Filling the day with a nearly three month old

I've been trying to figure out how to fill the day with a baby who cannot do too much yet. I watch entirely too much television, and becoming aware of this fact has made me stop watching so much! He will sometimes turn his head to watch it, too...and that's when I get up and head into the other room. 

However, there is only so much tummy time that you can do in a day! 

So I've been doing research to figure out what babies need at this age. It is very important that you read to your baby (obviously), but too much reading and it is apparent that your baby will become bored. Of course, you should be doing tummy time, and the amount of time should increase every month. I also think that after tummy time you should put your baby on their back on an activity mat so they can look at all the different hanging toys. At three months, your baby should be swatting and grasping toys, so this encourages them to do so.

I enjoy putting Micah in his boppy and talking to him without any distractions. He is very vocal and will respond to me very excitedly. I love his smiles, giggles, and yells! Also while he is in the boppy, I put music on for him and sing. Although I have the worst voice on earth, he doesn't seem to notice. 

I do put him in his swing when I am cooking, or eating. When I'm cleaning I have started to wear him, and I like to talk to him about what we are doing...that is until he falls asleep! 

I take at least one walk a day with him. That is another way to fill the day. It seems like he really enjoys the stroller. While I walk with him, I try to tell him what I'm seeing. He usually hears me telling our poor Corgi, George, no. He doesn't make walking easy, that's for sure!

Anyway, I'm training for a half marathon, and Micah goes on runs with me, too! I don't like to take him further than four miles because it is a lot more work! But I think I will be a better runner if I try! 

Yesterday Steph and I did five treadmill miles, and it is much harder running on a treadmill than running outside! I don't think I have ever ran that far on the treadmill before.

This month Micah giggled for the first time, and he rolls over during tummy time. He is 11 weeks and 6 days! I'm pretty proud. He rolled over two times in a row, so it wasn't a fluke! 

This is right after he rolled over:

I have joined a MOM's club here in Albuquerque, there are a few different chapters, depending on where you live. This will be a great way to meet moms, and to get out and enjoy the city.

Micah and I also run a lot of errands together, and go hang out with a lot of our friends, and sometimes family. Micah and I also meet Daddy for lunch once a week. Going out early on also helps him get used to the carseat, and people!

So spend your day talking with, wearing, walking with, running with, playing with, laughing with, reading with, going out with, and of course, loving your baby!!!

Crib training & sleep

Have you co-slept with your baby, and had a hard time figuring out when to transition to the crib in the nursery? My husband and I have been realizing that Micah has been more and more aware lately (at 11 weeks), and it is probably time to start trying. Since we FINALLY received the crib a couple of weeks ago, I have been laying Micah in it while awake every morning when I'm getting things ready for the day. I just started last week trying to put him down in his crib for naps. As I type, I'm rocking eagerly back and forth in the nursery rocking chair, just waiting for him to wake up. Of course, I put him down while he is sleepy, but awake because he has learned to fall asleep on his own in his co-sleeper, so I want him to get used to it in his crib, as well (it makes for easy nights). I am happy to say he has been asleep for 35 minutes now!

I don't swaddle him for naps, and I know I am supposed to, according to research, but I don't want him to only be able to sleep with a swaddle. Plus, we are mostly on the go at least half of the week, so he sleeps in car seats a lot of times. I am sorry to inform you that we don't have set nap schedules, which is completely fine with me. And this has been fine because he has been pretty easy to put down at night (knock on wood) and that is what I care most about. For example, our friends were over a lot last week, and I have been able to feed Micah, burp him, put him down awake, and attend to our guests right after...it takes me about 15 minutes! I watch him on the monitor the entire time I'm away from him though! :)

I am nervous about having him sleep five miles away from me (a slight exaggeration ;) ), but I know that it is for the best...for all of us! 

So I will continue putting him down in his room for naps at least once a day to get him comfortable with it. 

Anyway, Micah is starting to wake up because it is close to his feeding time, so I will talk to you soon!

Strong let-down & oversupply...pumping and such

   

I have finally figured out how to manage my supply. As I have said in a previous post, I was having issues with Micah choking and becoming increasingly frustrated when breastfeeding. I didn't know what to do. I spoke to several lactation consultants, who said different things: Try putting frozen veggies on your breast before nursing, pump a little before (which doesn't help matters in the long run), try elevating his head, try laying down and having him turn to the side so the milk can dribble out of his mouth when needed, etc. None of those things helped! 

So I read several online articles and decided to try to block feed to lessen my supply since I am a stay-at-home-mom and do not need to build it. 

First, I would nurse only on one side for two feedings in a row. I did this for a few days, and then I switched to nursing on one side only for a feeding, and then switching to the next side for the next feeding. I have been doing this for a month and a half now, and Micah hasn't been stressing out and choking for a few weeks! I feel so much better doing the block feeding. With that said, he only nurses for about 10 minutes. I have learned from doing research, that not all people can be classified into one category when it comes to breastfeeding.

When Micah was born, I would drive myself crazy reading, "Most babies should nurse for 30 minutes, and they should feed on both sides. They will tell you when they want to switch sides. They will tell you when they are full." All of this was BS when it came to my child, and so I learned. So, don't freak out if your child is different than "most" because it happens! You will also read that as long as they have enough wet and poopy diapers they are fine! I used the La Leche League website a lot:

http://www.llli.org/faq/enough.html

Anyway, I struggled at first, especially not knowing if Micah was gaining weight because after the two week appointment, he didn't go in until the two month appointment! Call your baby's pediatrician if you have questions and a nurse should get back to you promptly. If you are concerned make an appointment. That's what I had to do! First time mom, everyone 😍

A strong let-down does lead to a more gassy baby, too! Just so you know. 

Anyway, I hope this helped at least one person! 

Talk to you soon 💕

2 months & things are good

I think I am starting to get used to this whole mom thing. I know just as I get used to things, and become more confident, something will occur to change all of that. 

Micah had his two month checkup yesterday, and along with that his first round of vaccinations. I know there is a big debate, especially right now with measles going around, but I think we have a responsibility to our children and to other people's children to vaccinate. What the heck is wrong with these people who are deciding not to vaccinate? 

Anyway, my poor little baby was in so much pain last night and silly me forgot to buy Tylenol, so there I was driving to Walmart at midnight to buy some because he was running a fever. It was a long night for my little partner and I. 

Then Conrad is sick, so I made sure to ask the doctor what to do if Micah got sick. I learned that there is nothing I can do, really. Great!

Micah has hit the two month mark, everybody!! It is absolutely amazing to watch how quickly he is growing! 

I eliminated dairy for two weeks, to no avail. Micah still has gas pains, but I am not so uptight about them anymore. The doctor said he may just be a gassy baby, and he will grow out of it.

I do block feeding where I nurse only on one breast a feeding. I have been managing my supply this way. I decided to start building a supply by pumping my other breast when Micah goes five hours without eating, this is the first feeding of the night, from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. I haven't been producing much yet, but I hope that will change soon! 

On Saturday, Conrad introduced the bottle and Micah took it without a problem!

I need to start working harder on my relationship with God. I have been Catholic for almost two years, and I have not been the best Christian. How do I expect my son to be faith-filled if I am not living this way? I want Conrad and I to be Godly role models for our children. I know it is a work in progress, but I need to try harder! Hopefully we will be better! A baby is no excuse to be distracted this much from the reason we are able to be here in the first place! Thank God for baby Micah Avery! 

#abqstrollermoms has been going well! We have been meeting pretty consistently. We even got our first picture of the Osuna twins and Micah!

Half marathon training has also been going well. I ran four miles last weekend, which is my longest distance so far. I am not as fast as I hope to be one day, but I am so proud of my progress! Stroller running isn't easy, and neither is running with this new body of mine, but I am happy!