Do we have a "life with babe" thread yet?

[dharmama]

Any of the mamas whose babies have arrived want to chat...either here or over in life with babe???

How's it going?

We're 4 days pp here and so far things are going pretty well.

It's been pouring rain all week so it's been challenging to be in the house ALL DAY with our 2 year old. DH is home but still having to participate in conference calls for work so he has to sequester himself in the office several times a day.....which always seems to be when all hell breaks loose with DD.

Tandem nursing is going pretty well. I've had some moments of doubt when my 2 yo whines/cries to nurse every time the babe nurses. We've been working on asking nicely and waiting patiently (not the easiest concepts for a toddler to get ) and think it will be better once we're able to get out more. Right now she's got the all-day boobie buffet lying on the couch.

DS is awesome!!!! He's the sweetest little guy. I can't believe how in love with him I am!! I mean I knew I'd love him but I just couldn't imagine that I could really love another child like I love my DD. Amazing how the heart opens and the love grows!!!

We're sleeping pretty well. DH and DD upstairs and me and DS downstairs on the couch. With both babies it has worked so much better for me in the early weeks to sleep on the couch. I like propping myself up with pillows and having my babe on my chest. SO cozy.

I guess that's about it.

Anyone else want to check in????

~Erin

[luckylady]

good idea!

DH is home for 2 weeks and I am eternally grateful for him! he cooks and cleans and plays with DD and I pretty much take care of Weston!

Like you I am amazed that I can fall so inlove with someone in 2 days! but here I am - an I can say I LOVE being a mommy x2!

DD is wonderful with him! I am so glad I spaced them this way - she is 4. Adores him - and was joyfully ecstatic when her best friend's mom invited her to come over for the day -s he picked her up at 9:00 AM and DH went to get her now. Such a big girl. After I had him she seems to have grown so much - I guess because now I have some context in which to compare her.

He is nursing GREAT and sleeping GREAT - I am getting a good 3-4 hours of sleep at a stretch. I didn't get that from DD til she was 3 or 4 months old!

[merrick]

We're six days pp here and doing great! Elora has been such a delight. She's such an easy and sweet baby. Duncan has been great with her too. He just adores her and hasn't shown a bit of jealousy either. Nursing is going wonderfully and the tandem thing hasn't been too bad. Dh has been getting on my nerves a bit since he's been home, but he's going back to work next week and then he'll have another another week off after that. MIL is helping me next week. Dh just doesn't keep the house up like I need it to be to feel content. So I've probably been doing a little bit more than I should be, but I really feel great most of the time. The lack of sleep isn't getting me down at all, and really Elora sleeps great anyway. I was so scared it was going to be so hard with ds and everything, but it has been so wonderful. So much easier and more calm than with ds.

[dharmama]

After I had him she seems to have grown so much - I guess because now I have some context in which to compare her.

I know!!! My DD is not quite 2 and only 20 lbs but she still is looking SO big and grown up to me!! :

She's also (amazingly) showing increased independence this week. She has been contentedly (is that a word?) playing with her babies and reading books for long stretches. And she's suddenly sleeping very well.

It's seems like she had a lot of anxiety pre-baby but now that he's here she's like...oh ok this is kind of cool. My extended family has been wonderful about bring big sister gifts and taking a lot of time to make over her before holding DS.

Dh just doesn't keep the house up like I need it to be to feel content. So I've probably been doing a little bit more than I should be

Same here. I have to constantly remind him to do things (like bend over and pick up some toys so we don't trip or put dirty dishes into the empty dishwasher and not the sink ) or just do it myself.

[De-lovely]

My sweet Quinn is 3 weeks exactly today and things couldnt be better. I can say that I wish I had some more intimae time with him as my 2 year old and 1 year old take up most of my time. That is certainly the beauty of babywearing though-he is close to me always and that is priceless. Nursing is going FANTASTIC and he is growing like a weed. My 1 year old is sometimes pretty aggressive towards him-he has a little scratch on his nose from her and then she will say sorry and kiss him. She loves him to death but just doesnt quite get it all the way. My 2 year old is a big help-like a little mother hen. Gets dipes for me and wants to kiss him CONSTANTLY. I am getting some decent rest too-3 hour stretches usually up only 2x at night so thats fantastic too.

I am so happy everything is going so well with you all too! It certainly makes me not want to be finished having children but I believe Quinn to be my last.

[merrick]

I'm glad everyone is doing so well! I hope all our happy stories don't discourage moms who aren't having such a great easy time of right now from posting as well though. I know with my first things were sooo not what I had expected. I was very isolated and nursing did not go very well at first. Looking back I'm positive I had PPD. Now though my son is a very well adjusted little 3 year old. THe first weeks can be so hard when you're a new mom.

[Sydnee]

I was thinking of starting a thread like this too, great idea!!!

Things are going great here too! I feel the best after this birth than I did with the other 2, I think being that I didn't tear this time makes such a difference. I have been doing more than I probably should, but oh well. Alayna is nursing great, and I am LOVING co-sleeping with her right now. I didn't do a whole lot of that with the other 2, but I (and she) sleep sooo much better, so for now that is how it will be. She had a check up yesterday, and is almost back to her birth weight, and has grown almost 2 inches!! Crazy! The girls are doing great with her, I feel a little emotional though with Emma, I feel like she get's lost in the shuffle, so I am trying to do more stuff with her... All in all, this is the best birth and post partum I've had, soooooo nice! Even the baby blues are at such a minimum, I had way more with the other 2.

[gnutter]

Things are great with wyatt-he is finally off the light pad for jaundice. I took it back to the home medical place on Friday. I can put him in clothes now instead of just a diaper all day. It is so nice to be able to hold him as much as I want to instead of just when he is nursing.
It has been hard to adjust to being so tired and still being the one who does everything around the house. My oldest who is 15 has been helping with the kitchen and picking up around the house.
I am just so tired though-it really hit me about 4 days pp-we are on day 8 now. the last two days I have had a raging headache by the afternoon because I really need a nap. It just seems like there is no good time to rest though until evening. Both of the older boys have friends who ocme over a lot.
hopefully I will catch up soon.
overall things are ok though.

[Sadiebug]

I am 11 days pp and Addison is a doll. She sleeps all the time and only cries when hungry. We had one 15 minutes cry a few days ago because she needed to have a dirty diaper and she had a bubble, but being a mom of three now I knew different ways to get it out and it worked. Breastfeeding is great except for those first few sucks and then all is good. No signs of thrush and still a little yellow from jaundice but good. I pump once a day and can get 5 oz total. I have 4 weeks before I have to go back to work and I'm dreading it. We sleep most of the day and she is on the breast a lot. I barely put her down and i get the quote, "You're going to spoil her if you hold her all the time." I blow it off. I'm sore as in my body trying to readjust again. I baby blues or anything which is good. I'm in love with my Baby Addison and so happy she is finally here.

[dharmama]

I hope all our happy stories don't discourage moms who aren't having such a great easy time of right now from posting as well though.

it's not all rosy here. what a difference a day makes....

dd is waaaay overtired and upstairs raging while dh tries to get her down for a nap.

ds was sleeping peacefully until she started screaming...now he is only content if he's on the boob.

speaking of boobs....i'm pretty sure i have a blocked duct (ouch). never had one with dd. very painful.

my family is annoyed with me because i don't feel up to going to the big mother's day party.

it's been raining for FIVE FREAKIN' DAYS!!!!!!

oh and i'm ravenous. it's 3:30 and i haven't had lunch yet.

and the worst.....dh is going back to work monday. noooooooooooooo

[Sydnee]

Originally Posted by dharmama

it's not all rosy here. what a difference a day makes....

dd is waaaay overtired and upstairs raging while dh tries to get her down for a nap.

ds was sleeping peacefully until she started screaming...now he is only content if he's on the boob.

speaking of boobs....i'm pretty sure i have a blocked duct (ouch). never had one with dd. very painful.

my family is annoyed with me because i don't feel up to going to the big mother's day party.

it's been raining for FIVE FREAKIN' DAYS!!!!!!

oh and i'm ravenous. it's 3:30 and i haven't had lunch yet.

and the worst.....dh is going back to work monday. noooooooooooooo

Hugs to you, mama! It will get better though. Take nice hot baths, and massage your boob under water, then try to breastfeed him, or express milk from that boob right after the bath, I had umpteen plugged ducts with Emma, so I know how you feel!!! It's been super rainy here too, and I'm tired of company.:

My Dad, Stepmom, and Grandma all came down last night and left this morning, which was sooo nice to see them, and then in an hour, one of my daycare families is coming over to see Alayna, and then my stepsis is coming down tonight to spend the night, I just want my house back. Selfish of me, I know...

When my DH went back to work last Tuesday, I was soo scared to have all 3 on my own, but the girls really helped alot, and unfortunatly, TV has been on alot, but I'm not going to sweat it, ya know?

Anyway, Hugs to you, Erin!!

[dharmama]

Thanks Sydnee!

I would love to take a warm bath but the nurses told me not to bathe until after my 6 week check-up to make sure my cervix is closed. Does that sound right? I don't remember them saying that with DD.

In the meantime I'm getting cozy with our hot water bottle!

[gnutter]

My nurse told me that a warm bath was fine-but the tub had to be clean and no soap or shampoo in the water. The hospital actually wanted me to get up and sit in the tub a few times while I was there. I will say that while the warm bath was nice hemroids on a hard surface like that were uncomfy-so sit on a towel to cushion it a little.

[dharmama]

Looks like I have my engorgement and blocked ducts under control. Phew.

I talked to a LC yesterday who suggested giving each child his/her own side. I gave DD the side that was over producing and getting blocked because that side also lets down REALLY fast and makes DS sputter and choke.

I've been giving her unlimited access...sometimes even suggesting it before she asks...and it's feeling SOOOOO much better!

I'm actually finding this easier because now I don't have to keep track of who's had what on what side. I know that DS can get everything he needs from one breast (and I'm actually offering him both during the night because DD is night-weaned).

Anyway...

How are you guys doing with food?

I'm being very careful about drinking lots of water but I feel like I am not eating enough. I'm at my parents today (first day that DH went back to work) so there's plenty to snack on but I need to think of some ideas of what I want to have on hand at my house this week.

[merrick]

My doc told me I could start taking tub baths after 2 weeks. I'll be so glad too, I love baths! I'm hoping dd's cord stump will have fallen off by then so she can bathe with me. I loved doing that when ds was little. Not sure if the hot tub is ok or not though. That'd be nice too.

Things are still going well with us. DD has been a dream. I'm a lot more tired though since I haven't been taking a nap in the afternoons. I think I'm going to have to reinstate that.

[Sydnee]

Weird, my nurses, and doc told me to take at least 3-4 baths everyday?? That is the best feeling, being able to take a hot bath after having the baby!!!

Erin- Glad the plugged boobs are getting better!! Those are sooo painful!

As far as eating goes, I feel so hungry still, all the time! I do drink a boat load of water, and am really trying to choose healthy snacks, but sometimes the chocoholic in me rains over.

Alayna had an appt. last Friday, and was up to 7#10 and almost 22 inches already! She was down to 7#3 when we left the hospital, and was 20 inches when she was born. Momma's milk is doing her body good!!

[L'lee]

When I was a kid, being immersed in a consumerist economy, I would always have a kind of subconscious feeling before Christmas that maybe that year I would get the "perfect present" whatever the heck that was. So there was always some feeling of being let down after all of the piles of gifts came and none of them was IT. Now, I feel like I finally got my "Christmas present".

Things are going really well here, although we have definitely had our challenges. We are so happy and tired, but we're finally getting past the tired and only increasing in the happiness. This is our first baby, so it is quite an adjustment! I've been amazed at how much we are learning together, and I'm so glad that we're getting past the early difficulties of breastfeeding! It took me a little bit to realize that his elimination needs come before his eating needs - he won't latch if he has to pee or poo and he generally won't do that in a diaper (unless he's desperate)! I know that DH has been a bit tired (though he has still been a blessing, doing ALL of the housework with an awesome attitude and discouraging me from doing things around the house other than just caring for the babe), but I have been feeling *really* good even with a bit of sleep deprivation - no sign of PPD, here! I give DH a lot of credit for this. Plus, the little love child is just the best, so smart and beautiful. He gives me this little wrinkly-brow-alert-eyes look and I fall in love with him over and over again.

As far as baths, my midwives didn't say anything about not taking baths, they encourage baths for perineal tearing, though I only had minor abrasions. I have taken 2 baths and each time I clean out the tub thoroughly and use only plain water. The little guy has also joined me and loves it! It also helped a TON when I was ridiculously engorged and sore - I hadn't realized that I needed to wake him up and switch breasts before letting him sleep, and we have both been much happier since then!

[Smithie]

Erin, I took tons of baths in the early postpartum period with James, and I really think they helped. I didn't use any soap products, but I did use epsom salts for my sitz baths and I think they helped. This time, I plan to immerse and massage my boobs a LOT during the initial engorgement, I don't want to get any scary milk lumps this time!

[mamacatsbaby]

Hey mamas! Coming back to catch up on this thread. Things are going pretty good here. My gosh though, I'm not sure if I've ever been so paranoid!

[mamacatsbaby]

Subbing...