breastfeeding

Olivia: 10 Months

Stats:

17.8 lbs

27.5 inches

Size: 9-12 Months

Size 3 Disposable diapers (on the rare occasion that we use them!)

Tooth Count: 4 on Top, 2 on Bottom

Nicknames: Liv, Liver Dude, Sneekle Freetzie

LOVES:

Sticking her tounge out…

Reading Books, Especially, Bright Baby Merry Christmas Touch & Feel ,Baby Animals Touch and Feel and Where’s Spot? and of course, Rainforest Discoveries AKA “Ooey Gooey”

Loves to Snuggle

Unrolling the toilet paper

Playing in the tupperware drawer

The Christmas Tree and her giraffe ornament

Unrolling wrapping paper

Puffs! & Mum-Mums

Favorite Foods: Avocado, Blueberries, and Peas.

Playing in her stuffed animal corner

Listening to dad play guitar and piano

Watching the yard guy blow leaves

the Durch

the big giant stuffed giraffe at the Macy’s Kids Department

Favorite Toys: Wooden Melissa & Doug Puzzle, Little People Nativity Set, Mom + Dad’s wooden name puzzles, small wood cars (from Canton), anything that’s not really a toy… water bottles, keys, sunglasses, socks, shoes,

Taking Tubs with Dad – Playing with tub toys while Mom gets dressed (as long as she keeps it to under 10 minutes)

The playground at Klyde Warren Park

Being Outside

Waving at strangers at the mall

Removing her socks

WubbaNubs – Definitely knows how to work a Paci

Playing with Dolls and Stuffed Animals

Sipping from Mom’s Tervis Cup

Soft Things

CRANKS:

Getting in the Car Seat

Christmas Shopping

Cranberries

Being out too late, bedtime is usually around 7:30pm

Being covered up while nursing.

Having her diaper changed

Santa

MILESTONES:

Wearing Shoes (and keeping them on!)

 Clapping

Waves Hello/Goodbye

Blows Kisses (sometimes)

 1st Thanksgiving

Meeting Santa for the 1st time

Using a Sippy Cup for water

Grabbing produce as we walk through the grocery store… or sweaters off of hangers… or branches off trees… whatever those little fingers can reach.

Stands and pulls up on EVERYTHING

Shakes Head “No” (but we’re pretty sure this means “wiggle wiggle” not actually “No”)

Signs “All Done”

Says, “Dadada (Dad), Mum Mum Mum (Mom), Geeeeee (all Giraffes), Nay Nay Nay (no idea?), Boooo, Gooo, Gahhh, Blah Blah Blah, and Dug Dug Dug (Dog?).

Talks to herself while playing in a whisper voice… especially when she’s playing with something new… or staring at the Christmas Tree

Still not sleeping through the night consistently. Still frequently wants to nurse at night… sometimes multiple times, especially when she’s sick.

Generally nursing 4-5x during the day, about every 4 hours… plus one more overnight feeding (REALLY trying to eliminate this one!)

Our Christmas Card

10 Months

Olivia: 9 Months | Olivia: 8 Months | Olivia: 7 Months

Family P: Give Thanks

A few more Thanksgivings from the Jar:

Today I am Thankful for… Being able to stay-at-home with Olivia

Today I am Thankful for…Being able to breastfeed with no complications

Today I am Thankful for… Clean Sheets and our BIG comfortable bed.

Today I am Thankful for… Hot Coffee.

Today I (Daniel) am thankful for… My Tiny Pliny

Featured Image Here‘p0

Olivia: 8 Months

Stats:

16.14 lbs

Size: “9 Months”

Nicknames: Liv, Liver Dude, Sneekle Freetzie

Loves:

Riding in the Wagon

Playing with pumpkins at the Arboretum

 Kissing “the Baby” in the Mirror

Teething Toys (and Carrots)

the Durch

wiggling fingers, toes, faces + tounges

giving kisses

being outside

Cranks:

Ear Infection

Sleeping in the crib all night

Taking antibiotics

wearing bows

Milestones:

Says “Mum Mum Mum Mum”,  “DaDaDa” and “Gee Gee Gee”

Waving Hello/Goodbye, starting to understand the signs for “All Done” and “More”

Pulling Up

2 teeth (middle bottom)… 1 top tooth just cutting through

Crawling all over the place

Dropped the crib mattress to the lowest setting

Getting in to EVERYTHING – Baby proofed Kitchen & Guest Bathroom cabinets

Baby Led Weaning

First Rangers Game

Growing up so fast…

Olivia: 7 months

Stats:

16.8 lbs

26.5 inches

Size: “9 Months”

Nicknames: Sneekle Freetzie, Little Bug, Liv, Liver Dude

 

Loves:

Freezie Treats (Frozen Teething toys of any variety)

Sophie

Raffy the Giraffe

Playing on the floor

Playing in the laundry basket

Listening to dad play piano/ guitar

Flipping upside down

Playing with the baby in the mirror

Mom’s new glasses

Listening to tunes in the car

Play dates with Charley

Riding in the Moby Wrap with Mom, Snugli with Dad

Bath time with Dad (especially fond of the red octopus squirty toy, orange starfish + eating bubbles)

Favorite Books: “Where’s Spot?“,  “Rainforest Discoveries” AKA Ooey Gooey Rainforest and “Animals”

Favorite Bedtime Songs: “Are You a Dreamer?” Denison Witmer , “Bitte Ein Kuss” Jonah Matranga

Cucumber

 

Cranks:

Being in the car seat for extended periods of time

Sleeping in her own bed at night

Eating Baby Food

Having her nose suctioned – boogies wiped

Milestones

CRAWLING!!! As of 9-14-12 🙂 At exactly 7 months!

(Video + Coaching compliments of Auntie B)

Licking Lips

Motorboat noise

First time at MOPS

Exclusively cloth diapering 

Successfully napped in the pack + play @ Michelle + Charley’s house!

Consistently taking 2 good (1-2hrs) crib naps a day

TRIED solid foods for the first time (Rice/Oat Cereal, Sweet Potatoes, Avocado, and Carrots)

Sitting up alone (but can’t be trusted to not “tump” (tip + dump) over)

Maneuvering from seated to crawling position and vice versa

Making Dinosaur Noises in her crib when she wakes up (on the rare occasion that she ACTUALLY wakes up there)

Learned how to kick mobile in crib until it comes on

First Cold (YUCK!)

It’s getting increasingly difficult to snap an in focus of this lil mover…

Daily Routine

5:00AM-7:00AM Cuddle (Read: Kick) mom in bed until she wakes up

7:00-7:30AM Nurse then play in bed while mom checks email, pays bills, blogs, internets…

7:30-8:30AM play on the floor while mom attempts to work out

8:30-9:30AM Hang in the Exersaucer or Moby while Mom gets something to eat for breakfast, makes a plan for the day

10:00AM Nurse then morning nap

11:30AM Wakes up from morning nap

12:00PM Attempt to eat lunch

1:00PM Nurse

(Run Errands with Mom, Play dates + fun stuff, chores + cleaning, etc.)

4:00PM Nurse

5:00PM Play on the floor in the kitchen with “The Durch” while Mom cooks dinner

(6:00PM Sometimes Nurse)

6:00PM Hangout with a Freezie treat (sometimes a Veggie Pop) in highchair while Mom and Dad eat dinner.

7:00PM Read Books with Mom

7:15PM Bath time with Dad

7:30PM Lotion + Baby Massage, PJs, Vit D, brush gums, etc.

7:45PM Nurse, cuddle with bunny blanket, songs + prayers

8:00PM Asleep

3:00 – 4:00AM Usually wakes up to eat, then ends up in bed with Mom + Dad  after multiple failed attempts to go back to sleep in her crib.

On any given day… our living room looks like this:

Mom Life: Baby Led Weaning

I first came across the concept of Baby Led Weaning when I was about 17 weeks pregnant… initially REALLY loved the idea of integrating normal healthy adult foods (modified in texture/spice content) around 6 months instead of using purees. I pulled the following blurb on Baby Led Weaning from Wiki:

Baby Led Weaning

“Baby-led weaning (often also referred to as BLW) is a method of adding complementary foods to a baby’s diet of breast milk. Baby-led weaning allows babies to control their solid food consumption by “self-feeding” from the very beginning of their experiences with food. The term weaning should not be taken to imply giving up breast milk, but simply the introduction of foods other than breastmilk.

Infants are offered a range of foods to provide a balanced diet from around 6 months. They often begin by picking up and licking the food, before progressing to eating. Babies typically begin self feeding around 6 months, although some will reach for food as early as 5 months and some will wait until 7 or 8. The intention of this process is that it is tailored to suit each particular baby and their personal development. The 6 month guideline provided by the World Health Organization is based on research indicating the internal digestive system matures over the period 4–6 months. It seems reasonable to posit that the gut matures in tandem with the baby’s external faculties to self feed.” 

We first attempted oat + rice cereal about 2.5 weeks ago, progressed to pureed veggies when Olivia seemed uninterested in the taste/texture, still uninterested… even irritated when we try and get a spoonful anywhere near her mouth, we decided to call our pediatrician for advice. She suggested giving solids a rest and making another attempt after a a few days/week. I think I’ve mentioned that my initial instinct told me that Olivia wasn’t ready even 2 weeks ago but I caved to the pressure to adhere to the 4-6 month standard and we gave it ago. After hearing that our pediatrician had no real concerns about waiting until 9 months or even a year I’m feeling more comfortable and confident in our delayed start. 

Considering our recent failed attempts to feed Olivia solid foods – we’ve decided to take a few weeks off from purees + cereals in favor of a modified BLW method. Allowing her to gnaw on small pieces of food in her high chair while we’re eating breakfast/lunch/dinner. Still adhering to the 3-5 day rule and avoiding all highly allergenic foods.

My only concern with BLW was the likelyhood of Olivia having difficulty swallowing or even choking while feeding herself. Although I’ll still watch her like a hawk while she’s eating  exploring, everything I’ve read says that BLW’d babies actually choke LESS than babies who are fed purees with a spoon. I really love the idea of letting Olivia control how much she eats – at what pace, etc. 

Resources

Momtastic’s Wholesome Baby Food

Rapley Weaning

Featured Image Here

 

Momma Meg Loves: Healthy Essentials

Wanted to share some of the essentials that keep me on track with a health(ier) lifestyle. What do you consider essential to your healthy well-being?

Garden of Life Raw Prenatal Vitamins

Image From Here                    Find Retailers Here

 Garden of Life Raw Prenatal Vitamin – I started taking these when I found out that my New Chapter Organics Prenatal Vitamin was no longer independently produced. In fact, New Chapter Organics is now owned and produced under the Proctor & Gamble umbrella. I’ve had great success with these. Definitely have a “RAW” smell… Luckily, no funky after-taste or burps. Usually somewhere in the neighborhood of $60/6-month supply although occasionally on sale at Sprouts. I’ve continued taking these while I’m nursing but will eventually be looking for a daily women’s supplement.

Green Vibrance

Buy Here $49.95/30-Day                  Image From Here

Green Vibrance – A concentrated superfood, nutritional powerhouse, loaded with all kinds of wonderful vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Supports healthy digestion, immunity, and circulation while fortifying your body against stress. I use this as a supplement to my daily vitamins. It tastes SO much better than other “Green Drinks.” Even my husband will drink it mixed with juice. (We use Simply Apple as a mixer – it’s REALLY sweet so you honestly can’t taste the “GREEN” at all) Occasionally, I’ll use in smoothies too! Blend 1 Frozen Banana, 1 TBSP Green Vibrance with 1 1/2 Cups Apple or Orange Juice and 1/2 Cup Crushed Ice. Delicious!

Monkey Picked Oolong Tea

Buy Here $25/2oz                    Image From Here

Monkey Picked Oolong Tea – “As legend has it, Buddhist monks formulated this ancient top ten treasure. The monks trained monkeys to gather the youngest leaves from the tip-top of wild tea trees for this special Imperial Reserve blend. The secret lives on with the deft hand plucking of the unbroken, evenly sized leaves that unfurl to create the most complex yet light orchid aroma and highest grade of oolong in the world. IMPERIAL RESERVE.” Teavana claims that this tea tastes “Smooth and bright, (with) orchid aromas throughout with clean refreshing finish” But really… it tastes like grass. My dad has become quite the tea connoisseur and gifted us a huge canister one year for Christmas. He swears by the healthy effects, drinks at least 2 cups a day instead of coffee. I usually follow his suggestion and cut it with something mint flavored – Starbucks Tazo Refresh works well.

Gyokuro Imperial Green Tea

Buy Here $20/2oz                   Image From Here

Gyokuro Imperial Green Tea – “The finest of Japanese teas, Gyokuro bushes are covered in shade two weeks before harvesting which creates a light but very complex blend and a luscious deep dark green color. The shading retains chlorophyll, which concentrates both green tea taste and nutrients, making this a healthy, tasty favorite. IMPERIAL RESERVE .” Teavana claims, “Light smooth vegetal green tea taste with a sweet ending, complex layersrise up throughout.” Again… this is not a for taste tea. Add to Monkey Picked Oolong & Refresh concoction for cancer prevention attribute and overall wellness.

Lululemon “The Mat” Yoga Mat

Buy Here $68                    Image From Here

Lululemon “The Mat” Yoga Mat – This one has been on my wish list for some time now. (I hate that my cheapie mat slips and slides all over the place!) I’m totally a wannabe believer in the cult-following of Lululemon Athletica. I finally made the $100 splurge on my first pair of Lulu yoga pants (with some gifted Birthday $$$) and will NEVER go back. I finally get it! These pants are awesome! Making my craving for this yoga mat all the stronger.

Mom Life: My Breast Feeding Story

In celebration of World Breast Feeding Week  I thought I would share my story here. I hope you find it encouraging and uplifting… 

I was determined to breast feed from the moment I got pregnant. In fact, at my first prenatal appointment, my OB-GYN said something along the lines of “Are you planning on breast feeding? Because your body definitely is!” I was even more than determined. I was downright excited. I never considered any alternative. It was the one thing I didn’t need to do any research on… I didn’t need statistics to tell me what I already instinctively knew. So I’m going to completely skip the preachy part that these stories always tend to include and skip right to the personal stuff. 

Olivia nursed on the delivery table just moments after being born. She latched on with no trouble whatsoever. In fact, she was quite literally attached to my breast for 24 hours. I’m sure this is true with most infants in the first few days of life. Looking back, I’m not sure how I blocked out the searing pain of nursing a baby for 24 hours STRAIGHT. I mean… she literally wanted to nurse every 15-30 min. I guess I was too high on a more intense love than I’d ever felt… Finally, on the second night, with nipples that were cracked and bleeding, I called the nurse desperate for suggestions. Since obviously Olivia wasn’t actually getting anything other than colostrum, she suggested that I let her suck on my pinkie finger for comfort. I HAD NO IDEA HOW STRONG AN INFANT COULD SUCK! I was so shocked that I woke Daniel up and made him stick his pinkie in her mouth just so he could understand. I scheduled time with the lactation consultant the next day to make sure that a poor latch wasn’t causing the pain. Nope. Her latch was great. And the pain – totally normal. And it makes sense that your nipples would need an adjustment period. More than painful, it’s frustrating. And the first few weeks definitely didn’t get much better in our case. I winced when Olivia would start crying in the middle of the night for a feeding… When you’re deliriously tired and incredibly sore down there… there’s nothing wonderful about rolling over (we were co sleeping at the time) and letting a little monster latch on with the strength of a pirana. Enough about the pain, I don’t think anyone can adequately express it.

Around 3 weeks, the pain tapered and my milk supply began to adjust to Olivia’s demand.  Like a light switched, I started to really enjoy nursing. More than enjoy it… I loved it. Just as much as I thought I would. I was filled with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and emotion every time I nursed. Even the middle-of-the-night feedings, I enjoyed. Nursing was, and still is, our most special bonding time. I make a point to try and keep the TV and other distractions off – which was more difficult during the first few weeks when nursing was basically ALL we did – but I really cherish the time now. I’m already trying to emotionally prepare myself for the day when Olivia doesn’t want to nurse anymore.

I read a few different books while I was pregnant about what to expect when nursing a newborn. Most sources said to expect about 10-15 minutes on each side. Quickly I learned that Olivia was a remarkably fast eater! I obsessively timed each feeding (Using the Total Baby iPhone App – Mentioned Here) for the first 5 WEEKS! Olivia never ate for longer than 10 minutes on a side – More often 6-7 min on the first side, then 3-4 min on the second side. By 3 months, she was eating in under 10 minutes total – usually only on one side. And thus started my obsession with my milk supply. When Olivia began eating on only one side, I began pumping (after almost every feeding) on the opposite side. Obviously this created an over supply problem leaving me with 100+ ounces of frozen breast milk. As you can imagine, pumping after every feeding got old REALLY quick. And… being totally lopsided was especially inconvenient when we were out and about. So I stopped pumping as frequently… then pretty much stopped pumping all together (With the exception of 1x in the morning to empty overnight excess). Naturally, my body adjusted to what it was sensing was a lower demand level. Psychologically, I knew that this would happen… but I still panicked that my supply would “dry up.” And when I say panicked… I mean stressed day and night, EVERY DAY for almost 2 months. Was she getting enough? Was she really a fast eater or was I not producing enough for her to nurse as long as other babies? So a friend, after listening patiently for so many hours, shared an article on things I could do to boost my supply. And I tried them ALL. Mother’s Milk Tea, Fenugreek, Oatmeal, Beer…. you name it, I tried it. All of which had some small effect. Almost 6 months of successful nursing and I STILL worry about my supply.

It makes me incredibly sad to think about the number of women who are equally committed to nursing but have REAL issues – supply, latching, jobs with unaccommodating bosses etc. I feel like women should be encouraged.. more than that…. supported (financial and emotional) with breast feeding. It isn’t easy at first, but there are several completely FREE resources available.  Online forums and message boards as well as local branches of LLL make finding support and information easy. In a culture that has become obsessed with convenience – I’ve found breast feeding to be a wonderful reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment. I hadn’t given much thought to my opinions on extended breast feeding pre-baby. I’ve come to feel very strongly about letting Olivia decide when she’s ready to wean. I have no qualms with the appropriateness of nursing a “toddler”  and plan to nurse as long as possible. 

That being said… our breast feeding journey is nowhere close to over. 

 

Some of my nursing must-haves

Mother’s Milk Tea

Coupon Here

Aiden + Anais Muslin Blankets

I found that these are just as easy and lighter weight to cover-up while nursing in public.

Buy Here $49.95

 

Bamboobies Washable Nursing Pads

These are an awesome, more eco-friendly alternative to disposable nursing pads.

Buy Here $29.99 Multi Pack     GIVEAWAY Here

GlamourMom Nursing Tank

By far, the best nursing tanks out there, pricey, but worth it.

Buy Here $59.00

 Some other great breast feeding stories over here:

world breastfeeding week blog round-up

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Momma Meg Loves: FREE BAMBOOBIES

In celebration of World Breast Feeding Week, Bamboobies is giving away free nursing pads (while supplies last), just pay shipping!

I bought this multi-pack right after Olivia was born and they’ve saved me a bundle on nursing pads. I still occasionally use disposable ones while I’m out and about but usually wear these super-soft, washable, and adorable ones while we’re just hanging at home! The overnight ones are great for heavy leaking and… duh overnight.

Buy Here $29.99

Giveaway Here