GROWTH

Weight: 18 lbs 0.2 oz (!)
Clothing size: 6-9 months
Diaper size: 3

LOVES

Mama's milk
Tummy time
Trying to crawl
Being naked
Being held or worn in a carrier, especially if we are walking around
Smiling
Standing (with help)
TV screens
Taking naps on grandma

FIRSTS

Cold/sickness
Army crawling
Laughing (on my birthday!)

EATING

We are still breastfeeding! It is getting a lot easier, even though I've had some pain this month. It is finally feeling easier than bottle feeding.

He nurses 6-11 times a day (it varies a lot), every 2-4.5 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours at night. Many times when he wakes at night he is not hungry, but I nurse him to provide comfort.

I feel pretty comfortable nursing in public without a cover now. I am not a fan of tight nursing tanks, so every day I wear a v-neck T-shirt and a cardigan/jacket. I just lift up my shirt and he or my jacket covers up most or all my skin.

We saw a lactation consultant last week to check his latch. I often get a creased nipple during feeds so I am curious about tongue or lip ties. His top lip is usually tucked under while nursing and it's been giving me some pain. I also have had blanching (my nipple turns white after feeds from a loss of blood flow). We didn't get too many answers yet but hope to learn more next week after seeing a pediatric dentist. I am thankful that he has gained weight so well regardless, and that we didn't have these problems any sooner. I have just recently started to love breastfeeding and want to fight to make sure it continues.

SLEEP

At night he has been sleeping on our bed or, more recently, in a swing in our bedroom. I am not looking forward to when he outgrows the swing because it has been helping us keep our sanity.

Transitioned out of the swaddle to a sleep sack
We started letting him fuss/cry a little while falling asleep
He gets up three times a night and wants to nurse

HEALTH

All four of us got colds/allergies this month
We have an appointment with a pediatric dentist next week to check for tongue/lip ties in our never-ending quest to figure out why he is so gassy
He goes to the chiropractor every other week
Cradle cap is gone!
He is drooling a ton
We bathe him once a week

SOCIAL/PLAYING

LIkes to chew on his hands or put our hands in his mouth
Plays with the duckie toy on his car seat
Leans forward while sitting on our laps
Rolls from back to tummy daily (I've seen him roll both ways, but he definitely prefers to go to his left) and even army crawls and turns himself in a circle on a blanket
Has rolled from tummy to back once
Has laughed a couple times
No longer cries on every car ride (sometimes he even falls asleep!!!)

PARENTING

One of the things I was worried about before he was born was not being able to leave the house on a whim if we decided to go out to eat or something. It's taken four months, but now that he's eating a little less often (and seems to hate the car less and less), we are able to get out and about just about as much as we'd like. Sometimes we'll string multiple errands together and then realize we've pushed him too far, but most of the time he does really well. And the best part, as opposed to Rooney's first year, is that we don't have to mess with measuring/preparing/washing bottles for the diaper bag! Getting more comfortable nursing in public has been a game-changer.

My favorite things:

When he takes a break from nursing to smile
Being able to see him every couple hours during the workday - for nursing sessions and to smell/kiss his head
How happy he is in the morning
Hearing him laugh
Seeing him and Rooney interact

Finch, 4 months