I'm here.
I was expecting to slip back into online life the way I did after my son, and it hasn't worked quite that way.
We have actually had a great start with each other and with nursing, but there is just SO much else going on in my life, I don't get to enjoy the peace as much as I would like. Having a newborn is a whole different animal when you have school-aged children. I think it would be even more tricky if one of them was still a toddler, hitting all the stages.
JesiLynne, that was my BIG fear- being sick for delivery/ right after. I managed to avoid it, but my daughter was sick the 3 or 4 days before I had the baby, and then my son got sick for 3 or 4 days shortly after. Bleck. Oh, and the antibiotics I was on for 10 days, ending several days before delivery, despite being on an alternating schedule of probiotics, wiped out my new baby's intestinal flora. His first and second nights were VERY rough, squealing from gas pains all night. My husband ran up at 3am on the second night to get gas drops. They helped so much that night. Giving him probiotics twice daily has helped, as well.
Nillarilla, powdered goldenseal would likely help. I didn't use anything on his cord this time, and he is still having some irritated bleeding a few days after his cord fell off. I have started using a little triple antibiotic ointment on it from time to time, when it seems especially angry.
dooney, don't even joke! I am ready to get back on the, ahem, marital horse, but the thought of having two little ones less than a year apart... it is enough to make a tire mom celibate.
nighten, this kiddo is very much more spitty than either of my other babies. I don't remember my second spitting up at all (he was a slow gainer, and used everything he took in), or my first spitting up this much- especially the curdled stuff (she would usually urp fresh milk when she overate like a little piggie). I have some cocyntal, recommended by my pediatrician, but the box says for children 1 month and older, so I haven't used it yet. Also, it is a colic cure, and I don't really feel he is colicky? He is on probiotics 2x daily. I haven't tried eliminating dairy yet. He doesn't usually get upset when he spits up, thankfully.
Vegan Princess, I tried a diapering service with my first, and was doing half and half- half cloth, half disposies, and did not have a good experience with it. I sucked it up and bought some pocket diapers this time around, committing myself to washing everything myself. We just started them yesterday (at 9 days old), and so far, so good. These totally wick away the moisture, and feel much nicer than prefolds on top of a cover. Maybe you could get some pocket covers, and stick the prefold in those? Ooo, nighten's idea is much less work.
Is anyone else having hydration issues? I am doing my best to stay hydrated, but have had a dehydration headache the past two or three days. It is getting obnoxious.