New Mommie here...HELP!

[Gippie]

Amelia - The crazy worry that YOUR kid has someting more than anyone thought is 100% normal....BUT I will say that you SHOULD nurture whatever fears you have and get them checked out.    I took Quinn to the ER the other day cause I suspected an ear infection and in truth - there was no real evidence....just my nutty fears.   Like all the pp's (prior posters) said.....this is a SMALL blip on the next 18 years.    She will get past this......I used to really break down her life into sundays and say...."she's only been alive for THREE Sundays......she WILL be OK!"

Stacey

[RegMum]

I don't have any first hand experience, but trying many different pacifiers seems to be a popular solution to this problem.  The Gerber® Gentle Flex™ Pacifier is supposed to imitate a mother's breast ( I can't personally recommend it - I've never tried one) - and I've heard good things about Nuk pacifiers....  I hope your LO takes one kind or another really soon!

[We Three]

 Wow, girls...thank you so much...it's so nice that you all try to help one another...I'm glad I came here.
  Well, we went out today and just for kicks, bought a new binkie at your suggestion...(not just a different nipple shape, but a whole new deal). For whatever reason, she keeps this one in her mouth for over 5 minutes, almost 10 minutes at times...I know it doesn't seem like much, but she was only at one minute with the other one! So maybe this will help? This bink is a brand called "Mam"...it looks completely ridiculous, because it's shaped like a butterfly, (why?) but who cares!
  Eloisa's Mom...your post made me laugh about how you thought those first few weeks would be. I thought there would actaully be harp music magically playing while I rocked my baby, with my hair flowing down perfectly, and of course at my my pre-pregnancy weight. Good grief.
  I actually video-taped the insane binky game last night to show the Dr. on Wednesday...it is quite scary to see, honestly...she really does completely flip out.
  I am convinced of some sort of oral motor issue, but I suppose time will tell. Yes, she still does have some formula leak out the sides of her mouth sometimes while feeding...but what concerns me more is the position of her tounge....as I said we have to try a dozen or so times to get that nipple in her mouth...her tounge is always either sticking out a bit, or up at the roof of her mouth.
  UUGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!  Let's all have a primal scream, shall we? Or maybe just me? This is so hard...I love her so much but it's not a "fun" love...it feels like crazy stressed out worried love. She absolutley breaks my heart with one look...then fills it right back up again. It's just HUGE...being a Mom...the hugest thing ever. Bigger than marriage, bigger than anything.
  I have high hopes for this new binkie...I have been typing for like 6 whole minutes and neither of us has had to go put it back in yet!!! Could it be?!?!?
 Also...we switced her bottle to Avent...because we saw that it had an extra-slow flow nipple...we thought that it would be harder for her to suck, and maybe satisfy her more...seems like it may be working well. Flying by the seat of our pants over here!!
  If any of you are single Moms...I bow to you....I cannot imagine for one minute doing this alone without my husband. Gives me a newfound respect for women who take it on themselves....they are Rockstars!!
  I am humbled and happy that all of you were kind enough to respond. I will keep you posted....much love to you all...
 
  Annie  ( Amelia is my baby's name )    

[momofclaire]

Annie-sounds like things are going better today!  Great. By the way do you happen to be a writer?  You are funny and elequent in your writing.  Maybe you just have a great sense of humor...who knows but your posts make me laugh. 

Such a new mom thing to do...taking a video of the babe to the doc! 
 
Not making fun I have done crazy things myself.  You do what you gotta!  Don't feel too silly.  I had a friend take her dd to the doc cause she was for sure something was wrong with her belly button....turns out she just had an outie   I took Claire to the doc 4 times in her first 3 days home.    

[RegMum]

I'm glad to hear things have improved so that you can enjoy your LO for a few minutes.  My LO was pretty lazy when it came to opening her mouth to latch on, and she never seemed to have her tongue in the right place for me to simulate her sucking reflex - she always had it at the top of her mouth and too far back. (I love how on the "how to" videos they showed at the prenatal class the baby always has its mouth open so wide you could drive a truck through it - that baby was not even close to being a newborn).  I spent alot of the first few days expressing colostrum and trying to get her to open her mouth enough to let me get a finger in there so she could get some nutrition.  She got better at that, but I remember trying to get her to take the Advent slow flow bottle at 3 weeks for a DF - she just didn't get it - she couldn't coordinate her tongue enough to stop the flow and she kept choking.  Within the next couple of weeks she really came along in that area too.  Hopefully one day soon you will be feeding her and realize that its not as hard as it used to be....  I love your harp music fantasy - no matter how much you tell yourself its going to be hard, it seems to be a little bit harder than you thought.  My fantasy was more along the lines of me, DH and DD having cuddles on the couch (much like we do with the dog and cat), quiet, peaceful... of course now at 3.5M, my DD either wants to be doing stuff, or sleeping - and she doesn't like sleeping on us anymore - she just gets fussy.

[Eloisa's Mum]

Annie!  So great to hear you sounding a bit more positive, I hope the new binkie stays in!  And I remember still having to keep replacing it, but 6-10 minutes sounds about what I remember, so well done you guys!  Good luck at the doctors tomorrow, I don't know about the tongue position but I'm sure it will be fine.

Too funny about the harp music and perfect hair, maybe in about 18 years when they've gone off to college...  No, it really does get easier, I remember about 6 weeks in I all of sudden felt like I could breathe again!  Oh and I also used to put dd in the BabyBjorn and put her paci in, it would be wedged in and she'd be happy in there, I used to call my mum and my friends and just pace about to get some free time!

Stacy you made me remember, I also took dd to the hospital because I was convinced she has got something up her nose!!  She was about 8mo, I can't even remember what made me think it but i googled her symptoms and was like OMG!!  And drove to the A&E.  Obviously there was nothing there! 

Love from Michelle xxx



 

[We Three]

 Oh you guys just cracked me up! I feel a bit less insane now that I know I'm not alone and that this is typical of all new moms!!  Thank you so much!
  I tell you my husband and I were so fired up over this new bink...I actually was crying when she kept it in her mouth!! Sounds crazy but I really feel like I can have a life if she just holds onto the thing...well, maybe not a "life" just yet, but at least a shower!
 I feel like I can breathe. You guys are so wonderful...you had to see me at Target..."Well, honey, the girls at baby whisperer said to try this new bink..."
  Thank you SO much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 MWAAA!

p.s. No, not a writer, but I thank you for saying that...it is a secret fantasy of mine. Maybe pregnancy and motherhood will give me something more to write about. I'm going to call my first book "Pregnancy Sucks", or perhaps.."Whose butt is this?!?!?"   
 Love to you...

[RegMum]

I'm amazed, after what you are going through, that your first book would be about pregnancy.  I was 10 days overdue, and when people asked if I was impatient to get my DD out, I replied "No, she's alot quieter where she is now"

[Eloisa's Mum]

Awww bless you Annie I just got a little lump in my throat reading your post, happy days!!  LOL at Whose butt is this?!!

And about the shower - bouncy seat in the bathroom, sing a few songs while you're in the shower, never fails - and if you start it now they just accept it's what happens and you'll never have to miss a shower ever again!! And if she hangs onto that binky that's a 6 minute shower!  Of course if you can leave your dd in her cot while you go, then even better, my SIL started that one when her dd was born, but mine wasn't having any of it, so she just had to come with me!

Love from Michelle xxx

[momofclaire]

Annie-You are going to be a wonderful mom.  With a sense of humor like yours....you'll do great!  It will carry you through the rocky times   Let us know how things are going...and watch out, you'll be addicted to these boards in no time.  You might even skip a shower because of it.   

[RegMum]

Amelia - How are things going with the new soother?

[We Three]

 Hi Girls!
  Oh my Goodness it's a new world over here! How could something so simple be the answer to all that stress? Am I speaking too soon? I swear it's unreal how much more content she is...it's astounding. I guess that new bink really satisfies her need, so every waking moment is more pleasant for her. And, of course, for us!        
  Went to Dr. today...at 4 weeks we are 9lb 14 oz.....yay!
 
  Question....she is eating 2 ounces every 2 hours. She will cry at the exact 2 hour mark to eat.  Dr. says she should be going 3 hours by now, and we tried to give her 2 1/2 oz to see if she'd make it longer, but she just got all gurgly, spit up alot, and it was a struggle. So to me, clearly she isn't ready for more food per feeding. Do I just keep trying to give her more at weekly intervals? How do you know when it's time to feed more and go longer between feedings? I would love to see her go to every 3 hours, but based on my little test, she isn't ready. Doc says she should be ready. Any advice? 

[momofclaire]

You know when she is ready.  I would just try to feed her only when she shows signs of hunger.  Gradually the length of time between feedings will get longer and she will take more naturally.  If you want her to go longer just put maybe 3 oz in the bottle each time.  If she takes it great if not whatever.  You can burp her in the middle of a feed.  Sometimes that lets air escape and makes a little more room.  Or feed her and then give her a few min and try to give her the extra oz once it has settled.   The more her stomach grows the longer she will be able to go.  When a doc says she (meaning your lo) take that to mean "on average" every baby is different.

I am SO glad things are going better.  Sometimes it is just a simple litte thing that makes everything better.  The hard part is figuring out what that little thing is

Take care Annie.
Enjoy every second of her cause my god they grow fast and before you know it they would rather run around than even lay for just a minute in your arms.  Can you tell mine is big now?  13 months have never seemed shorter and longer in all my life.  ENJOY.

[RegMum]

I'm so glad for you. The two hour feeds were probably the last thing you were worried about when she was always looking for something to suck on, but do you have her on a routine?  If so, you should post it. If she is eating every two hours, does that mean she is not taking 1.5hr naps?  If you work on extending her A and nap time (if she's taking short naps it's easier said than done), the increased interval between feeds may follow.

[We Three]

 I swear signing in here was one of the smartest things I've done lately!! 
 Not to worry...we are savoring every minute of her delicious littleness...this is one baby who was so waited for and prayed for...we don't take a second of it for granted.
 Thanks so much for your well wishes...as it turns out, my daughter seems to have put herself on E.A.S.Y. from the minute she was born...I had skimmed the book, but then when I read it a little more, I realized we were doing it without much effort...I guess we're very lucky!
  She wants to eat every 2 hours on the dot...so we feed her the 2 ounces, then she is up for about 30 minutes after a feed, then to sleep for about 90 minutes til she hits that 2 hour mark! She was fussing alot in her wake time...but now she is content to look at us, and make funny faces. I got to finish a story today without her rooting! She stared and stared at the pictures...it was so precious I needed to lie down after!
  So it seems I am fortunate in the way she decided to schedule herself...I'm glad I didn't have to try to get her on a schedule, because I know that can be challenging.
  My only concern now is that longer time in between, but I feel alot better about it based on what you guys have offered. I don't understand how she gets more food as she grows...if we getr her up to 3 ounces evrey 3 hours (instaed of 2/2)...that's still 24 ounces in 24 hours..and then 4 ounces every 4 hours is still 24! Hmmm.....
   Thank God for you guys! Tracy was right...newborns are the graet equalizer!! No matter how smart you THINK you are...oh just have a baby and you will feel like an insecure crazy person!!