WEEKLY RAMBLE/CHAT for JAN 17th-24th

[evinmom]

Name:

Baby's age:

Milestones/Updates:

Thoughts:

Questions:

[Awaken]

Yay, getting in on this early for once!

5 weeks-

The main thing going on here is my baby is sick She is totally stuffed up, gunky eye glued shut, and really snuffly breathing. We had one horrible night, one bad night, and I'm afraid for tonight! I'm just not getting caught up on sleep this weekend, which I count on when dh is home, so I can have the energy to make it through the week alone with the kids! I usually get sick when I don't sleep well for days at a time.

Pumped for the first time today, put away 2 bottles' worth of milk. She hasn't had a bottle yet and I can't imagine her ever having one, but it's nice to know it's there in case I go out and dh needs it.

things are still tough between the older kids, but I'm trying to pray more and hang in there and tell myself it's all a phase...trying also to enjoy one on one time with each of them so I have some positive times with them and not all fighting and reprimanding.

[Tattooed Hand]

We had a really tough week last week and I wasn't around much (or I was just focused on allergies), but things are getting better slowly.

Awaken, I hope your LO gets better and the nights hold more sleep for you both.

Name: Mana and Rassa

Baby's age: almost 6 weeks!

Milestones/Updates: Smiles, ezcema, balding, fat-nificence. Still has diaper rash. I threw out the creams and am just putting breast milk on it, changing and airing her out a lot. I hope my new elimination diet will clear it the ezcema up. It's already helped the gas/screaming/waking up every hour.

I am slowly inching back toward my prepreg clothes. Hope to fit back into some pants before I have to start teaching next week.

Got in 2 yoga classes last week and it felt great!

Thoughts: I have to start teaching next week - argh!

Questions: Can I refrigerate breast milk and then freeze it? How long is too long in between? got any advice about diaper rash? and where does one get infant probiotics? how long is too long for them to sleep in one stretch?

[nina_yyc]

Originally Posted by Tattooed Hand

Can I refrigerate breast milk and then freeze it?

According to this chart you should be OK. I don't know if I believe that you can keep fresh milk in the fridge for 8 days though...I am more comfortable with 1-2 before using it or freezing it. I would use or freeze every time I got 3-4 oz.

I finally dug my pump parts out and I'm going to wash and sterilize them. My goal this week is to try Elliot on a bottle. Then there will no excuse to stay out of the gym. I am planning to wake up at 6-7 a.m. 2 days a week to work out, then do one on the weekend while DH is around. I'm not sure exactly how this will work seeing as Elliot is always fussy until 11:00 at night...add in a couple of night nursing sessions and 6:00 looks very early. Usually Libby wakes up around 8:30 and wakes me up. Must...get...motivated.

[Brisen]

Baby's age: 8 weeks today

Milestones/Updates: We've been enjoying smiles for about a week now. He has a cute crooked grin He feels more solid and holds his head up better.

We had our 6 week check up late, at 7.5 weeks. He was up to 10 lbs (his low point at 5 days was 5-10, so he seems really big now).

He was stuffy for a while; his nose has cleared up, but his chest sounds congested, and he has a cough. No fever, though, and he seems happy otherwise.

I had my pap. My mw talked about kegel exercises, and at the end of the exam, she asked if I wanted feedback on the strength of my pelvic floor muscles. I was a little but I said OK. Apparently they're strong, which is good to know -- I did kegels fairly regularly at the start of this pregnancy, but I kept forgetting through the second half.

Anyone else have their hcp ask if you wanted to see your cervix during your pap? The mw who did mine after my 8 yo was born asked, and held up a mirror so I could see it. My mw this time asked, too.

[justmandy]

Brisen, I have never seen my cervix and honestly I hope it stays that way

Mana, I don't have any answers for you...sorry. I hope other mamas will have good advice for you!

Name: Mandy and Levi

Baby's age: 3.5 weeks

Milestones/Updates: He's so big and sturdy! He gets weighed tomorrow but I know he's as big as my others were at 2-3 months! Makinig eye contact...waiting for those smiles

After keeping track of my food and his reaction for about a week I've found some things Levi doesn't like. I started going dairy free today. It's not so bad, yet. I'm not looking for hidden dairy, just working on the big stuff for now.

He doesn't like beans or spicy foods and a friend just brought over home made borritos with all the side/fixin's for dinner My favorite food is refried beans, wrap them in a tortilla and bake them with cheese and it's food-topia. *sigh* His comfort is worth it. (I'll have to keep repeating that to myself while my fam all eats it in front of me)

Thoughts: I'm loving CDing. I made lots more dipes and some wool wraps (that I'm on the fence about). My stash is still a bit too small. Working on fixing that

We're almost back to life full swing now and I had no idea how much I missed it! I actually like doing laundry, I am totally able to take all 4 kids out with out a problem. I still haven't gotten it all together yet, we're very hit and miss with school and I can't remember to have ds1 wear his eye patch for the life of me...I've really got to get on that.

My back is killing me from holding him all the time. My wrap, that I carried ds2 in all the time till he was 18 months old is really causing back pain as well. I think it's because he's getting so big, so fast. My muscles better get used to it!

I'm thinking about going out by myself for about 45 minutes tonight. I have to run a quick errand and really don't want to deal with taking Levi. It's freaking me out.

[carmel23]

Mana, this stuff from motherlove is the best diaper rash (and cloth diaper friendly!) ointment ever.

http://www.motherlove.com/product_di...ash_relief.php

If there is a natural child store that sells it near you, perhaps you can get a sample, or email/call the company.

A whole foods store should have infant pro-biotics, too. you can also google it, and there are tons of different options.

Justmandy, my back is *killing* me, too! I'm going to see the chiro tomorrow. It is just too much, and I'm sure my posture carrying/nursing baby is making it worse.

Name: Carmel and Nico

Baby's age: 5 weeks

Milestones/Updates: smiles!, loves tummy time and will use his big old head to roll from his belly to his back, he is content to sleep on mama, or be swaddled in our bed, or in his sling.

Thoughts: I'm wondering how big our guy is now, we don't have a scale and haven't been to the ped. yet at all. I know, bad mama--right? I'm going to make an appt. next week. He's outgrowing all of his newborn clothing, and I need to go to the diaper store and get some small covers... I don't know what I did with all the small covers we used to have
This is my last baby, so I'm just really enjoying it all... even the spit-up and diapers... I need to get the breast pump out and sterilize everything.

Questions: are there any other mamas who this is your last, and you've been a full-time parent for awhile, and now have this (probably hormone fulled) anxiety about what to do now? Its weird, its like none of my hobbies are really interesting to me now, and I want to do something serious (oh yeah, like raising 4 kids isn't ) ... it's weird. Like a mid-life crisis in my early 30s

I guess I could return to that great american novel I was working on... but it is just a funky feeling, wanted to know if anyone else feels this, too.

and I keep getting a clogged duct in the same place if I go without nursing and wear a bra that offers a little more support (and then if I don't nurse every 2 hours, I get a little more full and the bra is torture... then the duct gets clogged). I don't know if I just need a better nursing bra or what...

[evinmom]

Name: Di Linh & Everett

Baby's age: 6 weeks 6 days (it goes so fast!)

Milestones/Updates: He has been smiling for about a week now and last Thursday laughed for the first time. He's outgrowing his 0-3 mo Gymboree clothes so I know he's huge since the brand runs larger than average.

Thoughts: I'm trying to muster up the motivation to get back to running. I've been taking getting back to "normal" really slowly this time around. Sometimes this makes me feel like a slacker, but most of the time I'm glad I've allowed myself to take it easy.

Carmel - I can't believe Nico is rolling already!

Mandy - Enjoy running your errand alone. I only go grocery shopping alone. It's nice. Although sometimes it takes me 2 hours or so and I come home to a very sad hungry baby.

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by evinmom

Carmel - I can't believe Nico is rolling already!

(

Di Linh, it is the funniest thing ever. He has good head control, and a strong neck and just lifts his little head up, and then it goes over to the side, and he flips over! His big old head pulls him over. He can't go from his back to his belly, but it is fun to watch him go from his belly to his back...

[doclegs]

Name: Mary & Emma

Baby's age: 4 weeks today!

Milestones/Updates: Smiled on purpose for the first time today (or so Daddy and I believe!). Doing well with tummy time.

Thoughts: I'm still in shock that we have a baby in the house... hard to believe that after 13 years together, it's now THREE of us, instead of just two. I'm SO happy that we're still exclusively breastfeeding, even though I'm getting frustrated about staying in the house so much... I think we might go to the mall tomorrow and get a walk in (and there's a mother's room there so I can BF in privacy).

Questions: My back also is killing me! Mostly because of how we're co-sleeping, I think. I don't have a chiro... are there any exercises people recommend?

For Diaper Rash -- my pediatrician recommended equal parts Aquaphor and Malox (I use a Tbsp each), mix thoroughly and put on baby's bottom. We've had some redness and something close to diaper rash a couple of times, and this clears it right up. Who woulda thought?!

[evinmom]

Mary, once you start bfing in front of strangers it becomes second nature. Just do it!

[SilvanaRose]

Name: Sara and Orin

Baby's age: 6 weeks 2 days

Milestones/Updates: Ped appointment on Friday and Orin is healthy. According to the scale at my mamas group he gained 8oz in a week. He is 9lbs7oz now. I will keep with that scale because I can use it every week.

He has been laughing and smiling lots. He is a morning baby. He takes a few minutes to fully wake up and stretches and then smiles really big.

When he's on his stomach he makes all these crazy sounds and has a great time lookin at the floor lol.

He's starting to have a preference for me (THANK GOD) and DH does really well with him too.

He is starting to notice his hands. Grabbed my mouth the other day. I could tell he was really trying hard cause he was concentrating and going real slow. Also someone told me to stick your tongue out at your baby and they will do it too. It is so funny. I make all kinds of faces for Orin and he just eats it up. If I open my mouth really wide he does it too, and he sticks his tongue out when I stick mine out lol. Then we both laugh.

Thoughts: IL's 'stopped by' yesterday and were irritating as ever. MIL made a comment about Orin's Ped appointment and wanted to know every detail for some reason. She said "So is Orin healthy? Has Orin gained weight? What did the doctor say? When is your next appointment?" I said "he's perfect." MIL: "I guess he has all his parts" Me: "HE SURE DOES!" Then as they were leaving DH saw them out and I guess MIL said to him "Well she is lucky to look so good after just having a baby. Must be nice." LOL!

Questions: Vaccinations.....oh man. I am trying to decide which ones I am going to go for. DH is adamant that we get them all. I want to do selective/delayed and I'm having a hard time convincing him. Our Ped is pretty good about letting us decide for ourselves. He told us that it is up to us and he wont pressure us either way. I'm really scared about this. DH said I 'won' with not circ'ing and he gets to put his foot down with vaccinations. I guess I should go to the Vaccination thread about this but whatever. Which ones are you guys getting? Or leaving out? I know this is a subject on it's own but it can't hurt to ask since we are all pretty much at the same time line with our LO's.

Also, how often does your baby poop? Orin goes about 2 times a week, is that normal?

[evinmom]

Originally Posted by SilvanaRose

Name:Which ones are you guys getting? Or leaving out? I know this is a subject on it's own but it can't hurt to ask since we are all pretty much at the same time line with our LO's.

Also, how often does your baby poop? Orin goes about 2 times a week, is that normal?

Sounds like Orin is doing terrific! Could it be your MIL is jealous of you?

We're not vaxing at all.

As long as he's not straining or having hard poops, he's probably fine. After the first couple of weeks the frequency of pooping can vary dramatically from baby to baby. Everett still poops several times a day. Gavin used to poop after every meal until he was 2 years old. Evie went from pooping after every meal to 2-4 times a week (I can't remember when this change took place but it was gradual within the first 6 months).

[doclegs]

We're doing all the vacs (except Hep B, which we declined at the hospital), but I think it's really personal preference. There are a lot of opinions on either side.

Originally Posted by SilvanaRose

Also, how often does your baby poop? Orin goes about 2 times a week, is that normal?

Oh boy... Emma is still going after each feeding and sometimes in between. She has a lot of "wet" farts that we change, but I don't count that as a poo. She's 4 weeks today, so I *hope* that it slows down a bit!

[lalemma]

We're big science nerds in this house, so we vaccinate fully and on time. Do you have any specific concerns about vaccines? I haven't read it myself, but have heard that the Sears Vaccine Book is still pretty crunchy but also reasonably good science. MDC tends to skew way anti-vaccine, so I would double-check any facts I heard here against neutral sources if I were trying to decide about vaccinating my kid. Good luck!

Poop: Henry poops about once a week. When he first switched from the many times a day schedule, he went almost two weeks. It was a little alarming, even though I knew it was normal for breastfed babies!

I have to say that it's kind of nice. You deal with poo once a week, the rest of the time it's just a wet diaper. Of course, that one poo a week tends to be surprisingly large!

This past week I have had a harder time feeling tethered to the house: it's winter and COLD here, so even going for a walk while wearing him is kind of a production. And he still declines to be put down very often (every few days he'll nap for 45 minutes by himself) - today in particular I've felt absolutely claustrophobic, like all I can really do is sit on the couch and watch TV and turn into Jabba the Hut!

(Yep... my attitude today is SPLENDID, I know.)

H. is a terrific nighttime sleeper: I know I'm very lucky there. But I can't wait for his daytime sleeping/waking to start to organize itself a tiny bit. How I long for a daily shower!

[Tattooed Hand]

WOW! I had no idea that some babies only poop a couple of times a week! Rassa poops 6-7 times a day. Of course, I change like 4-5 diapers a week so that's what DH tells me.

I spent alot of time researching and thinking about this vax question. It's hard because the debate about it is so polarized. I'm generally skeptical about swallowing whole what the healthcare system in this country dishes out. I basically decided to dispense with certain vaxs because I think that it's important to build the child's immune system the good old fashioned way with illness that are not life threatening - like chicken pox and flu. I am also leery of bacterial vaxes because bacterias are a delicate eco system in the body and I don't want to mess with that. Throwing a vax at it isn't the way to deal with all illnesses, living a healthy life seems more important to me. Additionally, I know we are low risk for many because I plan to breast feed for a long time and DD is not going to daycare. Things like Hep B seem weird for a newborn or even an infant so that can be delayed (I only got it 3 years ago, after I had been all over the world and I'm still alive). I also think the CDC schedule really overwhelms the infant immune system- 24 vaxes in the first year is too much. I got 9 when I was a year old.

So we were going to do DTap and HIB starting at 6 months and then Polio at age 2 and then MMR at 4 and things like Hep B later. But those were the only ones.

But now that she's got all these signs of allergies, I am not vaxing until we figure out what's going on because I don't want to take the chance of her having a reaction because her immune system isn't functioning right to assimilate them.

DH was skeptical too, but a good friend of mine is a biochemist and has a 5 year old and did alot of this research already and presented it to him and he was sold.

Sara, it sounds like your MIL is jealous of you and probably is the way she is because she feels threatened by you. Sad, really.

[thelocaldialect]

Sara, Annika only poops about every other day. She was going several times a day for the first two weeks maybe but since then she's been going every other day pretty regularly.

Name: Jessica

Baby's age: 7 weeks 1 day

Milestones/Updates: She's smiling a lot and has quite good head control. She's also started coo-ing a bit, which is the cutest sound ever in the whole entire world.

Thoughts: Hmm, well, my maternity leave only has another 6 weeks left. I know that probably sounds like a lot, but I feel like it is going to go by way too fast. My husband is a SAHD by day and he does a great job, but we went through it with my son once already, the adjustment to dad becoming the primary caregiver, and it was hard on me seeing him become gradually more attached to dad and less to me. I really want Annika to stay "mine" for as long as possible! We are also looking into having our neice, who looked after DS while I was in the hospital and stayed on for 2 weeks, come back and be our nanny. She hasn't decided yet if she wants to or not, but we're hoping she does. As great as DH is with the kids I think he is getting tired of being a SAHD and wants to get out there and do something with himself. He's a musician and it is hard for him to practice and record with the kids around, or take gigs when he's got to be up early with the kids in the morning. So we've got our fingers crossed that will work out.

Questions Ok, I've been wanting to ask about this since Dylan was a baby, because he did it and Annika now does it also. When she is falling asleep she'll sort of be right on the brink of sleep, and then jerk back awake. After she's jerked awake it really seems like she's sort of in a bit of an state of not being totally awake, and she'll jerk around a lot and her face will contort and eventually she'll sort of snap out of it and start crying. Like I said, my son used to do it too and it had me totally freaked out thinking he was having seizures or something but eventually he stopped, before he was 6 months I think, so is it just some newborn thing, or could it be gas and that's how she expresses discomfort? It only happens at night too, not when she's napping during the day, same as with my son. My husband is never paying attention when it happens so he thinks I'm just imagining it.

[ithappened]

Baby's age: 5 weeks 1 day

Milestones/Updates: I think he is balding, is that possible?
Still waiting for a smile that's not related to being asleep or gas .. My BF supply is finally going down I was getting sick of leaking and changing shirts 5 times a day and 5 times a night. I also started to pump every other day so I can leave DS now and then with DH and go for a run
oh and..
We got his EU passport!!!!! One down, one to go now!

Thoughts:

This past week I have had a harder time feeling tethered to the house: it's winter and COLD here, so even going for a walk while wearing him is kind of a production. And he still declines to be put down very often (every few days he'll nap for 45 minutes by himself) - today in particular I've felt absolutely claustrophobic, like all I can really do is sit on the couch and watch TV and turn into Jabba the Hut!

I was so close to loosing it on Sunday I called an 'emergency' babysitter to come over for an hour just so I could leave the house on Monday evening. I am not sure if you are comfortable with this idea but I felt 100% better getting away for a bit and not worrying about taking the circus with me.

I also am still feeling really unsure about parenting, I feel like DS hates me sometimes- all he does is cry and eat and poop and cry. I haven't really gotten any interaction from him at all yet. He doesn't seem to want to snuggle and I don't get the sense we have any bond yet. Its sad.

Questions:
- My FuzziBunz leak every night 1-2 times during the night, soaking DS clothes and our bedding... Is this normal with CDing or do the FB just suck? I am trying to figure out what to do/try next. I tried to strip them, it didn't change a thing. Should I be looking into different types asap?

- Does anyone have any recs for a DVD/website etc which has exercise routines you can do with the baby on or around you? I am trying to get some exercise, walking is getting cold and boring and I'd like to do something else now and then..

[Brisen]

Originally Posted by thelocaldialect

Ok, I've been wanting to ask about this since Dylan was a baby, because he did it and Annika now does it also. When she is falling asleep she'll sort of be right on the brink of sleep, and then jerk back awake. After she's jerked awake it really seems like she's sort of in a bit of an state of not being totally awake, and she'll jerk around a lot and her face will contort and eventually she'll sort of snap out of it and start crying. Like I said, my son used to do it too and it had me totally freaked out thinking he was having seizures or something but eventually he stopped, before he was 6 months I think, so is it just some newborn thing, or could it be gas and that's how she expresses discomfort? It only happens at night too, not when she's napping during the day, same as with my son. My husband is never paying attention when it happens so he thinks I'm just imagining it.

It doesn't seem unusual to me -- I've noticed that when my kids are in a light stage of sleep, they can be pretty active. My oldest did a lot of jerking and twitching when he was falling asleep, or asleep but not yet deeply sleeping. With this baby, he will drift off while nursing but not really need to sleep, so he snoozes for a couple of minutes after he's done. He sleeps very lightly then, and will move around a lot and even have his eyes open, but he's not seeing anything (I assume -- his pupils are teeny and he doesn't follow anything that moves past him). He'll twitch a bit, too, and then stretch & wake up. My ped saw my oldest doing the twitching in his sleep, and she said it looked normal. Of course, if you're concerned, talk to your Dr, but it doesn't sound odd to me.

Originally Posted by ithappened

- Does anyone have any recs for a DVD/website etc which has exercise routines you can do with the baby on or around you? I am trying to get some exercise, walking is getting cold and boring and I'd like to do something else now and then..

I second this question!

[ears73]

Hiya, Mammas!!

There is so much I wanted to comment on here but I never have the time or the two hands to do it properly!

I was just thinking about mommy & me yoga or something that I could do at home... I started prenatal yoga and loved it - it would be great for me to keep it up.

I envy all you runners who are getting back to it!! I can't imagine running with these boobs... Seriously...

Lately I've been getting tired of my husband. He keeps asking me all these questions about how to do things - I might as well do everything myself! Also, he gave me a little talk about how his body does not have hormones that stop him from wanting sex, etc. so how about I just let him have my breasts for a little bit... Ugghhhh!! It isn't the hormones, I just am totally not into him. I like his company but any moves towards intimacy and I want nothing to do with it. What a bummer.

My house is a wreck and all I seem to think about when bfing is what needs to be straightened, cleaned, thrown away or moved to a better place... I live with three perfectly capable people - why is it that only I seem to think these thoughts??? And, that I am the one who has to always move their things to better spaces? Sigh. It is tiring.

Other than these usual neuroses, I adore my baby. He is a month old and delightful. Although fussy often, the nights are usually good (even though I'd love some unaccompanied sleep one of these days!!!) so I shouldn't complain.

I have to find some people to hang out with in r/t that have babies... I am missing personal interaction in a big way.

And, ditto to Carmel - this is *sob* most surely my last and I have been pretty much a sahm for 17 years (starting at 18!)... What to do afterwards now?? I always thought I was a writer but just never had the time for it. That big old question does indeed loom.