PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[Hudson_Hawk]

They're lucky they're so cute.

 

[Kunzite]

Happy birthday Kara!!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Happy Birthday Kara!!!!!!!!

 

[drk]

Thanks guys! DH was out of town today for the birthday, so we opened a few presents on Monday while he was here. Today we had a candle and carrotcake cupcake with my nanny and my Mom who's here for a visit. Opened a few more presents. She started the day off with waking up two hours earlier than usual, which wasn't so pleasant. Hopefully tonight will be back to normal.
I can't believe how the year has flown by, and how big my little girl has gotten. She's changed so much, and is such a wonderful girl.

 

[Lanie]

Happy bday!!!! Hope you still pop back on this thread to visit...we will miss you!

 

[CatLuver]

Hi mommies- I've been trying to read but haven't been able to post- thanks for the advice on the sore nipples awhile back. They're mostly better, but of course new issues with bf'ing, can anyone help? C is almost 4 weeks old now.

1. Crying/fussing while eating - About half the time, he'll suck/swallow normally for 5 seconds, then pull off and cry/fuss/shreik/wail and kick his legs for 5-10 seconds, then go back to sucking, and repeat for the rest of the feeding. There is milk there and it's not excessive, it's the same as when he feeds normally. Sometimes this happens right away when he doesn't latch and other times it happens after he's been feeding happily for awhile (so it's not because I waited too long to feed him and he got over hungry). Eventually, he gets enough and stops and is perfectly happy. I can tell he has eaten because my boob feels a lot softer. But I have no idea why he does this. It's frustrating to say the least. Anyone else??

2. Snacking - He started this a couple days ago. Last night he stayed up for 4 hours, every time I would put him down he would sleep for 10 minutes, then wake up making hungry noises, and I would feed him but he would only eat for 5 minutes, then fall asleep. I tried to wake him by unwrapping and changing his diaper like I normally do (which usually works), but he wouldn't continue eating. So I'd put him down, then he would wake up after 10 min again, and repeat. This has continued all morning and afternoon until now. He isn't getting much to eat or to sleep (nor am I) but otherwise seems normal. I have plenty of milk, but he just doesn't want to eat. Help? I don't think this is a growth spurt because he's not eating much; he had a period of 3 days last week with constant feeding, which passed. He has been eating well and gaining until now.

I read so much conflicting advice it's so hard to know what to do...go to him every time and give him what he seems to want (a snack), v. try to train him to eat regular meals; hold him as much as he wants and don't let him cry v. try to teach him to self soothe (pick up put down and let him fuss a bit); I don't know what to do! He sleeps longer if I hold him or put him in the bed with me, but I don't want to have him get used to that. I do'nt want to create "bad habits" but I also don't want him to feel abandoned and not responded to and all that.

I had a LC come in the 2nd week but he didn't have these problems then, and I called a LC help line today which was not helpful.

 

[Laila619]

Hi Catluver! Congrats on your baby boy!! If he's only nursing for 5 minutes, he is only getting the foremilk (thinner and watery) and not the fattier, more satisfying hind milk, which takes longer to get. So that's probably why he keeps waking up hungry. It's sort of a vicious cycle--he's sleepy because he's hungry from not getting the hind milk, but he won't eat longer because he keeps falling asleep! So try to do whatever you can (cold water, undress him completely, tickle his feet, etc.) to get him to take in a full feeding (at least 15-20 minutes on one boob). I really think he'll start sleeping better then and be less fussy. Good luck!

Oh, and the crying/screaming and pulling off the boob sounds like reflux to me. He could be in pain from the reflux.

 

[Kunzite]

Hi cat Sorry to hear about the screaming while eating, we went through the same thing. I felt like we were torturing O with milk the way he would scream. It could be reflux, but the way the crying is happening (sometimes right away sometimes at the end,etc) makes me think it probably isn't. O had the same pattern with one or so feeds a day where he didn't cry. With reflux they can have it and be bothered by the acid or not bothered. After trying O on both Zantac and Prilosec we determined that while he does have reflux it wasn't causing his fussy feeds. He just had to grow out of it. It was between 6 and 7 weeks adjusted that he slowly started crying less and less while eating. He'll still do it every now and then but only when he's overtired. Just hang in there and talk to your pedi if you really think something is wrong. As far as breaking the foremilk/hindmilk cycle that Laila mentioned, I would try offering expressed milk so it already has both and try to keep him awake to take as much as possible. That way if he still doesn't finish he's at least gotten some hindmilk as well.

Hang in there! I know how hard it is to feel like your baby is being tortured when eating, it was the worst

 

[Loves Vintage]

Catluver - Are you swaddling? We swaddle S at night. She sleeps so well when swaddled! When she isn't swaddled, she will wake up frequently. She loves it. C's night snacking sounds like comfort eating possibly? Maybe he really wants to sleep, but can't get settled. Sounds like S when she is unswaddled, which is why I asked.

As far as the abrupt stopping while breastfeeding, S does this too, except she will not re-latch when she gets very upset. Despite weekly visits to a lactation practice, we have yet to figure out why. The most recent theory offered is that she is not eating enough (despite being offered breast milk, pumped milk or formula at every opportunity) and that I am to feed her even more aggressively. I finally decided to give up on the playtex drop-ins that were recommended by the LCs, and today her intake volume is much higher. I think the slow flow nipples are TOO SLOW for her. (I recall that I recommended those drop in bottles to you last post, which I now regret! I hope you didn't get them!!) So, now the idea is to get her back up to her growth curve, and they believe she will improve when nursing. Sounds somewhat plausible. I keep trying. When you said that up until now, C has been gaining, are you weighing him at home?

Re: going to the baby when crying vs. not, my best advice is to follow your intuition. In my heart, I know I want to go to my baby to comfort her no matter what. So, I do. And, I don't feel like it's the wrong choice for us, because it feels right to me. There is always going to be conflicting information out there. Do what feels right to you. You can't do better than that!

 

[Lanie]

Catluver -- ditto Kunzite and Laila. I'm in the camp of do whatever it takes to make them feel comfy for the first couple of months. If they happen to fall into a "bad" habit, you can break them easily at that age.

I'm so frustrated with everything right now. I don't want to type it out bc sometimes my DH reads this and if I say anything about him, it will come back to haunt me, and Anderson might develop his fine motor skills and log on and read nasty things I write about him, so I won't elaborate, but to say that he's SO FUSSY. All day long today. And I don't know how to make him stop! Good thing he's cute. I swear, he has a category 5 blowout any time I'm stressing. Today he blew out on my brand new $200 pair of Hudson jeans. I told my DH, and his response? Don't wear those jeans. Or he has a major meltdown right when I need to pump or eat or go visit someone. I feel so alone bc I have 3 other super close friends with babies, and we all get together many times a week with other couples as well. We get together at night obviously, but not too late, when Anderson is at his crankiest. He started crying/fussing and I heard someone make the comment "That's unusual...Anderson crying?" sarcastically. I was so upset I almost walked out of there. He is always fussing and the other girls' babies hardly make a peep. And they look at me so pitifully and keep saying "Lanie, he's probably just tired" but I know they are muttering under their breath "Thank God that isn't my child". ARRRRGGGHHH! Sorry for the vent, I'm just at the lowest low since his birth right now.

Pics taken from my Iphone yesterday, and they made me laugh. Happy St Paddy's everyone, and happy Friday tomorrow!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Lanie - Sorry to hear you're having a hard time, but he is gorgeous and he looks like such a character, esp in that second photo! Does he have your eyes? I keep meaning to ask this. You must have posted a photo of yourself at some point because every time you post a photo, I think, he looks just like Lanie! I'm amazed that you meet with friends several times per week. It must get easier to go out. Right now, it still seems like it takes forever to get out the door.

 

[Lanie]

LV -- I probably get out too much. It's probably not the most settling thing to be out all the time, but I remember reading an article that Matthew McConaughey took his newborn to outdoor concerts and he turned out okay! (Not that you were implying that I take him out too much...but sometimes I feel like a bad mommy about it). We all live within 3 miles of each other, so it's not that hard. Plus, if I happened to forget wipes or something like that, it's at my friends' house. That's funny you say that...90% of the people say he looks like my DH and 100% say he has my eyes. So that's where you are seeing it. Anyway, how's your little Samantha doing? You seem to be posting a little more frequently, so I'm assuming you are settling in more comfortably!!! I hope you post a pic tomorrow!

My friends with kids that are 6 months and one year will pack up a little makeshift bed and have them sleep upstairs while the rest of us are downstairs hanging out. I don't know if I'll be able to do that...but they say when it's time to bring them home, they barely wake up and are asleep again. I'd be scared I'd rock the boat and he'd be up the rest of the night. But then again I have some other friends who wouldn't dare disrupt nap/sleep schedule. Pre mommy, I thought that was insane. Now I understand why they do it.

 

[CatLuver]

Thank you ladies for all the advice…you are awesome.

Laila, that makes sense. I will try that tonight. Every time he falls asleep I get optimistic that he’ll stay asleep so I don’t try TOO hard to wake him besides changing his diaper which used to work, but I will try tonight.

Kunzite – the screaming while eating is really a challenge (though maybe preferable to the not eating not sleeping thing, sadly). I’m glad to hear that O grew out of it. Hopefully it is just a phase. DH fed C a bottle of pumped milk just now so I hope that breaks the cycle. He did do the crying thing towards the end of the bottle, so I know it’s not just the breast, though he did it less with the bottle. I thought maybe he cries at the breast because it doesn’t come out as fast as the bottle. It’s so strange how he goes from perfectly content and sucking one second, to screaming the next, then when he is done alternating screaming-eating, all of a sudden he’s calm again.

LV – We swaddled when he came home from the hospital, but stopped after a week or so because it seemed like he prefers his arms out. I tried the swaddle when he wouldn’t sleep last night and it didn’t really have any effect. He usually sleeps fine unswaddled, but for some reason he wouldn’t last night. I didn’t get the Playtex bottles, have been using the glass born free ones as well. I’m half leaning towards pumping more and bottle feeding, but that is double the work esp at night and I’m afraid he would like the boob less if he takes more bottles. We don’t have a baby scale, but he is getting visibly bigger and chubbier, lots of poopy diapers, and has been getting heavier based on me holding him and getting on the scale. I hope S gets back to her growth curve and starts eating more. She is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen.

Lanie, sorry for the fussy day. Ignore the other girls!

I’m so wired from being woken up every 10-30 minutes right when falling asleep, that I can’t fall asleep now that DH is home and taking care of C, even though I’m so tired…so I missed out on a 3 hour nap. I had insomnia for the first week after he was born too. Who knows when I’ll ever sleep 8 hours again?! Here’s hoping tonight is better! I want to comfort my baby whenever he grunts (which is a lot – when I put him down he often grunts for awhile) or cries, but that could mean that I’m holding him all night and not getting any sleep! How do you do it?? I haven’t even had to go through some of the things you ladies have, so I feel like a bit of a wimp!

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

I’m so wired from being woken up every 10-30 minutes right when falling asleep, that I can’t fall asleep now that DH is home and taking care of C, even though I’m so tired…so I missed out on a 3 hour nap. I had insomnia for the first week after he was born too. Who knows when I’ll ever sleep 8 hours again?! Here’s hoping tonight is better! I want to comfort my baby whenever he grunts (which is a lot – when I put him down he often grunts for awhile) or cries, but that could mean that I’m holding him all night and not getting any sleep! How do you do it?? I haven’t even had to go through some of the things you ladies have, so I feel like a bit of a wimp!

Hi CL, I hope you don't mind me jumping in but I just wanted to ask, have you tried earplugs? If you feel compelled to comfort your LO whenever he grunts but then you have the problem of not being able to sleep yourself perhaps they will help you.

I used ear plugs with my daughter as we slept in the same room. Before when she used to fuss and grunt in her sleep I couldn't stand it or sleep myself. My mum gave me a pair of ear plugs and they worked wonders! They blocked out all the grunting and fussing that she used to do and I could fall asleep but I would be able to hear easily when she started crying for a feed / change / whatever.

Also, my daughter used to do the crying in pain thing when she was feeding. I used to put it down to frustration of not being able to get enough milk or tummy pains from being gassy. I used to burp her constantly during her feeds when she started crying and pulling her legs up and that used to help.

I just wanted to say that I think all you new mommys are doing so well, I know it's hard and probably feels never ending, but I promise there will be a time when you look back with a whimsical smile wishing they were newborns again.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Congrats on your little one CL!!!

At first glance it sounds like one of three things- Too-fast of a let down (basically he's drowning in your BM) so he pulls off and then has to relatch, nipple confusion due to the breast or the bottle being slower than the other, or reflux. The description in 1. sounds like a letdown or flow problem but the snacking description in 2. sounds like reflux. Is he gassy? Does he arch his back when he pulls off? Does he spit up a lot or frequently?

Personally I think 4 weeks old is too young to put on a feeding schedule I would just feed on demand. You can't create bad habits at that age so don't worry about it, just let your intuition and instinct drive the train for the time being. We still FOD for bottles and A is 6 months old.

Lanie-sorry Hudson is giving you such a hard time and DH is being such a PITA. All I can say is I feel your pain...

 

[Lanie]

HH--haha! "Hudson" are my jeans that Anderson pooped on. I almost named him Hudson though.

Catluver--I need to add that A's acid reflux started at 4-5 wks. It starts rearing it's ugly head around 6 wks and sometimes they won't spit up like in my case. Not to say that's what yu have on your hands but in case you suspect it. You might want to try cutting dairy out of your diet for a week to see if it gets better. I'm still on a little to no dairy diet.

 

[icekid]

As usual, work rules my life. Sigh. So just a quick me-centric post (plus pic!)-- jumper started daycare this week. We're not sure how we feel about it yet. Our normally HAPPY, easily pleased baby comes home every night cranky, tired, and overstimulated. The plan is to give it two weeks, and if it does not get better we're going to get a nanny. I just can't see what the point in coming home to a cranky baby every night. I want to enjoy what little time we get to spend together! Thankfully I am off from work this weekend, so we should have a nice time.

Jumper.. 3.5 months already!! He has his mommy's eyes

 

[Puppmom]

Catluver, I don’t know why C is fussy when eating but we went through that with N too. It eventually just stopped but I understand how frustrating it can be. At 4 weeks, C is probably still learning the ropes so you may have to sweat it out. From my (limited) experience, everything passes. Whenever I feel like I can’t take anymore, things look up and whenever I feel like things have gotten easier, N throws us for a loop! I would continue to feed him on demand. A *schedule* didn’t really emerge for us until about 4 months old. RE: sleeping. If you read back – a lot of us have this same problem. There’s something about not knowing when you’ll have to get up that makes getting to sleep near impossible. I did eventually get used to it and was able to fall asleep much. N recently started night waking again so I’m having a little difficulty but nothing like the early days when I would lay in bed trying to talk my brain into rest!

Lanie, I feel your pain! I’m so sorry you’ve hit a rough patch. N’s definitely on edge in the evening too. From about 3-4 months, he basically cried from about 5pm-8pm EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. So, I would come home from work to a crying baby and then pull out every trick in the book to keep him from flipping out until bed time. It was to the point that I would start to get anxious on the ride home from work. I remember thinking that there was no way I could keep up if it lasted but IT WILL PASS. If I were you, I might pass on those night time get-togethers just for a few weeks and try again. It certainly can’t be any fun if you’re stressed out! Oh, and re: DH – they say some dumb ish sometimes! It’s usually innocent but doesn’t keep you from wanting to punch them! About a week ago, I was pumping and the bottle became detached and spilled my hard earned 6oz all over the floor. I flipped out and DH walked in and said “Oh, well – good thing we have plenty!” Innocent enough, right? Wrong – I wanted to choke him! PS - he IS cute. I love how he's looking at you in that second pic.

Ice, he is SO handsome! Sorry you're not getting much quality time. Here's to a great weekend!

AFM – we’re feeling good over here. DH and I are still stumbling our way through our relationship but really love having N around. Now that he’s at an age where he’s much more engaged in everything, we’re having a lot of fun. I’m really looking forward to some spring weather so we can get out more. N’s sleep habits are making things complicated lately but I imagine it’s just a phase like most things so we’re just powering through.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

HH--haha! "Hudson" are my jeans that Anderson pooped on. I almost named him Hudson though.

Catluver--I need to add that A's acid reflux started at 4-5 wks. It starts rearing it's ugly head around 6 wks and sometimes they won't spit up like in my case. Not to say that's what yu have on your hands but in case you suspect it. You might want to try cutting dairy out of your diet for a week to see if it gets better. I'm still on a little to no dairy diet.

Eff you're right. UGH, I hate not sleeping!!!!!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Pupp-did you say you and DH are going to counseling? I'm starting to feel like TJ and I might need some help in that department. I'm feeling so detached and distant from him lately. I know he feels the same about me We're trying to pull together a weekend away at some point soon, but we can't agree on a place to go so who knows if it will actually happen.


So after 2 nights of A STTN he was up 3-4 times last night. I feel like we just can't catch a break. This morning I heard A fussing while DH was getting him ready and I heard DH say "well someone's channeling mommy's personality this morning"?!?!?!?!?!??!!???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

::STABBY:: ::STABBY:: ::STABBY:: ::STABBY::

Of course I couldn't say anything because then I'd be validating the statement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[noelwr]

hi everyone! finally after 8 weeks of having either my mom or MIL around, we are finally just the two of us, Skye and I, until DH gets home. she is getting really fat cheeks and thighs. she sleeps from 10pm to 6am (will sometimes get fussy at 4am because she's worked her way up to the top of the crib, but the pacifier makes her fall back asleep), drinks, sleeps from 7 - 9:30 am (I sleep too), drinks, watches me on the treadmill for half an hour and then goes back to sleep for 2 hours in which I can shower, do laundry, etc. the best thing is looking into her crib in the morning when she has woken up and she gives me a big smile. I'm still waiting for her to start discovering her hands.

I had my first chemotherapy on Tuesday and the nausea medication seems to be working well. I have this constant underlying nauseous feeling so I imagine it would be much worse without the pills. anyway, best to keep taking the pills (just for a week) or else I'll be bent over the toilet bowl while my daughter is screaming to be fed.

Lanie - hehe, chubby Anderson. gotta love the arm folds.

Catluver - I completely agree with getting earplugs. when I came back from the hospital I slept with them in so that Skye wouldn't wake me up when I really needed my sleep. we sleep in different rooms so I keep her door open and ours just slightly open so we will only hear the noises we need to and none of the snoring or grunting. and we don't have a babyphone. don't worry about sleeping through anything important. believe me, if something is wrong, your baby will wake you up.

and here is Skye at 14 weeks.

 

[noelwr]

shiny - I know you said that maintaing Lily's hair is difficult, but it's really pretty and makes her such a unique looking baby.

icekid - how is napping going for Jumper at daycare? Skye sleeps A LOT so I am worried about her not getting as many naps at daycare which will make her cranky. anyway, maybe in 2 months (when she starts daycare), she won't be sleeping as much.

Lanie - I think it's good to take Anderson out and about. IMO, this gets them comfortable to go places with you and not just be tied down to their own home. my first few trips with Skye were also to visit other mommies and babies. and I'm guessing that if you bought new $200 jeans, you must have your figure back. I'm still in my maternity pants which my MIL made the elastic waistband thinner.

drk - congrats with Kara! you must be so proud. I can't imagine what it's going to be like for me in December to have seen Skye change so much in a year.

 

[Puppmom]

Pupp-did you say you and DH are going to counseling? I'm starting to feel like TJ and I might need some help in that department. I'm feeling so detached and distant from him lately. I know he feels the same about me We're trying to pull together a weekend away at some point soon, but we can't agree on a place to go so who knows if it will actually happen.


So after 2 nights of A STTN he was up 3-4 times last night. I feel like we just can't catch a break. This morning I heard A fussing while DH was getting him ready and I heard DH say "well someone's channeling mommy's personality this morning"?!?!?!?!?!??!!???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

::STABBY:: ::STABBY:: ::STABBY:: ::STABBY::

Of course I couldn't say anything because then I'd be validating the statement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, we're seeing a therapist. It is helping but we're still feeling a little more like we're in a business relationship than a marriage these days! I'm still feeling pretty b!tchy a lot of the time but I'm working on it. It is hard since DH can be irritating! We *get along* but that's just not enough in the long run, KWIM?

 

[lliang_chi]

Hi Ladies,

I have nothing to add to your discussion (no kid yet), but I wanted to commend all of you for investing in your marriage and paying attention to that detail of your relationship POST-kid. So important, and BRAVO to you. Sending you guys a lot of patient dust for you amazing Mommies, your beautiful princes/princesses and your wonderful DHs.

~LC

 

[somethingshiny]

I'm keeping up reading, but not so much posting these days.

I just wanted to let all of you know that IT WILL GET BETTER! Problems with friends, work, DH, and even STTN. It will get better. Take it one day at a time. Look into those loving baby eyes and know that it's all worth it. You'll turn around one day and hear the word, "Mama" and you'll melt. Your husband will look at you adoringly while you're taking baby for a walk. Your friends will tell you what a good and sweet child you have. You're all doing a great job!!!

 

[meresal]

Hey ladies, I'm sorry to hear that things are kind of tense around.

HH- I hope that you guys can decide on a getaway. It would probably be great to have a bit of a break. DH and I just went on one last weekend, and even still, within hours of getting there we got in a fight. It is hard to actually "relax" from the I-have-to-be-on-edge-all-of-the-time feeling. After a good nights sleep everything was good again. Even just a day can be a good "reset".
Also, I know this doesn't help, but C STTN quite a few times before he actually started doing it for good. We had about 3 times where he would STTN 2 or 3 nights in a row, and then revert back. It will happen. Just keep doing the wonderful job you are!
Also, I would say something to your DH about what he said. Lots of times, men don't realize that their "sarcastic" banter, is what drives our anger. If you just bring it up to him calmly, maybe he would be more open to listening.

Lanie- Sorry to hear about your friends comments. I had the baby that never wanted to be in the carseat or sit quietly while out. Like you, I went with 2 other girls once a week and their kids either slept the whole time, or were content just looking around while sitting quietly. It was VERY hard, but the other girls never made me feel bad about him. He was just more active, and it had nothing to do with him being tired.
Is A on any kind of a nap schedule yet? You are his mom and you know best. If one of your friends makes a comment that upsets you, then say something. I would just look at her and say, "Really? That wasn't very nice."
BTW, AdOrAbLe Pics!!

Pupp- Glad to hear that the counseling is helping. It is great to recognize that you need help and get it before things get too bad.

Noel- Best of luck with your chemo. I will be thinking of you! Adorably pic

AFM, C is 11 months today! He has started clapping, and is standing on his own regularly. Looks like he should start walking soon! I also received his 1yr invitations in the mail, so they will be going out this weekend!
Here is my little shamrock celebrating his 1st St Patty's Day

 

[Lanie]

liang_chi -- thank you so much for your comments! You are awesome for cheering us on! I follow you guys on the other thread...don't post much, but I think of all of you, including you!

SS -- thank you so much as well. You put it into perspective. Hopefully we will all laugh one day at this!

mere -- thanks for popping in a love the pic. He looks SO big. I love his shorts...where do you shop for him? I love shopping for my friends' little girls, and it's rare that I see a boy outfit that I go crazy over. I've been looking for some seersucker shorts or even cute plaid ones like the ones C has! Saw some at Gymboree for $25 when he was younger and couldn't justify it (says the girl with expensive, pooped on jeans...I promise...I wear them a bunch). Re: nap schedule -- he's only been in daycare a week and he's home with me for Spring Break, but back to daycare where he has lots of naps. Some long, some short. He wakes up at home if he hears a mouse fart in another room, so it's hard to get him to sleep long. Do you have a set schedule for C? Like it's whatever o'clock and you put him down? I let A sleep naps anywhere he wants, maybe that's my downfall. I also wish my friends would see him from 7am up til about 5pm. We were all at Cedar Creek in the Heights a few days ago, and they were passing him around and he was fine. Then at a certain time it's like he hits a wall and he is unconsolable for stretches of time. I should probably start leaving at that point until he gets older.

noel -- I love your pics! Hope you don't get too nauseated. Good luck with the chemo treatments.

ice -- Jumper is so cute!!!

 

[Lynnie]

GRRR PS ATE MY NICE LONG POST!!!!!
... and now it's feeding time, of course.

Here's my BPF contribution. I hope I can catch up later, but like Icekid, my schedule is grueling. Lack of sleep is killing me!

 

[turtledazzle]

Love all the St. Patty's Day pics. PSers sure do have cute kids!

T went through a fussy eating period around 6-8 weeks if I recall correctly. He would be eating just fine and then all of a sudden bob off the nipple, throw his head back and cry, and then throw himself back on the nipple. Rinse and repeat a few times. Quite annoying, and he often did this around the 5pm mark. I do think that is when his reflux started bothering him more, but after a few weeks he just kind of quit doing it.

So, we have had two weeks of illness here. First it was a chest cold -- chest congestion and coughing ... and then T got hand-foot-mouth disease. Apparently his was a fairly minor case, but having a cranky baby for about a week was no fun. His major symptoms were irritability and decreased appetite. We spent a lot of time trying to get him to eat (which is not the norm, as my guy has always had a big appetite) because the biggest fear was dehydration. Thankfully he started getting better on Wednesday.
DH and I went out for only the second time since T was born. The babysitter put T to bed -- when we left she was rocking him trying to give him a bottle and he was bawling. She said she was fine so we did leave, but, boy, that was hard. He doesn't cry like that for either of us. Stranger anxiety? She said he cried for about 20 minutes and finally calmed down and fell asleep. She texted us so we knew he was OK -- a great text to receive, and then we were able to enjoy dinner out with our friends.

 

[CatLuver]

LV – I tried swaddling again and it seemed to work, so maybe he likes it when he’s being fussy. Do you have the Born Free vented glass bottles with the silicone and plastic part that goes under the nipple? I'm not sure whether it has any effect; it is annoying to take out, wash and put back together.

Puppmom – thanks for the commiseration. I’m hoping it’s just a phase. It’s just strange that he didn’t have these issues before, and suddenly does.

Bliss – M is beautiful, I love her full head of hair! Your first post made me cry, especially the part about being willing to fight a bear with your bare hands for your baby. It's so true, babies are the most precious and special little people that change your life forever. Sorry you have been having such a hard time with the clog and M’s sleeping. I can’t imagine having to walk and hold the baby to sleep. Are things better yet? Glad you have had help. Sadly my mom hasn't been much help at all with the baby. She's just not a very nurturing type and although she thinks C is adorable and wants to hold him and wants to help in theory, she also stands around and makes critical comments like telling me I should wait until he is wailing before going to him (apparently what she did with me), and that he should get used to sleeping with noise (when I said she was making too much noise putting away dishes when C was trying to sleep after not sleeping much all night). I'm sure I could "train" her, but with breastfeeding, I just don't have the time or energy to try.

SS, Lily is adorable, and ditto, her hair is amazing! Thanks for the reminder about things getting better. I’m trying to savor the moments now, but it’s hard being so sleep deprived. I’m sad that they are passing by.

Turtle – that sounds exactly like what C does. Hoping it passes like it did for T. I’m afraid one of these times he will be chomped down on my nipple when he wrenches his head away…

Lanie – that Ergo/Boppy setup you have in the other thread is pretty ingenious! I will keep that in mind for the future! I will also think about cutting out dairy if this doesn’t get better.

HOT – thanks for jumping in. I haven’t tried earplugs, I may do so a little later, but right now I’m not confident that his grunting doesn’t mean something is bothering him. He has regular grunting/sleeping noises, and then he has very loud grunting/moaning noises that seem like his sleep is disturbed. He’s not always like that, so I think something’s bothering him – I just don’t always know what.

Noel, that is awesome that you have that schedule going at 8 weeks. I can only hope! Wishing you the best with chemo – my SIL went through two rounds with a 1-2 year old, I can’t imagine how difficult that must be. You are so strong! Skye is precious!

HH – He is not too gassy and doesn’t really arch his back; just kicks his legs, and only spits up occasionally. I hope it’s not reflux. I don’t think it’s nipple confusion because he does the crying thing with both bottle and breast (discovered he does it with the bottle today), and he gets through the 1st part of breast feedings just fine. I am trying to feed on demand but the snacking is so hard to keep up with (esp at night). Sorry your DH is being difficult.

Icekid, wow, you are amazing for working your schedule. Hope daycare goes better for Jumper.

Well last night was slightly better with the snacking, he decided to finish feeding one whole boob each time, but wouldn’t feed from the 2nd boob, and it wasn’t enough to keep him full for more than an hour. Then he went back to snacking this morning, then a full feed this afternoon (without much crying). So I’m still confused. Hopefully it’s just a phase…