Weaning, Stretchy Pants, and Strep 1-2-3

This weekend has been challenging to say the least. Griffin started it off on Friday morning with strep. Lily caught it on Sunday. And Schaeffer began symptoms today. Now all three are on amoxicillin. I'm grateful for our pediatrician who allows me to call him directly on his cell phone and who is proactive and writes prescriptions knowing that when one is sick then they will all be sick before the weekend is over.

We are heading into week 9 with Baby 4. Quite exciting! I'm already breaking out the stretchy pants. It seems to happen sooner and sooner each time. BJ is kind enough to say it's because my body is ultra efficient. Reality says its because my stomach muscles are not what they used to be. It is sort of weird how my belly is already making room even though it won't need the room for another 4-6 weeks. It's days like today when even some of my stretchy pants don't feel good and I become really grateful that I don't have to work outside the home. That way I can be comfy in my extra stretchy-stretchy pants. Check out this video of what happens to the embryo/baby weeks 1-9 of pregnancy. It's pretty cool:



I've begun the weaning process with Griffin. It officially started today. I don't like to stop cold turkey. That seems to be torture for everyone involved and for everyone living under this roof. So for anyone interested, here's the process that I have followed successfully in the past:

1) Wait until the child is eating enough meals and snacks during the day to begin substituting solids for nursing - generally by around 12 months. (For Griffin this has taken longer because of his texture aversion).
2) As always, feed on demand (about every 3-4 hours) but begin offering more substitutes and prolong nursing as much as can be tolerated.
3) Eliminate daytime nursing first. Bedtime and early morning feedings are the last to go because they are the toughest to break for both baby and mommy. Seriously, who wants to warm up a bottle of milk/formula at 4 a.m. when you have the warm "goods" ready to go?!
4) Once daytime weaning is completely done, begin replacing bedtime nursing with something else such as a cup of milk, story time, and cuddle time.
5) The early morning nursing sessions usually fall away as the other ones are replaced.

Viola! Your baby is successfully weaned without traumatic episodes of denial...I hope! I don't really agree with books, such as Babywise, that give such specific details for feedings and sleeping. All children (and parents) are fearfully and wonderfully made. It probably works for many children, but God in His humor has given me 2 children with difficult feeding issues. It is through their difficulties that I learned to pray through each developmental phase, asking God for discernment, patience, and gentleness. And I've learned to trust my God-given mommy instincts which I believe are given at the exact time when I need them and not a moment sooner. I will be sure to share how well the weaning process works for Griffin or if he'll require some different tactics.