PAIF Graduates- New Mommies - December

byrneme

Welcome to a new month friends!

Polythene Pam

Happy December! (Holy crap!) Any fun gift ideas for your babies? We have way too many toys so graham is getting spoons, bowls, cups, and a personalized Christmas book and a few teething toys. I can’t believe it’s Christmas in a few weeks!!

kelrauh

@PolythenePam we are doing toy boxes for the twins I figure that's something they can use now and for years to come

JWatt5

@Polythene Pam - we got Parker a pair of baby sunglasses for our trip this spring, a 12m onesie, a 3 Sprouts Toy Mat/bag and I found my fav childhood book (which I still have) and got him that. The Monster At The End Of This Book is the best!! Haha.

latershrader

Since we are 90% sure we are moving this summer, I just can't make myself buy too much stuff for US this Christmas. So we are planning to buy more for Grandma's house. 
What is everyone doing about things their babe's are growing out of? I gave away most of my newborn clothing. But Eli is growing out of his 3 months stuff now. The Rock n Play is about to be too small. I just can't decide if I should save it or not. Will there be another one? Will I need it? Again, we're moving, do I really want to carry all this stuff around with us and store it just in case? But it's a lot of money to have to spend if there IS another one. Thoughts?

JWatt5

@latershrader - same predicament here. I’m going to the side of saving most stuff. My sister is having a baby (another boy!) and I think I’ll lend a lot out and then by the time she’s done with it, we should know if we’re trying for a second. My sister didn’t keep her stuff and she regrets it (knowing she wants 3 kids...)

byrneme

@latershrader - I know we are done since we only had one viable embryo, I'm 38 and can't imagine going through the ENTIRE process again - so I'm just putting everything clothes related in a big tub for now. A co-worker is due in May so I'm hoping she has a girl I can hand down clothes to. If not, I'll take them to resale shops.  I took a bunch of maternity clothes and newborn stuff to one and now I have a store credit there which is nice. I'll probably resell the bigger stuff on swap sites or donate. It's kind of sad when I do a closet change

persnickity

@latershrader right now, we're keeping things for my best friend who's trying. We're not completely sure yet whether we're done or want a second. In the mean time, clothes are getting packed in those space saving bags and larger items are getting disassembled and put in boxes. We don't have a lot of larger items, so it's not taking up a lot of space. Take a look at what you used all the time versus only once or twice and consider getting rid of those items you used rarely. If you need them, you can always buy them again.

byrneme

@persnickity, good idea on the space saving bags! Maybe I'll divide things into categories and use those in my tote. It's getting full rapidly!

persnickity

@byrneme they're really helpful. I divided by size, but inI'm thinking it would have been nice to divide by type (long sleeve onesie, footie pj, etc) and size. 

Jeansis

Love the Christmas gift ideas! I bought a special stuffed animal and a keepsake Christmas ornament about a week before I had him. There are also a few things on our baby registry that I might get for him.  Very excited for my first Christmas as a mama!!    

Polythene Pam

@JWatt5 I love that book!! So does my daughter, classic!! She makes a monster voice reading it, I love books from our childhood.

@latershrader  we’re saving a lot but it’s so hard to know.. A lot of big items we barely used (swing, bassinet) so we may donate and then borrow someone’s if we do need it if we have another baby, but keep all the smaller things and nicer clothes. 

For Christmas, someone gave us a footprint ornament kit, so Graham’s footprint is on the tree. So cute if anyone needs ideas!   

Jeansis

Did any of you deal with postpartum depression after giving birth? If so, what helped you? I gave birth just over one week ago and I have been weepy/crying off and on since a few days after giving birth. Some of my emotions are related to struggles with breastfeeding and worries about my baby, but other times I just feel sad and burst into tears for no apparent reason. I loved being pregnant and giving birth was such an amazing experience, so I think I may be grieving the end of that journey. But it's so confusing because I have my baby now, so I feel like I shouldn't feel this way at all! 

latershrader

@Jeansis I had the exact same symptoms. I was sad to not be pregnant anymore. I still miss being pregnant. It got better around week 3 postpartum. You still have a TON of hormones flowing through you so being weepy and sad is not unusual. My OB said if the feelings persisted after 2 weeks to call her immediately.

kelrauh

@jeansis what you are feeling is 100% normal. Its called the baby blues for the first few weeks. After that is post partum. Those first few weeks I just cried and asked dh for help that was the only way I got over the blues at that moment. Mine didn't get better until the babies were about 3 months. I went to therapy to help work through why I felt so disconnected/sad. 

persnickity

@Jeansis to echo everyone else, those first few weeks are the hardest. Hormones are doing crazy things, you're sleep deprived, and your whole world is different. If you still feel sad after 2-3 weeks, please reach out to your doctor.

Jeansis

Ok, thanks ladies. Glad to know I am not the only one. I had heard of the baby blues but never thought I would experience them because of how long I've been waiting for my baby. I will keep an eye on how I'm feeling and hopefully I will start feeling better in another week or two. I think being home all the time isn't helping either. We went to my parents' house for dinner last night and it felt so good to not be in my house for a few hours! The only other place I've been since coming home from the hospital is the pediatrician's office! Should probably go for a manicure or something soon! 

Polythene Pam

@Jeansis I had that with my daughter, and I agree just being home makes it harder! I’d even go to target or out for coffee with my daughter... during the week it’s all moms so no one cares if a baby cries or you’re feeding them in the middle of the store it’s such a huge adjustment and then just being home alone makes it lonely. Like you said, just be aware and go to the doc if needed, it’s very common

PoeMasque

I finally get to stop lurking and officially join the graduate thread now that Henry Magnus has arrived. He made his entrance on 12/6, 34 hours after induction due to AMA. @Jeansis the BF struggle is real! I’m still waiting for my milk to come in and not being able to really feed him is really stressful. In fact, he hadn’t had a wet diaper all day today so I ended up feeding him some formula (which he gulped down like a wild animal!) and felt a million times better just knowing he was getting something significant. 

Here’s a pic of him this morning, I did NOT love being pregnant, so actually having him here has been the absolute best - eventhough he had an upset tummy and screamed his head off for an hour at midnight 

Polythene Pam

@PoeMasque what a sweet baby!! Congrats! We’re in the upset tummy club often so feel free to post at midnight, I’ll probably be up

latershrader

@PoeMasque Welcome to the other side! You made it!! What a cutie! I hope you are able to breastfeed. 

omarismyhomeboy

@Jeansis girrrrrl I could NOT control my emotions or tears for the first 9 days. It was honestly scary but it went away and I was totally fine. Just keep an eye on it if it continues. 

latershrader

I have to share! We got the BEST photo with Eli and Santa. This is what I dreamed about while TTC. Moments like this!

omarismyhomeboy

@latershrader omg he's a big boy!!!! Love this!

Colleen0516

@Jeansis like the other ladies said, what you're feeling is totally normal. The hormone roller coaster is a crazy one. And just when the hormones level out, the sleep deprivation kicks some in and you're feeling crazy all over again! It's motherhood, but despite it all- it's still so wonderful! 

@PoeMasque congratulations!! He is adorable! 

@latershrader ahhh too cute!! I melted when we went for santa pictures. Sometimes it doesn't feel real (still!) but moments like those really get me. Those moments make it click that I am finally a mommy and I finally get to enjoy all the moments that I've always dreamed of! 
Sharing my santa picture too  

PoeMasque

@latershrader my milk finally came in on Friday night and feeds have been getting easier and easier (woot!).

@Jeansis the day my milk came in I kept crying for no reason, I am not a crier so it was really odd. 

One thing i learned from a PPMD training I went to was that up to 1 in 4 new dads suffer from PPMD too. My fiancé, who is normally the calm to my storm, has thrown two fits since baby has been home and he’s constantly checking to make sure the baby is breathing. So even without hormones, the struggle is real. 

byrneme

@PoeMasque - congratulations and welcome!!

@latershrader, @Colleen0516 - your Santa pics are so cute!! Zoey was not impressed with the big man this year lol.

Polythene Pam

@PoeMasque that is so interesting and I wish it was talked about more! (Husbands suffering from PPMD). My husband had stress upon stress upon stress after Graham (work, family, etc related) and he’s just now enjoying graham at week 6. I felt bad even leaving them to shower before, the stress and emotions were so erratic for him if graham had a fussy time. Now he’s smiling and joking with graham and tells me to leave more to give them time. 

JWatt5

@PoeMasque - my hubs had post partum - we got him taking a B Complex and Vitamin D. Also some extra sleep. We thought it would be me with my history. 

Formula feeding moms - I’m getting ready to end my pumping journey. I’m planning to be completely weaned off at 6 months but we’re starting to slowly introduce formula now. Our current bottle seems to cause excess bubbles (Life Factory). Any bottle suggestions?? 

JWatt5

The babies are sooo cute!! 

Polythene Pam

@JWatt5 they’re a pain to clean but we use dr brown bottles, they’re supposed to decrease bubbles and gas. I’ve never tried anything else though so if you find one with less parts I’d go with that!

there is a dr Brown “pitcher” that stirs up a days worth of formula with few bottles though, I used that with my daughters formula

byrneme

@JWatt5 - we use a combo of the Kiinde system bottles (for breastmilk) and Dr. Brown's (for formula) and like them both. I'm on the same path as you I think, hoping to be weaned by 6 months which is RIGHT before a trip we booked. Timing

latershrader

@Colleen0516 Our boys are wearing the same socks! LOL! So adorable! I think we have that same outfit your son is wearing. 
@JWatt5 Dr. Browns all the way. It really did help with the gas that formula seems to cause. If you do get a more gassy baby due to formula, the mylicon drops are so helpful. Just give BEFORE a feeding. I tried the gripe water too, but it didn't seem to work as well as the drops.
@PoeMasque I don't think my DH had ppd but he is certainly mourning the loss or lack of our sex life. Could that be part of it? Intimacy is hard when you have a baby strapped to you 18 hrs a day.

latershrader

BTW! All the Santa photos are just adorable!! Keep them coming!

JWatt5

Thanks everyone! If we have a problem we’ll give Dr Browns ago. So far the two bottles he’s had we’ve given in the other set we have and it seems ok (NUK Simply Natural). I’ll keep using the Life Factory ones for breastmilk until we’re done with that and then I could use them for regular milk again later. I just got the Baby Brezza Formula Pro - after all the breastmilk swirling and filling bottles and heating bottles, to have it all done at once with formula in 15 seconds I’m liking it haha. My goodness powdered formula smells though hehe. But he ate it down like he does my smelly thawed milk. 
@byrneme - our trip is in April but I’ll be glad to not be pumping by then for sure!! 

latershrader

@JWatt5 Formula burps and spit up are the WORST! Smell-eee!

omarismyhomeboy

June has not met Santa yet- she will later on when we get to my parents'- but this is the image I used for our holiday cards  Her big brother LOVED it. 

ale9687

Hi all, it’s been a while but wanted to drop by for a quick update. Anthony is 9 months tomorrow! He’s been at daycare since 12 weeks so we’ve been dealing with the constant cold and bronchiolitis. Were also going through a bit of a mental leap/ sleep regression. Luckily it’s not an every night thing. We also met Santa! Anthony loved his beard haha

persnickity

@omarismyhomeboy I'm really impressed that you got both of them looking at the camera at the same time! 

Loving all of the Santa pics!

omarismyhomeboy

@persnickity thank you for realizing how hard that is! It took like 40 shots but it worked out. 

byrneme

Is anyone here doing/thinking of doing Baby Led Weaning? I'm hearing more about it but curious of any experiences.