November 2016 Moms

Ask your really dumb questions here :-)

I can't be the only pregnancy newbie with really dumb questions :-) So, I am going to ask a few with no shame :-) And I invite anyone else who has a maybe-dumb question to ask...

1) So apparently you aren't supposed to put them in a car seat with a snowsuit on? But baby is coming in November, in Canada, so...what do they wear in the car seat then? 

2) On a related note, given how fast babies grow and since it is due right at the start of winter, will one snowsuit last me the whole winter? Or do I need to buy two baby snowsuits?

3) I have no idea what a 'swaddle blanket' is and why the Internet seems to think I need 15 of them?

4) How many outfits should the baby realistically have? I am assuming that unless we are going out somewhere around people, it probably will wear the footie sleepers most of the time? So, how many of those will it realistically go through in a week?

5) Where do you usually put the baby if you are going to the bathroom, making food, answering the phone etc? On a blanket? One of those little bouncy chairs? Somewhere else?

6) We live in a not-giant apartment that is on one level. Do we really need a baby monitor?

Phew! Glad to get those off my chest :-) Anyone else?
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Re: Ask your really dumb questions here :-)

  • ficbot said:

    5) Where do you usually put the baby if you are going to the bathroom, making food, answering the phone etc? On a blanket? One of those little bouncy chairs? Somewhere else?
    I've been wondering about this too! I feel so stupid. Where do I put baby when I want to take a shower, use the bathroom, feed the dogs? DH starts work at 5am so he's not home in the morning to help with the routine.  :/

    Also, do you ever get to wear makeup once you have a baby? Is there time for that? Should I chop off my hair? It's past boob length now, and I usually spend 30 minutes blow drying it right now every time I have to wash it. Is it irrational to keep my long hair? 

    Yay for dumb questions! 

    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
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  • I'll try my best to answer some of these!

    1) snowsuit in car seats: it's considered a safety issue to have anything beyond regular clothing on your baby while strapped into the car seat. But while in the infant seat you can have the thicker fleece one piece on your baby, just not a puffy jacket or puffy snowsuit. It's inconvenient for sure to have to take off additional layers in the car, but if you start your car 5-10 minutes before you get into it then the cold won't be an issue. There's also things that are like blankets that can go over the infant carrier - some brands aren't considered safe because they interfere with the tightness of the harness - so you'll have to do research on which ones are good.

    3) swaddles: babies are used to sleeping constricted inside you, and can startle themselves if their arms and legs are free to move about. The hospital will teach you how to swaddle (aka wrap the baby like a burrito). I gave up on learning how to swaddle with a blanket once I discovered the miracle of Swaddlemes - which are easy to use swaddles with Velcro or buttons. Babies usually outgrow the startle reflex and don't have to be swaddled anymore after a few months.

    4) more clothes than you'd think! Newborns produce an amazing amount of runny poop and spitup. Your best bet in the beginning is those footie sleepers and onesies with a swaddle over them. 

    5) you can put a baby in a swing, mamaroo, bouncer, rock n play, pack n play, pretty much anything that's comfortable for them to lay in.

    and @MissAmeliaPondfor hair, keep it ponytail length or short enough to not need a ponytail! I spent the first 6 months with my hair in a bun. You'd be surprised how strong an infant's grip can be.

    Hope I was a little bit helpful!!
  • edited May 2016
    Both my kids were winter babies (well, one slightly before winter. End of October and mid-January) and I can tell you that you won't really need a snowsuit for this winter. As was mentioned above, a good car seat cover is all you need. Not the ones that go between the baby and the back of the seat, just the ones that cover them up, and you tuck blankets around them too. I'm in Canada too and my son was born during a REALLY cold winter.

    My kids lived in sleepers for most of their first 6-12 months. You really only need a couple outfits, but you'll want lots of sleepers. Because we lived in fairly draughty places when they were tiny, we'd usually have a onesie on under the sleepers. We usually had at least a dozen each of sleepers and onesies for when they were really tiny because they WILL have blow outs and leaks and you will sometimes go through up to 5+ a day if you get a little poop machine. 

    Some babies like to be swaddled (and a swaddle blanket is a blanket designed specifically to make this easier) but some HATE it. I just had very large, flannel squares that someone sewed up for me when I had my first (it was just cut flannel squares, probably 40"x40", with the edges sewn over) and that was just fine. The little flannel baby blankets that are all of 24" square were completely useless for swaddling my long-limbed kids.

    For putting baby down when I needed a second, we have a little rocking chair thingy, or I'd use the bassinet or swing. Whatever was closest. 

    I didn't use baby monitors with either of my kids because we lived in smaller places.

    K.

    Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
  • edited May 2016
    I love this! Here are some answers and some questions of my own

    1) So apparently you aren't supposed to put them in a car seat with a snowsuit on? But baby is coming in November, in Canada, so...what do they wear in the car seat then? 

    Nope. there is something called a bundle me. look it up. Some say its also no good for the carseat but we used it. If you're not comfortable, you just blanket them up real good before you get in the car. You can cover the carseat with the rain guard to shield from the wind. Get a snap and go or the like which is a little cart that you snap the carseat into to go to a from the car.

    2) On a related note, given how fast babies grow and since it is due right at the start of winter, will one snowsuit last me the whole winter? Or do I need to buy two baby snowsuits? 

    I had to buy two. 

    3) I have no idea what a 'swaddle blanket' is and why the Internet seems to think I need 15 of them?

    A swaddle blanket is a breathable thin blanket that is used to wrap the baby up like a burrito. New borns have a startle reflex and many wont sleep unless they are wrapped up real tight. They will show you how to do it in the hospital. I prefer swaddle blankets with velcro. They minimize the SIDS risk because they are harder to undo and they don't move up around baby's face inadvertently. The AA ones are really nice too but no velcro. But you can use them as burp clothes, stroller covers, light blankets in summer, etc. 

    4) How many outfits should the baby realistically have? I am assuming that unless we are going out somewhere around people, it probably will wear the footie sleepers most of the time? So, how many of those will it realistically go through in a week?

    It really depends on how much laundry you want to do. They have A LOT of leaky diapers the first fews months. You will change their clothes more than you anticipate. Especially in the middle of the night. Sleep sacks are better for night time. Much easier and faster for diaper changes. The new born set is called a layette. There are tons of internet layette lists. check them out.

    5) Where do you usually put the baby if you are going to the bathroom, making food, answering the phone etc? On a blanket? One of those little bouncy chairs? Somewhere else?

    Baby carrier or bouncer. You will find it a challenge to put the baby down. At some point you will take a dump while nursing or holding your baby. I promise. 

    6) We live in a not-giant apartment that is on one level. Do we really need a baby monitor?

    Not at first, but yes. We live in the same kind of situation. I don't ever use the noise. But, the video and temp features on ours are essential. I completely determine whether my baby needs me in the middle of the night or after naps based on his body language in the crib. Babies make lots of noise while they sleep and not every sound is a cry for you to go in. The video helps me decide when is the right time. Also, our apartment is weirdly hot and never cools down so the temp thing has been helpful for us. Baby should be sleeping in cool temps. 


    Some of my own questions:

    How do you manage two kids of differing ages bed times? Like where does LO go when I put DS to bed at 7:30?LO will still be up as a infant then. 

    Same question but for bath?

    How do I follow DS on the playground the make sure he is safe and have LO with me at the same time?

    How do you manage the sleep depravation of the first fews months with a Toddler?




  • atcwagatcwag member
    ficbot said:
    I can't be the only pregnancy newbie with really dumb questions :-) So, I am going to ask a few with no shame :-) And I invite anyone else who has a maybe-dumb question to ask...

    1) So apparently you aren't supposed to put them in a car seat with a snowsuit on? But baby is coming in November, in Canada, so...what do they wear in the car seat then? 
    My son was born in October and we live in northwest PA, so it gets super cold. We didn't have a baby snowsuit. Such a waste of $ IMO. Dress baby warm (onesie+sleeper+hat), tuck a blanket around them once strapped in and put a blanket over top or get a shower cap style cover if you're using an infant bucket seat. We had/have a Cozy Cover and are happy with it. Nothing should go behind baby or route straps through, so the BundleMe is a no-no too. 

    2) On a related note, given how fast babies grow and since it is due right at the start of winter, will one snowsuit last me the whole winter? Or do I need to buy two baby snowsuits?
    Skip altogether. 

    3) I have no idea what a 'swaddle blanket' is and why the Internet seems to think I need 15 of them?
    Most/many babies like the comfort of being tightly wrapped (swaddled). You can really use any blanket, but thin blankets with a little stretch make it easier. They also make actual swaddlers that have Velcro to keep in place. 

    4) How many outfits should the baby realistically have? I am assuming that unless we are going out somewhere around people, it probably will wear the footie sleepers most of the time? So, how many of those will it realistically go through in a week?
    3ish/day depending...sometimes more sometime less depending on spitting up and diaper blowouts. My son lived in footed sleepers, gowns and wearable blankets the first few months. Usually a onesie underneath because our house is drafty. 

    5) Where do you usually put the baby if you are going to the bathroom, making food, answering the phone etc? On a blanket? One of those little bouncy chairs? Somewhere else?
    A combination of Rock n Play, Pack n Play, swing, bouncer, floor playmat, etc. Wherever really. 

    6) We live in a not-giant apartment that is on one level. Do we really need a baby monitor?
    Not necessarily, especially if baby is going to room-in with you for a while. If not, you may want one for nights if you don't think you'll wake. 


    Phew! Glad to get those off my chest :-) Anyone else?
    Answered above...
    Pregnancy Ticker
  • @MissAmeliaPond Probably not the first week or so, but after that I got up, showered and did my make up everyday. Its so important to hold on to small parts of yourself like that. In the beginning its really hard but I found it was better to at least get dressed in the morning somewhat and then struggle the rest of the day than struggle all day in my PJs. It just made me feel more myself. 
  • 1. Snow suits are too bulky to be safe for car seats. Put them in warm layers that aren't as bulky, then put a blanket over the car seat. That way once the car warms up you can remove the blanket. Different parents do it different ways, but that was my approach.

    2. I waited until DD was born to buy a snowsuit because I wasn't sure what size I'd need. Then I got a 3month one which was a little big at the beginning, and a little small at the end, but it worked.

    3. Swaddle blankets are light blankets that you use for everything. You can swaddle baby with them (obviously) or use them as spitup cloths, or light blankets. They're awesome.

    4. It depends on how often you want to do laundry. When DD was a newborn she got through 3-4 outfits a day, either bc her diaper leaked and she needed a change or bc she spit up all over herself. Buy multipacks of onesies, some pants, and footie pajamas. If you're having a baby shower don't buy any baby clothes until afterward, because you'll probably get a boatload of nb sized stuff and you'll need 3 months before you can spit.

    5. Rock n play or a bassinet, so you can tote them around the house with you as needed. You can also baby wear, which is a lovely solution.

    6. A video monitor is a great thing even if you can easily hear baby. When they get a little older it can save you a lot of headaches to be able to see if they're lying down and asleep or sitting up and likely to see you and wake up if you sneak into their room. Your call though.


    These are just my answers though. There are lots of solutions to all these things, and you'll likely find which things work for you and which you don't like as you go.

    BabyFruit Ticker
  • @SRose109 our answers are pretty much identical. haha
  • Some of my own questions:

    How do you manage two kids of differing ages bed times? Like where does LO go when I put DS to bed at 7:30?LO will still be up as a infant then. 

    Same question but for bath?

    How do I follow DS on the playground the make sure he is safe and have LO with me at the same time?

    How do you manage the sleep depravation of the first fews months with a Toddler?




    My kids have the same bedtime (8pm) and it makes life so much easier. My oldest will probably be switched to 8:30, maybe 9, within the year though. When my daughter was tiny, she'd just hang out with my husband and I when our son went to bed, but we really started encouraging the 8pm bedtime fairly early. By about a year, she was adhering to it too. 

    Honestly, I bathed them together once my daughter was about 6 months old, until my son was ready to have me out of the room at about 4.5 (when my daughter was nearly 1) and so I'd read to her while he bathed, and then I'd bathe her and then read to them together.

    My daughter lived in the sling for the first 12 months, so I was always able to respond quickly if my son needed me (he has autism and needed intervention more than most kids would.) Then once she could walk, she spent the next two years following her brother everywhere. Where we're from, parents don't really follow their kids around on the playground, though, so that wasn't really a big concern for me. You just kind of let them loose and stay in the general vicinity and all the parents supervise all the kids. 

    The sleep deprivation was handled by shifts. My husband would let me sleep when he got home from work. I'd handle the night feeds and whatnot (unless he was off the next day then he'd get up to soothe her and let me sleep as much as possible, but I was breastfeeding so I still had to handle the ffeeds at least somewhat.) 

    Ultimately, you just get on with it. It wasn't really that difficult. You figure out what works for you pretty quickly.
    K.

    Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
  • ficbotficbot member
    So....a onesie and a sleeper is not the same thing? :-)
  • ficbot said:
    So....a onesie and a sleeper is not the same thing? :-)
    A onesie is a shirt that has snaps at the crotch. I've variously heard the term "sleeper" applied to either footie pajamas or wearable blankets.
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I would have never known about not putting them in a car seat in a snow suit. How am I supposed to learn stuff like that? Who tells you that? 

    My dumb question...what are the reasons NOT to breastfeed? People seem to tread lightly around this subject. My best friend sent me a book in breadtfeeding and then apologized saying it's totally ok if you don't! In my mind everyone would want to breastfeed. I know that's not true, just wondering what are the reasons a FTM would decide before birth not to breastfeed? 

    Also,bus it a good idea to buy newborn sizes? What if you have a big baby? 

    And how do non-bumping people learn all this!!!! 
  • I'm sorry apparently we have the regular JJ Cole car seat cover, not the bundle me. Ours is shower cap style and a fleece cover. Nothing touches the baby, nothing goes behind the baby or the straps. That's what I meant. My bad y'all! 
    Pregnancy Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

  • @SRose109 our answers are pretty much identical. haha
    Haha didn't see yours! We must've been typing at the same time. I'm a slow typer so I find by the time I'm done responding there are a whole slew of new things and my post is now irrelevant :/
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I guess they can be. Onesies in my mind are like little body suits with no legs. sleepers have legs and feet. 
  • What @srose109 said. I mean footie pajamas when I say sleeper, just to clarify my earlier post. Though open-bottom gowns are fantastic too, especialyl for nighttime so you don't have all those snaps to deal with!
    K.

    Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
  • I suppose I could research this but I'll ask here. When you're loading a toddler and a newborn into a car by yourself, what's the safest way to go about it (assuming your toddler can't be counted on to stand where you ask her to and stay there)? Toddler first? Newborn first and leave toddler in the shopping cart in a way such that you can hopefully see them both? I am not looking forward to grocery shopping with 2 kids.
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • @Justpeachier13The reasons I stopped breastfeeding were about my quality of life (or, as my mother would say, selfish). I was always sticky from breast milk, my breasts hurt when they were engorged, and I wanted to have two glasses of wine most evenings. Also, my husband could do late night bottle feedings if I used formula. I found pumping to be a gigantic pain in the butt.
    I'm going to try harder at breast feeding this time though. I later learned 3am feedings are a lot worse with formula, because you have to wake up all the way and go make a bottle instead of just whipping out a boob while lying in bed.
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • RoxellRoxell member
    @Justpeachier13
    You can drink if you don't BF! It can be less stressful because you can have someone else feed the baby if you need a break. You don't have to worry about what you're eating effecting the baby. You don't have to worry about milk leakage or sore breasts/nipples. You can go on birth control right away without it effecting feeding the baby. You won't have to stress about how much milk you are producing. Honestly its a personal choice that no one can make for you. Just do what is best for you and your baby. Team Feed the Baby!
  • I would have never known about not putting them in a car seat in a snow suit. How am I supposed to learn stuff like that? Who tells you that? 

    You'll start seeing more PSAs on that kind of stuff on FB the more of your friends become parents. But honestly there's a ton that I learned from the Bump that I wouldn't have otherwise known.

    My dumb question...what are the reasons NOT to breastfeed? People seem to tread lightly around this subject. My best friend sent me a book in breadtfeeding and then apologized saying it's totally ok if you don't! In my mind everyone would want to breastfeed. I know that's not true, just wondering what are the reasons a FTM would decide before birth not to breastfeed? 

    Some people can't breastfeed for various reasons. Some people hated it after they tried it. And some people find it easier with their schedules to do formula instead of pumping round the clock. To each their own. Don't judge another mom...unless she's flat out not feeding her baby. She's not a bad mom if she not breastfeeding. (And I don't mean you're being judgemental specifically, just you in the general sense.)

    Also,bus it a good idea to buy newborn sizes? What if you have a big baby? 

    Unless you have a 10+ pounder, you'll still probably need some newborn things for the first few weeks. My son was almost 9lbs and was in newborn size for a good 3-4 weeks. The 0-3 month stuff was huge on him at first. Don't go crazy on newborn clothes though. You'll get much much longer use out of the 0-3 size range. 

    And how do non-bumping people learn all this!!!! 

    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • RoxellRoxell member
    My stupid questions; Does it hurt to pump? How do you pump and still have milk for the baby? How long can you keep BM in the fridge or freezer? I went from exclusively BF to exclusively FF so I've never pumped before.
  • edited May 2016
    I would have never known about not putting them in a car seat in a snow suit. How am I supposed to learn stuff like that? Who tells you that? 

    Really, your doctor *should* but many of them don't know. That's why you get a million pamphlets when you have a baby.

    My dumb question...what are the reasons NOT to breastfeed? People seem to tread lightly around this subject. My best friend sent me a book in breadtfeeding and then apologized saying it's totally ok if you don't! In my mind everyone would want to breastfeed. I know that's not true, just wondering what are the reasons a FTM would decide before birth not to breastfeed? 

    Also,bus it a good idea to buy newborn sizes? What if you have a big baby? 

    And how do non-bumping people learn all this!!!! 

    There are plenty of reasons women may not choose to breastfeed. For one, they may honestly have an aversion to it - the idea squicks them out so much that they just can't bring themselves to do it. Or they know they have a breast malformation that will make it difficult or impossible to actually breastfeed successfully, or they are on a medication - or want to return as soon as possible after delivery - that is contraindicated while breastfeeding. There are medical conditions which make breastfeeding less advisable or contraindicated. Also, frankly, it hurts. It's hard to get started with breastfeeding, it is incredibly limiting in some ways, and some women know right off the bat they don't want that for themselves. (And I say this as someone who breastfed each kid for over two years, and never gave a drop of formula.)

     In the developed world, where we have access to preventive health care including vaccination, clean water, and a generally high standard of living, the benefits of breastfeeding at the individual level are fairly minor and are *vastly* outweighed by the effects of family socioeconomic status and lifestyle choices. Breastfeeding has benefits, absolutely, but there are many factors in your baby's life that matter a ton more than whether or not he or she is breastfed. Lots of women weigh the costs versus the benefits and just decide it's not for them. And that's okay! It's your body, it's your choice!
    K.

    Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
  • edited May 2016
    Roxell said:
    My stupid questions; Does it hurt to pump? How do you pump and still have milk for the baby? How long can you keep BM in the fridge or freezer? I went from exclusively BF to exclusively FF so I've never pumped before.
    Pumping can hurt. I usually had trouble with it and never responded well to a pump (and I tried several) so it'd take me a week or so of pumping to get enough for a single evening out. 

    Breastmilk production is positive feedback. The more milk released from the breasts, the more you'll produce (basically...) That's why women can produce enough to feed multiples; your body cranks up production to compensate (but this is an imperfect process which is why supply issues are so common!)

    Breastmilk storage guidelines from the CDC .
    K.

    Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
  • @ficbot

    1) So apparently you aren't supposed to put them in a car seat with a snowsuit on? But baby is coming in November, in Canada, so...what do they wear in the car seat then? - diaper shirt & footie sleeper (or similar), pop them in the car seat and cover them super well with a warm blanket (don't forget a hat). Thick clothing under car seat straps can be disasterous in an accident as they create wiggle room in the straps so when significant force is applied, baby can shift or be ejected from the seat. Bucket seats are good for this since you can get them loaded and snuggled up before even leaving the house. There should be nothing between baby and the car seat (no car seat blankets) and nothing between baby and the straps except for a normal outfit. 

    2) On a related note, given how fast babies grow and since it is due right at the start of winter, will one snowsuit last me the whole winter? Or do I need to buy two baby snowsuits? - Honestly I doubt you'll get a ton of use out of one since they'll spend most of their time in the stroller or car seat at the newborn stage. I'd put it on the "decide after baby is here" list. 

    3) I have no idea what a 'swaddle blanket' is and why the Internet seems to think I need 15 of them? - Most babies love to be swaddled pretty tightly for the first few months. Aden + Anais muslin swaddles are super popular because they're lightweight (great for layering) and big! Some people like the Magic Swaddle (or similar) because they have Houdini babies or they don't want to fight with yards of fabric in the middle of the night. I think 15 is excessive; I have 7-8 A+A swaddle blankets on my list because they're multipurpose (nursing cover, car seat cover...)

    4) How many outfits should the baby realistically have? I am assuming that unless we are going out somewhere around people, it probably will wear the footie sleepers most of the time? So, how many of those will it realistically go through in a week? - Obviously at least one per day...two or more may be necessary depending on how often your baby has blowout diapers (and your tolerance for spit up on an outfit). When they're tiny, the pretty much live in onsies, even in public. They're babies, they hate being changed and they have giant bobble heads that are annoying to get into and out of fancy outfits. Plus it always seems that as soon as you put them in something cute and fancy they spit up everywhere or have a blow out. I'd say go for 14 at least, more or less depending on how often you want to do laundry. 

    5) Where do you usually put the baby if you are going to the bathroom, making food, answering the phone etc? On a blanket? One of those little bouncy chairs? Somewhere else? - yup, bouncer seat, baby carrier, pack n' play...anywhere safe

    6) We live in a not-giant apartment that is on one level. Do we really need a baby monitor? - probably not, if you don't want one. I'm in a small-ish house and probably don't need one, but I like the idea of a video monitor so I can see if they are actually distressed or just fussing and will settle on their own. Bonus that many have a two way talk feature so if they just need a little shushing to settle, I don't have to get out of bed!

    @missameliapond

    I think makeup and hair are a personal choice. Even now, the most makeup I wear is a bit of eyeliner and mascara which won't be hard to keep up with babies (especially since I'm 100% okay going out in public with no makeup). I'm in the process of growing my hair out again...I hate it short, but again I'm not a girly girl and I'm totally cool with either washing my hair less often or letting it air dry. 

    @Thewizardofrhythm

    How do you manage two kids of differing ages bed times? Like where does LO go when I put DS to bed at 7:30?LO will still be up as a infant then. - I'd just pop LO in a pack n play or something while you do your bedtime routine with DS. Or put LO in a carrier!

    Same question but for bath? -  ditto to above. A bouncer on the floor next to the tub would probably work too. 

    How do I follow DS on the playground the make sure he is safe and have LO with me at the same time? - Baby carrier would probably be easiest. You'll have both hands free and the ability to be mobile. 

    How do you manage the sleep depravation of the first fews months with a Toddler? - a lot of coffee? Honest,y I have no actual clue, but I've been told (since we're having twins) sleep deprivation will be bad and othe MoMs have told me - Ask for help. Someone wants to visit baby? Sure, fold this laundry while you're here would you? Or, make DS a sandwich for lunch, and would you mind unloading the dishwasher for me? My Roomba will be doing the only vacuuming in my house after the babies get here, and the dust is gonna build up because I will so be napping every chance I get!

    @justpeachier13

    What are the reasons NOT to breastfeed? People seem to tread lightly around this subject. My best friend sent me a book in breadtfeeding and then apologized saying it's totally ok if you don't! In my mind everyone would want to breastfeed. I know that's not true, just wondering what are the reasons a FTM would decide before birth not to breastfeed? - Not really sure on this one. I know many women have issues with their breasts being touched and would prefer not to BF for that reason. Others may be very modest and find it embarrassing to BF for one reason or another. Others may have been taught that formula is better for whatever reason, or believe that FF babies will sleep better and longer. I think you'd get a pretty wide range of answers if you asked FF moms why they chose their method of feeding. In the end, it really doesn't matter as long as baby has food in his or her tummy!

    Also,bus it a good idea to buy newborn sizes? What if you have a big baby? - Have some on hand, but only open and wash a couple in NB and a couple in 3m. That way you can exchange the NB ones if you get a chunker ;)

    @srose109

    When you're loading a toddler and a newborn into a car by yourself, what's the safest way to go about it (assuming your toddler can't be counted on to stand where you ask her to and stay there)? - Depends on how you're shopping with them. If you have one of the carts that a bucket seat can snap onto (PSA - most carts are NOT meant to have a bucket seat on them, even if it seems like it fits), then you could do it in either order. I'd probably do NB first since it takes two seconds to snap the bucket seat back onto its base, then worry about buckling in the squirming toddler. If you're wearing the baby, you could do either one first. 

    @roxell

    Cant help you on pumping, but KellyMom is a great resource for all things breastfeeding, including storage!
    run along Pond...2015/12/10

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  • atcwagatcwag member
    Roxell said:
    My stupid questions; Does it hurt to pump? How do you pump and still have milk for the baby? How long can you keep BM in the fridge or freezer? I went from exclusively BF to exclusively FF so I've never pumped before.
    I'm very pro-breastfeeding. I just 100% weaned my 2.5 y/o and pumped until he was 15 months. He didn't eliminate my freezer stash until 22 months. 

    It doesn't hurt to pump if you are doing it correctly. 

    Breastfeeding is a supply/demand system. You never "run out" of milk. I began pumping 1x/day instead of nursing when my son was around 4/6 weeks and daddy would feed that bottle. This was just to get him used to taking a bottle for when I returned to work. Once I needed to really build a freezer stash, I pumped after first
    morning feeding (always have the most output) and sometime right before I went to bed. You don't really need a huge freezer stash, just enough for your first day back to work + a small
    emergency stash...or maybe just a small emergency stash for a night out, etc. 

    Storage = 6-6-6(1) rule. 6 hours at room
    temp. 6 days in fridge. 6 months in freezer/1 year in deep freeze. 
    Pregnancy Ticker
  • FiancBFiancB member
    Another reason some can't BF is that baby can't tolerate it. I think it's the lactose, or possibly sometimes something else? Some do better on a special formula, like a soy-based one. Otherwise, it's tough and there's a lot of things that can go wrong- low production, infections, tongue tie and other latch issues, etc. I'm pretty determined to BF and pump, but things can happen and that's okay. Personally, I cannot stand having my boobs touched and the thought of them being chomped on or suctioned makes me cringe but I'll give it a good shot. For some, it can also be a trigger issue due to past trauma. 

    Anyone have difficulties with freakishly tiny nipples? I mean, they're not inverted and I know it's still possible even with that so I'm sure someone will tell me it doesn't matter, but I'm still skeptical...
    LFAF/Nov 16 challenge: Bad TV moms that shouldn't be celebrated


    BFP #1 10/30/15 MMC found 11/30/15 D&C 12/11/15 EDD 7/9/16
    healing comes in waves, and maybe today the wave hits the rocks and that’s ok, that’s ok, darling. you are still healing, you are still healing- Ijeoma Umebinyuo, be gentle with yourself
    BFP #2  3/21   EDD 11/28/16
  • @FiancB It's galactose you're thinking (the condition is called galactosaemia. It's tested for on the newborn screening and it's quite rare.) There are a few inborn errors of metabolism that'd make breastfeeding contraindicated for baby. 
    K.

    Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
  • RoxellRoxell member
    @KilgraveMadeMeDoIt Thanks for the link! I never would have thought to check the CDC website. I was surprised how long BM can stay at room temperature!

    @atcwag Thanks for the 6,6,6 rule, that makes it easy to remember! I never really thought about how much of a stash I will need to go back to work, but I guess just a day or two makes sense. If I'm pumping at work I will just send that with to the daycare the next day.
  • shevaCCshevaCC member
    I love this! Here are some answers and some questions of my own

    Some of my own questions:

    How do you manage two kids of differing ages bed times? Like where does LO go when I put DS to bed at 7:30?LO will still be up as a infant then. 

    Same question but for bath?

    How do I follow DS on the playground the make sure he is safe and have LO with me at the same time?

    How do you manage the sleep depravation of the first fews months with a Toddler?
    @Thewizardofrhythm most of the time I was lucky enough to have DH home and we would divide and conquer. I would nurse DS while he did DD's bath, teeth brushing, and stories. Then we'd switch and I'd help DD settle down and go to sleep, then get DS to sleep.

    When solo I would put DS in the bouncer to watch DD's bath. He loved that. Around 6 months they started sometimes bathing together. Or I would skip bath if I just couldn't deal. Then DD helped get her own pajamas on and brushed her teeth. I tried to rebrush after her when possible. I would nurse DS while reading her stories, then have her turn off the light. I could then nurse DS while rubbing her back. Most nights she fell asleep in my bed since there was more room for all 3 of us than her twin. Once they were both asleep I'd transfer her to her bed.

    DS had a much more regular schedule much earlier than DD (though was an equally crappy sleeper in some respects). A large part of that was us already being home by 7:30pm nightly due to DD's bedtime. He was up much less from 9-11pm, unlike my DD.

    Playgrounds and anytime we went anywhere, I would load DS into a baby carrier, then go get DD from her car seat. I could then keep up with her as needed with both hands free. I also started giving her a lot more freedom to explore without me hovering. At first that meant sticking to the playgrounds with smaller structures until we both developed more confidence -- me in her, her in herself.

    I never figured out sleep deprivation other than I went to bed right at 8pm for months. I was lucky to be able to keep DD in daycare some of the time and it was still rough.
  • Amyboxer said:
    If you can find sleepers with zippers and no snaps, buy them all! 
    I second this, but my favorite are Circo brand at target because they zip up from the bottom so you only have to unzip up to the bellybutton for a diaper change. They are the only brand I have found that zip this way. 

    Note with zippers- be extra extra careful not to zip baby's skin!
    Awesome Kid #1: Born September 2013!
    Awesome Kid #2: Due November 2016!
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • ficbot said:
    So....a onesie and a sleeper is not the same thing? :-)
    "Onesie" was what Gerber coined as the brand name for their infant body suits (long or short sleeve, pull over the head, with crotch snaps)

    Then the term began being used for adult footed pajamas. So now it's sometimes used for baby footed pjs too. 

    If people refer to a "onesie" for a baby they are usually talking about the ones Gerber made famous which are the bodysuits. 

    "Sleepers" are usually footed pajamas that snap or zip up, or sleeping gowns.
    Awesome Kid #1: Born September 2013!
    Awesome Kid #2: Due November 2016!
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • shevaCCshevaCC member
    @srose109, I always loaded the most unpredictable or least contained child first. I've never minded shopping with both actually. Before DS could sit up in the cart, I would park, load him in the baby carrier, then go around and unbuckle DD. That way I could hold her hand across the parking lot until I could put her in the cart. In store she would either ride or walk depending on her preference and her behavior. She would then ride back to the car in the cart, and be loaded in first. DS would be in the carrier for the entire trip and be loaded in next, then the groceries. I didn't worry about the 10 seconds it took to return the cart since they were both safely contained in car seats.

    Once DS was big enough for the cart, I stuck to stores with cart options that seat 2 kids. I got out DD first and had her hold my leg while I got out DS. If she was having trouble listening, I've sat her in the front seat before while getting DS out. Then we'd go find a double cart and load in DS then DD. Back at the car, DS would get buckled first, then DD, then unload cart and return it.
  • aquasocksaquasocks member
    edited May 2016
    Roxell said:
    My stupid questions; Does it hurt to pump? How do you pump and still have milk for the baby? How long can you keep BM in the fridge or freezer? I went from exclusively BF to exclusively FF so I've never pumped before.
    Pumping was never painful for me. If I had a very bad nipple blister, I would pump that breast until it healed. The suction on a pump is uniform around your nipple, while baby's mouth repeatedly rubs against the same part of your nipple. 

    If you want to build a stash, you can start by trying to pump when baby is done eating. Also, as baby eats less frequently, you can pump in place of the dropped feeding. I found I had the most milk right when I woke up. So I would feed her and then pump. If baby starts going 4 hours in the afternoon without nursing, you could add a pumping session 2 hours after she eats. I did not start pumping until about 4 months in. Looking back, I leaked A LOT at night because she was a good sleeper and I had an oversupply. I could have pumped to save that milk. But, if I had pumped, my body would have thought my baby was eating in the middle of the night, and it would never learn to chill with the milk-making. So I don't know what I'll do this time!

    6 months freezer. 6 days fridge. 6 hours  at room temp. 
    Awesome Kid #1: Born September 2013!
    Awesome Kid #2: Due November 2016!
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • shevaCCshevaCC member
    edited May 2016
    Roxell said:
    My stupid questions; Does it hurt to pump? How do you pump and still have milk for the baby? How long can you keep BM in the fridge or freezer? I went from exclusively BF to exclusively FF so I've never pumped before.

    @roxell, I found pumping slightly less comfortable than nursing (though much more annoying). It also took me a week or so for my body to get used to responding to the pump, even if I was clearly engorged/knew there was plenty of milk there. At first I watched a video of my nursling (DD then DS) on repeat the whole time.

    I had the hardest time pumping the first bottle. I tried for a few minutes after DD had nursed in early afternoon and got 2oz total in 3 days. But then I would have DH feed while I pumped instead of nursed several times a week. After a bit I could pump 5oz, feed DD 3oz, and freeze 2oz so I'd have a backup stash. I had 60ish oz. by the time I returned to work (1 week's worth). Then each day at work my goal was to pump 12+oz (what I needed for daycare the next day).

    eta - I fit in pumping in the afternoon bc that worked best for me but anytime is fine. Consistent is best, if you can manage it.
  • ficbot said:

    5) Where do you usually put the baby if you are going to the bathroom, making food, answering the phone etc? On a blanket? One of those little bouncy chairs? Somewhere else?
    I've been wondering about this too! I feel so stupid. Where do I put baby when I want to take a shower, use the bathroom, feed the dogs? DH starts work at 5am so he's not home in the morning to help with the routine.  :/

    Also, do you ever get to wear makeup once you have a baby? Is there time for that? Should I chop off my hair? It's past boob length now, and I usually spend 30 minutes blow drying it right now every time I have to wash it. Is it irrational to keep my long hair? 

    Yay for dumb questions! 
    Keep your hair! You will probably wear it pulled back a lot because babies love to grab it and chew it. Just make sure your hair doesn't get wrapped around little fingers or toes (many stories of this happening!) Most babies LOVE white noise and your blow dryer will probably make baby fall asleep! And yes I almost always wore makeup when I was leaving the house. There is definitely time for it. Maybe not a super long routine if baby is cranky that day. Newborns sleep a lot, you will probably have more time than you think. The trick is getting them to sleep a lot at night so you don't feel like a zombie during the day. 

    Awesome Kid #1: Born September 2013!
    Awesome Kid #2: Due November 2016!
    BabyFruit Ticker
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