June/ July 05 Mom's Chat

[jswerczek]

We have a bumbo but we only use it for pictures! He doesn't like to sit up in it much and when he drops a toy he cannot reach down and get it. Also, Jake is a big boy and his legs get stuck in it when you try and take him out. I am glad we got the seat as a gift and didn't spend any money on it. Jake loves to "sit" on my lap and in his high chair, so that will have to work for now until he can do it on his own. I also prop him in the boppy with a pillow behind his back. He seems nowhere near ready to do it on his own, but I suppose one day it will just click!

I started giving Jake a sippy cup about a month ago. I feed him solids and then give him a drink of water. I am not sure how much he understands what he is suppose to do with it, but it has become part of the routine and he is getting better at doing it himself. He doesn't quite tip it back far enough and I have to help, but he is getting better with practice I don't know how much he is actually drinking, but when it comes time to use it more exclusively, he'll be a pro  :wink:

My #1 question for the doc is how much am I suppose to be feeding, both liquid and solids? I think we are ready to do three solid feeds a day, but he is taking so much less in milk, I am worried when I add in "lunch" he will be taking in even less. And then there's the whole finger food phase which is not too far off.... it is hard to figure out when they can't tell us how hungry they are! Also, I have no idea when he is thirsty, so I'm not sure when to offer the cup other than meal time. Anyway, I hope the doc with give some guidance on this.... feeding used to be so simple

[ry,cait&alex]

yep...just when we get one thing down pat.....something else comes along and bites us in the butt!!!  LOL

bj

[jordon&dylansmom]

Hi All,

This is my first time posting in this forum, I didn't even notice it until just recently and I thought I would add in that my ds is going in for his 6 mo checkup and shots on wednesday.    I'm super anxious to see how much he weighs....Everybody says that he's really big when I say that he's almost 6 mos old.  We'll see. 

I haven't started on solids yet, but he has been on formula for the past 3 weeks now abd has been doing really well with it, so I will just check with the doctor and see what she says.

How are you all bathing your babies?  My lo is getting too big for the infant bath tub that we had been using and lately it's been easier just having a bath in the "big" tub with me or dh in with him.  Call it early swimming lessons.

Anyone else in the Toronto area out there?

[Critter]

We have a blow-up "duck" tub that fits in the big tub.  Luke doesn't sit up yet, but he can lean back on the duck's tail like it's a recliner.  So funny!
It's made by Munchkin.

[CaedensMama]

Sippy cups - Caeden has been "trying" it for a couple months now  - I figured it was easier to just introduce it then try the bottle then that. He does good, can get stuff out but still needs helps to tip it back far enough. I am sure he will get better in the coming months

Adria - on the breastfeeding questions -
If you really want to stick to 4 hours apart, try a little water in a cup or bottle to help "tide him over". Though - I have tried to get Caeden 4 hours apart and it is really hard. He seems to be stuck at 3 hours and since I am typically the only one home with him all day every day, it's hard to put him off. SO - we have kinda stuck with the 3 hours EASY and when he naps well or we are running around and I can push it he goes 4 hours. He seems to do well with this and it has made our "relationship" better if I just go ahead and feed him at 3 hours if he is awake and wanting it. I have also sometimes feed at 11 & 1 mid-day to help get a longer nap. We also try and do breakfast of cereal and something at dinnertime as well and so far it has not affected his breastsfeeding at all - he still wants it as often and eat a full feed.
We have stopped nursing thought between 11 & 5 (typically feed between 10-11 and then 5-6) and not in between and he is doing fine.

As far as your let-down - I have heard that as nursing progresses your letdown becomes less noticable and you are still producing fine, it is not noticable any more. If your LO seems satified after eating I would think all is okay. If you have more concerns I would call LaLeche League and talk to one of those ladies locally and they may have some ideas as well.

You may also post this question on the breastfeeding board - there are some good moms there with helpful ideas often!

One way I have felt I am increasing/maintaing his calories is keeping at a 3 hour EASY often thru the day. This may help if you do one or two feeds a little closer .

I think I got all the questions - have a good evening!

OH - on the bath question - we are using a round seat that he sits in - hard to describe, but it works good and we got it at Babies R Us for $20.00 - should last for awhile too.

[LeslieG]

Bumbo chair- we got a bumbo as a gift from my sister. My LO likes it and I use it all the time for feeding her because her high chair is just too big right now.  She didn't like it that much at first but I have been sitting her in it for periods of time since she was about 4 months.  Maybe it helped her to sit up so early because she was sitting on her own not long after using it (of course for short periods of time). Her legs are quite chubby too but she is still fitting in it without being uncomfortable. I figure we might have another month - I hope!

In terms of the sippy cup. I have two sippy nipples that fit on the Avent bottles so I can tell how much she is drinking. It is a great way to monitor what her fluid intake is.  She is usually drinking about 3 oz a day of water.  She is slowly getting the hang of tipping it up. I usually fill a 4oz bottle so that she doesn't have to tip it too far.  Sometimes it ends up all down the front of her but I guess that is part of the learning process.

She has yet to cut any teeth but drools like crazy all the time. I expect one or two any time now. 

I am close to TO - I am in London, Ontario. In fact I am driving to Toronto tomorrow so that my LO can meet her Great Grandmother. My DH hasn't seen his grandma in a long long time and she is 96. We feel we need to make the trip so she can meet our DD.

Ciao,
Leslie

[~Jency's*Momma~]

Caedensmom: We need to get together some time soon.

I have decided to go to a 4 hour EASY with cluster feed at night (we don't do a dream feed).  He has been doing so well with naps (except I have to be there at the 30 min mark to pat him when he starts to wake up)!!
He also has took a few onces from a bottle!!!  We are going to try and set his routine in stone this week and then this weekend work on not feeding him for at least a 6 hour stretch at night.  We are going to try and get his long stretch at the beginning of the night instead of the morning (now it's from 4am-10am).Oh ya, and I'm pumping after his evening meals to try and help my supply.  Do you all thing this is a good plan?
Wish me luck!

Jency has a jumparoo and loves it!  He also loves his baby faith "God made me" DVD.  Jency can sit up ever once in awhile.  He rolls from both sides now and creeps across the floor to get things.  His favorite things are his dogs though.  He will just see them and start laughing :roll: .

Leslie: Have fun.  Jency got to meet his Great Great Grandpa a couple months ago.  It was very special.  Hopes your reunion is as good!

[daisymelan]

Adria!!!! congrats on the routine!  So nice to hear you doing well with it.  I think pumping after you feed him is a great idea.  I feel the exact same way about my own milk supply.  I've started giving formula to ds for his DF and to top him up on his last feed of the day.  (now that he takes some formula.... did i mention that he now takes some formula!!! :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

I have already made my plans for NYE now that I can!!!!  He is going to spend the night at my friends!  wowie.  I never thought I'd see this day.

ok, i'm calm now.

Owen's a pretty sturdy sitter.  He can usually do 5 seconds on his own, ususally longer.  That's why i thought he was ready for solids, but no.

And BJ, I wouldn't buy the chair.  Christmas is coming.... you may get an early present from her and then you will have wasted $50.  It will happen soon enough I'm sure.

It is a happy holiday season. 

Jodie

[LeslieG]

Bath time - someone asked about bathing. We have been using the big tub for quite a while now. It seemed so silly using the little baby tub when she barely had water around her. I usually take an old towel and fold it so that it covers the bottom of the tub and then take a hand towel and put it under the one end to prop up the head more. I only put a few inches of water in the tub and then she can lay on the towel and splash around. Lately she will sit on the towel (with support in case) or I lay her on her tummy and put a towel under her chest. She loves this becuase she kicks her legs like she is swimming. I also climb in with her when I feel the need and that is fun too.

I was lucky though..the big tub never frightened her. Maybe because we introduced it early?  Not sure.  I did frighten her once by pulling the drain but now that doesn't even phase her.  She is pretty laid back.

[Mom to M&M]

We love the Bumbo here - but Marisa is much younger than your LOs. We got it as a present and she smiles SO big when I put her in there. We only use it a few minutes a day but it's definitely already helping with her muscles to pull and sit up.

[Superman'sMom]

Aiden is sitting up really well. He loves sitting and playing with his Aquarium gym. It is so cool. I tried him on pears (second time we have tried solids). He wasn't sure at first so I ate a bite and he thought that was hilarous! Then he was so excited about them. So cute. I had thought about just waiting until he doesn't haev so much going on but he always has something going on. He needs the extra calories. He was 19 pounds last month and he is 5 months old now. He is definatly more ready than before. I'm just going to go slow.

I also had a question about the sippy cups. I wanted to try to see if he could use one but I don't know if he should be drinking any water though. He is bf and isn't to fond of formula, though he will take it. Water he loves though. He alway watchs me drink out of my water bottle so I gave him some. He actually drank out of the water bottle and he loved it. So now all he trys to do in the bath is drink the water! Crazy baby.

I wanted to write about some other posts but I forgot them. Will have to read again. Good luck with everyone's shots!

[LeslieG]

BF babies usually don't need water but if you are feeding him some solids you could give him a bit of water.  My LO loves to suck on a washcloth in the bath. She started that before we stopped BF'ing and I let her do it.

I don't think water hurts as long as you notice that he is still eating enough.

Leslie

[CaedensMama]

Adria - I think your schedule sounds good. We are finally settling into a routine and keeping more consistent with naptimes and such at set times instead of just 2 hours after the last one.

Gotta go - my sister and sister-in-laws are coming over this morning to make Christmas cookies and I got to get in the shower!

[jordon&dylansmom]

We tried lo on rice cereal this morning for the first time... He wasn't too thrilled with it, although I don't think it has anything to do with the taste more with the use of a spoon as he has never used one before.  I will try him again this afternoon and maybe give him the spoon to play with so that he gets used to it.

Jordon is sitting up pretty well but still isn't rolling over though that doesn't really seem to bother him at all. 

LeslieG- I love that pic of your dh and lo in the bumbo, so cute!  I've been thinking about getting one of those myself, but I've just put it on the Christmas list. 

Darn it, lo is up early from his nap...gotta go.  Have a good day everyone.

[teezee]

sippy cup - when i first gave it to dd she just seemed to know what to do with it, although very messy about it  the straw cup was a work in progress but she has seemed to master this too now without half as much of a mess!  during meals i give dd water or bm depending on how well she fed right before solids.

bumbo - we got dd a bumbo when she was about 3 months old.  we used it all the time before and she seemed to LOVE it.  now whenever we put her in it she seems to be trying to get out  :shock:  i think it is too limiting for her..although she still can't sit up on her own yet, i guess everything in due time!

solids - my lo took to solids REALLY well and never seemed to want to stop eating!  i took the advice of my family (BIG mistake) who told me she'd stop when she was full and to keep feeding her...this coming from the people who said she'll just fall asleep when she's tired!..yeah right! anyway, talked to the paed yesterday and she said when starting out just give a heaping teaspoon morning and evening, and some veg's at lunch.  (fruit in the am if u like too).  that way not filling up on solids so much and still getting adequate breastmilk.  unless weaning - feed bm or formula before solids...

bath time - for the first two months we used an infant tub but then switched to a regular tub with folded towels also - she loves to splash now!!  i think it is her fave time of day!

the paed appt went really well!  she is still only a small girl in comparison to all of your lo's..she's 15lbs 6oz - but is doing great for only being 5lbs 9oz at birth.  paed said she is in 50 percentile for everything and is perfect!!!!!        always a big relief!  she didn't get her shots again  :x  she said i have to get them from the family doctor. 

does anyone have a lo with reflux on zantac??  have u spoken to your dr about when and how to wean them??