Nov 09 and we're feeling fine, feeding, burping, not enough sleeping - that's us!

[BeckyBendyLegs]

Just thought I'd better create a new thread.

Raggie how about a trip to Burford?

Happy New Year everyone!

I just want to echo what lots of you have said about this groups of lovely ladies being such a fantastic source of support over this year. I know I wouldn't have got through my first pregnancy half as confidently without you lot so thank you all very, very much! Here's to a 2010 of happiness for us all.

We managed to do the deed here last night too - DH was on a promise and acting like a horny teenager all evening... ... reminded me of when we first met actually!

pav congrats on the christenings

laugs and sass Happy anniversaries!

tamlin - glad you had a lovely day with DH. It's amazing how restorative even a little bit of R&R is isn't it?

Just got Rosa to fall asleep in her moses by herself! She woke up after I put her there and cried for a bit but then soothed herself off! Long may it last and continue!

Did you know last night was a full moon? And not only that, but it was a blue moon, as there were 2 moons in december, won't happen again for another 350 years.

Would explain the mood in our house over the last couple of days for sure... but all is well now!

Sorry to not respond specifically to individual posts but will try to get some responses in!

Continuing to be part of the club for Babies Who Do not Sleep in Baskets. Or elsewhere other than mama, tbh! Am co-sleeping now, DH said the first night i properly co-slept, rather than slept with him on my chest that i looked more peaceful than i had for months when sleeping. I still try each night to put him in his basket, rock and shush but not having it!

Still feeding probably 2 hourly, with odd 3 hour stretch, although not too often, and quite a few hourly and continuous!!! He comfort feeds too, not sure when to stop that...

I expressed for first time yesterday, managed 60ml from one and only 40 from other, bit disappointing, was hoping for more, but still better than with dd. Will see how it goes offering, am a bit nervous in case he does not drink it and i waste all that effort!!!

Anyone else with toddlers struggling with patience? DD has stopped doing what she is asked and just will not leave Reuben alone, not for 1 second, not even when we are right there. She continually wakes him, not out of spite but because she wants to cuddle him, or hold him, or look at him, and it is hard to get any day sleep as she wakes us both up. I know she does not mean it, but coupled with her ignoring us in other areas its hard to deal with. How do you all cope?

Happy new year to all. I've given ben a resolution, to give us a smile before the enf of jan

sass 500g for a week and a half sounds pretty good to me. That's 17oz, ben has managed 11oz in a week and everyone was over the moon at that so well done - i think you can be assured that breastfeeding is working

I has the most tiring day feeding yesterday. I hope it was a growth spurt and not a new pattern because it was continuous. I couldn't even express because the biggest gap in the day was 1.5hrs so DH gave him what was sopposed to be a top up of formula before we put him down for the night and he had 175ml! nearly twice what he's ever taken before

I didn't know it was a blue moon last night. Once in a blue moon, eh? Oh Toby awake! Better go...

Happy New Year lovely ladies!

I have the same issues as you Pav We have 2 hourly feeding most nights, with the odd 3 hr stretch. He starts off sleep in his hammock and will end up in bed with me in the early hours. I've tried putting him upstairs in his hammock during the day and he won't settle. He loves his swing and sleeps in that during the day or on me. I've thought of working on a better routine but he just wants to sleep most of the day and gets very upset if he's awake for too long. I'm not going to stress over anything. He had his first set of injections a few days ago which have upset him, so any routine would have gone out the window. I remember DS settling into a routine very easily when he wanted 2 long naps during the day. Hoping DS2 does the same . I also have the trouble with DS1 not listening and being over affectionate with the baby. He misses my full attention and it must be very hard on the younger ones to deal with all the change, this is what I have to remind myself of often! But things have got better with his behaviour so I'm hoping this phase will ease off shortly. I don't cope that well with DS1 when I haven't slept! He has a box of puzzles that he does on his own of with me and books that I leave out each day, so I ensure we have some time together doing stuff when possible. My saving grace is pre-school and that helps loads!

Sass Ioan's been putting on about 10lb a week and that's considered good. Didn't realise what 500g was - am in old money this end!
Fairybex how old is your lo now? We've had a growth spurt for the last good few days, maybe even a week now. Today seems to have broken the back of it though.
Fruit hang in there his jabs may well have thrown him out of sorts. If you do start to lose the will though, try extending any day time awake periods by 10 mins or so though and then it will spill over to night time (hopefully!)
I have a very affectionate DS1 too, lots of loving pats (heavy handed though!) and cuddles. Trying to keep a balance between saying to be careful and not putting him off! Figure DS2 is pretty hard wearing and he's not screamed in pain yet!

Well last night we managed 5am and then 8am, with just one dummy and shushing session at 6am. Think had I changed his bum at 5 then he might have missed that, so tonight going to put a nappy by the side of the bed and do a quick change. DH was also in the spare room again so I got a good stretch of sleep - hooray!!!!
Trying to get some sort of routine going here too, mainly as he's so much happier if I get him to have a long sleep after lunch. Tried him in his hammock yesterday and that seemed to work. Was hoping to avoid that though as did it with DS1 in his cot, and then the little blighter wouldn't sleep anywhere else leaving me either house bound or out with a fractious baby! Sigh, they never read the same books as we do do they!!!

Struggling today. Toby upset about something and not wanting to feed for some reason. He doesn't seem unwell (ie not congested, no temperature). He just screams. DH has gone to my mum's house to help her sort out her computer problems and I've got so used to having him around I'm wondering how I'm going to cope when he goes back to work. I wish I was better at this little baby stage but truth is I find it incredibly hard.

Scarlotti I had that problem with DS1. He would only sleep at home so I was housebound. I could get him to sleep in his pushchair but only if I walked and walked and walked for hours!!! I'm trying to get Toby used to sleeping in all sorts of places: sling, basket, carseat, pushchair but he has slept mostly at home in his basket or in the sling over Christmas so hoping he'll cope on the school runs sleeping in the pushchair again - starting on Tuesday.

It will be good to get these jabs out of the way with. I feel much more relaxed with baby no 2 with the sleeping and routine thing, I think its a case of having to when you have an older child to look after as well.

We have been getting smiles and silent (heavy breathing..) laughter for a while now, but got our first VERY vocal laugh this morning. It's made me so happy and I feel like I'm falling in love with him more and more each day.

Yep Scarlotti lots of heaving hands pats over hear from DS, but done in a loving way

We bought a breadmaker yesterday! Doesn't take much to please me I'll be in baking heaven later, if baby lets me!

scarlotti he's 6.5 weeks so is due a bit of a spurt and he's got lots to catch up anyway but the thought of him feeding like this for a week makes me shudder a bit - hats off to you for managing that

Does anyone else still have snow? It's just atarted coming down here again and we're taking him out in his buggy for his first 'walk' in the snow. V excited but i'm sure he'll sleep through it

ah, the walk will wait, he's feeding!

Farybex Same here with growth spurts, I think we've had 2 lots now, hard work isn't it?!! No snow here thankfully. Enjoy your walk!

Scar will try the 10 mins - good idea

BBL a trip in the car always works here if all else fails! His main sleep seems to be around 2 which helps as nursery pick up is at 2 so fits in.

fairybex sounds like spurt age to me. I was lucky in that the constant feeding stopped at 10pm so I got some sleep. In a way it was handy it happened over the holidays as I could just sit here during the day and feed. Am dreading the 12 week spurt as that will be during a normal week so I'll have nursery runs to do and dinners to make!

Am still taking the feeding week by week here for those reasons. I love doing it but if I think too much about growth spurts and the logistics I get stressed. Would love to think we'll make 6 months though, work permitting.
Today has been great, at least 3 hours between feeds, which means a good feed each time rather than the 5/10 min snacking we've been having for the last week. Might manage bathing the ds' tonight now as have window of time big enough!!

Just wondering if anyone has started periods again yet? For some reason I'm bleeding today... Doesn't seem quite right. Seeing doctor for 6 week check (though will be 8 weeks) on Monday.

Bryn seems to be feeding less, though maybe that's just because his spurt has finished..?

happy new year everyone, heres to a sleepfilled 2010!

dont have time to catch up on all the posts just wondering if anyone else has a coughing baby and when to be worried?! think she got it from DD1 who is constantly full of cold and cough and them coughs all over the baby; she is feeding ok and seems ok but its a nasty little cough and has thrown up a few times from coughing, has lasted a few days now, assume if take her to docs monday there isn't much they can do? she has her 6 week check up on tuesday so could wait till then maybe?

Mine started during last week. It feels so odd having a period after nearly a year off! Toby is seven weeks.

Scarlotti I think you are doing a fantastic job with feeding and running around after you other DCs and DH too. May the 3-hour feeds keep going! You seem so positive yet I know how hard it is with a small baby and other DCs - I seriously couldn't do this without DH being so good about doing bathtime, taking the DSs out of an afternoon so I can sleep, etc.

I type this with cute baby strapped to my chest. He smells so lovely.

I so love my little family! I have spent this afternoon with baby Reuben in his rocker making almost cooing noises (more like half winges, like he wants to moan i am not feeding him but can't be bothered!) and the very odd smile, and playing playdoh with DD, sat on a little pink stool at a little table. Reuben then needed feeding and I sat there making a 'strawberry cake' while he fed, then DD and I did a jigsaw together and the horrid unhappy tired child of the last few days has disappeared! She then became tired and that toddler from hell returned, but only briefly! I can see an end and when its like this it is great!

Helped I am sure by DH and Reuben letting me sleep from 6am-8:45am, then I fed him and we both dozed until midday. I had a shower, put on some makeup and felt human!

Reuben is a nightowl, he seems to be very awake at around 10pm, until about middnight or so (starts to get sleepy earlier but needs feeding for a while), sleeps for a couple of hours, then up in the night until 6am. I thought he was fussing, but I have finally realised it is me that is fussing as I want to be asleep. He is awake, and I am trying to get him to sleep and his fidgets and moves around and kicks, so tonight I will get up with him. He has slept all day, had a bit of time awake this evening, and is now asleep after a lovely bath which he loved.

erika are you exclusively bf'ing? I know that periods can return quickly if not exclusively bf'ing, although tbh they can probably return anytime anway. Mine stayed away until 7months last time. Bliss!

Well thanks ladies for 2009 - it was great having you at the end of a keypad to allay all those fears and food issues . I, too, was recovering from a mmc in Dec this time last year after a couple of chemical pregnancies and beginning a bit of a psychotic phase of ovulation sticks and paranoia about ever being able to carry to term ever again. And here we are... Isla is lying on my lap watching me type in an uncharacteristically quiet and engaged way. Wonder how long it will last?

Well that's the last time I eat any dairy. After Wednesday's pig out, Isla has been writhing in pain for the past 48 hours. It's so wearing - she can't stay asleep and so desperately wants to. If she's not screaming with sore gurgles, it's hiccups or tiredness or wind or reflux. She's been permanently attached to me during the day, but thankfully has continued her trend for full nights' sleep. Out of exhaustion probably. She hasn't slept more that 30 mins at a time today, and probably only 2 stretches that long. And I haven't seen her calm or smiling in that time either

Periods? Sex? I'm still waiting for this infernal bleeding to stop! Isla is 6 weeks tomorrow.

Self soothing for naps? Not a chance. Isla needs to be stoned on milk before she'll stay down for long...

Routine? eh?
I THINK I'm looking forward to next week, but DH is back to work and he is at the end of his tether dealing with DD1 and general stuff around the house whilst I'm stuck to the sofa feeding/winding or jigging Isla about, so goodness knows how I'll deal with it alone. But DD1 starts pre-school, so I'm really hoping that a bit of routine might do us all good. She will be stimulated and tired out, with any luck, so may be easier to deal with. I'm with pav on the difficult sibling thing. DD1 doesn't pay Isla any attention, but soaks up 100% of DH's, and rarely in a positive way these days it seems. We've had snow on the ground here since the 17th Dec and only in the past couple of days had fresh stuff suitable for sledging/making igloos sine the weekend before Christmas. The rest of the time it's been so cold and treacherous that we haven't been outdoors with DD1. Stir crazy doesn't begin to describe it...

I'm dreading Wednesday though. I've got the nursery drop-off, a bus ride to next town for my 6 week check, followed 1.5 hours later by a post-natal physio appointment (which may involve internals - anyone had the joy? - I think it's for post-forceps issues), whilst MIL collects DD1. I've no idea what to do with Isla in that time - bring her with me or risk her screaming for hours with MIL? I've barely had the opportunity to express so have no idea if she'll take the bottle. Has anyone else left trying the bottle to this stage?

BBL ah thanks, sweet of you to say.
I feel quite capable today and am sure that's because I went back to bed for 2 hours this morning whilst DH had the boys downstairs.
Have since had a lovely day, went to the supermarket and the ds' were great. Took them then to the play place whilst DH watched the footie. DS1 played with some friends that were there and I read my book whilst DS2 slept
I even managed to bath them both this evening and DS1 was so good as his little brother was having a bath too.
Gave me a glimpse of the future when it's all a lot easier, bit like you pav, and I like what I've seen.

Erika no periods here, but quite a bit of discharge (sorry if tmi ) anyone else got that?

hobnob sorry to hear Isla is still suffering. Sounds like dairy is a no then? Can you cut it all out and then see how she goes? We had similar thing with DS1 over the holidays when the weather was dreadful, it definitely helps when you can get out and run them ragged.
I'd take Isla with you next Weds, I find it easier when I've Ioan with me and don't have to try and work out when he'll feed etc., plus he likes being out and about travelling as it seems to soothe him.

When do people tend to express? I haven't really bothered much up until now but have a night out on the 22nd and would like to stock up the freezer for then, and any other nights out that might come up.

Oh, hobnob, meant to say that nursery for DS1 makes all the difference with us. We even put him in for the 3 days between xmas and new years even though we were home. He enjoys seeing his friends, it gives structure to his day and gives plenty of stimulation. He is much better behaved on nursery days and much less climbing of the walls goes on.
Hope it proves the same for your DD next week.

Hi y'all

I've been a bit too stuck in the baby bubble to log on lately, but have just read the last couple of pages and gave a great sigh of relief and satisfaction! It's so great to know that we're still sharing all these experiences and information with each other. So helpful to know you are all out there coping with similar issues and ready to chat, joke and let off steam about everything under the sun.

I'm still in the bf group, and James ( now 7 wks old and who was 10lb 11oz when born) is gaining around 10oz a week. Which puts me firmly in the feeding-every-2 1/2-to-3hrs posse. Speaking of which, just about time for the 10.30pm top up, so off for now but I will be back.

Here's to fantasies of sleeping until we wake!

Thanks scarlotti, that's what I'm hoping for DD1.

We've just tried Isla with a bottle and, thank goodness, she is drinking from it. My old TT teats must be tiring though because the valve doesn't seem to be working so the teat gets sucked back into the bottle every so often

My physio appointment is to be about an hour long apparently so I can't imagine Isla sleeping all the way through it on current form so I'll have to employ MIL for that part at least. Now I know a top-up in the fridge is a workable option, I'm much happier about leaving her. Now to find some time to express between now and then!

Good to see you venus.

Now, do you think I'll manage to get Isla to sleep before her usual 2am tonight?

I am so rude. I definitely should have echoed what others have said about the support, and meant to .

You have all been a rock to me through my journey that has been a rollercoaster of a ride that is for sure. I think without you all with guidance, support and just allowing me to vent when I have been unable to cope i would have struggled much more than i did. So thank you all and lets hope we keep the support going in 2010 .

I have just watched casualty. I gave Reuben a bath (i am a slack mother, i only bath him once a week) and put him in a sleeping bag for the first time, put him in his bouncy chair and he has been asleep for the last 3 hours!!! the longest he has gone, probably at all so far! And DH said I should have been sleeping and how sad I chose Casualty, but I was not to know! He is normally his most awake at 10pm kicking and all!

And funnily he is just waking now I am in bed typing (but I knew he would be so i a,m prepared with laptop!). He is about to ask for food as i am leaking, seeing as he has been asleep for so long!...ok, he opened his eyes, looked around, farted long and loud, and dozed back off!!!

He has a little cough. It is horrid, it sounds like he is choking and he has just started to bring up some spit, guess its a cold? LOL i have just now picked him up, as he really did seem to choke, wiped his mouth and offered him some milk - he smiled at my nipple before he latched on!!

I think i will be up for a while now as it appears he will be habing his awake time now, seeing as he has missed it this evening, so if anyone is awake, i shall be here! I am so glad I slept this morning, i feel wide awake atm.

Pav I could not watch the last ten minutes of Casualty, had to change channel as it was so - please tell me it was all OK! (I don't think it was looking like it would be)

I want to sing the praises of gripe water, it seems to be a miracle cure for the tummy. Hedy seems really happy to take it as she seems to know it is going to make her feel all better!

Hobnob I had post natal physio last time as I had had bad SPD then broke coccyx during delivery. It just consisted of a bit of exercise and a bit of manipulation (external) - not painful or embarrassing. Until I had to have the coccyx 'manually reset' that is!

wook it broke my heart, i could not watch, but did watch it, and gave my boy a huge hug and woke him a little to watch him move . Sorry.

I also agree with the wonders of gripe water. Reuben has been mostly ok with tummy trouble but had a couple of days of discomfort, and after gripe water and the promised 'BUUUURP' it has settled him lovely. Unlike Hedy, he is not happy to take it, he looks at me like I am poisoning him! Then he spits it out with the artful spitting skill of a teenager!

You guys have really kept me sane during a rather crazy year! Thank you, every single one of you.