The Lullaby Trust recommend the safest place for baby to sleep is in with with you till they are over 6 months, flat on their backs and in their own space weather this be cot, Moses basket, side sleeper. With no lose covers or extra padding such as bumpers. Making sure whatever you choose has a firm flat surface with a waterproof cover this should be undamaged and show no signs of wear and tear.
When you've chosen where baby is going to sleep there a few things you need to check does the product comply with the British safety standards? You should be able to find this on the product itself, the packaging or instructions. This means it guarantees a certain level of safety meaning it won't fall apart or catch fire easily. When you lay baby down on the mattress does their head sink too far in? Does the mattress lift up at the top or bottom. If the mattress does either of these then they should be discarded. The baby sleep surface should be flat which allows baby to not overheat. Does it have a waterproof cover?
Baby sleep essentials.
What you will need to purchase or consider when laying baby down to rest or sleep. It's important to remember safe sleep guidelines should be followed during the day as well as the evening.
Panda seemed to prefer to be swaddled when he was led to sleep and it help with the startle relax especially in those early days.
Both my children slept in either their pram or Moses basket during the day and crib at night.
Some parents decide to have a Moses basket downstairs for the day and crib/ cot upstairs for evening. Others choose to transfer the Moses basket between upstairs and downstairs. There is no right or wrong way or rule to say you can't have both a Moses basket or crib it's what is going to suit your lifestyle. The ultimate thing to remember is baby should have a clutter free, safe space of their own to rest and sleep and should always be placed on their backs.
This time we're going to use the Shnuggle air bedside crib* and bedding. I particularly like it's features that it can be up next to the bed or be a stand alone crib it can also be converted into a toddler bed using the conversion kit. Look out for the blog when baby arrives and how they like their new sleeping quarters.
*I have not been paid to promote these Shnuggle this has been an independent choice to use these products.
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My first was born at 32 weeks so when I went into labour I just took my trusty already packed (thanks Mum) hospital bag. It was always packed as I spent a lot of time in hospital being rehydrated.
The second time I did have time to think about what to pack. I did pack slightly earlier just in case especially with my history. I was induced so I packed enough for 3 days for me and 4 outfit changes for Panda.
I packed one bag for me and I used my changing bag for Panda. In Panda's bag I put each out in individual bags which saved time looking through the bag for what I needed. I'm going to use the same method again as it was much easier to find what I needed.
I'm going to start off with what I'm provisionally planning to pack for me. As overall I think we need more than the baby does. I say provisionally because I may add to it as we get closer to the time.
Your partner may choose to pack themselves a bag.
You may choose to include things I haven't such as make up or lip balm. There is no right or wrong way this list can be used as a template for you to add to or remove what you like.
My bag:
For Baby:
I hope you find this useful. Happy packing.
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Firstly my top tip is don't go overboard with one brand as you may find it doesn't agree with your new-borns skin.
Nappy changes.
Depending on weather you have decided to use disposables or cloth will depend on what you will need. I know quite a few Mummy's who don't cloth straight from birth but it's not to say you can't. There are many fabulous brands and really helpful social media groups if this is a route you would like to take or find out more.
Cloth nappies
Disposable nappies
There are many different nappy brands on the market and sometimes it can be trial and error for what works best for your new baby. This can also be said for wipes. The wipes I'll be using the are Cheeky Panda* they are 99% water and 1% Aloe nice and gentle for a new born's delicate skin.
*I've not been paid to say I will be using these wipes this is my own personal choice.
What you will need:
You may choose the have a changing table or use the top of a dresser. Just remember babies should never be left unattended.
Feeding.
How to feed your baby is a personal choice and you ultimately need to do what is best for you and you your baby.
If you choose to breastfeed you don't really need any equipment as such but you may decide to or need the following if you decide to express.
Some nursing Mother's like to have:
Formula Feeding.
There are many different brands of formula on the market ready made or powder. Be sure to follow the manufacturers guidelines when making up your baby's feeds.
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Firstly, I thought I would start qt the very beginning and raise some awareness.
As some of you may already know I always suffer with Hyperemesis when pregnant and this time its no different, this time around has been the worst out of the 3.
Hyperemesis is a severe form of morning sickness. It affects around 1-2% of pregnant women in the UK. It can last the entire pregnancy and is managed with different antiemetics and rehydration via I.V. For some women it can last the entire pregnancy for others it can ease off. Either way it's truly awful no matter how long you suffer.
Weeks 6 to 16 were tough. They were tough on everyone. The children not understanding why I couldn't do anything anymore and Panda getting confused where Mummy kept disappearing to. Andrew couldn't be faulted he took care of everyone, spoke to doctors at the hospital via phone and all without complaint. I was pretty much sofa bound if I wasn't in the bathroom or hooked up to an I.V in hospital. There were many trips to hospital at all times of the day and night to be rehydrated. By 16 weeks it was clear this was not improving and I was very poorly, we spoke to my consultant who admitted me to begin a course of steroids. Lots of women manage on the antiemetics meant for chemotherapy patients and don't need steroids. Unfortunately this time I needed them this was the last treatment they could try and I was desperate for some relief. If I could describe how it felt to me it like I was being poisoned everyday, not enough to kill me but enough to make me feel very poorly indeed.
Fortunately for me the steroids took the desired effect and ceased the vomiting enough for me to eat and drink. I use dream constantly about food and drink and it felt good to finally drink a whole drink and eat some toast without the feeling I was to commit. I'm still taking a cocktail of medication and do still feel nauseous but at least I now feel like I'm living again and not existing.
I also want to give a huge shout out to the pregnancy sickness support charity (pss). I urge you or if you know someone who is suffering then get in touch with them. They are very kind, empathic and supportive. They can assign you a support buddy which I can't stress how wonderful mine is we don't talk as much as when I was super sick but she has been a constant support providing information on different medication, hospital policies and most importantly listening to me and understanding how truly terrible I felt because she had suffered to. Their website is full of facts and information, they also have a hotline. They work tirelessly to raise awareness for women suffering from hyperemesis and supporting the woman suffering.
Now I've done my part in raising some awareness for Hyperemesis, look out for part 2 where I'll be discussing what I'm going to pack in hospital bag.
]]>Here at K and A Baby we stock the MAM heat sensitive spoons they are great for more traditional weaning as the spoon will indicate if the food is too hot for baby’s mouth. They come in two different sizes one is slightly longer for adult to fed baby and the second one is shorter so baby can have a go themselves. As previously mentioned, I took more of a traditional weaning approach mainly because I wasn’t the only one caring for my daughter and to begin with baby led weaning is not for the faint hearted. If you’re not confident. Having worked with baby’s for years I feel confident when it comes to food time, but I do know that when they choke or gag it can be frightening. I used to make my own puree and if I was home offer finger food to. Mini was born premature and wasn’t ready when she turned 6 months to begin weaning so I waited until she started to show signs, she was ready. When I thought about it her actual age may have been 6 months but her adjusted age was 4 months.
Once Mini got the hang of chewing, swallowing and lifting food to her mouth I introduced cutlery. The Doddl cutlery was mentioned a lot on a weaning group I followed. The Doddle cutlery is fantastic. It is just the right size to encourage independent eating for little hands. Another benefit is it helps to develop their fine motor skills needed for mark making.
When you’re feeling brave enough to introduce a cup with no lid then we would recommend the Doidy cup. The Doidy cup is a slanted open cup with handles to teach children to drink from the rim not a spout or teat.
Mini was funny about touching different textures when she first starting eating and I found the Nuby nibbler was perfect for things like Banana, Strawberry and Orange she could hold the nibbler and suck the fruit through.
Never underestimate the power of a suction bowl or plate especially when you are out in a restaurant or someone’s house. This wonderful invention allows for stress free dining for all the family. I loved Mini’s suction bowl because it came with a lid. I could load up her bowl with whatever meal or snacks we were having and transport. Then when we were ready to eat, I could stick it to the surface in front of her. Check out the Vital Baby travel suction in our feeding section. Another accessory available by Vital Baby ad stocked by us is the Trap-a-snack pot. Baby can put their hand in the retrieve a snack but when they shake it all around the snacks cannot be shook out.
The other weaning item I found useful was the Nuk masher it was perfect for mashing potatoes or Banana for Banana pancakes. Banana pancakes were a popular breakfast choice. I still use the Nuk masher now for when I make mash potato for everyone. Three years later and it is still going strong.
Banana pancakes
Mash up the banana
Sieve the flour into the Banana
Slowly whisk the milk in to the four and Banana until a batter is formed.
Pour/ ladle 1/4 cup of the batter in a non-stick frying pan (or a lightly greased frying pan) and cook for about two minutes for each side.
Serve with your favourite toppings: extra Banana, dairy free chocolate drops, Blueberries.
Remember children under one years of age should not be given Honey.
]]>Apart from the fact baby boy could feed properly and was starting to gain weight is they are self-sterilising. You take the bottle apart wash is up put it back together as per the instructions and place in the microwave. This is so handy for when I’m at my Mum’s as the bottle can be just washed and sterilised as and when needed.
]]>Unfortunately for us and our poor little Panda we've had an interesting feeding journey.
Whilst pregnant I was adamant and determined that I was going to breast feed.
Once born he was offered breast immediately and he latched quickly but as soon as he began to feed, he unlatched. At first, I thought it was because he had to learn how as for 37 weeks, he'd been provided with 24-hour womb service. This latching on and off on and off kept happening and I was encouraged to keep trying and spoon feed.
In the end I looked in his mouth and it looked like he had a top lip tie.
I mentioned this to a few professionals and they all either said they didn't think so or they don't do anything for lip tie.
Eventually we introduced a bottle because I was fearful, he would not gain weight and become dehydrated because of the weather. Also, how could tell he was hungry and could just never settle. Having had a preemie before it's safe to say I was a bit anxious about caring for my new-born baby from the word go because with Mini the NICU team dealt with her care majority of the time and I also didn't see her for a few hours after birth.
To begin with we tried the supermarket branded bottles because they are suggested by midwives and NICU nurses to be the first bottles to try these were unsuccessful. Whilst I still preserved trying to feed him myself. We then tried Tommee Tippee as we had used them before, and I was a fan. These too were unsuccessful. Then we moved onto Nuk, as we'd be quite successful with this type of tear when topping Panda up with the little read made formula bottles. These at first were successful we could get some feed into him. In the meantime, I had bought shields to see if that would help him. He did seem to be to latch better but still he was on, off, on, off.
It was a constant round of feeding, trying to feed and winding.
At almost 6 weeks when the Health Visitor came, we talked about his feeding and I mentioned his tongue again as all Mother's know Mother's instinct is alright right. Then right on cue Little Panda started to scream the Health Visitor looked in his mouth and said, "oh yes I think he does". She told us how to self-refer and we waited, and we waited eventually Andrew had to track the referral down and find out why we hadn't had an appointment.
Finally, we took Panda to his appointment and it was confirmed he was tongue tied. He had his tongue snipped, we tried to feed and had a chat and were sent on our way. Sadly, for Panda this was not his last trip to have his tongue looked like as he started to exhibit signs that perhaps his tongue had re-stuck. Panda's tongue had in fact re-stuck and tied more than the first time.
Flash forward a week and I was at breaking point again from 6 a.m. onwards I would either be holding Panda, trying to get him to feed or seeing if he would nap for longer than 10 minutes. He would only nap if being pushed around in the pram or drive in the car well like I said to the Health visitor I couldn't do that for 2 plus hours a day so he could have a decent sleep. I have other children and things which also need my attention. However, I do consider myself lucky because Andrew would take over as soon as he was home either holding and sorting Panda or cooking and cleaning. One night Andrew suggested going back to Tommee Tippee but changing the flow I agreed as we thought maybe the flow had become too slow for Panda whilst out Andrew rang and said he was also bringing a Mam bottle home to as when we went to our very first tongue tie clinic the Midwife said they regularly suggest Nuk or Mam bottles.
Once the bottle had be sterilised which turn out is self-sterilising and can be done in the microwave and the formula made up, we offered it to Panda. For the first time in his short tiny life he latched onto the bottle drank the whole feed down which he had never done and promptly fell asleep. At first, we thought maybe it was a fluke and he was just so hungry but no he began completing his feeds and having daytime naps that lasted longer than 10 minutes he also looked more content and relaxed when he was asleep. Poor Panda did end having to have his tongue clipped for the third time as I still felt there wasn’t something quite with his tongue but with using these bottles, he did begin to gain weight.
Why do we recommend Mam?
Apart from the fact baby boy could feed properly and was starting to gain weight is they are self-sterilising. You take the bottle apart wash is up put it back together as per the instructions and place in the microwave. This is so handy for when I’m at my Mum’s as the bottle can be just washed and sterilised as and when needed. Another thing I particularly like is the various flow teats you can have instead of just having a 0+, 3+ months and 6+ months teats they have some middle ones 2+ months and 4+ moths. Which we found beneficial for Panda as because he was still getting use to his tongue movement and then seemed to be getting frustrated with the flow we were able to move him up a size without him chocking on the milk because it was too fast. Therefore, with the above reasoning this why MAM has become a K and A Baby recommended product.
Check out our web page https://www.kandababy.co.uk/collections/mam for the whole MAM range. Please if you have any questions regarding any of the able mentioned products or about tongue and feeding then please do drop us a comment, an email or a call us and we will do our best to answer and if we need to try and point in the right direction for some professional advice.
]]>As previously mentioned in my #andwerelive blog I suffered with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). HG is severe morning sickness I spent majority of my pregnancy either on a drip for dehydration or lying in bed with a bowl.
]]>As previously mentioned in my #andwerelive blog I suffered with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). HG is severe morning sickness I spent majority of my pregnancy either on a drip for dehydration or lying in bed with a bowl. It was miserable. So, it came as a massive shock when I was lying in bed and suddenly felt very wet. At first, I thought I had wet myself until I phoned my cousin who said, "did you need a wee"? Good question did I need a wee? I didn't. She insisted I phoned my midwife I phoned my midwife and she requested I phoned Antenatal aka my second home.
Arriving at hospital they checked to see if in fact my waters had broken which they had. At that moment in time I was 31 weeks and 5 days because of this I had earnt myself a long weekend in hospital with steroid shots to help mature Mini's lungs.
During my stay one of the NICU doctors came and talked to me about what to expect if I should go into labour soon or they would introduce at 34 weeks. With daily monitoring until that point.
They discharged me on the Sunday, and I had a huge craving for steak. From a HG point of view the steroids made the nausea almost vanish and I didn't vomit for 4 whole days. I could eat! I spent majority of my hospital stay in Costa eating and drinking without fear.
When Mini was finally born at exactly 32 weeks, she was whisked straight off to Neo-Natal. When we could finally go see her it was daunting, we were greeted by the midwife who was taking care of her and we were given a long verbal list of dos’ and do nots whilst being in the unit.
There were 6 tiny babies on the ward all connected to various machines, drips, feeding tubes. All born at various gestations.
At the time you go through motions of caring for baby as much as you can, and the same question is always on the tip of your tongue ‘when can we go home’? They never give a definite answer because they don’t like to get anyone’s hopes up. For use we only had a 2 week stay but I assure if felt like a lifetime there are no words to describe how it feels to leave your baby in hospital with strangers whilst you go home.
Thanks to the NICU Mini was a in a good routine and for next 4 months all she did was sleep and eat on 3-hour cycle. Gradually she woke up for longer periods.
The best advice we were given was is you feel she is not meeting a milestone you need to add 8 weeks so when other baby’s her age were beginning to sleep through the night she was 8 weeks behind, when other babies were ready to wean once again she was 8 weeks behind. We also found that when people talk about certain regressions, we experienced it twice. Once for actual age and once for adjusted age.
Overall when I think about what could have been happened with her being born so premature and the struggles, I watched other preemies and their parent’s face I count us very lucky.
This is not only a rough time for a premature baby who needs to learn to grow, feed all before they were supposed to, but it is also hard on the parents. Don’t not be afraid to reach out and ask for help and talk about how you are feeling. There are charities out there who you can reach out to and will support you and your baby.
Tommy’s
Bliss
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
]]>Hello and welcome to my blog.
As I am a blogging virgin and this being my first time please be patient there’s sure to be a few blogging faux pas. I thought I would start off by introducing who the people behind K & A Baby are and why we created our site:
www.kandababy.co.uk
Anyone who knows Andy and I, know that we live in organised chaos. We occasionally know what we are doing and when we are all together, we sometimes actually turn up on time!
So, with 3 children under our belts already between us we decided to add another member creating the awesome foursome.
Whilst pregnant with Panda I suffered with hyperemesis so getting out and looking at baby products was not always an option so I spent a lot of time surfing the net, and the most frustrating thing I found was having to look at loads of different sites and then trying to remember where I saw x, y and z to gather up what we needed.
Not long after Panda was born, and we finally came up for air and Andrew the entrepreneur of the family suggested we create an online baby shop.
As I absolutely love shopping, researching the latest baby products and spend all day with Mini and Panda this seemed like a great idea.
Eventually and as like the children we hope the site will grow and expand and eventually have everything you could possibly need for a new-born and toddler.
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