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Fostering

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Original poster

Help I'm having a baby.

53 replies

ChooChooWowWow · 08/12/2011 17:20

I haven't done babies for 5 years. She's 8 months old.
So, travel cot and age appropriate pushchair have been turfed from loft and dusted down.hank goodness I kept them. The SW or police are bringing her round some time this evening.

I have no idea how big she is, what she eats/drinks, what her routine is (if any).

DH has been dispatched to Asda to buy:
Nappies
Babygros
Vests
Milk
A couple of food jars - would normally cook fresh but this may be what she's used to.
Bottles
Dummy
Hat and mittens - need to go out for school run tomorrow

I've found some soft sheets in the airing cupboard and the other dc have donated a fleece for a blanket. Also a few cuddly toys.
So anything else and what are the rules for LOs these days re feeding ect.

OP posts:
BusterTheDonk · 08/12/2011 18:05

Yipee.. how exciting... yipee yipee yipee... ahh bless..

Absolutely no advice whatsoever for you Grin... sure lots will be along soon...

ahh bless... sure you'll be a natural .. good luck choochoo and keep intouch.. let us know how she gets on..

ahh bless.... Xmas Grin

bonnieslilsister · 08/12/2011 18:10

How exciting! You will the envy of everyone! I think you have it all covered.

The rule about feeding seems to be finger food for the child rather than mushy food but I guess you will want to keep her eating what she is used to.

community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a508055/finger_foods_for_8_month_old

Steriliser??? Need to use this for anything to do with milk, ie bottles, cups until she is 1 yr.

If she stays with you I would try and get a cot as they say travel cots are not good for the baby on a reg basis.

Do you know which formula milk she uses?

Original poster
ChooChooWowWow · 08/12/2011 18:31

No idea bonnie, I've bought SMA Follow on. I just had a call to ask if I can take her sister as well. That brings me up to 7 dc for Christmas eeek.

I forgot the steriliser, I will just have to rely on a very hot dishwasher for tonight. Though TBH I don't think she will have been used to sterilised things for a long time.

OP posts:
timetosmile · 08/12/2011 18:34

Just to remind you to out the fiddly older DC's stuff out of reach, and to think about sockets, trailing flexes etc. that we all get a bit blase about once the children are past the crawling/tugging/mouthing stage.....oh, and get some extra washing powder in!
Good on you...hope its a real success x

maypole1 · 08/12/2011 18:43

All I can say is thank god for 24 hour supermarkets what the he'll did carers do before them when a baby came in the middle of the night.

Good luck girl

MotherPanda · 08/12/2011 18:46

How exciting! Good luck!

BusterTheDonk · 08/12/2011 19:01

7 dc for christmas... wow RESPECT... Grin

Kbear · 08/12/2011 19:03

dishwasher will be fine

Thank God for people like you.

Original poster
ChooChooWowWow · 08/12/2011 19:09

Blimey plug sockets forgot about that. I've put the Christmas decorations up today hope the tree survives.
Still not here, they are being checked over at hospital at the moment. I've sent poor Dh out again for pants and socks for the older girl.

How right you are maypole I would have been stuffed without 24 hour Asda tonight.

My other dc are being fab. The new children are bringing nothing but the clothes they have on. The other dc have all put books and teddies in their rooms to welcome them.

OP posts:
fraktious · 08/12/2011 19:15

Remember to make the milk according to the guidelines not the crap instructions in the tin. Powder must be mixed with HOT but not boiling (70C+) water, not boiled and cooled to room temp water. It's okay to put rapidly cooled bottles in the fridge for reheating.

Good luck!

mousysantamouse · 08/12/2011 19:41

don't buy socket protectors they are pretty unsafe.

mumatron · 08/12/2011 19:47

no advice but I just wanted to say good luck. You do an amazing job as a foster parent.

I hope the girls are okay when they get to you.

Camerondiazepam · 08/12/2011 20:02

Where are you? I have a cot and a 6-9m pram suit you could have / borrow if you are nearby? Could poss deliver tomoz?

scarlet5tyger · 08/12/2011 20:18

Just want to wish you good luck too!

I didn't know it was now okay to put bottles in the fridge for reheating again - I stopped bottle feeding about 4 months ago and it was still a huge NO then, every bottle had to be made new. I'm definitely going to check this out because I've always struggled with screaming babies at 3am feeds waiting for their bottles to be made!!

Choo choo your list looks all encompassing, I'm sure anything you've missed will wait a couple of days!

fraktious · 08/12/2011 20:29

Nope, it's been fine for ages as long as the feed is made with hot water and rapid cooled.

It not the best solution, it is still a compromise, but it's better especially if you have an unsettled baby in an unfamiliar place and no info in routine - waiting 20 mins for kettle to boil, water to cool a bit, feed to mix and cool isn't good from the child's POV.

I would link the guidelines but on phone.

scarlet5tyger · 08/12/2011 20:39

Fraktious, I totally agree - not good from a harassed foster carer's point of view either :o

mumatron · 08/12/2011 20:58

I have a steriliser and loads of 6-9 month girls clothes/coats if your anywhere near me.

MudAndGlitter · 08/12/2011 21:01

I've got loads of toys if you are anywhere near Milton Keynes and a pushchair and 9-12 month clothes

Original poster
ChooChooWowWow · 08/12/2011 21:27

Thank you everyone some great advice there, I had no idea about the latest milk guidelines so that helps.

Thanks for all the offers of clothes and equipment. I have a pushchair. The SW has agreed an emergency payment for both dc so I will go shopping tomorrow. The older girl isn't going to school so it will give us something to do. I'm expecting them about 10 o clock. Poor little things will be shattered it's been a long stressful day for them. Hopefully they will be so tired they will sleep well and we can see what tomorrow brings.

OP posts:
LivingDead · 08/12/2011 21:28

I think the "exciting" post was a bit out of order, get a bit of perspective fgs. I would say it is ok to make a bottle in advance, make it with very hot water (less than 30 mins from boiling) then cool rapidly under running water, chuck in fridge.

For an 8 month old, mushy food to shovel in themselves would be fine, usual finger food, really depends if the child is used to being spoonfed mush, or feeding themselves really, just offer both.

mousysantamouse · 08/12/2011 21:52

of course it is exciting for the op.
good luck with the children they are so lucky to have you to take care for them!

RandomMess · 08/12/2011 21:54

I hope it goes well, I'm sure the 7 year old will be harder work than the baby Wink

Camerondiazepam · 08/12/2011 22:31

ChooChoo I second the above poster who said you do an AMAZING job. Am in SE London if you want cot or pram suit, lemme know, would be chuffed to help if you are reasonably local.

mumtosome · 09/12/2011 07:20

Hope the LOs managed to sleep and are reasonably ( as much as can be expected) settled. :)

Re the sockets PLEASE DO NOT USE SOCKET COVERS!!!! We are with Barnardos and it states clearly in our handbook that we MUST NOT use these. See herehttp://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=socket%20covers%20dangerous&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CEQQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fatallyflawed.org.uk%2F&ei=57XhTqvjG4jT8QPRubX-Aw&usg=AFQjCNEYNNJSnxC1OvWgAKK0AkAUUnv1jw

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