looking for Jan/Feb 05 moms to chat...

[diyasmom]

I have been reading all  your posts for quite some time but didn't find the time to post messages because we have been out on trips and my DD's naps have become 45 mins:(

I saw all your cute babies. They are so adorable. Eirwen's mom, don't worry about your trip. Since your daughter is doing so good, a short trip will not do any harm. My problem was we changed the routine before she got used to it very well. It was nice to read all the schedules. I am going to try some of them.

My DD, Diya is 20 wks old and she is a angel/textbook baby and spirited with respect to sleep. She was addicted to the paci when she was 11 wks old and I had to wean her off that and then she started sleeping on her own sucking her thumb after that. One good thing because of her paci addictions is that she started sleeping on her own. I don't rock her/ pat/shh her except when she is overtired. We went to 4 hr EASY and she started taking 2 2 hr naps and I thought that I had cracked it. And then, I had to got out on errands everyday during her naptime for 4 days and then we went to a trip for 2 days and all her naps went wacko. I have always noticed one thing with my daughter. Whatever we do for days, that becomes a habit for her. So if I can make her nap for 2 hrs for 2 days, then she will do that. But I don't know how to do it because she goes to sleep on her own. Only thing I can change is, her awake time. I tried 1.45 hrs and 2 hrs, they didn't work. Maybe, I have to try 2.15 hrs.

Christine, how is Leah's paci addiction? Try giving it to her until it soothes her for a min and then pull it out. If she cries, repeat the same thing. The key is that you should not let her go beyond stage 2 sleep with that. That's when she'll associate that with going to sleep and look for it. I used to give it to my DD for naps for 3 weeks. After I took it out completely,she started using her thumb. Until then, even though she knew how to suck her thumb, she wouldn't do it to go to sleep.
Tarri, what is your DD's B'day? I want to see if I can use her schedule for my DD

Before I end my novel, what do you guys do for activity with your babies. I don't remember if this has been posted before. Since our babies grow up so much every week, it will be helpful to see what they like now.

Take care
Vidya
Diya(1/25/05)

[Leah's Mom]

Tarri, that's very interesting about the nipple flow. Maybe that's Leah's problem too. She fusses horribly at the bottle, arching her back and kicking out her legs like you say. Maybe I will try a new nipple size....

[Maddysmum]

Hi again everyone,

Christine, Leah is gorgeous, I can never seem to catch my DD smiling on camera like you have!

Tarri, you seem to have done things the same way I did, with similar results! I never bothered with the gradual change from 3 to 4 hours either, because I knew my DD was never starving after 3 hours, and it does seem to have improved her eating. She no longer rolls the teat around in her mouth after a few ounces!! I had her on a fast flow teat from about 3 months and it made a huge difference, she can take 7oz in 10/15 mins now. (My DD weighs 13lb and is now 19 weeks)

I seem to be having days when DD is really tired and will wake for 2 hours then sleep for 2 hours, but today she only had 1.5 hours each time, and then she woke halfway and I had to ssh/pat. That tends to happen when shes overtired, but today I think she was just more awake than usual!

And I agree about not giving in, I never picked her up either as she doesn't cry, just shouts and sings to herself! I've only had to ssh/pat for 20 mins max, usually its a few mins and it acts like hypnosis, I can see her eyelids get heavy and I then leave the room.

Regarding the paci issue, Maddy generally spits hers out after a few minutes sucking so I'm trying not to be too worried. She prefers her fingers anyway (a whole fist sometimes!)

[thitz]

Hi everyone,

Maddys mum, my dd is 16 weeks and 4 days old.

Diya's mum, my dd's birthday is Feb. 19, 2005.

Leah's mum, definately give the fast nipple a try.  I used to have a very hard time feeding her almost every time and I haven't had a problem since I switched .  I would keep the slow flow for the dreamfeed though because I tried it for the first time last night and it was a big disaster :x .  It was too fast for her to drink while she was half asleep so she kept dribbling so much it soaked her crib sheet and I had to change it.  Then while dh was holding her she did this huge burp and spit up a pile so I had to change her too.  So much for her sleeping thru the dreamfeed.  Luckily she didn't cry and went back to sleep .

Have a good day everyone.

[HeatherC]

Hi everyone.  I have a quick question.  Since 4 months seems to be the mark to attempt a transition to 4 hour EASY, I have a concern.  Should I be doing this even though Kelsey's naps are only 30 minutes?  I can't extend them, and she's ready for sleep after 2 hours max.  What do you think?
Thanks

[sedona314]

HI everyone:

Heather:  Is Kelsey eating okay?  if she is not eating enough or tends to snack, I would try the four hour in order to gether to eat better. Thats what we had to do with Matty.  Otherwise, if everything else is working okay, perhaps you should wait a few more weeks.

Sarah and Christine:  Your lo's are beautiful! 

I would post a pic of Matty but it will take me awhile to figure out which picture to retrieve and I have no time!

Okay, so I told you that Matthew had slept through til 6:15 with my sitter. Well, I had him last night and here was his nighttime schedule:

10:30 DF  (6 oz, he usually has 8 oz)
2:15!!!!  Hungry!  Full BF
3:30 - crying, had to change diaper and sh/pat to sleep
4:40!!!! up again!!! sh/pat
5:50  UP AGAIN!! AAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!    This time I gave in and BF him, but only one side hoping he would eat at 7:00

6:20 - sh/pat

at 6:35 He was up again and I just let him get up (wake up time is around 6:45 to 7:00)

I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS!!!  I sh/pat him all the time and he still keeps getting frequent wakings (at different times).

The only difference is that when the sitter is with him, he sleeps in his crib in his nursery, and when I have him, he sleeps in a co-sleeper next to the bed in my room.

I've thought about trying him in his nursery when I have him, but if he wakes all those times it will be very hard going in there 5 times a night. As it is, I barely get any sleep!

Sorry to vent, but IM TIRED!!!!!!!!

Julie  :lol:

[Leah's Mom]

Vent away Julie!!!! I feel for you. Leah was up like four times last night, or more...I think I lost track. She also woke hungry - growth spurt maybe?

Heather - I am in the same boat that you are. Leah's naps have become 30-45 minutes latley. I want to transition to four hours, but things get so messed up already with three hours that I could never follow Tracy's guidlines in the book becuase naps are so screwy!!! We are already falling into the bad habit of eating right before sleep becuase that's how it works out with naps. Then she doesn't eat well becuase she is too tired, then she is hungry again 3 hours MAX! It's a vicious cycle.

[Leah's Mom]

Tarri-
I just tried the fast flow nipple for Leah at this last feed and she downed the entrie bottle (5 ounces) in like 10 minutes with NO fussing! Before we would have to space the bottle out over an hour time period, little by little. Now I know it is too early to be so hopeful, but if this is the answer as to why she was so HORRIBLE  come bottle time I am forever in debt to you!  I am off to buy more nipples, I just bought 2 to try, she uses playtex ventaire bottles, do you use the disposables? Do you like them? They use the same nipples, and I had always considered trying them in hopes that they may reduce DD's gas. I'll keep you updated on our hopeful progess with better feedings!  :wink:

[Deb_in_oz]

Hi everyone,

Maddys mum, my dd is 16 weeks and 4 days old.

Diya's mum, my dd's birthday is Feb. 19, 2005.

.

OMG i must really have bad PPD - it was only seeing this that i realized how old Olivia is - Thitz - our dd's share the same birthday - i lost track and thought she was 14 1/2 weeks  :oops:  i actually responded to someone's post yesterday and mentioned my 14wo.!!

can't write much this week or so b/c Dh has to work from home (don't remember if i explained but we're having visa problems!!) so will try to get on tonight and write and post photos.

BTW - olivia has slept through most nights in the last week so we feel things are really turning around here!! 

[branwen]

Tarri and Christine- even though my dd is bf she gets a bottle with daddy every now and then, we use the faster flow now too.  I'm sorry I never thought of this as my dd is most bf. 

Christine- your dd is SOOO sweet.
Maddy'smum- those eyes!  Gosh I get so weepy now at all these babies!

I will have to attach another one of Eirwen sometime looking a bit happier  :wink:

Today was a good day!  Will write more later but must go eat and dh just got home!

[HeatherC]

Ok, I just realized the I no longer had this board marked to email me when replies hit  :oops: , so I've missed a ton of new posts.  Sorry, and thanks to everyone that replied about my concern on transitioning to 4 hour.
Julie, you mentioned that your lo slept well for the sitter while in his crib.  Kelsey got to the point where she grunted and groaned all night while in her bassinet beside me and didn't get much sleep (neither did I).  At 8 weeks I moved her to her crib and we've both been sleeping great since.  I was scared to death to move her to another room, and I would check on her 5 times a night for weeks, but she was always fine.  I found it easier on all of us.  I might help him sleep better, and you won't have to be up with him.  Just a thought.
Kelsey does eat really well, and I'm sure she could go 4 hours if I increased her bottle amount.  I'm going to wait just a few more weeks, though, before making the move.  Like every change thus far, I'm nervous.
I bought her an exersaucer today even though I thought she was too small for it, but she ended up really liking it.  She's only like 12 pounds, but she held herself up pretty well.  She kind of got frustrated because she couldn't reach some of the toys to get them in her mouth.  Isn't it funny how they are jamming everything into their mouth's now?  Anyway, I bought the exersaucer becasue she was becoming really discontent sitting in the bouncer and was always trying to lean forward and "go somewhere". 
Hope everyone is doing well.  Lots of hugs to those of you not getting enough rest.

[HeatherC]

Kelsey likes to browse BW, too!  :lol:

[thitz]

Good Morning everyone,

Yesterday we had a very good day.  I actually got to sit down and eat my dinner while I watch an entire episode of Y&R  .

Debinoz, I kind of cheat with keeping track of by dd's age because I write it on the calender at the end of each week.  However I did forget my Dad's birthday :oops: .  But that not too bad because my Dad forgot it too!

Leah's Mom, glad you had success with the nipple .  I use the playtex disposables with the natura fast flow nipple.  I love the disposables because no matter what angle you hold the bottle at they won't get air in the nipple.  Because the bag shrinks as they suck and keeps the nipple full of milk.  This is especially helpful if they're fussy or looking around the room too much.  I recently tried the Dr.Browns bottles and hated them, I'm going to return them.  I found it really hard to keep the liquid from sloshing around and in the nipple.

Have a good day everyone !

[branwen]

Julie- I was thinking the same thing.  Might be time to move her out of your bedroom.  I moved Eirwen out at 7 weeks because every little noise she would make would wake me.  It was also just too much anxiety for me, jumping up at every sound. 

It was hard though, until about 9 weeks we left the bassinet in our room "just in case" until eventually I moved it downstairs because I knew I'd never fully have her in her crib if I didn't get it out of my room! :wink:   I was sad for a few days but once I started sleeping better I was happy I did it.  She also started sleeping longer once we did that.  I think the cats coming into our room in the early morning were waking her and our tossing and turning, snoring, bathroom trips etc.  DH really loved it because I wasn't so freaked out all the time about her noises...and we could cuddle more which was a bonus :wink:

Heather- yes, everything in the mouth!  Drool everywhere!  Any luck with the naps yet?  Kelsey is sooo cute and sweet.  I love that she has so much hair!!

Deb- I hope everthing is ok!  How are the meds working?

Baby Eirwen has toy preferences now She didn't before.  Are you guys noticing this?  Some she smiles at and reaches for...others she looks at and turns her head away- it's so cute.

She is starting to finally enjoy tummy time, doesn't cry like before but just props on her elbows and looks around...I know she has the muscle strength to roll over, I've seen it, but she's just not interested in that I guess!

[HeatherC]

Everyone's babies are so precious.  I love it!!!  It's such a bond between mothers, isn't it? 
Branwen, no luck with naps, but I'm not worried about it.  As long as she's content with short naps, I will be, too. 
Question:  Does tylenol make a baby sleepy?  I had to give some to Kelsey yesterday because I believe she is at the beginning stages of teething and she had acted miserable for 2-3 days.  After having the tylenol, she took a 1.5 hour nap.  I'm not sure if that was the reason because it was her first nap which she has done up to 2 hours here and there.  She hasn't had any today, so I'll see how this nap goes.
Have a great day!!