June 2008- Some are sleeping, others weeping and some are just eating

[poppy34]

Thought I'd start the new thread using paro's suggestion

Deb - Ryder faces outwards quite happily in the Classic BB, means he stayed awake from 6am - 9pm last sat though, he was so excited by everything.

Welcome back Paro. I am accepting that despite my preferred "head in the sand" stance weaning may happen earlier rather than later here as Ryder is a bit underweight. HV says to just feed more, which is fine, he loves feeding, but he just pukes up anything extra IYKWIM...

Essie - Great sleep. But IME don't introduce the dream feed. I've only done it a few times, but every time Ryder woke up more during the night, not less. Perhaps you could put his bedtime back by an hour? When Ryder does sleep thru, it's from 9pm-6am. Is Wonday welsh for Monday?

And don't worry, big things are so last century , the smaller the better (mobile phones, ipods, laptops, etc).

AliP - Ryder also is much more demanding and needing to be held recently, it's hard work isn't it....How are you going with the non dairy thing? Any diet changes for me are on hold until Ryder puts on weight, if only I could just give him so of mine!

I was annoyed today that Mothercare don't sell a buggy rain cover for the Trenton buggy I have, that is made by Mothercare! I bought a generic one, for £30, ouch. And it won't work with the carseat in the buggy, they suggested I bought another one for that at another £30.....

thanks for all of you re mineral water advice

allnew good thought re swaddling (edie never keen on her arms in thouugh)... have upped the tog on her grobag etc to see if that made a difference - I was cold last night and she felt cold when I picked her up (and we were out and about quite a bit yesterday so may well have got cold and never recovered). just have to see...but am with PP on dream feed that seems to have made no discernable difference to edie (and a couple of times its seems to make it worse as has disrupted her sleep)

essie re nights... although madam was distinctly sleepy today but i expect teh cause and effect lesson completely lost on the little minx.

UDC I have been once to get edie weighed (about 2 weeks ago) apart from 6 week check.. it was so like teh ninth circle of hell that i'm not in a rush to go back

Allnew/G43 The one on ebay is cheaper as it's 9.99 inc delivery and you get 2 not one!

Had another night from hell with Luke waking at all hours and screaming his head off but not eating anything. He stayed awake for over an hour at 4.30 am crying. Decided he has all the symptoms of teething (refusing food in general, weird wakings in the night crying and refusing food, crying for no reason and inconsolable with anything, major drool like you wouldn't believe - I have to bib him all day, constant muslin eating and I mean if he does not have one in his mouth he cries. He covers his fist in it and then chews it. Plus he has white bits showing through his gums which I didn't even notice but took him to a friends today with a baby with 6 teeth (at 6 months!!) and she immediately saw and pressed his gums and said they felt hard like her boy's when he was teething. Who knows - seems like a logical answer for illogical behaviour. She gave me some Infant's powders which I have given him - what the hell is that stuff?

Sorry no answers to anything individual as I feel like I am going to die through lack of sleep - is that possible?

PS I can't come on Friday now to London meet up. Sorry as I was really looking forward to it.

Have just checked and it has been two weeks since my last post - two weeks!! I have had mastitus though, this is my excuse.

I have skimmed the posts. I'm not sure who it was who was upset their lo had only put on 13oz in 4 weeks but Jamie has also put on 13oz in the last 3 weeks and I was quite pleased with that! Mind you, this is a child who only feeds when asleep so I do think it is reasonably good.

AmberC - I think it was you worrying about the amount of milk your lo is taking and I wanted to say that I wouldn't worry If I were you. Jamie is obviously taking very little but is still managing to put on some weight, and if I try to give him more milk then he just spits it out so is obviously not hungry. Babies are very different and as long as your lo is alert active and happy then they are doing fine. Besides - what can you do? You can't force-feed them, as much as I would like to sometimes!

sybil nice to hear from you -

amberc glad its not just me who suddenly has to suffer nocturnal child (does sound like luke teething) -am makign virtue of necessity and doing the pick up/put down thing (just took an hour and a half to settle her ) but got to be done.,night waking one thing but when they won't settle is another - plus can now see its going to make her poorly as she was clearly suffering from being over tired today.

Thanks all on the dream feed. TBH we did suspect (having tried it a few times) that it didn't make the slightest bit of difference and if anything makes him wake more - an extra one at 6 or so. So we'll keep going as we are for the mo. We just ignore him at 5.30 even if he is making happy noises.

Amber poor you, we'll miss you and Luke on Friday. I think technically you can die through lack of sleep, but please don't! My super friend Paula told me that the sleep patterns new parents suffer are totally illegal (for prisoners) according to the Geneva convention, a complete breach of basic human rights and quite dangerous! Throw the book at him, I say. Hope that infant stuff makes him sleep. (Where's your night nanny?)

Sybil really sorry to hear about the mastitis. I really thought you couldn't get it after the first 3 weeks or so - I'm wrong, obviously. Does that mean I'm at risk?

Good evening everyone . Sorry I haven't been on for so long - a mixture of infrequent pc access at the moment and what feels like 24-hour days of child-wrangling.

Deb - good luck with your filming and decision-making.

Sorry to hear about those of you who are adversely affected by the economic situation. And those who have been feeling blue. I have such wild variations in my mood that I've found it quite unnerving.

Josey - wishing your DH better. I'm so pleased Olivia is doing so well.

HH I love that website! Poor DD2 is very badly dressed as most of our nice baby clothes are...guess where...yes, storage (with my maternity clothes ). Actually, before she outgrew all the lovely new baby clothes we were given, she didn't wear them often as DD1 took them all for her dollies. So DD2 was dressed in white babygros and the dollies were in little dresses! So even if DH did manage to collect the clothes I expect many of them would go unworn.

Sorry, haven't done individual catch-ups. There's too much to catch up on and I still have a placenta brain!
x

Bizarrely feeling better today even though I didn't get more than 2 hours of joined up sleep last night. I gave the baby one of those powder thingies and 5ml of calpol last night at 11.30 and he was so much better and is in a much better mood today. My sleep cycles have gone so mad that I can't sleep even when the baby is sound asleep now. I have a history of anxiety related sleep problems though and now find myself feeling anxious that I won't sleep making me not sleep so a vicious cyle. Going to HV today so might ask her (FWIW!!) about that and to look in Lukes mouth and tell me if he really is teething as I think it's like a growth spurt - easy to blame things on!

Going to have to put the cosy toes on soon - will only be 14 degrees today and I can't make Luke's shoes stay on. He doesn't like it though as i think he feels trapped. I would love being wheeled around in a lovely big duvet! I'd never get out!!

Essie - glad to know it is possible I could die of sleep deprivation. I will try not to though. Maybe I might be able to come to next week's wimbledon meeting - let me know when you all decide the final day/time.

Hi Sybil/Rolf!!!!

morning all

I hate it when DH takes the laptop to work as I feel like I miss days - think I need to get a RL

I spent yesterday retrieving the toys from the playgym from around the living room as Isaacs new fav game is pulling them off then keeping hold of them until I pick him up then dropping them in strange places, or throwing them away.

amber hope luke is feeling better, although I have no experience of ff babies, I have decided that I know what is best for my baby and he probably knows even better than me

essie re Dream Feed don't we did it with Isaac for a couple of nights and he woke more than he did when he didn't have one iyswim

paro glad to see you back, your wedding sounds fab. have started making noises to DH about renewing our vows in a couple of years but there is no commital there!!

Lots of lovely parcels have been arriving too I am so excited. Think I am still a big kid.

everyone else Hope it is all ok and sorry if I have missed anyone.

Off swimming again later, very excited as it will be the first time I have gone with Isaac on my own

morning everyone

Hi Rolf. I have been wondering how you have been.

Sybil, it was me who was worrying about the weight gain - I had pre-eclampsia (so she was light when she was born) and then she had reflux, so Dorothy's weekly weight gain had been huge when she was managing to keep her milk down!

Amber, glad that you are feeling better and sorry that you haven't been sleeping so well. I have a history of sleep disorders too, so I know the frustration of 'the baby's finally asleep, why aren't I???' Hope to see you next week!

Essie, I think you can get mastitis at any time if you get a build-up of milk and it gets infected. I had to buy a pump in France as Dorothy has been taking less milk because of her teeth, so I got a painful reservoir of milk.

HH, LOL the new favourite game! Is it a big birthday?

Will chat up later just wanted to post and say DH got home he is alot better they are still unsure what it was, possible kidney stones which passed before scan!

Amber I spoke to my HV in the passing yesterday and she is organising High Energy SMA which is prescription. Might be worth asking about if your still worried.

Rolf nice to see you back.

Ok promise to read later and see how everyone is doing

Just a quickie - Sybil - sympathies about the mastitis

Essie - I think you can get it at any time

Amber - teething powders - I used them with both boys - homeopathic but seemed to work

Rolf - great to see you back

Josey - good news about your dh

PP - I tried Ethan and he loved it facing out but sucked and dribbled on the carrier continuously!

hi to all others

Jamie is loving his taggie balanket today. He has been sucking it continually pretty much all day - talking of teeth, I notice he has a nice white spot poking out of his bottom gum. I noticed it a couple of weeks ago and tried to convince myself it was the cause of all our feeding issues but it hasn't moved and the feeding hasn't changed so I think I was clutching at straws there. Either that or we will be in the same 'only sleeping when feeding' debacle until all his teeth come through.

I took DS to be weighed - 10 grams in three weeks. I know he didn't really have any milk for three days but I would have expected a bit of weight gain. He still hasn't pooed either but hv said as his stomach is soft and not distended it's not a worry.

UDC not a big birthday, it will be my last one in my 20's though, but am excited about going over to see my parents tomorrow (although the overall reason for visiting is sad) as since '98 I haven't seen them around my birthday, but also excited as it is my first birthday as a mum.

Well we had fun swimming (again), although when we got out there were no baby changing rooms free so I had to change Isaac on the floor of a normal one, then he promptly fell asleep.

sybil sorry to hear about the mastitis, although I have had thrush and blocked ducts I feel incredibly lucky not to have had that yet [touching wood emoticon]. Isaac also loves his taggie and manages to hook his thumb through one of the tags and suck both simultaneously

might try Isaac in the BB or sling facing outwards over the weekend and see how he enjoys is

G43 what did the HV say about the weight thing? That's good his stomach is ok - but I know what you mean, we just want to see poo!

HH can't remember how old Isaac is? I've been wondering whether to try A outward facing yet (13 weeks) as he's so interested now in all that's going on around him

Just been to get some vests and a grobag. M/Care had loads of 1 tog sleeping bags but hardly any 2.5 stock in yet and loads of short-sleeved vests but no long-sleeved for 3-6 months. Have they not noticed the weather?!

allnew know what you mean - put edie in 2.5 tog last night and slept much better (inasmcuh as didn't actually wake up properly with her cold but did need constant resettling )..was only one 2.5 left when I went in to get it but need more than one as its odds on at any time one has sick on it . Haven't tried edie facing outwards yet (she is defo interested) so may give it a go.

amberc - knwo what you mean re not sleeping.. spent 2 - 5 this morning half awake as had mum sense on as knew that edie would need resettling (sounds stupid as she was sleeping but restless) .. I think it is something to do with fact that half time even if I am asleep don't go into proper deep sleep that is what you need. fingers crossed tonight better.

hh/sybil taggie is popular to rub up against in cot but not as popular as muslins are to suck

allnew isaac is 14 weeks and v. nosey!!

i like bumpto3 for grobags

second bumpto3... you get a mn discount and they quite often discount the designes that are going out of production

Rolf and sybil nice to see you back

Amber I am with you with the sleep problems. I too generally have problems sleeping but last night SJ woke up 4 or 5 times and I am like a Zombie today. I might need to get the sleep calm and relax hypnobirthing cd out of hiding. If Luke doesn't like his cosytoes, it might be worth investing in a pramsuit, they are like snow suits only lighter.

The feeding problems don't improve for the first time SJ has actually lost weight and he just won't take formula. On the childcare front, we have decided to go for a nanny (which we can't really afford but never mind) as we need to find something for SJ and DD comes back from nursery everyday saying she has been hit or spat at or pushed, so we will put her at the local preschool that does morning only.

Sorry, long post but I don't get to post very often these days

Hi, glad to hear josey's DH is home and sympathy to everyone else with bad sleepers, no change here unfortunately! I've stopped feeding him from 8pm to 3am (the gap he'd done many times on his own before all hell broke loose) and some nights he manages that fine, but most nights he's up fussing or for a brief cry (10 minutes) around midnight. I feel horrible letting him cry every night but feeding him every time he wakes quickly degenerates into feeding every 2-3 hours... I think he gets confused as sometimes he gets fed (after 3am) and sometimes he doesn't, and babies can't tell time. Oh well...

We're off on vacation now for three weeks but I'll have internet access there so I'll probably check in and say hi (visiting family). hugs to everyone!

(p.s. Fraser is small too - since he was 9 lbs at birth he's 13 lbs now at 17 weeks, but everytime I get him weighed he's dropping further off the percentiles chart. Since his brother did the same thing, I'm not too worried...)

Hi guys, sorry can't cope with individual postings as so dog tired I could cry. Have same problems as others who've mentioned not being able to sleep. Went to sleep at 10.30 last night, Alex woke at 12.30am cos he'd banged his head on the cot, but settled straight back down - unlike me . I've been awake now for nineteen solid hours and I feel slightly drunk with exhaustion.

Sorry, not expecting any sympathy as I know Alex is an excellent sleeper, but my insomnia is slowly killing me.

Hope everyone's ok, and coping with the cold. We have the heating on and it's weird!

Evening all! Trying to keep Iestyn awake - well, no problem keeping him awake, but awake and not screaming is the aim. Not succeeding either...
Sponge really sorry you're so tired. I sometimes fail to sleep when Iestyn gets back to sleep, and it's more frustrating than the disturbed nights somehow, because you know should should sleep, and just can't, and then can't because you're thinking about it too much...

Had a lovely day - went to Wimbledon to have my haircut and had a lovely time due to a very special childminder - I think Iestyn had a good time too! A million thanks!

Some amusing notes: forgot my manky muslin in Costa and went back to see it on the only empty table in the crowded place. I think it was offputting. It was bad - covered in sick.

On the way there, Iestyn filled his nappy noisily at South Wimbledon (annoying - I had to change him using the boot of the car as a changing table!). And on the way back...he did exactly the same thing! Is that an indication of what he thinks of South Wimbledon.

Finally, having had my hair done, I got someone to take a headshot of me for the departmental website. Lovely photo, good hair, had specially dyed my eyelashes and moustache (eyelashes black, moustache not black ), applied lippy for the first time since June...beautiful.
Until I zoomed in and noticed a breastmilk stain on my left boob. It's totally noticable in the photo, zoomed in or not.

'Welcome to the Law Department. We're all professional here. You've seen the stain? We also smell of milk.'

One other thing - the taggie has been confiscated here since Iestyn put it in his mouth, and one of the tags went in, hit the back of his throat and caused a massive vomit. He can put it in his mouth but not take it out! Oops.