Feb-May 2011 Mommies

Rakker I got them at the baby indabab in cape town. Karin said that she found them on kalahari so look there!

OOh how exciting re adding protein. When did you start "solids". Ryan was 19 weeks yesterday (4.5 months). I have been giving him rice cereal in afternoons with BM...very liquidy...and keen to start veggies but think it is a little too early?

Ya it is nice to see our thread alive and kicking again!

Karin!!! So nice to see you on moomie... So our thread IS coming alive again
I feel your pain and frustrations with sleep or lack there of!
Do you breastfeed K in the dark before bedtime? I have done that since birth but last few nights I've left a dim lamp on so she doesn't fall asleep on the boob.
Sleep deprivation is a terrible thing, I hope you feel revived soon.
Just to make you feel like you're not the only one .... Amelia is still waking up 3 or 4 times a night. Usually at about 10pm , then 1230ish, 2ish and 4ish.
Also have you started giving K some protein? I started adding some chicken to her veg now cos apparently they need protein from 6 months... and extra iron.

Thanks Misty . Where did you get those CDs?

MistyMom wrote: @Karin and Rakker....re sleeping....

not sure if any of this will help? Ryan was in his own cot from day 1. No rooming in or co sleeping. Same here On the odd occasion (probably about 5 times) I bought him into our bed when he was a few weeks old at about 3am if he was very unsettled.Haven't even done that as there was no need

From birth till about 3 months he woke about 3 - 5 times a night to feed. Started with about 4 times and reduced to 1 or 2 times He was demand feeding (BM, bottle fed)Demand fed as well, breast feeding only (except from 3 months, bottle at creche only). I suppose like all you moms i googled and read and when he was just over 3 months old DH was away for 3 weeks.Ii decided that this was the best time to "sleep train". Wish I could have a few DH-free days, as I am always afraid that LG will wake him up. (He does not go back to sleep easily) It only took 4 days andIi found it relatively easy. I am not saying it will work on all babies or is the best or right way, but it worked for us:

a feed at about 5.30pm, then around 6pm a bath. after bath into nursery (dimly lit with soft music* see foot note*). i then dry, quick massage and dress...all quietly... then a feed. He usually falls asleep feeding so as soon as I see he was getting dozy I put him into cot (feet first then head down last). I keep my hand slightly pressure on for a minute, then leave nursery. Sounds the same here, except I don't use music. The first sleep session is always the longest one, but that's not when i sleep, damnit!

THIS WAS THE HARD PART. he obviously cried. I gave it 5 minutes then went back in. First try to pat and if that did not work pat with shoo shoo shoo. LEAVE ROOM. now this is the harder part as baby is going mad. I went into garden (armed with a glass of wine, baby monitor on "silence" but still watching the sound level thingy move. I went to where I could not hear him and gave it 15 minutes. This part felt like hours. Then back into nursery where I picked him up (all without talking and also keeping in my wine breath lol) and rocked him to sleep. Then back into cot - always feet first, head down last.

I was surprised...it only took about 4 days and I felt he was "sleep trained". by day 3 when I put him in his cot awake he did not cry straight away like he always used too. She falls asleep on her own, but it's almost like she wants to see me firstAnd now I am so so so happy I did it. He does sometimes go to sleep feeding but if he finishes bottle it is into cot awake. He has his "comfort" lion (one of those blanky things) which I put in his hand if he is awake and he grasps it and puts it into his mouth.Cherise gets frustrated by her comfy blanket. Almost like she doesn't get what she wants from it. She moans with that thing. I only use this in cot. He does not use a dummy at all.Cherise only keeps it in her mouth a while and when it falls out she performs. If I position the blanket a bit over the thing it is better. She is not lost without it though, as she often sleeps without it. He now usually wakes up only once during night for a feed around 1-2am and very rarely he will wake up twice. Oh, I miss those days (nights).

hope that helps!

he falls asleep to ac/dc, metallica, guns and roses, oasis, pink floyd, u2...these cds are so so cool...one of my best baby buys...I got really sick of listening to the same lullabies when i was doing his last feed before bed...now we both get to listen to cool music! Its all done in panpipes.... Ah, so that is the trick

@Karin and Rakker....re sleeping....

not sure if any of this will help? Ryan was in his own cot from day 1. No rooming in or co sleeping. On the odd occasion (probably about 5 times) I bought him into our bed when he was a few weeks old at about 3am if he was very unsettled.

From birth till about 3 months he woke about 3 - 5 times a night to feed. He was demand feeding (BM, bottle fed). I suppose like all you moms i googled and read and when he was just over 3 months old DH was away for 3 weeks.Ii decided that this was the best time to "sleep train". It only took 4 days andIi found it relatively easy. I am not saying it will work on all babies or is the best or right way, but it worked for us:

a feed at about 5.30pm, then around 6pm a bath. after bath into nursery (dimly lit with soft music* see foot note*). i then dry, quick massage and dress...all quietly... then a feed. He usually falls asleep feeding so as soon as I see he was getting dozy I put him into cot (feet first then head down last). I keep my hand slightly pressure on for a minute, then leave nursery.

THIS WAS THE HARD PART. he obviously cried. I gave it 5 minutes then went back in. First try to pat and if that did not work pat with shoo shoo shoo. LEAVE ROOM. now this is the harder part as baby is going mad. I went into garden (armed with a glass of wine, baby monitor on "silence" but still watching the sound level thingy move. I went to where I could not hear him and gave it 15 minutes. This part felt like hours. Then back into nursery where I picked him up (all without talking and also keeping in my wine breath lol) and rocked him to sleep. Then back into cot - always feet first, head down last.

I was surprised...it only took about 4 days and I felt he was "sleep trained". by day 3 when I put him in his cot awake he did not cry straight away like he always used too. And now I am so so so happy I did it. He does sometimes go to sleep feeding but if he finishes bottle it is into cot awake. He has his "comfort" lion (one of those blanky things) which I put in his hand if he is awake and he grasps it and puts it into his mouth. I only use this in cot. He does not use a dummy at all. He now usually wakes up only once during night for a feed around 1-2am and very rarely he will wake up twice.

hope that helps!

he falls asleep to ac/dc, metallica, guns and roses, oasis, pink floyd, u2...these cds are so so cool...one of my best baby buys...I got really sick of listening to the same lullabies when i was doing his last feed before bed...now we both get to listen to cool music! Its all done in panpipes....

KarinM, welcome back!

Unfortunately I can't give any sleep training tips... I also need those . My LG slept so well at first, waking up only once or twice at night, and then all hell broke loose. I know all about baby waking up every hour . And then closer to morning it's as if she does not sleep deep enough and would wake every 10 minutes sometimes. At least she also takes the bottle as she is used to it at creche, so there is my only silver lining. And some nights are at least better, with 1.5 or 2 hour stretches. But heck, I am a walking zombie at work . I mean, yesterday and today I even did the good old nap in the car thing again! I last did that when I was pregnant! I cannot function like this.

I have tried everything... Swaddling, not swaddling. Comfy blanket, dummy, hands, anything to soothe. Feeding her, not feeding her. Picking her up, not picking her up.

Sooo, I'm also waiting for those tips.

Hi all you girls!!

LOOOONGGG time no see... well, except for the ladies on Facebook that is!

Life is just so hectic, seriously dont get no time for myself or for Moomie, unless I sit on my Blackberry and that also doesn't happen very often.
Working from home has its benefits, but oh boy it also has it downsides. Trying to get to everything is one hell of a challenge. Especially when you have a very demanding baby that sleeps very little.

Well, thats one reason Im posting quick quick... I need help with sleep training!!!!!!!
Anyone... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help. If you've done it, please share tips, routine, anyting that might help. I am trying the Baby whisperer way (doesnt let baby cry it out)... but its not working so well. She is so used to falling asleep at the breast that its now a major issue getting her to NOT do so and fall asleep by herself.
She works herself up SO much that she ends up crying up a storm and doesn't want to calm down and then I have no other choice but to give in and give boob...
that I don't want to do... OR just let her cry it out a bit... Sigh... feeling like a total failure and bad mommy.
But I just cant anymore... she wakes up every hour at night, sometimes before an hour is up even!! Just feel like Im going to have a nervous breakdown or loose my temper soon.... DONT want that...

Daddy cant even help cause she throws a tantrum when he takes her, she only wants me. She also refuses a bottle... how Im ever gona get her off the breast is another issue.

So....anyone with advise or help will be a LIFESAVER!

Then I just love seeing all your cute babies that I cant see on Facebook!
They are soooo beautiful...time flies way too quick its so sad actually.
Kiana will be 6 months tomorrow... goodness me.

Okay, need to dash, hope to log in soon again to chat maybe... if I get some good advise for sleep training she might sleep in the day and give mommy some Moomie time!!

Bye all!
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