The new "New Moms" thread!

[Lachesis00]

ah ha ha ha.... Thank you!
I didn't know either b/c of my low platelets. I gained almost no weight. I went in for my yearly pap and was 34 weeks, she was born at 35 weeks, went home at almost 36 weeks. Considering they thought I was mis-carrying an early pregnancy, I think I made out pretty good!!

Lachesis - congratulations on another new baby!!! I didn't even know you were pregnant again - how far along were you before you found out?

 

[Mickeyluver37]

ah ha ha ha.... Thank you!
I didn't know either b/c of my low platelets. I gained almost no weight. I went in for my yearly pap and was 34 weeks, she was born at 35 weeks, went home at almost 36 weeks. Considering they thought I was mis-carrying an early pregnancy, I think I made out pretty good!!

Wow, congrats!!! You must be blessed with easy pregnancies to go through that kind of surprise twice. She is absolutely beautiful.

 

[kellyf2626]

Questions for you ladies..

Did any of you start your little ones on cereal early? I'm thinking of going for it around the 4 month mark... She seems to want to eat all the time, and I'm starting to wonder if she just needs more. I'll talk to the pediatrician at her next appointment before I go for it, of course.

Holly - we started Brady on cereal around 3 1/2 - 4 months. We did cereal for about a week, and then added applesauce and banana's to the mix! He was drinking a ton of formula, and just needed more! It took him about a week to figure out what the heck was going on with the whole spoon thing - but after that he was a pro! He used to make the funniest sounds while eating the cereal - you could tell he was so excited!

Lachesis - She is beautiful! Did I understand your post correctly - that you didn't find out you were pg until 34 weeks?!?!

 

[HollyJoy]

Been meaning to post 3 month pictures of Amanda Joy, so here ya go I can't believe she's growing so fast! She's a solid baby, and so very strong. Already holds her head up very well, and is trying to sit on her own! She's so alert, and grabs at EVERYTHING within her sight and reach!!! Not to mention, she's adorable! hehe Oh, and I weighed her this morning.. a whopping 14.5 pounds!

 

[ashjohnson80]

ah ha ha ha.... Thank you!
I didn't know either b/c of my low platelets. I gained almost no weight. I went in for my yearly pap and was 34 weeks, she was born at 35 weeks, went home at almost 36 weeks. Considering they thought I was mis-carrying an early pregnancy, I think I made out pretty good!!

Whoa! So you only knew that you were pregnant for a week and then had a baby? That's so wild! She's gorgeous, congratulations!

 

[Pollito916]

ah ha ha ha.... Thank you!
I didn't know either b/c of my low platelets. I gained almost no weight. I went in for my yearly pap and was 34 weeks, she was born at 35 weeks, went home at almost 36 weeks. Considering they thought I was mis-carrying an early pregnancy, I think I made out pretty good!!

OMG - that is unbelievable!!! To not find out you are pg until 34 weeks, then the baby is born a week later! You didn't feel movement or anything?

 

[ashjohnson80]

I've been swaddling Ellery since she was born and it's been the only way to get her to sleep. But sleeping that way she's been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old. Now at 18 lbs she has gotten too big for the blankets. I know I'm not supposed to put anything in the crib with her, but how am I going to get her to sleep or keep her warm? Any suggestions?

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I've been swaddling Ellery since she was born and it's been the only way to get her to sleep. But sleeping that way she's been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old. Now at 18 lbs she has gotten too big for the blankets. I know I'm not supposed to put anything in the crib with her, but how am I going to get her to sleep or keep her warm? Any suggestions?

Are you using a regular blanket or one of the swaddle blanket sleepers with velcro? Our friends had a big baby and they used a special swaddle sleeper that had velcro "wings" to swaddle her. They come in lots of sizes, and worked for months and months for their DD. I think the one they used went to 25 lbs or something like that. Their DD was 20 lbs at 6 mo., and I know she was still swaddled for a couple months after that.

If you're already using those sleepers, maybe just get a bigger blanket or have someone make you a bigger blanket?

 

[Pollito916]

I've been swaddling Ellery since she was born and it's been the only way to get her to sleep. But sleeping that way she's been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old. Now at 18 lbs she has gotten too big for the blankets. I know I'm not supposed to put anything in the crib with her, but how am I going to get her to sleep or keep her warm? Any suggestions?

We used the SwaddleMe blankets with DS until he was about 4-5 months old, and I believe they go up to a Large which is around 22 lbs. That's the only way we got him to sleep through the night, too, and I swear by them. After about 5 months, he was able to get his arms out of that even, so I still wrapped it around his waist to keep him warm. After that I started using the Halo SleepSacks, and I love those, too, since DS can't take it off. I would still be using them if it wasn't over 90 here already!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I used the swaddlers until Christopher was about 4 months old. Then it was just too hot. When it cooled off again in the fall, I put a quilt over him (he was about 6 months then)

As far as feeding him cereal, we waited until about 6 months. He wasn't really interested before then, and was perfectly happy with his bottles. Once he started eating, he was like a little horse

 

[RadioNate]

I've been swaddling Ellery since she was born and it's been the only way to get her to sleep. But sleeping that way she's been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old. Now at 18 lbs she has gotten too big for the blankets. I know I'm not supposed to put anything in the crib with her, but how am I going to get her to sleep or keep her warm? Any suggestions?

well both of my kids hated to be swaddled so I don't really know what to do about that but I swear by Halo Sleep Sacks. LOVE them.

 

[DMickey28]

Lachesis - what cuties!

So my little guy is growing up - I had to turn his car seat around. I read all of the stuff about keeping him rear facing as long as possible, but his not-so-little legs don't fit anymore. He's been riding with his feet on the headrest of the seat He'll be a year in 6 days, and is WAY over the height and weight limit. Feels weird to have a grown up kid in my back seat though...

Happy Birthday!!! The year went by soo fast didn't it. My DS is ONE today! Yikes. How big is your DS? I want to say Christopher right? We have our one year on Monday but based on his pre-op in February he is about 26.5lbs and 32inches. We are still rearfacing in a Marathon. My DS has a longer torso I think, not so long legs. He is still in the first shoulder strap slot.

Rachel - WOW, Congratulations!!! I can't even imagine going in for a routine appointment and coming out pregnant. Did they tell you how far along you were then? Did this happen with Aiden too?? I would be freaking out every month now wondering if I was just going to go to a normal appointment and find out I was going to have another baby!! Did you feel her at all moving???

 

[kellyf2626]

Ash - Ditto on the Halo Sleepsacks. They are great! Although...now Brady won't sleep unless I put one on him. Amazing how they get into such a routine at night. He just *knows* that putting on that sleepsack means time to go to bed. Doesn't matter if I put it on him on the floor in the family room, on the changing table, in his crib - the second it goes on he starts rubbing his eyes and puts his thumb in his mouth. But, it has been getting very warm here over the past week - so last night he was in his pj long-sleeve shirt with his sleepsack on, even though it was near 80 upstairs. Today I am making him nap without it - I have to break him of this habit!!!

 

[RadioNate]

Ash - Ditto on the Halo Sleepsacks. They are great! Although...now Brady won't sleep unless I put one on him. Amazing how they get into such a routine at night. He just *knows* that putting on that sleepsack means time to go to bed. Doesn't matter if I put it on him on the floor in the family room, on the changing table, in his crib - the second it goes on he starts rubbing his eyes and puts his thumb in his mouth. But, it has been getting very warm here over the past week - so last night he was in his pj long-sleeve shirt with his sleepsack on, even though it was near 80 upstairs. Today I am making him nap without it - I have to break him of this habit!!!

they have lightweight ones that aren't fleece. That is what I've been using here. If it is really warm, I just put her in a onesie under it.

 

[kellyf2626]

they have lightweight ones that aren't fleece. That is what I've been using here. If it is really warm, I just put her in a onesie under it.

Ya - that is what we have been using. I just feel like he still gets sweaty, ya know? I should do just his onsie underneath - that would probably be cooler, huh?

 

[ashjohnson80]

Ash - Ditto on the Halo Sleepsacks. They are great! Although...now Brady won't sleep unless I put one on him. Amazing how they get into such a routine at night. He just *knows* that putting on that sleepsack means time to go to bed. Doesn't matter if I put it on him on the floor in the family room, on the changing table, in his crib - the second it goes on he starts rubbing his eyes and puts his thumb in his mouth. But, it has been getting very warm here over the past week - so last night he was in his pj long-sleeve shirt with his sleepsack on, even though it was near 80 upstairs. Today I am making him nap without it - I have to break him of this habit!!!

That's the way Ellery is with getting put into her blankets. Tonight her eyes were closed before I even put her down in her bed. I'm worried about changing the routine because I've been so lucky so far. But maybe the transition to something else won't be so bad.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Woo hoo! Owen has fallen asleep for bedtime in his own bed! Hooray!!!!

Now hopefully when he wakes up to eat at midnight and 4am I can get him to go back to sleep in his bed, too.

And of course I'm still dreaming of him only waking up once, or (dare I say it) sleeping through the night...

but let's not get too carried away here. One step at a time...and for now I'm happy to have a little time to snuggle up to DH without a baby between us and to sleep in a different position than wrapped around my bugaboo.

(not that I mind snuggling him...but it's awfully nice to have my arms to myself for a little while)

 

[HollyJoy]

Guess I'm in the minority here.. I have a couple of those sleep sacks, and DD HATES them! I'll be passing them on to a friend of mine who is pregnant now!

 

[7beasley]

Ash - Ditto on the Halo Sleepsacks. But, it has been getting very warm here over the past week - so last night he was in his pj long-sleeve shirt with his sleepsack on, even though it was near 80 upstairs.

Hi all

I LOVE the sleepsacks as well -- Izzy is 6 months old - she has been using that instead of blankets for about 2 months. They work really well -- I have some of the fleece but I mainly use the lighter cotton ones -- when the weather is a little warm like its been lately -- I put her in a thin long sleeve onesie and the sleep sack (no pants/no socks) -- that works great and she does not get too hot!

-Nicole

 

[7beasley]

Question for everyone about feeding...

Izzy had worked herself up to about 32 oz of formula -- we added in oatmeal cereal at 3 months and that worked fine -- at about 4.5 months I added in Stage 1 fruits and vegetables and she is just now starting on Stage 2 foods.

Her schedule is this:

am -- bottle (8oz)
oatmeal
fruit (1 small jar)

1200 -- bottle (8oz)

200 --- 1 small jar of either fruit OR vegetable

400 -- bottle (8oz)

600 ---- oatmeal
vegetable (1 small jar)
sometimes 1 oz apple juice mixed with 2 oz water

800 -- 8 oz bottle

Here is the thing...she chows all the food -- loves the food -- can't get enough oatmeal, fruit and veg -- in the morning she eats almost the whole 8 oz bottle -- but then throughout the rest of the day for the other 3 bottles she only eats 4-6 oz from each bottle.

So, instead of eating 32 oz formula she now gets 20-24 oz a day. That seems too low. I am concerned that she is not drinking enough/not getting enough nutrition without more formula. From what I have read -- the food is not really for nutrition but more for them to learn how to use a spoon and get used to eating.

I ALWAYS feed her the bottle before her food -- in other words -- in the morning - she gets no oatmeal/fruit until she starts refusing her bottle and she always gets a bottle first (noon bottle) and then a snack later (at 2pm) -- the times vary a bit but you get the basic schedule idea.

It seems she is losing interest in the bottle.

Thoughts?

Also -- do you guys give your babies water?? I just started the apple juice water thing but more times then not she refuses that as well -- I don't think she likes apple juice -- I had never heard of giving a baby water -- I figured if she was thirsty give her formula -- but I have heard others talk about giving a baby water.

Thanks!
Nicole