Hellobee Boards

@cvbee: ya don't remind me! like i predicted last night was not an encore presentation. She woke up a good 4 times. I only nursed once though. I'm sure if she would be able to put the paci in her mouth then she wouldn't wake up.

If by the end of the month she isn't sleeping consistently, i will start CIO.

@cvbee: LOL re: penis. Tyler grabs his during diaper changes, too....so I have to make sure when it's a dirty diaper I swoop in and clean that part first! Funny about sleep. I just can't figure it out....but my husband points out that T is constantly changing and getting older so it makes sense that what worked a month ago won't work now. You asked about bottle feeding at night - I always have several bottles of pumped milk ready in the fridge. So when he wakes up I just warm it (our hot water is ridiculously hot so it only takes a minute). But when we are away I just give him cold milk, which he definitely does not prefer.

@LAGS: My supply is a little out of control, but pumping consistently can do that to you (which I've been doing for 10 weeks...) Example? I pumped last night at 9:15 and then didn't pump again until 6:15 a.m. I pumped SEVENTEEEN ounces. No joke. I'm glad naps are going well for you....I hope it's a sign that things are going to be improving!

@pastemoo: I like that you have spock now! I don't really read any books. More of a fan of googling/internet. I do want to read a sleep book since things are a little out of control. Just not sure what to read. Glad you had a nice visit with your parents. And maybe some form of sleep training makes sense given Gabriel's sleep patterns. I just re-read Mrs. Bee's sleep training post re: Charlie. It's interesting.

@mrssunglasses: I give up on trying to figure out sleep. Ok, not really, but it's exhausting! I can't believe you missed out on that glorious stretch. I would be soooo mad!!

@calsmom: He is so darn cute. I can't believe he is scooting already! Tyler can't even roll, LOL. Though, I think he will be an early sitter. What did you feed Cooper for his solids? Random thought/question? I know you guys love baseball....any chance Cooper is named after Cooperstown?!

@regberadaisy: I just want to pinch her cheeks. So darn cute!!! There's also a sleep training method called something shuffle. Someone posted on here about it - it's softer than CIO.

More @replies to get to from the page before....

Yesterday was a total sleep and nap disaster. I think he got 7 hours overnight and then only 2 hours of naps. It was awful. So I tried for an early bedtime (started routine at 6:45). He was allegedly asleep by 7:30 in his Rock N Play (we are going to transition this week but figured it was such a rough day we needed all the help we could get). Well, he was crying 5 minutes later. So, DH jumped in. Tyler was really pissed and wouldn't go back to sleep. So DH put him down in the crib and turned on the mobile. Silence. When the mobile song ran out, DH did it again. Silence. He slept almost 3 hours (7:50 to 10:45) and I think he only woke up because we had one of those crib wedges in the crib and he rolled off it and was sideways in his crib!! So then we fed him and put him back in the R&P. Woke up 3 hours later. Fed him and put him back in crib (because if he's only sleeping 3 hours, why not try the crib?) He slept 3.5 more hours. It was then 5:45 and he wouldn't go back to sleep so we got up and then I put him down in his swing at 6:45 and he took a 2 hour nap (so did I). I know 9.5 hours of overnight sleep probably isn't enough but it was a much better first night in the crib than I expected. Now I'm just going to be consistent about putting him in there at night and hope that his stretches get longer again. I'm also going to try to get him in bed and asleep earlier, will shoot for a 7:30 bedtime again tonight and then hopefully incrementally move it up to 7.

Here's the sleep training link! http://www.hellobee.com/2011/09/23/sleep-training-part-1-how-we-night-trained/

@cvbee: I "nurse" T to sleep too. He wakes up and takes most of his bottle but 75% of the time leaves a little bit (.5 or 1 ounce). So before his nap that's how I get him calmed down. He drinks it up and is either very sleepy or asleep and then I swaddle him and put him down. I know it's a sleep prop, but he needs help in the sleep dept. these days, so I oblige. That was a super long stretch for me not to pump. I usually pump in the middle of the night (and will get 12 ounces.....) but that was kind of insane.

@winniebee: thanks! I'll check it out. Tyler is so darn handsome!

@cvbee: Thank you! Yeah, I've never shared her name on here because it's not common so I'm afraid of people finding me. hehe, just a tad neurotic.
Well, my husband is German/Irish and I've always wanted our kids names to have meaning behind them. So Meara is Gaelic for joyful/full of joy. I love it because what more do we as parents want for our kids but for them to be happy in life? Her middle name is Agnes after my husband's maternal grandmother someone very dear to both of us. Funny enough her initials are exactly the same as my FILs, unintentionally, so we call her jr! hahha
I love that lacy top! It was a gift from the shower, I think it's Route 66 which is Sears right?

Question for those who sometimes pump but primarily nurse... how much frozen milk do you try to keep on hand and how often do you pump?

I'm trying to get into a habit of pumping once a day and after basically depleting my stash have it back up to just over 30oz. I wanna push to build it up just in case my supply suffers as A gets older and takes more solids. I've been super paranoid about this since seeing a dip with the return of AF.

Last night we put A down without a little cereal with her last nurse of the day and her sleep was a crap-shoot again. So to make sure the semi-decent night sleep we got after cereal wasn't a fluke, I'm going to try it again.

She tried an itty bit of banana today too and did well with it, so after her 4mo check-up, I'm going to see what her Ped thinks of just starting purees. She doesn't spit anything back out and doesn't gag, so I'm wondering if she's just kinda ready? I never thought I'd be pushing the solids thing but I just have this nagging feeling she's not 100% satisfied with just breastmilk anymore... I'm probably crazy

@LAGS: I try to keep enough frozen milk stashed to feed Liam for two days. He only gets a bottle about once every week or so, so I don't pump very often. Hopefully once we find a sitter he'll be taking more bottles so I can go out more!

@Mrs. Sunglasses: Thanks! That sucks about being unable to sleep! It's funny and 'so typical' the one time you can't sleep, she sleeps straight through.

@cvbee: Thanks! Haha! Cooper hasn't been showing too much interest down there yet. Poopy diapers are a challenge with a kitties hand in the way

@regberadaisy: Gosh...she is precious. I love the bow, band, whatever it is called lol.

Good luck with her sleep! It's tricky finding the proper method. I hope it gets better for everyone soon.

@LAGS: Thank you! We haven't ordered the belt yet. Thanks for reminding me! I need to do that today. He did good in the Bumbo for his first feeding! The tray is nice, I wish it wasn't such a pain to latch on though.

I hope you get the green light to feed her solids! It's so much fun! Take pics!

@winniebee: Thank you! Two adorable babies! Your son has the sweetest face and smile!

Cooper stopped scooting until this morning when he did it just before daddy left for work. He will not roll over from tummy to back though? It's like he forgot lol.

Nope, didn't name him after Cooperstown, but that's cool! I like the connection.

@LAGS: He takes about 4.5 oz every 3 hours during the day, sometimes every 2 hours, sometimes every 4. He's about 11.5 lbs, I think based on weighing him on the scale with me (he's still quite small for his age - 16 weeks). Very exciting that A will have a cousin soon!

@duckduckkristen: 8 hours is awesome! We still swaddle too. Have tried naps without swaddles but he wakes himself up after 15 mins....

@MsMini: What a cutie! Isn;t there a second growth spurt or wonder week in month 3? (12 and 15 weeks?)
I hope you get some sleep!
@calsmom, LOL. Should have learned my lesson and stopped burping him that way, huh? I just use a HUGE receiving blanket as a burp cloth... and expect it. Sometimes I pick him up when he seems happy and then SURPRISE! Spit up bombs away!
It takes Gabriel 1.5 hours to fall asleep now that we're starting earlier.... but we do get a slightly longer overall stretch so it's worth it for me.
He looks so cute! Love him in the elephant onesie.
@mrssunglasses: you don't have to "suck it up" you have to do what WORKS for your family. If it doesn't work, change it. If it does work, let it be. And having your husband say something like that doesn't "work."
I am with you on wishing G would be able to find/pick up a pacifier on his own!
@regberadaisy: Good luck tomorrow! Let us know how big your little cutie got. I love her 4 month outfit.
I'm not cut out for CIO... I found this out after dropping my parents at the airport. G woke up and started crying 20 minutes from home (an area with no safe place to stop and nurse--plus I probably would have gotten lost and DH had the GPS in the other car). He cried for 12 minutes... lightly sobbed for 2, and then cried for the last 6 minutes. It was awful.
Oh, and Gabriel found his penis, too. He only seems to notice it during bathtime--so glad he isn't grabbing it during diaper changes!
@winniebee: sounds like Tyler is getting good at crib sleep-- 9.5 hours is AMAZING! I can't wait till we get there. Today I skipped the gym because I actually got him to nap and didn't want to skip my chance at napping.
What a cutie he is! I love his beach clothes.

I agree that there is a chubby-baby factor in why Gabriel doesn't roll. He will now hold himself up against the couch or coffee table and stand. He can't lift himself up there, but he will lift himself up by my or DH's or grandparents fingers... so cute!
@cvbee: yeah, my spock is vegetarian.
Are the sleep logs helping? I think you might not want to stop when you seem to be learning so much right now.
aaand... totally with you on the nurse to sleep thing. It works, so I'm doing it.

@LAGS: Glad the oatmeal is helping. I understand wanting to start solids! As for the freezer stash.... In about 3 weeks I stashed 5oz/day. I haven't touched it and haven't stashed any since 2 months.... I just throw away the stuff in the fridge. DH hardly feeds him anymore, so I only pump once a week or so just so there is an emergency bottle. And this week I pumped every day (like 1-2 oz only!) to try to help bring my supply back up after no sleep/not enough eating totally killed my supply.
@duckduckkristen: congrats on the weight loss and pants fitting. YAY! And Gabriel will chomp down on 2 fingers or his thumb or ALL his hand!

Ugh, the sleep last night was not good. We put Sawyer to bed when he was ready (just beginning to show sleep cues), did our bedtime routine, and he seemed to go down OK, then proceeded to wake up every hour all night long. When DH went to work this morning I brought Sawyer into bed with me and we slept for 5 hours in the bed together. He is unswaddled for his nap right now and pretty happy, so I might try a sleep sack tonight instead of swaddling him. I am willing to do almost anything at this point. I am also going to go out tomorrow or the next day and get a lovey and sleep with it for a night or 2 and then try to introduce that. I am also considering letting him sleep with a shirt of mine, I wonder if my smell in our bed relaxes him, which is why he sleeps in our bed well, but not in his crib all of a sudden.

@cvbee: Thanks! His eyes get a lot of comments when we are out and about. They make up for anything he can throw at me. Sawyer hasn't found his penis yet, he is obsessed with his feet, which actually helps out with diaper changes, because it is easy to wipe his bum with his feet in the air.

@Mrs. Sunglasses: I feel the same way, if he could just keep the soother in we would have much better sleep. He is just so inconsistent with getting it into his mouth.

@regberadaisy: What a cutie, and so well-dressed, I love her outfit.

@winniebee: Good luck with the earlier bedtime, it sounds like your crib transition is going well. You have such a little cutie! His cousin is adorable too.

@LAGS: I am getting so tempted to try cereal. We have some rice cereal in the cupboard, and I look at it every few days when the sleep is bad, but I am dedicated to waiting for his readiness cues, and he can't sit unsupported, so I am holding out.

@duckduckkristen: Sawyer is a finger chomper as well, if he isn't actively playing he is chewing on his hands. He also loves chomping on our hands, he has quite the "bite".

@pastemoo: I think there must be something going on that I am missing. He ate SO MUCH all weekend, like twice as much as usual. My poor boobs hurt.

@winniebee: oh no! Have you ruled out any reasons for his fussiness? Teething? Fever? Tummy issues?

@winniebee: so sorry you are not having a good day:( I hope he goes to sleep soon and everything improves. Have a glass of wine or something because I am sure you are ready to wind down, too!

Penny (and I) can't catch a break. Went to the peds this morning due to blood in her diaper. DR said she has a slight tear on her anus. So, she tells me to just make sure she has ointment on it to keep it slippery for poop. So, put her burts bees ointment on her, which I have hardly ever used. 3 diapers later and she is screaming and shaking in pain and BRIGHT red in her diaper area. Ugh. The diaper wipe, alchohol based, just burned the crap out of her mixed with the ointment I guess. Gave her a bath to try to soothe, and will use water and a cloth for a while to wipe her. What oinment do you all use? Any reactions?

@winniebee: I am sorry you are having a hard day, I have had the same thought that it should be getting easier.

@bpcmarj: Ouch, poor little bum! We use the Earth Mama Angel Baby butt balm, which has been miraculous for us. We use cloth wipes with a home-made solution for Sawyer's bum.

@calsmom: We got the belt and to be honest, I kinda wish I didn't install it. We're always with her and it's so fiddly trying to get her in there and the buckles out and around her. She has chunkster legs though.

@pastemoo:Hope your supply kicks back up. I'm starting More Milk Special Blend today, fingers crossed it works. Thanks for starting that thread too!

@MsMini: Good thought about the shirt or the lovie with your scent on it. I'm interested to see how that goes!

@winniebee:Oh no Hang in there. I know with Addie if she's up too long, she's a fuss pot but acts like she wont/doesn't need to go down. We have quite the battles some days, but Momma can fight longer and harder, hah!

@bpcmarj: Poor Penny, I'm so sorry to her that. We have Aquaphor and Addie has had no reaction. Hope she's feeling better soon

@cvbee: My husband was clueless about tv too. He gets home from work at either 11:45 or 2:45 depending on the day of the week and he would come home, grab a snack and turn the tv on in our room like he used to do pre-baby. This especially irritated the sh!t out of me when A was still sleeping in our room. We've since had words and he knows not to venture down the hall until he's ready for bed!

@Coco Bee: I'm in the exact same position, there's no immediate need for the milk, but I'd just feel better knowing I have a bunch in reserve. I'm trying out More Milk drops now so hopefully they'll help fill that freezer up!

Ok so another stored milk question. On average how many ounces do you store per bag? I used to try for 4oz because that's what she took, then went to storing 6oz at a time. Lately... I've just been freezing whatever I'm lucky enough to get.

Thanks ladies. It's days like this where I am especially grateful to have you all. He only slept for 30 mins in my arms. Then DH got home and handled bedtime. Which went ok but started at 830 given the late nap. 3 mobile turns and a paci and hrs out in his crib for 45 mins (9 pm). Wish us luck!!

Oh and I decided I am no longer pumping overnight. I will still pump 4x a day...and I'd my supply tanks so be it. I have more than a month of milk frozen.

@LAGS: forgot to answer last night: I won't do any supply teaching while I'm on maternity leave because it would just get subtracted from my benefits. However, if I find the right sitter, I may go back to work as early as January in supply teaching. (We are barely scraping by while I'm on leave). There is a contract that I have my eye on for someone's maternity leave starting in March (not my favourite grade, but a favourite school), so that is another time I might go back. Or, if we can somehow swing it, I would stay of f the whole school year and just go back in September. I would absolutely love that but might have to win the lottery....could possibly manage if I could do childcare for someone and bring my baby.

@winniebee: I hope you got some sleep last night!
@bpcmarj: ohmygosh - poor baby!!!! I hope it heals soon.
@LAGS: the only time I freeze is on Fridays because I keep it for Monday at daycare. So I usually just split halfsies based on what I pumped that day.
@cvbee: I know! Because M has not been sleeping properly I am losing my evening pump session. Therefore not pumping enough for her daycare intake. It's a vicious cycle.
@Goldilocks1107: oh sweetie - I'm so sorry you're feeling gloomy!!! A big HUG for you!!!

***
M's 4 month check up was today and she's such a little trooper. She cried a little when they gave her the shots but she was immediately fine.
She's:
26.5" long (grew 2.5"!),
14lbs 7.5 oz (up 2lbs 7.5oz from 2 month visit)
head circumference of 16.5" (grew .75")!

Doc said to wait till 6 months for solids so we're probably going to wait unless M really shows interest.

I am having a really, really rough day today!! idk how I'm going to get thru it.. ugh. I am feeling pretty down today.

Tried to go to bed at 9:30pm in preparation for the inevitable 6am wakeup.. didn't fall asleep until 11pm. DS woke up at 2:45 to eat, back to bed at 3:20. Then awake for the day at 6am. I was exhausted. So much so that I had DS hang in bed while I half slept. He spent the entire first two hours of the morning in our bed lol. When I put him down for his nap at 8am, DH went back to sleep (he doesn't start work until noon today), and DS only slept 40 minutes... gahh!!

I am just feeling exhausted and discouraged and totally just not wanting to be a mom today at all

I have a job interview tonight at 6:45pm, it's a plus and minus. Kinda excited but wishing I could stay home.

just one of those days I'm feeling like I just have to get through. I wish it was the weekend.

@cvbee: @MsMini: @Coco Bee: @LAGS: @regberadaisy: Thank you all for the words and recs. She seems to be doing much better today after I got all the ointment off in the bath and put some corn starch on her bottom. I haven't needed ointment because she has never had a rash, but I guess I will be looking for another one, maybe EMAB. The only other thing I have around the house is badger baby balm. It does say that it can be used for diaper rash.

http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-398-baby-balm.aspx

@Goldilocks1107: @Coco Bee: So sorry you both have been having rough days. I find days like that is when I really need to do something for myself. After yesterdays fiasco with Penny, I will be taking myself to get a coffee and to spend a TJ Maxx gift card that I got for my birthday (and NO buying anything for Penny with it!!)

@regberadaisy: M is adorable! I think that's the first pic I have seen of her, too. I have been waiting since the WB spring babies days:) She is pretty tall! What size footed sleepers is she in? Penny has her 4 month apt on the 13th and I can't wait to actually find out how long she is. I crudely measured her a couple of weeks ago and she was 26.5. She has nearly grown out of her 6 month sleepers and has been wearing 9 month ones for weeks!

@pastemoo: Thanks for starting the other May thread! How are you doing? Are you getting anymore sleep per genius Dr's orders?

@Coco Bee: awe - cheer up! Hope he continues to be a good boy for you!
@bpcmarj: haha I'm glad I didn't take it down yet then! I was going to delete the link earlier. haha. Yeah I probably should have gotten her 9month sleepers a few weeks ago the 6month were getting too short for my liking. But I was waiting for deals so I finally bought her 3 sleepers in 9 months.