Life with a six-month-old baby

My little bub turned six months recently and I can’t believe how quickly this mini milestone came around. The past six months have been some the best and most challenging of my life. Looking back at myself six months ago is crazy, it almost feels like a lifetime ago. I feel proud of how far I’ve come as a new mummy. I think every mum should as we navigate going through the post-partum period while learning to care for a little one.

Six months ago I was recovering from birth, an episiotomy and adapting to a life where a little person was totally dependant on me. It was a shock to the system that nothing could have prepared me for. But, my message to any new mum out there is things do get easier and you will be just fine.

Azaiah has changed my world, he’s quickly developing into a little man full of character. He’s incredibly vocal now even capturing the attention of people when were out and about while he growls, laughs and screams to express himself. I find him so endearing, it’s beautiful seeing him change all the time.

Teething

We have got to grips with teething now but there are times when it really affects him. I must say, Nelson’s Teetha Gel has been great for soothing his gums. Teething toys have also been an amazing addition although sometimes he will just opt for biting anything in sight!

Weaning

I’d previously said that I’d felt really nervous about starting weaning because it felt so alien and I wanted to get it right. I wish I hadn’t over complicated it and worried so much. I urge anyone who is about to start weaning for the first time to go with the flow. I had Annabel Karmel’s book to hand when starting the journey and it’s been an amazing asset.

It breaks everything down and we’ve been going at our own pace. We started with Kendamil baby rice mixed with banana and quickly progressed to other fresh foods. These included, sweet potato, parsnips, peaches, pear, apple, courgette and avocado.

Azaiah has been loving his meals, I think banana might be one of his favourites but he has responded to different flavours so well. We’ll be progressing to two meals a day shortly followed by introducing some finger foods.

Crawling attempts

Azaiah’s desire to crawl and move around has ramped up recently and I quite literally can’t turn my back for two seconds now. Rolling has progressed to leg and arm movements now in an attempt to start crawling towards objects. He’s been particularly determined to make his way towards TV remotes.

Seeing him make these changes leaves me feeling so emotional as well as a proud mummy.

Sleep

At first, I found it really hard to cope with sleep deprivation and at the time it felt as if I’d never get more than a few hours sleep again. But, things have become easier and we’ve developed a routine as Azaiah has got a bit older.

He usually falls asleep around 7 now and wakes in the middle of the night for a few feeds but quickly goes back to sleep after.

I’ve found that I’ve been able to have a bit of me time in the evenings to read books, watch TV, listen to music, organise and write. I’ve also been studying for my level 3 counselling skills qualification which has been a juggle to say the least. But, I’ve been able to utilise this new time I’ve got to complete assessments.

I’ve felt more like myself since getting a bit more sleep and I really like the little routine with we have. Sleeping during the day is still tricky, Azaiah is a very light sleeper so any noises tend to wake him up. He often has a late morning nap and if we’re at home he may have one in the afternoon but aspects like moving him from the car to the house if we’ve been out often wake him up.