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! 🥰

Also no, @PurplePansy05. Mine wakes up and moans and fusses until he's seen to. He used to do as you describe when he decided he would be a nice easy baby, now he's bored of that it seems!

Also starting with a milk feed doesn't work because he just cries until he gets the rest of it 🤷‍♀️

@PurplePansy05 early morning chats would mean dd would have to have gone to sleep first 🤣
Though she was actually sleep when ds decided he would like to chat with her age went in and turned her light on at 730 this morning 😫 she was happy chatting to him then.
Trying an earlier bedtime tonight for dd as I think she's overtired which is part of the issue.
Due back at work but haven't been feeling well, bloods have come back with some levels raised and also some other raised numbers so am on the third go of them being repeated.

You could certainly ask your doctor. When we had our last check up our doctor said something about having the first MMR earlier at his six month check up because it increases the gap between the two doses which apparently research is showing offers better protection. But I think they tend to have a bit more freedom to do things differently here. Our appointment is this month so I'll let you know what happens when we have it.

We'd sort of taken a break from weaning with being ill but DH gave him some lunch today while I had a nap and apparently he loved it and ate half a jar, which is more than he's eaten before. It was a blended one and the first mixed food he's eaten.

Great, thanks @BertieBotts. I didn't know this was a done thing. I have HV next week so might ask her too, although she's new and frankly pretty shit (I don't want to put her down, but I might request to be moved to a different one). How are you all feeling?

@Smurf123 Oh no, I'm sorry to hear you're still unwell, any ideas what's going on at all? I hope you're on the mend soon

@Daffodil21 It's always like this, isn't it, some things with kids are easier and then become harder, I feel like many things have become easier in general after 4 months for us, but then some are more difficult then before. And it could just be that I've become more used to him and motherhood. Whatever it is that Elliot is going through now will soon change again - but I know in the moment it isn't necessarily all that helpful to think this way xx

Oh it's just lingering with me, I keep getting knackered after doing nothing and today I've been all dizzy. Starting to notice the loss of taste and smell people talk about as well. I can smell and taste most things perfectly fine but weirdly I can't smell bubble bath! And certain foods have lost their depth of flavour and just taste flat. Coffee tastes of bitterness, pate and chicken nuggets both just taste of salt. It's weird.

DS2 has coped amazingly bless him, he's been playing with his toys and occupying himself pretty much although he did stand on the baby today which was a heart stopping moment -the baby was absolutely fine! I wouldn't encourage that obviously but maybe I'll relax a bit about them playing together. Spending so much time together has actually really helped their bond this week.

@PurplePansy05 I am possibly exaggerating a little tbf. He probably isn't that bad really 😂 it's just the sleep thing mostly! I haven't done any work tonight and DH has offered me a spare room night so I am taking it!

Just about caught up with all this week’s chat.. sounds like everyone has a lot on their plate right now, exactly how I feel 🙈

Yes, he does the chatting thing when he wakes! He rarely cries in the morning now. My favourite part of the day I think is after I’ve gone and got his bottle ready I go in to get him out the snuzpod and he’s chatting away to himself/his hands then sees me coming and does the biggest smile like he totally was not expecting to meet me there 😂

Currently chilling in a bath kidding on I don’t have 18 orders to get through before like Thursday 😳😂 I can’t bring myself to feel panicked or annoyed at any of it though because I’m just so ridiculously relieved that it’s going well and I might not need to spend the rest of my life in a job I don’t enjoy 😅

We’re trying to get a new car on a lease just now after doing a similar thing with the finances @Ready2020 . We were spending way too much per month on a car before but the price of everything just now is completely insane 🤯 Not even too bothered what I get at this point as long as it fits the dogs and him in it but any jeeps or estates are an unbelievable price 🤦🏼‍♀️

@PurplePansy05 they are investigating inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory markers are up but not enough to trigger an automatic referral so on go number 3 of repeating the tests.
I have a history of low b12 but they reluctant to check it I mean low enough to trigger weekly injections for a while then covid hit and they stopped my routine bloods for it so I don't know if it's maybe a factor too.

@BertieBotts hope you are feeling better soon!

@sarah13xx exciting on the new car 🙂

@PurplePansy05 re mmr I'm hoping they will be fine and that enough others will have the vaccines. I think they sometimes do give the vaccine if they notice an increase in the numbers of it in your area. I'm non immune to rubella despite all doses of mmr as a child and an extra dose of rubella vaccine during all my rmc when it was initially discovered. They tried to give me it again after ds and dd but I've said no more. With ds I refused as they told me I wouldn't be allowed into nicu to see him for a week or something after having it. I have 1 very nice gp in my practice who was intrigued and dug into it and pretty much said that if after all the doses I had I still wasn't immune I wasn't going to be if I got it again so no point.

@smurf123 out of interest what do you mean by markers? I've been having blood tests and been referred to the haematology department as my platelets are high and my tests show that I've got an infection somewhere but I feel OK. It's worrying me a bit given my dad and sister had cancer but I'm trying to remember it was all post birth that it's come about. I just want to understand it. My GP says I'm a bit of a mystery but the haematology department will hopefully give me more answers. I've been referred as urgent so will hopefully be seen soon.

I'm having a mind blank to how to entertain DD during the day these days. I feel that because she's getting older that I should do more to encourage development but I'm at a loss. She has plenty of tummy time but cries if left there too long. I don't think it helps that she's teething so can get sad during the day. Weaning helps take up time but I'm not feeding her every day just yet.

We gave her a tiny bit of banana 2 days ago and she's not pooped since!

Thanks guys but actually the MS diagnosis hasn't been too bad - haven't had anymore symptoms after starting on medication and its good to finally know what was causing problems in the first place!

I second those kidilicous wafers, DD loves the blueberry ones in particular

@Ready2020 solids really seem to slow everything down. We have gone from 4 - 6 poops a day to once every 48 hours!

@Ready2020 Leo is now fascinated with foil, feathers and sensory balls, all of which you can buy cheap online and they're great as long as you supervise the LO.

I bought a number of musical toys too as he enjoys music. They play sounds, melodies, but also have other features which are fun/educational. Happy to share if anyone's looking for this sort of thing.

Stacking cups are currently being knocked over, too early for him to stack them up. The Infantino blocks are now really growing on him. Oball toys are a big hit here, cannot thank you all enough those who recommended them!

Recent discovery are the "Do not touch..." books, great little touch book series - I recommend.

Hey Bear sensory videos have made a return, I don't let him watch TV apart from them though . We now watch the fun colourful ones or the soothing lanterns.

@Smurf123 I hope you get some more clarity soon. How are you doing at home, are you coping ok? On the one hand it's nice you're not back yet, but I bet looking after the DCs isn't easy when you're not well.

@BertieBotts How odd regarding your sense of smell/taste! I thought you lose it completely with covid. I am now questioning if the fact some foods taste different to me is not a post-pregnancy issue, but a post-covid one. Pasta tastes sweet to me?!
Anyway, big hugs to you and your LOs. Silver lining that Leo and Alex spent more time together and bonded so well, that's lovely ❤

@sarah13xx Good luck with your orders! You're a hero! Agree about cars too, we're not changing atm, but I question if these prices ever drop/stagnate xx

We've gone from a poop every 6 days (apparently all normal with bf) to a daily poo since weaning started. I'm so not used to this 😂

@PurplePansy05 thats so strange, I'm BF too and DD was pooping loads more before we introduced food (for her a 'slow' day was only 2 poops haha), i guess all babies are really different

@Ready2020 oh I'm not sure they just said inflammatory markers were raised. Been told overall blood count is slighted elevated come back if symptoms continue also they looked at calprotecton levels which are elevated so repeating that one and then also eosinophils level is elevated which they say might just be because I have hay fever and asthma.

@PurplePansy05 Im doing ok at home, tired and it's hard running after a 3 year old as well as a baby but my mum is a fantastic help. The TV is being fully utilised often abs I feel a bit guilty but I'm making sure to get ds out to his sports club and he has a couple of hours at preschool too.

@kagerou I think it really does vary! DS is also breastfed and can poo anything from 3 times a day to not for 3 days! We're introducing solids next week so who knows what that will do 😂

@PurplePansy05 recommendations for musical toys would be gratefully received!

@Ready2020 I find going out and about with him in the sling is usually good for entertainment - when he forward faces he doesn't tend to go to sleep and is fascinated by watching everything. That has the added bonus of meaning you can do productive things! He also watches me potter round the house which he's quite happy doing for a while so long as I chat/sing/narrate, etc.

That's very true re forward facing in a carrier @biscuitcat, DS takes it all in and then sleeps really well. I do the same as you, put him in his chair and he watches me in the kitchen etc, I sing to him then, tell him what I do, play Peekaboo from behind the fridge door 🤣 He's a fun baby now, lovely age, wish he didn't have to grow up so fast ❤ I'll post some links to toys shortly xx

@Ready2020 I read a thing on reddit the other day (I find reddit is generally a load of rubbish but this was quite good) - "Don't try to make a happy baby happier" - they were saying how they felt this pressure to entertain the baby all the time but actually the baby is perfectly fine! I completely agree with this. Yes if they are getting frustrated and whiny all the time then it might be a good idea to look at some new toys/activities, but in general, if she's happy to just be, let her be. It can be counterproductive if you spend loads of time making entertainment for them as then when they become toddlers they expect constant entertainment and it's really draining. Though a lot of it is personality dependent. I have to say I am so grateful that we had DS2 in the toddler stage during the pandemic as he is so freakishly good at entertaining himself. DS1 was a nightmare and used to drive me crazy but DS2 has been quietly getting out a board game or puzzle or train track and just playing by himself for hours Then when he gets bored of that, he pretends to be a bus driver and drives around the house pretending to pick us up and drop us off.

That said what Alex likes at the moment is a big blanket or clear area of floor so that he can roll to the side to reach different toys. Feeding solids is a definite activity at this age too which I think is great and when we can go out, he loves being out and about seeing things. He also loves talking to us and bouncing in his jumperoo. Do you have a Playnest? That is great for sitting them up to play with toys.

In terms of musical toys we have this kind of thing from DS2 and he absolutely loves it as he can reach it in tummy time. www.amazon.de/Fisher-Price-GFK01-erstes-Keyboard-deutschsprachig/dp/B07JLNZYMG/

I was looking at activity cubes too but they are really expensive and big. Now another Fisher Price one which is great is the ubiquitous walker with the buttons on the front and the telephone! You probably remember it from your own childhood. There is always one on FB marketplace, at this age you take the front piece off for them to play with and once they start pulling up they love it as a walker.

"That's Not My...." books are really great to start reading as well or anything else with textured bits. Get down your local charity shop and see what they have :)

@PurplePansy05 not getting any sweet pasta but water tasted almost sugary to me last night when my mouth was very dry.

Well I'm testing negative now but still feel a bit pants! We are going out to get a professional test later so let's see if I just did it wrong, I think I was a bit too gentle as had a horrible test the other day and feel a bit anxious about them now

Are the play rings usable even when they can sit on their own? I was going to buy one a couple of weeks ago but I didn't because I thought he'd be sitting by now, but now I wish I had! Would I get enough use or of it now do you think?

Sorry you're still feeling rubbish @BertieBotts !

Well DS1 couldn't sit unaided until he was 9 months old so who knows how long it will take.

You could look second hand maybe?

@BertieBotts true! I keep thinking he's not far off but I've been thinking that for weeks 😂 I've just found one in Argos which isn't a full ring so he'd probably get more use out of it (not a lot on marketplace here anyway).

www.argos.co.uk/product/9509478 in case anyone is interested - no idea if it's any good though!

Thanks so much for the replies. I'll take a closer look and try to add in something new this week. Maybe the walking in the carrier.

DD slept 9pm to 4.45am! Great but my boobs are so sore.

@BertieBotts Interesting what you said about them having an expectation to be entertained later. Some of it must be nature, but some of it must be nurture too. I've definitely felt pressure as a FTM to entertain, I guess this comes from meeting other mums and talking to them but I'm also putting too much pressure on myself in general, guilty of that. I think there's so much around and everyone does different things with their kids that sometimes it makes you feel like you should be doing it all, otherwise your child will end up underdeveloped in some ways and other people will judge that we as parents didn't care enough or whatever. It's stupid to think that, but I think I do, or certainly have done until more recently. It's a difficult frame of mind to step out from.

@biscuitcat Here are the toys:
www.amazon.co.uk/LUKAT-Elephant-Toddlers-Keyboard-Educational/dp/B08623DPCS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=17GT78G8CNYUY&keywords=vintop+music+elephant&sprefix=vintop+music+elephant%2Caps%2C117&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1643802785&sr=8-1

The elephant is a big hit.

I also bought this:

www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Einstein-Take-Along-Tunes/dp/B000YDDF6O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=TPW2EEF3L9C1&keywords=musical+toys+baby+einstein&sprefix=musical+toys+baby+einstein%2Caps%2C77&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1643802834&sr=8-1

It's ok, but quite simple in comparison to the elephant and he's not interested in it for long. So I probably wouldn't buy a similar one again.

Non-musical (unless you count random squeaking??), but I also bought him these and he's quite interested in taking the lids off and throwing them around, I think he'll figure out other features when he's older:

www.amazon.co.uk/TOMY-Toomies-Educational-Toddler-Suitable/dp/B00068Q7LC/ref=asc_df_B00068Q7LC/?hvlocphy=1007410&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=309862974381&hvpone&hvlocint&th=1&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-343873429620&hvrand=4577342465058020557

I'm in some sort of a teething hell with him today - send help! 😫😫😫

xx