PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[bubbly1126]

LC: It really depends on what light you look at them in... sometimes they are bluest of blue and then others they look like a steel gray, like you said. Either way, they're beautiful!

Ethan is gorgeous! Can't wait to see more pictures as he grows into a little man!

Moxie.moo: Lucy is adorable!! Love the rolls!! My little man has them too. Makes you just want to eat them up! hehe

NEL and Pancake, thanks so much on the compliments. He really is so adorable. Makes me feel good to know I don't just think that cuz I'm his momma, and other people actually think so too!

Your babies are such cutie patooties! Gah, I think PS babies are the cutest in the world. Seriously. Hands down.

 

[Skippy123]

Hi New Mommas!!! The babies are so precious; I am loving the pictures, more please!!! I pumped for my guys since they were in the NICU for awhile so if you can get your babies to latch that would be great; mine didn't latch or fell asleep. The LC's said that babies will get what they need bfing more efficiently than pumping if you can do that, but there is nothing wrong w/ebfing either. Sending Breastfeeding dust to all you mommas!!

NEL, awww, such a sweet picture of your lo and hubs!!!

INHISARMS, awww, he is so adorable!! awww, 5 months is when they do all kinds of fun things!!! Have you tried more baby foodies?

Moxiemoo, Lucy is precious!!! Oh those rolls are so nommable! hehe

Here are my boys, 10 months already!!! They are so interactive and soooo much fun!!! Miles says Momma! and Evan does this adorable eye wink! hehe

 

[lliang_chi]

Holy cow Skippy 10 months already!!!! I can hardly believe it. How's Miles doing in the crib? I love the pics Skippy, keep posting them. I can't believe they're getting so big. And Miles is calling you Momma! Heart --> melt!

Chained to the pump right now. I still haven't pulled the new pics off the camera. DH went to play hockey so I'm on my own for the next few hrs. Plan is to feed, pump, sleep, feed, pump, sleep. etc. I'll try to get some pics to you.

 

[Skippy123]

Holy cow Skippy 10 months already!!!! I can hardly believe it. How's Miles doing in the crib? I love the pics Skippy, keep posting them. I can't believe they're getting so big. And Miles is calling you Momma! Heart --> melt!

Chained to the pump right now. I still haven't pulled the new pics off the camera. DH went to play hockey so I'm on my own for the next few hrs. Plan is to feed, pump, sleep, feed, pump, sleep. etc. I'll try to get some pics to you.

Lisa, my heart does melt, just thinking of his tiny sweet voice doing it now makes me turn to mush! Also he loves to repeat sounds after me and he loves to play games where he will make a sound and wants me to, so we can do that back and forth which is fun. I thought Evan didn't do it but Evan surprised me and started doing it too!!! thank you

Yay I can't wait to see more pics of Ethan soon!!! Yay for pumping too! Sweet dreams. Please share any twin stories you have!!

 

[bubbly1126]

Skippy, Oh my!! Your boys are ridiculously cute!! OMG. I just love their little faces!! Ahh!

Liam LOVES peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, peaches and apple sauce. So far the only thing he does not like and will not eat is pears. I'm waiting on feeding him any meats for now. I want to introduce as many veggies as possible first. I'm actually surprised he likes all the things listed above but I'm happy he is not a picky eater... so far.

He eats a 7oz bottle in the AM. Has a bowl of 2 veggies & sweet potatoes and then a fruit for lunch. A 4 to 6oz bottle about a half hour or so after that. And then depending on how hungry he is another bottle thrown in there and then dinner he has the food again and then a bottle... and then bed! He's been sleeping solidly through the night (again) since we started giving him foods for lunch and dinner. (Side note: I know a lot of people mix foods but I do not mix the foods together on the spoon and then feed him as I want him to get used to how each food actually tastes by itself. My mom (who watches him) has a habit of mixing them and I keep telling her not to... oh well.)

Anyway, my kid loves food, as you can tell by his weight! LOL!

 

[Skippy123]

LC, I meant to answer you about Miles and then forgot when I turned to mommy mush writing about him saying momma, sorry. Thank you for thinking of us!! One wise momma had told me that her son was hard to transition from where he was to his crib and how he resisted like my son and to do it slowly. I had Miles in his Fisher Price Rock and Sleep and then moved him to his crib for naps but some days he screamed so some days I would just let hims sleep in the Rock and Sleep or let him sleep there for a few days and then I would try the crib again and finally he started being okay with the crib instead of forcing him to cry in the crib it was just a calmer sort of transition, w/out a lot of CIO. Evan was easier to transition so I guess it just depends on the baby. Sorry for the long story but I thought I would write this out in case some mom has a hard time doing the tran from the Rock and Sleep to the crib.

Can't wait to see pics LC!!! Hope you slept well!! I wish I could hold your little one, newborns are so sweeeeet!

INHISARMS, awwww Liam is the cutest eating up his food!!! Gosh I guess we were late trying new foods! My boys started when they were 8 months but we use adjusted age for stuff so they were like 6 months old. We still need to try meats! The have a tooth and 2 teeth so I try to give them the organic puff things w/kale and something else but they play with them instead of eat but I guess it helps with their hand motor skills. Awww that is wonderful your mom takes care of your son, I bet she Loves that!!! More pics please when you get a chance, I love that he is sitting, soooo cute!!!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

moxie, holy cow, I had no idea you went through so much with pumping. You deserve a trophy or at least an adorable little girl. Oh look, you do have an adorable little girl!! I completely agree about staying away from the breastfeeding sites. I made that mistake while in the hospital and felt my first episode of "mom" guilt. I'm definitely going to give bfing a solid effort--I'm pumping every few hours (during the day) and have an appt. with a lactation consultant on Tuesday to talk through my experiences since leaving the hospital, but if I can't bf for reasons beyond my control, then I'm just thankful that there are alternatives out there.

skippy!! Your boys are 10 months already?? I remember lurking here for pics when they were born, it doesn't feel that long ago AT ALL! Your crib transition plan sounds exactly like how I plan to do it. Right now K is in her rock and sleep upstairs in our bedroom at night and in and out of her pack and play downstairs during the day (though honestly, I hold her quite a bit or put her in the Ergo baby carrier and get stuff done around the house). I have yet to use the nursery (where the crib is), but hopefully by this summer we'll start using it. Glad to hear you were able to make the transition, I know there were challenging days.

IHA, so fun to hear about Liam's food intake--seriously, it makes me excited about all of the big "firsts" that happen in the first year. And it's also great to hear that he's sleeping through the night again with the new menu!

LC, how are you doing today? Any latching luck?

AFU, still pumping, but my supply has actually gone down last night and this morning. Usually I get the most out of the first pump of the day, but today my boobs feel deflated and I only got an ounce. Blah! Oh well, at least K gets SOME breast milk with each feeding. I'll talk with the LC about it on Tuesday when I go in, but I worry about simply not having enough supply. I'd love to get her to latch to help with that, but yesterday when I'd pumped and had what is a decent flow (for me), I got her to latch, but she got frustrated with the lack of milk. Chicken and egg, right? Need her to latch to help with supply, but need SOME supply to get her to successfully latch.

Other than that, I feel like we're doing really well! Today is her 1-week birthday! Last night she was up from about 2:30 - 4am, but not really crying. Just up. I've started sending D out during the day because I feel like I can get everything done at home (wearing her) and she mostly sleeps, so there's nothing for him to do, really. I've cleaned the house from top to bottom since coming home since I didn't have a chance to do that before going into labor, so now I just sort of go around the house looking for things to do. I'll be glad when I feel comfortable taking her out--I'll talk with the pediatrician about it tomorrow. Now I just have to figure out what to do with D this week while he's off!

 

[janinegirly]

Hi all,

I was here reading all the updates from the new mamas whose pregnancies I've been following, and then realized, hey, I actually belong in this thread since I have a 4 month old!

A is doing just great, a happy easy baby. 15lbs and 25" at her 4 month check up, which I thought was huge until I saw IHA's update! Wow, what a cutie and is he's already eating all that at 5 months? When did you start him on the solids? I see A eyeing my food but I'm holding off since I thought 6 months was the target, and I can't remember when I started with DD1! His eyes look blue to me meanwhile! A's are that dark steel too with a bit of yellowish brown in the middle, so maybe that means brown, but still that undefined newborn color.

NEL: Hang in there with the BFing, it sounds like me. I never had much supply...even now I get 2-4oz at a pump....but I stil am able to BF 50% or more at 4 months (was more in the beginning), so I'm happy with that. Keep it up, I bet your supply will increase soon and for this early on it's pretty good! Also drink alot of water..it helps. My pedi even recommended a Guinness..which I did try once and it did seem to work..haha. The latch is frustrating..I was lucky this time around b/c A is such a voracious eater, but had trouble with my #1 and that plus not much support from the hospital and me not reaching out to an LC quickly meant my supply dwindled...sounds like you're already ahead of me. Oh and what kind of carrier do you have? K is adorable, and looks exactly like your DH. I'm sure I'm not the first to say that!! Are you getting any other help from IL"s etc?

LC: woah on your supply, that's awesome! Hope E catches on to the latching but you are a champ with the pumping. I pump at work 2x a day now and drag it home on the train to pump more..and then one more time before bed - this pump is like an extra limb and I have such a love/hate relationship with it!! Anyway, congrats again and post more pics!

Skippy: your boys are adorable!!! What color did their eyes end up turning?

 

[Skippy123]

HAPPY Announcement: Hi mommas!!! I know some of you know Steal from Pricescope and she is such a sweet wonderful PS'er I wanted to let you know she had a baby girl! Momma and baby are doing great and both are so happy!!! I am so incredibly happy for them and wanted to share the Wonderful News

Janine, please post pics!!! Congrats!!! thanks! Miles still has blue eyes; I bet they change to greenish or hazel since my hubby's are greenish/hazel. I hope they stay though or go to green. Evan has dark eyes like mine. Wow, 15 lbs is awesome, great job momma!!!

NEL, the tips the LC's gave me since I pumped for the boys almost 3 months were to drink Mother's Milk tea, eat oatmeal and make sure you drink plenty of water and eat enough; you are doing great! My supply varied and I noticed when I was tired or stressed it went down. Wow 1 week already?? Yay!!! Oh and your supply doesn't get fully established until you get to 12 ish weeks about. Oh and if you can pump w/your baby nearby or a piece of her clothing to smell the LC's told me that helped to bring up supply too. hang in there, you are doing a good job!

 

[drk]

NEL - I'm sure you can find my BF/EPing saga on here somewhere. K seemed to be latching and doing ok initially, but her weight gain was poor. Then I was told to buy a pump and start pumping after every 2hourly feeding. I'd give her the extra I'd pumped at the next feed via finger feeding. I had the Mede.la Free.style and used it hands-free, so I'd BF and then lie her on the couch beside me to finger feed while I pumped. I had one side that would let down ok, and the other needed me to do breast compressions the entire time to squeeze anything out. I ended up on max doses of domperidone, fenugreek and blessed thistle to help with my supply. I drank a non-alcoholic beer each night (don't know if that helped) and made oatmeal cookies with brewers yeast etc in them for the supply. I pumped every 2h during the day and every 3h at night for ages to get my supply up. I think if I'd started earlier than 2 weeks PP, I might have had an easier time of it.

The LC did eventually try to get me to use a SNS to try to get K to take more from the breast. She didn't always like latching on when it was on the nipple, but it did let her get something to eat while suckling, which was supposed to give her added incentive to practice eating from the breast.

I think eventually my supply got a bit better because of the intensive pumping (I got up twice a night to pump for over 6 months) and because I really did use hand compressions to get the absolute most out of each side each time I pumped. The Freestyle helped a lot because I really had pretty free access to the boob to squish the milk out while the pump was running.

Good luck!

 

[lliang_chi]

GASP!!! I'm so happy for STEAL!!!!! She's so deserving of a beautiful girl!!! Send her our wishes Skippy! So happy for her!

Skippy, glad your transition wiht Miles is going OK. You definitely have a plan and it sounds like it'll take time but it'll work. Glad you had an easier time with Evan.

IHA, wow, you've got quite the foodie baby don't you. I'm glad he's not a picky eater. It makes things easier. Well, with your mom mixing and you not mixing foods, he at least gets an idea of what mixed and not mixed foods are, so he's getting a lot of exposure. And his chubby cheeks are so CUTE!

NEL, Oh no, sorry about the supply dip. Also the LC I met with suggested taking Fenugeek. It's a seed used in So. Asian cooking, but you can find it at vitamin stores I'm sure. Wow you're so smart to put Katie in the Ergo carrier. I just washed mine yesterday so I'll maybe break it out soon. That's clever of you. Sis bought me and James 2 month's service with a house cleaner. She also cleaned our place before we got home from the hospital. Wow, I'm really lucky to have such a good sister.

Janine, A sounds like she's doing so well. I'm glad. How was DD1's transition to her new room? 15lbs, that's incredible. Sounds like she'll be ready to start on solids soon. I hope she has a feisty appetitie, but judging by things so far, it seems like a given. Pics of your LOs!

DRK, wow, that's a lot of work with your pumping. I'm glad you were able to get your supply up and things worked out. My LC suggested I stop pumping 10 mins in, and do compressions (around the "clock" like a breast check) then continue pumping again. Sounds kinda like the compressions you did too.

So Ethan LATCHED today!!! With the nipple shield. I was so happy. Thus far he's only been on the boob maybe 5 mins each. But I'm so happy!!! I called my LC and I'm sure she's going to tell me to do it wihtout hte shield. But he doesn't without the shield. I feel like i'm whining but I know if I rely on the shield then he'll never latch on just the boob. Sigh!

OK so finally able to post some pics:

 

[Skippy123]

awwww Ethan is gorgeous!!! LC, I think LC's vary mine said to use a shield since my nipples were on the big side and hard for Miles to latch properly; if they shield works keep working at it. I know a few moms that their babies would only bf w/a shield, plus their mouths are so little so it might be easier for them to have a shield. yay for 5 mins of latching.

 

[parrot tulips]

Skippy - Your boys are just adorable! I love how happy they always look. Glad to hear both boys are beginning to adjust to the crib. I keep forgetting to ask my husband to set up the monitor so I can start trying to do Ava's naps in there. She naps best in her Snug a Bunny bouncer, and sleeps well at night in her Rock n Play, but fusses terribly in her bassinet, so I'm not overly optimistic.

LC - Ethan is just gorgeous! Regarding nursing. The nurses started Ava off in the NICU with bottles, but she was happy to nurse as well...with a shield only. She wasn't able to latch without. I eventually wanted to wean her off, but waited until she reached full term (40 weeks). The lactation consultant said to try introducing the breast sans shield with night feedings, since babies aren't quite as awake/aware that they aren't getting a nice, long, silicone/plastic shield, but I found the opposite to be true with Ava (she got fussier at night if she didn't have the shield). I waited for her to be calm, alert, and hungry. At first, I only made attempts once or twice a day. Once she was able to nurse without consistently for a few days in a row, I tried more and more (daytime) feedings without the shield, and eventually started to do the night feedings without as well. I vaguely remember it taking about 2-3 weeks before we were shield free, though we probably used them for about 7-8 weeks total.

LC & NEL - If you see a lactation consultant you're not happy with, don't hesitate to look for another one. I saw a number of them in the NICU that I didn't love, or that I felt gave useless advice. One of the consultants in the lactation center of my hospital was downright nasty and darn judgmental (she was horrified and perplexed as to why I was having a hard time building a supply and getting baby to latch, when I had an emergency c-section 10 weeks before my due date). I finally met with a nurse in my pediatrician's office who also had training as a lactation consultant, and she was wonderful, helpful, and most of all, understood that mom's health and sanity was important too.

 

[pancake]

Skippy, I always love looking at your photos - the boys are so chubby and happy and gorgeous, and you are such a good photographer! We are going to try really hard not to slacken off with taking photos of Sylvie; I know that I will want to look back over every moment later on.

LC, HOORAY for Ethan latching! Nipple shield or not, it is definitely progress, and 5 minutes is better than not getting him on at all. Once you get him established breastfeeding, all of this will be a distant difficult memory... and even on the off-chance that you don't get him onto the breast, worse things can happen. I really liked what the LC who took our antenatal breastfeeding class said: at the start of the class she said, "There are two take-home messages from tonight's session. Number One: If it doesn't feel right, it's not. Number Two: It's just food." That last one is so true. Hang in there, you are making progress!! Ethan is so smooshy and cute!

NEL, I'm sorry to hear about your supply dipping a bit. It's normal for it to vary a lot through the day and some people find that their supply goes up and down with their state of mind as well. Keep going! Katie does look so much like her dad - hope you don't mind me saying that! You sound like you're being so productive around the house - but make sure you take the opportunity to lie down, for the recovery of your pelvic floor if nothing else!

Janinegirly - wow, A is doing so well! Post us some pics!!!

DRK, you are a pumping powerhouse. Wow!

IHA, LOVE a food-loving baby! So cute.

AFU, my husband went back to work today. I'm still all hormonal and emotional so I cried quite a bit about it yesterday - but it has been fine! Last night I did the night shift on my own - DH slept in the nursery so that he'd function at work on his first day back - and whilst it was super-tiring, we got through it! For some reason Sylvie has been much more difficult to settle after night feeds for the last couple of nights, but I wonder whether the weather has anything to do with it? We've been having a huge heatwave (temps >100F) and whilst we have air conditioning, the temperature regulation is never quite as good as when it's just a "normal" night. Hmmm.

Today we went to the maternal and child health nurse for our 2 week visit. She was asking about my breastmilk supply, etc etc, and I was saying I thought it was not a problem... then when we weighed S and she had gained another 210g in 5 days, the nurse said, "Wow, someone is a little piggy! She is now 3.3kg (nearly 7lb 4oz) and has gained 580g (just over 1lb 4oz!) in 11 days! Now 21 inches long. Hope you guys are proud of my metric to imperial conversions, lol!

ETA: LC and NEL, I totally agree with PT - if you don't click with your LC, find another one. I have encountered many in my line of work who are a bit militant and can make fragile new mums feel guilty etc; you need someone who will support and encourage you without making you feel that it's the be all and end all (because ultimately, it isn't!). Make sure that you get that someone!

 

[lliang_chi]

Pancake, wow! Sylvie's doing awesome! Glad to hear she's weighing in so well. You must be a proud mama! Wow, J's due back at work on Thursday. I told him I want to start easing into taking on more of Ethan's care so it's not a sudden shock for me when he's back at work. I also told him that I'll do full overnight duty since he has to be productive at work. Ethan's getting pretty good at night. We haven't had much fussiness, although I'm way more protective over his night time feeding and waking than day time since we NEED him to be quiet and asleep at night.

PT, much like Ava, Ethan's way fussier/sensitive at night for feeds, so I'd likely do most of my experimenting on shield vs no shield during the day. Good to know that A transitioned well, even it was slow goings.

NEL, how are things going today? Any luck with K's breast feeding and your supply? I agree with PT drink ton of water. I think I'm doing like 3L a day now.

AFU: Ethan drank 140ml (nearly 5oz) in one feed last night. DH was feeding him and Ethan was still wide awake so DH kept bringing on the milk. And we were looking for the cues, totally sleepiness/drowsiness, limp arms etc. And it was just not the case. I told my LC and she was like, "Oh no! That's too much!" I dunno if we're overfeeding now.... He has bumped up his intake throughout the last 3 days from 400+ml to 600+ml to almost 775+ml. Today we noted 660ml, but also we have almost an hour of nursing time. And I know I can pump nearly 40ml from one breast in 10 mins. Even if he's not eating every min he's on the boob, I'm sure we're talking about maybe 20ml each breast he nurses. So I know he's getting the right intake.

Question for mamas, do you do diaper changes after finishing a feed? I ask because Ethan totally wakes up during a diaper change, so doing it after he's done with a feed totally un-does the feeding drownsiness. But he got his first (beginnings) of a diaper rash, so I don't want to leave him in a dirty diaper until his next feed. Thoughts? FYI: I just changed him after a feed now (pumping now) and he was wide awake but seems to be lying in his crib just fine.... Maybe I'm just being too sensitive.....

ETA: Well, the LC I have is really engaged and calls me back etc. So it's not that I feel she's not responsive, she is, and she totally remembers us. She did give odd advice that I should pump until I'm comfortable not until I'm empty. The Pumping Mamas on the Pumpers Unite thread were like, "What? that'll kill your supply." So Not sure about that. But anyway, things are OK, and Ethan latched so I'm pretty happy.

~LC

 

[phoenixgirl]

LC, yay for latching with the shield!!!!

I totally remember feeing like the LCs were giving contradictory advice or asking me to do things that were just going to exhaust me to the point of insanity. Obviously that's not the case, but it's a delicate dance to establish BFing, and what works for one doesn't work for another. Anyway, my point is that you have a great supply and you got him relatched . . . I would focus on your success and trust your instincts at this point. People don't use shields forever, right? But it can't hurt to use for a little while until you're ready to tackle going without it. No need to jump into another transition when you've just done this one.

I would say, yes, 5 oz. is a lot for a newborn. By one month of age, babies take about one ounce per hour. But at less than two weeks, you're still moving up from when the baby is only taking half an ounce per session to more. I can't find a rule of thumb online but I know it's a gradual increase until one month.

 

[janinegirly]

LC - what a cutie, love the hair!! Oh and 5oz for a newborn is definitely alot - mine will drink that now and she's no small thing, lol. I don't think you can do wrong though b/c they will just spit up what they can't eat, but on the other hand will keep eating if it's offered sometimes. I remember the guideline being 2-4oz every 2 hrs (don't hold me to it, going by memory) and them saying their stomachs were the size of a pea. I believe I gave A 2oz that early on, but it was also frequent feedings. Still you can go by demand and trust the signals too which sounds like you have. Great news on latching though..I think bf'ing makes it easier in that you can judge their cues more and BM is not as easy for them to overeat ... of course you can't measure BF'ings as precisely, but maybe that's a good thing.
With diapers, they say do say they pee after every feeding, but I lax with the changes, especially if the baby was sleeping! I tend to change right before a feeding. If you see signs of rash though that does indicate more changing might be good - or just pick up some Butt Paste. I always put it on when I see early signs and it zaps it!

Pancake: hi! Wow Sylvie is doing great and gaining like a champ! Sorry about DH going back to work, but sometimes it's nice to have one-one time with the baby too. Are you co-sleeping? My DH spent alot of nights in the guest room to preserve his sleep...it worked for us, I feel less stress if he's rested b/c he cannot function without sleep. Meanwhile I'm the one who gets no sleep and seem to be functioning just fine but must be another mommy skill, lol.

Thanks all for the comments on A - she is a big girl but was born big at 9lbs! I want to post pics but am always nervous to do so on a public site...but you all are tempting me with the gorgeous photos!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Total new mom moment right now--I'm typing this while attached to my pump. And my hands-free bra is wet because I took it out of the wash (not enough time to wash AND dry between pumping sessions). But I am eating lunch! A stale sandwich because I took the bread out over an hour ago, but then Katie started fussing.

LC, holy cow you have a hungry boy Katie is good with 2 oz.--I added half an ounce of breast milk to her 2 oz. bottle last night and she spit up a bit. BFing today is stinky. I've pumped a few times and have maybe produced an ounce. Uuuugh. I do feel like I was dehydrated since I literally forget to eat/drink during the day, but am making a conscious effort to drink more today since I know the LC will suggest the same. How is it going for you today?

I'm having the same issue with changing--during the day it's not so bad since she often stays up after eating and a change for a bit before falling back asleep. At night, though, I want for her to go right back to sleep and changing her after the feeding just wakes her up. My issue is that she tends to poop within about 10 minutes of starting a bottle, so I HAVE to change her after. Changing afterward has its own challenge though--she has peed on me twice when changing after a meal. I've been lucky thus far that she gets sleepy at night soon after the change.

Pancake, I probably should take a nap or at least lie down. D is terrified of changing her diaper, so I do night duty every night. And watch her 90% of the time during the day. I tried to lie down yesterday, but I couldn't sleep. And holy heat wave, you are dealing with some hot temps. Our air conditioning is the same way. It very, very rarely gets close to 100 here, but when it's really hot, it feels like the house never cools down. Glad to hear Sylvie is gaining!

PT, you and Pancake are right about finding a LC who is a good fit. I had 2 while I was in the hospital, but not sure who tomorrow's appt. is with. I'm just afraid I'm going to discuss my concerns with producing practically nothing and they're just going to say "just pump more". We'll see, I guess. Glad to hear you made the shield to nipple conversion successfully, that is encouraging.

drk, your pumping schedule sounds absolutely exhausting!! I'm glad it all worked out, but whew! Not without a ton of effort! I'm also using hand compressions to get the last bit of milk out. It's so odd how my boobs were SO engorged a few days ago, but now they feel like nothing is left in them at all.

Janine, we actually have some Guiness in the fridge Even if I could only get 50% bm, I would be happy with that. So funny how far we've both come from being ladies in waiting. And it's funny to see my previously-commitmentphobe husband going gaga over his daughter when just 5 years ago he was terrified of marriage and having a family!

AFU, Katie is waking up, so I must run. But she weighed 7lb., 9oz. at her appt. today! She's a big girl--she's not even technically 40 weeks at this point!

 

[Skippy123]

Hi Mommas! I will just mention this but in the hospital they kept the refrigerator stalked with lots of turkey sandwiches and pb and crackers (protein), almonds and water bottles, they said eating enough and drinking plenty of fluids and that will help your supply. I noticed if I didn't eat enough or drink enough my supply took a hit. I am just throwing it out there. I will also throw this out there since the old lady LC's gave me some bad info that led to burn out in pumping for me but pump 6-8 times a day and make sure you sleep a 5 hour stretch between pumps at night; they had me pumping 9-12 times in 24 hours and it caused me other problems. Hugs to the gorgeous newborns!!! You mommas are awesome! yay for the babies gaining weight! I think my guys were drinking about 1 -2 ozs when they came home

 

[janinegirly]

NEL - just like everyone is saying, don't underestimate the power of being hydrated. When I'm home, I never eat enough or drink enough...too busy running around with laudrny, the baby and a 3 year old who wants to come first . When I'm at work I notice I pump alot more and I think it's because I drink more water/coffee (which seems to actually work) at my desk. But it is hard to keep up when you're busy at home! And every oz counts so that's great you got some in there! If she is spitting up I say feed her the BM first and then follow up with forumula since they spit up whatever went down last.

And so true about our previous commitmentphobes - I think the same thing when I see DH with barrettes in his hir (DD1 puts them in there) or when DD1 calls for him to help her wipe after pooping...haha, sorry, that's the toddler mama part of me coming out.

 

[janinegirly]

Hi Mommas! I will just mention this but in the hospital they kept the refrigerator stalked with lots of turkey sandwiches and pb and crackers (protein), almonds and water bottles, they said eating enough and drinking plenty of fluids and that will help your supply. I noticed if I didn't eat enough or drink enough my supply took a hit. I am just throwing it out there. I will also throw this out there since the old lady LC's gave me some bad info that led to burn out in pumping for me but pump 6-8 times a day and make sure you sleep a 5 hour stretch between pumps at night; they had me pumping 9-12 times in 24 hours and it caused me other problems. Hugs to the gorgeous newborns!!! You mommas are awesome! yay for the babies gaining weight! I think my guys were drinking about 1 -2 ozs when they came home

Great advice!! Overpumping can be detrimental too - new mamas need sleep too! I once read another mom write that she almost pumped herself into PPD. You do what you can and any amount you give is great..especially this early. This early a 1/2 oz is a lot for their little bellies and goes so far! And if it doesn't work out...it's perfectly ok too. This was me with DD1 and I learned the guilt was pointless and self defeating -- but that's for another conversation since you guys are doing great right now!

 

[bubbly1126]

NEL, I'm sorry you're having an issue with the BF'ing. I, too, had issues and ending up having to stop. I *could* have kept at it a little longer but honestly, I was way too lazy to sit there and pump for hours a day. I did for about a month. At least he got a months worth. Just keep at it, you can do it. Also, make sure you're drinking A LOT of fluids. That will help.

Janinegirly, hahaha... I know, isn't my son HUGE?! lol. He's my little chubster but as long as the ped says he's healthy, I'm not worrying too much about it. We initially tried feeding him at 4 months with food... but I think it was a little too soon as he wasn't into it. We waited til he was almost 5 months to try again. We introduced 1 food and fed him only that for 3 days to see if he had any reaction. Then we introduced another, as well as the first food and waited 3 days for any reaction. And so on and so forth. I'm adamant about having him try as much as possible. I love that he prefers veggies over fruits. I'm enjoying it now b/c I'm sure one day that will change. haha.

Your little one sounds big and healthy too! Can you post some pics of your darling little one??

LC, thanks... and Ethan, oh my goodness, what a little cutie. LOVE his cheeks!

Skippy, I can't say enough how cute your little boys are. I just love their huge smiles. When will you try feeding them meats? I haven't decided when I am going to start yet. Also, Liam doesn't have any teeth yet. What is the recommendation with the puffs? That they at least have a tooth or two, I'd think?? I've been wondering...

 

[bubbly1126]

A couple more... and sorry about the crappy cell phone quality!

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, I keep a 1L CamelBak water bottle (the one with the straw) that I carry around the condo with me. Maybe you can keep a few water bottles around: 1 by your pump, 1 by your baby couch, 1 by the TV/living room. That way if you ever have a free hand, just take a few swigs of water. That should get you reasonably hydrated.

IHA, Ack! Cuteness overload. Hey 1 month of pumping is really admirable! And clearly Liam is a prime champ, so you did a great job.

JGirl, Thanks for the encouragement and advice. You're right the real forest through the trees is a healthy mama and healthy baby. What Butt Paste do you use to zap the diaper rash? DH noticed Ethan's bum on Saturday night, picked up some BalmX and Desitin. We were using disposables so I wasn't too concerned about using them on the diapers. But the rash isn't going away and he's got little red flecks there now too. The Pedi said sometimes because he's pooping so much, he can get a rash like that. My poor little guy!

NEL, OK looks like we're in the same boat for the diaper changes. Ethan also gets poopy right after eating too. So I want to change him but then he wakes up. Thus far he's been able to go back to sleep too.

BFing today has been pretty crappy for me too. Ethan latched a total of 20 mins today. I was looking back at our feeding/pooping log from the hospital and looks like he was around 5 hrs or so per day. Wah!

So E's diaper rash is still here. We also switched the cloth diapers today. I"m putting a psuedo-disposable liner between the diapers and his bum.We got a bunch of wipes from the hospital. THey're dry wipes, so I'm just using that as a liner so the zinc doesn't get on the diapers. Long day today of not a alot of sleep. J's middle of the night feeds go way faster since there's no pumping, and no trying of the boob. But regardless I'm grateful her'll take one feeding now. maybe I'll do all night feeds when it's time for J to head back to work (Thursday).

 

[NewEnglandLady]

IHA, the pictures are so cute! And a month of trying to BF sounds like a very fair shot to me. I don't know if I can make it a month on the schedule my LC suggests. I'm ALREADY sleep deprived!

Janine, I notice the same thing about home vs. office. When I'm in the office, I keep a container of water at my desk and am good about drinking. At home, I have to make a conscious effort or I forget.

LC, so sorry that yesterday was frustrating for you. Days like that really stink. And great idea about keeping containers of water around the house. I keep one in the bedroom and one in the kitchen (where I pump), but need to keep one in the living room, too.

Skippy, thanks for the burnout advice. The LC I saw today insisted I pump every 3 hours night and day and to be honest, I don't think pumping all through the night is going to help me. I'm already overly tired.

AFU, today is the first time I cried out of frustration since Katie arrived. The LC wants me pumping at least 8x per day and to have one session between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.--it's not like I'm not up then, anyway, since Katie usually has a 4 a.m. feeding session, but the last thing I want to do when she's done is sit at the pump for 15 minutes. I'm just so frustrated that my stupid boobs can't be normal and produce enough milk on their own.

The good news is that Katie latched for about 10 minutes using a nipple shield. The LC wants for me to try feeding Katie until she gets frustrated with my lack of supply, then pump after. So I'm supposed to put a hungry baby down while I pump, then feed her formula afterward. Okay.

 

[pancake]

Am burping Sylvie, will post properly later - but NEL, why not top Katie up with formula and pump afterwards? Agree it is not feasible to put down a crying hungry baby once the feed has started! Hugs hugs hugs.

 

[phoenixgirl]

NEL, hugs. I totally remember feeling like my LC was some sadist when she recommended pretty much the same thing. I was like, um, seriously, skipping ONE pumping session in the middle of the night is going to make or break my supply? Honestly I can't even really remember what I did (think I tried pumping sometimes, other times just went to sleep). Can your husband do the formula while you pump?

I know it's super frustrating and taking care of a newborn is hard enough without the supplementing/pumping after the feeding. It took over an hour to do the whole routine and it felt like as soon as it ended, I had to start again.

But it did work out for me. My mom came back to help, and my supply increased (DD regained her birthweight by 3 weeks) and I EBF until 6 months and weaned her at a year. Never had to go back to formula. My sister always supplemented with formula just for ease -- there's no right or wrong way to do it. Just do what is best for you -- a crazy tired mama is no good!

 

[Skippy123]

NEL, awww huge hugs; I remember crying too when I was getting tired of pumping and desperately wanted my boys to latch and they wouldn't. hugs momma. Your body needs 5 hours of sleep; the NICU had that all over, there were studies done saying you need sleep so sleep 5 hours and then pump every 3 but get your 5 hours of sleep. Have you squeezed your breasts too when pumping? that helped me release more milk. I would just do downward pressure. I know LV posted something from Stanford http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/HandExpression.html

LC, I am sorry about the diaper rash, give his little bum some air; I hope it clears up quickly. I sometimes use a hair dryer on the COOL setting to dry them off.

INHISARMS, awww Liam is soooo precious; I am going nuts over the pics! He is a doll. I love the green hat you knitted for him!!! Oh the puffs I think you can feed at 8 or 9 months. We don't give them a lot, just something to play with to use their motor skills, they end up throwing most of them on the floor. We use the happy baby ones.

okay Miles is crying better go. hugs mommas

 

[dcgator]

Hello baby mamas,

OMG, I leave for a bit, and this thread BLOWS UP! Congrats to all the new mamas in here. Seeing as I have a lot of catching up to do, let me get down to it...

Tao - Violet is as pretty as a sunflower and growing so quickly. Enjoy!

Parrott - I labored until 4 or so cm at home and by the time I got to the hospital, I was having some pretty painful contractions and wasn't really progressing much past that, so I got some pitocin and my epi. I am soooo glad I got the epi, as I was finally able to get some sleep for the first time in 2 days (since I had on and off contractions in the days before). I also had a much more calm and dare I say pleasant birthing experience. No screaming, profanity etc, much to my DH's surprise, lol. That being said, the pressure from crowning still was not cool and I did have 2nd degree tears, but I don't want to think about how bad it might have been sans pain meds. Btw, my final pushing was about 35 minutes and she was popping out and in for about 5-10 minutes.

Skippy - First off, OMG, YEAH FOR SKIPPY!!!! I didn't even know she was pregnant. I know she dropped from the grind for a while, but what an amazing comeback! Please tell her that I say hi and encourage her to come by and say hi sometime. If not, please let her know that I miss her and think about her often. I wish her all the best! As for your little men, I tell ya those boys get cuter by the day. Watch out ladies, here comes Miles and Evan, and you can't resist them, I'm glad to hear that Miles is good with his crib now as I'm sure everyone is sleeping easier.

IHA - Liam is ready to play linebacker already, hehe. He is too cute but definitely a big guy. Those eyes are just stunning though. As for the food, its kinda funny about the pears. My S pears, but can't do bananas or carrots, but she also hearts her peas and spinach too. Every baby truely is different though. As for meats, my pedi doesn't want us to start it until she is 8 months, so I don't think you need to rush it.

Pancake - Welcome to the mommy party and a big welcome to Sylvie She is just precious. Sorry to hear about the engorgement and BF issues, but hopefully it will get better soon. Glad to hear you are making the transition with DH back at work, you can do it dear!

NEL - A big welcome to you too my dear. Katie does have lovely eyes and hopefully they will stay that mysterious blue/gray. I am sorry to hear about your pumping issues too, but hang in there for a bit. That being said, if it is stressing you out more than anything, then just move on with it. You can only do what you can and I think being a less stressed, more attentive mommy is a good thing too I know there is a LOT of pressure to continue to BF and that can be a stressor in and of its self, but don't feel like you have to do it or you a bad mother or something. Sometimes keeping sane and having a non-screaming, non hungry baby who you can enjoy some precious quiet time is worth a bit of formula. Btw, kudos on getting your house clean and managing on your own, what a rockstar!

LLiang - Welcome my dear! Sounds like Ethan made quite an arrival. Poor thing for having to go into the oven, but glad to hear he is feeling better. Congrats on getting him to latch too!

Moxie - How nice to see you back here. Glad to hear you LO is thriving. I the little swimsuit, what a cutie pie!

Janine - Welcome to you as well Regarding the food question, S started rice cereal about 4 months old and then we added in purees a few weeks later. That being said, I think it depends on your baby's readiness to start solids. S was constantly grabbing at our food and wanting to try things, so she took to food pretty quickly.

AFU - Whew, the days are flying by around here! S is well into 6 months old now and continues to be tall like her daddy. She was 27+ inches at her 6 monht visit and 16.5 pounds. She has cut her first two teeth on the bottom. The first one came in on the 19th and the second one on the 20th. They have been a long time coming, but man is she in pain now. The poor thing can hardley make it through a night without some Tylenol this past week. But, she had a good night last night, so I am hoping that we are on the flipside. As for food, she continues to grow her little palette. I made her some spinach last week and she gobbled that down. I also tried a pear/mango combo and she couldn't eat it fast enough! Otherwise, S had her first trip to Disney, as I ran my 1/2 marathon this past weekend. She was a rockstar and really copped well, without hardley taking any naps. She also loved getting to see Mickey and Minnie one on one and thought the sights in the park were pretty cool. I look forward to taking her back as she gets older. As for me, I survived my 1/2 marathon 6 months post baby, so that made me happy. I am hoping to keep it up though and do a few more runs this year. Anywho, I need to get outta here and go pick the LO up so I will talk with you all later. Till then, take care and keep those adorable photos coming!

 

[pancake]

IHA - he is such a little MAN! Just gorgeous, my favourite is the one with the hat!

LC, I'm sorry you had such a frustrating day. Hope E's rash clears up quickly. Sometimes when they start to look spotty it is thrush... just keep an eye out, otherwise nappy-off time and hardcore barrier cream. I have the same dilemma with night changes. Sylvie always seems to poo in a nice clean nappy, and often after a feed. I hate changing her after a feed because it wakes her up, but so far I can't work out an alternative. If the nappy is only a little wet I will leave it on - this is why we're currently not using cloth at night-time. How are the CDs going?

NEL, I keep a 2 litre jug (with a lid!) of water by my bedside and drink a glass each time I get up through the night. I think I'm probably getting through 3L every 24 hours at the moment! Funny how just a few weeks ago I'd drink a single glass and get up to pee 5 times in a night, where as now I am glugging water like there's no tomorrow and I don't get up to pee at night at all (just as well really... getting up for feeds is enough for me!)! Re night pumping, I obviously do not have first-hand experience BUT at work we always advise mums who are struggling with supply that they do need to pump at night-time if they want to establish supply. Once it's established then everyone is different and many will get away without a night expressing session (just like some breastfeed babies sleep 6 hour stretches at night), but until then we say 3 hourly during the day and 4 hourly at night. The problem is that, even though tiredness is not good for supply, ultimately it's still a supply-and-demand system, and the early period is critical for the establishment of ongoing supply.

Quite a few of my friends struggled with BFing at the start but they all (independently) said the same thing: that if you can push through the first 6 weeks or so, it is worth it. Equally, it's not worth sacrificing your mental health and wellbeing for and if the critical mass comes before then, so be it - look after yourselves!

It has been playing on my mind the last couple of days that maybe me giving advice or commenting about BFing might come across a bit... I don't know. Inappropriate or smug or something, because S & I have been lucky. But I REALLY don't mean to come across like that and I am willing Ethan and Katie to get the hang of it for you guys!


A question for all of you: how did you find that having a newborn affected your relationship with your spouse?

I have to say that since D (husband) went back to work on Monday it has been a bit of a mental struggle - not so much because looking after Sylvie is difficult (it's not, although tiring) but because it's such a change from the first two weeks when D was home. The issue is that he leaves for work at 7am and the last two nights has got home after 7pm. He doesn't cope well with sleep deprivation and needs a lot more sleep than I do, and in an effort to make sure he's functioning for work, he's slept in the spare room the last two nights. I totally understand that he needs to be able to work effectively and needs the rest, but in effect it means that we only have about 2 or 3 hours together in the evenings, and S might be asleep for most or all of that time. I know it's early days, but it feels a little isolating - for both me and D - and I am wondering, how do we maintain a relationship in this situation? And how does D stay an integrated part of our little unit? He is SO devoted to us, and really desperately wants to be as hands on as possible, but it seems like an impossibility at the moment! He is feeling a bit downtrodden about it and I was looking up "Relationship stress with newborn baby" on the internet at 5am after a feed this morning.

Would really love to hear your experiences and thoughts. I know it's completely normal and everyone goes through this, we just have to figure out how we're going to handle it. One of those things where anticipating the situation hasn't necessarily prepared me for the reality...