PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[stephbolt]

Hi ladies! I've had trouble finding time to post but have been reading along and keeping up, time really flies!

mayerling, glad N had fun at the beach! We've been debating whether we want to try and squeeze in a trip to my parent's beach house before I go back to work. Glad to find you on FB too, love seeing the pics of N there! We get a lot of the 30-45 min naps too, it's definitely frustrating!

monnie, Alex is just too cute, I love her headband! Glad she's treating you well right now with the sleeping.

pancake, so cute about S's different blahs, I love picturing that! Glad you are enjoying your trip!

S&I, wooo for STTN and getting back into the master bedroom! Glad your DH is doing well, and thanks for finding me on FB!

PT, that pic of Ava is adorable! Hope the tooth makes an appearance soon!

NEL, Katie is so lovely, and I love seeing her next to her giant dog!

PP, I found the swaddling helped a lot, when we started using the miracle blanket at night Nora started doing longer stretches. Glad you've got your PP appt scheduled. I had mine at 4 weeks and realized after I left that they never checked out downstairs! Luckily (and unluckily) I've had some additional issues so they've looked at me since - more on that below.

Missy, glad things are going well for you and Blake!

Welcome AMC!

Welcome PPM too, hugs to you on the BF issues. I hope you can get some help but you are doing a wonderful job no matter what! Eloise is so gorgeous!

AFU, it's been a crazy couple of weeks. Three weeks ago I developed a infected sebaceous cyst on my lady parts, totally random thing, just noticed a painful bump there one day and it got worse and worse over the next few days. It was interesting process involving several days of pain so I could barely sit down, having it drained in office, more pain, an ER trip over a weekend, and overall a really negative experience with several OBs in a practice I had never seen before. Really makes me grateful for the midwife care I had during my pregnancy. It is mostly resolved now thank goodness, will chat with my midwives about it when I see them this week to get my IUD.

Luckily Nora picked the week when I started having issues to turn from a fussy little thing into a much easier baby. She had been up screaming from roughly 10 pm to 2 am every night, and suddenly one night slept from midnight to 7 am. She's been doing that pretty regularly ever since. Napping is still hit or miss, but the swing has been pretty reliable to get her to fall asleep during the day. I have a little over three weeks before I go back to work and I'm starting to really dread it...part of it is leaving her but a bigger part is how we are going to manage everything around the house especially since we both have longish commutes. Initially I had hoped I could ask to telecommute a few days a week but our dept reorganized during my pregnancy and I actually will have a new boss when I go back, so not the time to rock the boat I think. I keep telling myself that we'll either get into a groove or if it is unmanageable we will come up with another way to make things work.

Nora is two months old today, I can't believe how fast it goes. She survived her first road trip this weekend when we went to my hometown for a wedding and she got to meet dozens of family and friends back home including her great grandmother. It was so wonderful to introduce her to everyone! Here's a pic from after we got home this weekend, we take her pic next to her owl doll every week and it's crazy to see how big she's gotten!

Hi to everyone else and I'll try and check in more!

 

[PetitiePoire]

S&I- I’m not sure the brand off hand. I’ll take a look next time I’m near it and report back. It is infrared. You just put it about an inch from her temple and it gives the temperature before you even take it away. Really quick, which is great for my wiggle worm. I don’t know what percentile. The doctor never mentioned, but I’m guessing 99th. She’s huge. We are using a Summer brand swaddle blanket. I got the size large thinking L can grow into it since it is for 14-22lbs and L is just under 12. Haha nope. It’s stretched around her, I’m pretty disappointed. Oh, and yay!!! for STTN!

Mayerling- Glad N had fun at the beach! I hope you took pics! It’s nice to hear about other 3-6 size babies! All of the ones we see in the stores are tiny little things.

NEL- That pic of K with the big dog is super cute. That’s such a fun idea!

Pancake- Thank you for sharing your experience with swaddling. L doesn’t seem to like it at first, but adjusts soon after.

Monarch- Yay for STTN! She really is a gorgeous baby! I’m the exact same way parenting. I’ve JUST starting trying to read the What To Expect First Year book. However, I find myself stopping because I am a worrier and find that my baby is different. I don’t feel the need to force her into a schedule and feel she sleeps when she wants and will wake when she wants. So far she’s been really laid back too.

Steph- Congrats on 2 months!! Nora is just precious! I love her owl pillow too!


AFU- L has been doing really great. She’s still relaxed and calm (takes after her dad). I’ve noticed she starts to cry when DH takes over, so I’ve been trying to allow myself to walk away and let him take control a bit more. I think it’s because I care for her during the day and she is usually napping at 4 when DH comes home then eating and napping again, so the only real time she had with him was bath time. I’m thinking she doesn’t like change much so we need to work on it.
She is still only falling asleep at night after a feeding. If she’s half awake when I put her down she cries so we have to start the process all over. Daytime is still in the swing, except today since the batteries died, so that was after a feeding. L is 7w6d today!

AFM- I had my check up yesterday. She said everything healed properly, so that was a relief. DH is pretty happy we’ve finally reached 8 weeks. I’ve been pretty firm on that number about not doing anything and I’m still a bit nervous.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

PP, I think it's totally normal for the baby to be more attached to the mama at this point. All the babies in my mom group went through the same thing. I remember being frustrated that Katie would cry when D took over because D was nervous enough as it was and I felt that the crying only made him feel less adequate. Now D is her favorite person ever and she saves her biggest smiles for him. Go figure.

Glad all went well at your 8-week appointment!! I got my "all-clear" at 6 weeks and D went out and bought a huge box of condoms and insisted we use them all that night. Needless to say, he did not get his wish.

Steph, a sabaceous cyst on your lady parts? I can't think of anything more uncomfortable, especially relatively soon after giving birth. Oy, I'm so glad it's better! Thank goodness Nora got over her midnight crying phase! I completely understand that dread of going back to work and worrying about how you're going to manage work, the baby, the house, etc. while throwing long commutes in the mix. You really do just figure it out. I was lucky to cut back my hours for a few months. I'm still working a more limited schedule, but find that K having a regular bedtime between 7 and 7:30 really helps. I don't go to bed until 11 or so, which gives me a lot of time in the evenings to catch up on housework and spend time with D. I admit that some things have slipped (I don't cook every night anymore), but it's fine. So even if it's tough for a couple of months, you'll find your groove.

Super cute pic of Nora!

Mayerling, I was paranoid about having K sleep on her own, so I had her falling asleep out of my arms around the 6 weeks mark. Next time I'm going to wait longer and not push it. By around 3 - 4 months, K liked to stretch out when falling asleep, so she had no desire to be held while falling asleep.

Monnie, yay for Alex STTN! Her 3-month photo is so cute! Love that headband! I'm also envious of your laid-back attitude. I am not a worrier, but do question my judgement. I always question if she's getting enough sleep, getting enough to eat, getting too much to eat, eating the right things, is she too dependent on her paci for sleep, are her physical and cognitive skills developing at the right pace, should I be doing more in those areas...I guess the core of my fear is that I'm going to drop the ball on something and negatively affect her development. So yeah, not so much worried about HER, just worried about me doing something wrong that will affect her. It really drives me crazy, but I can't stop.

Pancake, I completely understand the anti-pink thing. I never thought I'd have a girl and that girl would regularly wear pink, but what can you do? And the ruffled bloomers are so cute, I think I bought four pair of ruffled bloomers last time I picked some things up for her. Once she's older, she's not allowed to draw attention to her derriere in any way, so she may as well enjoy it now . Oh my gosh, Sylvie must be so cute saying the same syllables over and over, she's always been good about exploring her voice and mimicking sounds, right?. K is definitely louder and varying her tones more, but it's all vowels. I've been concerned about the fact that she's not using any consonants. D was the same way as a baby, so I'm going to let it go. For now. Anyway, I'm babbling. I hope you are having a great trip!

S&I, woohoo for A STTN! Seems like a lot of STTN breakthroughs on this thread recently, which is great! And it must be nice to be back in your bedroom, even if the cause is your husband's eyes (hope he's ok!) Our mom group instructor always told us that the best sleep was had when the baby and mom were not in the same room. I had a hard time letting go, but once I did it was good. Even though K slept well, I would wake with every toss and turn. Anyway, I'm so glad things are going well!

PT, that pic is awesome!! How is the tooth going? I think K and A are in the same boat, yesterday I noticed a teeny tiny bump that felt a little like a grain of sand. This morning it seemed more like an actual slit. I don't think the tooth has actually emerged, but it's just about to break to the surface, I think. Is that how it's going for A?

AFU, question for all of you:

1. For those with babies 6+ months, is your baby able to self-soothe to sleep for naps? K has still been using her paci for naps, but our babysitter told us she's stopped re-inserting the pacifier if it falls out. She feels that at 6 monhs, K should be able to self-soothe if the paci falls out.

2. Like I just mentioned to PT, I think K's first tooth is about to surface (lower left tooth). She's been sort of fussy for over a week now. Then a few days ago I felt like her lower gums were swollen (no fever). Yesterday I noticed somethign that felt like a little grain of sand (as PT said). This morning it was a little bigger. I can't actually see a tooth, but I feel it must be JUST under the surface. I think the lower right one is about to pop, too, that part of her gum is still swollen.

 

[S&I]

Pancake, haha yes, I am quite the baby-stuff-accumulator! That's great that S can soothe herself back to sleep even during her sleep regressions. I think A is on the brink of doing so. Even when he STTN the other night, he stirred around 5am, but I watched the monitor as he fell back asleep. He woke up twice last night and needed my help to get back to sleep, but he didn't need a bottle, which is a first. I did let him nurse for a bit, but I don't consider that as a true feeding since he's only getting maybe 20ml from me these days.

Monnie, I don't think you're being too laid back. You're providing for A and she's doing so well. That's all any parent can strive to do!

Mayerling, glad N enjoyed the water! We have yet to take A swimming because I'm worried about sun damage to his sensitive skin, but he's already got a cute rash guard top for when we finally take him. Re: rocking to sleep, A still only occasionally goes to sleep on his own, if he's in the right mood. Most of the time, I still have to nurse him until he's groggy enough to just continue sleeping once I put him in his crib. We might not be the best example to go by though!

Steph, so sorry about your infected cyst! Yikes, it sounds awful, but I'm glad you're doing better. Nora looks so cute next to her owl! Yay for N having a successful first road trip, and getting introduced to so many friends and family. How far was the drive? We're trying to decide how long to wait before we take A to visit the in-laws, about 4.5 hours away. I dreaded going back to work too, but like NEL said, you just make do.

Petite, we also got a large sleep sack for A thinking he'd grow into it soon enough, but we had to go back and get a smaller size because the large was super long on him and the arm holes were so big that it looked like the sack was swallowing him up, ha! It's normal for babies to be more attached to mamas right now. They've been hearing our voice for such a long time inside us that they're comforted by our voice and our smell. L will get more used to her daddy as she gets older. Glad your checkup went well!

NEL, I totally wake up at every little sound A makes too. Our monitor has the option of turning off the video part and only using the sound, but I keep turning the video part back on as soon as I hear a sound and just watch him until I'm sure he's asleep. Does K's pacifier fall out pretty soon after you insert it? A tends to spit his out when he's done with it, but sometimes it falls out too early and he cries for it. Exciting about K's potential tooth! I wonder how long it takes from the time you notice the swollen gums and feel the little grain of sand until the tooth actually pops out.

AFU, A didn't STTN last night, but he didn't need a bottle until around 8am this morning. I feel like he's this close to regularly STTN since he's able to go longer without a bottle at night. Just for grins, my dad has started talking to A about his little sister or little brother.

 

[pancake]

S&I, it sounds like Alex is really sorting out his sleep routine! Sylvie has self-settled for a long time, but as she gets older and I meet more and more mums and babies, I am realising just how unusual she is in terms of her sleep behaviour. I have been thoroughly spoilt by her and I am SCREWED for the next baby now!!! I think it's lovely that you are still nursing. Nutrition is one thing, but I think that the pleasure of BFing for both mum and baby is often overlooked.

NEL, it's still pretty early days for consonants and babbling. I was surprised that S started when she did, but you are probably right - she has always been on the early side for the social and language stuff. I am endlessly fascinated by how our babies all develop differently in different domains - S is still decidedly NOT on the move but is great with her hands and babbling... meanwhile there are babies in our mothers group who are crawling on all fours, but don't sit; babies who rolled at 2 months but don't crawl at 8; babies who chat and chat and chat but don't move (there is one other like S!)... amazing stuff.

I just ordered 3 more pairs of ruffled bloomers in gorgeous vintage fabrics. Cannot WAIT to put them on S! I'm hoping that some will be ready (they're being custom-made) by the time we go to Bali and I will be able to post some pics of our little ruffled bum up here!

Re naps - S does settle herself for naps. That said, she refused the paci and we stopped shushing and patting a few months ago, so now I think our presence just interferes with her ability to get to sleep more than anything else. We are finding that she cries when she's put down in a new place (not surprising), but experience is teaching us that going in and comforting her etc actually disrupts the process more than anything else and draws it out. With some difficulty, we have let her CIO when in a new place since then (at the beach house and here in NZ). The first time in both places she cried intermittently for about 20 minutes, but then hardly cried subsequently. When we arrived at the beach house a couple of weeks ago (for the weekend), I went in to her a couple of times but she was DEFINITELY more upset than ever when I put her down again and the whole thing definitely took longer.

Exciting re K's first tooth finally coming through! I know you have been thinking she's been teething for a while...

PP, you are so sensible with your approach to DH and baby's relationship. I definitely have a tendency to micromanage my hubby when he's with the baby, so I also try to walk away - on weekends I try to actually leave the house for a couple of hours and let them do their own thing. I have also learnt not to ask too many questions or "interrogate" They are invariably fine and S is always happy when I get home - the worst that happens is that she doesn't sleep as long - and so I am much more relaxed about it than I used to be. I am really glad that you got yourself checked out - isn't it nice to know that all is well!

Steph - oh, you poor thing! That must have been such an uncomfortable experience all around. Amazing that Nora became more settled right at that time - almost like she sensed something was up and mama needed a break! She is absolutely adorable in that pic!

Mayerling - N is growing up so fast! Good work mama and bubba!

Monnie, I think it's great to be relaxed. I am by nature a worrier but I think that this is one of the times that it is advantageous that I am in the line of work I'm in - it has undoubtedly made me less anxious as a parent, and more confident that I am doing things in a way that is right for us (not "right" as I know that there are a million other ways to do it that would be just fine, too!). I say enjoy the fact that you don't worry so much, and take things as they come...which is what you've been doing. Duh, Pancake!

AFU, we're flying home to Melbourne tonight. D has a job interview (by phone) right before we leave for the airport, poor thing - but hopefully it should all be good, he is a very strong candidate for this job and I think (/hope) that he will get it. We've organised for late check-out at the hotel, so S should get most of her afternoon nap in before we have to leave. Then once we get home, it's only 10 days until we leave for Bali!!!

Auckland is 2 hours ahead of Melbourne, but I have been putting S down to bed at around 8pm (ie 6pm Melbourne time - about a half hour earlier than usual) so hopefully the readjustment will be ok. Bali is 2 hours in the opposite direction so it'll be interesting to see how we go with that!


Out for lunch with Dad:


Chomping on a red blood cell... pick the daughter of the conference nerd!

 

[mayerling]

S&I, thanks for sharing about how A still needs some help to fall asleep. I'm already worried about how I'll need to sleep-train N when we get back to the UK. I'm definitely getting a swing to deal with naps but I'll try to sleep-train at night once he's at least 3 months.

Pancake, how did D do with his interview?

NEL, I'm not sure I understood what you said. Do you mean that K slept out of your arms from 6 weeks to 3-4 months or am I misunderstanding you?

Petite, good to hear that your OB appt went well.

AFU, you must all be sick of me talking about N's sleep, but he's been really bad at napping today. He's been up after 20 mins every time. I tried Pancake's suggestion of patting and shushing through transitions but I failed miserably.
On the bright side, N is getting more and more sociable. We're getting lots of smiles, and some chuckles and yesterday he laughed - in his sleep .
In other news, this is the last day of my thrush treatment but I'm not sure it's actually gone. I still feel itchy and the vasospasms are still around.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Sorry for the confusion, Mayerling! I meant that I started training her to sleep out of my arms at the 6 week mark. But had I waited, I think she would have transitioned to sleeping out of my arms naturally around the 3/4 month mark. I was worried she would be dependent on sleeping on me and I knew our babysitter couldn't hold her as much as I did, hence the early training. But there were times my MIL insisted on rocking her to sleep, so I let it go. Eventually K just didn't like being held when going to sleep because she likes being stretched out. I guess I should have expected it since she hated being swaddled.

Keeping my fingers crossed that your thrush is gone, though it does sound like there are residual symptoms. Ugh, I know you're ready to be done!

Pancake, good luck to your husband w/ the phone interview! And good luck with the time zone transition! I can't wait to see S's ruffles in Bali! K is the exact same way with naps--if we are near, she'll fuss. When we leave the room and leave her on her own, she settles. S is still in your bedroom at night, right? I'm trying to figure out what we're going to do for the trip. We only have a 1-bedroom cabin, so I don't know where we'll end up putting her. I'm afraid if she stays in our bedroom she's going to wake up super early and not go back to sleep.

S&I, K also tends to spit out the paci when she's done, but sometimes she spits it out early and then starts squirming. I don't know, I'll figure it out. I feel like I've had this debate with myself several times. So cute that your father keeps asking about a sibling. My father does the same thing. It's funny because my mother doesn't ask, but my father always asks when we're having another. I keep telling him not to fret and that I have the situation under control.

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Hello again, lovely mamas!

First and foremost, thanks for the BFing support. Things got a bit darker, and we're not out of the woods yet (nor will we be, it seems!), but more on that later.

Mayerling: How's the thrush, lady? I hope you're feeling better. You haven't had an easy ride since your LO arrived, have ya? Thinking of you. I might have missed this, but do you put you DS down in a crib or bassinet for sleep, or do you allow him to fall asleep in your arms? I know it's not always recommended to let the baby fall 100% asleep in one's arms, but I've heard over and over again that for the first 2-3 months it's really hard to create "bad habits."

Pancake: I can't wait to see the ruffle bloomer pics!

Steph: Yowch!! Glad that cyst is on the mend.

NEL: K is adorable- such a gorgeous baby. What was that party for? 6 month, or? Or... I could stop being lazy and just read back a few pages to figure it out

Monnie: What a gorgeous girl you have! I don't think being laid back is troublesome- I think that it's good to stay mellow!! Certainly you're still a concerned, caring mama who wants the best for your daughter. There's no good that can come from being a worry wart, yanno?

S&I: Hurrah for sleeping through the night!! Fingers crossed it's a trend for you! Did you sleep in the nursery? (It sounds that way from your post). I co-sleep with Eloise and really enjoy it, but I know a time will come when I want a little break from her. Not sure when that time will come.

I know I'm missing responses to 75% of you mamas- sorry for that. I'd like to be more diligent about regular reading and responding. We're getting into more of a groove, so soon...

AFU: Again, thanks for the BFing support. Re: Domperidone... None of the IBCLCs that I saw recommended it (saying it may or may not work, so why bother?), and I know the midwives won't write a script without a recommendation. I could order from an online Rx but wouldn't be monitored by an MD, so I know that's not really a smart move.

After my last post, I made an appointment with an IBCLC (last Friday) and found out that Eloise had lost even more weight since her 2-week check up. Super upsetting. This IBCLC basically said that her latch looked good, and she had no idea how to stop the clicking and improve suction. Her suggestion was to pump like mad and to triple feed. She suspected the click/latch issue was related to a high arched palate (as she said during BF support group earlier in the week) and there wasn't much to do but wait it out. She also swore up and down that my supply was NOT an issue, despite my feeling that it was horribly low. "You're a great milk maker, she's just not a great milk taker! Keep pumping and you'll be fine!"

Fast forward to today, I told DH I wanted to see ANOTHER IBCLC... (#3)... he is so patient and I'm glad he doesn't balk about the IBCLC fees. It ended up being SO worthwhile. E weighed 7lbs 15 oz, so in IBCLC #2's defense, the triple feeding was helping temporarily. At today's appointment I said I wasn't satisfied with the, "It may be a palate issue and there's not much that can be done..." stance, and that I really needed to find a way to make breastfeeding less painful. IBCLC 3 watched E nurse like a hawk and made a slight adjustment to our latch and... voila... the clicking is all but gone (and there's no more nursing pain!). She also suspects I have the start of mastits on the right breast... And she also said that, contrary to what IBCLC #2 swore, I DO have supply issues. She believes that three weeks of extremely painful nursing have just put a major dent in my supply. She was upfront that usually supply is established by four weeks, perhaps a little beyond, and that I need to focus on getting E as much BM as possible, but that I need to supplement with my pumped milk AND formula to help her grow, gain, and stay healthy. (Exactly what you ladies said). She also said that there are NO issues with her palate or frenulum and to disregard anyone that said her palate is hindering our nursing dyad. She also said to keep up the extreme pumping for one more week, and after that, only maintain the most productive pump sessions, simply because our current routine is not sustainable.

So, E nursed for about 40 minutes (a good session with lots of nutritive sucking!), had 1 oz of pumped milk, and DH just gave her 1 oz of formula. I'm a little bummed, especially at the prospect that my supply may not increase very much from this point on, but if it helps her to grow then I'll be a happy mama.

 

[pancake]

Mayerling - the chuckles in their sleep are the CUTEST! S used to do that, I used to love it I'm sorry you're still having issues with nipple pain. Are you sure it's still thrush that is causing it? Do they sting/stab like they were before, or are they just feeling really tender and bruised?

NEL, when do you guys leave for your holiday? I think there will definitely be some adjustment for K, but you guys will be fine - she is a great sleeper! Even if she wakes early and doesn't go back down the way she normally would, it's only temporary, and she'll go back to normal once you get home. We were out much more over the last week and S seemed to cope pretty well with all the changes. Exciting that you are going away!

PPM, it sounds like LC #3 is the one to go with. She sounds much more measured and sensible than the others. Don't give up on the possibility of EBFing yet - I have many friends who struggled until around the 2 month mark, when things suddenly seemed to improve for some reason. Even if that doesn't happen, I think you can feel good about the fact that you have tried everything! Re the domperidone, I have not tried it myself but I have prescribed it for nursing mothers and there's no doubt that it does stimulate supply, especially if you are nursing and pumping regularly. Is it worth maybe seeing your obstetrician or family doctor about it? I just think that you are so determined, it would be good to sort of "leave no stone unturned" if that makes sense.

AFU - thank you everyone for the good luck wishes to D! He got the job, hooray! So happy. It's not a huge surprise but it's always lovely when things work out. So we know now that he has a good salary next year and it takes the pressure off with me returning to a research salary (rather than the clinical salary I was earning before).

We got back from NZ last night. I had thought S would sleep through most of the flight as we boarded just before her bedtime (and because she has slept on every flight she's been on before now!) but she got super-excited and hyperactive, was completely hilarious, entertaining and engaging (she was bouncing with the flight attendants!), then only slept about an hour. By the time we got to the car it was about midnight NZ time (10pm here) and she abruptly became miserable... then did a poo whilst we were in the car... then screamed all the way home Then screamed whilst I changed her clothes and sponged her down, then sobbed intermittently while I fed her The second I laid her down in her cot, she gave me a HUGE grin and started kicking excitedly, then planted her thumb in her mouth and went straight to sleep! She slept in a bit today but is otherwise pretty much her normal self. Phew!

Now to prepare for the next trip...

 

[mayerling]

NEL, thanks for clarifying. How did you get K to sleep out of your arms? Did you put her down drowsy and then use pat and shush?

Pancake, I still have stabbing pains. At this point, I'm not sure if it's still thrush or just vasospasms due to something else. Sorry to hear about S having a rough time on the way back.

PPM, sorry to hear about the supply issues. BF is hard so I admire you for sticking with it in spite of everything.

AFU, after a hellish day of 20-min naps, N had a hellish night. He went down at 10, and woke up at 11, 12:30, 2 (at which point he fed), 6:30, and 7. I don't think it's a growth spurt because he only had to feed once at 2.

 

[S&I]

Pancake, sounds like poor S just wanted her bed after the long trip back home. That's great that she was able to just plop her thumb in her mouth and go to sleepy land, even after being so worked up. She must have been super tired. And yes, S is definitely unusual (in a good way!) in terms of how good of a baby she really is. Love the recent pics, especially the one of her smiling in daddy's arms!

Mayerling, how much longer will it be before you move back to the UK? I've heard from other mamas that sleep training doesn't work too well until babies are at least 4 months old, so 3 months might be a tad early? I feel like A's sleep at night got a lot better just recently, and he's almost 4.5 months old now. I didn't enforce any sort of training on him. It just happened on its own. Can you go see your doctor again about your thrush/vasospasms? Hope it gets better soon!

NEL, I don't think there's anything wrong with giving K her paci back if she's looking for it. That's cute that your father does the same thing as mine. My mom was pushing pretty hard for us to have another one pretty soon after A was born. She was telling me about old wives tales and how my next baby would be a girl, because she knows I want a girl. You and Pancake talking about the ruffled bloomers is making me so jealous for a girl! Those things are so cute. You both better post plenty of ruffle pics!

PPM, sorry you've had so much trouble finding a compatible LC, but glad to hear that the 3rd one seems to be a good fit. Just keep doing what you're doing. I've heard of plenty of mamas who didn't get their milk supply fully established until 2 months, and one lady who took 6 months! Even if your supply doesn't catch up to E's needs, it'll be okay. And yes, I did sleep in A's nursery until this past weekend. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I do wake up constantly to check the monitor that's right next to my face on the nightstand. It's probably a good thing that you co-sleep with E. I've heard that helps increase milk supply too.

 

[pancake]

S&I - yep, when S is tired, bed is her sanctuary and in the evenings she often just wants to be in there. She had a disrupted sleep day today and was squirmy during her bedtime feed; whilst I was burping her she was craning her neck to turn and look at her bed She was a bit of a grump but then I put her down and I immediately got the excited kicks and squeals. It is really lovely to see that she likes it so much in there!

I forgot to say in previous posts, that's sweet re your parents asking you about your next baby! I would love to have another baby next year, but because of my research degree, I think I need to put it off until late the year after. When I think about it, that does seem like a good time for S as she'll be about 2 1/2 or 3 by then, which I think is a nice gap.

Mayerling, sorry to hear that you had a difficult night. I wouldn't read too much into it - maybe just chalk it up to "one of those nights". With the sleep routine etc, I wouldn't try to fix it all at once. Pick a couple of main points and work on them consistently, day in day out, eg. getting him to sleep (wherever you have decided you want this to happen), or extending naps. As S&I said, sleep training that involves any kind of controlled comforting/crying, isn't really recommended until 4 months plus. So I would stick to the rocking, shushing, patting, swaddling, etc until then. I would recommend that you have a look at http://www.mybabysleepguide.com - it is the best sleep website I have seen and is really sensible, with lots of pointers for various problems at various stages.

AFU, S had a fun day but ended up overtired as she missed about half of her usual daytime sleep! She's so funny at the moment. Everything is "BAH BAH BAH BAH" or "BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH" and she is also doing this thing which is hard to describe but is basically "ppppp-tsk (raspberry between pursed lips with a tongue-click on the end) on infinite repeat. She's sitting up pretty well now and plays happily like that but I still need to be close by as she still topples sideways from time to time.

I just made a packing list for Bali! I am going to mega-overpack for S, as usual. Her things are so small and this time we won't have a washing machine at our accommodation, so it just seems easier to bring a huge excess of stuff. Plus, we'll be using disposable nappies (which I am kinda dreading!) so we'll have extra space in our luggage to bring home the dirty non-folded washing

 

[mayerling]

Thanks for the replies, S&I and Pancake. N had a better day and night yesterday. I should clarify that when I say sleep training I don't mean anything that involves crying and I certainly won't attempt it before 3 months.

Petite, N's report of birth and passport arrived today!

How's everyone else doing?

 

[amc80]

Hi everyone! I've been reading this thread but haven't had time to post. I usually read it while I'm BFing which means I only have one hand free

B is still in a marathon eating stage (he's 3 weeks old). He will be awake for hours and basically want to eat the whole time. Last night he only went about 2.5 hours between feedings...and was up for about 2 hours at one point. He will eat really well for 15-30 minutes and then fall asleep. As soon as I move him he wakes up and wants more. I know he's getting a good amount when he eats...I think his appetite is just on the high end. Which makes sense seeing how he's a big baby!

I'm trying to pump at least once or twice a day. I was trying to start my stockpile but right now he ends up getting everything I pump. He will suck down 2-3oz and still be hungry. The good news is when I pump I can get just about 3oz, so my supply is definitely increasing.

I do think that sometimes he thinks he's hungry but really just wants comfort. Which is fine...but somewhat annoying at 3am!

Other than that things are good. He's growing a lot and doing what newborns are supposed to do. Hope all if you are doing well!

 

[missrachelk]

Hi Ladies! I'm about 6 weks out (give or take as we know) and trying to tie up the final preparations.

Can anyone recommend a monitor? Initially I didn't think we'd need a video monitor but I think I've changed my mind.

thanks!!

 

[pancake]

amc80 - adorable! Yes, I think small babies definitely want comfort rather than a feed to fill their little tummies. It sounds like you are doing an amazing job, and B is just beautiful!!!

Rachel - I would actually suggest waiting until you have your baby before deciding on whether or not to get the monitor. I bought apnoea mats and an audio monitor; S is now 6 1/2 months old and the mats are still in their box and the monitor only came out for the first time 2 weeks ago! So maybe do your research, but leave the final decision on buying until you have your baby at home. Enjoy these last weeks of pregnancy (if you can!) - such exciting times to come!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

missrachelk, I registered for a non-video monitor, but ended up getting the video. As with anything, there are pros and cons to the video. I'm a bit OCD about checking her, so I like it, but I do think it keeps me awake more than an audio-only monitor would. I have an Infant Optics monitor and don't love it--it seems to go "out of range" fairly easily. And it only stays charged for ~3 hours, which isn't ideal. I agree with Pancake that it's not something you need right away (at least not if you're planning for the baby to stay in your room).

amc, it sounds like you've turned the perverbial corner with breastfeeding, which is great to hear! 3oz of milk per session is really good--I know you're still working on increasing it, but you're doing an amazing job! That pic is adorable, he looks like a contented baby to me

Pancake, have you received your Inglesina? We got ours yesterday and I really, really like it. I wish I'd gotten it sooner. Thanks, LC (I think it was LC) for posting about it! I take K to a music class on Fridays and she literally blew raspberries through the entire class today. Then she laughs at herself. The packing list is crazy, isn't it? I have more than one page of stuff for K--we also won't have washer and dryer. We leave next weekend (the 8th). When do you leave? Is it the same day?

Congrats to your husband for getting the job! That's great!

S&I, that's so funny about your parents telling you the next will be a girl. Mine keep telling me I'll get a boy--they even sent me some boy onesies for the "next" one. How do you feel about wanting a girl now that you have a boy? You know how I felt about wanting a boy--but now that I have a girl I'm completely indifferent for the next one.

Mayerling--yep, I had K sleep out of my arms by putting her down drowsy and if she fussed, I'd shush pat or rub her back while she was lying down (she's always seemed to like that). I'm hoping the past couple of nights have been better for you. When you have multiple bad nights in the row, it can make you feel crazy.

PnPsMom, holy cow, you've been through a lot of frustration with finding the right LC and figuring out the source of the problem. Kudos to LC #3 for figuring out the latch issue and giving you an action plan for the supply issues. Extensive pumping is so draining--both mentally and physically--so don't be afraid to lean on your LC for support. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it helps your supply! Just know that you are doing everything you can and you are an amazing mom. Try not to stress yourself out too much (easier said than done, I know!)

LC, Freke, sba, MQ and all the other mamas, thinking of you!

AFU, a few things

1. I ordered a bath seat because K outgrew her inflatable tub (which goes in the regular bathtub). So for the past night or two I've just been giving her a bath in the regular bathtub and holding her upright. Tonight she slipped while trying to grab a toy and hit her forehead. Poor thing! What's worse is that my husband freaked out so I ended up yelling at him to calm down (how ironic is that?). Anyway, I can see this being an issue for us going forward.

2. K cut her second tooth today. I feel bad that she had two coming in together, but I'm so glad they're both at the surface now. I saw two bumps several days ago, so I assumed the second one would quickly follow the first. I don't see any evidence of other teeth at the moment, so I'm hoping she'll get some relief!

 

[pancake]

NEL - wow, 2 teeth at once!! As soon as they are photographically visible, can we have pics? Those first little teeth are so cute as they're coming through!

Our Inglesina Fast arrived yesterday. It looks great! I haven't put S in it yet but I love that it's so compact and lightweight, and it looks super-comfy! We're going out for lunch today so will try it then. Quite excited about putting her in it, just quietly speaking.

The raspberries are so cute, aren't they? I am loving how much our babies are engaging with the world around them at the moment. S wants to touch and feel everything - whatever's in reach! Favourites at the moment are doorknobs, our papers/magazines, and whatever else happens to be in front of her at the time.

Re the bath seat, last night I put S in our bigger bath seat for the first time. A friend of ours loaned it to us - it's similar to this: http://static.productreview.com.au/pr.products/t/150x150/a3_4ed803372c91d.jpg. Getting her in and out was a little fiddly, but it worked really well once she was in. Which one did you order for Katie?

We are leaving for our holiday the same day as you! So excited. Are you going for a week, too?

 

[mayerling]

NEL, thankfully that was the only bad night but I'm still having trouble with daytime sleep. When you say that you put K down drowsy and pat her, would she not wake up at all? N wakes up so shushing doesn't really work...

 

[lliang_chi]

Happy weekend mamas!

Holy cow it's like IMPOSSIBLE to find time to post now-a-days. But fortunately we have a long weekend here so I can catch up (sorta).

Pancake, enjoy your vacation! I'm so glad S did alright in NZ for your trip. Congrats on your DH's new job! THat's fantastic, and a it's great that it's less pressure on the budget with your resesarch role. Will the salary bump be enough for you to try to stay home full time? Or are you kinda not that interested in staying home? And disposable diapers aren't that horrible for your vacation. Granted we only did short trips (weekend) with disposables, but it's really not that bad. I always end up missing Ethan's cute fluffy diaper butt when he's in disposables.

NEL, hee hee, so funny you're washing K in the tub. I still put Ethan in his baby tub. There's an infant side and a toddler side. I did have to stop washing him in the kitchen sink though because he kicks his legs and splashes way too much. Aw, two little teeth for K! I agree with Pancake, take pics when they get big enough. Ethan's still no where NEAR cutting teeth. It was Pancake that suggested the Inglesina, when I asked for high chair recs that weren't a high chair. Hee hee, since we're making picture requests, can I request another one of K blowing raspberries? Have fun on your vacation! Let me know if you'd like me to share my packing list for Ethan. It's mammoth.

Rachel, I have a phillips video monitor. It's OK. Like NEL said it goes out of range pretty easily, it has a much shorter lateral range than an audio one. But vertical range, it's great, I can get signal on the ground floor from my 3rd story condo. And I don't have the option of turning off just the video and having it as an audio only. But in the end I kinda like having a video monitor.

AMC, glad B is doing so well. Sounds like he's got a healthy appetite, good! Keep up with the pumping if you can, I think it helped my supply. I always pumped when there was someone else home with me. That way if the baby fussed I didn't have to disconnect to pump. Otherwise it seemed that Ethan would cry EVERY time I *just* hooked up. It got frustrating. Also by nursing durign the day when I was home helped cut down the dishes I had to wash. Added bonus.

Mayer, I'm hoping N had some better nights. We swaddled Ethan like crazy. He *loved* it. It was rough weaning him off the swaddle because he loved it so much. He was totally able to put himself to sleep with it. Now, not so much... Hooray that his passport etc arrived today! Ethan's passport came in this week I'm sorry the nipple pain is still lingering. Is it acutely painful? It took a while for me to figure out that my "let down" feeling was on the border of painful. It wasn't tingly or anything. It felt like tugs on my nipples. But it wasn't like "take my breath away" painful so I just chocked it up to that's how it is.

S&I, so funny your folks are lobbying for a sibling already. Fortuantely both our parents are out of state so we don't get a lot of that either. I'm sure they'd be thrilled if/when we have more, but for now, we're trying to get a handle on just having Ethan. I can't imagine that my mom was pregnant again with my sister and I when my older brother was Ethan's age now.

PPM, I"m so glad you finally landed a great LC by the third try. It's a huge difference. I think you still have a little bit of time to get your supply up via nursing/pumping. Supplementing with formula will be fine too. What is your pumping schedule? Definitely either nurse or pump in the MOTN between 1AM -4AM. They say that's the "magic hour" on cueing your body to keep producing more milk. It's explained better in the pumping thread.

PP, It's great that your DH is taking an active role in raising L and it'll probably just take a short time for her to start really bonding with him. As she gets older and more aware of her surroundings and not just mama. All throughout the summer DH rarely came home before Ethan started his "down" for the night snooze @ 8PM. DH would usually get 1 bottle session with him then go he'd be back to sleep. But when Ethan started getting more aware (about 4 month mark) he started giving J tons of smiles, giggles etc. Now at 6 months J loves hanging out with Ethan because he's so interactive and stuff. So, this long winded post was to say, don't sweat it too much, it'll come.

Steph, holy crikies! I'm freaking out just reading your post. I"m glad you're on the mend. Bummer that hte OBs were a total drag, but at least you have a great midwife. I'm very happy with the midwives also so I think I'll continue with them for general "well woman" stuff too. So glad N is sleeping so well Once I started back at work I was pretty happy to be back. My commute, fortunately, isn't long though. Maybe broach the subject with your new boss about getting 1 day a week to telecommute. I find it's best to set things from the get go once you get back, rather than trying to keep at a "non-parent" schedule and then "ease" the kid needs back into your work life. Work is work, and will take as much as you will give. Set the expectation right away and stick to it. And I just wanna say I want to give Miss N the biggest squeeze and smooch!

Monnie, LOVE A's 3 moth picture. Cute little headband, and all this talk about ruffled bloomers makes me want to have a little girl too! Little girl clothes shopping is SUPER FUN because they have the *cutest* stuff! Fantastic that she's STTN! I hope she keeps it up. How is it to be back at work?

PT, any more progress on Ava's tooth?? How's she doing with the solids? Has she expanded to anything else besides peaches? OMG, I loved that picture of Ava, and Ethan does the same thing with his socks/feet. He will pull his socks off and wave them around in the air. Then suck on his toes. At daycare, the teacher said a bunch of the 4-6 month babies are sucking on their feet, or even someone else's foot, hee hee.

Freke, how's the moving? Sending you lots of moving and settling in dust

Janine, how's things going with A? Hoping the solids are coming along alright.

AFU:
1. DH keeps "bragging" that Ethan says "Da-da-da-da" when he's babbling.
2. Ethan's still waking in the MOTN for his suckie, but he doesn't need to take a bottle. He'll get up at 1AM then again at 3AM, then finally up for breakfast after 5AM. DH drops him to day care @ 6:30AM, so the 5AM breakfast/wake up is actually good, but the 1AM and 3AM wake ups I really wish he'd stop those. And he's crap at putting himself back to sleep, totally needs Mommy or Daddy to help him. I've now stopped picking him up unless he's REALLY wailing, and just give him some pats and his suckie. NEL i know you asked about suckies at naps, Ethan's still using his for both naps and night.
3. Just recently Ethan started hating the car. So far it's only been when he's riding with me and it's not always consistent. Like sometimes, he's totally fine in the car and others he'll cry and cry and cry. Other times he'll be fine going somewhere but cry on the way back. Very confusing... I have noticed it's often when he's tired, but I dunno why he won't just let himself fall asleep in the car like he used to.

That's all for us for now. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

[FrekeChild]

Quickie update:

1. A now has three teeth. One upper, two lower.
2. We are (semi)-safely in California.
3. We are living in an empty house. Blah.
4. I sprained my right knee and am now pretty much incapable of taking care of A. I did it the morning we were leaving for Cali, getting out of the bathtub, about 5 hours before we were due to leave on the plane, about 2.5 hours after my lovely husband left in the car with the dogs. I did not go to the doctor. Then in the stupid Phoenix airport, our flights were in the B terminal, only there are really two B terminals - separated by a couple moving walkways, and a LOT of open space where there are NO walkways. And me with a 9 month old, bags a plenty, a carseat and my 75 year old dad. We got here, and my amazing husband had beat us here, so he came to the airport, and I basically had a meltdown because I'd been going going going all day and then BAM, familiar face, and a sign of stability (plus someone I could safely hand the baby over to, and wouldn't get her back 5 minutes later!). There were a lot of tears and some hyperventilating. So I went from the airport, to the house to drop off bags, and then to the emergency room. Luckily they were amazingly fast (in NM I wouldn't even be seen until I'd been sitting there for 9 hours, here I was done in less than 3, after meeting with a doctor, 2 nurses, an x-ray tech, and several administrative people - it was awesome!). And now I'm here. With crutches and a Vicodin prescription. I asked my BFF to fly out here next week to help me - she has a ton of PTO, and little responsibility (read: no kids) and my husband starts work next week - with meetings all day every day instead of teaching, like what would be normal - and easier to work around, in that he could leave for breaks to help me frequently.

Moral of the story: do not bathe or take a shower for a week before you move.

Just kidding. Maybe. This blows.

That was longer than it was supposed to be. Eh well... I'll be back later when I have time and stuff to post more!

 

[lliang_chi]

Holy smokes, Freke, that's something crazy!!! I'm so glad you got a chance to see the doc etc, and that you'll have some help soon. Did they say if it was just a strain, or something else? Do you have knee issues normally? I'm somewhat loosey goosey in my knees after a few ski falls, but nothing (touch wood) that's too bad. Usually I just need some Motrin and an ice pack. Well, I hope things on are on the mend for you. Hooray for A's new teeth!

NEL, how' stuff going with you?

 

[pancake]

Freke, omg - whoa! WHAT a week! I'm so sorry you injured yourself as soon as you arrived, but I'm glad you're ok, in one piece (if only just) and can now concentrate on settling in. When does your furniture arrive? It will make you feel so much more "at home" once it does. How's A coping with the upheaval? I reckon she'd still be smiling, little imp! It would be amazing if your BFF is able to come - thank goodness for friends like that during times like these. Thinking of you!

LC - haha, S started saying "da da da da da" just in time for Father's Day here (yesterday) as well

Re D's new job - we have to reapply every year at the moment because our training jobs are on 12 month contracts, so each year we apply for what we want the year after. So he does get an incremental pay rise, but just the one commensurate with his training year, nothing huge. If I didn't work we would be ok, but I'm going back because I need to finish my own training and, since I would like to have another baby in the next couple of years, I need to get my skates on!

Yeah, disposables won't be so bad... but (and I know this sounds silly) I find it much harder to hold S on my hip when she's a skinny disposable bum! I miss that extra bit of bulk that makes it easier to sit her on there, haha. Nappies aside, I cannot wait for this holiday. It will be the first time we've really, truly, got away from everything since Dot was born, with nothing to worry about back home and without the constant stress of wondering how my dad's doing and whether he's ok back home, etc. D has also been working like a maniac, and our NZ trip was wall-to-wall conference for him, so this is a hugely needed break for all of us!

Love that E is chewing on his toes! S is holding her feet and likes to sort of "squeeze" them repeatedly but hasn't quite got them up to her mouth yet. It's finally spring here and we've had some milder days. I'm looking forward to giving her some rudie nudie time in Bali and over this summer. She loves being a nudie - just rolls around and chats and looks generally pleased with herself.

Oh and S hates the car too. She doesn't always cry, but no matter how exuberant she is at the time, the second I put her in the car she goes all quiet and starts looking disconsolate. Ditto the stroller. I want to go for walks with her while the sun is out but she just looks so...MEH when she's in the stroller that I feel bad about it. I still have a Bjorn somewhere, I might try taking her out in that so she can face outwards. When I walk with her in the Ergo she's happy but spends the entire time craning her head backwards to try and look at everything!

 

[FrekeChild]

Make that 4 teeth. Two upper and two lower. OMG.

 

[PetitiePoire]

Hi Ladies! I'm about 6 weks out (give or take as we know) and trying to tie up the final preparations.

Can anyone recommend a monitor? Initially I didn't think we'd need a video monitor but I think I've changed my mind.

thanks!!

We ended up buying a Dlink home video monitor instead of a baby video monitor. We just download the app on our phones,computer, etc and can check it from anywhere. It was cheaper than a baby one and we liked that DH could check from work.

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Some day I will stop being so me-centric while posting... but...

Has anyone had or know someone who had a breast abscess that resulted after a bout of mastisis? How did you/they know a lump made the switch from clogged duct to abscess?

After being on an antibiotic for four days (though I didn't think I had mastitis flu-like symptoms), the lumps in my right breast are out of control. Lump #1 has been around for nearly two weeks, and Lump #2 is getting progressively more red, large and tender. Lump #1 has been like that for at least four days, and is so, so, so painful. About the size of a ping pong ball, but flattened out a bit.

So I FINALLY thought, "Hey! Maybe I should take my body temperature... what if I do have a fever?" I do. And I've been LIVING on acetominophen and ibuprofen, taking max doses for the past four weeks, more or less (sorry, liver). So I'm wondering exactly how long I've had mastitis and was in denial, masking my symptoms with meds, and if my horrendous Lump #1 is actually an abscess. Heat, nursing, pumping, and massage have done nothing to rid me of these lumps.

I know PS can't replace a doctor, and what I really need to do is call my OB tomorrow, but if I've been on antibiotics for four days should I already be feeling better? Should the lumps be going away? Or is it normal to feel awful and have the lumps get bigger during the course of treatment?

I love my daughter, but I *#%^(@! hate breast feeding. JUST when I thought things were getting easier...

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Some day I will stop being so me-centric while posting... but...

Has anyone had or know someone who had a breast abscess that resulted after a bout of mastisis? How did you/they know a lump made the switch from clogged duct to abscess?

After being on an antibiotic for four days (though I didn't think I had mastitis flu-like symptoms), the lumps in my right breast are out of control. Lump #1 has been around for nearly two weeks, and Lump #2 is getting progressively more red, large and tender. Lump #1 has been like that for at least four days, and is so, so, so painful. About the size of a ping pong ball, but flattened out a bit.

So I FINALLY thought, "Hey! Maybe I should take my body temperature... what if I do have a fever?" I do. And I've been LIVING on acetominophen and ibuprofen, taking max doses for the past four weeks, more or less (sorry, liver). So I'm wondering exactly how long I've had mastitis and was in denial, masking my symptoms with meds, and if my horrendous Lump #1 is actually an abscess. Heat, nursing, pumping, and massage have done nothing to rid me of these lumps.

I know PS can't replace a doctor, and what I really need to do is call my OB tomorrow, but if I've been on antibiotics for four days should I already be feeling better? Should the lumps be going away? Or is it normal to feel awful and have the lumps get bigger during the course of treatment?

I love my daughter, but I *#%^(@! hate breast feeding. JUST when I thought things were getting easier...

ETA: It's so pathetic that as a new mom I was totally okay with feeling like crap and having horrendous breast pain, and figured it was mostly normal, related to sleep deprivation and hormones, and I should just suffer through it. Lesson learned- if you don't feel well, something is probably amiss.

 

[pancake]

PPM - oh, you poor thing! Seriously, get thee to a doctor. Is there an emergency department nearby you could go to? You sound like you have been so unwell, and with your symptoms and the lumps I would definitely be worried about breast abscesses, in which case the only definitive treatment is to have them drained (as well as antibiotics). Not normal to still have fevers and for the lumps to be getting bigger, tighter and more angry after 72 hours of antis.

I'm so so sorry that this has been so torrid for you - this is a time when you should be enjoying new motherhood and instead you're sick Huge hugs to you. Please see a doctor ASAP.

 

[PetitiePoire]

PPM- I hope you feel better! I don't have any advice but I hope you're able to get to a doctor soon. I don't think it's pathetic, at all, that you were trying to fight through. I actually think it's pretty amazing what our bodies and minds will do to protect our little ones, but I think now you need to focus on you and feel better! (which it sounds like you're doing.) keep us updated!

 

[stephbolt]

Oh PPM you poor thing! I had mastitis when Nora was a month old, the flu like symptoms resolved after about 48 hours of antibiotics, and the lump resolved in about four days. I agree that what you are experiencing definitely sounds like it merits another call to your OB. Hugs to you lady, I hope you can get everything straightened out soon.