Saturday, February 25, 2012

He can't eat that!!!

Being a first time Mom with no experience meant that poor Carebear had to suffer through all the crazy ideas of a first time Mom (please see Trial Child for more details).

I think back to some of the crazy things I thought HAD to be done or else Carebear could possibly DIE! I monitored what she ate, where she slept, how she slept, what she played with, what she wore, what she did! I was so paranoid and worried about every little detail, that when I look back on that time, I shake my head and wonder what I was thinking.

Being exhausted with a baby that didn't sleep much and not having the faintest idea what I was doing meant that Carebear often didn't do things till much later in life.

I find it truly amazing how different I treat Buddy compared to Carebear when she was his age. I didn't sleep the first few months after Carebear was born because I was so paranoid I'd sleep through her waking up and needing me.
Buddy on the other hand, I slept in the hospital the night he was born...no worries.

I was so gentle with Carebear, always afraid I'd break her, Buddy gets swung around like a sack of potatoes (a much loved sack just to be clear).

Yes the differences between the way I treat them is astounding. LOL

The biggest area that has changed is feeding! Carebear started infant cereals when she was 5.5 months old because I felt she needed a bit more than just milk. Once she started real solids though it was the 3 day waiting between each one to make sure there was no allergies. I washed and sanitized EVERYTHING all the time and had a special sponge to clean her stuff separate from our dishes. She wasn't allow anything with egg, real milk, strawberries, nuts, shell fish, or anything else that could possibly harm her!
I worried to the point that if we or anyone around her ate any of those things I'd ask them to wash their hands AND their faces (in case they kissed her).
I had nothing to base this on except what I had read and what I had read scared the crap out of me!
The talk about allergies was so big when I had Carebear that I was deathly afraid to feed her anything that I didn't prepare myself just in case there was cross contamination! I boiled and sterilized her bottles for well over a year! I only used name brand foods because they could mean better quality and would be safer!
It was a lot of stress and I was scared for her safety all the time!


Fast forward to Buddy! I learned a lot in those first 17 and a half months before Buddy was born! I learned to trust your Motherly instinct and that for every study that says you shouldn't there are an equal amount of studies that say you should!
For the most part you have to do what you feel is best and go with your gut!
I have been so much more relaxed with Buddy than I EVER was with Carebear! I sanitized his bottles for the first few months but then stopped, I clean them after each use but don't boil them any more.
He eats a non-name brand formula, he eats jarred baby food sometimes, he had eaten a few foods that aren't age appropriate without the 3 day wait and he smokes..kidding about that last one! LOL
I feed him whatever we're having for dinner just cut up in super tiny pieces and he loves it, that's something Carebear never got to experience till she was way older!
He's tried some foods that have other ingredients in them that are on the "no, no" list like egg! Eeck!
It's not that I don't care I just can see that those things don't bother him. He seems fine so far and I'll keep going with my gut and take his cues. He's not eating anything too complex but I'm not worried about the 3 day rule, and he eats whatever we're eating just a more plain version and it's not puréed!
I know, aren't I the worst Mommy in the world?
But it's funny how more relaxed we are with each child we have. I can understand now why my sisters complained about me all the time. Being the youngest of the 4 Glasgow Chicks by the time I was born my Mom must have been feeling the same way I do know, more relaxed and busy with other children that you don't put so many rules and regulations down! I know I got away with way more than my sisters ever did and I can see now why they didn't like me much! LOL
I can imagine when we have more children that I'll me so mellow and relaxed that I'll let our youngest get away with murder! LOL

It's amazing how different you are as you go along on this parenting journey!




1 comment:

cdnkaro said...

I was ridiculously relaxed in MOST (though not all) ways even for my first child, having been around babies my whole life, yet I still find myself way more casual with each one. It's just the way it is:)