Babies Born February 2008 #5

**Jacki** · June 29th, 2008, 10:10 AM

Who showers with their bub.
DH bathes DS everynight in his baby bath which he is rapidly outgrowing but too little for the big bath. So I am wanting to start showering with him.
I will probably be the one in the shower with him and DH will be there to pass him in and out.
Do you just let the water run over them or use soap ? I assume they get a bit slippery and you run out of hands.
Tips please !!
Thanks ladies

**katkins** · June 29th, 2008, 10:23 AM

jackie, I use curash. U just have to hold them against ur body and be careful. There is a knack for showering them. U will find they enjoy it. My Dh LOVES showering our little man. I bath him, dh showers with him. Same with the girls. My advice is doing it bit by bit. So top of tummy, rinse, bottom of tummy and quick wash to privates, rinse, legs and feet, rinse, turn bubs over, top of back, rinse, bottom, rinse, legs, rinse and lastly, hair, rinse. I don't use soap etc on face, just gently wipe water on and off face. Use a washer if u like. I just use my hand. I often have to do him by myself. I get out, wrap him in a towel and put him on the bed, put a towel around myself then dry and dress bry then myself. It's not as hard as u think, as long as u r careful of course....
Hths. Hi to all. Been so busy lately. We've all been sick and with 3 kids under 4, it's hard to get time to post much. Better go. Have to wash my girls hair etc. Wanna get Kat's cut. I love it long (she can sit on it!) but it's painful for her and a struggle to get her to let me wash and brush etc. Just not worth it anymore and it's more and more prone to knots. I think cutting it is the only real option.
love and hugs to all!

**RoyaUK** · June 29th, 2008, 03:27 PM

Great to hear from you Kat! you sound very busy with 3 under 4 yrs!

Prama - yes, Malaysian airlines are the BEST! I just love their customer service and especially with dd1 who is nearly 2 yrs. They have an unwritten policy it seems of trying to leave a seat free if they're about that age so even though we didn't have a seat paid for her (just a bassinette), she got a seat on all 4 flights. They were great in bringing DD1 food whenever she was hungry (not just when adults ate) and helpful with bags, carrying children etc. As we were 2 adults and 2 children, they tried their hardest (and mostly succeeded) in giving us the whole row so we could spread out. They asked the other passengers to move! (they didn't mind though).

Jacki - we have showered too. One tip I tried before i became confident was putting an old sock (with the toes cut off) on my arm i.e. put your arm through it so bubs rests on the sock rather than slippery skin. This helped me give me confidence that bubs wasn't going to slip off my arm. I still use soap & shampoo in the shower and both girls love it.

**Esme** · June 29th, 2008, 07:00 PM

Hi girls,

Just a quick goodbye to all of you (for now)! Not sure when I will be able to log on next...) Will miss you girls! We will be leaving tomorrow morning 6.30 am so no time to log on before.

RoyaUK - Welcome back and thanks for your positive story! That helps me relax a little. We are flying Cathay Pacific (similar to Malaysian Airlines in service). Have to go now... Hope to be back on as soon as possible to let you know how we went!

**prama** · June 29th, 2008, 11:16 PM

welcome back kerrie!! sorry to hear you all have been sick

jacki - ive showered with poopy a few times but he's get wriggly now, so im just bathing in the bath.
but he enjoys the water on his body and i love the closeness of our bodies, it's so bonding. but i do it with dh in the bathroom just watching. im too scared to do it myself cos he gets slippery.

roya - so glad you had fantastic service. when we wre flying up, we sat near the window, with 3 seats, dh in the ailse, me in the middle and a lovely lady at the window. the crew did ask her if she didnt mind moving to another seat cos the bassinet would get in the way of her getting in and out. it really made a difference having the empty seat next to us.im flying back to syd on my own, and am hoping there'll be some really good crew. one of my oldest friends is a crew w MH, how lucky would it be tohave her on my flight back!

esme - all the best hun.. all will be good! have a safe and hassle free trip!
xoxox

**Sueby** · June 30th, 2008, 10:57 AM

Hi Girls.

have had another busy weekend with birthday parties and work. DD finally started rolling on Saturday from tummy to back and gets very excited when she does it its soo cute. She used to love tummy time but now that she is rolling she only lasts a few seconds and then gets grumpy. No sign of teeth here yet my boys didn't start getting theirs until after 6 months.

Katkins -- I here you on being busy. I seem to just be able to get basic things done everyday, it seems to just be non-stop. Breakfast clean up, whashing on, get them dressed, morning tea, shower for me, lunch clean up and on it goes. We have some great fun though and the boys love playing hide and seek and jumping on the trampoline.

Prama -- I am well thank you. I am glad it is school hols as DS1 is very tired and we won't have as much running around to do. That said I am taking the boys to the movies to see Kung Fu Panda tomorrow and on the weekend I am taking DS1 to see Disney on Ice!
Hope you are enjoying your time with your Mum.

Jacki -- I have showered with DD a few times it is a bit tricky because they are so slippery. Katkins has a great routine down. I find bathing her in the big bath easier, we have a plastic bath chair so she sits in that while we wash her and then she has a lie in the bath while we hold her. Most of the water comes out as she loves kicking lol.

Bun -- they are gorgeous at this age. DD is also very smiley and cheeky. She lasts for about 2hours awake now which is great it is easier to get out and do a few things in btw feeds and sleep.

Roya -- have you settled back in at home??

Carley & Ash -- hope you have a great time at the meet up. Let us know how you go.

Hi to everyone else.
It is only going to be 10C here today so I think I will just be trying to stay warm

BFN
Sue

**Jacki** · June 30th, 2008, 03:53 PM

Thanks for the showering tips girls - think we will give it a go tonight (or this week sometime).

Kerrie - great to hear from you, hope all is well and not too hectic.

Esme - Bon voyage - have a great trip.

Sue - 10 degrees - Bbbbrrrrrrrrr. Not to bad over in the West but the nights are getting pretty cold now. Down to 3 degrees tonight. I know what you mean about the 2 hour awake period being a blessing. I actually made it out to the shops to buys some clothes for DS - something I haven't been able to do for a while. I try and go out and get back for the next sleep which is pretty impossible in 1.5 hours.

What does everyone do regarding going out to shops etc - rather than someones house where you can get bubs to sleep. Do you tend not to go out as much and get home for next sleep or do you bubs happily fall asleep in their prams ????

**katkins** · June 30th, 2008, 04:03 PM

I tend to let bubs sleep in the pram if he is tired. I cover the front with a BIG THICK wrap/blankie and let the motion put him to sleep. By covering them u are blocking out the stimulation which can cause over tiredness later. I find it works well for me. If I get home and he's sleeping in the car, I take him out (yes that usually wakes him), wrap him, snuggle a min or two and put him back to bed. He settles again pretty quickly
Each to their own tho....

**Bun** · June 30th, 2008, 07:44 PM

Jacki - we shower with DD too, but generally only on the weekend when both of us are around so one can pass her in and take her out and dry her while the other finishes their own shower. It's much easier than running a bath every night but she can get very slippery! I have a bath seat for the bath which is fantastic, I don't need to support her at all, just sit next to her to make sure she doesn't slide out of it!

katkins - I do the same with DD and it works really well. That way I can still shop or whatever when I need to and not interrupt her sleeps, although I hate getting her in and out of the car when she is sleeping, but sometimes it has to be done! I hope you are all better now. It must be so hard to cope with 3 little kids when you are sick. I can barely manage one when we are both well!

prama & roya - thanks for the advice re feeding on the plane, hopefully I will manage it! I will bring a bottle of water too in case I need to try that. I am really looking forward to our trip but am quite scared of the flight - my girl can really scream when she wants to!

esme - have a great time!

Well, DD actually slept through til 3am this morning! That is quite an achievement for us. Of course as usual she didn't want to go back to sleep again after that and lay in her cot talking to herself for a while, but we eventually got her back to sleep so I am feeling a little more alive today!

Hi to everyone else,

Bun xx

**Jacki** · July 1st, 2008, 01:10 PM

Is anyone still wrapping bubs for both night and days sleeps ?
I am, DS seems to still love it. Sleeps so much better and the wrapping is a sleep cue.

**Sueby** · July 1st, 2008, 01:51 PM

Hi Jacki,

I still wrap DD but she has one arm out always the left one. I don't wrap her as tightly anymore so she usually gets her other arm out anyway. She sleeps in her sleeping bag and then has a muslin wrap over the top. I will stop wrapping soon its just a matter of doing it!lol

Have a good day

Sue

**Jacki** · July 1st, 2008, 05:05 PM

Sue - do you also put a blanket over DD or just the sleeping bag and wrap ?

**Sueby** · July 1st, 2008, 05:10 PM

Hi Jacki,

I have the sleeping bag, then the wrap and then sheet and blanket. Her cot is made up like a bed so I just put her in her wrap under the sheet and blanket. It is so cold here at night and I try to avoid having the central heating on all night!

Both sleeps today she has gone to sleep dressed and then wrapped in muslim wrap with sheet and blanket. When I get her up she has both arms out so I think she is nearly ready to not be wrapped.

Hope this helps
Sue

**jenjams** · July 1st, 2008, 08:25 PM

We put Amber in her sleeping bag then a flanelette sheet then a cot quilt.

**Sueby** · July 2nd, 2008, 11:27 AM

Hi Everyone,

That fabulous face cream I was telling you about for dribble rash, teething rash can be bought from David Hoskings Pharmacy Essendon. I re-ordered some today for DD and they have a website -- if you Google Hoskings Pharmacy all the info should be there. It was $20 for a 100g jar ( including postage ) -- I bought the 200g jar last time and didn't make a dent and now it is out of date!! It is the lavendar face cream
BBL DD is awake

Sue

**Bun** · July 3rd, 2008, 05:13 PM

Hi guys.

Jacki - I was wrapping DD then stopped and then just started again thinking that maybe she is getting cold at night and that is why she won't sleep. But then I phoned ngala (the sleep experts!) yest and they said not to, so now I am going to stop again!

ash - how are you going sweetie?

jen - I saw your video of Ameber in her JJ - so cute!!

esme - hope you are having a good time.

sueby & katkins - I have no idea how you guys cope! I find I am so busy and get nothing done with only one little one to look after! Good on you guys, you are doing a really good job.

Well, despite trying some rice cereal last night to see if that would help, DD is still not sleeping well. She loved the rice cereal and had a full feed afterwards before bed too, but still woke up at the usual midnight and then would not go back to sleep unless we let her sleep with us. I really don't want to start this habit, but there is no other way that we can get some sleep! DH doesn't seem to think it is a problem and any time I need a break and ask him to get up to her during the night and use expressed milk or to just give her to me to feed and then get her back to bed, he just lets her sleep on him and doesn't even try putting her down! I worry that we will never get over this.

I have phoned all the sleep helplines so many times and do everything they say, yet still, she won't sleep on her own at that time. Sometimes she will during the day and other times not and I have no idea what else to do. I am starting to get really depressed about it. I am always sleep deprived and feel like a really bad mother. I get impatient with her because I am trying so hard for no gain and I am so tired all the time and I just don't know what to do. It seems that every other baby is better by this age except her! It is really starting to get to me.

**RoyaUK** · July 4th, 2008, 01:34 PM

Hi Bun
you ARE doing a fantastic job. Food may not be the answer to her unsettled time. She is probably going through a big development period and perhaps she's telling you she needs some more closeness to you right now. It could be anything - oral development, some motor skill she's developing....I wouldn't worry about 'habits' forming.

Once she's over this little period, she will start sleeping better. Whilst she's going through this stage, can you wear her in a sling during the day? she may sleep in it and you can get about, go for a walk and feel free of trying to settle her all the time?

I found with DD1, 'habits' about sleep really only started to stick much much later - around 11 or 12 months. Up till then she was pretty maleable. she was in and out of our bed all the time but once she started being big enough to kick me all night long, we decided to keep her in the cot. Plus once you think they've mastered something (e.g. settling down themselves) they then go through a big developmental period and it all changes again.

I find especially with DD2 that i can really only give her a max of 20 mins to get her off to sleep as DD1 runs round the house. If she isn't off to sleep, then i stop trying and get on with the day and the next activity (e.g. lunch, washing etc). If we go out for a walk then she may just drop off herself. Otherwise, i may just put her in the sling and keep on with whatever we need to do.

Is this a possibility for you? or can you spend a day or so just snuggled in bed together and leave the housework? you may be able to get a bit more rest and she'll probably feel wonderful being close to you.

Keep your chin up. They're only babies for such a small period of time and this difficult time will pass quicker than you think.

**prama** · July 4th, 2008, 01:46 PM

quick one, about to head otu the door.

those bubs already rolling and on their tummy, do they move their legs as if wanting to crawl. is this a natural reflex or an attempt to crawl. poopy has been doing it. im not ready for him to crawl yet, nor is the house!

so sorry will do personals later.

bun - xoxoxxo lots of love.