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

@Smurf123 glad I’m not the only one! He probably can sort of do it but I’m just constantly there supporting it. The HV just tends to be really negative. Even when I say how great he sleeps and when I said that at our very early appointments, it was almost as if she was disappointed it was going well 🤔 She’s left me feeling a bit flat today as if I’m doing a crap job 🙈 They all just do things in their own time

@sarah13xx I wouldn't worry too much about it some hv are just awkward.. Though I think they are also short staffed and over stretched atm too
I had mine put yesterday and she didn't even mention supporting head herself yet. Sophia can do it if she's on my shoulder but if I hold her in a sitting position she can do a wee bit and then flops forward if she gets tired. They all get there! Plus they come in on leaps overnight at this stage! Dd spends a lot more time sitting in a chair than ds ever did but with a puppy (well he's nearly 2) and a toddler the bouncy chair is often the safer option

We have lots of bubbles over here too 🙂

@PurplePansy05 you know I really hadn’t considered teething, I thought it was too early. I remember googling the cooing etc and it said that part of trying to start communication is cooing and blowing bubbles, so I thought it was that. He’s had a really pink left cheek for 2 days and I kept checking temperature but it could be teeth?!! They’re growing up way too quick!!!

@Daffodil21 thanks, that’s good to know. Got myself into a bit of a tizz just then because I thought I’d been holding him wrong. I must have done in the early days when he was floppy but he hasn’t been for so long. Also- noises, he has selective hearing i think lol, the microwave bong etc makes him jump and he responds to his play mat toy that makes a sound, but generally he’ll only pay attention to sounds that are interesting.

@Ready2020 toys- baby is just over 3 months and I’d say only properly interested in toys in the last 2 weeks. First was the rattle (like Pansy’s Leo, he looked outraged when he accidentally hit his head with it, don’t think he realised he was holding it and to begin with he just gripped it). The Lamaze toys are a big hit, in particular Freddie the fly and the peacock (Philip?) but they’re black and white on one side and colourful and textured on the other side. They’re all crunchy too and the crunch stuff is a favourite. And when he was born he was given a tiny love toy bar, it’s got a pull fan that is a bit too advanced for him but crunchy things, dangly things and spinning plastic thing with balls in that he likes to spin. Would recommend. He also loves to play peekaboo using the black and white muslin. He seems quite uninterested in his playmat now which he used to spend ages staring at the toys, might have to get him a new exciting one!

@Ready2020 www.tinylove.com/uk_en/into-the-forest-musical-nature-stroll this is the one, Amazon do it too but for some reason the link won’t paste. It attaches to the baby bjorn bouncer and the pram with no problems x

I second Lamaze toys recommendation. Also Amazon sells a snake type thing with 4 dangling toys that you can wrap around the buggy handle. He really enjoys playing with it, well worth the £8.

I got him small wooden maracas too which he's starting to discover now and a couple of small teethers - he holds them nicely now and tries to chew on them. They are for 3m old babies though, there are so many teethers that would be too big for his little hands. xx

Favourite toys here, a small teething ring from Chicco which has five little star shaped links attached to it but I don't think is sold any more. And the Haba wobbly clown (other animals are available!)

I am going to get him a Sophie la Girafe with some money my friends sent because he loves chewing so much.

We have some wrist rattles which he likes but IIRC from DS2 they have an extremely short window of play with these so I probably wouldn't spend the money to buy them.

He is starting to love the baby gym which is a Fisher Price rainforest one. He bats at the toys and likes the lights. I can't find the play nest anywhere though. Haven't tried jumperoo yet as his head control isn't really there and he's very wobbly when sat up unless very reclined.

DS2 always got pink cheeks when teething. So far we just have bubbles and gumming on everything but that's also not unusual for this age so I don't know that it's a teething sign.

@Smurf123 thanks, yeah I’m sure if I just try to persist it will come within the next couple of weeks. We sound like we have the same dog, 2 yet still not trustworthy so he has a high chair with like a lie back seat on it to keep him out his road when we’re in the kitchen!

@Inmypjsagain @PurplePansy05 feel like I could buy a new toy every day with how quick he changes. Going to have to buy these two now I’ve seen them 😂

It seems very early to worry about holding head up to me. Most babies can't do this (the milestone is sitting with support I believe) until more like 4-5 months old.

Does anyone else have a problem with MN loading properly? I keep having only half a page appear so I’m missing lots of posts!

@Ava50x glad you’ve been good!!! I’ve enjoyed the new baby stage too, time is going far too quick! So jel of the babies giggling! We get a prolonged smile and goo sound, but I’m assuming (and hope!) that’s not his laugh 😂

@BertieBotts wrist raffles? These sound cool!

@sarah13xx I buy stuff all the time, my husband just rolls his eyes now! Thing is I get ahead of myself, we’ve got so many toys he won’t be able to play with for ages but I just had to buy 🙄🙄🙄 I bought a light projector thing last week and I’m annoyed I didn’t buy it sooner cos he loves it!

@BertieBotts I did think that until she came today and said he was behind with it 🤔 since she’s been I’ve not supported it and he can hold it when he’s on his mat with something under his shoulders. Sometimes think they’re more hassle than they are help 🙄

Stupid question for you very helpful people: where on Mumsnet can I ask about nurseries?

I have two questions - one is to ask for experiences of nurseries in west London, the other is to ask about whether it’s worth trying a bilingual nursery. Any idea where to ask them? Sorry I know this isn’t the right place to ask.

@Inmypjsagain a lot of them don’t cost too much but it very quickly adds up 🙈 we got a voucher for scandiborn as a present and I bought him a big tool bench for when he’s about 2 or 3 but thought he’d get far more use out of that. Ordered a play nest, the bar thing you can clip on and a tummy time mat that has the fish in it for them to touch. Got him a rocking elephant and the wee mamas and papas seat for Christmas but think I’m just going to give him the rest of it now rather than go without it til Christmas when he’s not going to know anyway 😂

I missed you @BertieBotts, welcome back! You are such a mine of useful information.

@sarah13xx you know with the head thing, they all do it at their own pace and have you ever met an adult that can’t support their own head? That’s why I wouldn’t worry. My MIL is always going on about how good baby’s neck strength is, I don’t have a clue what’s good or normal, nothing to compare to really and I deliberately try not to google because they do at their own pace and I worry- like I googled we should have eye contact by 6 weeks and we didn’t and I got worried! Anyway I thought it was her just being a proud grandma (and wished she wouldn’t tell people because really she sounds like one of those “well my baby was walking by 7 weeks and grew his first tooth on day 2” type people) but thinking about it, it could be because her granddaughter wouldn’t hold her head up til she was 6 months… she’s 1ish now and totally fine with the head! But it’s stressful when the HV says stuff like that, try not to take it to heart! And when we were little tummy time wasn’t a thing and I guess we’re all okay now! And I know exactly the tool bench you mean, I’ve eyed it up! My friend sent me a link to an Aldi’s dr’s surgery yday that looks amazing that I had to resist buying. The tummy time mat sounds amazing though, gonna google that now 😂

@RandomCatGenerator maybe under parenting and pre school education sub forums? If you want more traffic I’ve seen people post in the chat forum

@Inmypjsagain ooh can I ask which light projector you bought? I'm wanting to get one and can't decide which!

We also have wrist rattles which he's enjoying, and foot rattles too, but he's not yet found his feet so they aren't really of interest yet.

I think there's a nurseries or childcare section, or parenting is pretty active and useful. There's a local section but I don't think people ever use them.

Not sure how you access Mumsnet but on the mobile site if you're on active and click on talk at the top it brings up the list of sections.

I have a projector too @Inmypjsagain! We've been using it from day one, I used to sit in the lounge cluster feeding Leo with it on and some relaxing classical music playing in the background. Now he likes both ❤ The projector keeps him awake however - it's a sensory experience so I only use it early in the evening with him not to overstimulate him before bed. xx

@Inmypjsagain yes it’s kendamil. He’s refused two bottles today so I think I’ll go back to hipp and see if that’s better. I’d been out with dd came home to learn he’d been inconsolable and screaming and wouldn’t take milk which was horrible. Just tried his bedtime bottle and he won’t drink it and has got himself in a right state. He’s clearly tired and unwell (he’s just wanted to sleep all day) so maybe that has something to do with it. Will try breast milk in a bottle layer but I’m not going to be able to pump enough for a bottle now as he’s depleted the source!

We get so much drool here. Getting through 3/4 bibs a day at the moment.

Thanks for the toy recommendations. I've got a tiny love play mat and she loves that. I'll maybe find a teether thing.

OH was away all day for work so I handed DD over when he got back at 6 and he's putting her down while I eat a curry. I'm in the room with her tonight so not sure how well I'll sleep. I start some nights in the spare room but OH wants an evening in the lounge tonight! As much as it'll be sad, I'm counting down to when she's old enough to go into her own room. I'd rather need to get up and go in there during the night and have the in-between time to myself in the room.

Going to meet NCT mums tomorrow in Edinburgh. Apparently John Lewis has a feeding room...? I'll check it out tomorrow.

Oh and we got a projector thing from amazon and DD loves it. But yes it's definitely not a relaxing before bed thing.

@Inmypjsagain yeah I was thinking this ‘tummy time’ phrase definitely never existed before 🤔 and true, I’ve never met an adult with their head flopping about 😂 I’m a teacher so I bang on to parents about how they shouldn’t worry if their child doesn’t meet all the expected standards by the end of their first year and school (and always think they must just add stress to them) yet here I am as soon as my child is a bit later with one bloody milestone 😂🤦🏼‍♀️ Google is definitely helpful for some things but it’s farrr too easy just to Google everything and then believe the first thing you read

Tummy time was brought in as a recommendation because after the Back to Sleep campaign in the 90s encouraging parents not to put babies to sleep on their fronts, a lot of children weren't spending any time on their front at all. It took about 15 years for it to be noticed and identified but they think it causes later development of skills involving the neck, chest, arms and wrists. Then they started on with the recommendation for tummy time around about the mid 00s. Apparently though, it's now been found that although modern babies tend to roll and sit later, long term it all evens out and doesn't really matter so in fact tummy time is not as essential as originally thought, but the age ranges for certain milestones have been shifted, which might not be corrected if your HV is using older materials or trained a while ago.

It's important for them to have plenty of opportunity to lie flat and unrestrained, ideally on the front and back. Too much time inside seats etc can be bad as they don't have time to practice their motor skills.

This is a good read if you're interested.

www.nytimes.com/2020/04/13/parenting/baby/tummy-time.html

www.instagram.com/p/CSJh_EkCbi3/?utm_medium=copy_link Here is a post about dropping night feeds that she just posted on instastories if anyone is interested

@wimbler oh bless him, hope you’re having an okay evening and he’s managed to get a feed now? Hopefully hipp will work for you. And I’m feeling you with that dribble bib life!! Feel like there’s always dribble stains on my shoulder now too!

@biscuitcat we got the moredig one as it was on one of those amazon flash sale things for £10. It’s got 2 covers- one with stars and the other under the sea, you can have up to 3 colours depending how busy to make it (so you can have fish, fish and seaweed, fish seaweed and octopus or something) it’s usb or 4 AAA batteries. It’s good for the price but there are others that look fancier and more like a real sky, but baby loves this one! @PurplePansy05 might have a different one to recommend. We make the living room really dark and turn it on for 10 mins or so, then he has a bath, bottle and bed. I quite like too if I’m honest 😂

@sarah13xx agree with google, amazing resource and but also gives me a headache too!!! I prefer asking here tbh, practical and real life advice! But I think it’s easy to say milestones at your own pace but I guess it’s different when it’s your own!

I think all the tiny love products are really good! Don’t suppose anyone has this, I was wondering if it was worth buying? As I said I earlier baby seems to enjoy tummy time and happily looks at toys, so don’t know if he needs it, but just thought it looked quite cool: www.tinylove.com/uk_en/tummy-time-mobile-entertainer

Also does anyone have a particular wrist rattle to recommend? Amazon have alot of brightly coloured animals but for some reason I picture a bell bracelet in my head 😂

I might try a rolled up towel tomorrow for tummy time, see if he enjoys it more.

Regarding the projector, mine isn't a baby projector, it has clouds/stars/moon modes un various colours. I actually bought it for myself and figured out I could show it to Leo. It came with a remote and it's USB chargeable. I really like it. Unfortunately it is no longer available on Amazon, I bought it in June for around £40, but I'm sure they'll have something similar xx