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FEB 2010 First birthdays beckon and toddlerdom approacheth...uh-oh!

998 replies

InmaculadaConcepcion · 06/01/2011 09:21

It's humbling to look back at the last year and see how our LO's have gone from helpless newborns to action-packed pre-toddlers.

BRING IT ON!!!

Smile
OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 13:24

stoof brilliant news!!!
BC I second (third) the coca cola - always works for me! Hope you are feeling better
IC love the keyring clip Grin
Abs dd2 also now passes me bits of fluff. We had new stair carpet laid and it's still producing fluffy bits. I am glad she's stopped eating it...
Scones how did the lunch go? So sorry for your friend Sad
LBH I'm a little Hmm re osteopaths but it did help a friend's LO who had a traumatic delivery. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!! Smile

Sorry if I missed someone... struggling to keep up Smile. We are now having some sleep problems. Two nights ago dd2 woke at 4.30 because she was cold (she likes it very warm and it had dropped to 17 degrees in her room). She settled back to sleep with a fleece on and the heating on but I couldn't get back to sleep at all Confused. Last night she suddenly started screaming at half 9 which is so unlike her that I plucked her from her cot immediately. I took her downstairs to sit with me watching the fire and needed three attempts at putting her back to bed, including giving her calpol. She kept pulling her ears and I think she had earache which would explain her refusal and sceeching at lying down. She woke a few times in the night but only briefly and then woke just before 6 crying again. I took her in with me for a snooze (her, not me) until past 7. She's had a few crying episodes this morning, too but is now sleeping well. Poor little thing. I am a little concerned how dh will cope when I am on a course tomorrow... When she's ill she just wants mama.

mamaloco · 20/01/2011 14:52

Confused CS your Dd is eating really well. PA do you think it is good she doesn't want milk during the day because your at work or are you hoping she will eat more?

DD2 still have 3 bottle a day, but she is having less at 3 she rather have some of what her sister is having.

Today she had one toast at 6, a polenta "cookie" at 11, for lunch fish and rice, quarter of a banana, then for 3pm half of a grape Hmm and a piece of bread, for diner she will have a small carrot, pasta and may be half a plain yogurt.
She usually have more vegetables but we were out a lot today and she usually has a piece of fruit at breakfast. And she is eating a lot IMO (IME too, DD1 ate less than that, she was too tired for diner).

BC hote your better. Second (4th or 5th?) the coca cola.

BG hope your DD is feeling better.

PenguinArmy · 20/01/2011 16:04

Before I read rest of thread and forget.

No milk during day = no expressing and frees up early evening as I can used frozen stash for that in case I'm late bacl. She still gets BF at least 4 times a day, just not during working hours. I also suspected milk during day was holding back solids, but that was just a co-incidental bonus if that was true.

PenguinArmy · 20/01/2011 16:21

and to clarify we've been keen and pushing for this happen

She's been happy throughout the day and settled for sleeps fine. If was was unable to settle then we would offer milk. She's was only being offered 1 3oz bottle before.

The wobble I think came because this co-incided with her sleeping more at night so no. of feeds got cut more than I was expecting. If she wakes up in the night and requires feeding then so be it.

She has meat occasionally, but has a lot of fat and she loves lentil (she'll eat 6 heaped tablespoons of them) and tofu. Avocados are grown around here. It also sounds like she eats more than others have listed above.

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 16:32

So vegan with the odd bit of sausage thrown in on holiday then PA? Grin Confused

StoneBaby · 20/01/2011 16:44

My little werewolf came back last night as he whinged from 2 til 4am Confused

DS weekday has 2 bottles of formula (5oz each) at 3pm and bedtime and only his bedtime one at weekends, but he eats cheese and yogurts at weekend to compensate. Plus milk with his cereals.

His normal eating day is: cereals (ready brek or weetabix) with milk + 1/2 toast for breakfast (plus a satsuma or banana at weekend), meat/fish + veg+ carbs and desert at lunchtime, bottle or yogurt and biscuit at 3pm, veg and carbs and fruit compote for dinner, bedtime bottle at 6.15pm ish. Plus snacks (one or 2 crisps) whenever he sees us eating or people at the pub. He laos drinks water with each meals.

PenguinArmy · 20/01/2011 17:53

That's pretty much it BG as that's when DH normally has meat. Also because there's not a lot of suitable food when travelling I'd rather her not go hungry or eat chips (which is what I do)

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 18:23

PA Sorry I did not mean to be flippant and you seem to know your stuff Smile. My concern was based on articles such as this one...
The New York Times
Nina Planck
May 21, 2007

WHEN Crown Shakur died of starvation, he was 6 weeks old and weighed 3.5 pounds. His vegan parents, who fed him mainly soy milk and apple juice, were convicted in Atlanta recently of murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty.
This particular calamity ? at least the third such conviction of vegan parents in four years ? may be largely due to ignorance. But it should prompt frank discussion about nutrition.
I was once a vegan. But well before I became pregnant, I concluded that a vegan pregnancy was irresponsible. You cannot create and nourish a robust baby merely on foods from plants.
Indigenous cuisines offer clues about what humans, naturally omnivorous, need to survive, reproduce and grow: traditional vegetarian diets, as in India, invariably include dairy and eggs for complete protein, essential fats and vitamins. There are no vegan societies for a simple reason: a vegan diet is not adequate in the long run.

Protein deficiency is one danger of a vegan diet for babies. Nutritionists used to speak of proteins as "first class" (from meat, fish, eggs and milk) and "second class" (from plants), but today this is considered denigrating to vegetarians.
The fact remains, though, that humans prefer animal proteins and fats to cereals and tubers, because they contain all the essential amino acids needed for life in the right ratio. This is not true of plant proteins, which are inferior in quantity and quality ? even soy.
A vegan diet may lack vitamin B12, found only in animal foods; usable vitamins A and D, found in meat, fish, eggs and butter; and necessary minerals like calcium and zinc.
When babies are deprived of all these nutrients, they will suffer from retarded growth, rickets and nerve damage.
Responsible vegan parents know that breast milk is ideal. It contains many necessary components, including cholesterol (which babies use to make nerve cells) and countless immune and growth factors. When breastfeeding isn't possible, soy milk and fruit juice, even in seemingly sufficient quantities, are not safe substitutes for a quality infant formula.

Yet even a breast-fed baby is at risk. Studies show that vegan breast milk lacks enough docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, the omega-3 fat found in fatty fish. It is difficult to overstate the importance of DHA, vital as it is for eye and brain development.

A vegan diet is equally dangerous for weaned babies and toddlers, who need plenty of protein and calcium. Too often, vegans turn to soy, which actually inhibits growth and reduces absorption of protein and minerals. That's why health officials in Britain, Canada and other countries express caution about soy for babies. (Not here, though - perhaps because our farm policy is so soy-friendly.)

Historically, diet honored tradition: we ate the foods that our mothers, and their mothers, ate. Now, your neighbor or sibling may be a meat-eater or vegetarian, may ferment his foods or eat them raw. This fragmentation of the American menu reflects admirable diversity and tolerance, but food is more important than fashion. Though it's not politically correct to say so, all diets are not created equal.
An adult who was well-nourished in utero and in infancy may choose to get by on a vegan diet, but babies are built from protein, calcium, cholesterol and fish oil.
Children fed only plants will not get the precious things they need to live and grow.
Nina Planck is the author of Real Food: What to Eat and Why.

InmaculadaConcepcion · 20/01/2011 18:59

First of all SORRY to bethylou - I meant to comment on your DS2 starting to walk and it got lost somewhere along the line Blush A big WELL DONE to him!!!

Also, further upthread Scones, my DD also doesn't really do cuddling unless she's breastfeeding. Which is why I like it (and why she does too, I think). When she's hurt, she asks to be picked up and comforted, but as soon as we do, she pulls away. She'll get the hang of it! I don't think it's because she objects to the closeness, she just doesn't know how to cuddle properly yet.

BG I hope whatever's bothering your DD2 passes superquick.

Oh bummer, SB, I hope he sleeps better tonight.

Very interesting to read of what your LO's are all eating at the moment!

DD has Plumbaby porridge with some fruit puree, a little dried fruit and a couple of segments of fresh pear for breakfast.

Lunch varies, but today it was pasta with cheese sauce, a bit of veg, lentil and cheese pie, a few spoons of the pie mixture whizzed up, a couple of pieces of fresh mango and a few segs of clementine.

A typical supper is some sort of coarse puree (home-made, usually with a mixture of veg, fruit and protein) and finger food which is either roast veg (in olive oil) or things like veg fritters/eggy bread or rice-cake spread with peanut butter or somesuch. After that some plain Greek yoghurt and some banana.

She breastfeeds between times, although I sometimes give her a baby biscuit as a snack (usually if me and DH are having some biccies and I don't want her to feel left out!)

OP posts:
BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 19:01

PS. I mean the commentary rather than the terribly sad case clearly...

InmaculadaConcepcion · 20/01/2011 19:05

Interesting article, BG. I must say, I tend to be dubious about soy - it's so over-processed (has to be in order to make it digestible) - although I like soy sauce, love tofu (although don't have it very often) and occasionally have veggie sausages/burgers.

As you can see from the above menu, no shortage of animal protein in DD's diet, despite the lack of fish or flesh!

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Bearcrumble · 20/01/2011 20:16

Scones so sorry about your friend. Hope the lunch went ok.

DS has been off his food since he had that fever last Friday and over the weekend, so a week. I think I can see he's lost weight :( . Today he only had porridge for breakfast, lunch - a few organix carrot puffs and a small pot of stage 2 lamb, carrot and sweet potato and a couple of mouthfuls of fruit puree. Dinner two thirds of a stage 2 ella's fish pie and the same of a pot of mango rice pud.

Afraid I am too ill still to do any cooking - relying on prepared food.

Thanks for the good wishes, I am much improved but still feel barely human. Went out for the first time today - was nice to get some fresh air and see other people but my heart was really pounding by the time I got home. I guess lack of calories over the past few days.

I didn't get to sleep a wink until 5.30 this morning. Seriously. Even when DS was asleep I couldn't stop thinking about things, and feeling so uncomfortable, like my bed was made of concrete. And anticipating DS's next wake up. it was ridiculous.

He was very disturbed in the night - I'm so un-used to it. His fever is better but he's got a nasty crackly cough. The worst thing is he is so unlike himself. I can see he's starting to eat more so that's good but he is being very clingy, serious-faced and just wants boob constantly (I have had to dig out the lansinoh again). I miss my jolly little guy. I just want all the grinning and bouncing back.

Today was a bit more like our regular routine and he had a normal bedtime. He's woken twice but settled again quickly. Am hoping tonight will be a bit better than last night. In the end we ended up with the futon dragged down to the living room and on the floor with all three of us on it - DS attached like a limpet most of the time. The previous night I had him in bed with me but did my back a mischief again with the constant turning/feeding and never really sleeping as I worry he'll fall out.

Sorry this has been a long self indulgent whinge. I've not felt this miserable for a bloody long time and I am at the end of my tether. Being ill myself and looking after an ill DS is no fun at all. I don't know how single mums manage. I've had DH at home and my mum round for a few hours every day and even then it has been massively tough.

Good news - I did at least manage to eat a proper meal (scrambled eggs on toast with bacon) and keep it down and DH is doing me a 'white' dinner - cod, rice and cauliflower as it is what I fancy.

Again, massive apologies for this misery guff. I know loads of people have it proper hard, long term and this is temporary and I have lots of support.

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 20:18

IC vegetarian is totally fine... but then I would say that Grin

Got a message earlier about an interview I have next week and immediately thought they were going to say they have made a dreadful mistake in shortlisting me Grin (doesn't say much for my confidence does it) but it turned out to be just a message saying that parking at the hospital is a bit of a joke and to allow extra time for that...
Stangirl know what you mean about work just seeming less important since having children Smile. I am sure you'll be fine!! And hey, it's not going to be long anyway until your dc2 arrives... Grin

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 20:23

Bear you have every reason to feel sorry for yourself!!! And glad to hear you are improving. Must admit the only times I have longed for pre-children days is when I am ill enough to find it hard to stand upright or walk in a straight line... Agree that I have no idea how single mums cope. The few times I have been so poorly I had to rely very heavily on dh. Hope you continue to improve and manage to get your energy levels up Smile

LittlebearH · 20/01/2011 20:44

BC Sounds hellish. I hope you get well soon.
bethylou Wow your DS2 walking!!

SB Grin at werewolf!!

Really interesting seeing what you are all feeding DCs as I have panicked over DDs eating. Maybe un necessarily?!

Think she is having a growth spurt she normally only has 5oz of milk...last night before bed a 7oz bottle Shock, 6.30am morning again a 7oz bottle, 7.15am baby porridge and steamed peach puree,10am half a banana,noon baby pasta with mashed steamed veg and tomato and basil sauce,fingers of carrott and parsnip, angel delight,2.30pm a 5oz bottle and a madelaine cake,5pm 2 slices of toast one with soft cheese and other houmous and fingers of parsnip,carrotts and 2 brocolli trees remainder of angel delight,6.50pm a 6oz bottle.

Now I have typed this and read it back, she is alright isn't she?!

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 20:59

LBH she is totally fine Smile

Re books, meant to say dd2 loves hers. We have story time before bed but she often gets one out of her shelf and sits turning pages herself (she kept 'tidying' my folders, so we rearranged the bookshelf so that she can 'read' her own books)
My attempts to get dd2 to speak German are thwarted by dd1 who speaks English to her Confused with the result that dd2 now says 'dog' (or occasionally 'god') Grin

StoneBaby · 20/01/2011 21:12

BC oh you poor thing. You're more than allowed to whinge Grin
I'm just wondering about your DS, is he use to homemade food? My DS is and I have great difficulties to feed him jars. Obviously you are not in a state to cook but can't your mum or DH cook sonerhing for him to see if he'll eat a bit more. Also if he is not himself I would have him checked (sorry if I sound patronising) Good luck for tonight

SconesForTea · 20/01/2011 21:43

stoof congratulations!!! Fabby news. What is the job?

I think that your LOs all eat a lot during the day! Mine is far more like Stangirl's. A banana and a satsuma, half a slice of toast, a nibble on some cheese and a few mini-wheats is about the size of it. She is holding her line on the growth chart though, so I'm not worrying too much. And she feeds four times a day (not including the extra night feeds she seems to want at the moment Hmm). But I would love it if she ate a little more enthusiastically. My mum advises me to cut down on milk feeds, to encourage food-hunger, but that feels all wrong to me.

The HV told me to keep a food diary, and I'd probably be surprised at how much she does eat. Instead I'm a bit dismayed at how little it is.

BC glad to hear that you're better; it sounds as if you've had a very hard time. I don't know how single mothers cope either. I've only been ill twice and both times I just don't know what I'd have done if DH hadn't happened to be home each time. I think I'd have had to call him home from work.

My friend didn't come round for tea in the end. She sent me a text saying that she had her coat on, but was having a bad day and was no oompany Sad Of course I told her to come round and have a cry, but she's a very private person and didn't want to. Sad Sad

We have had a very strange and stressful couple of days. I wonder if DD is a little werewolf too! She has point-blank refused to nap for two days now - this is the baby I can take to anyone's house and put down in their cot, and she goes down without a murmer. Two 2-hour tantrums yesterday, and another one this morning, before I gave up on the idea Confused Then an hour-long tantrum when putting her to bed tonight. It has made me feel completely at sea, and quite down.

She's 11 months almost exactly. Are there any (whisper it) sleep regressions or anything I don't want to know about...?

PenguinArmy · 20/01/2011 22:25

There are days where DD doesn't eat much, but is generally OK.

My train of thought has been if people are OK with babies not feeding up to 12 hours at night, then I'm OK not feeding her for 9 hours in the day. We're just backwards and I get the impression she still has more feeds than most on here.

BG I'm assuming your intentions were nice but it really got lost in translation. I don't see how that article condemns veganism but not vegetarianism. Strangely normally DD doesn't eat meat if offered just been a few times that she's taken to it. I also don't like processed soya that much so ensure the the plain tofu (which is less processed than others) is the only she has, mainly as it's a nice easy addition. I think I'll let her have the odd soya yogurt, but one/two a month if that. Anyway enough said.

LBH that's still a big improvement on yesterday.

I think I'll flounce for a few days, but good luck to all those that need it.

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2011 23:16

PA please do whatever you like. I was just genuinely concerned and wanted to reassure myself that you have done your own research, rather than sit back and keep my concern to myself, that's all. I am still baffled why you would disallow dairy but allow meat... but that's clearly none of my business. I did not mean to offend you and will not mention it again.

PenguinArmy · 21/01/2011 00:30

OK I kinda see what you were on about.

Dairy I find more unnatural than meat (hence people having intolerances). I think it's physiological need is over pushed by society (mainly advertising). Since I plan to extend BF forever I see no need for it to be in DD's diet. I also think dairy and egg farming are often more horrible than meat farming. Intensive animal farming is one of the main reasons I'm vegan. I'd rather eat meat than dairy if I had to choose. The official definition of free range eggs is rather Hmm and if you see the minimum conditions, it's a set most people would identify as free range so there is still abuse in the system there (not that I'm saying all free range labelled eggs are bad, but you just don't know).

DH now largely only eats free range meat. The exception being when travelling, I'm slowly converting him Grin.

I am keen to test DD at some point, but is one of those things on my to do list that never quite gets looked up. I know dairy can be quite a mild intolerance, so can be easy to miss. I'd rather wait until she was older and can communicate better.

I still feel I need to step away from MN for a few days as I'm aware that I'm being too sensitive for my own good atm (probably the insomnia kicking back in).

BC really hope you return to normal soon and all the steps by DC's close or new to walking are enjoyed :)

InmaculadaConcepcion · 21/01/2011 08:25

Aw, don't flounce PA, pleeeeeeeeze!

No one is getting at you or your food choices, honest.

I agree with you about dairy/egg production, although I eat them with impunity (can't even source more humanely produced versions here, it's very hard to find proper organic etc. stuff)
The ONLY eggs you can trust in terms of their production are those certificated by the Soil Association. Their animal welfare standards are very high.

FWIW my theory is that dairy intolerences are linked to the homogenisation of milk - I believe the process changes the molecules so they pass through the gut wall in the way they shouldn't.
Likewise I think gluten intolerance is linked to the processing of flour - white (and indeed wholemeal, if it isn't stoneground) is far too finally milled nowadays and again, has bad effects on the guts of more sensitive people.

Bc sorry you've been feeling so s**t. Horrible. Remember, venting about feeling miserable is fully allowed under the thread rules. And you have every right to feel rotten. Glad you're on the mend. Some sort of gastric flu? Anyway, look after yourself - you and your DS will be fine again soon, but what a shame you've had to go through this.
I hope you had a better night. Boy, I can sympathise about the insomnia.

Re: insomnia, I had a good night last night - only woke up when DD woke me up (which she did twice - 00.00 and 05.30). DD eventually went back to sleep at about 06.45 cuddled up with me and I surprised myself by getting some more Stage One sleep myself (I've been reading my book and I feel all genned up on the subject!) I haven't actually started doing the course, but maybe just having the book is enough?! Grin

Scones, I think some babies are just slow to get into the swing of solid food. If she's growing as she should, she's obviously getting the nutrition she needs. Easy for me to say though and I know I'd be worrying about it in your position.

LBH sounds like your LO's doing fine with the eating!!

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Stangirl · 21/01/2011 08:37

PA Don't go! Or if you do, don't go for long. We all know how tone can be mis-read in posts and people on this thread never mean to be judgemental. The amount of thought and effort you have put into your child's diet is amazing. If left to my own devices my DD would probably be brought up on Pot Noodles and Smash - as I was. I read with increasing guilt what people cook for their LOs. I was surviving on giving mine Ella's Kitchen but now she won't eat off a spoon I'm really stuffed. Seriously, I see that people give veg and protein and carb for lunch and think "how can they ever be bothered?". I've come to the conclusion that I am a truly awful Mum at feeding and the sooner my DD is 5 days a week in nursery the better for her. Right, just off to give DD cake for breakfast.....

InmaculadaConcepcion · 21/01/2011 13:37

DD just surprised us by enthusiastically chomping on a plain lettuce leaf. I think she liked the crunchy texture. And the flavour isn't that different from paper, which she likes too Grin

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mamaloco · 21/01/2011 14:52

PA don't go.
Stan ham sandwich and a piece of cucumber (about 5 cm for DD2) is carb, protein and veg. No cooking involved.
What are you eating for diner, can't you save some for your DD? If you are eating with her at lunch time just share what you have.
No need to feel guilty. I was raised on out of date jars (free as my GD worked for a brand that shouldn't be named), and I am fine Wink