January 2012 Whatever Ladies Are All Done Having Their Babies! - Page 5

[annie2186]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 

So.  Question.  I don't think I did as much googling and relied a lot more on sites like kellymom and mdc last time, but everything I'm seeing on the internet says that b/w 4-6 months, you can stop nursing during the night?  What's up with that?  Is that mainstream advice for ppl who don't cosleep or something?  I didn't nightwean Nora until she was well past one (isn't that what Dr. Jay Gordon recommends?).  Annie - is this what you're friends are doing by dropping feedings?  I'm just really confused.  How else would I get him back to sleep?  I'm asking more hypothetically b/c I'm not about to do this, I'm just surprised that this is the advice that's out there.

I totally wonder about this myself! I have no idea........and exactly for that reason. How the heck else are you supposed to get a baby back to bed? IME at least, that is all they want 9 times out of 10 (I mean, by that age). A still wakes up a few times a night, and all she does is nurse and go back to bed. She sleeps next to me in her crib, not because I am an avid cosleeper, but because I am waaaaaay to damn lazy to try and listen out for a baby in another room, to then have to walk my sleepy butt to said other room to nurse and then back again!!!!!  People make things waaaaay harder on themselves to say the least.....

JJ - yes, it will get better, worse, better, worse and better again  That is one thing I have learned in parenting is to just *be* in the moment. Yeah, you may or may not get sleep. Yes, you may get woken up to the fact that one of your children has puked for the 5th night in a row (luckily we seem to have finally gotten over that! knock on wood of course) but if you just enjoy it to whatever extent you can, life is much better 

I think it really comes down to how you think about things. Like A was up alot more than usual due to getting her top tooth (did I ever tell you ladies that her bottom two FINALLY came in about a month ago! took forever!) and I always try to think about how nice it is to snuggle with her and how big and cute she's getting rather than "I have to freaking work tomorrow!!!! I am going to be soooo exhausted!!" Of course, a lot of times it doesn't work and you are totally still  the next day.

One day we will all be old ladies with grown ass kids.............keep the goal in mind........ha ha ha

It has seriously taken me three hours to write this. I bet I have missed 20 posts.

[MarineWife]

The Grovia and Naturally Luxe sticks are specially designed for cloth diapers. They both have natural vegetable and essential oils and that's it.

Kat ~ That's exactly what I was thinking today about baby night feedings. How does anyone else know that baby isn't really hungry or doesn't really need to eat? I don't expect anyone to know when I'm hungry or to tell me that I'm not when I act like I am. And, yeah, my body doesn't always follow an eating schedule, either. Sometimes I get hungry 20 minutes after eating a meal and sometimes I don't get hungry for several hours.

I think it can be dangerous to breastfeeding and to the growth and development of the baby to nightwean before a year. If baby stops waking and nursing at night at any time after 6 months, that's fine, but I don't think that mom should refuse feedings. Ethan didn't sleep through the night until he was 2 but I think Kellen was sleeping through the night by the time he was 6 months. Different babies have different needs.

annie ~ ITA. Things get easy and then hard and then easy and then hard with a baby, always changing. I got a few 5 hour stretches of sleep at night when Dylan was 2-3 months old but not anymore.

Yay for teeth finally coming in!

I'm sure I'm forgetting something but I can't go back to the last page to recheck everyone's posts.

Dylan got a clean bill of health today. No wheezing or congestion sounds in his chest anymore. His right ear is just a tiny bit pink but it looks much better than last week and the left ear looks normal. I need to make some more garlic drops and keep using them for a few more days, I think. It's pretty cool to get confirmation that abx were not needed for his ears and that maybe the garlic drops actually helped.

Oh, that reminds me of the other thing. I would totally go with a GP or FP over a ped if I could find one. I was doing that for a while, taking everyone to an urgent care place that also did appointments and would act as a PCP but it was bought by a new company and I don't like the new docs. The only problem I've had with private practice GPs around here is that they don't always do same day sick appointments. I can call the pediatrician in the morning and be seen by that afternoon. I can even just walk in if I want. Can't do that at the GP here.

[AnnieA]

I just can't imagine not feeding DD if she woke up in the middle of the night. She's not waking up to play, she's hungry! Good grief! She stirs sometimes and I put her paci in her mouth and she will fall back asleep. But if she wakes up, wakes up? It's because she's hungry. She is down to just 1-2 wakings per night now. Typically she goes to sleep between 8-9 PM for DH and then I do a dream feed with her around 12:30-1AM when I get home. Sometimes she wakes up when I walk in the door. Then she will either wake around 4 AM to eat or sleep until 6 AM. When she wakes up for either of those times, she usually just eats and goes right back to sleep. That is unless I don't have any milk out and I need to pump. Then she sits in her rocker and watches me while I pump. I call her my supervisor! She makes sure I put her bottles together the right way too!

JJ, I'm glad you guys are getting to a better place. I've said for a long time that whoever designed babies sure knew what they were doing! Just when you reach your breaking point and think you can't do this another day, that's when they start interacting and being all cute! Your DD is right around 7 weeks right? That's when it happened for us too. Suddenly you have this little human on your hands instead of this screaming demanding mini tyrant who hates everything you do! But like MW was saying, there will be good days and bad days. Even with my older kids there are good days and bad days. That's what coffee and wine are for...the bad days!

We use a pedi office for DD because they are open 7 days a week (and past 5 PM) and I can call and get same day appointments. We use the same practice for the older kids and it sure is nice to be able to call and talk to a nurse at 8 PM and not have to go to urgent care or the ER.

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by AnnieA 

We use a pedi office for DD because they are open 7 days a week (and past 5 PM) and I can call and get same day appointments. We use the same practice for the older kids and it sure is nice to be able to call and talk to a nurse at 8 PM and not have to go to urgent care or the ER.

That's awesome.  We can get same day sick visits with our ped, which is great, but off hours the call center is a very dumb hospital nurses station.  They basically tell you to bring them to the ER for everything.  It's obnoxious and after the catastrophe with Finn's "heart murmur" and all the nonsense they gave me about the bilirubin (which we never did) made me want to switch providers anyway.  So there's that too.

Annie - Finn got the prevnar 13 today.  I'll lyk if he spikes a fever.  Are you thinking of not continuing the series for Ava?  

Did you guys get a form about how they changed the dosage on acetaminophen?

[AnnieA]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 

That's awesome.  We can get same day sick visits with our ped, which is great, but off hours the call center is a very dumb hospital nurses station.  They basically tell you to bring them to the ER for everything.  It's obnoxious and after the catastrophe with Finn's "heart murmur" and all the nonsense they gave me about the bilirubin (which we never did) made me want to switch providers anyway.  So there's that too.

Annie - Finn got the prevnar 13 today.  I'll lyk if he spikes a fever.  Are you thinking of not continuing the series for Ava?  

Did you guys get a form about how they changed the dosage on acetaminophen?

Is this his first dose? She did ok with the first dose, it was the second dose that caused the fever spike and elevated WBC count. I'm definitely not going to be doing it next month when she's supposed to get it, that's for sure. I'll probably delay it until after her next surgery if I finish it at all.

I haven't seen any new dosage form but I usually call and ask one of the pedi nurses if I have a question about how much to give DD.
 

[Baby_Cakes]

Yes this is his first dose.  Good to know, I'll def watch for that when he gets his 2nd.

I didn't even think they could have tylenol this young.  I didn't even purchase it yet.  DH is grabbing some while he's out just in case.

[AnnieA]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 

Yes this is his first dose.  Good to know, I'll def watch for that when he gets his 2nd.

I didn't even think they could have tylenol this young.  I didn't even purchase it yet.  DH is grabbing some while he's out just in case.

Yes, it's by weight so if you aren't sure, have your DH ask the pharmacist where he buys it. They can figure out how much to give him.

[onetwoten]

Originally Posted by AnnieA 

JJ, Suddenly you have this little human on your hands instead of this screaming demanding mini tyrant who hates everything you do! 

We use a pedi office for DD because they are open 7 days a week (and past 5 PM) and I can call and get same day appointments. We use the same practice for the older kids and it sure is nice to be able to call and talk to a nurse at 8 PM and not have to go to urgent care or the ER.

So true!  She's 5.5 weeks btw, but she's growing up so so fast, it's crazy!

See that would be a definite benefit to a ped over my GP (whose hours suck, but I've never needed to use them....). We would likely just end up going to a walk in, but then again-- I've never had to call in with an infant/child sickness, so maybe she would be able to squeeze us in. It might be worth asking her at the next appointment. Which speaking of- they're going to be so angry at us. lol We haven't booked her 2 month appointment yet, and it should in theory be in the next 3 weeks. She normally books super in advance for checkups, as I think she only does them one day a week, and the other days are for 'problems'. I'm not worried about not getting in a 2 months, especially since we won't be doing any vaxes that visit... but I think the nurses will cause a fuss. 

[MarineWife]

what Annie said about tylenol dosing. it's by weight rather than age, although i think it also says 6 months on it. in Finn's case, probably most 4-5 month olds couldn't take it because they aren't big enough, but i know he is because dylan is. they gave me some for him on the way out of the ER. i took it even though i didn't plan to use it because it's free and i can use it for everyone.

carrie ~ we have a nurse hotline. they also tell you to go to the ER for everything. i wonder if that's the policy for babies.

[AnnieA]

Huh. I didn't realize there was anything on there about 6 months or older. DD has been getting tylenol since she was four days old although they prefer to give it as a suppository in the hospital. No wonder the pharmacist looked at me like I had three heads when I asked her for dosing info for DD when she was just out of the hospital! Hahahaha!

[annie2186]

Originally Posted by AnnieA 

Huh. I didn't realize there was anything on there about 6 months or older. DD has been getting tylenol since she was four days old although they prefer to give it as a suppository in the hospital. No wonder the pharmacist looked at me like I had three heads when I asked her for dosing info for DD when she was just out of the hospital! Hahahaha!

I know when I was delaying shots for J (before I knew I was skipping them all together! LOL) they told me at her 1 month appt. to be sure to pick up tylenol for her two month appt. and to give her .04 before I came in. I told them I wasn't giving her shots at the 2 month appt.  

I think once again it is just a case of not thinking the general public can make an educated decision so they say don't give it to them at all. Which may be the case.........

[akind1]

I don't even have baby tylenol/motrin/anyfeverreducer in the house. I figure, if we really need it, there are at least 4 pharmacies within a 10 minute drive, and Walmart. I viewed it almost like formula - if I really need it, I have access to it, I don't need it in the house or to spend $$ on it JIC. But especially since our LO's are unvaxed . . .there are less opportunities for them to get fevers, esp the kind you kind of expect - like post shots.  So I have no clue on the dosing, other than infants tylenol is more concentrated than childrens.

JJ: almost 6 weeks! and could you imagine going back to work then??? I am so glad I was able to take an extra 2 weeks.

maybe TMI, but I dont know what it is, but DH and I have DTD more frequently and regularly the last few weeks than we have our whole marriage. which you wouldnt think would be the case after baby #2. I just hope we can maintain it!

Totally 1HT BTW.

no plans this weekend, but I want some!

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by jeninejessica 
 Which speaking of- they're going to be so angry at us. lol We haven't booked her 2 month appointment yet, and it should in theory be in the next 3 weeks. She normally books super in advance for checkups, as I think she only does them one day a week, and the other days are for 'problems'. I'm not worried about not getting in a 2 months, especially since we won't be doing any vaxes that visit... but I think the nurses will cause a fuss. 

Hopefully not!  I think most ppl get off schedule with WBV in the early months.  Especially once you have other kids too.  We're so far off the WBV schedule.  Finn is like 5 months and has his 3 month one a couple weeks ago.  I asked why they don't just skip the ones we miss and they're all "ooohhh nooo we have to do it this wayyy" which I think is silly.  He's obv not 3 months old and is doing 5 month old things.  Can't we talk about who he is NOW instead of who he should have been a few months ago??  

Anyway, I hope they don't give you trouble.  Have you thought more about the first vaccines you'll do? So far Finn has had one of each that's he's supposed to.  The dr yesterday reminded me about the combo shot when I told her I wanted the IPV and Prevnar.  I said no thank you, I would rather do the separate ones.  She hesitated for like a fraction of a second and then was just like, fine.  (She wasn't our normal doc, she seemed a little cranky).  Whatever lady.  I just wanted my kids ears checked, I don't need your vax commentary.  Adios.

Originally Posted by MarineWife 

what Annie said about tylenol dosing. it's by weight rather than age, although i think it also says 6 months on it. in Finn's case, probably most 4-5 month olds couldn't take it because they aren't big enough, but i know he is because dylan is. they gave me some for him on the way out of the ER. i took it even though i didn't plan to use it because it's free and i can use it for everyone.
carrie ~ we have a nurse hotline. they also tell you to go to the ER for everything. i wonder if that's the policy for babies.

Yup- they gave me a nifty little sheet with the dosing info on it, b/c there apparently is old infant concentrated drops and newer infant oral suspension.  Plus all the boxes now say for ages 2 and up.  There is NOTHING on there for an actual infant, it says call the dr.  So now I have the weight class dosing.  BTW Finn is in the 12-23 month old dosing.  Holy LORD.

Originally Posted by akind1 

maybe TMI, but I dont know what it is, but DH and I have DTD more frequently and regularly the last few weeks than we have our whole marriage. which you wouldnt think would be the case after baby #2. I just hope we can maintain it!

TMI or not I'm jealous!  DH and I never seem to want to dtd at the same time.  LOL.  He wants it at quarter to midnight and I'm like noooo effing way, I'm going to BED, whereas in the middle of the day it's, like all I can think about.  But he and I need to get back our intimacy, b/c right now we're like roommates.  Sucks.  

He's going away for 3 entire days next week.  I admit I'm nervous about it.  Idk why, considering Nora doesn't let him help with much anyway.  Mostly I'm just going to let the housework slide, and prob order pizza instead of bothering to cook.  2 of those days Nora has school so that will be helpful.  She seems to be adjusting to school, which is good.  I'm hoping it continues to get more fun for her (and easier for both of us).  

No plans this weekend either, but definitely continuing to declutter and clean and feel proactive in our house search.  I've found a few nice houses but their kitchens SUCK.  What's up with that??

[akind1]

DH and I are super picky about kitchens. we both DETEST white- white cabinets, white countertops, etc. I can deal with white appliances and white walls, those are relatively easy to change. and I really don't want to deal with wallpaper.  Unfortunately, here there is a lot of all those things.

And as much as I love the LOOK of stainless steel, it's not so great for kiddie fingerprints (or grown up ones either!) so I think I would do black instead, or maybe only the stove stainless, and the fridge and dw black (most fingerprint/water/steam prone). I'm dreaming anyway . . .

With DH: I tell him I'm going to bed - which lately has been about 11 - 11:30. His choice to catch me while I'm awake or not, LOL. mid day is problematic as his dad is usually around somewhere, and awake, and the kids . . . well.

JJ: I don't know if it's different b/c its Canada, but DD missed her 2 month one, and I don't know if we'll go back for more WBV; if she's sick enough I might take her. DS never had any past 4 months and we never got any flack about it, and we go to church with one of the peds in that office and are good friends with one of the billing/tech guys (who, because he is our friend, and does billing, obv notices there aren't any new dates for our son)  - so I think if they really thought there was something to be concerned about, would let us know (like if they would need to report us for neglect or something) :rolleyes:

Carrie: that is silly, I mean, why don't they just call it what it is? unless they need to code it a certain way for insurance purposes?

Enjoy your pizza! would also get some easy heat and eat things. I've had some of the amy's kitchen things and they are pretty yummy.

[MarineWife]

I have the old concentrated infant drops, I guess. I haven't bought any in years. Also, I have ibuprofen, not acetaminophen. I don't think acetaminophen works as well, at least not for me. I just checked the bottle. It has doses for 12-17 lbs. (6-12 months) and whatever weight limit age range is after that. I don't remember. For younger, smaller babies, it says to consult a doctor.

Did they discontinue the concentrated drops? At the hospital they gave me the oral suspension. The guy asked if I had any question and I was surprised at how much the dose was until I realized it wasn't the concentrated stuff. I'm used to giving a tiny half-dropper full (less than 1 ml, I think) and this guy was telling me to give him 4 ml or something like that!

The doc yesterday mentioned bringing D in his for his WBV. I told her we missed the 4 month one so she went on about getting him for the next, 6 months, I guess, and then 9 months and then 12. She started to say we'd need to catch up because he missed some vaxes until I told her we don't vax. She was really cool about. Just said, "Oh, ok, then we can just start with the 6 month and go from there." I think I might take him in just because I'm starting to really like these docs again. I sure would like to have a resource other than the ER or some random walk-in urgent care place for serious concerns that I have. I'm even considering making appointments for Ethan and Kellen. Eh, who am i kidding? I'll probably never get around to actually making them.

[onetwoten]

LOL... yes... like how I've been meaning to make DD's appointment for 3 weeks now. The funny thing is, I actually do want to go to -this- visit, because I'm curious to talk to her about the reflux, and also I want to see her weight again. After this one though... I think we'll probably postpone the next one a bit. She pretty much admitted that the visits are timed for the vaxes... and so if we're not starting them yet, then I don't see a point for us right now to go. 

DD would --not-- sleep yesterday evening and I can't for the life of me figure out what was wrong. From about 4pm until midnight she didn't sleep more than 10 minutes at a time, and was continually fussy the whole time. She'd root to nurse, but then would only nurse for two minutes or so, and then start playing around and chewing and hurting me. I'd pull her off, calm her, and then try again, but same thing. She didn't want to sleep, she wasn't hungry, we changed her... she just wanted to be fussy pants for the day. I can't imagine how tired she must have been by midnight when she finally slept for an extended period. Poor girl. 

[MarineWife]

i am so glad i didn't give D the abx for his ear infections! thatgirl i've mentioned a few times who has a baby came over yesterday with her baby. he is so cute and huge, over 24 lbs. at 10 months! she said he had an ear infection so she gave him amoxicillin and now he has a horrible yeast diaper rash. it's all over the inside of his thighs. she's been trying to get rid of it for weeks. when nystatin cream didn't work, the pedi told her to use otc monistat. she said that's working but isn't that a little freaky? idk, maybe not since it is just another fungal infection. still seems weird using a cream made for adults on a baby. although, i guess maybe you can use it for girls? i'm just glad D didn't end up with that.

what do you all do to entertain your 4+ month old babies? D seems to get bored very quickly. if i take him into a different room when he gets fussy, he will stop fussing for a little bit. he lasts only a few minutes at any one of my play stations, as i call them. have you all found anything that keeps the babies happy for more than a few minutes, even 20 minutes would be nice so that i'm not constantly getting up and down and moving him around.

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by jeninejessica 

Carrie-- I think the baby whisperer book says that at around 6 weeks you should be able to drop one feeding, and only do one per night. That seemed early to me, especially since she's talking about actively trying to work towards that.

JJ - I was googling a bit and didn't realize how similar this Baby Whisperer is to the dreaded and widely criticized BabyWise.  I know you know to listen to Tenley -- just, I got chills when I realized how similar the techniques and advice are.  Baby Wise is known to cause dehydration and FTT in babies b/c of the feeding schedules, so your gut was right.  That's VERY early to drop a feeding.  You might want to find a new baby book!

I was googling b/c I need advice on how to wean Finn from swaddling.  He can't seem to settle even with one arm out.  I put him down asleep -- I just can't put him down awake.  It doesn't work.  I nurse him to sleep, put him down, and with his arms free he just wakes up.  I had this problem with DD too.  This whole leaving them to fall asleep on their own baffles me.  I think it depends on the babies personality and I don't think my babies come that way. 

Either way, I need advice if anyone has it.  I might just do the one arm out bit for awhile and see.  OMG I was reading a blog and it seemed like good advice until the mom was like, she let her 10 week old CIO for 45 MINUTES (!!!) in the middle of his nap b/c he was supposed to nap for longer (so says Babywise) and I nearly felt ill.  I just can't believe how dumb some ppl are.  Anyway, I digress, I might jst try the one arm out, alternating arms.  I mean, the other day he got free and just sucked his thumb, right?  Maybe it won't be so horrible?

[MarineWife]

carrie ~ after D nurses in the middle of the night, he rolls onto his back so i figured i'd try leaving him that way. i had been flipping him to his stomach because he was staying asleep longer like that. lately, though, sometimes he'll wake back up when i flip him and i have to nurse him more. but he doesn't stay asleep long on his back. he still startles himself awake. i don't know of anything i can do about that. not exactly what you were asking but similar.

that is scary stuff about the Baby Whisperer. I always recommend any of Dr. Sears' books. I like his big Baby Book because it covers everything. He does have smaller more specific books, like one dedicated to AP, so he might have one on baby sleep. You can always check his website, too. There's also The No Cry Sleep Solution. A lot of people on here were into that book. I got it but didn't like it because it still seemed a bit too much like sleep training to me (and it seemed to be a lot of work keeping a daily journal of your baby's routines, which you all probably know I'm not going to do ). It's supposed to be very gentle and really just learning how to work with your baby's own routine and internal clock rather than trying to get baby to fit into an external, arbitrary schedule.

JJ ~ If you'd like it, I'll send it to you. I wouldn't pass it on to just anyone because I'd be afraid they'd get too rigid with it but I think you have enough sense not to do that.

Ethan's birthday is sneaking up on me and I have no idea what to do. I've scheduled his party at the bowling alley. I need to get him some presents. It's so hard to find things for him this soon after Christmas. I feel like I've just given him everything he wants so there's nothing left. When I ask, he says he wants video games. If I get him that, he'll only get one, maybe two, because they are so expensive. Not to mention that I have no idea which games are any good.

[onetwoten]

Oh definitely. The baby whispered book is not one I would have picked, but a relative brought it over. I finished reading it, and really I think the only things I can take away from it are to keep a pattern to her day-- ie we try now to stick with nurse, change, play, sleep, and then repeat. There's no set time for it, but it helped to stop nursing her to sleep, because now she's easier to get to sleep other ways- I can play with her for a bit, and then soothe her to sleep (during the day) whereas before she -did not- know how to go to sleep if she hadn't fallen asleep nursing. That's a nice change. The only other thing was a huge reminder not to start anything we don't intend to follow through on-- makes sense, right. You don't want your baby to get used to something, only to take that routine/comfort item from them. Now in her case, she says that babies should be put down awake, and shush/patted in their bed until they fall asleep. Right the first night we nixxed that. I don't --mind-- cuddling my baby to sleep, and no, I don't think I'll mind even at a year, or two years if needed. So we shush/pat/rub while she's in our arms and then put her down if we need to. But it reminded me not to go crazy with other techniques- walking the house while simulataneously singing and bouncing, with white noise and black out curtains-- it's just too much, you know? So if she doesn't fall asleep right away to us just cuddling and rubbing her back, then we take her into her room and sit ni the chair while we put her to sleep.  Now-- that's not saying that at bad times we won't try other techniques when she's super upset, but not as part of a normal sleep routine. 

She's thinly veiled anti-breastfeeding, which was so weird to see in a book. It makes you realize why some of her suggestions are so bogus after you read the chapter on feeding and realize that. You've got to take it with a grain of salt. 

I'm waiting on the sears vaccine book from the library. I checked our library for the sears big baby book last time, but even though they said it was there, it wasn't on the shelf. I'll have to check again for it. They've got the no cry sleep solution too, but I wasn't sure about it. Any other specific books that you guys would really recommend? I have yet to find a good -baby- book I like. Lots of pregnancy ones, but not so much for the infant stage. 

I hate video games as gifts as well, for exactly that same reason. Evcen when it's what they really want, it sucks having only one 'small' thing to wrap/unwrap. 

I can't imagine letting them CIO for 45 minutes. DD was super super fussy last night and I was home alone, so after two hours I put her down and went downstairs to flip over the laundry. I just needed a couple minutes to myself. By the time I got back, which had been like... 4 minutes, I felt horrible already. I can't imagine doing it as a first choice for so long. If DH had been here I would have passed her off, but he wasn't. 

We have problems with DD on her back as well when she's unswaddled. When she's on us, she almost always sleeps on her tummy, or on her side. When we put her down in the bassinet she sleeps on her side supported. If we put her on her back, even swaddled, it's usually a shorter sleep. She doesn't need to be swaddled all the time though, so I think we're lucky. How is he with rolling over, I don't remember. Could you try his arms out, and on his side. Tenley seems to startle less on her side.