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| 18 Weeks! |
It's been interesting doing so much research and thinking about what's important to me when it comes to having a baby. There are SO many different ways to raise a baby, and so many decisions to make! Breastfeeding vs. formula, and on-demand vs. schedules? Cloth diaper vs. disposable? Natural birth vs. epidural? Homemade baby food vs. store-bought? And teaching your infant how to fall asleep and stay asleep... hundreds of methods!
Personally, I gravitate toward natural approaches, even if they aren't always the most convenient. I realize that once we have the baby, everything could change. Who knows what challenges we'll face? Nonetheless, I wanted to voice my goals for Baby Bowen.
- Have a natural, drug-free birth at a hospital.
- Breastfeed and/or use breast milk in a bottle for at least 1 year
- Not use a pacifier right away, if at all.
- Introduce wholesome, nutrient-rich solid food at 6 months. Perhaps some mashed egg yolks or avocado? I'm excited to try my own purees and soft foods for baby to explore. We're not planning on using rice cereal.
- Cloth diaper mainly, using disposable occasionally for trips/outings.
- Enjoy babywearing as often as we can - I love the idea of wearing a baby snuggled to my chest!
- Carry and hold our baby, instead of toting a car seat carrier. The car seat we plan to purchase is a larger one designed to convert into a toddler seat.
- Have the baby sleep in a bassinet in our bedroom for a few months, and then transition to a Montessori-style floor bed (twin mattress on the floor) in his/her baby-proof nursery. We're not planning on using a crib.
- Talk to our baby as much as possible.
- Sooth our baby when he/she cries in the middle of the night with feeding/diaper change/cuddles, but give our baby the opportunity to self-sooth and learn to fall asleep on his/her own.
Some of these goals aren't exactly mainstream today, and it takes some energy to explain to people who aren't familiar with these practices. Cloth diapering? Ewww! Drug-free labor? Are you crazy! No crib? Won't the baby just crawl around?
But that's okay. With so much support and love from our friends and family, I'm feeling more confident in our decisions and following our instincts. Parenthood is sure going to be an exciting adventure! I can't wait for the challenges and rewards James and I are about to experience.
How far along are you? 18 weeks - yikes, we're getting closer to 20 weeks, that's halfway!!
How big is Baby? Baby Bowen is the length of a bell pepper - about 5.5 inches long! He/she weighs almost 7 ounces.
Weight Gain? My weight has fluctuated a lot this week. I was 135.6 this morning, so I've gained about 4lb total.
Gender? I'll tell y'all later today!!!
Maternity Clothes? Yep, now and then. Still rocking the BeBand with my regular pants, and enjoying my super comfy maternity jeans.
Sleep? Sleep has been good! Crazy insane dreams (I somehow drove my car on the monorail track! AHH!!!)
Movement? Still nothing :-/ Hopefully soon!
Food Cravings? I don't notice much, but James will remind me of certain food kicks I get on... CURRY.... CHEESE... CHOCOLATE!
Labor Signs? Nothing yet.
Belly Button in or out? Looks normal.
What I miss? La Fiera Moscato. My mom was talking about it yesterday... it's probably the best wine I've ever had. I might buy a bottle to pop (when I pop!) in July!
Best moment of the week? Spending time with my Alabama girlfriends throughout the week, because I'm getting sad we'll all be parting ways so soon! This 6-month "vacation" in Alabama has been pretty awesome.
What I am looking forward to? I can't WAIT to find out the gender of Baby Bowen in a few hours! And I'm really looking forward to Sunday - our friends here are throwing us a baby shower!
Cheers,
Martha
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