Babies born~December 1st-15th 2009 #1

[*suz1*]

Hi Girls,

Ryan's due for a feed so will have to make this quick. Might even have to finish with one hand while I feed him.

Brussels - Ryan had the same night as Eva last night. Your poor boobs, mine were killing me too! He had his last feed then straight to bed around 8pm, then didn't wake me until 5am. Sounds like all our bubs are starting to stretch out the night sleep.

Beany - Yep, that sounds like a nightmare. Craig still does that where he cries in his sleep, but now he yells 'Mummy!' as well and doesn't even wake up. I've even had episodes where Craig will just scream and scream and I can't settle him because he isn't even awake. Ryan hasn't started them yet.

Sesame - Good tip. All the bubs seem to have found their hands and have them in their mouths now. Ryan poos nearly every feed, at least 4 times a day. He pooed on my Mum today

Rose - Damn, I missed the Catch of the Day! We play whatever we're listening to, plus lots of kids stuff that Craig likes (Wiggles). I also sing and whistle to the kids. I used to play Craig a lullaby CD but he got to the point where I couldn't get him to sleep without it, so I don't have that as part of Ryan's bedtime.

Hannah - Hope you get to post more now that Amelia's reflux is more managable.

AFM - The pram thing is getting me down. I really need something for my toddler and I don't want to give up my pram. Tomorrow I think I'll buy the toddler skateboard and give it a go (if I hate it I'll sell it on eBay). Anyone getting headaches? I think I'm getting dehydrated and am trying to keep my fluids up. Craig has been really hard to get down for a day sleep lately and as a result our evenings usually have a tired tantrum. Today my Mum visited and we took him for a walk to the park. He fell asleep in the living room for 2 hours and is in a much better mood now. We visited my SIL and my niece yesterday. She had a nasty breakup with her partner and lives 30 mins drive away, but doesn't drive. I haven't seen her for ages and it was great to see the little cousins together. Craig is 2 and his cousin Ella is 4, but they're almost the same height!

Better go, I hear some very noisy fist sucking going on.

[Tuesday's Child]

sesame - Amelia's nappies almost always have a little bit of poo in them. It seems to come out everytime she farts or sneezes. But she has a big one about every 5 days.

Rose - I've been playing some of the Baby Einstein stuff too. Also, some friends gave me a CD of Metallica songs redone as lullabies. I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, though.

Alison - Amelia started bubbling at the mouth a couple of weeks ago too. According to Babylove, babies start to produce saliva between 8 and 12 weeks. Its around 15 months when they figure out to swallow it.

beany - I hope Michael is more settled today. Amelia wants to sleep on me all the time but its been too hot to put her in the sling, so I'm not getting much done around the house. Thankfully, today she's been happy to sleep in her swing.

BS - I do keep Amelia up for at least 30 minutes after a feed. She hates sleeping on her side unless she's in bed with me, so we curl up together and I give her my finger to suck on if she's unsettled. I have lifted one end of the bassinet but I think she hates it because she can't see out of it, whereas the pram she can still see whats going on if she wants to (although, she is currently sleeping in her bassinet and has been there for over an hour now). I haven't really been avoiding any foods except cabbage. After a whole week without wind issues, I ate some coleslaw and we had issues again, so cabbage is a definite no-no. Since she isn't really having issues with wind anymore, I haven't bothered cutting out anything else, but I don't eat a lot of spicy food anyway. I don't think Amelia's reflux is wind related. It's to do with the sphincter between the throat and the stomach being immature so not keeping the food in the stomach. It's worse when she's stressed, ie right before a big poo or when it the weather is really hot (which it has been quite a bit lately). Today has been a pretty good day though. Well done Eva for sleeping so well. Hopefully its the beginning of a pattern.

suz - Glad Craig is in a better mood. Funny you mentioned headaches. I used to get tension headaches once every 2-3 weeks that last 2-3 days but they became much less frequent while I was pregnant (maybe the muscle relaxing effect of progesterone?). Yesterday I got my first one since Amelia was born and its a doozy. I've even had a few dizzy spells with it. Am trying to keep my fluids up (its been so hot here the last few days) and just relax today.

AFM - Had a terrible night last night. Amelia has gone back to being a wake at night. I think its because DH gets home at 11:30pm and he and I are chatting about our days while she's having her late feed. Also DH is so excited to see her that he wants to cuddle and chat to her and she's up until 3-4 in the morning. Its a vicious cycle: we're up late, so we sleep late and DH doesn't get cuddle time before he goes to work. We need to hold off chatting until she goes to sleep. Amelia is stretching out her sleeps though, we slept from 4-11 this morning.

I'm also working on getting her into her bassinet again. I love having her sleep with me, but DH is sleeping in the spare room at the moment as we suspect he has sleep apnoea. Also, he has a bad back and he complains that our mattress is too soft, but it doesn't help that he has to be aware of the baby in the bed as well.
She has currently been in her bassinet for the last hour and a half and has only woken up once. I even managed to wrap her which I'd given up on because she used to fight to free herself when she had wind. I also caved and am using a dummy to help her settle for sleep. I didn't want to use one, but it can't be any worse than her relying on me for comfort. Why should I deny her an alternate source?

As for me, I had a breakdown at 2:30 this morning. I felt like such a terrible mum and started questioning whether I should have had Amelia at all. I felt selfish for having her when I don't feel capable of giving her all that she needs. Being everything to another human being is a lot to live up to. Plus, I'm having a hard time with my mum being sick. She spent all of last week in hospital (her third admission already this year) and its really only just hit me that she could die. Up until last week I thought I was being positive, but I think it was denial.

[Alison1973]

Hi Hannah - I'm so sorry you feel down today. And I'm really sorry your mum is so sick, I wish I could make her better for you. It's tough being a mum and having all the responsibility of another human on your shoulders but remember you are doing a fantastic job so don't beat yourself up lovely girl. It's fantastic Amelia slept 7 hours...I know you said her times are out of whack re day/night but it's a start and she'll get there. It's hard like you say with DH getting home late but if that's how it is for now just go with it. There's no rules or set times I reckon so do what fits in with your life. Who cares if you sleep till 11.00 am! Have you tried Amelia in her cot? I found my Amelia settled so much better in the cot as she was too cramped in her bassinette. I didn't expect to have her out of our room and the basinette until she was 3 months old but I wasn't to know she was going to be a long baby either ha ha. Just remember everyone has different ups and downs and positives and negatives, no-one is a perfect mum and no-one has a perfect baby, we do what we can, the best we can and personally as long as they have food and love that's the most important thing and you're giving her that so there you go! Don't worry about the dummy either, I use one to settle Amelia, she pops it out when she falls to sleep and I don't put it back in. There's nothing wrong with it and it's much easier to take a dummy off them down the track, you can't remove their thumb if they suck that instead! Feel better soon mate, you're doing great remember that. xx

AFM - well how exciting I think the fenugreek tablets are working cause I expressed 60 mls today, the most ever!!! I just said to DH while feeding Amelia, it's pretty sad when the main feed is formula and the top up is breast milk.....something wrong with that equation huh!

Right, time for me to eat dinner.....Amelia is in her just ate and cranky cause she's tired mood so DH is trying to settle her while I sit on BB ha ha. Oh well, I do it all day so it won't hurt him.

[Tuesday's Child]

Thanks so much Alison. As a matter of fact, I just set up Amelia's cot today. I put her in it for a while to see how she liked it. She had a great time looking around and smiling, especially at the mobile. I don't want her out of our room just yet though and the bassinette we've got is quite long (she fills it just over half way). I think wrapping her has made all the difference though. I'd stopped because I thought she didn't like it, but that was just when she had a lot of lower wind issues. Tonight, I put her down at 7. She woke at 7:30, but I just gave her a dummy and rocked her a bit until she went back to sleep. She didn't wake again until 10:30! I heard a couple of little 'shouts' and she was just laying there smiling at the butterflies I'd hung above her. I've fed her and just put her back down. She still needed to be rocked to sleep, but she went to sleep! Its almost as if after my meltdown last night, she and I have both decided to do better today.

Well done on expressing 60mls. The more you express, the more you will build up your supply and its good the fenugreek is helping. Just remember the important thing is that Amelia is happy, healthy and growing. BTW, have you checked out the ABA website for other ideas on how to increase supply?

I can't remember who mentioned that Happy Baby dummies are the brand to use, but wanted to ask if anyone knows whether the cherry or orthodontic ones are better. I have both and Amelia doesn't seem to have a preference, but I keep getting conflicting information.

[BrusselsSprout]

BS - I do keep Amelia up for at least 30 minutes after a feed. She hates sleeping on her side unless she's in bed with me, so we curl up together and I give her my finger to suck on if she's unsettled. I have lifted one end of the bassinet but I think she hates it because she can't see out of it, whereas the pram she can still see whats going on if she wants to (although, she is currently sleeping in her bassinet and has been there for over an hour now). I haven't really been avoiding any foods except cabbage. After a whole week without wind issues, I ate some coleslaw and we had issues again, so cabbage is a definite no-no. Since she isn't really having issues with wind anymore, I haven't bothered cutting out anything else, but I don't eat a lot of spicy food anyway. I don't think Amelia's reflux is wind related. It's to do with the sphincter between the throat and the stomach being immature so not keeping the food in the stomach. It's worse when she's stressed, ie right before a big poo or when it the weather is really hot (which it has been quite a bit lately). Today has been a pretty good day though. Well done Eva for sleeping so well. Hopefully its the beginning of a pattern.

Hey, just to let you know, Eva has the same reflux reason...But the osteo said to avoid those foods since it burns more when it does come up...And he mentioned that if the baby is lactose intolerant, which many babies are it helps a lot to cut lactose. I found it helped me but if you know what to avoid already then that's good :-) - gassy veggies don't really bother Eva, so I avoid the rest of the gamut.

Don't feel bad! Please just remember you have a baby that is slightly more difficult and it makes us feel bad sometimes. I have those moments too when I say what am I doing. You're almost out of it. Just stick through the end. You should try to give her a routine. I found that eva settles now only because I bather her at 6 and go into her room in the dark for her last feed. Be careful with the stimulation late at night - that's prob why she was cranky. Don't beat yourself up over this. Her having reflux is probably so difficult, I know, I had really bad periods too and am still recovering but you're doing great and you're trying to solve the issues (like I told Tilda) so you're a great mom. And I am not just saying that, I really know how you feel. It gets better...Eva is starting to come out of it and your time is coming up. Just try to be strong

You might want to try to cut the lactose...It can't hurt and I found that it really helped Eva...you never know...Maybe give it a shot for a few days? Good luck and if you need anything feel free to PM me. I really understand how you feel. Poor thing.

Sorry no time for more - time to prepare the bath and get mistress Eva to bed!

xoxo

[Plinky]

Hello girlies!

Quick one...

Hannah - so sorry to hear about your mum. I hope she pulls through for you Don't worry about the breakdown, we all have them!! Things WILL get better, I promise you. You just have to hold on to that thought. With the Happy Baby dummies...its the cherry ones. Tho I haven't tried Michael with the orthodontic ones. but he LOVES his "dodie" as I call it...when I first put it in he sucks so hard and his eyes roll around and he makes these cooing noises, he just loves it! But he's same as Alison's Amelia, he'll spit it out when he's asleep so I don't put it back in.

AFM - he's started giggling!!! I was tickling him on his chest, sort of jiggling him around and he just started this real hearty giggle. DH said he giggled in his sleep while he was on his shoulder after he kissed him on the cheek...cuuute!

Needles today

[Alison1973]

Hi Beany - oh giggles, lucky you! I haven't had that from Amelia yet, can't wait! I think Amelia might be going through a growth spurt??? She was doing 10 hour nights until the last 2 where she's woken after 6, she's also sleeping a bit more during the day than normal (she normally catnaps) and she's quite grizzly when she's tired which she normally doesn't cry much and her appetite increased yesterday. This morning she woke at 5.00 am and I fed her and she went to sleep for 1.5 hours and was up hungry again. She went down again as soon as she'd eaten pretty much, no awake time. Hmmmm. Just when you get used to something it changes! Anyone else notice the growth spurts in the same way?

Hi Hannah - glad Amelia had a nice sleep for you, fantastic! If she fits in the bassinette still then go for it, I would too if Amelia wasn't so squished - she was waking up sideways with her head and feet butting the sides, she's a wriggler in her sleep! I use the standard cherry Happy Baby dummies, I haven't seen the orthodontic ones. Amelia much prefers them over the expensive Nuk and Avent ones, funny as they are only a couple of dollars, bargain! A friend of mine's sister is a dentist and uses the cherry Happy Baby ones and said they do no damage to their mouth or palate or anything - that is a load of crap if people say that. I went out and bought a few after she said that ha ha.