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

[Erin M]

Little Bear's Mum - extending awake times is always what seems to work for us in terms of extending nap times, so that's definitely the way to advise. 

Judy - Katie was a 45 minute napper from birth, I only worked her out of it by extending awake times - once she was awake I had a really hard time getting her back to sleep (although patting tended to do it some times along with letting her suck on my finger, but that was way back at around 3 months).  Not sure if they can start being 45 minute nappers at that age.

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Judy, yep I'd also work on awake time to help with those 45min issues.  Also, maybe you can be our guinea pig (or the girls can  ) for the Wake to Sleep Method to help solve your 3am waking by going in at 2am and jiggle them a bit? I just hope they don't fully wake  :shock:  the thought of that happening is enough to put me off trying.  When they wake are they crying?  Danielle always wakes at this time and I give her a small feed, but don't really think she needs it, but if I try patting her she gets really snotty, so I always feed...

Well for a few days now Danielle has gotten past her 45min morning nap and doing 1.5hrs.  Nothing I've been doing is different.  She's had 2hr morning activity for a wee while now...

Danielle's definitely figured out rolling from back to tummy now - probably trying to look around and wonder where me and Nathan have gone since he runs to the toilet a million times a day before actually going! :roll:

[kq]

Hi Judy,
I feel for you. I was in a tizz with dh today as I was tired! Lying awake thinking about going back to work, weaning etc, etc . Since I last spoke to you, Sam has woken up again at 4 am. If this carries on, I will try wake to sleep first and let you know if it works...
As for 45 minute naps. we are doing those again so I have just increased A time by another 5-10 minutes. Your girls are about Sam's age so maybe that is what they need. Will let you know how it goes. As Erin or was it Bianca said, it usually takes a few days before working out if they are crying because they are overtired or not tired enough.
Anyway, must dash.
Take care all,
Karen

[kate585]

Hi, everyone.  Regarding the swimwear, Ryan wore a swimmer diaper under his swimsuit.  That's what the other boys did, too.  (No girls in the class). 
When I was with my playgroup today I mentioned the early toilet training from the book (9-12 mo. start) and they all looked at me like I was a total crackpot.  So, I would just keep it to yourself if you plan to start early.  Someone on the site (or was it Tracy in the book?) said not to tell anyone until you're all done or else you'll get a bunch of unsolicited suggestions.  I think that's good advice based on the reaction today. 

Off to hang with dh...he asked if I was "talking to my online friends" and I said YES!   

[Little Bear's Mum]

Hi girls/ladies/mums, (whichever you prefer). I'm glad that others have had success with keeping their LO's awake longer to beat the short naps. Especially as I advocate it, I'd hate to think I was the only one who had success with it.

After a few days of trying to stretch my ds to 2 hours today was our coffee group at our house. The 2 hour mark would have been exactly when everyone would arrive, so I put ds down at the 1h 45m like he had been doing. Well, I don't know if it was the shorter awake time or the noise of us mums and bubs, but he woke after 40 mins! I've just kept him up 2 hours now and he went down without a peep. Hopefully he'll have a big sleep to catch up on what he missed out on earlier.

How do you know if the middle of the early morning feed is really necessary or if it's just that they've woken up and want cuddles/a snack? I've thought about wake to sleep briefly, but don't really understand it well enough to try and my friend in another city has my book with the details. My ds wakes at different times, but usually between 3-5am and takes a big feed, would do both sides if I let him, but I've been stopping after one side. Does this mean he's still needing it because he's hungry? I know if it's a regular time each day then it's more habit than hunger, but is that the only sign?

Last night he surprised me by waking at 1am and was hungry, he then slept until 6am. Could this have been because he didn't have sufficient quality during the day? I have to admit I didn't eat very well yesterday so wondered if my milk suffered because of it. Does anyone else ever notice that if their food intake isn't as good as usual their LO's notice it? Just curious....

Judy, my hat is off to you! It's amazing to see how well you cope with 4 kids under 4! I think if you have the odd day when you get grumpy that's quite understandable.

Oh no, ds has just started murmering after 40mins. I'll leave him and see what happens. If I go in to try to resettle he'll be wide awake in seconds!

[Jayri]

HI everyone, just popping onto say a quick hello.
Riley hasn't been doing too bad lately, last night she went down after a feed at 7:30, woke for a feed at 2:30 and then up at 7am, hey I got to sleep in for a half hour.
We are TOYING with the idea of putting the kids in the same room, dh is for it, but I know I will be the oneup settling the two of them, and also I am unsure as Riley still wakes for a feed. I am afraid of jayson waking and wanting to get up and see what is going on at 3am!!
Judy, a big hug for you, I have the same kinda thing with Jay, lately he has discovered that he can squeal and it has an affect, repeatition Oh! and the cats are fun to chase when mummy is putting Riley to bed.
You know what it is amazing how many people have not heard of BW, I told a friend of mine I had dd on the EASY routine, and she sacastically asked how it was working out, another friend of mine has an 8mth old, nurses to sleep, and only likes maybe about three things for solids food, the poor luv is getting close to her wits end, and I leant her my BWSAYP, but she is nervous on how restrictive it would be to her going out.
It is surprising how many don;y know about this wonderful way to help your children grow up.
Anyhew, the sandman is calling, well whispering, my body is still adjusting to not working a graveyard shift.
Just before I go I wanted to ask any of you NZ mums if you could pop onto a post in the lounge and say hi! to a mum I have been emailing of late, she is under HOLLYNHARVIE, he and her dh and ds are moving to NZ, not sure which part in nov. and I noticed that her post had not been replied to and I wanted to help her out, she is looking to meet other BW mums in NZ. TIA

Chat Later.
Keep on enjoying you little darlings!

[Jayri]

Oh judy, one more thing.

{{{{{{{{{{{ BIG SQUEEZY HUG}}}}}}}}}}

[Arwyn's mom]

Hats off to all of you with more than one child. I am exhausted today because Arwyn had a bad day. I can't imagine what kind of shape I would be in with two or more!!! (Judy...BIG HUG to you!)

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Judy, apparently Wake to sleep is meant to work over 3 days.  Sorry I can't remember who was asking (Little Bears mum), but I think random wakings are definitely hunger.  Danielle will occasionally only last to 1am and if I feed she still lasts until 7am.  I have a rule, any waking before midnight and we get her back to sleep without feeding - has only happened a couple of times.

Naomi, I've a few PMs from Holly and Harvey - I live miles away.

Right, grrr, Nathan's just thrown a tanty and woken Danielle - oh well at least it's 2.52pm, so just in time for a feed anyhow.

[Taylor's Mommy]

Hi Ladies,

I have been posting for quite a while in the April/May chat, but have recently noticed how many more lo's are a little closer to Taylor's age in this forum, so thought I'd say hi.  the other moms have been great, but having so many other moms that have lo's jsut a tad bit older to talk to seems like a good idea.

Taylor will be 5 months on Monday and is on a 4 hour EASY.  We had a real rough start with her being very colicky and taking 45 minute naps from 7 weeks till she was about 16 weeks.  The 45 minute nap thing has started to come back the last 2 weeks, but not for every nap and not every day.  I figure it is so much better than it was and she usually wakes up happy I'll take it!  We have been dealing with developmental issues and night wakings after sleeping through the night since she was 9 weeks, so that is kind of frustrating.  But we usually can get her back down in jsut a few minutes without a feed.

I started back to work this week and have been really missing her :cry:   I never thought I could miss her so much!

Kate 585-I agree about the potty training thing.  I mentioned it to my 3 sisters/sister-in-laws that all have lo's 15-18 months and they thought I was crazy and being "my typical Type A personality".  they didn't say that in so many words, but that is what I felt by the looks I got.  They had never heard of BW before me and many times I don't think quite understand it. 
Naomi, I too find it surprising how many moms I know have never heard of BW!  I feel a little lonely and wish I knew some other moms (in person I mean) that are familiar with Tracy's methods.

Anyhow, I hope you don't mind me joining in! 
Have a good night everyone...off to unwind a bit before another day at the office :roll:

Andrea

BTW-HUGS to you JUDY.  I really don't know how you do it!

[Arwyn's mom]

A note on toilet training... my friend gave me a book called "Diaper Free" for my baby shower. It advocates that you can start toilet training from day 1. The author herself has done it but it was not with her first or second child. I think it was her third before she was able to do it from day 1. I know that with me, I had so many other challenges to overcome as a new mom that I would have lost my mind if I chose to toilet train that early.

Also, my mom and aunts toilet trained from a very early age. I even got a call from my aunt when Arwyn turned 6 weeks to tell me that I could now start toilet training. I believe we were all toilet trained by age 1 - 1.5 years. It is possible but I too, get strange looks when I mention wanting to start training Arwyn soon. Don't know why it is such a weird subject.

[Taylor's Mommy]

I was shocked and kind of in disbelief when my mom said all 4 of us were toilet trained by the time we were 1...then I read the chapter in Tracy's book and found otut she wasn't crazy after all!  I told my mom sorry that I didn't believe her and she said, "see, I did do some things right!"  too cute   Gotta love our moms, esp. now that we are moms too!

[Little Bear's Mum]

It seems it was this way over my side of the world too when I was a baby. Mum started us on the potty from about 6 weeks. She told me she used to read me stories while I sat there sometimes for 30 mins. It was because they only had cloth nappies back then and it saved on washing.  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Andrea, did Taylor's 45 mins naps solve themselves or did you do something?

For some reason my ds has started these again this week. I've implemented what I advocate for others, ie keeping awake longer and he can now do 2 hours awake time, up from 1h 45m, but we've still been getting a few 40 min naps. He used to do up to 1.5 - 2 hours. He does have reflux which seems to be worse lately and I'm wondering if this is contributing to the shortened naps. Also this week was his 'shots' week so may have also caused disruptions.

[kq]

Welcome Andrea!
Naomi, just to let you know that I think that Holly will be moving to Auckland, where I live. I have just replied to her post..thanks Always good to meet/chat in person to a fellow BW!
Must dash. It is bath then bedtime.
Karen

[herbst99]

Welcome Andrea! I also post in an "older" group as Lise falls on the edge in age. I am also a type A personality with spirited/textbook girl. I found being a mom really difficult in the beginning (Lise had COLIC!!!) as I could not predict or fix everything, no schedule etc. How did your personality cope with your baby?

Alot of people was asking about 45min naps - I can't really solve them as we are still there most days. Someone mentioned on "naps" board that you can go in a little before baby's supposed wake up and just help them go through the first 45 min cycle through to the next one. I find that if I wait untill Lise is awake it will take  me a little longer to resettle her. (she is very "independent" and does not like PU/PD - just put my hand on her and resettle her.) But this has been the only way she will sometimes sleep 1.5 hrs.

We still have some problems with the rolling onto tummy when trying to "settle" herself to sleep. When she woke up this morning she was on her tummy - but I could get to her before she was awake enough to want to push up. I started to stroke her back and she lay like that for a few minutes. I am hoping this might show her that she can lie down on her tummy also? Any thoughts anyone??

Our day was a little crazy. Thursdays I meet with 2 friends (babies same age! and one also believer in BW after crying out disaster!!!) and have coffee at a coffee shop in our mall. We realized today that we will have to move our venue to someones home!! with these babies now wanting to play and move the "coffee shop" atmosphere will have to wait.

OOH Just settled her after 45min - woke up on tummy - put my hands on her while on her tummy and she put herself back to sleep!! JIPPEE - hope I am not "jinxing" this now!!
Nikki