Pregnancy and Baby Advice Thread: From Conception to Birth, and Beyond!

[PrincessPeach]

I had good intentions of having some stuff in the freezer ready but not sure thats going to happen as i haven't started! i wanted to do some bolognese sauces, stews etc. Will have to see if i get a surge of energy and spend a few hours cooking. Would certainly be helpful in those early days i am sure.

I've done naff all as well! :\ I think I'm just going to try and carry on as normal (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (the new mummies are all howling with laughter at me now!) when the baby comes... see how breastfeeding goes(!) and try and make some time each night to cook meals...either that or John can cook...although his meals don't tend to be SW friendly (hates fry-light, loves junk lol)

Most of my meals are fairly quick anyway, stir frys don't take too long, might use my slow cooker more for things like chilli, curry etc so I can do it in the morning and leave it for the day! How optimistic is that?! lol xx

 

[Kim26]

I've done naff all as well! :\ I think I'm just going to try and carry on as normal (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (the new mummies are all howling with laughter at me now!) when the baby comes... see how breastfeeding goes(!) and try and make some time each night to cook meals...either that or John can cook...although his meals don't tend to be SW friendly (hates fry-light, loves junk lol)

Most of my meals are fairly quick anyway, stir frys don't take too long, might use my slow cooker more for things like chilli, curry etc so I can do it in the morning and leave it for the day! How optimistic is that?! lol xx

I'm joining you with that optimistic view - i can't honestly see me getting batch cooking done in the next few weeks, so unless i feel inclined once i get to 38 weeks and start maternity leave it's just not going to happen.....getting up and coming to work is enough for me at the moment lol.

 

[Dubchick81]

Honestly girls you'd be surprised how quickly they stack up when you just do a bigger portion of what ever you're having...
Like Jess that ratatouille (or however the hell you spell it ha ha)... If you'd frozen that instead of binning it.. That's a days dinner cooked each... Do a Bolognese tomoro... Use a whole pack rather than half a pack of meat.. eat half.. freeze half..
You don't notice you're cooking extra, and you're stocking up for post baby...
Its as easy to cook 4 portions as 2 n that's all I've been doing...

 

[MrsLmc]

Jess don't worry if you don't get stocked up. I didn't with all the food aversions and stuff I struggled at the end to make anything to freeze. You'll manage once baby gets here, you just have to do it no matter what the time if you have a few minutes. I've been known to cook dinner at 4a.m in the last few weeks lol. You'll be grand.

Frances you did well, you'll be all set for Jonathan to do reheats x

 

[Danni86]

I've done cottage pie.. Shepherds pie.. Beef casserole.. Lasagne.. Bolognese sauces.. .Chicken curry... Planned on doing chilli too (but J doesn't like that ) Chicken stew.. I've also stocked up on racks of ribs, pork medalions and have a couple of boned and rolled chicken things so they just need to be defrosted and potatoes n veg added.. Simple but nutritious dinners... I also plan on freezing up portions of mash potato so again, they need reheating... Have a large tub of veg soup frozen too (that was an accident as I made it up last week but put all sorts of heartburn triggers in and it killed me.. so its frozen now for after the birth!)

Thanks that's lot of good ideas! I'm going to try build up from now and also considering buying a slow cooker.

 

[Nellylou]

Thanks for the advice girls and for the link Jess! Charles is out tonight so going to get on all 4s and do some bum wiggling! lol x

I haven't done any batch cooking yet but I'm on mat leave now and plan on freezing a curry, bolognaise and maybe a quiche. For the 2 weeks that Charles is on paternity leave I think I will let him sort food, ill be happy with cereal / toast for breakfast - soup / sarnie for lunch - snack on fruit and let him sort tea (that's the plan anyway)

Have to say tho one of the first things I want to eat after having her is pâté on toast and a nice goats cheese salad

 

[sarah_lou1981]

Mummies, just wondering if any of you can help me. All day today Cole has been restless and won't settle unless he's laid on my chest. He's been stretching his legs out and crying a bit between feeds. He's had a 2oz feed every 2 hours but afterwards will only sleep in his Moses basket for an hour before crying to be picked up. He's also spat up more milk today than he usually does. This morning he did a pooey nappy and while I was changing him it just kept coming out (think a not very nice Mr Whippy - lol!!). He's done another one since. Wouldn't call it the runs but wasn't firm either. Any ideas?
Midwife suggested giving him cool aired water. Have any of you done this? I didn't know you could give it to a newborn. How much and how often should I do it, if I do?
It's not like him to be like this as he's usually really chilled and rarely cries.

 

[MrsLmc]

Sarah my little lady was like this all day yesterday. I don't know what it is. Was thinking maybe growing pains. She has been alot better today, but a little unsettled again this evening.
About the boiled water, I don't think I would give that unless he is constipated. I was always adviced not to give it unless they are constipated because the water might take up space that could have been formula iykwim, the formula is much better for them....don't know if I'm explaining that right.
Anyway sorry I'm no help at all really lol

 

[sarah_lou1981]

Sarah my little lady was like this all day yesterday. I don't know what it is. Was thinking maybe growing pains. She has been alot better today, but a little unsettled again this evening. About the boiled water, I don't think I would give that unless he is constipated. I was always adviced not to give it unless they are constipated because the water might take up space that could have been formula iykwim, the formula is much better for them....don't know if I'm explaining that right. Anyway sorry I'm no help at all really lol

No I thought that about the water. I always thought you shouldn't give it to small babies. Maybe he's having a growth spurt, he does seem to have got longer in the past couple of days.

 

[PrincessPeach]

Hi Sarah,

Sorry to hear about Cole...I wish I had some advice for you Hopefully one of the others can help x

Re the water - I had no idea you couldn't give it to newborns...Does anyone know when you're meant to start giving them water? xx

 

[MrsLmc]

Hi Sarah,

Sorry to hear about Cole...I wish I had some advice for you Hopefully one of the others can help x

Re the water - I had no idea you couldn't give it to newborns...Does anyone know when you're meant to start giving them water? xx

I was always told not to give it to 6months. The formula or breast milk is their food and drink till then. But like I said it can be given if baby is constipated before then. x

 

[missy1978]

Mummies, just wondering if any of you can help me. All day today Cole has been restless and won't settle unless he's laid on my chest. He's been stretching his legs out and crying a bit between feeds. He's had a 2oz feed every 2 hours but afterwards will only sleep in his Moses basket for an hour before crying to be picked up. He's also spat up more milk today than he usually does. This morning he did a pooey nappy and while I was changing him it just kept coming out (think a not very nice Mr Whippy - lol!!). He's done another one since. Wouldn't call it the runs but wasn't firm either. Any ideas? Midwife suggested giving him cool aired water. Have any of you done this? I didn't know you could give it to a newborn. How much and how often should I do it, if I do? It's not like him to be like this as he's usually really chilled and rarely cries.

Sounds like Seth - he's like this quite a lot and I have no idea what to do tbh which I know is no help! I have been assuming it's wind with Seth as he seems uncomfortable and fights sleep but then I can't get anything up so it could be something else, maybe a growth spurt? Sorry I'm not much help, I can't even seem to help Seth never mind anyone else annoyingly xxx

 

[Dubchick81]

Don't want to contradict u Laura seen as ur the experienced one here but my niece and nephews all formula fed had to hav cooled boiled water from almost new as formula can make them dehydrated apparently.
N I kno one if the girls on mum2be recently had the same trouble with her little fella n was told to giv him 20-30ml I'd cooled boiled water before each bottle...
N she was told to put brown sugar in if he was constipated...
It's not first hand info so don't kno the ins n outs as with my niece n nephews I was too young I didn't care (sounds awful)
Prob not much help either Sarah. Sorry. Just thought I'd share that I know water has been advised for new babies I kno...

 

[pjallen1982]

Don't want to contradict u Laura seen as ur the experienced one here but my niece and nephews all formula fed had to hav cooled boiled water from almost new as formula can make them dehydrated apparently. N I kno one if the girls on mum2be recently had the same trouble with her little fella n was told to giv him 20-30ml I'd cooled boiled water before each bottle... N she was told to put brown sugar in if he was constipated... It's not first hand info so don't kno the ins n outs as with my niece n nephews I was too young I didn't care (sounds awful) Prob not much help either Sarah. Sorry. Just thought I'd share that I know water has been advised for new babies I kno...

Sugar in the water?? Surely that's not good for baby... Or am I just being clueless.

 

[Dubchick81]

It's only the teeniest amount dissolved when water is hot. Apparently brown sugar is good the constipation?? Dunno if that for everyone r just babies....

 

[Susiew2001]

The brown sugar thing is supposed to help adults too....but I would say babies under 6months are too little for that!
Re the boiled water, you can give them a little bit if they are constipated but in addition to milk not instead of and most won't have it! If they are bf they don't get constipated as such they just might not go for a few days.
Both Sarah's, are cole and Seth windy or spit up a lot? Might be a bit of refluxy type stuff, esp if they will settle on you as you're upright. Can sometimes happen if they are starting to drink more but their stomach sphincter hasn't caught up yet. You could try putting some books under the head of the cot/basket so it's raised at one end but they are still flat in the cot? Xx

 

[sarah_lou1981]

The brown sugar thing is supposed to help adults too....but I would say babies under 6months are too little for that! Re the boiled water, you can give them a little bit if they are constipated but in addition to milk not instead of and most won't have it! If they are bf they don't get constipated as such they just might not go for a few days. Both Sarah's, are cole and Seth windy or spit up a lot? Might be a bit of refluxy type stuff, esp if they will settle on you as you're upright. Can sometimes happen if they are starting to drink more but their stomach sphincter hasn't caught up yet. You could try putting some books under the head of the cot/basket so it's raised at one end but they are still flat in the cot? Xx

Cole doesn't get up a lot of wind after a bottle but he does fart a lot. I really struggle to get any burps out of him, even though he's on infacol. Until today he hasn't really spat up much but he's been doing it today. Usually he'll settle on me on his tummy but he won't tonight. Tom's walking round the house with him to see if it'll calm him but he's been literally screaming tonight. Will definitely try raising his basket at the top to see if that works. Well, I will if he stops crying long enough for us to settle him xx

 

[missy1978]

The brown sugar thing is supposed to help adults too....but I would say babies under 6months are too little for that! Re the boiled water, you can give them a little bit if they are constipated but in addition to milk not instead of and most won't have it! If they are bf they don't get constipated as such they just might not go for a few days. Both Sarah's, are cole and Seth windy or spit up a lot? Might be a bit of refluxy type stuff, esp if they will settle on you as you're upright. Can sometimes happen if they are starting to drink more but their stomach sphincter hasn't caught up yet. You could try putting some books under the head of the cot/basket so it's raised at one end but they are still flat in the cot? Xx

Cole doesn't get up a lot of wind after a bottle but he does fart a lot. I really struggle to get any burps out of him, even though he's on infacol. Until today he hasn't really spat up much but he's been doing it today. Usually he'll settle on me on his tummy but he won't tonight. Tom's walking round the house with him to see if it'll calm him but he's been literally screaming tonight. Will definitely try raising his basket at the top to see if that works. Well, I will if he stops crying long enough for us to settle him xx

We have the end of the basket raised and have done for a while, have just raised it slightly higher! We've been trying to keep him upright after bottle feeds too, it helps but as soon as you lie him down (usually because he's filled his nappy while he was drinking) he spits up most of the feed and starts acting like he's hungry again. Colin gave him a bottle of expressed breast milk last night and he apparently took it nicely, settled and went to sleep no problems after crazy screaming all evening so I guess he could have a problem with the brand of formula?

My HV said that infacol wasn't any good and it was best to wait until they were old enough for gripe water and try that but we got desperate and tried infacol anyway - hasn't done much it seems!

Hope Cole's settled down for you Sarah - the inconsolable screaming is awful xxx

 

[Sazbirl]

I've given Freddie water, he wasn't pooing for a few days and my midwife said to give him 1oz of cooled boiled water, it worked x

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[MrsLmc]

I've given Freddie water, he wasn't pooing for a few days and my midwife said to give him 1oz of cooled boiled water, it worked x

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Yeah its the only way to shift constipation in a new baby.
Frances I guess the advice given on water differs depending on who you ask. I know anyone I've ever spoken to about water says not to give it to new borns as it can take the place of formula in their little tummies and formula is more benificial to them. My sisters have also heard the same from their hv and midwives. I've only ever given water before 6mnths if the baby is constipated. x