breastfeeding update

Liam is five and half months now and still exclusively breastfed. Hallelujah! Breastfeeding has been quite the roller coaster for us. I'm not going to lie, in the beginning, it was pretty bad. Breastfeeding is definitely the most difficult thing I've ever done. And it took months before it got better. I know this isn't the case for every nursing mother, but it was the case for me. I thought the pain would never end. I was beginning to feel desperate. But one day the pain subsided and the nursing sessions became faster and more spaced out. It got easier. And I'm happy I stuck with it because I honestly love it. Even when I was dealing with the pain I still loved nursing Liam. There really is a special bond that occurs between mother and baby during breastfeeding. It's worth all the hardship.

I never thought I would be such a huge advocate for breastfeeding, but I am. I want to encourage every mother-to-be and new mother to make a commitment to breastfeeding. It is truly the healthiest option for your baby. I understand that there are sometimes circumstances beyond our control that can prevent breastfeeding from happening. If this is the case for you, don't beat yourself up about it. Thankfully there is formula for those cases. But I also believe that many times women are made to feel that their breast milk isn't enough and they have to supplement. It's discouraging and we believe the lies. But this is what our bodies were made to do. It's the next natural step in bringing a child into the world. Again, there are circumstances in which a woman may not be able to breastfeed due to an illness or a medication they are on, etc. If this is the case for you, don't worry about it. But if you are able to produce breastmilk, then give it a shot. Yes, it may be horrible in the beginning. You might have cracked nipples, plugged ducts, mastitis, thrush. You may be dealing with a baby who has a bad latch or who wants to cluster feed all day long. Stick with it, get a lactation consultant, seek advice from other nursing moms. And you know what? I know plenty of women who never dealt with any pain while nursing (lucky them!), so that could be you. Just don't give up. Set small goals. Say you will do it for one month. Once you reach that goal make two months your next goal, then four months, then six months. After you reach each goal you can decide if you want to keep going or if you're ready to wean.

Now that Liam is starting on solids I'm a little nervous about how our breastfeeding relationship will change. I wonder if my milk supply will drop. I wonder how often he will want to nurse. I wonder if he will lose interest. My goal is to breastfeed for one year because after that he can drink regular milk and won't need my milk (or formula). I don't know very many women who have nursed their babies for that long so if you are one of them please feel free to leave a comment and share your experience with me. How did your nursing relationship grow and change? What can I expect in the next six months? I know every baby is different but it would be nice to know other mothers' experiences. Thanks, friends!

why it's been so quiet

I realize I haven't been blogging as often...and it makes me a little sad. I love blogging but lately I just haven't felt very inspired. It's not really a lack of time that's the issue...although our Little Man certainly keeps me busy during the day (and night!). I guess I've been really trying to focus on this parenting thing. It's not easy! Lately Liam and I have been working on getting some kind of normal day time schedule worked out. I've been following his cues and we have a pretty good routine going. It's not down to the second or anything but we're pretty much eating, napping, and playing at basically the same time each day. It's nice to not feel so lost all the time. We also have it so that he's not screaming bloody murder before every nap time. He may fuss a little but he usually goes down after just five minutes of rocking. Thank the Lord.

Nighttime sleep is a whole nother issue! It's a mess. No real consistency except he's back to only nursing two times a night rather than three. The other times he wakes up we try to get him to go back to sleep on his own or we rock him or, if we're desperate, we bring him into bed with us. I know I should probably consider some kind of sleep training buuut I'm at a loss in that department.

Anyway...between all of that and trying to re-adjust to life in Denver after three weeks in Miami I don't even know what to blog about. I admit I've had a lot of "dark moments." Moments when I don't want to talk or even think. I just want to cry out to God for help...and He really has been helping me. I feel a lot more at peace now. Being a stay-at-home mom is tough...especially with family so far away...but I have really been feeling God's comfort and guidance. And I hope that soon I'll feel the blogging inspiration again. Until then, bear with me, maybe even leave suggestions for what you'd like to read about. Thanks, friends.

baby's first oatmeal

I was going to wait until Liam's half-birthday (six months) to introduce solids but I kept watching him and he seemed so ready. He sits up like a champ, he watches us like a hawk every time we eat, he's more than double his birth weight... So I went out and bought some Earth's Best oatmeal (I thought the rice cereal might constipate him, and this kid barely poops as it is), bowls, and spoons. Last night I was finally brave enough to give it a go. Well, he loved it! He got so excited about eating. His face would light up every time I brought the spoon up from the bowl full of yummy oatmeal goodness. He would even try to grab the spoon from my hand and keep it in his mouth. It's safe to say that oatmeal was a big hit. So we'll have to make it part of our nightly routine. My baby is growing up.

five months

Liam is five months old today and I love him more than ever. Although right now he's being a whiny, fussy, cranky baby. Probably a combination of teething and jet lag. Sighhh.

Liam continues to amaze me with how much he develops each day. He has his two bottom teeth already! They popped out just before we left to Miami for the holidays. And he is the most observant baby I've seen. He hates to be bored. He likes a challenge. He constantly wants to be doing something. He really requires my full attention most of the day. He likes holding things and putting them in his mouth. He has pretty good motor skills.

His sleeping is still terrible. He wakes up constantly throughout the night. Sometimes he's just awake and playing in his bassinet like it's not three in the morning. I kind of want to do some sort of sleep training but I'm so scared to do anything for some reason. Most of the time I just nurse him back to sleep because it works and fast. Eh, I will have to do some research.

This kid loves to stand. He constantly wants to be standing and jumping. I think he might just skip crawling (since he still hates being on his tummy) and go straight to walking. We'll see. He can also sit up by himself for a few seconds before toppling over. 

He's still exclusively breastfed and thriving. I feel very fortunate to have such a great breastfeeding relationship with my son. It hasn't been an easy journey but it's definitely been worth it. I'll have to devote a separate blog post about it.

So here is Liam's five month photo...that smile makes me melt every time!

we're back

Well, it's back to the real world for the Acevedo family. We had an amazing vacation in Miami and I certainly enjoyed every second. I loved spending time with family and friends, enjoying some hot weather, meeting my new nephew. I have to be honest and say that it was really difficult for me to get on that plane and fly back to Denver. Don't get me wrong, I love Denver, but there's no place like home. If I can go further with my honesty, I have to say, I'm struggling. I was spoiled in Miami. I had so much help with the baby between my parents, grandmother, sisters, in-laws, friends... I was also able to spend every second of every day with my best friend, my amazing husband. We had a lot of fun just vegging out, meeting up with friends, introducing Liam to our loved ones.

Now we're back. I missed our cozy little house. I missed Jaxon. I missed the cool air of Denver. I missed our friends here. And it's nice to be back...but I also miss my family and friends back in Miami. I miss being surrounded by the most important people in my life everyday. I miss la fritanga. I miss sitting outside with Liam looking at the leaves and flowers on the trees. I miss stroller walks with Alex as we discuss our hopes and dreams. I miss all the adorable babies I met and their wonderful parents.

So I'm struggling. I'm lonely. I'm tired. I'm bored. I know God is good through all of this. He sustains me. He has a plan for my life. I trust Him. And I'm looking to Him for comfort and guidance. I know that at the end of the day, He is my everything and He is all I need. But I sure would like to hug my Abuelita right now and eat some gallo pinto as Liam plays with his best bud, Ayden. :-)