Nov 05 - Where the hell did those 6 months go?!

[Rodeo]

Here we go :)

Brownie - I might have made up the night waking thing with banana , but I looked it up today and GF says it can be hard to digest and cause constipation in babies under 6 mths. Also she says make sure it hasn't got any green bits on it, and its ripe to the point of having some brown spots on otherwise it can be very hard to digest.

The feeding at the wedding went OK. I toyed with the idea of feeding him right after, but since he'd woken up early thst morning and all his feeds were earlier i thought I'd better not, plus he was getting quite noisy! They'd put me at the front with DH so I just went out in the hymn before the message, and then came back in in the hymn afterwards, just in time to go out to the signing of the register after that - like clockwork! And in the evening I took him and changed him and fed him at the beginning of the meal and only missed the starter, which they kept for me, then we rocked him to sleep in his pram, so that was perfect too! Everyone comments how happy and contented he is - thank you Gina

Nova - havem't had any experience travelling with baby food, but if you're in a dodgy country I wqould think you might be safer with baby food than stuff from the hotel, as it might have been prepared with water with different bacteria in etc. #

Diege - i do have pics but not uploaded yet. I think Caleb's waking was still due to hunger as I've only just started him with solids - I fed him and he gulped down a whole feed, and again in the morning. It was the first day of transeferring the baby rice to the evening feed too, but I forgot to take it to the wedding! Today hardly ANY spitting up though, so I'm hoping its the weaning taking effect! I'm on day 4 tomorrow - sweet potato for the first time! How bout you?

Can anyone give me tips on which highchair, booster seat etc. within a £30 or so budget? My main thing is I want it to be easy to clean. But do I get one that's foldable, or one that's not, plus a booster, or just a booster... HELP!

Hi Karma! Nice to see you (well kind of see you!). Poor Ella starving all day - you must have felt dreadful. Sorry about your brother - i hope he improves.

Diege - I read that cows milk is OK in cooking from 6 mths, but I don't think its OK to use it with a staple like baby rice cos they have so much of it - I may be wrong though.

BoB - thanks for the tip on TKMax!

BoB - I don't think you use liners with swim nappies? And pigeon breasts??!!

Brownie - LOL at being sick in church! What's the church like?

CHaCha - don't worry it will soon progress to him grabbing his feet!

You know Diege, GF's bk on weaning has scgedule for weaning at 6 mths - that's what I'm using

sorry abt spelling - Caleb decided he wanted his dreamfeed!

Karma - Just having some catch up time, sorry to hear about your brother, let us know how everything is. Keep in touch.

Nova - Boucing the bed is great fun, although our bed isn't v.springy and is hard work. What else does she chuckle at now?

BoB - Snap! Same when LO comes into our bed, precious, precious moments. Not sure what to say re: DP and weed incident. Not a good idea IMHO to have someone you don't know let alone trust come over to your house for 'drop-off'. TBH though when a person has one too many you can't really call their thoughts/behaviour rational, he's obviously not thinking straight and will see that tomorrow/when sober. Hopefully you refused to call him and now tucked up with O.

Bear - He's already done the grabbing feet & sucking toes. Progression is on its way up!

GG - NO email! check you got right address:
[email protected]

Still not weaning. Soon. Very soon.

good morning !

i'm still annoyed with dp - he was very drunk and acting irrationally as you say chacha, his friend was hassling him to 'collect' for him, but still..no excuse!
sometimes he acts like our lives haven't changed at all..wish i could have that luxury!

beartime - not sure what specific highchair to suggest but there are a lot of bargains on ebay! ikea do some good baby equipment too..maybe worth a look

the pigeon was delicious..i chopped it into little strips and made a nice salad to toss it in..i know the idea of pigeon is a bit yuck when you see the nasty city pigons..lol

l&smum..wow sounds likwe you are really progressing with the weaning..is he over 6 months yet?

I will be in sheffield when you meet up, but will be leaving that day at around 4pm..what time are you planning to meet?

what a horrid drizzly day!I might just buy a pile of magazines and spend it lying in bed and playing with O..lol

oh..nova-thanks for the nappy tip..i'll probably do thatas this looks like it wouldn'tt hold anything..lol
has nat got any teeth yet?

also..do you know of 'salt free' vegetable stock anywhere? i'd like to make risoto for O to have when we do

BoB - if you have the freezer space why not make your own stock? You seem like a dab hand in the kitchen with your pigeon breasts! If not, try somewhere like Fresh & Wild or Holland & Barratt, or according to an old thread on here supermarket fresh stocks are quite low in salt, might be worth a look.

Bear - have a look on Kiddicare (link at the top of the page) if you don't mind shopping online, they have lots of folding and portable highchairs in your price range. The service is great from Kiddicare and it usually comes the next day.

Morning all,

BoB - Definitely that kind of day, doing exactly the same here :)

Well, not much to catch up on again so talk soon x

Morning all! Wriggly baby on lap, who should be asleep but isn't, so things maybe a little erratic!

Karma - so sorry to hear about your brother. Take care of yourself.

Bear - yes Ash is bf, he's just a big boy and I have big boobs ATM to keep up wih him Going to get him weighed properly tomorrow to see just how big he is!
Glad wedding went well, sounds like you had the feeding thing down to a fine art. Its great when people tell you how well behaved your baby is isn't it? GF may have had a hand in it but most of its down to you
We got a 'travel highchair' from Babies'r'us. Basically means it folds down and is quite lightweight I think. It was under 25 pounds and seems well constructed and pretty easy to clean. Not sure if it will last 10 children though Tessa moved from her highchair (a very old hand-me-down that went to highchair heaven after she had finished with it) to a Handisitt that she still uses so I'd say go for a highchair now and think about a booster seat later on.

Busy - lovely to hear from you and glad you are living up to your name
Well done on driving test theory and sorting out all your placements, impressively organised.
Also well done on the bf, I know you wanted to make it work this time. Does he still want to be fed in a calm environment? Ash is Mr Nosy Parker and I'm frequently left 'hanging out' whilst he twists his head round to see what's going on! Suppose I should be grateful he actually lets go!

Diege/L&Smum - glad I'm not the only one confused by 6 months thing! Just glad to have reached the 'gluten' stage now - I was good and held out for that one having started the whole weaning thing really early by current standards. Makes finger foods much easier - breadsticks, bread/toast, Shreddies.
Have to give Ash his own spoon or he will nick the one I'm trying to use!

BoB - Ash is the same with any sort of paper - had to fish half the shopping list out of his mouth last week
Agree with Nova on the stock thing though we have been making our own for years - far too mean to see anything wasted

Nova - not much help on the 'feeding abroad' front though can do 'feeding whilst camping'! Might be worth doing a thread on it as there are bound to be people in the know.
I still go in and watch Tessa sleep at night, I love the feeling though it often brings tears to my eyes.

ChaCha - Ash found his feet before his willy too though hasn't managed to get his toes in his mouth yet, possibly too much tummy in the way

Must apologise for sharing the 'shroud' comment about the Shade-a-babe though it seems to have caught on!

I may be jinxing it but Ash has slept through from 8.45pm (he seems to have a cut-off switch as its always about then wherever we are!) till 5.30-6.30am for 4 out of the last 5 days. I REALLY hope this is the beginning as I have been struggling with sleep deprivation for a while. I don't do lack of sleep very well.

Better go and make a few phonecalls before picking Tessa up from pre-school.

J is happily bobbing about in her bouncer, so using time very constructively to come on MN :)

Nova - agree about the fingerfoods they are v.messy and time consuming, plus J gets v.narky if foods not coming thick & fast! Good idea about giving them after the mushy stuff, I'd been giving her a bit of cheese or bread while waiting for her meal to warm up, but she eats it so fast it hardly touches the sides! And J has practically the same breakfast as Nat! Half a weetabix crushed up with whole milk and half a mashed banana :) Although this morning she had half a baby jar of fruit puree over greek yoghurt and that went down well too.

Chacha - you'll have to be v.careful now when you take a pooey nappy off now! Watch out for grabby hands! I practically had to kneel on Joe to make sure not clean hands dived into messy 'areas'

Bob - Would be great to see you in Sheff :) Think we'll be in MH for lunch, although make sure you've got one of our numbers we don't want another London-esque disaster . LOL at pigeon breasts had to read back to see what Nova was on about! How fancy! I thought of you yesterday while out and wondered if you'd got to the Farmers market, sounded a lovely way to spend a sunday afternoon :) BTW hope you gave dp a bllcking this morning!

Brownie - are you taking T to the docs today? Hope it goes well, lovely image of him in the bumbo watching dh weeding (although a different type of 'weed' this time! Sorry Bob!)

Time for some housework action I'm afraid....

yoo hoo
Diege is it still meadow meet on th 19th?????
josh been in hosp for 4 days with an evil d&v bug poor love had to have a ng tbe in:(
well must go and feed him!!!! we are playing catch up
twinkle

Morning everyone ( afternoon sorry ) DS asleep so thought i'd pop on even though i've started clearing out our bookcase and the bloody things are all over the place half need to go in the loft but as usual i've started a job without planning ahead and have no boxes! I've bagged them up but think they'll split anyway! OOh what an exiting life i have!

Re Meadow hall we met about 11 last time i think shall we aim for that again ? Rodeo if DP drops you up here after taking the kids to school we could leave for about 10 ish .

BoB Seths 6 months he was born 30 th october. We gave him jars of food this weekend while we were away but he hated them he seems to prefer food a bit lumpy which my home made stuff is!! So he survived on banabas and bread mainly!! Hope you can make MH BTW.

Right must go an try to finish this clearing out then i'm going to go and get seth weighed as haven't had him done for weeks!! Byeeeee

Afternoon everyone! . Well, sitting in an empty office at the mo', as everything is packed up and waiting to leave to my new office 'across the road'; really strange, but am looking forward to the move!
Poor you TWINKLE ; hope little Josh is feeling better, poor thing...you are definitely due a good spell!! Yes, def. still on for the 19th; is it ok if I cadge a lift with you again from Hadfield? Promise I won't make you drive me back home again !! Looking forward to seeing BOB, L&S, and RODEO too!!! Oh and Yorkie???
TESSA: so it was you who called it a shroud!!! (sorry CHACHA!!); yes, know what you mean about weaning, although, could you enlighten about the 'gluten stage?? ...can they not have wheat yet??
Actually, another query about weaning (I must sort myself out!!). Am giving L pureed fruit after 11am bottle (fine), and then baby rice mixed with fruit after bedtime bottle (6ish) (a la GF, to my knowledge, though don't have the new book). L had very bad wind last night (farting like a trooper, funny at first, but rapidly loses its appeal!!) and woke up really early (throughout night too). Could I be overdoing it on the fruit do you think? Maybe just one of those nights...
OK, end of self-obsessed post - best go and pack up my computer!!!ARghh!!!!

We started weaning our DS at about 5 months on advice from HV. He's on 3 meals a day now - porridge/Weetabix for breakfast with pureed fruit (HV says it's fine to start giving him wheat stuff now), mashed up veg for lunch with 1/2 a petit filous for pud and mashed up meat & veg for his tea. He loves it and has started 'chewing' when he eats. Oh - and blowing raspberries with a mouthful of food
You could try some pureed veg instead of the fruit - potato, parsnip or sweet potato, butternut squash are good early ones.

Diege - not supposed to give things with gluten in until 6 months. Thought we had done this with Tessa but just found a photo of her at 5 1/2 months scoffing a croissant
Ash is now 6 months and has tried Weetabix, Shreddies, bread, breadsticks, Cheddars and pastry from a sausage roll!!! (last 2 thanks to DH ) in the last few days.
Wind could just be her tummy getting used to having to do more work. Could hear Ash's tummy gurgling like a drain when we started weaning.

Thanks!! Yes, probably a shock to the system..will see how she is tonight!
Right turning off computer for packing!

Diege - I don't give any food after 4pm (7pm bedtime) to make sure her tummy is settled for the night. I also don't want any pesky poos waking her up in the middle of the night.

Iklboo - Nat has a knack of sneezing with a mouthful of food, nice!

Evening ladies

6 months today for Sean. As you said Rodeo - where the hell has it gone?

BoB - at dp. Hope you made him grovel today.

ChaCha - thanks, have tried again. Hopefully this one will get to you!!

Twinkle - poor Josh , and you too. Hope he's recovering well at home

Hello to everyone else

Evening! That's great TWINKLE! I would say you most definitely deserve a treat from Lush ; I'm going to get one of those massage bar things you mentioned. I'll check out my times and let you know what time train gets in to Hadfield (can't remember from last time - was it 10ish??)We can have a good discussion about baby number 4!!
Thanks NOVA; yes, that makes sense about feed times, and I could get them to give it to her at nursery. Only concern if feeding earlier would be that she wouldn't take her last bottle ( and start waking up arghhh!!!)Must consult queen Gina ; have to say you run a close second with your weaning advice though .
DH left again now after returning briefly last night; off to London for Conference for 4 days ; feel a bit panicky about coping on my own (esp. nursery/school pick ups, and getting into work on time), but I know I just have to get on with it!
Right, better get my lonely bowl of soup...

Evening All! Twinkle - sorry to hear about little Josh, hope he is now on the mend. Sounds like you really deserve a big treat from Lush!
Rodeo - thanks for thoughts re Thomas. Yes, got him in to see a nurse practioner this morning ( they can prescribe if necessary, so was quite happy). She listened to his chest and looked in his ears etc - no chest infection, just very congested. Am doing most of the things she suggested (raised mattress, child vapour rub on sheet / sleeping bag) might try steam yet, but otherwise nothing else we can do. At least he hasn't got a chest infection. He has brought up a lot of his tea tonight - think it is the only way he can get rid of the phlegm on his chest, poor lamb.
It has been absolutely vile here today - really belting down with rain, didn't stop us going out though (although did cheat and drive half way!) and meeting up with some of the mums from our PN group - 7 of us met up, which was nice (they met on a Monday specially for me today - nice to be loved! )
Well, work (and Brownies!) tomorrow - Tuesdays are my busiest days! don't get to sit and relax till around 8pm - and looking after 25 under 10s is not a job for the faint hearted!!!!!
Anyway, hope all of you are well - and those of you not back at work yet are still enjoying being at home!

B&T

mornin'

I just can't sleep! It's driving me crazy. Nat gets 11-12 hours at night yet I seem to spend the whole time tossing and turning. Last night I must have got a total of 4 hours broken sleep. I don't know what to do....ahhhhhhh!!!

I'm too scared to start a thread about what food to take on holiday, after one woman on the weaning thread equated feeding your child jarred food to child abuse!!! Although having tasted one Nat refused yesterday I'm inclined to agree

Another random thought...there's one woman at gymboree that always makes her LO finish a song/activity even if he starts to cry during it. This always confuses me, as surely thats a sign that your child really isn't enjoying whats going on? If (or should that be when) Nat grumbles I pick her up and she stops, I don't see the point in forcing my child to have fun.

How long do your LO's go between naps? Nat seems to always be tired during the day and usually lasts 1.5 hours before she needs to sleep again. This seems quite short compared to the other babies I've seen?

GG - I got your email :) Have invited you to join the group now, hurrah!

Brownie - I must have missed that, didn't realise T was poorly. Hope he gets better soon - is he still at nursery or with relative? Hope you are also getting sleep and that work is still going well.

Diege - How do you do it? 4 kids, school run, DH away, work?!? I'm baffled! I feel silly for having any complaints with one. Mind you, had 3 girls here over weekend aged 6, 7 and 11 and they were a great help most of the time. Do you find that yours are helpful? Can't remember how old they all are...

Nova - I ordered some Babynat Organic Jars (I needed to make up the free delivery charge for his goats milk) and thought they'd be good for when we visit the inlaws etc. Is it additive/preservatives etc. that give them that reputation?

HTH, Z wakes up at 6.30, comes into my bed until 9ish. Sleeps again at lunch time for 30-45mins, doesn't nap again until mid afternoon (yesterday was 1.5hrs as opposed to usual 30mins), he then sleeps for the night anywhere between 9 and 11pm. So all in all, around 2 naps a day, duration dependant on how well i've knackered him and if he's had lots of one to one.

Have exciting chore of bathroom cleaning. Bye for now x

Hi ChaCha - got the invite, thank you

Nova - I'm not sure what the 'norm' is for babies sleeping during the daytime. The last few days Sean has been going longer between naps, and can last a few hours without getting too ratty, but if I remember right, is Nat well over 20lb? Babies do their growing while asleep (or something like that!), so if she's doing lots of growng, then thats probably why she needs lots of sleep. Don't know if any of that makes any sense at all, I'm probably just rambling!

Off to have a look at all your little babies . Oooh that sounds a bit stalkerish, but you know what I mean!

Hi everyone! New office so of course popping on here instead of unpacking my crates!! .
Oh CHACHA, have to say I have 3 dds, not 4 , though felt better for your comment actually as really struggled to get into work this morning after doing the morning routine on my own - certainly do not feel like super woman at the mo', though have to say I have done a lot since 5.30am!! . Will be glad when they are all in bed later! My 3 are 4, 3 and 6 months, and yes, theolder one is a help, esp. in entertaining Libby - really makes her chuckle! Have to say when I just had dd1, I found it harder than I do now, so don;t think you have it easy at all!!
NOVA: lol over jar fascist!! Honestly, some people...don't understand why if people just donlt like something (GF, jars, baby walker, dummies etc...)they just leave it alone - why the usual accompanying rant! (like I'm doing now! ). I use the baby organix jars, and think they are pretty good actually . When is DH back btw? Are you feeling ok? (maybe got to do with your bad sleep?).
Hi BROWNIE, sorry, I dodnlt pick up on T's illness either Hope he is feeling better. I will think of you today with your 25 to look after!
Hi GG! Yes, think you're right about growth and sleep; I know this is when they sometimes drop a nap, but then they are all so different .
Speak later when I'm home,
Diege