A whole year!

It has been a whole year. I can hardly believe it! My little man is a year old already. I have learned so much this past year, it has been full of new experiences and challenges I could have never imagined before becoming a parent. I have done things I always swore I would never do (co-sleeping for example), I have done things others said I would never do (breastfeeding and cloth diapering for example), and I have decided not to do many things I always thought were just how things were supposed to be (bottles and baby food for example).

For the past year my little man has only been breastfed, straight from the breast. He has never had a bottle, he never actually took a pacifier. For about 2 weeks he would sleep with it, then I got tired of not sleeping and we co-slept after that, so no more pacifier, he had boob and slept MUCH better. He ONLY had breastmilk for the first 7 1/2 months of his life, at which point he started reaching out and eating food from my plate. I have never spoon fed him baby food, he has always fed himself. Of course, he can't work a spoon and feed himself things like oatmeal yet, so I help him, but 98% of what he eats he picks up and feeds to himself and has since he first consumed something other than breastmilk. He loves to be worn in a baby carrier (beco for example), he likes to sit and play on the floor all on his own, he likes to help do everything that I do. He eats amazingly well for someone his age. He loves fruit, veggies, meat, and drinks water from a straw (he skipped the sippy cup). His favorite meal would consist of sautéed squash and zucchini, sweet and spicy turnip greens, roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, with roasted chicken, with ice water to drink and of course strawberries and yogurt for dessert. Those are by far his favorite foods. 

Yes, I still cloth diaper him. I hate disposables. Due to where we lived temporarily, along with some unforeseen, crazy events I had to use disposables for 3 months. Now that things are getting back to normal we are back in cloth. I have decided to keep using the disposables for nighttime and when we go places. Mostly because he doesn't like to be changed often when we are out, and that keeps him dryier for longer then the cloth ones that I have right now. Otherwise we are back to cloth. They are simply better, for a variety of reasons. 

Yes, I am still breastfeeding him. I realize he is one and isn't considered a baby anymore. It is still extremely benifical for his phycal and emotional needs. I truly hope to keep going until his third birthday. 

Yes, he is still co-sleeping. Again, this is something that is very benifical (not as much as breastfeeding, but still important) for him. When he is ready he will move to his own bed. Until then he is welcome to sleep where he knows he is safe and feels comfortable. 

I am so blessed to have such a healthy, happy child. There are so many benefits to extended breastfeeding and co-sleeping. I realize it isn't for everyone and that is a choice you have to make. However, for us the benefits greatly outweigh the challenges that come from it. Because of the breastfeeding and co-sleeping combination he sleeps 11 hours every night and has been that way since I brought him to our bed. 

This is what works for us, and I am so glad that it does. This wasn't even remotely close to how I envisioned our first year, it is so so much better!

By the way if this post makes you feel like I'm patting myself on the back, then you would be right. I am very proud of how things have gone over this first year. I am so happy to be able to say my son has never had a bottle or formula. I'm not saying it was easy, it has been far from easy. For the first three months my son never unlatched! I was either breastfeeding or he was screaming, for THREE MONTHS. After that I started getting an hour or so a day where I didn't have to hold and/or nurse him. Then finally by 6 months I was able to do a few things throughout the day without him screaming the whole time. Now at a year I still hold him quite a bit, and I still nurse him several times a day. I nurse him to sleep at night, and usually during nap time. I don't like to go very far away from home (I'm talking more then 15min) when it is just me and him because he doesn't much like being in the car seat. Things change every day though, he gets bigger, things like the car seat bother him less, and he is getting much more interested in playing instead of being held all the time. I am so happy that we have pushed through the tough days, and I am so very thankful the things that have been such a big challenge are starting to get easier as the days go by. I couldn't have even made it through the first couple of days without the good Lord and the amazing amount of support from my husband and mom.

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