September 2024 - Thread 11

[luckyfaith]

New thread 😊

Bear turned 8 months on the 15th and still no teeth here!
He's finally nailed rolling, but no crawling or pulling to stand yet even though he LOVES being held standing or holding our hands to stand.
Had HV 8 month check yesterday, and apparently he's a tad behind in motor (expected), ahead in gross motor (also expected), but a bit behind in social (unexpected)!
The social is because he doesn't copy us when we babble at him and only babbles on his own, and because we reported he doesn't try to pat at a big mirror - but to be fair we don't actually HAVE a big mirror!!
Is this as serious as the HV made it sound? I didn't even think 8mo's should be copying just yet to begin with :S

How do I help him with what he's a tad behind in?

@SpicyMoth I've recently taken DS to a baby yoga class for ages crawlers and up. Lots of babies 7-18 months. The differences between all of them is shocking and every week they come having learned something new. I wouldn't worry at the moment.

We do play at the mirror a lot, it's my back-up for when he's bored 😅 we go to the bathroom, wash his hands, play with the mirror and whatever is on the edge of the sink. I only do it when I'm desperate because my back is killing me holding him above the sink 😂also he cries when I try to pull him away

Thanks hugging, thats reassuring to hear ♡

Seems like I need to go and invest in a good sized mirror!

@TripleESept24 jealous of your 11 hours! I feel like the collagen is literally melting out of my skin from lack of sleep. It was our turn to have a tummy bug this week, followed by summer head colds and teeth 3&4 starting to make an appearance, so our good rest didn't last long.

@SpicyMoth mine doesn't copy any babble either, I don't think that's even on the ROI 9 month check so I hadn't thought of it. He does like looking at himself in the mirror alright but he wouldn't really interact with himself. I think as long as they respond to facial expressions and smile back, or respond to peek a boo, all's ok? That's what they check here.

I was told babies that spend a lot of time in car seats & buggies on the go, or jump-a-roos, tend to have slightly slower motor skills when I was worrying about my own baba. He's crawling & pulling to kneeling, but my eldest was way more physical at this stage. We don't use the bouncer toys but he is in the buggy a lot so I think that's caused it. 🙈

@kc92 I’m with you pal. My smallie just is awful, not as bad as my toddler but still I’m lucky to get 2-3h unbroken before we cycle through hourly/half hourly wake ups. I’m now dealing with split nights too and I swear I’ve ptsd from my first, she started like this too but was way worse. I’m gonna try gentle sleep training tomorrow I have to. @FuppinNora how did you get on with Lucy Wolfe?

Were 8m now and no teeth. I remember worrying about my toddler, was her speech ok was her food ok was her mobility ok and truth be told she came along fine in her own time. Of course if the PHN is worried and it’s a series of weeks or months where concerns are raised that’s a different story but for the most part I think so much emphasis is placed on “milestones” that really stress parents.

We’ve put down a week of hand foot and mouth disease and the week before that was vomiting bug. Stick a fork in me I’m done!!

@SpicyMoth - At this stage it’s not asking “if you make a sound, does baby copy it?” - it’s asking, “if baby makes a sound, which you then copy, does the baby repeat the sound back to you?”

Which seems much more achievable at this age!

Here is the link if you’d like to have a look. There’s a poster on MN who I think must be a paediatrician or HV and she often comments that it’s quite normal for a baby to be in the grey zone in a couple of areas and not necessarily a cause for concern.

Also, the checklist goes up to eight months and 30 days so you would have until 14 June to see if he achieves them. It’s also worth noting that crawling has now been removed as a milestone because something like one in four babies never crawl!

Tysm @Decaffeand @kc92! That's a huge anxiety off my shoulders to be honest! 😅😭

@PinkWatermelon88 she is a genius 😂 within 10 days he slept through the night and most nights are pretty good since! Still have to a dummy plug sometimes but I'm OK with that.
No crying method which is great and you are still comforting them as and when.
The one thing I'd say about her routine though is it is very early bedtime for those babies who aren't great sleepers. I put him down now around 730/8pm instead of her suggested 7 as he typically does 11 hours.
I did nearly die the first 3 nights but did it at the weekend where I could hand over.

@PinkWatermelon88@kc92im
With you with the terrible sleep! Will only go down for 45mins beginning of the night. Generally every 90 mins 🫠😵‍💫 think I might die of exhaustion. I’m telling myself I’ll get a great sleeping toddler 😂

My lo is now 8 months, has 2 teeth, has just found her appetite but is generally just snacking. No crawling. Is rolling back to front. Turns and pulls herself up with support to standing. Has a walker and literally runs as fast as she can in it 😂
shouts a lot- mamamama, mamba mamba, amamama. Loves a mirror. Scratches everything with her inspection finger 😂

has now decided she hates her car seat but quite likes the pram. It’s ever changing.

Solidarity @WinsandSam ! Team No Sleep here too :) @FuppinNora I’m on day 2 and so far it’s been a rip roaring disaster 🙈😂 every nap she screams so bad she hyperventilates, same with bedtime. I quit each time after 60-90 mins screaming trying all I can to soothe her but nothings working. Here’s hoping for a miracle on day 3!!

Keep at it @PinkWatermelon88 I felt like giving up between day 2 and 5. Are you keeping a diary - it really helped me see the progress however small it was to keep me going. Best of luck!

@FuppinNora SHES ASLEEP!!! IN THE BLEEDIN’ COT!!!!!!!!!!
Now in fairness she only went down at 7:15 and after 15mins of screaming conked, so it’s early days. But she’s asleep!!!!!!!
im actually gonna buy myself jewellery if I can pull this off 😂💕 Thanka for the good vibes I’ll def keep a diary xxx

Wooohoooooo go girl 👏 that is brilliant and a win! DS was like that, small improvements every night until he just decided to do i so you've cracked in now. Keep at it!

I half cheated then @FuppinNora …. She slept soundly in the cot till 10, then I fed her on the boob and she conked and I just let her beside me. I couldn’t face the night weaning 🙈 but massive win so far. Today she’s with the childminder but I’ll do cot again tonight. I felt so bad when she was crying but I stayed with her rubbing her and singing to her and it worked. I can’t believe it! Did you night weaning as per book too?

how’s everyone else getting on x

3 hours in cot, thats fab. I still pull him into bed early hours if he wakes!

Yes it was night weaning mainly for us, he was at stage where he was taking very little of bottle during night so knew it was habit moreso. I gritted my teeth for 3 nights one weekend when we had nothing on. Slowly there was progress and after about 4th night I was getting 5 hour stretches which I was thrilled with.
Now he just goes in cot and generally puts himself asleep. I'm still sitting by cot but no touching unless upset. I don't follow everything exactly like I said found her bedtime and last feed too early for us.
Not sure whether Lucy is a genius or it was a fluke and he was goingto do it anyway! It'll be interesting to see does it take a shorter amount to get asleep and will the sleep be longer tonight. Fingers crossed for you. Don't throw in the towel now you've started..

Can anyone recommend some toys for our littlies, finding it hard to keep him entertained. He isn't moving yet and hates rolling so just sits.

What is this witch craft?! Is it just sleep training (which is a no go for me.) we’re in a cycle of 45-120 mins sleep at a time.

@FuppinNora@PinkWatermelon88if its no cry, how come they’re crying for long periods?

@WinsandSam @WinsandSam i know what you mean… my experience has with my two kids been though that no matter what skill I try with my smallies, if they don’t want to do it they’ll cry to varying levels. Each and every book I’ve read from Lindsay Hookway to the harsh Ferber type methods say that your baby may cry when there is a change- such as not getting the boob when expecting to, or being put on a new surface, or not in your arms or whatever. The difference is how you respond- do you or don’t you. Many ST strategies say don’t respond, don’t make eye contact, don’t touch, leave the room, ignore the baby. This one is a stay and support strategy where you stay close to your baby and respond to them by pattting, shushing or singing. It’s not no cry, I don’t even think they use the word gentle in their marketing but I could be wrong?! She also said pick them up after 20 mins, yesterday I picked her up and put her down the whole time but it got her more upset.

I didn’t ST on my first and suffered with my mental health as a result of severe sleep deprivation. I thought this baby slept better but the reality is she hasn’t and I find myself in a similar dark space so I had to try something. It might all blow up in my face but I had to try something and this seemed like the best fit.

I was in your boat, even 120min was a luxury for me. Last night she slept 8:30-11 in the cot (we had visitors and it messed the schedule) and I fed her and she slept safe beside me from 11:30-4, gave her a bottle and put her back in the cot where she slept from 4:45-9:30. No tears at all last night. she had a day nap in the cot too yesterday and no tears.

Re toys @FuppinNora my smallie loves the top of her bottle haha! She also loves her ball pit and a standing activity table, they’re in smyths. Mostly I find her too small to properly engage yet tho but that’ll all change too 😂

It's really interesting to hear all the different experiences and opinions around sleep.@PinkWatermelon88 I'm delighted it's working out for you, you deserve some rest!

Mine is still smothered with a head cold but once he's better we're going back down the night weaning route. It was really working for us, albeit gradually. He's really good at long daytime naps, falls asleep within 2 minutes of being rocked, prefers his crib to co-sleeping and can resettle himself when he's not hungry, so I don't think we need to do sleep training. Our only problem really is he's a FOMO baby & prefers to get his milk at night time. I reckon if I break that habit he'd be a champion sleeper. 🤞🏻

I think now is the right time to tackle sleep anyway! Having such a lovely little time on maternity leave but there's not a chance I could survive at work this tired.

@SpicyMoth is Bear still sleeping well in the travel cot? I don't think mine is bashing off the sides of his crib but I'm half tempted to record him at night just to see!

Potentially TMI but can I ask what everyone's doing for birth control? I know they're tested & safe but I don't like the idea of hormonal options while breastfeeding. I also don't like the idea of 3 under 4 so need to pick something. 😅

@FuppinNora bubbles are my DS's fave! I have a cheap bubble machine off Amazon but he loves when we do the faces the most. The window spinners are handy on our sliding door as well - he sits next to them. He loves when I put the couch cushions on the floor next to him too. At the start he would just sit and pat them but now he's climbing them - has really brought on his motor skills I think. Play mat has to go under though because he hasn't figured out how to climb down gracefully yet!

Glad you are all getting little ones doing some sleeping in their cots!

Esme has the WORST nappy rash I've ever seen it's awful! Red raw and open blisters round her bum 😭😭😭 I wanna just leave her with nappy off as long as I can tomorrow but she's also now started crawling so could be messy 😭

Mine had that when he had a stomach bug. It went away once the diarrhea stopped. But yes, we also did loads of nappy free time.

She's all good no illness but her poos are becoming something else 💩 especially after fish they stinkkkkkk

@TripleESept24 yeah I feel you on the stinky poos. I can still smell them sometimes hours after I've changed a nappy, even after I have left the house. They just make such an imprint in your mind, it's an attack on the senses. I made DH get up and change the sheets on our bed one night as I was convinced I could smell poo. FML.

@TripleESept24 I also still use nappy cream on my baby and some of the changes I wipe with cotton balls in water. He has v sensitive skin bless him.

@WinsandSam he didn't really cry, more protested. If he ever does get upset I take him up and comfort him and restart it when he is ready. I think he was pretty much ready to go asleep by himself so it was an easier transition. He didn't actually need me to do a lot of things for him that I was doing. It's also about balancing the day food and nap wise. I'm sold by her anyway!