Every day's a learning day

The more time I spend with Leo, the more I realise how much they do actually let us know what they do or don't want; unfortunately, we don't always know how to fulfil their needs.

Stopping doing what's upsetting them is pretty simple, but being able to provide what they need isn't always quite so easy, even if you do understand what they are requesting.

I know now if Leo creates in the car that there is a genuine reason and that can be hunger, trapped wind, dirty nappy or strapped in too tight.. All easily fixed.

I know when he's hungry, easy fix as that's basically constant!

His new one is if I try and do something too quickly after waking him up, like putting him in a carrier or changing his clothes. I need to give him time to come around so he can understand what I am doing.

The one thing that upsets him that I struggle to assist with is trapped intestinal wind. It drives him mad at night poor thing. We are learning coping mechanisms as we go along and are introducing pre-emptive actions into his evening routine.

Massage and bath time really relaxes him.  We then have a chill and I sing to him (wouldn't relax me but he appreciates it.)

I find swaddling him stops him getting so tense too and a dummy if he's really unsettled and has already fed.

The co sleeper is now attached to the bed and if he gets restless in the night, I place my hand on his belly and this really settles him. I do this as I regularly used to get wind pain and I love that. Warmth and pressure.

They're clever little monsters, we're just a bit slow on  the uptake sometimes....

.... When all else fails, feed!