I’m really enjoying this age, although Aiden is still technically a baby he looks so much more mature in the face. Since starting solids last month, he has grown heaps and really blossomed. We’re having so much fun at the minute, despite my exhaustion because my little man has all the energy of a Duracell bunny, he’s just into everything and wants to bounce all day long.
Sleep Deprivation
This month has been tiring and there has been a lack of sleep mainly due to me working late and trying to transition Aiden from sleeping in our bed to his cot. I like to keep things real on the blog, it’s been tough! Changing from lots of snuggles from his mama and papa bear in the night to a huge space all on his own must be quite daunting for him. Equally, getting up out of bed and walking across the hall to do the night feeds instead of practically just having to roll over is also a big deal too. Now I have to actually wake myself up to feed him, rather than being half asleep and drifting off again.
The first week was horrific, trying to get AJ to sleep in his cot is something that I never had imagined would be so hard. There was one point when we thought he would never sleep in it at all! We even tried controlled crying at one point, which I can’t stand and didn’t work for us anyway. To be fair, perhaps I wasn’t being persistent enough in the beginning, after trying to put him down at least 3 times in his cot I would give up and bring him back to our bed.
Out of nowhere, two weeks ago after half-heartedly putting him down in his cot after his bedtime feed, he slept happily in it for a few hours, woke for his next feed and went down again in his cot then the morning came and he was still sleeping soundly in it. I was a tired mess come the morning with the getting up and down and panicking about whether he’s still breathing in his room all by himself, but we had finally cracked it, such a relief!
Breastfeeding and Weaning
We’re still breastfeeding on demand alongside weaning, one thing that I forgot to mention in my last update is that nursing a baby with teeth hurts. I’m talking about a sharp searing pain when they don’t manage to get their tongue over their tiny but super sharp teeth. It happened a couple of times last month and I think me yelping in pain must have scared Aiden as he starting crying afterwards, however, he hasn’t bitten me since, thank goodness.
Weaning is going great and there is nothing that Aiden won’t try. We’re now giving him the same foods as us and have now fully embraced the baby-led weaning route with a few tweaks that some dedicated purists probably won’t agree with, but they work for us and we’re doing fine.
He’s tried curry, mousaka, pasta dishes, meat, fish and his current favourite vegetables are sweet potato, asparagus and green beans. One thing that I do struggle with is when to know when he’s finished and I worry about him not eating enough because sometimes he only has a couple of bites or spoonfuls. I’ve read that milk is their main source of nutrition until one year so I know he will be fine regardless. It’s so lovely watching him enjoy his food and feed himself. My Gill Rapley recipe book arrived last week and I can’t wait to make some of the recipes from it that are designed for two adults and one baby with the baby-led weaning philosophy in mind.
Body
Pretty much no change in this department really. I have felt a bit run down though and rough, but I think that’s just down to the tiredness. I’m planning a pamper session this upcoming weekend which will hopefully just what I need after a busy couple of weeks. I’m feeling much stronger in the abdominal area and as I mentioned last month postnatal Pilates has been great for this and knitting everything back together again.
Mind
Unlike last month, I’ve finally come round to the fact that my little man is growing up fast. He’s developing so quickly at the moment that sometimes it’s hard to keep up with his milestones. One day he won’t be able to do something and the next he’s managed to move himself from one side of the room to the other, more on that in a moment. Watching him grow into a little boy is one of the most special things and rather than dwell on the fact that time is just flying I’m taking each day as it comes and enjoying the moments. I’m really glad that I’ve got these monthly updates to refer back to when he’s older.
Aiden’s Milestone’s
So, Aiden has now mastered the art of crawling backwards, I’m not sure how he does it to be honest. He sort of lifts himself up into a plank hold and hops backwards, it’s amazing to watch but also very scary as he’s so mobile now. Apparently it’s normal for babies to start to crawl backwards first because their arms aren’t strong enough to pull themselves forwards yet. Everyone keeps telling me that he will be crawling forwards in a couple of weeks and I should brace myself. I think it’s time to start baby-proofing the house!
A new trick, which seems to be his favourite at the moment is being able to clap his hands. It’s really funny when he claps at specific moments of applause, all completely coincidently but adorable nonetheless. He’s probably the only person in the entire world who appreciates my bad singing because he will stop what he’s doing and listen intently. I’ve bought him some new books this month as I was bored with reading the same ones to him and I’m hoping that it will help him develop new sounds and help his vocabulary when he starts talking properly. I love reading the stories to him that I enjoyed as a child.
Everything is of interest to Aiden, his hands reach out to try to touch everything and he’s really engaged into his surroundings now. Watching him sit up unaided and play with his toys, reach out for distant objects and genuinely giggle when he finds something funny are other reminders at how well he is coming along. We have our 8 months developmental check with the health visitor already booked in and I’m really intrigued to find out her thoughts on how he’s doing because the last time she saw him he was only 10 weeks old.
My son is a breastfed baby and we’ve only just moved him into his (well shared with his sister) room at 15 months. I was in no hurry and we co-slept until that point. He’s taken to it well and has just started sleeping a solid 10 hours. Only the week before that started, I thought I was going to die of sleep deprivation as he was waking hourly! I haven’t been blessed with sleepers so have spent the best part of 3.5 years running on coffee and wine. Enjoy him – it goes so fast!
We were kind of forced into co-sleeping because of Aiden’s reflux issues very early on. We are very much baby-led, but both had agreed to put him in his own room at 6-months. I do miss my baby snuggles though and the past week he’s spent half the night in his cot and the other half with us. 🙂
Oh 7 months really is a lovely age, full of exciting things, weaning and being more mobile. I do hope you get more sleep soon though – I am also abit like that, trying to do work and get a baby into a good sleep routine can mean lack of sleep on your own part. I breastfed my first until he was just past 2yrs and you do get past the teething stage even if it does hurt every now and then.
Laura x
We are at a good stage with the teething thing at the moment, but I can see the top ones starting to come through now and not sure how it’s going to be when they are full out.
Hi,
Really enjoy reading your baby updates brings back memories of my little boy who will be two in August. We are still breastfeeding Which I know I will miss when we stop in a few months. We still co sleep and I love it. My eldest son coslept until he was three and when he went in his own room I missed him so much. I had health visitors telling me you need to get him in his own bed so many times, I tried letting him cry, tried putting him in when he was asleep and other things it didn’t work for us ( maybe I have up too easy) well doesn’t matter it worked out brilliant for us. So I won’t be making the same mistake. They don’t like endless hugs for long.
Can’t wait for your next update.
Lovely to read that you are enjoying my updates. Motherhood is such a wonderful journey and I love that I will have these posts to look back on. Aiden still manages to spend a couple of hours in our bed at night, especially after an early morning feed when I’m too tired to settle him. I do love co-sleeping and miss him so much even though he’s only across the hall.
Aww the first photo is stunning!
Glad to hear things are going well. It’s fascinating hearing about all the foods he’s trying as well. How cool.
Thanks, Anna! It’s wonderful watching him try different foods and experience new tastes. He’s definitely not a picky eater that’s for sure.
He’s such a cutie Jemma – and what a fantastic palate already! I think he eats more varied than my picky eater sister!
The sleeping situation sounds tough, I’m bad enough at my efforts to make the puppy sleep in his own room – I hate to think how hard it is with a baby but it sounds like you’re doing a great job 🙂
Thanks, Claire! Ha! He’s definitely not a picky eater, so lovely to see him enjoy his food. 🙂
He really is adorable and that is such a sweet photo of you both.
You sound like you have everything figured out and you are coping with things really well 🙂
I definitely feel more confident Dannii, just taking each day as it comes. 🙂
Sounds like you have this pretty much under control and what beautiful little boy you have, I can’t imagine ever having a baby of my own but I’ll never say never : )
Thanks Tamzin, he is a real cutie! You never know, you might change your mind in a few years. 🙂
Weaning was easy with my youngest girls as well, they are both such great eaters, and my one year old still tries everything at least once, we have been blessed with this one! Congrats…
Thank you! Yes, I’m so happy that he loves his food.
What a great post and I’m so happy for your mom, congratulations! My daughter is now 10 months and it’s a wonderful exciting time! But to keep it real it’s also very frustrating at times LOL so it’s nice to read stories like yours so that I know I’m not in the seperate boat
It is the most wonderful and hardest thing ever, but worth every second.
Awwww God bless I remember those days with my son
It’s such a blessing! 🙂
My children are 3 and 5 and I’m still amazed by how much they change monthly too.
It’s crazy how fast they learn and develop isn’t it.
Congrats on your baby’s progress he is adorable. I don’t have children, but I can’t wait to the day I have my first one. I hope for twins hehe xx
Thank you! Twins would be fun. 🙂
Omg what a cutie!!!! I lucked out with the sleeping! My daughter slept threw the night as an infant! I had to wake her to feed and change her lol…. Now that she’s 3 though ughhhh… She wakes up in the middle of the night for a drink and I’m not use to it lol… Funny how that happens -_- lol
Oh, that is very lucky for you! It is funny how their habits change like that.
Sounds like you are both doing really well! Crawling backwards sounds adorable!
It is very cute to watch I have to say. I’m waiting for the day when he decides to go forwards, maybe backwards is more fun. 🙂
My baby sleeps in my room but in a crib. In the mornings I pull her in to feed her and snuggle for about 3 hours and I have noticed that she loves to be snuggled up close to me. I am so nervous for her to start crawling and all of that, I want to freeze time. She is 4 months old right now. Time has just flown by and I want it to freeze. It was fun reading about your baby though and also gave me something to look forward too. Sitting up and playing with her toys more.
xx, Michelle
http://rosetolife.com
Ha! My little one loves snuggling to even now at 7 months, I do love it. The time really does fly, cherish every second.