Eating, Drinking and Exercise Habits - Baby #2

I thought I'd compare my health habit similarities and differences (those that I can remember anyway) between being pregnant with Baby #1 and Baby #2, as a written record for myself as well as for other mommies out there to think back to what they may have noticed as a difference between pregnancies.  Maybe you can relate!  Or maybe I just need to gain some motivation and self control.

Our Facebook announcement photo back in May.

Exercise

Baby #1:  Pre-getting-pregnant with Delano, I was a running fool.  Between September and December of 2011 (when I found out I was pregnant), I had completed 4 half marathons.  By the time I ran my first half in September, I was in the best shape that I had been in since probably high school.  Once I found out I was pregnant, I kept on running, completing two more half marathons (back to back, at that) in January.  After January I took a break from the half marathons but continued to run on my own several days a week as well as sign up for shorter races.  My plan was to run until I hit the 8-month mark.....my sciatic nerve decided that I could have until 7 months.  After 7 months, I did a little bit of water aerobics and a lot of mall walking, but nothing extensive.  I never touched my prenatal Jazzercise DVD or even looked into prenatal yoga.

** My plan after having Delano was to start running again and work myself back up to half marathon status as soon as I could.

Right before the Mississippi Blues Half Marathon in Jackson, Mississippi.  About 6 weeks pregnant.

Right before the First Light Half Marathon in Mobile, Alabama, the very next morning.

Baby #2:  I look at my exercise habits during Baby #1 and I just think, HAHAHAHAHA!!!  Yes, I take Delano out for walks in his stroller all the time, and yes, I've taken him out in the jogger for some runs.  I even ran the Turkey Trot 8k with the jogger last November.  And I DID run the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans this past February.  But I was NOT fully ready for it and it was HARD.  My finish time wasn't all that bad, but my entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck by the time it was over.  Since finding out I was pregnant with Baby #2 in April, I have barely run AT ALL, and almost all of those times have been on the treadmill while Delano was napping.  And I would usually only get a mile or so in before my calves would be on fire.  The last time I ran, I ended up with a really sore butt muscle that seemed to be attached to my sciatic nerve.  So right around the 4-months pregnant mark, I stopped running.  I still take Delano for walks in the stroller, but hills of any kind WEAR ME OUT (which isn't really saying much since my own stairs wear me out).  It's as if I've never worked out my legs before.  It's quite discouraging.  BUT I also know that a huge factor in my whole exercise routine is that I have a child to take care of this time around, which I didn't have before.  That's a game changer right there.

** My plan after having Baby #2 is the same as before - get out the jogger (now a double jogger) and get back into shape!!  I know it's only going to be even HARDER to make it happen with two babies to deal with, but hopefully I can make it work.  Other mothers do it......why can't I???  I'll have to pick a race to sign up for so that I have a set and PAID FOR goal.

Right before the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans this past February.  Delano was 6 months old.  I was pregnant again a month later!  And obviously that's a good shirt for races.

Eating

Baby #1:  Without going back and reading through my online journal (how I kept track of things in my pre-blog days), I can remember that during my first trimester, I ate a LOT of junk.  Granted, it didn't help that my first trimester fell over the Christmas holidays and the cold months of January and February.  This factor, along with being pregnant in general, gave me the "leeway" to slack off on my former healthy eating habits.  I ate what I wanted.  But once I reached my second trimester, I shifted gears.  I still didn't eat as healthy as I did during my race training days, but I ate a LOT of fruit.  I constantly bought fresh fruit - especially blueberries, blackberries and raspberries - all the time.  I often ate plates of fruit and Greek yogurt for breakfast, and a sandwich with a side of fruit for lunch.  Dinners were typically pretty healthy, since we cook at home usually 4-5 days a week.  I also followed the guidelines for pregnant eating (no raw fish, no soft cheeses, no cold deli meat, etc) pretty closely, though I did eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches pretty regularly.  I didn't crave sweets or anything in insane portions like some women do!

Ok so maybe this was an exception to a fruit plate......

Baby #2:  So I'm currently in my second trimester with Baby #2.....21 weeks along tomorrow.....and my eating habits this time around have been crap crap crap!!!  Since I never really got back into "great" eating habits after Delano was born, my junkie eating habits have just continuously carried themselves into this pregnancy.  The fruit never showed up in the second trimester.  Sure, I buy fruit and eat it occasionally (especially grapes), but nowhere near like I did the first time around.  My breakfast typically consists of cereal (delicious sugary cereal), and lunch ranges from random eats at the house to eating out.  I've also been eating a LOT of sweets this time around, something I didn't really do the first time, even when I was eating junk food.  Give me a tub of icing and a spoon and I've got an afternoon snack for a few days.  I actually CRAVE it around 3:00.  How unhealthy is that??  And you can FORGET my morals of not eating "unhappy" meat while eating out.....those morals flew out the window after Delano was born.  I do still stick pretty closely to the "do not eat this while pregnant" list, though certain occasional exceptions (like feta cheese on a Greek salad) happen.  And we do still cook a pretty healthy dinner at home 4-5 times a week.  But it all does make me realize that after Baby #2 gets here, I have GOT to change my current eating habits if I want to get back into pre-Baby #1 shape!!  That's why you see a lot of I-need-to-get-back-into-shape blog posts from me.

I couldn't find any foodie pics from this pregnancy to post, but here's me serving up cake at Delano's birthday party almost two weeks ago.  And yes, I ate cake.  Both kinds.  Among other things.

Drinking

Baby #1:  Drinking lots of water is stressed a lot for everyone nowadays, but especially for those who sweat a lot (work out, work outside, etc) and/or are pregnant.  And I definitely did my part when it came to water consumption!  But I've been in the habit of drinking a lot of water for years.  What really helped get me into that habit was to always have bottles of water ready to go in the fridge.  And I don't mean that I buy case after case of "new" water like some people do (TOTAL waste of money AND plastic), I use a water filter or the fridge filter to refill my current bottles over and over again.  These make it really easy to grab something cold and healthy to drink, especially if you're on your way out the door.  So making sure I was drinking plenty of water was never an issue.  I don't drink coffee, so I didn't have to wean myself from that habit.  (P.S. Did you know that some studies lately say it's okay for pregnant women to drink up to 4 cups of coffee PER DAY???  That just doesn't sound right to me at all!!)  My family never had sodas or anything like that in the fridge growing up, so that was never a habit of mine, either.  So at home and on the go with Baby #1 I drank water, and while out to lunch or dinner I drank sweet tea (since I didn't make it at home and my doctor wasn't concerned about me drinking sweet tea in the least bit).  I would very occasionally crave an icy cold Mountain Dew from Taco Bell (for whatever reason they have THE BEST Mountain Dew there), so I would go get one.  Yes, that's a lot of caffeine at once for a pregnant lady, but since I rarely had caffeine anyway, it was fine.  And it satisfied my craving, which was key.

I also occasionally had a glass of wine or a beer while pregnant with Delano.  Some of you reading this (girls AND guys) just became appalled at that admittance, while others thought THANK YOU.  And I totally understand those who are appalled, especially those who have never been pregnant, because I used to be you.  I scoffed at any pregnant woman with a drink in her hand, because that's what you do.  It is completely socially unacceptable for a pregnant woman to have a drink.  But during my pregnant-and-learning phase (via research and conversations with other mothers and what not), I became comfortable with the occasional beverage.  And by "occasional" I mean VERY occasional.  Not even remotely close to the "3-7 glasses a week, spread out to no more than once a day" that have been deemed okay in some studies.  I might have had a glass every 2-3 weeks, and that's even a maybe.  And I definitely would make it worth my while, making it last as long as possible!  P.S.  I have no problems with women who don't touch a drop of alcohol while pregnant (good for you!!) and I have huge issues with women who drink on the regular while pregnant.

Classy on ALL levels.

Baby #2:  My drinking habits with Baby #2 have been exactly the same as with Baby #1.  I still have water bottles on hand in the fridge at all times, I still typically opt for sweet tea while out, I still have the very occasional glass of wine or beer (though there is also O'Doul's Amber in the fridge) and I think I've had either 2 or 3 Mountain Dews so far this time around.  So all is well.....I didn't pick up any unwanted caffeine habits after having a baby (like coffee), nor did I become more "lax" with Baby #2 and become a pregnant lush.

So there you have it!  And speaking of food, I'm STARVING.........  ;)

Delano's One Year Appointment

Delano's 12-month checkup happened this past Monday.  All went well, but of course him getting his shots there at the end was as HEARTBREAKING as always.  I'm not one of those mothers who cries when their baby gets shots, but I can totally see why some do.  It's really really hard to watch your child scream in pain.  And drop big whoppers of tears.  The good part about shots is, they're over in no time.

As for his stats, Delano weighs 21 lbs 10 oz, is 28 3/4 inches long, and had a growth spurt over the last three months that gave him a boost on his growth chart.  The doctor was happy with everything about him.

Speaking of doctors.....I'm trying to decide if I want to switch doctors.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with my doctor - she's one of the nicest people on the face of the planet, and I know she knows what she's doing.  But at the same time, she's EXTREMELY textbook, and that's just really not my style.  I would recommend her to anyone looking for a doctor who wants that style.  But I grew up going to a pediatrician who was way more laid back and old school.  If your child wasn't doing exactly what the textbooks said they should be doing, she was a "don't worry about it and don't let anyone else make you worried about it" kind of doctor.  She wrote me a prescription for an Epi-Pen after I had a body-swelling bee sting occurrence without sending me to an allergist first because "obviously I was allergic to bees and didn't need to go through that whole awful process to find that out".  And Ibuprofen was the cure for everything - not multiple prescription drugs or unneeded surgeries.

That doctor passed away several years ago, as she was about 112 years old when I started going to her (she was the first doctor who put my DAD on a scale after he was born), but that's what I'm looking for.  I appreciate modern medicine and all of the information that we have out there now, and I DO get Delano vaccinated and I DO follow the majority of health and safety recommendations nowadays, but I don't want a doctor who's simply a walking textbook.  When my kids get older and have real issues, I want real life answers, not answers I could pull off of WebMD.

I still haven't posted pics from Delano's family birthday parties, but that's because I haven't gotten them together yet.  I didn't take very many myself, but some of the other family members got some shots.  So hopefully I'll get them organized together soon!  I also still need to take Delano's 12 month sticker/onesie pic (since I've got the sticker for it).  Maybe I'll get that done today.  Of course I've been saying that all week.  :)

20 Weeks! The Halfway Mark!

I'm at the halfway point with Baby #2!  20 weeks along today.  Let's compare bellies, shall we?

Today at 20 weeks.

Last year at 20 weeks.

Pretty similar, but still bigger this time.  And I think a little lower, maybe?  Now let's see at what week from last year I look like most.......

Here's 22 weeks from last year.  The shape of my belly is almost identical I think.  I'm just standing up a little straighter in this one.

So it looks like I'm slowly catching up to my last year's pregnant self.  I still haven't really gained all that much weight on the scale from where I started this time around, but it's definitely distributing itself differently.  Last year the added weight was ALL in my belly.  This time it's spreading around into my love handles and my "back handles".  Joy, right?  Right.  It's going to be a doozy finding the time to work those off with both a toddler and a newborn to take care of! 

Here are a couple of the ultrasound pics from today:

The spine is always cool.

This was the ONLY semi-face shot the baby would participate in today.  If you tilt your head to the right, you can see my scary baby who looks like he/she wants to eat your brains while you sleep.

My regular ultrasound technician wasn't there today, so I didn't get any freebie 3D pics.  Bummer.  I really love it when she's in charge of my ultrasounds!

Anyways.....I need to eat better.  I know, I know....I've said that a hundred times over the last almost two years (since I got pregnant the first time).  But I really do think about it all the time.  That's motivation at its best right there - thinking about what I want to achieve.  It's like how I think about how I want to get back into half marathon training mode after Baby #2 gets here.  In my mind, it all works out swimmingly.  I'll have a double jogger for when it's just me and the kiddos out on the Riverwalk, and I'll have my mom for the days when I run in her neighborhood.  And I've got the treadmill if BY CHANCE the kiddos happen to be napping at the same time at home (or after Daddy gets home).  So in theory, I should be able to get in AMAZING shape by next summer. 

My mental image of what I'll look like next Spring/Summer.  Minus the skirt.  I can't run in a skirt.  Or even shorts.  My thighs would set that bridge on fire.

But we all know that's likely going to be a lot more difficult than the theoretical scenario in my head.  Or maybe just take a whole lot longer to achieve.  Especially if Baby #2 is a nightmare.  Or Delano decides to turn into a nightmarish toddler.  I just simply won't know until the time comes.

So back to eating better.....I just need to do it.  The end.

But let's start tomorrow.  Those Doritos left over from Delano's birthday party are calling my name right now, since dinner tonight happened EARLY - almost 4 hours ago!  A pregnant woman can't go that long without eating, and the bowl of grapes in my fridge just isn't going to cut it.  ;)

I Have A One Year Old!!

My little punkin' is ONE!!!  So crazy that a year ago yesterday (7:56pm last night, actually), I was staring at this little face:

Who are you and where the heck am I??  WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED??!!

And that today I'm staring at THIS face:

I like to have him photographed with kitchen knives within reach.  They make good entry photos for those "Mom of the Year" awards.

 

We're in Nashville today for Delano's Simington family birthday party, and back in Chattanooga tomorrow for his Wallace family birthday party.  His Nashville party is themed Curious George, and his Chattanooga party is themed Sesame Street.  And instead of gifts, I requested that people bring either a savings bond or a donation for his savings account (great idea, Caitlin!).

Birthday pic photos to be posted after the weekend!

Personal Baby Products Review (Part One)!

As a soon-to-be new parent, you become ENGORGED in all the baby stuff that's out there.  Sometimes it's magical and enchanting, other times it's quite overwhelming and exhausting.  And it can become REALLY expensive if you let it.  Add to that other moms, family members, books and magazines telling you left and right what you need and what you don't need, what you'll use and what you won't use....and you're downright confused as to what you should buy or ask for.  People agree and disagree left and right over what you'll need and what you'll use, based on how they raised their baby (or what their baby liked).  And I'm no different, because I did have a baby and all.  There are things I felt I needed, things I actually used, things I haven't touched, things I didn't even bother to ask for and things I went back to the store to get because I realized I wanted or needed them.  

I thought I'd write a blog about what has worked for me.  I'm not telling any moms out there what THEY should use....I'm just posting about what I personally have used.  And I have also bought a lot of used items that some moms wouldn't let touch their child with a 10-foot pole (such as a crib and car seat).  And that's perfectly fine.  It was my decision and my discretion to buy these items used, and I did my research as well!

Reviewing baby products I've used will take more than one blog post (plus I need to write things down to talk about), so we'll start with a few of the "big ticket" items.  I don't really get into comparing different brands of any of this stuff (since I haven't used multiple brands of car seats or cribs or what not), just when I bought it, if I used it, if I liked it and if (in hindsight) I think I needed it.

Baby boutiques are super fun to browse on a non-overwhelming day!

Car Seat - This is probably the most important thing I bought, since I HAD to have it in order to leave the hospital with a baby.  You have no choice but to purchase (or be given) a car seat before the baby comes.  Car seats range in price from quarters to millions, depending on what brand you buy.  And you can start with the infant carrier (which most people do nowadays) or go straight into a convertible car seat (with no carrier).  You've got to figure out on your own what route you want to take towards getting your hands on a car seat, and how much you want to spend.  And I HIGHLY recommend you have it installed by someone who's certified, so that you can see exactly how it should be strapped into your car.  That part's free.  :)  In fact, here's a link to the blog where I gave car seat checkpoint info.  Enjoy.  Again.

Crib - I purchased a crib early on, in my first trimester.  I mean, when you think of having a baby, you think of getting a crib!  The reality was that Delano didn't start sleeping in his crib until he was 7 months old.  It didn't hurt to have the crib as a "storage unit" for baby gifts and what not for a while (plus I do love my crib), BUT I could have gotten away with not buying one for a LONG time.  So this was definitely something that could have waited.  But now he's in it and so it's definitely being used!

Delano's crib.

Stroller(s) - I had a stroller right from the get-go.  My car seat was part of a Graco travel system package which included the infant carrier car seat, stroller and car seat base (with an extra base tossed in).  Travel system strollers are bulky and heavy when being lifted in and out of the car.  And mine takes up quite a bit of space in the back of my car.  On the plus side to having a travel system stroller, I can lock my infant carrier directly into the stroller OR put the baby directly into the stroller seat, I have two cup holders and a place for my keys and cell phone up by the handle, and the basket underneath is nice and big for my diaper bag and also some shopping bags.  As bulky (and sometimes inconvenient) as this stroller is, I use it ALL the time because it's what I have.

My travel system.

A friend of mine has a Snap N Go stroller which she LOVES.  These are meant for infant carriers only, as they simply consist of a metal frame to lock a carrier into and a mesh basket on the bottom.  They weigh a whole lot less than a travel system stroller and they take up a whole lot less space as well.  If you go with a Snap N Go, you'll eventually need a second stroller when the baby graduates from riding in the infant carrier all the time, BUT you have the option of buying a stroller that's NOT part of a travel system and therefore will be lighter and leaner.  I got my stroller and car seat for an awesome deal ($60) so I would never trade what I paid for it for anything else, but had I gone a different route, knowing what I know now, I would have looked for a Snap N Go for the first several months and then graduated to something with a seat that was lightweight and more of a space-saver.

Snap N Go stroller with an infant carrier locked in.

Maybe something like this!  Though this is a Bugaboo...aka WAY out of my price range!

**I also have a jogging stroller (which was given to me) and an umbrella stroller, both of which I use on occasion.  The jogging stroller has a stationary front wheel, so it isn't meant to be used for anything other than jogging (unless you really want a good arm workout).  The umbrella stroller is FANTASTIC for crowded areas and quick trips, plus it weighs nothing at all and collapses like - hence the name - an umbrella.  But it has no basket for personal belongings and is meant for older babies and toddlers who can sit up nice and solid on their own.  Mine doesn't have a canopy for shade.  I've never used one with a canopy, so I don't know if it really makes a difference (and provides shade) or not, since umbrella stroller canopies are typically small.

This is the style that I have.  Simple.

Here's one (same style) with a typical canopy.

Here's one with a canopy that I think would definitely be effective.  But this one also looks more like a standard stroller, even though it's considered an umbrella stroller.  I highly doubt it collapses like an umbrella, but I could be wrong.

Bassinet - There are loads of different bassinet-like options out there for having the baby sleep in your room for the first days/weeks/months of their life.  Some people use bassinets, some use co-sleepers, some use Pack N Plays, some use baby hammocks......the list goes on.  Some people also sleep with the baby in their bed, which we didn't do.  That would have scared me to death.  I was given a Rock N Play from a friend who was no longer using it, and for me, it was pure magic.  I loved it, Delano loved it and it was super light and easy to travel with.  After Delano outgrew the Rock N Play, he moved into the Pack N Play.  I purchased a used Pack N Play before Delano was born.  Had I not been given the Rock N Play, I would have likely used the Pack N Play from the beginning.  But I actually ended up not needing the Pack N Play until Delano was about 6 months old, so that's another thing that I personally could have put on the back burner.  A Pack N Play is awesome in the sense that it's great as a bassinet option plus it's great as a traveling crib for your baby.  But just like a travel system stroller, a Pack N Play (even folded and packed) is bulky, takes up a good chunk of space in the closet/car and is a whole lot heavier than you think it would be.

Sound asleep in his Rock N Play.

Swing and Bouncy Seat -  I bought both a swing and a bouncy seat at two separate consignment sales before Delano was born, though I feel like these are things that could definitely have waited until after he was born.  OR, I could say that we didn't really need them at all.  The bouncy seat did end up getting used quite a bit.  It was perfect for "holding" Delano while I cooked, or cleaned, or folded laundry, or used the bathroom, or showered, etc....though I often waited to do these things until Delano was napping and I put him to bed in the Rock N Play anyway.  Delano had NO interest in being in the swing while awake, so he was only ever in it while he was napping.  So like I said, I really could have gotten away with not having either of these things since the Rock N Play weighs nothing and could be moved from room to room throughout the day without a hassle.  I'm hanging onto the swing and bouncy seat for Baby #2 just in case Baby #2 LOVES being in the swing, but once Baby #2 grows out of them (or if Baby #2 doesn't like them), they're outta here!  The bouncy seat isn't a big deal to store, but the swing is a space-taker-upper for sure, unless I want to disassemble it (which I don't, so it's just hanging out in the basement).

Changing Table - My changing table isn't really a changing table, though it kind of looks like one.  I think it's actually some sort of dining room piece.  It had been in my parents house for several years and I told them that I wanted to use it as a changing table when I had a baby.  I use my changing table (with a changing pad purchased from Babies R Us, though these ARE sold at consignment sales as well) ALL the time.  Some people don't - some people change their baby on the floor/couch/bed most of the time and don't hardly use a changing table at all (or may not even own one).  And this is perfectly fine because a changing table isn't all that necessary....but I definitely use mine.  But just like mine, it doesn't actually have to be a "changing table".  If there's a table or dresser or something else you really like that's the perfect size and height for changing diapers, then I say go for it.

My changing table.  I have a pic of it loaded up with changing table stuff, but I can't find it!

Rocking Chair/Glider/Recliner -  We have a glider chair (in the living room), two wooden rocking chairs (one in Delano's bedroom and one in the living room), and an old rocker/recliner (in the basement den), all of which are family heirlooms.  I have used them all to try to sooth the baby (and still use the rocking chair in the living room frequently), but for those middle-of-the-night feedings I actually was most comfortable on the bed in Delano's room.  Since the glider and wooden rocking chairs have bare wooden arms, my arms would hurt where they rested on the wood.  So the bed was fine for both me and the baby.  Once Baby #2 gets here, I figure that I'll just go to the other bed in the guest/computer room or onto the couch in the living room at night, since Delano will be sleeping in his room.  I'm actually tempted to bring the rocker/recliner upstairs into the living room from the downstairs den.  Lucas won't be too thrilled (he thinks it's ugly, and it kinda is, plus it's a real pain to move around), but it's all about comfort for a while!  I could always watch some TV while he/she eats, but I use the time during night feedings to catch up on a book or unread magazines.  :)  So do I think I needed a rocker/glider/recliner?  Probably not, especially since I usually opted to sprawl out on the bed with a bunch of pillows, a blanket and a book anyway.  But I definitely needed somewhere super comfortable to hang out for (and sometimes fall asleep during) those night feedings.  And on chair options - big, fat, padded arms are your friend

So those are some of the basic big ticket items out there.  Do what you will with the information.....like I said before, different moms have very different opinions about baby products!  And if you look at the online reviews for stuff, you'll find people who LOVE and DESPISE the exact same product.....and this goes for EVERY product out there.  As if you needed to be confused more, right?

I'll type up some more blogs about baby products as I jot down ideas for things to talk about!

Whose precious baby is that??  Oh wait, that's mine!!  :)

From Formula to Milk

We got our family (and Delano's 1 year) photos done Saturday!  I've already received the link to all of them (all 276 of them) via email....now I need to pick out my top 15 for editing.  I've narrowed it down to 36 so far.  Of course, ALL of them are mine to keep (our photographer is awesome that way), but the package we chose includes 15 professional edits.  As soon as I make the final decision, they'll be posted to Facebook, and I'll post them in a blog as well!  P.S. Our photographer is VERY affordable.  So if you're looking to get some photos done, don't want the standard posey shots you would get from a place like Sears by someone clicking a button on a stage, don't want to have to settle on just one or two shots (but instead get ALL of them on a CD to do what you please with them) but also don't want to spend a zillion dollars on professional photography.....contact Heidi Burks.  She has packages ranging from 15 minutes (which I like just fine but others don't because they feel too rushed) to as long as you want them to go.  Here is the link to the Heidi Burks Photography Facebook page, and here is the link to the Heidi Burks Photography website.  And here are just a few of the pictures she's taken for us (these were all from 15-minute photo sessions):

I've been working on switching Delano from formula to whole organic cow's milk, because I just really want him off of and away from formula.  As much as I've read about how cow's milk is just NOT the best thing for humans to be drinking in general (and I really thoroughly despise the practices of factory farming), I also despise that I'm giving my child a powder mixture containing a mile-long list of lactose, glucose, oils and other ingredients, REGARDLESS of the fact that it's certified organic.  Again, I'm not bashing any formula-feeding moms out there.....this is just my own personal choice and feelings about the whole thing.  You have to remember that MY plan was to go straight from breastfeeding to not breastfeeding.  I wasn't even sure that I wanted to go from breastmilk to cow's milk.  I did not anticipate having to formula-feed at all.  But Delano (along with the current formula vs milk recommendations) had different ideas!

Of course, my mom said that when I weaned myself from breastfeeding prior to being a year old, she immediately switched me to 2% milk without any problems.  She also fed me peanut butter and other currently known "no-no" foods way before I was a year old, and I'm now 34 and have no issues at all with dairy or nuts or anything else.  Nowadays doctors highly recommend against offering milk and other foods prior to being a year old because of what they've learned about the development of a baby's digestive system.

ANYWAY, I tried switching Delano cold turkey.  Instead of offering him his regular morning bottle of formula, I offered him a bottle of milk.  That went over about as well as a turd in a punch bowl.  I don't think that it was because he didn't like the milk.....I think it was because his bottle went from warm to cold.

P.S.  I'm not going to warm his milk.

So instead of cold turkey, I started mixing milk in with his bottles.  I started with 2 ounces of milk (along with 6 ounces of formula) in his morning bottle, and 1 ounce of milk (along with 2 ounces of formula) in his evening bottle.  After about three or four days, I upped each bottle an ounce of milk and reduced the formula by an ounce.  One day last week I also offered him milk in a cup throughout the day, so that he would get used to drinking straight (cold) milk.

Well......that day backfired.  Too much milk, I think.  He was up almost ALL night with some major gas pains.  Poor little guy was so sleepy but couldn't sleep because his tummy hurt.

That following morning (last Thursday, I think?) I gave him straight formula to help settle his stomach.  I also gave him some infant Gas Relief (which I had also given him during the night).  By the time he woke from his morning nap (which he slept all the way through), he was happy and back to normal and all the gas was gone.

So.....the past two days we were at the point of doing a half-and-half bottle in the mornings (4 ounces of milk, 4 ounces of formula) and either straight formula (3 ounces) or no bottle at all at night.  Well this morning Delano threw up his ENTIRE bottle in three nice, big waves of vomit.  Since an intolerance to lactose is highly unlikely, it seems that an 8 ounce bottle is just too much milk at once first thing in the morning.  Plus since formula (when mixed) is mostly water, I'm sure that going from a "water" drink to whole milk is quite a heavy switch.  So starting tomorrow, his morning bottle will be a 50/50 4 ounce bottle.

I haven't decided yet if I'm going to wean off the bedtime bottle 100% FIRST before going to straight milk in the mornings, or if I'm going to keep transitioning to 100% milk in the mornings FIRST and then wean off the bedtime bottle.  I DO know that I need to purchase a separate sippy cup so that once he's almost completely on milk, he won't be on a bottle anymore.  He'll be on a sippy cup he can drink from during breakfast and then throughout the day.  I don't want to put milk in his lollacup because I want that cup to be associated with water and nothing else.  I also do plan on offering soy milk as well as trying other options for variety (or maybe he'll simply like it better), as well as yogurt, which is high in calcium.  And yes, I'm hoping to get him to love leafy greens, too! 

And I plan to keep him off juice for as long as possible, or save it for special occasions.

I'm not trying to make my kid super-granola, though I do admire the parents who go above and beyond to be eco- and animal-friendly as well as just healthier in general.  I'M not super-granola, and Lucas is definitely far from it.  But while my child is young, I do have control over what goes into his body during this young, developmental stage, and I do have influence over what he's introduced to, what he likes and what he gets used to eating.  So I'm taking advantage of that time while I have it!  And he doesn't get all homemade or organic food.  He used to....but ever since he started eating finger foods, he'll often eat what we're eating, whether it's at home or out in a restaurant.  And I'm now only making about half of his pureed food at home.  I also buy jars of baby food for some extra variety.  I do still buy organic when I can, but let's face it, restaurants (and ice cream shops) don't typically fall into that category!

 

Of course now I'm looking up tasty recipes for homemade baby finger foods!  :)