# would be interested to hear how intro's went with LOs under 1yrs



## lynsbee (Jun 21, 2013)

Hi 
We are at matching panel today for a LO who is nearly 10months old, all being well planning meeting and intros start 3rd Feb. 
Anyway I was just interested to hear how anyone's intros have gone with children around this agee....all we have really been told so far is that intro's will be a week. I understand everyones experience is different.


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## -x-Lolly-x- (Feb 3, 2012)

Ours spanned 8 days. Our little pink was just over 10 months when we met her. She coped well but by day 5 she was a little unsettled and you could tell her little brain was struggling to process what was happening and who she should go to for comfort etc. She did have a couple of unsettled nights at foster carers but we were lucky and she let us take over her care needs quite readily without a fuss. We stuck rigorously to food preferences and routine when she came to our house and for the first few weeks of placement until we felt she was settled enough to cope with change. Having said that she fell asleep at night time in a bouncy chair and we went straight bottle and in the cot at home. I guess we felt in that respect it was best to start as we meant to go on (and with a little support from a friend who had done the same!) First day of introductions we sat on the floor but at a safe distance and waited for her to come to us. We bought bubbles with us which I would recommend to anyone! It's hard with a pre-verbal child as every cry makes you question their thoughts and feelings. First couple of days home she was so teary and I really thought she hated us.... then a tooth popped through and she was just fine after that


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## -x-Lolly-x- (Feb 3, 2012)

Also I did beat myself up a little giving her all jars and very little lumps. But this was what she was used to and getting her settled and feeling safe and secure was the priority. She was eating and that was the main thing. I think we want to have it all perfect at once, but slow changes are key. She's been home nearly 4 months and eats a varied diet and has a fab chew now. Good luck, you must be so excited!!


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## Loopylou29 (Mar 4, 2013)

We had a similar experience to Lolly.
Our intros lasted a week for a similar aged lo. Again we were able to take over the care fairly easily but there was a few unsettled nights at fc.
We too kept the same routine for naps and bedtimes and very slowly adapted it. The hardest part for us was making sure our eldest didn't feel pushed out.
We found intros more difficult with a baby for the reason lolly mentioned. Our eldest was older and could say if he was tired, hungry etc although physically we found intros more tiring when we met our eldest.

They are tiring and unnatural but that will never change. With a baby its all about routine, familiar smells and comfort, noises and clothing. 

Bubbles and balloons are great for babies.

All the best


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## -x-Lolly-x- (Feb 3, 2012)

Oh yes what Loopy says reminds me about clothing, we wore the same clothes on day one as the clothes we were wearing in the photos and talking album we had done. I've also heard of people wearing colourful chunky jewellery to engage little one and make them want to 'explore you'!


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## Daddyboo (Paul) (Dec 24, 2012)

As well as wearing the same clothes, I think it's doubly important that if you have a cuddly toy for them you should be sleeping with it for a few weeks prior to the first intro day.

Your smell should rub off on to the toy and then LO can get used to you when your not there - especially when LO is asleep.


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## Belliboo (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi Lynsbee congratulations on your match, our intros were 10 days with 9 month old as we we also had AS half sibling who has been with us 2 years so think that's why our were bit longer saying that we felt it was too long especially for our eldest son as he got bit confused why we were leaving his brother at fc each evening , I would agree with the others to keep to strict routines their used to & introduce changes slowly, ours Lo has been home about 6 weeks now & is doing great,  it's a lovely age good luck with your intros.


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## Belliboo (Dec 23, 2007)

Forgot to say we wore same clothes we wore in our welcome book for our first visit, wore same perfume each day, used same wash powder as fc & tried to make cot similar to LOs in fc. Our fc showed his talking tomy book to him each day & when we left too , we kept him on food he was used too like lolly it was jars & we are slowly introducing other foods to him now  xxx


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## Greeniebop is a mummy (Jan 17, 2010)

Congratulations lynsbee 

Our lo was 11 months and intros were 7 days. We handed over talking album and a cuddly toy we had been sleeping with at matching panel. First meeting lo was asleep and placed in my arms and woke up with me which was FC doing. In hindsight it was prob too much for her that early. As soon as she woke up I made sure she could see FC. After that we did everything at lo pace. Let her come to us etc. one thing we were warned off was that she would prob bond with DH first and poss hold back from me and this did happen a little. It was hard as I so desperately wanted to cuddle her etc but it was lovely to see the bond develop between DH and LO and now we have that too. 

With regards to routine we implemented our sleep routine from day one and she settled the first night and she now has a really good routine. She was given jars in FC so we stuck with that for first few weeks and then started to give her half jar half homemade and within a months she was on what we wanted her to eat. 

Not sure if this helps but didn't want to read and run. Last bit of advice.....Get plenty between now and intros. As much as people warn you, nothing can prepare your for how tired you feel. I think it really hit us on day 4, the emotion of it all and the travelling.

Good luck. Enjoy and cherish every single moment x


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## lynsbee (Jun 21, 2013)

Thanks all.
Will read through again when at computer. 
So panel was this morning and a big fat yes!!
We took along the album to panel along with a cuddly toy. We had had the toy around us at home for a few weekz and our SW had said to take them today.

Thankfully I have a fairly good understanding of babies as been a nursery nurse for under 2s for nearly 12yrs. 
We now have a rough plan of intros too.

Im sure I will be exhausted with intros as no matter how much I try to sleep I just can't.  5 hours of broken sleep is my max. Thankfully we don't have too far to travel x


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## newmum (Jan 22, 2011)

Just a quickie but wanted to say our experiences where very much like lollys 


Our LO was 10 months and is now 15 months and melts my heart every second of the day

Good luck  x


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## crazyroychick (Aug 21, 2012)

Amazing so pleased for you, our SW is out in about an hour to show us profile of 2yr old team blue we have been linked to, NERVOUS wreck lol xx


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## Macgyver (Oct 27, 2008)

Hi lynsbee


Our littleman was 10 months old at the introduction stage.  To be honest it went better than anyone was expecting. We were told he didn't like strangers or cuddles. So just sit on the first day so he knows you are around. But one day one as soon as we walked in he smiled at us, he let us feed him, change his nappy and he even gave mummy a cuddle. Day two we had a little wobble as he didn't want us to feed him just his FC. But that is expected, but the rest of the day was great. Day 3 we took him out on our own for a few hours then back for his dinner, he did let us feed him day 3, but bedtime he would not take his bottle from us just the FC. We stayed in the room while he had his bottle. And then we put him in his cot.  This was good as he played up and the FC showed us how she handles him. Which came in handy when we got him home for good.Day 4 was a very early start as he was getting up at 5:30am so we got him up played and had the half day meeting before going home. Day 5 he came to us for 1/2 day. FC stayed too and we played in his bedroom, took him out in the garden, and played in the front room before dinner and FC took him home. Day 6 FC dropped him off and we had him 1/2 day on our own. We did the same as day 5. Day 6 FC dropped him off and we had him all day, gave him his bath and took him back and put him to bed. Day 7 he came home forever.
We did make sure he had a toy car on the first day and this went back and forwards between FC and us as a transition toy. Also we played the DVD we made for him as soon as we got him home. We kept his same routine for two weeks before moving his bedtime back so he is now up between 6:30 - 07:00 


He has been home 4 months and it's like he has always been here. I have to say I have never felt some much love for one person in my life a i do for him.


Good luck xx


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## lynsbee (Jun 21, 2013)

This little man melts my heart all ready and I haven't even met him lol


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## Smudgey (Mar 13, 2012)

hi lynsbee , thanks for posting this as we are at same stage , we meet our little twinkle on Friday , LO is 9 months .

Good luck and keep in touch


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## lynsbee (Jun 21, 2013)

Thanks everyone......random time I know but I have been awake a good hour already. My own fault for falling asleep about half 9 plus I have a stinking cold that feels like my head is going to explode.

Anyways......
Smudgey you must be soo excited! We have to wait until 3rd Feb to meet LO feels forever away. I look forward to seeing an update from you xx


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## Flash123 (Jan 29, 2006)

I promise you lynsbee, it will fly by. Our little man was 8 months when we brought him home and our experience was very similar to how others have described. Our fc were so lovely, they loved LM with all their heart and they were VERY attached to him and him to them. it was a very busy foster home with lots of coming and goings and we found intros exceptionally hard. They were planned for a week but we had a major doubt of confidence and asked to extend it for another day so we could have him here, all day with no other interruptions. FC then organised a party which added on another day. Ss didn't want it to go ahead but we felt very torn and the decision came down to us. In the end it went ahead and intros ended up lasting 9 days. In hindsight this was too long and our LM was very unsettled towards the end.

A others have said we wore the same clothes that we had worn in our photo album. We also greeted him each time with the same little song so he heard our voices before he saw us. We still do this now when we are picking him up from his nap times. It's wonderful to see him getting so excited when he knows you are coming and now he joins in and dances to the tune. Our intros were tough but it wasn't FC fault. LM was their first and they had no support what so ever throughout the time. They clearly found it hard handing over his needs to us and we, not wanting to rock the boat, held back. At times there were as many as 5/6 adults who were familiar to LM in addition to us, he was never going to turn to us, strangers. But we got through it. The best times were when it was just the 3 of us. 

As others have said try to stick to their routine but don't worry about much else, you have your lifetime to sort things. intros are just a time for you to get to know your lo, your lo to get to know you and for them to know they can trust you.

You will have tough times during intros. Your lo will get upset and I needed reminding that babies do cry, it's not necessarily because you gave done something or could have. 

Good luck and roll on feb 3rd xx


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