*Baby Corner*

[Susita 175]

I was checking on ebay and it looks like I can probably get a new Medela double electric breast pump new in the box or opened but never used for around $100. That works for me. Unless one of my family members wants to buy me one brand spanking new

At least I have 3 months left to look for the best deal. I'll be home for the first 2 months or so, so I won't need it right away but I'd like to pump as soon as possible so that I can let Luis feed the baby so she gets used to it. He'll have her Mon-Fri from 6-2:30 when I go back to work. My mom will be home too, we rent half of the house from her & she works late nights so at least he'll have that extra help if he needs it.

We worked it out that he would work 7pm - 1am 6 days/week and I work 6am - 2:30pm Mon-Fri so we don't have to pay for daycare. Also we'll be able to eat dinner together every night which is nice. I'll be home in time to get the boys off the bus too. Seems like a good setup methinks.

[Anna C. 4]

@ Chnst: hugs to you and get well greetings to Ben. I think you can do only so much, the rest is just genetics. I think though that you can do something about the lead exposure. Ditto to what autumnchick said. Get those lead tests which I did. I got the big pack to just test everything. I think it's worth it, just to find the offenders or to put your mind at ease. Also, doesn't MIL watch Ben at her house? Test that place too. Just in case. And maybe you'll move to that other house, right?

On another note... How is the TTCing coming? I cannot wait... But I will wait until my March cycle before we try again. I started charting my cycles (with a basal temp thermo) and using fertility friend online services. I also have ovulation tests (they are so cheapo on Amazon), this is my testing cycle... It's so exciting. I read about trying for a girl, we would like a girl, but of course love every child we get... So I guess it's either Shettles or O+12. I have all those girl clothes in the basement I bought when I was preggers with Jona and sure it was a girl.... I need to use those!!!!

Btw, did any of you NOT know the gender before birth? I would like to give it a try next time, cause the surprise element would keep me going through labor.... But DH wants to know badly.... Any thoughts?

[Eveline 9]

@Zaidsmommy: I wasn't breastfed either and I had never seen a woman breastfeeding a baby until I actually started reading about it while pregnant. I'm too cheap to buy formula and when the 6 months mark with Adam came along I just didn't understand why to suddenly buy formula even though I still had to pump milk at times. It just kinda went from there and he weaned at 13 months. With Allie I didn't want to wean until our Germany trip. She's only partially vaxed so I wanted to give her an extra bit immunity via the milk. Now we're here in Germany and about to take off home again and I STILL don't know if I really want to wean her. She can totally survive off of normal food. She eats more than me at times and always begs for more. It's more a comfort thing for her and an easy way out of nighttime wakings for me.

Adam looked at a cataloge the other day and got to the underwear section. He pointed at that one girl and said 'BIIIG BELLEEEYYYY' and then he pointed to her breast and said 'Booooobieeeeees'. He also knows that boobs are for feeding and explained to my mom the other day that the mommy deer was feeding the baby deer milk on a TV show we were watching.

As for milestones. Adam sat up at 6 months, crawled and cruised at 8 months and eventually started walking at 12 months.

Allie didn't sit up until she was 8 months, she crawled at 10 months and walked at 12 months.

@CHnst: Hugs to you and I hope that Ben is getting better soon. I hate the Nebulizer. Allie always screams bloody murder when she sees the mask coming.

[Susita 175]

The list my doc gave me when I was pregnant with the twins 5 years ago & the list he gave me this time are different. Before it said no lunchmeat, now it says only a few slices a week or something like that. They are constantly changing the rules. I'm smart but every now and then I eat a ham sandwich or a tuna fish sandwich. He said this is okay as long as it's not my daily lunch or anything like that.

[chnst 6]

Zaids room....not so organized anymore! lol

Thats the bin thing I bought. He removed several of them but thats to be expected! lol

aww Zaid is soooo cute! Happy 20 months big boy! thank you for the picture! wow all that for only $29! You said it was from Aldi? I think there is one upstate where my in laws live. Ha, I just noticed Ben has the same dresser in his room!

@ Chnst: hugs to you and get well greetings to Ben. I think you can do only so much, the rest is just genetics. I think though that you can do something about the lead exposure. Ditto to what autumnchick said. Get those lead tests which I did. I got the big pack to just test everything. I think it's worth it, just to find the offenders or to put your mind at ease. Also, doesn't MIL watch Ben at her house? Test that place too. Just in case. And maybe you'll move to that other house, right?

On another note... How is the TTCing coming? I cannot wait... But I will wait until my March cycle before we try again. I started charting my cycles (with a basal temp thermo) and using fertility friend online services. I also have ovulation tests (they are so cheapo on Amazon), this is my testing cycle... It's so exciting. I read about trying for a girl, we would like a girl, but of course love every child we get... So I guess it's either Shettles or O+12. I have all those girl clothes in the basement I bought when I was preggers with Jona and sure it was a girl.... I need to use those!!!!

Btw, did any of you NOT know the gender before birth? I would like to give it a try next time, cause the surprise element would keep me going through labor.... But DH wants to know badly.... Any thoughts?

wow, I really don't get the whole fertility language... what is shettles 0+12? I am not doing any charting or fertility tests.... we just figured we stop using birth control and give it a try. If it doesn't work in a couple months then we will probably get some of these tests I think.

thanks for all the advice. I guess I will get some lead test kits. I doubt that I can talk my MIL into doing something about it. They built their house in the mid 80ies, so it's no too old, but she has a ton of antiques and pretty much everything else is made in china.

I could really kick myself right now... When I was in my last trimester with Ben MIL gave us this antique dresser and since it was winter hubby and I sanded that whole thing down by ourselves and stained it...... We just didn't know anything about lead until Ben was born. We were wearing masks but I remember that the dust from the paint was everywhere and it took us forever to clean it up. I hope this isn't what caused the asthma.

@Evi: thank God Ben is really really good with the nebulizer. We don't use the mask, I use the little thing that is supposed to go in your mouth and hold it right in front of his face, that is just fine. And we sit on the couch and cuddle. He has started to put it in his mouth and inhale it. He is also really really good about taking medicine. knock on wood... How are your kids doing? No more ear infections since they got their tubes?

@Susita: hmmm I'm sure there are a lot of mommies out there who got a good pump for their shower and never used it because they ended up not being able to breastfeed.... Are you going to have a baby shower? I would put it on the registry and see if someone will buy one for you. Kudos for giving it a try!!! The first weeks were not easy for me but I am glad that we got over the problems...

oh and I almost forgot to announce: Ben has been sleeping 6+ hour stretches every single night for the past week! He wakes up 1 hour after he goes to sleep and then usually sleeps til 4 am, goes right back to sleep til 9am. Even though he has been sick and coughing all night. I am a whole new person.

[Susita 175]

@Susita: hmmm I'm sure there are a lot of mommies out there who got a good pump for their shower and never used it because they ended up not being able to breastfeed.... Are you going to have a baby shower? I would put it on the registry and see if someone will buy one for you. Kudos for giving it a try!!! The first weeks were not easy for me but I am glad that we got over the problems...

No, I doubt I'm having a shower. I had a really big shower when I was pregnant with the boys and still have basically everything. The only thing I'm really going to need is girl clothes, BF equipment and a new carseat / stroller thing (I let someone else use mine and never got it back )

[Staashi 371]

No, I doubt I'm having a shower. I had a really big shower when I was pregnant with the boys and still have basically everything. The only thing I'm really going to need is girl clothes, BF equipment and a new carseat / stroller thing (I let someone else use mine and never got it back )

Girl, that's why you need a shower!!!!

[Staashi 371]

Ben has pneumonia and we are now running the nebulizer 24/7 on top of his albuterol that he needs now almost daily for asthma. Screw breastfeeding, I think we did everything "right", bf, no BPA, organic food, spacing vaccines, using lead free paint and all that, now he has friggin' asthma.

Stef - I laughed out loud at this comment. I was breastfed as a baby - what do/did I suffer from: severe ear infections, asthma, diabetes, bizarre allergies (dog saliva?!?! #######!), childhood obesity, and a whole host of other things over the years. In my opinion, the only thing that I see positive from breastfeeding is this: it's free and convenient. That's it. E is on formula and has been the healthiest baby ever. He just spent 5 days with his breastfed cousins ages 2 and 3, who have serious upper respiratory infections and he didn't get sick, even after putting some crazy things in his mouth. So, who knows.

Edited December 30, 2009 by Staashi

[Nessa 23]

@anna: i couldnt wait to know the gender, i even paid $50 for a gender us 4 weeks before my next us appointment. if your hubby can keep a secret, you can find out the gender and ask them not to tell you.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Stef - I laughed out loud at this comment. I was breastfed as a baby - what do/did I suffer from: severe ear infections, asthma, diabetes, bizarre allergies (dog saliva?!?! #######!), childhood obesity, and a whole host of other things over the years. In my opinion, the only thing that I see positive from breastfeeding is this: it's free and convenient. That's it. E is on formula and has been the healthiest baby ever. He just spent 5 days with his breastfed cousins ages 2 and 3, who have serious upper respiratory infections and he didn't get sick, even after putting some crazy things in his mouth. So, who knows.

I recently found out my dad and uncles were all formula fed, and they were all the healthiest babies. In fact, my dad got malaria in one of their trips (he was around 2 years old) and made a full recovery

Saludos,

Caro

[Staashi 371]

I recently found out my dad and uncles were all formula fed, and they were all the healthiest babies. In fact, my dad got malaria in one of their trips (he was around 2 years old) and made a full recovery

Saludos,

Caro

My hubby and his brother were, too. But they didn't have formula, they had that Nestle drink - Nido. It was what their mom could afford. They have never been sick, until later in life.

[Nessa 23]

yeah in brazil was also leite ninho (the same as mexican leche nido). i was bf and my sister was on ninho. i believe that breastmilk is better, it's the natural thing to do and if i could i would still be bf.

[Eveline 9]

Wow...I'm bummed..

I definetely agree with Nessa. Even though we had all the ear issues and most likely allergies too I'd still chose bf over a can of enfamil. Even if it's for the cuddle time.

I wasn't breastfed and I have allergies and ear issues. I don't know if it's from not being breastfed or just genetics.

[Staashi 371]

My parents had milk/formula (not breastfed) - no issues - not one. I do get cuddle time with E - even with formula. He loves to look into my or his father/grandmothers' eyes and he bonds with us. I primarily wanted to bf for the weightloss aspect and how cheap it was.

[chnst 6]

hm I agree. Babies can bond and cuddle while being bottle fed. Although I do agree with Nessa. BF is the more natural thing to do and no matter how hard formula companies try they will probably never be able to exactly replicate breastmilk. It is definitely a good source of passive immunity for a few months. And cheap. But if you consider prices for breastpumps, nipple shields, bra pads, nursing bra's, lansinoh cream, bottles (for the occasional pumped milk), milk-producing herbs/treas/meds some mothers need- that all adds up quick.

I was bf as a baby and have never had any big health issues, while one of my siblings did. I don't know, they say that bf reduces the risk of chronic illnesses ear infections etc but I's really like to se the numbers.