Hot and Not

What's Hot and What's Not According to Baby B, Aged 7 and a Half Months

The Mum Network

Today I received the most wonderful WhatsApp message. It simply said “Going for a buggy walk, want to join us?” But it actually said so much more than that. It also said I too have a baby that will only sleep while moving and know how lonely those daily treks can be. It said I know we thought maternity leave would be non-stop cake dates but I too am broke, bored and going a bit bit-shit crazy. It said I’ve felt how you feel and know you’ll feel better after some fresh air. It said I’m also wearing avocado-stained jeans and a wooly hat to hide my unwashed hair - we’ll pretend it’s a trend. It said I won’t judge you, I don’t pity you, I get you and I’m with you. You don't have to explain but we can talk it all through.

What to Pack in your Hospital Bag

I’ve had lots of help for this post from my lovely yummy mummies as we all found different things valuable while we were in having our babies. I guess some of it depends on where you have the baby and the type of birth you have but, as we all learned, you can’t actually plan that so it’s good to be prepared for anything.

So these are the things we recommend packing in your hospital bag…

Surviving Breastfeeding a Newborn

I don’t think anyone warned me, or if they did I didn't listen, how time-consuming breastfeeding a newborn is. It pretty much takes over your life at first and the cluster feeds can be epic. The key to surviving it, and getting breastfeeding off to a positive start, is to accept this and make it as comfortable as possible.

So here are my tips for surviving those first few months…

Easy Treasure Boxes

If you search for treasure baskets or heuristic play on Pinterest they will all be arranged in gorgeous wicker creations. I've put mine in empty laundry capsule boxes - much more practical and free!

Heuristic is just a fancy word for discovering through play. It's similar to sensory play - allowing your baby to find out about textures, colour, patterns, weight and other properties or normal, every day items. That makes it easy to put together a heuristic treasure box for your baby: a quick scout around the house and the pound shop and you'll have enough to keep them busy for hours.

To Mummies Everywhere

To mummies everywhere...

Your hair may be unwashed. Your teeth might be unbrushed. The nail varnish on your toes is definitely chipped. If you're really unlucky, your boobs will be leaking on your top.

You probably have sick on your shoulder. You certainly have food on you somewhere. And who knows what that stain on your jeans is.

Your tummy is inevitably soft, maybe even scarred. Your shoulders most likely ache. Your tired eyes are bound to have bags under them.

Your temper could be a bit frayed.  Your laugh can be forced. Your smile is sometimes put on.

Don't worry about it. This just shows what an amazing job you are doing keeping your little one happy and healthy.

And know this. In the eyes of your child you are absolutely beautiful. Your laugh lights up their heart. Your cuddle is the warmest, softest, safest place in the world.

So go easy on yourself mummy. No one  needs you to be perfect. Life is not a glossy magazine. It might not always feel like it, but you are amazing. You are absolutely amazing.

Adventures in Weaning

Baby B has been on his weaning adventure for a month now and it’s going well. He’s not sleeping any better or boobing any less, but it's been fun watching him experience all those taste sensations.

Dreaming of Sleep: Update 1

Writing that last sleep post was a wake-up call (LOL). It sounded dreadful. It feels dreadful. I decided it was time to take action.

I started by reading some sleep books. This was both a good and terrible idea. I’ll review the books another time but the end result was that I felt like a total failure. “It’s all my fault!” I sobbed at Long Last Dad. “I’ve accidently parented him into a needy child who will NEVER sleep by himself.” LLD gave me a big cuddle. He misses sleeping in his own comfy bed but reassured me that if B needed to sleep with me and feed all night that was what he’d have to do, and it would be ok.

Some Thoughts About Poo

Long Last Dad and I recently spent our first afternoon, together, without Baby B, since his birth. We were going to a nice restaurant to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and had arranged for the grandparents to babysit. We got dressed up, left detailed instructions for his food and naps and kissed the boy goodbye. Then panicking that he’d get hungry while I was gone I took him upstairs to have one last feed.

And that one last feed triggered the poo that had been brewing for 3 days. It was like he knew we were leaving him. He does not like to be left. He unleashed poomageddon.