I was very hesitant to write this post because of all the potential negativity I would get from internet trolls. Saying I’m no doctor, I shouldn’t be suggesting things to people because I’m no expert, ect. & then I thought, what’s the point of having a blog then?
I’m here to share my experience with my eight month old baby boy. No, I’m no expert but I do have previous experience as he’s my third child. So, to you trolls I say, bye Felicia! I always wanted to say that lol
Since many questions have been making there ways into my dm’s and I’ve been holding off on answering each one individually because a lot of the questions were repetitive and it’s best to find all answers in one place.
How are you getting your son to eat real food? My little guy who’s 10 months old (has only 2 teeth) gags on anything that’s not puree.
James dislikes purees so much and part of it (I think) is because he always sees us eating solids. He’s a very curious little boy and since the first solid taste he doesn’t want to go back. Even bottled milk is a bit of a struggle sometimes. He wants either my breast milk or solids. No in betweens. I know this description sounds like he has a mouth full of teeth and yet he doesn’t. There’s only one tooth at the bottom peeking through and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
Although, James is able to have raspberries and bananas because of the soft texture, strawberries are very different. For harder fruits I like using a Nibbler feeder from Nuby (this one here works just as well). He loves this tool so much but I will warn you ladies be ready for the mess. The first few times I had him sitting down with a silicone bib and he still managed to get fruit juice everywhere. Now that he actually knows how to use the tool he sucks the fruit dry. This is a great tool to use if your baby isn’t eating solids yet because they will learn to make chewing motions in order to extract the juice from the fruit.
Like with my other two kids, I started giving James mashed bananas after he was 6 months. I wasn’t surprised he liked the flavor because ‘who doesn’t love bananas?’. Now that he’s familiar with the flavor he wants it whole. This is because when we eat, he eats and vise-versa. We make it a-must to eat as a family. He’s used to it by now and enjoys it fully. He loves looking at our mouths and mimicking us. It’s so cute.
tip: Try eating with your baby. Exaggerate your chewing and make noises like ‘mmm, good’. Show him/her how good solid food is. I know how silly it sounds but it’s what I did with all my kids and it worked.
Best of luck.
Let me know in a few weeks if this tip has helped your little one out.
What foods do you feed your son? Do you worry about exposure to salt, fat,sugar?
As any mom, there is always a worry in the back of our minds when it comes to what we feed our kids. I personally don’t eat too much sugar/salt or fat so when feeding him it isn’t too hard. Funny story; my cousin in-law asked me what kind of vegetables I fed him and I couldn’t think of any! Not because I don’t feed him veggies but because when ever I do, it’s usually mixed with other things. So let’s say for breakfast (7am) I give him oat and quinoa cereal. A few hours later I give him a slightly blended (but still kind of chunky) mixture of blueberries, bananas and chia seeds. Other days I give him bananas, raspberries and oats.. everyday is different. Then for lunch I give him spinach, apples, sweet potatoes and kiwi also slightly blended with chunks.
At this point I don’t overthink anything I give him. I did when I was younger and when I had my first child but not now. As long as it’s not caffeinated, too salty or too sweet like candy, I’m probably going to give it to him.
Something I was a little concerned about was eggs and yogurt or any dairy for that matter. Ten years ago doctors didn’t recommend dairy until babies were one year old. My doctor in the other hand encourages me to give him eggs and yogurt. I don’t overdo it but occasionally I do give it to him.
Now, when it comes to buying ready-made foods, I only trust one brand; Organic Happy Family. I’ve been buying their products from day one and James really seems to love them (as well as his sisters, they steal all his yogis). I love the variety of products they sell. They have puffs, yogis (yogurt bites), mixed on-the-go pouches of fruits/veggies, teethers and so much more. You guys have to check them out or you can view my Amazon storefront where I’ve added all of James favorite things.
Since James no longer likes purées I started giving him the tots stage food. We went from stage 2 to stage 4. This decision made him very happy.
Below you’ll see some of his favorites.
Click on the images to purchase.
What items do you use? Feeding, high chair,bibs, sippy cups, plates/utentils, stroller?
When I was pregnant with Jayleen (who’s turning 11 in April) I bought everything while I was pregnant. I mean every single item imaginable. Now, as a mom for the third time I know what is actually worth buying and what’s not. Will you believe me if I told you that I used one rubber spoon for James for months. Just one lol
I learned that this wasn’t a very good idea because when that one spoon got misplaced it was a wrap. I now own 3 spoons, 3 forks and 3 bowls. They’re all from the Cloud Island Collection at Target and are all listed below. I also love these silicone bibs which makes clean up a breeze. It basically catches everything your little drops. This is just genius! Oh, how I wish this existed back in the days.
It seems like the forks and spoons aren’t available online. I suggest checking your local Target, they might have it.
Now this all-purpose balm (below) I took for myself, sorrynotsorry.
I’ve been using it every single day since I received it as a gift. It’s been one month now and I wish they sold it in buckets. This stuff is amazing! It’s smooth and moisturizing. It’s also made with organic ingredients. I wanted to include this item here as it’s made for babies but it’s also great for mamas.
I use this Soothing bubble bath gel every time I take James a bath.. especially at night right before bed. This gel is infused with organic lavender and orange essential oils. This helps baby James relax and get ready for bed.
The stroller we went with was the Thule Sleek City. After using the Stokke stroller for years with my other two daughters, I knew I needed something lighter in weight and something that would be equally as good or better. There are so many great features on this stroller that I know you ladies will love. I’m a sucker for things that can be used for a long time or that can grow with my family and this stroller is one of them. See below for all the ways that this stroller can be transformed.
As for high chair, we’re still debating on which one to get. I like the Tripp Trapp by Stokke but not sure yet. As soon I get one, I will share it.
Did you find it hard to loose the baby weight?
I actually haven’t lost all the baby weight yet. Before getting pregnant I was 115 pounds and on my last doctor’s visit while pregnant I was 170 pounds. That’s a significant amount of weight gained. I’m now 137 pounds and it seems impossible to loose anymore. I’ve tried meal prepping, working out at the gym, rock climbing (which is something I did before my pregnancy) and nothing seems to work. I think maybe once it gets a little warmer I’ll have less excuses to get active. Also, eating on the weekends is my weakness. I could be doing great Mon-Fri and then the weekend comes and I become a monster. Eating everything in my path. Ok, I might be exaggerating a little bit but I do eat more than I should.
Right now, I’m trying to go to the gym even if it’s 30 minutes on the treadmill just to form a habit. Tomorrow will be day 3. Wish me luck!
Have you traveled internationally with James? If so, what did you take with you?
I have yet to travel with him but once I do, I will share every step.
Any advice for people who want kids but work full time?
Make a 2 year plan. Write down all the pros and cons of having a baby now and later.
Ask yourself if you’re mentally and financially ready to have a baby. Do you have someone to help you out with the baby? Are you in a committed relationship? Do you own or rent? After having the baby will you go back to work?
There’s a lot of questions to think about. I’m old-school and think everything happens for a reason when the time is right. Nonetheless, it’s always a good idea to be prepared with the answers to these questions.
I don’t want to stress any of you ladies out with these questions, just want you to be prepared.
I thankfully am able to work from home which means I’m also taking care of the kids. I’m always on double duty. A blessing and a curse but I won’t have it anyother way.
The other thing is that even with all these questions answered only you and your partner will truly know if you’re ready. If you feel so, then go ahead. With love and understanding all is possible. It might not be as smooth as you’d hope but it’ll work out.
Did you sleep train your baby?
I did not sleep train him. James is actually a terrible sleeper. He wakes up more now then when he was a newborn. I will say this, every night around 10 pm he gets cranky and I know it’s because he’s tired. My daughters always slept through the night. From like 11pm-7am every night. It was the best! Unfortunately, it’s a very different case with James. The most he’s ever slept has been 4 hours. But he’s still getting used to our crazy schedule.
Which brand prenatal vitamins did you take?
I used the one my doctor prescribed.
Before choosing a prenatal vitamin I suggest you get familiar with the difference between prescribed prenatal vitamins and OTC (over the counter) ones.
What skin care routine do you use for your baby?
Any tips?
-Use gentle products in the very beginning.
- Don’t over expose him/her to the sun.
- 2-3 baths a week is all you need.
I hold off on bathing him during the day because he sleeps better and longer if I bathe him at night. After bathing him and drying him properly, I use a few different lotions on his body. Some days Mustela, others Johnson’s and others baby Dove. Below you’ll find my favorites.
Do you have a list of recommended baby products?
I guess this post could be a list of recommended products, right? This is the first post where I actually talk in detail about products related to baby James.
Another way to stay up to date with the items I’m currently loving for James is by checking out my Amazon Storefront where I list all of his favorite items. I add them weekly.
What cartoons does he like? Do you recommend any?
At the moment all he wants to watch is The Pioneer Woman on the Food Network and Barney and Friends. He also loves Canticos videos in English and Spanish. I highly recommend.
I really hope you ladies enjoyed this post and that it has helped you in one way or another. I had such a great time sharing my favorite baby items and linking them for your convenience.
Thanks again for visiting NYTM
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