Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[Burk]

Ella~I know EXACTLY what you mean!! I have compared feeding Tayva lately to an Olympic event. It''s horrible. She gets so upset. And she has the constipation thing too!!! We have barely been able to get 20 oz. of formula in her in a 24 hour period and then all of a sudden yesterday she poops like 9 times....she was so backed up it was horrible...she absolutely screamed to poop one time and I couldn''t get her to calm down until she was done and it was, like Gabes'', a ROCK! I feel so terrible and she, too, is such a sweet baby when it''s not time to eat. She''s on zantac and I think it''s helping a little...we''ve had a few calm feeding since she''s been on it, but it''s causing her to wake up STARVING at night. Her night feeding are her best feedings so at least she''s getting something but she is going backwards in her sleep patterns. We see our ped today and maybe I should ask to be referred to a specialist. Please let me know how Gabe''s appointment goes. I just want her to feel better!!

 

[curlygirl]

Hi everyone! Sorry I''ve totally been MIA. I was out of town for work last week and I''ve just been so swamped with everything that''s going on!!! I have to take time to catch up on my reading so I''m sorry if I don''t comment on everyone''s posts. I promise I''ll try to stay more connected!

TGal, sorry things haven''t been working out with the breastfeeding. But let me tell you, I was a formula baby and I think I''ve done quite well for myself! Not to mention, Miss Lily has been on formula from day 1 and she is fantastic, healthy, adorable, advanced and thriving!!! So I know it''s probably going to be tough for you psychologically but formula is not evil. And you will be able to relax much more. We used Playtex Ventaire bottles in the beginning and their stage 1 nipples. We switched to Born Free because of the BPA issues and their slow flow nipple is pretty slow. You may have to try a few different types of bottles and nipples to see which ones work best. By the way, how are your parents doing?

Diver, I TOTALLY want to do botox after this baby! I just want to wait till after pushing her out and see how many more wrinkles I end up with!

Burk, Tayva is just adorable!!! Sorry about the reflux, I hope the meds help. And your push present ring is beautiful!!!!

ellaila, your little peanut is just precious!!! She''s growing up so fast! Regarding the poop smell, we go through cans of Lysol all the time!! I''m constantly spraying the garbage can, the air and her changing area. The smell only gets worse as they start eating more solids!

lili, your story was unbelievable! I can''t believe you survived and you have a gorgeous little girl to show for it. Sounds like you''re doing really well.

msb, your son is gorgeous! Happy belated birthday to him! What a cutie pie!!!

Tacori, Tessa is just so yummy!!!! I can''t believe how much she''s grown. I love watching her progress. She seems so happy in all the photos.

Mrs Mitchell, you''re getting so close!!! How are you feeling? Excited? Nervous??

mrssalvo, how''s Jake? We need some new photos of your adorable little man!!!

janine, I''m still here, just crazed!!! I think you''ll be fine in your apartment for AT LEAST 3 months and probably longer. You can get a bassinet or depending on the stroller you pick, your baby can sleep in that! We have the Bugaboo and Lily slept in the bassinet part for the first 3 months! It totally eliminated the need for an extra piece of furniture. We then moved her into the bassinet part of the pack n play although many people use that from day 1--it''s a good investment because it comes with the changing table as well and you can use the bottom part under the bassinet for storage. You can also try the mini-cosleeper which is smaller than the pnp or a crib but serves the same purpose. I promise you, you''ll be fine and you seriously do not need much at all for the newborn stage. I would recommend a bouncy seat of some sort, a Boppy, a Bjorn or other type of carrier and that''s about it for gear! I don''t remember if you guys have a car but if you do, you can leave the carseat in it and if not, you can leave it with your parents (ours is installed in my mom''s car so that was a no brainer for us!) You''ll totally manage. I''ll walk you through the whole thing, don''t worry!!

jas12, hope things are going well for you and Cohen. Looking forward to an update from you when you have time, mama!

jackiejas, isn''t it great to feel something all the time! Makes it so much more real!!!!

As for me, I just got back from the doctor. Everything is good. Amnio results were perfect and my doctor couldn''t be happier. And it''s definitely still a girl!!

The only big surprise was that I''ve gained 4 lbs. in one month!

I''m shocked because I honestly haven''t been eating much at all but my doctor doesn''t care because I''m thin anyway. So in 17 weeks, I''m up 5 lbs. which isn''t too bad so I''m not going to worry about it. I have my anatomy scan on May 22 but since I already know what we''re having and that it''s a girl and she''s healthy, I''m just going to sit back and enjoy myself for now! And to add to my enjoyment, my little one gave me a few taps today to let me know she''s there. Very exciting!!! My doctor said not to expect anything regular till 22-24 weeks but since I''m more tuned in and know what I''m feeling this time, I may feel stuff every now and then. That is comforting!!

Hope everyone is doing well. Looking forward to the next baby boom!!

 

[curlygirl]

By the way, here is Miss Lily sending some emails from Central Park this weekend. She''s very busy, you know! She''s going to be one in 2 weeks--I can''t even believe it.

 

[Skippy123]

Oh my goodness; what cuties you all have! Love that picture of Lily and the commentary; sooo cute/darling!!! hehe Love the hat!!!

Ella and Burk, what darlings! Soooooo cute!

 

[janinegirly]

Curly~ you''re the best. I cut and pasted your response and saved it, since I''ll definitely refer to it once we start shopping/registering. It''s all new to me, so thanks so much for the tips
And the photo of Lily is too cute. She always has the best expressions!!
PS Congrats on the great amnio and taps!

 

[TravelingGal]

OK, more shortly, but I have to say...

Date: 4/21/2008 3:31:42 PM
Author: curlygirl
By the way, here is Miss Lily sending some emails from Central Park this weekend. She''s very busy, you know! She''s going to be one in 2 weeks--I can''t even believe it.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Such cute babies!!!!

Lily, Tayva, and the twins....so precious. I wish we could have one big play date.

Tried to order my PP today but Julian was out of the office

Oh well, I waited this long. Went to the mall with T and SIL and she was SOOOO good. Such a happy girl just looking around. She didn''t cry once. She loves shopping like her mama.

Curly, I still LOVE the name Lucy. *hint hint*

TGal, I wouldn''t worry about her eating fast. Just burp her half way through. She''s hungry!

Burk, I still use the shield and she is almost 6 months old....oh well! Whatever works right? I am sure the ER experience was scary. Glad she is better.

Diver, how are you doing girl!?! Where are D''s new pics? Sorry about your dream but she doing great! BTW DH''s friend is naming their daughter Delaney (calling her laney).

Jackie, kicking is the ONLY things I miss about pregnancy!

 

[divergrrl]

Tacori: Im doing great! Hey, did you post a linky to your new ring? Was that your push pressie? Link pleeez!

I have new D photos, she has a killer new hat....she looks like Carmen Miranda in it. LOL.

We call her "Daners" (day-nerz) .... I originally wanted to call her Laney too, but...she''s just a Daners through and through. Jake calls her Deee-waneeey.

Curly: OMG...I can''t believe Lily is almost 1! Wahhh!!! She is precious...what a sweet bebe. So are you two going to look for a larger apt? Or is 2 kids in a 1bdrm no big deal in NYC? You''ll love Botox...and the longer you use it, the less you need it! I''m very pleased with my results and they aren''t even "in" all the way. (takes a week to a month for full muscle relaxation/freezing to kick in) If you get up close in the mirror I can still see faint creases (vs. moderately deep before from a normal distance) and from a normal distance, I look so fresh & bright...awake, relax, dare I say....younger? I styled my hair with my bangs clipped back today! LOL. I can still lift my eyebrows, although not as high before, which is fine by me, sometimes I see pics of myself caught in an animated moment & my eyebrows are scrunched up to my hairline

& I look like a DORK.


Ok...well I need to go peruse M-day gift ideas...I''m thinking a laptop bag....found some cute ones cheeeep.

 

[chrono]

Have to hit and run again but here I go:

Diver
I just read in the latest Newsweek that botox is now shown to get into the brain. A few people have already died from botox poisoning when it was used for medical conditions in the face area near the eyes. Don't want to scare you but just something to think about.

Tgal
Bottle feeding should also take time. My first was bottle fed and he took anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes to down a bottle. I picked the newborn nipple and stuck with it until he weaned. I also tilted the bottle a little (but no air) and gave him breaks in between the feed to simulate switching breast. Could it be the type of bottle and nipple used? Medela, Avent and Playtex bottles are fairly slow.

BPA alert: Are you mommies still using these bottles? I threw away my Avent and Playtex bottles and am only using Medela which are BPA free.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Chrono, BPA was always been a concern for me too. I used medela and Born Free for the first 5 months but have now thrown in the 11 oz Nubys (also BPA free and cheaper than Born Free) b/c she has been eating 6-8 oz and my others only go up to 5.

 

[chrono]

Tacori,
That''s great. I need the smaller bottles because my big guy won''t take more than 4 oz in one sitting.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 4/21/2008 5:47:11 PM
Author: Chrono
Tacori,

That''s great. I need the smaller bottles because my big guy won''t take more than 4 oz in one sitting.

Oh I guess Tessa is turning into a pig!

Nuby makes a 9 oz bottle and a 5 oz (I think, something smaller). I like them. Easy to hold. Fun colors. I changed out the nipple though. I will use their sippy cups too probably.

 

[chrono]

My big guy also drank every 3 hours, so that's why he takes smaller bottles. Is Tessa going longer in between feeds? That's probably why she needs more milk. She's a cutie, not a pig. Mine is also eating solids now so he doesn't need as much milk. He's drinking his milk in a bottle but through a straw.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

She has been going longer. Plus I don''t think she is taking in a lot when I nurse her. She gets so distracted or falls asleep. Oh well. I will get to start baby food soon. Which veggies should I start with?

 

[chrono]

Actually, I started with fruit.

Just simple one fruit at a time, then veggies . I used real bananas squashed up with a spoon, regular no sugar added apple sauce in a jar, and I supplemented with the baby food fruit like peach, pear, etc. For veggies, I did peas, carrots, squash, green beans, sweet potatoes. I did baby jarred food as I was too lazy to make my own.

It took me a while to go through the various foods. I did one food a day. I totally skipped cereals.

 

[TravelingGal]

OK...back...although I really need a nap. But Amelia is awake now so I am up too. I just did tummy time (which she hates) so I am having her kick back and relax in her vibrating chair...

Diver, cool beans on the botox. I saw the today show the other day and the botox lady said less is definitely more, and that people shouldn''t comment on how great your botox looks because they shouldn''t even be able to tell. It''s great you were able to treat yourself. Are you gonna post before and after pix?

Curlygirl, yay on the great amnio results! I am thrilled for you. Now you can kick back and be relaxed through this pregnancy and be excited to meet your girl!

Janinegirly, we are in about a 1000 sq ft apartment right now and with this one extra body in the house, space is tight. Parked strollers, papasans, bassinets...it''s just crazy. Half our dining room table is her changing table (which really ruins TGuy''s appetite sometimes.) The newborns don''t requre much space, but it''s all their stuff that does! And people just give you crap! I agree with the stroller/bassinet suggestion...that would be a great space saver. We will be in this apartment until at least Amelia''s first birthday. We just can''t buy in LA right now. The worst thing is that we don''t have a washer/dryer in house and I have to walk to the other side of the complex, which isn''t too far.

OK, I tried another bottle today...someone gave me a Dr. Browns with a stage 1 nipple. I timed it and it took her about 10 minutes or so for two ounces....and that is with breaks and burping. It still seems so fast. I guess when a week ago it took over an hour to get her to take an ounce, anything seems fast. I am going to go to BabiesRUs sometime this week and get the Gerber ones or the second nature nipples to use with my bottles. I have avent (given to me). Should I be throwing these away because of the BPA issue? I have barely started to research bottles...did not think I would need them this early!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

TGal, some people are worried about BPA, some aren't. Follow your gut. For me it seems like an easy thing to avoid so why wouldn't I pick safer bottles? When she was a week old and I went to the LC she got 3 oz in 15 mins (nursing so I think the timing sounds right). Trust me if it is too fast she WILL let you know.

ETA: BTW I went to the gym yesterday! I am so depressed about my muffin top

Figure I better step it up if I want to lose those last 10 lbs. I am sore today!

 

[chrono]

As with Tacori, it wasn''t a difficult thing to change bottles for me. Why take the risk when the alternative is available and easy?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Chrono, I knew about BPA from the start (so I never had to change). One of my friends is due in June and plans on using Dr Browns. I mentioned BPA and she didn''t seem to care. Oooookkayyyyyy.....another one of those parenting things. I don''t like to debate such things so I dropped it. I am weired about pacis too. Threw away any cheap ones (from my MIL).

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 4/21/2008 6:22:39 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
TGal, some people are worried about BPA, some aren''t. Follow your gut. For me it seems like an easy thing to avoid so why wouldn''t I pick safer bottles? When she was a week old and I went to the LC she got 3 oz in 15 mins (nursing so I think the timing sounds right). Trust me if it is too fast she WILL let you know.

ETA: BTW I went to the gym yesterday! I am so depressed about my muffin top

Figure I better step it up if I want to lose those last 10 lbs. I am sore today!

well i would prefer bpa free. thought if it had a number 2 or 5 it was ok? didn''t know dr browns had bpa...should not have opened the package...

will go tomorrow and look. sorry, typing with one hand again. let me know your fav brands!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Rule of thumb, avoid CLEAR plastics. Nuby are colored, Born Free has an amber tint, medela are frosted.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 4/21/2008 7:36:02 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Rule of thumb, avoid CLEAR plastics. Nuby are colored, Born Free has an amber tint, medela are frosted.

Sounds good, thanks Tacori!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 4/21/2008 7:49:45 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 4/21/2008 7:36:02 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Rule of thumb, avoid CLEAR plastics. Nuby are colored, Born Free has an amber tint, medela are frosted.

Sounds good, thanks Tacori!

No problem! I am sure there are other BPA free bottles but those are the brands I have bought.

 

[Gemma12]

Hi everyone,

Sorry I''ve been MIA-just a quick fly by!

TGal, sorry to hear about the BFding struggles. Good on you for having a good attitude about it and good luck finding a bottle that works for Amelia!

Tacori thanks for the advice on bottles! I had heard about that but need to check and see what we can get here. Tessa is a cutie-how much she''s grown! Yay for a good time in Mexico!

Eph, I''m sorry to hear the MS is still plaguing you. I hope you feel better for your trip!

Curly, Lily is the cutest! I really like Laura and Lucy (or Lucinda, Lucille) for ''L'' names. I don''t know if you saw my earlier question about going back to work? Maybe I should start a new thread...

Jackiejas, yay for feeling the babies. How are you feeling otherwise?

Thanks for all the cute photos!

I''m still feeling queasy and tired-only got three hours sleep last night so having today off work (combination of nausea, reflux and temperature problems!). We''ve got a conference coming up in a few weeks for work so I am trying to come up with unique excuses for why I''m not drinking! 9w4d today so looking forward to my OB appointment in two weeks!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Gemma, where do you live again? Sorry you aren''t feeling well. I think the last good night of sleep I got was the night BEFORE I found out I was preggo.

even in Mexico I had to get up at 5 am to pump. When are you planning on telling your office you are expecting?

 

[Gemma12]

Thanks Tacori!

I live in Australia so it''s my morning here. We have a scan for NT at 13 weeks (May 14th) so I will tell them after that. We''ve told some close friends and our immediate family so I have to remind myself sometimes not to talk about it at work.

I meant to say earlier, I''m so glad that things have improved for you with the BFding-you were an absolutely hero in those first few weeks!! I only hope I will have your persistence!

 

[curlygirl]

Thank you all for the sweet comments about Lily. She is truly a trip and has such personality!! It is unreal to me that we will be celebrating her first birthday in 2 weeks. It has absolutely FLOWN by. She shocked me today by standing up on her own and DANCING! She does this butt shaking thing but she's usually holding on to something but today she decided to show off and do it hands free. So she can stand and dance all by herself. My little baby's growing up.

janine, I'm here for you, girl!

Diver, you have me sold on Botox!!! Regarding the apartment situation, we're going to stay here as long as we can and then reevaluate. We've only owned this place for just over a year so we want to stay till at least next March which will be exactly 2 years since closing. I hope we can survive!!!

TGal, BPA wasn't an issue when I first had Lily but then it became such a hotbed that we switched to the super expensive Born Free bottles. We never heat bottles or put them in the microwave so I'm not sure how much of an issue it really would have been had we not switched but we decided that it was such an easy thing to do that there was no reason not to. We'll be off the bottles in 2 weeks and have been practicing with Take and Toss sippy cups but we'll probably use the Born Free sippies as well. And I'm so sorry you don't have a washer and dryer in your place. We literally would have been lost without them but in our case, the laundry room is in the basement and it's kinda nasty. At least you don't have to travel too far.

Gemma, I think I did answer your question somewhere but this thread moves fast! I went back to work at 12 weeks. Lily started daycare at that point. I formula fed her from the start so pumping, etc. was never an issue for me. I know it's not the popular choice around most parts but I have absolutely zero regrets about it and am thrilled to have a happy, healthy child! I'll be doing the same with #2. And I think we're leaning towards Lucy!!

Tacori, we started with green vegetables first. I wanted to make sure she'd eat the "yucky" stuff before moving on to the sweet yummies like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and all the fruits. So she first had peas and then green beans. Now she eats pretty much everything but her favorite meal seems to be grilled cheese!!

 

[Gemma12]

Thanks Curly! I''m sorry I missed your reply-this thread really does move fast! Lily is beautiful-I can still picture her in her ''school'' clothes going off to her first day at daycare!

 

[qtiekiki]

ella, burk, curlygirl - love all the pics. All the PS girls are so pretty. Lily is a big girl now. I love seeing them grow.

Tgal & other who are interested - click on this blog. She lists all the BPA-free bottles and sippy cups brands. We planned to use BPA-free bottles from the start since it''s simple to avoid and we rather be safe.

 

[LitigatorChick]

We have Avent bottles. I have been using them since day 1, and I ain''t gonna toss them this late in the game. I read in the paper this weekend that of about 1000 things to worry about, BPA in bottles ranks at about 895!! I got bigger issues!