The Rookie Mama

After weeks of weird nap times and varied sleep-wake cycles, the little babe settled into a decent nighttime pattern: 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. with one drowsy feed around 3. We figured we had this on lock. And then it happened: the dreaded four-month sleep regression. We were warned by some friends but that did not lessen the suckiness factor. Sleep regression is simple as it is maddening: after gradually working towards a normal sleep pattern, the child regresses to a phase more akin to her newborn days. Remember not being able to put her down without her waking? Remember being awakened every hour during the night? Do you recall with fondness the 15 minute catnaps that you tried desperately to stretch out? Well, if your kiddo is one of the lucky ones to go through regression, then welcome all that back with open arms!  The literature suggests that regression occurs because the 4-month-old infant brain is developing at an incredible rate, and having to sift and sort through all th...

While in the NICU, my daughter was supplemented with formula until my milk came in and she learned how to feed effectively. Those two conditions had to be met in order for us to be discharged home. So since our arrival some four months ago, my little chunky monkey has been breastfed exclusively and will continue to be until we start solid foods in a few months. Even then, she will continue to be breastfed until, I hope, her 1st birthday. Perhaps beyond! Four months in, and the girl and I have become old hats at this breastfeeding thing. It's casual and comfortable, and for the most part, it's easy. The new difficulty has been keeping her focused when she's so distracted by the goings-on around her. But overall it's been very successful; we are a lucky duo. I outlined some obstacles in a previous breastfeeding entry but there are other details worth sharing. So rookie mamas like me, please know: - Breastfeeding can be quite painful, especially in the beginnin...

A friend of mine lost his father recently. I discussed it with another friend who lost her mother a few years back. Since becoming a parent, my husband and I have become increasingly aware of our mortality and that of our loved ones. We have a deeper and perhaps more serious understanding of the fragility, the preciousness, and the fleeting nature of life. And so this is a call to action: stop waiting and start moving. The time, my friends, is now. The chance you want to take, the dream you hope to pursue - there may not be a tomorrow, and there certainly will never be the "right" time. So stop wading in the shallows and jump in the deep end.  This is not about shirking responsibility and living selfishly. No, it is about living and enjoying your life, surrounded by the people you care about. Take up that hobby, apply for that job, bury the hatchet, and ask for forgiveness. Kiss in the rain, hold hands in the dark, and tell your family you love them. Show them you do ...