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@swedishfish: Woohoo!! New milestone!!! I love it!! Mine hasn't done that yet! DH always carries her to the bathroom without her nappy, too, and she has yet to pee on him!! I think she's behind in that area!
@Bookish: Wow, you're LO is a gift and a half when it comes to sleep!!!
We had a good evening, followed by a good night (with two wakes ups perfectly on schedule) followed by a good day today!!! Hurrah!!! I'm trying not to be too hopeful (it might just be fluke) but I really do think her new colic medication, which is an enzyme which breaks down the lactose in her bottles making her feed easier to digest, is actually working.
I actually like being a mummy today! -
@Foodnerd81: @swedishfish: Hahaha. S pooped in her second bath, too. We were so happy because she seemed so relaxed when we put her in...then we realized why.
That was the first and only time though! Phew!
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@Cherrybee: I'm so glad you are having a good day!!! So good to hear, I know you are having a rough time so I hope y'all have found a solution!
Yeah LO has been a miracle sleeper. I feel incredibly lucky, that's for sure.
I took her to my work today! Everyone went bananas over her, and I got to talk to adults! It was nice
it did remind me that I have to go back to work in two weeks...so I've been pretty weepy today about that. I hate that someone else gets to have her all day 
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@bisous: @Bookish: oh good, now I don't feel so guilty! DH is still much better at burping than I am though. We're still seeing spitup. I wonder if she gets elevated too far backwards when we do diaper changes?
@Cherrybee: hurrah, it must be such a relief to have found something that works :).
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@bisous: come to think of it I think the poop bath was the only one she ever liked! I'm hoping she learns to like the bath better soon!
Bf and pumping ladies- when do you feed lo the pumped milk? I'm terrified of messing with my supply.
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I was just coming here to post that C pooped in the bath for the first time ever tonight, haha! I see that he is in good company
I ended up taking him to the pediatrician yesterday because I was getting concerned that he wasn't gaining well. He's only 9 lbs 12 oz. just a slight increase from his 1 month visit. The ped isn't really concerned though, she kept telling me to look at the baby not the numbers. He's very long, he's happy, and he's alert - he was smiling away at the doctor during his appointment. I guess I've just got a long and lean baby, and I need to stop stressing over his weight!
@Cherrybee: So glad things are better for you!
@Bookish: I can't wait to take LO in to see my coworkers! I miss them.
With everything going on with my mom and caring for LO, I figured I would need to quit my job. I talked to my boss today, and it looks like I may be able to work from home for awhile, or until things improve with my mom. She really relies on me to pick her up from radiation treatments, make her meals and care for her on a daily basis. LO and I are over there every day while my dad is at work. It's a lot of work to care for both of them (though I really don't mind). That news brightened my day for sure. My maternity leave runs through October, so I won't have to think about it for a bit longer, but it's nice to know I don't have to quit.
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@Foodnerd81: random times. For instance, if she's been cluster feeding and I need a break, or if company's over and she shouldn't want to feed but does. If I go out to the store and she starts crying while I'm gone DH feeds her some from the bottle. I'm completely winging the bfing thing!
@Pepper: I miss my coworkers too! Some have been by to visit. How great that you'll be able to work from home. It's nice to work for people who truly care about you as a person, not just an employee
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@Foodnerd81: R gets a bottle every morning while I pump. I'm thinking about slowly moving towards mostly bottles as I go back to work in less than two weeks...or bottles during the times she'll be fed from them. I'm still hoping she will settle down into more of a set time table for eating and sleeping before September!
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@Pepper: that's so great that your job can be so flexible!
I'm not sure when I will bring Lo in to visit my coworkers. She will meet dh's the first week of sept since I have a dentist appt near his office so ill bring her to him to watch (the though dental hygienists want to meet her too!) Ill prob wait for her two month shots to being her to my office though, at which time I will probably end up telling them I'm not going back. It's going to be weird.
I've just found out my little sisters bachelorette party is going to be when C is only 2.5-3 months old, 2 hours away. It's a dinner drinking dancing and stay over st a hotel kind of thing. I don't know what to do- just go for a few hours and drive home? Stay overnight and pump a lot so Dh can feed her for the day, then pump at the party? I don't want to skip out on anything but its going to be really really hard to leave my little baby! And since I'm not going back to work I'm not planning on building up that much of a stash, though I can try. I wish the party was later- she isn't getting married until the spring!
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@Pepper: That's at least a little bit of good news in the midst of a really tough time. I'm so glad your employer is being flexible about this. Mine did the same - I worked from my mobile phone next to my dad's bedside for about a month. It really, really helps to have some normality - which work brings - so you don't hyper focus on the situation at home.
We have taken DD in to meet DH's co-workers but I haven't been in to see mine yet. I work 100 miles away from home, though! Plus, there's a guy there whose baby was due a couple of weeks after E but his wife went into labour at 29 weeks and the little boy didn't survive. I feel awkward about parading my healthy little baby in front of him, you know? I don't want to make it harder than it already is for him.
@Foodnerd81: Is it terrible that I'd totally go?! I'd miss her but I could really use a break. Mind, I say that now because it's not me being asked to leave my baby! Perhaps if it was me, I'd feel differently. Would your sister be hurt if you didn't get drunk with her on her hen night?
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@Foodnerd81: I think I would pump in advance to get enough for DH to feed her, go for a few hours and either not drink or pump and dump (I'm not a drinker though, so that's no great sacrifice in my part ;)) and drive back that night. You deserve some time out, but the first one being an overnight trip may be rough
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Hey!!! I broke out the baby gym today! I thought Elliott was probably a bit young for it still (4 weeks today) but she loved it!! She was batting and grabbing at one of the toys - I'm fairly sure it was a fluke but I'm totally claiming it!! I even thought I saw a smile??? DH was convinced he saw one the other night but I thought she was probably a bit young.... but look!
I let her play for 10 mins then removed her because I didn't want her to get too over stimulated. She was still a nightmare to get to sleep afterwards though!
How do you play with your LOs? Do you limit play time or just let them go until they get bored?
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@Cherrybee: oh she is definitely playing with itAND smiling! So cute! C will stair at the toys dangling on hers but hasn swatted at then yet. She only started noticing the dangling toys the other day. She also stared at a funny mirror while doing tummy time the other day. Mostly she wanted to eat the little pillow she was propped on though.
@StrawberryBee: she would not be that hurt if I didn't get drunk but would probably be hurt if I skipped it. The thig is- she is 5 years younger so I'm already going to feel like an old fogey with her friends, so not drinking will just make it even less fun. Is that terrible? I'm leaning towards going and drivin home though. I just can't see staying overnight, with still breast feeding. Well see how it is in two months but I don't know. My older sister was about five months pregnant at my bachelorette and she was a champ, but did leave the bar early because she was exhausted. I wasn't offended or upset.
So C slept over five hours in one stretch last night! But the next one was only an hour and a half. She just wants me to get up by seven I guess.
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@Foodnerd81: I think your sister would understand if you bug out early from her bachelorette party. You definitely deserve some time out of the house to have fun!
@Cherrybee: how adorable! E looks like she's loving the play mat!
How on earth do you all get your babies to go to sleep? Lately R has been wide awake after her last feeding. Maybe I'm feeding her too late and should put her to bed earlier?
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@swedishfish: C usually just falls asleep as she finishes nursing, especially at night. If she doesn't I have a really hard time getting her to sleep. A couple of times Dh has gotten her down by holding her and bouncing on the exercise ball (her favorite thing besides eating), and if gotten her to conk out in the moby a few times during the day. I can't figure out if we are putting her down too late or not. She usually doesn't go down for the night until after ten (after a few hours of cluster feeding). And yesterday she hardly napped. I don't know!
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@Foodnerd81: I'm running into these kind of dilemmas with friends. I have 3 friends who are getting married this fall, and I've missed a lot of their events (shower, bachelorettes) because of the baby and everything else that has been going on. I'm sure nobody would fault you for not coming, especially since it's 2 hours away. If you feel up to going though, I think you should go for it! At least you have some time to think about it.
@Cherrybee: Oh that is definitely a little smile!! So cute! C loves his play gym these days. He is really focusing on toys and smiling at them. He'll bat at them, but I'm not sure if that's a reflex or intentional. I let him play on the mat for 10-15 minutes and I'll take him out if it seems like he's about to get fussy. I'll usually put him on it before he eats, so that nursing chills him out again after he is stimulated from playing.
@swedishfish: Cluster feeding helps him to be tired by the time bath time rolls around. He gets a bath, then we swaddle him and I nurse him until he's full. He'll often fall asleep while eating, but sometimes I lay him down while he's awake and turn on his Tranquil Turtle and he'll drift off. The past two nights he's gone to bed at 11, and wakes up at 3:30 to eat. Not STTN, but I'll take it!
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@StrawberryBee: Well, I'll make you feel even better then
Last night DH was feeding her her bottle, and she was NOT happy. She sucked in too much air crying and spit up EVERYWHERE. It was insane. All over the couch, DH's shirt...oh man. And she was elevated and had just been burped!! Gahhh. She rarely spits up, but when she does, it's a flippin doozy.@Foodnerd81: I give LO pumped milk pretty sparingly, because I'm trying to build a stash. I reach for formula before my pumped milk, to be honest. Although yesterday I had a pumped bottle in the fridge, so I brought it with me when I went to work just in case. Didn't have to use it, but it was nice to have with me. As for leaving LO, I think I have a much higher tolerance than a lot of women. I'd be ok going to that, and just pumping every few hours. Everybody is different though, and if you aren't comfortable, I hope they would understand! Oh I just read your next post. I totally get feeling like an old fogey; my sisters are 5 years younger as well. And that's awesome you got a 5 hour stretch last night!!
@Cherrybee: DAWWWW!! So much cuteness! That's totally a little grin
I started LO on the activity mat around that time. She still only tolerates it for 10-15 minutes, but I think she likes it. She stares at herself in the mirror @swedishfish: We usually let her put herself to sleep. Is that bad? She cluster feeds from 5-7, then we give her a bath, swaddle her, and feed her again. We put her down drowsy but awake and let her fuss a bit (not cry, but she makes her little grunting noises) and it usually takes her about 20-30 mins to fall asleep. It works for us, but I think we got lucky...
So, LO starts daycare in less than 2 weeks :sob: and I'm trying to figure out if I should start getting her on a better routine? Or giving her more bottles? She's started to get really angry about the bottles, so I guess I need to give her more to get her used to them. I've been bf-ing on demand, and I think I need to get her eating every 2-3 hours...so we are trying that today. She's a little pissed about it.
So I need y'all to absolve me of some mom guilt. Before I had her, I decided I was going to nurse her at lunch, because her daycare is about 15 mins away. Now that I've had her...I don't think I'm going to
I realized that I am going to have zero time to do homework (I'm in an online master's program), and I could do homework on my lunch break, won't have any time to eat lunch when I get back, and I'm worried it's just going to stress me out. Plus, what's to say she won't be sound asleep when I get there to feed her? And then what do I do? I feel horrible about it, because I want to see her as much as possible...but I just don't think it's going to work. Tell me I'm not a terrible mom!!
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@swedishfish: Elliott is quite difficult to get to sleep, especially if she has refused sleep for so long she becomes over tired. I pop her dummy in then rock her and pat her bottom or side rhythmically until she drifts off, then I put her down. It sounds easy but each step is a minefield - for example putting her dummy in involves re-inserting it every few minutes when she spits it out, fighting to put it in her mouth while she bats me away with her hands, fetching the dummy when she has wrenched it out of her mouth (purely reflex at this point) and flung it across the room.... I give her the chance to go to sleep unswaddled (last night she was unswaddled all night and went down 3 times that way after her feeds) but if she keeps herself awake by waving her arms about, I swaddle her and repeat the process (she has just been swaddled for her late afternoon nap). It takes ages and if I lose patience she can absolutely tell and then it's all over!!!!
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@Bookish: You're not a terrible mum!!!! If anything, it might unsettle her to see you in the day - once you've left her at daycare she might have a little fuss then she will be fine. If you keep popping up, she might have to get over it twice! Sweetie, you need some time for you (even if it is spent doing homework!!).... I wouldn't have even considered it (mind, I do work 100 miles away!).
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@Bookish: you are not a terrible mom! You'd waste half your lunch break driving to the daycare center and back again and you need time to yourself as well. Lunch is your break time to eat, relax and get done what you need to do. Don't feel bad!
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@Cherrybee: @swedishfish: Thanks
That's pretty much what DH said as well. I'm starting to realize that having me time is going to be a precious commodity, and I should take advantage of what I have! Plus, I have no idea when I would run errands if I didn't have a lunch break. Everything is so scheduled now!
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@Bookish: I noticed your post on the other thread.... are you feeling crappy? Do you need to talk to us here? Until a couple of days ago I totally thought I was going down the path of PPD. When E cried and cried I felt kinda numb. Id look at her little screaming face and feel nothing. Finding a solution to her colic (we hope!) has really helped, as did me catching up on sleep a couple of days ago while E napped, and getting out of the house for walks in the park really made a difference to how I feel. Im not 100% yet but Im hopeful Im on the mend. What's going on with you?
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@Cherrybee: Yeah, I don't know what's goin on with me
I've got a pretty big history of depression/anxiety, so I assumed I'd get PPD. But then the first month or so I was ok, minus of course the new mom anxiety. The last week or two though I've just felt horrible. I've cried every day, gotten upset over everything, and I'm just...done. I love her to pieces but I'm just so exhausted and overwhelmed by having a little person totally reliant on me. I don't know if it's normal FTM anxiety/stress, or if I'm getting into PPD territory, but it's starting to worry me. DH keeps telling me it'll get better, but really, it keeps getting worse. I'm going to keep an eye on it and if I still feel this bad next week I'm calling my doctor. I don't want it to get bad
I guess I just feel so dumb because really, what do I have to be upset about? My kid is sleeping through the night, we were able to breastfeed...why the #!*# am I upset?! It really terrifies me to think of how badly I'd be doing if I had a more difficult baby... I just feel pathetic about it, I guess.
Thanks for checking on me though :hugs:
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@Bookish: I know what you mean about being done. I just said to DH not 5 minutes ago is that the hardest part is not being able to check out for a bit, you know, like switch her off and be myself for an evening, go to bed when i feel like it and have a good nights sleep. It *is* overwhelming. Its the one thing in my life I can't undo, you know? I can't go back on this, I can't even press pause on it. She's here and she wants feeding/changing/godonlyknows. Its hard. Im sure the way you're feeling is normal.... what concerns me is that you are worrying about your worrying and are getting down about how down you feel. I agree, keep an eye on yourself and get some help if you still feel bad next week. After all, help can't hurt if you don't have PPD but leaving it will definitely hurt if you do. Hugs.
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@Bookish: I know exactly what you mean about I'd this is how hard a time I'm having with a relatively easy baby, how would I manage a difficult one? What do I have to complain about? But it's really hard no matter what. I agree with cherrybee that seeing some cant hurt, but not seeing someone could. But you. Seem very aware of your feelings and state of mind which is really good. And it will get better soon, I have to believe that!
I totally agree about not being able to take a break. When I was pregnant I uses to think I should be able to take my belly off for a few minutes or an hour to have a rest. Now it's like that times 100. Dh is back at work and I have to keep reminding him that he goes back to his normal life and gets normal adult time, and I just don't, I'm going at 100% all day with her. I think he's getting it bc he's been more proactive with taking her and handling as much as he an when he gets home.
One thing that was really nice is last nice, C went down by nine and Dh and I got to sit and watch a show all my ourselves. C was in her cradle in our room and it almost felt like before. I would never trade this for anything but it was nice to have that feeling again.
Hoping to put C back in her bed now and get a few more minutes of sleep...
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have any of you read this? I found it through the Pregnant Cnicken website and it made me cry.. Just a reminder that all of us are the best mothers for our children
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kim-simon/milk-drunk-breastfeeding_b_3494130.html
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@mrsvdv: I did see that. I thought it was great. It, along with every other article that basically focuses on how much we all love our babies, made me cry.
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@Cherrybee: @Foodnerd81: thanks both of you
I'm really glad I can come here for support! Yesterday got pretty rough; I ended up leaving her with DH for the evening and running around town. Had dinner by myself, went to the mall...and it actually helped a lot. It makes me think that when I get back to work, I'll start feeling better. I need to have time to myself, time with other adults...and work will help with that. If it's still bad after I adjust to work, then I'll be talking to someone. I found a side effect of LO sleeping for 10 hrs last night. My boobs felt like they were going to eslpoooode this morning. Ouch.
How are y'alls naps going? LO only napped for a total of an hour yesterday. Half of that on me and half in the car. I don't know what to do. I'm to the point where I'd trade a night wakeup for a good nap during the day
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@Bookish: I understand the need to just get away for a little while. I thought I had PPD but my mom and DH decided I was just overly emotional like usual. Even if it's only a 15 minute trip to Target (oh, who am I kidding? 30 minute trip) it feels so much better to get out of the house.
LO fell asleep on me at 8:15 last night and woke around 1:10 for her feeding. Then she woke again at 4:40. What was that, LO? She usually only wakes up once. Good thing I went to bed at 9. Poor DH had to work until 11 and doesn't get home till 11:40.
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@Bookish: I do think going back to work will help- you'll have a few hours a day of being Bookish, not just Mom. I haven't gotten to the point where I feel like I can leave her for a couple of hours but that's me, not her. As long as I have a pumped bottle in the fridge she and Dh would be fine. I think it would be good for me though. Maybe mama will get a pedicure!
Naps are very tricky. She's been sleeping pretty well at night- like 10-2, 3-6, 7-10, or some very rough time like that. But she seems to only want one three hour nap in the afternoon, but is cranky for two hours before that. I've really only nursed her to sleep and she just won't go down. I feel like five hours of the day is spent trying to get her down then being afraid to wake her up.
I have found being in the moby a lot keeps her calm for the evening and avoids the witching hour tears somewhat (unless its a growth spurt then all bets are off!)
@Bookish: I think you have two options with the boobs- either let it go and your body will adjust, or pump in the early morning, which help you build up a stash quicker. But really who wants to lose any precious minutes of sleep? Too bad your Dh couldn't hook the pump to you in your sleep! I have a hard time hooding between pumping and sleeping myself, so I haven't really done it much. It's hard to balance it with doing it in te morning, when I have more milk, and when I have enough time in between feedings.
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Well I thought I was doing well emotion wise but today I've had a dreadful day. It started last night when DH got a call at 9.30pm asking him to do a gig today (he's a sound engineer). He asked if I minded him doing it and I said I'd rather he turn it down but it was at a new venue which has just opened in our city and he felt that it might lead him to more work in the future so he accepted it. All week I've been counting down to the weekend, when I wont be alone with E all day... I knew he was working Saturday morning but his accepting this gig meant that he would be out all day and all evening, coming home after 10pm. I was so upset. I was a bit down last night but this morning when I woke up I was really distressed. I snapped at DH as he was leaving for work and then cried for almost an hour after he had gone. Then, a few hours later, E was being fussy and I really, really couldn't cope, it was awful. She was crying, I was crying - not good.
As for the nap question, we're on a 3 hourly routine which involves eating, awake time and nap, in that order. In theory, eating and awake time usually lasts an hour and then sleeping lasts for two. Sometimes she wants to eat sooner then scheduled or naps longer, breaking the routine but she usually returns to it a few hours later.
So she usually naps 8am - 10am, 11am - 1pm, 2pm - 4pm, then she is usually fussy (getting snippets of sleep in between crying) all through her early evening nap time (which is also our dinner time, grr) and then she usually only takes a shortened nap maybe 9pm - 10pm (with lots of fussing beforehand), then she sleeps 10pm - 2.30/3am then goes back down until 6.30am when we're up for the day. I wish I could work out how to make her settle in the evenings....
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@Cherrybee: I'm sorry you are having a crap day! Looking forward to having Dh home all week and then having it change like that would upset anyone, much less someone with a fussy high needs baby. Can he take all the night feedings to make up for it? I can't blame you for crying at all.
It sounds like E naps a lot better than C. I keep trying fr the three hour rotation and she laughs at me. If I wear her outside in the moby for a long time it helps some so at least I'm getting my exercise.
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@Cherrybee: It gets better mama! I never thought I would make it through the first month and a half. Things aren't perfect, but so much better. (I say as we are about to enter another wonder week.) I'm sorry a crummy week turned into a bad weekend.
Maybe there needs to be a clearer division of labor? My DH was gone for two weeks (the second without any telephone contact) when E was 2-3 weeks old, and I thought I was going to crack.
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@Cherrybee: I'm sorry you're having a rough day. I was also looking forward to having DH home today, but last night his uncle called and asked him to help him finish his garage roof. He pays him pretty well and we could obviously use some extra money these days.
I wish I had so magic words to make it better. At least you know you're not the only one feeling lonely today.
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@Espion: you were home alone for two weeks in a row with a newborn?? That must have been really hard! I asked my mom to come stay with me when Dh goes away for a long weekend when c is almost two months old!
I just found out my Dh is planning to spend one day next weekend at a golf tournament (watching not playing). I purposely didn't take C from him for a few extra minutes while she was hungry so he could get a brief inkling of what my days are like being home with her. We need to discuss the golf thing...
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@JennyG: @Espion: @Cherrybee: Oh man, can I send hugs (and a drink!?) to all of you? It is so rough doing it alone. Yesterday I begged DH to come home early, and he did, but then we all went up to his work for "ten minutes." We were there for over 2 hours, during which I had to keep her quiet and bounce her around/ feed her while he worked. It was pretty much the opposite of what I meant when I said "come home early, I'm having a rough day."
I really don't know how single moms do it. I'm blown away by how much work it is, and to do it alone?! Oh man.
@Foodnerd81: I had DH take LO to the grocery store today so I could rest *alone* for 30 mins or so. He had never taken her anywhere by himself, so it was quite the eye opener for him. As for the pumping, I pumped last night at like 11 and then this morning at 7; I usually go 8 hours between feeds/pumps with no problem but today it was baad. All better now, thank goodness she's been hungry today!!
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@Cherrybee: aw, I'm sorry it was such a rough week. I had a really hard time during the first month and a half. My DH works at night also so I feel like I have to take care of R during the hardest part of the day alone. I had many meltdowns. Hopefully he will make it up to you!
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@Espion: As far as division of labour goes, DH hasn't been having fun, he's been working all day. He started at his day job at 7.30am and went straight from there to his second job (this gig) at midday, where he worked until 10pm. In fairness to him, he has come home (to find me crying hysterically over a screaming baby) and has taken over straight away. He works 6 days a week and, on the 7th day (like a god, lol), he takes some nasty medication for his psoriatic arthritis and it makes him really ill. He used to spend the the whole of Sunday in bed but since having E he just gets on with it and mucks in.... he's great with her (in fact he has just got her to sleep) he's just not here all day every day!!! I wish he was!
@JennyG: Aaw, I'm sorry you're lonely today too. I wish we lived near each other, we could hang out together and look after each other!
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@Cherrybee: Oh good, I'm glad he helps when he is there. I totally lucked out in that DH is between jobs because of a move (we moved for my job), so he can help quite a lot.
But today, I had to run errands by myself. I had to go to the mall to pick up DH's birthday present. Then I had to go to Target to buy diapers, wipes, birthday cake mix, and candles. And I did this all this with E in a carrier and nursing him at the same time.
I AM ALL THAT IS WOMAN!
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@Espion: wow, you ARE all that is woman! I'm terrified to bring R anywhere alone except my parents' house. Now for the important part - what kind of cake mix and frosting did you get?
I actually like being a mummy today! 
I realized that I am going to have zero time to do homework (I'm in an online master's program), and I could do homework on my lunch break, won't have any time to eat lunch when I get back, and I'm worried it's just going to stress me out. Plus, what's to say she won't be sound asleep when I get there to feed her? And then what do I do? I feel horrible about it, because I want to see her as much as possible...but I just don't think it's going to work. Tell me I'm not a terrible mom!!
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