Ready, Steady, Wean!

Yes, it is that time already.

Baby is bored with just drinking milk, so the time has some to start weaning.

This is both an exciting time whilst being at the same time scary…

Will he like it?

Will he eat it?

What to try first?

100s of questions and a bag of mixed answers… should we just play “eeny, meeny, miny, moe…” to pick the correct one?

It was time to look for some help.

Cow & Gate offers an online Five Step Weaning Plan with lots of useful information and tons of great tips. The program (as per its name) is split into five steps:

• First spoonfuls
• Introducing breakfast
• Introducing Variety
• Meat, Fish & alternatives
• Establishing 3 meals a day

Each step has a clear description and a lot of tips to make this step of the journey as easy and as pleasant as possible for both the baby and the parent. My favourite part of the website is the recipe collections perfect for each step. As we are on step one, we have 10 quick and easy purees to pick from.

We’ve made some Carrot Puree using the quick and easy instructions on the Cow & Gate website:

Ingredients:

1 medium carrot

Your baby’s usual milk or cooled, boiled water

Method:

Peel carrot, and cut into slices ½ cm thick.

Steam them for 8−10 min until soft.

Cool slightly, then add 2 tbsp of the water or milk.

Blend with a food processor or hand blender until runny and smooth. Add more liquid if you need.

It is important to experiment in the beginning. Let your baby pick the flavours he or she likes; let them discover at their own pace what real food tastes like.

For us it wasn’t very hard. Leo was eager to try something new. He opens his mouth and waits for more yummy “mash” to arrive. I think he is enjoying this time, despite making really funny unhappy faces at times.

Do you have any weaning tips for us?

Something you do or did in the past which made the whole process easier?

* We received a small goodie bag from Cow & Gate containing feeding spoons, sipping cup and a food selection to help us start the weaning process.

How to create a safe sleeping environment for your baby

The average new-born baby sleeps for 16-20 hours a day, however as those already with children know, it is usually staggered, and isn’t always at night either! With your baby sleeping so much, there are some things that you need to be aware of to make sure your baby is as safe as possible in order to ensure that everyone will get a peaceful night’s sleep.

Here are five of the most common questions asked by new parents, and what actions should be taken:

How can I make my baby’s room safe?

As a rule, there should be no smoking in the same room as your baby. Other things to look out for include:

– making sure the changing mat is secure if kept in the same room
– making sure all bookshelves and wardrobes are secure so they cannot be pulled down on top of them
– making sure other items are out of reach e.g. baby wipes and baby powder.

We can’t watch our babies every single minute of the day, so a baby monitor can provide additional reassurance when you’re not in the same room as your child. The D-Link EyeOn Baby Camera turns your smartphone or tablet into a monitor, giving you HD clarity and audio for 24/7 monitoring of your baby. The camera also sends instant push notifications to your phone so you know when your baby is stirring or making a noise too.

Where should my baby sleep?

When putting your baby down to sleep, it is important that the environment is right to give your baby the best sleep possible. Depending on the time of day, babies can sleep in cots, moses baskets, prams or in their parents beds providing they have not been smoking, drinking or taking drugs.

A moses basket is suitable for new-borns as the basket is small so will not be overwhelming, providing a cosy sleeping environment. However, it doesn’t take long for your new-born to outgrow a moses basket and need a cot.

Cots are the most common sleep solution and babies can stay in these for years, depending on the size. The mattress should be firm and there should be no more than two fingers width between the cot and mattress. The width between the cot bars should be between 45mm – 65mm wide.

An additional feature of the D-Link EyeOn is that it allows you to communicate with your little one from your smart phone. Either use the two-way audio exchange or play one of the classic lullabies when your baby is restless, no matter where they’re sleeping.

Which position is safest for my baby?

When putting your baby to sleep, it’s important to place them on their back. Statistics have shown that this reduces the chances of SIDS. Although statistics show that over the years the risk of this has been dropping, it is still seen as a risk and should therefore be avoided.

When laying your baby down to sleep, you should put your baby in a feet-to-foot position – ensuring your babies’ feet touch the end of the cot. This prevents them from wriggling down the mattress and underneath bedding.

To reduce the risk of suffocation, all additional bedding items should be removed when your baby is sleeping, including blankets, bumpers, pillows and toys. The only thing that should be in with your baby is the mattress and a fitted sheet, which should come up to their shoulders.

What temperature should my baby’s room be?

When removing additional blankets you may be concerned whether your baby is too hot or cold. The temperature of the baby’s room should be kept in between 16-20’C, and the cot itself should be kept out of draughts from open windows and away from radiators and direct sunlight. Babies should be warm but not hot to the touch or sweating.

Another feature of the EyeOn baby monitor is the temperature gauge, which can be customised and set so when the temperature becomes too high or too low in your baby’s room you can receive push notifications on your mobile or tablet.

You can check to see if your baby is the right temperature by feeling their stomach. If they are too warm you should remove some layers and too cold you can add another vest, footed sleepsuits or a baby sleeping bag.

How often should I check on my baby?

The intervals in which you check your baby is completely down to personal preference. Some parents feel they need to check regularly, whereas others are happy with checking only a few times.

The EyeOn baby monitor has audio functionality and a constant Wi-Fi connection, so can be kept on at all times when you are in other rooms. The camera also has a night-mode setting, meaning you don’t have to go in and potentially disturb your little darling. Instead you can get a peaceful night’s sleep, safe in the knowledge that your baby is sleeping safe and sound.

For more information on the EyeOn baby monitor please visit D-Link website.

*Post in collaboration with D-Link EyeOn Baby Monitor

Infographic – Dog and Baby Safety

A good little common sense poster as seen on Barking Mad Dog Training School & Behavioural Centre Facebook page.

Enjoy.