Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Post-natal clubs

Join our Postnatal Clubs forum to find parenting advice for newborns.

September 14 babies - bring on the weaning!

999 replies

KitKat1985 · 29/01/2015 20:41

New thread for the Sept 14 babies. :)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Thread gallery
16
TeamEponine · 14/02/2015 18:05

DD much preferred aptimil over sma, so it might be worth trying other types? You could also try mixing breast and formula milk, slowly increasing the amount of formula milk so that they get used to the taste?

Nazly · 14/02/2015 18:54

I used Aptamil as I heard it is closest to breast milk.
That's a good idea Team, will try... How is reflux going?

TeamEponine · 14/02/2015 19:21

We've taken the ranitidine down by .1 and it seems to be ok. Going to take it down .1 each week if no symptoms appear. So far, so good!

Second night in her big cot fingers crossed it goes well again!

Nazly · 14/02/2015 19:55

Team thats fab. I have to admit since my very positive post on reflux we had at least one refluxy episode per day, but that's quite tolerable I think. It does bother him cause now it is not only milk coming up and it is not nice, but it is normally only once and not much so I am not reintroducing any medicine .

Today hit food was a mix of these : salmon, rice, soy bean, dill, carrot.

It is based on a tasty traditional recipe we have (only no carrot in ours) and he loved it;

I find he eats less when the food has veggie, meat and starchy parts all together, than if it only had fruit or veg.

I am happy he liked chicken, fish and lentil food :) this week was very eventful for his weaning.

Does anybody know of a guideline on how much water is allowed? He loves his water, has a couple of sips every couple of spoons; It is difficult to separate him from his beaker at meal time. I can not find anything online or in my books.

RedToothBrush · 14/02/2015 19:58

Nazly, if you think you could manage going to the nursery that might seem like the best solution imho, but I think that possibly will bring its own stresses too.

I have nothing against formula, but it makes me a little sad that I planned to bf until 1 year and now I can not.

I don't think that its going to stop you doing that though. With weaning, you'd be dropping feeds gradually anyway, so all you are doing is replacing one of those feeds with 'food' sooner. If you frame it like that, I think makes it much easier. It shouldn't stop you from being able to breastfeed before work or after work until 1 year in theory.

I hate expressing anywhere but home, even at close friends and family. As much as anything because I feel stressed for time and that's not favourable conditions for expressing (I tend to produce less both because I end up not doing it for long enough and because stress seem to reduce my production). I have done it in the car with batteries on long journeys before; this isn't something I would recommend as much as anything because it eats batteries!

I feel your pain here. DH is very good, but we've ended up eating more ready meals than I would like. He does Scouts two nights a week as well as the odd weekend event or extra meeting and frequently isn't home until gone 7pm too. So its hard. And as DS is getting more mobile I'm finding it harder to express during the day whilst he is awake. I've been trying to get him to breastfeed around lunchtime/nap time to try and a) get him to nap IN his cot and to try and solve that issue a bit, but he's not really buying it atm. If he continues in this way, I'm going to really struggle. He seems to be above average in the mobility stake for his age so I don't think this is helping. All the time I am expressing, I feel like I am not playing with him when I should/could be.

DH and I had a conversation argument about weaning yesterday. I want to give him home cooked food, but DH has pointed out that we are struggling doing that for ourselves at the moment. I don't want to go down the baby ready meal route too much if I'm honest. After all the stress of breastfeeding it feels a little like that was a waste of time if I then do that. Which I know is ultimately ridiculous. So I definitely get where you are coming from. The truth is though, that if I want to continue with the breastmilk, I'm going to have to compromise with it somewhere. (If we had a bigger freezer then that might be an option too, but at the moment its full of milk... Again something that might need to be thought about).

The fact that we seem to be starring down the barrel of the gun of the potential of DS walking whilst still weaning atm doesn't make it seem any easier. We went to baby swimming for the first time today, which DS LOVED but it brought it home that he is ahead of that particular curve. He was just ready to GO and the other babies the same age aren't quite ready for that. As good as that may be, it makes me sad in a way, as I feel like I don't get as much time enjoying him as a baby before he turns into a toddler. Everyone else will catch him up in time anyway. We had to move him out of his co-sleeper today as he's now too big which isn't helping me.

ApplesTheHare · 14/02/2015 20:04

Oh my gosh I'm pretty sure September 2014 was THE month for cute babies, they are all so sweet!Smile

Nazly we've just started dd on 1 bottle of formula per day and after a bit of perseverance it's going really well. At first she rejected Aptamil, then Cow & Gate and then we tried again with Aptamil and she's taken to it now. We did throw away about 5 bottles but just kept trying again with it in as normal and calm a way as possible and now she reaches for the bottle and opens her mouth wide. It took my boobs about 3 days to adjust to missing the feed. I had thought formula was a bit gross but then realised babies have totally different palates to us adults so we can't judge. Also don't feel guilty about not exclusively breastfeeding to the age of 1, now your dd is on solids any formula you give is just part of the bigger mix of food.

Happy Valentine's everyone!!!

ApplesTheHare · 14/02/2015 20:06

p.s. Nazly you know how much I worry about/overthink dd's reflux so I did worry about whether formula would affect that but it doesn't seem to make a differenceSmile

RedToothBrush · 14/02/2015 20:11

Oh DS has a favourite tv programme. He ADORES The Voice.

Beccus · 14/02/2015 20:45

rollingbis overrated. lewis can roll onto his tummy, but not back onto his back....he can't practice self settling as he is too busy practicing his rolling and gets stuck on his tummy.

holls2000 · 14/02/2015 20:53

red quick thought have you got a slow cooker? it has made life so much easier and I am hoping that I can use it to make us suppers which I can whizz down for hrh's lunch/supper the next day.

holls2000 · 14/02/2015 20:55

Nazly we have started on water - mainly to try to get him used to beaker/doidy cup/water but I wasn't given any guidance on amount!

holls2000 · 15/02/2015 08:39

Here is B....trying to feed himself....varied levels of success!

September 14 babies - bring on the weaning!
September 14 babies - bring on the weaning!
KitKat1985 · 15/02/2015 10:55

A couple of recent Jessica's pics to go with all the other lovely baby pictures on here. :)

September 14 babies - bring on the weaning!
September 14 babies - bring on the weaning!
OP posts:
KitKat1985 · 15/02/2015 11:08

Hi ladies. Can I ask a rather personal question (please feel free not to reply or tell my me to mind my own business)? Can I ask what the romantic side of your relationship is like since your babies have come along? Yesterday for Valentines day we both put a bit of obligatory effort in: I bought him a card and some chocs, and he got me a card and a take-away in the evening. Except the meal was rather ruined by Jessica having a grump and whingeing all the way through and me having to try and entertain her on my knee and eat with my one free hand. Then after she was in bed me and DH had planned, ahem, some 'couple time' but he decided he was too tired and couldn't be bothered (note: he wasn't tired because of Jessica, he just couldn't get comfy the previous night and so didn't sleep well, which was a one-off; whereas I've still generally been up about 3-4 times a night with Jessica and haven't really slept well since she was born, and yet still wanted to try and make the effort, so this rather grated on me). It doesn't help that with Jessica's current 'bottle refusing' we can't really go out and leave her with anyone for any notable length of time (nor have we had any babysitting offers). Subsequently we haven't been out together just as a couple since she was born. We're probably still having sex about once a week, which is better than nothing I suppose, but the romance in our relationship definitely feels a bit flat at the moment. Is this normal? Will it get better in time?

OP posts:
Acorncat · 15/02/2015 11:10

So many cute babies! Here's mine, fairly recently

September 14 babies - bring on the weaning!
FATEdestiny · 15/02/2015 11:29

Re: we haven't been out together just as a couple since she was born

This will be an each-to-their-own personal thing. But since DH & I became parents 10 years ago, we really don't go out anymore, or rarely. It's overrated. We spent a long time far more valuing our sleep. Even when we aren't tired, a cosy night with pizza and wine on the sofa is far more relaxing and we don't need a babysitter for that. When we get a babysitter, the daytime is far more preferable to us so we can do something couply and grown up without our mini troop of four with us.

In terms of romance, our evenings are a time for relaxing at home not going out. We do our grown up time in the daytime. We often go out for breakfast or lunch rather than an evening meal. We do coffee and cake in the garden centre without the children rather than late night trips to the cinema. Nights out are definitely over-rated in this house.

Re: Can I ask what the romantic side of your relationship is like since your babies have come along?

I think others on the thread will be better at reassuring you about the change in your relationship with the first child. That was a long time ago for me (and two came children came in quick succession - I had just conceived DC2 when DC1 is the age DC4 is now) but the change is massive and it is significant. Of course you will both be tired and in many ways your relationship will change permanently. But change in a good way. DH & I have a much more contented, settled, 'grown up' marriage now.

But your sex life isn't something that changes permanently, just temporarily while you get used to the new way of being as parents. DH & I like the excitement nowadays of sex without the children noticing, often first thing in the morning or middle of the day.

Not wishing for TMI but this week we have several times had sex in morning, with baby in cot next to us, monitor on, two children downstairs (with other end of monitor) and one still in bed. It's like going back to the time when DH & I used to sneak around getting jiggy without family members hearing us in the parental home Blush

Honeybear30 · 15/02/2015 16:55

We try and be affectionate with one another but I have to say it's hard because we are both so tired. As for sex, I'm still experiencing pain from my episiotomy so it's not happening. I wish it were, and DH frequently reminds me that it's not but I'm just so nervous I don't want to do it. I want it to be as though the damage was never done and we were having sex as per normal. Wishful impossible thinking though!

I also think my libido is pretty low due to breastfeeding, I miss the intimacy but to be very honest I'm managing just fine without sex at the moment. This doesn't help DH!

I agree with fate that day time is valued far more than evenings. We don't have the energy at all in the evenings but lunch or a coffee during the day is lovely. Even if DS is there asleep in his buggy.

CumbrianExile · 15/02/2015 17:31

We have been out a few times since A was born. In fact we went to a wedding just 8 weeks after he was born. But its not regular, we just take advantage of baby sitters when our parents are visiting, as we expect that it will soon stop!
We are affectionate as we always were, in fact I probably think my husband is more so. But we are not having sex as much, mainly due to tiredness though. I think DH would like it a bit more often, but has put no pressure on me at all.

Topsyloulou · 15/02/2015 17:39

We've had hardly any time just the two of us as DP is working away so much at the moment. We've had one day out together which was fab. DS had a sleepover at Granny's last weekend but we ended up in bed asleep at 9 as we were so tired. We went out for brunch on the Sunday morning tho and that was lovely. We sat & talked for ages like the pre baby days. I definitely agree with Fate that time alone in the day is far more valuable at the moment although having a night of undisturbed sleep was bliss. We're having our first night out on Tuesday to go & see a comedian so we should manage to stay awake through that!

holls2000 · 15/02/2015 18:28

sex? me and dh? since b came? Ahahahahahahhahah Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin . could count on one hand amount of times its happened...we haven't quite got back into sync yet! xxxx

topmammy · 15/02/2015 19:17

Well me and DH haven't DTD once yet! And we conceived first month of trying and we're too scared to DTD while I was pregnant so we have pretty much forgot what sex is lol! We have er, 'canoodled' though lol. We're both just.so.tired. I don't feel particularly bothered though as we're still affectionate and like I say, canoodley Wink

KitKat1985 · 15/02/2015 19:32

Hi. Thank you for all of your replies - I appreciate it was quite a personal question! Blush In a way quite reassured by your replies, at least I know we're not the only ones who are finding it hard to make time for romance! Fingers crossed things get better once Jessica starts to sleep better. I think we will both have a bit more energy for romance then! x

OP posts:
Nazly · 15/02/2015 20:12

Ladies thanks for your help yesteeday; apple at least I know it may take time; today I felt it was the taste not bottle...

Kitkat I am really bad since ds was born in romance, I should make an effort I guess... Dh is affectionate most days ; I did nothing yesterday and he got me flowers and a bottle of wine I like... I will start making more effort soon... I am just currently too tired and preoccupied ds started to wake up every 2 hours recently Confused last night in bed at 8 ish woke 12, 2:30,4:45, 5:50, 7:40 :(

ApplesTheHare · 15/02/2015 20:56

KitKat we haven't DTD once since dd arrived!!!Blush I'd like to but my stitches have taken aaaaages to heal and although they've felt much better in the last couple of weeks I've been too scared to try. I also agree with whoever was saying they think breastfeeding has killed their libido - I just feel like a gross milk machine. DH has been brill, no pressure, and we are still very romantic and make the effort to appreciate each other, but I know he would at least like to try DTD. We're going on our first baby-free night out this week and I'm really tempted to give it a go when we get back... wish me luck!!

ApplesTheHare · 15/02/2015 21:00

Haha Top just seen your post, glad somebody else is in the same boat. Don't know about you but I feel like a teenager again - vaguely desperate to have sex but also terrified at the thought Grin