February 09 mamas - they're not babies anymore! - Page 6

[justKate]

Anyone else still waiting for their first PP AF? I'm feeling sorta crampy today, and am wondering if AF will ever return. Aubs only nurses 3 times/day +/-, but who knows. It's officially been two years now....

[AKislandgirl]

no pp AF for me. I would not be surprised with my history to have to medically induce it when we decide to start TTC. I don't know for sure, we'll see. Fiona still nurses a lot though.

[starling&diesel]

Medically induced PP AF here ... not fun. Still nursing tonnes.

Allergies ... something that Esmé ate gave her a blazing red rash around her mouth. We figure it has to be an ingredient in a sauce. The meal included pork, zuchini, mushrooms, rice pasta, and spinach, all of which she's had, so it must be something in the sauce, which was wheat-free tamari, rice vinegar, sweet chili, and garlic (I think that's it). Will have to do some investigating.

Potty learning ... we're on hold, because Esmé has all of a sudden become nervous of the potty. Ah well! Not sure what happened. We were all being super low key about it. It's kind of funny to say, but I think she was scared of her poop. Back to making friends with the potty. Any suggestions?

Naps ... I think we're officially down to one. It's been about a week now of one after lunch nap after about six weeks of some days one, some days two.

Soy creamer ... I love Silk soy creamer. Yum!

[AKislandgirl]

Starling, Are you guys trying for another little one soon?! I know you've gone back and forth on that a little bit. Just wondering since you mentioned the medically induced AF. (you don't have to answer of course!) I've been really tempted to get things going here in the new future but I remember how exhausted and sick I was in the first trimester. I need to be done with daycare for sure before getting pregnant again! Just keeping up with Fiona will be challenging enough!

Allergies are really tricky. I know that we have been on this dairy free thing for only a couple of days but I haven't seen any changes yet. Something tells me its not going to be as cut and dry as just cutting out dairy. Her rash actually seems worse now. UGH! This is frustrating. If after two solid weeks of dairy free its still the same or worse I'll have to make an appt to see her Dr. (instead of just chatting with her when she picks up her son from my house!). Maybe bloodwork would reveal something faster then slowly picking one thing at a time to eliminate from our diet. I don't really know much about this though.

[Vegan Princess]

I am almost off my meds to make more milk and I think I got my fist PP AF on wedneday. Only lasted a day. It's light bc I have mirena iud. I tried to get my IUD removed yesterday but bc my last dr cut the strings really short, she couldn't get it out! So I have to go back in 2 weeks and she is going to try while the radiologist does a high res ultrasound...otherwise I have to be put under and they will dilate my cervix and get it. Ugh!! I just want it out and I'm never getting another one again!! The dr that cut the strings said she could get it out no problem but she isn't on my new insurance so I went to someone new who doesn't cut strings and doesn't know how to deal with this. I have a call into the first dr to see what she says about removal. I may pay out of pocket to have her do it if she'll give me a deal I can afford. So we'll start TTC a month or so after it's out - god willing that there are no problems with removal!!!

Glad the soy creamer makes the no dairy a little easier for you akislandgirl!

Cindy

[AKislandgirl]

Sheesh Cindy! How frustrating! I hope everything goes smoothly though! How exciting to be this close to TTC! Who knows, you could join another February DDC!

My friend is in the middle of a custody battle and asked me to write a letter on her behalf to the judge. I'm so worried about saying it write and with enough emphasis! That's what I'll be working on this weekend. I told DH over and over again that I'm so happy that he is such a great dad. I can't imagine the feeling of possibly losing custody of my child. I feel awful for my friend. Her ex is a total loser who barely took care of their son when they were married so I'm not sure what he is thinking. Well I think he is thinking of money. Sad

[starling&diesel]

Originally Posted by AKislandgirl

Starling, Are you guys trying for another little one soon?! I know you've gone back and forth on that a little bit. Just wondering since you mentioned the medically induced AF.

No plans to try for another one anytime soon. If you guys recall, we 'adopted' Esmé way back when she was an embryo, and that was because my reproductive system has never worked properly. As a result (looooomg story short), I have osteopenia and am always concerned about my endocrine function in general. I had a visit with the endo and he did a blood work up and we found that my endocrine levels were dangerously low, so he put me on HRT to kickstart my cycle again to level things out. As a result of that, we'd be 'ready' anytime to do another frozen embryo transfer and would just need to 'tweak' my lining with some additional prometrium. But like I said, we're not ready. I'm really enjoying Esmé as an one and only, and my partner is pretty solid on just having one due to our crazy work schedules and finances. Perhaps in another couple of years?

Originally Posted by Vegan Princess

I tried to get my IUD removed yesterday but bc my last dr cut the strings really short, she couldn't get it out!

Not needing birth control, I know nothing about IUDs, but good GRAVY, woman, that sounds horrible! I really hope you can get it all sorted out. I hope the original doc does it for free. She should!

And how's your supply holding up, Cindy? I've been off the meds for about five months now and everything seems to be holding steady, even with being back to work 2-3 days a week for 14 hours at a time. Lots of hand expressing! I kind of think I've got more now that I ever did, but that's probably because her demand is lower, what with being the little foodie enthusiast that she is. Are you planning to BF much longer?

Originally Posted by AKislandgirl

My friend is in the middle of a custody battle and asked me to write a letter on her behalf to the judge. I'm so worried about saying it write and with enough emphasis!

Do you have anyone that you could show it to to get feedback? Or, have you considered writing it WITH her, so that there's no misunderstanding about the points that she wants made clear? How very scary to be battling custody. My thoughts are with your friend ...

[AKislandgirl]

Happy Easter! We induced an early nap (aka stroller walk!) so Fiona will be in good spirits for an egg hunt and potluck lunch with friends at the beach. We'll be in snowsuits! She was excited to get her treasures this morning. Some egg shakers, a new book, and a wooden cell phone. I love how she holds her phone... up by her hear but more behind her head then anything. She says, hi, yeah, oh, baby babbles and giggles to whomever she is talking to. So darn cute!

I have a very rough version of the letter for my friend written. Once I get it more fine tuned both my mom and DH are going to proof it for me and make suggestions. I really hope that this helps. I've not been able to stop thinking about this all weekend. I do think that any judge in his right mind will make the call to keep him with his mom but always at the back of her mind is the "what if?" It will be so good for them once this is all over and they can work on getting back to their new normal.

[Vegan Princess]

Starling: I'm still waiting to hear from the original dr but I do think I'll end up going back to her. I hope she at least does for cheap!! As for the nursing. I'm down to 30 mg of dpd/day and 2000 mg of shatavari. I think I'll be totally off the dom by the end of next week. My supply once had been 3 ounces per pumping but had dropped to 2 ounces before I even started weaning off the meds - who knows why. I had still been pumping before bed up until a week ago. I was down to pumping about an ounce when I stopped. So my supply has definitely dropped! I am still using the lactaid with almost every feed though so Makenna doesn't know the difference. And when I nurse bare I don't think she cares if there is milk or not. I am not sure how long I will nurse her. I have no plans to wean. I am currently reading "Adventurs in Tandem Nursing". I am all for trying to get her down to 1-2 nursings/day by the time another baby comes (a year from nowish?) and letting her nurse after the baby is done. I haven't found many low supply mommas who have tandemed but I did talk to one and she thought having the toddler nurse actually stimulated her supply, like pumping. We'll see. I'd prefer her to wean by then but I'm not sure it will happen.

Cindy

[Mal85]

Happy Easter! Owyn had a great time with her basket this morning. She immediately reached in, grabbed a jelly bean and popped it in her mouth! Jelly bean drool all over the place, lol! Today has been kind of a free for all with the candy and Easter treats, so she's been wired pretty much all day and is just now taking a nap.

I'm not sure how much longer Owyn will nurse. I had planned on beginning the stages of nightweaning right around now. I would like for her to be nightweaned before I get pregnant again. I don't think I could handle exhaustion from pregnancy and nursing throughout the night. But, she has more or less weaned herself during the day already. She only nurses before bed and once or twice during the night. I tried keeping another daytime nursing session in for a while, but she just fought me on it, so I stopped forcing it. If I nightwean her, that'll be it. No more nursing. I thought it would be the other way around. She'd nightwean, then down the road we'd wean during the day. She had other plans.

Anyone have one that sleeps through the night yet? When she's not teething, she sleeps in her crib roughly 4-5 hours, then gets in bed with us around 12:30-1:00. Then she'll nurse when she gets in bed with us and that'll hold her over until around 5:30-6 in the morning. I would love to cut out that one middle of the night session when we do decide to nightwean and have her in the crib until 5:30-6:00, but I don't really know how to go about doing that. We've tried in the past. I got up out of bed with her and put her back to sleep, but that only resulted in even more night wakings and one very exhausted little girl (and mama).

[AKislandgirl]

Fiona still nurses many times throughout the night so no help here! Any less then 3 times and I'm amazed! She still nurses every few hours during the day too. She's a boob girl!

[Nillarilla]

Akislandgirl I have been dealing with allergies since about Halloween. My son is allergic to soy and my dd to dairy and gluten. I have not cut the dairy or gluten from my diet but she only nurses about twice a day and in the am and before bed. I'm sure as a newborn that was the source of some of her issues. Coconut milk is awesome for baking and substituting. Be careful with the soy lots of people with dairy allergies also have an allergy to soy. I have found almond milk soy free but coconut milk is the only one I know is totally safe for both my kids. Plus it's a good fat. Gluten free is awful. I've made some good biscuits and cookies but the bread and pasta so far is yuck!

[Vegan Princess]

Mal: Makenna is in a crib too. Occasionally she will sleep 7-5 but that is rare. She is usually up around 2-3 then nurses back to sleep and DH sets her back in her crib where she stays until 5ish. She comes in bed to nurse lying down then and sometimes will be up for the day after or rarely goes back to sleep for a bit while still attached to the boob. She has been an early riser lately...it blows! The past week or 2 have been worse than normal though with night waking. I think a new tooth is on it's way in. So she has been up 3ish times/night...and won't go back down in her crib around 3 so has been coming in our bed for the rest of the night. If I don't nurse her, I have no idea how to get her back to sleep! DH can sometimes rock her to sleep but that doesn't work nearly as well as when she was littler. I honestly thought she'd be sleeping through the night by now. Now I am just hoping she will be by a year from now!

I am wondering though...how does one deal with being up so much all night with a new one and then having to be up at 6 for the day with a toddler? I think I stayed in bed from 9pm to 9 am when Makenna was new...just to get 5-6 hours of sleep. Any mommas of 2 or more have any thoughts? Exhaustion, I guess.

Cindy

[AKislandgirl]

Originally Posted by Vegan Princess

Mal: I honestly thought she'd be sleeping through the night by now. Now I am just hoping she will be by a year from now!

I am wondering though...how does one deal with being up so much all night with a new one and then having to be up at 6 for the day with a toddler? I think I stayed in bed from 9pm to 9 am when Makenna was new...just to get 5-6 hours of sleep. Any mommas of 2 or more have any thoughts? Exhaustion, I guess.

Cindy

I thought we'd be sleeping better too! I aim for on wake up by 18 months and nursing/sleeping in the early AM hours. I just don't know how to get there! I think about how uncomfortable I was with sleeping during my pregnancy and having a toddler glued to my side all night...hmmm. Sounds tough.

When Fiona was a newborn we often didn't get out of bed till 10am! I think DH will have to become a larger part of the bedtime routine around here as one solution since sleeping in just won't happen.

[AKislandgirl]

Originally Posted by Nillarilla

Akislandgirl I have been dealing with allergies since about Halloween. My son is allergic to soy and my dd to dairy and gluten. I have not cut the dairy or gluten from my diet but she only nurses about twice a day and in the am and before bed. I'm sure as a newborn that was the source of some of her issues. Coconut milk is awesome for baking and substituting. Be careful with the soy lots of people with dairy allergies also have an allergy to soy. I have found almond milk soy free but coconut milk is the only one I know is totally safe for both my kids. Plus it's a good fat. Gluten free is awful. I've made some good biscuits and cookies but the bread and pasta so far is yuck!

I'm just praying its not gluten! I feel for you. How did you determine their allergies? We just found out that their is a 3 year wait to see the allergist that visits the island once a month!! 3 Years! It's flippin' ridiculous. If we do end up needing to see an allergist it will mean a trip to Anchorage for us.

[starling&diesel]

allergies ... for those of you dealing with gluten-free, I have a great all purpose flour recipe if you want to pm me. I've been gluten-free for about fifteen years now, after being diagnosed with celiac. It does get easier! And it's way better now than it was back then.

sleeping ... sleeping through the night is a lot of hooey. I think we sleep well, with Esmé stirring to nurse about three times a night. She doesn't fully wake, and neither do I, so it's not too bad. We do want to transition her to a toddler bed beside ours soon. As for dealing with a toddler and new babe, I CANNOT even imagine, which is why we won't be trying for a second any time soon. Although it would be nice to have the pregnancy part out of the way, being that I'm not gettin' any younger!

[Vegan Princess]

nak

The old dr got my iud out!! It was no problem for her. Phew!! Have to wait a month to start trying though. Eeeeck!!!!

Cindy

[Everrgreen]

Wow - lots of reading to do, I've been away for a few days!

I am a teensy bit envious of those of you getting ready to try again. Just a teensy bit though! I enjoy just having one and am looking forward to a larger spacing between babies (hopefully not too large!)

Cindy - glad you got the iud out with no issues! Sounds like a real pain!

As for sleeping - we still aren't sleeping through the night. Some nights he will only wake a couple of times, but that's rare. Usually it's 4-5 times I would guess. But he's still in the bed with me and it doesn't really wake me. I would like to limit it to 1-2 times. I just haven't figured out how to do that consistently. I'm glad to know that this is common. I was with my mom this past weekend and she mentioned buying me a crib so I'd having something to leave him in to CIO He was up quite a bit the first night we were there (new place, new bed) and I was exhausted, so that's why she brought it up, but still!

Royce is starting to walk a lot more. Still prefers to crawl or hold my hand and walk, but he is choosing to walk on his initiative a lot more. And he's starting to climb a little bit (onto/off of the couch).

[Nillarilla]

We got my ds allergy tested but it didn't show anything. He still reacts though really badly with blotching skin, facial rash, emotional and sleep disturbance, increased mucous production and a sore stomach. So I believe it's probably an IgG reaction. Was scary for a while when we thought it might be anaphylactic but it turns out he just worked himself up so badly he was having a panic attack. Benadryl, Vit C and rescue remedy work well to dampen and sometimes stop the reaction.

Dd it's a blistering bleeding bum rash and either constipation or pure liquid poop. She also screams and her stomach goes rock hard. She will usually vomit the night of ingestion as well. Oh and sour burps will tip me off that she's about to start reacting to something. I took dairy out first and all the symptoms lessened by about 2 weeks then I took wheat out and within a week she was all clear of the rash and the constipation. It was so awful she would cry when she would poop.

I've found a couple flours I like that are gluten free. We eat a lot of millet, amaranth, quinoa, rice and meat and veggies and lentils and beans. Dd can't even have oatmeal. She can have butter in small amounts though which is good. The world just tastes better with butter.

[Nillarilla]

Forgot to mention dd is getting 4!!!! teeth at the same time right now. We are so not sleeping here.