Hey girls – Im back!
I must say how excited I am to see so many new posts and a few new girls joining in since I’ve been away!! It can be a bit quiet in here.
This is gonna be a long post so grab a cuppa – I’ve been without a computer for over a week!!
Wow, sounds like none of us are really having a dream run here are we? LOL. But we just need to remember that our babies are still very young and as Hoody and I have said about 1,000,000 times, it does get better (Hoody – who we trying to convince, them or us?? LOL!)
As much as I’d like to say I had a great holiday, um – I can’t! Was pretty much the complete opposite of what a holiday should be! Was great spending time with my parents and DD had a ball but DS didn’t sleep very well and DD had a few sleeping issues too (just a different environment and didn’t want to go to sleep in a strange room) so it was pretty stressful for me trying to do it all on my own without DH there. Worst NYE of my life with two unsettled kids who wouldn’t go to sleep!!
Mum and dad were a big help but mainly helped out with DD while I spent most days trying to get DS to sleep!!
We had a few good days, had a day of shopping, went to the beach etc and his nights were pretty good but he just can’t work out how to resettle himself when he wakes up during a sleep and I feel like I’m doing everything I know how to do and it’s just not making any difference. I know I shouldn’t expect to see a huge improvement until around 12 weeks apparently when they are much more able to self settle, but it’s such hard work and most days I end up completely stressed out by the end of the day.
Generally his first sleep of the morning is very short, he wakes after 40 mins and generally I can’t settle him back down. After about 30 mins of trying I get him up until his feed (which is usually 20-30 mins later), feed him, leave him for 10 mins or so and then put him back to bed. So this totally blows the whole feed, play, sleep thingo but I just cannot get him to go back to sleep!
Sleeps for the rest of the day are a bit hit and miss, sometimes I can resettle him after he wakes 40 mins into his sleep, sometimes I can’t. I’m guaranteed one good sleep of 2-3 hours, usually in the middle of the day but the others are a bit yuck. I’ve averaged it out and he sleeps for about 5 hours total during the day and about 10 (still doing 4hrs, feed, 3hrs, feed, 3hrs) at night, which is about right for his age (15 hours in 24 at this stage apparently) but his day sleeps definitely need some improvement.
Our CHN is back on Tuesday so I’m going to see her to get a referral to Tresillian (sleep school). I think what I might be doing wrong is not allowing him to put himself to sleep because in the beginning that will mean him crying and I just can’t stand to let him cry when he is still so little so I go into him straight away. I can feel that I’m almost ready to let him have a bit of whinge so am working on that today before I go into him.
The heat has been killing us too, it is sooo humid over here. DS is never in much more than a singlet and nappy or just a nappy. He has a horrid heat rash over his face and under his neck where his double chin hangs! LOL!!
OK, will do a pathetic attempt at personals but apologise for anyone I miss…
Dragonbub – have been wondering how your day stay at Ngala went and matey, I am soooo thrilled that you’ve seen such a huge improvement in Caden!! Well done. We never saw a huge overnight improvement with DD, it was a gradual process that eventually worked, so I’m not expecting miracles with DS, but I’m confident that these same techniques will help us. I think I just need a refresher, I’ve kinda lost perspective now I think! Sounds like Caden was probably just overtired a lot of the time which is why he was grumpy? Luckily DS must be getting just enough sleep because when he is awake he is so happy, smiling and talking and very content.
Hoody – sorry Molly has been so unsettled for you! I hope she improves soon, it tends to wear you down after a while. I’m glad DD1 has settled down, she’s probably getting used to the new routine and Molly being around.
EJE – I hope your DS has settled a little (man, I'm starting to hate that word 'settled'...'unsettled'...'resettle'!!!). It is hard having them stuck to you all day and before you know it you are exhausted. Same thing happened here. I just got to the point at about 3 weeks where I knew I couldn’t do it anymore so I just put him in his cot in a darkened room and settled him in there by gently rocking him, waiting for him to get heavy in my arms then putting him down in his cot. He did cry but then I would settle him without picking him up by patting, stroking his face etc. We haven’t had a day since where he needs to be held to sleep etc but I’m not sure if that worked, if he improved with age, or if its because that’s when we started taking him to his chiro. Do you wrap him when you put him down? This works miracles for some babies who aren't wrapped. It sounds like your little boy is like mine and likes lots of cuddles and to feel secure, so this could really help if you're not already doing it.
Suse and Limeslice – I agree about the weight gain, I wouldn’t be worried about it. Every bub is different, my DD took forever to gain weight, was very lean and petite and was never above the 50th percentile for her age for weight. She is still very lean. I b’fed her exclusively till 6 months when she started solids (and this didn’t make any difference to her weight gain by the way, she was still slow to gain it) and she didn’t wean till 16months when I had my m/c and was very ill in hospital. So as long as your bub is happy, is gaining weight (no matter if it’s not what they ‘should’ be gaining) has plenty of wet nappies etc then don’t let anyone convince you they need formula. If you think that supply might be an issue, then try to express to increase it, but generally it’s supply and demand, you will make what your baby needs.
Can’t remember who it was that said they were moving bub into another room but we did the same thing because he is so noisy! Every little grunt, groan, fart, would wake me up and I don’t think DH’s snoring was doing wonders for DS either
Anyway, best be off. We’re approaching the 40 min mark for this sleep and no doubt he’ll wake up again. Sometimes I feel like I’m in resettling hell!!
***ETA: OMG, OMG, OMG - he's been asleep for nearly two hours and I haven't had to go in to him??!! I think he must have resettled himself!! Woohoo - clever little man. Not expecting too many repeat performances just yet though...
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