Parenting after LTTTC #2

[onthefly]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to mess with you BG It's great that you've demanded support from those around you - it's very hard to do that.

FG - I know what you mean and it can be so true. I have to say that the health professionals I saw were all supportive and told us we were doing well, even when DS' weight gains were slow early on. Sometimes we have to demand support (like BG) or go find different people to help us (well, can't get different family I guess, but health professionals at least).

But you're right - you have a beautiful little baby, who's growing and thriving, who loves you and will one day be a wonderful adult!

Of course you're doing things right Kelly - the proof is in the pudding!

Awww, Noah sounds so cute! Solids are sooooo messy, hey?

[briggsy's girl]

small towns do make it hard to pick your care providers too - we had no choice on mchn, and thankfully, the regular mchn is lovely, but when she got sick and had a couple of months off, the fill in's were absolute cows - so i just got DD weighed and measured and said "ooh, she's upset, i best go feed her, see ya" - i wasn't listening to their crap! at one appt. DD was wearing an MCN and cos she'd been sitting in her capsule, she had a mark on her leg from it - i got told i was putting her in nappies that were too small and i needed to get her bigger nappies - she was two months old - those nappies still fit her comfortably at almost 6 months! grrrrr

[Megan]

Awww, Noah sounds so cute! Solids are sooooo messy, hey?

I am just happy the weather is warm so he can be stripped down when he eats now! If only i could take him outside and hose him down!

FG, We went and saw Michael Jackson at the movies. I love those sessions and try and get there every week if I can.
I have been pretty lucky with regards to negative comments. The only person who has made negative comments so far is MIL, but that's her nature. She's never one to point out the good in anything. The last time she did it, I told her if she had nothing good to say then dont say anything at all. (I was sleep deprived and she told me he was starving at 4 months old because he was only getting breastmilk, and she kept waving cheese in front of him like she was going to feed him) She's been fine since, but some people just need to be told to back off. I'm lucky in that I have a good friend who did everything I havent (ff, disposables, jarred food, cio) but she's supportive and always says what a great job we're doing. Sometimes you really need to hear that.

I have my hands full with a wriggly baby so better go...

[TaRhLi.]

Hi Everyone

I hope all you girls in the south east are o.k in this constant heat we are having. I've been stuck inside pretty much all week with the a/c on.

Anyway, really tired at the moment. We are going through a rough patch at the moment, Tara is only sleeping for about 30 minutes at a time and not in her bassinet, she wants to be held to sleep and she wants a feed every 2 hours as well. It is making it pretty hard as she is taking about an hour to feed, so not getting much time in between to do things apart from prepare the next batch of bottles for her.

Last night she had a feed at 1am and didn't go back to sleep at all and was awake til her 4am feed and then only slept for 3 hours after that feed. I would have thought she would be exhausted today. We have also decided to try her in her cot in her own room tonight and not in the bassinet in our room, we thought this might be better as she really thrashes her arms and legs around when she sleeps and we think she keeps waking herself up (that's when she does sleep) by hitting the sides of the bassinet. Poor DH is really shattered as he had to work last night and got home at 12.45am in time for her feed and then with her not sleeping he only managed about 4 hours last night. We have a queen bed in Tara's room (it is also our spare room) so if she is having another bad night tonight at least I can get some sleep in her room shile DH also catches up on sleep as well.

She will be 5 weeks on Monday, so was wondering if anyone else went through something similar around this time. I've been reading that they can be unsettled for a few days around 6 weeks due to a growth spurt, do you think she is going through it early???

[Lily Dust]

Thanks heaps for the warm welcome everyone!

Neptune- I know how you feel with the breastfeeding, we had so much trouble in the start I thought the gash in my nipple was so deep it was going to fall off! You do what is going to work for you, we did and now everything is great. DD did take a good 5 weeks to get it all worked out but now is great. I have been expressing out of my left only until we can get it all healed and feeding solely from the right. We may end up never going back to the left but hey if we're happy......you are so great for trying that hard in the first place! I agree though it would be nice to know that it isnt always this perfectly natural and easy thing to do, we had even attempted a breast crawl and DD just simply had no freakin idea at all! Lucky she isnt a kangaroo.

Janie71- I cant believe how much a little one develops in just a few short months! Your little one sounds to be so busy and she's just 7 mths old! It all sounds so beautiful.

Megan- What a great idea a mum and bub movie session! Haven't heard of anything like that before. Sounds like a nice way to spend a few hours.

Farmgirl- wow! My hat goes off to you a 6 hr trip solo- well done! I agree with people always pointing out the worst in what people do, very rarely do you get any praise or a pat on the back albeit even a little nod of acknowledgment! I cant even remember how many time is 6 weeks Ive been told how wrong I do most things, dont pick her up all the time, dont use powder, only feed her like this, blah blah blah....

Hi Marcellus, Briggsys girl , KellyD and anyone I have missed! Gotta go, have a hungry little girl.

[onthefly]

Yes Kelly, that's quite normal at that age! Just do whatever works best for your little one to survive it - it will get better...Do you have any family or friends who can help out during the day so you can grab some rest? A couple of hours here or there can make a real difference.

Sounds like you're tuning out the "blah blah" lily dust - good for you

I hosed A off the other day...

So true BG! I always forget how different it is in small towns and rural areas.

And us - A is grizzly and had a bad night last night. back to normal again maybe those teeth are finally making a move

Hi to everyone else

[TaRhLi.]

Thanks Marcellus, at least I'm not going crazy.

Unfortunately I don't really have any help close by. My parents live about 30 minutes away but they are elderly and can't really help much with the baby and all our friends are in Melbourne and we live 30 minutes west of Ballarat so it is pretty much just DH & me alone. DH wants me to try and leave her to cry herself back to sleep when she wakes, but it is so hard to hear her screaming knowing that if I sit with her and give her hugs she will go back to sleep. Here's hoping this faze doesn't last too long, but I'm scared as we are going out for lunch tomorrow with DH's brother & SIL and I'm dreading that she will be unsettled and scream the restaurant down..

[briggsy's girl]

cry it out/controlled crying won't work when they're that young hun - all it will do is stress you both out far too much - it's not worth it. yeah, it seems that your baby is demanding - but she is just a baby - and they do get heaps better i promise! E was very similar at that age - they are learning so much, and the world seems like a big scary place! don't let people tell you to leave her cry if you don't want to, don't let them tell you to not answer her. she can't say "mummy, can i please have a cuddle" all she can do is cry. they don't cry for no reason - even if that reason is just because they're feeling a bit scared. it's trying, but it gets easier - and when they're a bit older and the only cuddles you get are the ones they decide you're entitled to - and even those ones are half hearted "you're closer to something i want to get at" cuddles... it's worth it to have them now

ooh, at around 5-6weeks, your bubba is going to go through a wonder week - a huge developmental leap - there are a lot of behaviours that go with wonder weeks - including loss of appetite or slower feeding cos they just want the comfort of having the nipple/bottle there, sleep issues, clingyness... for your early wonder weeks, it will probably only last a few days - with later ones it can be a couple of weeks of regression on a lot of things. if you can get your hands on the book "the wonder weeks" (vanderijt and plooij) you will read about the weeks and you'll see them happening. it might also help for your DH to read so that he understands. my copy arrived when DD was coming up to her week 12 WW and i watched her going through things as i was reading about them - it's fairly accurate - and simple to read!

gotta go - bbl - DD has decided that watching daddy cook isn't cutting it!

[onthefly]

Oh yes, well said BG!
Your baby is just being a baby and when you cuddle her to soothe her you are just being a mummy .
Sorry to hear you're all alone - that is really tough!

As for going out with her - you might find she's quiet and happy when out, but then a screaming mess at home. At that age they can get really overwhelmed with new places & experiences and the stress builds up in them until they're somewhere they feel safe (ie, at home in mum's arms) and then they let it all out! Hope you have a nice lunch.