Baby Ramblings

We heard our sweet babe's heartbeat again yesterday! This kid likes to move and dart away from the doppler any chance he/she gets. My doctor was, thankfully, able to get a couple of good readings and we heard some nice, loud, strong sounds coming from in there! Heart rate was in the mid 130s which had slowed wayyyy down since last month. The girls were NEVER that slow but the doctor assured me it was normal.

The fact that it was so noticeably different makes me think it's a boy. Well that, and the fact that I pounded a brat the other night in about a minute and a half. It tasted sooooo good. I'm not normally a huge brat fan - they're just OK to me - but man alive, it was heaven. Ha!

I'm already almost 19 weeks - that's basically half way. We've barely started preparing for a new infant but I did finally pull the trigger on a new jogging stroller. Because I do so much jogging. Not really {like, none at all...} but I do think they're so much easier to steer and control. I've wanted one since Gracyn was born and always recommend a jogger over a regular travel system if a friend happens to ask my opinion. The one I found just happened to be on super sale a few weeks ago and came with a new carseat/base so I couldn't pass it up.

"nice touches..." 

I also happened to call our insurance the other day to verify some amounts on a nice little "estimation of charges" that came in the mail and was informed that I'll get a brand new breast pump after the little one is born. It made me weirdly excited. Not because I love to hook my boobs up to a machine several times a day but excited about the fact that I get to try to breastfeed again.

That sounds really strange coming from me because in the past, I've had a very public love/hate relationship with breastfeeding. I mean, hello, I've blogged about my boobs no less than 4 times... (here, here, here and here). I might have a problem, actually...

Anyway...

You'd think by my third child I'd have it all figured out but newsflash - I so don't. Every kid is so different therefore each experience is different. Shortly after Leighton quit nursing I read this article and for the first time felt just a tad guilty that I didn't try to nurse her past the 6-month mark. It wasn't all-consuming guilt or anything like that but I did kind of have a shift in thinking regarding the whole breastfeeding thing. I didn't love it the first two times around and I don't know if I'll love it the 3rd time around, either, but I'm trying to be optimistic.

drunk on love. or milk.

And if it doesn't work out, I won't beat myself up because there are a ton of options out there if we end up having to formula-feed. We have 5 birth announcements hanging on our fridge, meaning 5 new babies have been born into our circle of family and friends the in the recent months. Some are brand new mamas, others welcomed baby #2, but all of them have made feeding decisions based on their personal experiences.

Breastfeeding came natural to some and others had to work at it. Hard. It is hard work. And it's so hard to not beat yourself up when it doesn't work out as planned but it's also important to remember one option doesn't work for everyone.

The science behind breastfeeding is amazing but I think it's also incredible that science has been involved in developing alternatives that are designed to mimic breastmilk so every mama can do what's best for them and their precious babe.

Check out The Honest Company for all things baby (feeding, diapering, bathing and more!). They have products to keep the mamas happy and healthy as well!

SaveSave