PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[pancake]

MP, the early days are HARD, no two ways about it. Hang in there, because it WILL get better - SO much better! Here are my answers to your questions:

1. S was pretty keen on swaddling, but I would have doggedly persisted with it even if she hadn't. Babies have been completely contained in a warm, dark, noise-constant environment for 35 weeks+ - and they are somewhat assaulted by all the new inputs that come at them from all directions when they're born. So I think swaddling is really important for containment and comfort, even if they appear to resist. I never used any of the swaddling devices available - we just used muslins, and the bigger the better. I swaddled very tightly (like LC, my husband was shocked when he saw how tightly I swaddled S - although the tightness was around the arms and upper body, her legs were pretty much free to kick) and became very quick at it over time. I would keep the muslin oriented square (some do it on the diagonal), and make sure the edge was just above her shoulders. Pull one side tightly across her body and under the other arm - I found the swaddle held better if I pulled it under the arm rather than tucking it under her body - and then repeat on the other side. Then I would bring up the bottom edge and bring that tightly around each side of her body, and I would tuck the free end in (it would reach around the front again as the swaddles we used were really big!). This was bulletproof until about 3 months, by which stage the swaddle was more a sleep association than anything else and she would generally keep sleeping even if she got her arms out - aside from a couple of tricky weeks when she would wake up and I would "stealth reswaddle", haha.

2. Feeding - you do what you gotta do, and what is best for you as a family is not necessarily what is pushed as "doctrine" by "people". If formula feeding is what you do to conserve your sanity, do it! As they said at my antenatal breastfeeding class - ultimately it's just food. S hasn't had formula since day 5, but we do give her bottles of EBM occasionally and we just heat them in a container of hot water.

3. No, you don't need to worry about him ending up on his side. If he ends up consistently on one side, then yes, you might prop him with a towel to make sure his head doesn't get flat on his preferred side. But it's not something to massively stress about.

4. Screaming with changes is 100% normal! It is cold and their little bodies are uncontained and it's horrible! But it improves.

5. We bathed S about twice a week in the early weeks. Didn't start bathing every day for a couple of months or even longer, I think.

6. Do what you need to do to survive. Do not invent reasons to make yourself feel guilty or stress even more - having a newborn is stressful enough! You do not need to study your baby - you spend so much time with him as is that you will naturally learn to read his cues over time. Do not worry about "spoiling" your baby - you can't - or forming "bad habits". There is nothing that you can set up now that can't be changed later with a bit of persistence. If you can do things the way you really wanted to, then that is fantastic - but if you are just getting by, then take it a day at a time and try and get as much rest for both of you as you can.

Really, MP - cannot stress enough that it gets easier! Even just time makes it easier! I look back and even though I can see that we had a relatively easy time of it, those first weeks were a bit of a blur. I can't pinpoint many moments from that time in my memory at all, which I think is just because we were figuring everything out and I was so sleep-deprived. Just remind yourself that the natural peak of babies' unsettledness is around 6-8 weeks, and that things predictably get easier after that, they really do. Hang in there!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

In a meeting, so this is super quick, but wanted to reply, MP!

1. Swaddling: try a Woombie. I have one, but K never loved to be swaddles, so I only did it on and off. My friend w/ squirmy baby swore by her Woombie, though. Super tight, zips up, impossible to break free.

2. BFing/formula: I agree that your sanity is first and foremost. I EPed for as long as I could and I don't think I could do it again. Just making the switch to formula will be a weight lifted from your shoulders. We did powder because it's less expensive, but I've read (and our mom group insructor also told us) to do one OR the other. So powder or premixed. Apparently going back and forth is hard on a baby's tummy. As for bottle warming, can you not use a regular bottle warmer when using liners?

3. It's great that your ped. is already aware of your torticollis concerns. I'd definitely keep an eye on it. We thought we caught K's early (around 10 weeks), but the symmetry of her head was off by 6mm by the time we pushed it. It took us months to get her back on track (with the rolled towels, daily exercises, etc.), so I say the earlier you can work on it, the better.

4. The screaming while being changed is temporary. Not only does it stop, but then babies love being naked.

5. K has always loved a submerged bath (after her belly button healed), so we've done a bath every day night as part of her bedtime routine. If she had hated baths, I wouldn't do it every day. In the earlier days most baths were just warm water baths--no soap or shampoo. I'm actually a big fan of the nightly bath being part of the bedtime routine because K quickly caught on that bath = bedtime and we never had any issues with her falling asleep. Even when she fought naps, she never fought bedtime.

 

[pancake]

OK, some more replies...

MP - I forgot to mention, you could try the Love To Swaddle Up - it's a zip-up bag which doesn't require any wrapping at all, and the sleeping bag specialist shops here recommend them all the time. I have friends who LOVED theirs; I didn't use it as muslins were great for us, but they look very user-friendly and babies can't escape from them!

Buttons - I'm so sorry to hear you've hit another bump in the road. I hope that it can be sorted out quickly and that you can get nursing again without excruciating pain. Ultimately if it doesn't work out, T will be absolutely fine - I think your efforts so far have been pretty superhuman!

PT - omg, almost hourly wakings - how are you surviving??? That's crazy! I hope it is short-lived. Ava does sound like such a delight though, and you must have just melted at watching her with the other bub in her class!

LC - E is the most adorable pumpkin! Actually, he already was, even without the costume...

Freke - what's the PT for? Is it for her plagiocephaly again? Well done on the crib transition! I know it has been a long journey to get there!

Muffdog - Luca is a stunning beautiful boy, seriously! I know you had posted previously about how hard things had been for you guys, and it sounds like everyone is happier now. I hope you're managing to enjoy motherhood a bit more than before. I also think it's really wonderful that you posted your experiences here for other new mothers to see.

AMC - S loved her baths once we started doing deep immersion baths. Shallow baths she wasn't so keen on - presumably because it was kind of cold and her limbs were in the middle of nowhere. Once we started doing the deep ones, though, she would get SO relaxed, no matter how grumpy she was beforehand. How are you going with the crib/nursery transition? I have no useful advice to give as we only moved S into her own room at 7.5 months, so it was a totally different ballgame by then.

Monnie - Alex is beautiful! They're SO distractible at 5 months, aren't they?

Steph - Nora is gorgeous! And she has the best-shaped head!!! I can only imagine how hard it is going back to work with a young baby, with all the constant changes and sleep deprivation. You are doing amazingly well to just get through it! Hope that having your mum around allows you to get some R&R - that will help you enjoy N more too.

NEL, S&I, Mannequin, Missy, Janine, Bobbin, anyone else I've missed - how are you all travelling?

It's wonderful to see all the new mamas in here! I know that this group was a godsend for me when S was born and we were navigating those unpredictable first couple of months. The solidarity is fantastic!

AFU, the daytime napping glitch of last week seems to be long-gone and we are loving life right now! S has started giving me big slobbery kisses and raspberries on the face and it's so cute! Also loves squishing her nose up to mine and is really into cuddles at the moment - I am LOVING it. We have our family photo shoot in a couple of weeks and I'm so happy I chose this time to do it - S is just larger than life at the moment!

 

[amc80]

AMC - S loved her baths once we started doing deep immersion baths. Shallow baths she wasn't so keen on - presumably because it was kind of cold and her limbs were in the middle of nowhere. Once we started doing the deep ones, though, she would get SO relaxed, no matter how grumpy she was beforehand. How are you going with the crib/nursery transition? I have no useful advice to give as we only moved S into her own room at 7.5 months, so it was a totally different ballgame by then.

What age did you start the deep baths? B is in a baby bath but it has a little hammock thing so he's somewhat out of the water. He would love to be all the way in but I'm not sure how to do it since he can't sit up by himself. This is our tub- http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11235802&fromRegistryNumber=47990731&product_skn=583341

The crib/nursery transition..well, isn't really happening. We have pretty much transitioned him into his PNP in our room at night, which is a huge step (and took zero effort, thus its success). He will be napping in a crib starting next week at daycare, so I think we're opting for laziness and are hoping they will train him. Is that terrible?

Oh, I wanted to comment on bottle warmers. If you are looking for one, DON'T buy the Avent one. It sucks. It has three temp settings, but the little chart that gives temp levels/times for various bottle sizes only mentions the highest level. You put the bottle in, switch the switch, and the light is supposed to start blinking when it's ready. I've never seen it blink. Want to know why? Because they consider a 30 second interval to be blinking. I have friends who have the steam heaters and love them, so I'd go with one of those. B doesn't care if his bottle is warm, room temp, or straight from the fridge...the boy just wants to eat.

 

[pancake]

amc80, we started the deep baths really early. Like a couple of weeks in, maybe? Just take the hammock off, fill the bath with water, and away you go! You'll need to put the bath up on a surface that's at a back-friendly height, and just lay your forearm on the edge and your hand under his armpit. You can also turn him over onto his front - his upper body supported on your forearm with his head turned to the side in your hand. It's a bit tricky, but they love it! The other thing S loved (and still does!) is having a bath with either me or hubby.

 

[amc80]

amc80, we started the deep baths really early. Like a couple of weeks in, maybe? Just take the hammock off, fill the bath with water, and away you go! You'll need to put the bath up on a surface that's at a back-friendly height, and just lay your forearm on the edge and your hand under his armpit. You can also turn him over onto his front - his upper body supported on your forearm with his head turned to the side in your hand. It's a bit tricky, but they love it! The other thing S loved (and still does!) is having a bath with either me or hubby.

Awesome. I'm going to try this tonight, he will love it!

 

[FrekeChild]

Freke - what's the PT for? Is it for her plagiocephaly again? Well done on the crib transition! I know it has been a long journey to get there!

It's for the residual head tilt. We're also being very cautious about trunk strength and symmetry issues, as well as no W sitting.

Lets just say that now that I spend all day following around this crawling monster, but now I have to be super careful about how she sits, and getting her to do certain exercises...I'm so tired! And she is refusing to nap!

I can't go back to my list because I don't remember what all I was going to put on it, but she's started cruising and wants to walk, and again, she needs more trunk strength before she'll be there. Seeing as how she's had so many different physical therapists (4), it's interesting how different they all are! 1. very mellow, like a yoga teacher 2. Very grandma-esque 3. like your favorite aunt - wants to play! 4. Almost militant, but still very patient.

A still whines during diaper change, but I think now it's more because it's taking away from crawling and boogie-ing. She will not sit still anymore.


Cold weather mamas, any suggestions for dressing baby for cold weather? We are going to be going to Chicago in about 3 weeks, and while she was born in November, it was still in New Mexico - no where near as cold as the midwest. So I'm lost - especially because we're in CA, where the temperature just recently dropped from 100. Suggestions would be great! Do I need to get her a jacket? Shoes? Socks? We probably won't be outside that much, but I'm paranoid!

Also, any suggestions for entertainment for long flights? We got her her own seat so we have more room, but she hates sitting still already, so a couple weeks from now is not going to be that different!

 

[monarch64]

Freke, I would definitely get socks, a few fleece footed sleepers, a couple warm fleece or knit hats (in case you lose one), and fleece jackets and one coat. Kids get hot so I am thinking layers are appropiate so you can de-fleece her if she's too warm. Do you use a carrier to wear her? If so, your body heat will keep her really toasty but you want to make sure her feet, hands, and head are covered. Mittens might be a good thing, too.

 

[bobbin]

PPM: How did your visit with your 5th LC go?

Freke: Your little bumblebee is so cute! I can't believe she is almost 1!

NEL: I hope K stops trying to escape soon so you can all sleep. You poor thing! Hope work eases up soon too.

MissRachel: I had a huge boob-small baby mismatch too! She grew out of it. I also had flat-ish nipples in the beginning, but after a few weeks of breastfeeding that changed.

LC: We actually are doing pretty much 'pure' baby led weaning - so no spoonfeeding! I gave her porridge the other day by dipping a rusk into the porridge and then handing it to her. It was messy but she did pretty well with it. I hope Ethan's baptism goes smoothly - would love to see some pics!

AMC: Oh no, poop bath! That hasn't happened to us yet, and I hope it will be a while off still. No tips on how to transition - we just did it one night after a week of no sleep for me when I was frustrated and extremely tired! It worked But be warned, the first night he sleeps in the nursery you will still get no sleep as you will lie awake worrying about him - or at least I did. I kept having little dreams about someone breaking in and taking her

Pancake: Sylvie is just so adorable. I love her penguin hat. She always looks so happy.

I have been delaying childcare, but as I work and live about 20kms from the city, there isn't much of a waiting list anyway.

Mayer: I had mixed success with her getting through the sleep transitions before we went away. While we were away, she seemed to sleep for 1.5 hours almost every morning nap! I swear it is because she knows that there are people around to help me so I don't need her to sleep. When we got back she went back to 45 min naps, but she was teething and had a cold too, so it isn't surprising. But yesterday and the day before she slept for 2 hours straight for her morning nap, without any help from me at all. I have heard that babies start consolidating naps around 6 months though, so that may be why. I hear you on the nap frustration though. It is really hard when they will only sleep for a little while at a time.

Buttons: Has the thrush gotten any better? Hope things improve soon.

PT: Sorry to hear about the sleep regression.And 11.5 months!! Wow. What have you got planned for her birthday?

Muffdog: That pic is so so cute!

MP:
1. I used the Love to Dream swaddle that Pancake mentioned. It was amazintg. It is impossible for them to escape, they can self-soothe by sucking on their hands and have some mobility with their arms (but not enough to startle), I could breastfeed her in it comfortably and you can change their nappy during the night without unswaddling! I'll attach a pic of her in it below.

2. I can't give you any advice on formula, but I just wanted to say that C did not 'get' breastfeeding until she was 4.5 weeks. Only you can say whether formula feeding is what is best for you and your baby at this point, but if you do want to breastfeed, the difficulties you are having now do not necessarily mean that you won't be able to. But, as I said, you know what is best for your family, and that may be formula. You are important too and your stress levels and sanity should be protected as well.

3. Not sure about this sorry.

4. C did this at first, and she did grow out of it. She started to really like diaper change time, maybe around 2 months ish?

5. We intended to bathe her every day, but probably didn't get into that routine until we bought a bath cradle for her and put her in the big bath around 7 weeks. Before that bathing was stressful and we would often find it hard to find the time too. We were probably averaging every 2-4 days!

6. Absolutely it is okay to be in survival mode. A routine will eventually start to form by itself later on.

AFU:

C has been teething and had a cold all week, but is still a happy little girl!

I have had success with morning naps for the last two days, but today I had pilates right when she was ready for a nap, and she has only slept for half an hour all day. I spent 3 hours trying to get her to sleep this afternoon.

Not much else is knew at the moment though.

Love to dream swaddle:

 

[pancake]

Bobbin, sorry to hear you've been having a tricky time with teething and daytime sleep - at least you do know that C CAN take long naps, so they will return eventually! She's such a go-go-go baby, it's not surprising that sleep suffers when there's anything else going on. Also wanted to say that I think that is one of the most beautiful pics of her that I've seen! She just looks angelic!

 

[bobbin]

OMG! I typed knew, not new! *cringes*

And thanks Pancake, she is a little angel most of the time.

 

[mayerling]

Bobbin, I'm glad to hear you've made some progress with naps. It makes me think there's hope for us as well.

Pancake, thanks for the heads up that N's cradle cap might not be all it appears to be. I suggested yeast infection to the doctor but he said it's bacterial and he thinks it's staphylococcus and took a swab to confirm. We still don't have the results.

AMC, we've always done a deep bath. N loves to kick and splash.

MP, I don't have much to add to what other ladies have said except to say that we bathe N every day; not because he needs a bath but more because it's part of our bedtime routine. As for routine, if you go back to my early posts you'll see that I stressed to no end about the fact that he didn't have a routine; I still stress because he still doesn't.

Steph, your little girl is so cute!

LC, love E's costume!

PT, how nice that A is getting to be so interactive.

Muff, I'm really glad to hear that things with L are getting better.

Hi to everyone I've missed.

AFU, poor N has a bacterial infection and is on antibiotics for 14 days! I feel so bad for him but I'm especially upset at the health system here because he was prescribed the medicine on Wednesday even though I called in last Friday to tell them he was bleeding and had puss on his scalp! Moreover, he appears to have a rash on his cheek and when I asked the doctor if that's related to the bacterial infection, he glanced at it, and said "babies get rashes, I can't tell if it's the same thing"
I'm quite happy today because N did a 5-hour stretch last night which he used to do regularly before we came back to the UK but hasn't done since. I wonder if it's because we moved his bedtime back to what it was back home. I'm also pleased because for the last 5 days N has been napping for 30-35 mins at a time instead of 20-25; I'm hoping it's a sign that he'll start increasing his nap time. Naps are still in my arms but I don't care at this point.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Thank you all so very much for your messages. You don't know how much I appreciate everyone's support and advice. You are all such a supportive group. It makes me feel a lot better knowing that I'm not alone in my feelings and worries and that this phase too shall pass. I am going to look into some of the swaddles and other products suggested. Thanks again, you made my day yesterday!

 

[S&I]

Just wanted to say I'm still here reading along! Things have been so busy lately, I haven't been able to do a proper post.

I am loving all the recent pics lately though! Such cute babies everywhere!

A has been rolling all over the place now, even in his sleep. He's gotten himself stuck a couple times in the corner of his crib, so he gets upset. He's gone back to STTN and sometimes wakes up and cries for a bit, but he's able to soothe himself back to sleep, which I'm so grateful for! We're still doing avocado this week because we skipped some days last week. Some days he likes it, other days, not so much. I think we'll move onto peas next week and see what happens. He grabs his toes during every diaper change, which is cute, but not helpful during diaper changes. He's figured out how to properly play in his jumperoo. He's starting to bit really hard when my fingers get too close to his mouth, so I'm guessing teeth will come soon, but I don't see or feel anything yet. I hope teething won't ruin his STTN, but I have a feeling that's wishful thinking.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a Happy Halloween! Can't wait to see more costume pics. We don't have a costume for A, but he does have a "My First Halloween" fleece bodysuit.

ETA: MP, I don't think any of us had it together after 12 days! You are doing great. Just remember that this is temporary and things will pass. We had to always hold A for naps too, but he was able to sleep in his crib at nights. He just somehow knew the difference. The first few weeks though, he did have his days and nights reversed - that's very normal. A was also a master at kicking out of any swaddles. He always had one leg sticking out of his Miracle blanket, and by the time it was time for a feeding, he would have already broken free of the thing entirely! We just kept re-wrapping him. It definitely helps them sleep better, even when they're able to break out of them, so just keep trying. Bumby will get used to it soon! Re: formula, we use powder. I was never able to produce enough milk to keep up with his demand, so A's been on formula since he was about 10 days old. I still nurse him when I'm home, but it's more for comforting him than anything else. We also used the pre-made stuff when we were out and about because it was easier. A didn't have a hard time switching between the two. It was the Enfamil Newborn stuff in the blue containers.

 

[parrot tulips]

Just a couple of pictures from today's Halloween party:

 

[Skippy123]

Just a couple of pictures from today's Halloween party:

squeeeee, PT she is adorable!!!!!

soooo many cute babies mommas!

 

[bobbin]

PT: Love the photo of Ava holding the edger thing from her mat! C LOVES to chew on those and play with them!

 

[monarch64]

Ohhh Snow White...I DIE!!! Ava is so beautiful!

S&I, our A doesn't have a Halloween costume, either, but like your A, she has a fleece footed sleeper thing with pumpkins all over it. My husband saw a picture of a baby in a stainless steel pot dressed like a lobster and wanted to do that this year, but I said NO WAY. She wouldn't put up with that for one second. It was a cute picture, I'll grant him that, and I've seen lots of other cute ideas for infant Halloween costumes on Pinterest, but I'm just not into getting her into some elaborate get-up at 5 months just so we can get our "cute" fix! Next year!

ETA: Bobbin, your little one is breathtakingly beautiful! Love, love, love the pic of her in her swaddle. Just gorgeous.

I have never seen a non-lovely baby here on PS. Must be some fantastic-looking parents out there!!!

 

[missrachelk]

Questions of the day for the new mama group:

I know everyone is different but how did weight loss go for everyone? Meaning a bunch all at once then gradually? Basically trying to figure out if ill have any more 'easy' loss before I start the hard work to get it all off plus the extra 10 pounds I had when we got preggo.

And on a related note - am I the only one who isn't fitting into ANYTHING. Except tank tops and yoga pants? The majority of my late pregnancy was spent in dresses and its too cold for them now, and unfortunately most of my 1 st and 2 me tri clothes don't fit so Maude my regular stuff won't by a long shot.


I think what I'll do is get a couple pairs of jeans / pants at a consignment store to hold me thru until I'm getting somewhat closer to my regular shape. Lucily I don't to back to work till January but I know I'll be tired of yoga pants very soon!

Any tips for this awkward time?

Thanks!!

 

[stephbolt]

Questions of the day for the new mama group:

I know everyone is different but how did weight loss go for everyone? Meaning a bunch all at once then gradually? Basically trying to figure out if ill have any more 'easy' loss before I start the hard work to get it all off plus the extra 10 pounds I had when we got preggo.

And on a related note - am I the only one who isn't fitting into ANYTHING. Except tank tops and yoga pants? The majority of my late pregnancy was spent in dresses and its too cold for them now, and unfortunately most of my 1 st and 2 me tri clothes don't fit so Maude my regular stuff won't by a long shot.


I think what I'll do is get a couple pairs of jeans / pants at a consignment store to hold me thru until I'm getting somewhat closer to my regular shape. Lucily I don't to back to work till January but I know I'll be tired of yoga pants very soon!

Any tips for this awkward time?

Thanks!!

I gained 35 lbs and lost about 17 of it in the first month with birth and the aftermath. Then things slowed down a bit, although I certainly wasn't eating especially healthy, I found myself starving all the time with BF, but still lost about 10 lbs in 2 months. When I went back to work at 12 weeks I was still about 8 lbs above pre-preg weight. I started weight watchers soon after that and in a month of that have dropped back down to my pre-preg weight. My body is still not the same, about a size up, but I'm happy enough with it. I'll likely try and lose a bit more, gotta take advantage of this BF metabolism while I have it and see if I can get into some more of my pre-preg clothes.

I lived in maternity tanks, gym shorts and yoga pants all summer though! And I had two maternity skirts I worked into the rotation as well. I did buy one pair of khaki shorts, and when I went back to work had to buy two pairs of work pants and got some jeans then too.

 

[amc80]

I lost about 20lbs within a few weeks, with no effort on my part. And that's where I still am, 11 weeks pp. I don't find BFing to be helpful at all. I still have about 20 lbs to get to my pre-preggo weight and another 20 to get back to my normal weight. So I've got a long road ahead of me. And no, nothing fits.

 

[mayerling]

I gained 12kg during my pregnancy. I lost 7 after the first week, another 3 in the next week and the remaining 2 by the 6-week mark. I am now a kilo lighter than I was before I got pregnant. I do BF, but I think the main thing has been that I have a baby that never sleeps/naps and I have been known to skip meals in situations where getting him to sleep was more important than eating.

 

[pancake]

Hi Rachel, FWIW this was my trajectory (have Google at the ready for my unit conversions!)

Started at 61kg/134lb - this is on the heavy side for me but my weight was generally quite stable pre-preg
Was 75(-ish)kg/165lb by the time I delivered at 40 weeks

I didn't weigh myself again until probably 4 months+ post-partum, but I had lost all the fluid within a fortnight I think and dropped weight very quickly - it was a combination of breastfeeding, fast metabolism and my father being very sick and me running around a lot. I was, however, eating a lot!

Just over 51kg/112lb at 5 months - this was too thin, I didn't like the way I looked at all

Dot is now 8 1/2 months old; I last weighed myself a few weeks ago (we don't have scales at home so I've weighed myself either at the doctor or at my in-laws' beach house!) and was 54kg/119lb. I don't think it's changed much since then and I am quite happy at this weight although my tummy is definitely not as tight as it was - surprise, surprise!

I think that I will probably gain a bit back once I stop BFing but I doubt I will get up to what I was pre-preg, as my lifestyle was much more sedentary then than it will be day-to-day running after a toddler!

It was summer when I had Dot and for the first month or so my uniform was maxi skirts (soft jersey, elasticated or wide panel waistband), BFing tanks and a light cardi over the top if I needed it. I was in my pre-preg jeans at around 2 weeks but they took a few more weeks to feel completely comfortable. I've dropped about half to a full size compared to pre-preg, but it has only really affected my pants and jeans - I've had to buy new ones of those. Tops etc are still ok.

Give yourself lots of time. It is a HUGE hit that your body is recovering from!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Still here reading, just never any time to post.

MissRachel, The weight issue is tough. You can't beat yourself up over it (this has been an issue for me).

I have a muscular build and my pre-pregnancy weight was 125. I gained about 24 lbs. during the pregnancy, so ended around 150. Within two weeks after giving birth, I was down to about 132. I've been hovering around that ever since, and I'm really tired of it. It's not the weight, it's that the shape of my body is different. Also, I'm used to being able to get into shape when I want. It's slightly better now (8 months post c-section). I feel like my tummy is just starting to tighten back up a little. But when I have a large meal, I still look 14/15 weeks pregnant.

My mother said it took her a year after each of her kids to feel "herself" again and several of my friends have expressed the same sentiment. You have to have patience, but I definitely understand and we're always here if you get frustrated!

Hope everybody is doing well!

Pancake--K keeps jibbering "Dot". It's really funny and every time she does it I think of Sylvie!

Hurricane Sandy is unleashing on us today, but work is insane (as usual) and I needed to come in. I doubt we'll have power this afternoon, so not sure when I'll be back. Katie has an ear infection and her meds need to be refrigerated, so I'm hoping we don't lose power for too long.

 

[Puppmom]

Rachel, I gained about 45lbs and lost 15lbs the first few days. Then not much for the following week or so. Once BFing really got consistent and in higher quantities they weight started to drop quickly without any other effort on my part. By 12 weeks, I lost everything but the last 10lbs. I also did WW to lose the final 10lbs and by about 4 months post-partum, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight. It was totally the breastfeeding because when DS stopped I gained 10lbs in like a month! Now, I'm 5 months pregnant and weight what I did at 9 mos pregnant last time.

 

[missrachelk]

Thanks for talking about the weight issue - I really was just curious how it tends to go. I went overboard and didn't exercise so I gained 58 pounds. At my 2 week checkup I'd lost 20 and my home scale is showing a few more. The clothes thing is what's most frustrating because I can't fit into any tops with these ginormous boobs and apparently my rear end is also way too big for even my most easy fitting pants. I think Lycra will be my close friend this fall and winter. I'm not worried I know more will come off and once I can work out again ill feel so much better. A few things that fit and work with the changing season will go far to help my feelings too.

Oh and since this is ps you'll all sympathize - my rings are SO FAR from fitting I could cry. They came off around 26 weeks - they had been tight already with the 10 pounds I put on after the wedding. Summer in Georgia was not a friend to the swollen preggo!!. They don't even come close to the 2nd knuckle : (
I told DH that ill give it 6 months then I want to get them resized or reset. I'm washing my hands so much also not wearing my aquamarine that I wore as a stand in during the pregnancy ( usually its a rhr) because I was getting ring rash on my finger. So whiny I know but my jewels make me happy!!

I was going to have a follow up with my Lc to try to get off he nipple shield but now I'm pretty sure I have thrush so were going to reschedule. Ill be seeing my midwife tomorrow for the thrush and to get some bloodwork done because my supply is still
Not responding even with the ton of galaxtagouges I'm taking and the Lc thinks my pcos and or thyroid may be affecting supply. I just hope we can get it figured out and that ill be able to get H off supplemental formula and move to EBF.

Anyone else with pcos or other issues had trouble with getting supply established?

Sorry for the me-me posts I will be a good poster someday I promise! Right now it's still survival mode. We did get H's newborn photos and they are great so once I get my images ill share the cuteness!

Thanks again ladies!!

 

[amc80]

missrachel- I have no clothes that fit. I'm still wearing my maternity pants. I can wear some non-maternity shirts, but the boobies are giant so it makes it tough. The maternity pants are too big, and my normal jeans just laugh at me. Not even close to fitting. It's all very frustrating. My rings came off around 24 weeks. My band fits but my e-ring doesn't. I actually managed to get it on last week, but could barely get it off, so I decided to give it another month or so. My fingers aren't fat, my knuckles are just giant!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Rachel, I'm curious about the weight loss thing too. Before getting pregnant, I had been about the same size for like 12 years and I have never really had to worry about dieting, etc. However, I gained exactly 40 lbs when I had the baby at 40 weeks. A lot of weight at the end must have been water weight because I have already dropped about 28 pounds (I also kept forgetting to eat the first week after baby was born), but I'm thinking the last 12 lbs or so is going to be much more difficult. My belly is pretty much gone except for a little flab that's not going anywhere anytime soon. My thighs are also fuller, so I haven't even attempted to wear anything but sweats and maternity jeans. Hoping to pull it together enough one of these days to start walking on the treadmill.

Bobbin, that swaddle is so cute, and your little girl looks so content!

Loving all of the Halloween costumes too. So darn cute! E has two different Halloween outfits to wear on Wednesday. No costume this year!

Re: Swaddling - My E is a stubborn little bugger. On NEL's advice (and good reviews), I ordered a woombie. It seemed like a great solution until E woke up and grunted and contorted himself and got all twisted up in it trying to get to his hands. He pretty much did that all night! The little man wants his hands to be free and near his face at all times! We have been swaddling from the chest/waist down for naps, so maybe I'll just start doing that at night too. Just don't think swaddling has a calming effect on him.

In other news, he had his 2 week appointment today, and he is finally putting on weight and almost back to his birth weight. Such a relief. He has given us a few 4 hour stretches at night, but of course, I can never predict what time of night it will be, and I just don't sleep soundly. But the fact that I know he can do longer stretches gives me hope that eventually I'll be rested again!

Hope everyone is doing well. Looking forward to getting back into posting and commenting individually.

 

[pancake]

Rachel, I forgot to say - I think a lot of it is genetically determined too. My mother says she was at her smallest ever about 4 months after she had me, whereas my MIL (who also EBFed) said "that didn't work for me!!!"!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

MP, no worries--the woombie didn't work out for us, either. I kept thinking that I should swaddle K so that she'd sleep better (not waking herself with the startle reflex), but she never really slept better swaddled. She also liked having her hands near her face. The good news about not swaddling is that you don't have to go through the whole deswaddling transition

Oh, and you can buy Woombies with arm holes. My friend who swore by hers was in a bit of a panic when she had to deswaddle. Our mom group instructor told her ot just cut arm holes in her Woombie, but my friend found a Woombie with armholes. Anyway, just saying that's an option, too, if you still want to swaddle.