Sleep Sense Support Group!

[polaris]

Jacs - I would just go for normal bedtime - that's what I have done whenever Thomas has slept longer than usual in the mornings and he has never complained or found it difficult to settle down. I think sometimes they do just need to catch up on a bit of sleep.

 

[PieMistress]

Morning All,

Well last night was one of the worst in a long while, for some reason our naps are getting better and our nights worse! So much in fact that I now dread the nights more than the naps which is pretty serious!!

He goes to bed no problem after his bath and night feed but his night wakenings are becoming really erratic and he is getting harder to settle afterwards. Last night he woke for a feed about 11:15pm which is pretty early for him, he didn't settle till nearer 1am, then woke up again about 4.15am for another feed and then cried when we put him back down (very random) and wouldn't settle till I gave him another feed about 5.45am. He eventually settled about 6.30am and woke up at 7.45am ..... OH and I are shattered today I'm really not sure what's up with him though, maybe it's just being a baby!!! He was doing so well with his one night feeds too. I'm not sure when the next growth spurt is supposed to be? Is it 16 weeks or 4 months? OH thinks he might not be getting enough milk from me (just to add to my stresses!) but i'm sure it's not that??

It's a lovely day too and I feel like doing very little i'm so tired. Mwahhhhh.

I emailed Dana over 10 days ago with a couple of questions but still no reply

Jacs - I would just go for normal bedtime too, it's what I do with Kyle if he lies in

Polaris - I know what you mean about the drinking! I just can't face the extra tiredness on top and it makes me so lethargic and just not worth the hassle at the moment! Am sure when I'm getting more sleep I might feel differently

Aimee-Lou- great news! DF didn't work for us (admittedly we only tried it for a few days) but Kyle was just so tired he would hardly feed at all so we decided it wasn't worth it. Isn't it nice when you wake up and they are already happily awake and smiling

Having a big fruit salad for brekkie, need the sugar!

 

[TennisGal]

Morning All!

PM My GP told me our LOs can have little growth spurts here and there, as well as the major 'scheduled' spurts - so it could well be that Kyle is about to do something new, and is building up his reserves. I VERY much doubt it has anything to do with quantities of milk - if he's gaining weight and peeing/pooping well, then that's all fine. Sounds very much like he'll do something new to entertain you in a couple of days, and needed a bit extra. Or he's about to get into some new clothes. I wouldn't worry about it being your supply at all.
Enjoy the fruit, and try and get some sleep when K is napping?

Jacs - I agree with P, normal bedtime. DD sometimes sleeps a bit later/earlier - but we keep bedtime as a constant. And we're alllll baby obsessed, so LOVE hearing all the news!

Polaris - I've got serious concerns that I'll be up doing the conga or something hideous when I have a glass of wine! I've always been a 'light weight', so after such a long break from any form of alcohol, I think two sips and I'll be three sheets, lol. You need a lovely bacon buttie, and three cheers for Thomas knowing his mummy needed a lie in!

We are still mid growth spurt - four feeds last night, settled brilliantly for bed and after all feeds...but DD did decide that 5:45 was wake up time! DH got up with her, and let me have a sleep, as it feels like I've been feeding non-stop for days, lol! She is now sitting up unaided and doing small bits of army crawling, so I know all those extra feeds are doing some great work!

 

[polaris]

PieMistress - I agree with TennisGal that it could well be a developmental spurt. I have definitely noticed with Thomas that we will have a really disturbed night or two and then he will suddenly be doing something new. I think their little minds are just racing sometimes trying to figure everything out, no wonder a bit of baby insomnia can kick in at times. Just stick with it and he will soon be back on track - and amazing you with his new skills I bet!

TennisGal - Yay for DD sitting up and army crawling!! It's so lovely to see them coming on isn't it? I think Thomas is really keen to crawl, he has had really good arm strength for a while now and recently he has started pulling his legs up underneath him and trying to push off with them - he can still only lift either his top half or his bottom half though, so he doesn't tend to get very far, LOL.

Thomas is having a lovely long nap, an hour and a half so far, yay. And it is a gorgeous sunny day here so I think I am going to sort out the garden.

 

[PieMistress]

Advice please girls! Am just thinking here, if i'm lucky enough and he doesn't wake himself from a nap should I just leave him be rather than wake him up after 2hours which is what I normally do ?? Am guessing if he's learning developmentally then he will need lots of sleep too and I'm maybe not helping by waking him up from his naps?

 

[polaris]

Advice please girls! Am just thinking here, if i'm lucky enough and he doesn't wake himself from a nap should I just leave him be rather than wake him up after 2hours which is what I normally do ?? Am guessing if he's learning developmentally then he will need lots of sleep too and I'm maybe not helping by waking him up from his naps?

Personally I would leave him to sleep. I very rarely wake Thomas from his naps and occasionally he will sleep for up to three hours, it doesn't seem to affect his night time sleep. The only times I wake him is if it's getting too close to bedtime or for swimming classes.

 

[jacs]

Well, reckon you're all right, we've put him down for bed at his normal time - everything else was normal today (naps and feeding), so no reason why this should be different.
What happened with the nap PM? It does sound like a growth thing, especially if you've had a long nap as well. Love the new pic, think we've got the same pramsuit!

TG - wow, sitting up is fabulous, and crawling too! Did the two happen at the same time, or was it more gradual?

Polaris - another winning nap, did you get the garden done? I went out and sprayed weedkiller, cat deterrent, anti-fungal stuff, and lay down slug pellets. Don't think that counts as 'doing the garden' does it? How lazy (and not very green either)!

 

[TennisGal]

PM - I always let DD wake herself, unless it's a nap too close to bedtime...v.cute pic of Kyle in his pram suit!! Awww!

Polaris - your napping (well, Thomas napping!) gets better and better! Hope you had a lovely day in the garden. Sounds like he'll be on the move pretty soon...It's fascinating watching them develop, they learn SO much so quickly.

Jacs - do you want to spray some of the anti-cat stuff near our felines!? They are driving us insane with spring fever...which basically involves running at 100mph up and down the garden, in and out of the house and doing some strange sideways leaping! Anymore 'Mummy' from Evan? SO cute!

The sitting really seemed to happen over night - one day she was doing around a minute, but wobbling...and now she sits up perfectly easily attacking some toys. Can't believe it! DH and I were congratulating her over and over, and she was looking at us as if to say 'err, you're both being weird'. She's been trying to army crawl for a while, and has just got the hang of it...although she's not getting very far at the mo, she gets tired and has a good shout!

Had a lovely long walk and lunch in the garden today. DD had sunhat and shades on! All very relaxing. PLEEEEEASE let that be the end of winter. I did nothing in the garden (oops) except overconsumption of cheese, bread and cake.

Am now trying to work out how the food mill works - DH thinks I've ordered the only food mill that needs an engineering degree to assemble!

 

[polaris]

Hi everyone.
What beautiful weather - it really lifts your spirits doesn't it? Got the grass done and did a general tidy up of the garden - Thomas was fascinated to sit out in the sun and watch me at it - however we need to get a big garden umbrella because I didn't feel comfortable leaving him in the direct sun for too long. Thomas was in brilliant form all day today and this evening he managed to propel himself backwards the whole way across the sitting room floor, I don't think he really knew how he was doing it but he seemed very excited about it, shrieking and shouting and grinning up at me and OH then the look of pure concentration and he would move his arms backwards and wriggle himself back another few inches! I can't believe what a little boy he is now, he doesn't really seem like a little baby anymore - it is so exciting but kind of sad as well that he is growing up so fast!

Sorry for the totally OT post - just in a good mood!

TennisGal - sorry if this is a silly question but what exactly is a food mill?

 

[PieMistress]

Hi All,

Well .... Kyle has just babbled to himself for 20 odd minutes IN HIS OWN ROOM and nearly hopefully fallen asleep, fingers crossed!! Think we have also been over dressing him under his 2.5 tog sleeping bag so he's in there in just a long sleeved bodysuit rather than a vest and sleepsuit (especially as the house has really warmed up in this lovely weather).

Today he managed 3 x 1hr naps in his cot which I think was okay considering he was showing all the classic signs of teething today (ear rubbing, red cheeks, dribbling, high pitched crying and fussy feeding!). Have given him some cammomila granules which should help.

Talking of developing today he moved his rattle from one hand to the other only I missed it!! He was on the playmat and I went to the loo, came back and the rattle was in the other hand!!! Well, am guessing that's how that happened

Just going to put a pizza in the oven, have a Magners (had a big craving for one today it was so sunny) then go to bed and read my book!!! Am actually quite excited about not having to tip toe into bed and being able to read!

Will follow your advice and let Kyle waken himself from naps next week (if i'm lucky enough and he goes long enough!). I'm taking him to a cranial osteopath on Monday (he had a pretty horrible entrance into the world and was battered and bruised - failed forceps - and has some small scarring on his head). They are supposed to be good for that kind of thing, so will see !

TG - sounds like a lovely day! Bet DD looked super cute in her hat and shades!! It must be brilliant now that she's sitting up all by herself!!!

Jacs - the expression on Kyle's face in that pramsuit is hilarious, just a shame you can't see it properly in that photo! Everybody I know has that pramsuit in blue or pink - good old Asda! sounds like you had a very constructive day! OH & I were too knackered to do much although he did put a new digital cable up on the roof and I nipped into town to collect Kyle's clay imprints we got done of his hands and feet - so cute!!

Polaris - sounds like you had a lovely family day today in the garden! Don't the LOs just fill you with wonderment every time you look at them! I know what you mean about them growing up so fast, everyday I look at the photos of Kyle when he was born and wonder where the time has gone!

Okay, best get dinner on! Oooooo the anticipation of what tonight's sleep will bring ...... fingers crossed he goes till at least 2am before wanting a feed and OH and I can catch up on some major
x

 

[polaris]

PieMistress - I hope Kyle sleeps well tonight in his own room! It's a big step isn't it? I was very nervous about moving Thomas but he wasn't bothered at all by the move and I think he did sleep better because we weren't disturbing him. It felt really strange at first not having him beside the bed and I felt quite sad that his newborn days were over - but I have to admit that it was quite nice to reclaim the bedroom for us - as you say to be able to read in bed, have a quiet conversation with OH, not have to tiptoe around when going to bed, etc. I had hoped it might improve our sex life too but I have to admit that has not really happened, I'm always way too tired for anything like that, LOL.

 

[TennisGal]

Polaris - such a nice post, I know exactly what you mean! A day like today really does lift the spirits, and it's almost as if our LOs are thinking 'WOW, this sunshine thing is GREAT'.

Brilliant news that Thomas has been moving around so much, too! It's just mesmirising watching them, isn't it?

Not an OT post, just lovely

Oh, a food mill is this strange thing: https://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Alternatives/Alternatives-Plastic-Goettlich3aug05aa.jpg
We've got a 'baby mill' just to puree potatoes for lump free mash, and to work on peas and sweet corn...as apparently the husks are not fun to digest. Everyone is a winner, as it now means that my mashed potatoes won't have quite as much, erm, 'texture' as they usually do

PM - go Kyle!! In his own room! And passing his rattle from one hand to the other - he's developing lots, I bet that's why he was milk crazy.

Hope you enjoy your magners and pizza - sounds like a fabulous dinner.

I love the hand and feet impressions - we're going to get DDs done, soon.

Let us know how Kyle gets on with the cranial osteopath...sounds like a difficult entrance, poor you and him. I've heard the CO's work wonders

 

[polaris]

TennisGal - Lump-free mashed potatoes sound good! I guess it could be a pretty useful kitchen appliance even once weaning is out of the way! My mashed potatoes are always very 'textured' too (loving that description!).

All our babies are making such great strides these days - I think the spring weather must be something to do with it! Thanks for sharing my joy and excitement about my little boy!

PM - it will be very interesting to hear about how you get on with the cranial osteopath, I must admit to being a bit of a sceptic about cranial osteopathy but only because it sometimes seems to be marketed as a cure for everything which I don't really believe it can be - however I can see how it could be useful for a baby who has had a traumatic birth experience and poor little Kyle was quite bruised and battered from the forceps, poor little thing.

Hope everyone has a lovely evening. I think I'm going to get an early night after my late night yesterday evening.

 

[TennisGal]

Good sleeps, everyone

 

[aimee-lou]

PM - Go kyle!! Sounds like he's coming on really well. And I hope he slept well again in his own room. Earl's been in his own room since 3 weeks in real terms as being in with us just wasn't feasable as hubby works shifts, and to be honest, we were all waking each other up. I'm bad enough at waking up to his noises from across the hallway.....rather embarrassed to admit that we stopped using the monitor when he was about 6 weeks old as it was going off every 10 seconds even with the sensitivity turned down! It now only gets used on an evening when he's in bed and we're downstairs.

Polaris - sounds like Thomas is doing really well too. Earl is getting much better now that he feels more in control of what he's doing. He so desperately wants to be moving forward. Yesterday he rolled over onto his front and I swear that he could have just started crawling......if he'd known how. He kind of wobbled, looked at his hands and face-planted the carpet lol. Bless.

We had another good night. Bed by 7.30....seems to be his teeth that cause the issues on an evening, or if his nap was too good in the afternoon lol. Still...maximum it takes is half an hour, a 9oz bottle and a story so it's not a major biggy. Couple of little noises as it was colder last night than it has been so an extra blanket was needed, woke up at 2.30 and drained his 7oz, then didn't wake until 6.45!!! Needed that extra half an hour I can tell you.

TG - I don't have a ricer, I use one of those hand blender-y things. As for 'textured' potatoes (I love that too!!), my hubby is really funny with textures and so I let him do the mashing...either that or I boil the potatoes for an extra 5 mins so they're so soft they're almost mashing themselves lol.

Hope we're all ok today

 

[TennisGal]

Morning Aimee-Lou!

Glad to hear you had a great night - go Earl! I love the face-planting, DD gives a huge roar of disapproval when her army crawling comes to an end...and 'plop'!

Didn't think of boiling the potatoes for longer...is baby brain supposed to go on this long?! I should just do that!

That's a v.cute pic of Earl in your avatar - is that your dog? V.cute!

We're still growth spurting - three feeds and an early morning (although DH got up, and I slept until NINE AM! LAZY!)

Am just about to get the parsnip on the table (for DD, I hasten to add!)

 

[polaris]

TennisGal - LOL at the thoughts of parsnip for breakfast! Wow this six month growth spurt seems like quite a biggie - how many days/nights is that now?

Aimee-Lou - great that you had another good night. It's amazing the difference with just cutting out the dreamfeed!

We had an OK night except for lots of poos! Had to change his nappy after his night feed at 3 a.m. and he had another pooey nappy when I got him up at 6.45! Didn't think he was going to settle back to sleep after his night feed as he was wide awake after the nappy change and practicing his shrieking! But just dumped him back in the cot, turned off the lights, and went back to bed and hoped for the best - and he did go back to sleep within about 5 minutes so I was very pleased about that!

Thomas was doing more backwards army crawling across the floor this morning - but he can't work out how to go forwards - I tried putting a toy in front of him to encourage him but he just got really frustrated that it was getting further away instead of closer, so just lay on his belly waving his arms and legs in the air wildly and shouting, very cute!

 

[TennisGal]

Awwwww, so cute, Polaris! I love it when they really tell us off, kind of 'I'll crawl that way / roll that way / move that way when I choose - now GIVE ME THAT TOY'.

And brilliant he settled down so quickly this morning...

I think that's seven nights of growth spurting now! DD tends to have long spurts feeding-wise (general disruption lasts a couple of days, the extra feeding lasts longer), but this is definitely the longest since the very first spurt. Sounds weird, but we were saying we can actually tell she's grown over this week.

Hopefully we'll settle down again soon...although it's quite exciting to see where it leads (the 5:45 wake-ups, we're hoping, are part of the spurt...)

 

[jacs]

Wow, don't you just love this group?! Everyone seems to have had a fab day yesterday, I enjoyed catching up this morning - it's like hearing about lots of nieces and nephews!

PM- can't wait to hear how Kyle has got on in his cot - know what you mean about overheating, Evan had no vest on at all last night, just babygro and sleeping bag.

TG - sounds like you're all having fun with weaning!! Sometimes it makes me laugh that Evan's diet is WAY more varied than mine.

Polaris - congrats on another super day (and the crawling sounds soo cute!)! We bought loads of stuff for a BBQ, then couldn't be bothered last night. This morning it's really cloudy, but we'll be out there with our coats on - not letting all that food go to waste! How British can you get?!

Aimee-lou - sounds good, despite the teething. It's amazing the difference a little bit of extra sleep makes isn't it (I man for us!)?

Was watching Evan on his monitor last night, lying on his side (which he NEVER does). I started rambling on to DH like 'ooh look he's experimenting with what he can do...'.
Anyway, Evan then woke up screaming, and when I went to him, his nappy had leaked, and all one side was soaking - even through the sleeping bag.
Felt awful for Evan, but also felt like a right idiot going on about him developing in his sleep, when he was just trying to escape the wee!

 

[TennisGal]

Jacs - I was going on about DD experimenting with a new roar, which actually transpired to be her telling me she'd done a large poo...and could I stop wittering, and get changing!

Enjoy the bbq - fingers crossed it gets a bit warmer. We're the same, though, come what may...if a bbq is planned, it goes ahead!