As those of you that read my previous post will know, my life recently changed in the most amazing way as Jack and I welcomed our beautiful Issy into our family. My plan is to share as much of this journey as I can with you and to do so in a fairly frequent basis. That means I have to be deciplined with myself and find the time to bash these out whenever possible. Seeing as I currently find myself restraining my child with some sort of leg cage (Jack's note: Wrestling Scissor Lock) to stop her from climbing up the TV stand to lick the screen, what better time is there to bash out a post about all things mumsy - my first Mummy-post!
THE "LEG CAGE"
Today's mumsy post is about feeding and weaning.
Isabella is now 8 months and is well into her weaning phase. However, it has not been an easy journey. As soon as I think she has established an eating routine, something changes and she no longer wants what she once went cray-cray for!
Here's a shocking fact for you all: pre-baby expectant parents think they know it all. They don't
ISSY ENJOYING HER PORRIDGE
BREASTFEEDING
Since before Issy was born I was adamant I wanted to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months and then follow on with formula and baby-led weaning
Obviously this didn't work out as planned ...
EXPECTATIONS BEFORE BABY
It's a beautiful sunny morning and I have just woken up from a refreshing undisturbed sleep, when I look over to the crib beside me to see my gorgeous little girl still asleep in her bed - a small pretty smile on her face to match those adorable flushed cheeks. I sigh with happiness and roll effortlessly out of bed to the kitchen, my lacey gown trailing behind me. I quickly make myself a healthy breakfast - scrambled eggs and salmon with a side of avocado, and a herbal tea - because you know, its great for breastfeeding mums!
Just as I finish my breakfast I hear the gentle coo of little Issy calling for me! I float back to the bedroom and scoop up my bundle of joy who is so happy to see her mummy! She snuggles into me as I settle into an armchair by the window and begin to breast feed. Issy happily suckles away for a good 45 minutes while I gaze out the window at the birds in the trees thinking about all the things I'll get done that day, including cleaning every room in the house, the food shopping, a play date with Issys friend, baby yoga class, cooking a hearty pie for my love... And oh I'll even make a chocolate soufflé for dessert!
Ah bliss...
REALITY:
It's God knows what hour (morning? Afternoon?) and wake up with a tiny foot in my mouth because someone did not want to spend the night in her crib... I try to edge away but my moving wakes monster Issy from hibernation. She's hungry. I must feed her before she terrorises the entire village wth her screams. I half blindly pull up my oversized t-shirt I've been wearing the past 2 days (what's a shower again?) and quickly shove my boob in Issys face,
I pray today is the day she will latch on without giving me a nipple cripple.
Today is not the day.
I wince in pain and bite the inside of my cheek as my little shark-baby drinks her morning feed. However half way through feeding she looks up at me and de-latches, pushes me away and starts to cry. Why? Who knows...
Desperately I try and resolve the issue - singing? dancing? more boob? OK NO MORE BOOB! Moo moo the stuffed toy cow? Nothing seems to be working until she suddenly stops, gazing into the distance - a fierce look on her face. I feel a rumble, I hear a soft toot, I feel warmth spreading from her bum up to her neck. She's pooped. It's everywhere. And she wants more boob.
Great.
Yep, in the end I was forced to stop trying to breastfeed the shark full time but bottle feed her expressed milk and formula. Let me tell you - I hated pumping/expressing milk. It took so much time out of my day - no way was I able to fit anything else but tend to the baby into my day. Cooking? Nope. Shower? Forget it! Does anyone else hate breast pumping as much as I do? The only upside was that I was able to watch the entire box set of Fresh Prince of Bel Air...
Naturally though she was allergic to the formula and broke out in eczema EVERYWHERE...
Which brings me to weaning! Because of said eczema and assorted tummy issues we had to start her weaning early and introduce purée. There goes my baby led weaning idea out the window... (P.s. No dummies, no TV, no YouTube... All pre-baby rules that went straight out the window too! Seriously, those strict plans are not going to work out - sorry, not sorry!)
THE ECZEMA AT ITS WORST!
WEANING
EXPECTATIONS
After a wonderful body blitzing morning workout at the gym, I pick up my happy little infant from crèche and we make our way to the delightfully sunny cafe at the back of the leisure centre.
It's 12 noon - lunchtime! Out of my neatly packed baby bag, I pull out a lunchbox and a sippie cup. Issy is sat patiently in a high hair opposite me, playing with her Sophie La Girafe, waiting for me to serve her a delicious baby led weaning lunch.
On her plate I arrange some steamed broccoli, carrots and for dessert some sliced banana!
Issy, the happy child she is munches away on everything, smiling and giggling at the strangers on the next table while I Instagram my quinoa salad, sipping on a kale smoothie ...
REALITY
"Could Miss Fenlon please make her way to the crèche to pick up Isabella... She's been crying for 15 minutes non-stop..."
My attempt at a workout is inturrupted by a nasal PA announcement... Damn, I didn't get to post my #gymbunny #blessed Instagram post in the gym mirror... Maybe on the way out. Gah no time! I rush to the crèche to find Issy bawling her eyes out, snot running down her face. The grumpy nursery worker hands her back to my and rolls her eyes "maybe you should try feeding her?". I thank the lady for her suggestion silently cursing her while giving her back the finger. Quickly, I make my way to the gym cafe, cack-handedly steering the pram while balancing the baby bag on my shoulder with my child in the bundle hold in the other arm.
Other mums and their babies watch as I wrestle Issy into a high hair. I dig around in my overstuffed bag to find a pot of sliced avocado and a banana. Issy stares down at the avo in her hand, gives it a lick and flings it backwards into the lady on the next tables lap. It goes on like this until she's used up all the avocado and the banana is smooshed all over her face and the floor.
I quickly finish my pain-au-chocolat and chug my mocha before quickly assembling Issy back into the pram and make a dash for the exit - averting the eyes of an angry cleaner furiously trudging over to where I'd sat to deal with the aftermath of my attempt at baby led weaning...
Has anyone else had any issues with weaning?
At the moment we are at the stage where Issy will have bits of food every other mealtime but also wants purée for dinner - if anything at all!
ONE OF MY CREATIONS...
It's been such a nightmare - never in a million years did I think feeding a child would be this hard. I see friends with their babies who eat whatever is put in front of them - neatly I may add. Not my child.
Broccoli flying everywhere where I'd be finding little florets in the most peculiar places for days! I found a bit of avocado on the other side of the room from the weaning area stuck to the wall! I shudder to think what guests must find when they come over. Many a time have I trodden in bits of banana.
ONE OF ISSYS FAVOURITES! AVO ON TOAST!
Oh, and did I mention, she's allergic to eggs? One of the most easiest foods to prepare and full of nutrition! And it's bloody in everything!
I used to dream about making her little cupcakes and mini breakfast muffins with courgettes and other healthy foods for her to munch on. Nope. Won't be happening.
And so, now starts the daily struggle of figuring out what Little One wants to eat - if at all!
The moral of the story is kids - don't put all your hopes and expectations into having a child that will eat perfectly straight away... It almost always NEVER goes the way you planned.
What were/are your plans for feeding and did you manage to follow them?
Or if anyone else has any weaning stories, I'd love to hear them!
You can let me know by commenting on this post, or via Instagram! @littlegem92
Did you know that Isabella has her own Instagram, too? (Yes, I'm one of THOSE mummys)
@isabelladlawrence
Check it out for cute pictures of Issy between tantrums and poop-fests!
DISCLAIMER: Despite this post being all rant and nag about Issy and her eating habits, I do not resent her at all for it! She is the love of my life and brings me so much joy every single day! This type of post is just a way to vent when in actual reality what might sound absolutely horrendous and hard work to deal with is also very fun to watch! Makes great snapchats for family members, trust me!
Thanks for reading!
Gem x
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