Tuesday, May 28, 2013

6 Month Breastfeeding & Postpartum Update

I recorded a breastfeeding/postpartum update yesterday!


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Happy Half-Birthday Jackson!

Whaaaaat?????  My baby boy is 6 months old!!!  Cannot believe it.

This teeny little newborn...
Jackson- 1 day old!
Has grown into an ornery, curious, happy baby!

So here's all about my little dude at 6 months old!

Weight/Length: 18lbs 6.5oz  25in
Clothing Size: 6-9 months
Diaper Size:  Size 3
Feeding: Still breastfeeding (and it's still going great), nursing every 2-3 hours.  We started cereal (oatmeal) at 5.5 months so he gets about a tbsp of cereal now in the late morning and then around dinner time he has a veggie (only one so far is peas!) he loves food (both solid and nursing!)
Milestones: Rolling over, pivoting in a circle while on his tummy, ALMOST sitting up by himself (still needs me to spot him lol), can put his toes in his mouth (lol), good hand control, can reach, grab, and throw.  Still no teeth yet (but we are teething!)
Sleep: Not the greatest.  Usually wakes up 3ish times a night.  Right now we are part-time co-sleeping.  He starts the night in his crib and then usually after his first or second night waking we bring him into our bed.  He is getting better at taking longer naps, and we are trying to gradually stretch his time in his crib. 
Likes/Dislikes:  Pretty much the same.  He loves his toys and activity things (like the jumperoo, playmat, etc), he loves stroller walks and being worn in the ergo.  He loves people in general especially mommy and daddy.  Doesn't like to be alone, and doesn't like sleeping alone.


Here's his 6 month video update!



I just can't get over every day what a blessing this little dude is.  Being a mom is sometimes exhausting but I look at that little face and it makes it alllll worth it.  He brings so much joy to our lives!!!










Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mama's & mama's-to-be out there!!!

I am particularly blessed to have a wonderful mom & mom-in-law, and also to still have my grandma here with us!
Us with our parents on our wedding day
Mom and me just a few days old
My mom holding my son shortly after he was born

Four Generations!  Grandma (and Grandpa in the back lol) me, Jackson, & my mom at Jackson's baptism



What makes this Mother's Day the most special is the fact I am blessed to be a mama myself!  I love my son more than words can say, and I am so so thankful for him!

The moment I became a mom-- holding my son for the first time

One of his NB pics-- can't believe how TINY he is here!

Woke up to this sweet face on my first mother's day...
My sis-in-law Amanda with my nephew Parker and Jackson & me on our first Mother's Day (and Parker's baptism!)

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Adventures in solids... So far!

Well when Jackson hit 5 months I really was back and forth as to when to start him on solids. I was not (and still am not) in any hurry. I think often people are so anxious to start solids they end up starting too early setting their babies up for problems like diabetes and obesity/overeating. A lot also believe that rice cereal will make their babies sleep through the night. The research I have done though says that is not true. Originally I had not planned on any at all until 6 months.

My doctor gave us the ok to start cereal at 4 months but I prolonged it and finally decided to start him at a little over 5 months old. He was showing signs of readiness for a while now so we thought we would try and see how he did!

We started with what is generally recommended and that is rice cereal. Well big mistake-- it made him sooooo gassy. I'm talking MAN farts. So smelly lol. So I switched him to oatmeal after about a week and he has done MUCH better ever since! We just give him about a tbsp of cereal mixed with an ounce of breastmilk. (We did an ounce and a half at first making it really soupy)

I've also given him some "real" food on occasion to chew on. So far he's had a bit of watermelon (with my mom holding it for him) banana, and bell pepper, all of which were hits lol. He also had some apple in his mesh feeder. He never actually ingests much if any of the real food. Usually my dogs get the majority after he has thrown it in the floor!

When he turns 6 months in a couple weeks we are planning on introducing some purées as well as more "real" foods (we are doing half of a baby led weaning approach-- google it if you haven't heard of it it's really interesting). Breastmilk is still his primary form of nutrition and it will be that way until he is 1. (Though if he wants to keep breastfeeding past 1 I am ok with that, I would like for him to be weaned by 18mo though).

As the saying goes... "Food before one is just for fun" and we are having fun with it!