Hellobee Boards

@MrsADS: oh no! I hope the Prevacid helps!!

Thanks everyone for your kind words! We all have our struggles with these new babies, it is not easy for anyone. I have also struggled with the parenting issues with DH that some of you have written about - I can tell he's nervous caring for LO alone with all his issues, but I can't be "on" 24/7. Like for example, he is just not as good as settling him when he's crying as I am (but it's because he hasn't done it as much). And it's SO hard for me not to just swoop in and take the baby, or tell him "do this, try this", but I am trying to be better about it.

On another topic, for those of you with slightly older LOs, when did you start taking them out places? M will be 3 weeks old tomorrow (how?!?!) and I am still not wanting to go out to public places just yet (i.e. Target, church, etc). Of course with the reflux it may be a while anyway- he's either screaming or soaking everything in spit up which makes it tough to leave the house!

LO also officially outgrew NB diapers, we've switched to size 1s. Hard to believe!

@MrsADS: I started taking R out of the house at only a few days old. Mostly to doctor, park, stop at a coffee shop. We went to a BBQ for Labor Day, and I've taken her shopping once. And even to a happy hour lol.

Omg yesterday I asked DH to prepare a bottle of formula for R, only an hour after I showed him how to do it - first he comes in with a bottle that has DOUBLE the amount of water it should have in. I got upset obv and asked him to remake it. So then he comes back in with the new formula and also a bottle of pumped milk. Sits down to feed her and spills the entire bottle of breast milk on her bc he hadn't screwed the cap on well enough! I lost it. I work so hard for that little bit of milk! He is a great dad and means well but omg how am I supposed to trust him to do things when he isn't paying attention to detail?

@buttermilk: Did you tell him you feel that way (the trust thing)? Maybe he needs a wake up call that he needs to pay better attention. The diluted formula is frightening because that CAN actually be damaging to R's health and growth.

@getjazzy: @MrsADS: yeah I was so pissed. it made him super flustered too and somehow he tried to blame me for spilling the milk even tho he was the one who assembled the bottle??? whatever! I think I've just accepted my fate after 10 years together. I'm not sure he will ever be better at these kinds of things! He is amazing in so many other ways though.

@MrsADS: so annoying about the meds, and I would definitely see if he can download an app! I just DL'd one the other day called Mango Health for keeping track of meds.

@Ms. RV: I was just thinking about this yesterday. With LO1, I went back to work at 8 weeks and my mom watched him. I started a loose schedule a week before I went back. This time, I'm staying home, so I don't know when to attempt it. It's also way harder to stick to anything with a toddler in the mix.

Great idea y'all on an app for the meds. DH would like that. Today's my first full day alone with M. (My mom was here until last Thursday, DH stayed home Friday and over the weekend). So far, he's just in a diaper, the house is a wreck, and I'm topless in pajama bottoms and we're both super sticky from milk and spit up. LOL. He JUST finally fell asleep so I was able to put him down.

Here's another discussion topic for today. M is a major sleep fighter and I think he gets SUPER overtired and that makes it harder for him to go to sleep. Plus the reflux keeps him up, so if I nurse him, he gets sleepy and then starts screaming since it hurts. But those of you who have sleep fighting babies, what are your tips and tricks to get them down? We're doing a lot of rocking, bouncing, shushing which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. At midnight last night DH put him in the stroller and walked around the neighborhood - he fell asleep, but of course woke up as soon as he got home and started crying again! M LOVES to nurse but overfilling his belly with milk just makes the problem worse. I wish I had an empty boob with no milk so he could just suck on it and fall asleep!!

Also for those of you nursing does your baby go BALLISTIC for the boobs? We crack up at how nuts M gets to nurse. He tries to latch on to DH, your shoulder, my shirt, anything he can and starts this super fast piggie grunting sound. And lunges his head around with his mouth as wide as he can get it. It's so cute - I can't decide if I have just a normal baby or I'm gonna have a little linebacker!

@MrsADS: C has been off the boob for at least a week now but will try to latch onto anything if she's hungry. She seriously tried to latch onto a wet diaper when I was changing her. Now they go immediately in the genie and don't rest on the changing table until we're all done. Lesson learned!

@Portboston I tried a carrier yesterday and my M was NOT having it. I hope he learns to like it, it would make my life a lot easier! He also goes nuts kicking and flailing his arms.

We are having out first "hard" day over here. I realize this is relative. E. Is tired, and taking short naps. When she wakes she acts hungry, eats for three minutes and then spends 20 mins spitting up. Then she only wants to be held. This is how my first was, so I know it's "normal" I've just been spoiled!

@MrsADS: my go to for nap times is a tight swaddle and dancing around to music. she actually likes the music kind of loud and the dancing more vigorous than you'd think! at night, and whenever I'm desperate, a tight swaddle and nursing always puts her out. since you don't have any empty boobs, what about letting him suck on your pinky instead? That always calms R down.

@MrsADS: try the Love to Dream swaddle! It is arms up!

P is having better diapers, and less baby acne, so I think the mspi diet is working!

Otherwise we are dealing with standard 6 weeks witching hour fussing etc. Not bad, but not perfect. Can't complain too much. She is such a doll!

I've been reading along! Sorry you're dealing with different issues!

Got discharged from my midwife yesterday! Lo is up to 10lbs 14oz and officially doesn't fit NB clothes, even some of her 0-3month clothes are getting close to being outgrown which is crazy to me since lo1 stayed in nb for 4ish months! She's still snuffly (thanks to her older sister being nearly always sick) so I think we'll delay her 6 week immunizations for a week or 2 so she can get better.

@MrsADS: Ramona also usually eventually sneaks her arms out, and generally hates the ACT of being swaddled, but she always calms down after a second once it's done. I find that if she isn't swaddled when I put her down, and even if her arm gets loose right away, she isn't in a deep enough sleep yet for her jerky little baby movements not to wake her back up. But if she is tight enough when I put her down we don't have any issues.

@MrsStar: Probably nothing other than pull and pray, which is what we did last time. We want a third and I hated the pill when I was on it before. After LO1, my period didn't return until 11 months pp and that cycle, I got pregnant (aka I've had one period in over 2.5 years!). I hope I have a similar experience this time because I haven't missed it haha. Since I'll be having another c-section next time, I'll either get a tubal or DH will get snipped.

@MrsStar: We're not having any more kids (and we'll adopt if we change our mind), so DH is getting snipped before the end of the year (our insurance is maxed, so best to do now).

@MrsADS: is the Prevacid not making a difference??
M's reflux seems to be worsening (although not nearly as bad as what you're dealing with) it's been screaming fits for 2 days now. we're going to his ped tomorrow to reassess his meds.
I keep wondering what I did to deserve this

@Ms. RV: I'm in the same boat lady. I'm over here in crazy town nursing/pumping/supplementing around the clock. It's so hard! Idk how I will keep it up long term if that's what ends up needing to happen. I'm waiting til her next weigh in on Friday and hoping for good news.

I am taking Goat's Rue now bc I suspect IGT and it helps to build mammary tissue. Also taking fenugreek, lots of water, oatmeal, and power pumping every evening. I do notice very gradual increases in what I am able to pump after each nursing session, but it's still under 4 ounces for the whole day. Also supplementing with 4 ounces of formula each day. You?

@Ms. RV @buttermilk @PortBoston: I am so sorry you all are having to deal with supply/feeding issues. I definitely know what it's like (although perhaps not to the same extent this time around as you). I am a fairly well-endowed person, and I often get really frustrated since I feel like my big boobs are of absolutely no use (and likely a hindrance) when it comes to feeding my kids.

I have been EP-ing for the last 3 weeks and I thought it would be less stressful than trying to nurse given that I'd know exactly how much N is getting and since my supply seemed better than with DD. But I am constantly worrying about how much I pump each time and how to increase it to meet his growing needs. Somehow I end up with a clog in one boob or the other every other day too which doesn't help with the output or the stress level. I am constantly questioning whether I can keep this up. I did it for about 4 months with DD but she was a little older so I wasn't having to pump as often and my supply was such that I had no choice but to supplement with formula so once I made the decision to pump/supplement, everything was less stressful. I told myself this time that I wouldn't drive myself (or DH or LO) crazy trying to make BFing work and I'd do whatever I needed to make sure the baby was fed and my sanity was intact. Easier said than done. I keep hoping I can avoid the formula this time (at least on a daily basis) and am pumping around the clock so the stress level is way higher. It's so so hard.

But despite the pressure I am putting on myself, I do know that formula is not the end of the world! DD thrived on a mix of formula/breastmilk for 4 months and then for another 4 months on just formula when my supply totally dried up. There is just so much pressure to EBF these days....I wish there could be more balance. Hang in there ladies-- and know that you are not alone.

@Portboston: you have a great attitude about it! I told myself today that I was gonna stop stressing so much. Certainly can't be helping my supply issues! So far I'm feeling better. I am doing everything I can and will do it for as long as I'm able, but other than that it is out of my control and some formula will not be the end of the world. I can probably keep at it through next week without seeing much improvement. I'd really like to be able to enjoy the second half of my maternity leave with this little one!