Are We There Yet?

I feel like my labour was really short.

atomicbutter:

theteacupsecrets:

quiet-little-voicesx:

livebreathegrow:

mamagerms:

I was in labour for 7 hours and 17 minutes.

How long was everyone else’s?

15hrs, with 20min of pushing.

Luckily I labored at home for all of it but six, maybe.

From water breaking to delivering was 19 hours
But was only actually in labour for 5 hours with 40 or so mins of pushing.

0 minutes of labour.

16 hours total, 2 and a half of those pushing. I felt like I was in labor for a really long time. But I’ve seen longer. 

I was 2 hours of labor with about 2-3 minutes of pushing. I want to also add that I was induced.

Sat crying because I don’t know what to have for dinner and it’s just getting later and later.

sweetpeafairies:

Pregnancy hormones at their finest.

I do this on a regular basis. I had my kid almost a year ago.

Unum’s messin up

I have short term diasbility (maternity leave) through Unum. I get 6 weeks of paid leave that started 3 days after I left Starbucks. (Where I work, if you didn’t know)

Well I have recieved 7 checks.

I was approved for pay until Jan 13th. I just recieved a check for Jan 16th-22nd.

It also says I have one more check coming.

I almost feel like if I cash these and use them they might be like “oops, two too many. Lemme have that back.”

And then I wont give it back and then I’ll go to jail or something.

What I brought in my hospital bag vs What I actually used

I packed the following things to bring with me:

• 2 comfy, loose PJ sets
• Super cozy socks
• Hair ties
• Travel size soap, shampoo, and lotion
• Phone charger
• Nursing Bra
• A pack of Hanes undies so I wouldn’t ruin my nice ones
• My fleece blanket
• My boppy pillow
• Camera
• Extra memory card for obscene amounts of photos
• 2 blankets for Ro (a swaddling and a heavy cozy one)
• 2 outfits for her
• My makeup (and deoderant and brush etc)

What I actually used:

• Both cozy PJ sets
• Travel Soaps and lotions (great for when you get into back labor)
• Hanes undies
• Fleece blanket
• Boppy pillow
• Camera
• Extra memory card
• Both blankets for Ro
• Both outfits
• My makeup
• The Nook my mom ended up bringing (life saving! Let me update facebook and play games at the same time since I hate smart phones and do not own one and will not until they stop making regular, non idiot-making phones.)

Why I didn’t use the rest:

After having a rough, bed ridden labor and recovery, I was bra-less and pant-less up until thursday evening (I gave birth early wed morning). The PJ’s I brought either had somewhat of a built in bra or were nursing tops that I matched with loose stretchy pants. So no Nursing Bra. Never lost my original Hair tie, so I didn’t need the back ups. I was on Magnesium so I was SO HOT the entire times, so no cozy socks needed. The hospital gave me pads, a toothbrush, baby lotions and oils for Ro, diapers, wipes, Tucks pads, Dermoplast spray, Lanisnoh nipple cream, and underwear even though I still wore my own. I didn’t bring my own toothbrush because of all the germs that I didn’t wanna bring back home with me. And I knew the hospital would give me the rest. (They even gave us some SUPER CUTE hand knitted pom pom hats that were Red and white, and Green. Some Older women volunteer and make them so the nurses can give them out to the newborns! And for breast feeding moms, they gave out these canvas carry-alls that also had coupons in them. Also we got sent home with TONS of coupons, vouchers and disconts for baby items and services. Finally, they sent us home with a Huggies box-a very sturdy, nice one- filled with diapers, wipes, disposable changing mats and coupons.) So I would advise you to not bring anything sanitary with you, because if its sanitary, they keep in in stock. Some things you may have to request, like Tucks and Lansinoh cream becasue It’s pricey, but they have it back there, somewhere.

And don’t forget to ask for you pain medicine! No matter how you deliver, they will give you Motrin, and upon request, either Vicodin or Percocet. They will also send you home with a Rx for it if you ask, BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK. You just brought life into the world- don’t be afraid to demand some relief!!!

Is it weird that I get ridiculously excited when other people are going in to labor?

I just remember the excitement. It’s such a unique feeling.

What I got for Jennifer

(Dog legs not included)

So I found this really awesome boy themed gift basket while we were out! It has awicker basket base, a layette set, a swaddling blanket, brush and comb set, 4 pack of washcloths, burpcloths and a baseball plush toy!

Also I got her a high chair cover. It’s the Eddie Bauer one from Target.

And this cute little onsie by Carter’s with a puppy dog on it :)

There’s also a pack of newborn diapers that aren’t pictured that she’s getting!

Shopping for other people’s babies is so so fun :)

I have no reason to do this,

But there’s a woman who works at the doggy daycare that my mom and her boxer frequents, and she’s having a drop-in baby shower today. So I’m going to make her a nice gift even though I don’t really know her. I guess I just see how hard she works, (she’s the owner) and being pregnant and standing all day, chasing around animals and dedicating early hours and late nights to these animals just really resonates with me. And she has 13 dogs. 13!! They were all strays and she takes them in, feeds them and loves them lots, then adjusts them to being outside dogs (her and her husband have a large piece of land they live on). I guess I just appreciate her for the things she does for animals, because these days people barely give a shit about each other, much less animals. So now I’m pretty excited to put together a fun basket or maybe just an exciting goody bag! I’m going to Target and kid to kid today- so I’ll post pictures later!! :D

What’s In my diaper bag: Week 4

This is my super sized, buisness woman-esque diaper bag I got from Target. IT HAS COMPARTMENTS FOR EVERYTHING. (It’s not made to be a diaper bag by any means, but I don’t wanna carry something with flowers and Pooh on it all the time. I’m single, ya know. Gotta look fly.)

• Diaper oragnizer. It has a zip pouch for diapers, a clear box for wipes and a vinyl changing mat all folded into a cute case.
• Burp cloths. Very cute one, might I add.
• Bottle Water. For mixing formula on the go.
• Baby hat. For chillier days.
• My Wallet
• My Notepad that I write everything from to-do lists, to finance related things in.
• ColicCalm (with oral syringe thingy)
• Back-up Pen
• Nasal Aspirator
• Pads
• Nursing Cover
• Paci Clip
• 2 Paci’s (Don’t wanna ever be without backup on these)
• Phone
• Crystal Light packs
• Lansinoh Nipple Cream
• Breast Pads
• Baby lotion
• Bottles (usually 2)
• Before I leave I always add a sealed container of breastmilk in the bag to add to her bottles when we’re out. (she’s still on the 1:2 ratio)
• Back-up socks
• Back-up Mittens
• Ibuprofen

Newborn Essentials- The first month

So these are all my total neat freak, anxety riddled opinions of what I’d have thrown myself off the roof without. Enjoy!

1. Burp cloths. Not bibs. Bibs are the devil. I HATE bibs. And naturally when I was pregnant, all I bought were bibs. They’re either too small (baby nooses) or a little too large. Which means they end up with a small space between the bib and the babies neck (not just the rolls, the actual neck) and so milk drips down, gets into the rolls and it smells like cheese. Burp cloths are softer, bigger, cuter and make a mean pot holder, should you be as much of a retard as myself.
2. Hand Sanitizer. Because only the guest with small children will actually wash their hands before they try and touch your baby. And people are gross.
3. Footy PJ’s/pants. Because baby socks are also the devil, cute as they may be. Though I did invest in an over priced box set of argyle socks. Because who wouldn’t. But your baby will kick them off, the dog will steal them and 2 weeks later you’ll find a mis-matched sock shrine under the baby’s crib. Just resist.
4. Mittens. Because taking your baby into public is not nearly as much fun when people stop and stare because it looks like your baby is related to Edward Sicssor Hands. And you’ll feel like a monster when you watch your baby try and claw it’s eye out on accident.
5. Breats pads. Here’s the thing. Didn’t think I’d need them until I walked into Target, saw some unruly child screaming and crying in the toy section, and I started spraying like some crazy wild animal marking territory. Even other babies crying make you leak. Trust this.
6. A good nursing bra. You just do.
7. A bouncer. The vibration setting would calm Ro even ot of the worst frenzy. And because of the way its built, you can set it on the ground an bop it wit your foot, freeing your hands up
8. A sling. I have an Infintino sling that is front carrying. It sits her facing me so we’re chest to chest. If she refuses to let me put her down, I pop her in this bad boy with her paci and she’s a happy camper! And when she’s older she can turn around and face the world in it!
9. A Pacifier. I was the anti-paci for quite sometime. I was worried about nipple confusion, brattiness, and a few other things. But guess what? I’ll cut a bitch for a pacifier. Tis worth more than gold. The Soothie brand (the blueish green ones they use in the hospital) are her favorite.
10. Colicalm. It’s a homeopathic FDA approved version of Gripe water (which are largely marketed under dietary supplements and use soduim bicarbonate and essential oils which can mess up babys stomach Ph and electrolytes.) It’s all natural and a creepy black color from the vegetable charcoal they use in it. But babies love the sweet taste (Glycerin) and it works wonders!
11. Bottles. Even if you’re breastfeeding, chances are you’re gonna wanna express some milk at some point to give to your hubs or boyfriend, or even a family member so you can catch some shut eye and let them feed the baby. I reccomend Dr. Browns bottles and the Playtex Ventaire bottles. Both have awesome slow drip nipples and great vent systems to reduce gas.
12. Snuggly Blankets. Get 3. Or 4.
13. A structured diaper bag. Nothing worse than rooting around in the worlds floppiest tote for a burp cloth while baby projectile vomits all over your crotch.
14. Luxurious smelling bath soaps. Understand that in the 3 hour window your newborn will be sleeping you will have to do laundry, dishes, take care of the dogs, poop (cause crying babies make it impossible to focus), eat, possibly have a breakdown, and then, oh! that’s right! SHOWER. You will probably have about 10 minutes left at this point. Having a nice smelling body wash will make you feel good again. And will help cover up that curdiling spit-up smell. I reccomend Olay quench, and Juicy couture’s Couture Couture. And as far as hair- Anything my Tresseme smells great
15. Paitience. Sounds cheesey, but wait until your baby falls asleep at midnight, wakes up at 1 to eat, wakes up at 3 just cause they felt like it, wakes back up and 5 and NEEDS you to hold them for an hour while walking small sleepy cirlces around the nursery, wakes up again at 8 and then wakes up again at noon and stays up for 3 hours. You’ll consider throwing yourself off the roof. This is especially true if your baby has colic. Rely on friends and family to help you out until you can be the kind, patient parent we all know you are.
16. Love. another cheesy one. But sometimes bonding doesn’t happen right away. Sometimes you have this screaming, kicking, sleepless, foreign baby in your house, ruining your clothes, your hygiene, your carpets, your body and your nerves. You’ll have no paitence and possibly a bald spot. But no matter how many things you loose, the love a parent has for a child makes up for them all. Never forget how helpless they are. They need you.
17. A swing. Because when you get a bad case of tennic elbow from carrying a baby in the crook of your arm all day, the swing will be your best friend.

Other than that, you just need the basic things I don’t need to bother to go through. (ehem, diapers.) :)

Supplementing: Seperate but equal?

When I had Ro, she immediately breastfed, latched on perfectly, and I produced more than enough for her.

So why is it that I now find myself supplementing my 4 week old constantly?

Before I get into my personal reasons, I wanna address the constant hatred I see from breastfeeding mothers to formula feeding mothers. It seems that in the parenting world, the breastfeeding moms and all their bonding take upper rank over those formula buying, bottle feeding, unloving hussies. I’ve come across a few blogs and vlogs that pass such harsh judgement on people who choose formula for their babies over breast. Stating that ‘formula just barely sustains life, where breast milk lets it thrive.’

But that’s where you fucked up.

You used the word ‘choose’ when passing your prententious judgement.  Just from the pool of parents I know personally who formula feed, there was no choice whatsoever about it. They are single dads, mothers who never made milk, mothers with terrible infections, babies who were born intolerant of breastmilk, etc etc. These were people who tried to breastfeed and could not or men who really had no choice.

I get the feeling these self righteous cows look at us as they might look at a family of four, standing in line at McDonalds. That we as parents could look at our sweet children and decide to feed them some artificial low class crap, that we all knew was second best to the real stuff. And that we are somehow less for it.

Well I resent this in its entirety. Ro suffers from a fairly mild case of breastmilk intolerance. Anytime she recieves a full feeding of breast milk, she passes multiple diarrheas, has a severe amount of abdominal pains, excessive gas, and sometimes even lack of appetite. I tried everything, from cutting our dairy in my diet, cutting out spicy food, garlic, seafood, peanuts, fruits, etc etc. Nothing helped her. She would throw herself into crying fits for upwards of 7 hours, and nothing I did could soothe her.

One night after being extremely dehydrated ( I was pumping because I suspected I wasn’t producing enough) I could only make 1.5 oz. She normally takes 2.5-3. So with a baby screaming out of hunger, I had to give her some formula. That night she slept for 5 hours straight. Usually she sleeps 2-2 and a half. When she poo’d again it was super smelly (boo formula poo) but not at all the diarrhea she had been having. She was awake an alert. For the first time in her short life, she was awake without crying. Normally if Ro is awake, she’s screaming in pain.

It was great. She’s now on a formula for sensitive tummies, but I’m slowly trying to re-introduce breastmilk to her. (I still pump everyday) Right now she’s getting 1oz of my milk and 2oz of formula.

And it works great

And she smiles more in her sleep

probably because she actually sleeps now

And she’s gaining weight wonderfully.

And I’m a happy momma, who although I do miss breastfeeding her, I’m hopeful in later months she’ll grow out of this as her system develops more and I can breastfeed her again.

But for now I’m a formula buying cow.

Who got more sleep than you did last night.