AMA check in

[rn536]

Hello ladies. Let's try this over here. This is a check in for us mommas who are 35 and over.
This will be posted on Wednesdays.
It's almost 1 am here so it's technically Wednesday!

1. How old is baby?
2. How is it going? How's sleep?
3. Any milestones? What's baby up to?
4. Any problems or issues you want to discuss?

QOTW: what do you do to keep busy during those MOTN feeds?

[babar78]

1. How old is baby? 7 weeks and 3 Days
2. How is it going? How's sleep? DD1 was colic but Lexi is not and the whole newborn baby experience has been so much different! She is a great sleeper! We got 7 hours last night. We are starting to average 5 hours a night.
3. Any milestones? What's baby up to? Lexis smiles and during tummy time will roll from her tummy to her back. She follows me with her eyes very well and is starting to become interested in her mobile on her swing.
4. Any problems or issues you want to discuss? She is an anti-burper and that leads to a lot of spitting up but we continue to burp her as much as we can.

QOTW: what do you do to keep busy during those MOTN feeds? I read the bump and watch Star Trek

[rn536]

babar78 glad to hear Lexi is not colicky! Makes a huge difference. My first two were colicky but this one is so much better too! Thank goodness!
That's great she gives you such nice sleep stretches. It's harder with the second because you can't nap when she naps since you have to care for an older child. You need all the sleep you can get.

[rn536]

1. Joseph is 2 months today! Have to take his 2 month picture later.
2. It's going good. Like babar78 he is a whole different newborn experience for me. My first two used to cry for hours at night. It's a wonder I had more kids after that. But this one is so good. Although this is our second time up in the night to feed which sucks. Hoping he is quick this time cause I have to get up in 2 hours. My oldest son is in kindergarten and believe it it not his bus comes at 7 am. I have to get him up at 6:30 so I get up at 6.
We had some nights where he gave me 6 or 7 hour stretches but lately it's been only 3 to 4. I'm tired!
3. He is smiling a lot and does little laughs. It's so cute.
4. He favors turning his head to the left and has a flat spot there. I try so hard to have him turn his head the other way and to do lots of tummy time. It looks awful. I have to bring it up w pedi.

QOTW: I use my phone during MOTN feeds. I "bump" or whatever you call it for this board. And I play games and check Facebook.

[pooky08]

1. How old is baby? 4 weeks

2. How is it going? How's sleep? Last night we got a three hour stretch! Was glorious. Only two real MOTN feedings - we usually do 4

3. Any milestones? What's baby up to? He's staying up more during the day and is more alert. Still waiting for the first real smile!

4. Any problems or issues you want to discuss? Little guy seems to finally be growing, yay! I think he will be out of NB and into 0-3 clothes soon.

QOTW: what do you do to keep busy during those MOTN feeds? I live on my phone. One handed, light doesn't face the baby, and it helps to keep me awake.

[rn536]

pooky08 yay for a 3 hour stretch!!! It can make a huge difference! I also live on my phone. Otherwise I would fall asleep.
That first real smile should come soon!

[eliz77]

1. How old is baby? 6 weeks, 4 days

2. How is it going? How's sleep? I believe we are in the midst of the 6 week growth spurt. LO is on a 2 hour sleep-eat-sleep-eat schedule for the last 2 days. He doesn't want to put down for longer than 45 mins, and really wants to stay on the boob the entire time and I feel completely empty. Before this spurt, we were doing pretty well on sleeping at night!

3. Any milestones? What's baby up to? Starting to smile more, and a hint of laughing! Getting stronger with head control.

4. Any problems or issues you want to discuss? Honestly, nursing continues to be a big mental thing for me. I have no idea if I am providing anything, but LO insists on nursing. Sometimes it seems to go well and he's happy. Other times he gets so upset. Sometimes if I offer a bottle 1st, he fights me, but if I let him nurse for just 20 seconds, he accepts bottle readily. I just wish I knew what to do. He takes anywhere from 24-30oz formula a day, which I think is how much he should have at this age/weight (9lbs) No idea. Basically our routine seems to be nurse for a few mins, bottle, nurse a couple minutes more. I really had hoped to be able to at least nurse 1/2 his feedings, but that doesn't happen often.

QOTW: what do you do to keep busy during those MOTN feeds? Before this growth spurt, I would rock and talk to him or I'd fall asleep...he isn't awake long-I change his diaper and attempt to nurse or make a bottle up, then we're back to sleep in like 20 minutes. Before this week, we would go to bed around 10pm, he would be up at 3am and then sleep until 6am, so only one real MOTN feeding. Last 2 nights, we were up every 2 hours so I just left TV on.

[pros521]

Good morning ladies

1. Emmett is 6 weeks 6 days
2. Sleep is getting better, but we are in a growth spurt week, so that changes everything. We haven't hit a good 5 hour stretch yet. We average 4.
I'm having the opposite experience as you ladies. Francesca was a very mellow baby. She never cried. She had a sweet little squeek! Emmett is a vocal rock star. In the last week his fussy evening hour has turned into an all night cry fest. I'm starting to think I have a colicky baby.
3. He is smiling all the time. He follows his toys and seems to love music
4. Problems - Emmett is definitely having gas issues. We are already on sensitive formula.
He has also stopped eating a full bottle. He was at 4oz every 3-4 hours. But now he's eating maybe 2oz but more often- every two ish hours.
5. Middle of the night I sometimes check out fb, but usually just try to stay awake and hope the food puts him right back to sleep.

[alwaysaforeigner]

So glad most of you are getting longer stretches at night. Like calvinfoster, I am still waiting for that to happen.

1. How old is baby? Will be 7 weeks on Friday.
2. How is it going? How's sleep? LO still wakes up every 2-3 hours to eat, but is usually done within 10 minutes. As long as she goes back to sleep on her own and quickly, I don't mind. It's those times when she won't go back to sleep that are challenging. In those cases I let DH take over. He goes to the bathroom with her, turns on the hair dryer and that helps her fall asleep more quickly. We go to sleep when she does (around 9-10) and this helps us get reasonable amount of sleep.
3. Any milestones? What's baby up to? She's becoming more alert now and smiles at her older sister, which is adorable!
4. Any problems or issues you want to discuss? Getting her down for naps is always a struggle. I constantly debate between letting her fall asleep at the breast/rocking and getting her used to falling asleep on her own. I try to make her drowsy by breastfeeding/rocking and then putting her in the bassinet. So far she's been waking up as soon as I put her down and then she's wide awake, but more cranky and I have to start over. Some days I feel that all I do is trying to put her down for a nap. It's exhausting.

QOTW: what do you do to keep busy during those MOTN feeds? I usually try to stay as sleepy as possible during the feeds, because otherwise it will be difficult to go back to sleep. I nurse with lights off, so I usually do some facebooking or texting with my friends overseas who are usually awake by then.

[rn536]

calvinfoster welcome! Glad you 3rd is easier too. I think they must know they have to be! Lol
I am too scared to try side lying nursing at night. Afraid I will fall asleep. I usually feed one side and baby falls asleep and I change his diaper to wake him for second side. If Calvin took both sides do you think he would sleep longer?
eliz77 the 6th week growth spurt sucks!!! It won't last too long though. As for the bf thing do you pump at all? Otherwise with the formula feeds your supply will drop.
I can understand how frustrating it is. Sometime my LO gets mad at the boob if it doesn't come out fast enough but I keep putting him on til letdown happens.
Your baby might be used to bottle feeds and likes that it's instant. Maybe keep trying the boob and start pumping to increase your supply. Drink lots if water too

[alwaysaforeigner]

Jan 21, 2015 9:51:28 GMT -5 pros521 said:

Good morning ladies

1. Emmett is 6 weeks 6 days
2. Sleep is getting better, but we are in a growth spurt week, so that changes everything. We haven't hit a good 5 hour stretch yet. We average 4.
I'm having the opposite experience as you ladies. Francesca was a very mellow baby. She never cried. She had a sweet little squeek! Emmett is a vocal rock star. In the last week his fussy evening hour has turned into an all night cry fest. I'm starting to think I have a colicky baby.
3. He is smiling all the time. He follows his toys and seems to love music
4. Problems - Emmett is definitely having gas issues. We are already on sensitive formula.
He has also stopped eating a full bottle. He was at 4oz every 3-4 hours. But now he's eating maybe 2oz but more often- every two ish hours.
5. Middle of the night I sometimes check out fb, but usually just try to stay awake and hope the food puts him right back to sleep.

pros521, have you tried probiotics? I've heard that it helps some babies with gas. You can start it when they are one month old and it is sold in powdered form, which can be mixed with formula or breast milk. 

[eliz77]

Jan 21, 2015 10:00:34 GMT -5 rn536 said:

eliz77 the 6th week growth spurt sucks!!! It won't last too long though. As for the bf thing do you pump at all? Otherwise with the formula feeds your supply will drop.
I can understand how frustrating it is. Sometime my LO gets mad at the boob if it doesn't come out fast enough but I keep putting him on til letdown happens.
Your baby might be used to bottle feeds and likes that it's instant. Maybe keep trying the boob and start pumping to increase your supply. Drink lots if water too

I do pump, more to stimulate supple as I do not get much expressed with pumping. When LO wasn't nursing as much, I'd be able to collect 0.5-0.75 of an ounce to add to a bottle. This last week with the increased want to nurse, I have pumped nothing. The LC told me not to worry about not getting much when pumping, but at nearly 7 weeks, seems like I SHOULD be getting something, especially if he hasn't nursed in a couple hours. I DO need to up my water intake...I seem to keep forgetting so I'm going to fill a water bottle and keep w/me at all times. 

[path75]

1. How old is baby? 4 weeks 1 day

2. How is it going? How's sleep? It has been ok. Being a ftm I really am still learning. I used to put him down after falling asleep on me and would pick him up the moment he stirred. So now I let him stir a bit before picking him up. I used my vibration on the rock n play last night and it helped a little but he still stirred but not wake up. He has been struggling with pooping turning almost red yesterday while going so I don't know if he is a bit constipated. He is still wanting to feed every 2 hours and if I am lucky one 3 hour feed at night. So that means I might get 2 hours of sleep and a couple 1 hour stretches. My neice is bringing her swing over and she said it was the only way her son would nap.

3. Any milestones? Not much yet. He smiles but not sure if it is gas related. What is the difference? He has been holding his head up more but dives back forward fast. He is up about half of day in the afternoon into the evening and cluster feeds between 5 and 11pm.

4. Any problems or issues you want to discuss? Just sleep for me has been an issue. He is really not that fussy so I can't complain but the lack of sleep is really getting to me. I go back to work on the 3rd and started balling about it the other day. I know it will be nice to be around adults during the day but I will miss him. My dh is staying home with him since he is out of work atm so I might have to face time him from time to time.

QOTW: what do you do to keep busy during those MOTN feeds? Facebook, here, and lurk around the bump. Although more and more people are jumping ship since they are now introducing paid mods. So sad but glad this board is around.

[pros521]

Jan 21, 2015 10:15:00 GMT -5 alwaysaforeigner said:

Jan 21, 2015 9:51:28 GMT -5 pros521 said:

Good morning ladies

1. Emmett is 6 weeks 6 days
2. Sleep is getting better, but we are in a growth spurt week, so that changes everything. We haven't hit a good 5 hour stretch yet. We average 4.
I'm having the opposite experience as you ladies. Francesca was a very mellow baby. She never cried. She had a sweet little squeek! Emmett is a vocal rock star. In the last week his fussy evening hour has turned into an all night cry fest. I'm starting to think I have a colicky baby.
3. He is smiling all the time. He follows his toys and seems to love music
4. Problems - Emmett is definitely having gas issues. We are already on sensitive formula.
He has also stopped eating a full bottle. He was at 4oz every 3-4 hours. But now he's eating maybe 2oz but more often- every two ish hours.
5. Middle of the night I sometimes check out fb, but usually just try to stay awake and hope the food puts him right back to sleep.

pros521, have you tried probiotics? I've heard that it helps some babies with gas. You can start it when they are one month old and it is sold in powdered form, which can be mixed with formula or breast milk. 

I have not tried pro biotics. I will definitely look into it. I give him gas drops now. Of course it only works for a short period of time.

[apsalartoll]

1. How old is baby?
 4 weeks 4 days.

2. How is it going? How's sleep?
Pretty well, I think. She usually wakes up around 2am and again at 5am, and it takes about 30 minutes to get her back to sleep after feeding and diaper change. I think most nights I get about 6 hours, but last night she only woke up once and I got more like 8 hours. It feels a lot better in the morning this way.

3. Any milestones? What's baby up to?
I'm a FTM so it's hard to say what I'm looking for, but I don't think she's really smiling yet. I don't think she's particularly interested in her surroundings yet. Mostly she's all about eating and sleeping. 

4. Any problems or issues you want to discuss?
How do you clip or file LO's fingernails? I can't get her to be still for it, so the only success we've had is for DH to do it while I'm nursing her. It would be nice if I could do it myself.


QOTW: what do you do to keep busy during those MOTN feeds?  I read on a Kindle in bed. I need some light to get LO to latch properly, and the Kindle provides just enough light for that, but not too much that it bothers DH. If she's fussy and doesn't want to go back to sleep, I'll come downstairs to rock her and watch whatever's on TV.

[pooky08]

apsalartoll I wait until LO is in deep sleep (when his breathing is like, is he still breathing?) Then I use a nail file.

I also need a light to nurse. The white noise machine we use has a light on it that is bright enough for me to see, but still very dim. It's a blue light. If I need a little boost to make sure he latches, I use my cell phone.

[rn536]

eliz77 I would think you would get something with pumping if baby has not nursed. Maybe you need a different flange size? Or need to relax more to have a letdown? I know some people need to pump a lot before their body can relax enough for a letdown.

[rn536]

Jan 21, 2015 11:28:39 GMT -5 calvinfoster said:

rn536, I wondered about that (if nursing both sides would make him sleep longer after the 1 am feed). I could try it tonight. worst that happens is that it wakes him up too much and he doest want to go back down. But if it helps the risk is worth it.

I know when my LO only takes one side he is looking for the second side an hour later.
As long as you can get him to latch the second side for a few minutes he should get sleepy again. You can change the diaper in between if needed to wake him for second side. Good luck!

[rn536]

pros521 sorry for the colic. I agree with the probiotic suggestion or even gripe water. Easy to add to formula. Growth spurts are rough. Hope it ends soon.

[rn536]

alwaysaforeigner
Have you tried white noise apps on your phone so you don't have to turn on blow dryer?
We are the same with naps. I can't get him to go down on his own or even get some what of a schedule. I am rocking the RNP with my foot as I type this. Hoping he falls asleep.
path75 the sleeping should get a little better as baby gets older. Going back to work will be hard but once you get back into the swing of things it will get easier. Do you work full time?
As for the smiling you will know it's a "real" smile when you can get him to smile by talking to him and trying to get him to smile. Random smiles at this age when no one is doing anything to stimulate are usually gas related. But it will come in time. Hope the constipation issues resolve!
I also had to learn not to jump up with every fuss the baby made. Even the third time around!
apsalartoll ugh the nails! I am having the hardest time with that myself. Files don't work and I can't get him to stay still to cut. He screams and wiggles. I want DH to do it while I am nursing but he refuses. He's scared I think. So I file when he nurses and try my hardest to cut one or two before I give up. Maybe try when baby is sleeping?

[alwaysaforeigner]

rn536 -yeah, I remember that getting DD1 to fall asleep on her own at around 3 months felt like such an accomplishment and freed up so much time.
For some reason the real blow dryer has much more effect than the white sound app. It's like it's louder or something.

[eliz77]

Jan 21, 2015 14:13:48 GMT -5 rn536 said:

eliz77 I would think you would get something with pumping if baby has not nursed. Maybe you need a different flange size? Or need to relax more to have a letdown? I know some people need to pump a lot before their body can relax enough for a letdown.

I really have no idea...and starting to think maybe I'm fighting a losing battle? My LC had said not to go based on what I pump, that some just aren't good pumpers. I hadn't nursed in 3 hours so I pumped and after 40 minutes, I barely produced enough to cover bottom of bottles. So frustrating. 

[rn536]

Jan 21, 2015 15:43:33 GMT -5 eliz77 said:

Jan 21, 2015 14:13:48 GMT -5 rn536 said:

eliz77 I would think you would get something with pumping if baby has not nursed. Maybe you need a different flange size? Or need to relax more to have a letdown? I know some people need to pump a lot before their body can relax enough for a letdown.

I really have no idea...and starting to think maybe I'm fighting a losing battle? My LC had said not to go based on what I pump, that some just aren't good pumpers. I hadn't nursed in 3 hours so I pumped and after 40 minutes, I barely produced enough to cover bottom of bottles. So frustrating. 

That is frustrating. Watch a YouTube video of correct size flange for pumping to make sure you are using the right size. I'm sorry it's so frustrating for you. Stress over it definitely won't help. ((Hugs))

[eliz77]

Jan 21, 2015 15:59:11 GMT -5 rn536 said:

Jan 21, 2015 15:43:33 GMT -5 eliz77 said:

I really have no idea...and starting to think maybe I'm fighting a losing battle? My LC had said not to go based on what I pump, that some just aren't good pumpers. I hadn't nursed in 3 hours so I pumped and after 40 minutes, I barely produced enough to cover bottom of bottles. So frustrating. 

That is frustrating. Watch a YouTube video of correct size flange for pumping to make sure you are using the right size. I'm sorry it's so frustrating for you. Stress over it definitely won't help. ((Hugs))


Thank you, but apparently it is the right size-according to two LCs-I was sent home with a hospital grade pump plus flanges that she picked for me, and my H had gotten me one via insurance and a 2nd LC OK'd those flanges and both are same size. I guess I will just do as I have-watch for baby's cues and if he wants to nurse, we will. If he wants formula, I'll give it to him. 

[rn536]

Jan 21, 2015 17:03:45 GMT -5 eliz77 said:

Jan 21, 2015 15:59:11 GMT -5 rn536 said:

That is frustrating. Watch a YouTube video of correct size flange for pumping to make sure you are using the right size. I'm sorry it's so frustrating for you. Stress over it definitely won't help. ((Hugs))


Thank you, but apparently it is the right size-according to two LCs-I was sent home with a hospital grade pump plus flanges that she picked for me, and my H had gotten me one via insurance and a 2nd LC OK'd those flanges and both are same size. I guess I will just do as I have-watch for baby's cues and if he wants to nurse, we will. If he wants formula, I'll give it to him. 

The most important thing is feeding baby so you are doing a great job. And having a stress momma won't help so your plan is perfect. Hang in there.