Summer Sensations! (due May/June 2013)

[TwoRdue]

Getting - I hope that you can sort out the feeeing with the wind, my lo drinks so fast and gets the hiccup and tonight was his first milk spew. I love your pichey are very cute.

Snow I am sure you will do great with just you and your lo, jasper is 5 days old and oh had to go back to work as he is self employed and I dont have any help, I was panicked about it but the wether turned really bad and he had to stay home.. I was happy with that as my lo gave me a real fright today and oh managed to calm me down.

I find with breast feeding that Jasper pushes awayand gets his hands in the way when feeding and it would upset him more because he cant understand why he cant get to the breast so I brought a swaddle body suit to help, its made a difference and it stops him attacking his face to.. will put a pic of him in it later

 

[TwoRdue]

Getting was there anyhing that help fia with bath time? Jasper hates them, we have to bath him fast or he screams.. I half fed him before bath time and it dont help.

 

[TwoRdue]

I didn't get instructions on driving either, but I've heard the 2 weeks is standard rough section or not. My doc said to follow up in 4-6 weeks so I'll make it for in about 3 weeks. Haven't scheduled mine either. Can't wait for Virtue to be a bit older so I don't feel like he is so fragile.

2 weeks!!! Lucky.. im not allowed to for 6 weeks and if I do and there is a accident then insurance will not cover it so I am left to rely on the oh..

 

[Christie2011]

Turns out Leo is a little fat boy at heart. He weighed in at 9lbs 4oz, already surpassing his birth weight of 8lbs 7oz. He also managed to grow 1 3/4". I'm not convinced he did grow so much, I always thought the hospital didn't get an accurate measurement. It's so hard with the way LOs squirm and pull in their limbs and such.

His doctor says he's doing so well that after his 2 week apt, which we only need because Maryland requires a second blood panel done for various deficiencies, then we can skip his 1 month and come back for his 2 month when he gets his first round of vaccinations.

Now if only I can get him to sleep at night.

Two - I call that pose the 'tree frog'. Leo loves when I attempt to burp him up on my shoulder. More times than not he ends up just curled around my boob fast asleep. I feel like he's clinging to me like a tree frog does a tree

Fia looks like she enjoyed the party.

 

[Christie2011]

NoDoubt - totally feel ya about Leo being so fragile. I can't wait until he is able to start supporting his head a little. It makes me nervous how floppy he is right now.

 

[raelynn]

Christie & Two - Haylee loves the 'tree frog' position as well. She's been fussy the last 2 days and I just let her fall asleep like that on my shoulder after my attempts at burping her. It settles her down right away. She's also starting lifting her head up from that position. It scares me though because she can get it up but then lets it flop back down so I try to catch it before she gives up.

She's started making little baby noises too. Mostly in her sleep or when feeding. She grunts loudly which is hilarious and makes cute little baby sighs. She's also feeding like crazy during the day. I guess she switched her cluster feeding periods to the day since she only wakes once during the night now. Sometimes I wonder how she can still be hungry but she fusses and tries to suck on my arm sometimes even just a short time after a 30 min feeding. I also solved my leaking problem by either making sure she feeds really well right before bed on both sides. If she doesn't, I pump both sides just to empty out.

 

[GettingBroody]

Two - didn't do anything specific to help with the bath I'm afraid. She just cried less for the second one & hardly at all for the third one... She still screams when she's being dried though! Probably cold after coming out of the warm water. One thing I do try to do is wait til she isn't crying before taking her out of the bath so she doesn't associate crying with getting taken out of the water.

Christie - well done Leo!! Great weight gain!

Rae - Fia makes little happy sighing noises when she's feeding sometimes, it's so cute!!

Fia clusterfed for a few hours yesterday evening and then slept from 11 til 5am!!! Downside is my bbs were like rocks from the missed feed!

 

[TwoRdue]

This is the swaddle I love

 

[GettingBroody]

Too cute!

 

[MissAnnabelle]

Two where did you get that? Allie likes to have her arms up and I think that's why she fights the swaddle.

I feel like she is awake too long. She gets so fussy sometimes she will only sleep on me. She's 2 weeks old today. Things are for sure going better but still figuring things out.
It's hard having a fussy baby and then people try to tell me to let her cry it out. No thanks.

Broody I can't believe how big fia is now! Looks like she is thriving

 

[GettingBroody]

MissA - thanks! She was 6lbs 10 last Wed so she's still small really but she seems much bigger! Her muscle tone is very good and she can hold her head up for quite a while now... Sorry to hear Allie is fussing a lot I definitely agree with you about not letting her cry it out - ye'll both be utterly miserable and she's much too young to even learn anything from the experience! For some strange reason we (ie the human race!) seem to expect huge independence from tiny babies! If a cuddle with mum is what she needs to comfort her then that's what she should get! Must be exhausting for you though...fx'd she gets more settled in the next few weeks

 

[Christie2011]

Leo likes to have his hands to his heart when swaddled. My other son didn't really like to be swaddled at all. My other son never like pacifiers either, Leo will settle down with one though.

Leo slept a little better last night, but was still up almost every hour and then would only nurse for 5 mins.

While at his apt yesterday I found out just how much a mama's touch or voice can settle a LO. he was crying when I laid him down on the table for his dr to take a look at him, but as soon as I started talking to him, he quieted. I loved that he is so comforted by me that just my voice makes him feel safe.

I have to go out and buy some bags or containers to start freezing some breast milk. Leo nursed so much to begin with, I now I have extra. Which will be a good thing for when I go back to work. At least I'll be able to provide his daycare with breast milk.

 

[No Doubt]

Is anyone else's lo still sneezing? Virtues been sneezing since he was born. They said its normal ad its how they clear out all the mucus, especially babies born via c-section. Just wondering if he should still be sneezing.

Virtue had a fussy night last night too. He fussed himself right into his midnight feeding, then didn't want to be put down. He would fall asleep no problem with the usual rocking and butt pat, but as soon as we lay him down he'd start up again. And he was so awake yesterday so o thought for sure he'd sleep last night. Now he's wide awake again.

 

[TwoRdue]

MissA here is a link and I think you should be able to get it on ebay or amazon

https://www.sleepsolutions.com.au/babies/?gclid=CKbw6-Ot3LcCFUFLpgodhzoAsQ

 

[MissAnnabelle]

Broody - it sounds like she is doing great! I can't believe she is holding her own head up at 6lbs that's great. I found thus website troublesometots.com that deals with sleep a lot. I think I gave to keep trying the swing and swaddle and pacifier. Right now it just seems like she hates everything but I think I gave to introduce intro her better. We went for a walk today down the canal. It was our first outing by ourselves. Dh went back to work yesterday. It's rough because he works 55hrs a week usually but we are doing ok so far. Plus I don't have any family nearby so it's all just me.

Christie - what pump are you using?

No doubt - mine still sneezes a half dozen times a day. That's what happens with Allie and she gets herself overtired. The other day she only slept 12hrs. Same thing maybe 15 minutes at most after I set her down she is up. Check out that website that lady talks about swaddling and the swing for sleep.

Two - thanks! I found one in amazon in going to try it!

 

[almosthere]

Hi ladies sorry i've been so quiet on here...I finally got my catheter removed yesterday but also asked for a UTI test and I do have a UTI...just what I need right? ugh. On meds now-which by the way will most likely give me yeast infection, so I have meds for that just in case.

Nodoubt-I worry about allergies with my cat, but yes my LO sneezes and I was also told it is normal. He seems so cold today but his armpit temp was good. He slept for 4 hours straight-does anyone else who is breastfeeding let there lo's breastfeed 2 hours at a time everyday and then give a long stretch here and there? Like in the night? Also, does anyone else have trouble with their lo's not crying all the time in the night to let you know he peed/pooped? Liam does this sometimes and it makes me worry! He needs to wake us up or else I am going to have to start using an alarm to check on him every couple hours! LOL

My breasts have finally calmed down after 48 hours of hard rock torture-so glad as liam had trouble latching with such firm breasts. I am supposed to be getting my medela double electric pump in the mail by thursday, hope it comes soon!

 

[Christie2011]

I'm using the Medela single deluxe pump. It's one my sister gave me that she used. My right boob seems to be the one that is over producing. I pumped that one twice yesterday and ended up with 11 or so oz.

Leo still sneezes, but not much.

Leo and I got out today for a bit. My sister came and got us so we could do some shopping. Leo desperately needed some correct sized diapers (he already used up the newborn and 1s that I had, so we were left with using size 2s [I have a lot of size 2 left over from my older boy]).

I also needed a bigger nursing bra. I don't think I'll get back to prepreggo weight until after I stop breastfeeding. I feel like a porn star with these things ! I bought the biggest cup size they had at Target in my size and I think I may even need another cup bigger.

 

[GettingBroody]

Almost - sometimes Fia feeds on and off for hours and other times 10 minutes will do her! I'm just letting myself be guided by what she wants. Likewise sometimes she wants more after 2-3 hours, other times it's 4-5. She never cries with a wet/dirty nappy either so I just change it before every feed.

Christie - if you're trying to decrease your oversupply then you should only pump when it is getting unbearable and even then just pump enough to take the edge off. Otherwise pumping until you are empty will only increase your supply. (I had big problems with oversupply when Fia came home & I switched from pumping to exclusively bf'ing, was very sore for a few days but then my supply decreased to match her need) Obviously if you want to keep your oversupply so you can build up a store of milk then keep pumping!!

 

[TwoRdue]

One of my boobs were huge yesterday as Jasper would only feed from one size so o tried to express the other but can't get the hang of it.. did anyone have probs with expressing to start of with

 

[Christie2011]

Two - are you using a manual or an electric pump? I have a single manual and and a single electric. I find I get a bit more with the electric, but the milk doesn't start flowing right away for either. I think the main thing is to remain relaxed. If your LO is close by then try pumping while looking at him and maybe imagine that you are nursing him.

I've also read about a short massage of the breast from the outside in toward the nipple in a circular pattern helps with the let down reflex.

I've just asked my manager if I can take 2 more weeks off than I had originally planned. I just can't see putting Leo into daycare this early and I found out that it will be slightly better financially for me to stay out on disability than to return to work so quickly. I hope both work and the daycare will be OK with me delaying my return.