Am I missing some girlie gene? *rant*

[Appa23]

But you still need a supply of the cloth ones, for puke duty.

You do! Babies are constantly spewing up little bits of stuff. Most of the time it's yellowish and the stains do not it always come out of their clothes.

We ran the gamut here, in reverse.

The Boy was a projectile puker. Pediatrician did not beleive us, until he was hit by it from several feet away. [Turns out that he had lactose intolerence.]

PP2 only would spit up a little bit after bottles. The major spit ups were very few and far betwwen in those first few months. Still, I had a cloth diaper over my shoulder as a burp cloth. Any puking is a distant memory now.

[Appa23]

When is the blessed event?

[marrymeflyfree]

When is the blessed event?

May 11th is the due date, but I have suspicions that it will be earlier. We're hoping for either late April, or the 13th of May or later just to avoid confusion with European vs American dating. 05/11/08 to them is the 5th of November. A little thing, but between that and his dyslexia, NN gets serious brain damage over stuff like that!

[Catfish]

I had the nicest deliveries.

Both of my girls were inductions.

I am totally jealous. I was induced also, but it still took 16 hours. I think at my somewhat advanced childbearing age, my cervix had turned to leather. At my checkup a week after my due date (at which time there were no signs I was going to have a baby in the near future), the OB did some kind of test, didn't like the result, and told me to get right over to the hospital. They hooked me up to the inducing drugs, and soon enough the 3-4-minute-apart contractions started and didn't let up. I don't know how long I pushed, but I was determined to get the little bugger out the regular way. Which I did. But it made me decide to have just the one kid.

[Bixby17]

You know the one...that makes women get giddy over baby showers and all that jazz?

I really did not want a shower. Really. I just feel snarky about someone throwing a party for me just to get gifts - especially when most of those gifts will come from people that I haven't seen in AGES. I really enjoy other peoples' showers and don't have a problem with them at all..and I'd feel more comfortable with it if we were a young couple just starting out. But we aren't, so I don't.

My mom has been quite upset by this, and now she's enlisted my aunt for help. Said aunt sent me guilt trip-laden email asking if she could throw me a shower. Mom must think that I will have a harder time saying no to my aunt than to her. She's right.

But even if I say yes, that leads to issue #2. All of the stuff they will want to buy. I really, really do not want to register for a bunch of things that we don't really want. We try to avoid the big mega-corporations like BabiesRUs when possible, would prefer to stay away from all the plastic made-in-China stuff that they sell, and we want to keep it simple in regard to all of the gear anyway. Agh. The whole notion that every pregnant woman must have a baby shower just serves the big box stores, and feeds the idea that we all must have every pink and blue plastic gadget under the sun.

I am anxious and annoyed just thinking about it.

I am missing that gene too, I believe.

Fortunately, nowadays, there are more options in things that aren't pink and blue with goofy stuff on them.

I had a shower. We didn't play silly games. It was just a fun party like any other party of all the people I love. I only registered for things that were sensible.

By the way, because I'm the neuro one that read all the books at Barnes and Noble, I found that this book was the best one on breastfeeding that I found:

Complete Book of Breastfeeding

(I'd put the Amazon link to the book, but it is too long).

Lots of good advice in it, especially as it relates to positioning.

I was a big believer in the Boppy. (mine was plain and didn't have silly designs on it). The Boppy helps you relax when you are breastfeeding because you don't have to strain to hold the baby in a good position when you are sitting up.

I'm not a rocking chair person, but I did appreciate having a glider rocker in the baby's room.

[hermillion]

My two bits of advice on the breastfeeding front (sic):

1. Drink LOTS of liquids. Have a glass of something by your side every minute, including while in the breastfeeding process.

2. Hie thee to the drugstore for a tube of lanolin. Apply it after every feeding. It is NOT necessary for you to wash yourself with soap before feeding the darling - the tiny bit of lanolin they ingest is not harmful, (and my pediatrician said it probably gave my babies easier BMs).

[moonie]

I love the fact that you are looking at going sans medication. I hope you have found the mid-wife you will use for the blessed event. (I have someone in the northern NJ area who is a Doula if you need one... she will travel too!)

As far as the lack of girlie gene... If I was attending a shower for you, I'd get you the gift you'll REALLY enjoy after the baby is born...


S
P
O
I
L
E
R
(the old-fashioned spoiler)

A twelve-pack of ice-cold St. Pauli Girl

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

As far as the lack of girlie gene... If I was attending a shower for you, I'd get you the gift you'll REALLY enjoy after the baby is born...


S
P
O
I
L
E
R
(the old-fashioned spoiler)

A twelve-pack of ice-cold St. Pauli Girl

My grandma swore that if you drank a beer while nursing, it made the milk more plentiful.

I don't like the taste of beer so I never tried it.

I do know that the first time that I had Thai food while nursing, Maddie spent a 24 hour period with violent gas.

[moonie]

I have learned that

one should not eat Domino's pizza while nursing.


(i have not learned that DIRECTLY, mind you... but as a faithful diaper-changer, I have learned it nontheless)

[marrymeflyfree]

By the way, because I'm the neuro one that read all the books at Barnes and Noble, I found that this book was the best one on breastfeeding that I found:

Complete Book of Breastfeeding

(I'd put the Amazon link to the book, but it is too long).

Lots of good advice in it, especially as it relates to positioning.

I was a big believer in the Boppy. (mine was plain and didn't have silly designs on it). The Boppy helps you relax when you are breastfeeding because you don't have to strain to hold the baby in a good position when you are sitting up.

I'm not a rocking chair person, but I did appreciate having a glider rocker in the baby's room.

I was just looking at that book at the birth center yesterday. They have a great library, which is good since I have been going a bit overboard at BN! We have been debating the rocker/glider thing. We're trying to keep the furniture purchases to a minimum since we have at least one and probably two moves coming up in short order. We have plenty of comfy chairs and ottomans, but I don't think they'll be terribly comfy for nursing. We may take a wait and see approach on that.

There is a Boppy in my future, though. They just look comfy.

[marrymeflyfree]

My two bits of advice on the breastfeeding front (sic):

1. Drink LOTS of liquids. Have a glass of something by your side every minute, including while in the breastfeeding process.

2. Hie thee to the drugstore for a tube of lanolin. Apply it after every feeding. It is NOT necessary for you to wash yourself with soap before feeding the darling - the tiny bit of lanolin they ingest is not harmful, (and my pediatrician said it probably gave my babies easier BMs).

I'm a compulsive drinker anyway (my name is Mandy, and I'm a wateraholic)...its only gotten worse in my present state, and I'm sure will just intensify with nursing! I can't seem to go anywhere without a bottle of water or juice or something.

[marrymeflyfree]

I love the fact that you are looking at going sans medication. I hope you have found the mid-wife you will use for the blessed event. (I have someone in the northern NJ area who is a Doula if you need one... she will travel too!)

Thanks moon...might be a bit of a haul down to PA for her, though! We are doing everything at a birth center in Bryn Mawr - its a group practice of midwives, and I've met nearly all of them now. The personalities vary, of course, but so far I'm happy with all of them. No telling who will be on call on D-Day, but I am confident. We've decided to forgo the doula, unless something were to change that warrants a hospital delivery...I will definitely be planning for one if there is advance notice of that!

As far as the lack of girlie gene... If I was attending a shower for you, I'd get you the gift you'll REALLY enjoy after the baby is born...


S
P
O
I
L
E
R
(the old-fashioned spoiler)

A twelve-pack of ice-cold St. Pauli Girl

Ahhh....moonie knows what the way to my heart! I do have some non-alcoholic Becks in the fridge. Nice, but not the same. Surprisingly, I have grown accustomed to sobriety. It's the sushi cravings that are killing me. We used to go to this great little Japanese place in Manhattan about once a month to binge on sashimi and Asahi. They must wonder where we've been.

[marrymeflyfree]

My grandma swore that if you drank a beer while nursing, it made the milk more plentiful.

I don't like the taste of beer so I never tried it.

I do know that the first time that I had Thai food while nursing, Maddie spent a 24 hour period with violent gas.

They used to market Guinness during pregnancy and nursing, and lots of people still swear by a pint of it a day for iron! I went to the brewery in Dublin not too long ago - kind of funny to see the old ads showing women with reaaallly big bellies on bar stools at the pub!

Speaking of...non-acoholic beer is fairly popular in Norway. Big drinking culture there, but drunk driving is highly taboo - so non-alcoholic beers are common and quite good. I've had a few while out and about there over the last few months. Since they serve it out of the tap in regular pint glasses, it looks exactly the same. I must say that I have never felt more conspicuous than when sitting at the bar drinking my 'beer' with the big tummy - but its common, so no one even gave me a second glance. Here, on the other hand...yikes! I went out to a bar last night with some friends, and got some seriously evil looks for just being there and drinking water! I suppose I should have stayed home in the kitchen, eh?

[Bixby17]

By the way, because I'm the neuro one that read all the books at Barnes and Noble, I found that this book was the best one on breastfeeding that I found:

Complete Book of Breastfeeding

(I'd put the Amazon link to the book, but it is too long).

Lots of good advice in it, especially as it relates to positioning.

I was a big believer in the Boppy. (mine was plain and didn't have silly designs on it). The Boppy helps you relax when you are breastfeeding because you don't have to strain to hold the baby in a good position when you are sitting up.

I'm not a rocking chair person, but I did appreciate having a glider rocker in the baby's room.

I was just looking at that book at the birth center yesterday. They have a great library, which is good since I have been going a bit overboard at BN! We have been debating the rocker/glider thing. We're trying to keep the furniture purchases to a minimum since we have at least one and probably two moves coming up in short order. We have plenty of comfy chairs and ottomans, but I don't think they'll be terribly comfy for nursing. We may take a wait and see approach on that.

There is a Boppy in my future, though. They just look comfy.

Boppys are the best. Especially at first, they really help you get the baby in the right position.

The glider/rocker thing is mostly nice for spending time with baby and calming them down, burping them. As they get older, it is nice for reading books.

Not a necessity though. I did most of my night time feedings laying down side to side with the babies in the bed. What comes in handy for that is a small washable pad to put on the bed--that way you can feed the baby in bed, but don't have to sleep on (or smell) any dribbled milk or baby puke.

I didn't do the family bed thing, so if you are going that way, others might have other ideas.

[Tocqueville3]

By the way, because I'm the neuro one that read all the books at Barnes and Noble, I found that this book was the best one on breastfeeding that I found:

Complete Book of Breastfeeding

(I'd put the Amazon link to the book, but it is too long).

Lots of good advice in it, especially as it relates to positioning.

I was a big believer in the Boppy. (mine was plain and didn't have silly designs on it). The Boppy helps you relax when you are breastfeeding because you don't have to strain to hold the baby in a good position when you are sitting up.

I'm not a rocking chair person, but I did appreciate having a glider rocker in the baby's room.

I was just looking at that book at the birth center yesterday. They have a great library, which is good since I have been going a bit overboard at BN! We have been debating the rocker/glider thing. We're trying to keep the furniture purchases to a minimum since we have at least one and probably two moves coming up in short order. We have plenty of comfy chairs and ottomans, but I don't think they'll be terribly comfy for nursing. We may take a wait and see approach on that.

There is a Boppy in my future, though. They just look comfy.

Glider rockers are really nice but get a good one or within a few months the thing will be squeaking so bad you will need to get a deluxe size of WD40. When my sis was in med school they were poor and they bought a really cheap glider rocker. Within 3 months the thing was squeaking crazy.

Boppys are nice. I have a nursing pillow called "My Brest Friend" I kid you not. That is the name of the thing.

http://www.mybrestfriend.com/

It is kinda like a boppy in the front but it has a pillow thingy that wraps around your waist and velcros on the side. It is fabu. I LOVES mine. All three of my kids took to nursing really quick and I think My Brest Friend really helped. It leaves your hands almost completly free. While baby is nursing you can hold a book to read or channel surf. I highly recommend you check them out.

I also just finished nursing Olivia so if you have any sort of questions or what not feel free to ask me. I've nursed three baby girls in the last 8 years. Maybe I can help out.

[Bixby17]

My grandma swore that if you drank a beer while nursing, it made the milk more plentiful.

I don't like the taste of beer so I never tried it.

I do know that the first time that I had Thai food while nursing, Maddie spent a 24 hour period with violent gas.

They used to market Guinness during pregnancy and nursing, and lots of people still swear by a pint of it a day for iron! I went to the brewery in Dublin not too long ago - kind of funny to see the old ads showing women with reaaallly big bellies on bar stools at the pub!

Speaking of...non-acoholic beer is fairly popular in Norway. Big drinking culture there, but drunk driving is highly taboo - so non-alcoholic beers are common and quite good. I've had a few while out and about there over the last few months. Since they serve it out of the tap in regular pint glasses, it looks exactly the same. I must say that I have never felt more conspicuous than when sitting at the bar drinking my 'beer' with the big tummy - but its common, so no one even gave me a second glance. Here, on the other hand...yikes! I went out to a bar last night with some friends, and got some seriously evil looks for just being there and drinking water! I suppose I should have stayed home in the kitchen, eh?

I missed the sushi more than the alcohol too.

My favo non-alcoholic beer is the Guinness one. I pretty much have to have beer with Thai, Chinese and Japanese food. I still drink them when I want a beer taste but not so many calories.

[Tocqueville3]

Not to start a whole "bottle feeding" brouhaha here, but I forgot to note, if you did not know, that you will need to try different bottle nipples and bottle styles with your baby. The general rule of thumb is that (s)he will only drink from whatever style you had not already purchased.

Movies and TV make the whole breastfeeding thing seem so easy, but it's not.

Maddie didn't appreciate having a boob in her face and would arch her back and push way. She just wouldn't latch on. I had coaches come from the La Leche League and my mother-in-law tried to help. (More people saw my boobs after Maddie was born, than I even want to think about.) It was a totally stressful time in my life.

Finally I started pumping and feeding her breast milk in bottles. I did this for nine months, even when I went back to work. I got so much grief from my in-laws and the people from the La Leche League, but Jeff totally supported my decision.

There is nothing wrong with doing this. The baby is still getting the breastmilk. Look how Maddie turned out. I don't think that pumping and then bottle feeding her scarred her for life.

[AlphaDummy]

You? Missing a girlie gene? I think not!

I mean, I do seem to recall that you drive like Danica Patrick...

[marrymeflyfree]

I didn't do the family bed thing, so if you are going that way, others might have other ideas.

We are pretty well opposed to the family bed thing. I think its fine it others want to do it, and I hear some say that their newborns just will not sleep without the close comfort - but it isn't for us. My cousin and his wife did it, and now they're having a helluva time getting their 4 year old into his own bed. But we will have the crib in our room for a few months.

[marrymeflyfree]

Boppys are nice. I have a nursing pillow called "My Brest Friend" I kid you not. That is the name of the thing.

I also just finished nursing Olivia so if you have any sort of questions or what not feel free to ask me. I've nursed three baby girls in the last 8 years. Maybe I can help out.

I've heard good things about this pillow, too...some say the Boppy was too low for them and this one was better, but others say the velcro straps on the My Brest Friend were a pain. And thanks for the offer...only one person in my family has done the breastfeeding thing, so all of my info will have to come from the outside!

[marrymeflyfree]

My favo non-alcoholic beer is the Guinness one. I pretty much have to have beer with Thai, Chinese and Japanese food. I still drink them when I want a beer taste but not so many calories.

I didn't know Guinness made a NA beer...woo hoo! I love Guinness. And I didn't realize that these beers have fewer calories, either. Good to know.

[marrymeflyfree]

You? Missing a girlie gene? I think not!

I mean, I do seem to recall that you drive like Danica Patrick...

hahahaaa!

But can Danica Patrick parallel park as well as I can??

[Tocqueville3]

Boppys are nice. I have a nursing pillow called "My Brest Friend" I kid you not. That is the name of the thing.

I also just finished nursing Olivia so if you have any sort of questions or what not feel free to ask me. I've nursed three baby girls in the last 8 years. Maybe I can help out.

I've heard good things about this pillow, too...some say the Boppy was too low for them and this one was better, but others say the velcro straps on the My Brest Friend were a pain. And thanks for the offer...only one person in my family has done the breastfeeding thing, so all of my info will have to come from the outside!

They make a My Brest Friend with a latch thingie which is better. Mine has the velcro cuz they dint make the latch thingie ones when Madeleine was born almost nine years ago.

Boppy's are okay if you like feeding with your legs crossed for support underneath. I liked breastfeeding in my rocking chair and dint want to cross my legs whilst rocking.

[minimetoo26]

Ditto on the Boppy--they are great for raising a baby's head a tad when they are laying on the floor. And when you have a reflux-y baby, you want the head slightly elevated.