MENA pregnancy/baby/parenting thread

[Aymsgirl 0]

You know my baby will be 2 this month. We will celebrate on 2/28 because he was a leap year baby. It just seems like yesterday when MENA had a baby boom. I think it all started with Sara didn't it?

At times I would like to but Mal will be our only one together. I have my tubes tied and it was suggested that I don't have any more babies. Plus we have the Brady Bunch together!!! Good luck Kelly!

[Nothing1234 2]

Is soy milk out of the question? My bff gives her toddler soy milk because dairy just upsets her tummy too much. Milk gives MY boy diarreah. I switched to lactose free milk, such as Lactaid, and he does fine with that.

Yes, I just tried the lactose free milk and it went well. I was looking for other alternatives as well.

His twin (his sister) has an iron belly! She can eat/drink anything now. LOL

I looked around our local market and Trader Joes'...I saw a few things that interested me to try. Almond milk, Rice milk and the goat milk too. i want him to have some variety and be able to transistion back to cow milk (i hope) in a year or two. This issue has been going on for about 3 weeks...they first diagnosed him w/ an intestinal viral infection which (in my heart) I knew was wrong. As soon as I switch him off cow milk (even powdered caused issues since I tried NIDO too...Egyptian hubby *sigh*) he has been fine.

[sandinista! 1,816]

soy milk is really a last resort, and is not a nutritional equal to cow or goat milk. same goes for rice and almond too. toddlers need the full fat content of whole milk for brain development, and the calcium levels in soy milk are inadequate. the calcium in animal milk is simply better absorbed than any other source of calcium, like in spinach. the phylates in soy milk also decrease calcium absorption. if that's all a toddler can drink, that's fine, but you have to make sure the deficiencies are made up for in the rest of their diet.

Edited February 24, 2010 by sandinista!

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

My friends daughter has been on Goats Milk since she was 1 month old with vitamin supplements bc she couldnt do formula of anykind. She loves the goats milk and has done well. Might be an option.

My bosses son is on Rice Milk bc he has milk and soy allergies and he is EXTREMELY thin and sadly very sick looking, thin hair, bony, you can see lots of veins, etc. So my only experience knowing a kid on Rice milk has been bad. Im sure youll find the right one with trial and error. Glad to hear the lactose free is working well.

Time to go look on amazon for some Toy Story curtains for Zaids new big boy room

[sandinista! 1,816]

yeah for toy story curtains! i can't wait to see the 3rd toy story this summer. is zaid a buzz or woody fan?

[Nothing1234 2]

yeah for toy story curtains! i can't wait to see the 3rd toy story this summer. is zaid a buzz or woody fan?

OMG! Me too! Zain loves Buzz....

Kelz...we bought the twins their "big" boy/girl beds last night. Princess w/ canopy and Toy story! Plus little couches to match when we set up their room. (I also bought for the playroom some Wall Art Foam Dora theme..lol) They still will share a room till a little older because they always end up snuggled next to each other at night. (tooo sweet). We plan on getting their room set up this weekend or next.

[Tunisia216 2]

Annie I had a similar problem with Aaron when he was the same age. He was okay with cheese, yogurt, etc but didn't do well with milk. We did give him soy milk though. I used the vanilla silk soy milk and he got his calcium through the dairy that he could stomach as well as a vitamin gummy. I would continue talking to their doctor to see what he/she feels is best. I did read an article the other day that sole soy is not a good idea as sandinista! said because of the calcium and fat issues. Aaron loved it though and it was enough to put in his sippy cup so he got some vitamins and nutrients while we used other things for fat/calcium. He did grow out of it and is now a milk-a-holic.

[Nothing1234 2]

Annie I had a similar problem with Aaron when he was the same age. He was okay with cheese, yogurt, etc but didn't do well with milk. We did give him soy milk though. I used the vanilla silk soy milk and he got his calcium through the dairy that he could stomach as well as a vitamin gummy. I would continue talking to their doctor to see what he/she feels is best. I did read an article the other day that sole soy is not a good idea as sandinista! said because of the calcium and fat issues. Aaron loved it though and it was enough to put in his sippy cup so he got some vitamins and nutrients while we used other things for fat/calcium. He did grow out of it and is now a milk-a-holic.

That's good to know. I can't wait till he's a milk-a-holic again. I'm kinda gettin' sick of being puked on!

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

YAY FOR BIG BOY/GIRL beds!!!! Zaids room is all Toy Story now. We found the last pair of curtains in a 100 mile radius and sof picked em up. He is definitly a Buzz fan but I just LOVE way Zaid says "Woody" . He says it like a true Arab...almost like "Woooo-dey"

Annie, I wanna buy Zaid the mini couch to match his Buzz chair (the actually wood sofa set not the foam one) and Sof claims its a waste of money...lol...Men! What do they know anyways??!!! Walmart advertizes it for like 60$ online i think but its out of stock everywhere.

Good luck putting the twins in beds. Zaid took to it right away, hopefully Zain and Nour do the same!

Edited February 25, 2010 by ZaidsMommy

[amysaid 9]

there has been some controversy regarding soy milk and soy formula, also, due to the phytoestrogens in soy (some women take soy during menopause, to replace the estrogen lacking in their bodies) and due to potentially goitrogenic properties of soy... meaning, it could potentially damage your thyroid, with long-term, primary use (as with infant formula).

that being said, i had a very pukey baby/kid, too. she had to have lactose-free until she was about two, then she was able to tolerate it without throwing up, but she still gets really gassy from any kind of cow milk products, and she's six now.

[Nothing1234 2]

YAY FOR BIG BOY/GIRL beds!!!! Zaids room is all Toy Story now. We found the last pair of curtains in a 100 mile radius and sof picked em up. He is definitly a Buzz fan but I just LOVE way Zaid says "Woody" . He says it like a true Arab...almost like "Woooo-dey"

Annie, I wanna buy Zaid the mini couch to match his Buzz chair (the actually wood sofa set not the foam one) and Sof claims its a waste of money...lol...Men! What do they know anyways??!!! Walmart advertizes it for like 60$ online i think but its out of stock everywhere.

Good luck putting the twins in beds. Zaid took to it right away, hopefully Zain and Nour do the same!

I doubt they will take to it right away and I see a lot of dancing around jumping on each others beds in the future. But one thing I think that will help is the Arabic movies they are addicted too. We may have them starting to like the room after bath time...instead of the typical playroom hang out after bath...LOL

[Jenn! 918]

Adam had his 4 month appointment today. I think he's going to be tall and thin like his dad. He was 27" (95%) and 16.75 lbs (75%).

Welcome back, Annie. Luv those new pics of the twins!

Edited February 26, 2010 by Jenn!

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Jenn, those were almost EXACTLY Zaids measurements and he is one tall skinny boy now, 36inches and 30lbs. Adam is sooo cute btw

[SimoFati 0]

hello to all mena mommies,

I don't post much, but was glad there a mena pregnacy/baby forum. I am 20 weeks pregnant and have no idea what I got my self into. I have a lot of mixed feeling about being a mother. I am not sure I will be a good one. all my adulthood I lived a single quit life never had to take care of more than a cat . the most thing that worry me right now is that I am not going to have the familly support and help I would have gotten if I lived in Morocco, going there now isnt an option since we have just bought a house. financialy hubby isn't working and going to school full time and bringing mom to stay with me few weeks is going to be a though call .

Edited February 27, 2010 by SimoFati

[tnh9479 1]

I have two tall skinny ones too. We have to have them wear shoes around the house so that their pants stay on! Last time they were measured in January they were 32 and 33 inches tall (at one year). They have definitely gotten taller as they don't have to stand on their toes to reach our door handles (and they have figured out how to open half the doors in our house now. They are into everything and Hana thinks if she bats her eyes and puts her head on us that she can do whatever she wants. Aye! Aye! Aye!