December 08 Supermums: We are all doing fine and our LOs love us!!

[kayzr]

Hello.

Trace I went with your idea!!

hi all,
iphone not turned up but insurance is sending me a new one! thank god I went for that insurance! It should arrive today, pretty impressive if it does.
Whoever asked about what I went to see - it was "Revolutionary Road". It was really good, I enjoyed it. Very popular though so the cinema was pretty noisy!

Re growth spurts i hope not, as DS is 6 weeks today! and he has been very good of late.

Could someone remind me of what the 90 minute thing is as well please?

Re baths, we haven't given DS a bath without getting in with him yet! And we don't put masses of water in, but more than they recommend with those bath insert things, and probably a bit warmer than recommended too, but he seems to like it. Don't have any problems with accidentally dunking him, I just hold him on me with his head out of the water. I haven't tried doing it on my own though, like veggie says I think I would need to use the bath insert to put him in and then get out without him.

Bookmarking for later, off to play in the snow...

re: the 90 minute thing, it was on the last thread I can't remember who brought it up, I'll trawl back and see if I can find the link.

Basically it said that a small baby is ready for sleep 90 mins after it wakes and if you catch them in this 'window' it makes it easier to get them to settle. I also read somewhere else that at this stage they can't really manage being awake for more than 2 hours.

Yesterday I tried to get DS to have a nap 90 mins after waking, for the morning he only had 20-30 minute naps but had a huge sleep yesterday afternoon as we went for a long drive to see my grandparents. He woke at 6, so when I fed him at 7.30pm, he was in theory ready for sleep. Must be something in it as like I said he slept till 4.30!!!!

I'm off to find link...

morning

verso - you have gorgeous girls! And we do growth spurts too...she goes from her 2 hourly norm to 1 hourly, but it settles back to 2 hourly after a day or 2. I'm wondering if she will ever space her feeds out more!

kayz - the slug does nice food. have only ever had sandwich type things - they do a yummy duck and hoi sin wrap...with fries of course! they do hot stuff and salads too. mmmmm. want to go there now - maybe i'll join you and your DH for your romantic date!

cat - i really feel for you with your extra high maintenance angel...you are amazing for keeping going and still managing to sound chirpy! Hats off to Cat!!!

sorry so many of you are feeling trapped by the snow -and by your LOs. I seem to be the opposite - I'm loving having empty days just me and P. our mornings are a bit manic but then when we're back from the school run I adore having no plans. This week a few plans have been canceled (play dates etc) due to snow, and i've been really pleased just so i can hang out on my own!

Message withdrawn

daisy - i think your ds wins the prize for 'best baby stint of sleep' - any chance he could share tips with the others?!!!
I love the theory of the 90 minute thing, but can rarely keep P awake that long after a feed - we're lucky if we can manage an hour before she starts yawning (very cute)and grizzling.

P is in the middle of doing that very disconcerting act of doing a poo whilst still sucking on my nip - very weird!

Turnip mentioned it, and Jump posted this link on the 90 minute theory

Anything worth a go imo

Thank you everyone. I got my card today from Jump she has signed it from everyone. It is a very cute card with puppies on it.

I am very excited and will really enjoy it.

you're very very welcome Kayz xxxx

Cat I have found that the with the 90 min thing his sleep at night isn't much different he still wakes 3 times for his feed (that I don't mind because he settles after ok) but he goes to bed a night mich more easily, I can put him in his cot awake give the hammock a bounce and he will settle to sleep where as before I needed to settle him in my arms and he would cry for quite a while.

Yeah Veggie I assumed you get in the bath with him, just worried that even doing that I would dunk him accidently if he's slippery! I'll give it a go then over the weekend! The Check-n-send from the PO was pretty simple - they just checked everything and then took his original full birth certificate and sent it off and I paid for it all then and there... Still agonizing over the kennels thing.... Your ds1 sounds so cute!
Cat where do you live? all these people going to the cinema! I find it an effort to get to the Post Office!
Very unsettled baby here too.... 1am before he went to sleep - he is feeding very oddly at the moment - fussing a lot... not sure whats wrong - I'm not sure he knows!!

Kmp don't use any bath oils or soap the first few times they don't really need them for a while. Your first couple of baths may be short lived as the warm bath can loosen the bowels but it's still lovely. Make sure you make the bathroom nice and warm for you as much as him.

Good idea -won't even do any baby wash stuff then, and certainly won't put spa jets on I'm looking forward to it - well not the loose bowel part !

Morning all - Kayz very glad the card arrived so efficiently! I couldn't resist the ickly puppies - FEveryoneElse'sI, they're in socks hanging on a washing line [melt]

daisy wow! That's an amazing night. And Effie too, great work. We had a bit of a miracle ourselves, maybe she was listening to us talk about the 11lb thing - dd went to sleep at 8.30, dh tried to give her a dream feed at about 11 but she was totally dead to the world and didn't wake again until 1.30 spent the rest of the night coughing, snotting and trying to feed unsuccessfully of course, but at least we know she can sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time

veggie love the sound of your bathtime, especially the idea of your tiny one gazing up adoringly thinking "I'll be like that one day" [soppy]

cat really really hope you have a better day today, you're doing so well to be coping with it all and it's probably a sign that your ds is going to be a total genius when he grows up, all that brain activity.

LadyT definitely keen on teh 'I might feel like erging' theory. Of course you'd be insane to want to do it without someone like me yelling "pull harder!!!" in your face but if you like that kind of thing... yuk, I had to do ergs once a month just to show that I knew what the boys were going through, it was hell. And at the gym I have to stop myself coaching other random punters - they're doing it all wrong and will feck up their backs if they carry on like that. Plus rating 36 when you're rushing forwards and opening your back far too early really isn't using up that many calories...

Sorry, bit of a dull coxing attack there! I do miss the thrill of a race day and the relaxation of a nice long steady row, but only on glorious sunny days and not in the middle of winter.

verso I think we're having a growth spurt here too, she's been hungry every couple of hours instead of every three which has caught me short in town a couple of times. Gorgeous photos, what a beautiful couple of girls.

kmp veggie is totally right about the bath thing as I learned from bitter experience with the bath of poo nightmare... Hoep you have better luck!

Quick q about bottle feeding, we gave dd the aborted dream feed bottle when she woke at 1.30 and dh did it, what position should you hold a baby in for a bottle? He had her nearly flat in the crook of his arm, which I'm not sure is right - she ended up with lots of it down her front though this may just be lack of bottle technique on her part. I really don't want to be coming over all "You must do it this way" as it's his part of the daddy job, but if it's filling her with wind and not much milk probably best to try and get it right sooner rather than later.

daisy brilliant ! and Jump too - seems the thread babies in general decided to be good last night. yay!

My understanding of the 90 minute thing is that they go down to sleep 90 minutes after they last WOKE (not finished a feed). So, they wake - feed (which in our house takes about 30 mins to 45 mins depending) and then have awake time for 45 mins thereater.

cat the GF timings work largely on the 90 minute theory until they get a bit older.

Trace when you say P feeds every two hours - do you mean, there is a gap of two hours after she finishes a feed. Or do you count from start of feed to start of next feed?

I managed to get DD1 and DS to school and nursery unaided today (despite the peeing rain, footpaths that are still sheer ice and snow despite rain - and the fact that you can't park anywhere near either place). Also, the school and nursery are in totally opposite directions. (Have learnt my lesson will choose a nursery for L that is NEAR to the school). Had to use a complex combo of car, parking far away and putting L into sling as can't carry car seat for any distance. Twice. It would be so much easier of weather was decent. Sorry for boring moan. Nearly time to go get DS already!

verso fabuulous pictures. REALLY must post some.

summer jealous you have seen revolutionary rd - dying to see it.

Jump on the bottle front - I think you keep them as upright as possible in the crook of your arm - and tilt the bottle (iyswim). It's also important to ensure that the teat has no air in it (ie the milk totally fills the roundy bit beneath the narrow teat) and that they never suck up the last drop (as that can give them wind). My MiL is a fabulous bottle feeder. She has great tips inc twirling the bottle slightly in the mouth when they are refusing to drink.

turnip - the 2 hours is from the start of 1 feed to the start of another. Today she has fed at 7.30, stayed awake until 8.45, slept until 9.30, fed, stayed awake until 10.30, slept until 11.15, fed at 11.30, stayed awake until now and is just grizzling ready to sleep again. I think it's hard to stretch out because her feeds are between 5 and 10 mins so she ends up awake and stimulated for quite a while. However she's really different at night - she feeds more in the evening (usually twice between 5.30 and 7pm) then sleeps till 10.30 ish, feeds, sleeps till 2.30ish, feeds, sleeps till 7ish. Not set in stone at all but this has been her pattern for quite a few days now. I don't mind the frequent day feeds given the settled nights. Any tips on stretching the days out?

trace DS is about a 2 - 2.5 hour feeder. TBH the only thing makes him go longer is driving or the fresh air.

If he's asleep when we get back & he's in his car seat I leave him in it but not for too long . Or I wrap him up so just his fat little face is showing ans stick his pram in the garden. I know its cold so haven't done it past couple of days with the snow. But as a rule if its not raining or minus 5, I'll put him outside for a bit.

Trace/Kayz thanks for new thread. Does cheer me up when I see the 'supermums' bit.

Verso your girls are lovely.

Am feeling v sorry for myself today as have not had much sleep (know I'm not alone in that). Mainly becuase DD has a cold and is snuffling for Britain. I think that subconsciously it makes me worry because she started her illness with a cold. So even when I am asleep it's not very deep.

But my main moan is (and totally skip this princessy hissy) that it's my birthday this weekend and DH has organised absolutely nothing . I had thought maybe he hadn't mentioned anything becuase he was planning it to be a surprise. Ho Ho. I wasn't expecting a massive party -just maybe a lunch or a babysitter so we could go out for half an hour...or anything involving any thought at all. Boo hiss.

Am mainly pissed off because I am quite thoughtful and forever doing little things that show I think about him. And err... (with nod to Cat for ...) he isn't. Although pretty much perfect in every other way. It really isn't his strength. Am not asking for massive amounts of gifts (although obviously have never knowingly turned down real jewelry) am pretty cheap date and easy to please. Frankly a couple of salted caramels and I'm a friend for life.

When I've stopped sulking might give the 90 minute thing a bit more of a try. Ho hum.

Oh and while I remember DS keeps saying 'the bears are coming' and we can't quite work out why. It's not in any of his books, so I suppose there's a chance that the bears really are coming, and he's got some sort of mystical advanced warning. In which case you heard it here first.

Morning

I am happy to hear of so many good nights. Cat you are doing so well. You sound like you have the patience of a saint. I really admire how upbeat you sound even after prolonged crying fits.

Our night was OK, one wake between 10 and 6.20am but then she was up properly at 6.20 which is just too early. Its getting into quite a pattern. Infact 6-8am is her most awake part of the day, the other 22 hours she pretty much just wakes to feed. Anyone got any ideas how we coax her into later mornings? Also has anyone else still got a really sleepy baby? I am beginning to wonder whether it is normal for a 7 week old to sleep so much. I know I am lucky to have her asleep so often, and I don't wish to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it does seem a little odd.

lal hilarious - let us know how the bear thing turns out!
By the way - some of you come on here and 'bookmark' how exactly do you do that - I don't get it - I think I need to look at my 'user settings'

lal - are you sure there is no surprise up his sleeve? No lovely pressie or trip out for brunch? He can't have organised nothing and bought nothing (or can he?). I get round suh moments by being totally brazen. About a month before my birthday DH gets an e-mail with links to several gifts that would make me happy. It work for both of us as he hates shopping and I hate the product of his shopping!

oh yeah - Lal maybe it's all to throw you off? Or perhaps he's a little too much like my dh...

Veggie
How long did it take you to get your passports / documents back when you applied for the Citizenship by descent? I've called and they said 10-14 days for the whole thing, but I'm wondering if they send the documents back at the same time, or if they send them back first as soon as they've verfied them?

Hi - haven't had a chance to catch up on this thread. Hope you are all ok and your bubs are well. Just about caught up on the other one and glad you are ok katie. That slide sounded terrifying.