Any March & April 05 mums/moms want to chat?

[BiancaB]

Hello everyone

Well we have finally made a permanent move to a 4hr routine.
Sienna has been happy staying up for 2hrs or more and is napping well now, we have finally kicked the 45min naps, adjusting the routine has helped this. Her EASY routine at present is:
7am BF
9am Nap 1+hrs
11amBF
1pm Nap 2-3hrs
3pm Bf (sometimes 4pm if she sleeps for 3hrs)
we might pop in a 40 min nap here somewhere if she has had a big day.
7pmBF-Bed (Always in bed and asleep by 7:30 at the latest)
11pmDF
4-5amBF
I do believe the Df is helping our nights and I also sometimes do a cluster feed ie 5pm 7pm depending on how our day has gone.
She has been settled and sleeping well for the last few weeks so I am getting used to it!! Who knows what next week brings
Take care everyone
Bianca

[Jayri]

Bianca, so nice to hear from you.
Well last night was fun, I tried to do a later df as one night I did it after being out and she slept until about 9:30am. So I figured I would give it another try. No luck, Riley woke up 4hrs later looking for more and again at about 6am.
Oh well better luck tonight I suppose.
I have found latley that she doesn't really eat a whole lot during the day. Her feeds are not very long, despite them being around 4hrs apart. Dd did get two big feeds in last night though, but they were both her night time feeds.
Her routine looks a little like this;
8-9am bf
10:30-11am nap ( usually only an hour)
12:30-1am awake (usually waits the full 4hrs btwn feeds if nap was short)
2:30-3pm  nap ( 2-3hrs depending on am nap)
4:30-5pm awake (again she will wait 4hrs between feeds)
sometimes she has another nap, sometimes not, i follow her cues on tiredness. I find that if she naps later then it is a pain to put her to bed. Bedtime is normally about 8pm after dh gets home.
Sometimes we get the full EAS routine in, sometimes not. this morning she wasn't interested, but her nighttime feeds have thrown everthing off a little.
Do I need to be more structured? anyone know how I can get her to eat more at feeds, she has always seemed content as a snacker!
I look forward to everyones input.
Chat later.

[kate585]

I'm having the same issues with Ryan...is Riley popping off, looking around, then wanting to get back on?  Everyone tells me that it's just because he's getting more alert and doesn't want to miss anything.  The other line I hear is that he's getting more efficient at drinking, so he is emptying the breast more quickly.  Also, if she is getting ready to cut some teeth that might be the issue, too.  (Don't I sound like I know what I'm talking about?   :lol: )
Good luck!!!

[kq]

Hi all,
The best piece of advice was from Nikki who says she just goes with the flow! Since I started doing that, my days have been less stressful and I think that Sam is more content. I am now no longer governed by the routine and can actually get out of the house, mindful that if he only catnaps in his stroller or carseat, that he will need another nap later on in the day. We are still on 3.5 hour routine as he is only turning 4 months old in a couple of days. We are settling in (it has taken us a week to do it)! Sam had his first nap with no 45 minute waking yesterday afternoon so I think that he is adjusting to the longer awake time!
Good old Plunket...Nikki is there anyway to get out of visiting them or them visiting you? My nurse keeps making me appointments!
Thank you for posting your routines..gives me something to compare myself to...
Have a great weekend..the sun is shining and somehow things look so much brighter!
Karen

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Bianca, did that Si's morning 45min nap just gradually extend over an hour once she got used to 2hrs awake time?  Danielle's pretty much still on 1.5hrs activity, she settles so much better with it, and any longer and she tends to have a really short afternoon nap and then gets overtired. 

Here's our typical day at the moment:

6.45am wake (I don't feed here since she's not hungry)
7.30am feed
8.15am nap (45min)
10.30am nap (30mins)
11am feed
12.30pm nap (2.5hrs)
3pm feed
4.30pm nap (30mins)
6.45pm feed
7pm bed
2.30am feed

Last night we just had the one waking for a feed, she did stir around 11pm but resettled herself after about 5mins (I think I fell back asleep :oops: ).

Karen, you don't actually "have to" see plunket.  It's more for your comfort etc.  You can go to your regular doctor for well-child visits, other people just see their pediatrician if they have one.  There is also often a Maori group that do visits too.  So if you want to get out of seeing her you could just say that you'll start going to the doctors for weigh ins etc.  Also, after the 5mth visit you probably won't get another one until 9mths anyway and often they will either book you or you could say you will phone closer to the time and book it yourself.

[Jayri]

Kate I think Riley has discovered the world around her, so I think that is half the problem.
She did however take a bottle of ebm today, dh and I ahve decided for me to try and go back to worl asap, as we want to move in a couple of years. The only way we will have the money to do it is by me going to work.
Her naps have been all over the place lately though, she is not irritable when she wakes up, so that is a good thing. I think that in the past couple of weeks she has discovered playtime. It is facinating to watch her discover that sh can reach out to touch her toys, she has such a look of concentration.
I guess we are all in the same place with our lo's. I think it must be the transition from newborn to infant.
It is wonderful to know that even in my hecticness I call life, that there are people out there that are going through that same issues I have.
Bianca, how is your eldest doing with the new addition. I say this as jay has discovered that Riley is not going away, but the aggravation is mainly towards dh and I as if to say look at me and not her. He loves her to pieces though, but I think it is a case that he notices that he is not the centre of attention anymore.
Keep up the good work girls, and enjoy your babies, I look at my ds and have no clue how he got from a baby to what he is now.
Ta Ta for now  dahlings!![/b]

[BiancaB]

Hello everyone

Nikki- Sienna's naptime did improve with a longer activity time, I wasn't able to get her to do two short naps in the AM, if the second one was to close to her feed she wouldn't settle for it and ended up overtired or eating too soon...SO I just kept persevering with PU/PD to extend this morning nap(even if she woke up happy cos she always does so I can't use this as a guide) so I could keep her on a 3-4hr E routine. But now as she is able to handle being up for longer she sleeps longer too!
If nap is 45mins-she can stay awake 1 a half hrs max.
If nap is over 1hr she can make it for 2hrs up.
 I calculate her times if we are out and about if I know she will only get a short nap, I'm always working out her day routine in my head each day as I know it varies so much --because we just can't stay home ALL day.
 Although I do believe for her benefit, in giving her at least one or two 'home all day' days so she will get a good rest, helps her to cope with the rest of the week .
 Since I last wrote she has been waking a little earlier 6:30am so we are readjusting again. 
 Naomi- Kyan has been really great with Si, but just lately he has started saying things like "I can't do that I'm too little" and "Mum I need a rock" This means hold him in my arms like a baby of course   So I'm wondering if, as she is getting bigger and so much more a personality now that he is feeling a little unsure of his place in the family.
 Our two are very similar in age..What is Jason's personality type?
Kyan is a touchy/spirited and Sienna is angel/textbook, not that I'm into labelling them as they are all unique, I do believe that Tracys personality guide is quite accurate as far as how they handle different situations as babies and toddlers. I'm really glad that Si is easygoing as I know she will handle her big brothers little quirks and his leadership without getting to frazzled by him..I can just see her balancing him out nicely :wink:
BY THE WAY What do you guys think about putting them in the same room? We are moving this week and the house is a little smaller so I'm considering putting them in together, but not sure whether they will wake eachother up :shock:
Take care everyone and enjoy

[Jayri]

Bianca I think that our childrens personalities are about the same, Jay has lots of juice to keep him going and Riley just sits back takes it all in and lets out a few squeals here and there.
We too are thinking of putting our two in the same room, but I figuered not until Riley sleeps right through.
My two are about 21 mths apart a good gap, but I think I would have a bigger gap if I had hind sight.
Where are you in australia, dh and I are getting in motion to move to the sunshine coast in a couple of years. the move came highly recommended form some firends of ours who live there and have been to canada a lot.
Anyhew gotts run, the brood just all came home.
Ta ta for now dahlings.

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Naomi and Bianca - sounds like we have three sets of similar kids and age gaps!  My two are 22mths apart and Danielle really is the little cruiser and tends to be more observant of life rather than Nathan who was right in there and active from the get go and at this age was already rolling around the house getting into things. :shock:

Bianca, Nathan also asks for "bubba cuddles" - quite cute really, but he now says that he's the big boy and she's the baby.  He couldn't really be a better big brother, so thoughtful and concerned for her.

I think you'll probably find they would get used to each others night noises pretty easily and I've heard of one child having a full on scream fest and the other sleeping peacefully through it.  I imagine there'd be a few rough weeks, but they would probably adjust.

[FrasersMum]

Hi All!

So I've been keeping up with the posts and still our lo's are similar with where they are at - discovering the world and that they play a part in it!  It got me thinking that you might have some suggestions to help us with the current situation...

Fraser has discovered his place in the world, bobs off during feeding to have a look around or a chat to me, looks around when he hears his dad talking..  Also tries to engage us when we are putting him to bed.

We have always battled Fraser at bedtime - sometimes a quick battle and sometimes a LONG one.  He hardly ever goes off to sleep without crying but we had it down to a fine art of getting him off in about 2-5 minutes.  We use a kind of variation on pat/sshh, with his reflux he hated the pat but we use sshh and when he is really unsettled we gently rock his cot which is on wheels and sshh.  He sometimes takes a dummy but he's not a huge fan and he sometimes sucks his fingers but when he is really distressed he can't seem to find them.

For about the past 4 days though bedtimes have become a nightmare (all bedtimes, naps and nighttime).  He screams till he is red in the face and hoarse with little tongue sticking out like he is trying to make himself vomit  :roll: I have no idea why and it is taking us about 30-40 minutes to get him down.  Also his decent naps have dropped to 45 mins (he was doing a consistent 1.5 - 2 hr morning nap).

So what's changed?  No rolling yet.  We haven't extended awakes times - in fact he is giving sleepy cues earlier if anything.  Still no sleeping through the night.  We wouldn't mind if he woke up happy but happy just doesn't seem to work for my little boy.

BIG SIGH.

Any thoughts?

Thanks angels!

[Carter'sMama]

Hello all Mar/Apr mom's!!  I'm glad to see that there are so many of us.  I can't believe that I never saw this thread before.
  It seems that I am having a similar problem with ds suddenly bobbing on and off the boob just to look around or talk.  Especially if dh is around!!  He finishes eating in just over 5 minutes making me wonder if he is truly full.  I started giving both sides back at 3 month growth spurt and was never able to go back to one side.   I actually started solids 2 weeks ago.  Mainly because he is a big baby and he was only having BM's every 14 days.  He went to a couple of GI specialists who did blood work, xrays etc and decided to start him on Oatmeal (rather than rice).  His BM's were always soft when he finally did go with little effort so he wasn't constipated.  Since Oatmeal, he goes every 2 days which is great!!  HE seems to handle the cereal great (no gas, he eats really well off the spoon too!).

  As for sleeping through the night, he started going 8 hours at 5 weeks and 10 hours at 6 weeks.  I never did a dream feed but I would cluster feed.  At the beginning I would feed 6, 8, & 10.  At the 10 feeding I would also give a bottle of expressed milk (2 oz).  It seemed to work.  I could never bring myself to give him a dream feed in case it woke him up!!!  Now he is on a 4 hour routine (7:30, 11:30, 3:30, 7:00) and then has a feed at 9:00 with a bottle of expressed milk (3-4oz) and he sleeps through.  It worked really well for us!!  I know his bedtime is a little late but we are working on making it earlier.  He does have 2 - hour and a half naps and also atleast one catnap sometimes 2.
  It's great to hear from all of you ladies.  Is anyone's lo rolling over yet.  My DS doesn't seem to quite get it, he's almost there.  Has anyone tried a sippy cup yet, or giving water.  My ped told me to give water but DS hates it!!!  I guess I will keep trying!

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

Hi Cathy, nice to hear from you. I give Charlie water on hot days (just before his nap so it doesn't interfere with his appetite). He hates it from a bottle, looks at me with big eyes - "I though I was getting a bottle but you're just giving me this rubbish?"  :roll: . I've started to give it on a spoon, and he seems OK with it, not enamoured, but OK.

He's not rolling over yet, he did it once, but I think that was an accident!

Just a quick question - I've posted about this before on this thread, so won't go into too much detail, but baby rice did not agree with him at all! Are you just using ordinary oatmeal, or a special one for babies? I might give it a go.

Caroline

[Carter'sMama]

I tried water in a sippy cup first, then a bottle, then a spoon and even a cup but he makes this horrible face!!!!  I think it might be because it is boiled water.  My ped said to only give boiled water and I even think it tastes funny!

Caroline:  I give Heinz baby oatmeal cereal.  He likes it very much and it doesn't make him gassy at all.  Oatmeal has a lot of fibre so it doesn't constipate him either.  I am going to try the Earth's Best brand next.  It was recommended in a book called "Super Baby Food" which is recommended by Tracy in her book.  Earth's Best uses whole grains for their cereal which is supposed to be healthier.  I was thinking of trying rice cereal once his BM's are more regular but a lot of people have said that they have problems with it!?  Ironic considering it is supposed to be the ideal first solid food!!! 

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

Thanks Cathy, I'll give it a try.

Yes Charlie makes a face too, but he drinks it anyway, bless him.

I wouldn't bother with baby rice if you're having constipation problems - it bunged Charlie up and gave him pain (see my post on page 19 of this thread for the story). My health visitor says that starch based foods are better. I wish I'd known that first!

I'll let you know how I get on,
Caroline

[Peach]

Hi Ladies,

Kasia has rolled over tummy to back a number of times (coincidentally, the first time was at the doctor's office after I had just finished saying that she wasn't rolling yet.  :? )  But now, for some odd reason known only to her, she has stopped rolling .  One thing that I find really helpful in encouraging her to roll, is placing her on an inclined surface where she can get her upper body up high enough to give her the leverage needed to roll. 

Re: solids - I am absolutely on the edge of my seat to start Kasia on cereal (it's in the cupboard all ready to go!) but since there are severe food allergies on dh's side of the family, I've been advised to wait until she's at least 6 months old.  No one has ever mentioned giving water though.  Do they need the extra fluids or are you giving it because of the hot weather?  (Stupid question I suppose, but I have to ask)

Kara