March 09 - there is no snooze button on a baby that needs milk.....!

[meep]

over here ladies

Interesting message you posted there, laum!

Can I ask all of you, before totally giving in to my obsessive compulsive tendencies, how much and how long do your lo's nap during the day? I'm trying not to get too hung up about it, and before I embark on a stress- inducing naptime training regime, I just want to get a feel for what other babes are doing. You see, lB sleeps 11-12 hours at night with a dream feed, but he is sooooo grumpy if he doesn't have at least two long(1,5-2hr ) naps during the day. For the past month I've gone in and extended them, but it's getting harder to do. My instincs are non-existent re naps because I soooooo badly want him to nap for longer by himself. Sigh. Any comment will be appreciated.
slick lol at the shouting! Wish I could see it. Sorry about fight, sounds as if you 2 have some real passion going there! Is he a musucian? Me too, wouldn't be able to throw my flute/sax- too darn expensive.
Byex

Rosie has a 1-2 hour nap about 1.5 hours after she wakes up in the morning. Then another long nap later in the day. I just kind of go with the flow as to what she wants/needs. If she's really tired and struggling I take her out in the pram or car so she can sleep.

She naps best if she is in a darkish room.

With dd1 her routine settled into a 1-2 hour morning nap, a 1-2 hour lunch time nap and a half hour late afternoon nap.

Dd1 (2yo) still has a lunchtime nap which can sometimes be as much as 3 hours - she likes her sleep!

Morning ladies!

Congrats on the bag meep, very swish!

I took Amy to the monthly clinic yesterday and had her weighed for the first time in 5 weeks. She's up to 11lb 15oz, so has put on exactly 2lb since last time.

Mentioned the coughing etc and we have an appointment for the dr in an hour. Poor sausage still has a temperature. The hv yesterday told me they don't recommend Calpol before 3 months... which is different to what the one who gave her the jabs told me

Hey all! Well done on your bag meep - very jealous!

Pen has a power nap at about 9:30 for half an hour, and then a 2 - 3 hour nap at lunchtime, and then she'll sleep in the sling for an hour when I walk the dog at 4ish in the afternoon. She then goes down for the night at 7 and sleeps through to 6:30 with 1 feed at 3am-ish, but sometimes she does wake twice in the night - think we are still a ways off the 12 hour sleep through.

Pen seems to have just learnt a whole load of new stuff in the last 2 weeks... she's learnt to roll on to her side, she's smiling all day now (instead of just first thing in the morning) and she's playing with toys now. She's just turned 13 weeks, so is this all about right, developmentally?

Hello peeps i'm still lurking by the time i catch up never have time to post!

Ella is rolling, little monkey, found her thumb just over a week ago and in trying to find it kept rolling on to side, now whenever placed on her back unless someone is leaning over her giving her attention she rolls completely on to her front and shouts till someone turns her back just to do it again! i remember this with DD1 but not at 12 weeks! But she so much more settled now she sucks her thumb, off for 2nd injection in a mo, i feel so horrible putting her through it! xx sorry quick quick post while pasta cooking!

Oooooh good luck with the jabs livi I'm dreading it in a couple of weeks (I cried the first time!).

Boobz I often wonder what they should be doing when. I'm sure it's normal to worry.

A woke 4 times last night. Not impressed!!

On the nap front, she seems to have 2 or 3 long ones but I haven't really been taking note more just going with the flow.

Docs was fine (she pooed tho!)throat is a bit red, temp up slightly and he said to just give her a bit of calpol.

One fingered typing takes ages! Her appetite is certainly not affected...

hello been away a long time...

reason being that my dad died unexpectedly and very suddenly on 2 May. I am devastated, whole family in pieces. He and Mum came to see our newest LO when she was one week old, then 2 weeks later he was gone.

I still can't come to grips with it, and life has been hard with the new baby, but she is now 11 weeks and starting to become easier. I have really struggled at times to even get up and send the boys to school.

xxx

Oh kanga I am so sorry, what a terrible thing to happen. I hope you are getting all the love and support that you need. Hugs from me.

So sorry Kanga - I hope you're getting tme to grieve.

My DH lost his father v. suddenly a few years ago and it was an awful time.

Big hugs to you and your family.

Big hugs to you Kanga. Just take it one day at a time. Hope you're getting some support too.

x

kanga so sorry for your loss. Hope you're managing to get through this tough time.

kanga I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Thinking of you and your familyx

Oh Kanga I'm so sorry. How awful for all of you. You must be devastated. I was hoping you just didn't have the time to post, it never occured to me it would be something like this. It must be very tough for you with all the kids but I hope in some way they keep you going too. We are all here for you whenever you need to talk or need a virtual shoulder to cry on. xxx

I feel somewhat flippant posting about the other topics after Kanga's sad news. I hope it doesn't come across like that.

Law WTF? If this is a new secret MN code, can I join in?? I love conspiracies and spy movies!

Meep I'm keeping HB in the cot in our room til 6 months too. I can't comprehend for the life of me how this is going to pan out when they share as I just fear that DD2 is too much of a light sleeper, but maybe we'll just have to go through a rough patch until we all get used to it!

Having said that, if he is still not sleeping through by 6 months (incomprehensible thought!!!) then he'll stay in our room, because quite frankly, getting up in the middle of the night to the end of the bed is hard enough never mind another room!

Mdavza I guess we are quite passionate in that we both have strong opinions on stuff and we do bicker quite a bit, but at the same time, we love each other's sense of humour and that really keeps us going. It's been 12 years now so we are bound to get on each other's nerves on times, but actually most of the time, our misunderstandings are just that - we think the other person means something else and we are forever saying, "well, it sounded like you meant..." or "that's not how it came across..." or "sometimes it's the way you say things...!". You'd really think we'd have all that sorted by now, but we don't! Anyway, enough of that. Yes he is a musician, and like you it was sacrilage to throw his guitar, (I almost felt more horrified than him!) but it just so happened he was playing it just as we started having the row and that's what got it. Still, it is away being fixed and should be ok, thank God as v. expensive.

Don't think he'll do that again - well not for another 10 years!

Grinning I think the only time they recommend Calpol is after jabs, esp the Men C. one. before 3 months so maybe that's where the confusion is. I know also that the medical profession are now advising "Nurofen" for children in the first year before Calpol as the latter is now associated with Asthma later on. I know, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I discovered this after a year of plying DD2 with it with all her terrible illnesses! Great! Still, I think it still has a place as is v. good for bringing down temps, but I think also you hear stories of parents (bad ones!) giving their kids it on a regular basis to try and make them sleep! so maybe it's aimed at them more!

Re; Naps, HB is a bit hit and miss, he always has a half hour one in the morning after first feed but the one in the avo started out long, but he seems to just have a couple of cat naps now, so not so good. I think tho, it depends what we are doing and I usually am out and about or picking up DD1 from school so he doesn't get a chance for a long one.

No rolling here, but I think that will all take longer as I am trying to keep him off the back of his head and also can't leave him on the floor lest a storm-trooping toddler steps on him or drops something on him.

Slick I don't think it comes across as bad at all.

I am very about the Calpol. Being an asthma sufferer myself the last thing I want to do is inflict it on dd. Do you think I should get the other? She's only had it a total of 3 times all together, and there's no way I'd just give it to her to get her to sleep.

Here's a question for you all, if anyone feels like answering:

How many hours a day would you say you "entertain" your lo. What I mean by that is playing with them etc. Do you leave them to get on with it at all? I just feel like she's glued to me 24/7 at the mo, and while it's lovely, there are other things to do!

Sorry to hear about your dad Kanga. How shitty for you - especially with a new babe to look after. I'm very sorry.

Grinning, I probably actively entertain Penny for about 2 hours a day (where I am singing to her / reading to her / playing peek-a-boo / bouncing her on my knee whilst keeping eye contact and making silly noises / playing with her toys with her on her play mat etc. The rest of the time is taken up by feeding (she feeds a lot, still), naps (at least 4 hours a day), getting her dressed in the morning and bath and bed time routine at night, and then all my normal stuff during the day (walking the dog on the common with her in the sling, meeting friends for lunch, going shopping at Sainsbury's etc). I get the housework / admin stuff done whilst she is sleeping, and hand her over to DH on the weekends to play with so I can get other stuff done.

On that note, do your DH's actively entertain and interact with your babies? My DH loves Pen to pieces and she loves him (smiles at him all the time now) but he does tend to revert to sitting on the sofa watching the cricket / rugby with her on his lap. Which is fine for some of the time (I do that too!) but he doesn't do much "playing" with her... and his chat is firmly routed in the "Hello, HELLO!, Hello" category. He never really gets down on the play mat with her or anything... maybe that will change when she's more interactive and communicative...

Grinning Re: Calpol, it's difficult, I tend to take a lot of research stories with a pinch of salt and go with gut feeling as well, but there I remember seeing a Doctor on the news about it, NOT from the research co. and he seemed to concurr that there was evidence, but I'm fairly sure you giving your LO it 3 times is not going to lead to it - well for that reason anyway, not that I'm a doc, but I would be surprised. Maybe worth speaking to your GP if you are concerned? Be interesting to see what he/she thinks?

Re: entertaining, ooh, the good parent dilemma! In my book, you will never feel like you entertain them enough and some days you manage more than others. I've got a three-way split and it is difficult. Sometimes, I kinda do it, "right today, X is going to get more attention..." I always give them all attention, but when there is so much else to do.....

I have times where I leave them all to get on with things themselves. Impossible otherwise.

Right, need to go and get major oil leak fixed on car.

Boobz Thanks for the insight. It would seem maybe I am thinking I should be doing more than I am then. Phew!

My dh leaves the house anytime from 6.30 and doesn't get back until around 7pm, although it has been later. This means there is around a 4 hour window before bed for him to have contact with her (I would say he could at night, but he conks out into a coma type sleep ). Sometimes he cooks tea, which means I still have her, and other times I will and and up putting her in the bouncy chair while I cook. It has been known for her to be in the kitchen with me while he watches sport.

He loves her to bits, dont get me wrong, but I think he is afraid of picking her up etc! He does do the odd nappy change, and will walk about with her if she's upset.We did a street fair at the weekend, and he did go off with her in the pram to show her off to other traders we know while I watched the stall.

Right, tis nappy change time according to my nose!

Kanga really sorry to hear about your dad, but kinda glad he had the chance to at least meet your little one.

Grinning Mae is quite clingy and although it isn't all entertaining her, ie sometimes just holding her while I make drinks, lunch, tea etc or just sat watching tv. she doesn't seem to like playing on her own for more than about 10 mins.

Boobz my DH actually said 'you can have her now she is being dull', becos she was just sat solemnly not talking or smiling.

Mae rolls occassionally when she is on her front but doesn't seem to have mastered rolling from her back. Although I am quite grateful for it.

Jolly at your dh! What did you say to him?

ooh I didn'tknow that about calpol. Funny though as if you are asthmatic you shouldn't take ibuprofen. I also found out today that medised is now not recommended until 6. I knew it had gone up to 2 but 6 ??? I hardly use it but when I do its a godsend.

My DH is fairly good at entertaining Lara - sings to her etc. However, he does only see her at weekends really so he's not doing it all the time ! It probably helps its second time around so he is over the 'I might break her' phase. He's not great with nappies though - especially poo-y ones.

L has done something to my boob. Its really sore. I thought maybe her teeth had broken through but not. Her sleeping went to pot again last night ... coupled with dd1 having to get up at 12.30 to do a poo it wasn't a happy night .

Erm, no idea what happened to my last post!

kanga so sorry to hear your news, hope things are getting a little better for you.

grinning I have a fairly relaxed daily routine so I couldn't say how much timeI spend playing with her - but all babies are different and some just don't so need as much active stimulation as others,so I wouldn't worry or compare.

Can'ts say how long she naps either for the same reason. But not a lot. normally half hour doses.

However - A little developmental update since you are talking about entertainment time! (It's my job, I'm practicing)

entertaining babies, developmentally, you only 'need' to join in if they want you to... say they're on the play mat and you're showing them things so they're giggling away but you then move away and sit down - if they stop smiling and watch you for a long time (especially with lip wobbles) then that's an example of a cue that they'd like you to play with them... babies with older siblings often won't cue very often because there are always interesting things going on, whereas if it is just them, when you go away it is usually just to sit there with a cup of tea which isn't fun to watch! (That's why they cry whenever you sit down...)

Most of the time watching you do things is plenty of entertainment for them. They can learn loads just watching the way you pick things up and move them around.

Good toys atm, are flat playmats with arches over the top to hang toys of (preferably in a cross shape so they have to move around to get a good look at them all) fine rattle's/teething toy with bits to grab on to about the size of your little finger. If your baby has started rolling then textured blankets/playmats are good, especially ones with mirrors it helps them get used to the idea that they can have fun on their tummy too.

Kanga sorry to hear about your dad.

Wheelybug

Only some asthmatic are allergic to ibuprofen (IE me.)most asthmatics are fine with it.

My god did it frighten me when i took 2 before i knew i was allergic to them.

I don't have a routine as such when it comes to Robbie.

I think it easier as he has 2 big sister who adore him and spend the hours when he awake they entertain him.

He moves from his bouncy chair and his play gym. Although how entertaining have 'baby' and 'diss' shouted at by a 21mth old who at best is a bit of a loon god only knows, but he seems to enjoy it judging by his big grins.

All i do is try to keep him a wake after 3pm so he is tired and ready for bed between 6/6.30pm.

kanga, my condolences on your sad, sad news.

Shock and awe ruling in the Corgi household today -- Rhys ate dinner at 8pm yesterday, went to bed at 10pm as usual, and didn't wake until 4am! Fed for a half hour, then back to sleep until 8am! Ate, chortled, was social, had a photo session and play time under his gym and then FELL ASLEEP ON HIS OWN under the gym at 9.30! Put him in his pram without him waking and went out running errands and having coffee with a girlfriend and he's still napping, two hours later (he has NEVER slept more than 30 minutes in the morning)!

Excuse all of the exclamation marks but I am very pleased!!!!!!!!

He obviously got my memo about the mandatory drastic improvement in behaviour at three months (tomorrow...).

No, seriously, I'm under no illusion that this will last, but what a lovely surprise it was.

As he's the only baby in the household, I have the luxury of spending a lot of time interacting with him daily -- perhaps too much, laweasel? It's true that I sometimes don't leave him to get on with his own playing, and break in on his gym time, for example. I was surprised, though, at his willingness to sit in his bouncy chair on the kitchen floor and watch me get supper as I chat with him (nothing like a running commentary on dicing veg...).

Re DP: He will also often spend time watching films on his laptop on the sofa with Rhys on his lap...and I confess to getting after him a bit for doing so, as that, to me, doesn't "count" as interactive time. I am a control freak, I know -- but I think DP has taken that to heart, and it's lovely to hear him talking with Rhys. He will often be the one to put him down at night, and I barged in on what is apparently their nighttime ritual: walking around and whispering, "Good night, mummy and daddy's bed, good night, squeaky floors, good night, big green picture, etc etc". Sweet!

corgi Have also pointed out to my Dh that sitting glued to Facebook while rocking Gabe with his foot is not quality time!

jolly swap you for mine! He actually moans to me that he never gets more than an hour's sleep before being woken (untrue) and that if I don't wake him directly (our agreement being if I need him I wake him), he reckons I subconsciously make the children cry longer than necessary to make sure he wakes up! I did point out he's horrible when he's woken early and I really prefer him to sleep but hey, apparently he knows me better than I do!

Excuse the grrrrr here, I did only get 3 hours sleep (cystitis) and was up at 6 with both kids, whereas he got drunk last night and fell asleep on the sofa at 3 am and I put him to bed 9he has work tonight). DH is currently upset with me because I told him that sometimes (much as I did when pregnant) I really do feel like I hate him for me having to be alone with 2 kids all the time and feeling so valueless and lonely. Typical man focused on the 'I hate you' bit and missed the rest so now I'm the bad guy .