September 2014 Babies Club

madeinamerica

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Ah madeinamerica I was thinking about you when I wrote that only didn't want to say anything in case I upset you! America is awful in that regard. I was reading yesterday that as many as 40% aren't automatically entitled to any leave at all!

I was looking at the UK and you are entitled to a year off and up to 90% of your wages til 39 weeks. Annoying the company I work for pays it's staff maternity leave in the UK but not a penny for its Irish staff, you have to go on state leave.. Makes me want to leave them full stop!

Ah thanks, fbm, but you're alright. I think about it often myself anyway as a couple of my friends at home has babies around me so I hear from them about how much leave they have too. I thought I'd be fine but it is harder than I thought. I can't imagine how it is for those who don't get any leave. I guess they must have to give up with whether they want to or not.

That is just mean that your company won't give its Irish staff the full benefits. Sorry to hear it.

madeinamerica

comongethappy wrote: »

Hey ladies, glad to hear you and the babies are flying! I agree, maternity leave is flying! My unpaid bit is starting now, not sure how we will manage, but neither baby or I are ready for me to go back! I am starting to get down over thinking how long I will be away from him when I go back. I live in Wicklow but work in Dublin City centre, so it's an hour and a half commute each way. We have to leave by 7:30 and don't get back home till 7 PM. And if we have to be up that early, his bed time will probably have to be 8 at the latest? So I will only have him for an hour a day, probably half of that a bedtime routine?


Madeinamerica, it's one reason I'm so glad I am not in the states! I hate the pressure put on working moms there, fair play for cutting back so you can spend more time with R.

Sleep here varies night by night. Try to have him asleep by 9, but some nights it is around 10, tonight he kept fighting and it was 11. Sleep varies from waking every 1.5 hours, sometimes 2.5 -3 hrs. Last night I got 6 hrs for his first stint! He keeps fighting though to try to get into bed with us, but I always worry about him, if I would press my boob over his nose when I was sleeping? So the crib it is, up until the last sleep when I am awake enough and hubby has left that I let him sleep with me.

AJ is flying on solids, still bf though pretty much as often as I had been as he refuses to take his bottles now. I can only get a little top up into him at night. It's going to be tough come 6 months when I majorly cut back.

It's great that you can take the unpaid leave too. Your commute sounds rough, I'm sorry. One thing I will say though, I do enjoy my mornings with R. I take him until I leave the house while my other half works on his laptop or goes for a run. I get up early with R and bring him with me as I get ready but also play with him and get him ready for the day. It started as a way to give my partner time to work or run but now I love it as it is just time for me and R together. He thinks it's hilarious when i play peak a boo with the shower curtain! So it might be a way for you to sneak in time with AJ

Tbh, as much as I don't want you to suffer from bad sleep, I'm so happy to hear someone else is having issues too! I don't feel so alone! I'm also paranoid about smothering R in our bed, so myself and hubby end up squished to one side of bed while R is panned out on my side good luck with the sleep.

73trix

What is your baby's bedtime routine girls? My guy is 20weeks now.

So I'm back about naps and sleep again but I'm always keen for an update form people as to how you are all doing. I have been keeping the routine v simple ie didn't want to get tied down with a nightly bath thing as too much effort so this is what I've been doing - nappy, sleepsuit, into bedroom to pull curtains, turn on nite lite (telling babe I'm doing these things as I go along) a bit of a sing to him - any slow song that I can think of but usually one of a couple of favourites Into his grobag (on the bed as he is still in the room with us) and then I feed him in the bedroom and out him down. Sometimes he falls asleep on the boob and these nights are easy. If he doesn't, it can take a while to settle him. Some nites, 5-10mins and then on a bad nite - up to an hour! :mad: We had a bad phase after ear infection where it took at least an hour for nearly 2 weeks but thats better now.

I've been wondering what do the rest of you do? I've been reading that it's a bad habit to feed last thing before putting baby down as he will associate this with sleep. I don't read to him yet as think he's too young for that but definitely will do this when he's a little older.

Naps continue to be hit and miss and barely 30mins - 0-3 times a day- varies incredibly. I have never nailed this and reckon he will never change at this stage. IN the house, he might nap on the couch or in his play gym but will not nap in his cot despite loving his cot at night time. I'm here on couch with him for the past hour as he tries to nap... again... having none of it, but that's just how it is with our scamp!

comongethappy

73trix wrote: »

What is your baby's bedtime routine girls? My guy is 20weeks now.

So I'm back about naps and sleep again but I'm always keen for an update form people as to how you are all doing. I have been keeping the routine v simple ie didn't want to get tied down with a nightly bath thing as too much effort so this is what I've been doing - nappy, sleepsuit, into bedroom to pull curtains, turn on nite lite (telling babe I'm doing these things as I go along) a bit of a sing to him - any slow song that I can think of but usually one of a couple of favourites Into his grobag (on the bed as he is still in the room with us) and then I feed him in the bedroom and out him down. Sometimes he falls asleep on the boob and these nights are easy. If he doesn't, it can take a while to settle him. Some nites, 5-10mins and then on a bad nite - up to an hour! :mad: We had a bad phase after ear infection where it took at least an hour for nearly 2 weeks but thats better now.

I've been wondering what do the rest of you do? I've been reading that it's a bad habit to feed last thing before putting baby down as he will associate this with sleep. I don't read to him yet as think he's too young for that but definitely will do this when he's a little older.

Naps continue to be hit and miss and barely 30mins - 0-3 times a day- varies incredibly. I have never nailed this and reckon he will never change at this stage. IN the house, he might nap on the couch or in his play gym but will not nap in his cot despite loving his cot at night time. I'm here on couch with him for the past hour as he tries to nap... again... having none of it, but that's just how it is with our scamp!

I think many mamas are vexed about baby sleep, be it bed time, naps, or both!

AJ's routine is bottle downstairs, nighty night to daddy and cats, nappy change, lullabies on you tube and star light projection when I say 'the moon and stars are high in the nighttime sky, which means it's time for beddy bye'. Followed with his night time story On the Night You Were Born. I fell in love with the story when I was pregnant and would read it to him before he was born, he's always calmed down when I recite it. Then bf and into bed to be zipped into grow bag and prayers. I am not overly religious, but find the monotony of prayer gets him dozey, and can't hurt any!

He generally goes down in half an hour but does need my help - patting or hand holding, and if he gets very upset, I have to bounce his mattress up and down (probably mimics a car ride?) However, depends on his mood. Tonight was 15 mins but was upset even bf bitting my nipples, not sure why but mattress was bounced. He generally only seems to sleep 3 - 4 hrs first stint, then I have to keep bf him to sleep. Sleeps after that tend to be 2-3 hrs, but lately he gets very upset going back in the crib, screaming. I have ended up taking him to bed with us so hubby can get some sleep, but I worry and can't sleep properly.

Naps very greatly. Today he had a 25 min morning nap, and two 1 HR naps in the afternoon and evening. However, he could just as easily have 3 45 min naps or 3 15 min naps. Nap routine is a short story if he is in form for it, putting him in a sleep bag and listening to rainforest sounds. I have to bf him asleep or there is no chance of any nap.

I plan to majorly cut back bf at 6 months, it will be a rough few weeks!

comongethappy

AJ was only sleeping 2 hr stints last night (bar one 3 hr in the middle). Had to take little man into bed when he woke at 4:30 and kept him there till 6:15 when oh got up as little man has figured out if he cries enough when daddy is sleeping, mommy will take him into bed. Hubby only had 4 hrs sleep and not happy.

Woke up this morning with major shoulder and neck pain (combination of awkward position when AJ was in bed with us and constantly hanging over his crib to soothe him when he was kicking up). I without thinking put on some of my hubby's tiger balm, was about to top up when I saw that you are not meant to use when bf as the oils can be toxic if they breathe in too much or manage to ingest it, so panicking now and keeping close eye on the little man :-( However he hasn't bf much since I put it on

madeinamerica

Can you wash off the tiger balm? They'd probably need to eat it or something. Do you think the instructions mean, like, don't put it on your nipples when bf or something?

Sleep, ah sleep. Our guy gets about 3-5 naps a day, ranging from 10min to 2hr. He wakes for the day around 6-7am and recently has been getting tired and cranky every 2 hrs or so. One thing we've noticed is that if he naps in the buggy or car seat, he doesn't seem better for it. It's like it isn't as good a sleep as when he's napping in his cot. We're awful though, he rarely goes to sleep unaided, for naps or nighttime sleep. He goes to bed at 7-8pm when we walk or sing him to sleep, sleeps til 11ish, I feed him then to sleep again, he'll wake about twice during the night. I don't feed him every time, i try soother, sushing, patting. If it doesn't work after a few minutes then I feed him. I take him in to bed with me most nights now, at about 4am. He crys in his sleep sometimes at naps but not at night.

Hubby and I have different ways to put him to sleep during the day, I try to sing and walk him while hubby holds and bounces him. We've no deliberate bed time routine at 7pm. I usually do it, just dim lights, change to night nappy, walk/sing till he's drowsy, then into cot, hand on chest shushing till he's asleep. Can take 10 min or an hour.

73trix

The sleep thing/ or lack of is a trial isn't it?!

comongethappy

madeinamerica wrote: »

Can you wash off the tiger balm? They'd probably need to eat it or something. Do you think the instructions mean, like, don't put it on your nipples when bf or something?/quote]

Yeah I washed it off in the shower, little man is fine just got a fright! Haven't a clue about the where, but was reading up on it more and apparently it's the camphor and menthol in it that's toxic to breathe too much in or ingest for them, same as what is in Vicks and I think my mom smothered me in the stuff when I had colds :-p

madeinamerica

Yeah, Vicks cured everything in our house too. Didn't know it was toxic love the smell of it!

FurBabyMomma

Oh god Vicks cured everything in my house too - that and flat gingerale

I think A sleeps quite well at night for a bf baby. Her last feed is at 10 so she's down at 11 and stays in bed til 8, waking once or twice. If she wakes the second time I usually take her into bed.

I'm starting to worry about how I get her to sleep though. I feed her to sleep, which is probably bad as it means dad can't get her to sleep. Unfortunately she still won't take a bottle so I don't know how to get her to sleep any other way???

Also during the day she will only sleep in the buggy bassinet if I bring her off for a walk with the dogs. However she will not sleep anywhere else, including her bed. So I'm in trouble when it rains and when she grows out of the bassinet in a month or two.

I'm never going to let her cry it out so if anyone has any other suggestions Im all ears lol. I think sleep is probably the number one difficulty we all face!

73trix

[/LEFT][/LEFT][/LEFT]It's such a minefield isn't it? You'd never be on top of call the do's and don'ts. I never v knew about vicks either. I used it non myself for my awful pregnancy congestion but prob shouldn't have!

I've decided to try harder with my son's naps and to try to train him to nap in the cot. I'm sitting here beside him in cot. He's tired and fighting it as always!! Had a long chat with a pal who got so demented she got a sleep consultant! Apparently it was v good but tough. You'd have to wonder why it has to be so hard to get a tired baby to sleep!

FBM I'm starting to freak out a bit about the day naps. My guy is good at nite to be fair. However like you say my oh can't stick him on the boob and i don't know how anyone else will manage to mind him until naps are sorted. At this stage they should sleep 2-3 hours during the day....apparently. I'm lucky if my fella manages 20mins! I used to complain that he only slept for 30 mins. The past three days he has not slept at all bar once in buggy for half hour and like you say, that's if it's not raining!

73trix

Failed...again!!

madeinamerica

R rolled off the bed this morning. Nightmare. His dad got up and I put R beside me on his dad's side of the bed. I must have fallen asleep for a minute because next thing I know a bang wakes me up and R starts crying - on the floor. I nearly lost my life in the next few minutes, I just grabbed him up and walked around hugging him and trying to check him out while crying myself. I don't really remember how he was on the floor but I think he was face down and his dad's runners were under him somewhere, but u think his head hit the wooden floor. His dad came out of the loo and helped check him out, he stopped crying and was ok. I had to give him to his dad and sat down on the bed and just bawled for a few minutes, I think it was the shock, and the guilt. We took all his clothes off and checked him out fully, no marks on him at all and he was happy as Larry again. Que googling 'baby rolled off bed', thankfully no scary websites, mainly they said if baby fell from a low height, is acting normal and has no injuries then just keep an eye on them and if anything seems off then call the doc. The only thing I know about a head injury is don't let them sleep and watch if the vomit. Apparently they now say let the baby sleep and watch him to see sleep is normal and that he wakes up as normal. I fed him and then he had a wee sleep for about 10 min and woke up fine. So i think he's OK. Thankfully our bed is a very low one from ikea, it's not even a foot high. We've his 6 month doc visit tomorrow so I'll get her to check him out. I'm in work now and get little shivers when I think of it.

I used to think, how could anyone let their baby roll off anything? Eh, too bloody easily! He was up 5 times last night with a blocked nose so i was wrecked but I still can't believe I just nodded off like that without intending to. He doesn't usually roll much at all either, like maybe twice a week. I was actually getting a bit concerned that he wasn't rolling enough *rolls eyes*

I need a cup of tea after just writing all that.

Karmella

Yeah it's way more traumatic for you than for the baby usually!!! I remember when my eldest fell off the bed for the first time. Poor fella hit his face off the edge of the open under-bed drawer on the way down. But weirdly it kinda broke his fall aswell.

Don't feel guilty about nodding off - we've all been there!! And you never expect them to roll as far as they do! The amount if times I've put the baby on his playmat and left the room and come back and he's half way across the floor I always ask him 'how did you get there little man??' Of course I have to pick him up then cos he is invariably 'stuck' and bawling. I find this phase quite frustrating (as do they!)

madeinamerica

Karmella wrote: »

Yeah it's way more traumatic for you than for the baby usually!!! I remember when my eldest fell off the bed for the first time. Poor fella hit his face off the edge of the open under-bed drawer on the way down. But weirdly it kinda broke his fall aswell.

Don't feel guilty about nodding off - we've all been there!! And you never expect them to roll as far as they do! The amount if times I've put the baby on his playmat and left the room and come back and he's half way across the floor I always ask him 'how did you get there little man??' Of course I have to pick him up then cos he is invariably 'stuck' and bawling. I find this phase quite frustrating (as do they!)

Thanks for the nice post I'm sorry, but I had to have a little laugh at your description of your fella's fall! the poor child, face hitting off a drawer broke his fall.

My husband told me afterwards he is so relieved that R's first mishap was on my watch. It is over and it wasn't his fault!

R's new trick is to push himself backwards, pushes up on his arms and slides back on his belly on the wooden floor. no matter where he wants to go, that's all he can do so he just ends up further away and very annoyed! It is pretty funny.

73trix

Poor you MIA! I'd have died a death. So glad he's Ok. You never do know do you? My fella seldom rolls so like you I would never er have thlught he could roll off. I put a pillow between him and edge of bed but honestly thought it was being over cautious as he doesn't budge on the ed. Thankfully all's well that ends well. Tea and chocolate and bottle of wine after work. Mind yourself!

FurBabyMomma

Lol oh 73trix I hear ya! Only difference is A will actually sleep 2-3hours in the buggy which makes me feel even more guilty about trying to put her to bed as I know she won't sleep at all!!!

Ah madeinamerica that must have been so scary. I think like Karmella says it's generally the parents that come off worse in this situation - kids are bouncier than what we give them credit for lol!

Just in case anyone is interested lidl is currently selling portable bed rails for 19.99. I've bought one and I'm bringing it to America when we go to see my sister in April as we'll be co-sleeping over there.

73trix

Great idea! Must try to get one. FBM can i ask, is 2-3 hours bliss full nap/break for mammy from actually walking that long or from rocking the buggy at home? I'm here again after 45mins.. I brought babs to water babies and was full sure it would knock him out. Seriously. I must have a little live wire. I'm doomed!! Feeding again (yes feeding to sleep agsin) if that doesn't do it I'll take him off in car or buggy but I'm annoyed at having to do that. I'd love a nap myself! I loved the pool but am tired after it as a major operation! He liked it tho so that's something!

Ps so sorry for the moan...Was up with him last nite from teething so double whammy # tiredmammy

FurBabyMomma

73trix wrote: »

Great idea! Must try to get one. FBM can i ask, is 2-3 hours bliss full nap/break for mammy from actually walking that long or from rocking the buggy at home? I'm here again after 45mins.. I brought babs to water babies and was full sure it would knock him out. Seriously. I must have a little live wire. I'm doomed!! Feeding again (yes feeding to sleep agsin) if that doesn't do it I'll take him off in car or buggy but I'm annoyed at having to do that. I'd love a nap myself! I loved the pool but am tired after it as a major operation! He liked it tho so that's something!

Ps so sorry for the moan...Was up with him last nite from teething so double whammy # tiredmammy

73trix I walk for about 45mins and she falls asleep on the walk then sleeps on 2-3 hours at home. That's been going on the last month, before that she was a catnapper. But today I had to come home early and put her in the car to go somewhere. That was it, she was wide awake! Tried to get her back to sleep when I got home, she just cried. In the end I had to go out with the buggy in the hail but she is now asleep again. It's great ot works but this can't be a long term solution!

madeinamerica

Oh poor R is not having a good week of it! 6 month check up yesterday and the doc asked about his cheek. his left cheek had been a bit pink in the centre lately but I thought it was just teething. Nope. She sent us to see a dermatologist (luckily just downstairs in the same building). He has cold panniculitis, where his chubby cheek got too cold and it damaged the fat under his skin! Apparently it happens usually in summer when babies are sucking on ice pops and it freezes the fat from the inside of their cheek. Baby cheek fat is prone to it more than adult. This was the first the derm guy saw where cold from the outside damaged it but it does happen. It was like -18 C and -16 C a few days last week.... All the rest of him was wrapped up and snuggly warm, never thought his cheeks would freeze! ok so they didn't actually freeze, but still.

Karmella

madeinamerica wrote: »

Oh poor R is not having a good week of it! 6 month check up yesterday and the doc asked about his cheek. his left cheek had been a bit pink in the centre lately but I thought it was just teething. Nope. She sent us to see a dermatologist (luckily just downstairs in the same building). He has cold panniculitis, where his chubby cheek got too cold and it damaged the fat under his skin! Apparently it happens usually in summer when babies are sucking on ice pops and it freezes the fat from the inside of their cheek. Baby cheek fat is prone to it more than adult. This was the first the derm guy saw where cold from the outside damaged it but it does happen. It was like -18 C and -16 C a few days last week.... All the rest of him was wrapped up and snuggly warm, never thought his cheeks would freeze! ok so they didn't actually freeze, but still.

Oh my that is terrible! Is it treatable? Or does it just go away?

My little man is scratching the head off himself, he has very dry itchy skin. And it is further irritated by spit-up and drool around his mouth & neck.

madeinamerica

Karmella wrote: »

Oh my that is terrible! Is it treatable? Or does it just go away?

My little man is scratching the head off himself, he has very dry itchy skin. And it is further irritated by spit-up and drool around his mouth & neck.

It just goes away by itself, apparently, but it will take a few weeks. And it doesn't hurt him which is a relief. It shouldn't leave a mark either. This time it was hubby's fault as it first got really pink after he was walking him outside for about 45 min on a -16 C day. We are awful parents! But R is fine, thankfully!

Sorry to hear your guy is itchy, isn't it awful for them when they don't understand and go scratching?

madeinamerica

Getting ready for R's first swimming class today! So excited! I love the water but his dad is afraid of water, hope R takes after me on this one

Edit to say, given the way this week has gone, hopefully nothing happens him in the pool :rolleyes:

73trix

madeinamerica wrote: »

Getting ready for R's first swimming class today! So excited! I love the water but his dad is afraid of water, hope R takes after me on this one

Edit to say, given the way this week has gone, hopefully nothing happens him in the pool :rolleyes:

How did he get on? I brought my guy for first lesson on Thursday and it was fab. I'm same as you and my OH also hates the water so swimming is my thing with babba! Hope it was event less too!

comongethappy

Wow Mia, tough week! Glad R was alright, they are tougher than they look! I have had AJ sitting up on a soft mat (he sits quite well on his own until he over reaches), but he fell just over the side on the mat and landed on his face on the wooden floor! He was fine, but the tears were awful!

AJ is cutting his first tooth and we have been taking him in our bed with us during the night at times as he is not sleeping well in his crib. Our bed is very high, so I got one of.the bed rails after reading your story!

madeinamerica

73trix wrote: »

How did he get on? I brought my guy for first lesson on Thursday and it was fab. I'm same as you and my OH also hates the water so swimming is my thing with babba! Hope it was event less too!

lol, that is funny ye are the same way! Glad ye had fun! We had a great time in the pool. No mishaps :rolleyes:

What was your lesson like? Ours had 9 parent/babies in one corner of the pool. I had assumed it would be just our lesson in a quiet pool but there were other things going on in the rest of the pool so it was pretty noisy and busy. Which I think was a good thing as R was watching everything else going on and wasnt bothered by the water. I think the goal of the first class was to get baby used to floating and getting splashed on the face. The class was good, the teacher had us walking around him in a circle and floating them on their fronts, backs, rolling between the two, putting back-of-head in water, splashing with R's hands, wrapping a floaty 'noodle' around his chest/belly and letting him float along after toys (it was kinda hard to get it on the baby, a few babies got unintentionally dunked, R included!), lifting baby up high out of the water and back down with a little splash to the face. R did great, not a bother with the splashing and his face dipped in the water a couple of times when he was trying to chew on the floaty toys but he just blinked it off. Teething is a great distraction! I've got into our full-up bath tub with him for a mini-swim a couple of times and he didn;t freak out so I knew he would get on ok but still I was super proud of him!

Dad might be allowed come take photos next week as there were other parents standing on the edge of the pool fully dressed with cameras.

God it took some organisation though. I'd sooo much stuff with me.

It is in the YMCA, which I get a little kick out of, so american I had thought the YMCA was like a hostel (its fun to stay at the YMCA...!) its more of a sports complex.

Looking forward to next class already

FurBabyMomma

Madeinamerica poor R and you, what a week! I read in one of those parenting emails that you can put vasoline on a baby's nose, cheeks and lips to protect them from cold exposure, that might help with the temperatures you're experiencing x

I've brought A to a couple of Waterbabies classes and I really enjoy them. However I find the company itself a disaster to deal with and the photoshoot prices are pure extortionate :-(

madeinamerica

comongethappy wrote: »

Wow Mia, tough week! Glad R was alright, they are tougher than they look! I have had AJ sitting up on a soft mat (he sits quite well on his own until he over reaches), but he fell just over the side on the mat and landed on his face on the wooden floor! He was fine, but the tears were awful!

AJ is cutting his first tooth and we have been taking him in our bed with us during the night at times as he is not sleeping well in his crib. Our bed is very high, so I got one of.the bed rails after reading your story!

Ah, my parenting stories are a warning to others! :pac:

FurBabyMomma

Ladies I always feed my baby to sleep but my husband is getting stressed as he feels he won't be able to get her to sleep if and when I have a night out or a night away, which I will have when I'm back to work. So my question is do any of you have a bedtime routine that doesn't involve feeding and if so what do you do?

73trix

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Ladies I always feed my baby to sleep but my husband is getting stressed as he feels he won't be able to get her to sleep if and when I have a night out or a night away, which I will have when I'm back to work. So my question is do any of you have a bedtime routine that doesn't involve feeding and if so what do you do?

My question exactly! Same boat. I had to revert to this after a week of not being able to get babs down at all at night and being head wrecked!

Also, when do they drop the night feed? We are in a disaster night routine now of 6-6 with a feed at 2/3am. I hate putting babs to bed so early but he dictated this time and doesn't really nap by day so is shattered by then. It's not too bad only I'm still up at 2ish - yuk.

Karmella

Happy Mother's Day to all ye mammies, hope you are all being spoilt

How are ye all getting on? My little one is 6 months old since last week and he is great fun. Really getting interactive and inquisitive and is all go And he is besotted with his older brother it's very cute

comongethappy

Happy mothers day Karmella and to all the lovely Sept ladies! Hope you are all having a great day!

AJ is 6 months next week and has gotten his two bottom teeth! He had a high temp today, but with no other symptoms than crankiness / tiredness. Eating and drinking fine. So gave neurofen and just keeping an eye on him and lying with him as he sleeps now. I would leave him in his crib but the feckin rabbit bit thru his angelcare movement sensor wire, and I just worry with breathing issues after my friends son had problems with ibuprofen.

73trix

Happy mother's day everyone! Hope your little ones are doing well. Hope AJ is okay. Can't believe he has 2 teeth already.

My chap is 23wks now. No teeth yet. On solids almost a week. Growing up so fast! Slept 11 hours straight last nite so think the nite feeds have stopped. I am down to one bf a day now -his bed time one and I am reluctant to stop as feel very emotional about cutting that off as such a special bond. He's a great little chap. Very lucky.

FurBabyMomma

Happy Mother's Day everyone! Hope you're getting loads of lovely snuggles with your babies! Xxx

madeinamerica

Happy mother's day ladies! It's over by now in Ireland, hope ye had a lovely day with your little ones

comongethappy

Anyone else's babies having tantrums? AJ has started screaming (not just crying, screaming at the top of his lungs) when he is really upset he is not getting his own way, generally when he's getting tired. He had a complete meltdown in the cafe today as he didn't like his lunch. I thought it only started when they are around 2.

He's normally such a happy charming boy, but I have started to sleep train a bit (no longer feeding asleep for naps, putting down awake and comforting in cot till asleep). It takes up to an hour sometimes for maybe only 20 mins of sleep, so I know his daytime sleep is off, but his night sleep seems to have gone better (between 5 and a half to 6 and a half hours before first proper wake)

I am trying to do the fading method, where you comfort them a little less as time goes on, but I hope it will work. Just emotionally tired from his screaming.

Karmella

Yeah Calvin can get very cross too, like that I had him in his high chair today to give him lunch and he just screamed. I think he was too hungry and just wanted a bottle, so I gave in and took him out and gave him one. I tried him a little later in the high chair and it was better - although he still didn't eat anything!! I think I hadn't it blended enough as he kept gagging. Will try him with it again today.

I think they are discovering the sounds they can make to be honest. He is making all kinds of noises these days!!

madeinamerica

Ah screaming is not fun! I think R is discovering what noises he can make, sometimes he keeps screaming squealing for no obvious reason

comongethappy

9 hrs sleep last night, with a wake of 3 hrs in when we went to bed where I needed to resettle him but without feeding and no more than 10 mins!

Now, sleep can be between 5 - 8 hrs most nights around 6, but the training seems to be paying off. Naps are still difficult, I am still feeding him but he is put to crib awake. However, it can take up to an hour to settle him at times for maybe a 25 min nap. He cries and can scream every time he is put down for naps (but not at night). I just keep to the side of the crib, sing lullabies and kiss, they continue to sit at side and pat tummy or arm or rub face or hand till he relaxes enough to sleep. The cries are hard though, but even holding him to nap he cries.

How are all you mamas getting on?

FurBabyMomma

I'm about to start reading the No Cry Sleep Solution as atm A will only nap in her buggy after a walk. Need her to nap in her bed for when I go back to work!

madeinamerica

comongethappy wrote: »

9 hrs sleep last night, with a wake of 3 hrs in when we went to bed where I needed to resettle him but without feeding and no more than 10 mins!

Now, sleep can be between 5 - 8 hrs most nights around 6, but the training seems to be paying off. Naps are still difficult, I am still feeding him but he is put to crib awake. However, it can take up to an hour to settle him at times for maybe a 25 min nap. He cries and can scream every time he is put down for naps (but not at night). I just keep to the side of the crib, sing lullabies and kiss, they continue to sit at side and pat tummy or arm or rub face or hand till he relaxes enough to sleep. The cries are hard though, but even holding him to nap he cries.

How are all you mamas getting on?

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

I'm about to start reading the No Cry Sleep Solution as atm A will only nap in her buggy after a walk. Need her to nap in her bed for when I go back to work!

How is the sleep going ladies? I haven't been on here for a wee while. Hope all is well. Is AJ screaming s still, comongethappy? How is the sleep book, FBM? Let us know if you like it. 'No cry' sounds good! I read an awful article the other day about people doing 'cry it out' on 8 week old babies, shut the door on them for 12 hours at night :eek: wouldn't the baby be hungry?!

R has been OK with night sleeping, wakes maybe twice (except last night was 5 times, yawn). I usually take him in to bed with me after the second one. It's working ok for us now. Although may be setting me up for a fall: yesterday I got up early before he woke up for the day. when he woke a while later i was in another room andhe was quite upset, wouldn't calm down for daddy, only stopped when i came back into the room. so perhaps he is getting dependent on me being there when he wakes up. That might be a problem!

My mum is over at the moment. Thankfully R is loving her from the start, didn't make strange. All those Skype calls must have worked!

madeinamerica

So, bit of a TMI question but, how are your bellies? Mine is still flabby and kinda pudgy, it just kind of sags there. I'm kind of ok with it, as I'm expecting it to take a long while to get back to myself (if I ever do), and I've been eating all round me since I went back to work, so no miracle weightloss and I've put on like 5 pounds since christmas. My Mum has mentioned my belly a few times and asked like 5 times (at least) 'are you pregnant?' 'are you sure you're not pregnant?' 'you know you can get pregnant even when you're breast feeding?'. I just met her for lunch and she brought it up again. She's slim herself, quite conscious of weight and looking thin, which I have never been so it might just be her, but I'm just wondering how other Sept Mums bellies are doing and is mine a bit too big and squidgy? Are yours gone back to normal?

Karmella

madeinamerica wrote: »

So, bit of a TMI question but, how are your bellies? Mine is still flabby and kinda pudgy, it just kind of sags there. I'm kind of ok with it, as I'm expecting it to take a long while to get back to myself (if I ever do), and I've been eating all round me since I went back to work, so no miracle weightloss and I've put on like 5 pounds since christmas. My Mum has mentioned my belly a few times and asked like 5 times (at least) 'are you pregnant?' 'are you sure you're not pregnant?' 'you know you can get pregnant even when you're breast feeding?'. I just met her for lunch and she brought it up again. She's slim herself, quite conscious of weight and looking thin, which I have never been so it might just be her, but I'm just wondering how other Sept Mums bellies are doing and is mine a bit too big and squidgy? Are yours gone back to normal?

Jeez, tell your mum to go jump!! That is perfectly normal!!! I'm still pretty squidgy aswell and its nothing to do with weight loss/gain. I'm back to my pre pregnancy weight of 12 stone - although I'm a bit of a freak of nature because when I got home from the hospital I was 11 stone! As soon as I stopped breast feeding and over Christmas the weight piled back. So yeah I'm about a stone overweight and I've a pudgy belly. Nothing an extreme exercise routine wouldn't fix but who has the time?!?

Honestly girl don't worry about it.

comongethappy

Well, AJ has been waking up after only 4 hrs sleep again... I don't know if I will ever get the sleep thing down! But still better than 2.5 hrs.

MIA, AJ has stopped screaming for the most part, just when going to sleep now and you can tell half the time it's put on. Though he's woke up screaming a few times tonight. I too put him back in crib for 1st wake and then just keep him in bed with us.

Regarding tummies, mine is destroyed. Stretch marks everywhere despite disciplined use of creams, and saggy wrinkly skin. I am half a stone away from my pre pregnancy weight, but my tummy is still a pouch, say core training needed to help but who has time for that? Don't worry about what your mom says. Very few people rebound quickly.

FBM, do tell what you think of the book when you try it out.I have just been trying a few bits from a couple general methods I'be read about.

madeinamerica

Thanks, ye make me feel normal! I thought it would take a lot to get the sag to go. I've no time or energy to do anything! I'm nearly 12 stone too, I was 11.5 when he was about month old but it crept up. She's flying out on Tuesday so I'll just grin and bear it till then, not worth the argument with so little time left. Although she's starting to say it to my husband now. He was making a sandwich for me, she told him it was too big and to make me a smaller one. He was like, it's only lettuce, tomato and chicken, all good stuff, it's fine as it is. They both told me about it separately afterwards, she thought she was saving me from a mountain of food and he thought she was nuts.

Anyway, it's good to be able to vent here!

Rían has started waking and crying at about 3am. Crying a lot. Takes a long while to calm him and get him back to sleep. I don't know if it's cause we started him on solids or what. He'll wake and mooch another once or twice as well. I'm wrecked from it.

73trix

As for post pg bodies...Small soft flat boobs!

FurBabyMomma

Oh girls I've been having the worst time of it! A has suddenly stopped sleeping at night and has started literally screaming! She wakes up after 3 hours and then for the rest of the night is just hysterical and wants to be on the boob all night. I'm so exhausted and upset. Things have been deteriorating to for the last 2 weeks til the last few nights which have been the worst. She is also super clingy. However she'll nap during the day fine still. She turned 6 months on Monday and started solids and on Tuesday her first tooth finally made it through so think all the changes have affected her. I was only 50 pages into No Cry before it got really bad but hubby has taken her away for the day and I've just had a nap and plan to read as much of it as possible before he gets back. I'll keep you posted xxx

madeinamerica

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Oh girls I've been having the worst time of it! A has suddenly stopped sleeping at night and has started literally screaming! She wakes up after 3 hours and then for the rest of the night is just hysterical and wants to be on the boob all night. I'm so exhausted and upset. Things have been deteriorating to for the last 2 weeks til the last few nights which have been the worst. She is also super clingy. However she'll nap during the day fine still. She turned 6 months on Monday and started solids and on Tuesday her first tooth finally made it through so think all the changes have affected her. I was only 50 pages into No Cry before it got really bad but hubby has taken her away for the day and I've just had a nap and plan to read as much of it as possible before he gets back. I'll keep you posted xxx

Poor mum and poor bubs! That sounds like a lot going on for A. Hope your nap is refreshing

I wonder does starting solids disrupt their sleep at night so? it coincided with R's night time cry-wakenings too.

monflat

HThereabouts ow is all the babies and mammys doin?
I'm busy these days working about 36 hrs a week even thou I had not intended to work as much. My little lad will be 8 months next week.
Since the 3 month mark or thereabouts he has not once slept from 11 midnight to 7am.
It's pure exhausting but I've given up thinkin about why and if I try this way or that way he might improve.
It's a long day.
By the time I clean up in the evening time sit down about 9 or 10 he wakes (he goes @7pm) to bed.
The minute we sit down he wakes up!
I've had not one hour alone with the husband since he was born so it's like we are just passing each other and myself goin to bed early to rest to have the energy to get up to him later.!

In sayin that he is flying with his solids he loves his food and is eating all sorts of dishes.
No teeth yet but teething mad since 8-10 weeks.

There is never a dull moment.
I have his belated six month development check next week. No doubt all will be ok fingers crossed.

Hope you all are enjoying your little ones and motherhood. !

madeinamerica

Hi monflat, sounds like tough going for ye. Fair play for keeping it all going! I'm finding it is more work now that he's started solids, more cleaning anyway! My guy is 8 months next week too.