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

My HV said to gradually stop using a dummy around the 12 month mark. We've only ever used it during the day to settle him before we go out or to encourage him to sleep (if he ever naps during the day that is!). Or if I need to buy myself 5-10 mins of silence. So thinking about it, he never really has it in for longer than an hour, for example if he falls asleep with it on a walk. Not sure how hard weaning him off it will be but he'll probably stop napping completely by 12 mo knowing him 🤣 and so I might put up with an occasional upset here and there during the day. But we never taught him to suck on it to sleep at night on purpose. Apparently it takes 3 days for a baby of this age to unlearn a habit, wonder if this would work with dummies at night? Obviously I get that this could mean 3 hellish nights in a row...🤯

I tried a bit of Snufflebabe (rubbed a little bit onto DS's sleeping bag) and the Calpol plug last night. The plug is from 3m+ but it's strong IMO - I only had it on for 1 hour in a medium sized room and I thought that was enough. Pleasant and relaxing for everyone. Snufflebabe worked a treat for Leo who is still asleep and I barely heard him last night. Poor thing needed to recover. Thank you for your tips

Sorry to hear more babies are a bit poorly now @wimbler @BertieBotts hope the boys get better soon xx

@sarah13xx thanks darling x

@PurplePansy05 yes missed you all too. I have been really reading the tips and stuff which is helping me too. I think I've just become too busy (read lazy) to type.

Currently sitting with Arya-Nyah on her sling on me. Trying to have breakfast. Her grandmother said she was gonna come by 9:30 as she hadn't seen her in 2 weeks as she had travelled and quarantining all that drama. But it's 11 am now and nope no sight of her.

We're doing ok though. Ary hates tummy time so just abit stressful when she has to do it. She cries all the way through. I've tried some toys. Talking to her by lying close to her but she just has her face planted on the mat crying all the way through 🤦🏽‍♀️. Any tips?

We're hitting 3 months tomorrow ❤️

@Whatshouldbemyusername Oh dear, nana had a lay in, she probably knows what's about to hit her & gathering her energy haha 🤣 I would say don't worry too much about tummy time. Leo screams the house down if he's flat on a blanket on the floor on his tummy and we only do it on my chest as and when and I don'tset out specifically to do it. He has no problem with turning his head and is upright with only slight wobble here and there when I hold him. I read such a mix of views whether it's even necessary to do it at all! The consensus was they learn what they need to anyway, I hope that's right (seems to be)! xx

*lie

Do tummy time on a raised surface so they can see you. Also pick a time they have lots of energy and curiosity.

This is good too:
www.candokiddo.com/news/2015/1/8/3-tips-for-making-tummy-time-less-miserable?rq=tummy%20time

mamaot.com/therapist-approved-tummy-time-tips-activities/

Alex is a thumb sucker too. Not at all interested in a dummy.

Formula always originally said cool for no more than 30 mins. I think this has got a bit corrupted into cool for exactly 30 mins, but I think even some tubs say that now as well so who knows! It's based on a full kettle as well which is bizarre - who ever boils a full kettle? I haven't done that since the 90s when everyone started on about water wastage, unless I was boiling water for a bath or washing up when the hot water is off.

It is a good idea to use hot water but barely any countries except the UK/Ireland actually advise it. Germany says heat water to 40 degrees But WHO/NHS advice says making in advance with hot water is safer than making fresh with warm or cold water, as long as you store it in a fridge and not too long.

Doctor says he is teething already! That was when I asked about blowing bubbles. I'm not convinced but we'll see.

On night feeds: I thought you were supposed to feed on demand too! BUT the books and online guidance often say ‘drop a feed at night’ or ‘avoid your baby getting into bad habits like feeding every two hours at night’. But they don’t say HOW.

That's because it's bollocks :o - no - OK - but these conflict because they are from different schools of advice. Pick one or the other but don't try to do both because it's impossible. It is very young to be dropping night feeds if not initiated by them though. Nights are still highly variable here. We had one, possibly more where he was only up once so did 8.30 - 2.30 - 7.15 (and then back to sleep until 9.30 after a change) and other nights he's up every 2-3 hours. It's normal.

I will just mention the Lyndsey Hookway book again because 99p is a brilliant price for it and it's really good at sorting out myth from fact while being neither guilt inducing (if you want to feed to sleep etc) or prescriptive (you must co-sleep or your baby will never love you etc)

If you know how to sideload android apps, versions of Huckleberry previous to June of this year include the sweet spot nap predictor as a free service without a subscription.

@Whatshouldbemyusername oh she's just gorgeous 😍 I'd wear that skirt myself!! For tummy time, Rowan enjoys it much more if I use a little pillow to elevate his front, could that be worth trying? (Google tummy time pillow for the idea as I don't think my description is very good!)

We had 12 week jabs today, a week late, and there was a woman in the waiting room who I'm sure was trying to be helpful but really annoyed me. He was crying as he was overtired and hungry (great combo!!), but it was only a couple of mins till the appointment so I didn't want to feed as we'd be late, and also I wanted to feed him to sleep as soon as we got home (which has worked, I have a snoring baby on me at the moment), and she was offering suggestions to feed him a little bit, etc. 🙄 I know a crying baby isn't a nice sound, but she sounded so judgy.

Rowan also seems to have started grabbing toys now, it's so sweet! It's so lovely now he's starting to seem to play properly.

Re dropping night feeds - the past few nights he's seemed to hardly take anything at the feed at 10/11-ish when we go to bed so last night we tried putting him to sleep upstairs at 8 and not waking him when we went up - won't be doing that again soon! He had a much worse night than usual, and I was so stressed and couldn't keep my eyes off the monitor to relax, so I think continuing with our little routine of him sleeping in the bassinet in the lounge with us till we go up then another feed will carry on for a while as everyone gets more sleep that way at the moment!

Thanks for the new thread! The last few weeks have gone in a blur, we’ve done our first class which was lovely!

@Ready2020 I could have written that! DD does not sleep past 330 without a dummy, but I can put her down at 7, she has it to fall to sleep with and then I take it out and she’ll not stir for it until we wake her for a feed at 930

Not sure what’s going on though, she’s awake every hour last few nights but spits the dummy out. Shes not hungry, we feed at 9.30 then anywhere between 1.30-330.

Is anyone else struggling with sleep? Can’t seem to do longer than 2 hours? If it was safe to give her a comforter I think she’d settle with that as we use that to get her off (weaning from the rocking to sleep) and it works a treat. I might try tonight and keep her hands out of the scratch mits as she likes to suck her hand in the day.

She’s also refusing feeds half way through now, getting 90ml down her and then it’s a battle but previously she’d drown 6oz!

Any LO on omeprazole here?

@Whatshouldbemyusername also with you on the hating tummy time, we can do 2/3 mins max, I don’t want to push her either but concerned she might fall behind in development not sure what to do for the best.

He’s 3 months today, we’ve had the HV this morning and I was a bit worried that he can’t fully hold his head yet. I think I’ve been supporting it a bit too much and not doing enough tummy time because he doesn’t like it 🤦🏼‍♀️ It’s easy for a day to go by and you’ve been so busy you haven’t got round to lying them on the floor. He also just cries and doesn’t enjoy it at all but I’m going to try doing it 10 times a day as she’s suggested and use my mat with the edge round it to support him.

Glad he’s not the only one who seems to hate it though and he can’t be too far behind if others can’t hold their heads yet either. Such a worry when you think they’re behind with something 🙈

@biscuitcat there is nothing more annoying 🤦🏼‍♀️ Like you’ve just picked this baby up of the street and have no idea how to look after it. I’ve only spent 3 months doing exactly that 🤔😂

I think it's pretty normal to not be able to fully hold their head at this stage @sarah13xx Sophias a bit older and she's getting stronger but couldn't hold it for long / is very wobbily with it

@Fran919 I won't lie DD has a small jelly cat bunny and a Muslin comforter with her when she sleeps all the time. I tried to stay awake to take them off her before we go to bed but I haven't been able to do it and sometimes it's the only way she'll go to sleep - snuggling her face into a muslin😳 I don't really like doing it but it helps her.

@lucyrp - I have thought about it, might give it a ago when we watch and listen to her on the monitor and she was she does with it. My concern is she rolls from back to side and vice versa but I could stick it in the corner of the cot? She sleeps on her side too which I don’t like but she puts herself there!

what is the point in tummy time is it for head holding or crawling or both? DD holds her head up really well unsupported and prefers to be sat upright, she seems sturdy doing it so I let go and she stayed upright for 3 seconds maybe, not sure I should let her do that but never mind. I don’t want to keep getting her distressed for the sake of it but
We just had 5 minutes before she starting crying doing tummy time (watching tv as a distraction) but not sure that’s helpful either.

Where’s the baby manual?!?!

@Fran919 I think they actually consider it "safer" if they can roll away or move away from items ?

DD doesn't mind tummy time and I think she's pretty good at holding her head up. But she always spits up milk when I put her on her tummy. I guess it's just pressure.

Oh well @Fran919 I guess we're stuck with the dummy for a bit. Really no other alternative I can think of. She does love it so. And it gets her to sleep at naps really quickly.

Two of my friends said their babies barely crawled before they just decided to stand up and start walking later. I can't quite imagine this 🙈 My understanding is that tummy time is to strengthen their neck muscles and spine so they can hold themselves up better. This should help with sitting without support etc. DS at the moment sits fine but obviously with back support, he's 3m+1 week now. I read somewhere their heads are disproportionately heavy until they're toddlers too, bless 😅

@biscuitcat Leo held two small maracas yesterday in his hands and shook them (that was unintentional) and then smacked one of them on his cheek & tried to eat it 🤣 So cute. Proud mum moment! He's also noticing a lot more around him, for example I painted his nursery walls in different patterns and he stares at them a lot now. It's lovely to see. Little laughs too, apparently me blowing my nose is hilarious xx

@PurplePansy05 oh glad you’re enjoying the walks, it’s a nice thing to get in the routine. We’ve just come back from 7 miles and it was glorious, love autumn. I’ve bought new walking boots too in preparation for bad weather! Sorry to hear Leo has a cold- hope you’re all feeling better!

@Whatshouldbemyusername gorgeous! Glad to hear you’re getting on well 😊

@wimbler is it kendamil you’re using? My baby really didn’t get on with that at all, we’re on aptimil now and he’s much better. I think Kendamil is very rich which could have something to do with it?

I follow an account on insta called itsminimatters and it’s got some good info on routines etc. @sarah13xx she suggests reducing the amount offered to baby in the night to wean off night feeds. That’s what we did but I’m not sure if it just coincided with him sleeping through the night himself 🤷🏼‍♀️

No advice on tummy time cos baby has always loved it, we had our first proper roll onto his front yesterday! He’d been moving on to his side for ages so I wondered when he’d properly roll over. I’m sure it’s because he likes being on his front- but he’s really had quite good head control since he was really little, so I wonder if that’s why we’ve not had issues with it? I did get him a pillow though which he seems to hate! But he does sometimes seem to be frustrated when he’s on his tummy, he starts rocking back and forth- as if he really wants to get crawling but can’t? Maybe that’s me just projecting though! Does anyone else’s baby do that? I think the point of it is to help neck muscles but it helps arms too, cos they’re leaning on them which I guess helps for crawling?

Are all your babies blowing bubbles? He’s been doing it for about a month but now we seem to have a constant stream of dribble and bubbles, he’s wearing bandanas now otherwise his top would be constantly soaked!

@BertieBotts oh I’ve just seen you’ve got bubbles too… teething already! Wow!

Also apps, I use baby tracker for nappies etc and it has good charts and graphs and all that business xx

Sorry for all the posts but I’m just catching up properly and now I worry I’ve not been supporting his head enough! I really don’t do it all because his head has pretty much always been upright, so carrying him around I’ve never had my hand on his head! 🙈🙈🙈 have I been doing it wrong?! He never seems uncomfortable..! Agree I need a manual x

Yes, we've had bubbles and lots of drool for about 3 weeks now @Inmypjsagain. He seems to want to chew on everything, his toys, bibs, clothes, fingers 🙈 Won't be long before his first tooth is out I think xx

@Inmypjsagain I've never supported his head either because I haven't ever had to. In the early days I did just because I've always heard about supporting babies heads but he's had a very strong neck/back and really good head control from week one. That's why I put him in the jumparoo so early - I wouldn't have dreamt of it otherwise!

Lots of dribbly bubbles here too.

Those who said their babies didn't look towards sounds - have they improved on this? @PurplePansy05 I think yours was one of them. Elliot still hasn't improved 😂

Can you suggest any toys for 3 month old at all? I'm not very imaginative on that front!

Not really @Daffodil21. He sometimes does it, but it looks unintentional. I asked my GP and she said this would only become a worry if they're 8 months old and don't do it. She asked if he gets startled by unexpected noise (he does) and if he coos/babbles (he does a lot). She said not to worry. xx

@PurplePansy05 ok good to know, thanks. DS does get startled by noise so I'm not worried he can't hear x

Hi all,

Hope everyone and their babies are OK. I've been off this thread for a LONG time! Been very busy with the newborn madness.

How is everyone getting on? I've really been enjoying the new baby stage and i'm a little sad that my tiny baby is already growing up, holding his head up, smiling and giggling and not sleeping all day long anymore! Its crazy how fast it happens...

I'm glad to still be exclusively breastfeeding though we still are struggling with ongoing engorgement and oversupply issues. The pump is both my enemy and best friend!

Going to try pop on here more often now that life seems to be settling down.