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

[Arwyn's mom]

I just re-read my last post... I did not mean that I extend each middle nap no matter what. I only extend them when she wakes up crying and clearly needing more sleep.

This was of course, not the case today... wakes up after 1 hr 10 min happy as pie so... I got her up. Now, she is down again after only 1hr 45 min. She is very tired. Can't stop rubbing her eyes and is very fussy. So, if she takes her usual nap of 45 minutes, we will be done all our naps by 3 pm!!! Insane, I tell ya. Murphy's Law will occur today and she will have her long nap now, forcing me to wake her to go to her 6 month shots. :roll:

I mentioned before that Arwyn is a slow adapter and needs more than 3 days to change any behaviour. Well, Arwyn is apparently also a slow adapter to food. It takes at least 4 or 5 tries before she takes a new food willingly. She loves her yams now but a week ago it took forever to feed her 1 oz. Now, she gobbles it up.

Nikki... have you tried jiggling for the 12:30 to put her back to sleep? You could try it for a short time so that you don't wake Nathan up too. I know that Arwyn's wake-ups are all habitual so I no longer feed her when she wakes.

Okay, off I go to enjoy some "me" time.

[Little Bear's Mum]

OMG - so much to read/comment on. I actually took notes!

Traci - good on you for trying the longer awake with Cole. Isn't it funny how they surprise us sometimes with what they can do. I know I underestimate Daniel sometimes.

Kate - yay for Ryans head. It can't have been easy having the helmut on for so long. But worth it for Ryan I'm sure. Oh yeah, I love the photos.

Nancy - sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference. Just a bit longer awake and a big nap - wahhoooo!

Ankie - a word of warning, don't let the 5am wake up become a habit. I was kicking myself thismorning because Daniel is still waking at 5am, he's been doing this for months. I wished I'd somehow stopped it sooner, but like you I keep thinking he'll grow out of it. I'm going to try wake to sleep tomorrow. I've got to do some reading up on it first to make sure I do it right. I've tried it for naps and it worked a couple of times, but if I recall correctly we need to do it about 5-7 times in a row to get it right, even if he does wake as per usual at 5am. I'll keep you posted on how it's going. What do you do when Arwyn wakes in the night now if you don't feed her? Do you just leave her to resettle?

Andrea - how wonderful you saw Taylor sitting up. Very exciting seeing them do things for the first time. I can't wait to see Daniel move by himself instead of cry when he wants something that he can't get to! :roll:

Welcome Hannah - Sophie's b'day is the same as Daniel's! And, if we'd had a girl, I really wanted to call her Sophie, now wouldn't that have been funny! But no, we've got a Daniel instead!

Nikki - isn't it wonderful when they sleep all night. Daniel shakes head head, but it seems to be he knows it means no. Like when he doesn't want any more solids to eat  :cry: Not that he's eating much at all.

I hope I haven't missed anyone.......

As for Daniel, he's on his first nap for the day and it's been 1 1/2 hours. Yay! Does this mean we'll only get 45 mins thisafternoon though? He woke at 2am for a feed (huge, I think he was down one feed yesterday due to his waking/sleeping and us being out, so it was a catch up last night). THen again at 5.10am  :evil: But I only gave him a tiny amount, about 2 mins feeding, changed nappy and back to bed. He slept until 6.45am, so I was pleased with that. Then I put him down at 9am and he's still asleep.

I'm really tired of this waking at night though and know he doesn't normally need food. I could not wrap him last night totally fights it, so that's fair enough, he doesn't need or want it anymore. So, it's wake to sleep for us.

QUESTION: The only other thing that has gone thru my mind as he sleeps now, is maybe he's a bit cold causing him to wake? The room is about 15-17degrees Celsius, and he's got a couple of cotton layers of clothes (long sleeve) and a sleeveless sleepingbag/grobag, plus sheet, polarfleece blanket and quilt. I'm wondering if his arms are cold as they are always out. The reason I'm thinking this, is that as he's blissfully sleeping now, he has a woolen jumper on aswell as his pyjamas.

Nikki you're down our neck of the woods and anyone else in southern hemisphere, how much are your lo's in at night?

Wow, this is a huge post, sorry ladies. Traci, I think it's a close competition between the two of us as to who fills up the thread the most :oops: I just find it so helpful thinking out loud to you ladies, you've got such good advice.

[Colesmom]

Oh gosh, I feel I need notes too!  I'll try to make this short this time.

I want to say thanks for remembering how hard it was at the start for us...and I'm happy to be a source of motivation.  I'm just so lucky Cole is such an easy little guy.

Nancy-yay for you and Olivia.  I was ecstatic the first time someone clued me in on A times.

Sophie-welcome to our madness!

Ankie-not sure what to tell you about the naps.  I think if the first A time ends up a bit short it's okay...but maybe not the other ones?  I've said before if I put Cole down when he yawned/rubbed his eyes sometimes we'd never make it to 1.5 hours and hello 45 min. nap!

Nikki-it was me asking about pat/shhh...thanks for the tip, i'll try to jiggle instead.  And no, Cole doesn't shake his head yet.

Hayley-On my Grobag thermometer it says 15 degrees is "cool" and recommends 2.5 tog Grobag (thicker of the ones available) bodysuit and pyjamas.  So it sounds like you might have it about right. boy, that's chilly.  brrrrrrrrrr.  coles room is 23 degrees. I know, on the warm side.  Fall is just around the corner though and it will be closer to 20 very soon.

As for us, our second nap was 1.5 hours (yay) then we went to the mall again.  He was sitting right up in his stroller like a big boy (no more infant sit). was a bit fussy on the way home and i'm happy to say he had a 45 min. catnap.  went down like an angel just now for bed.

QUESTION.  What do you ladies DO with your little ones.  Just curious.  This is a typical day (okay, so this post isn't so short afterall)

first A time: cuddles in bed with DH and I or if DH needs to sleep then I lay on LR floor while Cole creeps around and plays.  feed.  30 min. walk in carrier and more floor time if needed.

second A time: 20 min. in exersaucer while i drink coffee and post here about our morning/night :wink: more floor time.  feed.  more floor time.  how boring am I??? usually some music on during floor time.  a story or two before next nap.

third A time:  usually out to run an errand or two lately.  I find myself going a bit nuts if I don't get out. feed. a story or two.

4th A time: floor time, long walk in stroller (40-50 min.), bath, feed

okay, time to make dinner.

i'll likely be back tonight because i am totally addicted to this place.

Traci

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Ankie, I have tried the jiggle once or twice but she gets quite snotty, so think she's using me to go back to sleep definitely.  It probably would wake Nathan, but then he's been waking up to 4 times a night lately and needs a quick retuck and he's back to sleep anyway, so maybe worth risking it. :roll:

Traci, our typical day goes like this:

6.30am wake and feed and snuggle/lie in bed with me while DH gets Nathan breakfast

7am sits in infant chair and watches the boys while I have a shower

7.30am her and Nathan play in my room while I get ready for the day

8am she has floor play while I clean up the kitchen

8.30am I play with Nathan and she sits and watches/laughs etc - we roll a ball around/play catch etc

9am nap

10am we often go out and about

12pm sits on my lap while I check in here and Nathan has lunch/stories before nap

12.30pm nap

3pm we go out again shopping/walk in the buggy or playdate

4.30pm she will either have floor play/jolly jumper time/watch a Baby Einstein movie with Nathan/we sing songs and I'll do arm actions (like wheels on the bus)

5pm watch Nathan eat his dinner/have floor time

6.15pm bath/feed/bed (I need to incorporate story time here as well now)

That's about it really.

[FrasersMum]

Hello my friends 

I need help...  again.  TIA!

We have been using sshh and slight cot rocking to help Frase settle when needed for sleep/naps.  A lot of the time he goes off without any intervention but when he needs intervention that is what we have used.

Like a lot of other babies at the 6 month mark, the ssshh rock is now frustrating him and it works him up.  When I try and rest my hand on him he pushes my hand away.  He trashes, kicks the end of the cot and tosses and turns.  I don't really want to pin him with force because he is just starting to roll over to find his comfortable spot before he goes to sleep and I want to let him get into the position he finds most comfortable.

This morning he screamed every time he was laid down in his cot and nothing we did soothed him.  He is at home with DH who told me that any time he went into the room Fraser would get more worked up so he just stood at the door and eventually the scream turned into a cry and he then settled himself.

I am concerned that this is CIO and I don't want to leave Fraser when he is so upset.  But - I don't know what intervention is now appropriate.  I am uncomfortable with the idea of PUPD and really don't want to do that so I'm interested in any other tips you may have.

Thanks Ladies you are my lifeline

Cheers
Jo

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Jo, did he start his day off overtired maybe (was anything different in the night or start time today?).  Has he eaten a new food in the last few days?  How's his reflux?

Sorry, a million questions, but maybe it's just an off day rather than anything that you're doing with his sleep routine. 

Does he have some sort of soother?  Danielle has a blankie that I give her to suck on that instantly calms her down.  It lays down the side of her body tucked under the blankets so it stays put, it rests over her arm so she can easily push it into her face as she needs.

Hayley, Danielle goes to bed with a shortsleeved all-in-one, pyjamas, thin woollen cardy then I wrap her body (from under the arms) in a woollen blanket (it's actually a thin wool shawl), then have 3 layers of thick cotton blankets over her which come up to her neck (she's in her safety sleep so she can't move under the blankets).  She's still got the same number of layers as what she's always had since our nights are still quite cold.  I'll probably drop a cotton blanket first and the woollen cardy will be the last to go since it keeps her upper body warm.

[Colesmom]

(((hugs Jo)))

Not sure I can be of much help.  Was DH in view of Fraser?  I think that as long as he knew he was there I wouldn't be too concerned with trust issues. 

Your situation is so different from mine.  I'm not sure if Fraser needs more leniency/comfort because he's been so sick recently.  I remember reading in Tracy's book that if they are sick not to bring them to your bed but to move a mattress or whatever and sleep in their room.  I can see why you want to stay consistent and not start accidental parenting though.  Is it just today that he screamed?  Maybe he was overtired as Nikki suggested.  How long did DH say it took him to settle?  When Cole is overtired (like yesterday) he takes up to 20 minutes to settle...and sometimes crying very hard.  My going in seems to make it worse/prolongs it so I let him be.

Hopefully it's just a one time thing.  I'm sure he'll wake up and be the same happy guy you're used to.

Traci

[Little Bear's Mum]

Jo - is Fraser screaming for every sleep or just his first morning one? I was going thru this with Daniel and I realised 2 things. Firstly, because of the early feed at 5am he often wouldn't take much when he woke up, then I never really felt like I got a good morning feed into him. I'd try a couple of times before his first nap and he wouldn't want it. Until I put him to bed! Then he realised he was still hungry. So, could this be the problem? Is Fraser still hungry? Secondly, I realised I was putting Daniel down way too early, as most babies seem to have a shorter awake time first thing. But it appears Daniel can usually do at least 2 hours before I put him down. It's only been this last week I've realised this and our mornings have become a lot quieter! Basically, he was protesting that he was not ready for bed! :oops: Just some thoughts for you to ponder....

I've just scrolled down and read Nikki's and Traci's comments, mine seem to be the opposite! Oh well, between all of us something might click!

Nikki, it seems like Daniel is way underdressed, perhaps he is cold. I know I like my arms snuggly under the duvet and mohair blanket, and I wake if I"m cold. Mmmmm might put a jumper on him to sleep tonight and see what happens. I just hope I don't cook him! I'm make sure the heater in the room isn't too hot. When I think about it, his arms are as about exposed as they might be in summer, so that's not probably warm enough for now.....mmmmmm He did take a 2 hour nap with his jumper on and that's unheard of for that time of day!

Traci - our day is fairly similar to yours and Nikki's. Although Daniel doesn't get to watch any siblings (yet). But we often visit a friend across the road who's got a 3month old and nearly 3 yr old, so that keeps him entertained. He's also discovered the joys of the exersaucer and spends a lot of time in that now. I find the Jolly jumper doesn't get used as much as he gets really spilly in that and so I can't do after feeding. He loves watching the cats too!  :lol:

I suddenly decided to try to give Daniel the bottle again today. We keep trying and keep giving in after a few hopeless attempts. He's soooo determined NOT to take it, it breaks my heart. Then I got really upset thinking I may never b/feed him again. And as it's DH 30th birthday tomorrow I decided I couldn't do it. What if we had a bad afternoon today which would lead into night. Then maybe tomorrow..... it was all too much and I ended up in tears  :cry: So, I've decided to really focus on the solids which he's not really into that much yet, then in November when I"m in Auckland with my parents and DH is there too, we've got a couple of days without anything special on, and we'll do it then. I can be mentally prepared for letting go and ready for the difficult couple of days. Who knows, he may even be happy to take it in a months time? YEAH RIGHT! I just wish there was a magic trick that really worked. I've tried everything I think!

Anyway, he's happy now, I"m happy and not so full (phew) and I won't worry about it for now.

We're off to Wellington for the weekend, so I'll wave to you Nikki as we're heading thru the Kapiti Coast!  :lol:

Bye!

[Jayri]

Hayley, just a quick thought before I go to bed, we have Riley between me and the bottle. I tried the playtex advanced nurser kit, hope you can get it there, dh feed riley for most of one weekend while I pumped and then I fed her before bed.
I am contemplating not bf anymore, but it upsets me a little too much as she may be our last child.
HTH for when you do try the bottle again, also make sure the milk is as near to your milk's temp as possible, even if it feels a little hot, mine does, but once daniel gets a taste of the milk maybe the temp. may help him to feed better.
Not sure if you were looking for any advice on it or if anyone else was for that matter, but I thought i would share our success seems the topic came up.
Night Night to all in my end of the world, good morning to you Jo, Hayley and Nikki.
I wonder what page number I will wake up to tomorrow? :lol:  :lol:

[Little Bear's Mum]

Naomi - what's the nursing kit? I have an express pump so I can do that and give him ebm in the bottle, which I'll try to do when I decide to finally do this once and for all. But if there's some other mechanism that helps let me know! I'd rather do a bit of both, but I know once he takes the bottle it's too risky trying both. He's such a determined wee boy he'll probably decide he won't want me anyway as I understand the bottle is easier to take?

[sophieandhannah]

Also just a quick note before I am off to watch a really ridiculous television show (the sillier the better these days) I am so excited to inundate you all with my millions of questions tomorrow during Sophie's first nap, and to give some feedback on a few of your posts.  (watch, Murphy's law, I'll be so excited to post, she won't sleep)
That's neat that Daniel could have been a Sophie...and the same bday, wow!
Can't wait till tomorrow.

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Hayley, I don't have a heater on in Danielle's room, so that's probably why she's got more layers on as well.  But, I did get the jumper tip from my plunket nurse when Nathan was a baby.  Basically Danielle's upper body ends out of the blankets, so to me it's a "blanket" layer.  The PN nurse said not to worry about cold fingers as long as their chests are warm.  Also, because I feed in the night I know that she's not too hot, so I'm confident with the layers she's got on.  Definitely add another layer to his chest and see how that goes.

You idea about not enough time in the morning is good too - Danielle's now awake for 2.5hrs after her morning wake up.  So as always, I think it's trial and error to find the right solution.

Have a good weekend everyone!   Wish me luck for a sleep through tonight as well.

[kq]

Wow!
So many pages and so little time! I have finally read all 13 pages I missed out on and now cannot remember anything to comment on...sorry, breast feeding brain.  :oops:
Welcome all newcomers, in fact I feel like one myself...

Nikki- does the safety sleep work? Sam has recently been moving all over his cot and I found him out of the blankets and freezing, the other morning when I went in to his cries. How old can you use it till? Am contemplating getting one.

Hayley-Sam has a heater in his room and we try and keep it at betwen 18-20 degrees. He is in a singlet, pyjamas and then has a sheet, 2 cotton blankets and a quilt. He had a woolen blanket on at the height of winter but it got too hot and he was waking up very flushed. His hands are freezing in the mornings as well and I put mittens on him once but he was not having a bar of that and I found them flung on the floor in the morning. As for taking a bottle, it was a very difficult 2 days with a lot of tears from both him and me. I have a long winded post about how we did it on the breast feeding board under how to get your lo to take a bottle. Sorry but don't know how to post a link as everytime I leave this page, I lose my whole message.

All of you are gorgeous! Will have to try and figure out how to post an image. Cannot even work the Avatar out!

We are having good days here with only the occasional 45 minute nap. We do quiet last 30 minutes of A time and then as soon as I see cues, I put him into his cot and he usually goes to sleep after a couple of minutes of babbling.

I have stopped feeding at night. I realised that it was a habit as Sam was not interested during the day and was feeding 4 hourly overnight. Took 2 nights of dh soothing him (I think it was pat/pupd combo). After that, whenever he wakes overnight, I pat him back to sleep, actually just lay a hand on him. Usually takes me about 10-20 minutes. I wait till he is in a deep sleep. I have been getting up to him about once a night in the last week and it is usually because he has managed to get himself wedged at the edge of the bed or kicked all his blankets off and is cold. He wakes for the day between 6 and 7 am.

My activity during A times are very similar to Nikki's except no sibling. Oh, we do a walk in the evening between catnap and bedtime routine.

We have also dabbled with solids for a taste only and Sam seems to love it! Will have to think about doing it more than once a day.

Enough from me! Must dash and watch a mindless TV program.

Have a great weekend.
Karen

[Little Bear's Mum]

Ok, I promise, my last post for the day  :oops: Just wanted to share my good news. Daniel and I went to a friends house for dinner tonight while hubby is at the bar having pre birthday drinks. I put Daniel down on her bed  surrounded by pillows and he went to sleep! Yay! Since very early on his nightitme routine has been exactly the same quiet(ish) time, bath, feed cot. Even if away, it's been into the portacot. Well tonight it was different, surrounded by chatting girls pre bed, into a room that was very light even with the curtains closed, change into pj's on the floor, feed then into his s/bag and under a strange blanket. No tears and 5-10mins later he was asleep! He did wake up about 1.5 h later though, but I think that was because a 3 yr old was running up and down the hallway! That's okay, I was pleased with our first attempt at something totally different for night time. So I bundled him up and brought him home, a quick b/feed top up and back to sleep.

Here's hoping the rest of tonight goes well. I'm still going to do wake to sleep although I'm not looking forward to if it backfires and I'm up 3 times. Assuming he may still wake early hours because he can/does. Mind you, because he's had about 30mins awake between 8-8.30pm it might not happen. I've also put him in a thermo bodysuit/singlet which may keep him warmer.  I might try the jumper tomorrow night. It's a 30% wool one, so not overly hot.

Better go, enough rambling.

Happy sleeping everyone!

[Jayri]

just a quickie post for now as I have just woken up for the day.
Hayley, I used the avent pump system but I used the PLAYTEX ADVANCED NURSER SYSTEM. I found that the nipple were perfect, nice and squishy, and the bottle liners empitied without a lot of air in the so Riley wasn't too gassy afterwards.
KQ-post in the lounge about wanting an avatar, and some one shouls be able to help you out, I know harvey's folk's have done a lot of them for people, you email them your pic and then they will do it for you.