Month of March... parents of February, and a few January babes!

[Ophelia Payne]

Julie- sorry you feel a bit on the outside of things. I am glad to be breastfeeding, but I miss Bottle feeding, too. We used formula for my nephew (whom I co-parented) I liked burping those playtex nurser bottles.... Sharing the pleasure of feeding a little one. My has always been grades ahead and super smart... And very healthy, too... So I hope you have found peace about that.

[mullinska]

Grape, we are getting at least one stretch of 5 hours from end of feeding to the wake up. Dr isn't concerned as Fiona is already above birth weight after only 10 days. She goes down between 9:30 and 11 after a 3 hour cluster feed and then sleeps, and then afer the middle of the night feeding which takes 15 minutes to 45 depending on how hungry she is, she will go back down for another 3 hours usually before the early am feeding. I am not sure if it will last, but for now... my supply is enough to keep her full. So glad that the drops are working for you.

Ophelia, sounds like you and DH have the plan for his drinking. I hope he sticks to it and that you both can recognize his triggers that lead him to the over indulgence. I have not toughed a single baby book this time around. I have not really thought about tummy time other that on our chest as we are reclined. But she still has very few alert times during the day.

Elena, sorry to hear your nap was interrupted by the phone, I love my do not disturb button on my phone! I only use it when I am feeling really desperate, but it works so great. It sounds like you may need to get a wrap on for Tommy to get some good daytime naps close to you.

mum, glad you are getting some milk. That is great for just starting out. It will only increase in amount. Good luck with the wrap

Julie, I hope you enjoyed your much needed sleep... that is a benefit of formula.. anyone can feed your child and you are free to do what you need to do! We use mild soap on Fiona as well, and they did at the hospital too.

Gotta run, no time to type stuff for me

[TrickiWoo]

I feel a little out of it because I must the only one in the group who is formula feeding.

Julie, don't feel left out. We're almost completely on formula at this point too. My milk took 6 days to come in so Leah got used to the bottle because we had to supplement her. I was never able to get her back on the breast, she just flat out refused. I've been pumping but the past few days she doesn't want the expressed milk I'm giving her, only the formula. I don't look at it as a huge deal because my twins were mostly formula fed and they're happy and healthy. As long as the baby is cared for they can and do thrive on formula if that's what needs to be done. It's not really worth dwelling on IMO, it's such a small portion of their lives that they breast or bottle feed. Before you know it they're on solids and sippy cups

[erobin1]

Country-- I'm getting (often) one 4 hour stretch at night too, although sometimes its 3. The first stretch from about 10-1 or 2. that's when I sleep, mostly as after that it is nursing for a lot fo the rest of the night and I kind of doze while side-lying but it isn't really exactly sleep. How are things with your mom going?

Julie-- I'm sorry we've been going on so much about breast feeding.... I'm sure that will be temporary. It is just kind of hard and anxiety provoking at first and so one wants to talk about it a lot. But feel free to throw out other topics! I hope you had a nice nap the other day...

Ophelia-- I hope things are going well with DH. It strikes me that this whole thing might be related to his dad dying and a new baby coming at the same time. That is a lot to deal with for anyone. I really hope that he sticks with it and that you can relax a bit. So hard to have major worries right now.

Mum-- Are you getting any rest? Now that all the relatives are gone are you overwhelmed or OK? (or both?)

Mull-- I've been meaning to ask how Allison is doing. Are the tantrums settling?

Tricky-- Nice to hear from you. How are you doing with three?

Jillian-- thanks for the sling advice. I'm going to look at that one.

Grape-- How is beautiful Zoe? Are you still having the spit up issues?

AFM-- Feeling a little weird as at this moment I am at WORK!! With the residents. Although two of them are at a volunteer clinic for an hour doing kindergarten physicals so are coming late, which is why I am writing... but... hmm... I was having major anxiety about this in the middle of the night last night, but so far I'm OK. Tommy had just nursed for a couple of hours and then fallen asleep right before I left so hopefully he's OK. I'll pump in a while. But I started freaking out that being gone all afternoon would mess up my milk supply or etc etc. But, it is only one afternoon a week..... I got some pants from my MIL's storage bin of "fat" clothes as I realized that I am awkwardly having my maternity pants fall to my knees (I've been wearing only sweats-- 'cause crazy slipper lady rolls that way) but still too big for even my biggest sized normal pants and really don't want to buy pants in this size since my size is a moving target.... so, anyway, I am in normal clothing! I brushed my hair! Wow. Feels very odd, I must say, to be here after so long.

The whole work thing is making me anxious. Also learned that a doctor quit this practice, which is where I'd ideally like to come back to work, which means that they are hiring. But I am reluctant to rush. Feel pretty weird about being away from Tommy this soon at all and can't imagine that I want to add to it too much before at couple more months at least have passed.

Anyway....

Also very very tired. But, hey, I doubt any of you are tired so discussing it would be like talking about cold to a person stranded in the desert. You just wouldn't understand... lol....

[MumInWaiting]

Lol, E, yes, utter exhaustion here as well, shockingly I'm glad you felt like a normal person today!! How healthy that sounds. So who looked after Tommy while you were working?

Mull - So glad you get those longer stretches. I'm jealous, I must admit, but it's so great that you appreciate and value what you have!

Interestingly, I had my new moms group today and I spent most of the time talking about (ie, complaining) how Toby has not slept more than 2-2.5 hrs ever in his life (the first 48 hrs don't count because we were both so drugged up!). It was a terrible day after a terrible night - no sleep, constant eating interrupted by intense fusiness - so I emailed DH to get him to come him straight away as soon as he could leave work. Well, 30 mins before he got home Toby and I fell asleep and Toby ended up sleeping for 2hrs 45 mins! DH was a dream and let me stay in bed while he took sleeping Toby to the living room and proceeded to clean the entire kitchen, take out the garbage, cook dinner, etc. It was amazing. But, it didn't help my argument that life at home was falling apart because Toby wouldn't stop fussing and I couldn't get anything done

[mullinska]

Elena, thanks for asking, Allison is doing better. I think that being under the weather last week was really an issue for her. She melted down about EVERYTHING! She is still a little extra sensitive and will burst out in tears for the small disagreements, but there are fewr of them. She is also showing a lot more affection to Fiona. She likes to be helpful.. it is kind of her nature, and she likes to share food and things, so she doesn't quite get why she can't share her ice cream with baby... Oh, and she still refuses to call her Fiona, it is now Balloon Baby Sunflower. But she usually just calls her Baby. The working sounds very nice... even if it is conflicting. There was a home show last weekend and another this weekend and my contractor said they may have a few people looking for some design help! So I may be heading back to some form of working soon as well!!

So we are pretty quiet here... Hubby's dad and step-mom will be here tomorrow. They live the closest, but she had a skin rash and had to rule out shingles before coming to meet the baby. So it will be just a day visit and they will bring some food to contribute to dinner. Then hubby needs to drive to the airport to get his mom who arrives from Minnesota at 11:15pm. That one will be unpleasant with the lack of sleep. I need to be good about getting up in the morning and letting him sleep in so that he isn't totally dead for the 45 minute drive to the airport.. although with the way he drives it is more like an hour. I also think I may send Grandma to the movies with Allison during the afternoon so that we can take our naps I am really looking forward to MIL being here until Thursday. She needs no instruction and just does her thing and if she needs her space she goes out and weeds in my garden or will take Allison for a walk, unsolicited... she just seems to know how to help without being told what to do. It is so nice. AND she will cook! Hubby back to work on Monday until the end of the semester...

Next project is to make up thank you cards and announcements. I finally have my adobe creative suite uploaded to the new computer to be able to tackle that! I just need some motivation to do it and a few more pictures to choose from.

Quick question, anyone noticed caffeine affecting their baby? I have not been having much at all, but it was something I was thinking about as there were a few nights that Fiona was a little more fussy and awake and I think on those nights I had had some soda.

[Ophelia Payne]

Mul- exciting to have family coming in- ESP. Helpful ones! Sam rarely uses jades name. Usually it "the baby" or "baby brother". I think he gets confused as to how he can be her brother, but she has to be his sister. He knows she's a girl, but still tries to tell people he has a brother. Sam still is running on heightened emotions, but they were much worse when we were sick last week.
Elena and mum- exciting about starting back at work, though I don't feel I have any brain power yet.... Much less the energy. I get jellous when everyone returns to work... Makes me think I want that, too... Except that I've tried that, and I chose to stay at home back when Sam was born... And know that I missed him when I was gone. It was nice to have some adult conversations and personal space, though Both jobs are hard, and I think most people have a part of themselves that wishes they were doing the opposite.

Who asked about soap, Julie? Our ped. is very conservative about baths. He told us babies don't need washed very often at all... Some more than others, though. He also prefers water only for the first few weeks. Jade is a baby who needs baths! All the projectile spitup, sweat, and irritated skin, means she smells like she needs a bath more often. So, we are dowing every 2-3 days...with Samuel, we did once a week, and he smelled lovely and had great skin. I use kiss my face pure olive oil bar for my babies.

[Ophelia Payne]

Oh, and I forgot to report how the bottle went.... She took it for my mother like a champ.... All 4 oz! She slept a ling time afterwards. Last night and today my supply went haywire. I woke up engorged beyond belief. I was so sad. Shes been gassy, clingy, and hungry all day. Keeps pulling away and screaming fussing at he breast. When she latched, it was a good latch, but she wasn't happy. Tonight she was overful but wanting to nurse for comfort... I really have to go get her some binkies to try. Tonight is the first stretch of peace I've had all day. It been 30 min. Asleep. Bliss.

Dh is having our alarm guy come and revamp and reactivate our home alarm system. Yep,he overprotective daddy thing has kicked in already. It was good enough for Samuel and I, but not for his little girl!! Jade prefers daddy, too... So at least it's not a one way street!
Need to update pics....
Also need to pick up thank you cards tomorrow. I let some cakes in the house for my moms birthday. Dh and I were bickering on top of jade being fussy..so the stress eating kicked in and I ate 3 generous slices! Eek! We were out of fruit. I seriously need a trip to the store!

[country girl]

hi everyone

elena.... wow at work.... that has to be really hard.... Im glad you got out of sweats and the house and was able to feel like a real person again.
great on the sleeps.... Im managing one block from 1-4 or 5, then another from 4-8-9ish and I fall back alseep from 8ish - 10-11ish.... so if I am lucky I get 6-8 hrs..although the day is gone.... my new project is trying to get to bed before midnight...

ophelia.... I bath arabella about every 2-3 days.... usually cause shes a bit pooey....
great news on the breast pumping... bummer about jade getting overfull and fussing... I tend to pull out the dummy for that one... and the gripe water...lol...
Im glad that sam is loving the baby...how funny about him telling everyone he has a brother..is it wishful thinking?? or just gender confusion...lol..
so sweet of your husband being overprotective of jade...although I guess thast you are prob over it a bit... sounds like she is going to be a daddys girl...

mull.... great news on allison settling in with her new sister... lets hope that it continues... Im sure it will be much easier when Fiona becomes an interactive toy for her..lol...
your MIL sounds amazing...wow you are certainly lucky on that front...
Sorry cant answer the caffiene question... Ive had a few cups in the morning with 1/2 tsp normal instant coffee and have not really noticed much... but I might start to take a bit of notice.

mum.... your husband is just the best..... do you loan him out....
hang in there with the feeds and sleeps.... it will improve... and remember the 3 week growth spurt which makes bubs very fussy....

well I had a nice day.... did not get out of bed until 11am.... arabella woke at around 930 after an hours sleep and was fussy.... I ended up snuggling in bed with her in the crook of my arm and falling asleep for 90mins... she so loves it...lol...
My next pleasant suprise was that I fit my pre pregnancy cargo shorts... the button was about 1/4inch from buttoning up... blame the resolving preggo tummy... but overall it was great to have some normal non maternity pants on... Im back in normal T-shirts...
So went for a long 2hr walk as well...arabella slept the entire time in the pram...love that of course was starving when we got home... more of the piranha impressions in for the kill.... she grunts a lot opens her mouth searching for the nipple and then when she finds it... its like a shark closing its jaws....grumpt... lol..veery funny to watch....
So far she has been asleep from 8-11pm so time shortly for a bath and feed....
My milk is going well... I think it comes pretty fast as the feeding time has dropped to about 40 mins from an hour... and she usually comes up for air with milk streaming down her mouth...lol..

Anyway time to attend my little princess...

[jenmom2myboys]

**** you people who fit in your pre-pregnancy clothes. I am still living in sweats. I'm down abput 15.5lbs. I have started phase 2 of South Beach. I have to skip phase 1 because of breastfeeding. I need to get the eliptical out and Scot got me p90x but I think it's a surprise.