Hellobee Boards

@Grace: Yep, you want her to be able to hold it in her fist, and have food sticking out that she can access.

@Alivoo01: it depends. If it's something that's really salty or I think might be too spicy( like taco seasoning) or I'm also introducing another food I want to be sure I'm isolating a bit that day (ie she had some strawberries the other day so I kep the rest of her food really bland and all things she'd had before). But I probably wouldn't hesitate to give something with butter. It's more the salt content of restaurant food I'd worry about. But even then if I was concerned I'd probably just make sure the rest of te day is low sodium.

@Alivoo01: No, no reactions or anything, but honestly she mostly just sucks on meats while they're still in her hand, she doesn't really get big bites of it. But a lot of the nutrients are in the juice anyway and she still takes her full milk feeds, so I don't really worry about it.

@StrawberryBee: Yay for E taking to formula without any problems and go you for making purees! And seriously, the mess is mind boggling sometimes!

@Alivoo01: I actually love making the purees :). So easy and affordable!

@redsmarties: ugh, that sounds so rough. Hang in there!

I also meant to post that I have lost zero of the baby weight...if anything I've gained (and this is with exclusively breastfeeding/pumping...wtf). I finally went to my doctor to have a bunch of bloodwork done to rule out a thyroid problem (nothing there, I'm just fat).

BUT, the one thing the bloodwork did pick up on is that I'm super low on vitamin D. I looked at my prenatal vitamins (which I haven't been taking, whoops) and they have 400IU/100% vitamin D. I looked up some post natal vitamins and they have 2000IU/500%. Holy crap. Is this a thing pp that no one ever tells you about?

I started taking my prenatals again until I could get some post natal vitamins, and I already feel a lot better (low vitamin D can be associated with feeling tired during the day, feeling sad, being irritable, etc). Anyway, I wanted to give a shout out if anyone else here has been experiencing something similar; take a vitamin, it may help!

@StrawberryBee: Wait. what?! There's a post-natal vitamin we're supposed to take???? I'm lucky if I remember to take my prenatals now.... crapola. Will need to check when I get home.

As for the blueberries - yum!! Love her facial expression!

@StrawberryBee: I have Vit D drops for DS also, but am bad about giving them to him as well. So you're not alone! I was better about it the first 3 months of his life. I should probably get back to giving them to him....

As for the raspberry blowing - totally!!! What is it about food in their mouth that makes them think it's prime time to do so?! haha

@Sapphiresun: Wow sounds like your LO is doing a fantastic job with BLW! I'm so chicken to move past purees. I have given him mashed banana and avocado for a chunkier consistency, but that's about as far as I've been able to go. How do you keep her from breaking off big pieces?

@StrawberryBee: How do you make your purees? Do you have a baby food maker? I kind of wish I had one, but now I don't really feel like spending the money to buy one. SUCH a cute blueberry face by the way!

@skipper2010: I don't. I cut most things into french fry size strips, that even if she did take a big bite and swallow it wouldn't be an obstruction, and with big bites she doesn't swallow most of the time. Like, I'll cut her a piece out of the middle of my steak, and cut it so the grain goes like IIIIIIIIIIIII, so it rips off in manageable hunks. Then she would usually just hold it in her mouth and gum/suck on it until it's either manageable to swallow or she just spits out the tough parts.

I know the baby heimlich maneuver just in case, and she does gag a little bit occasionally, but she does really seem to understand what can be swallowed and what's too big.

@StrawberryBee: You are so brave. Blueberries can stain terribly. I like making the purees too! I find it surprisingly easy.

@redsmarties: I'm sorry you are having a rough time. Hopefully it will just be a few days and then it will get back to normal.

@Sapphiresun: My LO wouldn't take a bottle either, but I think she's gotten the hang of the Nubi sippy. You have to bite the spout (and she loves to bite), which makes some liquid come out. It's exciting to see her drink!

@skipper2010: When I make purees, I nuke them in the microwave with a little water (essentially steaming), then I use an immersion blender (so much easier to clean than a food processor or blender) to puree (add a little water if it's too thick). Then I put serving sized blobs on a tupperware lid and pop it in the freezer. Once it's frozen, i put the blobs in a ziplock bag and put it back in the freezer.

@StrawberryBee: Thank you! I think she's starting to feel a little better, but we're having a rough time with sleep because of it. I'm so so so tired! I'm sorry that your supply has taken a hit, but it's great that E took the formula without a problem. The blueberry pic is too cute!!

@lawbee11: Glad to hear she's feeling better, but ugh on the sleep. Hope you get a chance to catch up soon!

@Ocean girl: Oh my gosh she is so adorable! And 20 lbs, holy cow. That's a workout in and of itself

So far behind! I go back to work next week so I've been trying to spend all my time with L. Oh, and I also started walking Downton Abbey which is taking up a lot of time too.

@redsmarties: L gags on purees so I'm not keen to try anything else anytime soon. It scares me so much when she gags.

I've loved making food and have so much in my freezer but she doesn't eat very much at all! She also doesn't like any fruits!

@lawbee11: so sorry M was sick. It's so heartbreaking. L had her first cold around the time of her 6 month shot and spiked a high fever. I was so scared. I hope M is all better now and you're getting more sleep.

@StrawberryBee: love the blueberry pic! Sorry your supply took a hit. I'm starting to think mine is because L is starting to grown and pull on my nipples sometimes when feeding. I'm sure it's only going to get worse when I return to work. I won't have time to pump every three hours.

@Ocean girl: thanks for the update. H is so cute, I love her hair so much!

@skipper2010: I have a baby food maker that someone gave me that steams and purees all in one. However, it just makes small batches. I usually just steam in a big pot and then use my handheld immersion blender and add in the water that was used to steam. Making baby food is so easy! If I buy 2 big sweet potatos I can make about 30 oz of food for a couple dollars. It's awesome.

@Alivoo01: the pill I am taking now is labelled prenatal/postpartum. I've taken the same one all along. I think it's fine to just keep taking prenatal. I don't remember every day anyways but I should try to be better about it.

As for us, things are going great. L is 7 months today. We are still working on sitting up but she is very mobile when on the ground. I think she may start crawling soon. Her sleep has much improved and usually only wakes once in the early morning to eat. Like I mentioned I'm back to work Monday but only 3 days/week. DH is sharing the parental leave and will be home with her for 11 weeks. Then our moms will help for a couple weeks until summer starts and we will both be home again. We feel very fortunate to have this schedule.

@delight: Great schedule! how was it going back to work?

@redsmarties: K is so cute!

Still no crawling or teeth here, but I have to share. I took off last week to try and declutter the house (we did SO MUCH but everything still looks like a disaster. Sigh). I tried so hard to work on her can't-fall-asleep-without-one-of-us, but she just ended up screaming without stopping. Until....

For some reason, Sunday night was like a switch flipping. She was unhappy, screamed for a few minutes, but then started watching her electronic aquarium that I was about to return to the store due to lack of interest (http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Sea-Dreams-Soother/dp/B006YBHE6M/). And pretty much every go to sleep since then (with me) has been getting better and better. She gives off barely a whimper sometimes.

Unfortunately I think DH is really struggling with it. She conked out last night really fast and really hard, but woke up again and started hysterically shrieking (which is my cue to go in when it doesn't stop). So I nursed her until she had calmed down, and purposefully put her in the crib awake but sleepy. She was making fussy sounds, but wasn't hysterical. Well, wouldn't you know it...DH went in and proceeded to sit with her for another 40 minutes until she fell asleep in his arms. Sigh. He didn't tell me he was doing it and I was in the kitchen at the time, so I couldn't stop him. Usually he asks first (though I'm pretty sure he does the same for naps during the day when I'm not around). Didn't seem to have much of an effect because I was able to put her down awake this morning and she put herself to sleep (yay!).

We need to get this nipped in the bud before June/July, when we're going on a family reunion trip and will be sleeping in a house at the beach with a ton of family members. I can't subject them to a hysterically screaming child, or expect them to tip toe around the house!

@redsmarties: happy 7 months to K too. Well almost 7.5 now what a cute picture!! Hope she is feeling better now!

@StrawberryBee: I'm so glad you are having an easier time putting her to sleep. It's tough on the dads for sure. In January I started putting her down awake without nursing or rocking her to sleep and it only took a couple weeks before she really got the hang of it. As for food, I should try some chicken. I haven't really ventured outside of cereal, fruit and veggies but I know we need to take the plunge into some protein!

So I've been back to work two weeks now, three days a week. It's going awesome! DH is doing such an awesome job and he and Livy are having so much fun. He sends me pictures all day long. She has been going down for naps really well and has STTN 7 nights in a row. I'm very thankful for that because I have to get up super early to make my 1.5 hour drive to work. I am pumping in the car both ways so I only have to pump once at work. It's a bit awkward trying to find spots to pump at the schools I'm at and unfortunately I have to use storage rooms or bathrooms but that's ok. All in all, the transition back to work has been great. I know many of you have been back to work for months already.

In other news, we popped our third tooth this week. She also army crawls everywhere and is starting to rock back and forth on all fours. We still haven't mastered sitting yet but she can stand if holding on to a table. The months are just flying by, I'm ready for another baby haha.

Hope you ladies are all doing great!

@StrawberryBee: I read about your LO getting the falling asleep memo and I meant to send a WHOOHOO! And then life got in the way and now it's almost 2 weeks later. So belated Whoohoo!!

@Delight: Glad work is going well, but man, that's a long commute!

Our thread seems to have died a bit. I think we need updates!
LO age - 7 months
Weight - 16.5 lb
Height - 27.25 "
Favourite food - yogurt ( I think I could mix anything in yogurt and she'd eat it)
Teeth - 2 with another one on the way
Sleep - still up 2 x a night. I don't think I'll ever get to sleep the whole night again.
Naps - 2 (and scheduled! Never thought I'd see the day when I could say my LO naps at 10 and 2).
Newest milestone - army crawling. She's also getting pretty good at pulling herself up on me. Won't do it on furniture though.
"Words" - still mostly cooing and crowing. Not too many consonants yet.
Sociability - definitely a Mama's girl. I get tons of smiles and cuddles. DH gets a fair share, my mom and sisters get some if LO is feeling generous. Strangers who come up to her constantly in the grocery store get the side-eye.

LO age - 7.5 months
Weight - 17 lb 10 oz at 6 months, but I would guess about 19 pounds by now
Height - 28 " at six months
Favourite food - Breast milk by far, but he has liked mum mums and a spinach, pea, and pear pouch the best. He seems to be getting less interested in solids, one of the reasons I suspect teething.
Teeth - none, but I suspect he is teething now
Sleep - STTN about 9 hours in crib.
Naps - 2-3 naps totaling about 3 hours, not scheduled, and not in the crib, but in the bouncy seat, car seat, ergo, or swing.
Newest milestone - Cruising. He went all the way around the coffee table this morning. He is still not rolling back to front or showing any interest in crawling. He still cannot pull up, but is working on it, and on bending down to pick of a toy from standing. He is also trying to stand independently, and scooting on his butt.
"Words" - lots of mama and dada, but not with meaning.
Sociability - Social with everyone. I don't know where he gets it.

We went to an out of town wedding, which was tiring. LO did not nap well, because he was too worried about missing the action, and did not like having to sit still for so long in the car. He did sleep fine at night. He did great with lots of people holding him, although people I don't really know kept wandering off with him, so I had to follow. People kept trying to offer him juice, and one person offered 1% milk. It was annoying constantly trying to find a place to breastfeed, because I do not like the cover much, and neither does LO, but I do not like to breastfeed in public without it. LO peed all over himself when DH tried to change him in the car in the middle of the drive. Watching him interact with his four year old cousin was really cute. I got him the cutest little outfit - pants, a shirt, vest, and tie, but I did not get any pictures. Also, the shirt was about half a size too small, and the pants were at least a size too big. I don't know how that happens, because they came as a set.

@MrsB2012: LO's ped said the reason for not using cow's milk is that you don't want it to replace breastmilk/formula. Doesn't have the full range of nutrients, I guess. I don't think the small amount in her cereal would be bad (and I use yogurt to mix up her cereal - not wasting preciously pumped bm on that!). I've heard of cutting bm with cow's milk to get LOs used to cow's milk. Perhaps you could cut the bm with formula until she's used to it?

@mdf106: Lol - I like how your LO has decided rolling and crawling is for babies. Gonna walk! That wedding does sound tiring.

@Alivoo01: Also don't understand what's with people trying to feed babies things. My mom snuck my LO some icing at her baptism. Seriously? What is the allure?

So jealous of all the "talking"! Can't wait.

@delight: So glad things are working out so well for you going back to work! Isn't it great when you get pics sent during the day?

@Grace: thanks! update: still sleeping through the night for the most part, and going to sleep on her own! We had a rough weekend, but I think it was because she was teething.

LO age - 8 months
Favourite food - sweet potato and cheerios
Teeth - finally popped one! I have yet to see it though, since she always has her lip or tongue in the way
Sleep - hallelujah
Naps - ha, that's the trade off. Rarely naps during the day for more than twenty minutes
Newest milestone - sitting on her own I guess? Still not crawling or pulling up
"Words" - mamamamamamamamamamamama
Sociability - she's giving 'strangers' funny looks now, and when she was in the carseat and my coworker said hi she started crying lol

@MrsB2012: I think he's getting better at putting her down awake ^_^. I heard that whole milk is different from yogurt in terms of being able to process? http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/tipYogurt.htm

I would definitely try different formulas; E liked the first one we tried but hated the second!

@mdf106: I bet he was adorable!

@StrawberryBee: I hate teething. It's some sort of cruel joke. My kid is hopped up on Advil and is still a gnawing, drooling, coughing, sneezing, runny nosed unhappy girl. And that's just for the upper middle tooth. I'm terrified of the molars.