try topping her up at 10.30 and see if it makes any difference.

Anyone else getting anything like this??? Any suggestions - or am i expecting too much for 7.5 weeks?????

Thanks susie - just bought one of those actually, and going to start including it in the bedtime routine. So far has seemed to be quite good. We're still working out the night-times at the moment. Some nights he's overtired and takes ages to go to sleep then sleeps brilliantly, then other times he's asleep from almost 6pm, but then wide awake come 5am!

Tonight is going to be his first night in the cot in his own room all night, and I can't say I'm not stressed out about it! the problem is there's just no more room in his moses basket, and no room in our room for his cot. I'd hoped it could have lasted him to 3 months at least but when he stretches his head and feet touch both ends of the moses basket!

Had an odd weekend to be honest - we went down to Bedford on Saturday to see my grandmother, which was lovely - we went out for a great meal, and she adored Ben (well I'd be worried if she didn't to be honest!). We were booked into a travel lodge for the night, but Ben was really struggling with his poos/tummy (he's had a tummy bug of some kind for a week or so) and crying non stop, so we drove the 175 miles home instead! Was a waste of £50, but at least we then had Sunday to ourselves.

Ooh, just had my birthday present a couple of weeks early - a pair of GHDs and they're amazing! I can't believe how much better they are than standard straighteners. It's almost worth me doing it all the time as it only took me 45 minutes to straighten, as opposed to the usual hour and a half. The only problem I have now is how to stop my hair breaking - it is very fragile, and whenever I tie it back with a bobble or hair band the hair always breaks. Any suggestions? I use very "gentle" hair accessories - no metal parts...

Anyway, off to bed as Ben's been asleep since 6, so no doubt will be up at 5!

Hi all

Can't believe how often I managed to post when still pregnant or even when lo was in hospital, it is a struggle now!

Nathan is unsettled. We both have thrush glad I caught it early. For me it is just a cream but for him yet another medicine to go in his mouth. Yesterday he cried lots in the evening while his colic had been settling and he did 6 poo nappies instead of his usual one, one went up his back. I think it was because he swallowed a whole lot of the medicine which is meant to be more of a mouth wash .Or maybe it is the thrush, but he was hard work today, unputdownable for most of it, only had a long nap on daddies lap this evening. Never thought I would relish tidying and washing up downstairs while baby sleeps upstairs .

Have ordered a cot and mattress (but forgot the sheets, doh) which should arrive this week. Nathan still fits in his basket length wise, but I do not find him very comfy sideways (he likes to have his arms next to him, tucked upwards) and he had his fingers caught in the fabric today while he was sleeping. It does mean he will move in with us. His basket is on the landing with the door open, but there is no space for the cot there, it would also not be very practicable in front of the airing cabinet. He will have his own room once we move in June, and until we know whether his fits return I want him with us anyhow.

Night everyone.

hi all

Thanks so much for all your messages and suggestions - you're all so lovely

It'a such a relief to hear that other people are going through the same thing. I'm very hard on myself sometimes and I'd convinced myself that all other mums had babies who were content all day and slept perfectly all night and that I was the only one getting it all wrong and that I should be following some sort of routine but then feeling guilty as don't really think babies should have strict routines etc etc etc... I'm so glad to hear that me and my baby are normal I think this forum is going to be a godsend for me. I had bad baby blues for the first few weeks and despite lots of love and support from DH I just didn't feel I could really express what I was feeling but again it's so nice to have support from people who really understand.

Naetha - I really sympathise with the crying - Jake has just started to cry tears. The other day he got himself so worked up and had tears streaming down his face. He looked so sad that it made me cry. He did it again this morning when getting dressed. Unfortunately I can't offer any tips as am struggling myself but just wanted to let you know you're not alone.

Kelly x

Hi everyone! Madmouse, poor you and Nathan with thrush.

Naetha - ghds are fab aren't they! Even my super curly hair goes straight with them. To prevent hair breaking, try using large hair clips instead of bands, worked a treat for me.

Nicky - I have something similar with Tana, she's fine for her 7-10/11pm sleep, but then wakes up around 2 or three, and then every hour from then. If anyone has a solution, please share

I've finally bought a baby monitor (yay), so Tana can go in her own room for the night now. She's been having her daytime sleep in her cot in her room, and in with us in her moses basket at night, but she doesn't look too comfortable. Also, I probably pick her up too quickly when she wakes in the night and don't give her a chance to settle herself, as I don't want DH waking up and being exhausted for work.

Thanks for the supportive messages re: my SIL. She was just over 28 weeks pregnant. She's coping really well, bless her, and I think the funeral will be in the next week or so.

Mixedmama - good luck on the job front, sounds like a great opportunity for you!

I've been so disappointed with my workmates. Remember when I was still pregnant and my boss wanted me to travel up to London and back (2hr train journey each way, plus tube time) twice in one week, and I eventually got a note from the GP saying I was exhausted? Well, since then, I have had a congratulations card in the post, and no gift (which I found odd because in the 5yrs I've worked there, there was always a collection when people have babies, and gift vouchers sent to new parents).

Then I dropped in with the baby to a team meeting (I had let them know I was coming), and they just said hello v briefly and went back to the meeting agenda. Maybe I am expecting too much for them to ask how I am doing and want to have a look at Tana. Don't know. Was a bit embarassed by the contrast though when my DHs colleagues had flowers delivered to us, loads of baby clothes and a toy - and he's only been there since October

PS - does someone need to start a new thread? I'd do it but not sure how

Well spotted Fragolina link to new thread here

Good evening ladies. Im not even going to attempt to catch up with the thread. Just hope you are all well.
Had a brill weekend if a little bit freezing
Lo did some brilliant sleeping in his pop up cot
All my boys behaved themselves and did loads of stuff.
Glad to be home though. Might return when the weather is alot hotter. Could someone please put a link to the place we are meting on Wednesday please so dh can Google it. That is if its still going ahead.
Off to my bed now.
Take care all xxxxx