March 2016 - quick, a new thread!

[Swearwolf]

Sorry for the terrible title, I saw the old thread was up to 996 posts and panicked!

Ooh don't I feel important

These pumping stories are brilliant - makes me sad that I can only seem to pump an Oz or 2 at a time.
dom I do hope tomorrow improves for you, that's a terribly busy day.

dom I feel you. I'm exhausted since going back and feel like I can't imagine ever having an evening to myself again, it's so consumed with baby, dinner, bottle washing , pumping and getting ready for the next day to do it all again. Being a working mum is certainly more challenging than I expected

So, first day with childminder today and baby was hyper when she got home , was super chatty so I think she enjoyed the social element. However the vague nap and feeding schedule I had worked hard on totally went out of the window :/ Her first nap is normally around 8, but she didn't have one until 10, and then only had another one about 4pm. She never goes more than 2 hours awake with me so was exhausted, and it's messed up her bedtime and night sleep too. And also they fed her 4 times when she would normally only have 3, so I think they fed her when she was crying for sleep. Worried she's going to be overfed now!!.

Don't want to be that mother, or too PFB, plus I hate confrontation, so going to give it a week or so to see if she settles down a bit and then maybe have a word. I guess j just need to learn to let go a bit now and trust in their experience. So hard when I want to be in control!!

french can you pump just before you leave and then when you get there? I have pumped in the back seat of a car but night struggle on a train!

And also I only have one DC so no idea how you all do it with multiple!

Dom just reading about your day makes me feel tired, hope today is better.

The realisation of the change of pace once I am back at work has made me determined to work out some quick meal plans for the first few weeks and do life admin now. We are moving to France in the new year and I've lots of associated admin to do.

ffaux hmm that is annoying, I guess there needs to be some flex but hopefully things settle down when things are not so exciting for your DD so she is better anle to give in to sleep.

I will be able to squeeze in some pumping when I get to work a couple of days a week vroc ffaux though not sure of facilities. I'd be very happy in my regular office but this is a training centre I have not been to before and if the trainers have pumping facilities it may be in their nearby HQ. The problem is working around childcare a couple of days a week means my only downtime in an 8h stretch is either on the train or in the training course - and I'd need an extraordinarily good bond with my teacher to do in the (1-1) class. To complicate things I've only been hand expressing (15-20 mins to get 150ml but no sterilising etc so I need to get to grips with a pump..

I'm amazed (in a good way!) by your confidence vroc! I only did expressing at the beginning to try and help build my supply before giving up bfing completely but I cannot imagine doing it on a train or in an open office, well done you! french John Lewis parent rooms are fab, you can definitely use them for pumping. I love JL, unlike boots and some other stores they have the feeding areas separate from the changing areas and their cafe has a little microwave out for heating up milk or baby food, it's brill, whenever I'm meeting friends in town for lunch I always suggest there!

DS only had one wake up last night and slept in until 6am, woop this is progress! Of course he's probably just chucking one good night in there to lull me into a false sense of security and tonight it will be awful again.

I am going shopping tomorrow with my DM as DS has suddenly grown out of all his 3-6 month clothes. I have a few 6-9 bits in but not many so we essentially need to buy him a whole wardrobe! He wasn't in 3-6 for long, tempted to buy some 9-12 bits too that he can grow into!

Sounds exhausting Dom. I am absolutely dreading going back to work as i remember with dd1 being completely overwhelmed with everything (went back at 6 months and multiple night wakings). Like you dd2 will be onsite three days a week so will go in to feed and she'll be with my MIL one day a week so will pump on that day.

We're firmly back in the two wake camps here with a wake at 10/11 and anywhere between 2-4 but I reckon it could be less if we moved dd2 out of our room as i think we're disturbing her when we come to bed. However since dd1 is such a bad sleeper and wakes up early, we're really not sure about them sharing a room. Think we might wait another month and then try out how they get on sharing a room.

ffaux i wouldn't worry about routine at childminders for at least a week maybe more as it does take them a while to settle in.

So we're finally getting C's tongue tie seen properly on Monday at the ripe old age of 24 weeks - got a call the other day with the appointment. Not going to lie, I'm a bit nervous.

He's really settled into eating solids in the last week or so, grabbing on to the spoon if the food isn't coming quickly enough! He seems to really love sweet potato, purees with broccoli and apple. He's pretty good with his morning porridge too.

Me C is in some 9-12 month t-shirts already, everything else 6-9... he's been in 6-9 for around 6-7 weeks already. He's now off-the-charts long for his age though - he was 72cm the day he turned 5 months.

Better late than never I guess tri good to hear he's enjoying his food too! Sweet potato on the menu for Rory tonight, do you mix it with milk to make it sloppy?
We're onto 3 formula feeds a day now, still bf through the night and first morning feed then one mid afternoon but I don't seem to be getting uncomfortable between 6am and 4pm so hoping my supply is still enough for now, another few weeks and I'll swap him fully but I still like the snuggles athe moment.

Can I ask a quick weaning question?!
We started weaning last weekend, starting with baby rice and now DS is currently having one single vegetable puréed once a day. I am completely clueless about when we move him onto two meals a day! Next week we plan to introduce some fruit so I wondered if he could have a fruit purée at breakfast, and then something vegetabley at dinner time? Sorry for the silly questions! I asked at my post natal group when he could have two meals a day and she said 8 months!! I'm no expert but I don't think that's right!

DS has mastered the art of rolling back to front now and absolutely loves to move around! He gets all upset though when he realises he is on his tummy. Funny baby!

Dotty I did exactly as you have said, I started off giving DS a single vegetable purée (at lunchtime), then after about a week and a half I introduced fruit purée for breakfast. Then gradually started mixing veggies at lunch and introducing yoghurt, bread, porridge etc at breakfast. Now at 3.5 weeks in I've just started introducing meat and have also just started doing tea. DS has really taken to food and although he probably doesn't NEED three meals a day yet, he is enjoying it and I'm only giving him small amounts.

Hi everyone. Ds back at school today which was a bit emotional for him because of the move to the juniors and me for having to send him back.

Dotty E has only been eating a week but I have in the last two days given her breakfast and lunch. Having said this she wears more than she eats. I can't do dinner as it is her grumpiest time and I'm trying to feed her breakfast when I have it. I'm not too worried about establishing meals as the blw (which I am not following as a purist as I'm giving purée) book says milk is the most important food for the first year. I just really want to make her part of meal times where I can.

Ffaux sorry you were a bit after the first day at the childminder. I agree give it a week as she may need to slightly alter routines to fit with what they do. But if you still feel unhappy have a meeting. I had to do this with ds nursery because the baby room leader seemed unable to deal with his separation anxiety which is really common at 11 months which is the age he started. Anyway I met the manager and because I was so emotional about it all I went in with a written list of queries. She must have thought what a loon but things improved after that and he went on to have 4.5 really happy years there and I was completely happy too. Though I did --always give secret evils to the baby room leader

Since weaning E is getting some really small spots round her mouth. Has anyone else had this? I don't know if it is my flannel wiping of her face? I only wash once at the end. Bit odd really.

We're 2 weeks in, started adding a second meal late last week. C seems to go mad for sweet potato - either alone or in the Ella's pouch with carrots and broccoli! I do either porridge or baby rice with a little fruit puree for breakfast.

I'm ready to wean I think! I was originally planning to wait until six months, which is the 18th, but she's totally ready and I'm feeling bad denying her. I just need to dig out all my wee plastic pots and spoons first.

I just went to an exercise class on mini trampolines, it was intense. And I shit you not, the instructor put some tena lady in the toilets and I didn't need it!! Woohoo.

Had the scare of my life today - emailed the nursery DD is to start with next month and gor an automated reply saying it had gone into administration and to contact a law firm in London. No reply on phone but visited, heart in my mouth, to find all is well, another charity has taked over. Phew.

Waiting another 10 days to wean at 6 months (DD probably ready but I am away next week and don't fancy clearing up the mess) but looking forward to it. DD had had thr odd taste here and there and her face is a picture

Seear! Trampolines and tena lady's! That's the best thing I've seen this evening!

Ooh, blimey 1french! Glad it's all ok!

DS2's done amazingly with the childminder this week. It's nursery tomorrow. I am not looking forward to it. At least I get to come and squish him at break and lunch!

SWEAR, I meant. (Fat fingers/tired eyes!)

Thankyou Me, purple and Tri, I will stick with the plan and add in some fruit purée for breakfast next week. DS loves his veggies, he's had parsnip, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, sweet potato and potato and he was especially keen on the broccoli and cauliflower which surprised me!

Purple my DS has had a couple of spots round his mouth/chin and a lot on his neck. I think it's where his milk dribbles down from his bottles, and excess saliva from teething?

Swear woop woop for not needing the tena! How funny that the instructor put some in there! Go you for getting out to an exercise class. I've literally done nothing active apart from mooching about with the pram since DS was born!

french that must have been a scary moment. I'm glad it's all ok.

I'm not sure my boobs would agree with any type of trampoline exercise just yet! We are on full blown blw so C has three meals most days (unless she is asleep). I'm not sure how much she actually manages to eat but there is nappy evidence that some is going in, particularly kiwi...

Why won't my baby nap or more to the point stay napping,?? Having one of those

I can't even post properly now. One of those days. Soooo frustrated and hot and overtired and so is she.

I can't even post properly now. One of those days. Soooo frustrated and hot and overtired and so is she.

Hi all, I have a question for those doing BLW. How do they eat the firmer foods before they have teeth? We've only been doing it for a few days and have tried avocado, sweet potato, butternut squash and banana with success, but she basically squashes them in her hand and then licks it all off her fingers.

Last night I wanted to give green beans, but even though they were soft they still seemed like they would need to be properly bitten into? I was worried they would be too stringy. I read that you can give cucumber and meat strips and toast fingers etc, but I'm so paranoid! Even a broccoli floret looked like a choking risk last night so I ate it instead! I know we need to be a bit braver about it!

Also forgot to say thanks for the child minder advice/empathy!!. I know I'm being precious and it's only a couple of days in, but it's so frustrating to have our night times all messed up, and now we are back on frequent night wakings.

I spoke to the lady this morning and she said she has been feeding S before putting her down for naps, so I think this is where the problem is. With me she consistently had a sleep-eat-play schedule, but the lady said she believes they need a full tummy before napping and it makes them sleep longer. To be honest she's had longer naps there, just less of them, so maybe she is right?? But with me she would typically feed at 6-6.30am , nap at 8am, feed at 9.30am. There she has been feeding her at 8.30am and putting her down 9.30am. So she's over tired and eating more overall in the day. I don't want her associating sleeping with having to be fed so she has agreed to try my way today so we'll see.

The positive side is that DD's verbal chatter has increased massively, so I keep telling myself that it's great she'll be learning all these social skills there.

purple nap refusal seems a big theme here for the last week and with friends whose prefiously nap loving babies are about 6 months too. Met yesterday around 3pm and DD had her first nap of the day while we were there and another baby was yet to nap - something that would be unheard of a month ago. Rubbish naps make DD cranky at bedtime so I've decided to not be too worried about feeding her to sleep. Today she had had 3 naps though so it can all change in a blink of an eye.

ffaux I know what you mean about choking fear even though it is rare. re finger food before teeth they tend to just gum the food - as you probably know if DD had gummed your finger, their gums are pretty hard. But it is a bit of trial and error on how long to steam stuff like broccoli.

ffaux I'm doing purées but also give DS some finger food with almost every meal and he doesn't have any teeth yet. He mainly sucks things until they are soft enough to break up into smaller pieces and swallow. We started out with very little of the finger foods going down but he can now eat a toast finger, a little cream cheese sandwich cut into squares, a whole (small) strawberry etc. He's not too keen on vegetables like broccoli florets - prefers to be spoon fed purée of that!

The one tip I have from what I've learned so far is don't be tempted to cut things up too small. That's what I was doing at first as I thought DS wouldn't possibly be able to bite/chew but actually if it's too small he can't pick it up at all as it's too difficult. So I now give him much bigger bits - eg a bit of toast I just cut into four or five bits - and he manages really well.