Newborn and baby advice

Hey there

Katie put her dummy back in her mouth this weekend for the first time. She usually gets it all wrong, but on Sunday she got it in the right way and everything! VERY PROUD MOMMY
We've also got no other exciting stuff. She's very lazy to roll and also throws tantrums during tummy time lol

I know I shouldn't be complaining about sleep as she sleeps so well at night, but I can see she's exhausted in the day. Rubbing her eyes, pulling on her ears, yawning and so on.

With regards to solids, I bought a jar of purity and then made my own veggies to the same consistancy. Our clinic said to start with yellow, orange and white veg before fruit as fruit will be sweeter and they MIGHT show a preference. That said, there are many books that will tell you differently, so go with what you feel comfortable with. I wanted to make Katie's food myself, then realised I wasn't sure how to do her fruit, so I bought those jars. Any recipes?

I'm not sure I can freely handout her information as she won't be very happy, but she basically said to keep the sleep zone the same all the time, keep the room darker than normal for a while and then use a comfort ladder and one song every time we put her to sleep. Also that we follow her signs immediately - if she's tired, stop what we're doing and put her down. She also had guidelines on how long a baby should sleep for and how many sleeps - Katie gets most of them right now, thankfully.
I'm just happy if she sleeps for 40 - 50 minutes as that's one full sleep cycle and means her brain and body can actually process things.

I think I am fortunate to stay home this year. But we do have to be careful with money because of it. And I am looking forward to pulling in a salary next year.

Scribbling please let me know how it goes and what you do. I must also try harder with this sleep before it becomes a very bad habit.

I am stuck now. Cant do anything. G just wants to sleep on me. Every time I try put him down he cries. So he has been asleep for 2 hours and I have gotten nothing done. Normally he lets me put him down. Even woken up crying when I put him down then as soon as I pick him up he falls asleep again.

Any of you ladies have skype?

Bronz, according to BabySense you can start it whenever. They have "what to do before six months" and "what to do after six months". So we're trying to sort this out now before things get really bad.

Ag Bronz I think there's so much conflicting research and expert opinions on when to start babies on what. I reckon just go with the flow. I'm just holding back with Emily because she's still puking so much. She's been tasting a couple of veggies but using them like a toy or dummy. So I've given her carrot, cucumber, brocolli etc but raw and whole. May try steaming them when she's six months, starting with the orange veggies. Desiree, since starting solids what's the puking been like? I was really hoping things would be better with Emily once cereal was introduced.

NickyMG, what sort of techniques did the woman show you? At the moment we're trying to wean Emily off being rocked. 12 hours at night is fabulous - don't know what you're complaining about

Most of the April 2010 mommies are back at work and going through the same sort of emotions. It really sucks. If I didn't need the money I wouldn't be working either. The fact that my salary's nothing near making up for lost time with Emily doesn't help either. If I was making a million a month it would be a different story, I think. Why do you think you're going to be retrenched?

Emily's not doing anything cool yet. No rolypolies, no sitting on her own. But she does have lots of tantrums, especially during tummy time. And she thinks it's cool to grab the spoon and chuck porridge everywhere. She does take out her dummy and put it back in sideways. Does that count?

I did get a pic. But was told that strawberries are a no no, incase of a reaction. Should read up before letting him eat stuff . I dont think he is ready either. Just as I was eating them he went for them I had to let him have and of course he wanted lots more. We have been letting him taste things, dont know how good or bad that is. Nothing hectic though.

I was adamant when I went to sleep I would stop this cycle. Well G woke up at about 2 and I got up and into bed with me he went. Obviously I did not tell my half asleep me that this was the plan. The problem is I barely remember waking up. When can you start sleep training?

Will post a pic just now of G after the strawberry. (Forgot to take one while he was eating it.)

Hi there ladies

I've posted in the April mommies thread, but found this one (thanks scribblingal ).

How is everyone?
My little Katie was 5 months old on Sunday. We've nearly completed the fruit and veg range and she's having 3 meals a day now. Her poos have always been rotten, so it's nothing new for me lol. We started solids at 4 months because she was a beeeeeg baby hehe.

I started work last monday and I feel dreadful about it - I feel like such a deserter and I'm wracked with guilt about it. I honestly never, ever thought I'd enjoy being a stay at home mom, but if we didn't need the money, I'd be in tracksuit pants at home in a heartbeat!
Not to mention that I'm probably going to get retrenched soon, so my desire to find work is minimal lol, but I know I must as finances don't allow me to stay home!

How's the little ones? Any one sitting, holding their bottle, or doing other cool stuff?

I took Katie to a sleep therapist lady in Kempton Park and so far her stuff has helped. katie is a light sleeper and rarely does more than a 20 or 30 minute nap two or 3 times a day. She sleep well at night (roughly 12 hours), but is tired in the day. This woman gave me her comforting techniques and it's got Katie to sleep for about 40 minutes (sometime over an hour) 3 or 4 times a day and still 11 to 12 hours at night. So far so good. We just now need to work on her being a light sleeper - you can't make a sound or she wakes up - any advice?

Bronz, how did the cycle-changing go? I have the same problem. Ever since Emily started waking up in the early hours of the morning she comes into our bed, where I put her on the breast, and there she stays until morning. It's bad! We are now going to start sleep training in a bid to stop her waking up at night - or at least when she does wake up she'll be able to go back to sleep on her own. Well, that's the plan. It's not working too well at the moment, as every sleep's a fight.

Did you take photos of Graeme with the strawberries? That's one thing I haven't tried yet. Just been giving Emily things that she uses as a dummy. Waiting for that magical six-months mark before I start giving her "real food" - her tummy's still very dodgy and lots of vomiting, even with the millet cereal, which I was sure would settle things.

Beansmom, how did Tayla wean herself off the breast? I think Emily's been doing the same thing but I'm not sure because at certain times she feeds like a champ but in the evening, for example, she doesn't want to know my troubles. Did she just refuse the breast? Or was she arsing around when on the breast?

Hey Ladies.

How was every ones long weekend?

We went to a market on Saturday morning and Did a bit of shopping on Sunday. Graeme threw his first temper tantrum. I gave him a toy in the shop to see if he would like it, which he did. But then I tried to take it away to pay for it, did he complain - He was like a spoilt brat.

Oh G had her first taste of strawberries. He loved them, managed to suck his way through 3 of them. But cam see he is still not ready for solids yet. Wow the poos after that were nasty.

Adri Well I think our babies should swop noises, G squeals like a girl when his father 'bites' him. Are you going to wean Kara off some of the day time feeds?
How did her first day go?

Wish me luck tonight I am going to try break this cycle of G coming into my bed. Need will power to get up and take him back to his bed.