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

[bitofasnowqueen]

New thread!

anyone had much luck with drinking cups for water - the choice here is terrible so wondered what you would recommend and our next guests will bring me one from uk.

Essie, at the bf at 8 - that's plain bloody weird, sorry! (Does mum come in for morning snack then?! )

Deb, doidy cup - it's great and A loves it more than anything else we give him at meal times!

josey, so sorry to hear you were back in hospital yesterday - hope they cleared the infection and Oli is back home with you now.

Sponge - doesn't the water go just everywhere though?

Happy New Year everyone. Hope you all had a good time last night

Hello Allnew. Pleased to hear that the new job is working out well.

Josey- sorry to hear about the infection, how is Oli today? Wishing you an specially good 2009.

We have a doidy cup and a normal spout beaker. P likes to have either held for him and he will drink or suck. Not so good on his own. He can hold them but waves them around and then they get dropped. All the family are sceptics about the doidy cup, but I think P will get there q soon with a bit of practice. Not too much water everywhere as long as you only put a little in to begin with.

What are you putting in the cups at mealtimes? If water are people boiling it first? I am confused.

Our NYE with 3 LOs u 2 was great. All three were asleep by 8 and stayed asleep all evening. Friends' 4 month old DD woke just before midnight and P woke just after. We had a good meal and played "buzz tv" on the playstation.

Deb, yep! That's why Alex loves it!!

He does manage to get some inside him too though - bit like the food, we work on the 80:20 rule, 80% on the floor, 20% in the mouth!

Ali, I'm pretty sure that post six months you don't need to boil the water? Can anyone confirm?

ali - i don't boil the water

Happy New Year everyone! (Just marking my place...)

I haven't been boiling the water, but sounds like I'm not the only one.

happy new year all.

i have a doidy for isaac but he just waves it around at the moment. he also has a couple of tommee tippee cups, and has had some water out of them - it never even occured to me to boil it, i just used tap water

Hi All

Happy new year !!

We had a lovely christmas, but ds now has chicken pox. Mia and I both have a rotten cold and I really struggled to control her temp. So after dosing her with both calpol and ibuprofen her temp was 39.8! so took her to the drs, she's now on antibiotics which seem to have helped.
Both Hamish and Mia are sleeping and have been since about 4pm, but I think they need it, so hopefully they still sleep tonight!

Essie Can sympathise about the stork mark. Hamish had a strawberry mark and my mil used to mention it everytime I saw her (grr!) I just thought my boy was perfect in everyway (still is the most handsome boy ever!) and it used to drive me nuts!! I know it's slightly different but the strawberry mark faded before he was one.

Amberc Sympathy also about seperation anxiety, I have been having the same issues with Mia. I never had any trouble with Hamish, but I think I'm more protective of Mia, so maybe that's why.
She's fine once I've been away for a bit, but if I'm around she wants me, it is lovely but I find its difficult to get things done.

I'm running out of time, sorry to all those I've not posted to.

I don't boil water either, I don't think you have to once they are six months.
I don't sterilse either, except bottles, as we make up 24 hours worth (bad mother!).

Luke won't drink water out of anything except a bottle unless of course it's bath water and then he'll drink loads straight from the bath or any other toy/receptacle he can get his hands on - why is that? I don't boil the water any more - did pre 6 months but have become very lax! Has anyone tried sucking water out of one of those non spill beakers? You need a suck like Linda Lovelace to get anything out!

Potential weaning tip: Seeing as Luke does eat food if it gets into his mouth (through stealth) I have found a good way of getting it in there and that is to push his cheeks together- mouth automatically opens and food goes in and gets eaten. Got more in today that way than ever before - Mark discovered it. It doesn't hurt him before anyone calls social services!

Lol at "suck like Linda Lovelace" Amber!!

We're still persisting with BLW but he appears to be eating bugger all! Ho hum, not like he's fading away or anything so I'm not stressing at the moment - and anytime we've tried to spoon feed him he won't take it anyway. Also it winds my MIL up a treat so worth keeping going!

Have just taken all my decs down - am I a miserable bugger?!

Ah, Sponge, we must have some cosmic link. I was taking the decorations down at the same time as you! Christmas cards have gone too now. I was sick of them - I hate clutter. And it makes the whole place look untidy!

Also for you - you joked about the mother going in to school to bfeed. Apparently she does at lunchtime. The school are considering what measures to take. (I know this because my friend whose daughter is in the same class is a clinical psychotherapist so they asked her opinion on how to proceed.) Gross. Does the kid really want this I wonder?

Amber - the weaning tip is exactly the same way you get lambs to take medicine. If it's a cat, you hold them by the scruff and smack their noses. Might try that with Iestyn.

Katyjo funny you should mention the strawberry mark - I think Iestyn has one of those too! It's flat, but on the back of his head. Quite big, doesn't look like the stork's bite. Thing is, Iestyn is very fair with transparent skin. (Another cause of embarrassment is the shadow - a vein? - just below his right eye which looks like a bruise.)

Boiling water - the HV told me to use cooled boiled water. But in Anglesey we keep having cryptosporidium outbreaks in the water. We tried a doidy and Iestyn flung the water everywhere! But a big advancement - he played with a bottle tonight.

Iestyn's been awful last night and today - wouldn't settle until Tim took him for a drive at 10.30 last night, and really screamy all day. But then we discovered a raging nappy rash and Tim rushed out to get some Metanium cream for him. He's down now.
Also stress with the baptism - we went to Ikea to get champagne glasses and they had none!! No idea how to get around this. (Too tired!)

I'm sure there were other things I wanted to respond to as well. Hm.

Happy new year everyone!

Not posted since Christmas Eve so I have had a (long) catch-up!

Libra, I was very moved by your post about returning to work and the difficulties you are facing with your DS. Also agree we should not judge each other but offer support but also I want to feel free to voice a true opinion and not feel that people are going to be upset. I think we should all assume that none of us wants to upset anyone else on this thread so lets not get offended but please let's keep it real too - I'd rather have people's real opinions even if they are close to the bone. We are all parenting in our own way and should feel confident in our choices even if they are not what other people would do. Sod other people, it is none of their business! Sorry, the debate moved on from that long ago!

Amber - what a lovely gift, those photos! LOL at your gift for mark after the OXO Tower meal

Only skimmed the rest but it seems everyone had a good one so happy new year everyone, hoping for lots more fun in 2009.

We had a great time over Chrsitmas and new year but four night spent at my mum's and one at MIL's has played havoc with the twins' routine. Sleeping at night has become a nightmare. In other people's houses (esp when there are other babies sleeping as in my MIL's) we couldn't leave them to cry (which we usually do at home just to settle/resettle), so they have been picked up as soon as they have cried, have been sleeping with us, been BFed loads in the night to shut them up... they have also been in the same room as each other so we have been rushing to shut them up in case they wake the other. I have regularly been up five or six times in the night and having a baby (or two) in bed with me too. Well it got beyond a joke so last night I said no more feeding during the night. I thought it would be a nightmare, hours of crying... Well there was two hours of crying at 7pm to get them to go to sleep in the first place (they just wanted to be cuddled like they have been at mum's/MIL's I suppose but I just can't go on like that indefinitely), then Esther woke at 12.45am. I offered her water which she was not impressed by so I put her back in the cot and she cried for 50 mins before going back to sleep (I kept going back in to reassure her). Five minutes later Theo woke but whinged for a few mins then went back to sleep on his own. It is now 7.15am and they have not woken again yet! I however woke at 4.30 and have not been able to go back to sleep (hence the MN catch-up!). So I am feeling quite happy and hoping tonight is even better and hopefully we will have it cracked by Sunday. I never wanted to use CC in the night but have done out of desperation! The sleep deprivation was killing me and I was starting to feel very bitter toward the twins. I thought they were waking due to hunger (hence BFing them every time they woke) but I suppose last night has proven it wasn't hunger at all. I know CC is not for everyone but for me it is far preferable than getting up six times every night (or even twice if I am honest)!

Amber, re separation anxiety... I think I am pretty hardcore (of the Gina Ford variety!) and think that you just have to let Luke get on with it. He has to learn that he can't be with you all the time so I wouldn't 'indulge' him by going to him all the time. That's just my opinion, tho, not saying that is what you should do, just what i would do, but then with twins you have to be hardcore cos they can't both be with you all the time, they have to learn to share you! I know this sort of opinion is not shared much on MN!

I have read lots of my BLW book too - it is very interesting but also I found it quite funny in parts. The benefits of BLW are 'probably' it will lead to a healthier diet, 'probably' it reduces eating disorders, 'probably' it will reduce obesity, it 'may' teach kids not to choke... etc etc. Everything is a 'probably' and nothing is referenced except one study which Gill accepts must be discounted (the study which showed that when offered a variety of foods, babies ate a balanced healthy diet on their own.). The negatives are: the mess and other people's attitudes to BLW. Really, are they the only negatives? What about the fact you have to BF your baby every 2-3 hours through the night and can't be sure he is getting all the iron and vitamins he needs? The book is very one-sided and I think it needs lots more evidence, references and research. I have a pregnancy and baby nutrition book by Patrick Holford and it has 150 references. Everything he claims he references. So I think I will be going with that for the time being. I am still not saying it is wrong for anyone else to do BLW, each to their own... I am giving the twins lots of finger food and they love it, but I am not convinced that they would be OK if I only allowed them to feed themselves (still not much being swallowed!) and offered them nothing else. The theory that babies should only eat what they can feed to themselves is one that has yet to be proven IMO! I am just giving my opinion having now read the book and am not intending to offend anyone or start a ruck (wow, I have given myself quite a reputation for that ), I just wanted to give my honest opinion. I would be very interested to hear others' experiences (SPonge, Ali?) and how you are getting on with BLW - and are your LOs sleeping?

Wow, mega post.

Managed to con Caitlin into sleeping in her own cot last night with the newborn trick of putting a dirty t-shirt of mine in with her, so every time she half woke up she could smell me. She still fed 3 times but went back in her cot afterwards each time - this is real progress!! It helped that I gave her Piriton last night after an allergic reaction to pumpkin, so she was a bit sleepy too. I thought she was free of allergies but she also got eczema for Christmas so she is clearly atopic like her big brother. We are off to dr.s today for emollient prescriptions and maybe some hydrocortisone. Been down this road before with ds and she isn't nearly as bad but it's still a shame.

Thanks Essie - yes I would like to avoid grommets for him if poss, have heard so many bad things. I have a paper thin eardrum too but it's just from all the many repeated infections. Apparently one of the audiology consultants here is keen on using hearing aids for glue ear rather than grommets, to avoid surgery and complications, so we will ask to see him for 2nd opinion if necessary. And yes we will try and keep his ears v. dry - he doesn't swim because it really sets his eczema off, and heavily resists baths and especially hair washing, so gets the minimum exposure to water possible! Any more useful information gratefully received

and LOL on stork bites - I spent 6 weeks carefully cleaning ds' 'sore' eye with sterile water and cotton wool as hv recommended till dr. told me it was a stork bite on his eyelid at 6 week check! He's nearly 2 1/2 now and it's nearly completely gone, I can still see it but only cos I know it's there. C has a flat red birth mark at the base of her spine in the shape of a small island and a stork bite in between her eyes.

morning all,

neenz other than when he has been ill, Isaac is still sleeping 8.30/9 til 7am even with food, and feeds every 3-4 hours during the day. For me BLW means that I don't have to buy anything special (which we cannot afford) for Isaac and he can have what we have - think Christmas dinner, turkey curry (McD and BK fries, thanks MIL) trifle, ham and cheese pannini, chilli.

With cups, some of them you don't have to suck it's kind of a biting thing ( I have tried them out), Isaac has mastered putting the cup in his mouth but not tipping it far enough to drink, although DH did give him some water from an evian bottle and he wasn't too impressed though.

Hi HH, welcome back! Saw on FB that you'd returned from your trip. Thanks for update on Isaac's BLW, sounds like he is doing great. On buying special food for him, I can understand this but even with spoon-feeding you don't have to buy special stuff, you can just puree/mash up what you are having. And if Isaac is having some of what you are having, don't you have to cook more so there's enough for both of you therefore you are buying more food anyway? I am still concerned about salt content too. This is not a puree v BLW thing for me, it is more a reaction to people on MN (not on this thread) who make out that BLW is the ONLY way to feed your baby and that spoon-feeding a baby is wrong. I know most people do a mix of BLW and purees anyway but having read the book I just don't think pure BLW has the benefits it is claiming to have. And I think if you don't have your wits about you it could even be dangerous cos some things are just not appropriate for a baby that age.

Please tell me to shut up! I should really go elsewhere on MN to discuss this but I am too scared!!!

Happy new year one and all!

Dinner party was fab thanks deb - gorgeous food, lovely wine (and champagne), great company! However, S wouldn't settle at all and we ended up getting him up for a couple of hours and then took him to bed with us.

I'm looking forward to seeing your doc Deb - you will remind us nearer the time when its on wont you?

Can't help with advice on the cup front, we keep forgetting to give S any water but are resolved to start from today. I've got a beaker with a lid on from Vital and a TT two handed cup with a spout that the HV gave so will see how we get on with those to start with.

On the rare occasion we have given water we were giving him cooled boiled water, but it would be a lot easier if we could give him tap water. His six month birthday is next week.

katyjo - so sorry to hear about Hamish. Is it risky for Mia? (Have no idea about these things). I make up bottles for 24 hours too btw. I really couldnt make up bottles as I go while FF full time.

Essie - S has a stork mark too. It used to be really red and angry looking when he was little but it's starting to fade now.

I'm desperate to take down my decorations too. Wont have a chance till Sunday though. They've been up since the first week in December, so plenty of time.

Neenz sorry to hear that the twins' sleep is all over the place. S is being a bloody nightmare at the moment. We've ended up bringing him into our bed a lot which isn't ideal for us. I don't mind him waking up a lot, but ATM he just wont settle again, so we're all just surviving on a few hours sleep each night. I think its a combination of teething and his cold (4 weeks and counting now) and possibly a 'developmental stage' as he's approaching 6 months. It will pass, it will pass, it will pass...

System sorry to hear about allergies. Glad to hear its not too bad, but yes, still a shame nontheless.

Re: BLW vs puree. I have to confess not having particularly strong views and am a bit 'each to their own' about it all. Sponge et al, I'm a bit that people give you a hard time about tho.

We're actually going down the puree and finger food route, because I think it will work best for us and our routine. A welcome side effect though is that I've never really done any cooking (EVER!) and making purees and meals for S is getting me into the kitchen and helping me learn to cook. We're going to start monthly meal planning though to help cut down on food waste, and try to co-ordinate some of our meals with S's too.

Neenz - on salt, do you think its higher risk if BLW? I'm not necessarily convinced about that myself as we very rarely add salt when cooking. I think if people choose to go down the BLW route, they are most likely to have their wits about them and would avoid things that aren't safe for babies.

After all that (sorry, not meaning to get into a debate on BLW vs puree, just wanted to share my opinions on some of the things that had been raised) I really need to go and get dressed . It is a public holiday you know .

Ooh, hello needahand if you're still around. Apols to anyone else I missed.

Oops, sorry for mega post

Hi DQ and all the others.

I am still around for today only (still quiet at work). Happy New Year to you all

Since we are on the subject of weaning, can I ask you all when we can start finger food, what are we supposed to give them as fingers food and how to avoid them chocking. I know I should know, but I can't really remember

Forgot to say the other day SJ had his first tooth just before Xmas

For me, BLW just means we all eat the same stuff, for the most part - though Caitlin only gets stuff suitable for her age, eg she didn't have ham in her pasta yesterday because of the salt. I'm not doctrinaire though and we spoonfeed porridge (though she has self-fed that too - I have some great pics, must upload!), yoghurt etc. It's just miles easier for me if both kids feed themselves while I eat or do something else in the kitchen, and C loves it and is thriving on it (gained 1 lb 5 oz in 12 days over Christmas ). But if she didn't want to do it, it wouldn't work - each to their own.

I probably know far less about baby nutrition than you though Neenz, I steer clear of books, they always make me feel like I'm doing something wrong! so I just try and make sure they get a range of fruit, veg, protein, carbs and dairy every day, little to no salt and not much sugar. Anything more complicated would stress me out too much!

Hi all, and Happy New Year

sponge and others, thanks for your replies on the ff. I bought some Aptimel powder today and A drank a couple of ounces, so fingers crossed it is going down better than the SMA powder

essie OMG you really have tried all the bottles. Are you going the cup/beaker route?

On the BLW/puree discussion - I was keen on BLW but was open to trying purees. So far though, A is refusing purees but likes the food that looks like 'proper food'. I'll continue to offer both and then go on what he's eating most of. It helps that he'll use the spoon himself though - so I can give him what we're having on a spoon sometimes if he's having difficulty picking it up

katyjo good to see you back - sorry to hear about the illnesses though, hope all is well

I started a thread on the weaning board . here

DOn't worry, I didn't go off looking for a ruck - very non controversial (although you can never tell over there)

Needahand I'm going to try and give some finger foods in the next week or two (S is just 6 months) and see how it goes. Hurrah for SJ's first tooth - S's broke through on boxing day.

Allnew hope the new formula does the trick.