Feb 08 Mamas, It's nearly Christmas! (Dec thread) - Page 2

[flapjack]

Nicole, Theia, it's so great to see you both again

Not in the mood to talk about big families, because mine have been little horrors this week Skye has been particularly whingy, and River had developed a sense of "humour." He's also taken a liking to the Christmas tree, and has been dismantling it. Very sweet : but of course, too much sweetness is exceptionally bad for you.

Oh, and I'm 38 and a half weeks pregnant, and have hit that point where I'd like to just sleep until baby comes out, whenever that may be.

A stone is 14lbs.

Dea, if you're trying to cause an oversupply then you need to deliberately get things wrong. Switch sides frequently at some feedings- 5 minutes on each side, then swap, then swap, then swap, then swap was how Alex created his oversupply.

On monitoring, if you're getting more than two poopy nappies a day, plus wet ones, I wouldn't do anything. Having been through test weighing, I'd give it one day a week/fortnight/month where you test-weigh every single time you feed baby (change nappy, weigh baby, feed baby, weigh baby, change nappy if needed) so you can see the overall input in that day. I know I've said it to you before, but my supply has stabilised quicker with every baby, and given that you were getting some milk with Trixie, that should stand you in really good stead with this one. Good luck!
Oh, and in answer to the question of supplementation, I'd probably look at glucose water for the first 3 days of life and then the most basic whey-based formula on the market from that point onwards. Knowing how crap soy based and elemental formulas are, I cannot find a justification for starting off with something so far removed from boobyjuice- start with the option that's nutritionally best for most babies and work your way out to accommodate allergies, don't assume that the allergy is there.

[PlayaMama]

hi mamas!

theia- good to see you!! i hope you and your dd are doing well!

dea- i know nothing about formula but maybe a goat milk one would be good? i'm thinking you won't need to use it though!

nicole- good to see you too! i think you're in some of my co-op groups, it's the while opera thing, it's very distinct

sarah- i hope moving goes well. enjoy your hotel stay, maybe get room service?

so, news for us, linnaea has applied the , "i want a little bit more of that..." to being held, "a little bit more of that come up," talking to my mom on the phone, "a little bit more of that grandma dot," going outside, "a little bit more of that outside." and it's freaking hilarious!!

it's gotten to the point where i think she says it because we laugh and she gets what she wants. except the boobah, i'm totally done. i'm sure my milk is almost gone because it starts to get irritating after just a bit, she kicks me and pushes on me and pinches me and ugh!!! weaning is close.

i just watched a bunch of videos of lazlo when he was younger than her and i totally need to take more of them!!! it's so hard to remember exactly what it was like, lazlo used to say maple sir-E-up, and i forgot!!

[slgt]

Hi Theia, welcome back! I hope you are doing well.

Helen - good to see you, too. Been wondering how you're doing...

Rynna....I hope you can figure something out that will help you sleep. Much caffeine in your diet? I don't know...I agree with Dea about the food thing, but there are also so many other factors that affect sleep. I don't even know where to start - but to send you hugs!

Dea, I totally think you should write a book! A lot of women would be grateful for any experience & information you can provide.

It's so much fun to hear about all the toddler-isms that are part of our lives. All these kids are so different, and all of them sound fun. R's latest is that she has started singing really well. I don't mean tunefully - I mean getting most of the words to the songs. She'll sing Twinkle Twinkle, the ABCs, Baa Baa Black Sheep, and Itsy Bitsy Spider, maybe gets 80% of the words. Great entertainment for the grandparents on Skype!

I have my first prenatal appointment tomorrow, 9 weeks. My fingers are crossed that I'll see a little wiggling bean with a heartbeat...please cross your fingers, and toes, and whatever else you have, too!

[Teenytoona]

Theia! So wonderful to see you! I'm sending good thoughts that everything is coming up (roses) for you and DD.

Dea, I think you should write a BFAR book, you're probably the foremost expert!

Sarah - good luck on the move!

ema-adama, I understand you there. If we didn't have the DSC, and if I would have been considering more than one, DD is definitely enough to make me say no way! The DSC are much more mellow than my biological own child, and really I have no interest in another. There's nothing wrong if you do decide that. But then, some folks struggle with motherhood (like me) and others can hack it much better. Sometimes a second child (or third or 4th) make thigns easier (somehow) and other times harder. So many variables, it's hard to really know when you're trying to make a decision.

Wow, Helen, I can't believe how close you are to giving birth! Hang in there.

Carrie, we too are remembering via old videos and thinking we need to get a new camera because we're missing the same sort of stuff from DD's life. There's somethign to it. It's amazing how much DD and DSD4 look alike! It's totally wild, when looking back at those videos, I keep telling DD to look at herself when she was 1 (instead of saying DSD's name, heh).

I've created a monster, ahem, I mean an ogre. I went and got Shrek 3, since I was getting sick of having to see the first and second over and over. Now, DD's repeating constantly (from the part of the movie with all the baby ogres) 'Member, mommy "ah-ba-boo", Yes, I remember "ah-ba-boo"; 'Member mommy: "da-daa" Yes, DD, I remember "da-daa." She will ask you this over and over and over and over, as if she just can't get enough of how funny those moments in those movies are. When I am finished with that, then she goes on to DH, 'Member Daddy... Good lord, repetition is a thing for this age, isn't it?

[eilonwy]

Originally Posted by slgt

Rynna....I hope you can figure something out that will help you sleep. Much caffeine in your diet? I don't know...I agree with Dea about the food thing, but there are also so many other factors that affect sleep. I don't even know where to start - but to send you hugs!

There is almost no caffeine in my diet. Aside from the obvious and intended stimulant effect, I'm an odd duck in that caffeine actually makes my migraines worse (it helps a lot of people with migraines)-- so when I'm not sleeping I go out of my way to avoid caffeine unless I absolutely need it. Sadly, that comes up from time to time. If I sleep for 1-2 hours out of 24 and I need to drive during that 24th hour, depending on how I feel I might need something to make sure that I'm awake enough to stay on the road. It's a fine line, and I'm afraid I fail rather a bit. Over the weekends, though, there is NO caffeine, and that's a very strict policy when the insomnia is awful.

Bear's latest fun thing would be art. He will draw with anything on anything, though in his favor he prefers paper to alternatives. The trouble is, I can't just give him paper all the time, I just can't afford it. I would go to the print shop to ask for scraps if I thought that Mike would bother with it, but he'd likely leave the box where the kids could get to it, and we'd find them all scattered all over the house within a few days and be back where we are now. In any case, I posted pictures of Bear's drawings on my bedsheet a few weeks ago to Facebook. It was irritating that he drew on the sheet, but I actually really like his style. I think he's got a good thing going, and it makes him very happy, so well done him.

He is, for the record, the first of my children to have a particular affinity for drawing at any age. The others all went through brief experimentation phases and seemed to decide it wasn't for them, but Bear is WAY more into it than his siblings ever were, and it's been going on for longer. It's really neat to watch and like I said, I enjoy his style. He talks about what he's drawing, he's got a definite plan even though it sometimes only makes sense to him. If you're not on Facebook, PM me and I'll send you a link to the album, if you're interested. If you *are* on Facebook, it's one of the relatively recent albums.

Theia, I forgot-- welcome back. It's great to see you here, and I'm glad to hear that you and your little girl are doing better.

[Dea]

Rynna, is there an Ikea near you, last time I was there they had rolls of paper for like $5, a huge roll. Trixie loves to draw and finger paint and all such things and I still have heaps. Granted I have one child using it, you would have 4. Target had some $0.50 colouring books too recently. I love baby drawings. I've saved all of Trixie's, but there are so many!

[Teenytoona]

Anyone know why a baby would get a random, short lived fever? Sunday afternoon, she woke up from her nap really hot and lethargic and she'd occasionally cough a half-hearted cough (the kind you do when your throat hurts so you don't want to push it) and say "hurt!" Well we were on the road for a bit and she slept through it, but when she woke up, was really upset, cranky, had a fever and all. Then I gave her some motrin, and a short while later, she was doing ok. I fully expected her to wake up in the middle of the night feeling hot, feverish and cranky, but she was perfectly fine. No more fever. Nothing at all yesterday, and today normal as can be. Does that make any sense to you?

[eilonwy]

No Ikea, no. Teeny, that sounds like teeth to me. Did she get any new ones?

I'm completely fried, I'm crawling back into bed because i don't know what else to do.

[slgt]

Just popping in to say...


heartbeat!

Little bean wiggling and measuring just right for a mid-July due date.

Wheeee! Anxiety, lessened.

[Teenytoona]

Yay!! Slgt! Yay for heartbeats!!

Rynna, I don't think it was teething. We finally got her canines in and all's been quiet (thankfully) on that front. For now.

[flapjack]

Rynna, do your charity shops/ thrift shops do wallpaper? I get through a ton of the stuff- but most of mine comes from the scrapstore. (www.scrapstore.co.uk- you need one in your town.) It also makes the best possible paper aeroplanes.

Teeny, she sounds gorgeous

I'm still here, in a slump, in a doldrum, whatever you want to call it. Don't want to be pregnant, but don't really want to go through labour either. I seem to remember last time hurting a bit. The one good thing is that I'm not in prodromal labour, probably down to lack of sex. Would really just like to sleep That's why I'm quiet, I am still reading. Honest.

Slgt, congratulations!!!

River's still a horror He's taken to dismantling the christmas tree, and we have the cutest video of the two little ones decorating the tree- we got the lights on on Friday and then left the baubles until after dinner, except that Skye got to the tinsel first. With Christmas songs. And excited bounces. : Very cute.

Oh, mentioning co-ops, can someone PM me if you hear of an American Apparel one coming up? Skye and I were quite taken with the leggings in the Bristol store (neither taste nor decency) but I begrudge paying £20 for them. £6 for a newborn hat hurt enough...

[Teenytoona]

Originally Posted by eilonwy

No Ikea, no. Teeny, that sounds like teeth to me. Did she get any new ones?

Ok, no new teeth. She was fine monday night, but yesterday, the babysitter said she didn't eat much and was warm and feeling not well, and she was clingy on DSS when he got home from school, as well as when I got home (she was feverish, too). I nursed her, of course, nursed her overnight, and this am, she's was feeling fine. She's got some mystery come and go thing.

Originally Posted by flapjack

Rynna, do your charity shops/ thrift shops do wallpaper? I get through a ton of the stuff- but most of mine comes from the scrapstore. (www.scrapstore.co.uk- you need one in your town.) It also makes the best possible paper aeroplanes.

Teeny, she sounds gorgeous

I'm still here, in a slump, in a doldrum, whatever you want to call it. Don't want to be pregnant, but don't really want to go through labour either. I seem to remember last time hurting a bit. The one good thing is that I'm not in prodromal labour, probably down to lack of sex. Would really just like to sleep That's why I'm quiet, I am still reading. Honest.

Slgt, congratulations!!!

River's still a horror He's taken to dismantling the christmas tree, and we have the cutest video of the two little ones decorating the tree- we got the lights on on Friday and then left the baubles until after dinner, except that Skye got to the tinsel first. With Christmas songs. And excited bounces. : Very cute.

Helen, you'll get there, and then labor will be over and then you will have more cuteness abounding.

River sounds like a ton of fun - to an almost 2 year old, that is. I love christmas decoaring, sounds like it was fun!

[slgt]

Helen, I wish I had some spare energy to send your way!

Did I tell y'all? A friend of mine gave birth to her son on Monday night. He was 2 weeks overdue. He weighed 11 lbs. 15 oz. and was 23 inches long!!!!!!

You'd better believe she had a C-section, but only after 28 hours of pitocin and 24 hours of hard labor with a severely scarred cervix that would not dilate. Can y'all just give a rock star shout-out for my friend Missy? 12 pounds. Sheesh. Ow.

[eilonwy]

All right, I'll say this: Though none of the pregnancy/baby announcements thus far have given me the slightest pang of longing for a redheaded mutant baby, hearing about your friend giving birth to a three month old does send up a flare of regret; I'm totally jealous that I'm never going to have a moose of my own. Mad props to your friend! (Is it weird that I've always wanted to have big babies? I didn't even manage to spawn one over eight pounds. )

[flapjack]

Rynna, you fibbed. You mentioned feeling broody a few months back. slgt, lots and lots of congratulations to your friend. Alex was big and long too.

[eilonwy]

Eh, ovulation broodiness shouldn't count. I really want a moose baby *sigh*. THRH would be no help in that department, though, as he's been tiny all his life. He's 6'1" and weighs 137 fully clothed and soaking wet.

[smokeylo]

Hi mamas, sorry to be so late joining the bandwagon. This month, with finishing up courses and the holidays, has been crazy. Not to mention the epic blizzard that came through yesterday .

I knew I needed to find our group so I can hear when flapjack has her baby!!

I'm 34 weeks and getting verrrrry ready to be done. Feeling huge, heartburn, trouble sleeping, etc etc. Everything is looking great.

DD has been a horror lately. Really difficult to deal with. Not sure what the problem is but I feel terrible, she just seems so unhappy. She's nursing CONSTANTLY right now which is really wearing on me, and is freaking out if I try to distract her or cut her off after a few minutes. By no means do I want to wean, but I really liked it when we were nursing 2 or 3 times a day and once at night. And I feel like there's no "gentle" way to say no to her since anything I try elicits a huge freak out.

Lots of love to you mamas....

[slgt]

I just realized that I was at post 999, and figured I have to do my post 1000 here - so here it is!

Rynna - did I mention that my DH & I are both redheads, so any babies we produce are redheads? I think we cook 'em small, though. My HRH has about the same build as your HRH.

Lauren, hi!! Sorry you're feeling done...it's about that time.

Teeny, hope Nara starts feeling better soon...feverish babies are so sad! I can't believe how much she's still nursing - that's great!

We are getting a follow-up blizzard to yesterday's crazy wind storm. Winds up here were measured at 85MPH yesterday! We have had no power since yesterday morning, and our driveway is blocked by 2 down trees. DH doesn't want to go out & saw up the trees until he can shower afterward (chainsaw - blech!). Luckily, I was out when the trees came down so we have one vehicle that can get out.

I got to play country chick this morning and went out & bought a generator. Which is now giving me the ability to work, and post to MDC (shhhh).

ETA: Tee hee! It says, "Senior Member" now!

Hugs to all of you ladies - this is a great DDC! And we're going to have 4 new babies soon - so exciting!

[Mommy2Austin]

Originally Posted by eilonwy

Eh, ovulation broodiness shouldn't count. I really want a moose baby *sigh*. THRH would be no help in that department, though, as he's been tiny all his life. He's 6'1" and weighs 137 fully clothed and soaking wet.

Sounds like my brother in law who was nearly 11 lbs at birth...


I am alive. I'm trying to bribe this kiddo to come out somewhere in mid January, because I'm feeling so done. I've been sleeping 12+ hrs everyday and dragging myself to work where I commense having contractions all night and try not to pass out. The iron supplement doesn't seem to be upping my energy levels any nor my feelings of going-to-pass-out-ness. My blood sugar is fine as well. This has been my crappiest pregnancy ever.

All that to say we're alive.

Did I mention Steven is nursing again? 2+ times a day. Totally random, but he is.

[Dea]

Lauren, Trixie is testing me some, and I just keep telling myself that she's just acting age appropriate, but golly. It gets tough!
Yes on the heartburn and not sleeping. Ugh! I'm 33 weeks and change, I want to love the end of this, but golly, is it January yet?