Author Topic: Babies... some people make it sound so easy  (Read 57911 times)

Cornelia

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #100 on: September 15, 2015, 12:32:13 PM »
3.  When I do mention it I tend to mostly get a lot of "well my baby slept through the night starting at 3 weeks" or "you should have sleep trained".  Both of which make me want to smack the person who said it.  Hard. 
Hard. Over the head. With a cast iron skillet.

Absolutely. Like crazy.

I'm going on 6 years here, and haven't had more than 4 hours of sleep in a row... once. My two year old still gets up every two hours for milk (yes, yes.. I am one of those extended nursing wackos ;)

I am often reminded by family of how my almost 1yr old niece sleeps a blissful twelve hours straight.... auughhhh!!!! 


Better Change

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #101 on: September 15, 2015, 12:59:17 PM »
How about a good old story of "it could be worse!"

My mom contracted active TB (yep, tuberculosis) in the third trimester of her pregnancy.  She lost almost 20 pounds before I was born, despite being pretty close to underweight when I was conceived.  Needless to say, she was completely incapable of breastfeeding, much less providing full time care for me.  And let's not forget the guilt she probably felt about potentially passing the disease on to me (I was fine).

And hey, I turned out just great!  So did my mom.

Sometimes it's not so easy and Pinterest-worthy. ;)

relena

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #102 on: September 15, 2015, 04:09:56 PM »
BF was tough for me too. I had to drink close to a gallon water a day or I wouldn't produce enough. Another thing that worked was drinking the fenugreek tea/ mother's milk tea. Some even take fenugreek pills to help.

abiteveryday

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #103 on: September 15, 2015, 04:34:24 PM »
BF was tough for me too. I had to drink close to a gallon water a day or I wouldn't produce enough. Another thing that worked was drinking the fenugreek tea/ mother's milk tea. Some even take fenugreek pills to help.

Those pills will make your wife smell like a combination of licorice and maple syrup, fair warning.

FLA

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #104 on: September 15, 2015, 04:42:36 PM »

Camp out on the couch. 

Load up Law & Order on Netflix.

Drink no more than 2.5 beers a day, no less than one (but no back to back beers, and only if she likes beer).   

Nurse baby every time he woke up.

Eat a LOT of high fat food. 

 And I'll never have a great excuse to lie on the couch all day and stare at my newborn in between episodes of my favorite TV show while my husband brings me snacks and drinks on demand again.   

the good old days!  It was actually hard to keep up with the amount of food necessary and that is the very last time that sentence will come out of my mouth

I was on bedrest for months with both kids, no one believed me when I said I did not get bored. I knew this was the last time that I would ever be able to read a book a day for the next 18 yrs.  It was scary but that was a very peaceful time, knowing you were holding those guys in there as long as possible, protecting them. 

 

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #105 on: September 15, 2015, 10:48:55 PM »
The best was the phone call my wife just had with her older brother. He's single, metro, and never intends to have kids or a family. Yet he straight up told her "you just need to chill out" after she vented to him about all the ways her parents are stressing her out and how this time just isn't an easy one. I guess he's just trying to be the older brother who knows better, but it's like c'mon dude - you're a guy. I wouldn't dare say something like that to my wife, so WTH would any other dude (I don't care if it's her dad or brother) decide it's a good idea to tell her to chill out? Also, he was like "Do you have postpartum?" to which she replied "I don't know... maybe. But I'm not sure" and he then offered his unsolicited advice: "Why don't you talk to your doctor. You really should. You really shouldn't be ashamed of it. Many women struggle with it." LOL, OK expert! Anyway, tons of cool story bro advice from him...that's for sure. He'll be here this weekend so we're really looking forward to it :P I'm pretty sure he's gonna be like "hey let's go out for drinks" after an hour of being bored with the baby.

BTW: she saw her lactation consultant today and she says she's just fine and thinks she's producing enough. So she told us to stop supplementing, pumping, and bottle-feeding, and just to work through the BFing. Of course, it's always on-demand and the kid wants to eat like every one at times. Haha I don't know who to believe anymore. I think if my wife just feels exhausted from it, we'll go to supplementing without feeling bad. I think she has been OK as of late because my parents are in town and helping with cooking tons of food and making sure she eats. But last week was rough - she was at home alone for most of the week and not eating well. She's not the type of person who snacks and gets nauseous and loses her appetite when BFing.
« Last Edit: September 15, 2015, 10:58:06 PM by jplee3 »

charis

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #106 on: September 16, 2015, 07:29:17 AM »
Also, he was like "Do you have postpartum?" to which she replied "I don't know... maybe. But I'm not sure" and he then offered his unsolicited advice: "Why don't you talk to your doctor. You really should. You really shouldn't be ashamed of it. Many women struggle with it." LOL, OK expert!

This is excellent advice.  I am wondering why you seem to take issue with it?

DFJD

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #107 on: September 16, 2015, 07:37:36 AM »
Quote
But last week was rough - she was at home alone for most of the week and not eating well. She's not the type of person who snacks and gets nauseous and loses her appetite when BFing.

Aaaahhh!!! Noooo!!! If she's home alone, you must must must leave her with a refrigerator full of delicious food that she doesn't have to do anything more than microwave.  And really do convince her that it is FINE to lie on the couch all day watching stupid TV.  Among other things, she's recovering from labor.  Moving around too much post-partum has serious consequences.  I'd say ask me how I know, but trust me, you don't want to know the specifics. 

Caring for a newborn can be a magical time, but there's no reason that magic can't happen while she is watching Oprah and eating ice cream out of the container.  House cleaning, laundry, weight loss, and every other damn thing can wait until AFTER she's figured out breastfeeding and fully recovered from giving birth. 

Neustache

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #108 on: September 16, 2015, 07:47:41 AM »
Also, he was like "Do you have postpartum?" to which she replied "I don't know... maybe. But I'm not sure" and he then offered his unsolicited advice: "Why don't you talk to your doctor. You really should. You really shouldn't be ashamed of it. Many women struggle with it." LOL, OK expert!

This is excellent advice.  I am wondering why you seem to take issue with it?

+1

Granted, if it's just a week or two post-partum, could be normal baby blues.  My pediatrician said if it lasted longer than...maybe two or three weeks?  To see a doctor stat.  I was bawling in the pede's office - he said at the first check-up the moms are either crying or so tired that they can't talk properly. 

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #109 on: September 16, 2015, 08:27:31 AM »
Also, he was like "Do you have postpartum?" to which she replied "I don't know... maybe. But I'm not sure" and he then offered his unsolicited advice: "Why don't you talk to your doctor. You really should. You really shouldn't be ashamed of it. Many women struggle with it." LOL, OK expert!

This is excellent advice.  I am wondering why you seem to take issue with it?

The issue is more how he said it, almost as if its a nbd kind of thing especially after telling her she needs to chill out. He just lacks empathy and has low e.q. like, he'll analyze the crap out of something even if its incorrect but won't be quiet about it and will keep saying stuff without realizing he should just stay quiet.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2015, 08:30:31 AM by jplee3 »

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #110 on: September 16, 2015, 08:34:00 AM »
Quote
But last week was rough - she was at home alone for most of the week and not eating well. She's not the type of person who snacks and gets nauseous and loses her appetite when BFing.

Aaaahhh!!! Noooo!!! If she's home alone, you must must must leave her with a refrigerator full of delicious food that she doesn't have to do anything more than microwave.  And really do convince her that it is FINE to lie on the couch all day watching stupid TV.  Among other things, she's recovering from labor.  Moving around too much post-partum has serious consequences.  I'd say ask me how I know, but trust me, you don't want to know the specifics. 

Caring for a newborn can be a magical time, but there's no reason that magic can't happen while she is watching Oprah and eating ice cream out of the container.  House cleaning, laundry, weight loss, and every other damn thing can wait until AFTER she's figured out breastfeeding and fully recovered from giving birth.

The only thing she actually wants to eat if anything is fruit. We had a good amount of stuff that her parents made her which was simple enough to microwave but she had a hard time even then. If she's not hungry or craving anything she has a really hard time forcing herself to eat. Literally nothing makes her want to get up and go to the fridge these days. Even she expressed its weird for her. She won't even have cravings for places she likes dating out at usually.

Gin1984

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #111 on: September 16, 2015, 08:51:08 AM »
Quote
But last week was rough - she was at home alone for most of the week and not eating well. She's not the type of person who snacks and gets nauseous and loses her appetite when BFing.

Aaaahhh!!! Noooo!!! If she's home alone, you must must must leave her with a refrigerator full of delicious food that she doesn't have to do anything more than microwave.  And really do convince her that it is FINE to lie on the couch all day watching stupid TV.  Among other things, she's recovering from labor.  Moving around too much post-partum has serious consequences.  I'd say ask me how I know, but trust me, you don't want to know the specifics. 

Caring for a newborn can be a magical time, but there's no reason that magic can't happen while she is watching Oprah and eating ice cream out of the container.  House cleaning, laundry, weight loss, and every other damn thing can wait until AFTER she's figured out breastfeeding and fully recovered from giving birth.

The only thing she actually wants to eat if anything is fruit. We had a good amount of stuff that her parents made her which was simple enough to microwave but she had a hard time even then. If she's not hungry or craving anything she has a really hard time forcing herself to eat. Literally nothing makes her want to get up and go to the fridge these days. Even she expressed its weird for her. She won't even have cravings for places she likes dating out at usually.
Then she may want to see a doctor.  It may be overtiredness but it may be post partum issues.

Neustache

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #112 on: September 16, 2015, 08:55:19 AM »
She should be ravenous breastfeeding, ime.  She needs to eat regardless of whether or not she feels like it.  Get her to the doctor, pronto, if she won't do what she needs to do to take care of herself and your baby.

charis

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #113 on: September 16, 2015, 09:23:51 AM »
She should be ravenous breastfeeding, ime.  She needs to eat regardless of whether or not she feels like it.  Get her to the doctor, pronto, if she won't do what she needs to do to take care of herself and your baby.

Yes - calorie intake is very important for milk production.  You need to be the cruise director at home and be taking care of your wife, and that includes feeding and scheduling/driving her to the doctor's.  Her only job is to take care of the baby when you are not there and recover from childbirth. 

OnTheMoney

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #114 on: September 16, 2015, 10:31:55 AM »
I haven't had time to read all the posts, but wanted to post quickly in case it helps. If your baby is fussy and not sleeping well, seems constantly hungry and gassy, and your wife hasn't been eating much else besides fruit, it's possible that your baby is getting too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. The foremilk is what comes out first, and it's watery and sugary. The hindmilk is what comes out at the end of a feeding session, and it's fatty and has more nutrients in it. If your wife isn't eating enough good fats and other nutritious food then it's likely that she's not making enough hindmilk. The foremilk will make baby feel full initially but apparently creates gas and it's certainly not going to keep baby going for long since it's mostly just water. I can understand the craving for fruit (I've eaten a whole watermelon by myself in less than a week!), first because she feels thirsty and dehydrated and second because she's probably exhausted and her body is looking for fast calories, but that's not the best thing in the long run. If she doesn't feel like eating whole meals, maybe try some snack foods like full fat yoghurt or nuts or things like larabars that have high nut (and therefore fat) content. She should also make sure she's feeding baby for long enough before switching sides, because if you just do shallow feeds then the baby might not be getting enough hindmilk even if there is some available. If you can get more hindmilk into baby then hopefully things will settle down a bit for you, and your wife will be able to relax more and enjoy her baby, which will hopefully help to increase the supply she has. I didn't make enough milk for my first baby even with lactation consultants trying to help, but things are looking much better (touch wood!) for my second, and I think spending more quality time with baby and trying to look after myself more and trying to forget about everything else has made the biggest difference. And a good nursing pillow like "my brest friend" helps a ton too, and working out comfortable feeding positions. Milk production is supply and demand, especially in the beginning, so she should be as comfortable as possible and spend as much time on it as she can. And when baby is eating well, better sleep and other good things should follow. Hope that helps! Good luck!

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #115 on: September 16, 2015, 10:37:44 AM »
She should be ravenous breastfeeding, ime.  She needs to eat regardless of whether or not she feels like it.  Get her to the doctor, pronto, if she won't do what she needs to do to take care of herself and your baby.

With my parents around she has been much better about eating, but mostly because they're constantly cooking and making stuff for her. Not sure what this will look like when they're gone. I was working from home the first couple weeks but when I went back to work is when I noticed she wasn't eating all that well (and things were really rough then too). Once my parents leave, I think I may have to relegate myself to working from home and or taking leave. Was planning to take full-on leave later on in November but we'll have to see...

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #116 on: September 16, 2015, 11:05:47 AM »
I haven't had time to read all the posts, but wanted to post quickly in case it helps. If your baby is fussy and not sleeping well, seems constantly hungry and gassy, and your wife hasn't been eating much else besides fruit, it's possible that your baby is getting too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. The foremilk is what comes out first, and it's watery and sugary. The hindmilk is what comes out at the end of a feeding session, and it's fatty and has more nutrients in it. If your wife isn't eating enough good fats and other nutritious food then it's likely that she's not making enough hindmilk. The foremilk will make baby feel full initially but apparently creates gas and it's certainly not going to keep baby going for long since it's mostly just water. I can understand the craving for fruit (I've eaten a whole watermelon by myself in less than a week!), first because she feels thirsty and dehydrated and second because she's probably exhausted and her body is looking for fast calories, but that's not the best thing in the long run. If she doesn't feel like eating whole meals, maybe try some snack foods like full fat yoghurt or nuts or things like larabars that have high nut (and therefore fat) content. She should also make sure she's feeding baby for long enough before switching sides, because if you just do shallow feeds then the baby might not be getting enough hindmilk even if there is some available. If you can get more hindmilk into baby then hopefully things will settle down a bit for you, and your wife will be able to relax more and enjoy her baby, which will hopefully help to increase the supply she has. I didn't make enough milk for my first baby even with lactation consultants trying to help, but things are looking much better (touch wood!) for my second, and I think spending more quality time with baby and trying to look after myself more and trying to forget about everything else has made the biggest difference. And a good nursing pillow like "my brest friend" helps a ton too, and working out comfortable feeding positions. Milk production is supply and demand, especially in the beginning, so she should be as comfortable as possible and spend as much time on it as she can. And when baby is eating well, better sleep and other good things should follow. Hope that helps! Good luck!

Thanks! One of the other problems we've noticed with the kid is that he'll start nursing after whining and be OK but then like several minutes in he'll just doze off! So it's possible he's not getting any hindmilk because of this, leading to the excessive fussiness and gas. I think she may just need to bother him while he's feeding and try to do her best to keep him awake.

Sibley

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #117 on: September 16, 2015, 11:35:18 AM »
Don't have time to read everything, but something you can use to (maybe) shut some people up, or just provide some entertainment. Humans have been around for a long, long time. For that length of time, you had breastmilk which was the #1 beyond all doubt best option. And then you had the times when it didn't work, for many reasons. So, the question is, what the heck were people feeding infants before modern formula? A lot of things.

If you want to be amazed that humans survived, go do a little reading into historical infant feeding practices. Once you get past the breastfeeding/wet nurses and into alternatives, it gets pretty funny.

So next time someone accuses you of poisoning your child by giving them formula (I overheard that line not too long ago), you can ask if they'd prefer beer. Because that was done.

Neustache

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #118 on: September 16, 2015, 11:54:46 AM »
Back when I was researching this, the foremilk should change to become higher calorie with frequent short feedings.  I don't know if there's been studies out since though. 

If she wants to, she can even express a bit of the foremilk by hand (yes, you look like you are milking yourself) and then he'll get the fattier milk. 

RetiredAt63

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #119 on: September 16, 2015, 12:42:30 PM »
I was a zombie for the first month after DD was born, so memories are hazy.  She didn't sleep well, she was an owl where I am a lark, she was colicky, etc.

What helped.  Breast-feeding means what you eat is what baby is eating - my visiting nurse suggested no crucifers at first - so broccoli and cauliflower, which I love, were out.  Every time we sat down to nurse, I had a large glass of water, it is easy to get dehydrated when you are nursing.  Super comfy chair and supportive pillows are essential, there were times in the middle of the night when we both fell asleep in the chair.

I was told that the first milk is thin to quench thirst, and the later milk is thicker and more nourishing.  So it is important to empty out the breast so the nourishing milk is being drunk.  The old trick was to put a pin on the side that was nursed, but I could never remember whether the pin meant the side that needed doing or the side that had been done last, so I kept a chart.  I told you I was a zombie, right?  The chart also gave me an idea of her feeding schedule (I fed when she seemed hungry).  I wrote down start and stop times, and I could see how we were doing - and of course it changes over time.  It took us a good week to start to get things going, and there were still rough patches.  Term babies can easily go three days without nursing much, they have reserves to get them through while Mom's body gets up to speed.  That helped with the initial worries.

Breast-feeding advantages - baby is easy to take out (no bottles and equipment to carry) and poopy diapers smell not nearly as bad.

Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #120 on: September 16, 2015, 12:46:50 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

charis

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #121 on: September 16, 2015, 12:57:32 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

My daughter slept through the night (about 6-7 hours) for the first time when she was about 1.5 weeks old (it was a one-off, not every night).  We didn't wake her - heck, we were sleeping too!   I think the conventional wisdom is that you don't have to wake them to eat when they get back up to birth weight.  My daughter was not quite up to her birth weight when she first slept through, but my ped was not concerned about it.

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #122 on: September 16, 2015, 01:02:55 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

My daughter slept through the night (about 6-7 hours) for the first time when she was about 1.5 weeks old (it was a one-off, not every night).  We didn't wake her - heck, we were sleeping too!   I think the conventional wisdom is that you don't have to wake them to eat when they get back up to birth weight.  My daughter was not quite up to her birth weight when she first slept through, but my ped was not concerned about it.

I may have completely botched the story - it could have been that he told him his daughter had been sleeping through the night like that for a while, which may have resulted in that response. Yea, one or two off-nights sounds OK. I'm sure there will be one night like this for us soon. My wife was always scared about not waking up and sleeping through the cries, but I think she's found that for her, it's not something she needs to worry about...for better or worse :T

SandyBoxx

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #123 on: September 16, 2015, 01:33:26 PM »
I think she has been OK as of late because my parents are in town and helping with cooking tons of food and making sure she eats. But last week was rough - she was at home alone for most of the week and not eating well. She's not the type of person who snacks and gets nauseous and loses her appetite when BFing.

^^^THIS^^^

My first few weeks with both of my boys were rough (40 minute long feeds every couple hours, very little weight gain, nurses coming by daily to make sure they were gaining at least an oz or two) and it took both of them weeks to get back to birthweight.  None of us clued in at the time - but I was basically subsisting on yogurt and muffins, I didn't feel hungry, so wasn't eating.  Once I finally started packing back the calories, my kids gained weight much faster and we could go a few hours between feeds.  It wasn't rocket science in our case - we were just too sleep deprived and shocked to realize it.

Best of luck!

charis

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #124 on: September 16, 2015, 01:34:25 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

My daughter slept through the night (about 6-7 hours) for the first time when she was about 1.5 weeks old (it was a one-off, not every night).  We didn't wake her - heck, we were sleeping too!   I think the conventional wisdom is that you don't have to wake them to eat when they get back up to birth weight.  My daughter was not quite up to her birth weight when she first slept through, but my ped was not concerned about it.

I may have completely botched the story - it could have been that he told him his daughter had been sleeping through the night like that for a while, which may have resulted in that response. Yea, one or two off-nights sounds OK. I'm sure there will be one night like this for us soon. My wife was always scared about not waking up and sleeping through the cries, but I think she's found that for her, it's not something she needs to worry about...for better or worse :T

I hope that happens soon for you too!  My second child did not sleep through the night once until 10 months old, which was righteous pay back for our amazing first sleeping child.

mm1970

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #125 on: September 16, 2015, 02:00:54 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

My first child was born on a Monday, got out of the hospital on Weds, had our first ped appt on Friday morning.

Thursday night, he slept...I dunno.  5 hours? 7 hours? 

Anyway, the ped said "actually, that's not good.  Newborns will often prioritize sleep over food.  You need to wake him every 3 hours to eat".

So, we did that.  But you know, the doc didn't tell us for HOW LONG.  Sheeiiit.  We did that for a week, then gradually changed the alarm to 3.5 hours, then to 4...what he really meant is that we only had to do it for about a week or less, but our next appointment wasn't for awhile.  Ugh.

Gin1984

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #126 on: September 16, 2015, 02:09:43 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

My daughter slept through the night (about 6-7 hours) for the first time when she was about 1.5 weeks old (it was a one-off, not every night).  We didn't wake her - heck, we were sleeping too!   I think the conventional wisdom is that you don't have to wake them to eat when they get back up to birth weight.  My daughter was not quite up to her birth weight when she first slept through, but my ped was not concerned about it.

I may have completely botched the story - it could have been that he told him his daughter had been sleeping through the night like that for a while, which may have resulted in that response. Yea, one or two off-nights sounds OK. I'm sure there will be one night like this for us soon. My wife was always scared about not waking up and sleeping through the cries, but I think she's found that for her, it's not something she needs to worry about...for better or worse :T

I hope that happens soon for you too! My second child did not sleep through the night once until 10 months old, which was righteous pay back for our amazing first sleeping child.
This statement after having good sleeper makes me question having a second.  :P

teen persuasion

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #127 on: September 16, 2015, 06:41:57 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

My daughter slept through the night (about 6-7 hours) for the first time when she was about 1.5 weeks old (it was a one-off, not every night).  We didn't wake her - heck, we were sleeping too!   I think the conventional wisdom is that you don't have to wake them to eat when they get back up to birth weight.  My daughter was not quite up to her birth weight when she first slept through, but my ped was not concerned about it.

Wait, what are all these references to returning to birth weight?  My kids weighed more when we went home from the hospital, even if it was a short stay and my milk hadn't come in yet before getting home.  I remember being absolutely miserable with DS2 our first day home because my milk came in, and he was too tired to eat right then, despite being ravenous earlier.  Of course, this was during the day, not overnight.

charis

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #128 on: September 16, 2015, 07:24:58 PM »
Sleeping - if friends say baby is sleeping through the night young, they are lying (or just not waking up).  That cast-iron fry pan (advice above) is a great idea.

LOL, this reminds me of a story my friend told me about a couple of our other buddies whose conversation he overheard.

Guy #1 (who is a doctor): So how are things going? Have you been getting any sleep?
Guy #2 (who just had his first daughter and is 2-3 weeks in): Things are GREAT! Lydia slept through the ENTIRE night last night!
Guy #1: WHAT? *befuddled look* That's not a good thing - you were supposed to wake her up and feed her!!!


hahahahahaha

My daughter slept through the night (about 6-7 hours) for the first time when she was about 1.5 weeks old (it was a one-off, not every night).  We didn't wake her - heck, we were sleeping too!   I think the conventional wisdom is that you don't have to wake them to eat when they get back up to birth weight.  My daughter was not quite up to her birth weight when she first slept through, but my ped was not concerned about it.

Wait, what are all these references to returning to birth weight?  My kids weighed more when we went home from the hospital, even if it was a short stay and my milk hadn't come in yet before getting home.  I remember being absolutely miserable with DS2 our first day home because my milk came in, and he was too tired to eat right then, despite being ravenous earlier.  Of course, this was during the day, not overnight.

I can't comment on your personal circumstances.  Most babies lose a bit of weight following birth.

MrsPete

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #129 on: September 16, 2015, 08:32:49 PM »
The first couple months are hard no matter what you do -- especially for Mom, who is recovering from a rather major medical event. 

Look for help on the breastfeeding.  I was SO UNSURE of myself at first, and the LLL person set me on the right track.  It's a skill, and learning it isn't as instinctive as one might believe.  You wouldn't beat yourself up for not being able to jump into the deep end of the swimming pool for the first time ever and swimming, would you?  You wouldn't be disappointed if you weren't a competent piano player after two lessons, would you?  So why should you feel that you're going to instantly grasp breastfeeding?

It's sooo worth sticking to your guns.  Breastfeeding is worthwhile from a financial standpoint.  It's worthwhile from a health standpoint.  It's worthwhile from a convenience standpoint.  Few things in life are so perfect -- but you've gotta get past the learning curve before you get to the point that you can nurse while eating your lunch or standing in line at the store. 

Another big help:  Get one of those breastfeeding pillows.  Seriously, with my first I always kept a bed pillow on the sofa, and it was okay, but with my second child I got a "real" pillow, and the shape and size were PERFECT.  That pillow made feeding so much easier. 

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #130 on: September 17, 2015, 02:45:45 PM »

Thanks! One of the other problems we've noticed with the kid is that he'll start nursing after whining and be OK but then like several minutes in he'll just doze off! So it's possible he's not getting any hindmilk because of this, leading to the excessive fussiness and gas. I think she may just need to bother him while he's feeding and try to do her best to keep him awake.

I had a sleepy feeding newborn, and the lactation consultant had me nurse her naked and tickle her feet to wake her up. Like mentioned previously, you want the baby to feed long enough to get the hindmilk.

purple monkey

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #131 on: September 17, 2015, 04:24:12 PM »
LLLI is the expert.  Hard to do anything related to feeding your baby human milk, as our culture is so sold against with with all the formula, formula, formula.

If the mom can, sleep when the baby sleeps.

http://www.llli.org/

Good luck.

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #132 on: September 18, 2015, 01:13:12 PM »
I second Bruinguy on the acid reflux.  I thought our little one cried all the time/ate constantly/never slept/had diaper rash because she was just Demon Spawn but at 6 weeks finally admitted that my husband might be right, she might really have acid reflux.  Zantac worked wonders, and even better once we had the dosage right.  At 4.5 years old she's STILL on Zantac twice/day.  I ran out Friday and that was one cranky/sad/cuddly preschooler in my lap all day :-(

Anyway, when I got back to work after maternity leave I told all of my childless coworkers to never have children because newborns are Hell.  Of course they didn't listen, but I tried to get that public service announcement out there.  I took my own advice and stopped at one rather than going down that route again. 

As for breastfeeding: supplementing is OK.  Hell, straight formula is OK.  We breastfed for 24 months, supplemented with formula at 9 months when my supply dipped and she was on table food anyways.  I saw a lactation consultant at 4 weeks because I was getting blisters/it was still painful and she helped a bit (suggested changing position regularly, wearing nipple shields under my bra to allow the nipples to air out a bit).  The toughest part of the first year was pumping.  I shut myself into a small, windowless room morning, noon, and afternoon for a half hour to pump, read a book, and at noon eat my lunch.  I didn't get to go out for a walk on lunch, I didn't get to sit with coworkers and chat on lunch.  I felt very isolated because I didn't get to do anything social at work - partially self-imposed, I could have chatted more around the water cooler but I already felt like I was "stealing time" by taking half hour morning and afternoon breaks rather than regulation 15 minute breaks.  I switched to pumping twice/day when my frozen stockpile grew large, and taking that lunch for me.  That did good things for my mood, but hurt my supply (thus supplementing with formula starting at 9 months).

On the topic of feed: Food intolerances.  When I called out pediatrician about the nonstop crying they suggested avoiding dairy, which helped.  My coworkers new baby granddaughter also has reflux (and blood in her stool, so really bad reflux) so Mom had to nix not only dairy but soy and nuts.  I only had to eliminate dairy, raw garlic, and I forget what else.  Dairy is hard enough.  Another nudge toward formula there - there's special formula with the proteins more broken down than what one's digestive system does, and then Mom can avoid the "Oh no I forgot that tandoori chicken has a yogurt sauce!" 3 hour screamfest.  As  Erica/NWEdible said, "ask me how I know".

As for sleeping through the night... as mentioned abundantly above, every baby is different.  Mine slept only shortly, fully swaddled, and in her baby bucket carseat for the first 6 weeks.  Then with the miracle of Zantac she could suddenly sleep on her back and slept pretty well until 4 or 5 months.  Except she mainly slept at daycare (which she started at 6 weeks) and was then Party All The Time at night, finally crashing at  10pm and sleeping maybe 6 hours.  At 4-5 months teething started, and waking up as soon as the Advil wore off.  That went in spurts as teeth came in until 24 months old, if I remember correctly that's when the molars came in.  Now at 4.5 years old she has dropped all daytime naps and usually sleeps through the night.  We've discovered Melatonin and use it as needed to help her sleep, with the blessing of her doctor.

So yes, newborns are awful, up to 6 months they're terrible, to 1 year is horrible, up to age 2.5 is bad, 3.5 is tolerable.  At 2.5 years they can communicate, and at 3.5 years they can be reasoned with.  So far, things just keep getting better.  Hang in there!

Thanks... after a bit more Google research, my wife seems to think all signs are pointing towards reflux with our kid as well. He spits up a good amount and just seems quite fussy. He's also pretty gassy too. It takes a while to burp him and he gets hiccups pretty often too. All those symptoms seem to point towards reflux. She's taking him into the doc today to get a full diagnosis but we may end up putting him on acid reducing medicine (zantac, mylanta, etc). he's just been going through these terrible spells of wanting to eat every hour and getting super-fussy not long after having just fed.

catccc

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #133 on: September 18, 2015, 01:42:20 PM »
Babies spit up, babies are fussy.  that doesn't mean they have AR, necessarily.  Honestly it just sounds like your baby is being normal to me.  I'd hate to see you jump to a potentially harmful medication unnecessarily.

Please read about what the PPI (proton pump inhibitor) meds (like nexium and prilosec) do to your body before deciding to administer them.  I'm not sure how Zantac work, you'll have to find out if it is also an acid reducer.  These drugs don't stop reflux, they just reduce acid to levels where reflux that occurs doesn't hurt.  DH was given and rx for a PPI.  I begged him not to fill it (he didn't) and there's no way in hell I'd give these drugs to my babies.  Here is an NPR piece on it.  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112564382

Best of luck to you.  It only gets easier until they can throw tantrums and slam doors!

MrsPete

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #134 on: September 18, 2015, 02:11:48 PM »
Yes - calorie intake is very important for milk production.  You need to be the cruise director at home and be taking care of your wife, and that includes feeding and scheduling/driving her to the doctor's.  Her only job is to take care of the baby when you are not there and recover from childbirth.
Yes, and the single most important detail is that she needs to stay well-hydrated.  One of the doctors in the hospital said this to my husband, and he was so sweet:  Every single time I sat down to nurse the baby,  he'd bring me a big glass of water or juice.  If your wife's going to produce liquid, she must take in liquid.  I nursed mine well past a year, and anytime I didn't drink enough, I could tell! 
Thanks! One of the other problems we've noticed with the kid is that he'll start nursing after whining and be OK but then like several minutes in he'll just doze off! So it's possible he's not getting any hindmilk because of this, leading to the excessive fussiness and gas. I think she may just need to bother him while he's feeding and try to do her best to keep him awake.
This is all part of the learning curve -- part of it has to do with your wife, and part of it has to do with the baby.

Consider what the baby's used to feeling:  In the womb, he was never full, never empty, always just comfortable.  Now he gets hungry ... but doesn't know why he feels this way.  So he nurses, and -- ah, there's that contented feeling again -- and he's so satisfied that he drops off to sleep.  He has to LEARN to stay awake and eat his fill.  This takes time.  One thing to try:  If he falls asleep before he's had enough (and in about two weeks your wife'll have a sense of when he's had enough -- but that certainty doesn't come instantly), wipe his little feet with a cold washcloth.  It'll wake him up, and he'll start to nurse again. This problem will end, but for the moment it is very real! 


MrsPete

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #135 on: September 18, 2015, 02:15:28 PM »
My first few weeks with both of my boys were rough (40 minute long feeds every couple hours, very little weight gain, nurses coming by daily to make sure they were gaining at least an oz or two) and it took both of them weeks to get back to birthweight.  None of us clued in at the time - but I was basically subsisting on yogurt and muffins, I didn't feel hungry, so wasn't eating.  Once I finally started packing back the calories, my kids gained weight much faster and we could go a few hours between feeds.  It wasn't rocket science in our case - we were just too sleep deprived and shocked to realize it.

Best of luck!
Yes, I remember after a few months looking back and thinking, "Why didn't I see ____?  It was so obvious."  I honestly didn't enjoy those first few weeks all that much. 

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #136 on: September 18, 2015, 03:15:39 PM »
Babies spit up, babies are fussy.  that doesn't mean they have AR, necessarily.  Honestly it just sounds like your baby is being normal to me.  I'd hate to see you jump to a potentially harmful medication unnecessarily.

Please read about what the PPI (proton pump inhibitor) meds (like nexium and prilosec) do to your body before deciding to administer them.  I'm not sure how Zantac work, you'll have to find out if it is also an acid reducer.  These drugs don't stop reflux, they just reduce acid to levels where reflux that occurs doesn't hurt.  DH was given and rx for a PPI.  I begged him not to fill it (he didn't) and there's no way in hell I'd give these drugs to my babies.  Here is an NPR piece on it.  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112564382

Best of luck to you.  It only gets easier until they can throw tantrums and slam doors!

Yikes... so my wife just texted me and says the doctor is prescribing Zantac :T She says all symptoms point towards reflux and not gassiness. Otherwise, everything else sounds good. Just came across this - http://www.baby-medical-questions-and-answers.com/zantac-infants-dosage.html#safe

So it's like if he has GERD he should take Zantac but if it's just GER there's no need...ugh so confusing!

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #137 on: September 18, 2015, 04:23:45 PM »
Personally I would take a doctor's advice over that of Internet people.

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #138 on: September 18, 2015, 05:34:18 PM »
Personally I would take a doctor's advice over that of Internet people.

Even the doctor was basically "I don't know if acid is really the issue or not... we can try Zantac just to take a stab at it" :X

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #139 on: September 18, 2015, 06:26:19 PM »
That's a harder decision then.

Allie

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #140 on: September 18, 2015, 07:48:13 PM »
Not to make light of the concerns, but with babies you never know until you try and you just have to run through the list of possibilities.  How many times have I been up all night worried about my kids not sleeping to discover a new tooth or something the next morning and kicking myself for thinking of everything else - changed the temperature of the room; new clothes; fewer clothes; more clothes; food; diaper changes; drinks; gas; and on and on!

Friends of ours have a great slogan, "when you don't know, give 'em Mo."  Referring to Motrin.  And "when the crazy sets in, give 'em Ben."  Not that I advocate for drugging a child on Benadryl.  But, sometimes, it's best for everyone.

catccc

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #141 on: September 18, 2015, 08:11:31 PM »
Personally I would take a doctor's advice over that of Internet people.

Even the doctor was basically "I don't know if acid is really the issue or not... we can try Zantac just to take a stab at it" :X
This is really tough.  Obviously you don't want you kid in pain if he/she actually has GERD.  On the other hand, you really don't want to give your baby any unnecessary meds, especially one than can cause long term problems, like, for instance, as the NPR article posits, necessitating continued use of the drug.

I read a bit of the link you posted and it says zantac can make a baby sleepy!? That's nuts, I can see how babies that don't even have GERD would continue to use it and then subsequently need it.

Most babies, as the link you posted states, have "reflux" to some extent.  It's why most babies spit up.  As a nursing mom, I had oversupply, overactive letdown, and I thought nursing was the solution to ALL of my baby's problems.  Combine that with an over-eater, and DD1 was a spectacular vomiter.  I called my LLL leader a couple times late at night because of the amount and projectile nature of her "spit up."  But I never ended up with a GERD diagnosis, probably because even though I'm sure I told the doctor what we were seeing, I never said, hey,doc, could it be GERD?  (But our ped is not really rX happy, fortunately for us...)  I am very careful to only describe symptoms as they are to my doctor, I rarely suggest a diagnosis, since I'm an accountant, not a CPA.  Because I sometimes think doctors are just quick to agree and give you a prescription and get you out.  I once had a doc write my an rx for antibiotics for poison ivy.  I didn't fill that.

If it is regular old reflux like my baby had, you can try some things to help it out.  When I let down, I'd actually pull baby off for a bit and just soak up the milk with a receiving blanket until it stopped- so DD didn't have to voraciously gulp everything that was shooting into her mouth.  (Sorry if this description is weirding anyone out...)  I think she'd consume a little less that way, and she'd have to work more for the hindmilk, which is the good fatty stuff.  If supply isn't a problem but you think too much foremilk could be a problem, try block nursing- one side only per session, save the other side for another session.  This method of one side per session is often suggested to help moms with oversupply get it in check, so be careful.  But it also means more hindmilk if baby will continue to work for it on that one side.

After nursing I'd keep her upright if at all possible.  Lots of babywearing (read up and practice safely!).  My LLL leader also suggested when we do lay her down, elevate the top half of her body a bit.  You can do this safely by putting a bolster of some sort under one side of the mattress.

Also, maybe pick up the book "the happiest baby on the block,"  which gives some really great practical tips on how to calm a fussy baby from about 0-3 months.  It was a lifesaver for us, once we were comfortable with the fact that there was nothing wrong with our baby except that she was acting like one.

Try to pay attention to the times that the baby is fussy.  I have talked to moms who considered a GERD diagnosis, but after they realized that it was always between 6-10 pm that the baby was fussy, they reasoned that it wasn't GERD, GERD would probably be an issue all the time, not at the normal baby "witching hours."

Last thought, allergies are rampant.  I also know a lot of moms that went on an elimination diet and determined that their baby had some specific food intolerances.  This is a lot of work, I think, so maybe see if some of the other techniques here will help.

kellymom.com is a great resource for nursing moms, if nobody here has mentioned it yet, too.

Okay, I think that's all I've got.

milliemchi

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #142 on: September 18, 2015, 08:53:26 PM »
Just to add to the discussion, our daughter was on Zantac for a couple of months as an infant, then grew out of the reflux, got off of the medicine with no issues, and Zantac was the solution to our incredible feeding problems.  We have tried about everything we could think of, different bottles, nipples, (expressed milk), different types of formula, and nothing worked.  We were feeding her for ~75 minutes every 3 hours on the 4oz bottle, and she was already 4 months old.  Zantac was a godsend, but not until we upped it from twice a day (as per ped) to every 6 hours (as per ped GI specialist). So, no issues here, but great help from Zantac. She wasn't spitting up, btw, just refusing to eat since it was uncomfortable.

7-8 years later, she was on an actual prescription anti-acid drug (Zantac acts differently from those) for a month as a trial, and got off of it with no problems either (it was not helping her issue).

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #143 on: September 19, 2015, 04:27:37 PM »
So something my wife pointed out was that ever since my parents came down this past week, she had a pretty high uptick in eating dairy: sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, butter, etc... she's starting to think that the latest events of the baby being super-fussy, not sleeping well, and wanting to eat every hour is due to this change in diet. It doesn't sound like an uncommon thing for there to be dairy (and soy) intolerance. I think this week was especially bad compared to previous weeks, where my wife never really ate much dairy. But as she thinks about it, it seems as though every time she's eating something with dairy (even Cheezits!), she has recalled the baby being fussier than before. We're *this* close to getting Zantac but I think she wants to try cutting dairy (and possibly soy) out for a few days and see if that makes any difference. If it does, then I don't think Zantac is the answer here... well, I guess it could help but it won't do anything about the possible dairy and or soy issues if those are real issues.

okits

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #144 on: September 19, 2015, 09:42:12 PM »
So something my wife pointed out was that ever since my parents came down this past week, she had a pretty high uptick in eating dairy: sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, butter, etc... she's starting to think that the latest events of the baby being super-fussy, not sleeping well, and wanting to eat every hour is due to this change in diet. It doesn't sound like an uncommon thing for there to be dairy (and soy) intolerance. I think this week was especially bad compared to previous weeks, where my wife never really ate much dairy. But as she thinks about it, it seems as though every time she's eating something with dairy (even Cheezits!), she has recalled the baby being fussier than before. We're *this* close to getting Zantac but I think she wants to try cutting dairy (and possibly soy) out for a few days and see if that makes any difference. If it does, then I don't think Zantac is the answer here... well, I guess it could help but it won't do anything about the possible dairy and or soy issues if those are real issues.

A few days may not be enough to ascertain if cow's milk protein is bothering your baby.

Eliminating a food for less than 2-3 weeks may not be effective—cow’s milk protein, for example, can persist in mom’s body for 1˝ – 2 weeks, and it may be another 1˝ – 2 weeks before the protein is out of baby’s system.

http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/food-sensitivity/

If you give this a go, my sympathies with how difficult it is to eliminate all dairy. You don't realize how ubiquitous milk is until you can't have it anymore (like, the margarine my DH bought had milk in it!  WTF!) And while it takes a while to leave your system, one little screw up has an impact right away ("oopsie, I ate a cookie.")

jeromedawg

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #145 on: September 19, 2015, 10:32:33 PM »
So something my wife pointed out was that ever since my parents came down this past week, she had a pretty high uptick in eating dairy: sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, butter, etc... she's starting to think that the latest events of the baby being super-fussy, not sleeping well, and wanting to eat every hour is due to this change in diet. It doesn't sound like an uncommon thing for there to be dairy (and soy) intolerance. I think this week was especially bad compared to previous weeks, where my wife never really ate much dairy. But as she thinks about it, it seems as though every time she's eating something with dairy (even Cheezits!), she has recalled the baby being fussier than before. We're *this* close to getting Zantac but I think she wants to try cutting dairy (and possibly soy) out for a few days and see if that makes any difference. If it does, then I don't think Zantac is the answer here... well, I guess it could help but it won't do anything about the possible dairy and or soy issues if those are real issues.

A few days may not be enough to ascertain if cow's milk protein is bothering your baby.

Eliminating a food for less than 2-3 weeks may not be effective—cow’s milk protein, for example, can persist in mom’s body for 1˝ – 2 weeks, and it may be another 1˝ – 2 weeks before the protein is out of baby’s system.

http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/food-sensitivity/

If you give this a go, my sympathies with how difficult it is to eliminate all dairy. You don't realize how ubiquitous milk is until you can't have it anymore (like, the margarine my DH bought had milk in it!  WTF!) And while it takes a while to leave your system, one little screw up has an impact right away ("oopsie, I ate a cookie.")

Yea, my wife mentioned this to me as well :T Sucks that it takes so long to get out of the system completely, yet it so quick to go into effect and be passed on through the supply...

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #146 on: September 20, 2015, 03:58:03 AM »
If she's still not eating enough, I'd be really hesitant to eliminate whole categories of food that she will eat. Even if she's just recently started eating enough.

elaine amj

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #147 on: September 22, 2015, 01:07:23 PM »
Personally, I found eliminating dairy for a couple of weeks ended up having a positive effect on my baby. It was a pain but i was frustrated and thought it was worth a try. I have no idea how much of it was the placebo effect. With baby #1, I cut out dairy for 2 weeks and when she was less fussy, I gradually reintroduced it and never felt the need to cut it out again.

With Baby #2, I had a bowl of cabbage soup (with a LOT of cabbage) one day and he went into screaming fits. I cut out ALL gassy foods, including all dairy, garlic, cabbage, and a very very extensive list of other stuff. It was a pain but seemed to help (again, not sure if it was a placebo effect). I reintroduced everything gradually several weeks later and didn't see any major issues.

Whether or not it actually was true or if it worked - I don't know. My babies improved and I felt it was worth it (maybe just because I felt like I had control of SOMETHING).

Gizsuat2

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #148 on: September 23, 2015, 03:21:11 PM »
Sending good wishes to you and your wife.  Those first few weeks are hard.  And milk supply is a real challenge for many.  If you haven't already, I would highly recommend an in-home meet with a lactation consultant.  Best $100 I truly ever spent.

FLA

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Re: Babies... some people make it sound so easy
« Reply #149 on: October 01, 2015, 08:44:02 PM »
I am glad to read things sound overall a bit better.  As for your wife not eating enough, I had a friend like that.  She wasn't depressed, just always felt she was forcing food down.  Her OB and her Ped both suggested adding in Boost or Ensure 1-2 cans depending on how much she ate that day. Or Carnation Instant Breakfast but then you have the dairy issue.  2 weeks later she was eating everything in sight