6 things we were looking for in a highchair

Yes.... we finally bought a highchair for Damian, somebody will tell that is to early, somebody that is too late... but it is never late or soon if you think it is the right moment for your family.

A highchair has to come into your house to help you and not to bother you. I love Google search as there you can find a lot of useful things for you, and every question that you are aware of, you can find the answer really quick. At the end of my google searches, I made a clear vision about the perfect highchair that has to be bought for our toddler. Here are these 6 things which I really need in a highchair:

1. Safe - this is the most important thing in every toy you buy for a baby and of course in a highchair too.

2. Easy to handle both with a baby ( the weight of highchair is just 4,5 kg). Can you imagine that you are alone with your baby at home. Baby is crying, you need to prepare some food really quickly. The highchair is in the living room, you have to pick up your baby, highchair and of course some toys. If it is a really hard highchair this appears to be mission imposible for you. So, easy to handle is a perfect choice.

3. Easy to storage (we want that this highchair won´t occupy a lot of space after its use). If ypu live in a house it doesn't matter, but once you live in a flat every piece of space is important.

4. Practical - easy in use, you as a mother can manage to put your baby alone without any help. As well your child to find it comfortable and eat there with pleasure.

5. Colourful - perfect for children. Your baby to enjoy the time spending here.

6. Price - it doesn't have to be expensive

Now you understand why I have looked so meticulously for this highchair.

We bought this highchair on Amazon, and I am really happy about this. I think this highchair has all the features that we were looking for. My first impression when we received it was that how great is to eat alltogether, and I don´t have to handle my baby while we are eating. And he feels independent as he has his own place to eat and play.

Below you can see how happy was Damian with his new throne, even if he is little he clearly understands that this toy is new and he has to discover it.

Which of the features you were looking for a highchair?

This highchair was bought on Amazon, below you can see some similar highchairs:

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!

As I have special guests on these holidays, my parents came from Moldova, I have no time to write a post. So here I leave you a special song from Damian´s nursery. Hope you like it!!!

Damian wish to all of you a Happy New Year!!!

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How many hours is sleeping your baby?

My question is for you dear mums, how much is sleeping your lovely baby?

First days I was thinking that my baby is not sleeping at all, but actually I was not sleeping at all :D. I was reading that newborns have to sleep almost 14-18 hours per day. So, as not sleeping mum (I think that almost all of you passed through these tough days) I've begun to count the hours one by one while he was sleeping. My big surprise was that Damian was sleeping almost 19 hours per day, the only problem was that these hours were not followed, it was like he was sleeping half an hour, then he was waking up por another half an hour, then he could decide to sleep just 20 minutes, so I couldn't even to make some stuff for me. Meanwhile he was sleeping I had to make a shower, to dress up, to eat... and all these just in 20 minutes. It was very interesting, even in the night he wasn't sleeping more than 1,5 hours followed. BUT, this happened just first days of his life, and now I remember it with a smile on my face, and if sincere I'm very happy that I passed through these tough moments as I've begun to appreciate all the moments that I am free.

Each month it becomes easier and easier as Damian began to sleep followed and during the night I had no problems with him to wake up. He woke up just for feeding and nothing more. Till 4 months during the day he was sleeping as much half an hour followed if we were at home, and as much one hour if we were outside. As all this time I was thinking why my baby is not sleeping followed I was calculating his time of sleeping and it were almost 16-17 hours a day, not bad at all, but if you think that it could be followed and you could arrange to do a lot of things during this time... but no.. it wasn't followed, no way :).

Now, he is almost 7 months, just 1 week left to have this big number, Damian is sleeping very well, during the night 10-11 hours, and during the day 3-5 hours, depends on how much he is tired. I am happy, as now he begins to sleep more followed. During the day he can sleep sometimes almost 3 hours followed, it is just WOW... not always, but at least he is sleeping 1,5 hours followed and this is just great.

Nobody and nowere is writing and telling you that babies are not sleeping followed first months. I found this information asking other people with babies and almost all of them are not sleeping followed a lot of hours.

I adore him while he is sleeping, I think that every mum that is reading this understands me very well and not just because you have some time for you, but as well to watch him sleeping. Me and daddy could not resist not to take pictures of him while he is sleepping. Here you have some images from all the times...

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First teeth

Exactly two weeks ago we had seen first 2 teeth that appeared at Damian. We were extremely happy... if you have a baby you know this feeling and if you don´t have for sure you will understand when you will have. In any case all the development that you see on your baby is making you happier as you understand that your baby becomes bigger.

As well it is very difficult, because the child becomes very nervous, always crying and as it was in our case Damian had fever... and this is not so fun. We didn´t understand from the very first moment why he is nervous, because usually he was very happy and enjoying the time passed with us, but that weekend was one of the most difficult for all three of us. We were lucky that he didn´t have diarrhea, that it is one of the very common sign of teething.

Here are the symptoms that we had with teething:

- drooling - these begins from his 4th months birthday and we thought that these happen because of teething, but we didn´t know that teeth will appear just after 2 months, but in any case I was reading that drooling begins earlier than teeth appear. As we were prepared for this we gave him bibs to keep him cleaner and his clothes not to get wet.

- crying - he was very nervous as I mentioned and was unhappy in all the positions that we put him. Even rocking on arms he didn´t like (very unusual for him)

- gnawing- as well he begun gnawing at 4th month and we bought him special teething toy that has to be freezed in the fridge before he is gnawing it. As well we bout special gel that relieves teething, this helps but for a very short time.  As well I gave him my fingers, actually like this I understood that he had 2 teeth, because it hurt so much when he gnawed my fingers.

- fever - this symptom is not very usual on all babies, so in case that you are a lucky mum you won´t know what is this.

Which symptoms did you have with your baby´s teething?

Here are some images that we tried to do with dad, but it was difficult and you won´t see the very well.

 

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CHRISTMAS TREE

Happy 1st of December, first day of winter! I don´t like winter, but I love so much holidays and all the magic things that happen in winter. I am big enough to believe in Santa Claus, but not that big enough to think that there is a magic power that helps our dreams come true.

I think that mine and my husband dream always was to have a really big Christmas Tree and to have a lots of gifts under it. So we decided to buy a natural Christmas tree for Damian in his first year because we wanted that he feels the smell of a natural tree and that he has a habit that on Christmas all need to be natural.. tree, feelings, life. My husband was at special Christmas fair in Barcelona and bought the biggest tree that he found :), I was happier than Damian :D. We don´t have gifts under it yet, but of course these will be (feeling excited). So, I don´t want to bother in this post with a lot of words, I just leave you with photos.

P.S. The tree wasn´t cut, it is natural natural and in January we will have to leave it on the street and there is a special company that colect all the trees and delivers and plant these in mountains. So maybe we will buy our tree and next year :D.  

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Vaccines - pro or against ?

Last week we vaccinate Damian for the third time. I would like to make some comments about vaccination, what vaccines we´ve made him, and why we vaccinate him.

As I know, there is a lot of people that decide not to vaccinate theirs children because of religion or other stereotypes. We, me and my husband, decided that it is important to vaccinate our child, just because we knew that we want him to go to the nursery, and it is really important to prevent some deseases or infections that he can take during his growth. As well each time when we vaccinate Damian, I have to show in the nursery about his vaccines. Till know we´ve vaccinate three times Damian, first time was at 2 months, second at 4th and the las at 6th. As I remember, on his first days of life he was vaccinated as well, but I don´t know which of the vaccines were done.

Mostly all of the vaccines are free of charge in Catalonia, but there is some optional that have a cost. One of them that have a cost and we decided to make is Prevenar 13. Damian was vaccinated with prevenar 13 at 4 and at 6 months, the next time will be at 9 ant 15 months. Prevenar 13 is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of invasive disease, pneumonia and acute otitis media caused by serotypes Streptococcus pneumoniae included in the vaccine in infants and children from 6 weeks to 17 years old. We could decide not to do this vaccine, but after a lot of hours looking into forums and asking friends with children, we decided that it is better to vaccinate with Prevenar 13.

Other vaccines that were made at 2,4 and 6 months were:

DTPa - Vaccine is "three in one" that PROTECTS against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (whooping cough)

VPi -  The IPV polio vaccine is a vaccine that prevents children with contagious disease caused by a virus, poliovirus vaccine known Poliomielitiscomo that produces digestive and neurological symptoms, sometimes very serious.It is primarily transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food or water or by contact with people who clear the virus in the faeces (is called fecal-oral), but can also be spread by air via droplets of salivation.

Hib - is a conjugate vaccine developed for the prevention of invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria.Vaccinations against Haemophilus influenzae (Hib) have decreased early childhood meningitis significantly in developed countries and recently in developing countries.

HB - is a vaccine developed for the prevention of hepatitis B virus infection. The vaccine contains one of the viral envelope proteins, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). It is produced by yeast cells, into which the genetic code for HBsAg has been inserted.

MCC - The meningococcus is a bacterium that can cause severe infections in children and adults: meningitis and sepsis. The bacteria enters through the mouth or nose and then infects the individual. Vaccination is very safe and effective. The vaccine is a conjugate vaccine (MCC) consisting of part of meningogoco C. You should list three doses: 2.4 to 6 months.

All the information about this vaccines I found in internet, as I don´t have a medical backgroud. For me I found it useful, and I think that this information can be useful for you as well.

I know that in each country the vaccines can differ, so it can be that your child has been vaccinated with other vaccines than Damian. Which one have you made?

   

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How to chase the cold from your babies.

Another week passed, and I have a lot of things to share with you, but, in this post I will share just the problem that I had last week with our lovely baby. Because I think that this happened not just with me and Damian, but also with your babies.

From the beggining I want you to say that I´m outdated and I choose naturist treatment versus drugs. And I appeal to the drugs in the last moment, in case that I see that nothing good happened.

So, Damian got a cold. It is told that you don´t need to make baths when children are sick, because in this way they can have fever. We, me and my husband, decided to make the bath, because Damian likes it so much. We were careful and made a litle bit colder the water than we make it usually. The good news that nothing bad happened.

 

The next step was massage, not just a simple one, but with special cream. I was reading that it is good to put in the bath some drops of eucalyptus, but till 7 years you don´t need to do this. I am very thankful to the pharmaceutist that he told us about this and advised us to make massage with the cream that is in the picture. It is a gel enriched with 100% organic essential oils and vanilla from Madagascar and you have to apply just a knob of gel once or twice a day (I used twice, in the morning and in the evening) on chest and back ( I also used to do on the feet) massage gently until full absorbtion. 

I want to say that this gel made wonderful thing with our baby.

 Another tip is to give him a little portion of food oftenly than usual, it helps his organism to fight with the cold. As well it is really important to give him a lot of water, that his body doesn´t dehydrate.

In just one day the cold had gone, I was really happy, but I asked the nurse to make the same procedure with water and food as I was doing at home. When I was to pick him up, he was very good.

I felt relieved and I thought that I am very lucky and Damian as well. But few days after he begun to have snot, so the cold didn´t go so quickly as I thought. I didn´t use any special treatment, I just tryed to spent more time on fresh air, and it really helped. As a tip, when I was in the hospital first two days, the nurse told me that were made studies and it is really bad to use nasal aspirator for babies. In case that you use it, you can notice that the problem doesn't dissappear for a long time, and the nose of your baby is making more snot. A friend of mine told me that she used it and snot dissappear for a short time and for a long term she needed to invent something.

I'm happy that Damian is ok. I want to say that all the information that I shared is my own experience and every child is different, so you can choose to treat your child in the same way or differently.

xoxo

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Nursery - impressions

First week at nursery past quickly. I thought that it would last forever... but no, just first day lasted forever, other ones run quicker.

I was very nervous and afraid about what will happen and how Damian will react to a new change, and after this week I understood that a lot of things in our life pass easier and in more pleasant way that we are waiting them to be.

Monday. As I told I was very nervous, actually I was crying, sorry for such detail, but it is really difficult to leave your child in other hands, even if you know that it is better for him and for you. Damian was as real man, he didn´t cry, he even didn´t want that I will kiss him...sure with a lot of girls, how he can permit this :). He was really calm, and nurse told me that he was a good boy and he wasn´t crying...just wow. At home he was surprisingly quiet and slept twice before the night. He was so exhausted that he went to sleep at 19.30, when he usually sleeps at 21.00 or 22.00. He felt asleep in dad´s hands.

Tuesday. It was easier for me, I felt better and I´ve seen that he likes the nurse and went to her arms like to anyone who knows very good. As well after nursery he was very very calm, slept twice before the night sleep. He was so tired, but on Tuesday he went to sleep at 20.00.

Wednesday. Ooops... we´ve got a virus or a cold (more details and tips how to get your child to feel better in just one day on other post). We didn´t know, but Damian had snot and dad went to pediatrist and Damian stayed at home....the wonders of the nursery :(

Thursday. I was asking the nurse for a special care of my baby, and that she gave him little portions of milk and more often than usual he eats. As well he needed to drink more water that his body don´t dehydrate. I want to tell that when I took him from the nursery he was in a really good mood and was without any snot. I was really grateful for such care.

Friday. The last day of the week, he passed it well. When I went to take him back home he was looking very interested in all the colours that are in the nursery. I think that he likes it. As mum, what can be better than a happy child.

I can firmly say that it is more difficult for us as adult than for them as they are children. The nurses are taking care of them very well and I see how just in one week, Damian looks bigger. So, now, I just want to be with him, and this weekend will be the amazing one for all of us... I feel this.

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Preparing for the nursery

Today I was preparing all the stuff needed for the nursery. On Monday will be the first day when our lovely child will go to the nursery. As every mother I´m really worried and I hope that girls from nursery will take care of Damian. On other hand, I´m really happy for him, because there he will play with other children and will be more entertained as with me or dad at home. He will learn Spanish and Catalan, because at home I´m not talking with him in these languages. He will learn how to play with other children, how is to eat in a group and many other things that I won´t be able to teach him at home.

Each nursery has its own rules. So, I have to prepare a lot of things till Monday, and I don´t think that one day is enough.

- 5 images. He will have his own space in the nursery and it has to be signed.
- documents. His birth certificate, our residence permissions, contact numbers, a short description about his daily life.
- clothes. All of his clothes need to be named, I have to write on all his things ´DAMIAN´. It is fun, and a looot of work.
- dipers, cream, wet wipes, napkins
- draperies
- pacifier
- 2 bottles (one for the milk, another for water)
- bibs.


Almost, that is it. So, on Monday I will share my feelings, Damian´s feelings and how all is going.

xoxo

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London

Traveling with babies it´s a lot of fun and a lot of worries. I think that for a great getaway is important to have luck and your baby to be very calm. In other case you will have a really bad experience. I can firmly say that we are very lucky with my husband, just because Damian was very quiet... I would say very unusual quiet. He was sleeping, eating and sleeping what helped us to take advantage of the time passed there. As well you have to be very lucky if you want that in October to be sunny (as it was) and not rainy (as was promised)... so what can be better that lovely child, lovely weather and your love with you.
I wouldn´t say that it is very easy to travel with babies, I think that it is really hard, but you have to be patient and all will be ok.
FLIGHT I was afraid about the flight, because it is Damian´s second time when he is flying and first time he was crying in the plane, it was very difficult to calm down (he was 2,5 months).Now for my surprise he was very calm, he was sleeping all way from Barcelona to London(this told me dad). In any case if you are traveling with your baby, as a tip, you have to give him a pacifier or caramel during landing, it helps to his ears and he is not noticing the pressure at the landing.
HOTEL I booked a double room (not triple) at www.lastminute.com and I didn´t mentioned that we need a cot, but when we arrived they kindly proposed a cot for us and boiled water for preparing Damian´s food. Our stay at Danubius Regents Park was perfect, quality service of personal helped us to have a lovely stay there. Damian was sleeping when we get to the hotel and we just went to sleep, because we were very tired.
LONDON As we were with Damian I was thinking a lot how to manage to see London and the best of it. Underground is an option to get faster where you need, but it is not the perfect way in case you have a pushchair and a baby. After weeks of searching of any options, I decided that we will go just to Big Ben and to Buckingham Palace, and rest of the time just strolling near the hotel. In the last days I found a really great price for Sightseeing Tour Bus that includes in price of one ticket 2 days of City Tour and a round way ticket on the River Thames. Just great! I bought it for us (babies are free of charge) and we´ve seen all the city in 2 days and spent lovely the time on Thames Tour.
EAT. As I mentioned previously on other posts, I begun to work and now I give him breast on the night and during the day dad gave him bottle. In London we were buying (if we were not in the hotel) boiled water and preparing the food. We had termos with us, and this helped us to mantain the water at the same temperature much more time.
DRESS. Damian was dressed more than enough I think, but I was calm and sure that all is ok. He wasn´t complaining :)
WAY BACK. He was crying when we went back to Barcelona, but it is normal, he was tired and it was the first time in 2 days. Don´t worry, babies need to cry sometimes.
In any case, for a perfect journey you need :
- a happy baby - good weather - pushchair - a lot of pampers - food - clothes - good mood :)
And as promised, pictures:

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Welcome to UK

I think that I had 4 longest days in my life, and 3 not very good slept nights. I am with work in London, and it is so difficult to be so far from your lovies.

BUT, my sweety is comming with dad and we will explore London during this weekend. Finger crossed that it will not rain and we will have great weather... I really hope.

Now I´m at the airport and waiting for them. I think that they will apreciate my warm meeting that I prepared for them. I just can explain in words how I´m happy that I´ll see them soon.

So, be prepared for some really good pictures and advices how to travel with babies.

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Stroller, our new friend

One week passed by, first week at work and first week when dad is staying alone with our big boss. I can firmly say that dad has done very well his job and we are a big power when we are doing this job (being parents) together.
I wanted to share our experience with stroller from the very first day of using it, but unfortunately being a working mum, not always can permit the luxury to write a post or to do something for myself.

Yes, we are almost 5 months (2 days left) and we are using a STROLLER and left our lovely PRAM.
We wanted to wait till our child goes to nursery and then just to change him from pram to a stroller, but it was hard, Damian always wanted to see what is happening outside. He left us to decide or we will carry him always on our arms or we will change the pram for a stroller. Dady didn´t resist and 3 days how he has made this big change. His back told ´thank you´ as the only way Damian stays calm were arms.
Disadvantages:
- Damian is too small for a stroller.
Advantages:
- He is looking with his little eyes full of wonder and interest to this big city life.
- The pram has different options of leaning (90°, 45°, 180°) , I can change the position just with one click.
- He is sleeping much ... much better than in the pram.
- It looks like more fashionable ( maybe because it is new and I like it more).
As you can see, we found more advantages than disadvantages for passing from pram to stroller... and we like it. I think that you have to listen to the wishes of your child, he knows better what he needs.
When did you change the seat for your baby ?

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Introducing solid food

Hello my dear readers,

today I want to share with you our experience with introducing solid food to our baby. From start I thought that it will be very difficult, as children on his age don´t know how to take spoon and how to mix food it in their little mouth. For my big surprise it was easier than with bottle.

In many sources I have read that it is better to introduce solid food from the sixth month, and till then just breast milk, even our pediatrician told us this. We haven´t listened to anybody, just because Damian from his 3rd month was looking greedy when I was eating something. So a few days before his 4th months birthday we decided to give him fruit porridge. He was very happy, even the fact that he was eating with spoon and not from the bottle was a big change for him.  This fruit porridge we bought in a supermarket and is special for children, so I didn´t prepare it at home.

As well I gave him cereals (corn and rice), special for 4 months baby that not contain gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat. It's gluten that helps to make bread dough stretchy when you're working it. Giving to baby gluten before he's six months old could increase his chance of developing coeliac disease. Coeliac disease happens when your baby's immune system mistakes gluten for something that may make him ill, such as a virus. His immune system attacks the gluten, and this can lead to his gut becoming inflamed. Be careful when you buy something for your sweety.

Just once I gave him mashed carrots and potatoes that I´ve made in home conditions.

In my case, my baby liked a lot the way of eating with spoon, and his spoons become his new toys. Eating solid food is really fun for him. At this moment I´m looking for recipes for babies, so in case that you have some, just write. I´ll be very grateful to you.

xoxo

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Nursing - breast or bottle ?

Today, dear reader, I want to share my experience with bottlefeeding, as well the way to prepare it.

I know that breast milk is the better choice and nothing can compare with it, but in my case I need to give nursing bottle. Next Monday my maternity leave is being finished, so I have to prepare Damian and daddy for this big change.

I´ve begun to give him nursing bottle 2 weeks ago, the idea was to try how it works and if my baby will eat this kind of milk. I was really afraid that he won´t take my breast anymore, but for my big surprise my breast he loves more :D. So for the first time he took the bottle, have eaten almost 100ml, and then all the night he was crying. How do you think?... the next day and few days later he didn´t take anymore the bottle, even with water. I was trying with different types of bottle nipples and different bottles and no way. I thought that maybe the problem is in milk (it can be, because neither I can drink this milk), I bought other type of milk, he took as well the first bottle (a few days later without showing him any bottle). I breathed relieved and thought that all is ok... nope, neither this time... and here I realized how much he loves me.

Now we are in the third week of trying and last time when he was hungry he took the bottle... I´m happy.

Preparing the nursing bottle.


1. Sterilize the bottle. Our days are a lot of sterilisers that will ease this work, you can buy these in any baby shop. I prefer to use the old method, hot water. I put all the bottles and nipples in a receipent with water and wait till the water is boiling and I leave it for some minutes.

2. Boiled water. I need 45C degrees water, I boil it first and then let it get colder to the temperature that I need. Each brand write the temperature that is needed for its formula.

3. Add formula. On each recipient is shown the dose that you have to put , as I have seen on both containers shown that one spoon(goes with container) to 30 ml.

4. Mixing. Shake the bottle till all the formula is mixed in the water. It is important to shake it well and that won´t appear foam.

5. Verify. The temperature should be equal to body temperature, so test by dripping onto your wrist. It should not feel hot or cold.

Baby´s bottle is ready, hope your child is ready as well. Bon appetit!

 

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For a walk

I think that everyone knows the importance of taking a little walk each day, more than this it is so much fun for our babies.

We´ve begun our strolls from the 5th day after his birth (2 days in a hospital and 2 days at home was more than enough to stay in a closed space). At the beginning we were going for a stroll for 15 minutes, then each day passing more time out. At the moment we are taking a walk in the morning for 2-3 hours, and in the evening for 1,5-2 hours. Damian likes it very much. It is fun to see him how he is looking on the sky, trees and all the things that he is seeing from his pram. When we are staying in parks I´m always taking him from his pram and show the surroundings. Looking at him and the way he is absorbing all the beauties of this world you understand how much we lose because we are never looking the same way as they do.

Each baby likes strolls. For example Damian knows that if I put him in the pram we are going for a walk, so he stops crying in that moment and is waiting for his big journey - LIFE.

How much time do you spend with your baby for a walk?

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