JUNE 2008- tantrums, shrieking and lashings of Gin (and that's just the mums!)

[pureeandpearls]

Thread number 123 or something like that

Morning

Sympathies to all those still struggling with the nightmare of sleep deprivation. DS2 was born very quickly and didn't sleep through the night for years , speech therapist/cranial osteopath here said that if we'd taken him as a baby it might have helped as his muscles in his neck were restricted, giving him pain and also problems with eating/swallowing.This has only been resolved about a year ago and he's 7!

So for those of you still having problems with sleep - get yourselves off to a cranial osteopath who specialises in babies, if you haven't tried one already. Might not help but anything's worth a try when you're desperate eh?

lol at the bunny ears

Day at the spa yesterday with the boys and mil, Ethan loved it , weather glorious here, about 20 degrees.

I have the best husband (atm) He has suggested I fly over to see my Mum for a few days in June before she flies out to me, so tickets booked - I am very excited about a days UK clothes shopping!! Flying out with hand luggage and back with a case!

Everyone, I heard from Josey last night - poor Oli is in hospital at the moment because she's started having seizures and will be until Wednesday when she's getting an EEG. I'll post again if & when I hear any more news.

Deb, the shopping trip sounds lovely .

AH, thank you for letting us know - poor josey and Oli . Please send her our love and keep us posted x

Abdn - thanks for letting us know, if you hear from Josey send her our love. Oli has been such a fighter throughout everything, I hope the seizures stop soon and the scan is positive.

Sponge - how are you feeling? How's the SPD?

Hi Deb, I'm doing okay thank you - 11 weeks today which is amazing .

Unfortunately the SPD is very sore and I'm in constant pain but it's a small price to pay!

Btw, your boys Star Wars vid is fab .

Sorry just skimming but Amber huge hugs, know where you're coming from, I saw lovely GP again yesterday who thinks depression problems are all due to Caitlin's sleep problems. Don't give up work because of it though!!! You're doing all the right things. I'm sure the sleep consultant will help, and it's FAR better to get signed off sick and catch up on some sleep than to give up completely. This is a temporary, soluble problem, though I know it doesn't feel like it right now.

Caitlin has no excuse, she had an easy birth! I'm planning tonight to stick with the gradual withdrawal at bedtime (which has calmed her down so that's good), and leave her to self-settle at least 10 minutes for each night waking before she gets any attention, to minimise the reward of waking up for her. And Calpol at bedtime then again after 6 hours if she wakes (hollow laugh) as I am fairly sure she is teething. She's becoming difficult during the day now, with the lack of sleep, as are we all ...

Got house cleaned and tidied and estate agent came round for photos yesterday, hurrah, major major achievement! nearly killed me doing it though, had a major crash and burn after, but worth it.

oh and Amber i must apologise for blithely saying to you a few weeks back that it will be OK as we learn to function on less sleep after a while. This is true up to a point, but then I hit breaking point a few days after posting that, and so realise now that I wasn't taking you nearly seriously enough. Sorry!!

this page is really good

Systems, hope you can get some decent kip soon, I am sure your GP is right that the sleep deprivation is either causing the depression or contributing to it. I know I feel really down when the DTs don't sleep. I have had three disturbed nights in the last week which is nothing compared to some but it has still really got me down cos I feel crap when I don't get enough sleep. I think it is the not knowing why the waking is happening too. Luckily each time it has only been one of them while the other has slept through (it's as if they know ), but I shouldn't speak too soon, they'll probably both be up tonight now .

Last night E was awake at 4am and cried for an hour before I caved in and fed her. Cos she is not eating well I am scared it is hunger and don't want to leave her to cry if she is hungry. But what if it's not hunger and I am just encouraging her to wake more if I feed her? I offered a cup of milk the other night which she drank but my sister said she will just start waking for the cup of milk if I start doing that so I just BF'd her last night. But then I wonder whether she is teething, and maybe that is why she is not eating well too.

Because she is waking it gets me down when she doesn't eat and it's just all really hard work. DH is off this weekend till Tues so at least that is a bit of a break, but I was annoyed at him today because we did the walk of witness in our village centre and then there was an open-air service at 11.30. I had to bring the DTs home for their lunch but DH asked if he could stay. I said yes but I should have said no cos now I feel resentful that even though he is off work I had to do lunchtime plus the nappy changes and then BFs then put them to bed which doesn't sound like much but him just doing one nappy change while I feed the other takes the pressure off hugely (esp as nappy changes are such a battle now!). I just felt like when is it my day off. But then that is just the sleep as well cos normally I wouldn't mind doing it.

We are going for a walk on the beach with our baby bjorns later (first time they have been out since last summer - the baby bjorns not the babies!) so that will brighten my mood I am sure.

That was such a rant and it all sounds so hollow when I think of poor Josey in hospital with Oli. You are in my prayers Jo. Hope Oli gets better soon.

Systems - congratulations on getting your house in order for the photos - it's hard work isn't it?

Neenz - hope your walk does you good later, sympathies with the nappy changes - having just wrestled with Ethan I can't imagine doing 2 wrigglers.

Ethan will not settle this afternoon -he's over tired and hot, and grumpy!!

News from Josey, Olivia is a bit more stable now and has been moved into a medical ward from the higher dependancy unit. Her DH is home with her too - he was supposed to go off today but was able to stay onshore. Josey's mum has her other two kids so they seem to be coping well logistically - now we just need to all send prayers/good wishes O's way and keep hoping...

thanks for the update AH, Josey thinking of you and family, hugs to Oli

Much love and prayers, Josey

Glad you and spongelet are ok, Sponge

Hope the sleeping improves for everyone. Thea had her best night in ages last night - she had a temperature and I was worried about her overheating, so made a point of putting her back in her own bed after her feed, and she slept through till 8.30 . I still feel knackered, though - i think it will take a lot more than one decent night to sort out the effect of sleep deprivation that's been going on for several years! I really don't know how those of you who go out to work can cope.

Thea has 8 teeth - the poor thing has been doing some hardcore teething the past few months.

rolf you've just reminded me of how many more teething sessions I've got coming! A has only 4 so far

whinegums didn't realise you had problems with B's sleeping as well - is it still going on?

sending good luck to josey and olivia

neenz I know what you mean. Sometimes just one more nappy change means a lot, and we all just have one to deal with. Hope you enjoyed the walk

We were out for lunch today, had just finished and A was sitting on my knee before we paid the bill. Suddenly he projectile vomited absolutely everywhere, over me, him, the floor. I was absolutely covered in it. He was ok, as of course he had a spare change of clothes, but I had to take off my top - thankfully I had a coat!!

Sorry Sponge - I didn't reply to you before, wow 11 weeks already, I bet it's going slowly for you though!

Abdn - thanks for the update, sending positive vibes Oli's way.

Rolf - Ethan's 7th and 8th teeth are just through too, he looks too young to have so many teeth!My friend said today - surely you're not still feeding him yourself?

Allnew - thank goodness you had a coat with you!!!

Just checking in to say that Josey, Oli and the rest of the family are very much in my thoughts.

Sponge - so pleased you have got to 11 weeks, although each day must be dragging by.

Rolf - I am incredibly tired too despite more sleep in recent weeks. Caught up a bit this afternoon, which helped. I think DH is worried that I am anaemic again, so got some blood taken yesterday just in case.

Neenz - you have sounded quite unhappy this week. I hope it is nothing more than a lack of sleep, and that everything else is ok.

Systems - glad the GP is helping and is sympathetic. Welldone on the house clean. After the decorating we are still living in a mess, although we did male some inroads today.

[pop her head in to say tha she is hinking f Josey Oli and all the family. Ducks back out to deal with croup!]

josey thinking of you all and oli.. fingers crossed for you.

sponge only one more week to go but I know that in some wasy this can be worst

systems deb*I'll vouch for decent osteopath- went to see when had first m/c who was crap but one this week helped my hip/neck in just one visit so I'd definitely take a baby in (thinking I'm likely to be lucky enough to have another but my cycles are all over the place so I'm getting my head round making the most of madam). Sounds like your experience bears that out - how is E now?

rolfwow 8 teeth (allnew only four here too although we've had dribbling/chewing mania for hte last few days so that could mean more on the way).

puree wags stern finger at you - shouldn't you be resting (and hugs/chocolate buttons to poor c).

neenz did walk make you feel better? I reckno slings are the way forward when e is being painflu (but not so easy with two) -love my ergo (as does the nanny) although dh still keen on baby bjorn.

amberare you ok?

Won't post too long as away in france again so enjoying last weekend before I start work..

Will catch up later but just to report - I have followed the recommendations on the page I linked to below to the letter. Fed C in separate room at bedtime, then had a gap between feed and bed. Let her self-settle once in bed (it took 3 nights of sitting next to her but she has stopped panicking now). Left her 10 mins for each night waking before going to her. Also lots and lots of daytime naps, put her down every time she seemed at all tired, she has had 4 naps a day for 2 days she must have been shattered too. And .... she only needed my attention at 11 and 5.30 last night, grizzled but self-settled a few other times, and is still asleep now at ten past eight!

Happy Easter all!

hi systems thats a great site - some of the aussie baby stuff is really good and sensible imho.. someone gave me a great book called "baby love" by robin barker - its very sensible in its advice (by mw/mother) and I've found it quite helpful -seems to have a lot of the advice on that site.

DH is letting me use his work 3g card quickly so I could quickly skim and type. How sad is id that I have missed you guys?! I'm too used to my mumsnet fix...

Anyway, a very quick skim so aplogies if I miss anyone. JOsey love to you and Oli and fingers crossed that she is better soon.

Amber - hope the sleep expert is helpful. For what it is worth we have a similar issue. Jamie is a terrible sleeper and always wakes at least 4 times a night, sometimes 6 or more. I can sympathise how exhausting it is and hope it resolves itself before you have to quit your job.

Jamie has started walking. His best effort so far is 7 steps by himself, but two days ago he could only do two so I am expecting him to improve quickly. He still only has one very little tooth and a point of a second though. Must go, hugs to all.

sybil, very exciting about Jamie walking

SA, way to go on the sleep - wow!

Hi to everyone else and thank you for all your best wishes - time is dragging, but going much faster than my 1st trimester with Alex which is a blessing .

Just have to have a quick rant about my MIL who is staying (with FIL of course!) for a couple of days. I already want to kill her and she has only been here six hours!! We were just having dinner and she started going on about when the new baby arrives, and how they will look after Alex and bring him to hospital to visit, etc, etc!!! FFS! No way! What a bloody presumption!

What about my mum? Cannot believe she just assumes that she will be coming to look after Alex - and she's trying to encourage me to stay in hospital for 'a rest'. How restful will it be to be in hospital while she is looking after Alex??

I didn't say anything cos it's still such early days - I will let her know nearer the time that my mum will be looking after Alex and I don't want any visitors for the first four/five days so I can have some time just the four of us. After all, my family didn't get to see Alex until day four so I don't see why they can't wait this time.

Rant over. As you were!

|sybilthat is great news re alex walking...

sponge grr re your mil and as for hospital being a rest -fucking hell it worries me (if I'm ever that lucky again as hormones all over place) about how it is horrible in there and I couldn't wait to go home - your mil showing her age re the "golden days" when they kept you in for 7 days , showed you how to bf etc etc (thanks mum - I'm not entirely sure your memory on this the best ).

talking of which not fave relatives sponge- am actualy still so pissed off about havnig her insist (despite me saying I wasn't happy about it) that a member of my extended family visit us last week despite me having big issues with this part of family (longm story and I don't want to out myself too much but lets just say if your idea of family are people who look out for you and are kind, this lot don't meet the definition). And sure enough despite her saying it would be ok, said family member was just as obnoxious as I remember. What got me is she said "but dd will wonder why she hasn't spoken/met this part of family" ..er no she won't (and lets just leave out some of the people who I've not seen cos of her issues....)

Morning All,

Sybil - very impressed with the walking. Is he terribly pleased with himself?

Systems - welldone with the sleep regime. Hope you continued to make progress last night.

Poppy and Sponge - sorry to hear about your families testing your patience. Hope MIL behaves herself better today Sponge.

Also Poppy, sorry that you are worried about your cycles and thinking that E might end up being just the one. Sending positive vibes your way.

Purée - how is the croup going?

We are having a quiet Easter with just the 3 of us at home. Gradually working through the jobs in the house following the decorating. I have realized that I must be a very lazy person and possibly selfish too, as I am far too happy not to do anything if possible .

Quick question on sleep: is anyone's LO's dropping their morning nap? P seems to be going this way ATM.