New Mamas: Weekly Check-In Jan. 15-21st

[MamaTaraX]

Hey new mamas! If you have a new bundle of joy in your life, please share how its going! Give those of us pregnant mamas something to look forward to Pictures welcome *hint hint*

Namaste, Tara

[Willowrose]

Great idea, Tara! Well, my milk came in yesterday. Pretty painful for the day. Today, it feels like I'm already adjusted to the supply which I am very thankful for. MUCH less pain. Whew! I remember having days of pain w/my boys. MW's will be coming tomorrow to check us. We are doing great though!

Lily is nursing and sleeping like a pro. We are having fun taking pictures of her. I can't resist! She is so sweet and mild tempered. Very alert. As soon as she hears her brothers voices she looks all around for them.
We are just simply blissful over here
I'm already missing being pregnant though and can't wait for it all over again!http://photobucket.com/albums/b348/W...t=100_0992.jpg

[Sweeney]

I've been stupid and have been doing WAAAAAAY too much- so my bleeding really picked up and my bottom started to complain. I spent the day trying to stay off my feet.

Annelie is perfection. Very calm and curious- I'd forgotten how much a newborn sleeps though!! Maybe b/c I spend the rest of my time trying to convince my toddler to sleep? And she makes the cutest grunty piglet noises when she wants to nurse.

Ok, pic of her: here

And birth pics in general: here

I'll eventually post a birth story I promise!

[coloradoalice]

Ian is doing fantastic. He was 9lbs 4 oz at his 2 week checkup. He is a great eater and sleeper so far!!! He is also a really happy guy, easy to please and mellow. Gracie was the classic high-needs baby so I am glad Ian is so peaceful!!! Nursing is going great, no problems so far. The only strange thing is that his cord still hasn't fallen off, but it looks fine so I guess it's just taking awhile!

I am healing up well, I have slight pain on my right side from time to time, but it's mostly gone. My bleeding has slowed a lot the last couple of days too, I am hoping that will end soon. We went out to a friends last Thursday morning for some playtime, my first trip out of the house with them. It went well. Today is actually my first full day without DH at home, so hopefully I won't be insane by dinner time!! I am going to try to leave in about an hour for a LLL meeting, I can't wait to show Ian off!!

That's all from Colorado!

[Nature]

Piper is 4 days old today and things are going well. She sleeps much more than my other children did as an infant. When she's awake, she's very alert and curious though. Breastfeeding is going well. I'm really engorged though and it hurts. She tends to want to latch on really shallow, and being engorged doesn't help that. I was hoping that tandem nursing would eleviate some of the supply build up a bit, but it hasn't worked out that way. It hurts to let my 2 year old nurse. I let her, but have to grit my teeth. I'm hoping the pain goes away in a few days when things settle down some.

My older dd was able to meet Piper today for the first time. She loved it. My 2 year old dd is being surprisingly wonderful with the baby. Gentle and loving even. No jealousy issues yet. She has been a bit difficult to manage though. As kind as she's being towards the baby, she seems to be hyper and everywhere. She's an active child as it is, but she seems somehow different. I'm sure its just how she's coping.

So far, Piper has been my easiest baby. (I say that quietly in case she changes her mind) She is sleeping well. Waking to nurse now, and aside from her shallow latch.. she nurses great.

40 weeks pregnant. My last picture.

Picture of Piper

Mama and Piper

The girls

Me and my girls

[zjandosmom]

Cait was 1 week yesterday! Wow the time is flying already. She is also a great sleeper! I haven't really ever had a "sleeper" so this is nice. She is nursing like a champ! My milk came in full force by day 3. I generally have over-supply issues so I have really been trying to keep that in mind when we nurse (nurse the same side for several feedings, etc). She is so mellow and calm...hope I don't jinx it by saying that out loud! The boys are still in love and it is nice to have a few extra sets of arms! We couldn't be happier over here! I just have to remind myself that it takes a bit for the belly to shrink! I am still bleeding all day..........I think it takes about 10 days to taper off. Is that right? I could just be doing too much. I feel really good physically and I am terrible at not doing anything. I need to make an appt. with the mw for a pp check. Cait goes tomorrow a.m. for her 1st check-up. I can't wait to see how much she has gained!
So good to see everyone doing so well with their new babes!
kathy

[ehsclt]

It's great to read everyone's updates. I find myself wishing we could gather together and see each other and our new babes.

We are doing well. My milk was in when Maeve was two days old; she sucked so much for that first two days that my uterus shrunk very quickly and my milk came right in. My nipples are sore from her latch, but they are getting better.

I am loving being reminded of how amazing it is to have a newborn....how great they smell, the special noises they make, how tiny they are, their facial expressions, etc.

I am also being reminded of how challenging this is. For some reason, my expectations are off this time. I expect to be back to normal life in just a matter of days and get upset with myself if the kitchen floor needs to be swept, etc. Ditto on the belly, Kathy. I have to remind myself that Maeve was born FOUR days ago, not four weeks ago. I don't have many pairs of pants I can wear and I do look forward to that belly shrinking so I have a few more.

I have yet to figure out the logistics involved in getting us out of the house and getting my older dd to preschool on time, etc. I am trying to be gentle with myself and not expect too much.

Generally, we are great, tired, but great. We love our new little girl so much!

[ozzyemm]

Michael is doing well. We went to the beach for the first time yesterday! We have friends who live 30 minutes from the beach (we live an hour). We stopped by their house to see their baby boy who was born the day after Michael. Both Michael and their baby were 7 lbs 11 oz, and 19 in.

We took several pictures at the beach. We will be posting them soon. It was quite fun; Michael slept through the whole thing! I found several shells to commerate the occasion.

Michael has started to stay awake longer periods of time. He was awake for nearly 2 hours today, before taking a nap. We set up his leapfrog learning center today. He doesn't look at it yet; and I don't think he likes the music. He likes the lullaby music we play in the car, though

My bleeding has almost all stopped. Once in awhile I have spotting. This has taken 3 1/2 weeks.

[MamaTaraX]

I guess I can reply to this, can't I? hehehe
Baby Rythm is a wonderful little person! He's so pink and big and sweet, I could just eat him! He absolutely hates to be wet or dirty, screams like he's being stabbed He has tears! And the biggest scrotum in the world! He sleeps and occasionally opens his eyes when he's awake. He's beautiful. My older boys love him, always wanting to hold him. My DH is in love with him too He's always coming to pat and hold him, he calls him Wizard because he looks like alittle old wizardy guy. My firstborn looked peaceful, angelic. My second looked like a little old soul, wise. This one looks stoic, serious, and content. I love it! I love falling in love with a new little person, drinking in his sweet baby scent, touching his sweet baby skin.
I've basically slept the past two days, which is okay. My toddler was up until 7:00 the night the baby was born...he slept yesterday and then did it again last night, unfortunately. Maybe today it'll be better.
I have to go make dinner now, with help from the fam of course. I will try to get pics off the camera tonight to share! Oh one more cool thing! He's a sling baby!!! I stuck him in here about an hour ago and he's just a happy little clam. Nurses and sleeps in here....I'm all giddy about that. Test-driving him in the ellaroo soon

Namaste, Tara

[mamazig]

A quick response is probably all I can get out...
Well, I'm hoping that what we've been experiencing is a "yeast die-off" reaction and NOT the beginnings of colic or reflux...We've had 3 nights of 3-4 hours of on again off again screaming -- mostly on. Very gassy and sometimes diarhhea baby (and me too ) We did our last gentian violet treatment the day before yesterday -- Yesterday dearheart cried quite a bit and didn't sleep much and then almost 4 hours of it last night 9-1. Today she only cried from 12 to 1:30. She's asleep right now in my mom's arms...I was able to lie down with DD1 so she could go to sleep peacefully for the first time in a while. So, it's about that time . . . I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that tonight will be a lot better. In any case, I have my mom here to give me some relief if she breaks down again.
ok -- so enough complaining -- SHE'S BEAUTIFUL!! When she's awake and not fussy, I just can't believe how blessed I am! Two beautiful, mysterious little girls. I'm so in love with them both. Now, Sarah Grace looks quite a bit like her sister did at this age, but she's definitely her own person. She is so cuddly and scrumptious. Thrush just can't take me down off this high. No way
Oh yeah, I uploaded more recent pix to our website (Sarah's name below is a link)
Enjoying reading up about all of you and your new loves. Sorry I can't respond much, but I do get to read sometimes

[MamaTaraX]

Originally Posted by ehsclt

For some reason, my expectations are off this time. I expect to be back to normal life in just a matter of days and get upset with myself if the kitchen floor needs to be swept, etc.

Just echoing that sentiment. I keep looking around the house and thinking "I need to go do laundry" or "gotta get on those dishes". Then I get up and remember that I *just* gave birth and I'm still in really early recovery! I've cooked two meals, each one just about wearing me out. Yesterday I made toast and eggs (ooh, big meal! LOL). Today I made salisbury steak, carrots, and mashed potatos for dinner...and I held a baby for half of the making of it. After I ate, I sat my arse down on the couch and watched TV for two hours! My midwife is coming in the morning and all I can think of is that there is a pile of dirty towels in my bedroom that was there two days ago when she was here and I was having the baby and that I should really wash them so she doesn't think I'm a loser. But I can't walk up and down the stairs a bunch and I don't really have the fortitude to do the laundry and cleaning I see needing to be done. Luckily, I've done this before and I know that by tomorrow or Thursday, I'll be ready to move again. I was taking my oldest to the park when my second was 4 days earthside I'm hoping to have the energy to go to a protest on Friday (aww, baby's first one!) and I think I will as long as I take it easy as muhc as I can. Yes, I can and will shut up now

Namaste, Tara

[zjandosmom]

Emily and Tara= You both sound like me with the house thing. I had to keep tellng myself I would heal faster if I would let it go for atleast a week. My dh did take the whole week off and he is great about cleaning up at night so that helped. I am more of a clean as you go person so I had to turn a blind eye to the mess and remember that he was doing what was important....playing with the boys. I hope you both have some help. Emily, I think you said your Mom was there but had to leave this week. Hope she was able to extend her visit for this week. My MIL comes next Wed and thatwill be great! I love her! nak= i am 10 days pp today & bleeding seems to finally be tapering off! Hate wearing any type of pad!!
glad to hear everyone doing so well! sure would be fun to have a big playgroup! it's been great having you mamas toshare this pg with especially since i had lost my support group when we moved.
more later.....diaper duty calls!