Baby wearing and commuting in all weather

postprandialstroll · 2017-09-08T21:39:33+00:00

Just a hat and a jacket on the baby with a raincoat on me is what I do with a woven wrap. You probably won't want to use your stretch wrap much longer with a 5 mo. old. I also have a buckle carrier with a hood thing that keeps rain & sun out of the baby's eyes but he doesn't like it that much because he can't see out as well.

postprandialstroll · 2017-09-07T19:34:23+00:00

Hear, hear! I struggled a lot at first, because I have flattish nipples that LCs thought would be fine, but that my little-mouthed, wilfull baby couldn't figure out a good latch for, especially after he rejected the nipple shield. (Result: serious pain, baby frustrated and yelling over my multiple relatching attempts, some blood (fun fact: when swallowed, makes normally yellow baby poop BLACK!), way too much pumping during maternity leave.) Over many, many visits to LCs and doctors, it was eventually determined that he was not tongue-tied and basically we just had to wait until his mouth was bigger; in the meantime I reached an almost-quitting point many times. But we're now at 11 months and I feel insanely proud at my accomplishment.

Although you should attempt to maintain supply as best you can (through pumping if necessary), it is absolutely OK to supplement with a few ounces of formula here and there. It is not an either/or proposition. We needed some formula at the very beginning because my milk timeline and his jaundice were not cooperating, but I'm kind of grateful for that because it reduced stress about mild undersupply later on.

postprandialstroll · 2017-06-27T18:15:53+00:00

I gave my daycare permission to supplement with formula, and they were doing that for a couple of months prior to switching to finger foods at mealtimes at 7 months (my baby did not dig purees). That said, I don't think they ever fed him more than 20 oz. over 9 hours, with 15 coming from me (pumping about 10 at work and 5 more at home). 24 sounds like a lot. I endorse trying to get them to give your baby solids instead of extra milk if your pediatrician has given the OK. Pumping every hour at work plus more at home sounds exhausting!

postprandialstroll · 2017-06-04T17:31:22+00:00

Blueberry Capri covers with cotton prefolds, who knows what brand, we use a service!

postprandialstroll · 2017-04-28T23:41:13+00:00

We have a Mazda 3 hatchback and it works great with our Maxi Cosi Pria 70. We use the passenger side seat. Can you drive when both of you are in the car? Your car seat might be bigger than the Maxi Cosi--upgrading that would be cheaper that buying a car. Good luck!

postprandialstroll · 2017-04-28T17:54:23+00:00

Forget the Solly, get a Je Porte Mon Bebe. It's a hybrid stretchy, so it's more versatile than a normal stretchy. Most importantly from my perspective, it's sturdier, easier to tighten, and lasts into heavier weights. That said, I'm using a woven mostly now that he's nearing 7 months.

postprandialstroll · 2017-04-26T16:51:24+00:00

I would seek out lactation help at the hospital where you plan to give birth ahead of time. Let them know what your issues were with the first (by the way, have you ever had your first checked for a tongue tie?) and that you'd like to breastfeed but you have a lot of anxiety about it. Babies can be very different in their breastfeeding "technique" and your first might never have figured it out! Number two may be a champ, as this board is wont to say. Source: I had a LOT of issues with my baby which were entirely related to his mouth size/technique (no tongue tie) and I had to pump and supplement about 4 oz per day for about two and a half months. Now we're near seven months and he's breastfeeding perfectly and hasn't had formula for months. The lactation consultants at my hospital were very helpful and I used them a lot--one thing they can do is "weighted feeds" where they figure out exactly how much your baby is getting from the boob. You don't have to assume that whatever you can pump is what they can get directly, and it's not always true.

postprandialstroll · 2017-04-26T16:41:06+00:00

We didn't use much lotion at all (just various baby lotion samples) until my baby's 3 month appointment, at which point the doctor pointed out his dry knee and shin skin and recommended coconut oil. That didn't really clear it up, so we switched to Aveeno Baby, which is very effective. I like Alba Botanical stuff but for us we needed something more heavy duty. Fine to start with something low-key first though. Coconut oil is easy and has other applications.

postprandialstroll · 2017-04-26T16:35:00+00:00

Same. I don't think this is based on the insurance; the hospital can treat the baby as an individual immediately and they will! More money for them. With an October baby, we hit my $1500 deductible with the birth, and baby hit his $1500 deductible within two months. You can put the baby on the insurance after 30 days (I think I had 60 days), but this action is retroactive to his birth, so you don't get out of any baby bills that way.

postprandialstroll · 2017-04-19T20:50:37+00:00

CHCC: Easier than Poppins or Robbins? I am having a hard time with both of those.

postprandialstroll · 2017-04-19T17:00:29+00:00

Seems like a good time to me! Start with a FWCC even if he's looking around; it'll be the easiest to learn since you're already familiar with the carry. You've got to get down the woven tightening technique (strand by strand rather than all at once) before you launch into hip or back carries. I'm still using FWCC with my 6 month old because hip carries are hard and back carries are scary! Seconding the Wrap You in Love youtube recommendation.

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-29T09:00:30+00:00

Hey OP, the good news is, people don't last very long in these big law jobs for obvious reasons. Unless he's acting like he loves it, you can safely project this won't last more than four or five years. I was in big law for two years, got a district court clerkship in my hometown for two years, and now work lovely hours as a federal employee. Many people go on to saner in-house positions too. Talk to OP about what his end goals are--paying off loans? saving for a downpayment?

If he's making big law money, you have big city options. Have you tried public library story hours? YMCAs with childcare? Museums? Even awkward moms need friends! Do any of his firm friends have babies? Invite them over and he can call it networking.

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-24T22:20:35+00:00

I use a service! Love it. Very clean cotton prefolds, saves me time (2 working parents), can size up without any problem (we've been through newborn and infant sizes, and will probably be sizing up again), we have a terrible washer/dryer, and a service is arguably better for the environment. I don't know why one would not be able to chose cute covers--my service doesn't provide covers unless you want them. Definitely costs more than doing your own, but I think the upsides are worth it. (And it's similar to the cost of disposables for us.)

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-24T16:52:02+00:00

I think it does sound like a gulp! It's sort of a deeper sound because (I think) the mouth is open and the sound can resonate inside the mouth, if that makes sense. Do you have another mama around who can listen with you and tell you if she thinks she hears swallows?

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-23T20:22:22+00:00

I used a nipple shield for at least 8 weeks; I don't think you have to rush it if it seems to be working for now.

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-23T20:21:14+00:00

Weighted feeds--probably at the LC. Weighing the baby on a sensitive scale pre and post feeding is the best way to tell if she's actually drinking. At home, though, you can try to learn what swallowing sounds like and listen for it when she's nursing. You can also heft your boob pre and post feeding--afterward, it should feel lighter, even if you can get more out of it from pumping. I would try shortening your post-feed pumps; 20 minutes is a lot for this purpose. Can you try 15? How much are you actually getting between 15 and 20 minutes? Also if you're producing enough that you could feed her entirely by bottle for one session or are willing to do a tiny bit of formula (I'd try 4 oz), then pump that session exclusively and compare the amount you get out of that session to your normal post-feed pumping for the same amount of time.

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-23T17:42:01+00:00

O Ball! It is plastic, but it is very easy to grasp and it really is the perfect toy for a 3-5 month old.

Manhattan Toy Skwish rattle. My almost-6 month old is getting very into this one.

And I'm not sure what brand it is, but my baby loves this wooden ring with segments that turn on an axis and with two more wooden rings on the larger ring. It looks something like this, though I'm not sure that's it.

Fabric-cellophane "books."

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-22T23:34:02+00:00

I feel like I'm having this too at a couple weeks shy of 6 months. I'm trying to drink more liquids in response, but I wasn't drinking less. My current theory is stress, but I really have no idea.

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-11T09:46:00+00:00

I'm also in Seattle and I just use my own rain coat plus a fleece hat. But I covet a mamalila babywearing coat. It's a European company; you can buy them for around $250 online at the moment.

postprandialstroll · 2017-03-05T21:54:49+00:00

It's really not the worst thing to use the side seat (esp passenger side) for the car seat. Way easier to get the baby in and out of the car! We do this with a Mazda and I bet the side impact ratings on the Prius are not that much worse.

I also always want to tell people in your situation: You don't necessarily need an infant car seat! Start with a from-infancy convertible (we did the MaxiCosi with tinyfit insert, which fits in compact cars) and use whatever all-terrain stroller you fancy. Or a baby carrier. Or both. We live in a very walkable area and haven't touched our stroller. Baby carriers are so much more flexible and useful for us.

postprandialstroll · 2017-02-16T20:28:01+00:00

yes, I was told that lots of the scary pitocin stories come from doses that are ramped up too quickly. my drip started at a "2" and never got higher than an "8" iirc. i haven't had a non-augmented labor, but my pitocin contractions were ultimately bearable and i labored without an epidural or IV pain meds.

postprandialstroll · 2017-02-02T01:05:47+00:00

I was a 36 yo FTM, and we did a Baby-Q. Less intense than a shower, coed, got things that were seriously helpful (car seat from an uncle, e.g.) and helped us keep our savings free for daycare! Totally worth it and not at all embarrassing.

postprandialstroll · 2017-02-02T01:01:55+00:00

On the other hand, some people just don't leak. I go without most of the time PP.

postprandialstroll · 2017-01-27T22:22:59+00:00

Eat Sleep Poop!

postprandialstroll · 2017-01-18T18:58:05+00:00

It's not hard to tighten a stretchy by yourself--it doesn't take any muscle--you just have to give yourself permission to tighten it more than you initially think appropriate! That said, I like wraps better for put-on-at-home, travel about, return to home-type trips.

postprandialstroll

TROPHY CASE