Closer to My Breastfeeding Goal

When I made up my mind that I wanted to breastfeed, I was all on board to nurse Varen for a full year. As I started talking to more moms and reading up more on the pros and cons of breastfeeding, I got scared and my initial goal to nurse for a year was pushed back to just making it to at least 6 months. Then I started searching for the perfect breast pump and got even more freaked out as my due date approached and my breastfeeding goal dropped yet again to 2 months. About 2 weeks before Varen was born I was just hoping I could nurse the boy for at least 2 weeks.

Breastfeeding started off slow and defeating in a way. Varen was too tired to wake up and latch on. Can you believe it? Big papa 20 lbs 7 month old was too tired to eat! lol I was pumping around the clock while Van would feed Varen my expressed BM. I was hurt, jealous and felt defeated, while I at one point wanted to actually pump vs nursing, at that moment all I wanted was for my baby to wake up and latch on. I kept pressing to get my baby back on the breast, and Varen soon was nursing like a champ.

Before I knew it I grew to love breastfeeding, I feared so many things that never came my way. I enjoyed nursing! Am I weird for that? I grew to hate the pump. The annoying sound it made every time it pulled the milk from my breast. My 2 week, and 2 month goals had already been met. I was smooth sailing to reaching the 6 month goal.



Varen is 7 months old now and I'm still nursing him. I have had no problems and to many I have a life aside from having a baby attached to my breast. I've even stayed away overnight without Varen. I go out in public, I've traveled half way across country twice. I've even gone to Disneyland. Breastfeeding is not what some made it out to be. I've heard some of the most terrifying horror stories from women that said, while they are glad they did it, they hated almost every moment of it. I don't feel that way at all and I even wonder if I truly plan to wean at 12 months.

So if my goal is now 12 months, I've been nursing longer than the amount of time I have left. How cool is that? I can do this, of course Varen doesn't have teeth yet but I'm hoping that even once those come in I'll still have the drive to push forward and continue.

Varen - 7 months

Varen @ 7 months - June 21, 2011

Weight - Guessing 21 lbs but will have accurate weight in about a week - Accurate 20 lbs 12oz

Sleeping Patterns - Trying to get him sleeping in his crib this month, just started it two days ago. So far he sleeps for about 2-3 hrs and then it's up and down for me a lot, so after the first hour of up n down I bring him into bed with me. There is no real reason why I chose to put him in his crib and I do believe outsiders have a bit of influence on this, while at the same time, I have been away from Van for several months and I think we should be sharing a bed and a room alone. I do miss sleeping with Varen though and I don't plan to stress myself out or die trying to get him to sleep on his own, if he's not ready, I will NOT force him to be ready,


Eating Habits - Still Breastfed, he is starting to eat more "table food" or shall I say more of the things I eat. I try to give him a taste of my food within reason at any chance I get. Van thinks it's wrong but I really hate baby food.


New foods he likes - He LOVES bananas, he likes anything I eat that I will share, he's had bits of chicken, roast beef, rice, mashed potato's, potato salad (loved it would scream if I didn't move the spoon fast enough) green beans (real green beans). Gerber puffs, and other Gerber snacks. (Nope he has no teeth) Overall his favorite choice of food is still breast milk and while he does eat he is still not on a regular feeding schedule and I'll admit that if I'm busy one day I wont even give him anything but breast milk. (So all those baby rolls are still mainly from me as he doesn't eat adult size portions of anything food I give him)

7 months in his crib. He stands good, but is not pulling himself up to stand yet.

New discoveries - He spits or shall I say sticks his tongue out and spits. I can't really explain it, but it's really funny.

New Milestones - He's great and sitting unsupported, he's crawling army style backwards (ONLY) trying to be a little copy cat. He has some baby toys and he actually likes playing with them.

Places baby went - Varen went to DISNEYLAND, he was the cutest thing, all dressed up in Disney gear. He had a great time and went on so many rides. It was really nice. To those that think there is no point in taking a child that small to a place they will never remember. I took so many pictures and he was free, no harm done.

Anything else -We're back in Oklahoma City, OK now and I'm just trying to get into the swing of things and adjust to not having my mommy around to help me.

How is older brother? - Vashon is 4 yrs old and he is good at testing my nerves, but we are going to make it through it. I'm starting to teach him to write his name and he's doing really good. He's excited to start pre k in a few months.