Well, the magical day is approaching…. our little girl is going to be 1 year old in a matter of days. So many big decisions are looming. The biggest of all being…What cake do we have for the party??????  Seriously though, it is incredible to have arrived at this point so quickly.

The first year of a childs life is so filled with action and exhaustion and  trials and triumphs. The days often blur into eah other and the sleepless nights through teething and tummy aches feel like they are sucking the life out of you.Then one day they sit all by themselves, and another they come to you on their hands and knees, so cute. Another day still, you walk into the room and find them miraculously standing up against the couch and then a step is taken, and life will never be the same again!

They learn so fast and every new achievement is an event to be marked in a book and photographically chronicled. We have filled a hard drive with pictures of as many moments as we possibly could. Playing with every toy, wearing every outfit.

There is a feeling of success reaching this point, as though you maybe have done a good job, raised them without serious incident through a year fraught with danger.  Our world has been filled with love and fun this year, we have been overwhelmed many times at the good fortune that has been bestowed on us. Our baby is less and less of a baby every day, I suspect though that she will always be or baby in a small way, no matter how big she gets.

The smiles and the giggles will always outweigh the tough times, even in the wee hours of the morning when you think they will never simle again.  Because one smile is all it takes to wipe out a night of torture.

Enjoy your little monkey no matter what stage you are up to.

As a followup to the previous article on travelling with your baby, I wanted to add a few points about the all-important issue of international air travel with your baby and liquids. As you are probably all too well aware, there are now restrictions in place that say you can’t bring containers larger than 100ml with you on a plane. This, of course, poses some serious issues for parents travelling with babies as it is obviously not practical to travel with such a restriction.

Here, I want to share with our experience travelling from Australia, through Bangkok and into Europe and back again over the busy Christmas holiday period.

First, you can rest assured that the restrictions only apply to items you carry for yourself. Baby items such as water, food and medicine are excluded from the ban. This was quite clearly stated both in the little brochure that you can get at the airport and at the security checkpoint. As long as the baby is actually present with you, there should not be any problems.

Before we travelled, we were of course quite nervous and attempted to get our hands on as many 100ml containers as possible as a precaution. Luckily, most baby food jars are 100grams. We had quie a few little drink containers with us as well as larger containers for purified water. As a side note, you will want to take plenty of water with you for your baby as airplane water has typically been chemically treated and disinfected and is generally not considered optimal for baby consumption.

As mentioned in the previous article, we also took quite a few ‘just in case’ medicines with us, most of which were well over 100ml.

So, here is what happened at the various airports:

Melbourne, Australia: When we arrived at the checkpoint, we declared that a seperate bag was just for baby food and medicines. The officer nodded and informed the x-ray operator that a baby bag was coming through. Once we passed through the metal check gate, the officer at the other side asked us to show him the content of the bag, checked the labels on the still sealed bottles, saw the water bottles and passed everything through. No problem here. Very efficient & friendly.

Bangkok, Thailand: First of all, what a huge airport. The shopping level at the top is quite comprehensive. At the security checkpoint, we declared the baby bag and the officer asked us to empty everything from the bag into a number of 1 lt clear plastic zip-lock bags (which she provided). Everything went through the x-ray as before. After we passed through the metal gate, the officer at the other side inspected every single bottle and questioned us about the content. She didn’t seem as concerned about the size as about the content, especially the medicines. Sealed jars were passed over quickly. The others we inspeced closely, but once it was apparent that it was home-made food, they were passed. Again, no problem. Very thorough inspection, but all within reason. Make sure all your things are easily accessible.

Zurich: Switzerland: Very similar to the Melbourne process. The whole baby bag was passed through the x-ray and an officer inspected the content at the other end. A few questions about the content, but no problems. By now, we had quite a few containers that were larger than 100ml. We had some large baby food containers (225gram) and larger water containers.

Rome, Italy: This was probably the best experience. Rome is another huge airport with 15-20 security check lanes. The very fortunate thing is that a guard at the start directed parents with children, elderly and injured people to a seperate set of security gates. Instead of waiting with 200 people, we had 3 in front of us. What a relief. The process was very quick and painless. Bag on the x-ray and we’re done. Looks like the Italians applied some common sense and are seeing these mandated restrictions for what they really are…

So overall, travelling with a baby and liquids is likely not as big a deal as you think it may be. Granted, our experience did not include travel to the USA this time. Given that these restrictions originated there and people are still being made to take off their shoes, your experience in that country may be different.

Best of luck and joy in your travels.

If you have any feedback on other countries or experience with American air travel, please leave a comment. We plan to head to that way soon and any tips would help :)

Wow! The days go by so very quickly and I can’t believe that it has been so long since I was here!

If you have been on our website you may have seen that we took a break over the Christmas and New Year Period. We decided to take our precious little girl to see her grandfather in Germany and to meet her other assorted family members both in Germany and Italy.

What a terrifying prospect it was. Not only the time away from home and how would she sleep when adjusting to the time difference and how would we cope with the extreme weather conditions…. but how on earth does one propose to keep an 8 month old happy for 24 hours in a very very confined space?????

It was the subject of much discussion and deliberation, much shopping was done far in advance when the winter sales were on and we relied on the help of our family in Europe to provide us with as many things as possible so we did not have to carry absolutely everything from here.

The trip was surprisingly manageable. We were fortunate that our baby was still able to fit (read: squeeze) into the aeroplane bassinet which hooks into the wall at the bulkhead of the plane. (Be sure to check with your airline to ensure your baby will fit in and to reserve the position and the bassinet. Some airlines require the baby’s date of birth, weight and height to be able to even request this - make sure your travel agent calls to let them know for you or that you do it yourself)

The bassinet meant that she was able to sleep comfortably and lie down and play which ensured that we were given a little time to rest and that she did not go out of her mind from being held all the time. This seating position also allows you t0 put an aeroplane blanket on the floor to allow your baby to strech out and roll if they are able and to sit and play. (Make sure you sit with them on the floor of you can or put pillows around them in case they fall so they can’t hurt themselves.) If we travel again with her before she is 2 (at which point you are obligated to buy a seat for them) we would definately buy her a seat so that she had somewhere to sit and play happily without having to be held all the time.

Three hours in transit in Bangkok was made easier by a stroller (essential - I just can’t say it enough) Attach a few toys and the interesting environment of the airport shops should keep most babies interested or tire them out so they go to sleep in the stroller for you.

On arrival in Germany our tired little girl was a little reluctant to be held by anyone but us and did not want to play on her own. Totally understandable as we were the only people she recognised and she had not had a real nights sleep in over a day. After a little nap and lots of encouragement, she warmed up to everyone slowly and our adventure had begun.

The cold was extreme. Thank goodness we had been able to borrow a snow suit for her from friends who have a baby slightly older and spend alot of time at the snow every year. She wore it every day.  The kind of cold that we encountered was so different to anything we generally experience here in Australia. The air was icy and sometimes you caught your breath from the intensity of it.

This was where the pram, fur lined sleeping bag and storm cover we borrowed came in very handy! We were able to be certain that our baby  was warm and that she was not breathing in the icy cold air which could easily have caused a terrible cold or cough or both!

I guess the long and short (well maybe just long) of this post is that travelling overseas with a baby is somethng that you need to do much preparation for, and that you should ensure all bases are covered before leaving, but that you should definately do it, so much fun, and unlike me, that you should try not to stress about every tiny thing and micro manage every moment of the trip before you even leave! Relax and enjoy it. Prepare what you can, remember the essetial items and before you leave, cut back on the amount of clothes you take for everyone one more time, they have shops where you are going you know :)

Your baby’s routine will be interupted, they will likely take days to realise when it is night and when it is day and  you may have tohold them more than normal and even rock them to sleep when normally they go to sleep all by themselves. But the valuable family time and fun you will have far outweighs all of that

Good luck, have fun and let us know how it went!

Tips:

Rely on the help of others - if you have family where you are going ask them if it is possible to get things for you such as car seats, high chairs, large prams, portacots and even toys.

If you don’t have family to rely on, consider if maybe it would be less stressful to buy some items at your destination, or if the hotel/apartment where you are staying can provide anything for you.

Remember that car seats can be hired in lots of places, especially if you are hiring a car.

Take a sheet from home that your baby has slept on for one or two nights already so that the portacot has some familiarity for them. Also the blanket or sleeping bag from their bed can make their sleeping pattern more regular at your destination

Don’t overpack if you forsee any chance of being able to wash. At home we tend to use evreything all the time because it is there. When on holidays remember that your baby (and you) does not need anywhere near as many things as you may think.

Don’t forget esssentials such as bibs, spoons (you can use any bowls but for out and about we loved the small Take and Toss containers and cups) sippy cups - and a spare just in case! Nappies for the first few days and the trip, a few toys (ration them) dummies if your baby uses one

Don’t forget that if you are using disposable nappies for travelling (recommended for travel to cold climates in particular) remember you will be able to buy them where you go so you don’t need to carry 3 weeks worth from home. But if you are going to a tiny resort on and island in Fiji you may want to call ahead and check if nappies are available or take your own as they would most likely cost more than the excess luggage fees!)

A stroller is a must for any baby you can no longer carry in a harness for several hours at a time. They will take it from you at the door of the plane and give it back to you as you get off so you can use it in the airport at any trasit points or when you arrive at your destination

Take any natural or medical items you use for your baby, even if only occasionally, as you may find that they are out of whack from the travel, climate, altitude, or food. If it makes you more comfortable, ask your family doctor for a dose of antibiotics in case your baby gets sick so you don’t need to go to a foreign doctor. Ask the pharmacist not to mix the antibiotic if possible so that it stays fresh and does not require constant refrigeration.  Resist using them unless really neccessary though.

Remember that most places you will travel with a baby will have shops at which you can buy almost anything you may find yourself short of while you are away. But be sure to remember that some islands may have limited supplies  and that they will be very expensive so remember to be prepared for your specific holiday.

We are fast approaching 6 months since the day our precious little girl was born! It is miraculous to me that 1/2 a year can pass so very quickly and that babies grow so very, very fast. It is time to start thinking about how and where to begin solids. I am of the opinion that waiting until 6 months was the right thing to do and the day has come.

This week i had a conversation with our paediatric chiropractor about where to  start. We first discussed the ‘norm’ for beginning solids which is iron fortified rice cereal. Besides the added iron, rice cereal is not really nutritionally beneficial. It is given as an introduction and to get your baby used to swallowing something other than milk. There is, however, no particular reason that your baby can’t get aquainted with swallowing through other foods.

It is important to note, our chiropractor informed me, that rice cereal can bind your baby’s intestines and make them constipated. This is a terrible thing for a baby to suffer with,  and there is very little that you can do to help them.

The solution that some people use is to dose their child up on lots and lots of fruit. The fibre in pears or apples may help them but it will also put loads of sugars into their system which do not help them develop the all important neural pathways in the best way possible.

So, where to begin you say? Well…. the first few foods I was recommended to introduce to our little girl were, pumpkin, sweet potato, zucchini and carrot (after at least 3 weeks of the other foods as carrots are quite high in sugar) Organic if possible. Pesticides on food affect your baby to a greater degree due to their small body mass. As previously mentioned, your baby is developing brain connections by the thousands all the time and they should be given the best to do that well, as they get only one chance. Organic produce can be expensive. Your baby, however, is only consuming very small quatities and half a butternut pumpkin will last many meals for a her. Even if you can’t afford organic for your whole family, make the choice for your baby.

A steamer is a great thing to have. A real steamer that is. The best way to cook your little ones food is with real steam on the stove or in a counter top steamer. Microwaving the food you prepare is robbing it of vital nutrients. I also purchased a small masher and small tongs. This way you do not have to handle the food with your hands which keeps it more germ free.

Steam the veggies well and mash then puree for the first week or two. Wach you baby and assess when you think she will be ready for more chunky foods. Do not leave this too long as it may lead to her rejecting lumps rather than learning to chew. Chewing is an essential skill for children as it helps develop their jaw and in turn aids their speach development.

One meal a day is enough to start out with and contrary to popular belief it is ok to give vegetables at breakfast. Your baby doesn’t know that pumpkin is not a breakfast food!  When you feel that your baby is consuming the food you are feeding her in the morning and may like another meal in the day then you can add another in the late afternoon.

Starting solids is a scary and daunting thing sometimes. Particularly if you have been breast feeding exclusively, the thought of preparation and how to and when to and what to can seem really dificult.  Once you start, a rythym will follow and you will find it all settles into place.

Make sure you are prepared before the day comes with your steamer (or just a metal strainer over a saucepan and a lid on top of that will work perfectly!) and some storage containers (small ones to put in the freezer and for going out and about) soft spoons and a lot of bibs!  If you have been bottle feeding you can use made up formula to thin the vegetable and give them more moisutre which will help you baby digest them and expressed breast milk can be used in the same way.

Most of all, enjoy your baby everyday and relish in their achievements. You are doing a good job.

The days and weeks are passing before my eyes so incredibly fast of late that all of a sudden our little girl is 5 months old. I wanted to let you know what we have been up to of late.

Recently it was my mothers birthday and as always there was nothing she needed and nothing she could tell me that she would like. So it occurred to me that something she might like is some quality time with her little grand daughter. Given that they live 500km away from us they have not had too many chances to spend time with her. So it was decided that a week long surprise visit was in store!

Packing for a trip like that with a baby is an interesting thing.  They seem to need everything under the sun when you go away and you never realise how many things you use on a daily basis to care for them. It is important to remember though that there are many things you can improvise or substitute, borrow or buy there. For example, instead of a baby bath we use a large bucket for baths or just take her into the shower with us, which is a great, fun, and quick way to get them clean.

And they don’t ever need as many clothes as you think that they will! Remembering those little things are so easy to rinse and hang out to dry. Especially if you are staying with family or in a holiday apartment. Pack light for them and for yourself and you won’t be sorry.

Travelling with babies for long distances in the car is not as scary as it may seem. We have been doing it since our baby was very small. The movement of the car is fabulously soothing to them and sleep pretty much becomes the order of the day! I would recommend making sure they are comfortable, if you want them to be dressed up when you arrive, stop 5 mins before you reach your destination and change them but make sure they travel in a comfortable all in one type outfit. Check that they are protected from direct sun - we find that at certain times of the day our sunroof lets the sun hit her in the face and have to be careful of that. So comfortable and that the temperature is good for them are key to a pleasant journey.

I always take a few of her favourite toys, dolls etc so that things seem familiar. I find that when we are away, especially with family there are so many people who want to play with her that she does not need too many things to keep her entertained. And when we go away just us there is so much to look at that is new that she is not too interested in her old toys from home.

It is daunting at first but give it a go and see how it works for you. You will not regret the chance to get away. I know too many people who have not gone anywhere with their kids when they were little and now have 2 or 3 year olds who are unable to adapt to change or sleep anywhere other than their own beds, cry at the sight of strangers and won’t let go of their parents, or parents who just simply don’t ever go anywhere or do anything out of the ordinary. Not much fun to wait til your kids grow out of that stage to actually go anywhere or do anything! Get them used to going out and being with other people besides you and their immediate family - it will benefit you in the long run and them.

I have an ulterior motive for wanting her to be adapted to the travelling and the change. We have an overseas trip coming up this Christmas to Europe for her to meet her grandfather on my husbands side. A big daunting trip and the more used to being out and about she is the better it is for all of us. We don’t want that trip to be awful for her any more than we want it to be awful for us. We would recover from the trauma pretty quickly, but who is to say how it would affect her and if we would ever be able to travel easily with her again?

We started very young travelling with ours as my parents are so far away. If you have never tried it before and want to, pick somewhere close ish, an hour or 2 to start with and build up to a longer trip or plane ride.  Good Luck!

Enjoy and take care if travelling on the roads

11 weeks ago I was called by the local council mothers group organiser. She was calling to invite me to be a part of he upcoming round of mothers group for new mums. I was keen to participate as I know no other mothers of young babies like mine who live close by. Many of my friends with children are over 1/2 an hour away and with a small baby that is not a ‘coffee and a chat’ kind of distance!

So of course I accepted her invitation and a week later fronted up to our first ‘meeting’. We live in the City of Hume and mothers group here is a lovely program which runs for 10 weeks and is moderated by a wonderful woman who is employed by them. Our 10 weeks encompassed all manner of things from sleep and settling to an awesome CPR session where we learned to resuscitate a baby, child or adult and how to deal with choking. It was very empowering. We also covered first foods, introducing solids and home safety. it was all presented in a very relaxed and social environment (except the CPR which was of course more serious and focused) allowing us to get to know each other and connect.

From day one we were lucky and connected well. We all got together the next week and promptly decided once a week was not at all enough and decided that mums and bubs movies and the local cafes were to become our new occupations! In the 10 weeks since we began, we have become so very close. Confiding in each other, sharing our experiences and asking each others advice on such a wide range of topics I don’t know where to begin.

Now that our formal gatherings are no longer we have made arrangements to share out the duty of having everyone in our homes each week and another meeting somewhere else on another day. It is a beautiful thing. Many a Monday we have gotten home in the very late afternoon from our 10am session which lasts officially for 2 hours.

As a new mum it is easy to get into the same simple routine and only leave the house to do the groceries or visit family. Especially in winter the tendency is to stay home and keep your baby warm and cosy. Meanwhile going slowly insane and perhaps not realising it until it is already well set in :) Mothers group will keep you sane, it may help you make some wonderful friends, make friends for your babies that they may end up going to school with and it will most certainly brighten your weeks and be the day you look forward to the most.

Don’t despair in the sometimes lonely days of early motherhood. It can be difficult, especially if like me, you don’t have family close by to help you out or just come over for a cup of tea or to walk the baby while you have a much needed rest. There are other girls going through exactly what you are. Your mothers group may be like mine, a motley crew of girls of varying ages and backgrounds, attitudes and ideas. Or you may find a group who are similar in personality to you. Either way, embrace the experience and give it your all to get to know the others and get as much from the experience as you can.

Mothers group has taken the joy of motherhood to an entirely new level for me. And in spite of the fact that I am sure I am putting on weight from all the lunches and cakes, I would not give up ‘the girls’ and our babies for anything. Mothers Group - Give it a go - You’ll love it!

An interesting thing happened to me a few weeks ago. I was at a routine chiropractic check up for our little bunny (there is nothing wrong with her and we are keeping it that way by having regular spinal checks to ensure she grows and develops well) and I was explaining how she was not having long restful sleeps and how she was often upset after feeds. I was wondering what it was and what i could do to help her as it was very distressing for both of us.

He asked me if I was eating any of the commonly known things that upset babies like cauliflower and onion, coffee/tea or peas. All no’s. And then he said what about chocolate? I looked down and said ‘a little’ thinking the problem would lie with the sugar…. This was when he explained something interesting. The caffeine in chocolate is processed without much to do in an adult body within 6 hours maximum. In an infant who receives caffeine via breastmilk, caffeine is not processed for up to 80 hours! This means it can upset their tummy, prevent them from sleeping, make them irritable, and over tired and also give them headaches as it leaves their bodies….. just like it does to an adult.

i was horrified and instatly stopped. Within three days she was a different baby. So relaxed at feeding time and sleeping much better. It was such a relief to find the cause and be able to do something.

So, I advise not eating chocolate - no matter how tired you are, which is why I was doing it :) -  while breastfeeding your little ones. A devastating blow, if, like me you just love the stuff, but worth the sacrifice when you see how calm and settled they can be.

It is astounding to me - 12 weeks into the life of my little girl - that there was ever a time in our lives when she was not here. Time, however, is slipping away from me. I just adore her little face and cannot bear to clean or do dishes or anything like that while she is awake. This means that many things are left by the wayside in our home these days.

So many other mums had told me that I would have no time anymore for anything and the house would be a mess and that dinner would not make it to the table. I am here to tell you that those things are so unimportant in the  scheme of our lives. When my husband comes home to find our bed unmade or his shirts still in the basket (clean because he washed them himself mostly) unironed he looks at me and smiles. I love you he says and then he kisses me and cuddles our little bunny and our life is perfect.

I guess what i am trying to say is that, no matter what you think you ’should’ or ‘must’ get done in the day and whether your house looked like a museum before you had kids or not…. loving your babies and spending time teaching them and helping them grow and ensuring they feel loved is so much more important than whether you disinfected the bathroom and polished the stove top. And if you come to my house and decide it is your right to judge me for the fact that there may be a few dishes waiting to be washed or because i haven’t put away the ironing board, then that is your perogative.

All in all three months have gone by and she is divine, the light of our lives. And when all is said and done… I don’t regret or begrudge her any of the time we have spent toether just playing or laughing together. I hear her now so I have to run. Remember to love every minute because they grow so very fast.

There is an interesting article in the Washington Post about day care and unwanted infant weight gain:

Infants cared for by caregivers other than their parents tend to gain more weight than children cared for by their parents, a new study says.
And children receiving regular care from people other than their parents are also less likely to be breast-fed and more likely to be introduced to solid foods early, the researchers found.
Other studies have suggested that breast-feeding for up to the first 12 months of life may confer protection against obesity.
More and more evidence suggests that the threat of excess weight gain and obesity is taking hold in America’s nurseries, Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University School of Medicine’s Prevention Research Center said. “Studies show obesity emerging as a problem even in the first year of life. This, in turn, results in a higher risk of diabetes in youth, and lifelong obesity and its many consequences.”

Given how we are following America’s lead in most things, I would suspect the same will hold true for our Day and Early Care here in Australia.

There was another related article I read the other day (to which I can’t find the link right now) that mentioned that there may be a tangible relationship between allergies and the introduction of foods at an early age (<6 months). The article stated that the baby’s digestive system is not developed enough at less than 6 months to handle solids and especially the chemicals and additives that are found in the food we eat.

So, if you can, breastfeeding gives your baby a fantastic start in life. I know that there is a lot of promotion about only breastfeeding for the first 3 months before cycling you baby onto pre-prepared foods, but I think it would be a great idea to stick with it a little longer.

Here is an article for you from the ‘well, that just makes perfect sense’ department:

Exercise during pregnancy is good for you! What a revelation :)
The interesting part is that while we all know the exercise is good for you and your heart, a pilot study by the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences showed that your exercise may also be good for your baby and it’s heart!

Using non-invasive monitoring, the researchers hypothesised that maternal exercise during pregnancy can have a beneficial effect on fetal cardiac programming by reducing fetal heart rate and increasing heart rate variability.

During the study, they found there there were significantly lower heart rates among fetuses that had been exposed to maternal exercise. The heart rates among non-exposed fetuses were higher, regardless of the fetal activity or the gestational age.

Behind the medical jargon, this does make very good sense. We all know exercise at just about any life stage, pregnant or not, is good for you. Walking, Yoga and Pilates are all fantastic ways to keep fit and ’stretchy’ (you know what I mean…) during pregnancy. Just be careful once the relaxin hormone kicks in.  The joints, especially hip joints, do tend to turn to mush in the last trimester :)