August 2021 - They've been here for half a year

[BertieBotts]

Can you believe it! Our lovely little ones are (roughly) halfway to their first birthdays.

Welcome friends old and new for discussion of sleep, teeth, weaning, milestones, navigating post-baby relationships and the whole existential dread of parenthood... I mean those amazing moments when they make your heart melt. Or produce a poo that makes the wallpaper melt. Oh, all of them. Nothing is off limits because it's just good to know that somebody else has been there.

@RandomCatGenerator Rowan isn't in nursery yet but I know from NCT friends that their babies are really enjoying it! Though coming down with every bug under the sun as their little immune systems get used to it

@Sarah13xx that's so exciting!!

We're still doing only BLW, mainly because I like it but also because Rowan won't let me spoon feed him even a tiny bit so we don't have much of a choice. Though he's still only taking very, very tiny bits so my boobs haven't had much of a break!

Thank you so much @Smallbean27 that’s so reassuring. So glad Rohan is enjoying it ❤️ And thanks too @biscuitcat

Any tips before we start?

@Jessicapebbles I love your stuff! The problem is I want too much of it! Love the up romper and the wee spring duckling one for dd but I also think ds would absolutely love the making bales and the blue whales jumpers! 🙈 it's all gorgeous! 🥰

Need to catch up properly on all the posts. We had a busy weekend celebrating ds 4th birthday! I can't believe he's now 4! He had a great weekend though I woke up achy and shivery with mastitis on Saturday morning which was less than pleasant, thankfully antibiotics have started to kick in! And we all have colds again! I can't wait for the warmer spring weather!

@randomcatgenerator are you doing settling in sessions?
I had some forms to fill in about his general routine (we don't really have one haha) but they said they would try and make it home from home. So I would make sure you give them any info you want them to know or to follow in terms of routine.
Don't send them in nice clothes as they will just get dirty, we send him with a set of spare clothes.
Send them with a comforter or sleeping bag or anything you like to use for nap time.
Be prepared for them to be worn out when they get home! Maybe early bed time or extra cat nap.
Then enjoy a HOT drink when you get home or to work 🙂.
Our nursery uses an app, so we can see what he has eaten and sleeps which is handy. You can always call them to check in.

Is anyone else still feeding to sleep? I feel that it doesn't always work but we've not really tried anything else.

I've got a couple of months yet until nursery but I'm dreading it already. DD only naps in her buggy. She'll be going 3 days a week as my OH has arranged compressed hours at work so he can take a day off a week. Not sure how that will be but we'll give it a go.

Yes defo still feeding to sleep here! I expect to be doing that for months and months yet, it's a lovely part of the bedtime routine IMO :) he does also sometimes go to sleep with DH or just lying next to me looking at his toys but more often feeding.

Thanks @Smallbean27!

Today went really well. The nursery are really lovely, totally child oriented. He didn’t give me a second glance as he settled in with the other babies! Hopefully tomorrows longer session will go as well. I’m so much happier knowing it’s a really nice nursery.

Feed to sleep here too. Only thing that works.

Well me, dd and ds have just tested positive 😫 test one came up red straight away before it even reached the control line for both dd and me.
Ds line is very very faint. I reckon he's had it first and spread it to us. At least I'm hoping that's the case and at least he would be over the worst if it. Dh ofc negative so is off to sleep on the sofa and only there because I told him he is not allowed to sleep in the garage room and he has to at least pretend like he might be a parent if needed during the night.
I only tested as i have a weird taste in my mouth. Already on antibiotics for mastitis so been feeling pretty achy from that anyway, my amount of needing painkillers has reduced too.

@randomcatgenerator glad it went well! It's a relief isn't it but much easier to drop them off when you know they will be cared for.

We are feeding to sleep too, nothing else works at all >

Hi everyone, been away from here for a little while as had my birthday and DH has this week off so we are all spending time together. Hope everyone is doing okay?!

DS still isn’t sitting totally unaided, still wobbely but he will get there. No teeth either yet, feel like he’s struggling a bit with food because of it tbh as there’s only so much he can actually gum.

I’ve booked a mum and mini photo shoot for the weekend as a photographer has an offer on if or Mother’s Day. I don’t usually do photo shoots but my thinking is they will only be this little for a little while and I think it will be nice to have a photo with both my boys. On the look out for matching shirts to dress them both in now 🤣🤣

Thank you for the car seat guide Bertie, I think we might go look at some seats tomorrow while DS1 is at nursery as well, not needed yet but would prefer to have it ready rather than panicking when he suddenly hd a growth spurt.

I'm thinking about when we will switch over. The biggest benefit really to having the carry seat was when we go to the supermarket to put it on the trolley, but the last two times we've just worked around his nap so he's awake and put him in the trolley seat. And when I last took him to the doctor's it was much easier to carry him in my arms (you have to leave the buggy downstairs) so we could put him in DS2's old Joie 360 any time really. I'll probably wait until the weather warms up consistently.

Hope everyone is OK in your house Smurf

Hi girls! How is everyone? I've been busy sorting various life admin bits this week, I now have a confirmed date for my return to work, my new hours/days have been accepted (so happy!!!) and DS's nursery is sorted, they've been lovely. He'll be starting in June. DH and I managed to juggle our leave so that we'll be introducing him gradually, 2 days a week, then 3 and then possibly 4 depending on DH's job. The nursery have been amazing, totally supportive which is a big relief!! My boss has been great too, to be fair. Now I'm just hoping and praying we can pull this off in practice. Your posts on here about the LOs settling in well have given me A LOT of comfort, I'm so pleased for you and hope we will be the same!

How are you all doing??? Any more teeth to welcome? New rollers, sitters? Any new meal inspirations please??? Looking for snack ideas for mid-afternoon in particular, feel like I always give him the same stuff!

Also is anyone introducing shellfish and how, if so?

@RandomCatGenerator Welcome home Deep breaths! It sounds like you've had a manic time with it all. How's the cat now? xx

@PurplePansy05 that's great, glad you've managed to work it all out!

I've just put DS in for nursery when he's 2. That's the youngest they'll take him here atm! I've been quite busy with work lately so if things carry on like this or even pick up, then I am going to need childcare - there's only so much I can do in the evenings and it's already borderline a bit much 😂 but of course it could all settle down in a month or so. No idea. putting some feelers out for childcare before 2 as well but it seems really in demand even though we're in a rural area (there just aren't enough places).

I have had some orders from the wedding fair, which I'm so chuffed about! They're not until next year though. I've also had a commission for some private drawings (not invitations) which im super excited about, as well as anothe potential design job. All in all telling my boss to F off was the best thing. I just hope the work continues to come in

Oh sitting here now! Also moving about - definitely can't leave him unattended in the middle of the bed anymore!

@BertieBotts we are on day number 3 of isolation. Ds now testing negative again so I think his random night waking all last week were probably it working on him. Apparently there's lots in his school atm.
Dd seems a bit brighter and happier though has a runny nose now today. I'm just sore and tired/ run down but all in all it could be worse. Dh is loving a week off work and just has a very mild tickly cough.
Dd will be starting nursery in a few weeks now. They are to contact me next week or so about her settling in days and care plans.

@Daffodil21 that's fantastic you got some orders from the wedding show! Hopefully it continues for you 🙂

Hello all I've not been here for a while, hope everyone and babies are well.

Good to see so many starting nursery and settling in. We still haven't moved house yet but are on a wait list for a nursery in the new area- they said we can start in Sept and I'm meant to return to work 3 days a week in August, so not sure how it will all pan out.

We're still feeding to sleep and cosleeping in fact and I love it. No plans to stop as we all sleep great. Anyone else cosleeping?

We've tried about 12 foods over the past 3 weeks, Alasdair has lovrdloved exploring it all. He doesn't seem to want to pick up bits of food but wants to hold and feed with a loaded spoon. Unfortunately he's already had allergic reactions to tiny tastes of egg and peanut butter. Rash on face both times. It went after an hour but he was really sleepy too despite having just woken, so I think more of a reaction than was obvious. Called the gp for an antihistamine to keep on hand and will get referred to allergist once we've moved. Any others with allergic reactions?

Yes we are cosleeping too :) He's only waking about once overnight now and it's great. Often doesn't wake at all in the evening. (Touch wood massively now I've said that!!)

Would love BLW food ideas too, as I seem to have forgotten everything I did with DS1 Currently we seem to rotate between raisin toast, cucumber sticks, cheese, fruit, spaghetti bolognese, scrambled egg, toast toast and more toast! It doesn't help that we are too knackered to cook properly - I need to get more easy meals in my head.

Wow the allergy reaction sounds concerning.

We are getting lots and lots of expressive babbling now most days. Bababababa and rarararara the most favourite.

Another one feeding to sleep here. We sometimes cosleep if he really won't settle but I don't particularly like it as I sleep better if I have my own space in bed!

We finally seem to have an explanation for why Rowan's sleep has been so awful the past couple of months - he's covered in eczema. I'm quite annoyed at the GPs, as I first called them about a rash I was worrying about in mid January and it's only this week they've finally deigned to see us - and she immediately said his whole body is covered in it, so the poor thing has been sleeping badly because he's just incredibly uncomfortable and itchy. We've been using the emollient she prescribed which is making a difference, but I'm so annoyed it's taken this long - surely they should be prioritising babies for in person appointments?

We seem to be having some mild allergic reactions to food too, just some redness around the mouth. I guess this might be linked to the eczema as I know that can make allergies more likely? I think it might be a skin reaction more than anything though, as he's hardly taking any food on at all so far

No reactions here yet thankfully though still to try peanut. Egg, tomatoes, strawberry all ok. I rely far too much on pouches of food I think. They are just so easy and offer so many different tastes. They are so terrible for the environment though. We've tried some roast sweet potatoe today in long finger length bits. She loved them. They had a bit of paprika on them. I do find the prep for her food a pain and that's me not even at work!

How much are you feeding at meals? I'm still not sure if it's too much or too little. Have your milk feeds reduced a lot? How about poops? I thought DD was constipated a bit but she's still passing poop, it's just a firmer consistency. Her poor face can go red with straining though sometimes.

I've heard from my health visitor today for the first time in 2 months. She was meant to do a 6 month check up but didn't hear from her.

Sleep wise is a bit up and down. Going through a phase of up a couple of times before midnight then sleeping for about 5 hours then waking far too early. I tend to take her into the bed about 5am where she will go back to sleep but I just can't as if I move at all she'll wake! But it's the only way she'll go back to sleep after 5am.

Snack / afternoon ideas: baby hummus and veg sticks / pitta, simple baby biscuits (good for teething and quick to make), home frozen ice pops / cream for teething, mini pasta salad, soft fruit leather, rice cakes with anything - trying to think of more but sleep deprivation is catching up with me

Can't remember who was struggling with baby sleeping in the car a while ago. We have recently changed him into the joie stages and he has actually slept in the car twice!! It's a miracle, he has much more space and seems more comfortable. This is what we have missed out on for 6 months 🤣🤣

OK my curiosity is piqued. I took the boys to the park today and decided to let Alex have a little sit in the sand just to see what he would do. I thought if it was a disaster no big deal as we weren't far from home. Anyway of course he took handfuls and immediately went to put it in his mouth. I gently blocked his hand from his mouth and said "ah-ah, no, don't eat that." After about three times of this he stopped trying to eat it and then for ages he played with it with his hands. Picking it up, dropping it, pushing his hands into it. He is very into manipulating things with his hands at the moment and seems fascinated by what they can do.

I seem to remember that it was always this way with my eldest as well. I could generally pretty well trust him not to put inappropriate things in his mouth once shown that it wasn't food. Whereas my middle one tried to eat everything and I was constantly fishing stones and bits of rubbish and random stuff out of his mouth right into toddlerhood.

Only the middle one was predominantly spoon fed - the other two did BLW. Is this some kind of secret perk of BLW?? Like, they have filled some kind of developmental exploratory need for mouth exploration through food so they don't need to do it with everything else? Or perhaps I just have very coincidentally compliant babies!