FEB 2010 No longer newborns!!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Three months and counting, everyone! Our babies are gradually getting the hang of the world...and we are gradually getting the hang of them...

Ooh, IC I'm so of the WOMAD trip. Be sure to try out the Riverford field kitchen tent and let me know what you think. Was tempted to make the trip but copped out in the end as we found out we can't skip DD's solids now - tried to do it the other day and she just won't settle for sleep at night until she'd had dinner.... this was at 8pm when we finally figured out why she just won't stop BF-ing

Met another mom recently who told me that starting solids is a bit like starting getting used to feeding LO all over again. In the beginning it was difficult to even organise ourselves enough to get out of the house, at 5 months we had the milk feeding system down pat.... now it's like learning a completely new system again.

Stoof, mama, BG hat off to those of you with 2 LOs. Am thinking of trying for a 2nd in a couple of months but have to say the thought of being organised enough to follow 2 schedules is daunting!

bethylou can't believe they were going to make you wait for 2 weeks! hope tomorrow's tests find the cause and DS1 gets better soon.

Hi All,

So sorry to hear about the ongoing health issues, Bethylou - glad you have an appointment sooner, but what a nightmare. Thinking of you and your DSs.

Also AbsB so sorry to hear about the problems you've been having.

Still having sleep issues here, unfortunately. It is now taking us about 3 hours to get him to go to sleep at night and then there are freqent wakings. I am just glad that DH is at home and can take the time to help out because I don't think I could do it on my own.

Aside from the sleep thing, DS is the jolliest little baby. He's very smiley and always falls asleep when I take him anywhere in the pram. We bought a secondhand rainforest jumperoo on ebay and he'd stay in that bouncing and grinning maniacally all day if I let him. As it is he has 2 or 3 sessions of 20 mins a day.

A funny thing I've noticed is that when he's on his tummy he is not so good at raising his head any more. I'm a little bit worried. He used to lead with his head when he rolled from front to back but now he uses his feet and legs to push his bum in the air and goes over leading with his bottom with his head still right near the floor. Only last week he was able to raise himself onto his forearms. Is this normal? I did buy the wonder weeks book and they said something about them needing more head support when they are going through the stormy weeks so that reassured me a little.

Bethylou hopes it all goes well for the testing.
stoof me too I shouted at DD2 for being really unsettled (she doesn't let me sleep at night anymore!! and my patience is very low) and DD1 said " but she is just a baby she doesn't know" .
Bear don't worry that nothing to do with head control he is just trying to crawl and feel all the part of is body independently first. He has pretty good control of the top part by now he needs to feel the bottom part Both DDs did that (and if I may say so, DD1 is quite bright and agile like a monkey). It just means that you don't have very long to wait before he start moving . DD2 is past that stage now and can do slow commando crawling and push-ups on her big toes and hands ( I can't do that).

On weaning I took your advice of starting at 25 weeks, because DD2 night feeding was getting a pain, the MW also told me off because night feeds fatten up babies (so if you have a skinny baby, you know what to do ). So she is now on proper meals (2nd day though so it is early). Chewed on bread (baguette ) this morning and she loved it.

MW advice was, breakfast + 2 meal (100 to 200 g of food/ meal) with fiber/strach/protein if unbablanced the baby will be unsettled and hungry more often.
Today lunch was parsnip/carrots/courgettes (fiber) puree which couscous (starch), and her first plain yogurt (protein) and plenty of water.
She dropped a lot of milk and it just took a bit of water to resettled her last night, I guess she is increadibly hot and there is nothing I can do about that! I just hope she will resettled to sleep in september/october when it cools down. It is 34 in the shade and very humid ,!
I wish I could hop in a plane and come to share one of those english summers with you for a while (not too long though!)

hope all the sleeps improve somewhat for you all!
have a nice day

mamaloco don't think I will be far behind you in introducing bread etc. dd2 made a very determined attempt the other day to climb onto the table from her highchair and into a large pan of risotto... She's had a few meals with mashed rather than blended food and loves it - instead of wolfing down puree as fast as possible she now savours every mouthful and does the cutest chewing movements with her jaws. It does make for interesting nappies because things like sweetcorn go straight through...
bear agree, it sounds like your LO is trying to work out how to crawl .He'll probably go backwards soon which looks hilarious... dd2 is still at the angry baby stage because she can't work out how to turn back round when she's rolled onto her tummy. She really hasn't a clue
bethylou so sorry your LOs are not well. Hope all goes well with the bloods. I never anticipated how awful worrying about a sick child is... Keeping my fingers crossed all is well and your ds1 feels better soon!
IC have fun and I hope the weather holds up!
sunangel forgot to reply to your post about broccoli. I do cook it quite soft but with a bit of bite in it still. Mind you, dd2 has now also worked out that it is very funny to squash it and then style her hair...

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296824/Parents-newborns-miss-SIX-MONTHS-worth-sleep-childs-years.h tml

I do agree, I am irritated with DH for no obvious reasons (and a lot of obvious ones too ). And I am the type who needs more than 5 h straight well at least 5 h straight and then some more

Hi all,

We've had a good couple of nights on sleep (not consecutively) sleep at 20:00 feeds at 03:00 and 05:00, but straight back to sleep after (I love it when that happens) and then waking at 08:00. Now, if only she'll do it every night. Despite the 8 hours sleep I do crave so much more (though I do feel better, just still tired).

Since she had gone off the bottles, we brought a sippy cup, which she seems to love (she even chose it). First time, she just put the teat? straight into mouth. DH has found that she'll bottle in the mornings but not afternoons. Only slight issue is, she can't have it sitting up yet, so is laying down. I've told DH to try the bouncy chair as an intermediate.

I've continued to be a bit unwell, but sure with continued sleep things will improve. To those who doffed hats, well, tbh I can't wait until I don't have to express twice a day and its only been 3 weeks. Also as I said, a new job has been harder than I expected.

Going climbing tomorrow, was thinking that I shouldn't (with being unwell and not being with LO), but I think it will do me good to unwind a bit. Also have no idea when I'll get to go again, and don't want to change my name due to the trade descriptions act

As for being annoyed with DH, when she screams cries in the middle of the night, he just sits there in silence and it drives my MAD. Don't know why, I wouldn't want him to do anything, but a "you O.K." or moral support would be great.

BG meant to say before that your an idiot sometimes, parenting 2 is tiring in just itself. Sleep just changes the degrees

How helpful of the Daily Mail to recommend getting your LO into a routine ASAP in order to maximise sleep. Now why didn't I think of that?!

Ds did a personal best last night and managed 5.5 hours sleep in one go. Trying not to get my hopes up for tonight. To be fair to him he has never not settled after a night feed so I am awake for only a couple of minutes at a time.

bethylou you sound like you are doing a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances. Hope the blood tests go ok.

DP has mentioned a couple of times this week about having a third baby. The only part of being pregnant which appeals is not having to go to work. Actually if he could carry and deliver the baby for me I might consider it!

Have a good weekend everyone. Hope you enjoy the festival IC

See, the Daily Mail is just misunderstood.

Third baby, I can't even contemplate a second. Maybe mention you'll only have a third if he does all related duties when he's not at work.

Abs sorry didn't answer your question, it was the 5th.

Mamaloco did you see how I did the vegan in disguise on the weaning thread

beth any news yet?

How is everyone today? All those poorly LOs OK? And sleep-deprived mummies surviving?

Who said they were a shouty mummy? That's definitely my title, but it's at DD1 (coming up to four) who can be an angel, or can be awful and drive us both to tears. I think it's because her hair is curly (my fault)...

Weaning going well here. DD2 now has cereal and fruit for breakfast, and veg then fruit for lunch and dinner (both mixed with a bit of baby rice). No sign of a let-up on the bottles yet, but I did have her weighed the other day and she now is a whopping 13lb 2oz (OK, not whopping, but more than double her birthweight). I would have been even more proud if an 11 week old boy hadn't just been weighed at the same!

And a quick weaning question for those who are further along than me - can I give Weetabix yet? My baby cereal is nearly finished and I can't remember when DD1 started on Weetabix.

Enjoy the weekend!

watercress I'm still on baby cereals but you can introduce weetabix from 26 weeks (ie 6 months). But see what the others are doing as mamaloco did introduce bread.

Sleeping is back to our normality here. Bed at 7pm, first waking at 2 then 4 (when feed then if I'm lucky ( ) wake up at 5.30am and alarm o'clock goes off at 6am. Today as it's Saturday I've managed to make go back to sleep up to 7.30.

Sewing machine has been fixed!! So I'll carry on with the mei tai. Photos will come soon.

How many dirty nappies does your LO produce a day?

DS does 4 to 5 a day but I think today will be higher as I've changed 4 so far. They aren't liquid (sorry TMI)

chinook another baby?! Dh started talking about boxing up baby things and starting to sell bits... I think he's serious about not wanting another

dd2 is very proud of her (almost) two teeth (the second is through any minute now) and wants to chew everything, including her bottle. Makes for difficult feeding. May also try a beaker if she really does not fancy bottles any more.

GF dd2 only does one a day but dd1 had pretty much every nappy as a dirty nappy... Guess every baby is different.

I've stayed clear of weetabix until dd1 was nearer a year because it does contain salt and sugar. I used Readybrek instead with contains neither. There's also a really lovely baby swiss muesli available in health food shops. dd1 loved it and I will try it on dd2 shortly.

Forgot to say dd2 chewed on a piece of bagel this morning . I don't think she actually ate any of it properly but it kept her entertained for quite a while...

Watercress GF I did introduced bread a few days ago but DD was already 25 week +. I did wheatabix with DD1 too but can't remember when, I think well after 8 months.
Well 5 years ago the salt and sugar content was acceptable in wheatabix. (actually there wasn't any added sugar, because I was OCD with sugar DD1 didn't have any before she was 3 )
The only think is that you are not suppose to give children whole fibers before they are 5, definitely not before 1 it fills their tummy too much with things that can't be digested, and reduce the vitamin absorption. (I didn't know) could be recommanded though if LO constipated.

Hi All,

GF Dirty as in pooey? Between one and three a day. Normally 2.

I saw the Daily Mail piece. Some of the comments made me want to throw things.

Last night was a bit better. It took him ages to go to sleep. I think it wasn't until 9.30 but he woke about 4 times I think between then and 5 and I just rolled over on my side and fed him (I haven't even been trying him in the cot lately - he's straight in bed with me and DH is in the spare room) and I know I dreamed so I must have got some sleep. Then at 5.30 I swapped with DH and slept in the spare room until 7.

IC I keep meaning to read back over the mammoth sleep deprivation thread but I can't find the time/concentration.

People (like my mum) keep telling me to try baby rice but I know he's not over-hungry. He's been on the same centile (just a shade below the 50th) since he caught up at about 8 weeks, he's bonny and active and isn't always demanding food during the day. I have to encourage him to take the boob during the day and he gets distracted really easily and I have to keep showing it to him again. I don't think he'd act that way if he were hungry.

Anyway, DH and I had a massive row last night and he stormed out so I put the latch on and wouldn't let him back in initally. This followed our attempt to have a treat of steak and chips and watch a film but somehow he managed to knock his plate on the floor because he was rocking DS in the pram at the same time in a futile attempt to get him to sleep. DS has discovered how to blow rasberries and was sitting there, wide eyed and alert and going "thrrrp, thrrrp thrrrp" which didn't help our moods.

Anyway tomorrow is the first day of (corrected) week 19 so I am pinning my hopes on the authors of the Wonder Weeks and trusting that we will have a 'magical leap forward' (although wasn't that something horrible Mao did to the Chinese people).

Here is DS: farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4777069139_eb9b86442e_b.jpg He is really happy and funny and I adore him but I really need a bit more sleep. I don't even mind about the not sleeping through but I'd love for him to go to sleep at 7 and to have just three wakings. That would be amazing.

BG aren't you scared of chocking? DD2 is very good at biting with her 2 teeth and can get quite big pieces of almost anything I have given her as finger food. I think I will held of "BLW" untill she is a bit better at chewing. Well she does chew but with no side teeth it is not that efficient. I had to fish out some big pieces. On the contrary of most things I have read on the BLW threads a lot of what I gave her actually goes in. She ate half an apricot this morning, nothing in her hair, floor or clothes...

I met a 1 yo last week at picnic, BLW only, still no tooth, child clearly hungry, I thought it was cruel. Like saying to your toothless grandma, "AAAHH no tooth, no food, deal with the roast as it is"

The baby-led weaning thing is a funny issue, isn't it? With DD1, I started on purees at five months and was happily progressing onto lumpier stuff until suddenly at seven months she started refusing to eat. I couldn't work out what was wrong, and suspected teeth, but no, nothing came through (she didn't get teeth until ten months) and all she ate was breadsticks, yogurts and raisins! Then a few weeks later I suddenly clicked that she didn't want to be fed anymore. I was a bit troubled by this as she had no teeth but gave her things like pasta and veg and bits of cheese, and she was away. I also (against all advice) equipped her with a fork rather than a spoon as I could spear food onto it and it wouldn't fall off. So I guess she decided to do BLW for herself!

Thanks for the advice on Weetabix and the other cereal recommendations.

Looking forward to seeing pics of the homemade MeiTei!

bearcrumble he is beautiful!!!!!!! Now I definitely want another, preferably a boy...

mamaloco I'm trying to put my choking fear at the back of my mind. Her two teeth have only just come through so she is not very good at biting pieces off yet... I think when she does that I will have to hold back, too! Your observation at that picnic just confirms my opinion of BLW taken to the extreme! The poor child

Those of you using bottled water for making up feeds, do you boil it or use it straight from the bottle? I may try this after dd2 screeched her way through last night with what appeared to be heartburn (burping, then screaming in pain). We go to stay in the Midlands a lot for weekends and I do remember dd1 having a reaction to the difference in water to home (in her case very very smelly nappies).

BG When I use bottled water I don't boil it.

DS had his first piece of bread today and (the crunchy end of a baguette) munched happily on it.

His teething have been really bothering him for the last today, lots of drooling and hand eating.

BC what a lovely boy.

Aargh, where did half my post go?!

BC, your son is gorgeous.

Anyone thinking about a second baby... it's almost twice the work, more than twice the worry, but at least twice the pleasure . Hearing my two girls giggling together even at this stage is totally priceless!!

Hello all

Sorry I have been AWOL for ages! I come in and have a read every few weeks but have no hope of keeping up with every post.

All well here, DS2 is exactly 5 months and DS1 just turned 4y. DS2 rolling both ways and still looks equally surprised as the first time whenever he does it. He can't sit unaided but is trying to, with some support he is OK but complains after a short time so I don't put him a highchair or sit him upright in the pushchair for more than a few minutes.

I haven't even thought about weaning yet, he's on breastmilk only still and showing no signs of needing anything else. I'd like him to drop night feeds but suspect they are for comfort and reassurance, knowing I'm there and available, more than actual hunger. He goes 3 or 4 hours between feeds in the day and only ever has one breast per feed.

He watches us all with great interest at mealtimes from him bouncy chair, or a lap, and tries to put any toy or object within reach in his mouth (he leans over to lick the table top!) but as he's never had food I know that it is just curiosity about how things feel, he watches me brush my teeth or pluck my eyebrows with the same intensity as he watches me eat.

My MIL has been nagging me to start spoon feeding DS2 but she should know better as she herself has coeliac disease but she told me recently that she started giving my DH thin porridge when he was 2 months old, suddenly I am starting to understand why he has a dodgy digestive system...

DS2 has had a sensitive tummy from the start, for the first 6+8 weeks every single poo he did was green and he had a lot of wind (compared to my first baby) so I am going to be careful. Although I might start letting him have tiny tastes (max a teaspoon per mealtime) of cooked fruit over the next few weeks, mainly I intend to follow the official advice and wait until he's a full 6 calendar months before going for any proper solid food introduction.

It's also so much easier to only breastfeed, I can remember how much extra kitchen time, effort, thinking and cleaning there was to do when I started weaning DS1, Annabel Karmel book in hand.

You guys all seem to have come so far, with such variety of food types introduced already. I guess I'll be the last mummy here to let my baby loose with proper yummy food, I feel a bit mean now!

My main project at the moment is researching a lightweight folding buggy for city use and travel to replace our Silver Cross Pop which has actually been fairly rubbish and finally broke the last time we flew with it. Hurrah!

Will try to catch up with the latest posts and pop in a bit more often. It's really nice to read how everyone is getting on, and know many experience the same issues I do.

Forgot to mention, baby is mostly a dream but our worst problem is with DS1 (4 yrs) his behaviour has been worsening since DS1 was born.

I think most of it is just his age and a natural phase but it's compounded by the new sibling thing, I'm sure.

He has huge uncontrollable rage tantrums that come apparently from nowhere and are directed and me and DH (not his baby brother thank god), in public and at home, he's violent, says horrible things like he hopes we die, laughs when we tell him he's not allowed to hit/bite/kick etc, howls, wails, screams at the top of his voice. Triggers can be trivia like I have put on my sandals when he is wearing trainers and he wants us to wear the same, or that baby gets out of his bath before him, or that he is not allowed to buy a cheap toy in the newsagent.

98% of the time he's mature for his age, intelligent, sweet and affectionate, but the 2% of the time he is bad, he is really totally horrid. Just got back from 2 weeks holiday and me and DH feel like we've been run over my a steamroller from facing these tantrums every day and trying to rein him in firmly but gently and without shouting or getting aggressive ourselves, we need another break on our own now to recover!

Anyone else experiencing this or have any tips for tackling it?