***Lion Cub Mommies-Back In Action!***

[Shiv]

Cleck - I hope Emma is a happier little girl today. your asshole comment made me LOl! Sophia quite often doesn't have a nap anymore, I thank my lucky stars on the days she does and cry on the ones she doesn't! But she does sleep from 7pm to 8am most nights so I guess she probably doesn't need much of a nap. She is a much happier girl when she has one though. Just recently she started having one again (only for about 45 mins) but it gives me a chance to lay my pregnany self down and just drift off in time for her to wake up

As for Dora - well I know who she is but I can't find her on tv here (not that i have ever really looked) the only program Sophia regularly watches is In The Night Garden (do you get that there?) - she loves it and watches it before we take her up to get ready for bed. She quite often sings the songs to herself during the day and is really quite obsessed!

 

[jelr]

Natasha has skipped her nap on one or two occasions but then she gets back into her routine the following day thank god as she is also an asshole without it - she even gets up in bad form is she doesn't sleep for an hour - she wakes crying and is inconsolable for about a half hour. It is interesting to see how much your LO's sleep and it is something I meant to ask on the fb group as I'm a little worried about Natasha. She seems to get more sleep than other babies I know and sometimes is still very tired.

She sleeps from 8pm until between 8.30 and 9.30 but it is usually 9.30 and sometimes even 10 and then she also naps for an hour during the day and she is still so tired sometimes and I know I feel crap since the mc with tiredness and I would hate to think she feels crappy when she is tired. She gets a balanced diet so she shouldn't be lacking in anything.

Also as you know I bring her for cranial osteopathy because her head was so flat on one side and she had problems sucking and the osteopath asked me the last day if she was very tired as she said that her energy levels felt a bit flat when she was doing the treatment. I dont normally believe in the hocus pocus side of the treatment but it did make me wonder as she does get very flat. She said it can be caused sometimes by them not getting a good first breath - which Natasha didn't (hence her heart murmur) so I dont know.

Natasha isn't really bothered with Dora but is obsessed with Mickey Mouse and usually it doesn't bother me, except on really tired or hormonal days and then it does go through my head and I also go to bed with hot dog hot dog (which is the song) going through my brain - I have bought her a minnie and mickey mouse teddy that she adores and on we got stickers to put on her helper box also and her little face lights up everytime she sees them. which reminds me I must stick up some more pictures now that it is finished as it looks really well.

Cleck: there is no need for you to hope that your vag will be worn out because that is a dead cert

Spidey: Do you have redundancy in the US? If your job is gone will you get a redundancy package seeing as you have been there so long.

Shiv: I have done that when I have been very tired and had a nap when Natasha has and there is nothing as bad as just drifting off and then they wake up

 

[spidey]

jelr- I wouldn't worry about her sleep because it doesn't sound off to me. If Kira gets on average 10 hours at night, and 3 hours of naps, then she's at 13 hours. Natasha is right around that amount too. When she was younger she needed 5 naps per day when most babies were down to 2 naps. Now she needs 2 naps each day to stay fully happy but she fights me (but not my mom) for the morning nap so I let her skip it. I hold her and her eyes roll back in her head because she's so sleepy, but she kicks and wiggles so badly! The inconsolable crying if her nap is too short is something Kira does too. My explanation is that Kira is so tired but hasn't mastered self-soothing yet, so she gets upset that she's awake rather than asleep. To try and prevent early waking, I either hold Kira while she naps or lay down with her. Kira has never made sleep and naps easy on me! When she was little, I spent most of the day bouncing her to sleep on the birthing ball for her 5 naps I use to google search for overly sleepy babies because Kira always seemed to need too much sleep too. Perhaps Natasha and Kira are quick to become cranky at the first sign of tiredness, so it makes us think they need more sleep than they're getting. Kira also takes rests during the day and watches tv, etc. She's not super active, but I think its just her personality. It's 8:40am and she's already laying here taking a rest and holding her ears (something she does when she's ready to take a nap).

Regarding the theory of Natasha being tired because she didn't get a good first breath. I would think if she had damage in her brain from the lack of oxygen, she would have other obvious problems too. Kira also had lack of oxygen at a few hours old when she went blue (for who knows how long?!) and had to be resuscitated. I can see no obvious permanent damage from that- babies are very resilient!

My question for everyone is how do you get your LO to sleep? Do you say "go to sleep darling" and they lay there and drift off? That is my dream for Kira one day

 

[Shiv]

My question for everyone is how do you get your LO to sleep? Do you say "go to sleep darling" and they lay there and drift off? That is my dream for Kira one day

At night that is pretty much what i do. Put her in her sleeping bag, she gives David a kiss goodnight, we go upstairs, get Eey-ore and then she goes in her cot and to sleep ( bet I have jinxed myself now!)

Naps are a whole other matter!

Do you know what the turnaround was for us at bedtime. When she decided Eey-ore was her favourite cuddly toy, we made sure she only ever got him when she was going to sleep. So Eey-ore gets left in her cot and she only gets him when she is napping or going to bed at night. She definitely associates him with sleep and has even been known to say "Eey-ore nap, upstairs!"

 

[Mary Jo]

Adam seems to need a lot of sleep as well - most nights he is in bed by 9pm and awake at about 7am-ish, he usually goes to bed fine, I get him ready for bed, then he comes down and watches 1 or 2 episodes of Charlie & Lola (his all time favourite) with me, then Chris takes him up, he has a cup of milk while he gets 2 story books, teeth cleaned, into the cot and sleep. Sometimes he climbs straight out of the cot and settles in our bed, but that's ok. During the day, if we haven't gone out and wrecked his routine, he generally naps for 3.5 hours, sometimes more, not usually less, from about 9.45am to 1.15pm (thank GOD he was still doing that when I was desperately tired a few weeks ago, was sure it was all going to go to pot just when I needed the sleep time myself), then he usually has another short nap in late afternoon, about an hour or so, but this has been variable lately.

today has been different - he slept late but had to get him up at 9.15am, as we were going out, then when we got back at 12pm, he wasn't tired for a nap so I kept him up till 3pm, and so he's been asleep ever since. there obviously won't be a second nap, so I hope he'll sleep till 6 or maybe even closer to 7. then we'll have dinner and start getting ready for bed at 8.30pm as usual.

he's usually good at going straight to sleep, I give him 2 dummies, put him into the cot, sometimes if he stands up again I tell him it's sleepy time or time for a sleepy lie down, then pull down the blackout blind and leave the room. 8 times out of 10 there is not a peep out of him after that.

for ages I have thought I cannot carry on being as lucky as this with long naps... and I have had people (family) questioning our routine, thinking he doesn't need the second nap so close to bedtime, but they are always proved wrong when he is a cranky little shit all evening and doesn't eat his dinner. and then goes to bed like a lamb at bedtime. If I thought he'd still get up at 7am if I put him to bed at 7pm, I would try that (maybe) but I think he'd be up at 5am and that IS NOT HAPPENING. no. way.

 

[spidey]

MJ, if Adam's nap schedule works, then who cares if it's "normal" or not. It sounds like a great schedule to me

Shiv- I like the eeyore suggestion. Kira isn't attached to any single thing. She's always holding an object, but if she finds something else she prefers she'll switch them. It's something I could try though because it sounds like it could work or atleast help!

I'm jealous of all these babies who can fall asleep without assistance! We have a very regular night time schedule. Bath, play with Daddy, watch a tv show, booby in bed and then get bounced to sleep by daddy. The bounce can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 40 minutes (and sometimes an hour if I'm doing it). The problem is she fights sleep very badly. About a month ago we tried to skip the bounce and to go straight to bed. Me and DH said it was sleepy time and we all got into bed with Kira and turned out the light. 2 hours later she was still awake! She fell asleep many times, but as soon as she felt her body relax she would kick a leg or poke at her eye or wave her arm wildly around. We tried it for a few nights in a row and just gave up since she didn't seem ready. Kira has only fallen asleep in the car seat 3 times total and has fallen asleep while nursing about 10 times total in her life. For her afternoon nap today she nursed as I walked around the house bouncing and singing. There always has to be some form of movement for her to fall sleep. Even if she is exhausted she will not give in and allow her body to fall asleep.

 

[cleckner04]

spidey- Emma still uses my boob to fall asleep so don't worry you aren't alone with that. Although the night she skipped her nap, she flipped onto her stomach on the couch while watching cartoons and fell asleep all by herself. That was the first time EVER that she's fallen asleep without movement like the car/being in the carrier or with the boob. So I think for us, when she stops napping, that will be when she starts falling asleep without me soothing her to sleep. But I'm in no hurry and I love our nighttime cuddles.

Well yesterday Emma had her nap again but I had to kind of force the issue with her. I kept asking her if she was ready for a nap and she'd quickly shake her head no and say 'unh uh'. But she finally fell asleep around 3 and we woke up just in time for dinner at 6. (I had a roast slow cooking so the entire house smelled like roast yesterday. *drools*)

 

[Shiv]

How is Emma's night time routine going now Cleck - does she still go down in her big bed for a bit?

 

[cleckner04]

It's kind of hit and miss lately. This past week she started off in her own bed I think 4 out of the 7 nights. And it is still completely random timing when she wakes up for me. One night she went 4 hours in her own bed, another night only 2. And some nights I am lazy and immediately put her in my bed while I work out.

 

[jelr]

Actually when I count up the hours Natasha is getting compared to the rest of your LO's it is in and around the same. I just saw the times for bed and was thinking Natasha seems to get more sleep at night but when you add it up with the naps - It evens out as Natasha only naps for 45 mins to an hour - On a rare day she will nap for 1,5 hours.

Spidey I dont think the ostopath was saying there is any lasting brain damage, she was just saying that they are finding that babies who dont take a good first breath seem to be less active and more tired and If I had heard anybody else say they were told that I would think it was a load of cr*p but it actually fits Natasha to a tee so maybe there is something in it.

Our bed time routine is usually one of us gets her washed and ready for bed, She sits on my knee then and has her milk while watching cartoons and then DH brings her down to brush her teeth and we both go down and give her kisses and cuddles and into her cot she goes, she lets out one cry when we leave the room but then is off to sleep.

We kind of did the something like that Shiv when I thought she wasn't going to nap anymore a few months ago. she had started to kick up when going down for a nap and was becoming too attached to her doody (dummy) and it was in her mouth all day so we now only give it to her at bed time and nap time and since then she is back to going for a nap without any problems, we just say will we go down and get your doody and go for a snooze and she is delighted going down.

We have taken Natasha out of her sleeping bag tonight and put a duvet on and I thought it was going to be a complete disaster as she cried her eyes out when I put her in the cot first and I just kept saying look at all the lovely teddies on it (Its a me to you duvet) and she then stopped and has went asleep no problem so fingers crossed it is as easy as that. I have just checked too and she still has it over her. I wanted to make the move when the weather is warmer as she cant walk in the sleeping bag and just falls over and she will be going into a toddler bed at some stage this year so at least its not a huge change from sleeping bag to duvet and cot to bed all in one go.

I am so envious of those nighttime cuddles Cleck, Natasha just wants to be put down when she is tired from the time she was 2 months old and has only once or twice fallen asleep on me or in my arms since then

MJ: I woudn't mind what anybody else says - people would drive you mad telling you what is best for your own child wouldnt' they? If Adam was up all night it would be a different story, but he obviously needs it if he wont eat when he doesn't nap. It drives me mad that people always have to comment on what other people are doing, I wish everyone would rear their own children and not worry about what others do. ha ha that is my rant for today - DH family and my own really like their opinions

 

[spidey]

Cleckner- oooh.. I'm drooling thinking of waking up from a long nap to have the house filled with smells of dinner in the oven. That is heaven for me! LOL about Emma falling asleep on the couch. I bet you were in shock when you saw her! I'm glad I'm not alone in having a more high maintenance sleeper. At night, does Emma keep her own space in the bed, or does she snuggle up to you? Lately Kira likes to lay her legs over me- it's so sweet.

 

[cleckner04]

Emma is definitely a snuggler at night. I usually sleep with my left arm up and she settles into my armpit basically. Sometimes I'll wake up and my shoulder is sore from being up high for so long.

 

[Mary Jo]

awww, that's so sweet, I wish Adam was a snuggler! we co-sleep most nights to some extent (he always goes into his cot but he stays in it anything from 30 seconds to the whole night, but more usually sometime around 3-5am he either cries and gets taken in or he just flips right in over the edge of the cot into our bed) but he seems to like snuggling with Chris more than me. though he usually is just in the middle by himself. when he bf at night we'd snuggle just like that and I remember how my shoulder would ache the next day

 

[cleckner04]

I often try to remember what it feels like to sleep with both arms down. It can be uncomfy at times.

 

[spidey]

jelr- I'm so glad Natasha slept okay without her sleeping bag! What a relief that must be! Now she can move to her big girl bed

I haven't slept with my arms down for 20 months I often wake up and my arm is completely asleep. I get stiff if I lay in one position too long, so I hop over Kira a few times each night. It also keeps the boobies equally used Kira's new thing is to lay one or both legs across me as she sleeps.. it's so cute.

MJ- I love how Adam flips himself into your bed I hope he doesn't land on you as he falls down- that would be a shocking way to wake up!

 

[Mary Jo]

heh, funny you should say that, Spidey, as Chris and I had that very conversation this evening - he did flip out and onto me the night before last but I woke up just before he launched himself so I kind of eased him down. I think C and I might have to swap sides of the bed when I get bigger because I really don't want a 27lb toddler landing on my belly

(I've been on my current side of the bed for coming up 2 years and I have never liked it! I think it might be nice to swap, BUT I will have to climb further to get up and go to the loo in the night, which is frequent, and with my SPD that's not going to be good. ack. we need to move asap and figure something better out!)

 

[cleckner04]

That just gave me a thought. Do you ladies all have 'sides' with your husbands? I know some people literally never sleep on the opposite side. They are always on one side of the bed.

DH and I don't care. We sleep wherever we land.

 

[spidey]

haha... interesting question. Yes we do! In both places we've lived, DH always picks the side closest to the exit of the room, which is also nearest the bathroom. I have a clear memory of him claiming his side of the bed in our apartment when we first moved in with eachother. Very gentlemanly of him I remember teasing him about it, and he came up with some bullshit excuse that he needs to be nearest the door to protect me from intruders

 

[cleckner04]

DH thought I was crazy when we were first married because I'd want to change sides all the time. And I sometimes sleep the opposite way too with my head at the feet of the bed and my feet at the head of the bed. I always sleep better when I change it up occasionally. I have this theory that if you can't get good sleep, just rearrange the room and you'll sleep like a baby if you are facing a different direction. I have no idea why but it seriously works for me.

 

[Shiv]

Cleck - you are CRAZY! When you lie the other way round (head at the foot of the bed) does Corey swap too, or does he have to smell your feet all night?

I have a side, but David would sleep wherever. i tend to be on the side that is most open and nearest the door for when I freak out in the night

We found a house It isn't a mansion, but it'll do us for a year! It has such an old fashioned kitchen (circa early 1970's I would guess) but other than that it is all newly done, new carpets (eek) 3 bedrooms, although the smallest is tiny. here is a link if it'll work.


I feel very relieved that we don't have to look anymore, It is in a lovley area with a little park just a few minutes walk away for Sophia and only a ten minute walk from Wokingham town centre which i really like. Phew!