PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[Missy0483]

The benefit went great. It was very bittersweet though. They made 1,100lbs of wings and 15 kegs of beer were consumed DH made a speech in front of everyone. This was the 2nd time I've seen him speak in front of a large crowd about Blake (this was technically his 3rd time, but one was at the fire company meeting and I'm not a member) and I have no idea how he gets enough courage to do it. He thanked everyone and then told me how much he loves me and how glad he is to spend the rest of his life with me I pretty much lost it at that point. There wasn't a dry eye in the whole place. He made big grown men cry! Man I love that guy!!

I'm attaching a picture of the back of the shirts we wore for the benefit. My SIL and BIL designed them and had them made for us and the family. Ben and I had yellow shirts and everyone else had grey. vc10um, you will appreciate this as they used the Michigan football logo!

 

[amc80]

Also I think I have the only baby that doesn't wake up and play happily in his crib. He'll wake up, roll over, sit up, look around then start crying. At least this is my guess.

Let me recommend this-
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12482416

B figured out how to turn it on and off (which is totally amazing to me) and it entertains him for a while. The other morning he woke up, turned it on, and started at it for a good 15-20 minutes.


Big news in the AMC household- we've got a roller! He figured it out during the 49ers game (I think it's a sign) and now is only on his stomach for about 2 seconds before he rolls. He's also almost figured out the back to front roll, but doesn't get his arm up high enough and ends up stuck on his side. This past week has been crazy, developmentally. He has taken to his Exersaucer in a big way. He figured out how to stand up in it and how to spin around to play with different toys. He's also figured out eating and is a big fan of baby food. I think all of these things explain why his sleep has been so crappy.


ETA- Missy, glad to hear the benefit went well.

 

[lliang_chi]

Missy, that's an awesome shirt. I love it, but don't tell my DH. He went Northwestern so he hates all other Big Ten schools. I'm really glad the benefit went well. You and your DH are so lucky to have each other. I hope you guys can continue to lean together for support as well as having support from everyone around you. And of course, we're here to help you too.

AMC, congrats on your roller. LOL about the 49ers game. Thanks for the tip on the crib toy. I guess we'll try that.

TBH, I'm getting really discouraged with how Ethan's been sleeping. And my sister will be watching him overnight when we eventually get to the point of moving the ILs up to Chicago. So it's all going to be a big mess. Pep talk, please???

 

[stephbolt]

Missy, I'm glad the wing night was such a success. Love the locket and the t-shirt. I am still thinking about you and your DH often and am in awe of your strength. And I'm sure you had a bright spot this weekend watching that football game too, WOW! Go Ravens!

LC, I'm sorry you are still having such a hard time with sleep. I read an article somewhere that talked about sleep training at different ages based on other developmental things (They referenced the book Bed Timing) and it said that 8-11 months is the hardest age to sleep train in. I hope I'm not being discouraging by sharing this, just wanted to give you some encouragement that as E gets a little closer to a year you might have better luck, they also said 12-16 months goes back into a good time to sleep train. I'll be hoping you guys buck that trend though and have success sooner!

amc, wow, awesome on the rolling! Tell B he needs to give N lessons, she still does not roll belly to back! She's not getting as much practice since she started sitting up though, she wants to be up and looking around all the time.

Not much new here, still having a little big of trouble getting back into our routine after the holidays. DH did a few hours alone with N yesterday so I could go out to a crafting party with some new friends. It was great to have a little "me time." It was the longest he's ever watched her solo but it went fine so hopefully he'll be brave enough to do it again.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Missy, I'm glad the benefit went well. I am so happy to hear that you and your husband continue to be such a good support for each other. Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.

LC, sorry to hear the sleeping issues are getting you down. No advice for you because we are still at the stage where we have to put E in the crib sound asleep, and he is NEVER awake in the crib without crying. He has consistently been getting 3-4 and even some 5 hours stretches in the first part of the night, so we are grateful for that. DH is getting cocky though, so I had to warn him to expect sleep regressions.

amc, wow, B is hitting all sorts of milestones all of a sudden. That's so exciting! When did he start to really get interested in his soother thing? E has one of those, but we haven't put it in the crib yet because he hasn't seemed all that interested in it the few times we've turned it on for him. He is certainly nowhere near knowing how to turn it on though. That's crazy that B can do that already!

Steph, that's great you were able to have some "me time" yesterday. I'm planning to go to dinner with some friends next weekend and leave E with his daddy for a few hours. DH has always been good about giving me an hour or so to run errands, etc., but this will be the first time I am leaving the baby with him just so I can do something fun. I can count on one hand (maybe two), the number of "poopy" diapers DH has changed. He seriously has a phobia about it and stresses out every time I leave that he will get stuck changing one. Such a baby!

Fisher, not sure if you've gotten any advice on this, but in my case, the Ergo has not been very useful for a newborn. I know it works for some people, but I tried using the Ergo with the infant insert when E was about 2 months old, and it was really awkward because he was just too floppy. I do think it will be nice for when he gets a little older and is holding himself up better. I'm sort of petite, so I am probably not the right person to ask, but I will tell you that the Ergo has a lot of room to expand. My DH is a little over 6 feet with somewhat broad shoulders, and he can get the Ergo to fit if he expands all the straps.

Hope everyone else is doing well!

E turned three months yesterday, and I cannot believe how much he has changed. It's exciting, but a little sad at the same time. Poor little guy has his first cold only one week after starting daycare. Makes me sad, but he doesn't seem too bothered by it so far. Oh, and we had a our first diaper blowout this morning right before DH was going to leave for daycare. Such a great way to start my Monday morning

 

[S&I]

Missy, still thinking of you daily. Glad the benefit went well. Cute shirts, and it definitely sounds like your DH is a keeper! Oh, and I didn't comment before, but that heart pendant with Blake's picture is so sweet!

Fisher, the Ergos are meant to fit a pretty wide range of people. I think the Ergo options (the one with the different cover options) is the smallest they have, then the standard, and then the sport and performance ones. If you have a BuyBuyBaby store nearby or a baby-wearing group locally, I would totally suggest that you try some different carriers on to see how you like them. Like MP said, it's a little weird to get the tiny babies into the infant insert when they're all squishy, but it's possible. A would fall asleep in ours within minutes, so it helped when he was being fussy and was fighting sleep. Did you get your registry figured out yet? I can't believe you're already so far along, and can't wait to hear more about Miracle's younger brother or sister!

ETA LC, sorry about E's sleep and teething problems. I have no advice, but just wanted to give you support and say that you'll get through it! We still have no teeth as of yet, so I have no idea if sleep training while teething is moot or not.

AFU, A is 9 months old today! Oh, and MP, A also has a runny nose due to starting day care last week. I hope it doesn't get any worse, but poor guy woke up with snot all over his upper lip. Had to pull out the nosefrieda this morning.

 

[amc80]

amc, wow, B is hitting all sorts of milestones all of a sudden. That's so exciting! When did he start to really get interested in his soother thing? E has one of those, but we haven't put it in the crib yet because he hasn't seemed all that interested in it the few times we've turned it on for him. He is certainly nowhere near knowing how to turn it on though. That's crazy that B can do that already!

Hmm, good question. I think we got it when he was around 12 weeks, and he was pretty into it from the beginning. I'd say it was closer to four months when he really started staring at it and reaching out for it.

 

[sunnyd]

Oh Missy, I can't believe it. That is so unbelievably awful, I'm so so sorry for your loss.

Hi everyone, sitting here on my first day back to work...bleh. Things got crazy around Christmas when I had to spend a week in the hospital getting my gallbladder removed. Turns out my reflux was actually 2cm gallstones. It was pretty infected and nasty in there so I was in the hospital from the 26th until the 31st. Baby spent that week and NYE with grandparents. I did get an extra week of leave because of it, but the recovery is still going. Of course I threw out my back too, since my stomach muscles were so weak. YAY. It also killed my milk supply not being able to eat or feed her (I pumped a little, but not enough) so she's now getting one bottle of BM per day, formula the rest of the time. So basically, she just got a lot more expensive!

Harlowe's doing well though, she's so fricking strong! Three months yesterday and she already wants to sit up. When she's laying in my arms she'll start the sit up motion. She likes to look around at everything. I feel like she's close to rolling over too. It's usually when she's mad about something, she'll get onto her side but her arm gets in the way of going all the way over. She's already kinda flopped from her belly to back. Crazy!

I hope everyone is doing well, I think I might be able to keep up more now that I'm back at work. We'll see how busy they keep me!

 

[choro72]

Missy, you two are so brave. Love the shirt!

LC, how old is Ethan? I have a 7 month old who has never slept for more than a 3 hours stretch at night. He sleeps best when he's cuddled with me, his crib is a storage space. I always end up feeding him, and sleepover is out out of the question. Hope you feel better about Ethan!

 

[Haven]

Missy--I think of you and your family often. I'm so happy to hear the benefit was a success. It sounds like you and your husband are both so strong, and together I imagine you two are invincible.

I lost a friend nine years ago, and his brother said something I think of whenever someone is taken from this earth too early. He said, "Noah's gone too soon, so we have to live for him now. We have to live well to honor his memory." You have a huge circle of friends and family who no doubt are inspired to make the best of the time they have to honor Blake and his memory. Please know the Havens are a part of that circle. You are in our thoughts and our hearts.

 

[Haven]

Fisher--We have an Ergo, a Moby, and a mei tai. The Ergo is for DH because he refuses to wear the Moby wrap, and the Moby and mei tai are for me. I love them all. (I'm 5'10" and around 165 lb when not pregnant or pp, so I'm definitely not petite!)

The Moby is my favorite because it puts Brienz right up against my chest, so we get wonderful skin-to-skin time even if I'm up and moving around. The Ergo is nice because it's super easy to put on and use. The Moby isn't difficult, but it takes some practice. The mei tai is easy too, and a friend gave it to me as a gift because she said it's the best carrier she's ever used. She toted a friend's 30 lb tot around in it for days and didn't have any issues, so that's a great endorsement.

Do you have any babywearing groups near you? The groups around here have a stash of carriers they lend out so people can try them before buying. And they can help you wrap if you're interested in that, too.

 

[MuffDog]

Hi everyone

Been a while but I still pop in every now and then to check an all you awesome mommies!

Missy - I'm so glad the benefit went well. That shirt is fantastic. I have thought about you a lot since you posted and I just wanted you to know that. Bad days or good days - we'll be here for you if you want to talk.

Sunnyd - back to work?! Ugh. I am already dreading that day (and I don't go back until June). Sad. Funny comment about having more time to be on PS now that you are at work. I feel the same way. Even though I'm home all day I find it so challenging to sit down and do some of the things that I used to do (PS, my blog, etc). Sorry to hear about your gallstones - glad they were taken care of though!

Amc80 - congrats on the rolling! It is so much more fun when they start rolling because they seem to get more interactive and get less frustrated because they can get around a little.

lliang_chi - that stinks about the sleep changes. We are harsh little sleep trainers over here and if L got up in the MOTN I would check on him to make sure he wasn't sick or hadn't pooped (which is unlikely - see below) and then leave again and let him figure it out. I guess I'm so paranoid about enabling him with a bad sleep habit that I go the opposite direction. Luca also used to wake up and cry in his crib. It was annoying. He does it now only if he is still tired and can't get back to bed or if I've ignored him for too long

AFU - Luca is almost 7 months old now. He is finally a (generally) happy baby! Big smiles, laughing a few times a day and he is easy enough to entertain for the most part. Such a great improvement. He seems like he is close to crawling - up on all fours and sometimes goes right up on his hands and feet. It is pretty cute! Although I'm not quite ready for it...

His sleep has really improved - 12-13 hours at night (no wakings) and 3 naps during the day (2x2hours and 1x1hour). Thank goodness. My mom likes to give me a hard time about our 'schedule' and how I will have to loosen up but when we go off schedule, Luca is not a happy camper. I can push him an extra 30 minutes or so of being awake but past that he gets quite upset. So I may not get out of the house as much, but not dealing with his screaming is worth it!

Here are a few pics!

 

[Buttons]

Missy I am so glad the benefit went well. Those shirts are adorable. You are an inspiration. Blake was so blessed in his parents and his future little brother or sister will be so lucky. I have been thinking of you and your DH and of Blake every single day since you posted and keeping you all in my prayers.

Muff good to see you! One of my good friends has a little boy who also thrives on a schedule and goes nuclear when she deviates from it so I know where you are coming from. I am not a routines kind of person but I am watching T closely now these coming weeks to see if he has a natural rhythm himself - if he is the kind of baby that needs a routine I will have to implement that as I feel like I can't let him suffer because I'm a more wing-it kind of person. Luca is so cute! He looks full of mischief!

Haven how are you getting on Mama? Are the early weeks treating you well?

Choro I have a three month old who seems to be the exact same. He sleeps one stretch per night in his co-sleeper and the rest of the night it 'stores' my glasses and my phone on the charger!

Sunny I am sorry to hear about the gallstones and the surgery. Are you recovering OK? That must be so tough dealing with that on top of having to look after Harlowe. T is three months today and he is doing many of the same things - guess we've got two active ones on our hands?!

monkey sorry to hear about E's cold! T hasn't been sick yet, I'm dreading his first dose, I'd say it will upset me more than him! Hope he is on the mend really soon and back to himself in no time.

Steph yay for 'me time'!!! I had some of that at the weekend, a two hour drive to go see a friend and throw her a mini shower = four hours alone time in the car to sing along with the radio at the top of my voice and not wake up a sleeping baby, and four hours of girly chatter with my best girlfriends. Bliss

lliang I have no advice but I wanted to shout out and say I am thinking of you! I hope things improve soon. Sending lots and lots of sleepy vibes E's way!!!

Fisher we have a Moby wrap and an Ergo. I didn't bother buying the infant insert for the Ergo as it was expensive and the reviews I read online were extremely mixed. I used the Moby until T was big enough for the Ergo. Now we use the Ergo almost exclusively - and I didn't think I'd like it, we only got it because DH wanted a carrier for himself and he wasn't big on the Moby as he thought it looked complicated. The Moby looks intimidating but honestly you only have to try it out once and you'll 'get' it. Size wise, I'm 5'5" and about 165lbs post pregnancy and DH is 6'2" and something around 240lbs I'd guess, and the Moby and the Ergo fit us both comfortably. With the Moby you tie it fresh each time to your own liking. With the Ergo the only adjustment we ever make is on the arm straps (like tightening a back pack) and it's no extra work as you loosen those straps anyway when you're taking it off.

===

AFU things are going grand over here. I mulled over my interaction with that awful nurse and managed to put my finger on what it was that bothered me - in the whole hour I was with her she never once asked how I was coping or if I needed any advice on anything in particular or any support with anything. The nurse I saw in my home town straight after the birth made me feel so supported and secure and gave me great faith in my ability to be a good mother whereas this woman operated from the presumption that I knew nothing and that she had to give me a list of things to do or else I'd mess up. Pfffff. I will be using my hypnobirthing CDs again before his next appointment and doing my 'water off a duck's back' affirmations! Unfortunately she is the only public health nurse in the region so I am stuck with her.

After looking up more info on baby swimming I decided to ignore Nurse Crazy and I did take T to the baby swimming class I had found (NEL thanks for your post about this too, you made me feel better about it!). It was so much fun and I am so glad I did it. It is just amazing what the babies can do straight away in the water. His very first class and he was floating on his back all by himself with my hands just hovering beneath him I was such a proud Mama

I also went to a baby sign language class yesterday which was great fun. I have been signing 'milk' to him whenever I feed him, and singing the two songs from the class that I can remember. He goes wild for this one song called 'I love Mummy', you sing it to the tune of Frere Jacques. He thrashes his arms and legs about like a mad thing and squeals along with me!

I also emailed a girl who teaches baby massage in the village I'm living in and she told me about a mother and baby coffee morning so I went along to that. All this stuff is exhausting but I have to get out and about to try and make friends as I don't know anyone here yet. I have a plan too to join a local club to have an outlet outside the Mammies & babies scene, and to give DH some alone time with T. Hopefully the effort will pay off.

T is doing great and is generally a very happy little man. I think he is settling into a nap/wake pattern which is great. He generally does two 2 hr naps per day, or three 45 min naps (this is only counting sleeps prior to 7pm). He still doesn't do a long sleep at night until after midnight so for my own sanity I am thinking of all sleeps before midnight as naps rather than as failures to stay asleep My theory is that over time, and once he starts on solids, those late evening naps will amalgamate into a longer sleep... fingers crossed!

Hope everyone else is doing well!

 

[Haven]

I also want to add for anyone considering a Moby:
When we first started using it I used the Newborn Hug Hold, which isn't hard to tie at all, BUT you can't adjust the tightness once you tie it on. I just started using the Front Wrap Cross Carry and I LOVE it. Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-gTJl6JZRg
The FWCC is nice because you can adjust the tightness after you place baby on your chest. I think it also might be a less intimidating tie to use when you first try the Moby.

Buttons--We are chugging along, thank you for asking! I'm so jealous of T's sleep/nap schedule! I know we'll get there eventually . . .

Brienz is four weeks old today, I can't believe it. The first few weeks were so hard, and I cried a lot, but many of those tears were tears of awe and amazement, too. Now I'm feeling much better, and more competent and capable of surviving the sleep deprivation. Everyone tells you it's hard at first, but holy moly it is HARD. A good friend of mine took a bus to Chicago from Minnesota and spent three nights with us last week, and that was a life saver. Otherwise we haven't had much real help, rather everyone just wants to come and hold the baby while he's sleeping during the day. Having someone here who really wanted to help was incredible. My sister and her husband stayed over one night too, and that was also amazing.

My next big challenge is actually leaving the house with Brienz! I really cannot fathom how we're going to manage going anywhere without DH. The prospect is overwhelming, but I know we'll get there.

I'm teaching one online class this semester, and access started yesterday. A part of me wishes I had just taken off the entire semester altogether, because I can already feel my enthusiasm for teaching is pretty much nonexistent. I know it will come back in time, but right now all I want to do is cuddle with B all day.

 

[monkeyprincess]

The first few weeks were so hard, and I cried a lot, but many of those tears were tears of awe and amazement, too. Now I'm feeling much better, and more competent and capable of surviving the sleep deprivation. Everyone tells you it's hard at first, but holy moly it is HARD.

I know, right?!!! That was exactly my reaction. I thought I was prepared and I would kind of poo poo everyone's war tales, but you just don't quite get it until you experience it for yourself. But right at about 4 weeks is when I felt like I could deal with it. I still whined and complained about E's whining and complaining, but I knew that I could physically and emotionally handle it. Leaving the house alone is not as bad as it seems. I found that I was so much better off if I forced myself fix up and leave the house at least every other day. So E and I made a lot of unnecessary trips to Target.

Buttons, sounds like things are going well for you and T. So glad to hear it. Good for you for getting out and meeting people. I would think having a baby and going to mommy-opriented activities makes that a little easier because at least you know you have something in common and have something to talk about!

Muff, Luca is so cute! Such big eyes! I'm happy for you that you have figured out a schedule that works for you. Some babies apparently just need a lot more predictability and sleep than others. So far, our little guy is super unpredictable and defies any sort of scheduling I attempt to impose. I'm guessing daycare will eventually force him into one.

Sunnyd, I'm back at work too. It's hard, but I'm surviving much better than I expected. I still tear up almost every morning when my husband leaves with the baby though. I miss my lazy mornings with him. Sorry to hear about the gallstones, and that's really too bad about your supply. Any hope of building it back up? I failed miserably at nursing , so I'm no help.

AFU, we had another minor blowout out one of the diaper leg holes after E's morning feed today. That's two days in a row, and it had never had it happen previously. Any suggestions? Now that I'm back to work, I have been waiting to change him until he is done feeding, so I can wait to change him into a new outfit. Maybe I just need to make sure he has a fresh diaper before his first feed. Or maybe it's time to move up to Size 2 diapers (but I think they'd be huge on him)?

 

[sunnyd]

Muff, not until June?! Lucky you! Sounds like you have a good little sleeper on your hands! One of the things I worry about is if H is getting enough sleep. She does well at night, she goes down at 9 or 9:30 (which might be really late?) and doesn't wake until somewhere between 3:30 and 5:30. She'll go back down for a couple of hours after that. Her naps are short power naps during the day, unless she's wiped out! And I can't put her down, she's an arm napper. Luca is so cute and smiley! H is still very deliberate with her smiles. She has to be really impressed!

Buttons, recovering well, yes. My back still spasms when I breathe in too deeply, burp, hiccup, bend wrong... but that is only partly related to the surgery. Arg! Sorry about your nurse being awful, that would be really frustrating!

Monkey, poor sick baby! I'm dreading the first cold. H is already so boogery though, maybe she wouldn't even notice! Haha! I can't believe you've only had one blowout so far. There was a point a few weeks ago when we'd be lucky to only have one PER DAY. LOL! My SIL (who's watching H now) just sent me a picture and she was in her backup outfit, so you know what that means! She's down to only 1 or 2 poops a day now, is that normal? When I was EBFing it was pretty much after every feeding!

Fisher we have the Ergo sans infant insert. I just rolled up a receiving blanket and put it at the bottom. Also when she was really tiny she sat with her legs tucked under her so she didn't seem floppy in it. I do find it is a 2-man operation to get her in though. Anyone else with the Ergo have this issue? Or know how to get around it? I can't clip the back by myself, DH has to do it once she's in there.

 

[amc80]

AFU, we had another minor blowout out one of the diaper leg holes after E's morning feed today. That's two days in a row, and it had never had it happen previously. Any suggestions? Now that I'm back to work, I have been waiting to change him until he is done feeding, so I can wait to change him into a new outfit. Maybe I just need to make sure he has a fresh diaper before his first feed. Or maybe it's time to move up to Size 2 diapers (but I think they'd be huge on him)?

What brand are you using? We had a ton of blowouts at first, when B's legs were super skinny. We were using Pampers, which seemed to be for a chunkier kid. He was outgrowing his size 1s by height, but the leg holes were still huge. We switched to Huggies Little Snugglers and those were a huge improvement. And the Pampers 2s seemed really baggy. The Huggies Little Snugglers were longer, but more trim.

The first few weeks were so hard, and I cried a lot, but many of those tears were tears of awe and amazement, too. Now I'm feeling much better, and more competent and capable of surviving the sleep deprivation. Everyone tells you it's hard at first, but holy moly it is HARD.

Big ditto. Thinking about the first 4-6 weeks is enough to make me question having more kids. It was so rough. I cried so many times, mostly in the middle of the night, when B would be hungry after just having eaten.

 

[sunnyd]

Brienz is four weeks old today, I can't believe it. The first few weeks were so hard, and I cried a lot, but many of those tears were tears of awe and amazement, too. Now I'm feeling much better, and more competent and capable of surviving the sleep deprivation. Everyone tells you it's hard at first, but holy moly it is HARD. A good friend of mine took a bus to Chicago from Minnesota and spent three nights with us last week, and that was a life saver. Otherwise we haven't had much real help, rather everyone just wants to come and hold the baby while he's sleeping during the day. Having someone here who really wanted to help was incredible. My sister and her husband stayed over one night too, and that was also amazing.

My next big challenge is actually leaving the house with Brienz! I really cannot fathom how we're going to manage going anywhere without DH. The prospect is overwhelming, but I know we'll get there.

Haven, I had anxiety about leaving the house by myself too. H was such a fusser that I didn't want to burden anyone with her noise! She would start screaming to eat every 2 hours or less, so by the time she ate, pooped, left, and got to our destination it would be time for her to eat again! Now it's easier, but I remember back then being so scared to leave!

We had the same issue with houseguests coming for a couple of hours and just holding the baby. Now I know with number 2 they can hold the baby if they pick a chore to do! Haha!

 

[sunnyd]

AFU, we had another minor blowout out one of the diaper leg holes after E's morning feed today. That's two days in a row, and it had never had it happen previously. Any suggestions? Now that I'm back to work, I have been waiting to change him until he is done feeding, so I can wait to change him into a new outfit. Maybe I just need to make sure he has a fresh diaper before his first feed. Or maybe it's time to move up to Size 2 diapers (but I think they'd be huge on him)?

What brand are you using? We had a ton of blowouts at first, when B's legs were super skinny. We were using Pampers, which seemed to be for a chunkier kid. He was outgrowing his size 1s by height, but the leg holes were still huge. We switched to Huggies Little Snugglers and those were a huge improvement. And the Pampers 2s seemed really baggy. The Huggies Little Snugglers were longer, but more trim.

I just had a lightbulb moment. H's legs are super skinny too, and her blowouts are usually out the leg holes. Hmmm, but we don't like the Huggies as much. They seemed baggy around the waist. Maybe H is just ill-fitted for all diapers. Hahaha.

 

[Haven]

MP --YES! I had no idea, none at all, just how desperate and incompetent and exhausted I was going to feel. The crazy thing for me was that the nights were sooooo long that first week, and I would have these desperate moments where I seriously questioned my ability to keep up this crazy new schedule, and I'd cry and wonder how anyone ever had more than one child. I'd worry that I wasn't going to be good enough for B, that so many people have done this before and done it better, and that he got the short end of the stick for ending up with this sobbing heap of a mother. And THEN morning came, the sun would rise, and I'd find myself on the entirely opposite end of the spectrum--overwhelmed with how lucky I am to have B and wondering how I ever lived without him, gazing at his little face as he nursed, crying tears of joy and gratitude for everything I have in life. Talk about a roller coaster! The nights were so long, and the days so short.

I'm convinced I will forget all of this very soon, and THAT is how children end up with younger siblings.

Sunny--I do have a problem with worrying too much about B crying in public and bothering others. I'm going to have to suck it up and just get out of here eventually!

The visitors nearly killed us our first week home, so now I've said people can only visit on Saturdays or Sundays while DH is here too, so I can just sleep or shower when people are here. I told DH that people are only welcome if they come bearing food or cleaning supplies.

 

[amc80]

AFU, we had another minor blowout out one of the diaper leg holes after E's morning feed today. That's two days in a row, and it had never had it happen previously. Any suggestions? Now that I'm back to work, I have been waiting to change him until he is done feeding, so I can wait to change him into a new outfit. Maybe I just need to make sure he has a fresh diaper before his first feed. Or maybe it's time to move up to Size 2 diapers (but I think they'd be huge on him)?

What brand are you using? We had a ton of blowouts at first, when B's legs were super skinny. We were using Pampers, which seemed to be for a chunkier kid. He was outgrowing his size 1s by height, but the leg holes were still huge. We switched to Huggies Little Snugglers and those were a huge improvement. And the Pampers 2s seemed really baggy. The Huggies Little Snugglers were longer, but more trim.

I just had a lightbulb moment. H's legs are super skinny too, and her blowouts are usually out the leg holes. Hmmm, but we don't like the Huggies as much. They seemed baggy around the waist. Maybe H is just ill-fitted for all diapers. Hahaha.

Are you in the normal Huggies (Snug and Dry) or the Little Snugglers? There's a difference...We had a heck of a time with B at first. I swear for the first month he would leak out of every diaper.

 

[amc80]

Sunny--I do have a problem with worrying too much about B crying in public and bothering others. I'm going to have to suck it up and just get out of here eventually!

OMG, this happened to me. I was out shopping over the weekend and B was sound asleep. All of a sudden he woke up and started SCREAMING. I took him out of his car seat as fast as possible and was able to calm him down, but those 20-30 seconds took forever.


Can I get some dust from you ladies? This weekend I'm going to my BFF's baby shower. She lives four hours away. B and I are going on our own, because DH couldn't get off work. A four hour drive. With a 5 month old. Alone.

 

[sunnyd]

I'd cry and wonder how anyone ever had more than one child.

Me too! I'd cry from exhaustion and wonder how in the world we could keep this up. But of course it gets so much easier, and you do forget how hard it was. Bonus, next time you'll know what you're doing and it hopefully won't be so overwhelming! Haha!

 

[sunnyd]

AFU, we had another minor blowout out one of the diaper leg holes after E's morning feed today. That's two days in a row, and it had never had it happen previously. Any suggestions? Now that I'm back to work, I have been waiting to change him until he is done feeding, so I can wait to change him into a new outfit. Maybe I just need to make sure he has a fresh diaper before his first feed. Or maybe it's time to move up to Size 2 diapers (but I think they'd be huge on him)?

What brand are you using? We had a ton of blowouts at first, when B's legs were super skinny. We were using Pampers, which seemed to be for a chunkier kid. He was outgrowing his size 1s by height, but the leg holes were still huge. We switched to Huggies Little Snugglers and those were a huge improvement. And the Pampers 2s seemed really baggy. The Huggies Little Snugglers were longer, but more trim.

I just had a lightbulb moment. H's legs are super skinny too, and her blowouts are usually out the leg holes. Hmmm, but we don't like the Huggies as much. They seemed baggy around the waist. Maybe H is just ill-fitted for all diapers. Hahaha.

Are you in the normal Huggies (Snug and Dry) or the Little Snugglers? There's a difference...We had a heck of a time with B at first. I swear for the first month he would leak out of every diaper.

I think they were Little Snugglers. I think.

Good luck this weekend! Hopefully he'll sleep for most of the ride!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Oh Haven, your experience sounds so similar to mine. I am so used to knowing how to do things or being able to figure them out quickly, and motherhood was just a whole different game. I clearly remember being awake with E at 2 am on night that first week, and he was all red and just screaming his head off because I had dared to change his diaper (now the crazy kid laughs and giggles during diaper changes), and I remember having this dialogue with myself,"There has got to be a way for me to undo this and unload this child on someone else. I'm not cut out to be a mother. I'm too selfish. DH and I were better off with just cats." And it seemed entirely rational at the time. Ha ha ha. I was just not right in the head those first few weeks. I think I was actually scared of my baby for awhile, as weird as that sounds.

And the whole amnesia thing is real. There is clearly a biological conspiracy to encourage us to procreate because I am already fantasizing about another baby. I have somehow managed to sugarcoat the whole late pregnancy, labor and delivery and first 6 weeks of E's life and convince myself that I'm ready to do it again. I'm not. But there are days that I think we should just let nature takes its course and see if we could somehow conceive quickly on our own this time. Of course that would involve me being in bed with DH at the same time, and both of us being awake at the same time while the baby is sleeping in his crib, and both feeling like DTD, and us being comfortable not having the baby monitor in the room because that would just be weird. Yeah, not happening anytime soon!

amc, you are ambitious. I have not attempted more than a half hour drive on my own with the baby. I usually spend a good part of our drives reaching back and grabbing his face to try to find his mouth, so I can stick his pacifier in it to try to stop him from crying. And when DH and I are together, I sit in the back with the baby. Hopefully you can just go at a time when he is ready to nap. I will have to look into the Huggies. We use Pampers Swaddlers, and the funny thing is that someone told me to use them because E is long and skinny. Seriously, my kid is like in the 70th percentile for height and 10 percentile for weight (or he used to be before we switched formula).

Sunnyd, on his current formula, E has about 2-3 dirty diapers a day. Before we figured out he had a milk/soy allergy, it seemed like he would either have one/none or four/five a day.

 

[dani13]

Hi all!

Sunny, just wanted to tell you, you are SO NOT the only one who has a hard time with the Ergo. I also have a difficult time snapping it in the back if Im all alone. Im not the most flexible person, plus I still have carpal tunnel in both wrists, so to say its hard is an understatement!!! L doesnt seem to really like it anyway (he HATES anything where he feels restricted, lol), so I havent been using it that much! We got the Moby as a gift and returned it pretty much right away, because, well, maybe it was just MH and I (I think we are (relatively) intelligent people), but we felt that at least one of us needed a degree in engineering to put that thing on!!! Way too hard to figure out!!!! LOL!

MP, Hi!!! Glad you're doing well with your return back to work. How's the daycare going? Im DREADING going back to work...Im going back first week in March. And even though Im only going back part time and my parents will be watching L, Im still having a difficult time knowing that I wont be with him all the time. It kills me. But I guess we all have to do what we have to do!! Its a bummer though!

Hi Haven! So happy your doing well! Your post made me tear up, because so many of your thoughts mirror mine. Those first few wks were SO HARD. I totally underestimated the breastfeeding -how much work it would be and how much anxiety I would have over it. I doubted myself all the time, and almost quit about 10,000 times. I would say at about 6 weeks things (basically) clicked into place and we were pretty much on our way. Believe me, some days I struggle still, but basically what's important to remember is just to live in the moment, because just because today didnt go so well, that means nothing about how tomorrow will be, you know? Nursing L has been such a beautiful experience for me overall, especially now that he is getting older. Today I was feeding him and I was watching TV as he was eating. I noticed he had stopped for awhile, so I looked down, and saw him lovingly gazing into my eyes. He then proceeded to give me the biggest smile ever!!! My heart is so full of love for him, I can barely take it!!!! Its crazy!!!!A mother's love is just so powerful.

I do understand you ladies about having anxiety over leaving the house. Between the cold and the flu this year, we barely ever leave, and Im really getting cabin fever!! I took a small trip shopping the other day, and within 5 mins of getting into the store, L pretty much wigged out and started to have a meltdowm. He hates being strapped in the carseat (see above) because he hates feeling restricted in any way. Loves car rides, hates the car seat. Go figure. Plus, Im so not a public breast feeder, so wherever I go, I schedule it around his feeding times so that Im home when he needs to eat.

AFU, anyone else dealing with teething? Im not 100% sure and I know its a little early (L will be 4 months on the 27th), but I think he is starting. He has lots of clear saliva and is generally crankier than usual lately. He is also gnawing on anything and everything that hits his mouth. We are trying the teething rings and the frozen washcloths, but he doesnt seem to like anything cold.
As far as sleeping, well....it's not so great. Basically he does one 4-5 hr stretch from 7-11/12-ish, but then it takes us about 2 hrs give or take to get him to go back down. Its nuts! Then he proceeds to wake up every 3 hours thereafter to eat. My Mom keeps telling me I have to get him on a schedule. How the heck do I get a 3.5 month old on a schedule? Im clueless! I would love to read one of the many books I have on sleep,etc., but I am just so sleep deprived and exhausted I barely get through the day. Anyone have any input/suggestions? THANKS!!

 

[amc80]

AFU, anyone else dealing with teething? Im not 100% sure and I know its a little early (L will be 4 months on the 27th), but I think he is starting. He has lots of clear saliva and is generally crankier than usual lately. He is also gnawing on anything and everything that hits his mouth. We are trying the teething rings and the frozen washcloths, but he doesnt seem to like anything cold.
As far as sleeping, well....it's not so great. Basically he does one 4-5 hr stretch from 7-11/12-ish, but then it takes us about 2 hrs give or take to get him to go back down. Its nuts! Then he proceeds to wake up every 3 hours thereafter to eat. My Mom keeps telling me I have to get him on a schedule. How the heck do I get a 3.5 month old on a schedule? Im clueless! I would love to read one of the many books I have on sleep,etc., but I am just so sleep deprived and exhausted I barely get through the day. Anyone have any input/suggestions? THANKS!!

Yes! And I have been since about 3 months. Drool, chewing, and, as of lately, crankiness and mild fever. Hopefully those suckers pop through soon.

As far as getting a 3.5 year old on a schedule, you don't. My mom told me the same thing, that he needs to be on a set schedule. She also said I was on a schedule by 3 months...but my mom tends to have a foggy, optimistic memory. So I'm doubtful. At this point, the best you can hope for is a routine. We have a great night time routine, but that's about it. I also know that he gets cranky around 7:30pm and won't go to sleep for the night until 9pm, so I have to give him lots of attention and keep him occupied. Even if he falls asleep before then he will wake up around 9, as if to say "I told you my bedtime is 9, don't try to put be to sleep before that." I have also come to realize that in the mornings, he wakes for the day around 9:30, so if he's up before then (he usually wakes around 7am as well) it's for a short time, maybe 45 minutes, and then he's out.

 

[monarch64]

Missy, you're amazing. I'm happy for you that the benefit went so well, and how awesome that your husband was able to give such a wonderful speech. I'm glad you have so much support. I've thought about you every day since you posted the news (and I was wondering where you were during your absence from this thread). Our babies were born ten days apart and every time I think of that my heart breaks for you all over again. You are a very strong woman, and Blake is/was blessed to have you as a mommy. I really admire your fortitude and grace. My thoughts continue to be with you and your family. I hope to see you posting here whenever you feel like it, and I really really hope that someday we see you posting in the pregnancy thread again. Hugs.

LC, you'll get through the move/overnight/sleep issues. You've done such a great job so far with everything, I know you can do this!

AMC, that is awesome your little guy is rolling! And so great that he likes baby food, ours took what seemed like forever to figure out food vs. bottle and I was getting worried!

Stephbolt, glad you got some "me time." It really works wonders. Now that your husband is a pro at watching N, you can really relax and enjoy your "me time!"

MP, I can't believe he is already 3 months! That went by quick. Oh, the blowouts at inopportune moments...we have those, too. In fact, my husband was late meeting me today due to one that he said took him half an hour to clean up and get going again. Sorry to hear he has a cold, but good that he doesn't seem upset by it. Did you get a Nose Frida? We bought one but haven't had to use it yet; A had a little cold about a month ago but it only lasted a few days and she never got seriously congested. My husband and I came down with colds this weekend and I actually considered using it on myself for a split second. But then I remembered that I am an adult, not a baby. Ha ha.

S&I, 9 months?!? Our A doesn't have teeth yet either, and she's 7 3/4 months.

Sunnyd, I am so sorry to hear that you had to deal with gallstones! Yikes! Glad you are on the mend. And throwing out your back too, that must have been really tough. We mommies are tough cookies, though, I think once you get through pregnancy and labor/delivery you can do pretty much anything! Here's to good health in 2013! Btw, I seriously love the name Harlowe, I think I've told you that before but every time I read it I smile.

Choro, good to see you here. Is your little one easily soothed back to sleep? A wakes up multiple times a night these days (probably every 2-3 hours), but she either eats a bit and goes right back to sleep or is easily consoled and falls back asleep pretty fast. She has been waking at 4 a.m. consistently for the past 6 weeks and thinks she's up for the day. Husband is an early riser (well, he used to not be able to sleep past 5 a.m.) so he typically does the early morning shift. I handle the 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift.

MuffDog, Luca is such an adorable baby! I love his outfits, and oh that smile!

Buttons, so glad you followed your instincts and took T to swim class, that's awesome! You're an inspiration, I really want to get A out more and do things like that with her. I'm struggling with working a lot of hours outside the house and at home right now but I know I need to make time. Glad your little boy is so happy, that's great!! You're a fabulous mommy!

Havennn! Brienz is a month old already, wow! Time flies. You'll do fine getting out on your own with him, you really will. Just do short trips first and get the hang of things, and before you know it you'll be a pro. If the baby cries while you're out, do not despair. You will mostly get glances of concern and understanding from people rather than any negative reactions. I have what seems to be an infinite amount of patience for crying babies in public now that I have a baby. I think most people just pause and want to make sure everything's ok rather than think you're a bad parent or something. Yes, it is very, very hard the first couple months with the sleep deprivation, the nonstop visits, the never-ending cycle of feed, sleep, change, bathe, laundry, etc. but you're doing great! Crying is so cathartic. All that emotion has to go somewhere, you know? I don't know one mommy who didn't feel like she was falling apart at one point or another. So nice of your friend to come down and help you out for a few days, what a lifesaver! Sorry for the ramble, I'm typing in between laundry, playing with A, feeding her, and other random tasks! Proofreading? What is that? LOL

AFU: A is 7 months, 3 weeks now and is crawling everywhere, into everything, and generally a joy to be around. I miss her every time I leave for work and can't wait to get home so we can have mommy/baby time together. Our current routine is I get home, give her a bath, put her in jammies, we read her a story, sing her lullabies, and put her to bed. She loves bathtime, and is even starting to say "baaa" when she's in her little pink plastic tub in our master bathtub. Then when I wet her hair by pouring a cup of water over her head, I say "are you ready?" and she closes her eyes and puts her chin down, it's the CUTEST. She sputters and then giggles. Then when I finish washing and rinsing her off, I wrap her up in a towel and we play "where's the baby?" in the mirror. Tonight she decided to wave at me in the mirror, and I was taken aback. I thought it was a fluke, but I tested it by taking her downstairs (out of routine) and telling her to wave at daddy and she did! It's not really a wave, it's her smacking me in the chest. But I think that's still a wave? It made me tear up. She already doesn't look like a baby anymore, she has all this hair and my brother even commented a couple weeks ago that she looks like a kid and not an infant now. Sigh. That old cliche, how does it go? "They grow up way too fast." So true. I wish I could slow time down every day. God, I love this child. Here are some pics, a couple taken back in Nov. when she was not quite 6 months with her lovely cousin who will be 5 already in February (some of you may remember me posting a long time ago about my niece's birth) and a couple from yesterday taken hastily with my phone using instagram.

Thanks for being here, mommies! Someone told me this week that I was a great mommy, and it made me feel so good. Maybe we don't hear that enough. So I want to tell all of you that I think you are really great moms and that I'm proud to be posting here with you all. Sorry for missing anyone, I'm sure you understand what it's like to try to keep up and then write a lengthy post during which you are interrupted about a thousand times.

 

[amc80]

B was super cranky last night and I put him to sleep at 8. He woke up at 10:15 to eat, and then slept until 6. I got about 7.5 straight hours of sleep. OMG that was amazing.

 

[Haven]

I don't have time for a long post, but MONNY! Ohmigosh, A is gorgeous and she looks just like you! Especially in the third picture. Holy moly, I could have picked our out of 1,000 children as your daughter!
What a little beauty.

Okay, I'll come back later for a proper post.