baby’s first Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Christmas-time is always a favorite time of year and this year we were excited to involve Lyla in all our festivities and traditions. Also, #realtalk, I have so many cute baby Christmas pictures I just had to share. 

Dec 4th we started with my father-in-law's company family Christmas party - dinner and the Luminaria exhibit at Thanksgiving point. I was worried about Lyla staying warm and being up past her bedtime but she was totally enthralled, content, and then fell asleep on the way home (which NEVER happens). She met Santa for the first time and wasn’t quite sure what to think. 

Dec 16th was our ward Christmas party. Lyla had a grand old time joining in on the breakfast and this time meeting Santa was met with something of a smile! 

Dec 22nd and 23rd we started on some Christmas baking (cranberry orange scones, orange rolls, and cinnamon rolls) and went on our annual Christmas light ride. Lyla definitely likes Christmas lights. She’ll even eat them if they’re close. 

Christmas Eve we enjoyed our church Christmas program and Lyla made friends with the old ladies in the congregation with her smiles and babblings while I was up on the stand with the choir. I was proud that I got Lyla’s bow to stay in at least for one picture. That evening we went to the in-laws (Farfar and Farmor) for a nice dinner and treats. Lyla loved the roast and cinnamon apples. 

Christmas Day started dark and early at 6:30 when baby woke up. We opened stockings and presents before having a carb loaded breakfast of the rolls, Einstein bagels (including green chile and a snickerdoodle flavor!) ham, egg nog and juice. Considering I’m a minimalist and Lyla finds boxes, wrapping paper, and ribbons more interesting than actual toys we didn’t get her much of anything except for a baby toothbrush, beanie baby, and a loofah to play with. I’m grateful our parents aren’t large gifters either, so from them we got one toy, an outfit, and my family’s literal presence as we haven’t spent Christmas with them in 3 years and

plane tickets are pricey during the holidays. Yay family! We had a White Christmas and snow actually stuck to the ground for the first time this season so Lyla discovered snow and mostly wanted to eat it. We spent the afternoon and evening playing, visiting, and eating with my family, some cousins/aunts/uncles and my mom's parents. Way too many people at once for our little girl so we had to frequently step out for a break but we managed. Lyla was certainly loved and adored by all including my siblings, most of whom had yet to meet her in person. 

For us Christmas is all about Christ, family, traditions, and treats. We love spending time with family making memories that will last far longer than any item given. As our family grows it makes the season even more special. Merry Christmas Lyla! 

FTMs: no free time but we’re not busy

With a baby attached to me (quite literally this week as we’re in the middle of separation anxiety), nothing is quite so simple anymore. My schedule revolves around nap time, making dinner takes twice as long, and we don’t leave the house together past 6 because bedtime is at 7. Most hours of the day (and night) my time is not my own. “Me time”, when it happens, has a whole new meaning.

At the same time I'm not super busy. When a mom friend wants a play date the answer is “YES PLEASE WE HAVE NO PLANS!” There’s always the weekly grocery trip or library run, we try to keep up on laundry and sometimes vacuum, but other than that I sit on the floor while my baby explores the living room and I message my husband at work. Also I can’t be the only one who makes up errands for something to do. 

No I am not yet chasing a toddler, or helping kids with homework, or acting as taxi driver. My to do list has a few things on it, but it’s not a struggle to keep up with. I have no deadlines, due dates, or appointments. We love our daily routine and I’m a big fan of having lots of independent free play, but the reality is sometimes I want more. 

We think of new moms as busy - they’ve got their hands full so why bother them? And while it’s true our hands are full of wiggly baby, we want to be bothered. We want plans, friends, and things to do. We will work around nap time but we have plenty of time otherwise.

Are you home with a little one? Let's have a play date! Try to take the initiative to set up get togethers (or even a regular play group) in your area. Maybe others will follow. 

*Note: written 11/30, FTM = first time mom

we're skipping the baby food

introducing peanut butter in peanut pasta

Lyla is over 6 months old (7 months now) and that means solids! Yes, we waited till 6 months as is the current recommendation by most health organizations these days including the AAP and the WHO. Traditionally that means heading to the baby food aisle (or making your own), spoon-feeding your little one, and gradually introducing table foods, but we're skipping straight to table food! These days it's a movement called "Baby-Led Weaning" (UK definition of weaning aka the introduction of solids, not discontinuing breastfeeding as it often means in the US), but babies haven't always been spoon-fed.

Background 

chewing some bread from a reuben

What solid foods babies have been fed varies based on time period and location, but the wide spread use of store bought baby food jars can essentially be traced back to advertising starting in the 1920s. By the 1950s 90% of Americans fed their babies jarred baby food and by 2002 that number was 99% (click for source). But this wasn’t always the way it was done; in fact some older family members may recall they did indeed simply give baby some of what they were eating, only it wasn't called "baby-led weaning" it was just called feeding your baby. Baby-led weaning (BLW) challenges the myth that infants must start on diets of liquid mush and while there is NOTHING wrong with going the traditional weaning (TW)  route, this post will clearly be biased towards BLW. But what about the research? Is this a fad? I'll be the first to admit that evidence based research on BLW is scant to nonexistent. It just hasn't really been done. But what research has been done along with the anecdotal research from thousands who have done it show it is feasible for most infants and has many benefits (the only real con is baby can get messy). 

Why bother?

Picture credit: Baby Led Weaning for Beginners Facebook Grou

• Give control back to baby: Babies and toddlers instinctively know what foods their body needs nutrition wise and how much to eat. They will not overfeed themselves. They become self-sufficient and confident at feeding themselves when they are given the chance to do so.

  

  learning appropriate bite size

• Learning to chew first: Spoon-feeding bypasses the gag reflex to encourage them to swallow the pureed food. BLW teaches baby to chew food first before swallowing. By experimenting with how much to bite off they learn appropriate bite sizes and are at a lower risk for choking.
• Tastes and textures: Food before one year isn’t about getting large amounts into your baby, it’s about letting them explore food and all its tastes and textures. It's a great learning experience and they learn more about what food is like when it's in its true form. 
• Convenience: Say goodbye to an increased grocery budget (no need to buy jars), waiting to eat your cold food (you eat at the same time as baby), and specially prepared meals (they eat what you eat). Less to do, so there's less stress! 

So how does this work? Here are the basics:

Picture credit: Baby Led Weaning for Beginners Facebook Group

• Before you start: Babies must meet the following requirements: 6 months of age by date (adjusted if preemie), able to sit unassisted, loss of tongue thrust, interest in food, starting to develop the pincer grasp. 
• Baby eats what you eat: There are NO first foods and no specially prepared meals for your kiddo. The only things to avoid are honey in all forms and too much sodium (400mg per day for baby if you want to be specific). It's also best to eat (and therefore offer) a well balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. 

  

  baby eats what we eat but in finger shapes

• Appropriate food sizes: All foods should be cut into finger lengths when possible. Small foods like rice or corn are fine as is and round foods like grapes, tomatoes, or baby carrots should be cut into quarters length-wise. Choking hazards like nuts and popcorn should be avoided. Once baby has mastered chewing and the pincer grasp (around 9-10m), food can be cut into bite sized pieces (but not itty bitty pieces). 

  

  trying cheese

• Offer milk first: Milk is the primary source of nutrition until a year old and feedings should not be reduced until then. Offer breastmilk/formula 30-60 minutes before meals. Up to 2oz of water a day offered at meal time is ok but no more.
• Baby feeds themselves: Only place food on tray for baby to grab themselves. Puree-like adult foods (think yogurt or applesauce) are fine as long as you put the preloaded spoon on the tray for baby to use. Never put food in baby's mouth or hand them something. They need to be in control. 
• DO NOT INTERFERE WHEN GAGGING: 

  

  gag face

  Gagging is a built in safety reflex for when big food gets too close to the wind pipe. It can be unnerving to watch a baby gag at first but they will work it out themselves. Interfering can cause choking. Choking is rare and is NOT the same as gagging. Often those not familiar with the difference will see a gagging baby, exclaim “she’s choking!”, and want to take the food out but that is incorrect and dangerous. Educate yourself to know the difference.

BUT WHAT ABOUT..??

• Choking: Is rare. Take an infant CPR class so you know what it looks like and what to do in case it happens. Remember, gagging and choking are NOT the same thing. 
• Allergy foods: There is no 3 day rule (that's outdated info) unless you have a history of family allergies (then work with your Dr. on how to introduce). Introduce everything at 6 months. Any reactions would likely be pretty obvious and immediate. 
• Teeth:

  

  no teeth needed!

  There are no teeth needed to eat real food. The back teeth used for chewing don't come in until 2yrs old and by then all kids are eating solid food. Baby gums are tough and meant for chewing.
• Doing both BLW and purees: This is a big no, sorry. Yes in TW you eventually start offering solid food but if you’re going the BLW route you need to be fully committed. Sometimes spoon-feeding can cause confusion about whether to chew or swallow first (choking risk!) and it defeats the whole point of letting baby do it themselves by trial and error. If you’ve done purees for a few months already it’s also best to continue the traditional route. 

Lyla makes some great faces

Lyla's experience

I admit, her first meal I was a little nervous and watched her like a hawk. She did gag a lot and even threw up but it didn’t seem to phase her, she just wanted more food! We’re now a few weeks in and she rarely gags and we know she is eating some things because her diapers have become rather exciting. I’m always sitting with her and modeling eating but I don’t watch her as intently anymore, I just enjoy my meal. Not all babies will go for food immediately but Lyla is definitely gung-ho about trying food and she loves being included in family meals. I’m also happy to have my lap and hands free so I can eat too! Food so far has been a chill, stress-free experience with 0 extra prep and only a few extra baths. We LOVE BLW and are so glad we went this route. If you want to know more, read Baby-Led Weaning by Gil Rapley or I'd be happy to answer any questions! 

new food means intense concentration

Lyla tries steak!

Working on her pincer grasp

trying egg with her first meal

this blog gets a makeover

You may have noticed I changed the title of this blog and gave it a new logo/header. Here's the explanation for why:

When I started this blog a year ago, I had no idea what I was doing. If we're honest I often still have no idea, but I at least now have a feel for the type of posts I write and messages I want to share. I originally named it "my blog without a title" because without knowing what I was going for yet I didn't have a more appropriate title. Now that I've composed more posts and found my voice and passion I thought it was time for a new title, thus "the minimalist mama bear".

"mama bear"

Everyone knows not to come between a mama bear and her cubs. Likewise it has become my passion and life mission to do right by my kids and if you get in the way you better believe I will get protective. A big part of this is the large amounts of research behind the parenting philosophies I hold and decisions I make. I’m all for “do what’s best for you and your kids” but that should also be backed up by credible research and current recommendations. I believe in going the extra mile to be the respectful and gentle parent they need, even if it means more effort and sacrifice on my part. Motherhood is more than just something I do, it's become who I am. I could never get passionate in school like others seemed to, even in my major, but it would seem that in being a mom I have quite literally found my calling in life and will give it my all. The mama instinct is strong and the bear in me is not afraid to rear its head to defend my practices and educate others. 


"the minimalist"
If a mama bear is who I am, than minimalism is the way I strive to live. Less is more and be intentional. Minimalism was always appealing, but once I learned that kids thrive when they are not burdened by hectic schedules and play rooms full of flashy toys, but can instead be free to play regularly and use their imagination (perhaps with a few open ended toys), I was sold. If I may borrow a Danish word, I also like the idea of hygge (pronounced hue-guh), which is a feeling of being present, conscious of the current moment. It's a way of life that promotes well-being through cozy contentment, which I believe is easy to do once we minimize the clutter surrounding us. I want to live a wholehearted life, which means minimizing the voices in my head and letting go of scarcity, comparison, self doubt, perfectionism, and caring what people think. I strive to live authentically, true to my truest self, by minimizing the walls we sometimes build around ourselves and instead embrace vulnerability. To me, minimalism is certainly a lack of clutter and possessions, but it is also a way to make the most of life. 

Since this blog has turned into a place for me to write about things I'm passionate about and feel prompted to share, there's a lot of writing about life plans, parenting, lifestyle, etc. So far the "mama bear" theme has rang loud and true, but I also hope to include more "minimalist"/intensional living posts in the future. Though this online space has only a few followers, I love that I have a place to write (something I love doing) and share the messages I feel strongly about. Because this space essentially embodies me in a series of posts I thought it only fitting that it be named after not only what I write about, but also who I am and how I try to live. 

I hope you keep following along as I keep sharing and maybe we can both learn a little something along the way.