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

[Debs75goldrings]

So what were we all doing this time last year?

Looking at that last paragraph, i guess i do note her naps, but i don;t worry if she doesn't the same every day.

And i do know just how lucky i am - wishing good sleeps to all those not getting it yet.

LOL at your NCT person Hopefully. I didn't like bfing my no.1. I was counting down as soon as I started, but when I had counted down - I couldn't be faffed to stop any more.

It is amazing how differently you see things when you don't feel you have to do them. Instead it became a reliable 'shut him up so I can chat over coffee' tool, 'comfort when ill' tool, 'making up after tantrum' tool.

pacita I remember an article in a baby magazine about flat head syndrome. In severe cases you can get a helmet to put on the baby to correct the condition, but you have to buy it coz the nhs won't treat it as the condition is purely asthetic, not medical. But I'm sure you've already found that out in your research!

We keep trying tummy time but ds isn't interested. But he's great at looking both ways while playing on his back so from that point of view I'm not worried yet. I just think it would be nice for him to see the world from a different perspective, but i'm sure he'll get there in his own good time.

I met my friend's brand new baby today. Oh.my.goodness. she was tiny...but 2oz heavier and 1cm longer than ds was just 11 weeks ago! Astonishing to see them side by side - ds grinning, chatting, playing with toys, and then this teeeeny scrunched up newborn. What a long way we've all come. Couldn't pursuade dd though that baby Phoebe wasn't baby Jesus

I know what you mean about falling in love I'msanta'smum, those smiles just egt in there don't they.

Well night sleeping still a bit rubbish here, but M will go to sleep by herself, something DD1 NEVER did so I'm happy at that, I'm sure the rest will come. She's still pretty sleepy during the day though.

I'm really glad there are other people who don't love bf. I thought I was the only one! Its functional, practical and healthy, but I really don't love it. The only reason I haven't given up is coz I don't hate it, I just don't love it. Really don't know how much longer I'll carry on once I've reached 6 months though. What time frame have you decided to count down to?

A has still never slept through the night. I wonder if it has anything to do with us waking him every 3 hours to feed (as instructed by Drs and MWs) in is first week.

He has been sleeping a bit longer recently though. Yesterday went from 7:30pm to 12:15am. Unfortunately this was then followed by a terrible night where he fed for ages, then threw up then fed again till 1:45, then woke at 3:15 and fed for half an hour because I moved him (he was about to bash his head on the mobile attachment), then woke at 6 and fed really agitatedly and wouldn't go back to sleep so DH took him downstairs. A and I were absolutely knackered today.

We've had to put the side of the cot today as A is moving so much in his sleep, last night his head ended up in our bed (not good if it burrow under my duvet). So tonight will be interesting.

Am off to bed now. Hoping for a least an hour before he wakes up for his late night feed. Have tried 'dream-feeding' and it doesn't work, he won't open his mouth. Probably about the only time.

I like bf'ing but I'm not sure I love it. I f someone asked me what bfing was like I would say 'really good' or some such but I wouldn't describe it as loving it. It's a bit too boobie for my liking, I'm still not truly over the fact that once upon a time my boobs were viewed as an aesthetically pleasing asset, where as now they're milk machines for a baby to hang off!!

I'm regretting saying that already, I'm going to have people going off at me now I'm sure.

lollipopmother - how could you say that?
For those not 'enjoying' breastfeeding, maybe I can reassure you with my experience with ds1. I didn't mind bf ds1 but I found the constant demand on my body quite wearing and it took me months to reconcile myself to it. Then by the time I had got my head around it a bit more it was time to wean onto solids. He loved his food and progressed through the food ranges very quickly, so it was only a couple of months before he was only feeding in the morning, once in the afternoon and at bedtime. When the demand on me became less, that's when I fell in love with bf'ing. DS1 was sleeping through the night and the first thing we would do in the morning was have a feed laying down in my bed and I really loved that feed, much like I loved the evening feed as it felt like we were having a really close cuddle before I wouldn't see him for 12 hours.

It sounds quite selfish reading it back, but it is how I felt, and I have to say I feel much the same this time. However not as strongly, probably because I just gave myself to the bf'ing relationship we have instead of resenting it a bit and resisting it a bit.

foxy - I hope the flight went ok and that you are back on line soon.

I really loved bf with dd1. I told myself I would give it a try in hospital and she took to it so thought i would do it for the first month.
Then till 3 mnths!
Then till she got a tooth!!(got one at 5 months)
Then till she bit me!!!
I last fed her on my birthday when she was 8 months old and she bit me. Up until then we had been reducing the feeds so it was mainly morning and evening. If she hadn't bit me would prob of fed till she was a year.
I think what made me love it was I put no pressure on myself to keep going, I just fed her We were both not working as well so we had no routine for her to stick to, we were completely baby led. Not something GF would agree with but it worked for us. Probably cause I am really laid back so didn't mind when we got up or when she went to bed etc.

Fast forward to ds and I hated bf. I was overtired, we had got dd1 into a routine with nursery so I had to go out and do things at certain times and ds had to fit in with it. I only lasted several weeks but when i stopped i went from grumpy mum to happy mum overnight. He also found it hard to drink from me and my supply wasn't good so i think in the long run it was best for him to ff.

With Robyn I totally love it but i can't wait to stop. I think when she is not cluster feeding so much on an evening I will feel better. She doesn't like bottles tho so will be persevering for a while.

hopefully carrie & lolli glad it's not just me who is driven mad by bf . I don't find it bonding, I prefer playing with DD. But it's free, healthy and she thrives on it so I'm muddling through. I would prefer the flexibility of the occassional bottle, i feel too much pressure while I am the only one who can feed her. If I knew i could get a break somtimes I'd be less resentful. We're going to try giving her a bottle over xmas when dp is off for 2 weeks, we might just crack it so I can get some time to myself. fingers

that was meant to be ((fingers crossed))

Hello, just posting my last post(s) before I'm off without internet access for a while, so am wishing you all a lovely Christmas, keeping MILs at bay and having the confidence to be 'in charge' of parenting your own babies.

'Falling in love'. I agree. B.Starlight is the cutest, cuddliest baby in the whole wide world. I could forgive her anything, even lost nights and explosive poos.

(BTW DH told me this morning that he has to go shopping for condoms for the trip tonight as we only have one box! Oh how I laughed......)

Loving BF? [hollow laugh/sob] ... the saga continues. After being assured that the BF supporter would be running a clinic yesterday morning, and that turning up was my only way of getting a referral for help, I dropped my other plans for the day and drove 15 miles to the clinic. Yes, you guessed it, she wasn't even there and someone else was covering. I nearly cried, and asked, so are you able to help me with a BF problem? Oh not really, but would you like a cup of tea?

Then two HVs watched me feed DD. They flinched and grimaced at the obvious pain I was in, and said (repeatedly) ooo, it's amazing that you've not given up, etc! They have now said the BFC will be at a clinic tomorrow (25 miles away) and I need to go there. I am quite exhausted and can't believe the lengths I have to go to to get some help with trying my best to follow the friggin govt's friggin BF guidelines!! Oh but please tell the health funders that the naff posters at the clinic explaining the benefits of BF have made all the difference to me... NOT!

Sorry for rant.

Don't know if I'll even make it tomorrow as we also have Christmas family travel dramas. MIL was due to arrive this morning from NZ but her flight was delayed in Brunei and she's in a bit of a panic and no doubt exhausted too. The friend who was going to meet her at LHR and get her on to the train to York could no longer do it, so poor DH got up early this morning to drive to LHR to meet her himself. (5 hours drive each way!) So I think all 3 of us will be rather tired tonight. What a muddle.

OMG Donkeymum I'm amazed you're still feeding at all. It should absolutely NOT be like this. Can you phone them up in tears and insist they send the bfc/supporter to your home?

Can you call a helpline. You MUST get this sorted before the Christmas shut-down.

digital I woke ds every 3 hours for feeds in the early weeks, so please don't think that! That was an important time for building up your supply. Your ds has done a 5 hour stint. Some people's babies do midnight - 5am and their parents consider them to be 'sleeping through' so you're both doing really well. Don't worry, the sleeps will get longer and longer, I promise! Dd didn't sleep through til well past when she was weaned but she got there in the end.

donkeymum I'm on your behalf and [seriously impressed emoticon] at your perseverance.

Well, C just had her 2nd set of jabs and she screamed and cried. It was far worse for me as i feel so much more for her than at her last set (god that sounds awful, hope you all know what i mean). But she fell asleep on way home, bless her.

Having asked HVs my qns and getting rubbish replies of 'hmm, not sure - just see what happens", thought I would quickly post here to get some decent replies:

So, C is 13 weeks tomorrow and has been sleeping 10.30pm to 7.15am for ages. Last few days she's been waking at 5.30am starving. No bother to us but does this mean her 16 wk growth spurt is early or can we expect another one at 16 weeks too? She put on over 1lb in 2 weeks so has certainly had a spurt and a half!! Anyone have any experience of this?

Secondly, she's had colic since she was 2 weeks old from about 7pm to 10pm. The last few days we have tried putting her on her tummy in her basket after her 7pm feed and keeping her with us until we all go to bed. this has really worked and she has slept well. if we put her on her back she cries and draws legs to chest. At 10.30pm after her dreamfeed she goes to sleep on her back no problem.
My question is - any ideas as what to do when she outgrows her basket and needs to go in cot? Don't want to put her on tummy and leave her in cot on own but she won't sleep on her back in evenings. Not sure if anyone can give an answer but again, any experience of previous, similar LOs would be great.

HV just said "we can't advise you put her on her tummy". Thanks luv.
I know you can't but some helpful comments would be better!

And I think it was carrie that said buy the coffees and enjoy her as at 6months she won't want to sit still in a cafe....now you've got me worried. Why does everyone I meet say they grow horns at 6 months and become devil children?? Do they turn into little monsters then? Eeek!

donkeymum you deserve a medal for your stamina - have one from all of us!

imsantasmum A has been sleeping on his tummy since about 8 weeks. Naps and at night, and he goes to bed before DH and I do - we put the monitor on and can hear his breathing. It was the only way to get him to sleep in his cot and now he has great head and neck control. I'm obviously not 'advising' you to do the same, but I thought it might make you feel better knowing other babies are out there sleeping on their tummy and doing just fine.

carrieon thanks! He has been going slightly longer between feeds...but I'm not holding out for 'sleeping through' until he's been weaned for a few months.

I think MN and this thread has saved my sanity. All I get is people in RL asking me 'is he sleeping through yet?'. Coupled with my NCT group all going FF now, I feel I would have had difficulty to finding support for my chosen parenting path elsewhere. I may have even got frustrated and upset with A's feeding and sleeping habits with only my NCT group for support. Thank you ladies!!

Santa I put DD on her stomach during the day if she's fallen asleep whilst she's having a cuddle, she tends to wake up otherwise, but strangely doesn't when she's put on her back to sleep at night . As for colic, I found that Infacol worked and also Gripe Water although I found it hard to get down her unless I was giving EBM so in general I used Infacol. I found her colic strangely lacking at the last feed of the night and also in the early hours feeds, very strange. Thankfully she's grown out of it now but it was horrendous for quite a while.

DD had been sleeping from 10:30 to 6am for weeks and then all of a sudden she's waking me up at all hours, she was 13w yesterday, I think there must be a 3 month growth spurt going on.

Can I come back in with the September girls please?

I haven't posted in postnatal at all I don't think!

I didn't really realise it was here for a bit, then saw it was but there had been about 3 full threads from September and I felt a bit overwhelmed and that I'd never catch up...

Also, weirdly, I think I felt a bit jealous of everybody when DD was two months premature and I wasn't ready to hear about people still being pregnant on the antenatal boards when I should have been pregnant if you see what I mean (sorry that sounds slightly odd!).

But I miss hearing about everyone! I'm just going to start on this page if that's OK?

Welcome back jenbottleofeggnog how are you and your lo getting on?

diginglebells and imsantasmum I've been putting A down on her tummy for naps and at night for the last week and a half... I agonised at first but she sleeps a million times better and seems so much happier... and we've minimised all the other risks. Wouldn't dream of telling the hv though

We're great! Just had her weighed today and she's 11 pounds 3.
We are suffering with thrush we just cannot get rid of... so that is annoying.

She seemed to think for ages last night and then said her name lol! DH went crazy he was so excited, I think he really thought she'd done it on purpose for a few minutes!

Lollipopmother and Imsantasmum - E is 13 weeks on Thurs and seems to be going through a spurt and may also be teething too.

She is spitting out her dummy and ramming her fist into her mouth to chew on. Have got some teetha as been told it works wonders - we shall see!