November Sparklers 2012

[charlie15]

Yeah the changing is fun! No towels, S would have screamed the place down! We've had no issues with skin and chlorine either

S has been lying back in the bath and now pool with her ears submerged since she was 6 weeks and she's not had any ear infections at all, so it's up to you, they usually love lying on their back looking up at you and it really helps them get use to water. I am a bit of a water nut myself and as a child and baby I got ear infections from the pool at an olderr child, about 5 onwards, not as a baby.

Up today at5 am, really need those black outs!

 

[morri]

I havent been to a pool yet, lo has dry skin anyway so i don't want to make it worse.
Little lambs are fine for me-- mine doesnt do much at night, and for day they are great too .

 

[daddiesgift]

Yay!! Squishy (Anthony) rolled back to front and front to back several times today not his usual once and give up. Think he was trying to get to us on the couch

 

[Cridge]

We had a 9 hour stretch last night!!! Ninja woke up after 6 hours and I hurried to his room, cause 6 hours is a great stretch that we don't see very often. He was fast asleep when I got to him, so I stuck the pacifier back in hoping that would stretch him another 15 minutes. Next thing I know, it's 3 hours later!!

I bathed #1 on his back (ears fully submerged) and he has not once had an ear infection... and he's almost 11 years old. I've been bathing Ninja on his back since he was around 6 weeks and he's had no problem. I put a folded towel in the tub so he has some cushion for his head and he loves to splash around. We'll be going swimming for the first time in about a week and a half when we get to my parents during spring break!

Dh and I want to put Ninja in ISR classes (infant swimming resource) as soon as he's 6 months. The only thing making us hesitate is that it's $750!!! Lessons are only 10 minutes long, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. So we're debating, but I think it's the coolest thing ever and although we don't have a pool, we go to the neighborhood pool frequently in the summer and my parents have a pool. I feel like teaching a child to swim is one of the most important things to do.... or at least teaching them to not be afraid of the water and know how to float or tread.

 

[gaiagirl]

Wooooooow! 9hrs! I honestly feel like that is never going to happen for me. But truly happy for you lucky ladies. We are still waking constantly and struggling with bedtime. Naps are great though

The video I saw on FB for that infant rescue is amaaaaaazing! But wow that is steep...but really, probably worth every $$$

 

[daddiesgift]

Instead of the ISR classes you could try and find someone local who teaches classes similar to that. There is a few here that not only teach swimming but water survival and much cheaper than $750! I'd take Anthony but I'm a little nervous. Dominic loved water, swimming ect till we took him to swim classes/survival technique now he won't let go of my neck when we go I'll never forget them dunking him and him puking up water and choking. Yeaaah not all kids know not to suck in under water! He doesn't even like water pouring over his face at bath time and Anthony is the same way! You get a few drops on his face from rinsing hair and he's gasping like he's drowning!

So since we have no pools anywhere that they can get into alone ill wait till older to take those classes again!

 

[booflebump]

4 month sleep regression here. Feel like a zombie. zzzzzz!

 

[gaiagirl]

Totally with ya Boofle!

 

[morri]

Does anybody else fall asleep while nursing at night? i totally do which makes lo sleep in my arms all night. Of course she likes it. But she should be sleeping in her cot rather and it seems since we changed sides again or since she grows taller whatever she does not like being put back into her cot either uhh. Also she has nearly outgrown her cosleeper cot theres only 10 cm space left when she is at the top or bottom of her cot . I need to see whether you can get bigger cots that can get a removeable side or sth like that.
Unfortunately she doesn't stay asleep when I put her from my chest anywhere else... Her dad seems to be better at getting her to calm down again though

Also after she had her stomach bug she got a real nasty bout of dermatitis, and her dermatologists appointment is only early May, I see whether it isnt possible to get it earlier because although it improved a bit with the help of a lotion from the chemist it is still bad and when she is awake she likes scratching herself. (even when feeding she likes to rub her eyes . and she is teething too, has been for a while. I wonder when those teeth pop out . I can see some white sots under the gums so I guess that is them xD.

 

[gaiagirl]

Try coconut oil! Works wonders on my LOs skin

 

[Blondiejay]

I second the coconut oil, Darcy has really bad cradle cap. The midwives all said to use olive oil but it made it worse. 2 weeks using coconut oil and its gone. Love the stuff!!

 

[Cridge]

daddies - how old was Dominic when you put him in the lessons? Maybe the ISR has a different technique...??? I definitely don't want ninja to become afraid of the water - totally ruins the point!

I hope those going through the sleep regression get relief soon! As soon as we were through it ninja started taking longer stretches. After the 9 hour night, we had a 7 hour night, but last night was back to 4.5 hours. I'm hoping he'll just keep stretching though. It always seems like 2 steps forward, 1 step back, then he hits a plateau for awhile. So I'm anxious to see how the next week goes.

As excited as I am with the longer sleep, I'm freaking out though because we are visiting my parents for a week next week and I just know that's going to mess up his sleep again just like it did after Christmas. Booo!

 

[gaiagirl]

Yah I've pretty much accepted that sleep for the next year will be very up and down. When I get the longer stretches I'll cherish them because in reality, it will probably change a week or two later!

 

[daddiesgift]

Dominic was 10 months old. I'm sure he'll overcome his fear eventually.

Anthony has been taking more ounces more often during the day now. Growth spurt I suppose though everyone says how big he is.. Length wise. He's starting to stretch out and not be so chubby, you can actually see his neck now not just chins

He's been waking twice a night this last week instead of his usual once a night. Naps are all over the place some days he barely naps others he naps all day!

I love me some coconut oil! Cooking with it, slathering babies in it or slathering myself! Helps fight off diaper redness too. Since Dominic is a little blue eyed flaming red head his skin gets chapped, burned, red ect easily and the coconut oil helps more than the lotion doctor gave us.

 

[morri]

I'll check this out

 

[daddiesgift]

Random post my mother sent us a wubbanub.. The stuffed animal attached to the soothe pacifier so you won't lose pacifier. So far I love this thing!! During the day I use pacifier clips I made for him but don't use them at night as I'm afraid of them choking him with as much as he tosses and turns. So at night it seems I'm always looking for a pacifier he's spit across the bed not anymore! And during the day he'll suck on his pacifier while petting his animal too cute! When he spits pacifier out it just sits right there so if he needs it again he can get it in his mouth easily.

He turned 4 months yesterday! Had his first bit of oatmeal and didn't let a drop come out! Think we'll stick with oatmeal before trying anything else. He's 27 inches long and 15.5 pounds. Times going by fast!

 

[gaiagirl]

Daddies I didn't love the wubbanub when LO was a newborn but I can see it being useful when they're this age!

Man we have had a crazy few days. Tried to keep him in the crib on Thursday night but he was extremely unsettled and by 12:30 just brought him to bed. He actually slept well after that until 7:30am.

Last night he fought bedtime like CRAZY starting at 8 and kept waking up and finally went to sleep at MIDNIGHT! Insane!

He napped until 6:30 so I wonder if that was a problem, it hasn't really been in the past.

How long are your babies awake from last nap until bedtime?

And actually, I'd love to know how naps are going for everyone. How many, how long, how much awake time in between?

We generally have 1.5-2 hours awake then a nap (40min to 2 hours). Usually 3/4 naps a day.

 

[daddiesgift]

Whoa! That's some impressive nap time Gaia! Anthony doesn't nap too much anymore boo hoo. I'd say he's a cat napper, he's recharged after 15 mins lol. Once a day he'll take a longer nap maybe an hour. If Dominic's napping too it could go up to two hours. So one long nap and 2 short naps. There's been a day or two it's only been one short nap!

He goes to bed whenever we do so it could be 7 or 10 he doesn't fight it. If he falls asleep before we do we just keep him with us till we head to bed so he'll wake to eat one more time when I'm still awake instead of asleep. He wakes about 3-4 am to eat again then sleeps anywhere from 730-930am. I don't let the kids up before 7 lol.

Our whole family is sick! We baby sat a girl who had an awful cough and snotty nose btw I hate when people don't disclose that! So Dominic got sick, then me, now Anthony and daddy .. While me and Dominic are STILL sick! An awful cold I suppose. I guess we're lucky Anthony seems to have just a small runny nose and that's all.

 

[charlie15]

Oh what a great napper you have Gaia! Sophia is random to say the least. She generally is a baby that doesn't want to miss out on much so no naps at home, maybe a 15 min cat nap! So out with the buggy and a dark large muslin covering her. Then she has a nap, sometimes 30 min, sometimes 3 hours! See what I mean when I say random! Today she napped for 3 hours and woke at 5pm which was a little too late as she normally goes to bed at 7. If we have had a day with bad naps then bed time goes a little early, just reading the tired signs. Otherwise it's 7. The latest I think Should wake from a nap would be 4 to 4.30.

Sophia has been poorly this week with a nasty cold and fever, she's on the mend but is still snotty and is also teething badly, poor thing. She's getting lots of cuddles this week. Hope you all get better soon Daddies, not good when people fail to tell you about ailments especially when you have a baby in the house, grrrrr.

 

[gaiagirl]

Thanks ladies. The reason he naps is because I enforce it, I've read soooo much about sleep and it all says they need 4-5 hours of nap time a day and 10-11 hours of night sleep at this age. But you know, I'm starting to feel like that may not always be the case. Especially since you two have such decent nights! Lol Maybe I should relax a bit with naps. He does seem to need them every 2 hours though, but I'll try going more on his cues than the clock.

Daddies I hope you feel better soon!