Well, baby is on a decogestant /allergy medicine. It is making the crude come out everywhere. BUT he slept through the night the last 2 nights. First time ever!!!!! ~flower PS/ I have lost 4 pounds since the 3rd of Oct. Walks with my children after dinner and lots of veggies!

I'm having some problems getting a reply in here, I've typed in 2 so far so I'm just going to send a short one in case it doesn't work again. I want to get back to bed anyway as the baby has finally gone back to sleep. He is staying awake til 1-2am, not crying as much but just awake. Any suggestions for getting him to stay awake earlier in the evening or getting him to sleep faster would be deeply appreciated. The cluster feedings don't seem to be working.

The diet has been not great, exercise has been okay but my knees have been sore, probably need to do more stretching.

Well, 3 pounds down, 20 kajillion to go. :> It's probably mostly water, but it still feels good to see such quick progress. The WW is pretty easy to follow, I'm liking it...

Actually, I made a mistake on my last post - I've had the same clothes for about 4 years, not 5 - 5 years ago we got married, and I was MUCH smaller when we got married, that was, um, about 75 pounds ago. Sigh. Oh well. I did go ahead and get a few new things, and then I'm going to reward myself.

Geneve, how did the gym go?

Barb, what kind of machine is it?

Flower, congrats on the loss - that is great! And congrats on getting baby to sleep through the night - I don't know what is better, the baby sleeping, or the weight loss, LOL.

Hi Jen, wondered where you went... I've given up on the cluster feeding too, she seemed to just adjust to the greater volume of formula after a few days, and still wasn't sleeping. But she did finally gain some weight, LOL. So now I just make sure to give her a full bottle again when I can see that she is getting tired (assuming it's been more than an hour since she ate). I've found that if I miss her nightime "window" of when she is starting to get tired, she is 10 times harder to get to sleep - if I accidentally wait till she's too tired to put her to sleep, or if she's missed too many naps, she'll cry and cry, and won't go to sleep without a car ride or something. So I have to really watch her at her "usual" bedtime. She still gets up once during the night - usually sleeps from 10 - 3 or 4 now, which is good enough for me.

What I'm really struggling with is naps. She sleeps all night in her crib, but won't take her naps during the day unless someone is holding her. Since I work at home, that is a challenge. She won't sleep in the Snugli, she wants to be HELD. And if she doesn't get her naps, she gets overtired and really fussy - then she won't go to bed at night. She won't sleep in the car seat either. Any suggestion?

Well, speaking of, she is awake again, after a 15 minute nap. Better run.

Sue

Oh, PS, you can see my Megan at www.marchantbaby.homestead.com

:>

Sue, My machine is a Precor. You reminded me I have to work out today! I have a goal of working out 4x this week and I have only done once. Better get on it I only have four days left.

I am trying to break my daughter of the falling asleep in our arms habit now. She will be five months and I think it is time for her to learn how to go to sleep on her own. The couple of times I have put her in she has done fine, but this is only a test because we haven't got her in the crib yet. I think that crib will be a large bed with cozy feel she gets now in the bassinet and in the travel crib we keep downstairs. I make sure she is changed and fed and held a little and then I lay her down.

I am not sure what it is but I am finding her much mellower than my boys were. She will wait to eat while they were always searching for more food as soon as they could get it.

Are you folks following plans yet? If so what plan? I have been winging it but I suspect I would do much better if I actually documented EVERY mouthful or snich.



Barb

Sue, I have the exact same problem with Drake, about missing his sleepy time then he wails for a couple of hours. Luckily he will fall asleep just about anywhere once he gets tired enough, in the car seat, snugli, stroller, doesn't have to be held, maybe that is the problem I am having at night, I am holding him trying to rock him to sleep and maybe that is too much stimulation for him. Sorry I can't help with your prob. I gather you are at work and someone else is trying to get her to nap during the day? Maybe you need to give them a piece of your clothing that has your scent on it, a t-shirt or something they can wrap the baby in, might help.

Hi ladies, it has been a while but things are nuts around here as I am sure you all can imagine. Welcome to all you new folks, nice to see I'm not the only newbie here. As for Ryan he is sleeping better at night but I think he is teething, not quit three months but bitting on his wrist a lot, drooling and just plain miserable at times and once I rub the gums he seems to be better. As for me, I too have the equipment needed to exercise just have to start using it more. I have a nice treadmill, home gym and lots of Richard Simmons tapes so no excuses. I did start Friday and enjoyed myself, Ryan looked at me like I was some sort of nut, Richard make it look so easy doesn't he!!! Well I am starting to put on my weight I lost after having Ryan, I am getting lots of exercise but it is going up and down the stairs to the fridge so I don't think it counts, LOL. I follow the WW123 when I follow anything and I do find it to be the best and I know it would work if I followed it honestly but I just can't seem to get going. I spent three years learning good eating habits and nine months destroying or reversing them. I never drank pop for three years, well maybe one glass a week if that and now I am addicted to pepsi and not diet. Well, I must try to get some time in on the gym while Ryan is sleeping. Take care and have a wonderful, colic free day and a sleepful night ladies.
Mary

Hello everyone, hope you're alllurking and reading even if you don't have time to write.
Managed my second session at the gym today and it was better than the first, although I could do without all the mirrors.
I have been quiet as having problems with Leo who after managing quite long sleeps has returned to waking at 3.30 every morning. The clocks go back an hour soon too andI will be at my wits end.
In desperation started him on a bit of baby rice mixed with expressed milk today. He guzzled it down happily, but I feel bad, he's only 12 weeks old and I know you're not suppsed to start them until 4 months. Oh well, I figure if it's only a bit of rice it can't do any real harm...or can it????
Oh pants. meant to have a good old chat here as feeling rather cut off but I heear leo waking up, yet again, he has dispensed with long sleeps and just naps for 10 minutes at a time now, most frustrating.
Can anyone think of a good name for this group? I was going to start another thread as this one is getting a bit long and it seems traditional to change very month or so but I think we should have a catchy name....what do you think?
Hugs to you all,
Geneve

Hey folks - the thread is really slowing down lately, huh? It's just so hard to find time to post. I lurk around alot, checking to see if anyone has posted, but it seems that whenever i get ready to post, I get interrupted... Oh well! :>

Hey Mary, I am following WW123 too - thisi s the first time I've tried it, and it is working pretty well for me. I've lost 7 pounds so far, in a little over a week. Granted, it's probably almost all water, but it makes me feel great to start with such a nice little loss. This is the longest that I've been able to stick to a diet in - well, probably 5 years. How sad is THAT!!?! I haven't been doing very well on the exercise end of things though. I really need to/want to though. I remember how great it used to feel to be STRONG and firm, and I want that feeling back.

How about if we all make Thanksgiving (November 22nd, for all you non-Americans :>) goals together? Anyone up for that? Personally, I'd like to lose 8 more pounds by then - that's 2 pounds a week. Then we could make Christmas goals together too! I think it's easier to focus on smaller goals, rather than on the whole enchilada. What do you think? Anyone up for it? Maybe it will help us to get motivated?

Megan slept from 11 - 6:30 last night. Heaven! I stopped cluster feeding her. I guess time is just starting to do the trick, all on its own. I read something last night that said between 6 and 12 weeks they start to get their night sleep organized (sleeping longer), and between 12 and 18 weeks, they start to get their daytime sleep organized (sleeping less often, but for longer periods). So hopefully her naps will sort themselves out soon. (I hope!) Just think ladies, eventually this will be behind us!

Geneve, don't feel bad about the cereal - I've been so tempted to try that, and Megan is only 8 weeks old. I know people who have started their babies on cereal even younger than that! Did it work? Did he sleep longer? No idea on a name for the thread... I'm too brain dead to be creative...

Jen, thanks for your ideas. I would do the t-shirt thing, but my scent today is actually pretty gross - I've gone 2 days without showering (disgusting, I know - I've never done this before - it's just been SO busy with Megan, work, etc., I haven't had a moment to myself), and the thought of wrapping my baby up in something that smells like THAT is, well - LOL, not a good option. I finally got a shower this morning, so maybe I'll give her TODAY's t-shirt, hee-hee-hee.

Oh, I updated my baby website, if anyone wants to look at it. www.marchantbaby.homestead.com I'll warn you though, unless you have a fast connection, the pages load slowly, because of all the pictures.

Well, hope to talk to you all soon. Let me know who else is up for the Thanksgiving goal thingie....We can do this!

Sue
-----------------------
225 / 218 / 155)
Thanksgiving Goal: 108

Duh, obviously my Thanksgiving goal is 208, not 108...

Talk about unrealistic!

Check out this link, too funny! (You have to have sound though, or it doesn't really make sense)

http://www.madblast.com/oska/humor_bin.swf

Sue, what great pictures! She is a real cutie.

Seems like I have been too busy with kids and such to get my workouts in. I know that is a lame excuse, especially when I have exercise equipment here at home. I need to get working on it! (pep talk here for myself). Anyway Isabelle and I have had a few doctor appointments and school committments. I also need to work something else for her because it seems she wants to be held and entertained much of the time we aren't going out and about.

I found my thyroid levels are out of wack and I have an appointment to see a doctor in two weeks. I wonder if this is why I have gained weight since I had Isabelle? I had them checked less than a year ago when I was pregnant and they were fine.

Isabelle is starting to get moving. She can now do a 360 in her crib or on the floor. Yikes! That means she might be crawling soon.

As for goals I would be willing to set one, however I would like to do something more behavorial. Like setting a goal for me to workout 4 times a week and start doing that asap so I can make it a habit. Would that work?

As for names for this group..........no ideas yet.



Barb

Hi all, still around, just no time to post. Drake just started wailing like 2 seconds ago, of course he knows I'm on the computer! Still not sleeping through the night, well he's just 6 weeks today so I shouldn't be surprised. I have to go, he is really wailing now. Try again later.

Made it back today, imagine that! He is off to sleep so I'm taking some ME time just to goof off instead of doing laundry or dishes or whatever. Anyway my idea for a group name is 'Postpartum Hotties', any thoughts on that name?

I've been getting out practically everyday for walks with the baby, today and yesterday it is really windy and while Drake doesn't mind the cold he doesn't like the wind so we haven't been out. I'm going to get my exercise bike set up and start back on that. I think my diet has been good, we don't have any junky snack food in the house so I've been able to avoid temptation in that way.

I quit pumping my breast milk last week. It was just getting to be too much. I hung in there for over 4 weeks so I think he has got the benefit of it. I still feel guilty about it a little bit. I wish the nurses and lacation consultants I talked to when he was born hadn't, well I think they are the ones that made me feel guilty. They just went on and on about how important it was and I felt bad because it seems like something that should be so easy. I wonder if in the back of my brain I didn't really want to do it in the first place?

Sue - lucky you having your daughter sleep that long, I'm so looking forward to that with Drake. congrats on the 7 lbs loss. Great work!

By the way I don't know if anyone else has had a look at this book, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, but I got it from the library and there is a lot of really good information in there. I don't agree with everything she says but some of it has worked for me.

Well take care all and have a great weekend.

Hello everyone. I am about to start with a really stupid question, but when is thanksgiving? I think I should start saying I would like to lose x amount by x date but Christmas is too far away.
Was looking forward to the gym today but the 4 year old was off colour and missed school, we had a hellish day and i ate loads of chocolate and am sitting here with a glass of wine now he is in bed.
However, the rice did work for leo, he really enjoys it and he has gone back to sleeping through the night. Everyone I have spoken to here says it is too early, but I will stick with it as it really seems to be doing nothing but good. His nappies are fine (well, as fine as they ever are) and I can tell he loves the stuff, when he smells it he gets all excited and smiles all the way through. In my favour, he is a very long baby and I have been nagged because he is a little underweight for his length in spite of what seems like constant breast feeding so I figure he is truly hungry.
Saw my brother yesterday, he has lost loads of weight in the past year, since he changed his job from teaching to being a postman (he's not good with stress). He looked so good and handsome and it made me determined to shake this off as soon as I can. I will be hitting that gym as often as I can manage.
I like the idea of being a 'hottie' not an expression I'm familiar with, hottie to me is a hot water bottle...but DH used to refer to me as 'Top Tottie'...
all the best, Geneve

Geneve, your brother (if he is handsome and well built) would be considered a hottie. It is just a slang expression that has been popular lately here. I believe the American Thanksgiving is November 22, we have already had our Thanksgiving here in Canada. How old is Leo again? I'm sorry I don't remember when he was born. Drake is just 6 weeks and I think he is ready to start sleeping through the night soon.

I have a formula/bottle question for those of you not breast feeding. Does everyone sterilize their bottles or wash them in the dishwasher? I have read a few different things and I'm confused. If you sterilize your bottles at what time can you quit? I read at 4 months because at that point baby is crawling around sticking everything into his mouth anyway. Also about formula, you are suppose to throw it away after each feeding. Well what if you make it up and baby only takes half can you put it in the fridge and use it later? I don't want to do anything that is going to harm my son but I've been throwing out formula even though I try to make up only what I think he is going to eat right then. What does everyone else use, the powder or the concentrated liquid that you have to dilute? I was using the powder but when I did a cost analysis I discovered the concentrate was only a few cents more so I switched back to that. It is a lot easier to mix up. I wish I could afford the ready to serve.

Drake almost slept the night through. He was making noises at 4am which I thought were his usual waking up to get fed noises so I got him up and tried to get him to eat but he only took like 2 oz and I think most of that was done while he was asleep. I think I read in the Baby Whisperer book that you can get them out of the habit of getting up for a feed in the middle of the night that they don't really need by giving them a pacifier and gradually they stop waking up. They just wake up out of habit wanting some oral stimulation. This is the second night he has done this so maybe I will try this tonight if it happens again. Actually I got him up just at 7:30 to change his diaper and got him to take 2 oz of formula and he is back to sleep already. So you can see if I make up a 4 oz bottle, because usually he will take at least that much if not wanting more once in awhile, then I end up throwing out half the bottle. It seems like such a waste. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me.

Take care all, have a nice weekend.