Baby Olympics (Dad Blog)

( MOM HERE: This morning while hubs and I are watching the Olympics, he turns to me and says, "I think I'll write the blog post today."  I should have known he was up to no good...

Ladies, please do not take him seriously.  This is however a glimpse into my everyday life and discussions with the father of my child...) 

BABY OLYMPICS

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Hiya sporty Baby Olympic fans!!!  

Well...It's THAT time again huh?  The bizarre few weeks every four years where all the awesome-est countries in the world compete for a bit of gold.  A time where we can sit back in our armchairs late in the night (or early morning) with a nice cold beer and a luke-warm plate of chicken nuggets and watch the action...Ahem ahem - I mean nurse the baby while the wife sleeps in.

Ahhhhhh...the good ole Olympic days.  The warm fuzzy emotions come flooding back when I remember where I was and what was going on in MY life when these exciting weeks came along. To be quite honest, I couldn't really give a toss who won or lost races and such but I certainly remember the highlights of each Olympics. 

The space suit/jet-pack dude flopping around the arena in LA, the Barcelona song that my college housemates and I would drunkenly scream out whenever anyone mentioned Olympics - BARSHHALONER!!!, the fact that EVERY Aussie news report from Sth Korea before their games had some kinda remark about eating dog.  Atlanta games had a bomb, Sydney was the "best games ever" HA!, Athens was crap and Beijing had thousands of drummers banging away...

LONDON though will always be remembered as the BABY Olympics.  Spew, poop, sleepless nights, headbutts to the jaw, grumpy momma, cheap beer and "Healthy" McDonalds - WOOOO HOOO!

In the 'Spirit of the Olympics' I've gone to great lengths to train the boy up to be an international superstar! At 6 months old, Ollie is becoming a world class Baby Olympic athlete!  Here's some of the events that he's SURE to win Gold!!!!

Greco-Roman wrestling

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Pop a large teddy-bear on the floor and put the bubs on top.  Crack the lid off the beer, sit back and watch the action unfold.  Grunting, crying, flips and butt-cracks...just like the real thing.

Diving

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Sit baby on the sofa, turn your head away for twenty seconds and behold...Gold medal dive from couch to floor.  Extra points for a somersault or twist.

50 Centimeter BREAST stroke

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Ollie's favorite event...I wait until he's REALLY hungry and then sneak into the bedroom where sleepy mummy is passed out.  I then place him gently on the bed exactly 50cm from the milky nipple and then RELEASE.  Wahhay - watch him GO!!! Watch mummies face when he rips into the boob!

MARATHON

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Ready those stopwatches! GO!!! Change the diaper early in the morning and see if you can last 24 hours before changing again.  For extra points, feed the baby some spinach and carrots the night before.

ENJOY the Olympics!!!!!!!!

Finding a balance between ME and Mommy.

I originally was going to title this post, “Stay at home moms WTF?!” But thought, nah… then I was just going to only write in today’s post, “SAHM WTF?!”   THE END! And see what I got.  But, again, nah… you probably needed to know what my motivation is for asking stay at home moms WTF?  So here goes… Yes, it’s going to be a rant…

Since loosing my job in May, I have become a stay at home mom. My entire life is being a mom. I’m barely me anymore. I don’t mean that in a boo hoo I’m lost in the baby shuffle sort of way… ok maybe a little… What I am trying to say is, taking care of an infant is a lot of work, it’s a full-time and a half job.  I’m not really sure how it is so time consuming, but it is.  There not much time left for much else in a day.

My typical day is, wake up between 5:30-7, play with Ollie, nurse him and back to sleep at 9am. Up at 10-11, play, nurse back to nap for 30 minutes plus. This cycle repeats all day until 7:30pm when he goes to sleep.  At 9:30pm I will shower and hopefully crawl into bed by 11. I’ll write or watch TV in between Ollie’s bedtime and mine.

My entire day is devoted to being a mom. No make-up, nice clothes, lunch dates, shopping trips, mani/pedis, workouts, basically nothing adult. I’m all baby! I don’t want to be all baby. However, what is the point in getting all done up, and dragging Ollie out to a lunch date that will end in cranky bub? I’ve tried taking him shopping and that just full on sucks. I’m having a hard time finding a balance between being “Me” and “Mommy.”

I did meet a girlfriend for lunch last week, without Oliver. I pulled a dress over my head, brushed my teeth and hair and walked out the door. I didn’t put on make-up, jewelry, do my hair… I just didn’t even consider it, something I would NEVER have done prebaby. Never. Ever.  My lunch date looked fabulous. She is also my girlfriend who gave birth just 7 days after I did.  She’s back to work and looking amazing. She insisted she only looked like that because she had to for work. I nearly started crying at the table.  I felt like a lazy shit, with no excuse. I should have taken the time to fix myself up.

 I need to find a good balance so I can feel like a lady, and a mommy at the same time. I don’t want to get to the point where I say screw it, and no longer desiring to be a glamorous domestic goddess. Or, on the flip side, loose it and start nursing in heels for fun? I keep telling myself, what a blessing it is that I get stay home with my baby.  I will never get these days back. Soon enough I will find a job and be back at it, in fancy shoes.  

But, just incase I find a way to work from home… So, now I ask, Stay At Home Moms: WTF? What do you do to maintain your sanity? Is it possible to be fabulous and wipe butts at the same time? ?

New and exciting things!!

Hi all!

I have a couple of announcements!

Since I know a good number of you read the blog from your smart phone, I wanted to post this information since you do not get a full view of the website. (All of this information can be found on the right hand side of the website view.)  Also Smart Phone users, in case you did not know, under my banner on the right hand side is a small arrow, if you tap on it, you can view the pages on the website, including all of the beautiful babies shared by readers!



1. I'm officially a Twit! Or is it a Tweet? Whatever it is, I'm now twittering my little fingers off! Please join me @ 1stTimeMomNDad (I've embedded the link so just tap 1sttimemomNdad)

2. I've set up a Facebook page so all of us can chat and post stuff! I get so many funny photos emailed to me that I need an outlet to share them. I bet you have a few too. Plus, I will be posting some of the ridiculous photos and Video I take of Ollie, me and dad! The Page is called (surprise!), First Time Mom & Dad. (Link Embedded)

Please follow me there too. Just click the "like" button on the page so we can stay connected.

3. This is a bit cheeky (but totally Legal!),I need your help to be a "Top Mommy Blogger". Just click on this link to "Top Mommy Blogs" and that's it! All you have to do it click the link and it counts as a vote. No email, sign up, nothing! Just click the link...

My blog is listed under "humor" and I'm ranked #30 in the category, which is awesome, but I'm hoping to get in the top 25! Overall I'm #128, and hoping to make it into the top #100! I really need your help to get there! Please & Thank you!



4. I'm so thankful for each of you! I have the best stats, beyond my dreams, and each one of you got me there! After a year of posting Mon-Fri and most weekends... I may just figure out how to make a career out of writing... or not.  Regardless, knowing you all reading... keeps me writing everyday. Thanks for the push I need to keep going!

5. FUNNY!

6. Sad but true... and a bit funny! 

7. Something for the men to talk about with other men.

8. Me, hubs, and Ollie!

The Incredible Amazing Boxing Baby!

Slap, kick, pinch, punch, eye gouge, fish hook, palm to the clavicle, mighty tug on the hair, head-butt strong and swift. This is my life with baby boxer. Ten months of pregnancy, six months of nursing, and I’ve grown a brut of a baby. It is pure insanity! This baby has no time for anything but exploring this big world. Anyone who stands in his way of breaking free, is gonna be sorry.

It is actually really frustrating. My son is no longer a happy lap baby. He is a lean mean wiggle machine.  A baby with an agenda- GET TO THE JUMPAROO! Once in the jumparoo exer-saucer, he is full of smiles and things to do.  Every once in a while he stops to make sure I’m paying attention. If not, I get the fake fuss until I take notice of his busy baby boy booty. 

How is it that he’s ready to give up momma boy status?  It’s not fair. I need a sweet baby cuddle. Instead, I get the sour baby beat down! When I go to get him out of his jumparoo I get the stink eye. Once I he is out, he fusses, pushes away from me and looks down lovingly at his jumpy, just like he used to look at me. Sniff sniff…

During the day nursing is a nusance to Ollie. He eats just what he needs to not feel hungry anymore, and then starts boxing all over again.  Nothing is more frustrating than trying to nurse a half full preoccupied baby.  Once he's eaten the bare minimum, he clamps down on me and starts looking around. When I can stretch no more, he releases his death grip and starts pushing at my chest and throat. This is his signal that he is ready to get up and get back to his exploration of the world.  

I know it may be hard to believe, but it gets worse. Yes, worse! By mid day my body and feelings have been completely beaten down by baby boxer. Lo and behold,  its time for the dreaded naptime… Oh, I cannot even talk about it! Yep, you guessed it, back into the boxing ring we go. This baby is WAY to busy for naps, and he loves nothing more than trying to prove it!  I bounce, he boxes. Eventually I dodge enough blows to get him to fall asleep.  

What’s happened to my baby?  Will I ever get a cuddle again? Will he ever find mommy as fascinating as his toys again? I love my little brut of a boxing baby boy… However, I wonder if a girl might still be cooing in mommy’s lap? Not trying to trample on it!


 Oh well, at least in the wee hours of morning when I nurse him half asleep, he lets my hold tight and cuddle him as long as I want. I suppose I am just getting an early glimpse into the reality of having boys… NO, SCREW THAT! What am I saying? My baby is not even six months old. I will just have to get crafty about catching him off guard for my cuddles. 

Who are we to judge?

I have always lived by the philosophy, Live and Let Live.  I don’t like being judged, so I don’t judge.  My second philosophy; Do unto others, as you would have done to you.  Life is way to short to spend it wrapped in others lives.  Who cares what someone does if it doesn’t affect you in the slightest?  Get over yourself. 

So again I ask, Who are we to judge? 

I’ll tell you who we are to judge, we are mothers. We are passionate new mothers striving to be the best mother in the world… no galaxy! We all want to believe we are doing the very best we can, making the very best decisions possible and providing the most nurtuing and safe environment for our child. Anyone doing otherwise or standing in our way, naturally would piss us off!

I used to want to punch the, “know it all” mothers on the pregnancy forums in the nose for being judgmental. They always had something self-righteous to say. I would see their responses and think, “who the hell are you to judge and be so nasty?!” Well, I suppose now I get it.  I don’t agree with that behavior, but I get it.

I hate to admit it, but since the birth of my son, I too have become very judgmental.  I see mom’s doing wrong and think, “shame on you!” I talk to moms who are trying their own methods that I think are completely Whack-O, and think, “shame on you!” I hear stories on the news about bad moms and dads and think, “shame on you!” I see children in stores or on the street going bat shit crazy, while the parents are self absorbed… “SHAME ON YOU!”

Here is the main difference between me and the forum know it alls, I only think it.  I would never, ever, pass my judgment on. I currently have a friend who is raising her child in a manor I just do not agree with, at all.  It kills me to keep my mouth shut, but I have to, I have absolutely no right to tell a mother how to raise her child.  

I am not proud of this behavior, but I realize since becoming a mother, I have a new found love for every child and their well-being.  However, unless a child is in danger, I will keep my big fat self-righteous mouth shut! 

All that being said… Yes, here comes an evil rant!

OH MY GOODNESS!  PEOPLE!  Really? Holy crap you need your head checked!  Seriously, who does that?  OH, eff me, really? I cannot believe you call your self a mom!  Strangers do not count as babysitters!  Neither do dogs!  You cannot possibly call that a “home remedy!” OMG, WTF, have you used your brain today?

All of the above are comments I have been holding in my head. (Yes, I do feel heaps better!)  I see, read, and hear the most shocking parenting on a weekly basis. Yes, I know I am a judgmental monster! But, alas, I am a judgmental monster with zipped lips… and it’s my opinion that is how we all should be. To Each Their Own… crazy, nutty whacky parenting methods… ; )

Your baby this week.

Every week I receive an email with information on what my baby's milestones should be for his age. i.e 23 weeks old. Up until about week 16, I would open the emails excited to see where Oliver should be developmentally, and what I can expect him to begin to do in the weeks to come. After a few weeks of not meeting some of the milestones, and passing some up, I realized those emails were no more than baseline crap that I should not let worry me.  

In the beginning, I had a very advanced baby.  Hellooooo… He came out of the womb ass first and smiling!  You can call it gas all you want, but whatever he was smiling! Then as the weeks went on, and he started packing on the pounds, things started changing.  Yes, he rolled over ONCE around the time he was supposed to start, but that quickly ended when he became too chubby to pull off the ol' tuck n' roll.  

Next was the standard baby-foot-in-the-mouth milestone. When weeks passed before he even considered finding his feet, let alone shoving them in is mouth, I began to worry. Then, I looked at his big fat tree trunk thighs and stumpy calves and applied the laws of physics. No way in hell could he reach his toes, let alone shove them in his mouth!  In fact, still at a week shy of 6 months old, his toes are FAR from his lips! Granted, he can at least reach them now.

At Ollie’s 4-month well baby check up his pediatrician confirmed that he was teething.  Now, nearly six months old, not one tooth has come in! That’s 2 months of drool, fussing, chewing on me, the cat, the couch, toys and nothing! But, somehow 2 of my girlfriends, whose daughters are younger than Ollie, have their first teeth! WTF?

So, this week when I got, "at 23 weeks old your baby may be getting up on all fours…" Um, yeah, unless “all fours” stands for his little baby 4-pack of abs, that shit is not happening! Don't get me wrong, he gets up on his hands just fine now,  but his big chubby belly is not leaving the ground any time soon.  I didn’t even read any further before deleting the email.  I just cannot let myself get caught up in trying to keep up with the “baby Jones's!”  

Ollie is fat and happy.  He eats, sleeps, poops, and plays, to me that’s right on track for becoming a proper man!   All the development in between will be on his on time. So what if he is behind on some things? He will catch up.  He is my sweet baby, for me that is good enough! To hell with, “your baby's milestones  this week should be..." My baby is in my arms, and that’s right where his fat little butt belongs!

Mommy Tip for the day: Courtesy eMED TV

Helpful Tips for Parents of a 5-Month-Old Baby

Enjoy this time. Your baby is rapidly getting quick and mobile. As she approaches areas or objects that are off limits, instead of saying "no" to everything, try redirecting her, or even telling her "that is not okay" or "danger." This way, you are teaching her what is right and wrong, rather than just saying "no" to what seems to be everything in her world.

A mother's Heavy Heart

(Warning: This is a foul-mouthed rant)

I write to you all today with a very heavy heart. I am carrying a deep sadness around with me over the recent movie theater shooting in Colorado, the Bus Bombing, the unrest in Syria, the insanity in Baghdad, and the list goes on... In the past when the news became too much, I would turn off the TV and divert my attention.  Now that I am a mother, avoiding the news and claiming ignorance, is not that simple anymore. 

My maternal instincts kick in when I hear of all of the pain and suffering around the world. I’m reminded that it is my job to protect my son. Unfortunately, sometimes the world seems so screwed up, that fully protecting my son seems next to impossible.  

I was always apprehensive about having children. The idea of bringing a child into this volatile, unstable world seemed unconscionable. There is so much ugly and evil lurking around.  I mean, my God a movie theater is not even safe anymore? It’s so damn daunting I want to scream! 

I spent the day feeling so awful, throwing a pity party for the people in this world feeling so much pain.  I also spent the day worrying about the day I have to try to explain to my son, why the world is so jacked up? Why innocent people die everyday at the hands of mindless shitbags.

Or, God forbid the flip side, my child becomes one of the mindless shitbags!  It’s scary.  I keep telling myself with enough love, nurturing and catholic guilt I can raise a good child. I also intend to shelter my son from the ugliness of the world for as long as possible, without completely smothering him into a full on rebellion.  Oh, the fine line between good mom and crazy over protective mom. (Yes, that’s a whole different post.)

I know my job as a parent is to do my very best to protect my son, as much as possible, from the horrors of the world. I have two choices, I can stay home and become a crazy over protective mom, or I can do my best to find as much beauty as possible in the world to share with my son. 

I realized today, that it is up to me to show my son how to live and love the world, flawed as it is.  I cannot let the bad consume me, like I let it today.  I have to stay positive for my son. I have to protect him through living. The world is definitely fucked up, but that’s really only half the story…

Happy Anniversary to me!

One year ago today I started www.tiredofbeingpregnant.com, with my very first post being, “I hate being pregnant!” The birth of the site came when I got so pissed off with those crazy bitch “know it alls” on the pregnancy forums. I needed an avenue to vent, that wouldn’t get me beaten up verbally by angry hormonal pregnant chicks. I am not sure what possessed me to start the full on blog, and even buy the domain name tiredofbeingpregnant, but I did it! I promised myself I would be true to my feelings, not care what anyone had to say, and under no circumstance would I judge any other preggy, and certainly not post nasty comments.  Mission accomplished! 

Honestly, I have started 3 or 4 other blogs in the past, but never published them publicly. For some reason with this blog, I thought the world needed to hear my hormonal ranting ass! I never ever imagined that I would have helped so many along the way. What a blessing.

Even though I stopped regularly posting on tiredofbeingpregnant.com, to start writing Firsttimemomanddad.com, I still get over 300 visits a day and regular comments. (FYI: to this day the most googled and read post is “I’m Pregnant and I Hate my Husband!) Knowing that the site is still bringing comfort to expecting mothers, means so much to me! However, I cannot take full credit for the site.  I could not have continued writing, 5-6 days a week, without the encouraging, kind and equally comforting comments that kept me going.

Thank you so very much to all of you wonderful women, and men, who followed me, related to my experiences, and encouraged me to keep writing when I couldn’t be bothered to get my morning sickness ass off the bathroom floor.  

To Claire, thank you for letting me know, very early on, I was making a difference, and for becoming such a wonderful friend. Xx 

To Jan, thanks for saying the “F” word with me, A LOT, and for being my sister from another mista! 

To Jessika, you just rolled right along with me from the nearly the very beginning. You are so encouraging and wonderful.  When Chase was born premature, you kept such and amazing outlook and became such an inspiration to me. 

KARA, if you are still out there. Thank you for being so sweet to me at work, and on the blog. 

Fancy Pants- Friends since childhood, and friends for life.  Who knows, Summer and Ollie?? love you. 

Foodpixie & Moonshine-Your comments and friendship mean more to me than you will ever know. 

Alissa, My Star Wars Sister. Thanks for always thinking of me. And sticking with me through both blogs.

Kitten, Thank you for all of your wonderful comments, you have been right there with me nearly the entire year, I love reading your blog and your humor is my favorite! 

Mrs. Loquacious, a brilliant writer and a true sister of faith.  You are too a childhood development specialist! ; p 

To Kate, the mother of Oliver’s beautiful Aussie Birthday Brother, Cooper, I cannot wait for our one year birthday playdate!  

Shay/aka Kiwi mum- You are freaking fabulous! I cannot wait to visit your new website!

To Esther- I just smile when I think of you! Thanks for the emails and sharing your smiling face and Baby D with me. You know… you could send more pictures of baby D from time to time. xx

Katie B., thanks for never failing to send me an email when I need it. Letting me know that I am not the only one praying that my baby will sleep through the night.  One day little William and Ollie will let us sleep 8 hours straight! 

To The Buxton’s- I think of you every time I think, “Everyone else can KISS IT!” Thanks for sharing your journey with me.  Our beautiful C-section babies are freaking awesome and anyone who thinks otherwise can kiss it! 

Jessi- Thanks for sticking with me through both blogs, and Thanks for laughing at my husband.  He was so happy you understood the “titty milk and scotch” dilemma.

To My sweet Sister Amabelle, CONGRATULATIONS!  I am so excited about getting to share your journey through pregnancy with you, even if we are half a world apart. I love you.

To Britmouth- Thanks for reading, and commenting, and being so kind!

Lauren L.- I really hope you and baby are doing well. I hope mommy hood is just brilliant. Email me!

Becky and Owie…. Thank you for your comments and emails and kind words. And… TOOOOOO CUTE!!!! 

Dusty- Thank you so much for your heart felt emails.  It really meant a lot to me. Hugs!

To Shy- Thank you for reading, commenting and sharing photos of Decclan!  You can send more photos anytime!  What a cutie!

To Tasha- You are so wonderful... even if you got your prebaby body back two months after delivery-  ; P Thanks for the dark chocolate tip! And for your kind and considerate comments and tips!

To Lisa- Thank you for sticking with me, and for sharing pictures of Chloe, she is just so precious!  

Christine-Girl.  YOU MADE IT!  I loved your little engine that could comments!

Pregnant in Alabama- I miss hearing from you. Thanks for staying with me through both blogs.

Michelle- Thanks for reading my ramblings everyday.  I hope you and Courtney are doing great and still BFing too!

To Diana B.  Thanks for sticking with me Momma! I hope you also survived the BF learning curve and get that beautiful gummy smile all day long now!

Holly D. Thanks for you encouraging comments!

To Kristen- I hope your little breech came into this world ass first and smiling like Ollie did! Thanks for staying with me!

To Amy- Thanks for reading and your great tips! 

To Seashell- Soon we will drop the inner tube… Thanks for reading and relating! 

To The Leighton’s, Julie, Tooshy, Shelby, FTM@27, Amw90, Samantha, Laura, Cathy, Joss, Natalie, Maylin, Nadia, Cindy M., Jessica,  Jen, Felicia M., Jess, Hpets80, Maks Mom, braillebrains, Anna, Kim, Amy, Carrie, Victoria, Ines, Jami, Nurse Fox, Grumpy Prego, Lielie, Blackbeard, Queenerika, Katryn Griffith and all of you wonderful ladies and gents that commented under Anonymous, THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading, leaving comments, sticking with me and becoming a special part of this journey.  To anyone I may have forgotten, forgive me, and THANK YOU!  Between both Blogs I have over 1500 comments, and still get over 600 views a day. Amazing, no way could I be here without all of you!

Another great thing worth mentioning is the world wide platform the blogs have. Everyday I receive hundreds of views from around the world.  My top five countries include the USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.  I also want to mention a big Thank You to the readers from Singapore, Germany, China, Japan and the Philippines, I see all of you out there reading daily, your numbers may not be as large as the top five, but you still mean so much. I love the fact that we get to hear the prospectives and tips from mothers around the world.  I truly feel honored to have all of you reading the blog everyday.  

And finally to my wonderful husband, thank you for your encouragement and sitting by quietly everyday while I wrote these blogs. I love you. 

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

April

NO Regrets!

“If I had my child to raise all over again,
I’d finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I’d do less correcting, and more connecting.
I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less, and know to care more.
I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.
I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I’d run through more fields, and gaze at more stars.
I’d do more hugging, and less tugging.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I’d build self esteem first, and the house later.
I’d teach less about the love of power, and more about the power of love.”
― Diane Loomans


Please do not let this happen to you...

Baby-Led Weaning – the Simpleton Edition

(It is with great excitement that I get to present today's post by Guest Blogger, Mrs. Loquacious, author of, The Loquacious Family!  She is one of my very favorite Mommy bloggers, a childhood development specialist and a modern day pioneer for Baby-Led Weaning.  I find this concept very interesting and have begun feeding Ollie snacks using this method. I asked Mrs. Loquacious to share her understanding and experience with us today.  Enjoy!)

Baby-Led Weaning – the Simpleton Edition

In my adventures as a new momma with a slightly crunchy bent, I’ve been consulting with Dr. Google on how to introduce solid foods to my 5-month old in the most natural, granola-y, and developmentally appropriate way possible.

Which led me to this “revolutionary” idea called Baby-Led Weaning.  I use parentheses because the truth is, there is nothing new under the sun, and BLW is actually what was practiced by mommas all over the globe prior to the invention of jarred baby mush and kitchen appliances like blenders and food processors.  So really, it’s not new at all.  It’s just new again, much like how breastfeeding sort of fell out of vogue when infant formula was created, and is only now (in the past decade or so) getting back into prominence.  

Anyway, what is BLW? If you Google it, you’ll come across Gill Rapley’s name, an informative Wiki page, and tons of very useful sites with info and recipes and tips, so I’ll let you just go ahead and do that on your free time (ha! What free time?).  Exactly.  So here it is in a nutshell: 

• Baby eats what you eat (real food - no mush!) but in smaller, softer, unsalted finger-food-sized pieces
• Baby feeds herself (I’ll use the feminine since my baby’s a girl) without parents feeding her
• Baby learns to chew before she learns to swallow (the opposite of what occurs when baby eats purees and learns to swallow first)
• Baby explores all sorts of food flavours, textures, smells and colours and develops a diverse palate for (hopefully) different kinds of healthy food
• Baby approaches food as a fun exploratory activity rather than as nourishment for the first year of life, and eventually develops a healthy attitude towards eating that seems to minimize the risk of obesity

Yeah, I know.  Sounds kind of hokey and non-intuitive at first, no? I thought so, too.  (And BTW, I am by no means an expert on this; I’ve just been spending a lot of my “free” time reading about it over the past few weeks, so here’s my two cents, for what it’s worth).  But in keeping with my slightly-crunchy perspective on child-rearing, it made sense to me to “teach” her to chew before swallowing.  That is actually one of the critiques of the puree-first approach: babes learn to swallow from a spoon before they learn to chew, so when “solids” (aka Stage 2 foods) are introduced, many infants will want to swallow without chewing first, resulting in a choking hazard.  Not so with BLW, since the wee one needs to actually do some sort of chewing to get the food into her mouth in the first place.

In fact, Baby Loquacious hasn’t choked on her food yet, despite shoving a giant piece of MumMum cracker into her mouth.  I was worried when half a wedge of her orange also disappeared between her lips, so I went in to try and fish it out.  Baby L clamped down and wouldn’t let me get very far, so half of that piece stayed inside her mouth.  She promptly swallowed it, without choking or gagging or anything (and keep in mind, this is a pulpy piece of orange – she must have really gummed it up well).  She did gag slightly when she gummed off a larger piece of banana, but again she swallowed that chunk within seconds, averting crisis and the need for the Heimlich.

BLW suggests beginning to introduce solids at 6 months, but we started at 5 because Baby L told us she was ready.  How? Well, she is strong enough to sit up.  She stops, stares, drools, mimics chewing and then gives us the stink eye whenever we eat in front of her without sharing.  And the other day, while Hubbs was talking with a yam fry in his hand, she actually reached out and stole it from him, shoving it straight into her mouth.  

We’ve already given her avocado, oranges, MumMum crackers, strawberries, lasagna (pasta only), yam fries, toast, bananas, spinach, and steamed carrots.  We’ll soon be offering her steamed broccoli, steamed zucchini, and peaches. 

The biggest weakness of BLW, I think, is the mess factor.  Letting your baby feed herself is like inviting a tornado to tear through your dining area.  There is food everywhere, in her hair, on her clothes, in cracks and crevices of the floor and the high chair, on the walls, on you… so it’s not for the super clean freaks out there.  You pretty much sign up for nightly baby baths and high chair scrub-downs if you decide to go the BLW route. 

But is it fun? Heck yeah.  Baby L has totally enjoyed sitting at the dining table and eating when we eat, making a big ol’ mess all the while.  LOL!).  

Anyway, I’m pretty sold on BLW even though I know that it is a pretty radical shift from the “conventional” approach, and probably doesn’t sit well with all those baby food manufacturers out there.  Very little research exists to support the puree-first method, and only a handful of studies on BLW (all of the ones I’ve seen have been favourable) have been done.  But as with all mommas, in the end it’s not the research or the reviews that sway me (nor you); it’s my own gut feeling, and this gut is telling me that BLW is the way to go. 

     

How much sleep does a baby need?

Now that Oliver is approaching six-months-old, I am noticing a more defined 24-hour sleep pattern developing.  From newborn to 3 months, I just followed his cues for when to put him down for naps and bedtime. At three months old I began trying to create a “nighttime routine,” and finally got that to stick at around four months.  However, napping was all over the place, and would only happen when Ollie yawned, tugged his ear or his little eyes got red.  Now, at 5 ½ months, a proper sleep pattern is emerging and it’s wonderful!

The following is a chart that is universally agreed on by Oliver’s pediatrician, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Baby Centre, and WebMD.

In my experience with Oliver, as a newborn, he was closer to 20 hours of sleep a day, but the rest of the chart is spot on, so far.  If he didn’t sleep 9-10 hours at night, he would make up for it in naps. Today with naps plus nighttime sleep, he is right on the 15-hour mark.

He has been on his nighttime routine for nearly 2 months now and follows it very well, in terms of going to sleep of course.  When, and how much, he wakes up during the night is completely random.  He is in bed by 7:30, and will wake 1-2 times before getting up for the day, which is between 6:30-7am--baring all growth spurts, teething issues and just plain bad nights.

The clear pattern that is emerging is his naps.  I read that if you put a baby down around the same time every day for a nap, he will become accustomed to it, and fall right to sleep. Since he is following his nighttime routine and waking around the same time every day, his naps are following right along.  He takes his first nap between 9-9:30 and sleeps for 1-2 hours.  His second nap is around 2 and lasts for ½ hour-2 hours. If his second nap is short he will take a catnap around 4:30.

Of course, as we all know, babies change their patterns regularly, but hopefully, we will maintain this type of routine for two more months. Since he is still not sleeping through the night, meaning he is not sleeping without waking at all for 10-11 hours, I don’t know what that will mean for his nap schedule once he does.

I was so worried that Oliver was sleeping too much as a newborn, but was quickly assured it was necessary. My doctor explained how important sleep was for a baby’s growth and development. For that reason, I make Oliver’s nap and nighttime routine my very first priority, with feeding and playtime following close behind. As much as I love the idea of this clear 24-hour sleep schedule we have, I will still follow Oliver’s cues above all else.  

How Many of Us Are...

I know I’ve said it a bunch of times already, but being a new mom is not easy! When I'm particularly stressed out or feeling sorry for myself, I try to remember that I'm not alone, other people have survived theses same “new mommy” moments. 

For example, last night while attempting to nurse a fussy baby--that would latch on for two minutes, then turn his head 180 degrees with my nipple still on his mouth, REPEATEDLY--instead of crying, I had a bout of psychotic laughter, then thought how many of us are going through this right now this very minute? At 6 million babies born in the States each year alone, and when you factor in the world… No way am I the only one at 3:30am having my nipple ripped off!

What can I say? It’s true, misery does love company. I throw a big fat pity party in my head, and think of all the people I can invite by imagining…

At this very moment, how many of us are…

1. Trying to nurse a teething baby, who is hungry, but for some friggin reason is just not interested in eating.

2. Changing a diaper blowout at 4am and geting peed on.

3. Trying to pump just 5 ounces in less than 4 hours. (SO annoying)

4. Still begging their 5-month old baby to please consistently sleep through the night.

5. Lying in bed at 6:30 in the morning, praying to God that your baby will change his mind and go back to sleep.

6. Secretly wishing for a weekend spa getaway, ALONE, to just sleep in silence.

7. Still fighting the war on pregnancy weight loss at 6 months postpartum… in maternity clothes no less.

8. Thinking that the promise of, “breastfeeding will help with weight loss,” is total bullshit!

9. Still want to punch their husband. In the face. Very hard. (Damn hormones. ; p)

10. Picking up baby toys for the hundredth time, only to get them right back out the next day.

11. Suffering from chronic back pain, due leaning over the crib, lifting a fat wet baby out of the bathtub, bouncing, rocking, holding and carrying the buddle of fat joy.

12. Starring at the bedroom ceiling at 1 o’clock in the morning, because they cannot fall asleep…  after spending the entire freaking day dreaming of sleep. It’s crap! I know the ceiling of my bedroom better than my own damn face! I need sleep training.

13. Wish the Super Nanny would turn up at the front door, ready to train dad to be a super nanny, while you sleep like a baby the whole week.

I could seriously go on and on with this list.  I love being a mom I do… BUT…. I just need a freaking break sometimes.  My only problem is that I am too much of a control freak to let go and go out and enjoy myself.  I keep thinking that one day I will not care, call up one of my family members, scream MAYDAY, and go out for a few hours...