1) Today was hubby's first day back at work. Yes, we were lucky and got him at home for a full month. But now reality sets in. I am now a stay at home mom without a helper. Today went pretty well...what will tomorrow hold?
2) I attended a new moms group today that the hospital puts on. It is run by a nurse and there were probably 15 women there with kids ranging from Emma (the youngest at 4 weeks) to about 9 months. It seems like a great place to get questioned answered and to vent about frustrations and difficulties. I plan to go each Monday.
3) I have 2 products that I really like so far and would recommend. First, we use the Miracle Blanket everynight with Emma. It is the best swaddler I've found - Emma can't get out of it. I am also digging my Sleepy Wrap, especially now that I don't have a helper to hand Emma off to. It is pretty easy to put on (seemed intimidating at first) and Emma seems very comfortable and falls asleep easily in it. She's sleeping in it right now as I type!
4) I've just started pumping to try to get some milk for our freezer for future use. I am pumping in between sessions and only getting about 1.5-2 ounces. That isn't even one full bottle. The nurse at the moms group today say that is typical. Wish I could get a full bottle with each session. Gonna take a long time to stock up the freezer!
5) Emma will not sleep in her bassinet. She hates laying flat on her back. We bought a sleep wedge but that still doesn't prop her up enough. Initially, she was sleeping on my chest at night. Now we've got her sleeping in her carseat (though often I have to get her to fall asleep first on top of me). I'm sure experts would scold me...but, hey, she sleeps. And that's what matters to me! We've even gotten her to do 5-6 hours straight on a few nights.
So, that's about it. Emma turns one month tomorrow. Wow! In honor of her one month birthday, here's a cute new picture...
Adorable...and five or six hours of sleep??!! WOW...I think we're a long way off from that...boo!!!!! :o)
ReplyDeletei'm with you on the sleep thing, as long as they're sleeping who cares where it is, swing, crib, carseat, whatever! the only thing i won't do is get her in the habit of sleeping with us and that's because every person i've ever known who's done that has had trouble breaking their kids of it.
ReplyDeleteHow great that your hubby was able to be home for a month, and it sounds like you did great on your own. A mommy's group sounds like such a great idea.
ReplyDeleteok some pumping help...I was a 2 pump momma and got 3 month supply in my freezer by the time he was 2 months! Pump after you feed her...that will get your supply up...eat oatmeal and drink plenty of water! and pump every 2 hours even when she is sleeping...I would get up in the middle of the night to pump...just to pump but I would get 4 plus oz everytime I pumped even after feedings! Feed on demand. We breast feed for 9 months when he said no that he wanted it from the fridge cold...so I still pumped till he was a year old and gave him the milk in the freezer so he got breast milk till he was well over a year old! Just keep it up it will happen!
ReplyDeleteSuch a little cutie!! I'm glad things are going well and that you survived your first day at home by yourself! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'd kill for 1.5-2oz! I'm lucky to get about 1oz after a feed. Not sure how we'll cope when I go back to work. Or what I'd be able to get in 20min if I had enough of a break between feeds. But an hour after a feed I still only get about 1-1.5oz. Not terribly impressive!
ReplyDeleteAny good pedi would be okay with a carseat to sleep in- 50% of babies have reflux and one of the suggestions to help is to sleep upright, ours even included a carseat in the list of possible suggestions of upright places.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you on the Miracle Blanket and Sleepy Wrap. The sleepy wrap really helped when Anna would not nap at all in the thick of her reflux.