Those who've had their babies - update thread!

[Heavenly]

I thought I'd start an update thread to see how everyone is doing.

Eliana is going to be 2 weeks old tomorrow and I can't believe how fast the time has gone. She lost quite a bit of weight at the beginning but as of Thursday she was back up to 8 lbs (birth weight was 8 lbs 4 oz). Nursing is a bit of a challenge. I have to supplement due to breast reduction so I use a lact-aid (at the breast supplementer) with every feed - day and night. It is frustrating because I don't just have to worry about her latch I also have to worry about whether or not the tube is positioned properly and whether the supplementer is flowing properly. It is frustrating to say the least but I got through it with Olivia and I can get through it again. Sleeping is going really good now. She slept with us for the first 9 days and now she's in the Amby because I just couldn't settle with her there. She sleeps really well in the Amby and actually likes me to put her down when she is still in light sleep-she will fuss until I put her in. She normally goes down around 9:30-10:00 pm and gets up once or twice between then and 6:30 am. Last night she slept from 9:30 pm to 5:30 am!!! That would have been a good nights sleep but stupid DH kept me awake until midnight tossing and turning. Hopefully she will sleep well tonight too and I can get some rest. She will nap in the amby for 1-2 hours as well. The adjustment to 3 kids has been really hard. The older 2 are acting out a lot and Olivia seems to be having a hard time adjusting. She is crying a lot more and upset a lot more. We are tandem nursing but she only nurses first thing in the morning, at nap time and at bedtime, occasionally during the day. I have never nursed the two at the same time and I don't intend to. I am starting the older two in preschool 2 mornings a week so they can get a break and I can get a break. Don't know if we will stick to our plan to homeschool, we'll decide before September. Eliana is such a beautiful sweet baby and overall I love having her. I wouldn't mind getting rid of one of the older ones though! LOL Speaking of which, everyone is up from nap now so I have to run.

[savannah smiles]

I posted in the sticky thread but not on the board, but we had a girl named Leah Rose on 1/25! She's now 10 days old and so far she seems pretty mellow, at least compared to how her sister was as a newborn. Nursing is going well although it always takes her awhile before she'll latch on for good; I just leave her by the nipple and let her decided when she's really ready, lol!
Sleeping is ok, typical newborn stuff. I'm in the back bedroom with her and am using a sidecar sleeping arrangement. She was doing her cluster feeding from 11pm-1am which wasn't fun but last night she did it much earlier and I'm hoping that's the case tonight as well. At most she'll sleep in 3.5 hour stretches but 2.5 is what she usually does. I'm feeling pretty well-rested, all things considered.
My 4 yr old dd has adapted pretty well although she will drag her heels and get whiney as a means to get attention. I'm putting a lot of effort into just being patient with her because I know this will pass.
I am so loving this baby and I'm amazed at how much easier everything is the second time around. I feel relaxed and I'm really trying to enjoy these early days since this is apt to be our last child.

[danav]

Ian is 3 weeks old today (and it's also his "due date")!!

He's doing great - he's gained almost a pound since birth. He was SO sleepy the first week and a half or so, and now he'll stay awake and alert for an hour or two at a time several times a day. Nursing is going well - he still has some trouble latching on sometimes, but after a few minutes he'll get it and be fine. He's nursing every 2-3 hours most of the time, and will sometimes go up to 4 hrs or so at night. We're co-sleeping, which is working well (although I need to find a dimmer light to turn on when I need to help him latch on or change his diaper - the lamp I have on my nightstand is just too bright!). Ian is so far a very easy baby - he cries very little! He's starting to prefer being held and carried around now that he's awake more, so I'm going to have to start using my sling soon!

Jenna and Noah are adjusting well - they both adore him (Noah from afar, with occasional kisses on his head...while I have to regularly peel Jenna off of him and make her leave him alone for a while). But they are acting out just a bit due to the shift in attention they are getting and being cooped up in the house more than usual.

I feel good - a bit sleepy, but more energetic than I felt the last few weeks of pregnancy, anyway! My bleeding has stopped in the last day or two (yea! I hate having to wear pads!!) and we're getting to a new normal with every day stuff. I've tried going out with all 3 kids a couple of times (quick errands) and it's HARD! Guess that will get easier with time...

It's so strange to think that one year ago Dh was recovering from his vasectomy and we were sure our family was done...now I'm sitting here holding this beautiful child who I am totally in love with, and amazed at how life takes us in directions we never thought it would!

[My Three Boys]

Anyone else going through non-stop crying jags??? I absolutely cannot stop crying!! Nothing is wrong - I just cry for no reason. My mom left yesterday and I'm a bit panicked about how I'm going to do it all by myself.

Meg is a dream baby. At one week old, she rarely cries. She sleeps with me and has given me a regular 3 - 4 hour stretch each night before waking to nurse. Afterward she goes right back to sleep. I LOVE that!!! We went out for the first time yesterday to watch the boys compete in their karate tournament (we came home with 2 overall golds and one overall silver!!). That was tough, but we managed.

I lost a lot of blood during birth and recovery has been very difficult. My muscles get sore and tired very easily. I didn't expect that as my last two births were so perfect. But, it's okay! Iron supplements will work eventually - right? I've also lost almost all the weight from the birth!! I was up about 10 pounds from normal, so I still would like to lose that. But I was happy to step on the scale this morning!! Bleeding has all but stopped. Just a bit of bloody mucous now.

[CajunMama]

Twins are here! Catherine Ellen was born 1/30 at 11:49am and her brother, David Anderson, followed at 11:51am. They were both exactly 6lbs and 19inches long and born at exactly 36w via emergency c./birth after I went into labor ( I didin't know I was actually in labor, but that is a different story )

We got home from the hospital Friday afternoon, and the last two days have been a little crazy. When we got home, Catherine decided that she forgot how to nurse so I have been crazy getting her to latch on. Finally last night, I pumped and fed her a bottle of EBM and now she is latching on better. Her brother is nursing well, although he also didn't nurse much the first day home. I think the anxiety and different envirnment affected all of us quite abit, and now we are settling a groove.

I don't think co-sleeping is going to work with the twins,. They are happier together in the crib. they fussed non stop for the 1st 2 nights in the bed. Once I wised up and put them in the crib, they slept peacefully. I'm sad, since we loved cosleeping with DS, but I'm so tired I'm grateful for sleep anyway I can get it.

People are bugging us for pictures. : If they come over and hold a baby or play with DS I'll be glad to do it.

Speaking of DS, he has been very loving with his brother and sister. He loves to hold them, and gently play with their hands and feet. I got some great pictures of DS with Catherine, now if I just had time to upload it and deal with our web site.

I'm quite sore. DD was easy to get out of my uterus( she was vertex and the presenting twin), but DS2 was breech and they really had to tug on him. He kept wiggling and fighting the docs and kept wrapping the cord around various body parts. I've been doing way too much since coming home, but staying in the hosiptal for an extra day really helped build by strength up. 3+ weeks of bed rest before the birth also has contributed to my loss of stamina- and stamina is needed to keep up with twins and a 2yo DS1.

Each day is getting better.

[Jillby]

hi ladies! well Aris was born on feb. 1st,so she is just a few days old. she came out big and has been nursing like a pro ever since! she is so cute! shehas a sweet dimple in her right cheek and VERY long fingers and toes.my milk has come in so she is sleeping a bit better now.the first couple of days she didn't seem to sleep at all.everything is seeming to go pretty smoothly,probably 'cause she is my 4th! the other kids love her lots,although my ds was upset at first because she was not a boy! he got over that very quickly and loves her now. my 3y.o. hates it when she cries which she does at every diaper change.
i should stop and take care of my 3y.o..she is feverish and pukey.yippee.
take care everyone and hug those babies!

[EllasMama]

I guess I'm doing a good job of babymooning b/c it's been so hard to get on the computer or get anything else done.

Ollie is doing great. He likes to nurse-nurse-nurse when he's awake, but also sleeps in good long chunks. 2 days after birth he was down 4 oz to 9 lbs even. Yesterday at 1 week old, he was up to 9 lbs 9 oz!

My recovery has been so much easier than my first. Even with a rather good-sized tear, I haven't had hardly any perineal pain, and my bleeding has been very light. I'm very tired and my pelvic bones, etc. are still sore, but am so happy it hasn't been as hard as with DD.

I'm really glad that the second time around I feel so much more relaxed. DH and I know how to do the basics...well, except how to dodge/contain the spraying pee with a little boy LOL!...and he's such a natural nurser, it's just been a lot less stressful. That leaves more time to just enjoy him, plus my DD has been an absolute angel (so far!) and loves her brother, which has been a very pleasant surprise. She turned 5 the day after he was born and seems really okay with letting him be the baby b/c she's the big kid.

I've had a couple of weepy spells, too. Last night I had really vivid, upsetting dreams where people were arguing with me and abandoning me, and woke up emotionally spent. My friend said her postpartum dreams were always really vivid, too, so I guess it isn't uncommon.

Carol

[Sleepymama]

Aw, it sounds like everyone is adjusting OK! I'm especially glad to hear the 2nd time moms having a peaceful babymoon too. Gives me hope!

Carol, you have to have a prefold ready to hold over the penis immediately after you undo the diaper. When the cold air hits them they pee

Have you seen these? They crack me up. So silly.
http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?itemId=13271

[krizty]

Courtney and I are doing great too. She is 8 days old. She doesn't sleep as much as your babies... What time do you play with them to make them sleep better at night?

Her belly button stuff fell off yesterday. I want to give her her first bath today. I'm kind of scared to do it. I might have to call my friend over to help. hehehe!

She sleeps about 2-3 hours at a time. She is a little piglet.. loves mommy's milk!! I made the mistake of putting my finger in her mouth when she was crying once, now she tries to put her tongue in the way when we're bf. Hopefully she forgets that I did that.

She has a clogged tear duct that is clearing itself quite well. It is almost nothing compaired to a week ago. I just hope it clears itself a little faster because I feel so bad constantly wiping her eye.