PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[Hudson_Hawk]

Aidan has now added screaming like he's being stabbed with needles to his multiple night time wake-ups. *sigh* and he will only settle down when/if you hold him. I had no idea his sleep regression could regress further

 

[Puppmom]

HH, N started doing that too. He'll wake up screaming - the sound is new; definitely a scream we've never heard before - and he'll take like 20 minutes to settle down. We assumed it was teething since orajel *works* but it could just be that he settles from our cuddling. My biggest struggle is that I can't stand to hear him cry. So, even if DH gets up with him, I can't sleep.

BB, I'm no solids expert but it sounds like you're right on track to me. N is 6.5 months and we offer him 1/2 tablespoon of cereal (plus a tablespoon of breastmilk) twice per day along with 1/2 jar (one of those little jars) of a fruit or veggie.

 

[drk]

I only tried her with maybe 1oz of water in a bottle to start, then 1oz mixed with 1oz of prune juice because she was getting constpated with more solids. Then we just moved to the sippy and I had no idea how much she was actually drinking, I just kept offering it with meals ir occasionally in between. Our doctor recommended more water to help with the constipation, rather than prune juice.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Help!?!?! I think my baby is getting a cold! I'm going to call the doctor in 30 mins, but I am not prepared for this. I've had a cold since Sat, so that means I made her sick.

Will I need a nosefrida? Anyone know if they have them in-store at BRU? Target?

Will she get a fever????

ETA: Saline drops? What kind? I've only seen some saline mist on-line? Is that what I need?

She's only one month old!!!!!

 

[noelwr]

oh sorry, LV. I have no advice, but I'm sure the other mommies will. I have a rubber bulb syringe thing to suck out the snot, but it doesn't work. I would make sure to have baby paracetamol suppositories in case she does get a fever. this is what was recommended when Skye went for her first shots, in case she got a fever.

but to be honest, my doc said babies shouldn't get sick the first 6 months (which probably means more likely that we should try to keep them from getting sick as opposed to that they naturally don't get sick), so I would probably take her in to see a doctor. hope that doesn't worry you, but I think asking professional medical opinion will also help make you feel more comfortable.

 

[noelwr]

mommies, I need your advice.

I sometimes get a bad premonition-type feeling that something bad is going to happen to Skye. and I don't mean that I am protective and worried and have to check every minute that she's breathing. it's just a crappy "feeling" that something is going to happen to our now otherwise healthy child.

is this normal? did anyone else go through this? I don't know if it's because of my cancer condition that I think that all my positives will turn to negatives. I will speak to the social worker about this, but I just wanted to check if this is actually part of motherhood.

 

[meresal]

LV- Deep breaths. Colds are ok, and nothing to freak out over. You will be fine.

IMO, it is better to just let the your daughter fight the cold on her own. They aren't horrible and will make her immune system stronger. We have had to deal with 2, I only went to the doctor for the first one because I was worried about the sound of phlegm and wanted to make sure it wasn't in her lungs. Otherwise, just rmember it is a cold and it will pass.

We use the saline mist, you can pick up any kind at BRU or Target, and an aspirator to suck the "stuff" out. (We still use the blue one they gave us at the hospital... but I am pretty sure the nosefrida can only be ordered online). To clear things up, we gave C a bath before bedtime using the "Vapor Bath" by Johnson and Johnson instead of the regular bath wash.
Also, by the second cold, we decided to purchase a humidifier. Your baby is not going to sleep very well at night, but this should help out a bit. Some acetomenophin before bedtime might help as well.

Noel- I get those feelings too, and I think it is just our adlustment to becomng a "parent" and the worries that come with it. It will get better. With that said, I assume yours comes from a "real life experience" as opposed to some of us that are just worried that it "could" happen one day. I think talking with someone might be a good idea, if you are worried about it.
Once they start becoming more active, you have less time to dwell on those thoughts

 

[Puppmom]

LV, N has only been sick once - it was a cold at around 2 months. It ran it's course in just a few days and he actually acted pretty normal throughout. Definitely take her to the doc but they'll probably just tell you to make sure she's nursing/eating on demand and monitor her for fever. They'll probably tell you the appropriate dose of acetaminophin for her weight and send you on your way. It'll be okay! I hope S feels better soon!

Noel, sounds like you have a bit of mommy anxiety. It's totally normal (well, for me anyway!). Sometimes I imagine awful things happening to N and find that I have to talk myself down. If you have access to a social worker, definitely talk to them. If I had a professional to talk to when that stuff came up, I would definitely take advantage of it!

...anyone else having relationship troubles since their baby was born? DH and I just aren’t on the same page. I’m usually the high maintenance/uptight one and DH is so laid back. Lately, he’s just miserable and every time I asked him to do something, I feel like he wants to explode. I’m getting a *you really irritate me* vibe from him and when I confront him, he’ll say he’s struggling with the state of things but doesn’t really elaborate. I’m certain that not getting any is a contributing factor but my lack of drive coupled with his attitude certainly doesn’t have me inclined to do it. We’re going back to the therapist that we were seeing pre-baby starting on Tuesday but I keep telling him she’s not going to work miracles and that the work will have to come from us and that perhaps we should at least TRY to pinpoint our issues and work on them BEFORE going but he just wants to go. I’m open to going but think we’re going to look like idiots when we’re not even on the same page as to WHAT the problem is and haven’t tried anything to fix it. I'm sure what we're going through is normal to an extent but it's just sad.

 

[meresal]

LV- Here are the things that we use:

Humidifier: http://www.vicks.com/products/humidifiers/v745a-warm-mist-humidifier/
We use this, but do not put the Vicks medicine in with it. Just fill it with water and run. If you only run it on the low setting, which is perfect for our nursery, it lasts thruout the entire night.

Saline Mist:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4097823

Aspirator:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3316522
Yes, it is generic, but it works. With the electric ones, you never know if they are going to be strong enough to pull the "stuff" out. We bought this one, and it is a joke, http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3175656

Also, I jsut saw on BRU website that they sell Nosefrida online, but not in stores. I do know that a coupld ladies were able to get a really good deal on shipping and got it really quickly. Maybe they will pitch in on where they ordered them from. (Might have been HH)

 

[meresal]

Pupp- Ohh, the power of sex. Have you told your husband that just demanding it, or pouting bc he isn't getting "any", doesn't make you want to climb in bed? I have had to remind my husband of this a few times. Women are wired differently and can't just have sex to have sex... I went as far as asking my husband if he really found the idea of having sex with someone, who is just laying there, to be attractive?

Do you all have a date night? I think that might help, if you really think that he is just being cranky because of the down time in the bedroom. It might help the light the "spark".

Our relationship is getting better the older C gets. DH can play with him more, and I am getting more sleep. We try to have a date night at least once a month, which really helps us to still feel like a couple, not just a family of 3.

 

[Lanie]

LV -- hope you get the cold under control! Like the others said, in the grand scheme of things, for your baby to be sick, a cold is the best to have. Just think that many, many babies are in daycare around the age of yours, and they get colds too. But I would be worried as well. Keep us updated! And post more pics! Goodness, you and some other new moms (I'm not going to mention names but one lives in a big city in Texas) haven't posted pics in awhile!!!

Noel -- I have the same feelings. I didn't have any baby blues, but I think mine manisfested in Crazy Mom syndrome. When I first started driving after the baby was born, I was so scared I'd die in a car wreck. I still think about it every time I drive. I also would think really bad thoughts about him dying, and it was just freaking me out. I'm not going to go into detail here, but it was making me wonder if I needed to see someone about it. I'm getting better though. I'm still extremely paranoid about someone breaking into the house and he's downstairs all by himself with some criminal and we're upstairs and can't get to him. My husband assures me that a criminal looking for TV's and computers and cash is not going to take a baby with him.

Pupp -- I like Mere's idea of a date night. We've had a few and we make a rule not to talk about the baby. They have been really fun! I almost forgot I was a mommy when we were out at our last one, and it was so much fun to come back home to him. I get that same "I'm irritated with you" vibe from my husband. But I think I overanalyze it. Like I'll need to go blow dry my hair after my shower and I'll say "Can you take him" and he doesn't squeel "YES!!! I'd LOVE TO TAKE HIM!" with delight. He just says nothing and reaches his arms out to grab him. So I assume he hates our baby. Other than a fondness for my breasts, my DH and my baby really don't have anything in common.

AFM -- Anderson had his 2 month shots. He cried only a little bit, and I probably cried more. I was so proud of him. He slept so much that day. Poor thing. He's been sleeping 6 hours for the first stretch of night and 4 for the second...I'm so happy! He's in the 50 percentile for height and weight. I thought he was chunky but guess not. Work starts for me March 7th. Ugggghhhhhh.

 

[cara]

LV just taking a break from work to say that I found the nose frieda at Whole Foods, if you have one near you. Sympathies on the one month old with a cold! And don't feel bad about calling your doctor to get reassurance. They want to keep a close eye on the little ones.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Back from the doctor! There was no question I would bring her there, it was just a matter of how quickly I could get there. They gave me an apptmt right away, and they examined her very thoroughly. I think we are on day 1 of the cold, so everything looked ok to them, but they gave me things to look for -- like a temp (ok, knew that), any signs of labored breathing from observing her chest, increased coughing. They gave me saline drops, which was great so I didn't have to go to the pharmacy. Doctor said it seems like she is more dry than phlegmy at this point, so didn't think I would need an aspirator for now. Before I left for the apptmt, I ordered a Baby Comfy Nose instead of the Nosefrida. Same concept, but no filter. Should arrive tomorrow. Coincidentally, I researched both last night and couldn't decide (because I am crazy and often can't make decisions btw two seemingly good products!) so didn't order one. Perhaps it was my intuition, but I just started looking into them because I figured I'd need one eventually. I do have the bulb asp. as well.

So, I visited two day cares last week after calling another and learning that they have a 6 month wait-list! I was shocked because this is not typical for the area. So, I felt compelled to visit 2 places since my husband was home that day. I think that's where I may have picked up the cold. I feel so stupid now. I shouldn't have left the house! Of course, my husband could have brought something home, though he hasn't been sick himself.

This prompted a discussion of daycare vs. nanny with the pediatrician, and they actually had two names for me for potential nannies, so maybe one will work out. We are still quite undecided re: what to do, though I do really like one of the daycares I visited. We might decide to have a nanny just til she gets a bit older because I do see the benefits of a good daycare and don't want her to miss out on the social benefits.

Noel - Thank you for the support! The doctor just told me to call if she has a fever. She specifically said they don't do baby tylenol or whatever, but didn't mention suppositories either, so I guess they want to decide what to do if a fever arose. I had asked her when should I bring her to the emergency room . She was like, uhm, call us first. Also, I had read that babies don't get sick for the first 3 or 6 mos, when I googled about it this weekend, so I was feeling fairly confident she wouldn't get sick, not sure why it made sense to me when I read it, something about them having enhanced immunity.

Re: bad premonition-type feelings, yes, I have them. It's inevitable for me because I am a classic worrier type. For me, I worry more about accidents or someone trying to take her. These are thoughts that appear every now and again, but not in any sort of obsessive way, so I don't think it's a problem. I think it's a protective mama-bear type thing and strikes me as being normal since we are responsible for them.

Puppmom - So,it sounds like N's cold wasn't terrible then? You said it lasted only a few days? And, he wasn't miserable? Did he take the acetaminophen? I wonder if my drs are not recommending it only because she's still so young?

Sorry to hear of your relationship troubles, but how wonderful that you are both seeing a therapist. I hope that the therapist helps your husband isolate what his issue is. We are still quite bleary-eyed over here, so if there are issues to be had, we aren't having them yet. Just feeding, changing and swaddling!! But seriously, it's great that you are going to therapy. And, it sounds like you've found a good one if you're going back to see someone you've seen before. Often, finding a good therapist is half the battle! Good luck!

Meresal - Thank you so much for listing out your products. I do have that same bulb, so I'm glad to hear you're happy with yours. I am running a humidifier right now. Thank goodness I have one. It is incredibly dry here so I often run one just to keep my skin from getting dry. And, thank goodness they gave me saline drops at the dr's office.

Lanie - Yes, you're right. It could be much worse than a cold. Perspective is important! I've had some of the same worries as you, but they have lessened a great deal. I think in the very beginning, when you are still recovering from childbirth, and you have had NO sleep, worries can be a lot more intense. And, you're right -- I've been wondering about our HMG??! Where'd she go? Are you out there HMG, let us know how you're doing!

Cara - Thanks for the tip on Whole Foods. We do have one not too far away if things get desperate, but she seems to be doing ok for now. She's been sleeping the entire time it took me to type up this very long post!

Speaking of this very long post, sorry for going on and on mostly just about S, but I know you all understand how crazy it is when it's still early. I always read, but never get around to posting. So much easier to just read! So, I hope to get better in the future, and thank you again to everyone who offered advice!!

 

[Puppmom]

Thanks for the well wishes, LV. I hope things continue going well on your end! As for N's cold - lasted a couple of days and he didn't seem uncomfortable. I just noticed more boogies/congestion than usual and some coughing here and there. The doc told me the appropriate dosage of acetaminophen in the event of a fever which he didn't get. We've only used it twice actually but both times were after shots.

Speaking of illnesses - N's eye is all leaky so I took him to the doc this afternoon. He said it looked good but could definitely be the beginning of conjunctivitis. He wrote a script and said to start using it only if the eye junk turns yellow or green. N doesn't seem to be bothered by it. Oh, and man was it hard lugging this kid to the doctor by myself. He's so freaking heavy!

 

[Mara]

lol mere your post made me laugh ... so the voice of reason!!

ditto the other ladies, LV. baby will get many colds. 1mo is young, can't remember if you are bf'ing but chances are if you are, you will give her antibodies and she won't get it as strongly as you do. i was sick 2x while bf'ing J and he didn't get either of them. i just tried not to breathe directly on him for a few days and made sure to give him lots of milk.

nosefrida is AWESOME. we have the graco battery one but my mom lost the d-ring so now it doesn't work...thankfully the nosefrida is great. sometimes J loves (we make it a game) and sometimes he screams.

we don't even do saline mist (i personally hate it when i use it so i don't use it on J), but we do humidifier...the only thing it seems to do is prevent a cold from turning into a cough or maybe that's just chance) and nosefrida and we also give him this vitamin cold/flu thing from whole foods but i think it's 6mo+ for babies/age.

noel... since becoming a mom i def have my moments of 'omg...what kind of world are we in'... i have a hard time watching sad movies or movies where kids are kidnapped or die, or even watching CSI sometimes. i would just say try not to get dragged down by your thoughts or let them run away with you. whenever i feel myself being weird about that i just try to snap myself out of it. i don't think it's abnormal though. having a kid reminds you of mortality.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Help!?!?! I think my baby is getting a cold! I'm going to call the doctor in 30 mins, but I am not prepared for this. I've had a cold since Sat, so that means I made her sick.

Will I need a nosefrida? Anyone know if they have them in-store at BRU? Target?

Will she get a fever????

ETA: Saline drops? What kind? I've only seen some saline mist on-line? Is that what I need?

She's only one month old!!!!!

Definitely call your doc and get his/her advice.

Given her age you need to keep a VERY close watch on her. If she gets a cough or any sort of fever, even a low grade one, take her to the doctor ASAP and insist on an RSV culture. RSV can commonly be mistaken for colds in babies and it can get very serious, very fast. Even for an older baby.

If it just appears to be a head cold then let her sleep in an elevated position, swing, bouncy seat, car seat or elevate your co-sleeper or crib. Put a humidifier on in her room and use some vicks vapor in it. I wouldn't put vapor rub on her with her being so little. I've heard it can exacerbate the problem if the baby is too small because it's so strong.

I like Simply Saline, which comes in an aerosol can with a nose straw, that's the only way I can describe it. Squirt a small amount in each nostril, do something else like change her diaper (give the saline a few minutes to liquefy everything) and then go to town with the bulb syringe. The nose Frieda is great (I believe they sell it at BRU but it's not at Target), as is the Graco battery operated nasal aspirator (Sold everywhere, even CVS) (now that I finally have one that works!), but the standard blue bulb from the hospital also works well if you can get the technique down. Make sure you rinse it out really well after each use with a disinfectant. Also, you might not hear the saline spraying. You will see from her reaction that it's getting up in there. I always do a test squirt first to ensure it's primed and ready to go.

While I'm not a fan of J&J baby products at all, I've heard very good things about their vapor bath. I've also heard great things about the California Baby cold/vapor bath products. I'm a huge fan of CB so I'd probably buy that over J&J. You can get both at Target and BRU.

Another option to help with the congestion is to take her into the bathroom with the shower running very hot and the door closed/fan off. Let the room get steamy and sit in it with her for 10-15 minutes. Then aspirate her nose. You might need to do this several times a day, especially before feeding. If she's congested she might not want to eat because she wont be able to breathe.

Aidan had his first head cold around 3 months. It was heartbreaking, but we got through it and he got over it. Be prepared to use the snot sucking apparatus long after he's better. The snotty nose seems to stick around forever.

ETA: Just read the other posts. I don't think Tylenol and the like can't be given to a 1 month old so check with your pedi before doing that.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Pupp, DH and I are having major issues. I also think I'm having a recurrence of PPD or the PPD has turned into full on D and anxiety to boot. I'm without a PCP right now and out of zoloft refills (though I never really felt the zoloft helped me) so I'm sort of trying to deal with it. But it's hard. The lack of sleep and alone time definitely doesn't help matters. DH and I had scheduled a date night for the Friday before Valentines Day. My mom was going to come down and watch A, but got sick and had to cancel. So we pushed DN to last Friday night. My mom came down, I was all ready to go and DH was late getting home from work. He had forgotten about it. So he rushed home and by the time he got there he was tired and pissy, but we still went and we fought the whole way to the restaurant. Neither of us feel like the other is pulling their weight around the house (outside of baby-related tasks), so it's a total lose/lose situation. We've messed around once since A was born, twice since he was conceived. Neither time was satisfying for either of us. I was so miserable the other night that I point blank asked him if he was still in love with me while sobbing in bed before we fell asleep. At this point I'm so tired and wound up/anxious that I can't fall asleep at night without a bottle of wine or 2 benadryl. It's no way to live, but I don't know how to fix it right now so I just pretend it's not happening.

Wow that turned into a much longer post than I anticipated. Just know that you're not alone.

 

[somethingshiny]

IMO, the first year of parenthood is the hardest in a marriage.

You're learning a whole lot about each other in a short amount of time, you're learning a whole lot about yourself at the same time, and the most important person in the world (baby) is at the stake. It's overwhelming to say the least. Open communication is key. DH and I nearly got divorced during our first year with JT. It took a lot of talking, dedication, and praying to pull us through. Only a couple of our issues were "big" the rest were stupid measly things that seemed catastrophic at the time. We had to sit down and discuss what really mattered most to us with our family and commit to making those things happen and let the rest go tot he wayside. Although we had discussed everything before getting married, you really don't know what's going to happen until you're in that situation. He wasn't quite the dad I had envisioned, and I wasn't quite the wife he wanted after I became a mom.

DH had a major problem with me not keeping up on the house at first. (I still roll my eyes about that one) I had to realize, my housekeeping and my cooking for him were ways that he felt loved. So, even though I usually didn't feel like it, I'd make an effort to do something for him. I hated being known only as "mama" I needed to feel like I was still his wife and friend so he had to make that effort. I had to let go of him not doing things for JT perfectly. Who really cares if only 2 snaps on the onesie are done? Definitely not anyone who is half sane, although I was half insane at that time.

This time with Lily, thankfully, we don't have any issues. I sit back and see what a good dad he really is. I see what a good husband he is even though he's not perfect. Sometimes he lets her pee through her diaper, sometimes he doesn't get her bottle the right temp, but I've learned to let it go.

Another big thing is letting go of your own "inadequacies." As moms, we feel like we should be able to do everything, remain sexy for DH, hold a job, and look pretty. If that happens once a month, you're doing awesome! As baby gets older, it gets easier for everyone.


Lastly, PPD hits in many forms at many times. It also recurs. Sometimes it requires a change in medication. If something is affecting your day, if worrying or being upset is changing your schedule, talk to the doctor.

It will get better, easier, and healthier for all of you.

If your house isn't being condemned, if you and your husband want to come home to each other, if your baby is happy, you have done your job.

One of the best things about watching your husband become a dad is that you get to fall in love with him all over again. And he gets to fall in love with you all over again. When a baby is brought into a healthy relationship, that relationship deepens tenfold.

 

[Felicity]

I wanted to post for three of my most favourite new mammas; LV, HOU & Bliss. I just read back over the preggo thread and was tearing up with happiness for you on the arrival of your girls.

Hou: Congratulations, Ellie Anne is just perfect and so beautiful.

LV: Samantha is the most beautiful little girl. 22” eh? Phew! It is a shame she caught a cold, I hope she is better in no time. Heartfelt congratulations.

Bliss: I don’t even know if you post anymore? No matter, I bet you are loved up taking care of your LO. Many congratulations.

Blow them kisses from me.

And yes, I used to be somebody else here. But now I'm Felicity so no guessing please, fresh start, new perspective and all.
Carry on!


Drk: You never ‘knew’ me, but I have been reading over your old IVF thread and when the time comes for me, I’d love if you wouldn’t mind giving me some advice from somebody who has been there, done that and is busy loving the result.

 

[lliang_chi]

IMO, the first year of parenthood is the hardest in a marriage.

You're learning a whole lot about each other in a short amount of time, you're learning a whole lot about yourself at the same time, and the most important person in the world (baby) is at the stake. It's overwhelming to say the least. Open communication is key. DH and I nearly got divorced during our first year with JT. It took a lot of talking, dedication, and praying to pull us through. Only a couple of our issues were "big" the rest were stupid measly things that seemed catastrophic at the time. We had to sit down and discuss what really mattered most to us with our family and commit to making those things happen and let the rest go tot he wayside. Although we had discussed everything before getting married, you really don't know what's going to happen until you're in that situation. He wasn't quite the dad I had envisioned, and I wasn't quite the wife he wanted after I became a mom.

DH had a major problem with me not keeping up on the house at first. (I still roll my eyes about that one) I had to realize, my housekeeping and my cooking for him were ways that he felt loved. So, even though I usually didn't feel like it, I'd make an effort to do something for him. I hated being known only as "mama" I needed to feel like I was still his wife and friend so he had to make that effort. I had to let go of him not doing things for JT perfectly. Who really cares if only 2 snaps on the onesie are done? Definitely not anyone who is half sane, although I was half insane at that time.

This time with Lily, thankfully, we don't have any issues. I sit back and see what a good dad he really is. I see what a good husband he is even though he's not perfect. Sometimes he lets her pee through her diaper, sometimes he doesn't get her bottle the right temp, but I've learned to let it go.

Another big thing is letting go of your own "inadequacies." As moms, we feel like we should be able to do everything, remain sexy for DH, hold a job, and look pretty. If that happens once a month, you're doing awesome! As baby gets older, it gets easier for everyone.


Lastly, PPD hits in many forms at many times. It also recurs. Sometimes it requires a change in medication. If something is affecting your day, if worrying or being upset is changing your schedule, talk to the doctor.

It will get better, easier, and healthier for all of you.

If your house isn't being condemned, if you and your husband want to come home to each other, if your baby is happy, you have done your job.

One of the best things about watching your husband become a dad is that you get to fall in love with him all over again. And he gets to fall in love with you all over again. When a baby is brought into a healthy relationship, that relationship deepens tenfold.

Wow SS, this was so beautifully said! Bravo!

 

[somethingshiny]

Thanks, lliang! I thought it came out muddled because my mind was going a hundred miles a minute.

I know it's not bpf yet, but I took these pics of Lily yesterday. Wearing a shape sorter turtle as a hat. And, at certain times, I think she reminds me of a celebrity. Only when she's at a certain angle or with a certain expression. I finally figured it out. Maggie Gyllenhaal (sp?) Obviously Maggie doesn't have Lily's cheeks, but I think the big blue eyes, dark curls, and a certain expression give the similarity. (unless I'm nuts!)

 

[ImperfectGirl]

Thanks, lliang! I thought it came out muddled because my mind was going a hundred miles a minute.

I know it's not bpf yet, but I took these pics of Lily yesterday. Wearing a shape sorter turtle as a hat. And, at certain times, I think she reminds me of a celebrity. Only when she's at a certain angle or with a certain expression. I finally figured it out. Maggie Gyllenhaal (sp?) Obviously Maggie doesn't have Lily's cheeks, but I think the big blue eyes, dark curls, and a certain expression give the similarity. (unless I'm nuts!)

I totally see it! Lily is sooo adorable!

***back to lurking***

 

[Skippy123]

MER, your little guy is precious; love those little teef!

ICEKID, your little guy has great lashes, what a cutie!!

HH, happy 6 months soon! aw, he is so cute in his jumper!!!

SS, L is so beautiful! I love all her red locks!!!

ALLIE, aww, he looks like he loves grandma; such a cutie pie!

KUNZITE, your little guy is adorable and growing so fast!!

DRK, love your little guys red hair; he is adorable!

MONKEY, lol, what a little ham; he is so cute!

NOELWR, your daughter is so precious!!!

TURTLE, aw, your little guy is adorable!!!!

SHA, such a pretty little girl!

MARA, happy birthday to J, what a cutie; he looks so much like you!

AMBERWAVES, your daughter is adorable!!!

LAINE, what a cutie pie!!!

Okay I couldn't help but pop in here and tell you how absolutely BEAUTIFUL all your babies are, PS has the best looking babies back to lurking here too. hehe

 

[Lanie]

skippy -- you are so cute. How long did that take you to write out?!?

 

[Mara]

Lily is such a cute cabbage patch!! You just wanna squeeze her tight!

Ditto the first year can be hard. It's hard for two people to accept new roles. The way I keep telling Greg (and myself sometimes) is that they will only be at that age/stage so long and within a year or two he will be a lot more self-sufficient aka not need assistance with EVERY little thing. So while it is hard for the men especially IMO to give up who they are and what they want to do vs what they should be or need to do... I just keep reminding him of that. I think it's harder for them than us which is ridiculous I KNOW, but it just seems to be the case. I adapted very easily into 'this is who I am now' and maybe it's because we thought about yes/no for so long that I knew when we made the decision and were pg we had to just change and that was it. There was no point in lamenting this or that or being upset about this or that, it just IS. I tend to always fall into 'just doing what needs to be done'... whereas I think the men fall into more like 'why do I have to do this' or think about how it's affecting their lives or their independence or whatever. Anyhoo. It is def hard. Hang in there mamas!

 

[AllieLuv83]

Paul and I have hit some bumps in the road but it really boils down to us taking the frustrations out on one another because it is the easiest to take it out on the ones you love. When I stop to think it is so STUPID the stuff that we fight about. I love him and I love my family and just need to find another outlet for my frustration.

 

[drk]

Felicity - ask away when the time comes. I've spent a lot of years obsessing about fertility/infertility stuff, so hopefully I can help answer questions. It was all worth it in the end!

SS - I can totally see the resemblance now that you mention it.

I'm not surprised people end up with marriage troubles after baby. Everything changes, including the roles you used to play. I used to do all the cooking, but DH had to take over that a lot more (even during pregnancy, when I was so worried about all the contractions). We don't go out for dinner as much as we used to, and I can't remember the last time we went to a movie. He still goes out to occasional concerts, but I stay home. I'd cut back on going to those anyhow because I have to get up so early to get to work, but I miss them. Thankfully DH and I are both pretty laid back, so it's made things easier. I think we argue about little stuff more than we used to, but neither of us hold onto the anger for long. And we both make sure to tell each other how much we appreciate what the other is doing, and how good of a parent each other is. I don't think I'm that great of a Mom, but he seems to think I'm doing well.

 

[CatLuver]

Hi all,
I'm thrilled to be able to join you. I posted my birth story in the preg thread.
I haven't been able to read the last week but hope to later...

The first few nights were rough bc baby C wouldn't sleep unless he was being held. The ped we saw (not our normal one) told us to let him CIO even tho he was/is below birthweight and needs to eat every 2-3 hrs. I tried it once and he cried for 2 hrs. Luckily he is sleeping in his crib now but I don't know why she told us to let him CIO. I checked with 2 other peds who are family/friends and they said he is way too young for that.

I have a few questions I was hoping you experienced mommas could help with.

I'm bfing, pumping and supplementing. Is it normal for my nipples to hurt? I think he is latching bc he is draining my breasts but I can't really see his bottom lip. Please tell me they'll stop being sore at some point! I am using lansinoh. It hurts most when he first latches, ow. He sucks really hard. I'm entertaining the idea of just pumping bc it hurts less and is more flexible.

Also will my bbs stop being sore from engorgement or is that going to stay that way as they keep getting refilled?

I have the Ameda purely yours. One boob feels more suction than the other, is that normal? Is there any way to stop the beeping? Is it true that slower cycles drains the breasts faster?

Thank you...

 

[Puppmom]

Catluver, congratulations! No advice on the pump because I use the PIS. re: sore nipples - that will stop or at least it did for me. I would still describe mine as *sensitive* though and N is almost 7 months. Also, I definitely felt some pain upon initial latch but that didn't last for that long - I can't remember but maybe a few weeks or so? I would scrunch my face when N first latched and then relax after about 10 seconds. Also, even if you can't see C's bottom lip, try pulling down on his chin with your thumb anyway to be sure he has a *wide* latch. re: engorgement - that will go away. I only feel *full* now first thing in the morning (N sleeps through the night) but it doesn't hurt. The initial engorgement lasted under a week. Then I would feel engorged here and there if N missed a feeding.

Oh, and SHEESH - they told you to use CIO for a newborn? I mean, he was being held all warm and cozy in your belly for 9 months so of course that's what he's used to. I'm glad he's happily sleeping in his crib now!

Last, thanks everyone for your empathy and warm thoughts. I'll catch up over the weekend!

 

[somethingshiny]

Just a quick pop-in.

I get to go out with the girls tonight. The last time I did that was..........hmmm.......

Re: CIO. With JT I was a big believer in CIO VERY early,. But after I started thinking of those first 3 months as the 4 trimester, it was really easy for me not to do CIO early with Lily. She's 7 months now and has slept through the night on her own since maybe month 4. Can't recall exactly, I'm foggy from being up so long. I don't think waiting on the CIO with her caused any ill effect. She's a great self soother. We started CIO when she was closer to 6 mo. Good luck on finding what works for you! Just remember, everything right now is only a temporary phase. It will change before you know it!! And, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!