December 2007: It's all worth it for the smiles.

[claraquitetirednow]

I've never started a new thread before - has this worked?

hi clairey - v frequent feeding here. he was sleeping 7-4-7 at night which was fab, but now he's going every 3 hours, during the day just feels pretty much constant. he feeds little and often, sometimes every hour, sometimes every 2.

clairybee we are still taking 1hr to feed, every 2.5 - 3hrs....

because of her weight gain issues i'm reluctant to do anything about it though, might be trying to space them out if she was bigger.

BUT she'll do between 5-7hrs at night without waking so i feel it's worth it at the mo!

we do (these are all VERY rough):

5am
7.30am
10.30am
1pm
3.30pm
6pm

then on and off so i can't count anymore till 10.30-11ish.

Knackering, and I want my evenings back, but if it's a choice I'd pick the sleep every time!

~I'm trying to cut down on the feeds for my new routine but I find DS can't go that long. He's used to every 2 hours at least so it seems quite a long time to ask him for an extra hour or two. He's 13 lbs last weigh in at the weekend, but I don't think he should lose any more weight so am not keen on him eating less often. I know feeds should be bigger and less frequent but he does take a lot when he feeds. I'm doing hte GF routine but adding a bit of a snack here and there.

hello everyone- please ignore one-handed typing- DD asleep on my lap!

like kelbel's LO, she only naps in my arms or (preferably) in the sling. I let it slide in the morning (esp as snackfeeding on and off- i don't complain as i want her to get as much breast milk as possible, and i don't have other DC to look after) but in the afternoon it means I am out pounding the streets with her in the sling for a couple of hours- good for both of us I think!

how funny becklespeckle, my DD is also too long for some 3-6 month sleepsuits. there are whole gorgeous giftsets that she has never worn, sigh. the 6-9 month ones look so baggy tho, and the arms just hang off her. have you found any brands longer than others?

congratulations pecka on relactating. my DD was entirely formula fed for one week (in the first month) but we managed to reintroduce the boob, basically by putting her on it at every opportunity. we did then stall at 2.5 bottles a day- i just couldn't produce enough milk to satisfy her. i then picked up some herbal teabags recommended in my local healthfood shop aimed at bf mums. i was pretty sceptical but they were only £1.40. they taste like floor sweepings but lo and behold! loads more milk and we are now down to one bottle a day. if that is coincidence or a placebo effect it's still pretty impressive. i'd recommend anyone with supply issues gives them a whirl. still, bf is (whisper it) a drag- takes an hour at a time, poor little mite. i must get her weighed- haven't done so for a couple of months- scared of hv! you hear so many stories on mn.

so interesting to hear all of these different routines. i was keeping her up till i went to bed between 12 and 1 but recently she has been clearly knackered in the evenings so we put her down at about 8.30ish, and she then gives us until 0430, when she wakes with a start howling. sadly it is then difficult to persuade her not to start the day after the 0430 feed!

laughing at the picture of you claireybee in the wind!

DS is asleep on me too, glad I kept the laptop within reach! During the day he usually only sleeps if rocked or in the sling (has fallen asleep on mat with dummy a couple of times but is quite rare!) but I can usually put him down once asleep. At bedtime I either feed or rock to sleep, usually rock as doesn't really sleep on the breast. In the night though I feed him and then can usually just pop him back into bed drowsy and he'll settle himself-settling himself at other times can come later, I'm in no rush.

Kelbel - thanks! DD1 (2.3 yrs) naps on her bed and DD2 naps (11 weeks) in her cot. It's lovely having about 1.5 hrs peace.

AHad ANOTHER bad night with DD1 - she just cried from 2am to 4am constantly. Think it might have been to do with her teething, but as she was so agitated she wouldn't even let me out teething gel on... Feeling tired but waiting for the engineer to come and fix my washing machine - feeling annoyed as he should have been here this morning

Clariy - DD2 needs feeding every 3 hrs, but in the evening I feed her at 6pm, 8pm and dream feed at 10:30 - this usually last her up to 3-4am for another feed, sleep and then she gets up at 6:30am for a feed, sleep then awake for the day around 9am - I get a lovely lie in . Oh and also I keep DD2 awake from 5pm so she is sufficiently tired after her 8pm feed and she goes straight to sleep.

CAZ10 - how is the BF going? As I recall during the initial weeks you and I were experiencing similar problems.

clairey - DS also feeds a lot more that every 3 hours during the day - usually every 2-2.5 hours. Last night he went nearly six hours which was a first but usually it is about 4.

I wouldn't have a clue how to get DS into a routine like the one you mentioned wizz. I mean how do you stop them sleeping if they are tired or make them sleep if it's time for a nap? Or persuade them to wait when it's not time for a feed for that matter? Hats off to all that do it - I can't even begin to comprehend!

clara - starting to worry slightly about DD and a head brace now, eeek, but I'm still not going to pull her thumb out of her mouth so will just have to cross my fingers and hope her teeth are OK. I suppose when they get to about three (and once your DD is settled in in pakistan) we can start persuading/bribing them not to do it so much?
Durham is very beautiful and I think it is great to come here for 3 years as a student but I am pretty bored of it after 5 years tbh. All the cafes, shops and restaurants are chains and I long for something a bit different. Hopefully we will be in Oxford by the end of the year so that might fit the bill.

buzzy - about childcare - AFAIK under 6 months or over 2 years are good ages to start childcare as the period in between is when separation anxiety is highest. We started our DD in nursery when she was 12 months and it was horrendous and she cried and cried when we left her. I know of lots of little babies who do just fine because they aren't even aware that you're not there. it is an awful thing to have to think about though I know. I am already worrying about leaving my little DS, in fact I worry about leaving him with my Dh let alone anyone else!

wizz it sounds like you are trying to do it too quickly- i would drop back to a 'younger' regime which is more similar to what you are doing now and try and progress more quickly from there. I find that the feed times are pretty easy to get into, (although it takes me far less time to feed millie than she says), but the sleep times in the day are more random than she suggests- but i don't put millie in her darkened room etc as i want her to be more flexible than that

Hello!
Busy day, met with my boss, changes at work going well, and was nice they wanted my input, and my boss has made it clear that he wants me back
Have sounded him out about me going back part time initially and then going to 30 hours a week and he is very receptive, though there maybe HR issues - it seems that our HR dept has been sacked! Basically our parent co bought another company and the HR dept will be our HR dept too. Feel very sorry for the 2 ladies who are finishing as they are lovely! What was worse was they were notified by our parent company before our MD - they told him
How bad is that???

Wobbegong and bespeckle - I've seen a flier from Grobag folks that show a sleep suit with stretchy feet for exactly what you guys are experiencing - long babies - have a look?

BT - that sounds really good for you work wise - not sure what I'll be doing when I go back as I work as a consultant - maybe in our own office business developing/tendering etc or may be out working for a client somewhere - quite strange to know I'm going back but not sure to what!

Loucee and Caz10 - very cool to meet up this afternoon - will have to do it again soon. Lovely to put a face to a name too - and seeing other little (and very cute) babies Saw a few of my old work colleagues and my DH showed off Freya to his too after we parted which always cheers me up - especially when people say she is so cute

Any ideas now how to pursued DD1 to let me watch Easties instead of Diego??!!

Link to grobag suits - they call them sock suits. HOpefully this link will work!

www.bumpto3.com/category.aspx?DISPLAYCAT=sleep&CAT=Products&CATGRY=Sleepsuits

Skid - I know Durham quite well, I go to St Nic's in the Marketplace. Maybe you fancy meeting up some time for coffee? Any other NE mums here?

Buzzy - I think may you should ask the other Buzzzy to change name, this is precedent for this.

Beanster and Caz yeah really good to meet you both today, only regret was not having a cake and another coffee! Where did the time go? (Oh no I sound like someone from the Me Too programme! - sorry that'll be lost on you if you don't watch "Me Too"!!) Only just made it to the Docs who gave DS antibiotics I hope he gets better soon, I feel so rubbish that he's been so ill poor wee soul.

Kelbel DS started refusing a bottle of EBM but then started accepting it again at the same time as I poured the hot water I'd used to heat the bottle over the teat so it was nice and warm. Maybe worth a try?

Beanster Eastenders is on in 5 mins, its on later tonight due to the footy. Brilliant that you DH could show off wee Freya, she is totally gorgeous and I enjoyed my cuddle with her. Totally agree with your text about colouring etc, all three babies are very different which is very cool.

Skidaddle interesting what you say about the best time to introduce childcare, I hadn't thought of anything like that

thanks Beanstermummy- I shall definitely look into those. MN discount on bumpto3 too!

Im a NE mum - in newcastle

Cool Pecka, we should have a NE mums meet up!
I live in Stockton.

Not such a good night last night - feed at 10.30, 1am, 3am woke up at 5am as well I think I may have fed him them, but brain fuzzy and tired so I can't actually remember! He next woke up at 6.45, Dh has brought him downstairs and he is happily playing under his arch and doesn't appear to be hungry - but I bet he wouldn't refuse the booby if offered

hello,
well i am very pleased. DD has not needed to eat in the night all week and slept through without needing settling twice. She had her vaccinations and was weighed yesterday, still trotting along on the 75th centile.

Great stuff Suey, you should be very proud of yourself and Millie

Beckle & wobbegong, at large clothes. DD is in mostly 0-3, but still in most of her newborn stuff (apart from vests and sleepsuits). There?s me thinking she?s a big ?un, she must only be lickle in comparison. I do love the baby clothes we?ve got, mostly been given by friends of friends who?ve had baby girls. I try and dress her in something different everyday so she gets to wear everything. I love her in cute dresses and little denim skirts with woolly tights, yesterday we had a little next tracksuit (my chav baby). At weigh-in yesterday, 11lbs 13ozs, quite pleased she?s put a big chunk on. Only going once a month from now on.
DD feeds every 3 hrs, I assumed that everyone was on 4 hourly feed not 2.
BT ? that?s good about work. I?ve got no job to go back to, the company is in the throes of going under ? which is just fab seeing as DH works there too.
of a NE meetup, I?m NW and didn?t think it?d be that far, 2 and a half hours hmmm my geography is pretty bad!

Ambi- snap! My DD is 11lb 14 oz, so it must be her shape (loooong) not your baby being lickle. She's trotting along the 25th centile so precisely - how do they know?

Also I am terrible at outfits- she pukes so much that yesterday she had three outfits before lunch, so I just whack her in white babygros- makes my life easier!

Went to a post natal support group yesterday at local health visitors- first of six sessions. 23 mums and babies and just designed as an informal group where we all talk to each other rather than the HV dispensing advice. It was all a bit weird actually- went round the circle with everyone saying they loved motherhood and their babies are eating and sleeping well and everything is rosy . Then when the HV threw discussion open there was only one question "Anyone know where I can get a good cleaner?". Well, I do live in quite a 'Yummy Mummy' area, but not everyone there looked like they could afford a cleaner.... they looked a bit bemused. I wonder if 23 will be back next week.

I am due to go out tonight to a little dinner at a friend's house a few miles away. She's a real career girl with no kids. I am actually dreading it- it should be a lovely break but I know I'll spend the whole time either trying not to go on about DD, upstairs expressing or wishing I was asleep. Last night DH only came home from work at 2230 and then DD only managed a 4 hour kip, not her finest moment. I know other people here have worse nights but these are really catching up with me. Any tips when they want to start the day after a 0415 feed? Do you really spend 2 hours putting them in and out of the crib, or do you give up and just all get up and start playing?

BT your parent company sound like idiots

ANOTHER bad night - DD1 up again from 5:30am due to teething (the back ones are coming out!). Only cried for 1/2 hr then she sand EVERY nursery rhyme know to mankind until it was time for DH to take her over to my in-laws. Plus I had to wake up around 4am to feed Aliya.. and tired....

Anyone out there know of anythng to get her back to sleep after she has woken up around 5:30am???? She seems so wide awake at this time in the morning.

Amani and Wobbegone - you could try shifting their nighttime routine to get them to sleep longer, eg if they normally go to bed at 7, then put them down at 8pm instead? I have no idea really - just a suggestion.

Probably a better one is that it is always just a phase and before you know it they'll be sleeping until 8am every morning - here's hoping.

Wobbegone - lol at your yummy mums. I don't believe for a second that all 22 of them have fantastic babies and no problems. For some reason, some women (obviously ALL women where you live!) hate to admit they are finding things hard. One of the reasons I like checking in here is that I think people are a bit more honest and it really helps to know that you are not the only one having to get up in the night to feed your baby.

Oh and always remember, anyone who gets smug about their baby sleeping through are going to get a shock when they start teething!!!(not to say that I won't be smug when mine starts to sleep through - I'll be over the moon!)

Well I had a morning from hell. Does this sound familiar to anyone with a toddler as well? We needed to be ready by 10 as a friend was meeting us to walk to playgroup together. So, I'm showered and ready, dd2 is fed and dressesd. But unfortunately I made the mistake of putting Peppa Pig on - which meant, when I turned it OFF, dd2 then had a MAJOR MELTDOWN and spent the next hour crying, refusing to get out of her pj's/dressed/rolling around naked on the bed saying she wasn't ready to get ready . screaming at me when I gave up and went downstairs etc etc etc.

With dd1 by now totally knackered and wailing the house down, I finally managed to pursuade dd2 to get dressed, she then refused to go on the buggy board (my friend had long-since departed) and we had to go in the car instead....

...and of course it's bloody Gold Cup day and town was totally grid-locked and we got stuck in traffic and dd2 kept asking why we weren't moving and could she have a snack and mummy why don't we go now etc etc etc.

I screamed and punched a cushion at one point, took a leaf out of Claireybee's book!

of the meet ups! Anyone fancy a Bristol ish one?!

Clara I hope your day improves

Wobbegong I think the problem with groups like that is that once one person starts saying everything is rosy the others don't want to admit it isn't for them. Also when dd was about this age all the mums were saying how their dc slept through and I was really panicking about why dd was up two or three times still...months later it came out that their babies had actually been sleeping from 11pm to 5am-which although great isn't sleeping through to me! DD was going from 7pm to 2am then 5 or 6am most nights so was actually managing a longer stretch than most of the babies that were supposedly sleeping through-the impression you get from people often isn't the full picture.

Amani dd is teething too If she wakes early I usually just give her a cup of milk and put her cd on then leave the room, she'll often then just go back to sleep or lie there for a bit before she gets up and starts trashing her bedroom! I'm afraid if she doesn't look like she'll go back to sleep I do just give her some toys and a couple of books and leave her to it

Ambi that's a bit of a worry about work...hope it all works out ok for you

Suey well done on the nights! And that Millie is doing so well, makes you feel proud when they gain so nicely doesn't it?

Beanster those grobag suits are good-I got given a couple for ds. The sizing is generous too-his are 0-3 and he is only just in them whereas he has grown out of normal 0-3 sleepsuits.

Skid I wouldn't have any idea how to implement a routine like that either Maybe that's why my nights are so hit and miss and dd has hardly slept through though!

Afternoon all!

Clara, I don't really manage with going to bed so late, I usually often snooze off in the daytime and most nights sometimes in the evening too! I also often fall asleep giving DD her last feed so she gets to sleep some of the night in with me. I noticed last night that her 12.30 feed and also her 6.30 feed were very short ones so I'm wondering if she's ready to drop a feed? Am worried that if I try that she will have me up in the wee hours though! Your morning sounds very similar to some I have had in the past, thank heavens for cushions! I have been known to put one in my mouth and scream around it so the neighbours don't think I am too strange...

Clairey, you DD sounds very cute with her teddy! I think it is just her age and would not worry you are neglecting her! DS2 had attachements to toys at this age too and he had no younger siblings at the time.

Wobbegong, have not found any brands of sleepsuits to be longer than any other TBH. In general though I find that Woolworths' clothes come up quite small and also shrink and loose shape in the wash. Tesco stuff is good, as is stuff from Next, they seem to weather the tumble dryer quite well! Just out of interest, what are those herbal T-Bags called which you used? I am permanently worried my milk will dry up or that I am not supplying enough for DD. I quite often have breaks in the flow of milk while she is feeding and it takes a couple of minutes for more to come, I'm sure feeding would not take so long if there was more milk there and no break! I also think that group you went to was full of fibbers! I am loving having another LO and she does mostly feed and sleep well but it is hard and I am absolutely knackered and incredibly disorganised and I could go on...! No advice on baby wanting to start the day so early, if DD wakes up really early and not hungry I let her co-sleep the rest of the night, used to do it with DSs too.

Skid, sorry for making you worry about the headbrace/thumb sucking thing! There are loads of kids suck their thumb and very very few need headbraces, I was the only one I knew! Also, they are not a necessity, it just meant less time in ordinary braces as it did the job quicker.

Bouncing, glad the meeting went well at work, is nice to be wanted! Your poor HR department though !

Beanster, thanks for the link to the great sleepsuits! May have to invest in some of those.

Buzzy, I agree with Bouncing that you should ask the other Buzzzy to change...

Ambi, my DD is a bit larger than yours, she weighed in at 12lbs 7oz last week (8 weeks old) but then she did have a bit of a head start! She was born between the 98th and 99.6th centile and is now hovering around the 91st centile. Still, like Wobbegong's DD, it is her length which fills the clothes not her width!

Anyway, coffee break over, must go quickly sort washing and put away dishes before feeding DD (snoozing but been 4 hours since last feed) and trotting up to the school to collect the DSs!

Ditto to being of the meetups too Clairey, would love to meet up with some of you but in East Anglia I am a bit far from you! Don't know if anyone else is from my parts?