Fun things to do with babies - Part 3:Playdough

I have been waiting sooooo long to get the play dough out and have some fun with my little man, I actually made this dough months ago but immediately my boy tried to eat it which was a bad move, (cue lots of retching), I thought I would try it again today and...result!  No dough was ingested.
So although he is technically still a baby (becomes a toddler when he starts walking right?) he is a bit older so this sort of project really isn't suitable for babies under 12 months.  I don't need to tell you a recipe for making play dough, there are plenty here, I used the cooked play dough recipe and added yellow, blue and red food colouring.  We stamped shapes, stuck in feathers, rolled balls and made shapes, so here are just a few pics of the fun we (I) had with dough this afternoon, and hopefully some ideas for you to make it even more exciting.

He wasn't into it for that long to be honest, and seemed a bit scared of it, but I am hoping he might get into it a bit more once he is more familiar with the feel, it's cheap to make so I don't mind if it gets wreaked or dries up (though I don't think it will because this has already kept for months).  There are loads of other fun, dough related activities that I want to do with him when he is a bit older.  Are you a fan of the dough?  What sort of fun games do you and your babies play?

Fun things to do with your baby - Part 2: Fabric play

It can be difficult with a small baby to find fun things to do with them to fill the many hours of the day that you now suddenly have to occupy, My baby is now just over 6 month old and I feel I am well versed with providing entertaining activities for him and think you might be interested to find out what they are if you are ever stuck for ideas. This is the second in a series of posts like this with different ideas for fun things to do with your baby, often each activity could only last a few minutes, or sometimes they might be much longer activities.

This time I am looking at fabric play.  Exploring the qualities of fabric can be both a stimulating and a learning experience for young babies, they can learn about the different textures and weights of fabric as well as it's flexibility or stiffness and a number of other qualities.  I bought a selection of different fabrics with a variety of textures for Orren to play with, he likes to scratch on them as well as put them in his mouth and run his tongue (which is super sensitive right now) over in order to have a really good exploration of it's qualities. I also made some into little comforter cloths which are a more manageable size for taking out with us or for playing with in locations where letting the fabric drag on the floor is not appropriate, like in the garden.  (I will do a tutorial on how to make on at some point!)

I also play with the fabrics with Orren to make the play experience more interactive.  I gently stroke different textures across his face, (he especially likes the net), and I wave the silky fabric over him so he can experience the way it changes in the light, as well as the feel against his skin.  The fabric also gives an opportunity or playing peek-a-boo games.

Here is Orren enjoying the comforter I made for him (is that what they are called?)

And here is Orren with his friends enjoying the net: 

Fabrics that are fun and interesting for babies to explore include:

Net, satin, corduroy, velvet, leatherette, hessian, chenniel and faux fur.

Be sure to hem and fabric you give to babies and make sure any of the pile won't come lose because it could be a chocking hazard. 

Can you think of any other fabrics to add to this list?   What other games could you play with fabrics?

Fun things to do with your baby - Part 1: Bubbles

It can be difficult with a small baby to find fun things to do with them to fill the many hours of the day that you now suddenly have to occupy, My baby is now 6 month old I feel I am well versed with providing entertaining activities for him and think you might be interested to find out what they are if you are ever stuck for ideas.  I hope to do a series of posts like this with different ideas for fun things to do with your baby, often each activity could only last a few minutes, or sometimes they might be much longer activities.

For the first part of this series I thoughts I would begin with a really fun activity (especially for mums and dads)  and babies find it fascinating too.  Blowing bubbles!
I sit my little by in the garden in his bumbo or lie him on his play mat on the grass, or even sit him in the door way and blow small bubbles from a cheap 99p tube over him, in front of him, on top of him... he finds it fascinating, he tries to catch them and looks for where they are going.  It is a complete sensory experience as he can not only watch them, but also feel them popping on his skin and hear the delicate popping sound they make when they explode on the patio or against a fence etc.  This is a great activity which you can do with your baby from birth and I hope when he gets older bubbles will be a fantastic educational tool to aid in learning.

Here is my little bubba watching the bubbles with interest:

What simple, cheap but fun activities do you do with your baby?

My birth story

Orren is now nearly 3 weeks old (oh my gosh the time has flown) and I am starting to come to terms with the most emotional, painful and wonderful experience I have ever gone through.  I still find it hard to recall the really awful moments, but am ready to share the cold hard facts of his birth, sorry if you find some of this to be too much information, but it is part of my story, please just skip it if you find anything offensive. 
It all began on the Thursday before the Saturday when he arrived.  mother nature gave me a little taster of what contractions would be like by giving me cramps every five minutes throughout the whole day, just mild contractions that lasted about 10 seconds.  They felt a bit like when you get trapped wind.   By the evening they had stopped and I had nothing all day Friday.  Then I woke up at about 7.00 am on Saturday morning and had to rush to the loo because I had diarrhea. Went back to bed but had to go back to the loo a few minutes later with the same feeling, this time found that my mucus plug had gone, and while I was on the toilet my waters broke.  I called my husband and we rang the hospital.  The hospital was doubtful that my waters had broken (apparently 80% of women who think their waters have broken have just weed themselves)  so I was told to put in a pad and wait two hours.  Well I filled several pads as my waters kept breaking (that's something they don't show in the films)  so we decided to go straight into hospital and not wait the recommended two hours.
On the drive to the hospital I really felt that Orren had lost the liquid that he was suspended in and he seemed to lurch from one side of my tummy to the other on bends.
When we arrived at the hospital I was examined and found to be 8cm dilated, I was so glad because the contractions were getting stronger and I wondered how I could cope if I still had hours to go.  We were taken straight into a delivery room, it was too late for my dream of a water birth.
Once in the delivery room the midwife checked Orren's heart rate, it was a little slow, but nothing to worry about at that point.  I was on my knees with the head of the bed raised and my arms resting on the head of the bed.
The contractions got stronger, and it began feeling like I had no control any more of my body, the cramps flung my body backwards as I gripped the back of the bed.  It was much more painful that I had expected and I sobbed through a lot of the labour moaning about how much it hurt to my husband while he held the gas and air mouth piece and rubbed my back.
The midwife told me to try not to push if I got the urge but whenever I had a contraction my body pushed and I couldn't help it.  I asked her if it would be much longer so she checked me and I was fully dilated except for a small lip of cervix, so not long after that I was able to start pushing.
After some time the baby was not progressing, with each push his head came down a little but then went back up again in between, also his heart rate had slowed and there was merconium (baby's first poo) in the waters which meant he might be distressed, so they asked me to turn over onto my back.
I pressed my chin into my chest and pushed with all my might till I was red in the face and gradually he started moving down, I sobbed after each push saying that I couldn't push any more, it seemed I came to the end of my push and the midwife was still saying "keep pushing".  The midwife wanted to get him out quicker than my body was able to so performed an episiotamy, as she made the cut his head came out, his arm was up by his ear which cased a labial tear which was quite honestly the most painful thing ever, then on the next contraction his body slithered out and he was placed on my chest.  I felt such immense relief that he was out and it was over, he was beautiful, perfect and pink.  His breathing was a little slow so he was taken to the resuscitaire for some oxygen.  Then returned to me for another cuddle.  I felt like I could never ever do it again, but that it definitely was worth it.  Holding my baby in my arms was and is just the most wonderful thing imaginable, and I have a new found respect for mothers and parents generally that have gone through this. There is nothing like it, and nothing can prepare you for it.
Now the real adventure begins!

My world now

Just looking at this beautiful face all day:

Oh and changing nappies, feeding and stacks and stacks of laundry!