Naps, dream feeds and Tim's first Fathers Day!

16 weeks since our little monkey arrived and I finally feel like things are starting to settle down. I no longer feel like a rabbit caught in headlights, but instead I feel we are getting into a routine and that things are starting to improve....

Naps

When do these super mums do their housework, washing, ironing, and generally catch a break? During nap time.... Oh, well they really must be super mums then as G only naps for 20 minutes! 

I'd started to think that part of Gs grumpiness could be down to lack of sleep during the day. We had no pattern as such, she just fell asleep whenever. It was time to start looking for her sleep cues, and enforcing a napping schedule (I use the term schedule loosely!).

Initially it felt like a losing battle, nap times were still no longer than 20 minutes, and she fought going to sleep. However, a week on, I've learnt she needs 3 naps per day, usually around 8am, midday and mid afternoon, and she's starting to nap for around 45mins-1 hour. When she's awake she's also a lot happier. So has Tim come home to a cleaner house with piles of freshly ironed washing? Hmmmm, not yet! 

Dream feeds

14 weeks in and I was shattered. I couldn't take the night feeds any more. I was miserable, and had no energy. So we decided to think about dream feeds.  G was feeding at 6pm, and due to her weight and relatively small feed amounts, wasn't making it much beyond 2/3am. Dream feeds involve feeding baby whilst asleep, at around 10/11pm, and aim to get them through until morning. The first few nights G was still waking around 3am, but we figured it was her body clock as opposed to hunger. So we persevered. The wake up times gradually moved to 4am, and more recently, 5am. Luckily when she now wakes around 5-5:30am she is happy to babble away to herself until I feed her at 6am. Last night was the first time in ages that I had a solid six hour sleep. I feel....rough, haha, I guess I need to adjust too.

Father's Day and family fun 

We had a busy weekend what with my nans 90th birthday party on Saturday, and Father's Day on Sunday.

Saturdays antics involved a 300 mile round trip Sussex, and catch ups and G cuddles with family that we hadn't seen in years. G behaved very well, was happy to be passed around, and was an angel for the 7 hours or so that we spent in the car. She did projectile vomit on me on the way to the party, and whilst she had two spare outfits, I had none, but luckily Chanel perfume did a good cover up job! We had debated whether to go on Saturday due to the long journey and taking G into a care home (germs and what not), but I'm sooo glad we did. Not only did she meet both of her great grandmas on my side, but I saw aunts uncles and cousins that I hadn't seen in far too long. We must meet more often!

On Sunday we went for breakfast with Grandad,  and then a BBQ with Grampa. Tim very much enjoyed his day, and loved Gs gifts of: a man tin for nuts bolts screws and general crap; an 'I love daddy' mug; his favourite choccies and a personalised mouse mat with Gs gorgeous pics on. What a clever girl she is :)

Dietician

Yesterday I went to see Gs dietician. It wasn't  the most informative  of appointments, however we have concluded that G definitely has a full on cows milk intolerance (not just lactose), and should not have anything containing milk until we meet again when she is 1. With this in mind, I was given information regarding weaning, things to avoid, and a recipe book for meals that can be made using her formula. I won't be tasting those! 

Formula and meds

"When did you last hear Gracie strain and grunt all night long?"

"Well, I can't remember actually."

"Ok, well when did she last scream all evening?"

"Errrrrr..... A few weeks ago?"

We hadn't realised it, but Gracie's formula has actually been making a huge difference. She's been in it now for nearly a month, but over the last week things have really improved and her tummy is a lot more settled. Even the reflux is starting to get better. Speaking of reflux, I have just picked up a new medicine to trial (omeprezole). Hopefully it may banish, or at least control her reflux for the foreseeable future. 

What's next for Gracie?

Next Thursday we have a double whammy-Gracie has a kidney scan, and her jabs. We didn't realise it, but at her last kidney scan, it was picked up that her kidneys were slightly dilated. I don't think that it's a problem as it wasn't even mentioned to us, but the paediatrician just wants a repeat scan to see how things are.

As for the jabs, we all know they cause days of upset, but are for the best in the long run. Lets hope it doesn't knock her new nap schedule or improved evenings.

So, a very positive blog entry! I know that things won't always run smoothly, but we've had a pretty good few weeks. We've only had 2 or 3 car rides in the past two weeks, and generally she is falling asleep by 8pm. I even did the ironing the other night, that's a first!!

On a different note, a lovely friend of mine is taking part in an open water swim this weekend in aid of Turner Syndrome and another charity. She will be swimming two miles, something I can't even comprehend. Good luck Lucy!!

No I don't cover her face during nap time, she does!

Triathlon success, new formula, super weight gain, and a break through?

Birthday surprises

It was my birthday on Friday, and aside from being super clever and getting me a photo card and flowers, G gave me the best pressie.... a huge weight gain!

Up until now she has hovered around the 2nd and 9th percentile, and thus has been deemed as 'low' weight. To continue on the 9th percentile, Tim estimated she needed to weigh around 11lb. I thought that was optimistic, 10 and a half maybe. So imagine our surprised on Friday morning when the health visitor told us she was now a whopping 11lb 13oz!! Also, she had moved up to the 25th percentile. What a chunky little monkey :) That truly made my day. The health visitor will be back in another 4 weeks for a weigh in and check. 

The rest of my day followed suit - G had some quality grandparent time and me and Tim got to go shopping. Then later on we went out for dinner with my family. It was my sister's birthday too, so delicious food and drinks were the order of the night. Though only 1 glass of prosecco for me due to night feeds! 

Bob's triathlon

Last Sunday my brother took part in his first ever triathlon. He's super fit and pretty good at running and cycling, but  was very nervous about his open water swim (I was too!). We went along to support him, along with some of his friends, and were all fantastically proud. Not only did he come out of the swim event in 4th place, but he completed the triathlon much quicker than expected, and raised over £800 for the Turner Syndrome Support Society. It was a beautiful day, and G very much enjoyed cheering on uncle Bob.

New formula

Around ten days ago I spoke to Gs paediatrician again. She was still having the most disgusting explosive nappies, and having mucus in them (gross, but all signs of milk intolerances). Not to mention the horrendous screaming fits every evening, and reflux issues. Having already been put on a semi hypoallergenic formula-it was still made of cows milk, but had the lactose removed and the proteins broken down-the paediatrician concluded that grace couldn't seem to tolerate cows milk at all. Within an hour she had spoken to our GP and Gs new formula was ready to pick up. We were warned that Neocate tasted foul, but it was the BEST of the best and contained no dairy at all. Ten days later and some of her symptoms have subsided, however there was absolutely no change in the horrendous screaming evenings.......until last night....

Lulling us in to a false sense of security?

For around 10/11 weeks our days have pretty much gone like this:

Morning=happy, smiley baby, except a bit of reflux

Afternoon=starting to get grizzly

Teatime (usually 4/5/6pm)= our baby replaced with screaming baby who can not be consoled

Evening=driving for several hours to calm her down

9pm=G falls asleep and we transfer her to her Moses basket. We finally eat, and crash.

Well last night she broke that mould! She did start her grizzles, but after her 6pm bottle she got all sleepy (instead of screamy). So I gave her cuddles, kept her upright for the usual 30 minutes, and then we braved putting her to bed. Having tried this many a times before, we were sceptical, the screaming would most likely start. It didn't! Yes we had to keep putting Ewan on and popping her dummy in, but she was upstairs and quiet. 

What did we do? Cooked and ate dinner, without indigestion. Watched several TV programmes the whole way through (including BGT and the already infamous egg throwing incident). Then we ate pudding. Not an A-road in sight. Such simple things, but what a fantastic evening. It almost topped the beautiful birthday meal we had the night before! 

Is this a turning point? Who knows. The new formula may be working, or she may have just had a good day. I guess we will see tonight.

I should also add that Gracie is now in her own room too. No more animal farm noises in our room!! Granted, I can still hear them across the hallway, but they aren't nearly as noisy.

What's next for us? A dietician appointment in two weeks time, and a discussion with Gracie's paediatrician regarding her medication. Her reflux is still very much an ongoing issue, though I am hopeful that with time, her new formula may help this. The game of trial & error continues.