Thursday, June 17, 2010

Woo

Sorry I've been a little absent for a few days. Life, yanno? ;-)

I'll get back to the RRR's soon. It's a matter of having the time to put the thought into it. This is random blogging.

Well the little one had her 4 month check up. Which was almost a five month checkup because the appointment fell rather late. She was born at 6pounds 8ounces and now weighs 15pounds 1ounce. All Mommy's Milk so I am very happy and proud!

Thankfully, breastfeeding has been easy. I can't complain too much. We've had our problems here and there but I've not had any need or reason to want to supplement. Formula has always creeped me out a little bit. I don't know why. But I am flexible and if it was needed, I would do what it takes. BUT being able to feed my babies that natural, intended way has been a blessing!

The doctor said that she was more than ready to start solids. She wants her eating fairly regular meals by her next check up. I'm slightly conflicted. While I'm excited to start this new milestone, I was really looking towards baby led weaning. (http://babyledweaning.blogware.com/) I had no plans of starting her on solids until at least six months, if not longer.

She is showing all the signs of readiness. She can sit upright with very little assistance. She reaches and grabs for food and forks. She even mimics "chewing" while she watches us eat, Super cute! So I suppose I should suck it up and follow my babies lead rather than a piece of paper, book or website.

Studies have shown delaying solids is best for baby for many different reasons. It gives their body time to be able to process foods, reduces allergies, early solid introduction is linked with obesity later in life, etc etc. An infant's digestive system does not begin to mature until 4-6 months.

I am putting it off for a few more weeks. I have the 'excuse' of having to get things ready. We don't have a highchair yet, nor utensils and bowls and all of that type of stuff. I want to make a lot of our own baby food so I need the preparation supplies and utensils for that as well.

I am going to start with avocado. Or maybe sweet potato. I am going to make up some soft apples for her to munch on too. Maybe next weekend we'll give it a go for the first time.

Unfortunately starting solids changes my diaper washing routine as well. Not looking forward to that part, haha. The great thing about cloth diapering a breastfed baby is you don't have to do anything to the dirty diapers. Breastfed baby poo is water soluble so you throw it right into the wash! Awesome! However, once you introduce formula, juice, solids, whatever you have to rinse the diapers and get off all the poo in the toilet first. So I had to go get a diaper sprayer and other prep items.

We are also going to introduce the sippy cup at meal times. With a little bit of water to help prevent constipation from the foods, or with Breastmilk.

Big things going on!


She also got her shots. :-( I hate shots. I hate that I'm so conflicted on what to do about them. It's one of those things I wasn't able to decide fully on. I couldn't decide if I liked the risks associated with vaccinations more or less than the risks associated with not vaccinating. So, in that, I choose to go with the norm and let science and the world's medical knowledge make the choice for me. I know I can get 'bashed' for that, but there it is. She did well though. She fussed and looked at me like I had broken her little heart for about two minutes then I scooped her up and nursed her and she was all better. She had a few fussy moments the rest of the day and night, but no fevers, no crying spells or being inconsolable or anything. Whew.

In other news, I went back for the stroller..... I figured that on those all day trips, I'm going to need it. I've used the one we have twice. Both on all day trips and mainly because I couldn't figure out where to put all the 'stuff'. haha. Cloth diapers are awesome but a day trip with them requires baggage. I have a diaper bag just for diapers, then the regular diaper bag, then a big wet bag to store wet/dirty diapers and I just can't figure out how to carry it all and the baby. So a stroller it is!

I spent the day Tuesday with a friend. She helped me figure out what was going on with my sewing machine, so hopefully I can get it up and working all on my own next time. We were able to get it going. It seemed like I had really just had little things here and there wrong. Bobbin wrong, threaded wrong, settings wrong etc. I love those old dinosaur style machines but they take a little tweaking. haha

We made a ring sling. I am quite proud to say I think it turned out very well. PJ seems to really like it. When I hip carry she can reach out and things and see things. Very fun for her at this age. But she still has the option of facing me and turning away from stimulation too. It is very pretty. I did a lot of research on what types of materials to use. What fabrics, what rings, what threads... how to stitch etc. . I wore her around all day yesterday and I think it will work out very well.

So special thanks and love to Cootiebug for helping us out!


I've already got plans on how to do the next one. ;-) Good thing is I already have material to make three more, haha

I guess there's all the big going's on of the last few days. Today we are going to chill at home. If we go anywhere it will be to the grocery for avocados and something for dinner.

It's about noon pump time (trying to pump once a day for breastmilk donation) so must run before baby gets fussy and I run out of time.

4 comments:

  1. Aw, you know I think it's really awesome. I wish I had been a little braver & knowledgeable when Mogwai was a baby. I just kind plowed through it doing what the doctors told me to do. But I was 18 & scared to death lol. I figured they knew way better than I did. I know now that is definitely NOT the case. Of course, I didn't have the internet back in those days either. Information sharing & social networking rule! I often say I'm lucky that I haven't killed her by now, lol! But she's 14 and seems to be doing pretty good, so I guess I didn't screw up too badly ;)

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  2. Darling we all do what we think is best and what we know to do and there is really not much more we can do.
    We have to follow our instincts and try to do what's right. The rest of it, well, that's what they'll have to talk about in therapy later I guess, haha (j/k)

    I was about the same with my first and just chugged along full of steam from doctors and mothers and grandmothers and who ever else decided to tell me what was best.

    I still did a lot of things my own way, and looking back I realize I was a 'crunchy' mom even then without even knowing it.

    I just have more tools and resources this time around. And yes, wow isn't the internet amazing!?!

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  3. it's the toughest job for many reasons, not least 'experts' telling us what THEY think it best. wants her eating regular meals, ooh that boils my blood. it's up to YOU and your BABY when and how often she eats.

    we've chosen not to vaccinate until 5 yrs of age, and then only for malicious diseases rather than the normal childhood ones. i have nice easy info on my blog about it, from the top menu. if you feel inclined.

    nice to meet you :)

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  4. Nice to meet you too! Always nice to meet like minded friends. ;-)

    I am inclined to read! haha

    It really threw me off more than anything. I went in all proud and impressed that she hadn't had any formula, any food, heck not even tylenol up until that point and was pretty much shot down with "Well, you really could be feeding her" Which was made to sound much more like "you SHOULD" be feeding her.

    I know babies develop at different paces but hasn't all the new research (and even older) shown that the the tummy is just not fully prepared to deal with solids until at least 4-6 months? Maybe some are ready at 4, but I would lean more toward the 6.

    Isn't breastmilk the best food for babies? She should be getting her nutrients from it still. Not some crazy jar of processed nonsense.
    IMHO that is.

    Oh well. We'll let her play with some homemade purees in the next few weeks. After she's five months. But not seriously until six months I think. And then I think I'll learn her eating habits more toward the baby led weaning.

    That's my plan and goal.

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