General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

The Lexling (2.5), for reasons unknown, began biting the baby this week: hard and with alarming frerquency. After the standard punishments failed to work, I bit him on the arm and told him, "This is why we don't bite: biting hurts! No more biting!" He cried and I feel kind of bad about it, but he hasn't bitten again, so he must have paid attention, so yay. I'm now wondering if I should bite other people who don't listen to me?


The baby, btw, turns one this month. Whaaaaah.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by TexLex
At one point with the Lexling I was only pumping twice a day total to get over 30oz, but it took a while to get there. Moo.

Holy cow. I need to drink more beer or something.

[mommylawyer]

Originally posted by SEC_Chick
With the impending conclusion of my maternity leave, I am preparing myself to put the Chicklet in daycare 3.5-4 days per week. I have the utmost confidence in the facility, it is only about 6-8 blocks or so from work, and I am certain that she will be fine. I, however, am already a wreck every time I think about it. Does anyone who has been through this have any advice about how to deal practically and emotionally?

I am still BFing, and have worked out that I will have to pump 3x per day to get enough for the next day. Mothers frequently come to the facility to BF at lunch and I haven't yet decided how often I am going to avail myself of that.
______________________________________
Having done it twice, I can first say that if you are confident in your childcare choice that is the biggest hurdle! You will be a wreck for a while but it will get easier.
Now for the breastfeeding..pumping sucks but it is doable. With #1, em was at a daycare not too far from work and i would sometimes go to nurse at lunch and i'd also nurse at pick up - the more you can actually nurse, the easier the pumping will be. Also, I hope you have started building up a 'stash'. How is your little one eating, one side or both? if you have a one sider - pump your other side at feeding so that when you transition to pumping, you can pump both sides equally. if you have a two sider, pump the second side after you little one finishes nursing and freeze it.
#2 was home with nanny and it made pumping a lot harder. Get a sign or some signal to put on your door if your offices don't have a lactation room (my old mng p walked in on me - they have a lactation room now). Even if you don't want a huge display in your office, keep some of your baby's stuff in a bag, or drawer to take out - something that smells like your baby - it will help you relax and let down for pumping.

Congrats...breastfeed or else threats aside... i loved bf'ing my kids and wile i didn't like pumping, i managed to do it for both of my kids until age 1.

ml

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Holy cow. I need to drink more beer or something.

Hehe. The kid was drinking 40-50oz/day at one point - how do you think he got to be almost 30lbs at 1 year? It was only because I was EPing....I wouldn't get near that much now if I tried.

Originally posted by mommylawyer
pumping sucks

So true.

[SEC_Chick]

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's good to hear from people who have been there-done that. I feel fortunate to have the childcare arrangements that I do, and I know that will at lease alleviate many of my concerns for the Chicklet's well-being. The Chicklet will be 4 months old and I feel lucky to have had that amout of time off.

30 ounces. Holy Cow! That's more than she eats in a day! I am lucky to get 8 at a time! I figure three 5 ounce bottles a day, which I'll have no problem getting, but I am struggling with exactly how much I need. Starting tomorrow I am going to pump/bottle feed during the day to see if I can get that nailed down. I did that once before and after a few days my supply went way up. I have over 100 ounces in the fridge, which though not as much as some people should take care of any shortages. I am also starting her in daycare a week before I return to work to allow her to adjust with a few half days, rather than just dropping her off for 10 hours her first day.

Fortunately my office has a lock on the door, so no walk ins, but i am a little squicked by rinsing off the pump parts in the bathroom. It will also suck to pump when I am at the printer, but I should only have to do that very rarely.

Now I just hope my brain will return from the mush it has become.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by SEC_Chick
Fortunately my office has a lock on the door, so no walk ins, but i am a little squicked by rinsing off the pump parts in the bathroom. .

You don't have to do that. MM is anti bacterial even when kept at room temp. for several hours. Stick the pump parts in a ziploc between pumping sessions. If you have a little fridge in your office, stick them in the fridge, too. If you find that makes the flanges uncomfortable cold, then run the bag under warm water. Then bring the flanges and connectors and membranes home at night and wash them at home. (Your own sink may be germy, but them's your germs.)

Buy an extra set of everything to leave at work in case you forget them one day and find yourself ... in an uncomfortable state.

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Buy an extra set of everything to leave at work in case you forget them one day and find yourself ... in an uncomfortable state.

Word.

I'd stash an extra shirt in your office as well, just in case.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by TexLex
I'd stash an extra shirt in your office as well, just in case.

flinty you should keep an extra pair of slacks at work for similar reasons.

[SEC_Chick]

Originally posted by TexLex
I'd stash an extra shirt in your office as well, just in case.

Ooooooh. Good idea. I haven't had to wear breast pads in a couple of months, but was planning to start again and keep some in my desk.

RP, thanks for the suggestion re: cleaning the pump parts. That makes me feel much better.

[Wank McBumsky]

Originally posted by SEC_Chick
Ooooooh. Good idea. I haven't had to wear breast pads in a couple of months, but was planning to start again and keep some in my desk.

Check if yuo work wth NFH...he keeps some breast pads in his desk to wear when posts. Method socking approach.

[viet_mom]

Originally posted by TexLex
After the standard punishments failed to work, I bit him on the arm and told him, "This is why we don't bite: biting hurts! No more biting!" I'm now wondering if I should bite other people who don't listen to me?

You know, it would be so darned funny if while having a tiff with a partner you just came at him with no warning and bit him. That would be some funny video.

Anyhow, I came on here to say hello and to ask for some fun advice on what to do with a middle-aged female neighbor who lives alone with 3 cats and comes home every night at 5:20 pm, opens the door to her porch and then grills while listening to The Band's song, "The Weight":

Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me

over and over again, with the same song played on a continous loop for over 1 hour. What the heck in those lyrics does she relate to? Only thing I can think of is her name is Fanny.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by viet_mom
You know, it would be so darned funny if while having a tiff with a partner you just came at him with no warning and bit him. That would be some funny video.

Anyhow, I came on here to say hello and to ask for some fun advice on what to do with a middle-aged female neighbor who lives alone with 3 cats and comes home every night at 5:20 pm, opens the door to her porch and then grills while listening to The Band's song, "The Weight":

Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me

over and over again, with the same song played on a continous loop for over 1 hour. What the heck in those lyrics does she relate to? Only thing I can think of is her name is Fanny.

I'd say she pretty obviously hates her life and her job. I'd buy her a bottle of Hendrick's, a bottle of vermouth, and a solid 150 scrip of xanax. Leave them giftwrapped on her front porch.

[SEC_Chick]

So the Chicklet started daycare thie week and yesterday she was already a poor little sick ball of snot. While she used to be pretty easy-going about the booger sucker, she now loathes it and moves her head side to side very quickly to thwart my attempts. And I am sick today. Yippee!

I know that children in daycare get sick more often than others, but by her fourth day there! Good grief. She was supposed to have her 4 month "well-baby" checkup today, and now I don't know if she'll be able to get her shots. Which means I will get to take time off my first week to take her back when she is feeling better.

On top of it all, almost 4 month pp, I am still having to see my OB about delivery-related problems. Hopefully I will finally be cleared in another 2 weeks. Mr. Chick has been an amazingly good sport about the long dry spell, but will I ever get back to normal.

On the positive side, after 4 months of wearing yoga pants I found out I can fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans. Yay!