Stupid questions from 1st time mom: 6-12 months

[scrub-jay]

I know that A is only 5 months, but I'm chiming in anyway. I hate carrying my infant carseat around and A has almost outgrown it length-wise (90% length...no joke). So, I tend to use the Ergo and just carry her around (DH uses the Bjorn) for errands. Sometimes, for quick trips, we just carry her. As for the bathtub, we just shower with A - she loves putting her face directly in the water. If you need to jump to the big bath, why not just hop in with her? We've gotten pretty good at toweling off with baby. This is the swim-teacher side of me talking - but do not be afraid to let your baby's face get wet...it is OKAY and will help him/her get comfortable with water (and later with swimming lessons). Anyway - I abandoned the infant bath pretty quickly because it was cumbersome to get it out, fill it up, bathe baby, dump it, dry it off, etc. So we shower her in the evenings. I'm hoping to move that to the morning at some point.

As for formula - I'm not sure of the "rules" surrounding formula (we are BF-ing), but can you track it and get a sense of how much she eats at certain times or is she unpredictable? For example - A eats a LOT in the AM, but only snacks in the afternoon, then eats like crazy right before bed again. We finally figured out her pattern (sort of). Good luck!!

[scrub-jay]

A friend of mine used to mix up a pitcher of formula in the morning and keep it in the fridge all day, pouring bottles out like it was milk. I have no idea if that's "acceptable" but it worked for her.

I'm all about baby wearing for errands. At this stage, ring sling, pouch, wrap or soft structured carrier are all appropriate. An Ergo or Beco would be grea for ease of use.

I never used an infant tub. I just bring the baby in the shower w me. I started the boys on tub baths just 6 months ago.....otherwise they showered w us.

Cross-posted with you. Wow...we have some crazy similarities!! :P

[Auspicious]

Re: bath tubs, we have this infant bath seat for Hazel. It's not a safety device and she still has to be watched every second, but it makes it so I don't have to hold her upright the whole time.

Now that I've had the two babies in two different apartments, I realize how much of the "when to switch to the big tub" question depends on design of the kitchen sink and the design of the bathroom. We didn't move C to the big tub until almost a year old, but we made H switch when she was barely sitting on her own.

[Vishenka69]

I've tried to baby bjorn her but she's so heavy that my back is killing me after 10 minutes or so (if there's a line at the post office, I'm done carrying for the day), same with just carrying her, I need two arms or 5 minutes is my limit. So how do you shower with an infant that's about 20 pounds? Does she sit on the floor? She's already going to swim lessons and does fine under water, so that's not an issue. My biggest fear with regard to big tub is her slipping and hitting her head on the side.

Another questions, what do you put on them at night before it's safe to use blankets? It's still warm when she goes to bed but gets very chilly later at night. For now I just do a longsleeve onesie under the cotton pjs and sometimes socks. But often she'll wake up in the morning with very cold hands and I'm afraid she's freezing at night. Dr said not to do fleece against her skin because of eczema and to make sure first layer is always cotton. Should I do a sleepsack over the pjs?

[MrsK]

Sounds like she and BabyK are about the same size. Is she sitting up well? He sits on the floor of the shower when we are in there together. I worry about him slipping in the tub/shower too so I just keep a hand on him in the tub and when I'm soaping/rinsing him in the shower.

Also, I love love love my hotsling. I can carry him on my hip and the sling provides just enough support that it takes some of the weight off my arms and back. You may like it better than the bjorn which I felt like basically just suspended the baby from my torso. Once he started sitting up this was a lot easier too because he's not just dead weight.

[Michele]

You should try an Ergo or similar. It's different than a bjorn and most people find it a heck of a lot more comfortable. If your back hurts stick with a two shouldered carrier to balance her weight. The Ergo the carriers have a waist strap that works to balance the weight on your hips instead of your shoulders. Also with these types of carriers you can put her on your back which increases the comfort level tons!

When the baby gets bigger and wigglier I do move towards sitting on the floor of the shower. Or tub baths together-especially if I'm not washing my hair.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alison]

I think your dd will start to become more predictable when it comes to how much she drinks.

I can't speak to the other stuff. Our daughter is still swaddled.

[ides]

I used the ergo after O reached 15lbs. So much easier! I recommend it highly.

We never had a mold issue with the bottles we used either. Strange.

O is two & still wakes up once or twice to nurse back to sleep. It's all comfort but he's not ready to drop those sessions yet. He's delirious at night & nothing else will calm him. I think each kid is different.

Regarding the bath tub, we used one of those infant/toddler bath tubs until he was well over one year old and refused to bathe in it! lol! I didn't want to have to clean the bath all the time so I kept putting it off. When we started with the big bath I went in with him for the first few times then he was fine on his own. I kept my hand close since he slipped around a bit at first until he got used to sitting in it.

[scrub-jay]

I've tried to baby bjorn her but she's so heavy that my back is killing me after 10 minutes or so (if there's a line at the post office, I'm done carrying for the day), same with just carrying her, I need two arms or 5 minutes is my limit. So how do you shower with an infant that's about 20 pounds? Does she sit on the floor? She's already going to swim lessons and does fine under water, so that's not an issue. My biggest fear with regard to big tub is her slipping and hitting her head on the side.

Another questions, what do you put on them at night before it's safe to use blankets? It's still warm when she goes to bed but gets very chilly later at night. For now I just do a longsleeve onesie under the cotton pjs and sometimes socks. But often she'll wake up in the morning with very cold hands and I'm afraid she's freezing at night. Dr said not to do fleece against her skin because of eczema and to make sure first layer is always cotton. Should I do a sleepsack over the pjs?

Skip the Bjorn, get an Ergo... I have both and it is a world of difference (A is about 16 lbs) if she is comfy she'll fall asleep and I can do all sorts of things. This works especially well in grocery stores. So far with showering - I'm really quick about it, but as soon as she can confidently sit up, she'll be on the floor. And - kudos to you for getting her in swimming lessons early, you wont regret it! For cold evenings, we put A in a warm jumper with maybe long sleeve onesie underneath. We also had eczema (ped thinks it is probably because of the arid Denver weather), but we let her sleep on a sheepskin anyway which helps her regulate her temp. I've noticed the cold hands too - and asked our ped - he told us that kids dont notice like we would. As long as the torso/head are warm, the hands might be a little cold...I'm trying to remember exactly what he said (but call your ped and ask). When is it safe to use blankets? A does okay with them at daycare and during naps, I thought 6 months was a magic age of sorts for that?

ETA:l I should mention that I have the Ergo Sport which is a little lighter weight than the original Ergos.

[HouseofWool]

I have bathed both of my kids in the big tub since right after the umbilical stump healed. I had a foam thing that looked like a huge sponge (ours was yellow and was shaped like a bear, but otherwise the same product) that they would lay on so they weren't on the cold surface of the tub.

I've never had one of the travel systems carseats, so I always carried the kids when they were babies. If they were too small to sit in a cart, then they were in a carrier (snugglie or sling) depending on what they liked at the time. I still use the sling with Sophie and she is 25 pounds. Otherwise a lightweight umbrella stroller might be your best bet. I have one by Chicco that doesn't tip over so easily if I hang things from the handles.

At night, I used blankets. S hated the sleep sacks and wouldn't sleep if she was in one. So, it was blankets.

[JC76]

I second (3rd 4th?) the suggestion to use an Ergo. I have lower back problem and the bjorn killed me even when Zoe was still pretty small. She's now over 18 lbs and I literally took her hiking the other week using the Ergo with absolutely no problems. Our typical routine now for grocery shopping, for example, is that she sits in the cart while we're shopping (now that she's big enough to do that) and then I strap her into the Ergo while I unload the car and carry the groceries in. It's not easy, but it's manageable. I keep telling myself what a great workout I'm getting doing all this stuff with 18 lbs strapped to my body.

Re: bath - I've bathed her in our regular bathtub since she was born. I bought a bath sling/seat that i used with her in our bathtub until she could sit up. Then I just supported her with my hand sitting up until she was really stable enough not to tip over unexpectedly. We recently took a trip with her where we only had a shower in the room, and she loved taking showers with me. I found the mutually toweling off part afterwards to be a bit challenging though.

[Vishenka69]

Thanks girls, I'll definitely look into Ergo. Any particular model or they're all pretty good?

Our swim instructor start giving homework to work on in the tub, so I want to try and do mommy-n-me bath time this week.

[Michele]

If you can find a baby wearing group in your area check there for the different types of soft structured carriers. The Ergo is the most widely available one, but there are other good ones too. Becos come in more color patterns...and of course there are other brands and "customs" like my Kanga and spotty dogs newest carrier.

[scrub-jay]

I like the Ergo Sport bc it is a little lighter weight than the original, bc DD gets REALLY hot when she sleeps. I second Michelle's suggestion to go check them out. I found a crunchy baby store and it had many of the carriers available to try on.

[Vishenka69]

Resurrecting my old thread with more questions for the all-knowing.

Any advice on tackling a mobile baby for a diaper change? Is pinning her down on the floor my only option? Currently our diaper changes take at least 10 minutes and sometimes even longer depending on her mood.

When did you switch your kid off formula and onto milk? She's not eating a very well balanced diet yet and at least I know formula provides nutrients and vitamins but I don't think milk has that much. Should I gradually replace one bottle at a time until she's eating solids better? Will she want formula if milk is an option? I currently give her Enfamil for toddlers.

I got her new pediped shoes and all of a sudden she started standing on her own. It's just a coincidence, right?