The "Newest" Moms Hangout...

[sbell111]

Have you tried swaddling? I am a big fan and actually swaddled Allison until about 8 mos(too long I know, but it worked!)

Swaddling has never worked for us. Sarah would either scream bloody murder or Houdini out of it (or both) every time we tried it.

 

[BabyTigger99]

Yup, we have tried swaddling, he doesn't like it very much.

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

Neither of ours liked swaddling either. They would just get mad about having their arms tucked in but then would hit themselves with their arms out. It was a never ending battle. We just let them sleep in the carseat as long as they were comfortable. But that was only if we just came out of the car and they were sleeping.

I made a bad habit with our first born of letting him sleep in my lap after nursing. And he would sleep for at least 2 hours. I was trapped on the couch! So I decided he had to go in his crib. After about 2 days of screaming himself to sleep, he realized he was way more comfortable in his crib. No problems since. He was about 5 months old and doesn't even put up a fight to nap anymore.

Now I make sure our LO is napping in his crib if we are home. It's fine if he falls asleep in my arms, but he'll wake up in his room.

 

[BabyTigger99]

Wish me luck today, ladies! DS10 has his first wrestling tournament of the year today. DH is out of town for the day, so I will be taking DS to his tournament and bringing Elliott with! Hopefully E will cooperate, so I can coach Wyatt a little bit through his matches. And, hopefully I can find a decent place to nurse E!

 

[harleyquinn]

Good luck!!

We had the same problem with Lily until my aunt put her on her tummy at 5 months. Until then we basically held her for every nap. She still sleeps with me at night. Trying to get the courage to make the transistion.

Guess what I got in my email today?! The 40/30/20% off PIN!!!! Now I'm trying to figure out what works best for us!

 

[justhat]

BabyTigger - We had that issue the first couple of nights so Scarlett slept in my arm cause I was exhausted. She did sleep just fine in her carseat, swing, or bouncy chair. I didn't change anything really, but after 2-3 nights she was fine being put down. Hopefully Elliott just does the same for you soon.

Oh, we do swaddle her, but with a swaddle blanket as I found after my 1st that was just so much easier than using a regular blanket that they could wiggle their arms out of no matter how tight I wrapped them. My son was not big into being swaddled, but he also had no issues sleeping wherever he was put down so it didn't really bother me.

She's not in a crib though, nor even in her cosleeper bassinet cause it was just too difficult for me to get in/out of my own bed with hers attached because of the c-section. So she sleeps in one of those snuggle nest baby beds that is in our bed cause it's just way easier for me to get her in/out of there for the nighttime feedings as I seem to really only have pain at the incision overnight or when I first wake up. I'll probably move her to the cosleeper this week as I am getting close to normal now so we'll see how that goes.

Good luck at the wrestling match today! I've taken Scarlett to gymnastics, swimming, and dance a couple of times, but I don't have to do any coaching so it's not so bad for me.


Harleyquinn - We got that email too and I am so disappointed that there's no way we can go to WDW in the near future. My husband is off this week and we were vaguely thinking about driving down there, but then when I needed a c-section my husband said no way were we going 2 weeks post-op. I agreed at the time, but really, now I feel pretty much fine and would have been much happier in FL this week than watching snow come down for 14 hours with another 10 to go.

We are very snowed in here and based on having not seen a plow truck drive by at all in over a day, I have a feeling we'll be here awhile.

 

[Piecey]

If your c-section is anything like mine, the pain comes back.

It's a weird pain and it's not really related to the incision and all that, it's more like the most intense cramping of your life. My doctor said it was normal, the uterus working it's way back to normal and all that (but it's more painful because it's still healing) or something.

DH and I have been half-discussing the specifics of how this will work and it's one of those things we're factoring in our plans ... Those pains hit randomly and they were so sharp they took my breathe away.

I can't decide if I want to ask around for someone to watch Lucas while I'm in the hospital or for Tom to take leave. He'll have it.. but I'd really prefer him taking leave and spending time with all THREE of us... not just him and Lucas. Lots of time to figure it out but I worry so we're discussing all the various possibilities.




...we lost power last night. ended up going to my parent's house... we sleep in a king bed and their guest room has a full. We were about ready to strangle one another!
I can't wait to go curl up in our bed tonight and not touch my husband while I sleep. That' is how we like it!!

My parents kept Lucas, too, so it's been pretty weird and crazy. They snatched him at like 6am this morning from his Pack-N-Play so we didn't even really have him this morning!
We went to see "it's complicated",...very funny.
Can you tell my mind is EVERYWHERE??

I hope Staley is having a great time in Disneyland!

 

[viviensmama]

I can't wait to go curl up in our bed tonight and not touch my husband while I sleep. That' is how we like it!!

heh that sounds like us! When Vivien first came home from the hospital and was sleeping in our bed it was not fun having to sleep so close together!

We are taking viv to a superbowl party tomorrow. I hope she does well! Anyone else have plans for watching?

 

[justhat]

Patsy - I know what you mean about the pain recurring. I had those sharp, shooting pains when I woke up this morning. They do periodically come and go, which is very irritating as I think I'm back to normal, then realize I am not.

I think I'd go with what you suggested about having someone else watch Lucas, then having your husband be home with all of you rather than just Lucas. I don't know if you sent Lucas to the nursery or not, but I did with all 3 of mine at night (and this one much of the day too...) so I didn't really need my husband there as the nurse would hand me the baby and I could call the nursery when I was done feeding her and they'd come take her from my hands and reswaddle her and bring her back to the nursery. Since you bottle feed, I would probably even have the nurses feed the baby overnight so you can actually sleep a bit before you have to come home to wake up for every feeding, watch a toddler, and recover from surgery. So you wouldn't really need your husband around for those few days and I am sure he'd be much more valuable when you are actually home and in need of help.


Viviensmama - We're watching the superbowl in our house (and we're snowed in so not much choice there). My husband is from New Orleans and my MIL is here with a Saints jersey on so we'll definitely have the game on.

 

[yellowfish78]

Alex had cereal for the first time last night! It was...interesting. He didn't mind the spoon at all, but the fun part was getting the cereal to stay in his mouth. He "ate" about half the bowl and then had enough.

When do you start making the cereal thicker? And when should we actually introduce food? One person said wait until you give cereal three times a day and then introduce food; another said once you get the cereal a little bit more thicker...

The superbowl will be watched from home here. We got 15 inches in yesterday's storm and we are still digging ourselves out. DH went to the gym (no idea why because I'll be giving him the shovel when he gets home) and I have pork and sweet & sour cabbage with potato dumplings on the menu for tonight. YUM!

 

[caitty13]

We are in Orlando this week, today is freezing. Sunny and in the 50's... Burrr. We stayed at AKL on Friday and Lilliana feel off the bed and scrapped her little nose. She now has a scab covering her whole nose.

 

[Piecey]

Patsy - I know what you mean about the pain recurring. I had those sharp, shooting pains when I woke up this morning. They do periodically come and go, which is very irritating as I think I'm back to normal, then realize I am not.

I think I'd go with what you suggested about having someone else watch Lucas, then having your husband be home with all of you rather than just Lucas. I don't know if you sent Lucas to the nursery or not, but I did with all 3 of mine at night (and this one much of the day too...) so I didn't really need my husband there as the nurse would hand me the baby and I could call the nursery when I was done feeding her and they'd come take her from my hands and reswaddle her and bring her back to the nursery. Since you bottle feed, I would probably even have the nurses feed the baby overnight so you can actually sleep a bit before you have to come home to wake up for every feeding, watch a toddler, and recover from surgery. So you wouldn't really need your husband around for those few days and I am sure he'd be much more valuable when you are actually home and in need of help.

Aren't those pains the worst? They totally take you by surprise!! I am glad I know to plan on them this time around instead of foolishly thinking I was a-ok!

I sent Lucas to the nursery...sorta. They only had two babies so my nurse kept Lucas with her and the other nurse kept the other baby during the night, they didn't go back to the nursery. They prefer to keep the babies with them and move the carts around the floor as they go. The hospital is small enough that the postpartum nurses also take care of L&D. I was in for observation a few times with my gallbladder when the nurse would come in with a baby. They always brought him in with them when they came to check my temperature and such.
I didn't feed him hardly ever. It's one of those things that when I think back I can't figure out how it happened the way it did. That was why I was so surprised when the nurse came in to let me know that the on-call OB was going to discharge me but that I could keep my room if I wanted. I was like "uh, I thought discharge meant go home???"
Turns out Lucas wasn't eating hardly anything (he was averaging less than 2oz a day! ) and his pediatrician warned the nurses the day before if it didn't change, he wasn't letting him go home. I had no idea. So, I asked them to switch to a different formula (totally baffling to me as to WHY I had to ask them, you'd of thought they'd automatically do that!) and he drank the entire 2oz bottle in one feeding. His pediatrician actually wanted to keep him one more day but when he found out where we lived, he let us go. (We live on the same street as the hospital, up about 6 blocks!) He did make me promise that if anything at all "weird" happened I'd call in and come straight back to L&D. They had instructions to page him immediately if they heard from me and he said he'd come right in to see him. Plus, I was discharged on a Saturday and he made me take Lucas in for an 8am appt. Monday morning. I loooove this pediatrician.

 

[justhat]

Was the formula a milk issue, or just brand or something? Can't believe they let that go on without telling you, what a shock that must have been to hear he might not be able to go home with you! My son had to stay an extra day because he was so jaundice, but they didn't discover this till right before we were supposed to be discharged. I was annoyed to say the least. They let me stay with him (after much, much dispute) and let him leave late the next day, but he was at the ped's daily for a few weeks. It was nuts.

That's nice that you only had 2 babies at the hospital when you were there. Mine was the only one born that night, and I think there were 2 or 3 other babies in the nursery while I was there this time. With my 1st there were a ton, the L&D rooms were filled when I got there. With the 2nd it was crowded, but not that bad.

But crowded or not, I am not into rooming in so they all went to the nursery. And with this one, though I am nursing again, I told them they were free to give her formula bottles as I could not easily nurse with the c-section cause I am used to using the cradle hold and that was simply not happening with a huge incision there. However, every single feeding they wheeled her in for me to nurse her anyway! And I think the reason is that at 5am, first morning after the 10pm c-section, a militant lactation consultant came in to tell me all about nursing and what to do and was like all hands-on on my chest. First of all, I nursed 2 kids for nearly 2 years each, I think I know what to do. Secondly, when I tell you that, you should back off a bit. Third, do NOT tell new moms that they shouldn't use formula, pacifiers, etc. It is so ridiculous and both of my older kids had bottles and pacifiers from birth and then nursed well over a year so it has no effect. But I have a feeling that woman told the nurses I was exclusively nursing, despite what my husband and I said.

 

[Piecey]

Cow's milk intolerance. They were giving him regular Enfamil and switched him to Similac's Isomil Advance which is soy.

No one said a word to me about my choice to bottle-feed. They didn't ask before they gave him a pacifier either. It's interesting to hear about the totally different experiences out there!!


I have to interview someone under the age of 10 by tomorrow. It's for my psychology class... and it's a bit irritating. I have to add a few questions to it, and I just don't ahve any idea... not to mention that I have no one to interview! Gah.

 

[jaleaton]

And I think the reason is that at 5am, first morning after the 10pm c-section, a militant lactation consultant came in to tell me all about nursing and what to do and was like all hands-on on my chest. First of all, I nursed 2 kids for nearly 2 years each, I think I know what to do. Secondly, when I tell you that, you should back off a bit. Third, do NOT tell new moms that they shouldn't use formula, pacifiers, etc. It is so ridiculous and both of my older kids had bottles and pacifiers from birth and then nursed well over a year so it has no effect. But I have a feeling that woman told the nurses I was exclusively nursing, despite what my husband and I said.

I absolutely refused to speak to my Hospital's Lactation Consultant as she was a little too PRO BF'ing, and downright rude. Isabelle was on doctor's orders to supplement with formula b/c her jaundice was so bad, and the Lac. Cons. basically told me, "You need to stop giving her bottles. You're going to ruin her feeding experience, and she won't BF. You need to try a feeding tube if you have to supplement." As if figuring out BF'ing at first wasn't enough on my plate; I certainly wasn't going to mess around with tube feeding too.

 

[justhat]

I absolutely refused to speak to my Hospital's Lactation Consultant as she was a little too PRO BF'ing, and downright rude. Isabelle was on doctor's orders to supplement with formula b/c her jaundice was so bad, and the Lac. Cons. basically told me, "You need to stop giving her bottles. You're going to ruin her feeding experience, and she won't BF. You need to try a feeding tube if you have to supplement." As if figuring out BF'ing at first wasn't enough on my plate; I certainly wasn't going to mess around with tube feeding too.

Ha! Tube feeding! I tried that with my daughter (also cause of a militant LC) and it was a flipping nightmare. I gave up after 2 days and went to bottles. At the time I wasn't making enough milk and my daughter was starving and losing a lot of weight. I had sooooo much guilt over the bottles cause of that lady, but everything ended up fine. And I was bottle fed, as was most everyone I know, so I had never been remotely against formula or bottles at all, then that lady said I was wrecking everything and that, along with hormones, totally made me insane.

 

[viviensmama]

I absolutely refused to speak to my Hospital's Lactation Consultant as she was a little too PRO BF'ing, and downright rude. Isabelle was on doctor's orders to supplement with formula b/c her jaundice was so bad, and the Lac. Cons. basically told me, "You need to stop giving her bottles. You're going to ruin her feeding experience, and she won't BF. You need to try a feeding tube if you have to supplement." As if figuring out BF'ing at first wasn't enough on my plate; I certainly wasn't going to mess around with tube feeding too.

That's really sad. Why on earth would they hire people for that sort of position who are rude? I'm all for being pro-bf, but if you are a you-know-what about it, it only pushes people away! Being a new mom is hard enough without stress over breastfeeding. I did breastfeed, and decided not to talk to the LC at the hospital after the first time because she made me CRY. Some people need to not do that kind of work.

 

[Piecey]

I don't think they're always hired...

At my chosen hospital the lady is a volunteer (or at least the lady I was told about was a volunteer). She just feels that strongly about it.

They don't deliver a ton of babies though. They're a private, Catholic hospital... I was there 4 days and there was me and another lady the entire time (we both had c-sections the same night). Only 1 new baby was born while we there- and that was our last night.

 

[december]

I think there were 13 babies born the night Katie was born! I didn't get into a room until late that night because they couldn't clean them fast enough. But it is called Woman's Hospital, and that is mainly what they do. Local hospitals here don't do babies-too many lawsuits in MS. All 3 of mine were delivered there, an hour from home.

I kept her in the room with me during the day, but sent her to the nursery at night. They called when she was hungry and brought her to me, then I'd call when we were done. I didn't get to nurse her the first time, or even hold her, for 3 hours, until after the tubal. They brought her to me in recovery, as soon as I started becoming alert from the epi, before my legs got their feeling back. I had a drip in one arm, and the tube in my back, but had no trouble nursing. Katie didn't have any trouble either! The nurse told me she didn't think I needed any help, and from then on they pretty much left me alone. She had gained weight when we checked out, so I didn't have to take her back until we saw my pediatrician at 2 wks.

I passed both of my Praxis tests! The results weren't supposed to be out until Tue, but I checked today and the reports were up! I just have to finish my last 2 classes, and by June I will be certified as a librarian and school counselor in addition to math teacher!

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

That stinks that you guys had nasty lactation consultants. Ours couldn't have been more awesome. She came in to see how we were doing and showed me all the different holds and how to listen to if he was swallowing.

I ended up calling her a bunch of times when I was worried or if I felt like something wasn't right. The nurses would only feed a supplement bottle if you agreed to it on a little card attached to the baby's bed. They ask room-in or nursery, bottle or mom's only, and paci or not.