PAIF Graduates - New Mommies - May 2018

persnickity

Congrats @helloworld9

This might be a dumb question... When do you stop burping?? 

mbradfo2

There's no specific age, just a gradual maturation of the digestive system that no longer necessitates burping. I think most people notice it between 4-6 mo's when they're starting solids.

Speaking of baby food, we've started thickening Anne's formula with some oatmeal - she'll be 8 weeks on Monday. It helps keep her full longer (she was starting to get hungry every 2 hours since her small stomach cannot hold the amount of food her appetite requires!) and it helps with any reflux she might be having. So far, so good; she actually slept for 4-5 hours in a stretch yesterday afternoon (she had been wide awake most of the morning and the first portion of the afternoon). So hopefully she's feeling more full and content! 

I've noticed we starting to get real social smiles now; they are so cute!! I love how her whole face smiles

JWatt5

@persnickity - we haven’t burped Parker for a couple months. For some reason I did a couple weeks ago, and he barfed for the first time in...no idea haha. 

persnickity

@JWatt5 I have no idea what daycare does, but i burp for 5 minutes. I don't think she actually burps most of the time, but it's such a habit. It's going to be weird breaking myself of the routine.

MMD1986

I look forward to the days of no burping. Brooks is a terrible burper. 

Today is the first day of daycare. Time is going to fast. I'm checking the cameras constantly so I can see him. Lol. 

ReesaAnne16

@mbradfo2 Was adding the oatmeal to the formula something your pediatrician recommended? Everything I've heard and read says no solids before 4 months at the earliest and most recommend waiting at least 6 months. Oatmeal seems like empty calories to me, not as nutrient rich as the formula. Just curious if pediatricians are actually suggesting this. 

Hopeful_mom

Lurking hoping to join soon

Hi ladies wondering if anyone did cord blood banking? Was it done through your hospital?

mbradfo2

@ReesaAnne16
Yeah, my dad is a pediatrician 30 plus years and he was the one who recommended it. He clarified only 1 tablespoon per 4 oz of formula, so it's really very little, but it helps! It's recommended for helping with reflux primarily when you're using it under 4 mo's. We get the baby oatmeal which basically disappears when you mix it in and has vitamins/etc.(Note/clarification: Baby goes to my dad's practice, but he's not her actual pediatrician. We have another lovely doctor who actually takes care of her, but he was the one who felt she might have a bit of reflux and recommended it after watching her for one afternoon.) Anne has the problem of having big eyes and a very little stomach so she was tending to overeat and make herself uncomfortable OR get cranky if we try to stop the feeding, so a side benefit is that it fills her up a bit so she isn't cranky when we take the bottle away after she's clearly had the most her stomach can hold (i.e. spit up, etc).

@hopeful_mom We did not, but mostly because it wasn't on my mind when they were rushing to deliver her and I thought I had another month or two! I considered donating her cord blood at one point, but our hospital wasn't one of the donation facilities. For what it's worth, my pediatrician father is fairly positive on the potential benefits of cord blood, so if you can swing the storage fees, it's probably not a bad idea. I think they send you a kit if your hospital isn't a donation site and your OB should know what to do with it.

ReesaAnne16

@mbradfo2 Thanks for the info, I've never heard of it before, but I'm glad its helping Anne!

persnickity

I'm starting to feel like I'm back to knowing nothing again. Like when Mackenzie was first born, I felt clueless at times, but then got into a rhythm and started to feel really confident about what I was doing. Now that she's getting closer to the year mark, I'm feeling a little lost again. Like how much solid food should she be eating and how many times a day. How will I know when to send less milk in bottles? How do I help her learn to pull up or walk? How do I brush her teeth and when?

Feeling like I'm back at square one some days... Some things are so much easier and others are harder.

JWatt5

@persnickity - feeling the same way!! And I’m finding that others options are stronger than ever. I’m just trusting my gut with the food, keep using the app to watch trends. I’ve been letting Parker climbs on the couches, my body etc. I was told that exploratory climbing will lead them to realize the can pull up but who knows haha I’m always worried I’m not doing enough with him being a SAHM right now. They’ve always hit their milestones. They’ll do it!!! 

Polythene Pam

@persnickity somehow it all works out! I swear I was winging it with my daughter, I’m back at it again. ask the pediatrician all of this, they’re so helpful. I think around a year mine wanted my daughter to be feeding herself (finger foods) and around there it was 3 meals plus two snacks. We did sippy cups of milk so bottles phased out naturally (besides a bedtime bottle which we had to cut eventually). They tell you all that. Same with walking, give them tools (walk holding your hands, walking push toys) but one day it’ll click and they’ll be running. 

My dentist let me bring in my daughter around 12 months and showed me how to brush teeth (a bear hug in a chair brushing her teeth). It was helpful to see, especially since my daughter acted like a toothbrush was a torturing tool. 

It all works out somehow, you’re doing such a great job!!

Hopeful_mom

Question to all!!

what must have items now having gone through the process that you think you needed in the hospital?  

byrneme

@Hopeful_mom so happy to see you here! Regarding cord blood banking we looked into it. Then I learned that, in the end, it's really not worth it. I think this article is what opened my eyes: https://www.lucieslist.com/newsletter/week-28-truth-cord-blood-banking/

@persnickity OMG yes. I feel the EXACT same way but, like @jwatt5 says, I'm just trusting my gut for now!

omarismyhomeboy

@Hopeful_mom I agree with what @byrneme said about cord blood banking- it can't be used in most cases, at least not for the child whose cord it is from.

JWatt5

@hopefulmom - sounds bad but our iPad Mini with Netflix haha. The quiet was great most of the time but I was there 3 days, hardly slept and I’m glad I had something to do. We weren’t allowed to leave the Materity Ward and I was going crazy (we had to stay due to Parker’s thyroid). 

Take your fav shampoo/face wash etc. When I finally had a shower and was ready to get out of the gown it was great to kinda feel like myself. 

Nursing stuff - pillow, pump etc. Let’s you get comfortable using those things while you learn/have help. 

Otherwise to be honest, Parker was in a diaper & swaddled the 3 days and I stayed in the gown for the first 24 hours. I just needed ice for my hoohaw, pads and food which the hospital supplied. Remember too - you’re seriously occupied during this time and cared for and also so close to home. Not much needed & DH can grab something if needed!! 

latershrader

@hopefulmom I wasn't allowed to eat...so eat a LOT before you go. You don't know how long the whole process is going to take, I was in labor for almost 3 days before going with an unplanned c-section. And I brought a fan, i am a whitenoise junkie so it really helped...and it was SO hot in our room that it really helped.

@persnickity It made me well up with tears to see your post. I am a full-time working mom and sometimes I feel like I am not showing him enough or helping him learn as much as he needs. I have the same questions about food. Are we doing it right? Who knows?! I'm glad you guys chimed in and I'm not alone. Right now, Eli is eating all formula with 4 oz of pureed veggies for dinner and 4 oz of an oatmeal bottle before bed. We also give him different fruits in a silicone feeder (mesh thingy that he can learn to chew on). On the weekend i try to give him things to practice his pincher grasp. But who knows. I feel like we are always on the run going to see this friend or family member. So having time to teach anything is hard too.

We are headed to the beach in a few weeks and I honestly cannot wait to have a full week with my husband and my child. We are going with family too so we will have some babysitters. I really wish I could be a SAHM...I'm envious of those of you that are.

persnickity

Thanks everyone! I love the support here. It's also just really nice to know that others are having the same struggles and that we're not alone. I'm going to just try and trust that we'll figure it out as we go. Mackenzie has steered us in the right direction for her so far. I have to trust that she'll continue that.

@latershrader I might be one of the rare ones, but I'm glad I'm not a sahm. I think it's perfect for some people, but not for me. I'm sad some days that i don't get to enjoy her more, but I feel that she's happier getting to play with other kids.

MMD1986

@latershrader my dream is to be a work part time mom that makes full time money. 

Also, just wanted to chime in to all the moms questioning themselves on this page. Y'all are doing great! Your instinct has gotten your sweet baby this far, so you obviously know what you're doing! 

liljoy-2

@Hopeful_mom I did the cord blood banking thing and in retrospect, it was not worth it. First, its use other than transplant is only experimental at this point. Second, and what shocked me most, is that for a transplant treatment (for a different child, if compatible, not the same baby), you need a much larger quantity than what you can collect. We collected very little, which is basically unusable. Yet, we paid the high price. So, not worth it. 

Hopeful_mom

Thanks so much for the info ladies gives me some more to think about!!

im excited and nervous that soon soon my lil one will be here and I'll have even more questions 

byrneme

@persnickity - I'm in your camp. I have SO much respect for SAHM's but I personally could not do it, at least not full time. 

JWatt5

I didn’t think I could be a SAHM before Parker and even once I was about two months in I planned to go back at 9 months but now...I want to stay home and raise my child/children. I love being with him, going to the mom & baby groups (that I thought I’d hate), juggling naps and feeds. I tear up everytime I think about going back in September. But...bills need paid lol. I have been keeping in the loop and working a bit from home but...I can’t wait to have another baby and be off again. 

omarismyhomeboy

@Hopeful_mom if there was one thing I would have done differently, I would have brought our miracle blanket! It's basically a swaddle but way easier to do and babies can't get out. I started having full-on meltdowns because we couldn't get the swaddle right using hospital blankets. It's really a learning curve there. 

omarismyhomeboy

@persnickity @byrneme girls I am in your camps too! Before I had June I figured being a SAHM was the 'easy way out' and I was too career-driven. Well, I am still into my career but frankly, I think its easier than being a SAHM! Really, if you are a SAHM you really don't get a minute to yourself, you can't take a sick day, you can't take breaks, can't run to the store on your own, don't get the same kind of adult time, etc. I really am in awe of all of you who do it! I think its incredible! My master's degree did not prepare me for all that lol. I think maybe my ideal would be to one day work part-time. But I just don't have it in me to be a SAHM.

So, June is 8 1/2 months. Will be 9 months on June 5. (June in June!) She is awesome. But, she is not crawling- at all. It has started to worry me. She pivots very well on her tummy, can turn completely around, and she moves by rolling around the room. But she has not gotten up on her knees at all! I am probably just being paranoid. But I wonder what would be considered a 'red flag' as far as delayed crawling goes. She likes to pull up if she is sitting on my lap (can't do it without that extra boost), and seems to have hit all her other developmental milestones so far, but its just weird bc my friends' babies have been crawling since 7 months. What do y'all think?

persnickity

@byrneme @omarismyhomeboy completely after with you both. Full respect for SAHMs, it's a hard job! But I'd only want to do it one day a week or so.

@omarismyhomeboy June's doing fine! Mackenzie still isn't crawling at 9 months and the pediatrician wasn't concerned. She's just now more pulling herself forward move. Her legs just don't seem to stay under her to crawl. They said kids skip crawling because they find other ways to move. As long as she's crawling or walking by 11 months my pediatrician isn't worried.

byrneme

@omarismyhomeboy - no need to worry (although we all know that is easier said than done). I felt the same way - my friend's kids were off to the races by 7 months at the latest. As hard as it is to not compare how do you NOT? Zoey crawled at 9 months, 1 day and hasn't looked back. Like @persnickity she just couldn't get her legs to stay under her to crawl and then *bam* they did and now, a month later, she's FAST. I've read that 12 months is the time to start to get concerned. 

Also - you described how I feel about SAHM-ing to a tee. It is the hardest job in the world!

JWatt5

@omarismyhomeboy - @byrneme - you did describe it so well haha. It’s defiantly hard - you need nap times, play groups and a supportive spouse that’s for sure. I’m taking Monday evenings for myself now - I’ve only missed bedtime once (this past week) but I’m ready for some me time now. 

Parker doesn’t crawl. He doesn’t seem to know he can bend his knees sometimes. Kid can roll though - it’s his method of movement. I really think he’ll skip crawling! I get worried too seeing other their age moving more. But...like everyone said, one day they don’t. The next they do. We’ve been trying to get him to clap for weeks and then today in the car seat on the way home from the park - we heard him/saw him clapping to himself. Made me melt. 

Polythene Pam

@omarismyhomeboy I wouldn’t worry! My husband was a late walker (17 months or so) and he turned out ok my daughter talked late (2.5 finally hit the word count they want at 2) and now she won’t shut up I mention it all to my doc but it all seems to even out.

I’m a freelance designer so work at home, I love it but man yes, no sick days and no breaks. Especially with big sis no longer napping or resting. I’m in a local moms group that is literally my source for adult conversation and sanity. I give the moms that work outside the home so much credit too, every job is crazy hard and a juggling act!! They all take a village, that’s for sure.

MMD1986

Working from home would be hard as well! You're literally doing two jobs at once.

When I went back to work my husband stayed with Brooks for a few days. He was thinking he was in for a few relaxing days and said he was shocked how busy he was.  I don't think he realized how much work goes into the day of a stay at home parent. 

omarismyhomeboy

THANK YOU everyone. I know I am probably just being paranoid but it helps so much to hear it all from you! xo

Stars2016

@omarismyhomeboy Weston turned 9 months last Monday and still isn’t crawling, we mentioned it to our pediatrician and he pretty much told us we were overachievers for worrying about it so early so I wouldn’t worry about it yet

mskeenan

Hi ladies ! I haven’t checked in here for awhile . Some of you may recognize my name .. I did IVF back in 2016 and had my son in Nov 16 . This past week I started feeling weird and randomly took a pregnancy test and got a BFP . I’m in shock . I was told I would never be able to conceive on my own . I’m kind of at a loss for what to do .. do I call my OB or my fertility doc ? I’m worried I need to be on progesterone to keep this pregnancy . 

persnickity

 @mskeenan Congrats!! Call both offices and see who can get you in for a blood test the fastest. That way, you can see if you need progesterone. 

omarismyhomeboy

@Stars2016 ha! overachievers I guess thanks for telling me

MMD1986

When did y'all switch to bigger bottles less times per day?

persnickity

@MMD1986 at about 5 months we we're sending 5 oz bottles to daycare, which moved us to the bigger bottles. We're up to 6 oz as of 8 months. It's completely hit or miss as to whether or not she'll take the full bottle. We even went back down to 4 oz bottles more frequently for a short period of time and then slowly worked back up to 6oz.

Polythene Pam

@MMD1986 it’s totally by each kid (which will drive you nuts my son is mostly nursed so around 3 months finally started spacing out feedings. He’s almost 7 months and when given a bottle, can down 8 oz.

my daughter was formula fed so if she downed 2 oz, I’d make her a 2.5 oz bottle. Up to 3, give her 3.5 if she needed a touch more. Just gradually increase as they consistently eat more. As they take bigger bottles they’ll usually space them out more. I vaguely remember 3-4 months for her, she was a big eater though but she ate every 3-4 hrs then. 

JWatt5

I still can’t get Parker to take more than 6oz. He only does at morning and bed. So we went from 7 bottles to 6 bottles. Now to see down from 28oz to 22-26oz a day with solids depending on the day. He eats like a champ - new fav is tuna/avocado mini sandwiches haha. His 9 Month check up was today - 30 inches (98th)and 22.5lbs(86th). He’s so tall! 

mbradfo2

Anne's only two months now and we're starting to switch to the bigger bottles so we can offer more to her if she wants it. She takes a full bottle with 4-5 oz at every feeding and sometimes more at night (I think she demanded 6 oz during a feeding last night....which meant we had to make 2 bottles >.< ). She can apparently take these amounts as she never really spits up. I suppose every baby is different! I suppose it just depends on when you feel you can offer more than 4 oz without it going to waste all the time. (Of course, when she DOES take a large bottle at one feeding, she tends to eat less at the next and go for a longer time without fussing)