Hellobee Boards

@Aria we have been handed down pretty much every baby carrying thing out there. I have not for the hang of the boba. So far, love the ring sling, woven wrap and beco soft carrier. I don't like the old baby Bjorn either...

I wouldn't write replies on my phone while nursing... I meant to @lazb about the wraps!

@aria I can't wait for real smiles!

This morning we are nursing ever hour... This guy had some real growing to do I guess.

The interrupted sleep is one thing, and hard, but I hadn't thought about the interrupted eating. Oh to eat a whole meal at once when it's warm.

@maddyz: we are nursing constantly too. It's literally making me crazy. It's been like this for 3 days. I just don't get it

@Aria: I try to pump once for any feeding I feed a bottle. Dh does her late evening feeding and one mon feeding so I pump right before bed (after she eats) and first thing in the morning (after she eats) we are up to 3 oz bottles so that's what I try to pump each time. I stop when I get there because I don't want to create an oversupply.

I use the Avent natural bottles and like them. They just came out with a super slow flow nipple (level 0) which is what is recommended for breastfeeding babies.

I just started pumping to try get get a small stash going... So far I arm pumping after a morning feeding and only getting about 1.5oz. It's depressing. Maybe I need to try another time or pump more often during the day. Any suggestions?

@Mrs. Lion: @Mrs. Coral: thanks for the help!

We're struggling with SO much spit-up over here. He's always spit up a lot (and even earned us a trip to the pedi about 11 days ago), but in the last 24 hours it's been so bad. He's definitely been spitting up all that he's eaten and then is hungry again just minutes later. I feel so bad for hm, but he doesn't seem to be in distress, so I guess it's nothing to be concerned about yet. I've got to head out today and buy more blankets, burp cloths, and onesies because we can't do laundry fast enough!

@Aria: I was just thinking it's been so quiet… then I realized that I wasn't getting the emails that people had been posting! I just read what you wrote last week about the real smiles… OMG they make everything so much better!! In the mornings he's been giving DH huge grins before he goes to work and it just melts my heart. Agreed on the laundry -- I am so grateful for my washer and drying!

Our nights have kind of settled into a routine of a feeding around 10-11pm, then around 2-3am, then 6-7am. That 2-3am one is the only real "MOTN" one so it feels tolerable, and he's been a champ about going back to sleep after that one.

We are still the combo feeding champs over here -- I LOVE that this kid will eat anything. We're prob around 75% BFing - I wish it could be more but my supply never recovered after the mastitis It's really nice that other people can feed him though. My MIL has been coming over about once a week and at first I was only napping but lately I've been sneaking out for grocery shopping or a manicure and it feels so nice and normal!

We have major spit up issues too. L's gas seems to be a little better, but still crazy bad, so maybe cutting dairy helped? Her rash also got better, but then it got a little worse, and now seems to be more like eczema poor baby.
She is definitely growing, and that makes me happy! She is just about out of newborn sizes, still long and skinny, but putting on a little chunk

@LAZB: OMG that pic is amazing!! Such a beautiful growing girl

@loopedd: @Aria: thanks! I can't believe that she willbe 7 weeks tomorrow!

@LAZB: She's adorable!

Does anyone wake up their LO to feed them? D is 7.5 weeks, and maybe around 9.5 lbs or so. He will sometimes take 3-3.5 hour naps, and has been doing 5-6 hours for his first sleep stretch at night. I am tempted to love this pattern, of course, but these long stretches mean that he is only eating 6-7 times per day, and almost 4 hours apart. I feel like that's not enough for him since he's still so young??

@Kbee: my ped said same as Mrs. Lion - wake during the day, enjoy the long stretches at night!!

Sometimes I think about waking the longer nap/first sleep because it means he Wales up after 4+ hours so hungry he has to eat every 40 minutes 2 or 3 times and I am up for hours. It's not so bad because he is generally calm and happy. But it's still not sleep.

He is also not a big daytime napper. I have been popping him in the wrap and going for walks, he sleeps and I get outside and a break.

Something has changed a little and we are in a fussy time. But we are also starting to get out first responsive smiles so it's all worth it.

Still struggling with how to fit pumping into our days... It's getting better and I get 2oz at least in a 10 or 15 minute pump and nothing more if I pump longer. Pumping for 10 minutes is so much more doable, but I still pump longer if I have the time.

@Mrs. Lion: @Mrs. Coral: @maddyz: @loopedd: Thanks ladies! I'm trying to decide whether or not I'll wake him from his naps or not. I was doing that about a week and a half ago, and that was when he was still being very fussy. Then the first day I went back to work for half a day, DH let just let him nap until he woke up (he forgot I told him to wake D up at certain times), and D was happy as a clam that day! He seems happier when we just let him sleep, but it means he's not eating very often. I'm also worried a little about my supply, because if for some reason he's not eating as much right now, then what happens if it changes? So many worries as a first-time mom

@maddyz: Love those first smiles! I also have a hard time fitting in a pumping session when I'm home with D by myself. It's hard!

@Mrs. Lion: I read this a few weeks ago! D had his 6-week spurt around 5 weeks, and oh man that was just a terrible, terrible time for us, and I was praying it would get better. My MIL definitely kept asking if I had enough milk since he was so hungry all the time. So frustrating! But at almost 8 weeks now things are definitely better!

@Mrs. Lion: Thanks for posting the 6-week growth spurt article… it really gave me strength earlier this week! My guy is feeling a lot heavier so at least at that eating is making a difference.

@Mrs. Rabbit: When L gets a bottle he takes between 3-4oz depending on how hungry he his. But I usually give him 2 first, then another ounce at a time if he wants it, to avoid wasting a drop!

@Mrs. Rabbit: DD is also taking 3-4oz right now.

@Mrs. Rabbit: we've only given L a bottle a few times (she's also 7 weeks), but do 2.5-3 oz. she could probably do more, but it's generally just to tide her over until I can feed her an hour or two later.
@Aria: isn't it strange being away from your baby? I hate it, I can't believe I have to go back to work in a few weeks

@Kbee: I wish I could ease back into work, but I'll be going back 40 hours from the beginning. I have a feeling I'll be working from home and cutting out early a lot though