August 2021 Babies - They Had To Be Gorgeous, Just Look At Us

[PurplePansy05]

Welcome to the chattiest post-natal club on MN!

We spent a year together chatting about all things pregnancy and baby...

...we've tried and tested countless baby products...

...exchanged hundreds of tips...

...talked about all the big things in life, all the little things, the good times and the tough times...

...we had a good laugh together 😁...

...and somehow we now have gorgeous 3 month old babies without looking a day older ourselves 😅 (must be that good laugh!)

Graduates of the August 2021 (and thereabouts) thread:

@Smurf123 & baby Sophia 💖
@wimbler & her baby boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles & baby Ebony💖
@Inmypjsagain & her baby boy 💙
@PurplePansy05 & baby Leo Alexander 💙
@WinterBabyof89 & baby Rosie 💖
@Winecoffeeteamum & baby Emily 💖
@Ready2020 & baby Rowan 💖
@Magik01 & baby Isaac 💙
@Hoares3 & baby Ellis 💙
@Daffodil21 & baby Elliot James 💙
@sarah13xx & baby Freddie 💙
@MrsB2019x & baby Ella💖
@biscuitcat & baby Rowan 💙
@Whatshouldbemyusername & baby Arya-Nyah 💖
@notinthestarsigns & baby Erin 💖
@Aaaaa1519 & baby Anum 💖
@Angelesque & baby Isaac 💙
@Millymay13 & baby Ethan 💙
@WolfMother326 & baby Alasdair 💙
@BertieBotts & baby Alex 💙
@RandomCatGenerator & baby Solomon 💙
@lucyrp & baby Evelyn Rose 💖
@HopefulB & baby Chloé 💖
@Mmr224 & baby Alasdair 💙
@Smallbean27 & her baby boy 💙
@Fran919 & her baby girl 💖
@Caz1226 & baby Dougie 💙
@Ava50x & her baby boy 💙
@dirtyfries & baby Frankie 💖
@ame88 & baby Lily 💖

Sorry if I've missed anyone, please join in! xx

@Fran919 www.instagram.com/p/CSJh_EkCbi3/?utm_medium=copy_link and www.instagram.com/p/CSj-2-ditNz/?utm_medium=copy_link

@Whatshouldbemyusername www.instagram.com/p/CV7kN9bMlST/?utm_medium=copy_link don’t know if this might help you! Hope your little girl feels better soon

Sorry a million posts, but I should say @Fran919 he’s formula/bottle fed which I think makes a difference, I only know of one breast fed baby sleeping through the nights now, the rest wake up for at least one feed

@Inmypjsagain thanks for info about dropping a feed - he actually isn't particularly interested in his 6am feed now so maybe it is time to try this. I didn't even know it was a thing! I'm guessing the changing mat thing is about them laying down without a nappy?! But I'm not quite sure! Yes, DS loves a changing mat chat as well! I'm two sizes bigger and I am so fed up of the comments. I wouldn't dream of saying anything like that to anyone even if I thought it! It wasn't just my mum's comment, it was the woman at the sewing course joking about me going into labour. So it's not even like she thought I was early days. The same thing happened with a woman in Asda a month or so ago. My 'bump' has even gone down a lot lately and I'm still getting the comments! I'm starting my swimming again tomorrow and today I did half hour on the stepper thing while Elliot had a nap. I'm cooking healthier meals too (freezing chopped veg is the way forward!) so hopefully all that will all help. I've also dusted off my Fitbit today. Still not the point really - no one should really be saying those things! I also had to be on steroids for this pregnancy, and was on progesterone until I was 23 weeks which definitely hasn't helped with the weight gain, but they can all F off quite frankly.

Some people say you shouldn't add toys to a car seat but I can't see any reason why it would interfere with the safety features in a crash so I don't worry about it. Don't add things between the straps and the baby, and be aware anything solid could turn into a projectile but that's about it really!

I can't really sit in the back as we have two car seats in there permanently and sometimes all three children in the back so there isn't any space. But luckily he's quite happy in the car at the moment as long as we're moving.

@Fran919 they are all different, don't worry. My first baby was sleeping 9 hours at 8 weeks old but that all came undone at four months. DS2 never slept any stretch longer than 2-3 hours until he was over a year old and this one seems completely variable. Some nights one wake up others several. He definitely does longer chunks than my second one did but I haven't done anything differently. They all get there in the end :) I find it's best not to count :o

@Inmypjsagain thank you! I’ve liked and saved those so will have a good read, I think the cluprit(s) could be nap too close to bed time and not enough feeding in the day.

How much does your LO take? Mine is formula fed too.

Nappies are absolutely fine, I didn’t think I’d like them but the washing is easy, a very quick 15 min wash to get rid of the poo and then a good wash. It’s the drying that takes time. We do have disposables in though, we use them at night if she’s done a poo as it’s quicker to replace than two layers of nappy, she went through a phase of pooing after the 2am feed but thankfully that’s gone to two in the day instead.

@Ready2020 @sarah13xx I’m thinking January, I think I’ll sleep on her floor for a couple of nights to begin with. I’m trying to tempt DH to trial my theory of us (me) disturbing her and watch her on the monitor one and take It in turns.

Do you ever do naked bum time? I like to try and do that a few times a week, I just lie him on a towel and sometimes pin a muslin up to catch any upward wees (not that he can do them up bless him) he loves it kicking away and having a lovely time. I really think it helps prevent nappy rash as well to air them out a bit.

@Inmypjsagain thank you. That's so so helpful! She's definitely feeling better. Still sneezing but is now chatting too and no temperature. X

@Fran919 my LO wakes up every 3 hours at night for a feed. If we're lucky we may get the occasional 4 hours but it's rare.

Also we live in a 2 bed flat and moved her to her own room at 10 weeks. We use the monitor and mostly do shifts with my DH so she's never really "alone". All day time naps are in her own room. I feel comfortable with that change as long as I have the monitor x

@Daffodil21 no harm in trying it! We reduced the amount of ounces over night and I was really dubious because he gets quite hangry, I hated the thought of him still being hungry and I thought he wouldn’t go back sleep etc but we probably only did it for 5 nights and in that time reduced 2 ounces and he stopped waking. Whether this was a coincidence and he’d have it slept through then anyway, who knows. He would finish the bottle but wouldn’t cry after and then settle for sleep again- If he’d have cried for food I’d have given more because that would have been a sign he wasn’t ready imo. It means the first feed is always 8 ounces and sometimes I’ll do a top of 4 ounces 2 hours later to make up the missing night feed- he’s generally on about 500/600ml by midday in total. And re the weight comments I’m furious on your behalf, people shouldn’t be saying anything! And I can’t even imagine the labour comment! I’m sure you look great and easier said than done but try not to take it to heart, growing a human is one of the most challenging things you can do so your body is amazing! Plus the steroids! What is it about pregnancy and babies that people just seem to lose all of their tact? I think it’s easy to forget that’s it’s only just 3 months and what the body has done is monumental… why does no one else realise that?! Especially comments from women who have been there and done it?!! I’m healthy eating too so we can do that together, though you’re better than me because I buy ready chopped frozen veg 😬 and oh the damned Fitbit, I use my Apple Watch but my Fitbit used to irritate me, every hour telling me to walk. I became a slave to my step goal! Now I always want to close my rings on the watch but I do long walks… not that theyre helping. It’s interesting yours is still bump, my stomach definitely more rounded than before but it’s my thighs that are out of control 😂

@BertieBotts thanks Bertie, more confident to add to the car seat now. Though I won’t add his musical toy because that would go off over every bump and I don’t think my sanity could manage it!!!

@Inmypjsagain omg the nappy bin, what a job 🤦🏼‍♀️ The bin goes out this week too come to think of it, however will I manage it all 🤣

Sorry I did such a massive post I missed the new ones! @Fran919 at least you can pin point what you think it might be! I think we’re guilty of a nap too close to wake up time tbh but I don’t want him over tired so trying to figure that out. In terms of food he’ll take about 1050-1090ml in total. So first feed will be 8oz (but in the formula bottle it’s not actually 8oz, it’s goes up so it’s a bit more, about 260ml?)- then sometimes I’ll do an extra feed of 4oz 2 hours ish later, then 7ozs for the next 2 feeds and 8oz before bed. Sometimes he doesn’t seem to want the smaller 4oz feed, so if I don’t give him that he gets 8oz per feed. He’ll usually finish a 7oz bottle and there’ll normally be about 10ml left of the 8oz. He’s 15 weeks and our shoddy home measuring has him on 26th centile.

@BertieBotts no naked time, why hadn’t I thought of that! I could do after a nappy change, he’d love the freedom and getting his bum aired 😂 how is Alex, do you think he’ll have corrective surgery or is it not neeeded (sorry I think you’ve said before but my mind is foggy!)

@Whatshouldbemyusername ah glad she seems better 😊

@Inmypjsagain @sarah13xx once you're used to it it isn't so bad husbands being away - DH works away for his job so I'm on my own about half the week and now I'm more in the swing of it it's actually OK! The main thing is just that babies are really quite boring so I need to timetable activities so I don't go stir crazy. Very jealous of your super sleepers!!

@Ready2020 it's so odd isn't it - I feel like I hardly remember what life was like without a baby, though there are definitely still times I miss the ease of pre-baby life.

@Fran919 I haven't really decided what we'll do in terms of moving him into his own room - he'll definitely outgrow the snuzpod before 6 months and we'll then have to decide whether to bring the cot into our room or move him into the nursery. I'll be sad when we need to put him in the cot, it's useful storage for all my clean laundry at the moment 😂

@biscuitcat wow so you’re doing it a lot, for some reason thought it was occasional. As for the sleep, every time someone asks me how he’s sleeping and I say I genuinely think I should say nothing because I feel like sleep karma is going to come and get me. I’m petrified for the 4 month regression!

I do think I’ll always sleep with white noise on now!

I’m working backwards through the thread and there was a point about when do we go to bed- someone will come in with him at bed time but we have a tv in our bedroom and I’ve always slept with the tv on as background noise, so we do that, I’ll get ready for bed in the en-suite so I’m not far away. We both bought little clip on lights for the sides of the bed from amazon so that we can read without illuminating the whole room. Quite happy with thst routine but I imagine I’d be a bit grumpier with it in summer!

@Inmypjsagain I was thinking that about him being hungry but maybe he'll be ok like yours. Definitely going to give this a try (although not tonight 😂). The only reason I haven't bought ready frozen veg is because I haven't got round to checking if it is actually just 100% frozen veg with no weird additions or processing (I'm sure it's fine!) once I've checked that I'll be buying it ready chopped! We already use ready chopped frozen garlic which is a game changer! Thanks for your comment re weight, that's very sweet. Don't worry, my thighs are also a bit out of control! They were the first things to gain - I had stretch marks on my thighs from just 8 weeks of pregnancy having been on the steroids. They are probably the reason I have DS now so do people really think it matters if I'm still holding onto a bit more weight than I may have otherwise?! Some people are just thoughtless and rude! Ha I don't plan on sleeping with my Fitbit on because I don't want to know if I haven't had enough sleep 😂

Anyone else getting fed up of people asking them when they’re going back to work? 🤔 I’m sure it’s just because they can’t think of anything else to ask but I feel like everywhere I go, enjoying myself because im on mat leave and someone comes along and spoils it with ‘when are you going back to work?’. It almost feels like they think I should be back already. I feel like saying eh my baby is only 3 months 🙈 When I say May/June I feel as if they’re looking at me like I should just go back just now. My aunt asks every time I see her, which was already annoying me but at the weekend she said when we live in my mum’s street I will have childcare so I can go back to work 🤔 eh I actually like spending time with my baby and hate my job thanks 😂 I was out a walk today, met someone we vaguely know and she’s shouting down the road ‘WHEN ARE YOU BACK TO WORK?!’. The worst of it is, none of these people who are asking me even work. I’ve spent my whole life working, just let me enjoy a few months off in peace jeez 🤦🏼‍♀️😂

@Inmypjsagain it was much more sporadic for a while as his work has been hugely affected by covid but sadly (for me!) it's pretty well back to normal now, so away pretty often. That's the good thing about a not so good sleeper - the 4 month regression can't really make his day sleep any worse as it's dreadful already, and though night sleep is better I've not got used to the giddy highs of a full night's sleep so won't miss it 😂

Oh they can all fuck off with when are you back in work, I hate small talk and people who have nothing to say, so they come up with something painfully tedious. I just say "next summer". Truth is, my baby brain hasn't worked out the exact date yet 🤣

DH has a new job and is now working in the office or away most of the week. I was dreading it, but actually I love it. I prefer when it's just DS and I, we got our own little routines and I feel much more calm and in control.

@lucyrp We use Mamia nappies and DS lasts nicely over 10hrs in them. If he pees a lot overnight they feel damp in the morning when I change him, but they're not bad and he never wakes up at night because of a wet nappy.

Re rolling over, Leo doesn't do it yet at 15 wks. He still hates tummy time, I tried the bf pillow and a rolled up towel and nope, he hated them. Pretty sure it's uncomfortable because of his reflux and I won't be forcing him. We might be a bit late with rolling over as a result, but I'm sure he'll work it out. xx

@sarah13xx no I actually haven't had that, which I'm glad about because I quit my job so I don't have one to go back to 🙈 they're also too busy commenting on my weight 😂 I'd probably breezily say next year/next summer/month whatever you'd prefer to say and leave it at that. There is no need to explain, It's maternity leave and it's there for us to take aw much of as we want (and a year really isn't that much!). If they have an opinion on that, that's their look out. I bet those who are going back sooner have been (wrongly) met with judgement as well. You really can't please some people and it's no one else's business

For those saying about the car seat, dd had always hated the car seat, would stop crying once moving but start again every time you hit a red light or traffic. Anyway, I attached a baby Einstein star to the handle, and she has barely cried since! She is just mesmerised by it until she falls asleep. I know the same thing won’t work for every baby but I wish I had bought it weeks ago! Also I agree on the “when are you back to work” questions. My dad asked me the other day and when I told him he started saying about how women can’t expect to progress if they take long maternity leaves, wtf!! Also I left dd with my mum for a couple of hours on Saturday, but she phoned me asking me to come back after about 20 mins because she wouldn’t stop crying. By the time I got back she was actually fast asleep, but has made leaving her feel a lot more difficult now.

No rolling yet here either. We seem to be getting very close to a laugh but no luck yet! 13 weeks tomorrow/3 months on Thursday.

The best frozen veg is Birds Eye Steam Fresh. They are amazing! Great for weaning/toddlers as well. I actually go to France to buy them because they aren't sold here.

@Inmypjsagain The doctor said we will get a referral to the paediatric surgical team at hospital when he's 1, so we will see what they say. For now it's not causing any problems although I didn't realise, because the foreskin isn't joined at the bottom, we have to pull it back and wipe underneath it to get out any stray poo, dead skin gunk etc I think that might have been why it got infected before, because we didn't realise we should be doing that. Normally with little boys the foreskin is fused so when they wee, the wee pushes anything out with it and it doesn't cause a problem, you don't need to pull it back to clean.

@Daffodil21 it seems to have just started the last couple of weeks for me. It’s like they’ve done the whole small talk of congratulations, how old? etc so all they can think to say now is that I should go back to work. I’m 99.9% sure I’m either quitting or going back two days (with the view to quitting asap). I was planning to go back before the school summer holidays so that I’d get paid over the summer but I’m now thinking I’ll use my holidays instead and even use them for part time to spin it out as late as possible and hope I have another job by then 😂

Sorry to be dull and go back to swimming, but what do you do about baths after a swim? Probably a really stupid question but do you put them in the bath as soon as you get home or if it ok to wait for the evening? It's not like they can jump in the showers afterwards like we can 😂

@sarah13xx I've been trying not to think about what I'm going to do come March, but think I'm going to get my head out of the sand soon!

I would give baby a quick rinse in the shower and then just bath later. The chlorine won't harm them.

@Daffodil21 have you tried reducing the night feed? How’s it going? I was thinking about the comments again this morning and it really wound me up again- why are people so bothered by other people’s appearance?! Well, I’m glad our thighs are in it together 😂 I’ve just started doing weights again so now my thighs are mad at me! 😂 any inspo for healthy meals? Had roasted salmon with lemon with roasted veg last night, nice but I fancy something else… had scrambled eggs for breakfast and lunch will be air!

@sarah13xx I hate being asked this! It’s an automatic reminder that I’m 1/4 through mat leave 😭 I’ve been asked twice and said I’m not going back, that sort of killed the conversation. Reality is I will be going back but I don’t want to! How’s the week without husband going?

@biscuitcat 😂 well I hope at 4 months you get a super sleeper!!!

@BertieBotts oh so still a while for the referral and an extra cleaning job for you. At least you know to keep on top of it! Must admit wouldn’t have occurred to me clean under foreskin..!

Sat in the front with baby in back yesterday and it was fine, but I ended up sitting in the back on the way home because I felt guilty 🙄🙈

Husband is in my good books though, he’s away til the weekend now he ordered a bunch of flowers and a big box of chocolates which arrived this morning with a note saying enjoy eating them without having to share with him! It’s lovely but not so good for my diet!!!

I’m looking at high chairs atm, I know most don’t have theirs in one yet but does anyone have an idea which one they’ll buy? @Daffodil21 you have Elliott in one, don’t you? Would you recommend yours? I’m looking at the joie 6 in 1 because it converts to a toddler seat and table- I had one like that when j was little and I liked it. It’s £110 with an offer on which seems a lot but everything is more expensive that I’d anticipated in baby world!

We have the Ikea Antilop and it is fine :) When DS1 was little I had Fisher Price Healthy Care booster seat and that is good too.

We just have a small ikea table and chair set for him now. Ikea Lack £7, Krittur chair £12, (Antilop £12 + £6 for the cushion if you want it). We will buy a second small chair when Alex is older and pass the Antilop on to another family. I think it will get less wear and tear that way than the convertible ones and so a bit more sustainable :)