Beautiful, beautiful babies! 9/18 to 9/25 - Page 7

[plantmommy]

congrats Stacy and Jen! what matters is having those little beauties in your arms; in the end that's the important thing.

Jen, how long it takes for your milk to come in has nothing to do with quantity. I'd like to know that "LC's" credentials! phooey and hooey and bunk! with my first it did take a good 5 days for my milk to come in, but when it did it was like niagara falls. then he gained so much so fast that our stupid ped told me to give him bottles of water every other feed. dumbass!

someone asked about sleeping with babe yesterday... i think everybody has to find their own comfort level on that one, but i am so connected to my baby i know i would never squish him. it's like...when is the last time you forgot where the side of the bed was, and rolled off onto the floor in your sleep? you just KNOW it's there. Also, studies have shown that cosleeping moms and babes share sleep cycles.

of course common sense dictates removing the down comforter and keeping baby away from those who aren't as in tune/synch with baby, like siblings and maybe spouses, and not sleeping with baby if you're on anything that would make you sleep heavier than normal. i have Reid between me and the cosleeper bed, with dd usually on my other side, and dh next to dd.

[chrissy]

It's so great to hear from you Jen and Stacy! I'm so sorry for both of your ordeals but so glad to know that Tristan and Alex are now safely in your arms. Of course that is the most important thing.

Keep the newborn pics flowing ladies! I need some inspiration!

[3boobykins]

Congratulations, Jen and Stacy! Wow, Jen, you did great, and good for you for not looking back with any regrets. Yours is the kind of situation that makes a csection truly necessary. Ugh, nurses and hospital "LC's." We dealt with some pretty horrible comments when ds was in the NICU. I don't know how nurses can be so insensitive to new parents. It must be great to be home with your little guy, though.

Gotta go get Leela some breakfast!

[MamaAcorn]

I only have a second, but wanted to say congrats to Jen and Stacy!

Jackson and I had our follow-up home visit yesterday. He only lost an ounce since birth and weighed in at 8 pounds even. My milk came in on Monday evening, so he's been a nursing monster. He's a hungry boy! I'm doing well too, just some sore nipples.

Alex is starting to adjust to things. He actually acknowledges the baby now and will talk to him and touch him. Yay!

Pictures of Jackson

Off to play with big brother Alex while Jackson sleeps with daddy.

Pam

[mum2tori]

Steph-
I see you changed your name. :LOL You don't have to actually get a new username. You can have your old name changed (I think its a couple of dollars to help cover bandwith fees) to a new one. That way you don't lose your post counts or feedback. Just contact a Mod and they can help your get it changed.

Here's the link to changing your username.

One of these days I'll think of a name to change my "senior title" too. :LOL I can never think of a new username since having more than just Tori either. :LOL

[4under6]

Welcome Tristan and Alex!



I weighed Finn today- he's up to 9 pounds, 9 ounces!
He's gained 3 pounds since birth!

[CdnAloha]

40 weeks 5 days

First off congratulations to Jen and Stacy. Jen sounds like you did a great job sticking it out and knowing what was right for you and your baby. In the end you have your healthy and happy baby.

I am going stir crazy. My MIL is here till tomorrow and despite her kindness and helpfulness, I really am looking forward to her leaving. Oh that feels so mean. It's just I don't feel I can birth a baby with her here. The midwife said today that sometimes it's not that you dislike a person, it's just the 'chemistry' isn't there. That's exactly how I feel.

I felt all along that I wouldn't have it while she was here, so I guess I've been holding myself back. The next question will be how long after she leaves will the baby come. I'm really looking forward to some time alone with my husband. Tonight one of my girlfriends is coming to take me out for coffee. It's going to be great to get out and vent a little...just to get out of the house!!!

I have been losing my mucus plug in little bits. It's almost like having a light period. Wierd sensation after so long of nothing. I am cramping too, so we will see if something happens, but at this point like I say I think it will be after we drop MIL off at the airport. It will be rush hour when we are driving back, so I hope things don't happen too fast... Just kidding of course I don't expect that.

Hugs to all of you still waiting with me and cheers to all you lucky women who have met your little ones.

All the best,
Julia

[4under6]

Oh yeah!
I figured it was time for a name change.

And here's my big boy today:

http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeBt3LRuxbMSQ

[Caroline248]

Congrats Jen and Stacy!!

Jen, sorry to hear things were rough, but they sound like they turned out great. Where are the pictures??

Jackson is one month old today.

Wow. It flew!!!! I can't believe it. He goes for a weight check tomorrow, I am guessing he is at 8 pounds 12 ounces. That would mean he gained a pound in the last 2 1/2 weeks. We will see.

Well, I thought he would sleep for a little, I was wrong. Time to nurse, AGAIN!!

Caroline

[plantmommy]

Julia LOL! Hope you get through traffic, have a good rest, then a short and easy labor! ikwym about the mil.

danielle, those cheeks on Finn are precious!

happy month, jackson!

I think we just hit the 3 week growth spurt. Reid is very nursey today!

[greenbeing]

All of those baby pics are precious! I can't wait to see my baby!

Congrats Stacy!!! Welcome Alex!

So, Julia, are you next????

Jen, it's good to hear from you! I can't wait to see your little love!

[banana girl]

grumpy, sad and tired

This sucks! I have about a million things i want to reply to... individually to offer congratulations, condolences and support as needed...BUT I am just too D@%& tired and weepy to do it.

We have been really struggling lately.... The breast issues continue, i don't know if I have mastitis, thrush or something else all together! I now have a red rash on the sides of my breasts, back by my armpits. i continue to have some pain while nursing and after, nothing as excruitiating as it was, but irritating and bothersome. The rashy area is tender and sore. Supply is not affected in the slightest, I'm freezing more milk than I think we will ever use, seeing as how she will have NOTHING to do with a bottle. Which is actually atarting to suck because i am so exhausted that if someone else could feed her while i slept..... oh, what I would give for some sleep!

Mielle must be having a growing spurt.... that or she's sick. She has been on the breast nearly non stop for almost 2 days. Last night she awoke about an hour after every feeding ALL night long. I don't think i have slept more than 45 minutes at a time in 2 nights. My initial reaction to waking is now fury. I'm so ashamed and miserable. All my sadness comes out as anger.... I don't have the personal space and freedom to be sad in. I hate feeling like this. I resent her so much... my body aches, I have no energy, no freedom and no pride. Jerome and my mom have had to come take her away from me as I am cussing and crying. i feel like such a terrible mother. I have found myself swearing and throwing things (like my teddy bear!) while she screams a monsterous "blue poodle fit".... My mom and Jerome assure me that my daughter adores me and loves me more than anyone. I know that we are deeply connected. We do have great wonderful moments, but this has been a terrible exhausting week.. I have been sick on and off since last Wednesday and the lack of sleep is killing me.
We are trying every thing we can think of singing, stories, silence, white noise, music, swaddling, jiggling, chiropractic adjustments, rocking, laughing, crooning,.... not touching her, holding her close, everything!

She likes the shower and the tub... for awhile anyway, and she likes to eat untill the gas kicks in and then she screams and cries unconsolably untill she burps.
I feel like a one trick pony, the mama milk machine. All I can do is nurse her. When she gets fussing the first thing we do is feed her and I'm sick of nursing her for half of every day!
My rear end is still really sore from the birth, I had a second degree tear and a monster hemroid that is bothered by the amount of time I am spending sitting nursing her. I ache... i miss being pregnant, at least I was sleeping then!

O.k. well vent over, my child is done resting in papa's arms, my time is up. I finished nursing her about 45 minutes ago.... Time to start over... again.

I really miss responding to all of you, I am so happy to see Jen is back. We really missed you! I feel for all of you struggling with new babies and have sympathy and envy for those of you still pregnant eagerly awaiting your babies. i appreciate the advice and condolences offfered, thanks sistermama! I wish i had more time and energy to post new photos and respond more personally.

Please know that I am reading and thinking of you all.

With love... snif. snif.

[JenInMpls]

Hi,

Tristan has hit fussy time and Jo has blissfully taken him for a walk around the house and singing Peter, Paul and Mary to him. I'm trying not to be worried about how little he is peeing and the fact that we've been waiting for 2.5 days on a poop (since his last massive meconium poop). When he pees, he pees a LOT. If he peed when he had a diaper on (both times he's peed on a rag while lying naked on the changing table), he would easily soak the whole thing. I wonder if the whole elimination thing just hurts him, somehow. Poor boy.

The teeny amounts of formula that he takes after I nurse him and pump and we give it to him by cup always come right back up. Can't say I blame him but I'm wondering if supplementing is even effective if he spits it all right back out! Oddly enough once he's spit it back out he seems satisfied, as if he were looking for a purgative, almost.

I keep thinking that if only my milk would come in full-power and he would start developing some regularity with his digestive system, I would feel a lot better, but then I am sure it would be something else.

This morning I woke up to Tristan between me and Jo on the bed. I would have sworn that I put him on my right side, between me and the co-sleeper, before I went to sleep last night. And it was 8:40 when we woke up!!! 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep?! And how did he end up between us? I thought Jo had gotten up and held or fed him in the in-between, but she hadn't.

Well, I can't say I've been too much of a bum today - I did as people have told me to, sleeping when baby sleeps, and had a short and a longer nap today because of it (one where I woke up with baby in arm and the cat on my lap! I wish I had gotten a picture), but I can't bring myself to stay on one floor of our house, so I've been up and down the stairs a lot.

Good luck to those waiting and blessings, patience and sleep to the rest of us,

xo j

[Cuddlemama]

3 weeks old today...

Today's bili result was 17.7, which is not quite a full point lower than 2 days ago. Anna is on the bili blanket here at home, and her bloodwork has been ok up to this point.

Anna doesn't poop. I'm fully convinced that her lack of bowel movements is the main problem with her continued high bili tests. She hasn't had a bowel movement in nearly 3 days now. She nurses every hour AT LEAST ONCE, and has plenty (10-18) wet diapers every day, but she just DOES NOT poop. Anybody know what the issue could be? When she does have a bm, it's not hard or formed, so I don't think it's actual constipation.

She's not gaining much weight, either. She's only 3 ounces over her birth weight at 3 weeks old. My other two babes gained approx. a pound every week or so for their first little while. Both doubled their birthweight by the 2 month appointment.

I'm exhausted. Tonight marks 21 nights of sleeping in a chair with babe in arms. I can't wait till we lose this bili blanket for good and I can start working toward nursing laying down. It always takes my kids a few days to get the hang of nursing in that position, so I'd like to get started with her figuring it out.

Oh, both of the other kids (Emily age 4, Nate age 2) have horrible colds with coughing, sneezing, congestion. I'm trying to keep them medicated and away from the baby, but am I fighting a losing battle? What's the likelihood that Anna will escape this cold?

Ok, I'm being called by 3 different children at the same time. I suppose I had better answer them. At this point we're working on the triage system...the most urgent need gets attended first.

~Leigh

[4under6]

((((((Anna)))))))
(((((((Jen))))))))
((((((Leigh)))))))

Hugs to each of you!

[plantmommy]

Anna, you can actually get a yeast rash on your skin, and that might be what is on your breasts, or could it possibly be eczema, which also affects the nipples, similar to thrush? What treatment are you using for the thrush? I've had good luck recently applying tea tree oil after nursing. It absorbs well and quickly. Between that, garlic capsules and acidophilus, I've just about wiped out our case. Or could the rash just be due to dry skin?

Have you tried nursing laying down? It can take a bit of practice, but is SOO worth the effort. Especially during spurt time. Can someone try feeding her by cup or with a spoon, so you can get one long stretch of sleep, if you can't sleep laying down with her? Sleep deprivation is a form of torture, so don't feel bad about dealing poorly with it! It happens to all of us with enough deprivation. You aren't a terrible mother at all.

As for gassy Mielle; is she getting too much foremilk? Can you try nursing her on one side only for two feedings in a row? Or, having a strong letdown can also cause them to swallow too much air, in which case you can take her off at letdown and just hold a cloth to your breast to absorb the spray until it lets up, then latch her on. Also, make sure you aren't pumping too much; just enough to relieve the pressure.

I hope you have and are using a sitz bath! It helps a lot with the sore bottom.

(hugs!)

Jen, I wanted to answer your post, too, but Reid is occupying my other hand right now...

[Boobalicious]

Women are amazing...

...that's the conclusion dh has come to after experiencing the whole birth and post partum thing. I agree. We are awfully kind to each other in ways that are foreign to many men.

Anna, hugs to you and I hope you really believe that you are NOT a bad mother! I also get angry about being awakened. Plus, somehow I am mad at dh for not understanding how it feels to have a massive hemmorhoid that requires a long sitz bath after every bm.

Leigh, ooo that sounds hard! Hang in there! Hugs to you!

Jen, tell me when I can come over and deliver a little gift.

Julia, sounds like you are next!

I babysat yesterday for 4 hours and got so worn out that I had to sleep for 3 hours. I don't know how you all do it with more than one!

[almama]

40w 6 days

Finally out of my funk of the last two days! What a miracle a few tears and a good "ARGHHH" at my DH will do! Today I'm actually feeling mellow about being over due date. I just wish some action would happen so I would feel almost due and not 7 months pregnant! My first son was 9 days early, but was due to water breaking and pitocin. My second was born at home 3 days late, but two and a half days before all sorts of "action" was starting. So, now we have a new trick with nothing happening. Oh well.

Leigh, my second got a cold at about one month -it was lousy. My husband brought it home and we kept him away from the kids, constant handwashing, sleeping in a closed off room etc. They still got it. Try to keep it away from the baby, but sometimes those germs just get everywhere!!

For those of you who are breastfeeding with fussy babes, try to cut back on dairy in your diet. It may or may not work, but dairy can be a big irritant to little ones. It took me watch my son's eczema clear up completely at 3 months after I cut out dairy to believe it.

Hope you are all well and for those of you who are holding on like me, big hugs!!

Chris

[Mom2baldie]

Stacy,

Congratulations on Alexander, but I am deeply sorry that the experience was not what you were wanting. Please feel free to PM me at any time if you ever want to talk. I have been there and would love to offer any support that I can.

I hope your sweet baby can come home with you soon.

[Mom2baldie]

Hey, has anyone noticed that Samantha hasnt posted since around 10 AM yesterday?! Hmmm...makes ya wonder!