Babies Born June 2007 #3

Hi ladies

Debbie great to hear that things are getting better for you. I know what you mean about BF not being your thing. I felt the same way. And dont worry, the guilt will pass - you've given Aiden a great start by breast feeding him for as long as you did. He's happy and thriving and thats all that you could ask for!

Tanz I cant really help you with Ava's temper as Mikayla is for the most part a very calm baby. She's been sleeping in her own cot for 3 days now. The first night DH had to sit with her for 3 hours before she'd settle. The following night we'd put her in when she was sleepy and just sit there until she fell asleep. As of last night she's pretty much settling and putting herself to sleep. I know its only early days yet but for now she's being great. She cries when her dummy falls out but apart from that she "sleeps like a baby" so to speak :D I was told to allow 3-4 days of sleepless nights so just persist. Leave her in there and only go in to calm her down then walk out again. Eventually she'll get used to it. I've found that Mikayla is alot more settled in general since she's been sleeping in her cot too - she's alot happier when she's awake now! Good luck with it all xx

Sarah sorry to hear you've had a hard few days. Maybe it might be an idea to try to keep Lewis up at night if you can manage it. He might even be going through a growth spurt - they apparantly sleep less when they're growing. Hope its only temporary :hug:

We went to see the paed yesterday and Mikayla's put on 200grams :confetti: Although he said she was still about 500gr behind he was very happy that she's started to put on weight again. We have to go back in 2 months for another check and he said to start her on solids (farex) in 4-6 weeks as she isnt really keen on milk and doesnt drink a great deal of it. He said that he doesnt think its necessary to hold off till 6 months.

Take care & I'll catch up with you all later xx

Hi Ladies, sorry haven't been around much!

Charly and Starfish - hope your little ones are ok after their falls, what a nightmare for you! Debbie - glad to hear things are better for you and Aiden now you are FF. Everyone else - thanks for sharing your good/bad mummy moments, keep them coming!

We are going well, we've slept from say 10.30 to 6ish for a few nights now, so perhaps this is the start of sleeping through. Angus seems to want to feed less times per day now and is quicker too, and definitely growing, particularly in length. Some of those 000 suits are too short now! What a great excuse to go shopping yesterday........

I'm excited to say I finally go to go skiing this season for the first time since Angus was born!!!! Probably not such a big deal for most people, but as I can be skiing in 40 mins from my home and see the snow from my lounge every day, it's huge for me. Didn't last long as I was easily tired but I hadn't forgotten how to do it. My lovely husband looked after our son while I was out on the slopes and graciously sacrificed the opportunity to ski so that I could. What a top bloke!!!

I think we're starting to get the hang of Angus' sleep patterns. He tends to start getting grizzly in the afternoon and that's when he needs a little assistance to get to sleep, especially late arvo and early evening. When we can tell he needs to sleep (jerky arms, rubs eyes, looks tired), our current solution is to wrap him up tight, and pop him in the bassinet in his room with the radio on and light off. He usually cries (or what my husband calls 'sleep screams') for 5 mins or so and then goes off to sleep. But those 5 mins are terrible for me to hear, I just want to cuddle him. But if I do, then he doesn't go to sleep so I'm just making him even more tired and grumpy and not helping.

When I feel like a bad mummy: When Angus is 'sleep screaming' and i can't go in to comfort him as it just makes things worse. Makes me cry!

When I feel like a good mummy: When Angus smiles and laughs at me when I'm singing.

PS have put a photo of Angus in black and white in my photo gallery, can you check it out for me to see if it worked ok? If so, I'll whack some more in!

Feathertop - the photo worked. He is a cute bub! It must of been great for you to get back out skiing, i bet you felt quite 'normal' again.

Aiden is sleeping better in his cot now. Well, abit better. Aslong as he's asleep when i put him to bed at night, which he normally is as i put him down after a feed, then he is fine. When he wakes in the early hours, has a feed, and can then generally grizzle for abit before he goes back to sleep. I leave him to grizzle. I get up if it turns to major upset, but, generally, last about 5mins or so. Getting him to have a decent nap during the day is a battle. He is asleep now, he has an 7am ish feed, plays for about an hour or so, and then will sleep till 9ish, maybe 10. But, in the afternoons, he gets grumpy, and is difficult to get to sleep. But, i think i discoved yesterday that i have not been feeding him quite enough. He drank 190ml before going to bed last night!! All feeds i make him 120ml, plus formula, (the novalac is 30ml per scoop), and generally, he struggles to finish it. Only occasionally wants more. I have to try and pick the times to make him a bigger bottle. I dont want to give him a big bottle every time.

I am vaguely thinking of giving him farex at 3months. He is well and truely in 00 clothes. fills then out in lenght perfectly. Was going to hold of till 4months, but, might start a little earlier, perhaps just abit in the afternoons to help settle him, as that is when he is at his grumpiest.

Sarah - no tips for helping him sleep i'm afraid. Try the dream feeds, maybe its just a phase Lewis is going thru? The only thing i could think of is giving him a bigger feed when he wakes at 4.30, hopefully, being really full might make him sleepier?

Tina - congrats at Mikaylas weight gain. She will catch up soon enough. I am glad she has taken to the cot. Its a scary moment. They look sooo tiny in it.

Oh, and Feathertop - sleep screams.. i think that is the perfect word for it. Its what Aiden does, crys(eyes closed), and i put his dummy back in, and like magic, he is out like a light.

Its a pain he hates wrapping, cause he tends to still wake himself up during his lighter sleeps which is a pain.

Anyway, gotta go, hang out my nappies!

oh, forgot to ad, i updated his website a few days ago.

Great photos Debbie and Feathertop, they are such cute little men!

Funny you should say Aiden drank 190mls Debbie, Lewis has just done the same! I used to make bottles up to 150ml but he never finished them so I started doing 120mls during the day. However he just guzzled 120ml and then I made him up another 90 and he drank the lot! Maybe it is a growth spurt like you said Teepee. Last night I stretched him out to
7.50pm and he slept until 3am. He did start whinging at 2am but he didn't fully wake up. Anyway he wouldn't go back down until 4.30am and then woke at 6am, so I was really pleased. I will be trying to stretch him out again tonight:dance:.

Has anyone got a Baby Einstein DVD? I bought one yesterday and Lewis loves it! And it gives me 45 mins to do whatever I want as he is glued to the TV!

nope - dont have that, but, he does love Raggs. Actually, he loves anything on the tv. Bright lights. He particulary loves Raggs thou. When i was expressing, 11am was always a good time.

Aiden was grumpy, he feed at 6.30am, slept from 7.45 till about 8.30, feed again, then, i couldnt settle him, gave him another bottle, and chucked him into bed at 10am. He grizzled for about 15min, i stuck his dummy back in, and now, 2.5hours later, he is still out. He made a little noise about 11.10am, and i stuck his dummy in, and by god, I cant beleive it. I think he needs a bit of a bigger feed, so, i have got water in bottles, 3 with 120ml, and 3 with 150ml. Will give him the bigger one when he wakes and see how he goes after that.

Thats not a bad sleep last night Sarah, did you take the chance to get to bed early as well? thats one of the reasons why I dont put Aiden down till 9, (earlier if he wants to) cause i figure, no point him being asleep when i am awake. I want us to all sleep at the same time! When he gets older, will start getting him to go to bed earlier.

am I going crazy?
Jackson is definitely feeding less now - I counted out his feeds today and he only had 6 (down from about 8-9) and he is feeding for probably only about ten minutes maximum but seems to be taking huge gulps like he is really hungry - he's just gone down to sleep now at about 9pm and if its like the last 2 nights he'll sleep through until around 5-6am - when its more me waking him to relieve my poor sore boobs than him being that interested in feeding
I also bought some milk thickener today as a friend told me it might help with his vomiting - has anyone else used it, does it work??

I haven't got the baby einstein DVD but have got a great baby rock music CD that a friend from NZ got us - Jackson loves it - always has a huge smile when we put it on
hope everyone is OK - feathertop your pics of your little man are gorgeous
bring on the sunshine

Mel and Jackson

Mel your not crazy. :)
How are you feeding? B/F, FF or EBM?? The reason i ask is, if you are b/f, they get stronger at sucking, so, they are taking more in, but, less amount of time, iykwim? Well, apparently anyway..

Oh.. .just read your post properly.. B/Feeding, i think thats what you might find is happening. Also, if he has just had a growth spurt, you might also find that he will sleep more, and feed abit less as well. But, they are all different.

When Aiden is having a growth spurt, he will be awake alot more, and hungry alot more, then, after a couple of days, he will eat less, and sleep more for a few days.

I used to use thickener in my EBM before switching to fully FF. And, it did help with the vomiting.. mind you, i was also prescribed losec to give him. When he was fully bf, i tried to syringe feed him the thickener, but no luck.

You might like to try expressing at 5-6am in the morning, and leaving Jackson to sleep, and then, using that milk that you have expressed to give to him thickened. It will be abit of a pita, but, if for eg, you express off 100ml, split it into say 5lots of 20ml, and then, sprinkle a little thickener into it, and give it to him after a feed. Some people say before, but, i would hate for him to fill up on the thickened milk, and effect your supplies. YOu have to thicken each batch seperatly thou, as you need it. The Karicare thickener is 1 scoop per 100ml, so, perhaps, just 1/2 teaspoon or something might be ok for 20ml. I asked my GP about giving him thickened ebm, and what harm could i do if i gave the milk to thick - she said the only problem being he might not be able to suck it thru the bottle, so, just be a case of trial and error. It will get thicker in his stomach.

Hope that all helps...

ANd ditto with the sunshine... i know the rain is good for the farmers, and dams etc but, really, i want to get my washing dry!

Hi Girls,

Well it's all been very quiet in here....most unusual!

I'm feeling alot better this week as I have started dreamfeeding Lewis. He now sleeps from 7pm until 4am with a dreamfeed at 10.30pm. He will then have another hour or two afterwards until about 6/7am!:dance: I feel like a different woman! Last night was the 3rd night, so I hope this is it now and I"m not jinxing things by telling you all about it!

The next thing I want to conquer is the self settling as I think he may sleep longer in the day if he can put himself to sleep when he wakes up after 30 minutes. I'm going to try the patting thing rather than the leave to cry thing, as to be honest he doesn't actually cry when he can't sleep, he just whinges away!

The only thing is though, he will self settle if he has a dummy in, but that defeats the object as he can't put that back in himself when he wakes up, so I suppose I have to start trying to get him to sleep without it. Has anyone else done this?

We haven't heard from a few girls lately: Celsie, Naomi, PrincessMya MeegM and Mum2cheeky girl. Hope everyone is well and just enjoying motherhood!:)

Yeah the dummy is a fab thing if only we could secure it to their heads!! :cryinglaugh: I did find it far more unsettling for DD as I to would have to go back in to insert the 'plug' .... in the end, it was more frustrating for both of us I think so I would put it in once and then once she spat it out that was it. No more second chances! ;) Now she won't take it and prefers to suck on her hand instead :rolleyes:

DD is doing well over night now too :dance: with a feed at 7/7.30pm, another around 10pm and then the next isn't until 6.30am-ish the next morning!! :dance: I have had a couple of instances where she has down 'power poo' in the middle of the night or around 5am and by the time she is changed, (and everything else :rolleyes:) the little tyke is so awake that there would be no chance of putting her back to bed without a feed. But on the most part, if she does unsettle, it's either a quick pat, re-wrap and/or change and straight back to bed and within a couple of minutes, she resettles herself.

Bit nervous as tonight we are putting her in her cot for the first time overnight - she sleeps in it all day so that's great, just nervous mummy at not having her by my side overnight iykwim?? DD#1 was in her cot at 10wks so am a bit slower this time round (DD#2 will be 14wks on Thursday) - really savouring it iykwim?? :p Oh she is just growing up way too fast!!

Anyways, I hope those mummies that we haven't heard from in a while are doing well in their 'mummy-ness' like mumoflewis said.

Off to feed and then bundle the girls in the car to surprise my mum at her work with her grandbabies!

Mwa!!!

Hi Girls!

Sorry I haven't been around in such a long time. I have been on BB, but only posting now and then. I haven't read a word on anyone's post, but as soon as Caeleb is asleep, I will go back to the beginning and start reading. I've just been enjoying Caeleb so much now that he's that little bit older and can interact so well, I've haven't had much time for anything else. But, that's the way it's supposed to be, right! :D

Just a quick update. Caeleb is doing really well. He's a very happy and contented little boy. I just love him so much, it hurts!

He's having issues with his Daddy at the moment though. He won't let DH put him to sleep at night. He SCREAMS and SCREAMS till I finally can't take it anymore and take him from DH. Caeleb shuts up immediately and falls asleep and we don't hear another peep. DH is getting VERY frustrated and I can see that he feels hurt. I'm not sure why he's started doing this all of a sudden. Is anyone else having this problem? Any suggestions would be fantastic!

Well, I'll BBL once I've read your posts and caught up on everything that's going on with you lovley ladies and your gorgeous bubbas.

Celsie. xoxox

~ Part Two ~

OMG - That took me forever to read all those posts!!! You girls certainly have been busy. Thank you Charly and Sarah for thinking of me. DH is doing well. No sign of the cancer spreading. He's about to have another cat scan next month, so I'll let you know how it goes. His cholesterol however is SHOCKING! He's been put on medication because it went up to 8.1!!! It's so annoying, because we eat so well and are really active. He's just one of those people who's body doesn't do what it's supposed to.

AF - No that witch hasn't come here yet, but I'm getting aches and pains. Even more personal, how is everyone going with DTD? I've tried twice without a lot of success and it hurts where I tore and was cut! :( Poor DH! - I've said we'll do it again when Caeleb is two and we're TTC #2. LOL :lol:

Dream feeding - Well... that was fun, NOT! I tried one night, he ended up screaming and not settling and when he finally did, he woke every two hours, when he'll usually sleep for six... so I won't be doing that again. I don't have enough booby juice for two hourly feeds!!!

We've decided to do our bit for the environment and give Caeleb a 100% cloth bum. We bought a pack of Bum Genius MCN and I LOVE THEM! I'll never go back!!!

Soooo lovely to hear from you Celsie!! That's great to hear about your DH and thinking of you for the scan next month.

Re your little one screaming when DH tries to put him to sleep - we had the same thing with DD#1 and as horrid as it was, we persisted in DD having to be taught that both mummy AND daddy can put her to bed, mummy didn't have to do everything!! But, she was a little bit older. DH would tell me to leave the room and then just do the normal bedtime routine. Eventually she caught on that mummy wasn't the be all and end all. It's a tricky one because you don't want munchkin relying on you for absolutely everything and then getting all in a tizz when it doesn't happen for them. Does your DH have heaps of non bedtime interaction as well?? Ie focussed play time, one on one??? It might be worth making sure that your little one has alone time with his daddy to get used to not seeing you around but feeling safe and secure with his daddy......this eventually might translate into bubby feeling content with daddy doing bedtime with him as well. There might be a few tears as well as tantrums (imo, bubbies are not silly!! My DD#2 certainly knows how to throw a tanty!!! Picked up on that one real quick! :p) but it's what you are comfy to push through and go with in relation to how long and how much you let your little one cry when Daddy puts him to bed. again, imo only ;), a bit of crying doesn't hurt and it is a useful tool to help release energy that might've built up. Again, my opinion only as I am aware that not everyone shares the same thoughts, it's simply what DH & I have found has worked for us. HTH!!!

Re DTD - first time round it did take til approx 3 months for me to not feel pain but this time, just like riding a bike ;) LOL!!!!

Well, outing with both my DD's and my sister didn't go exactly according to plan :rolleyes: Mum was so happy to show off her granddaughters but then DD#2 decided that she was very tired and started to get upset and it just wasn't relaxing. By the time I got out the house, it felt like I had to turn around and come home after being out for what seemed like only 3 minutes!! I know it'll change so fast and suddenly I'll have another toddler running around in a blink of an eye....but oioioi!!! My brain hurts!! LOL!!! :D

Well time for milky moo bar mum to leave and feed. Chat soon!!!
Mwa!!

Celsie - good to hear from you. And glad all is going well.
I have had similar problems with Aiden & DH. And DH got quite upset, and said he would never do anything with him again, as Aiden didnt love him. Silly man. It does hurt i know. What i do is give them as much time together as possible, without me being there, as, when i am there, Aiden will still focus on me. I went to water aerobics last night and panicked the whole time, but, they where fine. I just re-assured DH that Aiden is just a baby, and while he loves his daddy, when Aiden is upset, he just wants his mummy. And not cause he loves me more, its just cause he knows me abit more. In a couple of months time, it will be all different. The important thing is to keep trying.
And he does. He will try, and Aiden will get upset, and he keeps trying, and then gives him to me. When DH does settle him, or they have good times together, i praise DH for being able to 'do it'. Last night, Aiden was grumpy, but, ended up falling asleep on DH chest. I thanked DH for being able to settle him, and put him to sleep for me.

DTD - is all fine. First time was 6weeks, and now, is ok. I still get abit tense, but, generally, its ok. Still get abit stingy sorta in places, but, like i said, mostly ok.

Sleeping - I guess I am using more self settling techniques now. Well, i guess thats what it is i am doing. At night, putting him to bed is easy as, during the day, can be a different story. But, i just chuck him in the cot, and turn his music on, rub his tum for abit, and walk out. Mostly, he will grizzle for abit, and then, go to sleep, other times, he will get slighty hysterical, so, i go back in, chuck his dummy back in, rub his tummy for abit more, and while i am doing that, he will start 'fighting it' and then, when he has calmed down, walk out again. Generally works. You can so tell when they want/need to go to sleep, and when they dont.
Monday night, he slept thru - 9pm till 6am. Last night, 9pm till 5am, but, he had his last feed at 8, whereas he normally has his last feed at 9, so technically, still did 9 hours!. So, pretty happy with that. I wonder how long it will last for!

Anyway - i better go, has taken me ages to get this far in between feeds etc!

Catch up with you all later.

Afternoon girls!

Charly - I will try what both you and Debbie have suggested and make myself scarce. I asked DH to get Caeleb to sleep last night on his own and my boys FAILED miserably. Caeleb got himself into such a state that he started choking and not just a little bit either. But, we will continue to try and try. *sigh*

Debbie - Well done with getting Aiden to have a 9 hour sleep. That's amazing! We're just starting to get that we don't have to feed Caeleb every time he wakes in the night, that we can just pop his dummy back in and he'll go back to sleep for another two or three hours. Why didn't we realise this sooner?!? LOL

I went to the doctor today, because I've been getting really bad migraine headaches and dizzy spells. He's put it down to stress. My parents are living with us while they build and they're starting to drive me a little crazy. So, I've been told to go get a massage and have a mini break with just DH and Caeleb. Sounds like HEAVEN to me.

We've got Australian Scholarships Group coming out to see us in a couple weeks. I've been told that they're the best. Is anyone else considering this?

I'm just sitting here typing up Caeleb's christening invitations. I really need to find him an outfit, but all the ones I've seen look dodgy. Anyone else having their little ones christened?

Celsie. xoxox

I am but having the same problem - what do I put him in?!?!?!?

I have mostly been lurking but following all your progress :)

Hi guys! Celsie - nice to hear from you and hear that your husband is going ok (except for that cholesterol!!!).

Angus is doing really well, and is a lovely little boy. He's generally very relaxed and sociable, and loves sitting up on our laps and conversing in baby noises, particularly laughing at us when we sing. He still vomits frequently but isn't worried by it, so neither are we. I was so impressed with him yesterday by the way. We went out to a function about an hours drive away, starting at around 6pm. He'd hardly slept all day so I wasn't sure how he'd be. But he was sociable and interactive and very alert the whole time, what a good boy! When we got home (about 8.30) I fed him (he'd gone from 4pm) and we put him to bed, then I dream fed him at 10.30. And he slept until 7.45!!!! He was so tired, poor little bundle, but did so well and wasn't cross or grizzly at all, I was amazed!!

Am still recovering from the c section too - I tried again to do some abs exercises (very gentle ones) but ended up irritating my uterus for the whole day for the second time (the first time I actually busted an internal stitch). So I guess my recovery will be a bit slower than I had hoped abs wise. Oh well.

Re husbands settling babies - haven't experienced a problem so can't advise help, but I'm lucky as my husband is very involved and we generally have a tag team approach to key things. So, we always do the bath together and take it in turns to do various bits, he always changes him first thing in the morning before I feed him, and often does it at night too. When Angus is grizzly he's usually the one who'll wrap him up and get him to go to sleep. Lucky me I think!!!

Anyway, time to go, hope all are doing well.

Celsie - was having a think re: your DH settling your little one...............when we put DD down for a nap, in the beginning, I'd only let her cry so long before I'd go in, do all checks, have a quick cuddle and then I'd put her straight back down. She'd cry some more but over time, now we put her down and she may or may not cry at all. If she does, it's only for a couple of minutes. (but she can hit the roof but as quickly as she gets there, she comes down again :D)

I was wondering whether it'd be worth doing a similar thing with Caeleb when he is going nuts when your DH is trying to settle him. For example, after 10mins (or less or more, whatever you are comfy with) go in, give Caeleb a quick snuggle and then when he's calmed, give him back to your DH awake. He might cry more and you may have to go back multiple times in the beginning, but maybe it might show Caeleb that 1) mummy hasn't left forever! She does come back! :p and 2) Daddy is actually lovely to be with, and he really is fab at bedtime too! ;) Maybe over time, all you might have to do is give a quick kiss and not take him from your DH......I guess it's kinda like weaning him from needing you to do everything.

I have NO IDEA if this would work or not :p but was just about to fall asleep last night and suddenly the thought popped into my head out of nowhere! :p so thought I'd share anyways!

Hope everyone is doing well though. Have a few concerns re: DD#2 atm, poos keep changing colour, just not to the yellow its supposed to be - might have the odd right coloured one and she has also decided to halve her feeding time and gag when I try and re-latch her. I guess she could be getting enough but from 25-30minute feeds to 15-20 all of sudden just feels weird. Having a check up on Friday so will see what the child and youth health lady has to say.

Take care! Mwa!!