Moms and Moms-to-Be Club

[Jeri]

Hi, Hope you guys don't mind if I sneak in here. I have 2 kids 9 yrs and 3yrs. I know that I'm not a new mom or mom -to- be any more but I thought maybe I could tell you what worked with my 2 who would not sleep at night (at any time for that matter) unless they were held.

Now first let me say I know this is oppisite to what they preach to you about sleep positions for babies.

My first was 2 weeks old and would scream and throw his arms and legs around as soon as you laid him down. I finally put him in the bassinet next to me in the livingroom and laid him on his stomach. He slept for 2 hours! The next day at the Dr's office I asked about this and she put him face down on the exam table and put his face in to the table. I was suprised to see him pick his head up and turn it to the side. He did this a few times for us while there. She would put his face in the table he would turn it.
It was then that the Dr told me that some babies are tummy sleepers, and as long as you keep extra toys and blankets away they should be fine as long as they can push up and turn their heads like he did.
This was great he would sleep for 2 to 3 hours for nap, and by 2 months was sleeping through the night.
When my 2nd son came I noticed right away he would push up and turn his head (1st one started doing this right after birth). I started putting him to sleep on his tummy as soon as we got home and he has always slept great. They both now at their curret age are still tummy sleepers.
I know this is not what they stress for safe sleep positions for babies, so please don't get upset with me. I am just telling you what worked for me. I should say too I was and still am extreamly paranoid about something horrible happening to my children.
The Dr told my while backs, and sides are best for babies sometimes it just doesn't work.
Thanks for letting me sneak in here.
Congrats to all of you, and the babies are so cute, kinda makes me want more. (just don't let my DH hear me say that)

[Terra]

Thanks for sharing Jeri! Sometimes you have to find what works best for you baby for sure!!

Just checking in ladies...busy busy busy...I didn't realize HOW busy life with a newborn would be!! But I"m loving it...
We are actually hoping to go to EPCOT next Saturday to see CP...it will be David's first WDW trip!! WOO HOO!!!

I'll check in more later!!

[BrerGnat]

I had a similar experience to Jeri's with both my boys.

My 2 year old slept in his swing for his first 5 months, then we transitioned him to a crib where he promptly began sleeping through the night (seriously, on the first night he slept 8pm-8am) on his stomach. He is almost 2 1/2 and he still sleeps on his stomach in his bed. We don't even use a traditional pillow or blankets for him...he just still has his baby blankets that he bunches up and lays on top of.

Our second (now 8 months old) spent three HORRIBLE, sleep deprived weeks sleeping on my chest in the glider, on my stomach in my bed, or in his bouncer seat until I gave in and put him to sleep on his tummy in the bassinette next to my bed. He then began sleeping 6-8 hour stretches. Around 4 months old, I began putting him down on his side and he would stay like that, clutching a blanket to his face and sucking his thumb. He still does that and sleeps from 7pm-7am, only waking once around 4am for a feeding (which I am trying to cut out).

I agree that some babies are just tummy sleepers. If your baby will sleep well on their tummy on your chest, try putting down on tummy in a crib/basinette during the day for naps first. Make sure the mattress is FIRM, the sheets are secure, and you use NO blankets or soft toys (not even crib bumpers) until baby can roll over. Until our son rolled over, we used a Halo Sleepsack as a blanket. Once he began rolling, we gave him a microfleece blanket that he cannot sleep without now.

Just don't tell your doctor that you are doing it!

[disneynarula]

Two things that we tried with Calvin that seem to work.

1. We put a heating pad in his spot in the crib. We use it just to warm up his spot and then remove and quickly put him down on the warm spot.

2. As much as a mom hates to do this we do let him cry it out. We only let him go for ten minutes (although it seems like an hour) and then we go and pick him up and rock him until he stops crying and then put him back in his crib. At first it took a couple of hours of going back and forth but now it only takes about five minutes for him to put himself to sleep. I know it sounds sort of mean and I refused to do this with my first. We also ended up rocking him to sleep for at least an hour for the entire first year. With Calvin I do rock him but I put him down before he actually falls asleep.

By the way... Felicity is sooooo cute. I am taking Calving for his first professional pictures this weekend. We had our family picture done last week but I am having solo pictures done of him.

Oscar is doing pretty well at adjusting to his baby brother.

DH finally finshed the nursery. All the furniture is in and all I have to do is the finishing touches. I also started back at the gym two weeks ago and am really enjoying the hour of me time.

[Flower]

Thanks for all of the info on tummy sleeping. So far, Benjamin is sleeping on his back (I hope I didn't just jinx it!). For peace of mind, we bought an angel care monitor for when he sleeps.

Disneynarula:

Good luck getting your photos done. He is how ours went yesterday:

1) Portrait studio - I have had the sitting booked since September because they fill up so quickly at Christmas. We get there and Brandon WILL NOT Have his picture taken - he was afraid of the giant light filter-things. It did not matter that little helpless brother Benjamin was sitting there, nope, not getting his picture taken. Instead of Christmas photos of my 2 boys, I had baby pictures taken of Benjamin.

2) Seeing Santa - Drive 10 miles to another mall to see Santa during the day and to beat the weekend crowds. Park at the end of the mall and tote 2 kids through the mall, about a 15 minute walk. We get to and there is NO LINE, what the heck? This must be our lucky day!!!! We make our way through the maze to get to him when an tells us the camera is broken and they cannot take pictures. WHAT???? She then says if we have our own camera we can take a picture - my 35mm camera was back in the van! So, I hike back to the van and then back to see Santa. My pics turned out okay, not the greatest. I was wishing I had our new digital with me - oh well!

3) I picked up the portraits of Benjamin today from yesterdays sitting. She took one picture with a stuffed Cookie Monster in it - I liked Benjamins picture but did not like Cookie Monster. She zoomed in on Ben and was able to cut cookie monster out, so I ordered several shots of the 'close up'. I realized when I got the pictures home today it was the original picture and not the close up like I picked out - I was disappointed.

Tomorrow we are planning on getting our , I hope it goes better than picture day!

[TigChatt]

How do you post pics? I'd like to post a pic of Jackson for you ladies

[Flower]

I'd love to see pictures of Jackson! How is he doing? I have so much admiration for you with your husband being gone, when is he back? Benjamin is awesome, but I have DH to hekp me out when I need to get stuff done or need a break. I can't imagine doing it on my own.

Do you have an online photo website you are signed up with? I have my pictures on webshots and have inturn registered my webshots site as my Intercot home page. Here is the link to my homepage/online photo album: http://community.webshots.com/user/leajay44

[Terra]

Lee Ann....what a living doll!! I loved the pictures..
And OMG...I would have just so given up on the picture day if it were me...lol!! You had the paitence of a saint that day for sure!!

TiggChatt, I can't wait to see pics of Jackson!!

David is almost a month old now!
Here's a recent picture!

[TigChatt]

I have a myspace page that has his pictures on it but you have to have an account to see them I think. I will prolly do a babysite thing to show him off more. Now for how things are going:

Jackson will be 6 months old on the 15th. Time really does fly by. He has 2 bottom teeth, working on the top now. He sits up really good now, but hasn't mastered the crawling. He eats most baby food now, but would much rather have Mommy's food. He started saying MAMA, doesn't understand what it means but he says it.

As for my DH, he has been coming and going since June. We were told that he didn't have to go on the big 6 month deployment, but about 2 weeks ago found out that he has to. He'll only be gone for 4 months though because he has school in June for 3 months, so he'll be gone again but this time we'll be able to talk every night and he'll come home on weekends. He also made 2nd class, which is a promotion in the Navy.

Then on top of DH leaving in January for 4 months, the apartment lease is over. I can't renew b/c long story short they are letting us renew it. Bad Management, not us. So I would be trying to move with a baby. DH didn't like that I'd have to do it myself. So last weekend we looked at apartments until we transfer somewhere else. We are waiting for them to tell us we got it, I know we do its just a matter of it going through. If we get it when we do, we will be moving on the 15th of this month. I have to wait until we know something to even put my tree up. :o( And in the mist of all this DH's parents decided that they are coming down for a visit. ARGH!!!! Help!! LOL Can I cancel Christmas? LOL Kidding! Sorry so long, didnt mean to vent.

BTW Everyone's babies are SOOOOO CUTE!!! I miss Jackson at that age, but it gets SO much easier the older they get!

I'll let you ladies know when I get the pictures up!

[TigChatt]

It's up!

http://www.babysites.com/sites/tigchatt/

[Terra]

It's up!

http://www.babysites.com/sites/tigchatt/

He is an absolute doll!! What a cute smile and I love his little outfit in the Dec album pictures [the sweater and cordaroy pants!! Too adorable!!]

And wow 6 months already!!!!

[Flower]

He is gorgeous Tig!

I love the little chicken outfit, and he looks so cute in the Christmas photos!

[TigChatt]

Thank you! The ones that are the Christmas pics are the ones that family got in their Christmas cards. I love those pics. For my Christmas present from my mom, she ordered me a blanket with his picture on it. I chose the Christmas one with him smiling at the camera.

[mjaclyn]

Great photos, TigChatt!! SO CUTE!

Is anyone sending out birth announcements? I just ordered some through Shutterfly - the price was pretty good and they'll be mailed right to my house. I can't wait to send them out!

Does anyone know anything about umbilical hernia? I'm afraid that Felicity might have it. Her belly button is almost constantly pushed out - it looks like a little ball. When I press on it, it feels like there's liquid or something in it. Is this normal? I'm going to call the pediatrician tomorrow because I'm starting to worry. I read that umbilical hernia can cut off blood flow and require emergency surgery. I really hope it's not that serious.

[TigChatt]

Great photos, TigChatt!! SO CUTE!

Is anyone sending out birth announcements? I just ordered some through Shutterfly - the price was pretty good and they'll be mailed right to my house. I can't wait to send them out!

Does anyone know anything about umbilical hernia? I'm afraid that Felicity might have it. Her belly button is almost constantly pushed out - it looks like a little ball. When I press on it, it feels like there's liquid or something in it. Is this normal? I'm going to call the pediatrician tomorrow because I'm starting to worry. I read that umbilical hernia can cut off blood flow and require emergency surgery. I really hope it's not that serious.

Jackson had this but not to the sound of Felicity's. I would go ahead and make an appopintment. Just to ease your mind. You will continue worry if you don't. Don't worry, the worrying about your DC will just get worse. Mine has. LOL

[TigChatt]

BTW Thank you about the pictures! I forgot to mention that

[Flower]

I would like to do a birth announcement in our local paper, DH does not want to though.

I have taken a picture of Ben's feet, converted it to black & white, typed his name at the top and his date of birth at the bottom. I had a bunch of copies printed and am attaching the photos to black cardstock. On the back of the black cardstock I am attaching a label "Introducing Benjamin" with his weight, etc. I am enclosing them with my Christmas cards.

I am taking the same photo and am attaching it to a black card with a white insert for my thank-you cards for any gifts we receive.

I just posted a picture of it on my homepage-it has not updated so I can't put the link in right now! It is in Benjamins album.

I also want to send a thank you card to the hospital, did anyone else do that? We bought the nurses flowers & chocolates before we left the hospital.

I forgot to mention, the girls from work threw a shower for us on Sunday. It was very nice, and we got a tons of gifts, mostly clothes!

[mjaclyn]

Hi all! How is everyone doing? Felicity is growing like a little weed! She's 8 weeks old today already...I can't believe how fast time has gone!!

I think she may have a little cold because she's been sneezing & coughing with a stuffy nose. She doesn't have a fever but I think I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow anyway to see if there is anything I can do to help her get better quicker.

Only two more weeks until I go back to work - it's going to be so depressing!! I know that it's going to be hard to leave my baby. Is anyone else going back to work soon?

[mickey&missy]

There are some beautiful babies around here!!! Congrats to all!!

I can't believe it! I'm 15 weeks 4 days!! I'm so relieved I made this far after my m/c in June! Everything has been going like clock work! I've had 3 u/s and the baby looks great! I can't wait until next month to try to findout if the little one is a boy or girl. I haven't gained any weight, actually lost 13 lbs, due to nausea. But I sure have a belly (belly and u/s pics) I'm trying really hard to enjoy this pregnancy and not get to nervous. I bought a doppler and that has really helped. Anytime I feel nervous I just listen!

Good luck to all!!

[mjaclyn]

Help! I know babies under 1 yo can't have honey in their diet...but is it alright for me to have it? I have a cold and I'd like to drink a cup of tea with lemon and honey to soothe my throat, but is it okay to have that since I'm breastfeeding my 2 1/2 month old? Is it still dangerous for her if I have it?