The Southside of the Village

Robbie and I took a road trip to South Carolina a couple weeks ago.  Palmetto Baby to the Palmetto State!

Whenever I mention to folks that I drove to SC, the first answer is "Alone?  Really?"

Trust me.  A laid back (knock on wood) eight-week old is the best road trip partner ever.

He just needs to stop to eat and get some clean drawers about every three hours. 

We stopped twice on the way down and once on the way back.

Awesome job Baby Robbie.

We spent about a week in Greenville getting pampered by my parents.  It's amazing how the definition of pampering changes from before you had a baby.  In this case, pampering meant someone-to-hold-and-feed-and-snuggle-and-change-and-bathe-the-baby-named-Grandma-Bookie. 

It just took an amazing amount of pressure off knowing that my Mom was there to keep an extra eye out. 

We spent some time with my Greenville gals, and I think gave Robbie a great intro to the Palmetto State... and then we diverted over to Shawn's hometown Marion for some more snuggles with his Grandma Edwards and everyone in town that came over to meet Robbie.

He met for the first time Aunts Leila, MCB and Ashley... Uncles Steve and Ben...  Mrs. McD... Grammee G... Cousins Jase and Judson... and got lots of Grandma and Grandma snuggles on both sides of the family.

It is impossible to describe the trip in a post other than... we were home.

You've got a great village to help raise you buddy.

We are lucky.

Growing

So as a follow-up to last night's post.

Our little guy only gained 8 ounces in his whole 1st month.  He was in the 3% of size, and wasn't gaining fast enough when I was clinging to breastfeeding.

We had to go back twice for weight checks, and he started adding on a couple ounces once I started upping his formula supplements and letting go of BFing guilt.

We had our 2 month appointment this week and while still little, our Rob's now in the 25% of weight and height. 

And 90% in head size.

That Shawn noggin is unavoidable.

Quitter

I quit breastfeeding.

Monday.

I haven't looked back.

BFing?  It isn't for everyone.

I can't even begin to explain to you how the culture of breastfeeding in DC makes a competent, strong, confident woman feel terrible about herself.

I tried everything.  Lactation consultants.  Fenugreek.  Pumping.  Not pumping.  Cluster Feeding.   Drinking lots of water.  Dark beer. 

It never worked.

The most milk I ever produced a day pumping?  2 ounces.  Total.  In 7 pumping sessions.  And that was six weeks ago.

My baby needs 28 ounces.  A day.

I let go of the guilt at 6 weeks when it turned out I was starving my beeb, but tried to BF a few times a day with the assumption he wasn't getting anything (and supplementing with formula).  We now guess he was getting less than 1/4 of an ounce of milk from me. 

I started meeting strong, intelligent, educated wonderful women who also let go of the guilt.  Doctors, lawyers, businesswomen, lobbyists, professors...

I was chilled early when a perfect stranger saw me mix a bottle and asked why I was doing it instead of breastfeeding.  I never even told Shawn that.  It was only my third time taking the baby out alone.  I wasn't getting enough sleep, was doing my best, and just needed my baby to be eating.

And then I realized that I needed to stop listening to and worrying about the women who didn't KNOW me, judging me.

A few years ago the Atlantic did a story on the breastfeeding wars.  I can't say I agree with everything in it, but I think it gives a good snapshot into the complexity of the debate and the culture wars, also named "Mommy Wars" that have surrounded it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/04/the-case-against-breast-feeding/7311/

And I ask you, when you see someone mixing formula... or someone breastfeeding... or any new mom out.  Just be kind.  Or don't say anything at all.

She's doing the best she can.

Robbie? 

I think he's going to be just fine.

Where's Waldo?

Look closely.  We had a stowaway on our walk at the Arboretum today...

More From the Parade

Everyone loves a parade

There is nothing better than seeing kids at Halloween in their costumes. 

Our neighborhood has a neat tradition of the Turkey Thicket Halloween Parade.  Turkey Thicket is the local community rec center and has a nice track and playing fields.  On the Sunday before Halloween all the kids in the neighborhood along with their parents get together to show off all their costumes.

Everyone took a couple of laps around the track and then headed over to the play ground for juice and cookies.  Robbie was a very dapper tiger but I have to say the best costume was a kid who was a hamburger.  Something like 75 kids were running around with a dozen dogs in hot pursuit.  Seeing all this kids with smiles on their faces was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Happy Halloween!