On Wednesday, Schafer will be 6 months old. Half a year withthe "little man" also marks 6-months of breastfeeding. It's been a much different journey than with Olive, and I thought I would share some "fun facts". You know...just in case any of you are awake for a 3 AM feed and need some reading material. {wink emoji}
FUN FACT #1
Schafer won't take a bottle from me or from Brett.
I lead with this because it has been a total game changer compared to my nursing days with Olive. It's pretty clear that I'm a fan of breastfeeding (selecting BURU as our company name sort of gives that away), but the bigger picture is that I am a HUGE fan of feeding your baby—bottle, boob, or something so cool I don't even know about it yet.
Supplementing with formula was something that we did very early with Olive. I have mentioned this before, and I bring it up again now because for me, it was crucial for my milk to let down. Apparently, there was something about the pressure of being the only "food source" that stressed my boobs out. When that pressure was taken away, the milk floweth like wine. We used formula when needed and we used the boob as much as we could. This system worked for our family, and I was able to nurse her for 14-months (just at night for the last several months...)
The fact that Schafer only takes bottles from his grandmothers or babysitters is frankly—a big pain in the hiney! As the exclusive food supply, I feel pretty trapped. He also eats A LOT more than Olive did—and he's ferocious about it, so the entire process is loud and messy. Even if he doesn't spit-up on me, there is milk everywhere. He's like a baby frat boy, and my clothes look like the aftermath of a fraternity house party. The importance of washable clothes is top priority for me right now. I'm not looking to preserve any white stains. No offense, Monica L.
Here are a few of my go-tos...I seriously might be naked with out them.
(For reference, I can wear a small or a medium in the blue Zenia Zipper Dress)
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FUN FACT #2
Schafer is a snacker. I can't really blame him for this. I'm a snacker too. I graze all day—small amounts every few hours. Like mother, like son apparently.
With our crazy transition in full force and all the changes happening in our lives, I've allowed this "snacking" tendency to become what is now (in the eyes of most other moms I am sure) a BAD habit. At 6-months old, I feel confident that I am not supposed to "feed on command", but that's what I'm doing. And in doing so, I've allowed my 18+ LB baby boy to rule over me like a tiny, starving tyrant.
On the positive side, I've had no issues with supply this time around—so perhaps some good does come from the frequency of the snacking. The down side, once again, is that I feel trapped. Trapped in a cycle that I created—a cycle that cannot be delegated. Basically, I've created 100% job security for myself in a position that I would gladly share.
Without any type of consistent feeding schedule, I have to be prepared to whip a boob out all the time. Good thing I own a clothing company that focuses on the needs of moms, right? {insert wink emoji again}
With Olive, I didn't seem to gravitate towards a specific type of #easyaccess—I liked them all equally for the most part. With Schafer, it's different. Of course, button downs and zippers are great, but I have been much more into lifting-up this time around. He gets distracted easily (pre-apologies to his teachers and future mate) so he's constantly unlatching and leaving my boob out for all eyes to see. I don't want to scare some cute, 20-something girl out of having children, so it's best to keep these nursing ta-tas under-wraps. An easy lift-up top that doesn't annoy me or overwhelm him with too much fabric makes feeding my "snacker" 100x easier. I suppose the lesson here is that if you mess up motherhood, you can fix it with a good outfit. {insert wink emoji round 3}
Here are three of my fave lift-up tops of the moment.
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FUN FACT # 3
My children don't do the same thing—at the same time—EVER.
For those of you that have been the mother of more than one child longer than me, I am sure this is a "no doy" statement. But seriously, how is it possible that they don't align on ANYTHING!?
So basically, when I'm not feeding Schafer via boob, I'm feeding Olive via the fridge. Somehow between all the feedings, I am finding time to run a business and be a wife. I'm also not bopping around town naked, so I'm managing to get myself dressed too. With so little time to physically put the clothes on, I have very little time to think about said clothes. Dresses and jumpsuits are my friend. One pieces are the way to go.
These three dresses make me feel put together (and quite fabulous if I'm being honest) even when I haven't showered in days and my feet are covered in city grit.
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On Wednesday, Schafer will start solid foods. I'm anxious to see what he thinks. I'm excited for what is to come. I'm looking forward to not being his 100% food supply, but (like every other werido mama) I'm also sad about it too. Isn't it hilarious (or sick) how we complain about how much they need us, and then the second they don't—we totally freak out about it.
Ahhh....the ups and downs of motherhood. Do they make a pill for that? {insert wink number 4}
Stay tuned to see what happens with my Baby on the Boob!
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Shop all #easyaccess styles HERE
