March Mamas 2012 Baby Group (Closed Group)

[MissyBlaze]

there's one in the for sale section on here honey! Get it. T LOVES his. but they do take up a LOT of space @_

 

[emera35]

Yep, for such small people they have a lot of stuff and need a lot of space eh? You should see my lounge now I have toddler toys and baby stuff in!
I saw the jumperoo on here, but it seemed expensive for 2nd hand to me. Saying that those ones are £100 in the shops pretty much, so I guess its not really that bad.

 

[Sambles]

mscrow - sorry to hear about your dad, really hope he makes a good recovery

emera - you must be Wonder Woman to able to look after 2 kids and do all that cooking. I barely have time to make toast in the morning When you've got a minute would you mind posting the recipe for the fat/sugar free muffins please? I know you've posted it before but I've had a look back and can't find it. Thanks

 

[Mrs Cupcake]

emera - good idea on just tumbling the inserts! your right it was the outers that i was worried about and which take the wear and tear. i don't know why i didn't think of that.

my cottage is too small for too much baby paraphalia so not many toys here. he seems happy enough with his gym and few lamaze toys.

hopefully when we get a new house we can expand his toy collection!

 

[mitchnorm]

Spotted one on ebay....have bid £45 with 5 hours left to go - its for collection only 10 miles away. However just spotted another currently at £26 which is in Bagshot where I live....longer to go on bidding so will keep an eye on that....sure to go for more but fingers crossed for one of them.

Not sure where I will put everything....our living room is quite snug but dining room which is separate has plenty of space...I try and move things through to there after she goes to bed. Saying that she only (!!??) has a playgym, small swing which folds down and bumbo/activity chair which she only uses a bit so far.

 

[MissyBlaze]

our living room and dining room are knocked through so i's one big room, currently overtaken with baby toys. Might take a couple to my parents house. I would put some in the conservatory but the cats sleep in there and they always try and sleep on his stuff which is soooooooooo annoying.

So at 11am i thought i'd experiment and put T down for a nap... he's still there! And he slept 8-1, 1:10-8!

 

[Sambles]

mitch - hope you win the jumperoo. Ours was a godsend with S and we've just tried T in it in the last week and he seems to like it although he was very confused at first

missy - wow he must have been tired. I bet you don't know what to do with yourself!

cupcake - i will keep everything crossed that you find another perfect house soon

 

[mitchnorm]

Yeah for great naps Missy....M averages 4 x 30-40 minute naps a day....usually two in morning and two in afternoon. Would like her to add the two afternoon ones together for a longer stretch but I am sure that will come with time. She sometimes does it but not always

Sambles...I am sure M will be a little confused at first....she doesnt like to be too restricted but will probably forget that when she starts bouncing ha ha

Oh and everyone we had success with the Bjorn carrier - a couple of really good trips around Center Parcs in it

 

[emera35]

fat free muffins ;

Emera's virtuous veggie muffins.

Makes about 12 smaller muffins or 9 bigger ones (ish)

1 egg
200ml low fat natural yogurt
1 orange juice and zest
250g wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
3 tsp mixed spice
2 medium carrots worth of grated veg (carrot, sweet potato, courgette, beetroot, and squash all work well so use what you have!!)
2 handfuls of dried fruit (I like sultanas, raisins, apricots and dates, but mixed fruit or figs are good!)
1 ripe mashed banana and 1-2 tbsp honey OR 4-5 tbsp honey (if you don't like banana!!)
Oats and Honey to sprinkle and drizzle on top
A bit of olive oil to grease the muffin tin

Whisk the egg, yogurt and orange juice together, then leave.

In another bowl mix the flour, bicarb, baking powder, salt and spice. Then mix in the dried fruit, grated veg and banana/honey. Spread the yogurt mix over the top and then fold together VERY gently until its all just about mixed together. Divide into the muffin tin, or cupcake cases, sprinkle a few oats (or some mixed seeds is nice too) and drizzle some honey over the top of each muffin, and bake at 180 degrees/gas mark 4 for 20-30 mins. Check at 20 mins though. Basically until a skewer comes out clean when you stab one!

 

[emera35]

missy, sleep begets sleep i find! which is lovely such an arse when they don't nap though, and you know its going to be a disturbed night!

 

[Sambles]

Thanks emera. Will give those a try in the week

 

[MissyBlaze]

They are lush sambles.

I'm ironing all my newborn clothes... not sure what to do with them. But sad! I've reserved the really nice buts and I might have to keep them...

 

[Skadi]

MsC - I'm sorry to hear about your Dad, I hope he improves!

Well the wedding certainly was interesting. I don't think I've ever been to such a slack affair before. A lot of the younger girls there were dressed in either prom dresses or clubbing dresses complete with hooker-ish heels. Then when we got to the reception the plates were already at the table with a knife and fork thrown on top of the plate. Huh?

Talk about no class.

Keira apparently was a little bum at bed time and kept getting herself out of the swaddle and laughing at my sister. I missed her so much, I don't think I'm going to be able to handle going back to work!

I also had the most engorged boobs since my milk came in last night. Oweee painful!

 

[Mrs Cupcake]

missey keep them for future babies?? or is T going to be your only one?

R has just wolfeed down a bowl of pureed sweet potato and milk - he loved it!

didn't have a good time then skadi?

 

[MissyBlaze]

Well, I've said to oh that they're for like my brother if they ever have kids (but secretly its for us ha ha)

I tried t with some sweet potato, he projectile vomited all over me... might wait a bit.

 

[loolindley]

2 hours until we need to be at the airport and I am using my time constructively by having words with Al rather than packing. I really ought to get on with it.

Why were we having words? because despite me saying that he should take the dogs to the kennels this morning, he wanted to leave it until after lunch. Then he discovered they close at 12 on a Sunday. So I had to call them at home and beg them to take Magic and Indy, which they will, but not until 5. Sigh.

 

[mitchnorm]

What a pain loo...have a great holiday x we have been.so lucky with weather last week....today sucks!!!

Well M's naps are out of sync..gggrrrrrr...just dropping off as was well.grouchy..too close to.bedtime but she wasnt being told

Those who.have tried solids with LOs...did you.get the signs that they wee ready? What were they? I.am keeping an.eye out with M but nothing yet...still sleeping well at night...not interest in our food. I.am in no hurry to.try.it...will wait.i.think...she will let me know.

One of my friends is trying some bits with hers next.week (her daughter 3 datys older than M)...but she has had no signs...just read a book that said good to.start between 17-24 weeks...hmmmm vague! Her hubby is off work.next week.so.wants to.try while he is off work

I.am guessing i.will know when its time

 

[Skadi]

MrsC - Yes and No. It was just OH and I and his friends and their GFs at our table so I definitely wasn't bored. However it wouldn't make it into my list of weddings to remember. I've been to an outdoor wedding/reception held on a farm that was somehow classier. It was just really the little things. A lot of it was done nicely and although it was a buffet style dinner and all homemade rather than catered the food was delicious. Mmmmm Curried Goat and Fried Chicken and Fried Rice and Oxtail and the most delicious salad with strawberries, blueberries and mango in it. I ate like a pig.

We discovered that Keira thinks dancing is hilarious. When she makes the exersaucer make music we dance for her and she starts jumping up and down and laughing and throwing herself back! It's too cute! I would say that exersaucers are a must!

 

[emera35]

Mitch, there are no hard and fast rules with when to wean really. Even the HVs here say, not before 17 weeks but certainly by 26 weeks.
One way you can check about readiness for solids is the banana test. If they can hold a half peeled banana, get it to their mouths, and gum some of it off, then they are ready. Think its suggested as a check for baby-led weaning, but its a good universal test! Of course you can totally start weaning before getting any 'signs'. About the only thing you need to look at is the tongue thrust reflex. If they automatically push everything out of their mouths (after the first few spoons, which are going to be a bit weird for them) then they aren't ready. In about a month I'll start giving F some steamed veg or toast crusts or something to nom on, and then start with more variety once she's 6 months. She's not quite there yet for sure, although I was weaning Roh at this point. I'm soo not looking forwards to weaning poos.

 

[Mrs Cupcake]

mitch - it started with R trying to grab a banana i was eating. so i broke a small piece off and gave it to him, i thought he would reflex spit it out but he didnt, he chewed/pushed it around his mouth and then swallowed. i then purposely gave him baby porridge gradually and mashed fruit and veg etc.

he doesnt have all the signs ie he can't sit up unaided completely etc but he loves his food and i am sure he is ready. no need to rush though if you don't want to.

for me as well it feels better (mentally) that i am introducing food with formula whilst giving up breastfeeding rather than just giving up bf. plus im going back to work soon and i wanted to be the one to give him his first foods and get him started rather than a nursery nurse.