October '04 babies - anyone fancy a kip?!!

[beansprout]

I certainly do. Bean is becoming more and more unsettled in the night as the weeks go by and it is taking its toll. Florence, you have my utmost admiration for still being alive, let alone managing a trip to NZ!! Hope its going well.

Bean is 3 months tomorrow, and people are already asking me if I am going to start weaning him soon? I would like to keep bf until he is 6 months, but how do I know if he needs to start sooner? Or will I know that is a stupid question when I have a permanently hungry baby on my hands?!!
What is everyone else planning to do?

Btw, am reading a marvellous, marvellous book called "What Mothers Do (especially when it looks like nothing)" by Naomi Stadlen. It talks about what a shock it all is, what we provide for a our babies and crucially, what I find missing from so many other books, how we actually feel - exhausted, sometimes angry towards db, unsure of ourselves etc etc. It does not tell me what I "should" be doing - hurrah!!! Cannot recommend it highly enough. Is doing me the world of good and we like that.

Toots - glad to hear you're feeling better.

Babymole weighed 17lb 6 oz a fortnight ago - which i just dont understand given the sicks!

Exciting day planned - have to take dd2 to get her brace fitted. Am leaving ds1 and ds 2 in "care" of dd1 and dh which i may regret as last time i left babymole with dh when i went to read the paper later on there was a big chunk missing and dh said v.casually "oh, that's where he ate the paper!" which is why i've had to get dd1 to keep an eye on them both.

Back to work on Monday - think i'd better get up at 4am to make sure i'm ready.

Hope everyone and their los are ok - cant believe Babymole will be 6 mths on Friday.

hi everyone.....

dd is 5mths today and weighing in at a slight 14lbs (last weigh in 1.5 wks ago)
Keep hearing about this dream feed!!!!

dd goes to bed at 8.30 and is now (just) starting to sleep for between 4 and 7 hrs if i wake her at 11pm for a dream feed will she still sleep the same length?

bit worried it might disrupt her sleep patterns and at the moment im extremely happy with about a 5hr sleep!

feel guilty aswell....

The dream feed didn't work for me at all. I put ds to bed at 6/6.30 and he can sometimes go until 1.30/2. When I've tried dream feeding him he still wakes up at 1.30/2 and then wakes up at 4.30/5. I think it disturbs his sleep pattern (such as it is!) and I'd rather he got the 7 or 8 hours uninterrupted sleep between 6 and 2 if possible. However, I know a lot of people who swear by the dream feed. It might be worth giving it a go just in case it's the magic solution!

Dreamfeeding doesn't work for me either, like Piglit he still wakes up when he would have woken up if I hadn't done it! But pretty much everyone else I know has great success with it so I'm sure it's worth trying.

Toots and piglet back on the same day, hoorah, good to hear from you both. DS2 is quite unwell and we have been up from 2-6am the last 2 nights, hoping for a better one tonight. Dream feeds have not worked here either although I seem to remember DD took to them as she got older. Had a sad couple of days as a good friend miscarried yestaday, spent some time with her and her DS today. Don't know how much DS2 weighs but health visitor is on to me and has arranged to visit! Those of you weaning at 6 months does anyone have a plan of action? This is now only a couple of weeks away and really want to avoid purees but not sure DS has yet developed the hand skills to go straight to finger food, he does now hold things but can't pick them up for himself. Work not sorted yet as its the holidays and I need to know if school will agree to me working on the days that there is space in the nursery.

Toots - great to hear from you again. Glad that you are feeling better.

Rickman - hope everything is o.k. Not surprised you´re stressed if you´ve got the 4 kids at home this week.

Have to say I´m not sure about the dream feeding. I´ve been doing it all along with ds without much success. However, I was feeling so knackered on Mon and Tue I went to bed early and didn´t bother with it and he managed to go 6 hours which is the longest he´s ever managed, so not quite sure what to do now.

Geogteach - I do plan to start with purees, but if I remember correctly with dd, it didn´t take too long to move onto finger foods. Mind you I always preferred shovelling a load of mush into her quite quickly rather than waiting half an hour for her to eat not very much finger food .
Hope you get a better night´s sleep.

I took dd to a mums and toddlers group yesterday and took ds along in his car seat. He was awake,but quiet,so thought I´d leave him in the seat until he made a fuss. Anyway dd went off to play in another room and I followed her and it was only half an hour later when someone asked me who was babysitting ds that I remembered I´d taken him with me . I rushed back to the other room and he was still sitting quite happily, sucking on his fists. I have to say this would never have been a possibility when dd was a baby.

Hope everyone gets a good night´s sleep.

Hi everyone - back now in grey and foggy London which, although going through a spring-like spell, can't really compete with 27C and sunshine... The trip back was absolutely dreadful, and have not yet fully recovered from the sheer hell of it, but this is partly DD's fault who is the worst sleeper on this thread (possibly the planet) and wakes constantly pretty much all night and sleeps for 40min at a time in the day. So in the next two weeks I have to sleep train her/wean her/get her on a bottle/settle her with the childminder and then back to work - whew! DD is also going through this annoying phase of constanty rolling onto her tummy and then crying because she doesn't want to be there - esp annoying when you have put her down for a nap. She is very lively, and loves her toys - I think she's adorable but would be happier if she slept - yawn....

Haven't caught up with all the thread but good to see old and new posters. What happened to the plans for a meet-up??

Way-hey!!! Feel like the gang's all here again!
Florence - sorry you had the journey from hell, eeuuugghh!

Ended up feeding ds in the night, and can hear the ghost of Tracy Hogg saying "no, no, no, you HAVE to be consistent...". So of course every night feed now just feels like a failure . These "advice" books just seemed to have turned into a stick to beat myself with.

And, further to a day yesterday where there was no surface or material that Bean didn't feel the need to wee/poo/puke on, our boiler is now broken, so not heat or hot water for us. And dp is supposed to be going away today to see some relatives. He's trying to sort the boiler out before he goes (a year ago this would have offended my feminist sensibilities but stuff them for now), but I am secretly hoping he doesn't go. Fingers crossed. Heh, heh.

Hi Florence - that sounds like quite a jam-packed fortnight . Hope it goes well for you.

Rickman - hope the steam has subsided. How much longer are the holidays?

Geogteach - sorry DS2 has been so unsettled at night. And hope shool fall in with the right days.

As for sleep ... please don't hate me - but dd2 sleeps like a little top. She slept 10.30 to 7.15 once night at 16 weeks so we bundled her into her own room and haven't heard from her in the night since. Am phasing out a 10pm dreamfeed (down to 3 oz now) so we'll see if that causes any trub, but she's down at 7 and up at 7 when the central heating cranks into action and makes an absurd noise in her room and the kitchen. I do give thanks for this frequently. Not the central heating, the sleeping.

Beansprout - posts crossed. Would NEVER have complained about the boiler noise if I'd known yours was broken really sorry to hear that.

I've caved in and bought a book which claims to be a no cry solution for getting your db to sleep through the night. Each to their own and all that - the idea of making ds "cry it out" makes me feel sick but I would like to have a good night's sleep sometime before he's 12 . Looks like it will take a while but I'll give it a go and let you know how it works out.

Beansprout - so sorry to hear that the boiler is broken. Ours sounded like it was going to blow up the other day and the thought of no hot water with a db who can cover himself in food in no time was a real worry. Hope you can get it fixed soon.

Bean my sincerest sympathies, I forgot to mention that our hotwater tank started boiling in the middle of the night on Easter Sunday and shook the whole house meaning we also spent 2 days without heating and hot water - the plumber has now fiddled and gone off to get a new thermostat.
Great to have you back flo, now we all appear to be here again how about that meet up?
DS1 managed to fail an eye test (part of the investigations into why he is deaf), quite spectacularly today, the consultant who examined him said there is no sign of anything wrong (which he was suprised at given that I have poor sight) with his eyes, so, guess what, they are going to do it again, another hospital appointment - who needs a social life any way

Geogteach - my boiler sympathies to you. Hope it's sorted soon.
Also, at the very least you deserve some sort of loyalty card at the hospital and then, when you have a million points (next Tuesday then) you could have a treat or something? Best wishes for the next round of tests.

Am up for the meet up - anyone else?

Everyone's having a rough time of it in different ways then? Boiler breaking is crappy, and babies waknig through the night is double crappy. What is "dream feeding"?
DD has started waking for a feed at night since being on solids (well, "mush"), but this coincided with going into her own room, so I don't know which it is. Cannot bear the thought of trying to get that enormo-cot back out of her room, turn it on our tiny landing and back into our room. The last few nights I've tried just giving her a dummy to pacify her (I know, I know, bad habit to start ) which works when she first goes to bed (the only time she has it can i add?) but not in the night. I sometimes get an extra half an hour before she wakes again, which is proving even more tiring. She always finishes a bottle when I give it to her but won't take a bigger one - still on 5/6oz. HELP ME! I was so pleased with myself when she was sleeping through, now I just feel like I was tricked!!!

when does everyone put babies in own room?

just curious!

its always the way isnt it, oure babies give us a taster proving that they can sleep for longer, then a few nights later they start waking again!!

laney - baba is in our bedroom and is 6 months old today (time fffllliiiieesssssss by!!!) and we had our loft boarded to put all the general stuff up in the loft out of baba's bedroom so now its empty and im gonna buy some paints to paint it up....

Bean I love your loyalty card idea, I must have won a trip to some swanky hotel by now!
DS2 has been in his own room (well his brothers) since he was about 8 weeks.
Meet up sounds great, i'll start the ball rolling , day times with just DS2 it is Tuesday or Tuesday, evenings are fine, can do pm on other week days but you have to put up with all of us!
Ds2 had a taste of houmous off my finger today, DS1 gave him a sticker for trying new food!

loyalty card is a must geogteach!! Not sure how you manage to work it all in to the week!!
Started weaning this week as dd was starting to wake earlier and earlier - so far carrots are good - sweet potato tomorrow.
Meet up would be great if we could co-ordinate it

Hi everyone. Definately interested in meeting up.

Babymole is 6 mths today - know what you mean Biglips about time flying - cant believe we're half way thru their first year!

Well, my maternity leave has ended - being released back into the big wide world on Monday, i'm lucky in that older kids being going to minder for just over 8 yrs so know thats she's fab but am sad at the thought of leaving him for 3 days a week and slightly concerned how i'll get them all ready on Monday am - may have to get up at 4.30. Had my hair cut today in a "look at me arent i quite the executive not a stressed mother of 4" style. Had a slight panic in that my suit trousers didnt fit - in the leg that is. Has anyone ever heard of motherhood shrinking you? Perhaps i've become just like a shrivelled hunched over old lady due to the endless joy of having children? I've also managed to find time to pluck my eyebrows today for the first time in 6 mths. Just got to practice suitable adult conversation and i'm all set.

Our washing machine broke down as well which is not that good when you have a pukey baby but luckily was still under the extended warranty so managed to get a brandspanking new one for free.

Anyway that's enough exciting news (?) Hope everyones ok and that all babies are well!

Sorry to gatecrash... have been reading this thread for ages now since it was the antenatal thread (my DS was eventually born 1 November last year). Just wondered if anyone has heard from Turtle35 as no posts from her for ages and wondered if she is OK (probably just to busy to post like most of us). Thanks.

Today Grace had her 1st solids - was hoping to hold out for the magic 6 months, but missed it by 4 days as she was awake most of the night for the past 2 nights running and is really desperate for food everythime we eat so I gave in and she had baby rice mixed with some EBM. She loved it and ate about 1cm of the stuff and had no trouble swallwoing. Feel very sad ...she is really growing up!

Meant to wish KathH good luck for tomorrow!

Hi all

Cazzybabs - you've done fantastically - 4 days short of 6 months is nothing compared to the 8weeks or so she might have been on solids for.

KathH - hope you wow them with your exectuive haircut and your kempt brows

wysiwig - don't know about turtle - but from my own experience, once I fell out of the habit of posting, it was quite hard to jump in again. Hope that's all that's happening there. Turtle - are you there how are you?

DD2 is rolling for England at the moment and can cover some distance. I'm back to work tomorrow with a ridiculous schedule of 3 meetings and a lunch in various parts of the west end - determined to get the most out of my travel card, but may have overdone it.

On the meet up front. I could host a daytime thing on a Monday or Wednesday, here in South East London, if anyone's interested.

Morning peeps!

Cazzybabs - the fun begins!!!!

Toots - Thats great that your dd is rolling around now i bet shes having so much fun!!!

Im suffering a little with lack of sleep, for 2 days now ds has woken up at 3am and not gone back to sleep till about 7am, and even then its only been a half hour kip at a time!

He has been off his milk too but it could be down to his chest infection or possibly teething???

Anyone elses dd/ds's teething or got teeth yet??