Weekly thread, June 20-27

[jenfl]

Finally finally finally Sprout can fairly reliably get his hands in his mouth! He's a total hand-sucker -- we even saw him doing it at my 18 week ultrasound. But it wasn't until the last few days that he can get his hands to his mouth even when sitting up. It's made going to sleep MUCH easier. Put him in his crib, he sucks (well, slurps) on his hand for a while, and conks out.

He must be hitting some developmental stuff, because he went from a few, 30-minute naps a day to a solid schedule of 1-2 hour naps. Whew!

[Knitting Mama]

My left breast is doing OK now, but the right one is still pretty bad. It's still bleeding off and on, and Cecilia's poopy diaper yesterday (she generally poops once a day) was full of little black specks, almost like black sesame seeds, mixed in with the normal breast milk poo. I'm assuming that's blood from nursing on the right side. It seems to be upsetting her tummy too, so I am going to try to give the right side a break and express and pump from it to use in the SNS. I hope it helps.

[Peace+Hope]

Oh C'smama, that's hard! I really hope things clear up for you soon! I had a blub or whatever those things are cakes, but happened tocatch it early. Now I inspect my nips daily! You are amaIng doing all you are.

Dhinderliter, yeah, I've always seen babies with the worn spot and thought I'd be able to prevent it somehow, hahahaha.

Ericka, s to you! That condition is a big burden to handle! You are so conscientious I know you'll stay on top of it. Charlie is not reaching for stuff much and he's 12 weeks, or 9 if you count his preemie status. Are you tracking Jennings on his preemie age? Even then, the milestones are really only there for mean moms to compare who's farther ahead

got a bumbo, which my phone auto corrected to "bimbo" heh. Charlie doesn't like it so far. Not sure his neck strength is consistent enough yet. I do a lot of pulling him into a sitting position and sitting him up everyday, so hopefully soon he'll be able to enjoy it.

Happy father's day to all of our sweet babies' dads out there! I wrpped Charlie in tissue paper with a big bow this morning for his dad

[rhiOrion]

I think we're 10.5 weeks here? I'm starting to lose track! L is much less fussy than she used to be. Evenings are still fairly difficult sometimes, and sometimes she has random screamy days, but far less so than at the beginning.

I'm hoping the doesn't scream the whole 4.5 hours home today, though. We're visiting the ILs.

P&H, I'm sorry I didn't get to get up with you this trip to the mountains! We were only here for two nights, and haven't gone into Asheville at all. But, we come up fairly frequently. It'll be more interesting once the babies are old enough to be even remotely interested in each other, anyhow.

Boobs. Mine are getting full way faster than they used to. I think it's a mix of a couple of things. I think the fact that she doesn't cluster feed as often mixed with my pumping every once in a while has kept my supply up, but her demand is down a bit. I think the lack of cluster feeding is attributed to the Zantac. I think her poor throat used to hurt her and she'd nurse to make it feel better. Plus I have these oat bars that I've been eating. I hadn't had any engorgement since the initital milk coming in, until a week or so ago. Suddenly I feel full a lot! I hope it bodes well for pumping at work.

Happy father's day to all of your husbands/partners/etc! L bought DH a mr beer gift card!

[justamama]

Aimee- that sounds awful! Hope it resolves quickly.

Bald spots- I thought we may escape it this time because of how much this baby is worn...but nope. LOL

Rhi- My breasts are fuller and leaking more now, too. I just dug out mt lilypadz again.

Jen- LuLu is a total hand sucker, too! She'll do a paci but has begun to pull it out in favor of her hands.

Afm- Surgery on my wrist is tomorrow at 2 pm. Nothing to eat/drink after midnight. Which has me worried about milk supply tomorrow. So I'll be eating oatmeal and drinking a ton of water between 11 and midnight! Then Tuesday Reese gets her cast off. Big week around here.

Lucy has a seat similar to a bumbo but it has a tray with toys (and later becomes a booster seat for the kitchen table). She's not at all interested in toys. Who needs toys when you have people doting on you all the time? I have no clue what she weighs, but really want to find out. I will probably take her to wic for a weight check. She's so tiny. Itty bitty baby.

[ivymae]

Hey single mamas - happy dad's day to you too. Playing double duty has to be impossibly hard, but you are doing it, and you deserve to be doubly celebrated.

A friend of mine just found out she's pregnant, at 4 months postpartum. Bonus that her oldest son turned two yesterday. She put the test in a card and gave it to her husband for father's day. When i told Tom about it, he asked if I was sure all i got him was a firepit. Ack.

[jsh7809]

Originally Posted by jenfl

Finally finally finally Sprout can fairly reliably get his hands in his mouth! He's a total hand-sucker -- we even saw him doing it at my 18 week ultrasound. But it wasn't until the last few days that he can get his hands to his mouth even when sitting up. It's made going to sleep MUCH easier. Put him in his crib, he sucks (well, slurps) on his hand for a while, and conks out.

He must be hitting some developmental stuff, because he went from a few, 30-minute naps a day to a solid schedule of 1-2 hour naps. Whew!

Jealous!! I am dying for her to find her hands reliably (she mostly can, but not when she's tired and needs to suck, which is when she needs it most!), and for those longer naps. We're still at a 45 minute nap after every hour or so of being awake. Grr.
Also, apparently hummus is bad news, unless you want a farty, uncomfortable, poop-filled baby. Gross morning!
Sorry about the bleb, that sounds so uncomfortable! My milk seems to be leveling out (finally) but DD does get occasionally really frustrated when she reaches that normal, slower milk supply. And then sometimes it starts to hurt - I think I am going to have sore nipples like 3 months after birth?!

I'm not doing so hot. Hoping the Zoloft kicks in quickly. Really having to rely on medications to help me sleep, too (and last night sleep ended up being almost a total, anxiety-filled loss). My hips hurt really badly. I am in between total brain fog/ overwhelm/ tearfulness/ inability to get anything done, driven positivity (usually when I have finally gotten at least 6 or so hours of sleep), and crippling anxiety about everything I need to do. Sigh. I start counseling this week but even that seems like more work than I can handle right now...

The baby, however, is very healthy and absolutely adorable. She has more happy cooing time each day, loves to hoot and talk to things like the kitty and this bird mobile a friend made, reaches for my face and some toys, tries to stick out her tongue when we do it, throws her arms wide when she sees DH do it, and gives us some BIG sweet smiles. She is so sweet and wonderful and growing so healthy and big. For which I am eternally grateful and lucky... but you know, it also makes me question myself... like, what would I do if I had a really difficult baby?

Every day I have a moment or more where I think I absolutely cannot cope with life and need to go to the hospital (not hurt myself, don't worry - just overwhelm). Then I try to stay patient and egg myself on or take an anti anxiety med or go for a walk and am able to stick with it. But I see more and more how vital these anti anxiety and anti depressant meds are to me... so I'm trying to feel less guilty about needing them.
It's hard, and I still think about formula a LOT. I just need more rest but I can't seem to tune anything out...

[MaterPrimaePuellae]

Hi Ericka! I'm glad you know what Jennings needs and can get it for him.... that medicine sounds like a real pain to get, oh my goodness! I'll just agree with everyone else-- neither of my children (so far) showed any interest in toys as little babies. DD got her first doll at ~1 year, and that was the first thing she ever really played with. "Maybe he thinks toys are stupid"-- definitely, maybe so Oh-- and "tummy time" I have read that sitting in a sling accomplishes the same thing; neither of my children will put up with "tummy time" in any amount.

P&H-- my sympathies. I told Dh this month that we needed to use some sort of contraceptive because I've had a couple episodes of bleeding (1 @ 6 weeks, and then a small amount again at 8 weeks when I had mastitis), and I don't know what's going on hormonally. I'm kindof expecting to have a real period at 12 weeks, too. My Ds is also a good sleeper; there have been a few nights where he's slept from 12-8. Honestly, I'm not even happy about that, I WANT him to wake up and eat. Sigh.

Very cute about the tissue paper!

Ivy-- oh my, your friend. I would be freaking out. I was thinking (along the lines of my hormonal irregularity)-- if I get pregnant before the DDC closes, do I win the Black Birthstool of Doom?

Rhi, have a good trip! I LOVE my in-laws; they are the best in-laws in the world. However, after a few days, I am always ready to go home... and I definitely would be ready to go home if they took a picture of me in bed at 8 in the morning! my goodness!

Jsh, you're doing all you can. I hope the counseling helps, too.

[ivymae]

Originally Posted by MaterPrimaePuellae

if I get pregnant before the DDC closes, do I win the Black Birthstool of Doom?

I say we reserve the bedazzled supermama birthstool for whoever gets pregnant again first. Come on.. who wants it?!

Not it!

[ivymae]

Originally Posted by jsh7809

I'm not doing so hot. Hoping the Zoloft kicks in quickly. Really having to rely on medications to help me sleep, too (and last night sleep ended up being almost a total, anxiety-filled loss). My hips hurt really badly. I am in between total brain fog/ overwhelm/ tearfulness/ inability to get anything done, driven positivity (usually when I have finally gotten at least 6 or so hours of sleep), and crippling anxiety about everything I need to do. Sigh. I start counseling this week but even that seems like more work than I can handle right now...

Every day I have a moment or more where I think I absolutely cannot cope with life and need to go to the hospital (not hurt myself, don't worry - just overwhelm). Then I try to stay patient and egg myself on or take an anti anxiety med or go for a walk and am able to stick with it. But I see more and more how vital these anti anxiety and anti depressant meds are to me... so I'm trying to feel less guilty about needing them.
It's hard, and I still think about formula a LOT. I just need more rest but I can't seem to tune anything out...

Stick with it - I remember it being two weeks or so before meds kicked in for me (on antidepressants in highschool/college), and even then it took some tweaking to find the right dose. This will pass, you will feel peace again, and you will be so thankful that you are dealing with this now, when your daughter won't remember. I ache for putting my oldest daughter through my craziness after DD2 was born. She was two, but has a heck of a memory, and still brings up things I am ashamed of (not out of spite, just because she is still trying to process them).

We are all so proud of you, and when you are feeling weak just think of all of us, out here cheering you on.

[laughingfox]

Originally Posted by jsh7809

It's hard, and I still think about formula a LOT. I just need more rest but I can't seem to tune anything out...

Let me just say that formula is NOT easier, no matter what babycenter and all those other parenting websites say.
I get much less sleep now that Z's on formula because I'm always terrified that she's going to spit up and choke in her sleep. I stay awake an hour after her late night feedings just to make sure she doesn't.
I also have to do so much more laundry because of the spit-up. It's not constant vast amounts like it was for over a week when we first started, but it still stains worse than breastmilk, and smells worse, too.
I would type more about the huge pain in the butt that formula is, but I have to go wash bottles instead. again. and pack up my diaper bag that is so much ridiculously larger, heavier, and more complicated than it was before formula.

[loveneverfails]

People, the first person to get pregnant again gets the BEDAZZLED PLATINUM BIRTHING STOOL OF REALLY REALLY WINNING AT DARWIN. Duh.

Jess, I hope the Zoloft kicks into high gear for you soon.

[loveneverfails]

Oh, and Jess? Maybe try putting a pillow between your legs (from knees all the way up) and a pillow under your waist. That might help a lot with your hip pain.

[sew_crafty_girl]

One day on the nifedipene for raynauds and my symptoms feel worse. I'm having headaches which is a side effect and my breasts hurt.

Anna tried a bottle of ebm yesterday. She didn't reject it but i'm not sure how much she actually swallowed for dh. Lots came out the side of her mouth. We tried a slow flow playtex nurser. I might pick up a avent bottle to see if there's a diff.

[jenfl]

Argh. I know DD wasn't ready to potty train before Sprout came, and I'm really glad we're done with diapers for her, but.... it is SUCH A PAIN to help a partially potty trained child while trying to care for a 2 month old! Helping with pants and underwear in the back seat of the car while Sprout is trying to sleep in his sling is cause for much frustration all around. And holding a 3 year old on a public potty while you have a baby on your front? Nearly impossible. I'm amazed she didn't fall in.

[snoopy5386]

we are back from our trip!! It was both wonderful (seeing and spending time with old friends and family) and horrible (baby crying 90% of our time in the car and missing our old home and wanting to move back). We spent about 2 hours a day in the car every day and DD2 cried 90% of the time.....it was just awful. Hung out with a friend on Friday who showed me how it was possible to nurse DD2 while wedged in between DD1's and DD2's carseats in the back which made our trip home yesterday much more pleasant. Too bad I didn't figure it out until the end of the week.

I'm ordering DD2 a radian this week - hopefully she'll like riding in a convertible carseat better than the bucket and if not, I'll put DD1 in the radian and grant myself a few more inches of wiggle room between the two of them in the backseat.

Went to see Toy Story 3 today for father's day - basic plot is Andy is going off to college and what will happen to the toys. I could barely keep it together, just the thought that my kids will be going off to college someday had me in tears. I felt ridiculous - I was holding my 10 week old baby on my lap for goodness sakes, I've got her whole life yet....but still I couldn't stop crying. DH was holding our 4 yo and he was crying too. Tonight after we got home she was picking out toys she didn't need anymore because she was too big for them....I can't believe she is 4 already, the time really does go sooooooo fast. I really wish I could have more time with just DD2, I sometimes feel like we barely know each other. She is such a good, easygoing baby that most of my energy goes to other things - DD1, the house, "me" time and as a result DD2's life is just flying by. 10 weeks already! Where has it gone?

Happy Father's Day to all the daddies out there!

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by ivymae

Hey single mamas - happy dad's day to you too. Playing double duty has to be impossibly hard, but you are doing it, and you deserve to be doubly celebrated.

No kidding! You rock, single moms!

Originally Posted by ivymae

A friend of mine just found out she's pregnant, at 4 months postpartum. Bonus that her oldest son turned two yesterday.

OMG, I'm so afraid that is going to be me. Since this period at 6w , I am officially fertile. My chart looks like one of those charts from TCOYF. I thought EBF was supposed to buy me some time???????? Gah. Eco-breastfeeding and not getting any of the bennies sucks.

Originally Posted by jsh7809

Every day I have a moment or more where I think I absolutely cannot cope with life and need to go to the hospital (not hurt myself, don't worry - just overwhelm). Then I try to stay patient and egg myself on or take an anti anxiety med or go for a walk and am able to stick with it. But I see more and more how vital these anti anxiety and anti depressant meds are to me... so I'm trying to feel less guilty about needing them.
It's hard, and I still think about formula a LOT. I just need more rest but I can't seem to tune anything out...

You do what you have to, hon! You're taking care of yourself so you can take care of your baby, and don't let you or anyone else tell you differently.

And I just sat with a FF baby for a few hours, and wow. So much work. I was blown away, and said a little prayer to G-d thanking Him for giving me the equipment and resources to breastfeed.

Originally Posted by ivymae

I say we reserve the bedazzled supermama birthstool for whoever gets pregnant again first. Come on.. who wants it?!

Not it!

Oh, as tempting as it sounds (and since I need to cram at least one more kid into the next 2 years), I think I'm going to call "not it" as well.

Though it would be hilarious to see the reactions of everyone in my synagogue if I said I was pregnant again.

Originally Posted by laughingfox

Let me just say that formula is NOT easier, no matter what babycenter and all those other parenting websites say.
I get much less sleep now that Z's on formula because I'm always terrified that she's going to spit up and choke in her sleep. I stay awake an hour after her late night feedings just to make sure she doesn't.
I also have to do so much more laundry because of the spit-up. It's not constant vast amounts like it was for over a week when we first started, but it still stains worse than breastmilk, and smells worse, too.
I would type more about the huge pain in the butt that formula is, but I have to go wash bottles instead. again. and pack up my diaper bag that is so much ridiculously larger, heavier, and more complicated than it was before formula.

What a PITA. I'm so sorry it's so hard on you.

Originally Posted by jenfl

Argh. I know DD wasn't ready to potty train before Sprout came, and I'm really glad we're done with diapers for her, but.... it is SUCH A PAIN to help a partially potty trained child while trying to care for a 2 month old! Helping with pants and underwear in the back seat of the car while Sprout is trying to sleep in his sling is cause for much frustration all around. And holding a 3 year old on a public potty while you have a baby on your front? Nearly impossible. I'm amazed she didn't fall in.

My DS is about half and half at this point. It's crazy. I feel you.

AFM, our Father's Day gift to DH was a trip to Knoebels Amusement Park. It was really fun, and DH loved going on the kiddie rides with DS. For your viewing pleasure, here's DD and I nursing in front of the Twister roller coaster: http://www.twitpic.com/1y991h

[justamama]

Tonight we went to see my grandparents at the hospice house. My grandmother and I had an awful relationship when I was younger, but its been really good the past few years. Tonight she was back to being her bitter, mean spirited old self. I didn't even have a chance to get Lucy out if the infant seat before my grandmother was saying (loudly, in front of my children and our extended gamily) how asinine I look because of my hair. She went on to later tell me (again, in front of my kids) how awful and coniving my mother is...and was telling my dad to go to jailbefore giving her another penny, etc. IN FRONT OF ME AND MY KIDS! I don't care how you feel about someone, first off their divorce is their business not yours...and secondly, you don't bad mouth someone around their child ir grandchildten.

Then she was saying things to the girls. Nothing I can even isolate right now. But she was very emotionally abusive to me when I was a kid. She cut me down and has had me second guessing my self worth and capabilities as a human being ever since. And the things she was saying, the stupid criticisms, the judgements that needn't be passed on a 4 and 2 year old...they sounded just like what she'd say to me as a kid. And rather than bring forth the mama bear within, her words cut me still and made me feel powerless to defend my own children. Who, ftr, didn't notice it. But it builds over time.

I'm at the least taking a few weeks off going to visit. And definitely keeping the kids away from her. I spent the rest of the night in tears. I don't think my DH or little sister realized how much her head games could get to me until tonight. I don't think I did, either.

[GreenTeaGinger61]

Denise: Good luck with your surgery. I'm sorry about your grandmother. My dad's mom was the same way but luckily I had very little to do with her. ((Hugs)))

CM: Hugs about your blister. That stinks and I"m sorry. I hope it clears up soon.

Jess: When I did Zoloft a couple of years ago it took about three weeks to kick in at full strength.

The birthstool of doom I willingly pass onto someone else. Ai. That would seriously be a big time nightmare for me.

We didn't do much for Father's Day. We don't really celebrate either Mother or Father's Day. I have lots of issues with Mother's Day from my mother (nothing was ever good or perfect enough for her). We did go to the pool and had some beer And we DTD which is always good news to dh. LOL.

And our big development is that we used a cloth diaper overnight!!!! No leaking

[sew_crafty_girl]

I think my aches and pains are coming from bed sharing. My left armpit is kinda numb and I have back pain on that side too.