Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Post-natal clubs

Join our Postnatal Clubs forum to find parenting advice for newborns.

June 08: All we want for Christmas is a good night's sleep!

982 replies

bitofasnowqueen · 03/12/2008 15:03

New thread!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
neenztwinz · 11/12/2008 21:47

Oh Libra, that is crap... sorry about your nan, it is great when they are such fighters. My gran was like that (she was at death's door just before my wedding and we didn't think she'd make it but she was so determined to be there that she recovered!) Sorry to hear about your job too... it is happening everywhere isn't it. What do you so? Any chance you'd find another job quick?

Rolf, is she happy in the cot if you are stood next to it or does she still scream? It is not for everyone but I am a big believer in CC (but if she is calm and will go to sleep with you stood beside the cot that is a more gentle if more tiring option). I sometimes sit with Theo and Esther if they are crying, just put my hand on them and they often stop crying and drop off. This has only just started happening tho - before they would just scream until I picked them up. But I have also used the leave them for 10 mins and go back to settle them method.

hollyivypoppy34 · 11/12/2008 21:49

both dh and I enjoyed it sponge -dh reckons he sent this person a spoof about five yeras ago but clearly we're now "forgiven" and allowed to receive them again

neenztwinz · 11/12/2008 21:52

We had a portrait done last week and I think it is quite good [proud]

family portrait

spongebrainbigpants · 11/12/2008 21:55

Lucky lucky you poppy!!

With all the boasting that's been happening on this thread recently I'm tempted to send one along the lines of "Despite A only being six months old he has, of course, already mastered potty training and walking. We were slightly disappointed that his speech has been hampered by his tri-lingualism but his Japanese tutor feels he is only weeks away from being able to sit his A level . . . . "

What do you think?!!

spongebrainbigpants · 11/12/2008 21:57

x-posted Neenz!

Lovely picture - seeing all four of you together it's amazing how much E looks like you and T looks like your dh!

FiveGoMadInDorset · 11/12/2008 22:42

Lovely photo neenz but I think they both look like you.

Also very bad mummy alert, DD fell asleep on the way home from nirsery today, she ash been despeartely in need of catching up on sleep from our holiday but been fighting it, so we gave her some Medised 9 she is sleeping soundly now and will give her a boost to get through Christmas. I feel so bad but she is usually good about having a nap, but is struggling to get back into a routine after being away, hopefully this may set her back on track.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 11/12/2008 22:42

She also has a stinking cold, they both do but he has been OK so far.

EssieAStarInBethlehem · 11/12/2008 23:07

Evening all, not feeling the chirpiest so will keep it short (and positive!). Snowqueen also all alone here after a disturbed (several times) night last night! Fingers crossed for a good one - 2 good ones, one for you and one for me!

Round robins - I vetoed it, but a friend just sent a great one - bullet points, with thumbs up and thumbs down in equal numbers. (6 in total - short is good!) Some of our friends do lovely ones, but we do get a hilarious one from another couple. I may well post it on here if we get one this year. But I'd have to give some background (hilarious in itself).

Neenz, love the photo! And I think you're each holding a mini-me - Esther and you, Theo and your DH! Our Christmas card is Iestyn. See the profile photo!

Iestyn plays with himself big time. Always, always touching and grabbing and stroking it. Really annoying. I only have to start undoing the tabs on his nappy and his hand is down there. He even sometimes tries to tuck his hand in the top of his nappy (he can't, I do it up nice and tight!) When he's done a poo, I practically have to tie his hands back before he puts them in the poo. Shocking.
I like minnie as a name for it. In Welsh I also use willy (or wili ) because Welsh is totally lacking in words, medical or otherwise, for private parts. There's no word for nipple (only teat, same as on a bottle or a cow, but nothing specific for the aureola or whatever it's called), so bfing groups and sessions are interesting. I have no word at all for my bits (my minnie!). But minnie would work in Welsh.

God, I need to get out more!

EssieAStarInBethlehem · 11/12/2008 23:09

Might look for some of that medised. Or I heard there's a dealer on this thread. Merseyside area. I've heard she'll even lie about her own children to get her hands on some. (Wanted a poking out tongue emoticon for Neenz!)

DingDongAlipalisOnAHigh · 11/12/2008 23:55

hmm, round robins... made the mistake of reading my Mum's when I was about 17. It was so horrifyingly inaccurate about me that I have been avoiding them ever since. It was along the lines of: "Alipali doesn't have a boyfriend, but she has lots of friends who are boys". I was mortified that this had been sent to 120 of my parents' closest friends.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 12/12/2008 07:20

Actually I am not feeling guilty, we have our happy DD back in the mornings instead of the foul bad tempered over tired one.

Rolf · 12/12/2008 07:42

Morning!

Lovely photo Neenz. Thanks for your thoughts about Thea's sleep, too. No, shen doesn't cheer up if I am next to her. She definitely wants to me in my arms. The best compromise I've got from her is to lie next to me in my bed rather than right in my arms . She gets so distressed about it and I'm so drippy...

DD1 still insists she has a willy and sometimes tries to wee standing up!

sybiltherednosedreindeer · 12/12/2008 08:21

Just trying to catch up before the morning school rush. Jamie has developed this really annoying habit of waking up after he's been fed at night and wanting to be soothed back to sleep. Given he wakes up every two hours to feed this is proving rather tiring to say the least. We can't even leave him to cry as dd sleeps really lightly and he wakes her up, which is unfair as she has a full day of school to do. Not sure how to resolve this either, but am hoping it is a short phase. Will listen with interest to Thea's advice and steal it!

We have never used medised and I am obviously missing out on a childhood marvel! We do the full doses of baby neurofen and calpol instead and we had this reccommended at the hospital after ds1 had his fit as the best method of controlling temperature.

sybiltherednosedreindeer · 12/12/2008 08:21

Also, lovely photo Neenz!

abdnhikinginawinterwonderland · 12/12/2008 09:02

bitofasnowqueen hope last night went well. Thw first few nights are by far the hardest so don't feel bad about complaining, especially when S is sick!

neenz I agree that newsletters are fine as long as they're not too smug or full of absolutely useless information (like full details of summer camp!). And I LOVE the family photo!

libra hugs! I hope you get okay news re: work and that your NaN is fine.

rolf we've just been really strict and done CC but it sucks!!! I also give in whenever DH is away which I know is bad.

sybil Fraser wakes up my DS1 too -especially in the mornings. He's sleeping so much better now that he'd on food (and I'm shocked, I didn't think it would help since it didn't with DS1) and the 2nd night feed is now at 5:30 which is bliss, except that it wakes up DS1 for the day. I know Jamie's a really difficult sleeper but have you tried letting him cry earlier in the night? The boys share a room and DS1 does happily sleep through the 1am waking.

Oh and I wanted to brag about my superior mothering skills. Fraser has a bug and is puking all the time and the past three times I've managed to feel it coming and hold him over the laminate flooring so that no puke got on either of our clothes. That's expertise! (Am seriously proud of myself - that's probably a sign that I need to get out of the house right?).

abdnhikinginawinterwonderland · 12/12/2008 09:03

oh and have posted our Christmas Card photo on my profile. My DH and I aren't too photogenic so it's just the boys!

bitofasnowqueen · 12/12/2008 09:06

Well done aberdeen.

Quick post as we've overslept and are running late. S was up at 3am and I quickly gave in and brought him into bed with me. He eventually went back to sleep but of course I kept waking up.

He's now completely off his milk - only been having about 4 oz at each feed the last few days. Is this normal when babies are sick?

Essie how was your night? Sorry you didn't have a good night sybil.

Got to run! Have a good day everyone.

OP posts:
neenztwinz · 12/12/2008 09:12

Sybil, sorry about Jamie's sleep - it is very difficult to break the habit but perhaps he will just grow out of it - is he on solids yet? That might help (hopefully).

Essie, I can get you some Medised but it will cost you

5GoMad - I was lmao at your post cos I used Medised (2.5ml) yesterday at their lunch nap cos they were sniffly and hadn't slelt well at lunch the day before. They slept for 2hrs . But I started to feel guilty and was wondering whether I was turning to the Medised too easily so last night Esther went to bed at 7 and woke at 7.30, 10, 2 and then 4 and it was at 4 that I thought 'she needs Medised!!' so I gave her some. It is so hard isn't it to know what to do and to make sure you are doing it for them and not for you. Sometimes it's like we all have to suffer for a while before I am entitled to use it.

Ali - that is hilarious 'lots of friends who are boys'... bet you were mortified!

Thanks for all messages about our pic. I was quite disapoointed at first cos the pic is not great of the twins but then I think I was asking a bit much to get them smiling too! Getting them looking at the camera at the same time was good enough. Yes Esther looks very much like me but funnily enough I looked like Theo when I was a baby.

I am going to try to stay off MN again today cos had a lovely day yesterday pottering around the house - the day before I just sat at the computer (when twins were in bed!) thinking 'I really should be hanging those clothes up/cleaning the toilet etc etc' and it just made me feel really bad! Got some Christmas cads dne as well yesterday so will finish those off today.

Just going to check out your christmas card essie...

neenztwinz · 12/12/2008 09:13

can't see your profile Essie!

neenztwinz · 12/12/2008 09:17

Sybil that sounded a bit - 'perhaps he'll just grow out of it'. I mean just keep doing what you're doing and he might start to sleep through some of those feeds again. I know I have always fed mine when they have woken in the night and worried it was getting to be a habit but eventually they just start to sleep better on their own.

Rolf · 12/12/2008 09:46

AH - great picture and I'm impressed at your co-ordination! CC worked with the boys but the girls just don't seem to respond well to it. The boys would eventually get the idea and go to sleep. If either of the girls go to sleep upset they wake up after not very long in the same distressed state.

Sybil - sorry you're not having good nights although it is a comfort to know that I'm not the only one. I had Thea in bed with me last night AGAIN and then DD1 woke me up at 4.45 and my day started then. Poor DH has taken to sleeping with DS2 (who is very cuddly) so he can get some sleep. Can't say I blame him but I miss him.

DS2 has his Christmas play this afternoon. DD1 had hers yesterday and DS1 has his next week. It's times like this that I love love love having 4 children

neenztwinz · 12/12/2008 09:55

Oh Rolf, sympathies!

AH love the pic of your LOs!

Well I am still playing on the computer but am getting the twins up from their nap in 5mins and am definitely staying off the computer then til tonight [maybe]. But just wanted to post this... it is so good (prob not so much for you cos you don't know the kids in it) but it is so funny. It is Theo and Esther and three of my sisters' kids as dancing elves!

how funny is this

systemsaddict · 12/12/2008 10:31

Rolf am completely with you in sympathy - we've had Caitlin in with us as the only way we could all sleep while she has been poorly (D&V then bronchiolitis, she has also been puking lots from the coughing, though well in herself apart from coughing and vomiting if that makes sense!) and she REALLY didn't want to start sleeping in her cot again. Even though it's a co-sleeper right next to me!

I too was determined not to create a second sleep monster but I'd underestimated my level of fatigue at dealing with multiple children, I keep feeding her on the bed in the evening and going to sleep myself, which obviously sets her up to stay on me for the night. Plus I am reluctant to do CC though I do believe in it, because if she cries, ds sometimes wakes upset too, then everything gets infinitely more complicated ... and Caitlin was a clockwork baby to start off with too.

She was good last night though - think the difference was that she went to sleep in the cot, after waking at eleven for a feed then throwing up on me, I didn't dare feed her back to sleep in the bed and I think I ended up going to sleep before she did. Woke for her usual 1am and 4am habit feeds but that was all, and was ok in her cot the rest of the time. Sleep onset conditions really are the key I think but it's hard to set that up.

Is there anything that Thea really likes to hold? The one thing that soothes Caitlin is labels, if I give her a muslin or a toy with the label uppermost she will play with it and sometimes calms down and go to sleep with that.

systemsaddict · 12/12/2008 10:32

libra gosh you've had a tough year. all best with job and for your nan. hope the kittens bring you lots of giggles!

systemsaddict · 12/12/2008 10:38

and snowqueen (I think?) no the Stevens-Johnson should hopefully be a one-off, although he is slightly more at risk to get it again it's still very unlikely, thankfully.

It is interesting how differently dp and I reacted though - I am now less worried when they are 'normally' ill as I compare it to when he was really ill and think no, this is not bad in comparison, while he thinks 'this could get bad again' ... we are opposite in character!

will shut up now. Have just discovered I can catch up on the computer while doing my morning expressing, using an elastic band contraption to hold the pump on me - v. happy! I love my Ameda Lactaline if anyone is looking for pump recommends for going back to work ... that was an effortless 100 ml