2009 Pregnancy/baby thread

[prechrswife]

Sorry to hear about your MIL problems.
Mine can drive me nuts but for the most part I tollerate her.
I guess she means well.

Question:
When do I switch from #1 nipples to the next size?

I think the usual is around 6 months, but if she starts getting frustrated with it, you can switch sooner. Our #1 size are wearing out, but we aren't quite ready to switch yet. I'm trying to make the ones we have hold out instead of buying new ones to use for a month.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I think Kyle feels the way I do for the most part -- he's pretty much told his mom to shut up, and after getting off the phone with her he'll say stuff like "god she drives me crazy sometimes, she just won't shut up." But I don't think the smoking and drinking thing bothers him. A friend was over the other day and says "I guess you can't really have your mom babysit huh?" And he says "why not?" She says "because she'll probably be drinking." And he said "Oh Hell, you think she wasn't drinking when me and my sisters were growing up? She can babysit." I was like oooh god. I think I will avoid the whole issue until it actually arises.. try to avoid the situation, if I know we have to go somewhere I'll quickly make arrangements with someone else, or say that so-and-so really wants to watch the baby this time.. I know I can't avoid it forever but I really don't want to get in a fight with him, and I really don't want him to become childish and say "well then YOUR mom can't babysit" or something.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has had issues. I think it's probably a common thing. You know one other thing that bugs me? She keeps saying how it's too bad Kyle's sister doesn't live here because I'll need help. Guess I'm incompetent, and Kyle won't be able to help me... I need someone to actually come LIVE with us!
You know, I used to LOVE going to my grandma and papa's house when I was a kid. They made good food, I always got ice cream for dessert, they would take me out to Dairy Queen, take me to watch parades or other fun events.. To be honest I don't think my baby will ever get to have fun with Kyle's mom. Her other grandchild is afraid of her.
I can't WAIT to move away.....

I agree that it would be a good idea to discuss this as soon as you can, before your baby is here. Once you have it resolved, you will feel better. You could say you are concerned about the smoking/drinking. If you would feel comfortable doing so, you could suggest that if his mom watches the baby it be at your place so she wouldn't be allowed to smoke or drink...or if that still makes you uncomfortable I would just say you don't feel comfortable having her babysit by herself.

[Cataholic]

I BF, but, mom gave J BM in a bottle. I think we just sliced open the whole a little bit, rather than go buy a new nipple. Can you do that?

[beeniesmom]

I BF, but, mom gave J BM in a bottle. I think we just sliced open the whole a little bit, rather than go buy a new nipple. Can you do that?

Sure but it's not really necessary. I bought a set that came with 3 sizes of nipples. I think she's still ok with the size 1. I was just curious as to when I was supposed to change from one to another.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm not sure about the bottles...maybe just switch it when Laura seems like she's ready to eat faster or is frustrated because she's not getting food fast enough.

Here's another question for everyone- where are you going to get your baby's winter coat?? (Though maybe I am asking the wrong crowd because you all live in the south!)

I am just not impressed with what I have seen- all the coats seem flimsy and not very warm. We don't get really cold weather here in Denver much, but she will certainly need a warm coat in December and January, especially after dark! Any ideas?

[Karen]

Here's another question for everyone- where are you going to get your baby's winter coat?? (Though maybe I am asking the wrong crowd because you all live in the south!)

I am just not impressed with what I have seen- all the coats seem flimsy and not very warm. We don't get really cold weather here in Denver much, but she will certainly need a warm coat in December and January, especially after dark! Any ideas?

That's an easy one - check the second-hand stores, Goodwill, etc.. Babies grow so fast that they outgrow things like coats long before they put much wear into 'em. And you'll likely find more variety there than department stores as well!

[gini]

LL Bean is a good source too with quality items for kids and babies.

[Husky_mom]

oh... wolfsoul... i feel your pain..lol...

MIL just HAVE to be so nosey... and aLWAYS right..lol

just like Pembroke said.. listen, thank for advice.. but do as you want... what might have worked for them doesn´t necesarily will work for you...

about the drinking/smoking... my mom smokes.. and while I stayed at her house right after birth.. I forbid her to smoke around us.. and we were at her house... I said.. you smoke.. you don´t get to get near any of us... and she commited... she did smoked outside.. but not near us.. not one day...

talk to Kyle.. I´m sure he´ll understand and take your side.. doesn´t matter if she´s her mom.. it´s whats best for HIS baby what´s more important...and if you don´t feel comfortable.. no one can make you do what you don´t want...

and the best part is yet to come... if you feed her this, that, if you make her sleep in this or that way, if you burp her right, if the clothes, if the crib, if the bath, if the diapers, if the cream, if if if.. everything you do is wrong... and it doesn´t matter if they did it the exact same way... ok I guess I projected myself here.. lol.. but it´s true...

I still got her advice even when not living together.. glad we are now half country away..lol


and Carmen: it usually is at 6mo. or when she wants to eat faster.. but as Cataholic said you can always puncture a hole in the smaller nipples...

oh.. and i read you can´f make her BF because she was on a bottle since day one.. I BF and bottled also... you may try squeezing a bit to make milk come out and get her to latch while pouring milk.. very soon she´ll get the idea...it might take a while but I´m sure she will

[prechrswife]

I'm not sure about the bottles...maybe just switch it when Laura seems like she's ready to eat faster or is frustrated because she's not getting food fast enough.

Here's another question for everyone- where are you going to get your baby's winter coat?? (Though maybe I am asking the wrong crowd because you all live in the south!)

I am just not impressed with what I have seen- all the coats seem flimsy and not very warm. We don't get really cold weather here in Denver much, but she will certainly need a warm coat in December and January, especially after dark! Any ideas?

We're in the south, but when Mary Joyce was a baby, I found a decent winter coat at Old Navy. We lived in GA at the time. In FL, we made do with mid-range jackets last year because it never gets that terribly cold.

[wolfsoul]

Thanks guys, I wish I could talk to Kyle about it now but it will just put us in a huge fight. When I say anything about it, it's like he gets very offended -- as if I'm saying that he could have turned out better if it weren't for his mom doing all of the things I don't want her to do in front of our baby -- it really makes him angry, so I just let him get mad at her when he wants but otherwise I never say anything, or he'll turn it right back around on me. I'm the same with people I love, I guess.
We're *supposed* to move next year, which means she would nevr have to babysit.. so I'll go on the chance that we're sticking with that plan (I HOPE HOPE we are).
Oh, I forgot to mention one thing -- she started her babies off on pablum as SOON as they were born. She told me I should just start feeding the baby food right away because milk isn't enough!! Apparently that is why babies cry so much at night..because they are hungry and want food, not milk. So sure.
When the time comes (which I'm hoping it won't), that is when we'll have to have the discussion. But right now we both have way too much stress on our plates (he just started his new job and I'm having a baby next week!! ) to get into such a big fight (trust me, there is no "discussion" with him!! lol). Because he knows his mom won't compromise for us, so it would have to be a no-babysit basis rather than "she can't do this while babysitting," and I know if he told me MY mom couldn't babysit, I'd be livid. So I'll just take it as it goes. Since she lives farther away than most of our other "babysitters" and since we're supposed to move next year anyways, hoepfully we can just avoid the situation altogether.
Btw -- when I was 10 weeks old my grandparents fed me mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce (it was Christmas). My mom was SO MAD! LOL

[JenBKR]

I'm not sure about the bottles...maybe just switch it when Laura seems like she's ready to eat faster or is frustrated because she's not getting food fast enough.

Here's another question for everyone- where are you going to get your baby's winter coat?? (Though maybe I am asking the wrong crowd because you all live in the south!)

I am just not impressed with what I have seen- all the coats seem flimsy and not very warm. We don't get really cold weather here in Denver much, but she will certainly need a warm coat in December and January, especially after dark! Any ideas?

When Ty was younger, I liked the one piece coats which I think are more like snowsuits. Here are a few pictures





This year I have a coat and pant suit that like a 2 piece snowsuit and I just plan on wearing the coat part on him as his regular winter coat. We got that at Pennys. I agree with you, a lot of the coats out are too light for the winter. Maybe the stores will come out with heavier coats later in the fall.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Ty is so cute!! Why don't we get to see more pictures of him?? He must be getting so big!

I'm pretty sure I want to get a one-piece coat for Lyra because it's already getting hard to dress her sometimes. She likes to pull things on and off her head while I am trying to change her, and a big snowsuit would be too hard every time we go out. I'll check Penny's though!

[Cataholic]

FWIW- the doctor told us to avoid those winter type coats while J was in a carseat. The puffiness of the coat essentially ruins the safety factor of the carseat in the event of a crash.

They make these totally wonderful carseat liner/covers nowadays. The baby gets zippered in there. I forget what they are called, but, I think LL Bean makes them.

For walks, I went with the one piece cloth type things, and never did the 'snowsuit' type thing at all. J wasn't out in the cold long enough, and they just aren't bendable enough for me. J would look and act like he was a giant pepperidge farm gingerbread man cookie- KWIM?

Now, at 5, he does have ski pants with a bib.

[Husky_mom]

I made this for Laura also.... can´t believe this babies are so grown up...

[wolfsoul]

I don't think baby wants to hold in much longer. She's been very active this last week, and I started having some painless contractions yesterday. They weren't uncomfortable at first, in fact I barely noticed them unless I felt my belly; But as the day went on into night, they started to get uncomfortable, sometimes a bit painful. Before I went to bed lastnight I noticed my belly had completely changed shape -- instead of oval, I am VERY round -- she is farther out front, but also farther out my sides, and she appears higher. I have a beachball belly. She's been extremely active all day -- in fact she's worrying me because she keeps doing summersualts. She's turned herself twice already in the last hour that I've been up, it's like she can't make up her mind -- please please just be head down when the time comes..
It feels like something is pushing down hard on my cervix (makes me walk like I've been horseback riding lol) and I keep getting this "fluttering" feeling, like a bunch of butterflies batting away inside, down fairly low. And the way she is moving around inside I'm finding myself uncomfortable and sometimes in pain.
I don't think she'll be in there much longer. I couldn't go to the dr on tues because I caught the swine flu last week, but I have an appt tomorrow and we'll see what she says. They think I'm due on the 3rd (9 days from now), but my own calculations put me on the 28th (4 days from now)..so it will certainly be any time now..