MSE Parent Club - Part 2

scruffy96uk

hello Keelykat and welcome. Elliot is a lovely name.
Hope you are both well

Congrats on all the baby teeth.

scruffy96uk

cathie wrote: »

I'm, currently looking into child care and I have got some days at work penciled in for mid November, my daughter is 7 months old and breast fed, she has always refused a bottle (she does have water out of a sippy cup but hasn't completely mastered it at the moment, more water ends up on her, than in her).
I am trying to work out what to do about her lunchtime milk feed when I am at work. I have never been able to express so I am thinking I will have to introduce formula (but want to continue to breast feed when I am around).
Have you go any tips about what formula to use?. How and when to introduce the formula? Do you think it is worth introducing a bottle this late in the day or should I just try and give her formula in a sippy cup?

Hi Ellie wouldn't take formula it made her sick. Hopefully by Novemeber she might not need a lunchtime feed. LO was down to 2 feeds a day at that stage, although was on 3 square meals and pudding a day. I know all babies are different. If she still wants a feed try this cup http://www.babyzoop.co.uk/doidy.htm
We use one and Ellie loves it.

Becles

keelykat wrote: »

Hello-just wanted to say hello now that im officially a mom! Will hopefully get to post i here now and then if Elliot lets me!

keely.x

aww he's lovely! Congrats :beer:

Hope you enjoy the thread. If you have any worries, even really silly ones, just post here and we'll help

carol9uk

hi, well i think james has cleared his system,he was having some fresh air time while i was changing his nappy and yes he emptied his bowels OH was shocked how much there was !!

daphne_descends

keelykat wrote: »

Hello-just wanted to say hello now that im officially a mom! Will hopefully get to post i here now and then if Elliot lets me!

keely.x

:T Hi Keely! I have an Elliot - excellent choice of name :cool: Welcome! :j

daphne_descends

carol9uk wrote: »

hi, well i think james has cleared his system,he was having some fresh air time while i was changing his nappy and yes he emptied his bowels OH was shocked how much there was !!

:eek: Elliot did it over my leg once during a nappy change... it was like a jet spray :rotfl:

keelykat

Any advise on how to get a newborn into a routine so he doesnt sleep all day then be wide awake all night.....i know its early days but how can i get him to sleep bit better at night.

im typing with one hand so cant reach to do question marks etc lol.

Becles

keelykat wrote: »

Any advise on how to get a newborn into a routine so he doesnt sleep all day then be wide awake all night.....i know its early days but how can i get him to sleep bit better at night.

im typing with one hand so cant reach to do question marks etc lol.

You need to make sure there is a big difference between night time and day time.

Wake him every three hours during the day and try to feed him. Day time nappy changes are fun - sing to him, blow raspberries on his tummy etc. If he stays awake, show him things like picture books or toys or other objects (my daughter was fascinated by door handles and remote controls ). Don't shut the curtains when he's sleeping, and continue making your normal household noise - talking, hoovering, put the washer on etc, or leave the TV/radio on for background noise.

Give him his last night time feed and put him in his cot in the dark. Night time feeds and nappy changes are done in the bare minimum of light - fit a dimmer switch or put the landing light on, rather than putting bedroom lights on. Don't speak to him or make much eye contact. Simply just get him up, feed him, change him and pop him back to bed with the minimum of fuss.

It'll only take a couple of days, but he'll soon get days and nights the right way round. In a little while, the gap between the last night feed and waking again will slowly get longer and longer, meaning more sleep for you!

daphne_descends

Keely it is tough for the first few weeks but they do get there in the end. Things you can do to help, are make sure when you do night time feeds and changes that you keep lights low, talk softly - do talk but not loudly or excitedly, just keep everything as hush-hush as you can. It's not so long that he was inside you with no need to worry about night or day so it will take a little while.

It's not for everyone but if you're breastfeeding there is no harm in bringing him into your bed for a bit if you can feed laying down, you might find you get a bit more sleep even if he doesn't! If you do choose to do this make sure duvets and pillows etc are well away from Elliot. But like I say I know it's not for everyone.

Does swaddling help? Maybe a bit of white noise - you can get CDs for that sort of thing, to try and replicate the sounds of the womb! IT can help keep them asleep

keelykat

Thanks for the replies-i think our main problem at the mo is its too quiet at night for him! i'd been trying to carry on in the day as normal-ie keeping tv on and not tip toe-ing around him. so at night when we go to bed, its probably too quiet and he suddenly decides he isnt tired!

Right now my husband is still off work, he's had three weeks in total off to help me a bit (5 days paternity, 10 days his own holiday time). So in a way we arent really settling into a routine, im dreading being left alone all day to cope (worry about everything) but at the same time ill be glad when he gets up early and gets ready for work etc...and hopefully elliot might realise theres day and night and dad goes to work etc.

One thing i want to know is-how the hell does everyone else manage to get dressed/washed/eat themselves?! lol....im going to end up living in my pjs and eating only at night lol!

keely.

ps-hes not keen on swaddling, hes too much of a fidget and loves his arms to be free!