Hello!
So I have been thinking about getting hunters schedule down for reference and in case anyone else cared. I know that personally when we were attempting to get Bug on a schedule it helped to see & know what others were doing with their little ones at the same stage!
But anyways, I know some people don't believe in schedules and I really didn't either. I didn't like anything that had a parent dictated approach. It just wasn't for us. However, we did want some sort of structure and right about the time we decided we would start trying we quickly realized that hunter had taken care of it! He gad really put himself on a schedule. It goes a little something like this:
Anywhere from 7-8:00 we wake up. Hunter gets a 6 oz bottle and we start paying. Usually just on my bed for awhile. Once I am ready to venture out of our room for coffee or to start cleaning, we start "stations". This is basically putting on his play mat, then his exer saucer his bound to watch tv while I float around the house cleaning and talking to him about god knows what! Sometimes I even throw in a good dance or two :) Hunter might be the only one who loves that!
Then it's usually nap time. We aren't quite at the stage where I can just put him down so I rock him for the most part. This is normally around 11:00. On a good day he sleeps for 2 hours and then we wake up, eat anotger 6 0z bottle and start playing again. Sometimes we throw in a walk or we can run our errands.
He goes down for a second nap about 3-4:00 for another blessed 2 hours while I start dinner, get decent for when Brock gets home, and other really awesome housewife duties :) Then it's dinner and we like to eat it together if hunter allows that. Now that he is eating too it both easier and harder in different aspects.
Bath time follows and that's a big hit at our house. Then a massage with bedtime lotion. Sometimes Brock takes him around the house saying goodnight to everything but usually he just settles hunter and himself into the rocker and he feeds him while I read goodnight moon and usually one other story. By this time Baby Bugs eyes are heavy and he is ready for bed. After a kiss goodnight, and a couple extra because we can't decide who should get to kiss him last, we put him down. Turn on his sleep sheep, cover him up and he's good till morning.
We really are blessed with a wonderful baby. I couldn't ask for more!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Breastfeeding Awareness
In honor of breastfeeding awareness month I thought I would share our breastfeeding journey. The good, the bad, and the ouch!
First things first. My sweet hunter was only about 30 minutes old (due to the c-section) when he and I nursed for the first time. My husband was in the room, and my best friend who is also hunters godmother. I was holding him when he cried, really cried and for a second I was in shock. Holy cow, this kid is mine and it's my job to figure out why he is crying and take care of it! So the nurse looked at me and asked me if I was nursing.
*sidenote* It was always my plan to breastfeed. I am not La Leche, I don't knock formula. In fact, as you'll read later I implemented it as well. It was my thinking though that I would try because it was the only natural thing to do and we would see how it went. If I could, and hunter would we would nurse. If not I wouldn't beat myself up and we would give formula. And c'mon, it's free!!
Back to the nurse, she asked me if I was nursing and I said yes, but the bewildered look on my face must have told her that I had no clue what I was doing. She gave me hunter, placed him and let me try to figure it out and amazingly, I did!!! I was doing it! I was a mom of a beautiful baby boy and I was feeding him. It was such a special moment!
For the 72 hours I was in the hospital we continued to nurse, never opting for formula because my little piggy was always eating and my milk came in fast. We did have a latch problem though. Hunter was severely tounge tied and his pediatrician said he needed it clipped, but we kept on trying. Another problem was that every single nurse that came in my room had their own opinions. And bless their hearts, they had no problem getting right in there! && by that I mean hands on, no permission, getting in there! Which was good & bad. The consensus was that we were doing fantastic so I was proud. So on our 3rd day post csection they sent us home & no one and no reading material prepared us for that.
Hunter was an eating machine. Every hour, sometimes twice in the hour. I wasn't sleeping. Brock wasn't sleeping. To top it off I was experiencing pain like I had never felt before. With the bad latch it was even worse. The breast feeding consultants said it had to be clipped and also said I had over active letdown, so I was basically drowning hunter. Around week two I was about to give up, Brock wanted me to keep going but it was one of those moments I wanted to kill him! He just had no idea. But it was him saying that and my stubbornness that kept me going. I kept saying, just make it to four weeks and you can stop. But slowly it got easier. Hunter was finally getting on schedule and was sleeping more. We also started the bottle so that others could feed him and that helped tremendously.
Long story short we added formula as well because hunter was always so hungry and my milk just didn't have the substance he needed to stay full and satisfied. I kept nursing thinking some a day was better than none. Here we are at four months and we nurse sometimes at night, sometimes early in the morning and sometimes none at all. There is so much I would say I loved. It was such a special thing that only I could do. That was the best. Then there was the added knowledge that I was giving my son the best possible form of food. It didn't cost a thing and did (as promised) become second nature, I would even say easy. But there were downfalls. I was a prisoner to my sons hunger. Although I had no problem nursing if covered in public, it wasnt always that easy. When an infant wants a meal, they want it NOW!! It hurts, more than almost anything you'll ever feel. It is time and energy consuming.
All of those things aside I will try with all subsequent children and pray it works. If it doesn't, I'll grab some formula and do whatever it takes to keep my children full, and happy. That to me is the most important part anyways. So although I advocate breastfeeding I don't push it! I am a get it done kind of momma, no matter what that may entail!
First things first. My sweet hunter was only about 30 minutes old (due to the c-section) when he and I nursed for the first time. My husband was in the room, and my best friend who is also hunters godmother. I was holding him when he cried, really cried and for a second I was in shock. Holy cow, this kid is mine and it's my job to figure out why he is crying and take care of it! So the nurse looked at me and asked me if I was nursing.
*sidenote* It was always my plan to breastfeed. I am not La Leche, I don't knock formula. In fact, as you'll read later I implemented it as well. It was my thinking though that I would try because it was the only natural thing to do and we would see how it went. If I could, and hunter would we would nurse. If not I wouldn't beat myself up and we would give formula. And c'mon, it's free!!
Back to the nurse, she asked me if I was nursing and I said yes, but the bewildered look on my face must have told her that I had no clue what I was doing. She gave me hunter, placed him and let me try to figure it out and amazingly, I did!!! I was doing it! I was a mom of a beautiful baby boy and I was feeding him. It was such a special moment!
For the 72 hours I was in the hospital we continued to nurse, never opting for formula because my little piggy was always eating and my milk came in fast. We did have a latch problem though. Hunter was severely tounge tied and his pediatrician said he needed it clipped, but we kept on trying. Another problem was that every single nurse that came in my room had their own opinions. And bless their hearts, they had no problem getting right in there! && by that I mean hands on, no permission, getting in there! Which was good & bad. The consensus was that we were doing fantastic so I was proud. So on our 3rd day post csection they sent us home & no one and no reading material prepared us for that.
Hunter was an eating machine. Every hour, sometimes twice in the hour. I wasn't sleeping. Brock wasn't sleeping. To top it off I was experiencing pain like I had never felt before. With the bad latch it was even worse. The breast feeding consultants said it had to be clipped and also said I had over active letdown, so I was basically drowning hunter. Around week two I was about to give up, Brock wanted me to keep going but it was one of those moments I wanted to kill him! He just had no idea. But it was him saying that and my stubbornness that kept me going. I kept saying, just make it to four weeks and you can stop. But slowly it got easier. Hunter was finally getting on schedule and was sleeping more. We also started the bottle so that others could feed him and that helped tremendously.
Long story short we added formula as well because hunter was always so hungry and my milk just didn't have the substance he needed to stay full and satisfied. I kept nursing thinking some a day was better than none. Here we are at four months and we nurse sometimes at night, sometimes early in the morning and sometimes none at all. There is so much I would say I loved. It was such a special thing that only I could do. That was the best. Then there was the added knowledge that I was giving my son the best possible form of food. It didn't cost a thing and did (as promised) become second nature, I would even say easy. But there were downfalls. I was a prisoner to my sons hunger. Although I had no problem nursing if covered in public, it wasnt always that easy. When an infant wants a meal, they want it NOW!! It hurts, more than almost anything you'll ever feel. It is time and energy consuming.
All of those things aside I will try with all subsequent children and pray it works. If it doesn't, I'll grab some formula and do whatever it takes to keep my children full, and happy. That to me is the most important part anyways. So although I advocate breastfeeding I don't push it! I am a get it done kind of momma, no matter what that may entail!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Starting over & Eating clean
So as previously mentioned, Brock and I are starting to really change our lifestyle. In the past my idea of dieting has been to cut out carbs, or maybe dramatically reduce my calorie intake and expect results. Sure enough, that first week is mind blowing! We're talking like 10 lbs gone! Wait though,that's where the good news ends and bad news takes over! A soon as you take that first bite of bread or pasta, you gain it all back plus some extra. Wham bam thank you ma'am, and it's game over. Then I feel discouraged and guilty and I give up. Well this time I decided there would be no more yo-young for me or for my family. Brock and I owe it to Hunter to be as healthy as we an possibly be! So I began researching (and still am). I found this blog and loved her approach. Then I called an old friend from high school who does some personal training and nutrition coaching. We started out doing intervals one Tuesday night. Walk two minutes, run thirty seconds for a thirty minute block of time. It killed me because my body as just not used to being pushed like that but I as hooked. I drug Brock he next night and then my brother and sister in laws the next night! I loved that feeling I got when I completed something!
I really am starting to crave a good workout and it's only been a week! We went for a two mile hike Saturday morning and that feeling at the lookout was awesome! && to do it with my husband/best friend is the icing on the cake!
To round out our new plan we have decided to eat clean. Which has a definition that seems to vary from person to person. We define it as living as close to the earth as possible. Organic can become expensive but with a little work I think I can make it happen! I am slowly introducing new, cleaner foods into my fridge and pantry as wella s household and personal items. It is definitely a work in progress but so worth it. The couple pounds I've lost, that's great; but the overall feeling of energy and wellness I feel is even better!!
Stay tuned for recipes and tips and tricks! As I learn, I'll share!
I really am starting to crave a good workout and it's only been a week! We went for a two mile hike Saturday morning and that feeling at the lookout was awesome! && to do it with my husband/best friend is the icing on the cake!
To round out our new plan we have decided to eat clean. Which has a definition that seems to vary from person to person. We define it as living as close to the earth as possible. Organic can become expensive but with a little work I think I can make it happen! I am slowly introducing new, cleaner foods into my fridge and pantry as wella s household and personal items. It is definitely a work in progress but so worth it. The couple pounds I've lost, that's great; but the overall feeling of energy and wellness I feel is even better!!
Stay tuned for recipes and tips and tricks! As I learn, I'll share!
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