Parenting advice needed

[Melly]

Hi everyone,

Sorry that I have not been keeping in touch as much as I used to. Life is just too chaotic these days -- you all know what it is like to be a new mom.

I do have a concern about my little one who is about turn six months old.

Ellen continues to be a joy. She is happy, coos, blows bubbles and raspberries, hasn't started making consonant sounds, but hopefully that will happen soon. My concern is that she is very quiet at daycare. None of the staff have mentioned it, but I am always there at lunch, and she just seems so reserved. When I get her home, she is usually more vocal, but when she's tired, she's usually more quiet. On the weekends, she usually comes back to life, is her usual self, playful and interactive, and very attached to her mom.

I am concerned that maybe I did something that harmed her during the pregnancy, took too much prelief, had a few flares that were difficult causing me to overheat on several occasions (that's just how my body responded). Also, I have a relative who had some major speech delays, and I am wondering if Ellen is going to follow suit.

I am sorry to ramble. Since I am new at this parenting bit, I just needed some helpful advice. All I seem to do is worry these days. Worry that Ellen may have IC at some point, worry about her development. I just wish I could cherish the moments for what they are.

Hope everyone is doing well and had a wonderful thanksgiving holiday.

Melly

[ldwall]

Stop worrying mom, you have a 'watcher and waiter'. She sounds like the kind that takes everything, problem is they just "learn" two hundred words in a week, walk in a day etc. She is learning all the time, she will practice when she does it right the first time. My oldest and second born were like that.....just watch her when she is two.....tak anything apart when she is watching and she just might be able to do it on her own. Stop worrying and realize NO baby is just like another baby, or like a book. Enjoy her. LIsa

[Patrice]

Melly,

I didn't have IC when I was pregnant, but I might be able to make you feel better. My daughter was very happy and smiled all the time and cooed from time to time but the books said she should be babbling and at 8 months still wasn't til one day she just started in...ba ba ba ba. Well, her first word was Santa at 11 months and at 15 months said "mommy socks on" when I was getting dressed. By 18 months she talked in complete sentences and enunciated clearly. She could say judiciary since she heard it every day on the news with the Clinton hearings. Anyway, she's now 5 and keeps having to get her cot moved at naptime because she won't stop talking. I can't tell you the number of times I called my sister worrying about one thing or another and they were all unfounded. Enjoy your little one!

[Melly]

Thanks all for responding,

I really appreciate the reassurances. I just need to be patient and let Ellen develop at her own rate. I believe she is very much a "watcher and a waiter". She is just so engaging with such a pleasant smile and demeanor. If she doesn't start to babble by the end of 10 months may be in order, but there is such a range for language aquisition and such individual variation. I will try to keep my worries in check, but really appreciate all the support and words of wisdom.

Best wishes to you all for the holidays. Maybe I can post a photo of Ellen in her holiday clothing -- my mother gave her a very cute outfit imprinted with Baby's First Christmas.

No gifts requested for me this year. I got mine 6 months ago when Ellen entered my life.

Thanks again and take care,

Melly

[ICNDonna]

Melly, you sound soooo much like one of my daughters when her son was a baby. When he was a year old, one of their friends had a little boy the same age who was saying sentences. Our daughter was afraid her beautiful little boy had something wrong because he didn't say anything at all.

Then three years later she was very worried because he didn't recognize all of the colors.

That little boy is now 22. He spent all of his elementary and high school years in advanced classes, won significant scholarships to the university and is currently and excellent college student. He does have one minor fault --- he is color blind!

I remind his mother occasionally about just how worried she was about him.

Sending warm grandmotherly hugs,
Donna