FEB 2010 Teeth, nosh and smelly bums - it's all go, six months on!!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Where did the last half a year go??!

Well that was a long one. I'm off to get dressed!

fizi Not sure what to tell you about your DD eating, they are usually ready between 5 and 7 months (so you have a bit of time there too). At that age even a few days make a huge difference. As long as you don't stress about it.
There are also a tiny amount of babies who are ready earlier or later than that.

For the talking, DH and I clearly heard DD2 said "OOOH, F@&K!" this morning we are going to assumed it is not her first word. She also says "papa" "mama" but it is just experimentation with sounds same as areuh, gageuh...
Untill she says it looking directly at us, then it is a word!

GF baths are still 2 finger deep water, and a free baby, crawling, sitting and, new from this morning, standing as the bath is low enough for her to pull.
Ears in the water, head under the tap, lots of splashing. Very different than DD1 on that too.
I always found the seats useless (I bought one for D1), but big active babies must outgrow it before they are above the safety recommended age.

mamaloco I love your dd2's vocabulary!!!

BG are you still sterilising? I've stopped sterilising when DS was 2 months and giving him boiled water at 5 months! [ashamed mother emocotion] I thought as he was licking the floor at 2 months there was no point to sterilising his stuff.

DS really enjoy his food, he's now eating the nursery food so every day I choose between the carnivore and veggie options (depending on the veg served with the meat today he had vegetable pancake mornay as it was roast beef, potaotes and sprouts! Sprouts don't agree with him). Tomorrow it'll be cottage pie.

fizi your DD will start eating when she's ready, it'll come soon enough if she's like any of the other Feb babies.

No problems with DH as we share the running of the house, I cook, do the laundry and take care of DS. DH vacuums, tidies, and takes care of me! We share the dishes.

There are French twins at nursery. They are a few months older than DS but will be in the same rooms. It's good for the practise of the language when they'll speak.

lol at living with a woman. Can you imagine the arguments about whose way was the best way?! I think I have just about come to terms with the fact that dp will never meet my high standards in relation to the dc's, oh and helping round the house. I try to focus on what he is better at. When he is in the mood he plays fantastically with dd and makes her scream with laughter in a way I just can't. It is lovely to see. So if you can, cc maybe just grin and bear it for now, because when your dd is a bit older he might come into his own?

Had a strange few days. Decided to start sleep training. Not so much for the night wakings, more for the evenings as ds would feed to sleep then wake as soon as I put him in the cot. Also for naps as these were all either in the pram, car seat or on my knee. I just had no time to myself and it was driving me nuts. I tried pick up/put down but ds just didn't settle when I picked him up, so I just do shush/patting in the cot, and what a transformation. At bedtime and most naps he settles within a minute as long as I shush pat and gently hold down his arms. It takes a bit longer for the last nap of the day and early hours of the morning, but I have only been going for 4 days so am hoping this will improve. I feel like a new woman!

Even stranger than this though is that, hardened BLWer that I am, ds has just wolfed down a huge portion of mushed up chicken casserole. The traitor. He has been feeding so much in the last few days and never seemed satisfied, so it seemed mean not to give him what he clearly needed, and he loved it. Feel bad that I was starving him now. It seems strange as dd never had pureed anything, in fact she wasn't bothered about eating anything until she was 8 or 9 months. Fizi don't worry about your dd as it is still very early days for food. As someone said earlier, milk is the most important thing until they are 1. Someone mentioned iron levels too which begin to deplete at 6 months, rather than disappear at 6 months. So it is something to be aware of in a couple of months time rather than worry about now.

Gosh what a long me, me post. I am just so excited to have a bit of me time in the evenings. I am going to try to catch up on all the tv I have been missing. Mistresses and X Factor here I come.....

Forgot to say welcome back to IC and bethylou I am glad you got somewhere with your consultant. Fingers crossed they can diagnose or rule something out.

CC I have an almost perfect DH really, and he will carry out any task I ask (and sometimes without being asked) but a) he is soooo slow (in comparison to me, who could only be sped up with the addition of a pair of rollerblades and an extra pair of hands), b) only does one thing at a time - wash a glass, stop to speak to me, wash a bit more, stop to listen to the radio etc.. and c) is not used to planning how to get us all out of the house - I find myself saying to DS1 every weekend, "We're just waiting for Daddy (to get out the shower/toilet, stop checking that I've got everything (of course I have!) etc..) Basically, I think he's in a tricky position cos he's only with us 2 days a week and I expect him to know the routine as well as I do. When he slows us down, I get cross but if he forgets something by trying to rush, I get cross too! I am very fortunate and try to remember that, but I do get very frustrated nonetheless. Big hugs to you and let's hope he doesn't read your February thread!

GF I sterilise bottles and teats only and will do so as long as I use them, mainly because I make up bottles up to 12 hours in advance and keep them in the fridge (and yes, I know, the latest advice is not to do this...). Everything else just goes in the dishwasher...

I have a new theory ... which is that the more finger food a baby gets early on, the more likely he or she is to reject spoon feeding... dd2 drove me mad tonight by refusing to eat from a spoon. I gave her a chunk of bread to calm her down (she can get herself into a right state!) and then stood behind her guiding her hand with the spoon, and she ate almost her entire dinner that way. . Looks like she really wants to feed herself but I am not prepared to let her loose on a lentil bake with her hands!! (Even though our kitchen could do with redecorating anyway...). She also ate half a pear and tried to eat a leaf off a pot plant... Luckily dd1 took it off her and told her off because I hadn't noticed and didn't think she could reach that far from her highchair. Oh, and she likes standing up in her highchair for her meals... {Mental note to adjust the foot rest so she does not climb out ]

OMG - someone on the March thread is expecting again!

bear really... that's going to be hard work to have two so close together.
Wonder who will be the first on this thread...

bear BG Not me, I am done! Far too old, even if DH would like at least one more. My cousin has 10 months between number 1 and number 2 (4 DCs in total) !

GF I am still sterilising the bottles but just because it is 30+ degree C outside. I wouldn't in the UK or france. I stopped sterilising the water (mineral) when DD2 was about 3 months.
Like BG's Lo, DD2 has been licking the floor, our hands, noses, even her sisters'shoes while exploring the house. She is going surprisingly quick(ly?) now.

chinook You were not starving him. A starving baby is inconsolable! (before it becomes too weak to cry ) If you are a hardcore BLW and need confort: He is not a traitor! You are still doing BLW if you are listening to your DS needs, so perfect mum!

Good morning everyone! I'm feeling totally wrung out today after a night of seeminly non-stop feeding from DD. It wasn't, but about every two hours, and proper, boob-draining feeding not messing about. Then early waking (by my standards ) and refusing to go back to sleep, only to go down for an early nap this morning. At least it gives me some time to go on mumsnet get stuff done.

chinook really pleased to hear that the sleep training has paid off so soon . I shush DD in her cot and stroke her head, sometimes I put my head right next to hers which seems to soothe her if she really won't go off. Then I think I'm being cruel for not giving her what she wants, which is to be with me .

Re your DS eating puree, it just shows that all babies are different no matter what we do, doesn't it?

I am persevering with the purees, DD actually seemed to eat some yesterday (maybe a teaspoon!) so I'll just keep trying. (And I am trying not to feel too left-behind.)

Wow, imagine being pregnant again already! If she's 12 weeks then they could be irish twins! I thought I might be pregnant a few times as BF gave me an appetite just like being first pregnant. Thankfully not. I need to get wedding out of the way, job sorted, DD sleeping through (yeah right )...

Job interview today.... Urgh. I must stop applying for things I know I can do but would rather not...

Crikey, I could not imagine myself been pregnant again as yet. Exhaustion of 1st trimester + lack of sleep due to a 6 months old.

Tired today, but only one day left to work before a long weekend. Just to have to feed DS then sleepy time for him and soon after for me! What an exciting life I have

I wonder how I could enquire about transforming my job as a part time without making my supervisor and DH panick? I know I can do the job in a short week I'm thinking of a 3 day week Tuesday - Thursday as they are busiest days with Court but wonder how much my wages will drop?

GF speak to your HR department. As far as I am aware you can request flexible working and they have to consider it. Mind you, I only really know what universities do... Good luck though.

Haven't heard about the job which probably means I won't get it... Ironic really, I did not even want to go to the interview but after the interview I really wanted the job!! So now I'll be disappointed when I don't get it.

No way am I going to get pregnant anytime soon. Especially not while I'm in America, if there is a next time, then I want proper maternity leave. Like GF I can't imagine combining that extreme 1st trimester exhaustion, I couldn't say I really did any work for 2 months. Also like GF, I think I need her to sleep better, at least more than 2 hours at a time.

I'm going to try and get her to feed less at either the 2 or 4am feeds. Tried offering her one side last nite for the 4am feed, but she weren't having it.

I came home from work early yesterday as couldn't really keep it together focus and took LO out for the afternoon which was great. Went to a chippy, the beach and a cafe, what more could you ask for. Told DH to rest, so he did jobs instead. I need to stop feeling guilty when he's tired as I try and get him to rest/sleep more but he ignores me. Thinking of rearranging my work week so that I have a half day of just me and her, maybe combine it with a group of some sort. Shame I've found a good one that's at noon. Thought of dropping to 4 day weeks, but we just can't afford the drop in income, same with day care once a week to give DH a break.

LO can now get from one of the yoga mat to the other, but mainly my bringing legs up and flopping out on her front, bless her. I love how she smiles when I kiss her. We're offering food twice a day, same thing each time. DH does the lunch time one, I do the evening. Have been quite brave and given her finger food, today she had tomato and pasta

Would just like to add that the oranges at the moment are absolutely delicious. I love how we post on here when things are going badly, but if it helps to keep us sane then bring on the posts, I love reading everyones.

Early start today as DS woke me up at 5.15am! He's now on his mat looking at me wth a big smile and chatting... How can I be cross with him when he does that?

Have a good day

Still waiting for DD2 to wake up here! DD1 and I have made a casserole for dinner and some baby food - should I feel like a domestic goddess or a Stepford wife?!

WEnt into London yesterday with the DDs to see DH for lunch. It was hard work (not the journeys, the DDs were brilliant), because the place DH works is horrifically busy at lunchtime. We had to try three restaurants before we found one that had a table free, and then it was so crowded I found it quite stressful. Don't know why really as both the DDs ate beautifully. And when I got home I felt very proud of myself for having done it! DD1 considered it a huge adventure and it occupied a lot of the day, so all good!

I'm doing bits of finger food too, and DD2 is very keen but does sometimes gag a bit. Toast is a winner at the moment. SHe has really cut down on her milk though - one day she only had 9oz all day, but I'm trying not to worry about it too much, and thinking about each week as a whole, rather than each day.

DD2 is crawling backwards slowly but still not sitting unassisted for very long.

It's mine and DH's wedding anniversary this weekend (seven years, how did that happen), so we are leaving the DDs with the ILs and going away for a couple of nights. Very exciting!

Happy anniversary, watercress!

Thanks for the lovely welcome back, Ladies.

In San Sebastian we ate veggie burgers (!) - partly because it was a baby-friendly situation and time for eating and partly out of amazement to find such a thing in Spain. Beautiful place, though. Rammed with holidaymakers, as you can imagine, but the Atlantic actually felt warm there.

Well, DD slept quite well on the whole on our holiday. In stark contrast to our first night back in Madrid when she woke up every hour or less [exhausted emoticon] - a combination of feeling unsettled by yet another change of environment; the heat (it is BLOODY hot); being put to sleep on a flat surface instead of in her Cocoonababy (which she is growing out of and shouldn't really sleep in now she can almost roll over); possibly constipation (Day 5 today, still no poo) and possibly teething. And who knows what else? Anyway, it wasn't much fun and I felt a bit defeated today for a moment or two.

On a brighter note, DD had some porridge for brekky and ate all the puree I gave her for lunch (plus some gumming on a couple of French beans and a swig or two of water from her sippy cup), so that's good! We only got the highchair yesterday (the cheapy IKEA one, but it does the job and we needed something smallish and collapsible for when we move back to the UK).

DD is now playing in her new playroom made by DH - he's put soft stuff on the floor for her to roll on and installed all her toys and books, plus little boxes with lids for her to "discover" things we put in there for her and the 4 quid baby gym we found in a UK charity shop. She seems to be enjoying it hugely, so far! Hopefully she'll wear herself out with all the playing and eating and sleep better [fat chance emoticon].

A pregnancy among the March crew already?! Yikes! Still, me and DH can't wait around too long for DC number 2 - we'll probably start trying again at Christmas. In an ideal world I would probably leave a bigger gap, but age is catching up with me (and who knows how long it'll take to conceive, if indeed we manage it at all?)

I love hearing all your news, keep it coming!

My baby doesn't want to eat! He clamps his mouth shut and turns his head away, I've tried so many different things and tried feeding him with my fingers, letting him try himself, different times of day, hungry, not hungry, tired, not tired etc etc. One of my best friends is a health visitor and she told me off when I said I couldn't resist the urge to make him laugh and then sneak a spoonful of apple puree in when he had his mouth open...

He will happily squish broccoli, banana, cooked carrot and rice in his fingers or gum a peeled plum, chunk of bread or whispers chips (it was a desperate please-stop-screeching moment in a restaurant) so I think I might have to abandon my freezerful of fruit and veg puree ice cubes and go down the rather messier route of finger foods. Sigh. His brother wasn't like this at all.

Welcome midnightsun

Your DS may not be bothered by spoon feeding and seems to enjoy BLW, let him do as the main nutrients still come from the milk. He'll eat more when he's ready.

Thanks. I'm actually a prodigal February mother, have posted a few times a while ago, I just don't get in here very often...!

BLW for sure, midnightsun! Sounds like he's made up his mind about baby foods.

Someone asked what sleep training I was going to do...??

In reply:

1. get DD used to kipping on a flat surface (abandoning the Cocoonababy...) which is by cold turkey, really. (and cutting back on pram naps to help get her used to the new sleep environment).

1. Encouraging DD to self-settle and/or get herself off to sleep without needing any part of Mummy's anatomy in her mouth or the dummy. Pantley pull-off is the route I've chosen. I don't fancy CC at this stage, although I have been leaving DD to grumble, returning if she starts actually crying.

I figure once those two things are cracked, we should naturally be on the way to cutting down on the nocturnal awakenings (hopefully, DD will start getting the hang of slipping back to sleep without my help).

Boy, it's not been easy so far. I've only really started with naps, not sure how much resolve I'll have for overnight. But last night was another shocker, so something's got to give...

Aha! The poo finally arrived on Day 6. Not as gargantuan as you might imagine after that gap.....

IC I'm impressed by 6 days wthout a poo. DS does 3 to 4 a day!

Quite a grouchy day today, not sure if it's the teething or just wanting attention... We should see how it goes.