PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[Laila619]

Everyone's little ones are SO cute!! I am sorry to those of you who are experiencing tension in your marriages. Hugs!

Hi girls! So I finally have some time to post on this thread! Luke is doing great these days...he is sleeping through the night now! He sleeps from 10pm to 7am. We are so lucky, I know. I didn't think we had a good sleeper at first, but now he's proving me wrong. He is also nursing like a pro, and growing like a weed. I hope to have more time to post here now that he's 3 months old. Here are some pics:

 

[Laila619]

Noel, Skye is a gorgeous little girl! Very photogenic.

Lanie, I just love Anderson! What a cutie pie! He has so much personality.

icekid, Jumper is quite handsome!

Lynnie, Vincent has a great smile! Aww, what a sweetheart.

Drk, your little girl looks so grown up!!

 

[geri]

Hi everyone

Noel - Skye has such beautiful eyes! And wow for all that sleep. I can't imagine Claudia getting anywhere near sleeping through the night by 3 months.

Icekid, Lynnie, Lanie and Laila - your boys are all so cute!!

Catluver - Sorry you are having feeding problems. I wish I had some advice for you but all I can say is, it's early days and things will get better. Re responding to grunting - we don't respond to every grunt but, at this stage, we do respond when she cries. Like Noel, Claudia is now in a separate room, but very close to ours, so we hear the cries and loud grunts but aren't so disturbed by all the little noises. I never knew babies were so noisy! I hope things improve for you soon.

AFM - I finally feel like I have come up for air after a couple of really bad weeks between 4 and 6 weeks with Claudia wriggling, fussing and crying for between 3 and 8 hours every day in the afternoon/evening. Nothing I would do would console her or get her to sleep. I was at my wits end and poor DH would come home to a crying wife and baby every night. I then saw our paediatrician who thought her gas and constipation may be causing the problem as well as acid reflux. We had a much better week last week after changing formula and she is now on Losec for the reflux so hopefully things will continue to improve. It is so hard - I went from thinking I was a bad mother for not being able to settle her to feeling like a bad mother because I didn't seek medical advice earlier. You can't win. Anyway, hopefully we have turned a corner now. She is back to smiling again a lot of the time, although she still has periods of crying caused by discomfort and often doesn't sleep very well. Anyway, here is a pic of her at 7 weeks - it isn't the best picture but this was the first time she woke up and was happy and smiling so it was pretty special.

 

[Lanie]

Geri--what a precious bub!!! Don't feel bad. You tried everything and she's happier now which is all that matters. I understand the feeling though. My A saw 3 docs for his reflux and all had different opinions on what to do, including one doc saying that the other two docs had given me bad advice! So you never can win, you are right. Hopefully this new formula will keep getting better for her. You will get more happy mornings, and those morning smiles are the best in my opinion!

Laila! I get so excited when I see you post! Little Luke is getting so cute!!! Does he like his bumbo chair? I'm trying ours out with A but he only likes it for about 3 min. Did you come up with a solution to keep him elevated? Is he starting to roll? I'm trying to get A to but it seems like it hurts his arm he rolls over. He hates it!

 

[noelwr]

um, I'm starting to think I've got the only kid with a piggy nose. as you can see from her photos, if you look at her directly from the front, you can see right into her nostrils. all the rest of the PS babies don't have that.

 

[AllieLuv83]

Here is C from this morning...

 

[Bliss]

Just popping in to say.... THANK GOD FOR THE 8 WEEK MARK!!!!!!

M is now sleeping about 3 hour stretches at night. And while this sounds trying, it is HEAVEN to me! She actually wakes up and nurses, then goes right back to sleep. Then I put her in the bassinet and get this...she sleeps in there! HA!!! DH set up a white noise machine and we run an air purifier and a fan next to her so that it has a comforting whoosh whoosh sound. I wonder if that helped? We read that having a fan in the room reduces SIDS risk by 72% so it seemed like a no brainer to get one. I like the white noise! Oh please God, let this good behavior stay!!!

Oh and the lecithin helps keep clogged ducts at bay! Woohoo!!!! I haven't had a single one since that one time I almost died from boob explosion. I just take one 400 mg capsule a day instead of the 1200mg a day the doctor recommended. Now that it's smooth sailing... I LOVE BREASTFEEDING!!!!!!!!!!! It is the best thing ever!!!! The other day I gave her a bottle of breast milk for the first time and it felt so unnatural and strange. Just didn't have the delicious intimacy we'd shared before. It was actually a little stressful, too. Sticking that rubbery nipple in her mouth and seeing her suck in that odd way...she didn't seem to enjoy it as much as when I bf her myself. Also, she had a lot more gas. When I bf, she just snuggles into my body and hugs my boobie. It's so cute. I feel gushes of love and we just drift off into yummy gooey love land together. So heavenly how she fits so perfectly there. Never thought I'd say that. Hahaha, what a difference 8 weeks makes. I am falling head over heels in love with this baby! She is like a real little person now.

We play a game where I stick out my tongue and then she sticks out her tongue and giggles. If your baby is past 6 weeks, try it! I read it in a book somewhere and tried it. She does it, too! Hehehehehe. Cutest thing ever! It's so much fun because she's trying to talk now - we have no idea what she's trying to say but it's adorable. I wish we could freeze her in time now. I am in love with having a newborn and I never ever want it to go away! She is so delicious!!!! Now she also knows me and daddy and won't go to anyone else. Is it bad that I secretly rejoice that she loves her mommy the best? Whenever Grandma holds her and she cries, she stops instantly when I take her. It's SO CUTE!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I even have dreams about her now where we're playing together!

And...gasp...I can now see why women have more than one! I totally want another one when M grows up a little! Isn't that crazy? Just a week or so ago, I was tearing out my hair despairing. Now, I actually want to do this all over again! Hehehehe. I am thrilled. She is a real baby now, not just a blob. She'll actually sit in her bouncy chair playing...so Mommy can go do things. She will lie in her bassinet at night without fussing or crying... OH SWEET JESUS... let this heavenly behavior stay! LOL

So to all the ladies with new new babies, it DOES get better. Just get past 6 weeks... For us, the 8 week mark was pretty magical. I know there will be regressions but now I have HOPE! It's wonderful! I miss her even when I go into another room. Wowowowowow. Having a baby is the most amazing thing in the world! I'm in love with this cutie poop who snuggles so deliciously into my arms. I can't stop kissing her from head to toe.

All of the PS babies are BEYOND...BEAUUUUUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So gorgeous!!! I'll have to come back and fawn over your gorgeous dumpling muffins!!!!!! Oh, so precious! So amazing! Is there anything better than a baby???

 

[Bliss]

Oh and I am in awe of your STTN baby mamas! What's your secret? Wow!!!!!! So jealous! That is awesome!!!! I cannot imagine sleeping through the night. Do your breasts get engorged? I'd take engorged breasts for a whole night of sleep! SIGN ME UP! LOL

 

[Bliss]

Oh and I am in awe of your STTN baby mamas! What's your secret? Wow!!!!!! So jealous! That is awesome!!!! I cannot imagine sleeping through the night. Do your breasts get engorged? I'd take engorged breasts for a whole night of sleep! SIGN ME UP! LOL

Oops, sorry - double post! Oh well, here's a crappy cell phone pic of M doing some yoga!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

BLISS----I am so glad that the 8 week mark was magical for you and that things are smooth sailing!!!! YAY!!! M is gorgeous!

All of these PS babies are gorgeous and I love that after the past 2 years of super boys, we now have a lot of pretty princesses too

 

[taovandel]

Bliss: I love your posts! You are always so joyful and I can just feel your love for your baby through all of your posts.

 

[CatLuver]

um, I'm starting to think I've got the only kid with a piggy nose. as you can see from her photos, if you look at her directly from the front, you can see right into her nostrils. all the rest of the PS babies don't have that.

noel, C has a pig nose too! I read it can be common in newborns so they can breathe while feeding. Maybe it will change when they get older?
Edit to add: neither me nor DH have a pig nose, so I don't think it's a hereditary thing.

 

[CatLuver]

Geri, I think I am going to move into another room so I don't hear the small grunts. I'm glad the new formula is working. Please don't feel like a bad mom! Fussing between 3-8 hours every day for 2 weeks would put me over the edge. Luckily we have had only 3 days in a row of that and I think it was a growth spurt. Claudia is a cutie, looks like she has blue eyes?

 

[CatLuver]

Laila, Luke is so cute holding his giraffe!
He is sleeping 10 to 7 at 3 months? That is awesome! How did you do that?! Did you do any kind of training? How long has he been doing that and when did he start sleeping longer than 2-3 hours at a time? (3 hours at night sounds great to me right now, and 10 to 7 sounds like a dream!)

 

[somethingshiny]

Lily's nose turned up too when she was a newborn. I thought maybe she inherited Nana's turned up nose, but it has become more like mine in the past 2 months.

Bliss~ I agree with (tao I believe) in that you write with such love and joy. I love reading your posts.

We've been able to go outside for the last few days and Lily just loves it. She closes her eyes and lets the breeze blow through her hair. Then she looks at me and grins. Getting belly laughs out of her is my daily goal. She smiles all the time but it takes something really great to hear her laugh.

That's all for now. Busy weekend!!

 

[Laila619]

Laila, Luke is so cute holding his giraffe!
He is sleeping 10 to 7 at 3 months? That is awesome! How did you do that?! Did you do any kind of training? How long has he been doing that and when did he start sleeping longer than 2-3 hours at a time? (3 hours at night sounds great to me right now, and 10 to 7 sounds like a dream!)

Hi Catluver! Congrats again on your little dude, he is adorable. Thanks! No sleep training, we just got really lucky with his sleeping I suppose. He started sleeping from 11pm to 7am at 6.5 weeks old (but keep in mind he would only sleep for this long swaddled and in his car seat). Then at his 2 month appointment, the ped scolded us for letting him sleep in his car seat and said no more (see my post, 'Baby only sleeps in his car seat!') Soooo, we were forced to switch to his Pack 'N Play bassinet, and it was HORRIBLE! He was back to waking up every 2-3 hours. He HATES sleeping flat on his back due to reflux. Out of desperation, we bought a Fisher Price Rock and Play sleeper, which is very similar to a car seat in that it's snug feeling and reclined, and the first night in it, he was back to sleeping great again--10pm to 7am! Happy parents!!! He always sleeps swaddled. I know we're going to be in for a WORLD of hurt when it comes time to transition Luke to the crib, and when we have to stop swaddling. But for now, it sure is working great. I LOVE that blessed FP Rock and Play sleeper. Keep trying to swaddle...even if it seems like they don't like it, it usually helps them sleep much longer. OH, also keep in mind that Luke nurses during the day every two hours like clockwork ( )...I think he stores it all up so he can make it through the night without waking up hungry. HANG IN THERE, it will get better and you'll be sleeping again soon sweetie!

Bliss!! Congrats on little M! What skills she has on her tummy already! Re: engorged boobs, I do wake up with rocks on my chest now that Luke STTN. Ouch!! A couple of times, they've been hot and painful even. I think over time, your supply regulates itself though, and you'll start making less at night. I don't want to get up and pump because 1) I'm too lazy, lol and 2) I don't want to encourage oversupply.

 

[Sha]

Bliss -

 

[meresal]

Lanie, I only shop the clearance/sale pages online for Old Navy, The Children's Place and Gymboree (sometimes Gap). I can usually pick up a ton of stuff, with cheap shipping, and most of the time a 20 or 30% off coupon. I don't shop very often, but about a month ago I bought a BUNCH of shorts and plain t-shirts on Children's Place website for like $6 per short and $4 per shirt. They are now back to regular prices at $17/pair of shorts! You just have to get on the email list, and keep an eye out for what you are looking for.
Also, the green plaid shorts are from Target. I think they were like $4 or $5 dollars. They were on one of the multi-tiered tables on the egde of the kids' section. They had a few options, and i was in there last week and saw them out still.

Bliss, I was like you, in that the 8th week was the magical week for us. One C started smiling, it made everything so much better. (Not quite in the same boat as you though, still not ready for another one! lol)


Cute, cute pictures ladies!! I will be diligent about posting a pic each week, since this is our last month here!!

 

[Lanie]

Mere -- that's good to know about sales. I haven't had to purchase that many clothes yet since we got so many as gifts. I got some stuff from Janie and Jack, thinking "What a cute sounding store! I'll go look around in there!" Ummmm, no. Way too expensive for something he'll spit up on and wear for a few weeks! Maybe a special Easter outfit though.... YES! Post more pics! What are you doing for his 1st b'day?

noel -- I think her nose is so cute, piggy or not!

Bliss -- your little M has some good abs! She'll roll pretty fast probably!

 

[Mara]

I'm a crazy shopper for J and I get 99% of his stuff through online sales... I typically don't spend more than $3-4 for a shirt or a short and I try to not pay more than $5-6 for PJ's etc. I go through Gymboree, Gap, ON, Childrens Place, etc and you can get $25 retail Gymboree pieces for $4-5 if you just wait and use the coupons they post AND get Gymbucks etc etc. Gap also has a cc rewards program, but even their coupons are awesome, and a lot of time you can stack a regular 20% coupon with a 20% VISA coupon and get 40% off etc. As a result, my kid's closet is crazy and I could easily outfit like 5 children. I already have his whole wardrobe for next winter complete. It's a sickness!

LOVE LOVE LOVE all the cutie baby pictures..!!! And on the pig noses, no way...! The PS kids are the best looking out there!

 

[AllieLuv83]

Mara where do you get visa coupons? I don't ever seem to find them. I went into gymboree this weekend and everything seemed so expensive. I usually do a lot of online shopping but even with an extra 20% off their sale prices gymboree seems a bit steep for me. I do really like the Gap sales especially when I can get 40% off.

 

[Puppmom]

Carters has great sales. Right now, they have an extra 20% off too. Their sale section is large and current season which is nice also.

 

[icekid]

Just a quick note to Laila- Jumper spent a lot of time sleeping in the FP rock n play sleeper, as well. Unfortunately, it can have the same issues with flat spots. Our little guy has a mild flatness that should go away with time, but I have no doubt that the FP rock n play sleeper contributed significantly. We do not let him sleep there anymore(which unfortunately means less sleep for us!) and his head was looking better within a week. Jumper does not like to sleep flat either, but we're working on it... painfully! And it is getting better.

 

[CatLuver]

Laila, Luke is so cute holding his giraffe!
He is sleeping 10 to 7 at 3 months? That is awesome! How did you do that?! Did you do any kind of training? How long has he been doing that and when did he start sleeping longer than 2-3 hours at a time? (3 hours at night sounds great to me right now, and 10 to 7 sounds like a dream!)

Hi Catluver! Congrats again on your little dude, he is adorable. Thanks! No sleep training, we just got really lucky with his sleeping I suppose. He started sleeping from 11pm to 7am at 6.5 weeks old (but keep in mind he would only sleep for this long swaddled and in his car seat). Then at his 2 month appointment, the ped scolded us for letting him sleep in his car seat and said no more (see my post, 'Baby only sleeps in his car seat!') Soooo, we were forced to switch to his Pack 'N Play bassinet, and it was HORRIBLE! He was back to waking up every 2-3 hours. He HATES sleeping flat on his back due to reflux. Out of desperation, we bought a Fisher Price Rock and Play sleeper, which is very similar to a car seat in that it's snug feeling and reclined, and the first night in it, he was back to sleeping great again--10pm to 7am! Happy parents!!! He always sleeps swaddled. I know we're going to be in for a WORLD of hurt when it comes time to transition Luke to the crib, and when we have to stop swaddling. But for now, it sure is working great. I LOVE that blessed FP Rock and Play sleeper. Keep trying to swaddle...even if it seems like they don't like it, it usually helps them sleep much longer. OH, also keep in mind that Luke nurses during the day every two hours like clockwork ( )...I think he stores it all up so he can make it through the night without waking up hungry. HANG IN THERE, it will get better and you'll be sleeping again soon sweetie!

Thanks Laila. Wow, every 2 hours during the day - that must be hard, but worth it for the night sleep! I hope you don't have issues with the Rock and Play. So far the swaddle is working better and today we elevated the end of the mattress so maybe that will help. It's still hard and not nearly as comfy as a carseat or mom or dad's arms or the bed, of course! I wouldn't like sleeping there either, so I don't blame the poor babes!

 

[meresal]

Mara, you are the queen. I always see you post about those Visa sales, but I worry that if i succumb, I would never be able to pass up anything.
FYI, I have $100 in Gymbucks for April (eeeeeekkk!!), and I plan on hopefully stocking up on Fall/Winter clothes. I am pretty set for summer, so mine as well start on the next season

Carters has great sales. Right now, they have an extra 20% off too. Their sale section is large and current season which is nice also.

Pupp, I don't know about your Carter's store, but their "sales" suck here. They always give out extra % off coupons, but the merch is still way over priced. I've picked up Cater's outfits at Ross for $3, that are still marked 2 for $20 at the regular Carter's store. I only shop the Carter's clearance racks, at the back of their stores, where everything on them is marked $5.99 or less.

Speaking of Carter's clearance racks, I picked up 5 of the fleece jammies for next winter. They are marked down to $3.99 from the ridiculous price of $20/each regularly.

 

[Mara]

Allie... I get the Visa coupons sent to me via snail mail, and you can usually search for them online too...Baby Cheapskate will normally post if there is one (and the code is usually something like VISA20 or something generic). Sometimes you can stack and sometimes you can't. Baby Cheapskate is great for notifying you on FB if the online sites have sales. re: Gymb...you just have to scour their online store, it's not all totally organized properly. Recently I got 21 items (long sleeve tees, leggings, socks, hats, and a few dresses/jumpers) for a baby girl shower for $75 after coupons. It can be really crazy cheap. Leggings were $2.99 (from $15), L/S tees for $3.99 (from $15) etc.

Mere... those Carters fleece sleepers are the best! I meant to go back and get another 1-2 but I kept forgetting and figure they will be gone now, did you go recently? I got mine for $4.00 after the coupons and sale prices, and J has worn them almost thin! Such a good deal. I only have $25 in Gymbucks from my recent purchase and I don't like their spring boy lines so I'm safe (FOR A WHILE!).

Laila...hate to say it but you guys might have to just deal with having the baby train to sleep in the crib even though he doesn't like it if you don't want the flat head issues. Sleep is so precious, and it may be really rough having to go through it for a few weeks but after reading what icekid said re: the new sleeper having the same issue potentially, I'd just go cold turkey. It'll suck but the long-term is worth it!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

In honor of the snow storm and 4-5" we're supposed to get tonight, I'm indulging in a little retail therapy. Swim diapers are on sale on ecobabybuys.com today https://www.ecobabybuys.com/index.php/

 

[Laila619]

Just a quick note to Laila- Jumper spent a lot of time sleeping in the FP rock n play sleeper, as well. Unfortunately, it can have the same issues with flat spots. Our little guy has a mild flatness that should go away with time, but I have no doubt that the FP rock n play sleeper contributed significantly. We do not let him sleep there anymore(which unfortunately means less sleep for us!) and his head was looking better within a week. Jumper does not like to sleep flat either, but we're working on it... painfully! And it is getting better.

Oh darn, icekid. Thanks for the info. I'm glad Jumper's flat spot is getting better. When I looked at the Rock N Play in the store, I thought it would be much better than the car seat because the Rock N Play allows more range of motion for the baby's head so he can vary positions (and it's approved for sleeping). Bummer that it can still cause flatness too! I don't understand how a firm crib mattress would be any better for a baby's head either though, honestly. Ah well. I think some babies are just more prone to this issue than others, because apart from sleeping, Luke is never on his back...I hold the kid all day long, lol. So have you been putting Jumper in his crib? Good luck!!!

 

[Puppmom]

Mere, maybe I've just gotten lucky at Carters? I've only been a few times but have been able to get some steals - usually have to stack coupons on top of discounts though. I'm not that experienced at baby shopping because I have a nephew who is 9 months older than N so, between that and the Grandmas, we haven't had to buy much. Yesterday, I went through our summer hand me downs and found 10 short rompers, 5 pairs of shorts and 5 shirts! ...best part is they're all cute!

HH, good deal! We need another swim diaper. N wears cloth and I heard you can just use a pocket diaper without the stuffing so I have to research. Either way, I'm inclined to expose my lovely diapees to the chlorine water at the Y.

Bliss, what a post! I'm so glad things are going well. That M must be a prodigy - my almost 8 month old barely does that! He despises tummy time.

AFM, N is fantastic and totally running our lives like always. I'm getting a little more relaxed about things which helps me enjoy him more. His sleep habits are regressing - I'm sure most of you can relate! I'm feeling kind of yucky physically - I'm pretty sure I have an ulcer . I've got a doc appt so we'll see. ...gotta run, just got a text from DD that she's sick in the nurse's office and needs to be picked up. Ugh - I hate working 45 min from home.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Puppmom, I'm sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. Did you get a firm diagnosis? Sorry to hear your DD was sick today too. On another note, I love Carter's too. I went out and got a bunch of the footed sleepers after I realized they are the best thing ever. I had no idea beforehand and had purchased a lot of cute little outfits -- separates with pants w/o feet. Insanity!! S wears those Carter's footed sleepers every single day. I've also found that if you don't have the coupon, they will just give you the 20% off if you ask nicely. Love that!

Mara, I still don't know what the visa coupons are. They're for specific stores? Do they come with your bill? I don't think we get our bill by reg mail any longer. Maybe that's why I'm confused? You know I love a bargain though. Must find out more.

Catluver, Thank you for so sweetly complimenting my little girl a few pages back! You should post a recent picture of C if you feel comfortable doing so. I am sooooo happy to hear that the swaddling is helping. S has been a pretty good sleeper. We have not done any sleep training, and I don't expect to any time soon. She does have a bit of a cranky time in the evenings, but will generally sleep from 10 or 11 til 3 or 4, occasionally until 5 (but only if she fell asleep at 11 or later). She only sleeps in her co-sleeper, and she is always snugly swaddled when sleeping at night. When she makes noises (indicating that she is not completely settled, but I wouldn't call it grunting), it is enough for me to just put my hand on her chest and pat gently. This is usually enough for her to settle completely and fall asleep. I hope you have continued success with the swaddling. For us, it is the only way, and I am sure our challenge will come when we have to start deswaddling, which I think is 3 months, which not so conveniently coincides with return to work. Oh, and I do have those same bottles with the extra plastic part. Sometimes I don't use it. I have no idea what it's for, but it is a pain to deal with, which is why I often skip it.

Bliss, You are so right -- eight weeks is amazing!! The morning wake-up smiles are the best, and then there are smiles all day long and cooing. Oh goodness, how did I not know how amazing babies are before now! And, wow to M's yoga pose! Impressive!

Allie, I always love your photos, and C is just such a perfect little baby! He could be a little baby model, he's so cute!

Geri, Little Claudia is so beautiful! She is really really stunning! I'm trying to think of the right adjective to describe her, and I think it's elegant!! I love her hair. Did any fall out? S lost a ton of her hair! Claudia actually reminds me a bit of S, so when I say she's stunning, you know I mean it! Sorry you had a rough few weeks, but glad you have a diagnosis.

Laila, So happy to see you here. Luke is so handsome. I love his hair. My favorite picture is the push-up photo. I'll have to take a picture of S from that angle. Hee-hee.

Icekid, Super-cute pic of Jumper! Is daycare getting better?

Lanie, That's awesome that he's got your eyes and everyone says so, including me! Whenever anyone tells me that S looks like me, I just beam with happiness. "REALLY??", I say, as if I just received the highest compliment, which is hilarious, considering she's my baby. Haha. Who else is she going to look like? Well, DH, but that's besides the point. Oh, and I think it's great that you take A to visit friends. I worry that S doesn't get out enough. Worry, worry, worry! You know how it goes!