Jan 2015- what will they be doing next? Sitting, eating, crawling....

[Dec1314mummy]

Our babies are nearly half a year! Where on earth has the time gone?

Evening all, sorry I've been absent this week, it's all been a little crazy, I had two really late nights at work and didn't get home till 10 so I didn't actually see the kids, apart from night feeds, for 2 days. When they woke up they refused to go back to sleep so I have been surviving on just a couple rid hours sleep a night. I have to say though I am feeling very positive considering. I was wobbly at the start if the week but I have perked up and am loving my time with the kids today!
bigfam they don't like to do diagnosis of many things before 7 or the end of year 2/ year 3, mainly because children don't show their true abilities etc until after this age as they are atill developing at different rates etc.

Thought so Dec, thanks for the reassurance. Sorry to hear you've had a couple of rough nights though and I hope things improve for you. And well done for keeping positive

Hi everyone. Looks like lots of us have had up and down weeks. I started to introduce solids to dd on sunday (she's 24 weeks of adorable now!). I popped a chunk of sweet potato on her tray, she picked it up, gummed it, chewed and swollowed which from what I've read I'm happy that her body can bow cope with solid food. She's had sticks of melon, avocado, cucumber and a spoon loaded with butternut squash and apple. After a sweet potato nappy on Monday (ewww!) there have been no dirty nappies since then. She has plenty of water and I've fed her a couple of spoonfuls of mushed prune. I know a bit of constipation is expected but when does it become an issue? I don't know how long I ahould wait for before taking her to the doctors. It makes me so sad!

Sounds like she's taking to solids really well Jo! Does she seem uncomfortable at all? I'm not sure how often they poo when on solids (new to us here too) but I can tell you that a broccoli floret and spoonful of weetabix seemed to do the trick for dd. Ella's kitchen do a sachet of puréed prunes which is also supposed to be good. Could you dilute a very small amount of orange juice with her next meal?

From what I understand if can take their digestive systems a little while to work out what's going on at first!

Does anyone know what a chicco urban is like? I don't think I've ever seen one but they're £300 odd in shops and I've been offered one for £140 still in the box!!!! It's that or a bug frog for £70 but aren't they really old now, like 10 years?! Help me guys!!!

I've had the no pooing thing with Ds too this week. What did the trick was orange juice well diluted with water 1 ounce to 3 oz of water and some pear. He's had 2 big poos today after not going for 2 or 3 days!

Poo problem solved... dear Lord it was horrific! I might try some orange juice if it happens again. She chowed down almost a whole small ripe banana this morning, so messy. I think I will stick with fruit and veg for a couple of weeks until her digestion is used to that. I might look out for the prune pouch as warming and mashing such a small amount was very tricky! And I ate the remainder in the bowl!
Pesto, its a shame that you're getting unhelpful advice. I don't understand how their advice can vary so wildly. I mushed up avocado that dd had handled so much that she couldn't pick it up but clearly wanted more and I handed it her on a spoon and she loved it. Think it pleased her to be eating like us (except we don't wave the spoon in the air and shove it in our ears!). You could always try that, see if you can get her started that way. Not that there's any rush, she'll eat when she's ready

I gave Ds prunes but what with his reflux he vomited up lots of brown stuff and it wasn't very pleasant!

The other problem we have is him screaming in his highchair. I can't work out if he just hates it or if it's frustration with the blw. When we put food in front of him he can't grasp it and chases it around and gets so upset but loves it once it's in his mouth so I guess he needs a bit of mixed feeding for now.

They get so frustrated don't they! Dd sometimes grasps things so hard she just smushes them. I am amazed at how quickly she's learning though, her accuracy with a spoon now is very impressive. We did have success with rind-on melon. Gave her something to grip and its so tough there'sno way she can break any off by accident.

Jobrum, too much banana can cause constipation so maybe watch out for that. Are you offering a cup of water with food? good to read how some of you are getting on and your tips.

We've started solids recently as well and have also had a lot less poo from LO. (from several a day to one every few days). When they come they aren't hard though and she doesn't seem in discomfort so I don't think I need to worry yet (though the change has been a bit concerning, hope she'll get a bit more used to how to digest). She's bf and until now has never done such smelly farts! sorry if TMI. she's not been sleeping as well either, and I'm not sure if that's down to tummy ache at night or what. Anyone else weaning noticed a change there?

Mist I've noticed a lot more wind and yes the smell is a lot different! We went out both days this weekend and both days she's waited until we've left the house before unleashing a poonami (sorry, hope you're not eating!). She has woken up screaming a few times but I'm not sure if this is wind or teething!

Dd is trying lots of different things but not eating that much. I think she prefers finger food but just doesn't actually manage to eat much of it. So far she's had cucumber, broccoli, soup, asparagus, strawberry, banana and a few purées. Cucumber seemed to be a winner as the skin makes it easier to grip and I think the seeds were cool on her gums.

Sorry bigfam I haven't got any experience of either of those but hopefully you've managed to make a decision now!

Dd has now progressed to playing with the food on the tray but has not actually taken anything to her mouth
If / when I give her a spoonful she spits it out.
And if I do it too many times she screams and screams and I have to get her out of the bumbo

I'm thinking of just letting her play with the food , not even giving her a spoonful now otherwise she might get used to that?

Personally not worried about the lack of food intake as she's still feeding fine and surely she will get there one day?!
But my family!!!! Oh my goodness, you'd think she'll be breast feeding till she's 18!
"You should've introduced a bottle and a dummy months ago when we told you,now look at her, she won't eat food blah blah!" Aarrghhh

We've had lots of wind and extra poos here!

I'm also wondering if there's a correlation between the fact that she can't sit unaided and her not taking food to mouth? Perhaps once she's sitting by herself she may take it to her mouth at least? (I hope!)
Maybe she's just not ready yet.
I'm impressed by her hand eye co ordination as she picks each veg stick and lobs it to the floor quite accurately now!

Currently feeding her in a debenhams as I think about the car parking ticket!

We have started blw with DS as he is now 6 months. At the moment he chases the food around, throws it on the floor, rubs it in his hair etc. Very little goes in his mouth. But its very early days and they take a good couple of months to get the hang of it when you do it the blw way. I'll do a bit of spoon feeding of yogurt, custard, rice pudding etc in a week or so.

So it sounds like a lot of the babies are doing the same thing. It's fun to watch but I forgot just how damn messy it is ð???

Pesto, I get exactly the same. "You should just give her baby rice, she needed food ages ago, she wants some formula now, I've bought some jars of food for when she's here". I shouldn't let it bother me but it does, especially as I think I'm doing quite well with everything! I know DM only wants to help. Just take deep breaths and smile and nod

And the wind! It smells just awful and really lingers!

I read on an nhs page that bananas help with constipation, which contradicted everything else I'd read. Apparently once they have plenty of brown spots they help move things along but everyone's different. Banana fed yesterday appeared in today's nappy - which is fortunate as she's really enjoyed the two she's eaten so far!

jobrum - oh right, hadn't heard that! I think bananas slow me down but I do normally eat them riper. Glad it didn't have that effect on your baby.

Sept - we've been lucky and never had a poonami out of the house yet touch wood, we're going out now! a couple of these delayed weaning nappies have been pretty bad though.

Eliza, yep it's very messy! blw much worse I imagine, though I'm trying a few finger foods and letting DD play with her spoon and cup after feeding her a bit myself.

I've had lots of "advice" or questions from friends and family that contradicts what they tell us these days (rusks, juice, baby rice) but nothing too pushy so I'm lucky. Mind you, some of the HVs make you feel like you should rush to start certain foods or lumps or else! trying not to worry, we're doing OK and will when we're ready. I feel excited at all the foods we can try, yet a little overwhelmed still and daunted about the effort/organisation involved eg. moving to 3 meals - and snacks. suppose will get easier when she can eat versions of what we're having.

have a good day, everyone!

I chose the chicco urban in the end, very glad I did. It's lovely. Can't believe I only paid 140 brand new! Here it is

Looks good bigfam
And what a bargain especially as it's brand new! Enjoy
I'm getting good use of my rain cover at the moment ! No sunshine here.

I bought a box of rusk yesterday... Not wasting precious breast milk to mix it with ... She can nibble on it or just crumble it with her fingers!

Looks great bigfam and an absolute bargain!

Mist you're really lucky and fingers crossed it stays that way! We had to strip dd in the park at the weekend on the picnic blanket to clean her up. She wasn't impressed. I'll definitely be embarrassing her with that story when she's older

You're right about being daunted by the extra organisation. I've moved to 2 meals a day now (if you can include a strawberry and slice of cucumber a meal!!) and am realising how much more organised I need to be.

Blw is certainly very messy indeed! I gave him a stick of steamed courgette and he swallowed the thing whole?!?! It just seemed to slip in and disappear! I was so worried he'd choke but he didn't. His poor little tummy will have a lot to do digesting that! He's still getting very frustrated with the food on his tray. He struggles to grasp it so ive been cheating and handing it to him and he shoves it in and gobbles it up. I keep telling myself off for giving it to him but I hate watching him get himself in a pickle and all upset.

I can't remember if I mentioned that when I was feeding him in a park the other day I noticed a small spider on his face and before I had a chance to do anything it disappeared up his nose never to be seen again! I hope it's not still crawling around in his head somewhere! I'm assuming his body killed it pretty quickly though! Ughhhh makes me shudder. I have a terrible phobia of spiders too so it was my worst nightmare!

I hit a wall yesterday with the sleep deprivation and ended up with mastitis again. Felt really bad all day then by the evening my boob was rock hard down one area, hot and very painful. After only managing to get one ounce from expressing, massage, hot flannel, painkillers I was in bed and asleep at 8.30 and dh did the night shift which gave me an amazing long sleep. Coupled with the fact Ds bit me on the nipple on the same boob today and drew blood I'm thinking my bfing days are numbered

Oh the banana thing- brat is the treatment for diarrhoea- banana, rice, Apple, toast so you wouldn't give any of those things to someone who was constipated as all of those things bung you up hence the treatment for diarrhoea.

I must remember never to give dd bananas when she has any kind of tummy upset, the things are going very speedily through her! How odd. I didn't give any for all of last week after the initial one thinking it must have been that causing the constipation but apparently not. She had a Brummie lunch of chips and mushy peas today - a potato I'd cut into wedges dipped into pea puree. I think she loved how easy it was to pick up.
The pushchair looks good Bigfam.
Spider nose just made me laugh and wake dd up just as she was drifting off again!

Oh poor you little, I can honestly say I would of breast fed all of mine had it not been for the horror of a breast abscess with my first, get yourself to the doctors because sometimes perseverance doesn't help.hope you feel better soon and don't feel too guilty if you do end up f.feeding, it's what's best for you both x

Ok, that reads like I'm saying formula is better, I meant that feeding your baby should be what's best for u, whether it's formula or breast!!!

BOTH of you. Good god, this is what happens being awake at this time with 4 kids up as well (3 of which are bouncing off the walls)

Little, that must be awful. I've avoided mastitis so can only imagine how it feels. Do you wait a couple of days or go for antiniotics straight away? I've just bought my first tin of formula (goat milk based as Im a secret hippy). Dd is so distracted, sometimes I jnow she's hungry but is impossie to feed out. I offered her a bottle yesterday and she happily drank. I feel sad that Ive given she's had it but not as sad as I feel everytime I try to feed her and she rejects me! How many breastfeeds are other babies having now? I keep worrying that somethings wrong.
Bigfam, I know what you mean, I used to be able to type and spell!