June 2020 Babies-Six months on: mobile babies, feeding adventures, and still sleepless nights! 3rd thread

[UKtoSK]

Hi everyone! I made a new thread as we were at the end of the last one. A new thread for the new year! I changed the title as we don’t have newborns anymore!

@MRSO5 7.5 months of age Zach's wws are 2h15, 2h30, 2h40 and 2h50. A bit short for his age and I'm trying to extend however he's always so sleepy! Need to adjust case by case too if previous sleep is shorter than expected and he looks particularly sleepy I'd put him down a bit earlier.

Ha @MrsMarrio I'm obsessed with the light now that we are trying to have more naps in the cot.

@umabb that's interesting, I tend to keep to a 2 hour wake window and then it could be 2-4 hours window until bedtime depending on nap length/morning wake up. But I think I'll try the longer gaps as the day progresses next. Love the huckleberry app, mainly use it for tracking as I wouldn't remember what happened and when otherwise! I did pay for the premium one month and there info was quiet sensible I found.

@MRSO5 what I'm trying to do is to stretch the ww a bit before his lunch nap as that's when he needs a longer nap but quite flexible with morning and evenings as long as he's happy to be put down. Before bedtime of course we need them to be properly tired but not over.
Just reading your other posts RE blinds. We used this blinds from Argos + black out film when we started training so room is pitch black. We then installed proper blinds and changed his rooms curtain to be black out curtains too so he's room is always at least 8/10 dark during the day and 10/10 at night. Some babies are very sensitive to light. I think Zach is actually ok but that's what the sleep consultant suggested so we followed. xx

@mrssunshinexxx oh I’m not sure why sorry ! it’s the “kinderkraft smart play educational playmat” x

[quote MrsMarrio]@MRSO5 you can get the blackout lining which is like a curtain you add behind your existing ones in dunelm, I've just purchased some for Rowans room as I couldn't find nursery curtains big enough for his window, they haven't arrived yet.

www.dunelm.com/product/thermal-eyelet-curtain-linings-1000015875?defaultSkuId=30083439[/quote]
We have these and some light does still come in so we also have the gro company ones that stick on the window

The Gro Company Stars and Moons Gro Anywhere Portable Blackout Blind with Suction Cups www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BKZLWBU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_oVZaGbB2DFRKB?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@MRSO5 thank you! Typical mummy woke and checked the monitor so many times 😂 she is in a fairly strict routine now and it's working well

@umabb thank you for sharing how you did it. I was pretty against sleep training before having a baby, without really knowing much about it, and always felt like it wasn’t right for my girl because she’s so sensitive but I got to the point that sleep deprivation was just too much to handle any more and I was worried an angry/depressed mum was more harmful to her than any stress caused by sleep training. However, she gets so upset if left to cry at all that she vomits so we had to give up pretty quickly. I am recently working on at least getting away from the extreme rocking I was having to do to get her to sleep and we are making really good progress with that so I’m now hopeful that I can eventually get her to settle in her own cot. Sort of what you did but a much longer process. Stories like yours give me extra hope!

@mrssunshinexxx that’s amazing progress with your sleep training, keep us updated!

Re: weaning - so far Jia is refusing to eat anything. So far banana, strawberries, carrot, cucumber, courgette. Meanwhile my best friend’s baby who is 3 weeks younger is gobbling up everything she’s given. My mum said I was the same and suggested I give her chocolate pudding because that’s what I would always eat...... no wonder I grew up to be a chocolate addict!

@uktosk haha! Chocolate pudding! Each baby is ready in their own time. When she's ready, she'll open her mouth. That's the advice I was given by a good friend with 2 kids. Feeding a baby thats not keen is such hard work though!

@UKtoSK Rowan varies from day to day, sometimes he will gobble everything down others, like today he will act like I'm poisoning him. I've realised potato is a no go for some reason, he borks then shudders 🤣 I've tried it disguised with other flavours and it's always the same result 🤷🏼‍♀️ and if I dare give him anything that's been mashed within an inch of it's life and not blended he will bork that much that he vomits 😅

Hi Ladies, just catching up on messages- nice to see some have had progress with sleep training, it makes such a difference.

Naps are so hit and miss these days, I never know how long I'm going to get and he seems to be such a light sleeper that any noise will disturb him. Thanks for the link to the black out blind as I'm considering getting one. He has 3 naps a day ranging from 40 mins to hr and a half. His wake windows are 2hrs before morning nap (gets up between 6 and half 6), then at least 2 hr 30 before lunch time one, sometimes 2 hr 40..then afternoon nap he usually has 2hr 45 / 50 before it. He goes to sleep at 7pm and strangely can sometimes (depending on timings and nap lengths) wake up from his last nap at 5pm. This only leaves 2 hrs before bed, but he still manages to fall asleep in 5 mins - must like his sleep!

Weaning not been a brilliant success for us either, like the naps I imagined it to be a lot easier! I was envisioning preparing all these lovely little meals haha. I've moved to a more BLW approach, I dont think he likes being spoon fed or purees. This week he has had banana pancakes, shredded wheat soaked in milk and bread fingers with crusts cut off with cream cheese. When I say hes had it - most of it ends up scrunched into mush / dropped into his chair lol but hes at least picking it up, bringing it to his mouth and attempting to chew. I'm hoping hes at least getting a taste of it which would be some progress.

Hes starting to move forward now with his crawling, but isnt full on crawling. I can see it's going to be exhausting when they are fully mobile! His sitting up still needs a bit of work though. I just wish we could go out and do more things, especially now hes a little older

@MrsMarrio why is bork such a good word for it 😂 Jia has vomited a little once from a bit of mashed courgette. Must be a texture thing. I get it, I still feel a bit nauseous as an adult from certain textures - bitty yoghurt for one!

Today we tried banana. I split it in 3 (google it, so easy for preparing BLW style) and put the pieces on the tray and took one myself and started eating. Jia watched me so carefully then immediately picked up a piece and tried to put it in her mouth. She kept copying me. She didn’t manage to actually eat any... but it’s great progress! I then mashed some and gave her a loaded spoon and she put that in her mouth too but wouldn’t open it for me to feed her.

@SRS1311 it’s funny how different each baby is, isn’t it? Jia can sit up for hours but she hasn’t figured out moving forwards yet.

We have had 3 massive melt downs today at nap time... no idea what’s going on with her. We had her in her own room last night for the first time so maybe the separation anxiety is getting the best of her? She was up hourly most of the night and I’m beyond exhausted today.

@UKtoSK 'retching'! sorry I forget we are not all from the same area or uk even and borking is a regional word 😅

Thanks so much for all the replies and info re blackout options. Just purchased the curtain liners and now waiting on delivery. Still working on naps and ww, trial and error takes time doesn't it. Managed 55 min sleep today but that was out on a walk.

He ate way more than usual at lunch today and I think it was because I didn't give his second milk feed first. Will try the same again tomorrow and see what happens. It was parsnip but I'm very close to trying chocolate pudding too 😂

@UKtoSK same here I enjoy cosleeping and having his little face close to mine however neither of the 3 of us could sleep well. It was a desperate situation and I was constantly on the edge. It was hard to begin with but it didn't take him long to learn. Hopefully little Jia will do too xxx

Re weaning, zach is one of those babies who want whatever mummy eats. He likes almost everything when hungry but still just takes purée or mashed food, gags a lot with bigger lumpier food but we are taking our time. I heard in a month or so they will learn and stop gagging.

I was trying to look online see if hopping /standing a lot harmful for 7.5 months olds as that's all Zach wants to do. He can't of course stand on his own but loves jumping in his jumperoo and door bouncer and wants us to put him on the floor to stand as soon as we hold him. He hasn't made any effort of trying to crawl other than the 20mins after he wakes - usually we leave him in his cot playing for a bit before pick him up. Its hard to encourage him to practise other than that. Is there else's little one does this ?

@MrsMarrio yeah I wonder where everyone is from? We’re all just usernames on a message board. I’m from near Oxford originally.

@umabb thank you xx we did have one 4 hour stretch last night so I hope it continues!

Anyone else still got no teeth?

@UKtoSK hold on to no teeth as long as possible, I know every baby reacts differently but we've had so many sleepless nights and the teeth grinding sound is horrid 😳🙈
officially 5 teeth now through 🦷

@UKtoSK still no teeth here all the signs are there but none yet

Another one here with all the signs of teething but no teeth through yet. I’m dreading it tbh because I feel like we’ve finally got into a good routine and I feel like those pesky teeth will just throw a spanner in the works 😂

I’m originally from near Brighton but now living in the countryside just outside Hastings.

@umabb Grace LOVES to stand all the time too, it never occurred to me that it might not be good for her, I just assumed it was all just part of her development learning to stand/walk etc. She holds her own weight but just needs us for balance. It may be that your little one skips crawling and goes straight to walking. My nephew did this and I think it’s quite common.
She likes to attempt to crawl every chance she gets 😂 as soon as she’s awake she’s up on all fours trying to scoot around her cot!

No teeth for us either...when hes being unusually grumpy I say - "think he might be teething" but I've said that for a while now haha...hes showing all the signs and I think I can see a whiteness under his bottom gum but who knows!

I'm living in Liverpool but from down South originally. I have read that jumperoo is bad for their development and apparently so are walkers..but we have both! It seems like nearly everything is bad for them we just try and limit how much time he spends in it.

Anyone elses baby started sleeping on their front? He hates being on his back and now he can roll so easily he just ends up on his front to sleep. It means I'm checking the monitor to see if hes still breathing about ten times a night!!

@SRS1311 yes Grace just started to do this last night. I woke up around 2am and checked the monitor and she was asleep on her front for the first time ever! I was so panicked I was frantically checking the monitor to see if she was still breathing, and thankfully just as I was zooming in on her she did a big sign and moved her head to the other side so I knew she was ok!
It’s scary though isn’t it? It’s just drummed into us “back to sleep” but babies used to always be placed on their tummies so it’s not like it’s totally unnatural for them to do this, but we just panic don’t we?

No teeth for Rowan either, I use teething as an excuse for grumpiness but I've been saying that since way before Christmas so god knows!

I'm from Wirral born and bred. Did spend 4 years up in Newcastle though

2 bottom teeth here and next one top middle gunna come any day now I reckon
My lo loves the jumperoo but only goes in for 15 min max she's trying to crawl and getting so frustrated!
She doesn't roll onto her front but she's in a nest so don't think she could she sleeps on her side with her comforter right over her face which stresses me out but she loves it like that

No teeth here yet but showing all the signs. For months I've been thinking one
will appear any day now. All grumpiness is blamed on teeth here too!!

My physio friend told me jumerpoos ect are fine in moderation (like everything in life) but some people keep their LO in them for extended periods of time that's why they advise against them.

My fella loves sitting up and tummy time. He has rolled front to back a hand full of time but doesn't seem fussed about doing it again. Likes to stand with my support also. He looks so tall doing it, like a right little man. We are way off crawling I imagine.

I'm in Scotland 🤗

@SRS1311 Funnily enough jj has fell asleep on his front A couple of times and slept for a good 2/3 hours. I’ve stopped rolling him back 😶 he prefers it for some reason