@mrsrep123 how did I not know you worked ICU too? Or maybe I did and my special, overworked, pregnant brain forgot! What kind of ICU do you work in?
@ShadeofGreen816 I worked in a trauma & general ICU for 8 years before transferring to PACU/Recovery after my son was born a year and a half ago. At first I missed the adrenaline-rushed, crazy-intensive cases, but still get in a little bit at my current position. What will your specialty be after NP school? What kind of ICU are you in now?
I dream of going into PACU (in ED now) one day. I feel like it's more conducive to being a mom/babyhood. Do you like it?
@mrsrep123 how did I not know you worked ICU too? Or maybe I did and my special, overworked, pregnant brain forgot! What kind of ICU do you work in?
@ShadeofGreen816 I worked in a trauma & general ICU for 8 years before transferring to PACU/Recovery after my son was born a year and a half ago. At first I missed the adrenaline-rushed, crazy-intensive cases, but still get in a little bit at my current position. What will your specialty be after NP school? What kind of ICU are you in now?
I dream of going into PACU (in ED now) one day. I feel like it's more conducive to being a mom/babyhood. Do you like it?
@jayandaplus YESSSSS! I think it definitely depends on the shift you work and types of surgeries yours does/specialize in, but there is more downtime and since people are going in/coming out of surgery, you don't feel like you're covered in grossness at the end of your shift (although I still disrobe and keep work clothes separate and shower before touching anything/anyone). You still get interesting cases (so not bored out of your brain). I currently work 1530-0000 so I get time with DS and then cases are usually done by 6-7 so depending on home discharges or bed availability, it's pretty sweet for a couple of hours at the end of the shift.
Re everyone's boxes... just a PSA from my experience... and this obvi is different for each child. But those Avent bottles SUCK.... those are the kind we used with DD and they were just terrible. They would leak, one time I literally poured an entire bottle down the front of her, at a restaurant... when we had no change of clothes (mom fail) because its hard sometimes to tell if the lid is secure or the lid will come lose, or if you tighten it too much it will pop off and be lose again. When she was first born even the lowest flow nipple would choke her.
I'm sure others have used them and loved them, I personally would have liked to burn them all, but i had heard great reviews and bought a ton of them before DD came (another mom fail) so I was determined to make them work.
Have any STMs used those Amber teething necklaces? I'm thinking about getting one for younger daughter. She seems a little miserable from her molars coming in, and her developmental therapist said she's seen other kids with them. But, I'm still not convinced that they work. Do they really work?
Have any STMs used those Amber teething necklaces? I'm thinking about getting one for younger daughter. She seems a little miserable from her molars coming in, and her developmental therapist said she's seen other kids with them. But, I'm still not convinced that they work. Do they really work?
... bought a ton of them before DD came (another mom fail) so I was determined to make them work.
This. Seriously. Bottle, diaper, paci---all these things took some trial and error to match our little guy's body shape & preference. Don't be disheartened if you buy something and it doesn't work. Just try something else. I hate wasting money as much as the next girl, but I try to look at it as a step in the right direction, to finding something that works, even if it's $20 gone.
It's a tricky balance between getting your stash of supplies in order and taking the wait-and-see approach. Every few weeks I'll put some money toward a Target gift card for myself, so things won't feel like such a cash outlay later (esp. if trying new products), and my costs are spread out over these preparatory months.
Have any STMs used those Amber teething necklaces? I'm thinking about getting one for younger daughter. She seems a little miserable from her molars coming in, and her developmental therapist said she's seen other kids with them. But, I'm still not convinced that they work. Do they really work?
I am firmly of the belief that's crunchy granola nonsense. Not evidence based at all, just anecdotal stuff to make you feel like you're doing something.
@Squirtgun: I tried an amber necklace. Some people swear by them. There is a natural chemical compound in amber that is proven to be pain relieving, and the skin warms it and absorbs it. Sure, sounds crunchy, but I felt like, even if it helps a tad amount, at least it's somewhat easing the discomfort! Even if I never knew for sure either way, it doesn't hurt the baby to try.
@Squirtgun YES!!! It definitely worked for DD. Once we put the necklace on her, her drool drastically decreased and she wasn't as fussy. I will say that she didn't wear it past a year so I have no toddler experience with it.
The Avent Natural bottles were the only ones that worked for me. Every kid is different, but I remember even keeping the slow flow nipple on them until my boys turned 1 because I didn't want them preferring bottle to breast.
As far as the amber necklace, I don't see how it could possible work. Luckily neither boy ever really complained much when it came to teething. WE used the good 'ol fashioned freezer ring to help ease the discomfort.
We used lifefactory bottles and comotomo (when still trying to BF) and hope new baby boy will take to it the same.
How i.e. can I/we send stuff like the avent bottles to others on here without getting personal addresses??? Otherwise, it's going in my donation pile to our local Family Food Bank...
@Squirtgun I babysat a little girl who had one and she was not a big drooler and was not a bad teether. I don't know if there's any way to say it was from the necklace or not, but I think when it comes to those "crunchy granola" things you have to decide if you buy into enough to try it out or not. I'm happily crunchy and plan to try it out when the time comes if needed. Like @SKZW said, it doesn't hurt to try.
@Squirtgun I babysat a little girl who had one and she was not a big drooler and was not a bad teether. I don't know if there's any way to say it was from the necklace or not, but I think when it comes to those "crunchy granola" things you have to decide if you buy into enough to try it out or not. I'm happily crunchy and plan to try it out when the time comes if needed. Like @SKZW said, it doesn't hurt to try.
It actually can be quite dangerous. If you truly believe it's effective, I assume you'd have the kid wear it 24/7. It's both a strangulation and choking hazard. I'm really not trying to sound judgey, but that part of the issue is always dismissed. My pediatrician has signs up all throughout their office advising against them.
Also, if it really did leach acid on to your child, is that something you'd want to use unchecked? Wouldn't you prefer to use something recommended by the medical profession and monitored by people who know what they are talking about?
@Squirtgun When teething got the worst, we had the most luck with Motrin. We never used the necklace (as you might have noticed ), but DD was not a drooler. A lot of the experience you hear is very anecdotal.
Man i loved the avent bottles too!! That stinks that yours were so crappy, theyre so expensive i wouldnt want to have wasted them either. We were given ours with dd and since those were our faves i went and splurged on a bunch for these two... Hope they like them! Dd only took mam pacis and literally nothing else. I recently read where a few have torn and choked some children so im trying the avent pacis this time instead.
We loved the Avent bottles, lol, we used them from the 2oz bottles. My kiddos would only take those and Dr Browns (which I hated cleaning) so I stuck with the Avent ones.
As for the amber necklaces, we swear by them. DH tells people that they are made with unicorn tears because we have no idea how they work but they did. The only time my kids have become clingy and fussy is when they get molars, and the drool stopped almost immediately when we put them on them.
We always took her necklace off when she was sleeping and made sure it was under her clothing and the buckle of her car seat when we were driving. We also have a mirror in the car so I could see if she did grab it.
I don't know about the "leaking acid" part, but nothing ever leaked onto DD. The idea behind it, and keep in mind I am not very crunchy, is that amber itself has pain relieving properties and having the amber close to the skin helps relieve whatever pain you are feeling. Many adults will also wear these necklaces to help with pain management.
Just make sure that you are getting a real amber necklace, not a fake one. And that it is not too long that baby can grab it. They don't put it in their mouths, they just wear it.
I don't know about the "leaking acid" part, but nothing ever leaked onto DD. The idea behind it, and keep in mind I am not very crunchy, is that amber itself has pain relieving properties and having the amber close to the skin helps relieve whatever pain you are feeling. Many adults will also wear these necklaces to help with pain management.
I'm not trying to argue. But that's my point: if it really worked as people claim it did, which is that when warmed by body heat, it releases tiny amounts of succinic acid which passes trans-dermally into the blood stream where it acts as an analgesic, wouldn't you be concerned that it's not regulated by the FDA? I just can't wrap my head around accepting such claims when they are not regulated and doctors recommend against them. And even if it were regulated, the choking hazard is the biggest concern for me. You literally cannot monitor a child 24/7, and if you could, many household accidents (and messes) could be prevented.
Yikes! I think the amber necklace discussion has been more heated than the circumcision one! (Not really, but I didn't really know that it was a debate like this! It surprised me.) I actually am a bit "crunchy" (cloth diapers, make my own baby food, baby wearing) but I'm also a bit skeptical of alternative medicine type stuff. It makes me nervous that she'd have a medicine soaking into her skin kind of, with no dosage. She also has super sensitive skin and eczema, so I try not to put much on her skin either.
I dislike the Avent bottles (firmly on the Dr. Brown's bandwagon), as well as the idea of amber necklaces. I agree with @NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot's previously made points regarding the necklaces. Also, I have a weird phobia of things around my neck (turtlenecks, short necklaces, etc) and it makes me physically uncomfortable to see them on babies. For teething, we've gotten by with occasional Motrin, homemade popsicles, and chewing on cold wash cloths.
Fur daughter: 02/2011 Human sons: 11/2015 & 05/2017 *formerly kayemjay*
@NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot I am not trying to argue either and I appreciate your well put opinion.
There are are lot of things that we are all going to do that not everyone here is going to agree with, but what appreciate about this group especially is that we are all able to give our opinions like adults and not start stupid arguments. As long as our babies and older kiddos are healthy, that is all that matters.
Seriously, after all the feminism talk today, which is actually worth arguing about, I'm surprised to have ended up on any side of this amber necklace discussion.
"...it releases tiny amounts of succinic acid which passes trans-dermally into the blood stream where it acts as an analgesic, wouldn't you be concerned that it's not regulated by the FDA?"
Citric acid is ingested all the time without having to be regulated. A rose by any other name...
I've never heard of these amber teething necklaces, but I don't fancy the idea of putting fossilized tree resin on my baby. We've all seen how Jurassic Park ended up. Also...nobody just rubs whiskey on their baby's gums, anymore?
We used the Avent bottles and they worked just fine. That said, I just want to echo for the FTM's the advice given above--do not over buy bottles of any one brand before the baby actually arrives. Many, many babies are quite picky about the bottles they will use. Also, many pumps come with bottles and those tend to be easier to use when you are pumping because you can do so directly into them. So, basically, my suggestion would be to have a couple of different brands on hand, but no more than like 2 bottles until you know they will work. Same with pacifiers.
Yes even as STM+ just because your baby took one type a bottle doesn't mean the other one will! My mom had to have her gallbladder taken out and my sister would not take any bottle. They bought a ton of different bottles. She ended up taking a bottle from the dollar store. We used Tommee Tippee with DD. I don't think I had to try anything else.
I agree with @NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot in regards to Amber necklaces. We used teething rings, and wash cloths. When she was older, I would give frozen peas! They are super cold and not a choking hazard! Plus veggies!
I occasionally use the amber teething necklace for my DS, I loop it twice around his ankle under his sock or footie pajamas. I have noticed it really helps with the drooling and runny nose, not sure about it helping for pain.
@mrsrep123 how did the comotomo bottles work for you while trying to bf? I have a set of tommee tippees to try out but if they don't work my next step was gonna be comotomo. I read somewhere that because of the soft body you can apply a little pressure at the beginning of a feeding to mimic the initial rush of milk from a breast, was wondering if that's something you would actually use.
I'm really not surprise that so many people loved the avent bottles. like others have mentioned its all just trial and error. my venty/rant was more of a make sure you figure out what works for your baby before you buy the store out like we did before DD was born
Also the amber teething necklace, i wasn't ever a big fan. its not because any one reason, i just think they are a little silly and not sure i believe that they actually work as well as people claim.
I registered for a ComoTomo 2 pack and I think I'll add a Dr. Browns 2 pack. I have 2 Avent I got as freebies. I figure we will try what we have and go from there. It's all Amazon/Nordstrom/Free so no worries on returns.
@mrsrep123 how did the comotomo bottles work for you while trying to bf? I have a set of tommee tippees to try out but if they don't work my next step was gonna be comotomo. I read somewhere that because of the soft body you can apply a little pressure at the beginning of a feeding to mimic the initial rush of milk from a breast, was wondering if that's something you would actually use.
We and DS loved the comotomo bottles. I would apply a little pressure just like you stated and he would even grab it like he did my boob, lol. Plus, they're wide mouthed and easy to clean! They are also made from medical grade silicone! I would def recommend getting a pair to have on hand to try.
I think the only way we can get to the bottom of this amber necklace debate is for one of our twin moms to conduct a study.
Haha @starphish18 I'm not sure if I could help. DD was a champ when it came to teeth (besides molars) but DS was a mess though, and we felt like it made a huge difference with him so we put one on her. They definitely handle pain way differently.
DS also bites when he is teething where DD has never bitten anyone.
Random: I booked my next hair appointment and then booked the last one before baby is here! I love when I can start seeing things closer to EDD on my calendar.
Married 03.09.09 Sweet Baby H 12.21.11 Sassy Baby P 03.26.14 Little Brother Due 05.22.17
@emilyalso I already have my YL oils ordered, purchased, and ready to be packed. Good thought.
Kind of along the same thought, for any one doing a water birth or who has done one/knows about them, DH was watching videos and they were using some kind of tea in the tub after the baby was born. Any one know what that's all about? (Google isn't helping me find out right now.)
Super late catching up, sorry, but I did a water birth last time and will definitely do it again this time. The tea is a mixture of herbs that you use as a Sitz bath. Mine had lavender, red raspberry leaf, calendula, chamomile flowers, among other things - my midwifery makes it from organic sources and sends you home with some. Highly recommend it!
For Valentine's Day we always make homemade chocolate covered strawberries. So fun and delicious!
Air traveling with car seat/stroller is nbd - gate checking is super simple. Just check in at the desk at the gate and they'll give you a tag for each and then leave them at the bottom of the jetway. At your destination, you pick them up at the same spot. So easy.
As for the amber necklaces, the one we used has knots in between each and every head so it dramatically reduces the choking/mess hazard and she only wore it supervised (never napping or in the car). It seemed to help moderately but I have friends who suffer with headaches and neck pain and swear by them.
BAH! I hate the Bump these last 2 days. My computer keeps freezing up because it's trying to load the stupid ads and it's making me really cranky...specifically, the UO and FFFC pages are giving me trouble.
And, happy Friday, everyone! I'm not usually around much here on the weekend, so see you on the flip side!
I know i could call a Dr if I need to, but i don't think it's anything serious so i wanted to ask and see if anyone had experienced something similar. I have this sharp pain that keeps coming and going so I've laid down and its still happening.. Almost like gas pain or something but I've just used the bathroom and it's not gas. It's also def. not rlp or contractions, but it's like a sharp weird pain in the middle of my belly strong enough to make me cringe a little.
Re: Randoms and Questions 1.23 - 1.29
DS1 7/24/15
DS2 5/7/17
DS1 7/24/15
DS2 5/7/17
I'm sure others have used them and loved them, I personally would have liked to burn them all, but i had heard great reviews and bought a ton of them before DD came (another mom fail) so I was determined to make them work.
I keot all the bottles from kid 1 and plan to just buy new nipples for kid 2.
May '17 labor memes
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
It's a tricky balance between getting your stash of supplies in order and taking the wait-and-see approach. Every few weeks I'll put some money toward a Target gift card for myself, so things won't feel like such a cash outlay later (esp. if trying new products), and my costs are spread out over these preparatory months.
May '17 labor memes
The Avent Natural bottles were the only ones that worked for me. Every kid is different, but I remember even keeping the slow flow nipple on them until my boys turned 1 because I didn't want them preferring bottle to breast.
As far as the amber necklace, I don't see how it could possible work. Luckily neither boy ever really complained much when it came to teething. WE used the good 'ol fashioned freezer ring to help ease the discomfort.
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
How i.e. can I/we send stuff like the avent bottles to others on here without getting personal addresses??? Otherwise, it's going in my donation pile to our local Family Food Bank...
DS1 7/24/15
DS2 5/7/17
Also, if it really did leach acid on to your child, is that something you'd want to use unchecked? Wouldn't you prefer to use something recommended by the medical profession and monitored by people who know what they are talking about?
@Squirtgun When teething got the worst, we had the most luck with Motrin. We never used the necklace (as you might have noticed
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
As for the amber necklaces, we swear by them. DH tells people that they are made with unicorn tears because we have no idea how they work but they did. The only time my kids have become clingy and fussy is when they get molars, and the drool stopped almost immediately when we put them on them.
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
I don't know about the "leaking acid" part, but nothing ever leaked onto DD. The idea behind it, and keep in mind I am not very crunchy, is that amber itself has pain relieving properties and having the amber close to the skin helps relieve whatever pain you are feeling. Many adults will also wear these necklaces to help with pain management.
Just make sure that you are getting a real amber necklace, not a fake one. And that it is not too long that baby can grab it. They don't put it in their mouths, they just wear it.
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
I actually am a bit "crunchy" (cloth diapers, make my own baby food, baby wearing) but I'm also a bit skeptical of alternative medicine type stuff. It makes me nervous that she'd have a medicine soaking into her skin kind of, with no dosage. She also has super sensitive skin and eczema, so I try not to put much on her skin either.
Human sons: 11/2015 & 05/2017
*formerly kayemjay*
There are are lot of things that we are all going to do that not everyone here is going to agree with, but what appreciate about this group especially is that we are all able to give our opinions like adults and not start stupid arguments. As long as our babies and older kiddos are healthy, that is all that matters.
"...it releases tiny amounts of succinic acid which passes trans-dermally into the blood stream where it acts as an analgesic, wouldn't you be concerned that it's not regulated by the FDA?"
Citric acid is ingested all the time without having to be regulated. A rose by any other name...
I agree with @NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot in regards to Amber necklaces. We used teething rings, and wash cloths. When she was older, I would give frozen peas! They are super cold and not a choking hazard! Plus veggies!
I occasionally use the amber teething necklace for my DS, I loop it twice around his ankle under his sock or footie pajamas. I have noticed it really helps with the drooling and runny nose, not sure about it helping for pain.
bottles work for you while trying to bf? I have a set of tommee tippees to try out but if they don't work my next step was gonna be comotomo. I read somewhere that because of the soft body you can apply a little pressure at the beginning of a feeding to mimic the initial rush of milk from a breast, was wondering if that's something you would actually use.
Also the amber teething necklace, i wasn't ever a big fan. its not because any one reason, i just think they are a little silly and not sure i believe that they actually work as well as people claim.
I am willing to try an amber necklace.
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
DS1 7/24/15
DS2 5/7/17
DS also bites when he is teething where DD has never bitten anyone.
1/7/2015 Twins born @ 34 weeks
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
For Valentine's Day we always make homemade chocolate covered strawberries. So fun and delicious!
Air traveling with car seat/stroller is nbd - gate checking is super simple. Just check in at the desk at the gate and they'll give you a tag for each and then leave them at the bottom of the jetway. At your destination, you pick them up at the same spot. So easy.
As for the amber necklaces, the one we used has knots in between each and every head so it dramatically reduces the choking/mess hazard and she only wore it supervised (never napping or in the car). It seemed to help moderately but I have friends who suffer with headaches and neck pain and swear by them.
And, happy Friday, everyone! I'm not usually around much here on the weekend, so see you on the flip side!