FESH spa and creche: Is anyone thinking of the children yet?

[SkiHorseWonAWean]

New Fred. Apologies for dullness of title - we need curly for witticisms.

Hurray for health visitors!

I've just been to see ours to get Rastus weighed. 15 weeks, 17lbs 1oz He's gone from 75th to 91st percentile in 4 weeks. Big fat blooter!

Just got back from lovely osteo lady (who's 2 sons both had reflux,) and she went step by step through everything, and spoke to me like an intelligent human being. Am now happy with her explanation as to why it is more likely to be colic (DD=burpy colic, DS =farty colic. He is a man, after all!) Makes all the difference when you are given a full explanation rather than 'don't worry - I'm a doctor!'

Don't you hate it when you are palmed off with a "why are you bothering me" response! So glad you got it all sorted boxer or a least you will have!!

Not much going on here. Junior is a bit quiet. Bump feels heavy and low. My left hip is giving me jip and so is my back. So all in all I am looking and feeling knackered good.

39+1 today. Tried to shave my legs today. I am sure trying to solve the what really happened to Princess Di in Paris would have been easier. I look like i have been attacked by a faulty lawnmower. I would never have thought that such a simple task could be so hard!

More importantly where on earth is vag?

Anyone watch that docusoap about Essex on ITV2 on Sunday? Shocking. Vajazzle anyone?????

The FESHes are updating the not list - so skater/boxer/cossie/VAG need to update their laying dates if they please.

Am back from farrier & vet. Despite shower there's still a lingering whiff of 'orse about me. [shrug] Work's do tonight - still, they know me well enough by now...

cunty He is a big boy! Well done!

What are you lot thinking about weaning? The Dutch are happy to let us stuff food in their tiny little gobs from 4 months and I need to research this more as I'm not 100% with it what with him being a preemie - on the other hand, he's a hungry bunny and furthermore, what rental flat can't be improved with carrot-stained walls?

6 months ski, not a day earlier. Famous last words...

nagontheNevisRange I am not sure on weaning. My niece started getting a bit at 5 months and seems to be doing really well. Sometimes reflux babies are weaned sooner because real food is easier to keep down. I should really try some milk sans Gaviscon first to see how her reflux is now.

I'm sure some HCPs actually advise early weaning for preemies. Actually, I shall go and google that now.

My plan is to let Squeaker lead. She's already started staring at my dinner with intent. I might try a bit of baby-led weaning when she has grasped (excuse the pun) the knack of holding things and putting them more purposefully to her mouth. It's all a bit flukey at the mo!

Whatever I do, I'll probably speak to the GP/nurse practitioner first. Actually I might mention it at her vaccination appointment a week today

Do your babies roll over from lying on their backs? I wonder if this is something hindered by S being swaddled. She can lie on her front with her head up and roll over to her back from there, but I never see her rolling to the side these days.

I still can't get over how quickly they learn stuff.

curly Well the reason I asked is that your friend emailed me earlier to say that she's starting soon - reading up about it was on my list of things to do but have not got around to it yet - was just wondering what the FESH wisdom thought.

I asked my mum about it last week and she said both me and my sister were making hungry eyes at the "grown up's food" early so she gave us mashed carrot type stuff from 4 months. Jailbait is planning to ask HV at next appointment.

Bear will not tolerate "tummy time" - he screams the fucking house down, however is sitting up in his chair face-to-face with the dog and grabbing at her. Mum said I went straight to walking and fucked off the crawling. Time will tell... although if he won't do tummy time I can't see him liking crawling. He doesn't even really like to be facing our chests for cuddles - he likes looking out at the world! :)

I can't get over how quickly he's growing out of clothes. Every day I seem to be putting something else away for number 2.

Popped on 7th Sept.

Ski here's my thoughts on weaning (although I was bought a weaning recipe book by other mothers concerned I was going to kill DD!) Well known fact that breast milk is the most calorific foodstuff you can cram into babies. Formula is designed to be as close as poss to BM, so is bound to also be calorific. Tiny guts not really designed to consume much else for months. Giving them some kind of solids early on will fill their stomachs temporarily, but won't satisfy them for long, as they can't get much out of it. Also - have you tasted baby rice?

I went for baby led weaning, which advocates that if a baby can pick it up and get it into it's mouth, they are developed enough to eat it. So, theoretically, if your baby can use complex tools they could be eating lobster before you know it . In a more basic form, though, it means plonking a lump of something on the tray in front of da baybee and letting them figure it out for themselves. They can manage fist size bits of food like rice crackers with Philly on them (or frigging dellas, whatever the Dutch equivalent is,) quite early on, and watching them practice their pincer grip on peas is hilarious.

I started DD on solids when she smacked her hand into my Christmas dinner and started licking the carrot mash off it. She was 5 and a half months. They start getting REALLY interested in food and what you are eating when they are ready, and start trying to steal your grub. The advantage of BLW is they can eat whatever you are having, and you can polish it off if they don't eat it. None of this is to say you can't buy baby convenience food too. But you don't want to end up with an 18 month old that will only eat Cow and Gate slop. (Ella's Kitchen pouches are really handy though!)

One thing to bear in mind is weaning is really messy, and once you've started you can't really go back. Milk is just so much easier!

Silver if you want a bit of inducing Boxy-stylee I will be bouncing round forests in the 4x4 tomorrow 8am, hoping to catch glimpses of the racehorse following hounds. Will understand if you want to sit blimp-like on the sofa stuffing your face with chocolate though!

Just to follow that up. Bliss (the prem baby charity) recommend between 5 and 7 months and say standard Government guidlines don't apply for preemies. Reasons outlined in a leaflet you can download from their website: bliss.org.uk
Just put weaning in the search box.

Rolling babies - we co-sleep, and I swear DS gets up and creeps a little closer to me while I sleep. He is not supposed to be able to move yet, but how else to explain how I put him down in the middle of the bed and wake up a few hours later on a 6 inch wide sliver of mattress? He can and does roll onto his side. DD couldn't do anything like that till she was 4 months or so. She hated tummy time too.

Oh, and I hadn't thought of the mess on our rental property's walls/carpet. [eek] Thanks for that.

Buy a big plastic sheet - bigger than you would buy for a homebirth, even! And don't for God's sake, whatever you do, limewash the walls with authentic historically correct hand-mixed limewash - ask me how I know. Am off to FB to post a few pics about the delights of BLW!

Thanks boxy. She seems to wriggle to the side while swaddled, but generally if we lie her on her back she doesn't travel. But she isn't even four months yet and I should make the most of her being immobile really!. She used to scream at tummy time, but is much more keen now she can lift her head and stare at the TV

sorry alps I managed to completely miss your last post will all the cross-posting. It has been very much on my mind the past few days. The more I have read the more I reckon we'll be playing with mash well before Christmas (6 months). Maybe we'll be getting sticky hands in our Christmas dinners! I have also been tempted to give S a lick of, say, an apple. But I'm scared it will get her too excited and she'll start refusing milk and eyeing up my venison burgers.

Maybe you can see how our mutual friend gets on and learn from her successes/mistakes?

Oh yes, we have a new-found hatred of the chest-facing cuddle here now. She's far too nosy and will only do it when very, very tired.

I have started using the stretchy wrap sling again now she can hold her head up. Went to town the other day. She slept (facing me) all they way round the supermarket, then sat facing outwards while I wandered around in the sunshine. It's amazing how people pretty much ignore baby in pram, but smile and say hello to one that's staring out to the world from tit height!

I have lost half a stone. AIBU to celebrate by baking cake?

boxy those pics are bloody brilliant! PMSL at the spag bol. I'm half dreading it and half looking forward to it now.

Notice she is naked!

Duly noted.

6 months here before I even begin to think it. Plan on doing BLW per box. Having started to wean LC at 4 months as per recommendation because of reflux I now see the error of my ways.

Since LC, gov guidelines have changed advice from "4-6 months" to "6 months+". I don't know why LC has eczema - meaning ovviously it's in the genes but would it have been worse if he'd not been BF? Would he have not had it if I'd EBF until 6 months and not given formula or cow's milk until after 12 months?

I don't know but he's intolerant to so bloody much now that I just can't risk it.

Obviously that's my personal circs given allergies in my family. But you asked.

Oh and box Comma is excellent at wriggling around the bed/floor. Although I put him on the edge of the bed when we go to sleep I invariably find him snuggled up to me when he wakes me for boobies. And we have a 7' wide bed so he has to cross about 2 feet to get to me. Has done this since he was about 3 weeks old.

Can't do anything else. Scarcely bats at toys and hates being on his tummy. Is only half way towards holding up his head. So is "behind" in many ways.

rots have you even taken LC for allergy testing (skin pricks and RAST bloods?)

boxer only just seen your suggestion! Sounds like a lot of fun and baybee would probably literally shoot out.

Time to get up - am starving!!! It's sharer's first day on winter rota. Fingers xd it goes well and I dont get a Dear John. Have fought the urge to do load of stuff for her (haynet/feeds ready) and not done a thing. Despite my OCD I couldn't be arsed. It's better that I do stop babysitting as better for her and the hoss in the long run.

Has anyone heard from VAG? hope she is A OK?

okie I have an A4 page with 2 columns filled with things he's tested to be allergic or intolerant of (not entirely sure of the difference), going from "very", "quite", "a little bit" (not those actual words) and including eggs, milk, onions, house mites, nylon or polyester or something (can't remember), etc etc. :(

Silver you did not miss much. Horses and hounds disappeared off into a huge forest and we didn't see them for 3 hours. In the middle of this I had to drop DD off at pre-school and she was most unhappy about this, saying she couldn't go to school as we hadn't finished hunting yet. And then she told me I need to get a horse I can ride out with her on.

DS has been a bit better today, but typically DD has decided it is her turn to wail if DS is being quiet. Being held upright seems to help stave off his wailiness, so I have been striding about the woods with DS strapped in a mei tai - he seems to like it, he can see my face, feel cuddled, and look at the trees - all at once. I have found a new mei tai site of lust. I want one with a pixie hood. Other mothers at pre-school were intrigued (and some were even inspired) by the custom Babyhawk DS was strapped into.

VAG has been gone for far too long - is anyone is contact?

I iz worried about vagagoogoo.

box wonder what the other kids make of littlebox arriving at nursery/pre-school and announcing that she would rather be out hunting. Brilliant.

Still no tens machine here as HI is sourcing that. Can see that will end up being an item I have to do without.

Still need to decide on a sling as think it will be good for dawg strolling ESP when woods are muddy/wet.

So much to do!

I will textsexpest VAG today and see if I can get a reaction - I trust she's just busy, busy, busy as everyone is in the first fortnight - when night becomes day, your head is scrambled and you're busy sobbing with a baby's head so soft you're scared you'll stick your fat fingers through it.

I met up again with curly and I's mutual friend yesterday - it's really interesting to see how different the babies are developing. Her's was actually due a couple of weeks before Bear - but because he was nearly a month early and her's a couple of weeks late, they reversed roles. Her's is much more advanced hands-wise and has more control of her digits whilst Bear's back is stronger (I think) and he's better at sitting. But it's fascinating to see and it does show (to me at least) that they're all doing fine - just different paces for different things.

As for Bear's food - I'm going to wait until he's 16 weeks (corrected) and then try him on a few bits - if he's not interested, so be it - we'll wait. I'm waiting partially because he was preemie and also because I'd like him to have more control of his fingers first so it won't be a case of me shoving it in his gob with a spoon.

The fingers are coming on in leaps and bounds though and this morning he grabbed a handful of dog!

I also suspect teeth are perhaps on their way - he's "blowing bubbles" and very dribbly. The preemies are born with teeth very close to the surface as the gums aren't quite developed, then they grow the flesh over them - but I think they're coming.

The work thing the other night went pretty well - people are being ordered to "work at home" pretty much 5 days a week - partially due to lack of work - and they've just announced more redundancies to come. So what I want is a new job and my redundancy package fankewevehmuch.