Hi all

Well it seems Cooper is going back to normal at night and is sleeping through until 5.00 am. We then both go back to bed until around 7.00 am. We're starting to move to 4 hourly breastfeeds (4 times a day) and 2 naps. I'm finding that Sleep/Feed/Play no longer works for us – it just doesn't time out right. I still find 4 BFs and 3 solids hard to juggle. I think once we're down to 3 BFs it will be a lot easier.

We don't have a routine as such though – I sort of just follow Cooper's lead and watch the clock a little. So every day is different. Yesterday he had a big nap from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm but today that nap was only 10.00 am to 11.00 am.

Do you guys follow a strict routine, loose routine (sort of created by baby) or absolutely nothing? Are some of you demanding feeding? How many BFs to you give a day?

Cooper is still having trouble self-settling … but not all the time. I think this is why it's so frustrating for me. Because I know he can do it! Like for this morning's nap he went to sleep easily. Sat up in his cot and played around a bit but then lay down and went to sleep. But just now he has screamed and screamed – I had to go in numerous times and then pat him to sleep. I am sure he was tired – I saw tired signs and also he'd been awake for over 3.5 hours.

Guess what I'm doing on Friday? Meeting up with some BB mums and babies! No one from our July group is from Brisbane are they??? Bummer.

Cassie – Dylan is very clever saying all those words! Cooper babbles heaps and has said two words but he hasn't said them that many times. So he just babbles a lot. That's it!

Bubseykel – OMG Danielle eats such grown up food! Cooper is still just eating vegie mashes, fruit mashes and some beef (he tried chicken and didn't seem to like it much). The only finger food I have given him is banana. Oh and a bit of cucumber. I still want to break of small bits and give it to him though. I'm scared he'll bite off too big a chunk! I hate when he gags. It's scary. I'm going to introduce yoghurt soon. At Cooper's 7 month check up at the clinic I asked the MCHN about cheese and she said Cooper was too young. So confusing, as a book I have says dairy from 7 months is okay. Anyway I'll probably start it all from 8 months. I'm also not sure about wheat as I have read conflicting stuff on this too – 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months and the WHO says 12 months! Crazy.

Mads – Sounds like your house is all nice and organised now. Well done! Cooper's voice is sounding sort of normal again, thank goodness.

kmh – Yay for Charlotte's weight gain. You must be so relieved.

Dustmite – Go Corban go!!! I bet he's into everything now. Cooper loves the bathroom and always wants to stick his fingers down the drain hole in the floor. So now we keep that door shut.