Co-sleeping
 

My 14-month-old tries to get into the dishwasher at every opportunity. Climbers are a pain in the ass. Cute, but a pain in the ass.

Co-sleeping
 

Sorry I'm a little slow on the uptake here.

We have an Arm's Reach co-sleeper, the full-size one (they didn't have the mini one when we bought it for Magnus). Magnus was a bad sleeper, and for his first couple of months he wouldn't sleep in the co-sleeper at all. The only way I could get any sleep was by having him right next to me, face up against my breast (but not necessarily latched on). Then for a couple of months he would sleep in it, but only until one of us made some miniscule little noise, and then he would wake up and have to be nursed back to sleep. We moved him into his own room at 4 months so we could at least get some rest between his every-three-hours wakings to nurse.

Thor is a very different baby. He sleeps well in the co-sleeper (a bad night is when he wakes up twice, 3-ish and 6-ish), and he's still in it at 4 months plus a little (because he's a refluxer, we have a couple bricks under the head end to elevate it, and he sleeps on his tummy). I like how I don't have to get out of bed to get him to feed him, and if I fall asleep while nursing I don't get that evil crick in my neck like I do when I'm sitting up in the rocking chair. It's also nice not to have to worry about him falling out of bed--we can sleep really close to the edge (we're in a queen) and if he rolls a little, he'll just fall 2 inches into the co-sleeper.

So I guess if you like the idea, you should go ahead and get it, knowing that you can't be 100% certain it will work well for you. How the baby will sleep is just one of those things you can't know ahead of time.

Good luck!

tm

Co-sleeping
 

I'm quickly learning that there are a lot of things that I can't know ahead of time, which sucks when my OCD kicks in...

Co-sleeping
 

Don't worry. You'll either get used to it or you'll go insane once the baby arrives. Fortunately, for the first several months you'll be far too tired to know which you are.

Co-sleeping
 

Take a picture. Take two.

My daughter, about 18-22 months would contort herself into the oven of her little play kitchen- legs bent just so and wrapped around- she could close the door. We watched her do it twice figuring we'll film it the third time.

Once she got a sense of her ehrtiage she stopped with the climbing into ovens so we have no record.

Co-sleeping
 

Clever girl, to deny you the proof once she realized she's descended from Holocaust deniers.

Cheap Entertainment
 

My kid played with an empty oat canister today for over an hour. I'm thinking of returning his Xmas gifts and investing in a few new ones from Quaker. If I also make white cocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies for Hubby's staff for Xmas, it kills 2 birds.

Cheap Entertainment
 

and, oats are very good for you, so you are keeping your dead birds alive as well.

Cheap Entertainment
 

Save the bucks while you can-they won't know any different. Instead of pricey presents, I'm fancy wrapping low cost items she'll love like Dora Bubbles, chocolates in different shapes, bubble bath, and books. What are the chances I am "staff" at your Hubby's office? Mmmmmn.

PS- I just watched the short film, "The Snowman" (Raymond Briggs) which was incredible - the music was haunting. See

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076...v=glance&n=130

Any recs on other great holiday films?

Cheap Entertainment
 

I bought The Snowman before we had kids - I love it....I had the book ages ago, but the video is wonderful. Check out Father Christmas by Briggs (Book, might be video, but I haven't seen it). One of my favs is Christmas Eve on Sesame Street circa late 70s. I love it and I'd suppose most kids would too.

Are you an underpaid government worker? I thought not. I'd offer to mail some, but USPS seems to be moving fairly slowly these days, so you'd likely end up with a box of stale oaty crumbs.

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I am now leaving the house ... four hours after I decided to run this errand.

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Is that your kid? Sweet!

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When they aren't busy eating, pregnant women are constantly crying or going to the bathroom. They'll swear up and down that these are more of those famous pregnancy symptoms, but I watch television and I know that unstable women who constantly need to run to the bathroom are drug addicts. Perhaps you remember a certain episode of Saved by the Bell, when Jessie Spano got addicted to caffeine pills and Zack Morris had to stage an intervention to get her to stop the madness? Well, every time one of these pill-addled fatties waddles down the hall toward the loo, I wish I had Zack's courage.

Big deal.

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You quoted the wrong paragraph, wuss.

And the worst part is that the endless complaining doesn't end after the baby is born. Rather than appreciating the fact that they had a normal child in spite of the drugs and the reckless overeating, new parents go on and on about how hard child care is. Everyone knows that kids love television and candy. Yet I've met parents who refuse to give a baby candy or let it watch TV, and then complain when it cries. Wouldn't you cry if someone took away your bourbon and cut your cable line just as Desperate Housewives was about to commence? What if Eva Longoria said something especially sassy and you missed it?

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Atticus' wife didn't take any drugs when she had her baby. He's really proud- you should ask him about it.

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Cute. Very cute.

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He hasn't had chocolate yet. You've seen pics - my kids don't need fattening up like yours does.

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Painkillers. Didn't take any painkillers.

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that is a cute kid!

and i am not the type who tells people their ugly kid is cute..i ususaly end up complimenting the outfit or something...lol

ml

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I love the outfit your baby is wearing!

Cheap Entertainment - The Snowman
 

This reminds me -- this weekend, my family was at a local restaurant and we were waiting to be seated. My diabetic-coma-inducingly sweet 3-y-o boy went over to a snowman display thingy (a few inches taller than he is; one of those blowup things) to have a closer look. I thought he'd admire it or whatever, maybe say hi, then move on. Instead, he went over to it, said "Snowman!" then proceeded to punch it in the face repeatedly as if it were a knock-down clown (those things you punch, then they pop back up). The onlookers' smiles turned to shocked expressions.

What a proud parenting moment that was!

Cheap Entertainment - The Snowman
 

Cute now, but when he inevitably starts treating the neighborhood cat and other small helpless animals like knockdown clowns, then moves on progressively and non-empathetically to bigger, less fuzzy creatures? :)

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Come now. Isn't the baby breathtaking?

Cheap Entertainment - The Snowman
 

Was there something in my message that made you think I was happy about the punching bag session?

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She's very sweet. But what's this about razormouth? Does she have teeth already?

tm

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It just feels like it sometimes - baby doesn't open very wide and I'm ginormously endowed right now. The nickname was conferred early on when bad latch-ons were the norm.

Razormouth
 

Ok, apropos of the "Razormouth" discussion, I took my breastfeeding class at the hospital last Saturday. I didn't really learn anything, but the breastfeeding videos were all filmed in Norway and encouraged going topless as much as possible to avoid complication. Norwegian boobies were everywhere. Mr. Chick was wishing he hadn't wussed out on going with me.

So, Norwegian TITS aside, here's my concern. For those of you who went back to working full time and were BFing, was pumping really feasible? I am a little overwhelmed with the thought of having to pump 4 times a day and managing the whole process. Please tell me it's not impossible. My goal is to BF for one year.

I have been examining my breast pump options and am leaning towards the Ameda Purely Yours. Any recommendations? Should I have it on hand now, or wait until I know if I will be able to BF successfully... or might having it on hand be potentially useful in case I need it to relieve engorgement, help build supply, or be ready to exclusively pump if the Chicklette has some BFing issue?

Razormouth really is just beautiful.

Razormouth
 

I just wrote the longest post I have ever written and it got deleted. I'm just seething. Fuck.

Razormouth
 

Not enough details.

How soon will you be going back to work? That will have a huge impact on how often you'll have to pump. I went back to work at 6 months, and only pumped once a day. I hated it but it was doable. Everyone pretty much figured out if my office door was closed, they didn't want to take a chance on walking in on me.

And honey, it is my firm belief that everyone is capable of breastfeeding successfully. Just decide you're going to do it, don't let the nurses in the hospital talk you into giving the little one even one tiny bottle, and grit your teeth through the first 4 weeks. It gets easier as you and your baby both figure out what the hell to do.

Razormouth
 

Concur, but if I'd posted this I would have gotten my ass chewed by Les Mesdames Razormouth.

Razormouth
 

I breastfed with #1 for 14 months (8-9 months of it was exclusively breastmilk), after having gone back to work at 14 weeks. I was able to pump in my office, which was crucial. With my second, I had to go down to a separate room to do it (I took only 10 weeks, was pumping in my office for a couple more months, but then changed jobs and had to use a nursing room), and it was much more difficult. Get blinds or something if you don't have total privacy in your office. It makes a huge difference. I was also able to visit my baby during the day (over lunchtime), so I was able to feed then, and at the end of the day, so she - who was very picky and would feed every other hour if she had me there - was fine.

I woudl go for the best pump you can buy. The commercial-grade ones are best. I used [can't remember brand name] pump-in-style or something. It was awesome. Second time around I bought a small one to try out for travel, and it was worthless.

Bnb is right - it may require being a hardass with the nurses and such, but if you want only breastmilk, then you can most likely do that. At least the first time I wouldn't let them come near her with a bottle, which made for a horrible night the first night before my milk really came in . But it was somethign I wanted to do. Absolutely necessary? No, but it is good to be resolved if you really want to breastfeed for that long. It will be easy not to, and I found it a relief when my second transitioned earlier, but I thought at the time that it was worth it.

And as far as having it on-hand "in case" - who knows, but with my first I had an unbelievable oversupply, so it was a total lifesaver.

I'm still very angry about losing my post, so a brief summary....

I have the PIS - it worked for 11mos of exclusive pumping and is still going strong for #2 (not EPing). I like it a lot - as much as you can like a breastpump. Plus, it takes the same parts you use in the hospital (they pretty much all use Medela Lactinas) so you can take the parts home and have spares. Nice.

I don't know what sort of jollies they get in the hospital from trying to ply the baby with formula against your wishes, but we had that problem both times. I won't go into it, just be prepared and have your hubby prepared to say no - you may not feel up to arguing about it when the times comes, so make sure hubby knows what you want and why you want it.

In addition to freezing 4-6 oz or whatever she normally eats, freeze 2oz portions so they won't have to defrost a whole meal portion if she seems a little hungrier than normal.

I liked the playtex ventaire bottles, BTW. You can pump right into them from the PIS if you want to.

Pump on a strict schedule, at least in the beginning - your boobs will get on schedule and will be ready to pump at the same time each day - they really can tell time!

Give baby a bottle fairly early - 3 weeks or so so she will take it. My kid won't take a bottle so here I am trying to figure out how I'm going to handle a jury trial in 3w with Mr. Boobiebaby in the sling.

Check out www.kellymom.com, www.breastfeeding.com, www.askdrsears.com, www.lalecheleague.com for more info. Have your local LLL leader's number on hand at the hospital in case you need it - the LCs at the hospitals are not always good or available, despite what they tell you beforehand.

If you have a short mat. leave you may need to pump 3x a day, but I cannot imagine 4x, unless your commute is a killer or you work super-long hours. After time, you should be able to go down to 2 or even 1, but don't try that until you are well-established.

Supply - not eating enough good quality protein or enough calories, low iron, sheer exhaustion and lack of sleep, pain, stress, dehydration, and PP depression can all kill supply, so be sure to take preemptive measures where you can.

Razormouth
 

I will be sure to let my friend who had a baby 10 weeks early know where you and Atticus stand on this.


(crabby stuck at work late; no donuts. no reason to make such extreme statements. very annoying. could say something like many nurses very pushy with the formula; your baby didn't latch on for 2 weeks and screamed the whole time and lost 3 lbs after birth, but you persevered and the kid caught on and you happily breastfed.)

edited to delete extreme pissiness and fix a hyphenation problem. and because having total agreement from Atticus on a birth-related issue is probably punishment enough.

Razormouth
 

My first kid wouldn't ever latch on. I pumped for the better part of a year and he only ever took a bottle. It wasn't my first choice and I would never suggest that it is the right choice for everyone, but it is an option, even for moms of preemies.

I have several friends who say they "could not" breastfeed, but the truth is they didn't really want to and should own up to that instead....one maintains her baby didn't like the way it tasted, so she had to quit after 3 days.

However, there are actual medical conditions (of baby or mom) that prevent nursing, medications that prevent nursing, and those that choose to use formula and shouldn't feel bad for making that choice. I actually have a medical condition that in some (thankfully not me) results in abslutely no milk production at all, so I know that it is quite possible. I'm going to have to assume that BNB was simply overgeneralizing in her zealous ambition to breastfeed the world.

Razormouth
 

if she had allowed for pumping and feeding breastmilk with a bottle, I would have cut her some slack. But nooooooo.

Cheap Entertainment - The Snowman
 

It was the "proud parenting moment" comment. Anyhow, I thought the description was hilarious and I'd have been laughing my butt off. (Hopefully you are not really concerned about the incident!!)

[Note to self: you suck at board humor attempts]

On the suckling thread: one of the single gals I adopted with overseas chose to breastfeed. I was shocked but you can actually produce milk if you start using a breast pump several weeks before you adopt. I hear you have to really go to town on them with the pump and you usually don't get enough milk to supply 100% of the baby's needs. Still, that's amazing.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I plan on going back after 12-13 weeks. The daycare is within walking distance of my office downtown, so I may be able to BF at lunch on a fairly regular basis. Only pumping 2-3 times doesn't seem so bad.

TexLex, did you deliver at Women's? If so I will watch them like a hawk. I wasn't expecting that problem, since most non-BFers bitch about the pro-BF attitude of the nurses.

OK, so now with the advice that everyone has given me, at what point do you start pumping, assuming a decent latch within the first week or so? When do you start building your freezer/referigerator stash and what's the best way to go about that?

Razormouth
 

I disagree. My wife successfully breastfed Soupette #s 2 and 3, but Soupette #1 could not be persuaded to latch on. For a while my wife pumped and we fed the baby the milk with an eyedropper. Two consults with lactation experts did not help with the lacthing on. After about a week of the baby not latching on, mom's milk wasn't coming in as much and the baby was dehydrated and turning a bit blue.

The doctor announced that we had to immediately switch to formula. The baby did beautifully with the bottle. I remember a nurse remarking, "Aren't you glad you live in a time where we have baby formula? Otherwise your child would die." Thanks, nurse.

Near as I can tell, my wife did nothing different with the 2nd and 3rd children, but they both latched on properly. In hindsight, I realize that Soupette #1 simply did not have the personality for breastfeeding: she is stubborn, has no patience, and has a ferocious temper.

So, no matter how motivated the mom is, some babys simply won't breastfeed. To suggest otherwise is simply nipple nazi propaganda.

Some of my friends suggest that my wife must have done things differently with the 2nd and 3rd kids. They say that the Soupette #1 wouldn't have let herself starve to death by not eating. Perhaps she wouldn't have, but as you can imagine, it wasn't a theory I was willing to test.

Razormouth
 

Allow me to amend my earlier statement.

It is my firm belief that ALMOST everyone can breastfeed successfully.

It is also my firm belief that lots of women today decide that breastfeeding is too difficult, uncomfortable, awkward, painful, embarrassing, insert-your-own-adjective to try or to continue, and then claim that they were "unsuccessful or unable" to breastfeed.

Truth is, I don't give a shit whether anyone breastfeeds or bottle feeds or whatever they decide to do. As far as I'm concerned, it's a personal decision and one that doesn't have any impact at all on whether one is a good mother or whatever.

Razormouth
 

You can concur all you like, but it's just not true. Around the time my first child was born, a girl (she was a teenager) in NYC was arrested (!!) after her baby died because she insisted on breastfeeding, but because she had had a breast reduction some years earlier, the milk just wasn't coming out and the baby died of starvation.

Some women have a physical inability to breastfeed, though I do think that the physical inability is mostly among the post-breast-reduction set. Those who have had boob jobs to make boobs bigger don't have the same difficulties, however (or so I've heard).


ETA: I'm not sure if I am one of the madames, and tempting as the offer is, I am not getting anywhere near your ass.