September 2012 babies - warmest welcome!

[Macaroons]

Here's the new thread for September babies fresh from the oven!

I'm a first time mum and I'm struggling with breast feeding at the moment, my 6-day old DS always seems to be hungry (a feed every 2-3 hours, each lasting roughly an hour), and when he's hungry he's very aggressive towards my nipple it really hurts! Any tips out there? And how often do you feed your baby and for how long? how do you teach your baby to be gentle on the nipples?

Good luck to those still waiting for their babies to come out! Will be watching out for more baby news!

My DD is absolutly loving her food at the moment, can't get enough of it! She been dropping so many milk feedss now she just doesn't seem interested!

ballroom maybe scared was too strong just very nervous. We went to baby yoga yesterday and it was fantastic, really enjoyed it but as its been on a few weeks everyone already knows each other. It was good fun and now I can't wait to sign up to a few more classes.

I've been sick now since Wednesday night. Although I can hardly remember much this week. Although its turned into the cold now. So it's very annoying but hopefully it's nearly over.

Hi bunny glad to hear your Lo is eating well.

I have finally got Herbie onto a feed at tea(ish) time. Is taking it really well and was only taking one feed at night. Which meant I got a lot of sleep! However, last night he took his food, then 5oz of milk, about 3 hours later he took 3oz. Then was up at 12, then 4.45. Does this mean he would take another feed?

Hello and welcome bunny

Yeah this winter seems to be dragging its heels on the way out wherearemyshoes . I'm the same. I've been convinced for years I have a mild form of seasonal affective disorder. Hate the winter time and feel much happier when the sun is shining. We haven't had any snow in my town at all this year. Travel five minutes any way and they're covered. Very strange and makes for a very disappointed ds. It's freezing though. I've had my gas on constantly for the past three days with that strong wind.

Dd doesn't seem overly fussed on her food tbh. I think maybe I'm just used to ds eating me out of house and home, I forget he started off with teeny tiny amounts too. She's still only on the one small feed but will try her on two at some stage this week.

Glad you enjoyed baby yoga penguin. Our surestart you always have to register early with the classes as they get booked out quickly. My baby massage ends this week so I'll get my name down for a few other classes.

Dd spends her first night at her dad's tomorrow night. Eek!! It will be my first night away from her and I'm dreading it. It's not like I can nip out to see a friend or something either to take my mind off it as I have ds. I think a bottle of wine will be required I know once I get used to it I will relish the time to myself. Bit nervous about how she will be and hoping it won't unsettle her or throw her routine out.

well bub tried nursery today and she seemed to like it which surprised me as she's such a Velcro baby bless her she was there over an hour without me and was happy not even desperate for mummy.. we'll try 2hr tomorrow...dd1 OTOH isn't well I had to rush to school to collect her and lets say just she's got a bug and were going to have to replace the settee...take care all x

• and yes shoes Ava's recovered now thanks

Aww, cjbk1 that sounds rough, I hope it clears up soon.

Hoping tonight goes well for you ballroom. Here's to a long sleep tonight.

Glad your dd enjoyed nursery cjbk and hope dd1 picks up for you. I dream of the days I can have a fabric seatee as I hate leather ones but unfortunately it's the most practical with the two kids.

Thanks wherearemyshoes but can't see me getting much sleep tonight. Ds has yet another cold and as per it's going into his chest. I can see a long night ahead of him getting upset and banging around when his coughing wakes him up every half hour and inhalors. Can't wait for my month away to Spain in the summer as the dry air and heat does wonders for him!

Have lovely 1st Easter with your LOs everyone . Anyone going to let their baby try a tiny bit of chocolate?

We've all had the bug after dd but thanks for your kind thoughts post ballroom infact I'd better get back to my nursemaid duties take care all x

cjbk1 how has Ava settled into nursery? Hope you all get over the bug soon.

leelteloo Herbie has already tried chocolate at Christmas time, also sucked a fruit pastille (sp?) my Granda is set in his ways. Although he does not seem fussed on it.

ballroom how was your night without baby b? Did you get much sleep? I seem your other thread and was thinking about you. I hope things went ok and your ex enjoyed having baby b over night.

So Herbie is doing really good at eating his tea, has some sort of veg or something every evening. I have tried him on fruit things but he will not take them. Although tasting the pouches I don't blame him as I find them to sweet and I couldn't eat it. Has anyone had a baby like this but went onto eat fruit when older?

penguin/Rachel she was at nursery a full day on wed just as well as I was in bed all day shivering I cld barely lift my head staff said she was grand and even napped.problem is she's now started coughing again which is what happens with nursery IME x

It was ok Rachel but tonight (second night) near enough killed me listening to her crying.

I do have pnd though. I can't explain the way I feel about things. Like an appalling, bad mother

cjbk I hope Ava is enjoying nursery and has had no more bugs or coughs. Hope your feeling better as well. There's some awful bugs and things about at the minute. I dread getting any.

ballroom you are a fantastic mother and don't forget that. I hope things have gotten better for you, and the over nights have got easier for baby B.

This thread has gotten very quiet. I want everyone to come back and update me on all the little babies.

So I know I'm very biased but Herbie just keeps getting cuter and cuter. I just keep looking at him and my heart melts a little more each time. I'm so going to be wrapped around his finger.

He is very much an outside baby, cries when we come back in and just states out the window all the time. It's crazy just how much of a personality he has at nearly 7 months.

Weaning is not going good at all. :( he is just not interested I've tried at different times of the day but he just doesn't care. I've tried baby jars (which he eats better) to fruit (which he won't eat at all!) to puréed broccoli/carrots which he doesn't want. Then I use a porridge or some powder for breakfast. How many meals are your babies on now?

We still get up once or sometimes twice a night for a bottle, please tell me I'm not the only one. He will do 7 hour stretches at a time but it just depends on when he takes his bottles.

So what's been happening with everyone else?

Hey penguin . Suppose everyone's occupied with the Easter hols. I actually replied to your weaning post. Baby B is still only on two meals. Breakfast and mid afternoon. Going to start three tomorrow or the next day. She will normally have fruit or cereal in the morning with a sliver of toast or something. Mid-afternoon would be things like a veg puree/chicken casserole (tried her on lentils today - not too fussed for her first time). In-between time if we are eating I would set down a finger food something/rice cake. Just started her with the lumpy just mashed food the other day and she's taken to it well. Not eating huge amounts but still drinking about 33oz milk a day so not worried about that.

No she doesn't get up for milk during the night, although she's very restless sleeper and is normally up gurning to get into my bed. We are keeping each other awake I think being in the same room (unfortunately no other room to go into)

Baby B has only started pulling herself up to sitting herself today. Looks soo cute and grown up now. If only she could master the crawling forwards rather than backwards she would be flying.

My ds2 has been on 3 meals a day for a month now. This morning he wolfed a whole weetabix for his breakfast. Lunch was 120g ellas kitchen pouch, followed by approx 1/3 of a fruit pouch, and tea was the same. He is onto stage 2 food, and coping fine. He doesn't seem interested in any baby led weaning, all he has had is a nibble at a pasta twirl from ds1's dinner at the weekend, nothing else. So far he has eaten everything I've given him, and now he is fine on stage 2 we will soon be batch cooking things for him and will stop using the pouches.

Rachel how long after his milk feed are you trying to give him solids? They need to be hungry, but not massively so else they don't have the patience for it. How are you trying to give him fruit? We used nuby nibblers for ds1 and they are great for them to hold fruit without it slipping out of their fingers.

Re sleep my ds2 is going to bed circa 6.30pm, and was waking around 7.30am but the last 10 days ish he has been waking around 4.15-5.30 am which is really not good for us (ds1 wakes at 6-6.30am so we've had a number of days where we've woken at 4.30am for the day as we've not managed to nod off before ds1 wakes up, and as Dp leaves the house at 7.15am, when ds1 wakes we both get up anyhow!

Hi TDP, my ds is a massive boy with a massive appetite! In fact I have never seen a baby eat like him. He is always hungry and has not refused anything yet. He likes finger food and will shove anything in his mouth and cough and spit out what he can't swallow. He eats proper food we are having, purees I have made or Hipp jars or Ella pouches. He loves the Hinz biscotti things.
6.30am 7oz bottle
8am Breakfast he has toast, muffin, crumpet or bread and then porridge with some fruit puree.
11am 5oz bottle
12.15 lunch: Ella pouch or homemade stew type things and little stars fromage frais. (He always cries for more and I have to distract him)
3pm 5oz bottle
5.30 same as lunch but with a fruit puree for pudding (cries when foods all gone)
6.45 6oz bottle
7pm bed
He doesn't have milk during the night but is often awake and cooing at about 1am and comes into bed; naughty but nice.
So he is developing well with regards to eating but he shows no interest in getting moving and has not even rolled yet, let alone sat up. He is so happy and content just lazing about.
And I agree with the getting cuter every day thing, he fills my heart to bursting

Hi ladies, I thought it had been rather quiet recently! K has boob at 7.30, breakfast at 9 - either toast, half a shredded wheat with a little milk, or stodgy porridge; bottle at 12 ish then lunch at one - today that was garlic & courgette pasta with half a plum for pudding, boob at 4, bottle then tea at 7.30 - tonight's tea was sausage & butter bean casserole with mash potato. Finally boob or bottle dreamfeed which she's dropping from time to time. She's really loving feeding herself and seems to be managing most things quite well although meat is her favourite! No milk during the night but she does come into bed every night around 1am.

No sitting here either but she does roll like a good'un, encouraged by the cats! I think this is my favourite age so far, she's so full of smiles! It's good to here how the other littlies are getting on.

Thanks for all replies so far. Ill try my best to reply to everything.

After reading all posts I'm now thinking I'm not offering proper food. I'm such an idiot at all this and can't cope or even figure out what the hell I'm doing. It's hateful to think I'm failing in the most basic thing as providing food for Herbie.

I've tried to give it to him loads of different ways. I done what my auntie said by giving half a bottle then food then rest if bottle, if Herbie seen food then he refused bottle or spit it out everywhere, when I stopped with bottle to give food he cried and refused food and bottle. So I gave up that idea.
I then tried to give him his bottle then a couple hours later to feed him but he didn't want the food, I assume he was not hungry enough.
This morning he got up with Dp then I fed him food about 9 and he took 6 ounces of bottle 20 minutes after food. He was very interested in food and seemed to be enjoying it.

Re: fruit, I've tried peeling an apple and giving it to him but he puts it to his mouth once then won't do it again, I've also boiled it with water then used a hand blender, I've tried that warm and cold. He doesn't want it.

My Hv recommended a book can't remember who by but she wrote it down I think I'm going to look it up and try some new receipes to see if that helps. I bought readybrek (sp?) for his breakfast in the morning as its something new.

Herbie is a very active baby always on the go in his walker, or jumperoo (sp?) can sit unaided and rolling. I can manage all this but feeding him, I'm just baffled.

Penguin - I know you're not trying to do BLW in particular but the most important thing that goes with that approach is "food until 1 is just for fun" - until 1, a baby is growing so fast they need the calorie rich milk more than anything - don't stress (easier said than done I know!) If Herbie enjoys playing with food - why not let him just do that!, give him some different textures, soft/hard, wet/dry and so on and see how he goes?

I don't feed B bottles before or after food. I know loads of people say to do it that way but it didn't work for us so she normally gets food about an hour and a half or so after a bottle and half an hour to an hour before her next bottle iykwim? Our routine atm is roughly:

7.30 - milk
9.30 - breakfast
10.30 - milk
1 - milk
2.30 - food
3.30 - milk
6 - milk
7.45 - milk

Will obviously change around a bit once I introduce the third meal over the next couple of days.

Apples are quite acidic so maybe he doesn't really like them by themselves? B looked like she was sucking a lemon the time I tried her with just stewed apples. She will only take cooked apples if mixed with a sweeter fruit like pears/apricots or with baby rice mixed with formula to make it creamier.

Annabel Karmel is it? If you are following the puree route she does have some good recipe ideas and gives you a step-by-step guide and meal planners. You can find some of them on her website too.

Don't be silly, you aren't failing. It's all trial and error really as every baby is different to how they take to feeding and what works for them.

Okay so this morning has been like this so far

Up at 6.50 for a bottle (I only gave 5 oz) usually has 7.
Went back to bed as he was up late last night and he feel asleep after bottle.
Awake just before nine. Came downstairs,
Around half nine, Tried ready Brek (refused) although I don't think I made it right. Also tried him on toast and a bit of apple. He tasted the apple once then threw it on the floor, toast got squished and threw on the floor.

So not a great start.

He due his next bottle at 10.50 so should I try to give him a snack then some bottle or what should I do?

Ive uploaded some pictures of Herbie,

ill get some more put up at some point.

One is him covered in yoghurt and the second was him on Sunday at his cousins baptism. :)

I would have just given him a bottle penguin as I try to give bottles between the food. My thinking being they are getting most of their calories from milk atm so if they are too hungry, they will refuse solids out of frustration.

Aww he is gorgeous. Such a proper wee man all dressed up.

Can't seem to look at profiles on the phone ap, anyone know how as i would love to see Herbie
TDP, I wouldn't feel too pressured or worried about solids as long as he is drinking all his milk and gaining weight. My dd didn't really eat anything until she was about 1. They are all so different. I just kept giving her food in her tray and let her explore; she just mushed it up mostly but I think she had fun. Ds is like a machine and he stresses me out because he wants to eat all the time and I'm not used to a baby like that.

Hello everyone!

Sorry that I've been absent from the thread for so long. I have skimmed over the thread, will have a proper catch up with it all in a bit!

Lola is 28 weeks now, and is totally gorgeous. Like you said, Penguin, I think that Lola gets cuter by the day. She's still a fairly big girl, just below 91st centile for weight, and 98th for height. She's been sitting unaided for a month, and has started slithering around on her tummy.

Food-wise, we're doing a mixture of purees and BLW. She's still breastfed, but I'm trying to introduce some formula, as I'm going back to work in just over 9 weeks . She gets very distracted during her daytime breastfeeds, and doesn't seem to have much, but has started waking fairly frequently at night recently, to compensate. I need to get her sleep through again, as I'll be having to get up at 5.45am for work when I go back, and will be exhausted!

We're in the process of renovating her sister's bedroom, and Lola will move in there with her once it's complete. It's been a mammoth job, as when we removed the horrible textured wallpaper (with layers of paint over it), half the plaster came with it. We've had to get a plasterer in, and he's also rebuilt a stud wall, which was rotten underneath the plaster. We should be finished by next week, and I will be glad to get it finished, as we've then got Lola's Christening next Sunday! We've got 70 guests coming, and I'm doing most of the catering myself.

Will try to keep up to date more often, I promise!