Starting Over Is Not Easy ... Mother Baby Child Blog
I was over 35 when I gave birth to Baby Max. My middle son was 11 years old and my older son had just turned seventeen. It wasn't easy starting over again ... Mother Baby Child is a blog to share parenting experiences, as well as what marriage is like after being a single mom for so many years. Get info on having a baby, raising children, babies, tweens, teens, homeschooling, mom blogs, work at home mom. business marketing, Christian and celebrity moms blog posts.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ~ Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
Looks like we can finally add Mariah Carey to celebrity moms list ... Woo Hoo!
Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey gave birth to twins at 12:07 p.m. today, Saturday, April 30, 2011. The baby girl was born first at 5 pounds 3 ounces / 18 inches long. The baby boy came second weighing 5 pounds 6 ounces / 19 inches long. Both babies are healthy and mom is doing just fine ... Mariah Carey's representative, Cindi Berger, said, "It was like right out of an 'I Love Lucy' skit. Apparently, 30 year old, Nick Cannon was comically nervous and Mariah was calm. I bet the 41 year old singer hit new octaves in the deliver room while giving birth to #dembabies. Now, she is a mommy of two the world is waiting to see :) Hopefully, they will announce the baby's names and share pictures of the twins soon.
As if this celebrity love story was not exciting enough, it happens to be that the twin babies were born on Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's 3rd wedding anniversary. They were married on April 30, 2008 in the Bahamas. Nick Cannon tweeted “My wife just gave me the most incredible anniversary gift ever in life!” What a way to celebrate an anniversary ... Praise God! That Mimi sure knows how to put "diva" in everything she does and Nick Cannon will certainly have a hard time finding ways to top this anniversary present!
(Update on May 4, 2011 - Mariah Carey Names Twin Babies)
What did Nick and Mariah name their twin babies? Their daughter is named Monroe Cannon (named after Mariah Carey's inspiration Marilyn Monroe - the baby girl does not have a middle name because Mariah does not have one) and their son is named Moroccan Scott Cannon (after the "The Moroccan Room" where Nick proposed to Mariah; Scott is Nick's middle name).
(Update on October 22, 2011 - Mariah Carey Names Twin Babies)
What do the Cannon-Carey twins look like? Check out these pictures of Maria Carey's babies - #dembabies are so cute :)
Congratulations to Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey on your healthy bundles of joy. We can't wait to watch #dembabies grow over the years :)
Picture of Baby Talking - Baby Max - 7 Weeks Old - February 2011
I am an infomercial addict ... especially when it comes to "kid stuff"!
Yes, I know that some people think that infomercials are a horrible waste of time and I rarely do buy anything from them, but I LOVE learning about all of those "useful", new and amazing products.
One of my absolute favorite infomercials is Your Baby Can Read. I've been watching it for years and just about drove Max's dad crazy during our pregnancy ... We have to have it! Meanwhile, I never thought that I would ever have the opportunity to buy it for a baby of my own ... nor that his father would FINALLY watch the infomercials with me once the baby was born (LOL, he even questioned which languages it comes in). We cannot wait to buy Your Baby Can Read and another program called Signing Time.
Why haven't we bought Your Baby Can Read or Signing Time?
The problem is that we still have a few months before Max can see well enough and focus long enough for the programs. It is good to start Your Baby Can Read as early as 3 months and some studies have show babies as young as 5 or 6 months can use Signing Time. Regardless, as I was exploring these options, I came across another program called Dunstan Baby Language. It was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and I find it somewhat accurate for our baby. The premise of the program is that ...
"All newborn babies produce 5 distinct "pre-cry" sounds that signal their 5 most important needs. By listening for these subtle cries, you are able to prevent the crying from even starting. Dunstan Baby Language System will teach you to identify exactly what sounds to listen for, so you know precisely what your newborn needs. Learn how to listen to your baby's 'babble', and respond quickly. Your baby will reward you by sleeping more, allowing you to sleep more."
I don't know about you, but it breaks my heart when my baby cries and I cannot sooth him.
Crying at night is not an issue for us. Max sleeps pretty well, and it is obvious that he wants changed or fed if he cries at night. I am more concerned with the crying that comes out of the blue and not knowing why my baby is crying so hard (is he hungry? is he wet or solid? is he tired? is he hurt? does he have gas? is he bored?). This is what prompted me to pay very close attention to the signals he gives me when leading up to, during and after he cries. It's also why I'm glad to have come across the Dunstan Baby Language System.
The funniest thing is that I kept telling our family that Max has been talking to us these past 3 weeks. His father thought that I was crazy until I introduced him to the Dunstan Baby Language website. Now he agrees ...
If you watch this short video until it ends, you will see this baby using body language to communicate that he is starting to get hungry. You will also hear the baby saying "Ney" to communicate that he is hungry and ready to eat ... as explained below in this blog post.
The following is what I have noticed about our child. Compare it to your baby and what is stated on the Dunstan Baby Language website ... it's too cool!
"NEY"
He sounds just like a sheep, but this lets me know when he is ready to eat because sometimes he just needs to get burped again or wants to rest on my chest. Dunstan lists "NEY" as the cry for hungry. It is quite valid in Max's case. In fact, he can become a quite assertive "neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey" when he is impatient or starving after a long nap. Dunstan was right on point for this one.
"HEY"
Max sometimes says "Hey" when we walk out of the room (when he is alone for a span of time). Now that he is 7 weeks old, we are both confident that he is and has been calling us back to him. It is just comical and that "hey" can get rather loud and frustrated if we do not answer quickly enough. I tested this by responding to him from another room. Max will get quiet for a second or two, though start with the "hey" again if we do not speak again from the other room or come into the room where he is calling, "hey". It is just a hoot. Dunstan Baby Language attributes this to discomfort (which it very well could be for Max) - our family reads it as Max just does not want to be alone (a different type of discomfort - loneliness / abandonment).
There are 5 types of crying and we have confirmed 2 thus far. As per the other 3 types cries, Max must have a language of his own because we cannot distinguish these, but this does not mean that we will not. We notice changes with our baby ever day, so I'll have to get back to you on whether he meets the status quo for cries that distinguish his need to burp, gas or being tired.
I do know that our baby was able to communicate whether he wanted to nurse or have the pacifier by 2 1/2 weeks. Max would instinctively reach one hand to his mouth and do a quick touch (awkward poke or quick fist to mouth) to signify that he was checking for his pacifier. On the other hand, he would quickly rub both hands / fists and make panting sound if he wanted to nurse. This was awesome because I could somewhat avoid unnecessary crying by watching his actions. Now that Max is 8 weeks old, he will also block the SOOTHIE pacifier with his tongue when he wants the NUK or does not want a pacifier at all. He will most often stop fussing when he sees my breast (and they say babies do not see well - phooey!). i.e, This is not addressed in the Dunstan Baby Language, but think that it is interesting enough to share with other moms.
The point here is that although all babies cry, you can make your baby more comfortable and avoid potentially stressful situations by recognizing their indicators (as stated in my examples above). We use the pacifier much less now that we are listening and watching how our baby communicates. I think that the Dunstan Baby Language is useful to new mommies and those who want to be more sensitive and in tune as their baby develops.
I hope that you enjoyed this blog post and video :)
Dunstan Baby Language is a system that explains how you can learn your baby's secret language, so that you both can get well needed sleep ...
"All newborn babies produce 5 distinct "pre-cry" sounds that signal their 5 most important needs. By listening for these subtle cries, you are able to prevent the crying from even starting. Dunstan Baby Language System will teach you to identify exactly what sounds to listen for, so you know precisely what your newborn needs. Learn how to listen to your baby's 'babble', and respond quickly. Your baby will reward you by sleeping more, allowing you to sleep more."
Check out a blog post called "Has My Infant Been Talking To Me?" - there is a video of my son talking to us - at age 2 months - just as explained in the Dunstan Baby Language System :)
I do hope that you find this program useful!
If your baby is too old for this program, you may want to check out Your Baby Can Read. I have placed links to our baby's experience with this early reading system.
Isn't this one of the cutest pictures in the world? I am always amazed at how infant photographers get these babies to look so natural in their photos ... yes, this is just a neonatal smile ... but it is a darn good one, isn't it? Just an adorable shot! BTW, researchers now say that newborn babies' smiles aren't just gas, but real smiles develop at 2 to 8 weeks.
One of the troubling issues is whether a newborn is going to the bathroom enough and what to expect on a daily basis. Our hospital has us track the "wet diapers" and "bowel movements" for the 3 days we were in the hospital. It was a little annoying at times, but it reminded us to pay attention and know what to expect from our newborn. This is a guide that you can use to make sure that all is well with your newborn and / or what we experienced with our baby, Max.
NEWBORN WET DIAPER / NEWBORN PEE / NEWBORN URINE
There are many suggestions as to what is the average, 5 to 6 wet diapers a day is commonly stated, but some newborns wet 10 or more diapers per day in their first month of life. It just depends ... you just want to make sure that your newborn's urine is a clear / golden color and that he / she wets sever 4 hours. Pinkish or dark yellow pee may mean that your baby is not getting enough breast milk / formula.
NEWBORN BOWEL MOVEMENTS / NEWBORN POOP
Meconium This is the extremely dark poop that you see in the picture to the left. All babies poop Meconium the first few days after birth (usually the 3rd day when the mother's milk comes in and she is no longer feeding the first milk). As you can see, it is black or very dark green in color and thick like tar. The plus is that it does not smell like poop even though it looks ugly. Meconium is actual the most sterile poop your baby will ever have because it is comprised of what your baby consumed while in the uterus. Colostrum, the first milk that the mother produces, works a a laxative and helps a newborn baby get rid of the meconium in their system.
Newborn Baby Poop - Breast Fed Baby
This is the "seedy" poop that you keep reading / hearing about. It is typically a dark mustard color, though can be as light as a yellow mustard or more on the green side as well, and is seedy / grainy. The texture is not even close to the thickness of the first bowl movements (Meconium) or bottle fed babies. It is more liquid-like, though should not be slimy (with a bunch of mucus) nor too runny either. It is just a looser poop that is thinner than your own and appears to have seeds in it. Meanwhile, these are not seeds at all. They are more like specks of firmer poop that looks a little like oatmeal or flattened risotto noodles. It is just how the baby's body digests the mother's milk and of no harm at all. Some say that it does not stink, but it does have an odor that changes depending upon what the mother has eaten and the health of your baby. Ideally, it is a sweeter smelling poop to most, though oddly sweet and not attractive enough for you to yearn (like perfume). On the other hand, it can get pretty nasty at times; especially in the first month of when a mother is adjusting to breast feeding and a baby's system is adjusting to the world. Therefore, texture, color and smell may fluctuate ... it stables out in time with proper diet, feeding patterns and maturing of baby's digestive system.
* Breast fed babies poop more than bottle fed babies; usually 4 to 6 times a day.
* If milk is green, try breastfeeding your baby longer to give enough of the hindmilk.
* Breast fed babies rarely become constipated.
Newborn Poop - Formula Fed Baby
Formula fed babies have poop that is yellow-brown color, stronger smell and a bit thicker in consistence than breast fed babies. Some compare it to the texture of peanut butter. * If any harder than that, then your baby could be constipated or is becoming constipated.
* Formula fed babies poop less than breast fed babies; one to two times a day.
What is normal baby poop and what is not normal bowel movements?
Hard poop, green poop, dark, slimy, red / pinkish, blood in stool and chalk white poop ... these are not normal poops. Similac has an excellent resource for what breast fed and formula fed baby poop looks like. It includes samples for poop of babies that are on solid foods as well as warning of what is and is not normal poop: http://similac.com/feeding-nutrition/diaper-decoder - Off hand, Green Poop / Green bowel movements are an indication that a breast fed baby is getting more foremilk (sweet / watery milk that flows fast at the beginning) and less hindmilk (fatty milk / richer milk that flows after the hindmilk); also green poop is indicative of how babies are digesting iron.
LET YOUR DOCTOR KNOW IF GREEN POOP DOES NOT CLEAR UP OR IF ANYTHING IN YOUR BABY'S DIAPER IS ABNORMAL!
I know this blog post is kinda gross, but we all have to clean baby poop :)
Picture of Newborn Baby Max - 2 Days Old - December 2011
Although the nurse advised against my using a pacifer in the hospital, I am SO GLAD that I made her bring us one. I also suggest that all breastfeeding mothers have one ready once their baby is comfortable feeding and doing well with it. In our case, my baby was able to distinguish between whether he wanted to nurse or suckle by the time he was 2 1/2 weeks. He would instinctively reach one hand to his mouth and do a quick poke to signify that he was checking for his pacifier. On the other hand, he would rub both hands and make a quick panting sound when he wanted to nurse. This was extremely helpful to my adjusting breasts because he was only using them to eat (i.e. babies can become adamant about wanting suckle on the breast and this can become painful situation).
In case you're wondering ... NO, he does not consistently want nor rely on the pacifier 24 hours a day. Our baby learned how to pop his pacifier out by week 2. At first, it was an accident, but by week 3, he could, clumsily, push it out with his index finger. He was letting is drop out of his mouth when ready to nurse or coo - "popping it out" - soon after.
Coming into the world is not an easy adjustment for babies. It is our job to make it as comforting and safe as possible. Do not hesitate to use a pacifier if you think that your baby needs it. There are all different types - even a style suggested to prevent S.I.D.S. - try a few and see which your baby prefers. Our baby will block the pacifier with his tongue when he wants the other style (NUK) or does not want a pacifier at all.
Did your nurse advise against giving your baby a pacifier? Did you give your baby a pacifer? Let us know your experience in the comment section below!
Neonatal Smiling OR Do babies show emotion in the first few weeks?
My mother reminded me that newborn babies do not smile. It is said that a newborn baby displays a spontaneous reflex that appears to be an intentional smile, though it is not an actual sign of affection. This is referred to as neonatal smiling. Neonatal smiles occur when the baby is sleeping and during the time when he / she is transitioning between sleep and wake time. These are not from gas. On the contrary, researchers now believe that baby smiles aren't just gas - they’re real smiles that start between 2 - 8 weeks.
Babies start displaying emotion between 1 to 2 months ...
I was holding my one month son on my chest this morning. I was admiring how strong he is becoming while he bobbed his little head up to look at me. Out of the blue, he let out the most adorable smile that I have seen yet. It was not a little closed mouth smirk, but a huge, open mouthed, smile just at the moment when he saw my face ... He did it a few times and it obviously made my heart melt. I quickly referred to my baby books, and online baby resources, to see if this was a "real smile". I was excited to read that it was very likely an intentional / emotional smile. It also means that he is starting to see more clearly.
As a newborn gets older, she / he will smile more often as vision becomes more clear and other developmental factors progress normally; especially in response to your loving smiles. Isn't it just wonderful to watch your newborn baby develop?
Max had his 1st well baby check up and I sure had mixed feelings about it. One part of me hated our medical system and the insensitive health officials that say that we should take our babies to a doctors office a week after they are born. Sick people go to doctors ... it should not include newborn babies. On the other hand, I was anxious to confirm that our baby is healthy and ready to take on life. It was bitter sweet ... you will read / hear say this often ... as if we bring children into the world to expose them to contradiction that we cannot explain, nor ignore, any more than "this is just how it is".
Regardless, our baby boy has put his 7.7 lbs birth weight back on (it is common for newborns to lose weight while in the hospital). Both the nurse and doctor say that Max is just fine; a healthy baby boy. Both his father and I are grateful that Max is healthy. I just cannot believe it!
First of all, I am well over 35 years old and never could have imagined that I would have one more child. I am jumping for joy, but still in disbelief by it all. I was a single parent for so many years ... I never would have though and am thanking God every day. My two sons love Baby Max so much. How could they not? They just about helped me deliver him.
They told me that Max should have a 6 week check up next, but my immunization chart says 2 months. I am confused, but am taking all in stride since it has been so long since I've had a baby. He had the 1st Hepatitis shot in the hospital and will need his 1st set of immunizations at his next appointment. I am nervous about those 1st shots :(
After all of the long months of wondering if the doctor, nurses and ultrasound staff knew what they were doing, I gave birth to a healthy 7.7 lbs and 19 3/4 inch little boy ... we named him Maxwell. There were no complications for the baby or me, and we are more grateful than words that he is healthy. I guess that is how every mother feels, but considering that I had such horrible childbirth experiences with my first two boys and a few complications towards the end of this pregnancy (swollen, high blood pressure, induced 12 days early), I am thanking God over and over again for answering my prayers. Maxwell is such a little blessing. His brothers were there for the delivery and love him so much. Daddy is just in awe over his precious little "bundle of joy" ... Grandma is already "watching him grow" and does not want to go home after the holidays. Who would have imagined that I'd have a baby in my late 30s; my oldest son is 17 and my second son is 11 ... this is going to mark a new chapter in my book ... Let's call it an adventure!
There is nothing like hold our newborn baby boy :)
Baby and Daddy - Max looks so tiny in his father's arms.
Baby and Grandma - She like "watching him grow".
Baby and Big Brother Nate - 17 years old.
Baby and Big Brother Jonny - 11 years old.
We are all just in love with this new addition to our family, and so thankful to God for all of the blessings during this time. Although it was not in my plans, I am so very grateful to be an over 35 mommy to baby Max, Jonny and Nate :)
