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So hard to type with one hand! I'm keeping up with my reading, more or less, but I don't know where you all find the time or appendages to reply.
1. Favourite thing about being a new mom? My sweet little baby sleeping on me, and his cute little face!
2. Most frustrating thing about being a new parent? When he cries at the breast. I still can't figure out what's upsetting him.
3. Cutest thing your LO does? The squeaks he makes in his sleep (we call him the wild Ellis).
4. Something you can brag about? Not a parenting thing, but does postpartum weight loss count? I can't fit into my pre-preg jeans yet, but I was really surprised by how quickly my body got back to looking normal (more or less). I don't have a scale so I don't know how much I weight but I feel really lucky.
5. Something you would like to improve? I feel like I don't do enough with him, or even talk to him enough! I would also like to start pumping and trying to have DH give him a bottle sometimes.
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@chanzi: N will sometimes start crying at the breast as well. But she's a total boob monster, so I think she's just frustrated that the milk isn't coming as fast as she would like it to.
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@chanzi: I sometimes feel like I don't talk to L enough. I'm workin on it. We just have to do our best.
l had his 2 month shots today, poor little guy. So after we went to target and did some retail therapy. I think it made him feel better.
We were also told by the health nurse that we need to get on stronger meds for the thrush. So I have to do that tomorrow.
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@chanzi: Middle of the night feedings give lots of time to practice one-handed typing!!
Ugh, crying at the breast is frustrating! I think it's a need to burp most if the time for Paige.
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Ugh I think we're going through a mini growth spurt (2.5 weeks) as my sweet K has literally fussed all night, ate every 2 hours and made mommy get no sleep! She better show some serious weight gain at the dr later today!!!
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@Mrs D: I think you may be right! Paige was up at 11 and 12 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 6 before I caved and took her to bed with me (where she lasted 1.5 hours). And she was nursing a ton every time she woke. I feel like a zombie.
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BAH. Six week growth spurt has arrived early. My sweet little baby has turned into a complete monster. I love her to death, but honestly...if she is not eating or sleeping, she's crying. For the first four or five days, this fussiness wasn't really kicking in until about 7pm, and only lasting a few hours. I could handle that. But the last few days? ALL. DAY. LONG.
I know she'll be out of the worst of it soon. But I'm also convinced that I need to get back on my meds for anxiety and depression - and I'm finding it hard to figure out whether I'm just exhausted because of her growth spurt, or whether this is actually PPD.
And....end rant.
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@JamieLee: I do love that they're breastfeeding like champions!
@Mrs D: I started pumping while at the hospital and started a freezer stash about 2 weeks after my milk came in. I have almost 200oz saved up!
@Chanzi: I also worry about not talking enough to DS! I'm just speechless when I look at him. I'm so in love and awe. I find myself talking to him more when he's upset/fussy.
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@redsmarties: so sorry you're having trouble. I feel your pain though. S is also in his six week growth spurt and wants to be on the boob if he's not sleeping and cries like he's being tortured if he isn't nursing or sleeping. I hope you start to feel better if you get some more sleep and that it's not PPD. I have suffered from anxiety and depression and know how much of a struggle it is. I'll be thinking about you. Hang in there.
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@redsmarties: I feel your pain! I caught myself several times today with gritted teeth and wanting to yell. Hopefully, your at the tail end of the growth spurt. Also, does it matter if it is "just" exhaustion/frustration or full blown PPD? If you are not feeling well, I think it's always better to get checked out.
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@redsmarties: I feel the same, so frustrated and exhausted, I snap at everything, poor kids
We've hit something, growth spurt, wonder week, pure attitude?? She'll be 7 weeks on Saturday, 3 days ago she started refusing to sleep in her PNP at night. I can get her to sleep, but as soon as I lay her down she's wide awake. She'll sleep in her swing during the day and her evening nap. I pick her up asleep, hold her for a while then try putting her down and she wakes up. I've fallen asleep holding her but I wake up freaking out. I've never felt comfortable co-sleeping.
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@StbHisMrs: DS went through this weeks 4-7 with me. Week 8, he did a complete 180!! Hang in there!!
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B went through a really fussy period for about a week? She was 8 weeks on Saturday. She gets really gassy, so I talked to my sister who is a pharmacy tech. She talked to the pharmacist who has a 3 month old and he recommended giving her Ovol drops for colic. I give it to her with her morning feed ( between 630-730) and then around 8pm. It's made a huge difference. I haven't had to give it for 2 days now maybe so whatever she was going through I think is finished. Maybe for some of you that are having fussy/colic babies might try the drops?
We had B's 2 month immunizations, they went wayyyyyyy better then I thought. When she was about 3 days old I had to take her for a second blood draw to check her jaundice, that was a million billion times worse then today. She started to cry after the first needle, then cried for the next 2 and then stopped literally like 30 seconds after the third. She didn't even cry long enough to have tears. I nursed her after the needles. The nurse said for the 4 and 6 month immunizations you can nurse throughout but as they need to use both legs for this one it's best to nurse after as it's quicker to just get it all done. I also gave her a small dose of tylenol before we went, so not sure if that helped or not. ( I only gave her 0.75ml's as I wasn't sure on her weight) She weighed 10 pounds 5 ounces. She's only in the 15 percentile for her weight, length, and head circumference, but in the 50 for proportion.
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@redsmarties: H has started the same routine... Around 5pm she starts to fuss and feed until she falls asleep. I've literally been nursing her for 2 1/2 hrs. Hooray for eating supper with a baby on your boob. Bonus was last night she slept for almost 7 hrs straight. DH is at a work dinner tonight... I can hardly put her down with her screaming bloody murder... And I've got 3 mommy friends coming over with their LO's tmr and still have some tidying to do!
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@.twist.: Hope the new meds are kicking thrush's butt!
@redsmarties: Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well :(. Exhaustion is certainly debilitating all on its own.
@Alivoo01: wow, that's an amazing stash. In awe!
@MrsB2012: So glad to hear the 2 month vaccinations went well! My SIL just went through this with her LO, but he was very fussy afterwards and just wanted to be held (lasted through the night!). Our appointment isn't until the 10th.
Things have been going pretty well here, though I still don't think my infection is clearing. E is 7 weeks old, and is interacting a lot more. She likes looking at the mirror on her swing, and I finally got around to really doing tummy time this afternoon (along with reading some books). We've also gone on quite a few shopping adventures; some are more successful than others. I had to walk out of BJs with her when she decided that lunch time needed to be right then ;).
I feel like all I do any more is shop and eat though :/. Very dangerous combination.
We've started using our Bumgenius cloth diaper stash; tomorrow when I visit my office will be our first outing with them, since everyone was very curious about how they would work. Speaking of which, I have to share: I made this very random find on the clearance shelf of Target. Super cheap hemp insert, score!
Hope everyone and their LOs are doing well!
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@StrawberryBee: good luck with the cloth diapers! We've been using ours part time since his cord fell off. I don't usually use them at night since we keep them in the nursery and I change him on the pack and play changer in our bedroom. I suppose I could just bring some diapers and a wet bag in here...I also don't usually do cloth when we're out and about. Let us know how it goes!
@Ocean girl: I hear ya on the extended nursing. I feel like that's all I do when he's awake. He's either sleeping, nursing, or crying because he wants to be nursing!
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Ughhhhh I thought I might have been lucky and was born with leak-proof nips... just changed LO and looked up in the mirror above her dresser and have two perfectly round damp marks over the girls!
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@StrawberryBee: ugh I feel you on feeling like I need to think of other things to do with her. We live in the Pacific Northwest so it rains pretty much constantly from oct to july. I already end up at the mall or coffee shops or restaurants far more frequently than I'd like and we haven't even hit the true rainy season.
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@Ocean girl: sorry this made me giggle. I'm fairly leak prof but mine tend to do so at the most inopportune times as well so I always wear the pads just in case.
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Hey ladies!!!
I do NOT know how y'all can make time to check in here! I am soooo behind. I will update more soon but all is well! I want to go back and read all the posts I missed, so I'll have a better update later when I have more time to type/read. Miss you guys and I hope everyone and their adorable LOs are doing fantastic! J is great! Much love and more later!!!
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@greenebee: Well, in my case, I often breastfeed lying down... which means two hands available to type on my iphone since N is the sllllllooooowwwwwest eater ever.
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@MrsB2012: Glad immunizations went well!
@StrawberryBee: Mmmm, shopping and eating. Sounds like a good thing to me! I'm still in the anxious-I-need-groceries-but-I'm-scared-she'll-cry-in-the-store stage.
@Ocean girl: Leak-proof nips! Do some people have that? Would be sooooo nice. I'm a little over getting it all over myself all the time.
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@JamieLee: Thanks! I brought three CDs (and changed her into a fourth one right before we left the house). We were there for four hours and went through all the CDs (I did have a ton of disposables on hand as well, just in case). I don't have a travel wet bag yet so I just brought the smaller of our two bags. No blowouts and no leaks on my bosses, so I will count it a success! I did have to bring a much larger baby bag than usual though.
I keep on bringing the wet bag up and down, since we change her in our room during the night and in the living room during the day. Definitely becoming a pain, especially having to keep the dogs away from it!
@Ocean girl: There are actually leak spots on the floor of our bedroom in front of the changing table. And one day when I was out I found that one of my pads wasn't positioned right and I had a big wet spot under my left boob! Now I always bring a spare shirt for myself.
@Sapphiresun: I'm not looking forward to being away from E, but I am kinda looking forward to being back to work? I feel like I've missed so much.
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Oh my goodness ladies, I am so late to the party here! I know I've posted on this thread, but I don't think I have as a new mommy. We have had such a wild ride in the last 5 weeks, I feel totally inadequate seeing how often you all are able to post here! The first two weeks were the most stressful in my life. DH was home too, so all of my downtime was spent with him. Then my MIL came to stay for a week and she was a lot of help, but in 800 sq ft it is always a challenge having someone stay with us. Plus she literally cannot stop talking, so even if the baby was sleeping my time was always occupied. Now that it is just the two of us during the day, things are so much less stressful but I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!
I just started another thread about infant sleep, so I wonder what you all think. DS is 5 weeks old today and went from sleeping 3-4 hours stretches to 1-2 hours. It's consistent enough that I know it isn't just a fluke and he eats plenty and our routine has not changed. He does have thrush though, could that have anything to do with it? Also, do any of your babies have a flat head? DS totally does due to too much time on his right side. We've been putting him on his left, but he turns right back. Oh wow, so much going on!!
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@redsmarties: My son is the same way, but he's been like that since birth so it isn't due to a growth spurt. When he wakes up, he's SCREAMING. He cannot wait to be changed and screams through every calming technique we try. He doesnt' stop until we feed him. Afterwards, he might look around somewhat calm for 10-15 minutes, but then the screaming starts up again and we have to give him more food or coax him to sleep. It really sucks and I hope this doesn't last much longer!
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@Grace: ha, tell that to my waistline and my pocketbook ;). I usually go to the supermarket when DH is home to watch E. Anywhere else I figure I can just leave if she has a meltdown.
@Modern Daisy: I don't think any of us know what we're doing! Just go with the flow ^_^. For a lot of the time it's just me and the baby (though DH has been home a lot recently), and when she's napping I often just need down time myself. Or when she's awake during the night feeding I'm on my phone reading HB. It's harder to post on my phone, though.
I can't speak to experience with thrush. What is he doing while awake, just wanting to feed more? Is it possible he's going through a growth spurt?
I'm monitoring her head constantly for flatness because she spends a lot of time in the rock n play and swing. I don't think she has any yet? Though to be honest I'm looking more at the back of her head than her sides...
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@Modern Daisy: Yeah, I have no idea what's normal. But isn't week 5 a wonder week? Or maybe he's doing the 6-week growth spurt early? I know you say it's too consistent to be a developmental thing, but I read that sleep can be messed up for a week. Either way, I hope it gets longer again for you - those short sleeps suck! Especially in your case with the screaming. I hope that resolves soon too!
Eek - I haven't looked for flatness! Although, she changes the side her head is resting on pretty often...
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@Modern Daisy: l favours the left side and totally has a flat spot there. I have to actively turn his head to the right. He just turns it back though. I am going to be taking some classes for head repositioning.
As for sleep, l also went from 3 hours to 1 - -2 hours. If it is a phase, he hasn't shown signs of it letting up any time soon. I'm losing my mind.
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So, I have officially lost it. I'm sitting here in my bed sobbing while DH tries to get L to sleep and/or is sleeping in the nursery with him. I just don't even know what to do any more. I fed him after his first wake up, which was just shy of 3 hours, and it waited quietly in his room for about 10 minutes. He didn't move. Not one inch. I quietly left his room, I'm telling you, not a peep, and the minute I get to my bed I see on the monitor that he's struggling with his swaddle. I wait a few minutes to see if he stops and he just keeps struggling until an arm breaks free and then starts his little cry cough where I know any minute he's going to freak out. I go in, re-swaddle him as quick as possible and put a soother in his mouth. He spits it out and starts crying. I start to rock him, he cries. So I cry. He's getting too heavy for me to stand and rock to sleep now, it really messes up my back. Which I hate and just makes me feel like a shitty mom that I can't even hold my kid while he falls asleep.
Then, even more so, I look at his sleep in baby connect and can't help but feel/notice that his nightly sleep periods are getting shorter and further apart. Even though I have started to do a pretty strict nightly routine.
On top of all this, I have my mom and a few other people telling me to do this, or try this because it will surly help him sleep through the night. Everything I've tried has failed. Instead he just sleeps less and less.
And as I sit here typing this, DH is in the nursery doing what I cant even though he has to work tomorrow. And he does everything. I can't even do one thing like put our kid to sleep. I suck.
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@.twist.: aww, hon, deep breaths. This stuff happens; we're only human. This evening I actually got up and stormed out of the house and left e with DH without a backwards glance. Drove to a nearby shopping center and stewed in the car for 20 minutes before heading back home. (My response had to do with DH though; I feel super hormonal and he's depressed about money but won't actually tell me that, so in turn he's at home with me a lot but doing none of the chores).
You sound like you just need a break for a moment, and that's okay. E is still sleeping in our room. Is that an option for you guys? Do you think L would sleep better in the same room as you? We have no bedtime routine yet.
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@.twist.: oh man I'm so sorry you're having such a difficult time! Sleep issues are the worst! My lo is wide awake right now at 2 AM and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open. Don't be so hard on yourself though. Sounds like you have tried everything and you're doing a great job. It's not your fault L would rather party all night than sleep. The only other thing i can think of is maybe he senses when you're not close? Have you tried leaving one of your t-shirts tied to his crib or something like that? Hang in there lady and just think one day all these sleepless nights will be a distant memory.
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@.twist.: Oh hugs!! That totally sucks. And you DO NOT suck. Lots of babies refuse to sleep through the night. You are totally not alone.
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@.twist.: oh man you sound like you are at your wit's end. You are a terrific mom and I hope tonight goes a lot better! I was actually wondering today how I am going to rock her to sleep in a few weeks when she gets too heavy. She's not even 10 lbs yet and it's hard on my back too. Hugs to you, these sleep issues will get better.
I'm behind on all the posts because I went to the cottage with my mom and MIL for the week. Grandmas really enjoyed their time with LO. It was also nice to have some helping hands all day. We tried bottle boot camp which did not go well. She only drank one of the bottles. Any tricks girls?! We tried the medela calma bottle but she doesn't open her mouth wide enough. I switched to the playtex nursery and that's the one she drank from. Maybe I jut have to be with her 24/7 for the next year.
I have my shower this weekend. We decided to do it after she was born since I was team green and because its easy for family to all meet her this way. I'm very excited, but we have so many things already I can't imagine getting more gifts!
I'll try to get caught up on posts later!
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@Ocean girl: I find that if I suppress my nips with my bra it won't leak. If they're free, they'll leak like crazy.
@.twist.: You are NOT a bad mom! Lukas and Collin are a week apart so I totally feel/understand the frustrations. We just have to take a deep breath and regroup to keep sane. Don't feel bad your hubby had to put him to sleep. I was rocking DS in the glider and he officially is the full length from one arm rest to the other. No idea where he's going to go now! And his sleep is hit and miss. Each day is different. Last night, he slept like a rockstar. The night before, you would have thought he was going through a growth spurt with the frequent cries and wake ups. Sigh.
DS is cooing more lately and it's so darn cute it melts my heart!!! I only have 2 more weeks till I go back to work. I'm getting depressed just thinking about it. I totally love spending my entire day with DS despite the sleep deprivation. I just hope he doesn't get too attached to the care providers and show preference to them. I would die....
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@Modern Daisy: I would guess growth spurt as well. I think we had one around that time. Is he just eating every 1-2 hours during the day or at night too? M has always eaten every hour or hour and a half during the day unless she's napping. At night she sleeps long stretches, though. I haven't noticed her head being flat, but she also has a ton of hair that may be hiding it!
@.twist.: You do not suck at all! There have been a few occasions that involved me crying on the couch while DH tried to get M to sleep in the middle of the night. PP hormones are no joke and I remember saying similar things to him like "what mother can't get her kid to sleep?!" I hope it gets better for you soon. At least we have awesome DHs that are so helpful even when they have to go to work
@delight: Has your DH given her a bottle successfully? I've heard that a lot of babies won't take bottles from mom because they can smell them and want the real thing (I leave the room while DH gives M a bottle). Maybe he could at least get her used to them then she might take one from you? We've had success with tommee tippee bottles.
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I don't know how you ladies do it! I pretty much always have a baby on me, and she prefers positions that make it impossible for me to do anything.
@delight: Avi won't take a bottle from me or if I'm around. You could try having someone feed your LO when you're in another room. She might take a bottle this way.
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@delight: we can only use tommee tippie bottles. B doesn't take them very well for me, she will only really take it if I'm not home and it's just her and dh. She seems to know if I'm home.
I'm having kind of an eeyore kind of day. I'm pretty bored during the day being alone and money is right this month as it's dh's slow season so I don't go out much. I feel like everything changes so much for moms once babe comes. My husbands life is the exact same. He goes to work, comes he for an hour or two then hits the crossfit gym for 2+ hours, comes home, eats dinner then gets ready for bed. On the weekend he's out with friends. Tonight he went to crossfit, went to a pub with friends then went to jam with his friends. I just resent him for not being around. He says he doesn't like to be criticized when he goes out. Ugh, sorry just a lonely rant. I'm excited for January when B is old enough we can do swim lessons and sing classes and whatnot.
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@.twist.: Awww sweetie, I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I have no idea what I'm going to do once N gets heavy either. There was no way we could fit a rocking chair/glider into our apartment so there's no way to sit and rock at all. And she's not really a cuddly baby - only likes to be held away from the body, so all her weight is on my arms. So glad your husband is able to step up though. Yes, he works in the morning, but his job has official breaks - yours doesn't, so you have to just take them when you need them.
@delight: Not sure about the bottle. Who was trying to feed her? I read that it's better if it's not mom, since they get mad that they'd rather have the boob. But I'm assuming your mom/MIL tried as well. For N, I've kind of tried to make the bottle just a different experience because I still want her to WANT to breastfeed directly more than with the bottle. If she eats from it, I don't warm it, and I have her kind of just sit in my Boppy rather than being snuggled, and she's perfectly happy. But, I think my kid might just be a greedy little piggy
@Alivoo01: I'm sure your little guy will always love his mommy best!
@MrsB2012: Aww, I could have written this post sometimes too. I really protect DH's "me" time and sleep because I feel like he works hard, and he made twice as much money as I did BEFORE I went on Mat leave and lost half my salary. I'm definitely a little jealous that he can still pretty much do as he pleases though. Even though I couldn't physically do what he does since N's EBF. He goes out to the pub, gym, a concert, a football game... and the most exciting place I've been in the last 8 weeks is the mall. But I get to go to the dentist on Monday... so that'll be a departure from the norm! Haha... terrible.
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@MrsB2012: @Sapphiresun: Wow, you guys have some lucky husbands! I know mine does not have the same life as before. He's got the freedom to have his regular life, but I guess I'm a mean wife and won't let him. If I'm chained to LO and the house, then he is too. Hopefully, that will change for the both of us one day. Can you leave your LO with their dads for a bit, so that you can do some normal things? Haircut, walk/run, coffee with friends?
@Alivoo01: He will definitely always like you better!!! It's got to be so rough to have to leave him so early, but don't torture yourself! He knows who his mama is!
@delight: Enjoy your shower! I should be having mine next month. I also can't think of what people will get - probably lots of clothes!
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@Grace: I'm with you Grace! I was just thinking how @MrsB2012: and @Sapphiresun: are way nicer than me. When DH isn't working, I prefer him to be home with us as much as possible. My thought is that yes, he does work hard, but so do I darn it! I've got a baby attached to my body 6 to 8 hours a day. That's almost like a full time job. With his job he gets to leave the house and have adult conversation, and I don't think it's too much to ask that he be home and helping me with the baby and the house work when he can. Otherwise, I would never eat or get anything done as if LO isn't sleeping, he's eating. I guess I'm just a meanie!
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