Dec 08 - Nanny Anne's Apprentices.

[daisydora]

Thread started - hope i've done it right!!

You have to strike out each word I think Veggie.

Must go to bed - I'm hoping to finally muster up the energy to make my first post-DD trip to the Lido tomorrow.

Hello, poison >waves< Good to see you back! Have to say getting a dishwasher was one of the best things I ever did - for my marriage. Fantastic inventions.

Terrible day yesterday... and then the evening was worse... won't go into details but I wasn't in a very good place let's say. At the moment I'm reasonably calm. DD2's sleep and feeding is just completely haywire at the moment and I am exhausted.

5pm (BF both sides), 8pm (BF both sides), 10pm (DH bottle), 12:30am (BF both sides) (so far)

This is the infamous four-month growth spurt when loads of people decide to wean. I do not want to wean - I don't see how baby rice, which has less calories than breastmilk, will help here - but I am sick with exhaustion after weeks of this.

Health visitor is coming to see me today (I'm THAT desperate). The last one who came out told me to leave DD2 to cry - but I can't bear it. I might be able to do it if I was feeling stronger, but her cries go right through me. I wonder what this health visitor will say? She is bringing the scales (sigh) even though I told her the one thing I am NOT worried about is DD2's weight gain (she was 14lb two weeks ago).

Will probably update during the night because it's going to be a long one and it makes me feel less alone.

By the way, does anyone get huge mood swings when they are repeatedly woken from deep sleep? That's my biggest problem at the moment - despite the antidepressants I feel so DESPERATE when I am woken for about the fourth or fifth time in a row and just. need. some. sleep.

I can't cope with DH and his work problems either. I feel so weak and pathetic. I am normally such a strong person but these months of sleep deprivation have floored me .

Hi Verso, what a shitty time you're having, how was teh rest of your night? It sounds so exhausting. I really hope you get a decent HV who will be able to offer some practical advice other than baby rice. Fingers crossed for you.
As for the mood swings with sleep, absolutely, it's totally my undoing and I all I can think of is how much I want and need some sleep. Like now. Plus am properly ill, the day before our holiday .

they have readvertised the job i didnt get - at a higher spec - so i am now no longer eligible. i got an email from the agency this morning

my last thing to aim for has gone oh well more fool me for believing them when they said i was perfect for it

Hi Verso I hope today is better for you. You are not pathetic and weak. Sleep deprivation is the worst, it's the quickest way to mood swings and psychotic like behaviour from me! I have been so unreasonable to dh at times in the past after no sleep - (and I'm not one who needs a great deal)
I hope your new HV isn't a muppet like some of them are, and perhaps has some good advice and answers. Your dd sounds like a good weight - at least a kg heavier than B.

Spot sorry you are feeling sick before you go away - hardly a good start, so lucky you have the advanced warning about the dodgy services to avoid on the M4/5 as the wrong one will make you feel worse! So remember, Leigh Delamare on the M4 just after Swindon, and Also Taunton on the M5 is probably the best of a bad bunch on the M5 as it has Costa coffee at least! Look Arti, there I go again!
I got some Fenugreek yesterday, so hopefully the flow will pick up the pace!

oh and daisy hilarious - your dd at the jabs appointment! Gee I lolled!!
PD Massive resourceful award for you - i've never been a fan of the sickly sweet drinks (sine my younger years of drinking Tia Maria / coke that is) but it does sound nice as a nightcap - or a bit of Bailey's in the decaf!
WG our 10hr flight with B was fine. We did have the bulkhead and infant cradle which helped tremendously, but your flight is quick so should be easy. The hum of the engines is constant white noise for them and he seemed quite dozey, and all the illuminated lights had him fascinated too. Take off is usually ok, but if you can feed him on decent it will help if she has any ear issues. I had a bottle of water ready as I had just fed him not long before, but i didn't use it as the dummy seemed to suffice.

i mean feed "her" not him

Morning,

Sorry about the job Verso. Maybe it is a blessing in disguise and another better job will come along. I hope your HV is helpful. Sending you lots and lots of hugs and a special Freddie hug(very huggy again)

I won't be back until Sunday probably. Freddie is 2 today and I can't believe it. So busy all day making party food, then taking him in the train tomorrow.

Spot Hope you feel better soon and have a great holiday!!

verso lovely you're not pathetic in the least, you're going through a really hard time. Sleep deprivation is a renowned form of torture, so that's why you feel so rotten. It's a bugger about the job, do the agency have anything else suitable? Is there anything any of us can do to help just in a practical day to day way?

kayz happy birthday to Freddie!

Our latest discovery is that DD is perfectly happy when on her changing table (in what will eventually be her room) but when I put her in the crib next to our bed for her nap, she's all cross and unhappy. The only difference is that they're at 90 degrees to each other (and of course that she can't be left for a nap on the changing table ). Have we bred a baby who is sensitive to ley lines or the gravitational forces of the earth? have put her in the big cot (!!!) just to see what happens. Would usually sling her as she does need a snooze but my back is still a bit unhappy with me

Oh here's our current dilemma. DH has managed to get a locum for his sister's wedding (am wondering if this will suffice instead of a wedding present - they want our presence not our presents after all ) and now there's big pressure from PILs about where we're staying. They have a house with plenty of space, quite close to where the wedding is happening. MIL also has a flat in the centre of Glasgow (long story....) that she said we're welcome to stay in with her, but it's only a one bed so not sure where she plans on putting us all.

PILs have a v complex relationship, and it's not certain that MIL will be at the wedding anyway (another loooooong story based on her being a complete nutter and insulting SIL's fiance and not letting him in the house etc... ) and now they're both emailing us to say "Will you be staying with me / us for the wedding?". It would be easier to stay with FIL as a) he's definitely going to the wedding (!) and b) we all get on with him much better than with MIL. But it would look very political whatever we do. However as we're coughing up a big spend on getting there in the first place (locums are not cheap ) staying in a B&B would make the whole thing even more expensive. Sigh. Weekday wedding = big faff.

jump what a nightmare decision. I don't envy you that one. eek. The house with space sounds a better plan - could you use that as your only reason for choosing that (when really we know all your reasons ?
LOL at your baby being sensitive to ley lines!

Kayz have fun making party food - I love getting ready for fun!

Verso - hugs.

snot emergency back soon

Good morning!

verso so sorry you've had another horrid night - sending a big hug.

jump the wedding sounds like it will be fun Opt for staying with FIL citing it has more space, so much more practical etc

kayz I love making party food, you'l have to let us know what you make! I always like a bit of inspiration for DD's parties

spot hope you feel better soon and have a fab holiday!

I'm patiently sat waiting by the phone for the garage to ring. Car is having MOT today and I dread it. Fingers crossed nothing major.

Oh and I've just booked my smear test, but I don't know if I mentioned it on the ante-natal thread but I effectively have two wombs and two cervix's so I have to have 2 smears am dreading it, one cervix has never had a smear as they never knew it was there until recent times

2 wombs? 2 cervixes?
huh?

JJ I would def not do the 1 bed flat option with crazy MIL - just due to space alone - and yes, use that as the reason - it's entirely believable anyway.

Verso sorry you had a bad night. You are not pathetic and weak at all. I can get very crabby after one substandard night's sleep - a few nights in a row would bring me to my knees, never mind week after week. Sorry to hear about the job too.

daisy wow! 2 cervixes & 2 wombs? Twice the fun! I booked my smear yesterday as well - haven't had one for 10 years. The nurse is really horrible and I ended up being a bit rude to her yesterday when she did DD's jabs. Probably not a very clever idea.

jj agree with the others - FIL's sounds like the only sane option. Sounds like the whole thing is going to be hassly enough without factoring in the MIL.

spot hope you feel better soon.

So, since 7.30 this morning dd has slept for a sum total of 1 hour and 45 minutes. She didn't go to sleep in the big cot. Her half hour screamathon was at 9am, and again now. She's been feeding, puking and grizzling all fcking day and I can't take any more. Is it possible to develop colic after 3 months? It turns out this morning she'd been lying on the bed chewing her fingers, not sleeping. I walked around town with her for 4 hours during the course of which she fed twice, fell asleep for 20 minutes several times but each time woke up as soon as I did something as selfish as stop to talk to a friend, or try to have my lunch. Got home at about 3 and since then she's been grizzling the whole time apart from when she's been feeding, but has only taken about 5 minutes before she's started kicking away from me and screaming. She usually gets some comfrot from sucking on the boob and goes to sleep but not today. I feel like I've spent the whole day on a "leave the baby to let yourself calm down for 5 minutes". All I want is her to get some bloody sleep but all my efforts are a dismal failure. And now she's gone beyond her usual grizzling into full on yelling. She's not hungry, she's not dirty, she's not too hot or cold, I've given her some stuff for her teething, I've winded her and still all she'll do is lie there writhing and yelling. There's no point me being in the room with her, it just makes me feel like a total failure because I have no* fucking idea what is the problem. And there's probably another 3 hours till DH gets home as Friday is his duty day so everyone who wants an appointment gets put on his list.

Yes, I'm feeling very sorry for myself today. Someone give me a kick up the bum please.

oh and before I sound too much like the wicked witch of the west, I have tried cuddling/shushing etc but that doesn't make any difference either. Hoped desperately that a dark room with no stimulation would help her calm down.

Oh jump sounds like you've had a tough day! DS has been a little bugger for sleeping today, only about an hour and a half. He is currently on the floor minus his nappy kicking away, its the ONLY time this afternoon he has let me put him down - its worth a try maybe. Hope she sleeps for you soon.

Jump, that sounds grim and I'm not going to give you a kick up the bum because it's utterly nerve shattering and totally normal to be like that. T has stopped napping properly, feeding badly, been projectile vomming and generally pretty miserable for the last few days for no apparent reason. Things I'm generally ascribing it to, as he doesn't have a temperature:

• teething
• 3 month jabs the other day
• the change in weather
• change in his development

But also sometimes I think there is no reason and they're just having a shitty day, which means you do as well. Sorry your DH isn't home for ages, that makes things worse.
Apologies in advance for this suggestions but - have you tried turning on the hoover next to her cot?

jj I'm not going to kick you. Sounds really tough Teething or overtiredness I think... ? Anyway you have my sympathy. I hate days like that. You are NOT a failure - babies can be unfathomable sometimes.

Oh, and my mum said i developed colic at 3 months. But as all the docs say it disappears by then maybe it was something else that was just labelled colic. I think I was just a shouty baby.

How've you been today, Verso? Was the HV any use?

jump sympathies, ds2 has been very grizzly & clingy today, I have no idea what's wrong so you're not on your own. Does dd like bathtime? I'm thinking of giving ds2 an early bath as it usually calms him down. I think the problem gets compounded because they get overtired, so cry more, its a vicious circle

I'm off to catch up, not ignoring you all, back soon

HV was lovely, spot. Thinks I'm doing everything right - even asked me if I wanted to train as a La Leche breastfeeding counsellor . She thinks DD2 might have silent reflux so we're going to try her on infant gaviscon and see if it helps... was nice to hear positive stuff about how I'm managing

and better still - DD1 has a place at our first-choice school!!! found out today

Hello all,

arti I'm with you on the clothes thing. I saw several girls in Manchester on Saturday with wet look leggings on. I thought they were one of those things that you get in magazines that no one actually wears. I find myself checking the seams of clothing to check the quality just like my Nanna does

I'm scared that DD has a tooth coming through. The top bit is visible and you can see the rest through the gum. Is it freakishly early?! I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and find she has a full set am I? Do you brush teeth as soon as they appear? I'm clueless.

kayz Have a super weekend. Hope Freddie enjoys his day.

JJ Could you try some baby paracetomol in case her teeth are really sore (sounds like it could be that as she's chewing her hands) or she feels a bit ill from her jabs? I can't think of anything else that you can do that you haven't already tried. You don't need a kick up the bum because you are a wonderful mum who is trying her best. Does she like a bath? Would that calm her?