November 09 - solids and crawling underway but sleepless nights still here to stay!!

[scarlotti]

New and shiny thread

Ninja, congrats on booking your wedding!

helips, hard to say goodbye (I know!) but you have a great adventure ahead of you.

ursi good to hear that your HV isn't adamant about sleeping through the night. I do one feeding at night currently, which I'm sure I could wean her off of if we were disciplined, but as DH is working he'd rather I just fed her and got it over with so he can get back to sleep! Works for me, too. For now

Seriously though, how do I get LO to start eating solids? I'm afraid she's only becoming more attached to the boob as she gets older... did I miss a window? She'll try about 5 bites of whatever and then clam up... Perhaps more persistence is required on my part.

longwayaway, I think it is very normal for many babies to only eat a little bit for a couple of months. I would say you shouldn't force her too much. But you could try to distract her with her own spoon or something? (Or are you doing the blw?) Sometimes I think, Paula isn't hungry at all as she pushes my spoon back but all of a sudden, when she is busy with something else (like smearing the puree all over the table), she would again eat with a wide open mouth.

Hi all

I have the house to myself DH is on a work night out, DD with her Dad and DS' now in bed. It is silent except for the sound of the birds through the open doors. Bliss.

Ninja congrats on your wedding - that's the day after my birthday Do you have lots to sort out?

Helips Singapore will be a fabulous adventure but it's natural to be sad at what you have to leave behind in order to enjoy it. Try not to let it spoil your last weeks.

longwayaway does she seem happier when she's allowed to play with the food or feed herself? Or is she definitely a spoon fed kinda girl? I'd say don't force the issue, but maybe try and create encouraging situations. Try giving her a digestive - she'll enjoy it and then feel satisfied afterwards so it might create the right association with what food is for. Don't fret though - you don't see many kids at school who don't eat at all

Ioan had pasta tonight - am trying to get him used to 'adult' food as we're away next week all inclusive. Today was twirly brown pasta and he loved it! Managed to put away almost as much as his brother (4.9)

No sleeping through here either, and last night was a failed attempt to encourage him to, which just resulted in my being awake from 3 - 3:45 with him whinging until I fed him. Then he went back to sleep. Think I'll just go with the flow again for a while.

scarlotti enjoy your peaceful evening. Well done Ioan on the pasta!

longwayaway Your DD will soon show interest. Try not to worry. As long as she is getting her milk feeds, this will keep her calorie intake up.

Helips When do you leave for Singapore? What is the time difference there?

Makes me feel better that I'm not the only one doing night feeds. I know my HV will tell me that I should get tough. What she doesn't know won't hurt!

It's very quiet on here lately. I can actually keep up for a change

Fruit we leave for Singapore on the 13th so 10 days from today, so much to do, arrrghh! They are seven hours ahead at the moment.

longwayaway I agree with what the others say about not worrying too much about food. Millie was exactly the same and it's only been the past few weeks that she has eaten more than a few spoonfuls and this morning cried because I was taking too long getting her breakfast ready! Ds didn't really show an interest in food until he was about 10 months, he was a total boob monster! However he is now really good with his food, they all get there in the end!

Out of interest, what sort of meals is everyone doing for there little ones? Need some inspiration! At the moment I'm giving Millie either porridge or weetabix with fruit for breakfast, pureed veg and toast for lunch and whatever Ds is having mashed up for tea. She loves Omlette, rice and mashed potatoe with veg and fish but I need more meal ideas!

Scarlotti Hope you had a nice evening and enjoyed the peace and quiet!

Great news about booking the wedding ninja!

helips So exciting about Singapore. What an adventure. Of course it's normal to feel nervous but I'm sure you won't look back. Also, know what you mean about meal ideas. I have been trying to make up a batch of whatever (carrot and beetroot last night...peach and pear for pud) and put ice cubes in freezer then reheat with either rice, pasta (found these mini farfallini which are perfect size) or couscous or some other grain. Seems like the same things over and over though...er, which it is! Fish always goes down well here, esp with cheesy sauce. Macaroni cheese with broccoli. Lentils and tomatoes with coconut milk. OK, I'm rambling now...

We had porridge this morning too instead of the usual weetabix. Trouble is, weetabix is sooo easy and so are eggs so easy to fall back on aren't they?

Aaaaargh to the crawling. We are still (just) in sitting still stage which is heaven but she is not far off. Must make most of it while can!

We seem to have fallen into a good sleeping routine over the last few days which is wonderful. Solids are helping I think as I am resisting feeding her at night. Reintroduced the 11 o clock feed to try to get her through to morn, she wakes at 4 for a grumble then nods off. Last night was so tired missed the 11 feed but same thing happened. Result! Watch it all crumble now I've said it/when the next tooth makes an appearance... It's funny how some of these things get better very slowly though and it's not til you actually compare a month or two months ago you realise things are better.

We have a 30th 'Hop' to go to tonight, very exciting. 50s dres and a jive lesson before the party begins. Can't wait, esp as Rosa's sleeping at the 30th's house with the other babes and a babysitter and we can just come home jived out and crash with her. That's the PLAN anyway...

Haven?t posted in a while so this might be long...

Fruit - Can?t believe C is saying Mamma!! One day Ethan said Daddy four times in a row but it hasn?t been repeated since... Sorry to hear about your husband's job. Hope things will turn out well for you all.

Butterpie Ethan has no teeth but has had disturbed sleep over the past week so I wonder if one is close. Can?t really see much change when I look at his gums though.

Preggo Good to see you, how are your wedding plans coming along? I?m having a ball! Although there was a slight hiccup when my dress arrived, as you fb?ers might have seen. Just a few bits of poor stitching so the dress has been sent back.

Sirboob Hope your ME is a bit more bearable now.

Pav Hope the sleeping is improving in your house. How are you all doing? Can?t believe DS crawled, albeit backwards! Ethan is rolling everywhere and sitting well but doesn?t seem to be near crawling yet. Although it?s surprising how quickly they learn a new skill, isn?t it? One day he was toppling over when I sat him up, the next he just seemed to have mastered sitting.

Ninja So sorry about Alfie?s visit to A&E. Hope he?s better now. Exciting times making wedding plans! Hope you?re enjoying it.

Helips Hope you?re not finding the goodbyes too difficult! Singapore, isn?t it? Lovely holiday destination for your friends and family!

Scarlotti Hope the prom was a success! Glad to hear things are a bit happier at home now.

MissI Your 30th hop sounds like great fun! Enjoy!

Feeding-wise, I?m doing a combination of spoon fed and baby led with a combination of formula and breastfeeds as I?m back at work full time in a week . So, he has a breastfeed from me around 7am, porridge or weetabix spoon fed for breakfast with a 5oz bottle of formula around 10am, lunch is finger foods ? one day this week he had chunks of a breadroll, some ham, peach and sticks of cheese. Another 6oz bottle late afternoon. Evening meal is baby led again, usually something like pasta or veg, followed by some spoonfed fruit for dessert. Another breastfeed before bed around 7pm and that?s him through the night, usually. He?s currently munching on some orange pepper from the fridge, I think it feels nice on his gums. I?m struggling to think of snacks, GP advised us not to introduce yoghurts, eggs etc until he is one (because of his reaction to formula or cowsmilk in my diet) but I?m thinking about trying yoghurt again to see how we get on. If anyone has any great original suggestions for snacks I?d be happy to hear them. Out & about snacks for us are breadsticks or a tub of fruit.

So DP has now finished school for the summer holidays and we?ll have the next week together before I go back to work full time. No other teaching jobs for him to apply for so he?ll be a full time dad indefinitely. Interesting times ahead for our family...

Hope everyone else is well and I haven?t missed anything! Off to try to update the fb name list...

Hi all

Evening was very peaceful yesterday no tv all night!! Off out to a friends now for dinner and wine

Snacks here are yoghurts (fromage frais), digestive biscuit, cheese on toast, pasta twirls, fruit - apricot and apple is a firm favourite, put dried apricots in water and cook for 5 mins then add in apple and cook for about another 5 or 10 mins. Nice stewed fruit with a bit of bite to it and it freezes a treat.
Tbh, as we're going away I've moved much more to 'real' food to ease my worries as he refuses to eat any packets or jars. The fruit came in to try and get him going more! Breakfast here is weetabix, oatibix, shreddies, ready brek or toast. Basically whatever is in the cupboard!
I have noticed in the last week though that he wants what everyone else is having and so is expressing more of a preference about things. Tried tuna mayo sandwich this week and he refused it, on two different occasions so am guessing he doesn't like that! Cheese spread sarnie went down a treat though!!

hi all,

sounds like you had a good time scarlotti!

My quiet and easy baby has suddenly turned into a tantruming, difficult baby, but am not sure why. I thought it might be to do with teeth coming through but she doesnt have anything coming through yet. She also seems very hungry so maybe just a growth spurt thing going on. She is loving weetabix for brekkie too.

Hi guys, I've not been here for a while - but I do read up now and then what everyone is up too

Quick question: how many naps, roughly, do your little babies have now? Toby still has three naps most days but he's not settling well at all except for the first nap which is around 9.30-10am onwards and I'm wondering if he could cope with just two a day. He still gets tired around midday but he doesn't settle easily so often I end up getting him up or if we're out and about he doesn't sleep in the pushchair. I can't remember what age roughly the other two went from three naps to two naps a day. I do remember though that when they only had two a day they slept for longer for those two naps.

JuicyLips I sympathise. Toby is being a bit grumpy at the moment too and I kept saying it must be teeth! He's been 'teething' for ages now!

Toby has weetabix, baby porridge and a bit of apple for breakfast mixed with milk. Lunch can be sandwich, something on toast, or something from the freezer made earlier. Tea now is usually pasta, rice, couscous or again some cassarole from the freezer or similar. He loves bananas, which are easy to give him.

Helips wow you are off soo soon!

Longwayaway it took Toby a few weeks to get the idea of eating solid food - so don't worry too much

They are growing up too fast!

BBL Annabelle usually has two naps, about an hour in the morning and usually hour and a half to two ours in the afternoon. She has always been a good sleeper though so am really lucky there. I like the idea of cous-cous for tea, hadn't thought of that. do the babies cope with pasta well with no teeth as I want to give A it, but am worried that she'll choke on it, or do you make it really really small? sorry for the daft Q.

Hi BBL nice to see you How is your sleep?

Depending on what time C has woken, he will have 2-3 naps a day. The main 2 naps are 10-11am and 1-3pm there abouts. Bedtime is 7pm. We have days when it all goes wrong, but we manage to get back to routine.

Juicy I love your new name C has no teeth and will eat pasta twirls very easily. He will have a go at most things now, but meat is still a bit difficult.

DWB Your eating routine sounds like our typical day, apart from the formula. We don't do snacks really. I like using Organix sweetcorn rings, breadsticks with a bit of houmous or cheese spread. Did you try E on the yoghurt? I think C has forgotten how to say mamma, he calls me mum,mum. Very sweet.

Thanks fruit! Annabelle loves meat, which is a big surprise as her brother wont touch it at all. She even tried a bit of Nanny's cajun chicken off her plate the other day.

JuicyLips I use spaghetti and cut it up into tiny bits, or macaroni which is quite small. Toby has no teeth and he sucks it quite well without problem.

Juicy we use pasta twirls here and he chomps them in two. Have also bought some baby spaghetti previously which is good, very tiny strands that are also gluten free, so can be good for any allergy worries.

BBL, Paula usually has two naps. One in the morning around 9 and one after lunch around 1. One is usually half an hour and one about an hour. Unfortunately if she sleeps more during the day, she wakes more often at night. But then she is waking up around 4 and staying awake for a while lately anyway. I'm worried she needs even LESS sleep.

My period came back yesterday. So far it seems to be much less painful than normal. But it also seems to be thinner (sorry if TMI), I'm wondering if this has already been a proper cycle. I guess, I'll find out the next time.

I hope everything not on here at the moment is fine and hopefully just enjoying the weather.

must be their age as DD2 who has been very easy to date has def been more stroppy of late, doing the straighten body thing and lots of 'bearing down' noises?!

she only does 3*30 mins naps, usually in car or pushchaire, can't get her to sleep >30mins but dont have time or energy with DD1 to get her to do long naps in her bed, one for the childminder in sept!!

6 year wedding anniversary this fri and we have a 24 hour free pass so off to posh hotel, can't wait!

Another stroppier one here. The noises you're describing sound familiar weston.

We have only very recently settled into a nap pattern, I think mainly based on the regular mealtimes that have come with 3 meals of solids - 9ish, after breakfast, for 1-2hrs, 1ish, after lunch, for an hour or so and possibly a quick one late afternoon depending on the length of others. I'm hoping to swap the longer one for afternoon once I go back to work as I'll be working mornings. Don't want her to sleep her way through nursery!

I found some mini pasta bows which we've been using - farfallini (?) just at the supermarket. Will probably go onto twirls etc after they're used up, based on what you guys are saying.

Just had a lovely early birthday tea at PILs (it's tomo) - even a cake! And some to bring home - even nicer...

Hi all

Just a quick post before we head off on hols we've just been and done the early check in so the bags are all at the airport. Taxi is coming at 4:30am to take us there so am heading off to bed in a minute!

Nap wise we seem to have changed over the last week or two. It was 30 mins around 9:30, 1.5 hr around lunch then maybe a quick 30 mins around 4:30, but he seems to be dropping the last nap. Sometimes now the lunch nap isn't until around 1 and is a little longer. From what I remember from the other dc's, this pattern stays for a while. Am just so glad we are now having a decent nap after lunch so I can get things done!!

Tooth has finally cut through, so hopefully if the other one threatening follows suit we'll have a slightly more settled holiday!

Happy birthday MissInterpret Cancerian like my DH

Hey everyone, hope you're doing okay. Just remarking my place as have been away and lost you all

Though will briefly say that I had my first day off today, it was lovely! Went to the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V&A with DPs mum, and I had a wonderful day. Bryn, being the fickle child he is, took one bottle and refused the other - but that's better than I was expecting

Have won a buggy on ebay, picking it up tomorrow... Its an old model Quinny. Going to keep hold of my Detour for a bit until I'm sure, and if not, will sell the new one and bid on another. I want Bryn facing me, am really sad about selling my Detour as I love it, but it doesn't switch.

I've not actually posted in this here thread, or any nov 09 thread before on mumsnet, although was (past tense) a member of a 'birth board' on another popular forum but found it mostly full of idiots - "is putting talc on my baby illegal?" - but I'm going off on a tangent now...

So anyway, thought I'd pop in as it makes a change from the feeding/weaning sections

Isabel (DD) was born 14th Nov. 2 bottom teeth, 1 top one cutting through now; sleeps (hahahahaha) occasionally; crawling as of Friday last week; really starting to get to grips with solids now (BLW); bla bla bla. Is that enough info?

Should I tell you about me too? 24, Shropshire-based, web developer, overly sarcastic at the worst possible moments...

This is the part where you all tell me to shut up and stop over-sharing.

welcome jemjabella! Your DD is born on the same day as my DD Annabelle. am also 24. please share away we dont mind!

Hello ladies.
Welcome Jem

I want to tell you lots but I'm chasing the baby all the time.

Short news is naming ceremony booked, have lost over a stone and just about coping working a day or two a week.

Wedding plans are looking as follows: Wedding at reg office 2pm. Arrive at reception for champagne (procecco more likely) with home made sloe gin. Sit down afternoon tea (finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, cake and pots of tea) followed by a 1940s type tea dance. Then a Jamaican curry in the evening followed by a band.

Any one got any good jam recipes? (we are doing our own catering - madness I know but too much of a control freak and not enough budget)

Also dress ideas for a lady with bust and hips? Hopefully a maximum of size 14 by then.

Welcome Jem make yourself at home

Ninja so are we all getting our invites via facebook or do you need addresses? That all sounds really lovely. I use this site for jams on occasion.

What type of dress are you looking for?