month of June, Feb 2011 group

[mullinska]

Gosh, June already and it is clearly showing her in VA. Upper 90's all week so we are staying in the air conditioning.

Feeling tired and run down, part weekend travel, part mastitis.

Fussy baby will not sleep at all for her morning nap. She seemed close, but is now a mad crying mess. I am having an issue with the whole falling asleep while nursing thing. At this point, she is so upset and wont sleep that it will be time to feed, and she will immediately fall asleep without draining the boob.. leaving me in the predicament I am in now.. clogged ducts leading to mastitis. She nursed at around 9:30a. but seemed to play more than nurse, she sucked for a little while, then turned her head away. She has been doing that a lot lately. Is she not hungry, or not liking the milk or just not approving of the flow? When I give a squeeze at these times, it seems like there is still a good amount of milk coming out. I am at my whits end at this point. She won't settle and it has been almost an hour of getting calm, almost sleeping to wailing. Any thoughts?? I think I really need to start enforcing a schedule if I can, I hate having to set an alarm for the summer since we can all just wake when we want... but it just may be best for the baby and in the long run, for us all.

[MumInWaiting]

Grape - Happy belated birthday! Sorry the extended family didn't celebrate it, but hopefully you found time to do something for yourself. Haha, and I knew your time with DH's family certainly had to involve food. Wow! That's a great way to make sure you keep that weight up - seems like the perfect place for you to spend your long weekend

Mull - Oh, beer pong. Hilarious! Somehow it lasts through the ages, doesn't it? I'm so sorry about the glass in your boobs. Oh dear that sounds awful. So, in regards to not eating much, have you tried to feed her by sitting in a dark room even during the day? I remember at a LLL mtg I went to, they said around this age babies start to realize that the world is much more exciting than staring at our boobs so they want to look around. They suggested making the surroundings as boring as possible, so to turn off all the lights and sit in a dark bedroom and the baby will realize that eating suddenly IS the most exciting thing in that moment.

Country - Wow, I hope your pedicure goes well. That sounds lovely, especially with a voucher. How was it bringing A along? I've thought a few times how I could totally bring Toby and feed him during the experience, but I'm not sure if I should go for it. Maybe on a weekday afternoon when the place is empty..

AFM, the rest of Florida was great. I'm going to try to attach another photo of Toby "swimming" on a raft in the pool. Apologies if it ends up all huge again like mine seem to! Toby slept the entire flight back (2 hrs). Any time he started wriggling a bit like he was going to wake up, I'd stick a boob in his mouth and we were all good. It was so nice to have my mom accompany me on the flight and then she spent the night with us in NY and flew home yesterday. Unfortunately, before she left she managed to hit her toe on the bouncy seat and we think it's broken. Two hours later it was swollen and completely black...I felt so bad, but she seemed to keep her spirits up.

[Grapecrush]

I think something must be in the water - all of the sudden, there are all these weird issues with breastfeeding (which really DID get easier, didn't it? I didn't believe Ophelia at first!). Zoe is spending 90-120 minutes per session! At five feedings a day, that's 7.5-10 hours a day that her little mouth is connected to me! I can't get ahead with the pumping, but even when I do, she'll chug a bottle in 20-30 minutes (or occasionally she'll draw it out like a Portuguese meal, with lots of long breaks), but I'm also pumping for 20 minutes. So, as special as the breastfeeding experience is, for the purpose of having a little more time, I've decided that starting June 7 (that's Z's 4-month birthday), I will supplement with formula. I'm thinking of doing the first and last feeds on the boob and doing bottles (formula or expressed milk) for the middle three.

June 7 is the big day - I think I mentioned before that we will be transferring Z to the crib in her own room for nighttime sleeping starting then.

I can't believe how she's "growing up" - I'm excited about all of the new things she can do, and it's amazing to watch the cognitive and motor development over each day, but I am sort of sad, too. Each time I have to switch out the clothes to a bigger size, I find it bittersweet: this phase is over, she'll never be this age again, etc.

Speaking of getting older, I'm starting to think about when she turns 6 months and we start adding solids to her diet. We think it makes sense to make the food, so COUNTRY, I will soon be PM-ing you to find out more about your experience with this.

Anyway, MULL, I hope your mastitis is healing, poor thing. Do you think Fiona's having her 4-month growth spurt a bit early? It sure sounds like it. or maybe her gums are bothering her, although i'd think she'd want to nurse to soothe them. I agree with MUM about them getting distracted. Zoe has been doing the funniest thing: she'll latch on the boob, and then I'll do something (mundane like bite into and chew a sandwich) or start talking to DH, and she'll stop eating and look up at me like she is examining a fascinating foreign creature. She has these very curious eyes, and then when I meet hers, she starts laughing. It's pretty hysterical. I think a schedule is the best thing we did, by the way. I know summer is supposed to be casual, so you don't have to be exact. We have a wakeup and bed time that are consistent, giver or take an hour to 90 minutes, and I just make sure Z gets three feeds between those, usually every 3 hours, but sometimes stretched to 4 or down to 2 1/2. Knowing there are five feeds a day and a somewhat set bed time has been a huge relief.

MUM, that pic of the Tobster on the raft is ADORABLE! I totally want to get Zoe in a swimming group!

Oh yeah - a couple nights ago, DH came home from work profusely apologetic about not acknowledging my birthday to his family. And he bought me an I-Pad! Breastfeeding has just become more entertaining!

[MumInWaiting]

Grape - June 7 is a big day! Hopefully the formula and crib will both go even better than expected. Awesome that you have an ipad. I'm jealous because it really must revolutionize bf'ing.

[erobin1]

Grape-- Sorry about the lack of a suckling pig... lol... but happy the birthday got made up for. And your story about Zoe pulling off the boob to look up at you and then laugh is just fantastic. Really adorable. Sorry about the breast feeding weirdness. Supposedly they sleep better on formula, so that might be an added benefit of cutting back. Have been thinking about ipads lately b/c have been wondering if it might help Sammy-- a drawing program for writing where he could do it with his finger on the touch screen. We'd have to find a way to disable the internet tho, at least at times, b/c as previously mentioned his illiteracy has a magical way of disappearing when he's googling movies and tv shows and youtube videos...

Mull-- Is the mastitis/clogged duct any better? Ouch. ouch. ouch. And lol on the beer pong. It has been a long time... Weird to hear about it being hot. Hope you are feeling better.

Mum-- LOVE the photo. What a cutie! Like Tommy, Toby is one of those baby boys who really looks like a boy to me. Sammy was different that way somehow. Anyway, how is the sleep the last few days? Any better? How is having him sleep in a walk in closet working? It gave me an idea. Perhaps I should put a little crib in our closet for sleep training.... hmm... trying to figure that all out. Sorry about your mom's toe! Your mom just seems like the best.

Country-- You on vacation now? I'm not keeping great track of time. Can't wait to hear tales of Arabella at the beach. Sounds really fun.

Jen-- Hope you feel better!

Ophelia & Little-- Hope the storms are settling down.

AFM-- hmm... well... sleeping last night was actually a little better. But sleep in general is an issue. His naps seem to be getting harder rather than easier. Breast feeding, tho, is going really well (knock wood). Still a lusty feeder, although he's beginning to chew on my nipples some and I dread teething as that is when I got the worst mastitis last time. Oh, I was soooo sick. He has only given a few of those belly laughs. I can't wait for more. Hasn't done one for DH yet.

Anyway, I'm very tired & have been feeling very anxious although today is a little better. Decided I needed a couple of sessions with my shrink to "brush up" and talk about the job decision. Am still semi hemming and hawing over starting back to much more work. It scares me, to be honest. But, I am starting to feel better about it. Having been talking to people, etc.

However, need to get Tommy sleeping better. Lately he seems to want to sleep ON the boob ONLY. Good Grief! It has gotten more extreme. I've tried having him fuss and put himself to sleep a few times but he's quite stubborn. For afternoon nap yesterday I finally gave up after about 40 minutes. I would go in and comfort him and he'd grin up at me with this pathetic little grin. And he had real tears and I finally couldn't stand it. However, these things are often done as they need to be done and they will need to be done for him to be cared for mostly by other people. People who do not have boobs. (or don't have his boobs, anyway.... lol.... you know what I mean)

This morning Sammy dragged Tommy's exer-saucer slowly around the house, narrating a story along the way. Tommy thought that was great. I watched and almost made him stop as it probably wasn't fully approved, but it was very cute and I really need Sammy to feel bonded to Tommy and like he can play with him. Then Sammy sat down with a pencil and paper (miracle in itself) and decided to "observe" Tommy while Tommy played with the toys on the saucer. Made a series of little drawings. i was so relieved to see it as Sammy's enthusiasm for the advent of Tommy has been pretty scarce lately. Like my sense of humor and memory. lol...

BTW, no period yet. Last time I got it at 4 or 5 months tho, so I wouldn't be surprised if it came before too long. Some people don't menstruate the whole time they breast feed. Really varies.

[erobin1]

Grape-- Sorry about the lack of a suckling pig... lol... but happy the birthday got made up for. And your story about Zoe pulling off the boob to look up at you and then laugh is just fantastic. Really adorable. Sorry about the breast feeding weirdness. Supposedly they sleep better on formula, so that might be an added benefit of cutting back. Have been thinking about ipads lately b/c have been wondering if it might help Sammy-- a drawing program for writing where he could do it with his finger on the touch screen. We'd have to find a way to disable the internet tho, at least at times, b/c as previously mentioned his illiteracy has a magical way of disappearing when he's googling movies and tv shows and youtube videos...

Mull-- Is the mastitis/clogged duct any better? Ouch. ouch. ouch. And lol on the beer pong. It has been a long time... Weird to hear about it being hot. Hope you are feeling better.

Mum-- LOVE the photo. What a cutie! Like Tommy, Toby is one of those baby boys who really looks like a boy to me. Sammy was different that way somehow. Anyway, how is the sleep the last few days? Any better? How is having him sleep in a walk in closet working? It gave me an idea. Perhaps I should put a little crib in our closet for sleep training.... hmm... trying to figure that all out. Sorry about your mom's toe! Your mom just seems like the best.

Country-- You on vacation now? I'm not keeping great track of time. Can't wait to hear tales of Arabella at the beach. Sounds really fun.

Jen-- Hope you feel better!

Ophelia & Little-- Hope the storms are settling down.

AFM-- hmm... well... sleeping last night was actually a little better. But sleep in general is an issue. His naps seem to be getting harder rather than easier. Breast feeding, tho, is going really well (knock wood). Still a lusty feeder, although he's beginning to chew on my nipples some and I dread teething as that is when I got the worst mastitis last time. Oh, I was soooo sick. He has only given a few of those belly laughs. I can't wait for more. Hasn't done one for DH yet.

Anyway, I'm very tired & have been feeling very anxious although today is a little better. Decided I needed a couple of sessions with my shrink to "brush up" and talk about the job decision. Am still semi hemming and hawing over starting back to much more work. It scares me, to be honest. But, I am starting to feel better about it. Having been talking to people, etc.

However, need to get Tommy sleeping better. Lately he seems to want to sleep ON the boob ONLY. Good Grief! It has gotten more extreme. I've tried having him fuss and put himself to sleep a few times but he's quite stubborn. For afternoon nap yesterday I finally gave up after about 40 minutes. I would go in and comfort him and he'd grin up at me with this pathetic little grin. And he had real tears and I finally couldn't stand it. However, these things are often done as they need to be done and they will need to be done for him to be cared for mostly by other people. People who do not have boobs. (or don't have his boobs, anyway.... lol.... you know what I mean)

This morning Sammy dragged Tommy's exer-saucer slowly around the house, narrating a story along the way. Tommy thought that was great. I watched and almost made him stop as it probably wasn't fully approved, but it was very cute and I really need Sammy to feel bonded to Tommy and like he can play with him. Then Sammy sat down with a pencil and paper (miracle in itself) and decided to "observe" Tommy while Tommy played with the toys on the saucer. Made a series of little drawings. i was so relieved to see it as Sammy's enthusiasm for the advent of Tommy has been pretty scarce lately. Like my sense of humor and memory. lol...

BTW, no period yet. Last time I got it at 4 or 5 months tho, so I wouldn't be surprised if it came before too long. Some people don't menstruate the whole time they breast feed. Really varies.

[erobin1]

Oh, and, did I mention that it is raining all week here again? The weather is essentially like February. We've had no real spring yet. Very very strange as it would usually be HOT this time of year and it is confusing me greatly in some weird way.

[MumInWaiting]

E - I'm really sorry to hear about the rain. I find the weather impacts my mood more than sleep deprivation, interestingly. I guess because I have such a small apt right now that while inside I literally don't move so I don't get my adrenaline going. I'm sorry to hear you're still so tired but glad you can appreciate the lovely moments as the brothers play together

Toby woke up FIVE times last night. I thought I was going to pass out today. In bed now so this will be quick! We're off to DH's college reunion tomorrow in Connecticut. Should be fun but we're leaving Toby with a random grad student who signed up as a babysitter. Makes me a bit nervous since I know nothing about her. But somehow the fact that she goes to Yale makes me a bit more confident, if that's fair to say. We'll see!

[erobin1]

Anyone else still have some jerky movements from their babies? It seems like when Tommy gets really tired, especially, he gets sort of jerky, a bit of a startle response. And when he's concentrating really hard on grabbing hanging toys, which he's pretty good at doing, can bring toys to mouth, etc, sometimes his hands almost look, not exactly like they are shaking, but as if there are extra motions as he's focusing on getting there with them. And the more tired he is the more pronounced it is. I think both are normal but at the moment it is the middle of the night and he's been up twice already so I'm not in a very rational frame of mind and ahve been worrying about them.

[MumInWaiting]

Toby's limbs still jerk a lot. He can bring toys to his mouth but hasn't started reaching for them yet so I don't know about the more refined movements - I just know he still needs to be swaddled or he'll jerk and wake himself up. Am I one of the last to still swaddle?

Ugh he woke right after I posted last night. So I went to sleep at midnight. He then woke 3-4am and now again 6-6:45 and still awake. I'm nauseous I'm no tired.