Babies Born ~ November 2011

[Cranky Kitten]

Hi K&G - what Nikky said! We got to know each other while we were in the same belly buddies group, so please don't be shocked at some of the TMIs or let it put you off - we're nice people really

Can't say I'm much help with the sleeping troubles, Alex has days where he doesn't want to sleep much but for the most part he's pretty good. He is also BF and tends to wake 1-2 times a night, usually in 4-5 hour blocks of sleep. We'd probably feed a bit more often during the day though, he tends to have 2 feeds per awake cycle so works out to about every 1.5-2hrs or so. I find if he doesn't take the feed before his nap he tends to sleep for a shorter period (45mins to 1hr) and be quite hungry when he wakes up whereas if he has a feed before naptime he sleeps longer and isn't as grumpy when he wakes up. Are you demand feeding or feeding to a schedule?

Happy birthday girls - wow, our b'days are all within 2-3 weeks of each other

Oh and I've finally decided.....I'm not going to get my next depo shot. I figure it'll take a month or two to clear fully out of my system and for my cycles to come back to normal, plus well, there's not a lot of action at present anyway so I should be able to time it for when I'm not ovulating for a month or two. Then it'll be around about when we were going to TTC anyway, and besides if it doesn't work out that way and I fall pregnant straight away, the worst that'd happen is I have another summer baby instead of a winter baby

[Mollie89]

Happy Birthday Amanda!!!

Happy Birthday Nikky!!!

I hope you two have been spoilt by your hubbys!

Welcome K & G Ahh sleep, its such a wonderful thing and you dont realize how much you miss it til you have a little one and you are getting little sleep. During the day Miss A only does 40mins-1hr stints if I am lucky, but she is quite a happy baby, which makes the awake time more pleasant. She feeds every 3hrs during the day and then she does a big stint at night. Usually she has a dream feed at around 9-9:30pm and then will sleep til 4:30-5am. We co-sleep, so she is in bed with us at night, but we will be moving to the cot soon (hmmmm I wonder how I will cope lol) Its hard to say though sometimes Miss A can wake at like 3am... and sometimes she sleeps more in the day.. Who knows, she just likes keeping us on our toes!

Well ladies I am heading off for a couple of days, Aubree and I are going to Orange to see one of my besties! I am so freaking excited to be heading away, although we will probably miss Daddy alot, I need a little break from all the family stuff!

HAPPY HUMP DAY

[K&G]

Hi Molly, Amanda, and everyone else (still getting the hang of writing in a forum!).
Thanks for your welcomes It's def what i need - a chance to share this experience, bounce ideas off or just be reminded that some things are 'normal'! And don't worry re TMI - I think after being nude and having your legs up in the air with various people having a look and wandering around nude nothing seems like TMI!
As for BF - I'm more or less demand feeding but had been caught in a bad cycle after he'd had a cold and he'd begun 'snacking' (and then catnapping for like 20mins) so stretched him out to around 3hrs between feeds which he's actually much more happy with (eg doesnt get as frustrated when feeding and is more content the rest of the time). Having said that - my little man does get quite frustrated. Mum can never seem to get the boob out quickly enough and sometimes during a feed he wants to swap sides a few times (wants the quicker flow possibly?) He is quite vocal when he's frustrated. i've tried preempting when he might be hungry but he just gets frustrated that I'm offering soemthing he isn't ready for!
He's also becoming quite frustrated during playtime when he wants to reach a toy and can't or wants to move (roll etc) and can't quite. Quite cute to watch on one hand but he can get quite worked up! Do you guys play with your bubs the whole time they're up? How long would you leave them 'alone' to play? And how long do your bubs last up between naps? Sorry for all the questions and feel free to pass on them if you can't be bothered repeating yourself!
I have a feeling the sleep/waking may be due to the dummy. It's been a lifesaver in a lot of ways but also seems to mean he'll wake looking for it. I've put him down without it this morning and after a bit of n grizzling he fell asleep - be interesting to see what happens when he wakes after 45mins.. I try to re-settle him for another cycle if I can (he rarely manages this during the day).
My little man is VERY active and talkative (well vocal) and smiles/giggles a lot - the flipside is that I think he gets quite worked up when tired/frustrated etc. Being a mum is incredible and I feel pretty lucky to be one to my little man.
Oh and a question for the mother's who might have two kids - does this podge of jellybelly ever go away??!! I mean just the extra blubber layer that sits kinda lower on your belly. Don't get me wrong - I'm not body crazy - just curious if I'm going to have to adjust my wardrobe to accommodate my new friend!
Thanks heaps guys.

[Cranky Kitten]

Alex's playtime tends to vary between him playing on his mat with his toys while I'm pottering about the room or doing something else, sometimes I'll lay on the bean bag next to him and play with him as well, he also has his bumbo and his rocker for if I'm in the kitchen or out hanging out washing etc. He loves laying on a towel on the grass watching me hang washing, I talk to him a lot too. He loves being bounced on my lap (not just after a feed though, that's asking for trouble) or being helped to stand up. He's usually awake for around 1.5-2 hours at a time before being ready for sleep again.

He does get quite frustrated at the moment when trying to reach something he wants but can't quite get, or trying to roll over - he's 3/4 of the way there but that last little bit has him stumped at present. He is very chatty and smiles a lot but can go a little OTT when he's tired.

Think Alex is having another growth spurt too, or about to - was up every 2.5 hours last night, when normally is just the one wake up in an 8-9 hour period. Though it could also have just been that today is poo day after a few days so he might've been a little uncomfortable.

[AMumma]

K&G, welcome. Your boy sounds just like mine lol. So happy when he's in a good mood and super grouchy when grump.

[AMumma]

OMG OMG OMG!!!! Ive just realised I'm a RAK recipient!! If your in this group Thank you

[AMumma]

PS also on the big computer lol......

Babies List


Nikky ~ 31 October ~ Zoe Olivia
Sweetpeajan ~ 1 November ~ Jessica Sophia
Lolpigs ~ 7 November ~ Lilly Annabelle
Alz ~ 8 November ~ Mikaela
Mollie89 ~ 12 November ~ Aubree-Rose
Danniim ~ 13 November ~ Abigail Violet
SeppyM ~ 13 November ~ Emilia
Amanda ~ 17 November ~ Violet Lilly


K&G ~
Cranky Kitten ~ 10 November ~ Alexander Gabriel
A Mumma ~ 16 November ~ Levi Daniel


Untold Angel ~ 5 November

[DANNIIM]

Hi ladies

Been busy with life ATM juggling three kidletts!!
Welcome K&G and yep I'm with Nikky I got me a good little sleeper too but trust me my middle one was a SHOCKER, I don't know how I managed TBH and he only started sleeping all night at nearly 3 yrs of age... little turd lucky he's cute . oh yeh I don't think you will ever really fully lose the blubber at the bottom unless you workout or are extremely lucky.

Happy birthday to Amanda, Nikky and CK.. Hope you all had a great day xxx

Abby isn't showing any signs of being ready for solids or like the boys being extra hungry so If I can I will wait till we come back from holidays in May... Can't wait till holidays only 3weeks and then we're away for 6 weeks
I've been following the CSIRDO diet for about 4 weeks now and have lost 3 kg's.... Go me!!!

Amanda hows the study coming along??

[Lolpigs]

Hi Molly, Amanda, and everyone else (still getting the hang of writing in a forum!).
Thanks for your welcomes It's def what i need - a chance to share this experience, bounce ideas off or just be reminded that some things are 'normal'! And don't worry re TMI - I think after being nude and having your legs up in the air with various people having a look and wandering around nude nothing seems like TMI!
As for BF - I'm more or less demand feeding but had been caught in a bad cycle after he'd had a cold and he'd begun 'snacking' (and then catnapping for like 20mins) so stretched him out to around 3hrs between feeds which he's actually much more happy with (eg doesnt get as frustrated when feeding and is more content the rest of the time). Having said that - my little man does get quite frustrated. Mum can never seem to get the boob out quickly enough and sometimes during a feed he wants to swap sides a few times (wants the quicker flow possibly?) He is quite vocal when he's frustrated. i've tried preempting when he might be hungry but he just gets frustrated that I'm offering soemthing he isn't ready for!
He's also becoming quite frustrated during playtime when he wants to reach a toy and can't or wants to move (roll etc) and can't quite. Quite cute to watch on one hand but he can get quite worked up! Do you guys play with your bubs the whole time they're up? How long would you leave them 'alone' to play? And how long do your bubs last up between naps? Sorry for all the questions and feel free to pass on them if you can't be bothered repeating yourself!
I have a feeling the sleep/waking may be due to the dummy. It's been a lifesaver in a lot of ways but also seems to mean he'll wake looking for it. I've put him down without it this morning and after a bit of n grizzling he fell asleep - be interesting to see what happens when he wakes after 45mins.. I try to re-settle him for another cycle if I can (he rarely manages this during the day).
My little man is VERY active and talkative (well vocal) and smiles/giggles a lot - the flipside is that I think he gets quite worked up when tired/frustrated etc. Being a mum is incredible and I feel pretty lucky to be one to my little man.
Oh and a question for the mother's who might have two kids - does this podge of jellybelly ever go away??!! I mean just the extra blubber layer that sits kinda lower on your belly. Don't get me wrong - I'm not body crazy - just curious if I'm going to have to adjust my wardrobe to accommodate my new friend!
Thanks heaps guys.

Welcome K&G You could have discribed my DD to a tea just now hehe. She's way ahead of herself development wise and its causing her to be very hard to settle. Currently nothing works except the dummy which recently she has been waking for. I tried today for 30mins to pat and settle her without her dummy and she just screamed more and more till she was howling. :\ Don't know why I expected any different. None of the settling techniques that Tressillian etc recommend work with DD. Havent since she was 4 weeks old. No clue why she is suddenly so attached to it. I haven't changed what I'm doing with it. Sooo.. I'm trying to get DD used to a dummy bunny, in the hopes I can take away the dummy and she will find comfort in the bunny only. I got mine from www dot sleepytot dot com dot au . Just started today. Morning sleep has been all over the place becuase of her waking because its come out. I did try taking it out but it just wakes her sigh. DD day sleeps have always been an issue due to her reflux and things they are generally more twitchy. Not that I really mind the dummy, it was a huge comfort to her when her reflux was bad, just I have started to have to get up to give it back to her, and I dont want that at all.

DD now normally lasts 1.5 - 2 hours between naps. Yeah my DD did that while I was BF. I had to give up due to the reflux as it would just cause her to scream and scream but it sounds like hes impatient and wants a faster flow. Can you try hand expressing a little before feeding. Honestly sometimes they just have to wait, I know what it is like to have an impatient baby! Lilly is just darling when she is happy, but she goes from zero to screaming and yelling in 2 secs flat if I am not doing what she wants LOL

Yeah Lilly does the same when she cant get to a toy or whatever. I just leave her unless she gets really worked up. Frustration is sometimes a good thing to feel. I sometimes do, but often now I've been leaving her to play on her mat, or in her bouncer where she can see me while I do things during the day.

HTH

Lilly had her shots yesturday so I'm expecting unsettled for the next few days. Was a good girl didnt really cry.

Lilly has had a few spoons of farex after neally face planting into my dinner trying to get it, but wasnt too fussed. Not really rushing. Thanks to my Aunty she has had an outbreak of dermititis in reponse to the cows milk in the custard. Cows milk is a big no no for DD it seems.

Hope everyone else is well.

[AMumma]

Levi has had 2 days of Farex. Omg! It tastes bloody awful but seems to love it and he went 3 hours between feeds (which is about normal but when I fed him he wasn't fussed so could of gone longer. He is still 7 days off 4 months but I'm hoping it will help with his sleeping. He's been going down at 8:30, feed 11:30, feed 3 (although last night hubby went and sorted him) he lasted until 5:30 and fed again at 8:30. I'm so tired.

[Lolpigs]

Amumma, you sure hes hungry? Or just waking out of habit? Just a thought. Although, knowing him he might be growing again haha.

I mix the Farex with DD Formula and Thickener. Perhaps you can express some BM and mix with it? How much has he been having? DD will only take about a teaspoon, She readily tried to nom it off the spoon but I dont think she is swallowing much haha

If you want to see if it will help him sleep, try doing it before his final feed before you put him down for the night. This was the suggestion of a friend of mine.

[xAmandax]

K&G welcome and congratulations!!! Uhh yeah you described my DD exactly as well!!! Violet catnaps- same as your DS but for 30 mins only- and she seems to get overtired in an instant and cries like mad and is super hard to settle! Very hard to get her off to sleep! She wakes after 30 mins and is still really tired yet I can't seem to resettle her either.... Sounds like a common problem! I just ordered a book called the dream baby guide by sheyne rowley which is supposed to be really good for these issues- ill let you know what I think! Oh and we have the same dummy issue! Wakes looking for it! Also she plays and gets really vocal and loud really quickly too.. And like your DS- she's super smiley and giggly one moment-- then tantrum the next moment! It's getting worse the older she gets too- the tantrums are very distressing..

Danni-Thanks for asking- study is so hard at the moment.... I'm behind already! With violets sleep issues I've hardly been able to do anything. Not sure what to do to be honest! You still thinking of studying?

AM- that waking pattern is very much the same as violets! 8:30ish, 11ish, 2ish, 5ish, 6ish......! Exhausting!

Hello to everyone else- sorry just a quick post while violet sleeps in my arms which is the only sleep I can get her to have at the moment!!

[DANNIIM]

Amanda I checked out CQ uni today as they offer the Bachelor or Nursing via distance education and if I wanted I could apply to start in July... Tad scary really. A friend of mine reckons she's going back to study a few months after her bub is born but she did say that as bub gets a bit older to get a play pen and get in with bub and read to the baby - they won't care what your reading to them. She's also doing the same course as you Ananda I think.

I've learnt from past experience not to stress about bubs sleep pattern too much, they are pretty erratic until 6 ish months. I figure as long as baby sleeps that's all that matters, not where they sleep. At this age I find it matters that bub gets used to sleeping.
Anyway that's my experience anyway.

[Cranky Kitten]

I think we're in the grip of the 4 month growth spurt over here at the moment - Alex has been feeding really frequently, being a devil to get to sleep when usually he's pretty easy and generally being a fusspot. Plus he's waking 3-4 times a night rather than 1-2, and is after a full feed at each wake....gods I'm soooo hungry!! And tired, but right now despite a decent dinner, I'm starving!

Ah well, I think he's finally asleep, I'm off to raid the fridge

[K&G]

Hi guys –
It’s really nice to hear that other babies are like my little man – he’s def the odd one out at my parent group. The others seem to just be content to watch and sleep but Gus has to have his hands on everything or be jumping on my lap or grizzling bc he cant work out what he wants and is tired but not keen on sleeping! I think it can’t help but make me feel a little inadequate as a parent – sometimes it feels like I have no idea what he wants!

Lolpigs – I’d love to hear how the dummy bunny experiment goes. I too have been thinking about giving him a comforter of sorts. It’s quite annoying bc he happily sucks his hands during the day but when he’s going to sleep he won’t substitute them for the dummy! And I’ll give the handexpressing a go – it’s more of an issues in the pm (which makes sense bc milk is prob lower then).

Amanda – That book sounds really interesting. It feels as though I have books coming out of my ears. But none of the ‘routines’ seem to fit with Gus. He feeds every 3hrs not 4 (or sometimes even shorter) and only sleeps for 45mins and will do this 4 times at least per day (routines seem to say three naps..). The books suggest ‘keeping them awake’ and stretching them between feeds but I don’t feel comfortable with this as then I end up with one very cranky tired hungry bub!

CrankyKitten – thanks for sharing your playtime – sounds similar to ours. Always goo to hear bc it’s amazing how much we can overthink something which is prob meant to be natural J

Amumma – yes the adorable smiling, giggling alert periods do make up for the grumpy frustrated bad sleeping parts (luckily!) Oh and my little boy’s name is Gus and he was born on the 3rd Nov (I noticed you had a list).

Danni – yes you’re probably right about sleep - I’d just like it if maybe I only had to get up 2-3 times per night and not 7 L. I’m worried with all the waking he isn’t getting enough sleep either. The off night he sleeps well he is so much happier the next day. Funny thing is that up until 3 weeks ago he was a pretty good sleeper. Would go for 4-6hr stints quite regularly.
And re tummy – it’s what I feared. The fact that I just ate a kitkat probably isn’t going to help either. It’s the sleep deprivation that makes me do it!

Nikki – thanks –as you can see I’m taking you all up on the offer of asking questions! I hope I can be of help at some stage too J

The MCHN suggested I might like to try him on solids.. I was planning to wait until as close to 6mths as possible but if he’s ready I guess he’s ready. He’s def interested in what I’m eating but then he’s also interested in me brushing my teeth so… Another option is to try mixing some formula with EBM at night – what formula are you guys using (there are so many brands!)? I have read that starting solids doesn’t necessarily mean they will sleep and differently so I’m not holding too much hope for that being the answer!

Also are you guys still wrapping. Gus sleeps in a Love Me swaddle (angel position with arms up near head) and is happy in it but I’m wondering if he’d use his hands to soothe himself if he had them free (or if they’d do more evil than good – eg distract him). I have trialled one arm out during his day sleeps but bc he only catnaps it hasn’t told me much!
Are you using sleeping bags at all? And if so – which brand?
I’m just not sure what I can do about the waking 7 times a night to have his dummy put back in problem we seem to have going on!

Thanks guys and I’ll end this essay here. Can’t believe I’ve fitted this into one sleep/nap of DS.

[AMumma]

I'm making the Farex with EBM, he loves it. Tonight was the first night having it at night, the other three have been morning meals (to ensure no reaction). I have frozen apple purée in the freezer to start next week.

K&G I'll update the list tomorrow

[~~Snoogans~~]

Lordy be... I am soooo tired!

Took Harriett and Zoe to play Mini Golf today with some friends!

Our first time! and the girls took about 15 minutes to finish the first lil hole hehehe

Zoe stayed awake the whole 2 hours! So she has pretty much been sleeping all afternoon! weeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Cranky Kitten]

We picked up DS's highchair today - nice little Babylove that lays back and can be adjusted up and down that we got for $100 instead of $150 because it was floor stock. He loves it - gets to sit up at the table and play with his toys while we eat dinner