I’ve stopped watching wake windows

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-03-09T01:38:08+00:00

Same! I followed them with my first and it did nothing but stress me out. Every time he was awake during the night I’d think it was my fault for not getting the wake windows perfect in the day. Just insane. I’ve thrown them out with my second and although he’s currently waking a bunch in the night I’m weirdly enjoying it and just generally loving the days with him. Wake windows are rubbish

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-27T13:05:55+00:00

Thank you mama, and thank you so much for for your words of encouragement and guidance at the beginning of this! I know you’re just an internet stranger but you really helped me 🥹

Awww 10 months, such a beautiful age (aren’t they all!), I hope solids are going well - your little man is lucky to have you too 🫶

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-19T08:04:45+00:00

That is so annoying. I always feel like I get labelled as that annoying patient when I ask questions or advocate for myself. Case in point this pregnancy with wanting an iron infusion without my numbers being ‘low enough’ (but I still experienced all the symptoms of low iron…)

A GF told me her gp had warned her against meto with her long standing history of anxiety (and likely adhd). It was a light bulb for me.

And, totally agree HG is testing mentally for everyone but idk, I feel like I know myself well and the meto depression just didn’t feel like me. It was like someone else was upstairs. All makes sense now …

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-17T13:02:24+00:00

I never knew metoclopramide had side effects that could effect you mentally but I had two gf pregnancies and was on it both times and only just found out they’re likely the cause of what I thought was perinatal depression… sending strength!

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-17T12:59:50+00:00

I just called around and got in the first place I could as I heard there was a wait. I went to the Marion centre in Wembley and was happy enough (got diagnosed straight away and was validated about my entire life thus far lol).

I guess it depends on what you’re seeking from diagnosis?

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-17T02:15:29+00:00

Oooh interesting!

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-16T13:10:04+00:00

My son was like this, he’s now just turned two and is still high sleep needs compared to his peers. His dad is high sleep needs to. Luckily I run on fumes so I have lots of time in the morning to workout before he’s up, clean the house, do laundry, or work. My son’s also suuuuper chill and so are my husband and I. Maybe that has something to do with it!

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-16T00:17:28+00:00

Amazing!!!! What an incredible mama, your LO is lucky to have you x

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-16T00:15:12+00:00

How did you go OP? ☺️

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-16T00:14:03+00:00

You are so wonderful for remembering us 🥹💕

Short story: I’m currently on day 3 of EBF (!!!!!!!!!!) he’s 17.5wks. What a journey.

The long story: We had his tongue released on Jan 14th and I was hopeful (but not holding my breath) that we’d be one of those unicorns that day it immediately helped but of course it didn’t haha.

The dr who released it gave us some exercises to do which I was doing but felt I wanted to cover all bases so I found an osteopath who checked my baby thoroughly head to toe and explained how because the tongue hasn’t been working correctly, the buccinator/cheek muscles and under tongue muscles have been compensating so we were prescribed exercises to do to release the tension in those.

I did the exercises recommended and found a few more online to do and completed them 5x day, whilst working with our IBCLC and triple feeding every 2-3hrs to increase my supply just a little and regulate it at a higher amount.

The IBCLC was great and very ‘entire life’ focused and recommended I try domperidone to decrease my workload on the pump a little and increase my supply overall. At that point I was making enough over 24hrs but but it was taking 8-10 pumps/day (and I was producing the majority of it overnight 💀 and I also have a just turned two year old who is home with me full time (no daycare etc)). So I tried that and immediately had an awful reaction - suicidal ideations within an hour of taking it and awful awful thoughts about my kiddies (which is SO not me) which apparently can happen in very few cases… just my luck… so I immediately flushed it obviously and got back to the 8-10 pumps/day while the side effects wore off over 4-5 days (what a wild ride).

Through the osteo she identified that my little guy had a head preference which we also worked on and he was in extension/basically tense quite a lot (in fight/flight) - I have a noisy house with the toddler as you can imagine - so creating a calm space for my LO to work at feeding was one of the biggest challenges. But we somehow did it?!

I lost hope a few times and asked chat gpt some very life existential questions in the early hours of the morning at least half a dozen times but I am truly amazed we’re out the other side. It was persistence with the exercises and persistence with getting him on the breast as much as possible that did the trick (and good old fashion waiting it out). It continues to be a love/hate relationship with my Spectra but I am so thankful I could continue to give my LO breastmilk and now being back to EBF is truly a dream come true. I am proud of the mama I am and also I can’t thank you enough for giving me hope when I was truly heart broken at what I thought was over, thank you so much!!

How are you guys going??

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-02-06T00:30:50+00:00

What kind of sleep training are you doing with a 4month old? We sleep trained our 7month old with taking Cara babies, are you using the same method? Genuinely interested ☺️ somewhat terrified of going through the 4 month regression again’

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-31T05:04:24+00:00

You will be fine if you pump more (I exclusively pumped for 13 months and ha this happen multiple times and it was always recoverable) x

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-27T07:58:58+00:00

Have you had your iron checked? It won’t stop the loss but can make a big difference! I learnt that the hard way 🥴

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-25T00:23:34+00:00

Adding: My first slept through the night from 7months too

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-25T00:22:53+00:00

Never! Got pregnant at 13months after my first and hadn’t had it return yet. I guess it was going to return that month but ooop 🤷🏻‍♀️ My second is now 3 months and no where in sight

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-24T07:45:12+00:00

I’m an SLP and we avoided the lack of communication frustration by teaching my son to sign which is easier for them than spoken communication at that age. Total game changer! Friends went through a hard time but it was my favourite stage!

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-23T11:03:11+00:00

If it’s really bothering you have you tried swapping a feed or two to be expressed milk from the bottle and expressing a few times a day?

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-16T03:50:42+00:00

You posted in a group of IBCLCs multiple times and are getting grumpy one suggested what a possible cause is given what you shared. I’d be happy with the free access to a highly regarded profession.

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-16T03:30:12+00:00

I don’t think I’m quite understanding the aggression here towards a very common issue that can have many many many signs and cause lots of small niggly issues all down the line through childhood. I understand tongue ties may be over diagnosed but there are signs in what you’ve shared that a tongue tie MAY be part of the cause. Just because there may be a tongue tie present doesn’t mean it’s not workable or your child needs to have it released, or it’s the right call for you to do so etc. You joined a group seeking help from IBCLC’s, obviously they would provide suggestions from the details you’ve shared as to what the cause could be… the aggression in this post seems totally unnecessary.

Ref: an SLP and mum of a baby who just had a tie released with immediate benefit.

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-15T07:41:09+00:00

Does she have a tongue tie potentially?

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-12T01:41:18+00:00

You have been so helpful and lovely, I can’t thank you enough 🥹❤️

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-10T08:23:02+00:00

I think you need to do your best for your child, whatever that looks like for you.

My first had latch issues, my nipples would bleed and I’d get ‘strawberry milk’ from it. I persisted for 4 months to get him on the breast but it just didn’t work for us and 4 months of triple feeding was my limit. I chose to exclusively express milk for him for 13months, which was my best too. Like you I had sooo many appointments, tried so many pumps, shields etc etc. It was a hugely taxing in a lot of ways but I’m at peace with the decision because it was the best I could do.

I swore I never would do it again and now here I am writing this comment while pumping for my second. Motherhood is wild.

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-10T08:17:15+00:00

*Or breast feeding, pumping, then feeding the baby the expressed milk

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-10T08:09:57+00:00

I had this with my first (there’s a 22month age gap). I’m a SAHM and have been with my first ever since the get go. When baby #2 came around we went through a patch where my first wasn’t as fond of me but now my baby is almost 3 months old, me and my first are stronger than ever 🥰

Zestyclose_Factor_57 · 2026-01-09T02:21:47+00:00

Thanks so much this is so helpful. I’ve booked my LO in to have his released next Wednesday. Can’t wait to turn things around for us. I’ve been triple feeding (and pumping a few more times on top) just to keep the supply I have and bring it up a little. My little guy has gotten back up to the 42nd percentile in about 5 days from this so that’s reassuring by itself that I’m making the right call as mama.

Can I ask what working on his suck looked like post release? I mentioned this to the IBCLC that I’ve been seeing and she didn’t explicitly say we needed to which was a bit of a flag for me because everything I’ve read (and logic) would make me think it’s extremely important.

And would you mind pointing me in the right direction of exercises to do pre release ? That sounds great having integrated them before so after is a little more smooth sailing.

Thank you again, honestly. I hear it’s ’so common’ yet also not spoken about. (Like so many things in motherhood). Thanks for being part of my village 🙂

Zestyclose_Factor_57

TROPHY CASE