Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Why I have resisted adding a third solid feeding

... because three baths a day is just too much:



Seriously, my little girls are the messiest eaters you've ever seen. Sometimes I can get away with a wipe-down after a feeding, but for the most part, they need a bath after every. freakin'. meal.

Theoretically, they are now eating three meals of solids a day. In practice, they eat two solid meals, and sometimes I give them a snack of cheerios, or a third solid meal if I happen to be really on the ball (i.e. it's happened twice). They have learned to self-feed, and they enjoy cheerios, tiny pieces of cheese, and pasta shells sprinkled with parmesan. I'm making my own baby food, and there is almost nothing they don't eat with gusto -- hummus, cauliflower, chicken, beef, sweet potato, broccoli, lentils, you name it.

At our nine-month pediatrician visit last Wednesday, Claire weighed 14 lb 10 oz and Katherine was 16 lb 4 oz; Katherine is 27 1/2" tall, while Claire is only 26". Katherine has shot up into the 50% height-wise, 10% weight, while Claire is 10% height and <3% weight. However, she has gained a full pound since our weight check of three weeks ago, and two pounds since the bronchiolitis took her down to 12 lb 10 oz. Clearly, the solids are agreeing with them.

In addition to the solids, the girls are still nursing at least 4-5 times a day. I saw Nico talk about quitting nursing, and it made me think. My original plan was to wean them after a year, so that we could start trying in earnest for baby #3, but I'm not sure that's how it's going to work out. At nine months, we are nowhere near ready to wean, and I have my doubts that this will significantly change three months from now, although I know that teeth (which they still don't have) might well change everything.

I'm also having doubts about just how ready I am for the arrival of a third baby. I know I certainly couldn't cope if you handed me another newborn tomorrow, but isn't useful one way or the other, since they'd be at least 18 months even if I got pregnant tomorrow. I'll post more about this at some point in the future, but for the moment, suffice it to say that I'm not feeling so much internal pressure to wean them ASAP so I can start trying to get pregnant again.

Well, technically you could say we're trying now, though this is partly due to dissatisfaction with various birth control methods. However, when I say "trying", I mean "take lots of artificial hormones, go through invasive procedures, and prepare myself for the possibilities of hospitalization and another multiple pregnancy, while mothering toddler twins". When you put it like that, why no, I don't really feel like rushing out and weaning immediately, just so I can get started. We'll see where I am in a few months, I guess.

So that's the state of the highchair right now, going well overall. The state of the nursery is not so good, as I am currently getting a colossal dose of karmic retribution for all that good sleeping they did from 10 weeks on. 9-month sleep regression, I hate you, please leave soon... but that's a topic for another post.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Just wait until the first birthday cake.

Eva said...

So cute! Great that they enjoy their food. We're going to start finger foods soon, I've just been anxious about choking, because... well, because that's the way I am. Glad both girls are growing.

I think my kids are still nursing 8 - 9 times a day (including nighttime). I'm conflicted by wanting more freedom, and wanting my babies to stay babies. I'm definitely not ready to wean yet, though.

I've so much enjoyed the photos in the last couple of posts, thanks for sharing!