INTRODUCING SOLIDS

Although only doing this for a couple of weeks, I am amazed at the following on here, Twitter and Facebook.

One site following me and I their's, talks today about starting solids and when, so I posted a piece there and have copied it here as well, to help on the subject.

There is no precise age to start solids. It all depends on the size and development of your child.
I usually say at about 7 months, but it might be before or after, you usually know.

Try using the established amount of milk in the food and use baby rice for breakfast to start with.

e.g. Use the milk from the breakfast bottle in the rice and they can drink the rest.
Then you will know that they are getting that amount of milk at least, plus the rice.

You may find you'd like to start solids at tea time instead.
If so, do the same and then when that is going well, introduce puried tasty veg or fruit.

DRESS FOR GOING OUT

What about all this cold?
Over the last few days I have seen parents out with babies who are inadequately clothed.

Babies in a sling with just on overcoat and booties are not enough. If held like this, they need a full shell suit AND they should have a cap under that.

If in a pram, I suggest you must always have a cap under a full suit, as the hoods do not fit tightly round the head and you should always protect the ears.

So wrap up warm please and maybe put them inside your coat, or cover with a blanket.

BABY SCAN

I am naughty and not written my Blog for a couple of days and am always minded of confidentiality when doing so.

However, I can say that I saw my eldest daughter yesterday and she showed me the first scan for my next grandchild.
She is now 14 weeks pregnant and what a dear little thing she has in her.
It was hard not to try and speculate at what sex the baby is, but dad thinks it is a girl. We will see!

Last time, she did not know what she was having, until the end of the birth.
I think that is rather nice; otherwise it's a bit like knowing what a Christmas present is before unwrapping it.
To me it is not important, as long as it is healthy.

What I would say though is; if you do not want to know the baby's sex when you have a scan, make sure that you tell them when you go in; otherwise they do like to say things like "SHE is this", OR "HE is that".

A GOOD WINDING TECHNIQUE

I am looking after a sweet natured, one week old little boy at the moment.

I mentioned before about the importance of winding and this little chap is no different and so very genteel with it!

One technique for winding which seems to always work and is non aggressive and natural, is to lie the baby on it's back; then just wait for a leg to start pumping up and down (this might take as long as 5 minutes).
At this point pick baby up so he is vertical and he will burp almost immediately.

Works a treat and easy for all to do.

GOING OUT IN THE SNOW

With the snow on the ground and you have to venture out today, I would suggest that the swivel wheels on prams/pushchairs be set straight.

WEIGHT GAIN AFTER BIRTH

I have had a wonderful break and refreshed and ready for work.

The evening before I went, I spent a couple of hours with my next client when she came out of hospital and she now tells me that the baby has gained more weight.
Clever lady, as babies loose weight after birth and as long as they have gained back to their birth weight again after 10 days, all is going well.

When I had my babies, we had days in hospital, (whether it was private or NHS, all mine were NHS) and we were shown most of what we needed to know.
Unfortunately, giving birth is now like a conveyor belt and mums are tossed out to find out and fend for themselves.

That is one reason for me to be here; to give help to those who have not been shown the ropes.

One piece of advice I left my first-time mum the other day was:-

Whether breast or bottle feeding, I reckon it's 50% feeding and 50% winding.
If you can get the wind out soon after the feed, it will not travel down the digestive system and cause discomfort and bother later on.
Sometimes it may even be 25% feeding and 75% winding!!

There is no hard and fast rule as all little people are different, but.. winding is a MUST.

So back to work with this lovely family in the morning after a wonderful break at a healing retreat.

ROUTINES. BE FLEXIBLE

Babies have a wonderful sense of humour. Just as you think they have a routine going, they go and change it!

Last night the little boy I was looking after slept through the night, but decided that getting up time was 5.30am.
No matter how I tried to settle him, he would have none of it.

So, at 6.30 he accompanied me as I got dressed and we went downstairs and he had his breakfast at 7.30 as usual.

So, with a little adjustment by myself, he was back in routine again and settled for his morning nap at the usual time.

The lesson being; sometimes it is better to be flexible and not stressed about something out of your control, but work towards easing things back to normal.
After all, as they get bigger the routine will change.

I feel the most important thing is to keep the schedule as normal as possible. Babies (like adults), like to know what comes next, just as we do; and in this case - breakfast, play, nap).

No more Blogging for a few days as I am off to a health farm, before starting with my next little friend, who was born yesterday.