A week of new tricks and big changes

Last week was such a big week for Noah (2 weeks ago now) 

It's true when people say that babies do things in their own time and sometimes learn everything all at once. Noah has come on leaps and bounds in just one week and we've also made some big changes. It makes me realise he is slowly becoming less and less a baby and more like a toddler. It makes me want to cry.

Crawling - Last month Noah became mobile when he discovered he could manage a backwards bum shuffle. Last week he ditched the bum shuffle and started crawling properly. After so many months of trying to teach him how to crawl it was incredible to watch him finally figure it out, it was like something had clicked into place. Those first few crawls were ever so adorable as he was all wobbly and his hands would make these clumsy footstep sounds with his hands. It didn't take long for him to get the hang of it because the next day and he was crawling everywhere and at a super speed. I think he feels so much better in himself now that he can move about easily. 

First tooth - He cut his first tooth! We had been able to see his teeth through his gums for months on end and thought we would of cut his first tooth sooner. At 11 months we finally have that first tooth (which is on the bottom right) and the second one isn't far behind. It's going to be so strange seeing him with teeth after so many months of that gummy grin. Our teething experience has been a nightmare so far as he's really struggling. (He now has 2!)

Cows milk - He had been going off his formula and I felt he was ready to try cows milk. He had had it on his cereal and in cooking before so I was certain he wasn't allergic and with just a matter of weeks before the "recommended age" I decided to go ahead. At first we offered him a bottle that was just cows milk which he drank an oz of then looked at the bottle in disgust and wouldn't have anymore. I then did half cows milk and half formula and he refused it point blank. The next day I decided to do 4oz formula and 2oz cows milk and as the week went on I decreased the formula and increased the cows milk. We have now made the full switch and he now loves his cows milk. He is now drinking more milk than he ever did formula. We've had no reactions and his nappies have been fine. Very happy with how easy it was for us to make the change. 

Not sterilising - When we switched to cows milk we also decided to stop sterilising too. It seemed silly to switch milk and not stop sterilising because as a rule parents seem to do this at the same time. We now wash his bottles in the dishwasher and then rinse them with tap water after the cycle. It seems to be doing the job. I won't miss sterilising but I did feel a little strange packing away the steriliser (just like I did when I gave Noah his last formula bottle) as it seems like an end of an era.

So now my baby is crawling, has two teeth and is on cows milk! What's next for Noah? 

To wean or not to wean? That is the question..

The moment you become pregnant your life changes forever. Long gone are the days where you only think of yourself. Your baby always comes first. When you have a baby there are endless decisions you have to make for yourself and your child. Along with those endless decisions are the endless judgements and criticisms from every Tom, Dick and Harry. Left, right and center you get opinions from everyone whether it's asked for or not. As a Mum you always put your child first and always have their best interests at heart. A Mummy knows what is best for their child and should never feel they have to explain why they are doing this or that. I love chatting with other Mum's, sharing stories and experiences but I am not a fan of when other Mum's think the way they do things is gospel and what you are doing is wrong. Not all babies are the same and neither are their parents or their parenting methods.

The recommended weaning age is now 6 months. Noah is now 4 months old and has been showing signs for weaning for the past few weeks. I know that nutritionally babies can survive on breast milk or formula alone for the first 6 months but not all babies are the same. He might not need a spoonful of puree here and there but he wants it and I am not going to say no because the guidelines say so. (Oh I rhymed!)  

Noah has been watching us eat for weeks and is really interested in food. The past two weeks he has lost interest in his milk, although he is having more he doesn't devour it like he once did. When we are eating he will push his bottle out of his mouth, lick his lips, drool and then whinge. I was eating a pear a week ago and he was going berserk. I then showed him the pear which he grabbed out of my hand, he brought it up to his mouth and began sucking and gnawing on it. I then took it off him and he began to cry. If this isn't a sign that my baby wants something more, then what is?

I did want to leave it as long as I possibly could but our weaning journey has begun! He has already tried baby porridge, which he loves. He opens his mouth for the spoon and whines if you don't have another spoonful ready by the time he has eaten it! 

I am planning on giving him a few spoonfuls of baby porridge mixed with homemade pear puree for his breakfast after he has had his morning feed. After a while I am then going to introduce carrot puree for his dinner with his evening bottle. I am going to take it very slow and at Noah's speed. See how we get on. Wish us luck!

At what age did you wean your baby? Do you have any weaning tips? 

All about baby - Day 17 - Favourite food

Milk! He is only 13 weeks old after all. I have a feeling though that he will love his food once we being weaning him. I think he will be a big eater. Little greedy guts.