Babies Born April 1st - 15th 2008 #1

[BabyWrangler]

heeheee Mgm happy to come and wrangle, but if you aren't in victoria we have a problem

[Fire]

Hi all. I've read but am too tired to respond but just know that I think of you and have read how you're going. Things are absolute crud here, I had a nervous breakdown today which was pretty freaky. I'm totally sleep deprived though, it's pathological now and I'm not coping well with it at all anymore. So I haven't had much to say. It would just be the same complaint. He naps great, but at night, he wakes every hour and needs to be fed back to sleep. I get literally NO sleep. It isn't an exaggeration. I am going to remedy this shortly, as I have the NCSS on the way from ebay. The library copy has a waiting list.

So yeah, I'm a dysfunctional mess. DH is at work twice a week now, for four hours each time. I know, but it's so bad here that it's slow and steady back to real life again. I hope to try to settle Ci instead of feeding him back to sleep, so he can figure out how to settle himself the way he does in the daytime. We will be starting that in a few days, so I'm prepared for some shocking evenings where it takes even longer for him to get to sleep. I've also transitioned him from the fitball bouncing to the rocking chair and he really didn't like that transition at all. But I've had to rearrange things now that he is getting older to fit myself a little more.

Better go and get some sleep, this is his best sleep stretch - all three hours of it

[Nettie]

Janine... I think you'll find some things to help you in NCSS, but like you've already figured out - it's hard work in the beginning but it does work.

Wish you were closer so I could help you...

[bellelass]

Janine, I wish there was something I could do to help you. If you happen to think of anything let me know. I live in Brisbane southside.

We're fine. Nothing of much interest to report. Im working two or three days a week. Today DH had her and was broken of his bad habit of leaving her in the pram with no straps. He was pottering around with her outside when she started screaming and he turned and saw her face down on the concrete patio. She's fine though, he's still really upset. She's been growling lately, its really cute. Much cuter than the high pitched shrieking.

My milk supply is still pretty low from the flu, but its slowly building back up. I just got a new sewing machine- very pleased. Now if Lila would just let me have some sewing time....

[Fire]

Thanks Steph and Toni. Things are actually much better. Hoping for it to be long term and not just a fluke. But we've made some changes and it's working out. He likes the chair settles now, I think they're like a goldfish, short term memory and he doesn't remember the fitball. So that's a huge relief, no more bouncing! I am putting him in the cot awake at night and resettling instead of feeding unless it's been over two hours. We pick him up if he cries and resettle in the chair, otherwise he is settled in the cot. He cosleeps with me now after his second feed, which has been between 1 and 3.30am. This is what it looks like now, for a couple of days:

6.30 - feed
6.45 - stories on the big bed (DD joins in)
7.00 - bedtime (rocking chair to sleepy, into cot)
10.00 - wake, feed
12.30 - wake, DH resettles
2.30 - wake, resettled self!
3.30 - wake, feed, into bed with mama
4.30 - wake, I turned him onto tummy, sleep
5.30 - wake, feed, fitful sleep
6.30 - wake, snack feeds until up at 7am

So, that's much better. I can live with that. I could do that until he is a year old, but I think he's only going to start stretching his sleeps even further now.

He is teething, btw. Big time.

I'm losing masses of hair, to go back to a previous discussion. Yup. It happened with DD too but much sooner. I haven't got AF either, but I don't think I'll get that until he isn't feeding as frequently. I'm hoping to not have it for this whole year, but at least I'll get my sex drive back if I do get it - maybe?

Steph, that must have been pretty bloody scary what happened with Lila and the pram! Dh is putting our little swing chair on ebay now because DS is leaning forward in it, even with the straps on. It's an awkward age, not quite sitting, not quite happily floor laying. It's hard to keep him entertained I'm finding. He has rolled over though, but won't do it again. I can't wait until he is crawling, so I can just put him down and he'll go for his life. Instead of squirming and whining on me cos he can't do anything.

Have your babes changed their routines yet? Ci has been dropping his morning little kip for a couple of weeks, another awkward transition where he was too tired to go to 9am but too awake to sleep at 8am. (I have to take dd to school at 8.30) But now he goes to 9am from his wake time but yesterday cat napped and was up again at 10 until 12.30. I'm hoping that he'll last this morning until 11.00 and then it will resemble his next six months routine, with the next nap at about 1pm. Is that what yours are doing, something like that yet?

Anyway, better run. Got my assignment to do while I have a minute.

[BabyWrangler]

Routine wise Bj has been set in stone for a while (other than bringing his bedtime forward by an hour)
Wake between 7 and 8 (bottle)
Cereal at about 8:15
Bed (rest of bottle) 9
up between 11 and 12 (bottle)
plays
Bed (bottle first) 1:30pm
Wake between 4 and 4:30 (bottle)
Cereal (now sweet potato) 5-5:15ish
5:30 Bath
6pm into room (bottle)
in bed and asleep by 6:30

Some nights he goes right through, others he may wake before midnight for a feed, some its 3am.

[Butterfly_Princess]

Hey girls!
Steph something similar happened with me yesterday, I put isabell in her rocker infront of the tele so i could go for a shower, i had strapped her in. When i got out the shower i walked past to go to the kitchen, and i saw no baby in the rocker! I panicked that some one had stolen her, only to find her laying on the floor behind the rocker. Im guessing she somehow got her foot out from its supposed area, and put it with her other leg, and then slid down and fell on the floor?? And then some how shuffled herself from the front of the rocker to the back of the rocker?? Either that or Bens playing tricks one me, which i doubt. She wasnt crying, and hadnt cried, so she didnt hurt herself *Thank gawd* but i felt so guilty!! Its so horrible isnt it. Oh well, plenty more to come!!
The only way i can get isabell asleep now is if i give her a bottle in the cot. Which works out ok for me, coz she actually sleeps. When its dark though i can wrap her and feed her, then put her in her cot and she will go to sleep, usually. I know its probably a bad habbit to get her into, but its the only thing that is working for me atm. Id be in a padded cell otherwise.
Although the past 3 nights at about 6pm she has cried and been really clingy til about 8pm when i am able to settle her and get her to sleep...either arsenic hour, or teething maybe?? In this period when she is crying i can have her on my lap and she will bundle my jumper sleeve in her tiny lil hands, and will chew on it, but get frustrated in the process and kinda rub it on her mouth as if to try and get it all in her mouth or something?? SO maybe the softness of the jumper isnt giving her the satisfaction of chewing on it..
Isabell has also started growling now lol, its so cute!! And giggling. She has been rolling, but she hasnt rolled for a few days now, she can roll back to tummy and tummy to back. And she shuffles on the floor when she is laying on her back.
Well i think thats all for now. I havent really caught up, but i promise ill visit this thread more often and keep up.

[Nettie]

Sorry - am MIA for now as I'm doing the Great Down Under Nappy Hunt! It's taking up a lot of my internet/computer time so I haven't had time to post...

All going well here. Liam sometimes only gets up for one night feed now which means DH & I debate over who's turn it is!

I go back to work on 15th Sept although I have a 2 day conference next week to start me off... DH is starting to get a bit nervous about being full-time carer but I know he'll be fine.

Will come back in when I get some time. Hope you're all well

[bellelass]

Janine- so glad to hear you're coping better, I hope that soon you can get some good sleep on a regular basis. Its so important to do so, I know I'm absolutely worthless and mean when I haven't had enough. We've been finding it kind of tricky to keep Lila occupied, too. Part of me protests that she needs to learn to entertain herself rather than being constantly stimulated from the outside, but another part of me laughs and says she's just a wee baby after all. That said, she seems pretty happy when I put her down on her play mat. Its got brightly colored giraffes on it and mirrors and crackly bits and rattly bits. She'll play there by herself for half an hour or so at a time in the mornings. Teething... How exciting. I don't see or feel it happening with Lila but she will chew on anything she can get into her mouth.. heh...

BW- that must be so nice that he goes to bed at such a decent hour. I wish Lila would do that, she goes down between nine and ten and up again anywhere from six to eight. Am trying for more consistency but is just not in the cards. I've resigned myself to just accepting that when she's asleep she's asleep and when she's awake, she's awake...

Meg- I LOVE the growling, its so cute. hehe. We've had rolling and creeping around, too. She crams cloth in her mouth too, her favorite seems to be a towelling burp rag. I guess cause its thick and has a rough texture. The other thing is we give her sticks of carrot to gnaw on. I don't think she's teething as such and she's not really on solids either but she enjoys the gnawing stick. I doubt she makes any connection that its food...

We're going to the ILs farm this weekend, that should be fun. SIL and her husband and baby will be there too. Baby is 10 weeks younger than Lila, she's still all floppy which freaks me out when I'm holding her. Doesn't sleep through the night yet either so MIL and I have volunteered to get up with her and let SIL sleep. If SIL can't express enough milk for the night feeds (has trouble with it) I offered to feed her myself since I've got milk on tap and all. We'll see. What do you mummies think of that- sharing the breastfeeding? I'm of the opinion that if a baby is hungry and someone has the means to feed her then so much the better but I know other people feel waaay differently.

[bellelass]

Toni- my DH was so scared about me going to work and him being the carer that it sort of caused a spate of anxiety attacks and I had to postpone working. i left him alone with her for an afternoon before I started working, with plenty of backup (calling me, the neighbor lady next door, etc) and contingency plans, and wouldn't you know they were just fine. Now he's got heaps of confidence and is just fine with her. Its like we know they'll be fine but they need to build up the confidence or something. Anyway hope it goes well for them.

[Butterfly_Princess]

I offered to feed her myself since I've got milk on tap and all.

I think that if she is fine with it, and your fine with it, then thats all that matters and go for gold I think its a nice thing that you are offering to get up to your niece for your SIL. Id kill for that sort of offer way back in the beginning. Of course now Isabell sleeps right through, so atm id kill for a sleep in!!! Good on you hun!

[Nettie]

Steph - I think my DH has had a few moments like that, but he's been proactive and we've had a few trial runs to build up his confidence. I know he'll be fine and now he's starting to think he will be too...

And I agree with Meg - breastfeeding is a beautiful thing and if you can share it with another mother, why not? Go for it. She's lucky to have you!

[Fire]

Wow Steph, you should be bottled! It's funny how people will scoff at sharing different human's milk but not as different species milk. Go forth, I say.

A reality check for my DH - how many of you have full time partners at home? Or even if they only work part time? And how many "house-husbands" where the female works? My DH got ****y recently cos I was complaining about some things and he reminded me how good I have it, most men don't take six months off work or cook and get up with the baby and do 50% of the work. I said in today's climate, they are actually doing that more often. I thought just on our thread I could illustrate that.

I have my plan all written out now, from the NCSS. I find the hardest part of it is after the second night wake. This happens at between 1.30 and 3am, and I'm so zonked, I don't even get out of bed, I just pull him into my bed and think, "I gotta put him back in after this feed, I gotta..." and then think, "Ahhh, bugger it." and leave him there. And this is not helping. It's just, he always needs settling when he goes back into his cot and if I manage to strike up enough gusto, I take SO long to fall back asleep that usually he's at his next wake when I do.

I have to test if his hourly wakings would still happen if he's in the cot, I think they would. But I'm not feeding him for every wake now, I wait for every second wake, which is two hours or more. This will help stretch his ability to go overnight with less milk.

I'm excited about solids. So excited in fact that I gave him a taste of banana. I won't do that again though cos his cheeks flushed, oops. Still an immature baby gut, and I should listen to the experts, silly girl.

[Beatrix]

well we have started solids...

I waited until she showed me she is ready, and she in the last 4 days has... she is opening her mouth when i am eating, trying to grab the spoon out of my hand and out it into her mouth. so i went with her and we are on day 3 of solids. we have cereal mixed with home made puree at around 5ish.

sleep wise... not sleeping through her at all. last night was the best night in ages.. slept 7-11pm feed then sleep from 12pm- 6am so not too bad and now she is off to sleep


Well being its Fathers Day I have to take the girls to see him...

Steph- thats a great view you have.. well done

[mgm]

hi all

beatrix glad you're going well with solids. i'm one of the conservative ones with that - won't be starting til at least 6 months. not in any hurry to get on to it, plus i still need to lose some weight from breastfeeding!!

fire sounds like your plan of stretching between-feeds is a good one - i'm going to try to do much the same thing. but that said, last night dd stayed in her cot (and didn't feed) from 11-4.30. i've been putting her in there for the first part of the night til i get to bed. she woke up a few times but miraculously got herself back to sleep . this is unheard-of and i'm sure it was a complete fluke but still... of course i still woke up constantly and had to check she was ok. i know exactly what you mean about re-settling when you're exhausted - then the pressure to get back to sleep because oh god you'll be woken again shortly... hey, what sort of assignment are you working on?

well father's day today so i've (reluctantly, grudgingly) allowed dh to sleep in. then i'm going to make him a special brunch. i have a really sore neck and back and am not very well so this will be a major effort!

will do more personals next time - but in the meantime, hope you all have a good day.

[Beatrix]

hehe remember Mj is the Nanna of the group!!! So is actually 5 1/2 mths (she was born in March)

[mgm]

i forgot that beatrix! my dd watches when i eat and appears to find it hilarious. luckily my constant snacking gives her constant entertainment!

now to go prepare that father's day breakfast...

[Butterfly_Princess]

A reality check for my DH - how many of you have full time partners at home? Or even if they only work part time? And how many "house-husbands" where the female works?

Fire, My partner works 1 week on, one week off. During both his week on and his week off he will do 99% of the house work. Thats his job, and my job is looking after Isabell, thats what he says im ok with that, but there have been times where i have gotten over it, and comaplained about not getting a sleep in, or not getting MY time when i want it and all the usual complaints of a mother (minus housework) and he always reminds me that im lucky that he does all the housework, most women out there have to do both looking after baby (or babies) AND housework..then i go ooh yeah that is true...but still i like my sleep ins and MY time...havent gotten any sleep ins, unless Isabell decides she wants a sleep in. Hmm, dunno if that answered your question in any way but still, my 5c worth

Ive started Isabell on solids too, id noticed if i was eating or drinking and she was on my lap she would make a grab for my arm and try and pull my arm so the food/drink is aiming for her mouth and not mine, cheeky monkey, and she was also watching us eat and 'chew' while we were chewing etc etc...So just on farex atm will be adding veggie purees soon to give it a bit of a nicer taste, when i give it to her she pulls a face similar to and chews verrrry slowly, like she is so unsure of the taste hehe its so cute...

Umm yeah i think thats about all i have to say for now...