I love hearing from you guys! It’s great having such a wonderful support network of other mommies out there. Thanks so much for reading and being there on twitter to help answer my questions, too! Together, we can conquer our babies 😉
What do you do when you are out with “Hubbs” and Hailey gets hungry?
Even though I always pack milk, I rarely use it. Typically I sit in the back seat of the car and feed her. Even when we’re spending several hours at Taco Mac watching football, when she gets hungry I’ll take her out the the car, feed her, then return! …unless I’m drinking beer. Then, we use the milk.
Her feeding schedule is pretty predictable, so typically I’ll work our outings around it if possible.
Side note: We always warm the milk up and I’ve never given it to her cold. I’m nervous about this, but need to try it soon to know if it’s an option!
Did Hailey seem to notice all of the greens in the shake when you nursed her? Sometimes I wonder if certain veggies, like broccoli, make my daughter gassy.
I was 100% prepared to eliminate beans and broccoli from my diet while breastfeeding, but the lactation consultant assured me that I didn’t need to unless I noticed a negative reaction, so I didn’t change a thing. I eat dairy, beans, veggies and nothing seems to bother her (YAY- I’m so excited about this!). However, I do think she may be sensitive to caffeine because the couple times I’ve had it, she’s been fussy, so I’m sticking to decaf.
Does Hailey fall asleep when you feed her during the day?
Sometimes she will doze off while I’m nursing, usually if she’s almost done. I poke her, wake her up and offer her to keep eating. If she refuses, then I lay her down and play with her so she doesn’t sleep. I try to keep her awake right after feeding because I’ve found the naps right after nursing are short and choppy.
What do you play when she’s playing?
My favorite is to sit her in her boppy or hold her on my legs facing me and just talk to her. She starts to smile so big and babble back and I imagine that we’re just chatting the day away. I’ll tell her about my day or what’s for dinner- basically it doesn’t matter, but babies are supposed to thrive on this kind of interaction. Other than that, it’s walks in the stroller, playing on her play mat, ‘reading’ books, standing on the porch so she can stare around (she loves the outdoors) or I lay her flat and just let her kick and wiggle up a storm.
Do you nap when she’s napping?
Rarely. I did at first, but now she’s a good night time sleeper and has been sleeping from 8:30-5:30ish. Occasionally when the early mornings catch up to me, I take an afternoon nap with her for an hour or so, and I must admit that they are wonderful!
Where does she nap during the day?
Although she has napped in her crib a few times, she doesn’t typically. I want to start having her nap there, but for now, our master is on the main floor and the nursery is upstairs, so I usually opt for putting her down on our bed or in her Moses basket so she is close by. She will also nap in her boppy on the couch. Usually, though, I’m out and about so much that she naps in the stroller (on wogs) or in the car seat as I drive around.
How often did you feed her/did she nap in the beginning?
I actually recorded this, so I can tell you! From birth, through the first few weeks, she would eat every 2-4 hours. She would eat for 15-20 minutes on each side. Now she eats every 3 hours during the day, for about 8 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other.
I don’t really know about naps in the beginning. Since we had no schedule, she just slept whenever. She started off sleeping a lot though. I’d feed her, then she’d be awake for only 10 minutes sometimes before she’d fall back asleep.
What did you read to learn about infant care?
Not much, to be honest. I was so fixated on labor I barely looked into infant care. I did read Happiest Baby on the Block and found it’s techniques very useful! Other than that, I’ve gone to my mom, my friends, twitter and blogs with any questions.
My baby is 3 weeks old and everyone tells me (and I read) to feed a minimum of 8 feedings a day. Did you do this? When did you transition to less feedings?
I don’t really follow any of the ‘rules’. I never woke Hailey up to feed her. Ever. And she was back up to birth weight by 4 days old. I really follow her cues and let that dictate her schedule. I was a bit nervous a few weeks ago when she was only eating 6 times a day, but she was gaining weight, not fussy and sleeping well, so I figured it was working for her. And that’s still what we do now. She typically eats 6 times between 5:30am and 8:00pm.
When did you begin to operate more on a schedule?
Don’t let me fool you- there is no such thing as a schedule with a baby 🙂 However, I will say from about 6 weeks old and on (she’s 8 weeks today), I feel pretty confident in predicting her schedule of the day and reading her cues. I was so worried I’d never ‘know’ my baby in the way people say you will know what different cries mean, etc, but now I do and things are going pretty smoothly.
Typically we operate on a ‘Eat, Play, Nap, Play, Repeat’ kind of schedule. I tried just the ‘Eat, Play, Nap, Repeat’ schedule that Babywise promotes, but then I was feeding every 2 hours and Hailey wasn’t very hungry and ended up snacking. Even though I’ve heard fabulous things about Babywise, Hailey’s preferred method for now doesn’t quite match it.
So far, things are going great. Everyday I love being a mommy more and more. She really does light up my life and I love getting to know her a bit more everyday! I do feel confident and like I have things under control, but it doesn’t mean Hailey never cries… especially when I overdo it with the camera… 😉
As always, feel free to email me or comment if you have any questions.
But I have a question for you…
I am having a discrepancy in an Etsy order. I ordered size 0-3 month and she mailed a newborn size saying that it was the same thing.
Am I correct that a newborn sized onesie is NOT the same thing as a 0-3 month sized onesie?
Or am I crazy?
Katherina says
Yay! Love posts like these. Just wanted to let you know that there’s caffeine in decaf, about 15-20% the amount (roughly) in regular coffee.
Brittany says
Yes, that’s a great point!
From what I’ve read, decaf contains about one tenth of the amount of caffeine as a cup of regular coffee (anywhere from 3-10 mg per serving versus roughly 85 mg in regular).
I find that the small amount (I only drink 1 cup) doesn’t seem to bother Hailey- thank goodness! Because I’d hate to have to give up chocolate, too 🙂
Katherina says
Weird, I’ve read it was around a fifth! Either way, if it doesn’t bother Hailey that’s all that matters 🙂
Brittany says
AH- now I want to know for sure. Maybe it is closer to 1/5th because it does make me feel awake 🙂
Malorie says
I think it actually depends on what kind (brewed, instant…) and what brand (Folgers, Starbucks, etc.) 🙂
melissa says
I have a 5 week old and love these posts! It’s so helpful to hear experiences of other new mommies. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Paulina says
I agree! My baby is 5 weeks old too, congrats to all the other new mama’s here 🙂
Mandy Robinson says
No, I beleive that you are correct. Newborn goes up to 8 lbs and I beleive that 0-3 month is 8 lbs and above. I mean I am no expert but if you look at Carter they distinguish between newborn and 0 to 3 month!
Sara says
I love these posts, as it is giving me an idea of what to expect in March when our little boy is born. I do have a question though, can you do a post on all the things you bought for Hailey (stroller, car seat, etc.) I feel so lost in making all these decisions, between reading books, blogs, etc and I’d love to hear from you what you found has worked and what hasn’t, what was a must have and something you got but rarely use. Thanks
Brittany says
Great idea- I’d love to do a post about this because some things have definitely been a lifesaver, and others, a waste of money!
Jerrica says
You are absolutely right about the outfit. Newborn clothes are from 5-8 lbs and 0-3 are from 8-12.5 lbs. They also are much different in height. NB is up to 21 in and 0-3 is from 21-24. Everyone told me not to buy nb sizes and then I was stuck with 0-3 that were waaayy too big. I love reading about your breastfeeding experience. I have a 22 mo old and one due in 9 weeks. I didn’t bf my son but am considering it for the new baby…it helps to read about real experiences!
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston says
This is what I was going to say! The 0-3 month go up to 12ish months. Love this post btw!
Shari says
That picture of you and Hailey together is absolutely adorable!!
Katie @ Legally Fit says
Newborn is definitely not the same as 0-3- hence the different sizing! That is really frustrating. I’d ask her to rectify it immediately.
I love these posts! Audrey is six weeks old (time flies!) and while I don’t think we are on a set schedule yet (and since we are moving next week, probably won’t be for a few more weeks haha), I definitely feel like I can read her cues a lot better!
That’s awesome that Hailey gained her birthweight back so quickly. Audrey had jaundice and it took three weeks to get back to it! During that time I was waking her every 2-3 hours. It was tiring but she needed to gain weight! Happily, she is packing on the pounds (ounces? haha) now 🙂
Thanks for the clarification on the caffeine! I was just curious since I have a cup each morning and I don’t think it affects her but who knows. I have severely limited dairy since she tends to be a spit upper. It’s funny how your body still isn’t completely “yours” yet.
One last question and I’ll end this novel 😉 – I started running again yesterday and while my endurance certainly is not what it was (I was expecting that), I was NOT expecting the pain from the girls! I had to basically hold them on the treadmill the whole time (sight for sore eyes!) What sports bra(s) are you wearing? I need to figure something out!
Brittany says
I desperately need a new sports bra! I am wearing one now that is Champion (I think) and is almost like two sports bras in one. It works alright, but it’s too small. Since I’m only wogging right now, it’s not too bad, but when I do Jillian’s 30 Day Shred and she has me jump rope, etc, I have to hold the girls, too! haha 🙂
If you hear of one that is great, please let me know and when I find one I like, I’ll share, too.
Karen @ Are we there yet? says
I am a huge fan of Moving Comfort sports bras! I had several of the Fiona and will be ordering a couple new ones in my new size.
Jen says
This is so helpful! I’m going to refer to all of these wonderful posts in the next few weeks. And I’m sure I’ll also be annoying and ask you a million questions 😉
So glad you and Hailey are doing so well!
Brittney says
I’m so impressed with your mothering skills Brittany! Someday I hope to be coming to you with questions, because you really seem to have this down 🙂
Callie @ The Wannabe Athlete says
In my opinion, there is DEFINITELY a difference b/w a newborn and 0-3 month size! But…it often depends on the brand. Gerber’s newborn oneises are 5-8lbs, and then the also have a 0-3 month size. Carters does the same thing. But not all brands distinguish. Just FYI!
Keri says
Def a difference in nb and 0-3. My little Barrett is busting out of nb but 0-3 is too big. Thanks so much for this post! We had a rough night, so reading this gives me confidence!:)
Madeline@Food, fitness and family says
Love the post. We are 3 weeks behind you with or 5 week old so it’s nice to get some ideas as she gets older.
And newborn and 0-3 are so different things. I would send it back with the stats. What brand onesie was it on? You could look up their size chart and quote it to the seller.
Brittany says
It was Carters and clearly said NB on the tag. I was so bummed 🙁 I wrote the seller back, and I guess we’ll see!
Melissa says
Newborn is definitely not 0-3 months newborn usually only goes to 8 lbs I would make the seller fix it. In reply to Katie I gave birth in March and ever since then when I do cardio I wear two sports bras at once and it works like a charm
Karen says
I loved reading all the questions and answers as I am going into my 33rd week and was thinking about the same questions. Hailey is adorable! Hope you have a great day!!
Kaley says
Like everyone else has said, NB size is definitely not the same as 0-3 (with Carter’s). My little girl was just under 5 pounds when she was born, so she wore NB onesies forever because the 0-3 size was like a big bag on her. I know more average size babies spend way less time in NB though,so I would definitely get back to the seller because who knows how long she would be able to wear it!
Kelly says
There is no nutritional reason the warm her milk. When my kids were babies, I would gradually lower the temp of the milk/formula until they would tolerate it straight from the fridge. It makes life much easier when there is no place to warm a bottle. She is a beautiful girl. My youngest just turned 10 and I wish every day I could make her stop growing up!
Emily says
She’s so cute 🙂 Schedules are so hard, I tried hard to get my twins to nap in the afternoons, in their crib, uninterrupted, and then there were dr appointments, or errands to run, and it was hard to do it every afternoon…and they just screamed most of the time anyway so we’ve taken up your more casual schedule idea and it seems to work great. As long as they get in like 2-3 hour or more long naps a day, they sleep great at night and don’t get as fussy so I’ll go with that. They always fall asleep in the car or while I’m on errands and while I don’t want to promote that as “nap time” I’ll take the quiet when I can get it haha I didn’t read a lot on newborn care, but it’s so different for every baby. like happiest baby on the block didn’t work for us, it just didn’t. I tried, they hated being swaddled and being rocked, and it could have been because they were in the NICU for so long, but if it doesn’t work, I’ve just tried something else until I found out what soothes them, what they like to play with and do and gone from there 🙂
and newborn and 0-3 month are def not the same thing.
Christie says
She is such a doll. Oh and those sizes are DEFINITELY different!
marci says
Really enjoy these posts. Interesting that Baby Wise didn’t work for you, that’s what I’m reading right now. 18 weeks to go til D-day!
Tiff @ Love Sweat and Beers says
Mmmm… Taco Mac!!! That’s great that you can at least sort of plan out a schedule now. It stresses me out to not have a plan for the day.
Paulina says
As always, thank you for sharing! I just went and read the last few posts and I have got to say, you are doing an amazing job as a new mom. I haven’t figured out how to have time to cook or bake yet, and I’m really missing it! Maybe in a few more weeks…Anyway, I am impressed and you should be proud. One more thing, I cried reading about poor Koda. I’m so glad your pup is ok. My dog and cats have been a bit neglected since Amy was born and I can’t imagine dealing with a very sick pet and a crying baby all at once. Parenthood is much harder than I expected, but at the same time, more fulfilling than I expected too.
Jen@FoodFamilyFitness says
It’s been a few years since I’ve had a newborn, but I thought the sizes went NB, 0-3 months, etc. The NB sizes were REALLY small and only up to 8lbs…from what I remember, so you are absolutely correct 🙂
Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker says
Love this post. Also love that I am behind you and can benefit from all your knowledge 🙂 Hahah. Thank you for the tips! And I’m pretty darned sure you’re right. Newborn is up to 8 lbs (sometimes only 7). 0-3 months is like 8 lbs to 12 or something like that. Good luck!
Heather says
you seem to be doing so well! She is so darn cute. I love that you are going with the flow and not doing things just to do them b/c someone told you to or you read it somewhere.
Rachel @ My Naturally Frugal Family says
I am sorry about your Etsy issue. I think you’ve already got the answer but there is a difference in newborn and 0-3 (has to do with the weight). Newborn is typically up to 8 lbs and then 0-3 are roughly 8-12 lbs.
Hailey is so beautiful and happy. You look like you slid right into motherhood without much of a hitch, which is wonderful.
Please do continue these baby posts as they are a highlight of my day.