9 month update
June 23, 2004 - 11:19 a.m.
9 month update.
Being a mom is great, but being a mom to a 9 month old, is undescribably wonderful. I think I have been blessed with the most well behaved baby in the universe.
She's just so happy. Even when she's on the cranky side, it is no where near the "cranky" I've seen in other children. And she's typically cranky for a fixable reason. Teething, diaper rash, tirednessor hunger.
Speaking of teething and diaper rash. On Monday she started out with one heck of a rash, out of no where. I was thinking of all sorts of explanations, but there were no new foods, no sitting in diapers too long, nothing. Finally I put it together that she only gets this crazy deep burn of a rash when she's teething. She's drooling buckets and working on two more bottom teeth, on either side of the middle two. And the tops ones are STILL swollen and trying to break through. Last night she was desperately nursing, then throwing up for overeating. I finally stopped her from nursing, gave her some Oragel and some Tylenol, then danced with her till she seemed lulled enough to sleep.
Speaking of sleeping.She's sleeping really well. Goes down at 6:45 and gets up at 3am, then back down till 6am. I'm really enjoying the extra sleep! And knowing when I go to bed that I will at least get 5 hours of sleep before I have to get up....it's like heaven.
We took her fishing last night! I was really worried that she'd be all over the boat but she just sat and played with this drum that I borrowed from a friend. It's a leapfrog toy, and she just loves it. We stayed out there for 2 hours, I swear we can take her anywhere.
She's starting to learn to walk! She's been trying to crawl the stairs, pulling up on the couch and the table whenever she can, and finally started cruising around eveywhere, even bridging her way between furniture in the last week or so. She's getting so brave, but she's also been having a lot of tumbles and falls. She will stand on her own, and then tumble head first. No amount of pillows or vigilance can save her in some cases, and I can't stop her from standing and cruising because that's what she's doing to learn!!
She had another bad fall yesterday. I feel so bad!! She was standing on her own, completely unkown to me, as I was standing facing away from her. I don't know HOW she got up, there was nothing around her. As soon as I turned around and saw her, she got excited and just fell over like a big tree. Seriously, someone could have shouted TIMBER!! And that big head of hers hit the carpet before anything else.
Thankfully, we have an Icy Bear. I don't know exactly what they are called but I got them at BRU. It's an ice pack, shaped like a bear head, with a really nice pad in the back to make sure it doesn't get TOO cold. Whenever Marlee has a boo-boo, I go get the icy bear and she loves it, she calms right down. When she's teething hard, she loves to chew on it. She mows on it actually, poor thing.
I can't wait till she starts walking. She's at this weird stage, where, if we go somewhere with her, it's either stroller or carrier, and it's awkward. We took her to the zoo last Friday and she could have cared less. I think, had she been walking by then, she could have enjoyed it more. At least being able to be out in the open and testing out her new legs!
Nursing Apprehension
June 23, 2004 - 8:07 a.m.
The "Nursing Apprehension" started with my mom a few months ago when Marlee started getting teeth. It didn't really bother me at the time, because I was prepared for it. My mom has never been comfortable with nursing, but went through the effort of learning about it through me when Marlee was first born, and eventually came to the conclusion that I was doing what was best.
Apparently, what was best is only best for the first 6 months.
In the last few weeks, she's been making comments like, "Just tell me you will wean her by the time she's old enough to say 'Boob'", and "It's time to get her off the boob!"
Not only is my mom starting on the weaning topic, but now people at work are too. I express in a locked shower stall in the locker room at work. There are no outlets in the shower, of course, so I had to string two extension cords together, and plug them in next to the sink in the bathroom, then snake the cords under the doorway to the showers. So of course all the curious women found out what I was doing in there.
At first, all the questions were the same. "How long are you planning to breastfeed?" To which my answer was always the same. "At least a year!" And the response was overwhelmingly positive.
"Wow, that's great, I wish I could have gone that long." or whatever.
But now, NOW, the questions have become a little more pointed: "How LONG are you going to do that?" "You're so run down, you'd get better if you quit." And "Your baby would sleep better if she were on bottles now." Oh, and my favorite, "How are you planning to wean her?" Ha. I'm not.
The undertones have taken a superior sway, though some are in awe, some are definitely opposed to extended nursing.
A few months ago, had they asked with such attitudes, I would have told them just how close I was to quitting. How I was fed up with nursing, and most of all pumping, how it wasn't worth it, I wanted my body back, and most of all, there was no "special bond" between Marlee and I.
But now, 9 months into it, I don't appreciate the comments at all and it's all changed so much.
It took us almost 8 months to finally get it, but we've got it, and it's a wonderful experience and I am so happy I never gave up. It's more than just a source of food. She rarely comes to me to nurse when she's hungry. It's mostly for us to reconnect - when I come home from work or when she wakes in the morning. It comforts her when she has a fall, or when she's scared, or when she's teething. Most of all, it makes her a happy, secure little baby who loves most everyone she meets and adjusts quickly. Nothing against formula fed babies, as I was one myself, but I believe breastfeeding has truly impacted my life, and Marlee's life for good.
So stop asking me when I am going to wean or stop because my answer has changed from "a year" to "as long as I can." I guess the truth is, however long until my prescription of Motillum runs out, then the milk runs out, but I have 3 boxes left so I think I have at least enough for the next 3 months.
In other news, Marlee is now 9 months old, more wonderful, cute and cuddlier than ever. She's the best thing since Hot Chai Latte's at Gloria Jean's.
She's taught me to be easygoing, and that even the hard times will pass.