PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[AllieLuv83]

We never used a shield but we went from a good latch to a shallow latch to a slide down latch until finally the latch corrected itself by around 6 weeks.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

At one point between me, different bottles, different binkies and shields, Aidan had 6 nipples in his life. He was never confused.

 

[basil]

Dropping in for a question for HH - I think it was you who mentioned at some point an Uppababy outlet where you got a stroller discount? And I think you are in RI or MA? We are going up that way for our family shower in a few weeks and wonder if you have any info...I can't seem to find anything online. I don't think I want to spend $700 for a stroller but if I could get an outlet model significantly cheaper it would probably be nice to have...

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Hey Basil, it's in Hingham, MA which is just south of Braintree on Route 3. The outlet isn't really advertised, it's just a room in their headquarters. You have to call their customer service number and make an appointment to go in and see what they have available and you basically have to buy it on the spot if you want it. We got ours for $250. It's a hybrid with a 9009 frame and 2008 infant seat. We picked up the bassinet there as well for another $50. So $300 total and we love ours!

 

[Puppmom]

Today is a sad day. After 16 GLORIOUS period free months, the witch is back. Now cheer me up with some baby pics!

 

[Lanie]

Pupp -- that stinks!!!

Miscka -- Mine are flattish too. Actually I brought that up to my LC and she said most of the women you see in the videos have **** star nipples that stick out perfectly. But it doesn't matter. Mine are no where near what they look like with the nipple shield. Try it out every once in awhile. When I did, he was really calm and not particularly that hungry and it worked! Other times I tried it, he was starving and crying and I was trying to do it while my DH ran to get my dumb shield and those times never worked. I hated nursing all up until he was about 1.5 months old, and now I love it.

 

[turtledazzle]

Today is a sad day. After 16 GLORIOUS period free months, the witch is back. Now cheer me up with some baby pics!

Ugh, so sorry pupp. That sucks. I was wondering if yours had come back yet or not. Still no sign of mine, but N is 2-3 weeks older than T. Had anything changed with your nursing/pumping routine? Just curious. I'm not looking forward to her return either.

I'm sorry I can't cheer you up with any pics ... we haven't downloaded any in a while. Hopefully that will be a weekend project.

*****
So for the past two nights T has woken up screaming because he as flipped over to his belly, and he won't flip himself back over. Last night the first time he woke he found a pacifier in the crib and went back to sleep on his tummy for a few hours. When he woke up again he was super ticked to be on his stomach and nothing we did while he was in his crib helped -- we had to take him out, sit in the rocker and give him the paci for a bit. Please someone tell me that this is just a phase and that he will remember that he knows how to sleep from 7:30p-7a. The past two weeks he has just been off. Developmental stuff and teething I suppose.

I also have a question for everyone: what is in your child's crib? Until just last night, it was just him in his sleepsack and a mobile over the crib. Last night I put a few pacifiers in there because I saw that he can now find it and put it in his mouth himself. I'm wondering if a lovely or blanket or something would be soothing to him for middle of the night wakes, or if he would just find it extra-stimulating and get him more awake quicker. Does anyone have one of those crib soothers? We also have a couple of projection things that we've never used. But, again, I wonder if these things would actually be overstimulating?
Gah, I'm just tired and overthinking things. (When I get awakened at night it usually takes me an hour to get back to sleep, so I'm a tired mama right now.)

 

[Kunzite]

Where are all of the pictures today, ladies?

Yesterday was O's 5 month birthday so here are the usual monkey shots. We didn't get many good ones this month because something has been bothering him for the last few days. Poor baby

 

[Puppmom]

Kunzite, O is so handsome! I can see some changes happening in his face. And he's so much bigger than his monkey friend now!

Turtle, N just started doing the same thing! He rolls to his belly and then cries. He gets even more upset when we come in to fix him then he has to be rocked back to sleep. We keep a lovey in his crib in the hopes that some day it'll be something that soothes him. As for the period...yuck! Nothing changed with my nursing/pumping schedule. N eats less BM sometimes but that's during the day when I'm pumping anyway. Maybe when he was sick last week, he was taking in less? I don't think my period would be triggered that quickly though. He doesn't eat a lot in the way of solids either - like 4 to 6oz per day. I did notice a few things before my period came back though. For about a month I had tons of cervical fluid. Up until that point, I was REALLY dry - like to the point of discomfort. Then, last week I suddenly had the desire to DTD. I seriously hadn't even thought about it in like forever. Last, I gained 3 pounds in a week and felt very bloated - to the point that I questioned whether or not I was pregnant! Anyway, I hope yours stays away!

So...N signed today! We've been working with him during meals on "more" and "all done" and today he signed "more" like 10 times during dinner. Then we started clapping for him and saying "Yay!" and he started to clap! It was so much fun DH, DD and I were all laughing and clapping. It was funny to watch him clap. He was just imitating us and it was the most unenthusiastic clap I have ever seen.

 

[basil]

HH - Thanks! I will see if I can plan a trip to check it out while we are up there. I don't know if we'll go for the Vista, but I do really like the G-luxe too...

 

[noelwr]

Skye is 4 months old now. and apparently she does know how to grab. I thought it was still reflex because I was waiting for her to go through the batting phase first, but no. she looks at something, puts her hand to it, and then curls her fingers around it. of course her finger dexterity needs a lot of work and bringing things to her mouth is more like scooping with two hands, and boy does she like to put everything in her mouth! yesterday I started with pear puree, and she seems to like it (the look on the face with the first spoonful is always hilarious). it's messy, but it's fun.

turtledazzle - I think we've got too many things in S's crib: a cuddle toy, a dolly and a thing hanging from the side she can bat/grab at. this morning I came in to check on her and she was wide awake with her mittened hand extended through the bars just staring at it. she does, however, look at the other stuff. we also have a projector we play for her to fall asleep. half the time it works, the other half we have to put in the paci and she's out in 2 minutes. unfortunately she doesn't know how to put it in herself. anyway, I'm not worried about her having too much stuff to keep her awake at night because she sleeps with the light off and can't see anything until daylight.

Kunzite - isn't it amazing how they're becoming "proper" babies now? I mean in size.

and here are some pics of my cutie:

 

[Kunzite]

pupp - Sorry to hear about AF! I thought she was coming back to visit me because I've been awful crampy lately but thankfully she stayed away and the cramps went away too. At least now you know your cycle is back and you don't have to wonder when she's going to show her face!

turtle - We don't have anything in O's crib at all. Just him in his swaddle. We actually watch him on the monitor as he falls asleep and then go take the bink out of his crib once he spits it out. If we leave it in there he'll try to reach for it with his mouth if he wakes up and then gets mad! If we take the bink away and he can't see it then he'll just fall back to sleep. We don't even have a mobile, he would be way too distracted by something like that! My baby hates to sleep though...

noel - Look at S! She is so freaking cute!! I can see her personality in her pictures. I love that she's grabbing things. Isn't it so fun? We think O is around the 4 month mark development-wise so it's neat to hear that he's about on par with S.

Look at my baby's cross eye!! He used to have at least a few pictures where his eye didn't cross, but looking through all of yesterday's pictures every single one of them is like that. We have an appointment with the opthamologist next month and I'm afraid he's either going to have to wear baby glasses or a patch of some sort. Since he was born before 32 weeks they watch his eyes pretty closely because a lot of the eye development happens at 32 weeks. I sure hope it's nothing major.

Speaking of motor skills and grabbing things.... I almost deleted this picture of O with his winkle but kept it because I think it's fun to have pictures that sort of journal their developement. I love that he's got both hands grabbing it and he's working on bring it to his mouth. Now I just need to find time to start his scrapbook!

 

[turtledazzle]

Newsflash -- we have a tooth! Just breaking through -- can't see the white yet, but can feel the ridge and can see where it is coming out.

Also, he slept from 7:30p-6:45a with only a one-minute cry at 5a where I think he found his paci and went back to sleep
I got in a 1.5 hour workout today, the sun is shining and it is beautiful out, and my husband is out on a run with T in the Bob. I'm a much happier mama today!!!

Kunzite & Noel -- precious pics. Love them!

Thanks for all the info about what you have in your crib. It seems that the sprinkling of pacifiers is helping ... but of course now I worry that we're creating a pacifier-dependent child. Always something to worry about, eh?

 

[turtledazzle]

Does anyone have any hat or sunglasses recs? Spring is here . T is almost 8 months, and has a large head (18 inches at his 6-mo appt -- 82nd percentile). Something that he can't pull off? I've been looking at Baby Banz, but they're pricey. I also saw Frubi glasses. Would write more but typing one-handed.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Skye is so beautiful!!!!! Look at her little personality! She is getting so big!!!
)
O looks adorable with his Winkle So determined!

 

[lucy.lucy.80]

turtle- if you find any sunglasses that fit please let me know! my daugther is 7 months and also has a large head and the infant sunglasses i find at every store i go to are WAY too small I was trying not to spend a lot of $ b/c they outgrow eveyrthing so fast but not sure there are many options

 

[noelwr]

puppmom - why are you teaching N signing? is someone in the family hard of hearing or does it help in the development of communication?

Kunzite - I noticed the crossed eye only in the one pic, but thought he was trying to focus on the camera right in front of his face. do they have baby glasses? maybe it's a lazy eye that can be fixed with a patch. maybe it just needs time to come right. I like that winkle thing and will try to find one. does O also open his mouth wide when he grabs something and then shake his head about when it gets near his mouth, as though he's gonna devour it? S is alsoo grabbing at her bottle now and knocks it out half the time.

turtledazzle - I've had a pacifier-dependent child since day one. it's going to be hell to wean.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Happy Sunday ladies! Here's a pic of Aidan in the sandbox for the first time. It was also his 7 month birthday! Yikes, time is just going by way too fast!

Re: stuff in the crib. We're "those" parents who probably have more than they should in the crib. A has a projector and mobile but he also has a light blanket and a thin Grover doll that doubles as his lovie. He goes to bed with a paci but we don't put it back in if he loses it in the night. He actually prefers to have it more during the day than at night.

Speaking of teeth, I wanted to point out the amber anklet on Aidan in this picture. Allie asked about it elsewhere. This is Aidan's amber teething necklace, which is a homeopathic pain reliever that can help with teething. A friend of mine told me about it and she's a bit crunchy. I am the furthest thing from crunchy, but we were desperate and I didn't feel comfortable medicating A every night. I don't know if it really works or if it's just a placebo thing, but Aidan has been sleeping better since he started wearing it. We chose to put it on Aidan's ankle because I didn't feel comfortable with him wearing it around his neck right now while he's putting everything in his mouth. He doesn't even know it's on his ankle. We take it off for baths and leave it on the rest of the time.

I purchased from a site called "Inspired By Finn." More information is listed below:

From the IBF website-

Historically, Baltic Amber has been used in Europe as a natural and traditional remedy and curative for many ailments for centuries. Long ago it was considered one of the leading ‘medicines’ of its time. Baltic Amber is the most esteemed amber in the world, and the healing qualities of Baltic Amber make it unlike any other type of amber found in the world.

When baltic amber is worn on the skin, the skin’s warmth releases trace amounts of healing oils from the amber. These oils contain succinic acid and are absorbed into the skin.

Baltic Amber has some of the highest concentrations of Succinic Acid found in nature, and this is what makes it so special. Succinic Acid is a natural component of plant and animal tissues, and it's presence in the human body is beneficial in many ways.

How can baltic amber help us?

Pain Relief -

Baltic amber contains analgesic properties and helps take the edge off of many types of discomfort associated with dental issues, headaches, joint pain, etc.

Strengthens the body's immune system -

In many different and subtle ways, succinic acid helps boost the body's own natural healing ability and immune system.

Restoring Energy –

The human body naturally produces succinic acid. The salt of succinic acid (succinate) is one of the most active substances in the processes of cellular respiration and intercellular energy creation. Succinic acid restores oxygen and energy supply to depleted cells and helps the body return to a normal, functioning state.

Succinate is a raw material and a catalyst in the Krebs Cycle which is one of our main sources of energy. During the Krebs Cycle carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are metabolized for energy.

Maintaining Wellness -

When the human body reacts to stress, the body’s cells begin to use oxygen more quickly. Oxygen plays a central role in the intercellular creation of energy, and a lack of oxygen can result in feeling lethargic.

Oxygen is alkaline-forming in the blood and maintaining a slightly alkaline blood ph helps keep us healthy. Whenever the body functions in a state of low oxygen, it is much more susceptible to illness.

To help break a cycle of (chronic) inflammation -

Where chronic inflammation is present, disease lurks.

When the body’s cells are chronically inflamed the human body’s immune system response is to increase production of free radicals. Chronic overproduction of free radicals results in inflammatory-related disease. Chronic inflammation is a common denominator of many seemingly unrelated diseases.
While wearing a piece or two of baltic amber jewelry may not cure all that may ail you, it has been a proven benefit to many!

 

[AllieLuv83]

very crunchy but I am intrigued. What size did you get?

 

[geri]

Hi everyone - just wondering what you did to get your little ones to sleep in their own beds during the day and in particular how to get them to resettle after the first sleep cycle. It takes me forever to get Claudia to sleep in the day and I can rarely resettle her. She goes to sleep fine at night. I have tried swaddling/no swaddling, paci/no paci, putting her to sleep earlier/keeping her awake a bit longer, rubbing forehead, patting etc and nothing seems to work. After trying for anwyhere between 20 mins and 45 mins to settle her, I end up having to walk her in the stroller multiple times a day to get her to sleep more. It's great for a bit of exercise but means I get nothing done and also isn't practical when it rains. Any tips or am I just being unrealistic in expecting her to resettle at just over 10 weeks?

 

[noelwr]

geri - I think setting up a routine is key, and you just have to watch C's cues of when she is usually ready for a nap (how long after a bottle or maybe right after a poo). and if you stick to the same routine every day, then you'll be able to lay her down so she can get settled before she starts full out crying. we work with the paci. she gets tired, she cries, in goes the paci, she rubs her hands over her face and knocks the paci out, she cries, we put the paci back in, etc. I feel if I stand over and watch her, she just wants to stay awake and play (of course she's older than C). each time I let her cry a little more before I return to put the paci back in, and eventually she is so tired she takes the paci and falls right asleep. it takes a lot of patience, and don't forget as they get older, they're going to want to be awake more. and some babies just need less sleep than others.

 

[noelwr]

HH - well it can't be the placebo effect because Aidan doesn't even know he has it on! thanks for sharing that. it sounds like something I might get for myself.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Geri - S likes the swing for short naps during the day. S rarely wants to sleep in her co-sleeper during the day. She always has to be swaddled for naps. She will sometimes nap propped up in the boppy too. Is it possible that you are trying to settle her before she's actually tired? S loves her activity mat, and she's good there for a good 20 mins at a time. (She's been grabbing and holding onto one of the ring toys!! She is completely delighted to do this for a while!) This gives me time to run around and get things done around the house, and then I find she's more interested in resting afterward. We really have no schedule at this point. She eats, she plays, she sleeps whenever she wishes. Sometimes she might reject the activity mat, for instance, and it's on to something else in those cases.

Have you tried a moby wrap? C might like that, and babies will often fall asleep when being carried around in one as you go about your regular activities around the house. We've done that a few times too, but not consistently yet.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

very crunchy but I am intrigued. What size did you get?

I know and I'm the furthest thing from crunchy. I'm a banana republic wearing, former saab driving, diet coke drinking type of yuppie. I think I got the 11" or 11.5" I thought it was going to be too long but it's perfect for A's ankle. Some people put it on their kid's necks during the day and on the ankle at night but it's easier to just leave it on A's ankle. When it gets too small and he's bigger I'll put it on his neck.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Hi everyone - just wondering what you did to get your little ones to sleep in their own beds during the day and in particular how to get them to resettle after the first sleep cycle. It takes me forever to get Claudia to sleep in the day and I can rarely resettle her. She goes to sleep fine at night. I have tried swaddling/no swaddling, paci/no paci, putting her to sleep earlier/keeping her awake a bit longer, rubbing forehead, patting etc and nothing seems to work. After trying for anwyhere between 20 mins and 45 mins to settle her, I end up having to walk her in the stroller multiple times a day to get her to sleep more. It's great for a bit of exercise but means I get nothing done and also isn't practical when it rains. Any tips or am I just being unrealistic in expecting her to resettle at just over 10 weeks?

Geri-Aidan was napping really well in his infant car seat but now that he's in a convertible and his carseat is at the sitters it's not an option for us anymore. Sadly, we're having to do some sleep training for naps. People say that putting room darkening shades in the room help, but I don't want A to think it's night time instead of nap time, yanno? So we've been doing a bit of Ferber with him for naps and so far so good.

ETA: A is seven months and we're only now starting to let him CIO. I wouldn't recommend it for an itty bitty bebeh.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

HH - well it can't be the placebo effect because Aidan doesn't even know he has it on! thanks for sharing that. it sounds like something I might get for myself.

LOL I meant more for US! We know it's on him so we're less likely to assume it's teething pain and WE feel better. LOL.

 

[Kunzite]

geri - C is probably just too young at this point, I don't think we had much luck with O until he was around 12 weeks. I do think routine is key though. Once O has been awake around an hour we put him in his swing to wind down, as soon as he starts to look like he could fall asleep we take him to his room, swaddle him, tell him what we're going to do, read a book (while he's lying in his crib), do a few minutes of swaying (not to sleep), and then lay him down. He'll usually fall asleep in about five or ten minutes. We usually only get a double nap (two sleep cycles) out of him every other day. Most of the time he only sleeps one cycle (45 minutes to an hour).

 

[MonkeyPie]

HH, I am SO getting one of those. Anything to make M sleep! Gah, he still won't STTN. I've given up. He's going to be waking up at 16 to ask me for water, lol.

So Micah's birthday was a success! It was such a fun day - just family, with the exception of my best friend and the woman that made our cake (and she was only there briefly). He had an awesome time and, amazingly, didn't eat too much cake. Just a few bites of marshmallow clouds (I'll post a pic below). We got him an Iggle Piggle which he adored, and he got a slew of clothes from everybody else which made me happy, I hate trying to find a place to store his toys.

I made rainbow cupcakes, hamburgers and a mexican chef salad, and I was EXHAUSTED. I about died in my bed that night. But it went so well. We had a great day

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Happy birthday little man! MP it sounds like you all had a great time. I'd love to hear about the marshmallow clouds and that mexican chef salad!

And you know where to reach me if you need info on the necklace.

 

[Sha]

That's such a cute pic, Monkey! and Happy Birthday to Micah! I'm glad everything went well.