Brady is 4 months old now!! I can't believe it. He's not my little newborn anymore :( I can't really say "he's getting so big"...because he's just not, but he is acting older and learning new things all the time. At 4 months old, Brady...
- Is getting good at reaching and grasping for things
- Is starting to put those things that he reaches for into his mouth
- Has found his feet, and just yesterday started putting THOSE in his mouth
- Is cooing and making lots of noise. He likes to hear his voice
- needs lots of attention. He won't sit and play alone for more than a few minutes without getting frustrated
- Is sleeping much better this month. We started putting some oatmeal in a bottle at night and he loves it. It's helping him sleep better AND he needs the extra calories, so it's a win/win. We're getting about 8 hour stretches right now. LOVE THAT.
- Is just figuring out how to roll over. He's done it a few times from his back to his tummy, but sometimes his arm gets caught and he can't figure out how to move it
- Is pushing himself up while laying on his tummy
- Started some solids other than oatmeal. He's had rice cereal, sweet potatoes, which he loved, and peas, which he's not a fan of
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This is unrelated, but I need to vent:
It's funny. Now that I'm at the solid food stage, I'm seeing more and more how frustrating it can be to get advice. Even if I'm LOOKING for advice (which I often AM), everyone contradicts everyone. Researchers, pediatricians, lactation consultants, seasoned mothers....no one can agree. Our pediatrician told us to do rice cereal in a bottle for Brady's reflux at TWO months. Most info online says that's too early for rice cereal and it's a choking hazard, but it's a common solution for babies with reflux. I chose not to do rice cereal that early. My big plan was no solids at all until 6 months, but I ended up starting them at 4 months because our new pediatrician told me I needed to in order to fatten our baby up... but now I feel like I'm being judged by the lactation consultant. THIS is the part of motherhood I don't like. Everyone is in your business telling you how to do things or telling you you're doing them wrong...or not telling you, but cleverly posting a facebook status minutes after you post one to say that what you're doing is wrong. :)
Being a new mom is hard enough without other people confusing you and preaching their agenda. I understand feeling strongly about something and wanting to teach new moms what you've learned....but it's still frustrating. I'm already terrified I'm going to give my baby autism, food allergies, and a myriad of other issues...and no one can seem to agree (researchers included) on how to avoid that. So, I'm going to listen to the advice and continue researching things online, but in the end I'm just going to have to follow my own mothers intuition and do what I feel is right. I'll probably second guess myself for the next 30 years, but I guess it's all I can do.
4 comments:
I can say so much on this. But, I'm only iPad and it's too hard to type it all on here.
Someone once told me that to be the best mother, you need to know you're the best mother. Melissa, I believe that. For myself. And for you.
There is not one right one to do this job. There is, however, so much education and articles on the Internet and past learnings from your mom, grandma and so on that will teach you YOUR right way. Research is key. Then, and only then, you will find what you think is best. And still, you will occasionally fault on the job, but you got this!
I know a LOT of preachy moms on what is right for kids and THE way to do it, and to be honest, I can be one at times. But, we're all in this together.
I'm sure whatever you choose on solids, diapering, breast or bottle, and on and on and onnnnn.. That you will and are doing the best you know how, and THAT sweetie, is what counts.
By the way, your little firecracker is the CUTEST!
Thanks Marni! It's always nice to hear encouragement and understanding from others. This motherhood thing would be so much easier if there was a textbook way to do everything. "do this, this, and this, and your kid will be healthy, happy, and a successful, upstanding citizen." ...IF ONLY.
Once I asked a pediatrician about feeding Emily (I don't remember how old she was) and the pediatrician gave me a funny look and then said, "Um, I have a friend with 6 kids, I could give you her number. I'm sure she'd have some good advice for you." I'm still dumbfounded.
You'll never get the same advice...you just have to go with a combination of advice from sources you trust and what you feel is right. We started 2 kids at 4 months with rice cereal and we have no allergies, no eating problems and they are at the top of the charts for weight and growth. As for the rice cereal in the bottle...it's generally frowned upon because the kids need to learn how to eat with a spoon, but that doesn't mean that it's dangerous or that it's going to scar them for life =) If you trust your Pediatrician and that's what they said, then you should follow their direction...that's why you take your kids to them, hopefully because you trust them. We all will make mistakes and second guess ourselves as parents throughout their childhoods, but they'll be just fine...kids are made tough!!
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