Your Friday Thread

[LizInFL]

Morning!

What's going on with everyone today? Any fun plans for the weekend?

[LizInFL]

DH has a work function at a bar out at the beach this afternoon. Of course, this is the first I'm hearing of it, and my parents have plans, so I'm trying to find a sitter so I can join him for a bit.

I feel like there needs to be some ice cream or something for me afterwards since I cannot partake in the bar tab.

Otherwise, we are planning a family beach day tomorrow with my parents and aunt/her family, so I need to start getting organized for that.

[kleigh]

LizInFL What's the weather like there? I mean I know you're in Florida but it's cold and rainy here (in CT) that I assumed everyone was having colder than normal temps.

Today is (one of) my brother(s) birthday(s) and he is an improv comedian/teacher in NYC but does a local show here once a month under my mothers management. So we are going with friends to see that and celebrate his bday.

[cookswithwine9]

TGIF! So glad it's Friday! I will be 12 weeks tomorrow! I'm excited about hitting that milestone.
No big plans this weekend, H is working. Might meet a girlfriend for bunch/shopping tomorrow. Sunday we are doing the Mother's Day bbq for my mom and 2 mils.

[LizInFL]

kleigh We were having higher-than-normal temps last week (90s...so not ready for full-on summer) but a front came through and cooled things off. I think the high for the next few days is 80ish, and zero humidity, so perfect beach weather.

[dashook]

LizInFL, I had a similar thought to kleigh at your beach day comment. Beach days feel a million years away here still. Today is going to be warmer than the last few days (so, 50's instead of 40's, yay?) but still dark and rainy. Sigh.

So LO is officially weaned as of yesterday. I just straight up didn't nurse him in the morning, gave him a bottle instead, and he had no fucks to give. So we're done, just like that lol. I should be more sad maybe, but it is really just a huge relief! Although I did end up pumping for a few minutes last night just to take the edge off a little. Hoping I can get away with not doing it at all tonight.

[LizInFL]

dashook I hope it warms up for y'all soon. And that's great that weaning went so easily for your little guy! I was about tapped out, it did not take my body long to figure things out; hopefully it will be that way for you.

edited to fix tag

[cookswithwine9]

FX for you danib!

[goldenlove3]

I went to the grocery stores yesterday and was totally embarrassed by my purchase. I bought the cake and frosting for my reveal, cinnamon and lemon bread (they were 2 for $5 so I had to buy 2), pizza rolls and watermelon. I told H he shouldn't let a pregnant, hungry girl go to the grocery store alone.

Anyway, I'm hoping to get out of work early today and just have a lazy night. We probably should go tile shopping though. Bathroom remodel is on hold until the end of the month since we have so much going on the next couple weeks. Tomorrow I'm going to be making the cake and hopefully getting some gardening going. Sunday is brunch with the IL's then BBQ at my parents house.

[LizInFL]

goldenlove3 that was totally me at the store yesterday, we only needed stuff for 2 or 3 meals, but you would have thought I was stocking up for the apocalypse. So. many. snacks.

[kleigh]

tgrimes1980 I would LOVE a solo night with chick flick. Even when H agrees to watch one he's on his phone half the time or getting up and down because he's bored. Enjoy!!

danib I hope you get outta there!
dashook I'm glad stopping bf cold turkey seemed to be ok! I'd love to know more about what to expect with bf, from what I read it seems like it's a very emotionally involved?
goldenlove3 I am with you! I tried to insist that MH not to let me go to the grocery store hungry, alone the other night but he had a crazy day and wanted to decompress. Normally our groceries total $75 almost on the nose each week, I walked out paying $150... Serves him right ;-)


Are any of our girls currently threatened or affected by the Canadian wildfires?

ETF tag

[tjanca22]

Happy Friday. I've been mia lately, work and life are busy.
dashook, glad to hear weaning is going good. We're sooo close to that point. I'm just not getting enough milk for him and E couldn't care less since he's all about the real food. We might just start WCM early and I'll just nurse at night until next month when he's 1. I think I'd be more sad to see this end, but with another one right around the corner, I just want that part of my body back, even if it's just for a little while! Congrats on making it this far girl!!!

Lots of errands for us today. Hopefully E corporates. It's supposed to hit 80, so I might pull out the water pad for E to play on this afternoon!

[sophiegrace]

Work work work work work

[sophiegrace]

FX for that injection so you can finally get out of there danib!!! Injection into the hip?

[sophiegrace]

Enjoy the beach LizInFL! We live about 20 minutes from the beach, but haven't gone in two years. That needs to be fixed this year, if it ever warms up.

[tallblonde]

danib hope you can get the injection. I think I missed why exactly you are in the hospital, but does not sound fun

vinolove hoping for a great appt today!

Day 10 of rain. The field trip for ds to a flower mart was canceled, but I may take him tomorrow since the sun may grace us with its presence.

[dashook]

May 6, 2016 8:21:55 GMT -5 cookswithwine9 said:

FX for you danib !

+1 danib!

[buckyb]

Hi All! I'm sitting on an airplane waiting to take off. I can't wait to snuggle my nephew in a few short hours. Have a great Friday!

[dashook]

May 6, 2016 8:46:34 GMT -5 kleigh said:

dashook I'm glad stopping bf cold turkey seemed to be ok! I'd love to know more about what to expect with bf, from what I read it seems like it's a very emotionally involved?

Everyone's experience is different obviously, but I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about my own.  For me, it was definitely emotional.  I mentioned this in my ticker change post this week, but I remember about this time last year, when LO was not even quite 4 months old, reading a post on the breastfeeding board about a mom who was weaning and she said something about how this Sunday would be the last time she nursed her son, and I just cried and cried thinking about it.  

Yet here I am, a year later, feeling completely fine and mainly relieved to be done.  Who knows if things would have been different if I weren't pregnant again, but I am and this is how I feel.  

I feel strongly that breastfeeding is a two-way--or, three in the case of twins --street.  It has to be something that is enjoyable and productive for everyone involved.  I know a lot of moms who have had guilt when they stopped (even at a year or more) but I think you have to do what's right for you.  I wanted to go to at least 18 months with DS but instead we made to almost 16 months and I am proud of that.  I loved breastfeeding and I am 100% sold on doing it again with baby #2, for as long as s/he and I want to.

[dashook]

buckyb, safe travels! And enjoy the snuggles!!

[dashook]

**skip if you are feeling queasy**







I thought I'd been feeling a lot better because my nausea has really died down the past week and a half, but just now very nearly threw up all over my office. I bit into a banana and the core of it was kind of hard (and almost crunchy???); I spit the whole thing out and gagged into my trash can. Now I just feel incredibly sick.

[kleigh]

dashook And anyone else feel free to comment. So I have a history of anxiety and depression, granted I haven't really had any issues with it in probably 8-9 years but my OB and I both intend to be proactive about watching for it. So to understand a little better, is it related to feeling that a certain period/time is over, and/or like they don't need you as much, or is it like a concern about how it's changed the body and then they're just done, and/or just an indescribable/intangible hormone related feeling?

Obviously with them being my first I have absolutely nothing to compare it to and no one in my family bf'd so I think part of my proactiveness will be in being prepared and knowing what to potentially look for or expect.

[sweetmelissa5]

kleigh, I think that I'm not really typical when it comes to breastfeeding, but I've never been emotional about it; once I'm ready to stop, I just want it over, and I've always just felt relief when each kid is weaned. With kid 3, I just couldn't seem to get her off the boob, and I finally went cold turkey at 15 months, and I was just so happy afterwards. I still haven't managed to fully wean my almost 18 month old, so I may be going cold turkey in the near future with her since she seems to be using my boobs more for comfort than nourishment at this point, and I just want my body back (for a little while anyway).

[kleigh]

May 6, 2016 10:22:25 GMT -5 sweetmelissa5 said:

kleigh, I think that I'm not really typical when it comes to breastfeeding, but I've never been emotional about it; once I'm ready to stop, I just want it over, and I've always just felt relief when each kid is weaned. With kid 3, I just couldn't seem to get her off the boob, and I finally went cold turkey at 15 months, and I was just so happy afterwards. I still haven't managed to fully wean my almost 18 month old, so I may be going cold turkey in the near future with her since she seems to be using my boobs more for comfort than nourishment at this point, and I just want my body back (for a little while anyway).

Thank you for the info :-) I really would like to try although not sure how it'll work being a FTM and having two but I do plan to try. I consider that they may be slightly early/underweight etc and I feel like if I can give it to them a little bit even it could help. Do you strictly nurse or do you pump also?

[dashook]

May 6, 2016 10:20:44 GMT -5 kleigh said:

dashook And anyone else feel free to comment. So I have a history of anxiety and depression, granted I haven't really had any issues with it in probably 8-9 years but my OB and I both intend to be proactive about watching for it. So to understand a little better, is it related to feeling that a certain period/time is over, and/or like they don't need you as much, or is it like a concern about how it's changed the body and then they're just done, and/or just an indescribable/intangible hormone related feeling?

Obviously with them being my first I have absolutely nothing to compare it to and no one in my family bf'd so I think part of my proactiveness will be in being prepared and knowing what to potentially look for or expect.

I think for me it was mainly the indescribable/intangible hormone related feeling that got me so upset a year ago when I contemplated ever stopping.  But it's interesting how much things change.  At that point, he was still so little, and he was EBF and nowhere near starting solids, and I think that played a part too; like, he really needed me and I was still a new mom and we were bonding, and BF was a big part of that.  I was nursing him 3-4 times a day/night and also pumping 3 times a day at that point, so I definitely think it was hormonal.  

As of the past month and a half though, I've only been nursing him one time a day, for just a few minutes, and he drinks WCM and eats real food like a grown man (seriously, he gained 3 lbs. between his 12 and 15 month appointments!).  He doesn't *need* my milk now for sustenance/survival, and my body is producing soooo much less, so my theory is that my hormones are pretty much at peace with this such that I'm not bothered by the transition.

Also intellectually, it doesn't bother me because he's grown so much more independent in all other aspects of his life too that I'm maybe sort of used to it by now and the transition isn't as jarring as it once would have been (not that I don't still ugly cry at diaper and formula ads that center on how babies grow up too fast).

Sorry for the novel lol

[kleigh]

dashook Nooo please don't apologize for the novel, I need all the info I can get :-) What is EBF and WCM?

[dashook]

May 6, 2016 10:50:30 GMT -5 kleigh said:

dashook Nooo please don't apologize for the novel, I need all the info I can get :-) What is EBF and WCM?

Exclusive breastfeeding and whole cows milk

Edit: I see tgrimes1980 already had me covered!

[aggiebug]

Hey DC metro ladies! what do you think of the plan for Metro repairs? and did you see the video of the fireball from yesterday? crazy town

[kleigh]

May 6, 2016 10:56:29 GMT -5 tgrimes1980 said:

kleigh I had a terrible time with breastfeeding. I wasn't producing enough milk and the pediatrician had me pumping after every nursing session & then feeding her a bottle of whatever I pumped. It was hell & really contributed to my PPA/PPD. I never experienced breastfeeding as a bonding experience between the two of us, like I'd always heard other women describe. She'd scream while on the boob and was losing weight. It was an awful experience for both of us. I ended up switching to formula after 2 months and although I felt extreme guilt (guilt that I put on myself), it was the best thing I ever did.

With that being said, I'm going to try breastfeeding again this time around. I hope it works out (mainly because it's less expensive ) but if it doesn't, I'm not going to beat myself up over it, like I did the last time.

Like a birthing plan, my whole goal is to have an idea of what I might like and be FULLY prepared to throw all that out the window in a moments notice and do what is best for me/babies both. I'm so happy you trusted yourself and did what was best/worked for you and baby and with any luck maybe this time is less stressful! :-)

[LizInFL]

kleigh I may also be an outlier but I did not find breastfeeding to be an emotional experience. I mean, it was sweet and all, but I just didn't experience the highs and lows that some women seem to. With that said, I had a really easy time of it. No latch issues, my milk came in relatively quickly, for the most part my supply was usually adequate, and DS in general was an easy baby. I may have felt differently if we had struggled, not sure. I am also a SAHM so never had to deal with pumping, etc. I did supplement with formula as needed, during growth spurts and/or when it was convenient, and I just didn't beat myself up about it.

I remember our pedi saying that babies get all the benefits of nursing with just 50% of their diet coming from breastmilk, and I thought that was a really good piece of information to keep in mind.

My original goal was a year and we made it 11 months...by the end, my supply had waned and DS was only nursing in the mornings and kind of losing interest. It was very easy to wean him. There was a pang of sadness, maybe, but at the same time I was feeling *done*.

eta: I just read over that and I sound very cold and heartless, lol. I assure you I'm not, but nursing to me was just a means to an end. I was glad I could do it and felt like DS benefitted from it, but if we had had to use formula exclusively, that would have been OK, too.