PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[jcrow]

oh hh - i still remember n's first bout of bad gas. I'd have to look back to see how old she was, but she was mini and it was the first time that I could tell she was crying out of pain/discomfort. it lasted for what seemed like forever. unfortunately, because newborns' digestive tracks are so immature, it's just something they have to go through. we found laying her on her back and pushing her legs up towards her belly would often result in the release of gas. also laying her along your forearm, belly down with her head by your palm could sometimes provide relief (i think because of the pressure on the tummy). it's no fun at all, but eventually he'll grow out of it.

sacks - thanks for confirming that they're long. n was only 10% in height so perhaps that makes them seem even more gargantuan.

question for BF'ing mamas - do you give your babe vitamin d drops? if so, do you have a recommendation for any that aren't completely disgusting/large volume/staining yellow. i read on kelly mom that it wasn't usually a concern, but our pedi recommended it.

we tried it but found that she was having tummy troubles/going to sleep troubles so we stopped giving it to her since that was the only thing that changed. not sure it was that causing it, but we never went back to giving them to her.

 

[Burk]

Mara~I know, right. I have no doubt he'll walk "early" but 8 months is pushing it!! I always have the worst luck and when I am trying to find cute stuff there is never anything I like so I have no doubt that's the way my shopping spree will go. Ha ha. Hope your work trip goes well.

Ally~If it isn't one thing it's another isn't it....if it's not teething, it's a growth spurt, cold, ect. Hope she gets through it quick!

HH~Both my babies were intollerant to dairy. Tayva grew out of it by 15months and I still haven't tried any dairy for Kade. They are both intollerant to corn and soy as well so when I was BFing it was pretty miserable. You could try and limit your dairy and see if you note any improvement....but it could just be his age and digestive system. Gripe water and lots of burping. Hang in there!

Hi Viz and China!

Hi everyone else!

 

[ChinaCat]

Hi Burk! I can't believe how old Kade is already!

Someone told me recently that when you have kids- Days pass oh so slowly, but the years fly by. So true. I'm paraphrasing, she said it much better.

Viz- Thanks for the tips. I will def watch O and if this happens again will take action.

Lulu- Yes if you are exclusively BF, you should add a vitamin D supplement. We gave him something called Trivisol or something? I think it was purple. Didn't stain and O took it no problem so don't think it tasted terrible. If baby has formula at all, no need.

Sleep sacks- Mara, we still use ours on O but just at night. He gets a blanket during nap times but he usually kicks it off and we keep our house pretty cool at night so I like the sleep sack for a blanket. He doesn't need it to fall asleep aka a swaddle. I will use it until he outgrows it so I don't have to worry about him getting cold at night.

 

[Puppmom]

Jcrow, I hate the scale at the doc too. They way too easily push that thing further and further to the right without letting the scale settle! Every now and then I get a very generous nurse which is nice. In either case, the scale in my bathroom is much nicer to me.

Lovelylulu, My doc also recommended trivisol but I'll be honest, I haven't given it yet. I don't know what's holding me back.

Mara, good luck on your trip! Are you still BF? I'm worried when I get back to work I'll have to travel and I'm not sure how I'll pump. My clients are all in NYC and so most of the trips are day trips so I take the train in, attend a meeting, then take the train home. I don't know how the heck I'll pump!

HH, Nolan doesn't get gas often but, when he does, I find that bicycle legs works for low belly gas and a good long burp works for high belly gas. On occasion, it hasn't taken a solid 10 minutes to get him to burp! I also find that he gets gas more often when I feed pumped milk with the bottle than he does when I BF.

SS, no advice re: tummy time. Nolan doesn't mind it. Unfortunately, he doesn't mind it so much that he's perfectly happy with his face planted in the floor!

So last night DH and I had this brilliant idea to wake Nolan to eat just before we went to bed. For the past week, he's been sleeping 6-7 hours at night but it starts at 7pm. So we thought, if we wake him before we go to bed then we'll get to sleep 5 or 6 hours. Well, it was a BUST! We woke him to eat at 10 and he nursed well but then he woke up in 3 hours to eat. Tonight's back to school night at DD's high school. It's at 6:30 and we feel it's important for both DH and me to attend so we're taking N. This could be disastrous!

 

[fieryred33143]

Recall on Similac

Hey ladies, Similac is recalling certain items due to a possible insect contamination. Just wanted to put that out there in case any ladies are currently using similac.

Here's some info: http://similac.com/recall/default.aspx

And you can find out if yours is recalled through this link: www.similac.com/recall/lookup

 

[meresal]

Recall on Similac

Hey ladies, Similac is recalling certain items due to a possible insect contamination. Just wanted to put that out there in case any ladies are currently using similac.

Here's some info: http://similac.com/recall/default.aspx

And you can find out if yours is recalled through this link: www.similac.com/recall/lookup

It is only the powder... just an FYI.

 

[gingerB]

lulu - def recommended to use vit d if you're EBF. we use carleson's. clear, one tiny drop a day. A doesn't even notice it.

sleep sack - we use one for A with his footies. love the a+a ones for texas. i plan to keep them until he outgrows whatever the biggest size available is!

gas - ditto whoever said babies use feeding as a way to soothe their tummy. reflux is another possibility? A would wake up crying with it -- we could hear it the reflux coming up, poor thing. prevacid has worked really well for him.

cc- poor O! will def keep those tips handy.

AFM, egg yolk was a hit. i hard boiled the egg and popped the yolk out, careful to not get any white, and mashed it into his dinner. gave it a nice creamy texture. he gobbled it. i plan to give some 2x a week or so. trying to figure out what our next protein will be.

we busted out the fisher price laugh and learn house. A IS IN LOVE. seriously occupies him with independant play all day. there are so many diff things to do and it is def a toy that will grow with him. downside is that it's big and bright and not so with my decor what parents will do for their kiddos!

not much else to say except that he is fun fun fun! i love that now when i walk into the room his face totally lights up and he squeals and makes a beeline for me, and tries to climb up my leg, which is his current way of asking to be picked up. he just plays and babbles and occ will come over for a bit of a cuddle, then is off again. he has started to give a bit of attitude when he can't have something he wants, but we're nipping this now. makes me wonder what the toddler years will bring though...

 

[puffy]

hi mommies!!!

things are crazy as ever here but that's to be expected. and i'm really sad now....N is 9 months today and the kid is officially walking. my baby is not a baby!! he's been trying to walk for the past month and just yesterday and today started really walking by himself. but it totally reminds me why i love it when they first start to walk....LOVE LOVE LOVE those first wobbly steps. but kinda wished he would stay a baby a little longer.

hope everyone and the kiddos are doing well!! take care mommies!

 

[Sha]

lulu - def recommended to use vit d if you're EBF. we use carleson's. clear, one tiny drop a day. A doesn't even notice it.

sleep sack - we use one for A with his footies. love the a+a ones for texas. i plan to keep them until he outgrows whatever the biggest size available is!

gas - ditto whoever said babies use feeding as a way to soothe their tummy. reflux is another possibility? A would wake up crying with it -- we could hear it the reflux coming up, poor thing. prevacid has worked really well for him.

cc- poor O! will def keep those tips handy.

AFM, egg yolk was a hit. i hard boiled the egg and popped the yolk out, careful to not get any white, and mashed it into his dinner. gave it a nice creamy texture. he gobbled it. i plan to give some 2x a week or so. trying to figure out what our next protein will be.

we busted out the fisher price laugh and learn house. A IS IN LOVE. seriously occupies him with independant play all day. there are so many diff things to do and it is def a toy that will grow with him. downside is that it's big and bright and not so with my decor what parents will do for their kiddos!

not much else to say except that he is fun fun fun! i love that now when i walk into the room his face totally lights up and he squeals and makes a beeline for me, and tries to climb up my leg, which is his current way of asking to be picked up. he just plays and babbles and occ will come over for a bit of a cuddle, then is off again. he has started to give a bit of attitude when he can't have something he wants, but we're nipping this now. makes me wonder what the toddler years will bring though...

Great to hear you're enjoying your little guy, gingerB. Isn't this age great?

From what I read, it's developmentally normal for them to start protesting when toys or other favourite things are taken away. I guess it's the start of exerting their will, which happily continues into the toddler years.... Dalila has been doing the 'tude thing for a few months, by whinging and flailing her hands and legs about if her toy drops or if I take it away.

On another, semi-related note - does anyone have any thoughts about what their child personality will be like yet? Dalila is very spirited, which I like, but at the same time, her feistiness kind of scares me.... Her name actually means 'gentle' in Swahili, but I don't think she's the gentle sort! (I guess it was wishful thinking that she would inherit my gentle nature... ) On the positive side - I like the fact that she's very playful and happy most of the time, as well as bright, observant, curious, and determined. But on the... ahem....'not so positive' side....I think she's inherited her father's impatience and low frustration tolerance. Sometimes she'll be lying on her back and her toy will drop just right off to her side, within easy reach, and she'll get upset and start crying and kicking....I'm like, 'Dalila, your toy is right here...seee...." Then I'll give it to her and she'll be all happy and quiet again for a few minutes. It's kind of funny sometimes, but It worries me that she'll be really impatient and easily frustrated as she grows up. She can also be very stubborn and demanding - she wants what she wants and loudly protests if it's something she doesn't want. She hates me brushing her teeth at nights. I practically have to wrestle her to get the toothbrush in her mouth! She'll purse her mouth firmly and kick and arch her back so hard I hardly get to do much more scrape her teeth once or twice.... But as soon as I'm finished, she grabs the toothbrush and starts chewing on it happily. Sigh...! DH and I call her 'Dadiva' sometimes instead of Dalila. I see big tantrums in the near future....Big ones.

 

[Puppmom]

Just popping in to say we had a great morning with MIL. She could only come for 2 hours so I was worried it wouldn't be worth it since N could easily sleep the whole time. Well, she got here right as he was finished nursing. She changed him, did tummy time and played with him. I did the dishes and vacuumed then took a shower. Just as I was stepping out of the bedroom after getting dressed, MIL had him swaddled and asleep and was putting him down for a nap.

 

[Puppmom]

Just popping in to say we had a great morning with MIL. She could only come for 2 hours so I was worried it wouldn't be worth it since N could easily sleep the whole time. Well, she got here right as he was finished nursing. She changed him, did tummy time and played with him. I did the dishes and vacuumed then took a shower. Just as I was stepping out of the bedroom after getting dressed, MIL had him swaddled and asleep and was putting him down for a nap.

I realized that not all of you may know why I'm so excited about this - MIL will be caring for Nolan full time when I go back to work. It'll be so hard to leave him but I'm so glad we're lucky enough to have a family member caring for him.

 

[curiousaboutdiamonds]

Hi mommies, just a quick post ...

re: constipation - we never had any issues until now ... at 6 months ... we started rice cereal at 5.5 months and A went from going 2-3x a day to once every other day. And oh my gosh, her farts are super stinky. I always mistake them for a poopy diaper.

re: sleep sacks - we have them but we haven't used them. We just put A in a onesie and footed pajamas. She's been sleeping well so we didn't want to mess that up by trying something new like put a sack on her. Plus she gets hot really easily.

re: vitamins for bf'ed babies - we also give A trivisol drops - started at 2 months as recommended by the pedi.

re: tummy time - A hated the mats for the first few months so we put her on our chest (belly to belly) a lot. I was supper paranoid about flathead. Our playmat had a U-shaped pillow that had crinkly toys attached to it - she loved playing on it around 2 months.

Pupp - Yay for a great morning with MIL. She just needed to get comfortable with a newborn again.

Sha - re: future personality - I was just thinking about this recently too. I think the attitude coming out is just part of the growing process. A is like how you describe D. She's usually happy but she has her diva-like moments.

Puffy - I love hearing about B and N. Please pop in more often.

Ginger - Aww, A sounds so fun! And what a good eater! Glad to hear things are going well.

Burk - What a busy momma! Hope you find cute cute clothes during your shopping spree.

Mara - Hope the work trip went well.

We have our 6 month appointment today ... hope to report back later on her stats. For now, here's our early contribution to BPF ...

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

So our gas issues continue, Aidan was up all night again last night. We've noticed an increase in watery stools today though. How do I know when I need to call the doc? He doesn't feel feverish, though I haven't actually taken it yet, and he's been sleeping a lot today. Then again, he was up basically all night so being sleepy today is no surprise. He's been very lucid during his awake moments and hasn't had any issues with eating or keeping food down. He's just very loose and runny. So what's the general rule for calling the doc and how do I know if he's getting dehydrated? From what I read online I'm supposed to weigh him, but I don't have a baby scale or even a reliable adult scale.

I'm so sorry I keep coming back with these questions, some day I'll have more fun posts.

 

[fieryred33143]

HH-I promise you that if you go back to any of our posts when we first joined this thread, it would read exactly like yours "sorry for all the questions." You have nothing to be sorry about. We've all been there! And you're the newest mama so hearing the newborn talk again is all very exciting

What color is his poop?

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Basically the same color as before, maybe slightly darker but nothing really weird or noticeable.

 

[KimberlyH]

HH, call the doctor when you're concerned. Being responsible for the health and wellbeing of a little person who can't communicate is not easy. Your ped should be willing to answer all your questions.

For what it's worth J's poop was always super runny before food besides BM. I'd take A's temp before you call just so you know it in case they ask.

Hang in there and sleep when he does.

 

[fieryred33143]

Ditto calling the doc whenever you are concerned. Your instinct is usually always right and when it isn't, well they don't charge you for calls

I asked about his poop because had it changed from yellow to green, it could be an issue with too much foremilk but if it's the same color then that's not it.

S's bm poops were also watery so it may be completely nothing related to gas. There are some signs out there for reflux that you may want to bring up at the next appt.

 

[lovelylulu]

HH - keep asking the questions, i know that i do . as for watery stools, N's stools were and still are very, very runny. but to echo the others, call your dr. if you are concerned.

 

[lovelylulu]

thanks for all the answers about the drops - ginger - that's exactly what I was looking for. ordered

 

[curiousaboutdiamonds]

HH - yes, keep asking questions if you have them. re: stools - I thought it was suppose to be runny and mustard/yellow color. But if you feel if something is wrong, you should definitely call the doctor.

So A had her 6 month appt today - 25.75", 15lbs4oz, 50th percentile for everything. All that matters is that she's happy, healthy and growing. The doctor did say she have excellent motor skills - she was babbling during the entire examination, that is, until she got her shots Cried for just a minute. So far she's been her normal self, not any more fussy than usual. We go back next month for her 2nd flu shot. Poor baby, so many shots.

We've got the okay to start with purees. I think we're going to start with peas. Any suggestions on when to feed her the purees and how much? Do you still continue with the rice cereal/oatmeal? TIA!

 

[Puppmom]

HH, Nolan's poops have always been runny but he'll have days where they're really watery. My pedi said it's fine but I agree with the others - def call the doc if you're worried. Sorry the gassy belly continues

 

[KimberlyH]

Ally, I'd feed her at lunch so if there's a reaction to foods you or her caregiver are aware and it hopefully won't affect night sleep. I'd keep doing cereal for breakfast so she gets the iron. I make some of J's food, she prefers some homemade and some jarred, wacky baby, we use Earths Best and Gerber for store bought and only those w/ just the food and water as ingredients. She'll let you know when she's done, by no longer opening her mouth. I've read not to play games (e.g. "Here comes the airplane..." w/ the spoon) just follow her cues.

 

[phoenixgirl]

OK, so after what must be two months of wishing and worry, Claire has been making a lot of progress on many fronts this week. She's eating food with texture (as in "Stage 3" baby food and biter biscuits -- mind you, she's 11 months old). She's drinking like half of a sippy cup half of the times we give it to her. She's pulling herself up to standing consistently in the crib and around the house (walking is a ways off if she has inherited even a smidgeon of my genes). And she has a little personality. It appeared on Monday. One minute she was this blank slate who could be redirected from off limits items by a simple, "Look! Here is a shiny object! And Mommy is making a funny noise!" Now she is all, "Boo wah hoo! I will wail and cry and go on a hunger strike if you do not give me what I waaaaant!!!!" But since what she wants is more food, and that food has texture, I have not yet had The.Battle., you know, where we face off and duke it out over some arbitrary but immensely important issue like how she wants to keep swinging but I need to take her home so we can pick up Daddy's dry-cleaning on time. But oh, the day is coming. Please send strength vibes.

 

[gingerB]

lulu - glad to be of service i was initially taken aback on how much they cost, but then i realized it was a year supply. and because these were the only kind i bought due to my pedi strongly recommending them, i didn't realize there were other more versions that weren't so ummm delectable? i remember thinking, gosh, a tiny (and i mean tiny) clear, no scent drop. why does everyone make such a big deal?! guess i was lucky my pedii knew about this brand!

ally - def start at lunch. if you are not doing meats yet then i would continue rice/oatmeal/grains for the iron fortification. i was wimpy with my food choices. i researched and started off with the foods easiest to digest and went slowly initally. esp since my A tends to be gassy and his sleep already was bad...didn't want to add fuel to the fire so held off on peas, beans, broccoli, caulifolwer etc.. until later. started with avocado, pears, apple, winter squashes (butternut, acorn), banana and sweet potato. one at a time following the 4 day rule of course some momma were bolder (mara ) and were more adventurous and moved faster. both kiddos (A and J) both seem to be doing ok ( ) so i think it's totally up to you. since you're starting at 6 months (i started a little after 4 months) you can prob move faster than i did (which was turtle's pace i felt compared to mara!) and be just fine.

hh - ditto about the questions. and ditto about the poop. its fine to sound off here, but always remember to consult a health professional when you are concerned! and for what it's worth, A's poops were mustardy in consistency and color.

speaking of poop -- i started giving A papaya with his yogurt and yesterday morning after he had his breakfast and i was getting ready to go to work, i gave him a kiss on the head and commented, gosh, he smells like papaya. the nanny looked at me like i was crazy. but then a few minutes later she smelled it too. then we both sniffed his tush (aaaahhh...motherhood ) and realized he'd pooped. we both kind of laughed and thought it was a funny conicidence. this morning, playing with him just before i left for work and all of a sudden, again we smelled papaya. and again with the butt sniff test -- yep. my baby's poop smells like papaya.

 

[Mara]

re: vitamin drops, we got some from the hospital when we left and they were great, clear, seemingly tasteless etc...but then those ran out and i just got some from target that had more vitamins in them. the liquid is brown and smells not great but J drinks it just fine HAH, we put it in his morning bottle.

re: gas.. I think I said this on the previous page already but Mylicon and Gripe Water were great for us. GW is all natural and you can get it at Whole Foods and the like. and if there are signs of reflux, elevate the baby when sleeping and and burp more often.

re: calling pedi... i agree call whenever in doubt. we never really worried about J getting dehydrated as long as he kept eating regularly and had enough wet diapers in a day.

re: solids... one of my friends has a baby 2 days older than J and she has only tried a handful of things with him so far...so go as slowly as you prefer. J loved to eat and he didn't seem to have a reaction to much so far, knock on wood. i think blueberries and mango he is allergic to so we're not doing those anymore for a while.

funny, now i am also realizing i also hardly ever used kelly mom as a resource. i noticed that most of the posts seemed to be other moms like myself rather than experts in the field, so i preferred using PS moms that i knew more as a resource that was non medical hehe. kind of funny because it's like a PS for moms hehe.

my work trip went well, overall it was fast and i actually enjoyed being alone and having some time to myself. i actually worked out this morning and slept a full night from 10:30pm to 7am without waking...YAY!!! haha. but it was great to come home to G and J and squish my little baby's cheeks with kisses.

 

[lovelylulu]

Mara - The icky, large volume drops wouldn't really be a problem but for the fact that Nora doesn't have a bottle everyday at this point.

so thanks again ginger I had googled for something like those, but was coming up with nothing.

ally - great picture. nora is *just* getting the slightest flat spot on the back of her head. but, it's more like a bald spot. it's not so obvious though, because she's nearly entirely bald

kim - how's jane these days?

pupp - that's great that your MIL will be able to watch N. We just sorted out Nora's daycare and it is a huge relief to know that she's going to be well cared for when I return to work . . .

As for us -

we were having the best. week. ever. such a happy baby. and then yesterday. she was still happy and great fun when she was awake, but she would. not. go. down. for naps. at all. very un-Nora like and made for a long day. phew. glad to have a new morning. we're headed to the beach for a week tomorrow. most exciting. it's off season but warm, so that should be lovely! must get packing.

here's little n from earlier in the week - she's 14 wks now - nearly 15. wow.

 

[vizsla]

OH.MY.GOSH. lulu she's just ... beeeaaauuutttiiffuulllll

 

[meresal]

lulu- Nora is just beautfiul! and BTW, would you mind doing an online phtog seminar?? I LOVE your pictures!
ETA: HH... C used to have runny poops EVERY SINLGE DIAPER until he was about 2 months old. Then he switched to like every couple days and it totally freaked me out, but still wasn't a big deal apparently. I hope your doc can ease your mind.

As for us... not too much to report. Just kinda been hanging out. C is napping much better, but still waking up either once or twice a night. Nothing we give him before bed makes a difference.
Last night he threw us for a doozy, that I didn't quite mind actually... He woke up at 1230 to eat, and then slept until 730. Then laid in the crib and talked to himself for about 30 minutes. That sure beats sleeping until 4 and then waking up at 8. I'd rather have longer stretches if at all possible.

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Wedding on Saturday night, and then the football game on Sunday. This is a game that *I* really want to see as well, so MIL has offered to watch C on Sunday afternoon. It really is great having family so close, adn that she loves spending time with the little guy.
We have to start packing for Disney... (lol, look at how I put *we* like my husband is going to help... . He's going to make sure that is Texans' oneise is packed for next Sunday while we are there, and then he'll be done.) I bought C a little suitcase for all the trips we go on, but I just don't know if it will hold everything for 7 whole days. I am thinking of packing enough for half the week, and just having a load of laundry done while we are there. Still pondering that situation...

Ohh... one more thing: I was wondering how much C has grown since his last appt, so I pulle dout hte measuring tape and his last sheet from the doc... low and behold he has miraculously SHRUNK and inch and a half! I was literally nauseous at the thought that I didn't have accurate measurements of my child's growth. I hate that I didn't do it myself. The only thing I can think of, is that they meaure from the tip of hte toes instead of the heel, which doesn't make since, but would probably make up for the difference. Anyone have any insight?
The crazy thing is, I really like my doctor but I HATE her nurses. They are slow (we waited 40 minutes for our shots AFTER seeing the doctor last visit), they mumble when you ask questions, and now by the looks of it, they are very haphazard with their duties. I know my kid is more important to me than others... but come on, it's a freaking measurement and it's not like my kid wont lay still for 10 seconds.


Anyway, here are our contributions to BPF. It has been a few weeks since adding one, so C might look a bit bigger (I had to add the one in the chair b/c he looks like a toddler to me! Not to mention I love the way his Gap jeans look! )... he's had like 2 growth spurts in the last month:

 

[somethingshiny]

Oy, I'm realizing just how big Lily really is. She was 15 lbs and 24" at her 2 mo check. I ran into a cousin yesterday who has a 7 mo old baby girl. She is longer than Lily but they weigh almost the same! So much for the hand-me-downs.


HH~ RE: questions. Ditto to everyone else, we've all done it, still do it, and have no problem with it! Lily has really runny poops too. If you're concerned and want to call the doc, you should. It takes a while to build confidence as a mom and your doc is one of your greatest resources. You're doing a great job, hang in there!

Cutie pics!!




ETA~ Old Navy has cute and warm baby Halloween costumes for $15!

 

[fieryred33143]

Awe N and C are so cute

Lulu-I love the photos that you take! I was chatting with FI last night that I regret not purchasing a really good camera before S was born. We have all of these pics of her that we have to delete because of the really poor quality. Great job with the photos!