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

*Nutella*

Mrshaworth2b wrote: »

I've come on for some advice. What sort of things do you do with your toddlers? Lo is 15 months old and I'm struggling to think of some fun things to do to keep him amused on and off all day. I seem to lose steam come afternoon. I'm looking on line and have some ideas but just wanted to know what you ladies do

My LO loves Duplo (her absolute favourite), jigsaw puzzles and books. She also enjoys building towers and knocking them down (we build with plastic tubs, wooden bricks, plastic cups etc.), making music (saucepans and wooden spoons + empty small milk bottle with dry chick peas in it - it's very noisy!) and just putting on some music and jumping about. We go to the park, the local aquarium, swimming and for walks. You Tube is wonderful when you just need a cup of tea and a break - my LO particularly loves Gracie Lou nursery rhymes.

I try to involve her in household chores and make them fun and even educational where possible. She loves changing bedsheets (she'll jump around on the bed, hide under the duvet and generally just roll around and giggle her little head off - especially if I join in ), emptying out shopping bags and 'helping' me put the food away (she's been doing this since she was able to sit up independently), loading and emptying the washing machine (she particularly enjoys identifying who every item of clothing belongs to, and now also what they're called and what colour they are). I try to involve her in food preparation whenever possible, especially baking and smoothie making, but also cooking lunch (the added benefit of the latter is that I'm then able to sleep when she has her late morning nap ). For housework, you just need to accept that everything takes forever when you have a little 'helper', but that's not necessarily a bad thing as it keeps them occupied.

*Nutella*

Gillyx wrote: »

As for us, we are officially daytime potty trained I *think* was just inside trained but we've gone out now with just pants and it was a success, so yay!

Well done, that's fab! :T

My LO had her first nappy-free day at the nursery yesterday and had only one accident in the almost-10 hours she was there, with a repeat performance today The travel potty is our new best friend - it comes with us wherever we go. So far she's had a wee in the park, at a bus stop and around the back of the local co-op

janninew

Hi ladies!

Wow gilly impressed with the potty training! Hopefully we will be starting soon!

Not really sure what we do now I think about it! Walks with the dogs and to the play park, she loves going to toddler group at our local library and its free! Playing tea sets and pretend picnics on the front room rug (or nick nicks) as Poppy calls them! Lego Duplo is popular here and she loves the iPad and has a great Elmo counting app which has taught her to count to 20! Baking fairy cakes and decorating them is a fun but messy activity that we enjoy!

Feeling tired here, the end of summer term is in sight and can't come soon enough!
X

Gillyx

*Nutella* wrote: »

Well done, that's fab! :T

My LO had her first nappy-free day at the nursery yesterday and had only one accident in the almost-10 hours she was there, with a repeat performance today The travel potty is our new best friend - it comes with us wherever we go. So far she's had a wee in the park, at a bus stop and around the back of the local co-op

We don't have a travel potty I contemplated buying one, but I don't know where I'd put it, does it fit in your bag? We haven't used the pram in almost a year :eek: so I can't shove it in there or anything, and A's backpack is small (enough for beaker, small snack, and a toy)

I just lift him onto a public toilet, but I think he's a bit scared of falling in, I have to hold him tight :rotfl:

*Nutella*

Gillyx wrote: »

We don't have a travel potty I contemplated buying one, but I don't know where I'd put it, does it fit in your bag? We haven't used the pram in almost a year :eek: so I can't shove it in there or anything, and A's backpack is small (enough for beaker, small snack, and a toy)

I just lift him onto a public toilet, but I think he's a bit scared of falling in, I have to hold him tight :rotfl:

We have the Potette Plus, and it's great. It's surprisingly small and flat when folded, and fits into a number of my bags. I also like the fact it doubles as a toilet seat, as my LO too seems scared of failing into big toilets.

Gillyx

*Nutella* wrote: »

We have the Potette Plus, and it's great. It's surprisingly small and flat when folded, and fits into a number of my bags. I also like the fact it doubles as a toilet seat, as my LO too seems scared of failing into big toilets.

Oh excellent, I will get one ordered now thanks xx

WalkingOnADream

Bangton ignore the hv, there's no way I'll be restricting lo to 2 bottles a day in a couple of weeks, I think that's quite ridiculous unless your lo has shown he is actually ready for that. We are with you on the awful nights so no advice I'm afraid!! Lo has now recovered from his illness but if anything his sleep is worse. Some nights he's up every 30-60 mins all night long. I haven't had more than a few hours of broken sleep for nearly a week now.

I'm having major issues at bedtime and I don't know the best plan of action. Lo has become obsessed with sitting or standing in his cot and can go from lying down asleep to stood up in the blink of an eye. Bedtime is taking at least 2 hours as we repeat this 'fun' game. I've tried leaving him to tire himself out but that doesn't work as he's still going 2 hours later despite being exhausted. If I hold him he's literally throwing himself out of my arms and crying, also cries on and off whilst rolling/sitting/ walking around the cot.

Has anyone been through this and what is the best thing to do? Leave him alone until he gets quite upset or settles himself (won't happen) or keep sitting in his room with him as I am now and just wait it out. The problem is he isn't settling until around 9ish now and us up and down all night and has now decided to implement a pre-6 o'clock start :eek:

lobey

WOAD, I'm in the same boat so will be lurking for advice! Last night it was 4 wake ups- more even than when she was a newborn! Offered bf first time, wasn't hungry but eventually fell asleep with shhh patting, second time she was on all fours rocking and crying and didn't settle for an hour, third time I gave calpol as thought it might be teeth and fourth offered bf and it got her back to sleep for another couple of hours. I have no idea what's causing these wake ups but can only assume it's a combination of teething and/or major development leaps having learnt to clap, point and hi 5 this week! Fingers crossed its a passing phase for us both!

Sorry for not keeping up with the news, have had a hectic few weeks here finalising things for my return to work in sept, eek! Will try to post more when we're back from our week away next week

lazywife

WOAD T went through some terrible stages of settling at night, but is much better now. He too will not just go in his cot and go to sleep, must be asleep when goes in and tired enough to stay asleep as I transfer him in.... I know, not ideal, but otherwise he will just repeatedly bang his head on the side of the cot until I get him out! He does self settle very well in the night though, so seems ok. How are the daytime naps? When his actually going to sleep ended up being too late to be useful we actually analysed his naps and his afternoon nap cannot be longer than 1.5hrs and must be awake by 4.30pm. He may be tired and grumpy by tea time, but he does sleep. Do you have a definite bedtime routine? Ours isn't very long winded, but he has a wind down with a bit of telly, (and now cows milk), then brush teeth, grobag, story, sing song and then snuggle to sleep (this was when i used to feed to sleep, but no longer). He had a stage of only falling asleep if we both lay on top of our bed, then only if I danced and bopped with the singsong, now it's with him sat on my lap... won't lie back in my arms!?! Once you find a way that seems to work it'll get easier again, until they change their mind next month!
As for the night wakes, get yourself a good book on your phone/tablet or even some headphones & iplayer and ride it out. If they drift off and it's unexciting for them it's not that they are waking for anything you're doing, it will pass and just accept you'll be up, so do something to pass the time easier rather than clock watching. ... Good luck! (I had a rather healthy Candy Crush development during night wake!)
X

katiechoc_2

Hey ladies

Sorry to those with sleepless nights! We had similar, especially once he started rolling over, and again when he started standing up - took him forever to learn how to lie back down again! We just did controlled crying - lie him down with a night night, go back in after 2 mins, lie him down no talking, back in after 4 minutes to lie him down, back in after 8 mins etc. I think the actual CC rules are to go up to 10 minutes then keep going in after every 10, but I couldn't go more than 8, felt too bad. BUT it absolutely worked, once I started it took just one or two nights. I put a beanbag by his door ready with the Ipad and some headphones and stuck to it. Harsh, but we were all better off for the quiet nights, G included.

Activities to do with LO - Like most others I'm out of the house quite alot, play groups, see friends occasionally (don't have many, I'm a bit of a loner lol), soft play sometimes but often just one or other of the local parks. I have started following Happy Hooligans on fb, and Hands on As We Grow (both have websites too) and they have a TON of ideas for crafty/messy play. The Imagination Tree is good too.