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Ok, here's my intro :) My name is Colleen and I live in Connecticut (home of the heavily taxed). My lo Luke is just over 3 months. He was supposed to be born in December but came on October 23 at 33 weeks due to preeclampsia. He spent time in the NICU and also after being home for 1 1/2 days had to go to the emergency room and was readmitted for another week. He was not able to maintain his temp and we almost lost our lil guy. He is my second and last. I have a dd that is 2. Her name is Ashley and although I love her with all my heart, she is a terror! I also joined in Probems Getting Pregnant b/c it took about a year and a half for us to become pregnant the first time and I thought it would be a problem again. It only took 2 months, so this little guy has just been early from day one. Kim- that is wonderful that you were able to get your angel after all that. Do you plan on others in the future? Tara- Are you keeping your lo upright after feedings? That helped alot w/ my dd's reflux. We used the car seat and bouncy chair. I know the crying is terrible, but they usually grow out of it. dmjd- Congrats on the apartment, you must be so excited! I agree that CIO is a personal choice and is not for everyone. Amanda- I am so envious that your lo sleeps through the night! I know I have to be patient since my little guy is a preemie, but it's rough getting up for work sometimes. He gets up around 4 most times- occasionally 3 am blah! Jess- I hope your first days at work are going well. Colleen

Ladies, good to see you all in here! Remember me, Michelle- my Laina was born on Dec. 1st. Sounds like everyone is doing fairly well with their new babies! I'm doing good, I'm b___stfeeding 95% of the time and the other 5% is fairly recent, I've started giving formula at night because quite frankly, I'm so tired and feel "drained". I'm trying so hard to do everything I can to get her to sleep for a good chunk of hours- and hope that giving her a ful 4-6 oz feeding will make her sleep for me. I usually pump after feeding her the formula, once she's sleeping. I hardly pump more than 3 oz, so i hope the full feeding will some day soon, work in my favor. I need some solid sleep, I'm loosing my mind. -- ha ha, other than that all is wonderful with my dd. Here I am at 1:15 am, listening to her squealing in her crib through the monitor. Not working yet..... ; )

Hi Michelle- Congrats on your lo! I love the name, so pretty. Actually a pumping of 3 ounces is pretty good, I could never get that much. The formula will take longer for her to digest so that's a good idea to do that at night. She is still a bit young to go the night but it should be pretty soon. I know the sleep depravation is rough. My guy is close to 4 months (7 weeks premature) and still wakes at around 4-5 am every morning. Can your dh help with the formula feeds so you can get a decent stretch of sleep? Well my lo is still sick, we ended up in the Yale Emergency room on Tuesday. Evidently he has the flu, poor lil guy. This has been a really rough winter. I hope everyone else is doing better! Colleen

Hey girls!!! Colleen, I am so sorry to hear your lo is sick. It's so miserable when they don't feel well. I remember that with my first one. Michelle. welcome back. Colleen, I took my lo for his week checkup yesterday, he weighed 13 lbs. 6 oz. He is 23 inches long.. Acid reflux is pretty much in check right now. He only sleeps upright, he screams if I put him in his crib, so far we've only gotten sleep while he's in the vibrating seat , swing or car seat. This week he's slept in the car seat for 7 hours a night!! The dr told me to add rice cereal to his bottle. He's completely stopped throwing up and is going longer between feedings. It's been pretty good!!! I know people are against the rice cereal, but it's better than being on a prescription. I've been able to cut the dose of zantac down to once a day. I'd rather him be on the natural stuff if he can be.. Anyway, glad to hear everyone is well. Michelle,, Way to go still b___stfeeding. I tried so hard. I couldn't do it. I felt like I had been beaten up every minute of the day!!!!

Hi girls! Thanks again for letting me join. And, thanks for the intros. My little Brady is 8 weeks tomorrow. He's a good baby, and things are generally going really well. I'm b___stfeeding exclusively (although I've given formula a few times). I'm considering supplementing more though...to help him gain a little weight and to help him possibly sleep better. micsimms - is giving formula at night working for you? I've considered that. How much formula are you even supposed to give per fedding at 8 weeks? He will sleep (well, actually), but only with me, so I'm really trying to figure out how to break him of that. I was thinking formula may help him sleep a little sounder because he would be fuller, maybe. As of now, I try to b___stfeed him to sleep and then put him down in his little bed. But, he just wakes up everytime I try to put him down (over and over), so I give in and end up co-sleepinh with him, even if I don't want to. He does sleep well that way, like 6-7 hours at a time, so it's tempting. But, I'm just not totally comfortable with the whole co-sleeping thing. Any suggestions? Colleen - how's your little one now? I hope he's feeling better. I'm sure that's really hard. Tara - it sounds like the reflux is a little better. And, 7 hours is really good, so maybe your little one will be able to sleep well in the car seat. How is the zantac? I've considered giving it to Brady too...he's had some scary choking episodes. Did your lo do that? jess - how's work? I'm really nervous about going back. And, dmj - how's the apartment? oh, and austynsmommy - sounds like you are andrew are good. And, sleeping through the night is great! See ya...

Cindholm, I'm relieved that you thought 3 ozs per pump is good... shew. I was feeling like it wasn't much... Some women have a huge supply of milk, but I seem to have just enough to get by! Kimmer, our babies sleep habits and likes are similar. I have been giving her 4 oz, and sometimes she'll wake up quickly after the 4 oz, and then I give her 1-2 more. (I'll just make a 2 oz bottle and she rarely finishes it).) The past few nights she has slept for a 4 hour stretch- then wakes up and b___stfeeds and goes right back to sleep about every 2 hours- usually 3 sessions of that before she's "up". My boyfriend (we aren't married...) does want to help but it's hard to utilize him. He owns a bar, so if he goes to work he doesn't usually come home until 3, which usually if it's a bad night, I've just put her down. Other nights he struggles with sleeping in general, so if it's one of those nights I don't even ask him. Laina was sick once so far, just a cold but I felt so sorry for her. She was really conjested... Oh, I wanted to ask if anyone has tried Gripe Water? We got it because she gets the hiccups so often, and it also treats a laundry list of other ailments. Plus, it's natural.

Tara- thats great news that your lo is sleeping better the rice cereal has worked. It's not bad for them, there are formula's such as Enfamil AR- the AR means added rice starch. Obviously you wouldn't make it so thick that it would be hard for your lo to suck which is where the problems lies in making it a choking hazard. I have to agree, the carseat rocks! Kimmer- I love the name Brady, uncommon but not wierd! I don't think there is a set amount by age for formula feeding, I would try making 4 oz and see how much he takes. The co-sleeping issue is so controversia. My lo co-slept from about 14 months to about 20 months and man did we have a hard time getting her to sleep alone. It's still a battle but I think all babies and families are different and you have to do whats right for you. I never had her in the bed under 1 year b/c I am a SIDS fanatic and was worried that she would suffocate. Now there are studies saying co-sleeping is safe, it's so hard! My 2 yo dd had the choking episodes and reflux too, very scary. She was on meds for just a few months and a bit of rice cereal. It does get much better once they start taking more solids (around 6-7 months). I did not like giving her meds but the choking seriously scared the c___p out of me. My lo's are finally getting over the flu, what a nightmare! Luke is now about 12 pounds almost triple his birth weight. Micsmms- bf'ing is very hard, that's great that you are sticking with it. I would get about an ounce a pump on a good one. I finally gave up. I had the same problem with my 2yo dd and weaned her to formula at 3 months when I went back to work. I have never tried Gripe Water, what is it supposed to treat? Back to work for me, Colleen

Hi girls. I hope everyone is well? tara - how's feedings going now? micsimms - 3 oz is great in my opinion! I get about an oz. a pump too. I just don't make that much milk...I think my little guy is kind of a slow or lazy sucker...he takes about 30 minutes or more to eat each time, and he wants to eat every 2 hours...so, I just don't think he eats much in a feeding. So, I'm too busy feeding him to pump much! But, I agree, our little ones sleep very similarly. He generally goes for one long stretch and then gets up every 2 hours after that to feed. I'm trying the 4 oz. of formula at night now - it took him almost an hour to eat 4 oz.! But, it worked one night (he slept 7 hours!!!!)...but the next, he was back to getting up more. Colleen - thanks for the compliment on his name. His name is actually Brayden, but we call him Brady. I'm so glad your los are getting over the flu...I'm sure that was horrible. Did you get it? Well, off to finish making dinner. My little guy is sleeping :)

Hey ladies. Where doing good. Aj is getting so big now. He is so chunky compared to what he was when he was born. He only weighed 5 pounds 4 ounces and 17 inches at birth. The doctor's and nurses all think that he was only 34 weeks gestation instead of 37 weeks. He is still sleeping through the night. Well I hope everyone's doing good and getting sleep. Amanda

dmdj, how old is your lo? i was reading your thread that mentioned teething.... im typing one handed, so thats it from me 4 now!!!

Hey girls, Just wanted to drop in quickly, while I have 2 free seconds. My lo is sick- throwing up to be exact. He has been sick since the day after his checkup last week. I am calling today (vomitting) projectile to be exact. On and off . I think it is related to the rotavirus vaccine he got... It says that it can cause diarhea and vomit. I can't keep up with him or the wash!!!! Or showers to clean throw up off of me. He throws up the second he lays down no matter how long after he eats...YUCK!!! Ill check in later.

I hope you lo feels better TaraO. It's so hard when you have a little one sick. My two year old was sick three weeks ago.

Hi Girls! Kimmer- sounds like your lo nurses just like my first lo (now 2yo). I was convinced that alot of the time nursing that she was just using me as a binky and not really eating. Your lo may be doing that too. My dd also took a full hour to drink a few ounces and had a very weak suck. I hope he goes back to sleeping 7 hours for you soon! austynsmommy- how much does your lo weight now? How many weeks old? My lo was 4 lbs 6 oz at birth and is now a whopping 12 pounds. I know the little guys typically gain pretty quick. Tara- how is your lo? What did the pedi say? It is so scary when they reactions to the vaccines. Is the rotavirus one of the required ones? I am doing an adjusted vaccine schedule. Luke has only had the RSV shot so far.

Round 2 = went back to the dr since he was still throwing up. It's not projectile now (He's on the Enfamil Gentlease). But he was throwing up 2 hours after every bottle. And throwing up a lot. I never seen so much come from a baby. Then he's happy. So back at the dr, they told me he didn't get sick from the vaccine, but from a virus probably (of course). So, since I had been having so much stomach trouble with baby, they insisted we try feeding him soy formula. Fine. So I did 2 days ago, yesterday was the first full day. Well he barfed so much last night that it went through all of my clothes, his clothes, all over my cabinets and sink.. GROSS Sorry. ANyway. I am supposed to give it a few days to see if it gets better. But I am feeling really c___ppy because he' always barfing. It's only been twice since the new formula, but I just feel bad for switching him. He does seem happier though...Not very much gas.. Just a hard time pooping. Not making him cry, but when he pushes he spits up a bit. Anyway.. I guess I just needed to vent. Dr said to call and let her know how he is tomorrow. So we'll see how things go today. I am keeping accurate notes on his feeding today....Hope everyone is ok... TARA

TaraO I hope your baby gets better soon. My older son and hubby were both throwing up from a stomach bug 3 weeks ago. Me, my daughter, baby didn't get it thank god. Aj is 10 weeks old today. I'm not sure how much he weighs now but he goes to the doctor on March 2nd. I can't wait to see how much he weighs now. He has gotten so big and chunky. He was the smallest out of my kids and also he is the chunkiest. My other two never really got chunky. Hope everyone's doing good. Amanda

Hello ladies, I've posted a question about bottles/nipples in the general infant care section- any input here? Also, just wanted to spread my anxiety about hand washing and germs... I have heard of so many virus and pnemonia cases.... Good reason to be a germaphobe nazi!!! If anyone is sick don't let them anywhere near your lo's!!!!! Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands!!! And, well... good luck!