any other over 35 first time mums?

[Claireyb1]

Leeze, we (or should I say I) still have her in our room .OH sleeps in what should be Lucy's room,all the wrong way round tbh!
Have no idea how to start a transition if I choose to or when???
I also wonder if she would maybe sleep better in her own room with her own space, but it's getting her into the cot without crying that is going to be hard!

 

[Storm1jet2]

Clairey maybe start getting her to play in her cot for a few minutes a day so it becomes a place she feels safe in, then if you ever do decide to try moving it won't be such a shock! We are a million miles away from cracking the night time thing but she did want up into her cot for a few minutes to play the other day so its no longer seen as baby prison!

 

[Rowan75]

hey ladies!

corr the party was bedlam chaos! but fun! Poor Martha was overwhelmed and hid in her playpen with her back to everyone for a bit and then got upset - so we lit the cake etc and then she had a good nap and was much more cheerful when she awoke plus there were less people by then! shes so much fun! shes so affectionate its lovely, love to hear her chatter - would love to know what it all means lol!

we didnt take a single photo tho! doh! it was too busy!

trying her off gaviscon this week...fingers crossed! If that's ok then cows milk in sippy cup at normal bottle times for a few days, then cows milk at meal times and introducing proper breakfast instead of a yoghurt after milk - hv said to get her off bottles before Michael arrives or it will be really difficult due to small age gap

she got some gorge clothes and some clarks vouchers which is fab as shoes are so expensive!

its snowing here lovely!

had the old csection debate again yesterday and think Im going to have a section...phoned mw to see how I go about changing my mind - not sure if I can just contact consultant direct or if have to be referred again

so we shall see...dh will take a week off work and I'll have time to plan help and book people in hopefully! been looking up tips of how to look after a toddler after a section and there's some good tips

Martha went in her own room at 6 months - we popped her in her cot to play every now and then - or would pop her in there while i put her clothes away etc and would walk in and out the room talking so she knew i was near - then started popping her in - it took til 10 months to get her to nap in there during the day rather than having to go for a walk but she slept in there fine from 6 months on a night (well i say fine you know what teething is like lol) but fine as in content to be in there

oh M awake...have a good day everyone

 

[Claireyb1]

We do the in the cot to play thing,have been since she was quite small really, but doesn't seem to make much difference? oh well

 

[Borboleta]

Claire: thiago went to his crib when he was 3 1/2 months. He use to take naps there and then we put him to sleep thru the night. Maybe you can try a nap first.

Rowan: I am sure M loved her party. So sorry you didn't take any pictures. And I am glad to hear that you are going with a csection. I was worried about you having another tear! Just make sure you take good care of yourself during the first week specially (second week would be good too. Can your parents or your OH's parents or sister can help you? For me the hard part was the first week but the pain medicines do wonders.

Leeze: we are planning a galinha pintadinha birthday party for thiago. It is a charater very popular right now in Brasil and we have 2 DVDs and thiago loves them. It looks like a cartoon. We will have about 40 people coming and in Brasil they offer a lot of different bite size food to the guests. I really want to order a foundant cake for thiago in a shape of the chicken . By the way galinha pintadinha means spotted chicken. We will have the party at my little exercise studio that is very close to my house.
And you should definetely find a sitter so you and your OH can go out. I really miss going to the movies. I was watching the golden globes and I have not seen any movie that was nominated and before I used to watch most of them. Oh well, I guess I wait for them to go out on DVD. But even them I cannot find the time to sit and watch a movie at home. I could watch it at night after thiago is asleep but I am too tired then.

We Sttn last night . 9:15pm to 7am. It was lovely specially after the terrible night we had the night before. I am hoping the Sttn will be a regular thing. We can all hope right . Hope you are all dong well. And talk to you soon.

 

[AngelUK]

Hi ladies, sorry I am not more active lately.

Storm and Sabrina I really hope the explosions are under control now and your LOs are feeling better the poor things!
Storm congratulations on L's walking how exciting!

Clio I did envisage your sister's nipples too and like Storm I think that was not at all good. lol But hopefully your niece will manage to BF really soon, if that is still what your sister wants. When will you be able to go and see them?
And as Leeze asked, maybe J not liking the gymboree is a short phase and he might like to go again in a week or so?
And yes we still sterilise all the bottles every day. I don't mind it so much it gives me an excuse to be alone in the kitchen for a bit and it is quite meditative to wash and steam them. haha: What have I come to!) I have a microwave steamer that takes up to 4 bottles and tops. I usually prepare 4 empty ones for at night cause we use cartons then (though we only need 2 now really, so the second batch is just on case) and three with boiled water. 2 of those are for the first breakfast milk and one in case Dominic wakes for the second night-bottle and I want something to fob him off with lol. Then at lunch I make another 4 bottles, 2 for their 3pm milk and 2 for their bedtime milk. And I wash them all again in the evening.

Charlie I am sure you are being overly critical of yourself when you say you didn't look nice for the passport pictures. But anyway, it is kind of a given that one has to look like a person from Wanted Dead or Alive poster. Even my boys did when we had their passport pics done (cannot use those now but that is a different story).

Leeze my boys have always been in their own room but I used to sleep in there with them. I think I moved back to our bed when the boys were roughly 4 months. We got a motorola video monitor with twin cameras so that we can see at a glance if everything is ok. Who ever is on night-shift, has the monitor by their side of the bed.

Claire when Storm started to move L back to her own cot I was actually thinking that maybe this would help you too. But I appreciate that it would be hard to transition her if she has never slept in there before. I am guessing you have read all the baby sleep books out there anyway but I hear good things about the No Cry Sleep Solution and wondered if maybe we should have a look at that. But then we started CIO and I think now we should stick to that. It is hard and I hate every minute of either my boys crying and were it not for my back and OH's RSI we probably would rock them till their were 18 lol.

Borboleta how wonderful that you got to sttn! And I do believe that if he starts doing it once he will know how to do it again. Might not be every night immediately but surely more and more nights.
I am glad you had such a nice time with your DH at the wedding. And We would talk about our boys all the time too lol Also, I already commented on your picture on FB but I wanted to say it here too. You looked stunning and I hope your DH was suitably proud of his gorgeous wife!

Rowan I am sorry I totally forgot to say Happy Birthday Martha! She sounds like such a sweetie! Even how she was distressed and turned her back to ppl! Adorable!
How do you feel now about getting a section? I think you made the right decision btw. Much better to have a controlled intervention than having another tear! And how wonderful that your OH can take a week off afterall

As for us, last night was OH's night and it was bad. He fed the boys at 12 but by 12:30 Sebastian was crying so much he had to rock him for 20 minutes to get him back to sleep. Remarkably Dom apparently slept right through it. At 3:30 Dominic woke crying and he let him cry cry till he fell alseep again about 10 mins later but that of course woke me up. They then woke at around 5 and I woke up too but they went back to sleep. I think OH got them up at 6:30ish. When he went to the loo at 7:30 he left the door to the corridor open with the result that Alfie meowed in front of my door, waking me again. I managed to go back to sleep and of course it isn't as tiring as what OH had but still I felt very tired all day. Oh left me alone with the boys for about 3 hours as he had to go to the bank etc. And Sebastian has been really whiney lately. I think he is teething but who knows. At dinner he cried and wouldn't eat the Bolognese OH has made for them. We thought it might be too lumpy and gave him a pouch but he cried during that as well and I gave up and just gave him two fromage frais which he loved. He then cried and struggled when we tried to put them to bed till I snapped and laid him down on the guestbed and OH took over after barking at me that I was doing it wrong and to rock Dominic instead. Whatever! In the end it didn't take long to get them both to sleep. But it just goes to show that tiredness and stress isn't good for our relationship
Otherwise I think Dominic is very close to crawling. He sorta managed a little bit today though it was more of a military crawl than a proper one on all fours. He is sitting very well now but doesn't always want to and likes to throw himself backwards against my legs. He is so sweet! Even though he didn't get a third nap and only had an hour after lunch (unlike Sebastian who had close to 2 hours) and was awake from 2 till 7, he didn't moan or cry or anything. Just smiled and played and charmed the pants off me once again.
We have an appointment at the HV centre on Wednesday and I dread them telling us how backwards our boys are. I am sure she will comment adversely on how rotund my Dominic is and blame that for his non crawling. Though I would like to know what she will say about Sebastian who though not at all round, doesn't even try to crawl or sit unaided for more than a minute
Plus I am bracing myself for a lecture on nightfeeds. Oh well. Maybe we will be lucky and actually get someone helpful. One can but hope. Ok better go and prepare bottles. Hope you are all well.

 

[Storm1jet2]

Just a quick one for Angel, I only half listen to what the health visitors/midwives say as they never say the same thing! I got one that wasn't overly pleased with Ls weight being in and around the 75th centile... Why? I also don't care what they say about night feeds, L has gone back to night time bottles so I guess she's hungry. Sometimes I only half told them what we did. She is my child and I do what I think is best for her. The boys will crawl when they are ready, don't worry!

 

[Claireyb1]

I too forgot to say Happy Birthday Martha!! oops

hope you had a lovely day.
xx

 

[SabrinaKat]

well....LO did pretty much sleep through, BUT coughed and vomited after morning bottle, then fine all day, until about 7.30, when I gave him some apple sauce and he vomited everywhere. We think his tummy bug is probably gone ('normal' poopies), but there seems to be a problem with gag reflux/coughing that turns to vomit. I sent a pm to storm, but then realised that Rowan's Martha also may have gag/reflux problems? We talked to the nurse on the phone Sunday am, and he is well hydrated, etc., so we think tummy bug over, but.....? My OH took today off and we thought all was okay until this evening, but since then (and a bath!), laughing, having fun, etc (although perhaps a go in the jumperoo beforehand wasn't a good idea (making him vomit a little later, but he honestly seemed okay!).....any advice before we take him to the doctors tomorrow?

Happy Birthday (again!) to Martha

um....re: sleeping arrangements. Finn still sleeps with us at night and in the living room in his basket for naps. and...usually wears a monitor at night as well (for our peace of mind, otherwise I couldn't sleep).

sorry -- I have read through the last posts, but no real personals....promise to be 'better', but at the moment, am slightly worried about LO (the creche told me that another baby had to go to hospital for dehyration (not an issue with Finn at the moment) and obviously, Finn's not in creche at the moment as we want him at home anyway -- OH took today off, me tomorrow and then OH on Wednesday if necessary AND OH did hoover the living room (like I do!), put out laundry on the drying rack and did up bottles, so he gets a double gold star!

bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[clio]

Grrr. Bad class today--did an analysis exercise in class that I've done fifty million times before, and I think I'm teaching a bunch of morons. I was trying to get them to analyse a political cartoon about the New South. In the middle of the cartoon is a Black family cowering under the mask of the KKK. It is a man, a woman, and a baby. Here's how the interaction with the students went (NONE of this, I swear, is made up. I really wish it were.):

Me: Okay, so, who or what is in the middle of the cartoon?
Student: Black people!
Me: Yes, but what, specifically are they? A random bunch of Black people? What do you see?
Student: A dead baby!
Me: Wha--? Well, I guess it could be dead... But I suspect it's not.
Student: But there's blood on the ground!
Me: Blood? Where? Okay, those are just squiggles. It's not blood. So we don't really have any evidence that the baby is dead. It MIGHT be, but we have no real proof of that. Let's get back to these Black people. We have a man, a woman and a perhaps alive, perhaps dead baby. So, what is in the middle of the cartoon?
Students: [crickets]
Me: What is in the middle...
Students: [crickets]
Me, totally, and utterly and very sadly defeated: A family. It's a family. A Black family.
Student: Hey! There's a dead guy hanging in the background.
Me: Yes. At least on that point, you are correct.

I extended their analysis essay due date after this exchange.

How's everyone? I've been reading but haven't had time to write. But now I'm preparing for my nap (J and Eric are going down, too...) so I should get something in before I drift off.

Okay, from what I remember of the top of my head:

My Sister's Nipples--(sounds like a great song title.) Yup, they are seriously big. Think of the eraser tip of a pencil, only three times as large. I have tiny nipples that invert, another reason I didn't want to breastfeed. Though somehow they have LO on the boob now, and things are calming down. So, let's hope the baby girl is healthy, and that they get through the first 6 weeks.

****

Sorry guys! Just found this open from hours ago. I fell asleep really quickly, it seems... I'll just post what there is of it. Still feeling really crappy about the class. Bah. Maybe'll they'll improve with practice... But I got mad at them, which I've never done before. Someone gave the 5th most ridiculous answer in a row that I got mad. I've always been really kind and patient and gentle. And today I yelled at a class!

Well, the Before-Me had all the time in the world for her students, while this me doesn't, so some things have to give, I suppose. I just used to be so...nice, and I don't feel nice anymore. I just feel irritable.

Are any of you finding that you've gone through a personality change at work, too?

 

[SabrinaKat]

another night of explosive poopies (4am party), but OH took LO into his room for an hour or so, at least I could get some sleep. Taking LO to the doctors in an hour or so, we think tummy bug gone, but vomiting might be reflux rather than tummy bug related. If so, then we need some meds to put into his bottles (we used colief when he was younger). He's well hydrated (drinking about 20-25oz of formula a day although without substantial food at the moment, although we are offering toast, rusks, yogurt and rehydrated water in his sippy), with wet nappy and slightly explosive nappies. He's also in great spirits (most of the time), so obviously not flu-ish.....sigh.

re: personality change at work....yep, don't care anymore - LOL! I used to spend ages photocopying, planning lessons, etc., and stay after to do extra preparation. Now, if it isn't sorted during the break, c'est la vie. So, at work, am actually more relaxed than before and not getting into any office politics nor taking any crap! My priority is LO and if he's okay, then great. If not (e.g. last Friday), I am out of there asap! Clio - try and treat your students like J, it works for me most of the time (although I did get annoyed with one student last term who was always late and asked very stupid questions, (but others were also annoyed with her!))

must go - LO seems to be eating his clothes, I guess he's hungry?

bye!!!!!!!!

 

[Rowan75]

hope drs app goes well sabrina - nappies could be to do with teething as well - teething always makes M's reflux play up too

M's had her jabs today including mmr - poor thing I felt so bad! shes v up and down today!

massage tmro - yey! and app with mw on thurs re getting a referral for section - feel good about it actually - i was v envious of the section ladies when I was in hospital with Martha - I was in for days and they were in and out and it was so organised and they just seemed so fit and spritely compared to the state of me - will ask her to measure bump as well to see if he's still measuring ahead - altho I don't suppose that matters with a section lol!

clio bless you - sounds a frustrating session for you at work!

had a lovely cuppa this am with one of the mams - Im loving the group of mams Im now friends with - its hard to make new friends as you get older isnt it - such a shame we're all not near eachother!

have a good day / night everyone - we were up every hour last night so hoping for more sleep tonight lol!

 

[Borboleta]

Good morning ladies,

Sabrina: hope the doctors appointment goes well. I would be very worried about little Finn too. Poor little man. Hope the flu is gone. Did he take the flu shot? We did thiago last dose last Friday. They say it covers 90% of the flu but I have heard it does not protect from the norovirus ( stomach flu ). I have a. Friend that her 3 children where vomiting and having diahrreia. Can you imagine 3!!!!

Rowan: poor M. Hope she feels better from the shot too. Did she cry a lot? I will definetely have my husband in the doctors to hold thiago for this shot too. I cannot hold him while he is having a shot. I will cry with him. . Hope you get a bette night of sleep too.
And I am glad to hear you are excited about the csection. Did you feel really bad after the birth?

Storm: I forgot to say L for walking!!! I need to get on my computer to see that video that you posted on Facebook. I am having the hardest time posting videos on Facebook from my phone. I think I need to transfer to the regular computer and then try to post it.

Clio: so sorry you had a hard day yesterday. But I agree I would not be happy either with answer like that !!! And I dont think I changed very much after having a baby.

Angel: hope you had a better night last night . And yes for little Dom almost crawling !!! They are sooo cute! I love the pictures on Facebook. You and your oh make beautiful babies. You should have more . More boys ... The world needs more boys . Then you send than to Brasil because there are more woman there than men . And you are so sweet, but again make up does the trick. I need to post a picture of me without make up .

We had a not so good night with thiago waking up for 1 1/2 hours last night but OH dealt with him even though I was not able to sleep during that period. CIO would have been my choice but he didn't want to do it so not my problem . Hoping for Sttn tonight. Thiago's walk looks like Charlie Chaplin's walk . It is so funny how he turn his feet out and wobbles ! Too cute!!!

 

[SabrinaKat]

We saw the doctor this morning and at least, he's over the tummy bug. The doctor gave me some baby gaviscon to try and wrote a letter to the creche stating that it's (now) the coughing that is causing his vomit, so at least all the worries that the rest of you have shared (in particular, storm and rowan) meant that I knew the right things to say and how to explain specifics, rather than 'oh, he vomits but.....'). Also, as you know that I keep a log of feedings, nappies, etc., so could pinpoint when and what I thought was/were the reason(s) -- there are benefits to being a bit anal, I suppose!

He just woke up from a 2 1/2 hour nap (didn't have one this morning as he woke up around 9 and the doctor's appointment was for 11.45, so figured that he would sleep afterwards, which he did. He's just drained his first bottle of gaviscon formula and seems in great spirits (on the bouncy chair trying to chew on a plastic ring)....

Rowan -- I wanted a c-section (after a horrific mc, wanted as many doctors around) and although you will be sore afterwards, the meds they give will help you; also, Martha will understand a little that mummy's poorly and hopeful will crawl into your lap and/or want to be a 'big girl' (hopefully) and be happy with a cuddle rather than being picked up.

must dash....hopefully, no more explosive poopies for any of us (at 4am, I can understand why LO was so upset, I would be too!) and we ALL get some sttn tonight!

bye!!!!!!!!

 

[clio]

Hey! Got a few minutes to try and catch up... Forgive me if I respond to something that was posted ages ago--I'm that far behind.

Borboleta--Your MIL seems so lovely! And I can't wait to see T's invitations! I can't believe we're all nearing or are over a year old! When we started, T was the second youngest, at 5 months! Dom and Seb were four, I think. J, I remember, was seven. But now we have little Sophia, and soon Micheal (M2!) so we can still feed our baby obsession.

I totally understand your night out--it's nice, but it's too hard not to look longingly at pics of LO and talk about him. Man, I haven't had a night out in ages...

Rowan--so, are you still deciding on a c/s? I don't envy your position. But the chances of tearing again do seem pretty high.

SK--It sounds like you're having a terrible go of it. This bug sounds horrible. Did anyone NOT get it? J's still okay, so we may have avoided it.

Storm-- Little L is walking! How is she doing now--the last time you reported on it was two days ago (I told you I was behind!)

Leeze--maybe Gymboree is a one off (though by now it's a twice off--he seemed bored at the one before, too). He's simply done everything. His "Mount Everest" has always been, even when he was 7 months old and playing on the slide in our backyard, climbing up a slide. And last class, he figured out how to do it, and that was kind of it. Actually, he's more interested in the kids now, and we have a number of missed classes to make up, so I'll continue to take him there and let him continue to interact.

Re: where LO sleeps--well, we all know that J is in his crib and never slept with us. Though for the longest time he slept in a moses basket and then Pack 'n Play downstairs in the living room, and then in the kitchen, a little farther away from us, while we did our "shift work." He'd sleep there for the entire night, and we'd switch who lies on the couch in his vicinity and feeds him when he wakes up. He went up to his crib at around 2 months and I don't even remember transitioning him, it was that painless. I think we started with naps there first, though. But his sleep improved immensely, and so did ours. (Have I already answered this question?)

Re: meeting niece--Probably at Easter--it's the only time I'll have enough time off from lecturing. I am so incredibly excited! I was trying very hard not to dig for information about my niece but gave up. I call my mother 2x a day to learn what's going on. I'm obsessed! But I do leave my sister alone. She doesn't need to know that I'm stalking her and her baby.

Okay, have to go--will finish personals asap.

 

[Storm1jet2]

Hey all, hope the poorly little ones are feeling better and M is ok after her injections.

I just went for a teeny tiny jog round a few streets, oh man I can't run, I thought I was going to die and it was literally 5 minutes.. so unfit!

Clio L is really wobbly but has mastered getting up now and turning, she's a long way to go.

Sorry this is short but I'm wheezy, must acquire inhalor..

 

[SabrinaKat]

LO seems in much better form tonight -- the gaviscon seems to be working, although a bit fussy towards bedtime, he dropped off pretty well and am hopeful that he sttn, and although it's normally OH's night, I'm taking him....we agreed that if LO gets very fussy around 4am and needs a bit of bed sharing, then OH will come to the rescue!

hope all is well for all and sttn for one and ALL!

bye!

ps. just to amuse you (I wasn't) -- my OH suggested that we invite his mother to ours for the weekend that LO turns 1. I simply said 'No'. I want it to be a celebration of our little family and my MIL, like she did at Christmas, will take all the positive energy and suck the goodness out.
pps. on another note, I have lost 4 pounds since new year (okay, almost 4 lbs), at this rate, it will take me until June to be back at my 20s weight - grumble!

 

[AngelUK]

Just quickly as I have to get ready to go to the HV centre:

Kosh I already said so in your other thread but wanted to say it here too: Happy belated Birthday Gael! Now that you are a big boy, let mummy get some sleep! Hope all is well with you Kosh and Gael. Sending tons of
Sorry I missed it on the day!

 

[Claireyb1]

Well, my baby girl turned one yesterday and I can't quite believe it?!
our day didn't work out the way I wanted and it makes me sad.
I had to attend a close family friends funeral which meant I had to be away ftom DF and L for a good bit of the day and this was on the back of a horrible nights sleep(or lack of) DF got the hump as I was gone for 4 hours and we ended up having a massive argument,so feel a bit depressed by it all.
He has since appologised,but ruined my already rubbish day
oh well,at least we have L's party on Sunday although I'm now stressing about doing all the prep fo this and making her cake etc etc.
I really need to take some time out to spend with DF and L,just the 3 of us.

 

[kosh]

Grr, I did a really long post earlier and it's got lost somehow! Only got a few mins now so will have to do shorter version.

Storm and Sabrina, sorry to hear about poorly babies and/or difficult nights. Fingers crossed for better sleep tonight.

Clio, that's a shame about Gymboree. Do you think maybe it was just a one-off and he might enjoy it again another time? So, when will you get to meet your niece?

Borboleta, sounds fun to have a night out with your OH. Me and OH could do with that ourselves but we haven't really got anyone to babysit. OH suggested today we ask at the nursery to see if any of the staff do babysitting. Not a bad idea. What are you planning for Thiago's birthday? Lovely that you can plan it with MIL.

Charlie, I totally agree about the breastfeeding. Once I got over any fears around doing it if front of people then I've found it to be so handy. Although it can get tiring and sometimes be tough that mainly i'm the only one that gets her to sleep.

Question for everyone, who has moved LO to their own room and who has LO still in with them? We've finally just about got Kia's soon ready and are wondering when to move her into it. I'm thinking that I want her to be STTN most nights before I move her, but then i'm wondering if she might sleep better if we didn't disturb her. Tough one

we have them with us. I could not cope otherwise.........