babyurbeautiful: kids

, by Unknown

children

GLUM MUMMAS | Regression Depression

2 comments

, by Unknown

Albie

COOL BUBBAS | Huggies Potty Training Diaries

Our potty training journey has been eventful, to say the least.

My son was ready before two; he showed a lot of interest in my toilet habits (a bit like my cat who insists on sitting on my lap whilst I go for a wee).

We were on track. I was so proud, he poo'd and wee'd in his potty - a few accidents here and there but it started VERY well.

There was mainly a cheeky poo in the trouser leg whilst playing with his trains, or a nice 'present' after his bath and clapping himself for his achievement on the mat rather than a nappy. Well, what can you say?!

We also had the standard floaters in the bath, and me fishing them out with his £1.99 stacking cups (best purchase ever).

Then it all went HORRIBLY wrong.

My son, Albie, 2, suffered from horrendous constipation - screaming and crying through a poo, rushing to the furthest corner of the house if he ever felt the rumble of potential movement.

It then got the point of refusing to push and holding his toilet movements in.

Three to four days later he'd have a temperature, be irascible, refusing to eat - I can only imagine how I'd feel if I was clogged up, but for a little baby - it's far more traumatic.

Picture this; It got to the point when I saw him bend over and go bright red, I’d end up throwing him onto the floor and having to manipulate (pull) the poo out of him, then after the hard bit would follow a few days of 'slurry'.

It was so heart-breaking to see - we realised then we had a problem, and he associated the potty with pain.

Now, he has to take a poo softener almost every day to help him go; Movical is prescribed by the doctor and is an osmotic laxative for chronic constipation. It relieves constipation because it causes the water it is taken with to be retained in the bowel, which help soften the stools and make it easier to pass them.

So we're at a very tricky point. He's just starting pre-school (and meant to be fully dry) and I'm sure I'll be frowned upon for my ‘poor’ job.

So, we started our potty training journey again with Huggies^® Pull Ups^®and are using their six step potty training success guide.

Step One - Readiness

Check if your little one is ready. You'll know. They'll start to tell you if their wee'ing or need a poo. Do not base your decision on age.

My little one started telling me quite early, but we're at a stage now where I have to ask him.

A small percentage of children are fully trained before 24 months old, but most make the leap around their third. Girls seem to be much easier to train than boys (we've seen in my NCT circle this) due to the sitting down aspect, but if you are worried and they get to 3 and there's nothing and no signs - visit your GP.

Visit this helpful link below for the 8 signs of readiness.

Huggies Potty Training Steps

Step Two - Say goodbye to nappies, hello to Huggies

Whether you go straight to pants, and probably experience a lot of accidents and washing, or opt for the Huggies option - this is your imperative step two.

We were provided with big boy pants, Huggies Pull-Ups Day Time and Huggies Night Time, rewards such as stickers and toys, a couple of potties dotted about, a few bathroom toys for use while waiting on the potty for the magic to happen.

Huggies Pull-Ups teach little one that they are making the step to a big kid, and have boy and girl Disney designs to help make potty training fun.

What's great about them is they have the right amount of protection to manage accidents whilst your little one is getting the hang of things, and they have soft, stretchy sides to enable them to be pulled up and down easily like normal pants. Reseal able sides help make them easier to remove in the case of BIGGER accidents, which we're all so familiar with....

Step Three - Start Practising

For us, it's differentiating the difference between being naked and wearing pull ups/pants and the fact you need to pull them down in order to do your wares and obviously being naked is just a mad sprint to the potty.

Practise certainly makes perfect. I guess it's like driving a car (which I still can't do) and it's being aware to go, pulling down pants and bottoms, sitting on the potty, washing hands - there's a lot to remember.

Try to make potty time fun, like we do - and turn all the mini activities into a game, praise where due, or my tip - keep highlighting the fact my little one is such a 'big boy' and clever. Although the other day he didn't want to do something so he became a 'big boy, little boy, big boy'. Ok.

As part of our kit, Huggies sent us stickers, a potty which plays music. Whenever he wees into it, it plays the Lambada in an odd birthday card tinny kind of tune (you know the ones that blast into happy birthday when you open them).

He spends the next two minutes discombobulated saying; 'what’s that noise?!'

So we've just opted for the simple praise, a sticker for a number two (which really hasn't happened very often of late) he's so frightened to go - that he'd rather do it into his pull-up and sit in it, than alert me and have to sit on the toilet/potty and push it out. Luckily I now know the sign to look out for; him lying on his front and/or hiding under a table, in a corner so I whip him onto the potty, but it doesn't always work...

Step Four - Learn from Wet to Dry

This is probably the hardest part.

If you're my son, you'll be happy to hide the fact there's a nugget in your pants in order to get out of being changed/touched, sat on the potty.

Wee's - we've mustered very well, and the easiness of the pull-up has helped him make the transition into pants very quickly. However, the step backwards is, overnight we put on the night-time Huggies, because I know at some point in the night/early hours of the morning the inevitable poo will start making its way down the colon ready for his 'regular man' morning poop.

As with everything with children, routine is key.

Teaching them the difference between wet and dry and showing them they have wee'd in their pants and it's much better to do it in the potty - and being dry is best is a way of helping them understand the end achievement.

We play the pour the wee/poo down the toilet and my little one gets to flush it down - games, fun, routine - for us, it's the most important thing to make a child feel confident about their wee and poo achievements.

Step Five - Be Consistent 24/7

We're just getting to this stage - wee's, we've mustered. We do our last wee before bedtime, but I'm just that little bit frightened to leave him completely pant/Huggie-free due to impending poos.

I actually forgot to put a Huggies Pull-Up on a few weeks back, and heard shuffling about upstairs. I ran up thinking he may be being naughty and not in bed, but the clever little bean had got up, found his potty and done a poo on it!

The nerve pathways between the bladder and the brain must grow strong enough to awaken a child from a deep sleep (gluten regularly does this to me) but not only that, your little one has to be alert enough to haul themselves out of bed to get to the loo before the inevitable accident.

To help with potty training success, it's best to take a consistent and relaxed approach. Accidents are very normal - so they should be handled patiently, and with support. Not like me last night going mad because the potty was near him yet he decided to have an accident all over my cow hide carpet.

Step Six - Keep up the Good Work!

We're Stuck between the first four steps at the moment, we have good and bad days, but every child is different when it comes to potty training.

It could be the fact my son goes to his nanny and grandad who have always been consistent and great when it comes to his toilet movements. But then as a single mum he seems to play me up and push my buttons, and may have a slightly different routine at his fathers (despite me drumming in what needs to be done).

The main thing for rewarding good work is praise. I find this every day in work - when I get praise I'm buzzing. I want to do more and achieve more. So I can only hope this is the same with my toddler.

The Huggies six steps guide advises to not just yell out 'wow, clever, great job!' etc, but to make an observation about the skill your child just demonstrated. Perhaps, 'Well done, you held your wee so you made it to the toilet." or "You pulled your trousers/pants down all on your own."

Finding the right praise is a great way of being respectful of your child's growing up and independence without any pressure from your end.

www.pottytraining.co.uk

* Sponsored Post*

No comments

, by Unknown

babyurbeautiful

COMPETITIONS & GIVEAWAYS I GERRY THE GIRAFFE TRUNKI

No comments

, by Unknown

babies

COOL BUBBAS I Cuddledry Cuddle Paw Toddler Dress Up Towel

No comments

, by Unknown

birthday parties

COOL BUBBAS I Birthday Parties

No comments

, by Unknown

activities

GLUM MUMMAS I SOFT PLAY HELL

Some of us love it, while some of us wouldn't dream of stepping foot in one.
It's hell in half-term and even worse when it's raining - what am I talking about?

SOFT PLAY.
There are many things I dislike, and soft play is the one that trumps all others.
But it's not about me and my likes is it? It's what our little terrors love.

I was the most paranoid germ-freak when my he came along, meticously applying hand gel (half of these don't even bleedin' work) or carrying a pack of £1.80 (i.e rather pricey) Milton wipes that every other mum would spy and ask politely for one; thus gone in 60 seconds.

When he rolled and crawled early, I realised to get my daily peace (i.e his nap) I needed to get him to blow some steam. Which meant I had to get over my germ aversion and step inside one of the soft and squishy places FULL.OF.GERMS.

Something I never even knew existed, suddenly became a weekly tradition.

Ashlyn's Farm - Essex

MY EXPERIENCES SO FAR....

There have been times I've glanced down at my tea or phone (more of this later) and then lost my child for the next 5 minutes in the tangled mess of arms and legs, tried to act cool and calm, then run frantically, inadvertently knocking kids out the way left, right and centre as I report it to one of the miserable looking 16-year old staff.

Then after calling the alarm, he pops out of nowhere and my heart stops jumping out of my chest.

Or there was the time in the under 4's area: yes, little shits READ: UNDER 4'S AREA ONLY.

Where I'd guess, a 7-year-old, decided to pull his pants down and start taking a poo in the baby sensory area.

Not really sure how he confused a toilet with cushions. But a pure fail on the parenting part - (remember; toilets and potty's are generally used for poops kids). Myself and my equally germ-freak friend were absolutely aghast. Needless to say - I've not seen her in there since...

Staff were hollered, his red-faced mum charged in absolutely mortified (and heavily pregnant), then it was a witch hunt for the turd - clambering over nets which feel like razors on your sock-clad feet, armed with a disinfectant spray. While everything else came to a standstill. Great show, if anything.

Perhaps it crosses your mind to go to SP (soft play) when you have a teething child.

Rambunctious activities generally help take out the anger.

NB: If I could bounce off walls without hurting myself whilst in the midst of one of my spectacular highly strung bitch fits (Auntie Flo's visit, or T.O.T.M), I'd generally come out the better person. Instead of saying something I really should have refrained from - so I'm wholly with the concept of letting off some steam - Mother or baby.

However, mid teething, there has been the time the pup is just too distressed and point blank refuses to get out of the pram, or clambers onto you and attaches like a baby monkey. Pointless visit.

Or there's the scenario of him going off to play, getting a wave of pain, anger,

some sort of fussy fit - then and gets stuck at the top of a slide.

After thinking it's a figment of my imagination for the next five minutes, then recognising that all-too-familiar cry I then have to embarrassingly spear-tackle kids out the way to go up the slide the wrong way to rescue said howling child.

Here's a guide to the DO'S & DON'TS of soft play if you find yourself in unforeseen circumstances...

1. Don't bother getting tea or coffee

a) you can't leave your child unless you have a tag team, (a few of you).

One who can keep and eye, and one who can be chief tea purchaser.

b) It will inevitably go cold. Or get spilt over but yours, or one of the other 200 kids in the melee.

2. Avoid at all costs school holidays. If you have the bright idea of going, so will everyone else.

This also applies to rainy days.

3. Take socks - for you and baby. Don't wear flip flops. You don't want to be wearing barefeet in one of those hell holes and you'll get told off anyway for bare feet anyhow - I almost cried (read above) after being refused entry to the go carts because my footwear was unacceptable.

4. Take antibacterial gel for after - possibly tissues - lots of snotty oiks - all that palaver.

5. Always put your shoes back on before using the toilets- kids love to be independent don't they, and that includes tiddling next to the toilet. Or avoid cushioned areas in case a child hasn't learnt the concept of shitting in a loo.

6. Take your own food and risk the wrath of those in charge- most places have a strict no own food policy. I'd still be inclined to take a bottle of water for you and your little cherub though. After all, soft play is a mental enough place without throwing in Slush Puppies and Fruit Shoot's into the equation.

7. Take spare socks- you'll probably end up with ground in fish fingers and crisps and goodness knows what else on your socks so maybe best to take a spare pair.

8. Paracetamol- yep, you'll probably end up with a splitting headache.

9. Drink coffee on the brisk walk/bus ride/before entry - then at least you'll have the caffeine-induced energy to chase said child.

10. Don't argue with any beefed-up testosterone dudes over their kids being in the under 4/5 areas doing cartwheels - it's never going to end up pretty - even if you are the: 'Body of a weak and feeble woman, but the heart and stomach of a man...'

11. Speaking from experience, have a wee before you leave the house. I mention wee's above, but unless you've got an older child - it ain't happening (unless you fancy losing them). With chasing your little one around, you're guaranteed to not get chance the whole time you're there.

Don't get me wrong, soft play is the perfect place to wear the little terrors out when the weather is too grim to be in the great outdoors, just go prepared and with an open mind!

Soft play centres - feel free to change our perception!

We go to

ROCKYS - Brentwood & Hornchurch

KIDSPACE - Romford

ASHLYNS FARM - Brentwood

OWLS - Essex

RIVERSIDE HUB - Northampton

PLAYFARM - Leamington Spa

JAM JAM BOOMERANG - Coventry

No comments

, by Unknown

babies

HOT MUMMAS | Mum-servations

My little one is two years old next week.

I've can't believe I've managed to keep this mini human happy, fed, watered and entertained for two whole years.

He talks (a lot) walks, actually scrap that- RUNS, loves chocolate, avocados, curry, rice, chicken and cars, (his first word at 6 months) peppa frickin pig and trains.

I'm still in shock. Two whole years.

Even more so, after I've just weighed out TWO hefty bills for his party; one farm, one afternoon tea.

It hasn't been easy, it's been massively challenging, and after year one I decided to call it a day with his dad.

That's irrelevant, but little digs at me about being a crap mum (his own insecurities) eventually grated on me and I've questioned myself a lot. Was I, am I crap?

Maybe I had a little PND, I've never challenged it - I know I'm quite miserable in comparison to before, and my hormones are more erratic and unstable than Lady C in the Jungle.

Enough of the misog, and enough of the moaning.
But in the last few months I've suddenly felt so confident in my motherly decisions - I know we have a massive bond now - I know I'm doing great.

One, because I can get him through a whole book and keep him engrossed using intonation and excitement in my voice. While, alternatively this wriggly, energetic creature escapes if anyone else tries to do it.

I can have a mini convo with him, & whilst I'm chuckling at his very adamant 'no's', I instinctively know deep down what he wants.

At times, like when he's under the weather & refusing food (trust me, he loves his grub), I keep persevering, however frustrating and painful it is. I always know what he wants (tilda kiddies rice is often a winner or a petit filous).

I adored him so much when he was born and was constantly in awe, maybe a little obsessed, but I never felt like I bonded hugely. I just felt I was going through the motions. Poo, milk (boob at the time), dress him, dress myself - it was a real struggle. I felt constantly anxious.

Even to the point of removing myself a lot from social situations as I found it so hard putting on an act when I found it HUGELY difficult, especially with lack of sleep, energy etc - I felt I'd break at any given moment.
I still do it now. I hate being weak, especially friends seeing me that way.

Sometimes I felt I was drifting further away from my single girlfriends - further away from the party girl lifestyle I had.

But fast forward a year, and believe me - the single lifestyle really ain't all that.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE a good night out.

Daddy has him sometimes over the weekend, then I can plan to see friends. In a way, I cherish them a lot more & don't take my nights with them for granted.

Staying in has become the new going out.
I don't drink half as much, mainly because the whopping hangovers aren't conclusive with mothering successfully, and no one is there to pass you milky, sweet tea and a bacon sarnie.

Yes, we may be sarcastic here on Bub, but one thing is we're absolutely so grateful to have healthy, happy (sometimes) children.

Fran, the other mummy blogger on here, sadly lost her son, Oliver, before he was two.
His body was attacking itself after he was born premature and needed a transplant - he went on to develop GVHD.

You will see from her posts she is expecting again (20 weeks).
Never take anything for granted. Cherish every second. She's having a little girl now, FYI.

My mum regales me with tales how she rarely slept, watching my every breath. Rewind back a year, I was so selfish and exhausted I was too busy sleeping to do that. How wracked with guilt do I feel now?

I'm writing the post merely to say, that that huge rush of love has overwhelmed me - it's taken almost two years. Judge or join me.
I've never thought he's not wonderful, but it's taken me this long to realise just HOW much.

Nobody is perfect. We can all have a laugh about our mothering fails.
Soothing their sobs, and drying their tears; like today's example as a tickling game went a bit wrong. So first he twatted himself on his head and rolled arse over tit off the sofa.
Then just before bed time, is obsessed with the new bed-come-sofa thingy, sprinted at it before I even made it up the stairs & inevitably he smacked his lip on the corner.

The past selfishness of being centred around me, has now transcended in another way.
I want him all to myself.

I love a coffee with him, accompanied by peppa pig (the third wheel in our relationship).
If he's not stuffing another distraction like fruit toast in his gob.

Alternatively we love our lunch dates (well, I think he does). Wheeling my croaking bugaboo into the pub/restaurant,
as the waitress rolls her eyes and tells you they're fully booked.

Restaurants are fun - honest. I spend at least 18 mins charging after the pram escapee who loves emptying the contents of anything and everything.
He started unwrapping the pre-wrapped Christmas pressies the other day and 'helping' with the fairy lights. Every little thing is an adventure and rightly so.

I wish I was as excited and over zealous about spaghetti in Zizzi as he is (although I do have a wheat intolerance so probably best to avoid!)

The pram was actually part of a purchase of full bedroom kit, car seat etc all for £1k.
I thought it was a bargs, and I'm not one of these mums who has to have the best pram - although I did go on to get a Jeremy Scott, whoops!
What I'm wittering on about is that it's a bit on the old side, and 'mugged off' may be more appropriate.

General life-styling is quite difficult as a mum. Clattering in for another lunch time meal, one time I discovered there was nothing to entertain the kids (no colouring pencils, not even a straw for them to drink from). I moaned about that.

Probably doesn't sound THAT bad, but it is when faced with two mini- mites having a meltdown.
I promptly complained - resulting in red faces and a £10 voucher, thank-you very much. Bitch face pen-forgetting mofos.

Today I had a door slammed in my face by a rather irksome old git as he pretended not to notice me and the cumbersome pram.

A gaggle of nice young men half heartedly jumped up to my rescue (yet still watched me struggling foot in door trying to push my archaic pram) and didn't quite 'save' me in time.

Always liking to take matters into my own hands, I charged into said irksome ankles as he made his order and nonchalantly placed my own all through sweetly smiling.

Mumservations....

Basically, as mums we're all in the same boat right now. Single, married, engaged - a mum is a mum, the experience is testing regardless - but equally massively rewarding.

We're probably a little bit angrier than pre-life project, due to sleep deprivation and general intolerances to dicks (in all senses) and constant illnesses.

Some twats are completely unaware of mums plus mini humans - maybe I was one of those dicks once, but I can only remember going gooey and smiling each time I was affronted with a mini.

One other positive that's come out of this mum ting is I'm on bloody time! Precision planning has force this tardy moo to get to places in record time (Minus work. That's different).

Life is so rewarding now, it's also hard, bloody hard at times.
It's very easy to become bitter and resentful on others who have it easy & all that shiz - but every experience is different. I don't think there's any 'easy' in all of this.
I really love my experience, but I wholly agree it would be very different if I had someone to share it with.

Yesterday, for instance, my Saturday night, (yeah, and?) we had a bloody horrendous day. Snot, tantrums, tears, constipation - that was just me.
Oh, and his bloody pram brake broke on top of the creaking, so the wheels are making the most horrendous dragging noise - lots of unimpressed looks in M & S - cheers mums, thanks for the support!

I did ask the kind security guard to help, but the clackety-clack happened as soon as I wheeled off again.

Sickness & Mumbathing & Poos

He's been rather Ill this weekend, so ive done the dutiful mother and enjoyed the cuddles I never normally get. I went to bed smug as I'd survived the day - and smiling that he was peacefully sleeping as I watched catch- up tv in bed. Minus a wine. Instead accompanied by a nice soggy jacket potato & random spinach shiz.
So far removed from the Shoreditch delicacies I used to drunkenly chow-down on.

'Mum bathing' is my guilty pleasure when he snoozes (baths with more product than water). I sit on my phone (yeah, sad I know) and and admire those vlogging and blogging about testing times. I chuckle along with those blogging about their less-than perfect lives against those with the monochrome bedrooms and perfect babies (why is mine always covered in food/snot/mud?)

Were very lucky to have Fran on board, she's incredible. Juggling a 7-year old, full time job and feeling nauseous at 20 weeks. All whilst still raw and grieving from Oliver.

There's really nothing wrong with moaning about how crap your day has been, or highlighting the madness, embarrassing moments, shiftiness - just not at 'Flossy' or 'Daves' expense.

It's uncomfortable to read a post (aka the child - the annoyance) imagine if it was you, the subject, reading it down the line? You'd feel, well, crap.

Did my mother really think that little of me, and did I really ruin her wine o clock because I wanted to play peppa pig for the umpteenth time (around 52 episodes yesterday, actually).

We choose to have our sprogs, we choose to take the life project on, so smile in the face of adversity, grumble to your friends, we've all got a sense of humour but don't make them feel like they're an inconvenience.

You gotta laugh! Don't tell me your little one doesn't make you chuckle when theres more water in the floor than in the bath? Or they say no to every food offering to man? The ubiquitous quivering bottom lip or the spectacular tantrums mid Gap store.

They're bloody brilliant - even the token floating poo I'm currently scooping out of the bath...

No comments

, by Unknown

attitude