November Chit Chat - Page 7 « Back to Group Discussions

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by seraf 

My general rule is that I try to tell him what I would like him to do, rather than what I wouldn't like him to do. So I say, "Stay on the sidewalk" instead of "stay out of the road." Or "roll the ball" instead of "no throwing."

I often try to consider how I would address an adult (I work in geriatrics, if a confused 90 year old is painting with body fluids, I can't say "no, bad!"). I use shorter phrases with babies but I try to keep the message and tone something I would say to any other human and I wouldn't mind hearing myself.

Yes, I do these things, too!  Suggesting what you want them to do or an alternative to the undesrieable behavior is a great habit to get into now.  This technique will work well for years.  And talking like you're addressing an adult or even like you're addressing someone else's child can really put you in a better mindset and curb angry feelings.  Again, this will serve you well you're entire parenting career.  AP is all about respect and sometimes it's so much easier to be respectful to anyone but your own kids!

[dashley111]

Too many options!  Haha.  We are starting with the skin prick tests and if any come back positive we are getting IgE and IgG tests done.  The allergist we saw did not usually do more than 3 skin prick tests at a time and no more than one kind of tests at a time with babies this age.  She is doing 5 on B just  so we can get all the skin prick testing done at once.  She did saw its more than just a "prick" when testing for ingested allergens, its more like a small quarter inch scratch where for environmental allergens its smaller.  I have no comparison so...that really means nothing to me.

[Mal85]

Originally Posted by ZippyGirl 

I am always so behind in reading these threads!  This is the only one I seem to be able to check, and I am itching to get to the other threads.  UGH!

Bobo is always wanting to eat.  Always.  It's all he ever asks to do, and I feel like I cannot keep up with it.  What is going on?  DD wasn't like this.  I never gave DD milk, but I'm wondering if I should start Bode on milk?  I have a good breastmilk supply, but he acts like he is always starving.  What should I do? 

Okay, gotta catch up now on all the discussions here...
 

Greta is the same way. She would eat all. day. long. if I let her. She just loves food. And she will eat until I take the food away rather than telling us she's full. Doesn't matter if she's nursed right before mealtime, she will still eat and eat and eat. I did start giving her some milk. She was just getting it at the sitter. I worried a little with her bowel movements, she had some nasty diapers for a couple of weeks. But we introduced milk the same week that she was on an antibiotic for an ear infection... it's been a couple of weeks now and her bowel movements are back to normal. So, I'm blaming the antibiotic for the yucky diapers rather than the milk at this point. I have started giving her some milk with her meal while she is home with me. It hasn't really cut back her nursing anymore than before. I can't say if it's changed anything. The girl just likes to eat!

Speaking of nursing, how often are your babies nursing anymore? Even before we introduced any milk, Greta wasn't nursing very often anymore. Like I said, she just LOVES food. On the days I am home with her, she will only nurse around 2 times including bedtime. And she is sleeping through the night now, so she's not nursing overnight. She will. not. take the breast if she doesn't want it. Right now, it's down to before nap time and before bedtime. The only time she demands the breast is when I get home from work. As soon as I walk through the door, her hands are down my shirt and she is spitting out the pacifier trying to get at the boob. But it really just keeps that 2 times a day thing. She'll nurse when I get home, then again before bed. DD1 did this too right after she turned one. She eventually started fighting our minimal nursing sessions, so I stopped trying and she weaned at 14 months. I'm not sure if I want to do the same with Greta.

Also, she is walking all over the place now! She is actually choosing that as her means of getting from place-to-place. She spent about a month just practicing it from time to time, but she would crawl if she really wanted to get somewhere. But she is probably walking more than she crawls now. She tried to take off running last night and did a face-plant, but she didn't care. She just got back up and kept walking. It's very exciting to enter this new phase! She seems so grown up to me lately. It was like she turned one and decided she was a toddler now. Literally, over the week of her birthday she started sleeping through the night and walking all over the place. She also won't let me put her to sleep anymore. I have to lay her down awake. If I try to rock or cuddle, she screams and pushes me away. That makes me a little sad. It does free me up and allows other people to get her to take a nap or go to bed easily, but I do miss snuggling my baby. Her and DD1 are sharing a bedroom. I've been taking Greta in to lay her down right after DD1 gets tucked in. I think they really like going to bed at the same time. I hear them "talking" to each other in there after I leave the room and they both go to sleep with no fuss. 

[Jaimee]

Ash, the prick is an IgE mediated test.  Will your allergist do IgG testing via patch or ELISA?  If so, that's pretty amazing.  It took us a 3 hour drive to find a doctor that would do it (Houston Children's Hospital).  For the prick, they have this little device that they put the allergen on and then sort of twist and scratch it around on the skin to puncture it.  The hardest part was keeping her calm and not trying to touch her skin during the wait time.  Nurse, nurse, nurse!  Or bring some really novel toys, food, etc.  Whatever will keep her occupied.

[Autumnshades]

Eli is the same, he just wants to eat all the time.  He kicks up a huge fuss if you take the food away - despite the fact that he had a HUGE amount of it.  He doesn't seem to have a full signal. I also tried nursing before giving him food but it really doesn't seem to make a difference.  He is also down to nursing about 3 times a day - morning when he wakes, and 2 before bed.  I did start him on a bit of hemp milk when he started to nurse like this.   My DH didn't want Eli started out on Cows milk.  He did have some yogurt the other day and his diapers were terrible afterwards (mucusy and runny).  On a different note: Eli likes to take the mousepad and mouse when I am busy here lol ... he takes them out, puts them back (even puts the mouse ontop of the mousepad).  Such a funny baby!  It is a little annoying though because he clicks the buttons and it tends to refresh the page, or worse still close it ... 

[seraf]

Shay loves food. He is suddenly into being spoon fed becaus I can get the food into him faster. He puts a bite in his mouth, opens for a bite and the takes a bite on his own again.

He nurses a lot again. Before and after naps. Morning and night. Since he takes 3 naps, that's at least 8 nursings a day and once or twice at night and any time he catches me with my shirt off.

[dashley111]

Jaimee- I have no idea.  We did not really touch on future testing outside of what we are doing at the next appt.  I will have to ask, though, I know that she mentioned a blood draw and perhaps going to an outside lab that has more experience with drawing blood from such small babies- that is, after the skin prick tests. 

As far as nursing, B still nurses a lot, whenever she wants.  When we are out and she is busy she wont nurse for hours.  But if we are home she wants to nurse all day.  She also eats very little food.

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by dashley111 

As far as nursing, B still nurses a lot, whenever she wants.  When we are out and she is busy she wont nurse for hours.  But if we are home she wants to nurse all day.  She also eats very little food.

Same here.

[Abraisme]

Nicole, I agree with Jaimee and Sara.  There is no reason to discipline a 1yo, gentle redirection is often enough.  Once a kid gets defiant and rude then a little can come into play.  It totally depends on the kid though.  My 3yo rarely sits in time out, but my nephew often needs a break to re-group.    Also, using positive language and discipline works wonders and goes a long way.  Kids understand what 'to do' rather than what 'not to do'.  

Coralie nurses a lot AND eats a lot.  She eats 3 full meals and probably nurses 8 times a day.  She still wakes up 2-4 times a night and nurses for every nap and bed time.  She will happily drink milk from a cup and eat solids if I'm not around though.  

Really though, it's my 3yo that is ALWAYS hungry.  She asks for something to eat every 20 minutes.  Other people have commented that it's crazy how often she claims she's SOOO HUNGRY.  Uhg, it's annoying!

[CDsMom1031]

I don't ever discipline him. Like I said, I'm really laid back and very little bothers me. I redirect constantly, but there's some ill behaviors (Like grabbing my laptop), that I'd like to deter as much as possible... Or grabbing a glass shelf we have and pulling it off... I just didn't know what was normal behavior that he'll grow out of (Like his constant screaming for no reason, LOL) and stuff that I need to teach him (Like to not grab a laptop while it's open).

He had his one-year check-up yesterday. He's 21.4lbs (46th %) and 30 5/8" (73rd %).

As I sit here and type this, he's WALKING from the coffee table to the couch, over and over and over and over. LOL It's only a step or two, but it's progress!!!

[Jaimee]

Nicole, he will definitely out grow the need to grab at everything and not long from now, either.  Maybe just another few months.  Just imagine, in about 6 months he's probably going to have words that he can use to communicate a few things and he'll understand you a lot better.  You'll be able to tell him that your laptop is not a toy, but that he can roll a ball or look at a book instead.  The screaming phase is really common around 10-12 months and IME only lasted a couple months at most.  They like to hear the noises they can make on purpose.  As for that glass shelf... can you just remove it temporarily and replace it a few months from now?  He might be pulling it down because he's still working on pulling up, cruising, and walking.  Once he masters walking and standing up without pulling up, he may leave that shelf alone.  I just find it really helpful to keep thinking, how can I remove the need to say no or to reprimand?  How can I change the environment to spare us both that annoyance?  It can be challenging to have to change your house around to fit the needs of your child, but that's part of parenthood and having happy children.  And it won't be this way forever either.  One day, you'll look back and remember the time you had to barricade the computer, put away all your candles, latch all your cabinets, and keep the bathroom door closed at all times.  These things will no longer be necessary sooner than you think.  Of course then you'll have another... 

[dashley111]

Jaimee is right- making your home a "yes" environment will help you and Connor have better days. Glass shelves and table tops go, lower cupboards and shelves of dishes and decorations are replaced with toys and Tupperware. It just makes life easier, and babies less frustrated.

[CDsMom1031]

I removed that glass shelf yesterday. LOL Our coffee tables and end tables have absolutely nothing on them now... They used to have candles and pictures. Our bottom cabinets house the tupperware now, because he can't break that when he throws it across the room. LOL The only thing I still have an issue with is the outlet that the TV' s plugged into. The TV is mounted, so there isn't really much I can do about that plug except redirect 140x/day. LOL

[dashley111]

Ours is mounted too. How about one of these for the plugs?

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by CDsMom1031 

The only thing I still have an issue with is the outlet that the TV' s plugged into. The TV is mounted, so there isn't really much I can do about that plug except redirect 140x/day. LOL

Build a barricade.  I used to prop things up around switches and outlets.  You could try moving an end table over it and putting something under the end table like a bunch of pillows or a heavy box that he can't pull out.  Just cover that sucker up.

[TalkToMeNow]

Originally Posted by dashley111 

Ours is mounted too. How about one of these for the plugs?

I need like 86 of these.

We try to make things yes friendly. I think the bathroom is the biggest issue. Dh did a half-assed job with the child locks, so Jasper can pull them all open. I keep getting on dh to fix them, but.... yeah. So jasper pulls everything out of the bathroom drawers whenever I am in there. Another issue is that Jasper can reach the counters. He tries to pull my straightener down! Ahhh!! There just isn't enough counter space. Sigh. I guess I could just go natural and stop wearing makeup and straightening my hair, right? No. 

[Jaimee]

I've been having a really rough couple of days.  Tuesday night I reacted to either something I ate or to the antibiotics in my system from the pneumonia I had for the preceding 3 weeks.  I ended up with a few hours of diarrhea and then all night vomiting.  The next day, the day after, and today still I've been having a really hard time recovering.  My stomach is so raw and tired.  I'm eating and drinking, but it doesn't seem like enough.  I get relief from the gnawing feeling for about 10 minutes after eating and then it returns.  I can't seem to find the right food, I'm gagging, and I'm having sensitivity to smells.  It's like I'm pregnant, but I'm so not!

For a couple of weeks now I keep getting the feeling that AF is going to return soon.  I've had twinges in my uterus, some fertile looking cervical fluid, and some other symptoms I associate with AF.   So, here's the odd thing.  Postpartum with Avalon, I had a bought of the stomach flu just one day after AF returned.  Postpartum with Austin, I got AF back and 1.5 weeks later I had a violent allergic reaction to amoxicillin (all night vomiting and then full body rash for 10 days).  Now I'm postpartum with Avery, feeling like AF should return any day and then I have this vomiting episode.  Is this all coincidence?  It seems really strange.

[CDsMom1031]

That does seem strange. I know your DH got a vasectomy, but I'd rule out pregnancy just in case. Maybe your body just doesn't like being normal so it gives you Hell for doing so, haha.

[CDsMom1031]

I need one of those!
I have the same bathroom issue, so now everything from under the sink is in the hall closet except for the toilet paper. Speaking of toilet paper, Conner lovesss unraveling the toilet paper. And if I'm not super quick to shut the lid and flush after doing my thing, his hand is straight in the toilet. So gross.

Originally Posted by TalkToMeNow 

Originally Posted by dashley111 

Ours is mounted too. How about one of these for the plugs?

I need like 86 of these.

We try to make things yes friendly. I think the bathroom is the biggest issue. Dh did a half-assed job with the child locks, so Jasper can pull them all open. I keep getting on dh to fix them, but.... yeah. So jasper pulls everything out of the bathroom drawers whenever I am in there. Another issue is that Jasper can reach the counters. He tries to pull my straightener down! Ahhh!! There just isn't enough counter space. Sigh. I guess I could just go natural and stop wearing makeup and straightening my hair, right? No. 

[CDsMom1031]

I've got the outlet and the cable. He loves pulling on both of them.