First time mom: Flying alone with an infant

My husband goes out west with his dad and uncles almost every spring to visit their wheat farm and do a little skiing. Usually my mom comes to visit me while he's gone, even before Ada was born. It gives us a little extra time together and keeps me from getting lonely. This year, Mom decided to spend the month of March in Florida so I decided to take Ada to visit her while John was away. (I had to take a day off work to watch her anyway so why not go somewhere fun?) I was definitely anxious about taking her on her first flights by myself though!

Luckily, I had a lot of support and good advice from friends. I also read Lucie's List's Flying with Baby ebook which was a great resource. Here's a recap of what I did with a few others that I wish I had done.

Ada's first flight

Our flight left at 10:40am, not too early and around when Ada usually naps. We had to be up a little earlier than usual but not much. I packed almost everything the night before and made a list of the things I needed to pack in the morning (sleepsack, sound machine, toiletries). I fed Ada right before we left. The plan was to get a cab which are usually right outside our building but that morning was especially cold and there were no cabs to be found. Luckily, it didn't take too long to get an Uber.

Ada was a little cranky in the Uber but she hates stop and go traffic and traffic was pretty bad. Once we got to the airport, she was good. We checked in and checked our bag. It wasn't until I got to the TSA PreCheck security line that I found out I needed an infant boarding pass for Ada. It took me a few minutes to get that and then we were back in line. I took the car seat, stroller, and Ergo (borrowed from my coworker at the last minute after I realized our Baby Bjorn would not work for me alone). I put Ada in the Ergo before getting in the security line. The only other things I carried were her diaper bag backpack and my purse. I kept my phone, our IDs, and our boarding passes in the outside pocket of my purse so they were easily accessible. Everything had to go through security! The car seat went through upside down and the stroller just barely fit through the machine.

Once we were through security, we went to the bathroom. I changed Ada and put her back in the car seat in the stroller. We went to our gate and I fed her while we waited to board. I wore Ada in the Ergo to board the plane, leaving the car seat and stroller to be gate checked. On our flight to Tampa we sat in the aisle seat in the very last row. When we got to our seat, I just took the shoulder straps off and left the Ergo around my waist. The hardest thing was keeping Ada's head or feet out of the aisle when the flight attendants went through with the carts while I was feeding her. The young couple seated in my row was super nice. They made funny faces at Ada to entertain her and the guy let me put my drink on his tray since there wasn't enough room to open my tray with Ada on my lap.

Of course, Ada pooped on the plane (both times) so I had to change her in the bathroom. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! I just took the changing pad, wipes, and a clean diaper and left everything else in the seat. She really did great until we landed and were waiting at the gate. She breastfed on takeoff and then slept for about 20 minutes. Then she was awake the whole rest of the time. I tried to feed her again on the descent but she refused. She sucked on her pacifier intermittently as we landed. Once we got to the gate and she got fussy, the flight attendants invited me to stand with them in the galley. She calmed right down with new faces talking to her!

Once we deplaned, we found a bathroom again. I changed Ada first and put her back in the car seat. Then we were off to get our checked bag and wait for Mom to pick us up. The only thing I should have done before we left was feed Ada again. Rookie mistake (that I also made on the way home).

The flight from Tampa back home to Chicago was similar. We were there a little too early and Ada was tired so I pushed her in the stroller back and forth through the terminal until it was time to board. We had a window seat in the second to last row with two guys as our row mates. She fed on takeoff and again an hour or so later and then slept all the way through the landing until we got to the gate. The guys did a good job of ignoring my breastfeeding and were understanding when I needed them to move so we could go to the bathroom. The ladies behind me were super nice and asked if I needed them to hold Ada while I went to the bathroom. I think they were a little disappointed when I said I was going because of her. Ha!

Ada's second flight

This time, I consciously made the decision not to feed her because the Uber app said we'd be home in about 35 minutes. But, our Uber driver took a wrong turn and it ended up taking more like an hour. Ada paid him back by crying for the extra time it took to get home. Lesson learned: Feed the baby before leaving the airport!

In brief:

• Wear a carrier than can be removed easily
• Wear baby through security and to board/deplane so your hands are free
• Gate check the car seat and stroller
• Feed baby or offer pacifier on takeoff and landing
• Feed baby before you leave the airport!

5 months

Ada is 5 months old! Once again, she has changed a lot in the last month. She recently discovered her toes and tries to reach for them any chance she gets, especially when she's being changed. She's "talking" a lot more and squealing too. She will also "yell" at you when you do something she doesn't like (like wiping her nose) instead of just crying. It's pretty cute...ha!

Swinging at Maggie Daley Park (3.7.17)

She loves sitting up in a supported position. We got a high chair this month and she's been sitting in it while we eat dinner. She does pretty well most of the time. She's not rolling over yet but will roll over onto her side from her back. She's doing better with tummy time. When she gets bored with it, we roll her to her back and then back to her tummy to keep it interesting.

Sitting up in the boppy (3.19.17)

She loves playing with her toys and puts everything in her mouth. She has recently starting hitting the toys on her activity gym to make them swing in the air. It's much more intentional than the batting she used to do.

Ada loves when we make funny noises or silly faces. She also really enjoys listening to singing. I often sing "Ada had a little lamb" to her at night before she goes to sleep. Tonight I played a few songs on the keyboard for her and she enjoyed it for a little while. She also seems to like when I snap my fingers.

Out enjoying a gorgeous March day in Chicago (3.24.17)

I'm trying to read at least one book to her every day but sometimes I forget. She seems to actually look at the pictures now which is pretty neat to see. She also definitely knows her name and will look at me when I say it.

She's sleeping pretty well overall and eating like a champ most of the time. She has had a few nursing "strikes" recently. The first time was the day we arrived in Florida so I figured something was off because of the flight but she did it again twice this past weekend. All three times she takes a bottle so I just have to pump more frequently. It was frustrating for me but from what I've read, it happens (and it has nothing to do with me)!

She's not always content. (3.31.17)

We took two trips this month. First, we went to Oshkosh to visit John's family, celebrate Annie's birthday, and see Annie and Ben's new house. Ada did pretty well in the car on the way there and back. She also slept great at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The next week John left to go to Montana and Colorado so Ada and I were on our own. I was a little anxious about being a solo parent for the week but we did just fine. The toughest part was having to take Ada to daycare and pick her up. Normally my mom visits me when John takes his spring trip out west but she decided to go to Florida for the month of March this year. So, Ada and I flew down to visit her near Tampa. It was Ada's first flight and I was really nervous about taking her by myself but it went just fine. (I'll write a post about that soon!) We had a great long weekend with Mom and her friends and thoroughly enjoyed the warm, sunny weather!

Ada's first flight (3.16.17)

Napping in the Florida sun (3.17.17)

Checking out the pool (3.17.17)

Happy girl! (3.18.17)

Race Report: Shamrock Shuffle 8K

Natallie and I ran the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K again this year. It's such a great race to unofficially kick off the racing season. We left at 7am to meet up with my Oiselle Volee teammates for a pre-race photo at 7:30. We then had plenty of time to get into our corrals by the 8:20 cutoff time. We were in different corrals so we didn't run together.

I wasn't sure what to expect of myself for this race. I ran less than 14 miles total in the whole month of March and my longest training run was 4 miles (which was my longest run since last April's Crazylegs Classic). My runs had been feeling good so I decided to go out at a moderate pace and see if I could hold it steady. I honestly felt great the whole way, strong but pushing myself a little. I didn't feel like I was ready to be done until the last couple tenths of a mile so I think I paced myself pretty well!

The weather was really great. It was cloudy and in the mid to upper 40s. The sun came out for awhile after we finished. I was dressed a little too warm but was pretty cold before the start so wouldn't have changed anything (except maybe wearing gloves)! It was fun to wear my long sleeve singlet for the first time.

John and Ada met us at the post-race party. We didn't stay for long, just long enough for a couple of pictures and my free beer (which John drank most of).

Overall, I'm really happy with how this race went and looking forward to Crazylegs at the end of the month. I definitely need to get back to running more consistently though!

 

 

Distance: 8K
Time: 44:12
Cost: $45
Pros: Close to home, annual tradition, great course through the Loop, finisher's tech shirt and medal, great corral setup
Cons: Crowded course
Would I run it again?: Yes!

4 months

Our baby is four months old today! Time is flying! Ada started daycare on February 6th. It has been an adjustment for all of us but we're getting the hang of it. John and I both dropped her off the first day but since then John has been dropping her off and I've been picking her up. She was just bawling the first day that I picked her up but they were warming up her bottle so I fed it to her before we left. The second day was better but I could tell that she had recently stopped crying. But, since then, pickup has been good! Since I'm only working three days a week, Ada goes to daycare two days a week and stays with John one day. It's really a good balance for all of us!

My adorable little Valentine (2.14.17)

We only had a short visit from Grandma and Grandpa Lenz this month. They came for a night so John and I could go out to dinner and see The Bodyguard. They had fun playing with Ada since she's so much more interactive now.

We ventured out to friends' houses a couple of times. First, a Super Bowl party at Meg and Geoff's house. Ada loved when Allyson sang to her! Then last Sunday we had lunch at Karen, Matt, and Estelle's house in Hyde Park.

There were a couple of unseasonably nice days in February. Ada and I got outside and enjoyed them!

An absolutely gorgeous February day! (2.18.17)

This month Ada giggled for the first time. She's been a bit stingy with them but we got some on video today. She's also started babbling quite a bit the last few days. Ada is really starting to play with toys now and everything she grabs goes straight to her mouth. Her current favorites are a little lamb from Aubrey and Finley and a winkel from Estelle. She also still really enjoys her activity gym.

Ada's little lamb (2.20.17)

All the toys! (3.5.17)

Ada sits up really well when she's supported and loves to be on our laps while we eat dinner. I just ordered a high chair tonight so hopefully she'll be content in that! She rolls with help but hasn't intentionally rolled on her own yet. She lifts her head and chest up while on her tummy though.

Sleeping is going pretty well though definitely inconsistent. Some nights she won't sleep longer than a 3-4 hour stretch yet she has slept 8+ hours twice so we know it can be done! She's doing great with feedings though bottle feeding is inconsistent on the days I'm at work. She seems to be growing really well according to our measurements. We'll find out more at her 4 month checkup on Friday!

First time mom: Resources and my two cents for pregnancy and the first 3 months

I've been a mom for three whole months now! There are a few things I've found really helpful these last three months and wanted to write them down before I forget all about them.

Pregnancy

First of all, during pregnancy I really liked The Pregnancy Countdown Book. There's a page for each day of pregnancy. I would read the page for the next day at night before I went to bed. I borrowed this book from a friend but it looks like there's an updated version now.

Another book the same friend lent me was The Pregnancy Bible. (There's an updated version for this one too.) I did not read this one cover-to-cover but what I did read was very helpful!

In preparation for labor and delivery, I read most of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. It's a bit "crunchy" but I also found it really empowering. I also read parts of HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method. John read The Birth Partner which I think was really helpful for him. He also researched breathing videos on YouTube which we watched as I was being induced...

I subscribed to a number of websites/email lists, some during pregnancy and others since Ada was born:

• Lucie's List - This is my favorite email list!
• The Bump - I have the app and get the emails as well. Pretty basic but helpful.
• Babycenter - Pretty similar to The Bump.
• Scary Mommy - I love the Scary Mommy weekly emails.
• The hospital I delivered at also has an email list that is really informative.

Baby

Since Ada's arrival, The Happiest Baby on the Block book has been our best resource by far! The 5 S's (swaddling, side/stomach, shushing, swinging and sucking) really and truly work! Swaddling is the trickiest of the 5 S's but once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze. We like Bambino Land swaddle blankets. The owner went to my high school! We also have a couple of fleece Halo SleepSack Swaddles for when it's really cold (and we have a cotton one for at daycare as they don't allow blankets). 

While we were in the hospital, John found the Feed Baby app. We paid $4.99 to have the full capabilities of the app. It is so helpful! From the beginning, we've used it to track feedings. If you're breastfeeding, it's an easy way to remind yourself which side you fed off last and how long the baby has been eating. For the first month or so, it was also really helpful for tracking output (pee and poop). At those first pediatrician appointments, they ask how many times the baby has peed and pooped since midnight. If you're anything like me, you won't have a clue. We don't track Ada's output anymore but we've started using the sleep tracking function. My favorite thing about this app is the variety of widgets available.

Breastfeeding
 
If you're breastfeeding, know that it can be a struggle. I thought I was doing OK at first but then Ada wasn't gaining weight. I was producing milk but she wasn't getting it. Breastfeeding hurt. A lot. There were a number of times where Ada was crying because she was hungry and I was crying because it hurt so much to feed her. At one point, I was dreading her waking up because I would have to feed her. It was bad.

Luckily, I have a friend who's a lactation consultant. She came over to help me twice. Ada's pediatrician office also has lactation consultants on staff. I talked to one of them on a Sunday morning while I was in tears and two others during Ada's appointments. I also had a ton of support from my husband, my mom, and other friends.

I was very close to giving up on breastfeeding but a friend told me that it took her a month to get the hang of breastfeeding with both of her children. That became my deadline for Ada. I told myself that if she wasn't breastfeeding well after one month, I could either pump exclusively or formula feed. It worked out for us. By one month, we both had the hang of it.

My cousins suggested coconut oil for nipple soreness. I tried that a couple times but my lactation consultant friend recommended Motherlove nipple cream. That worked really well for me. Ada damaged my left nipple quite a bit in the beginning so I also used all purpose nipple ointment, a prescription strength ointment that my midwife prescribed for me. It did the trick!

KellyMom.com is a fantastic resource for all things breastfeeding!

Room Sharing

The American Academy of Pediatrics announced in October 2016 that:

"Infants should sleep in the same bedroom as their parents – but on a separate surface, such as a crib or bassinet, and never on a couch, armchair or soft surface -- to decrease the risks of sleep-related deaths."

We only have a one bedroom apartment so we were already planning to share our room with Ada. Luckily our bedroom is huge and her crib fits perfectly in one corner. My mom (and probably many others) thought we were crazy to stay in a one bedroom apartment but it's honestly been great. We have a sound machine (part of the 5 S's) that I think helps us sleep as much as it helps Ada. And, now that we're used to her little noises, we know which ones means she needs us and which ones don't.

Partner

The most important thing for making these past three plus months manageable and enjoyable has been my husband. He's an amazing dad. Not all moms are as lucky as I am. I'm truly thankful!

3 months

Ada is 3 months old! She grew quite a bit in the last month. We don't have another pediatrician appointment until March 10th so we weighed and measured her ourselves this time.

It really hit me in the middle of this month that she's growing and changing so fast! Our parents always say that when they see her after a few weeks but this month I even noticed it. It's crazy!

Napping on Mommy after a rough night (1.10.17)

Ada definitely knows her mama and daddy now. She smiles at us and looks for us. She also smiles when other people talk to her. She moves her arms and legs all at the same time when she gets excited. Tummy time is going well. She even rolled over from front to back a couple of times. She does a great job of holding her head up when she's in a supported sitting position. She loves it when I lift her up into the air too!

Looking so big in "real" clothes (1.20.17)

Checking out the Women's March (1.21.17)

We've noticed that she sleeps a lot better when she gets some fresh air so this month we tried to get her outside for a walk every day. She mostly enjoys them but sometimes the wind seems to bother her. She definitely does not like being in the Moby Wrap or Baby Bjorn inside the apartment, as much as I wish she would!

Helping with the laundry (1.22.17)

Ada had visits from my coworkers, Grandma and Grandpa Lenz, Auntie Natalie, Geiner and Marcela, Geiner and Zulay, and Grandma Jul this month. Grandma Jul came for my first week back to work. It was so great to have her here!

Meeting Abuela Zulay (1.22.17)

All smiles for Daddy (1.24.17)

Trying out her Valentine's Day hat (1.25.17)

Minnie Mouse in the house! (1.26.17)

2 months

Ada is 2 months old! She's growing a lot, up to 9.5 pounds (9th percentile) and 22 inches long (28th percentile). She still mostly cries only when she needs something...but doesn't like when we don't get it right as soon as possible. She is doing great with breastfeeding now which is a relief!

She is doing a pretty good job of lifting her head these days. She is not a huge fan of tummy time but will tolerate it for a few minutes a few times a day. She would much rather be able to see the toys above her on her activity gym. She also really likes the music that the activity gym plays and will cry when it stops. Ada is also starting to smile though I'm still not 100% sure that she's smiling at us. She also laughs in her sleep but hasn't laughed while she's awake yet. She coos a little too.

Meeting Jamine (12.6.16)

Visiting the Christkindlmarket for the second time (12.10.16)

Listening to Grandma Lenz (12.10.16)

This month we took a couple outings to the Christkindlmarket and Macy's, annual Christmas traditions for the Lenz family. Ada did great both times! We also drove up to Wisconsin to celebrate the holidays. We weren't sure how Ada would do in the car since she had only been in taxis for about 10 minutes up to that point. She did great as long as we took breaks about every 2 hours. On the way to Cochrane we stopped in Janesville, then at Jamine and Brandon's house in Columbus, and then made a quick pit stop in Winona. On the way to Oshkosh from Cochrane we just stopped in Tomah. Then on the way back home from Oshkosh we stopped in Gurnee. Traffic slowed us down quite a bit once we neared Chicago so by the time we got home she was a bit of a mess. Sorry, baby girl!

Meeting Great-Grandma Rohrer (12.22.16)

Meeting Kayla and Aiden (12.22.16)

Ada met lots of people this month, both at home in Chicago and in Cochrane and Oshkosh. Everyone comments on how much hair she has and how alert she is.

Checking out Grandpa Lonnie (12.24.16)

Four generations of Rohrers (12.25.16)

Christmas Day

Grandma and Grandpa Lenz (12.29.16)

Auntie Natalie and Grandpa Lenz (12.29.16)

Cheering on the Packers! (1.1.2017)

John and I are getting the hang of this parenting thing. Though I definitely feel as though every time I get comfortable and confident, Ada throws a wrench into things. Currently it's sleep. She was sleeping about one 6 hour stretch for awhile but lately it's only been 4 hours. That two hour difference makes for a much more tired mama! Hopefully in the next 3 weeks before I go back to work, she will get back to the 6 hour stretch.

1 month

I'm planning to do a blog post about Ada every month. I'm a little behind with this first one but hopefully after this I'll be more timely!

Ada's first month was one of the hardest months of my life. We came home on Monday, November 7th. My mom stayed with us until that Friday and then we were on our own.

Our first day at home (11.07.16)

The hardest part of that first month was breastfeeding. Ada wasn't latching well and breastfeeding hurt. A lot. To the point where I dreaded her waking up and having to feed her. Ada also didn't gain much weight between her first pediatrician appointment on November 9th and her two week appointment on November 17th. So, we started supplementing with formula and eventually expressed breastmilk. I was producing plenty of milk, she just wasn't getting it. During this time, I was so thankful for my friend Karen, a lactation consultant. She came to visit twice and answered countless questions via text. I was also really thankful for my coworker Megan who told me that it took her and her daughter a good month to be comfortable with breastfeeding. The 1 month mark became my deadline for Ada. If she wasn't feeding well by then, I was going to reassess the situation. Luckily, we did turn things around.

Tiny little legs at 1 week old (11.12.16)

Besides the breastfeeding difficulties, the first month was pretty good. Ada slept fairly well. She only cried when she wanted to eat, have her diaper changed, or sleep. The weather was nice for the first couple weeks after she was born so we walked to a few of her many pediatrician appointments.

2 weeks old! (11.19.16)

Meeting Auntie Annie and Uncle Ben (11.19.16)

We ended up staying in Chicago for Thanksgiving. We had planned to go up to Oshkosh for a couple of nights but Ada still wasn't gaining weight well so we had an appointment on Wednesday morning and again on Friday morning. I was pretty bummed out about this (Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite) but it was definitely for the best.

Meeting Tía Marcela (11.26.16)

Meeting Tío Geiner (11.26.16)

John and I had our first date night since Ada was born on December 1st. Grandma and Grandpa Lenz came to baby-sit Ada. We went out to dinner at Rudy's and then saw the musical Fun Home. It was a great night out.

Date night! (12.01.16)

Our biggest outing of Ada's first month was doing the Santa Hustle 5K on December 3rd when she was 4 weeks old. She did great until halfway through our walk home after the race. It turned out she had a huge blowout. Poor thing!

Ada at the Santa Hustle 5K (12.03.16)

Our little family (12.03.16)

Lastly, I cannot say enough about how wonderful of a daddy John is. I wasn't sure how he would be as he has never willingly held a baby since I've known him. He's absolutely amazing. He's always very calm even when Ada (and/or I) is crying. To be honest, there were times when I was very jealous of him...I had to suffer through the pains of breastfeeding while he got to calmly give Ada a bottle and soothe her to sleep. He has also really picked up more tasks around the apartment: washing and sterilizing bottles and pump parts, cleaning, even doing a little laundry. It has been a godsend to have him working from home during this time. Ada and I are lucky girls.