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@LCTBQE: honestly I wouldn't worry about it now. Even if you get him napping good at home and doing drowsy but awake, all that will change when he's in the daycare environments. I know a lot of times my kids would fall asleep in the swing and then they would transfer them to the crib. Other times a daycare worker would pat their back or vibrate the crib while they fell asleep.

@ShootingStar: I am a SAHM so take what I say with a grain of salt, I give 4oz, which is what I pump in a session so I assume that is what he eats as well and he goes 3 - 4 hours. I noticed he lasted longer with bigger amounts one day when DH was trying to conserve my milk and fed 2oz then 1oz and then another oz and he went through the milk much faster. It seems like the bigger bottles might work for you also if she's sticking around the 14oz mark.

3am and I am wide awake after the 2am feeding!

@LCTBQE: both of my girls napped HORRIBLY when they started daycare. I tried so hard with both of them to nap in their cribs, but they were both still relying heavily on the swing. Don't stress about it. Baby will get used to it. If anything, I find that daycare is less willing to let them fuss to fall asleep. Will he have to cry for a minute or two every now and then because there aren't any arms available? Yes, but you'll also start seeing pics of him playing with his buds and smiling. It's tough, but it'll be okay. Dd2, who is 4 months now smiles as soon as she sees her teacher every morning. Good luck, and enjoy your last few weeks at home.

@LCTBQE: We are gradually settling in, though we still have a ton of unpacking to do. To be honest, it's been a bit of a rougher transition than I expected. F has been great, I have even started having him sleep in the bassinet instead of RNP and he hasn't missed a beat. But for me, I feel like it almost re-triggered baby blues in a way? I don't know if that makes sense, but we had really gotten into a good routine at our old place and I was feeling pretty good. With the move, I don't know where anything is and I'm overwhelmed with all the boxes and all the unpacking, which has had me feeling a little down this week. Having my husband at home this weekend has helped a lot, hopefully this coming week will be better.

Re: daycare -- we haven't started yet. I go back to work Dec. 7, and I have the same fears as you. F only nurses to sleep, so I'm worried he won't be able to nap. I also worry that since he won't be able to nurse for comfort he'll he inconsolable and will cry all day. It breaks my heart to imagine him crying without me at daycare But I try to tell myself that with the number of babies they've cared for, I bet the daycare ladies have even more soothing methods than I do (with my one baby). I'll be gone for four hours this Tuesday for a special work thing and my husband will be caring for the baby. It'll be the longest I've been away. I'm fully confident in my husband's abilities, but I'm still nervous! Also, part of me wants to take the last few days of my leave to gradually transition (so go to daycare a few hours a day) and part of me doesn't want to give up any of my time with him.

@ShootingStar: Your post reminded me that so often our little ones do much better with transitions than we anticipate!

@OldpuebloJenn: I'm back to low-rise thongs, but I can't feel my scar at all. In fact, I can't feel much of anything from under my belly button to the top of my Queen Victoria (everything below has feeling though *phew*). My biggest problem is the size of my arse . . . I am currently in *oh my god becky* territory fo sho!

@OldpuebloJenn: i remember having that issue for a while with my first, but this time I'm back in low rise thongs. Is the scar bubbled over at all? My first was, and i think that's why. I had a lot more scar tissue too.

@pwnstar: word. As a good friend once told me, pregnancy is kind to no ass.

@MrsKerch: I talked to my OB about it. She basically said nerves are dumb and how and when they regenerate can be sporadic and random (and painful at times). There is of course the chance that the feeling may never come back (or not fully back), but that it could take about a year to have a good idea about whether or not that would be the result. So yeah. Nothing to do but wait. Good times!

Today is my second day back at work. My little man had a pretty good first day yesterday (he ate well and took several short naps). I did okay too . . . I blubbered my way through drop off, but had a good first day back in the office. I am sad at how little I got to hold him yesterday and this morning. But I know that's just how it's going to be for a while until we get into a groove, and I try to remind myself that I can make up for it on the weekend.

The pumping. *augh* I knew it was going to be a grind and I know that I won't need three sessions forever, but man it's a lot on top of everything else. And I feel extra pressure to at least break even because of his food sensitivities and hoping to get his tummy/poop situation under control. So I'm just trying to focus on one task at a time so that I don't let myself get overwhelmed. I forgot how much work it is to work a schedule from sun up to sun down. I was exhausted yesterday - I barely had time to eat!

@katsupgirl: I am currently pumping at 8:30, 11:30, and 2:30. It's looking like my little guy will need 11-12 ounces at daycare and I have pumped a little more than 13 ounces both yesterday and today.

@pwnstar: great job!

I go back in two weeks (well a week plus some days now).

Little girl is staying home with dad for a month and she's not taking a bottle. Sooooo that's going to suck.

@pwnstar: congrats on getting through the first 2 days - tomorrow's Friday already 3x a day feels really disruptive and i was thinking of dropping to 2x, but I'm already running a deficit with 3 pumps, so i am not sure what to do. Little man took 20 today and it's the least he's taken all week so far formula here we come - probably after Thanksgiving. I'm a little worried about the dairy factor since I've been really limiting it and his reflux has been so much better. But he has an insatiable appetite and i can't let my work slip by stressing over trying to pump more.

@T.H.O.U.: ughhh I'm sorry, that's so stressful. Do you work far away? I hope she starts taking it once you are gone.

@katsupgirl: @T.H.O.U.: @MrsSCB: @Pirouette: Thanks y'all.

@katsupgirl: It's really not realistic for me to maintain three pump sessions at work. It is hella disruptive. I currently have the benefit of so many people being out for vacation/holiday, and things generally being at a slightly slower pace, which will definitely change in January. I'm trying to take advantage of it while I can.

@Pirouette: I fully expect to need to start supplementing in the coming weeks. I feel like I have been lucky with pumping so far, but I know I can't sustain this schedule (and probably not this output) long-term. I'm not opposed to formula (I supplemented with my first starting at around 5 months), but with my son being sensitive to dairy/soy, my formula options are Neocate or Elecate, both of which are pretty pricey. But when it comes down to it, I would choose formula to save my sanity in a heartbeat!

20 ounces is daunting!!! Does your little guy STTN? Mine does not (he usually wakes 2-3 times, or until I bring him into bed with me). I am wondering if the reason my son takes less during the day is because he still eats overnight? He's certainly gaining just fine-he weighed 15 lbs on Monday. My 4 year old only weighs 32 pounds, and didn't hit 15 lbs until she was around 10/12 months!

@T.H.O.U.: @MrsSCB: I was super anxious about my little guy starting daycare because he had only taken a bottle a couple of times, he really only napped in my arms, he hates the swing, and he won't take a paci. Well. He drank 3 bottles both yesterday and today, and today, when I walked in, he was sitting in a swing happily sucking away on a paci. Say whaaaaa? It's amazing how babies can adapt. My fingers are crossed for you that the transition is smoother than you anticipate.

@pwnstar: good job going back to work! I'm dreading the transition from being with my baby every day to leaving her with others. It sounds like you are doing the best we can under these circumstances. And great job on pumping. How many minutes do you pump and how long does your total lump session take? I'm planning to do three pump sessions a day too. I'm praying it's enough for my babe. And why do you think you won't be able to keep the pumping up? I know it's tough, but we have the legal right to do it. Ugh. I'm nervous, too. My work isn't friendly to this kind of stuff.

@pwnstar: I am looking at the times my girl nurses and it seems like she will need 4 bottles for when I'm gone. That's 4 times pumping. So crazy.

In the past I've gotten a second let down to get the ounces I need. Usually that let down didn't happen until the 20 minute mark of pumping. Another tip is to unhook take a sip of water and then try for that second let down.

@pwnstar: thank you for sharing that schedule! I'm hoping my baby follows something similar.

@T.H.O.U.: I've never pumped for that long. It when I'm back work maybe I will try that!

@pwnstar: yes, that's what I was just thinking today. She had a funny night and I'm nursing her late this morning. Ugh. I'm getting a little anxious about going back to work. I'm going today to meet with my boss and ask for the ability to work from home on Tuesdays and some sporadic thursdays. I hope it works because I'm otherwise prepared to quit. But that would be crazy.

I have kind of a crazy pumping schedule and I feel like it's way too much. Lily started sleeping until 6 or 7 around 10 weeks, and I got in the habit of pumping in the morning before she got up, because being so engorged woke me up. Then I started pumping before bed so that I'd be prepared to go 9 hours overnight.

Thing have shifted around, but I end up pumping 5 times a day. I feed her at 6/6:30, pump at 7:30 (and get a ton) and then pump 2-3 times at work. Either 9:30, 1 and 3:30, or 10ish and 2ish. Then I pump before bed.

I'd like to eliminate the pump before bed, but I tried to go without it last night and woke up incredibly uncomfortable. I'm not sure how long it'll take for my body to get the memo. The 7:30 pump is also a PITA, but I get the most milk then and I'm so full, even after feeding her. She generally takes about 2 ounces from one side, and I can then pump another 2 ounces from that side and 5 from the opposite one.

I don't need this much milk, I don't have the freezer space for this much milk. But last time once I started reducing sessions my supply took an absolute nose dive. I didn't pump this much then though, so that might be different.

@pwnstar: I'm starting on a Wednesday -- mostly because F was born on a Wednesday, and I wanted my 16 full weeks. But now that it's getting closer, I'm so glad to start with a short week. I'm planning on sending him to daycare for a few hours per day before I go back to ease into it. I'd been thinking of going to work for those hours, but now I'm like, "Ummm, no. I'm going to spend them doing relaxing things by myself."