July 2008 - Rolling, rolling, rolling, our babies just keep on rolling!

[sweetkitty]

Sparkly new thread

sorry, a question - breast pumps, which do you recommend? Is it the medela mini or medela swing??? might have to get one off ebay if my friend can't find hers. thanks.

Time is an issue for us with having three as well (I'm 36 now, so no panic but I don't feel I could/would want to wait 5yrs for example).

I found this site quite useful on the sleep front, if you ignore all the 'use Johnson's products to ensure a good night-time routine' stuff then some of the advice is quite helpful. It's reminded me that the principle to help them to sleep at night is to nap more during the day, i.e. sleep begets sleep, so that they're not overtired by bedtime. Although it doesn't take teething into account!

P had become manic roller here - anytime you put her on her back she's flipping like a pancake and then wailing because the majority of the time she can't flip back and gets stuck on her tummy! I checked DS's baby book and he didn't roll until 7 mths so hopefully she will walk before he did (16mths!).

SK is a part-time freelance job from home an option? E.g. I do proofreading and copy-editing and it pays quite well (£20 per hour) plus you can fit it around littlies/when DP is watching sport, etc!

Also the pressure seems to have gone already with the mastitis, although the antibiotic side-effects are also kicking in... [runs to toilet again]

"the principle to help them to sleep at night is to nap more during the day"
arghh so many people have said that but it's just taken me almost TWO hours to get A to go to sleep in his cot, (I just sit in his nursery, hold him when he cries and put him in his cot when he is not), he might now sleep for 30 minutes (yes I should be having a shower and tidying the house instead of mumsnetting!) arggghhh.

Also I have just got an email about the 220 Triathlon awards and am feeling like a total lard arse.

Sorry Libra didn't mean to make you feel worse! With DS I remember it helping with him, in that when he slept more in the day he did sleep better at night... but then every baby is different..

Ed is conditioned to go to sleep in his pram, so 5 mins ago he was wailing and screaming, now he's tucked up warm in his pram outside fast asleep. I didn't even have to walk him anywhere!!

So should go and do the washing up.....

I was just venting minnie, sorry it was at you. I would love A to sleep better during the day (I am hoping nursery are better at getting him to nap than me!)

Is anyone else finding BLW fascinating? I have given A carrot 4 lunches in a row now and he is just not interested (not even picking it up) but red pepper and broccoli are apparently THE BEST THINGS EVER.

LOL, Libra, my DH would agree, he thinks carrots are the work of Satan

Blimey its freezing today! I did manage to drag myself out to babyclub this morning but still havent thawed out yet!

Minniemum- Just looked at that site too and apparently Abigails sleep is overall good... which it is... its just the amount of waking times that kills me!
Glad the mastitis is improving.

Abigail changes the rules all the time when it comes to daytime naps. She would sleep better with more naps then it changed to the opposite. Went from sleeping better in her cot for day naps to sleeping downstairs on a cushion for better nights.. but now that seems to make no difference so she make up her cot today and can sleep as long as she likes.. she what the rules are now

BLW- Im still reading the book (when I find the time!) but cant wait to get started on it with Abigail.
Peas are satans food in this house.. Both DH and I hate them so thats something Abigail wont be eating unless cooked by someone else or eating out.

god, i had an awful night last night, not sure why. I think her little room may be a bit too cold, although i have the radiator on in there and she sleeps in a voksiposen (norwegian sleeping bag)

and that was after 3 meals yesterday!

in the end i roasted the chicken and vegetables and gave her half as finger food but pureed some too. she really enjoyed it but is still eating very little really.

Cass - that is the danish way too. they say that babies sleep better outside.

libra - i have the same thing with the carrots! in fact, i will make carrot and coriander soup tonight because we have a glut that Elodie is just not going to eat.

pigley - not so fond of peas myself unless they are in mushy pea form!

i just had my coil fitted - ouch! feeling a bit crampy.

yes, Ed loves cauliflower and red and yellow pepper, but green beans - Oh no!!! is turning his nose up at rice cakes too!!

Poppy is bored of carrots already. The asparagus and courgette were pretty successful though.

NO celery is the work of Satan

Sorry about the moan yesterday, I think the grass is always greener, I know it's not feasible for me to work right now but it's frustrating sometimes especially when most of the other Mums you know work and their family help out with childcare

Better nap time today she fell asleep in the car on the way back from nursery then slept for a good hour in the travel cot.

I tried that Johnsons sleep advice thing and the amount of sleep she gets is fine apart from day time naps but I got told off for cosleeping.

Libra - when DD1 was little it was easier as I would feed her on our bed she would fall asleep then stay asleep, that cannot happen when you have more than one as I cannot leave them for more than a few minutes at a time. Rant away I'm as frustrated as you are.

Jodie - thanks but when DD1 goes to school (August up here) DD2 still has nursery and then there's Bethany, I have said I am going to look at p/t college courses when DD1 and 2 are at school which is 2010, also school hols and the 3.30pm finish are killers too.

On the food front porridge seems to go down well here as does sweet potato and banana (not at the same time) still tiny amounts though. Sorry to say that food did nothing to help DD2's sleep or lack of even when she was having 3 meals a day plus snacks. After a year I had had enough and went on boob strike, I think B is going the same way when she wakes at night she thrashes about looking for something to latch onto cue DP half asleep "SK she's sooking my elbow again"
I suppose it's comfort wake up and find the msot comforting thing you can in our cases Mummy's boob confirms we haven't been abandoned and all is well although I wish dummy would do the same job.

This is my third baby you would think I would have it sussed by now

Yes yes yes, Celery is indeed the Devil's Veg. I quite like carrots so DH gets them hidden in shepherd's pie etc quite often . Well, if it bothers him that much, he can do the cooking.

SK you're right about the grass being greener - I am dreading going back to work (though I'm taking the full year this time so won't be back till July). I feel terribly guilty about it at times, and I read your posts and think I'm a bad mother for going back to work. I'm quite keen on the idea of having a few years off, but that would scupper my career as I need to keep up with developments. DH and I are discussing whether I can drop to 4 days a week instead of 5 when I go back but with the economic climate as it is, my company might not be keen on that. I don't have day-to-day family support, BTW, as both families live too far away. Parents and PILs will come and stay during holidays when we need childcare cover, but my excellent CM is the main reason I can work and still feel my children are well-cared for. I do still get WOHM guilt all the time.

O is just on porridge at the moment, and loving it. I am not loving the up-to-the-armpits poos it seems to be engendering. DD1 is off school poorly, and quite upset not to have gone back to school today.

Oh, need to go, O kicking off!

It's the age old thing Poledra, WOHM feel guilty, SAHM feel guilty, we cannot win can we? About 90% of the time I am happy with my choice but do really miss working too but something had to give and sadly it was my career.

oh thank goodness you are all still here and I am not the only one with a manically rolling baby who doesn't want to sleep in his own cot

sorry to hear of some of your problems- only just read a few posts as time is short, off to bed now to catch up on some sleep as Louis has decided that now we have put him in his own room he will show me what he's made of and scream the house down 5 times a night. Keep waking up in the feeding chair in his bedroom with a warm sleeping baby on my lap but a sore neck! Must have spent about 3 hours there last night on and off.

(that's the sound of me falling asleep and slipping off the sofa)

Went to drs/hv today for last jabs (ooops a bit late! Poor 2nd baby) and LouLou now weight 19 1/2 lbs. Was 26 weeks on Saturday- can't believe all our babies are/coming up to 6 months!

will try and un-xmas myself at some point, hope you all had good festive seasons. Thought of you all often but didnt manage to make it online. Have been considering it an achievement if I manage to prepare breakfast, and dress both ds's before 1pm and lunchtime hits! Will catch up soon I hope x

I'm glad that Bryony isn't the only non-sleeping baby! Sweetkitty, please don't tell me that weaning doesn't help sleep (though I know it doesn't really) as I am pinning all my hopes on it now.

Bryony is desperate for food at all times, I feel worried that she is having too much as it's only her second week of weaning and she's taking 3 meals a day as well as 5 breastfeeds. I have to feed her whenever we eat as she cries out for it and tries to snatch food off our plates! Feeling guilty as I am using jars much more than I did with the other 2 - dd1 (PFB) didn't have any as I lovingly pureed organic Annabel Karmel recipes for her and dd2 wouldn't have anything from a spoon. I'm using the Cow and Gate ones, they look horrible but Bryony loves them (she did also enjoy my homemade celery soup for lunch).

Minkus, hope you get a good night's sleep and feel better in the morning (same goes for the rest of us too!)

Im soo tired today... Abigail is getting worse at night now! What was 3hour feeds is now turning into 2/2.5 hours.
Very frustrating. Letting her have a longer sleep yesterday lunch time obviously didnt work.
What I wouldnt give for a good full nights sleep right now!

Libra- How did the water go down last night?

SK- at B sucking on DP's elbow.

Boring day of washing and housework here today.

Bad night here too, Bethany is getting worse as well, going to bed at 8pm, she woke about 8.30pm and whinged and I have to admit I left her as I thought she is fed, bums clean, she's shattered, after about 10 mins of moaning she fell asleep again bu was up again at 11 and then about another 4 times. She actually gets angrier when it's me that goes to her as if she knows I'm the one with the boobs thats what she wants and why isn't she getting it? I think at 6 months some babies do still need milk at night so I think she's too young to do anything about it, just have to put up with it, I know it will soon pass but your so right pigley a full nights sleep

ponto - B is the same I am trying to give her little bits of food but she is looking around for more. I have to admit I have used the C&G and Hipp Fruit purees before to add to natural yoghurt etc I just don't have the tiem to puree apples, strawberries, bananas, apricots, peaches, mangoes etc. My other two were BLWed in the most on homemade food and are really fussy now, then you look at friends DC that were given jars and they eat anything and everything.

minkus - I know B would be like that too if I dared put her in her own room hence we cosleep for now at least that way I get the most amount of sleep, she is up loads but it's boob and back to sleep. I couldn't cope with hours being awake with the other two in the day as well.

Pigley - A woke at 1:30ish crying and he had last been fed (200ml formula plus breast) at 11pm so I picked him up and tried to give him some water (in a bottle) he looked at me with utter disgust but quietened down so I held him for another 5 minutes before putting him down and he went to sleep. He woke again at 4 and I did feed him then as I am going one step at a time. I agree with SK that some babies still need milk at night and if A had shown any inclination to actually drink water then I would have thought right you are thirsty and whipped my boob out .

SK - apparently they can actually smell the milk on you, a couple of times I have handed A over to other people when he has been wailing on me and he has calmed down so maybe it's time to get your DH to do some nighttime wakings?

Minkus - hope you get some sleep soon!

cas66 - I am going to try that next time A won't nap in his cot! I love it when they are wrapped up so warm in their buggys that you can only see 2 eyes peep over the blanket

I told the nursery about BLW and they kind of raised an eyebrow and commented that it sounded messy but I am hoping they will follow it. I have been lucky with work, they have agreed to me going back 3 days a week, we have both grandparents 40 minutes away and the nursery is where DH works. Like you Poledra if I don't keep my hand in I will be considered deskilled in less than a year. Saying all that I think my company are about to go to the wall.

SK - was thinking about you and others with 3 kiddies, as i felt tired and sorry for myself this morning. can't imagine how exhausting it must be to have to do all the housework, playing, tidying, school runs, food etc for 3 kids and hubby, when feeling absolutely knackered.

Elodie was also up a number of times, once for the dummy then the second time, i turned the monitor down to see if she would drop off after a 10 mins or so. unfortunately, i dropped off instead and then woke an hour or so later. lay there wondering if she had screamed for ages and felt guilty until i felt that i had to go check on her. she was asleep then but half an hour later, woke again and it was near 4 so i thought i would feed her. when i picked her up she was all damp and sweaty so she either she just got too warm or more likely, she had a right screaming fit until she got sweaty. while i was passed out in bed . . . such a bad mum.

it wouldn't be so bad if i could get my arse to bed early and make the most of her "good time" from 7 until 3 or 4. but i am doing freelance copywriting after she has gone down or if i have a night off, watch my new box sets for ages (Peepshow, The Wire, Blackadder, Shameless - god i miss english tv!!!)

anyway, i know you say there is plenty of time to sort out sleep probs, sk but for me its partly a matter of mustering the energy to sort it, iykwim.

its still beautiful and cold here so will force myself out for a bit later. on my own until dh finishes late shift at 10.30 and have to copy edit a brochure on a fancy japanese design frying pan, ffs!

welcome back mink libra - how is work going? must be difficult.

i am worried about childcare after i go back in April. My dh is supposed to take the time off but he did sign a contract until June just before Xmas. Apparently he told me but i don't remember that, wtf!"!??

will have to find private daycare but would much rather she started at the nursery i chose if a place comes up in time. in some ways i feel funny about anyone else taking care of her but i guess by about 1 year or so, she may actually appreciate all the playing and socialising.

i will be working fro 08.30 to 1.30 every day, so we will still have afternoons together.

sorry, libra, X-post. so that is how work is going . . . your set-up sounds pretty good though.

am slightly worried about my job in advertising too as it is the also the first budget to be cut. being an english copywriter in a foreign country though has a slight advantage in terms of supply and demand so am hoping i will stay there for a quite a while more.

hi all. I went to visit work today and confirm my return date...2nd feb

I would love to stop work for good...just can't afford to....also need to keep up with recent educational developments

I have tonsilitis and am feeling so ill...this is making me feel really down...this family has had one illness after another lately...everything seems so hard just now...can't imagine adding work to the mix

would love to work from home...what does proof reading involve minnie and how do you get into it?

So it's nearly 10 past 5 and Bethany has been up since 8am WITHOUT a nap and is currently rolling around the lounge carpet watching DD2's Thomas train, she had lunch and a good 30 min BF out her in her cot and she rolled around and that was that.

What am I to do with her????

minipink - not surprised you are feeling down with so many illnesses I bet it feels like someone has always got something. What work do you do again, I am always interested in what jobs Mums do and what childcare they have

Tjuice - I think there comes a time you just get used to the lack of sleep unless you have a particularly horrendous night then I feel really down and get migraines etc. I do find that whenever I sit down to BF especially in the afternoons I can feel myself dropping off. I'm my own worse enemy too I always say I'm having an early night but then sit on the pc or TV until 11pm I think it's just wanting some time sans DC.

I know B is using me as a dummy and comforter at night, the thing is it's hard to tell whether she is hungry or comfort so I take the path of least resistance and whip the boob out for her.

I do sometimes get envious of those CC threads when people say they had 3 bad nights then a child who has slept in it's own bed ever since, put down awake and always sleeps through.