Stupid Questions Thread

hordol

Haha 1-2 times a night sounds amazing! That's all I want lol but you guys are right, I just need to follow baby's cues. I know he is only a week old and and patterns he seems to develop now could change in another week anyway.

Emily041285

@ColleenSwerb‌ I know. Still seems like there is no light at the end of this tunnel but I'm trying not to stress about it. It's just been a rough 48 hrs of zero sleep here.

thomas930

DD ate every 2 hours on the hour unitl 9ish months, even over night. Its tough but some babies are just like that. She didn't sleep through the night until she was 3 years old.

Emily041285

When do you guys use a humidifier? All the time or just when they have a cold? We used to run one all the time because it's so dry in this house but stopped when she got here. Now I'm thinking we should be using it again.

thomas930

MrsW26 said:

DD ate every 2 hours on the hour unitl 9ish months, even over night. Its tough but some babies are just like that. She didn't sleep through the night until she was 3 years old.

Mother of God.

Seriously how did you do that? You are a saint. DD already has a 4-5 hour stretch at night... without that idk if I could keep it up!

It was the hardest thing ever! but with DH's help we some how survived. I was also in school full time.

thomas930

mummyofsix said:

dani+california said:

MrsW26 said:

DD ate every 2 hours on the hour unitl 9ish months, even over night. Its tough but some babies are just like that. She didn't sleep through the night until she was 3 years old.

Mother of God.

Seriously how did you do that? You are a saint. DD already has a 4-5 hour stretch at night... without that idk if I could keep it up!

It was the hardest thing ever! but with DH's help we some how survived. I was also in school full time.

Welp I'm never complaining about anything ever again

First babies are hard, give yourself some peace. In many, many ways I struggled more in those early days than now. In fact, I think in all ways. You're doing just fine, Dani. xxx

Yep, its all hard. We all have our struggles and mine were no bigger than yours. It does get eaiser, its hard to see that now, but it does. Babies 2 and 3 were much easier on me and I'm kind of glad that I had DD to break me in. You all are doing a great job, just keep swimming

AcaAwkward

I'll echo what others have said...first babies are so hard! I thought I hated the newborn phase; I was dreading it this time around... Now I don't want it to end; I'm absolutely loving it! DS is sooooooooo much easier than DD was. I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world but she was a "sassy" baby and I had major PPA and BFing issues. This time around, BFing is clicking, I have crazy energy, no anxiety at this point, and DS is just so mellow. He's not the greatest sleeper but the sleep I'm getting is more than what I was at the end of pregnancy so I feel "rested."

I really think the universe often gives us our most challenging infant first. Subsequent babies are more mellow out of necessity (and, likewise, we as moms are more mellow). Hang in there -- you're doing great!

snowbound

I'm sure this has been covered at some point so I apologize for the repeat Q.
My milk is taking awhile to come in so I plan on adding a 5-10minute pumping session in-between each feed to help stimulate my milk. I have a manual pump so...can I just refrigerate the entire pump after each feed and transfer all the goods to a bag at the end of night before I freeze?

ksulli

hbell12 said:

I'm sure this has been covered at some point so I apologize for the repeat Q.
My milk is taking awhile to come in so I plan on adding a 5-10minute pumping session in-between each feed to help stimulate my milk. I have a manual pump so...can I just refrigerate the entire pump after each feed and transfer all the goods to a bag at the end of night before I freeze?

For the most part yes, but don't add warm milk to cold milk. Pump into one container, refrigerate, then add it to the other cool milk & pump into an empty container.

hordol

hbell12 said:

I'm sure this has been covered at some point so I apologize for the repeat Q.
My milk is taking awhile to come in so I plan on adding a 5-10minute pumping session in-between each feed to help stimulate my milk. I have a manual pump so...can I just refrigerate the entire pump after each feed and transfer all the goods to a bag at the end of night before I freeze?

Someone might have a better answer than me, but I've read that you shouldn't combine milk of different temps. So if you are putting it in the fridge and pumping again later without removing the previous milk, you would be combining warm and cold milk. You should be ok to just refrigerate your pump as long as you are pumping into new containers and cooling all the milk before combining.

MaglioMomma

We're giving LO her first bath today. Any tips to making it more enjoyable for her? I know she'll be a wiggle worm once she gets cold!

ksulli

@MaglioMomma said:

We're giving LO her first bath today. Any tips to making it more enjoyable for her? I know she'll be a wiggle worm once she gets cold!

Use an extra facecloth (wet in bath water) to cover her tummy- keeps her warm since you can't fill the tub up.

thomas930

purespark said:

Are belly binders for post c-section only, or do women who gave birth vaginally use them too?

I've been using one on and off for two weeks and had a vaginal birth. The extra support has been very nice and I feel like it helped regain some of my core strength back.

MapleLeafMama

I will echo that first babies are hard sentiment. I feel like this time around, I've got more experience and a comfort level that wasn't there with DS. It gets better, you find a routine that works and you will get through the hard stages.

MapleLeafMama

Make sure the water is warm. Do the heAd/hair last. I usually put a facecloth on her tummy and pour water on it to keep her warmer.

hordol

dani+california said:

The pacifier thread got me wondering...when do most people start using them? DS is 10 days old and we haven't introduced it yet...MW said not to for some time.

I'm worried that I'll make him dependent on it to soothe him, is there a recommended time/scenario to use them, and for how long?

We were told to wait four weeks to avoid nipple confusion. We ended up making it 2 days...haha. We haven't had any issues at all . He only needs it 2-3x a day. We haven't had issues with nipple confusion introducing a bottle either. It's natural for babies to self soothe with sucking and it's a good thing. I just make sure that if DS is fussy I check all other avenues before giving him a paci (diaper, nurse, walking around with him, rocking, etc.) if nothing else works and he just wants to suck, I let him.

thomas930

I was hesitant to give DD a pacifire when she was a newborn and she ended up never taking one but instead using me as a human pacifier. With DS (1) we started in the hospital while he was under the bili lights and he only used it for a few months after...never saw nipple confusion. With Logan we started in the hospital again because I recognized that he had a need to suck but didn't really want to nurse, again no nipple confusion. I'd say give it when you feel comfortable.

chichi589

@dani+california‌ we tried a pacifier after a week to help my nipples since he was using me as a pacifier and it's been my saving grace since then. We've had no nipple confusion and if helps me when he's fussy, wants to suck but not necessarily want to eat I can hand him to my SO and he can actually soothe the baby. The first week was brutal as I was the main soother it was definitely a help! He doesn't use it all the time just occasionally through the day and if he falls asleep with it in his mouth i take it out so he won't get upset if he's sucking and it falls out.

littlesocks

Hi! I have a question about amazon mom. If I already have amazon prime is it free? Or is it an additional $99?
Also, does everything ordered through amazon mom need to be put on a subscription or can I order 1-offs? Thanks!

kangstadt

celticlullaby said:

Sucking on a pacifier while they sleep is supposed to help them with breathing and protect against SIDS, and I think it can help babies fall/stay asleep in cribs, bassinets, etc when they're fussy and want to sleep only on you. I think pacifiers are so helpful with itty bitties, and we never had nipple confusion from it. I think the bad rap they get is BFing related, but I'm totally pro-pacifier!

DS1 just lost interest on his own, but I've been told by other moms they preferred kids who were hooked on pacis to thumb sucking, because you can take the pacifier away when you want to break the habit!

ETA - DS2 will only take it from other people, not me. I think he can smell that I have the real deal with milk, and he's not falling for any substitution! But when he's full and sucking for comfort, it lets me pass him off and get a break.

So does this mean I shouldn't feel bad about letting SO use the pacifier the past two nights to get our newborn to sleep? I feel like such a bad mom

hordol

kangstadt said:

celticlullaby said:

Sucking on a pacifier while they sleep is supposed to help them with breathing and protect against SIDS, and I think it can help babies fall/stay asleep in cribs, bassinets, etc when they're fussy and want to sleep only on you. I think pacifiers are so helpful with itty bitties, and we never had nipple confusion from it. I think the bad rap they get is BFing related, but I'm totally pro-pacifier!

DS1 just lost interest on his own, but I've been told by other moms they preferred kids who were hooked on pacis to thumb sucking, because you can take the pacifier away when you want to break the habit!

ETA - DS2 will only take it from other people, not me. I think he can smell that I have the real deal with milk, and he's not falling for any substitution! But when he's full and sucking for comfort, it lets me pass him off and get a break.

So does this mean I shouldn't feel bad about letting SO use the pacifier the past two nights to get our newborn to sleep? I feel like such a bad mom

I wouldn't feel bad about that at all. That's perfectly normal! I let DH do it too.

BabyBsMommy

I've kept up with this thread, but I cannot remember if this was asked or not. How long would you wait to buy new nursing bras? I've been using ones from when I nursed DS but they don't fit right. I don't want to buy them too early because my body is still healing, but it isn't the most comfortable wearing too small nursing bras! LO is 4 days old...too soon?

ksulli

@BabyBsMommy‌ 4 days is too soon- you're probably engorged and they'll settle down a bit. My nursing bras from dd1 fit fine for round 2 once engorgement passed.

ksulli

@KendraColeslaw said:

I'm finding more things to fret about. If a baby is sleeping and spits up, couldn't they potentially choke on it from being on their back?

You'd think so, but I've seen several babies spit up while lying on their backs and they somehow get it projectile enough and at an angle so it goes off the side every time.

mamahann

ksulli said:

@KendraColeslaw said:

I'm finding more things to fret about. If a baby is sleeping and spits up, couldn't they potentially choke on it from being on their back?

You'd think so, but I've seen several babies spit up while lying on their backs and they somehow get it projectile enough and at an angle so it goes off the side every time.

DD spits up when she's on her back pretty frequently. I usually hear her and wake up but a few times I've picked her up and noticed a big spit up stain behind her head on the co sleeper sheet. She usually sleeps with her head to one side so I'm not super worried.

fourthnlast

dani+california said:

The pacifier thread got me wondering...when do most people start using them? DS is 10 days old and we haven't introduced it yet...MW said not to for some time.

I'm worried that I'll make him dependent on it to soothe him, is there a recommended time/scenario to use them, and for how long?

Emma will be 3 weeks on Tuesday and we have been using the pacifier for about a week. She really only wants it if she's in her carseat or the swing.

hlm184

How often do you bathe LO?

ksulli

@kcp913 said:

I did a quick search but didn't see anything about bottle sizes. Would it make more sense for me to just get the 8oz bottles and use them for feedinga for daycare now, or should I get smaller 4 oz bottles now and switch up to larger bottles when/if she needs them down the line?

If you FF, go with larger bottles. If you'll pump & send BM 4oz bottles should do it.

ksulli

Jessieann1020 said:

How much of my skin/tummy will go back to normal without me doing anything like working out? I am almost 4 weeks PP so is the tummy I have now the one I am keeping if I don't try to get rid of it?

It will continue to improve slowly assuming you eat well (or as well as you did pre-preg), but the first 4w are the most dramatic for me. I got back to pretty much normal without doing anything but BFing (although for some women BFing has them hold into the last 10lbs until weaning).

fourthnlast

hlm184 said:

How often do you bathe LO?

Every other day.

hordol

**sleep deprived brain fart. Meant this to go in breastfeeding thread. I will Xp this there.

I think I'm starting to deal with an Overactive letdown. Not sure completely, but DS fights the boob, only does about 2 sucks before pulling off and squirming/fussing, and it takes me 3 to 4 times as long to get him latched as it used to. This seemed to start yesterday morning, or maybe the night before. I was just writing it off as my boob was too full for him to get a good latch, but when I give up and give him the less full boob he still has the same problem.

We were doing one-sided feedings from birth until about 6 days old simply because he fell asleep on the boob and seemed content. He didn't lose much weight-- born at 6lb2oz, his lowest weight was 6lb1 at 4 days old and he jumped up to 6lb4oz at 5 days old. At 6 days he was 6lb5oz and that was the day we met with the lactation consultant and did a weighted feed (his wet/poopy diaper count was really low despite good weight gain) and he only got an ounce I believe off one side, so I started doing 2 sided feedings that day. Plus, he was still feeding every hour to hour and a half so I was hoping doing 2 sided feedings would help him go longer. But now I wonder if I've started an oversupply problem? My boobs are getting super engorged after 2-3 hours. Would you go back to one sided feedings and see if he is content or what would you do? Last night I pumped for 10 minutes before I fed him about a half hour later and he still fought the boob, so that's why I wonder if maybe it isn't overactive letdown?

Eta: I have been doing one sided since yesterday afternoon simply because I have not been able to get him to take both boobs. He has also been spitting up more than usual.

kangstadt

For those of you who EBF, when did you introduce a bottle with pumped milk?  My LO is only two weeks old and I haven't gotten my breast pump yet from my insurance, but I was just wondering when it's recommended to start with an occasional bottle so my SO could help out with feedings.

ksulli

@kangstadt said:

For those of you who EBF, when did you introduce a bottle with pumped milk?  My LO is only two weeks old and I haven't gotten my breast pump yet from my insurance, but I was just wondering when it's recommended to start with an occasional bottle so my SO could help out with feedings.

I wait 4w to pump. If you want SO to take a feeding, you should still pump at the same time so your body continues to meet the demand.

thomas930

kangstadt said:

For those of you who EBF, when did you introduce a bottle with pumped milk?  My LO is only two weeks old and I haven't gotten my breast pump yet from my insurance, but I was just wondering when it's recommended to start with an occasional bottle so my SO could help out with feedings.

most say to wait until 4 weeks. I started during the first week but only because I needed to supplement to get past jaundice and because he lost more than 10% of his weight. Since I started that early, I've just kept up the routine but its only one pumping session in the morning to put some in the freezer.

Heeb918

This might be the most stupid question in this thread, but i figure I'd ask here instead of embarrass myself asking a nurse. When changing a wet only diaper, do you still use a wipe? Or just take wet off and put dry on?

Emily041285

dani+california said:

DS won't take a pacifier. He's 11 days old and just tried giving him one for the first time today; any special tricks or even brand I should be using? Just have a generic NB one from BRU.

We tried a bunch of different kinds and dd will only take the soothies. I think we tried 4 different brands.

hordol

dani+california said:

DS won't take a pacifier. He's 11 days old and just tried giving him one for the first time today; any special tricks or even brand I should be using? Just have a generic NB one from BRU.

My DS likes the soothies and the avent kind. But he also only takes the pacifier from me 50% of the time. Sometimes he is just not in the mood for it.

AcaAwkward

ImnAtari said:

This may be a really stupid question, but I guess that's what we're here for. 

Little A has one of her best power naps after eating between 6pm and 7pm... she also is an absolute wide awake terror from 9pm and 10ish pm every night. Now, I know she's way too young to have any sort of schedule... but would it behoove me to try to keep her some what awake after she eats at 7 to try and get her down a little easier when we try to go to bed at 10?  

You could try and see how it goes... (and I realize this is 100% unhelpful advice but...) it'll either work or it won't  

In my experience, sleep really does beget sleep -- trying to keep either of my kiddos up as NBs always just = overtired, overstimulated baby. 

AcaAwkward

dani+california said:

DS won't take a pacifier. He's 11 days old and just tried giving him one for the first time today; any special tricks or even brand I should be using? Just have a generic NB one from BRU.

You could try dipping it in a little expressed breastmilk... but some babies are just picky and/or don't ever take to pacis. 

Sisimama10

KendraColeslaw said:

I'm finding more things to fret about. If a baby is sleeping and spits up, couldn't they potentially choke on it from being on their back?

Mine does all the time while laying on his back. But he either just dribbles it out all over his neck and shoulders or turns his head and spits up.