Newborn and baby advice

Oh my Scribbling, just read that blog!!

It is SO sad but so inspiring!! An like you've said, it put things in perspective!

What a beautiful family!

Hi all

Been a while, so I've missed a lot going on here, but here goes!

@Scribbling and Jacadebra, my hubby is the one with the problem, I don't mink Kara in our bed, I like snuggling up to her chubby little body. But I'm only allowed to bring her to bed after 5am. What do you do when your little ones cries in the middle of the night? Kara doesn't do the dummy anymore, and now I don't know what to do with her to calm her. Do I pick her up and rock her? Do I just pat her on the back and let her cry it out? Do I give her milk? I think you've been talking about it a while back but I can't remember what's been said.

@Bronz - congrats with finishing your exams! Hats off for even attempting with a baby! I've got my exams coming up in Feb so will be joining you in preparing over the festive season. If I manage to get to it!

@Pinky - do you have a daytime routine? Now that Kara is at school she sleeps the same times every day (long sleeps) and I guess it's because of the strict routine.

I know I've not covered everyone, so don't feel bad if I missed you, but I gotta run!

xx

Jacadebra, your wish is my command... I'm with you on the sleeping in the bed thing. I just can't sleep. Also it doesn't exactly do much for the love life.

Happy birthday Beansmom, and happy seven months to Tayla. How's the blue-eyed girl doing? At least if it's going yellow then it's nearly gone. Sounds like she's already got model tendencies, nibbling on a lettuce leaf. Seriously though, if she's drinking her bottles then that's all she really needs at this stage. So sorry to hear about your cousin's baby. Do they have any idea how it happened? Was she born like that and they didn't pick it up? It is quite sobering. Have any of you read Kelle Hampton's blog? www.kellehampton.com/2010/01/nella-cordelia-birth-story.html. It was the one thing that really helped me get over my failed birth (that's what it felt like it was). When Emily's being a little niggly or I just don't feel as though I'm coping much I go and read it and it puts things into perspective for me.

Pinky, want to borrow Lettie for a day? I honestly don't know how she gets Emily to sleep so well. When mom's on nanny duty we get far less sleep during the day! Maybe the tooth has something to do with it? Has it broken through yet?

Yeehah Bronz! Congrats on finishing the exams. What a feeling! Don't be too hard on yourself. You've had a big year - Graeme, driver's licence, a whole whack of exams - so two stupid papers isn't bad going. At least you've bought yourself some time till January. Quite crafty, I say.

Ja, no solids till potty trained sounds like a plan. If only we'd have thought of it sooner... How was the movie? What did you watch?? I'm so envious - haven't been to a movie since I was pregnant. Who babysat? Did all go well?

Bundle, how's Luke taking to the cooler bottles? Little Miss Classy over here won't drink anything that's not heated up. Believe me, I've tried. Even in the heart of summer. She's like one of these Colonial types who have to have their pot warmed before you make the tea.

Nicky, how is Liebe doing with the nanny? She is looking amazing - can't believe how she's standing in that cot!

Desiree, is Connor back at daycare? How's our little trooper doing?

I'm sorry about missing the Joburg meeting. Could have made it the Saturday before or the Saturday after, but as luck would have it it fell on the wrong date.

Hello there ladies...

Tayla is officially 7 months old today! How time has flown by!!! Can't believe how things have changed!!!!!

@Bronz - we had a shortlisting/callback last week, but had to decline because Tayla's eye was black, purple, blue and yellow from the fall... not a good look for a baby catalogue We have responded to the agency saying we are available for all of Dec - so now just wait and see.....

The battle of the foods continue on this side... I have figured out now that Tayla doesn't want the same thing twice... which just means i have to get creative! And then of course she has her days where she just doesn't feel like what I've made for her... full of nonsense!!! But anyway... at least she is drinking her bottles which is still her main form of nutrition! so i must just keep on trying... going to give butternut a go again tomorrow. Another thing i've noticed is that if i'm eating it - she'll eat it... so we've resorted to "sharing" yoghurt... scrambled egg and anything that I can stomach.... and she nibbles on whatever we are eating as well.. corners of toast, hot chips, noodles... whatever really... I guess it just takes patience!

Anyhoo - thats all i have time for today folks... off to make more candles for an order then hopefully a little relaxing time!

Hi you all

I have a very tiring day today... Karla is sleeping so BADLY in the day... not more than a half an hour at a time!!! I don't know how to get her to sleep longer...
I have been keeping her awake for between 2 and 2 and a half hours... but still only 30 minutes!!! Oh well..

Her first tooth is slowly making its appearance... I can feel the tip of it!!! YEAH!!!

How are all of you doing?

Hey Ladies.

Sorry I have been AWOL. Finished off my exams on Thursday. So intotal this year was the worst year yet. I went into exams like before, and did not take Graeme into account, so I missed 2 exams. First one I had the doctors note for shingles and the other one I got a note for a migrane, which I did really have but still was not ready for the exam. So looks like 3 exams at least in Jan. I dont mind though. Will just make sure I study coming up to the exams.

BOJ: Graeme was not liking the cereal either. What I started doing was mixing in some fruit juice, I find it just adds that much more flavour. He love the mixed fruit. Awesome news re him being better! Sick babies are never fun.

Claudia: Sorry you have to work. I also still have Graeme in my bed. Its half working. I would like him to sleep through in his cot, he starts off every night in the cot and then comes to our bed half way through the night. Seems he has all of a sudden taken to a dummy, so I will try give him the dummy in the night and see if the settles him. Do you find that he drinks a lot at night or just comforts sucks? I am worried that he needs the drink at night.

jacadebra: Have you tried getting her back to sleep when she wakes up? I find if Graeme wakes up crying he has not had enough sleep. I then go in as quick as possible and sssshhhh him back to sleep and more often than not he goes back to sleep.

Desiree: Happy to hear your baba is better.

Beansmom: Seeing a special needs child makes you so grateful for how your baba has turned out, always humbling. I worked at a special school for 3 years (where I ultimately want to be), and I am happy my boy has turned out good so far.

How are the castings going?

WB Nicky!!! Happy to hear Liebe is doing well.

I have decided that Graeme will be exclusively breastfed until he is potty trained, no solids. I blame all of you ladies for not preparing me. He is eating everything I am eating now. I give him little bits or chunks and he munches away. I am surprised at how well he moves things to the side and chews then slows. We can not eat with him around and not sharing. I did not tell hubby that you can give peanuts till a year and Graeme managed to get ahold of the peanut butter sarmie, I am very happy and relieved to say Graeme is not allergic to peanuts.

Tomorrow hubby n I are going to a movie. I am excited and nervous. Graeme will be staying with a friend of ours. First time I have left him with some one other than my mother or Bearn. But I get to watch a movie, yay!

Who has Skype? Its great to chat during the day on and we could do group chats. Come ladies join the skype movement .

Sorry if I have forgotten any one! Just so much to catch up on.

Bundle, Lia is 7 days older than Luke - she was born on 23 March
Can't believe they're almost 8 months!!
I give Lia regular oats, made without salt/ butter etc, I add a teeny sprinkle of brown sugar. They say sugar is a no-no but if you look on the Baby Cereal boxes and taste the baby cereals, there is PLENTY of sugar there. I also give her Weetbix (you get the no-salt version) and she has mielie pap and mabela with us too. Anything that is close to natural form, free of preservatives, salts and sugars (and other allergens if baby has allergies of course) should be fine for baby. If Luke struggles with texture you can grind the oatmeal up before making. Don't use instant variety though, all sorts of gunk in there. You will also see Purity has a baby Mabela and other baby porridges you can prepare if you want to try those.

That's interesting about the warm bottles - I never would have thought that!

Claudia - sorry you have to work, that sucks :-S.
Funny enough I can't sleep with baby in the bed, if it were up to hubby I think both baby and toddler would sleep with us LOL. I've had them in the bed with us before and I can't sleep. I am glad though that Lia falls asleep next to me when I am at my whits end and am sick of rocking...my son never did, he would moan until I picked him up and started moving or he'd think it is playtime lol. We always cuddle in the bed the 4 of us first thing in the morning but that is after we've had our sleep .

Lia was also getting into a great sleep routine around 5 months.. occassional sleeping through, or waking once a night... that's long gone grr. Luckily she doesn't do the every hour thing... that is hectic...my son did that with every single tooth he cut *cringe*. Staying awake for 2 hours like Lia did a few nights recently is really tiring though too.

About day naps ladies, we seem to be settling on 2 naps... anywhere between 30m and 1h15m - usually 1 30 minute one and 1 x 1 hour one and then she is shattered by bedtime. About once a week she pulls a suprise and does a slightly longer nap - up to 2 hours. She wakes before 6am every day too - remember the days when they'd wake at 5 then go back to sleep until 7/8... long gone I tell ya lol.

Ok, I'm yacking too much... I think Scribbling needs to come back and write an essay now, mine are getting boring