Breastfeeding Update

I didn't want to only document the hard stuff so I thought I would do an update on our breastfeeding.

Basically, the struggle is over.  Things are going really well and have been for some time!  There are no more nursing strikes, no more breast refusal (the baby is always willing to nurse), no more pulling off and crying (though we do pull off to stare at pretty things these days -- distractable baby!)

I've been taking domperidone for two and half months and my supply has evened out.  I have plenty of milk for the baby throughout the day and night... but he does still need an evening bottle.  He takes about 2.5oz before bed.

Bah, breastfeeding advocates will say, that's such a miniscule amount.  You must only be doing that for convenience.

That's what I would think.  But the fact of the matter is, I have tried multiple times to wean him off this last bottle.  He doesn't get cranky or fuss or cry, so it's certainly not a convenience issue.  The fact is, he can go a day or two on breastmilk alone.  But by the third day he is ravenous.  He nurses nonstop (with no swallowing) and just can't get enough milk.  So I break down and give him a bottle and he positively chugs 4oz in one go.

Clearly, while 2.5oz isn't much in a single day, doing without it every day is just slightly less calories than my growing boy needs.  So the lack of calories adds up and a few days into it he's starving.

I figured out this pattern last month.  Since then, I have accepted the fact that my baby is almost completely breastfed but really does need that last little bit.  If my right breast had more milk producing glands I would be able to make up a 2.5oz difference easily.  But as things stand, I'm just slightly short of the goal of exclusively breastfeeding.

I'm ok with that.

I'm proud of how far we've come, he and I.  Our breastfeeding relationship was so rocky and full of frustration (for both of us, I'm sure) that to have this easy, playful, bonding time now means the world to me.  I'm grateful for what we have and I'm not asking for anything more.

I believe breastfeeding is vitally important, physically and emotionally, for both mommies and babies.  Choosing formula is anyone's right and it doesn't make them bad mothers.  Their children will still grow up healthy and happy.  But it does make me sad on their behalf for the precious experience they and their children will miss out on.

Funny thing: lately he loves to grab my nose and hang onto it while he nurses. It is hilarious.

Stripping

No, I haven't taken up a new career.

I mean stripping diapers.

For some reason when I began cloth diapering I ignored all this talk about stripping. I didn't know what strange things other people were doing with their diapers but I was sure I wouldn't need to strip mine any time soon.

Fast forward two months.

I'm not sure which change caused the problem. We moved, so we have slightly harder water and a new HE washer. We switched detergent... but is it the new detergent (Country Save) or is it that the new low residue detergent has loosened all the gunk leftover from when I used a Free and Clear brand? Is it too much detergent or not enough? And what is that smell, anyway? It's not ammonia or barnyard. It's just... musty. I suspect a possible buildup of urea? But wouldn't that lead to ammonia? Its most definitely not ammonia.

Oh dear.

The laundry situation is definitely the most confusing part about using cloth.

So I decided to strip my diapers. My first attempt failed utterly but this time around I seem to have gotten it. The diapers smell fresh and clean. So I decided to write down my stripping method because, knowing me, I won't remember the next time I need it.

First I did a deep clean with Tide Ultra (in case it was a not clean enough problem.) Rinse. Hot wash with 1 squirt of Dawn and 1/3 cup of bleach. Rinse, rinse. Overnight baking soda soak. 1/2 cup vinegar rinse. Rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse... so many suds were coming off. It was amazing. Maybe that baking soda soak really loosened deep residue. Anyway, I rinsed the whole day until I didn't see any more soap. Tumble dry.

Fresh diapers.

It's a real pain in the ass though and I hate to see what it does to my electric bill. So hopefully I only have to do it every few months.

Grammy's House

We really enjoy visiting Grammy's house.  She always gets a huge smile out of the baby.  Plus she feeds us and lets us sit on the swing in her garden.  Today there was a gentle breeze and we had a nap on the swing.

I've been threatening her with making a Pinterest for her for a while.  She has a definite interior design touch.

Happy 4th of July!

We spent a low key holiday at the park and at grammy's house.

Happy 4th of July!

Blog Change

I decided to change the title of my blog. 

The old title is too clinical and really doesn't describe what this blog is all about.  It's not about a parenting method.  It's about the life I'm trying to build with my son. 

But I can't think of anything good.

Hmmm...

How Can He Be This Big Already?

My little man is getting so big these days.

We just bought a highchair and he is enjoying sitting in it with a favorite toy and watching while we eat dinner. 

He's also quite interested in toys and blowing spit bubbles on mama's neck.

He has learned to arch his back when I'm trying to change his diaper or put him in the carseat.

Speaking of carseats, he was too tall for his infant carseat and has now graduated to a big boy Graco convertible.  He looks a lot more comfortable in this style... but SO BIG!

He has begun to (loudly) express himself when something displeases him.

He is wearing 6-9 month onesies and 12 month pants.

He loves to move his feet (walk) while I hold him by the arms.  He will direct me where he wants to go.  (Usually to his toys or on adventure clear across the room.)

He adores naked time.  He lays on a sheet with some toys and kicks around there for a half hour at a time, happy as a lark.

He is finally enjoying tummy time.  He wriggles like a worm and actually manages to move about a foot in any direction.  I'm very glad that I followed my instincts and held off on "enforcing" tummy time when he was younger.  Neither he nor I was ready for tummy time at one month old!  He hated it.  He loves it now.  He has hit all his developmental milestones without forcing him to do something he was not ready for.

He has found his knees.  He pats them.  Next up: feet.

He loves books.  He sits in my lap and we read six (short) books a night before bed.  His favorite is Dr. Seuss "The Things You Can Think."

Every day with him is more of a blessing than anything I ever expected in life.

Little Routines

As we settle into our new home, we also settle into a routine of sorts. Anything can happen during the afternoons but our mornings and evenings have a rhythm to them.

In the evening, once we finish dinner dishes, its time to play with toys. Then we read books, have our evening bottle, and a bath. Then jammies and bedtime.

Our mornings start with a little snuggling in bed, then the baby sits in his bouncy chair with a favorite toy (a cow rattle) while I shower. I am so grateful for a baby who lets me shower! Both of us are dressed, we come downstairs so he can sit in his swing and play with toys while I have coffee and breakfast.

Its a simple routine that works for us... that is, unless the baby wakes up at 4 in the morning with a leaking diaper. I changed him and cuddled up to him again, thinking he would go back to sleep. No such luck this time. To his credit, he's a happy baby in the wee small hours, and he let me sleep off and on (more off than on) until 8. If you can call it sleep.

So this morning instead of a shower and getting dressed, I wrapped my naked baby i na Winnie the Pooh blanket and stumbled downstairs for coffee first thing. At first he seemed bewildered by this change but he's going with the flow (babies are good at that.)

So much for starting church this week. I can't wait for our morning nap!

my little monkey

breakfast while working

on meal plans

he loves that giraffe