Kate

My near 11 month old son's wardrobe is of course ready for the great change from summer/fall to fall/winter. We live in a very SMALL town that I'm sure could probably be considered a village instead of an actual town so we live nowhere near the department stores that I buy our clothing from.

He weighs 19 pounds 5 ounces and is 28 inches long. Now according to the size charts (Old navy, Gymboree, Baby Gap and Carters) He should be in there 6-12 month sizes (25-29 inches tall and 17-22 pounds) Right now he only fits into the 3-6 month sizes instead. Which I find odd since he's out grown the weight and height for those sizes. I don't want to have to buy clothes twice but I'm worried if I buy the bigger size that goes by the weight and height that he is they won't fit him until much later in the season. Should I buy the bigger of the sizes and see whether or not they will fit him or should I go ahead and buy the smaller size?

Okay so first off my son is a little over 6 months old with an adjusted age of a little over 4 and a half months old. And I've got a few questions that I should probably know the answers to but I'm not completely sure.

So he can't sit up be himself yet, like go from laying down to sitting. But he does like to stand with help. And there is the top setting on the crib and then the lower setting on the crib you know like where the mattress is higher off the ground or lower to the ground....

When do I change it to the lower of the 2 settings?

At what age do I start not giving him have his pacifier?

When do I introduce the training cup?

When do I left him self soothe himself to sleep?

When do I start telling him NO to stuff he shouldn't do? (Like pulling on the dogs and cat's ears and tails?)

When should I expect him to start teething, his pediatrician though it should have been last month but no teeth have come? Do I expect that with his actual age or adjusted age?

Is it normal for them to change their routines? Because he's been going to sleep after his nightly medication time forever and for the last 2 or 3 weeks he wants to stay up to 11 and 12 at night...Should I just put him in his crib and let him CIO?

Is letting him watch TV bad? Because I let him watch a Baby Einstein movie once a day every day sense he's been really paying attention to things...

Should I use Similac Go and Grow after he turns 12 months? How many of you have used this instead of regular milk?

What kind of toys should I have for him at this age? He love his mobile, I have stuffed rattle animals, a teddy bear security blanket, Stuffed animals, A couple of those toys they kick and make noise, a couple of the stuffed animals that you pull on their tail and nose in this case, His bouncer, swing and is tummy time mat....

He hates Gerber baby foods, but loves Natures Goodness, but they don't have much by way of choice in different foods...Should I continue getting different foods in different brands or just stick with what I know he likes brand wise?

I tried luvs and huggies and pampers when he was younger and once he got into a size 1 the luvs worked the best but now that he's on to size 2 they don't really work so great...Which should I go back to Huggies or Pampers?

Austin still hates bath time, Any good ideas so that I can make more fun for him and easier on me at bath time?

Thanks for the help this is all my questions I can think of right now...

Okay first of all this may get a bit longer then necessary. But I'm going to tell you all everything I know so if someone can help me they'll be able to help to the best of their knowledge. Thanks in advance.

Isabella is a dachshund, she's a little over a year old. She was born March 23rd of last year. My vet convinced me that it was best to let her have her first litter before spaying her. I didn't plan on breeding her until the end of this year when she was closer to 2 years old. But I guess I'm little escape artist had other plans.

She got out of our yard about 9 weeks ago and got hooked up with my neighbors male dachshund. I took her to the vet about a month ago and he told me that she was defiantly pregnant and would be having 4 puppies. Thankfully I already have homes lined up for them and contracts and care packages made. The contract so if they no longer want or are able to care for the puppy I can find them another good home to go to.

I've already got her whelping box ready, But she doesn't seem very interested in it. I honestly haven't been taking her temp because I'm kind of scared I'll hurt her. This is both of our first litter. And I have no clue how to properly do that. She has gotten extremely lazy and that's a lot to say for the hyper over active little firecracker. She hasn't eaten very much dog food at all but she will eat a couple bits of chicken or steak that I'm eating. She's drinking a ton of water and always checking out her vagina and licking it. There is some liquid coming out. But I haven't noticed uncontrollable panting or pacing or whining. (I brought her in because it's super hot and I didn't want her to go off from home to have them) She's also gotten very bad attitude toward my shih tzu and cat. Which is strange for her their normally her best friends. She's also gotten kind of jumpy around my 6 month old as before she would lay around with him when he was sitting in his chair or on the couch with me.

My neighbor and I are also having some issues, because she wants me to pay a $600.00 stud fee or give her one of Izzy's puppies. Which I don't think is fair sense she just lets her dog run around the neighborhood impregnating any and every dog loose.

So first things first:

1) Do any of you know when Izzy is going to start birthing?

2) Should I be worried sense it's been nearly 9 weeks already?

3) Will she bite me if I take her temp rectally?

4) Do I have to give into my neighbors demands for money or a puppy?

5) Is there anything else I need to get ready for Izzy's puppies?

If there is anymore advice or anything I may have forgot to check on please tell me, I want to make sure Izzy and her babies are as safe and healthy as possible. Thanks!

While I was pregnant my regular OB only did 3 ultrasounds even after finding out I was pregnant with twins. The last of which was an ultrasound he did in the last week of October. At this appointment he informed me that I would be going to a specialist for a "regular" check up. I asked him questions about whether or not there was something wrong with the twins and he continued to insist that there was nothing wrong with them that it was just time for me to start seeing a specialist. I was 27 weeks pregnant at this point.

My appointment with the specialist was November 2, 2009. At this appointment the specialist informed me that the chances of baby A making it without doing an emergency c~section with in the week were very slim. Because there were issues with the babies that should have been caught when I was 20 weeks pregnant and why I had just been sent to see him was very confusing. They gave me steroid shots and sent me home with an appointment for that Thursday. To make the final choices and so on.

When I got there the specialist informed me that baby a appeared to make a bit of an improvement and that he didn't want to preform the c~section anymore because the NICU would be able to support a baby their sizes. And continued on and on and telling me that I would be murdering both of my children and that I should just let baby a go if that baby decided to live it would continue through my pregnancy. Baby A weighed 1 pound 10 ounces at this baby and my son Austin weighed 2 pounds and 4 ounces.

I listened to the advice of the doctor and lost baby A on the 9th of November. I had my son at 32 weeks weighing 4 pounds he stayed in a NICU for 31 days even after both doctors told me there would be NO need.

During Austin's NICU stay I became friends with another mother who also had her son in December. After we both got to know each other well we started talking about our children and she even took me up to Tim's room to meet him. Tim weighed 1 yeah ONE pound when he was born. The NICU supported him just fine. Tim is now a healthy 6 month old baby. Just like my other son would have been had the specialist taken the time to listen to me instead of going on about murder and a golf game he was playing with his son that weekend.

So my questions are as follows:

Can I get these morons license's taken away?

Do I have a right to file a claim against them?

Can I sue them if I choose to even though it's been early 7 months now?

If I did take them to court would they get their licenses pulled? I mean clearly they have no right working with unborn children and pregnant women. They just let one of my children die. With no care in the world. As if that baby had no right to life. They wouldn't even refer me to another doctor to get a second opinion! Even after being asked. Please help I don't want them harming another baby. Or murdering another baby. Or killing the child's mother little by little (figuratively of course.)

So I was out paci shopping today because my son turned 6 months old on the 9th and I bought him one of these NUK Genius pacifiers and then the normal old NUK's. After I sterilized them I gave him the *new* NUK and he hates it. So I gave him the old version and he took it just like he normally does.

I examined it and they look the same to me. But apparently they are different because I have tried many different brands of pacifiers that have the same design as the NUK and he won't suck on them or even think about it. But this is a NUK it's just that NUK Genius.

So does anyone have any ideas as to what the difference is and why my son isn't interested in this *new* version?

I mean I don't mind the old version of paci is the same price for 2 as for the single genius NUK but I just don't get why he hates this NUK

While we're on the subject of pacifiers at what age should I start weaning him off the paci?

Okay my son is 6 months old, My sister moved in about month or a month and a half ago. She enjoys helping take care of him so I let her help with him when I need a shower or I'm doing house work.

My sister has had learning issues and things like that sense she was a small child, and sometimes I will hear her telling me son that I don't want him and that she doesn't want him and that no one really wants him. I've told her a million times or more that it's not something healthy or helpful for him to hear and that it isn't the truth and she shouldn't say it. But she still does. Because she doesn't understand that it's just not something you say.

Could this effect my son? And should I be worried about his mental health at this age with her saying that?

My sister is 20 and with the learning issues and stuff is more like a 10 year old. Is there anyway that I can help her understand this isn't something she needs to be telling him?

So about a week ago I was out shopping and I forgot my son's diaper bag inside the van and he wanted a bottle right now and then so my mom grabbed the NUK bottles both sizes and extra nipples. Once I put his formula into the bottle my mom was feeding him and the nipple collapsed. And they have every time that I feed him from these bottles.

Is this normal? Or is there something wrong with the set of bottles that I bought?

Hi Ladies, my son is 5 and a half months old, My mom had me start him on cereal and stage one baby foods when he was 4 months old. We've had him try all the Nature's Goodness stage ones veggies and fruits.

Wednesday his doctor told me that I need to start feeding him baby food 3 times a day to help with his reflux. But am I suppose to give him his bottle and then the baby food or the baby food and then his bottle? And I noticed that they have stage 2 baby food with meats when should I let him try those?

Just to pre~warn this will be kind of long, just so you can get the full picture of my situation. And it may be a bit gory and TMI. Sorry if you have a weak stomach.

I had my son 5 months and 12 days ago via emergency C~section due to complications of a twin pregnancy. I lost Ross (Baby A) due to complications that could have been fixed if my OB/GYN had ever dealt with a twin pregnancy. I lost him during the 29th week of my pregnancy. I had Austin (Baby B) During the 33rd week of pregnancy. They left Ross inside my womb with Austin because they didn't know for sure if they shared a sac and because they didn't want to put unneeded stress on my already week baby. So as I'm sure you can imagine when left in water at a constant temp Ross's body wasn't that of a baby. They were delivering one of my sons in pieces.

After I woke up from the C~section I was in horrid pain, it felt like I had been hit by an 18 wheeler. They told me that, that pain would go in a few weeks. It's been nearly 6 months.

Above, below and at the incision site itself is still really really painful. If I am holding my son and he starts moving around on my belly it feels like I'm being stabbed. When I'm doing normal house work it's the same. If my pants (maternity mind you) even rub 4 inches above the scar it hurts so bad I want to wet myself. When my dogs jump up on me when we're playing outside it's the same stabbing feeling. And once my period comes it's back to feeling like a 18 wheeler ran me over. Also if I wait like a minute to 5 (like if I'm pulling up to the house from being out) and I have to go #1 or #2 it hurts beyond belief. Also everyday sense I left the hospital I have had diarrhea. A LOT. I'm going like 6 and 7 time a day. (sorry I know TMI.)

Questions:

1) Is that kind of pain normal after this long?

2) Is the diarrhea normal after a c~section?

and this next question is kind of off the subject but I am just wondering....

3)Does my son know that he had a twin?

We bought her and her breeding partner after the breeder decided sense she was to old to breed it was either they find a home or get put down. The man told me that he thought she was to old to get pregnant again and that her last period was only a few months before I had gotten her. So I thought I had at least a month to get him fixed.

She went into heat and they have gotten hooked at least 8 times which this all occurred about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I'm 99.99% positive that she is pregnant sense her belly just continues to grown. She's actually almost to the point that she can't fit throw the dog door.

Questions:

1) About when should she be going into labor?

2) Sense she is a seasoned breeder, how many puppies will she have? The breeder said that when he was breeding her she would throw at least 6.

3) I also have a 1 year old dachshund which is still a puppy and loves to play and thinks anything smaller then her is a play thing....Should I keep her or the momma schnauzer in a different location after the schnauzer gives birth?

My family and I have moved in to "tornado ally" And we don't have a basement or storm shelter on our property. The closet community shelter is in a church basement that the other end of town. When we moved here the lady at our utility office informed us that if we ever have a tornado and the alarm sounds you normally only have a minute to 3 minutes to get to the shelter before the tornado gets here or before they won't let you in the shelter because of it being full. And to top it off they won't let you bring your pets into the community shelter.

Questions:

1) Where should we go and what should we do if we can't make it to the shelter?

2) If we are able to make it to the shelter what should we do with our pets?

3) My son is 5 months old, If we can't make it to the shelter where is the safest place for him to be? In his car seat?

4) Is it stupid/silly to keep an emergency diaper bag and bag packed in the car?

My son is 5 months and 9 days old, he was diagnosed with GERD/severe acid reflux a week after he was born while in the NICU. Due to a nearly 7 week premature birth. While there they told me that he would out grown the reflux when he hit his actual due date. Well that's come and gone and he's still got it even worse then before. His pediatrician said he would out grow it by the time he was 3 months old, well that's also came and gone. At the last appointment (the one where he said that Austin would out grown it when he was 3 months.) the doctor also told me that if he hadn't out grown it by this appointment (the one we went to today.) that he would need to see a GI because something in his gut didn't get to finish developing while I was pregnant with him.

While we were at his appointment today I explained to the Dr. that Austin's reflux hasn't gotten any better that it's actually gotten worse and more frequent then before and that I thought he should probably see someone about it.

Instead the Dr. told me that he was just going to increase the medication intake. Which means it went from 15mg of prevacid to 30mg of prevacid a day. And that I also needed to start feeding him baby cereal and baby food 3 times a day. After giving him his bottle so that the acid has something to eat away at.

I've tried this with his lunch and dinner so far, it's not helping. Now he's just puking up formula, rotten looking curds and baby food. Yay him. I know that has to be painful with the acid and he cries and make sure horrid faces. Because of this.

Should I just give it a little while and try this? Or should I get another doctors opinion on it?

So two and a half weeks ago, I had a small melt down, because I had put my son in his bassinet and the dog started going nuts running from the front of the house to the back of the house and I was exhausted so I went to get on to him (mind you this is at 3 something am.) But I thought I had seen something someone outside my house so my gut went off to go check on the baby. I went into his room he wasn't in his crib and the window was wide open. I started screaming, my mom came running (yeah apparently looking for a house in a town the size of a dime is ignorant might as well head back to the city) And she grabbed him out of his bassinet that was in the living room and I had already freaked myself out to the point my legs were jello and I fell cut my back up and hurt my voice box.

Sense then there is this women (no I have never seen her before until this happened not even around town.) and she follows me when I'm out walking with Austin. No matter if I switch which way or go off to a complete new way there she is.

Last night I was up forever with Austin because his GERD was horrid and he could sleep laying down so I was sitting on the couch and he fell asleep while I was holding him up. So sense he could sleep this way I just held him and passed out and someone was jiggling the door handle around and then I looked out the widows on the door and they took off (yes there was someone there no I'm not completely insane...Yet...) Then about an hour I would say later someone came speeding up to the front of the house slammed on the breaks and got out of the car when I peeked out the window they got back into the car and took off just as fast as they showed up...

Am I over reacting just because of the first incident when I thought someone had kid napped Austin? Or should I be worried about the crazy lady always following us on our walks? Should I try talking to her or should I just talk to the police about her and the incidents that have happened in the last few weeks?

So I never remember to ask my son's doctor what exactly it is when he tells me what percentile Austin falls into.

Last week when my son went into the doctors office he weighed 12 pounds 10 ounces and was 23 inches long. His doctor said that if they went off of his actual birth date he would be in the 5th percentile. But sense they go off of his adjusted age he is 50th percentile for length. And 75th percentile for his weight.

So what exactly is this percentile thing and is his good or bad?

So my sister and all her her friends are oneness penocostals, Which according to them means they have to wear long sleeves and long skirts or if your a male long sleeves and pants/slacks. No matter the weather, whether it be 120 or -19 outside. This goes for all of their children.

So 2 of these girls, have babies...The boy (alex) is 7 weeks old and the girl (brook) is 3 months old. They keep these poor babies in long sleeve onesies and pants. On top of that they keep them wrapped up in fleece blankets and flannel blankets. Both of the babies soft spots are dropped in to the point that you can see it from I would guess 3 or 4 feet away (I don't remember how far away I was the other day.) And they are always fussing and trying to get out of the blankets but when they do, their mothers wrap them up again.

Should I say something to them? Or just let the dehydrate and suffocate the babies? I mean I don't want to be mean or rude but honestly they should be keeps them wrapped up like that should they?

So my family and I have moved down to Kansas from Idaho, the weather climate is quite different between the states...We have had some strange weather for the last couple of weeks from it going to super cold back up into the 80's (I don't know how normal that is for around here..) But we have decided that we wanted to start a gardens down here also.

We've already started all of our plants tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, corn, peppers (all kinds of them), pea, green beans, cucumbers, And a TON of others (our back porch has pretty much turned into a green house.)

My grandmother (who lives in Idaho and has been doing veggie and flower gardens all of her life...) Say to wait until the first week of May ( I don't know that the plant will like that) but the farmers almanac say not to plant from the 1st-3rd of May (Which is when she told us to plant).

So my questions are as fallows...

When would you personally start your veggie and flower gardens?

How often is the farmers almanac correct?

If I wait until around the time my grandma says will my plants stay healthy and be fine?

And when is the best time to plant strawberries?

Well I'm going to give you about my situation. I was pregnant with twins, I lost Ross during the 29th week of my pregnancy. I then went into preterm labor with Austin at 33 weeks they had to do an emergency C~section because Ross wasn't um well he wasn't what he was before I lost him.

So after the C~section and 4 day hospital stay I went to the city where my son was in the NICU at, and then had a check up a week later where I informed my OB of strange pains I was getting in my back and upper abdomen. And that it would hurt so bad that I would have to take one of the hydro's that he had give me the the C~section pain. He informed that was normal and that I didn't need to worry about it. Thankfully that pain stopped a month ago.

But sense the beginning of February I have had really bad pain down near my C~section scar. More so when I start and stop my period, but also if I hold my pee for more then 5 minutes. It also starts to hurt if I have to go number 2. The pain feels like I am getting stabbed. It's almost as bad as labor. I talked to the OB about this at my 6 week check up and again told me not to worry about.

My period (which I also brought up and again "don't worry about it") has been really strange to. Like it's a brown mucus like thing that last for a day. It's brown and mucus like when I lost my plug.

Is all of this normal or should I go to another doctor and talk to them about it?

My little man is going to be 4 months old a few days after Easter with an adjusted age of about 10 weeks....So I was wonder what kind of fun Easter things I could do with him and what should buy him for Easter?

I had my son December 9th, 2009 6 weeks and four days premature via emergency C~section. I didn't bleed a lot or lose big clots like my mom had told I would more then likely experience. And I a very light (mean like super light take hours to get a pad full if I would have left it on that long) period for the whole 31 day duration my son was in the NICU....While pumping and attempting to breastfeed mind you...But the lactation nurse said I would have light period for a while after the birth.

After we came home in January the super light period stopped and then in February, I had another really light period but it was light and mucus like and brown. I just started my period again this month and it really really light again not even enough fill a liner little waste the time to put on a pad. Or tampon. And it's the same mucusy brown stringy stuff that had happened in February. Now that I have had 2 of these kinds of periods I have noticed that my C~section insition well scar rather hurt and burns sometimes and goes numb again...

So I was wondering if anyone else experinced this? And if I should be worried enough to make another appointment with a Doctor? Or is it normal?

So my little boy just grew into his Newborn and 0-3 month clothing and I want to start buying him spring and summer clothes....So my questions are,

Should I buy him 0-3 month clothing or 3-6?

How many outfits and onesies should I buy?