I have just added a milestones page for Ellie, which I will update as we go along. I get so proud of the little things she can do. At the moment I am really enjoying the little ‘conversations’ she has with me and she loves them, too, she thinks she’s very smart

She has been asleep for almost 5 hours now, it’s annoying that she’s doing it in the day, but I don’t want to wake her because she hasn’t been sleeping all that well since getting sick. I keep having to check she’s breathing, though.

Well, I am off to utilise more of this time by hanging more washing.

Last week I took Ellie to the doctor for our 6 week checkup and I was told to try Gaviscon Infant for her reflux, so I bought it and started trying it but since then we’ve had a nightmare time. Her bad wind has returned and when she eventually poos they are monster!

We’ve gone from her waking three times at night for a feed and going straight back to sleep or needing a quick settle afterwards to spending anywhere from 40 minutes to get her settled and staying asleep in her cot. And it’s started for her day sleeps, too. All the settling techniques I try don’t seem to work… she even cries while I am patting her and soothing her in her cot, which she hasn’t really done before, at least not to this extent. It took me over an hour to get her to sleep today and then it lasted only 20 minutes. So, now she’s in her pram - fast asleep - and I am rocking her, which is the last thing I want to be doing but it’s the only way she will sleep soundly at the moment. I was hoping to start her settling herself to sleep every sleep, so that it’s a nice transition for her without crying and distress and here I am …

The past two nights have been really tough, I have ended up in tears both times. It’s been frustrating and upsetting, especially when I am unable to sleep in the day because I have to be physically rocking her for her to sleep. To top it off I have been feeling sick for the last two days. I feel like a zombie.

There are so many ideas out there about babies sleeping and settling.  To routine, not to routine. Let them cry, don’t let them cry. The amount of advise is overwhelming and each side has a convincing argument, not to mention being adament that they are right. For a new parent it really is hard to wade through all the options.

I don’t want to use Control Crying, though yesterday I was all set to borrow ‘Save Our Sleep’ by Tizzy Hall, which is a Cry It Out technique from what I have heard/read, I was feeling so desperate. Luckily, the library wasn’t actually open. So, I have to find another viable option for Ellie, James and I. Today I am doing some searches, some research and tomorrow I am going to go to the library and get some books - assuming they have what I want.  From my searching so far I have decided to read;

* ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Dr Paul Fleiss
* ‘Attachment Parenting’ by Kate Allison Granju
* ‘Nighttime Parenting’ by Dr Sears
* ‘No Cry Sleep Solution’ by Elizabeth Pantley

I’m hoping at least one of these titles will be there. I have also written a post on one of the forums I visit and people have suggested Baby Wearing, apparently it is really good for babies with reflux not to mention the fact that I could get something done while allowing Ellie to sleep well. I will have to talk to James about it when he gets home. I’ve decided to arm myself with as much knowledge as possible and create something that works for our little family.

I keep thinking “It’ll be better for the next baby” because we will be much more prepared and better informed, which makes me feel confident that we will cope with two children, at the same time I feel bad for Ellie having to be our ‘practice’ run. But, I guess somebody had to be. If only we could have all the answers, have all the experiences before we had our children!

It’s so quiet now! I’ve just had a visit from Nan, Aunty Meredith, Lauren, Gemma and Cam. Ellie had a good sleep in Nan’s lap and had her first feed from a bottle and did so well, I was worried she wouldn’t take to it but she was great. I had expressed about 120mls and she drank most of it like a little champ.

It was nice to have some visitors, it does get lonely here all day when Ellie’s sleeping and it’s nice to have someone else take over for a little while. Nan held her and fed her and Aunty Meredith changed her nappy and put her to bed and I got to go out for 5 minutes without a baby for the first time since the day we came home from the hospital. It was only a quick trip out for Aunty Meredith to go to the chemist and for me to get some bread but it was nice.

She put on the charm, too! Giving her great Nan big smiles and even laughing at her!!

For the past few days Ellie’s been struggling to stay asleep during the day time and her night sleeps have been barely over two hours at a time, so I am feeling tired. I think she’s having a growth spurt, so hopefully she will soon get back into a better routine.

Today she’s 6 weeks and 1 day old, I can’t believe how fast it’s gone!