Guaranteed Weight Loss Method

Anyone who is trying to lose weight will tell you that you have to burn more calories than you consume. Usually, this is done by eating healthy foods and working out. However, for those of you who are too lazy to do so, I have a new method that I'd like to call "Sick Mom." It's pretty simple, actually. Breast feed your baby (which burns up to 500 calories a day) and get sick. In order for this to work, your illness should be one that doesn't make you hungry and makes you congested enough that you can't really taste anything anyway. So now you are breast feeding to burn calories, looking after a young child (also burns calories) and not eating a lot. Presto! Burning more calories than you take in. And all without stepping foot inside a gym. I am living proof that this works. I've lost three pounds in just three days! 

First Sleep Through The Night!!!!!

Last night Tali slept through the night for the first time! This was a real sleep through the night, not a five hour one, which is what the pediatricians call sleeping through the night. She went to bed at 8:45 (15 minutes later than normal) and I woke her up at 7:00. Her normal routine is to wake up between 2:30 and 3:30 for a feeding but last night she skipped it. Around 5:00 she started to rumble a bit and made some noises until 5:30. She didn't really cry and managed to get herself back to sleep without me going in. I, of course, woke up to her rumblings and had a hard time getting back to sleep. So I'm still tired. But now that I know she can make it through a full night without a feeding, we're done. Tali's "kitchen" will be closed until 7:00 a.m. from now on. If she wakes up at night, she will go back to sleep without eating. Sure, I'll help her get back to sleep if she needs it, but no food. Hopefully it will only take a week or two to get her fully sleeping through the night. Finally, some light at the end of the (sleepless) tunnel. I can't wait to get a full night's sleep!

Last (Wo)Man Standing

Out of all the moms I know with babies around Tali's age, I am the only one still exclusively breast feeding. All but one have switched completely to formula (that one is doing half and half). Some moms said they'd never do it and then just decided they wanted to make life easier for themselves. Others say their milk supply started to deplete and they didn't want to pump to bring it back. About two months ago, one mom told me she never wanted to give her baby formula because she thought it was gross. Now she says he loves the bottle. 

I am still holding out and hope to make it all the way to one year (what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends). I actually pump every evening before bed so that I have enough milk to use for Tali's cereal the next day. Unlike many moms, I don't find it a hassle or inconvenience. In fact, I think it is the easiest way to go. If we are out longer than expected, I never have to worry if I have enough formula for her. I can feed her anywhere, anytime. Plus, I feel good knowing that I am providing her with the best nutrition I can. Tali hasn't been sick yet and I'm going to take some credit for that. And I refuse to let anyone convince me formula is better or easier. For us, breast feeding is the way to go.

Food Makes My Daughter Cry

There's an endless list of things that make Tali cry. Now I can add food to that list. No, it's not that she doesn't like it. It's that the food doesn't come fast enough. Tali is used to the constant flow of breast milk so the fact that food has to be put on a spoon which goes in and out of her mouth does not make her happy. When feeding her, she cries between bites because she's hungry and wants more. As soon as the spoon leaves her mouth (which isn't so easy because she tries to hold the spoon there) the screams begin. Once the spoon makes it way back to her mouth, she's content. This doesn't last the whole feeding, just the first half when she's really hungry. During the second half of the feeding she gets excited between bites. 

If I were to feed her in public, strangers would probably think I'm force feeding my child. I can only imagine the looks and comments I'd get. I'm sure this crying will end once Tali gets more used to eating. For now, I'll just have to live with a new type of food fight.

Bottle vs. Breast

I'm calling bullsh@*t on "lactation consultants." Every consultant will tell you that if you want your baby to breast feed, you shouldn't give them bottles. Since it's easier to get the milk out of a bottle, they will prefer that and will refuse to breast feed. Tali is proof that is not true.

On Wednesday, I took Tali into the city for an "office tour." First, we went to her dad's office. While there, it was time to feed her so I took out a bottle. She refused to put it in her mouth. She only wanted to breast feed. Luckily, there was enough privacy that I could do so. Then, we went to my old office. We were there for a long time and it was time for her to eat again. So I took out the bottle and she took it for a minute or two then spit it out, turned to my breast (which was clothed) and opened her mouth! Luckily, there was an empty office I could use.

It's clear that she prefers breast feeding to a bottle (although she will take a bottle from other people, just not me). Perhaps it's the cuddling and comfort of breast feeding that she likes. Or, maybe she's just stubborn and wants to make my life difficult. 

Food Fight!

Even though Tali is only three months old, we've already gotten into many food fights. I'm still breast feeding her and sometimes we get into what I call a food fight. For some reason, she'll latch on for a minute then pull away and start screaming. She's screaming because she's still hungry. I'll guide her back and she'll latch on again. And then in a minute or two she pulls away again and screams. Why? Yup, she's still hungry. 

When this begins, it usually lasts the whole feeding, making a 20 minute feeding go as long as 40 minutes or so. I can't quite understand why she does this, but it happens at least once a week. Out of the four feedings she's had so far today, we've had two food fights. It's both funny and annoying at the same time. 

When she learns how to talk, I'm going to ask her why she did this.