Just wanted to check in, update, & ask a few questions

Hello ladies! I have missed this board so much! I can't wait until we have the net again. Well I feel great! I am fully recovered. Anberlin is doing really well! She is a very happy baby and really easy to care for. We are very lucky! One problem is I have a lot of anxiety about my husband going back to work in a week. He is soooo helpful and supportive that I worry I can't do this without him. I cry about it a lot.... I just hope I can hold it together. I also had a question for u gals about pumping. I want to switch over to mainly pumping all day and bottle feed except for the night time feedings so I don't feel like I am being held prisoner of my home! Lol! Do you girls have some advice on how to get that going? She eats so often that I really don't know how to start. Your best advice would be greatly appreciated! I also wanted to know your views on allowing your babies to sleep on their tummys if they tend to sleep better that way. How do you feel about that? Thank you girls so much! Congratulations on all the new pregnancies & all the new babies!

Ashlie

I am glad to hear that all is going well! I have no advice with breastfeeding, I wasn't able to with my daughter. The tummy sleeping thing though, is a huge issue with me. When I first brought my daughter home, I was like no way was I going to let her sleep on her tummy. The whole sids risk thing. But I had to stay with my mom cause of an infection in my C section incision and she kept putting her down on her tummy to sleep and it freaked me out. Well, she finally got used to it and would not sleep any other way! It pissed me off, but then I ended up putting her to sleep that way too, yet I wouldn't sleep well at all, like every tiny sound I'd wake up and have to check her out. In a way, it wasn't worth the stress to me, but she didn't have any issues. With this baby, I plan on putting him/her on their back to sleep no matter what. The baby will have to get used to it, it just wasn't worth the stress and constant fear I had about something happening to her cause she was on her tummy.

All three of my children have slept on their backs. My pediatrician explained to me that when an infant sleeps on their tummy they can create a pocket of air that  they continuously breath in and out, this air contains carbon dioxide and  it is thought to be one of the causes of SIDS. She also told me that when an infant sleeps on their tummy they have a more difficult time regulating there heart rate and body temp. To me it was not worth the risk. Also be sure to change the direction of her head when you lay her down.  One time have her face point towards the right and the next time have her face point to the left. Also be sure to give her plenty of awake tummy time, this will prevent a flat spot from forming on the back of her head.

I have no clue on pumping, I worked with my first one so I pumped with him but I was not with him at the time. I never could figure out how to do it, once I became a stay at home mom.

Good Luck,
Emily

i have no idea about the pumping.... but... when i had jayson i was a single mom... my mom took the first week off to spend with me.. it was nice... however i was ready for her to get out of my hair... i prepaired my self by making trips to the store alone with baby... sending her on trips so him and i would be alone together... and then the last day i told her to pretend that there was no baby and to act normal LOL... of course the last didnt happen ... but it really helped

I never could pump enough and feed Noah.  So I just breast fed where ever we went.  I had one of those covers that ties behind you neck and could nurse him any where I was except when I was driving.  It worked out great for us and was very discreet.

As far as the sleeping goes none of my children slept on their backs or on their tummies until they were big enough to move them selves that way.  They slept on their sides with wedges.  All of my babies had bad habit of strangling so I slept much better knowing they were safer on their sides.  Once Noah got older then he would sleep anyway he wanted and the pediatrician said that it was fine because he was capable of moving his self around.

Good luck with hubby going back to work it will be scary at first but will get better soon.

Ashlie,
After Anberlin get done eating try to pump.   I really had to massage my breasts to get any milk out (and could only pump one breast at a time).     You may only get 1/2 an ounce or so, but every little bit helps build a freezer supply.     I think a few times I pumped an ounce or two before feeding her.   I think she was ready to eat sooner than normal, but I really needed to get a supply built up before returning to work.    I know it sounds crazy, but I would get more milk from pumping if I didn'****ch how much was coming out.    I guess I would get stressed if I didn't think enough was coming out.  

I always put Hannah on her back or side.   Once she was able to roll over she preferred sleeping on her stomach.  It worried me, but there wasn't really anything I could about it.  
We need pictures!
Amy

I had a hard time pumping enough milk for either of my children. there were of course the the times when they started sleeping through the night, I woul end up pumping about 11 ounces then. I only felt tied down with the first child. I really did not care what people thought, when my anxiety made my daughter colic, I just took care of her anywhere, I did not care where we were!

As far as the tummy sleeping goes. Both my kids slept on there stomachs. My reason was with my first, it calmed her colic, and the second one, I tried the back thing, but he spit up, and was choking on it! even though I moved his head to the side, he started to choke. So Out of paranoia I put him on his tummy, and he did great after that!

 Ashlie~ I was just going to write you and ask how Anberlin was doing? Isabella is doing great. BF like a champ. I was wondering the pumping thing too. Bella is the loudest eater EVER!! I was going to try and pump so if I went anywhere i could give her a bottle. We don't take her out except to go to the Dr and we got family pics done today so I am not to worried about it right now but for the future. How is Anberlin sleeping? Bella sleeps 3-4 hours and then wakes up and nurses.  Although the last couple of nights she has wanted to eat alot more often. As far as the tummy sleeping my Gma said to put Bella on her belly when her bellies upset. But she loves her side she did in my stomach too. I would ask your Pedi. 
Jessica

Jessica,
I remember Hannah hitting a 3 week growth spurt.   Sounds like that may be what Bella is doing.  It lasted for a few days and was really rough!   Then she hit one about every three weeks for the next two months.     I was really afraid that I wasn't making enough milk for her.  Thankfully I posted on here and found out that nursing way more frequently is common at three weeks, 6 weeks, 9 weeks, etc.
Amy

i can't help with the breast feeding either. but with lijah when i first brought him home from the hospital i slept against a wall with him on his tummy on my chest. he would sleep on his back in his bassinet but i felt like he was having a hard time with it so i held him. i didn't get the best sleep ever for the first few days but eventually i just started laying him on his tummy in his bassinet, it might seem wrong to others but he slept better and longer on his tummy, and eventually he could roll himself around and he'd sleep anywhich way, there are studies out there about pacifiers keeping the air way open while baby sleeps and lijah did have a pacifier while he slept and pretty much all the time until he was about 2 and a half. it's a personal choice. do what you feel is best for her. 

good luck!!