What Works For You....

My husband and I are the type of people who talk everything to death as far as plans for our future go. Before we even started thinking about trying to get pregnant we had discussed different parenting styles and what things we were comfortable with doing. 

Now here we are, almost 5 months into this parenting gig and we aren't really where we thought we would be two years ago! 

We are big fans of "you know your baby best, do what feels right for you and yours". This means lots of different options for many different aspects of parenting. 

**please keep in mind that I'm blogging about my family. This is what works for us and what we are comfortable with. It definitely doesn't mean if you don't do it our way that you're wrong! Do what you gotta do! I wouldn't want to be judged on our parenting styles, therefore we don't judge others.**

I always knew I wanted to breastfeed. I had no idea the challenges it would bring or the commitment and sacrifices it sometimes requires. That being said, I'm so glad I stuck with it and I would do it the same way again in a heartbeat. I realize not every woman is physically able to do this and my heart goes out to you, truly. I'm blessed to be able to and I hope I never take this amazing gift for granted. 

I've been exclusively breast feeding (EBF) for almost 5 months now. Naturally my husband and I have started thinking about what's next for Elise and the best way to go about it. She has shown an interest in food lately. She's able to grab ours and is constantly mimicking us chewing with her own mouth. 

I am part of several mommy support groups online that were constantly talking about baby led weaning (BLW). This is a book that outlines one way of going about introducing your baby to solid foods. 

I just assumed that somewhere between 4-6 mos I would begin to purée my own organic fruits and veggies to spoon feed Elise when we felt it was the right time. 

Then I started thinking...how do we know when it's right? How much food do I give her vs breast milk? What kinds of foods should she try first? 

So I decided to pick up BLW on my kindle and see what it had to say on the subject. 

It's centered on your baby deciding what to eat and when to eat it. All you do is provide your baby with opportunities. This is what you do with walking and crawling. You can't force your child to do those things. You continually give them the opportunity to do so and they do it when they're ready. 

I still have questions to be answered and maybe you do too. I am going to continue reading this book and blogging about our experience in utilizing its practices. I encourage you to do your research and ask questions and opinions of people whose judgement you respect. Eventually you will find what works for you and your baby. 

We are excited to watch Elise hit these next milestones in her life! She makes all the little things so exciting