June 2007 Mommies ~ Enjoying Mommyhood!

[June2007Mommies]

JUNE 2007 MOMMIES...
Enjoying motherhood!!!

22 babies have arrived, including two sets of twins!

http://lafemmebonita.com/blinkies//Pregnancy%20and%20Babies/Struck_Blue.gif: (10)
Our boys: DnJ2002, Jenean (x2!) , L&D Nurse, MexicoBride'05, Sarah6690, Smittenk, StacieLady, stevesbabygirl, SuzetteW

http://lafemmebonita.com/blinkies//Pregnancy%20and%20Babies/Struck_Pink.gif: (12)
Our girls: Cosmogirl , Daphne, elissa, em1126, GA_GAL, Irish Elf, LoveBeingAMommy (x2!), magrat, micd, risa00, steelcitymama

Need updates from: almostthere, eldub, firedancr41


If you are new here, congratulations! It's never too late to join and we hope you will consider joining us. We look forward to sharing this amazing experience together! Please posts all updates in RED. Also, when posting, please put in the subject line how old your baby is - you can do this by clicking "go advanced".

Please list your stats in RED in your first post:

CC Name:
Me: Name, age
DH: Name, age
Married: Date
DC: Name
EDD: Date
ADD: Date
Gender Prediction:
Actual Gender:
Any other children:


Your threadmistresses are Jenean and L&D Nurse. Feel free to PM them if you have any questions or comments regarding the thread.

Previous thread links:
Our First Trimester (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25424)
Our Second Trimester (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27181)
Our Third Trimester (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30737)
Welcoming Our Babies! ( http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33065)

[June2007Mommies]

Proud Mommies:

Cosmogirl - SURPRISE!
Me: Val 29
DH: Fred 33
Married: 08.21.2004
DC: Mathilde Zoe
EDD: 06.26.2007
ADD: 06.22.2007
Gender Prediction: Girl
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children:a son born 07.22.2005

Daphne - GIRL!
Me: 33
DH: 33
Married: August 2003
DC: Amelia Pearson
EDD: 6/1/07
ADD: 6/4/07
Gender Prediction: boy
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children: DS 12/04

DnJ2002 - SURPRISE!
Me: Jess, 31
DH: D, 39
Married: July 6, 2002
DC: Jacob Daniel
EDD: June 16, 2007
ADD: June 22, 2007
Gender Prediction: not sure yet...DH thinks boy
Actual Gender: boy
Any other children: Arabella Hope, 8-17-2005

elissa - GIRL!
Me: Elissa, 30
DH: Chris, 31
Married: October 1, 2005
DC: Avery Helene
EDD: June 18, 2007
ADD: June 13, 2007
Gender Prediction: boy
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children: none

em1126 - GIRL!
Me: Emily, 28
DH: Mike, 27
Married: 10/11/03
DC: Aubrey Noelle
EDD: 6/3/07
ADD: 5/26/07
Gender Prediction: Boy
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children: Nope

GA_GAL - GIRL!
Me: 26
DH: 26
Married: 12/03
DC: Handley Isabelle
EDD: June 16
ADD: June 17, 2007
Gender Prediction: girl
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children:this is our first!

Irish Elf - GIRL!
DC: Baby Girl
EDD: 6/14/07
ADD: 6/14/07

Jenean - TWIN SURPRISES!
Me: Jenean, 30
DH: Seth, 31
Married: 6/22/03
DC: Simon Aron & Miles Logan
EDD: June 12, 2007
ADD: May 19, 2007
Gender Prediction: boy and girl
Actual Gender: two boys!
Any other children: Trevor the turtle, Purrcy the terror-kitty, Kojak the weenie-dog

L&D Nurse - BOY!
Me: Nurse, 30
DH: Professor, 30
Married: July 2003
DC: Thomas
EDD: June 3, 2007
ADD: May 18, 2007
Gender Prediction: girl
Actual Gender: Boy
Any other children: this is our first!

LoveBeingAMommy - TWIN GIRLS!
Me: 32
DH: 31
Married: November 2002
DC: McKinley Claire & Taylor Grace
EDD: June 15, 2007
ADD: June 6, 2007
Gender Prediction: ??
Actual Gender: 2 Girls
Any other children: DD 5/04

magrat - SURPRISE!
Me: Sarah, 27
DH: Benjamin, 27
Married: 3/1/03
DC: Eve Eleanor
EDD: June 16th
ADD: June 5, 2007
Actual Gender: Girl

MexicoBride'05 - BOY!
Me: Farah, 29
DH: Dallas, 28
Married: November 18, 2005
DC: Jayden Michael
EDD: June 19, 2007
ADD: June 6, 2007
Gender Prediction: No idea!
Actual Gender: Boy
Any other children:Just our little pug Marley ;)

micd - GIRL!
Me: M, 25
DH: D, 28
DC: Sara Grace
Married: 05/03
EDD: 06/21/07
ADD: 06/15/07
Gender Prediction: Girl
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children: none

risa00 - SURPRISE!
Me: Lisa, 28
DH: Sean, 34
Married: July 12, 2003
DC: Ava Rose
EDD: June 13, 2007
ADD: May 28, 2007
Gender Prediction: boy but would like girl
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children: none

Sarah6690 - BOY!
Me: Sarah, 25
DH: Eric, 29
Married: June 11, 2005
DC: Sawyer Lee
EDD: May 29, 2007
ADD: May 23, 2007
Gender Prediction: hoping for a girl
Actual Gender: Boy
Any other children: DS Kayden 12-06-01

Smittenk - SURPRISE!
Me: Ali, 30
DH: M, 38
Married: April 3rd, 2004
DC: Connor Hale
EDD: 6/25/2007
ADD: 6/27/2007
Gender Prediction: Don't mind as long as it is healthy
Actual Gender: Boy
Any other children: Furbaby, Barley 08/05

StacieLady - BOY!
Me: 26
DH: 33
Married: Feb 14, 2004
DC: Jacob Wesley
EDD: June 9, 2007
ADD: May 14, 2007
Gender Prediction: I don't know...Girl?
Actual Gender: Boy
Any other children: no, just a dog!

stevesbabygirl - BOY!
Me: Heather, 28
DH: Steve, 29
Married: August 31, 2003
DC: Owen Nathaniel
EDD: June 17, 2007 though I think it's later
ADD: June 25, 2007
Gender Prediction: DH thinks girl but I think boy
Actual Gender: Boy
Any other children: 3 cats and an iguana

steelcitymama - SURPRISE!
Me: Kristin, 28
DH: Doug, 30
Married: July 24 04
DC: Mairin Maeve
EDD: June 7 07
ADD: 6/19/07
Gender Prediction: i think it's a boy, but we didn't find out.
Actual Gender: Girl
Any other children: nope, this is our first!

SuzetteW - BOY!
Me: Suzette, 29
DH: Jay, 29
Married: 8/4/01
DC: Jacob Diedrich
EDD: 6/14/07
ADD: 6/6/07
Gender Prediction: girl
Actual Gender: Boy
Any other children: DS - Jackson - 10/2/03

Please Update Us:

almostthere - SURPRISE!
Me: Sarah, 28 (29 when baby is born)
DH: Andy, 32
Married: June 2, 2001
TTC: Sept 2005
EDD: June 14, 2007 (will be section earlier)
Gender Prediction: just want a healthy one
Any other children: Hailey 3 years old

eldub - SURPRISE!
Me:32
DH: 33
Married: November 2003
TTC: August 2006
BFP: October 7, 2006
EDD: June 12, 2007 (used a due date calculator, so just a guess!)
Gender Prediction: no clue!
Any other children: DD 6/05

firedancr41 - SURPRISE!
Me: Amy, 28
DH: Chris, 26
Married: 7/2/06
TTC: 8/1/06
BFP: 10/20/06
EDD: 6/13/07
Gender Prediction: Boy
Any other children: no


Always in our thoughts and prayers:
Happy1, lorbo, prentiss

[June2007Mommies]

Our Babies 1

May 14, 2007
StacieLady
Jacob Wesley
Born at 36w1d - 7 lbs 6 oz, 20.5 inches
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7697/1000567of8.jpg

May 18, 2007
L&D Nurse
Thomas
Born at 37w5d - 6 lbs 15 oz, 20 inches
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1397/661992292_199ef729e7.jpg

May 19, 2007
Jenean
Simon Aron & Miles Logan
Born via c/s at 36w4d - 5 lbs 2 oz, 17.5 inches and 5 lbs 8 oz, 19 inches
(Miles on the left and Simon on the right)
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l86/jmk103176/Momscamera003.jpg

May 23, 2007
Sarah6690
Sawyer Lee
Born via repeat c/s at 39w1d - 6 lbs 10 oz, 18.5 inches
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Sarah6690/Sawyer019.jpg

May 26, 2007
em1126
Aubrey Noelle
Born via c/s at 38w6d - 7 lbs 1 oz, 19.25 inches

May 28, 2007
risa00
Ava Rose
Born at 37w5d - 4 lbs 14 oz, 18 inches
http://byfiles.storage.msn.com/y1pYdx6vzOlLc_jFWLyIi-XS5yuZryQiHfVi6DCKrCqpb89EXTdbUPSkqkIKU1AZxA9

[June2007Mommies]

Our Babies 2

June 4, 2007
Daphne
Amelia Pearson
Born at 40w3d via VBAC - 9 lbs 6 oz, 21 inches

June 5, 2007
magrat
Eve Eleanor
Born at 38w3d - 6 lbs 8 oz, 19 inches
http://lh3.google.com/image/BenjaminKitt/Rmn5MOTR2kI/AAAAAAAAAZc/NDOr7ytREHc/Eve%20takes%20a%20nap.jpg?imgmax=400

June 6, 2007
LoveBeingAMommy
McKinley Claire & Taylor Grace
Born at 38w5d via c/s - 6 lbs 6 oz, 19.25 inches and 6 lbs 5 oz, 19.25 inches
(McKinley on the left and Taylor on the right)
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/Casselsshopper/DSCN4747.jpg

June 6, 2007
MexicoBride'05
Jayden Michael
Born at 38w1d - 7 lbs 4 oz, 20 inches
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w89/fardal/DSC02164.jpg?t=1181960788

June 6, 2007
SuzetteW
Jacob Diedrich
Born at 38w6d - 7 lbs 13 oz, 20.5 inches
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i259/sweiner/100_0714.jpg

June 13, 2007
elissa
Avery Helene
Born at 39w2d via c/s - 8 lbs 3 oz, 20 inches
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/elissab/057.jpg

[June2007Mommies]

Our Babies 3

June 14, 2007
Irish Elf
Baby Girl
Born at 40w via c/s - 7 lbs 4 oz, 20 inches

June 15, 2007
micd
Sara Grace
Born at 39w1d - 6 lbs 13 oz, 19 inches

June 17, 2007
GA_GAL
Handley Isabelle
Born at 40w1d - 7 lbs 4 oz, 20 inches

June 19, 2007
steelcitymama
Mairin Maeve
Born at 41w5d - 7 lbs 9 oz, 19.5 inches

June 22, 2007
DnJ2002
Jacob Daniel
Born at 40w6d - 8 lbs 5 oz

[June2007Mommies]

Our Babies 4

June 22, 2007
Cosmogirl
Mathilde Zoe
Born at 39w3d - 6 lbs 12 oz, 20.5 inches
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/Cosmochick/Mathilde0221.jpg

June 25, 2007
stevesbabygirl
Owen Nathaniel
Born at 41w1d - 8 lbs 9 oz, 20.5 inches
http://a530.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/91/l_b65f241fc6e40bed8282c7ab99767299.jpg

June 27, 2007
Smittenk
Connor Hale
Born at 40w2d - 7 lbs 10 oz, 20.5 inches
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a32/Smittenk/ConnorHaleisborn039.jpg

[June2007Mommies]

Cool Links

Tickers:
Baby's First Site (http://www.babysfirstsite.com/) * Baby Gaga (http://www.baby-gaga.com/) * La Femme Bonita (http://lafemmebonita.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi) * Lilypie (http://www.lilypie.com/) * One In The Oven (http://www.oneintheoven.net/) * SnugglePie (http://www.snugglepie.com/) * Ticker Central (http://www.tickercentral.com/) * Ticker Factory (http://www.tickerfactory.com/)

Baby Shopping Sites:
Baby Age (http://www.babyage.com/) * Baby Ant (http://www.babyant.com/) * Baby Bazaar (http://www. babybazaar.com/) * Baby Box (http://www.babybox.com/) * Baby Center’s Store (http://store.babycenter.com/) * Baby Depot (http://www.babydepot.com/) * Baby Dilly (http://www.babydilly.com/) * Baby Dream (http://www.babydreams.com/) * Babies ‘R Us (http://www.babiesrus.com/) * BabyStyle (http://www.babystyle.com/) * Baby Universe (http://www.babyuniverse.com/) * Carousel Designs (http://www.carouseldesigns.com/) * Dimples and Dandelions (http://www.dimplesanddandelions.com/) * Dreamtime Baby (http://www.dreamtimebaby.com/) * Elegant Baby (http://www.elegantbabygifts.com/) * Fisher Price (http://www.fisher-price.com/) * Gap (http://www.gap.com/) * Graco (http://www.gracobaby.com/) * Gymboree (http://www.gymboree.com/) * In The Treetop (http://www.inthetreetop.com/) * JC Penney (http://www.jcpenney.com/) * Land of Nod (http://www.landofnod.com/) * Little Showoffs (http://www.littleshowoffs.com/) * Net Kidswear (http://www.netkidswear.com/) * Nursery Depot (http://www.nurserydepot.com/) * Old Navy (http://www.oldnavy.com/) * One of a Kind (http://www.oneofakindkid.com/) * One Step Ahead (http://www.onestepahead.com/) * Pokkadots (http://www.pokkadots.com/) * Pottery Barn Kids (http://www.potterybarnkids.com/) * Signature Baby (http://www.signaturebaby.com/) * Target (http://www.target.com/) * The Baby Marketplace (http://www.thebabymarketplace.com/) * The Children’s Place (http://www.childrensplace.com/) * Tutti Bella (http://www.tuttibella.com/) * Wendy Bellissimo (http://www.wendybellissimo.com/) * Overview Baby Skin Products (http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=SKIN&ID=14 /)

Breastfeeding:
Ameda (http://www.ameda.com/) * Breastfeeding (http://www.breastfeeding.com/) * Boppy (http://www.boppy.com/) * KellyMom (http://www.kellymom.com/) * La Leche League (http://www.lalecheleague.org/) * Maternal Concepts (http://www.maternalconcepts.com/) * Medela (http://www.medela.com/) * Mothering (http://www.mothering.com/) * ProMoM (http://www.promom.org/) * Whisper Wear (http://www.whisperwear.com/)

Formula Feeding:
Bright Beginnings (http://www.brightbeginnings.com/) * Enfamil (http://www.enfamil.com/) * Similac (http://www.similac.com/) * Very Best Baby (Nestle Good Start) (http://www.verybestbaby.com/)

Diapering Info: (some have coupons & contests)
Cloth Diapering (http://www.borntolove.com/404page.html) * Huggies (http://www.huggies.com/) * Luvs (http://www.luvs.com/) * Pampers (http://www.pampers.com/)

Slings:
The Hip Hugger (http://www.thehiphugger.com/) * About Babies Inc. (http://www. aboutbabiesinc.com/) * Maya Wrap (http://www.mayawrap.com/) * New Native Baby (http://www.newnativebaby.com/) * Prenatal Cradle (http://www.prenatalcradle.com/) * Baby Bjorn (http://www.babybjorn.com/) * Baby Wearer (http://www.babywearer.com/)

Invitations/Announcements:
2Peas1Pod (http://www.2peas1pod.com/) * 5StarBaby (http://www.5starbaby.com/) * BabyGrams (http://www.babygrams.com/) * Baby J Cards (http://www.babyjcards.com/) * Bella Baby (http://www.bellababy.com/) * Busy Bee Announcments (http://www.busybeeannouncements.com/) * Celebration Cottage (http://www.celebrationcottage.com/) * Classic Card (http://www.classiccard.com/) * inababycarriage (http://www.inababycarriage.com/) * InvitationBox (http://www.invitationbox.com/) * Inviting Smiles (http://www.invitingsmiles.com/) * MetroBaby Cards (http://www.metrobabycards.com/) * Mommy’s Miracles (http://www.mommysmiracles.com/) * My Gatsby (http://www.mygatsby.com/) * Naptime Cards (http://www.naptimecards.com/) * PhotoStamps (http://www.photo.stamps.com/) * PurpleStork (http://www.purplestork.com/) * Simply To Impess (http://www.simplytoimpress.com/) * Stork Avenue (http://www.storkavenue.com/) * Stork Grams (http://www.shopbirthannouncements.com/) * Tiny Prints (http://www.tinyprints.com/)

Fun Stuff:
Jewel Kids (http://www.jewelkids.com/) * Lifetime Mothers (http://www.lifetimemothers.com/) * ExpectNet (have friends and family compete in a baby pool!) (http://www.expectnet.com/)

[June2007Mommies]

Books for Moms

Baby Stuff:
The Girlfriends' Guide to Baby Gear: What to Buy, What to Borrow, and What to Blow Off!
Vicki Iovine, Peg Rosen

Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More! May 2005 Edition
By Alan and Denise Fields

Breastfeeding:
So THAT'S What They're For! The Definitive Breastfeeding Guide
By Janet Tamaro

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
By La Leche League International

The First Year(s):
What No One Tells the Mom: Surviving the Early Years of Parenthood with Your Sanity, Your Sex Life and Your Sense of Humor Intact
By Marg Stark

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby
Tracy Hogg

The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer
By Harvey Karp (also on DVD)

Happy Child Presents Tips for New Parents – DVD

Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay: And Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom
By Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year
By Ari Brown and Denise Fields

Baby Laughs: The Naked Truth about the First Year of Mommyhood
By Jenny McCarthy

The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know about Your Baby from Birth to Age Two
The Sears Library

Baby's First Year Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to Your Baby's Development during the First Twelve Months
By A. Christine Harris

Fun Baby Books:
The Inappropriate Baby Book: Gross And Embarrassing Memories from Baby's First Year
By Jennifer Stinson

Baby's First Tattoo: A Memory Book for Modern Parents
By Jim Mullen

[June2007Mommies]

Welcome Mommies!

Please take a moment to look over your information in the first few posts to make sure it is correct. Please feel free to make any suggestions to make our thread better!

Thanks to the previous mommies’ threads for all the ideas and inspirations for the June 2007 ladies!

http://www.transformingdragons.com/images/cradled-baby.jpg

Congrats to us all for making it this far! Now enjoy those little bundles of joy!!!

[Smittenk]

Yey a new thread! I just realized that my little guy is the baby of the group:)

[micd]

Thanks for the new thread!!!

steelcitymama - I just wanted to chime in on the pacifier too. I really did not want her to have a paifier either, but when she was in the NICU they gave it to her without asking me :mad:. The LC said it was really not a big deal and she should be fine. I ended up taking the paci home and give it to her only when necessary, like if she's fussing in the car and she has no problems with nipple confusion. She's also had bottles many times for other reasons and actually prefers the boob. I understand that every baby is different though.

Does anyone else have a baby who is not content to be put down??? How do you deal with it? I love holding her, and I do put her in the sling sometimes, but it does make things a little bit harder.I feel like I'm the only one :o, though I know I'm not.

[Smittenk]

Does anyone else have a baby who is not content to be put down??? How do you deal with it? I love holding her, and I do put her in the sling sometimes, but it does make things a little bit harder.I feel like I'm the only one :o, though I know I'm not.

yep me too! It just started yesterday and I am finding it pretty difficult. I have been putting him in my Babyhawk carrier so he feels close and sleeps and I have two hands and can move around...that is the only thing that has worked for me. He is fine at night though :confused: Please let that continue...I can deal with it during the day but at night...no thankyou

[StacieLady]

Does anyone else have a baby who is not content to be put down??? How do you deal with it?

Jacob is content to be put down for about 20 min in the morning, which is when I steal time for my shower, but other than that it is usually a no go. Sometimes DH and I get another 20 min around dinner time. Even if he is asleep and I put him down he usually wakes up in 15 min or so. We are at 7 weeks, and I would say it is getting better. But he spends a lot of time in the BabyBjorn. That way he is held, but I can use my hands (like now!)

[StacieLady]

Jacob is still having trouble with spitting up thorough his nose. It has definitely gotten much better since he started his medicine, but it is still a bit of a problem. We are constantly having to suction out his nose, which of course he loves!:rolleyes: And he also sneezes all the time. I am convinced that his first words are going to be "bless you" because we say it so often!

In happier news, his eyes are starting to change color. When he was first born there was little difference between the color of his iris and the pupil. Now they are starting to lighten around the centers and they are gorgeous...Especially now that he has started looking us in the eye when we are face to face! We are still not to the cooing and smiling stage, but I can tell we are getting close! I am SOOO ready for that!!:D

I am starting to work on pumping more often but it isn't easy. During the day it is really hard to find a time when I have my hands free. I am going back to work 2 days a week starting August 14th and I am terrified that I will never be able to pump enough to feed him! I know it should be okay. I have a few more weeks to work it out!

[L&D Nurse]

I had my 6-week post-partum appt. today. I had a weigh-in (still up about 11 lbs from pre-pg after gaining 28 during the pg) and b/p check, and a quick pelvic exam. Apparently all is well "down there" and I am cleared to DTD (which is very timely as today is our anniversary!;)) The dr. mentioned that because estrogen levels are typically lower when you are BF'ing, dryness is an issue and to use a water-based lubricant - I thought that might be a helpful hint for those of you coming up on the 6 week pp mark!! BBL with s/o's.

[daphne]

Hooray for a new thread - thank you threadmistresses!!

l&dnurse What did you dr say about exercising? i'm having my 6-wk appt over a week late & am curious about what they'll tell me about working out...

count me in as one who can't put down for long. It's soooo hard to have to carry her & care for my DS....

more later!

[L&D Nurse]

daphne~ I didn't ask about exercising (since I don't do it:p) but I would assume after the 6-week mark you are lifted of any restrictions.

steelcitymama~ I wanted to chime in the pacifier issue. I struggled with this right around the 3 week mark and ended up introducing it to Thomas then. He loves it and it hasn't affected BF at all.

[GA_GAL]

Thanks for the new thread!

pacifiers: Handley has taken one since we were in the hospital. It really soothes her when she's fussy and I know that she's full. It's been no problem with breastfeeding. Like jenean said, I'd love to wean her from it asap because I don't want her to become dependent on it. However, for now it's a big help.

L&D Nurse: Glad your apt. went well. Happy anniversary!

StacieLady: What color are his eyes changing to? Handley's have started to get lighter, but I can't wait to see what they end up. I also can't wait for a smile.

daphne: I'm wondering the same thing about working out. I feel fine, but know that I should wait until that 6 week mark. I have started walking this week though, so hopefully that will ease me back into things.

I'm having a hard time today. It is my first day alone (my mom left and DH is out of town for work) and Handley has been more fussy than usual. I can tell she's more gassy than normal, but I have no idea what I've eaten that would be causing it. Also, she's been in a great 2 1/2 - 3 hour routine of eating/awake/napping and now all of the sudden she seems to want to eat much more frequently. I know the 3 week growth spurt could be a reason (she's 2 weeks 4 days today), but as she's fussing and acting hungry she's also acting tired (yawning, etc.). It's taking so long to try and get her to sleep that she ends up staying awake until it's time for her to eat again so she misses that sleep. How can I tell if she's overly tired and crying because of that or just hungry?

I really want to start now with creating good sleep habits. What are you all doing to get them down for naps or at night? I'm trying to rock her until she gets that really drowsy, almost asleep look and then put her down when she's still a little bit awake. Sometimes it works and she goes to sleep and other times she startles and wakes up. A pacifier also helps her, but I really don't want to get into that habit.

[StacieLady]

It's taking so long to try and get her to sleep that she ends up staying awake until it's time for her to eat again so she misses that sleep. How can I tell if she's overly tired and crying because of that or just hungry?

I totally have this problem too. Jacob doesn't like to nap! Often times he will just sit quietly in the babybjorn and stare at me! (My mom said I was the same so maybe he got it from me.) But it is hard, sometimes I know he has to be sleepy, but he won't have any of it. And if I do get him to nap, I don't dare put him down because I know he will sleep longer if I hold him. Its hard!

And DH and I both have blue eyes, so I am assuming Jacob's will be blue too...I am looking forward to slowly watching them lighten to their final color.

We use a pacifier too. It hasn't hurt BFing at all, and sucking really soothes him. I have also read that putting your baby to bed with one helps decrease the chance of SIDs, but we don't do it. I will give him one if he wakes up in the night and it shouldn't be time for him to eat yet. However, if that doesn't put him back to sleep I assume he really is hungry! :)

[magrat]

I tried to give Eve a pacifier a few times yesterday since she was fussy but not hungry (I know she's crying because of hunger when she mouths a lot, sucks on her hand, or roots) and she looked at me like I was crazy. Had no idea what it was and got angry. She would suck on my pinky her first week, but after that she wouldn't. I don't think she has a big desire to suck.

I can't put her down very much, but at night it's getting easier. When she's sleepy and swaddled, she'll usually go to sleep in her co sleeper, and sometimes her swing. I don't try to get her to nap, she still sleeps most of the time. She is having more quiet alert time, but it's still pretty minimal. I tried the mei tai today for the first time and it worked really well, so I'm confident I'll be able to get a lot more done. I was alone today for the first time too, and I pretty much hung out in my glider and bed and took advantage of some of the rest I missed out on immediately postpartum. Since my MIL is here and I felt more confident about going out, we've been going out almost every day, for many hours at a time. It got to the point where I was crying from exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed yesterday morning, and I'm definitely going to cut back now. She and DH went to the Mall of America all day today and I am *so* glad I didn't go. I want to do stuff, and please other people, but when I'm out and about and Eve starts crying and I need to figure out how to comfort her, feed her, change her in public...it's hard. Plus I was starting to feel like I wasn't feeding or changing her frequently enough because it was so much harder in public, and the stroller and carseat keeps her asleep, so I was feeling like a bad mom too. So that's the end of that, no more rushing around, or at least not two days in a row.

I'm so glad to hear I'm normal when it comes to my weight. I'll stop worrying about it now, I guess it was unrealistic to expect I'd be back to normal by now. I think my concern was aggravated by the amount we were going out, I wouldn't want to wear my yoga pants and an old oversized t-shirt for going out, and most of my normal clothes weren't fitting. I guess I should be happy any of them do!

I have learned a few things by all my going out. The stroller we got (Britax Vigour) works really well, very convenient. The slings are harder to use, and less convenient than I envisioned. I still want to master them, but she does get very heavy in the pouch and the wrap is really hot and takes a long time to get her in it. By the time I get her in it comfortably she wants to eat and I haven't been able to nurse while wearing her yet. I think the mei tai is going to be a real improvement. I've learned how to pack a diaper bag and that it is *very* important not to forget anything. I'm getting good at nursing in public. I either use a big blanket or even better, that Momono (http://www.mayalena.com/) I posted about a while ago. I keep it in the diaper bag and when I want to nurse I put it on. It covers my back when I lift my shirt up, and I can adjust the fabric so it keeps me covered. I hate the name of, look of, and idea of "hooter hiders" so I'm really glad I found an alternative. I also learned it isn't as difficult going out as I might have imagined. My girl who normally wants to be held all the time is very content in the stroller as long as it's moving. And baby stores sometimes have "changing rooms", like normal dressing rooms, only with changing tables and a bench to nurse in privacy if you need to. Huge thumbs up to those. Thought my experiences might be a little useful or at least reassuring to those of you who haven't ventured out much yet.

[Smittenk]

What did you dr say about exercising? i'm having my 6-wk appt over a week late & am curious about what they'll tell me about working out...more later!

daphne, I was told that no aerobic exercise until my 6 week check and I am given the all clear but they said that I can start abdominal exercise at 2 weeks since I had a vaginal birth.

[L&D Nurse]

DH and I got our first smiles this morning :D:D:D

GA_GAL~ sorry you had a rough day yesterday. I also didn't want to get into the "habit" of relying on the paci, but it really helps to calm T right now. I am planning on weaning him from it at 4 months or so (as Happiest Baby on the Block recommends). Also, I have found that Thomas is staying awake a lot more during the day between the feedings, it started about 2.5-3 weeks. I can't count on a nap between feedings anymore... :rolleyes: However, in the last week or so, I am finding it easier to read his cues for when he is ready to go in his bed. I'm sure it is different for every baby, but T makes an fake-cry repeated "ahh" sound and it gets hard for him to hold his head up. I put him in his bed and either he falls right asleep or he fusses and I give him the paci and he falls asleep within a minute or two.

[risa00]

Thanks for the new thread!!

I read over everyone's posts and I could probably have picked items from each of them and called them my own. :) We have experienced the same things that everyone else is going through as well so it's good to know it's all normal.

L&D Nurse - That's so exciting about him smiling! Was he smiling because he saw you or your DH? We get a smile every once in a while but it's because she has gas. lol. It's still so cute to see but I am looking forward to her smiling because she thinks we're goofy. :)

Well if I can finish pumping here I'm off to the movies. Ava and I went yesterday and watched Ocean's 13. It really was a lot of fun if you were thinking of trying it. Honestly the movie I was at, the babies pretty muched slept the whole time. You never would have known they were in there. I'm hoping to catch Live Free or Die Hard. We'll see if we make it.

[stevesbabygirl]

Popping in to post my birth story!

I didn't sleep at all Sunday night, knowing that I was going to be induced and meeting my baby boy the next day. When I finally did start to get sleepy, the alarm went off, bright and early, at 2:55am. The induction was scheduled for 4am, and we had to call an hour ahead of time to make sure there were beds available. I ate a huge bowl of Cheerios while Steve loaded up the car, and then we were off!

We got to the hospital at 4:15, and sat in the lobby for about 30-45 minutes while they got my paperwork all together. They finally called me back and we got settled in room 7. The first order of business was changing into a gown, and getting hooked up to an IV, fetal monitor, and contraction monitor. Since I tested positive for Group B strep, I was also put on penicillin.

The pitocin started at around 6 or 6:30am, and I was relieved to discover that it really wasn't bad. I was checked at that time, and I was 3cm dilated. The nurses told me that the doctor would be coming over at 7:30 to break my water, and at 7:30, with no sign of the doctor, my water decided to break on its own. The doctor showed up about 15 minutes later, checked me, and told me I was at 4cm, giving me the go ahead for the epidural whenever I needed it. I was still relatively comfortable, so I decided to hold out as long as I could. In the meantime, I kept myself busy by getting on the Nintendo and updating you ladies from the hospital. I'm glad you all enjoyed them!

Contractions started getting harder, and I really had to breathe through them. Steve was instrumental in reminding me to breathe, so I'm glad that he was there. At one point, I had a really strong contraction and said "that's it." I was ready for my epidural. I've heard horror stories of women having to wait an hour for an anesthesiologist to come in, but I was lucky to have mine show up about 5 minutes later. What a godsend he was! I totally flinched when they gave me the numbing medicine, which is so unlike me, but once the catheter was inserted, I felt a shock down my right leg, and then it felt really warm. My left leg soon followed, and I felt so much better. I was checked again, and was at 6cm, so I'm glad I was able to hold out as long as I did, yay me!

There were some scary moments with Owen during contractions, because he would have some late decelerations, so I had to change positions a lot. A few times, his heart rate went into the 90's, and it kinda freaked me out a little. It always picked back up though, so we were good to keep going.

Contractions continued on, and at the next check a short while later, I was at 7cm. At that point, Steve went out to the waiting room to tell the parents what was going on. I was still feeling pretty good, thanks to the epidural, and I continued to play on the Nintendo. Soon, I started feeling these awful pains in my bottom area, which were really strange. They got really intense really fast, and I was anxiously waiting for Steve to return so that he could help me through them. Half an hour went by and there was no sign of Steve, and I was getting pissed. I was in a lot of pain at that point, and I was all alone in the room. He finally showed up, and I ripped him a new one, yelling at him for abandoning me. I started crying and he apologized.

The nurse came by to check me, and I was 10cm, it was go time! All of that pain must've been the transition, because I went from 7cm to 10cm really quickly. I was a little upset that I was feeling so much pain, but I figured that's just what happens. I wasn't sure if the epidural wasn't working, or if it just wouldn't work on that pain. Regardless, I wasn't having a good time at that point.

Since I was fully dilated, the nurse had me start pushing. I think it took me a while to get the hang of it, because I felt like I was going to have a cerebral aneurysm everytime I pushed. The doctor would come in every now and then to check on the pushing, and then go back to the office, which was literally a 3-minute walk from the hospital. Because of the late decels Owen was having, they had me push every other contraction, which was torture. I kept wretching because I was trying not to make my body push, but I couldn't help it.

I pushed for about an hour and a half, and at 4:09pm, Owen Nathaniel was born! Steve cried and I didn't, of course. The reason it took so long for him to come out was because he was sunny side up, and lodged against my pelvic bone, which is also the reason for the hematoma on his head. The cord was wrapped loosely around his neck, but that didn't seem to affect anything. Steve got to cut the cord, and he did so well! We were both afraid he would pass out, but that wasn't the case.

Owen and I both got cleaned up, and I got stitched up, as I had a partial third-degree tear, ouch! They handed Owen back to me, and we just looked at each other. After a little while, we attempted breastfeeding. He latched on, so the experience went pretty well, though he didn't seem too interested once he was there. He was then weighed, and we found out we had a big boy on our hands, at 8lbs 9oz!

After the cleanup, the parents started coming in. First, the grandmas came in, and they totally fell in love with him, of course :). Lots of doting. Then the grandpas came in, and Steve finally got to hold him to show him off. My dad was completely enamored, and Steve's dad didn't really react. He's not into babies, so I didn't take it personally.

When everyone got a good look, they were sent out of the room so that I could be transferred to the postpartum area. I got settled in the wheelchair, with my completely dead right leg, and off we went! We weren't able to get a private room, but they try to stagger the rooms so that you spend as much time along as possible before they bring in a roommate. Luckily for us, we only had a roommate for about the first hour we were there, and then we didn't have anyone else the entire time. Because of that, Steve was able to stay with me the whole time, though he had to sleep across 3 chairs at night, as they wouldn't let him sleep in the other bed.

Recovery in the hospital was a little tough, but not too bad. I had a hard time getting out of bed, so Steve took care of all the diaper changes those first nights. He was so wonderful in the hospital, I don't know what I would've done without him. We stayed two days, and went home Wednesday afternoon. We left the hospital at 3:30, and they were getting the other bed ready for someone. On the way home, we hit Steve's work so that he could add Owen to our insurance, and then we parked over by his office so that people could come out and look if they wanted. After his office, we went to CVS to fill my prescriptions, and then we hit Taco Bell to grab something to eat really quickly.

And then we were home!

[stevesbabygirl]

Everything seems to be going well over here! Owen sleeps pretty well at night, usually in 3-4 hour stretches, gets up to eat, and then goes back down pretty easily. During the day, he will go through these periods where he will eat every hour or hour and a half, but only for 10-15 minutes. Is this normal?

[L&D Nurse]

risa00~ you are brave taking an infant to a movie! Yes, the :D:D were in response to DH's and my silly voices and faces. We were playing "Where's the baby? ... There's the baby!" DH says its from Ice Age. T has been "smiling" since he was a few days old, but only as he was falling asleep. This is the first time it has been directed at us!

stevesbabygirl~ great birth story! You held out on the epid. for so long... you go girl! I was 2 cm ;) It was heaven though, huh?! Yes, Owen's eating pattern sounds very normal. Expect it to change several times over the next few weeks. It seems like as soon as you start getting into a pattern it changes. Welcome to life with a baby!!!

[daphne]

risa00 I'm soo jealous of your movie-going adventures! DS was always too fussy & now there's no way I could go w/a newborn & a toddler!!

stevesbabygirl Great birth story!! Aren't epidurals the best???

smittenk Oh man! I could have been doing ab exercises for the past 2 weeks? I wish I didn't know that b/c I am SO not motivated to get going w/those.....;)

We had Amelia's 1-month WBV yesterday. At her 2-wk check, she weighed 10lbs, 1oz and yesterday she tipped the scales at 12lbs, 4 1/2 oz!! :eek: I knew she was eating a lot, but still!! She's 22 1/2 inches long, btw.

As much as she likes to be held, she is a MUCH easier baby than DS was, so I am beyond grateful. knock on wood. Speaking of DS, gotta run - he's climbing the barstools...

[GA_GAL]

It's so reassuring to know other people have gone or are going through the same things. Last night I could not get her to go to sleep. Usually at night she goes right down, but she was in such pain from the gas that she was crying/screaming. This is the first time she's really cried since we've been home. DH called from out of town and I started crying too. Finally I was holding her on her stomach and she passed gas about 5 times. I felt so bad for her, but after that she went right down.

Today she's been better, but this afternoon I could tell she was uncomfortable again. I got some Mylicon at Target today to see if that will help. Has anyone else used it?

magrat: Glad you were able to get more rest the past few days. Thanks for sharing your "going out" experience. I had my first alone going out experience today and it went great.

L&D Nurse: I'm hoping to wean her off the paci at 3-4 months too. We'll see if that happens. :-)

risa00: Hope you had fun at the movies. I think it's great you're able to get out and go.

stevesbabygirl: Great birth story...thanks for sharing. As far as Owen's eating patterns, they sound similar to Handley's. She'll go longer during the day, but in the evenings she is ready much more frequently. She usually always eats between 5-15 mins.

daphne: Great weight gain on your little one!

I had a much better day today. I think a lot of it was just getting out of the house. I went to a mom and baby breastfeeding tea offered by our hospital and also went to Target and then lunch with a friend (who has a 3 month old baby). Handley did great out and about and i felt very confident handling her by myself.

DH is home now, so I'm looking forward to the weekend.

[risa00]

stevesbabygirl - Great birth story!

daphne - That's great that your 2nd one seems to be easier.. I must admit I started laughing when I read your toddler was climbing on the bar stools.. I bet it's a huge task to take care of 2 of them because it's a big task to take care of just 1 newborn.

GA GAL - How long was she upset about gas? Ava gets that way too but she's able to get it all out within 5-10 minutes or so. Definitely get out of the house because it does help. Let me know if you ever want to meet up since I believe you're in the Seattle area. Oh, and Evergreen Hospital has free classes for babies (up to 3 months) and their moms if you wanted to get out once a week and talk with other people that are going through the same thing.

Well my DH took off of work to go to the movies and we rushed down to the theater to find out they ended up cancelling it today because it's 4th of July week. Then why didn't they update their website??? Oh well.. next week.

[magrat]

I have two success stories today! Eve took a pacifier (I noticed her sucking her thumb - sooo cute! - and stuck the paci in instead). It calmed her down and then she spit it out when she was done and that was it.

My even bigger success was that she took a bottle! I pumped 1 oz as a trial (didn't want to go through all the trouble of pumping more when I wasn't sure she'd take it) and when she got up from a nap I got my MIL to give it to her. She fought it only briefly and then sucked the whole thing down! Yay! I was worried it was be more traumatic, or I'd have to go buy lots of different nipple types. So now I have more motivation to pump more, and to figure out how to do it more efficiently. It took me 15 minutes to pump that and 1 minute for her to drink it :rolleyes:

[GA_GAL]

risa00: She was pretty fussy all afternoon yesterday, but the real crying lasted for about 30 mins. (although it felt like much longer!). I actually live in FL which is too bad though...I'd love to be able to get together. Too bad about the movies.

magrat: Woo hoo! That's great that Eve took the paci and a bottle. Which type of bottles did you buy? One of my friends who breast and bottle feeds uses Advent and says her DD has no trouble switching back and forth. I'm going to try to pump and give a bottle next week.

[magrat]

GA_GAL I used an avent bottle too! It came with my isis breastpump. Her latch looked just like it does when she breastfeeds.

[steelcitymama]

hi everyone! so i'm a total moron and just thought it had been SUPER quiet here---didn't realize we had the thread, so i just had a lot of catching up to do!

like risa said, there are bits & pieces of what everyone is posting about that sound like they came straight out of our life. it's good to know that you guys are experiencing similar things.

best thing that's been happening recently: longer & longer stretches of sleep at night for mairin! right from the start she was sleeping 3 hrs @ a stretch and we were really pleased. but then two nights ago she had a 4.5 hr stretch and another 4.5 hr stretch the next night. then last night she slept for 6 hrs!!!! i couldn't believe it!! here's my question though---my breasts were hard, sore, and leaking by the time she woke up. and it was really difficult to get her to latch on to my left boob (which i've been having some pblms doing for the past few days anyway). so my question is: how will the breastmilk regulate itself when she eats pretty much every 2 hrs during the day but waits much longer at night??? i think i'll post in the BF forum too.

she's pretty good about going to sleep without much coaxing and is napping less during the day. some days she'll be awake for hours at a time, one day she was awake almost all day---from 11 AM until the early evening. she would take a quick catnap on me here or there, but that's it. yesterday she napped a bit more, but still had lots of awake time.

thanks so you all for your pacifier feedback---i talked to her ped about it on thurs, too. they said it shouldn't be a problem and can be very soothing. i end up giving it to her maybe once a day..normally if she's been awake for a very long time and is getting fussy, but seems sleepy and is having problems drifting off to sleep. we've never had any issues with her sleeping at night and haven't used it then ever.

so we're going to DH's family reunion today..just for an hour or so. i'm still leery about BFing in public and mainly the germ situation. the reunion is huge and there are tons of kids running around, etc. i think i'll put her in the hotsling and just leave her in there.

i know at least 2 of you have mei tais---are they hard to use by yourself? i still need to try mine out, i'm looking forward to it. magrat, you mentioned that the slings are less convenient than you expected. i'm finding that to be true with the hotsling---i love it once she's in, but i can't get her in or out (especially out) by myself. it seems impossible to get a newborn out of there alone! any suggestions anyone??

i'll be back later for SOs---going to shower now while mairin is napping.

[daphne]

steelcitymama good questions about bf'ing. i'm sure the bfing gurus will be able to help you out in that thread. as for the hotsling, DD doesn't like it very much, so I've been getting her out of it a lot :p I have to sit down to do it, though. I sort of brace her on with my legs, as if she's sitting on my lap, get my hands under her arms & sort of wriggle her out. It's not easy, but it can be done

oops she's up - gotta go

[Cosmogirl]

Hey ladies, just saw about the new thread! Thanks for that threadmistress!

Things are going good here. Mathilde sleeps rather well at night, with a big 5 hour stretch, so needless to say, it is heavenly! she nurses quite well, although since I have a very fast let down, she has this tendency to keep her mouth small, and she is sometimes pinching me a little. SO we need to be working very hard on that.
She has lost her umbilical stump on the 4rth, so I guess she isn't much of a newborn anymore...
I'm now trying to transition to cloth, but she is so tiny, that she has blowouts, because the diaper are too big LOL. So we are currently part cloth diapering.

nipple shields I saw that a couple of you uses them. Just a word of caution. I also had to use one with my son, and these can be very detrimental to your milk production. If you DO use them, make sure you stimulate your breast with the pump, otherwise, you might loose your production. I almost did. Maybe you guys already know all of this, but just in case!;)

BabywearingI was seeing that some of you ladies have a harder time then you thought with your slings. I really really LOVE ring sling over pouches for NB. They are easier to adjust, and most of all, easier on and off. If you have questions or anything about babywearing, go the www.thebabywearer.com. It is a wealth of information about baby wearing. The ladies over there are amazing. :D I LOVE this place so much!

Steel just a quick word for you, it will regulate. Your body will follow your baby's need, even if she drink more during the day then at night. It will take a little time to adjust, and you'll get some engorgment episode while it does, but you'll get there. Granted, when Mairin will sleep longer stretches then usual, you'll get engorgement again. I can talk to you about the first time DS slept for 10 hours. Yikes, that was painful! :p

go to go, Mathilde is calling...:p

[magrat]

cosmogirl That was a great breastfeeding question - I was wondering that this morning because I was so full. I actually got up at 6am and pumped because I hoped I'd be able to get more than usual. Good to know it won't always be that bad. What CDs are you using that are causing blow outs? I haven't had a problem with that at all and I used them from the first week.

steelcitymama How is CDing going for you? As far as the pouch goes, I am able to get her in and out by myself, but it takes a while and I rarely feel like she is in there very comfortably. The mei tai is much easier and I can't imagine anyone having trouble doing it by themselves. I follow these instructions, though mine isn't a baby hawk. http://babyhawk.com/pages/infantfrontcarry.php I don't do the crossover of both straps at the same time though. I bring one strap around while holding her with the other arm, then switch, so it feels really safe. And I tie it in a pretty bow in front instead of a knot :)

[GA_GAL]

I'm really concerned with Handley's bowel movements. She was having about 6 per day, but since Thursday it has only been 3, then 2 on Friday and only 1 yesterday. I read somewhere the during a growth spurt the bowel movements can really slow down because they are using up all the good milk. She's still seems to be eating really well and having wet diapers. She's eating a little more frequently, but her patterns have been pretty much the same. Any help? I'm going to call her ped. first thing in the morning.

Also, since Thursday she's been really gassy. I don't know if this could be related?

[L&D Nurse]

GA_GAL~ my ped says it is normal for BF infants to have anywhere from 10 bm/day to 1 bm/10 days. I would definitely call your ped if you are concerned, however.

I have my own poop story to share (not my OWN poop, but you get the picture)... Last night I got into the bathtub while DH put Thomas to bed. I could hear T fussing, so I said to DH "why don't you two come get into the tub?" So we were all in the tub and Thomas loved it! He was kicking around on his tummy and back for about 15 minutes. Then he got fussy again so DH got out to get T's towel and p.j.'s ready... see where this is going? I decided to feed T while we waited for DH. Well, about 10 seconds after I started feeding him, he let out a huge poop right in the tub. It's my own fault, really. Thomas usually poops during or right after he eats, so I knew it was a possibility :o We rinsed him under the tub faucet and then I cleaned out the tub and took a shower. So that's how my relaxing bath turned out :p

[StacieLady]

We have been cloth diapering since day one. We had planned on starting later but we found out in the hospital that DS was having an allergic reaction to either the diapers or the wipes, so we jumped right in. We have had a little trouble because we didn't plan to start right away and so we only had small covers and not newborn. DS doesn't have very chubby thighs and it is tough to get a good fit there. We actually used a lot of our disposables we got as gifts as our covers at first! :o

We did get a bumgenius 2.0 from a friend as a gift and it has changed my life! The best thing ever! We just broke down and bought a big pack of them because we were getting so frustrated with having to change wet onesies! We never had any trouble with blow outs, but we have a lot of wicking! I know the bumgenius are expensive, but I I would recommend giving them a try. I had planned on just buying 3-4 and using them at night and for outings, but DH decided we should just suck it up and buy enough to using them as our primary diapers. We still use our prowraps and our one bummis whisper wrap, and they are starting to work a little better.

[StacieLady]

L&D Nurse That is great to know that Thomas loved the water. I am looking forward to introducing Jacob to it for the first time! I hadn't thought about it being in the bath. That is great to know. My only problem will be that Jacob is almost constantly pooping! I have heard you can take them in the shower too...but I am worried he will be to slippery!

[steelcitymama]

hi ladies!

thanks to everyone for the feedback on the BFing questions and the hotsling & mei tai input, too. i still really need to try her in the mei tai, i'm really looking forward to it. this weekend was pretty busy and we didn't get a chance. soon enough, i'm sure.

magrat~the CDing is going really well...we love it. like you, stacielady, we didn't buy any newborn sizes since we were waiting a bit to start. she fits well in her happy heinys, swaddlebees, and dream-eze. we have 4 of the bumgenius 2.0s that's she's still a bit too small for, but i'm happy to hear that you love them so much. i've heard great things! magrat~we're still waiting for the shipment w/ the prefolds & snugglebottoms. i'm eager to try them out and also to just get more CDs. right now we don't have enough to do them all the time and DH and washing them constantly. we love them though---they're so soft and her little bum has been so much less irritated. i also love using a spray bottle and washclothes instead of wipes---i think that helped reduce the irritation a ton, too.

L&D Nurse~your story about thomas in the tub is so funny & cute! that's great that he liked the water so much!

GA GAL~any word from the ped re: handley's BMs?

hope you're all doing well!

[GA_GAL]

I think we're going through a growth spurt. Yesterday Handley wanted to eat every hour, which only gave me a few minutes in between each feeding. She also got very upset (screaming/crying) in the evenings. I just didn't know what to do to calm her down because it seemed like nothing worked. Thankfully DH took her and helped out. He's going to be gone all week though, so I'm nervous about how this week will go. She has been so easy to please up until the past few days...she's like a different baby. She did sleep well last night though, so I'm very grateful for that.

I talked to the pediatrician's office this morning about the bowel movements and they said if she hasn't pooped by Wed. to call back, but that she is probably using all the milk for growth and that's why there is no waste. Also said around this time is when gas gets going and more uncomfortable (colic like symptoms). They said wearing her in a carrier (I have a moby wrap I need to figure out how to use) might help because they like to be close to you and upright.

So far today she's done better, but still wanting to eat more frequently. I feel tied to the couch. Has anyone else seen a growth spurt in their babies? How long did it last for?

[StacieLady]

i also love using a spray bottle and washclothes instead of wipes---i think that helped reduce the irritation a ton, too.

Do you keep a spray bottle of water to spray the washcloths? I have been racking my brain about how to wet the washcloths with out having to go to the bathroom first (I am never thinking that far in advance). Do you just use plain water, or do you use some sort of soap too?

[StacieLady]

They said wearing her in a carrier (I have a moby wrap I need to figure out how to use) might help because they like to be close to you and upright.

We carry Jacob in his carrier when ever he is upset and it has worked wonders. It definitely helps his reflux by being upright, and he definitely likes the snuggle aspect (In fact we were able to take him to the movies this weekend and he slept in his carrier almost the whole time. I just had to give him a quick snack in the middle.)

Do you have an exercise ball? We have found that ours works like black magic. If ever Jacob is in a foul mood that nothing else will fit, a nice bounce will calm him almost instantly, especially if he is in his carrier.

[steelcitymama]

stacielady~yup--that's exactly what we do: we have a spray bottle that we keep on the changing table. i spray her bum with it and i also spray the little washclothes, too. we just keep a pile of them in a basket on the changing table. i was just going to use plain water in the bottle, but one of the places where i ordered CDs from included two little ball-like things (looked like small shapes of glycerin soap) that could be dissolved in your spray bottle. it contained some things that i promptly forgot---some essential oils and maybe some jojoba or something? it all seemed very natural and not funky, so i tossed one of them in. it was supposed to be soothing & a bit moisturizing. on a separate topic, how funny that you should mention the exercise ball! one of my closest friends was over today and she had her 5 mo old baby with her. she mentioned that her exercise ball is the one sure-fire thing that will calm her DD down when she's fussy.

GA GAL~ re: the growth spurt...i can't remember, but i think i might have posted awhile back that i was concerned when mairin was about a week old. she suddenly wanted to eat every hour. it was exhausting and draining for me and i was worried b/c she would fuss in between and just generally seemed cranky. the ped chalked it up to a growth spurt and said it could last just one day or maybe several. that time, it was just one day for us. however, i think she might be having another one now...it doesn't seem as dramatic this time, though. but she's always slept at least 3 hrs at a stretch during the night and this past week was amazing---each night she slept for increasingly longer amts of time---4 hrs, 5, 6. then last night, she did something she'd never done before: she woke up every 2 hrs during the night to eat. like clockwork!!! i couldn't believe it. she's wake up, chug, and then pass out again. today she's still eating every 2 hrs or so, but that's very typical of her daytime pattern anyway. i guess we'll just have to see what happens tonight, too. i know what you mean about feeling tied to the couch--and the baby...it's so mentally & physically draining when they want to nurse constantly. and i'm sorry that she seems so different & unlike herself. i bet this will pass and she's just needing a lot of food & attention now. i hope the moby wrap and exercise ball suggestions help some!

M will be 3 wks tomorrow...and i've noticed that the way she's nursing is different now. she can eat from both breasts in a total of 20-30 min now...she used to be a lot slower. she still seems very satisfied and full after eating and continues to have lots of wet & dirty diapers. has anyone else noticed their babies getting more efficient with nursing?

[micd]

Exercise ball - I actually use mine quite often to bounce Sara and she LOVES it!!

Nursing - Not efficient yet, still takes a while, but I also use a nipple shield so that could be part of it. She nurses pretty often. She only goes for three hour stretches when she is taking her one long nap of the day. Nights are pretty much every two hours, though often more. It's really hard to get her to sleep on her own, though I am seeing a pattern of one long nap (2-3 hours) in the evening and several short naps during the day.

Where does you baby nap during the day, and for how long?

[daphne]

naps DD naps wherever I can get her to - bouncy seats, swing, bassinet...her naps last anywhere from 45 mins to 2 hours.

growth spurts DD definitely had one around 2 weeks. It lasted a couple of days & was brutal b/c she wanted to eat all.the.time. We're coming up to the 6-wk mark (next week) and i'm getting nervous already.

I so need to be hands-free & am jealous of all you mommies whose babes like to be wrapped/carried. DD hates it (i've tried the peanut pouch, hotsling & moby wrap) & screams every time I get her in there. :confused:

[StacieLady]

Where does you baby nap during the day, and for how long?

Anywhere we can get it. He just started napping some in the swing. I can put him in there awake and sometimes he will fall asleep for an hour or two. Other than that he falls asleep in my arms of the baby carrier. If I will consent to hold him he will sleep nap for 2-3 hours. If I put him down he will sleep from 30-60 min tops. We definitely have no schedule!

[StacieLady]

stealcitymamma - What kind of spray bottle is it? Is is more like a trigger spray (kitchen cleanser) or like a pump spray (hairspray). It seems like a pump spray would be better on his bum, but a trigger would be better for wetting a rag.

[steelcitymama]

stacielady~it's more like a kitchen cleanser bottle but it has a spray and a stream setting. i use the gentle spray for her bum and the stream for the rag...though the stream setting works fairly well for getting poop off her bum, too! i actually got it at the dollar store to use for part of training our dog a few years ago! sure is coming in handy now.

re: naps...mairin will sleep pretty much wherever during the day---the swing, a bouncy seat, on me, etc. the only thing she won't do is sleep in her crib during the day. she sleeps really well in the crib at night, but b/c we swaddle her. i def don't want to swaddle her several times during the day, too, so i stopped trying to put her down in the crib. like daphne said, her naps range from a catnap to 2 hrs.

[Jenean]

Ladies, first let me apologize for being such a bad thread buddy. I have so little internet time and always feel so bad when I can't do SO's to all, so I end up just reading and never posting and then I get so far behind that it's daunting to think about trying to catch up..... Anyway, I'm going to just answer a few of the old QOTDs and then pick up from this thread if that's okay.

CONGRATS to DnJ2002 and Cosmogirl and stevesbabygirl and Smittenk!!!

BFing - the boys nurse for about 20-30 minutes at a time. They each only get one breast at a time, so I try to let them go as long as they want to make sure they get every drop they can. We basically only tandem nurse anymore; only if they don't wake up together do they eat by themselves. After they nurse, they each get a bottle with 2 oz of formula. They started at a half ounce and as they've grown we've increased the amount of formula to match their appetites. I actually think I might increase them to 2.5 ounces per bottle today. They now go about 3-4 hours between feedings, sometimes as long as 5! We're down to one nighttime feeding, thank goodness. We give them their last feeding before bed around 10-11 and then they wake up around 3 and then again at 7 or so, at which point I say it's morning and we all get up.

Sleeping - I always am wondering if they're sleeping too much or not enough or what. At night, they go about 3-4 hours at a stretch. During the day their naps range anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. They stay awake between naps anywhere from an hour to 3 hours. I can tell that 3 hours is pushing it because then they are really fussy and obviously so tired and ready to sleep. At night they always spend their first sleep session in the cosleeper. After their middle-of-the-night feeding they both go back in it and usually one or the other gets fussy, at which point I am usually so tired that I just grab him and sleep with him in my arms the rest of the morning. During the day they sleep wherever they are when we put them down. Sometimes in the bouncy, sometimes on the sofa, sometimes in the swing. The swing is great, but we try to not just always put them in there. I tried to keep it to once a day, but now we do about twice a day in the swing. They LOVE to sleep in someone's arms or on someone's chest.

Weight/clothes - I gained 15 lbs during a year of IF treatments and then b/w 45-50 lbs overall during pregnancy. I lost almost 30 in the first two weeks and have been stuck at the exact same weight for the last 5. It's VERY frustrating. I've been basically eating whatever I want b/c I don't eat a lot (prob. not eating enough, actually) and b/c I know that I need the calories for BFing. I'm wearing my maternity shorts and capris and the nursing tops my mom bought for me. I think I'm just about mentally ready to start "dieting" and plan to follow the WW plan for nursing moms. I'm very ready to lose some more weight and start getting back in shape. I hope to be on WW by the end of the week, and will start exercising again, too. I have 40 lbs to lose to get to my pre-IF weight, but will be happy to start with 1 lb and go from there! ;)

Interacting with babies - we put them on their playmats at least 2x a day (or, we try to) and give them tummy time. We have rattles and other small toys we show to them and we also read books to them and show them the pictures as we read. I talk to them all the time, often just narrating what I'm doing ("now we're washing dishes, we put the soap on the sponge and wash the spoon", etc.). But I do also just plop them in a bouncy seat or a swing and let them just look around and entertain themselves.

Pumping - I try to pump as often as I can. I got an article from my LC that said it's best to wait 30 minutes after nursing and then pump for 20-30 minutes or until you can see no more milk is coming out.

Babywearing - the boys love their slings. I had a hotsling, but didn't like it (it seemed that they were too tight in there and I didn't like that it's not adjustable) so we got these basic slings at BRU that they took to very well. I probably wear them each at least once a day.

getting out - oh, I love to get out! I haven't been out alone with both of them yet, but was going out frequently with my mom when she was here and DH and I took them out both days this weekend. I took Simon alone to the grocery store last week (in his sling) and am going to venture out with both boys just to the library tomorrow. If that goes well we might try running a couple of errands, too!

micd, Simon almost always wanted to be held. He's getting a little more independent now, but still prefers someone's arms. Luckily he loves the sling, so I put him in that when I really need both hands for something, or when I'm just tired of actually holding him.

Stacie, Simon has been spitting up a lot through his nose, too. I asked the ped about it after you posted about it in the last thread and told us not to worry. It doesn't seem to hurt him, although when he has a more explosive spit-up it often shocks him - he gets this very surprised look on his face and then wails for a minute or two.

GA GAL, we don't really have a naptime routine during the day, but our nighttime routine is down pat. We give them each a bath, one at a time, around 9-10 pm, then I nurse them and then we give them their bottles, and then we rock them till they're sleepy enough to go down. Sometimes we rock them till they're asleep and sometimes just till they're drowsy. Miles is better at putting himself to sleep than Simon is; Simon usually needs to be picked up at least once and rocked for a few extra minutes before he's really ready to sleep. We offer them their pacifiers but don't force them on them and more often than not they go to sleep without them.


Okay, I started this at 11 this morning and it's 9:30 at night now, so since I'm caught up I'll stop there and come back with an update on us soon! xoxoxo to all!

[Jenean]

Dropping off a few photos.....

One Month pic:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l86/jmk103176/OneMonthOld.jpg

Quality time with Daddy:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l86/jmk103176/6-30014.jpg

And keeping Mommy on her toes:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l86/jmk103176/6-30040.jpg

[GA_GAL]

steelcitymama: Waking every two hours like that does sound like a growth spurt. Hopefully she'll go back to letting you have your long stretches soon. Handley was doing really well going 5-6 hours at night, but the past few nights it has been every 3 like clockwork. She's also nursing a lot quicker.

jenean: Glad to see your pictures and hear your boys are doing well. I'm still in amazement of moms with twins...don't know how you do it!

naps: She'll usually sleep in her swing or pack-n-play during the day. Occasionally I'll try to get her down in the crib. Naps last between 30 min. and 1 1/2 hours. I have noticed she gets really fussy right before she'll go to sleep. At that point, I can tell I've waited too long to try and get her down. I didn't really want to get into the habit of letting her fall asleep and nap in her swing, but for now I've given that up and will take the time any way I can get it.

So thankfully yesterday afternoon went much better. I think most of our growth spurt has passed. She's feel right back into her 3 hour routine of eating/awake/sleeping. I'm realizing that she gets a little fussy spell as she is getting tired and then goes to sleep. She did it this afternoon and then again this evening in her swing. She finally pooped (after a few days of nothing) and it was a blow out! It was coming out the sides and top of her diaper. I know she must feel better now.

She's doing so many things now. When she's in her swing or on her bouncy seat she stares at the toys above her which she never did before. Also the past few days when I've done her tummy time she is able to lift her head and turn it from one side to the other. The first time I wasn't sure if she did it on purpose, but then I went behind her and talked to her and she did it again to face my direction. It takes her forever and you can tell she's working so hard. She's also starting to make these little noises and I think it is the beginning of a coo/ahh sound. It is so fun to see the changes each day.

Anyone else ordered birth announcements? I'm getting ready to order some that you put together yourself from Target.com. Now I just have to work on getting a really good photo for them.

[L&D Nurse]

Great to hear from you, Jenean! The boys are adorable and I'm glad to hear everything is going well.

GA_GAL~ yay for poop!

DH and I are going out for date night tonight :) A co-worker of DH's is coming over to watch Thomas so we can go out for a belated anniversary dinner!

[magrat]

cloth wipes We use water. I used a solution I got online at first, but I think it gave her a rash, and the smell started to become associated with dirty dipes in my mind and started smelling gross rather than nice. I use a little jug of water with a cap like on a sports water bottle. I would find a spray bottle too slow, I like to really wet them down.

birth announcements We've given up the idea of doing them. I can't recall any family members ever doing them anyway. Maybe they're more common in some parts of the country than others, dunno.

I am afraid we may already be approaching the 6 week growth spurt already. Last night was rough. She hasn't been crying much at all, but she's not sleeping either. And she ate every hour for a stretch last night, which she hasn't done for a while now. I spend so long in bed but even if I did get 8 hours of sleep, when it's interrupted so often it hardly counts. I don't know how people do this when they have an older child too.

The nap question I can't answer at all. She rarely gets put down for a nap unless I'm napping as well, I'm always holding her. She sleeps lots. No schedule that I can tell (she may have one, but I haven't kept track).

My MIL is in the Caribbean this week. She'll be back Saturday, and then leave for home on Thursday. It's been great having her here. On mornings like this I could just give Eve to her and go back to sleep. Still, yesterday was interesting and kind of exciting from the perspective that it's what my life is going to be like going forward - DH at work, me on my own trying to clean and take care of Eve at the same time. Of course, I did have help. My parents stopped by and I've started a really sweet arrangement with a friend from work. We live on the way to work for her, and not very far. She's single and loves babies (she took care of her aunt's triplets when she was younger!) and so she's going to stop by after work one or two times a week and take care of Eve while I clean or make dinner or whatever. She can just hang out and watch TV or take her for a walk or anything. Yesterday I cleaned the bathroom and put away laundry while she was here. It's great to have the help, and even greater to have a set time when I need to get things done. I am a serious procrastinator when it comes to cleaning, and this is just what I needed. I figure she'll often stay over for dinner and sometimes we can go for walks together (she's on WW so is always looking for exercise, and I really need to get some myself). It'll be great in another way too - I am an only child and DH's only sister lives in England, so it'll be kind of like an aunt for Eve. I have tons of aunts and uncles and it's hard for me to imagine what it will be like for her not having a big family. I just need to replace family with friends.

[Sarah6690]

Hi ladies! Well, I'm back! The only bad news is that means I'm also back at work. I started back on Monday and it hasn't been much fun. Sawyer seems to be doing well with it though. Still trying to get caught up at work, but I will be back later for an update.

[stevesbabygirl]

Owen had his 2 week well-baby visit this morning, and I'm happy to say that everything looks great!

Weight: 8lbs 12oz (he was born at 8lbs 9oz, and was 7lbs 12oz when we left the hospital)
Height: 21 1/2 inches (born at 20 1/2 inches)
Head circumference: 37cm

The pediatrician said he's in the 75th percentile for everything. I've got quite the growing boy!

[Jenean]

GA GAL, lol, sometimes I don't know how I do it either! Yikes to that big poop! Miles did that once on DH and it went all the way through his onesie and was all over DH's shirt. Ick! I've been "working on" birth announcements for weeks. I just have to get the photo done and printed and then put them together. I got DIY ones from Target, too.

L&D Nurse, thanks! I hope you had a great night out!

magrat, I'm glad you've enjoyed having your MIL there. Having people come by definitely is a plus. We have a friend like yours, who has to go by us in order to get home, and I plan to invite her to come over at least once a week on her way home so that I can also have an hour or two to actually *do* something around the house.

Sarah, so sorry to hear that you're already back at work. I hope the first few days haven't been too tough!

Heather, glad to hear that Owen's doing great!


So, you guys can prob. get some idea of how things are going from my previous post. Overall, it's pretty good. My parents went home a week ago and so far it hasn't been as scary as I first thought it would be. It helps that DH works from home, although I've been trying not to bother him as much as possible. We aren't into a "routine", but we do have a good pattern going of wake, eat, play, sleep, repeat. I try to nap once a day, usually when they're napping, but it's hard sometimes b/c they don't always nap together. I *should* be napping now since they both are, but when they went down 2 hours ago I figured they'd be up within an hour and have been playing catch-up on the computer, waiting for them to wake, ever since!

Simon is still the fussier of the two, although his fussies aren't as frequent as they were at first. Miles is still more laid-back, but when he gets going, beware! They're both growing so much and I'm guessing are now in the neighborhood of 7.5 - 8 lbs. They feel and look huge to me, and I know that they're just now the "average" size for a newborn! Simon has been holding his head up for weeks now and Miles is catching up and doing it for much longer periods of time. They both follow objects with their eyes and will look to see where a noise is coming from.

There's more to say, but we're now in the midst of a huge thunderstorm so I want to get off the computer for a bit. Have a great evening everyone!

[GA_GAL]

L&D Nurse: Hope you had fun on your date!

magrat: How nice of your friend to offer to come by and help you out a few times a week. That will be great for you and Eve!

Sarah6690: Glad you are back with us, but sorry that means you are back at work. Who's keeping Sawyer?

stevesbabygirl: Glad Owen had a good apt.

Jenean: Sounds like you are doing really well with your parents gone. Your boys also seem to be making a lot of progress. Isn't it fun to see how they change each day?!?! Have you printed your announcements yet? I went on the website that has the templates and it seems pretty easy to do.

We had another great day today. I'm getting a lot better and reading Handley's cues and figuring out what she needs when she gets fussy. I think trying to stick to our routine of eating, awake time, then sleep helps. Before when she was crying I always thought it was because she was gassy or because she was hungry. However, now I realize she gets that way and starts a whiny cry when she is tried.

I pumped for the first time today and got 3 oz. I guess that is pretty good because using the equation on kellymom.com that is about how much she should be eating at a feeding. I gave her the pumped milk in a bottle this afternoon and she took it just fine. I plan to pump once a day to get a little supply going and also plan to give her a bottle every other day or so just to keep her used to the bottle.

[daphne]

GaGal It's sooo frustrating when they fall asleep, you put them down, then they jolt awake. grrr. I've been going through that w/Amelia, so I just start over. I think it's definitely too early to CIO. I did it w/DS & it worked really well, but he was about 6 months old.

Magrat To answer your rhetorical (?) question, you definitely just can't stay in bed til you get your sleep needs met once you have 2 kiddos. the good news is that you get used to the lack of sleep.

Jenean You are such a super-thorough poster!! It sounds like you're doing really well - i'm so impressed w/twinmammas! Miles & Simon are adorable!!!

quick update:
I don't think I posted Amelia's 1-month stats:

She went from 10lbs, 1oz at her 2-wk visit to
12lbs, 4 1/2 oz :eek: at her 1 month visit!
She's 22 1/2 inches tall. Didn't ask about head circ.

Overall, she's still a pretty easy baby to manage, though she doesn't like to be in her carseat, stroller, or pouch/sling, which can be tiresome. I'm actually going to cut this short (again) to get some sleep before she's up again....

[L&D Nurse]

So much I want to write about... Sorry if this is long.

First of all, Thomas slept for a 5-hour stretch last night! Yipee! But after that, he was up every 1.5-2 hours to eat, but hooray for small victories :p.

Second, DH left this morning for a 2-day business trip. It will be so strange to be alone with T for 48 hours straight. Nighttime will be interesting for several reasons. I actually might get a little more sleep because when DH is here I always feel like we should spend some "couple time" together after we put down Thomas, which is nice but also cuts into that first long stretch of sleep. Also, I am so careful to get Thomas up as soon as he stirs in the night so he doesn't cry and wake up DH (this doesn't always work, however ;)). So I can try some other things with Thomas like the paci, changing his position, holding him, rather than just feeding him every 1.5 hours when he wakes up.

Third, I am contemplating taking a week-long trip with Thomas to Oregon for my mom's 60th birthday the first week of August. I was totally excited about it yesterday, reserved the airplane ticket, and was feeling very positive about it... until I talked to DH about it. DH said, "I have an idea, why don't you try to sit on the couch with Thomas for 4 hours straight and see how it goes first." Ugh. Part of the reason I chose that time to go was that DH has another 2-day business trip, but that also means he can't go with us, so I would be on my own for 2 two-legged flights, one 30 minutes and one 4 hours. Flights are over $600, so I decided it would be better to buy just one ticket and carry Thomas in the Baby Bjorn. Am I crazy to consider traveling solo with a 2 month old? Am I crazy not to buy a second seat?

Sorry for the rambling, thanks for reading :)

[Sarah6690]

Jenean These first few days have been extremely tiring. The good news is that I'm too busy trying to catch up that I haven't had much of a chance to get upset about missing Sawyer. The first day was the worst, I cried all the way here. It sounds like the twins are doing so well. I've been trying to read some of the old thread and those pics where one is sucking on the other ones head cracked me up! It was too cute.

GaGal DH's grandma is watching both of the boys. So far, so good. She is going to watch him for a few months and then we'll see how it goes. I might have to put him in daycare after that. It sounds like Handley is doing great. It was so nice to be home with Sawyer, we were just getting into a routine and I could read his cues... now it's a lot more difficult.

daphne I hope you were able to get some sleep. Sounds like Amelia is growing fast!

L&D Nurse No, it's not crazy. Just bring a pack of earplugs for all of the people sitting around you. :p

I can't wait for this week to be over. Being back at work is really hard. I'm glad that I'm busy so I don't have as much time to miss Sawyer, but I am completely exhausted. It's so hard to try to function normally on almost no sleep.

[magrat]

L&D Nurse I don't think it sounds crazy at all, I sit with Eve on my lap most of the day. I almost always have her laying on my lap on a regular bed pillow and we're both very comfortable. The white noise of the plane will probably help keep him knocked out, and just feed him every time he starts to stir. We're going to England for Christmas, now *that's* crazy :)

For weeks now I've been thinking smiles are on their way, but I think I've given up :) It's clear she will never smile. Bummer.

Last night was better. And this morning DH got up with her at 8:15 and I went back to sleep until 11! Fantastic. It's so great that he can work from home Tuesdays and Thursdays. As long as she's relatively peaceful, it doesn't disturb his work to watch her while I sleep.

[DnJ2002]

Sorry I've been MIA...its hard to find time to write (or even read for that matter) with two. But, other than that, things are going really well here. Jacob eats good and sleeps good - getting him to sleep can be difficult but we're getting to know his cues better so hopefully it will improve. No time for SO's (or more updates from me) as my DD is on my lap drawing on my hands (instead of the paper in front of her)...:rolleyes:

Just wanted to say to L&D Nurse-you're not crazy for flying with a 2-month old. We took my DD to AZ when she was 3 months (about 3 hour flight) and she was great. I had her on my lap and nursed her on and off throughout the trip. It was pretty easy. I flew solo with her two more times (7 mos and 14 mos) and we did fine all of those trips. And actually I was just thinking recently how much easier she was at that age ...not looking forward to our next flight now that she's a toddler and definitely wouldn't sit for too long, even with her own seat. My advice, take advantage of it now - it won't get much easier!:D

Okay, off to wash the ink of my hands

[L&D Nurse]

Sarah6690~ sorry you are having a rough week. I can't imagine being back to work with the major sleep deprivation I am dealing with. Great idea about the earplugs ;)

GA_GAL~ I'm glad you had a great day with Handley!

daphne~ great BIG baby you have there!!

magrat~ the smiles will come, I promise :D:D

DnJ2002~ thank you for sharing your experience with traveling with a baby. I think I have decided to go for it because, as you said, it won't get any easier!

[Jenean]

GA GAL, it's amazing to watch them change. Even though we're around them constantly, I can still notice all the little things. I love it! I haven't printed the announcements yet, but have started to work on it. So far, so good. That is a fantastic amount to get from pumping! Was that after nursing?

daphne, thanks! I'm glad that Amelia is relatively easy (did I mention to you how much I love her name?) and I hope that she learns to like sitting in one of those soon!

L&D Nurse, woohoo, that's fabulous! We've experienced a few long stretches like that and they are just terrific! I hope that your first hours all on your own are going well. My DH is going away next week, but thankfully my mom will arrive the day after he leaves so I won't be alone too long - I'm a little nervous! I don't think you're nuts for traveling. We're flying with the boys in August and plan to each hold one in a Baby Bjorn on the plane.

Sarah, thanks, we love that pic. I'm glad that you're staying busy, I'm sure that helps so much. I hope you can catch up on some sleep this weekend!

magrat, yay for extra sleep!

DnJ, glad to hear all is going well!


DH had his first afternoon with both boys today (he had his mom come over for "backup", lol) and I got to go to the mall by myself! I bought another pair of shorts and 4 nursing tops and managed to NOT buy anything for the boys. I must take a pic of their closet so you guys can see the ridiculous amount of clothes they already have. DH and I are actually watching a DVD now while the boys snooze in ou arms. Life really doesn't get much better than this. :D

[Sarah6690]

Jenean yay for getting out by yourself. That must have been nice to have some "me" time. After being at work all day, I feel like I can't have any time to myself since I was away for so long.

L&D Nurse I'm still not sure how I managed not to fall asleep at my desk this week. I'm so very tired. How are the nights going?

Dnj Glad to hear that Jacob is doing good. I'm having a hard time dealing with 2 also, I can't imagine if one was a toddler.

magrat I'm glad you're able to get some extra sleep when DH is home. I'm waiting for the day that I go pick Sawyer up and get a smile when he sees me. One of these days...

Just had to share, I'm so impressed. I just pumped 8oz at lunch!:D I thought that it would go the other way, but every day I've been getting more than the day before. I'm not getting very much in the mornings but that is right after I nurse him. I'm wondering if I should add another pumping session in. He goes through all that I pump the next day, but I have a pretty good freezer stash. Oh well, maybe I will once we have to start dipping into that. I'm so glad that it is Friday. I feel like a zombie. Anyone have any tips for me. I just can't seem to nurse him while laying down. I have to be sitting up to do it. I would really like to figure out how to do this, so I don't have to get out of bed in the middle of the night.

[Sarah6690]

Here are a couple of pictures

I finally caught a smile this morning
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Sarah6690/Picture084.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Sarah6690/Picture075.jpg

This was his first bath
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Sarah6690/Picture041.jpg

[L&D Nurse]

Sarah~ wow, 8 oz!!! That's great!!! Very cute pics, I love your new avatar! Sorry you are so tired, I can't nurse lying down either so I can't help you there. I did side-lying once and I woke up with my arm over Thomas's head and face... it scared me so much I didn't try it again. Can you sit up in bed and feed him?

Me... So, I decided to take the plane trip with Thomas. Thanks for your encouragement, ladies! We also had another 9p-2a stretch of sleep last night - woo-hoo!!! Funny thing, I talked to DH this morning and asked how his first full night of uninterrupted sleep without us was, and he said he was up at 2:30a and couldn't go back to sleep for an hour. Go figure ;)

[StacieLady]

Sarah - I love love love the bathtub picture! Too cute!

[LoveBeingAMommy]

We got our birth announcements today, so I wanted to share on here:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/Casselsshopper/McKinleyTaylorBirthAnnouncementWeb.jpg

[magrat]

nursing on my side I do this once in a while. But I have big breasts so maybe that makes it easier (I just ordered an new nursing bra in size 34H :eek: ). I prop myself up on my elbow with the hand on that side under her head. I direct her latch and then very carefully slide my hand out and lie down with my arm under my pillow. I still need the light on to do that, and I don't sleep well on my side, so I'm usually awake, I just do it until she's limp again and I can put her back in the arm's reach.

[magrat]

Some new pics:

DH *insisted* we wear our matching tops on the 4th of July. I resisted because it looks like I'm well on my way to mommy lameness, but oh well, here we are, two dorks :)
http://lh4.google.com/BenjaminKitt/RphbkdaeGhI/AAAAAAAAAkU/YFJcLxqGVlo/Stripey%20Eve%20and%20Mom%20%281%29.jpg?imgmax=512

You can see she takes after her dad, not me:
http://lh3.google.com/BenjaminKitt/RphbyNaeGiI/AAAAAAAAAkc/HSRCTpOQ0qY/Eve%20and%20her%20Dad.jpg?imgmax=720

http://lh6.google.com/BenjaminKitt/Rphf79aeGxI/AAAAAAAAAmU/Wmgg6DCE8D4/Eve%20in%20her%20activity%20center%20%282%29.jpg?i mgmax=720

The latest bunny pic:
http://lh4.google.com/BenjaminKitt/RphgXdaeGzI/AAAAAAAAAmk/2T2_Nkk86Ss/Eve%20with%20her%20bunny%20%281%29.jpg?imgmax=512

[micd]

I am loving all of the pictures!

Magrat - the pic of Eve on her belly on the pillow is ADORABLE!!! I love nursing on my side. This is how I feed her at night.

I cannot believe that Sara will be one month tomorrow! Everyone says it goes fast and boy are they right!

Unfortunately, we have had some problems with weight gain. My poor baby girl only gained one ounce last week. :( I felt like such a terrible mom. I have had some problems with a low milk supply (yes, I have a nipple shield and I pump). So the LC has had me start taking fenugreek, which has helped tremendously, and I am feeding her everything that I pump. She also had me do a "breastfeeding vacation" where all I did for three days was pump and nurse all day. I have also given her a bottle of formula here and there to pump her up. I really think I would have given up on breastfeeding a long time ago if it wasn't for the LC support I have been getting. So my baby seems much happier and is sleeping more during the day now. Its so horrible for me to think that she was just always hungry (she was nursing constantly too).

I don't really have time for SO's, except to say that Jenean you blow me away! How on earth do you have time to post on here when you have TWO!? Also, I am so impressed that you are nursing those boys! :)

[em1126]

Sorry for no SO's - typing one-handed! Things have been going really well for us here. We have had 2 nights in a row where Aubrey has slept 6-7 hrs. I cannot tell you how awesome that has been. I keep telling myself it can't last, but I can hope.

I know a while back there was some discussion about pumping. I am exclusively pumping for Aubrey since she is unable to BF d/t her cleft palate, so I thought I'd share some of my experiences. It is hard work! I have had supply issues and am currently taking fenugreek, which has helped some. For me, I think the most important thing has been frequency of pumping sessions. I really have to try to do at least 8 pumping sessions a day. So far, we're hanging in there although I do occasionally have to supplement with formula. Aubrey is up to almost 9 lbs., though, so she's gaining well.

Last thing - did anyone get a linea nigra (dark line down the middle of your belly) during PG? I did and it still hasn't gone away. Has anyone else's gone away? I hope it will eventually.

Attempting to post photos:
http://http://picasaweb.google.com/MikeandEmKubiak/AubreyJuly07/photo#5085920739014861714

http://http://picasaweb.google.com/MikeandEmKubiak/AubreyJuly07/photo#5085921555058648226

ETA: I don't think my photos are showing up. What hosting websites can I use?

[steelcitymama]

hi everyone! it's been awhile since i've been able to post...we've been really busy with lots of outings & activities, which has been really fun! to summarize, everything is going really well here. mairin is still sleeping really well...her first stretch of nighttime sleep is 5 hrs each night (she's like a little clock, i swear) and then she goes back for another 3.5 until around 6/630ish and then usually goes back for another 2/2.5 hrs. she naps on and off throughout the day is generally very alert for at least a few hrs in the late afternoon/evening. i still haven't nursed her in public, but will be attempting it tomorrow at a birthday party @ a restaurant for my grandfather. should be interesting! i'm so reliant on my "My Brest Friend" pillow since she's so small. I can do it without when we're at home (by using different pillows), but when we're out & about, I'll definitely need it, which is a total pain.

The only bad/odd thing is that my breasts have become really itchy. ???? Not my nipples/areola, but my actual breasts. When I go bra-less at night, they're fine, but during the day when I put a bra on, they get really itchy. I stopped using the Lansinoh pads I was using b/c someone in the BF thread suggested that may be causing it. At first I thought I was allergic to a new bra, but that doesn't seem to be it either (as a bra I've had for awhile is making me itchy too). It doesn't seem to be the Lansinoh cream either. Any thoughts? Anyone else experiencing this??

micd~i can't believe mairin will be a month old on tuesday either! it blows my mind. it honestly just doesn't seem like it's been a month. that's great that you're able to nurse on your side. i really want to learn how to do that, maybe we'll give it a shot this weekend. i'm so sorry to hear about sara's weight gain problems. :( it sounds like you're getting amazing support though and that things are on the right track. i agree that LC support is so critical! i've found that breastfeeding is definitely a very emotional & stressful aspect of babycare, even when it's going well. talking to you guys, my friends, and the LC has been really helpful for me. even though it's been going really well for us, i find that i'm always questioning myself, her, the state of my boobs, etc! i keep thinking "when will my boobs stop being the only thing i think about?!" :)

magrat~adorable pictures! i need to figure out how to post pics on here, we have some great ones of the little lady. BTW---i think we're finally ready to start using our snugglebottoms & prefolds (i got the unbleached). re: the prefolds---do you just fold them into thirds and lay them in a cover or do you actually fold them up to make a diaper-looking shape? i know there are a ton of ways to do it; we'll have to experiment.

lovebeingamommy~great birth announcement!

oh, someone's squawking for food!

[StacieLady]

did anyone get a linea nigra (dark line down the middle of your belly) during PG? I did and it still hasn't gone away. Has anyone else's gone away? I hope it will eventually.

I didn't have a visible one while I was pregnant, but I have one now! I was not happy about it. :) I have read it can take up to a year to completely disappear.

PS - Try photobucket for posting pictures. I know a lot of people who like it.

[StacieLady]

i think we're finally ready to start using our snugglebottoms & prefolds (i got the unbleached). re: the prefolds---do you just fold them into thirds and lay them in a cover or do you actually fold them up to make a diaper-looking shape? i know there are a ton of ways to do it; we'll have to experiment.

You should totally try just laying the prefolds in the cover. That is what we did (and still do) the majority of the time. (We have pocket diapers we use a lot now for night and going out) I have only now started using my snappi. I wouldn't try doing something more complicated unless you find the easier way doesn't work for you.

[Smittenk]

Last thing - did anyone get a linea nigra (dark line down the middle of your belly) during PG? I did and it still hasn't gone away. Has anyone else's gone away? I hope it will eventually.



I didn't have one but I got one after he was born...sweet :(

[Smittenk]

Sorry for no SO's - typing one-handed! Things have been going really well for us here. We have had 2 nights in a row where Aubrey has slept 6-7 hrs. I cannot tell you how awesome that has been. I keep telling myself it can't last, but I can hope.




em1126, do you have Aubrey on a napping schedule during the day or are you doing one of the sleep "programs" out there?

I am trying to figure out which of these sleep training books out there is the best for us. Everyone has differing opinions...some say Healthy sleep habits happy baby and some say babywise etc.

[micd]

steelcitymama - my boobs itch too! But only when I am nursing and only on the boob that she is sucking on...weird

Smittenk - I am trying to figure out the sleep stuff too. I have read two books and have tried different things in each book, but to no avail. I'm sure I just need to pick something and stick with it for a while, but I don't know what to pick. My baby is just not a great sleeper. I think she still has the day/night confusion...She was up every hour last night.:rolleyes: I'm so jealous of all the people who are saying that there babies are sleeping for 5-6 hour stretches at night. :)

This mommy thing sure is hard! :p My milk supply has increased a lot thanks to the fenugreek and more pumping, but she will still nurse for an hour and be hungry afterward. I am giving her everything I'm pumping as well. We've even given formula two or three times to fill her up. I just don't know what is up. DH thinks that the nipple shield is keeping her from nursing more efficiently. Are those of you who are using a NS having any of these issues?? I am trying very slowly to get her off of it, but I think it's going to take a while.

Also, she is not sleeping well at night...often up every hour. I was going to do sleep training, but then decided to wing it on my own, and now I'm thinking I need more of a regimen. The big problem is that she usually cries when I put her down to sleep. I've tried putting her down when she is sleepy but not sleeping and that doesn't work. I've also tried putting her down when she is in a deep sleep, and that doesn't always work either. She's just such a sweet little pumpkin and wants to sleep in my arms all the time (which is fine during the day, but not at night)

[StacieLady]

Question about tummy time - Jacob is really strong. He can hold his head up easily when he is on my chest. And he is really starting to gain control of it when being held upright. However, we have a problem with tummy time because his legs are too strong. As soon as we lay him on his belly, either flat or on the boppy, he starts pushing with his legs, which instantly forces his face firmly into the ground. It is making it very hard for me to help him learn to hold up his head! Any suggestions?

[magrat]

prefolds I used a snappi, I felt it would hold in poo much better. I don't know how people avoid getting the cover dirty if they just lay it in? Snappis really aren't that hard to use. The only problem I'm having with prefolds at the moment is that the newborns are too small, the infants have too high a rise so I need to fold them over, so I haven't been bothering with them.

sleep ::sigh:: I am very jealous of the babies sleeping more than 3 hours at a time. 3 hours is rare and fabulous here. I haven't done anything remotely sleep trainy, or even try to get her on a schedule. But tonight I'm going to try. I'm going to give her a bath at 7, change, feed and swaddle her, then try to put her down. I won't be trying to sleep myself that early, so I'll just sit there and if she starts to cry I'll pick her up and comfort her and put her down again until she gets it. We'll see how it goes. I think she definitely needs an earlier bed time than she's been having, and so do I!!

tummy time I haven't been good about setting aside specific tummy time, but I hold her lots in different positions including upright, so she has to use head control then. She's definitely not left in the swing or car seat for long periods of time, so I'm not too worried. I mainly am concerned that her head stay round, I'm not worried she'll have a floppy neck when she's 18 ;)

She is just getting *so* big. Her legs and arms dangle so long now, it's an amazing transformation. My dad weighed her yesterday and said she was 10.5 lbs! That's up from 6.8 lb birthweight less than 6 weeks ago.

[GA_GAL]

L&D Nurse : Yea for long stretches of sleep! That's great. I think flying with Thomas will be fine...as long as you are confident about it.

Sarah6690: Sorry being back at work has been hard. I can't imagine having to get up and function at a job all day. Hope you got some good rest this weekend.

Jenean: Yes, the 3 oz. was about an hour after nursing. I also pumped once in the afternoon at got the same amount. I'm hoping DH can give her a bottle tonight, just because he hasn't gotten to feed her yet since I've been breastfeeding. Should be fun for him.

LoveBeingAMommy: I love your birth announcement.

magrat: Great pics! I feel the same way about Handley and the fact that she's getting really big. Her legs are so cubby and cute!

micd: I'm glad your LC has really been able to help you out. Sounds like things are starting to turn around for you!

steelcitymama: I enjoyed reading your update. I hope the nursing in public when well. Do you have any kind of cover, or were you just using a blanket?

StacieLady: Maybe you could try propping his chest up on a small boppy or rolled up towel/blanket.

sleep training: I read a lot of sleep books while I was pregnant and I'm loosely following Baby Wise and Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. I'm trying to have her follow a routine of eating, waketime, then naps. It was hard at first because she was so sleepy all the time, but now that she's more alert she's fallen into a very predictable 3 hour routine (although today has been quite different so go figure). The one thing I'm not doing too well is putting her down awake. I usually rock her to sleep. Often times she'll wake up when I put her down tough, so I'm working on getting better and putting her down before she's asleep so she can learn to sooth herself to sleep. We've also started a bedtime routine of a bath, massage, pj's, books, nursing and sleep. She usually goes 5 hours the first stretch of the night and then anywhere from 2-4 hours the rest of the night.

linea nigra : Mine is still there...hope it starts to fade soon though. Although I doubt I'll be sporting a bikini anytime soon, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

Baby Acne: : Has anyone else's baby gotten baby acne? I read it was very common in newborns and is caused by the hormones left over in their bodies from pregnancy. Handley's face is all broken out and I hope it goes away soon.

I can't believe she's one month old today! Seems like it was just last week that we were bringing her home from the hospital. She's getting really big and filling out now too. A lot of the clothes that were way too big are starting to fit which makes me excited because I love dressing her up.

[steelcitymama]

hi, ladies!

loved all the updates....

micd~funny about your itchy boob too! mine are getting better so i think it may have been a reaction to the nursing pads i was using? oh, re: nipple shields---i may be totally wrong, but didn't cosmogirl say something about NS causing milk supply issues? i feel like she may have said she had a problem with a dwindling supply after using NS with her first child. i could be totally wrong though!

stacielady~thanks for the prefold info. we gave it a whirl and so far so good, but she was just wet. i'm sure the next one will be poopy, so we'll see how that goes.

GA GAL~i read the same thing about newborn acne and little mairin has some now too. :( i'm sure it'll clear up soon. she also has a lot of dry skin, which the ped said is very common as well. way to go on the pumping quantities! i really hate pumping and so far i'm only doing it a touch during the night since i'm too full to latch her on properly.

as for sleeping, we're not doing anything special, but she seems to have gotten herself on a good routine that is working for us now. throughout the day we never let her nap longer than 2 hrs (she normally wakes up herself before then anyway). sometimes she has a few hrs of alert tie during the day, but other times it's just 20 min or so. the one thing that's consistent is that she's awake for several hrs in the evening. normally from 6 until 830/9. i feed her and then DH swaddles her and puts her down in her crib for the night. she wakes up 5 hrs after we put her down (between 2AM and 3 AM) and then i feed her again and she goes back to sleep for another 3-4 hrs. i generally feed her again around 6A/7A and then she goes back to sleep for another 2 hrs or so. then we get up for the day. so it's working well for us now. i imagine we'll want to start putting her to bed earlier eventually, but this seems to be good for the time being.

my linea nigra is still present too. oh well.

alright, i think we're going to head out for a short stroll.

[Sarah6690]

steelcitymama glad the itchy boob thing is starting to go away. I was going to ask if maybe you were leaking and the wetness was irritating? That was my only thought. sounds like you guys are on a pretty good sleep schedule.

GAGal Sawyer had a little bit of baby acne at first, but it's pretty much gone now. He had a lot of dry skin more than anything though.

magrat I had to laught at your floppy neck comment. We don't do a lot of tummy time either. For one thing, it gets pretty mad most of the time and I don't like putting him on the floor with the dogs. Even if I'm sitting right next to them, they make me nervous that someone will come to the door and they will take off running.

Stacielady re: tummy time. Sawyer tends to do this too when I put him down. I don't really do anything though. A couple of times he's managed to roll himself over because he pushes so hard with his legs.

micd re: nipple shield, I talked to my LC in the beginning about using one, and she had said that it can lower your supply. I decided to not use one, but it sure made things a lot harder.

Sorry if I missed anyone... I need to get some work done :( I was so excited yesterday. Sawyer started smiling every time I talked to him. He was even trying to laugh. That was the sweetest sound in the world. Didn't get a whole lot of sleep this weekend. We had a family thing for DH's work at the racetrack on Saturday. And a birthday party on Sunday. It was a fun weekend, but we didn't get much done that needed to be done. Oh well, there's always next weekend. Hope everyone has a good Monday.

[stevesbabygirl]

Hello ladies, sorry for the absence!

I'm impressed with those of you who have your babies on a sleep schedule already! We don't put our little man down to sleep until we go to bed ourselves, usually around 10:30 or so, and then he'll sleep until about 2:30-3, and then again until anywhere between 4-6. Last night was a little rough, but I think he's going through his 3-week growth spurt right now. He wants to eat all the time. He is a cluster feeder anyway, but it seems to be even more so yesterday and today.

I picked up Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, but haven't dived into it yet. I figure I'd let him dictate his own schedule for a little while longer. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to get into the sleep training.

[L&D Nurse]

stevesbabygirl ~ I'm looking forward to see what you think of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

GA_GAL ~ Thomas had baby acne for about a week. I was worried it was excema or a reaction to something I was eating and almost called the ped, but it has cleared up on its own. I washed it with water and a washcloth twice a day and applied non-fragrance Aveeno Baby lotion 2 or 3 times.

StacieLady ~ I don't know what to tell you about tummy time, Thomas loves it and often screams when we put him on his back :o.

Smittenk ~ we aren't following any sleep training programs, just following Thomas's cues. I am interested in hearing if you find something that works for you!

em1126 ~ I got a fairly light linea negra during pregnancy, and it is still there now, but it is fading.

Our 48 hours alone went really well! Actually, a lot of self-imposed pressure was "off" while DH was gone. I didn't feel the need to keep the house perfectly clean or have dinner ready by 6 pm. I also went to sleep with Thomas at 9 pm instead of feeling like I should stay up to have "couple time" with DH. Mornings went well, too, because we stayed in bed til 9:30-10 am, i