September 08 Remember what we were doing this time last year?[wink]

[Debs75goldrings]

So what were we all doing this time last year?

Well, talked to p about his unsupportive behaviour, and he said he felt really bad - so bad in fact that he said he needed to go to the cinema to cheer himself up! The next night he had to pop out for a quick drink, he had 1 night in, then tonight he has apparently gone out to a party of his best mates's sister. When I have woken him in the morning (say an hour after I have had to wake up) to give me some help, he comes into my room, tucks himself up and falls asleep again

C seems to have moved on to a new cold, as her snuffling has worsened again, and now her nose is running. I think she's hardly had a cold free day since she was about 2 weeks old. She's sleeping lots too. What I find hard is that she doesn't sleep well in the day on her own (is better at night, like now), so wails a lot if I'm rtying to do something like get dd1 ready to go out. She doesn't stay happy for long if p is holding her either. She's been waking quite a bit at night too, probably as her nose is so stuffed up, but she does go back to sleep really quickly usually.

Met an osteopath in the chemist this evening and he suggested trying puttting a finger on either side of her nose, just under the eyes and gently moving fingers outwards to open things out a bit.

Sling people - is the wrap sling good for having baby facing outwards on your front too? I tried it the other day, having it tied the same way as normal - so it's round my middle, crossed behind me, then crossed on my front, tucked down behind the original bit, and tied at the side - but it didn't feel very secure. She likes having a good peer about when she's actually awake, loves all the Christmas lights.

We have a tree at last, dd1 is so excited. I still need to get almost all the presents - at least dd1 is easy - her Christmas list is smarties, chocolate reindeer, and chocolate coins

I have an Ebay item with 30 min to go and 22 people watching it - the suspense is killing me! At least there's 1 bid but I'll be gutted if there's no more.

Ebay items are paying for Christmas and clearing out lots of space, but I'm heartily sick of bubblewrap!

MrNC has agreed we should have a tree. I'm a bit daunted by everything needing doing by Xmas but rather excited by my first 'family' Christmas.

Splishsplosh, wrap slings aren't god for babies facing outwards. If she wants to look around more have her arms free and a bit of her upper back unsupported (if she can manage). That way she can turn around a bit and see things.

Splish and Sass, can you not use the Kari-me facing outwards? I thought that provided the LOs could hold their head up it was ok.here is how they show it in their site.

You may remember I was all worried about DS's scaly and itchy skin. It is a lot better now, although I have been warned that this type of dermatitis may turn atopic in some kids and become eczema. Fingers crossed, huh? At any rate, for any other scaly babies out there, I thought I'd share what has worked for me:

• Reducing baths to twice a week, as water is very drying
• Never using soap, and bathing with plenty of olive oil in the water (oilatum, as prescribed by the gp was nowhere near as effective)
• Vasseline in rough patches
• In D's case, steer clear of AQUEOUS CREAM. This really made things worse, although the GP insisted I should use it generously morning and night
• A magic product I bought in a Spanish pharmacy, which got rid of cradle cap in two applications: Kelual lotion from Ducray. It also cured scaly patches on eyebrows and cheeks.
• Moisturising morning and night. I have had success with Aveno cream, as recommended by other MNetters in eczema threads.

On another note, I've noticed that DS always turns his head to the right when he's sleeping, and that his head is flatter on that side! Do you know if it ends up evening out later?

Night everyone.

Pacita I'm glad D's scales are improving! T's are also much better, but his was only really a touch of cradle cap and weird scaly eyebrows. We used the Green Baby shop scalp oil, which worked pretty well (although T's was only v mild, so probably would have been cured by any old oil).

Interesting to read about everyone's babies sleep patterns (try not to laugh at me, starlight!) - several of us actually have pretty similar days. T has had a bit less day time sleep the last 2 days (his choice, not mine! I thought he needed more when ill...) and he's gone down much more easily at night after his feed. Going to try not to cut any more until he's completely better, but I suppose it's largely up to him

Ninjingle I'll have a quick google for it again - I found it by googling the authors - will post in a sec.

here

Hi all,

Got back from the wedding yesterday evening and am pleased to say that Erin was a little angel the whole time. She was kissed, cuddled and fussed over the whole time.

It was nice meeting some of DH's family that could not make our wedding last year. I just need to figure out how to upload the photos and might post some updated photos too on my profile.

Gotta go as I have heaps of washing and tidying to do before Erin wants brunch.

Hope you are all ok x

Thanks, Hopefully.

I am interested in sleeping patterns too! So far, Diego has only managed one stretch of 6 hours in one go. I fed him at 11:30 and he didn't wake up again until 5 in the morning. The next day I felt like a new person, as this is the longest stretch I have slept for a loooong time. Yesterday I tried to reproduce this feat by feeding him at the same time, but he still woke up after 3 hours.

So basically, the pattern seems to be that he goes upstairs between 7:30 and 8:30, sleep routine involving dim lights, sometimes a bath, swaddling (which he quickly undos to get his arms out), feeding and bed. Then he feeds anytime between 2 and 5 hours later. Then twice again during the night. If it could only be reduced to one night time feed, I would be such a well rested mum. Is there any way to achieve this? No amount of extra feeding, or timing, or bathing or anything seems to make a difference!

Pacita I certainly don't know - will you tell me if you find out? Actually I think we'd be millionaires if we knew (or just thought we did!). Since her cold M's still often feeding every 2 hours (occasionally up to 4 hours) in the night.

Sorry Splosh to hear how 'useful' your p continues to be - my (d)h told me that he always feels like leaving me in December and this year's no exception!

Ninja at your dp. Why does he say that?

Luckily the worst thing that mine does is mistake 'waiting' for 'doing'.

'I'm doing my washing' (er, no, the washing machine is doing it)

'I'm waiting for the bath to run' (er no, you're sitting on the loo reading the paper)

'I'm helping DS with his dinner' (no, you're having a coffee. listening to radio 4)

'I'm roasting the chicken'

etc. etc. BUT, at these things are very helpful, even if he does overinflate his contributions.

Splish Can you make a deal where he can go out every other night to begin with, and to ensure it happens YOU go out every other night yourself (with baby), even if it is just to the local gym for a coffee for an hour to arrive home with no.1 fed and in bed?

Pacita You can help avoid flat head syndrome or positional plagiocephaly by encouraging him to turn the other way.

Is there an obvious reason why he turns to the right? Are YOU on the right? Does the light come in on the right? If so, you can either turn the cot around, or turn him around. You can also put something under the mattress on the righthand side to encourage his head to 'roll' the other way naturally.

Also, try to avoid lying in carseats or swings as much as possible as these are very hard, and give plenty of tummy time so his neck becomes strong enough to move about lots.

If you need any more information, google or search MN for plagiocephaly, BUT please let me remind you that googling any potential health problem can bring up all kinds of scary, but rare and unlikely conditions and treatments.

starlight is there anything baby-related you don't know about?!

Urgh, 4 days since last poo, I am awaiting a horrific explosion any time now...

splish - sorry, very about your P after talk....

ninja - at your (D)H... is it just trying to avoid presents?

I guess I'm pretty lucky then, a part for still being cross about the no baby-presents, he's very lovely...

DD's staerted waking up in the night again... hope it's just a short phase.........

Had a really restless night last night. ds was sick Sat afternoon and it looks like he has passed on the bug to me and dp. Was up all night and my stomach feels like it is on spin cycle. Can't really eat but drinking pepermint tea to try and settle stomach. Legs feel like lead and so tired. Dp has it even worse and is throwing up.
Robyn is fast asleep for the mo but she has been a bit cranky and earlier you could see her soft spot pulsing.
Am i likely to pass the bug on through my milk? Am being super clean with everything else but don't want to take any chances.

Splish was your dp like this when dc1 was born?

i'm a teacher and the autumn term can be quite stressful - so he says i can be difficult (he's difficult ALL the time and is the only one who doesn't see it). this year no teaching stress - but a baby (which is of course according to him easy and i'm a lady that lunches !!)

Actually i'm used to it now and feel more sorry for him for getting het up, i just throw myself into the kids and if he spends less time at home he's missing out. he can be lovely, but i think has anger issues.

we were sacked by relate a few years ago .... but we're still here!!

debs i'm pretty certain milk is fine, it's probably passing on the antibodies

Starlight thanks for your suggestions. Yes, both me and the light are the side where he turns his head, so that would explain a lot.

He really does not like it when I reposition his head, so he must have developed a habit.

I have indeed googled positional plagiocephaly, and checked some threads here in MN, but I was hoping that was not what the issue was (as the head is bumpy rather than flat) but chances are that is exactly the case.

At any rate, tummy time sounds like an excellent idea.

Thanks again, for the suggestions, you're so knowledgeable!

pacita - it would be worth seeing a cranial osteopath. DS1 couldn't turn his head to the left when he was born which caused problems with breast feeding. However after one appointment he could turn his head. The most likely reason is he was in the same position inside of me for the last 3 months and got a stiff neck.

Neck and head problems are often associated with long, short and instrumental births.

Cheers iliketo. I would actually quite like to see an Osteopath but I'm a bit wary of quacks, so would quite like a recommendation. Was yours good?

Mine is fantastic, but I live in Suffolk and I'm guessing you probably don't!

Make sure you use a cranial osteopath not a cranial sacro therapist. They do the same thing but the sacro therapist doesn't have to have so much training.

Put a shout out on MN to see if anyuone can recommend one in your area.

back again... i need to get this thread on my list.

still bf DD and hating it, me and my friend are thinking about making end of bf calendars with a countdown on them . I am lucky though and did have 2 nights out last week and dd was fine while i was gone, she wouldn't take a bottle from my mum or dp, she just fiddled about with the teat for an hour. but she didn't cry which was the main thing.

we have just got a laptop, an early xmas pressie from dp's loaded brother. i'm not sure i like typing on it yet.

Sunflower - I noticed you just mentioned that Maia is waking up during the night at the moment - Elizabeth has been a little bugger for the last few days, she's having me up at all hours

meglet I had a v embarrassing conversation with someone at NCT group last week who made me feel very guilty for not absolutely loving BF. I was trying to explain that I find it practical and easy and know it is the best thing for DS, but in terms of bonding I find our time together pulling faces at one another or cuddling before his nap times much better than BF. Her face was

splish so sorry, your (D)P needs to grow up sharpish and sort himself out. He sounds like me in my 20s re partying, only i was single and childless......
I have no answers for you, wish I did, but perhaps your LO is picking up on tension and so won't be settled by him. I really hope this xmas brings you some peace. Do you have any close relatives who could talk to him about his bahaviour?

pacita cranial osteopath highly recommended. Taken C 3 times now and the woman is brilliant as she used to be a neo natal nurse in the NHS but retrained due to long shift hours, so she's excellent with babies and i can ask her lots of non-osteopath qns. She's checked C out and said that the left of her neck is bunched up, so is focussing on that part. C loves it and sleeps so well afterwards. You could ask your GP if there is a local osteopath they recommend perhaps?

Today I am so happy as I realise that I have finally fallen utterly in love with C. I always loved her before, very much, but today it just really hit home and I cannot get enough of her. She has grown up so much in the last few days and is laughing loads and holding her head up really well. She is also making noises like she's trying to talk. Just brilliant and when i see the xmas cards for her, I go all gooey. That is my daughter!!!

I am tremendously lucky to have DP (even if he is now snoring on sofa!) as if i didn't know better, you would think he is gay . He loves to shop, cook and wander round garden centres etc. but he is also very much a blokey bloke who can change tyres, drink a pint of bitter and construct flatpack. {whispers...but don't tell him cos he'll get a big head} Feeling loved up....

Carrie you and I are on the same level re routines. I would never ever let C cry if she was upset but a little stirring does not mean pick up. As you say, bedtime is bedtime. I like your phrase of parent directed - that's me. I believe C will be content and secure if she has structure and consistency to her day.

The only thing i don't do is measure C's daytime naps. As she sleeps through the night from 10.30pm, i let her nap whenever she wants/needs during the day - she knows what is best for her. She generally has an hour in the morning, an hour afternoon and 30 mins at 6.30 just before her bedtime routine.