My Review of Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage Bags

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

These specially designed Breast Milk Storage Bags feature a convenient pour spout for transferring milk into a bottle. The bags can be stored flat in the freezer, taking up less space and making them easier to thaw.

Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage Bags - 50 Count

Great until...

By new mom from Baton Rouge, LA on 3/29/2011

1out of 5

Cons: Disappointing, Not Durable, Messy, Leaks

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent

I thought these were great...I've been pumping and storing milk for when I return to work. Unfortunately, in the last three days I've had to throw out 12+ ounces because these bags leak when they defrost. I've tried defrosting in the refrigerator and in warm water and leaked either way. Now I'm anxious to try to figure out how to use the breast milk I still have frozen without wasting it!?! The bags were fine when filled and frozen, it seems like somewhere during the defrosting the seams give. UGH!

(legalese)

Two month appointment

Addison had her two month appointment on Tuesday and it went well. The doctor had no concerns and she is growing like a weed...up to 11lbs 10 oz! I had a friend tell me her son was 12lbs at three months. We have a little butterball!! She got her first set of shots which hurt me more than it did her. She had her eyes closed on the exam table when the nurse got her with the shots, thankfully. I didn't want her looking at me when it happened because I didn't want her to think I was causing that pain. She immediately started crying and did the silent cry...you know, the one when they have their mouth open and there is no sound and no breathing!! She finally let out a wail and two big crocodile tears fell, then I got teary eyed too. My poor baby! The doctor recommends moving babies to their own room and crib at two months and to discontinue nighttime feedings. She said I could wait a few days since she had her shots that day but stressed the importance of moving her at this age and not waiting. We started on Tuesday night with no more night feedings...she said to give her a bottle at 10pm and not to feed her again until 5am. We did just that, bathed her then gave her a bottle at 10pm put her in her cradle at the bedside. She started to get a little fidgety around 4am but I didn't get up and let her be, she slept until 6:30am! So exciting! Friday night we put her in her crib in her room for the first time and she did great! Same routine, bath and bottle at 10pm then to bed. She slept again all night. She was just starting to wake up around 6:45 when I got her up and she was mad, mad, mad. It was almost like she was saying "I'm starving why did you let me sleep so late!" as I was changing her diaper. Last night, she started crying around 4am and when I got out of the bed to go check on her, she stopped crying before I got to her room. I waited outside in the hall and she went back to sleep until 6:30 again. I feel so lucky, we are so blessed, she is such a good baby. We have had a few colicky moments but not regularly and in the early evening times thankfully!

Addison, two months

11 lbs, 10 oz

Luck of the Irish

I realize this post is a little late since I missed St. Patrick's Day...but have been wanting to share about our recent luck and am just now getting around to it. The week of St. Patrick's Day (which is why, I've decided this was the luck of the Irish!), I spoke with a friend of mine who told me her son got into THE daycare in town...the daycare that everyone you know is on the list. THE daycare that I haven't known anyone to actually get in. Needless to say, at first, I was pissed! We have been on the waiting list since June of last year, she just called a few weeks back because her son was born prematurely (the day before Addison) and they didn't have day care plans yet! So, I call Brandon, somewhere between livid and about to burst into tears because it doesn't make sense to me how they got in and we didn't. Brandon, as calm as ever, just says, "well, why don't we call and see where she is on the list?" I ask him to call because a)I'm pissed b)I'm at the doctor's office. So, he calls, they tell him they will need to check the list and call him back...it may be Monday (this was a Thursday). Well, about 30 minutes later they call and say they have a spot for Addision and she can start May 30th...which is about 6 weeks after I return to work. Now we have a decision to make, do we start her at the daycare we've already registered her for or wait until the end of May and have her start there?!? We went on Friday to pay our registration fee and are told she could start May 9th...well that's even better, so we just need three weeks of daycare since I return to work on the 18th. Brandon, my mom and sister have that covered, we are so good! I'm so excited, could barely sleep that Thursday night because this is just what we wanted. The daycare is at our church which is important to us, it's downtown so Brandon can also drop off/pick up some days. When we went on Friday to register her we were told they have not taken an infant off of the waiting list in nine years...NINE YEARS!!! I mean seriously, nine years! She said siblings get priority and this year they didn't have any families having babies...so they went to the waiting list. Church members also get priority so Addison and Jackson (our friend's son, who are also church members) got spots!!! Last week I received a call from the assistant director and my heart sank...I was worried it was all a joke. Instead, she told me they had reviewed her information and realized she will be 12 weeks earlier than they thought and could actually start on the 18th of April which is when I return to work...the good news just kept coming. I talked to Brandon and he said he would like to take a week off and be home with her, so it is official, Addison will start day care on April 25th. Although, I'm very sad about sending her to day care and returning to work, I'm super excited that she will be at this daycare and feel really blessed!!!

What's In A Name?

We kept Addison's name a secret while we were expecting because we didn't want to hear people's opinions on the name and everyone always has an opinion. My experience has been that people are a little better at keeping their opinions to themselves when they see the precious baby in front of them. I did slip up and let a few people know the name and these were the responses I received:

1) From my sister: "you can't name your baby Addison because I want her to call me Addy." When I was a baby I had a hard time pronouncing her name and called my sister, Alison, Addy and since she decided that was what she wanted Addison to call her then I couldn't name her Addison...too bad! Just so you know, we aren't calling Addison Addy...if that's what we wanted her to be called, we would have named her Addy. I'm sure as she gets older she will choose to be called Addy just to spite me! :)

2) From my cousin: "you can't name your baby Addison it sounds like a hotel...yea the Radisson!"

So, from then on it was mums the word on the name until she arrived. We did let people know her initials because I got so much lip about friends and family wanting to have gifts monogrammed. Brandon's nieces were the worst cluprits when it came to trying to guess the name and the guessing game was elevated when they found out the initials. They asked what each inital stood for and we denied the first A and the E, then when they asked about the last A, we told them Abadie. It was so cute, one of them (I think it was Rachel) said, "Hey, that's our last name!" I thought it was so funny!

Even in the hospital we didn't tell any of the staff her name until her birth because I was afraid someone would spill the beans and then the opinions would flow. Since her arrival and the announcement of her name, I've had no complaints or differing opinions, everyone agrees her name is just as beautiful as she is.

A few people have asked how we chose her name and that's an easy one. We wanted to pick a name that reminded us of our trip to Chicago, where she was conceived. We did a little research and a lot of discussion and realized that Wrigley Field is on Addison street in Chicago...hence Addison. I loved it right away and loved it even more since it was significant to our trip. Her middle name, Elaine was an agreed upon family name - my mother's middle name and Brandon's grandmother's name. So...Addison Elaine Abadie she it, most of the time!

At other times she is many different names. I have found it quite complicated to call her by her name after 9 months of loving her in utero without using her name. I mostly called her baby girl A, baby girl, bump, etc. never using her name so as not to ruin the surprise. Now I mostly call her baby girl but have also mistakenly called her Millie on more than on occasion and embarrassingly enough have even called her a "good puppy" when she gives a good burp or takes a good nap. It's strange how when you are accustomed to having a four-legged baby, it takes some getting use to a real baby.

I'm pretty sure she will be confused too since I don't too often call her by her own name. If you ask her she'd probably tell you her name is Pretty Princess since that is what I call her the most! It could be worse, I guess?!?

Pretty Princess

Don't forget your green on Thursday...have a happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Back to School

Six weeks into my journey of motherhood and I've learned so much, I thought I'd share a few of the lessons Addison has taught me.

1) Sleep is overrated - I've always said I'm "an 8-hour a night kind of girl" and I was really worried about how having a baby would effect me and my lack of sleep. I'm proud to say I have learned I can function on less than 8 hours of sleep but with that being said, there are rare days that I get a lot less than 8 hours of sleep. I've often times been accused of being anal and I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing. I've been keeping track of how much sleep I'm getting and I usually average 6-7 hours in a 24-hour period but in 3-4 hour increments. I've also learned that even if you sleep 12 hours a day, if it's in 2-3 hour increments, it feels like you haven't slept much at all. With that being said, you can function like that...just so you know.


2) Mylicon drops are a mom's best friend - when we went for Addison's first visit with the pediatrician, we mentioned some fussiness at night time and we thought it was gas. Dr. Bankston suggested we get some mylicon drops. Once we got home I sent Brandon to Walgreens to pick up some mylicon drops but didn't use them, didn't even open the package for a few weeks. I was hesitant to give my newborn medicine and just wasn't convinced that's what she needed. I wanted to think I could console her and make her happy with time, patience and persistence. Well, about five weeks in and after a few conversations with friends who are moms I cracked open the mylicon drops and it is a lifesaver. My two friends both said they were told you can not overdose your baby on mylicon drops and one of my friends gave it to her very colicky son before and after each feeding! So, now I don't even hesitate to give her the mylicon after a little while of fussiness...after she's been fed, has a clean diaper and won't go to sleep...break out the mylicon drops and within a few minutes there is peace and quiet again and how can you not love that!!!


3) Huggies diapers suck - we've been using Pampers diapers from day one, that is what was recommended, that's what the hospital used and sent us home with and that's all I have purchased. I made it a point to purchase diapers on each trip to the store during my pregnancy and while I haven't had to buy any diapers since Addison's arrival, when I do I will not be buying Huggies. My cousin visited from Australia in the fall and while she was here with her baby, Wesley, she purchased a good bit of basics, instead of packing and lugging all of that to and from Australia and during her visit, she just purchased what she needed while she was here. She left some diapers for me and while I greatly appreciate her generosity, I'm on the verge of tossing all of the Huggies she left. Addison is 6 weeks old and had not had one leaky or blow out diaper until we tried the Huggies. With the Huggies just about every other diaper change there has been a leak. My friend, Brooke said that she liked Huggies for her son and Pampers for her daughter and that may have something to do with it but regardless, Huggies get two thumbs down from me.


4) It takes some time to get to know your baby - just like meeting a new friend or love interest, you need to give yourself time to get to know your baby. It was so fabulous when I finally felt like I was getting to know what Addison wanted based on her cries. At first it was hit or miss, guessing what she may need but I now feel, six weeks into it, I can pretty much guess what she needs based on her cry. A constant, whiny cry translates to I need a diaper change. A weak, hoarse cry means she's tired and needs to go to sleep. After a full belly, clean diaper, refusal to sleep, and she's still inconsolable, that is gas and that's where the mylicon drops come in (see #2).

5) Pregnancy brain is a misleading term - so many people talk about pregnancy brain and how you are so forgetful while you're pregnant but I'm here to tell you that is misleading. Being educated on pregnancy brain while I was pregnant I was lead to believe that it would end once Addison arrived and boy was that wrong. I'm still just as forgetful if not worse than when I was pregnant, I think because you have so much going on. Brandon asks when was the last time she ate...I have no idea, when was her last diaper change...not real sure, did the dog get fed today...probably not since she is standing over her bowl looking into the vast emptiness with longing. Thank goodness there's an app for that...the Total Baby app for the iPhone has made it easier for me to not have to remember and of course there's Millie to remind me to feed her. Other than that, there isn't much I really need to remember. Now, when I return to work in 6 more weeks, there may be a few obstacles to functioning without any memory but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

6) Love at first sight does exist - before having a baby I would have argued that there is no such thing as love at first sight. After having a baby, I have learned that love at first sight does exist, I had just never experienced it before. I do believe having a baby is truly love at first sight!

To loosely quote my friend Meredith who gave birth to her son Jackson the day before Addison...I'm learning so much! I wanted to be a lifelong student and of the hundreds of classes I've taken, I'm enjoying this course the most!

Addison (one month old)

Ready for my close up!

It's been quite some time but I really, really, really wanted to share some of the pictures from Addison's newborn photo session. My friend Keri and I went to graduate school together and while I continue to work for peanuts as a social worker, Keri has gone on to be an extremely talented and gifted photographer, specializing in maternity and newborn photography.

Keri and I scheduled her newborn session weeks before Addison's arrival, knowing she'd be here by the 29th of January whether Addison liked it or not. Keri prefers to photograph newborns between 5 and 10 days and since we had an induction scheduled for the 24th, we figured the 29th would work either way. Luckily for us, Addison arrived right on time, on her due date and was one week old for her newborn session.

Our appointment was scheduled for 9am and I was quite proud of us for actually making it to the session on time. Keri said she always gives parents of newborns a little room for their appointments but we were right on time and the fun got started right away. We received about 40 beautiful photographs and here are just a few of my favorites.

Please check out Keri's website and blog and tell all your friends and family about her...anyone you know interested in having such wonderful memories of their newborn should contact her!

Our Birth Story

For those of you who may not have heard the story and also for me because I like to reminisce, I'm sharing our birth story for my return to blogging...and here it is, it's kind of long just to warn you!

Addison's due date was January 22nd and when I went to the ob/gyn for my weekly appointment on Wednesday, January 19th I was only 2-3 cm dilated which was not much progress from the week before. Brandon and I had agreed that we wanted to give Addison until her due date to come on her own but she would be evicted from the womb shortly after that if she didn't head out on her own. So, we discussed with the ob/gyn and selected Monday, January 24th for our induction which was the perfect date. Brandon and I went on our first date on October 24, 2002, we were engaged on May 24, 2005 and were married on June 24, 2006...so the 24th was a very special date for us and I was quite happy that she would come on that date. Of course, she had another idea.

On Friday, January 21st I worked a full day and Brandon was standing in a wedding that night. I was pretty tired after a long day at work and after being out later than normal the night before at the rehearsal dinner for the wedding on Friday. I debated whether or not I wanted to go to the wedding but decided to make it. Brandon had to be there at 6pm to take pictures before the ceremony that started at 7:30pm. I dropped Brandon off at the church for 6pm then headed to the outlet mall to do a little shopping before the wedding started. I got such a kick out of the repeated questioning from other shoppers and store clerks about my due date...when I replied my due date was the next day, let's just say I got a lot of raised eyebrows and guffaws. After a little shopping, I headed to the church for the wedding and reception. We left the reception pretty early, after all of the obligatory pictures Brandon needed to be there for, I started complaining that I was tired and ready to head home...so that's what we did. We got home around 10:30pm, washed the face, brushed the teeth, put on the pj's and got into bed. Just before falling asleep, I decided to go to the bathroom one more time. I used the last of the toilet paper and knowing I'd more than likely be getting up in the middle of the night to use it again, I leaned over to the cabinet to refill the toilet paper...and gush! When I say gush, I mean gush! I was told over and over again, I'd know when my water broke and didn't get it but I get it now. My response was an expletive because I'd said all along, I don't want to work all day then have a baby because that is tiring. How about working all day, going shopping, going to a wedding and reception, then going into labor. If I wasn't so freaked out at that point, I probably would have burst into tears from sheer exhaustion...little did I know!

I called the hospital and was told I needed to call my doctors office, I called my doctors office and received a callback from the on call doctor who instructed me to head to the hospital if I was certain my water had broke. No contractions or labor pains yet but still a lot of leaking...and I mean a lot! I was seriously worried I'd ruin my car seat on the way to the hospital. We arrive at the hospital and I'm admitted with little questioning or assessment...I'm pretty sure my face convinced them that my water was broken and gushing as we spoke. I'm admitted about midnight and am told we would give it time to see how my labor progresses and if no progression they would start pitocin around 4am (which I assume was a convenient time for the doctor). So from midnight to 4am we hang out, trying to sleep but having a hard time due to the excitement. At 4am I'm checked and have not progressed much, only minor contractions and pain so the pitocin begins. The nurse explains the pitocin would allow them to manipulate the frequency and strength of the contractions which ideally would encourage my body to dilate and efface on it's own. An hour into the pitocin drip, I'm experiencing frequent, strong contractions. I thought I could hang and while the contractions were extremely uncomfortable, I could have tolerated it longer if they weren't right on top of each other. I kept telling myself to hang in, the contraction would be over in a few seconds but as soon as one was over, another would start moments later and that's when I caved. Epidural please!!!

The epidural was no biggie, although prior to this time it was my biggest concern but compared to the contractions, it was a walk in the park. Honestly, they could have said we are going to cut off your pinkie finger and it will stop the pain from the contractions and I would have been okay with it at that point! The epidural kicked in pretty quickly then it was smooth sailing for a while. At the nurse's encouragement, I tried to rest as much as I could, slept a little bit but had a hard time with Brandon. He was so excited and had a lot of nervous energy. He couldn't sleep and couldn't sit still, so he was in and out of the room a lot.

It was about 10am when I was told that things were progressing nicely, cervix is dilating and effacing. The on call doctor, Dr. Lisa Gautreau, came in, checked me out and said she wasn't leaving the hospital until I had a baby so I took that as a good sign. About 11am I was checked again and was dilated to 10cm and fully effaced...ready to start pushing? I guess...

So we start pushing with the nurse and it was quite a chore, especially when a) I don't know what I'm doing and b) I can't feel what I'm doing. We push for a while and it seems like Addison is crawfishing...she's not coming down, even though I've been told by every Tom, Dick and Harry for the last three weeks that my baby is so low. Now it's as if she is up in my ribs and I can feel it and that is making if very uncomfortable to push, seeing as how they expect me to curl up and grab either the back of my knees or the grab bars, but there is a baby in the way!

After pushing for an hour and repeated checks that find she seems to be headed the wrong way, Dr. Gautreau declares that she's just not fitting through my pelvis and will need a cesearan section. I'm really okay with this. So many people were sending their condolences when they found out I was having a section but truth be told, I was exhausted. It's about noon on Saturday at this point and I had been up since 6:30am on Friday and I need not remind you of just how restful my Friday was! Dr. Gautreau says "you'll have a baby in about 10 minutes once we get into the OR"...yay! She also adds, "next time you do this, you should just schedule a c-section, you're pelvis is too small" to which I respond with hysterical laughter...next time, who is she kidding?!?

The anesthesiologist was called in to give me some more juice...I needed to be numb from the chest down for the section. This posed a bit of a problem and I never really got numb after repeated attempts, pinching, poking, prodding even ice on my top half which I could still feel, even when we got to the OR. I remember the CRNA saying, tell Dr. Gautreau we are on our way but she won't be able to cut just yet because I can't get her numb. We get to the OR and Brandon waits outside while they prep me. After they have my belly dosed in betadine, I hear one of the scrub techs say, look how her baby is all on one side at this point I touch my right side to indicate she's been over there the whole nine months and everyone freaks out because I just ruined their sterile environment and the whole process begins again.

Brandon is invited into the OR and the nurse tells him to ready the camera, he turns it on and it flashes dead battery! Fabulous...so all the pictures we have are from his iPhone, thankfully he had it in his pocket. Dr. Gautreaux makes the incision and it smells like burning flesh, would have loves a heads up on that! Then she starts pulling and pushing and it does not feel well. I flinch and she stops and says "Carol, can you feel that" to which I reply "yes".

"What does it feel like?" she asks.

"Like you're ripping me open and pulling a baby out of me." to which she responded by giving the nurse anesthetist a thumbs up, who pushes some more medicine into my epidural and at that point my memory of events is pretty hazy. Brandon tells me they had to pull her back then out and she came with her arms spread and her mouth open wide. Once I feel that she's here, I basically passed out, I'm beyond exhausted and heavily medicated at this point.

Once they get me all situated and the baby ready to go, they start asking all kinds of questions.

Carol, do you want to see your family?

Carol, do you want the baby to go to recovery with you?

Carol, do you want to hold her?

I'm so overwhelmed at this point, I say no because all I want to do is sleep for 10 days. Brandon tells them that is not what I want and reassures them I would want to see my family and have the baby stay with me. One last time, before we roll out the nurse looks me in the eye and asks me again and I say, after multiple times denying her request, of course I want to see my family, hold my baby and bring her to recover with me, as if, why would you even ask?!?!

We are rolled into a small conference room where the family is waiting, they meet Addison and act like the paparazzi...I couldn't even open my eyes, all I could hear over their oohs and ahhs were cameras going off. We are taken to recovery, Addison gets her first bath, Brandon changes her first diaper and we nurse for the first time and we are totally in love!

Addison Elaine Abadie

January 22, 2011

8 lbs 13.1 oz ~ 20.25 in

Sleeping peacefully after her first bath

Brandon changing her (and his) very first diaper

Thank you so much to everyone for all the well wishes, prayers and love...we are truly blessed!