Chaz Moms and Moms-to-Be Chat (everyone welcome)

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

I can't relate to this specifically because I dreamt about BFing when pregnant and love it now.

But in general, I think there are some things that are so foreign to us before actually having kids that it can be really difficult to imagine us in that situation until we're there. If you've never been pregnant, how can you describe the feeling of being kicked? If you've never had a baby, how can you predict how you will feel about breast feeding? It's something that you can't know what it's really like until you're there.

 

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

I adore this kid:

 

[Barbara!]

I see your adorably long eyelashes and raise you a crooked grin!

 

[milos_mommy]

They are both so precious!

 

[stardogs]

I've not really thought much about the whole act of breastfeeding thing - it basically seems so foreign, I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get there. LOL

I did just find a neat link to a breastfeeding "timeline" with alllll sorts of info: http://www.thealphaparent.com/2011/12/timeline-of-breastfed-baby.html?m=1

 

[NicoleLJ]

Can Nico join in the with the cute pictures?

And my favorite shot of the moment

 

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

Wow! Nico has grown so much!

 

[jenv101]

Chaz has the cutest babies! Here is Clarissa at just over 5 months

 

[NicoleLJ]

Wow! Nico has grown so much!

He is taller and weighs more then any of my other 3. They were his size when they were over a year. We sometimes forget that he is only 9 months old. lol

I agree that Chaz has the cutest babies around

 

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

Today Everleigh did three new things: she rolled over (a real one!), she had a big belly laugh, and she put her right hand in her mouth.

The last thing made me choke up because this is the arm with increased tone, the one that's sending us to a developmental physiotherapist.

 

[joce]

Did anyone go back to work full time around ten weeks after birth? Seriously all of my family and most friends did and now some people are making it sound like its impossible!! Of course one is a stay at home mom and the other is seventy and stuck watching her grand daughter all the time but its starting to drive me nuts. My boss even asked if I was coming back. Would be nice but seriously to live I need to work. Is this completely impossible or what?!

 

[Grab]

I went back to work full time at 5 weeks.

 

[milos_mommy]

In the US many women go back at 6 weeks. It's really going to depend in the individual, mom, baby, and family, and the job.

 

[LindaJD]

I went back after 12 weeks as did most of the people I knew. Not that hard, you get into a routine.

 

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

I don't have to go back until April, if I go back at all, and I'm dreading it. Daycare for infants here is incredible hard to find, most places have really long wait lists, and the ones that don't are available for a reason.

I cannot imagine having to go back after six weeks. I really can't. You guys amaze me.

 

[yv0nne]

Yeah, Americans amaze me with their quick return to work!! I doubt I'll ever have a baby but Canadians are so so lucky when it comes to mat leave.

 

[Taqroy]

Chaz has the cutest babies! Here is Clarissa at just over 5 months

I love that sleeper!! At least I assume it's a sleeper. And wow everyone's babies are so adorable (and big)!

Falon wears a bow tie now. Bow ties are cool.

FalonTipper07-2013 by taqroy, on Flickr

 

[boneyjean]

I went back to work at 10 weeks with both of my kids. I actually started working remotely from home part time at more like 2 or 3 weeks, but it was totally my choice to help us out financially and not burn through all of my vacation time or savings. I also successfully pumped for the first year and breastfed both way past a year. It can totally be done. Sometimes you don't have a choice whether you return to work or not. I won't say it is easy, but you adjust and it becomes your new norm. I think both me and my children benefited from them going to daycare and me to work. We all received the mental stimulation and social interactions that we needed. Now that they are 2 and 4 1/2, I can really see the benefits they have received from being in a "school" like environment. This is just my experience though and of course may not be how everyone returning to work feels.

 

[Greenmagick]

Its not impossible, no, but it is hard.

The longer you can take leave the better. Yes, one can make do with just about anything when you have to but you might as well set yourself up the best you can which includes giving yourself enough time to bond, recover from pregnancy and delivery, etc. The studies I have seen point to higher stress, depression, etc for those who go back really soon. Overall, yes, longer is better and sadly US has one of the worst records for maternity care and leave

Personally, I can't imagine having to go back to work, especially when they were still infants. For me, the idea of the hectic morning rush, running to daycare, to work, to home, getting dinner and keeping the house, all that together makes me exhausted. BUT, that is a personal thing for sure.

 

[Taqroy]

I went back to work at 12 weeks. The first two weeks sucked horribly but now that we're in a routine it's not too bad. I don't get much done during the week though - come home, snuggle baby, snuggle/exercise dogs, wash bottles, feed dogs, eat dinner, talk to Matt, lay on sofa, put baby to bed, put self to bed.