Life with a Babe week of 10/24

[starlein26]

Hi New Mommies!!

How's everyone? We're doing really, really good! I'm so happy. She's upped her nursing the past two days and she's nuring about every hour...but I'm loving every minute of it .

Share your stories ladies...

[Finding Serenity]

After a week and a half of babymooning, I'm slowly getting back to a routine of sorts. It seems as if I'm nursing non stop either Maytal or almost 15 month old Yakira. Sometimes I tandem them at the same time which I'm really loving since they seem so aware of each other then. Yakira was nursing maybe 3 X/day when I was in my last few weeks of pg and now it's like she wants it every hour or two. She's got a cold so that's maybe partially the reason. I'm still homebound during the day, it's too much effort to get out still and there's no place I'd rather be now than home. Maytal isn't doing too much yet, she's sleeping hours and hours at a stretch and nursing, and lots of sleep at night too. She seems really calm and laid back until about 10 pm and then she has her fussy 3 hours. But once she goes back to sleep, she'll sleep for at least 5 or 6 hours. I can't believe she'll be 2 weeks old this Thursday.

[mamasthree]

I'll take this brief two handed moment to update ...we are doing well, Lizzie seems to be growing like a weed. She goes tomorrow for a 2 week check--I'll guess I'll see just how much she's grown then. She is a good nurser, every 2-3 hours, a little more frequent in the evening during her fussy time. She just seems to have had too much by about 9 or 10. But she gets through it and nursing always calms her. She isn't settling down at night yet...but I'm hopeful ...still nurses every 2-3 at night.

Cloth is going well...here is Lizzie in her longies for the first time:

http://i13.tinypic.com/2lu5gzn.jpg

Ok, now she's calling me--back to one handed surfing .

[Keren]

'll take this brief two handed moment to update

:

Although, I am having trouble producing milk. I am taking supplements and drinking tea that are supposed to help create more milk, but it isn't working. I feel so guilty that I have to fill the other half of her bottles with formula, just so she can eat.

Other than that, life is amazing! The guy I have been dating for the entire pregnancy (though, it is not his) watched her be born and since has asked me to be his girlfriend, introduced us to his family, got his first 4-door car (he has been driving sports cars forever), and calls Keagan his daughter.

Keagan is happy and calm. Doesn't really cry, just fusses a bit. At night it gets a little worse because she is afraid of the dark, so we have to keep the bedroom light on. She is getting so big! When she is awake, she just sits and watches everything we do.

I am still not ready for my friends yet, but I did get a night off the other night to go to a concert. My mom watched her because she "wanted me to feel like a human again instead of a blob". I was very much relieved...until my boobs got engorged and I had to unbutton my corset and zip up my jacket for relief. I missed the baby, though, and called every 2 hours.

I will post some pics of the baby soon.

[OMama]

We are doing okay. DS is a wonderful little baby. He is very content and still sleeps a lot. DD is having a harder time adjusting and I've definitely been having guilt about it. Trying to balance caring for an infant and meeting the needs of a 2.5YO. And now I have mastitis. I'm sitting her sweating with this horrible fever again. It sucks.

[BCmamaof6]

We had Anna's pediatrician appointment...
She has colic, reflux, thrush, a herniated belly button & super-sensitive skin. (In addition to her birth defect..."macrodactyly")

So...that explains why she cries all the time. She's in pain.
It's so frustrating to know that she's hurting & not really be able to do much about it. She is now on prescription medication for the reflux, back on gentian violet for the thrush & gripe water for colic (she's really gassy as well)
I've eliminated tons from my diet & haven't seen an improvement.
Basically because every time she's reclined she gets burning & pain (& frequently chokes/gags/has apnea) she has to be upright...which means held. She hates the car She will sleep beautifully in arms...but guaranteed if you put her down she's awake within 5 minutes.

We have to see the pediatric orthopedic specialist at Children's Hospital about her foot. We won't know until they've done x-rays, MRIs, etc. what her prognosis will be. At the very least they think we'll have to have shoes custom made...the worst case is...well worse...as her mother I am worried about her ability to walk...and children making fun of her... For now we just have to play the waiting game...

In spite of her 'issues'...she is incredibly sweet. The children adore her. She loves to watch everyone & is often content to just be held (unless it's during "fussy time"...which, at least is predictable...usually starting around dinner time & lasting for about 3 hours)
I'm finding that for long periods of carrying her a 2 shoulder carry (in a wrap) is a must...my shoulders are REALLY sore...so I'm having to watch my posture too. She & I finally got to see the chiropractor today. Her said that she did have one little spot that was misaligned that he felt could have been contributing to her pain. So we have to go back next week for him to check on it/adjust her again.
I think we'll also be taking her to a naturopath. Anything's worth a shot at this point.

The pediatrician was really pleased with her weight gain. The little sausage is up to 11 pounds! She gained a pound in one week! She really is a good little nurser, even with her spitting up & whatnot.

Cloth diaper 'consumption' hasn't really slowed down...still going thru about 2 dozen diapers a day. : Which means a load of diaper laundry every other day. She is so fat around the belly & because of her belly button & reflux I can't have her dipes fastened too tight...so it actually limits what dipes she can wear. She's out of all her NBs & most of the smalls are on the last snap setting...but mediums are way too big in the rise & thighs.
Of course, the unattainable Elbee is the perfect fit on her. Wish we had more of them.
I'm SO happy with all the yummy wool I splurged on. Her skin is so sensitive & the lovely merino pants especially are so gentle on her. It's going to be hard to part with it all.

Wow! That's the longest I've been able to type in a while (she's asleep on my chest)
I gotta go to bed. Have to be up at 6:30 to get the older ones off to school (Man, I miss homeschooling sometimes)

[Finding Serenity]

BC Mama, Wow, Anna's got lots going on. I hope the colic, thrush and reflux get under control soon for you both. My 3 yr old had really bad reflux till she was about 13 or 14 months old. I was so grateful she was nursing since I always had a ready supply of milk for her although her weight gain was very slow during that time. Anna's got great weight gain for a reflux baby! BTW, have you tried letting her sleep in an infant car seat bucket, it's inclined and the position works well for reflux babies, you could even prop the back bottom of it even more to have it keep her more upright at night.

[1stbaby3rddaughter]

I love life with my little one, but I really have time for NOTHING. The first couple of days I was producing so much milk that we had to rent an electric pump, but after a week it looks like we are in the same schedule; she eats every 2 hours during the day and almost every hour at night, she thinks I'm a giant pacifier because at night she won't fall asleep unless she's latched onto her mama! I guess that I'm still producing enough milk (eventhough is much less) because she poops and pees a lot...
Other than the milk issue, she HATES to get her diaper changed, but I try to do it as soon as she goes to avoid irritation.
She smells great, but she's already spoiled, the little stinker won't sleep unless she's been held, she just cries until I can't take it anymore and I pick her up (about 5 seconds).
Well I really don't have anymore time type. I hope everyone is doing great with their babies.
Love Mama & baby

[PuppyFluffer]

We are doing just great. Our little one is 2 weeks and 3 days old today. She is so sweet. After the horrid pregnancy where I puked and puked and puked....and SWORE I'd NEVER do it again....I am having visions of a third child. Am I crazy!

I am just so in love with this new little being. She is so sweet and easy. We are having such a smooth time of it all. Having her has seemed like a very natural transition to our family. Older dd just loves and cares for her. There's not been a second of jealousy or animosity or lack of understanding. It's been wonderful.

Nursing is going well. The baby sleeps great except for a brief wake up to nurse and then right back to sleep. I love co-sleeping. It works so well for our family!

[Sleeky_Meerkat]

We are doing wonderful!! Both DF and I are in love with our little one. He took the week off of work and we have been having so much fun! It's a lot of work, but every moment is special and new (this is our first!)

Collin had his first dr's appointment today and he's perfectly fine, happy and healthy! He gained 3 oz!! So now he's a wee 6 pounds, 3 oz!

Yesterday we went to our baby shower at DF's work. I wasn't due till Halloween, so they didn't think anything about scheduling it on the 24th, but little Collin came last Wednesday, so he was at his own baby shower!! It was fun and Collin was adored by everyone at the office!

[Peony]

Little Gabrielle was just born on Monday so we are still adjusting to life with a newborn again. She's been a sleepy little one, dd#1 never slept, even as a newborn, I kept having to wake her up to nurse. Last night I was so tired that I slept with her on my chest for 5.5 hours before I woke up and realized she was still asleep. DD#1 woke up to nurse every 45 minutes for almost a year, it's so so strange to me to have to wake a baby up to nurse.

She has a very tiny mouth, and I have rather large nipples so I've been having issues with her not getting a good seal around the nipple. She swallows alot of air which makes her gassy and she spits up frequently.

DD#1 has been adjusting ok, we had a couple of meltdowns yesterday where only mama could do something for her, I was busy with DD#2... She keeps wanting to hold the baby and kisses her all the time. DD#1 does not like it when dd#2 cries she tells me the baby is too loud. We've had issues with everyone sleeping in the same room, dd #1 and dh have their own mattress and so do dd#2 and I, but dd#2 wakes dd #1 up with her crying when I change a diaper or she is gassy. We don't have any other option but to make it work, so hopefully it will get better.

DH is supposed to take two weeks off from work and so far everyone is surviving without him. He has been taking dd#1 to dance, storytime, etc... so at least her life hasn't completely stopped with the addition of dd#2.

[mamama]

Things are going well, but the lack of sleep is definitely challenging. DH and I are completely in love with our little boy. But I'm amazed some moms have a schedule already! I have nothing close to a schedule -- sometimes he wants to nurse every hour, sometimes he gives me some nice three hour breaks. Hopefully it'll even out soon. And I'm eagerly awaiting the time when it won't hurt when he first latches on. But other than that, all is well. He is healthy and adorable, and we've been very well taken care of by friends and family.

[starlein26]

Anyone else have a baby that mostly wants to be held by you? Dd is really particular that way. Whereas ds didn't care who held him...she seems to have a major preference for me (unless she's in deep sleep when transfer her.) Am I alone in this?
She also HATES gas bubbles, poor little sweetie. She screams bloody murder when she needs to be burped. Ds didn't mind those at all. So many differences. She also needs to be nursed back to sleep the majority of the time. I try and rock her, but until she can comfort nurse, she'll say awake or cry.

Second time or more mommies...what differences are you noticing?

[forty's_wifey]

Well my house is hectic as usual. My older 3 kids are driving me crazy, i dont whether its just cuz im exhausted from the baby that is just making them more annoying then usual or if they are really just acting whacko. My 2 year old has been screaming for 3 days for no reason, my 4 year old is smearin poop in my bathroom for no reason he can tell me, along with just being his usual sneaky self, my 3 year old isnt eating her dinner. Just playing with it. And my 11 month old is his usual happy self until someone picks up the baby. Then he gives his angry face. The baby is the only one being normal! He is great, sleeps most of the time unless he is hungry or needs to be changed, and even then most of the time i have to wake him up because im leaking crazy and its time to eat or because he needs a change. My husband is helping out more than i expected, because i have been in crazy pain all week. And to top it all off i still feel pregnant: LOL other than that everything is ok.

[Keren]

Here is a pic as promised.

Keagan

[mamasthree]

Anyone else have a baby that mostly wants to be held by you?

: Yup--I think she likes to be close to her food source!!

I was hoping she would not have that evening fussy time like dd1 but she's got it now...it is very frustrating, especially for my dh, bc she's always crying or on the verge when he's home. DD2 didn't have that and anyone could hold her--but she never slept more than 30 minutes at a time! It's funny--my older two were & are nothing alike (looks or personality), and #3 seems to be a mix of the 2!

All in all she's a good baby and we are enjoying her immensely...but we are definitely over the "newborn-bliss" and into the "wow-a-nb-is-a-lot-of-work-phase"!