I don't know how I will do it...Adam is back at work, so he's not getting up through the night. My mom leaves tomorrow, so she won't be up with Viv in the morning. When am I going to sleep??? I'm feeling pretty anxious about the prospect of being left alone with Viv. Pretty scared, actually. I'm not sure I know what to do!
Also, does anybody know if a baby can eat too much? Don't they stop when they are full? She eats....ALL THE TIME! If you've read past blog entries, you will know that eating has been a rough area so far---combination of breastmilk and formula. I'm afraid she'll gain weight too fast. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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Well, Becy, you can take this from your old auntie if you would like....I was always told by the doctor that you cannot over-feed a baby; that they will eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Sorry to say but when nursing you really don't know how much they are getting as opposed to a bottle where you can measure. Our doctor said no more than 32 ounces in 24 hours. I don't know what your doctor says but instead of asking us maybe you can give a call to the pediatrician....they always know what is best.
Well, motherhood will finally settle in no that normalcy is coming around! That scary feeling of being alone....that feeling of "uh oh....not what do I do". Well, let me tell you this....I was never happier in my life when I WAS ALONE with my baby...special time alone. No hubby, no kids, no relatives.....just me and baby. You can't imagine how good the feeling is. And beleive it or not there is a way that nature and instincts does take over. You will learn to nap when Viv naps, shower when she is fed and content, eat in intervals.....you cannot raise a baby by books on a shelf. I think it is great that so many moms want to read how to care for their children but honestly and realistically it cannot be done. I raised two really decent kids and I did it with love and feeling what I thought was best...no Dr. Spock for me....no time out chairs for me........
Anyway, good luck. You will do fine.....Trust your own instints and feelings and if in doubt call your doctor! (It's not like you will be the first mom to ask a question)
Love Ya
Hey Beck!
Aunt Bette makes some great points. You can always call your doc:
A. that's their job!
B. i am not a doc, but I bet they don't mind getting a call from an educated mom of a healthy child who just needs confirmation that she's doing the right thing.
C. you will sleep better (whenever you DO get to sleep) knowing that you have the doc's word that you are doing the right thing.
And now for my $.02. JUST my opinion. You can't feed a baby too much. She'll stop when she's full. At this age, you WANT a bigger, fatter baby. They sleep better. They look and feel less fragile in your arms. And the more she nurses, the more milk you will make. But also she won't drink formula if she's not hungry. You can lead a baby to nipple, but you can't force her to suck. To paraphrase an old saying. :)
And P.S. Just because Adam is working doesn't mean he can't get up in the middle of the night too! Even if he just does it every 3rd time it will really help you out.
Also, DO try to sleep when Vivi sleeps! If you think she's getting sleepy, drop everything and take a nap too. I like napping with my kids (well, when they're really little). They are warm and soft and I could smell them all day. :)
Hey ~~~ I JUST noticed you changed the name of your blog from Baby 'Baum to The Rosenbaums!
Speaking of updates....it's been a couple of days since LAST PICTURE! Hello?????? Need a new one for fridge pretty soon!
Supposedly - they stop when they're full :) Then there are these mythical "growth spurts" which are supposed to occur at certain intervals in their developement - I never really quite figured that out. It just seemed like a good excuse to explain when a baby was eating a lot. So there you go - it's a growth spurt!
Oh - and I agree with Meg - sorry, Adam, but working doesn't get you off the hook. Becky is definitely working all day long, too. We had a system where I'd go to bed around 9:00 or 10:00 at night, Pat would stay up with baby until she went to bed, I'd sleep for a solid 4 hours or so, then be "on duty" from 2:00 or 3:00 am on. At least I was getting a solid block of time to get some rest that I could count on, and Pat was getting a solid chunk until he had to get up for work. Take some solace in the fact that it doesn't last forever. They really do sleep through the night eventually!
Uh oh - sorry I gotta disagree.....when both Art and I worked we took turns alternately nights with baby. When I was a stay at home mom all day then Art slept all night long and I got up. It truly seemed fair because he had to get up and get out the door for work...I could basically get up and get acclimated to mine and baby' schedule on our own time. Moms can sleep and nap when baby does....I don't think it looks good when daddy is sleeping or has droopy eyes at work.
Sorry, my own opinion about motherhood. I guess that is why it is said a woman's work is never done. And truthfully, getting up at night was not an issue. I would have rathen gotten up in the middle of the night then go back to work and miss out of being a stay-at-home mom.
Okay, I think what we are all trying to say is, try a few different things until you find a way that works for you. Everyone's situation is different, as is everyone's personality, tolerance for sleeplessness, and financial situation. And of course every baby is different too. Hang in there -- there is light at the end of the tunnel. Which is a bad metaphor for the sleep-deprived.
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