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June 08 - New Year same old sleepless nights

997 replies

hedgehog1979 · 04/01/2009 10:22

Bit bored so thought I would start the new thread

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
DebInAustria · 06/01/2009 11:09

5gomad - a friend of mine had some sleep problems with her son, she had to put him in the lounge in a travel cot with a pile of picture books(about 20 I think) and when he woke up in the night, he would look through all of them and then fall back to sleep, hope the talking books help.

neenztwinz · 06/01/2009 11:23

Hi, back again - I put the Dts to bed and went back to bed myslef! I think I asm coming down with a cold, hope it;s not the one that lasts four weeks and totally knocks you out (my mum just had it and says she'd have to come and look after us if I got it it was that bad).

Amber, giving spoons to play with works for us too with food.

The DTs aren't bothered with rolling but they both sit up great now so they love to sit and play with their toys (I put them on the babyden mat facing each other with a few toys between them - and then come on MN )

Systems/needahand, I also leave them for 5 then 10 then 20 mins, then keep going in every 20 mins. It depends how distressed they are, if very distressed then maybe more often. Last week Esther was so bad that I thought there was something wrong with her so brought her downstairs. She was all smiles then of course lying on her daddy's chest so it was straight back off to bed! But well done systems! I am sure this is the start of more lovely evenings for you. It makes you feel really proud when it works!

Amber, CC would prob work. I see it as re-setting the baby's 'sleep clock' so at the mo she wakes at 4.45 but if you stop getting ger up then her clock will re-set to a later time, you just have to not get her up and accept the crying for a few days (just keep going in to reassure or even sit with her)

I took Theo to doc's yesterday with his cough, doc says it has not gone to his chest which is good. SIL's baby has bronchialitis so glad it is not that, tho doc said he could get that, it is prob same virus just not bronchialitis (yet). So just calpol and fluids and rest... I was so knakcered last night that I didn't hear him crying at 12.30 (but he went back to sleep on his own says DH). So I slept all night from 10.15 to 7.15 (sorry) .

5GoMad, esther goes to sleep in the car to the Spice Girls. Girls aloud will not do, it has to be spice girls! I think a heater may help, I have mine in vest, babygro, sleepsuit and 2.5tog sleeping bag at the mo(but it worries me!)

Amberc · 06/01/2009 11:37

BTW if anyone orders things online, I have discovered (probably everyone knows this already) that there are discount codes for practically everything online. I bought a winter coat for Luke yesterday from Vertbaudet for £24 but found a discount code and paid £14 plus free P&P! Mark uses them all the time (but just didn't tel me about them!). You just type in dicount code or discount voucher and then the name of the website on a search and loads come up. Some are out of date though. Also have discovered that some of the MN discounts from the retail partners are actually less than what they are offering anyway - sometimes free P&P works out cheaper than 10% off IYSWIM so do check. Saved £20 on Jojomamanbebe by NOT using the MN discount!

neenztwinz · 06/01/2009 11:56

I have started an AIBU mad [am I mad emoticon]. Come and rescue me if I get flamed

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/678140-to-be-annoyed-at-the-leaflet-telling-me-how-happ y?rnd=1231241831571

Amber I often look for discount vouchers but can never find them. Where did you look?

Essie3 · 06/01/2009 12:09

Would have read more but too tired. Having disastrous nights here and I'm now having total panic attacks about going back to work. Iestyn has reverted.

Back later...

Amberc · 06/01/2009 13:18

www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/codes

Essie you poor thing - can you get the night nanny back or does he want feeding?

Amberc · 06/01/2009 13:31

Essie - didn't read the other post - oh blimey you poor thing. The no bottle thing must kill you as you can't even get help - Major virtual hugs coming your way. I hope it goes back to normal as quickly as it got to this phase (v quick).

Essie3 · 06/01/2009 13:37

Yeah, it's really getting to me now. I need to go back to work, plus my OU stuff arrived today and I just can't see myself doing everything.

Thing is, I don't know if he does really need feeding, or is just waking and feeding him is the easy option. But still no joy on the bottles. Or cups.
I wondered about getting the night nanny back, but Tim (rightly) pointed out that if me feeding him is the only thing which works, then it's a bit of a waste of money...

Amberc · 06/01/2009 13:37

Essie - do you think he is waking because he is hungry or waking wanting company/mummy and then feeding for comfort? Is he actually hungry? Could you try the controlled crying? Also if he won't take a bottle but will eat solids could you fully wake him at the dream feed for a bowl of baby rice. That's just like giving him the good night milk you can buy which is just milk and baby rice mixed together which is supposed to fil them up and get them to sleep longer. That might be the most stupid idea in the world.

Amberc · 06/01/2009 13:43

The night nanny is good for experimental night time controlled crying forays whilst you put in ear plugs and get some sleep. Also they usually have dealt with loads of stuff like this before and consider themselves sleep consultants and might be able to give you advice. Maybe the nanny message board might also be a good place to put your post?

hedgehog1979 · 06/01/2009 14:01

essie so sorry for you. It might sound mean but can you leave him until he is so hungry he will take whatever is offered ie bottle. Isaac went for a couple of weeks refusing the bottle/taking minimal amounts and one day went from 2pm to 9.30 without a feed, but took the bottle in the end. Sorry if you have already tried this but needs must.

neenz sorry for being a bit thick but is there a difference between babygro's and sleepsuits?

Does anyone have any solutions for a baby who will not wear mittnes? Isaac pulls his off, cries uncontrolably when he wakes and they are on. I have had to endure full on screaming in the car for 20 mins drive today and then for about 15 mins in Tesco (the heating in the car is broken at the moment, and can't get to the garage until Thursday). He sucks his thumb so I can understand why he doesn't want to wear them but he will not even tolerate one on his other hand. I can only put them on him once he has fallen asleep in the pushchair.

OP posts:
UpsidedownChristmascake · 06/01/2009 14:01

HI everyone

Sorry about all the rubbish nights. I like Neenz's way of seeing controlled crying. It makes a lot of sense.

Essie, sorry that you are having problems with the bottle again. I know people who have had to go cold turkey, but it's not fun. When do you actually go back?

Just sold my first things on eBay - D's Moses basket and the blu-Ray Mamma Mia DVD I managed to buy for our regular, old-fashioned DVD. (I'd never heard of it before. Not terribly up to date, am I?)

In other news, Dorothy was only able to eat solids without puking on her six-month birthday, and it's slow-going, but we're getting there.

Oh and Dorothy went for her six-month hip-check and has to go back at 15 months. The consultant told me off for not doing tummy time, do poor Dorothy is spending a lot of time on her tum, crying and puking.

When she's not eating or on her tummy, she's her normal smiley, charming self.

neenztwinz · 06/01/2009 14:26

UDC - hello! Poor Dorothy. Hopefully she will be just fine. I don't understand Blu Ray either

HH, sleepsuits are thicker than babygros and zip up the front, I think you can use them instead of sleeping bags or as well as if really cold. Not sure what they are made of but it is not thin cotton like babygros.

Amber, I think the baby rice idea sounds very sensible! Could probably do it at tea time though and have same effect cos it would be a faff to do it at 10pm (I considered it myself but could not be bothered ).

Essie, I also think a night nanny might be good if you wanted to do CC. But I think you should get him on three proper meals a day tho first just to rule out hunger.

PiggyPenguin · 06/01/2009 14:52

Essie, I feel your pain! Jamie also wakes evert 2-3 hours during the night, but then always has so its not a change but still exhausting. I was hoping that solids would help but he has not been keen and at the moment is refusing everything! I haven't even tried to feed him today as he has screamed at the sight of spoons over the last 2 days and eaten nothing so we trying a complete bresk - hopefull6y a couple of days off will help.

No help for you but I at least empathise, and misery loves company and all that...

whinegums · 06/01/2009 15:15

Hello everyone and happy new year/new thread. I've quickly skim read, so sorry if I've missed anything major.

Hope everyone had a very merry happy festive time. We had a v quiet NYE, and actually went to bed before midnight as we were so knackered! It's been nice to catch up with friends and family over the hols, all back to normal now, and DP back in St Petersburg til the 15th .

Anyhoo, sorry to hear about the bad nights. B hasn't improved either - he goes down between 7-7.30 but wakes every hour or two. Sometimes it's just a quick wake up and shoving his dummy back in works straight away, but sometimes he screams and screams - and then just as suddenly stops and falls back asleep. I thought he might be having reflux problems again, but even making sure he's getting all the Gaviscon and Ranitidine doesn't help. He's well into his solids now as well, so I don't think it's hunger - not all the time anyway, I'm still feeding him three times a night.

I even tried wonder Medised one night in case it was teeth (nothing has appeared yet, but he is dribbling and often has red cheeks), but it didn't make much of a difference.

I have accepted that sleeping through is as much a developmental stage as crawling, walking, etc. DP persuaded me to leave him to cry when he was small, and it appeared to work, but it went against my instincts, and now I know that the poor little mite was probably crying in pain due to reflux. I may change my mind in a few months time - and I'm really impressed and pleased for those of you who have had success with CC.

I always search for discount vouchers before I buy anything, hotukdeals is a good site, and also lists, guess what, hot UK deals... It's how I found our sofa, reduced from £800 to £150, so often worth a peek.

DramaQ - I use Ella's Kitchen, Plum Baby and Organix for B when we're out and about, and sometimes at home. Much easier to carry than glass jars, and they go down well. I do use jars sometimes, if I'm at home I mix them with some puree from the freezer, I think the jars have a really spooky texture otherwise. Luckily B eats anything and everything, apart from peaches, weirdly. He's doing quite well with finger foods alongside mush - toast, rice cakes, fruit, veg, etc. And he's still eating Christmas dinner... I whizzed up turkey breast with sweet potato, leek and parsnips and the leftover greens and carrots - he's only got another few pots left in the freezer, but it's been a big hit!

Katyjo, sorry to hear your two haven't been very well, hope they're better soon, missed you at Waterbabies today. B didn't scream nearly as much today - still quite a lot though! He has been asleep since we left though (almost 2 hours!), which is a result. And has let me catch up on MN.

The Moldies debacle is horrid I think - reminds me of school! I think it's a bit sad that some folks have let an internet forum feature so largely in their lives. As someone said, it seems to be all the bitchy arsey sneery old timers who have gone, so yes, good riddance to them. I didn't see the appeal of many of them anyway!

Oh, over the hols I was looking in my copy of Nigella's first book, How To Eat, the first edition. Her weaning advice is shocking!!! She mentions trying weaning one of her kids at 3.5 months, they weren't 'interested' so she waited til 4 months! I wonder if it's been updated in later editions. She's not quite advocating pureed cupcakes and frou frou canapes, but not far off!!!

Phew, marathon post! And B has just woken up, so that's it for now.

systemsaddict · 06/01/2009 15:17

hedgehog I have heard of people duct taping mittens on (to clothes, obviously, not to skin!)

poppy34 · 06/01/2009 15:41

hedgehog - I've got a bushbaby fleece pramsuit - you can fold over the ends to act as mittens (ditto the feet for socks) so its great (plus really easy to get on/off).

poppy34 · 06/01/2009 15:45

sorry skim reading too so don't

and amber new nanny is czech lady who has loads of experience , really friendly but professional -just very sensible and nice -also not desperate to start as can hang on in current position til march.

Essie3 · 06/01/2009 15:46

Hi all, thanks to all who responded to my desperate plea for help thread! (A special thank you to Systems who is back at work - I found your comments reassuring.) We now have a plan of action. I'm going to prepare lots of cereal-y stuff for Iestyn and start teatime a bit earlier - last night he was showing tired signs during eating. I will also have some rice/porridge ready for the 11pm waking - seeing as he won't take top ups from a bottle, then spoon it is.

I am also going to have one more attempt at a bottle by spreading honey on the teat. Now, folks, that stays on this board, okay? No snitching on the breast&bottle board, right? Now, some of you may freak at that one, but as a beekeeper's daughter, I'm v. clued up on honey (and the infant botulism risk) so I wouldn't recommend anyone ignores the guidelines...except me! I was weaned on honey too. Will report back! Now, let's see how them profiteroles I made by hand earlier puree down. at Whinegums! Sybil and Whinegums and everyone else with non-sleepers, !! Sybil remember when our babies were newborn and Jamie and Iestyn seemed to be twins? Well, we had the nothing-but-yoghurt phase here. Then we had a breakthrough with hummus, and we still have a pot of hummus at the ready when we're feeding in case we need to trick him disguise tastes.

Feeling better (although would love a nap - there is an angel in this group who offered to watch Iestyn while I sleep) but am being strong and awake today!

The baptism went really well - no photos as we only have one but we're expecting more from friends. It was great to see Amber and Penguin there - I've outed you now so you can talk about it! We had a great (epiphany) service, and the vicar excelled himself with his sermon. There were a few Welsh touches too, v. important for me, and Iestyn Seiriol was baptized in water from St. Seiriol's well. He took it v. well too - looked v. nonplussed as it poured down his face. Afterwards, we had curries from a takeaway here, which was the best meal ever! Iestyn did have a major screaming session but mainly because MIL refused to give him his dummy. Silly woman. I caught her hiding the dummy - I was standing behind FIL, and MIL arrived with Iestyn's dummy and said 'let's put that behind this box because Iestyn doesn't need it' and suddenly noticed me standing there and blushed!! I said I'd take the dummy, and gave it to Iestyn first chance I got! She brought screaming Iestyn to me, and said 'you take him, he's really upset' and so I said 'give him his dummy then', and she said 'oh he doesn't want it'. So I gave him the dummy from my pocket, which he desperately wanted, and calmed down and laughed! Duh! I hated dummies and now I have the zeal of the converted...
It was a lovely day, with people coming from far away - we were so touched people had made the effort. Tim's best man came from Chipping Norton with his two small children (his wife wasn't well) and we were really impressed with him for that.

I'm sure I'll remember other things. Iestyn is currently chewing the strap of my laptop bag (probably filthy) and laughing, so I'd better intervene.

poppy34 · 06/01/2009 16:52

essielet us know how honey goes..and am with you re the what goes on here/stays on here... I actually asked for help on sodding feeding board and whilst they are quick enough to weigh into paro or amber they are not so bloody quick with actual help....

neenztwinz · 06/01/2009 18:17

LOL Essie on the honey - you go for it girl! - but at your MIL. Why does it matter to her if he has a dummy . At least she had the decency to look embarrassed!

LOL at Nigella's book Whinegums!

poppy34 · 06/01/2009 18:25

in defence of nigella she did make a few good points (although not the one suggesting you might like to give kids smoked salmon as quick trest when you're back from supermarket) - particularly the if you wouldn't eat it why should they have it

bitofadramaqueen · 06/01/2009 18:42

Time to read, but not much time to post.

HH and Neenz I would call sleepsuits the cotton things with legs, arms and feets that button up, and a baby gro a short (or long, or sleeveless) vest that just covers the body. We've got some of those fleecy oversuits with zips that people have bought us - I just kind of assumed they were from an era before cool baby clothes where babies wore vests, baby grows, playsuits etc all day

Sorry you're having a nightmare Essie - virtual hugs, support and chocolate on its way to you.

.

I really have to go unfortunately, otherwise would chat about all the other posts and check out other threads.

Who's doing the OU course? Studying is a bitch while working - working and a baby is going to be living hell so you'll get lots of sympathy from me!

pureeandpearls · 06/01/2009 18:45

God I feel like I'm such a part-timer on here!

Poppy- fab news about the nanny. That must be such a weight off your mind.

Essie- glad thechristening went so well, nd that you were graced by the presence of mnetters to make it official. We're hoping to get babyp done in May around her birthday...the logistics of co-ordinating family and godparents who live in several continents. I think that the church think we are just coming up with pathetic excuses to put it off!!

And don't worry about the honey- I put babyp to bed with a duvet during the day as our house is soo cold. The duvet cover has a flap on the end that goes under the mattress to keep it in place and I do tuck it in tight but I'm sure the 'special ones' on mn who cannot but make derogatory remarks might have something to say about it.

It was down to 13 degrees in babyp's nursery last night....she already sleeps in a long-sleeved vest, flannelette pjs, socks and one of these and I had to put a blanket over her...IT'S SOOO COLD

She's currently sitting next to me waiting for her daddy to get home and drinking her milk. I've had to switch to sippy cups for her milk as she just wants to do it herself. Still only two bottom teeth to show for it though.

HH- PMSL at pink tights....that's all you get in this house but can imagine it doesn't go down so well in a boy-based home. Are you not just challenging the traditional mindset and opening Isaac up to a world free of stereotypes?!!

bitofadramaqueen · 06/01/2009 18:45

Oh, vouchers and stuff. There is a topic on here for money saving/voucher codes etc which is handy. Also, if you collect Nectar points or Airmiles try and remember to shop online via those website for extra points. I collect both, but always always forget! MN gets you discount at a few places too.

Oh, and I got a great bargain from tesco today for anyone who has a hard floor. I was going to get one of those alphabet mat things made of out flip flop type material for S to roll around and play on the floor with. They have similar but much cheaper in Tesco - £4 per pack. I got two and it makes a really big play area for S, so I dont have to worry about him banging his head on the floor while he's trying to figure out how to stay sitting up.