BabyWhispererForums.com
ACTIVITY => E.A.S.Y. Forum => Topic started by: cambeladamom on June 21, 2005, 19:20:39 pm
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my ds was born may 1, and i was wondering if any other moms with lo in this age range would like to compare schedules and swap ideas.
it would be helpful to hear what other are doing :D
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Mine was born near the end (25th) so we're still not doing a great schedule yet. Though she had her checkup today and I feel better about her weight gain, so I definitely need to start paying more attention to her schedule now.
I'm in- let me know of a good time- we can use the BW chat, right?
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Well, Nat came May 15th, so we're smack in the middle. I can tell by now what her schedule is SUPPOSED to be, but she oblige me by sleeping! (or STAYING asleep - short naps already? :shock:)
I can never tell when I'll have two free hands to type so I'm not committing to anything, but count me in when I can! :)
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Liam is another 25th May baby & like Marlo & Deb, we're not in a good routine... I'm sure Liam, Noel & Natalie already talk to each other!!
I am in Australia so online chats are hard, but a thread would be great...
Liam has just finished a growth spurt & gave me a blisfull almost 6 hours last night (unfortunately his big brother has a cold & interupted it a bit!)
I was doing a 2.5/3hour schedual BUT Liam seems to be snacking some feeds & being big (10lb 4oz born) & now in 3month+ clothes I am going to see if we can keep all day feeds at least 3 hours & hopefully it will stop the snacking & hopefully help some sleeps??
I am also going to see if a 5 week old can have habitual wakings as Liam seems to wake at 1.30am & 4.20am & 6.30am almost to the minute (last 5 nights)
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great to hear from you all. it sounds like a timed chat would be hard, so maybe we could just stick to this thread.
judy, i am with you on the "independent time" my ds is horrible at it:) he can't go for very long at all without needing a change, or needing to be held. won't it be nice when they can hold toys? by the way, when does that start to happen? right now cambel will stare at toys, but he doesn't try to reach for them yet.
it doesn't sound like anyone is getting a full nights sleep yet. i was getting desparate for a couple of weeks there, but recently (the last week) cambel has had his last feed at 8:30, and then didn't eat again until around 4...then back down until 7 or so. it has been wonderful to feel like a normal person again. i hope it lasts!
it is nice to hear from moms with lo's around the same age as mine. as a first time mom, i need all the help i can get:) keep in touch...
here is another quick question. we are going on vacation (one we planned before we knew cambel would be coming:) ) next week. any suggestions on how to keep him on his routine? we will be with family-all of whom love to hold him constantly. and we will be driving a lot.
any advice would be appreciated.
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Not a lot of tips, Campbell's Mom. The only thing I would suggest is requesting the family members to let you lay him down for naps so that he doesn't get used to being held through naps. (That would be hard to break when you got home.) As far as the car, there's not much you can do. But babies this young adapt back a little easier, I think.
I'm not sure what has been going on with Noel the last few nights. She's been getting up about every 1.5 hrs- then nursing for a good 20-30 min. So I really haven't been sleeping. About to go lie down for a nap now while Madeline is sleeping and hopefully Noel will oblige as well.
I am enjoying this thread and seeing how things are going for others in this stage.
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Judy, I can't believe your patience patting for up to 30mins regularly. I have only had to pat Liam off a few times & it hasn't take long.
I am sitting here at 5am Sydney time as I decided ds was habitully waking as he only snack fed for most night feeds.
Well he woke at 11.30 as per most nights - whinging not crying (did his growth spurt just as we were getting the df sorted & havn't got bak in yet) So I gave him the paci... lasted 10 mins... so I changed him, re wrapped & paci again (waited until all quiet 15mins & took it out)... next woke 2.30am more like a cry & took decent feed.
Next woke 4.20am, whinging again... gave paci, 10 mins, gave paci, 5mins... thought ok last time & re wrapped & at at the computer as frustrating going back to bed... well he seems to be off now.
incidently by accident due to busy day he fed 3/3.5 hours most of the day & no real cluster feed either...so I'm thinking as he is a big boy he definitely should go longer not shorter to get the decent feeds.
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kate, we had a similar situation with cambel last week. he was waking, but was not very hungry. we did the same thing with the paci and reswaddling...and he seems to have come out of it. now last night he did wake up a little earlier than usual, and we had to put him back to sleep until he was really hungry, but i am wondering if he wasn't feeling the effects of the chocolate cake i ate (it was our 3 year anniversary yesterday, and we went out to eat) :). i hope your lo begins sleeping better for you. it is frustrating to be up with them when they are not hungry.
marlo-i hope you were able to get a nap today. and i am hoping with you for some rest tonight. hopefully noel is in a growth spurt that will be over quickly.
cambel has taken 2 great naps today-i only had to go in and give him his paci one time. he usually has such a hard time putting himself back to sleep when he wakes up halfway through a nap. but today he did great!
lest i get too excited though, he seems to have decided that he cannot be put down. judy, any suggestions for how to help him begin to entertain himself? or is this just something i just wait out?
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Well today we had one nap where I did not have to pat at all :D :D And two where I had to do minimal patting :D :D So I'm very happy with that direction. I can't seem to extend nighttime though. I shouldn't complain because they are only up once but it seems they generally wake between 5-6 regardless of last feed - it has been 9pm 10pm or even 11.30pm and they STILL wake around 5am. So tonight they will get that last feed at 9pm and then I'm not bothering to wake them or df after that and see what happens. I figure at worst they'll wake at 3am and really not sure that's too bad. I find it takes a full hour before I get back to bed so getting back to sleep at 4am to be woken at 7am by the other girls will likely be EASIER than getting back to sleep at 6am to be woken at 7am.
judy, any suggestions for how to help him begin to entertain himself? or is this just something i just wait out?
I think it's just time. I'd just keep at it every day. I keep putting Kaia and Hannah on the floor and then into the rockers at every wake time and slowly it gets a little longer. I also find they HAVE to have something interesting to look at too.
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well, after a 14 hour drive, we made it to our family vacation. cambel did great....we drove through the night, so he had his longest sleep yet:)
i think he is in a growth spurt right now-eating more and more often. just when i am dying for sleep! but our families are here, so we will make it.
one thing i am wondering...when do you all put your lo's to bed? we have been putting him down around 9 (with no df-he doesn't respond well to this). but he is getting fussy earlier in the evening and i am wondering if we should try to put him down earlier. this may mean i have to get up 2 times at night, but i am thinking he may get some more sleep this way. and this might make him a little happier.
any thoughts on this?
i'll check back after we are back from the beach:)
hope all is well for you. judy, how did the night go without the df?
marlo, are you getting any sleep?
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my new baby Mia was born May 1st, and I've been trying the contented baby routine - breastfeeds at 7am, 11am, 2.15pm, 6.15pm and 10.30-11pm.
feedwise she seems quite happy, but she wants to sleep all morning - falling asleep mid feed requiring much waking to get to breast #2 - then is very clingy late afternoon/all evening - can't remember last meal not eaten one handed with baby over shoulder!
how can i keep her awake during the day???
(also,have 2 year old Keira, and have to confess there are times when i'm grateful for the constant napping!)
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Hi There
My DS was born on April 8th, he weighed 7 pounds. He now weighs 19 pounds and is 30 inched long. Lately he has started doing the 45 minute nap thing. He use to take 2.5 hoiur naps 3 times a day like clock work. Any of your little guys experienceing the same thing? I think it is a growth spurt. Also, he never eats more hten 4 ounces at a time, when can I expect him to start taking more food? This is my first child and he is very changling. Without his naps, he is definately a grumpy baby. It makes it hard because I always thought my child would be happy, not the case here. I sometimes feel like a bad parent becuase he is rarely happy. Anyone have any ideas especially for activity time that will make him happy? Thanks Chris
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My baby, Heather Mae was born on the 26th of May, she was three and a half weeks eairly but doing realy well, she is still a little small for her age but nothing drastic. We are still working out our EASY routine, I find three hours between feeds hard as we were inisaly doing 3 and a half hours (she is bottle fed) and now we are trying 3 hours she isnt taking as much milk, we are sticking to the 3 hour plan though as even though she is taking less she is feeding more often so I guess it evens out. Our 'problem' right now is daytime sleep, I am having problemsgeting her to sleep in the crib for naps although she does great at night, going down for sleep when she still has her eyes open and geting herself of to sleep although she doesnt manage this in the day at the moment but we are working on it.
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my lo was born on 4/19. we are doing pretty well. my two "problems" right now are the 45 minute nap thing :evil: and she is not always consistent with her night time sleep. she will go 3 days sleeping till 5 or 6 am then a couple of night waking in the middle of the night. does anyone else have this inconsistency? is this normal at this age?
Also, one thing I am struggling with is her wake time. since she 'usually' wakes at 5 or 6 she will then go back to bed and wake up again anywhere fron 8-10 am! should I be waking her up at the same time to get consistency? I tried if for a couple of days to wake her at 7:30 but it is just so hard when she is sound asleep and you know you can be getting more rest too!!!
what do you all do?
Thanks, ANdrea
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Hi there . . .I'd love to join in.
My lo was born May 6th - a little over 3 weeks early. He is my first child! We started EASY around week 5 and have made great gains. It was thanks to the BW books and this forum that I realized my Matthew has reflux. It is still challenging at times - he wakes up from vomit and as of late, his meds (zantac) don't seem to be doing the job. I hate to see him in pain. We go into the doctor again this week so hopefully we'll be able to get something done. He is gaining weight though - the past three weeks he's gained between 12-15oz per week!
We are on a 3 hour schedule and dh does a dream feedeach night at 10:30. Matthew can make it to 4:30 but not always. Is it just wishful thinking to want him to make it to 7am??? Any suggestions as to how I can extend this time??? If it weren't for his reflux I'd say things were going incredibly well. Our typical day is something like this. . .
4:00 Eat
4:40 Sleep
7:00 Eat
7:20 Activity
8:15 Sleep
10:00 Eat
10:20 Activity
11:15 Sleep
1:00 Eat
1:20 Activity
2:15 Sleep
4:00 Eat
4:20 Activity
5:15 Sleep
6:45 Eat
7:00 Bath
7:30 Sleep
10:30 DF
I guess my problem right now is fighting constipation. My lo one used to be so regular (almost every feed) and now he's gone for more than 24 hours without a bm. I know it is from the rice cereal - we thicken his milk with the hope that it will stay down (it seems to be working but now we've got this lovely side effect). Any suggestions? I'd love to hear them.
Cheers,
Kathy
Mom to Matthew (Born 6 May 2005)
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Andrea... I wake Liam at between 7 & 7.30am everyday, I found if I don't keep within 1/2hour of the cycle I get 45 min naps... I had the short naps & more with my first as I demand fed him, I found BW when he was about 1yo & so decided my #2 would be a BW baby & it is going pretty well, although I don't do a df as Aiden sleep talks in the second half of the night so I get my best sleep before 2am & Liam now goes from 7pm until about 1ish, so if I get to bed by 9pm I get a good sleep & then disturbed 2nd half... works for me!
Krice... I think 4am ish is prety good at this stage, particularly with reflux, he will get to 7am, but adjusted age he is only 6weeks.
Not sure what to suggest re constipation, I do know bf babies can go up to a week without a bm, Liam goes about every 2-3 days, which is a big change from Aiden who was every feed, but if you are giving rice cereal, that changes things. Was that on medical advice?
Lilachawk... I have never bottle fed, but it is my understanding that you can go longer between feeds, so unless 3 hours is giving you longer at night, 3.5 hours might be what works for your lo. Re the day sleeps, my only suggestion is a longer wind down, I try to give Laim 10mins of quiet time in my arms (usually read books to my toddler at the time) before naps & so he is pretty calm or almost asleep when I put him down... I never have him up for more than 1 hour, usually it is only 50mins before he his back in the basinette & he is a big (6.5kg at 6 weeks) & allert baby, I just learnt the hard way with my first... less awake time = better settling & sleep. We still have our moments & I have at least 1 if not 2 naps that are short or hard to settle, but I live with that as it is 100x better than what I had with my first at this age.
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hello all....
Not much advice here... I'm still trying to figure out our routine dealing w/ 2 & trying to work from home. Plus on top of it all we've been battling thrush for the past 2 weeks! :x :cry: It is quite painful, but i'm trying to stick it out- I'd really like to bf Noel if we can just get past this.
Yes, I'm getting a little sleep, though we're still very inconsistent. (Sleeping a 5 hr stretch one night, but not the next.) I just tried the Aussie swaddle, and it seems to settle her pretty well-so I'll have to see if this "improvement" will be consistent.-Daytime naps are the worst- especially mornings. And starting early eve. she seems to want to power feed until around 10 or 11!
Sounds like a lot of us are battling a lot of the same things- in different ways... but hopefully we'll figure these lo's out soon!
HUGS to you all & kisses to these sweet babies- don't you just love how precious they can be? They do make up for these sleeepless nights with their smiles and coos...
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Started to realy work onwind down as of today and we have done great, only problem was that it was my nices 10th birthday today so we had to go out in the afternoon to go see her and give her her gifts, we went out after the 2pm feed and got home about 4, Hether MAe only slept for about 20 mins in that time (when we were driving) so as I had expected she was very overtired by the time we got home and I took her upstars to start the wind down and atempt at least a short nap, I didnt manage to actuly get her to sleep, she kept geting to the 3ed stage and then waking right up again and crying, I know this was because she was overtired so havent let it go to my heart, fed her as planed at 5pm, changed her nappy and went back to the bedroom to start wind down, we were sucsesfull but she woke about an hour later and for the first time ever I managed to settle her back down to sleep in her crib after she had woken eairly from a nap, I am very pleased with myself lol! Having said that she woke again 20 mins later having broke out from the swoddle, got her back down but she woke again 10 mins later, by that time it was only 20mins to go untill the 8pm bedtime feed but I perservired and even though she didnt go down to sleep again she was at least carm and resting. I gave her her feed at 8 and took her right up to bed (changing nappy on the way) and she has gone down beautifully as she most;y does at this time.
I am really pleased with the way the day has gone, been so nice not having a baby on my chest for most of the day! I only wish I had started this sooner, the main reason why I didnt is that I always seemed to have a baby on my chest and never got to the sleep chapter of BW solves all your problems lol!!!
I know its best to go out and do erands in the morning rather than the afternoon but what I am unsure of is when to go, streight after feeding? After activity so in nap time or should I wake her eairly from her nap and go out and do things before the next feed?
jen
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Jen- My plans are always to go just after a feed because I'm bfeeding and I know that I have a short window of time. Since Noel falls asleep literally the second the car starts to move and stays asleep fine in her carseat, it hasn't been a problem yet. (Though I've yet to go anywhere except doctor's and a friend's house by myself with the 2 yet!)
But if she doesn't sleep well when she's out, it might be better to limit the outings until she's older and your schedule is more intact. Just my thoughts... But going out could be part of the "awake" time- or if she sleeps well in the car, you could let the car be where she does wind down- and hopefully she'll sleep the whole time your out!
-And, btw, keep fingers crossed- we had a wonderful day today- keeping up with the Aussie swaddle for every nap. Here's hoping for a good week for all of us!!!:)
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it is so good to hear from you all. it seems that everyone is struggling with either naps or short nights (or both). i really worked hard on naps with cambel, and he seems to be doing better now. it was (and sometimes still is) so frustrating when you know your lo is tired and needs a longer nap, but they won't go back to sleep. i read in another post that some nap issues are developmental and babies will outgrow them. but it seems to have helped us to consistently work on taking longer naps. the past week has been great--he is generally taking 2 hour naps, and he has had several naps where he doesn't even wake up halfway. now that i have announced that, he will probably never do it again:)i think my main problem now is getting him to sleep more consistently at night. he has a great night, and then is up a lot the next night. this makes it difficult to have a consistent day time schedule as his wake time is different every day.
someone mentioned having a grumpy baby and feeling a little disappointed b/c they imagined having a very happy baby. i have felt this too as cambel is a little touchier than i imagined my baby would be. but it is getting better as he gets older, and i am learning to accept him just as he is. it helps that he is so cute:)
tomorrow cambel gets his 2 month shots...anyone have any advice on how to handle this. i am expecting a grumpy baby.
judy--i hope activity time is getting better with your twins. cambel just started reaching for his toys, and this has helped his "independent" time tremendously.
so good to hear from you all. here's to a good night's sleep!
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Hi everyone, isn't it funny how as new mums (or second time for some of you) we focus so much of our energy on trying to get our lo's sleeping or eating better. Oh yes, I can definitely join you on both those topics! We have a 40 minute day nap pattern with my 13 week old son, but luckily he sleeps from 6.30pm until 5-6am approx with only one wake up for a night feed somewhere between 2-4am. I'm beginning to think this could be dropped also as thismorning after feeding at 2.15am, wasn't at all interested in breakfast at 6.10am when he woke. After 30 mins I put him back to bed. An hour later he woke famished. Go figure! What I would like to know, is how to extend out his day feeding pattern as he's always hungry after 2 - 2 1/2 hours. I think this is due to the fact his 40min naps confuse his pattern. THinking he should be feeding as he's had a sleep and some play, so perhaps now I should b/f. He doesn't feed for long, 5 mins strongly on one side, not usually interested in the other. He's a long boy 65.8cm and weighs 14lb 6oz. I would like to put him on an EASY routine, but can't figure out how to when his sleeping and hunger cues are all over the place. I'm trying to set times down for sleep, but how do you do that when they don't play the game right and are grumpy/tired/hungry at the wrong time? HELP!!!
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Katet - it was doctor's advice that I thicken my EBM with rice cereal to try to help with Matthew's reflux. It seems to help . . .other than the side effect of decreased BM's. He's now only having 1 per day - down considerably!!! Poor little guy also seems to really have to work to get it out too. At least we have poop! I never thought I'd be happy to say that.
Cambel's mom - my little guy had his immunizations last week. 4 needle pokes to his thighs. I've never seen him turn that shade of red before. It made my heart break. I brought children's tylenol with me (on the advice of another mom). The health nurse who gave the shot also suggested that we give him a dose to help. While we waited the standard 15min. to see if he had a reaction we pulled out the tylenol and gave it to him. He was pretty tired for the remainder of the day, but overall faired very well. His routine was hardly disrupted.
On a side note, I've really noticed that a good wind down routine makes all the difference for naps/bedtime. I was missing his window by only a few minutes before and since bumping windown up by the 1st/2nd yawn I've been able to get DS down soooo easily.
Any of you had your little ones in the pool yet? I'm a die-hard swimmer and can't wait to get my guy in.
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Kathy, Aiden has been swimming since 6 months & now at almost 2 is swimming a few metres with a bubble. I won't be taking Liam in until after his 3rd round of immunisations (6months in Australia), Some say you can do it once they have their 4month (2nd lot), but I think it is safer to wait, as their immunity & temp contol is still not good.
Jen, I must admit, I get out & about almost everyday (unless visitors), I try to make it at the same time ie between the 10am & 1pm feed. we either go for a walk to the park, got to the shops, Aiden's swimming, friends or Dr's appointments, on the weekends we do the same. I had PPD with Aiden & find I need to get out every day for mine & Aiden's sanity. I think that as it is rougly the same time, it is just part of Liam's routine. I also know Aiden naps from about 1pm & so most of the time, Liam has a longer nap at this time too.
Little Bear's Mum, to extend out the feeding times, after a 45min nap, try to get your lo back to sleep, with Aiden, I sometimes used to have a short actvity time & then back off for another 45mins so sort of EASASEA etc. Also your lo may also want to suck, try a paci, at this young age you can control it to get rid of the extra need to suck... I do it with Liam & having used it badly with Aiden, I just use it to help get Liam back off or as he is a quick feeder to give him extra sucking (which is helpful for speech development apparently)
I sort of feel after the problems I had with my first time, I am much more relaxed about it & as I was saying to my dh this morning, sometimes I use a paci, sometimes Liam ends up feeding to sleep, sometimes, he falls asleep in the car or pram & others in someones arms & then others he goes off on his own or with pat/sh... As it changes from nap to nap, I think well he won't get used to one thing & as long as I get him to go off from awake at 7pm then I'm happy. Liam is also slowly starting to find his fingers/thumb & that calms him, so I'm encouraging that as one Paci addict in the family is enough!
For you first time Mum's try not to get obsesed about sleep/feeding, as I did with Aiden & really feel like I missed so much of his first few months... cuddling off to sleep on occasions is not going to set up "bad habits" just don't do it all the time. You never get the time back & they are so special... I just had a beautiful moment, with both boys on my lap/sholder, Liam fell asleep with Aiden stroking his hair
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I see there are lots of new posts in the last day and can't wait to read them all but it's getting too late now though! anyhow, before I forgot I wanted to tell JUDY-Baby Einstein videos and her crib mobile by Sassy have been great for independent time with Taylor. She loves both of them and can sit with them for at least 20 minutes by herself!
Talk to you all soon!
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I'm back again!
Katet-I am on day two of waking Taylor up at the same time everyday (8am) and still no change in the 45 minute naps, but it may take soem time. Hey, I've been battling them for 5 weeks now so I'm willing to try anything at this point! :roll: I like your advice about not being afraid to start bad habits, as I know I was neurotic the first few weeks about this, and didn't hold Taylor as much as I should have. :cry:
Krice-I too give Taylor rice with her df bottle of ebm everynight (the only bottle she gets). I have been doing it since seh was about 6 weeks old for her reflux and it does seem to help. I also took her in the hot tub on 4th of July. I made sure it was under 100 degrees of course. The only thing that was different was that it was a salt water hot tub (and pool) at our friends house, not chlorine. Don't know if you have ever heard of it. Anyhow, she LOVED it and slept till 9 am with no feed (her last feed was her 11 pm df)!!! it must have totally relaxed her! :wink:
Cambel's mom, hope the shots went well. Taylor got hers at 6 weeks and the poor thing she was so exhausted she slept till 6 am (the first time she 'slept through the night'. she then ate and went back to bed until 10 am!). I'm sure he took it like a champ.
I love this thread we have going...it's nice to see how all the other lo's in my dd's age range are doing. If only we could conquer the darned 45 minute naps!!! I went to my OBGYN check up today and she suggested I let her CIO, checking on her every couple of minutes to reassure her. I know this is total anti BW and I don't feel quite right about it. what do you all think?
Also, any of you thinking of maybe switching your lo's to 3.5 or 4 hour EASY? I can't help but think that a longer awake time will conquer the 45 minute naps?
Hope everyone else is doing well!
ANdrea
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Taylor's Mommy - I do know the type of pool water you are talking about. When I spoke with my doctor about taking my LO swimming she indicated to make sure our LO can hold his head up. Which he does quite easily! We have access to a 'baby' pool heated to a soupy warm temperature that is meant for little ones - I'm hoping to get out sometime later this week for our first dip.
As far as extending the EASY routine - I've been giving it a go. I'm starting out small. Increasing each cycle by 15 minutes. I've only done this for a three days now and plan do it for 2 weeks before I increase it again. My LO is an excellent napper (usually between 1hr 30min to 2 hrs 15 min). I'm hoping with the increased activity time that he will make it a little longer in the night. Right now he goes down at 7:30ish, has a DF at 10:30 and wakes up around 4-4:30am.
However, I'm not sure if I'm messing with a good thing. DS is 9 1/2 weeks (born 3 weeks early). Just today he has been waking up from his naps 1hr 10 min in - something he never does. I've been able to go in a pat/sh him back down (but having top do this a few times- again something I've never had to do before), but not sure what is causing this . . . perhaps it's the 3:15 EASY??? He did so well with it the past 2 days so who knows. I'll keep you posted.
Any LO ones going through their 3 month growth spurt right now? I'm wondering if it happened early and what to expect.
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Taylor went through her 3 month growth spurt starting last Thursday (she was 11 weeks and 2 days). She woke up every couple of hours that first night which she hadn't done in weeks, and then the next day she took extra feeds before each nap, and then took 5 ozs of ebm at 9pm (after beign fed at 7:30), and then another 5 ozs at her 11 pm df! So it was definitely a growth spurt. all those extra calories must have been enough to get her through the night because she slept till 6 am. since then she has been taking more at her feeds includign 6 ozs at her df and still sleeping till 5 or 6 am.
BTW, she is exclusively bf except for her df, but I gave her bottles for the additional feeds during her growth spurt so I could see how much she was taking.
Andrea
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oh, the shots were terrible! i almost cried when the nurse gave them to him. he cried so hard. he was really fussy when we got home, but it did not seem to disturb his nighttime sleep and he is doing okay today (just a little more fussy than usual).
andrea and kathy--i was thinking too about when to begin switching him to 4 hour easy. he is 11 weeks on sunday...maybe we should wait a few more weeks. or should we start 3.5 hour easy first? i am not sure how to do this. right now he can only be up about an hour, then he takes a 1-2 hour nap. i don't want to mess with his routine too much, since it is working well for us now. any suggestions?
someone(sorry-i don't remember who-) wrote about going out during the day. i have found( and this goes against the bw) that it is better if we go out later in the day. he takes his best naps in the morning, and his naps in the afternoon are shorter, so i have more time to take him out then, plus i am not worried about him missing a big nap.
here is my big question ....
i have been trying to get cambel to bed a little earlier (he was going down at 9 after a feed at 8:30). we now are starting his last feed at 8 and he goes down at 8:30. i would like him to maybe go down at 8 instead. the problem is, his nights are still inconsistent, so he wakes up at a different time every day. this puts us on a different schedule, and makes a consistent bedtime difficult. so i end up feeding him closer together so that we can get him to bed earlier. should i start waking him up at the same time every day? i just hate to wake him if he is sleeping and i could be resting:) i noticed some of you are waking your lo up in the morning...how is that working for you? and would you suggest it? what time are you all putting you lo's down at night?
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Cambel's mom - I do wake my LO up if it is time to eat/get up. I absolutely love doing it too . . . he wakes up so slowly and is very mellow - once he's a little more alert then come the smiles :D . The odd time he will start to cry immediately, but I find once he is more awake he will calm right down and grin. DH and I comment how much nicer it is to wake him up than have him wake us up!!!
I wake him up to try to stay consistent with our routines. It has worked extremely well for us. It was going so well in fact that I was going to try to extend the EASY cycle by 15 minutes for the next two weeks. Don't know what has happened though - the first 2 days were awesome, then every nap yesterday only lasted 1hr 10min (something VERY unusual for my LO). It's happening again today too (except his naps are only lasting an hour today). I've gone back to a 3 hour EASY but DS is still not the same. In fact, he's been eating less too. Anyone have any suggestions as to what might be going on? He's almost 10 weeks. I sure hope I haven't jinxed a good thing.
Cambel's mom- our bedtime is 7:30. I wake DS up at 6:30ish for his last feed, have bath time/massage, then windown, swaddle, pat/sh, and a DF at 10:30. He then gets up at 4/4:30 for a feed.
Does anyone know what the average weekly weight gain should be? My DS has been going up by leaps and bounds - 15oz last week, 12oz the week before, 11oz and 9oz. It took him 3 weeks to gain back the weight he lost at birth (a full 10%). Does this seem like too much? He's gone from the 13th percentile to the 50th in a month.
We're hopefully going to the pool today - it'll be a first!!!! Yippee.
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Heather Mae is due to have her first set of jabs next week, its only two shts in the uk but I am still dreding it, I just keep remembering when we were in hospital and she had to have her blood taken a couple of times a day, poor mite had so many holes in her little feet, she used to cry if you tuched her feet, she is over that now but Ijust feel bad having to put her through people sticking her with neadles again!!
With swimming, here in the Uk they now say you can take your baby swimming anytime, even before they have had there first set of imunisations.
Heather Mae is doing great with her naps now, even if she has gotten over tired because we have had to go out somewere, I think the real key has been swaddling, she is sleeping so well now I have started to miss her in the day lmao!!!
jen
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Hello, I am a new mum too. Oliver Daniel was born May 27th although I think he would have been a june baby if left up to his own devices!! I can't complain. WE have been trying to do things the EASY way however, his mother (me) has read too much and seems to be too uptight...it is Ollie who seems to be getting me to do the EASY thing rather then the other way round. He generally eats every three hours in the daytime however, the evenings are always a rough time for him....seems to be different every day..although last night he fed at 5 and 7pm..and then 10:30...then I got to sleep until 4am!! Wow!! So, I think I will try and keep him in this pattern.
Nice to see there are so many others with similar questions out there!\
Rachael
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well my computer at home has died, but flew down to my Parents with Liam last night to go to a funeral this morning (my friend mother of 5 aged 4-9 lost her hubby to cancer) & missing my toddler who is home with Dad/grandad, but enjoying one on one time with Liam, for a second time mum it feels so easy just to have the baby, even if his routine has been totally messed up, but hey that's life.
Can't remember who posted about 45min naps, just wanted to say for some babies they seem to be a factor that is very hard to fix, I never truely got past them with Aiden until he got mobile & was more tired, s needed more sleep.
Re switching to a 3.5/4hour easy, it can actually help lengthen night sleep if your lo feeds good feeds in the day, it certainly did with Aiden & with Liam, although only 7weeks, I do mostly 3, but one 4hour stretch now and he goes 7pm to 2/3am- I don't do a df as it doesn't suit me to although Liam did get a 10.30pm feed last night as that was when we got here & slept to 4am, although I had to resettle at 2am!
Kathy average weight gain is normally 100g-200g/week ( 3-7oz I think) but both my boys have been more like 250-400g (8-14oz) and all the health nurses have said is that they are nice healthy boys... it's just a pain carrying these big babies around (Liam is now about 6.5kg.(14lb) weight gain is often not even, as Aiden was huge off the graph at 6 months & stayed the same weight for almost 4 months & by 12 months was at the 75%
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Hi there April/May mums.
I am mum to May - who is now 10 weeks old.
I have been roughly trying to do EASY - but don't find it easy - particularly when I want or have to go out... I already have a five year old who needs to be taken to school and picked up from school and so on. Plus, I think I'd go mad if I didn't go out and do things - so it's weighing up struggling to get May to nap when we do get home or not going out at all!
She seems to take a long time to settle for naps - even with swaddling and white noise.
I also haven't been very consistent about what time she wakes in the morning and wondered if a regular waking up time would make a difference?
It's good to read other mum's experiences as I have been getting stressed about not doing it 'right' - thinking I should be sticking to a more regular routine for her, at the expense of me having a life!
Any thoughts?
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beckys I actually find that having a more regular routine gives me more benefit and me time and easier to get out than not, esp having activities for my toddler.
I sort of planned our days backwards, what time did the activities I did with Aiden happen & how should I do bedtime with 2 & then worked out a rough 3 hour EASY around that.
I think if you try to structure a rough routine around the school runs & have a start time end time to May's day, you may fnd it is easier for you & her routine is not at the expense of you... sure you live a little bit by the clock, but I now find for the most part Liam does a good sleep when it is aiden's sleep & copes with the catnaps etc when we are out & about...ok I suspect he is an easygoing bub anyway, but he has become well adjusted to the routine and now I know we can go out at certain times that fit around Aiden too, because I dont cope being at home all day.
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Beckys-- I know exactly how you feel!! I have beeen the same. Since Ollie was born I had my sister visiting from the UK so we went to my parents house to visit them, then we had to travel cross country to a friends wedding...anyway, I decided that when we finally got back I was going to give Ollie a week of normalacy (if that is a word) anyway, now I am stir crazy and it is only day 4!! I live in a place that is 1.5 hour drive from anyone I know, my husband works long hours..and in my pre-mum life I was a physician...so, normally I am glad of the no visitors in the evening as I am all peopled out by then...now however!! Anyway, I think I just have to chill out a little bit and expect Ollie to have up and down days...and if the routine has to be moderated somewhat one day so that I don't go insane...then, that is what will have to happen!
Now for a question...I hope you don't all hate me as the whole getting the little ones to sleep long enough seems to be the predominant issue...I have no problem getting Ollie to sleep...my problem is, he likes to sleep too much. Any suggestions on how to wake an extremely sleepy babe? Yesterday for example, he went down at 1:30pm..so, I was expecting him up around 4pm...so, 3:30 I went in unswaddled, put blind up etc...at 5pm I finally had him awake enough to eat!! IN an effort to wake him I used to change his nappy...however, I had to start buying shares in the company since as soon as he would eat...I'd have to get another nappy out! So...any suggestions other then unswaddle, lights on, and chatting to little happy sleepers????
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Hi Everyone - I see more and more people are joining in. That's great, hopefully someone will be able to answer a few questions for me.
My DS- now 10 weeks old has been a little off lately. His naps have been decreasing from 2hrs to around 1hr. I have also noticed that he is eating less (but I believe this could be attributed to the fact we are putting rice cereal in his bottle to help with his reflux - he gets more calories). He has also been fussier than usual for putting down. . . . he's not liking the wind down and I have more success if I put him into his crib almost immediately.
Last night DH went to give him a DF. My LO threw up and hubby was distraught and frustrated. I told him we'd just clean him up and put him back to bed - we'd skip the DF. Well DS lasted until 3:30am (his last feed was at 6:30pm). This is the LONGEST he has ever slept through the night - a full 9 hours. With a DF he was only making it to 4/4:30. And today, he is napping much better - back up to almost 2hrs per nap.
So tonight we are going to try to skip the DF again and see what happens. Throughout the day I've been adjusting the times he eats - spacing it out by an extra 20 minutes with the hope that DS will get his last feed around 8:30pm. I'll be curious to see how his night goes.
Did any of you need to 'tweak' your EASY routine around the 10 week mark? Does this sound like my LO one wants to go a little longer between feeds? Am I completely misreading his cues? I'm puzzled trying to figure out what is up (and just when we had a GREAT routine established). If anyone can provide insight that would be AWESOME!!!
As a side note . . . we got to the pool yesterday and DS was awesome. He was so interested in his surrondings. We only stayed in for about 7-10 minutes but it's a start!
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Well, I really have no advice. My first time around I didn't start EASY until about 3 mos.
I don't remember who mentioned it, but- don't feel like you have to stay in the house all day. I've been feeling this way as well- and I think it completely contributes to ppd symptoms- we all need the sunlight, I think!
Anyway... keep your fingers crossed for us- I have had much more success with Noel the last two days. She finally started on some medicine for the thrush, and that seems to have really helped. I don't think it's completely gone, but it is a huge improvement. Also... I'm totally not suggesting this to anyone else to do- I have just decided to do this (against the ped.'s advice :oops: ) But- I've started putting her to sleep on her tummy. -After asking around and finding that every mother I know that has babies who sleep well put them on their tummies! So... that did the trick. Within 2 naps I saw an incredible improvement. Plus, she's sleeping from about 9-4 every night. So... things are definitely looking up here.
Hope everyone else is doing well. Such a sweet age... :)
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thanks to Rachael and KateT (?) for your replies.
Rachael - sounds like life is a little isolating for you - which makes it even harder!
Anyway, have had a couple of quieter days and the routine does help - though May seems need to sleep longer than an hour and half for some naps and then other naps only sleeps half an hour. Plus, I keep looking out for yawns before her nap and can't see any! She often goes straight from awake to crying...
I don't really have your problem, Rachael, of a sleepy baby! I wish...
I think somewhere else in the forum mentioned the basic principles to follow - ie not feeding them to sleep and not letting them get overtired. It makes sense to me to follow these two things particularly, and I guess it will be easier to be more consistent as they get older. I think at this age, they do change so much, don't they?
How do we mum's find the time to write these messages?!
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kathy- cambel is almost 11 weeks old, and i am seeing changes in his routine now as well. it seems like this happens every few weeks. i really thought we had conquered the short nap thing, but here we are fighting it again! i have decided not to get too worried though, because i am sure in a few weeks it will be different. they are just changing so much now and i don't think we can expect real consistency until they get older.
marlo- i am glad to hear that i am not the only mom who sometimes puts her ds on his tummy. my ped. says no, but sometimes it is the only way to help him get a good nap. that is great that noel is doing so well. we fed cambel at 8:15 last night and i held him off with his paci until 5 before i fed him. isn't it nice to get some more sleep?
rachel- hang in there. my husband works long hours and i sometimes get lonely too. coming from such a busy routine before the baby, it will probably take some time before you are used to going slower. but i say, get out when you can even if you mess up your lo's schedule once in a while. and about ollie sleeping so much. i could be wrong, but i bet he will outgrow it, and in a few weeks you will be asking advice for how to get him to sleep longer:) cambel went through a stage similar to that, and then he outgrew it. but for your sake i hope you always have a great napper:)
have a great weekend everyone!
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Hello Ladies,
What interesting posts here! It sounds like a lot of us Mommys are dealing with the same issues. My ds is 10 1/2 weeks, and I too have had concerns w/ his eating, or lack there of. When feeding him every three hours, he wants to snack w/ 2 to 3 oz. If I wait longer, he will down 6 oz. Problem is, he can't stay awake longer that 1 hr and 15 to 20 mins at this point. I've been reading like crazy and I've been given some great suggestions. Anyone conquering this and want to share what has worked? Some naps, my ds stirs at 45 mins, and some naps not. I find if I can get to him, 9 out of 10 times he'll go back to sleep w/ pat/shush (mostly pat). He goes to bed by 7:30 pm (a few times 8:00 pm). We do a df at 10:55 pm each night, and he's only waking between 5 and 5:30am. He then gets up again between 7 and 7:15 am. Is he too young to go through the night w/out eating? At his 5-5:30 am wake, he takes his paci and some pats, and he's back to sleep. He's over 11 pounds and gaining great, so should I be concerned?
Thanks everyone! Keep the ideas coming!!!
Stephanie
Mommy to Ian Patrick Hopper (my sweetheart)
05/04/05
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Stephanie,
I have had the same problem with Ollie although it sounds like you must be bottle feeding since you know the number of ounces. For me, if I try (and most of the time I am unsuccessful) to wake Ollie at the 3 hour mark...he'll eat for five mins and then there is nothing I can do to get him interested...however, I a wait and allow him to wake on his own , usually closer to the 4 hour mark post feed, he'll wake up fully and eat for at least 20 mins..which seems to fill him. So, after talking to my sister (mother of 2 and introducer to the EASY method) she said, "what are you crazy!!! Let him wake up when he wants to" so, yesterday that is what I did. When I had been trying to wake him he went thru a stage where he was up 2x thru the night even with the DF prior to that he was eating only once around 4am'ish...last night after allowing him to wake...again he slept thru til 4 am'ish. So, my thoughts are...perhaps as he too is over 11 lbs now he is satisfied with his every 4 hour feeds and I am probably worsening his night sleep because as the Book mentions a well rested baby eats and sleeps better. I have also found that he is in a much better mood when I let him wake on his own.
So...long story short....let you lo wake up when they are ready...that way your not interfering with their sleep needs and you are not trying to force feed a disinterested baby.
Ok...the doctor in me has to respond to the sleeping on belly thing! Your pediatricians recommend the "Back to Sleep" mantra solely because a huge study looked at risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome and belly sleeping suggested increased risk. This does not mean however, that every baby that ever died of sids was on their belly nor, does it mean that sleeping on belly=SIDS....however, having been the doctor on call now x2 when a babe came in that couldn't be resuscitated...I am not going to take any chances...furthermore, if (God forbid) this ever happened and I knew that the belly thing put my lo at increased risk then I am not sure I would be able to get over that....having seen parents go thru this...we always try to blame ourselves when something goes wrong. Anyway, I am not saying it is wrong to let your little ones sleep on their bellies, Ollie loves his belly time too, however, if you are going to do so, then at least be informed and aware...
off my soapbox now!!
to the mum battling thrush...just make sure you use the medicine until at least 48hours AFTER you see resolution of the white plaques (at least)!
Thanks for your moral support everyone...
Rachael
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Hi Everyone,
Glad to hear everyone and their LO's are hanging in there. We are doing pretty good but still battlign those darned 45 minute naps! Teh last few days though have been pretty enjoyable though with Taylor babbling and cooing more and just overall getting more happy and interactive. Dare I say this but I feel like I am finally starting to really enjoy this. teh first few weeks were just so hard with her semming to always be unhappy.
Krice-have you decided to extend the EASY routine yet? I am thinking of starting in the next few days but know I have to stay home for a few days to do it and am not looking forward to that! :evil: How are his naps doing and dropping the DF? I have read that at this age the normal weight gain is .5-1 oz/day BTW.
Cambel's Mom-I have been waking up Taylor at 8 am for the last few days because I too was letting her sleep until whenever (sometimes as late as 10 am after her 6 am feed!). It hasn't really made a difference yet, but it has made it easier for me to plan out her day.
Katet-Ithink you said that you are switching your lo's routine. Wondering if I should go straight away to 3.5 hours and skip the 3 hour 15 minutes step as outlined in Tracy's new book??
Stephanie-I see taht you are holding your lo off at 5 am and not feeding until 7am? I was wondering if I should do the same because I know Taylor can make it to 7 am and even 8 am like she did this morning. so when she still sometimes wakes at 5 wondering if she really needs it??
So my questions for all you mama's:
Have any of you started to see your LO's going to sleep totally on their own yet? My dd is almost 13 weeks and we have started to try and wean her off of the pat/shush and see what she can do on her own and we are seeing a little progress. Am I still expecting too much?
With the 45 minute nap thing do you all think it is better to try and go in early and not let them get to a full waking or continue to just let them be and see if they can do it on their own? I felt like when I was going in at the 40 minute mark I was doing all the work and just putting a band aid on the problem. After 3 days of me workign with her consistently like thta she still couldn't do it on her own. Now I am just waiting until she cries and then put her back to sleep-whicn I can do most of the time.
That's all for now! Until next time!
Andrea
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taylor's mom- i think i can join you in saying that i am really starting to enjoy this too. it is so fun when cambel smiles and coos...all of which he is doing so much more of lately. it makes battling 45 min naps and getting up at night much more bearable. about the naps--sometimes cambel can make it 2 hours without stirring, but he also wakes up alot after 45 mins. i let him wake up and then i go in. i have found that he will go back to sleep better and quicker if i go in after he starts crying. he is also pretty touchy, so going in at 40 minutes carries the risk of waking him up even more. no good ideas about switching to a 3.5 hour easy. cambel seems to be moving in this direction on his own. i am hesitant to spend a lot of time working him into a new routine since we will start some solids in another month or so and this will change his routine again. plus, i can't count on him sleeping consistently at night, so his schedule is always changing! i will be so glad when i can lay down at night and know i don't have to get up in a few hours!
rachel's mom- thanks for the info about sids. here is a question for you. the only time i put cambel on his stomach is when he won't go back to sleep during a nap. so the most he is on his stomach asleep is an hour or so. i don't lay him on his stomach at night. if i have turned him to his stomach, i always check on him every 15 minutes or so to make sure he is okay. do you know if this still puts him at an increased risk for sids? and what about when he starts rolling over? if he turns to his stomach on his own is that bad?
we have been out a lot this weekend and have really messed up cambel's schedule. so for the first time he has gone way over the normal hour of awake time before he needs another nap. even though he eventually had a total breakdown, he was amazingly pretty happy. does this mean that i can start keeping him up longer and decreasing the number of naps he takes? i think if i laid him down at home after an hour of awake time he would sleep....just wondering if anyone has any ideas. how many naps/ and how long are your lo's taking?
hope everyone is doing well. rachel's mom- i was wondering if there were any "mom" groups you could get involved with in your area. that might help with the lonliness. we have a group called MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) and it is a great support group.
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rachel- sorry. i just realized i wrote in my last post that you were "rachel's mom" instead of rachel...oops:)
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I'd have to agree with the "coo's and smiles" . . . I instantly forget any bad moments when I see my little guy grin ear to ear!
Right now we are working on coordinating our hands. My LO was hitting a little toy and thought it was so much fun. He started to make this strange sound I hadn't heard before and then the drool started. He was obviously enjoying himself! He's just on the verge of laughing . .. I can't wait!
Andrea - We decided to keep the DF. We have dropped a feed from somewhere, but with the way our schedule is changing I'm not too sure which one we lost! My LO is stretching out the EASY schedule on his own. I wanted to keep it to a 3hr 15min routine, but at times he goes 3hr 30 min, and has even gone 4 hours. I'm just going with the flow. Our typical day at this point goes something like this . . .
5:00 Eat
7:30 Eat
11:15ish Eat
3:30ish Eat
6:30 Eat
10:30 DF
I'd like to push the 5:00 feed further back (or get rid of it). I find at 7:30 my LO isn't all that hungry and doesn't take his typical amount. I think my next step will be to try and hold him off. I assume that once we are on a true 4 hr routine we will lose the 5am feed.
Our naps have gone back up to 1hr 30min - 2 hrs. I'll tell you what has changed for us . . . no more waking at 2 or 3 am. We ordered a "Miracle Blanket" and my Matthew is wrapped up tight just like a little mummy. The difference in his sleep is incredible. If you haven't heard of this swaddle, it has flaps where his arms are held by his side, there is a pouch for his legs, and the fabric is stretchy (It's idiot proof . . . meaning even grandma can wrap him up tight ':lol:' ) . He no longer wakes up because he has broken free. Well worth the expense.
Cambel's mom - as far as the number of naps. I don't consider the time between the 5 and 7 feed a nap. So in our day we have 3 naps. The longest being the first 2 and then more of a catnap between the 3:30 and 6:30 one. Sometimes this last nap is as short as 45min - depending on how much activity time he had and how difficult he is to put down.
Andrea - I had also read about the average weight gain. Typically they put on between 4-7oz per week (or an average of 30 grams per day). My doc calculated that my LO is putting on 50 grams per day (between 11-15oz per week). She's not concerned, he's still not a big baby - was born fairly small. I'm just hoping he slows down a bit or he'll no longer fit into the cute outfits my mom got him!
How is everyone doing for getting some time for yourselves? Excersice routines starting up? Or are you still trying to catch up on sleep? This past week and a half I've been able to get out and get some excercise. I'm almost feeling human again!!!
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Maria-re:tummy sleeps. It sounds like you are being extremely cautious with respect to your tummy time during naps. Of course noone can answer the question re: how much time on the tummy increases the risk. However, as I said it sounds like you are monitoring him closely on his tummy anyway. With respect to rolling onto their belly on their own...usually at this point if theyare that mobile they can decrease their own risk since if they can't breathe properly they can move into a better position...I have one patient who was vigilant about turning her little guy onto his back...but everytime she went in the room there he was on his tummy again. She was losing sleep constantly going in and turning him over. I guess at that stage you know your babe and you know how mobile they are and you'll know what you are comfortable with....there are no specific recommendations at that point from a medical perspective!
As for mum and me groups...I think there are some...which I will look into. Unfortunately, in a small community it is hard to remain anonymous and so my "role" is known....often times then I am looked to for answers etc....however, I am just as lost as the next new mum!! Anyway, I am having a much better week (oops just realized it's only Monday!!) I did manage to get out over the weekend a few times...even got out for a jog!! Jogging is hard on the bladder I find post baby!!
Right..glad to hear all are well. Since allowing Ollie to wake up on his own we have had a much happier camper!! He is slowly training me!! In fact on his own he had two 1.5 hour naps between morning and afternoon feeds and then had an hour long nap prior to his 5:00pm feed...managed to keep him up then after his bath until 6:35 pm..but I think it may have been a bit long for him as I then had to shush-pat numerous times before he finally drifted off for good ab 8pm....when I catch him at just the right time...I hardly have chance to get his dummy in, close the blind and sing him a song before he's drifting off!
Take care...and have a good week.
Rachael
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Hello ladies. I just found Tracy's book a few weeks ago and the website today. I'm really enjoying the posts with babies so close in age to my Jameson Ralph (born 05/05/05 about 3 weeks early, 6lbs15oz). I started EASY last monday. He did great all last week and even through the weekend. Then today I'm about to pull out my hair. He was taking 1 1/2 - 2hour naps twice a day and today he hasn't been down for more than 20 minutes without waking up crying like something hurts. I took his temp and found it was about 99. Gave him some tylenol and I think that has done the trick. I have been waking him up for the 3 hour feeds...would someone agree with me that since he is finally asleep now I should just let him rest? I love the predictability of the routine but I also want him to get the rest he needs.
Thanks.
~ Jill
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Hi Jill - our LO's are only a day apart. Very similar too . . . DS was also 3 weeks early and weighed 6lbs 14oz. You got the very cool birthdate!!! Matthew is 05-06-05. Just these past few days my DS has begun to lengthen EASY on his own. We've had a couple of 4 hour cycles today - seems to be working. Is your LO staying awake any longer? Matthew started to increase his awake time and has been able to make it longer between feeds, so we have started to progress that way. However, if he wakes early (like around a 3 hr EASY) I will feed him if he wants it. I'd agree that if Jameson had a rough day to let him sleep . . .especially if he is wiped out from a temperature.
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Obviously I'm a new Mommy with this question! On the average, when do babies eyes change color? I know they're born w/ blue, but by when do they begin to change? I'm just curious because my ds was born w/ the most beautiful blue eyes (like my dh) and I am desparately hoping they stay that color. He will be 11 weeks on Wednesday. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Stephanie
Mommy to Ian Patrick
05/04/05
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Re eye colour... I think it can be any time in the first year... BUT mine changed colour from green to brown in my teens, so I guess any time
Stephanie, do you have siblings/family members with blue eyes, as you need it on both sides of the family, blue eye colour is a recessive gene. My ds#1 has blue eyes, I am brown & dh greyish, but his dad has brilliant blue eyes & my brother too, so I know it is in my family. Aiden's eyes haven't changed & he is 2 next week so I think they will stay the brilliant blue they are. BTW Asians, Greeks & other nationalities are born with brown eyes, only caucasian origin babies have blue eyes
My baby update (now I have a computer back - new lap top as our desk top died!) Liam is a bit all over the place, it is really cold overnight here & also he is really too big for the bassinette now, so his night sleep isn't as good as it has been 3-4 wakeups. We don't want to get Aiden out of his cot, so I have to wait to catch up with a friend to get their cot, so I have set up our spare bed, with the play pen on 3 sides to keep him safe & pillows & his day sleep thus far seems ok. He travelled with me (by plane) to a funeral last week & my parents who I stayed with commented if they hadn't seen him they wouldn't have known there was a baby around... in contrast to there 4 weekold grand daughter, who they never see only hear crying as her mother (my SIL) keeps her shut in her room & follows Babywise & I believe basically lets her cry off to sleep!!
I'm still finding it hard to settle Liam at times as Aiden demands my attention, but at least I always manage to get him off with out a paci, pram ride etc at bedtime & during the night. I am also sure he doesn't really need to feed both the times at night I feed him as he snacks at them, but I just don't have to energy at the moment to deal with it at the moment as Aiden has a nasty cold, which I now have & dh is working 12+ hour days for the rest of the month (his busy time at work) and I can't ask him to do the resettling, as he did when we dealt with this issue with Aiden.
Anyway it may be a bit rougher for us at the moment, but no where near what it was for aiden at this age & I am enjoying it much more
Oh blast... Aiden has woken up from a 45 min nap so no more computer time for me & lots of playing with cars etc... it is going to be a long afternoon, I did hope with his cold he would give me a nice long 2-3 hour nap esp as he woke early this morning, but I guess the 10min cat nap he had while I fed Liam put his sleep needs out of whack.
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Question: Do most of you wake your babies for feeds at the 3-4hr mark or do you wait until they rouse themselves?
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Rachel - normally I will get my LO up if it is around the time for a feed. The only time I don't is if he's had a rough day, but then I don't let things go much past - maybe let him nap for 30min longer but not much more than that.
Re: eye color - the nurses in the hospital told me for the vast majority of babies it takes 6 months for the color to be determined.
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Katet! I really think we must live parallel lives on opposite sides of the world! DH also works near 12 hr. days, and me and Madeline have a nasty cold (that I'm praying Noel doesn't get!) It is incredibly hard, isnt' it?!
I've heard the 6 month thing on eye color as well, though it seems by 3 months you can usually see where it's heading... (this is in other people's babies- me and DH both have blue eyes, so I can't imagine our lo's having anything else...)
Noel is sleeping pretty well now (fingers crossed!) Though last night, I literally had to resettle her about 10 times before she "got it'- then slept till 5. The thrush seems to be hanging around- but not as bad as before. and only hurts on one side for me. Don't really know what else to do- we've done everything...
But she's started really smiling and laughing now! (Madeline can usually get a good laugh out of her when Noel is in her swing.) But with Madeline's cold, it's hard to keep her away from the baby. Last night I was telling her I hoped she got better so we could go play with some of her friends- and she said "and hold baby." :( I do wish she didn't have to miss out just b/c of this silly cold... Oh well... we go to the doctor on Thurs. so hopefully we can get it all figured out. (Between Noel's thrush, my own prescriptions and now Madeline, they're getting to know us pretty well at the pharmacy!)
Sounds like everyone is doing well with EASY (from what I can tell.) Especially you first timers! (First time around I was "lost" for the longest time!)
I'm still going back and forth on the tummy sleep thing- I know if her ped. asks about it at her next visit I will feel like a terrible mom... but something I realized is if she doesn't sleep I feel like she's also at a "risk" for things as well... so I go back and forth. As for now, I check on her lots and keep the monitor by my side constantly. She really is very strong- moves her head to the side with no problem... but I do agree with everything that has been said. (And I hope what I say here does not encourage anyone to follow in my footsteps... please do not tummy sleep b/c I said anything about it!!!)
And yes, I wake her at the 3-4 hr mark. I feel that keeping her on a strict "schedule" during the day helps her at night. Though if you feel she needs a little extra sleep b/c of a bad morning,etc... then getting an extra 1/2 hr. in isn't such a bad thing, imho.
Glad to hear how everyone is doing!
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This thread is wonderful!
krice--that is neat that our LOs are so close in age. The date thing just happened to work out. Early in my pregnancy my sister (who was also pregnant at the same time with twins) thought it would be a cool date and actually thought she might get it. But no I was induced on the 3rd and baby J waited 2 days to come out. (my niece and nephew arrived two weeks later on the 19th.) Jameson hasn't started taking shorter naps yet. I don't think we've been on EASY long enough to switch it yet. We'll see after a couple more weeks/days. I did realize that yesterday may not have been due to illness but rather growth spurt. He was up ever two hours last night and definitly was hungry. Today is a bit off 'schedule' because of his last feed in the night. But I figure if it takes a few days to get over the extra bfeeding then we'll get back on track. I'm not so concerend with the times but the EASY has taught me to read him. I am so grateful for that!
Couple people mentioned swimming...we were in Ohio a few weeks ago and went at my mom's house. He had so much fun but it didn't last very long as it wore him out. We've gone a few times since we've been home but it is so darn hot that we basically go to the pool for a short bit and head back to the house.
Thrush...we had that at the 2 week mark. Not fun. Keep giving the LO the meds for the full 14 days and make sure you're on something too. I found that putting lansinol on helped me. Best wishes on getting rid of it. I know it hurts from the LOs side too. I actually had it when I was pregnant. My tongue has never hurt like that before. :(
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Mine was born April 26th as well (three months today!)
She's getting 8-10 hours of sleep a night. We usually put her down around 9:30, and she doesn't get up until 7 or so am. Occasionally she'll get up at 6:30, and occasionally she'll sleep as long as 7:30. Usually we don't let her sleep any longer than 7:30, as my DH heads into work after he feeds her and puts her down for her nap.
Naps I still wrestle with, she usually takes 2-3 45 min to an hour naps and one 2 hour nap a day. I'd like to see her get 2 full 2 hour naps at least, but I can't seem to figure out how to do it, even though I've played with her schedule a lot. Usually though, I'll put her in her crib when she's sleepy, but she normally ends up playing herself to sleep.
She's also eating around 5-6 oz. per feeding every 3-3.5 hours. We do cluster feed at 7:30 and 9:00, but lately she's been sleeping well without it, so we may just eliminate the 7:30 feed. No dream feed, we eliminated that long ago as she was sleeping well without it.
Bottom line is, I never let her go more than 1.5 hours of waking time, as if I let her go longer (or she absolutely refuses to take a nap), she WILL NOT nap the rest of the day, unless we're driving somewhere, then she'll sleep in her car seat. She's as stubborn as she is spirited!
Well, gotta go...I have a feeling it's gonna be "one of those days"... :roll:
*HUGS*
Sonya =P
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Aarismom: my youngest dd's were born on April 26th as well!! :D
Marlow: I sleep Kaia and Hannah on their tummies as well - did the same with Sarah. Zoe, being my first there was no way I would have attempted it. I figure so long as they can turn their heads their fine. They sleep so much better this way. I also find that Kaia and Hannah have an extremely strong startle reflex and sometimes almost start hyperventilating they're so scared and upset so lying them on their backs is not a good sleep option in my opinion.
I can't believe how much they sleep during the days. They are never awake for more than an hour. I just can't get them past that hour. It's hard with two, as it's a bit trickier to keep them entertained and moving around to new things than it was with my older two as singles. So at this point they are having 3 long naps of 1.5-2hrs each and then 2 short naps of 45-60 min and then bed. They're last feed at night is often around 9pm and then off to bed with a DF at 10.30-11pm and they'll then go through till 6 or 7 am most nights.
Well Sarah has just woken after just an hour nap and I must go wake up Kaia and Hannah - I do try to wake them and keep them on a 3 hour schedule for feeds - at most I let them go an extra 15-20 minutes or so.
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Judy: I actually noticed that :) And frankly, I have my hands full with one...I tell ya what, I can't imagine having twins, although I've always wanted that...how do you do it?! My hat's off to you and all the other moms of twins!
I am curious about the number of people who say they sleep their babies on their tummies...do you actually swaddle them? It seems to me if they try to move around they might get more caught up in the cover. I was thinking of trying tummy sleeping since my lo has almost mastered head control (she's almost got her chest up, and has her head up 90 degrees). I'm thinking it may help with napping better, since when I put her on her back sometimes she seems to wind herself up again and not nap (which is what she's doing today). Should I wait until she can more successfully roll over (I guess that's around 6 months)? She does roll to her side so she can get her thumb...
The only problem is that when we have tummy time she seems to get really frustrated and upset. And she tends to spit up a lot :/
*HUGS*
Sonya =P
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Sonya: I don't swaddle my girls when they tummy sleep. This would be dangerous in my eyes - they need their arms free. If you are worried about blankets just dress her warm enough to go without blankets. Sleep sacks are very convenient for this. I started with Sarah at about 5 weeks and maybe the same time with Kaia and Hannah now. They were on their sides prior to that. That aren't always too impressed with tummy time either... the difference with bedtime is they get patted. Helps with the thumb/finger sucking too. If she has good head control as it sounds she does then I wouldn't be concerned with it myself - but that's ME. Don't do anything that YOU aren't comfortable with.
As for how do I handle twins? Well - I just do I guess. And you would too if you had two... you just do what you have to do. With two babies and two toddlers I basically just am always looking after someone's needs. Some days are hairy. This week I'm on my own completely during the days with all four (usually my mom is around a few times/week to help) and the older girls are wanting to be 'up' more :roll: So some days I feel like I've got absolutely no personal space. My almost 2yr old seems to need to be on my lap while I breastfeed Kaia and Hannah and my 3 yr old then needs to be somewhere in there as close as she can be too.... I admit it makes me a bit edgy some moments but I try to just grin and bear it. Everyone needs lovin' - nothing bad about that.
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This forum has been quiet for a while. How is everyone doing?
Still playing with the EASY routine over here . . . sometimes we can go 4 hours and sometimes it's back down to 3. I was concerned because my LO had decreased his daily intake by over 6oz (doctor recommended we thicken his bottle with rice cereal for his reflux). Well he continues to put on more weight - another 11oz this past week. I guess I shouldn't worry so much. We expect my LO to double his birthweight before he reaches 3 months (a little fast if you ask me).
Tummy sleeping - I generally don't do it, but this morning I put my LO on his tummy because he was stirring so much. He calmed right down and slept for another hour. It still makes me nervous though. In fact, my LO just worke up from his nap - I calmed him down and put him on his tummy. He's very gassy right now and when he's got his legs tucked up under him he can toot away in a little more comfort.
I was reading another post about baby monitors (and the noise they create), I'm thinking of turning mine down/off at night time. Any of you do the same. Are they more hassle then help? Do you jump at every little sound (as I have done)?
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I haven't used my baby monitor at all unless we are outside. she sleeps down the hall but I can still hear her at night or in the am when she wakes up. I used it a few times when she would take naps in teh first couple of weeks (she slept in our room in our bassinet for her first 5 weeks), and the thing drove me crazy! I figured if she is crying I will hear her, so if oyu can, turn the thing off. Also, I remember reading in the first BW that Tracy thought monitors made parents worry worts and she urged her clients to throw theirs away!
Anyhow, dd has found her thumb which is great! when she is calm she can get to it no problem but when she is overtired she has some trouble. In fact it has helped her get through her 45 minute jolt at nap time yesterday and today!
Also, re. the tummy sleeping, over the last couple of days dd has been getting pretty riled up at nap time (you may have seen my posts). anyhow, a few times now we have turned her on her tummy completely swaddled but put a receiving blanket under her so she is kind of at an angle, and voila! 2 hour naps! I won't do it at night though because I am too scared, but it works for us at nap time.
Today she has been going 3.5 hours between feeds, so I think I will make the transition and eventually move her to 4 hours over the next couple of weeks. her awake time in the am is the only thing I am worried about. Glad to hear everyone is doing relatively good!
BTW, :?: if your lo wakes up at say 6:15-6:30, and is hungry, but their wake up time is 7ish, do you start the day at 6:15 or put them back to bed? I have been putting her back to bed (luckily she goes back down immediately after eating). I end up having to wake her up 20 minutes later, but I am hoping if I keep doing this she will eventually just make it to 7???
Andrea
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Hi am new to this thread...I have read thru to catch up, but there was a lot to read!!!
Andrea, I am the same way with my little one...During naps, he sleeps on his side/tummy at an angle, but not willing to try it for night time sleep.
I do have two questions:
1. After receiving their shots does their appetite decrease?
2. My son seems to be eating less at each feeding time, we are on 3 hour EASY, should I consider lengthening the time between each feed? If I did that it would mean he would sleep longer and he already naps for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at each nap.
Thanks and I look forward to chatting more, Teresa
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hey there, I am another May mom -- goog to read what others are doing. Seems you are lucky to have your nights back -- ds wakes up around 2 am and 5 am. During the day I feed him every 3 hours or so. He has his good nap days when I actually have to wake him up after 2 hours, and his bad ones when he only lasts 30 mins and then can't fall back asleep. He hates patting, so I stopped doimg it. He entrtains himself for 15 min stretches -- enough for me to take a shower, or have breakfast.
Did you do anything in particular to make your babies sleep longer at night?
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Ditto on the no swaddling while on the tummy thing. -When I was swaddling, though, we did use the cushions to keep her on her side. But Noel's startle reflex is crazy, too. I can't believe how many times she'll startle during a diaper change. Madeline's was not that strong. (Though she fought sleep like crazy as well- and I never let her sleep on her tummy.)
About the monitor- I have realized that unless I have the monitor near me, I cannot hear Noel when she does wake up and start crying. So, someone else on this site mentioned putting the monitor far enough away from you that you don't hear every single noise. So that's been working for us. When she's older, I'll get rid of it, but for now I need to be able to hear when she starts crying!
As for getting them to sleep better at night, I think it mainly comes from them 1) getting enough to eat during the day, 2) having enough awake time during the day and 3) having proper sleep during the day. That's just what I've noticed. The days the EASY goes pretty well we have a better night.
We might have to start a new thread soon since this one is getting so long, huh?
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Aneta - the 2am and 5am times sound familiar. I got rid of my 2am waking with the 'wake-to-sleep' method. My LO was a habitual waker and it took me 4 nights of getting up at 1am and waking him up. After the fourth night, no more waking up. I had to be certain he wasn't waking up from hunger but out of habit - he would wake at 2:43 - 2:46am each night. I honestly thought it wasn't going to work, especially when I got to night 3 but DH and I stuck with it.
As far as the 5am time is concerned, I found it difficult. If I gave my LO a full feed then he wouldn't be hungry at 7. Just this past week DH or I have gone in there and patted/sh'd (or placed him on his tummy) at 5am. He has been able to make it to 6:30ish which works much better for me.
Byt the way Aneta . . . I love the hair!!!!
Teresa - my LO has decreased the amount he is taking - it didn't correspond with the shots . . . happened about 4 or 5 days later. Be sure to get your LO weighed regularly. Then you'll be able to keep your mind at ease. As long as they are gaining all is well.
I'm also tinkering with 3hr EASY. I'm trying to feed anywhere from 3hr 15min to 4 hr (depending on how long my LO can go). I have dropped a bottle, but the overall oz in a day haven't decreased. I noticed my LO could stay alert and awake for much longer so I thought I'd begin to transition. His nap length hasn't changed all that much - just noticed a difference in the activity time.
I think I'll try turning the monitor off tonight (or at least putting it on DH's side of the bed).
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so maybe I need to do some tinkering of my own with my LO however he is not very good at extending his wake time...he is awake for about an 1 to 1 1/2 including feeding time...Does that seem about right for his age?
As for weight gain, I have no worries there. He was born at 9 lbs .09 oz and at two months he weighs 14 lbs 10 oz.
As for monitors, we don't use ours except at naptime so i am not going in there a million and one times to make sure he is okay
Teresa
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Aneta-something about your dd reminds me of Taylor. dh thought so too as soon as he saw him! weird?
going back to a topic from many days ago...I think Kate mentioned Baby Wise? That book is the pits! It was the first one I got from a friend when I was pregnant and I thougt it sounded so great. then I get the baby home and find it is no help at all! I remember looking at the section on 45 minute naps and it said, it could be hunger from a growth spurt (true), or it could be she was startled by the cat jumping into the crib (WTH?) or if it is not those things, it is a sleep disturbance that you need to check into. well duh!?!?!? totally useless! okay, off my soap box now :)
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kathy Aiden doubled his birht weight by 3 months & then went on to be 10kg (22lb) at 6 months... he was still 10kg at 10 months & I was told that it was all fine... just some babies grow outside the "averages" Hey they don't get to read the books! It looks like Liam will be doing the same, he gets measured & weighted next week & I think he is going to be the longest 2 month old around, he is growing out (length wise) of 3-6 month clothes... I measured him at 65cm (I think that is about 26inches)
re monitors, I have only ever used ours so we canbe outside in the garden, I think mother's instinct cuts in, I can even hear my babies when they whinge if I am in the shower with the exhaust fan on, which shocks my dh as he says how can I when he hardly did from the next room!!!
teresa the awake time sounds about right, Liam is about the same age & he does no more than about 1 1/4 hours.
All is going well for us, Liam has a cold unfortunately, but as it is winter here & all of us have had it he was bound to and has woken a few extra times at night, I have offered an extra feed as he can't feed well with a blocked nose but he really hasn't taken much, but hey I went through all that with Laim & know I can get things back on track, it is just frustrating as I want the extra sleep to get over my cold & I am up with him & his big brother as they aren't well... such is life hey
I have been neglecting Liam a bit this week in my efforts to deal with some issues with Aiden & it seems that Liam has pushed himself into a 3.5 hour EASY, I'm interested to see how the nights go once he is over his cold.
The one thing I have noticed (TMI warning) is Liam is a 1-2/week poopy boy (Aiden was every feed) & hey I got the big one tonight at bath time... we went through 2 baths & it went for about 10 mins... in stops & starts... glad it didn't happen 1/2 hour later.
Question for you all... how often do you bath your lo's & what time. I do Liam just befor bed time (7pm) & then I do Aiden straight afterwards & I do it everynight. suits us to have the routine. With Aiden I used to do him every few days in the afternoon, so just I'm interested to hear what others do.
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I, too, am interested in other's thoughts on baths. I give Ethan a bath twice a week and the other times I sponge him down. He loves his bathtime...he does NOT like getting out. Any suggestions how to make the transition time better?? We thought maybe he was cold so we warmed up his towel in the dryer that seemed to help some. Do you lotion your children up after bathtime? What's your routine?
Teresa
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Let me just begin by saying . . . that was the best darn sleep ever! I turned the sound right off on the baby monitor and had a glorious sleep. My LO woke at the same time (6:00am) and had such a happy face - I guess he's no worse for wear. Why hadn't I done that earlier?????
Bath time - we do it every night. It is a part of our bedtime routine. I don't normally use any lotion afterwards. If I give him a massage (which I occassionally do), I use Calendula Baby Oil. Sometimes the order of things changes in the evening for us - sometimes we do the activity (bath) first and then the eat, and vice versa. It all depends on when my DS previously ate. With him switching from a 3 hr. EASY to one that goes 3hr 15min - 4hrs I find the last feed of the evening to be the most challenging. I really try to keep his bedtime consistant - a bit of a challenge when the EASY routine is being extended. I wake my LO up at 6:30/6:45 to begin the last cycle of EASY - depending on how long the whole process takes my LO is usually asleep between 7:25-8:00.
Kate - re: BM's. I'm afraid/concerned if my LO doesn't have a movement in 24-48 hours. Should I relax more? I had DH do the 'soap suppository trick' on my LO the other day. Worked like a charm. Should I just let him be on his own??? The thought of 1-2 weeks scares me.
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My baby was born May 30th... and still having lot of problems with naps and night sleep...
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Ximena - give us an idea of what your typical day is like. Perhaps we can begin there. What times do you feed? How long/ how many oz? Nap times? If you've had a routine established already and are noticing a strange difference in the way things are going it could always be a growth spurt. Just need a little more info.
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Well if you leave good enought alone, you get POOP! Always happy to see it.
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well, it has been awhile since i have posted anything. i have enjoyed reading everyone's posts...glad to see we have recruited some more people:)
kathy-i was wondering about how you got your lo to sleep better at night. right now cambel can go without a feeding for about 9 hours, but he is waking up a few times before then. i am about to go crazy because i can't seem to get him to sleep through. i know i read about the wake up thing, but i can't remember where. could you give me some advice?
i'll add my two cents about monitors. i never use mine at night or i wouldn't get any sleep. but i do for naps becuase i am around the house and i wouldn't be able to hear him if he woke up during his nap and needed help getting back to sleep.
we are also switching from 3 to 4 hour easy...but it is not easy:) i would almost rather keep him on 3 for now until we start solids and have to change again. plus i like consistency, and i drive myself crazy trying to get him to bed at the same time each night. so i guess we will just muddle through. anyone else thinking of starting solids at 4 months?
re:baths-we give cambel a bath every night as part of his bedtime routine. he loves it and he is really programmed to expect a feed and then bed afterwards. it is my favorite time of the day with him. we do lotion and massage afterwards-he is really cute during this time-cooing and smiling.
hope liam's cold is getting better. it is hot here-90 degrees, so it is hard to imagine winter:)
have a good day everyone.
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count me in too. My ds was born May 24th. I started 3hr EASY yesterday. Well.. It's not going well. probably it's too early for him to take 3hr EASY.
Good thing is he sleeps well at night. 8pm feed and wake up 3am and 7.I like to keep that but wants to go 3hr schedul for day time. I was feeding him every two hours for three weeks! It got too hard for me. Hope I can go at least 2.5hr EASY. Wish me luck^^
anyway, good to hear from all of you May Moms!!
Michelle
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My ds has one big bm per day, and I was very worried that that wasn't enough. Ped said as long as they have one bm in 3 days, that was fine and completely normal at this age. Sounded pretty odd to me, but that's what the doc says.
We've had NO monitor this week, at night, and ds has been sleeping through until 6:40-7:00 am. Not too bad for 11 1/2 weeks! He's been a great sleeper from the beginning, but this has been great.
Just a thought, I had posted on another board about switching ds to 3.5 "ish" EASY as he doesn't seem hungry at three hours. It's been taking him a REALLY long time to eat, sometimes as long as 45 mins. Anyway, I switched his nippile today, up to a level 2, which is for 3 months+ (Dr. Brown's bottle) in the middle of his feed, and he downed 2 1/2 ounces in 4 minutes. I couln'r believe it! The first 2 1/2 oz took 25 minutes! Instead of not being hungry, do you think it's possible he has just been getting tired from sucking too long? I feel like a terrible Mommy! Anyway, any thoughts on this?
Thanks everyone,
Stephanie
New Mommy to Ian Patrick
Angel/Textbook
05/04/05
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Isn't it crazy how you start to rejoice in things you never thought possible....dirty diapers and burps!!
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My lo was born May 27. We have been trying to implement EASY, but my little one pretty much has her own agenda. I would love to chat. :D
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I just looked at the 3 hour EASY schedule and I think that this one would work best for us. I am having issues with my LO at night lately. Last week she was eating at 7pm and then sleeping until Midnight eating then and sleeping until 5/6am. This week she has been eating every four hours at night. I tried the dreamfeed for the first time last night at 10pm, she then woke at 1:30am, 3:30, 5:30, and then this morning at 7:30. I don't think that this is how it was supposed to work. I feel exhausted today. I will try to implement 3 hour EASY today and try again tonight. Wish me luck.
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Maria - RE: Sleeping through the night. For my LO to make it through the night I have to make sure 2 things happen. First - he needs to have a full belly. Second - swaddle. My DS didn't start making it through the night until I switched swaddles. I use something called a 'miracle blanket' - it's so good, he can't get his arms free (occassionally he may get a leg out, but not too often). Before he used to break free and would have arms and legs flailing. I never tried the aussie swaddle, but it sounds as if people rave about that one too. Now when I get him in the am his arms are still pinned by his side - he may have shuffled around the bed, but he is still wrapped up tight!
We also had problems with habitual waking (wakes at almost exactly the same time every night) so dh or I would go in there and wake him up one hour prior to his habitual wake time. This meant we would go in at 1:40ish and wake him up. It didn't work until the 4th night. In other words we would wake him up at the 1:40 time, then he would wake up again at 2:40. I was ready to scream bloody murder - here we were getting up twice *Are we crazy? I thought*. BUT we stuck with it and on the 4th night it worked - actually dh and I slept through the alarm and ds didn't wake up either!!! He hasn't woken up at that time since - we got rid of the habit at 7weeks.
Once the habitual thing was gone, then I had the 4am (which turned into the 5am) feedings. I would feed him at the 4am time - since I was getting my lo up at 7am this made sense . . . 3 hours later. The 5am time puzzled me. Do I feed, if I do DS won't take a full feed at 7 etc. I did feed (and usually a full one) but thought that my LO should be able to make it a little longer. Especially since he has nearly doubled his birth weight and gains 11-15oz per week. So dh or I would go in and pat/sh and give him his soother. I've also put him on his tummy at this time too. Now for the past 5 days straight he is making it to 6:20ish. YIPPEE
When I look back at the baby whisperer log that I have kept I can't believe the improvement. I continue to log everything too. I saw the baby whisperer program on TV at 5 weeks, went to the website and printed out the pat/sh stuff and immediately ordered the book. Once the book arrived we began this at 6 weeks (I was an absolute mess too - dh was worried about me falling back into a depression - that's how bad it was. He would come home from work and I would be sobbing).
Once I got the most recent book I said straight away, I'd try for the 3 hr EASY. For the first little while I would do 6 day time feeds, 1 DF, and 2 night feeds. Now that my DS is 11 weeks I give him 5 daytime feeds and 1 df. That's improvement. And now that he is on a routine it is so much easier to read his cues. I am so happy with what we have accomplished - and on top of everything my LO has reflux and is on medication for it. Thankfully I have a textbook baby so my experience has been easier than some others.
I don't want this to sound all glowing and happy, we do have our bad days too. Days where I'm ready to crack and I need dh to come in to put ds down for the night - he does the same. But at least we support each other.
Michelle and emjohnson- my words of advice are to stick with it. You will see results. BUT you also need support to do this. In the beginning when it was so tough I asked my dh if he would be able to do this too - I didn't want to start something if we both weren't going to be consistent. My mom is also learning quickly - in fact she just bought my SIL the same book for their new arrival in August.
Stephanie - I can relate to the nipple thing. My LO has rice cereal put in his bottles and it has been quite the experiment figuring out which works best with the thickened EBM. We found that we needed a faster flow or he'd never get through a feeding. We have actually taken an knife and made a tiny slit to help with the flow (we've also thrown out a tonne of nipple from making it too big).
Sorry for the long post - I've got loads of time right now . . .Grandma is over!!!
I hope everyone is doing well.
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I appreciate your reply. It has given me something to compare my situation to. I know that this will take time, it is just hard, but I feel like I do have support, thanks again. :D
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my LO was born on May 5, 2005. I am really having a hard time using Tracy's methods on him. He is such a different baby then my daughter was. So I am unfortunately breaking all the rules with him. But whatever works is good with me.
Mia
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Kathy, re the Bowel movements, before Aiden was born I was told it was not unusual for a BF baby to only do a poo once a week, while formula feed babies should do them EVER DAY & if they go longer than 48 hours then you need to look at how the formula is being made up. As Liam is BF, I'm not stressed by it esp as he doesn't have the "classic unsettled" 24 hours before he does his poo... I just stress it will happen when we are out & about & I have him in the pouch & it goes everywhere including all over me & trust my luck Aiden would want a cuddle too, doesn't create a pretty picture... thus him doing it in the bath was ok
Maria, re solids... leave it as close to 6months as you can, the earlier you introduce them the more problems you are likely to have, with increased risk of gasto problems later in life, The World Health Organisation actually recommend 6 months for well researched reasons. About 20% of babies do need solids earlier, but Aiden who weighed 10kg (22lb) at 6 months lasted until 10 days shy of 6 months, I just had to make sure I double offered the breast at each feed from about 4.5 months. I am not going to introduce them to Liam until he is as close to 6 months as possible, for no other reason than it is sooo much more extra work juggling milk & solid feeds. If you do introduce early, I strongly recommend only use fresh food you make yourself, not commercial food until at least 6 months... Yes I do have very strong opinions on the introduction of solid food... when I have more time, I will explain the reasons behind if anyone is interested.
Well Liam is doing well in my opinion, I don't do a DF & he went from 7pm - 1am, then 5am BUT Aiden had a shocker & as I was feeding Liam when he was at his worst, I got back tobed to find him in our bed... only the 2nd time in 2 years & never again... I ended up sleeping from 3-5am in the chair in Liam's room... SO if you ever think about letting your lo's into your bed when teething starts DON'T sleep on a blow up in their room, which is what I have always done, but dh doesn't like doing it & Aiden was being a total daddy's boy last night & wouldn't take my comfort, so what can I do... at least he is on his last lot of teething - we all have that to look forward to & let me tell you like every other milestone, it throws most routines into chaos!!
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Lots to read since I wasn't online for just a couple days. I was watching a friends 22 month old...boy was that fun? I don't know how you do it with more than one. I felt like I wasn't able to shh/pat all that well trying to watch the other one. And to make things any better our air cond. on the top floor went out and it has been in the mid-90's here. Made for a few adjustments to the routine in the last couple of days.
I do have a question for you ladies...Jameson seems to be waking halfway through his naps. For example if I put him down so he can get an almost 1 1/2 to 2 hour nap he will wake at an hour. He is still showing sleepy signs so shh/pat him and he goes back to sleep. He doesn't do it at the same time every day so I don't think it is a habit thing. Any thoughts on what it could be and how I can get it fixed?
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Here's a question . . .
When you LO has had his/her 3 month growth spurt how did it start? My LO's naps have been off all day, but his food intake hasn't changed. He's just over 11 weeks and has been pretty predictable up until now. Not too sure what's up. Could it be the beginning of a growth spurt? Or am I in for a rude awakening and his naps are going to the 'pot'?
jjstar - when you go in to pat/sh your LO at nap time has he broken out of his swaddle?? My LO will wake up if he's not bundled up tightly.
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Krice-my lo's naps have been in the pot since 7 weeks, so her naps weren't the predictor of her 3 month growht spurt. it was that she woke every 2 hours on Thursday night. She went back to sleep twice with a paci, so I wasn't sure it was her growth spurt. but just to be safe I offered her extra feeds on Friday (1-2 oz) before each of her naps and she took them, as well as full feedings at 5, 7, 9 and 11 pm! she slept all nigth and that was the end of her growth spurt! we were lucky I guess.
I went back to tracy's new book and read the section on growth spurts and she said that tehy affect sleep greatly and can be confusing to parents because when they wake at night sometimes they will go back down without food.
Andrea
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JJstar with more than one I don't do a lot of sh/pat. I tend to calm Liam on my shoulder while I read a few stories to Aiden & then put Liam down for his nap & read a couple more stories to Aiden, if I need to I pat Liam at the same time, otherwise, it is pretty much just the sound of my voice that helps him drift off. If he gets too upset, I just give him a paci, I don't really have time to sh/pat & Liam will let it slip out once he is calm & 9/10 before he falls asleep... I also find the paci great for extending short naps.
Re short naps, my understanding is it is part developmental & part sleep cycle related, some babies are more alert than others as they pass through sleep cycles & if they are tired, from previosu awake time, but not tired enough they can wake up... I found with Aiden, I pretty much battled them until he was crawling, he was a very spirited baby & at least 50% of his naps were 45mins... I learnt to just live with it & offer more short naps.
Growth spurts are normally very obvious in bf babies... they just want to feed & feed sometimes hourly, I know with Aiden I had a day aabout 10 days before 3 months where he didn't sleep for 9 hours & needed to feed almost hourly, his lasted 2 days. With formula fed babies from what friends of mine eperienced they can sometimes be almost undetectable if when your lo gets close to 3 months you start offering slightly larger feeds, they can sort of drift into them... as with all babies, there is huge variation, some it disrupts the routine others it is just a small hiccup. Sleep is often affected & more frequent wake ups are a pretty good indication of a growthspurt...
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I've been reading all the posts since I last checked and realise I should be checking more often! It's nice to read what others are up to both mums and babes. I've got a few questions I thought I'd ask you all. Sorry, this might be a long post....
Last time I wrote my now 15 week old boy was having problems with 45 min naps. I've managed to extend those by keeping him awake longer (was only awake 1h15m, now between 1h30m - 1h45m). His naps are now anywhere between 1 hour and 2 1/2 hours. No consistency, but great that they're longer. I only wish I could replicate the 2 1/2 hour naps more often!
What is now happening is he is hungry anywhere between 2 - 4 hourly. No consistency. I am trying to hold him to 3 hours, but sometimes he gets really upset unless I feed him. Does anyone have any idea as to why this would happen and what I can do to get him onto a consistent routine? Although I'd like to do an EASY routine, it's not easy when he's so inconsistent with everything. If he wakes up before it's time for his feed and he won't go back to sleep do I just feed him so that he's doing the E in the right place or hold him out for maybe 30 mins before Eating so the 3 hours is reached? Also, according to Tracey's books I should be moving him towards the 4 hour EASY? Why exactly is this? If he's a big boy, (approx 67cm already) does he need to eat more frequently? Or because he's big he should be able to go longer between feeds? I'm confused.
BTW - My LO is b/feeding, so it's hard to know how much he's had, but I've noticed he doesn't seem to be consistent there either. Sometimes both sides, sometimes only one. He's a strong sucker, only taking about 6-7 mins for one side.
Finally, I haven't tried/needed to do pat/shhh for getting to sleep but wonder about using for extending his naps. Or should I try pu/pd now as he's nearly 4 months. I'm about to try the dreamfeed tonight to see if that will get him through until 7am (ish). Until now he goes down at 6.30pm, feeds anywhere between 2-4am then sleeps again until 6-7am. Can't complain because he's only awake once, but often doesn't feed so well for his breakfast feed. Thought this might help as he will be hungrier.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Jameson is a stomach sleeper and doesn't like to be swaddled. I'm not sure if it is because he sucks on his hands or if it is because he has figured out how to lift his body up with his hands to look about. Either way he gets really made to be all bundled up. Krice I wish that was the solution though.
Katet...thanks for the your comments on dealing with more than one. I was beginning to think that this could be the only child because I don't know how I would do it.
This weekend has been so frustrating. I just don't know why God couldn't have brought them into this world knowing how to SLEEP. I never knew you had to teach them. I should have read more before the pregnancy? Or maybe not...we could have been DINKs all our lives?!
Re: growth spurts. Jameson hit is 12 week at 10.5 weeks. I'm BFeeding and he was eating for about an hour at each day feed and was up ever 2 hours at night. I'm not sure what happened this morning with him. He woke at 2 am to eat and then again at 5:30. I thought okay he isn't going to wake up at 7, I'll let him sleep in till 7:30 so I could shower before he got up. Oh no, he woke up at 6:55 and had a full feeding. I wish there was a way to know how much he is getting. Oh well I guess we just learn to read the cues and go with it?!
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Okay I have another situation that has popped up. LO is now waking ever 2.5 - 3 hours at night. He is acting hungry so I've been feeding him. I know he can sleep longer than that because he has done up to 6 hours straight a couple weeks ago twice. We're bfeeding so I can't figure out exactly how to increase his intake. Any suggestions on how to get him to sleep better at night?
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Would I be crazy to try to switch him to a 2.5 hour EASY during the day to help with the nights? Or would that mess things up more than it is worth? Can anyone tell the I'm having a time with this?!
LO will be 12 weeks on Thursday and weights 14 lbs (officially doubled his birth weight!)
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jjstar--i am a first time mom, so i don't know how great my advice is:) but your lo could be in a growth spurt. if so, i guess he will grow out of it on his own. you could try to offer him the breast a few extra times during the day. i did this once or twice, but i am not sure it made a huge difference.
i guess your lo could also just be waking up to wake up. cambel does this a lot. he wakes up and would probably eat if if i let him, but we just swaddle him, give him is paci and he goes back to sleep. we have found that if he breaks out of his swaddle, he will wake himself up. so we ordered the miracle blanket. kathy-didn't you do this? a tighter swaddle does seem to help him.
marlo-could you give more some more info about starting solids? i talked to my older sister who has 2 kids and she advised waiting until he goes through another growth spurt before i start solids.
hope everyone is doing well. cambel has slept from 8:30 to 5 and then back down until 8:30 for the past 2 nights. this has been a welcome relief after several nights of being up a lot.
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Thanks Maria...I thought it might be a growth spurt but I think he did that last week. I'm afraid not to feed him when he wakes at night. I try the paci first but he always crys more so I assume it hunger then. I'm thinking about going back to the tanking up in the late afternoon/evening to get more in him. But doesn't Tracy say not to do that after 8 weeks? Has anyone else done it past that age? The other thing I did start doing this past week is putting him one on breast at each feeding. Thought maybe if he got more hind milk that would help. It seemed to the first day but I think it might have been a fluke. (He slept that night from 8:30 - 4 with a DF at 10:30.) I haven't quite gotten it fully figured out yet. I really wish I would have found this book before he was born. :(
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JJstar - it does sound like a bit of a growth spurt (I think - I'm also a first time mum). My LO is also doing some strange things lately too. Waking up early from naps, and for 2 nights now has woken up/fussed at unusual times. I've noticed today that he is starting to take more food (I pump, but also supplement with formula, so its easy to tell because he's taking extra ounces). I've read (on this site) that a lot of women who strictly BF increase the times in which they feed their LO's during a growth spurt. So perhaps going back to a 2.5 hr routine for a little while may help. I don't know how long it will last . . . could be anywhere from 1 day to a week??? Any moms out their with more experince that could fill us in?? How long do growth spurts last???? I'm getting tired from waking up in the middle of the night - I hope it is a growth spurt and not something else. When do things go back to normal???
Cambel's mom - Glad to hear that you've had a few good nights. Yup, we bought the miracle swaddle. I wish I purchased 2. My LO has reflux and usually will spit up on it at some point so I wash it daily. I swaddle him in the blanket at night time and use regular receiving blankets for his daily naps. When he gets his arms free during his naps he always wakes up, then I go in and reswaddle and settle him back down. At first he didn't like the miracle blanket. I now find when we go to wrap him, he has no problem keeping his arms down by his side and doesn't struggle. He is happy to watch us wrap him up like a snug bug in a rug!
I hope everyone is well and getting sleep.[/u]
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OK some comments on the last few posts... I can't quiet remember who wrote what but you will know what you asked...
you could go back to 2.5 hour feeds BUT in a bigish baby that could also encourage snacking if your lo is not in a growth spurt (BTW getting towards 3 months was where I got really unstuck with Aiden) Liam is a very big baby over 15lb at 2 months & he started wakeing up more frequently & only did small feeds about 10 days ago, what I have done is give a bigger stretch in the day, so my day now goes 7,10.30, 2.30, 5 & 7, so that he snacks less, but tanks up too then (apart from last night due to his immunisations) does 7-8 hours & 4-5 util 6 or 7am The theoy is that as their stomachs get bigger they fill up more & more frequent feeds result in snacks...it worked with Aiden & now seems to with Liam
Just remember the book is a guide, all babies are differernt & it takes some tweeking to get things working & then they change again anyway!!! Trust me you will never get it perfect... if you do you will have a very dull child... adjustments are part of development!
re solids, they are often very good at disrupting sleep not improving it esp if your lo still has an immature immune/gastro system... I was fortunate/unfortunate to be dealing with Aiden's introduction to solids after my dh had intestinal surgery for a tumour of the pancreas & so spoke heaps to dieticians & gastroenterologists at the time... they gave me heaps of info on re-education of the adult intestine as we had to re-introduce food to dh as he didn't eat for 3 weeks & they likened a lot of it to the introduction of food to a baby. Most babies it is not to problematic, but the increase in adult obesity & gastro problems seems to be strongly realted to solids being introduced in the first 3-4 months through the 40's, 50's, 60's & 70's... gave me "food" for thought. I'm happy to pass on the info I have, but not willing to give it untill babies are at least 4 months & preferably closer to 6... I consider giving anyone support earlier as possibly setting your lo up for health problems later in life... now I'm off my hobby horse!!
Was thinking my last few posts make me sound like a know-it all & like everything is great with Liam.... It's not by any means, but what I have is sooo much better than what I had with Aiden (PPD, baby who never slept more than 2 hours in a row at night & 45mins in the day until 3 months & I had insomnia, so spent weeks "surviving??" on 2 hours sleep in 24. So I kind of think I have it good having a decent stretch of 2 - 3 hours in the day with a few catnaps the rest of the time... so it is by no means working to the book. I also still have lots of problems with my toddler & he has an ear infection, so the last few nights has been up every 1.5 hours. Also I guess being second time around (Marlo you probably agree) you kind of know you can fix things later on & they keep changing, so even if you get it working well at 2 or 3 months, it all goes out the window when they learn to roll or start solids or crawl, teeth etc. Sure it is easier to get back on track when you are in a good routine, but I guess for me it is a bit about the juggling act of a baby & toddler & knowing the things that matter (night time sleep!) & those that you can fix later, or are likely to sort themselves out.
Gosh this was a long post, I must get back to Aiden & have a shower & get things going for the day.
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Hi, sounds like a growth spurt to me. Especially if you've changed feeding from two sides to one, as you may not have enough milk currently being produced in the one side for a full feed. So bubs is trying to increase this. In saying that, I've seen somewhere that milk is produced while they are sucking, but I think it takes longer to come out than if it's already there.
My LO is doing something similar too. He had his growth spurt at 9 weeks, then again at 12 and seems to be doing another at 15 weeks. He's a big boy (long, but not overly chubby) and is wanting to feed every 2 1/2 hours. Even woke himself at 10pm last night for a full feed. He normally sleeps from 6.30pm - 3am ish without waking. I don't dream feed. He does cluster feed constantly ususally in the afternoons from about 3 - 6.30pm may have 3-4 feeds. Yesterday he had 2 bigger feeds and he woke at 10pm. Go figure!
Question for you all, LO isn't normally very spilly, and last few days has been very spilly! Yuck! all over me thismorning. I'm not used to that. Any ideas why this could happen? My foods the same as usual. Do you think it could be his increase in food?
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Little Bear's Mum-it could be overfeeding, esp, since you said he takes a lot in the afternoons and is a big boy? My dd does this too after a very long bfeeding session.
the last few days have been pretty decent with Taylor. As of Monday she is putting herself to sleep at night! Yeah! I am so proud of her. Pat/shush had stopped working to help her go to sleep, so over the weekend we worked on pu/pd for all nap and bed times and by Monday she had really got the hang of it. This BW stuff really does work! It has also been a HUGE help that she has found her thumb and sucks till there's no tomorrow! We have started to only swaddle her legs now. Her naps are still a problem and are very inconsistent. Some she wakes at 30 minute, some at 45 and some at 1 hour. Today and the next few days I am going to try wake to sleep and see if that makes a difference.
We are also on day 5 of the move to a 4 hour easy, so her feeds and awake time are extended by 15 minutes. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this doesn't ruin a good thing. Who knows, after her surgery in a couple of weeks it may all go to hell anyhow :roll:
JJSTAR-I agree that it is probably a growth spurt. the feeding at 10 weeks may have been a fluke and not the true growth spurt?
Hope everyone is doing well and you're getting lots of coos and smiles out of your lo's!
Andrea
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Can anyone answer a question(s) about the transition from pat/sh to pu/pd?
Should your LO be able to suck his/her thumb before you begin?
- my ds seems to suck his tongue to sooth himself. He is finding his hand/fingers/thumb but at this point generally gags on them if he gets them to his mouth.
Should you progress to pu/pd even though pat/sh usually (err sometimes/most times)works?
- getting a little tired of pat/sh, I want him to be more independent in going to bed/sleep.
Andrea - how was your transition to pu/pd? About how many times did you pick your LO up? Are you doing this with your LO swaddled (are the arms out if your are)? By saying pat/sh not working what exactly was you LO doing? I'll have to read more about pu/pd but did you wait until your LO was truly upset and not just the mantra cry?
Thanks for your help ladies! We're still in the growth spurt stage over here. My LO is piggin' out!
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Hi Kathy,
About 2 weeks ago Taylor started to become extremely difficutl to put down for naps and bed time (see my post under naps titled "feeling very frustrated please help" on page 2 and "do I have to resort to pu/pd?" under general sleep issues). Pat/shush was not working in that she was screaming louder than we could shush, even with 2 white noise machines going! This girl was now definitely able to concentrate on more than 2 things at once! So I read the post from Theo's mommy, followed the advice from Matthew's mommy in my naps post, and re-read teh chapter on pu/pd in Tracy's new book.
We started last Friday and by Monday night she started putting herself to sleep on her own! She has done this now 3 nights in a row and has slept all the way through from 8-ish to 7am (with her df at 11). This mornign she did wake at 5:30 am but dh went in and patted her back and she went back to sleep till 7.
The longest session was 45 minutes and I had to pick her up over 20 times. Overall it was not as bad as I had read, partly because we already had a good foundation with putting her to sleep awake in her crib and using pat/shush to calm her.
She became a pro at thumb sucking over the weekend too. She really wanted to soothe herself during pu/pd, so she worked really hard to find it! We still always swaddle her legs, and at least the left arm out so she can suck her thumb. We lie her on her left side so she has better control over her left hand. She prefers to have both hands out, but if she is worked up the top arm flails about and she can't calm down, so we have to swaddle it. If she is calm though we leave both arms out.
I think that is it! We are going to cherish these days while we can because you never know when something else is going to change to screw everything up!
Andrea
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one last thing Kathy. I did pu/pd almost exactly like theo's mom did, and only picked her up when she was really screaming. If she was crying hard but then the crying would calm, and then escalate again, I would leave her to be and continue to talk to her and reassure her in the crib. I would put her down immediately when her back would arch or she would burrow her head. And I kept sayign the same things over and over again like you can do it Taylor, I know it's hard, it's jsut time for your nap, I love and I'll see you when you wake up, etc...
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jjstar- we still 'tank up" cambel in the evenings. it works for us. but we don't do a dream feed. so he eats at 6 and then 8. i haven't read that you are supposed to stop cluster feeding, but i also haven't read tracy's new book.
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Just popping in.
Things are going ok here. We have good days and bad days -today was good- yesterday I was about to pull my hair out! But Noel seemed to have lots of gas yesterday, so I think that was her problem.
As you can tell from my avatar, she is quite a smiley little girl. That has been exciting. She's even trying to laugh. (I'm sure you're all noticing the same things...) It's so sweet!
To answer some of the questions I've noticed in some of the posts- those who are breastfeeding- I wouldn't feel like you are completely messing up the schedule if it seems your lo wants an extra feed. Remember, the schedule is a guide (I think someone else said this!) -But if you are breastfeeding and your lo wakes up "early" from a nap- and seems to be giving a hunger cry- or what you think sounds like a hungry cry- then don't feel that you have to "hold them off" until their next scheduled feeding. My feeling is I'd rather do more feeds in the day than be up at night! Plus, I seem to have a very sensitive system when it comes to BFeeding- it seems to waver and lessen pretty easily- so I know the more we bfeed the better my supply.
Anyway... it's good to see so many 1st time moms here- this site is such a great resource. And it's great that we can help each other (1st time or not- even second time around it's still not all that easy!)
Kiss those baby cheeks!
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Thanks for all the advice ladies!
I do need to remind myself that the book is a guide and that I don't have to be so hard on myself. I had to come back to the board and talk to my sister (who had twins two weeks after my LO)...that is how I'm staying calm. Or at least trying to. We did have a great night last night. He went down about 8:30 and didn't wake until 4:30 (he did have a DF at 10:30). Today we were out and about all day and he went to sleep at 7:00. I'm crossing my fingers that he stays down all night and doesn't want to wake for the day really early tomorrow morning.
cambel's mom...I think in the new book it says to stop the cluster feeding after 8 weeks. I'm with marlo that I'd rather feed more during the day than at night. I just have to try to keep him wake after any feeds so that I don't teach him to eat to sleep. That was my big mistakes in the first few weeks before I read THE book. No one had told me it was wrong but as soon as I read it I figured out why he would wake up as soon as I put him to sleep.
Well I'm off to get some rest just in case the little man decides to make it an early morning.
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Little Bear's Mum... I found with Aiden & now with Liam that they spit up milk after a growth spurt, it is a combination of eating too much & them having increased my milk supply... I worked out (eventually) with Aiden that if I spaced the feeds out after a growth spurt & dropped a feed as well, they stopped spitting up, has worked beautifully with Liam.
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So excited...Jameson went down last night at 6:50 and slept through until exactly 7:00 this morning. He did wake twice to eat plus a dream feed. I figured that he would though so I was somewhat expecting it. He must have been real tired, I think I'll try to put him down earlier than I had been tonight to see if that works better for him. We hadn't gotten the routine really figured out late afternoon evening anyway.
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Another busy weekend - I guess that is why no one has posted . . .
How is everyone managing? I can't remember if it was Kate, Cambel's mom or Taylor's mom that was on the 4 hour EASY. (I'd check back, but I'm being a little lazy right now). My question is how is that going for you? We have just in the past 3 days made the switch to a 4 hr EASY and the Eat part is going very well. What changed is the sleep portion - during the naps, my LO always wakes up now (usually 45min-1hr into the nap). I can usually get him back down, but don't know why he's waking. He gets plenty of sleep at night (a good 10-11hrs) and for his naps shows sleepy cues . . . I just don't understand why he's waking - and sometimes he's pretty frantic. It isn't hunger - he won't take a bottle to calm down. Any suggestions????
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Well last night was a bad night for us with Liam (the past week it has been Aiden due to a nasty cold & ear infection), but then I think Liam slept about 2 hours the whole of yesterday, which was ok as he was happy & it was his big brother's 2nd Birthday & that only happens once. Today was much better sleep & feeding wise so hopefully only the normal wakeup for feeds tonight.
Dh & I have nicknamed Liam "Mr Smiley" because as soon as he sees us he smiles & when he wakes up he chats away in a happy voice, gets whingy if you leave him too long... far cry from Aiden who had the nickname "Little Sh**" at about the same age... partly as he as a very difficult baby &crying baby & also he must have pooped about 10 times a day as opposed to Liam's once a week... which he decided to do yesterday during our picnic for Aiden's birthday... that was fun to clean up in the park!!
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My son has a wonderful daytime routine as I have mentioned before, but our nights need a little work. He goes down between 8/8:30. We do a dreamfeed before we go to bed. From trial and error, I have learned when he wakes in the night he isn't really hungry and the times I have fed him he doesn't want to eat when he wakes in the morning (6:30/7) so we stopped offering the bottle in the middle of the night. What I usually do is go in and pat his back and he is back asleep in seconds...how can I prevent this night waking if it isn't for hunger??? and let me add that it is not at the same time every night. I would love some advice as I would like the chance to sleep thru the night. My other question when switching to 3.5/4 hour EASY do you increase the amount of food you offer at a feeding??
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Teresa - I'm not too clear on when you are giving your DF. Is it before the bedtime of 8:00/8:30? Most DF's are given between 10 and 11pm. Have you tried this time with your LO? The later time could help your LO go longer through the night. As to increasing the amount of food from a 3.5 hr EASY to a 4hr one . . . when we dropped a bottle (went from 5 daytime down to 4) I made sure my LO took the same total amount of food. So each feed increased by about 1oz.
Kate - glad to hear Liam is so smiley. I was just saying to dh this morning that if we have another I'm certain we won't luck out again and get a baby with such an even temperament. It's hard to take my LO's pouty face seriously when I see it - he's just not that convincing!
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sorry...we give the dreamfeed before my husband and I go to bed which is about 11:00 to 11:30 so we are giving a later feed!! I figured i would have to increase his bottle by an ounce or so to keep him at the same amount...i thought that was the goal. Still looking for more suggestions....last night was rough for us, but we made it through :)
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Teresa - with the night wakings . . . are they at the same time every night? If so, it could be habitual waking. Or do they vary? Your LO could very well be hungry (or starting his 3 month growth spurt a little early).
What about swaddling? Is he waking himself in the night because he is flailing about? When we changed swaddles at night, my LO's sleep patterns changed totally.
What does your daytime routine look like right now? Perhaps that needs to be 'tweaked' a little in order for the nights to be more successful.
Anyone else out there have any other ideas?
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Teresa-is he only waking once during the night? Does he fall asleep independently? Since he is still so young it sounds like he needs you to help him go back to sleep. Although I have heard that even if they know how to fall asleep independently, they still sometimes need us to reassure them. Does it happen every single night?
We have been working on moving to a 4 hour EASY for the last 10 days now and it is going okay, but a little wonky. She definitely has no problem going teh longer time between feeds, but napping is still a challenge...some days her first nap is great, then the next 2 are tough, and tehn the next day her first and last nap are bad, and her middle nap are great! :roll: And now she has started this thing where she will turn her head and look straight at me and smile, then start crying, then smile, etc. while I am trying to extend her nap! I can't tell if she's happy and mad that I'm trying to make her sleep or still tired! I will be so happy when we only have to do 2 naps a day and 1 catnap! Tomorrow we start with dropping the one day time feed so wish us luck!
katet-hope Liam and Aiden are doing better! And Krice-you two look soooo cute in the pool!
hope everyone is doing good!
Andrea
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Well Liam is back to being Mr easy & had good nights (1-2 wakeups between 7pm & 6am) but he has decided he wants to start the day at 6am whether he has a feed at 4am or 5.30am!! I think I need to give him more awake time & stimulation in the day. He is a chatty fellow & now tells me he is awake with a little chat rather than a cry & the same goes for when he is bored or tired... I only get an odd cry now when he is overtired! Yeh!
I thought I'd share my experience with Aiden (of me being more the cause of his night waking than the solution) for future reference for everyone. Firstly Aiden can settle off to sleep easily at night & used to resettle well too, but due to teething/illness etc night wakings have been more the norm than not for the last few months... for the full story I posted on this on the Toddler sleep board... but when your lo can sleep through the night & then starts waking up... don't rush in. I am back with what I used to do about 12 months ago (& forgot about doing) I start counting to 100 then decide, if I get silence before 100 for a count of 10 or more, I start recounting... & I've only had to get up to Aiden after 6am the last 2 mornings & I can't be sure it hasn't been due to Liam "singing away"
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ladies thank you for brainstorming with me....our typical day looks like this...
6:30 feed
7-7:30 play
7:30 -10 sleep
10 feed
10:30 - 11:15 play
11:15 - 1:00 sleep
1:00 feed
1:30 -2:45 play
2:45-4:00 sleep
4:00 feed
4 - 5:30 play
5:30 sleep
6:30 eat
6:30 - 7:45 play
7:45 get ready for bed and hopefully in bed asleep by 8:30 (get bottle at bed time)
11:00 dream feed
So that is a normal day...the time at night varies....what happens is he wakes and I try to wait, but I am such a sound sleeper (and my husband is worse)...I am not sure how long he was crying before I heard him and I go in....I reswaddle if he has broken out....give him his paci and then pat his back till he is restful which is within seconds then he spits out the paci meaning he is really asleep and then I go back to bed. This waking could be anywhere from 1-3. The next waking is at the 5 hour, but sometimes he makes it to 6:30 if he doesn't then I know he is hungry because he keeps waking every 15 minutes, but what do I do feed him at 5 and then when do I start the day? Sometimes if feed at 5 he thinks it is time to start the day and that is a little to early for me!!
So this week has been crazy for us my granddad passed away and on the very same day his oldest son (my uncle) was killed in a car crash so needless to say we have been in survival mode and Ethan has been left with people so there has been a lot of grace...anyway yesterday was the funeral for my granddad and I was so drained that when he woke at 4:45 I fed him because I knew i needed more sleep and could be waking every 30 minutes or so if i didn't feed him.....who knew I could be so long winded....anyway then he slept till 7:30 (fine by me) but he didn't really want to eat and that was why I started trying to hold him off when he woke in the night.
If you have any more thoughts I would appreciate it...I am so thankful for all of you who are willing to let us read about your life and learn!!!
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teresamac...I am so sorry to hear of your loss.
One comment I have with regards to your schedule is that in the new book Tracy mentioned never letting a nap go longer than 2 hours. I noticed that your first nap times show 2.5 hours. Just a thought that this might be part of it.
I have a question of my own...with regards to habitual waking in the night. If it ranges 2 until 3 does that still count as habitual or how close to the same time should it be? LO acts like he is hungry and takes a full feed but I'm afraid I'm not fixing it. This past friday and sat. he went the whole night without waking but that hasn't happened again since sat. He is 3 months today and I wasn't sure what to do. I can't decide if I should treat this one night waking as habitual or feeding. Plus last night he was fighting sleep for almost 90 minutes until he finally fell asleep at 8:45. I was so exhausted from shh/patting almost screamed. Anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks!
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it has been awhile since i have written anything. but i have been keeping up with reading the posts. teresamac-i am so sorry about your loss.
my lo wakes up at inconsitent times at night when he is not hungry-so i don't have any advice.
however, i do have a question. we have been trying to move to 4 easy, but i don't think cambel is quite ready for it yet. i have been trying to figure out this night waking thing. i have asked about it on another thread, so i am not sure i have explained it here. cambel can go 10 hours at night without eating, but he wakes up 2 or 3 times before he needs to eat. he will usually go back to sleep with his paci, or if he is reswaddled. but i am tired of getting up:) the miracle blanket doesn't seem to help. somehow he can break out of it. also, his morning wake up time is very inconsistent. he can wait to eat until 5:30 or 6, so it is hard to start the day with another feeding at say, 7 or 7:30. but a later start makes it hard to fit in 6 feedings. i tried dropping a feeding, but i don't think he is ready for that yet. we don't do a dream feed b/c i can't stay up that late, and when we have done it, it hasn't worked. so i still cluster feed him at 5:30 AND 7:30. so he generally takes 3 naps, but no cat nap. he is up for about 1.5 hours during the day and 2 hours between 5:30 and his last feeding. i am wondering if i stopped cluster feeding and added a cat nap instead if he would sleep more soundly.
well, that was all very windy and probably confusing. but if anyone understood it, do you have any thoughts?
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Maria, you sound like me...if i get it figured out, I'll let you know :) I sometimes feel like I am studying so hard for a test I am never going to take...however the reward of being a mother and the cute little smiles make it all worth it!! At times when I have found myself in that situation for morning feed...I do half at the 5:30 and then the rest at 7 or so and then I can start the counting from the 7 time...It has worked for us on those kind of days!! My son is bottle fed so it works, but if you are breastfeeding...i don't know if that would work!! Just a thought!
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teresamac, sorry you are having a bad with the 2 losses to the family.
I just scanned through everyones posts re night waking & to feed or not to feed & the morning & not being interested in 7ish feed after a 5ish feed (I'm there my self)
My thoughts based on having been there with Aiden. I feed if Liam wakesup unless I get say 3 nights at the same time (ie withing 15mins) & it is less than 3-4hours since he last fed. At the moment he is alternating between a 3/4am wakeup & a 1/2 & 5/6 (no dream feed)...funnily enough whether he feeds once or twice in the night he doesn't seem all that interested in a 7ish feed, so it is getting closer to an 8am feed.
Here are some of my experiences from Aiden & now Liam (this is for a bf baby & both boys were/are above the 97% - we are talking average 5month old in size at 2.5 months)... With Aiden he would feed if it was offered & became a great snacker, But Liam won't take the breast unless he is hungry, so I have kind of worked out that cluster feeding him actually results in lesser feeds at that time & more likely to get 2 night feeds. If I give him a routine with a 4 hour stretch from about 11 to 3 & then feed either side of his bath (6.30 & 7pm) I get better feeds out of him... I think he is now on a 3.5/4/3.5 Easy most of the time & 1-2 wakeups at night.
The other thing is while your lo may not be hungry they may be thirsty...if the weather his hot or like here in Sydney winter- warm days & cold nights, so we have a heater on, they can easily get a bit thirsty without real hunger (6-8 hours is a long time in a baby) & so may wake up for a little drink... I know some nights I had the heating too warm in Liam's room & he woke up quite early... had a few gulps & back off to sleep... I have learnt to humidify the room with a damp towel & that helps... but it is still hards as we have some nights it gets down to 0C & others it is about 12C & the days are around 19-23C so sometimes it doesn't really get cold until about 2am at night!
I don't think I have given much help for anyone, but just wanted to say there are lots of things & also "sleeping through" for a baby under 3-4 months is only considered to be 5-6 hours & evenif you get the night wakings sorted out now... they will happen again with rolling, crawling, teeth illness etc, unless you are one of the really lucky people out there whose lo's seem to be uneffected by such things... but to me they always seem to be people saying "my mother said I slept through from 6 weeks"!!! I find expecting my boys to wake up at night is much easier on me emotionally than hoping tonight will be the night they sleep through & sure enough the nights they wake up lots are the ones I said I hope they sleep well tonight!!!
Also varied sleep from 6 weeks to about 5 months seems to be very normal & cat naps common. The other thing it is around this time that lo's should learn to fall asleep independently (big time range) & where things like paci addictions can become an issue... I use a paci to resettle Liam & I am now noticing that he needs to be resettled almost every nap, even though he falls asleep independantly most naps (I do out wind down, put in in his bed & leave him "chatting away" sometimes I have to go back & give a few pats or re-burp him, but he still only sleeps 45mins in the day, without resettling,yet can go 6-9 hours at night.
I think I mentioned before I had PPD with Aiden, well because of that I get extra appointments with our Early childhood centres here (free government service) with specialist early childhood nurses in the hope it can prevent a repeat occurance or if it does occur give me extra support ( I can go monthly rather than every 3-4 months) & I get a discount rate on a 1/2 day home visit from one of their consultants to help with any issues, which I think I am going to take up (it will cost me heaps less than I spent on my PPD meds last time)... so If I get a chance I will try to ask some of the questions floating around this thread
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Thank you everyone for your condolences...our family is hanging in there. It has been hardest on my dad since it was his father and brother....with time all things heal.
On a good note, Ethan slept till 4 that is the first time in a long time that he didn't just wake to wake :) I still put in his paci and patted to make sure it was really hunger and sure enough he was spitting that right out so he ate...he slept till almost 7. He wasn't that hungry, but he still ate 3 out of 5 oz. So we will just have to see how this day goes and the night!!
I know earlier we were talking about bathtime and I tried the bath in the morning...Ethan loves the bath, but cries getting out....this time no tears...maybe the morning is better for us :)
Thanks for listening, Teresa
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Hello everyone,
I'm new to EASY and BW, but have read all the posts, so am caught up. :)
My LO, Aaron, will be 3 months next week, and we are trying to start him on EASY. I have two main concerns. First is that he hadn't been napping more than a total of maybe an hour a day, and that only when I held him after nursing.
The second is that he nurses to sleep. He's been doing a lot better with the amount of napping (nights are getting better, though they were never that bad....he slept through the night at 2 months, but has been very inconsistent about it). We started EASY yesterday, and he had 2 good hour and a half long naps. Today he's working on his second long nap (1 hour and counting).
Right now the real problem is that it takes soooo long to settle him for sleep that he doesn't really have much of a schedule, and when I do finally get him to go to sleep, it's because I gave up and nursed him. For example, this morning he got up at 7 and ate. He started getting tired at 8:15, so I took him in his room, swaddled him, turned on his music, gave him a paci (all of which we had been doing), then sat and cuddled with him to calm him down. He cried, then settled enough to let me put him in his bed. Then he startled, and no amount of pat/ssh or PU/PD would calm him. After about a half hour, I was in tears, so I walked away. My DH went in and reswaddled, picked up and rocked him to sleep. That whole scenario took 1.25 hours!!!! So we just let him sleep, figuring he'd eat when he woke up but I wasn't going to wake him after 15 minutes. Then he slept for 1.5 hours. When he got up, he ate, then we tried activity time. He didn't want anything to do with it, but was acting like he was still hungry (probably was since he essentially skipped a feed with the crying and the sleeping). So I nursed him until I starting getting the long stare (basically skipping the A), then tried to put him down, but he started screaming again, especially when I gave him the paci. So I gave up and nursed him to sleep.
I'm feeling very overwhlemed with this, and even though I'm already starting to see results from putting him on a schedule, trying to get him to sleep is so hard, and I feel like I'm failing when I have to put him to the breast to get him to go to sleep. Can anybody offer any suggestions or even just commisserate so I won't feel so alone?
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Theresa- I can commiserate! I think nursing to sleep is an issue for me b/c of supply issues- could that be lurking in your mind as well? From the picture, your guy looks like a good size (but it's hard to tell from pictures!) Noel is still only 10 lbs- and though her ped. isn't worried about it, I secretly wish I could have one of those nice chubby babies so that I knew she was getting enough. Anybody else felt this way? (And part of my fears are b/c Madeline was a tiny baby- only in the .5 percentile until we starting supplementing around 4 mos.) Anyway... all of this to say I do understand. I feel like a huge "failure" when I nurse to sleep. But there are times when, as you described, you've been trying to get them to sleep for so long- you've changed their diaper, you've patted/shushed till you're crazy... I remember reading in Tracy's book about just getting them to sleep this time and starting over the next time or even the next day. (And as you mentioned, sometimes the time it takes to train them to sleep takes away from any sleep happening at all!)
For the most part, we had had a great schedule until about Thurs. of this last week. We had a few bumps here or there, but nothing that lasted this long. Only thing I can see is I bought new pacis (though she never has been a huge fan- I've always had to "hold" them in until she finally gives in and takes it.)- But maybe it's these new pacis that are keeping her from being able to go to sleep independently. Somethings up and I've got to fix it soon or we'll be starting all over, I'm afraid! Augh!
(I must say, though, she's been sleeping well at night- goes down promptly around 8 and sleeps until around 4:45 -hunger I think waking her- then wakes for the next day at 8.)
Wish I had more help for the questions! But I totally understand the frustrations I've read... Hang in there, mommies!
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Marlo- thanks for the empathy. I really needed it! For me, supply isn't really the issue with nursing to sleep. (I pumped for his first month, since he had latch on problems....I was getting 5-8 oz EACH SIDE in 15 min, so I know I have plenty, though that doesn't stop me from worrying about whether or not he got enough). Because I produce so much, it's hard to know if he's really eaten his fill in 10 minutes, or has just snacked, so when he'd cry I'd try to feed him again, thinking he mustn't have gotten enough in the ten minutes he ate an hour ago. Mostly, the nurse to sleep thing is a habit we've developed from accidental parenting and me misintrepreting his sleep cries as hunger cries. And I was so smug when I was pregnant! Thinking, "how hard can this really be? I've been around babies all my life." I promised myself I wouldn't be one of those people who obsess about how much thier babies eat, but I am obsessing. I'm so tempted to go out and buy one of those infant scales so I can weigh him before and after each feed so I KNOW how much he's getting, but then I think I'd just obsess more. I WISH I had found this book when I was still pregnant, or at least before I'd taught him so many bad habits! I'm buying one for my sister-in-law who's due in November. Hopefully she won't have the issues I've been having because of it.
For the rest of today, I think I'm just going to try to follow his cues and hopefully he won't want to stay awake until 11 pm or anything. Or cry for an hour instead of going to sleep.
Also, I've noticed that a lot of you guys are switching from the 3 hour to 4 hour EASY. Could that be part of my problem? Should I try starting the 4 hour instead of the 3 hour since he'll be 3 months next week? I'm watching his cues and it seems like he's getting tired at the right time for the 3 hour, but it's hard to know since he's never been on any type of schedule at all before.
I hope this gets easier!
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Theresa, I read your posts & it takes me back 2 years to my first... also a spirited /textbook baby, although a fair bit of grumpy in there too & I had the latch issues & pumped plenty like you & well just about everything sounds like my life with Aiden (fortunately Liam my baby is mostly Angel & a breath of fresh air for me) even down to the "how hard can this be part"
Ok here are some things I learnt about a Spirited textbooker... they love to feed to sleep ( once they work out how to suck they love it) & are very hard to settle & so need a great wind down routine... calm consistencey is a big thing, being spirited they love stimulation BUT it is also a curse as it can very easily overstimulate them very quickly!
With naps I used to make sure I changed Aidens nappy well before nap time, once he showed tired signs it was too much to do that then. I found you almost have to start the wind down before the first tired sign... so it is more a case of clock watching. Also hands off wind down seemed to work well for us... I would cuddle for a few minutes & then sit beside the cot & read out loud to Aiden for 10-15 mins (I used to read adult stuff with a soft voice... now I read to Liam, with Aiden on my lap), patting him if he was distressed...although I didn't do this until about 4 months as I was still feeding to sleep at 3 months.
The other thing, does he use a paci, I used that to help wean off the feeding to sleep.
A few questions & I might be able to give a bit of extra help based on my experiences...
Is he a big boy for his age, does he fall asleep in the car & /or pram... is his room dark or light in the day time?
Hang in there, Spirited children are great, but they are hard work.
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KateT,
In answer to your questions: he's fairly big, very tall (90%), but not overly heavy (75%). He will occasionally fall asleep in the car or stroller, but not usually. More often, he'll fall asleep in the front pack. He uses a paci, and has since day one to give him something to suckle since he wants to suck all the time, but I drown him if he's on the breast that often. For the past two days when I try to give it to him instead of the breast he screams like I'm hurting him. I think he's figuring out that I'm giving it to him instead of the breast, and he doesn't like that idea so much. His room gets fairly dark in the day (darkest room of the house).
Right now by DH is trying to put him down for his "catnap". He screamed all through his 3rd nap, then ate and seemed tired 1/2 hour later, so we're trying to put him down now. After 40 minutes of crying, he's just now settled down. I don't know whether to try and wake him to go through all the night time bath and bed time routines or whether to just let him go to sleep now (it's only an hour before his "usual" bedtime). I just don't think either my husband or I have the stamina to go through the 40 minutes of screaming for the third time today.
Tomorrow I'm definitely going to try the early long wind down and see if maybe that helps some, especially since I hadn't been doing much of a wind down at all. I didn't really even know what kind of wind down to do, so I just figured wind down and naptime routine were the same thing. Obviously, that isn't the case, and it isn't working. Any other advice you could give would be so appreciated! I just hope tomorrow it gets better, because I haven't cried this much since the first time I had to give him a bottle because he wouldn't latch on. It's an utterly frustrated and "I've failed" feeling.
My new mantra: "It has to get better because it sure can't get much worse."
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Theresa, your story brings back so many memories for me... even down to the not sleeping in the car or pram much & around 3 months old often rejecting the paci.
It does get better & finding the stamina to cope until it does is the hard part... but it does have its ups & downs even after things improve.
If he isn't crying when he is in the pram I used to give one nap in the pram... even if he didn't sleep it was down time & when I was having counselling for PPD, the mothercraft nurses there said down time if they are awake & "resting" was ok & they saw no reason why a catnap couldn't be a walk in the pram with a 10 min "nap" if it actually got them through to the next feed.
It is pretty hard when you start to feel like a "failure" BUT trust me you aren't & then you see all these people with babies that seem to be doing it so easily it is sooo frustrating. Having an Angel baby second time around proved to me it wasn't so much me but the nature of my first ds... so don't beat yourself up... some babies are just hard work!!!
All I can say is it can take days or even weeks for things to get much better, but they slowly do & as long as you remain consistant in how you do things they do improve... I just know how frustrating it can be when it just never seems to "work"
Have to go... but will post more later
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Theresa, my husband and I worked very hard on the whole sleep thing so I have tons of sympathy for you. It takes a lot of work and our backs would be hurting from all the bending over the crib, but the perseverance paid off!! Here's what we would do on the days we were home together...For our LO the shorter the wind down the better....we swaddled and like someone else said we don't change his diaper...we rocked for a few minutes and then we put him in is crib...pat and sh for 20 minutes and then we would trade off and my husband would pat and sh for 20 minutes...after 40 minutes if he wasn't asleep...tracy says to take them out of the crib so we would...she also says since you are sleep training you shouldn't let them sleep longer than the normal cycle so even if they sleep 10 minutes she says to get them up, but then she says they should basically eat, change diaper and then they will be really ready for a nap. I know it is so hard when they are crying their head off...like you said all you want to do is cry and we had several days like that...both of us crying. You are a great caring mommy be confident in that...keep seeking answers and remember there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I am glad you found this board because it has really been helpful to me and I am sure it will be for you too!!
Good luck, Teresa
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Well, here's a little bit of good news. He woke up at 4:15 for his night feed, then decided it was time to wake up. We put him in his crib. He seemed happy, just not tired so he was up and talking (maybe slept occasionally, I was just sort of listening to the monitor while I lightly slept). He started to get fussy around 6:20, so I got him up and gave him a bath, both because we missed it last night and it gerenally calms him down and relaxes him. Then he ate at 6:50 and after 10 minutes of just sitting and staring, I went and changed him, swaddled him and snuggled for a minute and put him down. He DIDN'T CRY!!! :D :D I stood with him and sort of whispered and shhed (a tiny bit of pat when he spazzed out, but mostly just talking). I waited the full 20 minutes, until he totally spit out the paci then eventually found his fingers when he wanted them (and was calm and sleepy enough to keep them near his mouth).
My question is at what time do I count this nap as starting? At 7:10 when I first set him in the crib, or at 7:30 when I left? And is that time in between wind down or was wind down the ten minutes of sitting and staring? I think I'm starting to get the hang of this, but sometimes I still get very confused.
Thank you all so much for your support! I don't know if I'd still even be trying this if I didn't have someone who'd done it to vent my frustrations to, just because the first few days are so hard.
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theresa-
and i thought having a touchy baby was hard! you have recieved lots of advice and encouragaement, but i thought i would add to it:)
this is my first baby, and i can't tell you how many times i have felt like a total failure! and it is so hard when you look at other babies who seem so calm and happy. it is often hard to remember that it is your lo's temperament, and not you! using EASY will help you so much. i bought the book after a terrible afternoon of screaming (cambel was exhausted, but i didn't know it) and it has made such a difference. we still have tough days, and i often feel like i am not doing it right, but at least it is a great guide. i think that being a mother is wonderful, but it is also the hardest thing i have ever done. i am like you-i thought i had it all figured out before i had cambel. and he has been proving me wrong ever since.
so hang in there. this is a great place to vent and get advice. i have thanked God for this website:) it has kept me from losing my mind on numerous occassions.
keep us posted.
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Maria-
Thanks so much! It's funny how we think we know so much before we're in the actual situation and we realize we don't really know anything. :) The worst part though, is that everyone else thought "oh, he's such a good baby" about Aaron when really, before we started BW the only reason he was good was because I never let him cry, just shoved a boob in his mouth and he either ate or fell asleep, and I was just happy he wasn't crying anymore. So just because you see someone else with a "good baby" it doesn't necessarily mean that they've figured out anything more than you have, except how to make the baby not cry, and even then it's probably only on good days. :) I think until we find something like BW, we're all just in survival mode, and we know it, but we just don't know what else to do. It's hard to know deep down that even though everything seems ok on the surface, you're really not doing what's best for your child. For me, I had to face up to that fact because I go back to work in 2 1/2 weeks, and my DH will be home with Aaron all day, and he can't just whip out a boob to make the baby happy. Even though transitioning to EASY has been rough, I know it will make DH's life sooo much better, since Aaron won't be so very dependent on me for falling asleep and being happy in general.
VERY GOOD NEWS: I think Aaron is finally starting to get the idea of EASY though!! I just put him down for the third time today, with NO CRYING!!! :D :D :D :D :D After yesterday, I figured that was going to be a long way off. Granted, he still wakes up at the 45 minute mark and it takes a while to settle him then (20-30 min), but I honestly didn't think this was going to work out at all, and by next week I'd be insane from all the crying and I'd just be giving him the boob again to get him to sleep. So to all of you that have offered advice and listened to me vent, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!
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Ladies...the last couple of posts have been very informative. Thanks!
I have a question for you all...tonight Jameson went to bed a bit late (he hasn't been feeling well so I let him sleep in this morning to 8 instead of 7:30 so everything is off a bit). Here is my main question if he finally fully fell asleep at 9:00 pm do I still do the DF at 10:30? I feel like that is going to be too early. Thoughts?
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Wow a whole page of posts to read since I haven't been on in a few days.
JJSTAR-ds went to sleep at 9 pm, but when was his last feed? Was it the same as usual? If so, I would still df at 10:30. Some nights we wouldn't be able to get Taylor to sleep till 10 or 10:15 and it would kill us to risk waking her for the 10:30 df, but we did to stay consistent and it paid off.
Mommytsa-welcome to the boards and this thread. BW and this forum has been a huge help to me and we are living proof that this stuff does work and the hard work does pay off in the end! Have you read the sleep interview yet? If not give it a read because it has tons of great info. Also there are posts from Theo's mom on pat/shush and pu/pd in the general sleep issues forum that are great. I can totally relate to what you said about knowing deep down what you were doing wasn't right...I read BW when I was pregnant and came home from the hospital with all these grand ideas about teaching dd independent sleep. Well the spirited little monkey would have none of it! I remember when she was 7 weeks old pacing the floors to get her to sleep and then lying her down and sobbing to dh "I know this isn't right...I feel horrible doing this!" Well even after rocking/walking her to sleep for 2.5months and we were still able to teach her indepent sleep. Now at 3.5 months she goes to sleep completely on her own and it is a great feeling, BUT it took lots of hard work and consistency. It sounds like oyu want to do it and are commited, so good luck and good for you!
Regarding your question about when the nap started. I hope I don't confuse you, but here goes. I always counted it as when she started to enter the state of sleep where she was closing her eyes off and on...when you say you left after 20 minutes (at 7:30), was he deep asleep? And then did he wake up apx. 25minutes after that (you said he does 45 min. naps)? If yes to both of these questions, then he started to fall asleep and the nap started at 7:10 most likely because babies take apx. 20 minutes to fall into deep sleep. I think I am being totally confusing, but that is why I suggest reading the sleep interview! :roll: SOrry, I don't think I was much help.
Regarding 4 hour EASY, we have been doing it for 4 days now and it is going good. We were following the plan in Tracy's new book and were about to start day 12 where the feeds get spaced out 3.75 hours apart, and she just kind of naturally did it :) although now she is waking at 6 am instead of 7 am, but I'm hoping when she can start to take more at each feed she will last a little longer. I put her back to sleep for about 30 minutes and then wake her at 7 just to stay consistent, but then of course she is not hungry at 7, so it is still taking a little work.
It sounds like we are all having the problem of random night wakings :evil: I wish I knew what to do. oh well, I guess things could be so much worse right?
Take care everyone!
Andrea
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Taylor's Mommy...the last feed was at 8 which is about normal. He is usually sound asleep btw 8 & 8:30. I did do the DF just a bit later than normal. I went in about 10:50 instead of 10:30. Gave me some extra time to get things done before I went to bed right after the feed. He slept through till 4:30 so I guess it worked. Tonight I'm going to really try not to feed him when he wakes. I feel like I get hunger cues but I don't really try to look for too long. I figure it is easier to just feed but I don't want to keep thinking that way. We keep having visitors so I've been trying to keep him quiet. I feel like our parents (most of the visitors) will think I'm a bad mom if they hear him crying for too long at night.
Well Jameson just passed the 13 week mark/3 month. How will I know for sure when to switch to 4 hour EASY? Am I correct to think that it is when the naps start getting too short. He is still take 3 almost 2 hour naps a day plus the catnap. We just discovered the jumpster though so I'm hoping that the activity time will be able to be stretched out since he has some new toys!
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I can't believe how much there was to read!
Theresa (and Aaron) welcome aboard. I see that our LO's are only a week apart. I can relate to what you said about not wanting to obsess about our LO's food intake. I have really been struggling with this. My LO has reflux and if he's not taking a 'normal' amount I start to wonder if he's in pain, if his med's are off, why his food intake dropped off one day etc. etc. Just these past 3 days this has really been an issue for me. My DS has been screaming when he begins to suckle and doesn't want the bottle anywhere near his mouth. Although once he starts, he can get it down. We are on a 4hr EASY so I know that he must need food . . . but what's going on??? . . . (We've got a doctor's appointment scheduled for next Monday but I'm not sure I can wait that long).
JJstar - How do you know for sure to switch from a 3hr to 4 hr EASY? I guess it's trial and error and once they are on 4 hours and making it, then you'll know. For us, we tried extending the 3hr routine by 15, 30, or 45 minutes. I wan't rigid at all - if DS made it, great! If not, I'd feed him at 3 hrs. Some days he would extend all of his feeds, and on others he'd only extend 1 or 2. Once DS was able to go 4hrs between feeds a little more regularly I decided to make the switch. We did this at 12 weeks.
Once we changed the routine DS did very well (for the eating part). He had no problem going 4 hrs between feeds. What we struggled with was the Activity time. If a feed takes 30 minutes, and we aim for 2 hrs sleep, 15 minutes for wind down and diaper change, that means there is about 1 hr and 15 minutes for Activity time. He's getting better, but it's hard trying to extend his A time and still get him down in his window . . . and of course, what if he doesn't go 2 hrs???
We still have one nap/feed that is off the 4 hr mark. We feed at 6am, 10am, 2pm, between 5-6pm, and a DF at 10:30pm. He usually has two 2 hour naps and one 45 minute nap. I think we may need to use the "wake-to-sleep" method again as DS is taking to wake at 5am (he likes to play in his crib at this time). The problem is that if he is awake an hour before we feed him his activity time is shot! Then our day sometimes starts out at 6am with ESAS. I want to break this because I don't want DS used to taking 45 min naps.
Is anyone doing pu/pd with their LO's? This has caused some difficulties for my DH (he's a bit of a softy). My question is, when you do pu/pd do you use a paci?? What about swaddling? When my LO is frantic his arms/fingers/thumb are no where near his mouth. Suggestions???
It's amazing to think that we have come along this far . . . 3 months. When I think back to those first few weeks I can't believe I survived.
I could go on and on right now but this has gotten rather long, so I'll cut it off here.
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Thank you all for all the advice and help! It's so nice to be able to talk to other moms doing BW and pick your brains! :D
Andrea-Believe it or not, I think I understood you about the naptime thing, and you guessed exactly right with the times, etc (I leave him when he's in a deep sleep, otherwise he just spazzes out and wakes himself up again and we have to start over). I've been trying to read the sleep interview, but I feel like there's so much great info there that I can't just read it through, I have to take it in small bits.
Krice-While I can't help with the 4 hour EASY, I have been doing some pu/pd when Aaron is really upset. He's still swaddled, and usually I have to sort of tighten or rewrap the swaddle when I pick him up. I also shove the paci in and hold it there until he starts to calm down, because just like yours, his hands are nowhere near his mouth and he's too upset to even think about getting them there. What that usually means is that I can't hold him in the vertical position that Tracy recommends, I just cradle hold. Usually by the time I've resorted to pu/pd, LO is so worked up it can take 10-15 min to calm him down, so I just actually sit in his room and sort of "restart" the naptime routine. I know what you mean about how upsetting it can be to DH. Two days ago, mine said to me (through clenched teeth and over the screaming), "I don't really see what the difference is between this and cry it out except that for this we have to be here holding him the whole time." :cry: He's come around though, now that we're seeing results. :)
It is amazing how fast the time goes. Now I know why older women will come up to you and say "Enjoy every minute. Just yesterday mine were that little and now they're all grown up."
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Well today we've discovered a new 'issue'. LO is rolling over and it wakes him up. He has done it a few times in the night but I've discovered that it is when he is hungry and waking anyway. Well today it has interupted two naps and I can't seem to get him back to sleep. There is a mobile on his crib which is what he is always looking at when I go in after he is all wide awake. Should I remove the mobile to teach him to SLEEP in the crib or will this cause more problems later when I do want him to be able to entertain himself a bit in the crib? I'm so confused but I'm afraid he is going to be missing so much sleep from this. THoughts?
*By the way he is a stomach sleeper so when he rolls over he is on his back looking all around.
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jjstar... from what I have discovered the rolling over thing is developmental ( he may be an early crawler too), he is possibly thinking about rolling & his sleep & so wakes up to "practice"... one of those many things that "ruin" the hard worked for sleeping... just keep everything consistent & it should go back to what it was once the novelty wears off. Does he wake up early & cry or is he making happy noises? If it is happy noises just leave him be... one of the things I still struggle with (mostly as it is at night with my 2yo & I want to sleep) is that "being awake & happy while supposed to be a sleep" But I know that the sleep centre that gave me advice when Aiden was little said, if they are happy leave them be... it is rest they need & that may not always be sleep... if you run into try & get them back to sleep when they wake up happy you are effectively saying it is NOT ok to be lying in your cot awake & enjoying yourself, you sleep here & that is all, so they can stop being happy & awake there
Re the mobile, if he is happy & it keeps him occupied don't worry, but if he is upset & cries then maybe it is too much stimulation so I would remove it.
HTH
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Thanks Kate. He is happy when he wakes for awhile. The other night I heard him in the crib from 2 until almost 2:30 just 'talking' to himself or the mobile. Then at 2:30 he started crying. So I suppose I just have to almost ignore the rolling and continue as 'normal'. I am thinking this might be one sign that we need to start moving to 4 hour EASY so he is more tired for his naps.
We discovered the jumpster this weekend and he LOVES it. He is 'walking' while he is in it.
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I know we are told not to compare babies, but I was thinking this would be a fun way to get to know each others LO's. Perhaps we'd also get some responses from the other moms that are lurking out there too! :lol: How about something like this:
(1) Age in weeks
(2) Birth weight/current weight
(3) Eat - breast/bottle (how long/ how much/ how often)
(4) Wake-up time/bedtime
(5) Hours of sleep at night
(6) Dream Feed?
(7) Naps (how many/duration)
[8] ? hr. EASY
(9) How many BM's per day
(10) PU/PD or Pat/Sh...
(11) Sucks thumb/fingers?
(12) Rolling over?
(13) Favorite Activity
(14) What makes your LO laugh?
(15) What makes your LO cry?
Maybe we could have one for the moms to answer for themselves too . . . :wink:
I'd love to start and fill this out but hubby wants the computer :(
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Liam being my second, I have had my stresses over comparing & now I just think about how important it is for my boys to be themselves & develop as nature intended... so I'm happy to post my info as to me it relates to Liam's uniquness & not to how he is compared to others!!
(1) Age in weeks...... 11 weeks today
(2) Birth weight/current weight.... Huge 4.6kg (10.4oz) & now 7.6kg (about 16.5lb)
(3) Eat - breast/bottle (how long/ how much/ how often).... breast 5-6 feeds/24 hours
(4) Wake-up time/bedtime .... bed 7ish (7-7.30), wakeup 7ish (6.30-7.30)
(5) Hours of sleep at night... about 12 +/-
(6) Dream Feed?.... no
(7) Naps (how many/duration).... depends on the day & activities of ds#1, usually one long one around middle of the day (2.5-3hours)& 2-3 shorter ones (45mins -1hour)
[8] ? hr. EASY... ranges 3- 4 depending on the day, our activities & sleeps
(9) How many BM's per day.... lucky to get 2 per week.... mostly one big one & one small one per week
(10) PU/PD or Pat/Sh...a bit of everything & lots of nothing... do wind down, swaddle, cuddle & leave, if he needs me pat for a bit, leave, & if after 10mins (he rarely crys) of going back &/or me trying to settle him I give a paci... this always works... NB he is my second & also easy to settle!!
(11) Sucks thumb/fingers?.... sucks fingers hands
(12) Rolling over?... did once by accident as was on a rolled towel for tummy time & slipped off & flipped over... but a long way off (ds #1 didn't roll ver until well after 6 months, but was sitting by 5 months)
(13) Favorite Activity... people talking to him
(14) What makes your LO laugh?... people talking to him
(15) What makes your LO cry? big brother making very loud noises (they make mum cry too) & if he ever gets over tired
Ok & I have a couple for the Mums....
is Motherhood what you expected... for me it is harder than thought & easier than I thought, I find being a mother of a toddler the most taxing & enjoy being a relaxed mother of a baby after so much anxiety (& PPD & a very sick husband) over every little thing when #1 was a baby
Are you going to be a SAHM... I went back when ds#1 was 6mo to get long service leave (13 weeks paid leave for staying with the one employer for 10 years), but I am not planning to go back to my old job or work for the next year at least.
Do you think you will have more children?.... No I have a 16 yo stepdaughter a 2 yo & a baby... I think this is my hard time & much as I would quite like a daughter of my own, I think age etc mean this is it for me (I'm almost 37)
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All right, I'm ready. My little Matthew is/does . . . .
(1) Age in weeks - 13 and a half weeks
(2) Birth weight/current weight - 6lbs 14oz at birth, now weighs 14lbs 2oz . . . he usually gains between 11-15oz per week! Yikes
(3) Eat - breast/bottle (how long/ how much/ how often) - bottle fed, 4 daytime feeds, 1 df . . . bottles have rice cereal added for his reflux and he takes between 5-6oz per feed. Also on Zantac twice a day for the reflux (been on this since 7 weeks).
(4) Wake-up time/bedtime - currently waking at 5am (tonight will be day 2 of wake to sleep to try to correct), bed time varies . . . as early as 6:20pm to as late as 8pm (usually around 7pm though)
(5) Hours of sleep at night - I'd say around 10 to 11 hours . . . never wakes up (knock on wood)
(6) Dream Feed? - yes at 10:30 . . .DH's job
(7) Naps (how many/duration) - 3 naps, one 45 minute nap and two that are between 1 hr. 15 min to 2 hrs.
[8] ? hr. EASY - 4 hr EASY with flexibility for his last feed. We started 4hrs at 12 weeks.
(9) How many BM's per day - usually every other day and boy does he have to grunt to get them out! His face goes so red and you should hear the noises. The rice cereal at times has constipated him. *poor guy* but when we finally have poop, boy do we have poop!
(10) PU/PD or Pat/Sh... - combination of both. Usually goes down fairly easy in 10 minutes or less, but have had times where we have been in there for 45 minutes or more. Those times have been HARD . . . but I keep telling myself "this will pass".
(11) Sucks thumb/fingers? - arm sucker/slobber!
(12) Rolling over? - Has done this twice (by accident) from front to back. He now is really trying to swing his legs (from back to front) and likes it when I help him over.
(13) Favorite Activity - looking at himself in front of the mirror or trying to kick his mobile.
(14) What makes your LO laugh? He laughs at the huge giraffe I painted on his bedroom wall OR blowing raspberries at him.
(15) What makes your LO cry? He will start to fuss and cry right before his reflux kicks in and he's about to vomit.
As for me . . . .
(1) Is motherhood everything I expected . . . it's been tough at times, but the more Matthew becomes an interactive individual, the more rewarding it has been. I waited a quite a while to become a mother (I'm 33) and this has been one of the toughest things I have ever done (and I've even done an ironman triathlon)! I do notice that hubby and I are laughing more together with Matthew . . . and for that alone, it's worth it!!!:D
(2) Stay at home mom . . . I will be returning back to work sometime between December and March (I teach grades 6/7 and consider my class my 'kids' . . . my job is sooo rewarding) - I don't think there will be an easy time to do this because I'm enjoying Matthew soooo much. My mom lives in the same city and wants to be daycare. I've been teaching her the BW ropes!
(3) More children . . . possibly, if it happens it happens (although, I'd have to go off of birth control for that to happen). Dh and I had the same philosophy for DS - if we got pregnant great, if not then I guess we were meant to be together and do other things. Well, we got pregnant right away, so I guess we were meant to be a family! I'm sure I'll be 'getting up there' in age if/when we decide to have #2.
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Kate - thanks for playing! It is fun to see how others are making out. I cannot believe how big Liam was! *ouch* It took Matthew almost 8 weeks to reach that weight!
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Hi all!
My boy was born 13th April... things have been up and down with routines... had the dreaded 45 min naps and habitual night wakings but those are sorted now and he seems to be on an even keel!
Sleeping through the night till around 6am and goes down for naps with no fussing, I just put him down and leave the room... Things are finally better and more managable, but now he's started messing around at feeding time (3-4 hourly)! I really wanted to wait till 6 months before weaning onto solids, but at 4 months now I'm really starting to wonder?
He doesn't feed during the night, so I'd expect him to be starving when he wakes but lately he has starting fussing, looking round and spitting out the bottle making feeding times a bit stressful. I've extended feeding times but this hasn't made much difference.
Anyone else going through this? he really seems to be fed up of milk!
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Aaron's numbers....
1. Age in weeks - 12 1/2
2. Birth weight/ current weight - 7lbs 10 oz / 13 lbs 15 oz
3. Eat - breast about 7 times a days, will be switching to EBM for daytime feeds in 2 weeks
4. wake up time/bedtime - wakes around 5:30am, up for day around 7am, bedtime between 7 -7:30pm
5. Hours of sleep at night - 10-11 depending on how long he's awake ar 5:30 am
6. dream feed - yes, about 9:30, but I could probably drop it. Haven't wanted to risk it though :wink:
7. naps - 3 usually somewhere between 45min to 1.25 hours; he won't take a catnap most days, even though he's tired
8. ? hr easy - 3, with a 2.5 hour between last day feed and bed
9. How many bm's - 4, sometimes 5 a day ( I keep hoping I'll get fewer, but no such luck)
10. PU/PD or pat/shh - mostly pat/sh, but if that makes him mad, PU/PD
11. sucks thumb/fingers - sucks middle 2 fingers of either hand most of the day
12. rolling over? - not really; he can tip himself from tummy to side (he hates tummy time), but doesn't seem inclined to go any further
13. favorite activity - sucking fingers and talking to himself in the mirror (usually at the same time)
14. what makes him laugh - funny faces with daddy (mommy, too sometimes)
15. what make him cry - any time he's sleepy or bored, but usually it's sleepy
Me:
1. Motherhood what I expected - NO. It's a lot more work and worry, but infinitely more rewarding than I expected
2. Stay at home mom- no. I teach 8th grade and love it! Also, DH was only working very little, and since I make about 6 times as much as he did, it makes more sense for him to stay home. We've been doing BW together, although DH hasn't seem to want to read the actual book, he does what I say since it's been working. I go back to work when school starts in 2 weeks. I'm both excited and nervous.
3. More children - we're planning one more. DH wants them close in age (nomore than 2 years apart. I want them about 5 years apart, but I think we hit on a compromise. We'll start trying again when Aaron starts potty training. I don't know how you mommies can do two in diapers at the same time!
This is fun and interesting! I hope more moms play along.
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Hi, I've just discovered the site, so may take a bit to get oriented...
My second daughter, Amelia was born April 3rd, 2005. (so she's 4 mos. now...) I've just finished reading the book, and I'm swaying back and forth between emotions: "sounds like a good idea to work to adapt to the schedule...." and " how can I possibly??? where do I start??"
Any suggestions on starting at this point in the game? Amelia currently sleeps in the bed with us, (admittedly for my own comfort) since she feeds between 2 & 4 times during the night, depending... During the day, going out and about (ie: preschool, library, etc) with Chantel (nearly 3 yrs) makes concrete scheduling seem a little tricky...
Chantel was a "Touchy" baby, while Amelia seems blessedly "Textbook" more or less, so there may be hope! :)
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i have work to do, but have been interested to read about everyone' lo, and want to give info on cambel too:)
age-14 weeks and 3 days
birth weight/current- 8 lbs at birth/ not sure- at 2 mths he was 12.5 lbs
eat-breastfed 6 times a day (often he gets a bottle from dad at night if i have time to pump in the morning)
wake up/bedtime- this is something that we are working on...about 7 or 7:30 in the morning and 7:30 is his bedtime
hours of sleep at night- he is in bed about 11 hours, but he usually has a few night wakings before his 5:30 feeding (something else we are working on...suggestions would be appreciated:))
no dreamfeed
naps-he takes 2 longer naps (1.5-2 hours) for his first 2 easy cycles, and then 2 shorter naps later in the day)
we are on a 3, 3.5, and 4 hour easy...depending on the day. we cluster feed at 5:30 and 7:30
he has a bm about every other feeding, and sometimes in between:)
we do a little of both pu/pd and pat/shh and not much of either. he usually goes back to sleep best with a reswaddling and his paci
he sucks his hand
he is close to rolling over, but hasn't done it yet
favorite activity- "talking" to mom and dad
what makes him laugh-tickling, funny faces, singing
what makes him cry-as a touchy baby, just about anything:)-being around a lot of stimulation, being tired, being held by someone he doesn't know
me:
motherhood has been harder than i expected. i knew i would worry, but i didn't think i would obsess about him as much as i do. but i love it. i love cambel and feel more attached to him than i thought possible.
stay at home mom-yes. i have a degree in marriage and family therapy, but i got pregnant (unexpectedly) just as i was graduating. so i haven't had much of an opportunity to work besides the internships i did. someday i would like to counsel maybe a day a week. but for now i am home, and i really enjoy it.
more children-the first week we had cambel home i wondered why people had children at all:) but now that we are adjusted, i definately want more children. we aren't sure how many-maybe 3-4. we will probably wait a couple of years before the next one.
elidah- i would say, forge ahead with easy. you can do it and still work around errands and outings. you could follow it loosely at first and just keep a log of what you are doing, then when you have a better idea of how it works, you can develop a better schedule. i think once you start it, you will really find it helpful. good luck (and this site is a great place for advice)
jjstar- i noticed that your lo is "touchy" cambel is very touchy as well, and i often find myself looking at other babies and saying "they don't cry nearly as much as cambel." don't get me wrong, i think cambel is great, but i wasn't expecting such a sensitive child. just wondered what your experience has been and if you have trouble with him getting overstimulated very easily (esp. around people he doesn't know).
well, i have typed for too long, and my flowers have not weeded themselves.
hope you all have a good day
maria
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Kate-thanks for coming up with the game, I think it will be fun!
First though-JJSTAR, did you say you put ds in the jumper already? I have been wanting to try this with Taylor but am nervous-she has a jumper and an exersaucer. She has good neck strength but is still a little wobbly, esp. when she is tired. anyone else doing the jumper or exersaucer yet?
piggywig-Taylor too has been getting fussy at the breast now for about 5 days even after a 2 hour nap and 4 hours since her last feed! I was going to ride it out a few more days and see how it goes.
Elidah-yes you can do the BW method routine (try not to think of as a schedule)! It has been an amazing resource and has really helped us out. Do you have the second book? I personally liked that one better.
Now for the game:
(1) Age in weeks 16 weeks (will be 4 months next Friday)
(2) Birth weight/current weight -7lbs 8 oz; now apx. 15 lbs
(3) Eat - breast/bottle (how long/ how much/ how often) -breast w/ 1 bottle of ebm for dream feed/single side feedign for about 15 min every 4 hours
(4) Wake-up time/bedtime-between 6:45-7:15 (occasionally wakes before this but we pat her back to sleep)/bedtime between 7:15-7:45
(5) Hours of sleep at night -11-12 hours
(6) Dream Feed? yes at 11 pm since she was 6 weeks old; dh does it
(7) Naps (how many/duration)-after battling 45 min. naps for 7 weeks she now takes 2 1.5-2 hour naps and 1 30 min. cat nap. yeah! :D
[8] ? hr. EASY -4 hour EASY for about a week now
(9) How many BM's per day -now about 2-3
(10) PU/PD or Pat/Sh... -started with pat/shush but then had to do pu/pd when she turned 3 months; now we don't really have to do much but lie her in crib and she fusses off and on for about 10-15 minutes; we may pat her back or pick her up if need be...
(11) Sucks thumb/fingers? both very happily! :wink:
(12) Rolling over? not yet
(13) Favorite Activity blowing raspberries and watching baby einstein
(14) What makes your LO laugh? when we blow raspberries at her and sing Jack Johnson to her-she LOVES that!
(15) What makes your LO cry? when I try to feed her when she is tired-she just won't eat! weirdest thing :roll: :?
Motherhood-it is a lot harder than I expected, esp. dealing with PPD and a very fussy baby for the first 3 months. But now things have definitely improved and am startign to love it and her soooooo much! (not that I didn't love her before, but it definitely grows as you get to know them, know what I mean?)
I will be going back to work permanantely on Sept. 12th (and will go back for 4 days next week). I am looking forward to it as I love my job-I work for St. John Knits. Not as rewarding as being a teacher, but definitely fun and exciting. I will miss her though as I won't get to spend much time with her-long commute. :cry:
we definitely want 1 more and maybe 2 :?: At least 3 years apart though. If you had asked me taht when she was 3 weeks old though I would have said NEVER!! :) funny how things change!
We are off to Lake Tahoe for 4 days tomorrow and will be her first trip-wish us luck!
Everyone haev a great weekend!
Andrea
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Andrea (Taylors Mommy) it was actually Kathy (Krice) who came up with the game, I just added the mummy questions & had time to do it as I had both lo's asleep & Aiden was taking an extra long one, so I got extra me time!! I also know how PPD can take the joy out of motherhood!
Piggywig... I would stay off solids as long as possible... there are good reasons for the 6 month recommendation (I have posted on this quite a bit on the weaning site & here earlier so I won't repeat) But if your lo isn't waking up more often then I would stick with it, I know that Aiden had times where I felt like he fed nothing, but would often do his best sleeps... somewhere around 3-6 months many babies get to the point where it isn't the calories in 24 hours that matter, but like adults it is the calories over a 3-4 day or even a week long period, so they will have days where they don't want to feed us much, also with solids you are actually likely to start night wakings as they can cause upset tummies & the younger you start the more likely the upset tummies & constipation is to happen.
Elidah... I am doing a modified EASY with my #2... what I did was chart out my DS#1's set activities, like swimming, playgroup & childcare (all morning) & kind of worked the routine around that & ds#1's nap... so the aim is that both have a nap at the same time & that Liam's naps sort of end at the time we have to head out to an activity, so I feed him & we go... on the days we don't have set activities, I go out to the shops/park/friends at the "going out time"
I would suggest you start EASY with your lo now as we got onto a good routine with ds#1 at about 4 months (after being all over the place before that) & he dropped all his night feeds within 6 weeks & he was having 2-4 like your lo!!!
Mommytsa... It's great your dh will be staying home with your lo, my dh got the opportunity to spend alot of time with ds#1 when he was 4-7 months as he was recovering from major surgery... a lot of the time he did little else but cuddle & talk to Aiden... but they have such a strong bond now, I am a second rate person if dh is around (good when it comes to changing nappies as dh has to do them all!!!)
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Thanks! He's been better with his bottle today! :D
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(1) Age in weeks - 14 weeks today!
(2) Birth weight/current weight - 6 lbs 15 oz/14 lbs 4 oz
(3) Eat - breast/bottle (how long/ how much/ how often) - breast 7 times a day for 10-20 minutes one side
(4) Wake-up time/bedtime - wakes between 6:30-7:30/bed 7:45-8:15
(5) Hours of sleep at night about 11 hours
(6) Dream Feed? yes around 10:30
(7) Naps (how many/duration) He pretty much does 3 hr EASY to the T...3 1.5-2 hour naps with a 45 minute catnap
[8] ? hr. EASY - as of right now he is on 3 hour. I noticed the last 2 days though that his naps are getting a hair shortly, might try switching him to 3.5 soon
(9) How many BM's per day - almost at ever feed and I've noticed more and more too while he is sleeping?!
(10) PU/PD or Pat/Sh... pat/shh (I'm not sure how the PU/PD will work with this touchy baby?!)
(11) Sucks thumb/fingers? fingers and loves cloth too (I found the trunk of an elephant works great for him)
(12) Rolling over? stomach to back regularily; once from back to stomach
(13) Favorite Activity - this week it is the jumpster
(14) What makes your LO laugh? me laughing and pretty much any time someone talks to him
(15) What makes your LO cry? Being over tired or over stimulated.
is Motherhood what you expected... Nothing that I expected while at the same time everything I ever dreamed it would be. LO was in the NICU at first so that started things a bit stressed. We've gotten into a good mix together though.
Are you going to be a SAHM...For the most part yes. I have a small business I run from home (weekend scrapbooking retreats). So I have some 'work' to do during nap times, etc but mainly get to truly enjoy the little guy!
Do you think you will have more children?....From the moment he arrived I said he was going to be an only child. The more interactive he is becoming I'm not so sure anymore. I do know though that we'd wait until he is at least 3 so I've got time to think about it!
Maria...the overstimulation is the hardest part with the touchy baby. People think I'm being a *&0) when I ask them to not bounce when they hold him or have to get off the phone quickly because he is showing sleepy signs. He is a happy baby for the most part but I have to watch the cues so closely. At the beginning of October I have to leave him for a couple of days and I'm so afraid that my MIL isn't going to do what I say is best for Jameson. She is an OB nurse and thinks she knows babies. Newborns are different than this touchy 3 month old!
Andrea...he loves the jumpster and exersaucer. What I have found that helps is putting a stuffed animal between their belly and the front of the seat. He has control of his head but the torso is still a bit wobbily. The stuffed animal helps him so he can look up and about. He loves the jumpster because he can be in the kitchen with me while I'm getting dinner ready. He was actually in it for 25 minutes yesterday! Thank heavens for Graco!
love the game!
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Hi. I just found this thread-- although I have spent a lot of time on the "Nap" board!! :lol: I love reading where everyone else is-- it makes my short naps and hard days seem kinda normal!!! My DS will be 15 weeks on Monday (born 5/2/05) -- we have been struggling with short naps. Ugh!!! :? And I have to return to work in 3 weeks, which I am completely struggling with because I will have so little time with my lo due to long hours and a long commute. :cry: I've tried to extend his awake time and it seems to be backfiring but who knows what to do? I am doing a few things trial and error to see if I can fix it before he is off to daycare.
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Hi everyone
It's been fun to read everyones 'stats'. I sure learned a lot about each other and our lo's! We'll have to do it again in a few months. I hope some other moms will continue to post too! Also wanted to say welcome to Piggywig, Elidah and jamom.
My LO is having some (a lot) of fussy times while feeding. Piggwig I think you said your LO was doing the same. This just started about a week ago and hasn't really subsided. I've tried changing nipple sizes on the bottles but it doesn't seem to make a difference. The only time my DS doesn't fuss is for the DF. I'm thinking this may be due to his reflux and needs his medication adjusted for his weight. My DH doesn't think DS is in pain when he feeds (I disagree, but second guess myself at times). DS makes gagging sounds, pushes the nipple out of his mouth and turns his head away - not to mention squeals at the top of his lungs. BUT . . . once he starts sucking he seems to be OK - it's just the starting that is hard. Is anyone else experiencing something like this? Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help.
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I've been wanting to play and haven't had the chance till now (gotta love insomnia when you're baby is sleeping!) :(
(1) Age in weeks - 11 weeks
(2) Birth weight/current weight - 7lbs,12 oz / 10 lbs ??? (2 wks ago-but she doesn't seem like she's gained all that much-she could be getting closer to 11 lbs though.)
(3) Eat - breast/bottle (how long/ how much/ how often) - 7-8 bfeeding in 24 hrs. She can take up to 40-45 minutes some feeds! But usually about 20-25 min. on one side. Try to do a 3 hr. easy but usually she sneaks in some 2 or 2.5 hrs in there.
(4) Wake-up time/bedtime - 8 am/8 pm- she's punctual on this at least!
(5) Hours of sleep at night - 11.5-12
(6) Dream Feed? - no-it didn't change anything so we dont' bother
(7) Naps (how many/duration) - It depends on which day- on her good days, she'll take at least 2-3 great 1.5-2 hr naps. Lately and on bad days she takes about 4 20-30 min. catnaps!
[8] ? hr. EASY - . Shooting for 3- sometimes (with the bad naps) it's more like 2 or 2.5.
(9) How many BM's per day - 2 some days, some days 1, some days none!
(10) PU/PD or Pat/Sh... - Doesn't seem to work for her. I use a fan in the hallway for white noise and I put the paci in while she moves her head side to side crying and fighting the sleep. (She's a tummy sleeper.) Somedays (good ones)this takes 3 minutes, others 20-25. I can get her to sleep in no time if I walk her around with me, but I'm trying to be vigilant about her learning to nap on her own.
(11) Sucks thumb/fingers? - During activity time, sometimes she "plays" with her fingers in her mouth- trying to figure them out. Or if her arm is in good proximity she'll mouth it. :)
(12) Rolling over? -. No- but she can scoot forward a little when she's on her tummy!
(13) Favorite Activity - trying to kick or hit the toys on her bouncy seat- or smiling at the bear mobile on her swing.
(14) What makes your LO laugh? Anyone smiling at her (though me and DH seem to be able to get the best responses.) -I think Madeline would too, if she would stand still long enough! Or just talking to her- or the ceiling fan!
(15) What makes your LO cry? Being tired, hungry, or something else- can't figure out what that something else is yet, though!
As for me . . . .
(1) Is motherhood everything I expected . . . A whole lot harder (both times around!) But extremely rewarding- I knew I'd love my children- but it amazes me the depths of love I feel for them.
(2) Stay at home mom . . . basically, yes. I run a Curves franchise-but I have employees and just do the overseeing type things from home -I can make my trips up there fit my own schedule.-With DH's help on the nights and weekends. So, I'm at home trying to focus on raising little ones during the days.
(3) More children . . . Up until the last few days I would have said NO. And I still am not sure about this one. My biggest issues are money (proper education is expensive!) and my sanity. That might sound funny, but I want to make sure I can handle it- though I do know that they are "easier" when they are older- I think the newborn stage really sends me close to the edge, so it's hard for me to imagine being able to handle it when I have older ones to manage as well. But only time (and God) will tell!
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When I was reading through the answers, I was so happy for so many of you whose lo's seem to be really catching on to EASY. What a blessing- especially those of you who seem to have gotten the nap thing down-yeah!!! (Can't wait for ours to be consistently good- the 1 good day followed by 3 bad days is getting old!!!)
Welcome to the ones who've recently joined our thread! :)
More kisses to those little soft cheeks!!!
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Ok, I've been reading all of these posts and see that lots of you are switching to a 4-hour EASY. I have been wanting to do this and I know my DS can do it on the "eat" part but what do you do when they only have 30-45 minute naps??? Seems to really mess up that chart in Tracy's book!!! I don't know if I can even try to extend his naps because he wakes up and after a minute or 2 of crying, if at all, he just sits and babbles and as I understand it, I shouldn't be interfering at that point. Yesterday, he fell back asleep a couple of times but only for another catnap. Ugh. (You've probably seen my frustrated posts on the Nap board!! :x )
The other thing I am worried about is the fact that my DS seems to get overtired easily which makes it difficult to extend his awake time sometimes. But I really think that it is time to move over to a 4-hour routine since DS will be 15 weeks on Monday and his naps are so dang short. I've also been wondering since he sleeps about 11 hours straight through (only "wakes" for DF b/w 10-11-- no other night wakings) whether he just may not need as much sleep. I think that at 3 mos. they only need 15 hours of sleep or so. That would mean that he only needs 4 hours of naps -- which he would get when I add up those power naps. I don't know, I am just so confused about this short napping thing. He didn't used to be this way and started this trend at around 9-10 weeks. It has just gotten worst and worst, which I find ironic since he has learned to fall asleep independently. Sometimes I think it is those darned hands waking him up but he needs to have one arm out to help him self-soothe. Any suggestions?? He is mostly textbook but has some touchiness and spiritedness in him too.
Krice: I noticed that a few weeks ago, my DS started becoming fussy at the bottle. I am no expert (first child and all) but I am attributing it to the fact that he is now better at telling me when he is or isn't hungry. Before, he would just take it -- I think to fulfill his need to suck (he won't take a paci). Now, he can turn his head away and sometimes even seems to be holding his mouth closed so that I can't get it in there. I took this as a sign that he may need to move to 4-hour EASY... And I apologize, I just read through all of the posts and can't remember if you are trying that yet.
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i have enjoyed reading everyone's info:) fun to hear how you all are doing.
well, at 3:00 thursday morning, i decided that i had been up in the night to give cambel his paci enough. so i went cold turkey on the paci. cambel screamed his head off and and shushed mine off. my dh came in a said what are you doing? i explained my decision and he went for a run:) ( he can't stand to hear ds cry like that). after several screaming espisodes, i think he is finally starting to get it. last night he went down with no problem and didn't wake until 4. but we aren't home free yet, so keep your fingers crossed for us:)
he needs fed now, so i'll have to go..
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Best of luck to you Maria. I'm sure that is frustrating.
We had a great day yesterday for the most part. I've noticed that LO first nap of the day seems to be getting shorter and shorter. I'm think it might be a bit of a sign that we should start moving to 3.5 or 4 hour EASY instead of 3 hr but he still wants to eat at 3 hours. Ugh I'm just not sure what to do. My parents are coming to visit for the weekend and are bringing a copy of the video. I'm not sure exactly what the video shows but I'm excited to see them demonstrate maybe PU/PD or something. DH needs to see it as he won't read the book.
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How is everyone doing? The board has been very quiet.
My DS is still struggling through his feeds. We see the doctor tomorrow morning. It has been a very stressful time for me. I can see that he wants to eat but it seems to be hurting him to swallow. He is still gaining weight, but his feeds have dropped considerably. I don't want to force him to eat, but I'm worried he isn't getting enough. He wants to take the bottle, but will wince when he has to swallow - thus he takes a very small amount and will then refuse any more. On top of things, he is developing a small 'growth' just below his knee. My husband thinks it is a "hemangioma". *Ahhh* the stresses of motherhood. . . .
On the positive side - DS has been going down for his naps and bedtime really well. I know it's because I've gotten much better at reading his cues . . . the minute he rubs his eye or yawns, we get changed, swaddled and are put straight to bed - then he's usually out within 5 minutes!
Any moms out there that have any worries about their LO's? Am I the only one??? :cry:
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Kathy you aren't the only one who worries... although I think I worry so much less about Liam that I do Aiden, even though Liam is my baby... Aiden, just seems to have one "hiccup" after the next, or maybe it is he is my first & paving my way, although the Dr does recon he has inherited my Allergies!
Liam is also my dream baby & is so good & easy that I think I would jinx myself if I talked about stuff, quite seriously I feel so blessed to have "Mr Happy" in my life he is a delight, definitely makes up for the horror first year with Aiden (of which very little had to do with him, but other health issues related to dh & me, as my PPD counsellor said at the time my life then was enough to make anyone suffer depression.
... the only "problem" is he likes to be awake & chatting from 6/6.30am & I don't want our day to start until after 7am (when aiden wakers up, esp as it is winter here & cold at 6am... but after 11 hours of sleep (interupted by one feed around 4am) I can't really expect much more & I don't want to delay his bed time as I want it to stay the same as Aidens (7.30). So I think I am stuck with that for a while.
Oh & he is 9days & counting since his last Poop!!! Not looking forward to cleaning it up when it comes!! Although someone did say as he is a very big (7.5kg/17lb) bf baby he could be going through his growth spurt & absorbing everything???
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just thought i would check in. ds just went down for the night--without his paci:) the last 3 nights he has slept from 8-5 without it, and i couldn't be happier. now i will probably jinx myself and he will wake up tonight:)
other than the paci weaning, things are about the same around here. he is getting more fun every day-laughing and cooing. and his hand-eye coordination seems to really be improving. he can really get ahold of his toys now.
one thing i am wondering about is when to stop swaddling him completely. right now he has his legs and just one arm swaddled. his legs usually break free easily, and this doesn't seem to bother him much. but he just seems to flail around more if both arms are out. any ideas on how to get him to the point where he doesn't need swaddled? right now i am scared to try and end up ruining his good sleep.
a friend of mine just had a baby girl last week. seeing her makes me realize how far we have come. i am thankful to be past those first few weeks. looking back, those days seem a little fuzzy. hopefully when we have our second one i will remember what i did:)
hope everyone is doing well.
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Maria, I can't quite remember when I stopped swaddling Aiden, but I know it was around the 4 month mark as the weather got warm then & he wasn't swaddled when my dh was in hopsital, as I didn't want all the generous people who shared lookimg after him to have to do the swaddling.
What I did ( & am doing for Liam) is gradually make it looser & after he has gone off to sleep loosen it some more, if I have to resettle, I don't re-wrap, but do it with it loose.
I then left the wrap in Aiden's cot, under him for some time afterwards as I noticed he liked to grab the edge... he swapped that for a satin cami of mine at about 7 months & yes at age 2 he still has a couple of pieces of camisole (sp?) as his comfort item... dh says he has to remember that for his 21st to say he was into ladies underwear at an early age & wouldn't sleep with out it!!
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Thought I would pop in for a quick hello to everyone. Things here are pretty good. The little roller keeps waking himself up but I figure it could always be worse!
Question for you ladies...Jameson seems like he is somewhat ready to make the switch to 4 hour EASY but I was wondering about possibly going to 3.5 for a week or two and then to 4. Or should I follow the steps in Tracy's book? thoughts?
I hope everyone has a great day!!
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jjstar - You alone will know if your LO can make it. Personally I never followed the steps for switching to a 4 hr EASY. I think if your LO isn't having any problems with the changing times then just go for it (that's what I did). If you think he may need that transition step (3.5hr) use it. Personally I found the 3.5hr routine awkward, especially around the early evening. The feeding and nap times didn't work for us. If you do jump straight to it and it doesn't seem to work, then step back and try again. BUT . . . If you are not certain about making the jump, then I'd follow what the book says. Good luck! By the way, once DS is on a 4 hr routine, you'll love it. I can't believe how much more time it feels like I have.
Maria - we are no where near being unswaddled. DS loves to be rolled up tight like a little sausage! I'll appreciate some tips once you get it figured out. :D
Erin - about the short naps . . . maybe once you switch to a 4hr EASY you might find the naps go a bit longer. I have noticed that my LO seems to make the jump through the 45min cycles better now. At times, I can hear him beginning to stir and I will listen and if I think he isn't going to make it I'll go in and hold his tummy and shield his eyes.
We went to the doctor yesterday - Matthew's Zantac dosage was more than doubled, so now I cross my fingers and hope that this works. The growth on his knee may also be a lymph-node tumor (fairly common I am told) and we will be going in next week for a follow up appointment.
Has anyone done any long trips with their LO's? Late next week we are making the 9hr drive to the in-laws :roll: Wish us luck . . . and if anyone has any tips or suggestions, they'd be greatly appreciated!
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Well I took the jump and the first cycle this morning he lasted 3.5 with no problem at all. Then I went to read the book again to remind myself of what it says. I think I'm going to do a mix between the book and a straight 3.5 hour switch. The books seems to suggest drawing it out too long for my taste. We'll see how the LO does and go from there. His naps just seemed off a bit to me and I know he can last for the feeds. We'll see.
As for the long trips. We drove to Ohio (10 hours) when Jameson was 10 weeks old (baby & I flew up and then drove home with DH). We did it through the night as we figured it would be easier on him. It wasn't too bad. We would do half of his feeds in the car seat (pumped a bit using the car charger-great invention) and then stop to finish (on the breast) and a burb. It normally only takes us a little over 9 hours to get to Ohio from here. I thought it was going to take longer than it did so I was happy. The not too fun part was that when we got home...our power went out the next day so we had no AC it didn't make getting back on track very much fun. At least we were home though!
Well I'm off to finish a business proposal I've been trying to write for weeks now. Just can't seem to have uninterrupted time. Speaking of that...I've contacted a neighbor's daughter that is 14 to watch Jameson a few hours each week. Couple questions for you ladies...how much of the approach can I expect her to do (patting, etc). Also they asked me to come with an hourly rate. I have no idea and especially since I'm going to be at the house too just in my office. Suggestions???
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Well the last week has been a little crazy for us! :? Last Thursday we flew to Reno (1.5 hours) and then drove into Tahoe (1 hour) for a 4 day trip with my parents and brother and sister's families (they each have 1.5 year olds!). Amazingly Taylor did great. and I was so proud of her! Kathy, what I did was: definitely more relaxed with EASY than normal, but I did stick to a few things...like making sure she got her morning nap in the crib (we rented it). Her afternoon nap was always out and about so it was always 45 minutes for 4 days, and that took a couple of days to adjust when we got home. I also took her blankie and white noise machine, as well as her washcloths and bath towel just so she would have the scent from home. Other than that she was great and I think your lo will be just fine. Be prepared though that he may get tired at the end of the trip when you get home. Taylor was very over stimulated by the time we got home that she had a complete meltdown and cried harder than she ever did when she was a newborn! :cry: I felt so bad for her and even a little guilty! But after a good nights sleep she was back to normal!
We got home Sunday night and then I went back to work Monday morning (crazy I know!). They asked me to go in just for a week and then finish my maternity leave and go back officially on 9/12. The first day was horrible because I left after her first feeding and didn't get home until 9:30 at night! It made me realize taht I can't go back to the same job with the long hours and entertaining clients. I want to entertain my little girl! So I am starting to look for a new job closer to home since I have an hour commute right now. Wish me luck!
Maria-We just swaddle Taylor's legs now and she does fine. We had been leaving one arm out and swaddling the other but she ALWAYS got the other arm out when she was sleeping and didn't wake up, so we just decided to leave them both out. She probably doesn't need her legs swaddled but it is just so much a part of the routine we haven't thought to drop it.
JJSTAR-with switching to 4 hour easy, I followed Tracy's guide for the first 11 days and then just went with it after that. I thought it was silly to keep toying with her schedule if she could obviously go 3 hours 45 minutes. The hardest part was keeping her awake for the first few days so just keep it reall mellow and after a few days he'll get used to it.
This post is really long so I'll cut it now!
Hope all is well with the cute little babies out there!
Andrea
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Andrea (Taylor's Mommy) and jjstar- thanks for the tips. DH and I are considering travelling in the night but I worry about being too exhausted the next day to look after DS! I don't think the trip will be too bad (fingers crossed) as Matthew seems to do really well while he is in the car. I've already gotten some blankets that smell like home breaking in!!!
Erin (Jamom) - I read your success story over on the Naps forum. Way to go extending the naps! We still swaddle over here (rather tightly too) and I am nervous about when we will have to loosen the wrap. My LO still isn't the greatest with his arms - they tend to flail and get jerky when he is tired. Matthew seems to love his swaddle too . . . he smiles and doesn't resist when we wrap him up. So I'm not too sure how long we can do it for, but as of now he seems to do well with it and enjoy it.
Maria (Cambel's Mom) - how's the paci weaning going? We still use it, but will pop it out once DS is calm enough - he will just suck his tongue once it is gone. We will run into trouble if we don't pop it out - he spits it out and will then want it back.
So, we've had a better last day and a half with feeding. Matthew is now crying when you take the bottle away to burp him - before he was crying whenever I tried to put the bottle in! A much bettter scenario!!! I hope that this new medication dosage continues to do the trick.
Here's a question for all the mom's who DF . . . do you burp your LO's? We never did, but tried last night (DS seems to spit up in the middle of the night, but does not wake for it) anyways, he slept so much better. He usually begins to stir in the wee hours and that didn't happen. Do you think the burping has something to do with it???
Hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying their LO's! :lol:
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Well the switching is going pretty well. We're on a solid 3.5 hour the first two cycles of the day and then a 3 hour because that seems to work best with the final feed before bed. My goal is to have him all the way on a 4 hour within the next 2 weeks. We have another long trip to Ohio at the end of Sept. so I don't want routine to be unsteady by then. We'll have enough issues to deal with?!
LO didn't make a peep last night. I was so excited. I had resisted feeding him the night before thinking what I saw as hunger cues were not really. I guess they weren't because he did fine and I even had to wake him at 7 this morning.
Gotta get ready to wake up the little guy now. Have a great weekend everyone!
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Yes, we recently beat the 45 minute naps (well, they were more like 30 minutes!!). :D I hope the sucess continues but the next few weeks bring lots of changes for Jake-- me returning to work :( and I am taking him with on a business trip, which is actually in my parents' home town. So, I am sure we will have to work hard to get him back on schedule after that, but for now, I am enjoying it.
Andrea (Taylor's mommy) -- any tips on the flying?? Last time I took Jake, he was 5 weeks and did awesome of course because all he did was sleep at that time!! Now that he is more awake, I am a little more apprehenstive about all of this.
JJstar-- I am with you that the plan in Tracy's book is pretty drawn out. I didn't follow it to the T as far as how she goes slowly through the process. I think I started somewhere in the middle to see how long Jake could go and then when I thought he was ready, we just went to the 4-hour plan and I really watched the clock and followed her times for that for the first few days until his naps got better. And they did!
Well, I start work in a week and one-half. I am so scared and starting to tear up all of the time. I have long work hours and a 45 minute commute. Plus, I travel for my job. I am going to try to leave work earlier and work after Jake goes to bed so I have some time with him, but am unsure how that will go. I may end up going part-time but want to wait and see. Wish I had the option to look for something else, but unfortunately, it's my profession so unless I switch professions, I am pretty much stuck. :evil:
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So I think I spoke too soon about my LO eating much better. Every feed since I last posted has been a battle. Screaming, pushing the nipple around his mouth, but the most frustrating thing is I can see that he is hungry - makes all of his hungry cues and wants to suck . . . it's just like he can't. :cry: I'm beginning to wonder if it's dysphagia (I'll be re-reading that message board) and not reflux. Thankfully we will be in the doctors office again on Tuesday. Are there any reflux babies out there? How's it going for you (if there are)?
I'm afraid all of the gains that we have made with EASY will go out the window. Right now the only way we can get Matthew to eat (instead of force feading him) is to let him get sleepy and then feed him when he is very relaxed - hence we are now feeding to sleep. I've also noticed that if I swaddle him it makes the meal times a little easier. I'm so frustrated . . . he is such a HAPPY boy ALL of the other time - we've just got this hurdle. And in my eyes it seems to be such a major one.
Wish us luck that our weekend goes a little better - Tuesday seems so far away right now . . . :(
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krice...that is too bad that your LO is still having troubles. My neice is having some of the same problems right now (5.19.05). My sister has her at the doctor all the time. Good luck getting through the weekend. Just my two cents worth regarding the relaxed feeding...do what you have to at this point. You can always work on correcting the habits once he is a healthier baby.
Well I'm off to DF. Jameson feel asleep at 6:55 this evening. I think he was missing that 4th nap I took away. Mean momma?!
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I was wondering about something jjstar mentioned (taking away of the 4th nap) -- now that I have moved to the 4-hour EASY it seems that Jake is so much more fussy in the evenings. Crazy, I know, since he is actually getting daytime sleep by napping but boy oh boy, is he fussy at night and can barely make it past 6 pm or so without getting cranky. Anyone doing a longer 3rd nap instead of just a catnap to help make the transition???
Krice-- good luck with the feeding over the weekend!!! I hope your weekend goes better so that you can enjoy it and worry less (if that's possible).
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Erin
When Aiden was doing a 4 Hour EASY I always tried to give 3 equal length naps (I didn't know BW then) until he got to about 6 months & started solids... so if your lo doesn't seem to make it through I'd give a longer one, as an overtired baby at night time can cause (more) night wakings.
Hey I actually give Liam 3 short naps (45min-1hour) & one long nap (2.5- 3h) as it fits with the routine of activities with Aiden... remember BW is a guide not a set of rules & Tracy's key message is know your baby & work with him/her.
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katet...thanks for the reminder about it being a guide. I have to constantly remind myself of that and if he doesn't do it exactly like the book it is okay. Today he almost didn't make it to 8:30 he was so tired. I think we might stick with this routine for a few more days instead of moving another 15 minutes towards 4 HR. He sleep for 12 solid hours last night and was still tired this morning. He was only sleeping about 11.5 hours at night so I figured he would be able to last a bit longer this morning. Oh well as least I know what the cry is about and not going crazy with not knowing. That is the best part about BW!!
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thought i would say a quick hello. we are at my parents for a family reunion and cambel is down for a nap. the paci weaning is going good. it has really helped us at night. he'll give us 9 hours now, whereas before he was waking up 2-3 times a night sometimes.naps are still a struggle. the paci made extending them so much easier. but like my mom says, you can handle just about anything with a good night's sleep:) so i am willing to battle naps if it means a good night's sleep.
about a third nap--i often give ds a 3rd nap,depending on how his schedule has been during the day. i think the more relaxed he is at night, the better his sleep is.
krice-so sorry you are having so much trouble with feeding. we had a terrible time with ds when he was about 9 weeks old. he would just scream everytime i tried to feed him. it was so awful! i don't think it is the same problem as your lo has, b/c he seems to have outgrown it, but i know at least how frustrating it is. hang in there!
jjstar--i agree that it is good to remind yourself that bw is a guide. i often freak out b/c ds isn't doing it like the book:)
have a good weekend all!
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Hi everyone :)
Well we survived the weekend (just barely but we are still here). Saturday was horrific :evil: normally we have 4 daytime feeds - on Sat. we had 8! What once took approx 10-20 minutes per feed went up to 45 min to 1hr AND for less than half of his normal amount. I must say that I broke down more than once :cry: the hardest part was not knowing if he wanted more food or more sleep. I never realized how much EASY improved things for us (and now that we went off of it trying to get these feeding issues straightened out *wow* I've got a whole new appreciation for just how far we have come) . . . today was significantly better - we got him back to 4 feeds and he had great naps too. His food intake is down significantly, but I try to keep him as calm and as relaxed as possible. We actually did EASY in the proper order! :lol:
We go to the doctor first thing tomorrow morning, so we will see what he has to say about things. Boy I sure hope we can get this thing sorted out with DS as soon as possible. I may go insane in the meantime :shock:
I don't know who it was that originally asked about 3 naps, but we do 3 naps on a 4hr EASY. I find if I total up DS's naps they are roughly between 5 to 5 3/4 hrs. What that means for us is he usually has 2 GREAT naps and then one that isn't as long . . . sometimes it's his last nap, sometimes it's his first - but in the end it usually seems to work itself out.
So is anyone to the point where you can plop your LO in the crib and walk away??? We are not . . . tonight we snuck away while DS was cooing and doing the stare but had to go back in about 20 minutes later when he got upset (only for 3 minutes though).
Hope everyone had a good weekend and I look forward to hearing more about your LO's!
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Well, I'm interested to see why the 4 hr. is so popular. Because we're more along the lines of a 2.5, 3, 4, 2.5 hr. Easy right now- (I think I got all of the feedings in that list?)-but I've basically been following her cues- she's been teaching me what she wants and it's working out great. I'm beginning to think Noel must be an Angel baby (have pretty much thought that all along- but she doesn't nod happily off like Tracy mentions in the book.)
Anyway... I'm really not sweating it with her. We seem to have our little "routine" going and I just hope she doesn't throw me for a loop soon b/c I'm finally feeling like I can get out of the house without too much worry that she'll have a breakdown while we're out. Yippee!
Glad to hear you worked through the weekend, Krice. That had to be hard- but it sounds like you're keeping it together well.
Cambell's mom- still paci free? (I'm not touching that for several months down the road- but it also hasn't become an addiction yet.) Hope it's going well for you, though!
To everyone else who I haven't been able to go back through and read- I hope you're still enjoying motherhood- spit up stains and all!
Is anyone else loving tummy time? It's so fun to watch their minds work! :)
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Speaking of tummy time -- how long does everybody's lo stay on his/her tummy for tummy time? My ds seems OK with it but it's like he gets tired after a few minutes. I've been trying to put him on his tummy more and more so he can develop those muscles but it seems like he gets tired rather quickly. Does this happen to anyone else's lo? I have brought out the mirror, even got a floor mat/toy, and get down and talk to him, which have all helped him to enjoy it more but it's not very lengthy -- is that normal?
Kathy (krice)-- as far as laying him in the cot and walking away, we can do that about 75% of the time but I still have to do a good winddown with him -- no just walking in the room and plopping him down. He seems to self-soothe much better in the morning since he isn't overtired. As the day goes along, I have to intervene a little more. At night, he's usually pretty good. Many times he likes to protest (mantra cry) a little while before he'll start to babble himself to sleep. Like everything else, some days are better than others.
Well, one more week until I am back at work. :( Jake won't be at daycare for another week and a half -- dh is going to take care of him for a few days. I am sure daycare will present us with a whole additional set of issues. Anyone elses lo's starting (or started) daycare? I am most scared that he will not nap since the sleep area isn't totally dark, which it seems like he needs, and the other kids will be playing right there while he naps. Let's hope he adjusts!!
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OK I'll fess up... Yes I can put Liam down, wrapped after his wind down for his evening sleep, his night feed (after 8-10hours sleep) & his big day sleep around noon & walk out of the room & he goes off to sleep.
His 2 short cat naps in the morning (to fit around big brother's routine) & the afternoon one take some more effort, but they change from day to day, sometimes, in the car, other times the pram/ port-a-cot at friends etc... so he is unable to predict them. Our Easy is a sort of 3 -4 depending on the day & the activities we are doing... he goes longer in the middle of the day as that is when he has a 3 hour sleep most days.
Yes I have an angel baby with Liam... but I had a devil (Spirited Grumpy) in Aiden!! God bless him, he keeps me on my toes!
But things did go a bit upside down last night (2 wakeups between 7pm & 8am not 1) , but Liam has caught the cold Aiden & I have, so not quite himself.
Re Tummy time Liam will last about 5-10mins, happily, unless it causes him to bring up food, but then he basically will be happy all the time, not matter what, he definitely likes tummy time best, if he can watch Aiden play, or it is over my leg in the garden where I can even get 15mins out of him.
Liam is a big boy now... 8kg (17lb+) & 68cm (27inches) & is growing out length & width wise of his 3-6 month clothes...Aiden was like this & stablised so not too worried
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Wow did we have an awful night. It took me over an hour to get him to sleep last night (8:15 finally) and then he woke up at 5:15. I'm beginning to think that my touchy baby might actually have a bit of grumpy in him?! I also think I might end up in the funny farm before he is a year old. DH decided to read a section of the book and found that it says that only one person should do the patting per day. Well guess who that one is?! Since I'm breastfeeding I'm the lucky one. I know it will pass but oh how trying it can be. Sorry about that...I had to get it out of my system.
As for tummy time...since my LO is a stomach sleeper I have to watch to only do play tummy time shortly after feeds and not too close to bed. He thinks it is time to sleep if I put him on a activity mat when he isn't really ready to go to sleep. He loves to fight the sleep. If I time it right I can get at least 10 minutes out of him though. Now the jumpster he was in that for 35 minutes the other day. Loves it.
Well I'm heading out for a shopping day. I guess there is one advantage to an extra early wake-up. He gets a full 2 hour nap before we even have to leave?!
krice, good luck at the doctors today.
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Hi Everyone,
Glad to hear that everyone is doing okay, even with the challenges. It seems like we are all still keeping our sense of humor right now! Things are going pretty well, but she is still very fussy at the breast, and it is happening at almost all feedings now. She did it yesterday at the peds office and the dr. didn't have a clue as to why she was doing it! Oh well.
Katet-I can't believe how big Liam is! He must be off the charts!
Krice-I hope things are going better with the feedings. I feel for you.
Someone asked about tummy time. My lo can do about 10 minutes on average and then she's had enough. Someone also asked about them goign to sleep on their own, and luckily most of the time Taylor can go off to sleep on her own with little or no intervention on our part. This has been happening for about a month now. It has been a real blessing.
Please say a prayer for Taylor. Tomorrow morning she goes in for a minor surgery to remove a anal polyp :cry: She will have to be put out with gas and the surgery will last about 1/2 hour. Thankfully she will get to come home that day though.
Thanks! Andrea
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Will be praying- for you & Taylor! I can't imagine- even though it's a "common" surgery, I'm sure- you still never want to see your little one go into surgery! Hang in there!
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Good thoughts to both Taylor and Andrea!! I wish you the very best of luck and hope that everythings turns out wonderfully.
Well, I went on vacation for a week and that just screwed up almost all the progress we've made with Aaron. It took another 3 days or so to finally get him back into a good EASY routine, even though we tried to follow it as closely as possible during vacation. The first night we came home, he woke up 8 times in the night (I had no night wakings before vacation). We thought it was the paci thing turning into an addiction, and tried to do the cold turkey weaning. I read throgh Cambel's mom's posts on the subject (thanks for posting, it was very informative) and thought it would be a good time to do it since he was so messed up anyways. Boy was I wrong. After about 4 hours of straight screaming, DH and I decided that maybe we'll tackle this in a few months, since I started back to work yesterday and DH can't do it on his own. That was Saturday, and today he's gone down for his naps flawlessly (we can almost just set him down and leave him...it takes about 2 minutes). And last night he was only up once. I figure that's pretty good for basically starting over.
Glad to hear that things are going well for so many of you. Krice, I hope the Dr was able to give you some good ideas to help your LO with feedings. I can't imagine how difficult that must be for you.
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OK I am sooooo jealous when you say you can lay your LO's down in the crib and they drift off. Can you tell me what you are doing for a wind down routine? I suspect mine may need some (*hah* a lot of) tweaking. Seriously, I could use all the pointers you have . . . please share.
We do tummy time for about 5-10 minutes in each Activity Time. I have to be careful though, DS will throw up routinely if he is on his tummy and exerting too much effort. We spend a lot of our time 'sitting' and playing with a toy.
Andrea (Taylor's Mommy) - good luck with the surgery. You two are in my thoughts. Please let us know how she does.
JJstar - For my sanity, I make sure my DH is in there to spell me off. I figure if your LO has worked with 2 people for so long why stop now. DH also read that part, but I'm sure he wouldn't want to stay in there completely alone either. It's nice to have each other in case we are ready to break. And lately . . . boy we've needed it. Sometimes the pass and switch is all that is needed - Matthew will calm right down and nod off.
I've had a stressful day. We went to the doctor and he didn't have a whole lot to suggest. He said DS could just be a fussy eater - I said I didn't agree . . . he has eaten like a pig for almost 3 whole months. Why start now??? He says that since we are trying a number of things at once, we should step back and re-evaluate. We have been thickening all of his feeds (for his reflux) - he suggested we stop (if he pukes it up, so what :roll: ???) He doesn't seem to be too concerned because DS is still putting on weight. He wants to watch him on his 'growth chart' - said we'd get concerned if he 'fell off'. He wants to give the zantac more time. We go back in 2 weeks. I was sure to book my next appointment with a different doctor in the practice (one that has dealt with all of his issues from the start). This is so frustrating. I just want my happy textbook baby back . . .
So in the meantime, I've come home cut out the thickening and still have a hysterical child. DS is so upset and crying I don't know what he wants and his naps have been the $h!t$. I don't know if I can do this for another 2 weeks. I pray that his night time sleep isn't effected - he is still able to go through.
Jamom - I'm not returning to work until sometime after December (I think) but I can sympathize . . . DH has been here with me for 2 months and will be returning back to work in September - I'm dreading how I will cope alone.
Anyway, I feel like I could ramble on and on. I think I'm experiencing every emotion right now :D :( :shock: :roll: :twisted: . AND on top of things I've gotten my dreaded period back, CRAMPS and all :x . I think I'll be having a much needed glass of wine with dinner tonight.
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Well, one more week until I am back at work. :( Jake won't be at daycare for another week and a half -- dh is going to take care of him for a few days. I am sure daycare will present us with a whole additional set of issues. Anyone elses lo's starting (or started) daycare? I am most scared that he will not nap since the sleep area isn't totally dark, which it seems like he needs, and the other kids will be playing right there while he naps. Let's hope he adjusts!!
Zoey started daycare on Monday this week. The hardest part for me was the dreading having to take her and drop her off, since I have been able to spend all summer with her. She is an angel baby, so she basically just goes with the flow of things--but she has been on EASY since birth.
So--my dh and I went together to drop Zoey off and everything went fine. My daycare provider called later that morning and said, "I don't want to alarm you, but. . ." I figure if you start a sentence like that, you are alarming me--but I braced myself. She told me that Zoey had an small accident and was now sporting a red bump on her head. Zoey is okay and just went with it--she is so good. It just wasn't the way I wanted to start out.
The thing that worries me the most about daycare is keeping Zoey's routine in tact. It is only the second day--so I realize that it will take some time to get my provider used to how I want Zoey's day to look. She has done so good the past few weeks and I just don't want to spoil it.
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Andrea, best of luck with the surgery, it is awful to have to endure, Aiden had to have a few chest Xrays as a lo & holding him still for that & the fear in his face made me cry...
Yes Liam is off the charts, but then he was when he was born... the Ped at the hospital told me he was the longest baby she had done a discharge for (born 57.5cm/23inch)
Also re fussing at the breast, Liam does that & Aiden did it too, has she just gone through a growth spurt... I know that it happens for me after a growth spurt or change in lenght between feed & my breasts are fuller & the let down changes. The other thing is your lo is getting older & more interested inthe world & less urgently hungry, so gets distracted. If you feed in a different place to normal, give her 5 mins to look around, before you feed, that helps too. I found with Aiden once he got to 6 months, it was all but impossible to feed him anywhere but home, so I had to express bottles for outside, but Liam doesn't like the bottle, so not sure what to do there!
Kathy, sorry to hear you are having a bad time, the Dr may be right though, too many changes all at once & the thickening the feed may cause tummy problems. I'm sure you are trying to be a calm as possible (hard when you anticipate a stressfult time) but your lo will be picing up on your anxiety at feed times (half my problem with Aiden was my anxiety) so before you do anything with him take a few deep breaths & TRY to relax yourself.
Re one person doing all the settling, yes & no, I defenitely found, that sometimes the other person needs to step in as the anxiety of the first not succeeding is actually counter-productive... like every thing the book is a guide (not rules) & you need to tweek everything to work around your lo & your family.
OK Girls question time here... I learnt last week in my workshop the most important thing for childrearing.
MUMMY Time!!! If mummy feels happy baby feels happy & we are people too not just mothers!!
* What have you done for yourselves today????
* How much time have you taken out ALONE in the last week
*How much couple time
Me... yesterday I had both boys napping & read a novel
On saturday I went shoe shopping (first 2 new pairs since Aiden was born)
DH & I cuddled in front of the TV for an hour last night... the next 2 weeks have our anniversary of first date & wedding & so we are planning "at home dates"... see post on lounge for that.
Anyway best get going & get Aiden ready for childcare... today is my Liam only day!
My advice I give friends (but of course don't often follow myself) The first sleep of the day is mother time... not chore time, but the time you have to do a hobby, have a phone chat... BW or something for yourself, not your family!!!
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Wow, have I been out of the loop here! :oops: I kind of peeked in on page 18 and hope I'm mostly caught up.
I hope the surgery went well.
Oh, about fussing at the breast? Natalie is doing the same thing, and I figured out why: she's TEETHING!!! Honest-to-goodness, her bottom gums are swollen all to bits, she drools so much it makes her cough (good thing she's a tummy sleeper!), and when she nurses or takes a bottle, she slobbers all over the place because latching on HURTS. She's getting 3 doses of Infant Motrin a day and Orajel on top of that, and I rub her gums when she lets me and I can feel the swelling and they're all hot too. I REALLY hope she cuts them tonight or tomorrow, as we're spending a couple days at the seashore as a family and I don't want all of us cooped up in a hotel, or Natalie and Mommy cooped up while DH takes Josie somewhere she doesn't have to hear the screaming. :? Anyway, yes it's early, but my mom confirmed today that I had teeth at TWO months, so I guess this is my payback! LOL
Nat did a really clear growth spurt at 11 weeks, and I figured it was her 3-month one, but just before the thing with the teeth started she started with the short naps all the time. I tried doing a snack feed before naptime, and half the time she'd take a full feed from both breasts, even if she'd just fed an hour before! :shock: The little oinker!!!! :lol: So we've got teeth, a growth spurt, and a vacation. Good thing she's never managed to have a real routine, because this would mess it up for sure.
I've tried keeping a log to find out when her sleep times are, and I'm not kidding, eVERY DAY is different! There's almost always one short nap, sometimes 2, sometimes 5 or 6. Today her first 2 were short, the next 2 I managed to get in there and extend them to 90 minutes, and then for her "catnap", DH came home from work, Josie got silly and crazy (she's excited about going to the shore too), and I lost track of time - Natalie's catnap was TWO HOURS LONG!!! We have had exactly ONE day where she had 3 good naps. Most days it's four naps, and they can all be 90 minutes long as her Awake time is so short; I can't spend the time winding her down slowly like I did with Josie because I have Josie climbing the walls demanding my attention when I WOULD be winding down Natalie. Maybe once this growth spurt is over and the teeth are through we'll get into more of a routine, just in time for Josie to start preschool, meaning I'll have to drag Natalie to the car every AM at 8:45 whether or not she's in the middle of a nap. :(
Tummy time: Since Natalie's a tummy sleeper, she gets plenty of that anyway. I try to give her 5-10 minutes of floor time for each Activity period. She basically spends most of it crawling around on her belly (or trying to, depending on the surface she's on) and steering toward Josie's toys. She's also started "talking" to the toys and books: "Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oooohh. Oh. Oh," etc. She is a refluxer so after her feeds she spends some time, maybe 15-20 minutes, in her bouncy seat, but we can't do that much longer as she's starting to try sitting up and has nearly rolled out of the chair a few times. :shock: And if she's on her back on the floor, she can roll to her belly if she concentrates hard enough (or gets lucky and rolls to her side), so I guess it's soon time to get the baby gates out of retirement. :shock: :shock:
With Josie, I'd give her tummy time on my tummy a few minutes atatime since she resisted it otherwise. If she could see my face and we could interact, she was happy enough.
Oh, and putting her down awake and her going to sleep on her own???? NOT!!!! I have to wind her down in the chair till ALMOST asleep, then when I put her in bed on her tummy I have to still do a little pat/shh. Some nights she'll try crawling some more and I'll have to take her out, wind her down AGAIN, and put her in bed AGAIN up to 3-4 times; tonight, forunately, was only twice, as DH is out this evening. (Don't it figure? :roll: LOL)
Cheers, ladies, and thanks for this thread; it really does help me keep some perspective.
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wow lots going on today on the thread.
Question for you ladies...does anyone have a LO that takes a really long nap at this age? I'm beginning to think that if I let Jameson sleep for a good 3 hours in the early afternoon he would be better. I'm trying to remind myself that the book is just a guide and that tweeking the routine might be the trick for us.
* What have you done for yourselves today???? We were out shopping with some friends so I suppose that counts as something for myself?!
* How much time have you taken out ALONE in the last week...I walk in the evenings once the baby is asleep. I would be crazy if I didn't do that?!
*How much couple time...not as much as I would like but we'll get there.
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jjstar, Liam has a 2.5-3 hour nap around the middle of the day & he has 2-3 30-60min naps. sometimes 2 short ones in the morning & 1 late afternoon & sometimes 2 pm & 1 am or sometimes, only one am & a pm, kind of depends on the day we are having, home/ out etc... I work it around Aiden to a large degree & that has been working great for us,... also it is pretty much the only waY I get enough awake time as Liam sleeps 7 - 7.30am (with one feed around 3 to 5 am).
I feel so blessed to have this wonderful baby...
Deb, I can't believe you havn't got an easy one second time round, people say you don't usually get 2 difficult ones in a row, mother nature sure thinks you are made of some tough stuff... If I could I'd give you a few hours of Mr Happy's life... I'd still end up with an easy life he is so good 95% of the time. (hope I don't jinx myself here)
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andrea-i hope taylor's surgery went well. i prayed for you this morning. also, i wanted to encourage you with the breastfeeding. when cambel was about 9 weeks old, he would scream every time i tried to feed him. one time he skipped an entire feeding b/c he wouldn't stop screaming and just eat. it was so frustrating. often we both ended up crying. it lasted for what seemed like forever, and then it just went away. it came back 1 or 2 more times for a few days, and now he seems to be passed it (fingers crossed). hang in there. i know it wears on you, but i bet she will grow out of it.
about bedtime--cambel pretty much goes down by himself. at night he does great b/c he has just eaten and he is so tired. naps are harder, especially if i miss the window. but for the most part he goes to sleep quickly. i have found that he may need to fuss for a few minutes. pat/shh often just makes him fussier. i am happy for how well he is doing. but before anyone gets jealous, i can assure you that the waking hours of the day are not as easy:) he is very hard to keep entertained. it seems like he just can't play with anything for more than a couple of minutes. i am afraid i am training him to need me to entertain him. does anyone else have this problem? any suggestions for me?
the questions for us---posting replies is part of "me time" :) i also take some time to do a devotional during cambel's first nap of the day. my dh and i have been on a couple of dates since he was born, but our time together is definately not what it used to be. i am working on that.
i forget who it was that said how helpful this thread is for them..but i second that! one time i was asking my dh a question about what to do with cambel and he said, "what do the bw ladies have to say?" that is how much i talk about this:) you all really have been a huge help and encouragement.
have a good day all...
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I totally agree with Maria about how helpful this has been. I think I've gotten almost as many, if not more ideas from you ladies than from the book. :)
For the me questions: Having just started back to work yesterday, the ONLY time I have had alone is, well, right now. :( And I'll be lucky if it lasts 30 min. I don't know how to fix that, since if DH tries to give me alone time, then he's with DS ALL day long, and has no time himself. There just aren't enough hours in the day. For couple time, we've gone out a few times (3 I think) when my MIL has begged to take DS. I've finally gotten comfortable enough to plan on letting him spend the night with her, which she had been asking for since he was 3 weeks old. (She has been a foster mother to infants for the last 10 years, so it's been reluctance to leave my LO rather than not trusting her). So we have a weekend coming up to do couple things. I'm excited but still a little worried about how DS is going to react to being without me (and how I'm going to deal with being without him).
I never guessed how much I would worry about him when I'm away. No wonder people always describe the love for their children as all consuming and say that they can't really even remember or imagine life without them.
Well, DS is waking up from his catnap and it's time for bath and bed. Have a nice night and get lots of rest and mommy time.
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Andrea (Taylor's Mommy) - I hope your day went well for DS. We are all waiting to hear how she made out in surgery.
Kate - in answer to your questions . . .
* What have you done for yourselves today???? . . . . Went to Starbucks and got myself a steamed milk, went to the public library to get some books on tape, and went to my mom's house to look after her pets/plants/garden (she's out of town right now).
* How much time have you taken out ALONE in the last week . . . I get my evenings every night - I spend it watching INXS, Big Brother (yes I admit to watching trash tv), and Bratcamp. I've also managed to have some bubble baths thrown in there too.
*How much couple time . . . . hubby and I spend our evenings together on the sofa - watching TV or playing scrabble. We had a nice romantic evening a few weeks back for our fourth wedding anniversary. We've also gone to 3 movies since DS has arrived and have had friends over for card games and fun.
Matthew's day was a bit better. He actually made some hungry cries and wanted the bottle today - I haven't heard those in so long that I almost didn't recognize them! Our EASY schedule is slightly off - we had 3 solid naps of 100 minutes and a fourth 30 minute catnap (something DS never does).
Wish us luck. DH and I are driving 9 hours tomorrow to see his parents. This will be our first trip with DS. I can't believe how much more I've had to pack. I normally find visiting his parents 'stressful' enough, but now I've got a little one who is having some difficulty with feeding . . . boy I hope I survive this . . .
By the way, I bought a Bumbo seat today and it's AWESOME!!!! DS was so shocked/surprised when I plopped him down in it. If you haven't seen these check them out at http://www.bumboseat.com
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My DS also loves the Bumbo seat. He's been in it since 10 weeks. And it's great now that I think he has a bit of a flat spot on the back of his head. it's only minor so I'm told that keeping him off of it may help round it out. Anyone else's lo's have this??
We have those nasty shots today for his 4 mo. visit. I don't know who hates them more -- me or him. Last time he was all out of sorts for a couple of days. I hope the same doesn't happen -- I only have 4 1/2 days with him left before I return to work. :cry: Haven't quite grasped the thought of that yet.
Thanks for all the tummy time responses. That makes me feel a little better as Jake can do about 5-10 minutes. Sometimes I have to give him a quick break and then he can continue again. I whipped out the portable DVD player and put a Baby Einstein DVD in it. I put it in front of him during tummy time and he just loves it. Between me and the DVD, I can keep him entertained on his tummy for awhile.
As for the "ME" questions:
1. What have you done for yoursef today? Nothing yet, since I just put Jake down for a nap. I guess e-mailing, etc.
2. How much time have you taken out ALONE in the last week. I generally take my dog for a walk in the evenings once Jake is down. I went "back to work" shopping this week -- a little depressing since I had to buy bigger sizes but it was definitely "ME" time; and a girls' night out.
3. How much couple time... probably not enough. DH and I are into watching Alias -- we just got hooked so are now watching past seasons together at night after Jake goes to bed.
Hope everyone and their lo's are well and that you all have a good weekend.
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Okay so we've had a ROUGH day. We're watching a friends dog for the weekend...he woke Jameson at 5:15 this morning. Couldn't get him back to sleep and finally fed him at 6 which has put our whole day off track. Then when I was trying to put him down for his first nap around 8ish I was leaning on the side of the crib (after 40 minutes he still wasn't asleep) and would you believe it...it broke. Too much shh/patting I guess. (DH & I both lean on it plus the crib was given to us from his aunt who used it with her last baby.) I just can't believe it. So now I have to wait for DH to get home and decide if it can be fixed or if we need to go get a new one.
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jjstar-
How frustrating!! I can't offer any help, but I knowhow much I hate those days, and having some commiseration usually helps. :)
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well the day didn't end any better than it started. He started acting tired for the night at 7:00, took a bath and he didn't finally fall asleep for the night until 9:15. I was supposed to be scrapbooking with a friend and DH was in charge...that didn't work out the way we had planned. He played the "you're so much better at it then me" card. I politely replied and said it was because I have more practice. (Major downfall to staying home full time.) LO did sleep until 5 and I had a bottle on the night stand from DF that he didn't finish. Thought okay maybe he is hungry...he ate 5 ounces in 10 minutes. Then I went back to bed and DH finally woke me up at 8:00. So Jameson got to get caught up on his sleep. I'm praying that is a good sign for Saturday. I could use a good day!
BTW, DH thinks the crib can be fixed so we don't have to buy a new one. I'm happy about that!
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First, thank you all so much for the kind thoughts and prayers. Taylor made it out of surgery with a bruised bottom and 11 prick marks from where they tried to get the IV in unsuccessfully several times. The doc said that was the hardest part of the surgery! Poor thing she has really small veins just like me, which is why I DREAD IV's! :cry: Anyhow, she wasn't in too much pain all day so we gave her only one dose of Tylenol which helped her get lots of rest during the day. Then at bed time she fell asleep on the breast so I didn't give her another dose. Then DH and I both fell asleep and didn't give her her 11pm dream feed so she woke up crying around 1 am for it and then was up about 10 times after that. I figure she was pretty confused and distraught from the day. Teh next day we gave her a couple of more doses to keep her comfortable and help her get some rest, and by Friday she was pretty much back to normal. Definitely was the hardest thing I have ever had to do though!
Krice-I hope the weekend at the parents house went well. Remember that even if things get off track you can get him back in a few days! Also, I looked up the Bumbo seat and ordered one for Taylor right away! It looks so cool and I think she will love it because she is constantly trying to lift herself up out of the bouncy seat. She does not like to be leaning back anymore. Can't wait to get it! BTW, what we are doing with Taylor is a 10-15 minute wind down in her room where we change her diaper, put on the noise machine, swaddle her bottom half and then set her down. Many times she will fuss for about 10 minutes and we walk in a couple of times to reassure her, only picking up if she is crying. then she's off. I'm sure Matthew will get there soon, don't give up!
Jamon and Mommytsa-I go back to work in 2 weeks so I can relate. I went in for a few days last week and it was soooo hard, that I am reconsidering my career path. I think I may look for something part time close to home if we can afford it. I really had no idea how much I would miss her.
Cambels Mom-thanks so much for your prayers and encouraging words on breastfeeding. I will continue to plug away as I know it is so good for her. Also, thanks for starting this thread, as it has been AWESOME!
JJSTAR-hope your days been going better today!
Now Katet, to answer your Q's:
1. What have I done for myself? today I got a manicure and pedicure! :D
2. Me Alone Time: I went runnign the other mornign while taylor took her nap.
3. Couple time: we spend all evenings together watching tv and snuggling together. Also the other night we went to the mall to get a weddign present and had dinner. Pretty basic, but still fun!
Thanks again and give kisses to all those cuties!
Andrea
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Andrea, I'm so glad to hear Taylor is well!! Again, in the things-I-never-understood-before-becoming-a-parent file: "this hurts me more than it does you!"
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jjstar, I used to get comments from dh with Aiden & kept saying to him it was good bonding & it would get easier... it was great bonding, because dh has a little mate now, who won't let me do anything for him if dh is around (no nappy changes on the weekend for me :wink:) which is great. It is all to easy to have father's step in for the fun stuff & also it can result in mum never getting a break as I know friends whose toddlers won't let daddy put them to bed or bath them etc.
To all of you back at work or returning, I know how hard that is, I spent my first day back after Aiden crying, when anyone spoke to me & ds was at home with dh, it was just as bad when he started a childcare, it is like leaving a piece of yourself behind.
I must go & wake Liam as he is due for a feed & his day has been a bit disrupted so I had to do EASAS to keep him on target as I have found if I feed him at less than 3.5 hours he wakes earlier at night (due to more shorter feeds in the day = snacking), but If I feed him at 4hours I struggle to get 5 feeds in 24hours as he does such a long stretch at night (7.30- 5am - no DF). So I tend to have to clock watch & feed every 3.5 hours
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Andrea -- also glad to hear the surgery went Ok. I can't imagine as I have to leave the room when Jake gets shots and it just pains me to hear him cry like that. (I have my own fear of needles -- don't ask how I got through all the pricks during pregnancy -- just did).
JJstar-- i, too, am aware of the dh mantra "But you're so much better at it than me". My dh is staying home with Jake for 3 days when I start work and I am hoping that he will get some practice in and that when I go back to work, he'll realize that he just can't rely on me to do the not-so-fun stuff. One can only hope.
Well, 2 1/2 (if we count today) more days left before work. :( The tears are starting to come and I feel really sad. I know others do it and everyone keeps telling me the anticipation is worst than going back, but right now, I just don't feel that way. I actually think the 1st day may be OK, because it will be short and it will be like a mini-break for me. But I think that as the days go on, that I will completely miss seeing Jake's every smile and dare I say it -- his upset faces too.
For all of you who swaddled or used to -- I know some have successfully weaned their lo's from this but Jake sure seems to need it. The problem -- he needs one hand out to self-soothe but then this hand wakes him up at that 25 minute mark. Today, I laid him down for his morning nap when he was sucking his thumb, checked back on him 10 minutes later and hand was just by his side so went in quietly, without making eye contact and swaddled him completely -- he is now sleeping. BUT I can't expect a daycare provider to go through all of those steps. Does the weaning really work??? Does it just take time? Maybe when he starts daycare, we just go without the swaddle? Any ideas?
Hope you all had a good weekend. :D
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Andrea I am so happy to hear that Taylor is doing so well.
Well yesterday was such a textbook DAY but boy did he make up for it last night. He did the 4 hour EASY to a T yesterday but last night woke up from 12:30-2:30. He wasn't really crying but when we would lay him down on his belly he would roll right over and then wake up. I'm not sure if should somehow teach him to sleep on his back or what. Or I was wondering if he might be teething. How will I know for sure? Or the other thought I had was that because he techniquely missed a feed yesterday because of the switch from 3 hr to 4 maybe he was having hungier issues. But I wouldn't think that would keep him up for 2 hours. Oh I never thought a baby could be so frustrating...but then they smile and it gets better. Good thing they smile?!
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Hello Ladies -
So sorry to barge in on your thread but was wondering if I could pick your collective brilliant mommy brains! :D
My dd will be 3 months tomorrow so she is a bit younger than your little ones even though she is a May baby. She has just restarted the infamous and terrible 45 minute naps and she is not interested in eating every 3 hours. It seems that the solution is to start moving to the 4 hour easy very slowly. Tracy says to clock watch when making the transition but others have said to watch for her cues. :?: What did you do? She can happily go 3.5 even 4 hours between feeds but awake time is another issue. It just seems that no matter how little/long she is awake, she cannot seem to make it through the 45 minute jolts and the subsequent jolts as she moves into another sleep cycle. I had her awake time at 1.5 hours for a little over 2 weeks and she never had a 45 minute nap and I actually I always had to wake her from her naps to feed her. But she stopped being able to get through the jolts and thus her naps shortened. Did any of you face this with your babies? I know that the third month is a wonky one in terms of sleep, but this is depressing!!!!! :( I have been staying with her during her naps and patting her as needed and I just cannot understand how my patting is not going to turn into a prop. I have not done pu/pd as patting seems to work thus far. I cannot say though that she can fall asleep independently. I need to get her quite drowsy then put her in her crib and pat for a while.
I am rambling---so sorry but am frustrated. I was just getting used to some ME time and now we are back at square one it seems. Do you have any advice as to how you got through this? How long did it last? Also what did you do about the fact that the times don't add up in the book when doing the transition (i.e. it says S at 12:15 and 1.25 nap yet it says E should be at 1:15)?
Any advice or encouragement would really be appreciated!!!! I hope you all have lovely weekends with your babies! :D
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Hi Melissa,
Firstly the book is a guide & I think if you follow it to the letter, you will end up stressed & depressed, every baby is different (thank goodness 2 of my first & I would be in a nut house)
the 45min naps are difficult & it is a product of not long or too long awake time. The key is to keep trying to resettle, at 3mo 1.5 hours awake time is really what you would expect your lo to be able to do, so I woul suggest doing 3.5 hour EASY & maybe one 4 in a day. I actually had to go back from 3.5/4 to 3/3.5 as my lo does such long stretches, I can't get 5 feeds in anyother way.
What I did with my ds#1 & sometimes do with #2 is EASASE, not ideal, but this time around it fits our routine. What you could do is EAS, then after the 45min nap, put her in the pram & go for a walk, if you cover her so she can't see the world, she is getting down time, which I was advised with my first is the next best thing to sleep. As I am on ds#2, I have had to go with the flow of ds#1's activities & so I concentrate on making sure I get his middle of the day sleep going well, so I get a big 2-3 hour then & catnaps the rest of the time.
i guess what I am trying to put forward is that Tracy gives her information as a guide & her key message is to follow your lo's sleep cues.
Also do you pat until she is right to sleep or just settled & fussing a bit, because if you are patting right off to sleep then you are a prop, if you leave her to try & get off when she is fussing then if she wakes up at 45mins, then she may need to fuss to get back off... I still have troubles with the fussing bit, but I am learning it is better not to rush in, at least I can distract myself with my ds#1
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Thanks for your reply, Kate. I will just have to trust myself in reading Lucy's cues and work on getting her to sleep independently. We have had some victories with that (I think). I have been able to get her nice and calm, either doing the vacant stare or eyes starting to droop, and then put her in crib and she has gone to sleep (I left my hand on her though....but I was not patting). A few times she has almost fallen asleep on me and I pick her up and hold her face close to mine and say, "Lucy, you are going into your crib now. Night night." And that wakes her up and she knows she is going in her crib so her last memory before falling asleep is not being on mommy. Does all of that sound ok? This past week I left her a few times to see if she could settle herself at the 45 minute point if she woke completely, and she was never able to do it. I can usually extend her naps by patting if I get there before she fully awakes.
Thanks again Kate for taking the time to reply what with your two boys and your busy life. You're a very generous person! :D
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Melissa sounds like you are doing really well. When I put Liam down at night he often falls asleep during the bf, so we go to Dad & Aiden, who are getting ready for bed & say good night, which almost always wakes him up enough to "be awake" to go to sleep.
Keep at the patting to resettle, eventually she should go through the stage herself. But also try to see if you can get her off to sleep without your hand on her.
To me the key is to lessen your involvement (gradually), sometimes, it can be 1 step foreward, one back, but it does slowly get there...try taking your hand off earlier earlier, as she may need it there to go back to sleep as she goes through a light sleep phase, as she associates it with being there. What I did with ds #1 at one stage was put my hand on for 1sec, take it off for 3, back on for 1, & over time gradually go it to 1 in 10 then stopped doing it.
I 'm happy to share things, I had the roughest time with Aiden & I am so blessed with a dream baby in Liam, I have realised if I can help just one mother from half the stress I had with my first then it was worth it. Sometimes I am amazed we decided to have a second after all we went through with Aiden, but I'm so glad we did (esp as both of them are asleep at the same time!)
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Do any of you watch "The View"? (US Mommies, I guess.) Anyway... Joy Behar, the comedian, was saying on there how we women always have something that we have to be "perfect" at. It used to be being the perfect "housewife"- not mother. Several years ago people used to say "I'm just happy if they make it to their 18th birthday." But now, Mommyhood has become the new "I've got to be perfect at it" syndrome.
Even though she was making a joke, it struck a chord w/ me.
Anyway... hope you all are doing great- & are ok w/ yourselves even when you don't have a "perfect" day!
Noel is doing fine. She had her growth spurt last week (right on time!) & I literally noticed a huge diffreence in her weight between Sun-Thurs. That carseat felt SO much heavier- plus she's added a few rolls on her thighs that I noticed during her diaper changes. Yeah! She's finally putting on some real baby weight! :) Our naps aren't perfect, but they're ok. She still fusses to sleep (can't go to sleep independently)- but that's ok too.
As for the DH problem (I have one very similar to the ones you're all describing)- just leave him in charge no matter what it takes. If you are there, in the house, you will be suckered in and never get out of the house. I actually left DH in charge 2x on Friday (The first was a work mtg, the second was true me time.) Anyway... I had several cell phone calls- but I made it so I could not come bail him out (I would have in a true emergency)- & it built his confidence b/c I couldn't be there to tell him what to do. Though 2x in one day was a bit much for him. Anyway... I couldn't leave when Madeline was a baby-ever! And this time around I need to leave- for work some times & for my sanity others! Anyway... that's my experience w/ this.
And to all of you mommies going back to work- BIG (((HUGS)))!!!
Glad Taylor's surgery went well.
Hope everyone is doing well. -& Kate- your questions have helped me-I try to keep those things in mind everyday!
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Hi there!
I just found this thread some days ago and I would like to join your community if it's not too late :wink:
I am the mother of Anna Krisztina, born on Friday, May 13th (we have a black cat, so it makes sense!). She is a mix of Spirited / Textbook baby, but rather leaning to the spirited side. We are transitioning to the 4 hour EASY routine and things are definetly smoother than how they were 1 month ago. She has become a fussy eater (bobbing on and off and on top, she tends to pull her hair while eating) and usually I need to swaddle her really tight before going to sleep (although she is not that keen on that), otherwise she will wake up due to her wailing little arms. Yesterday she found her thumb and she's in love with it (she never liked any paci I tried to give her, so it's a great relief for me), so from today, I am trying to leave one arm un-swaddled and I am crossing my fingers that she won't wake up.
Usually our days are smooth, although it takes a lot of creativity and energy from my side to keep her entertained for 2 hrs. The big issue is the night..... usually she won't go to sleep until she's overtired (she can spend 4 hours awake). We have a going-to-sleep ritual that works perfectly during the day, but not in the night. Lately I've been keeping a close watch and try to figure out what's wrong. I had to change her bath time to mid-morning and I have changed the type of activities we make since 4 pm so she won't be over-stimulated. It is kind of working, but not completely, so I am still figuring the way to "crack her down" :D
I've been reading your posts and I can totally relate to all your issues, specially to Krice. Around 6 weeks, DD also started to have major issues while eating (crying furiously, arching her back, etc,etc) and it made me mad that her Ped would say that "it was nothing". I took her to several Docs (even a Gastroenterologist - my sister has reflux, so I thought DD had it too) and after 3 docs saying that she only had gas, I belived them. They prescribed me 2 meds: Infacol and Espumisan that worked OK, but what really did the trick was a little rubber tube that I had to instert in my DD's butt every morning. As soon as she felt that she had something in there, she would try to push it out, hence, all the gas in her tummy would come out. Sometimes she would sound like a balloon loosing air: pppppppffffffff and if she was constipated (it happened constantly at that point) the pushing would also help her to have a bm. Also, something that really worked was the advise of a very kind doctor that could see that I was going nuts; she told me to STAY CALMED. She told me that if my DD could feel that I was stressed while feeding her, she would become stressed too and would make the feeding worse. It might be a very obvious thing, but sometimes it's good to keep it in mind.
About the DH playing the "she doesn't like me" card, I get it every weekend, but what I do is that instead of taking the baby, I give him ideas how he can entertain her.
Well, I think this post is long enough to be the first one.
Have a good day everyone!!
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welcome s_olano00. it is nice to have you:) i was excited to see that you live in hungary. my mom is going on a trip there in a few months.
i have to comment on the "stay calm" when breastfeeding advice. when my ds screamed and jerked away every time i tried to feed him, my mom kept telling me to stay calm so he wouldn't feel my tension. it used to frustrate me so much when she would tell me that b/c i thought how on earth can you be calm with a screaming baby at your breast? but you are right, i guess our babies can feel our tension. i just thought it was funny:)
things here are good. nights are going so much better since we took away the paci, and naps seem to be going better as well. he will go about 1.5 hrs. i used to try to make him go longer, but now i just don't fight it. 1.5 hrs. seems to be good for him.
my MIL is here today so i have some extra ME time which is nice. my dh and i may go out tonight:)
hope everyone is doing well. andrea, i was so glad to hear that taylor's surgery went well.
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welcome s_olano00!
Well things are going pretty good hear. Jameson went down at 7:15 last night and I finally woke him up at 8 this morning (DF at 10:30 & another feed at 4). I was happy with that!
Are any of you experiencing possible teething issues? I think we there but I just don't know for sure.
Well I'm off to finish a scrapbook page before he wakes up.
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welcome s-olano00, I have to agree also the stay calm part... such a hard, but valuable skill for motherhood... i do regular relaxation breathing, when ever I notice anxiety, which was a big problem for me with PPD & maybe why I have so far escaped it this time (touch wood things stay that way)
Marlo glad the questions help... it is hard to keep the person/couple rather than mother perspective. I know I struggle with the perfectionism side all the time. I'm a virgo, so it is my nature anyway, but after having PPD with Aiden, I have learnt to accept that I can only do my best & loving my children as much as I can, makes me a perfect mother no matter what!!
Last night we had our worst night in ages. Liam woke at 11.30, then 2.30 & 5.30, I didn't feed at 2.30 ( he was wet) but I fed at 11.30, which I wouldn't normally as yesterday was disrupted, we had a Sydney BW get together (great to meet other mothers her) & Liam had a nap in the car, 40min trip & I wanted to feed him there, but he would have nothing of it , got the most upset I have ever seen & after about 20mins (seemed longer) I got him off to sleep & he slept all the way home too, so went 6.5 hours without a feed...I discovered why when we got home & I gave him tummy time, he has a cold!! poor fellow, it took him nearly an hour to get to sleep (with my help...very unusual) & then added to which Aiden woke screaming (nightmares I think) so I ended up sleeping on a mattress on the floor of his room... oh well the plus side was I don't get to snuggle up to him & hold his hand sleeping much & he is growing up so fast... getting new carpet in his room tomorrow & he moves into a "big boy bed"... Yeh no more putting Liam in the pack & play at night... day sleeps he has been sleeping on a bed buffered by pillows, but rolling is close, so the cot will be very timely
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welcome s_olano00!
Katet-- sorry to hear about the cold. Jake had one at the beginning of the month and he was feeling terrible. You feel so sorry for them because they just can't do anything about it --- e.g., blow their nose, etc.
Well, I am off to work tomorrow. Just spent the winddown period crying as I tried to explain to Jake why I needed to go back to work and what was going to happen. If he can understand me, there wsa no way he could threw those tears. Thanks for all the hugs and support about going back to work. It is going to be difficult.
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Good luck tomorrow Erin. Just think how excited you LO will be when you get home.
Kate, I hope that Liam is feeling better soon!
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Erin, I wish you the best of luck going back to work. I've been back for a week now, and it has been very hard on all of us. I worry about DS the whole time I'm at work, and he has been very cranky, upset and difficult during the day, then hard to settle at night. I think he's confused and misses his mommy. :cry: But he does light up when I come home, and that makes it a little easier. Hopefully soon everything will be better and he'll be happily bobbing along on a schedule again. I hope you and your LO have an easier transition than we've had.
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Thanks everyone. I am sitting here just devastated...like if I don't go to bed my first day at work tomorrow won't come. And my dh is giving Jake his DF and Jake is crying and all I want to do is run into the room but I know that I should be sleeping so I can make it through a work day tomorow. Jake's crying during the DF is a new development, he wakes up and gets so upset because he is tired that he can't seem to take the DF calmly. When he finally takes it, he takes a full feed so it can't be because he doesn't need it. I just don't know why this has developed in the last couple of weeks.
Thanks again for all the support!!!
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Erin & mommytsa, your lo's could well be picking up some of your emotions... our lo's can breath it in like a perfume.
It is all normal, think about it this way for your lo's it is like if you had moved to China, without having a chance to plan for it, everything is different & pretty scary too.
When I went back to work Aiden was 6mo & he had been sleeping 10-11 hours overnight for about a month & the night before he started childcare, my second day at work (dh looked after him the first to transition us all) he woke up heaps all night & it took ages for us to settle into the new routine. It is so hard, you have this amazing bond, a love never imaginable & you have to leave them... but unfortuantely that is life, at least they are there at the end of the day for you to cuddle & to put a positive spin on it, they must be missing you to be unsettled & that behaviour gives you more time to cuddle them!!!
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Wow - can't believe the number of posts.
We survived our vacation to the in-laws! :D The expected 9 hr drive took 11 hours, but DS managed to sleep for about 5 and a half of them. I am so pleased to say that after about 3 weeks of feeding issues/struggles we have finally overcome them!!! Yes! Yes! Yes! Matthew is now showing feeding cues regularly and wants his bottle - no more screaming/ pushing the nipple out/ frantic head turns :lol: :lol: :lol: I couldn't agree more with staying relaxed. I have to admit, I wasn't the greatest at staying calm during the thick of things, but would try my best to do so. We have stopped thickening our bottles (with rice cereal) - DS spits up much more, but seems to be doing alright.
Marlowho - . . . re: perfect mommy topic . . . this also strikes a chord with me. I remember seeing on Oprah a while back quite a controversial show. Her guest was Ayelet Waldman who claimed, "I love my husband more than I love my children," in a provocative essay. You can check it out at http://www.oprah.com/tows/booksseen/200504/tows_book_20050420_kmose_b.jhtml
Now to say this outloud I may be throwing myself out on a limb but I agree . . . I love my son dearly, I love my husband even more. I know this may sound harsh to some of you, but to be perfectly honest I have seen a friend put the raising of her children before the needs of her relationship with their partner and now are going through divorce - after being together for 16 years. I firmly believe in order to have a healthy family, you must have a healthy relationship (and that relationship needs to be constantly nourished). I have observed many of my friends place the needs of their children first (trying to be the perfect mommies), and all too often I have seen these same couples struggle through some extremely difficult times because 1 person feels 'neglected'. I think the best gift we can give to our children is the first hand experience of what it is like to see a healthy relationship between 2 loving and commited adults. If any of you saw that show you may remember how Ayelet was crucified for writing that article, she was being honest (and so am I). Enough about that . . . if I have offended anyone I'm sorry.
OK - off of the heavy stuff :wink:
s_olano00 welcome aboard - it's always nice to have more mommies join in. This has been a great way to get awesome tips and suggestions (and to get to know one another and our LO's). I hope more mommies that are lurking out there join in too!
Maria (Cambel's Mom) - re: relaxing about the 1hr 30 minute nap. I have done the exact same thing. This vacation taught me that I need to loosen up a little and not take this baby whispering stuff too seriously. My DS has shorten his naps to the same amount and instead of trying to get him back down I now enjoy him when he gets up. He seems so much happier and so do I.
Jil (JJstar) - teething . . . what are the signs/symptoms your LO has? Any:
* Irritability, restlessness / sleeplessness
* Sore, red gums, finger sucking
* Increased dribbling
* Red skin around the mouth and in the neck creases from dribbling
* Fussiness with feeds
* Loss of appetite
I was beginning to suspect the same thing as Matthew had a number of these, but DS seems to have proven me wrong once again (I think). I guess I'll only know for sure when I finally see a little white tooth poking though . . .
Kate - Isn't the potential roll so exciting??? I find myself anticipating the roll any day now. So sorry to hear about the rough night with Liam. It's nice to know that even Angels can have their moment(s). We had a strange night with Matthew too - he woke at 3am screaming - only a bottle would calm him. I don't know what is going on . . . could this be his true 3 month growth spurt since he was over 3 weeks premature???? Who knows anything anymore - not I. :wink:
Erin (Jamom) - best wishes for your return to work. I just talked to DH today about perhaps staying off for longer than we anticipated . . . not sure when I will return. I'm sending good vibes your way.
Anyway - sorry for such a long post. I was so eager to come back and read how each of you were doing.
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Thanks so much for your welcome notes!!
Maria (Cambel’s Mom) – I thought exactly the same thing that you did when the Doc told me to stay calmed…. If your Mom wants to, before coming I can give you my mobile number in case she needs anything when she's here
Kathy (Katet) – I also try to make some relaxation stuff while breastfeeding, like the one they teach at birth classes..
Erin (Jamon) – How did your first day at work go?
On my side, DD are having a pretty rough week. She has been a gluton since day 1, and now that’s she’s getting bigger, when she breastfeeds, she sucks my breasts so hard that 2 nights ago, I just couldn’t keep it up anymore. I just got to the point where my breasts are bleeding due to the strenght of her suckling and the skin is just falling off. Here in Hungary in each district there is a lady that is dedicated to give advise in everything related to the care of kids and babies, so I went there and I got a prescription for a cream with a local anesthetic (the pain is unbearable!) so now I cannot bf my DD until my breasts are healed properly. Of course, DD misses my breasts, and it is very difficult for me to settle her down when she wakes up at dawn hungry. I hope they heal soon. I am very happy that after reading the part of the book about getting used a baby to take a bottle even though is breastfed I took the pain of finding a good bottle and the right nipple (I tried almost all the nipples that are sold over here) and got her used to take the bottle, because otherwise I would be in deep trouble right now.
On the bright side, we are getting ready for a weekend trip to Rome! My DH was crazy enough to buy plane tickets a week after DD was born… I am a bit scared, but I guess that after reading your posts when you travelled with your babies, I am a bit more confident. Just one question for the ones who travelled by plane – How did you handled the taking off / landing? I heard it can be quite painful for the baby’s ears.
Well, gotta go. I need to get some sleep now that I can - now I don't know how lon it will take me to settle down my DD when she wakes up.
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Silvia...regarding flying, I nursed during take off and landing. Even if he wasn't hungry. If your LO will take a paci that would work too (I think). Just have to get them to swollow. Good luck & have fun.
Well we're making the switch back to 3 or 3.5 EASY instead of 4. Just couldn't make it through the nights without the extra feed. Not a huge deal I just hope that the naps work out okay.
Anyone else (US ladies I suppose) having gas shortage problems? My DH called from work and made me drive to fill up my tank because of the shortage. I was supposed to go shopping with a friend tomorrow but we're not going because of the gas. Not something I'm looking forward to dealing with. Oh well I guess that means we get to stay home and stay cool in the A/C?!
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Silvia, sorry to hear about your sore nipples, I had the most awful pain with Aiden, kept getting told to give up & put him on formula... I fed him to 12mo. I have flown with both boys, Liam at 7weeks & Aiden first at 6mo, but many times since. With Liam I tried to bf on take off & landing, but he won't go on unless he is hungry, so I gave him my finger to suck, as he kept spitting out the paci. As Aiden has been older, I gave him a bottle first time & as he has got older I have given him drinks from straw cups to suck on.
Kathy, glad the holiday went well...in all honesty I'm not surprised your lo is more settled not having the rice cereal, that was why I questioned it earlier, I know a few people who had the same situation... their lo's spat up more without it, but were more unsettled with it, I don't think the intestines are ready for it so early.
well my little Angel seems to be having a devilish few days, not sure if it is because our routine has been thrown out, or he is actually getting ready for a milestone (Aiden was always unsettled jsut before he reached an achievement, It could be a late 3m growth spurt as he didn't really have one... not that he could grow any bigger, he is already in 6-9mo clothes because he is so long! I am trying to keep him on a strict 3.5 hour routine today, but sleeps are all messed up as once again he fed 2x overnight (comfort as much as anything), but woke 4 times... fortunately Aiden had a great night, although unfortunately was woken by Liam at 5.30am, but I was up so it didn't matter & he went back until 7am... see if that continues, just got the new carpet & Aiden goes into a twin bed tonight... Wish me luck girls. I might be coming back for suggestions as to how to fix things if it doesn't get bette with Liam in the next day or so
Re couple time, it is our big celebration week... just had the anniversary of our first date, next week is our Wedding Anniversary & we have Father's day on Sunday & My birthday next week too (Aiden wants Mummy to have a rocket cake!!) , so on next Wednesday (our 3rd Wedding Anniversary) Aiden is in childcare & a friend is taking Liam for 3 hours & DH & I are going to the Restaurant we had dinner at on our first date! The unfortunate thing is I while the heart & head are ready for a bit of "horizontal Dancing" I am still not properly healed from the tear I had deliverying Liam & the Dr advised me not to, so, we are going to have to be inventive & remember some "high school dating activities.
Anyway must get some of the furniture back in my stepdaughter's newly carpeted room while the boys are asleep.
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Hi Ladies-the thread has been real busy these last few days!
s_olano00 welcome to the board! So sorry to hear about the sore nipples. my dd in the last few days has learned how fun it can be to tug on mommies right nipple so hard i scream in pain! :shock: then she looks up and laughs at me! :evil: I don't really know how or if you can teach a 4 month old not to do that? :? Anyone have any suggestions?
Also, like JJSTAR said, nursing on take off and landing really helped Taylor's ears.
Jamom-big hugs to you. I hope your first day back wasn't too hard :cry: I'm sure your lo was thrilled to see you when you got home. I have 8 days till I go back. Tonight dh and I were going over our finances to see if I could maybe take something part time. I think if we lived frugally we could do it, but now I just need to find something! :roll: Either way I am going back and we'll see how it goes.
Krice-glad to hear the trip went well and the feedign issues are improving. BTW, Taylor's Bumbo seat came today and she LOVES it!
Also JJSTAR, after I heard your lo was already in the exersaucer I tried Taylor in it and she loves it too! All sorts of new things to keep her occupied!
Katet-good luck with moving to the big bed! let us know how it goes.
Hi to everyone else out there too that I didn't mention. Glad to hear all the babies are doing pretty well, night wakings, colds, shots and all!
Andrea
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Wow Andrea, taylor is starting young on the tugging. Most people seem to get it around teething time... did you teeth early??
Andrea, cause & effect... one you will be hit with many times. Taylor pulls, you react, so she thinks ok this is good I do it again, she doesn't know a positive reaction from a negative one, just that she gets a response. SO hard as it is you need to ONLY react by taking her off the breast, every time she does it (stick your little finger in the side). If you cry ouch it encourages repeating... the best lesson I learnt is to reward positive behaviour & ignore or divert negative.
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Kate that is great advice about ignoring the negative. I know that is going to be hard for me but I'll try?!
Andrea I'm glad your LO likes the activity center. It is great because you can move it all around with you. The other thing I got out this week was his highchair. It is on wheels and our whole first floor is hardwood. So I just wheel him around with me and he is at my level. It is also at the right height for him to watch his videos. I gave him a spoon yesterday and he was acting like he was eating. Too funny.
Well we had a horrible night. He had trouble going down last night, then didn't want to go back down after the DF and was up 3 more times later. I think he is teething but the tylenol doesn't really seem to be helping. Oh I feel so bad but don't really know what to do. We're back to a solid 3.5 hour schedule and we're not leaving the house for the next 2 days so hopefully a good day routine for the next couple will help the nights. At about 3 last night my husband said that if he hears me ask for as second baby he will be ignoring me!
Did someone else say they were having trouble getting their LO back down after the DF? (I can't remember if it was on this thread or another one.) I'm just not sure if it is an issue I should try to fix or wait it out becuase of the possible teething?!
Well I'm off to work on my devotional...me time!
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Kate I forgot to wish you luck with your couple time. Our anniversary (6th) is this weekend too. I have a friend coming over tomorrow night to stay with the baby once he is in bed for the night. I'm surprising DH. I think I'm going to pack a little picnic snack and go to the boat. It is just across the street so at least we're close in case our friend (a guy who has no kids) needs us.
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wow-this thread has been busy the past few days:)
we are at my in-laws. it was a spur of the moment trip. my mom had to take a trip to KY and didn't want to drive alone, so i offered to with her and stay at the in-laws (who live in louisville) until my dh arrives for the weekend. it is nice to be here--no housework when ds is napping:)
cambel got his 4 month shots yesterday. oh how i hate those shots! but he did really well. and he doesn't seem to be as fussy as he was after his 2 month shots.
kathy- i totally agree with what you were saying about loving your husband. in fact, my sister and i were just talking about that oprah show the other day. before ds was born someone said to me the best way to love your child is to love his father. and i agree. it is hard though when you pour yourself into your child all day to have energy to invest in your husband in the evening.
and about being the "perfect" mom--i really struggle with this too. i have to aremind myself not to compare myself to other moms so much, and to not judge my success as a mom by comparing how well ds is sleeping, or how much he cries, to other babies. (it sounds silly i know, but such is the life of a perfectionist)
well, i better go. ds is up from his nap.
one more thing--i feel so badly for the moms who have been hit by the hurricane on the gulf coast. it would be so hard to be stripped of all that you have, and also have a baby to care for. it makes me so grateful for all we have.
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Hey everyone. I have been reading all the posts and looks like everyone is doing well. First day back wasn't so bad and 2nd day isn't either. I hate to say it but it's nice to see my co-workers/friends and to have some "me" time. However, I have been able to stay home longer in the morning the last couple of days and play with Jake until his 1st nap, so, I think that has helped. Once he starts daycare (dh is taking care of him now), I won't have that time and I think that is when it will really get hard. On the bright side, I do see good developments in my dh just after 1 day of taking care of Jake. It seems like he feels like more of an active role and even wanted to discuss Jake's naps and eating with me last night. :o
JJStar-- I think it was me that mentioned problems with the DF. Jake has been waking up at it and not falling back asleep very easily. He'll cry. Some nights are OK, others are not. I haven't been able to determine exactly why. I am sticking with it since he sleeps through the night after the DF and I don't want to mess with that right now, even if I have to spend time getting him back to sleep after it.
Andrea -- if Taylor likes the Exersaucer, you might also want to try the Jumperoo. I got one for Jake and he just loves it. (He loves his exersaucer too). He likes to be "active" and to be "standing" so he has just taken to both the Jumperoo and Exersaucer. As far as work, big hugs to you too. I hope the transition is Ok. I don't think I am fully into it quite yet so am waiting to see how I feel next week and the following weeks after that before I make any decisions about going part time.
Well, better get back to work. Glad to hear everything is going fairly well for everyone.
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Just wanted to pop in and congratulate those who are doing well, and say keep it up to those who aren't always doing so well.
The transition back to work is tough, but that's partly because there's a bunch of other stuff going on too right now. DS suddenly couldn't sleep unless we got up and gave him his paci every 30 min or so (both nights and naps). DH and I decided to get rid of the paci cold turkey (we're too lazy and impatient to do the gradual weaning). This has made it even more difficult on me to ba t work when I know DS is screaming and DH is doing pu/pd for hours on end while I'm at work, having "fun." I would do anything to be there instead of at work right now. I feel like I'm being irresponsible and dumping the "fixing" of problems I created on to my DH, who has been incredibly supportive of just about everything that I've wanted to do (except pu/pd-but I FINALLY convinced him last night to try it for a week--praying that it will work and we won't have to resort to CIO). So aside from knowing that there is chaos at home, I'm feeling a lot more comfortable about going to work in the am (this is week 2 for me).
It's interesting to hear about the whole idea of giving up the "perfect mom" image. After listening to what you ladies have to say about it, it certainly seems like that's what I'm feeling, but I don't know if I'm ready, willing or able to let go of it. I know I take my DH for granted, and know I would be devasted if anything were to happen to him, but I'm feeling so overwhelmed by trying so hard to be a good mom (perfect doesn't enter ito my vocabulary about motherhood-I'm too inexperienced to think I could even get near perfect) that I don't spend the time and effort appreciating him and taking care of him. :oops: I guess that's one more thing that I have to try and work on. :? How can having a baby turn my whole life upside down? To think I used to be confident and self-assured and empowered. Where did that lady go? :cry: I liked being her.
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Theresa, don't cut your self up that person is still there, she is just learning to take on all the new stuff as well, learning is a hard process & it is harder for some mothers to put their relationship first, but you will get there.
Re loving your partner or child more...I unfortunately had it thrust upon me. when Aiden was 4mo, dh was diagnosed with a pancreatic tumour. It turned our already stressed household upside down. Anyway dh had to have major surgery (whipple resection) & spent 3 days in high dependency as his whole intestines were rearranged. He needed me! I was torn, I thought he needs me but so does Aiden, until I suddenly relised, I needed to be needed by Aiden as it was the easier option, but in all honesty Aiden's needs could be met for that short time by anyone & through out his life, some of his needs would be met by people other than me & both of us needed to realise that...but my DH did need me & no one else was going to replace me, I vowed to be there in sickness & in health. It was so hard to put my dh first (& still is, with 2 lo's) but having a toddler now I realise, how important it is for them to see through their every day life that their parents have needs too & I think it is something good to start early.
Well things seem to be better with Liam, he was awake twice overnight, but the second time (6.45) couldn't really be classified as night... just he used to sleep to 7.30/8. I think a lot had to do with me letting his routine fit around Aiden & me & being a bit neglectful of his needs, so I'm going to start living our life a bit like a school timetable, but it is the only way I can think of to meet our whole families needs & keep me sane!!
Aiden's first night in his "big boy bed" went really well, apart from his nightmares (but they have been on/off for a few weeks now) at 6.45, he was lying in bed - awake, had found the torch & was reading a book -not bad for 25 months old... 5mins later he came in dragging his new bed cover saying "dig-dig blanket" as it has diggers, trucks etc on it & they + wiggles are his favourite things
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well, i think between cambel's shots and being in a different place, he is going on a "sleeping through the night/taking naps" strike. and i was just really starting to enjoy a full night's sleep! hopefully things will be back to normal when we get home. his grandparents are loving the time with him though, so i guess a little sleep deprivation is okay for now:)
katet-i really don't know how you managed when aiden was so little and your husband was sick. but i commend you for your perserverance, and your desire to be such a good wife and mother. your family is lucky.
ds is down for a nap now, and i should probably take one too...
hope everyone is doing well.
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Hi Ladies,
I hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend. Tomorrow we leave for Scottsdale, AZ where it is 110 degrees! Our friends have a pool, but I am worried about it being so hot for Taylor, but of course they have air conditioning too, so I'm sure it will all work out. Taylor is doing great at night, but the last 2 days in a row she has taken 1 45 minute nap. I am so paranoid about it becoming a problem again because we struggled with them for about 8 weeks :evil: . Yesterday I didn't freak out because I figured it was just a fluke, but after today I freaked out and had flash backs (okay, I'm being a little dramatic, but you know what I mean! :wink: ). She is doign a little better at eating, not fussing so much, but still tugging on the right nipple (weird that it is just the right one) :roll: Katet-thanks for the advice. I have stopped reacting to her when she does it so hopefully she will stop soon!
Jill-hopefully Jameson's night went better.
Maria-I'm sure as soon as you two are back home he will go back to normal. Taylor did the same exact thing when we were in Tahoe. I imagine they wake up at night as they normally do at home and look around and say "hey, where am I?!?!" Also, ditto on feeling so bad for all those affected by hurricane Katrina. We should all say a prayer if we haven't already.
Jamon-glad to hear work hasn't been too bad. I am counting down the days! :( Also, we too ahve the Jumperoo! We took it out for her today and she wasn't quite sure what to do with it but I think she'll really enjoy it.
Mommytsa-I hope work is going okay for you too. I wanted to tell you to encourage dh to stick with pu/pd as it does and can work. at least for us anyhow. it was after we did 3 days of pu/pd that Taylor learned to fall asleep on her own and we haven't looked back since! I also know exactly what you mean about wondering where that confident woman went?!?! I say all the time that my stressful sales job was a lot easier than raising a child, but definitely not as rewarding!
Regardign being the perfect mom, do any of you feel that you bore your lo's? sometimes I just sit with Taylor or when we go on our walks and I don't really say much...I kind of zone out with my thougts and then I feel guilty like I am not stimulating her brain enough and probably boring the heck out of her! Anyone else feel that way?
Gotta go pack...sorry for the long post!
Andrea
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Andrea, don't feel you have to stimulate her brain... I used to just put Aiden on a rug (& do the same for Liam... but he has Aiden to watch) & get on with things. I only talked to him a bit on walks... now he is a toddler I have to chat to him all the time. But they pick up so much around them that less is often more, Taylor will be picking up & distinquishing the sounds that make up her world when you walk & as she gets older, she will link the sound to the birds or cars or buses etc. I have become so much more attune to the sounds around me since Aiden as he tells me there is a bus, long before he sees it.
I almost feel like a mean mum against all you girls, my boys have a play gym on the floor & an old fashioned bouncey seat & they get propped up on pillows, to look at me, or do tummy time & get to lie on a rug outside & that is it, but Aiden has turned out ok & childcare keep telling me he is bright, so he must have got enough stimulation.
I know now why Liam was unsettled the last 4 days ( apart from the cold) he has reached a new developmental milestone... he is dribbling!! Yes things as small as that do in my experience cause an upset to the routine.
Also those of you travelling, now our lo's are alert to their surronds, it is a good idea to give them at least 1/2 hour play time in their "holiday bed" before putting them down for a nap/night as then they don't fight sleep trying to "check out" the new surrounds & it is a good idea to take some of the bed linen from home, so it smells familiar.... all helps keep the routine.
Maria, you know I survived when dh was sick, simply because I had to... when you are at work one day having been up half the night with a teething baby & got 2 hours sleep, you survive, because you have to. I bet we all have a lot more respect for our mothers, now we are mum's our selves..
This thread is getting quiet long, was wondering if I should ask the moderators to trim it??? If we get that done was thinking we might start off with. Breif summary of our lo's like what EASY we are on, Age etc... thoughts???
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Kathy...I'm not sure how I missed your post from a couple days ago but I wanted to comment. I completely agree with you about keeping your spouse as your first love. I have seen it all too many times when the children are the main focus and the marriage is in distress. Kate you set a great example for us, thank you. I'm at my first decision point with this right now. My MIL is coming to visit in a few weeks and has offered to keep the baby for dinner or even over night. I just don't feel ready to go but I don't know if that means my focus is in the wrong spot or not. (My main concern is that she won't have seen the bedtime routine before she would have to do it and I'm afraid it would be awful for Jameson.)
Well last night was a bad one again. I have a question for you ladies. Here is our bedtime routine...once he has been up for about 60-90 minutes from his last nap we go up and he gets a bath. Then we move into his room and I lotion him up and get him in his pjs, wrapped in a blanket and then nurse him. Here is where the problem comes in. He does a full feed (between 15-20 minutes) and he half a sleep. I then give him a kiss and tell him I'm putting him in his bed (that way he is alert enough to know he is going into his crib). Some nights he goes right to sleep. But lately it is like as soon as I lay him down he is wide awake ready for activity. He proceeds to roll to his back the minute I let go of him and just looks up at me and laughs. I've tried walking away before he rolls over to look at me thinking maybe he'll just eventually fall asleep. One night he was in there for 45 minutes just looking around. He isn't crying so I can't do PU/PD. Last night he got a bit fussy after about 10 minutes of being in his crib with me pushing him back to his stomach when he would roll to his back. One thought I had was to switch the routine to feed and then bath but I wasn't sure if I would mess him up worse by switching things. It is really starting to get to me because of the length of time it takes to get him to bed at night. Last night I started feeding him at 6:55 and he wasn't asleep until 8:15. Very long evening. Does anyone have any thoughts? I wasn't sure if I should put all of this on this board or another, if it should go somewhere else, let me know.
And if the going down wasn't bad enough he was up 5 minutes before DF and 2 other times and THEN decided to get up for the day at 6:10.
Thanks!
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jill, i am not sure i have any great advice for you. you might try the sleep forum. but i will encourage you and say that you are not alone. i thought we had this sleeping through the night thing down, but cambel continues to amaze me:) and has been waking up for no apparent reason. it might have something to do with a developmental stage--like they can roll over now--or just that they are touchy, sensitive lo's. i was wondering though about just letting him play in his crib. i read somewhere--i can't remember where--that it is rest they need, so if they are playing in their crib, it is okay. that would at least give you back your evening. unless he is crying, and then i don't know what to tell you. but hang in there. this can't last forever, and i am sure he will soon be sleeping peacefully again.
no big news here, just wanted to say hello, and that i really appreciate this thread. it has become a real source of encouragement to me, and i feel like i know you all, even though we all live in different parts of the world.
and about the length of this thread--we should probably do something about it. and a discussion of our easy plans would be interesting.
have a good day!
maria
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Jill, you are very normal in not feeling ready to let your MIL take over for the night, but you should go, hard as it is. You say you are worried about the routine, ok it might not work, but it might also surprise you, our lo's have realised about a bigger picture, thye smile, you smile they smile back.they notice other people etc. They also need to learn the routine changes sometimes & I can understand your fear it will mess things up, but he also needs to learn to work with change. I have often avoided doing things for fear they will mess the routine & my baby (mostly Aiden) will start sleeping badly etc etc... but you know nature does that for us too & I think working with it can help. helping your lo understand that things change is a learning thing & might just help you as he copes with lots of change around that teething/crawling stage (6-9mo) which often is as bad as the new born stage for night waking etc
The night wakings are quiet normal at this age (unfortunately)& I found about every 3months until Aiden was about 18mo, we had an unsettled week or 2. It is an important skill to learn(one I haven't mastered) to learn the I'm putting my self back to sleep fussing cry, which can go on for up to an hour at this age (I hate our floorboards that reverberate the sound) & the I need you cry, as that way you are helping them learn to go back to sleep on their own.
Our lo's are just adjusting to the next development phase... the key is keep routines consistent & if change is needed make it small.
Yes rest is almost as valuable as sleep. hard as it is if they aren't upset when you put them down leave him, go back if he is upset, but just because he is in bed he doesn't have to be asleep, he just is in a place of low stimulation (make sure there are no toys mobiles etc) & he may surprise you & drift off to sleep, if not then go back & help him. I find sometimes I put Liam down for a nap & I thought he'd gone off to sleep, but there he is lying looking around & its 1/2hour later & I get that in the morning & the car... I was thinking he slept 17-18 hours, but I relised he actually just doesn't make noises telling me he is awake the way Aiden did... makes it so hard to know how long he has been awake to check for tired signs though!.
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Try #2 - my first long winded post went bye-bye :(
I've got a number of the same issues that many of you have. . . .
Here is the jist of my week. LO started night wakings, he was also waking up at 45 minutes into his nap and wanted his paci, I went back to work for 2 days only (I know I am not ready to go back - will officially return sometime after Chrismas), began full blown PU/PD, stopped swaddling arms by his side and left one arm out, AND have gone cold turkey with the paci! On top of things, I have a terrible head cold.
For the past 2 months, I've had the luxury of having DH home with me but he has now returned to work. I absolutely lost it on DH during the middle of the week when DS woke repeatedly during the night and only would sleep when we put the dreaded paci back in! In my mind DH caused this monster :wink: *yah right* This was the same night I was going into work the next day . .. I was so tired. I told DH that was it and we were going to do this weaning together - he actually wanted to wait until Christmas if you can believe it!!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:
Friday night the process began . . . no paci for night time and PU/PD all at once. It took 45 minutes to get him down and after some significant crying spells DS fell fast asleep when I placed him in his crib after picking him up for the 'umpteenth' time. At 3:30am DS woke - again used PU/PD and he was back asleep in 21 minutes. After his first feed/activity this morning we were down to 18 minutes with only a few PU/PD's. Second feed we didn't have to do PU/PD and DS fell asleep in 14 minutes (we were hiding in his room to see if he would settle himself). Third sleep - he fell asleep while I was running errands, came home changed him and swaddled and lay him down. Tonight however, it took 50 minutes - so I guess it will be a process.
We are also having DF issues - mainly DS waking up and crying during the feed and for a few minutes after.
Andrea (Taylor's Mommy) - we will often (and I stress often) have quiet time together. I don't feel the need to always have a running commentary going. Sometimes it is nice to just flash DS a smile and then go on with my 'chores'. When I take Matthew over to my moms he gets more than enough stimulation to keep him satisfied for an entire week!!!
Jill (JJstar) re: night time sleep issue. If your LO wants to smile and 'show off' (and you can't leave) have you tried standing there with your eyes closed? OR even stay there with your back turned to him (so your are 'ignoring' him)? Like you said, you could always switch the time you feed him - don't be afraid to try. He seems to be happy, things could be worse.
All right, I'm crossing my fingers that I don't lose this post too!
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Thank you all for the comments. Last night went so much better. The length of time was the same but my attitude was better! I would just walk and did some situps right outside his door. I only had to go in 3 times to calm him down when he was crying (because he was on his back). He just peacefully fell asleep eventually not after crying his head off. I thought okay maybe that would help make the overnight better...not really but again I didn't have the negative attitude about it so it was okay.
About the MIL thing I'm still uncertain about going overnight but I think we'll definitely go out for dinner. I might even see if DH wants to go for lunch because the days are so much more predictable. We'll see...she isn't coming for another 10 days so I have time to think/pray about it.
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One more comment...this thread is saving my sanity! I don't think I would be so well off without you guys! Thanks!
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Kathy - I can totally commiserate!!! I went back to work full time 2 weeks ago and last Wednesday we decided to start paci weaning, which meant leaving one arm out from the swaddle and full blown pu/pd. Our situation went from bad (8-10 night wakings for paci, plus 30-45 min naps) to worse (1.5 hours of SCREAMING during pu/pd with a 10 min break in there, then a feed, then another 30-40 min of pu/pd, so DS was only getting about 2 hours of naptime a day, though he slept through the night from exhaustion). It is now (after 4 days) starting to improveFINALLY!!!!!
It will get better! I just put DS down for his nap and it only took 20 min of pu/pd and it wasn't all that angry screaming at the top of his lungs-more mantra type crying than really ticked off crying. I fully expect that it will continue to get better. One thing that I think helped to improve things was that in the beginning I was doing pu/pd wrong, and that caused me to resort to some accidental parenting (letting him suck on my finger or giving him the boob). You can see the way I was doing things and the suggestions I got for fixing them in the pu/pd forum under pu/pd for 1.5 hours +.
Just remember that if you are consistent and stick with it, things will get better and then you'll never look back! :) Good luck!
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Let me begin by saying *ARGH* :? :? :?
Day 2 of PU/PD and paci weaning . . . here's our day . . . please tell me this will get better. Also, if you think I'm doing something wrong (or something that needs improvement please let me know).
2:40am PU/PD 50+ minutes - it was close to an hour and DS was so frantic I gave him a bottle. He took a full 8oz. I changed him, reswaddled and lay him down - he drifted off immediately.
8:00am DH let me sleep in due to my exhaustion but fed DS to sleep :evil: :evil: ; but DS woke up after DH crawled back into bed with me. I got up and did PU/PD for 13 minutes When I returned to bed I did not have kind things to say to DH!
11:10am PU/PD 11 mintues did not need to pick DS up once!!!! :D
2:30pm PU/PD 42 minutes Oh . . . so tired by now . . . but DS did stay alseep for 2 and a half hours.
7:00pm PU/PD 60+ minutes DS cried constantly so I fed him another 6.5oz (he had eaten only 2.5 hours earlier). Changed and reswaddled him, lay him in his crib awake sucking his fingers. Left the room exhausted... DS drifted off
DS normally has about 35oz in a day. Well we haven't even done the 8oz DF and he is already over 40oz. I'm pretty sure this isn't a growth spurt, it's more of a "I've gotten myself so worked up and burnt so many calories, that I'm hungry".
So my question is . . . should I be feeding him when we do PU/PD for extended periods of time? He is hungry and will take a full feed - if I change and reswaddle him does it mean that I am feeding him to sleep?
Oh please, please let this get better by 4 days . . . Mommytsa it's good to hear that things got better for you. I'm crossing my fingers.
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Kathy... you are going well. By all means feed him if he is hungry, if he is changed & re swaddled after the feed then he isn't being fed to sleep... feeding to sleep is when they actually fall asleep & you put them in the cot asleep.
DON'T worry about the amount he is feeding, I'd say it will settle when you get the sleep sorted.
I have another "I've been there story" When Aiden was 5mo & his sleep was great (I was stuck at home looking after a sick dh), one day he suddenly wouldn't settle at night... next night the same... 4 nights, what is going on here we said, we'd had to settle him in the car to stop the crying, but he didn't sleep until the 10pm feed. On the 5th night, I bf as usual & decided to offer a top up from some stored milk... he went off like a dream & didn't wake for the 10pm feed & slept until 6am (12 hours btw feeds)
Maybe Matthew is telling you hey Mum I want more food in the day I can make it over night without a df & I won't settle till you tank me up. I say that as Liam is fairly consistantly going 7.30 to 4.30/5.30am (no df).
Trust your instincts Kathy! But remember too it is normal to have a regression when it gets good, before it settles down.
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Wow.. so many posts to catch up with... it's great to know that everybody is doing well..
So, our trip to Rome was really good, except for the fact that the airline left our suitcase + the baby's stroller in Budapest, so we had to survive 3 days - 2 nights without it. We came back home yesterday afternoon and at this moment we still haven't got them back.
This trip allowed me to see my daughter under a different light: she wouldn't stop amazing me …I just cannot belive my DH and I made such a beautiful person :D She behaved really well considering the fact that it was pretty hot and she had to be carried around the whole time. She woke up a zillion times during the night, but it really didn't matter as she did so well during the day (smiling at people, being very patient, quiet and no matter what, always waking up with a big smile)
Now we are back home and I am trying to get her back into her routine. I can relate to Jill and the going to sleep issue.. at night, my DD can go for 4 hours before finally settling down to sleep. What I did was to change her bath time to the middle of the morning and usually I don’t let her sleep after 4pm. By 7, she’s totally tired and ready to sleep. If she still won’t go to sleep, I don’t fight with her.. we have some „quiet activity” and wait for her „sleepy signs”.
One question to the ones who have success stories with PU/PD ….. can you please explain me how you do it? The thing is that I want my DD to have her night sleep in her crib (she does naps there, but not the night one). During the day she usually settles down with shh/pat, but during the night she’s impossible, I am alone at home (DH works full time and hes home by 8pm, therefore I won’t have anyone to help me) and I am afraid to start it and do it wrong and quitting. Can you please give me details of how you did it?
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Kathy--that sounds about right. Expect it to get better in another 2-3 days. I know that sounds like a life sentence in prison righht now, but you can't go back. The feeds will even out, and you may find that if you're not already on the 4 hour easy, your lo may end up there after struggling to get pu/pd organized. Today DH put DS down for his nap in 3 minutes, and told me "as skeptical as I was and all, I think this has been really good". This is shocking from the man who spent 2 hours straight holding a screaming baby on Thursday.
Silvia--Here's what I do for pu/pd. After we wind down, we go into the bedroom and swaddle, then sometimes we sit in the rocking chair just to calm down (he hates the process of being swaddled, but needs it). Then I put him in his crib. When he starts to get a little fussy, I try pat/shh. Once he gets worked up enough to start really crying, I pick him up and pat/shh him in my arms. The mistake I made was holding him for 5, 8, or 10 minutes until he was completely calm. You should only be holding for 4 minutes or so max, and you should put them down if they try to arch their backs or slam their feet down while you're holding them. Then put them down, even if they are still upset. Pat/shh for 30 seconds or so (sometimes they will calm down, sometimes just get more worked up). If they are still screaming, pu, calm them or wait 4 min and pd. Repeat until they are asleep, 40 min have passed or they are so p*ssed and screaming that the only thing that will calm them down is eating (especially if you've already done it for 40 min, had a break and are trying again). If they haven't slept, wait 10-15 min and try again, feeding if you've reached that point. Do not expect them to be on any type of schedule (other than a vague idea of "you need to eat in 3-4 hours") because pu/pd is not really part of the schedule and you can't know how long it's going to take, or how long they're going to sleep once you finally get them to sleep. Be prepared to listen to a totally upset scream for 5 hours or so throughout the day. My DH highly recommends earplugs. I didn't use them, but that's because I don't like how they feel in my ears. A few times, especially the first day or so, my DS would almost pass out mid-scream from exhaustion. It totally made me feel awful, and like this was no better than CIO, but at least I was right there and knew that he wasn't hurt and hadn't stopped breathing or anything. Just warning you that it is a possiblity, but hoping that no one else has to go through it.
I still am not really sure that this is teh "right" way, but it's working and it's the best I've been able to piece together from the book, sleep interview and advice I got on the pu/pd board. Even starting out doing it wrong, I'm calling it very successful at 5 days, and I fully expect that given another few days to work out any regression, and the last little bit of crying we still have, that we will be able to just put him in his crib and walk away by next week. HTH!!!
Sorry this is so long, but even after reading the book and the sleep interview I was still confused about how to do it, and did it wrong for a day and a half and the way I was doing it was not at all effective. I wish any of you who are starting pu/pd or thinking about starting it, the best of luck and hope my explanation makes things a little easier for you.
Hey, do you ladies think we could talk somebody who actually knows how to do this into making a downloadable, 5 min video or at least explicit instructions to post on the pu/pd forum?
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Theresa (Mommytsa) thanks for the tips and encouragement. I've read the latest book and sleep interview as well and can concur with what you wrote. Did you ever read a post in the PU/PD forum by Jenapple (Announcement: PU/PD for 3 month old - info from consult with Tracey)? This post was fairly straight forward, but there was one glaring difference. Instead of holding your LO for no more than 4 minutes, Tracey had instructed Jenapple to put her LO down right away . . . in fact Jenapple even made this suggestion bold. I haven't tried putting Matthew down immediately - he settles well before the 4 minute mark. Any thoughts on this? Has anyone out there done it this way???
Silvia (s_olano00) - we are only on day 3 of PU/PD. My suggestion is if you start it, stick with it. AND I'd buy earplugs! We aren't yet over the hump and I keep telling myself it wouldn't be fair on DS if we stopped now . . . we'd be putting him through this for nothing. One thing that I do when I PU is I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. I do this while holding my LO so he can feel my chest/body relax - It is good for both of us as it seems to help him calm down too.
Well, I'll post again this evening to let you know how day 3 of PU/PD went. I had Matthew down in 8 minutes at his last nap with no PU and no paci. :D :D :D
Wish us luck! :wink:
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The way I always understood the pu/pd was to put them back down straight away- as in- she's crying hard (not mantra cry) so I pick her up. Picking her up calms her down, so I lay her back down. She starts crying b/c she's upset that I put her back down. So I pick her back up. I whisper in her ear(even if she can't hear me) "Mommy loves you and you need your rest" - or something along those lines. She calms down, I put her back down. On and on until she isn't so angry about being put back down. We haven't had to do this much with Noel, but the concept still works with Madeline (now 2.5) -It obviously is different now b/c she's so much older. But basically it just proves to the child that it is nap time now.
I've actually been amazed at Noel lately. She likes to look around her crib now before going to sleep. So, I put her in there. She looks up at me smiling and I think "there's no way she's going to sleep now.' Then, about 5 min. later, she starts small fussing. I go in and try to put the paci in with no luck. Then I walk away. If she gets really upset sometimes I have to do pu/pd once. Generally she gives in pretty quickly. I pop the paci in (which she inevitably loses anyway.) And next thing I know her mantra cry is over and she's out. Granted, this is much different than my 1.5 hr. wailer that I had in Madeline. For that, I really don't know much of what to tell you except stick it out. Naps were really never great w/ Madeline- it's just her personality to fight it.
But we've made it thus far and she doesn't hate me. (AT least I don't think she does!) :wink:
Happy Labor Day, Mommies! (We work the hardest of them all!)
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Thanks for your encouragement, Theresa and Kathy!
I am just gathering as much information as I can in order to start with the right foot :)
Marlo, when to put down is one of my biggest doubts ever... I am so confused because the more I read, the more people I find they did it in different ways. The book says no more than 4 mins, but other people in the forums say right away. I guess it depends on every baby and I'll have to make a call on what works better for my DD.
Thanks a lot again!
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Silvia-- The reason I wait until he's calmer to put down is because if I were to pu/pd right away, he would just get more and more upset until he's crying so hard he's spitting up and there's no way he'll calm down in less than 20 minutes (I tried, believe me, I tried!). For Aaron, putting him down right away was just too stimulating and seemed unfair to him. I say, try it both ways, and see which one works better for your lo. You'll have LOTS of chances to see.
I did read the post by Jenapple, and that helped, but I think at that point I was so confused by eveything else that I just didn't know what I was doing. Especially because in the sleep interview it seemed (to me) to contradict that on when to put down. I think part of what confused me so much was the way she describes the age ranges (for 0-3 months, 3-6 months). When your baby is 3 1/2 months, which way do you do it? What I really needed at that point was like a pamphlet with pictures or drawings and short, one sentence instructions. I know that there's never going to be anything like that because to a certain extent it is about figuring out what works for your lo, and it's not the same for everyone. It would just be really nice to KNOW that you were doing it right and that it would work. Especially when you haven't slept and you've been doing pu/pd for what feels like the last ten years of your life. :)
Keep it up, ladies!!! It does get better, I promise! (3 minutes to pu for the last 2 naps, and I'm on day 5!)
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Day 3 PU/PD
2:30am - I'm beginning to wonder if a habitual pattern is emerging (yesterday it was 2:40am). I went in reswaddled and commited some accidental parenting :oops: (actually it was more like intentional-accidental parenting). I held Matthew for 20 minutes until he was doing the "I can hardly keep my eyes open" then I put him down. I wasn't ready to do PU/PD. I know. . . .I know . . . . shame on me.
4:40am - DS woke and would not settle. In fact he made hungry cues/cries so we only attempted PU/PD for 18 minutes then fed him. He took almost an entire feed. Changed, reswaddled and lay him in his crib - only had to go back in once and put a hand on him and he was out.
9:45am - 8 minutes AND no PU :D :D :D (although our days schedule went out the window because we all slept past our usual wake time of 6/6:30 am - I guess it tells you how exhaused we all are).
1:35pm - 7 minutes no PU AND we did this at Grandma's house. I was so glad, I don't think I could have stood to see the look on my mom's face if it took 30 or 40 minutes.
5:55pm - 38 minutes several PU/PD's and 2 reswaddlings. It is this night PD that seems to be the hardest on all of us.
Anyone have any tips/suggestions for me? You've been so helpful thus far. Keep the tips rolling my way!!!
I'm off to have a bubble bath!!! I've earned it today. :wink:
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So I never made it to the bath - just as I was about to hit SUBMIT for this message. DS wakes up. This time it's his hungry cry. He gulps down a whole feed in great time. I changed, reswaddled and lay him down. I stayed with him for 12 minutes but left the room while he was still awake. I could even hear him doing "leg slams" - he was quiet otherwise.
Hopefully now I can have that much needed bath.
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Kathy sounds like you are doing great & to be honest, if you work on the going down to sleep at the start of the night/naps, deal with the resettling later.
There is a wonderful lady called Teddy, who posts mostly Toddler discipline stuff, but her lo is a little older than Aiden & she used to post lots for the sleeping boards & she always said to people it's how they go down at the start of the night tha is important at first & as they master that, you help them along with the resettling. As long as you didn't rock Matthew to completely to sleep & he was drowsy when you put him back in... I say well done girl... do it again & when the naps & bed time are downpat, you might find, you don't have to worry about it or you have the energy to do PU/PD.
My other things is, when you are doing something like PU/PD & your lo's get "over stimulated & cranky" they probably do need that extra feed, so offer it, don't get so caught up in "I didn't feed you for a week, why do you want it now" While I say Liam sleeps 7.30 -4/5, there is almost always one night a week, like last night, where he wants a feed at 2 or 3 & then does through to 6/7, don't know why just the way it is.
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Kathy--It sounds like you're coming around the bend. The late nap is the hardest for us too. Today DS basically mantra cried for 40 minutes (never got really upset, just mantra cry) and we got him up after trying half-heartedly to pu/pd. I was tired, he wasn't really upset, and I was hoping if I just let him fuss he'd settle himself down. He almost did once or twice, and I settled him twice, but he just didn't want to give in and sleep.
I'm bracing for a relaspe, and we'll see how well it goes with DH tomorrow while I'm at work, but I feel like at least we know it's working.
Good luck and have a great week!
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I had DS on the 3rd of May so we're real close. just wanted to send a quicky....have to go dreamfeed DS. I'm in for chats...whatnot. I'll have more time to reply tomorrow.
Later,
carrie
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Sounds like everyone is doing a little adjusting these days!
We've had much better days & nights lately. LO isn't back to sleeping through the night but he isn't staying up for hours at a time so I'm okay with a little night waking. He also didn't wake before his DF last night and went right back to sleep after eating! I was so excited!
I have a clarification question about PUPD...do you put down on a mantra cry? Or does it depend on the body language that goes with it? Sometimes I think we should and then others not. Wasn't sure what the majority thought about that one.
Well we go in for the 4 month well baby visit on friday. Lots of shots. I'm afraid our whole weekend is going to be shot. Maybe I should have scheduled it earlier in the week?!
Well today is the first day that the sitter is coming to the house. I'm not planning to really do anything just have her observe me. We'll see how it goes!
Hope everyone had a good weekend!
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Hi... my dd was born May 30... I just notice your chat forum... I think I need to catch up with past days... just wanted to get into the forum and to know me... Hi to everyone.....
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Welcome Carrie & Daniela!
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we are back from a long weekend with the inlaws, and my house desparately needs cleaned and laundry needs done...but instead i am posting a message:) just wanted to say HANG IN THERE to kathy and theresa. you will make it. i am so impressed with your persistence. it will pay off. keep us posted. i hope you both are having good days!
maria
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Welcome Carrie and Daniela. This forum has been a great help to me - I hope you get loads of tips and suggestions from it too! Be sure to fill us in on how your LO's are doing.
Jill (jjstar) - re: to PD on mantra cry or not??? My LO will go from his hysterical cry, to quiet when I pick him up, and then only will start the mantra when I lay him down. I would suggest that if your DS is doing the mantra in your arms to lay him down and see if the mantra continues. If it escalates back up into the frantic cry, pick him up. If not, give him a chance to settle himself. Other moms agree??? I have noticed that when we started I was too quick to pick DS up - he seems to need to let out a few BIG cries and just when I think I need to pick him up, he goes out like a light.
Jill, we also have our shots on Thursday - I am sooo not ready for it. This week with the PU/PD has taken its toll on me. I am EXHAUSTED. To think that this may throw Matthew out of wack even more makes me cringe . . . .
Maria (Cambel's Mom) thanks for the words of encouragement. It's been a tough/challenging while and I have never had such big bags under my eyes. Actually, that's not true, but it sure feels like it!!!!!
Theresa (MommyTSA) - keep letting me know how your LO is making out with the PU/PD. Right now you are my guide for what to expect. I keep reading DH your posts . . . it keeps us going. Thanks!
I will post a Day 4 update tonght - I've been going it alone all day today (boy I sure miss having DH around to spell me off).
Later!
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We had an interesting night last night... bath time - pop Liam in the bath while dh is getting Aiden undressed... then suddenly notice a big yellow floater or 2... Liam poo's once a week or so & they are 'toothpaste like- but yellow, anyway whisk him out, pass to dh & I jump in the shower with him, while dh undresses Aiden, then hand Liam to dh & I shower Aiden.
Then put Liam to bed... Liam loved the shower, but a difficult juggle, so not sure we will repeat it too often.
Then all quiet until 1am Liam wakes up??? the night before he woke at 2am & I had forgotten to put the heater on, so he was cold, but last night??? Anyway as he consistently goes from bedtime to 3/4/5, I wasn't going to feed him, so I spent 15mins & resettled him, thinking ok he'll sleep till about 3am... no at 3.30 Aiden started chatting away & then I'm back off to sleep & it's 6am & he woke up. So he just was awake enough at 1am to want to party... I think I need to up the stimulation in the day time.
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Welcome to Carrie and Daniela! The more the merrier!
Jill, sometimes I put down on the mantra cry sometimes not. DS can mantra cry for hours, so ifhe's been going at it for a while, I pick him up and calm him to sort of switch his mind into sleep mode.
Kathy, I'm so glad it's been helpful for you! I knoe that throughout this whole thing I've been worried that I was doing it right and was going to mess DS up even more. I don't have any suggestions about the shots messing this up too, because I don't have ours until next Friday. I can tell you though, that today we seem to be having a little regression. It's not as bad as it was the first day or two, but it's been taking 20-30 minutes to put him down and he's only been sleeping an hour instead of two, and I haven't been really trying to extend the naps that hard. I figure one thing at a time. First get him to sleep without the paci on his own, then worry about the length of the naps. It's probably not the right thing, but it makes sense to me. I guess we'll see how I feel about it in a few days.
Well, it's time for bath and bed. Talk to you ladies later!
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Hi all. Wow, I really had to do a lot of reading to catch up on all the activity going on. I can't reply to everyone but wanted to tell all of you who are working on PU/PD to hang in there and that I am keeping my fingers crossed for you!!! :)
Re: the mantra cry --- Jake does this-- especially if I miss his cues. I have found that with JAke, it's best to leave him be as he needs to do it. If I go in and PU, he gets worked up. So, unless he's been doing it for a long time, I just let him go and he usually settles fairly quickly. I think in Tracy's new book it says not to PU if mantra cry-- not sure, so if you have it, may want to double check.
Kate-- wow, I don't know how you do it with 2 -- I'm still trying to figure out 1!!!
As for the 4 mo. shots -- Jake had his last week and I actually thought he was a little better than after his 2 mo. shot. Maybe I just thought this because the doc said that he should do better with the 4 mo than the 2 mo. but it seemed like he was OK. He was a little fussier and I did some accidentaly parenting :oops: to get him to sleep once or twice because he was running a slight fever and a little out of sorts but we were back on track after one day. So, good luck to all of you whose lo's have to get them this week! Don't you just hate those darn shots?!?!? I always feel so bad for Jake. He'll be smiling and giggling and then here come the shots... poor guy, doesn't even know they are coming.
As for us-- back to work is still going Ok -- mainly because the project I was working on before leave went away suddenly so I have been been able to leave very early every day that I've been back so far. This has made the transition easier on me. Today, we had the first day at daycare. The daycare provider followed our routine and Jake even took 2 good naps at daycare and then a catnap at home. I was so surprised she got him to sleep and stay asleep because at home he sleeps in a dark room and it's quiet but at daycare he sleeps in a Pak N' Play while all the other children are playing. Can't believe she got him to sleep and she even put him down drowsy but awake. :shock: He was giggling and smiling when I picked him up, which made me feel so good. :D
Andrea -- are you back at work yet??? Big Hugs to you! I hope it is going well -- or as well as can be expected.
OK-- sorry so long but I have missed replying to so many of your posts and hope you and your lo's are all doing well.
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Day 4 PU/PD and Paci weaning
Well, yesterday I suspected habitual waking at the 2:30am time slot- of course I was wrong.
This time DS woke at 1:10AM. Wasn't fully awake, but had his swaddle all messed up so I reswaddled and held him again for 20 minutes.
4:07am hungar cry - fed DS a full 8oz, changed and reswaddled and left the room. He sniffled, moved about, sucked his fingers and was generally restless for a little over 30 minutes. So I went back in laid my hand on him and he drifted off.
8:30am NO PU/PD!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: From the moment I lay Matthew in the crib to the time that he fell asleep was 12 minutes. (I always lay on the floor and peek to see how he is doing). The downside was he only lasted for a 45 minute cycle. :( I thought I'd use this as an opportunity to get DS back on schedule. So I din't attempt to try and put him back down - It kind of worked.
10:30am Matthew displayed all of the cues for sleeping but I was in a dilemma . .. we had a doctors appointment at 11:20 - I knew I couldn't get in a 45 minute cycle so I didn't put him down. I put him in his carseat and covered him up - he was fairly quiet but would kick his feet every now and then so I knew he wasn't asleep. I was nervous that he would be cranky and overtired for the doctor but he was amazing. Didn't cry when he was stripped naked and put on the scale, poked and prodded. He smiled and laughed the entire time. A much different case from the last time we were in.
He fell asleep on the drive home and so I left him in his carseat. I was praying that I would get more than 1 45 minute cycle in . . .didn't happen.
12:40pmIt took 38 minutes to put him back down BUT only 1 PU/PD. I did however have to go lay my hand on him about 3 or 4 times and tell him it was "time to go night-night".
4:15pm it took 18 minutes for Matthew to go to sleep. No PU/PD was necessary, just had to lay my hand on him once or twice and help get his fingers back in his mouth.
7:55pm THE BEST YET!!!! :P :P :P We had an amazing wind down. Matthew and I lay on the floor, DH read us a story using a whisper voice, lots of finger sucking and trying to roll from back to front. . . .but it was very mellow. We lay there smiling at each other and lots of rubs and pats. I was getting nervous because DS wasn't showing any sleepy signs, so made a command decision to put him into his crib. We walked out of the room and that's been our night. NO PU/PD and NO need to soothe - just walked out and left the room !!!
One thing I have learned out about my DS is if I lay him down on his tummy he will scoot around the crib - he has back slept since day 1. It has been a challenge since we have left one arm unswaddled. If he is on his back it will flail all about. I've tried swaddling it partially in, but he always manages to free his arm.
SOOOOO . . . here's what I do. . . .when I swaddle Matthew with one arm out, I brace the free arm bent towards his mouth and stick him right against his bumper pads (I have very thick and almost hard pads - not gushy ones) and place a rolled up towel along the other side of him. He can't roll away to free his arm. This provides the control for when his arm begins to flail. It has worked really well for us.
Kate - I think I said I believed Matthew wasn't going through a growth spurt, but I think he proved me wrong (again). At the doctor today he had grown a full inch in 5 days!!!! Every week I take him into a health clinic for
a weight and measurement check - at the office today I said that they must have made a mistake, but sure enough when they measured again he was up a whole inch!
Theresa - I'm expecting a relapse either tomorrow or the next day. Overall, I'm so pleased to see how far we've come. DH and I used to hold him down, try to hold the paci in, cover his eyes, and stop him from turning his head side to side. What a difference AND on top of things, NO PACI!!!!! :lol: :lol:
I hope everyone else is doing well. Please keep us posted.
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So, we jumped into the PU/PD train 2 nights ago, and the first night it took 2 hours of hysterical crying to go to sleep. Yesterday during the day, she would go to sleep quite easily (20 mins), but she had pretty bad naps (1/2 hour or so) and I had to shh/pat to get her down to sleep for another 1/2 hour or so.
BUT the night sleep was way better. It only took me about 10 mins of shh/pat and putting my hand on top of her to get her settled. I mean, from +1 hour that took me before to 10 mins and sleeping in her crib, it's a great improvement for all of us!
She woke up asking for her dream feed at 10pm and after that, she woke up at 12.30 (put her back to sleep in 20 mins), 1AM (fed her, only had about 4oz and changed her nappy), 3AM (put her back to sleep), 4AM (fed her, took 6 oz) and 6.45 AM
What is this??? I just cannot believe she wants to eat every 2 hours... I'm not buying it... maybe, as Kate said in one of her posts, she needs more calories during the day, but honestly, I don't know how to make her eat more. Normally day feeds are a struggle since she is more interested in anything else but eating. Any suggestions?
About whether to PU during mantra cries - the book says NOT to PU. I don't PU since I know DD pretty well and that's her way of "letting go", but if she would do it for more than 10 mins, I would definetly pick her up.
Wish me luck. We're going today to the Ped because DD and I have a cold and DD has a sore throat and need some medication. Also, since the formula I had is in the lost suitcase, I have to ask from the Doc for a new prescription (in this country is very unsual for a Mom to feed formula to her baby before 6 months) so I have to practically beg the Doc to give it to me and put up with the dirty looks at the pharmacy when I buy it. I don't like to put up with that, but my nipples are still sore from last week + bfeeding her during the trip and the cream that I got to heal them is -surprise, surprise - also in he lost suitcase...
We will only have the 4 months shots next week, but as a consolation to the ones that will have it this week, I've heard form several people that the 4 month ones are not that bad...
I still have plenty on comments, but I don't want this post to be too long.
Well, gotta go... I have to get ready for the Doc.
Good luck to the ones doing PU/PD and I wish a good day (or night, depending on which part of the world you are) to everyone!!
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Kathy it sounds like things are going well for you guys! Hope it continues that way for you!!
About my question about the mantra cry...I was asking if you PD on a mantra. I also don't PU on mantra because Jameson has to do a little of that right before he goes out completely. I'm guessing the PD depends on more than just the type of cry.
Well today at bible study he staying in the nursery the entire time. All the other times I've had to go get him because he has been hysterically crying. Maybe he is getting a little more independent in his little body?!
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OH MY GOSH :shock: :shock: :shock:
When I first saw this I didn't see that there were 25 pages already. I guess I shouldn't post when I should be saying goodnight to my pillow :oops: I have soooooooooooooooooooooo much reading to do to catch upwith everyone. It will be nice to share notes with mom's that have lo's the same age though.
Looking forward to catching up and joining in....(might take a few days) :wink:
Carrie
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Jill-- actually been wondering the same thing on the mantra (sorry I misunderstood you the first time around!! :oops: ) I usually hold him until he is calm before putting down (so, no, I don't PD on mantra cry)but I, too, was wondering how calm is calm for the PD part? I was going to post it in the PU/PD forum but just haven't gotten to it yet. On that same topic, I am wondering if you put down when your lo is showing signs of settling? For example, Jake does this little grunt when he is settling (sounds like Tim the Tool Man if you ever watched the show "Tool Time"). I don't know if I should put him down when he's doing that because he's not totally calm but is in the process of calming himself and many times he'll grunt and start to settle but then get upset again very quickly. Anyone have any ideas about that??
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Quick post re the MANTRA Cry/ when to put down... my swing on it is you PD when you feel it is the right time for your baby...I sort of know that when Liam is calm & then starts wriggling again it is the time to put him down, then if he is down & does his mantra cry, I will just pat & shsh him as he settles into a comfortable position & finds his hands to suck.
I think like most of baby stuff the key of EASY is to understand the right cues your lo's give you & working with what they are showing you... they have a unique way of telling things... like now Liam is telling me "mummy nap time" as he is getting a "rise" in his chat.
Carrie, I would just read the last 3-4 pages, most of the stuff before that is when our lo's were younger & they develop so much.
When I get back to this, later I'm going to post some questions to give us all a summary, I've kind of lost track of where people are at.
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oh my gosh you miss a couple of days and there are 3 new pages of posts!
I hope today of PU/PD went well for everyone. I tell you it saved our lives when we did it with Taylor about 5 weeks ago. It took 3 and 1/2 days before we saw major progress and she started putting herself to sleep on her own. Kathy, don't be surprised if Matthew starts going off to sleep on his own from now on. The first night it happened with Taylor DH and I were amazed and thought it was a fluke, but ever since that night she has continued to do it for naps and bed. There are of course the occasional days when she needs me to reassure her and pat her, etc., but all in all I would say she does it on her own.
I never picked up on a Mantra Cry...just let her work it out. I agree with Kate that I think like everything you have to modify PU/PD for your baby. There were times when Taylor was screaming but I didn't PU because I could just tell it would work her up even more. And when I would PU and as soon as she started squirming/nuzzling her face in chest, etc., I put her down right away because that is their way of trying to settle themselves.
Maria, I am with you that our LO's contiune to amaze us with the sleepign thing. Like so many of you after a great few weeks, the last week she has started night wakings and doing a 45 minute nap every other day or so. Last night she woke up at 5 but didn't need us to get her back to sleep, which is great, but we of course couldn't go back to sleep! :evil:
She has also started to wake up before her 11pm DF which she hasn't done in weeks!!! It has happened about 4 out of the last 7 nights. She wakes about 10:20 and will not go back down until we feed her. Any thoughts on why they are doing this?
We definitely need to do something about this thread, as it is way too long don't you all think?
Kate-I agree that we should do a recap of some sort.
Take care everyone and good luck out there!
Jamom-BTW, I start back on Monday :cry: I can't believe no more Target trips in the afternoon with Taylor and no more getting to see her smiley face when she wakes up from naps!
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one more thing about the last cat nap of the day...I have read in many posts, including one from Matthew's Mommy (the awesome moderator of the nap forum), that the last cat nap is a freebie. Meaning they can sleep anywhere-in your arms, in the swing, in the car doing errands (my personal favorite).
So if you are finding it all too stressful to get them down in their crib for that last cat nap, do whatever you know will help.
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okay I'm on a roll tonight! I just thought of a few Q's :?: :?: that I would love some/all of you to answer:
1. when do you think you will start solids?
2. does anyone know when they drop the cat nap?
3.what happens when they drop the cat nap, meaning they will be up for 4-5 hours? Do you spread the time between the other 2 naps? how does that work for feeds then?
4. does anyone know if the 45 minute nap thing can come and go?
5. with other babies I know and I have heard that at a certain point/age, many babies will only need one long nap (be it the morning or afternoon), and then one other short nap. does anyone know what age taht becomes so?
thanks!!! you all are the best and I love having you all as a resource to help with this scary time!
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Ok quick responses...
Solids at 6mo... not before as I don't want to risk the long term possible consequences & I managed to last to 6mo with Aiden & he was also a big baby & even if it means a night feed again I want what's best for Liam
Drop the cat nap - well we don't have one, we now have 2 catnaps in the am most days as Liam is often mid sleep when we need to go to swimming, a play date or the like, then we have a longish mid day one & a 1.25 hour one in the pm !!
If you drop the catnap, the other ones would spread out... if you do 4hour Easy, you either have 3 longer ones or 2 + a cat nap, it sort of works around them extending their awake time to 2+ hours long
45mins naps come & go... by the time they move around ie crawl they go for most people (tireder babies) & come back around the transition to 1 nap/day when they aren't quiet tired enough for a long one, but can't last the distance to have one nap type of thing
The 2 naps (1 longer, 1 shorter or 2 roughly same) happens usually after solids are established, sometime around 6-9mo... my niece was 6mo, Aiden was 9mo... he only dropped his 2nd nap at 21mo, which is very late, most babies its around 15mo
The textbook type transition would say- 3naps at 4mo, 2 at 6mo, 1 at 12mo... but that can vary by a few months.
Off to the park now Liam is due for a nap... on our last nap of the day- which has always been my freebie... he gets the paci or we go in the pram, mid you his morning naps can be a bit like that too... but the mid day one is pretty much sacred in this house. Both boys napping together is my sanity!!!
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Can't answer all the questions now but just wondering, Kate, why is it you are worried about the solids?? I asked my doc at the 4 mo. appointment when we should start introducing and he said to start some rice cereal, making it very thin, more so Jake could start to learn how to push food to the back of his mouth than Jake really needing the solids. Is there a health concern in doing this??? I have to say after a week or so, he has come to love his cereal and is doing well pushing it back and getting it down. So far, I haven't seen any signs of stomach problems or constipation. Although we are doing very little (about 1 tsp mixed with 4 tsp formula), so that could be why. The pamphlet the doc gave me told me to introduce solids very slowly and to start with rice cereal because it is the least likely for allergies. Then, once they get the hang of eating it, you can try other varieties. I was going to do rice cereal for about a month, making it a little thicker each week, and then add other foods. Let me know....
Will post more later... need to get Jake ready for the day!
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This will be quick as we off for a day of shopping in Atlanta!! Jameson went down without a pat or anything last night for bed!! DH & I were so amazed we couldn't believe it. But then of course he woke up 20 minutes before the DF so it didn't make it a perfect night...if it isn't one thing it is another, right?!
Hope everyone has a great day!
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Day 5 PU/PD and Paci Weaning
This was almost the perfect day . . . (then DH came home :? )
NO PU/PD needed for all naps! I just lay Matthew in his crib and said night-night and that was it. :D :D :D It would take him anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes to fall alseep, but he managed very well.
That is until DH tried to put him down for the night. I frimly believe DH has to get the hang of PU/PD as well, so I didn't want to interfere. At one point I tried giving him some suggestions, but DH told me he didn't need me to criticize. It was then that I stepped out of the room - I was pi$$ed. I brought in a bottle around the 60 minute mark and DS was finally asleep over 100 minutes from his original start time. *ugh* painful!
Let me tell you, that sure killed our evening :roll: :roll: :roll: At least DH came out and said "I feel so bad because I caused this". Then we had a good conversation about what to do next time.
For those moms who are considering PU/PD, let me say it's been the best thing! It sure was a stressful, draining process but the end is worth it! I never thought we'd make it through but we did.
Questions . . .
1. when do you think you will start solids?
My LO was on rice cereal for almost 2 full months - acting as thickener for his reflux. He started out really well. Then just before we took him off, he refused his bottles and was extremely consitpated. We went through this for about 3 weeks. It was so hard on me. Since stopping with the 'thickening' I've had my happy boy return. I'm not too certain when I will try giving him cereal on a spoon. I'm inclined to wait until the 6-month mark. Not entirely sure though . . . . Matthew has a spoon that he pretends to eat with, he sits well and holds his head up, shows and interested in what we eat, his tongue reflux is really disappearing, and he has doubled his weight. I guess, I'll just wait a while and see how he is doing.
2. does anyone know when they drop the cat nap?
Can't help you much here. Before PU/PD we never had a catnap, just 3 longer naps. His schedule still needs some tweaking, but if my LO looks like he may need more sleep, I'll certainly try to get him down for another one.
3.what happens when they drop the cat nap, meaning they will be up for 4-5 hours? Do you spread the time between the other 2 naps? how does that work for feeds then?
4. does anyone know if the 45 minute nap thing can come and go?
5. with other babies I know and I have heard that at a certain point/age, many babies will only need one long nap (be it the morning or afternoon), and then one other short nap. does anyone know what age taht becomes so?
This is where we need the expertise of experienced moms with LO's who are a bit older. Can't help you here - sorry. We're just going with the flow right now. I chuckle when I think my LO will be up for 4/5 hours - 1.75 hrs is hard enough to stay awake for.
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Jill, Kathy – I soooo much envy you guys!!!! I can see you have come a long way!!! How did it happened? Usually, when I put Anna Krisztina down on her crib, I still need to do shh/pat. Is my intervention preventing her from falling asleep on her own? What do you do? Just just put your LO’s in the crib and walk away and if they fuss you go back and do PU/PD? I need your secret!!!
On my side, Anna Krisztina has improved a lot: for every nap she only needs about 3 PU/PD and then she’ll be down for the full 2 hours. Her meals have become more consistent (every 4 hours and between 4 and 7 oz, depending on the time of the day) and last night after her dream feed at 11 pm, she only woke up at 3am (exactly the 4 hour mark), so I am very happy and very proud of her. I cross my fingers that this pattern will continue.
Kathy, I feel so much about what happened with your DH… something in that line happened to me early this morning. Last night we agreed that he should get more involved with the baby (he wouldn’t even dream feed her) So he df’d her last night with me in the room as his security blanket) and we agreed that he would do the PU/PD if necessary that night. Anna Krisztina woke up at 6am (1 hour before) and, as it was his 1st time, we went together to her room and I asked him to put his hand over mine so he would feel the strenght and the rithm of the shh/pat. When AK was already with her eyes closed, we switched and her started the sh/pat. She was still with her eyes closed. I left the room b/c I needed to wash a bottle for her and when I came back, DH was asleep and AK was wide awake. I woke him up and asked him what happened and he just told me „Look, she really doesn’t want to sleep”. I was so angry!! I put her back to sleep in 10 mins and explained him the importance of teaching the baby the right time for her to wake up. I guess it will take some time for him to get the whole picture of this thing.
About the questions:
1. when do you think you will start solids?
I am not even thinking of starting solids right now. I am still trying to get her in a consistent pattern with the bottle, so I don’t even want to introduce her any other thing. Anyway, I think that here in HU the custom is to introduce solids at 6 months.
2. does anyone know when they drop the cat nap?
I think they have to keep the catnap and drop the other longer sleeps until you get to the point that they take a nap in the mid-morning and a catnap in the afternoon…. Not 100% sure
3.what happens when they drop the cat nap, meaning they will be up for 4-5 hours? Do you spread the time between the other 2 naps? how does that work for feeds then?
No idea
4. does anyone know if the 45 minute nap thing can come and go?
I hope they would drop it, but Kate said they come and go
5. with other babies I know and I have heard that at a certain point/age, many babies will only need one long nap (be it the morning or afternoon), and then one other short nap. does anyone know what age that becomes so?
No idea
Well, I gotta go and grab some dinner.
Have a good day / night everyone!
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As far as how we've gotten LO to go down without a pat...consistency is what seems to work for our touchy baby! He went down like a dream again tonight but woke 90 minutes later crying like someone was hurting him. I was able to get him down in just 10 minutes of PU/PD. We'll see if he wakes again before the DF or not. I think he might have a cold or something because his cry sounds somewhat dry. I'm glad we go tomorrow for the well baby visit...might turn into a sick baby visit with the rate things are going.
1. when do you think you will start solids? I'm honestly afraid of this. I'm going to ask the Ped. tomorrow to see his thoughts. I personally would like to keep him on BF as long as possible. I know it works so why fix it?!
2. does anyone know when they drop the cat nap? I'm just following the cues so I'm guessing he'll tell us when he is ready.
3.what happens when they drop the cat nap, meaning they will be up for 4-5 hours? Do you spread the time between the other 2 naps? how does that work for feeds then? I know right now we're on a mixed up 3.5 hour EASY and after his 3rd nap I feed him and then he is up until he is ready for bed for the night. So I guess this will be somewhat the same without the 3rd 2 hr nap that he gets now.
4. does anyone know if the 45 minute nap thing can come and go? I just follow his cues and if he acts non-sleepy when he wakes after 45-50 minutes then we have some activity. If not I do PUPD and he goes back to sleep within 10 minutes for at least an hour.
5. with other babies I know and I have heard that at a certain point/age, many babies will only need one long nap (be it the morning or afternoon), and then one other short nap. does anyone know what age taht becomes so? If I remember correctly the book says by 18 mos but I'm sure it depends on the child. I have a friend that has a 4 year old that still takes 2 naps everyday.
well I'm off to have a snack and some tv before DF time.
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Jamon....Ok my spin on the solids, not before 6mo.
* The World Health Organisation defenitely recommends solids not before 6mo firstly becuase it isn't needed by the baby nutritionaly.
* Food allergies & gastrointestional dissorders in the child/adult population are on the rise, later introduction, helps reduce the risk of these later in life...yes most babies take to solids like a duck to water & don't have problems now, but I'm relating my stand to the effects it may have on Liam when he is 5, or 25 or 45.
* while the link of increased food allergy in the babies of the "next generation" of babies given solids early is not proven ie I know I was given solids from 3mo & I had food allergies & Aiden, who was held off, still has allergies to the things I do??? there is talk there is correlation.
* OK it is only anecdotal, but I do know in my parents time it was common to give them at 6wo & that generation has a huge incidence of Type II diabetes & gastrointesinal disorders. While our generation (20-40yo) have one of the highest rates of people getting crohns disease (autoimmune intestinal disease).... I know 4 people with it.
*Also in the rest of history (pre 20th C), most babies didn't get solids until nearly a year old! & it more "tribal" cultures, solids are introduced later not sooner
* Also with people giving lots of jar/tin food, you have less control over how food is made & I worry about the long term consequences of giving that sort of "processed" food, so the less time before they can eat family food the better
* My other personal reason for holding off... it is a pain in the neck giving solids, you feel like you are feeding them all the time & it doesn't really help sleeping for a few weeks & infact can sometimes cause more waking. Once you get past baby rice & on to veg, you end up feeling like there is mess everywhere & then when you go out you have to remember solids & well it is just a pain until they are about 12mo & you can pretty much just give one meal & milk as a drink, but before that it is a juggling game as far as I am concerned.
Now I fully admit, neither boy has seen a Ped, except on hospital discharge, it isn't common for well babies to see them in Australia, but I do take them to the equivalent of a "well baby clinic", but having almost married a Dr & he shared a flat with a Ped, I know how they are actually not always up to date on some of the research even in their own field. Many medicos will give information that was current when they were trained, or from the last time, they happened to read up about "something" the medical world is changing so quickly it is hard for them to keep up & also having been in medical research (immunology & allergy) for many years, I know many Dr's (esp older ones) don't always want to change the ideas they've held true for their career.... It seems that many Ped's tend to suggest that babies need solids, when mothers complain that they aren't sleeping well (that & let your lo Cry it out) because in many cases it will work & if it doesn't well because people hold Drs in high regard, they think "oh I must be doing something wrong.
jj star when you see your ped & if he/she recommends starting, ask under what grounds that recommendation is made, as in the last 2-3 years WHO have definitely recommended against it & my thought is if you are happy with the BF, that is all your lo needs!
OK it is a long post & I don't think I actually said everything on how I formed my decision but I guess having worked in research & with Dr's I tend to trust the former more than the later & let you guys make your own decisions... If you're happy with solids early do it!
Oh & congratulations to those of you doing so well with the Paci weaning & PU/PD
I have to get back into a routine with Liam, he is so much the third wheel sometimes & with the transitions to 4hour feeds, his naps & night sleeps aren't going as well as they did before.
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Hi I am new to this board and have a touchy/reflux baby. DS was born 4/5/05. He was 6 weeks early(due 5/15/05).
Problem: 30 minute naps 4- 5 per day
I will try going in to resettle before he cries. I did this tonight for bed and he went down after 5 PU/PD and awoke after 38minutes and just needing to give paci for about 5 minutes.
He is breast feed only (takes EBM at the sitters) and sleeps 8:30 to 7:00 sometimes up once for 3am feed.
What times may be good for naps right now they are all over the board.
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Wow, lots going on today!
I have to say that for the last two nights, I've been able to put Aaron down and walk away. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D Just like that, no pat /shh, no pu/pd, nothing. But naps have been difficult, especially the catnap. :( For most of his day time naps, we're still having a few minutes of fussing and a little pu/pd, but the catnap is so hard on him that I sometimes still have to do "intentional accidental parenting" in order to get him to sleep, and then it's the only nap of the day that he'll sleep for longer than 45-50 minutes, so I have to really watch the clock to make sure that he doesn't just "sleep through" bath and bedtime.
I think part of it may be that DH is the one doing the day naps, then I do the catnap and bedtime, so there's kind of a transition from his way to my way at the catnap, and it might be confusing on DS, even though we try to do things the same way. I dunno. Might just be that evenings are just his fussy time because he's not getting enough day sleep.
I think we'll see about switching him all the way to the 4 hour EASY (we've been on 3.5) and see if that helps, even though lately he seems to be having a hard time staying up even 1.5 hours unless he's being held for the last 30 min, which DH won't do. DH is now saying that he's just going to start expecting 45 min naps. I think I'll slowing work on him to see if I can get him to try extending the A time and do the 4 hour schedule. Boy, but sometimes it feels like I've got 2 kids, not one!
Andrea--I can't be of any help on your questions, since I haven't ever had a really good schedule for more than about two weeks before something screws it up, and I'm just happy when he takes any naps at all. I can say that I'm going to try to hold off on solids until 6 months, mostly because it just seems to me that breastmilk is free, easy and convenient (yes, even with pumping because of work I still think it's convenient). Why buy more stuff and spend more time than you have to if it's something that hasn't been shown to be really beneficial? JMO.
Kathy, Congratulations!!!! You're now doing better than I am, so keep it up, and now you can keep me posted!
Sylvia, your DH will come around when he figures out that BW is so good, and he might just need a little more "supervision" to make sure he's doing things "right" and to gain some confidence. Mine now spends more time with my DS than I do :( , but he still feels very overwhlemed, underprepared and insecure about everything, especially pu/pd because it is soooo hard for them to understand that by doing it you are teaching a valuable life skill and it is so worth the time, effort and emotional energy. I suggested that DH actually read the book (novel concept, I know!) or log on here since I saw at least one other new dad posting recently, but he gave me that "are you kidding, woman?" look, so I didn't press it.
I'm hoping for both of us that things come around and our lo's will get the hang of it soon!
Hope you guys all are doing well and wish everyone a good night's sleep.
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thanks ladies for trying to respond to my questions. I know they are tough ones and we are all trying to still figure things out! :roll:
My ped said she thinks we should definitely try to hold off on solids as long as we can (until at least 6 months), and by the way Taylor is sleeping and seems to be content, I agree. I'm lucky that my Ped knows about the BW and endorses Tracy's methods, so she is not "old school" by any means. I was asking you all just out of curiosity mostly...
One thing Taylor has been doing though lately is waking up before her DF and acting really hungry so we feed her early (tonight it was at 10:20 when it is normally at 11). So it does lead me to believe that she is getting hungrier, but I think if I just work on her getting a nice good full feed before bed time she'll be good for a couple more months.
Congratulations Kathy on your success with dd. It is a wonderful feeling when you can put them in the crib and walk away, isn't it? Many days I am still totally amazed with Taylor and how far she has come. It makes me not mind at all teh few times she does need me to help her get to sleep! :D (even in the middle of the night sometimes).
Theresa-I know the frustrations you are feeling with DH, but it seems that he is at least trying. They can be a pain though! It's so funny to hear my DH tell other people about how good Taylor is now with her routine and sleeping, etc. He always says "we" worked so hard and "we" trained her, etc. I laugh because he did help out a lot (much more than a lot of dads I know), but along the way he questioned me a bazillion times! Gotta love them though :wink: BTW, remember that the cat nap is the hardest nap of the day to get them down for, so don't beat yourself up! I honestly have to keep Taylor up for about 2.5 hours before she'll take her cat nap. Very weird!
Anyhow, have a great night everyone!
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Kathy-sorry I meant DS! :oops:
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Firstly congrats to all the mums who are getting their lo's down with very little intervention, it feels good when that happens.
Theresa, I know what you mean about having a dh who is more like a child, I used to find it hard with my dh & naps with Aiden. So far dh has changed 1 nappy in Liam's life, no naps or anything else, but give him his due he does pretty much everything for Aiden when he is at home, so I feel pretty happy about it, although I have a luncheon for my work next month & will need dh to look after Liam for about 5 hours, so he will need to do nappies, naps & a bottle, which I need to work on as I haven't offered one in weeks... too much work!
I do think the different person & styles does make a difference at first, then after awhile they adjust.
Re bedtime, with Liam, it has always been easy, but for the most part everything about him is easy (he is almost a total angel baby) but with Aiden, night times have either been fantastic or a horror.
Andrea with Taylor waking earlier for the dream feed it may also be her being more alert to the world... when Aiden dropped our late night feed, (5mo) we had a week of him not settling at bed time until I gave a top up feed on the 5th night & he started sleeping 11hours from then (until he got sick & it all went pear shaped. he always woke for a 10ish feed until that point & a friend told me her lo did similar & I thought as I read what you were saying, that maybe Taylor is saying "now is a good time for me" for the feed! As you BF, you could try doing what I do (that's if you bath in the evening before bed) is offer a feed before the bath & after the bath as well... by evening bm is so much thicker & so they can tire of sucking & this gives a chance to top up if that is the case... it works for me as Liam does 8-11 hours from that feed & I think he would consistently do the longer if we didn't have such disrupted days, but unfortunately par of the course for a second child.
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hello!
i am living in the UK with Ethan who was born May 7th so has just hit four months. i have been slow at starting a schedule and found that my son sort of sets his own!
He is easiest to get to sleep in the morning (especially if I offer the boob, something i am trying NOT to do since discovering the sleep interview!) and sort of encouraged us to move his bedtime routine up to starting at around 7pm from 7:30 by falling asleep on us repeatedly!
i am thinking about pick up put down for those difficult nights when he wakes us after only 5 hours sleep but i worry that he could be hungry and he isn't the chunkiest of babes so its hard to be sure. in the UK weening isn't recommended until 6 months or as close to that as you can swing it. it sure is nice to hear everyone elses' experiences though. (can you tell he is our firstborn?)
i am just thankful for this fantastic website!
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Welcome Maggieruth & Ethan
Well dh is watching the Ashes (Aust v England Cricket) & Semifinals of the Rugby League (at he same time) & by the sounds his team is winning & I am just about to head off to bed, but have been meaning to do this for days...
I have lost track of everyone, so thought we should have an update, here's mine...
Baby - Liam (3.5 months/ 15.5 weeks) + toddler Aiden (25 mo) & 16yo stepdaughter
EASY, - 3.5 hour roughly - depends on the day (feed between 3 & 4 hours as sometimes hard to feed at the "right time")... tends to be 1-2 catnaps in the morning (fits around day activities) , big midday sleep 2-3hours & a catnap/longer late sleep. Wake up around 7.30/8am bed between 7 & 8... depends on naps etc.
Feeding - Breast feeding - feed cycle roughly 8, 11.30, 3, 6.30/7.15 (top up- offer second side) + One night feed some time between 4 & 6.30am... no DF
Settling routine... read stories (to Aiden, with Liam over shoulder) cuddle in room, loose wrap, couple of pats & go back when needed. Last nap is either put down with Paci (little or no wind down- due to lack of time & toddler needs- naughty mummy) or takes place in the pram on a walk to shops/park) & bedtime, is bf, bath, bf then bed.
Type of baby on BW test - Liam - 90% Angel !!! Aiden- mostly spirited/ grumpy, with a bit of textbook.
Me - Kate... SAHM for now, I have maternity leave & Long service leave until Sept 2006 (LSL leave is 3months paid leave for 10 years of service with the same employer... mine is pro-rata as I was part time for 13 months after having Aiden) - work in Medical Research, but most recently on the communications/fundraising side not in the lab anymore. Not sure if I will return to that job, but want to go back to work at least part time sometime next year.
My hobbies... sewing, cooking, swimming, walking & BW website!!!
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Here's my info:
Baby: Jacob "Jake". Born 5/2/05. First baby.
EASY: Basic 4 hour EASY. We start our day at 6:45 because I need to catch the bus for my commute. He takes 1.5-2 hour naps in morning and afternoon and an evening catnap. (Thankfully, this has continued even with him starting daycare this week!)
Feeding: We have just introduced rice cereal in the morning and at dinner. Jake is now solely formula fed. He was bf + supplemented with formula because of my supply issues prior to my return to work.
Settling routine: Different for nap than bedtime. Nap -- play lullaby, swaddle, cuddle, and lay in bed. Night -- bath every other night (the other night I do a massage), lullaby and read story, lay in bed and he sleeps until 6:30-7 the next morning!
Type of baby: Mostly textbook with a little bit of everything else but grumpy in him. He's quite a happy baby.
Me -- Just returned to work full time after a 4 mo. leave. I am an attorney. So far the return has been good but I am only on week 2 and haven't been back a full week yet.
Hobbies -- playing with our labrador retriever; walking/running/Spinning (if I have time); just spending time with Jake and my dh.
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Welcome MaggieRuth. I hope that some of the other newer moms out there will also post some info about their LO's.
Baby Info Matthew - 4 months old/18 weeks (born May 6th), arrived 3 1/2 weeks early, currently 15lbs 10oz, 25 1/2 inches in length, my first child.
EASY normally a 4hr EASY, but since introducing PU/PD we have some 3.5 hr stretches in there. Usually has 3 naps of 1.75-2 hrs. The odd catnap if he needs it.
settling routine immediately after first yawn or eye rub change DS, read him a story in a quiet 'whisper voice' (Guess how much I love you I don't show him the pictures so he doesn't get too stimulated). Sing to him as I swaddle him (only leave one arm out). Sometimes hum for a little longer. If he fusses straight away, I keep singing and give him light kisses on his cheeks - he is usually distracted by this and will calm right down. We have a bath every night.
type of baby He's textbook through and through. So happy unless I let him get overtired. He also has reflux and is on medication for it.
Me Still on Maternity leave - I plan to go back to work sometime after Christmas (probably closer to March). I teach Grades 6/7 at a traditional school. Live in the center of British Columbia (Canada) and expect to have snow on the ground by November! 33 yrs old
Hobbies I am into triathlons (swimming, biking, running). Unbeknownst to me, Matthew I have completed an ironman together (2.4mi/3.86km swim, 112mi/180km bike, 26.2mi/42.2km run)!!! - I was only just 2 weeks pregnant. I have started back running/swimming again. In the winter I will be x-country skiing.
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Well we had a pretty good ped. visit today. LO was laughing right before the shots and I thought the nurse was going to cry because she knew he was going to go from laughter to tears. It was sad but he got over it pretty quickly. This little guy grew an inch since monday. I thought some of his clothes were getting snug but didn't think he could have grown that quickly?!
I talked to the ped. about starting solids. He said that we can wait till at least 6 months. As long as LO is happy with BFeeding then he wants us to continue for as long as we can. He even talked about continuing until he is 2 years old and anything beyond that is a plus. We'll see how that all works out. One thing he mentioned that I was surprised about was that we didn't have to do traditional baby food when we do start solids. We can go to some table foods. I didn't go too far into it with him since we'll have another well baby visit before we get to solids. I'm excited not to have to mess with anything other than BF. (We have two trips over the next month and the less I have to pack and worry about the better!)
Kathy, Jameson & Matthew are so similar in stats.
Here are my 'answers'...
Baby...Jameson - 4 months/18 weeks born 3 weeks early (6 lbs 15 oz, 21 inches at birth...15 lbs 9 oz, 26 inches today)
EASY...3.5 hr depending on his naps/needs. He usually takes 3 - 1.5-2 hr naps it usually works out that the first and last are the longest but it depends on the day and what we're doing. I've tried to let him sleep longer at the first if he has had a rough night but he pop awake almost exactly at 2 hours.
Feeding...BF; 5 feeds during the day plus a DF and lately another sometime during the night
Settling routine...soft music, sound machine and dim the lights. I talk to him softly while we sit in the glider. He doesn't get swaddled but I do drape him with a blanket.
Type of baby on BW test...mix between touchy & textbook. Used to be more touchy but is moving towards the textbook more (thank heavens!).
Me...Jill, SAHM for the most part. I do have a small business that I do on the side (organize scrapbook retreats). Married to DH (James) for 6 wonderful years! We moved from Ohio for DH job 2 years which was the last time I worked full-time (DH joked that it was my early retirement). I have an MBA and hope to use it a bit more eventually.
My hobbies...scrapbooking, card-making, walking & spending time on the lake with my boys!!
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Kate-good idea to keep us on our toes on this thread. :)
Baby Info : Madeline- 2.5 yrs. Noel 3.5 months
EASY: 3 hr. EASY still suits us well. She doesn't need a dreamfeed this way, so I pump in the evenings (I'm glad I've been able to make this routine, otherwise I probably wouldn't have any ebm.) Of course, if we need to do a dreamfeed later, this will make it easier since I've kept up my supply at that time. She still takes at least 2 great 1.5-2 hr naps. Then about 2 30-45 min. catnaps.
* I don't remember when Madeline gave up the catnaps- sometime around 8-9 mos we had a great 2 nap thing going until about 15 mos- when she dropped the morning nap.
settling routine: Walk into her room (darkest in the house)- fan running right outside her door. Put her in the crook of my arm w/ paci for about 1-2 min. Then lay her on her tummy. She looks around all smiles, but I walk out. About 3-5 min. later, she lets out a cry. I go in and pop the paci in and she settles herself. (Whew!-Madeline was NEVER this easy!)
type of baby : Angel/textbook. But Madeline is soooo touchy to this day, and I don't know what I would do with 2 of them!
Me: Practically a SAHM, but I do work during the afternoon nap and during the evenings. Just worked a trade with someone to watch the girls 1-2 hrs. 3 days a week so I can do a little more work. We own a side business (a Curves franchise)-but I'm very glad to be home most of the time with my girls!
Hobbies: Singing- When it works out I try to play the piano and sing while the girls are awake. Have small aspirations to someday make a CD (Other than the one I made for DH as a wedding gift!) Also, love shopping, exercising and keeping in touch/spending time with family & friends- and this BW site! :) Also very active in my church.
It's fun learning about each other!
Hang in there, ladies. They do get easier-even the touchy ones! And Welcome new friends!
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Here are our current stats:
Baby: Aaron, 4 months old this coming Tuesday
EASY: Was a solid 3.5 hour with good naps, then we did the whole paci weaning thing and still haven't fully recovered, so sometimes 3 hour, sometimes 3.5 sometimes 4, depending on whole long he sleeps and how cranky he is when he wakes up.
Feeding: Breastfeeding. He takes EBM while I'm at work. He doesn't seem to eat as well from the bottle as he should (still only takes 3-4 oz EBM every 3-3.5 hours). He seems hungry when I get home though, and makes it up for it then.
Settling routine: Go to bedroom, swaddle. Rock for a minute or so, turn on the "ni-night" music, put in crib, giving him his stuffed pup. Pat/shh if needed, (pu/pd if that doesn't work) then walk away. Nights are way easier than naps.
Type of Baby: Was more Textbook than Spirited, but I swear, he gets more spirited everyday.
Me: Theresa, an 8th grade English teacher. Married to DH for 5 years 10/1. DH stays home during the day, but is looking for evening shift work until he can start his own business (ceramic jewlery). I'll be 25 yrs on Monday.
Hobbies: Renaissance Faires, sewing, scrapbooking, and reading books (when I have time....HA!) and I suppose I really ought to put watching TV on there since it's on all the time :oops: :oops: .
Have a great weekend ladies!!
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Hi Ladies,
Taylor has been acting so strange lately (since last Monday to be exact). She has been having a lot of night wakings where we do have to go in and help her get back to sleep with some patting (never have to feed). AT nap time she has also been a little harder to settle and the 45 minute naps are back! But at least when she wakes up she is not as cranky as she was when she was just a few weeks old.
Kate-I have tried the feeding before bath and tehn a top off after the last two nights and it has worked well. But last night was REALLY STRANGE! She fell asleep at my sisters house and slept in my nephews crib till around 9 pm and then we had to drive her home. She went right back to sleep. DH and I started to watch a movie and then both fell asleep and woke up at 2 am realizing we didn't give her her DF. Thinking I would just get up with her around 4 or 5 am, we went back to sleep. She ended up sleeping until 7:45 am!!! She went 12 hours without a feed and w/o a peep! They never cease to amaze me!
At the first nap this am she was really hard to settle and I suspect teething?!?!
Tomorrow I start back at work :cry: Wish me luck!
Here are my answers:
Baby: will be 5 months next Monday
EASY: 4 hour for the last 5 weeks or so, but this last week has been strange and we have had to do a combo 3-4 hour EASY.
Feeding: Breastfed and will get EBM when I go back to work
Settling Routine: take to room about 15 min. before nap and change her diaper talk to her quietly on changing table. Put on white noise machine and let her stare at her chandelier for a few min. put in crib with a soft blankie.
Baby: Combo Textbook/Spirited, but mostly textbook
Me: Account Manger for a clothing company (I sell the clothes to the Saks and Nordstrom Buyers). 29 years old and have been married for 6 years.
Hobbies:watching movies, running, shopping, hanging out with DD, DH, friends and family and my 2 dogs Lucy and Madeline.
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I am copying this here from a post I created last night.....didn't mean to though because I thought I was making a reply to this one :oops:
I am nowhere near catching up on all of this thread, but I must ask you all a question. I don't have the time at the moment to search through the thread for the answer to this so I hope someone can help.....either to advise or at least show me where to look.
Rylan is a textbook baby and, really, all of a sudden has been acting up/wierd at bedtimes. This is night number 4 and I don't know what to do. At some time between 8 and 10, he will wake up crying (more than once) as if he is in extreme pain. I check him over and as long as I hold him and hum or shh he calms down. When I lay him down, it's a battle to keep him there and get past stage 2 sleep. When he does drift off finally, it doesn't last. Sometimes he wakes after the cycle (45min) and other times sooner.
I tried pu/pd a few weeks ago (to extend naps) and failed....it only made him very miserable (and me too). He has been doing much better except for these past 4 nights (it's been a week since I stopped pu/pd). I don't know if pu/pd had anything to do with this or if it's something else. He has never done this before. The thought of a growth spurt and even teething has crossed my mind but don't know for sure. I've checked his mouth...nothing red or swollen and no tempurature. I tried a couple of times to feed at 3.5 but it turns into snacking by the end of the day (we're on 4hr easy).
I am sooooooooooooo lost. Is anyone else's lo's experiencing abnormalities in thier routine? I spoke with a friend back home and her 2 year old has been waking up and whining during the same time frame....is this just coincidence?
PLEASE.....ANYONE??? It makes me so sad :( and I don't know how to help him if I don't know what the problem is :cry:
Oh, naps during day are good. A few 45's and one long one. Generally wakes without crying, but he has his moments.
Carrie :?
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We've been having okay times lately but I'm starting to worry about the fact that Jameson is taking a full feed every night. Since we're doing the DF I wish there was a way to get him to go longer. I know he can but he hasn't in almost 2 weeks.
Andrea...I was wondering which noise machine you are using. I've been using the humidifier and the ped. told me I needed to switch to a true noise machine (dust).
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well i have been trying to keep up with all the new posts, but there have been so many lately:) and it seems that i never have the time to write one myself. right now i am so tired that i will have to keep this short. so all my comments and the answers to the "questions" will have to wait.
we found out on friday that we will be moving. my dh has a new job. we are excited but sad to leave our friends here. i guess moving doesn't make a difference on this site:) but it is all that is on my mind now.
cambel has also been more "Unsettled" in his night sleeping lately, and he seems to be more active and harder to get down for his naps. i wonder if this is a developmental thing?
well, i just can't stay awake, so i'll have to finish this later.
just wanted to check in....
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hi everyone, have seen your posts elsewhere on this thread, am grateful for the support! also relieved to see that ds' recent sleeping habits are not totally out there. maybe at this age they're all going through developmental things. he used to sleep 8-7am with one nightfeed (no df) but now he's waking almost every 3-4hrs. since he's EBF and we're doing
4hr easy, maybe he needs more calories during the day??
Baby - Micah Ryan, 5mo.
EASY - 4hr, so 5 feedings in a 24hr period (is this too little for an ebf baby?) also 2 solid meals a day. morning nap usually 1.5-2hr, afternoon nap 1.5hr, 45min catnap. sometimes not interested in the last nap so bump bedtime up way early
Feeding: BF and solids (cereal and veggies)
Settling Routine - a carry walk around the house, then into his darkened room, light massage on his legs, white noise machine ("Soothing Shower" at purewhitenoise.com. love it.) then pat, into the crib onto his tummy, paci for naps.
Baby: Spirited/Textbook, but definitely more spirited
Me: SAHM for now, was a grad student for writing
Hobbies: entertaining high school kids (dh is a youth pastor) reading (current fave book - Bel Canto ) rolling ds back onto his tummy so he can sleep ( i do this so often lately it should be a hobby lol )
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Very quick post here... from what I've read about people's "issues" & ages of babies & where we were at with Aiden & now Liam...
DEVELOPMENTAL kind of sums it up... Isn't it wonderful they are becoming more alert to the world (& want to change the rules on us) OK it's a pain, you feel like it's all under control & it changes... goes like that for ever I think!!!
I will try to post some ideas when I get a chance, based on what I've read & what we experienced with Aiden, but just quickly, keep consistent & don't get stressed, your lo's will be well tuned into your emotions & that alone can make things worse!!
Also have a look at the thread on Jan/feb babies, it might give some ideas
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Ok, really quick post since i am working from home after Jake went to bed. :?
Andrea-- hugs to you. It'll be hard and I'll think of you. It's actually getting harder for me since i am getting busier, which means, less time with Jake and way more fatigue for me. Also, I like your settling routine because Jake loves to stare at the light when it is dimmed (we have a dimmer) it puts him in a trance!! :D
Jill-- just had to say what a cute pic.
Everyone else-- so fun to read your info. Hope everyone and their lo's are doing well. This is our week with the MIL taking care of Jake. When I tried to explain to her that I don't rock or feed him to sleep, she didn't seem to quite get it. I just cross my fingers that all of my hard work won't go to waste and she'll try to read his cues and put him to bed so he can settle himself. The daycare provider has been doing such a good job and I think she is even "stricter" about it than me because I've seen such a difference in him. (And i know she doesn't believe in CIO). So, anyway, just hope the MIL doesn't take some liberties with getting him to sleep this week.
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Jill-I use the Brookstone machine specifically for babies. It has 6 sounds (white noise, a lullaby, dolphins, neonatal, a car ride and heartbeat-kind of creepy). Anyhow, it was $60 but it's great because it will stay on all night or you can put it on a timer and it has a volume switch.
Erin-thanks for the hugs. I know it will be hard, but I feel like I owe it to myself to give it a try. DH says if I'm miserable we can figure something out. But there is such a part of me that wants to have it all you know? I mean I love my job and the people I work with...and I want Taylor to be proud of me. I just don't know how I can do it w/o the guilt, eventhough everyone says not to feel guilty. Life can really stink being a woman! :x
Kate-I so hope all this lately with Taylor is developmental! I keep thinking back if there is something I hvae done to make her turn this corner. :roll: I hope it passes soon. Even in my book from the American Academy of Pediatrics it says to expect disruptions when it comes to developmental stuff, but I just can't believe it. I guess just the result of being a first timer. I actually found a lot of similar stories in the March/April chat. Lots of babies right around Taylor's age or just a little older.
Have a great night everyone!
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Hi Carrie,
Didn't mean to ignore your post. Tomorrow when I get home from work I will try to reply. I am kind of going through some stuff right now with Taylor, so not sure how much help I can be. But maybe we can figure it out together, or at least offer eachother support!
Andrea
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Carrie - my LO is doing the same . . . night wakings. He has slept through the night since 7 weeks so this is out of the ordinary for him too. Actually I'm up right now (but he hasn't woken up yet). go figure . . . . It has been about 10 days of 'unsettled' night time sleep for my DS. I think I'd have to agree with Kate about milestones. My LO would cry when he 'scootched' up to the top of his crib and get his head stuck, he has also started turning over in his sleep. (I place him on his back and he turns to his tummy) I'm hoping the wakings don't last much longer, but really have no clue. I've often wondered about teething, but now believe it is the 'rolling' that is waking him up.
Matthew has been having good/bad times with PU/PD. I'd I can place him in his crib and 'walk away' (I stay and watch until he is asleep), but we do have episodes where we can go 30/40 minutes. My mom was able to put him down and walk away yesterday for the first time!
I've also introduced a 'lovey' (a very small blanket - about 12inches by 12 inches of extremely soft fabric) at wind down times. Matthew holds it while I swaddle, and also rubs his face and sucks it when he is in his crib. It seems to soothe him which is nice.
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Carrie, how much does your lo sleep in the day & how long is his last wakeup before bedtime... reason I ask is Aiden use used to wake up 45mins after bedtime when he was overtired
My latest thing is Liam was waking earlier in the night for a feed, I went??? have started double side feeding & back to 8-9 hour sleeps.
By the way girls, I am now a comoderator on the night waking boards... have suggested 2 of the mums (babies our lo's age) look at some of the stories from those of you who have been doing PU/PD... as I have never done it with a baby under 12mo... so they might join us too.
Must go, once again having toddler troubles, great first week in his bed, but now he is bedtime stalling & midnight visits, so I need to get to bed early
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I've got a question for you . . .
We are on bath tub #4. The first was the customary bowl when DS outgrew that we moved onto a 'convertable model'. He rapidly grew out of the newborn setting (but we haven't yet tried out the convertable setting for the bath tub). Bath tub #3 was a cheapy model that didn't have any support and was difficult to use. Bath tub #4 is a 'slick' model purchased by MIL that fits over/in the kitchen sink with newborn reclining, infant seating, and a drain. I've enjoyed this one thouroughly!
DS is now into leg kicking mode when in the tub - my floor, windows, countertops and ME end up being soaked from the whole experience. Have any of you moved into the 'big' tub? if so, do you have any tips, experiences, suggestions???? I'm thinking I will have a play session in the tub (no water, just a towel in the bottom with some toys). Before I try using the 'convertable model' that helps support DS in a sitting position, I was thinking of putting tub #4 in the big tub and bathing that way. Then procede to the actual tub with the convertable model. Make sense??? :shock: :shock: :shock:
Or do you think I'm a nut and should stick to the kitchen sink and forget about the wet windows?
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Kathy-- I have always used the "convertible" tub in the big tub. I just put it in tub and bathe away. So, you're not nuts.
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Well it looks like Jameson's night wakings aren't that uncommon. I'm afraid to not feed him because I don't want him to keep crying the whole night. I do try to hold him out for about the first 10 minutes to see if he will go back to sleep. If he doesn't then I feed. At least I feel like I make sure he really is hungry.
Well the in-laws are coming to visit for the week...just hoping that they don't undo what we've been working on. I did ask her to read the book before coming and she said that she did. We'll see.
Do any of you use sling carriers? I have one and I used it when he was really little all the time. I just used it today to go grocery shopping...it cracks me up how people look at me so funny. I figure would you rather hear him cry? He actually fell asleep half way through the trip. So sweet to actually get to hold him while he was sleeping. I don't feel back doing it when we're not at home. I'm not sure if he realizes the overall difference or not.
Rolling question for you ladies...when they go from back to tummy do they roll their legs up almost like they are straight up from their hips or do they push more with their feet? I'm trying to 'teach' Jameson how to do it but wasn't sure which way to show.
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Sorry for the delay in my answers, but I've had a loooong weekend facin bfeeding issues...
Andrea – How did your 1st day at work go?
Jill – When we were left without our stroller at Rome, I had to use the sling to carry DD around, and sometimes when I need to go to a shop around the corner, I use it too. I guess since everybody knows I am a foreigner, they are used to me doing unusual things. I don’tuse it at home though because I don’t want her to get used to be carried around all the time.
Maria – I moved to a new home last August, and I can imaine how you feel. I was extremely worried about the moving, how it was going to be done ( I mean, with my LO, I didn’t have time at all to pack and stuff), but thank God, my DH took care of it and everything went fine, although it took me about 1 month to put everything in place at the new flat.
Kathy – Anna Krisztina is also starting to like the splashing thing… she has a rather big bath tub with a base that brins her up to my height and inside the tub she has a recliner that helps her stay „in place” but not fully seated yet. My bathroom has white floor and white tiles, so anyway I have to clean it everyday.. :?
Carry – Have there been any changes in your household that could’ve affected your LO? I am sorry I cannot give you advise, since AK is my 1st child and I just started PU/PD one week ago…
On my side… something really surreal happened today…. Since I told you about my sore nipples, I’ve been struggling to have them healed, which meant to offer less times my breasts to DD. So since last Saturday, I’ve been suffering a horrible pain in my left breast (yesterday I couldn’t even bend down) and the worst thin was that I was trying to pump out milk, but nothing would come! So I called the lady that takes care of this issues assigned to my district and she came to literally squeeze the milk out of my breast (very, very painful matter) At the end, she told I have two options: either I let it dry out my breast or I start working on restoring my milk flow. Since I’ve had so many problems whith bfeeding, I asked if she would recommend just giving her formula from now on, and she told that it was fine, as long as I start introducing solids :shock: :shock: :shock: I asked her what about the allergies and stuff? and she replied that giving her only formula would make her more sensitive to allergies, that's why she recommended that if I decide to give her formula, I should give her solids so her intake of formula would be lower, and therefore, lower the risk of the allergies... She told me that if I prepare the meals with Bio fruts/veggies I wouldn't have any issues with allergies. Does anybody have heard about this approach?? Kate, per one of your previous posts, I could see that you have done a lot of research on the matter... have you read anything like this?
I am still in shock.... Anna Krisztina is only 4 months and I wasn't planning to start her on solids so soon!! So I have decided to keep up the battle with my breasts for at least one more month...
About the questions....
Baby: Anna Krisztina, will be 4 months tomorrow. She was born on the 42nd week via c-section.
EASY: 4 hour
Feeding: Since having trouble with sore nipples, a mix of breastfeed and formula
Settling Routine: Around 30 mins before nap, listen to music that goes from happy music to soft one. By the time the soft music arrives, she’s sucking her thumb. I take her to her room, put down shutters, close curtains and if she needs some more time to settle, we cuddle up in the rocking chair. After that, I put her on her crib. She doesn't sleep swaddled anyore.
Baby: Spirited
Me: A salvadoran married to a hungarian living in Hungary. Used to work for GE, got fed up and decided to become a freelance worker. With my husband founded an enterprise and was getting things started when I got pregnant. Right now I am a SAHM since Hungary supports up to 2 years of maternity leave. Still, I am planning to pick up where I left sometime next year.
Hobbies: Doing projects for the house, sewing (it’s a love-hate relationship with my sewing machine), knitting and being up to date with what’s going on in the world (my TV in turned on with CNN International all the time)
Sorry for the long post, but I had so many thins to say this time
Have a good day/night everyone!!
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Erin (Jamom) Glad I'm not nuts! :D Perhaps we will try - once I figure out how that darn tub converts!!!
Jill (jjstar) Re: sling carriers. I use a "Baby Bjorn" where I can carry DS either facing my chest or looking out front. Don't get any strange looks here . . . they are quite common.
Rolling from back to tummy: DS keeps doing this in his crib, but I have yet to see him do it in action. When we are playing on the floor he swings his legs and uses his arm to get to his side, then he plays quite contently. He sometimes does this head turn and I can see that he is almost ready to go over. So I guess in my opinion, it is an arms, hips, legs and head thing! Good luck. I will let him hold onto my hand and pull him over.
Silvia (s_olano00) I can relate to the sore boobs/nipples. Yet, I've never heard of starting formula AND solids at the same time to reduce the chance of allergies. I stopped BF at 3 months, my doctor knew this and NEVER made any mention of starting solids. In fact, I was told to wait until DS was older. So I'm not sure where that lady is getting her info from.
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Jill- I use a sling with Aaron all the time. I love it. I bought a "ring sling" by Taylormade slings for like $50, but once I got it, I made two more for $4 and an hour at the sewing machine. So I felt pretty ripped off, even though I really like the sling I bought. I get funny looks too, since the norm here is to leave babies in their carseats/carriers. But I figure since DS HATES the carrier and pretty much screams the whole time he's in it, what other choice do I have?
I am also having some night wakings, but since there's usually only one, I feed him, because he doesn't seem to eat much during the day (5 oz ebm every 3.5-4 hours -- does anyone know if that's a normal amount of ebm? All the info I can find is for formula, but he ate about that same amount when he was a month old.) Things are just now starting to get back on a predictable schedule after our pu/pd saga, and he does seem like he's going through some developmental stuff. He's been cranky like it's a growth spurt but not seeming overly hungry.
I'm not seeing a lot of rolling, all the way from back to tummy although he does go from back to side. Maybe it's just going to be a few days before he starts really moving.
Have a great night ladies!
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Theresa,
- it can take ages for a proper roll, but even just back to side is a big development when you think about it.
- Aiden used to take about 180mls (6oz) at 4months old, but he (like Liam) was a big boy & he was taking about that amount at 1mo too
Kathy
I used to bath Liam in the small bath in our bath (warmer as it was winter here) now we bath them both together (Aiden & Liam), I have a wire frame that is a slope & a toweling thing slips over, so I don't need to hold him all the time. works well for us & Liam can splash Aiden & vv
Jill
does Jameson roll from tummy to back, because that is usually the first step...then back to tummy comes later, Aiden never really rolled, he was sitting up at 5.5mo & they told me in theory he must be able to roll to sit, but "chose", he learnt to crawl from a sitting position, which is aparently what "non rollers" do.
Silvia
Have they checked you for thrush? as that caused problems with me healing with Aiden. Also have you tried pumping & feeding expressed milk, rather than formula... I found when I had a 1cm gash (still have the scar) from feeding Aiden, I could cope with the pump, but not his mouth & for a while I used to express one feed & give the breast the other.
I know they say bf is better in terms of allergy risk... but for the most part that relates to evidence based on never bf vs some breast feeding... I totally agree about if you give solids early, before 6mo, then use bio/organic Fruit & veg. I'm not a mother who gives tinned/jar stuff, as I want to see the food I give, so I would support that. The thing is that formula contains a mix of vits &minerals, that can only be replaced when all 5 food groups are offered, so you would still need to give a decent amount of formula (600mls) & I can't see the difference between offering 600mls & 900mls. I know one of the Drs at my work, has a lo 2.5 yo & she only bf to 6mo (switched to formula when started solids) I have emailed her to ask her spin & will post when I get a response.
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double posted the above
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Kate - What I am doing right now is pumping out milk and giving it to her in a bottle. The problem is that DD has turned into a lazy baby: she prefers the bottle to my breast, because bfeeding means way more effort from her side (chewing, sucking and swallowing) compared to the bottle, which only takes sucking and swallowing, so it seems that I will keep on pumping if I want to keep her on milk. When I cannot pump out milk (or I don't have more milk), I compliment with formula, but I try to give her more breast milk than formula (usually, I only give formula for the 3am feed and the 7 am feed).
I keep on asking whether is thrush what I have and in the 2 places I've been to they have said no... the creams that they've prescribed are working quite OK as long as I don't bf, when I start again, they become sore.
Also, please tell your DH I am sorry about the ashes series...
Kathy - Anna Krisztina was introduced to formula when she was about 2.5 months old. The explanation I got now is that if she would only be taking formula now that she's 4 months, she would be taking +1 liter/day, and that is not good, so I would need her to start her on solids to decrease her daily intake of formula. The strangest thing is that she didn't recommend rice cereal, but fruits (apple / peach) and veggies (pumkin and something else I don't remember). Still, I will try to keep her on a mix of formula and my milk as long as I can.
Jill - About a month ago, Anna Krisztina used to roll from tummy to back, but now she only rolls from back to tummy... it's so funny, because we can be playing at her mat, she'll do it and then she gets pretty angry (yelling and crying) because she doesn't know what to do. I put her on her back, and she'll inmediately roll again on her tummy. She can do this like 5 times in a row..
Gotta go. I need to get prepared because today I am taking Anna Krisztina to buy her more toys to keep her entertained throughout her 2 hours of activity time. It seems that she's getting bored with her old toys and she needs more complex stuff now.
PD. After 1+ week, we recieved last night our lost suitcase!!!! And the most surprising thing, is that its contents are intact - nothing stolen :D
Have a good day / night
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Silvia-I had thrush on just one nipple. that nipple was very tender and latching on was hell! no one thought it was thrush however because Ethan didn't have white thrush marks in his mouth. a midwife on a visit home to Canada finally gave me a nystatin (sp?) prescription and i give Ethan 1 ml just before i feed him which he transfers to my breast. after a few days i can quit using it again and am back to normal.
Kathy-we have always used our baby bath in the bathtub as if the temperature isn't quite right it is easy to fix and it uses less water. we also have one of those wire frames that the towel goes over to help with support.
Jill-i have a ring sling (the maya wrap) which i love. i can stick Ethan in it so many different ways (though i haven't mastered the bf in it yet!). people certainly think its unusual but very cute.
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i am going to try to catch up here. i feel like i have missed so much:) i can't remember all the questions, or who said what, so i will just reply to what i do remember.
sylvia-i am so sorry your nipples are so sore. i went through that the first 3 months of cambel's life and it was awful. i think i had thrush too, but now spots in ds's mouth. my midwife suggested "gintian violet" --this purple dye. it helped with the burning and itching, but the pain didn't go away until ds learned to suck better. that has to be so frustrating for you. i hope you can get something figured out. i also wanted to tell you that my mom will be in hungary in january. she was very interested in the fact that i was communicating with someone who lived there. she is speaking at a retreat for women and wondered if maybe you would be interested in hooking up with her. i hope that doesn't sound strange--she was just excited about you:)
kathy-i think it was you who is wondering about the bath. we will have to switch cambel soon too as he is making a mess of my kitchen. but right now my bathroom is too small for me to kneel down beside the tub to bathe him (i can't wait to move and have a bigger bathroom). i was hoping i could wait until he can sit up in one of those "tub chairs" before i move him to the tub, but i am not sure i want to keep mopping up after each bath.
cambel is doing well. i think he is sleeping better. but he is so much more alert that if he wakes up, he'll start playing and it makes it harder for him to go back to sleep. i have also noticed that if he is overstimulated during the day, it disturbs his night sleep. this makes me nervout, b/c with the move we have to make, he is bound to get overstimulated a lot. it looks like we may have to live with my sister and her family for awhile. i guess we will just make it until we can be settled in our own place.
ds is still taking a feeding at around 4 or 5 in the am, and then i try to get him to eat again when he is up for the day around 7. i will be glad when he drops this early morning feed. but i am like you jjstar- i would rather just feed him than hear him cry.
our nap/bedtime routine is really just holding him for a couple of minutes and then swaddling one arm and giving him his blankets. he will usually be asleep pretty quickly. unless he is overstimulated, and then he will fuss for awhile and we may have to go in and resettle him.
he is not quite on a 4 easy. he can stay up for 4 hrs. but his naps aren't 2 hrs, so he ends up eating at approx. 5, 7, 10:30, 2:30, 5:30, and 7:30 (we don't df, so the cluster feeding still works for us). i guess we'll drop it when solids are established.
i am glad to read about the rolling over issues. ds rolled over (both ways) a couple of weeks ago, but hasn't seemed interested in it since. he is happier on his tummy than he used to be, but he only rolls to his side now and not all the way over. i thought maybe he wasn't normal, but it sounds like he is:)
well, that was a long post. sorry about all the detail:)
have a good day all!
maria
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Wow I feel like I haven't posted for so long and I don't even think it has been a day?!
Comment about gintian violet...be careful using it on your nipples and not getting it off before the baby latches. I've heard that it actually removes a layer of skin and if the baby gets it in their mouth it can hurt them. I actually had trush in my mouth when I was pregnant (first few weeks before I even knew LO was coming). It hurt so bad. I had to get gintian violet then. It was actually somewhat hard to find too.
The maya wrap is the carrier that I have. I love it and don't mind using it. I just think it is like most things that aren't main stream...if people aren't used to it they stare at you. I get that a lot being from the north living in the south (in a small town too)! The first two months I would have gone crazy if I didn't have the wrap. I would walk around our neighborhood breastfeeding him all the time. I just actually figured out how to put him in it so he is sitting up. They say there are like 40 different ways to 'wear' the baby...I've only tried two so far.
Thanks for all the comments about rolling! Jameson actually did it all by himself today! He has been rolling tummy to back for quite awhile but just figured out how to go from his back to tummy. I just hope that he 'practices' in his crib. This might help with the night crying?!
Well I hope everyone has a great day! I'm off to get some much needed scrapbooking done!
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Thank you so much for your advice ladies! This board so far have been a valious source of advice and support :D
I suspected from the beginning that what I have is thrush, but I haven't been able to find any websites with pics to compare and also, DD is not showing any sympthoms other than fussy feeds. Also, since I was checked by 2 different persons - both with experience in the matter - and was told that I don't have anything, I kind of decided to trust on their word.
Tomorrow I will schedule an appointment with an adviser from La Leche and will see what they have to say.
Well, gotta go to pump some more milk.
Have a good day / night
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Silvia, both times I've had thrush neither boys have had white spots in their mouths, nor been fussy feeders, I've just had painful nipples & a knife like pain when they latch on... you can't get gentian violet in Australia, but I have used great stuff called "Daktarin Oral Gel" & it has cleared it up in 2 days. Also, cut back on the "bad carbohydrates"... sugars etc, can help.
Does your dd have much nappy rash... that was something Aiden had at the time too & it was thrush related.
My reason for thinking it is thrush is that it happened well after feeding was established... If it was me I would say even if they think it isn't can they give you something just in case so you can eliminate that as a reason.
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Wow, I am having a hard time keeping up with all these posts! I am so exhausted from working and then wanting to rush home to see Jake and play with him.
Fun to read all of the rolling over stories. JAke seemed so close last week to go from back to belly -- he was grabbing his toes and if you just gave him a little nudge he'd roll. Now this week, no signs of it at all and the toe grabbing has decreased too. :? I guess they aren't as interesting this week or something. :) I don't know if he'll ever figure it out but sometimes I want to be careful for what I wish for since it can ruin the good sleeping we've been having.
Andrea-- hope working is going OK!!! Hang in there.
Well, hope everyone and their lo's are doing well.
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Hi Erin-thanks for checking in. Work has been, well, work! It's an hour commute and with gas prices it cost me $50 to fill up my tank today! The company has totally changed too since I've been gone. DH and I are seriously talking about me leaving so that I can help him out with his business, as he is quickly getting behind. First we have to find affordable health insurance though since he is self employed. Does anyone out there have any suggestions for buying health insurance???
Taylor's night wakings have been non existant the last 2 nights :D but watch I jinx it now. As far as the rolling over thing, supposedly she has rolled over a couple of times on her tummy but I haven't witnessed it,only DH :x . She was rolling from tummy to back a couple of weeks ago but has stopped taht. weird how they lose interest!
Solanno-I hope your bf troubles go away soon. I can't imagine having to deal with that.
Question/Advice for you ladies-dd's naps have gotten strange. she has decided to now take 1 very long nap/day, and a 45 minute nap/day, but the order changes every day. So our days look like this:
if she takes a long mornign nap (2.5 hours), she will take a 45 minute 2nd nap and then a short evening cat nap.
if she takes a 45 minute morning nap, she will take a long afternoon nap (2.5 hours), but then will wake up around 4 pm and not want to take a cat nap. (we can only get her to take a catnap if she has been up for 2.5-3 hours or if we are in the car running errands).
this has been going on for about a week now and she seems to be okay with the one long and one short nap, and then a cat nap. so should I just go with it? when she wakes up from a 45 minute nap, be it the morning or afternoon, she seems happy, and only gets FURIOUS when we try to get her to go back down. If we get her up she is all smiles.
I'm exhausted and it's only Tuesday! :cry:
Have a good night everyone!
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WOW :shock: :shock: :shock: I can't believe it! I'm finally caught up with reading. I think it was Kate that suggested I just read the last 3 or 4 pages, but I'm glad I read everything. In doing so I feel as if I have gotten to 'know' everyone and their lo's. I also noticed a lot of similarities with our lo's too. (I'll share my info in a bit)
Also in reading the more recent posts, I have realized what the problem was with DS. Most recently Andrea's posts have been really similar to what was going on here. It was also mentioned by more than one person that the problems could be developmental. I think I agree now that was the case. The past couple of nights have been mostly back to normal. (normal for us is off to bed with little fuss, a d/f about 11 and then wake up about 6:30/7am)
I have another May mom friend I will let know about this thread as I havn't seen a post from her yet. I think she will enjoy it as much as I have. As many of you have stated your issues with DH's and them 'helping', I would have to say mine is somewhat on par. He does do good for the most part (diaper changes, walks, playtime) but when I ask him to read even a paragraph from the book to see where I'm coming from, or if I ask him to do something specifically, he does his own thing... :x it makes me mad. He too mentions to others about what a good baby he is and that he's on a routine, but he does credit me for it which is good. Tonight DS was up when DH came home from errands so I gave him the chance to put him down for his catnap. He has done it before so I have no issues with that, but I do have issues when he tries to do his own thing.....I asked him to swaddle at 6 and do the routine and lay him down btwn 6:15 and 6:30. I was still catching up on posts and he was downstairs at 6:05 :!: :evil: I didn't say anything at first because I don't want to be critical of everything I get him to do, so I let it go......until he started to fuss more than his mantra cry. I went up and got him settled and off to sleep then went down and calmly asked why he had "strayed" from what I asked. He just said 'I thought he was okay to go down and we'd see what happens" :evil: 'well guess what happened?' I wanted to scream. I stay at home with him and know his routine. I think that he owes me the respect of listening to my 'suggestions' and that he doesn't have enough time invested to throw his own tweeking into the mix. Sorry :oops: I have just let out a major vent. He also makes noises (slamming things) when others (even me) are sleeping as if there is noone else in the house. :evil: Ya he has to go off to work but he could just close things and not slam them. I have mentioned it on more than one occasion but to no avail.
Here is our info:
baby 8lbs12oz & 20in at birth, currently 17lbs and 26in..had second shots today(14th)-poor little guy-it was like he knew where he was before he got the shots-mean mom :( . Textbook with some angel and spirit
easy now on 4hour. mostly b/f....do various combos of ebm & formula for d/f. has been on rice cereal since 3 months (only at last meal before bed)
settling about 45 min before bed/nap, change bum so he's comfy during sleep, swaddle then stare at light or out window until in a trance, then off to bed. And fingers crossed that no fussing follows (usually not).
me sahm...liking it mostly but feel lonely sometimes. That's when I call someone from back home to chat or go out for walks. (there's a new mom on the block so I just started to go for wlaks with her and her 2month ds) First baby; married 2 years 2 months to my mostly wonderful DH; just turned 31
hobbies trying to sleep when DS does, bw site, and tv I guess
Well, I guess that's all for now. It's 12:30 and I'm off to d/f. (I know it's later than supposed to be but i just started-last night-to try and adjust DS day so when time change happens I'm not up at 5:30am)...wish me luck as I am hoping the morning starts at 8am
Carrie
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Hi Carrie-glad you got through the thread. That was quite a feat! Rylan was a big boy when he was born. Can relate to the DH being frustrating sometimes! The other night he didn't think Taylor needed her catnap either so I just kept my mouth shut and went with it. Well by bed time she had an utter meltdown! Screaming like she was 6 weeks old again. AFter we finally got her down, he said "I sure messed up not putting her down for her catnap" I just nodded and smiled to myself!
Good news, we got a good lead on health insurance so I may be able to quit my job soon!!!
Have a good night everyone!
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Carrie , don't think yourself mean for giving the shots... they hurt for a few minutes, mostly shock, but think of how you would feel if Rylan got sick because he didn't get them!!!
Girls count yourselves lucky your dh's do anything with your babies... my dh has changed ONE nappy for Liam & Settled him for One sleep!! Ok he does do heaps for Aiden & Liam is pretty easy & I do feel like I know what I'm doing, so it is fine, but I think I have to start letting dh get more involved as I'm going to a day at the Races next month with my work (old, since when my leave is up I'm not going back) & dh will have to look after both boys for more than the 3 hours I have once left him with them.
Andrea, good on you for holding back, because now he realises that it isn't you that is being upset by his actions but he has made his little darling cry when he could have avoided it. I think you will find being male, he will forget that sometimes, but a gentle reminder of "remember how upset she was last time we did that" works a treat.
I'm going to try Liam on the bottle this weekend - Hope he takes it Aiden was on it from 2 weeks old, but haven't been bothered with Liam he is such a fast feeder the thought of expressing sterilising etc, puts me off.
Andrea good news about the insurance, seriously, I think there is a point where you have to weigh these things up, for me not to be working now we live on a very tight budget, but the stress it took on my working with one in daycare & the commute (1hour+ each way) really would be too much for me with 2, so I totally understand where you are at. I only went back after Aiden to get my 10years of service up & to get Long Service Leave - which is 3 months paid leave for 10years of service with the one employer, so with 3 months paid maternity leave, I'm getting paid still!
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(2nd attempt at this reply)
Someone mentioned before about a ring sling and I just wanted to say that I have one. I made mine from instructions on the net (here's the link if anyone is interested: http://www.mayawrap.com/sewSling.shtml ) I wanted to make my own partly cuz I don't like ordering from the net and I wanted to see if I could do it. I am not a sewer even though I have a machine. It's been packed up for I don't know how many years. The need-to-sew mother in me must have been unleashed. I even bought a pattern for hats. I started one 3 weeks ago and am still not done :oops:
Andrea -- I think you would enjoy being a SAHM even if it was only part time. DH and I made the decision before we got pregnant that if we moved for his work (we did) that I would be a SAHM. I know a lot of moms need to work to help the household and I know some moms out there just need to work. I'm all for whatever as long as the kids don't suffer...I guess I have seen one too many Oprah episodes :oops: I really have to hand it to the moms that work from home though :wink: I don't know how they manage to split the day effectivly :?
Good night all and a friendly reminder to all those who watch it.......
SURVIVOR STARTS TOMORROW(today depends where you live)
My countdown is on for ALIAS ON SEPT.29th YEAH!!!
Carrie
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Andrea...that is great news about the insurance. I hope it works out for you guys!
Do any of you SAHM find it hard to let others 'help' with things since you are with your LO all the time. I'm not sure that I would be this protective if I left for work. I get into the mentality that I can do it faster and the right way so I just do it. I'm afraid I'm going to end up burnt out and worse that Jameson won't ever want anyone else to help him with things. I wasn't sure if it was BF thing or a SAHM thing.
So last night when Jameson woke at 3:45 I said, we're not going to feed to try to get him back to sleeping through the night. Oh boy was that fun. When he was still crying after 45 minutes of PUPD I caved. I figured he had used up any caleries he could have used to get him through till 7. He took a full feed and went straight to sleep. What should I do tonight?? Feed him right away or try to hold him out again? I'm afraid he is going to get in the habit of eating at night and never sleep through. Suggestions/ thoughts?
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I just cannot believe how some of you have described situations I am going thru right now...
On our side, 45 min naps are back again and we are having issues oing to sleep in the night. Last night it took me more than 2 hours + a major meltdown to put DD to sleep. Also, she has decided to wake up at 6.30 am instead of 7 am, which really, really kills me
Maria – I forgot to tell you in my last post that I sent you a pm with my contact data for your Mom… I hope you found my message by now.
Kate – About the nappy rash, as a matter of fact, she hasn’t had one so far… I spoke with someone from La Leche and I will have a consultation with a lactation specialist tomorrow. Since AK (Anna Krisztina) and I are having so many issues, it seems we will have to go back to square 1 and learn all about bfeeding all over again. I hope it works.
Andrea – You just described AK when she wakes up earlier :D If I try to put her down, she’ll give me this „How do you dare try to put me down” cry. Of course, if I pick her up, she’ll chuckle. About recieving help; I am just like you and I constantly think in the fact that maybe AK will get too attached to me because of this. I know I was foolish to refuse my MIL’s offer to come and help me out during summer, but I knew that I would worry more about how she’s getting things done rather on concentrating on AK.
Carrie – I just cannot believe it…. Our DH’s must be twins :lol: … he is pretty noisy as well.. I just tell him that he is like an elephant in a china store. Of course, if he is dealing with AK, I have to be completely quiet. Right now, he will only do nappies, bath and playing on weekends. I really hope that things will improve as AK grows and I am looking forward to the time when AK wakes up early and I just will send her to play with Daddy so I can have some more hours of sleep – DH is an early bird and I am pretty much like and hibernating bear.
I read that some of you are wearing your LO’s on slings and I wanted you ask you if you are aware of spinal stress? Because of it, I just use the sling on very short trips (10 / 20 mins) and just once or twice a week. Here’s a link if you are interested
http://www.continuum-concept.org/reading/spinalStress.html
Well, gotta go to wake up AK for our last afternoon strech.
Have a good day / night
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Question for those of you with bumbo seats...would this be something you would take with you when you go out to eat. I was thinking it might be something good to use once Jameson is a bit bigger so we don't have to use the dirty highchairs at restaurants. I'm trying to figure out if I'll use it enough to get one.
Silivia...thanks for the article. I hadn't heard of any of these risks. There is always something?!
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Jill (jjstar) We love taking the bumbo out for dinner! It works so well. We are sure to get a larger table and we sit Matthew in the bumbo right on the table top. That was he is eye level with us and is able to look around the restaurant (and make goo-goo eyes at the waitress).
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Do those of you who have bunbo seats get them from a store (which ones) or do you order them off of the net? About how much do you pay?
Jill--I'm not sure what it is either, but I feel the same way about me just doing it because it will be done faster, if not better. I too am worried about DS becoming dependant on only me so I try REALLY hard to let others do stuff with him even if it's not how I do it. Also I can't remember how it happened that DS got rid of the night feeds (even though I was doing EASY at the time ---I'd have to find my EASY log for that time) but I think it was just prolonging and prolonging. At the time I was still using a paci so that helped. I can't remember if you are using one or not. I had taken rylan's paci away cold turkey a couple of weeks ago and just started to use it agian (as a tool, not a prop) to extend his sleep. I am getting him to wake up later and later in the morning because 6/6:30 is too early for me so I take it away before he goes off to sleep completely. You could try this if you are comfortable with it. Good Luck.
Carrie
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I got mine off the Internet. I can't remember exactly which site but there are quite a few if you just google it. I think I got it from http://www.bumbobabyseat.com but am not sure. There's also http://www.bumboseat.com, among others. I think I paid $34.95 because the blue one was on sale but it was regularly $39.95. It's also good for when you start solids and you are just doing it a couple of times a day -- makes it so I don't have to get out a highchair quite yet. (And I don't know if Jake would like a highchair). I also like to bring it places so that Jake can sit upright and is out of his carseat-- like friends' homes, etc.
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I totally agree with Erin (Jamom) about using the bumbo to start solids. Another plus is that it is so easy to wipe clean. I first saw the bumbo online and almost ordered it, but then one of the specialty baby stores in my city purchased them.
I've been reading some posts about 5am ish wakings and can relate. Over the past week, I re-read portions of BW Solves all your problems and it has helped so much. I think that after we have read the book once or twice, we put it in the back of our mind, but then our LO's change so rapidly and the book needs to be revisited. I found page 34 (the 4 hr EASY schedule helpful to remind myself of the times).
Pages 189-190 were also very helpful to re-read (The Perils of rushing in). I noticed immediately that I was too quick to go in when I heard a noise in the middle of the night, or near the 5am wake time. I decided to leave DS when I heard him fuss and see what would happen. The first night/early morning it took about 45min for him to resettle. The second night/5am I again heard him, but decided to leave him be. It was less time. I used to rush in and try to sooth him before he awoke fully. For 3 days now, my DS has slept until his 6am wake time! It's been heaven. It's not that he doesn't wake up at 5am anymore, now if he does wake up he is better able to 'entertain' himself and doesn't make the big squawks saying "Mommy are you coming to get me?".
I just thought I'd point out those pages for you - since they've been so helpful to me.
Things are 'ticking' along well over in our corner. My LO is so social! Loves to go to a mommies and babies group every Thursday. Gets so excited, smiles, laughs, tries to touch other babies. It's so fun to see his eyes light up. Of course, since he has reflux he 'yacks' when he is excited, but hey at least he's happy!!!!
I hope all of you moms are taking some time for yourselves. I've just started a routine for myself where I have certain days that I can get away for an hour or two (thanks to DH or my mom) and do something for myself (exercise is my vice). It's been wonderful to feel like I have a life outside of my home and baby.
Here's hoping everyone is well . . .
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Just joining in!
My Quinn was born on the 5th of May, so is just now over four months.
I discovered BW only recently by word of mouth and it was just in time!
We are on day five of the EASY and PU/PD routine and it is working beautifully.
Before, when he was three months old I used to feed him to sleep...(more like ESA..)until I started to make an effort not to use the boob as a prop. Then he would only fall asleep when I carried him and shushed loudly in his ear. Sometimes it would take an hour or more to do this and at 15+ pounds, carrying him was killing my back- walking him to sleep like that for every nap and at bedtime! When I was exhausted I would resort back to feeding to sleep..no wonder he was confused.
I think with EASY and PU/PD he is learning to put himself to sleep. I only have to PU/PD a few times if ever, now after five days. He still fusses and mantra cies before falling asleep, but overall it is a vast improvement.
He goes to bed at around 7ish and I do the dream feed at 11. He is still waking up at 4ish, and I can't tell if he is hungry or not. I usually end up feeding him, then he sleeps a bit longer until about 6 or 7.
Does this early morning feed (4 am) ever disappear?
Do I need to increase calorie intake during the day so that he doesn't wake for this feed?
Has anyone successfully eliminated the early morning wake-up?
And we are still trying to extend his naps...the longest he has slept so far is an hour at a stretch during the day. I usually try to soothe him back to sleep until his next feed. Sometimes it works, sometimes he is just too awake.
I'll let you know how it progresses!
Glad to know you are out there!
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Welcome Lesley! Your LO has the same fun birthday as my Jameson!
Carrie...I am going to try to let others help but I think the MIL wasn't the one for me to try it with first. I do leave him in the nursery at church during bible study and don't seem to have the panick thoughts as I do other times. Oh well I figure I'll either figure it out eventually or he won't be a baby anymore whichever comes first?!
And I must admit I was a really bad mom today. We were out on the boat and Jameson was alseep on the seat. We were off in the water and I looked up an realized that he was waking up and of course as usually was rolling himself over to his back. He rolled OFF the seat onto the floor before I could get to him. As soon as I picked him up he stopped crying so I don't think he was hurt but boy did I get scared.
Well I have a major early night waking issue. The past 3 nights he has woken at 7:50. I wait until he is really crying and then it only takes 5 minutes to get him back to sleep. The odd thing is that he has gone to sleep at different times so it isn't like it is 45 minutes after he is sleep. (Friday down at 7:20, Sat at 7:25 & tonight at 6:45). It is the oddest thing. Thoughts??
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Hi Lesely, welcome
Re the 4am feed, you're bf still? does it take about the same time as other feeds or is he just sucking for a while & then asleep, if it is the latter, then it is a habit. Sounds like things are going well for you with the PU/PD though, so if it is habit, that may soon dissapear
Jill, that first "accident" is a killer isn't it. It won't be the last time your heart is in your mouth, I can tell you.
Kathy, yes the perils of rushing in... that is the long & the short of why I have a toddler who wakes at night...I used to be good about letting him self settle if it was a mantra cry & then it started to be a "mummy please" call... well I was teaching him mummy please in the day time, so I thought I'd better respond... well dumb thing I must say, although this did all happen when I was 7mo preg & wasn't sleeping anyway. But with Liam, I listen & unless it is the "urgent cry" I count to 100 & then work out what to do. Is working great thus far.
Well I am considering joining the Paci weaning club, not because Liam sleeps badly, as for the most part his sleep issues are due to the number of times he gets disturbed for activities for the rest of the family (mainly his big brother), But I am noticing I am using it for my needs not his (it's my prop!) & as he is a good self soother some of the time, I think I will prevent him from improving those skills. As I only use it to lengthen short naps & when I'm too busy to settle him properly, I don't think it will be too big an issue, I just need to re-adjust some of our routine so that his last nap (when I use it the most) doesn't fall around when I need to be doing dinner & Aiden wants my attention too, its his "witching hour" & there is no way I get enough time to settle Liam properly.
I've also just started doing some small projects on a contract basis for my old work... just 2-3 hours a week, but enough to keep the brain active & help us have the odd luxury.
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Hello Ladies,
So we went to the Lactation Consultant last friday and it turned out that my sore nipples are due to Dermatitis caused by a silicon part that my breast pump has :shock: Honestly, I didn't see that one coming....
So now, I have 2 different creams that are supposed to help and next friday we have to go again to correct AK's bfeeding issues, although when the LC saw the way how she bfeeds (fussy, tugging, on and off and for no more than 5 mins), she told me that she is a very smart baby that just found that the bottle is an easier way to eat.
Now meal times are a struggle. AK really likes to hold her bottle and won't let my hands come near it and of course, the bottle is too heavy for her little hands, so it keeps on falling, so we keep on fighting because I want to hold her bottle and she will just keep on pushing my hands away. This will happen at almost every meal, including the 4am one :evil:
Also, she has just changed her way of falling asleep. Before, I used to shh/pat her, but since mid-last week, as soon as I put her down, she will start sucking her fist and when she has her eyes closed (still sucking) I leave the room and she eventually falls asleep. The night sleep is harder, because she closes her eyes, I leave the room, but 5 mins later I hear her fussing and I let her be, but her moans grow and grow until they become a "COME HERE NOW" yelling, so I go and as soon as she sees me, she'll smile and won't settle down. We can be about 1 hr. in this until she finally falls asleep. Can the sucking be estimulating her too much? I have tried to "hide" her little hand, but it doesn't work...
Lesley, I am having the same issue with the 3 - 4 am wakings. AK will eat each 4 hours, an that includes the early morning hours.... Since she's taking almost a full feed, I guess it's just hunger, and although I have tried to increase her daily calories, she just won't take anymore than what she wants, so now I am just hoping that she'll grow out of her early morning feeds sooner....
Jill, we had a similar accident with AK some weeks ago. DH was taking care of her while I was trying to catch up with my sleep and suddenly, I heard a loud THUMP.... DH left her on the sofa-bed while he went to the bathroom. I was mad at him because he was careless and she had a little purple mark on her forehead and on top of it, the next morning we had a brunch with the IL's. What really helped me int his case was that I was reading the BW book the night before and it said that you should be very careful in the way you comfort your baby. ie. what you say and your tone of voice. You might frighten you LO even more if you use the wrong tone of voice.
Well, I hope everyone had a good weekend, and again, THANK YOU for your advise and support. If it wouldn't have been for you, I wouldn't have looked for support from the Lactation Consultant.
Have a good day / night
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hello all. life is more hectic now than when cambel was born! this weekend we were at the inlaws and now we are staying with my sister and her family. ds is at his first day at work and i am supposed to be looking for houses here. we will be going between here and our old home until it sells. so ds is sleeping in the storage room (the only dark quiet place) and i am trying to relax and remember that one day we will have our own space again:)
jjstar-i can totally relate to wanting to do it yourself b/c it is easier and you can do it better. i struggle with this too. no real advice, just wanted you to know you are not alone:)
silvia-i got your pm, i will pm you back when it is closer to january. thanks so much. and i hope nursing gets better for you.
about the early am feeding. i was just wondering the same thing. ours is at 5, and then ds will sleep until 7 or after. i think he is still hungry at this time...but also it is just easier to feed him than to get him to go back to sleep on his own. i guess i will wait awhile longer...maybe when we have our own house.
have a good day!
maria
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Just popping in- sounds like everyone is doing so well!
Kate- I'm wondering why you're wanting to do the paci weaning? It doesn't sound as if he's addicted to it- so I'm interested in what you're worry is? -You did mention thinking he's not learning to self-soothe enough- but if he's sleeping well, he must be doing some sort of self-soothiing, right? I'm just curious.:)
As for those early wakings- does anyone else notice that it corresponds to what time they went to bed the night before? Noel is pretty predictable in this- exactly 9 hrs. from the time she falls asleep she will wake starving. So I go in and feed her and she goes back down until her normal wake time. I guess it's not that predictable with all babies-just wondering if anyone else's lo's are like that.
Welcome to all of the new 'faces'.
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Ok, forgive me, I didn't go back and check all of the posts but could some of those early wakings be because you haven't moved to a 4-hour EASY schedule? I recall reading that at around the 4 month age, that if your lo has not transitioned to the 4-hour EASY, then it may result in night wakings. Again, I don't know if you all are doing that and since I am at work, didn't have time to check.
As far as rushing in, I have turned my monitor off at night. I've been doing this for almost a couple of months and I think it is the reason that Jake will keep sleeping. I've heard him talking to himself at 5 am frequently, but I just leave him be and he goes back down. His room is next to our's and so if he gets upset, I definitely hear him. If you don't feel comfortable turning it off, just turn it down-- it's made a huge difference for us.
As for us-- Jake is definitely getting more and more hungry. I've noticed that if we don't do the dreamfeed within 4 hours of his last feed, that he wakes up hungry. I would like to get him to take more earlier in the day and not be so dependent on the df but that is when he eats the most. It seems that he gets progressively hungrier as the day goes on, which I would've thought he would be hungriest in the morning after going so long. Oh well!
Daycare continues to go well. My dh is out of town the next three days so I have a feeling that I am going to be exhausted! But I did survive the week with the MIL taking care of Jake and she didn't even rock him to sleep as I feared she would. I guess after saying that she couldn't to her a million times, she just decided to listen to me. :D
Hope everyone is doing well. Anyone else feel like their lo is growing way too fast.? Yesterday, Jake was standing and hanging on to his daddy's leg and he looked like a little toddler. Not a baby anymore! :(
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Erin- I totally know what you mean about them frowign up so fast and not seeming like babies anymore. I ran into an acquaintance of mine this weekend and she has a 1 month old. already it seems like Aaron is big and mature and such a little man, compared to a baby just 3 months younger! I'm both happy and sad that he's growing up. I guess that's parenthood, though.
Things here have been a little crazy. Aaron got his shots on Friday, and had a low grade fever all weekend, and was really cranky and just unhappy. So I cuddled and just tried to do the best I could to make him feel better (tylenol is a godsend!). Lately he's been difficult to put down for naps-it's still taking 10-15 min of pu/pd to get him down. Maybe we're finally coming around that, though. I just talked to DH and he said ds settled in only 2-3 min of pat/shh. Hopefully it a sign of good things to come!
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I completely agree with the fact that time has flown by so fast. I can't believe how big he is and that 1/3 of his first year is already behind us. Really makes your treasure each moment!
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Hi Ladies-wow so much to catch up on! I ahve also joined the March/April chat thread because I like seeing what other LO's just a tad older than Taylor are up to. So between work and trying to spend as much time with Taylor as possible, there's a lot to keep track of!.
solano00-so random abotu the breast pump! at least it got diagnosed and now you can get it treated.
maria-hope life settles down at home soon. it's nice to be with family but also can be soo hectic. good luck!
JJstar-regarding feeling like you can do it better, I encourage you to let others do it when they offer! the first week back at work was so hard for me as I was constantly worried about her ROUTINE, but it all went just fine and in fact I think she did better with DH and grandma than with me! :? :shock: My mom says that that is often the case because the know they can get away with mroe with mom. And now I feel totally confident that other people besides me can settle her.
Jamom-glad daycare is going so well. It's good to know they are in good hands right?
Regarding the early wakings, twice last week I fed Taylor at 5 am because she seemed really hungry, but for the most part for the last month when seh wakes up at 5 am (it happens a couple of times a week), we just pat her back to sleep. Some mornings it takes 5 minutes, some it takes 25 mintues. But I think it has helped overall with her sleeping through till 7.
One thing we have changed too with Kate's advice is feeding her before her bath around 6:30 and then offering another feed after her bath at about 7:30. I was shocked but she actually has been eating both times quite a lot and since we started doing this no more waking before her DF!! knock on wood!
last bit of big news for us, I QUIT MY JOB!!! :shock: :? :o I kind of feel like I gave up after only giving it a couple of weeks, but I am also thrilled! It's a long story so if anyone is interested I'll post it next time.
Have a good night everyone!
Andrea
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Andrea-- that is quite the news. I am glad that you will get to stay home with Taylor. Definitely post the story if you want to share. I can see how it could happen because I feel so disinterested in my job, which I generally love. It may be a combination of things -- 1) that I had to go back to work after loving being home with Jake and 2) as soon as I got back the big project I had worked on forever went away and now I am in "limbo" not knowing what will be happening next. I find myself getting in late and leaving early, which I actually love because I get a lot more time with Jake. Makes me think of going part-time and getting home early every day.
Jake woke at 5:45 this morning and talked up a storm to himself and eventually fell back asleep. I generally get him up at 6:30-6:45 for the day but let him sleep in since he didn't fall back to sleep until 6:20. So, now I am at home, and will be getting into work later. :? DH is out of town so I can't rely on him to help out.
Jill -- as far as letting other's help out, I too, know how hard it is. In fact, I would call myself a bit controlling at times because I really thought no one else could do it better than I. And now I hate to admit this, but Jake has done so well when DH took care of him for 3 days, at daycare, and even a week with the MIL. In fact, it has been great for me because I feel confident that he can go down for naps for other people.
That said, he's back up and I better get off to work. :evil: Hope everyone has a good day.
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Hi everyone!
Thanks for your feedback on the early morning wakings.
I think at this point it is genuine hunger since he does a full 2 breast feed.
It has only been a week since we implemented the new 4-hr EASY routine so I'll see if it disappears on its own... I find myself going into his room almost as soon as I hear him so that he doesn't get too upset or wake up too much, but perhaps I should wait a bit longer to see if he will settle himself. I find it's easier to wait when I know he is not hungry. This morning he woke at about 5:30 and since I knew I had just fed him it was easier to let him be. It's harder to do this at the first waking!
Last night he woke just minutes before the 11:00 DF! which made me feel in the end that I was just feeding him back to sleep, but I suppose it is different. Maybe I'll try the DF a bit earlier so he is still asleep...? Does it matter?
Small victory...he slept for 1 1/2 hours on his own at naptime yesterday!
Who knows maybe it was just a fluke...
Baby steps!
Andrea- I have been planning on going back to work part time in December, Quinn will be about 7+ months, but I already feel like it is not something I want to do... I'm just not sure it's worth it. He would be in daycare two full days and then my DH would watch him one other morning.
I guess I see how I feel as the start date gets closer. I'd be interested in your experience :)
Hope everyone has a good day...
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Hello all! I am just joining (thanks for the tip Kate!). I've also joined the Mar/April 05 chat (see you there Taylor's Mommy!).
I'm glad to know my Olivia is fairly "normal" in her "challenges." We, too, are facing the 45-minute naps after a couple of months of constant 1 1/2 to 2-hour naps. And now last night she cried for about an hour before going to bed...she NEVER does that. She's gone down (for naps and bedtime) easily since she was about 2 months old. I figure she's just worn out from all the short naps and the increased activity (she's rolling all around now!). Please tell me this too will pass!
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okay big question for everyone...what is the true SIGN that you should switch from 3 hr to 4 hr EASY?
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Jill-there can be quite a few signs. Not intersted in eating after 3 hours, being happy after 1.5 hours awake time (meaning he can handle longer A time), waking up more at night, 45 minute naps.
SO the story with the job-I went back last week and right away knew my heart just wasn't in it anymore. the communte is a killer, leaving me to spend a total of 1.5-2 hours a day with Taylor, plus travelling to NYC every couple of months. And oh yeah, my company hired Angelina Jolie as our spokesmodel!!! :shock: :? :o
So over the weekend DH and I decided we would make it work. My main priority was to spend more time with Taylor, but I also need some sort of a 'work' outlet. SO, I am going to work with DH! He started his own Network Engineering business earlier this year and has done very well so far, but desperatley needs my help with billing/accounting/etc. Bless him, but he's not the most organized person! So my mom and MIL will still come over a couple hours a day to watch T so I can do some work. I feel like we've got to give it a shot.
And we are also going to start our own baby/toddler clothing line with mainly onesies and t-shirts with cool/hip pictures and witty/comical sayings (at least we think they're witty :? ). So I may someday soon be peddling our goods to all you ladies! :lol:
I think I will miss all my friends and the excitement of my job, but not as much as I miss Taylor everyday! Wish us luck!
Lesley-PT may be okay, maybe at least worth giving it a try. But if it's not for you, have faith that you will find a way to make it work.
Have a good night everyone!
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Nancy - glad you joined us :D
Silvia - good you found out the cause, :) I hope the feeding improves. Re the sucking of her hand... that is her way of self settling (Liam does that ) if you remove the hand she will probably find it harder to settle & probably the reason she doesn't do so well at night is she is more tired out... try doing a longer wind down or putting her to bed 15mins earlier, that might help.
Maria - good luck with the house hunting etc Also let other people help, if only for the fact if you don't know, your lo may become dependent on only you doing it, & when you truely need someone to step in your lo will be "no way my mother does this & I can't cope"
Marlo - I'm paci weaning, because in all honesty Liam doesn't need it & in the last 3 days it has only been used, cos I was too lazy to spend the time doing a wind-down :oops: , like Aiden was asleep & I wanted as much Kate time as possible...hey writing that makes me think, that isn't actually such a bad reason afterall...But I don't want another 2 yo who is addicted to it . Unfortunately Aiden is quite sick :cry: (borderline pneumonia + gastro) & it has been "mummy dummy" all day when he has been awake (which has been less than normal, he's on his 3rd nap & its 3pm) So I haven't started doing it yet... now may not
Erin, If you think you want to work p/t & your job will allow it, I'd suggest doing it, I worked p/t after Aiden until April & I found it a good balance most of the time, sure I missed Aiden, but really made the most of the time we did have together
Theresa - Aaron, should have developed good immunity if he was grumpy after the immunisations, that is a sign the body is making antibodies. 4 mths were the worst with Aiden & Liam get his tomorrow, so I will probably have 2 grumpy sick babies!! :cry:
Andrea - you are so right about them being better "behaved for others" it gets more obvious when you have toddlers!
Great news about leaving your job, :) I'm sure you've done the right thing, if it feels right, you may miss the people, but I found, once I was a mother, I would hardly stop to talk anyway as I needed to get my work done to get out the door & so work became only about my job & the social aspects were all but non existant
BTW the reason the 6.30 & 7.30 feeds seem to work for bf is your milk will be thicker in the evening, so your babies can get tired feeding before they get full, so that way they get a chance to rest before topping up... it works for me as Liam sleeps (please don't hate me) 9-11 hours most nights without a feed.
Lesley- night wakings sounds like hunger, are you single or double sided feeding? I found a few weeks ago I had to start offering the 2nd side as Liam didn't get enough, but the converse could be true... if you are double side feeding he may not be getting enough of the hind milk, so offer the first side longer... BF is no easy path is it! or any baby stuff for that matter - good job they are so lovable isn't it!!! :D
Jill - re 4 hour easy, My thoughts are when the awake time, means you can't get a good sleep in & 45min naps are starting, as well as feeds becoming smaller. I do a messy combination, but I need to get 5 feeds into Liam & long night sleeps sometimes mean I have to do a 2.5/4/4/2.5 type pattern to get them in.
Anyway while I have both boys asleep I must get some chores done.
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Thanks for your comments abour 4 hour. I'm thinking of trying it again as it didn't go over too well the last time but I haven't gotten him to sleep through the night since switching back so what do I have to lose? One more question though...we're leaving next thursday for 12 days (visiting family in Ohio & I have a retreat to work). Is that too close to try to switch his routine?
Andrea...that is great about the job! Congrats! Good luck working with DH. I did that for a bit and it was interesting! BTW I love Taylor's dress in the new picture!
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OK, ladies I have a dilemma. Olivia has been taking shorter naps (as I mentioned before) but she's also waking at night and not going back to sleep. I don't think it's habitual waking, because it's not at the same time. It's anywhere from 2:30-5:00 a.m. At first I didn't think she could be hungry (she eats good during the day and we just started cereal), so I would let her try to settle herself. (I thought it was her new-found skills of rolling over that were waking her.) But after 1-1 1/2 hours, I would get up and feed her. She would take a full feeding and go right back to sleep. Two nights ago, I fed her as soon as she woke, and she went right back to sleep.
Last night she woke up at 2:45. I waited to see if she would settle herself. She did--several times, only to wake up 10 minutes earlier. She doesn't cry, just talks and coos. (That is what she would do when I was BFing and she was hungry.) Finally, at 4:00, I thought she could be hungry (and she began to fuss) so I got up and fed her. She took a full 8 oz. I guess since she takes a full feeding each time, she is hungry. I just don't want the bottle to become a prop for her getting back to sleep. Any thoughts?
Also, this morning she woke at 6:00 a.m. (regular wake time is 7:30-8:00). She was rolling around, finally ended up on her tummy, got her thumb back in her mouth, and slept until 8:30 when I went in and woke her up. I'm thinking about trying to put her down on her tummy, because once she got there, she slept great (didn't seem to stir as much). She has great head control and can roll from back to tummy and back again. Has anyone tried this after LO is used to sleeping on back? If so, how do you do it? And do you keep swaddling? (Right now LO is swaddled, but arms are free.) Any insight would be helpful.
Thanks! Sorry for the long post! I have a lot of questions after such a LONG night!
Since she's
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Hi Nancy (Olivia's Mommy) - DS was a back sleeper from day 1, we also swaddle. He too is rolling around and a little while ago we had the night wakings happening (for us they lasted for about 10 days). I think it was a mini-growth spurt. My LO would also take a full feed. I think it just has to do with their increased activity.
Like you I have noticed it is easier for DS to settle when he is on his tummy. He will often flip himself over so he is on it. If he is tired (and I get his cues right), I will place him on his back as he will usually drift off. If he is having a little more difficulty I will place him on his tummy (still swaddled). I only swaddle his legs, but he scootches all over the place and leaves the swaddle behind. Last night he was without his swaddle and was fine. I want him to stay warm, but really shouldn't worry because we keep the temperature in his room nice and toasty. Don't know if this helps any Nancy, but that's were my LO is right now.
I've been thinking of getting rid of the swaddle and using a "sleep sack" but haven't yet tried it out. What do you think of this? Does any one out there have any experience using smething like this???
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THanks, Kathy! I'm glad to know it's worked for someone else. We are going on 1.5 weeks of the night wakings and short naps (30-45 min). I'm a little afraid to try something new (putting her down on her tummy) until we get past the shorter naps. Maybe I'll just keep putting her down on her back, but letting her roll to her tummy if she wants. That's what seemed to work with your LO, right?
It's always something, isn't it?!?!?
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Mine are both tummy sleepers. (Madeline wasn't till about 5 mos- but Noel was around 1 mo.) I personally think it makes them sleep better- but only do it if you and your ped. are ok with it! (And if she's able to roll over, she sounds like she would be fine, imo.) But I wouldn't swaddle when they're on their tummy.
Kate- I totally understand about the paci thing, I guess I was just wondering why you would do it now. Fwiw, I weaned Madeline at 10 mos. of the paci and she did great. That's tentatively what I'm planning with Noel. However, she's been finding her fingers lately to soothe herself (she usually spits out the paci anyway...) so who knows what will end up happening.
I guess Noel is a little younger than most of yours (except Liam)- but yesterday she woke up after about 30 minutes b/c she was pushing herself forward in her crib- kinda like crawling- except only using her toes. She was so surprised/upset by it she couldn't settle back down. She's also been using her toes to flip herself over to her side. I hope she gets all this figured out soon!
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Hello. I am new to the group.
My name is Janet and my daughter Kay was born on May 4, 2005. She is part textbook and part spirited. Kay has been on EASY since she was three weeks old (except for the crazy time between six and eight weeks).
Right now our big challanges are transitioning Kay out of her swaddle and fully switching onto a 4 hour routine.
I am so greatful for this site because I have learned so much! None of my friends have had kids yet so everything is a first for me.
I look forward to talking with everyone.
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hello new mom's to the group! Glad to have you with us.
I have a question for you ladies too...If you d/f at 11 and lo wakes btwn 5:30 and 6:30, do you try to get them back to sleep without a feed or feed then put back to sleep right away then start the day when they wake up? I am always torn between the two because I don't know if that sleep after the feed counts as a nap or not? :? :?:
I am also VERY interested in dropping the d/f so I can get more sleep. DH is like an elaphant in a library in the mornings and if DS is going to wake early for a feed, I can never get any rest from then on. Between both of them, I still only get maybe 5 hours of sleep at night. I'd like to say we've been on a 4-hour routine, but as of the past week, he's been not taking to it as well as before. Tonight for instance, he was acting very hungry 45-60 min before the 4 hours so I offered him food and he just sucked for 5min then stopped and didn't want any more. I can't figure him out lately. I try to hold out for as long as I can with the feeds at 4 hour intervals figuring if he doesn't take enough in at the one feed, he'll take in more at the next and it doesn't seem to work out. Any thoughts???
I hope I've made some sense here since I am even tired right now. I just need some clarity and advice please.
Carrie
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Welcome Janet! I LOVE that picture of Kay! She's beautiful.
Nancy-Welcome. I've also been having the nightwakings and short naps. I'll be interested to hear what works for you (if anything) since not much is working for my LO. We've tried the 4 hr EASY, then when that wasn't working, we went back to the 3.5 and it still didn't work, though there is less crying with the 3.5 since we're not "forcing" him to stay awake that last half hour when he gets really upset. Sometimes going in at 35 min and holding him/patting him will calm him down and he'll sleep longer for one nap, but there's no consistency at all with him. Hope you fare better!
Kate-You're so thorough! I can't imagine how you remember to respond to everyone and still keep track of 2 LO's!!! Sometimes I can barely remember my own name, much less anyone else's. Thanks for the good news about the shots. THe whole experience didn't seem as bad as it was last time, but Aaron seemed a lot more upset by it and much grumpier than last time. I'm glad that's all over with for another two months now!
Jill-for switching to the 4 hour, 12 days might be long enough, it just really depends on how you go about switching. If you follow the gradual plan, I'd say wait until you're home again since it takes 12 days or whatever just ot swith them over, and I think you want your LO used to the routine a bit before you go. When I switched I did it over about 6 days, the first 3 days I went from 3 hrs-3.5 hrs, then from 3.5-4 hours the next three days. But Aaron has no problem staying awake and happy. It's getting him to settle down that takes forever if he's been up too long (45 min +, grrrrr), which is why I switched him back to the 3.5 hour. Hopefully that works and he starts napping for longer than 45 min a time!
Well, I've got dishes to wash before I go to bed, so have a nice night!
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Carrie- You posted while I was typing, but I face the same thing. I df sometime around 11, then Aaron is ALWAYS up around 5:30-6 (lately it's been like 4:30 and it's KILLING me). I feed him, put him back to sleep and start the day when he wakes up. His first rotation looks kinda like this:
4:30-5:30 or 6 Eat
straight back to sleep until 6:45-7 (depending on when he ate)
Activity 7-8:30
sleep 8:30-9:30
He has sort of a morning catnap, since he just can't seem to stay awake much longer than an hour in the am, then he sleeps for 45 min or so. It's sort of a strange 4 hour EASY, but it's the only cycle of the day that's predictable for us.
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Jill-thanks for the compliment on T's dress! DH actually picked it out for her :D I think 12 days may be long enough...I too made the switch right before a trip to Lake Tahoe and we started about 14 days before so I could slowly do it, but by day 9 she moved to 4 hours on her own. the trip then went fine.
Nancy-maybe wait it out a few more days and see how Olivia does with the night wakings. Ours lasted for about 2 weeks and for the last 2 weeks have pretty much been back to normal. I think it has a lot to do with developmental stuff, esp. since you say she is starting to roll around and stuff.
Carrie-you may try to pat back to sleep but usually can tell within a few minutes if your lo will be going back to sleep or not w/o a feed. If I do feed at 5:30 it's straight back to bed and I don't believe it is considered a nap, but part of their night time sleep.
:arrow: :?: what is it about 5-5:30 anyhow? both threads I am on we are all having the same 'problem' with the wakings at 5-5:30 am. ours come and go a couple of times a week, so it's not a catastrophe, but does anyone have any idea why they all seem to wake at this time?
have a good night everyone...
I just checked on Taylor BTW and she is completely horizontal in her crib-her head butted up against one side of the bumper and her feet on the other side! :lol: too funny!
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Andrea...Jameson does the same thing in the crib. Usually happens about one every couple of days. It is too funny. I actually took his picture the other day right before I had to wake him. Love the sleeping pictures...I figure I will treasure that so much more many years from now.
Okay so he woke at 4 AM and wanted to get up for the day. I had just fed him at 3 so I knew he wasn't asleep. DH asked what was wrong and I said the child was crazy?! Maybe it was me that was crazy from the funky sleep pattern. I did finally get him back to sleep at 4:50 and he stayed asleep until 7:45.
About switching to 4 hr...I may not have been clear in my first post. We're leaving for our trip in 7 days and will be gone for a total of 12 days. I wasn't sure if I had enough time before leaving to make the switch. We were already basically on a 3.5 hr so I am just going to try to stretch him out when I can. If there are days that make it great, if not that is okay too. I would be afraid to wait until we return to do it because he will be over 5 months by then.
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Oh, got it! since he is already on 3.5, give it a try. what have you got to lose? he's already waking at 4 am! :lol: :? :wink:
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Hello all,
Things are quite the same in our corner.... early wakings, finding AK across her crib after naps and debating whether the 3am - 4am wakings are due to hunger or habit....
Lately, AK is doing something very funny.. she has found the way to say AAAAAA while breathing in :shock: she will sound as if she is choking and she even coughs, but since I have a baby monitor that besides being kind of a walkie-talkie, monitors the baby's breathing and it would tell me when she's not, I know everything's OK. So if she wakes up (naps, night sleep) and she gets bored of sucking her fist, she will start Aaaaa, AAAaaaa, which really cracks me up :D Of course, it's not that endeering when she does it at 4am, but I guess it's her way of having a time out when she's tryin to get herself back to sleep.
Erin's advice was gold to us.... since 2 nights ago, if AK wakes up at 3am - 4am, I don't rush in inmediately (before, I just assumed she was waking up because she was hungry -her 4 hour mark- and indeed she was draining almost 8oz), but due to a "logistics issue" 2 nights ago, I didn't have her bottle ready and it took me about 5 mins from the moment she woke up to prepare it, and by the time I got to her room, she was asleep! She woke up again at 4am and I stayed in my room, and after some AAAaaaa's, she went back to sleep. So she proved me that she doesn't need her 4ish am feed anymore :D :D :D
Now, AK wakes up at 7am (and if she wakes up before, I put her back to sleep right away) and has a great "breakfast" !!!! Her daily feeds have improved considerably after stopping the 4am feed, which is great for me because during the day I give her my milk and during night I give her formula.
On Tuesday we went to her Doc to get the 4 month shots (one on each leg + the drops against the polio) and she did quite well afterwards... she wasn't cranky at all, just yesterday, she had a little fever, but that's all. Also, I found out that she already weights 7.24kgs (bit less than 16 pounds) and is 67 cms long (about 26.5 in) no wonder why my poor back hurts so much everytime I pick her up :?
Well Ladies, gotta go.. AK is about to wake up and I have prepare the "scenery".
I hope you and your LO's have a great day/night
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Wow. So much to catch up on.
Carrie--We do DF at 11:00 and I usually feed if she wakes up after 3:00. I figure it's been 4 hours and she's probably hungry (even if that's not the reason she woke up). She usually takes a full feed. If it's after 6:00, I usually try to settle her, but that rarely works as she usually wakes around 7:30 anyway. If she doesn't settle, I'll feed, then let her sleep a little later (8:30 or 9:00) sometimes...but that's more for my sake! I try to only do that once in awhile, though. And I always offer a feed when she wakes up to start her day...she doesn't always take it, but I offer. I don't know if that was helpful or not, but I hope so.
Theresa--Olivia has done a little better. 2 2-hour naps yesterday and a pretty good night! What helped us was a wind down (I hadn't been doing one because she didn't need it, but apparently now she does!) We only do about 10 min, but it seems to be enough to settle her and get her ready for a deep sleep. I think with her increased activity it's more difficult for her to "switch" to sleeping mode.
Andrea--thanks. I think you're right. Last night was better (except that I unintentionally woke her up at 1:45!) Her face was smashed up against the bumper and I tried to move her and woke her up! I thought she'd settle back down, but she didn't. After about an hour, I fed her and she went right back to sleep. She slept until 7:30 this morning! I hope I didn't jinx it by waking her up! At least it seems to be getting better!
Well, Olivia is NOT happy about something...gotta run!
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Ladies, checking in after a few days and so much to catch up on!
Now on day 9 of EASY PU/PD and had a major relapse yesterday, it was as if Quinn forgot everything he learned! I had to do PU/PD for 30 min with a hysterical baby foa all naps, that hadn't happened since day 1. Things have been better today.. only a few minutes of PU/PD in the late afternoon nap, otherwise I think we are back on track. I think relapses are normal?
Kate, to answer your question of a couple days ago, Quinn is taking both breasts at the 4 am wake-up. I think he is pretty much draining both as he does during the day so I assume he is getting the hindmilk at every feeding...? I assume it is hunger and not a comfort thing? Should I be concerned if he only feeds about 4 min on each breast? Or maybe he's just an efficient eater. (He's about 16 pounds at 4 1/2 months...)
Nancy, Quinn has been sleeping on his tummy since he learned to roll over. At first we were freaked out because he could only roll one way (from his back to his tummy) and thought that made sleeping on his tummy somehow dangerous. But after being reassured by our pediatrician, we haven't worried. Now Q can roll both ways and squirms around quite a bit when he is settling himself. I am still in the habit of putting him down on his back however and he usually rolls to his tummy on his own. Sometimes, however, when he is not settling well I will turn him to his tummy and he will be asleep within a few minutes. It seems as though he forgets to turn and gets upset! I wonder too if I should just start him on his stomach? BTW we haven't beed swaddling Q for a about a month now...it seemed to annoy him more than help him.
Theresa and Carrie, I have the same problem of the 11pm DF and the early morning wake-up. I am still feeding at 4ish. I try to wait to see if he will settle on his own, but often I am too tired to be patient and know that feeding him will put him back to sleep at least until 6:15ish...(I wish it could be 7 but he wakes up happy and babbling and it doesn't seem as though PU/PD is the right way to extend his sleep when he is happy!! I have the same problem with the am nap...he wakes up happy after an hour...how do I stretch it to two?)
Because of the relapse we had yesterday, my little guy has almost lost his voice, it is both sad and cute at the same time :( :roll:
Hope everyone has a good night!
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All you moms of tummy-sleepers: Did you hover over your LOs when they first started sleeping on their tummies? Now that DD is starting to roll over, I worry about her once she's on her tummy. I'm losing sleep b/c I feel like I have to stay awake to help her if she can't get back on her back. Also, she scoots around the crib and a couple of times I've found her with her face smashed up against the crib liner. That has freaked me out! Has anyone else gone through this, and does it get better? Am I being paranoid for no reason?
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Well I have 5mins, I'm just home from the Hospital for a quick shower. Liam was admitted yesterday, he either has gastro (Aiden also has) or may have meningitis as white cells were found in a CSF (he had to have a lumbar puncture done.
I will post an update when we get discharrged hopefully Sunday... we have to wait 48 hours from when the last test was done to see if it is bacterial menigitis.
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oh gosh Kate I will say a prayer for you and Liam. please keep us posted on his progress. so sorry you are having to go through this with your little guy :cry:
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Kate-- I'll be thinking of you and Liam and hoping for the best. Hugs to you.
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Kate, you and Liam are in my prayers. Please keep us posted; I'm so sorry you have to go through this.
Blessings!
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Kate, you and your babies are in our thoughts. I hope everything will be fine and soon you will be at home enjoying your boys.
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Kate- I'm hoping for the best for all of you!
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Kate, we're thinking and praying for you guys.
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Kate, you and your little ones are in our thoughts and we are sending lots of positive energy and virtual hugs your way!
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Kate,
What you must be going through...you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Regards,
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Wow Kate, that's not good news at all. I'ts amazing how strong you are and how you can handle things. I hope your boys' test results came back with good news. I am keeping you in my thoughts.
Take care,
Carrie
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We are home. After 72 hours in hospital, we are back home. All the cultures came back negative, so they diagnosis was a virus/ gastro... could have told them that as Aiden had gastro, but for babies under 6mo, they like to be over cautious & as he had a slight increase of white cells from the lumber puncture (spinal tap) they had to give antibiotics & we had to wait until all the cultures came back to rule out meningitis.
Anyway he is a happy boy again & slept well last night, so hopefully that won't be too messed up, but we have feeing issues to fix... on 2.5hour feeding as he refuses my right side & while he wasn't well I was feeding almost hourly so he could get a little often.
Thanks for all your support & will post the whole story when I get a chance. All I can say is ALWAYS trust your instinct that things aren't quite right.
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Kate,
It's great to know that Liam is all right!! I hope that now that you are back home you can get things back to normal and hopefully rest a little.
Take care,
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Kate -- glad to hear you are back from the hospital and everything is OK.
I have a question, has anyone successfully weaned from the swaddle? I may wait a few more weeks because the doctor said the arm jolts will lessen as he gets older to get serious about the weaning, but it sure seems like Jake needs to be swaddled (both hands) to settle. I don't mind that he is swaddled but he is going to start growing out of his swaddle blankets (the velcro kind) and I've already got him in the largest size. At night, he can fall asleep with both hands out and only his legs swaddled. But he can't do that at naps. Ideally, I'd like to make it so he just needs a sleep sack or something, if even that. I tried leaving him with loosely swaddled in a regular blanket yetersday (mainly because his velcro one's were in the wash :oops:) and he went back to the old days, waking at 25 minutes. As soon as his velcro one was dry, I put him in it and he fell right back asleep. Then today, I tried with one arm out because he was sucking his hand and he just couldn't settle himself. As soon as I swaddled both hands, he fell right asleep. I guess this swaddle blanket may have become his prop?!?!? :? Am I going to have to resort to PU/PD or should I just try again next weekend and see what happens? What is the best way to do this?
Hope all is well with everyone and that you are enjoying your weekend. I get so sad every Sunday night because I know that I have to go back to work. To make things worst, I had a really bad week last week at work, which isn't making me feel much like going back this week. :evil:
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Kate it is great that Liam is home and doing well!
Erin I don't have much advice on the swaddling as Jameson hasn't liked it from the start but if I had to guess I would say you might have to do PUPD as it might be a prop like a paci.
Well we've just about got on the 4 hr EASY with a slight adjustment to it in the evenings. The 3rd cycle just doesn't seem like he can go 4 hours so I feed after he wakes from his catnap and then we do bath and then feed again. I'm guessing this is similar to what you mentioned Kate. When the feed is less than an hour later do you feed from the same side as if it was the same feed with a break? I'm thinking that would give the most hind milk and might help him sleep longer at night?! He is still waking once between the DF and morning wake but it just takes 10 minutes to feed and get him right back to sleep. It is always at a different time so I'm guessing it is a hunger thing. We'll see.
Hope everyone had a good weekend!
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Erin, my LO also needed swaddling as her arm jolts would wake her up, too. As she got bigger, she kept "breaking out" of it. We would have to go back in and reswaddle time and time again! Finally, she was able to settle herself with her arms out. She would suck her fist and then eventually she would put her hands behind her head and fall asleep that way. It just sort of happened one day. We still swaddle her but we leave her arms out now that she has control of them. She usually fall asleep sucking her thumb.
I'm sorry I don't have any "advice" to offer. Just know that your LO is not alone, and eventually they do gain control of their arms. Then the swaddling is not so crucial.
Hang in there!
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Erin,
I just weaned Kay from her swaddle on Friday night! I had been trying off and on for a month...everytime I tried she had a short nap like you described 25 min or so. I started again because we found her asleep on her stomach while in the swaddle :shock: so we knew it was time to wean her ASAP.
The past two weeks, Kay has been sucking her fingers so much during the day that she was trying to get at them while in the swaddle. So, I left an arm out for her...but she wouldn't suck her fingers and still needed the paci. It took a number of tries for her to suck her fingers while in the crib. I proceeded pretty slowly as she was so used to the swaddle as part of her routine. By the end, Kay started breaking out of her swaddle to get at her fingers...and was going back to sleep with her arms free. I found it helped to try new things (like an arm out) after her first nap since it is usually her best.
BTW, Kay now sleeps in a grobag. It was a great purchase since I don't have to worry if she is cold...plus now I don't have to buy PJs for a while:)
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Erin,
We weaned from the swaddle about 3 weeks ago. I said "we" mostly because Anna Krisztina hated to be swaddled, but it was a great help for me to settle her down, so it turned out that I needed the swaddle more than she did.
We did the "cold turkey" approach. One day I just didn't swaddle her and at the beginning, she was pretty surprised that she didn't have an excuse to moan about (HA! :twisted: ), but still when she was falling asleep, she would rub her face with one hand (and get herself started all over again) or she would wail her arms (and get herself started!), so what I did was that I put a big pillow on top of her (waist down) so the weight would help her settle down and not jump too much and I would have to gently hold her mischevious hands until I could feel that she was relaxed enough and she wouldn't jump anymore. I also tried to put her little arms under her blanket with not too much success.
About a week after, she started to suck her right fist and the holding hand thing was rather a distraction for her (she would just do anything in order not to be held) so I just stopped doing it.
I personally was very worried about the "shifting gears" in the middle of the night, because I had seen her wailing her arms a lot and I was afraid that she would wake up, but again, babies are surprising little creatures and it only happened a few times...
Just remember that babies are different, and you shouldn't worry if yours still needs the swaddling. The BW book says that some babies need it until about 7 - 8 months.
Good luck!
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I think that I may just keep trying bit by bit on the weekends when I am at home -- e.g., one arm out -- and see what happens. I actually think that he gets "distracted" by sucking on his hand and then can't get to sleep but who knows? I just know that some day I am going to be forced to wean because he is going to grow out of the blankets. :?
I still don't know why he doesn't need it at night but only during naps. :?
We'll just see what happens this weekend!!! Glad to know there are others I can count on for support and ideas.
Thanks again.
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Hi there, I have a May baby,Ryder, born 10th /5/05.We are on a farm in Western Australia. I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts and thought I'd put my boys routine in.
E 6.45-7.00am wake b/f (10 mins-he has always been a fast feeder)
A Play on floor in gymini or with a toy
S 8.30-10.30, 11.00
E 11.00 b/f
A more floor play, talks with mum /dad/brother
S 1.00pm-3.00
E 3.00pm b/f
A Usually getting overstimulated by now by hyper brother home from school
S 4.45- 5.15 nap
This is where the easy goes haywire as then we have a shower and get into bed clothes. Then he is usually happy for about 45mins and then starts to fuss and rub his eyes etc... I am usually lucky to get him to string out until 7.00pm , b/f then straight to bed, but more often than not he's totally had it by 6.30pm, so I feed and then bed. I worry that this is too early a bed time, but he always sleeps through without a d/f until 3.30am.Then I feed at 3.30 and back to sleep until 6.45-7.00am. He has been waking around 2.30am every night but the cruel mum I am, I was going in and putting the dummy in which would string him out til 3.30. Otherwise if I fed at 2.30 he would wake again around 6.00am. But now I go in at 1.30am and wake to sleep and it works until the 3.30 wake up. So that's Ryders day. I hope I haven't bored anyone to tears !!! :wink:
Philippa, Bencubbin WA
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welcome philippe-nice to have you.
it seems i can't keep up anymore with all the posts. the days are crazy here. cambel and i are learning to be very adaptable, which i guess is a good thing. we are just shuttling him all over the place. so far he has done okay. his night sleep isn't as great, but he is getting better. next week we go to colorado for dh's training. i know someone just flew with thier little one. any tips?
erin-we are in the same boat with swaddling. ds has no trouble breaking out of it, and he is getting too big for the blanket, but he can't seem to go to sleep without it. i think at this point i will hold off changing things. we have too much going on! but i do wonder about him being older and his arms not jerking as much. i have heard that too and am hoping it will happen for us. after paci weaning at night i am not looking forward to another round!
kate- i haven't been keeping up with things, so i missed liam's illness. but i am glad he is doing better.
a question-do you wake your lo up from their nap if it is over 2 hours? cambel does this (very rarely) and i just wondered what you all do.
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Maria, I used to wake Jameson up but stopped and he doesn't ever seem to sleep too much past it. I figure he must really be tired. I've started not waking him in the morning either because I figure if he is more of a night sleeper, I'll take it! Today he actually slept until 8:40 (he did have a DF and woke at 3:15 for a feed). I talked to my mom and she said that I was always a better night sleeper than a napper. I might have one of those on my hands. He took two 1.5 naps yesterday and then was down for 13 hours (minus 30 minutes for the two feeds).
Well I'll be away from the boards for a bit. We're leaving this thursday for Ohio. We'll be there for 2 weeks. We're driving?! Not sure how that is exactly going to go but we'll see. Then we get home and 5 days later we leave for the beach for a week. I'm just happy I was able to get him on the 4 hr EASY before leaving for all of this. He'll be a whole month older by the time we get back home and then the holidays start. Always something?!
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Maria, I have stopped waking Jake as well because now I know that he knows when it is night and day and sometimes he just needs a longer nap. It usually equals out in the end -- e.g., a shorter nap somewhere else. I used to be a drill sargeant about waking him after 2 hours but for the last month or so, I've left it. HOwever, I have to say, there aren't a lot of times that he goes past 2 hours. He's more of an 1 1/2 hour sleeper these days. Once in awhile he'll take a long afternoon nap at daycare in the afternoon but that is because he had a short one (45 minutes :twisted:) in the morning.
A swaddling update-- no better news for the naps but last night he slept in one of those sleep sacks!! :D Baby steps...
I'm actually taking Jake to the doc this evening for some minor eczema. I was freaking out that it was a food allergy but when I got my logic back, I realized that it wasn't because after I thought about it, he's had it all along and he's only had rice cereal, which I guess it would be very unlikely that he would've had an allergic reaction to. I guess that I had eczema as an infant and so did my mother. So, I'm taking him to the doc to get some treatment for it and that way I can discuss some other things with the doc again -- e.g., foods and the swaddling. I actually think the eczema is being aggravated by the bathsoaps or bathing because it is worst the day after we do a bath. :? Who knows? I just feel bad for him because he's started scratching the back of his head where he has just a bit on his hairline.
Hope all is well.
Jill have fun on all of your vacations. I wish I was doing that instead of working!
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How lucky you ladies are to have to wake them at 2 hours!!! Aaron won't sleep beyond 45 min now, no matter what we do to extend naps. We've tried wake-to-sleep, pu/pd and extending A time, and shortening A time (thinking he might just have been overstimulated). None of those did any good. So for now, we're just hoping that he eventually outgrows it.
Lately DS has been a real bear, and I thought he was getting sick (he had diarrhea and lots of crankiness). We took him to the Dr., and they said he was teething, but that he might not actually get teeth yet--he might have what they called "teething syndrome" where the teeth start to rise to the surface, but then go back down instead of emerging all the way, and if that is the case it could go on for MONTHS. Is anyone else going through this? Jill, was it you who said that Jameson had already started teething? Did he actually get teeth, or did it just go away?
Kate-Glad to hear that Liam is getting better. I'm sure you'll have things back on track in a little while.
Hope you all have a good week.
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I just stopped crying to write down this, because it seems that since last Thursday night, someone came and changed my baby.
Although Anna Krisztina has always put a fight to go to sleep in the night, days were quite OK and naps were easy to do. Not since Thursday. Wind down doesn't work anymore, she hates her crib (she will start crying the minute I put her down) and has lost the capability to self-soothe (she will suck her fist for 5 mins, then get frustrated and wont fall asleep). Not to mention that she started to wake up at 5am and her naps won't last more than 30 mins.
It's just awful. I feel such a bad mother because I really don't know what to do anymore. EASY is not working anymore for us.... well, ANYTHING works anymore and I am just going nuts because I don't know how I can help her...
We both are cranky, tired and without patience. The worst thing is that since I am at home alone, I dont have anybody to help me out. I just have spent this 5 days feeling terrible thinking how did I screwed it up....
Sorry for this post, but I just needed to get it out of my system.
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Silvia...we've all had those bad weeks. You just have to remind yourself that it will pass. It really makes you treasure the good days. I know it sounds silly but take a deep breath and if you need to let her cry for 2 minutes while you take a break...even if it means just using the restroom. Do what you have to. Using EASY loosly sometimes is the only way to get through it. Good luck and know we're here for you!
Theresa, yes it was me that mentioned the teething. And no nothing has actually appeared but he goes through the motions ever couple of weeks. Runny BMs, biting everything and a bit fussy. And then completley fine.
Couple questions for everyone...has anyone moved up to size 4 diapers. I feel like it is so early but he was leaking out of the 3s. I know people say not to go by the weight on them but 4 starts at 22 lbs and Jameson is only just under 17. Also regarding the carrier car seats, has anyone moved out of that one into a regular backward one? They say 20 lbs and/or 26 inches long. Jameson was 26 in at his 4 month checkup but I just don't feel ready to move him out of the carrier. I love the sun shade and the fact that he can stay in it when we get out of the car.
Well I better get back to packing...how can 2 people need so much stuff???
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Silvia -- sorry to hear that. Do you think she could be teething or something else developmental? I agree with Jill -- sometimes you need to do EASY loosely until your lo is back on track.
Jill-- Jake grew out of his infant carrier too. He was 26 1/2 inches at his 4 mo. appointment. So, I debated getting the other kind too and was hesitant because of the inability to carry him around like the infant carrier. Luckily, my SIL's carrier went up to 30 inches -- it's a bigger carrier and more like the backward facing seat but with the handles. So, sorry I can't help you. I know it's against the recommendations but if he's not way too big for it and he's within the weight restrictions, you could probably last a little longer -- maybe he'll be sitting by then.
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Maria - I always wondered about waking them up too. Depending on the time of day, I might wake DS up after 2 hours. This is kind of my own reasoning but I have started to not wake until 2.25 hours because this would be 3 45min sleep cycles. If he sleeps longer in the am I try to space out the naps in the pm, and if he takes shorter naps in the am I will let him sleep longer in the pm. I usually go with the sleep cycle rather than the specific 2hours.
Kate - I am glad you and your boys are back home. Hopefully you can get back into your routine with ease. :wink:
Phillipa - Gald to have you aboard.
Swaddling for me and DS is hit and miss. Unless I wrap him straight-jacket tight, he will always break out. Since he too is a big fist sucker, I have decided to just go with the flow at nap times and swaddle him a bit loose because I want him to learn how to put himself back to sleep if he jolts. He's not ready to be swaddle free yet though.
Jamom - DS has some ecxema too (cheeks, arms and legs). At one point it got so bad I took pics and was ready to take him to the doc. I stopped using baby soap and went to walmart to get some Aveeno bath pouches and some Aveeno lotion. The oatmeal is supposed to relieve the itching and reduce the redness. It worked great. It's starting to act up again on the cheeks, probably from him rubbing his wet fists on his face. Anyway, I wanted to tell you about that product in case you are interested.
s_olano00 - I really really really feel for you. My DS was the same as your lo a few weeks back and I never did figure out what was wrong. It just went away after a few days. It could have been what mommytsa wrote about the "teething syndrome" she was told about. Check for a high tempurature and make sure to give extra cuddles if needed. I actually resorted to some accidental parenting when DS was like that and I held while he slept. It's not something I have ever done before or do now, but at the time it was the only way he would sleep. He's back to his sweet little textbook self now. Try not to be discouraged.
On my side of things, I am so pleased to have Rylan liltteraly sleep through the night now. Last night his last feed was at about 9pm and he slept until 9am this morning. There was no d/f. A couple of days ago he started to get fussy on the breast so I decided to try and feed him with the bottle. (It seemed to me) he took more and was more satisfied. I been using various combinations of bf, ebm and formula and I think it's because he was tkaing in more that he slept longer. I hope this continues as I enjoyed getting a solid nights rest.
Take care everyone,
Carrie :wink:
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Welcome Philippa, nice to see a fellow Aussie here
Well Liam is getting his appetite back... I had 3 night feeds last night, which really hurt after he was going 11 hours without a feed last week, but that is good & infact he has bounced back so well... pity I can't say the same about me... I feel like I have a bad case of the flu, I ache worse than I did after going through labour!! Aiden is also getting his last molars so is a real grump not sleeping etc, so tears seem to be the order of the day here too!
Silvia, A K is a spirited baby, like Aiden, I found when he started to get very alert around the 4/5mo mark, I had to have a long wind down... what I did was sit in a chair with him & read stories... I read ones for preschoolers, like pooh bear, peter pan etc, ones that took ages to read (15-20mins). That worked a treat, because it stopped me being frustrated, with sitting holding him for ages & the sound of my voice seemed to calm him.
Re the swaddling issue, I still sort of swaddle Liam, but I have always used the Aussie swaddle, so I can place Liam's hands near his face so he can suck on them (how he sooths off to sleep) but still stops him from moving them too much. The beauty of the Aussie swaddle, is it is easy to gradually loosen to wean them from it... there is a post in one of the sleep forums on how to do it. I use a big muslin square, but a cot sheet works well too. I have always had to use a big wrap, as both boys are/were big.
Also re the sucking fingers, why it seems to work at night & not day is that the bedtime routine is probably much more consistent & nap time they need longer wind down. While it might seem like your lo is getting stimulated by it, it is probably more the case of frustration as it isn't working to settle them. This is a difficult age when it comes to settling & I certainly am finding, I have been more successful with increasing the wind down time. I can almost recite the books I read from memory now.
Re the car seat... I have never used a carrier, they aren't very popular here & most of my friends who did use them in the past had to get a rear facing seat, as their lo's grew out of the carrier, before they had neck control/size to go forward facing, so we just bought the convertable one to start.
I haven't written crib notes like I normally do (how I can remember who said what) but who ever it is who is flying with their lo, make sure you feed or give a paci on take off & landing to help with the pressure. I have flown with both boys & had absolutely no problems as they were sucking.
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Sylvia, I am so sorry you're having to go through this! My LO just went through a similiar spell in the last couple of weeks, but she seems to have come through it for the most part. Mine is spirited as well, and I also had to extend the wind down time. It seemed to help her alot. She suddenly seems to hate to sleep because she doesn't want to miss anything. I feel for you having to do it yourself. If you have to, just leave your LO in the crib and take some time for yourself. I had to do that a couple of times and each time she would soothe herself after a couple of minutes. Even if your LO doesn't, you'll feel much better once you've calmed down, and then you'll be able to calm her down.
Jill, we just switched to a rear-facing convertible seat from the carrier. My little Chubs wasn't too long, but she's already 20 lb!! Today was the first day I took her in the new car seat and she seemed to really enjoy it. She seemed much more comfortable.
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Nancy...thanks for your comments about the convertible seat being comfortable. I had a gal at church tell me her son really disliked his. I was afraid to switch before our long car ride. I do feel okay with him in it since it is the height and not weight reason he could switch. Plus I want to get as much use out of this one before we put it away for good.
Okay so we had an AWFUL night. He was so good going down, didn't wake up before DF then slept until 4...then all *&t^ broke loose. He ate for 15 minutes then had a BM, changed his diaper and attempted to put him back to bed. He was all laughing and thought it was funny...45 minutes later he was asleep. So this is 5 AM. At 6 I heard him again and thought I was dreaming, oh but I wasn't. I attempted to PUPD for an hour with him completely crying. I was so tired. At 7 I fed him (he usually sleep until 8 so this was an hour early). He did go down good for his nap at 9 and is still sleeping now. Oh I'm not looking forward to traveling now. I hope he doesn't do this while we're staying with other people. I feel bad when he crys while others are trying to sleep. I feel some accidental parenting coming on...
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Jill, I'm glad my comments helped. Sorry you had a rough night, that's never fun...and even more discouraging when you have a trip coming up. Hope all goes well. Hang in there and take it one day at a time. REmember one bad day doesn't mean it's all gone to pot!!
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jill-sorry you had such a rough night. i hate those! but i think you will be fine when you are traveling. cambel always surprises me that way.
silvia-just wanted to encourage you. i hope you are feeling better today. i have had days like those when all i want to do is cry or scream. but it always seems that just when i think i am going to lose my mind, ds will take a longer nap, play independently, or sleep longer at night--just something to allow me to get pulled back together. one thing i tell myself when i am so overwhelmed is that as bad as things get-he cannot possibly stay a baby forever. i know this probably sounds silly, but when i wasn't getting much sleep and i was so emotional, telling myself this helped. anyway-hang in there. and keep venting. we are all here to encourage you.
carrie- congratulations on ryan sleeping all the way through! i am looking forward to that day (or should i say night:)). that is great.
i had not even thought about cambel growing out of his car seat--it is always something new to be thinking about! right now i am trying to figure out our new insurance with dh's new job, and that is stressful enough. so i think i will leave the car seat until later.
kate- i hope you get to feeling better soon. you deserve a good day here!
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Thank you SO MUCH for your support!!!
I am sorry to be so dramatic, but AK's spirit can be overwhelming sometimes.
Things are still "funky"...... today, she woke up at 4.30am and couldn't fall asleep until 8 am just to take a 1 hour nap! The afternoon was a bit beter, she had a 2hr 45min nap (I just thought "what the heck, I will just let her catch up with her sleep")
So I am just trying to go with the flow.... well, HER flow.... I am also doing some major accidental parenting (which makes me feel even a worse mother) but I feel the most important right now is to get her to sleep during the day no matter what. I guess I'll have to pay the bill sometime later.
Again, THANK YOU for your support. It's nice to know that there are people out there that can tell me "Yep, I've been there"
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I think we will be needing a sleep sack too....
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Silvia-- that pictures great! :D
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Well today was Rylan's first time in a pool. He did great...no crying or fussing, and made sure to check everything out. He is only a couple of days away from being 5 months old. :shock: where did the time go??? :shock: Anyway, we had a small mishap I guess you call it; even though he finished eating an hour before we went in the pool, he still managed to spit-up a bit. Most of it landed on his sleeper (they let the bebies wear them to stay warmer), but there were a few 'floaties' in the water :oops: I felt so bad. Here other people are going to use this pool and my son has just left a souvenier. Would any of you feel as :oops: as me? Do I ever take my son to the pool again?? :?
Carrie
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Erin, Thanks!!
Carrie, I would definetly take him again. Don't feel bad about it... babies puke and you cannot do anything about it or control it. I guess other mommies understand that (I definetly would!). Anyway, they will clean the pool in the night, right? Don't miss the fun with your LO!
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Hi all! Writing from Ohio as we bad it here okay. After 9 hours in the car Jameson cried for the last hour (which of course was when we got stuck in traffic). Not as bad as it could have been! But after two days of running around seeing people he cries as soon as we start towards the car. I've decided that the next two days we will stay put so he doesn't have to get in the car seat. Night waking was pretty bad last night but I'm sure it was due to the fact that he only took short naps throughout the day.
Carrie...about the spit up in the pool. The chemicals will take care of it completely. Don't worry about it!
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Well, we are having skin issues around this place. Jake had eczema which has cleared since going to the doctor but he continues to get a rash once and awhile. I am so frustrated because it could be anything causing it. We took him off the rice cereal for a few days and then started oatmeal. (No change in skin when took off rice cereal). Don't think the rash is due to oatmeal because he had it before we started the oatmeal. So, I have no clue. I am starting to wonder if when my MIL was here she washed clothes and used a fabric softener or something that is causing this becaues today Jake was getting a rash where the neckline of his shirt touched his skin. Anyway, question, if it is a food allergy, would I be seeing other signs than just a rash? Would I see systemic signs as well? We don't have any of those. Also, it seems to get redder whenever I touch him. :? So, I don't know if that could be because I was doing laundry today and using softener on mine and dh's close or what. It's just frustrating because it could be so many things and I want to make sure it's not a food allergy or an allergy to my dog.
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At the moment I feel like Liam is a newborn again, he is feeding every 3 hours, although that is an improvement from almost hourly in the day & 3 hourly at night earlier in the week & his sleep is pretty average too, I'm having to re-teach him to fall asleep on his own - actually I never really taught him it just happened, but while in hospital it all went pear shaped.
Hindsight is such a wonderful thing, I should have been pumping as I knew with the volume of IV fluids they were pumpng through he was feeding less, I just didn't realise it was so much less. I've never had supply issues until now & it is really upsetting to see Liam "hungry" for food & my breasts completely empty.
Anyway that is our update for now & hopefully now I am pumping after every feed, I will have supply enough to work on getting back to the wonderful place we were before... only to have a 'developmental stage' mess it up
Hope all the rest of you are going well
Erin, asked Dr about a rash on Liam- turns out to be eczema, very common in babies. most probably not food related. advice, bath only in water, use a sorborline cream & the most sensitive washing powders you can buy.
Jill sorry the trip is upsetting the routine, as my SIL, said, we have routines, so we have something to get back to when life gets messed up!!
Carrie, re the pool, one of the girls in Aiden's swim class did far worse when they were about 15mo. You won't be the first or last that has happened to
Silvia, know where you are at with a spirited one... Aiden is like that & I tell you get into good routines as it helps so much as they get older & long wind downs!!
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Kate-I'm so sorry to hear about your supply problems. Hopefully it will build back up in a few days and you'll be able to get Liam back on his routine and sleeping through. I just wish there were something more I could do for you! You're having such a rough time, and I really have been keeping you and your boys in my thoughts. Here's a virtual HUG since that's about all I can send.
Jill-We took Aaron on an 8 hour car drive when he was 2 months old. He never liked the car seat before, but it didn't make the problem any worse after we'd been home for a day or two and he didn't have to be in it what must feel like "all the time" to such a little baby.
Have a great week ladies!
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Well the trip is going pretty well. He is waking a bit more than normal at night but last night it was just wake and right back to sleep (better than the night before when we were up for almost 2 hours at one time). Does anyone have any thoughts on adding extra padding to a pack-n-play?
Got his bumbo seat yesterday! So much fun.[/img]
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Jill - cute pictures. I take it Jameson is the one in the blue bumbo??
Hi everyone. We are still alive over here. I've been reading your posts when I have the time, but haven't managed to respond to anything for such a long time. Lots going on in our neck of the woods - house renovations are happening!
Matthew had his first cold. It just about killed me! I haven't had to get up with him for so long!!! He had a nasty head cold (runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat) and lost his voice at one stage.
Someone was asking about swaddling and how to wean a while ago - we did it gradually (first one arm, then two, then nothing). HOWEVER . . . since the cold DS has slept 1000X better if he is swaddled - so we are back to one arm. I hate how a sickness can set everything back.
Don't know if I told you but we are doing a "baby yoga" class. It's a lot of fun to see the moms and LO's!
Glad to see some more moms are joining us!
(I will try to post a little more consistently)
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Yes Jameson is in the blue bumbo. The other LOs are my sisters twins that are two weeks younger than Jameson. It is so neat seeing them interact with each other!
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Jjstar - that is a really cute picture.
I have been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster the past few weeks. I go back to work on Halloween. Less than a month now. I really like my job and Kay is going to a great nursery school that is brand new (run by a woman with a great reputation). I know things will be hard - but OK. My problem is trying to NOT count down the days until I go back to work. I suspect the anticipation of going back will be worse than actually being at work.
I am also starting to wean Kay onto formula for two feeds a day. We started last weekend (my husband did the feeding) and then Kay got a rash. Learned a new lesson that if you start formula put lots of diaper cream on FIRST because the baby will likely get a rash in reaction to the different poop. So I stopped the forumla to let the rash heal. We started again this weekend. An hour ago I fed her the formula myself. It was really sad. Kay didn't mind though...she was quite happy...which is great.
I guess with these big things happening now I am starting to take stock of how much has happened since Kay was born. How far we have come with her sleeping and how much she has grown! I look at her and I can't believe she is already 5 months old.
When I was pregnant I became VERY weepy which is not my usual way. Guess what...it has not gone away yet :?
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Janet-- best wishes going back. I have been back over a month now and I will say, people are right when they say the anticipation is worst than actually going back. I cried and cried the night before but then was actually kinda' (gasp) excited when I went back to work. It's been hard, and somedays I struggle, but now that I am getting back to being busy at work and into the swing of things, it's not so bad. The hardest part is how tired I am at the end of the day and all I want to do is play with Jake. But I do take a guilty pleasure in my work as I enjoy it as well as being back with my co-workers/friends. You'll be Ok -- big HUGS to you and if you need any support, send me a "pm".
Jill-- love the Bumbo picture. I just love Bumbo chairs. That was one of my best baby buys!
Kathy-- sorry to hear about the cold. That's the pits. Thanks for tips on weaning from swaddle. We've been trying one arm out -- and it works some times and not others. He needs it to stay asleep not to fall asleep.
Kate-- hopefully Liam will get back on track. I'll keep my fingers crossed. You've had a rough time and could use some good luck!
Well-- I am off on my first traveling trip for work (Texas). It's just overnight but the first time I am very far away from Jake. Dh is doing such a good job with Jake and is such a good daddy that I don't feel as bad about it. It will be a long month of both dh and I traveling for work although not on the same days. It's stressful but unfortunately a necessary for my job.
Jake turned 5 months yesterday and I can't believe how quickly the time is going and how much he is changing and growing. I just look at him and think, wow, what a little blessing.
Hope everyone and their lo's are doing well.
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HI Everyone.
I too have been out of the loop for over a week now, as things are pretty busy here with work and such. I just read the last page, but enough to gather that Liam is having some troubles. So sorry to hear that Kate, as I know he was just in the hospital last week. Hope things get better soon.
Taylor got her first cold yesterday and it is so sad! :cry: One bit of advice that I will always listen to now is TRUST YOUR MOTHERLY INSTINCTS!!! Tonight as I was putting her down I was going to give her Pediacare and DH said, "she seems fine, do you really think she needs that?" logn story short, he was raised in a religion that doesn't really believe in medical intervention including medication...and although he doesn't believe in it now (after almost dying at 11 from apendicitis), it is still pretty engrained in him. Well, not feeling his support for giving her anything we put her straight to bed. And of course she woke up at 9:30 screaming and coughing and all stuffy. I got so mad at him we got into a big fight and told him I was going to trust my instincts from now on and medicate when I feel necessary!!!! DH is such a wonderful dad and husband, but that is the one thing we don't quite agree on. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.
I will have to post some big pics of Taylor too. There is one of her in her Bumbo seat and in her Exersaucer that are just priceless.
One new thing we have given her is a kiddy swing that you hang on the patio. She absolutely LOVES it! she was squealing so loud today it was the cutest thing.
Jamom-good luck on your first trip away from home. I'm sure all will be well. And JKHH-yes, the anticipation is worse than the actual going back. You may not believe it, but eventhough I am quitting soon, work is not that bad. In fact I think I would have stayed if 1. the commute wasn't so horrible and 2. DH didn't need my help running his business.
Anyhow, gotta go! everyone have a good night!
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so DH just came in and apologized and said that from now on he will trust me and my instincts with all things relating to Taylor's wellness/medicating. HE said he knows his upbringing is clouding his judgement. I guess he's not so bad after all! :wink:
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Andrea, totally agree about trusting your instict... that was why I took Liam to hospital! I think having carried around our lo's before birth, we have a mother's instinct that no one else could ever have. So often I have had that feeling something isn't right with Aiden & the next day he was sick.
Theresa, my supply is back up & feeding going well, the night feed is getting later & later, so fingers crossed, we might be back to long night sleeps by the end of the week. Liam is also now back falling asleep independently, although I seem to have to resettle at 45mins more than before, he does resettle easily, so I think we are well on the way back... YEH! How are your supply problems going... I really do reccommend pumping for 5-10mins after you stop getting milk, after 3 days doing that I feel full all the time!
Will post more later, dh & I are in the process of developing a "behaviour management" strategy (how we will deal with undesirable behaviour) for Aiden, as we have been having a few issues there... mostly due to not agreeing on how to handle things & now he is at the "terrible twos" we are getting some HUGE tantrums ( we had one an hour long!!!) & pushing the limits big time... Thats what a Spirited Toddler gives you.
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Hello Ladies,
It's nice to know that everyone is doing fine. I joined this thread about 1 month ago and it's amazing to see how much our LO's have grown and developed since!
On our side, things are still wacky. Although AK doesn't cry anymore when I put her in the crib, we're still dealing with irregular naps, crazy night sleep, difficult wind-downs - you name it. Things have improved compared to last week, so I still keep the hope that slowly things will get back to normal until the next growth spurt :?
One strange thing has happened, now, AK refuses to take her bottle and only wants my breast... well, what can I say... I am back to bfeeding again.
I am kind of sad bc my Mom was supposed to arrive tomorrow for a 3 week stay (finally, I would have time to get a decent hair cut and go to some doctor's appointments) but it seems that her trip is delayed again for the zillionth time (she's been planning to come since AK was born). Mom is coming from El Salvador and unfortunately, last weekend a volcano over there erupted (no mayor threat to the capital, but plenty of small earthquakes) and since hurricane Rita, the country is soaking in rain, so right now, practically everything is landsliding because the earth cannot hold more water. I have a little sister on her teens and my Mom thinks that is wiser to stay over there and wait until all the danger is gone. Well, I guess I'll have to keep on waiting.
Kate - Please don't frighten me anymore with this Spirited child thing :D :D :D Ak is becoming more and more spirited up to the point that she's really spooking me. I feel I have to start planning now what to do with her for the rest of her life in order to have her under control....
Well, gotta go. AK is asleep and I need to grab some lunch.
Take care everyone!
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Kate- Glad to hear things are getting better with your supply. Mine is fine. Really, I never had any definite problems, I was just paranoid that since I'm away from him during the day and can't pump at work that if I wasn't feeding him more frequently in the evenings that my supply would go down, since even though I'm pumping, I know that's not as effective as the baby in stimulating production. It's very stressful to try to pump half the day's milk when you can't pump at work! So basically, things are fine, and I'm learning to be less paranoid about it. Thank you for thinking of me, though!
Silvia- I'm sorry you wouldn't be able to visit with your mom. It must be very hard living so far from your family. I hope everyone in El Salvador is doing well despite the mudslides and earthquakes. I also went through periods with Aaron when he refused the bottle (immediately following periods where he refused the breast!) What worked to get him back on the bottle was to have my MIL give him a bottle when he wasn't "really" hungry, like an hour after I fed him. At first he just played with it, but then the next day we offered the bottle when he was hungry, and he took it just fine. Maybe she needs a "no-stress, take it if you want it, but if not, oh well" sort of approach. Seemed to work for Aaron.
Janet- You will do fine going back to work. I've been back for 2 months, and it is hard to leave my LO, but it has gotten easier with time and even though I think about him frequently, it is so nice to have adult conversations about something other than poop and when the baby last ate. But understand that it is normal to have some misgivings. The first month was very difficult fo rme because we had just started the transition from pat/sh to pu/pd and I knew that for HOURS of the time I was at work, Aaron was screaming in his daddy's ear. To echo someone else (Andrea? I forget who's who) if you need support or to vent, pm me.
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Thank you for the kind words ladies!
I appreciate hearing about your experiences. It is great to know I am not the only one going through this crazy time...and that I will survive.
Jamom - I hope you have a successful trip tp Texas.
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i am writing from colorado-dh has training here for work. the flights here went great-much better than expected. ds only cried during one landing and took a long nap too! he even slept well his first night here in the hotel. but--i think i may have earned "worst mother of the year" award today. i went shopping with him and he was getting tired and fussy. i was almost done trying on jeans (something i have not bought forever) and so i put him on this soft bench in the corner of the changing room. i stepped out for just a second and he fell!! i felt awful!!! i checked him out and he doesn't have any bumps that i can see. i think it scared him more than anything. but boy do i feel terrible about it.
glad to hear everyone is doing okay. sorry about the colds some of the lo's are getting. i thought ds had a slight cold a week or 2 ago, but we have yet to face a real one. i am not excited.
still wondering when the early morning feeding will disappear...
the pictures are so cute--i think i should have bought one of those seats.
got to go..ds is fussy and after our mishap i feel guilty if i let him go for a minute:)
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Silvia, sorry I have you worried about a spirited child, here are the upsides as I see it. Knowing what they want & being passionate about things they like/love... Aiden is so passionate about trains (& all things with wheels), that a train trip is talked about for days. His enthusiasm & drive even at this early age, wanting to acheive something & working for it. Also his loving caring nature has the same sort of spirit that he has for other things (we get lots of cuddles). Life can be really good as long as the boundaries are strong & he gets lots of warning about change/what is happening next (good for all toddlers), things are just the way they are as the 'boundaries' were loosened when he got sick & he is pushing the limits again :lol: to see if he can get somewhere! I think the challenges may be greater with Aiden than Liam, but I also know the rewards are greater too!
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Hi all. Made it back from Texas only to find out that Jake did his first roll (back to tummy) while I was gone!!! :( :cry: :cry: But he did it again for me tonight. I guess he skipped over that whole tummy to back part for now since I hear that generally comes first. So, I had a little "talk" with him and told him that next time he wants to hit a developmental milestone to do it when he is at home in the evenings or weekends and while I am at home! :lol:
But I think this rolling has really messed up his sleeping and I am holding my breath for tonight. His naps were off all day at daycare and he was kinda' out of sorts tonight. (Although we are also weaning him from the swaddle and some days are better than others). I'm hoping he doesn't have frequent night wakings because he's rolled over onto his tummy and I have to flip him back. Now I can relate to all of you who were going through some of these sleep issue a couple weeks ago or so due to developmental things!!
Anyway, hope all is well with everyone. Silvia-- I hope your mom makes it and when she does she'll just love the time she gets with your lo!
Hope all those colds get better. We've fought through a couple already and I know it's not fun so hang in there!
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Hi all,
this thread is so much easier to keep up on than the march/april thread!!! anyhow, taylor is still struggling through her cold and if it doesn't get better by tomorrow I am going to take her to the ped. sure there's nothing she can do? it has affected her sleeping at night because when she lies down she gets all stuffed up and can't breathe right but is so tired that she gets very upset because all she wants to do is sleep!
Last night Taylor sat up unassisted for the first time!!! :D It was on teh changing table and I set her up just to see what would happen and she did it for about 1-2 mintues! Of course a little wobbly, but I definitely consider it sitting up :wink: Very proud of her!
Jamom-totally know what you mean about them hitting a milestone whiel you're at work. on Saturday I saw Taylor roll from back to tummy and got so excited and DH looked at me liek I was a loon! he said, oh she's been doing that for a couple of weeks now! :shock: :x tahnks for telling me!
Maria-I'm sure Campbel os OK...like you said just probably scared.
Gotta go!
Have a great day everyone
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Andrea -- if you haven't already, try putting a towel or somthing under one side of the matress to raise it a little bit so she can breathe easier. I don't know how much it works but we did it last time Jake got a cold to help with the drainage.
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Hi Erin,
we haven't tried that so thanks for the tip. We will try tonight.
Andra
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Hi guys...I'm at my sisters house and I have some questions for you guys. She has twins that are 4.5 months (May 19). They both take a paci and swaddle. She is getting ready to switch from the 3 hour to 4 EASY. She started them on 3 hour around 8 weeks old so she is on it good. Here is the issue, the little girl is a very loud cryer. She wanted to know how to get her to sleep better and I of course said PUPD. My main question for you guys...if she is trying to get rid of the paci and swaddling can she do them at the same time or should she pick one and then do the other some time after? Thoughts?
I haven't gotten to read the posts in the past couple of days...I've been so busy trying to see everyone while I'm in Ohio this week. I do have to say though that Jameson didn't wake at all last night!! I was surprised since we're not even at home.
Thanks for any thoughts anyone has on the twins!
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Andrea, we always raised Aiden's cot on books as he has respitory problems. We also used baby balsam (Vicks) on his chest & back (know you can get it in Aus & UK, not sure about USA) Also a vaporisor giving steamy air was a godsend for us.
i will give some thought on the twins sleeping, but I suggest asking on the multiple boards (mums of twins +) Also I have been reading up on PU/PD so I know when to suggest when I'm moderating on the the night waking board & I'm not sure it is appropriate without more info.
It is official Liam is a heffalumpa... he weighs just under 9kg (little under 20lb) & is 72cm long (28.5 inches) & he is only 4.5 months old :lol: He's bigger than a lot of 9mo
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Quick question -- when do they usually drop the evening catnap? Jake's naps continue to get shorter and shorter (although no 45 minute naps!). He is now just napping a little over 1 hour at each nap. I have to admit, I have't broken out the book to see quite yet but am wondering if anyone else's lo is doing this too? Although, it could be developmental. We've had to take him out of the swaddle because he's too big -- trying a sleep sack at this point.
TIA
Erin
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Can't say I can help. Mine just sleeps as and want he wants. Naps can last from 30mins - 2 hours. He usually have 2 - 3 naps through the day. I try to not let him nap too long (30mins) if he whines to be put down for a nap around half 4 or 5, in case he won't sleep at 7pm. I wonder if that's what you would consider as a catnap??
Wee
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Erin - sorry I canot help too much... I've been following the book and letting AK have a 30 - 45 min cat nap, and just this week I figured out that if I let her sleep for 1 - 1.5 hrs she will go to sleep without putting too much of a fight, so I guess that we are still miles away from dropping it.
About the swaddling/paci weaning. I am no an expert, but to me it makes sense to concentrate on dropping the paci and while doing it, leave one arm out of the swaddle so if the baby wants to suck, he'll find the thumb.
Andrea - Go Taylor!!!!!
Kate - Don't worry about spooking me... now that I think about it, I was a spirited child myself. I guess I just hoped to get an angel baby or a textbook, but to be honest with you, I am very proud of AK's spirit. I am just trying to remember all the stuff I did to my Mum, try to keep it in mind when AK will try to do them to me and developing strategies so she won't trick me. By the way, I loooooved to test my Mom's boundaries too :twisted: In my house, we were a 5 year old, a 2 year old and a baby (me), so we used to drive my poor mother nuts.
So my Mom made another reservation to arrive to Bp next wednesday. I hope she can make it this time. She offered me to go with AK to El Salvador (which I'd love to) but just thinking of making an overseas trip (taking a 2 hour fliht + 8 hour flight + spending a night in a hotel + taking another 2 hour flight) alone because DH cannot come with me, gives me an anxiety attack. Maybe when AK is a bit older.....
AK just woke up..
Take care everyone!
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I just wanted to post and wish all the Canadian mommies a safe and happy THANKSGIVING weekend :D :D :D Don't get toooo 'stuffed' :wink:
take care everyone
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Erin - I also wonder about the questions you raised.
Kay has always been a one hour napper - 95% of the time - so it is taking a long time to establish longer naps. Most of her naps are still one hour.
At the rate we are going, I get the sense the cat nap will be here for a month or so. In fact, I wonder how long it will take to have 2 two hour naps per day. :shock:
I recently reread the sleep interview with Tracy and there were a few points I found helpful:
"The hardest stage is between 3 and 6 months, because they’re having a lot of physical changes..." :wink:
"Once it’s time to start to move your feeding schedule from a 3 hour schedule to a 4 hour...what you’re seeing is a baby who can stay up longer, but because they’re still eating on a 3-hour schedule, the eating will cut into what should be a 2-hour nap. So then they start to do the 45-minute naps even if they’ve been napping well up to this point..."
"Sometimes they’ll wake early and are clearly still tired. Maybe something has interfered – he’s had a big poop, or is hungry earlier because he didn’t eat well the feed before, or something like that..."If they’re happy – the baby who wakes up happy has clearly, somewhere along the line, had a good nap. So leave him be."
Hope this helps a little.
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Aiden still had 3 naps varying lenghts (I didn't know BW then) until he was about 9mo & he almost never had 2 hour naps...occasional 3 hours when he went to 1 nap (at 21 months) he has always been late with his transitions, hoping that means he will nap until he is 5yo :lol:
Liam sometimes like today does 2 big naps (2+ hours) but then has to go to bed earlier & I had to feed on a messy Timetable to get the feeds in fed just before 2nd nap) he only did this as I went out dh didn't put him down for a nap & so his am awake time was 2.75 hours (he did great, but is an angel bub) & then 2.5hours sleep.
Actually it is quiet hard to drop down to 2 naps until you get solids established as the day rountine as you need to fit the feeds around the naps - awkake time also needs to be around 3-4 hours to get enough 'awake time'
So it sort of has to go like this
6.30/7am E (milk + Solids)
9.30/10am S (1.5-2h)
11/11.30 E Milk +solids
2/2.30 Milk
2.30/3 sleep (1.5-2h)
4.30/5 (milk + solids)
7/7.30 Milk
Any of the older bubs starting on solids? how is it going?
Janet... Kay has a great middle name (I'm Kate Elizabeth) & 4th generation with Elizabeth as a name, but as I had 2 boys won't continue, but my latest neice (Brother's daughter) is Katherine (Kathy) Elizabeth to carry it on
Question time...
How did you pick your lo's names
Aiden (cos we liked it & knew no one with it ) middle name Scott - my maiden name
Liam (as above + matched Aiden, was going to be Matthew until the week before, then either Liam or Rohan) would have been Naomi Fay-Elizabeth if Girl - Fay from dh late mother who died the week dh propsosed to me & Elizabeth as per above) Middle name John-Peter after both grandfathers
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Just joining, I have been a little weary up till now in case these chats are a little cliquey but you guys all seem very nice. To get you up to date; don't hate me please. Mine is on a four hour easy routine and we have been on solids for 2 months now. Introducing chicken and wheat soon. She has three naps a day two of them are 2.5 hours long and she occassionally has a 30 min cat nap between 5:30-6, sometimes she does not need it though. We have slight reflux issues and we sleep with a dummy ( price you pay for long naps I suppose), she has been sleeping thourough for 3 months now but most nights she wakes up; sometimes can sooth herself, others she needs her paci. ( teething and having a cold is not helping I must say). Look forward to 'meeting' you all soon
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Welcome Notenoughshelfspace!
THanks for all the sleep tips. I was just wondering because sometimes if JAke takes a longer afternoon nap, there's no way he'll go down for an evenign catnap and I'd just rather put him to bed early. He sleeps through, even when I do that. Other days he takes 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour naps during the day and then we can get him down for a catnap. HE is doing better without the swaddle and yesterday was an "ideal" day.
Right now Jake is into "screaming". He's always been a "talker" but lately the screaming is constant -- not crying screaming like talking to himself squelling.
Anyway, Jake is quite the mover and sitter. Last night he sat unassisted (well, I was right there in case he fell) for a little over 5 minutes. He uses his hands like a tripod when he loses his balance but does really well. Today we moved to the first real solid food--sweet potatoes. The look on his face was priceless. Just did a little to see. He loves his cereal so hopefully he'll grow to like veggies too!
I'm also trying a sippy cup just so he gets used to the idea and he seems to actually like drinking from it!
Ok-- name question: Jacob (1) because I liked it (even though it's the most popular US name); and (2) because it's my great-grandfather's name. Middle name: Harlan -- my dh's grandfather's name.
Hope all are doing well.
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Welcome notenoughshelfspace!! It's great to have one more mommy to share ideas with.
Right now we have also started to get used to the sippy cup. Its amazing to see that AK knows exactly what it is for :D :D She will put her little hands in the holders and push the cup into her mouth. We just have to work on regulating the pushing part because she 'll do it all the way back...
On the name... this a long one....
Here in HU the custom is to give your kid only one name and one last name and there is a list of approved Hungarian names, and if you are a Hungarian national, you can only call your kids those names. Nothing foreign. Here they are very picky with these things. Even if you are, let's say, a canadian couple that had a baby in HU, your baby is not Hungarian but Canadian. They only give Hungarian nationality to kids born in HU with at least one hungarian parent.
Continuing with the name thing, since I am a foreigner, the law of the hungarian names doesn't apply to me and therefore, I can call my kids the way I want to, but still, we were kind of struggling to find a name that could be pronounced both in hungarian and in spanish without trouble (you wouldn't believe hungarian names - Borbála, Zita, Piroska, Zsuzsanna, Emese, Beata, etc - yuck) and I didnt want to call her Silvia (by the way, my name is Silvia Elizabeth :D ) because here in Hungary it's written Szilvia, and it's always misspelled, so one night, DH was inspired and came up with this name and I thought it was a nice one... we still went for the hungarian spelling though.
Still we had trouble with the last name, because the law says that the kid has to have exactly the last name of one of the parents, and I really wanted her to have my last name too, not only her father's. So the solution offered was that they would 'merge' both DH's last name and mine, so AK ended up being Anna Krisztina Tiringer-Olano (Tiringer-Olano counts as 1 last name here)
We were lucky that we had a girl, because for the boy's name we still haven't reached an agreement... I like Juan Daniel, but DH says it sounds like a cheap latin soap opera name and he likes Árpad or Ferenc (hungarian names) that I don't like, so I guess we are not giving AK a little brother for the time being .... not that I want to have another baby right away... which DH want to: here the custom is to have the babies in combos (3 under 3 is the most popular one) but I would like to concentrate on AK a bit more. I could see how my Mom struggled to raise us and I am not sure I have her stamina to do it.
Gotta go. AK has been fighting over 1 hour to fall asleep now...
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Kate,
Thanks for all the info! I was starting to suspect that it takes a while to get to two naps a day. Hearing it from a Mom is great. :wink:
Glad you like the name Elizabeth. :D It was easy to pick a name for a girl. I always hated the name Janet growing up and wished I could go by my middle name Kathleen. Elizabeth is the name of my good friend and Kay's godmother. I shortened Kathleen to Kay - instead of Kathy - because I think it is sweet and a bit more uncommon.
We never did pick a boy's name. Good thing we had a girl!
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I have no help on the sleep issues, but plenty of sympathy. Hope it turns out well for everyone.
As for names, DH and I both went through the baby name book and marked names we liked. Then we made a list of names that we both agreed on. The girl list was long, the boy list had 1. Erin was on the girl's list and the boy's list was Thomas, which we both thought would be a better middle name. So I suggested Aaron (since it was on the girl's list anyway). Our final decision was that the baby would de Aaron Thomas or Eryn Dawn (yes, we wanted to spell it "funny"), so it was "erin" either way. Made it easy to address the baby while still in the womb.
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Names........ I am so lucky we had a girl, there was no agreement on the boy name whatsoever. We licked Giselle for lots of reasons.
1) The ballet is beautiful
2) I liked what it could be shortened to; that is a huge thing for me, there are lots of names I liked but hated the shortened version.
3) I am russian, my husband is German and we travel a lot, Giselle is known throughout Europe so everyone could pronounce it.
I like Josephine for the next one, that is a variant on my dad's name, as for a boy, still no agreement but I like Gene.
On a different note, Gige did the whole 'screaming' thing about two weeks ago, very embarrasing in public but it has stopped for now, no doubt it will come back when I am at temple or something.
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Looks like I scared all of you away.............. I am very excited to report that Gigi got her first tooth. So excited! She was just a bittle crabby for three days so not too bad, I was expecting a real nightmare, everyone scared me with their horror stories. How is everyone else getting on?
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You didn't scare us off....this thread tends to go in fits and starts. things here are a little unsetteld. We just got Aaron into a decent routine and then he gets a growth spurt, either that or he's working on his second tooth already. His WAS a nightmare, so I'm glad to hear that Gigi's was easy on you. If this is his second tooth, it's been going on for about a week now, and I'm just about ready to scream somedays when he starts crying for no reason. But I haven't yet and I'm getting used to it.
Hope everyone else is doing well.
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glad to hear that someone else is having trouble with crabby babies:) we have been moving into a rental home, cambel is teething, constipated, and maybe in a growth spurt. he has been an absolute grump! and i am having trouble being patient. he will hardly let me put him down and i don't know what to do to make him feel better. so activity time is not fun. i end up counting down until he can take a nap. do i sound like a terrible mother? some days i feel like it! hopefully once we get a least partially settled in, he will be able to get back to his routine. he was sleeping so well at night and we seem to have messed that up. but i guess that it could be teething too. who knows!
he is rolling a lot onto his stomach when i put him on the floor and he gets really mad b/c he can't seem to roll back over. does anyone else have this problem?
also-i think it was erin who said her ds was sitting up. i was so impressed, i decided to see if cambel could do it. and he did! i was so excited.
we don't have internet at our rental home, so i will probably be unable to keep updated on this thread. too bad. i rely a lot on everyone's advice and encouragement
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I have a quick question. Does anyone know when A time should get longer than 2 hrs for a 5 month old?
I think it is time to tweak Kay's routine again and I suspect increasing A time is what's needed.
Thanks.
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I think I'm in the same boat as you Janet.
Carrie
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Hey everyone.
Maria-- Jake has the same prob rolls onto his tummy and has only rolled back once. Instead of rolling back he burrows his head into the ground and starts scooching forward. So funny.
As for staying awake longer, I don't know the anwer but I have to say that the daycare lady keeps Jake up longer in the afternoon and he does well with it and take a little longer nap. Who knows if it is because he needs to extra awake time or if it's because he's just so exhausted. He comes home happy to me so I'm not complaining.
Yeah for sitting Cambel. Jake loves it. It's so cute to see him lose his balance and actually catch himself with his arms. I'm always near by or have the boppy by him for any "mishaps"!
We're moving on to the last cereal -- Barley-- this weekend and then onto sweet potatoes. I had tried them before (1 day) but stopped because I made a decision to wait to do non-cereal solids until he was exactly 6 months. I know, I know, sometimes I just can't make up my mind on this parenting thing.
Jake is still fighting a cold. Seems to be getting past it but now I caught it. I thought he might be getting a tooth but no signs in his little mouth and since I caught it, I know it's just that -- a cold.
Glad to get updates on some of the lo's. Hopefully everyone is doing well. I am sure this post will start getting busy once again when the solid stage nears for more people. I for one, know that I have lots of questions about starting "real" solids.
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Hi everyone! We're home from Ohio and leaving for the beach on monday. And of course the day I got home my laptop crashed. So frustrating. I've finally got the desk top set up with the internet so I can get on the site. I've gotten so used to internet...what did we do 10 years ago?
I love reading everyones name info. We are lucky that we had a boy because we did not have a girls name could not agree on anything other than the middle name. Which would have been Louise after my grandmother. Plus her initals would have been the same as me (JLJ). Jameson was a combination name. My husband is James and he is a second so we wanted something close but didn't want to do the III. There are hotels around us called Jameson Inn so once we saw that we had the name. His middle name (Ralph) is my father's middle name and my grandfather's first name. The neat thing too is that Jameson's initials are the same as my DHs. I did a scrapbook page all about his name...things like that I feel are more of info he will really want once he is older.
I hope everyone has a good weekend. I'll write more next week when we get back from the beach!
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Maria, I have the same problem with Aaron too. He gets stuck and then starts crying until I go and flip him back over, then he's happy as a clam. I'm also dealign with the teethign and the messed up night and naps and just basic strangeness. In fact, you could have been describing Aaron! We actually have two teeth in, the second just broke the skin on Thursday. Hopefully that's all he'll get for a while, so we can get things back into some semblance of "normal".
Erin- I dis the same thing. I started a little cereal here and there (after my MIL startedthem for me, thinking it was ok). Now his tummy hasbeen so upset and he's been so cranky that I've decided to cut it out again, and try cutting down on the diary in my diet to see if that helps him, since he hasn't had the cereal for 4 days now and he still seems like he's unusually gassy and it bothers him. So don't worry about changing your mind often.
DH is on a business trip this weekend, and I have Aaron all by myself. So far, things have not been going well. I only got about 4 hours of sleep last night with all the night wakings, and the fact that Aaron woke up at 4 am and wouldn't go back to sleep. So far today Aaron has only slept for 2 45 min naps. I feel like all I've done in the last 24 hours is try and get him to sleep. I can't tell if he's maybe getting sick or is just tired and cranky or if he's till teething. All I know is that I"m so tired I'm starting to feel like I'm getting sick. So glad I put in for Monday off. I thought I'd be giving DH a chance to recover from his trip, but at this rate, I'm the onw who needs a chance to regroup.
I sure hope tonight is better than last night.......
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well ladies my angel is doing the same as the rest of yours... I was up almost hourly last night... I get one working & the other goes off the rails.
We have all been sick here (nasty cold) even the computer had bug that took dh all day yesterday to fix.
But I do think the night waking is more a product of age & new milestones than anything else... I get so many posts in the night waking forum (where I'm a moderator) around this 4-6mo age. Keep with the good routines & it will eventually get better.
Fortunately I don't think Liam is teething (Aiden got his late & is teething his last 4 molars yeh when that is over) I think part of my problem is he is finally taking a bottle (went through so many teats) & I think it is making him more gassy. But I need him to take a bottle next Saturday, so will keep at it this week & then going to switch to a cup as he takes about 50mls (little under 2oz) from that & thought as I am happy to bf him, by the time I next need to leave him, he will be on solids & could survive with just cups... it was a big hassel to get Aiden to give up the bottle, so going to try & miss that step.
Janet I think with the awake time you can up it... Liam is still just over a week off 5mo & will do 2.5 hours on some awake times. I have never had it an exact time so he often ranges from 1.5-2.5. My notes from Aiden say the range for 4.5-6mo is 2-2.5, but that can vary by 1/2 hour. I notice if Liam does a 2.5 hour stretch then the next is more likely to be closer to 1.5hours.
Anyway both boys are now asleep & after about 2 hours last night I'm going to catch up on some while dh is home.
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Thanks very much for the info ladies. I am going to extend Kay's A time.
Sorry to hear so many of your LOs are fighting colds. Hope they get better soon.
Have a great night.
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Hi everyone - this is a wonderful tread. I thought I was the only one going slowly insane. Local friends with babies all seam to have no trouble at all! My dd Cate was born 5.14, and this last month we had a rough go of it. We were traveling, starting solids (which we have since stopped until 6 mo.) and having some food reactions (i'm BF). Finally last night she only woke at 11:30 the at 3:15 for feeds. Whew. I actually feel rested today.:shock: She had been waking every 1.5 - 2 hours before that. We'll see if it keeps up.
Our approx. routine which I started at 2 months is:
7:30 W
8:00 E (BF)
A
9:30 S (naps are just getting slightly longer)
10:30 E
A
12:30 S
1:30 E
A
2:30 S
3:30-4:30 E (depends on nap)
A (includes bath - sometimes we go for a catnap during this time)
6:30 - 7:30 Last E and S
I am now actively trying to lengthen to a real 3 hour EASY.
BTW - Do any of you every take true advantage of the YOU time? IO have too many chores to do! And you moms with more than one child I can't imagine!
PS Cambel's mom - Anytime I travel...it throws dd's entire schedule off. I don't live near family so I am a pushover to let her play to her limit with grandparents and aunts! But I realize now I have to stick to my guns more. She'll (and me) will be happier for it.
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Katet - have you tried Dr. Brown's bottles? They work great for dd Cate, although I am BF I use them often when I pump or dh feeds her when I am out.
Beata
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We were away fo 5 days and now we are back so working on getting back on schedule although I did try to keep her on 'London time' while we were away so it should not be too bad. My little one does the rolling over to the tummy but unable to go back as well, she then tries to scooch her legs under as if trying to crawl, very sweet.
The teething has stopped for now, lets see how long that willlast since the drooling is back with a vengance.
Happy to help anyone with solids if they like, I have a detailed eating plan which I have already shared with quite a few mums on the forum. I started my little one on fruit and veg at 17 weeks, we are moving onto to chicken and fish next week.......... Very exciting.
Hope all is well with all the other mummies and daddies.
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Beata,
I haven't seen Dr Browns bottles here in Aus, but he is doing ok on the Pigeon teats & to be honest for maybe 4-5 bottles he will get in the next few months (& with money very tight) I'm happy just to put up with the gas & worry about it later. i also think it is wise you stopped solids, som babies take to it like a duck to water, but if you are bf they aren't needed & in my mind a whole heap of extra work (& babies are enough anyway) so if it isn't needed why do it - Thats my thought having been there once before
Those of you who do give ebm, how much do you give. I used to give Aiden lots of bottles, but can't remember what he was taking in the time before we got to him starting childcare (where at first I used to just give lots of smaller bottles so it wasn't wasted) & later months when he took a full 200mls
I'm now having problems getting Liam down for naps easily & think I worked out why... he wakes around 5am & seems to talk for 5-30mins & then quiet, we just assumed he went back to sleep, but this morning dh & I checked on him 3 times between 5.30 & 6.46 & all the time he was awake. I thought when I heard him again around 7ish on other mornings he had just woken up, but it appears he is actully awake from 5am & so when I try to put him back down around 9 he is very overtired. So we are going to try a different strategy tomorrow, if that doesn't work I will probably end up going down the pu/pd route
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Kate, Aaron is now eating about 6 oz of EBM in a sitting. I put about 6.5-7oz in a bottle, and usually there's a little left, though he occasionally eats the entire thing. I like having a little more in the bottle than he'll actually eat, since if he is hungry he gets REALLY mad if we have to go warm up another bottle to give him more, and usually ends up so frustrated that he doesn't eat it anyway. HTH
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Hi ladies :)
I see a lot of you have lo's that are rolling over--I wish mine would :cry: I mean, she has rolled over a couple times before, but not consistantly. She's since stopped and when on her tummy only does the "flying" thing by balancing on her tummy. She won't go after toys if I put them around her. It's soo frustrating to see. Is this really a problem?
She's almost sitting up unassisted; she tends to hold on to her baby gym to stay in a sitting position, and if she's away from things she can't reach with her hands on her back, she'll arch her back and scoot back to it to reach them.
I'm not sure how to encourage her to roll over more, any ideas? I'm thinking maybe she'll go straight to crawling, as she can support her arms really well, but she can't figure out how to make her legs and arms work together.
Yeah, I know I need to have a chat with my ped...she has an appointment in a few weeks. I'll bring it up then, but I was hoping for more ideas from everyone else :P
*HUGS*
Sonya =P
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Sonya, Aiden my 2yo only rolled twice before he could sit & then never rolled again until he was 7 or 8mo... he then crawled at 10.5mo & walked at 13.5mo... a little later than average, but he did other things early.
Seriously if she has done it once or twice she is fine & if she can sit, then she has teh capability, just not the drive to do it... all babies are different.
Theresa... thanks for that, he took about 150mls (5oz) the other day, but was hungry sooner than normal. that was the first time I didn't do a bf after & I expresssed almost 200mls so today I will offer the whole lot as that would be close to 7oz
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Sonya -- Seriously, don't worry. My SIL is a pediatrics PT and always assures me that kids develop at different rates. They all do their own thing at their own rate. I agree with Kate, since she's rolled, it's all good and it sounds like she's got the strength. Cherish these times where you don't have to chase her and keep her from getting into everything!
Jake still has that dang cold. Doc said that it is lingering on longer than the normal cold in most kids -- up to 2 weeks or even longer. Great! So far it hasn't affected nighttime sleep but napping isn't going that well.
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Mine has not even the clue of what is rolling... has anyone started on solids? let me know your routine and quantity if you can please... I have stardet but not sure on how much...
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Send me a PM or post your e-mail address to me, I have a detailed eating plan if you want me to send it to you, it spells out all the quantities. Mine has been on solids for 2 and a half months now and thriving on it.
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Daniela
Don't worry about the solids too much at this stage... it really should only be treated as "an extra" until 7mo & many babies little tummies don't do well on solids early on. Current international health recommendations are actually not recommending solids before 6mo & to be honest they aren't needed I have 2 very big boys (both 9kg/20lb before 5mo) & Aiden did really well lasting to 6mo with out solids & Liam sleeps 10hours now on 5bf a day so if you can hold off as long as you can you are doing your lo a big favour in reducing the possibility of diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders etc... all of which have increased in countries which have a trend to introduce solids earlier compared to those countries where they aren't offered until even 1yo.
Sorry if I am undermining you notenoughshelfspace, just I used to work in immunology & allergy & done heaps of research on it & want to put forward the cons of early solid (before 6mo) introduction
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No problem, I know a lot of people feel that way. I was introduced to fruit and veg and two months and held off with mine until 17 weeks ( the earliest recommended date). She was also already sleeping through the night at that stage and had doubled her birth weight. Nobody in my family suffers from food allergies and the baby is thriving on the solids. To be fair if I was breastfeeding I would also hold off for longer but I was giving her formula ( my milk supply was really bad) I saw no reason to wait.
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Notenoughshelfspace...interestingly in the UK they say earlier for ff, here in Australia it is recommended 6mo for all except those taking more than 1200ml of formula.
The interesting fact is that you would probably have been introduced to 'fresh food' & these days the trend is for commercially available food (jars & bottles) my friend who hopes to get funding to research it (unlikely with Aust tight research funding at the moment) thinks the link is more related to "processing v fresh" than to actual age... but can you imagine the "who ha" if it was recommended that you could give solids at 3mo if you used "fresh organic fruit & veg" but if you use jarred, then wait till your lo is 6mo!!
I think the other thing is the idea that solids stop a baby waking, when infact more often than not it has the complete opposite effect as the baby gets upset by food.
Anyway enough of my bandwagon.
My good news Liam is back sleeping 10 hours a night... days are all over the place but I don't care now I get both sleeping until about 5am... can't wait for daylight saving, (going into summer here) so Aiden who wakes with the sun isn't getting up so early
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Hi,
I am new to this thread although I have been wondering around asking questions here and there but just discovered this one and was very excited to read over some of the messages. I thought maybe I was the only one having trouble with naps and night wakings and possible doing everything wrong. I do know I need to work on some things like I think my DD uses her paci as a prop but have not the ooomph to take care of it yet!
Anyway, I am Suzanne and have a LO who turned five months old last Friday.
I have a couple of question but not about babies!
I would love to be able to figure out how to put a greeting under my name that tells everybody about my child but when I go under "profile" and type it in, it does not stay when I hit submit. I also noticed I can't send any personal messages for some reason. Also, could someone tell me how to get one of those cute counters under my name as well.
Thanks and look forward to visiting more with you on this thread.
Suzanne
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I can imagine the outrage that little suggestion would cause!!!!!!!!!!!! It is true that I did introduce organic, fresh food; it certainly made me feel better about the food than the jarred stuff. In england too they now recommend 6 month weaning but you can do it at four if your GP has no objections. HOpe your friend gets the funding she needs, that is something that needs looking into. On a 'happier' note we are dealing with the next tooth coming out, her bowels are really loose and she is really out of sorts, the whinging is driving me slightly crazy. Happy Days!
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Ok -- well Jake turns 6 mo. on Nov. 2nd (not too far off). Until then, I am just sticking to the cereal which he totally loves. He too is ff so I went with solids a little earlier but have stuck to just the cereal thus far. Anyway, here's my question. Jake currently takes 32 oz. of formula (I don't know the conversion on that). He eats cereal two times a day usually taking 1 tablespoon or less at each sitting. When he turns 6 mo., I want to start introducing veggies and fruit. How do I do it? I want to start with veggies, and more than likely sweet potatoes since I have read in many places that is a good starting food for the babies. But how do I do the weaning, etc? I am so scared that this is going to mess up the good sleeping patterns we have that I have withheld doing it because of that. I don't want to "wean" and cut back too much so that he doesn't get enough daytime calories, etc., etc. So, when I start introducing veggies, do I cut back some formula and how much?? Or do I wait to cut back until he is on more foods and more regular meals?
Anyway, I have my longest trip away from Jake next week -- 3 whole days. It's going to kill me. But after that, I am done traveling for awhile. Right now he is so fun -- really moving and sitting pretty much all by himself. I just need to be close by or have the Boppy around him in case he gets excited over a toy or tries to look too far over his shoulder and then loses his balance!! :) I can't believe he is going to be 6 mo. in a week and a half. Time flies.
I am seeing that the afternoon catnap may be dropped pretty soon. He stays up so much longer and takes good long naps. So, when he wakes up after his afternoon nap, he's just not ready for a catnap between 5-6 and I don't want it to be later than that and get to close to his bedtime of 8 pm. Anyone else experiencing this?
Well, hope you all have a good weekend. It's getting cold up here in Minnesota, which makes it hard to tote Jake around without bundling him up -- which is quite a hassle.
And that infant carrier sure is getting heavy these days!
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Jamom, PM me your e-mail, I will send you the plan which outlines all the quantities of formula, fruit, veg etc..............
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Wow...we are finally back from all of our travels and somewhat getting back on track. We've been gone for over 3 weeks...boy has the baby changed in that time. I'm not sure if he is adjusting from the travels or what but I feel like he is ready to drop the 3rd nap. One day while we were at the beach he was up from 3:30 until bed at 7:30. He slept through the night too which I was not expecting. He was pretty happy for those 4 hours too but that hasn't happened again since.
Jameson is doing so many neat things these days too! First two teeth broke the skin on thursday. He is creeping all over the place and even pulled himself to standing yesterday. (He used the dogs ears so it was a learning experience for both...the 80lb boxer didn't even care! Wish I could have gotten a picture of it.)
Also what are the signs that solids should/can be started. LO will be 6 months on the 5th (can not believe it has been that long already?!). The only thing I've really heard is that they watch you eat. He is doing that but I'm not sure that it is because it is food or because I'm doing something that he isn't.
Question for you ladies...how do we switch to daylight savings time. If we were springing forward I wouldn't worry about it so much but with a baby that wakes between 6:30 - 7 moving that to 5:30-6 is WAY too early for momma. Plus he would be in bed before DH even gets home from work in the evenings.
Well we're off to take another boat ride, might be the last for the season. It is almost 80 here today...so nice!
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Erin, the way I did solids with Aiden (bf) & based on the Australian information was to feed milk then 20mins later offer the solids, what ever he took I accepted as what he wanted. At the 6mo mark you aren't cutting back on milk calories, you are adding to it with solid's calories. Then by the time you get to 9mo, you sort of swap it around & give solids then milk. So by the time they are a year Milk is like the drink & they are having 3 solid meals a day & 2-3 snacks (which could just be 2 bottles if you like).
Jill, If he can sit up (mostly unassisted) & is noticing food & also if his tongue thrust has gone, ie if you put a spoon near the front of his mouth he kind of sucks it in rather than pushes it away... that is the main one
With daylight saving we go the opposite to you being S Hemisphere (thank god... Aiden is up at 6am yuck) but what we do at the other end is to on the Thursday delay be 20mins everything in the day then the Friday another 20mins & then Saturday another 20mins, so by Sunday you are on the new time... of course it isn't that easy, as it might be 3-4 days before the later wake up kicks in. Also you may find 20mins is too much change so maybe 4 x15 or 20mins every 2 days. But that is what has worked for us for the last 2 years. It is getting hot here... Liam is in shorts.
Liam was a star for his Dad yesterday when I went to a Luncheon at the races... he did a textbook day (apart from only 1/2 a bottle) but woke twice at night rather than once... I like to think it was because he missed me all day :D
We still have no sign of teeth (not expecting them actually) but Liam is now rolling tummy to back & almost go the back to tummy figured yeh!!
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Thanks Kate. I thought the tongue thing was important but wasn't sure if there was some other light bulb moment that was supposed to happen. He is sleep so well now that I'm afraid to upset everything. We go back to the ped on the 11th so we'll see what he has to say. I did let Jameson suck on some bread the other day and he was having so much fun.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend...fall has hit us here!
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I think I had to go back about 8 or 9 pages to get caught up! There are sure a lot of new moms and LO's. Anyone care to join in and play along so we can reacquaint ourselves and our LO's? It looks like this hasn't been done for a while . . . .
Baby Stats. . .
[1] Age -
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight -
[3] Birth Length/Current Length -
[4] Eat - BF or FF? How much/How long/How often -
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts -
[6] Naps -
[7] Hours of sleep at night -
[8] Dream feed -
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers -
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over -
(b) sitting -
[c] crawling -
[d] teeth/teething -
[e] standing -
[f] pulling up -
[g] babbling -
[h] making strange -
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood -
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going -
[iii] Body image -
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Baby Stats. . .
[1] Age - 5 1/2 months (24 weeks)
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - 6lbs 14oz / 17lbs 10oz
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 18 inches/ 26 3/4 inches
[4] Eat - BF or FF? How much/How long/How often - FF - 36-44oz per day
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - None thus far
[6] Naps - 2 2hr naps and sometimes a catnap if we are lucky
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 11 hours
[8] Dream feed - Yup, still do it.
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - Won't take a paci now, chomps fingers/thumb instead of sucking!
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - Rolls both ways (front to back and vice-versa)
(b) sitting - is beginning to use hands to stabilize, but still falls over/back when he is excited
[c] crawling - like a seesaw . . . bum up, head down/ head up bum down. Can get up on elbows and knees.
[d] teeth/teething - No teeth - lots of drool, biting, and getting grumpy
[e] standing - will hold on when I help him. Very wobbly, locks knees.
[f] pulling up - not even close
[g] babbling - I've got a screecher on my hands! Lots of shrills and excited sounds . . . how I miss those soft coo's
[h] making strange - doesn't like MIL (doesn't see her often enough), will only stay in a strangers arms for a minute or two and then wants to be back with mom or dad
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - I definetly enjoy it more than I did the first 6 weeks. I have my moments though . . . sometimes I take things out on DH - I wish he would react sooner, know what I was thinking, read my mind etc. . . *lol*
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going - Still at home, plan to go back to work around March.
[iii] Body image - Slowly getting back into shape. Definetly harder than I thought it would be. Like most women, I'm not satisfied - DH thinks I've done great, but it never seems like enough for me.
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Liam (the Heffalumpa)
[1] Age - 5months (22 weeks)
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - 10lbs 4oz / 9.3 kg - I think about 20.5lb
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 57.5cm (23 inches)/ 74cm (28 3/4inches)
[4] Eat - BF - 5 times/24hours
[5] Solids - None thus far
[6] Naps - 3 varying length, depending on day but normally a long (2.5 mid day one
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 11-13 hours (with one feed in that time)
[8] Dream feed - no but do a night feed between 3 & 6am.
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - sucks fingers/thumb teddy or sheet, what ever reaches mout
[a] rolling over - Rolls tummy to back (as of friday), very close to doing back to tummy
(b) sitting - if propped with pillows to waist height, holds unassisted for about 3 seconds
[c] crawling - kind of spins on tummy & gets knees to push bottom up
[d] teeth/teething - No teeth, based on ds#1 & stepdaughter don't expect them until 8/9months
,
[e] standing - pushing up on legs when on my lap
[f] pulling up - no - big brother didn't do that until 11mo, so not expecting anytime soon
[g] babbling - talks & laughs & sometime louder noises... chats back to big brother
[h] making strange - OK with most people unless they stare right in his eyes or take a toy from him
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - easier 2nd time around, but still find it hard at times when things don't go to plan...enjoying a much easier going baby.
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - SAHM... childcare too expensive with 2... starting some freelance work in the NY
[iii] Body image - after 2... not so great... also Chocolate addiction doesn't help, running around after 2 is getting me there slowy though
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Baby Stats. . .
[1] Age - 24 weeks...will be 6 months on the 5th (can not believe it already...were did half a year go?!)
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - 6lbs 15 oz/ 17lbs 7 oz
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 21 inch/ 27.5 in
[4] Eat - BF or FF? How much/How long/How often - BF 5 times a day (DH had to feed him EBF last night...he took over 9 ounces...is that normal?)
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - none yet most likely will be starting after next visit to the ped.
[6] Naps - usually 3 (2 longer ones and sometimes a cat nap) He has never been consistant which is why moving with the time changes is scaring me.
[7] Hours of sleep at night - between 10 & 11
[8] Dream feed - yes as close to 11 pm as I can stay up (lately he has been waking around 10:30 though)
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - chews his thumb or lamb silky
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - all over the place
(b) sitting - for short periods on his own
[c] crawling - creeps around but hasn't pulled onto his knees yet to do the 'tradition' crawl
[d] teeth/teething - two bottom teeth broke through last thursday
[e] standing - prefers this over sitting or laying down (loves the jumpster)
[f] pulling up - he did this just last week using the dogs ears?!
[g] babbling - all the time...his nickname is babble boy
[h] making strange - sometimes depends on the situation (which is like most anyone) I don't try to push him.
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - It is the most rewarding and challenging thing I've ever done. I am really trying to stay in the moment and not wish for anything to pass to quickly. 10 years down the road we are all going to wish for one more day with our 'babies'.
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going - SAH; I love the aspect of being with Jameson for all the milestones and getting to really enjoy him. I do however wish I lived closer to others that SAH because I beg DH to come home on time each day. I need to remember that he has to get the job done so that I can stay home. I've tried to get more into cooking dinner and getting all that stuff done (I'd never cooked much before so it is a whole new experience for our marriage!)
[iii] Body image - The beginning was great, now I'm down to those last 10 lbs and they are driving me crazy. I'm afraid to really diet too much because of the BFing. And now that the cooler weather is setting in, I don't feel as motivated. I'm trying not to concentrate too much on it, just not eating ice cream every night for snack...carrots are good?!
krice...thanks for doing another survey...these are fun!
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Kate...I know I'm obsessed but...which part of the day would you say is the best to start moving the times? I'm just not sure where to even start. I'm also thinking this is going to be more difficult since we've just returned from so many trips. The other part is that he has been so weird with his morning wakes. Like today for instance he woke at 5:45 and he babbled to himself until 6:20 when he started crying.
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aby Stats. . .
[1] Age - Almost 5.5 mo.
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - 7.lb 5 oz/15.2 at 4 mo
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 21 inches, 27 inches at 4 mo.
[4] Eat - BF or FF? How much/How long/How often - 5 daytime bf/2 night time bf
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - Just started today again -Oatmeal 1 tblspoon (first time at 4 mo. cause pain and constipation - no rice this time around!
[6] Naps - 2 - 3 (2 getting up to 1.5 hours!!! one still about 45 min)
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 7 - 7 with 3 night wakings - just stopped feeding at one of those.
[8] Dream feed - 3 nights now, but sometimes she wakes before I do! 2 out of 3)
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - paci to sleep, but recently started spitting out)
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - like a mad woman from tummy to back. Not the other way though, but looks like she could, she really twists to see things behind her, and rolls further onto side to sleep.
(b) sitting -
with boppy support and on own with arms as props for a few minutes\
[c] crawling - no
[d] teeth/teething - don't think so
[e] standing - with my help, and she will stand on her own when I hold her under her arms to guide her and say "Cate, stand" a few times - so cool!
[f] pulling up - no
[g] babbling - lol yes when it's quiet around here, that the best.
[h] making strange - hmmm, have to think about that!
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - Loving it, with the usual exhausion, and frustrations
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going - SAHM - sometimes I feel like I should be working, especially since I am way over educated, but would not trade it. So many pressures for women these days...cause a lot of guilt!
[iii] Body image - Ugh, but just started walking/jogging yesterday - so sore) and occasional yoga over the last few weeks
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[1] Age - Almost 5 mo.... Oct 30
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - 2.550 kg / 7.200 kg (15.5 pounds)
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 48 cm. / 61 cm. (24 inches)
[4] Eat - BF or FF? How much/How long/How often - FF every 4 hours 6-7 oz.
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - cereals. Just a tbsp 2 times. rice.
[6] Naps -2 or 3 45 min naps... still working on them
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 10
[8] Dream feed - not any more... she dropped a month ago
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - nop, a blanki in her hands to smell
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - not yet
(b) sitting - with little support, and by herself just for a few seconds.
[c] crawling - nop
[d] teeth/teething - not yet a visible one
[e] standing - loves to while i hold her she can stand on her own while holding her hands to pull her up.
[f] pulling up - not by herself, but with help
[g] babbling - oh yes... a lot lot actually
[h] making strange - no
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - love it... miss work a little, with some anguish whe she doesnt eat.
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going - stay home. miss work a lot, but enjoying this moment
[iii] Body image - still chubby and with lots of fat on my stomach... pants doesnt fit yet... just the big ones... trying to establish a work out routine...
It is a pleasure joining your page... hope to see you soon... althouth your babies are way too much older for mine...
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Here is goes.
[1] Age - 6 months and two weeks
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - born 7 pounds 8oz, now no idea about now, I would guess around 17 pounds
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - No idea
[4]FF- A bottle at breakfast, two before her naps and one at bedtime
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - three solid meals a day, started with wheat, protein and dairy this week. Has already tried most fruit and veg
[6] Naps - 2 naps of 2-2.5 hours each
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 12, sometimes does wake up but just needs dummy and falls straight back asleep
[8] Dream feed - Dropped that at three months
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - paci to go to sleep
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - both ways, tummy to back only started lat week, now she rolls all over the floor
(b) sitting - yes, but still looses her balance occassionally
[c] crawling - does see-saw on her tummy but not really crawling
[d] teeth/teething - two bottom teeth, the last one just popped out yesterday so we are still going through the teething thing
[e] standing - loves it and stands only with my support, knees completely locked
[f] pulling up - not even close
[g] babbling - lots and lots
[h] making strange - loves blowing rasberries at everything and everyone
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - was completely loving it until the teething started, finding it a lot more frustrating now, it is hard when your happy, good eating baby turns into a crabby beast overnight
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going - was a housewife before the baby arrived and am staying at home now
[iii] Body image - gained very little pregnancy weight so it came off easily but everything is much flabbier than before and the hips are wider, boobies smaller etc........
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I had started rice cereal when ds was 3 months old. He has now been introduced to rice and oatmeal cereals as well as jarred carrots (yuck!) and pureed frozen green beans. I do have to mix in a bit of cereal still. I also mash about a golf ball sized bit of banana in with the oatmeal. I give a couple tablespoons and am only going to try and give fresh unless I am in a pinch...I can't stand the jarred stuff.
I wanted to get the daylight savings time change licked before it happened so I started in September. I've got it worked out so that he goes to bed between 8:30 and 9:30 (prefer closer to 9:30) and gets up at about the same time in the morning....he has some babble time around 7 or so. Now if only I could sleep through the night....dh's snoring wakes me when I'm not already waking every 2 hours. When I take Rylan to the doc for his 6mo check-up, I am going to ask him about some sleep aids. Since Rylan has been sleeping through the night now on a regular basis, I need my rest too. Does anyone else have their own sleep problems???
bye for now,
Carrie
Oh, when ds gets to be 6months, I am going to change his picture. I think it would be nice if everyone did the same so we can all see how they have grown and developed. :wink: :wink: :wink:
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Ok, first off-- I need some reassurance. Jake is on his 3rd week of congestion. Had him to doc last week and she shrugged it off like it was common -- I guess colds are lasting longer and longer. Thought he was recovering and now it got worst again -- just as I went out of town. I don't think it's a food allergy but it could be (only on cereals so far). I don't know any more.
Here's Jake's states
Baby Stats. . .
[1] Age - 5 1/2 mo. (6 mo. on Nov.2nd)
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - 7 lb 10 oz. / 15 pounds at 4 mo. (last weight). I am sure he's closer to 18 pounds these days.
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 21 1/2 inches/ 4 mo.= 26 1/2 inches
[4] Eat - BF or FF? How much/How long/How often - ff/5 times a day/32 oz. total/ approx. 4 hours between feeds
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - cereals twice a day/1 tbl. of less each time; going to introduce veggies when Jake turns 6 mo.
[6] Naps - pretty good -- two 1 1/2-2 hour naps and catnap, which he's starting to fight
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 10 1/2 -11 (has slept through since 10 weeks -- knock on wood).
[8] Dream feed - Yes! P
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - No paci. Loves to gnaw on fingers but not really a thumb sucker.
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - back to front all of the time; front to back once but hasn't done it again
(b) sitting - all by himself; need to be close by in case he's gets a little too excited or looks over shoulder too far
[c] crawling - not yet; buries head and puts bum up and goes forward
[d] teeth/teething - none yet; not looking forward to it.
[e] standing - loves it but needs assistance
[f] pulling up - he'll grab fingers and pull up with a tiny bit of help
[g] babbling - talks to much and all day long; can't even watch talk or watch TV programs with him in the room because he tells stories so loudly these days; daycare provider keeps commenting on how much he "talks"-- gets that from his mommy
[h] making strange - hmm...nothing here; he got past the screaming/squealing stage
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - stressed out trying to work and be a mom; love my baby and he makes me so happy
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going -back to work; it's going but am very stressed out frequently. Traveling a lot this month, which will end and hopefully help feelings of being so stressed out. Batting around the idea of going part-time, which in my profession is still nearly 40 hours per week.
[iii] Body image - Not good. Tried for a bit to lose extra baby weight but traveling so much that it's hard to eat right. HAve 15 pounds to go. After this trip, I have vowed to go back to Weight Watchers and lose the weight so I feel better about myself.
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Would anyone mind if i jump in here?? :D
Baby Stats. . .
[1] Age - 5mos
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - 7lb 5.5oz/ 13lb.13oz
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 49cm/ no idea
[4] Eat - BF or FF? - FF 7oz 5 times a day
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - Started baby porridge last week no interest though
[6] Naps - 2x2hrs plus 1 catnap 30-60mins
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 7pm-6.30am but wakes inbetween (lots at the mo)
[8] Dream feed - No dropped this
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - Dummy
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - just learning to roll back to tummy but cant get back
(b) sitting - can sit on her own for about a min or so!!
[c] crawling - no where near
[d] teeth/teething - lots of dribble and red cheeks no teeth yet
[e] standing - LOVES to stand will not sit down her legs are locked
[f] pulling up - pulls herself up from her chair and if you offer your hand
[g] babbling - never stops! Blows raspberries screams and grrrs
[h] making strange - She hates everyone but me at the moment cries her heart out when she sees my dad (it really upsets him)
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - i love being a mother its really tiring at times but she makes me happier than i have ever been!
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - how's it going - Going back to work next monday really dont want to go but i think it will be better for DD so she can get used to my family
[iii] Body image - Good, i didnt put on that much weight when preg and lost my stomache a week later!! keep losing too much now though thats a little worrying I have no bum or boobs now :?
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Welcome Rebecca.
Read your dd name, one of my school friends has 2 daughters 1 is Isabella, the other Grace... made me think of her & give her a call tonight & was great to chat :D
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Hiya Kate, how cool - glad to have helped!!! :wink:
So ive been looking at everyone elses baby stats and Isabella seems to be really small compared to everybody elses baby. Im not worried just curious i suppose. She doesnt seem to eat as much either bless her!
I am however a little voncerned about something else though. She has had really bad diarrhoea she has had it 4 times today which is really unusual because her normal bowl movement is every other day. I know it is vital to replace the fluids that she would have lost but how if she refuses to drink water?? i must also say that she isnt miserable (actually in a really good mood all day!) doesnt have a temp or a rash so i think she is ok. Im just worried about the fluids.
Any suggestions??
Many thanks
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Rebecca, you are right to be worried about Diahrroea. When Liam was 4mo we ended up in hospital with gastro as (not to worry you more) it can be fatal in young/small babies & children
Watch out for the wet nappies, if you don't get one for 3 hours seek medical help.
The thing to do about fluids is throw the feeding routine out the window & offer the days volume + 10 - 20% more spread over lots of smaller feeds. In a 1 yo who is on solids you would offer 10mls of water every 10mins if they were throwing up, if just diahrroea then you could offer smaller feeds every 1/2hour. Also make sure you are extra careful about sterilising all her stuff - when Liam was sick he is bf, but I boiled for 15mins all his toys he sucked on... he got it from his big brothers fingers in his mouth :cry:
All that said as long as she is happy don't worry too much
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Welcome Rebecca. One thing I just found out from our ped is that around 5 months most babies BMs start to change a bit. Just thought I would throw that out there as a bit of info.
We had a really weird couple of days. Yesterday Jameson took a 1.5 morning nap and then would not go back to sleep until 5:30 that evening and took his usually 30 minute catnap. He was awake for 6.5 hours I couldn't believe it and he really wasn't that crabby. Then he did wake up from 4-5 am. I finally fed him at 5 because he was acting really hungry, he fell back to sleep until 8:15. Then he was awake until 1:30 and took a 3 hour nap but then wouldn't go down for a cat nap. It is really weird. Oh he is waking up now for his dream feed...I thought they were supposed to be woken up not wake for it?!
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Jill he might be going througha 6mo growthspurt, that sends sleep haywire & can last weeks in some bubs :(
Meant to get back on the time change bit & forgot (mummy brain)
I would jsut start delaying by 5 mins throughout the day... that said We have always been so "sort of about now" with time for Liam that 7am means +/- 1/2 hour anyway. so it isn't that easy to change things
Infact I have thrown the routine out the window... if I get a "textbook day" I get a bad night & if we go with what ever happens in the day 2/3/4 hourly feeds...what ever. I get a good night...go fiqure. Worked the opposite with Aiden.
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Kate and jjstar thank you so much for your advice its greatly apreciated!!
Well she still has diarrhoea this morning, she woke up at 6am after bad night of no sleep (up every hr) i changed her nappy then and there was a tiny amount of diarrhoea but she didnt have much of her feed, about 3oz. I then put her to bed for a nap at 8am but she woke again at 8.30am and this time there was alot of diarrhoea. its 9.40am as i type this and she still hasnt been back to bed!!
Bella seems to be happy in herself and is playing and babbling but im very worried about her! Im going to try and feed her again now and up her feeds throughout the day amd im about to sterilise everything that she touches!!
Im a natural worrier anyway and this is really eating at me! If things dont improve i will take her to the doctors (although they are useless!!) :cry:
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Hi everyone - I've been griping and analyzing dd's behaviors and sleep patterns for so long I decided it's time to write something else :)
I have not really introduced myself! I live in St. Petesburg, Florida, have been married 4 years to dh Jackson, and Cate (Catherine Isabella) is our first baby born May 14. Most days (these days) are awesome. She's so much fun now, as most of you know, and I hear it only gets better. I was working at the Florida Holocaust Museum before baby, but now am a SAHM, and I feel really blessed, although somedays I miss the adult stimulation. BUT I would note trade it. :D
Anyhow, dd has been night waking quite frequently, and the past 2 nights I have just tried to roll with it, and you know what... my sleep is deeper, I am not as stressed, and much happier in the daylight hours. So my advice for many of you is try to just let things happen for a few nights. See how you feel. Try to get your mind on other things :wink:
It's been great seeing all your posts and photos! I am sure I will be posting questions and concerns again soon, but for now I'll just try to be here to lend a reassuring ear (or eyes I should say :lol: )
Beata
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[1] Age - 6 months
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - born 8 pounds 6oz, around 18 lbs now
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 18"/25'' now
[4]FF- 7, 11, 3, 5:30-6
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - oatmeal for breakfast, veggies/fruit for lunch (half a jar), nothing for dinner yet
[6] Naps - 1 nap of 1.5 hrs, 1 nap of 2 hours, usually 1 catnap 40 mins
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 11-12.5
[8] Dream feed - never did it
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - thumb all the way :)
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - has been doing it since 2 months, but not consistantly, working on consistancy now
(b) sitting - yes, but still looses her balance occassionally
[c] crawling - does see-saw on her tummy but not really crawling
[d] teeth/teething - bottom right tooth just popped through
[e] standing - loves standing, but only in bouncer :P
[f] pulling up - not even close
[g] babbling - lots
[h] making strange - blows raspberries ALL the time, screeches
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - loving it, which is a great improvement, considering I was totally afraid of it for years. On meds for PPD, which have helped A LOT.
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - Stay at home, but hoping to get back into theater soon :)
[iii] Body image - gained 42 lbs total during pregnancy, lost it all 2 weeks-1 month after she was born. Still have some "baby fat" around the waistline, which is pronounced due to the c-section
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Kate...thanks for the reminder about the 6 month growth spurt. I had forgotten about that one. I was so stuck on just having returned from so many trips that I thought he was learning to push my buttons.
Well this evening we had a bit of a funny situation. I got the hiccups right before I was starting to feed him. I was so frustrated that I just had to start laughing. Everytime I would hiccup he would come off the breast and then he was getting frustrated. They finally went away but I thought we were going to be 'attempting' to feed all night?!
I hope everyone has a good halloween (if you celebrate)! Jameson is going as Raggedy Andy...it was my DH's first costume. Too cute!
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hello! i am not sure if anyone has missed me:) but i feel like it has been forever since i have posted anything. we are still paying for internet per minute, so i try to read briefly what is being posted, but i usually can't reply. well, today i am just going to pay for it, b/c i really need some advice and maybe just some encouragement.
we are still in transition--waiting to get into a permanent house. so cambel is sleeping in his pak and play still. we have also gone from teething to major constipation to a bad cold. he is rolling onto his stomach and can't roll back so that seems to wake him up too. he has gone from being able to sleep almost 10 hours so waking up around 2, then 4, then 6:30 (he goes to bed at 7:30). his afternoon nap has also gone done to 30 minutes. we worked so hard to wean from the paci, but lately we have gone back to using it to help him extend his sleep time (we don't put him to sleep with it initially...we just use it if he wakes up and can't get back to sleep). this was probably a bad idea, but i felt bad for him b/c i knew he felt terrible. and my dh is stressed with his new job and needs the sleep too.
so, i don't know what to do to get back to a good sleep routine. i feel like we are going backwards!
do i stop the paci, teach him to sleep on his stomach, feed him more during the day(we dropped a feeding...but he is not nursing well and won't eat if i try to feed him more often), let him cry himself back to sleep??? jjstar-i think it was you who had the problem with night wakings and rolling over. what did you do? i know this could also be the 6 month growth spurt...there are just so many things going on. any advice would be greatly appreciated! thanks....
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Maria we have missed you. I know it doesn't always help but remember whatever situation you are in, there is someone else out there going through the same thing. It always helps me to know I'm not the only one doing something. We were dealing with the rolling at night a few months ago. It was right when Jameson had learned to do it and seemed to want to practice. We would roll him back (without picking him up unless he got really upset) then pat until he went back to sleep. It wasn't fun but it eventually went away. As for your night waking issues, the first thought I had was that he probably isn't resting enough during the day. I would focus on the naps and it might correct your night waking issues. As for the paci, I can't say much there because Jameson never took one. I do know that in the book I think it says that by 6 months it has become a prop unless he can put it in and out. Good luck and if you ever just need to vent, know that we're here.
Well tonight was trick-or-treating. Jameson was too darn cute! He actually one a prize for being so cute! I'll post a picture as soon as I get them loaded off the camera.
I think we're officially ready for the time change tonight. He took a late nap this afternoon and we finally had to wake him at 5:15 to get ready for trick-or-treating. He had eaten last at noon so it seems he grabbed the extra hour we need to make up for just today. We'll see what time he wakes up tomorrow morning though?!
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Hope I can jump in here.
1] Age - Will be 6 months on Nov. 16
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - born 6 pounds 8 1/2oz, around 15 lbs now
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 18"/26'' now
[4]FF- every 3 1/2 - 4 hours
[5] Solids - Type(s) and amounts - Started rice cereal on Monday for breakfast and dinner, about 1 tbs. She eats sometimes hardly anything or sometimes almost the whole thing. Doesn't seem to care one way or another.
[6] Naps - really having troubles, but she usually takes 45 min nap early morn, then 2 hr late morn, then about an hour late afternoon.
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 11-12
[8] Dream feed - never worked for us, she still woke for food
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - paci addict
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - rolled from tummy to back a few times in Sept, then she forgot about it. She is working on getting good at rolling back to tummy.
(b) sitting - no, she still has a lot of balance to gain. We use the bumbo.
[c] crawling - nope
[d] teeth/teething - none yet, no signs either
[e] standing - doesn't quite get the standing thing
[f] pulling up - nope
[g] babbling - lots of stories and lots of raspberries
[h] making strange - one of her favorite noises to make is to inhale really loud, sounds like she's trying to catch her breath. She does this over and over again.
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood - Still feel like I am getting used to it. It's hard to keep up. Battling PPD, on meds, but still feeling out of sorts. Really love my dd, and can't wait to see what she does next.
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - Stay at home, at least for the first year if I can.
[iii] Body image - I feel incredibly fat. I gained 40 pounds, then lost 20 after birth. But since PPD and meds, have put that back on. I am joining Jenny Craig in a couple of weeks. Tired of not fitting into anything but my maternity clothes.
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I'm popping in again too. I've been trying to stay as up-to-date as I can- you all have a great thread going here!
1] Age - 5 mos.
[2] Birth Weight/Current Weight - born 7 pounds 11.6oz, around 13.5 lbs now
[3] Birth Length/Current Length - 21.5"/?'' now -but she was off the charts at her well visit. She's very long- I just don't know how long. :)
[4]BF- I honestly just watch her cues and do the EASY, so sometimes 2.5 hrs, sometimes 4. She's basically a 7 a-7 pm schedule.
[5] Solids - Haven't started- but she's showing all of the signs of readiness. -I even let her suck on a little piece of bread yesterday and she loved it- started crying when it was all gone.
[6] Naps - If we stay home and don't go out she gets at least 3 great naps in. If we go out it's 2 longer ones.
[7] Hours of sleep at night - 12 (Wakes up at least once in early a.m. to nurse- though she's been sick lately- double ear infection- so she's been nursing more often.)
[8] Dream feed - nope
[9] Paci or thumb/fingers - Every once in a while she finds her two fingers and sucks on them. We use the paci to get her to sleep and to extend naps/nightime sleep. She doesn't cry if it falls out during sleep though.
Developmental stuff. . .
[a] rolling over - she's rolled from tummy to back quite a bit (usually at night-waking herself up to practice.):roll: Hasn't done the other w/o assistance.
(b) sitting - We also use the bumbo. She's really close to being able to sit up. Any day now I think.
[c] crawling - I realized I haven't really been encouraging this- still don't know if I will yet. ;)
[d] teeth/teething - drooling like crazy- no really red/swollen areas though.
[e] standing - Kinda does this in her Graco doorway bouncer (She LOVES it- doesn't like the Johnny Jump up though)
[f] pulling up - If she's laying down, she'll "pull up" to a sitting position- does that count?
[g] babbling - she has moments where she's the loudest baby ever. But usually stays pretty quiet.
[h] making strange - heeee-aaaaa in a squealing type voice is her favorite.
Mom stuff. . .
How are you feeling/enjoying motherhood -Feel like this time around I'm enjoying my baby a little more- probably due to her angelic nature and contagious smile. She really is the happiest baby I've ever seen.
[ii] Stay at home/ Back to work - Working from home. It's a good compromise for us at this point.
[iii] Body image - Not great. I'm giving myself time- b/c I remember w/ Madeline that I didn't lose the weight really until I weaned her (around 1 yr.) But I have someone who is supposed to come watch the girls for me 3x a week so I can go up to Curves. It's only worked out 1x a week for the last 2.5 mos. :roll: But that's ok. I'm trying to keep it all in perspective and make sure I have acceptable clothes to wear- cause that is the worst part is just not fitting into things.
Whew! That's a lot of info!
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Marlo once again sounds like Liam & Noel are twins - I'd have said it was the birth date as Liam is also the happiest baby around, but his other twin... one of the mums from aiden's swimming bub #2 (also May25) isn't an overly happy bub.
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I have a few questions...have any of your dc been doing great with for example rolling over, and then just stop for a while? Cate was rolling onto her back like nobody's business, but not in the last week or so!
Do you find that your dc change, grow, excel, whatever you'd like to call it in starts and stops?
I think we are having our 6 month growth spurt! frequent night wakings and cranky during the days (maybe because the lack of sleep) so we are way off of our day and night routines (more night). I'm feeding often because I want my milk supply to increase as much as she needs. Has anyone else sone this, or do you follow Tracy's recommendation of cluster feeding before bedtime? We have never done the dream feed successsfully either.
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My dd rolled from tummy to back 3 times in September and hasn't done it since. Then she really started concentrating on back to tummy, which she's almost mastered, except her arm keeps getting stuck. Everything for us is so subtle now that I don't think I am noticing all the different stuff she is doing and not doing. It's hard to keep up. We are having crankiness and night wakings too. More than usual, which I attributed to lack of a swaddle (we went cold turkey 2 weeks ago). But maybe it is a growth spurt. Hmmm..Didnt know there was a 6 month one.
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katet-i wanted to pop in while i have the chance and say thanks for your advice and encouragement. ds is over his cold and can roll back onto his back now, so his sleep has settled down. we are still doing an early am feed at 5-but i hope that will end soon?:)
i appreciate you getting back to me. i just needed some encouragement!
hope all is well with everyone. i enjoy reading when i can--hopefully soon i will be able to join in more.
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Beata started a new thread this one has got a bit long
This is the address
http://www.babywhisperer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=44737&highlight=
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i will lock this thread for all of you :D