Feeding Whtie Board

I'm back.  My last post was when my first son was almost 1 and I found out I was pregnant with number 2.  So I stopped writing as I felt that I had my hands full.  Well they are still full but sharing makes you a bit less crazy.  My daughter arrived in early August. 

So my first post was mentioned as a joke!  I have family in down and am always asked "when was she feed last?" so I told my husband, I should just get out a whiteboard.  There is is.. I should of that would have been so helpful.  Unfortunately, the last of my baby help leaves in 3 days but until then I have put a "LAST FEED" sheet on the fridge.

The first two weeks of breastfeeding are definitely the hardest, I really had to fight to get through (even the second time).  I think it is natural to assume a crying baby is a hungry baby... this whiteboard idea would help folks know that MAYBE it is something else.  It is really hard to not feel like a cow while you are breastfeeding.  Serious but true.

Anyways, maybe one of you will take up the Feeding White Board idea. Until next time, V

Joining the poop club

Have you ever noticed how much parents talk about their kids' poop? When I was pregnant, all the parents I knew seemed to delight in telling me stories about the massive blowouts they had to deal with when their kids were babies. It seemed a little odd to me at the time, but now I sort-of get it. They're just happy to have another member of the club. I mean, you bring your baby home from the hospital and all he does is eat, sleep and poop - you naturally start to obsess over those things. My husband and I give each other regular updates about our son's poop habits. If you listened to us you'd think we were crazy.

The latest in our house is that my son has stopped pooping when he's with my husband - I don't think Eric has changed a poopy diaper in 2 weeks! Eric jokes that they have an arrangement, and what's my comeback supposed to be? Poop equals love? Not exactly a winning argument! I've started singing "Saving all my poop for you" to the tune of "saving all my love for you." It's the best I can come up with.

Relax, your kid is normal

As a new parent, you will become obsessed with developmental milestones. Can my baby hold his head up? Does he laugh? Can he grasp a toy? Yadda, yadda, yadda. I have 2 nieces and 3 nephews, and my cousins have 7 kids between them, so I thought I'd come to the sensible realization that every child develops at his or her own pace. The milestone lists are not a bad guideline, but they're certainly not a universal schedule. I know from family experience that some kids talk early but are slower to develop motor skills, or vice versa. Eventually, they pretty much level out.

But it doesn't matter what you know in your rational mind. When you become a parent your anxious brain takes over and you can easily fixate on what your child is or is not doing (e.g. he's late tracking objects with his eyes - something's wrong! or, he's rolling over in both directions - he's a genius!). I have to remind myself: stop thinking so much! Relax and enjoy this time, because the baby is changing constantly and these little phases of development don't last long.

... about laundry

I had everything ready to go when our son came home. You are already tired and learning how to take care of a new person and we were doing a load a day. It does get better as you learn what you really need to use but be prepared. (Watch out for the grandparents - they like to use lots of blankets! ;)) This is a great way visitors can help out. We are down to 3 loads a week but it seems endless. If you feel yourself stressing because you are out of burp clothes again, do yourself a favor and buy some more! My husband and I gave up sorting whites and colors a long time ago!
We use 7th Generation - cheaper at WF than BRU. For milk stains we soak in OXO Brite and then rewash with other clothes in 7th Gen. OXO helps with poop too but isn't perfect. I have no answers for that one! - V

I wish I understood what lack of sleep meant...

Everyone always tells you that you will not get sleep when you bring your newborn home. You know that this will be true but until you have a newborn under your roof you don't understand what that means. As a parent-to-be you read books and they say that newborns sleep 8 hours at night and 8 hour during the day. That only leaves 8 hour, right? Wrong. To all of you women who have/had sleepers - I am jealous. My little guy still will not sleep much during the day. He also had jaundice at birth so that meant nursing every 2 hours.
So to all you future new mom's out there. Here is how my first month went.
Feed - 45 minutes (YES, 45!) - Burp 10 minutes - Diaper 5 minutes
Then choose 1 activity - eat, shower, or play with baby.
Repeat 12x a day. My guy only had 12 possible hours of sleeping, not 16 and of course he did not always go to sleep after he ate. - V