***December Snowflakes 2012 Parenting***

[ocean_pearl]

Hey girlies!

Honey - awesome news on the sleep front!

Oli loves sleeping on me all day but at night we've been cosleeping. Finally put his cot up yesterday and he slept in it from 8-12pm. He woke up because he'd kicked his blanket off. Shall I try a grobag?

No solids here yet, I don't want him to before 5/6 months, makes me sad too as he's growing so fast but it's an exciting next step

He's loving tummy time so much at the mo:

https://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w402/oceanpearl2/79FF41F4-17A4-48BC-AE3D-342AF0CA9501-1497-000001C976441659_zps1bb46da4.jpg

 

[ttc_lolly]

IST, Cait is soooo cute! I love her tutu too

Sigh, sorry about your doctors reception. The receptionists at our surgery are quite rude and not very client friendly either

Ocean, Oliver is such a handsome little chap! What a smile

Millie hates tummy time, will not tolerate it at all! I can get her to go for a few mins if her big sis lays with her (Millie is her no.1 fan!) but she so grows bored and will scream to be lifted. She's not rolled in ages either so back to me flipping her over on to her back! She is sitting really well now though, she sat for well over 2 mins yesterday before wobbling to the side and then face planting on to the rug!

 

[cococobain]

Sending good vibes your way today Chloe!

Scooby -Hope everything runs smoothly tomorrow for you. Big day! We're still waiting on a letter from the hospital about mia's physical therapy as they suspect tightness in the neck too. She's starting to have facial asymmetry on her forehead and her right ear sticks out more than the other They only bothered to check out her neck muscle after I mentioned "knowing someone" whose baby had torticollis and insisted they at least rule it out.

I'm sure Camden will adapt super quick to the helmet and what a sweet idea to decorate it. This is a dumb question, but are you allowed to get it wet at all? (thinking about this hot weather).

Oh and mia is really good with tummy time now, except she's not as interested in lifting herself up anymore as she is far more interested in drenching her fists with saliva. I've started to help her roll by getting her favourite toy and moving it in a direction where she has to turn on her side to keep following it, then carry on moving it until she's on her back.

ocean_pearl - aw I love his face! what a beautiful smile. I would try a grobag at night - even though it's getting warmer here I still put her in one to sleep otherwise she would be waking up all night (she's a kicker) I just take her socks off and keep her in a long sleeved vest so she doesn't get hot.

 

[ocean_pearl]

Thanks girls, I have a low tog grobag so will try that tonight.

Lolly - lol! see the pillow Oliver is lying on, he stays on his tummy much longer with that, maybe try one?

Xx

 

[ttc_lolly]

Yeah I think I might have to... what is it!? And sorry forgot to answer your earlier question - I'd definitely try a sleep bag Millie sleeps so well with hers, Amber was the same x

 

[Honey.Bee]

I just love seeing all these photos! Cait is such a cutie and yes, I love the one of her playing with the tutu.

Ocean - Oli is just getting more handsome by the day. I bet he's a flirt with that gorgeous smile. Watch out! Yes, defo try the grobag. I find it easier for transfer to the cot too as the warmth stays with them (if you know what I mean) rather than the shock of going into a cold cot. I'm glad I'm not actually the only one co- sleeping. I think I will miss it when Ava completely transitions to the cot. She now sleeps in her cot for the first part of the night and then in her own part of our bed after about 1-3 am. SO much better than having her on top of me! Today, she even fell asleep in the sling and then allowed herself to be transferred to the cot to continue her nap for an hour. Guess my baby is growing up?? Previously this would have resulted in screaming but today she just looked around, smiled and went back to sleep. Happy Mummy x

Tooth - was wondering if Joseph would nap in a sling/carrier? Do you have one? Still waiting for my nap book to arrive.

Lolly - have you tried different surfaces for tummy time? Ava used to like a cushion like Oli or the softness of her bed but will now manage 10 mins or so on my yoga mat. She seems to stick it out longer if there is a toy to look at or if I'm down at her height. She also likes the low level mirror at our baby group!

 

[toothfairy29]

I'm so..... Cait is so pretty! I love her little outfits! Your photos made me smile as I can imagine how excited you were to put that tutu on!! If I thought Joseph's dad wouldn't see it I'd get one for Joseph!!!!!!! ;-)

Ocean.... What a handsome boy!!!! Gorgeous smile

Honey bee we never had a sling/carrier and I don't think I could lift him in one now!! He's huge!!

Just back from health visitor. He's 18.5 wks and 18lb 1oz (8.22kg) just above 91st percentile! Spoke about weaning and have booklets and details of a local course to attend but she suggests waiting til as close to 6 months as possible especially as he's piling so much weight on on just breast milk!

I asked her about my nap problems, she pretty much said 3 short naps a day is fine if that's what he wants! She pretty much told me to stop stressing about it and go with the flow! He's doing about 13 hours through the night waking for feeds so she said he's getting plenty of rest. I feel better after speaking to her about it. He also fell asleep in the car and stayed asleep whilst I transferred to pram base and into supermarket today which is unheard of!!

 

[ImSoTired]

Thanks everyone! I was so excited dressing her and I will be as long as I can! I remember before we had the harness put on her I would wake up everyday and feed her, change her, and dress her and it would just make me feel like a good mom. When I lost the ability to dress her, not only for the warmth but also for the look, I felt just awful like I had lost a part of my routine and I felt like a bad mom for it. Now we are getting back on a routine and some normalcy and it feels great! I must say though, even with the harness on, I had her looking pretty good with the dresses and everything. I guess you adapt when you have to, just like Scooby decorating Camden's helmet. You gotta do what you gotta do!

Ocean, Oli is just a beautiful baby! Cait has the same hungry caterpillar toy I see behind him.

Tooth so glad your appt went well. I wouldn't worry about the sleeping either. 13 hours a night is fantastic (you are a lucky lady!) and I think if Joseph were very tired you could get him to go down for naps easily. No worries. 18 lbs! Wow! Cait is probably going on 14 and she's already so heavy in the carseat, I can't imagine her being 18! You must have some biceps, lady! lol about buying Joseph a tutu. My Dh wouldn't go for something like that either. He even fusses about my dressing Cait sometimes.

Yesterday I went to my Gyno and my bp was very high. They took it again after my appt and it was lower but still on the high side. I took it again this morning and it's still quite high. It's getting me really worried and I'll surely be calling the doctor in a few days if it persists. I never had high bp before baby and now it's out of control and got me worried. Anyone else have a similar issue?

I hope you are all well

 

[ImSoTired]

Oh and I nearly forgot...Cait's second day out of her harness and she is rolling back to belly, no problem! She has done is a few times already! I'm so relieved because I was worried she would be way behind. I think we got it off of her at the best time in her development. She will be completely done with it on July 16th and hopefully the x-ray will show a normal, healthy, healed hip joint and she will go on to do everything normally.

 

[toothfairy29]

Thanks I'm so although I must point out he feeds several times during that 13 hour night stretch! I laughed at your comment about the car seat as when I took him to be weighed today it's the first time I left the seat in the car and just carried him in! Couldn't face the workout!

Can you believe he also just had 1.5 hours nap on me?!! Hadn't had that long for weeks!

As far as your BP goes, mine was high during last few months of pregnancy but ok after. I seem to remember midwife saying it can be high in the months after birth due to hormones? But not sure how long this applies? It's good that its been spotted? Did your doctor ask you to go back? Also I guess you have a home monitor as you said you checked it yourself? I learned during pregnancy that these aren't always reliable and tend to show BP higher than it actually is so they can frighten you in necessarily! Do go back next week though if you're worried but try get some rest and relaxation if poss! Xxx

 

[sigh]

IST - Cait is sooo beautiful!!!!

Ocean - Love the look on his face sooo cuteee!!

Tummy time here is pretty much me putting her on her tummy and then she gets this look on her face and rolls to her back. She seems to think it's a game and won't stay on her tummy. She likes to chew on her feet so after that I have to pry her feet out of her hands and put her back on her tummy. I can wait for the crawling stage though... she's growing way too fast!! She imitated my mom's hand movements today (open and closing hand and turning wrist) and I started crying. I didn't even realize how much she's changed until I looked at her hospital and first month pictures.

 

[bbygurl719]

jus stopping in to say hi.. angels got he four month check today and shots

 

[cococobain]

bbygirl - you'll be fine! I was dreading her shots but she was great, didn't even stop cooing. it's quick enough xx

I didn't even realize how much she's changed until I looked at her hospital and first month pictures.

I do this all the time! My OH thinks I'm weird for pouting and feeling sad everytime she learns/does something new. She just started using a lovey at nap times, she holds onto her dummy with one hand and strokes her bunny/blanket thingy with the other and she looks so "grown up" doing it I almost cried too.

I must say all your babies sound way more ahead of the game than mine! My little pipsqueak weighed in at 12lbs 2oz last week and is on the 5th percentile in height. She doesn't roll unless you count on her side, hasn't found her feet yet, not all that fussed with sitting. She's just extremely talkative/squeaky and likes putting everything in her mouth.

I'm not getting down on myself btw, just amazed at how different all our babies are despite being roughly the same ages! I'm sure my little peanut will catch up soon enough

 

[ocean_pearl]

Lolly it came with his playmat, but maybe use a small pillow or something? Wonder if you can buy one seperately, it's basically like a breastfeeding pillow but smaller x

 

[scoobydrlp]

Coco - no you can't get the helmet wet. Even when cleaning you can only use rubbing alcohol. They estimated that she'll have to wear it 7-9 weeks...I'm hoping for closer to 7 because I really want to get her in the swimming pool asap.

 

[Kelly M]

Coco, I know it's crazy how fast they grow right?! I get sad too because he's just getting so big right before my eyes. Today I almost cried because he was starting to sit up and hold on to things while standing up. Also, yesterday I wiped his cheek and he pushed my hand away. I was heartbroken! My little boy is not so tiny any more.

I saw a couple of newborns at my breastfeeding support group today and it made me realize how much he's grown. He weighed in at a whopping 18 lbs 14 oz! He's HUGE. He is literally the same size as the 8 and 9 month old babies I see at the library story time. He's in the 98th percentile. I credit my "super milk" for that because it looks like cream when I pump it out. It's crazy how babies grow and develop at such vastly different rates. I envy those with tiny babies because my back is killing me lugging that moose around!

 

[ttc_lolly]

Thanks Ocean, I'll have a look to see what I can find I did try putting her over the bf'ing wedgy pillow but it was too high and she looked very uncomfortable! She'll have tummy time happily on me or OH but literally no where else. We've tried the sofa, bed, playmat, rug... no success!

Awwww I love hearing about all of your babies, and all the differing sizes. I'm going to take Millie to get weighed today I think, she'll be 5 months on Saturday but we're off up north to visit family at the weekend so won't be able to have it done then. I'm excited to see how much she weighs, I'm guessing around 18lbs.

 

[ocean_pearl]

How often do you get babies weighed? I've only taken Oli 3 times when having vaccinations but I'm curious how he's gaining

 

[Honey.Bee]

Ocean - our HV recommended weighing every month for the first 6 months, or more frequently if there are concerns. I'm not sure about frequency after that but I know our HV appt drop to Bi-monthly. I am due to get Ava weighed next week. I don't think she will have put on a great deal as she is very easily distracted during her daytime feeds at the moment. If there is someone else there/TV on she will crane her head around. So nosey. Sometimes I have to put a muslin over her or go upstairs. Any tips? She is getting longer though and so I've got her 6-9 month clothes on, although some of the 3-6 still fit.

I've also noticed her digestion changing so she now has one big poo in the morning. Anyone else noticed this? I don't think it is to do with the solids as I give so little and her poo is the same, just more of it! The other thing is that she has taken to waking in the night, about 4, almost like a build up to the big event. Aargh. Not sure whether to go back to EBF (which I think would frustrate her) or carry on and accept this is part of the weaning process. What do you think? I know I didn't have a great sleeper before, but this isn't better.

Tooth - great news. Now chill!!

 

[ocean_pearl]

Ocean - our HV recommended weighing every month for the first 6 months, or more frequently if there are concerns. I'm not sure about frequency after that but I know our HV appt drop to Bi-monthly. I am due to get Ava weighed next week. I don't think she will have put on a great deal as she is very easily distracted during her daytime feeds at the moment. If there is someone else there/TV on she will crane her head around. So nosey. Sometimes I have to put a muslin over her or go upstairs. Any tips? She is getting longer though and so I've got her 6-9 month clothes on, although some of the 3-6 still fit.

I've also noticed her digestion changing so she now has one big poo in the morning. Anyone else noticed this? I don't think it is to do with the solids as I give so little and her poo is the same, just more of it! The other thing is that she has taken to waking in the night, about 4, almost like a build up to the big event. Aargh. Not sure whether to go back to EBF (which I think would frustrate her) or carry on and accept this is part of the weaning process. What do you think? I know I didn't have a great sleeper before, but this isn't better.

Tooth - great news. Now chill!!

Yes! Oliver does the same thing, very distracted during feeds. He isn't chubby at all, very long and slim. So no tips here and he's the same xx