RE newborn stage - the funny thing about me dreading the newborn stage is that I didn’t hate it last time - I actually loved it, but hindsight being 20/20 and all, it was sooo much work. It was the same with pregnancy, even though it was pretty easy and I didn’t hate being pregnant, I kind of dreaded doing it again because looking back, pregnancy isn’t easy, even if it’s an easy pregnancy. I’m hoping the newborn stage is similar to this pregnancy, as in once I’m actually doing it, it won’t be as hard as I thought it was.
RE fall stuff in stores - craft stores don’t count for seasonal items. They generally have stuff out a season before so that crafters have time to make stuff for the next season, so fall stuff should be out in all of them by now so that crafters can get ready for fall craft shows.
I really hate the newborn stage because both my kids had tummy troubles. I had to give up dairy and soy, both kids wouldn't sleep (which means I don't sleep) and they were in pain (it can take up to 8 weeks for dairy and soy to leave your system!) thankfully with the second at least I knew what to expect, but I honestly think I may have a little bit of PTSD from DS. Just the constant crying and not knowing how to help. He wouldnt sleep unless he was touching me for the entire first year of his life. It was just a really hard time, and I was the first person in my group of friends and family to have a baby. So In just dread the beginning. This time I'm giving up dairy and soy s month before my due date to hopefully get a head start, this could make all the difference.
I hate zero issues with the newborn stage last time, but I am afraid I will hate it this time. Last time it was nurse, sleep, snuggle. This time it will be chase toddler while trying to do the other things.
IM NOT READY!!!! I bet the third tri will fly by, but I have so much to do!
@kiwi2628 even if you hate the NB stage kids are really fun starting around 18 months. My 2.5 year does all those things you described. Two has been so fun!
I didn't have a terrible time with really any stage. DS does have a dairy allergy, but after I stopped eating dairy it only took about 3-4 days for him to 180°. He's always been a terrible napper but he mostly sleeps well at night.
My concern is that I functioned fine... but I'm not sure I can function with all that PLUS a toddler. It's just a lot to walk into. I've always felt that after 6m or so I'm more confident in my ability to figure it out. Before that they're just so fragile and tiny... so I guess I couldn't get over that.
On my upside H has a different job and gets 3x the leave, so that's freaking amazing! Plus they'll let him split it so he can do like 2 day weeks and extend the leave. We'll survive, I'm sure of it... I'm just not sure the state I'll be in at the end. Ha ha.
I agree that each stage is better than the last. Except 3...3 year olds are little assholes.
Ha! I am in the minority but despite my 3 year old being an asshole, it’s so far my favorite. For me, 2-2.5 sucked. My kid has a strong personality so at 3 she can do more stuff independently which frustrated her - and me - at 2.
I really hate the newborn stage because both my kids had tummy troubles. I had to give up dairy and soy, both kids wouldn't sleep (which means I don't sleep) and they were in pain (it can take up to 8 weeks for dairy and soy to leave your system!) thankfully with the second at least I knew what to expect, but I honestly think I may have a little bit of PTSD from DS. Just the constant crying and not knowing how to help. He wouldnt sleep unless he was touching me for the entire first year of his life. It was just a really hard time, and I was the first person in my group of friends and family to have a baby. So In just dread the beginning. This time I'm giving up dairy and soy s month before my due date to hopefully get a head start, this could make all the difference.
I also am having a little feeding ptsd. I couldn’t produce milk, and ultimately it didn’t matter as dd had both reflux and a milk protein allergy. Every time she ate, I had huge anxiety knowing ultimately she would throw most of it up all over me. It took us months to straighten out. So 1. I’m scared of breastfeeding as I never really did it with dd and 2. I’m nervous lo will have reflux, which was just so hard.
My asshole 2.5 year old is a trip. Yesterday, he wanted something so he tried pointing and saying “hmmm” , the kid has above average communication skills, so I said, “No, use you words”. He looks at me and says, “These are my words”.
@tlmiller I agree! 3 for SD was waaaaaay worse than 2. So far DD's terrible 2s haven't been bad so we're feeling like 3 will be awful haha.
@cdepperschmidt That's really funny! I could see DD doing something like that.
I also agree with everyone about every new age being my favorite. I loved the newborn stage but feel like this second round might change my mind. One positive about the newborn stage is that you can pretty much take them anywhere and they will sleep. It was so easy to go out to dinner or shopping with DH while DD slept in the infant seat. Now going out to dinner is so much work!
RE fall stuff in stores - craft stores don’t count for seasonal items. They generally have stuff out a season before so that crafters have time to make stuff for the next season, so fall stuff should be out in all of them by now so that crafters can get ready for fall craft shows.
There was some craft stuff, but it was a TON of decorations/signs/tableware. I won't complain, I got a super cute fox figurine that will go in G's room (he's my little fox) and I LOVE fall.
Maybe a UO, but I’m not panicking about 3rd trimester (yet). I have my lists of stuff I need to do and am slowly checking them off. But still very calm. 16 weeks left still seems like a long time to me!
I fully realize this may be FTM naïveté! But I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts!
I'm lucky with SS. He's a good kid, and has been since I came into his life. DH said he was great as a toddler too, slept well as an infant, and was always mild mannered. I'm so worried that because SS is so easy going, that G will be a spitfire. His momma is stubborn, I wouldn't be surprised if he got that trait.
@HoosOnFirst same here. I had a very stressful time breastfeeding and I struggled from day one all the way to month 6 when I stopped. It is stressing me out and almost makes me want to just skip trying and go straight to formula. It’s very much an internal conflict for me at this point.
@BabyRobbinsAdventure +1 for stressing and considering skipping BFing. Z didn't latch, mymilk had zero fat, and he was allergic to dairy. All that plus my difficult recovery, I don't know if I can handle BFing again. But I also kind of want to try because this baby could be totally different.
DS was terrible at BFing. He wouldn't latch and it seemed like my milk actually bothered him. We gave up after about 2 months of trying to BF and one month of pumping. DD was a piece of cake! It took maybe 3 tries, and she latched really well, and never looked back. So don't give up if it was rough the first go around! Not saying everyone will have the same experience, but I always feel it's worth a shot.
It makes me so happy to hear that others have had an easy time bfing after a hard time with a previous child. But also terrified. Because I had a pretty good time with DS and now I worry that this one will be hard. That I've lulled myself into complacency. Ha. Nothing in life is certain, this shouldn't surprise me by now.
It makes me so happy to hear that others have had an easy time bfing after a hard time with a previous child. But also terrified. Because I had a pretty good time with DS and now I worry that this one will be hard. That I've lulled myself into complacency. Ha. Nothing in life is certain, this shouldn't surprise me by now.
My mom BFd 3 out of 4 kids (with my younger sister she went back to work almost immediately after having her so she didn’t have time to regulate her supply). I was 9 when my brother was born and 14 when my youngest sister was born and I don’t remember my mom having a hard time with either of them. She never mentioned having a hard time with me either, so it is possible to just be lucky and have an easy time BFing.
@HoosOnFirst oh man, I feel like I drank so much wine during DD being 3. She turned 4 in March and while she’s so much more sassy, she’s also an actual person now that I can have actual conversations with. I LOVE 4 so far.
I’m actually terrified for DS turning 3. He’s already such a handful and a monster at 2 that I can just imagine 3 will make me want to run away. I feel bad because he has some issues so I know a lot of it is just how he’s wired, but holy hell that child makes me question my sanity sometimes.
@BabyRobbinsAdventure that’s part of why I plan to just FF this baby from the start. BFing DD was SO easy but BFing DS was hell from the start until I switched him around 4 months. I’m just not willing to go through it this time around.
Sometime ago, someone asked about nursing with flat nipples, and this just reminded me. I was given a little suction cup thing called a latch assist that can help with flat or inverted nipples. It's not a miracle cure, but it did help!
Also, having a good knowledgeable (is that a word? Auto correct doesn't think so...) Lactation consultant can make literally all the difference between being successful or not . We had a horrible first 24-36 hours with breastfeeding, but once we got to meet with the lactation consultant, she helped us make a few changes (he was lip and tongue tied, how he latched and position was super important) plus gave us some tools to help (nipple shield, lanolin, gel cooling pads that I can not recommend enough) and it made all the difference (TMI but, because of his ties, he had my nipples broken open and bleeding in under 24 hours. The nipple shield, lanolin and correct ways for him to latch made it possible. I almost gave up, even though it was something very important to me.). And at our hospital, you can go in at any point, and meet with the LC for any issues your having, and if you are ever worried about how much they are eating, they can do a weighed feeding. Because of her help, we've made it 23 months ebf. (I honestly thought he would have weaned before now! Lol)
@coffee-saur thanks, it was me! I had heard of those and saw you can make your own too. I plan to EBF so I plan on using all the resources to make sure this works long term. I am all for free vs buying formula!
Re: Questions 6/22
RE fall stuff in stores - craft stores don’t count for seasonal items. They generally have stuff out a season before so that crafters have time to make stuff for the next season, so fall stuff should be out in all of them by now so that crafters can get ready for fall craft shows.
IM NOT READY!!!! I bet the third tri will fly by, but I have so much to do!
@kiwi2628 even if you hate the NB stage kids are really fun starting around 18 months. My 2.5 year does all those things you described. Two has been so fun!
My concern is that I functioned fine... but I'm not sure I can function with all that PLUS a toddler. It's just a lot to walk into. I've always felt that after 6m or so I'm more confident in my ability to figure it out. Before that they're just so fragile and tiny... so I guess I couldn't get over that.
On my upside H has a different job and gets 3x the leave, so that's freaking amazing! Plus they'll let him split it so he can do like 2 day weeks and extend the leave. We'll survive, I'm sure of it... I'm just not sure the state I'll be in at the end. Ha ha.
I also am having a little feeding ptsd. I couldn’t produce milk, and ultimately it didn’t matter as dd had both reflux and a milk protein allergy. Every time she ate, I had huge anxiety knowing ultimately she would throw most of it up all over me. It took us months to straighten out. So 1. I’m scared of breastfeeding as I never really did it with dd and 2. I’m nervous lo will have reflux, which was just so hard.
@cdepperschmidt That's really funny! I could see DD doing something like that.
I also agree with everyone about every new age being my favorite. I loved the newborn stage but feel like this second round might change my mind. One positive about the newborn stage is that you can pretty much take them anywhere and they will sleep. It was so easy to go out to dinner or shopping with DH while DD slept in the infant seat. Now going out to dinner is so much work!
I fully realize this may be FTM naïveté! But I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts!
DD was a piece of cake! It took maybe 3 tries, and she latched really well, and never looked back.
So don't give up if it was rough the first go around! Not saying everyone will have the same experience, but I always feel it's worth a shot.
DD 3/15/12
DD 6/3/14
#4 Due 10/26/18!
Ha. Nothing in life is certain, this shouldn't surprise me by now.
I’m actually terrified for DS turning 3. He’s already such a handful and a monster at 2 that I can just imagine 3 will make me want to run away. I feel bad because he has some issues so I know a lot of it is just how he’s wired, but holy hell that child makes me question my sanity sometimes.
Lansinoh LatchAssist Nipple Everter, 1 Count, 2 Flange Sizes, to Draw Out Flat or Inverted Nipples for breastfeeding mothers, Assists Nursing Babies in Latching On, BPS and BPA Free https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00112EIWW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_..gnBbAH5ZTKY
DD 3/15/12
DD 6/3/14
#4 Due 10/26/18!
And at our hospital, you can go in at any point, and meet with the LC for any issues your having, and if you are ever worried about how much they are eating, they can do a weighed feeding.
Because of her help, we've made it 23 months ebf. (I honestly thought he would have weaned before now! Lol)