35+ TTC 1st Graduates!!! Come on Over!

[MissMuffet08]

PS. everything is centered for me too!!! I thought it was my computer HA HA HA HA HA HA. Also love the new photo of Ethan (and his new outfit)

 

[rottpaw]

Steph, hugs and love to you too, and you are definitely NOT alone! We STILL hold Ethan up for half an hour after every feed, but the feeds where he gets solids help keep the milk down, too. Has katelyn started solids? I am loving it and just finally made my first batch of homemade baby food yesterday!

Basically for those dealing with reflux, it is a nightmare at first but every day, your baby is growing bigger and stronger and will keep food down a little better, so just try to remember that it will pass!!

 

[rottpaw]

PS. everything is centered for me too!!! I thought it was my computer HA HA HA HA HA HA. Also love the new photo of Ethan (and his new outfit)

Thanks steph! Oddly, on my iPad everything looks normal, but on my desktop everything is centered.

 

[newmarriedgal]

Hi Ladies!

I only have a few moments until Charlie gets home as we have to go to a wake (his friend's mom) so I'm ready and waiting here so thought I would pop on as I haven't in quite some time.

First off, MA - SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!! Amelia is gorgeous and I am so happy you are all home and doing well. The swelling should go away, praying it does so fast. Loved the pics, esp of the two of you. so sweet!

sunshine, I showed Charlie the picture of Hannah with her personality showing and he laughed and said, well, she was very snug in there, she wanted to go back! continued thoughts and prayers for you all.

lava - first off - heck yeah, another woman who counts the days to xmas! As far as worrying over the premature labor, yes! One of the women Charlie works with, her nephew was born at 21 weeks, so I keep telling charlie, if we can get to 22, it would be a struggle but things would be viable. Whether he agrees or not, he knows me enough to tell me all is ok. As I know I have to have a c-section due to a broken and out of place tailbone (which poppy is making VERY uncomfortable these days), and I'm terrified of going into labor before the scheduled c-section! But we have a long road to go, so I'm trying to not think of this.

I have heard of not feeling the babies until late and the books say to not be concerned until week 28 or something, so I wouldn't worry about it yet....esp with the placenta position. Poppy is very active this week.... I have felt flutters for awhile but the other night in bed, I was having a little icecream cup with peanut butter ice cream, pb cups and peanut butter sauce! about 10 minutes after I finished I was just lying there and bam! a nice big kick. I'm thinking poppy liked the ice cream and wanted more! Last night, I was on the couch and have been feeling the flutters and I put charlie's hand on my belly and after a few minutes he felt a big punch! He was amazed said it felt like a big nudge onto his hand. it's a great feeling!

I am SO happy to read all about the reflux issues as charlie has chronic reflux and I've been having some during pregnancy so I'm wondering how much baby will have.

angela - LOVE the new pic, what a big boy!

June - so happy all is going smoothly this time around! congrats on 10 weeks!

animal - how you feeling?

and a big big and hello to all my other friends here: steph, svet, viv, anna, rowan, lucy, skye and oh man, I hope I didn't miss anyone.

Everything else is going well, I have another scan on 10/19 to check the position of my placenta to make sure it is moving upwards. My belly is really popping out, but still only gained 6 pounds and I am eating everything in sight! I'm sure it will catch up to me when poppy starts putting on more weight too. I have to go back to the cardiologist as my heart issues have been very active this week and it's freaking me out a little. I also think I'm trying to do too much and not realize I'm pg until late at night when I'm exhausted, in pain and with an active out of control heart rate. But I'm not working! just house work! My hats off to you all who are working when pregnant, I would have a breakdown by now. I'm sure the cardiologist will put me on the medication he told me about that is safe during pregnancy but hoping he will still give me a choice and just monitor me closely. I am also starting 2000IU of vitamin D3 to help with the joint issues, which are a daily massive struggle! But I tell ya, when I feel the kicking, I can put up with a lot of issues while I bake this little cookie in me!

where the heck is my husband! Either I type fast or he's caught up at work still....Not home yet to go to the wake, so I'm going to have some calcium and Vit D fortified OJ!

Love to you all!
Beth

 

[MissMuffet08]

Angela - No, Katelyn is not on solids yet. We go for her 6month check up on Monday. Since she is a preemie, I don't know if I can start her now or at her adjusted 6 month. I will know on Monday. I am very excited to make my own baby food (or excited for my hubby to make it). I so wanted to get the baby bullet, but we don't really need to spend the money on it as we have a cuisnart, a blender, and some other food smasher thing. I think she is ready as she constantly eyes our food...literally like every bite LOL.

Laura - Yep, can't wait for Christmas! Favorite holiday. Yes, I think we all had/have fears of premature labor...Unfortunately, I developed preeclampsia and delivered my daughter at 30 weeks. Fortunately, they have made HUGE advances in the NICU and in dealing with premature babies. My daughter is flourishing and doing well. However, more than likely you will be fine and go to term.Out of all the women on this thread that have given birth, I think I was the only one that did not go to term, so I am sure you will be fine!

Beth - peanut butter ice cream and sauce, etc....yummy. I think I gained 3 lbs just reading your post! LOL.

I am off to pump, but want to say hi to everyone, Rebekah, Viv, Charmaine, Jules, CJ (We missed you!), Chris, Chris #2, Terri, Lucy, Anna, Rowan, Skye, ...hope I didn't leave anyone out. I truly apologize if I did.

Best,
Steph

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Pupps. It's HORRIBLE! I hope it goes away soon. I'm itchy like crazy. WORSE than chickenpox. I just wanna crawl under a rock.

I need help with breastfeeding info. I'm only pumping 3oz combined for Amelia. Granted it just started coming the other day but I'm wondering how much I should be pumping. How often should I be feeding Amelia with breast milk? I have to supplement with formula because of the jaundice issue. I'm getting frustrated because lactation education at the hospital sucked. Can anyone help steer me in the right direction please??

 

[svetayasofiya]

Quickie post for MA, 3oz ismore than Amelia will eat at this stage. Her stomach is very small. Sophie is 7 weeks and only eating 4oz. Freeze the extra.
As for the supplementing I have no clue. Do you have a local la leche league? Or is that a Canadian thing? Google google google. That's crazy they didn't offer you more info at the hospital.

K, gonna try to get the lil one back to bed...

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Quickie post for MA, 3oz ismore than Amelia will eat at this stage. Her stomach is very small. Sophie is 7 weeks and only eating 4oz. Freeze the extra.
As for the supplementing I have no clue. Do you have a local la leche league? Or is that a Canadian thing? Google google google. That's crazy they didn't offer you more info at the hospital.

K, gonna try to get the lil one back to bed...

Okay. You helped me a great deal. Thank you! What I meant to say is 30ml not 3 ounces.

I was still wondering though about how much she was to supplement was it all the breastmilk she wanted PLUS the supplementation which would be well over 3 ounces?? OR was it the breast milk + pumped milk + supplementation which = 3 full ounces. Sounds like you answered my question now. We've BEEN doing it that way, however I thought since you give your child unlimited breastmilk choice, that they had wanted us to go over 3 fluid ounces. Doug kept saying her stomach could handle that much. Now I understand what he's talking about.

I'm going to talk with the pediatricians lactation specialist. They seem to be really on top of things there and will help me grasp things. It looks as though I'm getting slightly more breast milk today than the other day. I guess that's a good sign.

Love to you all.


Oh, I had to share....Doug woke up in a daze from a dream. He kept saying he couldn't find Jackson Jeffrey and became very sad and scared. I had to calm him down and let him know that things would be okay. The mind is a bitter-sweet memory of what we are awaiting in heaven and the abundant joy of that which we have been given right in front of us today, our little Amelia. Just goes to show how much the loss of Jackson has impacted my husband throughout the past two years. We're so excited for the new adventure with Amelia, yet our hearts know that we are missing someone we await in Heaven in the future. I look at Amelia and pray I NEVER take for granted this sweet little gift I have in such a beautiful little girl. Praise God!

 

[Junebug_CJ]

MA if you're pumping enough you don't need to supplement. Actually nursing her and pumping will help to up your milk production!

 

[Mommy's Angel]

MA if you're pumping enough you don't need to supplement. Actually nursing her and pumping will help to up your milk production!

Okay, here's where I'm confused. I "think" we started supplementing because I didn't produce milk yet. Now that I have milk, I'm wondering if we'll be supplementing the extra because she's jaundice and breastfed babies are known to be jaundice. She also lost a lb from 8lbs 13 ounces to 7lbs 13ounces. Which is why we're going in for a weigh-in on Friday.

I'll ask the Dr. on Friday and let her know my milk is now in and if that means we supplement LESS with formula now that Amelia is breastfeeding.

Another issue I'm having is how do I know she's gotten enough breastmilk? I know I can actually see how much was pumped, but what about the amount she's taken from the boob?!

Also, while some latches are pretty awesome...others are less productive. For instance, I'm finding she'll latch on but then spit the nipple out and re-enter with the nipple. It gets frustrating! Since NICU started her on the bottle, she now doesn't like my nipples. The only way she'll take the boob is if I use a nipple shield now. It's easier for her to use and she has to do less "work".

I know breast feeding wouldn't be a picnic in getting the milk in, however I thought once the milk came, we'd zip right through. Story of my life...

 

[svetayasofiya]

Did she get your colostrum at the beginning? Don't stress about your milk. The colostrum was the most important. Follow Amelia's lead. She knows how much to drink and right now thats not much. It still will prob take close to an hr to bf., balanced out bw both breasts. If the latch isn't right keep taking her off and force her to relatch. Thats how she'll learn. 3oz of formula in one feed is way too much IMO
Good luck!!!


Doug That's rough.... xo

 

[lavalux]

MA,
Love the new ticker!!!!

Hugs to you and Doug. I love how supportive and open the two of you with each other. After losing Jackson, going through the trials of TTC, and the ups and downs of your pregnancy, you can accomplish anything together!

It is so comforting to know that I will have good advice and emotional support through any breastfeeding issues I may have.

I have been off my Zofran for 3 days and sick to my stomach. After throwing up this morning, Scott went to pick up my refill at the pharmacy. I can't believe at 22 weeks my nausea isn't gone! Angela, thanks for the comforting comment about your experience with Zofran. I'll be asking for it in the delivery room too!!!

 

[Junebug_CJ]

MA, like Svet says, don't stress about your milk. Amelia's stomach is currently tiny, the size of a chick pea or so, and it doesn't take much to fill it Also, there is no way of measuring how much she gets from the breast, the important part is that she is wetting a minimum of 6 diapers in 24 hours, and pooping once or twice. If your milk has come in, if you don't stop supplementing, your breasts will think they don't need to make that much and will slow down. Supplementation is necessary when milk production is insufficient, but it doesn't sound to me like that is a problem Jaundice goes away if enough breast milk is around!

I agree too with Svet, 3 oz of formula in one feed is a huge volume for her tiny tummy!

 

[twinkle1975]

Oh Rebekah she's beautiful!!!!

 

[pablo797]

Hi All!!

MA, welcome to the BFing issues. It's a blessing and curse I think. We all want to BF as best we can but it's hard and filled with a million questions. The latch is key. Someone said to me, babies are born to suck but they have to learn to latch. That's the key, you're having to teach them to latch and the chances of them getting it on the first couple of times is pretty small. Give her a chance and she'll get it. I concurr with svet and CJ, 3oz is huge for that age. Some days I only pump 3oz at a time. And yes the more you supplement the less you're body will produce. We had to supplement as Jo wasn't getting enough, no poping, sunken spots on the head, etc. As a result I've never caught up. I know the babies prefer the bottle as it can be easier, but keep at it. I think Jo prefers the ease of the bottle, but I can also tell she really likes the cuddle of BFing, the intimacy of it. Good luck and keep the questions coming. One last note. Pumping you never get as much milk as when they feed, they're better at getting all the milk, so remember they are getting even more than you think.

Speaking of BFing, does anyone have a boob that produces more milk than the other boob? And how to increase it??

NMG, so glad to hear all is well!! Good luck on the next scan.

Lava, good luck with the stomach issues. I am sorry you are still suffering. Hope you feel better.

AFM, it's snowing at my house. Yep white flakes falling. It hit me today that I'm going to have to go back to work in little more than a month and the very idea already makes me sad. She's just so sweet and tiny, can't imagine leaving her to strangers. Luckily day care will only be one or two days a week, but still. . . .

Hi to rottpaw, skye, vivienne, animal, twinkle, steph, sunshine, cj, codegirl, and if i missed anyone I'm sorry. Pregnant brain .. . I lost my check book too.

Anna

 

[pablo797]

Wait, I'm not pregnant anymore, ok mommy brain and sleep deprivation.

 

[animalcracker]

Hello girls!!

Rebekah - Amelia is so beautiful! How are you feeling after your c section? I'm a tad terrified because I need a c section too. I have a fibroid in the way of the birth canal, so my c section will be somewhat tricky according to my Dr. It will be higher up and vertical. I'm worried about the healing process so I am curious about how you are doing, soon after Amelia's birth? Are you finding it difficult to feed her and hold her or is it not that bad?

Sunshine, Hannah is so gorgeous - I love her blonde hair! The first picture is so touching, you look so incredibly happy holding her. She is an absolute doll!

We had a scare last weekend - my husband came out of our bedroom on Saturday clutching his heart and asked me to call an ambulance because his heart was racing. Now, my husband hates doctors, so for him to tell me to call an ambulance, I know it's serious. I was so scared.

While almost having a heart attack myself, I called 911. A police officer showed up who gave him oxygen, followed by 2 Paramedics and then the ambulance. They did an abundance of tests at the hospital and it turns out that the ECG showed an abnormal heart beat. His heart seems to skip. In addition, they thought his heart was slightly enlarged which could be caused by high blood pressure.

He had stopped smoking last year but recently started smoking a few cigarettes a day again (only when he is at work). After this scare, he has stopped smoking for good and also has vowed to lose weight and get in shape. Since we have been together he has gained a lot of weight. I nag him about it all the time, but it has been hard for him to stick to a healthy eating plan, although he desperately wants to lose weight.

When Saturday's awful episode was over and we came home from the hospital, he said the first thing he thought about was leaving me and our baby girl behind. He said it was the most horrifying feeling he has ever had in his life.

We have an appointment with a cardiologist tomorrow for him to get a thorough check up. In a way, this was the shock he needed to start taking better care of himself, but oh my, what a horrible experience. I was terrified I was going to lose the love of my life He is feeling much better and has been eating so well this week, I am so proud of him and he has not touched a cigarette.

As for me, I am getting quite rotund myself I seem to be always hungry. I had good intentions at the start of this pregnancy to keep on exercising every day but I have no energy to work out! I have been organizing the house (still in nesting mode!) and that's been enough to wear me out LOL

Hubby and I have been going back and forth on names. We are in a bit of a pickle about it. We had a name set (Ava) and then my MIL - who, by the way burst into tears when she found out we are having a girl, because she is the first girl in many generations - dropped the hint that her name would be a good one to include ! The problem? Her name is Maria, so we were looking at Ave Maria (does a song come to mind? LOL)

I'm not loving that at all, so we are trying to come up with a compromise. Considering my mother's name is also Maria, we are going to work it in somehow. Right now, I am in love with the name Ava Noelle Maria. I would love your thoughts on that, ladies. What do you think?

I hope everyone is doing well? Much love to you all!!

 

[MissMuffet08]

Hi Anna,

Yes, I get more milk out of my left boob than my right. I can really see the difference when I pump. I can pump 4-5 oz out of my left boob and my right will only give me about 3 -3 1/2during a pump session. Not sure if there is anyway to "even" it out. My understanding is that it is very common. In fact, when I used to bf katelyn anytime I would start on my left side, by the time I got ready to switch to the right, she wouldn't want any more. So now, no matter what I always start her feeding on the right side.

Well speaking of pumping...I am off to do just that. Currently, I am the only one back at work from Maternity leave, next week 2 more people return...we will have to see how that goes with the use of the pump room.

Hi to everyone else. I hope you are all having a fantastic day. Tomorrow is Friday WHOO HOO!

Best,
Steph

 

[MissMuffet08]

Hi Jules - we posted at the same time. OMG I am sorry to hear about your hubby's scare, but glad that everything turned out ok. My hubby smokes and I constantly try to get him to stop. I will share your story and see if that helps (he has also gained weight since we been married and needs to shed more than a few lbs). As for the baby name I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I also just realized that Noelle is Christmasy as well HEE HEE.

 

[svetayasofiya]

Sorry you're still feeling sick Lava.

Anna snow?!?! How's Jo? Fussing less I hope.

Jules, i'm sorry about your husbabd's scare!!! Mine also smokes

I can't rememver who asked but I also have a boob that pumps about an ounce more than the other. Not that i've been pumping lately. Still bf'ing and using the shield. Going w/o every other feeding and I fear my cacks oen up slightly when I don't use the shield. Still don't know what I'm going to do. She's had a total of four bottles of formula in a week. She doesn't seem to mind it. Wish I could make a decision. My parents come tomorrow for a week!!! They haven't met Sophie yet. We're/expecting summer like weather this weekend also