Baby Corner

[Anna C. 4]

Ontarkie, do you mean this? http://www.babyearth.com/baby-delight-supreme-snuggle-nest-incline-beige-dots.html?att_val=3824

We use this: http://www.amazon.com/Arms-Reach-Co-Sleeper-Bassinet-Convertible/dp/B00198F1X8 until she outgrows it (aka able to get out of it!)...

[chnst 6]

thank you! That's cool! I didn't want to buy the cosleeper that's like a pack'n play because its too small and we'd not use it because I want him to start sleeping in his room in his crib after the first 6-8 months, plus we have a pack'n play with bassinet that's just the right height next to our bed, but he won't stay asleep in it. I looked at a few reviews and a lot of people were saying that their baby outgrew it very fast but I think it may be worht a try (and my sanity) I think it's soothing for a baby to sleep close to mom/dad and to hear their breathing subconsciously maybe that's why he sleeps so much better in our bed.

[Ontarkie 14,394]

Anna that is very close to the one I saw but I think I like the one in your link better.

[Anna C. 4]

@ Steffi: I do find the cosleeper different than the packnplay... I got mine for free as a handmedown (yeah me!), and it is sturdier than the packnplay plus the mattress is thicker. It came with a fluffy, thick fleece sheet, which is really nice. The original sheets are super expensive, so I just sewed two (sheets are seriously easy to sew, just some elastic and bam you're done). The weight limit is 30lbs... OUr packnplay is set up as bassinet in the living room, I change her there or she likes to stare at the elephants hanging on an arch there. But the packnplay's weight limit for bassinet use is 15lbs only... She is reaching 11lbs now so I guess not much longer and the packnplay will go and I have to think of an alternative. I like having a second "changing table" in our first floor, so I don't have to go upstairs to change her... Any ideas???

She didn't sleep in the cosleeper in the first three weeks, but now she's cool with it. I do wait though for 10-15 minutes after nursing for her to fall asleep and then I put her down. Depending on her sleep patterns she will move around 12 months to her own room, which for now is our guest bedroom. I do think she is a better sleeper already than Jona, she is used to all sorts of loud noises around the house and still sleeps, and also started to fall asleep when put down in a drowsy state... I sometimes have no choice but putting her down for a bit to e.g. get Jona out of the bathtub, and she just rolls with it. My parents said that's how my middle sister was, the younger kid just sort of settles for what's going on in the family.. Maybe Kai will react the same way?

[JVKn'CVO 11]

I would totally recommend our method, it was so easy! I loved cosleeping and I think Sebas learned to sleep for longer stretches and have a more relaxed attitude towards sleeping for it, and then moving him straight to the twin bed with a rail on a mattress just like ours was very easy. Working full time I could not afford to go without sleep and besides some growth spurts/ teething/ hitting milestones normal sleep disruption, I think we did pretty good.

Stef, while the baby is this young and if he's going to be alone in bed with your husband, I think the in-bed cosleeper is a good idea. Unless your husband has one of the special risks factors (sleep disorder, overweight, smokes...also remember he can't have any alcohol) he will develop the same awareness of the baby that you have. I get up at 4 am to work 6 am to 3 pm so Sebas is left in bed with Justin for a good 4 hours stretch. I love catching him all snuggled up against Dad in the mornings, it is so cute...and rather than smothering him, Sebas tends to roll towards Justin during the night (He's warm! ) and Justin rolls away...so Sebas ends up taking most of the bed and Justin rolled up in a little corner

Here's a funny for you moms:

We went to the local children's museum yesterday. Nothing too wow really, but they have a little slide. Sebas was up in the slide and another boy, a little bigger than him, tried to push him away (just did a casual one-arm push away). Well, Sebas was so mad he took grip and gave him a serious 2 arm push, knocking him down. My reaction was to be embarrassed, assuming now everybody was thinking Sebas "must be learning violence at home" and of course, that I was a terrible mother. So after telling him no and removing him from the scene, I turned to Justin...who was as proud as could be. Then he posted on Facebook how his son has stood up to a bigger kid...and got 11 likes I think somewhere in the middle between my reaction and his lays the good middle ground, and that's why kids need both mom and dad

Saludos,

Caro

Edited March 28, 2011 by JVKn'CVO

[nane1104 146]

Hello Ladies...I am back! Baby #2 is due in September!

[TracyTN 237]

Oh wow - congratulations!!! You're a braver woman than me! I think I've written off #2. I'm just too damn old.

[nane1104 146]

Oh wow - congratulations!!! You're a braver woman than me! I think I've written off #2. I'm just too damn old.

Thank you...yeah, sometimes I wonder why I am doing this to my old body...this pregnancy is definitley a lot tougher than my first one.

[TracyTN 237]

Have you had a lot of morning sickness or?

[nane1104 146]

Have you had a lot of morning sickness or?

From week 6 to week 14 almost 24/7 and I am not even kidding. It was horrible. Now it is slowly wearing off eventhough the last two days were badddd again. Never felt so tired and exhausted in my whole life! Maybe it was like that with my son as well, just- whever I felt miserable, I could just lay down and take a beak. Now? Hahaha

I really wished I was 38+ weeks already..LOL

[Anna C. 4]

Congratz Nane! I found the second pregnancy way harder, I don't know if it is just age and chasing a toddler all day, or if it was the good old wife's tales that a girl pregnancy is way harder. With Jonathan I had barely any symptoms and did great, with Eloise I was sick as a dog for weeks, then followed by horrible joint and back pains. At least the birth was way easier

@ Caro: That's funny actually. Jona got pushed once and it took him by surprise, he's just not used to that. We usually hang out with our friends and their kids and since they are 4-5 years old, they don't show aggression towards JOna, they are older and share and understand little kids... So when we were at the playground at the mall and that strange kid (a 5-6 year old, with no parents in sight) shoved him he was really perplexed. We went away quickly as that kid was bullying the others, and ever since Jona is very shy with new kids. When he started preschool he observed the kids for 4 weeks before he engaged with them, but his class is super tiny (8 kids) and everyone is nice, plus they have three teachers so if someone requires some extra attention they can do that (hence little frustration for the kids)... I don't know yet how to react to such situations in public, especially if my child is defending himself... I think that's alright, but who knows what the other people will say....

[TracyTN 237]

From week 6 to week 14 almost 24/7 and I am not even kidding. It was horrible. Now it is slowly wearing off eventhough the last two days were badddd again. Never felt so tired and exhausted in my whole life! Maybe it was like that with my son as well, just- whever I felt miserable, I could just lay down and take a beak. Now? Hahaha

I really wished I was 38+ weeks already..LOL

You poor thing!! I fought it until about 4 months.

I honestly can't fathom being pg again and chasing around after my (almost) 9 month old daughter. I was so tired during the first trimester, I could have punched someone. Hubby is great help, but he can't care for her 24/7.

[chnst 6]

Caro: LOL yes when Ben sleeps in the bed with the hubby he does the same, he creeps closer and closer until hubby puts a pillow on his nightstand and he hangs on the nightstand with half of his body while Ben takes up the entire bed. I hope this means that he is more aware of the kids than I give him credit for. haha.

Ben can stand up for himself too. There were a few times when kids pushed him around or ripped toys from his hand and he just froze and didn't know what to do, now he speaks up and if that doesn't work then he will shove back. It's funny how kids can rip toys from each other and for a moment there is so much tension in between them and the next moment they both lay on the floor and bond over a book like nothing happened. But there are the kind of bullies that really cannot play nice, I always say to Ben "it's ok, this little boy is still learning how to share" ..hoping that the mother will get the hint.

congrats Nane, hope the rest of the pregnancy will be easier! I had 2 fairly easy pregnancies expcept for some pelvic pain but I do think that the first 2 weeks postpartum are more brutal for me than the entire pregnancy aches. But it's so worth it! I was drving somewhere the other day with both kids in the car and it feels so right to have the 2 of them, almost like someone was missing the whole time before we had Kai. I'm so happy for Ben to have a brother, although everything is so much more complicated but in the end I am glad we did it.

I wish I could have a little girl but I think that's it, just hoping I'll have a granddaughter some day.

[^_^ 5,021]

OK I have a question. At a recent OB visit my wifes OB tried to convince her to not deliver at the hospital she was planning to deliver at. The OB prefers a different hospital. During the conversation that followed, these were the points raised, in no particular order.

I: OB: Teaching hospitals suck because I have less control. They have more rigid procedures and policies which I can not override. They are overly aggressive in terms of testing and that can result in unnecessary cost and unnecessary frustration.

Wife: Can these tests hurt the baby?

OB: No, not usually.

Me: So what's the problem assuming I don't mind paying extra?

OB: It's just aggravating! You might have medical students watching if you deliver during rounds. I might even have to let the residents participate in surgery, it's a teaching hospital I can't say no.

II. Me: Which hospital do you live close to?

OB: The non-teaching hospital but that's not a problem.

Me: We live near the teaching hospital

OB: OK but when it's time to go to the hospital you have 6-8 hours to get there so don't worry about that.

III. OB: Teaching hospitals are crowded and the staff aren't as good.

Wife: I've heard the exact opposite from friends who have delivered at both hospitals.

OB: Well everyone has an opinion.

What are your thoughts on these points?

[TracyTN 237]

I would do what is most convenient for you and your family. If your experience is like ours, we had to make more than one trip there before I actually had her, and it was nice to only be 20 mins away (instead of nearly an hour from the other hospital my doc had rights at).

I was worried about everyone and their brother taking a look 'down there', which is apparently more common at teaching hospitals, which mine was not. But as long as your wife is ok with that prospect, or would still rather be there for other reasons - I wouldn't let my OB dictate that for me. Besides, her OB may not be the one who actually delivers her anyway. (Unless they end up inducing her or scheduling a C-section for some reason.)

ETA 6-8 hours to get there? What is she on about? That makes no sense to me, sorry. What if you end up having to rush there because her water breaks?

Edited March 28, 2011 by TracyTN