*Baby Corner*

[yassmine2878 1]

Well now that Ive freaked out about the baby not moving, he's been super-active. I guess he was just chillin.

And Ace, where are you? If you're going to beat me to the finish line you had better fork over some cutie-pie pics.

Congrats Ace on the water breaking!! Can't wait to hear from u. Also I can't wait to see pictures of your little one soon Yassmine !!!

LOL same here!

[chri'stina 190]

I hope we get to hear from Ace soon!

Here are more pictures of Kavi...

(oops sorry so big)

He had his first Dr's appt on Wednesday. He gained 12 ounces since birth and grew 1/2 an inch.

I am really tired which is usual for having a new baby! Kavi is funny... he won't yet sleep in his basinet, but he likes sleeping in his stroller reclined. So that's where he has been sleeping. We keep it near our bed.

Is there anything better to take than tums for heartburn? Can I take equate or mylanta?

You'll have to double check with your Dr, but I was told it was ok for me to take over the counter antacid pills like zantac. I took the generic version. I also ate lots of rolaids too.

Edited February 16, 2008 by stina&suj

[Chrissy25 0]

Kavi is gorgeous Stina, congrats again

[BelwinMills 0]

Kavi is gorgeous Stina, congrats again

Ditto

[KJandSH 0]

Kristi, I agree!!!

To those who are/have breastfed:

What are your thoughts on giving the baby both breastmilk and formula? My initial thought is that I would like to try to solely use breastmilk for the first 6 months or so, but I am wondering if that is realistic. It seems I have talked to many mothers recently who began introducing formula as well because they found it easier to be back at work or take the baby in public and give formula.

YES! It is very realistic!!!! You can definitely do it if you produce enough milk!

I may sound like some crazy breastfeeding lady, but I am not. I see nothing wrong with using formula. If it is easier for you, then it is your decision.

Please visit the LLL and Kellymom forums (I posted the links in my previous posts). Many women there exclusively breastfeed/pump for 6 months+ Many of them are working moms.

I guess it is easy for me, since I am a SAHM (stay at home mom), but if you have to work, you can still do it! Good luck!

You can exclusively pump and not formula feed your babies, even after you go back to work. I went back to work when my twins were 5 months old and I have been pumping for them since that time, and plan to continue pumping for them until they wean. I work full time as a high school teacher.

When my twins were very young, I was one of those mothers who gave their babies formula when we went in public because I found it to be easier (I also had a rough start to breastfeeding with one of my daughters who had been in the NICU). Around the time that my twins were 8 weeks old I decided to stop doing this because it was my goal to exclusively breastfeed my babies (I was motivated by both cost and health reasons). Also, formula feeding was affecting my supply. What had seemed like it was making my life easier was actually making it more difficult. I had to work hard to get my supply back up after supplementing with formula, but it was absolutely worth it. I got to the point where I could breastfeed both of my babies and make them happy at the same time--I was never able to easily bottle feed them together and even when I tried, it caused a lot of tears and felt very impersonal because I couldn't hold them both in my arms and feed them.

I know that you are not having twins, but I just want to offer my story up so that it might be a source of inspiration for some. I was not very knowledgeable about breastfeeding before I had my babies, but I did know that I wanted to breastfeed. I ended up supplementing with formula because I had a baby who was tube-fed formula in the NICU and was told that my other twin needed a formula supplement because she lost too much weight while we were in the hospital. Had I been more educated, I truly believe I would have had an easier start to breastfeeding and probably would never have experienced the supply problems that came about from supplementing with formula.

In the short run it can seem that supplementing with formula is easier, but in the long run it really isn't. I was not comfortable nursing in public at first, but I eventually decided that I wasn't going to stay cooped up in my house and I wasn't going to drag around bottles and formula or expressed milk for two. I found places where I could nurse in public comfortably and went there a lot. These days a lot of malls have nursing mother areas and you can use blankets or nursing shawls to help you be more discreet when a nursing room isn't available.

It is unfortunate but true that women might find it hard to pump milk for their babies when they go back to work. Some jobs aren't supportive, but women do have the right to have a comfortable place to pump and to be provided time to do so. In addition, people in public spaces can be offended by the sight of a nursing woman.

I have been very lucky to have a supportive working environment and I have never had an issue with someone being offended when I nursed in public. On the contrary, people have been very supportive.

The websites that Russian Girl has directed you to are great. Another great resource is 'The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding' which is put out by La Leche League. I checked it out from my local library after I had my babies and I wished so much that I had read it before I had given birth.

Some people think that La Leche League is a militant breastfeeding group, but I have not found them to be that way at all. All of the members I have come in contact with have been extremely supportive and non judgmental and I also find that the literature they put out is not preachy or over the top.

Best of luck with the remainder of your pregnancy. If you have an opportunity to take a breastfeeding class, I would jump at the chance. I was too cheap to spend the money on a class, and it ended up costing me in other ways, but as they say, all's well that ends well and I have had a great breastfeeding relationship with my babies. I just can't say enough good about how it has saved my time, sanity, and makes me feel proud of mothering my children.

Kristi

[KJandSH 0]

Kristi, Russian girl,

Thank you again. I do have Pump in style Advanced. I hope things will work out better for me. Right now my milk isn't enough for him, after nursing he cries and cries and it breaks my heart. But I still nurse, and then pump and supplement.

I love the idea about hands-free pumping! Thank you again.

Have you talked to a lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader in your area? It would probably help to have a person come and observe you in person and help you figure things out that way. You might also ask a lactation consultant if she thinks that a hospital grade pump like the Symphony would work better at establishing milk supply. Even though a Pump in Style Advanced is a good pump, I still think the Symphony would be even better for you right now.

I just really feel for you. I went through a very similar time with my babies where I would nurse and nurse and nurse and they would cry for more. I was exacerbating my problem by the way I was supplementing. A lactation consultant could also advise you as to how to supplement so you won't negatively affect your supply.

Russian girl is right about hands free pumping. Here is a link to the hands free pumping bra that I have. I love it! http://store.babycenter.com/product/hands-...true&page=1

Kristi

[Marilyn. 340]

Kavi is sooo cute

[Nizzy 1]

Kavi is soooo adorable! Eman wouldn't sleep anywhere but his carseat so we had him in there (brought the car seat into the house) for some months until he learned how to get himself out of it.

[yassmine2878 1]

Anybody have trouble with numbness in the belly in the last few days before birth? I keep getting this patch of cold numbness right above my belly button (but not covering the whole belly). Any ideas?

[chri'stina 190]

Thanks for all the compliments on Kavi's pics. hehe. He is a cutie! And I know every mom thinks their kid is the cutest!!

I want to see more baby pics from other new babies too!

Lyuba, Lizzy, post some pics!

Can't wait to see pics from Ace...and Yassmine not too long either!

[yassmine2878 1]

Thanks for all the compliments on Kavi's pics. hehe. He is a cutie! And I know every mom thinks their kid is the cutest!!

I want to see more baby pics from other new babies too!

Lyuba, Lizzy, post some pics!

Can't wait to see pics from Ace...and Yassmine not too long either!

Two more daaaaaayyyyyssss. Id count them down but Im too tired. Its like the sleep monster just comes in and whacks me on the head about 3 times a day. I may sleep right through the c-section.

[chri'stina 190]

We uploaded some videos of Kavi...just thought I'd post a link if anyone wanted to see!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=88...87172&hl=en

Thanks for all the compliments on Kavi's pics. hehe. He is a cutie! And I know every mom thinks their kid is the cutest!!I want to see more baby pics from other new babies too!

Lyuba, Lizzy, post some pics! smile.gif

Can't wait to see pics from Ace...and <b>Yassmine not too long either!</b>

Two more daaaaaayyyyyssss. Id count them down but Im too tired. Its like the sleep monster just comes in and whacks me on the head about 3 times a day. I may sleep right through the c-section.

Get as much sleep as you can before the c-section!

I was horrible about sleeping at the hospital...I just couldn't get comfy and nurses come in often to check on you. They tell you to rest but how can you really when they keep coming in!tongue.gif

I even got a sleeping pill one night to try to help me get sleep, and it didn't work for me at all. I slept like 1 hour per night in the hospital. I hope you are a better sleeper than me. Best wishes for everything!!

[Lyuba 0]

Stina,

I would love to post some pictures of my treasure!!!!! Thank you for asking.

Kavi is great!!!!

Stina,

How do you attach such big pictures? Mine are so small.

[Nizzy 1]

Awww Mason is super cute! He is changing a lot...well I am comparing that to the pics of when he was born.

[b_weeks 6]

We are due in September.