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Saturday, July 31, 2010
Creative lunch
Thursday, July 29, 2010
See? Forgotten.
The Forgotten Ones
Kiwi and Clem are the forgotten ones. They knew it and we knew it the night we came home with Cole. And they've been strategizing on how to gain our attention back ever since that warm May night. Please tell me we are not the only new parents who've forgotten to feed the cats on several occasions, who have cats who fawn all over guests, no matter how much they despise or love cats. Please tell me that we are not neglectful cat owners but merely loving parents who dote on our baby so much that we sometimes forget we have cats.
Kiwi and Clem have felt so attention deprived that they have resorted to the following activities: jumping up on our laps whenever we sit down to dinner, pushing open the bathroom door whenever I am on the toilet, attempting to push open the bedroom door in the early morning hours and running up on the bed when the bedroom door is open hoping for some petting. They have also been giving us little nips when we do pet them. I am trying to make more of an effort as a result of their efforts, but it seems like whatever love I give them is not enough! They want more!
The one thing neither of them will tolerate is Cole's crying. Man when he belts it out those cats run for the hills!
Kiwi and Clem have felt so attention deprived that they have resorted to the following activities: jumping up on our laps whenever we sit down to dinner, pushing open the bathroom door whenever I am on the toilet, attempting to push open the bedroom door in the early morning hours and running up on the bed when the bedroom door is open hoping for some petting. They have also been giving us little nips when we do pet them. I am trying to make more of an effort as a result of their efforts, but it seems like whatever love I give them is not enough! They want more!
The one thing neither of them will tolerate is Cole's crying. Man when he belts it out those cats run for the hills!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Found: Pacifier and a sore throat
Yesterday I found a pacifier. I was on the floor playing with Cole in his "Play Place" and watching as he did "tummy time" and happened to look under the crib (that was my vantage point) and lo and behold there was a pacifier.
Then I also discovered a sore throat! Lovely! Doctor says it's viral and the good news is that if Cole does catch it he won't get it as bad as me because of the anti-bodies in my breast milk.
And Happy Belated Birthday to Cole who celebrated being two months yesterday by crying for most of the afternoon. Ah those growing pains. But on the developmental front: we gave him a toy during dinner. Rather, we put it in his lap. He grabbed it and picked it up and put it in his mouth! He did this three times! It was so amazing I took a picture. I'll have to post it later this week.
Then I also discovered a sore throat! Lovely! Doctor says it's viral and the good news is that if Cole does catch it he won't get it as bad as me because of the anti-bodies in my breast milk.
And Happy Belated Birthday to Cole who celebrated being two months yesterday by crying for most of the afternoon. Ah those growing pains. But on the developmental front: we gave him a toy during dinner. Rather, we put it in his lap. He grabbed it and picked it up and put it in his mouth! He did this three times! It was so amazing I took a picture. I'll have to post it later this week.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Daily cuteness: hellooo!
Some nicknames we have for him:
Stinky McGinky
Sir Poopsalot
Mr. McStinky
Cutie Patootie
The Cole Man
Little Man
Muffin
Cutie Pie
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Accomplishments
Congratulations to us. We officially bought our first Queen size bed. And I officially nursed in public twice using the Hooter Hider. Once was in Sleepy's where we bought the bed and the next was in Applebee's where we ate lunch while contemplating buying the bed. Our bed will be delivered on Sunday and hopefully Keith and I will stop arguing over whose taking over whose space in the bed! A full size bed is just not big enough for a married couple! Today we are going out to get some sheets.
Today is also the Rosendale Street Festival. I thought it started earlier and thus was going to go with the family (my dad included) , but I learned that it doesn't really start until 12 or 12:30 and it's supposed to be a high of 95 today. Needless to say that plan was nixed. Keith and I are thinking about going later tonight when the sun is closer to setting and it's not as hot or sunny. We'll see how Cole is feeling.
Today is also the Rosendale Street Festival. I thought it started earlier and thus was going to go with the family (my dad included) , but I learned that it doesn't really start until 12 or 12:30 and it's supposed to be a high of 95 today. Needless to say that plan was nixed. Keith and I are thinking about going later tonight when the sun is closer to setting and it's not as hot or sunny. We'll see how Cole is feeling.
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Land of the Lost Pacifiers and other Tidbits of New Motherhood
We should have 4 pacifiers. We have one. Where do they all go? At least we have the one though. It sure comes in handy. It even helps Cole go to sleep sometimes, very soothing (there's probably a reason the ones we have are called "Soothies", eh?). However, whenever I go out, I make sure I have one in my diaper bag and of course I inevitably lose it. Also, we take them from room to room and somehow they just disappear. I'm starting to wonder if the cats are not in on this...
Diaper rash update: The Balmex worked and cleared up Cole's diaper rash. The funny thing about this is that I talked to my dad the other day and guess what? He said when he read my blog he remembered that Balmex worked on me. I should've just called him!
Pumping at work update: Not too good. Just like I suspected, no room has been procured for me to pump in and my schedule is such that I can pump after 4 hours of working, then 1.5 to 2 hours later and then if I choose to - after work (another 2.5 hours later). It's not the kind of schedule Cole is on nor would he ever be on it. If I wasn't breastfeeding this would be the ideal schedule (teaching the first three periods and the last two). But I am, and this is not even close to an ideal schedule, and it was made without knowledge of my need to express breastmilk. Why was it made without that knowledge? Because an email I sent to the person in charge over a month ago just sat in an inbox far far away from anyone's eyes. I'm not even about to go into how upset this whole thing made me when I first learned about it. Needless to say, I am hoping beyond hopes that things work out and this doesn't become a problem. I am totally aware of the state and federal law giving me the right to ask for a private room with a lock on the door, and also my right to ask for reasonable times to pump. I sincerely hope the people in charge are aware of these laws as well. I'm not dying to refresh their memories, but I will if I have to. On this topic I am currently reading Nursing Mother, Working Mother. Excellent book. Should've picked it up sooner, but glad I got before going back to work.
Cole is doing really well. Yesterday he turned 8 weeks old! He's almost two months. Next Tuesday, July 27, will be his 2-month birthday. He's starting to imitate what we do with our hands, he's noticing his feet more and more and he has more active alert time. His naps are also starting to develop a pattern, which is nice for me to know so I can plan accordingly. Sometimes, I'll plan an outing around his naptime, because I know he will go straight to sleep once he gets into the car seat and the car gets moving. Yesterday, for instance, I took him to the mall to go to Motherhood Maternity and to return something from Target. He slept through the first hour of our venture into the mall and woke up in Motherhood, where I fed him in the dressing room. I got some nice nursing tops for the rest of the summer and early fall. Today is pretty chilly but tomorrow is the Rosendale Street Festival and we are going with my dad. I will definitely be needing to use one of the tops then! I'm excited for the family outing.
This past Saturday Cole and I went to Waddle n Swaddle for a "babywearing bonanza." It wasn't as much of a bonanza as it was another person trying on an Ergo Carrier. Anyway, my purpose in going there was to try out another hold for Cole in the Wrapsody wrap in which he could be facing other people instead of me. I noticed that he hates being buried in my chest and enjoys looking around. So the owner showed me the "Joey" hold, which is Cole looking out at the world. And he LOVED it. He did not cry once. However, me being me, I have not been able to duplicate this hold at home. I have tried several times but I'm always worried his legs are hurting him or he's going to fall out, so I just have to keep trying. I have decided after much research and internal debate on a sling. One of my readers, Reagen recommended the New Native sling, and after reading reviews from Epinions and from babywearer.com as well as amazon and other places, I'm going to try out this fitted sling. The price is affordable too, which really helps. Sometimes I feel like a madcarrierwoman with all of these baby carriers, but then I talked to the other mothers at the mother's group I go to, and I discover that I am not alone. Some have about the same as me, some have more. I think a lot of it comes from buying things online or not trying it on in the store - or trying it on in the store (as in my case) but with a fake baby. Of course the fake baby is going to love it! They're never going to cry! I am also taking a chance buying the New Native online but I am going to buy it directly from the company and, like I said before, it is affordable.
Also, I made a product review page on this blog. You can reach it by clicking on the tab below my masthead.You should check it periodically because I will be posting product reviews for items related to babies and nursing. The review that's up there now was for the Chicco Cortina Travel System. My next review will be on cloth nursing pads. I've tried two different brands already.
So we are going to try the most daring thing two new parents could ever do - we're going to go camping with Cole in a few weeks. And we're going with Peter and Peg. I must say that Peter and Peg are very courageous for going with us. The good thing about where we are going camping is that it is not far at all. We are going to go camping at Devil's Tombstone, which is near Hunter Mountain, only about an hour from us. Also, Keith just purchased a portable swing from someone on Craigslist for the low low price of $15, so we are going to bring that along with us to soothe Cole in the event that he needs soothing. Cole loves the new portable swing. It actually has a lot more stimulation than the cradle and swing we have in the bedroom. Maybe we'd have to cover that up if we're going to use it for soothing....
I'm glad you are all enjoying my Daily Cuteness photos. I will post those when I don't have time to write posts (which is more often than not). My next post will be a (blurry) picture of Cole and I at Waddle n Swaddle in the "Joey" hold. And I might post some other pics we took over the past few weeks with our new Canon Rebel.
Diaper rash update: The Balmex worked and cleared up Cole's diaper rash. The funny thing about this is that I talked to my dad the other day and guess what? He said when he read my blog he remembered that Balmex worked on me. I should've just called him!
Pumping at work update: Not too good. Just like I suspected, no room has been procured for me to pump in and my schedule is such that I can pump after 4 hours of working, then 1.5 to 2 hours later and then if I choose to - after work (another 2.5 hours later). It's not the kind of schedule Cole is on nor would he ever be on it. If I wasn't breastfeeding this would be the ideal schedule (teaching the first three periods and the last two). But I am, and this is not even close to an ideal schedule, and it was made without knowledge of my need to express breastmilk. Why was it made without that knowledge? Because an email I sent to the person in charge over a month ago just sat in an inbox far far away from anyone's eyes. I'm not even about to go into how upset this whole thing made me when I first learned about it. Needless to say, I am hoping beyond hopes that things work out and this doesn't become a problem. I am totally aware of the state and federal law giving me the right to ask for a private room with a lock on the door, and also my right to ask for reasonable times to pump. I sincerely hope the people in charge are aware of these laws as well. I'm not dying to refresh their memories, but I will if I have to. On this topic I am currently reading Nursing Mother, Working Mother. Excellent book. Should've picked it up sooner, but glad I got before going back to work.
Cole is doing really well. Yesterday he turned 8 weeks old! He's almost two months. Next Tuesday, July 27, will be his 2-month birthday. He's starting to imitate what we do with our hands, he's noticing his feet more and more and he has more active alert time. His naps are also starting to develop a pattern, which is nice for me to know so I can plan accordingly. Sometimes, I'll plan an outing around his naptime, because I know he will go straight to sleep once he gets into the car seat and the car gets moving. Yesterday, for instance, I took him to the mall to go to Motherhood Maternity and to return something from Target. He slept through the first hour of our venture into the mall and woke up in Motherhood, where I fed him in the dressing room. I got some nice nursing tops for the rest of the summer and early fall. Today is pretty chilly but tomorrow is the Rosendale Street Festival and we are going with my dad. I will definitely be needing to use one of the tops then! I'm excited for the family outing.
This past Saturday Cole and I went to Waddle n Swaddle for a "babywearing bonanza." It wasn't as much of a bonanza as it was another person trying on an Ergo Carrier. Anyway, my purpose in going there was to try out another hold for Cole in the Wrapsody wrap in which he could be facing other people instead of me. I noticed that he hates being buried in my chest and enjoys looking around. So the owner showed me the "Joey" hold, which is Cole looking out at the world. And he LOVED it. He did not cry once. However, me being me, I have not been able to duplicate this hold at home. I have tried several times but I'm always worried his legs are hurting him or he's going to fall out, so I just have to keep trying. I have decided after much research and internal debate on a sling. One of my readers, Reagen recommended the New Native sling, and after reading reviews from Epinions and from babywearer.com as well as amazon and other places, I'm going to try out this fitted sling. The price is affordable too, which really helps. Sometimes I feel like a madcarrierwoman with all of these baby carriers, but then I talked to the other mothers at the mother's group I go to, and I discover that I am not alone. Some have about the same as me, some have more. I think a lot of it comes from buying things online or not trying it on in the store - or trying it on in the store (as in my case) but with a fake baby. Of course the fake baby is going to love it! They're never going to cry! I am also taking a chance buying the New Native online but I am going to buy it directly from the company and, like I said before, it is affordable.
Also, I made a product review page on this blog. You can reach it by clicking on the tab below my masthead.You should check it periodically because I will be posting product reviews for items related to babies and nursing. The review that's up there now was for the Chicco Cortina Travel System. My next review will be on cloth nursing pads. I've tried two different brands already.
So we are going to try the most daring thing two new parents could ever do - we're going to go camping with Cole in a few weeks. And we're going with Peter and Peg. I must say that Peter and Peg are very courageous for going with us. The good thing about where we are going camping is that it is not far at all. We are going to go camping at Devil's Tombstone, which is near Hunter Mountain, only about an hour from us. Also, Keith just purchased a portable swing from someone on Craigslist for the low low price of $15, so we are going to bring that along with us to soothe Cole in the event that he needs soothing. Cole loves the new portable swing. It actually has a lot more stimulation than the cradle and swing we have in the bedroom. Maybe we'd have to cover that up if we're going to use it for soothing....
I'm glad you are all enjoying my Daily Cuteness photos. I will post those when I don't have time to write posts (which is more often than not). My next post will be a (blurry) picture of Cole and I at Waddle n Swaddle in the "Joey" hold. And I might post some other pics we took over the past few weeks with our new Canon Rebel.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Pre-Pregnancy Clothes
So I am going to do some complaining here that some of my readers may find annoying. But it's my blog, so I'll complain away. Stop reading here if you think I'm too skinny to complain about clothes not fitting me. Because that's what I'll be complaining about.
Okay - so if you've continued to read, you are a truly dedicated blog reader, and I thank you for sticking with me. And all of my complaints. Including this silly one. But guess what? For the first time in my life, I cannot fit into any of my (pre-pregnancy) pants. What happened you wonder? You used to be so skinny! No, actually most of you are saying, Oh Bianca you're still skinny, would you shut up?! And I'll repeat myself again when I invite you to read my other posts and skip this one.
As I was saying, none of my pre-pregnancy pants fit me. All of the tops I owned still fit, but the pants - no luck. I've tried them on numerous times over the past 7 weeks to no avail. Now, I'll reveal here that I was hoping that some of the weight I gained during my pregnancy would stick around - 10 pounds. Because that is my ideal weight. (No I won't be sharing what that ideal weight is.) And guess what? It has, but the weight stuck around my butt and my thighs, and now I can't fit into my damn pants. I'm mad because I have a lot of awesome pants and capris from Anne Taylor LOFT and they were not cheap and now I can't fit into ANY OF THEM! I am going to have to replenish my entire pants wardrobe by the time school starts and Keith will not be happy when he opens the credit card bill in September. At least I'll be working!
Okay - so if you've continued to read, you are a truly dedicated blog reader, and I thank you for sticking with me. And all of my complaints. Including this silly one. But guess what? For the first time in my life, I cannot fit into any of my (pre-pregnancy) pants. What happened you wonder? You used to be so skinny! No, actually most of you are saying, Oh Bianca you're still skinny, would you shut up?! And I'll repeat myself again when I invite you to read my other posts and skip this one.
As I was saying, none of my pre-pregnancy pants fit me. All of the tops I owned still fit, but the pants - no luck. I've tried them on numerous times over the past 7 weeks to no avail. Now, I'll reveal here that I was hoping that some of the weight I gained during my pregnancy would stick around - 10 pounds. Because that is my ideal weight. (No I won't be sharing what that ideal weight is.) And guess what? It has, but the weight stuck around my butt and my thighs, and now I can't fit into my damn pants. I'm mad because I have a lot of awesome pants and capris from Anne Taylor LOFT and they were not cheap and now I can't fit into ANY OF THEM! I am going to have to replenish my entire pants wardrobe by the time school starts and Keith will not be happy when he opens the credit card bill in September. At least I'll be working!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Patience
I thought my challenging pregnancy was the true test of my patience. I was wrong. Motherhood is the ultimate test of my patience. Cole is 7 weeks old today and his crying has gotten progressively worse over the past week. When he's not sleeping or nursing, he's usually crying, although there are times each day when he is awake and smiling for an extended amount of time. Thank God for that.
I sincerely hope the colic is at its peak.
The swing and the stroller have been true sanity savers. Last night, as I was walking Cole up and down East, Middle & Center roads for the 5th time this week, I was reminded of this girl who would walk up and down Main Street of Rosendale with her baby in the stroller. I remember always thinking to myself- why doesn't she hang with her baby inside or at least be stationary? Why must she always walk? Now I know.
Sent from my iPhone
I sincerely hope the colic is at its peak.
The swing and the stroller have been true sanity savers. Last night, as I was walking Cole up and down East, Middle & Center roads for the 5th time this week, I was reminded of this girl who would walk up and down Main Street of Rosendale with her baby in the stroller. I remember always thinking to myself- why doesn't she hang with her baby inside or at least be stationary? Why must she always walk? Now I know.
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Daily cuteness
when as time seems to be non-existent. We just are.
New Mommy Group
Yesterday I went to New Baby, New Paltz. It was the first time I'd gone to this new mommy group. I met my friend from our childbirth class there. It was a great experience. An herbalist was speaking and gave us the lowdown on all the herbs that are good for mommy and good for baby and the different herbs you can use as remedies for various mommy and baby problems. Then it was just a general talk. Since we were the newbies, Emma and I got to share our mommy woes. I shared my frustration at the babywearing problems we've been having and everyone agreed to bring their slings next week, so I could try them out and see if Cole likes any of them.
Cole - who was being adorable and alert for almost the entire meeting when he wasn't nursing (no need for cover ups at this mommy group- everyone just whips out the boob no problem) - started to REALLY fuss towards the end. Once he got into his car seat and I rocked it, he fell asleep. Emma and I then took our strollers up Main Street and ate at P&G's. We sat next to the noisiest table in the restaurant and our babies barely stirred. It made me wonder aloud why I bother to tip-toe around the room when Cole is sleeping in his nursery or our bedroom. Right now, at 6 weeks old, this kid can pretty much sleep through anything. I'm waiting for him to outgrow it though - I've read and heard that they eventually do.
Oh and....
Diaper rash update:
After giving Cole an oatmeal bath, we began applying Balmex (which was recommended to us by several people). (It's funny, because the only diaper rash ointment we don't own is Desitin.) The Balmex seems to be working, but I can tell that the rash is still there AND is still irritating him. How long does it take for a diaper rash to go away with application of cream at every diaper change and daily air time?
Cole - who was being adorable and alert for almost the entire meeting when he wasn't nursing (no need for cover ups at this mommy group- everyone just whips out the boob no problem) - started to REALLY fuss towards the end. Once he got into his car seat and I rocked it, he fell asleep. Emma and I then took our strollers up Main Street and ate at P&G's. We sat next to the noisiest table in the restaurant and our babies barely stirred. It made me wonder aloud why I bother to tip-toe around the room when Cole is sleeping in his nursery or our bedroom. Right now, at 6 weeks old, this kid can pretty much sleep through anything. I'm waiting for him to outgrow it though - I've read and heard that they eventually do.
Oh and....
Diaper rash update:
After giving Cole an oatmeal bath, we began applying Balmex (which was recommended to us by several people). (It's funny, because the only diaper rash ointment we don't own is Desitin.) The Balmex seems to be working, but I can tell that the rash is still there AND is still irritating him. How long does it take for a diaper rash to go away with application of cream at every diaper change and daily air time?
The goods have arrived
Here is my new Best Wishes Pumping Bra. In only 6 weeks, work will start and I will have the chance to use this. I really should contact my building principals and make sure they're on top of that little issue of me needing a private room to pump.
To my right is the Hooter Hiders Nursing Cover. You can see the wire in the middle allows for me to see Cole while he is nursing. I'll probably use this when we go to Peter and Peg's badminton tourney this weekend. I'm excited to not have to go into another room alone to nurse Cole.
Never Wake a Sleeping Mommy
You know how they say to Never Wake a Sleeping Baby? Well you should also remember Rule #2 of Parenting: Never Wake a Sleeping Mommy - unless the baby is starving and screaming and crying because of it. If not, let mommy sleep. This morning at 1 a.m., I woke up to Keith prodding me. "Hey," he said sweetly. "Hey," I responded disoriented. My first thought - why did he wake me? My next two thoughts: what time is it and how long have I slept? I checked the clock- a mere two hours. Insert heavy sigh here. "Is the baby crying?" I asked? "No," he said, as he settled back onto his pillow. "Is he awake?" "No," he said, eyes closing. I turned around and found Cole sound asleep in the co-sleeper. "Then why did you wake me?" "Huh?"
I repeated myself, starting to get annoyed."Why did you wake me up then?"
I repeated myself, starting to get annoyed."Why did you wake me up then?"
"I didn't wake you up," he said, as if he, too, was just waking up. And you can imagine how the conversation ended. Yep, you got it - with Cole waking up anyway. Thankfully, I did not raise holy hell, because I realized after thinking back to the way he woke me up that Keith must have been half asleep when he did it. There is no reason on this planet why he should have woken up a sleep-deprived sleeping mommy.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Bits and pieces of my life
Sleep - I barely get any of it. My nights are spent nursing, changing diapers, trying to get Cole back to sleep and snoozing in between. That's about it
Babywearing - I barely (probably an exaggeration, but you get the idea) get to do it since it seems like Cole is not that into it 75% of the time. Sometimes if he's not feeling particularly feisty he doesn't put up a fight, and I can wear him. Then he he falls asleep. Most other times, he fights me and screams and cries. It's horrific to listen to, and I am forced to abandon my plan and hold him with my two hands. But then holding him does a number on my already problematic back and it leaves me totally handsless. So I cannot get anything done. I keep searching for the perfect carrier that he will magically like and will be semi-comfortable. The Hotsling is not that comfortable and actually hurts my back after 20 minutes of wearing it. It can only be worn for about an hour to an hour and a half and then only once a day. That's fine, because Cole would probably not want to be worn in it more than once a day anyway. I suspect that Cole fought me tonight with the Sleepy Wrap (very similar to the Moby Wrap) because of his diaper rash. I had him in a hold where his legs were out, but that also probably meant more rubbing near the groin area, which is where Cole's diaper rash is located.
Speaking of diaper rashes. We're still trying to cure Cole's. We have what seems like nearly every diaper rash ointment/cream on the market, and still a diaper rash. We actually already owned four diaper rash ointments because they were purchased pre-baby for other reasons or given to us by our childbirth teacher. Our first purchase of diaper rash ointment was today. I went to the Co-op and got Burt's Bees diaper rash ointment at the recommendation of a friend. I put it on Cole and found that a little of the ointment goes a long way. The smell is pleasant, but I'm not sure Cole dug it. He was actually blinking lots as if it burned his eyes or something. It was certainly not something he'd ever smelled before. It turns out that he had a reaction to it, so I am currently in the midst of trying to get a refund for it.
Day care - We settled on a day care center for Cole. It's a place called Kid's Klub in New Paltz. What's great about him joining in September is that he will be with a whole new "class" of kids. Right now there are no infants because the previous class just moved up to their Toddler room. So Cole will be with 5 other infants his own age. There will also be two teachers working with Cole and the director said the teachers are not opposed to wearing the infants in a carrier (supplied by us of course), but then, I still need to get Cole on board with being worn by me before he will even consider being worn by someone he doesn't know. Either way, we're happy to be sending him there. The director is really flexible with hours and she's got a really good disposition. We like her a lot.
Bedtime routines - So I'm reading a book called Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Children and the author recommends creating a bedtime routine so the baby gets used to doing stuff that lead to sleep. Most of you are probably saying, "Well duh, you didn't know that, Bianca?" And the answer is that vaguely, yes I had an idea that's what we should be doing, but I didn't know exactly what routines to do and I didn't have the energy or focus to start those routines and be consistent about them. However, lack of sleep is motivating me. So tonight, Keith and I bathed Cole, fed him, Keith rocked him while I did dishes, and Cole fell asleep. Cole usually associates feeding with sleep so we thought it made sense to feed after the bath. In the future, I'd like to incorporate massage before the bath but for now, we'll keep it as simple as possible. Sunday night (when I started writing this post) he went to sleep at 8:30 and woke up about 2 hours later and for every 2 hours after until morning.
Bottlefeeding - Keith had a successful bottle feed Saturday night. After the garage sale, we called Johanna, our post-partum doula, and she came over to assist Keith in the art of feeding Cole from a bottle. His three previous tries was a mixed bag of success and failure. This feeding went really well and for that I am grateful. I'm going to start pumping a bottle a day so Keith can do one feeding in the evening or at night, so I can get a break.
Babywearing - I barely (probably an exaggeration, but you get the idea) get to do it since it seems like Cole is not that into it 75% of the time. Sometimes if he's not feeling particularly feisty he doesn't put up a fight, and I can wear him. Then he he falls asleep. Most other times, he fights me and screams and cries. It's horrific to listen to, and I am forced to abandon my plan and hold him with my two hands. But then holding him does a number on my already problematic back and it leaves me totally handsless. So I cannot get anything done. I keep searching for the perfect carrier that he will magically like and will be semi-comfortable. The Hotsling is not that comfortable and actually hurts my back after 20 minutes of wearing it. It can only be worn for about an hour to an hour and a half and then only once a day. That's fine, because Cole would probably not want to be worn in it more than once a day anyway. I suspect that Cole fought me tonight with the Sleepy Wrap (very similar to the Moby Wrap) because of his diaper rash. I had him in a hold where his legs were out, but that also probably meant more rubbing near the groin area, which is where Cole's diaper rash is located.
Speaking of diaper rashes. We're still trying to cure Cole's. We have what seems like nearly every diaper rash ointment/cream on the market, and still a diaper rash. We actually already owned four diaper rash ointments because they were purchased pre-baby for other reasons or given to us by our childbirth teacher. Our first purchase of diaper rash ointment was today. I went to the Co-op and got Burt's Bees diaper rash ointment at the recommendation of a friend. I put it on Cole and found that a little of the ointment goes a long way. The smell is pleasant, but I'm not sure Cole dug it. He was actually blinking lots as if it burned his eyes or something. It was certainly not something he'd ever smelled before. It turns out that he had a reaction to it, so I am currently in the midst of trying to get a refund for it.
Day care - We settled on a day care center for Cole. It's a place called Kid's Klub in New Paltz. What's great about him joining in September is that he will be with a whole new "class" of kids. Right now there are no infants because the previous class just moved up to their Toddler room. So Cole will be with 5 other infants his own age. There will also be two teachers working with Cole and the director said the teachers are not opposed to wearing the infants in a carrier (supplied by us of course), but then, I still need to get Cole on board with being worn by me before he will even consider being worn by someone he doesn't know. Either way, we're happy to be sending him there. The director is really flexible with hours and she's got a really good disposition. We like her a lot.
Bedtime routines - So I'm reading a book called Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Children and the author recommends creating a bedtime routine so the baby gets used to doing stuff that lead to sleep. Most of you are probably saying, "Well duh, you didn't know that, Bianca?" And the answer is that vaguely, yes I had an idea that's what we should be doing, but I didn't know exactly what routines to do and I didn't have the energy or focus to start those routines and be consistent about them. However, lack of sleep is motivating me. So tonight, Keith and I bathed Cole, fed him, Keith rocked him while I did dishes, and Cole fell asleep. Cole usually associates feeding with sleep so we thought it made sense to feed after the bath. In the future, I'd like to incorporate massage before the bath but for now, we'll keep it as simple as possible. Sunday night (when I started writing this post) he went to sleep at 8:30 and woke up about 2 hours later and for every 2 hours after until morning.
Bottlefeeding - Keith had a successful bottle feed Saturday night. After the garage sale, we called Johanna, our post-partum doula, and she came over to assist Keith in the art of feeding Cole from a bottle. His three previous tries was a mixed bag of success and failure. This feeding went really well and for that I am grateful. I'm going to start pumping a bottle a day so Keith can do one feeding in the evening or at night, so I can get a break.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Hotsling, baby!
confined but I gave him a second tour of the house and started reading The Vaccine Book to him. He went right to sleep!
Too much milk?
If I knew the challenges that breastfeeding would bring me... It makes sense to me why some women don't even bother with it. It is not easy! I remember wondering what people could possible write in huge volumes about breastfeeding. I remember thinking when I was pregnant - a whole book on breastfeeding? What is there to say? Now I know.
So my latest challenge is oversupply. Geez, you think, what's to complain about if you have a lot of milk? Well, I'll grouchily tell you. With too much milk, most of what the baby gets is foremilk and foremilk is like skim milk. It's thin and not high in the good fats so the baby ends up consuming a lot more of it then he should and it breaks down into sugar and lactose and guess what that equals? You got it! --- Lots and lots of gas. The proof has been in the poop. Cole's poop as of late has been tinged with green. It is not so much mustardy in color (which is what it should be normally) but more yellow greenish. The solution (or one of them)? I normally nurse Cole on both breasts in one session, and probably don't empty both breasts. Now I need to do block feeding, which means nurse him on one breast until it's empty. I'd love to pump the other side, but then, my body would think I need to make more milk and then my problem would get even bigger (no pun intended), so my other boob does get fuller, but Cole nurses enough where it empties out in a timely manner. Those of you who are breastfeeding veterans are probably wondering why I didn't do one side at a time to begin with, but I didn't know I wasn't emptying them. It's what they told me to do when I was at the birth center - 15 minutes on each side. As if I've said before, this is indeed a journey. A HUGE learning process. Luckily, I am surrounded by professionals. I've spoken to three doulas and had two lactation consultants looking at our latch and discussing the possible causes of the green poop. Although everyone seems to be in disagreement over the causes, I really do think it's an imbalance of the foremilk and hindmilk and so does the lactation consultant from the birth center where Cole was born. Her advice was the most helpful. This morning's poop - which was more mustardy in color was evidence that something is finally working - since I've been working to correct this for over 48 hours. (I literally spent all of Monday nursing in bed!)
Tuesday, thanks to Carolyn for giving me a much-needed baby-free break, I was driving past the falls that give our little hamlet its name -High Falls. And as I was driving I saw two teenagers in their bathing suits dripping with water walking alongside the road. And I thought - Oh my God, that's going to be my son one day. The thing about the falls is that the falls lead to a nice little swimming hole with two cliffs - one on top of the other. The bottom one juts out further than the top one and numerous people have died jumping off the top one. I once saw an obese man jump off the top one and heard as his tee-shirt scraped the edge of the bottom cliff on his way down. Scary. As a result of those deaths, the sheriff's office has declared it unsafe and put up no trespassing signs. I think at one point a year or two ago they made some arrests. You could see how well those signs were working with the 20 cars parked there Tuesday. It made me think of the dangers to come. What will I tell my son when he's old enough to go there with his friends? He's a boy and boys do silly things to impress girls and other daredevil boys. Will I tell him not to jump off the cliffs? Will he listen? I have a feeling - if he's anything like myself or Keith - if we tell him to do something or not to something, he'll do the exact opposite. Time will tell what kind of parenting style I adopt depending on the personality of Cole.
So Cole is smiling a ton. He's looking at his hands. He's holding his head up a lot more. He has more alert time. He sticks his tongue out at me when I stick mine out at him. With his strong leg, muscles, he can stand when I hold him up, and even push himself up when I am holding him in the burp hold. He actually - get a load of this - slept 4.5 hours in a row Monday night - the longest he slept since he was about a week old.
Today will mark our 4th wedding anniversary. To celebrate we are going to the Overlook Drive-in to see Eclipse! I am so excited. I was wondering for days how I was going to get to the movie theater to see the latest Twilight installment and now it's going to be a reality! I don't have to worry about nursing or the baby crying - because we'll be in the privacy of our own car.
So my latest challenge is oversupply. Geez, you think, what's to complain about if you have a lot of milk? Well, I'll grouchily tell you. With too much milk, most of what the baby gets is foremilk and foremilk is like skim milk. It's thin and not high in the good fats so the baby ends up consuming a lot more of it then he should and it breaks down into sugar and lactose and guess what that equals? You got it! --- Lots and lots of gas. The proof has been in the poop. Cole's poop as of late has been tinged with green. It is not so much mustardy in color (which is what it should be normally) but more yellow greenish. The solution (or one of them)? I normally nurse Cole on both breasts in one session, and probably don't empty both breasts. Now I need to do block feeding, which means nurse him on one breast until it's empty. I'd love to pump the other side, but then, my body would think I need to make more milk and then my problem would get even bigger (no pun intended), so my other boob does get fuller, but Cole nurses enough where it empties out in a timely manner. Those of you who are breastfeeding veterans are probably wondering why I didn't do one side at a time to begin with, but I didn't know I wasn't emptying them. It's what they told me to do when I was at the birth center - 15 minutes on each side. As if I've said before, this is indeed a journey. A HUGE learning process. Luckily, I am surrounded by professionals. I've spoken to three doulas and had two lactation consultants looking at our latch and discussing the possible causes of the green poop. Although everyone seems to be in disagreement over the causes, I really do think it's an imbalance of the foremilk and hindmilk and so does the lactation consultant from the birth center where Cole was born. Her advice was the most helpful. This morning's poop - which was more mustardy in color was evidence that something is finally working - since I've been working to correct this for over 48 hours. (I literally spent all of Monday nursing in bed!)
Tuesday, thanks to Carolyn for giving me a much-needed baby-free break, I was driving past the falls that give our little hamlet its name -High Falls. And as I was driving I saw two teenagers in their bathing suits dripping with water walking alongside the road. And I thought - Oh my God, that's going to be my son one day. The thing about the falls is that the falls lead to a nice little swimming hole with two cliffs - one on top of the other. The bottom one juts out further than the top one and numerous people have died jumping off the top one. I once saw an obese man jump off the top one and heard as his tee-shirt scraped the edge of the bottom cliff on his way down. Scary. As a result of those deaths, the sheriff's office has declared it unsafe and put up no trespassing signs. I think at one point a year or two ago they made some arrests. You could see how well those signs were working with the 20 cars parked there Tuesday. It made me think of the dangers to come. What will I tell my son when he's old enough to go there with his friends? He's a boy and boys do silly things to impress girls and other daredevil boys. Will I tell him not to jump off the cliffs? Will he listen? I have a feeling - if he's anything like myself or Keith - if we tell him to do something or not to something, he'll do the exact opposite. Time will tell what kind of parenting style I adopt depending on the personality of Cole.
So Cole is smiling a ton. He's looking at his hands. He's holding his head up a lot more. He has more alert time. He sticks his tongue out at me when I stick mine out at him. With his strong leg, muscles, he can stand when I hold him up, and even push himself up when I am holding him in the burp hold. He actually - get a load of this - slept 4.5 hours in a row Monday night - the longest he slept since he was about a week old.
Today will mark our 4th wedding anniversary. To celebrate we are going to the Overlook Drive-in to see Eclipse! I am so excited. I was wondering for days how I was going to get to the movie theater to see the latest Twilight installment and now it's going to be a reality! I don't have to worry about nursing or the baby crying - because we'll be in the privacy of our own car.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
"Milk Drunk" A poem
After his last drop, I ask silently
Do you prefer my bare skin to my cotton shirt?
His soft cheek answers my question
as it slowly settles onto my covered bosom
and his left hand (the one that was born with his head)
curls in for the ready -
a contented sleep
that consists of
deep sighs, quick and slow breaths,
sweet fleeting smiles,
spontaneous stretches, patriotic salutes,
and scary startles
that almost,
just almost,
wake him up.
But all this is expected,
the usual.
It is his milk drunk laugh
that gives me pause,
keeps me looking down in sheer wonder.
I created that.
Of all things I wanted to create -
a novel, a poem, a photograph-
he is the one thing I needed to.
And now that he's here,
I know why.
Do you prefer my bare skin to my cotton shirt?
His soft cheek answers my question
as it slowly settles onto my covered bosom
and his left hand (the one that was born with his head)
curls in for the ready -
a contented sleep
that consists of
deep sighs, quick and slow breaths,
sweet fleeting smiles,
spontaneous stretches, patriotic salutes,
and scary startles
that almost,
just almost,
wake him up.
But all this is expected,
the usual.
It is his milk drunk laugh
that gives me pause,
keeps me looking down in sheer wonder.
I created that.
Of all things I wanted to create -
a novel, a poem, a photograph-
he is the one thing I needed to.
And now that he's here,
I know why.
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