Friendly First Foods logo

friendly first foods

All about feeding our little foodies

Megan’s 4 months old update

Wow!  Our little Meggy Moo is now 4 months old!  It’s going so fast and I feel like with the joy of each first that we celebrate for her there is a hint of sadness that this will also be the last first I experience as a mother.

Megan is such a delightful little girl.  She is smiley and sociable.  I know I’m biased but I can just see the beginning of such a beautiful personality emerging and I love getting to know her more each day.

Nicknames

  • Meg
  • Meggy Moo

New Skills and Firsts

Megan is so close to being able to roll over.  She rolls onto her side regularly and  I don’t think it will be long before our little baby is rolling from her back to her tummy.

She now babbles as if she were having a conversation, taking turns to speak and using consonant sounds.

Megan experienced her first Christmas this month.  She was too young to know what was happening but loved feeling the crinkly wrapping paper on her presents.  She wasn’t so fond of Father Christmas and screamed the whole time we were in his grotto.  Her favourite gift was a stocking filler that my mum and dad got her, it is some links with different textures and shapes and she loves exploring and chewing on them!

Sleep

At 4 months old Megan still sleeps in a crib right next to my side of the bed.  She now sleeps in a sleeping bag and seems to be very content in it.

The 4 month sleep regression is already in full swing and for the last 2 weeks she has woken every two hours through the night, every night.  It’s been tough going but I remember this phase well from when Harry was this age and it will pass. One day she won’t need me for sleepy cuddles so I’m trying to make the most of those moments when the rest of the world sleeps and it’s just the two of us.

 

Feeding

Megan is still breastfed with the occasional bottle of expressed breast milk.  I said in my last update that I thought we might try her on a bottle of formula soon as I hated pumping and wanted to try and get a bit more freedom.  Yesterday Alistair and I went out to celebrate my birthday so I left my mum with 3oz of EBM and a bottle of formula just in case.  Megan eagerly drank the EBM but point blank refused the formula.  I think that maybe we should start trying to give her a bottle of formula more often because when I go back to work there is no way I will be able to pump enough milk for the time we’re apart.

I know she’s only 4 months old but I want her to be settled and content with either type of milk.  If anyone has any tips for introducing baby to formula milk then please let me know!  Harry had both from day one so I’m new to introducing it at this stage!  I plan on breastfeeding for as long as she wants to, ideally to 1 year but we’ll see what she decides, however I have to be realistic and want to prepare her gradually for my return to work rather than leaving it til the last minute and it stressing us both out.

Weight Gain

Megan is gaining weight perfectly. She is following the 25th centile and is a dainty little dot.  She wears some 3-6 months clothes now but still fits in most of her 0-3 months clothes too.

Megan’s favourite things

Megan has a few ‘favourites’ that I think are worth a mention this month.  She’s starting to show real preferences and I’m sure this is the beginning of her becoming an opinionated little miss, just like her mama.

Megan’s favourite toys are a dolly that her Uncle Johnny and Jane got for her, a firefly Lamaze toy that her Auntie Suzanne and Uncle Leigh got for her and some plastic links that her Nanna and Grumps gave her in her Christmas stocking.  The doll has long legs and a frilly skirt that she loves grabbing and stroking, the firefly is bright, colourful and she loves hitting and grabbing it on her playmat and the links I mentioned above!

She loves being worn in the sling and this is still my ace card if she’s unsettled.  A few minutes of slingy cuddles she is completely calm.

Meggy also still gets a lot of comfort from her MAM dummies.  They seem to settle her just like they did/do for her big brother.  When Harry was a baby I didn’t want people to know that he had a dummy.  I had been told by various friends and relatives that they were bad and it was lazy parenting to use them and stupidly I believed it.  After a few months of Harry being completely inconsolable 90% of the time we gave up and tried a dummy.  It instantly brought him comfort and I felt guilty that I didn’t try it sooner.  How can something that brings so much comfort to your child be bad?

With Meg I had dummies ready before she was even born and felt completely calm and happy about giving her one within the first two weeks of her life.  I’d definitely tell other parents to not be shamed by other people and follow your gut.  If you know something will help your baby and you are ok with it then just go for it.  You know your baby best and don’t let anyone make you question that.

Family Life

Megan is the final piece in our family puzzle.  She has fit into our family so perfectly and brought us all even closer together.

Becoming a big brother has brought out the best in Harry and I am so overwhelmed at how loving and gentle he is with his baby sister.  His love for her shines through whenever he interacts with her and there is never a hint of jealousy shown towards her.  You’d never believe that she is only 4 months old and would think she had been around for Harry’s entire life, he is so good with her.  This week Megan laughed for the first time and it was all thanks to Harry’s efforts to entertain her.  When she did it he responded by saying, “I play with you for ever and ever.” Then kissing her on the forehead.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t blub happy tears.

He keeps putting toys in her hand and saying, “There you go Megan, I sharing.”  Then when she grabs it he says, “Mummy, mummy, look!  Megan holding it!  We proud of you Megan, well done.”  They may drive me mad sometimes but in those moments I really do feel like the luckiest person in the world to have such amazing children.

Want to read more about our little ray of sunshine?  Check out the blog posts below:

Megan’s 3 months old update

Megan’s Birth Story

Megan’s Nursery Tour

 

Megan’s feeding journey so far