August 2021 Babies - From Santa to Solids, Hohoho!

[PurplePansy05]

Here we go again!

I'd do another delightful intro, alas I've lost count which thread this is now and we all know our LO's names anyway 😁

So instead I will just say, Merry First Christmas together to you and your LOs! 🎄❤🎁

May the sleep regression pass as soon as they see Santa later this week...

...May they love weaning and may our kitchens survive...

...May 2022 be full of blessings for them and for us ❤❤❤

Oldcomers and newcomers welcome, as always! 🥰

Hahaha fair enough!!

I think those mesh feeders are a bit gimmicky and not needed - when they are doing a chewing motion they wouldn't normally get mushy, strained food from doing that, they would get chunks of food from it so it's not really natural behaviour and maybe doesn't help them learn to cope with lumps? They tend to be popular when people feel anxious about choking risks from self feeding, maybe they are good for babies to develop some of those muscles without actually having the risk of chunks. But it probably won't help them practice moving bigger chunks around their mouth which is a skill they get from self feeding. It also looks gross which is totally a pointless opinion since all baby feeding is gross at this stage :o

OTOH some things are so slippy they can't get a grip on them. Tried banana again today and same problem, much too slippy even though it was fresh and firm. It was like a cartoon soap slipping out of his hand! I think melon would be the same. We have one in the fridge but I think it would be too frustrating for him. (BLW site used to say leave the rind on - OK, but DS2 cut his gums chewing on one).

Oh now that's just reminded me of another tip to cut a banana in half before peeling and then just trim the skin off the end so the fruit pokes out... hmmm might try that.

Thanks everyone for replying about planning (or not) for another baby. I think I might be the oldest one around here as I'm turning 38 in March. I'm thinking we'll wait 14-16 months to start trying again mainly because I had a c section, I'd like to return to work for 1 year and I'm not excited about having 2 under 2 (though if it happens I'll deal and be delighted I'm sure). We have no family help around so I'm already a bit scared but we really would like another child. So don't want to leave it too long given how tricky it gets with age.

@BertieBotts some people on here had suggested solidstarts on Instagram. In her stories yesterday they had about mango being too slippy so too dip it in crushed cereal for grip? I'm not sure we are at that stage yet and a bit dubious as to how much grip it would actually give but maybe a future idea for banana.
We tried banana too but she just squishes it then pretty much sucks what's left off her fingers 🙈
So I've been fine a bottle of aptamil before bed atm as she feeds to also for comfort in me and won't let me put her down but now aptamil Is completely out of stock in shops (well they only had stage 2) so can I just swap her straight over to cow and gate or something?

@Daffodil21 thank you, dh sent understand and don't really feel about to talk to anyone else about it right now and's I'm very thankful for my 2 healthy babies. But thinking about pregnancy and the hospital time really does fill me with anxiety. Hope your doing ok too

We swapped brands all the time when we FF DS2, it never seemed to cause any problems.

I have heard Aldi Mamia is made in the Aptamil/cow and gate factory so may be the same as them anyway.

I will have a look at the solid starts. I had not heard of them until a few days ago and when I looked at it it seemed very detailed and over-complicated so I kind of dismissed but maybe they have some useful tips too!

@WolfMother326

Thanks everyone for replying about planning (or not) for another baby. I think I might be the oldest one around here as I'm turning 38 in March. I'm thinking we'll wait 14-16 months to start trying again mainly because I had a c section, I'd like to return to work for 1 year and I'm not excited about having 2 under 2 (though if it happens I'll deal and be delighted I'm sure). We have no family help around so I'm already a bit scared but we really would like another child. So don't want to leave it too long given how tricky it gets with age.

I'm 38 in February so would need to think very soon about having another. I think my age is definitely a factor in my decision to just have 1.

WolfMother326

Thanks everyone for replying about planning (or not) for another baby. I think I might be the oldest one around here as I'm turning 38 in March. I'm thinking we'll wait 14-16 months to start trying again mainly because I had a c section, I'd like to return to work for 1 year and I'm not excited about having 2 under 2 (though if it happens I'll deal and be delighted I'm sure). We have no family help around so I'm already a bit scared but we really would like another child. So don't want to leave it too long given how tricky it gets with age.

Hi there, i'm 44, we only have 15 months between Iona and Alasdair, definitely finding 2 under 2 challenging. Iona will be 2 in May and Alasdair will be 1 in August. Still possibly considering a number 3, but would need to wait at least another year so I'm back at work after Alasdair.

We had to do IVF as I had to have both tubes and one ovary removed due to a cancer scare, so IVF was our only option. I had 2 really good and relatively easy pregnancies and births at 43 and 44 and we were really lucky in that we had one fresh IVF transfer and then one frozen transfer and both worked. We have 3 more frosties and we paid for another 2 years of storage, still not decided what we'll do. Hubby is a few years younger and definitely wants another, I have days I do and days I'm happy with 2. I suppose We could have another three transfers and all be unsuccessful, and we would definitely stop at that point.

@BertieBotts we’re next attempting some food this weekend so will add formula again. The poo thing being excess saliva made total sense, think we had a new record of largest poo ever today! But the bigger nappies caught it thank goodness.
I really don’t like taking clothes down the body cos I’m so awkward with it 😂 also, Sainsburys own brand vanish is so much better than the branded one imo so I’d try that on baby clothes!

Glad you’re getting a bit more sleep Bertie, hoping you have a better night tonight @Ready2020 that sounds really stressful. Surely she’ll sleep soon??

@Smurf123 oh I worry about this with the feet! Glad all was okay!

Haven’t tried those ice weaning things, I like the idea of them but imagine I wouldn’t actually use it!

I found the Solid Starts insta page wasn't that useful, is the app any better? I think it's American and I personally find the British pages a bit easier both in terms of age recommendations and actual food/ingredients availability.

Thank you for your thoughts regarding those food lollies, I thought this could well be the £10 I might regret spending

Ahhh all this talk about another baby is really making me think what to do, but I don't think we could have another one before he's 3. That's to do with free childcare kicking in then and also I'm frankly scared to be left with a newborn, toddler under 3 and no family support. But then I am 35 and if my bad history repeats itself again it might be too late for me to have another one. I just don't know what to do and it makes me quite upset. I wish I was just a little bit younger to have more time. xx

Ugh is it too late to send the baby back to the shop 😫😫😫 I'm exhausted! He's decided again that sleep is for the weak, I'd like to exchange him for a different one 😂

We flew out to see DH's family yesterday and had a bit of a mare on the plane - he did an enormous poo, so needed an outfit change, and then TWO massive wee fountains while I was changing his nappy - which is not ideal in a tiny plane toilet!

@Magik01 I also have the popsicle versions! I figured good for teething and also just fun generally for DH and I if Rowan isn't interested

The ice lolly moulds are good especially for the summer

Tried the size 4+ nappies overnight. Total disaster leading to need to change totally at 4.30am back to Pampers premium size 4.

@Mmr224 so wonderful that you've been able to have 2 given what you've gone through, that's lovely. And very funny coincidence, my boy is also named Alasdair, born in August.
I don't think my husband and I would try ivf if we had trouble having another, mostly because we weren't necessarily planning children when we got married and I'm not a fan of medicine/injections so I think I might struggle. But if we get lucky and can have another I'd be so pleased. Especially having had our baby it's made us want another. It would be good if I could finish before 40.
@Ready2020 do you just feel it's too much at 38? I have several friends in early 40s who have had healthy babies. I know the risks are higher and I definitely feel some days I'm too old to be this tired!
@PurplePansy05 sorry for stirring things up. We are in a similar situation with not having family help around. I so wish childcare options were better/more affordable before age 3.

Another one with no family help around (which tbf is our own fault for moving so far away). There's only a certain amount I'm willing to put myself through for another, and whilst I would love a second I'm can't let it take over my life again.

Isaac has started sucking his thumb to settle himself (he won’t take any brand of dummy) do I stop him?!

Keep being told I can take a dummy away but not his thumb, but he won’t take one!! And it also means now he’s found his thumb I can slept a bit more. Any advice? What would you ladies do?

No, no, @WolfMother326 I think I'm just trying to cover up my own feelings a bit, so it's nothing you've said. I think deep inside I really want another baby and it's surprised me that I'm feeling like this so soon after Leo. We haven't planned for this and now this is making me sad. Alongside the fact that time is ticking, inevitably. Another thing is that like other ladies already said, TTC and pregnancy can really drag you down if things don't go well and much like @Daffodil21 I wouldn't want to spend another several years going through it. I guess the fact I now have a baby makes it easier, but also more difficult in some ways, I nearly don't want to tempt it now he's here and he's ok. I don't know. It's complicated. Maybe I should just not think about it and see what happens! xx

@WolfMother326 @Daffodil21 @PurplePansy05 another one with no help 🙋🏽‍♀️ but we have all been managing haven't we x

Ok to all you beautiful ladies who listened to me last week wanted to give you an update.

Arya-Nyah slept in her bed all night last night with 4 awakenings. 2 to feed and 2 to fuss lol. But the good thing is we didn't have to pick her up - she just went back to sleep. We haven't given her a dummy and use the love to dream swaddle so she can't suck her thumb but I'm really proud of her for trying. She woke up at 6:15 for a feed after which i just napped with her on the nursing chair. Hoping this is now a pattern forming again and she can soon go back to longer hours in her bed! Am still tired as was waking up a lot but way more grateful ❤️

We do have intermittent help tbf. When I go back down south or my mum/in-laws come to stay I do get a lot of help, so it's unfair for me to say I don't have any.

I've got my triage appointment at 1pm as I finally heard back from the service the GP recommended. It will last an hour on video - I just hope DS behaves (and really hope they're helpful....)

Brilliant progress @Whatshouldbemyusername

May I ask about arm / chest strength - are your babies pushing themselves up when on their fronts and holding it for an amount of time? DS resolutely refuses to do anything when on his front except gaze at whatever is sideways and eventually cry to be turned over, and I’m wondering how unusual this is…

Hi everyone! I managed to find you all and so pleased to see the group is still going strong.
We had our little baby girl - Elayna on 3rd Aug 💕
It's been an absolute rollercoaster but she's brought so much joy to our lives. Still catch myself in disbelief...can't believe I'm a mother!

Ended up with an unplanned c section and Elayna was in NICU for 11 days but all worked out well. My physical recovery from section was the hardest part and took a good 3 months. I still have trouble with pelvic pain though which quite bad at night and makes me feel like an old woman!

I had real trouble breastfeeding because of being separated from baby so she started our on bottle but eventually got her to wean off bottle and onto breast. Took a lot of sweat and tears!

I'm now trying to get her back on to bottle (I know, she must wonder what the heck I'm playing at) so I can get some sort of period back. Like others have already discussed, I'm also an older mother and a bit worried about struggling for baby #2 so feel I should crack on.
It took us 5 years to get this far, really hope it's not the end of the road!

@RandomCatGenerator Yes, my DS can push and hold himself up and look around (as in turn his head left or right). He follows me or toys when he does that too, he can hold himself up for longer now. I wouldn't say he likes it though. He generally hates being on his tummy and always has, so it's a bit of a surprise he can do this tbh. Still absolutely zero interest in rolling ever again, either way 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Daffodil21 I'm so happy for you. I'm now getting help from my local charity, only started this week but it's given me some hope. It's amazing what half an hour or 45 mins of pausing and having someone to listen to you can do. xx

@PurplePansy05 they've referred me for CBT but the waiting list is 3-4 months. I do wish I could just go private but I can't with my lack of job situation

Welcome back @Dia12!

Haven’t been on here all week due to the house move, feel like I’ve just burst into a party half way through trying to read through all your comments 😂

@RandomCatGenerator he was getting quite good on his front after I started making a conscious effort to do tummy time every day but this week we’ve been so busy going here there and everywhere that I can get to the end of the day and realise we haven’t done any 🤦🏼‍♀️ He will sometimes just cry and squash his face into the floor refusing to do anything unless there’s something really exciting going on.

I’ve noticed a big difference in how well hes sitting up when there’s something just at the bottom of his back at least then tonight I was sitting behind him and let him go and he stayed sitting up for a good 5 seconds by himself! My mum and dad were there too to see it. I was that mum shouting everyone to look 🙄😂 So that’s made me feel a bit better than his lack of tummy time isnt holding him back with sitting anyway!

@Mmr224 that’s so lovely you managed to have two ☺️ What a nice story!

I feel like the second you have one people constantly say stuff about ‘the next one’, obviously on here doesn’t count because we’re all in the same boat having just had one and I’m sure it’s well meaning but it’s like I’ve literally just grown and given birth to this one, can we focus on that for a second? 😂 My in-laws said about it when they came to see him for the very first time and I just thought how do you know we don’t just want one? 🤔 Think it can be easy to get ahead of yourself and wish you life away then probably get 5 years down the line and look back on all the nice times when they were little.

We don’t want another one very soon but we do need to fit a wedding in somewhere so I’m thinking about it a bit more due to that. We were going to wait til summer next year to get married, only so that we could avoid the winter with covid but he would then be 2 around the time we got married so would be 3 realistically by the time we had another one, which is fine but I don’t know if I’d maybe rather them a tiny bit closer than that.

I had the most straightforward easy pregnancy ever and I feel even more lucky when I see what lots of you have had to go through (and what my friend is still going through) to get a baby! I do slightly question if it could possibly all be that nice and easy again though but every pregnancy is a bit of a gamble like that I suppose. I held my breath for pretty much the entire thing due to how scared I was about going into labour and I shouldn’t have bothered worrying since it all went so well and I got my planned section in the end but I’d hate to mentally go through that panic again, it consumed my brain all day every day from opening my eyes in the morning to going to bed at night 🙈 So I’ll maybe have some time off to recover from that first 😂 very minor in the grand scheme of the rest of your stories!

Also we haven’t attempted any food at all yet.. I was aiming for mid January but now looking at the date and realising it is pretty much mid January 🙈😂

Can I ask everyone, how do you split childcare with your partners or planning to now the babies are nearly 6mo and slightly less dependent on us? In a sense, they are weaning and can be entertained equally well by mummy or daddy.

I really would like to establish a routine that works particularly when I'm back in work. I've concluded I can't be responding for everything Leo-related. I think I will find it difficult because obviously being away from him for the whole day, I will miss him and naturally will want time with him. But I think DH needs to do a fair share of everyday care and also long-term planning, I mean thinking about and arranging something to do on the weekends, booking some activities for him and taking him etc. I really don't want to be the person who starts off doing it all (which I would) and DH having a super easy life doing nothing much at all (which he would) because it will stay this way forever. Any tips/thoughts would be much appreciated xx

*responsible, not responding