any other over 35 first time mums?

[clio]

Borboleta--that first time I did CIO it was nothing; he wanted to go to bed because it was the bedtime he had chosen. So he barely cried. But we were still awoken once a night for a bottle feed. Then teething started, and he would be up maybe two, then three times a night. Then it hit five times, and I said "No more. This stops now." He wasn't hungry, he wasn't in pain, he was just hoping to cause enough of a raucous to go downstairs and PAR-TAY. So, we tossed the monitor and ignored his now-typical 9:30 pm wake-up. After that one time, he knew we had his number and he's slept through ever since.

I know the whole argument about breaking their trust and so on, but I never believed in it. As Oma said, this boy knows to the core of his very being that we love him and will always be there for him. It was just time to stop night-time bottles and rushing in at the slightest sound (well, that was my husband...).

Then we tried CIO for naps, and it worked pretty well, but isn't as consistent, simply because he may not be tired enough. But we leave him for a good while up there until his babbling and "ooohing" just won't stop and we know he won't sleep. So now, when he is downstairs, we wait a while, and when he starts crying for absolutely no reason, we immediately put him to bed (but still with a bottle). And he will eventually fall asleep after a bit of crying.

But the key to all of this was not letting him fall asleep in our arms, like your doctor says. Otherwise, we do become a crutch.

CIO is the best thing we ever did. Not having to get up in the night is absolute bliss. And even if he wakes early, like 5:30 or 6 am, he goes down again around an hour and a half later again, so he sleeps even more.

Okay, got to go. J is crying and holding his ears, so I think I have to give him some Tylenol. Good luck.

ETA: I'd start with the night first--naps are hard because they are shorter. But that's just my personal feeling about that. I really don't know which are better.

 

[Storm1jet2]

Leeze, 2 or 3 hours sleep at a time would be a luxury! It's 1am and I have lost count of the number of screaming sessions we have had so far. I'm pretty sure its teething, I just gavevher calpol and whenbi tried to use the anbesol on her gums she went hysterical! It really sucks cause the only thing that used to help with the teething was the ibruprofen but with suspected kidney problems its banned! I'm a broken woman, so so tired....

 

[clio]

Okay, Tylenol administered and J is back at his secret "project."

Angel--I'm so sorry; you must be shattered. I once intended to ask if you could have separate rooms for the boys, but then remembered you saying that space in your flat is at a premium. But if Dom will fall asleep within 5 minutes, then maybe Seb wouldn't wake him if he were in a different room? I found this thread on CIO (if you want to do it) and twins:

www. whattoexpect. com/ forums/ multiples-and-twins/ archives/ cio-and-twins. html

Just remove all the spaces I made--I don't think we're allowed to link to other pregnancy sites.

Is there a multiples forum on this board? Can anyone there give you any advice?

Storm--it sounds like you are crazy tired, too, and to dread the night must be awful. With L's tummy troubles, it seems like you're in a different boat than the rest of us regarding sleeping (I assume). And Thursday is so soon! FXd that what they find is fixable, or not going to cause many problems.

 

[clio]

I'm just reading over your posts again, Angel and Storm, and I just want to send a whole bunch of cyber hugs out to you two. We all seem to be posting at the same time these days, and mine seem so blasé because I missed one of yours and therefore didn't address what you said.

Just know that you are in my thoughts (a lot) and I honestly wish that there were a way I could help you.

 

[AngelUK]

Just having you and the other ladies here for moral support really helps clio Thank you all for your comments and advice! I really appreciate it

So the night wasn't a total disaster and no CIO or CC was needed. Dominic wanted to be fed at 11:30 and self settled after a while of playing with his muslin and making sleepy noises. I was lying on the nursery bed so he couldn't see me as the breathable mash bumper I have in his cot blocks his view. When he was asleep I fed Sebastian and went to bed again shortly after midnight. Dominic then woke at 3 for his next bottle but I ruthlessly gave him water. It took a moment to register and to spit out the teat. He whined a bit and I ruthlessly gave him the water again which he rejected again after a few gulps. I then lay down on the nursery bed again hiding from him and he went to sleep almost immediately with no whining. He woke again at 3:30 and got the water again but went to sleep again almost immediately. Then I had to replug Sebastian at about 4:20 and again at 5:20 (I think) and then again shortly before 6. But then he started crying really loudly even though he had his dummy and I was right there. That woke Dominic too of course and so I have been up since shortly before 6. But in all that was an ok night, especially re the water. I am hopeful that maybe Dominic will learn that he will only get water at that time of night and no longer wake up for it. OH and I were blissfully painting pictures in our mind in bed last night how it would be to maybe sleep from midnight till 6 in a stretch. Ahhhhh! Hope springs eternal after all lol.

As for sugar addictions my mother went crazy with sugar less stuff. I was a fat baby and the doctor back then put me on a diet. And I was on a diet for the rest of my life! Poor mum she meant well but she went over board. She even bought sugarless vitamins and cough syrup etc. I was never allowed any cake and coke was a huge no no till diet coke came out in Switzerland when I was in my early teens. My brother who was a bad eater always got cakes and sweets when ever he wanted cause mum was glad he ate anything at all. At one point he would refuse to eat anything but Muesli and steak for a whole year, I kid you not! Everyone in my family was obsessed with my weight. Even though from the age of 4 till the age of 14 I was skinny, judging by the pictures. But even my grandmother in France was always after me, forbidding me in front of the whole extended family to have a brioche when everyone else was having one for afternoon tea. The result was that I ate in secret. And when I was more independent at around 14 and slowed down with growing I started to put on weight. Horrified my mother put me on a strict diet and since then I yoyoed pretty much through out my miserable teens until I left for England and was able to eat as I wished. My weight then stabilised and though I was not slim I was not fat either.

Got to go, Dominic is crying! xxx

 

[AngelUK]

Ok they are playing again so might have a few minutes.

Sabrina your DH's comment about cleaning the house with antiseptic wipes made me grin! They always say "we should" don't they, when really they mean YOU should. Pah.
Glad Finn is doing better. Poor little mite. Cannot be fun. I didn't know Sprite was good for hydration. I always thought it was just flat coke. It was the only time in my entire childhood that I was allowed coke when I had just such a tummy bug. It cheered me up no end lol

Storm that is really impressive your knowledge of cross contamination. Do you think L will grow out of her lactose intolerance or will she have to watch it all her life? Cannot imagine Pizza without Mozzarella or not having an icecream in summer! Poor thing! And the snot being green, does this mean she had a sinusitis then? Cause I used to get that every winter when we went skiing (everyone in Switzerland skis and there are special vacations in Feb called Ski week) in the Alps. And my doctor said that green means sinusitis. If she did have that I wouldn't be surprised she slept badly cause it is painful and gives bad headaches but in your face. Poor L

Rowan and clio we have wedges in the boys' cots cause of reflux. They would also end up in a crumpled heap at the bottom were it not for the belly bands we also use. The downside is the noise the velcro makes when opened at night cause it's quite loud and sometimes wakes Sebastian a bit (usually we never have to take Sebastian out of his cot till morning but Dominic often needs rocking )
clio the thing you said about them needing to have 7 colds in the first year actually took me by surprise. My boys haven't had any or at the most one mild one in Dominic the other week and Sebastian's ear and throat infection a few months ago. But apart from that nothing. I thought this was a good thing but of course if that means that they are missing out then maybe I should expose them more? Though I must admit I dread the thought of cold induced sleepless nights. Everything in my life is revolving around sleep these days

to be continued, boys are whining again

 

[Storm1jet2]

Morning all, turned out to be an ok night, about 1.30 L did a big phlemgy spew all over herself and I, then she when I went to change us DH came to help and we all had a big family cuddle and L went to sleep and I don't think she stirred until 6 and then dozed off and on til nearly 9! When my dad phoned and woke her, which was ok as she's meant to be in nursery today, its nearly ten and she's still eating breakfast

Clio the sleep deprivation is awful but it does really help just to be able to have a good old moan about it! I don't know how angel does it with 2...

Better go and give L lots of hugs before nursery, catch up later!

 

[Rowan75]

storm and angel hope you have better nights tonight big hugs

angel can the boys pop their dummies in themselves? I spent a while showing martha and she got it quite quickly and that helped no end - ofc now she just stands there and throws them (sometimes she has 3) out the cot then shouts! lmao!

storm I wonder if its the molars starting? Martha was up every 20 mins when hers started and now theyre broken through (although up to now theyre not much further forward 2 months later) they arent as bad but she tries to pull her ears off when they are bad

Sabrina defo big bath I think hon - we put martha in the big bath before she could sit up and she would be propped in between my legs - now we use this https://www.mamasandpapas.com/product-acqua-bath-seat-pearl-whitesoft-lime/455149901/type-i/ and she sits and plays with her ducks etc we use this when we wash her hair so the water doesn't get in her ears as she was getting lots of ear infections https://www.mothercare.com/Lil-Rinser-Shampoo-Shield/495935,default,pd.html

thanks angel re wedge we tried but Martha moves around soo much we decided to tilt the whole cot lol! she uses the whole cot not an inch is spare lol

oh shes shouting! no nap yesterday aftie in the end there was so much shouting from Miss Martha! After the hundredth time of me picking up her dummies I went in her room and having given them back to her she spat one out and then threw the other with all her might! so that was that! so we shall see if today is any different

this am I'd changed her nappy etc and given her her bottle and said oh shall we put the Christmas tree lights on and she said "daddy" in a very stern tone as if to say no only daddy can put them on - and lo and behold down the stairs he came and she was shouting daddy daddy and I said to him she wants you to pop the lights on and he did (we have a remote as the wires are all hidden under the table the tree is on and tucked up behind the plywood we put to block the way) and she was delighted! lol so that was me put in my place!

ps bump at 20 weeks

 

[SabrinaKat]

yep - think we will try the big bath tonight; I asked my overall boss (not my immediate boss) who has three LOs and he also said Finn was probably tired of the baby bath, so let the excitement of another 'he's a big boy' moment come! Plus must get loads of toys, e.g. Mr Quackers (the plastic duck) and his family might not be enough anymore.

re: sleep. or rather lack thereof. been there, done it, hate it. I have learned some techniques so I can at least 'rest' my body, which helps, but by Friday night, I'm exhausted (at least at the weekend, there is the possibility of LO sleeping on and/or going back to sleep)....

must go -- LO has decided that he wants mummy NOW!

bye!

 

[Storm1jet2]

Sk good luck with the big bath, hopefully F will love it, it will be an adventure for him anyway.

Rowan I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE your bump, its making me broody, now I want another baby, even with the sleep deprivation... only problem is that I do remember the morning sickness so vividly and I am not sure how that goes with a work and a nearly toddler.. I think I will reconsider in a couple of months

L is at nursery today, so I managed to get a hair appointment, no time for the dye, but I did get a good cut and blow dry and I now feel like I have a hairstyle - yay! Then DH and I went out for lunch, we have hardly seen each other recently and it was nice to get out together, we did a little shopping and then home again, Im now cooking the Christmas hams and DH is away to the shop and then picking L up on the way back. If he is picking her up it stops me going to get her early, I hate being away from her... although I did manage to paint my nails today with some of the nice new nail polish my brother got me for part of my birthday present!

Oh yes SK, Rowan has a wild fancy bath seat, you can get a cheaper version on amazon. We don't use a bath seat for L, just have bath mats in the bath, we do have the bath seat but she likes wiggling around and cruising up and down the bath and I don't mind her doing it, mind you if I was pregnant I'd have her hoop in a bath seat as I couldnt be coping with all that movement.

Rowan Im going to try and have a look and a feel in her mouth tonight (if she doesnt bite my finger off), shes pulling at her ears too so im sure its teeth, poor wee mite.

Oh and the hair thing, my friend has 6 year old twins and a 9 month old and I saw her on Sunday and she looked amazing. She finds time to go to the gym, goes to the hairdressers every 6 weeks for a cut and a colour and I look like a homeless person (no disrespect to homeless people), I swear I look like I sleep in a dumpster most of the time and I can't be going to work looking like that.. so I need to find time for at least a haircut now and again... stupid tiredness.

Im waffling as Im having a rare laptop moment while the hams are boiling in cider with cloves, bayleaves and onions before I roast them with more cider, honey, cloves and brown sugar.. yum. I remember doing them last year heavily pregnant and my ankles looking like those of an elephant and it being such a chore. Not pregnant is soooo much easier... ok enough waffle.. hope you are all having a good day!

 

[Claireyb1]

Love,love,love your baby bump Rowan! a nice perfect shaped bump!!
x

 

[Claireyb1]

How funny that both Storm and I put "LOVE LOVE LOVE" about Rowans baby bump1 great minds and all!

 

[Storm1jet2]

How funny that both Storm and I put "LOVE LOVE LOVE" about Rowans baby bump1 great minds and all!

Funny

 

[clio]

Wow, are we ever a chatty bunch! I love it!

Rowan--you have the bump I dreamed of. Can anyone even tell you're pregnant from behind? I think it's called a basketball bump or something. So lovely!

That is so neat about teaching M about putting her dummy back in on her own. I'm finding that J is learning things a lot faster than before, too. Today I taught him to blow on his oatmeal to cool it down. I had to eventually stop him because he was having so much fun with it that it was cold by the time he ate it.

I also showed him the "C is for Cookie" video that Cookie Monster sings on Sesame Street, and for some reason, rolled my C's when I sang it. J picked up on it and now the song goes like this:

Me: C is for Cccchhhookie, that's good enough for me.
J: Ccccchhhh
Me: C is for Cccchhhookie, that's good enough for me.
J: Ccccchhhh
Me: C is for Cookie, that's good enough for me! Cookie, cookie, Ccccchookie starts with C!
J: Cccchhhh!

He also walks around the house yelling out random Cccccchhhhs. I used to think he was just really cute. But now I can't stop laughing at all the crazy stuff he does!

Molars already, Rowan? Oh man. I don't even know which teeth J is working on because he won't let us see. But he's been walking around with a stuffed animal pressed against each ear, so something should break through soon.

Angel--I'm so glad that your night was so much better. And I was so relieved to actually read about a good night because of all the times that you said you had a better night and then described the night from hell. There was a point not so long ago where the twins' sleep was relatively normal, so maybe it'll happen again soon?

Yes, the 7 colds in the first year freaked me out as well, seeing as my husband told me about it just after J's first cold at 2 weeks, which had been a nightmare. But all the colds since have been nothing. Sometimes one bad day, but never bad nights and it never slowed him down or affected his mood. The only reason we knew about them was because of his runny nose. So maybe the twins have a similar immune system? Do you and your husband suffer from colds often? OH and I don't, so I wonder if J inherited our constitutions.

And what your mother did sounds unconscionable. Did she have eating issues of her own? Because that sounds like major projection. What kind of relationship did you have with her otherwise, if I may ask?

SK--when J could sit up on his own, we immediately dumped the baby bath and put him in the tub. He loved it in the beginning, when he had some rubber ducks to play with, but then got bored and wanted out. So we gave him different toys, and he was happy again for a week or so, but then wanted out again. And since we can't afford to give him new bath toys every week (and we've run out of yoghurt containers), he now takes his bath while standing up. It sure makes for a quick and easy cleaning, though.

Storm--I know we've asked this before, but I'm really interested in the answer--is this lactose problem just an infant problem that L will grow out of, or is it permanent? I'm glad the night went better, as well. It seems that last night was good for a lot of us.

Okay, I've got to go to a doctor's app't, so I'll finish later.

 

[AngelUK]

Rowan what an utterly lovely bump! Am broodily envious! And yes I know how crazy that is coming from someone who just moaned about her terrible nights. Good thing that A: we don't dtd, ever, B: even if we did dtd, are unlikely to get pregnant and C: I know we cannot afford nor have the space for more. But aww! You look lovely Rowan

Am going out to get Fish'n'Chips and will post more later.
xxx

 

[Rowan75]

Thanks ladies

it took us 3 years for Martha so we didnt think we'd randomly fall! you just never know lol!

ooo fish and chips and a lovely soaking ham in cider! yum yum

 

[Borboleta]

Hello Ladies,

Man i had a lot to catch up.

Rowan: beautiful bump. Does it look different from M's bump? Is it bigger or smaller? Love the story about the pacifiers .

Storm: Are you cooking for christmas already? Man you are good!! And Glad to hear L gave you a good night of sleep. You sure deserve it!
So lovely that you had a good time with you husband. Glen and I need to do that too soon. Sometimes we just get so caught up on the baby that we forget about our relationship isnt it. Totally understand Angel's last post.

Angel: you must be an easy person to live with . You barely sleep but you say it was a good night when for us would
just kill ourselves in the morning . And so sorry to hear about your childhood and no sweets!! There is nothing more fun than looking at a little kid face when they are having an ice cream or a candy. Pure joy!

Clio: Love the story about the cookie!! How many words is J saying already? When did he start? I am not even going to expect when Thiago is going to say his first word. Poor thing has a lot on his plate with two languages already!

Sabrina: here is a picture of Thiago in his bath seat. He loves his baths!!! Always did. He either takes a bath on his bathroon or with us in our tub. Maybe something to try you and him.

Thiago is not feeling his greastest due to the Flu shot from yesterday and possible teething. I think it might be his molars since he has his fingers down his mouth. So hoepfully he will get them and them we are done!!!!!

Okay, thiago just woke up and I need to make the picture smaller!!! I will post it later Sabrina.

 

[Storm1jet2]

Evening, sorry Clio I remember you as asking about the lactose intolerance before, I just forgot to answer. I sf don't know, often its temporary and they can be weaned back on to it. My friend who is the mW said if I'd had her lactose free from 6 weeks when she said to me I'd more than likely have her weaned back on to it by now. That said my friend I'm seeing tomorrow, her little girl is still off it but she has extreme allergies to lots of things, so I guess we shall see in the fullness of time...

Angel, why don't you ever DTD? Is it exhaustion or a more permanent arrangement, you don't have to answer but you've said twice now and I'm curious!

Wow Rowan, 3 years and then 2 come along in quick succession, like buses, heehee. I'm super jealous of your bump, I had total body pregnancy and just went from bloat to blimp to wow look at the size of her!

L is asleep, she is a monkey, was getting her ready for her bath earlier and she crawled into the bathroom at high speed, stood up and piddled on the bath mat, and giggled! My daughter the piddle queen...

OK, need to source some Christmas presents... Byeee

 

[Storm1jet2]

Oh borboleta, same time posting, I always do the hams early as they freeze brilliantly and I end up doing them for my dad, hubbys parents and my brother. My other brother is an amazing cook and he does Christmas pudding, chutney, cranberry sauce, brandy butter etc... Yum..

As for a day with hubby, we have fought so much since I got pregnant with L its nice to have some good times for a change, its been a rough ride so far.

 

[Leeze]

Leeze, 2 or 3 hours sleep at a time would be a luxury! It's 1am and I have lost count of the number of screaming sessions we have had so far. I'm pretty sure its teething, I just gavevher calpol and whenbi tried to use the anbesol on her gums she went hysterical! It really sucks cause the only thing that used to help with the teething was the ibruprofen but with suspected kidney problems its banned! I'm a broken woman, so so tired....

I hear you. Tiredness is bugger. One of the Mums from the signing group we go to told me about a homeopathic remedy she uses called Chamomila which she really recommends. I've been meaning to look into it but haven't. Might be worth a try?