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@pmerr: Congrats!
Weird. I'm a shorty, and I've never noticed the ergo being too long...
@illumina: Oh the sucks. I hate it when P is asleep and I'm wide awake. I went to my first mom/baby group. She also passed out there. It was so great to talk to other moms and not feel so alone.
@MapleMoose: I'm glad your LO is doing better! That is a different breastfeeding issue! Was your appointment good?
@MamaMagpie: My DH is pretty awesome. He's been getting her to sleep/staying up with her in the evening since she was born which gives me 2-4 hour solid sleep (he stays up later if it's a weekend). He is slower to jump to sooth, but I think it's 'cause her cry affects him less. He's more willing to wait to see if it stops. But he's so patient with her, I don't know what I would have done without him.
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@Grace: The appointment was helpful. M's sucking is so strong that she left visible bruises on my nipples/areola. So I'm taking a break from breastfeeding until they heal and just pumping and supplementing for now. I'm not getting enough of a supply to feed her but the LC said maybe it was because BF was such a painful and trying experience that I was too stressed to produce more milk. Hopefully this break from BF will do the trick. She gave me a nipple shield too which helped with the pain on one side, but unfortunately the other side is inverted and still excruciating when M pulls it out.
M has been feeding every 1-1.5 hours at night but luckily DH can help feed her with the expressed milk or formula. We also introduced a paci which has been good. I was worried about nipple confusion that I've read about on the boards but the LC said the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends them because of the protective effect against SIDS so that made me feel better.
@MamaMagpie: DH has been absolutely amazing with our daughter. He stepped right into his role and is super helpful with feedings, diaper changes, soothing when fussy, and even cleaning the house and making sure I am all set.
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We bought a S a swing that arrived yesterday... as with every new thing she hates it the first time, but after that she's been taking really long naps in it. Also if she's not sleeping, but still in it, she's happy to just stare at the swinging arm! It's been a lifesaver!
Are you ladies planning on doing anything particular for your monthly photos? I picked up a chalkboard and chalks at the weekend so I can hopefully do something like these. Though I'm not particularly creative so not sure how they'll turn out!
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@MapleMoose: I am pumping and supplementing and loving it (well, more so than bfing). It's much quicker for me than bfing and supplementing after each meal. Now I just decide whether to give her a bottle of pumped milk or formula based on what I have in the fridge.
@illumina: I love those pictures!!! I am so not creative either. In fact we haven't even gotten around to taking a 1 month picture (should have done it on Monday, lol). I think I will take a monthy picture holding her in the rocking chair in her nursery. I have a picture of myself at 9 mo pregnant in the chair - I still can believe she is here!!
Things are going well here...she slept from 1130pm-815am straight last night! She is really good at sleeping one 6-8 hour stretch each night...I just have to make sure to time it right. 2 nights ago she did 9pm-330am, and then she thought we were up for the day, lol.
She's started giving a few social smiles now and then which absolutely melt my heart. I think this will all get so much easier when she starts interacting more. Right now it just feels like a change, feed, sleep routine.
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@char54: How do you change the time of C's longest stretch? S always does hers from 9pm onwards... should I be waking her up part way through it or something so she resets?
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@illumina: I've seemed to notice that if she sleeps after her 6pm feeding until her 9pm feeding, then she is wide awake for a little bit. DH and I try to engage her as much as possible from 9-10:30 and then start getting her ready for bed with her bottle at 11:00.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't...2 nights ago she was awake after her 6pm bottle and then crashed after her 9pm one...I feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants these days and learning on the spot!
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@char54: Have you heard about dream feeding? I thought that might be what you did to get her to "reset" for her longest stretch when you want it. Apparently that can work.
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@illumina: I've heard about it and semi-do it (in that she's not asleep, but I top her up with a bottle around 10:30, well before she would normally be ready for a feeding).
Last night she ate at 9:00pm (4 ounces) and then at 10:30 took another ounce before falling right to sleep. I was worried it wouldn't be enough to keep her sleeping, but she surprised me and only woke up at 8:15 this morning! Definitely going to keep trying it in the future.
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@char54: That's really good. I decided to experiment last night and wake her up to feed again at 10pm so her new "bedtime" would be more aligned with ours and hence her longest stretch. I was apprehensive because I do usually hate to wake her, but it worked and she slept through to 2.30am.
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@illumina: @char54: we just introduced dream feeding. Before we'd been putting him down at 9.30pm when we went to bed and he used to wake at 12.30am and 4am and then up for good at 7am . Now we put him down at 7pm and dreamfeed him at 9.30pm... Since introducing the dreamfeed he now wakes at 2am and 5am and up for good at 7am. I think that's awesome!!! With this method you always put them to bed at 7pm and wake them up at 7am. You also slowly push the dreamfeed back by 15 minutes every few weeks and they drop the second feeding. Seems to be working for us so far! Fingers crossed. It's nice to have the evenings for just DH and I to spend together
@illumina: I'm totally going to find a chalkboard now so I can do this!!! -
@jetsa: @marionberry: the supplementing has gone really well -- we give him 3oz at his 9:00 feeding and he's out for 5-6 hours! Last night it took me almost two hours and a nursing session to get him down, though, so tonight we'll move up to 4oz at his 9:00 feed.
@illumina: @grace: @maplemoose: so glad you guys have such great support! I'm a little jealous...DH is amazing at taking care of me, and loves to play with H, but to have him "be in charge" of a block of time so I can get a break? Just doesn't seem like it could happen.
@char54: I'm envious of your sleep! Way to go! -
@illumina: love the chalkboard idea! We decided to put H on his glider and put a stuffed bunny with him, which we will use the for each month and watch how their size ratio changes! I put a few "milestones" on the pic after and I'm pretty happy with it. It's not "Pinterest-worthy" but I don't care
Here's the pic -
I haven't been posting much lately for the same reason as others, I've mostly been reading on my phone and posting is sort of a pain from it.
I have a question for you ladies, what does a 24 hour period look like for your baby? I'm really thankful we have a pretty good night schedule, but I'm not sure lo is getting enough sleep over all/in the day and if I should be trying harder to get her to nap more.... Here is our rough scheduleish
8am wake up
8-9 change diaper and feed
9-9:45 quiet awake time (tummy time, playtime)
9:45-11 fusses some, wants to be held most of this time, occasionally drifts in and out of sleep (not a true nap really and wakes instantly if she gets set down)
11-11:45 change diaper, feed
11:45-2:30ish we are normally out and about and she naps
2:30-3:15 change diaper, feed
3:15-5 sometimes she may nap for a little of this, but mostly awake time
5-5:45 change diaper, feed
5:45-7 fussy time, awake
7-7:45 change diaper, feed
7:45-9 we try to get her to sleep but she normally wants to be held, and just drifts in and out, fussy....
9-10 change diaper, feed
10-2 sleep
2-2:45 change, feed
2:45- 5:30 sleep
5:30-6:15 change, feed
6:15- 8 sleepI'm just not sure how normal it is to only take one long sleep in the middle of the day...
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@mrsmoreau: I'm so sorry to hear about Emily! How are you guys doing?
@MapleMoose: I'm sorry about breastfeeding! I can totally commiserate, it's so hard and we have a variety of issues as well.
@illumina: we changed lo's long sleep stretch by waking her for an extra feed before we went to bed, we were also able to make it earlier recently too....
@MamaMagpie: I love your monthly photo!!!! My DH is awesome, super helpful, but he had way more experience with babies than I did. Glad the supplementary bottle is going well!
I can't believe some of you have babies sleeping through the night, so lucky!!! I normally wake lo, I wonder how long she would sleep.... I don't feel like she weighs enough for me to not wake her yet....
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@MamaMagpie: I love it! If me writing on the chalk board doesn't look good I'm going to leave it blank and write text over the top
@MrsStormy: Ours is almost the same routine except this week I have tried really hard to get those naps in the morning from 9:45 and the afternoon from 3:15 otherwise the fussiness turns into a meltdown. Yesterday afternoon I ended up taking her around the neighbourhood in the pram because DH was trying to work and I needed to get her to sleep with minimal crying! Since we changed her bedtime to 10:30pm she takes another nap from 7ish until then as well.
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@MrsStormy: Our lo is on a similar schedule lately. He falls asleep between 9 and 10 and is out until about 3am, fed then back to sleep from about 4-7am and then fed, out again until 9am. The last sleep stretch doesn't always happen. Then we feed, play (I pump), feed again, and he'll usually nap for about 30 mins. Then we feed again and he'll often be out from 12-2 (especially if we're out and about). Then we feed, play and sometimes nap about two times (these naps are shorter usually but sometimes will last up to 2 hours) before our night routine, which is feed, play, feed, go to sleep (it usually can take up to 2 hours to get him down).
This was our routine prior to his colic and had stopped working as well until we introduced gripe water every 4-6 hours. Now he seems to be going back to it for the most part. I think as long as your baby seems healthy it doesn't matter exactly how long they sleep?
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@MrsStormy: @illumina: thank you!
@MrsStormy: I'm for sure not a sleep expert, but I think your schedule looks fine! Lately H hasn't been wanting to nap much at all during the day and it's had me worried too, though, so I know how you feel!Ok so H has been asleep for almost 7 hours! It's a little after 4am here and I'm wide awake and worried that I should wake him up to eat. He's gaining weight appropriately, and is big enough not to be waking him to feed during the day (as per our ped) so I'm going to resist, but oh my gosh! I am SUPER engorged
I just self-expressed into a towel but I still feel like someone has set books on my chest.
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@mamamagpie: I love your photo! I didn't think to use his chair - wish I had! We took a picture of Jackson in his crib next to his "furry friends" but I didn't think to do the chalkboard thing so I'll probably do a typed overlay as well. I need to find a good chalkboard somewhere but I've never really seen a good size one.
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@MrsStormy: Ours currently looks like this most days... but then yesterday he didn't nap ALL DAY LONG.. he was super fussy... not sure why. Back to his usual self today though
7am wake up, change diaper & feed
8-9am Playtime He's the happiest little guy at this time.. its my favourite part of the day!
9-11.30am Naps
11.30-12.30pm Change diaper & feed
12.30pm - 2pm Naps
2-3pm change diaper, feed
3:15-5 sometimes he may nap for a little of this, but mostly awake time.. yep ditto for us.
5-5:45 change diaper, feed.. this is generally his fussiest time.
6pm Bathtime... he LOVES his bath!!!
6.15pm- 7pm Night routine: massage, song, feed.
7pm Bedtime.
9.45pm Dreamfeed
2am Change & Feed
5am Change & Feed
7am Wake up time! Goodmorning @illumina: ooh good idea on the computer chalkboard font if I can't be neat! LOVE IT! I have to find a chalkboard tomorrow since he is 1 month then! Eeek!
I'm just doing up my birth story now.... will post soon... it will be gold though due to TMI.. but I will try and do a condensed version for here too.
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@Mrs squirreld: I'm glad I don't have the only LO that doesn't nap some days!! It drives me crazy because she will be grizzly all day if she doesn't have one. Days like that I'll keep trying to put her down and she'll sleep for maybe 10-20mins and then be wide awake, but grumpy because she hasn't slept well!
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@illumina: Yep that was exactly what yesterday was like... it was the first time it had happened. I felt so bad for him. I knew he was so overtired.. poor boy. He slept fine that night though.. so I was thankful that it happened during the day and not at night!
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@char54: I'm curious about your pumping schedule. I am able to pump frequently now because DH is home and my mom comes by everyday. But DH goes back to work at the end of next week so I'll be on my own. Do you pump when LO is napping? How often do you get to pump during the day?
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@MapleMoose: I generally pump right after C finishes her bottle because that's when she is the happiest. Generally it looks like this:
7am, 11am, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm,11pm
I can get more sessions in during the evening because Dh is home and my mom/sister stops by. Usually while they are feeding her I will pump.
I used to pump at 3am but C has started sleeping through the night and there's no way I'm waking up to pump. Now I pump right before i go to bed and right after her morning feeding. My supply has adjusted and hasn't gone down (so far).
My best advice is to refrigerate your parts in between sessions! I clean my parts once a day this way and it saves soooo much time
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@char54: That's a great tip, thank you!
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Has falling asleep nursing stopped working for anyone else? This was always my fail safe way she would sleep in my arms when she'd finished... but now she is still wide awake! I've been trying really hard for the past day or so to look out for her yawning and put her down straight away. Only it's not working at nap time! What do you do to get them calm enough to nap in the day time? S just wants to look around and gets overtired
Another Q- for those mamas building up a freezer stash, how do you do it if you are only pumping once per day? Do you collect a few days' worth of milk in a bottle and then freeze it together in one packet?
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@illumina: yes j will sleep for like 15-20 mins after nursing (maybe) and be wife awake again. We try hard to get 1 good nap otherwise we have an extremely overtired kid on our hands. No advice on the stash I can't seem to get ahead of him, if I pump when he's napping he acts unsatisfied with the next feeding and we normally give it to him because it's not worth an hour of screaming until his next feeding. We are also still eating every 1.5 so I can't pump between sessions or the same thing happens.
@marionberry: the gripe water works for you? I have to get some, we've had some very very bad nights and I hope it would help!
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@illumina: I EP but I still can't get enough for a stash. I have maybe 30 ounces frozen, lol - not exactly a gold mine. I was hoping to have one built up but since I'm off on mat leave for the year it's not a huge necessity, just a buffer I guess.
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@illumina: @jetsa: Same, he only really falls asleep when feeding at night now...during the day he's wide awake after most feedings...usually wanting to play or have a spew... haha
I try to pump twice a day, once from each side... I get around 100-150ml from each boob so two "serves" wouldn't fit in one packet to freeze. Plus when DH gave given him a bottle he only ever drinks about 100ml so anymore that would be a waste! I think 100ml is around 3oz?
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@jetsa: I love it and totally recommend it. It doesn't cure the problem but really helps!
@illumina: J rarely nurses to sleep anymore which means lots of rocking or motion like walking with him in the carrier for us. I haven't tried putting him down at a yawn during the day. It can sometimes lead to few naps but most of the time works. As far as stash, I pump once after his first feeding and once during his big nap since nighttime is hard for us sometimes. I only ever pump one breast in case he wakes up. Each breast gives me about 3-5 oz. My LC said to save milk in 2-3 oz increments (though if I go over that I don't separate it). This hasn't given me a huge stash but will allow me to start introducing one bottle a day next week to prepare him for me going back to work. When I go to work I'll be pumping both breasts every 2-3 hours to hopefully keep him in great supply, but we'll see how it all goes. I'm just eager to save enough so I can leave him to get my hair done and to go out for birthday dinner with DH. -
@marionberry: I'm jealous! I'm lucky to get 3 oz from both breasts!
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@jetsa: I think it's because my son has such a strong suck. He's been eating over 2 ounces per feeding since birth.
We're on our way to the pumpkin patch right now and while I'm saying it's for J (who we've called Boo since birth) it's probably a lot for me. I love fall!
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I'm jealous of all of you who have schedules down! We are still pretty much flying by the seat of our pants
I think the main issue that's preventing us from getting a predictable rhythm down is that H is constantly wanting to eat and never wants to nap, so it's an hourly battle to keep him soothed until the next feeding.
I feel like he's not getting enough milk from me, and that's why he wants to eat constantly. The supplemental bottle of formula at the bedtime feed is going really well -- he's so calm and relaxed after it. Which really makes me feel like he's not getting enough when I BF. I'm doing everything I can to increase my supply -- drinking 90-120oz of water a day, keeping my calories up, taking fenugreek. Should I start thinking about supplementing with an ounce or so of formula after a nursing session? I feel terrible and like I'm starving him -
@MamaMagpie: I'm no doctor but it sounds like supplementing the other feedings might be a good idea. Maybe try it for a day and see if it works?
@char54: Stupid question, but how do you warm up the breast milk? Do you stick it in a cup of hot water or something else? I will have to do this starting Monday so just curious.
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@marionberry: I run the bottle under hot water or sit it in a bowl of hot water... I think that's fine. Microwaving is a no no!
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@marionberry: I can't wait to do stuff like that next year!!!! We are visiting the US next fall and E will be 1!!! Will be such a fun time!
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@MamaMagpie: can you do a weighted feed (with a lactation consultant or dr.) to see if he is getting enough? We had a decent schedule but the past 2 days it has sort of gone out the window, so i understand.
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@Mrs squirreld: Thanks for the milk tip!! Ya the fall will be great since I think you mentioned California right? I had the greatest apple cider donuts, apple cider, fudge and more today. Totally unhealthy but fun. Now I just need to carve his pumpkin!
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@marionberry: I have a bottle warmer (since all LOs feedings are bottles we bought one for convenience ). Before we had one though I would use the Keurig (run a mug of hot water through and heat bottle in mug ). That works really fast too and it's what we do when we are out and about as everyone seems to have a Keurig these days.
I spent a few nights in a hotel and had to warm it under the hot water tap. That took forrreeeevvveeerrrr
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Our sched looks like:
11pm-8am - C and I sleep
8am- wake up, 4-5 oz feed (I pump after each feed)
900-C naps
1200- 4 oz bottle
100- tummy time/awake
300- C takes short cat naps in her swing
400- my mom or sister usually visits for cuddles, gives her another 4oz bottle
500-C sleeps
730- Awake time, tummy time, cuddles etc
800- 4oz bottle
900- Bath,
1030- Pyjamas, swaddle, last bottle (4oz)
1100- bed time!
I just self-expressed into a towel but I still feel like someone has set books on my chest.
I think the main issue that's preventing us from getting a predictable rhythm down is that H is constantly wanting to eat and never wants to nap, so it's an hourly battle to keep him soothed until the next feeding.
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