[Resi]

Do you go back to work next week? How are you feeling about going back already? How is Reid with taking a bottle? I'm going to try and give Oliver a bottle of pumped milk next week after his 4 week mark. I heard that is the best time to start getting the use to both bottles and breastfeeding. I'm said thinking about giving it to him. I love our bf time.

Also, how is Reid during the day time? How often does he nap? What do you do while he is awake? How long does it take him to BF? I'm just wondering how the two compare. Oliver has been fussy during the day when he is awake.

Yep, I go back on Tuesday... Part of me is looking forward to getting back into the swing of things, but at the same time, I hate the idea of leaving Reid all day, especially with strangers 2 days a week. Thats tearing me up inside. I went to KinderCare today to drop off some of his stuff, and everytime I go in there, I feel like I want to cry.

I've never seen Reid take a bottle. They say that if you are still going to BF, to not even be in the room because you dont want your LO to get confused, like "why is my mommy right there, but feeding me with a bottle instead of the breast?" DH and my mom have given him a bottle a few times. He mainly uses the Platex Drop In Nursers, but he's also taken a MAM bottle. He does okay I guess, although he def. prefers the breast. I too hate the idea of him taking a bottle

He likes to be held ALL THE TIME pretty much. Sometimes he will chill laying in my lap, and sometimes in his bouncer, but only if I rock it constantly wtih my foot. lol. I get out of teh house everyday, and because I live in the boonies, he naps in the car mostly. He LOVES the car and instnantly falls asleep. Sometiems he will do a 2 hour nap at home, but not all that often. When he's awake, we usually sit on the couch and watch tv, getting up every few mins to walk around since he gets fussy if I sit down for too long. Or, we get on the computer and he lays in the crook of my leg (which he is donig right now). Put your leg up like a man does, and lay him in the little hole. It's cozy and he seems to like it most of the time. We also go on walks sometimes. Half the time he will fall asleep during one. When hes awake, I get nothing done since he always wants to be held. When he falls sleep in his swing (rarely, lol) I run around like a chicken wtih my head cut off trying to get dishes done, feed the dogs, put a load of laundry in, take out a load of trash, etc. When DH gets home, I usually hand Reid over and make dinner and finish up some chores. Eating dinner wtih DH is hard sometimes, sometimes we have to take turns eating/holding Reid. hehe.

He only eats off one breast at a time. Sometimes he will eat for less than 10 mins, and sometimes he will eat actively for 10 mins and then slowly eat for another 20 mins. I like this time, its peaceful and I can relax with him.

Dont worry about Oliver being fussy during the day, Reid is too. Just try to find ways to calm him down. For Reid, that is usually holding him and walking with him. I have to walk though, otherwise he gets fussy about. haha. Silly guy. It's exausting sometimes, isn't it? I cherish the time that DH is home to help me. This probably sounds horrible, but thats part of the reason that I'm somewhat looking forward to gonig back to work- "me time"....Don't get me wrong, I miss him TERRIBLY even if I leave him for just an hour or two wtih my mom or DH, but gosh, my arms get sooo tired from holding him all day.

If you get tired of holding him and he's fussy, I suggest going on a drive. You get to rest your arms, and its nice to get out of the house, and usually babies love the car.

I hope things are going well for you! When do you go back to work??

[Resi]

Reid sounds about the same as Oliver with the fussiness. Oliver usually doesn't like the car at all. I don't know what it is. He will usually cry almost the whole time he is in his carseat. I think he gets to hot or something. If he goes in the carseat sleeping we sometimes can make it without him crying. He wants to be held mostly up on my shoulder so he can look around. Today I started giving him a pacifier when he gets fussy and it helps big time. I feel guilty about it. It's nice to know I'm not alone in all this. I go back to work on Dec. 8th. I hate the thought of having to leave him. So far I have only left him once for about 15 mins when I took my Opa to his hotel room across from our neighborhood.

[~Jess~]

I think you'd really like an ergo or mei tai, Bre. Alyssa is the same way, she can't just be held, she has to be walked around. I literally wear her in the Ergo around the house at least 3 hours (usually much more!) a day and it prevents my arms and back from getting tired.

www.ergobaby.com
www.babyhawk.com or www.meitaibaby.com

Jess, I sometimes put him in his Peanut Shell sling, but it's only a 50/50 shot in whether he loves it, or hates it. haha. It looks like the Ergo holds him in a diff postion- I'll have to look into that!

Resi, I gave Reid a paci for the first time a week ago. He took it right away and I felt sooo horrible, which is silly. However, he now only takes it maybe 1 in 5 times. He's not a huge fan, and ESPECIALLY wont take it when he's really fussy. Weird.

[Emma&Jack's Momma]

Emma HATED the car! She screamed every single time we got in the car from the time she was 2 weeks old until she was 6 months. She would cry so hard her whole body would get sweaty and her face would be beat red. I felt horrible anytime we had to drive anywhere! It got better though and she now sleeps in the car on a regular basis! Also, why do you feel horrible for giving them binkies?