Im new here: wondering what other moms think?

Kat - posted on 07/28/2011

Hey Heather- I dont think sleeping in your bed is a bad habit if you dont mind. He sleeps with us too. IT seems to be the only way that he will nap longer than 5-20 mintues too. Def. get a Ergo, you'll love it!
Tiffany- IF it organic Spinich its ok? There is usually baby spinich in mixed greens that i buy from the organic section. Is that ok? My ped was brief on what he couldnt eat. He said everything is ok but strawberries, nuts, shellfishes. Do you feed your little one fish?
Congrats Kristen- your gonna be a busy busy girl soon!
Whats everyones wakeful period from last nap to bed?

Janice - posted on 07/24/2011

my daughter was born oct 4th 2010. she takes two two hour naps a day and goes to sleep for the night at 8:30 and usually wakes up around 7-7:30 am. she already has eight teeth but wont eat anything thats not pureed. she refuses crackers gerber puffs and baby mum mums. I think she doesn't like that dry texture. if I try anything solid she gags and spits it out.

Kristin - posted on 07/22/2011

My little guy is a little on the small side and just turned 9 months. He was born Oct 13. I just found out I am pregnant again so since the milk had decreased a bit I am BF and formula feeding him. It also helps because he gets super distracted while nursing. He is just under 16lbs, his pediatrician told us 3 meals and 2 snacks in addition to the breast/bottle which should be 6-8 oz 3 or 4 times a day. I swear it is like he's eating all the time now! But he loves food. He has 2 bottom teeth and cutting 2 top. We give him gold fish crackers, gerber puffs, cheerios, yogurt melts...things like that for finger foods to practice his little pincher grab with. But most of the nutritious stuff is pureed. He's not too crazy about the lumpy textures but will eat anything pureed or that he can pick up himself. The BEST baby food website I have found is wholesomebabyfood.com. It has answered just about every question I've had and also has some fun recipes and stuff. As for naps, I kind of play it by ear but if we are home all day he usually takes one around 10:30 or 11 and one around about 3ish. I have to watch for signs for tiredness because if I miss them he will cry in his crib instead of nap.

Giselle - posted on 07/22/2011

My daughter was born the same day Oct. 8th and she takes 2 sometimes 3 naps. The morning nap is her longest about 2.5hrs and her afternoon nap is about 1 hr or so and if she does take a 3rd nap is more like a cat nap. I put her to bed between 8-9pm. She eats solid ok but doesn't like anything with texture or anything mixed.

Chelsea - posted on 07/13/2011

My son was born Oct 17th, so far he has one tooth, so I've been making his baby food a little chunkier, I make most of it myself, so i decide how lumpy it is. Usually for he wakes up for breakfast anywhere between 6 and 7 am, he has a bottle, and then about a half hr later i give him some cereal mixed with pureed fruit. He usually will go down for a nap around 8:30-9 am, sometimes its a long one, sometimes its short. If the long nap is in the morning, it'll be a short one in the aft, or vice versa. After his nap he gets another bottle, then a half hr later he gets pureed veggies for lunch. After lunch, he plays, and i will probably give him some watermelon chunks or honey dew, whatever i have in the fridge, if the fruit is very soft, i give him a chunk and he feeds himself in the highchair, If the fruit is harder, i put it in a mesh feeder for him to suck on. After his afternoon nap he gets another bottle, and then its dinner, generally around 4 pm, and its usually a jar of baby food, turkey stew or spaghetti stuff, something with meat, I dont buy a lot of meats for myself other than fish or chicken, which if i have on hand, i will make something up for him, generally though i buy the jarred stuff for him so he gets his protien. A little while after dinner he will get another snack, usually a few baby mum mum's, and then around 7 or 8, he gets one last bottle, then he goes down for the night. He cries for about a half hr, and then he goes to sleep :)

Wendy - posted on 07/11/2011

Hi, I'm new to this forum too & feel so good that so many moms with babies of the same age as mine & experiencing similar things! My son was born on the same day & he naps 2x @ ~11am & ~3:30pm. He prefers solids now more than milk.

Tiffany - posted on 07/10/2011

Mixed greens, romain, anything dark leafy greens except spinach and collard greens work. The jarred baby foods with spinach, beets, and collard greens are okay because they test for levels of nitrates (I buy organic, but both organinc and non are safe in that regard), just not necessarily from the produce aisle. My boys both have two bottom front teeth and are working on the top ones. :)

Heather M. - posted on 07/09/2011

Kat- No she does not nap in a crib, she will only sleep in my bed. Bad habit, yes, but I don't mind. She will nap maybe twice a day now but only for short spurts of time at the most. When were in the car is where she will sleep the longest amount of time. I have not fed her meat yet but her doc said I can start her with chicken & some fish. I basically give her everything but cheeses & meat. It may sound gross but I chew up whatever I'm eating & feed it to her. If its really soft like mashed potatoes I just let her eat it. She really digs it & gets super excited to eat off of my plate. Her newest love is beans! Pinto, baked, refired she loves them all. Bird feeding her is really the only way I got her to want to try eating at first. Maybe its because she is so attached??? Not sure, but it worked. Otherwise I think she would seriously still be boob only. She has had BM in a sippy once,she took a couple gulps then got really frustrated. She likes it straight from the tap, i can't blame her for that. Tay freaks out if her Dad is holding her as well & I'm in the same room. I do have to say though that the older she gets she is letting her Dad do more play time with her with out freaking out that Mommy is not there. I can actually shower by MYSELF wooohoooo & she doesn't cry when her Dad is taking care of her.Such a major plus. I need to look into the Ergo, sounds awesome. You know I have 4 brothers & 3 sisters (my youngest sibling is 12) & you think your going to be so prepared when your baby comes & know how to do/handle anything & everything & its so not true! My husband & I have to laugh now because his youngest sibling is 9 & we thought it was going to be a slice of cake! lol!

Kat - posted on 07/09/2011

Tiffany- Do you LO's have teeth? What dark greens do you use? This prob sounds stupid of me... but commercial variates? S no spinich or beets from the garden, but spinich in an organic container is ok? what about mixed greens? He does not like to be fed, but maybe if i make in a tabulio consistanct he can get all messy and eat with his fingers? Thx 4 info.

Tiffany - posted on 07/08/2011

Hey Kat, my boys were born Oct 15 and they tend to eat anything they are given. I make most of their food (buy jarred purees only for travel or if I need something fast) and although they don't seem to mind either way fresh homemade does taste better. Sometimes I steam and puree their food and add cereal (for the iron) and sometimes I slice up steamed veggies into small pieces. I've been giving them sliced up plain grilled veggies at cookouts. I just gave them a little wild rice with diced (tiny pieces) fruit with a little olive oil and lemon. They loved it. I am usually careful with acidic fruits, but this was a small amount for flavor. After 8 months they can have spices so I might try a little cinnamon on their sweet potatos here soon. Don't worry about "carbs", but do focus on nutrition. Half of their diet should be from fat until 2 years of age, which is the percent in breast milk so you should be good. Avacados are another good source of fat for babies and easy for you (slice and feed). If you have a Bullet or a small blender it's super easy to throw in any fruit combination and serve or add cereal and serve. My boys personal favorite has a little pineapple with banana and mango. It's known as baby crack in our home. They are also big salad fans. I puree a little dark greens, with any combination of the following: cooked peas, cooked carrots, avacado, apricots, blended up until it looks kind of like tabouli. Just don't use spinach, beets or collard greens because the nitrate levels could affect their hemoglobin levels. It's fine to use commercial varieties because they are tested.

Kat - posted on 07/08/2011

Hey Heather, Does she nap in her crib? I find when im close by he def. sleeps longer. how many naps a day? Wow! lots of teethies! so do you feed her meat? what exactly from your plate do you feed her? I want to give him stuff that i have, but no teeth seems to limit my options. wait dairy and meat, not till their 1 right? Do you put BM in a sippy cup? I have tried that once and thought i should pump again, to get dad to have it for him if i leave....which is NEVER. Yeah hes been freaking even when im in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner, with his dad. what about you? I have a Ergo. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! expensive, but worth EVERY penny. you can wear him on your front, either side, and back. Doest hurt your back either. Yeah i think my leddle man is 22 or pushing 23. we'll find out at his 9 month appt.

Heather M. - posted on 07/08/2011

My daughter was born October 9th (supposed to be on the 8th but my c-sec was cancelled). She just started taking naps at 8 months, but is a very short napper. Sometimes 20 min sometimes an hour an a half. Up until then she refused to nap, I guess there was to much to see & do for her lol! As for food I had a very hard time getting her to eat any. She was BF only until 7 1/2 mo & then started trying foods. She will only eat Earths Best carrots, winter squash & prunes. But, she will eat anything & everything off of my plate, I bird feed her a lot. She does have teeth though, 6 total & 7&8 are popping through. She is still breast fed mostly, she refuses to take a bottle but will take a sippy cup with a straw. I have a question for you, since your child is mostly breast fed do you have a problem with separation anxiety? I seriously cannot even leave the room to do anything. She is 21 pounds & my arm is killing me from doing everything while holding her.

Kat - posted on 07/07/2011

Charity- you mentioned my ped is right. You mean that him having a wakeful period of 5 or 6 hours between last nap and bed is ok? My LO still has NO teeth. He hates pureed, so the ped said try things that he can mush with his gums. You are right, there is no need to rush. He is 22 lbs, mostly BM, so no need to worry about if he's gaining weight. Beth, my little man LOVES mum mums too! They get really sticky. Somtimes i find a piece stuck to his onsie hours later. LOL Your husband is right. I dont have money in stocks, but maybe i should decide to, and put it to the mum mums. :)

Beth - posted on 07/06/2011

My little guy was born on Oct 12, 2010. He naps for about an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon while he is at day care, but when he is home- all bets are off. He sometimes gets two shorter naps in and on Monday- nothing!!! As for eating- he loves it, purees, finger foods, puffs, tofu, etc. He loves Baby Mum Mums. My husband says we should buy stock in them. He has upper and lower teeth- maybe that has made a difference in his eating.

Christina - posted on 07/06/2011

My son was born Oct. 26th, 2010 and he hates naps!! He usually takes a 2 hr nap (that he just started doing) at 11:00 and then goes to bed at 8:30 and wakes up anywhere between 6 and 7:30. And as far as foods he will eat anything! It took him a couple days to get use to stage 3 foods but he still doesn't like it as much as the stage 2 so I usually give him that. and he just started the gerber puffs and crunchies. I breastfed until he was 6 mths also. I'm still scared to give him anymore people food than that! lol!

Charity - posted on 07/06/2011

If he is getting fussy I usually try and give him a bottle. Usually that's what he wants and he tends to fall asleep near the end of the bottle. But sometimes he wants a bottle and then wants to play. Sometimes I think he is tired so I put him in his bed but he just screams. After about5 to 10 minutes, if he is still crying, I go get him and bring him out. That's usually when I figure out he just wants me to play with him for a little bit. Some times he wants me to rock him to sleep. But sometimes I lay him in his bed and he fusses for a minute then relaxes and starts to go to sleep. I don't usually co sleep (me and him in the same bed) but that's because he does fine in his own bed. If he wakes up too early in the morning and I can't get him to go back to sleep, I'll bring him to bed with me and he'll go back to sleep.
Usually after his second nap til about 8 or 9 at night. So that is about 5 or 6 hours. But if we are out and about he will fall asleep in the car because of the vibration of the car. Your Ped is right. But every baby is different. This is my second baby so I have learned what signs to watch for. I was completely lost when I had my first baby.

Charity - posted on 07/06/2011

I purposely fed him just veggies and plain baby cereal for the first month or so because once they get that sweet taste from the fruit it can be hard to get them to want to eat veggies. But every baby is different. :)

Charity - posted on 07/06/2011

My son was born on October 26 2010 and he sleeps for about an hour or two in the mid morning and then the same mid afternoon. Sometimes he sleeps for 3 hours for one of those naps. He almost never misses his mid morning nap. But sometimes he doesnt want an afternoon nap so he ends up going to sleep around 6 and sleeping all night. I've never really had a problem with him waking up during the night. He's been a good sleeper since he was about 4 weeks old when he was eating more.
He likes to munch on saltine crackers. They dissolve real well in his mouth because of the soda that's in them. Other than that we haven't tried any other solid foods. I know it's too early for that. We stick with the pureed veggies and fruits. And he has baby cereal mixed with a jar of pureed fruit for breakfast. I suggest you hold off on the solid foods till he has more teeth or he lets you know he's ready. Try it once in a while to see how he does. One day it might work. The next time it might not. It's hit or miss with them. But enjoy this age and don't be too anxious for him to grow. You'll miss it when it's gone. :) Good luck to you.

Kat - posted on 07/06/2011

thx for your info ladies! yeah im breastfeeding, and hes not the biggest fn of solids! he likes to feed himself. never into pureed food. he likes a little bit of peas, carrots, watermelon, peaches, and bananas, but mostly i find it stuffed in his high chair or he flings it off his tray. he LOVES crackers, puffs, toast, panckes, pasta, potatoes, yams, except i worry to much of this is bad bc well carbs, carbs, carbs. do you think is the same for babies? i should steer away from these things? he takes 2 naps but im wondering if he should take 3, as his wakeful period is long btw last nap and bed. the ped told me he should be able 2 be up 4 5 hours, but i dont know. he crys pretty bad at bedtime. approx what are you babies wakeful periods btw last nap @ bed? paige thts funny about your mornings with little one. i feel like i do that sometimes to. do any of you cosleep?

Paige - posted on 07/05/2011

My son is still all over the place with his naps (partially because I can't stand being stuck in the house, so he ends up taking catnaps in the car or carriage). He sleeps for 45 mins or so in the crib in the morning. If we're home, he takes 1 or 2 45 min naps in the afternoon, then sleeps about 11 hours at night. (He tries to wake up at 6, but I tend to look at him, tell him it's too early, put the pillow back over my head and he goes back to sleep for an hour.)

Solids he loves, but, if you're breastfeeding, I've heard a lot of stories of breastfed babies being slow to eat solids (and, in some cases, being kind of tough to feed even as they get older).

Emma - posted on 07/05/2011

My son was born October 30th 2010 and he sleeps for between 1 - 1.5 hours in the morning, then about the same early afternoon and sometimes a 45 min nap between 4 and 5. Then he goes down for the night about 7.30 and wakes for an overnight feed and then gets up about 8am. I am having trouble getting him to eat anything with chunks in it. He loves pureed vegies, but thats it!!