It’s been a while since I wrote about “Jack’s Eats”. Jack is now two, and let’s just say that I started this post when he was 18 months old…so I’ve been distracted to say the least. Jack is a full fledged diner who loves to be included in the shopping and preparation of meals. Every meal is certainly not a win win. Some days he devours his food and completely rejects it the following day. Some days his appetite is robust and he clears his plate and asks for more. Other days his main source of nourishment may be buttered She Wolf sourdough toast and cucumbers. From my experience and knowledge base, toddler eating patterns are not linear. Their intake is self regulated - it ebbs and flows based on periods of growth. Babies and children are also completely aware of their hunger cues. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. At times this can be quite discouraging and frustrating but, the key is to not give up the good fight. Continue to offer, expose, and lay the foundations for good eating habits now, and ideally you will create a lifetime of open-minded eaters.
Read moreJack's Eats: first bites, baby-led feeding, and gear
Jack had his first tastes of solids at 5 1/2 months. It was smashed avocado, and the excitement on my end was not as well received by Jack. We got him comfortable with his chair (the Stokke Tripp Trapp), put on his bib, (happy healthy parent bib) showed him the whole avocado, mashed it with a fork, and offered it to him with a spoon (the numnum gootensil has been our go-to). His reaction was as if he had tasted something very sour. It was, after all, the first that time Jack had tasted real food with texture and flavor. Since that point, feeding Jack has been filled with tons of laughs, some stress, and lots and lots of clean up.
Read morebreastfeeding: my thoughts and experiences so far....
Before I was on the "other side" of things, I never realized how consuming breastfeeding is. I always knew that it was something that I hoped to be able to do for the nutritional, immunological, psychological, and environmental benefits. After experiencing the mammoth commitment that breastfeeding is, I understand why many mothers choose to stop before going back to work or decide not to do it at all. I am also fully aware of the many people who would like to be able to and because of certain factors do not have the option. The only way to adequately describe the first three months of breastfeeding is exhausting. At times I would feel completely tethered to Jack and that my days were just spent feeding him. In the "early days", i.e. the first three months, I used an app that allowed me to keep track of Jack's naps and feedings. After 48 hours of recording, I almost had a breakdown when I saw how many hours I had spent breastfeeding. Now at 4 months in, I wish that I had been kinder to myself and to have viewed those early months as a time to heal my body while providing Jack with all the nourishment and the emotional and physical closeness that he needed.
Read moremy pregnancy: cravings, aversions, workouts, and self care
I haven't talked much about my pregnancy or my new life with baby Jack, but I am excited to share now! I have felt extremely fortunate that I have had a delicate landing into the world of motherhood, but my journey had a rough start. I had three miscarriages which were attributed to pure bad luck - really, really, bad luck. During the rollercoaster of pregnancies, I experienced extreme lows and tentative highs and was very cautious about sharing my news and allowing myself to embrace my pregnancy. Therapy, family, friends, and my four legged fur baby all helped me get through it. Now that Jack is here and healthy, I am excited to start sharing my thoughts and preferences about my journey. Everyone's experience is unique, this is what worked for me. I also am aware that I work for myself and had the luxury of setting my own hours, cooking and meal prepping, and was able to workout often and focus to on self care.
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