PAIF Graduates - New Mommies - September 2018

cashewchicken · September 2018

Ugh, teething. My son has been drooling lots and chewing everything he could get his hands on for a while and we initially thought he must be teething. But then I read that it is common for babies to start ‘teething’ at around 3-4 months though actual teeth eruptions occur much later. Many of my friends’ kids’ teeth didn’t come out until 8 months or so. So we thought he had a few more months to go as he is only 5.5 months.

Well, it’s out and we totally missed it! This weekend we had a family gathering and my nephew was playing with my son and my son grabbed my nephew’s finger and stuck it in his mouth. My nephew commented on how weird it feels and then says “I think he has teeth.” What? My husband and I then touched our son’s front bottom gums and sure enough, we can feel the jagged teeth that had just surfaced from his gums. How did we not know this? Lately he has been waking up every 2-3 hours to feed and I thought it was due to reverse cycling because I had gone back to work full time. And he has been having a bit of difficulty falling back to sleep after the night time feedings and we thought that was because we are now putting him to sleep in his crib instead of his bassinet that rocks him to sleep. We did not suspect teething! #parentingfail

2MomsHoping · September 2018

@gfgrump congratulations and welcome to mommy land. Yeah my birth SO did not go to plan either but I still feel good about it and just so happy my little one in here. The first couple weeks are the hardest especially with sleep. Just fo what you can to get as much rest as possible. Hope you are healing well.

@hottietoddy you are glowing in that picture totally adorable. I’m sorry your husband is sick but it sounds like you are holding it together well. As far as the festival this baby totally travels, much to my MIL’s horror the baby has been adventuring all over the city since the day she has been home. We started out with little trips a walk to the grocery store a few blocks away then built up to bigger longer trips. The parade was our first full day affair and I was proud of us as it included many bottles, diaper changes, and outfit changes. I’m feeling much more confident in knowing what I need to have in hand, though it still seems to take us no less than 2hrs to get all of us semi ready and out of the house.

latershrader · September 2018

Welcome @gfgrump! Your birth story sounds a bit like mine. I'm glad you went with your gut and you have a healthy baby boy! Congratulations! Be gentle with yourself and just get through those first few weeks. You will be good!

@hottietoddy Good point about being able to enjoy life after years of IF and the getting pregnant. It's a new normal for sure! You look so happy with your little man. Take it easy though and rest when you can!

safire3 · September 2018

Welcome to this side @gfgrump! I also had a similar birth experience with not dilating and ending up with a c-section. In my case I knew we weren’t doing well and asked for a c-section weeks before and they kept telling me to try to go to 39 weeks only to realize at the end that he hadn’t gained any weight in 2 weeks. It’s always good to trust your instincts, now I wish I had pushed even more for what we needed. We are still dealing with sleepless nights over here at 2 months but I believe the others that it does get easier, hopefully soon lol. My advice would be learn to at least rest if not sleep when baby is asleep, accept help and don’t stress about the house or chores right now.

@hottietoddy you guys are so cute together! It looks like he is smiling so I think he loves being a little kangaroo as well lol. Please take it easy because you are still healing. The swelling around my c-section scar took almost 6 weeks to resolve so they tell you 6 weeks for a reason.

gfgrump · September 2018

Hey all,
I forgot to add a picture

byrneme · September 2018

Welcome and congrats @gfgrump - so exciting!!

Polythene Pam · September 2018

@gfgrump welcome!! It does get better, just remember to eat and drink water and if baby will sleep on you, lay down and rest. It gets much much better

@hottietoddy you are glowing! Gorgeous! Graham is 10 months and my favorite carrier is our ring sling, I love snuggling them in there. And god love husbands but they are fairly useless in general

good for you for taking it all on.

We’re cramming in all the fall stuff over here. Apple picking this weekend, pumpkin patch, hikes and farmers markets. I love summer but I looooove fall

2MomsHoping · September 2018

Welp I must have not tapered the pumping slowly enough. Talked to my OB today and have mastitis.

This sucks.

2MomsHoping · September 2018

@gfgrump Lucille had the same little half circle crease in her chin when she was born. There is just nothing quite as darling as a sleeping baby ❤️

gfgrump · September 2018

Thanks for the encouragement all. Last night was rough with him sleeping an hour at a time, but here it is noon and I'm "getting up" (whatever that means since I feel like I'm just on a nap cycle whenever I can grab it) so at least I got another nap in.
@hottietoddy love you guys in the wrap. I have used our ergo with infant carrier inside once and it was heaven. I also have a Moby wrap that someone gave me that I want to try today. DH is worried about everything and thinks I'll drop him or the bottom, but I'm determined to try it. I've heard it may help with dime of the cluster feeding BC he may fen more secure and not need to east all the time. I also want to give him a sponge bath today BC he stinks! New adventures all over.

persnickity · September 2018

@2MomsHoping oh no!! I'm sorry to hear that! Mastitis is my greatest fear. Hope you feel better soon.

Holls214 · September 2018

@2MomsHoping mastitis is terrible! I got it before I was pregnant... make sure to do a lot of warm compresses it helps. It will feel amazing once it drains... sorry!

mbradfo2 · September 2018

@cashewchicken
OMG! So exciting (and the fact that your nephew saw them first is totally a story to tell one day!). We're still working on the first tooth; i think it was a bit further out today. Our doctor says every baby is different for how long it takes them to cut their first tooth (or teeth).

Now you get to brush those teethies

Wellcome @gfgrump
He's adorable! I love sleeping babies (well, pictures of them...in practice I've found babies to be very noisy sleepers!).

@2MomsHoping
For whatever reason, I didn't catch that her name is Lucille! Lucy was one of our top girl names, but when I decided to use Louise as the middle name (for my aunt who passed several years back), it got knocked off the list. I love Lu-- names. A french prof of mine from grad school had a little girl named Lutece who went by Lulu.

hottietoddy · September 2018

Oh no @2momshoping hope it doesn't hurt too badly and clears up soon. 😣

My ob thinks I'm probably okay but wants me to come in and get my incision checked... Tomorrow William has his one month appointment. Also I am starting with my new breast pump- the sonata so we can return the symphony to the hospital when we go for the doctor's appointment. I don't think I'll have the energy for 2 appointments in one day and I really want to go to William's.....sigh, but my husband only works at home tomorrow. Still can't lift him or stroller or car seat so have to go alone. Guess tomorrow is going to be busy. It is also bath day for William....

hottietoddy · September 2018

Thank you! Yes I will go get checked out tomorrow for sure you are right. I also have a bump now on the outside of my nipple on the areola area. It is hard and hurts a bit so I'll have to get that checked too. Anyone familiar with what that might be? Seems like it is on the skin but I read it might be a clogged milk duct or absess and mastitis also....sigh....fun times. I am going to pump more this evening at 2am and have been having pain between pumps in both breasts but that's been going on since my milk came in. I usually start leaking after so I think it is when it 'lets down'. It only happens when I need to pump. I have been trying to just pump for comfort in middle of the night last two days but going to try and empty tonight.

Polythene Pam · September 2018

@hottietoddy aw hugs I hope the appts go well! I laugh when you say it’s bath night.. truly mom-life can be survival mode... a quick wipe down can suffice

I joke but truly if I learned anything so far (5 year old and 10 month old), prioritize by what is truly needed and everything else, lower all standards haha. We had a dr appt today for both kids and I realized Graham hadn’t had a bath all week. And he looked like he hadn’t bathed all week (peanut butter smeared in his ear made me wonder). Quick rinse and out the door. It all works out

just take care of yourself, snuggle and feed that sweet baby, and everything else can go on the back burner as needed right now. I hope all the appts go well!!

2MomsHoping · September 2018

@holls214 thanks for the tip on the hot compresses seems to kinda help. I’ve been massaging afterwards oh but I hate it.

@mbradfo2 Lucille wasn’t even on out top girl name picks. She was actually briefly named victoria(after my grandma) but after holding her that nor any of our other picked out names seemed to suited her. my wife suggested Lucille and it just seemed perfect for her, though she does get referred to as Lucy most of the time

@hottietoddy I’m glad your going in to get checked always better safe than sorry. We are going in for our one month check tomorrow too! I can’t belive it’s been s month allready!

Hopeful_mom · September 2018

@hottietoddy omg how comfy do u both look that's awesome I'm still trying to figure the sling out. I had her in it the other day but it didn't last long or look as comfy as you! She seems to get lost init and I don't seem to have her as high up! It's great u want to do so much hit take it easy and let ur body heal too. Good luck at ur appts!!

As for all the drooling I thought teething at first too it's outta control, I have to put a bib on otherwise I need that many more wardrobe changes @Holls214 I asked my dr and she said it's too early for teething and that it's the babies salivary glands that are first coming out...makes sense for now. I certainly hope it's not teeth as bf wo kills! Hoping ur Lil one isn't getting sick! I'm home with her and she sneezes quite a few times a day that I'm concerned myself!

@gfgrump Welcome glad you went with ur gut and ur all doing well! I was in labor what felt like forever and baby girl turned into the wrong position at hr 28 and I was still first dialated only 3cm thank GD in the next few hr things started to pick up but is was hell. I always say thank goodness woman have the babies otherwise there would be no popullation!! Sounds like ur one of the tribe too so happy sweet new year to u! Sorry ur dad missed the Bria but like u said he'll have more moments to share! Sorry to also hear about your moms alzheimer I can't even imagine how difficult that must be!! Each baby is different and I try not to compare as my darling is 3.5 months and still isn't in a routine and I'm still feeding her on demand like a new born. I am working on sleeping when she does as she's awful at it and only like to sleep on me! I napped from 1/3 cause she finally wanted to. Sounds like ur doing a great job the beginning is aways toughest!! Not that I think any part is easy

@2momshoping ouch!! Hope it's not too painful and clears up quickly!!

@cashewchicken whoah teeth already wow!! Do u say he was more cranky too!! To me it's exciting and scary all at the same time. I'm laughing he took others fingers. I've been trying to fake my LO out with my finger to get her off my boob and she upend her eyes and spits it right out! I tried

trying to break being a human pacifier

oh and after 2 weeks of supplementing with some formula and really feeding her all the time baby has gained a lb and a few oz so we're back on track thank GD! Just hoping it continues!

@Polythene Pam u crack me up as I was thinking the same for my dr appt! And it's like she waits to make her biggest poop explosion right after she's nice and clean #momprolems

Dragonfly6191 · September 2018

Introducing myself over on this thread! My babies- Maverick and Adaline, were born at 35+1 on 9/10 via C section. We narrowly avoided the NICU and were able to come home after 5 days of some warming/growing (discharged at 5lb, 5oz and 4lbs exactly).

We’re on a super strict high-calorie feeding schedule at home but otherwise doing well!

Holls214 · September 2018

Welcome welcome! Congrats on the twins and not having to deal with NICU
@hottietoddy sounds like it might be a clogged duct... mastitis for me was my whole boob was red/purple and hot to the touch and inflamed. Glad you are going in to get checked out.

@Hopeful_mom yay for weight gain! Baby boy still eats whenever he wants and isn’t on a full schedule yet either... he loses his ish when he’s hungry other than that he’s a happy boy.

My while body still hurts... today the pain spread to my hands too. I woke up this morning beyond frustrated... Finally going to see another specialist because this pain is driving me nuts. My back, hips, hands and shoulder hurt so bad I can’t even take it. Ugh. Working and dealing with a baby just adds to the mix. Hoping for some answers soon.

Hopeful_mom · September 2018

@Holls214 ugh I'm so sorry ur still in such pain!! It really makes enjoying motherhood tougher when you're in pain! Hoping you can get some answers and relief!

Welcome @Dragonfly6191 how exciting twins!!! So glad you're all home even with their early arrival big congrats to you!

mbradfo2 · September 2018

Welcome @Dragonfly6191

I'm so glad they avoided the NICU and are at home with you! That was my biggest fear when I delivered my girl at 35 + 2 -- obviously singleton and twins are different (she weighed 5 lbs 12 oz at birth) - so it's a huge relief, I'm sure. Enjoy your first weeks and remember you will sleep again! We finally started sleeping through the night about 1 month ago (4-5 months old).

Are you using those high calories preemie formulas? Are they good eaters? If so, they'll probably catch up on their weight pretty quickly!

-preemie mom high-five!-

@Holls214
Ugh, I'm so sorry you are in so much pain. I hope you find some relief soon!

@Hopeful_mom

Yay for gaining weight! Are you going to continue supplementing? Or do they feel you can go back to exclusive BF?

We're still working on that first tooth here; it's definitely popped through the gum now, just needs to start moving into position! My dad said it can take weeks sometimes, but it seems like most of her discomfort is over (for now at least). I'm just looking forward to her getting a few more and maybe being able to start on finger foods in a few months! (I'm sure our dogs will enjoy that immensely). I've been considering what high chair to buy for her; we have a ingenuity booster, but I was thinking of just keeping that in the car for going out. My sister has a graco one that seems to work well for her so I'll probably end up getting that one...I just hate how -boring- it looks - like a big lump of grey plastic.

High_Chair_Tripp_Trapp_Seperates_Grey_V2

High_Chair_Tripp_Trapp_Seperates_Grey_V2

I'd like something more like this...I'm such a decor perfectionist >.<

2MomsHoping · September 2018

@dragonfly6191 I’m glad you all are home and you avoided the NICU. I hope your able to get some tiny slivers of sleep between those feedings. Im sure they will both be growing like weeds!

@holls214 I hope the specialist is able to give you some answers. A little bit of boob pain and I have been a total crabby pants for the last two days. Sending you good vibes for mental and physical strength.

@mbradfo2 I was so anti high chair. I think they are the ugliest piece of baby gear. We ended up getting one that grows with her and she can even use it as an infant reclining chair. We actually use it all the time already so I’m glad we went with function over fashion. This is the one we got https://m.buybuybaby.com/m/product/chicco-progress-relax-multichair-in-genesis/1046733603?skuId=46733603&mcid=PS_googlepla&mrkgcl=609&mrkgadid=3285455640&rkg_id=0&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_feeding_local&product_id=46733603&adtype=pla&product_channel=local&adpos=1o4&creative=263691805886&device=m&matchtype&network=g&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjfmp5ZXL3QIVEZ7ACh0oCw2ZEAQYBCABEgIq2vD_BwE

Im feeling a bit better lots of hot compresses, massage, and pumping. It has not been comfortable but the lump and redness have gone down. I’m hoping another couple days of this will clear me up. 1month doctors appointment went well. She is 11lb 3oz such a little chunk. I’ve been wedging her into the 0-3mos clothes because I want to make sure she gets to wear everything but I might just have to give up that fight and move on the the next drawer. My baby is growing up waaay to fast.

stella_700 · September 2018

Count me in with the older babies and learning gentle. Our little girl is especially enthusiastic. She loves animals of all kinds so we are working on kid/animal interactions.

I'm a bit of a wreck today. The occupational therapist is assessing our little boy to see if he needs some supplemental exercises, etc. I'm not there, I would normally be there of course but I've been sick as a dog for the past three days and felt I couldn't take off more time (which I don't have). This assessment takes place in our home, which is a bit of disaster, as I try to dig myself out of snotsville. Praying my husband remembered to remove the poop filled cloth diaper out of the hall bathroom toilet as I plopped it in there late last night...

MMD1986 · September 2018

@stella_700 I really need to work with Brooks on being gentle. He is obsessed with our chihuahua and always wants to pet him, but his pets are like hits. Luckily our dog is amazing and doesn't mind, but I don't want there to be a time where he snaps or something.

2MomsHoping · September 2018

@stella_700 hope things went ok for you today. I would t worry to much about how your house looks. I think anyone who works with families with young children is used to a dirty diaper and wouldn’t think much of a “lived in” Home.

gfgrump · September 2018

Hey all, can one of you offer me some advice. My baby is 11 days and for the past two days he won't sleep more than an hour at a time at night. During the day he often sleeps 3. Last night it took 2.5 hours to get him back to sleep. I'm losing my mind. I thought maybe my swaddling wasn't right enough BC he kept breaking out and that was what was waking him up. I've tried the swaddle me, the woombie, and the halo. Halo seems like he's most calm in, but in any of them he kicks his feet a lot, and maybe wakes himself up? Not sure. Any ideas about what I'm doing wrong? I often resort to just doing side lying feeding him a bit, when he's been crying for a while and that helps him fall asleep. But not sure if that means I'm overfeeding or if that's bad to do. Any help is appreciated. I'm so tired!

mbradfo2 · September 2018

@gfgrump
If you add up all of the "cat naps", how much is he sleeping total? Poor sleep can be a vicious cycle -- if he's not getting enough, he gets cranky and it gets harder for him to fall asleep. Also, does he sleep in a bassinet/crib? Sometimes a vibrating pad/function on a bassinet or white noise machine can help them fall asleep and stay asleep longer. I would usually put on some music or white noise for her to fall asleep to.

I don't think you're doing anything wrong though -- tiny babies can have really erratic sleep schedules.

If he's breaking out of the swaddle it's either too loose or he doesn't want to be swaddled anymore (although not swaddling him results in him waking more frequently due to the startle reflex little babies have). If you are swaddling tightly and he's still breaking out, he's probably not feeling the swaddling anymore (and you don't want the swaddle to come undone while he's sleeping so once he breaks out of it consistently, it's time to dump swaddles). Our bedtime routine once she didn't care for swaddling anymore involved letting her fall asleep in her bouncer (or wherever she was most comfortable) with the vibration on and then gently transitioning her to crib or bassinet once she was soundly asleep.

But with BF, he needs to eat alot more often so it could be he's just waking up because he's hungry. With formula, we were able to give her a little extra in her nightly bottle so she could sleep a bit longer -- but she was still only sleeping 2-3 hours at a time, sometimes less.

My dad (pediatrician) says that he is more concerned with babies that age who sleep for long times rather than those who have trouble sleeping for extended periods. He says if a newborn comes in and the parents say, 'he's sleeping all night!', it immediately concerns him and he wonders why baby isn't rousing to eat/fuss. So, he'd probably say your little guy sounds about normal for his age even though it's exhausting.

2MomsHoping · September 2018

@gfgrump we had the most luck with the miracle blanket swaddle. It’s a little tricky with all the flaps but it fits snug around hips too which has been great for our wiggler. She always sleeps for longer stretches in that one so we even went out and bought a second one and haven’t used any of the other since. Lucy wakes about ever 1-2 hours during the day but swaddled at night has made a huge difference for us.

Bouncing shushing and walking works well to calm ours. And I mean really big bouncing, really quick walking and LOUD shusshing. We look crazy.

I don’t think it’s possible to overfeed a breast fed baby and it could just be a growth spurt cluster feed so maybe just a Rough couple nights. I hope you get a nap in

JWatt5 · September 2018

@gfgrump - Parker would break out of a swaddle around a week and we just stopped swaddling him all together. But like others have said - it sounds pretty normal and just know it won’t be like this forever. Baby and Mom are still learning how to feed effectively and your baby likely wants to be close to you. It gets better!

Holls214 · September 2018

Bryson was up every 1-2 hours at night when he was new. At about 2 weeks he hated to be swaddled too so we decided not to swaddle him anymore and just wrapped his legs and not his arms. It’s fairly normal to be up every couple hours at night but it does get better after a while.

Polythene Pam · September 2018

Sometimes babies have their days and nights reversed, Graham was like that, up every 45 min even. They do need naps but try to keep daytime light, don’t swaddle at day (except that Graham only slept on me but that’s the thought), then make night extra soothing.. bath, dim lights starting by 6/7, dim light if you need it for diapers etc.

It does pass.. try to nap with the baby, ignore all the household stuff. Graham wanted to live on my boob all night so I did end up cosleeping a bit for survival. Hugs mama it’ll pass!

cashewchicken · September 2018

Not sleeping for more than an hour at a time sounds about right to me, for a baby that is only 11 days old. My son used to take forever to feed, and that with diaper change we were lucky if he slept for an hour before he needed to be fed again. He was super sensitive to a wet diaper too, so a bit of leak and he would just wake up crying. Like others said, it does get better for most babies. Also, it gets better because you’ll adjust to this new life with less sleep and you’ll soon recover from the birth too. My son is now almost six months old and because he is teething we are lucky he sleeps an hour at a time, but still it’s a lot easier than the first two weeks.

gfgrump · September 2018

Thanks all. Its helpful to hear is normal and not something I'm doing wrong. I appreciate the support. He sends to like the ergo, so that's at least one thing in the arsenal to help. Not the most comfortable for sitting, but at least its something. Haven't been able to make the Moby work. I'll keep trying I guess.

persnickity · September 2018

@gfgrump hugs, like everyone said, it's normal, tough for us, but normal. Sleep when you can and try different things, like swaddle with arms out or no swaddle at all. The suggestion of starting to differentiate day and night time sleep is a great one.

For breastfeeding, everything I read and all I know is that there's no such thing as feeding too much. At one point i was nursing every 45 minutes. You can try offering the other breast to see if he'll eat more and maybe sleep longer, but there's no guarantee

safire3 · September 2018

@gfgrump everyone’s already given great advice. My Ozi also hated swaddling by 2 weeks old and willl have a melt down if you try to swaddle him now. He also still has times when he wakes up every hour to feed. I assume it’s because he’s breastfed and having a growth spurt. It is exhausting so get your partner to help with things like burping, diaper changes and putting back to sleep at nights. Also at that age if baby oberfeeds he will likely spit up the extra and it’s hard to overfeed a breastfed baby. He is likely just using your breast for comfort at those times.

@Holls214 I can’t believe you’re still having to deal with this pain. Is it a rheumatologist that you are seeing? I hope you get some answers and relief soon.

Holls214 · September 2018

@safire3 yeah that’s who I’m going to. Last night was so bad I only slept 2 hours because of the pain. Made my list of issues and counting down the hours until Tuesday... hmph.

mbradfo2 · September 2018

@gfgrump
I used to put my girl on my lap nestled into a boppy pillow and I was able to free up my hands that way while still letting her feel comfy. Was good during the early days where sleep is scarce and you don't want to wake baby up when they've fallen asleep on you!

@Holls214
That sounds awful :-( I hope the doctor can help. At least give you something to take the edge off so you can rest? Your pain + baby must be very overwhelming

Polythene Pam · September 2018

Ugh Graham caught a cold and is up hourly, speaking of that. He’s 10 months and was FINALLY Sleeping almost the whole night through. Humidifier, steamy bathroom, anything else? I can’t wait till he can have the toddler pillow, he’ll fall asleep on my arm with the bit of incline but he’s snoring so loud I can’t sleep, so I’m back to just helping him hourly. He flops around so much that inclining his mattress seems pointless.

Side note, my daughter had the bug, I have this bug, as does my hubby... my hubby is acting like he’s dying, and can’t help. Why are men such babies when they get sick?! Ha seriously...

byrneme · September 2018

@Polythene Pam , sorry Graham is sick

Have you used a crib wedge? That was a lifesaver for us during cold season last winter.

PAIF Graduates - New Mommies - September 2018

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