MSE Newborn to 1 year (& beyond!) baby club 3

continualdiamond

Thank you for the replies re two child minders.

It's such an important choice and in my heart I keep thinking how lucky I am to have found two child minders with outstanding result from ofsted and then to have them myself and it then turning out they both already look after colleagues children is a very big big bonus.

Rain rain rain here as well and hating it. Normally I'd be swimming now but it's not on due to the Easter holidays and then of course it's not on when it's Easter Monday. All the free groups for 0-5 are closed in my area as well due to the holidays.

Think I'm going to have to go out and do the small odd jobs purely just to get out. Nothing exciting, only a visit to the post office and to drop some clothes off at a clothing collection.

Can I ask re weaning when you let your LO try egg and also do you just make up say an omelette or do you have to try egg yolk and egg white separate?

My LO was 6mths old yesterday but for the last 2 weeks she's been having baby rice, baby porridge, different veg and different fruit.

Saffagal

Rain rain rain here and it is so miserable! A refused to nap this morning, but treated me to a 2hr nap this afternoon in her buggy, after a 5min "walk" up and down the hallway!!! So I treated myself to some cake and a cuppa and I got almost all the washing up to date (last load just tumbling at the moment) and got to watch an episode of Mr Selfridge whilst I folded the laundry!

Re weaning, I just let A have some of my scrambled egg one day, and if I have a poached egg, let her have some of that. We don't have a history of any food allergies though.

Re medication, reverse psychology like that works sometimes, but not three times a day unfortunately.

anyway, time to make dinner,
have a good evening all.

PS Does anyone know when Sainsburys are having their next 25% off sale?

lazywife

CD sounds like you're doing everything to make the best decision for your LO and you may find two childminders works really well, mixing it up enough to make it exciting.
Rain here too today, popped into the shops in town this afternoon just for a bit of variety, sadly not as lucky with the naps as you Saf... I have a washing basket that it heaving at the mo! Any plans for A's first birthday, must be soon?
CD I just gave T some of my scrambled egg too. Didn't particularly pay attention to how old he was at the time, just went with it. He didn't really like it though. He's more keen on eggy bread, and likes a bit of quiche. Not really fussy with allergy stuff, he's had peanut butter etc. The only stuff he's not had is honey and whole nuts. (we're a bit naughty as he had cows milk in the day from 10.5 months).
L.xxx

Saffagal

Yes, A has had everything except honey and whole nuts too (and I've been giving her a cup with cows milk since she turned 11 months too).

Lazywife, I think she is still recovering from her chest infection but when I think back, she has actually been napping better in the day since about 10months. Yes, her birthday is in 3 weeks time on Saturday so she'll be sung Happy Birthday to at her music group on the Friday afternoon, then on her birthday we're having all my OH's brothers/sisters/nieces/nephew and parents and my cousin over for afternoon tea and cake followed by a selection of pizza and finger salads (child friendly and very easy to prepare for the 26 people who'll be round). We decided this year to just have family (there are enough of them!) and next year (and likely a number of years after) do a party for her friends.
I had to do laundry today - OH wore his last clean work shirt today :EEK:
What are you planning for T? He's the week after A if I recall correctly

lazywife

Yeah, Bank Holiday. Wasn't really going to do much, but his little friend from the village had a 1st birthday get together and it was quite cute. Just lots of little ones playing/sat together just with toys, no games or anything really prepared. It worked really well, so now there's 12 children coming!
I'm planning Pizza too, Dairylea sandwiches, cucumber sticks etc. Then grapes, trifle (DH insists!) and birthday cake. I'm not a big party person, but think if I keep it fairly simple it should go ok (MIL is a big party planner, suggested we hired a hall and she could borrow Aunty C's bouncy castle... I declined the offer!)
Know what you mean about the last clean work shirt, often found ourselves in that situation.x

*Nutella*

CD, I think that whether or not two childminders is right for you depends to some extent on your LO's personality. My LO was very clingy when she was younger - she'd been going to the nursery for nine months before she stopped crying whenever her key person left the room. She would also protest whenever she was taken to a different room - she was very attached to the familiarity of one person and one room. For her at the time, two childminders would probably not have been great - so if your LO is similar to my LO, it might take her a bit longer to settle. But settle she will - with both childminders - and I would have thought that you could help make things easier for her by having some toys or other items that she can take with her to both childminders for consistency and familiarity in the beginning.

Personally I'm not 100% convinced by Ofsted ratings - I've heard stories of people being unhappy with 'outstanding' schools and childcare providers, whereas my LO's nursery is currently rated 'inadequate' (although it's well on its way to 'good') and it's absolutely fantastic. I'm not suggesting that your decision is based on Ofsted ratings alone as it sounds like you've thought things through in great detail - I think personal recommendations combined with the rapport you have with a childcare provider combined with what your gut is telling you is by far the best indicator of whether you'll be happy with your choice. And on that basis, it sounds to me as if the decision you've made is the right one for you

*Nutella*

Oscar_the_Pug wrote: »

I would really love a full night's kip, I wonder how long it will take!

My LO is 2 next month, and I'm still waiting

sunshine_1988

CD, I think you have looked at all options and this is the right one for you. You have obviously done your research and covered all bases. Like Nutella, my LO is super clingy and even now after over 12months of nursery he has his moments of not wanting me to leave him, but I know that is more for my benefit at the moment as he trots off as soon as I have gone when I peek through the window.

Maybe the two childminders could initally arrange a couple of meet ups at a soft play or a park, so your LO could see them both together and form a bit of a link between them? Babies are so adaptable, and she will settle into her routine with time. Its hard enough returning to.work after mat leave so please try not to.doubt your choice.

Id go more on instinct than Ofsted, although I do think the regulations and inspections have thier purpose some of the targets in early years settings are a little extreme. Although if you were happy with the setting and the reports were good then I would say that speaks volumes.

Hope you are all well ladies, reading about Peaches Geldolf, so sad

X

delain

Hope everyone is well today, looks like the sun is finally back :j :j I've already been hanging washing out sad how I'm so happy about that I know!

little miss has figured out how to open the stair gate :eek: really could have done without that!

Off out later today to the park in town... hoping the 4 mile round trip might tire everyone out as well as keeping everyone used to walking for when school's back in.

continualdiamond

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my childcare and weaning questions.

You're all so fab, it makes such a difference to read others thoughts.

I totally agree re ofsted ratings. I work in a school myself and some of the things they pick up make you just go :huh:

I did go and pop into the nursery that a colleague of mine mentioned to me on Sunday as she is sending her LO to them from Sept but I wasn't convinced by it. I just didn't get the same feeling and enthusiasm as I have done from the two child minders.

I'm tending to think my gut instinct is far more important than sending LO to a nursery purely because someone I know has chosen it for their child.

My LO isn't too bad going to other people. She is completely fine with a friend of mine who I have seen regular but does pick up if people are nervous around her, my father in law is terrible and she just knows and cries every time he holds her. (as it turns out my in laws said no to looking after LO for us tomorrow based on that she doesn't know them very well as I have to go to London to do my aussie passport so LO is coming with us).

Both child minders do settling in periods where I visit with her to begin with, then stay but am in a different room so she can still see me, then drop her off for an hour or so etc.

I'm also going to start going to the play group on a Friday where the second child minder lives as she mentioned that she takes the babies to it, so thought that would be a good thing to start doing myself with her so its something familiar to LO.

Hope everyone has a nice day. Sunshine here as well and 2 loads of washing done and on the line.