June 08 - New Year same old sleepless nights

[hedgehog1979]

Bit bored so thought I would start the new thread

Hi all, a quick one because Iestyn is rolling around on the floor and likes to chew cables. Like a rat only more demanding.

He was baptized yesterday! Had a lovely day, great fun, will tell all a bit later when he's in bed. Was particularly pleased to see 2 mumsnetters there!

BDQ why do you need a car seat? Are you hiring a car? If not, then black cabs take a pushchair.
Jars - well, we use Hipp organic here, but like Amber have discovered some minging ones - vegetable medley was foul, and I'm veggie and quite keen on veg. Says a lot really!
How about the more expensive natural route - we love Ella's Kitchen pouches here. Delicious. That's me and Iestyn! Also pack smaller than jars.
Where in London are you going to (or staying)? Big Sainsburys stock the Nature babies (or whatever they're called). Also health food shops eg Holland and Barrett. Also Waitrose.

Iestyn rolling onto keybod and biting mouse must go

sybil I've found opening my mouth so edie copies quite helpful .. I look an idiot (and will get worse if I'm still doing this when she is 18) ...

edie does roll about a lot but still had no consistent rolling onto front -am guessing this may not happen.

strangely hipp vegetable medley quite popular here so no accounting for taste.

just starting to catch up -deb sorry that ethan is being so restless (we had some of that over xmas but seemed to settle a bit -think its teething/growth spurt but not very funny having evenings meltdowns again)

• If you take a fold away buggy right to the steps do they bring it to you when your getting off the plane? We got ours back on the conveyor belt
• Did you take a car seat with you? I have heard you can hire them if you are hiring a car (can hire with the car from the car company) someone mentioned it before on here I'm sure. No other ideas I'm afraid.
• Will S need a passport for domestic flight? No just ID - need to checkwith BA
• On jars of baby food, has anyone got any recommendations? I agree with Essie - Ellas kitchen are small and flat. Any of the organic ones are nice. I mostly use the Boots organic. Weirdly I noticed salt in a Hipp Organic and not in a Boots one which were the same flavour.

does anyone know where you can buy nature babycare nappies in London - Hard to find but Waitrose stock them, Mothercare and big Boots

Sybil - what I do is to put a variety of kitchen objects on his highchair - very popular at the mo are spatulas and a wooden spoon. Also baby weaning spoons. Luke picks them up and goes to put them in his mouth and just as he opens his gob with my lightning reactions, I have already shovelled a spoon of goo in there. I find that feeding him in front of the TV helps too. He goes a bit trance like and is more compliant!!

bdq have not flown with baby, but have taken buggy in back of black cab so no need for car seat.
No idea about jars as we are full on finger food here -today butternut squash, mange tout, mini corn and pesto pork!!
essie congrats on the baptism, glad it went well. am also at iestyns rolling
I have been v busy today and have filled 2 black sacks with rubbish, and the recycling bin. I am going for a clutter free reduced 2009. I don't think I will ever be clutter free

Poppy - glad to hear about nanny - when does she start? what's she like?

NeeN I don't like the cc either but so far on both my DC that is the only thing that has worked so yes, I join you on the "cruel" team. I actually read somewhere that baby need to cry, it is good for them (something to do with lung/speech development).

For all of you with DC suffering from rashes. I have bought a great natural cream for DS it works abolute wonders even on DD's eczema (bit pricey but it lasts for ages) I will check the brand tomorrow when DS is awake and will let you all know

system perhaps you should try longer intervals? I try 5, 7 and 10 (which seems like such a long time sometimes)

HH/anyone else doing BLW I have a question - I've been giving Alexander a variety of things to try, and he's having a good go at most things. Although he likes the vegetables I'm giving him, they're so slippy when cooked that he has trouble holding them and I have to help. Obviously if I didn't cook them as soft he may be able to hold them better, but then how would he be able to eat them without teeth? I've tried roasting and steaming.

Do you find you have to put the items in their hand, rather than them necessarily always picking the food up?

Bit busy so not been around.

As a veteran of a domestic flight I got a passport sorted as could not think of any other form of baby ID (not passed his driving test yet: so behind). None of our passports - adult or child - were checked on either leg of the journey. Doesn't matter as we will be going to France in March so it's a job already done. We took our car seat and were allowed to take it to the gate and collect it from the bottom of the steps upon landing. I would definitely recommend this as I used to work for BA and I have seen baggage handling systems in operation, it's not just the guys who work there, but more the system of conveyor belts that throws things around and rips things off. We didn't take a buggy and used a front carrier instead which suited us.

Dramaqueen - Soak in the bath - no such luck. I have the baby with the best sense of smell I think. I'll set the scene - the bathroom is next to the bedroom, last week we had guests who used so much water we hardly ever got it hot in our apartment, so I ran a deep, very hot bath, settled down with my book, hot water set my milk off, so there I was squirting milk, reading my book when Ethan started moaning then crying then screaming. I'd turned off the monitor so Nigel couldn't hear him because of the noisy guests ... I lasted 5 minutes and had to get out and feed him!!!

Systems - how's it going tonight?

Essie - glad the baptism went well, will you be posting photos?

I have a question about teeth Ethan is getting them in a strange order, ds1 and 2 got the middle2 at the bottom 1st then the middle 2 at the top, whereas Ethan has 1 middle tooth at the bottom, and is now getting 2 at the top but not the middle 2, the next ones iykwim. So, any other babies acquiring teeth in a weird order?

Hi All!

BDQ We wrapped our carseat in bubblewrap and packaging tape, we looked like right idiots at the airport, but it worked ok. We hired a carseat in france when ds was 4 months and I hated it, would def recomend taking your own seat if possible.

Amberc LOL at feeding luke in front of telly, I still resort to that sometimes with Hamish and he's nearly 3! I don't think we'd get marks for blw though. Will def try boots organic range, sounds good!

I am completely stunned. Caitlin started getting ratty at 6.30 so I let dp finish cooking dinner and did her (new) bedtime routine a bit earlier than yesterday. She didn't seem that tired but went off to sleep in her cot at 7 - and I haven't heard from her since!!! There was a little whimper a few minutes ago so I think she will be wanting her late evening feed soon but that's fine, I have had An Evening! and boy have I used it ... I got to do ds' bedtime story for the first time in a long time, have done the washing up, mopped the floor, filed some papers and found our house deeds. Woohoo! [giddy with wild excitement at unaccustomed freedom emoticon]

OK this may be a one-off as it was her first day back at nursery today so she is probably shattered but no matter, I was prepared for more hours of screaming so it's a very nice bonus!!

Debs Mia has been getting her teeth in a strange order too! 2 bottom middle, then 2 top (fangs) ie not middle 2 but I think the middle ones are coming through now.

HH don't be - it's really annoying because Iestyn travels all around the place (not only does he roll, he swivels on his...?stomach or is it the obvious pivot ) and usually manages to end up near sockets, cables (which not only go in the mouth but around the neck for extra excitement!) table legs which he wraps himself around, bean bags which he pulls over his face - it's all fun fun fun here! And I can no longer leave things lying around. Today I noticed a small foil ball from a quality street on the floor. So did Iestyn. (Oh, okay, at the poor housekeeping!)

Iestyn is screaming the place down, must go to check.

Photos - didn't think of that, so I'll go and upload them once the out of controlled crying has stopped.

Morning everyone [bleary eyed emoticon] - rubbish night here, after hours of crying, leaving etc, etc, only managed to get Ethan asleep when he lay on top of me, then put him to the side, then Tristan appeared with growing pains . Very tired today!!

How is everyone else doing where baby is still in with them or in a room with a sibling? Until mil goes home on Saturday Stefan and Tristan are still sharing, when she goes Stefan moves to his own room and the plan is that Ethan will go in with Tristan - don't know how it's going to work with the crying we're getting at the moment. Ethan can't go in Stefan's room either as it's on a different floor to us so too far I think.

Essie - hope the crying improved, but maybe not as I looked at your photos and found nappies not baptism!!

Katyjo - glad to hear it's not just ethan

Systems - did the good night continue?

5gomad - if you're around, how's your dd doing at night?

morning all

allnew Isaac doesn't seem to have a prob grabbing stuff and putting it in his mouth. I just cook it for the same length of time as I cook ours. He has even had bits of steak and chicken to gum to death. The only thing he doesn't seem to be able to do is Banana, so I hold it and he then grabs my hand and directs it to his mouth.

debs Sorry things are hard for you at the moment. We moved Isaac out of our room at 13 weeks as he grew out of the moses basket and there was no way the cot would fit in our bedroom.

am quite of all the babies with teeth. I certainly know Isaacs are coming as there have been some painful BF moments but nothing has appeared yet.

systems hope your night was ok. I was woken by DH as he couldn't sleep (sugar overload from the fudge I made and which has now all gone) he said it was revenge for all the nights I woke him when Isaac was newborn and waking for feeding in the night - unfair or what!!

Hope everyone is enjoying the cold snap - I think I am going to give my son a complex as he has been wearing tights under trousers and I am now down to the last pair and they are ........

PINK

I think the Moldies are the horroble bullying (sneering) types too. Yes they really did vote on who they would let in. Good riddance!

Amber I also only give the DTs food I like the taste of myself - if I wouldn't like it can't expect them too eh?

Poppy, sympathies with infection, poor you - drink lots of water that's what I always used to do when I had cystitis. It makes you want to wee more but it hurts a lot less!

Sybil, if DTs won't open their mouth I give them a piece of rice cake and holding it seems to make them open their mouths!

Essie, is Iestyn veggie too? My sis is veggie and her kids are too. Conbgrats on baptism, we are getting Dts baptism arranegd now for Feb 8.

I haven't read to the end of the thread yet and Dts are both crying so best go!

Crap Deb thanks for asking - She was awake from 2 until 4.30 this morning. Poor DH. We are going to try putting a heater in her room to see if she is waking up because she is too cold. I also downloaded a load of talking books onto my ipod and put that in her room as the night before she went to sleep every time listening to a CD so we hoped that would work. Any other suggestions gratefully recieved. My turn for the next few nighst on the sofa.

Also how are your guests, they sound a bit of a nightmare.

Sorry about your nights Deb and 5gomad.

Well, Caitlin woke at 11 for a proper feed both sides, then again at 2.30 - again a proper feed both sides - then at 5.30 she thought it was time to get up or into our bed but wasn't hungry, so I put her back in her little cot and she whined a bit but then played with her toy till she went back off to sleep. Brilliant brilliant, I am so happy!! Ds woke up at 3.30 with either being cold or a nightmare but just needed 'Dee Dee Dee' (= the frog chorus, which he has as his bedtime song; just before 'When you walk' = You'll never walk alone, can anyone spot a pattern of indoctrination since Daddy has been doing bedtimes? ) and a cuddle and went straight back off. So 4 relatively brief wakings = not bad at all!!

And I even managed to throw a stew in the slow cooker this morning so we can eat as soon as we get back from work and hopefully get the kids down early again - perhaps I will get another evening! (trying hard not to hold out too much hope too soon)

We have to move her out of the co-sleeper soon as she's getting too long for it but have no idea where to put her after that. If we can get her sleeping she can go in a cot in ds' room. If not, we can probably get a travel cot in our room but not a proper one. Roll on house move ... if I can keep getting evenings I can keep tidying up till house is ready to put on market. Fingers crossed ...

Thanks poppy and everyone else re advice on flying.

BA allow infants a car seat and a stroller as part of free allowance which is good.

I will find out if there is a waitrose near where we're staying Essie for the nappies - Saisnburys aren't stocking them any more. When I went last time, I must have gone to about a dozen Boots (including large store on Oxford St) and none to be found anywhere . Will have a look at Ella's kitchen pouches - who stocks these?

We need car seat because we're staying with friends who (I hope) will be picking us up and taking us to the airport. Could probably buy a car seat there for the same cost of getting cabs .

LOL at pink tights HH! 5gomad sorry to hear your DD isn't much better.

Got to run, apols for anyone I've missed! DH has S at swimming and I've a 101 things to do before they come back.

Alipali - thanks for car seat advice. Who did you fly with when you did this? Where did they store your car seat?

System - great news on your evening! Long may it continue.

deb sorry to hear about your night. No advice on room sharing I'm afraid.

5gomad radiator is definitely a good idea. I know what the guidelines say but it is very cold in DS's room and we can't put the central heating on during the night because the pipes wake him up. But if we don't put any heating on temperature can be as low as 12 in his room (and with electric heatic sometimes 16). So we put the central heating on max before bed then the little electric radiator. He sleeps with a fleece blanket under his sheet. He has a vest on, a bigh thick pj and one of these sleeping bags with sleeves and a blanket. I don't think whoever wrote the SID guidelines would be impressed but SJ is cold. If we don't do all that he wakes up (and if you take him to bed the minute he is under our duvet he falls asleep!)

Wow there seem to be some really bad nights happening - major sympathies to all having them. Well done Systems - glad to hear yours was better. Luke is good at sleeping now but does wake up at 4.45 every day and mostly does not go back to sleep. I have to go a few times to put the white noise machine on but I keep him in his cot until 6 no matter what.I am still awake lying in bed listening to him grumble though. It's not so great waking at 4.45 every morning but then I try to tell myself that some people wake up to go to work at this time every day and it could be worse. Maybe I should try CC - what do you think?

5gomad - they are better since we got a security deposit off them, which we'll pay back when we've inspected the place! But they are very noisy! I think we'll have lots of glass recycling at the end of the week.