The Rookie Mama

I am privileged to be part of a wonderful group of young mamas that gathers weekly for fun, venting, socialization, yummy treats - the great list goes on and on. At a recent session, we were discussing prenatal vitamins and how it is recommended that breastfeeding moms continue to take them postpartum. One woman expressed feelings of guilt for not taking any but we assured her that it was not for her baby's sake, but for hers. "Oh," she laughed. "Well, that's okay then." Such is the selflessness of mommyhood.  From the moment I saw a little blue cross show up on that slim piece of white plastic, I knew my life would be forever changed. Sure, I was still basically the same person - the same loud laugh, the same hot temper, the same passionate fervour for disability awareness. But all my priorities instantly changed; I was not living for myself. I was living for her. Every decision, from what I chose to eat to where we decided to live, was centred around t

Disclaimer: as with all major baby-related decisions, consult your primary health care provider. This blog entry is meant to describe our particular situation and perhaps spark a few ideas. Info as interest only! Also, the following entry discusses the transition into solid foods, not actual food choices or preparation. Wholesome Baby Foods is a comprehensive resource you may want to check out, and a shoutout to Stories of Suburbia for similar info! Our preemie daughter was seen by a nurse practitioner for her 4 month vaccination. The NP was both kind and knowledgeable but knew very little about our gal beyond what was written on her chart. She thus suggested we begin solid foods at her corrected age of 6 months which would make her just over 7 months old chronologically. My friend whose baby had already begun this gastronomical journey wondered about this recommendation, as delaying the introduction of solid food is usually reserved for babies with gastrointestinal issues of whi