Weekly thread, July 4-11

[jenfl]

DD had her first bad dream or other scary waking last night. Poor girl. Weird, I was just thinking last evening about how to handle such a thing!

But thanks to that, she was up twice last night (midnight and 6am), and Sprout had multiple wakings. So I didn't sleep much at all.

At least DD is sleeping in a bit. Hopefully she'll be recovered by the time she gets up.

[GreenTeaGinger61]

My second youngest was three when she had her first bad dream. She still remembers it, and it was creepy. As she describes it: I was in a house and there was no mommy, no daddy, no Umberto and no Camille. It was all dark and a giant hand was trying to catch me."

I'm exhausted because I was up to three cooking for a party we're going to. I'm very excited to have a party to go to but not so thrilled that I got stuck doing all the cooking and caring for the baby Big fail on dh's part. We won't be staying long so that I can come home and sleep.

On the good news front, there are now a few jobs opening up in the district here. Bad news is that each position has like 14 applicants. I told dh that if he is offered the other job on Wednesday to take it and we'd work out the logistics of moving.

I'm still struggling with feeling down. I know things are going to work out but I am feeling a lot of anxiety over what that is going to look like.

R is great. Big. I'm feeling a little down that she is not a newborn anymore but she is delish She's not doing much new stuff right now. We're starting to play more with her on the floor and she likes it. She is kicking her hanging toys but still not trying to grab them. She's also not sleeping as much which is okay most of the time. Yesterday though I really wanted a nap and she wasn't having anything to do with sleep.

[rhiOrion]

Ugh. I'm tired. I think L is reverse cycling somewhat, and it has me worn out. Plus I think I'm feeling a bit down still about the lack of milk that I'm pumping. And of course, pumping less means I'm also worried about if L is getting enough from the breast. I know that she should be more efficient, but what if she's not? Her growth has slowed way down. She grew well over 3 pounds in her first two months, but she's grown a pound at most (probably a bit less) in the past month. I guess that doesn't sound too bad when I type it out like that. Hopefully the pediatrician won't be concerned. My thought is that maybe she was eating so constantly during the first couple of months because that's all she knew how to do, plus her throat hurt from the reflux. But now that the reflux is under control she's eating less, plus she's more entertained by the world and doesn't seem to want to eat quite as much. If my supply was lowered she'd probably want to eat all the time, right? And she's still having wet and dirty diapers.

Blah.

Still waiting to smell like maple syrup. I wonder if I should be taking more than the bottle recommends. That crap is NASTY. It makes my stomach hurt

[OneWithTwo]

Originally Posted by rhiOrion

Ugh. I'm tired. I think L is reverse cycling somewhat, and it has me worn out. Plus I think I'm feeling a bit down still about the lack of milk that I'm pumping. And of course, pumping less means I'm also worried about if L is getting enough from the breast. I know that she should be more efficient, but what if she's not? Her growth has slowed way down. She grew well over 3 pounds in her first two months, but she's grown a pound at most (probably a bit less) in the past month. I guess that doesn't sound too bad when I type it out like that. Hopefully the pediatrician won't be concerned. My thought is that maybe she was eating so constantly during the first couple of months because that's all she knew how to do, plus her throat hurt from the reflux. But now that the reflux is under control she's eating less, plus she's more entertained by the world and doesn't seem to want to eat quite as much. If my supply was lowered she'd probably want to eat all the time, right? And she's still having wet and dirty diapers.

Blah.

Still waiting to smell like maple syrup. I wonder if I should be taking more than the bottle recommends. That crap is NASTY. It makes my stomach hurt

I'm sure she is getting enough Rhi! After everything happened with campbell, I couldn't pump even an ounce, but she would take 6-7oz from breastfeeding and like I said before, breastfed til she was 3 and grew fine. Sometimes our bodies just struggle with pumping.
I started smelling like maple syrup within 24 hours, but I am taking fenugreek seed capsules which have no taste and I take with water. I'm not seeing much effect of them as to helping my supply though. It's maintaining it enough until the Dom gets here.
The LC told me to keep track of wet/dirty dipes and check the soft spot.

[nikirj]

Originally Posted by rhiOrion

If my supply was lowered she'd probably want to eat all the time, right?

I dramatically overproduce, and still can't pump a whole lot after the first 2 months or so.

A friend who has a 2yo came over yesterday, and it made me really appreciate that E isn't mobile yet. Honestly, I have done a newborn and a 2yo (and a 3yo) at the same time, and I still don't know how I survived and can't remember a lot of it. Props to you mamas dealing with that right now.

E woke up crying hysterically the other day, I figured she had a bad dream.

I realized yesterday how low my expectations have fallen regarding what constitutes a productive day. We washed the van, didn't totally destroy the house, and made an actual dinner, and I'm counting it as a success.

[triony]

I'm so sorry so many of you are struggling Pumping, finances, houses.... sigh. And i'm just complaining about wanting a little free time. (in between worrying whether i'm doing things *right*)

Do any of you use freecycle? I've gotten so much free baby stuff! And people stuff, too. I really recommend it.

ok, LO is up...

[laughingfox]

Originally Posted by nikirj

I realized yesterday how low my expectations have fallen regarding what constitutes a productive day. We washed the van, didn't totally destroy the house, and made an actual dinner, and I'm counting it as a success.

I made a loaf of bread today, so as far as I'm concerned, this whole week is already a success.

BTW- if you can get a super cheap breadmaker (ours was like $20 and has lasted 10+ years already), it saves loads on groceries, especially if you want your bread to be whole grain and/or organic, or if you like specialty stuff like fancy spiced/herbed breads, rye, etc. Breadmakers are on CL all the time.
The texture of bread cooked in the breadmaker can be kind of weird, but you can always take it out once all the kneading/rising is done and just cook it in the oven (which is what I do).

Originally Posted by triony

Do any of you use freecycle? I've gotten so much free baby stuff! And people stuff, too. I really recommend it.

I have never had luck with freecycle, but I get some amazing deals on CL. I recently got 4 bumgenius on CL for $1.25 a piece!
Also, you'd be surprised what you can find for free on trash pick-up day sometimes. BBQ grills, antique/retro furniture, even electronics.
People just pitch their perfectly good stuff when they upgrade or redecorate, which drives me nuts, because it's so wasteful. Loads of charities would take it, and around here, I know of at least 3 that would be happy to come and pick that stuff up and hand you a tax receipt, so why just pitch it?

[Carita]

man - we don't score that well here. i just signed up for freecycle in the hope i might find a free washer/dryer. i can dream, right? but i see broken w/d and scrap metal and other random stuff up there. I haven't needed any baby stuff really, except i did buy some cute summer dresses and take home outfit when i was pregnant.

niki - i hear you. i felt so overwhelmed with one kid - now two i can barely keep things straight. however when one kid is missing - like today my aunt came over and took my son down to the ocean - i got SOOOO much done! LOL... too bad i wasn't that productive w/ds!

add ds to the list of those getting nightmares... whats going on??

[triony]

My husband swears the reason freecycle is so good around here (Northern Virginia) is that there are so many people with enough money that they'd rather have someone else come pick stuff up than deal with it themselves.

I made banana muffins yesterday and they came out really well. I put LO in a back carry this morning, but I did something wrong because his little feet started turning purple I REALLY want to get that right so I can do stuff with him up there.

My garden was recently decimated by a deer (maybe?) so there goes my grand plans of growing my own watermelon, cucumber, lettuce and broccoli. Sigh.

Laughingfox - I'm crossing my fingers for you on your job!

Ericka - I'm so sorry to hear about your pumping problems and poor Jennings' kidneys

[Knitting Mama]

Rhi- here's the fenugreek dosage info from BFAR.org. I took the 12 a day and it really did work for my supply, but unfortunately hurt Cecilia's stomach.

Fenugreek
Common Dose: 12-16 600 mg capsules daily, taken 3 x day
Sources: www.swansonvitamins.com, www.vitacost.com, www.luckyvitamin.com, local healthfood/vitamin store
Common side effects: Gassiness; may cause an allergic reaction in those allergic to peanuts
Notes: When you smell like maple syrup you know you are taking enough

[sew_crafty_girl]

Man...anna's new thing is crying for up to 1/2 hr when she's tired before she either falls asleep in my arms or decides she's ready to nurse asleep. It's really making outings kinda miserable. I've tried putting her the crib when she's whiny but not crying hard and it hasn't worked for her learning to fall asleep on her own. I'm on the hold list for happiest baby...from the library. The swing has lost it's charm so I've packed it away. Oh how I miss it. Please let this be a phase. Yesterday she didn't nap for more than 10min at a time.

She's going to bed around 10:30, wakes to nurse every few hrs and is up for the day around 8:30.

[GreenTeaGinger61]

Originally Posted by rhiOrion

Ugh. I'm tired. I think L is reverse cycling somewhat, and it has me worn out. Plus I think I'm feeling a bit down still about the lack of milk that I'm pumping. And of course, pumping less means I'm also worried about if L is getting enough from the breast. I know that she should be more efficient, but what if she's not? Her growth has slowed way down. She grew well over 3 pounds in her first two months, but she's grown a pound at most (probably a bit less) in the past month. I guess that doesn't sound too bad when I type it out like that. Hopefully the pediatrician won't be concerned. My thought is that maybe she was eating so constantly during the first couple of months because that's all she knew how to do, plus her throat hurt from the reflux. But now that the reflux is under control she's eating less, plus she's more entertained by the world and doesn't seem to want to eat quite as much. If my supply was lowered she'd probably want to eat all the time, right? And she's still having wet and dirty diapers.

I couldn't pump much with Camille and she was fine. I never could get my supply up as I mentioned before but I nursed until she was a year and a half. We would have gone longer but I was pregnant and she weaned once my milk dried up. I was very worried but it was apparent that she was a better milker than the pump:P She did reverse cycle which was hard. I feel your pain.

R is sleeping on her own and has been since eight. I just checked on her to make sure she was breathing. LOL.

[snoopy5386]

Anyone else have a really crappy 4th of July? It sort of got redeemed at the end, but still.....It is totally one of my favorite holidays, I LOVE fireworks and I have such great memories from 4th of July as a kid. I swear it is one of the days where I wish I could trade my family in for a different one. DD2 was having a really, really fussy day, DD1 was being her exuberant high maintenence self and DH had a headache. We were going to skip the fireworks since DH hates the heat and DD1 was scared and DD2 was so fussy. But I really wanted to go because I love fireworks and because DD1 had such a great 1st 4th of July and I didn't want DD2's to be lame just because her father and sister suck, LOL. So we went. First we went to get ice cream which took 1/2 hour of waiting in line. Then the fireworks. DD2 did great, DD1 complained almost the whole time and DH had no patience and a temper/bad attitude to the point that I had wished I had left him home. That is the part that I hate - I feel like if we stay home and don't do whatever it is I want to do and they don't I feel crappy/sad and if we do go then the two of them will just be miserable and then I still feel crappy/sad. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Just not the family life I imagined, I see all these other families having fun and mine is miserable, it just makes me sad. Maybe DD2 will be my adventure buddy and I can leave the other two home.

[laughingfox]

Originally Posted by Cecilia's Mama

Rhi- here's the fenugreek dosage info from BFAR.org. I took the 12 a day and it really did work for my supply, but unfortunately hurt Cecilia's stomach.

(emphasis added by me)

I feel so stupid.
Maybe the reason DD2 started throwing up so badly (not just spitting up a little) after nursing -but not after formula feeding, after I found the right one- was that I kept upping the herbs I was taking. I never even thought about that!!
Maybe the herbs affected the taste, and that's also why she didn't want to nurse anymore?
I'm in tears now. How could I have not thought of that sooner? Why on earth wouldn't LCs mention that as a possibility??

She won't latch on anymore, or even try to. Sometimes when she lays on my belly, she licks/chews on my shirt, and I try to offer the breast every time she does that, but she won't ever even try anymore.
Last time I tried expressing and pumping, it took me a whole day to get anywhere near 1/2 ounce, but I think I might give it another go. I only have 1 ounce saved in the freezer (in 3 separate bags), but I think I'll give some to her tomorrow and see how it goes. Maybe I can still pump/express something for her, even if it's not much.

Thank you so much.

[jsh7809]

We survived baby's first airplane flights and weekend away!! Luckily it was just a whirlwind 48 hour trip for us, and 1 hour flights each way, but she was perfect - just ate, cooed, and fell asleep.
However, yesterday when I had to work and was away from DH and babe for 10 hours, she started out great and then screamed at him for 4 straight hours before finally falling asleep. Sigh. It broke my heart to get those panicked calls from him... there was nothing I could do. So hard that his first full day of taking care of her was away from home, away from me. He said he thought someone would call the police because she was so upset and though I would've just taken her around on a long walk, he was too freaked out at how upset she was to leave the hotel room. TERRIBLE! I could tell it really, really shook him up, but today he is doting on her and everything just as much. I know that he wishes I hadn't had to do that trip but I couldn't see a way out of it since it will pay my bills for several months and was booked long before I got pregnant... sigh.
Anyway. We're home now. DD is being extra fussy this evening, too, so I am wondering if she might be teething already? Fist jammed in her mouth at every possible moment, extra clingy and needy, pooping a million times this weekend...
I need to stop trying to figure out WHY she gets upset, and just stay flexible on trying new things.
Funny thing: on Friday night, we got food from a restaurant near the hotel and DH brought it back to the room and unpacked mine and said, "does this roll smell like the baby to you?". I smelled it, and it did! So cute that he thought a fresh baked bread product smelled like his baby... random!

Happy 4th! Wondering if DD will be able to handle the fireworks 2 blocks from our house... we will see!

[smeisnotapirate]

laughingfox, don't feel stupid! Your LC should have definitely mentioned that possibility. Try again! If she can latch, you can re-lactate. Good luck.

Fireworks were a total disaster with DS (2yo). Oy. DD seemed to like them, though.

I'm having such an easier time with 2 kids than I did with just DS - mainly because my mental state is so much better. I have this hankering to open up my own business lately, though. I'm nuts, I realize that. I just have SO many good ideas and dreams and there's not enough of me to go around!

[Knitting Mama]

She totally could be teething, Jess. Cecilia is-- beyond the drool factory, chewing on everything she can get to her mouth and upped poops, I can feel the sharp ridge of the bottom tooth on the right and it's right at the surface.

I honestly think the amber necklace she's been wearing since 2 months is helping. Either that or I have a really easy teething baby.

[OneWithTwo]

I can still pump some but J isn't getting anything when he breastfeeds now. I wish the dom was getting here like TOMORROW.
My LC said to not take more than 6 a day because it can make little ones very sick to their tummy's...so i'll listen as I don't need my already high needs baby a higher needs baby.
My 4th sucked. I spent $ I shouldn't have, felt very stressed and overwhelmed at a friends house whose children are out of control brats. yes, I said brats...they are cruel, violent, out of control, dirty, loud, and I could go on and frankly, she is a horrible mother. that's all I can say right now because I just get worked up. I don't believe in spanking, but let me tell you, they all need a good spanking. I see jail in their future.
J slept through it all and C loves it all. thank god I am home now.

[rhiOrion]

Originally Posted by erickalynne

I can still pump some but J isn't getting anything when he breastfeeds now. I wish the dom was getting here like TOMORROW.
My LC said to not take more than 6 a day because it can make little ones very sick to their tummy's...so i'll listen as I don't need my already high needs baby a higher needs baby.
My 4th sucked. I spent $ I shouldn't have, felt very stressed and overwhelmed at a friends house whose children are out of control brats. yes, I said brats...they are cruel, violent, out of control, dirty, loud, and I could go on and frankly, she is a horrible mother. that's all I can say right now because I just get worked up. I don't believe in spanking, but let me tell you, they all need a good spanking. I see jail in their future.
J slept through it all and C loves it all. thank god I am home now.

Ericka, how long does the Dom take to get here? I wonder if I should order it sooner rather than later.

[Knitting Mama]

Cecilia did not approve of fireworks last night. Or rather, she didn't approve of whatever jerk in our neighborhood was setting off stuff way too low. It was so loud and obnoxious. They finally let up around 10:30, so she finally went to sleep, about an hour and a half later than usual. She slept in an hour later though, so I am doing OK this morning.