The new/new-ish dad thread

smug

Please go back to eating crayons
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Aug 4, 2007
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Cedar Lake, IN
We got one that’s trying like hell to walk at 9 months.
IMG_1995.jpeg
 
Next step would be a small bobby car
Yeah, my children are too big for bobby cars. We've already bought a 2-seater ride-on car for them, found a decent one at the Kids VIP store. This summer was full of fun :) To be honest, I also would be happy to get such a car if I were a kid. It comes with a built-in sound system, EVA rubber wheels, head- and taillights, a high-performance electric motor, and leather seats. In my childhood, it even sounded like a dream. Maybe this is one of the reasons I want my children to have this car.
 

Jimbo

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I think my 3 month old is sick for the first time. Bad congestion and she sounds like my Pug when she's breathing. Tried all those nasal mist and suction things and doesn't seem to end. Dr Google said to bring her in since she's 3 months, so pediatrician appointment booked for today.
As weird and odd as this is... it literally works wonders. Just snag some extra filters too.


1698066262178.png
 
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Sprayin

Public Enemy #1
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Grand Rapids, MI
As weird and odd as this is... it literally works wonders. Just snag some extra filters too.


View attachment 182890

We bought the electric Frida for when the kids were younger. MVP for sure.
I have the electric one. It does its job but there's just so much. And the saline mist feels like I'm waterboarsing her.
 
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Bob Kazamakis

I’m the f-ing lizard king
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As weird and odd as this is... it literally works wonders. Just snag some extra filters too.


View attachment 182890
Electric one is far better
 

OffshoreDrilling

This is my safe space
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Aug 28, 2007
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We killed two electric ones from extreme amounts of boogers. Replaced it with some cheap no name Amazon one that sucks like a Dyson and plays music with flashing LEDs. Probably sucking the kids tonsils out and giving her a seizure but she fusses a lot less when we use it and it hasn’t died yet.
 

Sprayin

Public Enemy #1
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Oct 8, 2008
24,358
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Grand Rapids, MI
We killed two electric ones from extreme amounts of boogers. Replaced it with some cheap no name Amazon one that sucks like a Dyson and plays music with flashing LEDs. Probably sucking the kids tonsils out and giving her a seizure but she fusses a lot less when we use it and it hasn’t died yet.
Link please :rofl:
 

OffshoreDrilling

This is my safe space
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Aug 28, 2007
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Link please :rofl:
GROWNSY Nasal Aspirator for Baby, Electric Nose Aspirator for Toddler, Baby Nose Sucker, Automatic Nose Cleaner with 3 Silicone Tips, Adjustable Suction Level, Music and Light Soothing Function https://a.co/d/hBafuRA

Pretty sure this is the one.
 
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v6buicks

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Oct 22, 2018
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Franklin, IN
Beware of long sob story. I really just need to vent. Dad life has started out a bit rough. Even my wife has been saying that if this shit keeps up, we may be capping our kid count at one.

The last post I made in this thread was the day after he was born, and it's been an emotional roller coaster ever since. Elliott was brought into the NICU to regulate his blood sugar. That was taken care of really quick, but he ended up staying for 16 days because he kept desatting. Three days before he went home he was taken off oxygen, and his levels remained acceptable for the remainder of his stay. We were very excited to bring him home and finally start having a normal family life, but that only lasted three days.

We went to his first pediatrician appointment where they found his O2 to be chilling in the 80s. That was concerning, so he was ordered a nap study which basically a sleep study for babies. He had a ton of crap attached to him for 6 hours and it made him miserable. I don't blame him. Look at all those wires!
received_668618632038482.jpeg

Until this point I was keeping my cool. I had to display an annoying amount of optimism to keep my wife from spiralling into some serious post-partum depression. Neither the pregnancy nor the birth, nor the family life has gone smoothly or as expected. It's really been one bummer after another which is wearing her down. I was convinced that Elliott was fine and just needed his lungs to mature anyway because that's what all the NICU nurses were saying. Unfortunately, the results of the nap study said otherwise which felt like a big middle finger.

Elliott has severe obstructive sleep apnea and it kills me to learn that this super chill baby who rarely cries is likely this way because he's too tired to put up a fuss. Even worse is that his o2 went down to the very low 80s and stayed there 6 minutes. Apparently that's bad enough to cause brain damage. 😞 We also won't know if it did until he's old enough to show developmental or behavioral issues so it'll be nice to have that hanging over our heads. How this poor kid managed to pass a 3 day oxygen test to get out of the NICU is beyond any of us, but until the doctors fix whatever is causing the obstruction, we have to keep Elliott on oxygen and a monitor whenever he's sleeping.

My optimism has quickly turned into depression, and my wife is kind of just a zombie who hasn't had time for sleep or emotions between endless appointments, unsuccessful breast feeding, and preparing for an upcoming back surgery. I try to take on any house chores I can, but she insists that she doesn't want me doing anything. I don't know if I should be happy that she's got things that keep her mind busy or worried that her mind is too busy to get good sleep or let a good cry out. I'm just trying to keep the mood as light as I can.

Meanwhile, I'm not exactly in great shape either. I have a history of tumors in my mouth and my dentist just found a new one. Joys. My jaw has been messed up for about 15 years, but it's just now starting to get problematic and painful to eat. Insurance may not cover that $5500 device to fix it either. I still have to figure that out. I'm gaining weight like crazy too. We haven't exactly found motivation to cook through all this, but I'm hoping all this will soon pass.

I don't wish this shit on anyone. This oxygen and monitor is such a massive pain in the ass on top of the normal new baby stressors. We are very hopeful that the fix is just having his tonsils and some other soft palate removed. Apparently that's a very likely cause for this in babies. We only know that surgery is inevitable.
PXL_20231104_003056511.jpg


I don't know if any of you guys have had a chronically sick newborn, but man I'd like to know.how you held up and how you juggled the rest of life's nonsense. I've been getting by, but it can't keep this up forever. I about lost it today because I somehow lost my brand new rake... Seriously. Where the fuck did I put it? I caught the mom brain.

I love this little man to death. I hate that he appears so happy and healthy yet we need to keep pissing him off with all these tests and devices. It's not fair.
PXL_20231102_232121804.jpg
 

Jimbo

CSVT OG Member
TCG Premium
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Aug 16, 2005
32,662
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Beware of long sob story. I really just need to vent. Dad life has started out a bit rough. Even my wife has been saying that if this shit keeps up, we may be capping our kid count at one.

The last post I made in this thread was the day after he was born, and it's been an emotional roller coaster ever since. Elliott was brought into the NICU to regulate his blood sugar. That was taken care of really quick, but he ended up staying for 16 days because he kept desatting. Three days before he went home he was taken off oxygen, and his levels remained acceptable for the remainder of his stay. We were very excited to bring him home and finally start having a normal family life, but that only lasted three days.

We went to his first pediatrician appointment where they found his O2 to be chilling in the 80s. That was concerning, so he was ordered a nap study which basically a sleep study for babies. He had a ton of crap attached to him for 6 hours and it made him miserable. I don't blame him. Look at all those wires!
View attachment 184389
Until this point I was keeping my cool. I had to display an annoying amount of optimism to keep my wife from spiralling into some serious post-partum depression. Neither the pregnancy nor the birth, nor the family life has gone smoothly or as expected. It's really been one bummer after another which is wearing her down. I was convinced that Elliott was fine and just needed his lungs to mature anyway because that's what all the NICU nurses were saying. Unfortunately, the results of the nap study said otherwise which felt like a big middle finger.

Elliott has severe obstructive sleep apnea and it kills me to learn that this super chill baby who rarely cries is likely this way because he's too tired to put up a fuss. Even worse is that his o2 went down to the very low 80s and stayed there 6 minutes. Apparently that's bad enough to cause brain damage. 😞 We also won't know if it did until he's old enough to show developmental or behavioral issues so it'll be nice to have that hanging over our heads. How this poor kid managed to pass a 3 day oxygen test to get out of the NICU is beyond any of us, but until the doctors fix whatever is causing the obstruction, we have to keep Elliott on oxygen and a monitor whenever he's sleeping.

My optimism has quickly turned into depression, and my wife is kind of just a zombie who hasn't had time for sleep or emotions between endless appointments, unsuccessful breast feeding, and preparing for an upcoming back surgery. I try to take on any house chores I can, but she insists that she doesn't want me doing anything. I don't know if I should be happy that she's got things that keep her mind busy or worried that her mind is too busy to get good sleep or let a good cry out. I'm just trying to keep the mood as light as I can.

Meanwhile, I'm not exactly in great shape either. I have a history of tumors in my mouth and my dentist just found a new one. Joys. My jaw has been messed up for about 15 years, but it's just now starting to get problematic and painful to eat. Insurance may not cover that $5500 device to fix it either. I still have to figure that out. I'm gaining weight like crazy too. We haven't exactly found motivation to cook through all this, but I'm hoping all this will soon pass.

I don't wish this shit on anyone. This oxygen and monitor is such a massive pain in the ass on top of the normal new baby stressors. We are very hopeful that the fix is just having his tonsils and some other soft palate removed. Apparently that's a very likely cause for this in babies. We only know that surgery is inevitable.
View attachment 184391

I don't know if any of you guys have had a chronically sick newborn, but man I'd like to know.how you held up and how you juggled the rest of life's nonsense. I've been getting by, but it can't keep this up forever. I about lost it today because I somehow lost my brand new rake... Seriously. Where the fuck did I put it? I caught the mom brain.

I love this little man to death. I hate that he appears so happy and healthy yet we need to keep pissing him off with all these tests and devices. It's not fair.
View attachment 184395
Damn man. You’re going through it. Rest assured, it will pass. I have a close friend that their daughter was in and out, mostly in, of the hospital for almost 2 years. You guys have a handsome little blessing there and you’re just doing parenthood a little bit different than some, but others have it worse too. Keep your heads up, start small, get some type of routine going: simple meals, exercise, shifts to sleep, etc.

You guys got this!
 

v6buicks

TCG Elite Member
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Oct 22, 2018
5,845
14,491
Franklin, IN
Damn man. You’re going through it. Rest assured, it will pass. I have a close friend that their daughter was in and out, mostly in, of the hospital for almost 2 years. You guys have a handsome little blessing there and you’re just doing parenthood a little bit different than some, but others have it worse too. Keep your heads up, start small, get some type of routine going: simple meals, exercise, shifts to sleep, etc.

You guys got this!
Thanks man. It definitely can be worse. I've been telling myself that a lot lately. I can't imagine 2 years of hospital life, but routine is super helpful if you can keep one. I honestly think that just going to work every day greatly helped maintain my sanity which is ironic since it was killing my sanity just a couple months ago. Things are going to be interesting when I start my paternity leave in January.
 

Bob Kazamakis

I’m the f-ing lizard king
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Oct 24, 2007
83,802
41,532
Denver
We have not had it that rough, we battled weight gain on my daughter and mainly because breast feeding didn’t go well but supplementing helped both my wife and daughter. It was hard for her to accept that she just wasn’t producing enough but once she did everyone was happier. She also basically cried for the first 2 months unless being held. That was cool……


All I can say is it always gets better with baby stuff, hiccups along the road but nothing in the grand scheme of things. It sounds like you’ve got a game plan that hopefully works and he’s what matters.

Do what you can to help and if cleaning or picking up helps her take her mind off things than do other things. I changed every GD poop both my children had (pretty much). Packing on dad weight is a for sure thing, I did what I could while holding my kids late at night, squats, lifting babies up lol.