@mishmardhiono wow! I bet that IS scary! I would be freaking out! As far as I know that isn't going on here, tho when I was at Target buying formula on Thursday I did take the last 3 tubs of my type of formula on the shelf. I assumed it was because they were restocking as I was shopping, now it seems slightly more ominous... I remember thinking at the time that I had NEVER seen the stock that low before. I wonder if this is due to the new policy China passed about allowing two children? What kind of formula do you use, out of curiosity? (Wondering if the same kinds are sold in US vs abroad)
@mishmardhiono I was curious so I googled it...that's messed up!!! They say there were some tainted batches of formula in China that killed some babies so that's why they're buying it up and shipping to China and paying $150 per tin. But what are you supposed to do as an Australian if you can't get any formula cause the Chinese bought it all?!
They need to be enforcing quantity limits but seems hard when a family goes into a store and pretends they don't know each other and all buys the max...
Doesn't look like Amazon has the Australian brands they mention. Do they sell the brand you need?
ETA: I'd be willing to ship some to you if you had it sent to me and then we figured out a way to pay shipping fees. Just no reimbursement in Vegemite, thankyouverymuch.
I actually do want to try coconut oil on the remaining cradle cap scales on LO, but then I don't want to have to deal with washing greasy hair.
Also, FFFQ: if we never get all the scales off, what happens? Do they eventually go away when the hair grows in more, or does it stay underneath her hair? She doesn't have much left, but I can never seem to get it all gone despite the shampooing.
Open enrollment for 2016 dental insurance is in the next few weeks at DH's work. My work doesn't have dental, but they do reimburse up to $1000/year for dental per person.
So, do I sign up LO for actual dental insurance for 2016, or can I likely get buy with paying out of pocket for her IF she needs to go?
FYI she does have one tooth and another on the way as of right now. Basically I just have no idea what a baby might need from a dentist, and when, and how much it would cost.
@hoodoll82 So your supposed to take a child to dentist when their first tooth comes in or by their 1st birthday. I know the majority of people wait to take them to the dentist because at that point there's nothing going on. I didn't take dd until she was 2. If you take care of his teeth I would wait. If u want to take him for the experience I don't think it could cost a lot out of pocket.
@hoodoll82 Our dentist said not to bother until they were 3. Obviously you need to brush for them before that, but they weren't concerned at all. The first year, they count teeth and brush if the kid will let them. They ease into real appointments.
FWIW, we did take DS in before that when he fell and killed a tooth to make sure he didn't need a baby root canal. But even then, they only looked. When he fell and chipped a tooth, I called and our dentist said it wasn't worth bringing him in.
Thanks ladies! So it sounds like we probably don't need to pay for actual insurance, and if we bring her in for a visit, I imagine it will be less than the $1000 allotment...
So about teeth - LO has his bottom 2 teeth clear of the gums now. Am I supposed to brush them with a banana toothbrush with water? Or wet washcloth? Or use toothpaste?
So about teeth - LO has his bottom 2 teeth clear of the gums now. Am I supposed to brush them with a banana toothbrush with water? Or wet washcloth? Or use toothpaste?
There is baby toothpaste, but this is a good question because I'm also not sure when I should be using it vs just water on the brush
@mishmardhiono - that is frightening, and I imagine that if the formula market is being targeted in Australia, they will move onto the next market when you guys run dry. I really pray that it doesn't get to that point for all the Aussie families relying on formula. I know the feeling of running low since we have to get our formula through a speciality pharmacy via insurance...they messed up our shipment by putting it in the wrong delivery truck and I had to scramble to get sample tins wherever I could find them because the formula my son needs is not sold in stores at all. I am sure that there are many of us here in the bump community who you can reach out to, to ship you formula if things get worse...
Thanks for the offer but it's okay, I use a product called bellamys. I think it's Australian only, my friend works at a chemist so now hides their stock supply which is awesome but other families are missing out. It's crazy, they are going and buying $5000 worth of formula at a time but I can understand. If I was Chinese I wouldn't want my LO using local formula it's just the manufacturers need to start meeting supply. And the government needs to start enforcing a pricing limit. This stuff is liquid gold now so the price is also being hiked for profits. In 2.5 months her formula has gone up by $13.52. I'm not sure why they are allowed to make formula unaffordable for a lot of families. I believe there are some cheap brands they don't go after so I think I'm going to go and put her on that stuff. My friend has been told by her dr to take her 7 month old off formula and just do lots of yoghurt to compensate because there isn't any of his specialised formula left in our state and will take 3 more weeks. Some advice ladies start watching eBay, thus is how it all started down here. If you start noticing your brand on eBay at an increased cost start buying up big
@hoodoll82 about the cradle cap. As we know, DD had a butt ton of hair, and has never had cradle cap. Maybe it's because the natural oils in her hair keep it at bay. So I would imagine once hair comes in it wouldn't be an issue.
On another note about formula, I was asking about transitional formula for if I need to supplement. My pedi said that the all formula in the U.S. has to be approved by the fda. Also that the stuff at Costco is owned by either similac or enfamil and the labels are just different. Don't know if this is BS, but I figured I would pass it on.
@hoodoll82, about cradle cap, I read somewhere that it goes away on its own by the time they are 8-12 months usually. I also read that if you use oil to soften up the scales to brush them off, be careful to try to wash out the oil because oil is believed to be a culprit.
I've just been using the cradle cap brush on her head in the bath and right out of the bath. And biding my time until it just goes away for good.
@Sammy K, she had some on her eyebrow and forehead as well. It took me awhile to realize what it was (late to the game in reading up on skin stuff). Thankfully it sloughed off easily a few times until it stayed gone. Now just battling the "scalys" on the head, but making progress.
I actually do want to try coconut oil on the remaining cradle cap scales on LO, but then I don't want to have to deal with washing greasy hair.
Also, FFFQ: if we never get all the scales off, what happens? Do they eventually go away when the hair grows in more, or does it stay underneath her hair? She doesn't have much left, but I can never seem to get it all gone despite the shampooing.
Seriously though, LO had the worst cradle cap. I put coconut oil on it, brushed it well, and then washed it. It totally went away. I didn't even have to squirt breast milk on it like I was planning.
ETA-I hope it goes without saying the breastmilk was a joke...
@mishmardhiono, I've read some things that say we don't really know what causes cradle cap and some things that blame the mother's hormones that remain in the babies body for weeks up to several months.
I've seen a biotin deficiency mentioned too but who knows. Coconut oil and a comb worked for us after a few times. It got more noticeable before it got better though. I feel like baby hair takes the oil well as we don't use shampo on him and it still didn't look greasy after a bath and brushing
I actually do want to try coconut oil on the remaining cradle cap scales on LO, but then I don't want to have to deal with washing greasy hair.
Also, FFFQ: if we never get all the scales off, what happens? Do they eventually go away when the hair grows in more, or does it stay underneath her hair? She doesn't have much left, but I can never seem to get it all gone despite the shampooing.
Yeah coconut oil and brushing worked pretty well for my LO actually although it wasn't that simple.. I didn't want to deal with an oily head either so I put off trying it, but it was worth it. I slathered her head with it in the bath and left it on til the end of the bath and washed her hair with her soap and soft brush, and that seemed to make it worse because it looked like it lifted the scales up some so she looked pretty mangy at first. I read to also leave the oil on her head for a long time, so I let her have a gross coconut oil head for a day and then washed it off in the bath the next day with a brush and then put oil back on for a day then washed it out (sorry this is long) and then I could finally tell a difference. So! It took me 2-3 days, a few baths and tolerance of an oily baby but it worked for my LO.
@hoodoll82 about the cradle cap. As we know, DD had a butt ton of hair, and has never had cradle cap. Maybe it's because the natural oils in her hair keep it at bay. So I would imagine once hair comes in it wouldn't be an issue.
On another note about formula, I was asking about transitional formula for if I need to supplement. My pedi said that the all formula in the U.S. has to be approved by the fda. Also that the stuff at Costco is owned by either similac or enfamil and the labels are just different. Don't know if this is BS, but I figured I would pass it on.
Random: I read this as "a ton of butt hair." I did a double take. Ha!
As for cradle cap, LO is getting over hers now. I let her shampoo soak for a few minutes then use a washcloth to kind of lightly rub the scales.
As for the teeth, my dentist said to bring her in when she has all her teeth. So not for a long time!
My FFFQ: the oldest milk in my freezer stash has big air pockets, because I didn't know to squeeze it out before freezing! Think it's still good? I want to use it before the 6 month mark!
So I just left my employer to stay home w/ LO and am trying to decide between keeping my 401k in the account it's currently in or converting it to an IRA but I have no idea how to make that decision! I tried discussing it with the company that holds the 401K but bless them, lamens terms were not their forte. I tried doing some research on my own and it's just more of the same. Is there anyone here who can talk to me like I'm 5 and explain the benefit of converting vs leaving it?
@messymolly Take this with a grain of salt and try to find a knowledgeable professional. But my experience is that if you want to continue to contribute to your 401k, you will have to convert it to an IRA. The 401k is owned and managed by an agent of your former employer (read: there are fees to provide retirement accounts and either your employer pays them or they're distributed, which reduces the overall cost.) None of my previous employers have allowed continued participation after employment ends. You have a guaranteed period where you can roll your 401k into an IRA without any fees or penalties. Then you can contribute and manage on your own.
Most retirement service providers have people you can talk to for free but you might have to set up an appointment. They can help you roll your account over by phone. I have had good experiences with Edward Jones and Charles Schwab. I would try to figure this out within 30 days to avoid any penalties in case your employer just cuts you a check at the end of the grace period.
Is anyone using their stroller without the carseat yet? I still keep l/o in her car seat but I think she would do fine on her own. She seems to have the head and neck support figured out.
We have an umbrella - type stroller that reclines with a 5 point harness that I've used since LO was about a month old. I used it with DS at that age, too. She's also been in the double jogging stroller, but only for walking. She's still too young to try running with.
Yes we have! She loves it!! This picture was from when we were carving pumpkins and I just sat her in it without strapping her in. I just had to take the headrest/holder thing out of the car seat because we had to move the straps up and it can only be on the lower 2 settings. She has very good head control, although I don't know any other babies her age so can't compare. But I think Definetly try the stroller!!
@alcrimmins DH and I actually just went for a walk with LO just in the stroller portion. I've been doing it for a while, but with the seat reclined. She has great head and neck control, but can't sit on her own. She loves it though, and is able to see everything around her. I'm able to incline it a lot more and with the five point harness she doesn't fall over. Have fun!
What can I do to help relieve LOs teething pain? She doesn't like teething rings so far. We give her Tylenol most nights because she's so fussy and it's clear it's her mouth (shoving her while hand in there, chewing on bottle nipples, etc) but I don't want to keep relying on Tylenol bc it's not healthy long term. Help?
@hoodoll82 You can try cold, wet washcloths (or similar). DS really liked cold milk straight out of the fridge and he'd chew on the bottle nipple. He actually refused to nurse a few times before we figured it out. Have you tried baby Orajel? It's effective, but I was always afraid of giving DS too much, so we only used it once a day. Do you have a Sofie? I had always heard babies love them but DS never had one. LO loves the little teether version she has.
@messymolly08, I work in a benefits center for an employer and we administer their 401k. Your question is a common question we get and @Sammy K makes a lot of good points. (assuming you're in the US) It's correct that you won't be able to contribute to your employer 401k anymore, but your employer may allow you to leave your balance there (often it just requires you to have a certain minimum balance).
Often 401k with employers have lower fees than retirement plans you can get on your own, so that's one reason why some people leave their money there. Another reason some people may want to keep their 401k is if they like the Funds (investment options) available better than what other retirement plans have.
If you already have another retirement plan somewhere else, you may want to consider consolidating them into one plan. That way you maximize your potential with compound interest (earn more money when you have more money).
But if you don't have any other retirement plan, and assuming you're allowed to keep your money there, you may just want to leave it there because its the easiest option. If you leave your money there you can continue to check it every now and then and should still be able to do fund transfers (moving your money from one investment area to another). If you leave your money with your 401k, you could very well have it there until you're retirement age. Or maybe shop around to see if an IRA may be better for you (try to compare fees and how you can invest/grow your money). If you do look into IRAs, like @Sammy K said, they should have people who can help you understand how their plan works.
Another option instead of the 401k or IRA is an annuity. It's where you dump a bunch of money into a plan where you're then guaranteed a certain monthly amount for the rest of your life once you retire. The nice thing about that is you don't have to worry about watching your balance/investments. But a downside can be that you could miss out if it did turn out you could have earned a bunch more on your retirement plan.
If you did decide to roll your money into an IRA...If you're employer allows you to keep your money there, you're not in a rush to roll it over. But if they don't allow you to keep your money there, then find out how long until they force you out by sending you a check. It's easier to set up the rollover before you get forced out, that way your employer would have the check made out as a rollover and its reported to the IRS as a rollover (for tax purposes). If they already forced you out by the time you decide to rollover, you're still able to do a rollover. But it will be an "indirect rollover" where you would endorse the back of the check making it payable to the IRA as a rollover (if you do that, you need to get it done within 60 days of the date on the check). Then you can talk to the IRA about your option to give them extra money to make up for withholding taken from your distribution check (assuming you had before-tax money in the 401k) and you'd get that withholding money back from the government during tax time (because the IRA would let the government know you ended up rolling the money over).
I know that's A LOT of information. But first I'd say find out if you can leave your money there or if you have to take it out. Then go from there.
Re: FFAQ - Flame Free Anytime Questions
I wonder if this is due to the new policy China passed about allowing two children?
What kind of formula do you use, out of curiosity? (Wondering if the same kinds are sold in US vs abroad)
I hope you can get some soon!
Maybe put a mitten on her hand?
They need to be enforcing quantity limits but seems hard when a family goes into a store and pretends they don't know each other and all buys the max...
Doesn't look like Amazon has the Australian brands they mention. Do they sell the brand you need?
ETA: I'd be willing to ship some to you if you had it sent to me and then we figured out a way to pay shipping fees. Just no reimbursement in Vegemite, thankyouverymuch.
(Ps - obviously someone chopping a finger off would be horrible. I don't actually mean that.)
Also, FFFQ: if we never get all the scales off, what happens? Do they eventually go away when the hair grows in more, or does it stay underneath her hair? She doesn't have much left, but I can never seem to get it all gone despite the shampooing.
When do we need to bring LO to the dentist?
Open enrollment for 2016 dental insurance is in the next few weeks at DH's work. My work doesn't have dental, but they do reimburse up to $1000/year for dental per person.
So, do I sign up LO for actual dental insurance for 2016, or can I likely get buy with paying out of pocket for her IF she needs to go?
FYI she does have one tooth and another on the way as of right now. Basically I just have no idea what a baby might need from a dentist, and when, and how much it would cost.
FWIW, we did take DS in before that when he fell and killed a tooth to make sure he didn't need a baby root canal. But even then, they only looked. When he fell and chipped a tooth, I called and our dentist said it wasn't worth bringing him in.
@klirwin82 @mellymar just water and toothbrush or washcloth.
On another note about formula, I was asking about transitional formula for if I need to supplement. My pedi said that the all formula in the U.S. has to be approved by the fda. Also that the stuff at Costco is owned by either similac or enfamil and the labels are just different. Don't know if this is BS, but I figured I would pass it on.
ETA-I hope it goes without saying the breastmilk was a joke...
As for cradle cap, LO is getting over hers now. I let her shampoo soak for a few minutes then use a washcloth to kind of lightly rub the scales.
As for the teeth, my dentist said to bring her in when she has all her teeth. So not for a long time!
My FFFQ: the oldest milk in my freezer stash has big air pockets, because I didn't know to squeeze it out before freezing! Think it's still good? I want to use it before the 6 month mark!
Most retirement service providers have people you can talk to for free but you might have to set up an appointment. They can help you roll your account over by phone. I have had good experiences with Edward Jones and Charles Schwab. I would try to figure this out within 30 days to avoid any penalties in case your employer just cuts you a check at the end of the grace period.
Good luck and enjoy your time at home!
I hope you find something!