Tips For Delaying Babies' Bedtime

If you ask Mummy, I've been playing up at bedtime recently.  I disagree. I think it's more well thought out logic applied to staying up a little later, now that I'm a big girl.

We've had a bedtime routine since I was a very tiny baby; bath, story, cuddles, bed.  That's still great, and I still like all of that (usually) but I'm quite into books at the moment so I negotiate for more than one at bedtime.  Well, I say 'negotiate,' but in fact I mean demand.  We're averaging about four a night at the moment.  It's quite obvious though, and Mummy sees it coming now.

So, little people, if you want to grab those extra few minutes in the evening, here are my more subtle tips:

1.     Refuse a cuddle.  Before my bath, I stop talking to Daddy.  I won't say goodnight to him, and I go to my room.  Mummy's then trying to proceed with Bedtime, and I get very remorseful suddenly.  I cannot possibly even contemplate going to sleep without saying goodnight to Daddy, and I make sure the wailing says that loud and clear.  There's obviously the making-up time, too, for giving him the cold shoulder earlier, so he gets a special Chatty Baby 'doddle' with arms round his neck and everything!

Now, I think there is a 'life' to this ploy too, because Daddy's starting to come in to say goodnight to me before lights out, but come on, it took them long enough to cotton on!

2.     Cry Poo! This one is a dead cert, mark my words.  I like to use this one just as soon as Mummy turns the light out.  It cannot fail to bring one or other of them back in, even if they think I'm kidding - they daren't risk leaving me in a dirty nappy all night.  I only ever wee at that time of day, but they never know.  It can be quite uncomfortable saving the wee up through all those stories, but it's worth it.

3.     Put your own babies to bed.  I have so many teddies and dolls in my bed at the moment, there's hardly any room for me!  Each night, I'm crying for another one to join the happy gang, then before I'll even contemplate sleep, I have to make them all comfortable.  That might mean giving them my pillow, it might mean wrapping them in blankets to keep them warm.  Whatever you did last night, try something else tonight.  Keep parents on their toes!

Good luck, babies!  (And if you have any other crackers, be sure to let me know!)

CB x

The Two-Man Job

I’m making an application to the Olympic Committee for a new sport to be allowed in next year’s Games – Extreme Nappy Changing!

The rules are pretty simple; the mummy or daddy needs to replace the nappy with a new one, fasten it correctly, and dress the baby before the little one escapes.  The baby wins extra points for splattering nappy contents over clothes, the change mat, or the parent!  Points will be awarded for style.  Mummy or Daddy score points racing the clock.  Naturally, I’m lining myself up as a future champ.

Non-mobile babies make things pretty easy for the grown-up changing them.  They lie there patiently, cooing a little, and gazing round the room or into their parent’s loving eyes.  How much more fun to be had by rolling away!  Not just from the prospect of grossness spread everywhere, but also the added danger of a bit of height.  At least once a day at the moment I have Mummy or Daddy yelling for help as they run out of hands.  “This one’s a Two-Man Job!”

Let the fun begin!  I start yelling as soon I know I’m heading for the change mat.  It makes the Changer a little stressed before you even start.  Wears them down a bit.  As with many things, timing is everything.  I make my move as soon as my nappy’s undone.  Mummy has my feet in one hand and is reaching for wipes with the other.  Wriggle then, and she’s faced with the dilemma of how to stop dirty bottom and clean clothes from meeting, whilst trying to wipe, fold and replace with just the one hand.  And she must prevent me from diving off the change table.

She’s not dextrous enough to have perfected the one-handed nappy-fasten yet, so the advantage is mine.  Strange, as mummies seem to be able to do most thing single-handedly!

If I kick and struggle, I usually wait till she has a handful of nappy-rash cream. No chance.  “HELP! TWO-MAN JOB!”  If she drops her guard for a second, I have cream on my face, in my hair, between my toes – everywhere except the nappy rash.  Great sport!

Are there any tactics she could employ to win this game?  Well, possibly. 

Make sure there is something by way of a distraction.  The very nature of a distraction is such that I forget the game. I reserve the right for the ‘thing’ to change regularly, with or without prior notice.  A toy is so dull when I know she has nappy sacks and creams on the loose.

Be prepared.  Have everything ready before we start.  Now I’m mobile, she has one chance to get it right before she has a naked baby streaking around the house shrieking with laughter.

Keep the crucial nappy-change items out of my reach.  The sock or cuddly toy she gives me to play with has nothing on a tube of cream – what happens if I squeeze this?

Work quickly.  Even if I humour the nappy change to start with, my patience and concentration are limited.  

One your marks, get set, go!

CB

Monsters, Dinosaurs And Other Household Pests

I have to tell you today about my cousin. He has a terrible predicament: dinosaurs plaguing his room at night!  Can you imagine?!  He’s doing a great job at keeping everyone in the house up, so they don’t drop their guard and get eaten when they doze off.  So manful, for someone so young.

It must be a real nightmare for him!  I’m so grateful we only have the odd mouse! Imagine getting monsters or dinosaurs in your room.

Here are some suggestions in case they turn up at your house.

Get yourself a “beast-repellant” spray. Mark my words, mythical beasts can hide anywhere; in the wardrobe, under the bed, behind chairs.  You’d be surprised how small a space they can squeeze into.  My local toy shop sells a specific anti-monster spray, but you can make your own really effectively that covers all beasts.  Get one of those mister-spray bottles, fill it most of the way with water (we all know what happens when Gremlins get wet) and add some sort of scent.  Aromatherapy oil, that sort of thing – it just acts as a reminder of where you’ve sprayed.

Have your child help you spray round his room, wherever beasts might hide.  You might need to do this for a few nights, till the beasts get the message.

Recruit a “guard.” Obviously not a real guard, but monsters aren’t that bright, and when it’s dark in the room, they’ll be scared off if they see a shape beside the bed.  You’ll need either a really big teddy, or some sort of inflatable being.  Do it up with a hat and coat, and set him beside the bed to keep watch.  Any opportunist beasts will see him and run.  Giving him a name will help with the “team effort,” but try not to make it too threatening!

Alternatively, think of something that might eat monsters.  In the example of my poor little cousin, it’s a little lion.  We all know that a lion is the King of the Jungle, so my Auntie encourages him to cuddle his lion for protection.  No beast would ever dare!

Sprinkle some “anti-beast” pellets around.  Glitter is a good bet, and if you do it well, you won’t even need to take the lid off, such is its power.  This is one for last thing at night, and can be used in conjunction with either of the above.  I have to advise at this stage that you make sure your little one’s eyes are closed – these things are powerful and should be used carefully!  Shake the container around the bed, under the duvet, over the toys – if you’re good, just the noise will be enough to do the trick.  Not that you’d ever want to trick your darling children, just ensure the household gets some sleep.

Sweet dreams, everyone!

CB

Keeping Your Baby Safe In The Sun

The weather forecast for the weekend is looking great! Daddy's muttering about why it couldn't be like this last weekend, but I say let's enjoy it while it lasts! It's been an early start to the summer with lovely sunshine since April, but now it's getting hotter, there are more risks for everyone but little people in particular.

Think of sunshine and a lot people will immediately associate sunburn. That's a good start! It is a real risk for babies, whose skin is particularly delicate and not used to the sun's rays.

It's worth pointing out that I am not a doctor, although Mummy says I can be whatever I want when I grow up. These are my suggestions based on things I've read and my limited experience.

-       Put sunscreen on all bits that will be exposed to the sun. Don't forget the bottom of our feet, which are vulnerable if we're in a pushchair and don't have shoes or socks on. If you've ever burnt your feet, you'll know how sore it is!

-       Reapply sunscreen regularly, even if it's waterproof; it doesn't work so well when it's been washed or rubbed off!

-       Don't be put off if we struggle - it's our job to make things tricky for you! Any crying in objection is nothing on the crying we can do if we get sunburn, believe me.

-       You can get sunburnt through cloud - beware! Even if it's cloudy and/or windy, if we're outdoors for a significant time, slap the cream on.

-       Keep us out of the sun around midday (between 11am and about 3pm). That might be just making sure we're out of direct sun rather than indoors, but remember that sun rays can deflect off other surfaces. Sand and concrete are worth taking particular note of, even when you're sitting in shade.

-       Lightweight clothing is another option - long sleeves and trousers. A lot of materials carry a SPF (sun protection factor) rating on them, which are designed to protect from the sun without us overheating. We ought to be wearing at least SPF 30 creams or clothing.

-       If you think your baby will wear sunglasses, go for it! The sun's UV (ultra violet) rays damage our eyes just as much as yours. I have 3 pairs now, but a very definite favourite - Daddy says I look like Elton John when I wear them. I don't know what he means.

Please don't get so caught up with sunscreen that you forget to give us a drink! Sunburn isn't the only hazard for babies during nice weather; we'll dehydrate really quickly when it's hot so make sure you keep offering us a drink.

It's also worth mentioning that some sun is good for all of us - it gives us really important Vitamin D - but we can get what we need in about 15 minutes in the early morning or late afternoon.

Have fun, whatever you're up to.

CB

Tips on dealing with nappy rash

Nappy rash is a bit of a bummer.  A pain in the butt.   It often comes on without any warning, and contrary to some people’s beliefs, it isn’t necessarily down to poor hygiene; if you’re following a good routine changing nappies, don’t beat yourself up when you see it.  Just be thankful it’s on my bum and not yours!   It does vary in severity, from a little patch of red skin to really sore, burning, spotty skin.  And that might make us a bit grumpy for a while.

The most common cause of nappy rash is urine coming to contact with the skin, and given that we babies tend to wear nappies a lot of the day, it does happen to most of us at some point.  Thankfully, there are things you can do to help:

-          Change nappies regularly – it’s wet or dirty nappies that are the main culprit when left against the skin, even the ‘best’ disposable nappies that claim to last for hours

-          Keep up a good skin care routine – we have delicate little botties, so it’s important to be thorough.  Some wipes can be a bit harsh, so warm water and a pat dry is often the best way of cleaning up.

-          Use a barrier cream, like Sudocrem or Bepanthen (and there are lots of other brands out there) because as the name suggests, they keep the nasties from touching the skin.  Just remember, it will rub off so you will need to reapply regularly.

-          Give us as much nappy-free time as you dare!  Getting air about it definitely helps, just remember that we don’t really have much control about when we ‘go’ at the moment.

-          Use water (without soap) to wash the area – sometimes even the most sensitive wipes can sting a bit

Of course, if you’re doing everything I’ve suggested and it’s still not getting better, make us an appointment with the doctor.

There are things that might trigger a bout, so keep an eye out.

-          Teething.  I’ve heard everything blamed on teething so far!  But there might be some truth in this.  It might be that we’re swallowing more saliva, making things a bit looser down there, and so more squishy and likely to stick.  Or, it might be that babies that drool a lot with teething, so urine is stronger and more potent when it touches the skin.  Who knows?

-          Diarrhoea. As above – squishy nappies = more skin covered.  Yuck!

-          Antibiotics.  The very thing that might make one illness better could trigger nappy rash.  They can sometimes upset the delicate balance in our tummies, so watch out.

Some babies will hardly be affected at all, others get it so badly it bleeds.  It’s one of those occupational hazards of being a baby.  No-one said it would be easy.  At least I’m more likely to get away with scratching than you!

CB