Are you getting anything done?

[RosemaryS-F]

I've spent the first three weeks trying to get to know my lo mostly. We're now slinging and ergoing, which is great. I love the Ergo! I didn't buy an insert, just using a nice quilt. I'm taking walks every day. Our laundry is right by the changing room so I don't really have trouble doing the CDing, but what was tough was cooking. Now that I've managed the Ergo, I think that will be easier. My dh works and is a student, so I'm really the main lady with the baby. He does what he can--changes lots of diapers, bounces him, etc.

I've been reading a lot of magazines while we nurse and lurking here on MDC (posting some too.) Also, I'm reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block" because I thought Pascal was collicky last week, or had a milk allergy. I no longer think so, but I'm avoiding the really gassy foods for now anyway. The techniques in that book work great to stop his fits and calm him. It gives me more confidence when we're out.

I'm glad I live in a town where I can walk to most ammenities, because the thing I still haven't figured out is the transition from carseat to sling/ergo. I'm terrified to make more than one stop in the car. I had to go to Target yesterday to return something and needed to return something somewhere else too, but after the ordeal of getting him into the carseat after Target, I didn't want to torture him with another in-and-out of the carseat trauma! I might consider just leaving him in the carseat and taking that into a store, but he really likes motion, so is not really happy sitting in a carseat unless the car is running. Also, I don't really want to be a carseat mom to him. If only I could WEAR him while driving. : The only thing that calms him down in the car is static station radio turned WAY up.

Alright. That was long. I'd love to know what you other mamas are up to.

[gretasmommy]

We don't "do" much . . . other than eat/nurse, sleep, laundry . . . . . yep. That's about it. I haven't tried much else, as it's pretty cold here and I don't want to have Z out and about much - too many people with colds,etc would want to see her! Soon the weather will break and we will be able to be outdoors more! I look forward to spring!

[ELKMama]

Originally Posted by RosemaryS-F

Also, I'm reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block" because I thought Pascal was collicky last week, or had a milk allergy. I no longer think so, but I'm avoiding the really gassy foods for now anyway. The techniques in that book work great to stop his fits and calm him. It gives me more confidence when we're out.

Sounds like you're doing a ton! You must be feeling pretty good, and that is great. We're a little more low key -- also partly b/c of the cold here and b/c my lo seems to change his routine every day, so I don't feel as certain that outings will go well. What I have done out of the house: church (sling), restaurant with friend visiting from out of town (car seat), 1 Target trip (car seat), 2 short walks (sling). But by sling, I actually mean fleece pouch. I wouldn't feel too guilty about using the car seat for errands at this stage. I hear you, though, about wishing it was safe to have a baby in a sling in the car! It would be so much easier!

Can you tell me briefly why you thought dairy might be an issue and why you decided it probably isn't? I don't have that book... My lo has lots of gas pains that make him very wiggly (which makes nursing hard, since sometimes he's clearly interested but can't get his body settled down enough to stay latched on) as well as unhappy. I'm cutting out dairy right now, as well as gassy vegs, but haven't seen a change. I know some infant massage for gas but haven't figured out how to do it while he's writhing around especially b/c being unbundled (out of clothes) makes him MAD!

[RosemaryS-F]

[Can you tell me briefly why you thought dairy might be an issue and why you decided it probably isn't?]

I thought dairy was an issue because of his gas. He often cries when he poops, and he had started having a fuss period anywhere from 5:30 or 6:30 only seemingly soothed by nursing/sucking (which my midwife said was a natural soother for gassiness) until we finally would get into bed at 8:30 I didn't know any better because I am a new mom! I looked up on google the symptoms of a milk allergy, and he doesn't have them. His poop is totally normal. He is just a sensitive baby who has a hard time self-soothing. All the techniques in the Happiest Baby book have helped us a ton.

[DBZ]

right now is time for lots of cluster feedings. Nurse the baby is the first call to action if they are fussy, rooting, sticking out their tongue, finding their hand, etc. Cluster feeds usually happen in the evenings. Zoë was at the breast for four hours yestarday.

[~ani~]

I manage to eat and shower every day laundry gets done, and DH does the dishes Babe nurses a lot, we nap... we've been out a few times - I even went out by myself with him in the wrap! He was very content Now DH is back at work. I'm reading the Dr Sears Baby Book... we take lots of pics... sigh - loving maternity leave!

[AllisonK]

My goal each day is wash diapers (I have two in cloth and the pails full after one day) and at least one other load of laundry (not fold it though there is a mountain in my living room). DH has been doing the dishes before bed and taking out the trash. Thats really about it. The kids help me with "clean up time" every day after snack so at least the living room is picked up. Cooking, no way I could get that done right now. We bought lots of dinners from Trader Joes that I just need to throw in the oven and maybe start some rice/vegis to go with. Today I actually changed all the sheets though so major productivity here.

[Smokering]

Oh, tons. I saved the whales in the morning, and by the evening had negotiated diplomatic trade relations between two warring states and designed a solar panel with 500% more efficiency than previous industry standard models.

...Well, I did manage to bake a batch of chocolate caramel bars and wrap them for DH to take to work to sell tomorrow. That was probably my most major achievement... but it's more impressive when you consider I did most of it with the baby in one arm!

I made 3 weeks' worth of frozen meals before Rowan arrived, and I just realised today that she's 2 weeks and 2 days old today, so they won't last much longer! (Although we had a few nights where we didn't use them, so we may have about a week-and-a-half's-worth left still--not sure). So I don't need to worry about dinner, which is just as well because most days I don't actually get the chance to go out to the garage and defrost a meal! Our microwave's been working overtime.

Other than that, I try to get stuff done in short bursts while she sleeps. Priorities are unloading the dishwasher (simply because I feel like a rotten wife if DH gets home from work and the dishwasher hasn't been unloaded), laundry (mostly Rowan's cloth nappies), eating OK (I neglect this at the best of times, but breastfeeding makes it a priority) and doing my hair (to avoid sinking into deeper slovenliness than usual!). Anything else is optional, including feeding the chickens, who are free-range and need to learn some self-sufficiency, darn them, especially as they're not providing me with any eggs!

AllisonK: Congrats. I started changing the sheets two days ago and never got further than removing one pillowcase off one pillow. The pillow is still naked... and as for the rest of the bed, I console myself with the thought that the other sheets would show the baby's spit-up worse than the current ones anyway.

RosemaryS-F: Any hints on Ergoing a newborn? I have an Ergo, with the newborn insert, and I tried it today but she only lasted for 15 minutes before starting to scream, and she looked kinda squished. Maybe I did it wrong. Are you supposed to be able to nurse while baby's in it? I couldn't, she was too high up. I'm terrified of the thing, for some reason, but I know I'd get a lot more done if I used it... help!

[Jes'sBeth]

get stuff done? There's time for that later! Given, Merry is just 3 days old and I lost enough blood that my midwives told me to stay in bed for 3 days (not that I actually could get much further than the bathroom anyway!) so I've been lucky enough to just hang out watching the world go by from the bed and focusing on nursing. Our older DD is mostly hanging out with her Mama and we eat meals mostly together on the bed. It's been lovely to watch the sun in the sky and the snow melting and to just focus on nursing.

That and I have to say, it feels SO GOOD not to be pregnant anymore! I'm hungry and not nauseaus for the first time since last July!!! It's amazing how fast I'm feeling like my old self! Now I just wish my perineum felt like it's old self lol!

[RosemaryS-F]

Smokering, you saved the whales? Well, my baby wrote his first novel with his own poo on the bedroom wall. What has YOUR baby done?

Ergoing...I put him in it when he was asleep the first time so that I could get used to it. When he woke, he was pretty happy as opposed to the ringsling, which is cause for I personally think that if your lo let you carry for 15 min. that's a good start, especially if awake when you started out. My babe likes lots of motion, so if I put him in and start walking or really dancing and singing, he gets so distracted by my awesome voice and slick moves that he calms down or sleeps. If not I offer my finger to suck on. We haven't yet learned nursing in it. I can't figure out the switching of boobs--that is a real mystery! The website only talks about nursing older babies.

[nugglemama]

I am pretty much back into the normal swing of daily life with the exception of getting the laundry put away. : Thank god for babywearing, b/c I would get nothing done. I do try and get in a nap a day too. Oh and even though I am a Die hard babywearer (I normally wear her hours a day) I will not take her out of the carseat if she is sleeping and I am shopping. I just leave her in it and use the stroller. The motion of the stroller keeps her sleeping.

[Smokering]

Well, my baby wrote his first novel with his own poo on the bedroom wall.

You're more Gentle Discipline than I if that's a cause for joy.

Hmm, I'll try putting Rowan in the Ergo while she sleeps. That is, if I can summon the mental oomph to look at my cherubic sleeping babe and risk antagonising her!