High-Need Baby Support Thread III

[TitaniaP]

Well as I'm awake I thought I'd start thread 3!

The high-need baby thread has been moved from breast & bottle feeding to sleep. In the early days of the thread I think feeding was a significant issue for many of the posters. I think those that post regularly on the thread would now agree that's it's mainly sleep that's the issue.

So if your baby fits the following criteria come and join us for wine, chocolate, coffee and matchsticks as we delight in our active, inquisitive, curious and restless babies or toddlers!

1. Feeds frequently daytime
2. Feeds frequently nighttime
3. Needs to be constantly held
4. Wont sleep alone
5. Hates the car seat/pram
6. Short naps

He's 10 months tomorrow Titania

Spanner my DS is 11 months on Tues and the last month has been hard, whingy, whiny clingy. The 46 week wonder week seems to last ages (from about 40-46 weeks) with the 10 month sleep regression it's a killer. Also we've had two bouts of D&V the second one nowhere near as bad as the first thankfully. I'm not sure if it's over yet but it's been a tough month. Hope your DH is better soon to help you deal with it.

Queen - sorry things are so crap for you. Have you tried explaining to your DH how you feel? We had a bit of a heart-to heart. Well I moaned and he listened. But it did help.

Hope you all get some sleep tonight!

Prime 'velcro baby' time spanner. DS is just the same but wants me all the time - won't even be comforted by DH if I need a wee or something (how cruel of me - ditching ds so I can have a pee!). DS is 10m on Wednesday.

However, in other news.... we finally have a tooth - just one though!

He slept! Not all night but better than he has been. Maybe there's something in saying it was his teeth!

Oh god, some one shoot me now.

Night.From.Hell. Worst we've ever had and that's saying something. Plus hubs got D+V last night and spent the night in the bathroom, and now I've got the 'D' part... Hoping it was just something we ate. But that, plus zero sleep... We're not functioning at all. Hoping DS doesn't get it if it's anything sinister :(

DS's sleep has gone to shit. He wouldn't stay down for longer than an hour and then wouldn't be put down from 3.30am so had to hold him (only in a certain manner, mind, or he'd scream and cry - and it was not a position that would've let me get any sleep) til he woke crying at 5.30am. I don't know what's gotten into him, he's so unsettled. Perhaps a tooth, no idea. But he's a few days off 10 months as well, so there must be something to it if all our bubs are not themselves...

Hope you all had better nights than us.

Hands up for the 10 month 'whatever' here too. Up Side Down. That's what it's been like here too. Ds more clingy and harder to settle, and we're back to co- sleeping from early in the night. Still, I'm trying to stay positive by cherishing the cuddles, looking at my dc1 (7), and thinking that I hardly ever get cuddles from him now, so it won't last forever.... Amazing though, work colleagues have even noticed a change in me, lack of sleep really does make a difference to energy levels and mood. Hoping for sleep fairy tonight, let's hope she visits us all.

Something odd is happening here... DS had a bottle just before 7, fell asleep nearly while drinkning and is still asleep now. That's not happened for ages! Mampig if this is the sleep fairy then I'll send her round to you shortly!

Sleep fairy has visited here too - DS has been soundo since 7pm. Weird.

She arrived here about an hour ago!. Thanks ladies

Where's she going next...

Ds is coughing... Sshhhhh!

She's visited us too! He often does this. Gets us right to the end of our tether and then has a good night. Went to sleep at 6pm and hasn't needed us once as of yet

But now I have 'jetlag' - we came up at 8.30pm, I slept for 2 hours and now I'm wide awake :( I blame crashing out for two hours this afternoon, but we sorely needed it after the night we had last night. He's only had one hour of daytime sleep today so was expecting more of the same. Here's hoping he'll catch up with it tonight.

Joyful So lucky we're currently in the spare room
Good night all x

Tonight began just like last night but went awry about 8 when ds woke up. However, he's in the sunniest mood, rolling around on the floor with dd2 and practising his backwards crawl/shuffle

Am wondering when he might get sleepy again as I'm guessing there's absolutely NO point trying to put him down again until he is.

Just to pass the time obv

Just checking in... will catch up properly later - been stupidly busy and DD is busy teething and learning how to walk... oh and clap, and starting to say part-words {Oh my Goodness!!!}

yay LWL exciting stuff learning to walk. dd is learning to crawl, is nearly there. no sleep fairy last night! dd also starting to show more separation anxiety. dh and me getting on better so thats a plus! thinking of u all

Great. Typed a long post and MN has eaten it. Short version then...

DS not so bad. Putting blanket over curtains seems to help with early ams.

DD2 worrying me sick. Got a thread in chat if you're interested here but I give you fair warning that you'll need time and a brew.

Why is it that there's never a time when things are all going ok?

Button, just read your post in chat and wanted to offer some very un-mumsnetty virtual hugs!
I have no words of wisdom I'm afraid but I really hope that you and DD2 manage to sort it out quickly.

DS has had a couple of unsettled night but I'm at my mums at the moment so she's taken him for me to give him breakfast, and I can go back to bed for a bit.

button i just read the thread. i am extremely sorry what you are going through as a parent - also virtual hugs from me too and hand holding. you are an amazing mum none of this is anything to do with you.

titania i hope you get some rest at your mums

Button- I totally feel for u!! I'm already conscious of what my nearly 6 year old eats! She's making comments about having a flat tummy and I've taken the batteries out of our scales as I've seen her weighing herself!! I've also seen her sucking in her tummy while looking in the mirror. I've always had a healthy outlook on food myself, but my sister would border on eating disorder, and I really worry about dd's future eating habits. She's also a snacker, and so far that's what I'm working on. I also try to just put on her plate a little that I know she will eat. I know we are at a totally different stage to you, but I'll also hold your hand.... I may need mine held in a few years time. It's such a worry at any age, but at 12, I can't imagine the distress! I really hope things improve over the next few weeks (hugs mama)

Thank you all esp Jan (you know what for).

I feel like I'm vascillating between thinking all is well, she's just being a bit silly and thinking she has a full blown ed. Part of that is that the more research I do the more things seem to add up. Little things that I've always thought of as just quirks of hers like cutting up food into teeny tiny mouthfuls and using her teeth to take them off her fork, things I've never seen as a problem are all there in front of me on various checklists. The problem is that once you begin looking you see bogeymen in every corner and it's damn scary. So then you deny there's a problem and tell yourself that she's always been/meant to be that weight.

All I really want to do is bury my head in the sand but I can't because whether she has got an ed or not, she needs me to be strong and in control. Being an adult really sucks sometimes.

Think I might be a bit quiet on here for a few days. Need to get some headspace. Thank you all so much for being lovely. Will be back soon.

Seems like I now have a high need pre-teen as well as baby eh?!