Newborn and baby advice

@Desiree - thanks for everything on Friday, think there were enough biscuits and cakes for a whole army

@Bronz / Meags / ScribblingAl / Pinky / Desiree - nice getting together and meeting you all, hopefully I'll
have a bit less stage fright now and post a bit more. Plus was nice seeing so many adorable and
healthy babies together!

@Meags - it really, really works!! Kara had a terrible day yesterday (I'm guessing 6 weeks growth spurt came
early) and she was awake from 7h30 in the morning until about 22h30 last night with only 2 or 3 20min max
sleeps during the day and the rest of the time she was not happy. So guess who was rocking away all of yesterday,
at least it kept her calm.

@Bronz - what are you studying? I have 2 assignments that needs to be in today and with Kara being difficult yesterday
I didn't get much done . Hopefully today is better! Also, please send me the info of the photographer, a friend of mine
might be interested. Those pics are lovely!

@ScribblingAl - Pinky thought she knew a shortcut and I followed, but we ended up having to turn around so no shortcut
I'm afraid.

@jacadebra - Unfortunately we didn't take photies but Meags mentioned she's going to get a baby from the orphanage and
take photos of the whole swaddling process and upload them for you gals.

@Zulu - Kara's skin is very dry, I'm going to give the aqueous cream and E45 a go tonight, thanks for sharing the advice.

Have a good week everyone!

@ Scribblingal. James seems to take up most of our washing too, but I refuse to do a load unless its 100% full and we have a big washing machine so I can wash quite a bit at once. I'm not funny about the nappies being washed with clothes etc.. because I feel its all soaped and then rinsed:) (I know a lot of people dont feel comfortable with this idea)So my washing week kind of goes 1 light adult load with nappies, 1 dark load (James and us), 1 towel load with nappies, 1 nappy load with James light stuff and one linen load with nappies (I used to do the towels and linen all together). It seems to be working:) I have a maid once a week and dont let her touch the washing machine, but she does all the ironing which is great. Every 2 or so weeks I do a pure nappy run with vanish liquid and a longer wash to get them back to sparkly white:)
I bought all the mother nature range from an internet company called faithful to nature: www.faithful-to-nature.co.za

@ everyone: Be very careful with overusing the bumbo seats. They are nice to feed etc in, but put the pelvis in a posterior position which is not a good sitting position at all:) Also I've now seen two kids for "developmental delay" and all it was was parents not giving enough time on the floor to develop independant sitting, balance reactions and exploratory play. All it took was taking them out the bumbo and they started achieving milestones. James hasnt been into a bumbo yet because he isnt eating solids yet and I feel he develops better head and neck through tummy time and facilitating pull to sits:)

Hey Ladies

@ jacadebra: I am having the same problem. Graeme has had a few quickies today, but nothing like he normally does. I have the sleep sense cd playing now and that seems to be helping. He is lying calmly half asleep. (hope I dont jinx it)

@ ScribblingAl: I have the photographers details if you want to give me your email and I will send it to you.

@Desiree: Where did you say you got the weighted blanket from and how much was it? I am keen on trying it out, he seems to like the pressure but does not enjoy the swaddle.

I think my hubby is a bit down today with him being on the other side of the world and it being his first fathers day. But I had fun yesterday doing the foot prints for his card. Any one have any idea how to do hands so the hand stays open? Will try again before his bath tomorrow.

So glad you came right Zulu! As baby gets older and starts moving around a bit you can then experiment with sensitive washes etc - by then baby's skin will had time to strengthen and then you can use some of the nicer smelling sensitive skin stuff. Right now they don't really need "strong" soaps etc because they don't get all that dirty.

Many a time a pharmacist has saved me a trip to the doctor's office - they really can offer some great advice!!!

It is 4h37 and Lia has been awake pretty much ALL day from 7am except for 2 x 25 minute naps.. urrgggh..! We were at the inlaws and whilst she was fine there.. I just new she would be totally overstimulated and difficult to settle by the time we got back. Oh well. I think she may be settled for another nap now.. who knows.. been rocking her and putting her down sleepign for the past two hours just for her to wake up 2 minutes later and cry.

Hope you all had a great fathersday and weekend.

Chat soon.

Thanx Meags,

Jaca, i took her to the pharmacy today, and the lovely called Franca told me to buy the unscented, HA aqueous cream and use it to wash her and then apply the E45 cream.

I can see the difference already.

Thank u so much

yip they do recommend from 3 months onwards
but generally babies should start getting head control from 8 weeks. so you could use it from then. but you mom's need to decide for yourself if baby is ready or not.

at the orphanage the babies spend ALL day in the car seats, so we do put them into bumbo's just for a change of position. and we put them in from 6 weeks IF they have head control. otherwise the poor little ones stay in the car seats

Meags - doesn't the box on the bumbo advise 3 months upward?? I wouldn't put a baby in there unless their neck was properly stiff anyway. I might try my little girl in the seat in the next week or two and see how she likes it.

My son hated his bumbo. I think they can be quite handy if your child likes sitting in there but they definitely won't "help" baby sit sooner.

My son could sit unassisted the day he turned 5 months old although we still put pillows around him because he would only sit like that for a few minutes at a time then bail over/ get tired.

I found that if you keep your baby sitting on your lap with hands supporting their waist - their shoulders and back strengthen quite a bit that way.

I also used the cardboard box like Meags mentioned.. or even one of those small washing baskets with pillows around to prevent knocking against the sides.

Zulu - couldn't you speak to your pharmacist and get something else for the dryness. I just washed baby with aqueous (unscented) for the first 6ish months and then used Epimax cream for his dry skin but it sounds like your LO might be getting eczema and perhaps need something more medicating??

Little Lia is grabbing at all sorts of things and cooing and babbling so much, it is too damn adorable. Her little hands don't stop going though - either batting around or grabbing things I put in front of her.. or chewing and sucking on them if she is tired/ overstimulated.