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@char54: J seems to do really well at daycare. Obviously he can't tell me but yesterday when I went to pick him up he was smiling and talking to his daycare lady. I work for a hospital so we get no paid holidays but I will take off thanksgiving, Christmas, and a few days around them which will be a nice break. I always thought I'd be rushing to get back to work and now I'm almost dreading it even though I'll like being there.
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Just had our one month check-up today. All's well and M is almost 10 pounds! Guess the combination of expressed BM (I'm EP) and formula is working. She still won't nap during the day unless I'm holding her in my arms or the carrier, and she ranges from 3-6 hour stretches at night. Needless to say we're still pretty tired.
DH went back to work a few weeks ago but I haven't even had my 6-week postpartum appointment yet so I'm enjoying the remainder of my maternity leave.
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@jetsa: Nope, my doctor didn't look at me. He asked me when the last time was that I had any bleeding and then told me to give it two more weeks. I did have a 3rd degree tear though and my doctor does tend to be a better safe than sorry doctor.
Little D couldn't be a better baby. He is 7 weeks old and usually sleeps 6-7 hours at night. We go for his first round of shots next week and I am dreading it. I don't mind his crying but I hate it when he sobs uncontrollably. Breaks my heart.
He fights naps all day every day. I am lucky if I can get him to nap more than once a day. It's a huge battle of wills daily. Thankfully he is smiling now so that makes the lack of napping so much better!
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J's 2 Month check up went well! He's low in all of the percentiles but he started out small. He's now 10lbs, 6oz and 21.5" from 6lbs, 4oz and 18 3/4". The shots were so hard on him and me. He screamed and cried louder than ever. After some Tylenol at night though he was great. I'm starting some nap training tomorrow so wish me luck!
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I've been away so long and missed you ladies! I was becoming obsessed with googling and had to put myself on a moratorium from the internet...at the height of my crazy was a google search of "why won't my baby sleep?" and some a**hat posted on a forum a link to an article about the youngest person (a toddler) to ever be diagnosed with schizophrenia. Needless to say, I freaked out and hubby took my phone away haha.
As for us, H has *finally* started napping a little bit -- for the last four days, he naps an hour and half after waking up in the morning and the naps have been anywhere from 1-3 hours. It's been glorious and I'm crossing my fingers that it leads to another afternoon nap soon. His nighttime sleep is not too great -- it takes me a minimum of an hour (usually closer to 2) and multiple tries to get him down and he consistently wakes up in three hours. Then it's another battle to get him back down, this time for just two hours, followed by another two hour stretch. Ugh I'm tired.
DH is sleeping on the couch
He works as early as 5am some days and has always been an extremely light sleeper, so until H is in his own room and/or sleeping for longer stretches and/or not taking forever to get back down, this is what has to be. I've been cleared for regular activity (ahem) but there is literally no time when we could DTD. We desperately need a date night! My supply has finally seemed to get to the point of meeting his demand, and the last three nights we haven't had to supplement with formula. I'm so glad and now am going to start trying to pump again. The pump my insurance provided sucks (or rather, doesn't) and so I just rented a Medela from the hospital and am hopeful it will work better so that I can start building a stash for when I go back to work in Januray. Fingers crossed!
Question: are you guys counting them as two months old when they reach 8 weeks, or on the date they were born? Example, H was 8 weeks last Sunday but was born 9/15 so that would be two months tomorrow...
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@MamaMagpie: you make me feel so much more normal! J is exactly like H in the sleep scenarios, except that he doesn't fight it too bad but were good to have a 3/1.5/1.5 night.. Did your insurance give you an ameda purely yours? Kjpugs and I both have them and they're useless. I've been waiting until 11/17 to say he's 2 months.
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@MamaMagpie: @jetsa: I waited until his actual birthday and not 8 weeks. I tried nap training J today and it was horrible. He will not fall asleep on his own in the crib. I tried to let him cry it out but failed. He's been super cranky ever since. I should've just let him fall asleep in my arms. Lately at night he sleeps 4/4/1.5/1.5. He has needed to feed much more often so I hope he's growing.
@mamamagpie: My DH leaves for work at 4am and there were many nights for awhile that he slept downstairs so you're not alone. And we dtd with J awake in his swing once. It wasn't ideal but it worked.
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@jetsa: haha you make me better, too! Last night, miraculously, he didn't fight it at all -- it made a huge different in how rested I felt this morning! And yes to the Ameda
It is TERRIBLE!!! I pumped with the Medela today and while I only got two ounces, it came soooo much easier/more quickly. I got that amount right away and then I just really didn't have anymore in me. @marionberry: he probably is growing! H slept actually napped in his own room today and it was amazing! He was in his RnP but it was the first time he slept for more than 20/30 minutes in there (2.5 hours!). I think the plan will be to get him napping in there, then get him sleeping at night in there, then transitioning him to his crib for naps, then crib for night. Fingers crossed, I'd like to do it 3-day steps. Good for you for DTD...I have to admit I'm kind of using the "where/when would we even do it?" as an excuse...I'm so not feeling it right now. Poor DH
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@MamaMagpie: my friend whose babe was born in June just transitioned from rnp to crib and said it was easier than she expected
same on the medela vs ameda. I read online you're supposed to go 5 mins past the last of your milk so I've been going about 20 mins, my second letdown ends between 12-15 mins normally. I get 2-4 ounces depending on time of day.
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Man, I am far behind! Sleep fell to crap, so I've been too tired at wakeups to make any sense in my responses. Paige had been breaking out of her miracle blanket and I think it was waking her up every hour. I've got her in a swaddleme tonight and it's been much better. 2.5-3 hr stretches.
@marionberry: I didn't get bc either. My dr said that exclusive breastfeeding, until 6 mo, if there has been no AF and if she doesn't go more than 6 hr between feeds at night has a 98% prevention rate. That's better than condoms! So I was all excited and then P slept 6 hr at night. And then AF showed up 3 weeks later. So now we'll use condoms until I can try temping again. Right now, sleep is too fragmented to bother.
@illumina: P does a 50 min nap at 9 AM, usually a 45 min nap at 11 and then 30 min naps for the rest of the day. It's annoying that they are mostly supershort, but I'm hoping she grows out of it. She goes down for the night between 7:30 and 8:30 and does her long stretch then - 4-5 hrs normally. Then does 1-3 hrs for the rest of the night (tonight it's been 2.5 hr stretches - whoohoo!).
She had her shots last week. Cried a bit at the needles, but then she got a sugary rotavirus vaccine which dried up the tears! No fever or any side effects that I noticed.
Milestones are fun! Lots of smiles and mini-pushups. Giggled on 3 occasions. And if I pull on her arms from a reclined position, she can sit up really straight. It's fun! Oh and TONS of bubbles and drool - it's so gross.
I have no desire to be a SAHM. I didn't think I would and I was right. I just value a little peace in my day and I think I would appreciate my kids much more. Although, I'm very glad I get this year off!@char54: you are so right about the tough days feeling like a distant memory! And thank God! I think that was one of the toughest adjustments I've ever had. It's so much nicer to look forward to P's future because it'll be fun, rather than just wishing she was older so that the hardest days were over!
I think P is going to stay asleep this time (she's been waking for the past hour), so I'm back to bed! I'll try to catch up more later.
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@jetsa: I didn't know about waiting 5 mins after the milk stopped coming -- I will try that!
@grace: I hope you got some good sleep
And I also agree that things are finally getting a bit easier and more fun!
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@MamaMagpie: I read it'll signal your body to make more so that your pumping output will continue to increase
Is there any reason to continue to track feeds? Up until now I've tracked every feed and the duration.
Also anyone have a white noise machine? Do you like it? We're thinking about getting one for Jack to see if we can increase the duration of his night sleeps
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@jetsa: makes sense! We have a white noise machine and I think it really helps, but we've been using it since the beginning so I guess I'm not totally sure it helps him sleep longer...we have this one, which I like because it's not on a timer (will go all night) and it has a projection feature that puts out a little animation that he can look at to help put himself back to sleep (plus it's just enough light to see what I'm doing for motn wakeups).
https://m.buybuybaby.com/m/product/HoMedics-reg-SoundSpa-trade-Lullaby-Sound-Machine/1014643125
Also, I don't track feeds anymore...but if you feel like it's helpful, keep doing it! I even stopped timing how long between feeds because it was making me crazy, as in "oh nooo it's only been 52 minutes since his last feed...does that mean he's not getting enough?!" Made me cuckoo
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Oh my goodness, so much to catch up on again! We have been all over the place this week- so many ups and downs. Wednesday was probably the lowest I've been since S has been here- I just got so down about my life feeling like groundhog day... the feeding and nappy changes etc. are no trouble, it's the hours each day trying to settle her enough so she can sleep that were wearing on me
I ended up speaking to my parents, who up to now thought we were coping fine and didn't want to butt in, told them I'm struggling to cope on a daily basis and that I'm in therapy for PPA/PPD. The result was that they were really supportive and are going to have S one day/afternoon per week to give us a break. So next weekend they will hopefully come here and watch her so Dh and I can have a date night! So yeah, really surprised by their reaction... we went over to their house on Friday and when I arrived Dad was excited to tell me they'd bought a play gym for her to use when she's there and he's ordered the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix for their car, so they can take her places. I wish I'd have talked to them sooner instead of feeling so isolated for 8wks!S was such a brave little thing for her injections- she had the sugary rotovirus oral vaccine and didn't mind that at all, then had a jab in each thigh. She cried a little at the second one, but by the time we left the room, she was fine again. THEN little girl has sttn for the last 3 nights since! 8pm to 7am with no wakeup! From what I've read that happens after their first shots as they can get quite tired for a few days, so I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts!
Naps are still a work in progress. We bought a mobile for her cot- which has been helpful in that we can put her in there awake watching that for a while and then 50% of the time that will allow her to wind down enough to drift off on her own. That's the issue we have- she gets overtired so easy and sometimes it's impossible to get her down without nursing or a lot of rocking and bouncing. A couple of days a week she'll remember how to suck her thumb and on those days she goes down really well and is generally a lot happier! Felt bad for her last night because she kept rooting to find her thumb and it was so close to her mouth, but she couldn't co-ordinate to put it in there!
She's down to only feeding 4x per day now and then again if there's a night wake up. They are always the same times during the day, so at least we have some sort of routine emerging!
@jetsa: we don't use white noise anymore... I don't think it made a difference, so we just try and keep noise to a minimum if she's napping.
@MamaMagpie: aww! Your Dh sounds just like mine- he's like "what are you googling NOW??" because like you I've spent an unhealthy of time trying to figure out how common it is for a baby not to like napping!
@marionberry: sorry about the nap training
We let S fuss and whine it out these days... sometimes it takes 20mins and then she's asleep, and other times after 20mins it'll escalate to a cry and we go get her. At least the 20mins buys us enough time to eat a meal with both hands! I'm sure we will end up properly sleep training/CIO after 4mths though!
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@MamaMagpie: "oh nooo it's only been 52 minutes since his last feed...does that mean he's not getting enough?!" <<<<this is why I want to stop. I'll look at that white noise machine.
@illumina: it's so interesting what one baby likes and another doesn't. Or how often they eat lol, Jack ate 18 times yesterday. How long are S's feedings? Jacks average 17 mins.
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@jetsa: I would guess 10-15mins each side, so 20-30mins 4 times per day.
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I'm a month behind y'all, M is 5 weeks old. When did your babies start napping during the day without needing to be held? I am getting a lot of use out of my carrier but I've been trying to get her used to napping on her own in her swing or PNP. She wakes up right away or after about 5-10 minutes.
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@illumina: She slept all night?! That's fabulous! I'm glad your parents have proven to be so helpful after your PPD discussion. Hopefully the breaks really help. As far as the CIO, I'm thinking that he's a bit too young for this really to work. We'll keep attempting it here and there, but I'd rather just let him fall asleep on his own at this point versus try to get him to.
@jetsa: I have never (since like week 2) paid any attention to how often J eats or sleeps. It was making me crazy and when we'd wake him because he overslept he'd be horrible! I just let him eat and sleep when he wants and he seems to do just fine. I hope quitting that will make you feel better too. Oh and we have the Dohm Sound Machine. We haven't used it with him yet because in our room (where he currently sleeps) we always have a fan or the AC on. But we'll be using the sound machine in his room anytime he sleeps there going forward.
@grace: Interesting stats on not getting pregnant! Somehow I have yet to get AF, so I've been lucky. I hope it stays that way for awhile. At the point it comes I guess I'll have to go back to temping because I just don't see us using a condom.
@mamamagpie: Don't feel bad about the excuse. Believe me, neither time we've DTD has been my idea. It's the last thing on my mind.
@maplemoose: J always slept pretty well in his bouncer from birth but he did go through about 2 weeks from 5-7 where he really wanted to be held. Luckily he's now back to napping well, but now it's in his swing.
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@jetsa: it was a little hard to give up the timer, but after a couple of days I was so glad I did!
@MapleMoose: H just started taking a nap in the mornings this past week! So 8 weeks He still only takes the one nap per day, but we're working on getting at least one more in there.
@marionberry: lol ok that makes me feel better -
@marionberry: Lucky you with a napping baby!
I'm sure M will get there eventually. It's not that I mind the cuddle time, it's just hard to pump because I have to put her down and she doesn't stay content long enough.
@MamaMagpie: Will H sleep in your arms for naps or he just doesn't sleep at all? -
I've been reading everyone's posts but had a crazy few last days!!
@MamaMagpie: I count E as 2 months on the 19th... the date he was born... so when he's two months he'll be 8 and a half weeks.
@illumina: I have always wanted to be a SAHM and will be till all our future kids are in school. I do own my own business so I will start that up again part-time if I feel the need too. I;'m so glad you had a chat to your parents!! I am sure they love to be there for you and glad you are going to get a break.
@jetsa: I gave up tracking feeds and sleep a few weeks ago.. it was driving me nuts and E is gaining well so I guess there is no need. We use white noise at night and only during nap time if he is being fussy otherwise I go about my business as usual...vacuuming seems to settle him as I guess its like a white noise of its own! lol
@marionberry: Sorry the nap training is hard.. it IS hard but so worth it.....E takes a nap from 8.30-11 and from 12.30-3 and then a cat nap at 4. Bedtime at 7. The first day I did it it was torturous! I think I settled him 11 times!!! eeek... Each day got better and most days now he naps without any settles. I think E really thrives on routine... in saying that every baby is different.E has been sleeping 7pm til 7am with a dreamfeed at 10.30pm and a wakeup at 4.30am.. last night he slept through!!!! I couldn't believe it! Probably a fluke but we'll see. The few days before that were obviously a growth spurt... he was cluster feeding from 5pm til 10pm and from 3am til 7am. But he's gone back to normal the last few nights (phew)
Whats everyone getting their LO's for Christmas? We are doing stockings with bits and pieces like teethers and books and rattles etc.. then one big present from Santa and one from Us... thinking an outdoor swing.. or a jumperoo...??
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@Mrs squirreld: we're doing a jumperoo as our big present. He'll also get a bumbo sometime soon
@Mrs squirreld: @MamaMagpie: @marionberry: guess its time to give up the timer
thanks ladies@MapleMoose: Jack doesn't nap maybe 20 mins here or there but he wants to be awake when he's home. He sleeps fine at daycare so I'm not too worried about it
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@MapleMoose: in the morning when I need to pump I stick him on his activity may next to me. When he gets fussy on his back I flip him to his belly and if he is still fussy then I can hold him while I pump at last resort. It works pretty well.
@mrssquirreld: wow you are so lucky! Since I go back to work tomorrow I won't be around to work more on his naps other than during the weekends.. So I guess I hope the daycare lady is lucky with it. -
@jetsa: Glad to hear that he sleeps well at daycare. I was thinking about this today with M. Although she doesn't start daycare until January and a lot can change until then!
@Mrs squirreld: I haven't thought of Christmas gifts yet for LO. Oops!
@marionberry: I've had to hold M while pumping a few times. I feel like a contortionist trying to hold her up without getting caught in tubing or moving the parts around lol
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@marionberry: good luck tomorrow!
@MapleMoose: yea, I don't worry about naps at home bc of it. I probably should care more but oh well.
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@MapleMoose: Ya it can definitely be difficult to hold them.
@Mrssquirreld: We're thinking about a jumper as well, along with a bumbo seat and some clothes/smaller items.
@Jetsa: Thank you! I'm a bit nervous about getting out the door but am getting up at 5am. I've tried to prep almost everything so that it will be easier to get out the door if he is being difficult. -
@marionberry: Lucky..yes.. Although its been hardwork too, but I'm glad I persisted! Growth spurts seem to put me back to square one though! Goodluck at work tomorrow - you'll be fine
@jetsa: oh a bumbo is a good idea too! -
@MapleMoose: he will sometimes fall asleep when he's done nursing and will sleep comfortably on the nursing pillow for 15-30 minutes. I guess that's better than nothing!
@Mrs squirreld: I am soooo jealous of your sleep situation!!! I feel like we'll never get there
@jetsa: good for you, giving up the timer!
@marionberry: good luck tomorrow!!! -
Ugh H was up every 1.5-2 hours last night
I usually get at least one 3.5 hour stretch in the beginning. He's 9 weeks now, isn't he supposed to be sleeping in longer stretches now? He used to have a 5 or 6 hour stretch...where did it go? Have I done something to change that? Mama's tired -
@MamaMagpie: I'm with you, we're right there too. I talked to some family this weekend and they said its all based on the kid. Most had a great sleeper and a terrible one, so we just got 'lucky' and got our terrible sleepers first lol.
@marionberry: Its difficult but I hoped it worked well for you this AM. My job is too flexible, I don't feel like I have to get out the door on time so I'm constantly late
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@mamamagpie: I think it could be a weird growth super or something. J's sleep has been way worse at night lately. He slept crappy from 2am on.
@jetsa: my office is really flexible too! My goal was to work by 930 and I'm gonna be there by 9. I definitely will have to keep getting up at 5am though. Yucky! -
@MapleMoose: well, S is almost 9wks and still needs to be completely out before I can transfer her anywhere (or actually, just the cot, as it's the only place she'll tolerate). I usually wait at least half an hour before I move her just incase she wakes, so at least she's had a bit of a nap and won't be too cranky! Pretty much 95% of the time I can transfer her without waking though. I'm not going to sweat it until she gets to 3mths and then I'm going to try really hard to get her to fall asleep on her own... she's working on the thumb sucking which is helping, but it's not consistent yet.
@marionberry: hope you had a good first day back and J did well in daycare all day! Yes, she didn't wake up all night- did the same again last night, 930pm-815am. It doesn't seem like she eats a ton during the day either, so I don't know where she's getting all her calories from!!
@Mrs squirreld: we're planning on getting her the Fisher Price rainforest jumperoo that everyone is raving about. So many positive reviews can't be wrong and she loves her FP rainforest play gym! Other than that, maybe just a new 3-6mth winter coat and some books.
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@jetsa: oy, what lucky ladies we are
I wish for everyone a good sleeper, but honestly it makes me feel better that you're going through this, too!
@marionberry: I agree that there may be a growth spurt of some kind happening. My Wonder Weeks app says he's still in his second leap, and I'm going to cross my fingers that once he's through it he'll revert back to his previous sleeping patterns. Or, better yet, sleep even more than before! Also, how is your first day back at work? Getting up and out the door went ok?We have our 2-month well check today and H will get his first shots (his doctor pushed his 1-month Hep B shot out to this visit). I'm excited to learn how big he's grown but nervous about how he'll handle the shots
I just keep telling myself that a) everyone gets them and we've all survived the ordeal and b) it may make him sleep better tonight (does that make me a terrible mama?!)
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@MamaMagpie: I definitely think Jack is in his 2nd leap right now he's been a huge fusspot!
@marionberry: ugh, no fun! It sounds like everything went well though so yay!
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@MamaMagpie: Lol - I'm pretty sure your LO does not have schizophrenia. I can see why you banned yourself though! You've got some excellent naps going. Mine will only nap usually 45 min, tops and night sleep is often like yours too. I've started swaddling P in a Halo swaddler with her arm bent and fingers by her mouth so that she can suck on them. Yesterday, she did 8 hours! Seems to be a fluke. Today, it was only 4, but I'll take it - there's been too many 1 and 1.5 hr night sleeps, recently.
I counted two months on her birthday.
@jetsa: I still track feeds. Partly 'cause I'm anal, and partly because I never remember which side she had last.
@illumina: Aww, that's awesome of your parents! I hope it helps make you feel better. And wow, that's so many less feeds than mine! Mine eats every 2 hrs at least, still.
Ok, back to bed. One day, I'll catch up with all of you!
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@MapleMoose: At 8 weeks, I found it much easier to put P down for naps.
@Mrs squirreld: Wow, super jealous of the naps you are getting! I'm daydreaming now of all the stuff I could get done...
For Christmas, we're getting her a "first Christmas" type ornament, probably a pretty dress, and then something she still needs, like a highchair or baby gate or convertable car seat. I don't want to go crazy, since it seems like it's more for us!
@MamaMagpie: Oh, I hate those nights of no sleep! I think mine had crappy sleep around then too. I wonder if there was a growth spurt that no one talks about?
I was wondering how you ladies fit in pumping time. I find it such a PITA, that I never do it. Even though I know I should or else be tied to her for the next year...
And Mwah ah ah ah!! I've caught up! I feel so proud...
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@Grace: I stopped tracking and it's kind of freeing, although it kind of makes me anxious that idk how often he's eating LOL.
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So my first day of work went well, thanks ladies. I absolutely hate having to get up at 5 but it's also nice to not be rushing out the door. My husband may actually start staying with me from 5-6 which would be awesome. He just has to make sure the traffic isn't too bad and that he can get to work by 630.
@grace: I rarely pumped unless J was away from me (when he went to daycare) or if I was engorged (say he fell asleep early) but when I knew I needed to start my stash the easiest way was to pump the other breast after his first feeding of the day. Now that I work I'm pumping 2-3x while I'm there. I'm so much less productive because of it but oh well, he needs the milk. It is really nice when you can give him the bottle and be gone for a longer stretch every once in awhile.
Hope all is well with everyone! It's even harder to write now that I'm working but I'll do my best!
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@Grace: Haha yah, that schizo thing was definitely the final straw but I'm happy to say I've got my google addiction under control now
We are still struggling with night sleep but last night his swaddle got loosened while he was nursing and I left it and he still slept 3 hours...tried it again, swaddling with his arms bent and hands out, and he woke up as soon as I put him down. Last night he was up and down and up and down until after 1am. It was hell. I'd started at 7:30. He'd fall asleep in my arms after a LOT of rocking/swaying/nursing and I'd hold him for even longer to make sure he was really out, and then he'd wake up about 10-15 minutes after I put him down. Tonight is shaping up to be the same, although I've only been trying since 9:30. I want to gouge my sandy tired eyes out
Please tell me this will get better! -
@MamaMagpie: I'm so sorry! This is what Jack does and now why we're cosleeping so I have no advice!
DH went back to work a few weeks ago but I haven't even had my 6-week postpartum appointment yet so I'm enjoying the remainder of my maternity leave.
He works as early as 5am some days and has always been an extremely light sleeper, so until H is in his own room and/or sleeping for longer stretches and/or not taking forever to get back down, this is what has to be. I've been cleared for regular activity (ahem) but there is literally no time when we could DTD. We desperately need a date night! 
same on the medela vs ameda. I read online you're supposed to go 5 mins past the last of your milk so I've been going about 20 mins, my second letdown ends between 12-15 mins normally. I get 2-4 ounces depending on time of day.
I just keep telling myself that a) everyone gets them and we've all survived the ordeal and b) it may make him sleep better tonight (does that make me a terrible mama?!)
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