September Life w/ a Babe thread

[veganf]

Nate is 1 month old today. Time is flying!!
He went to the pediatrician yesterday, and weighs 10lbs.9oz and is 23.5" long (up from 8lbs.4oz. and 21" at birth). He smiled at everyone on the elevator, it was so cute. I can't believe he'll be 3 months old at his next appointment!

Now we're just waiting for his birth certificate to come so that he can get a social security number, and then we can get him a passport, hooray!

And yesterday I took all 3 boys out in the car to the playground! Whew!

[ColoradoMama]

Louis is one week old today. He is a bona fide velcro babe. I am very glad that I have already mastered the sling. He is wonderful, of course. He seems like he is going to be more like my 1st child - a bit higher needs - than my other 2 - more easy going. He slept for a 5 hour stretch last night - I was one happy (if slightly engorged) mama! We are venturing out for the 1st time today - my older son's preschool has their back to school day today. I am super jazzed today. I gained 35 lbs (the most of any of my pgs), and today {{drum roll please}} I put of my pre-pg pants!!!!!!! Now, granted, I had a good 20 lbs to lose before pg, but still...I'm feeling good today!

[KarmaChameleon]

howdy

subbing

I am off to kindergarten orientation with my oldest daughter :...baby will attend in sling (3 yo off to friend's house)

will check in with you fine mamas later after I dry my tears....

[mamamilkers]

Aw, KarmaChameleon, that has got to be tough. I don't even want to think about DD#1's first day of school!

Life here has it's ups and downs. Eloise is two weeks old as of, well, last night. She is still pretty sleepy, in general. She's waking up every hour and a half to two hours to nurse at night. Last night I really felt the exhaustion setting in. I also caught a slight cold from DD#1, so that doesn't help.

I feel like an idiot, but I can't remember the rule of thumb for changing diapers at night. Some nights I change her in the middle of the night, some nights I don't. I am wondering if a wet dipe is keeping her from sleeping better but I'm also SOOO reluctant to drag my butt out of bed to change her when she's going to scream her head off.

Besides that, I'm (hopefully) recovering from my bleeding scare last weekend. I can't wait to be fully healed and back to normal. With DD#1 I had a medicated birth, which initially made recovery harder, but I didn't have any of this lingering stuff. It's so frustrating! I haven't left the house in a week for fear of another bleeding "episode". Ugh.

Anyways, besides all that, we're doing great! I am loving being the mama of two girls. Iris is a great big sister and has been pretty easy on me, at least so far!

[veganf]

Originally Posted by mamamilkers

I feel like an idiot, but I can't remember the rule of thumb for changing diapers at night. Some nights I change her in the middle of the night, some nights I don't. I am wondering if a wet dipe is keeping her from sleeping better but I'm also SOOO reluctant to drag my butt out of bed to change her when she's going to scream her head off.

I always keep two diapers, two outfit changes, and a tub of cloth wipes on the bedside table. If he needs changing (and most nights he requires at least one) I just do it in the dark right there in bed.
That's a good point, I think Nate does go back to sleep more soundly after a diaper change, so maybe he doesn't like being wet.

[ColoradoMama]

I only change poopies at night. I have so much trouble sleeping that I do as little as possible, so that everyone can get as much sleep as possible!!! Louis isn't pooping that much. He poops a little bit several times a day, so maybe it's adding up. He is definitely growing though. I'm anxious to see how much he's grown.

[2 in August]

Ian is exactly 4wks old today. He gained another 3oz. Still not quite up to his birth weight. 2oz to go. He is so alert when he is awake. He's getting better at holding his head up. We made a major trip to the zoo yesterday with friends. We were gone for about 7hrs and we all survived, yay!!! Oh and he's an inch longer now.

[ColoradoMama]

So, the midwife weighed Louis and he's gained 10 ounces in a week. Whoosh! He likes breastmilk and it shows!

[AmieV]

I'm so excited to be posting in this thread!!

I change dipes at night, but I've got a major pooper and a sensitive bum on my hands so I can pretty much guarantee it needs changing. We didn't CD from the beginning with DD and I SO love it. We're using kissaluvs and they look SO DAMN cute on her little bum and chicken legs. Lucky that we already were planning on CD'ing because she's so sensitive the few sposies that I used on her in the beginning were giving her a rash.

I can't believe how much easier everything is the second time around...Ellie is super laid back, sleeps all the freaking time, and has slept in 4 hour stretches the last two nights!!!! I'm trying not to get spoiled. And, it hurts my boobs. I'm actually wondering if I need to pump a little at night because she only eats off of one side after her first stretch so the other boob has gone 8 hours in the morning without feeding, ouch! My milk came in early the 3rd day which was great. And not surprising with the nursing fiend I have on my hands. I'm so happy to be nursing again. I wasn't sure how I'd feel as I kind of enjoyed having the freedom of a weaned child, but it's wonderful and sweet as it ever was.

I really, really wish you could have the perspective of a second time parent with your first child. We were so stressed and freaked out that honestly even juggling a newborn and a toddler this time around is easier than it was with just one baby...it takes a toddler I guess to show you how easy a newbie is!

[BirthFree]

***yawn***
That about sums it up.
2.5 hour chunks of sleep for 2 weeks... it can start to make you insane. I'm shocked new Moms are allowed to drive sometimes . I need more sleep.

I *think* I may have thrush - but I still can't really tell for sure. Pink-ish nipples that are itchy, but not unbearable for nursing in the pain arena, and no signs with DS... any thoughts?

Nursing is going well, he is doing better with all the meds (sigh - reflux and IBS meds)... so I'm happy he isn't screaming in pain. We've gone to the chiro. twice and have another apt. for this next week... it really seems to help him (and she doesn't crunch anything, it's very gentle pressure she uses).

We're also really trying to co-sleep and let DH sleep at the same time - I'm practicing when DH goes to work in the am. by taking DS into bed at that time and nursing him there, burping him, etc. I know it will give me more sleep that way - but I've tried to co-sleep twice and it never worked. I'm being stubborn and am really trying to get the hang of it with the reflux and all that too. He also howls when I change him... that doesn't help DH sleep - but I'm getting sick of going to a different room to feed him at night.

Blah!

[mrs rockstar]

Welcome September!!

Charlie (Charlotte for long) is 5 days old today. She had her first doctor's appointment yesterday...she is 8 lbs 7 oz, down from 8 lbs 12 oz at birth and slightly jaundice, but we're keeping an eye on it. She nurses like a champ but between her and her sister, my milk supply is SO huge, I don't know what to do half the time. Just wait for it to all even out and bear the huge chest, I guess

I change diapers at night, but she's still so brand new that I don't mind. She's in cloth and definitely doesn't like being wet/dirty...she doesn't cry so much as wiggles around until you change her.

Big sister is adjusting well. She's been having her whiney/clingy moments and definitely wants to nurse WAY more than she used to but all in all, we're doing ok! DH started back to work yesterday...I survived my first day without him and both kids were still smiling at the end of the day. Phew.

Here's a picture of Charlie, taken yesterday (September 1st).

I'm so glad she's here!!

[taradt]

Kienan is a month old today He now weighs 9lb2oz (up 6lb9oz from birth). He is doing great as long as he is nursing or in his pouch. we had a bad sleep stretch while I got dairy out of my system.
I usually do 1 diaper change, I am using fuzzi bunz or wonderoos for night so he is staying dry, but with the non stop nursing he is soaking the diapers.

Big sister is doing great, she loves helping and has adjusted really well to the big change.

tara

[Sailmom]

Booker is 6 days old today, and a very sweet, laid back baby. Fortunately so, since big sis is giving us a run for our money. It hasn't helped that it has rained nonstop from Monday though yesterday so she has been cooped up in the house all week. She is just having whininess issues, and is pretty mad that we have rocked her little world. But she has started to settle down, and be our sweet little girl again. She wants to nurse all the time and I am uncertain whether to let her for now, or try to set limits. I truly don't mind the tandem thing, prepared myself for it as much as possible, but it really makes me want to crawl out of my skin if they nurse at the same time. Of course, she really wants to nurse the most when she sees him nursing. I am trying to encourage her to wait until he is finished and I can put him down so we can have a little mother daughter time, but patience does not sit well with a 2 year old!

[mamamilkers]

I'm so jealous of those of you using cloth already. I didn't buy newborn sized dipes because I was SURE that DD#2 was going to be big like her sister (who was 9lbs 14 oz at birth!) and I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on dipes I wouldn't really use. Of course I got a nice averaged sized babe this time, and I'm just waiting for her to grow in to her dipes! Until then we're using crummy sposies. I hate them! I can't even get Seventh Generation in a small enough size. Sigh.

Okay, that's my gripe.

[Sailmom]

I hear you on the cloth diaper thing - I have plenty, but am finding that he really does the best in the ones that are "smaller". My Kissaluv's 0 are a little big on his little chicken legs. I am loving the Kind Hearted Women dipes we have. They fit perfectly!

[SummerTwilight]

Aria also does the wiggle worm thing when she is wet or dirty, doesn't cry about it but it is definately worth it to change her. Usually that is once around 3am and again around 7. I use the Kissaluvs and they are so dang cute and fit great (what a huge tush it gives her on her scrawny little body) but I don't think they are really absorbant...could be cause I haven't washed them more than about 3-4 times. When does this get better?
So far (although I haven't tried much cause I am partially afraid and partially don't want to mess with a good thing when she IS sleeping and take a chance of waking her) she ONLY sleeps on me or my dh. So even when she IS sleeping I don't sleep well (unless she is on dh which will only be another week and then he is back to working nights) . I would love it if she would sleep alone, even if it IS in the bed next to me...but she loves to be patted on the back and tends to wake after about 30 min unless someone is right there to start patting her when she starts to wake.
What to do?

[Bay Area Babe]

I change Lucas at night b/c he's using cloth (hurray for the diaper service!) and he pees and poos at least once or twice a night. He sleeps better, it seems, when he's dry. Also, a few days ago his little anus was red -so I'm off dairy for now - and so we're being super diligent about changing him. He usually has one 'big' poo at night and another small one. We're using more than 12 diapers a day which means that next week I'll have to order more diapers. Hopefully things will settle down in the diaper department soon.

Also, I wake him to change him since he can sleep in 3-4 hour stretches at night which makes my boobies leak all over the place. If I don't change him, I'll only get maybe 5-7 minutes of nursing so I need to strip him to get him to eat more. He also favors being tightly swaddled which makes it a pain. It's like he knows it's time to poo again when he's either just been changed or swaddled.

[Mama2 '05'06]

Joel is doing pretty good. He cries alot more in the evenings and gets alot of tummyaches that his sister didn't. He is sleeping well at night now and only gets up twice- I think! After a while, everything is a blur: I change him at night b/c I have to get up and sit in the chair to feed him anyway since he has to be upright for 1/2 an hr after feeding to ease the reflux and help his tummyaches. He is getting to be so alert and wants to be where dd and I are all the time. Sometimes he howls just b/c He wants someone to come talk to him. As soon as I ask him what is wrong and start talking to him, he stops crying and smiles at me. He's already got it figured out- Howl and everybody will jump He will be 7 weeks old on tuesday, 9/5. It is hard to believe that he's been here that long. As far as managing a toddler -15 month dd- and a new baby, it's getting easier. I am still so very forgetful but so far I have not left anybody anywhere I think that I almost need a list detailing everything I need to do, everywhere I need to go, and what I need to do when I get there!

[Meeshi Mama]

Luna is such an easy baby, just like her big sisters! She wakes twice a night and will nurse right back to sleep as soon as I hook her up to the boob. She'll sleep for 3-4 hour stretches which is awesome!

2 weeks and 2 days post-partum, I took all three girls grocery shopping by myself today and it couldn't have gone smoother. Luna slept for the whole 30 minute ride (each way) and for the 45 minutes in the store. She never even knew we were gone! :haha:

I'm feeling great, my incision looks awesome and hasn't hurt at all in days and days. somehow, I managed to drop all of the pregnancy weight plus an extra five pounds even though I ate half of Luna's chocolate birthday cake myself. I think nursing just sucked all of the fat off of me and put it onto Luna's cheeks. *lol* Three cheers for that!

I'm feeling ever so upbeat and energetic and just loving our sweet babe and the new family dynamic!!!

[the_lissa]

Liam is four weeks today.

Where does the time go?