[HopefulinCO]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for all the encouragrement. I think it helps most just knowing that I'm not crazy for not being blissfully happy every second of every day. My mother is SO not helpful. It took her years of trying before conceiving, and she just doesn't seem to remember that these first weeks are not all wine and roses. (does she not remember rinsing out poopie clothes with a screaming baby next to you in a swing with your breasts leaking milk all over and spit up even in your belly button?) I really can't complain too much - she really is a very good baby. Maybe that's why it throws me so much when she does scream. And the carrier definitely works. We got a Moby wrap the other day and that is magic, too. I'm just so afraid of getting her into some bad habit which will take weeks to break her from later. (our nephews, age 1 and 5, have some awful sleeping patterns and so I'm really fearful that we'll do that to Rachel)

Gosh, I can't even imagine what it will be like to go back to work. How are you all surviving? I discovered yesterday that my administration had given me the wrong back to work date. I kept going over it in my head and it seemed too short so I finally got out the calendar and discovered I really have another week - Yay!

I love the story of the horses, Ponygirl. We have 2 dogs and 2 cats and all but one of the dogs have been doing well with the baby. The not-doing-so-well dog is going to work with DH every day so I don't have to deal with that stress.

Question for you all about nipple cracking. I've had this huge fissure in my right nipple for about a week. I've worked with lactation consultants and they've said to use bacitracin on it and just be really careful about how she latches, but every time that breast's turn rolls around, I just dread the pain. The fissure will appear almost closed, and then as soon as she latches it opens right back up. Any one else been through this and what did you do to help? Right now I'm thankful it's not mastitis (which is what I was concerned about initially)

Heather

[KariAlison]

Hi -

Do any of you have wrist pain? I have really bad wrist pain in my left wrist. It seems like it's from bottle feeding and burping. I had carpal tunnel during the pregnancy, but it's mostly gone now. I still have some tingling, but this pain in my wrist is different. It feels like it's broken or something...just curious if anyone else has it. My OB said that my joints could feel stiff as a result of the pregnancy, has anyone else experienced this? Is there anything you can do for it?

Also....does anyone have recommendations for good slings or carriers? I have an ERGO and I can't seem to get it to work for me. I also have a sling, but it is so big, and really sags when I put them baby in it. Just looking for alternatives to holding her. I love to hold Lily, but I have back problems that don't allow me to do it that long. Plus, she is getting attached to being held, and is not able to soothe herself back to sleep very well without being held. Just wanted some alternatives.

Thanks,
Kari

[~Jo]

KARI-This might not be what your looking for, but if you go to youtube.com and enter "make your own baby sling" there are all kinds of videos showing you how to make yoru own at home with a cotton bedsheet, which has good stretch and is easy to use. I found several helpful videos on there. Let me know if you need help finding something. Hope this helps

[mss2069]

Originally Posted by KariAlison

Hi -

Do any of you have wrist pain? I have really bad wrist pain in my left wrist. It seems like it's from bottle feeding and burping. I had carpal tunnel during the pregnancy, but it's mostly gone now. I still have some tingling, but this pain in my wrist is different. It feels like it's broken or something...just curious if anyone else has it. My OB said that my joints could feel stiff as a result of the pregnancy, has anyone else experienced this? Is there anything you can do for it?

Also....does anyone have recommendations for good slings or carriers? I have an ERGO and I can't seem to get it to work for me. I also have a sling, but it is so big, and really sags when I put them baby in it. Just looking for alternatives to holding her. I love to hold Lily, but I have back problems that don't allow me to do it that long. Plus, she is getting attached to being held, and is not able to soothe herself back to sleep very well without being held. Just wanted some alternatives.

Thanks,
Kari

I also have wrist pain. it feels like somebody took a hammer to it. my dr said its from water retention. my fingers are still numb but i feel like they are getting better. i put bengay on wrist and it helps a little. let me know if your gets better.

[mia23]

So I am a little worried about my little man. He does not turn to the sound of my voice. He startles from loud noises and passed his newborn hearing test so I know it is not his hearing. He is smiling and cooing when we talk to him if we get in his line of vision so he is social I just dont know why he wont look for me when I talk. The milestone sheet from the ped said that this is a 1 month milestone and he is approaching 2 months. Are all of your babies turning to your voice and when did they start?

[kathipie]

I also have wrist pain. It kind of goes back and forth up and down my arm to my shoulder. It feels like it is in the bones.

Brooke has been having some trouble for the past few days. She is having difficulty eating. It looks like it is hard for her to swallow her bottle and she keeps turning her head to the left side when she does try to eat. Then she will take like an ounce and start to stick out her tongue and keep forcing the bottle out of her mouth. When she tries to swallow, you can hear her gulping and swallowing alot of air. It looks like it is painful for her to swallow. Then she will start screaming and I will burp her until she burps and it has been taking a really long time for her to eat. She will get really sweaty but a cold clamy sweaty. She will fall asleep and then an hour later take another ounce; with the same symptoms. I have tried changing the nipples, thinking that she needs the next flow up. I have tried changing bottles, nipples, etc. Nothing seems to help. She is still on her Zantac but now I'm wondering if it isn't working. Oh, she will also cough like she has choked on something, even if she isn't eating at that time. It isn't like a constant cough like a cold or anything. I have taken her temperature and she has not had any fevers. I will call the dr. tomorrow and see what they have to say but I was just wondering if anyone on here went through or is going through this too.

[kimbev69]

i was trying to post a pdf that was of a collage that myspace has available ... i did this collage with all of Olivia's ultrasound pics and then the one when she was born, it's pretty cool if anyone can find a program for it

[mss2069]

does anybody know if flaxseed r fish oil is ok to take while nursing?

i know we just had our lo's but when do you guys think you might try for another baby? I can't wait to have another and think we will start right before Tripp's first bday.

[~Jo]

MIA-Reese will be two months on the 11th and just the middle of last week did she start looking around the room when she hears a voice. And she only looks for DH, she hasnt looked around trying to find me yet, the little stinker

[KT09]

Kath- I'm breastfeeding, but last week Sadie was having trouble with eating too. I looked it up and sometimes babies go on a nursing strike. Maybe Brooke is on strike?

Today is our 2 month appt. I'm a little worried about the shots . My husband took the day off so at least I'll have him there with me. On Friday night Sadie slept for 7 hours!!!! But the last 2 nights she has been having trouble staying asleep once she wakes up for her feeding. So we are a little tired over here!

[~Jo]

KT09-Good luck at Sadies appt, let me know how it goes, Reese's is Thrusday and Im nervous about it too! I cant wait to get a weight on her

[Tisha62486]

Shanna- My husband and I are going to try on our own for 6 months starting June because I only have 1 blocked tube but if now success then we will do IUI and Clomid again!! I cant wait to be pregnant again either

Also I finally had to put Lyla on her belly to sleep in her crib! I could not take her sleeping on my chest anymore and she is starting to move so much I would be afraid of her getting smothered or something because of me being so tired!! but last night she slept for 7 HOURS STRAIGHT!!!! AMAZING! I still woke up and checked on her every once and awile but she was fine!! I know they say back to sleep but no matter what I do it wont happen I tried EVERYTHING!!

[KariAlison]

Question...do you guys change your LO before or after a feeding?

I usually change Lily after I feed her, because she usually goes during a feeding. But, I'm wondering if I should change that because she falls asleep right after I feed her, and it would certainly make putting her down easier. However, I like that she wakes up after I change her to play a little bit and then put her down, but sometimes it makes getting her back to sleep difficult.

Also...what does everyone do for gas besides Mylicon? Any other tricks? What position do you guys bottle feed in? She gets mostly all breastmilk in the bottle, but seems to have alot of gas.

Thanks,
Kari

[ImHis]

I change before feeding so my little man doesn't wake up more. He doesn't like his diaper changed so he would scream for sure.

He also has a lot of gas, I use the drops and I feed him almost sitting up, just tilted back a little. I keep him upright for about 15 minutes and try to burp as much as I can.

[mbender]

Kathipie -- My son is having very similiar issues. He is on Zantac, too. But we were at our 2month ped appt last week and the ped was concerned when I told her he coughs some while trying to eat. She is sending us for a barium swallow test to be sure he doesnt have any blockage or is aspirating when he swallows. We go on thursday so I can let you know if anything comes of it. I honestly just thought it was all reflux related. She said it could be but she wants to check everything.

Kari, I change mine before they eat because they both have issues with spitting up too much if I lay them down too soon after eating. Since I have two I normally but them in a swing or their boopy after eating so they are still somewhat upright while I feed the other one. They normally fall asleep and I don't want to disturb them again. Both of mine were really gassy and I had to change their formula and bottle. I switched to Soy based and Dr. Brown bottles and they seem much better. Their gas/BM do smell worse though thanks to the soy. I do have to watch what I eat because they do get gas if I eat certain things too (I am BFind and supplementing with formula).

We had our 2 month check up last week (even though we were alittle late and they were actually 10 weeks old). They got their shots and I cried as hard as they did. Anyone else cry with the shots? My husband was laughing at me and my nurse seemed very shocked that I was crying. My poor little ones had to get 4 shots along with one oral. We missed our 2nd Hep B at our one month appt and then since they were preemies we are getting synergies (an antibody shot to help prevent RSV). Poor things! BUT they are weighing in at 10lbs 8oz....my little porkers. They have gained over 6lbs in 2months!!!

Hope everyone else is doing well.