hey hey! 34.5 weeks today, my friends! time is rapidly winding down and i'm not one bit sad about it. both showers are over and i now have a solid feel for what i need {which isn't much thanks to my generous friends and family}. so other than the nursery being a disaster...i'm ready for this little baby to be here. i was looking at one of the newborn sized onesies i got at my shower and oh my goodness...thinkin of how little and cute they are when they are brand new had me swooning.
so i had my doc appointment last thursday before heading to poky. guys...i had gained 4 lbs since my last appointment...which was 2 weeks prior. so i have now gained a total of 11 lbs. i was actually quite pleased, as was my doctor. i kept thinkin at some point i'm going to start packing these lbs on. well i guess that "some point" is now. and i'm 100% ok with that. i did have a little stretch mark scare the other day...it was so odd. i was getting changed after church and i looked in the mirror and on my side i thought i saw a little stretch mark....i gasped and asked norman if it looked like a stretch mark to him. he confirmed my nightmarish suspicion. they looked so odd though that i wasn't completely convinced. we went over to my parents house and i showed my sister...she, too agreed that they were little stretch marks. ugh....it was beginning....all my lathering was all for naught. {besides helping with that itching....i'm barely itchy at all thanks to that stuff}. my sister and i had a good chat about how yeah, stretch marks suck, but they are a battle wound from the best battle we'll ever have, right? i made norman confirm that he would still love my striped self....of course he said yes. and we moved on....
well, that night when i was using the restroom i went to take a peak at them again...and they were gone....i thought mine eyes deceived me...so i moved around in the light and at different angles and still could not find them. so i went to norman and asked him to look. he couldn't find it either.....it was very weird. i still have no idea what it was. i'm assuming it was probably an indentation from my tights i was wearing for church or something? no idea....but i'm not mad at all that they weren't real. i'm actually glad i had that little scare because now, if when i really do get them....i'll have already had an initial shock about it. no big deal.
anyway...enough about my body image. i have some more questions from you seasoned mamas! {big surprise}. you guys have really been so helpful so i'm just going to keep them comin.....
first of all: nursing. i am super nervous about nursing for some reason. not really nervous that it'll hurt, or anything like that...just nervous in general. i really want to be able to do it and do it right so it can be a successful thing. so i guess my question is do any of you have some helpful advice? i know i know....be patient....got that one....but what are some more detailed advice about nursing? anyone??
second: diaper bags. i cannot find a diaper bag that isn't a million dollars that i love. i want it to not look like a diaper bag but more of a large purse, for it will be doubling as a purse and diaper bag. i want it to be able to go over my shoulder and i don't love prints on it. any of you have any suggestions of ones you've purchased and loved? and maybe if you have found one that is more pricey, is it worth it?? let me know...asap...cause i need to get on that.
third: stuff you were soooo glad you had. my cousin and i were brainstorming last night on what else i need {or maybe don't need but would be nice to have} so my question is...what are some things you had that really made the difference for you. things that you just couldn't live without after you had a baby?
i think that's all of my questions for now. :) you guys have really been so helpful. thanks for the comments and suggestions. don't feel like you're overwhelming me...cause it's not overwhelming at all. i'm pretty good at picking what i do and don't like out of the advice i get. ;) also...guess what? i booked my appointment this morning for my prenatal massage. normally, my husband is kind of anti-massage. he doesn't really like the thought of me being naked and rubbed on by some random person {which is a little odd when you think about it...} but, he knows how badly my back has been hurting and how badly i have wanted to get a massage {mostly because i ask him daily for a massage because my back is just throbbing in pain} so for my valentines present i get a massage this saturday! i seriously can't wait....have any of you had a prenatal massage before? if so, how are they? just as dreamy as it sounds? i mean, on a good day i can get norman to massage/tickle for 20 minutes {that's hitting the jackpot} and now i get a professional massage for 60 minutes! 60!!! it's almost too good to be true.
anyway...i hope you are all having a happy hump day. and mama's...i wanna hear some answers to my questions...lay it on thick, sister.
happy wednesday!
I love that you ask because I could seriously talk about pregnancy and babies and anything related to the two alllll day! So!
ReplyDeleteOne - I am still nursing Uriah at almost 13 months! I love it! And so does he ;) It wasn't an easy start for us, though. In the hospital, my nipples were cracked, chapped and bleeding (tmi?) It hurt! It was uncomfortable and I sorta dreaded it, and I wast prepared for that, but I kept at it. So I guess that would be my advice, don't give up! And let Norman help. Stephen was super supportive of me breastfeeding and would help hold Uriah in a comfortable position or massage my breast to get the milk flowing. I don't know, sounds kinda weird, but it honestly helped! Also, I was super nervous about breastfeeding in public, and for the first few months I wouldn't take him out if I knew he'd want to eat while we were gone. He never took a bottle, so pumping wasn't an option. Practice with your cover up in front of the mirror! You will feel so silly, but it actually helped! (if that's even something you're nervous about...) The more I did it the more I felt comfortable doing it and it just got easier and easier (I don't even use a cover up now!)
Two - My first diaper bag was JJ Cole brand, and I loved it! It was around $70, had the perfect amount of space and could be worn two ways. It doesn't clean the best, though, and after just one year it started to fray and crack. It could still last through another babe, or two, but it definitely looks used, now. For my birthday, my mom just got me a Petunia Picklebottom one, the "carryall" style. It's more money (which is why I never bought one for myself!) but it's prettier and better quality. It has less space, though, which is fine now that Uriah is older and requires less. It can be worn two ways and I love that is has the fold out diaper pad/changer.
And three - I loved the onesies with built in mittens because the separate mittens never stay on! And pants or sleepers or onesies with socks/booties (the ones that cover up their feet!) Those two were great for when Uriah was little. We also loved our "rocker", those little basinets that keep the baby at an angle and can rock back and forth. Uriah couldn't/wouldn't sleep on a flat surface until he was about 4 months old, so that was perfect for him (and his reflux!) I could easily drag it to any room in the house for him to nap or sleep. Uhh let's see... A nursing pillow, a good swaddle blanket, and tv series or movies ready to go! The first month or so I spent a lot of time in the house, and most of it without Stephen. So even if I was cleaning or cooking and not watching it, the sound of people talking helped me feel sane and not lonely! You'll do a lot of sitting and nursing and rocking, though, so the entertainment is nice :)
Gosh, longest comment, ever! I hope that helped! Oh! I had a massage at 32 weeks pregnant and it was amaaaazing! Uriah had crawled up into my ribs so I was in paaain and it really did a lot to relieve it! It's not awkward or really any different from a regular massage, they just have you lay on your side instead! Enjoy it! :)
So as far as breastfeeding goes.... Your Baby will be starving for the first three days until your milk comes in. He will be pretty much be sucking the life out of you and that's the way it works. There's bit much you can do about it... except keep feeding. When you are at the hospital if you are having a hard time with breastfeeding ask to have the lactation specialist to come to your room. That's what they are for. Also, use a heck of a lot of the cream they give you... You will be real sore for a while and it really helps. After you get it all down, plan on saving milk by freezing it. It really helps in the long run.
ReplyDeleteDiaper bag:I spent the extra money and got a Petunia pickle bottom. I don't regret it. I Love that it is a backpack, the outside fabric is easy to clean off and it has a changing pad.
What I could not love without: we spent a little more to get a better quality car seat. To us it just felt like our baby girl would be safer. I also could not live without the pampers swaddlers diapers they are honestly the best. Avent bottles are also the best. They don't leak.
Good luck darling! :)
Ahh I forgot one thing! Breastfeeding - when you're at the hospital ask if they have (gosh, I don't even know what they were called) icy pads for your nipples...? They didn't tell me the name, but they're like a gel sticker that you put over your nipple and it ices and numbs them! You store them in the fridge and you can reuse them. They were amaaazing! I also agree with Jessica ^^ splurge for the safest car seat, it gives you such peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteMine is pretty much the same as Allison's.
ReplyDeleteNursing is a rough start. The sores, blisters and bleeding until those nips callus is brutal. The sticking to undershirts or nursing pads sucks. It takes FOREVER at first. But, you know all of this. I nursed June for 14 months and I'm proud of myself. I feel like I kept going for three reasons.
One, I set goals. When we were in the hospital I told myself if it this bad at 4 weeks, I'm done and I meant it. 4 weeks rolled around and it was still brutal. I used the shield and that was a hassle. I was still having to completely undress from the waist up. I was still sore. It was still taking a lot of time and I was still sleep deprived from it. But, it was better than when I was in the hospital. My next goal was 3 months. Still hating it. Still using the shield. Still taking a lot of time and energy on both of our parts. Poor June. But it was better than it was at 4 weeks. Next goal 6 months. By the time I hit 6 months I was loving it. The shield was gone. I was used to doing it under a cover in public though I still struggled with that a little. It was SO AMAZING while traveling on an airplane. Nursed going up, nursed going down, slept the whole flight.
Second reason I feel like I was able to keep going is I allowed myself to hate it. There is SO much pressure to nurse and everyone kept telling me how beautiful and natural and bonding it is. While I know this now, thats bull crap until somewhere between 3 and 6 months. I loathed nursing and thats okay. I don't have to love or have an amazing attitude about everything I do in life, especially as a mother. I hate cooking but my family needs to eat and i'm going to be doing it for a long time. It's okay to hate it, I still have to do it.
Third reason, I was mostly a stay at home mom. I didn't have to go back to work. When June was one, I went back to school part time and I was only nursing a few times a day by then. I don't know how working moms function but I give them a lot of credit. That would be tough.
Some nursing suggestions:
ReplyDeletetake a warm bath while your nursing. Have Norm poor the warm water over baby while you figure out the lock. Or place a warm wet wash cloth over him (the baby, not Norm) and remember to re-wet it often. The warm water will release your milk naturally and the baby doesn't have to work quite as hard to get some, leaving more energy to get more full letting the gap between feeds go a little longer. Its a little hard with a newborn. I started this more regularly around 3 or 4 weeks. Plus any skin on skin time with a newborn is magic.
Introduce some formula before 3 months. No one ever told me that if you wait too long to introduce formula, some babies wont take it. I went to leave June just after three months, just for an evening and I was out of pumped milk so I grabbed some formula and she wouldn't take it. June had formula in the hospital right after she was born and thats it. If I would have known, I would have done half formula half breast milk once a week. Thats the plan with this babe. I did know that if the baby hasn't had a bottle nipple they might not take a bottle. Along with that is nipple confusion ha ha so I introduced a bottle around 3 weeks. After June knew that her main source of food was through me (i'll introduce some formula at the same time this time around).
Like Allison, I had a 30 minute TV series ready to go every night. It took me about 30 minutes to nurse on each side and 30 minutes to get her to go back to sleep. Yeah, every 2-3 hours is a 1.5 hour feeding. SUCKS! I think I got 2-4 hours of sleep per day in that first week or two.
I know people who stopped nursing at night at 6 weeks. The baby is strong enough to make it 6-8 hours at night and they would just let the baby cry its-self back to sleep. This wasn't for me. I'm such a sucker when it comes to an upset babe. I did, however stop nursing in the night about 8 weeks. I would give June her binki and rock her back to sleep. It maybe took 5 nights before she was sleeping through the night. She has always been a good sleeper. Each baby is so different. The night feedings are really just a habit for the baby. The sooner you break them of the habit, the easier. June slept 8 hours a night from 8 weeks to 6 months then she went to 12 hours a night. Still sleeps 12/night. I do remember trying everything I could to keep her awake for as long as possible aroung 8 pm then nurse her around midnight. Put her to bed extra tired and with a full belly.
Something funny, I didn't know there were multiple holes for the milk to come out of haha. So, when mine wasn't shooting straight out of the center of my nip I was like, whoa! whats wrong with my nipple?! haha But you having older sisters probably know this.
Also, if you do decide to stop nursing early, you're still a good mom.
Don't forget that water is your main source of milk supply. So when you get home and you're all wrapped up in emotion and chaos and joy and fear and you can't figure out why you're not producing any milk, drink some water and take your prenatal.
You're going to feel like a mama cow with no control over your life for a couple of weeks.
OH! and when they say it shouldn't be hurting, they're lying. Unless it doesn't hurt you! One thing is for sure, every mom, every body and every baby is very different. Do what comes most important to you.
You know my diaper bag is open sesame and I LOVE it. Just pulled it out of storage. My MIL got it for me. Not sure the price but I could look into it if you want.
ReplyDeleteLike Allison, June slept in the rock-n-play sleeper from target or wal-mart. They even make a version that vibrates. June loved anything that vibrated. There was a lot of pressure to start her out in her crib. I desperately tried but that wasn't for us. I had anxiety when she was alone in her crib at 5.5 lbs. So we got the sleeper and she slept in that next to me in my bed until she could roll over then, we went to the top of the pack-n-play until she could sit up then, to the bottom of the pack-n-play until we were done nursing. She started napping in her crib around three months. She never slept with us in our bed but that was more McKay. He is THE deepest sleeper...I was locked out of our house after a party last week in 0 degree weather for almost 15 minutes. Ringing the doorbell and pounding and yelling on our bedroom window where he was asleep. 15 minutes I did this until he finally woke up!! You'd think this was in the middle of the night? try 11:00pm.
I did some research on carseats and for us, personally, a 5 point harness is a 5 point harness. They all have to follow the same safety regulations by law. My mom bought us our carseat so we picked a mid-price range one. However, I am no stranger to peace of mind. If the top of the line one gets you one more hour of sleep at night, don't hesitate. Like Jess we used pampers and eventually Costco. Huggies weren't for us but they might be for you? Thats something you'll have to figure out. I have noticed that skinnier babes tend to use pampers while chubbier ones use huggies. Just an observation.
Extra (because my family is asleep and im bored):
A baby food maker. http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Chef-Ultimate-Food-Maker/dp/B004HFQLIO/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1392275878&sr=8-13&keywords=baby+food+maker
We splurged on this but in the end saved a lot of money not having to buy jar baby food. This one steams on one side then blends on the other. It also comes with an age appropriate cook book. I adored knowing exactly what I was putting into June's tiny tummy. I'm oh so glad I introduced every veggie before she got any fruit. I maybe went too far. She had to like almost every veggie before she got any fruit. Including broccoli and avocado. If she didn't like one veg the first time, she got to try it again the next week and so on until she liked it ha ha I also waited until she was ready for food. I know some start as early as 4 months but June was premie so I waited till around 5.5 months to introduce cereal. She didn't like it and was not interested so I waited until just after 6 months and she ate it right up! She never really loved rice cereal but she did love it mixed with a veggie. I give this structure credit to her eating habits now. She is an excellent eater. She eats most veggies still and when she wants a snack she asks for peas or apples or strawberries. Her favorite snack is cottage cheese and any fruit. Thats more like dessert to her. Also, when you make your own food, its easy to trace an allergic reaction. I would freeze mine in ice cube trays then, they went into dated sandwich baggies. This one also has a warmer to thaw the frozen cubes or heat up a bottle.
OH! also for nursing, sleep with a towel. Its the worst waking up before the baby, soaking wet and having to change the stupid sheets because they're sopped with milk. I slept on a towel and it didn't bother me. It doesn't last either. Once your body has your baby's schedule down, it will produce just enough milk. I think thats around 3 months? I honestly don't remember?
ReplyDeleteGas drops. June had gas bubbles and they bothered her a lot. I thought she might be colic but i'm not sure. Gas drops helped a little.
I wish I could prepare my body for the hormone change. I hope I have more control this time to just accept the stress and sleep deprivation and appreciate the new baby and the special spirit that is protecting him. I want to take time to feel the spirit this time because it really is so strong right when that babe enters the world. Its pretty magical.
Just found our exact baby chef on overstock for a fraction of what we paid.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.overstock.com/Baby/Baby-Chef-Ultimate-Baby-Food-Center-Baby-Food-Maker/6264821/product.html