Babies Born ~ March 1st-15th 2010 #2

[lizh]

We've discovered our fist! she's been gazing at it for the last few days. It is very interesting

[Deedles]

Oh how I hate the cold and flu season. We are all stuck down with it at home here. DH is home with the flu and a total sook and both the boys have runny noses. I really hate using the sucky thing on Lennox so I get DH to do it.
I was really over the heat of summer but now that it is getting so cold I wish for the heat back!

So much has been going on in here. I hardly get a chance at the moment to get on here and post, though I do get a quick minute to have a little read to catch up whats going on.

I have noticed that Lennox is awake alot more now and he smiles and laughs. Such a beautiful sound!
I have just started putting him in the cot for his day sleeps to get him used to it. We would really love to actually use the cot for Lennox as we got it when I was first pregnant with Phoenix and didn't get the chance to use it and with Calin, he totally refused to ever sleep in it. So fingers crossed! I would really love him to like sleeping it and not in our bed for 2 years as Calin is still creeping into our bed 3 times a night. With a baby in the bed it is a little bit scary with a big boofy toddler kicking around.

We still haven't gotten his immunisations yet. Naughty mummy I am. He has just been a bit sick and didn't want him too feel even worse so we are going on Wed to get them done.

Lennox also loves to suck his hand, not quite his thumb but the side of it, I figure it is close enough and will work it out when he wants.

I have been trying out our new cloth nappies we got on the weekend and they seem to be going good so far, no leaking. Finding it hard now that it is getting so cold and things aren't drying on the line. We really need a dryer but they are just so expensive. Also wouldn't really be saving money or the environment if we used it to dry the nappies everyday. Oh well I will find a way.

Gotta bath the boys now as DH is passed out on the lounge!

[Jandals]

I'm back! Dinner, bath and bed done for kids for another night. And I've just finished chowing down a delicious chilli con carne I whipped up this afternoon. I added chorizo sausage and damn it was tasty I really need to stop loving food so much!

Deedles - hope you all get well quickly. I'm dreading the cold/flu season. So hard having sick littlies, and I saw on the news tonight they're preparing for a bumper flu season this year. Not sure how much is scare-mongering to get everyone to have the flu vaccine and how much is fact. But after the scare they had with the swine-flu vaccine and children I'm going to steer clear.

How many of you get the flu vaccine?

Toby loves sucking his fist too. Has got his thumb once or twice and not known what to do with it. Very cute. He still has a dummy sometimes although he's getting less and less interested in it which suits me.

My trip to the spa was great. Toby was fine with DH - although very excited to see me when I got home. Made my heart melt The massage was awesome and my feet are looking so much better after a good scrubbing.

Looks like I have more treats in store too . It's my 30th birthday next month and I've just discovered that DH has booked a huge and very flash house on Moreton Island for 2 nights for us and 8 of my closest friends! I'm so excited. It's going to be great to hang out with all my peeps and relax for the weekend. I had decided not to do anything as it was going to be too hard with the kids but this way the kids can come too and hopefully everyone will have a great time. Good ol' DH! Now I just need to get in training to be able to handle more than 1 drink I'm going to express so DH can feed Toby and I can have a couple of drinks but TBH I'm not sure how that will go! There are 2 other mums with babies Toby's age so we will be cheap drunks together I think (nudge nudge Stacey ). Included in the stay is a dolphin feeding experience for 6 people so I think I'll go with the bigger kids and maybe one other adult. It's so nice to have something to look forward to, and even better because I didn't have to organise it or worry about where we would get the money from to pay for it!

[LilsJula]

Jandals - Toby sounds just like Soph....the ultimate catnapper in the day. Yesterday she drove my crazy!!! Would not sleep at all unless on me and they were the 20-40min sleeps just like Toby! Some days she will go down for a while, which gives me a break. This morning I was trying to give DH directions over the phone and just put her in cot with mobile on and she put herself to sleep and slept for about 30-40mins...so at least that was something. Overnight she is like Toby too - wakes twice usually....but very restless in the early morning with wind...I wonder if the earlier feeds are big feeds and causes the wind. Oh, and what a brilliant b'day pressie!!!

I don't know what to do about the swine flu vac either...very confused. The problems were with the combined needle (flu and swine combined). They say the straight swine is safe but who knows years from now..but with DS at child care, hubby working in a school and me returning to a school later...we are very susceptible. I was thinking DH and I get it - not sure about toddler and not for Soph. It's a tricky one because if you do and there are problems with vac you never forgive yourself. If you don't and they get sick you never forgive yourself. What are others doing?

Shell - I think there are just unsettled days and nights due to wind, feeling a bit off, change in routine, developmental leaps etc. Soph was shocking Sunday night but slept well last night - up at 2.30 and then 5.45..not too bad.

QB - Glad Tobi sleeping better. When is sleep school and how did you get referred? Soph is driving me crazy and wondering whether I should go or just give her a little more time (she is only 12 weeks). Anyone been before?

Deedles - Hope you are all feeling a bit better today. I am thinking of trying the cot for day sleeps too (well in theory!!). I see that you mentioned Pheonix who you lost at 20 weeks. Our pregnancy histories have been so similar. I lost PJ at 19 weeks and 5 days in May 2007.

Soph's newest trick is blowing bubbles - she thinks she is so clever!! Too cute! Here's hoping she is more settled today as DH is away overnight on a school camp - so I want two happy kids please!!

[thrilled82]

Hi All,

WOW ... you guys have been chatty. Just caught up on three pages of posts!!

Just a quick catch up from our little part of the world -
Willow is sleeping through the night - has been for a whole week (she was 9 weeks when she had her first full night sleep). She goes down about 9pm and wakes around 6am. Woo Hoo for that!
We had a horror week last week, I feel in a heap and was a total mess.
We had Willow totally checked out by every medical professional we could find - the clinic sister, our GP and then our Paed (who saw Will in hospital).
She is fine.
All her screaming and crying, is, according to all the fellas in white coats "just her". There is nothing medically wrong with her, nothing causing her pain or discomfort that might expain the crying.
Although it hasn't stopped the crying, I feel 100% better for now knowing that I am not missing something simple, like an ear ache, that would be causing Willow grief.
In our Paed's words 'some dark and nasty babies cause their parents all sorts of grief for no apparent reason'. Was wonderful to hear a professional say that babies can have tempers and be really difficult - I've had so many people tell me not to say those things, as it's a cop out to say a baby this small has a temper/is bored/is grumpy. The Paed said hell yeah babies can just be grumpy. He also assured me that an unsettled baby does not indicate she will be a difficult toddler.
We are all coping a bit better this week.

Willow has graduated into sleeping bags as she was wriggling out of her wraps of a night.
I've just got some lovely flanette wraps, so am still using them for her day sleeps, but she's in the sleeping bag of a night.

Ok, well I'm going to run and make a cup of coffee while Miss W is asleep ... lovely to catch up with all of you ... I will try to drop in more regular.
Sorry for no personals ... too much to catch up on!

[Breesa]

Hi All

I was on here last week reading updates, but didnt get a chance to post. Anyway here we are!

Ciaran is constantly sucking on his fist these days (not fingers as much yet), so is constantly slobbering everywhere. Lovely
He is also a bit of a Boofa (QB) reaching 6kg by 2 months. He is now around 6.5 but thankfully has slowed alot in recent weeks as he was growing through clothes so fast and getting heavy! Will be 3 months on Monday, cant believe its that long already.... I thought of 3 months as such a milestone (before hand) but now it doesnt seem so much of a big deal. Anyway will see what the next week brings.

Ciaran is also getting extra chatty these days, he is real talker with his noises when playing alone in his bouncer, or with one of us. Maybe he got my talking genes
Not sleeping thru the night yet, (still feeding twice) but thats fine with me, all in good time. Co-sleeping makes it a minimal fuss for me to feed him at night.

Ive been getting alot more serious at the gym in recent weeks, and trying to cut back on the naughty food (havent worried about it to much until now) as im ready to shed my cellulite thighs. Ugh. So its off to the gym for lotsa cardio.. am even considering buying a Zumba DVD to do cardio/dance at home (as a dancer i love it as a form of exercise and its meant to burn fat really quick).

Also Im getting better at knowing his new patterns of needing sleep during the day, so that makes for smoother sailing and less grumbles.

And finally im getting my self sorted to begin my HypnoBirthing business in the next month.. scary and exciting at the same time.

Will try and pop on later with some personals.

[Cass72]

Gosh don't know where that reply went......

I think we are hitting another growth spurt. Robert's not going as long between night feeds. The last couple of nights he's started to have his last feed a bit earlier then waking again within 3 hours then another 2 hours after that. And each feed has been like it's his last - absolutely ravenous! Plus today he's been on the boob for most of it only stopping for a sleep.

He's also graduated from the bassinet attachment to the stroller attachment on the pram. He was happy to go for a walk to the shops yesterday and just check everything out. No grizzling - not even wandering up and down the aisles trying to remember what I put on my shopping list! I was a bit sad though beecause it means he's not a tiny baby anymore and is just growing up on me!

We have also discovered "the fist". It is constantly in his mouth and the front of his tops are always wet with drool. I think this is also from the bubbles he loves to blow. I swear sometimes the kid looks like he's rabid with all that foaming at the mouth! Today he held onto my hand and put it into his mouth for a chew.

How cute are the giggles?! On Friday he just pitched a fit of giggles for the first time with DH while they were playing. It was super cute. We've had a few semi-laughs up until then but nothing like that.

Is anyone else who is BF always hungry?? I haven't put on any weight (I should have!!!) but I can't stop eating. After dinner last night I had to have some more to eat. I ended up having some bread, then I made a banana pudding for dessert (with icecream), then I had some cereal (plus 2 biscuits and a couple of pieces of chocolate and a cup of tea). For breakfast I have a large bowl of oats, then within 1-2 hours I have a couple of pieces of toast with a cuppa before I start dreaming about lunch. And it's not a boredom thing either - I have full on grumbling in the stomach things happening!

Anyway, going to take Robert for a walk around the block to get some fresh air (and just in case the food suddenly decides to take up residence on my hips).

Sorry for the lack of personals. Will try better next time.

[Breesa]

Is anyone else who is BF always hungry?? I haven't put on any weight (I should have!!!) but I can't stop eating. After dinner last night I had to have some more to eat. I ended up having some bread, then I made a banana pudding for dessert (with icecream), then I had some cereal (plus 2 biscuits and a couple of pieces of chocolate and a cup of tea). For breakfast I have a large bowl of oats, then within 1-2 hours I have a couple of pieces of toast with a cuppa before I start dreaming about lunch. And it's not a boredom thing either - I have full on grumbling in the stomach things happening!

Yes Cass, im constantly hungry although more so later in the day (lunch onwards) as that seems to be the time i get to feed myself so my body has adjusted. I also have a BIG dinner serve with meat and vegies, then 30 min later am hungry again. Mental eh. Every morning and in the wee hours of the mornings my tummy is grumbling, but im often to lazy to get out of bed now... Thankfully I also haven't put any weight on, but haven't lost any more either - so much for Breast Feeding helping there!

Seems like most of the bubs have discovered their fists/fingers of late eh!

[Feijoa Mum]

uuggghhhh what a day!
Peppar had one of "those" days today. Man they suck dont they? I couldnt do anything and she just wouldnt sleep.
Oh except for the half an hour I gave her to DH while I escaped to the supermarket. Honestly she was out 2mins after I left and awake again 5 mins after I walked back in!
Oh well she is finally out the monk now and fingers crossed its for the night
She has found her fist too, she sucks on her thumb knuckle, as she hasnt quite found her thumb yet.
Havent had her weighed for a while but I think she has slowed a bit now.

Well sorry for lack of personals but I am off to bed. Not like you night owls I am lucky if I make it to 9.30pm these days. Cant blame Peppar either as she sleeps well but I can blame my iron levels and my 2yr old!

[Cass72]

Yes Cass, im constantly hungry although more so later in the day (lunch onwards) as that seems to be the time i get to feed myself so my body has adjusted. I also have a BIG dinner serve with meat and vegies, then 30 min later am hungry again. Mental eh. Every morning and in the wee hours of the mornings my tummy is grumbling, but im often to lazy to get out of bed now... Thankfully I also haven't put any weight on, but haven't lost any more either - so much for Breast Feeding helping there!

Seems like most of the bubs have discovered their fists/fingers of late eh!

I was just reading up online that the likely cause of my feeding frenzy is due to bubs having a growth spurt. Just natures way of ensuring that I get enough to feed him!

[Cass72]

uuggghhhh what a day!
Peppar had one of "those" days today. Man they suck dont they? I couldnt do anything and she just wouldnt sleep.

Sounds like you're wee one is having a growth spurt too!

[LilsJula]

Thrilled82 - Sorry to hear you had such a shocker of a week last week...but at least you know that Willow is aok. And what a brilliant girl sleeping through the night. My son was a crier...we were just saying the other day that Soph cries 98% less than he did. He cried when you changed his nappy, dressed him, dried him, moved him...anytime really and he had the arsneic (sp??) hour that lasted till 11pm (until he was about 5 months old). But he did sleep through from them from 8 weeks - I think all the crying had worn him out. He was a terrible comfort feeder too - it used to make me feel nauseated. Oh - and he never slept in the day either!!! Then it all just stopped by 6 months and he has been the most beautiful, easy going, kind and caring boy. So I understand (to a certain extent) and just can say that Willow will settle into this world and give you more happiness than you ever can imagine!!!

Bree - Ciaran has started drooling - so has Soph. I had forgotten that stage where they can't swallow yet and you have to change them multiple times a day as they sare saturated. Can't quite remember how long it went for...have to look it up...get the multiple outfits ready for each day - Soph has just started with the drenchings this week! I was thinking about Zumba too - anyone know if they sell it in the shops?

Cass - Thanks for information re growth spurts and breastfeeding and starvation!!! I am always hungry!!! Have you used kelly.com - it is a great breastfeeding information site. I used it with my son when I had a few issues - re refusal of left side etc. Great tips! Soph's sleeps were shorter last week - so must have been a growth spurt. V cute re Robert's fit of giggles. Soph had a laugh last night for the first time. DH and I were saying we wonder if she will ever laugh as she is a very serious little thing!!! DS was laughing up a storm - but then crying as well - perhaps Soph is more down the middle!!!

Stacey - Sorry to hear you had a shocker - that was me on Monday! It suxs. I had a much better day on Tuesday so heres hoping your day today is much more pleasant.

DH was at school camp last night - so first night at home with the two kids on my own. Soph was excellent and asleep by 7.30pm (miracle!!) but DS would not go to sleep...was waiting for Dad...didn't get it. He is usually asleep by 7pm and at 9pm I just gave in and took him to bed with me and we fell to sleep together in my bed. After Soph's 2.30am feed, she wouldn't settle - so from 3am to 7am we all slept together. Suffice to say my sleep wasn't the best - but at least we had no major dramas.

[Breesa]

I was thinking about Zumba too - anyone know if they sell it in the shops?

LJ - Ive looked online so dont think its in the shops. Seems expensive so Ive resorted to Ebay - there are some DVD's on there at almost half the price of the official companies site (although they offer 30day money back etc)

[LilsJula]

Bree - Good idea re Zumba

Just wanted to pop in to share that Soph self settled twice yesterday - for her 9am sleep and 11.30 sleep. I put her in the rocker sleepy and she sucked her pointer to sleep. She didn't do it for her afternoon sleeps but that was a miracle! She is just in the process of doing it now (8.30am sleep) - so fingers crossed!!!

Took me forever to get her down last night - she was windy I think. Then she woke at 11, 3, 5 and 7 and fed every time. Hungry girl...must be that growth spurt everyone is talking about. Here's hoping that the night time waking settles down and the self settling in improves!

[Cass72]

We are moving Robert into his own room on the weekend. DH is a really light sleeper and with all the noise that bubs makes at night he's not getting any sleep - I only wake up when Robert's ready for a feed, I can sleep through all his grunts and farts. I'm hoping too that because he'll be in another room he might self settle himself back to sleep if he wakes before he's due for a feed. I've noticed the last few nights that he hasn't actually been awake properly when I've fed him. I think I must be on auto pilot and just get up when he makes a noise and feed him when he would probably sleep through longer if left alone. Did that make sense? I got up a couple of times last night and gave in at 5 and relocated to the couch with him........

[Breesa]

Guess what, Ciaran found his finger yesterday (upgraded from thumb sucking). What a smartie bum my boy is!!

Also one for mummy - got a new gym program and smashed myself on weights and cardio today.. stinky, sweaty and will no doubt be sore tomorrow. Burn fat burn!

Question - anyone know where you can get earplugs for babies (or what else i can use?). Tissue paper didnt do the job...

[Breesa]

I've noticed the last few nights that he hasn't actually been awake properly when I've fed him. I think I must be on auto pilot and just get up when he makes a noise and feed him when he would probably sleep through longer if left alone. Did that make sense? I got up a couple of times last night and gave in at 5 and relocated to the couch with him........

Cass I often feed Ciaran when he is not fully awake - ive found leaving him till he wakes means he gets to the crying stage, and it doesnt get me anymore sleep. He just feeds, drops off again and we all go back to sleep for another 4hrs or so. Certainly didnt find waiting till he was fully awake made him go longer between feeds.

[Cass72]

Cass I often feed Ciaran when he is not fully awake - ive found leaving him till he wakes means he gets to the crying stage, and it doesnt get me anymore sleep. He just feeds, drops off again and we all go back to sleep for another 4hrs or so. Certainly didnt find waiting till he was fully awake made him go longer between feeds.

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I probably won't sleep at all with him in another room anyway. Oh and well done on the gym membership. DH is signing me up this week.