The silent cook

[anzu]

I also have a little one who is woken by the sound of a gnat sneezing.

Before he was born, I was naive enough to think that one could accustom babies to normal background noise and not have to tiptoe around while they slept. But from the time he was about 3 days old he showed me how misguided I was...

He's also one of those babies who barely naps.

Instead of trying to cook and/or eat silently while he slept, however (I think I would starve if I relied on him sleeping long enough for me to cook and eat), I decided to approach the issue differently, and cook and eat while he was still awake.

I bought one of these, and cook and eat with him on my back.

I even get housework done like this too.

He's happy, I'm happy.

[Kouign Aman]

But then you look at what you have, these Babies. And know that a gourmet meal will not, and can not, ever replace them.

But mostly you have to have that revelation while the Baby sleeps

Aint that the truth - a sleeping baby is a perfect baby!

Fig newtons for the first few months. Kept em in tupperware at far end of house. Mostly ate them while feeding baby.

Milk and cold cereal scarfed during naps -cereal transferred into tupperware to reduce noise of pouring etc. The swing was bloody brilliant and kept me sane. I cried when baby got too big to swing and swing even if awake, and not cry while I ran a 5 min cycle on the microwave and heated up a rice bowl from Costco. Temperature of food - oh yes - I'd eat the contents of that bowl when I got around to it. Definitely affects the texture of the green bean shreds.

I got really good at saying "I'll be with you when I've counted to 20 - my hands are busy now, love" then I'd count out REALLY loud, between bites, and pretty much swallow without chewing. If I dont eat, I am not a nice person, therefore I am not even close to being a good mom.

My girlfriend bought a sling, and wore her son during meals. She'd just dip her finger in everything and have him taste it.

But you're talking a solid food eating toddler here.....I dunno how I'd manage that.

[dvs]

i suggest anyone who has a baby who doesn't sleep or nap read this book:

The Baby Whisperer

and reclaim your life. it worked for me and i started my bebe off at 9 months. then you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want.

[Maliaty]

A rice cooker is a thing of beauty. it doesn't ding.

Bananas are also good. They don't rustle.

The hospital gave us the helpful advice of keeping noise up while putting baby down. Problem = baby so excited that does not want to sleep. Outcome equals tired parents, less bmilk, grumpier baby. Forget about it!

Baby whisperer is great if it works for you. Also the contented child? can't remember what called, baby brain strikes again. however, we found that problem went away with age anyway. And mileage varies. Ours certainly did.

I second the make ahead / buy 4 orders of whatever takeout (cold pizza worked for us) approach. If oven door doesn't make too much noise, heating up in there rather than microwave is another approach.

First baby now = almost 3. Second due in couple of months. Sleep = thing of distant past.

it's all good!

Maliaty

[judiu]

Try this:

http://www.babygotosleep.com/index.php?cus...pr=Testimonials

HTH!

[fireweed]

Ah, yes, silent cooking. Although my 16 month-old is a much sounder sleeper now than he used to be, I am still in the habit of carrying my spice grinder to the bathroom, closing the door, plugging it in next to the sink and grinding away. My husband no longer asks why there's a light dusting of cinnamon on the change table.