November 2012 Rockstar Mamas! - Page 13

[Baby_Cakes]

Ugh guys! I realized today Nora has outgrown her carseat.  She's 2 or so inches too tall for it!  She doesn't weigh enough to convert it to a booster. :-(  So.  We are going to switch Finn's FF and put her in that one, and try to fit her seat RF.  It didn't fit RF in our car last time we tried, but we'll attempt it again for the short term.  I think we will ultimately buy Finn a new seat.  Any recs?  I want one that RF to 40 lbs.  Maybe a Marathon 70?

[MarineWife]

Annie ~ Ava always seems so well that I forget this is still an ongoing thing. I'm sorry.

Carrie ~ I don't know. I can tell you what we use. We have 2 Britax Boulevards that we use RF as long as possible (I can never remember the limit but it's pretty high), a Britax Frontier that Kellen is now in but still using the 5-point harness in the van and a Graco 3-in-1 convertible that he uses in dh's truck and a Graco Highback Turbo Booster that Ethan uses still with the back. Both Ethan and Kellen were in the Boulevards until at least 3.5 years because that was when we needed them for the next baby.

[Baby_Cakes]

Yup - looking at both the Marathon and the Boulevard.  They aren't inexpensive tho.  It's so hard to spend so much when you aren't sure if you'll be using it again....

Chris is actually going to try to just clean up the First Years True Fit we have in the basement.  Nothing wrong with it, just a mouse (ew, I know) chewed thru the cover.  That shouldn't cause any issues, right?

[AnnieA]

I know, I forget about her heart sometimes too but then she'll have days where she sounds like she's out of breath from just walking around and playing and then I start worrying again. Increased muscle thickness in the right ventricle is part of her defect and then the lack of pulmonary valve is going to gradually make it thicker and larger. And then, surgery.

I'd probably try to use the TF. What seat didn't work RF before? And what about a Graco Argos in a GN pattern? Nora can use it then pass it along to Finn when Nora is ready to go to a Turbobooster?

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by AnnieA 

I know, I forget about her heart sometimes too but then she'll have days where she sounds like she's out of breath from just walking around and playing and then I start worrying again. Increased muscle thickness in the right ventricle is part of her defect and then the lack of pulmonary valve is going to gradually make it thicker and larger. And then, surgery.
I'd probably try to use the TF. What seat didn't work RF before? And what about a Graco Argos in a GN pattern? Nora can use it then pass it along to Finn when Nora is ready to go to a Turbobooster?

Oh hugs to Ava and to you! <3 She is a fighter.  Tough thru and thru! 

The Alpha Omega Elite is what Nora is in now, which we orginially got for Finn.  We tried to install it RF and it just Would Not Fit.  Not even with the front seat all the way up (which isn't practical).  So we just swapped them.
The only drawback is that the True Fit only RF to 35 lbs and Finn is already 30 lbs and a few oz.  So.  I want him RF as long as possible!

We could do something like the Argos or just the 3 in 1 for now...but will Nora be ready for a booster when Finn needs the 3 in 1?  He's gaining on her quickly.

Love carseat discussions.  Love 'em!

[Baby_Cakes]

Hold the phone!

Another site says the max height on her seat is 43"!!  I have another inch!  I don't need to panic yet!

Apparently there are two brands - cosco and safety 1st - which both make seats called alpha omega elite.  Why does it have to be confusing??

[AnnieA]

Wait, how has she outgrown that seat? Are her shoulders above the highest strap setting? I looked in the manual and it doesn't say but most carseats are ok until a kid's ears are above the top of the seat. FFing that is.

[Baby_Cakes]

Her head is above the top of the seat.  She told me in the car today.  "Mom, see?  I don't need a carseat anymore b/c my head is over the top."  I didn't know if that meant she had outgrown it, I needed to come online and look up the specs. She still has an inch!  I'm ok with an inch!  Phew!

The Specs tab on this site tells you the height requirements, etc. 

http://safety1st.djgusa.com/en/djgusa/alpha-omega-eliter-trade%3B-convertible-car-seat-22456tri--1

[AnnieA]

I'd post on the car-seat.org boards and ask if she's good until the tops of her ears clear the top of the seat or until her shoulders are above the top strap setting. Those height maximums can be deceiving if you have a kid say like mine with a long torso and short legs.

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by AnnieA 

I'd post on the car-seat.org boards and ask if she's good until the tops of her ears clear the top of the seat or until her shoulders are above the top strap setting. Those height maximums can be deceiving if you have a kid say like mine with a long torso and short legs.

That's a good point!  Will do.

[onetwoten]

My local carseat tech always says that FFing, the back of the seat should be no lower than their ears, and the harness straps need to be above shoulders, all like lauri said. This is irregardless of the overall height. Sounds like you might be right and she's outgrown it.

We've got a myride65 and I really like it, I don't think we have the Argos here yet though. The mr65 RFes to 40lbs, then ff to 65. And it's usually only around $150 I think.

Haven't had a chance to sit down at the computer and type a good post. Maybe tomorrow?

Lauri-- hugs!!! I really can't imagine how stressful that must be!

I bought the pump. It seems to be in really good condition, though ill still buy new tubing. The valves look like they're new. I did a "test pump " tonight And got 2 and 1oz in maybe 6-7mins , even after just nursing recently.

[MarineWife]

Carrie ~ If you don't still have the manual, you should be able to get it from the manufacturer website.

Annie ~ What do they look for at the appointment?

I think I may have actually Oed. No temps but at least 4 days of CF dry up and I'm having cramps. (Thank goodness, they aren't too bad yet.)


My Ovulation Chart

[AnnieA]

JJ, that's awesome that you got so much so fast! Super jealous! You can steam the tubing like akind1 said. I put a few drops of rubbing alcohol in them and swing them around my head afterward to get the water out.

MW, her appointments are looooonnnnnggg, at least 2 hrs. They do height/weight, check her O2 level and BP. Then an EKG which is really hard to keep a squiggling baby still long enough to get a clean strip so depending on how feisty Ava is feeling, that can take a while. Then an ECHO (ultrasound) of her heart to check bloodflow and function. I used to be able to handle her by myself for those but since her second surgery, she flips so it takes me and DH both to hold her down and keep her relatively calm. I hate restraining her but if they aren't able to get a good view of her heart, then they have to do a sedated ECHO which involves anesthsia. Then usually a cardiology fellow comes in to examine her and then they come back with her attending cardiologist and he examines her. Whew.

Ava and I missed the parade this morning. She woke up at 5:30 AM, I think from teething pain and hunger. She had motrin and a piece of cheese and then we slept for another 4 hrs. Oh well.

[MarineWife]

December thread: http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1369192/december-2012-rockstar-mamas