Late October 2020 babies - Support Thread

[Mc3209]

Graduating from Pregnancy forum into Parenting one! I feel almost grown up.

And of course everyone is welcome to join!

@DressingGown87 @Jaffas22 @DogCatDex @EmmaA96 @Parks11 @LadyB90 @Strawberries4days @LST87 @sls668 @plentyofplants @Uppsydaisy
@sunbreak @FirstSurprise001 @WaveStreet @roarfeckingroar
@Mc3209 @KitKatKit @1990shopefulftm @Lolllyf @HelenMarie1001 @Freddie1987 @BS9790 @hmeadow24 @Ghostworld @roarfeckingroarr @Glooorb @mamavee @UpsyDaisy1234 @Samk93
@60sPony @Monkeyseesmonkeydoesnt @AdventureAhead @Elizag20 @justtb @Clalou83 @SJR86 @Flora20 @Watersintheclouds @Jaffas22 @justtb

I am sorry if I missed anyone!

He is not in there for long during the day, but I use it as his safe place while I do stuff like changing bedsheets, sorting out aquariums, blow-dry my hair etc.

@Mc3209 I have the mesh airflow bumper, as she was just getting stuck. Although cots are designed to make sure they can’t get stuck, it seemed a game of my how many limbs she could fit through. She has stopped wriggling around now as much, as I think the novelty has worn off, so will take them off soon.

@GhostWorld I’ve never wanted to admit how much I struggle with the weeks vs months concept so thank you for posting that 😂

Another thing I'm a bit confused about (and perhaps others are) is sterilising. If I sterilise something in boiling water and then take it out what stops it from being sterile? I'm currently trying ebm in a bottle and then if ds is still hungry top it up with formula, if i sterilise the bottle before the ebm will it still be sterile when I put formula in? Currently I'm giving him the ebm and then making him wait 10 mins while I wash and sterilise the bottle ha

@GhostWorld air coming into contact with it, so if you screw a teat straight on and put the lid on its fine but once you ve put something in it I believe it no longer is. Not sure if breast milk changes it though as we re just using formula and he only has 4 bottles a day so not loads of sterlising, I just know to screw the teat and kid straight on if we re taking a bottle in the changing bag to go out.

Is anyone else struggling to fit naps and feeds into a new busy schedule now lockdown is lifted? 2 days over the past week, she’s gone much longer than normal without a feed because time has run away from me or, like today, she is far too distracted to feed in a busy place!
We’re going to the zoo next week for the day with friends and I’m starting to wonder if she’ll feed well! I don’t know if to express some milk and take it in bottles but then I don’t know how to take it out and keep it fresh!

@Sls668 yes! It’s so hard. It’s like nap, feed, wean, change, repeat, and before you know it’s bedtime. Trying to fit that into being out is hard. I’ve found her awake windows are a lot longer when out, 3-4hours. But she will sleep if she wants to in the pram, or car (FINALLY)! She won’t really take a bottle whilst out though unless she really wants it, but even then it’s a lot of messing around. Found shes better sat in a highchair / pram with snacks as she feels more involved, than a bottle. We are off to the zoo too, but have done lots of days and meals out, think this is our first day home 🤦🏽‍♀️ I just think as long as they are happy, then there is no harm.

We have lots of breaks booked now, I’m dreading how much stuff I have to take.

Agreed! Trying to fit everything in is a nightmare. In my head maternity leave was just leisurely long coffee mornings . I've been overzealous and am doing 3 baby groups every week but it was so nice to have somewhere regular to go this morning even if I couldn't really talk to the other mums much. DS is also crap at feeding while out, far too distracted.

@GhostWorld I think sterilising the bottle just kills any bacteria that has built up from old milk but I wouldn't have thought that in the time you're using it it would have a chance to grow? I quite frequently top up DS's bottles as it's very hard to predict how hungry he is and he rarely follows a pattern. I sometimes think about how much bacteria goes in his mouth anyway as he constantly tries to mouth everything!

@DressingGown87 also thinking there is no way we're going to fit all this stuff in the car when we go away in the summer. We're really thinking of buying a bigger car as we have tiny boot space.

we're just hoping we can book somewhere with a travel cot if we go anywhere as we'll have to chuck the changing bag and our bags on the front seat as the car is so small.
Not had much trouble with fitting naps in as his natural wake windows are about 4 hours anyway and he has milk every 4 hours, we're just going to offer him meals when we eat ours and if he's asleep sometimes for them then no harm done.

@DressingGown87 thanks, I will have a look at those. He also started rolling onto his tummy during sleep, and it stresses me out! I know it's OK to let them sleep like that if they get into it themselves, but I am still paranoid and keep checking he is breathing.

Has anyone transitioned their baby to their own room yet? I'm thinking of doing it at 8 months, I'm waking up with the smallest sound from her as I feel like I'm on high alert every night. Last night she slept till half 4, which was great, but I'm still awake all before that thinking she's gonna wake up for a feed or dummy 🙈 Never used to be a light sleeper until DD came

@Strawberries4days we haven't yet, we re hoping to try in a couple of weeks when he's 6 months just incase the weaning throws off his sleep. He's been in his cot next to us since 3 months old so he's used to that so hoping that will help the transition

@Strawberries4days Paige is in her room now, which is next to mine. She went into her cot at the end of the bed, but I was waking her up when I was going to bed / going for a wee in the night. Constantly walking in to the cot and shouting ouch. Then I was waking up when she made the slightest noise. So it worked best for us both. Took me awhile to adjust not being awake thinking why hasn’t she woke me, is she ok.

@1990shopefulftm ah that's a good idea. The smallest change can throw off their routine! Hope it's going well with the weaning and pulling all the funny faces haha

@DressingGown87 exactly the same. I feel like we're waking her when we're creeping into the room and our bed isn't the quietest to get into🙈 dh doesn't feel she's ready for her own room yet, which is understandable as we have to close her door due to our cat so we wouldn't hear anything. We got an owlet that monitors heart rate and notify us if anything is up. I'm also going to get a two way baby monitor because we won't be able to hear anything as the owlet is only an app, so would need to stay open but drains the battery on our phones so quickly! I think if she was in her own room, she wouldn't wake up for a night feed which would be good for her weaning

@Strawberries4days oh we are starting weaning on Friday, didn't want DH missing out on his first meal.
We have a cat too, we might keep her downstairs still as she's good at opening closed doors.

@Strawberries4days I have a monitor, so still wake up to the slightest noise. But she wakes less now, and if she does is easier to settle. They just seem to start waking at everything, and I found she woke up and was like oh their you are, playtime?

Weaning is still very slow progress here. She wants food, and will actively grab for things and the spoon. But seems to dislike most food. They’ve said it’s due to her reflux, as she will have an overactive / sensitive gag reflex. So just to keep trying slowly, as she won’t like the feeling.

What sun cream is everyone using? I have the Nivea baby protect and care cream, but it seems to be aggravating her skin.

@DressingGown87 Asda kids factor 50 suncream we re using. I ve heard the child's farm one is good.

Meeting a friend outside tommorow (first friend of mine to meet DS finally after this long) and we re just starting weaning today, thinking I ll buy him a low salt croissant to share with me for breakfast and take him some melty sticks or rice cakes for around lunchtime but not sure what else if anything to give him with that since he's unlikely to eat much anyway.

Most of the outdoor eating places will be pre booked tables so this hopefully will get much easier when indoor eating is allowed again.

@1990shopefulftm thank you will have a look at asda, and children’s farm.

Most places I’ve been to have been to locally are walk in only. So not had issues with finding tables for lunch, I think evening meals are harder to come by. That sounds good, at first they don’t eat much, just start on one meal a day and some fruit / veg snacks for textures and flavours.

I'm gonna try kids factor 50 solair sun cream cause we also got sensitive skin and we've been alright with that brand. Child's farm is suppose to be good too.

I'm thinking of doing 2 meals a day starting tomorrow, still like 2/3 spoons of something though. Had to wrestle the spoon off of her this morning for the porridge 😂 we're the same, everything opens on Monday so I think everywhere will be fully booked for a bout a month until things settle. Really want to see how she takes to sitting with us in the coffee shop just for a change of scenery to her

@DressingGown87 we ve no immediate family history of allergens so been told we re good to go with trying finger food meals from the beginning and see how he gets on.

We re close to a couple of pubs so we ll go there for evening meals for the first time I think apparently the cafes in the city centre can be a bit busy for their lunchtime tables on Saturdays.

@Strawberries4days we sat outside Costa the other day and he was so excited to people watch bless him.

@1990shopefulftm that is the cutest! It's like a whole new world again with everything opening up

we're using boots soltan baby suncream it's factor 50 and 5 star uva. we use aldis baby one which has the same rating when out and about as it's a smaller tube.

we are on day 2 of weaning and it's not going well. I thought he would ace weaning as he's such a grubber on between 40 and 45 oz of milk a day and has great hand mouth coordination and anytime you pass something by his mouth he opens it and tries to get it ..... well unless it's food we've found out. purees he won't open his mouth to if we do get some in he spits it straight out and has a meltdown. tried some banana wafers today as finger food he wouldn't hold it would only lick it if I held it and if broke off into his mouth he would spit it out

Thank you will try a few different ones, and see if I can find one which doesn’t irritate her skin.

@krissy12 aww don’t worry too much, he will pick it up eventually. We have been weaning for weeks now, and she’s just started actually enjoying it (sometimes), and actively opening her mouth and not messing around. She could pick up her spoon and put it in her mouth, but would just spit it out or gag until she’s sick. I found the self feeders good, as she thought they where more a toy / dummy, which she actively puts in her mouth.

@Strawberries4days it is so exciting seeing them reacting and watching this new world and experiences. We was in a beer garden the other day having a meal and football was on a huge screen. She was sat watching it, and shouting when all the lads watching where. It was funny, although slightly embarrassing that she was joining in at times 😂