Motherhood: A Six Month Update

This should probably be titled the 6.5 month update! Oops. So much has changed since my last update that it's almost hard to keep up. There are some days, that I watch him, lying in his crib and I swear, he looks different than he did the previous evening.  These past few weeks, it feels like he's morphed into an actual person rather than a little baby. His personality is starting to shine through and it's completely fascinating to watch. Here's what's happening with us:

His Last Checkup:

Weight: 17.9lbs

Height: 28.9 inches long

Sleeping:

I thank my lucky stars that Nate has been sleeping through the night. While I know it may not last (so I've been told), I feel like I've won the sleeping lottery. We start his routine around 6:30-6:45PM and he goes to sleep around 7:15-7:30. He currently has two long naps a day and one short one.

His first nap will be two hours after he wakes up. So for example: if he gets up at 6:30 AM, which he usually does, he goes down for his first nap at 8:30 AM. After he wakes, usually around 10AM, he'll go down for his second nap two hours after that, so typically around 12PM and that will last about two hours. He will either nap in his crib or the stroller and if necessary, the car seat. His last nap will be a quick 30 minutes, typically around 4:30-5. That last one has been a little tricker and it doesn't always work out. On those days, he's extremely cranky by 6PM and I have to whip out all of my tricks to stretch him to 6:30-7PM.

Before he goes down for the night, our routine consists of lotioning up, PJs, sleep-sack, white noise machine and a bottle. I bathe him every other night, so I wouldn't call it a key part of our routine. For all other feeds, I feed upon waking, but before he goes down for the night, I give him a 7oz bottle. It works for us!

Nursing/Formula:

As I mentioned in this post, I started supplementing with Holle formula when he was 2.5 months old. I had to come to terms that I wasn't producing enough of my own milk and once I introduced the Holle, it was a real game changer. He was finally able to get full and this contributed to him not crying and waking up from hunger. While I felt very guilty at first, it was the best decision for everyone involved.

*Update: I recently switched from Holle to Lebensworth. They're owned by the same Holle company, but Lebensworth is considered to be slightly better because it contains lactose instead of maltodextrin.

Baby & Dog:

Remember a couple of months ago, I expressed by concern about my Mini Schnauzer, Pete? I gave an update on instagram. On the other hand, our other dog (above), Mika, is in love.

Introducing Solids:

Before Nate was born, one thing I often thought about was how to prevent having a picky eater. Is there even a way? Keith and I are big foodies and will eat virtually anything, so raising our son with the same outlook, was an important thing to us.

I read about Baby Led Weaning and I thought that would be something we'd so be on board with, but now that we're there, it scares me. Ah! Have any of you gone that route? What are your thoughts? Currently, we've been giving him some pureed fruit for breakfast and then some in the late afternoon.

Physical | Hair Loss and Pre Baby Weight:

Hair Loss: as all new mothers, I was dreading this and praying that I'd be spared, but sadly, I wasn't. It started a little after four months and just recently tapered off. At one point, it got so bad, that I was afraid to take a shower and comb my hair. Thankfully, I think we're at the end of that phase and I'm noticing a ton of new regrowth. This also means that I have lots of attractive new baby hairs and flyways. At first, I thought it was breakage, but my stylist assured me that it wasn't. That made me feel slightly better, but either way, it kind of sucks.

Weight: I am back to my pre baby weight, but that didn't happen without a lot of hard work. I cut out dairy, I only allowed myself carbs in the morning and for the rest of the day, I just ate a ton of greens, lean protein, and healthy fats (avocados, nuts, almond butter). I also walked a lot! I'd strap Nate in the stroller and we would go for several miles a day, usually during his two hour nap.

In the beginning, I actually gained weight as my body was establishing its milk supply. Even though I was eating well and working out, it didn't make a difference. If you're currently in the same situation and wondering why the weight isn't coming off, it is normal. Please don't panic!  Once I hit the three month mark, that's when I started to see the scale (and my pre-pregnancy jeans) budge. Keep in mind, it's different for everyone. Some women wont lose until they completely wean.

 

Booty: Okay, I was NOT prepared for this one. I was prepared for the hair loss and I was prepared for my stomach and breasts looking different, but I WAS NOT prepared for the loss of my booty. Apparently, it's quite common, but I was first shocked, then slightly sad. I've made it a point to do 15 minutes of abs and 15 minutes of squats 3-4x a week. I am determined to whip both back into shape!

Work/Life Balance:

As of three weeks ago, we have a nanny three days a week from 9-5. It allows me to work and get stuff done and on the days where I'm home with him, it's about him! I'm not distracted or stressed out by work deadlines because now, I actually have the time for that. I'm still trying to get better at not being on the computer after he goes to sleep, but it's a work in progress.

Personal Life Balance

Keith and I are still continuing to rotate our Friday nights, which has been working out well! On Halloween, it was our first time using an actual night babysitter where we went out together, with all of our friends! It felt so good to all be out, but I'll tell you what, waking up at 6:30AM, after going to bed at 2AM and having a few drinks, not so much fun.

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