July 2023 babies

[Summermeadowflowers]

Hello everyone! So this is a continuation of the pregnancy thread(s) as we’re almost full.

DD was born by elective section on July 18th. Her older brother was born following an emergency section after a failed induction in December 2020 and I didn’t want to go through that again! It was a lovely chilled experience and I was a bit nervous waiting but felt like I was in good hands. I was also home the next day.

Feeding has been tricky for us. I really wanted to breastfeed but as with DS, DD hasn’t taken easily to it and struggles to latch. Nipple shields help to an extent although are not a cure all but she doesn’t get much milk and ends up frustrated anyway. I’ve mostly been expressing for her but realistically don’t know how long I can keep it up. It’s a shame as I do really want to breastfeed but it isn’t happening!

Oh and my wound is infected … lovely!

How is everyone else?

Look at those rosy cheeks!

DD is still not rolling and I’m fine with that 😂

She is a pretty chilled baby although she can fret a bit when tired. I still find the days when I have both children quite exhausting meeting everyone’s needs, the big challenge is naps. I’ve bought a buggy board so hoping to have some long pram walks.

Are you me? 😂 DS2 is the same currently. Only grumbles when tired really. Or when he’s been standing up too long and his legs are clearly aching but he wants to continue standing 🙃And also not showing the slightest inclination of rolling!

I really am so pleased with our buggy board. I hope you have the same experience. If DS2 is not playing ball and napping on the boob or in the sling at home I can usually bribe DS1 out with a snack and a ride on the buggy board.

I feel days with both are easing up a little. I literally used to dread them before and beg my MIL to come round! Now I manage on my own okay but come 4pm ish I am destroyed. At least going back to work post mat leave will feel easy 😂

Same @VivaVivaa . It’s easier - DS seems a bit more settled and I feel like we’ve a fairly good routine, but it’s still a bit of a relief when the next day rolls round and I don’t have them both! Tuesdays are definitely the hardest day as I have both of them and DH is out from 7am - 8pm.

When is everyone back at work? I’m not back until the last week of June which still seems ages away but I think it will come round soon. I’m only going to be doing two days though.

What an absolute doll Torvi is @Rutennotou 🥰
And all the cuter for those long stretches of sleep!

The whole 2 under 2 thing is exhausting but so fun at the same time. DS2 is, I think, turning a corner with his reflux which is helping hugely but his sleep is very dependent on whether DS1 is in a chilled or mental mood as he seems to be a really light sleeper.

DS2 is on 3 naps a day - varying in length from 30 mins to 1.5 hours for lunchtime nap. Sleeps from 8pm - 5/6am generally overnight without milk (sometimes goes back to sleep in a cuddle until 7ish) but there have been a few 3am wakenings recently. He’s 21 weeks now.

@Summermeadowflowers I’m going back late June too but I’m already dreading it! Trying to think of alternate careers already to be honest!

I am going back to work just after the Easter holidays in April and I have such bad guilt about it already.

I am only going back part time, every morning 8am-1pm, but DS has to go to a childminder for 3 of those days and my mother in law for two and I am an anxious mess about it. Due to his reflux, he has never wanted to go to anyone else, he will scream as soon as anyone else (mother in law included) holds him and I don't want to leave him upset.

We can't afford for me to not go back to work, although childcare is going to cost us more than we can ideally afford too.

I'm scared of him being upset, I'm scared of missing his 'firsts' too.

I work in a nursery for 2-4 year olds so I know how easily the toddlers settle once they have come in if they've been upset, but haven't ever dealt with a 9 month old being left. I just hate the thought of him crying and being sad all day without me 😭 if I could get a job where I could work from home with DS I 100% would.

I was meant to be going back in January full-time but have been made redundant so this has brought me more time. I'm interviewing and expect to return around March - I am dreading it! DD will go to my mum but I just can't even think about that time.

I guess being the breadwinner whilst a woman isn't the ideal situation 🤔

I’m taking a full year. It wasn’t the plan. I was going to go back after 9 months, but a job change has forced my hand. Thankfully new job pays more because the final 3 months are going to be v. tight financially. DH took SPL with DC1 but didn’t fancy it this time and I didn’t push him.

@GC2023 I hear you! I took 7 months with my first as it just made sense financially for me to go back 4 days condensed. I was the breadwinner at that point. Not going to sugar coat it as I found it really hard and DS1 was just with grandparents while we were working. We’re now earning similar with DH about to take over me significantly if things go well in the next month or two. I will definitely take the full year at least if I’m able.

I’m going back in January! It wasn’t the plan but our mortgage renews end of the year and we just can’t afford for me to stay off now that my enhanced pay has run out :/ i know things will be much better if we ever had another child as DH is getting a substantial pay rise end of this year but makes me sad that when I got pregnant things were fine and then mortgage rates went haywire and now I have to go back early.

I thought DC2 was vaguely approaching a routine. We had 4 days of 4 similar naps - short (45 mins), long (1.5 hours), short (30 mins), micro (10 mins during a breastfeed).

Then of course he decided to have a fifth nap on the 5th day instead of going to bed…bedtime became 11pm and he started the next day at 5:50am and had 6 or 7 naps the next day. We’ve never got back to the routine above.

They love a tease.

I'm not sure when I'm going back yet, I'm going to sort it after Christmas. I'm only taking the 9 months though, not 12, but I have holidays I can add on to the end so I think it'll be somewhere around mid to end of April.

I'll be doing 30 hours across 5 days. Most of my shifts end at 7pm then I work all day Sunday so it's a good job I have my mum 🙈 Partner will obviously have her when we aren't both working at the same time. She starts nursery in the Sept x

DD is mostly on three naps a day but it’s unsettled because it revolves around dams; even when he isn’t here we nap around nursery runs and activities. So different to ds as a baby!

Has anyone bought a high chair and if so, which one would you recommend? Also sippy cups too (if this isn't your first baby). My baby is 5 and a half months now! Where has the time gone?

@PinkPink1 we have a Red Kite one. It can be a tall high chair, a short chair for sitting and playing in and can also transition to a booster seat for a chair. I don't know what's 'good' being a first time mum, but seems good, wasn't too expensive and DS loves it. We have started to wean early (paediatric advice) and he sits there to eat his puree in the evening.
I was also wondering about sippy cups, when should I introduce one? I offer cooled boiled water from a bottle after his puree as he is a bit bunged up after starting solids.

@AnxiousAnnie94 that sounds like a good high chair! Is it the white and orange one? I saw that online. My mum said I was on sippy cups by the time I was 6 months old but I was more advanced than my brothers lol. When I start weaning dd I'll try water in a sippy cup and milk in bottles and gradually transition to sippy cups. There's so many designs out there so I'm not sure which ones to go for!

@PinkPink1 yes it is a white and orange one, I really like it as you can have it three different ways.
I will have a look at sippy cups as I don't want DS getting confused between water and milk in a bottle, he definitely needs the water as his poo has really changed and I really don't need him getting constipated again!

@AnxiousAnnie94 poor baby 😕I'm looking forward to the change in foods once solids are introduced... Not! I am excited for her to try new food though.

On this topic of weaning. What resources have everyone been using to understand what to do?
I am still getting ready and I'm unclear on when to move to whole milk rather than formula, when to give water, when to stop sterilising etc.

I want to start weaning DD early as she is fascinated by food and tries to grab my lunch. I think she's ready.

@GC2023 babies need formula milk or breast milk until they're a year old and then you can introduce whole milk. Cooled boiled water is fine. I'm not sure how old baby has to be before you stop sterilising feeding equipment. Maybe over a year old?

I'm a bit scared to try my dd on anything except puree veg. She's 5 and a half months now but I haven't started weaning her yet. Will start in a couple of weeks.

I meant change in poo, not foods.

You don’t need to to boil the water if you’re in the UK, our health visitor said.

We’re in the midst of weaning just now. Dairy free due to milk allergy. He’s 5 and a half months now. Puréed veg and fruit mostly at the moment. Tried a dairy free yoghurt today but he hated the texture so it’ll be a case of trying again with that in a few days.

You’ll find loads online or in weaning books to guide you but I think you just need to go at the pace your child is comfortable with. You’ll know if they get grumpy/ hungry! My DS1 was on purée and mash for ages and now eats like a horse (just turned 2) but I’m going to get DS2 onto finger foods as soon as he’s 6 months as he’s totally ready for it and I feel more confident I suppose.

Don’t worry or stress though. Enjoy this amazing adventure of food with them!

@Hippomumma we are also weaning now. DS was 5 months old on December and we started weaning on the 5th.
So far he has had carrot, broccoli and pea puree. I make them and freeze in ice cube trays. He started off only having one cube, but absolutely demolished it, so I started offering 2 cubes. He loves carrot and pea, but isn't so keen on broccoli, although if it has a cube of carrot or broccoli with it, he will tolerate and eat it all. I give him his puree at about half 5, only because that's when I started due to DH being home from work and being anxious the first few times and wanting to have someone with me.
I have found he hasn't wanted as much milk during the day and has been taking an oz less of his expressed milk bottle at night, should I be giving him the food earlier so he drinks more of his bottle or do you think it's a coincidence? Also, do you offer cooled boiled water alongside the food? I have been, but don't know how much to offer? His poo has really changed consistently and he has seemed to be struggling to get it out a bit and really don't want him getting constipated again, I guess that's just a change in foods though?
When can I start giving two lots of food a day? He loves it, but don't want to do it wrong as he's my first and haven't done it before. His reflux does seem to have been a little better and he's sleeping slightly better at night, obviously could be a coincidence.
I want to try fruit, but scared he will find it lovely and sweet and go off veg.
I, too, want to do finger foods when he is 6 months and ready, although don't know if I will do puree too so I know he's getting at least one substantial meal a day, but don't really know how it works 🤷