things I never thought I'd do
redshoegirl
member
I just put bumpers - the regular padded kind, not the breathable ones - in the boys' cribs. I didn't do it for a long time because of the suffocation risks, but lately they've been rolling all over the place and whacking into the sides. I can deal with the occasional bumped head, but when Will smacked into the crib slats hard enough to cut his forehead, I'd had enough - I put these in the cribs today. (Ones that matched our bedding sets were $99 each!)
Other stuff I never thought I'd do...
...introduce solids before 6 months. The boys had other ideas and there was no way they were going to wait past 5 months.
...formula feed. I'm still a little bitter about this, mostly because every.single doctor and nurse told me that I'd "absolutely!" be able to EBF, and I naively believed them. I wish someone had prepared me for the very real possibility that it wouldn't happen with twins, even if they do want to promote the whole "breast is best" campaign.
I don't think any of this stuff is bad - it's just interesting how your plans can change! Anyone else have something they didn't think they'd do?
Re: things I never thought I'd do
I thought I'd never....
....also formula feed. I was completely unprepared for breastfeeding. Even though I took a class, and read a few books, I was still totally unprepared (I don't think you're ever prepared as a first-time mom). I didn't realize that some babies really hate the breast. I suppose in the "olden days" you just had to suck it up and deal with it. And sometimes I feel like I should have (somehow!) done that now. But he hated it so much and we were both soooo miserable. Formula is working our great, but it definitely wasn't anywhere in the original plan.
.....give rice cereal. But he's sooooo hungry all the time, and formula just isn't doing it anymore. We actually just came from the pedi this evening, and she said definitely he's ready.
....talk about my son all. the. time. I try really hard not to, since I know how annoying it is to those without kids (and even those with kids sometimes, too!). But it's like word vomit! I love him so much, and I'm so proud of him every day....I can't help it!
.....(secretly) enjoy being a working mom. Yes, I miss him desperately when I'm at work, and do have fantasies about being a SAHM sometimes. But overall, it's going really, really well so far. I'm healthier in body, mind, and spirit than I was when I was staying home. I think I'm actually a better mom than I was before. When I was at home I was guilty of having the TV on all the time (in the background), and I found myself doing everything possible to get him to nap more. I put him down on the activity mat a lot to get other things done (not a bad thing at all, but I think I was doing it more than I should have been). I was just so exhausted! Now, I get my daytime to have other interactions that are good for me, then I get to go home and play with him all evening. I interact with him every moment I'm with him now (whether it's just snuggling or playing together), and I actually feel closer to him now than I did before. It seems counterintuitive, I know, but it's working (for us, anyway!).
LOL oh yes, this too! I try to keep it in check, especially when I'm talking to people without kids because I know how annoying it is. But how can I help it when I have the cutest kids on the planet. (Yes I do. THE cutest.
) And Ben has become one of THOSE people who whip out their phone to show people 826 photos of his babies if they show even the most mild interest lol.
About working...as much as I was stressing about going back to work, it's actually been MUCH easier than I thought it would. My workplace still sucks, but being apart has been easier than I anticipated. I actually felt a bit guilty the first day because I found myself enjoying my lunch break (which is at a regular time! and I can relax over it! and eat slowly! and even *gasp* read a book or something if I want to!).
I didn't have the TV on when I was at home (not judging - it's just not something I do, with or without kids - I'm an internet junkie instead lol), but I think I was also probably over-using the activity mat with them so I could get other stuff done. I agree that I probably spend more "quality time" with them now - especially on the two days a week that I'm home for right now.
hahahah it's so interesting how plans change.
my sister was scolding me this weekend because i wanted to research a bunch of things before i wanted to register for them. and she kept saying "you will change you will change!"
to which i replied, "that's fine. i know i will change, but what i can do now, i'll do. i'm sure i'll get more relaxed later but whatevs."
she rolled her eyes when i told her i didn't want to put the bumpers. "my boys bumped their head all the time!"
eh. whatevs. you do what you can and be flexible.
hawaii 10.2008 plan ;P married bio ???
... I never thought I'd be one of those moms who talks about their kids all the time, either!
But I can't help it. When my entire life revolves around this chubby bundle of fun, how can I not share the love? haha
I also never thought I'd bed share. I always had it in my mind that K would sleep in his own crib (next to our bed or in the same room), but for the most part, he sleeps in our bed. It's just easier to nurse at night. Plus, I think I have a bit of separation anxiety.
Hopefully, I can get him to sleep in his own crib soon, since DH is complaining that we never have alone time because the baby is always smack-dab in the middle of us! haha
Ah, we have bumpers already but I'm using them around the bottom of the crib, to protect our toes from stubbing into the crib since we weren't gonna use it cuz of SIDS. But OMG, I'm so tempted to just put them on and use them for him because it hurts me to hear him bump his head so much (and hard!). Eek, sorry to hear Will cut his forehead. Was it bad? I think I'm just about to use the bumpers as well even though I thought I wouldn't.
I actually thought I would've gave him solids a little before 6 months. Ended up being just this weekend, which is a bit after =P
I never thought my life and schedule would revolve so much around my baby, but it does and I don't even mind (which I never thought would be the case). And I never thought I would smile at someone who wakes me up when I'm trying to sleep in, but as I'm waking up, I'm thinking "dangit, I wanna sleep in more!" but then I look over and he gives me the *biggest* grin and I can't help but smile back...
And all of this!
We actually moved him into his crib a little less than a month ago at 5+ months. But he still always makes his way into our bed everyday when he wakes up around 4-5am to nurse. I carry him from his crib to our bed to nurse and we fall asleep together until we get up later in the morning.
It wasn't a huge cut, but it was enough to bleed. I figured at this age, their head/neck and body roll control is excellent, so there's not much of a worry of them getting trapped up against the bumper like there is when they're newborns.
And I get you on the schedule thing. I never thought I'd say, "I can't come to XXX, that's when the boys nap" - but it isn't worth my life if their nap schedule gets screwed up because then their sleeping patterns are out for DAYS. I know this makes me that mom whose life revolves around her kids, but for the moment it is what it is, you know?
LOL we never go out to dinner either! I can do a lunch date, as long as it's an early lunch, but if we don't start their bedtime routine at 7pm, all hell breaks loose.
...um, become a mother would be first and foremost, LOL!
And now that I am...in 10 short months there are already several things I never thought I'd do...
...bedshare. Yep, we're that family with the baby in the bed, between mama and daddy. every.single.night. And you know what? We LOVE it and wouldn't have it any other way.
...let baby sleep with pillows and blankets. We do and have never had one issue or scare.
...get rid of our cable and TV. Pulled the plug in August and it's awesome. We get SO much more done and Libby is not distracted at all by the TV now. Neither are we.
...bumpers in the crib...even though she doesn't sleep there she does play and rest in hers and was getting her legs and arms stuck in the slats and bumping her head. Like Lisa, I just got some plain bumpers (a hand-me-down from a friend) and stuck them in their this summer.
...want to be a SAHM. I never imagined I'd ever want to be home all day with my baby and yet, now that she's here, it's all I can think about some days. *sigh*
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