Moolies

"Bag" like Baby slings nasty bit of news

Well this is all rather awful. Here's the news item: "Infantino baby slings recalled in US and Canada". Basically, this is one of those slings that looks rather like a cosy open bag, type of thing, that you carry over one shoulder and teeny baby's supposed to sleep soundly against your belly. Except three children died of suffocation whilst in them, during 2009. Christ.

Since there are quite a few types like that available in the UK, it's worth passing the news on. I remember my lovely, amazing nearly niece Ada was carried for donkeys in a type of sling called a "Maya wrap" which, when the baby's very small, has a 'tendency' to be used in a bag like way, or that the baby slips down in to that position. I know that because I bought one, on Quinn's recommendation (and it suited Ada very well, as I recall). Nora had colic and had awful trouble getting to sleep so I sorted out my wearing it, snugged Nora inside it and sure enough, she slipped right down in it, and it hung around her like a bag. I really didn't feel positive about it at all, and thought she looked far too squidged up. I think Mackay said as much too. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I switched very quickly to one of those African style long material wraps that pull the baby to your belly in an upright position. Nora's floppy head used to be protected by the shoulder strap (as you can see in the photo on the front page of the Hugabub website, here, but always with her head to the side).

Even Hugabub make one of those ring wraps too - without casting aspersions on the products, if you know someone with a teeny tot or pregnant who is thinking of buying, it's worth pointing them toward that article, and noting that Maya Wraps now have advice that babies smaller than 8 lb's should not be carried in them, as well as a big fat safety notice linked to from the front page of their site.

I loved my Hugabub. There are a ton of other slings and wraps that are similar in design now, and probably cheaper, who knows. Anyway, going for walks with your baby pressed to your chest so you can feel them breathing, and are all aglow from their warmth, right up high with you so you can talk all the time is just a total joy and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I can remember going for walks with these inquisitive little beings, showing them leaves and spider webs, playing "touch the tree" and all sorts of nonsense - and also, by the way, when they fall to sleep and snug up against you it's magical.

So don't miss out on that experience, just think about the safety angle. And pass this on to anyone you know who is using one of the bag ones/  is planning on using one, with a teeny new tot.

Sick

There is a warning sign outside St Georges Hospital, Tooting. It says: "If you experiencing sickness or diarrhoea do not enter the building". Unfortunately, Mackay had been sent to the building by NHS Direct, after Nora woke up having been sick, and then proceeeded to start being sick with more and more frequency after I'd gone to work.

It's 24 hour stomach flu. It has already passed, mostly. She stopped being sick at around 7pm, and then continued to drink rehydration salts in 5ml pippets full every five minutes (much to her chagrin - she wanted to guzzle down the lot) and had another breastfeed before proper bed (ie: not the sleep that consisted of passing out on me as soon as she lay down on top of me).

She's very, very floppy today, but already, after eating only about three spoonfuls of cereal and two very wee munches of toast, she ate a whole rusk during the morning, and had a nice piece of smoked salmon and a handful of grapes for lunch.

She's now asleep for her second sleep of the day. I think we'll try and sneak some more breastmilk in when she wakes up to fortify her up a bit, and another biscuit before an early tea and bed.

I could tell she was coming out of it a bit yesterday evening and this morning because she cried. She didn't cry when she was being sick and was dehydrated. I think that's generally a good warning sign for concern. If she's being quiet and she's sick, it's not something to take lightly.

Wrapping my invisible love-duvet all around her as we speak.

I love that girly girl

After spending a few weeks walking up my chest after being lifted off the change mat, on Saturday, down at McK's parents' place, whilst in the middle of standing up practice, Nora's leg lifted up very deliberately, and she put it down about 6 cm forward. She then lifted up the other one. And was ecstatic.

So of course, she wanted to show off her new walking skills and rather obviously, we helped. So she walked three feet or so across the room to Nana, being gently supported under her arms with her small feet very deliberately plonking themselves down, one after the other.

And big rewards of snugs all round.

Today, I realised the origin of classical Indian dancing hand movements, as Nora once again delicately arranged her hands, curving them in the air and watching them. She indulges in this pastime almost constantly, her hand movements almost unconsciously executed as she is actively engaged in watching me, or Mackay, but never the cats. The cats deserve all the attention she can give them because they are fanTASTIC.

And now I must gently go and put her on to her back because she will be in deep sleep and if I don't, she will wake and become deeply upset as she realises she can't turn herself over, having slopped over on to her front as she was falling to sleep. there's something wonderfully sensitive and loving about doing this for her, watching the gentle rise and fall of her small frame, barely disturbed.

I hope.