Yay Hannah and Yay Kristie! Good for you that she's already a pound over her birth weight and you're BFing. BIGtime kudos!

Thanks for the tips on the white tongue. It's not on his cheeks and not thick...it's like his tongue is painted. He doesn't have issues feeding, so I thought that encouraging and really do think it's just residue. I haven't really done much about it. I guess I could try the washcloth. I'll be honest, though, I haven't gone out of my way to do something because...as Pen said...I can't see my baby cooperating! I stuck my tongue in there to feel it recently and boy was he ever offended. LOL (The brief moment I felt his tongue it, again, felt pretty normal.) And Kristie, yeah you want to be ever vigilant regarding thrush in your situation because you can pass it back and forth. I guess besides being curdy they also have an issue with feeding...doesn't sound like that's the case for Hannah, so stay encouraged and just keep an eye out!

Those are great ideas. Even with all my kids, I am a novice bottle feeder and have been wondering how I will handle all the details, since I have to go back to work next month.

I am impressed with your pumping--I guess I had better get to it. I have an 1997 Medela pump in style, which besides the hospital pump is the only one I have used.

I did try my little princess with a bottle on Sunday and she took the whole thing like a champ (sigh of relief).

Lisa, what are you doing at night--you mentioned last week something about a cooler upstairs?
Thanks,
Lora

Jeff and I joked about bringing a little fridge (ala college room) up there, but then realized a cooler would work fine. We started with a regular cooler (a bit too large) and then I realized that the free diaper bag from Similac that I received at the hospital would work great. It is insulated much the same way a soft lunch bag is (and there is a smaller formula version inside that holds 2 Avent bottles and has 2 reusable soft ice packs that I use to bring formula to Grandmas). We use those ice packs plus a couple of those blue rectangular ones (prior to that we just used plastic bags filled with ice but the reusable packs are easier and less messy) and just pack the formula in it for the night. We also keep the warmer upstairs and usually just do enough to take the chill off. We bring the cooler up at night when we go to bed and it easily lasts through the morning. When I take the chill off bottles downstairs I have the kitchen readily available, so I submerge a bottle in a cup with water I've heated in the microwave. (Again using the water to distribute the heat to the formula safely.) I have to say this approach is SO much better than running up and down stairs, especially in the middle of the night.

And while I'm at it, let me offer a couple more tips:

CLEANING
If you can think of it, rinse out the bottle as soon after the feed as you can. It makes cleaning it later that much easier.


NOTES
Since the day Ian came home I've kept a little mini-notebook of his feeds and diaper changes and the time of day. I know it sounds a bit anal, but it's been wonderful for all of us...especially me since I STILL have "pregnancy brain" I swear. In all honesty it's so easy to forget the last time he ate or the last BM. At first I wrote down how much of everything and what color, etc. Now we're to a point where we just jot down "F-4oz, D-wet" and other important notes about gas. I also jot down actual sleep times so I can see how he naps. It's been really helpful for me to know what happened in the middle of the night. (Can you imagine me asking my bleary-eyed hubby to tell me the details of the night feedings? But writing it down quick while it happens seems to work.) I also carry the book in the diaper bag to Grandmas so she can add what happened...and I can review if needed. It's been a real source of relief and encouragement for me in many ways.

Lisa - I think I'm going to use that tip of keeping a cooler with a bottle by the bed. My little one has yet to sleep through the night. I put her down for the night and she sleeps for 3 hours or so at a time. She sleeps in the same little room as me and when she rouses up I just get her and put her to bed with me and let her nurse while I sleep. I'm usually just too sleepy to try and feed her and get her back to sleep. I fall asleep myself. The formula definitely makes for a longer sleep session. I didn't really start trying to get her to sleep in her own bed until about a month ago. I'm not a full on Attachment Parenting type but I like alot of what that particular philosophy promotes.

On a completely different note...she looked up and called me "ma" on Christmas Day and hasn't repeated the trick since even though I've tried like crazy to get her to say it again. Until last night she just busted out the "m" word over and over again! I was changing her and she just started going "mmmmaa". She does that with other things too. She'll try something new out and then doesn't do it again for a month or so and then just decides one day to start doing it all the time.

Oh my! You must've been so excited - I know I'd be going crazy, especially because it hasn't happened again. What a great Christmas gift. Now if she'd only reprise it for Valentine's Day, right? LOL How old is she? I've been watching the milestones and patiently waiting for that first smile and better, more consistent eye contact. I know I need to be patient. He's doing a lot physically already but I realize he's only just turning 6 weeks so I need to just keep watching and waiting because things are only just starting to get interesting in the developmental arena!

We had an extra little fridge that we kept upstairs in the guest room during that first couple of months! And also we had an extra microwave that we kept up there, too. When the last one came along the guest room was occupied by an older child so the baby had a fridge and micro in his room! I had forgotten all about that!

Here is another "dumb" question: How much do ~11 lb babies take in one feeding in a bottle? Alicia has had 3 oz at a time (what I had available from pumping) and seemed still hungry. I would guess we would like to feed her while I am at work every 3 hours or so.

On another note, I am feeling a little down due to the fact of me going back to work. I just applied for an evening shift job where I used to work, a place that is a lot more organized but not quite as many people who work there that have children. We'll see what happens.....

I wish I could be money fairy for the day and drop lots of money on us all .

Algts,

Hannah is 8lbs, 3oz. she eats 3.5oz every 3 hours. The lactation consultant said that babies only need 2 oz at two weeks and for us not to feed her that much. Whatever lady! She will be upset with anything less. Maybe I should bring Hannah over to her house at 3am after only feeding her 2oz and crying her head off for more......

I would think an 11lb baby would eat more than a 8lb baby. I would say get really agressive with your pumping. Like every 2 hours. 24 hours later you will notice a sharp increase in your milk supply. Pump after you BF sessions too. Dont forget to drink PLENTY of water.

Another thing I have noticed is that Hannah loves to BF. She is more satisfied after BFing than bottle feeding. With bottle feeding there is a whole dimension of comfort that is lacking. Think about it, warm snuggly belly to belly with mommy with soft warm boobs and perfectly warm milk. Hannah will spend 15 or more minutes per side. She has that drunk sleepy blissful look about her that she does not have AS MUCH after bottle feeding. She can slam 3.5-4oz in 8-10 minutes TOPS. Not much time to develope that cozy feeling. If not for the obvious preference for BFing, I would be strictly pumping and bottle feeding.

Maybe it takes more milk to satisfy when bottle feeding than it does to breast feed? I dont know. I do know that I can pump 4-4.5oz every 3 hours. More if I wait longer (which I dont reccomend)
After BFing i can usually pump 1.5-2oz. I think she stops at being satisfied rather than stuffed like when bottle feeding.

I try to be mindful of Ian's experience bottle feeding (and formula feeding, which makes a difference). He is a FAST and AVID feeder who can down 3-4 oz in 10-15 minutes almost every time. I have a book where we keep notes on when he eats, diapers, crying, sleeping, etc. so I've been able to review trends. He is simply a really efficient sucker (haha) and he loves to eat. I burp him before, during, and after and have become VERY good at that. And as long as he's in that feeding "zone" I let him create his own pace. I agree with Kristie that the experience has got to be different, though. I do make a point to hold him and focus on ONLY him. (I feed him either in the nursery or living room and I actually admonish people who try to talk to me while feeding as I want to pay attention to him and interact with him and give him proper focus.) I have decided that liberal REQUESTED use of pacifier is completely ok with me because he's probably not getting enough suckling. And of course he is held and cuddled (he's a big cuddler) by everyone. When I say "requested" I mean that I tap the nipple to his lip to see if he wants it (just like when we're about to feed). I NEVER just shove it in his mouth to quiet him and never will. It's only to help him self-soothe until he learns how some other way.

All this to say he will frequently top off 4 oz and is probably 11 pounds at this point and during the day it's 3 hour feeding cycles. And no, I wouldn't listen to anyone saying I shouldn't feed my child "so much". Every child's hunger is different. And they will tell you when they've had enough.

Unlike adults, they know when it's time to stop.

Question, What should I have my new start weight at? My highest pregnancy weight or my just got home from the hospital weight? Or my pre pregnancy weight?

I decided to put mine at my last-reading-before-labor weight because that was my highest pregnancy weight and that's where my new path of weight loss has begun. You're welcome to start with whichever works for you. I find it inspiring to know I've lost nearly half of what I need to in order to get to my pre-pregnancy weight, though I know damn well this 25-30 will be EXTRA hard (and thus why I need the inspiration!).

I put my weight 2 weeks after I got home from the hospital. By that time I figured most of the water/baby stuff would be gone....obviously it wasn't all gone, considering I lost 10 pounds in one week of induction , but close enough.

Coincidentally, this "starting weight," was the same number as my last "starting weight," before this baby.

The two weeks after day was also special for me because it was the day I finally got to bring the baby home.

So yeah, do whatever you feel is best for you.

Yup, I guess it's different for us all. In truth I should probably put my weight NOW as my "starting weight" because it represents my starting weight from 2 1/2 years ago (when I got married). I was 206 and had made my way down to 176 before getting pregnant.

But I guess because being pregnant was the reason everything has changed, I took credit for the water/baby stuff

algts, I feel for you. I can't imagine how I am going to feel when I have to return to work after the baby is here.

I cannot imagine someone telling you to cut a baby short on its feedings. WHAT ON EARTH!! How do these people get a license. Ugh! I would imagine that every baby's metabolism is different just as with adults. What is sufficient for one is not for another. I was always told to feed until the baby stops eating, as someone mentioned, they know when to stop.

I am looking into pumps. I still do not have a clue though. I want a really good one that I can maneuver with and that has efficient suction. I have to laugh, I remember that pumping was sometimes almost hypnotic, those perfectly times hisses, alternating between nipples, its weird to see how much nipple gets pulled in as well. HAHA!

I think I will start my starting weight as what I am when I actually start back on Atkins whole souled. Are you guys doing induction while BF or just cutting back? I think when I start induction is the weight I will use, which will still be a HUGE number but oh well.