Babies of Oct-Dec /04

[cazao]

i found the hylands teething tablets at capers. last night i gave her the tablets (you dissolve them in water and i used a baby syringe to give them to her) and oragel before i put her down and she slept through....yay!!! so definitely worth a shot...

[dixiedutch]

Hello Cazao and Sharon,

We've been away a long time...I'm really sorry, but thanks so much Sharon for asking about Juliana and I in one of your previous messages.

We had guests from the Netherlands visiting us for two weeks and I was so very busy I couldn't even log in. I know most Moms do this all the time...cook three meals a day and keep everyone going...but I was just so inexperienced it was quite overwhelming for me.

I am with both of you on the sleepless nights. Juliana has two little teeth now! We were all over the place for the past three weeks. My husband was traveling, so I began tucking her into bed with me again for a while. That helped, but neither one of us slept well. Thankfully, she seems to be passing through this stage and our days look like this:

wake up 7:30 or 7:45
BF + solids
sleep 15- 20 minutes in jogging stroller
11:00: BF + solids
12:00: 2 -3 hour nap....can you believe this??
BF when she wakes
6:00: cat nap
6:30: BF + solids
9:00: jammies, book, last BF
9:30: sleep zzzzzzz

She has grown so much and she is ever so much more interactive. I look at her and I realize that she was once a part of me; but now she is decidedly her own person with her very own personality.

We went swimming today because it was so warm. She has her own little float and loved the water.

Sharon, how is Ella Rose and her reflux?

caroline

[Mum to Ella Rose]

Caroline, sooo nice to hear from you! 

I have to ask... did the teeth pop up after the three sleepless weeks? As everyone knows we are struggling. Into our third week of sleepless nights though yesterday I bought some natural teething oil and she slept through!
This place is a God send. They have this tummy trouble oil I used before and dd was literally screaming her head off for over an hour and I rubbed this oil onto her tummy, she immediately relaxed, her wee head turned to the side and she went into a deep sleep. At this point I'm ready to go kiss the women who make this stuff!  :lol:  Though I'm not counting on it lasting... (it's a local Vancouver company but they'll deliver to the states now if anyone is that interested...)

How are your nights going Cazao? And Jennifer how about the swaddle? Always looking forward to more updates from everyone!

I couldn't have handled all that either Caroline. It's so overwhelming being a first time mum! (and a second and third, etc. I'm sure!!) And I know what you mean about their personalities at this stage. Dh and I have just been commenting about dd and how much she seems like a "little girl" all of a sudden. it's just amazing to see how they are already so much their own person!

And thanks for asking about Ella's reflux! It's so much better with the solids. Well, she was much better with the meds but now with solids it's better for us too as she doesn't spit up as much.  We're transitioning her off the rice starch formula and onto a regular one right now because it's all too much for her wee tummy. She seems to be handling it well. A bit more spit up but that's okay. I'm tempted to move her bottle and solids closer together though... I was scared she was having a hard time again with all these sleepless nights but I think I'm just paranoid now after what happened when she was younger. I think she's just being a "normal" baby. And a big part of my not worrying so much is all of you! Knowing you all are going through the same things...

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Sharon

[Jadynsmom]

oops dbl post!

[Jadynsmom]

I posted this but I didn't see it, so I'm trying again.  Hope won't doublepost!

Hi everyone,

Well, I am just floored!! Jadyn has been fussy and cries at times for no reason and I know it's because of her tooth that popped up last week. Then today she was outside playing in her high chair(I use it outside and we watch daddy do yardwork ) and she was chewing away on her new chewy bracelet and then I saw it!!! Another tooth right beside the one that's already out!!! No wonder she's been just gumming her mouth and crying!!! I didn't realize it would be this quick. Man, she's going to have a mouth full of teeth before she's a year old. Yikes, I want to breastfeed til at least til she's a year old. She hasn't really used her tooth on me yet, so maybe she won't try to bite me. 
Are you guys using Baby Orajel? I only have regular strength Orajel and have been using it, very little. Is that ok? I just keep forgetting to get the baby strength!

Hi dixiedutch and welcome back. I know what you mean not being able to do everything and at times getting overwhelmed. Don't feel bad. I don't work hardly at all and it's good if I can just do the laundry and iron 2 shirts for my hubby. I just wonder how moms that work and have several children and keep the house nice and clean, cook dinner, etc. Whew!! I do good if I clean the house once a month.  As far as our babies growing and having their own personalities, I think the same thing!! I still can't believe she was once inside me, feeding, growing, moving around... Now she is her own little person. I just want to swallow her up and put her back inside me sometimes. She's so darn cute. It's hard for me to share her. I know that sounds so bad.  Does anybody else miss having their lo's in your tummy and being with you 24/7?

Jennifer, I just reread your question about you putting your baby almost asleep. I did that (rocking her to sleep) with Jadyn for about 2wks and she started waking at night times (very unusual) and taking longer to go back to sleep. So I read on Naps forum a post 'Nap training- It does work', and so I got motivated to retrain in putting Jadyn down for naps awake. It took just 2 days and this is going on a week now she goes down fully awake!!

Sharon & Cazao - How are your nightwakings? Is it getting better? Any teeth?
Sharon, I'm glad you found that tummy oil and hopefully it will help her for a long time.  Also, you can vent as much as you want here and we will be here for support!! 

Alli - Thanks for the info. I am going for her 6mo check up at the end of the month and I will definitely talk to him about it. I used to wonder if Jadyn had reflux as well. I think I just like to worry period. 

Hope everyone's having a great weekend.
_________________

[caljaccol]

Lots of reading to catch up on    As one might only imagine I have been a little busy the last few weeks with end of the school year stuff and getting things ready for dh to be away on a medical trip for months (6). 

So my wee one is getting too smart for her own good!  She 'tries' to pull herself up on her toys.  With a little help she manages to get into a full standing postion.  Her legs are still too weak for this but she thinks it is a good idea :roll:   She will just have to be content to bounce in her exersaucer and jollyjumper a little longer.

I haven't been using any 'medication' for teething.  Dd seems to be having not too much trouble and a cold teething toy or freezie :oops:  seems to be enough to keep her happy.  We still only have the two bottom teeth but I am sure there are more coming soon.

Dd is sitting up wonderfully.  So well in fact that she has enough balance to grab at things.  I think she is very close to crawling too.  She is trying so hard to get moving but hasn't figured out how to move her legs at the same time as her arms.  If nothing else she can roll to what she wants :roll:

Our nights are going very well.  She is in a great routine.  Bed by 8pm and sleeps straight through until 8am.  We are on a EAESY routine for her.  The first E is when I give her solids, the second a bottle.  I am getting 2 really good naps during the day (1-2 hours) and she takes the odd catnap in the van when we go out :oops: .

For solids she is eating Whole grain cereal at breakfast (banana added), fruit for lunch, and a beginner veggie and meat at supper.  As well as crackers, baby cookies, and dry toast to gum at other times during thee day.  She is doing very well with them.

The only trouble we are having is in regards to our bugs!  Dd has a few bites on her face that are making her scratch a bit and for some reason everyone is getting swollen from them this year (gotta love mosquitoes).  I have been putting Skin-So-Soft on her at night before bed, but of course it wears off before morning :x   I guess the only real solution is to move :wink:

So that is about it for now.  Next week we have our 6 month shots and I can't wait to see how much she weighs now.

[Mum to Ella Rose]

Hi Dawn , nice to hear from you!  Btw, what does SAHM mean?
Things sound like they are moving along nicely for you. Glad to hear you aren't having much trouble with teething! You too Kathy. Jadyn sounds like she's a real trooper with teeth! Have you started solids yet?

As you can see I have a bit of time on my hands tonight as dh is taking over as he has to go out of town for the next three days. I finally found the thread that suggests what our avatars should be each month. June is wedding photos or photos of you with your significant other or just you! 

I suppose I should put a "real" wedding photo in but this one cracks me up!

Sharon

[caljaccol]

Sahm means stay at home mom.

Love the picture :lol:

[alligirl]

Kathy- re: breastfeeding a baby with several teeth...I was reeeaaaalllly nervous when Stephen got his furst two (got one right after the other), but they were on the bottom and their little tongues should be over their bottom gums.  Then a few months later he got two on top and I was really nervous again.  He never bit, but I did get a little callous where his teeth rested while nursed.  But we had no problems and I breastfed him until he was a little over 1.  And lots of moms do it way past that point when their kids have a mouth full of teeth.  If he bites, just firmly say, "No biting." and take him off the breast.

Good to hear from everyone else.  Zachary gave us a 12 hour night on Saturday and then a little over 9 hours last night!

[lil'monkey]

Gees, Sharon I thought that was your wedding picture!  Still love it though!

After reading all these postings about teething and restless nights is beginning to scare me a little now.  DD is still restless at nights, rollling and making sounds several times at night and she's not even teething!  I try not to go in and start a bad habit but sometimes I just want to hold her and let her know that I'm there for her. 

I was with a couple of moms over the weekend and there were discussions about attachment parenting.  Having listened to their reasons as to why or how often we should attend to our los' cries day or night, or that we shouldn't expect them to slept 10-12 hrs without a feeding or a cuddle made me feel uneasy about myself as a mom.  I don't always go to dd when she lets out a cry but I do attend to her when her cries are clearly in pain.  However, these last few weeks has me doubting myself again.  Am I expecting too much from dd?  Expecting her to sleep 11-12 hrs without waking b/c she did it before?  I know that developmental changes will affect her (sleep, eating, and behaviour) and that I should go with the flow when these happen however...  sometimes I wish that she comes with a manual.   :lol: Saw a commercial about that on TV recently - very funny.

On a good note, dd is learning to crawl.  She has managed to get on all fours but doesn't know how to coordinate her hands and legs yet.  And this is making her more whining as she doesnt want to be in her exersaucer for more than 15 min anymore - guess I have to start childproofing the house, cleaning everyday and buying a gate and .... where do these moms with more than 1 child find the time?   Well gotta to go, I guess that watching mommy type is not very interesting. :roll:

[Jakes_mom]

hi all,

so much to catch up on.. i am still trying to learn who everyone is and their lo. 
Kathy, thanks for the advice, ds is doing better.  i decided to stick to my decision and not swaddle.  now he falls asleep okay.  my routine is to hold him, give him paci, put blanket up against his face and sometimes he just passes out, other times i rock him a little until i see sleepy signs and put him down.  there have been times where he will wake up and flip his legs up and start to play the second he hits the mattress... those days i usually rock him longer but he is a very spirited baby.  also, our ds was born on 12\25 only a day eariler then jayden. 

caljaccol... you are amazing, what is your secret of sanity with all of those lo's?  i cant believe all of the physical activities your dd is doing. 

my question to everyone today is about milestones.  our ds is doing pretty good, he sits up with support and leans forward for toys while sitting.  you would think that he could sit up but he gets so excited and trys to reach for everything.  the one thing that concerns me is that he has been rolling from his back to his front since 3mo but still doesn't roll from front to back.  he gets so upset when he rolls over and even starts to cry... we tried tummy time and needless to say it was horrible.  any suggestions.  thanks.

[Jakes_mom]

sorry guys,  mess up

[Mum to Ella Rose]

Mimi....DON'T DOUBT yourself!  To me, Tracy's whole point was learning to read your own baby and what they need.  We do our best for them and try to learn their cues so they are happy and comfy.  If you think your baby needs a cuddle...cuddle her!  A mummy's instinct is always best.  We just try and do our routine as much as possible and as you said, ride out the rest. ie. our sleepless nights.  And, btw, Ella has slept through the past two nights with one brief waking and I think...think...think... a tooth is poking up the bottom. Just a hard bump but... *fingers crossed*  It's just about learning your own child and helping them in every way possible develop good habits. No pressure. We definitely notice dd thrives on our routine so we try and keep it as much as possible, but believe you me, SHE is definitely driving this bus!  :lol:  And that is a real wedding picture. What I meant by real was maybe I should put a "nice" one up instead of me trying to look up my husbands kilt.  :lol:

Jennifer, we had quite a time with the whole rolling business too.  Early on, I think about 4 months, dd rolled from back to front one day and the very next she rolled from front to back. She kept up with the rolling from back to front but seemed to forget how to go the other way!  This went right up until about 5 1/2 months when she started crying at night if she ended up on her tummy while she was sleeping. We'd have to go back in and roll her over.  Then, just recently she started doing it again and now rolls like crazy and has turned into a tummy sleeper. Oh and last night she somehow got out of her sleep sack!! It was in a ball in the corner of the crib!  :shock:  That girl has a triple A personality that's for sure! I also just read this morning that lo's lunging for toys while sitting is an important thing. It apparently is the pre-cursor to crawling or scooting. So sounds like ds is doing awesome!

Talk to you all soon, dd is calling after a 40 minute nap... :?

Sharon

[Mum to Ella Rose]

and thanks Dawn! 

Sharon

[Jakes_mom]

sharon-  this is too weird... i write the post yesterday about rolling over and last night, ds rolled over from back to front while trying to fall asleep.  initally i tried to roll him back over but he was sound asleep so i left him.  well, 3am comes and he did exactly what your lo did...sreamed
his head off, apparently he couldn't roll back over.  i hope he can soon because other wise i am worried about our nights.  i put a rolled up blanket next to him and that kept him from rolling again. 

for anyone who is doubting themselves i just want to tell you i am there :wink: our ds is not on what you would call an EASY routine anymore. it worked extremelly well when he was little but now he has decided his own routine.  fellow mothers and girlfriends of mine shared with me that this age (around 6mo) is almost more difficult then when they are first born and i believe it