Babies Born August 1st ~ 15th 2009 #2

[tippytoes]

Hey Willow, hope D is better soon.

Well, now my little Eli is sick - poor thing had a temp over night, and now has runny nose. He seems okay - not too grizzly considering!
BBL Rach xx

[tippytoes]

Hey guys

thought I would pop in.....
I bought Eli some gro-bags today. This shop had buy one get one free!! At $90. a pop, a pretty good deal! I got one 1.0 tog & a 2.5 tog. I put him in the lighter one tonight with a long sleeve bodysuit (no legs). I think it'll take a lil bit of practice to learn exactly what suits the weather etc. There is a really helpful guide and temp chart that comes with the grobag too. I am happy about that purchase. Also, maybe my DS will stop crawling around quite so much at night. I am hoping that it will act as a cue for bedtime aswell. DS hasn't been swaddled since he was about 2 weeks old, cause he would just wake himself up to unwrap himself .
his cold is getting better and so is mine. Just plodding along.....my house is a tip though Never have the time, but have been sick too. Anyone else find it getting on top of them too?

Hope everyone is well
Rach xx

[Saffi]

Morning everyone!

Rach - pleased to hear that you and Eli are doing better. Nothing worse than a baby with a cold when you are feeling poorly yourself. Let us know how you go with the grobags. I didn't use them with DS. I think up here we don't really have extremes of weather but might be useful as a sleep cue.
Even though the kids are both in daycare now my house still looks like a bombsite. I am trying to keep on top of it but never quite get there.
Willow - how's D doing? M's had it too and yeah, nothing that can be done. Just watch for a temperature.
Koru - love the photo of Orla. She really does suit her name.
hello to everyone I've missed.

All going well here. M is settling into daycare well. Still doing shorter days 'cos I can. Only two weeks until I'm back at work Know I'll get into it once I start but atm I'm kinda dreading it.

Anyway, probably should attempt some housework while it's quiet.

Have a good weekend everyone.

[tippytoes]

OMG just had the funniest thing happen....
backgroud DS LOVES LOVES LOVES our cat. We are very careful when he pats her etc, cause we don't want any accidents. Anyway, she is very tolerant of ear pulling, fur grabbing etc. Well, at night she is locked in the laundry and can go outside but during the day whilst I can supervise we let her in the house, mostly she sleeps on our bed and doesn't move all day. I just put Eli down for a nap, he was still semi awake, I thought I'll check him in a minute. Next thing I hear this giggling - I am thinking she must be rubbing against his fingers or something. I run in to find him STANDING in his cot peering over at the cat (who is just lookingat him - like she so can't be bothered) who is still on the bed. He thinks he is pretty clever - cracking himself up NOTE to self, get a teether rail from baby bunting as Eli thinks the cot rail is for biting!
ETA - house is still a mess
Saffi - here is hoping for a super smooth transition back to work. I could be the same soon too! We'll see....
Rach xx

[Saffi]

Rach- is that the first time Eli has stood? Very clever boy!!! Both my kids love our dogs and the dogs are very tolerant of them in return. When M is really upset and screaming one of my dogs will actually sit by her as if trying to provide her some support/comfort.

House is still a mess too. But I have made a heap of appointments for the next few weeks for all the things I have been putting off for the last 7 months!

[tippytoes]

Hey Saffi - no he stands up a lot! Pulls himself up on the couch, chairs, his walker etc..... Just the first time in his cot! Why do children hate to have thier noses wiped??? I hate runny noses on kids!

[Saffi]

Quick question - what, how much, and how often are your bub's eating solids.?

[issy02]

Saffi - lochie is now eating 3 times a day. Feeding is like this:
- 6:30-7am - bf
- 8am - breakfast, rice cereal or porridge with fruit
- 10-10:30am - bf
- 11:30am - lunch, veggie mash, also offer water.
- 1:30pm - bf
- 4-4:30 - bf
- 5:30 - dinner, veggie mash (sometimes with either chicken or fish) and custard or fruit for dessert.
- 6pm - bf, usually a short one
- 8:30 - big bf then bed.

Favourite food combos are:
- Potato, pumkin and creamed corn
- Fish, zucchini and sweet potato
- Carrot, zucchini and rice
- Chicken, and veg
- Broccoli, potato and pumkin (or carrot) with a tablespoon of gravy
- Banana and avocado
- Sweet potato and apple
- Custard
- Rice cereal with pear
- Porridge with banana

Basically its just a combination of veggies, with fish or chicken, we havent introduced red meat yet, he is getting plenty of iron from his rice cereal still, which we add to all dinners. We will be introducing tomato this week, with ratatouille and risotto. He eats about 4-5 tablespoons of food each meal time, with dessert as extra. Hope that helps....

[tippytoes]

Hey issy just a quick one: I am starting Eli on 3 times a day from tomorrow, cause he has been sick his intake has been a lot less - more BF! But, Eli only eats about 2 tablespoons of food in each sitting. Should I maybe reduce some BF. Usually, he is full by 2 tablespoons of vegie mash or rice cereal (hard to believe LOL as he is a chunky lad). Not sure what to do??? Anyone have suggestions too?

Rach xx

[nicjay]

Rach - LOL at Eli and the cat. You know my DD1 was a cot gnawer to, we are using it for E (well when she is happy to sleep in it which is not very often ) and it still has teeth marks from DD1 on it LOL With the solids, if 2 tablespoons is all he wants then I'd just tend to go with that. I think they say about 4 tablespoons max, correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but I used to just give DD1 what she was prepared to eat and it was hardly ever that much and she was a great eater compared to E. As for E, well I'm lucky to get a teaspoon into her

Saffi - We have only just started having some luck this weekend with solids. E has gone from not eating any at all to eating about a half a teaspoon to a teaspoon once a day. I try and offer some finger food at night too if we are eating something suitable for her, or a rusk, steamed veges, something like that - but mostly it doesn't get eaten.

Willow - Hope D is feeling better now. Bronchiolitis is what E has last month when she was sick too, and she took a while to get over it. My dr said there was nothing they could do for her if she got worse we were to go to hospy and they would put her on oxygen. Fortunately she didn't, but she still even now is having the occasional barky sounding cough.

Hi everyone I've missed

AFU, well I'm feeling better now, cold only hung around for a few days which was not too bad. Like I said above though, the excitement this week has been a bit of progress with eating solids She was actually opening up for the spoon and not spitting it back out yay! It was still very slow going and she didn't want a lot to eat, but at least I feel like we have made some progress. I have been giving her yogurt and banana which she seems to like, but might have to try a few more things now I guess - hoping that she will like trying some other stuff now too Hope I haven't jinxed myself LOL

[misty]

Well it turns out DS1 has croup. We all likely have the virus (we have all had the same illness) but he is the only one so far to develop the breathing problems, although Baz did have a hacking cough the other night, but seems fine now.

If it is not one thing it's another. I think I'd better just resign myself to alway having at least one sick person in the house at all times. Sadly it always seems to be DS1.

[tippytoes]

Misty - hun

Well it turns out DS1 has croup.

Eli is a bit the same - took him to dr on sat $75 later!!! Anyway, we got him a vapouriser and it works really well (it was only $60. which I thought was great). Today he has a real barky/chesty cough but I think it is everything coming loose and getting better (at least I hope so!). I hope DS1 gets better very soon!

Megsmum - goodluck with solids sounds like things will pick up from here - fingers crossed!!

Hello to all! try to BBL!
Rach xx

[Saffi]

Hi all

Misty - oh no for croup. I've come to accept that kids = sickness. So far this year DS and DD have been pretty healthy (touch wood).
Issy - thanks for the comprehensive outline of L's diet. You have got a good little eater there.
Megs - sounds like E's getting the hang of solids.
Rach - hope Eli gets better soon.

M is only having 2 meals of solids at the moment. Mostly its fruit/veg purees. She is such a gutz - she can eat a whole sachet of those Rafferty's Garden purees (120gr - don't know how many tablespoons that works out to). Tried her on some meat/veg mash but she gagged and carried on so we've gone back to fruit purees. Also started her on baby yoghurt which she isn't too sure about yet.

[issy02]

Feeding Advice - Child and Youth Health

Stage 2 - learning to chew

Soft lumps, about 7 to 8 months
Babies can manage thicker textures and soft lumps soon after starting solids. Once your baby can sit alone and make chewing movements he can be encouraged to bite and chew even if he does not have teeth.

What time to give them:
•Build up to three times a day. Towards the end of this stage you may like to give solids before milk and get into a routine of breakfast, lunch and tea.
•Milk is still very important though, and you may prefer to breastfeed (or give a bottle) when the baby first wakes in the morning or after a nap, then give solids in later meals.
•Bottle-fed babies usually have about 4 milk feeds a day at this age. This routine also suits some breastfeeding babies as part of gradual weaning, but others will like to breastfeed more often than this. This is fine as long as the baby is taking some solids. You can do what suits you and your family.

Foods to give:
•Baby cereals - rice cereal and other baby cereals. You can mix them with fruit or juice rather than milk to help iron absorption. Keep giving baby cereals most days in the first year to be sure your baby gets enough iron.
•Other cereal foods - rice, pasta, oatmeal, porridge, wheat flake biscuits (like Weetbix**), bread (eg rusks).
•Vegetables - all sorts, cooked and mashed into soft lumps.
•Fruits - as in Stage 1. Add others if you haven't yet tried them (eg peaches, apricots, mango, paw paw).
•Fish (eg tuna), meat, chicken - well cooked, moist and pureed to start with for a week or so, then finely minced (or frozen and grated).
•Milk foods - as in Stage 1. Also try grated cheese, cheese sauces, milk puddings (eg semolina), cottage and cream cheese.
•Egg - well cooked.

Texture :
Mashed (but moist) or soft lumps. Do not keep pureeing at this stage (except meat) as your baby may find it hard to learn to chew later. Don't be too alarmed if she gags a little at first, that is how she clears her throat. Just give small amounts of soft lumps until she gets used to them.

How much :
Two tablespoons to half a cup or more if your baby wants it. You can offer two courses - a savoury and a sweet, at some meals.

How to give:
•By now your baby will enjoy sitting in a high chair at family meals, though you may find it easier to feed her first, then give her tastes of what the family is having during the meal.
•Your baby is the only one who knows when she has had enough. It is important that she learns to control her own eating if she is to avoid problems with weight now or later - so do not push her to take more than she wants.

[misty]

wow - issy - you are doing well with 3 meals. If I am being honest, I am lucky to feed baz solids once a day. sad I know. I just seem to forget. although I am trying to get in the habit of feeding him off my plate at dinner and having things like bread on hand for him to chew on during the day. Having said all that, his siblings are always 'sharing' food with him. yesterday it was a Jam Drop biscut...

I am starting to see why mum always said she had 'given' up on trying to be a 'good' parent by the time she had number 6 - there is just not enough hrs in the day sometimes.

[nicjay]

Misty - Oh no, I'm sorry to hear DS1 has croup Hope he is on the mend soon, my DD1 has had it a number of times its no fun at all At least other the kids are sharing with Baz, look on the bright side

Issy - Great info, thanks heaps for that! I wish I could get E to do half of it LOL Actually I'm wondering if I should try her on Weetbix, I have hesitated cause the old advice on it when DD1 was a bub was wait until 12 months to give it.

Rach - Hope Eli is better soon, poor little man.

Looks like I spoke too soon the other day, E has gone back to not eating much today and yesterday. Oh well...LOL I tried some mashed peach and yogurt for a change of pace, so maybe she just didn't like it as much as the banana and yogurt. Sometimes I wonder if I am chopping and changing too much, but what do you do when you have a bub that is not really keen? Do you keep offering the same old thing if that is all they will eat? Advice and thoughts anyone?

[~Trish~]

Hi all! Sorry I have been slack and not posted in here for ages again . I've been reading along, just not getting time to post.

Alana is going great, she's crawling around everywhere and is starting to try and pull herself up on things . Today she pushed herself up to standing by holding onto a Duplo box, eek! She tries to walk when I hold her hands, but she's not quite co-ordinated enough to go very far yet LOL. She is such a happy and busy little girl, so much fun . Every night while I run her a bath she races over to the towel rail and pulls our towels off, then has to go and climb onto the scales . She also LOVES playing outside, she'd stay out there for hours if she could. She grabs grass and leaves and explores everywhere and gets very dirty! Oh, and she's been saying "Dad Dad" for a few weeks now, no sign of "Mum" yet .

She's on solids twice a day atm, usually pureed something or rice cereal. We haven't gotten too adventurous yet, I don't have the time, but really should... I haven't given her water yet either because she is breastfed and I don't think she really needs it? I can't remember! If anyone can tell me I'd be grateful

Well, I'd better run and have a shower. Sorry for the absolute lack of personals, I will try next time!!

[issy02]

hi trish - just a quick one, no, babies who are breastfed do not NEED water between meals, but during meal times just helps with feeding, i find lochie eats more when he has water, i like to drink when i eat, so i do the same for him. Alana sounds just divine