*** November 2014 Mum's ***

[Goat]

NJP and Apple your babies are so gorgeous!! NJP have you considered cutting the feet off some of your fave sleepsuits? Soon things like rompers will be more available which will be a good help for little Frankie. Rompers are my fave!

With the car seats, ours was pricey but mamas & papas do price match on things like Amazon so we got £80 off that way. Also if you know anyone who works in John Lewis/Waitrose they get a great staff discount. We managed to get ours down from £380 to £280 through all these little avenues.

NJO enjoy those cuddles! They're the best!

Stacey sorry to hear your night wasn't great!

I'll wait till 6 months again I think regarding weaning. I did Baby led weaning last time however my toddler is ridiculously fussy so I don't believe that it makes them less fussy. I'll do a mix this time. You're right NJP two weeks is really here nor there. I think I started at 24 weeks last time so actually that's 5.5 months isn't it? Although it's a hassle getting them weaned it does make life so much easier when you're out and about. You can give them a piece of cucumber at a restaurant and it keeps them busy for half the meal.
Xx

 

[mellie_88]

There's a few that spin round, but you need isofix in your car for them so not an option for my 3 door. A lot of people say it's easier to get them in and out of a rear facing then a forward facing though....no idea if this is true though.

Jake's getting weaned once he's showing all the signs, definitely not before 6 months though. I'm planning on doing mainly BLW with maybe a few purees, porridge etc.

Ohh my SIL is pregnant too, they announced it the other day. They were due a few weeks after Jake but unfortunately it was ectopic. But this one is staying put. She's currently 14 weeks, due end of August and as she'll be having another c section it'll be born a bit early so will be in the same school year as Jake. Oh and they already know it's going to be another girl.

 

[nicejuicypear]

Ah isn't that lovely! It must have been hard for them with Jake, but now he'll have a little cousin his age to play with! How old is their eldest girl?

I'm doing blw too, I think. I might puree some things but I think I'll do mostly finger food. Someone on my fb was asking about weaning and her friends suggested chicken nuggets, fish shapes and baby microwave meals. Now I'm not saying they don't have their place, and our teens love it when I get chicken nuggets for them, but they wouldn't be my first offerings to a baby! With jar foods, I'm planning to only have them for convenience when we're out somewhere and it's hard to do anything else. I'm not against them totally but I worry that if I use them at home I'd over rely on them for ease. They seem expensive too. Goat, I like your thinking with the cucumber! Food and a toy all in one!

 

[mellie_88]

Jar foods are ridiculously overpriced no idea why people feed babies just them, plus you cant be quite sure whats in them. I'm going to have a few for emergencies etc but probably get the fancier ones like ellas kitchen etc.

Chicken nuggets etc are ok if you make them yourself but obviously the stuff from packets are full of rubbish, especially salt.

My brother's eldest will be 3 in July. So a nice 3 year age gap, they've been trying for ages though as my SIL is nearly 40 so she knew it would be best to have them close together. No idea how my niece will deal with a younger sister though. When I was there the kther day I was squeaking and rattling a little toy at him to stop him crying and she came storming over saying it was hers and that she needed it.

 

[Staceylou27]

I'm going to have to research some car seats.

That must have been hard for your SIL mellie and sounds like they will have fun with their 3 yr old lol. My nephew is 3 and is fab with Ruby and his little sister. My SIL who is pregnant now hasn't any other children.

I'm planning baby led weaning too and will see how it goes. I'm hoping not to use jars and take a little snack tub out with us if I think we will struggle when out. I'll have to learn how to cook more meals I hate cooking.
There really not very good suggestions- chicken nuggets for a baby.

This week has gone so fast already! Can't believe it's Thursday. Should have been going to a stay and play now but Ruby's decided to have a nap so I'm going to try have one too

 

[Applecrumble]

I think im going for blw (if that means wait for baby to ask for food when ever)? Currently imogen shows no interest in food what so ever.

 

[Goat]

Stacey I hated cooking and still do. However what helped was a really good Blw cookbook and one by Annabel Karmel too. The recipes are pretty good for adults and makes you a bit healthier by putting less salt in your food. Basically id make up a meal and then put the excess into silicone freezer pots, label and date them and freeze them. I did it with pretty much every meal so that at lunch time I could just defrost and give it to her. Also days where hubby and I wanted a take away or something not very healthy, I could just use one of the spare healthy meals for her.
And when out and about Ive always had a little lunch box for her and put things like rice cakes, carrot puffs, fruit pouches, cucumber and apple slices, cheese and grapes and a sandwich in there. They're great little snacks to keep them going when they start getting bored.
I never felt the need to give chicken nuggets at such an early age. She's tried them recently and hates them. Loves fish fingers and potato waffles though but would never have given it to her before 1!
Xx

 

[nicejuicypear]

I think chicken nuggets are gross, I'm quite picky about meat but the teens love them as a treat. Ugh. It's the mushy ambiguity of the 'meat' that puts me off them.

Apple, I think you can start it when you want but if I understand rightly it's called baby led because you offer them a growing selection of finger foods on the high chair tray and let them play with them and eventually try to taste them, as opposed to mashing stuff and spooning it into their mouths. Initially the food might not get eaten, as the baby might just play with it but you just keep offering.

Goat, I looked around a bit and rompers are coming out now! I'll be able to use them with her legwarmers once the weather picks up a bit.

I got a gift from Oh Baby London so looked on their site and they've got loads of cool outfits reduced, well worth a look for something a bit different. Unfortunately the gift I got doesn't fit but they don't have any left to swap for a bigger size. My friends don't listen when I tell them she's wearing bigger sizes!

 

[mellie_88]

I have the same problem here, NJP. OHs family are used to their babies being small, his niece is 13 months and still in 6-9 month clothes. Jake's growing out of a lot of his 3-6 month now and his moms just got us 2 new babygrows. Annoying as he'll only get to wear them a couple of times.

 

[Staceylou27]

Thanks goat I'll have a look for a book.
I try to eat pretty healthy myself anyway so most if not all of what we eat would be ok for ble just we roast our vegetables and I'll have to boil them for Ruby without the oil.

I was planning the same kinda of things in a lunchbox and freezing meals when I make then will be really handy.

That's annoying about the clothes, we were bigger some newborn baby grows at Xmas wren she was 6 weeks old, they did actually fit her lol but I thought it was a little random to buy newborn. I usually have the opposite people buy us bigger sizes and she prob won't fit in the in the right season so may have to layer them. We were bought some lovely 6-9 month baby grows they look so big I think she will be starting nursery in them ha!

I'm going to have a look at that site not that she needs any clothes her wardrobe is sooo full as she's not growing out of much. We havnt bought any clothes ourselves since she has been born everything we bought was when pregnant and the rest has been gifts

 

[Applecrumble]

Oh thanks NJP...i think i am going to be a bit freestyle with food and do a mix of both... (Please tell me if thats wrong)... I like how you did it in the past Goat and have heard lots of good things about annabel carmel books. I love the idea of them playing with food and developing a natural interest. Apparently it takes 7 times for a baby/adult to become use to a flavour..

I alao dont believe in finishing everything on your plate, i think i will just not give a desert or treat if they didnt finish...i dont want food to become a battle ground. Thoughts opinions welcome?

We had a nightmare with Imogen last night she was really tired at 7pm so took her for bed time routine, which she had a meltdown at (mainly beacause she hadnt fed for ages, my fault) and then downed a bottle, feel asleep exhausted almost straight away to wake up 30mins later,screaming..nothing would settler, even the boob failed, and then she ended up coming down stairs with us, happy as larry, very odd. Oh put her down about 10:30 in the end and she woke for a feed at 6:3@0am so not all bad, just alot of crying...

 

[Applecrumble]

I too am now off to look at that site njp...love baby clothes.

 

[Staceylou27]

I agree apple I like the idea of them exploring their food and eating it on their own time. In theory they will eat enough so they are not hungry rather than us forcing food into their mouth on a spoon.

I dont think anyway is wrong apple it's your baby. At the end of the day the jars cannot be that bad or they wouldn't be able to sell them, there just not as healthy as they could be.

That's really not such a bad night. Ruby goes to sleep earlier around 8.30, last night she woke at 1.30 then 3.30 then wanted to get up at 6.30. It shouldn't be allowed that we get up that early! Ruby's bright eyed and smiley and mummy's got bags under her eyes!

Got baby massage this morn I think we will both be falling asleep

 

[Staceylou27]

Ruby did laugh for me last night tho! It was so nice I could have cried. She should have been going to sleep it was about 8pm but she was wide awake so I was tickling her and she loved it!

 

[Applecrumble]

Oh go Ruby, thats lovely. Congrats!

I think thats our next milestone, i keep doing things that raise a smile, but not got the laugh or giggle yet! Can not wait.

We will definately be using ellas kitchen pouches as well... Mix it up!

 

[Applecrumble]

Re bedtime...whilst we have a good bedtime routine going, we dont have a fixed time yet...we were trying 7-8pm but we found she wasnt settling and ended on sofa with us. Then we went for 9:30 which worked well, and we were getting a bit of an evening. However she was becoming over tired so we are back to being all confused. New plan needed.

We have baby sensory today 11:15 a nice time for baby group..not too early

 

[Staceylou27]

It's hard with the bedtime we used to do 7.30 bath then a bottle but then it was like we were trying to make her go to sleep. So now we go with when she starts to get grumpy which of usually around 7 so been having bath shortly after and not fighting with her to go to sleep. Just recently she's been asleep by 8.30 which means we can have a few hours ton ourself before we go to bed. Sometimes I wish I would have gone to sleep at the same time as her tho to get a good nights sleep.

It was so nice to hear her laugh as I missed it the first time

Our sensory session has changed times to try make the sessions less busy so the one for Ruby's age is 12-12.45 but we have baby massage starting today 10-11 so it's a bit too soon to go to sensory after. Will go back to sensory when massage course is finished.
Have you been to the sensory class before?

 

[Goat]

Apple I did a bit of a mix with finger foods and purées but I found with things like brocolli she hated the puréed version(who wouldn't?!) but loved eating it steamed. She would just gnaw into it. It's funny what they can eat with no teeth!!
As for the dessert thing I don't really treat things like yogurts or fruit as treats/desserts but just an addition to the meal. But that's just the way it works for us. Things like cake, chocolate etc are the treats and I isually use that to bribe her out of the park/soft play to avoid almighty tantrums and now during potty training. At birthdays parties etc then I'm more relaxed.

Imogen and Ruby seem to be doing great with the sleeping. I'm going to try and start a routine from Monday in the vain hope it helps!

Well done Ruby on giggling. How cute!! We had a few giggles this week too. She rolled from tummy to back last week and for a couple of days wouldn't stop. Now she won't do it again. Weird little poppet!

NJP I really love rompers, their chub looks so cute in them. Will be so cute to see Frankie in one with a little leg warmer.
I'm a bit too obsessed with Next and finding matching outfits for the girls.

Hope you all have good days at your classes! We're off to buy my brother a Bday present and then a trip to a local castle!xx

 

[Staceylou27]

Bribe her out of the park hehe!

Aw Ruby's only rolled once from her tummy to back and she cried lol. She hasn't done it since.

Were all fed and changed so time for baby massage, fingers crossed she enjoys it.

Enjoy your day at the castle!

 

[Applecrumble]

Imogen is wearing Next this morning, its a little cow romper. I like it when siblings match (i know its not everyones thing, but i love it). Me and my sister buy the same outfirs for Imogen and her cousin to wear. :-0

I also like buying sleepsuits with matching dribble bibs..