June 2008: Nine months in, nine months out

[Essie3]

Here's to the next nine months!

Not much to report. DH finally got round to lowering the cot last night (because he gets back late I had to put her to bed, then move her, then move her back when it was all done.) She seems much happier and was lying on her tummy (a first) when we went in to her!

Oh, and she's on antibiotics again for a chest infection.

knackered here. too. DD2 fed all night, I reckon and I have a blocked duct. How are you feeling Deb? Have the bugs run their course?

We are alright thanks Deb. How are the invalids today? Hope you are managing to have a nice time with your friend.

Aberdeen - the coffee group sounds like a good idea. Try and get the others to take the strain.

Rolf - ouch, you have my sympathies as a current blocked duct sufferer

Abdn - enjoy the coffee morning

Puree - hope dd is much better soon

Ali - thanks for asking - another bad night with Ethan, but he's sleeping now, Stefan still off school, tristan is skiing with school today and nigel is skiing with our friends(his turn today)

Thanks for asking, Deb, something in the water? A bad night here, first one for ages. Course, I'm alone at the mo with DH away...why do these awful nights not happen when he's around?
Maybe it wasn't quite as bad as all that but I have a cold (at least my sore throat has gone!) so I needed my sleep!

Sponge second what Amber says, we all want a blow by blow account! So text/phone Amber and get her to post. Or if it's tricky with work, Amber, I can do it! I have very little on on Thursday, just (just!) research.

I'm hoping all illnesses have gone for next week as Nigel is going to London for a meeting and will be away for 2 nights. They must all be better by then, surely?

Quiet on here today. Hope you are all feeling better soon Debs. J seems to have had a permanently running nose for weeks, it just makes everything that much more work when they feel under the weather.

Puree - Luke has anti Bs too for a chest infection but they haven't made the blindest bit of difference if you ask me.

Essie I also have a razor blade throat - it's horrid.

Afternoon all - feel like crap so not doing much vertical stuff at the moment . Feeling very very sick and every time I stand up I think I'm going to fall over.

Luckily Alex had an amazing two hour sleep this am and I have a friend coming over this afternoon to play with him and give me a break.

Mummies of more than one, any coping mechanisms?! Other than needing to teach Alex to walk PDQ as picking him up is becoming a struggle!

Big hugs to all with poorly LOs and those who are poorly themselves (although hugging with a face mask on as don't want to catch anything! ).

Just read that back and it sounds really moany - I'm not moaning honestly, I couldn't be happier, and don't want "a break" from Alex, I'm just sooooooo tired .

lol - don't apologise for wanting some relaxation time Sponge. I am always on the look-out for someone to give me a break from the DTs (so I can catch up on FB/MN/Sky Plus! That's how you cope with more than one

Still no spots on Theo and Esther has just three, so now I am not even sure if she has got c.pox... and I suppose we'll be stuck in for about three weeks to be sure Theo isn't uncubating it. There is def something wrong with him cos he is whingy and not eating, but it's just a waiting game I suppose. I was up at 1.30am last night with both of them for about half and hour then with Esther at 6.30am (again) and then up at 8am.

I feel quite tired but really upbeat again, not like last week where I felt really down. Still haven;t heard from work about reduced hours, but I realised the other day that having asked for one day a week, they could just refuse point-blank and then you can't apply again for another year I think. I don;t think that will happen, I think we'll negotiate to two days but if they wanted to play hard ball then they could just say no and no negotiation. Doh - never considered that when I asked for one!

sorry to all the sick people /babies. sponge think morning sickness plus a not yet mobile baby is prob a very bad combo so am sure it will get easier (altho bet rolf , deb etc have lots of good tips).

neenz glad you're feeling more positve - but can see how you don't fancy anotehr three weeks of being stuck inside.

Edie doing a j lo impression , not eating much (stil drinking) so I'm not sure if its teeth , a phase or what (neenz I'm using your tip at meal times or a spoon to distract but even then I can only get minimal amounts in). meant to be going out tonight (to see tina turner ) but bit anxious about leaving her with the babysitter when she is this tricky.

and pearls does that mean babyp can't do the great escape from her cot now...

Oh blimey - I cannot believe how tired I am. I am running out of steam. Luke still waking between 4 and 5 and then up properly at about 5.30. Once I've gone in to stuff a dummy in his mouth at 4.15 I can't get back to sleep properly so I am fighting to keep my eyes open. Why does he wake up at the same time every night? He's not cold - it's 25 degrees in there! 5.30 I can handle but 4.15 every night I cannot. Any ideas? He will go back to sleep on his own eventually but bty that time I am already awake.

Amber, you poor thing .

Is it possible he's too hot? I certainly couldn't sleep in 25 degrees - if the bedroom is too hot it always wakes me up and I can't get back to sleep again. Alex's nursery is a constant 18.

Does he need re-settling or will he settle himself? Could you sleep with ear plugs in and then you or Mark would hear him if he was really distressed but he wouldn't wake you if he was just chatting?

Have you tried changing his daytime naps or his bedtime?

No other suggestions I'm afraid. Have you tried posting on the sleep thread?

You have my sympathies - from a fellow insomniac .

sympathies here too (I think its a mummy thing but it is very difficult to get back to sleep if you suspect the baby is unsettled). my only thought is he hungry - edie is off her food at present so has been waking up earlier as wants her morning milk .

and the temperature thing is a good point - had opposite problem when edie was waking as she was cold.

Im going to apologies Im not reading at the mo head killing me really need to glasses!

Just wanted to say Oli got her new equipment today its soooo cute look is called asquiggle

Ps thank you for those that send me good wishes on FB back has eased off a bit, I suppose it just had too, it will be tonight I will suffer!

Hopefully head will get better and I can catch up xx

josey hope you feel better soon - new toy looks great..look forward to seeing how oli gets on with it.

Amber, I agree he is maybe too hot, but it is probably just habit. I'm afraid all I can suggest is doing some sleep training. That is more exhausting in the short term because it can take an hour or more to get them to go to sleep on the first/second night, but it will be worth it in the end.

My sister had this problem (every early waking) and did cc and sorted it. She tried giving a bottle but her DD just ended up waking earlier and earlier for it .

I am not surpised you are running out of steam. I am up a couple of times a night at the mo and don't think I could function in a proper job as well . What about getting the night nanny back in for a couple of nights?

I forget how chatty this thread is - if I miss a couple of days, there's always loads to catch up on.

We had a dreadful night here too, probably our worst yet, so definitely something cosmic going on. Co-slept to try and get some sleep, but even then, B was crying if I didn't hold him constantly - if I managed to slide my arm out, he'd wake up again in a few minutes. Hoping it was just a one off, and tonight will be better. So sending hugs and matchsticks to all fellow sufferers.

Not much else happening chez Whinegums (not a bad thing!).

Thanks for the advice ladies - I tried the sleep thread before and nobody answered me. Luke has been waking up between 4-5 for the last 4 weeks but I was coping with it before but now I am not so much (hence the running out of steam). He woke up when the heater was off so we put an extra blanket on and turned the heater on. he woke up when the humidifier was on so we turned it off and he still woke up. We have tried offering him a bottle which he doesn't want. We have tried feeding him a dream feed at different times all to no avail. I can't do anything about daytime naps as he is at nursery but there is no pattern there and whether he gets 2 good naps op one or a few short ones he still wakes up so I can't understand what it is. Tonight I am going to leave him. Neenz is that what I should do? Literally just leave him to cry it out? I have done daytime CC but not night time. Please can you advise? Thanks

Amber sorry you're so tired and I have no advice as I regularly have DD1 and DD2 in our bed, and I'm knackered.

On a totally different note, I am having a crisis because DS1 is away on a school camp for 2 nights and I am missing him terribly. I know it's really drippy of me, but what's freaking me out is that we can't get in contact with him. It's a reasonable rule - I have no problem with it - but it's making me very edgy not knowing if he's ok. He's very independent and has gone on sleepovers before. I'm almost drafting my CV as all I can think about is my empty nest

Whinegums that was exactly the problem we had last night! Iestyn was willing to sleep in his cot but only if he was cuddling my arm. Then he would only sleep on my bed if I was also cuddling him. Eventually he slept and I shifted him back to the cot.
And to think I laughed myself silly at Amber's strange arm thing. Who's laughing now?!

@ Rolf, that must be hard.

Amber, how do you do CC for naps? I return every 5 mins until Alex is settled - just go in, stroke his back, say a couple of soothing words and then back out again. I do the same for daytime. Obviously if Luke is standing up you would need to lie him down again as well so he knows it's sleep time.

It's horrendous to start with, and doesn't work with all babies apparently, but if you can endure it for a few nights you may crack it. Can you start at the weekend to make it easier?

Just had someone with the initials AB apply to join our FB group - she's from Vancouver. Ring any bells?