Epi-Curious

Cecelia's a very interesting eater. Most babies, when fed at the breast, get very content and happy, and drift off to sleep and smile up at their mother with a little milk spilling out the side of their mouth. But not our angel - she is there to get the job done and move on with life. No time for that. A lot of babies will also take comfort there, even if they're not necessarily hungry. But Cecelia will only go "there" to eat. In fact, if I think she might be hungry and try that, she has a fit that I haven't understood what she was clearly trying to communicate. And when she is hungry, look out! If there is a pause between sides, which there inevitably is, she often screams at me as if to say, could you hurry it up please, I've got people to see and places to go. Sometimes she'll screech after she's eaten until she burps, at which time she becomes just as pleasant as can be. I was on the phone the other day when she ripped off (yes, ripped) and started crying (at which point, I always think...well, you came off...) and I explained to my friend on the phone that this is what a well fed baby sounds like in our house. As with all my posts, I may make it sound like this is her behavior ALL the time and it certainly is not, but when it is like this, it's all the more memorable. I sometimes wonder if she'll grow up to be a 6 year old girl who screams and cries and stamps her feet when she's finished one carrot when there's a plate-ful in front of her. We'll look at her and sigh, and say, well...pick up another one and eat it. I realize that this will, most likely (fingers crossed), not be the case, but it's amusing in those moments to wonder what the future will bring.

CHOP

We went for our second trip to CHOP today for Cecelia's ultrasound and both of our appointments. Good news - she does not have hip dysplasia...and neither do I! Dr. S checked her U/S results and explained that her hip bones are ossifying from the outside in making it appear at first click that the femur and the hip socket were pretty far from each other but upon closer inspection, they'll be just fine. So, long story short, she's fine and will not necessitate a harness or brace. And now we can resume jostling her about in a rough manner without fear of permanent damage. (we're not really rough...or jostle-y)

Age: 21 Weeks

This week, I am 21 weeks old and as it is December, mom felt it was time to break out any and all Christmas wear. I'm wearing my elf in training shirt and my reindeer rattle socks. Santa, I've been very nice. Daddy told me all about this naughty/nice business and I'm working on it. I'll be visiting with multiple Santas this weekend to try and catch a good lap shot and I'll be at multiple holiday parties. This is a busy season!

Weight Watching

I've never been someone who was thoroughly obsessed with weight. As long as I feel healthy, I'm happy with whatever the number may be. But, I am happy to report that I am currently tipping the scales back around pre-baby numbers. I'm actually at the number I always reported, which was just slightly less than the truth. For example - the number that's listed on my driver's license and forms and what-not. During pregnancy, I gained approximately 40 pounds, so getting back down to size in the time frame that I did was somewhat surprising to me. Though I'm not quite finished. With the advent of Wii Fit came a better understanding of my healthiest BMI. I was aware before, but am now more or less constantly updated by a hopping, talking balance board. Regardless of my conscience's form, I was working toward the "ideal" BMI for my weight prior to getting pregnant the first time around as it is reported that it is best to be that size for the healthiest pregnancy and I was very blessed with a healthy and relatively uneventful pregnancy the first time around. Now on to how... after my life changing college credit course, I was pretty diligent about getting in some form of exercise each morning, usually in the form of a yoga or pilates video. I continued this when I was pregnant (except during those extremely tiring first few weeks when I could barely lift my head from a pillow) right up until I delivered. And afterward, you're supposed to wait 6 weeks to exercise, but I tried to get some walking in and low impact wii fit activities until my a-ok from the doctor. After 6 weeks I tried to make time to exercise (mostly through wii-fit and post-natal videos) but with a baby that can be a bit tricky. Fortunately, I was able to work out with Jeff different times that would be set for him to keep an eye on the baby so that I could exercise almost every morning.

When I came home from the hospital, I still looked VERY pregnant. The key to weight loss as a new mom is...breastfeeding! You knew I'd work that in somehow, didn't you? Breastfeeding releases a horomone called oxytocin and in addition to other things, it stimulates contractions which get your uterus back down to it's original, much smaller size. Until you do that, it continues to take on a balloon like shape as if still holding a fetus. Once the milk came in and Cecelia was actually eating, I could literally see a difference in the size of my belly after each feeding. It was shrinking before my eyes. Women who choose not to breastfeed (which is, of course, a personal decision) need to get that stimulation through artifical, and less efficient means. Breastfeeding actually burns 500 calories a day. While you're supposed to add 300 calories a day when you're pregnant, if you choose to breastfeed, you are more literally eating for two and burning the calories to prove it. Now, some women's bodies, while breastfeeding, actually hold on to a few extra pounds until their baby weans. It's believed to be a natural instinct of the body to preserve a layer of fat in order to keep providing for the baby in the case that the mom can't get food (i.e. out in the wild..our bodies haven't really caught up to current technology in that way). I am fortunate that my body did not seem to hold on to any extra pounds and breastfeeding has definitely helped me to shed a good bit of weight.

What breastfeeding can't do, however, is tone what's left. And for that, healthy eating and exercise are still a good choice. I was fortunate to attend an information session on a program called "One Fit Mama." While I was there, I answered a question and voila - I was give a week free pass to try it out. Anyone gets one free class as well, so I did my initial class and the following week did an unlimited week and...I loved it! It was really nice to get out of the house and have a program of exercise that involved the baby too. I thought that Cece wouldn't tolerate being in the stroller for that long, but she's starting to get better and if she fusses, I take her out, strap her on and continue on my way. I wasn't originally (i.e. before I tried it) planning to continue, but now I am. I actually asked family members for gift certificates for the program instead of other gifts for Christmas. I'm planning to wait on that and start after the holidays. They also start another program that time of year with a team challenge, similar to the Biggest Loser, only it's not just about weight loss. And I think that will be very fun too. When I first decided to do it, I was planning to do a small package and go once a week. When I priced out all the different programs for the time frame I'm looking at (before I go back to school in the fall) it ended up being least expensive to do an unlimited year. I also have a 10% off coupon that I plan to use, but it was interesting to look at all those options. I hope to continue with post-natal videos and wii fit at home too, but doing a class like that will give me the incentive through the winter months to get out of the house. When I first tried the post-natal videos, many involve the baby and during those first few months, Cecelia was not having it, but as she gets more active and mobile, I think she'll enjoy that more too and I'm looking forward to that.

Another key to keeping moving, in my case, is having a daughter that frowns upon sitting down. When she's fussing and wants to be held, she doesn't JUST want to be held. She wants you to get up and move around, walk, bounce, sway, jiggle, etc...and all that motion does a little something for you too. Though at times, I felt like all I wanted to do was sit/lay down, it certainly didn't hurt my figure to be holding a growing baby and moving with the incentive of a soothed baby - that is quite gratifying on many fronts.

While I'm still not someone who's obsessed with weight or body image, I think it's important to stay active. When I'm teaching, I'm constantly moving around the classroom, crouching down next to students, and getting up and down from the floor (it is first grade after all). But at home, it can be easy to slip into a much more sedentary lifestyle, especially as it gets colder outside. I'm hoping to instill in my daughter the importance of activity and be a good role model for her in that way, as well as others. A good rule of thumb for new mothers is 9 months on, 9 months off, so don't take my situation as the norm - everyone is different and weight loss is certainly not the most important aspect of being a new parent. Loving every moment you get with your baby is.

P.S. I know that I shouldn't end a sentence with the word is...but I did. Get over it.

The Scream

Unfortunately I'm not referring to the Salvador Dali painting. Cecelia's discovered a new vocal talent. On Thursday we went out to lunch with a friend and Cecelia decided to start screaming very shrilly. She wasn't unhappy. She didn't need to be held or calmed. She was perfectly happy to flex her vocal muscles. And now she continues to do so...often.

Baltic Amber

So, the necklace Cecelia's wearing in this week's picture is made of Baltic Amber and according to quite a few people, it helps babies while they are teething. Let me start at the beginning. I was at a La Leche League meeting and there is a mom there with a daughter about two weeks younger than Cece. She was wearing a necklace, and I said, "Is your baby wearing a necklace?" And she said, "Yes." She told me it was for teething and I assumed that she must be supposed to chew on it, but no. She continued to tell me about Baltic Amber and how she used a similar necklace with her older son when he was teething and he would cut teeth without experiencing the typical symptoms of teething. i.e. pain, drooling, and general unpleasantness. I thought that sounded good, but to be honest - these days many things are in and out of my brain faster than you'd believe. That weekend, I went to the La Leche League Eastern PA conference and, I kid you not, there were about 40 babies with these necklaces on and that stuck in my mind! I asked their parents if they felt it made a difference, how much they cost, and where they got them and later that weekend, our necklace was on its way! Now, this is not a case where I believe the necklace to have "healing properties." I'm not that naive...though it may seem that way sometimes. The principles behind the beads makes sense. They release oils on the skin that act as a natural analgesic. Worst case scenario...it can't hurt. Though some may disagree. "Babies aren't supposed to wear necklaces. That's a choking hazard. Etc." One of the dads at the conference commented on how he thought his daughter would grab at her necklace but he noted that she doesn't and never has. He thought it might be a bit of an "out of sight, out of mind" deal. Also, on the website "Inspired by Finn" it notes that the necklaces are made to break if there is pressure put on them in that type of way. And finally, I went to the movies and saw a trailer for a movie/documentary that follows four different babies from around the world for one year. I'll have to look into that further and put a link because the preview/trailer was ADORABLE! But I digress...what was the African baby wearing but...a decorative necklace. And she didn't choke. So, back to - it can't hurt. And it might help. If you've heard this child scream and thought...teeth, it might be teeth coming...you'd want to do something to help too. My parents used whisky and while that may have been very effective that's not the route we're planning to go. Not judging...just saying. And finally, this morning we went to the Campout for Hunger at the PM Metroplex and Jeff was trying to stay back from the crowd towards the end to keep Cece away from all the germs when lo and behold someone approached him to take a closer look at and touch the baby and what did this nutty lady say..."Oh, a baltic amber necklace for teething." So, here's to being a crazy lady. Let the good times roll.

Age: 20 Weeks

Today (well, yesterday if you want to get technical about it) I am 20 weeks old. So, this is approximately half the time I spent growing inside my mommy's belly - wrap your brain around that one! Check out my bling - mommy will be posting about that sometime this week. If she gets to it. If you just can't wait, go to www.inspiredbyfinn.com to learn more. This past week was Thanksgiving and we have a lot to be thankful for in our house. Let me tell you about what I'm thankful for at the ripe old age of 4 months. Milk, the sling, the busy box, my mom and dad, my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins, and...milk. Peace.