I'll warn you right now, this post might make some of you SQUIRM!!!!!! Read at your own risk!!

SO.....tonight I finally brought myself to take a little taste of my own breastmilk! HA!! I nursed Cameron for 16 months and always wanted to try it. But I was too scared! Allie is 5 1/2 months, so I have nursed for almost 22 months....weird. Anyway, I always wondered what it tasted like! Obviously it can't be nasty if babies are so eager to drink it, right??

Well....it wasn't bad!! It was actually good!! I can see now why Allie is always lunging at me!! Nate looked like he wanted to hurl when I tried it!! Maybe one day I'll replace our store-bought milk with mine...HA, wouldn't that be an evil trick!!!!!!!

Don't think less of me. It's not like I'm going to start pumping my own milk for my cereal each morning or anything!!

Food for Thought

When did you start your babies on solids???

I love breastfeeding. I think it is absolutely amazing that I can provide ALL of the nourishment my babies need with my own body! I am not shy or embarrassed about this. It doesn't bother me to breastfeed in public one bit. Most of you know that the first several weeks of nursing both of my children were absolutely miserable, but it has become one of my favorite parts of motherhood. I love having so many chances every day to just sit, relax and feed my baby.

I am NO rush to start solids. The general guideline is between 4-6 months of age. I've been doing a lot of research lately on the benefits of breastfeeding. One article states:

"The most important thing to remember is that breastmilk is a nutrient dense food and should be the primary source of your baby’s nutrition throughout the entire first year of life while his brain is growing so rapidly. It is the ideal source of nourishment, and it’s composition changes to meet your growing babies needs. For example, the levels of antibodies in your milk increase as your baby starts solids and takes in less volume of milk, and the fat levels in the milk decrease as your baby slows down on his weight gain in the second six months of life.

According to Ted Greiner, Ph.D and noted breastfeeding researcher, any foods other than breastmilk or formula given during the first 6 months have a displacement rather than additive effect because they displace the fat and calories the baby needs from milk.

From 6 - 12 months, babies need an "educational" diet, where other foods gradually begin to provide for nutritional needs that milk alone can't provide. Breastmilk or formula should be the main source (75%) of calories until the end of the first year."

I think there are some people wondering why I haven't started Allie on solids yet. I plan on waiting 4 more weeks until she is 6 months, like I did with Cameron. Unless she weans herself, I hope to breastfeed her 12 months or longer.

What's your opinion and experiences?

Random

So I have 4 random questions:

1. Have any of you tried Luvs diapers? Do you like/dislike them? I'm just curious.

2. Do you have a good cleaning schedule you use? Do you do a room a day, or do you have 1 cleaning day a week? I just like to hear other people's ideas.

3. Do you have any sort of daily schedule or routine with your younger kids? For example, a wake-up time, an art/craft time, TV time, outside time, etc?

4. I think Cam is old enough for a Reward Chart....something along the lines of like he earns stickers for good behavior and 10 stickers gets him a treat....I'd love to hear your ideas before I decide exactly how I want to do it.

Thanks!!