Baby E is 18 Weeks old

Baby E is now 18 weeks old.



His development is progressing in leaps and bounds. I can hardly keep up with how much he is changing every day.



Baby E is now 100% formula fed, and we now have a life free from crying. This formula feeding has resulted in Baby E putting on 6 ounces in one week. We were giving him 6 feeds a day, which has resulted in him eating approximately 36 ounces a day. This seems far too much, so we have decided to drop the 10.30pm "dream" feed. This is working very well, and Baby E is now sleeping through from 7.30pm to 7am. Suddenly it feels like my fabulous boyfriend and I have our evenings back, and we can spend some time together. We are now planning to find some time to organise Baby E's room, so he can move into the nursery. He no longer needs us at night, and so seems ready for a bit of freedom.



Baby E is sleeping more in his own crib for his day naps. This has improved over the last few weeks since his abandonment issue on the day he spent with his Grandmother. I currently have to rock him to sleep in the crib, as he is still fighting sleeping during the day.



Baby E is still chatting to us, and has included some raspberry blowing in his vocabulary.

Baby is loves standing up, and has started to play a game of stand up - sit down - stand up - sit down until he is all worn out. While doing this he likes to look around, or chew on your fingers.



Baby E's crawling is developing slowly. He is able to roll over onto his front and push himself along with his legs, he is still unable to co-ordinate both his arms and legs, and so only travels along a few inches before getting frustrated.



Baby E's favourite toy at the moment is some new teething rings I bought from ELC. They are fantastic as they are so light weight he is able to pick them up and put them in his mouth with ease. He likes it when they are shaken in front of him, and he will grab them, and chew on the soft textured sections, or harder plastic patterned section.



Baby E loves laughing, and is interacting more and more every day. He loves playing games such as Boo! and is especially fond of his nappy free time when he can play roley poley with great ease.

Baby E is 17 Weeks old (4 months)

Baby E is 17 weeks old. I am finding it hard to believe how quickly the last 4 months have flown by.


The past week has been quite busy for Baby E and his development.

Tuesday - We have been to Baby Massage, where we discussed baby's development. We learned how to massage the chest and arms. The other mums invited me to join them at another play group on Thursday, however I am busy with work. In the afternoon he had his second set of vaccinations. He started crying as soon as he saw the needles on the desk in the nurses office. I am amazed he remembers what they are for. His fear of the needles was far greater than the pain of the vaccinations, and he was not too upset when the nurse injected him. He was a little clingy and unsettled the next day, but nothing to worry about.

Wednesday - We have been to a weening group at the local Sure Start centre. We were invited by the Health Visitors and were part of the pilot group.


Thursday - Baby E spent the afternoon with his Grandmother while I went to a meeting at work. He refused to sleep all day and so was exhausted when I returned to pick him up. He had a lovely time, however has since started crying when I put him in his crib for a nap in the day. I think he is suffering from baby abandonment trauma. He is getting lots of cuddles, and re-assurance that I am still here for him.


Saturday - We took Baby E on our favourite walk around a local reservoir. Baby E loved the windy weather, and had lots of birds, trees and fishermen to look at. He was not as impressed with the water as he was by the sea. When we returned home, he started baby chatting to us. Once he was started, he would not stop! He had so much to say, and no doubt was telling us all about his morning. Now he chats at every opportunity, he even chats in the middle of the night if he awakes in his crib. I may be time to start planning on moving him to his own room. (oh no!)

Sunday - Baby E tried a door bouncer for the first time on Sunday, he spent most of the time knocking the bar against the door frame to hear the banging noise.

Monday - Baby E started rolling over. He has been accidentally rolling over for a few weeks, however there has been a sudden development, and he happily rolls from front to back and back to front when he is playing on the floor. Now he tries with all his might to move around when he is on his front. He wriggles, and pulls at anything around him in an attempt to get moving.


Monday - Baby E also started standing up when you help him into a seated position. He stops bending in the middle, and pushes up with his legs into a standing position. From there he wants to enjoy all his usual pastimes of sucking on your fingers, and looking around.


Baby E is much happier to sit in the high chair, and can now occupy himself for up to twenty minutes. He loves playing with his squeaky giraffe, and fluffy bunny.

Baby E Typical Day at 16 Weeks

At 16 weeks old Baby E's current typical day is below

6.30am - 7.00am Wakes up and plays in crib.
7.30am Nappy Change (wet and dirty). Breast Feeding, supplementing with formula if required (rarely required)
8.00am Playing
9.00-10.00am Nap
10.00am Nappy Change (wet), Breast Feeding, supplementing with formula if required.
10.30am Nappy Change (Dirty and Wet)
10.45am Playing
11.30 Walk in the pushchair usually taking a nap
1.00pm Nappy change (wet), Breast feeding, supplementing with formula
1.30pm Playing
2.00pm Nap
3.00pm Nappy Change, Playing
4.00pm Breast Feeding, supplementing with formula
4.30pm Playing
6.30pm Bath
7.00pm 7oz Formula Feed and Bed
10.30pm Nappy Change, 7oz Formula Feed and back to Bed



Playing

Play involves kicking, sucking, chewing on hands and toys (both his and anyone Else's), tummy time, sitting up (supported), singing songs (row row row your boat, teddybears picnic, I know and old lady), naked playing (rolling around), reading books (that's not my bear, Ten in the Bed).

Baby E is 16 Weeks old

Baby E is now 16 weeks old, and is developing repidly at the moment. Big changes over the last week are Supplementing Breast Feeding, Nap Time, and the first stages of Crawling.

Feeding
We have changed the feeding routine again. After a few weeks of Baby E crying more often at feeding time, we decided to supplement his breast feeding with some formula. We were aware of the negative aspects of this (breast milk production will reduce) however wanted to take advantage of the positive points that Baby E is happier and more contented after his feeds.

The negative emotional impact of this change was harder than I expected. I had been putting off supplementing his feeds for a few weeks, despite the impact a crying baby was having on me. It is so easy to feel like you are failing as a mother when your baby shows breast feeding refusal, or cries after each breast feed. Baby E was not crying after his formula feeds at night, therefore it was becoming more clear that his crying was caused by hunger.

After a week of supplementing formula at feeding time, Baby E is much happier and more content. When he has finished feeding he sits up, gives a little (or big) burp, and then is happy to play. I feel happier now that my baby is happy, and have no regrets or guilt that I have chosen to use formula in additional to breast feeding. The quantity of formula varies at each feed depending on how much breast milk there is, and how hungry he is. Sometimes he does not need any formula top up, and sometimes he will have 7 ounces!

Baby E is still getting breatmilk every day, and I am happy in the knowledge that I am giving him the best start in life possible.


Nap Time
Baby E is now now too big to rock and cuddle to sleep. My back and knees have gone on strike, and I am finally taking notice of their protest. We have just returned from holiday where my fabulous boyfriend had to rock Baby E to sleep for most of the day naps. Now my fabulous boyfriend has gone back to work I am making a change. Baby E must start sleeping in his crib for his day naps. It is working well, and Baby E settles quickly when in his own bed. We use the same Womb Music, and Lights and Sounds machine to sooth him that we use at night, and he nods off into dream land within a few minutes.


Baby E is getting Active
Baby E has started moving! We have some tummy time every day (during play time). Baby E enjoys this for a few minutes, and has started moving about a little. He can either push with his legs OR pull with his arms, but he is unable to do both together at the moment.

When he pushes with his legs, his bum lifts into the air, while his head stays firmly in the floor, with the result that he ends up turning in a circle on his head in a hip hop body pop stylee.

When he pulls with his arms, he tries to drag himself along the floor. This produces a better result as Baby E moves a few centimeters along the floor.

It wont be long before he is crawling! He already wriggles and roles along if he is sat on the sofa or bed. Soon there will be no stopping him.