June/ July 05 Mom's Chat

[kellyhushhh]

Hi mum of three my ds was born 4.6.05 and his daily routine is kind of like this..........

7am feed 7 ounces
8.30am sleep
10am feed 6 ounces
11.30 sleep
1pm feed 6 ounces
2.30 sleep
4pm feed 6 ounces
5.30 catnap until about 6.15pm
6.30pm bath, bottle and bed 6 ounces
10.30pm dream feed 6 ounces.

Then if im lucky he will next feed at 7am. Above is a perfect day but he does go off track when he decides he wont have his naps or isnt hungry then everything gets messed up. I have only recently kept him awake 1.5 hours as he was takin 45 min naps and someone told me to try keeping him up longer and it worked liked magic, up to now anyway! i am also thinking of extending his awke time a little more in a few days and work towards getting him on a four hour schedule as he doesnt seem to be interseted every three hours again this can mess up his day as well so i am definately going to go to 3.5 , 4 hour feeds.

Kelly xx

[rooby-rooby-roo]

Hello lovely ladies!

How are we all doing then??

Red is growing so much, he has about 48 chins!! We have our post-natal check tomorrow, and he has his first shots , i'll have him weighed and let you know the score!! He is such a happy smiling boy! He is sleeping from 10.30pm - 5.30am consistently, he often wakes at 6.30-7am again, just to be awake, but the last 2 days he has gone through till 8.30am when the next feed is due - this is so great, as otherwise i have to give him a nap before he feeds in the am which is a pain in the butt!

Nap wise - hmmm - i have decided to loosen up abit. I was spending just too much time trying to extend his naps, and he just is not ready for it. All of that time i should be spending with my poor attention deprived Ruby who is needing some mama love at the moment. I think the most important thing at this stage is that he knows how to go to sleep by himself. I pop him in his crib, all swaddled up, and with his paci and his is asleep in minutes. I figure as long as he can do that then we can extend naps when he is older. That said, the last two days (incidentally coinciding with him sleeping in!) he has extended one of his naps without resettling. Long may it continue!

The only issue we seem to be having is with feeding. He is just so fussy. On and off and on again, yelling if he looses the nipple, flailing around like a lunatic - you name it! It is become quite waring to be honest! I would have thought it was the reflux coming back but he is so happy inbetween feeds that i am inclined to think otherwise??

whats going on with you all?

[Jaqi]

Hi there ..

My baby boy was born in the beginning of July ... and we're also just on the 30-45 minute nap problem.

He weighs about 12.3 pounds and had his first shots on Friday :cry: .

How do you put yours to bed? We've got a sleep and nap time ritual, but the moment we start .. ours start crying. The only way for me to get him to sleep on his own is to put him to sleep and then put him in the crib, and I think that's the problem.

Any ideas would be great!!

BTW: We can't really swaddle the little one as he is very mobile and gets real upset with the swaddle. He has started to find his fingers so we try and encourage that for self soothing.

[Critter]

Hmmm...the only thing I know to tell you is to swaddle your lo TIGHTLY...but I understand wanting him to be able to find his hands.  What if you left one out?

Luke had his first plane trip this weekend and he did GREAT!

I have a question....do all of you have a mobile on your crib?  We have one, but when he was really little, he'd stare at it instead of falling asleep and he'd get made b/c there was this fun thing for him to look at, but he's really tired.  Now I am wondering if I should try putting it back...any thoughts?

[Joey'sMom]

Jaqi - my ds hates to be swaddled, too.  The nurses and my sister insisted when he was born that he truly loved it and just didn't know it, but he sleeps much more happily with both hands free.  We bought him the Halo Sleep Sack, which makes him feel warm and safe but gives his hands the freedom to rest wherehe wants them (in his mouth or next to his head).

Amy - Is the mobile brightly colored or pastel?  In the book Tracy says to be careful what kind of mobile you hang.  Bright primary colors actually stimulate your lo's brain and keep him awake. Soft pastels are the ones that encourage relaxation and sleep.

I double-checked this because my ds LOVES his mobile, but when it stops playing music he cries.  The only types of mobiles that are battery-powered (hence, they play as long as you want them to instead of stopping just as soon as ds is drifting off) are the Baby Einstein red-black-blue-and-white ones.  I had to explain the whole brain-stimulation thing my dh, who thinks I'm nuts.  So we're just going to give up on the prop.

[sara_derek]

Ummmmm hello!  How did I not see this thread???  I've really been missing out!  Christian was born July 4th, so he fits here perfectly. He's nine weeks yesterday.  Here's his typical day...

E - 7:30 bottle
A - 8:00
S - 9:00 (2 hr or more nap, trying to wake him at 2 hrs though)

E - 11:00 bottle
A - 11:30
S - 12:00 (2 hr nap again)

E - 2:00 bf
A - 2:30
S - 3:00 (1.5 hr nap)

E - 5:00 bf
A - 5:30
S - 6:00 (cat nap of usually 45 minutes to an hour because I wake him to cluster feed)

E - 7:00 bf
A - 7:30 (bath, etc.)
E - 8:00 - bottle
S - 8:15 - 8:30

E - anywhere between 3:00 and 6:30AM, then back to bed

He is a tummy sleeper and sleeps so much better than Canyon when he was this age.  We had months of 45 minute naps with Canyon.  I think being on his tummy helps him stay asleep.  I bought the matress wrapper for  SIDS, so I feel much better about the tummy sleeping with that.

For activity he loves to watch his brother be a goofball in the crib next to him, watch his mobile or his favorite - watch my face .  He is really an easy baby - angel all the way.  It's surprising how much difference there is between angel and textbook.  Canyon was textbook and was generally easy, but NOTHING like Christian.  I always thought the two types were closer together.

He's having bottles and breast because I'm going back to work next month and want to get him used to it before his entire world changes on him   He's had no problems going back and forth at all, thankfully.

So, that's our situation...anyone else similar?  Anyone else tummy sleepers?

It's fun to read your posts, however there's no way I can get through them all at this point!!!!

Sara

[Critter]

Our ds has turned himself into a stomach sleeper!  Once he figured out how to get from his back to his tummy it was all over :-)

Our mobile is not pastel, but I tried putting it back on his crib last night after my post, and he loves it!  Luckily for us, he falls asleep quickly after we put him down.  So, no complaints over here!

Anyone elses lo all of a sudden started spitting up?  I am guessing he's just being  a baby.  I know it's not the new formula b/c he had started spitting up a lot when he was still on Nutramigen....I guess we just went from no spit-ups to normal??

[CaedensMama]

Amy - Caeden has started spitting up more as well. I posted a question about it last week and the general consenus was that he as just getting more active and resulting in more spit up. And as long as weight gain stayed good he should be fine - just have to keep the burp rag with me now  :?

I am feeling a bit discouraged this week about our routine. It seems that it is not getting any better. When I can get him to fed 3 hours apart, he eats really good and that seems to help his days be better. However, it usually ends up that he eats when he wakes and about an hour later I put him down for sleep - but he fights me and I hold him, walk him and finally at close to the 2 hour mark I endup feeding him again. He falls asleep, usually wakes slightly as I put him down and then he is up 45 minutes (like to the minute!) later. I have kinda given up trying to extend his naps or just trying the afternoon one only but it rarely works. He wakes up wide awake and smiling at me and fusses or cries if I try and put him back to sleep. But he still seems tired to me cause he ends up eating (again, not well at this point cause he has usually just snacked an hour earlier) and then he is grumpy and there we go again starting all over. I have tried putting him down 45 minutes after last wake up and tried not even starting til about 2 hours after last wake up - no difference at all. In fact I usually don't see "sleepy signs" such as yawning till at least 2 hours past last wake up. It takes me at least a half hour everytime to get him down and those are the good times. My DH keeps telling me he will go to sleep when he gets sleepy and to quit trying to "force" him to sleep, but what he doesn't understand is that he never does - he has never fallen asleep on his own except for an occassional time in the carseat or swing (and then usually after fussing or crying for awhile). And of course when DH is home it even harder cause after about 5 minutes of me trying to get him down, he'll take him and unwrap him, play with him and get him quiet for about 5 minutes and when Caeden starts fussing again he gives him back to me and I get to start back over again. We have tried letting DH put him down and he just SCREAMS - I have been the only one to get him to go to sleep in forever.

Anyway - sorry this got so long - I am just feeling frustrated cause every day I wake up thinking I can do this and we will have a great day and it just ends up falling apart.

Typically he gets up between 6 and 7 and feed around 7, he goes back down soon after that for a 45 min nap. Eats when he gets up and plays for about an hour total and goes back down for another 45 minutes. Eats when he gets up and then we usually go the park for a walk - he falls asleep in the sling or stroller and sleeps for about 45 minutes, we then do any other errands while we are out and he eats again when we get home - maybe 1ish. This is usually about 3 hours between feeds. I try and put him down shortly after this fed cause it's been about 1 1/2 hrs since last nap and he usually won't go down till at least 2, if not closer to 3 - making for a very tired baby and mama. But - he will only sleep about 45 minutes and back up again and feeds. If I can get him to go back to sleep it is usually this nap, but again it rarely works. If I am lucky he will nap again before bed between 6 and 7 which helps get him to bed better cause he isn't so tired. And I can't complain about his nights, he is sleeping great - up once maybe twice, not bad at all.

Okay - I will go now - If you have any sugggestions or encouragment that would be great, but thanks a million for just listening!

[Joey'sMom]

  And of course when DH is home it even harder cause after about 5 minutes of me trying to get him down, he'll take him and unwrap him, play with him and get him quiet for about 5 minutes and when Caeden starts fussing again he gives him back to me and I get to start back over again. We have tried letting DH put him down and he just SCREAMS - I have been the only one to get him to go to sleep in forever.

Why don't husbands get it???

[ry,cait&alex]

Hi all-

Sorry to have kept away for so long, things have just been crazy around here.  Cait is doing great, still gets up at 5ish in the mornings to eat.  Will be real glad when we pass that phase.  Probably about a week before she starts cutting teeth and then our lives get turned up side down again.  :roll:   Luckily, she goes right back down to sleep for at least 3 hours, so I guess all is not lost.  So....have a question.  She has been taking 5-6 oz per feed....but we still feed every 3 hours almost every time.  Anyone else's eating that often?  I feel as though I am overfeeding her.  Any insight would be appreciated.  She will be 13 weeks on Friday.  Yeah, where has the time gone?  We had her 3 mo pics taken last week and she did really well.  Her whole face lights up when one of us comes to her and starts talking to her.  She even "talks" back, which cracks dh and I up!!  Will hopefully be moving into our new house at the end of next month, so it will be interesting to see how packing up an entire house goes with a 3 mo old and a 4 year old.  God save me!!

Clair- Red sounds as though he doing wonderful!  I can't wait to see new pics.  Unless I missed it, how did Red do at the dr's visit?  What are his new stats?

Amy- yeah, maybe the moving around is causing the spit up.  If you lay Cait on her back, she makes "blanket angels" with her arms and legs.  I come back to her to find her blanket all wadded up on the sides of her.

CM- have you tried the PU/PD routine with Caeden?  I do this at Cait's naps and it takes a couple of times, but I can usually get her back down after a few attempts.  Of course, her bull moose of a brother does not respect ANYONE'S need for sleep in the house, so sometimes it is just a lost cause.

Welcome, Jaqi-Cait also goes to sleep in arms, and gets placed in crib.  I know! I know!  That is a big no-no....but it works  :wink:   Her father can do it better than I, but I am all about what works for each family.  So, I post my question to you also, have you tried the PU/PD?  I haven't read Tracy's book, but I catch on to what most of the other mom's have posted about and get the gist of it.  Clair is a great help too!  I learned most of my stuff from her and Alligirl.  Cait also wakes up at the 45 min mark and I go and p/u and soothe, and p/d and back off to sleep she goes.  This only happens (mostly) at naptime, hardly ever at night.

Joey's Mom-we do a sleep sack also.  I call them her "sleepy jammies" and she already knows that when I am getting her zipped up that sleepy time is on the way.  I do this for naps and for night sleeping and it does so much better than the swaddling.  She couldn't stand to be bound up and much prefers the sleep sack.

Okay..I have posted enough for now, to make up for being gone for so long.  Look in the lounge later this week for an exciting post from me regarding the selling of our property  :wink: (cross all fingers, toes, and legs PLEASE!!!!)

bj

[mstormin]

Hello too!
My DS Patrick was born on June 30th!

Question for all of you-- how did you know when it was time to but your DC on a 3.5 or 4 hr EASY? Also, what age were they?  Were there signs you looked for?  It seems that alot of you have 4 hr EASYs...

It also seems as tho many of your DC are sleeping thru the night or close to it (yeah!).  My DS is stuck at the 2:30 mark... we df @ 11pm so he shouldn't be hungry but he is!  I thought he was just habitually waking up but when I feed him he talks a full feeding on both sides (I'm EBF).
My question is: should I try to cut this middle of the night feed down and only offer one side so he'll take more during the day?  Give him a bottle of water?  Just keep feeding him?  Treat it as habitual waking?

I'd love your advice!

[Critter]

My ds put himself on the 4 hour easy, so we didn't have to do it at all...just came naturally

[CaedensMama]

mstormin - we also wake between 1-2 to feed and always eat good, but i found when i df he still wakes up so i stopped df and he goes from 7ish till then w/o a problem - maybe try that and at least you get a long strech. dh and i are usually in bed betwen 8:30-9:30 as he gets up early si it works well for us not having to get up again at 11! Just a thought!

bj - i haven' really tried pu/pd yet cause the couple times i have he screams. if he almost asleep he will go back to sleep in my arms but if he is awake at all he wakes right up..... maybe i will try again cause its been a week or two since i tried!

talk to you all later -

[jswerczek]

Hello! I have been working EASY with my ds Jake since day one. I have been on this site for awhile but just found you guys! Jake is 12 weeks today, born on June 16th. I can't believe that it has been that long already, he seems like such a big boy now. Its funny how much they change overnight!

I have been beginning to transition him to the 4-hour EASY because for the last few days he has not eaten well. It seems he is not hungry enough after three hours and I fight for him to drink his bottle. So, just yesterday I tried to hold him off 3.5 to 4 hours and it seemed to work. He is now drinking his bottle in about a half an hour instead of fighting it for 45 minutes. The only problem I have is that we aren't exactly on EASY we are on EASAEA... you get my drift.

For example, he ate this morning at 7 am and went down for a nap at 8:45. He only slept for an hour and a half so that made wake up time 10:15. Well, on the 4-hour routine he was not due to eat again until 11 am so I tried to hold him off. I felt like I was confusing him because up until now he had been eating when he awoke from a normal nap (1.5 hrs).  So this afternoon he took another 1.5 hour nap and woke up at 1:45. He was not due to eat until 3 pm. My problem with this is that he can only handle two hours of awake time at the most and that would mean that his next nap would start no later than 3:45 pm. That is right after a feed. And then he would be up way before his last bottle that would be at 7 pm. I want to preserve the order of EAS but it seems hard at this point. In the perfect routine in Tracy's book it has two hours of awake time and two hours of nap time for each 4-hour set, but it does not work out that way. Anyway, is anyone else finding this to be the case? I would appreciate any feedback.

By the way, all of the pictures of your babies are adorable, I'll have to figure out how to put one of Jake on here!

Thanks~

[rooby-rooby-roo]

Welcome Sara (i wondered if and when you might find us!), mstormin and Joeys mama.

So Red's 10 weeks check up: he weighs in at 12lbs 11oz, had his first shots and did well! There is a concern over something though. His fontanelle (soft spot) is very small for a baby of his age, what that means is that the bones have fused together to soon. It may mean nothing but could mean something :? If we had developmental concerns it would be more pressing but as he is developing right on track i am not worried. Dh and Ruby both have small heads (Ruby's is below the percentile chart for a one year ols and she is almost 2!!) so i figure it is just that. But as Ruby was never checked out at 8 weeks i have nothing to compare it too.

We have had something of a nap break through! I have been keeping him up for longer at a time (like 1.5 hours rather than 45-60 mins) and  he has been sleeping for 1.5-2 hours at a time, with minimal resettling required! Yay Red!!!!!

BJ and everyone else, i have posted photos in the gallery.......

http://www.babywhisperer.com/forum/baby-red-10-weeks-old-vt40663.html