Lots of Random Things

[lls_mutant]

Second to last day of the year, and I'm quick typing as the baby plays on the floor. This aquarium toy is great. He can stare at for quite some time. However, I suspect my time is limited. So a few thoughts/questions/comments...

1.) Recs! a_t_rain and ignipes have both been feeding one of my major not-so-secret not-so-really "kinks"... Arthur-Remus gen!!!!! Go over to their journals and check it out, because this world needs more good Arthur-Remus gen fic.

ETA an art rec: buttfacemakani's newest sketch, Poker Night at the Malfoys. But maybe I just find it amusing because this is SO my family playing Dirty Hearts.

2.) Finally saw Serenity. I've never (YET) watched Firefly, but now I absolutely must. Very cool. I always wanted to watch Firefly anyway.

3.) I'm possibly getting to see Brokeback Mountain!!!!! MLK weekend, hubby's best friend and his wife are coming to visit. The way we almost always go to see movies is that Howard and Chris go to a guy flick, and Jess and I go see our own. This year we have to take shifts, but Jess REALLY wants to see "that gay cowboy shit movie" as her darling husband puts it. So we're going to stay here while they go see King Kong, then they'll come back and we'll go see Brokeback Mountain. Wheee!! (Of course, this is assuming they're both still in theaters then.)

4.) I finally figured out exactly how the rest of Part 10 of AIL goes. Can I have some TIME, please?

5.) Mom question: has anyone introduced formula after exclusive breast milk? If you have, please tell me about problems you may have had and how you did it. Unfortunately, we did have to quit the nursing all together. :P Oh well. I'll just be glad when the guilt fades.

And Toby's bored of his aquarium, so... later!

Comments

[lykophile.livejournal.com]

Finally saw Serenity. I've never (YET) watched Firefly, but now I absolutely must. Very cool. I always wanted to watch Firefly anyway.

Welcome to the 'verse!! Once you get in you'll never want to leave!

[medicinal-mirth.livejournal.com]

Firefly is awesome. You will love it.

As for the formula question, when I first switched my oldest, I mixed a bottle with part formula, part breastmilk, and gradually increased the amount of formula. He ended up with lactose free formula as well. I don't actually think he was lactose intolerant, but his tummy just handled it a helluva lot better.

My daughter could not tolerate milk formula at all. She got gassy and colicky for nearly two hours after each bottle. After the lactose free changed nothing for her, we tried soy, and she was a happy baby. She no longer has any problems with dairy, though it took til she was two. She now just prefers the soy milk, since she's used to it. I guess it is common for a lot of babies to have trouble with dairy, it's hard to digest.

My youngest. Well. He was intolerant of milk and soy. So I had to nurse him, because there was no way I was paying $22.00 a can for the hypoallergenic formula, which was the only kind he could handle. I used it to supplement, but otherwise I had to cut out all dairy and soy from my own diet until he got over it, which took about a year for the soy, two for the dairy. Now, he can tolerate anything.

Who knew that feeding your baby would be so tricky? On the one hand, the fact that there are so many formula options available is downright confusing, on the other, if one doesn't work at least you can try something else.

I'm sorry the nursing didn't work out, but you gave it your best shot and he did get breast milk for a while and that's great. He'll do fine, so don't let the guilt play with you too badly. Trust me, other things will come along to take the place of that guilt! Sigh.

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

I suspect this is true. I suspect I will also be pissed that the show was cancelled.

Stupid television execs. Probably the same people that pulled the plug on Futurama.

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info!

I've been very annoyed, because the book I've been using (What to Expect the First Year) just doesn't discuss moving over to formula. I mean, I'd have loved for nursing to work out, but it just didn't. And there's nothing- nada- in the book on the subject. (Well, nothing useful.) So I have no idea what's normal.

The good thing is we called the doctor and got his directions for switching over. (The REALLY cool thing is we talked to the nurse, who answered all our questions no problem. We thought that was the end of it. But later that night, the doctor called back himself to check and see how Toby was doing and if we had any more questions. I am REALLY liking this doctor!) But still, it's really good to hear about the experiences other people have had, just to get the idea.

Right now we're giving him half breast milk and half formula at two feedings a day. The first time we gave him formula he spit up like crazy. Yesterday, he had diarreha, but it's hard to tell if it was really bad or not. (You know. Is it a one time thing? Is it a reaction to formula? Is it really diarreha anyway, or just his stools looking different because we're giving him different food?) But he seems pretty happy and content- he's not crying or fussing any more than normal, so that's good.

It IS amazing how tricky feeding babies can be!

[medicinal-mirth.livejournal.com]

As long as he's not crying or fussing, the spitting up and diarreha is probably just his little system adjusting to the change. One thing I did notice with my girl and my youngest -- the ones who had true milk problems -- was after they'd puke and have diarrhea, they'd sleep for ages. It was as if they had to sleep off the effects of the milk on their systems. This wasn't normal baby sleep, they seemed drugged.

And your doctor sounds awesome! Good for you guys, finding one who actually calls. Holy cow.

Just wait til you have to introduce solid foods. Then the fun really begins. :P

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec!

I guess I really am the very last person in the world who hasn't seen Serenity or Firefly.

My sister refers to Brokeback Mountain as "the cowboy manlove movie." But we did have the following conversation about it:

A: I want to see that cowboy manlove movie.
K: Yeah, it looks pretty good.
A: I mean, I don't know about cowboys in love, but if it's two cute cowboys, that's great!
K: Well, yes... [thinking: she does not know about my secret slasher life online]
A: Two cute guys are always better than one. Especially if they're shirtless.

My sister: the proto-slasher. :)

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

I'm still pouting over Fox canceling Futurama. I swear that's the only show in existence you don't need to watch, just listen to, the writing was *that* good...

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

Here's hoping that "possibly" turns to "definitely" for seeing Brokeback Mountain! Just--take tissues. You will need them.

Hooray for your AIL breakthrough! Yes, time is tricky with a young'un around. I'm impressed you're managing it all. *g*

I don't know about formula advice for younger babies, my kids were older when they weaned onto formula and my son never took to it (stubborn brat) though my daughter did. You will notice that Toby's stools will change--they'll be less runny and more, er, fragrant with formula. You may need to try different formulas until you find one that works. Sounds like your doctor's advice should work. If you have any allergies on either side of the family though you may want to consider the hypoallergenic formulas? At any rate, you did good breastfeeding Toby as long as you did, so don't ever feel guilty about having to stop! (That's the worst about some of the more extreme bf advocates--they don't realize, every situation is different. Not everyone can bf. Fact of life. They need to deal, not you. You did good.)

[loveable-pads.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, I'm just excited you mentioned AIL! Take your time, you're busy at the moment!

Regarding the nursing/supplementing I went gradually. I nursed my son for 8 weeks while home with him but wanted to ween (sp?) him off before I went back to work. I slowly introduced it and basically pumped so he could get used to the bottle. That was the biggest problem for me. Plus he was The. Slowest. Eater. Ever. My pointer would be to introduce it slow. It may upset his little tummy at first. Good luck with it! =)

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

I love that icon. And that quote. :) I think I need some Professor Farnsworth ones. (I so need one that says "Good news, everybody!") I love the science aspect of Futurama. The whole rivalry with Farnsworth and his former grad student... my husband and I got such a kick out of that.

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

Heh- gotta love proto-slashers. That's actually what the girl I'm going with is. She and her husband saw PoA (he's read the books, she hasn't), and she actually asked me if Sirius and Lupin are gay. I cracked up and said yes as her husband vehemently denied it.

I'm just delighted I'm getting to go to a movie. (Plus, I have this secret cheesy love for the Oscars, and really want to see Brokeback Mountain so I can weigh in my opinion pre-Oscar.)

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I just can't keep pumping too much longer. It's nice he's getting the breastmilk, but I'm chained to the stupid pump, and I can't interact with him when I'm doing that. It's all right now because Howard's home, but once he goes back to work... it's not fair to Toby. He deserves all the attention we can give him.

We did give him 2 bottles of 50/50 formula and breastmilk yesterday, and no excess spitting up or anything happened. Whoohoo! So we might have a chance.

And I so want to get back to AIL. I have 10 pages of part 10 written, and now that I know where part 10 goes... (It's tough because I know EXACTLY what happens in part 11, and I just need to get there. ::Sigh::)

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice! He's been taking a bottle fine (in fact, that's his basic problem- he takes a bottle no problem, but will NOT take a breast), but we've been filling it with breast milk as opposed to formula. But I can only pump so long, y'know? I was pumping 6 times a day for 20 minutes a time, and it was getting to be too much time away from him. I'm doing 3 times a day at 20-30 right now, which is better, because it's less frequent, but it's also not terribly comfortable.

Babies are so tricky to feed!

Love the icon, btw! :)

[loveable-pads.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're doing just fine! But 6 times a day? Girl, be careful. Ouch! Those darn pumps hurt! Teehee! I had the one that did both sides at the same time. Honestly, after awhile I felt like a cow. =(

Feeding is tricky, glad it's working out for you