Our solids journey so far

It’s still kind of hard to believe that I have a child who eats solids! Never mind time flying by. I feel like I blinked and the first six months of Willow’s life had gone by.

Solids was a big deal for me. I was still breastfeeding Willow every two hours, sometimes day and night and a lot of people had told me that putting her on solids would help with that.

She was spacing her feeding out quite nicely until she hit four months old (every three hours or so) and then she had a growth spurt and seemed to go backwards in terms of sleep and eating.) My theory? The girl is hungry. And I totally understand because if she’s anything like me she has a never filled pit in her stomach that needs constant tending to.

So we decided to go ahead and start solids. In the spirit of full disclosure she was over 24 weeks old when we started and we started very slowly. The doctor was on board with the plan based on Willow’s development and growth rate. She was sitting up on her own, had great head control, showing interest in food (trying to take it off my plate) and making chewing motions with her mouth. Plus she had two teeth already.

I made the decision not to start her with rice cereal. We wanted her to have a healthy relationship with food that will stand her in good stead for the rest of her life. I also wanted her to enjoy vegetables. So we started her on different pureed veggies and they went down like a treat. She loves cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes, parsnips and courgettes! She enjoyed avo the first time I gave it to her but has since rejected it and isn’t very keen on sweet things.

Our strategy was to give her a new veggie every two days, just a few baby spoons full, for a couple of weeks. She only had one solid feeding a day – we always did lunch. Recently she has started demanding more food so we increased the portion sizes a little bit and that work well.

In the last week I have started giving her two feedings a day – breakfast and lunch. I have been giving her a plan veggie in the morning and then a blend puree in the afternoon. We’ll keep doing this for the next month and then move her up to three meals a day.

Since starting solids her poos have gotten more solid and stinkier – we didn’t see too much change on one meal a day, but there is a definite difference on two. She is still taking her breastmilk very well and the doctor has encouraged me to give water (which is a battle, she just doesn’t want to drink it!) but I’m very conscious of constipation. If anyone has any tips on getting babies to drink water please send them my way!

Constipation worries aside, her feeds have stretched to three to four hours apart! And her day time naps and night sleep have improved! Also since starting solids she is now introducing vowels into her vocalisations. Apparently this is because learning to use her lips and mouth to eat is important for speech development.

The books I have found most useful for our solid journey have been Ella’s Kitchen which has a great guide to introducing foods as well as awesome recipes. I found my copy at Woolworths, but I’m sure Exlusive Books will have too.

Also Annabel Karmel‘s 100 Recipes for Toddlers and Babies. You can find more of her books here. I found my copy at Exlusive Books.

I love that she’s sleeping better and that she continues to grow well. I am in love with the fact that she enjoys food and the eating experience. Feeding her is so much fun and I’m really enjoying this new phase in her life!

Willow’s 6 Month Check Up

I cannot believe that my baby is half a year old! It just blows my mind watching her grow and develop every day. I think I’ve finally hit that stage where I think ‘I made that!’ you know?

Anyway, we had her six month check up at the doctor the other day and I feel like I got 100% on a test! Nothing is more gratifying than a medical professional praising you for a job well done.

I did have a few concerns and things I wanted to talk to the doctor about going in, but mostly I was just excited to find out how Willow is really doing. When you’re with a person everyday everything becomes routine and you kind of miss the little things.

But I am happy to report that the doctor is very pleased with her progress. I gave myself a mental mom high five of awesomeness.

Growth wise Willow is perfectly average in her weight which is about 8 kg. She is measuring tall at 70cm, but it was something we expected and is perfectly normal so we’re pleased as punch. Her brain development is also good – I don’t know what her brain circumference is but it’s in the normal range. Also she is showing no signs on imbalance or scoliosis – another win.

Developmentally it seems that she is hitting some milestones early. Her sitting abilities are quite advanced and the fact that she bears weight on her legs so well. Also the fact that she is starting to use two hands in play (holds onto one toy and grabs for another with the other hand).

The doctor is also happy that we’ve started solids (I started her with first tastes a little early because she kept grabbing food off my plate) and gave me some advice on how to proceed. It was pretty much just underlining what I had already researched (I am hyper research mom after all!). But it was good to hear and know I’m on the right track. She also warned me about what to expect in terms of poops and sleep. So we’re all ready to go forth with operation solids.

I was a little concerned about this little cough thing Willow does but apparently there’s nothing to worry about unless it’s accompanied by a fever. Sometimes is gagging a bit on all the drool she has going on and other times its exercising her vocal cords (this is what my doctor said, please check with your own if your child is coughing!).

The last thing I was concerned about is Willow’s disdain for tummy time and how it will affect crawling. I never crawled as a baby and I have had upper body weakness all my life because of it. I also have issues with spatial awareness and battled to learn how to write when I first went to school. So I’m obsessed with Willow learning how to crawl. The doctor is not overly concerned though she thinks Willow should have no issue and I should just keep persevering.

On a side note I have been looking into baby exercise programs for a few reasons. I would like Willow to socialise a little bit – she loves other babies and I think she’d find it fun. Also I think it would put me in touch with other mothers which could also be a good thing. And third if it will help her upper body strength and crawling then I’m all for it. So we’ve signed up for Clamber Club starting in Mid-July. I’m quite keen to see how it goes.

How I’m doing…

So I thought I’d pop up a little bit of a Mom Progress Report because mom’s need love too.

It’s been almost six months since Willow was born and I have spoken very little about myself in all that time.

As I have mentioned before I found labour and delivery to be a lot easier than I expected. I know we all have different thresh holds and tolerances, but my body seemed to weather the storm pretty well. I’m not sure if the exercising I did leading up to the birth made much difference, but I like to think it did.

Just to recap, I didn’t go overboard with the whole fit pregnancy thing, but I tried to consistently work out and keep moving. I found going for walks really helped to stave off a lot of the morning sickness (maybe it was the fresh air?) and later in pregnancy it helped ease hip and back pain. Although I did find it difficult right towards the end – at that point I slowed the pace down to an amble and just focused on moving. I also did a lot of swimming in the final weeks. From the perspective of feeling good during pregnancy I highly recommend exercise. I put on a total of 19 kilos during my pregnancy.

Willow is a natural breastfeeding baby with a good latch and veracious appetite. For which I am grateful because otherwise her stint in the NICU with jaundice would have put paid to my breastfeeding goals. In the beginning we just focused on getting her better and getting my milk to come in. I am incredibly appreciative of my support system – our paediatrician was fantastic in the advice and support he gave me and my husband was sent straight from heaven. The experience was probably one of the hardest things I have ever gone through and I am so happy we got through it with a healthy baby who eats well and has grown like a weed.

Ladies if you’re attempting to breastfeed get yourselves a good lactation consultant early in the game, and make sure you have the support of the people around you; it makes such a difference. That said – if you can’t breastfeed there is no shame. Just do what works for you and is in the best interest of the baby. Willow was fed formula for the first week of her life because she needed the hydration. If she had to continue with the formula then that’s what we would have done.

In my experience the breastfeeding helped me to lose a lot of the baby weight. Again I know that isn’t the case for all moms, but it is how it worked out for us. As of now I weigh 57 kilos – which is a little below my ideal weight and quite close to what I weighed when I conceived. I’m not eating a calorie controlled diet or exercising at the moment. I hope that when I start to exercise more regularly I put on a bit of muscle and get back up to 58kg or more. I do fit back into all my prepregnancy sizes clothing wise and like the way I look so we’re leaving things as they are.

Creating a new normal and a bit of mom style

I healed quite quickly and very well from giving birth and at my six week appointment my doctor and I discussed birth control – as you do. We decided to go for the implant (which I will do a whole separate post on). So I had that installed in mid-April with very little fanfare.

So in short I’m tired and hungry all the time (did you know breastfeeding burns an extra 500 calories a day?) but very happy and completely in love with my little girl. My life and body are not what they used to be, but we have created a new normal and we love it!

Meal planning and shopping

In many ways having a baby hasn’t changed much of how my husband and I live our daily lives and in other ways everything is different.

One of the biggest differences was how we prepared our meals. When I was working full time we would tend to do a small daily shop. We’d go past the store on our way home from work and pick up the necessary fresh goodies for dinner.

Then I got pregnant and this became even more of a habit because I never knew what I was in the mood to eat or what would make me feel sick that day.

Now that Willow is here getting out of the house is more of a production. I find that too many outings mess with her routine, being out too long is a disaster and getting anything done is ten times harder.

So we had to rethink our strategy. We turned to good old meal planning. In the spirit of full disclosure I don’t do the cooking in my house (I cook very seldom and under great duress. I am not good at it, I don’t enjoy it, and I have a tendency to destroy perfectly good food.) That said, my husband reckons I’m a fussy eater and makes me plan for and buy all the meals and he cooks it.

What works for us is shopping every three days or so. I go through our freezer and fridge to see what we have on hand, what needs to be used up and what will be an easy meal to throw together. I then discuss the options with Hubby and together we plan a brief menu that includes a protein and veg for each day. I then see what needs to be added for lunches (will I eat left overs, make sandwiches etc.) and make sure I have what I need for breakfast (Hubby doesn’t eat breakfast).

Once the plan is more or less worked out I head to the shops to get what we need. I also have a chalk board in my kitchen for people to write down when we’ve finished basics like milk and sugar. This is also where the finished cleaning supplies get written up.

Willow and I try to stick as close to the list as possible when we’re out shopping. I find that this system is making sure we use up all the food we buy (I hate throwing away something that’s gone off because I forgot it was there. It’s a huge pet peeve for me.) This method is also great because we are getting more variety in what we eat and we are eating healthier.

I’m sure this habit will stand us in good stead as Willow gets older and when any siblings come along. It really helps me to have a list as I find I’m more focused and just get what we need. I’m a great one for grabbing things just because they look interesting and then they never get used.

Shopping smarter and eating healthier means I am feeling really good at the moment. My house isn’t full of crappy junk food anymore and I can tell in how my jeans fit, how my skin looks and how I feel overall.

Do you meal plan? Have you got any t6ricks I should try? I would love to hear them!

Must haves for 3 – 6 months

The first quarter of Willow’s life really flew past and we are now fast approaching her half birthday!

So I thought I would update our must have list that I posted a while ago (link).

I was initially going to post an update for 0 to 3 months, but after going through my list and looking at what we used in the 0 to 3 category it was all basically the same as for newborns.

So here is what we consider must haves for 3 to 6 months in our house:

Sitting unsupported for the first time

Play mat – We are still loving our play mat (we have one by Tiny Love that is designed to grow with baby and so far so good!). We use it every day and it’s great because the bright colours really helped with tummy time. Willow also love playing with the dangly toys. One thing I will say – to prevent boredom swap out the toys fairly regularly.

A heater and adult towels – Willow has always loved her bath but as the weather turned colder she started crying more and more. Hubby and I thought it was because she was cold. So we brought out our oil heater and put it in her room. We also started using ‘adult’ towels. They are much thicker than the baby ones and keep Willow warmer for longer. We also started making the water a tiny bit warmer. All that worked a treat and Willow is back to loving bath time.

The high chair is a real winner

A high chair – We have the Stokke Steps high chair and we love it. Willow started wanting to sit up really early. She hates it when her view is restricted and she wanted to be involved with everything going on. But I couldn’t hold her all the time. Enter the high chair. I now simply pop her in and give her a few toys – usually a Tupperware and plastic spoon or spatula – and she will happily entertain herself so I can tidy, cook, or do whatever I need to. Win!

A mobile – I never believed them when I was told a mobile is an essential. Well I’m now a covert. It’s great to have something to entertain a squiggly baby while you get them dressed or change a nappy. We got one it brightly coloured birds that plays Brahms’ Lullaby. At first Willow would just watch it avidly. Now she tries to catch the birds as they ‘fly’ above her head!

Here is Willow with Princess Sophie and her favourite book

Toys – Willow is now finally old enough for toys. She especially loves ones that make a noise. We are lovers of the Lamaze toys in this house. We have Dee the Dragon, Princess Sophie, Bella Bunny and a brightly coloured book. They are all winners. I love that they have different textures, colours and sound effects. Willow loves that they make noises and she can chew on them. She also has a monkey that she adores – we call him Paw Paw. I have also discovered that toys in the pram and car are a must!

Dribble bibs – Willow started teething early and she can produce and astonishing amount of drool. We love the Dribblies bibs. They keep her chest nice and dry and they come in different colours and prints. So they look very cute with her different outfits.

Teething toys – I won’t go too much into what teethers we love as I have already done a post on those. Read it here.

Chilling out in her camping cot with all her toys

 

Deryan Camping Cot – This is a pop up tent type camping cot that we used a lot during this period of Willow’s life. Its great for her to sleep in and also really awesome for her to play in safely while we sit outside. It zips up so she is safe from mosquitoes and snakes (we live in Africa, you can never be too safe) it’s small and compact when folded and it travels so easily. I highly recommend these.

And that’s it! I hope you find this useful. I will update this when we reach the end of the 6 – 9 months period. Also I would love to hear what you found useful for your little one. I’m always looking for things that make life easier!

Willow’s Capsule Wardrobe – 6 to 9 Months

I’ve started looking at Willow’s wardrobe as a capsule.

If you think about it isn’t a baby’s wardrobe a capsule wardrobe in the purest form? The clothes are only wearable for a few months (where we move on to the next season kids out grow their clothes). Then you start again with the next season and size up.

So I’ve been collecting clothes for Willow’s next size up. As with her previous wardobes I went with a colour scheme and made sure everything was able to mix and match. This season’s colour scheme is oatmeal, tan and cream as the neutrals, with dark purple, dusky pink and mint as the accent colours. There is also a bit of grey thrown into the mix.

I found this season a bit awkward to buy for because all of the sizes. Most shops only sell 6 to 12 months. Which doesn’t work for us because 6 to 9 will be all winter wear (July and August and September is often still frigid in Joburg) and 9 to 12 is summer. Also 6 to 12 looks miles too big for Willow…

It is hard to find shops that do 6 to 9 and 9 to 12 separately but I did find a few. So top tip if you’re looking for 6 – 9 specifically: Go to Mr Price and Keedo (and that’s nice high end and low end for you).

In the end I think I got a nice selection of goodies. I was looking for things that will keep her warm, but which I can layer as I don’t want her movement restricted.

Here’s what we got:

Most of the clothes come from Mr Price. I discovered they did baby clothes last month and they are one of the few that does 6 – 9 months. Also being so affordable I went a little crazy…

Star jogger set – Mr Price

Grey joggers – Mr Price

Some Bunny Loves You set – Mr Price

Heart leggings – Mr Price

Love sweat shirt – Mr Price

Sparkle t Shirt – Mr Price

Bon Jour t shirt – Mr Price

Owl t shirt – Mr Price

Grey brushed fleece tracksuit bottoms – Mr Price

Aztec harem pants from Mr Price

Silver and grey polka dot leggings – Mr Price

Then I got a few goodies from Ackermans – they were all gifts from friends who haven’t seen me since before Willow was born. I’m looking forward to her wearing everything!

Bow print leggings – Ackermans

Printed leggings – Ackermans

Fluffy onsie and t shirt – Ackermans

Zip up sweat shirt – Ackermans

Earth Child had a buy three get one free promotion so I got some basics

Leggings – Earth Child

T shirts – Earth Child

Cotton On also had a sale so I treated Willow to some cute t shirts

Pom pom frill t shirt – Cotton On

Wonderful t shirt – Cotton On

Apple t shirt – Cotton On

I got some cute multi packs at Woolworths, a pair of navy leggings which look like jeans that are too precious and a pair of jeans which was gifted to me:

Denim pinnie – Woolworths

Multi pack t shirts – Woolworths

T shirt multi pack – Woolworths

I Love Daddy multipack t shirts – Woolworths

Star ‘jean’ leggings from Woolworths

Baby jeans from Woolworths

These two t shirts come from Pick n Pay. They are completely gorgeous and really comfy:

Mini Mouse t shirt – Pick ‘n Pay

My Little Pony t shirt – Pick ‘n Pay

And finally this zip up onsie comes from Keedo and was a gift.

Printed onsie – Keedo

*Please note some of this I bought myself and some were gifts from friends and family. It was not all bought in one session.

 

Our daily routine

One thing I love about Willow being older is the fact that we now have a routine and our days have become somewhat predictable.

Don’t get me wrong, I use the word routine very loosely as you can’t always predict what’s going on with your little one.

There are a few things I try to do while Willow naps. These include doing her laundry, writing blog posts and taking stock images, the work I need to do as I’m starting to work from home. I also like to put outfits together for the both of us. I find this is a great way to get us both dressed quickly in the mornings so we can get to the important stuff; also it’s a great way to make sure she is wearing all her clothes as nothing upsets me more than when she outgrows something she never wore…

Most of our days look a little like this:

8 to 8.30 am: Wake up

8.30 am to 9.30/10am: Play time (I take Willow upstairs to the lounge so she can play with her toys and play gym. I attempt to get some tummy time in. Some days are more successful than others it depends on her mood. I will also use this time to get a workout in. I follow along to a short video on Youtube. If Willow is amenable I may do two but I really play it by ear. I will do a whole post on what workouts I have been loving.)

10am: Nap time (This is usually the best nap of the day. On a good day she will sleep for two hours on an average day it is only one hour. This sets the tone for the rest of the day. I use the time to tidy up, load the dishwasher, have a shower, maybe squeeze in a blog post or do some knitting. It really depends on what’s on our agenda for the day.)

11am: Wake up and play time. (I like to vary the kind of play we do. So here we will play games, sing songs, some days we may go out and run errands such as grocery shopping. She stays awake and happy for the longest time between now and her second nap.)

2pm: Nap time (On average this nap is only an hour. Again I use this time to do things I need to around the house.)

3pm: Wake up and play (again I like to vary the activities. So it really depends on what we did earlier in the day.)

4.30pm/ 5pm: Nap (If she only slept for one hour then she may need another nap in the late afternoon. This is normally a 20 to 30 minute cat nap at around 4.30 or 5pm.)

5pm to 6.30pm: Daddy time (By now my husband has come home from work and he gets to play with Willow. We will also all sit in the kitchen together and get dinner ready. Willow likes to sit in her high chair and watch all the activity and Hubby and I catch up on each other’s day.)

6.30pm: Bath time (We try to keep this as consistent as possible. I can push bath time by half an hour in either direct depending on sleep for the day, but 6.30 is our optimal time.)

7pm: Final feed and bed time.

*The reason I only included one feed in the routine is because Willow is still feeding every two to three hours. She will often have a feed before a nap even though I try to stick to the ‘wake, feed, play, sleep’ formula it doesn’t always work out for me. Also we will be starting on solids soon so the feeding will need to be rescheduled.*

When we go out I try to do it in the 11am to 2pm slot and I like to get back before nap time so her sleep is as consistent as possible. That said it doesn’t always work out.

May Favourites 2015

I find that it is so easy to get caught up in the day to day that life can become a bit boring. For this reason I really love the idea of monthly favourites like they do on Youtube etc. I don’t just mean focusing on most used beauty items, but what I enjoy is finding the little reasons to celebrate in every day, week and month. It certainly makes each month feel more meaningful to me.

Also my folks made it their new year’s resolution to find a reason to have champagne every month. I love this idea and want to join them in it. I think there is something so beautiful in making special occasions instead of waiting for them to find you.

So in this spirit I thought I would start doing quick posts about the things we have been loving lately as a family and what I have been loving as both a mom and an individual.

Beauty:

I have been loving the Essence I Love Autumn limited edition collection, especially the Walk in the Park eye shadow palette, which is beautiful golds and browns – prefect for everyday looks.

Butter Glosses in Merengue, Creme Brule, Eclair and Appel Strudel

Also NYX Butter Glosses have finally launched in South Africa! I have two colours from ages ago (Eclair and Crème Brulee) which I love so I picked up two more – Apple Strudel and Merengue. I love these. They are so easy to use, smell yummy and wear so well. I’m on a mission to get more now.

Dressed to Kilt and The Perfect Cover Up

Finally I also got my hands on Essie’s Autumn Collection. I got three shades which I see myself wearing well into winter: The Perfect Cover Up, Dressed to Kilt and

Fashion:

Most of my days are pretty casual, but I am loving a nice cosy knit with leggings or casual jeans for every day. The combo is so easy to wear when I’m bundling around the house and still looks good when I need to run errands. I especially love this tan and navy Aztec print one which goes with everything.

Baby Fashion:

I love a nice comfy pair of leggings and a tshirt that I can layer over a long sleeve onsie. For leggings and comfy tees look no further than Ackermans which does these awesome multi packs. I love this pink set I got for Willow that can be mixed and matched beautifully!

Also Naartjie baby has pretty adorable baby clothes and this is my favourite outfit from them.

Baby Essential:

If you have a teething baby you need Dribblies bibs! They keep the baby’s chest nice and dry. Also they look cute. I got mine from Kids Emporium.

Willow Approved:

Here is Willow with Princess Sophie and her favourite book

These Lamaze toys that make crinkly sounds are winners in our house. They are made out of different materials which are very stimulating and fun to play with and they are easy for little fingers to hold. Willow loves them.

Movie:

Our favourite movie from May had to be Avengers: Age of Ultron. Firstly it’s the first movie that Hubby and I have been to since Willow was born. Secondly it’s the first time we went out, just the two of us since Willow was born. And thirdly, it was a really good movie. We loved it!

 

Five months of Willow

Again a whole month has passed with no posts from me which is indicative, I think, of how busy we’ve been.

I made the leap to resign from my job and become a full time mom, although I am exploring options at the moment that will allow me to work from home which I am very excited about.

My days have become a bit of a blur of playing with Willow, stimulating her and watching her blossom and then trying to find a little bit of time for me. I have made the decision to do something every day that’s just for me. I really miss being able to sit down and write so I have made it a goal to do a bit of writing every day.

I have also started knitting again! For those who don’t know I am one of those crafty individuals. I love arts and crafts but especially love knitting and crochet. My mom and dad where here for a whole week in May and While mom was here and I had an extra set of hands to help out I pinched one of her patterns and a set of needles and set about making Miss Monkey a jersey. Ambitious I know, but I’m about half way done with the back and I am making it in 6 to 12 months so I figured at least I have some time to get it done.

Luckily naps are becoming longer and more regular and Willow is getting good at playing by herself for short periods of time so that helps me to indulge in a bit of mom time…

Now onto what you really came here to read about. How is Willow doing? Well here’s a rundown of her month:

• The biggest event in our lives right now is teething. All the teething symptoms we’ve been going through have finally come to fruition when Willow’s right lower incisor broke through on the 25^th of May! It went off without a hitch. She was drooling more than usual and had a bit of a runny tummy and sore bum, but that was it. One day there was no tooth then the next day there it was! She was much grumpier leading up to her second tooth breaking through – which happened on May 30. She didn’t sleep well and she had a very upset stomach. Now that both are through I hope life will return to normal.
• Rolling over is a big thing for Willow at the moment and the challenge for me has become keeping her on her tummy during tummy time because she will just flip right over. She also thinks it’s hilarious and will give me a huge gummy smile (I will miss those!) and a chuckle.
• She has also started sitting. Mind you she can’t pull herself into a seated position on her own, but when I put her in my lap she kept pulling herself forward. So one day I put her on the floor in that position and she put her hands on the floor and kept herself up for ages. She is also really proud of being able to do it too! She has balance issues so after a while she will topple over. But it’s really cute to watch her sitting and checking out the scene.
• Because of the teething and rolling over we have gone through a bit of a sleep regression. Apparently this is common when babies learn a new skill. She wouldn’t settle down for the night for ages past her bedtime and then would wake up every two hours and demand a feed. So I spent much of May in an exhausted daze. We seem to be settling down now. I have dropped her 8pm cluster feed (I pick her up, cuddle her and then lay her down again). This seems to have helped a bit, but I will need more time to be sure.
• According to my scale at home Willow is just over 7 kilograms. And my mom and I measured her to be 68cm tall. That puts her in the 50^th percentile for weight and the 90^th for height according to the Baby Centre tool I found online. I know this is not according to my doctor’s instruments, but we will only see him again when Willow is 6 months old and I was curious. It will be interesting to compare the measurements next month.

Please note the tooth in that adorable smile!

Chomping down on her stage 1 tooth brush now that her teeth have arrived

The high chair is a real winner

The final gummy smile! Her teeth broke through shortly after this picture was taken

Sitting unsupported for the first time

Taking a nap on dad’s lap

We spent our first Mothers’ Day at home – Hubby made an incredible lunch and his mom and aunt came for a visit. It was just what the doctor ordered.

Well that’s all I have for you at the moment. Willow loves toys that make noises and loves to sing and talk so she’s a very loud, audio driven baby. She’s also very busy which is wonderful!

Let’s talk teething

I finally have some time to sit down and write! Would you believe it?

To today I thought I’d chat with you about our favourite teething accessories. We have hit that point in development and Willow is starting to give me a run for my money!

Teething for us means quite a bit of grumping, whining, chewing everything in sight including the fingers and hands of whoever is holding her, blankets and of course toys. And drool. SO much drool. My husband calls her Gobzilla for good reason. It is constantly dribbling out of her mouth. All. The. Time!

Well, her bottom two teeth have now popped through and these are the teethers that got us thorugh

The Nuby Stage 1 Teething Dummy – my daughter has never liked dummies (or pacifiers as some say). In fact many a dummy has found itself hurled across the room. But this one is a hybrid between a traditional dummy and a mouth guard. She loved to sit and chew on it, although I need to be on hand for when it slips out of her mouth. Now she can manipulate it and put it in her mouth herself. Its fun to watch. I also found this a brilliant way to use teething gel. I would put the gel on the gum guard and then pop it in her mouth. Trying to apply it directly to her mouth was just messy and more would get on her tongue than her gums…

Sophie the Giraffe – We have two Sophies. The traditional giraffe loved the world over and an actual teething ring with nubs and bumps to chew on and relieve sore gums. Both are well loved in our household. Another thing I love about them is that they are easy for Willow to hold by herself so she can get the most out of them

The Oball – We have two Oballs, a bigger one with a rainmaker rattle inside and this small one. I also have the Oball linky looks which are rubbery and interesting shapes and colours. They are easy for babies to get a grip on. The small one is better for now as it is nice and light and flexible. Low loves it. She plays with it for ages. It’s also great for encouraging midline play and great from throwing to get mom to play fetch.

Pigeon Barbell Teether – This is great for early teethers like Willow! It is super light and small so little babies can hold and manipulate it. So it will work the motor skills and hand eye coordination. It has the petals are made of textured rubber which make them fun to chew on. Full of win

Multicoloured rattle – This was a gift so I’m not sure of the brand but I’m sure you’ll find similar. This was first toy Willow worked out how to hold herself and she loves to chew on the coloured pipe things, which are rubbery. Add a fun sound and you have a winner. Also great for midline play and hand eye coordination.

Mo the Mouse – This is a soft toy, rattle, teether hybrid and Willow loves it. The tone of the rattle is unlike anything else we have so that keeps it interesting. Willow likes to chew on the whole thing, but the wooden ring is where the teething is supposed to happen. What I also like about it is that it’s full of different textures so it’s fun for the littles.

And finally to address all the drool we have going on:

Bibs are a must have! We like a brand of bibs called Dribblies. I have seen others overseas called Dribble Bibs. They look like hankerchiefs, catch all the drool and keep the chest dry. Which I feel is super important.

Then finally I swear by Aquaphor balm. I apply it to Willow’s cheeks, chin and neck to stop her from getting a rash from all the saliva. It’s also great for mom when you can find lip balm!

I hope this helps you with your little ones on their teething journey. Let me know if you have any other recommendations we should try out!