6 Month check up

Lawson chews everything now

Lawson's 6 month stats:

Weight 17lbs 9 oz. 50th %

Height 26.5 inches 50th%

he has caught up in height from the 25th%

(even with the drooling.. no teeth yet)

We received great news at the doctors office yesterday. Lawson's head shape is improving as is his neck movement to his left side. It has taken a lot of work. Several people have asked questions about his head issue called Plagiocephaly. Here is some information I found about it:

Plagiocephaly is a condition that causes a baby's head to have a flat spot (flat head syndrome) or be misshapen.

The most common form is positional plagiocephaly. It occurs when a baby's head develops a flat spot due to pressure on that area. Babies are vulnerable because their skull is soft and pliable when they're born.

Positional plagiocephaly typically develops after birth when babies spend time in a position that puts pressure on one part of the skull. Because babies spend so much time lying on their back, for example, they may develop a flat spot where their head presses against the mattress.

Starting in the early 1990s, parents were told to put their babies to sleep on their back to reduce the risk of SIDS. While this advice has saved thousands of babies' lives, experts have noticed a fivefold increase in misshapen heads since then. 

More rarely, babies develop positional plagiocephaly when movement in the uterus is constricted for some reason – because their mother is carrying more than one baby, for example. It can also happen to breech babies who get wedged under their mother's ribs.

Spotting positional plagiocephaly

Many vaginally delivered babies are born with an oddly shaped head caused by the pressure of passing through the birth canal. This usually corrects itself within about six weeks. But if your baby's head hasn't rounded out by age 6 weeks – or if you first notice that your baby has a flat spot on her skull after 6 weeks of age – it's probably a case of positional plagiocephaly.

Plagiocephaly shows up most often in babies who are reported to be "good sleepers," babies with unusually large heads, and babies who are born prematurely and have weak muscle tone.

Babies with torticollis can also develop a flat spot on their skull because they often sleep with their head turned to one side. Torticollis occurs when a tight or shortened muscle on one side of the neck causes the chin to tilt to the other side. Premature babies are especially prone to torticollis.

What to do if your baby's head develops a flat spot

Everyone's skull is a bit asymmetrical. And in many cases, a flat spot on a baby's head will round out on its own around 6 months of age, as she starts crawling and sitting up. Nevertheless, if you notice flattening of your baby's head at any time, don't wait – talk with her doctor about it right away.

A baby's skull becomes less soft and pliable as she grows. So if you do need to take steps to correct the condition, the younger your baby is, the easier it will be. Your baby's doctor may refer you to a specialist, such as a pediatric plastic surgeon or neurosurgeon for diagnosis and treatment.

 We are so happy Lawson does not need treatment for his plagiocephaly. We have kept him upright when he is awake, made him do tummy time when he hated it, completed neck exercises daily, and worried about it daily. Plus the cost of the  helmet to fix it not being covered my insurance made me extremely mad!

Lawson's 6 month Milestones

• he can sit up right and reach down to grab items with out falling over.. he has even learned to scoot his legs to help with balance
• he can put a spoon to his mouth
• hold his sippy cup and put it to his mouth
• stand up with very little support
• rotate around while on his belly
• scoot backwards on his belly by using his knees
• PICK UP AND PUT HIS BINKIE BACK IN HIS MOUTH!!
• help you get himself out of the car seat.. the minute you unstrap him hes leaning forward for you to grab him

That's all I cant think of right now.

Have a great weekend !

Singer Island trip

Tomorrow we leave this beautiful place.. I was getting used to waking up and seeing the views

 It has been a pretty eventful trip from the jelly fish stings I received.. the allergic reaction on my hands from the neighbor's dog's licking.. to Lawson not sleeping well 2 nights... Here are some pictures from the events

Check back for more photos later.. Have a wonderful Wednesday

Lawsons First Plane Flight

Oh where to begin. 

The tension and anxiety of traveling alone with Lawson keeps building. In Less than 48 hours we will struggle through security, Play on a blanket in the airport, try to get all screeches out before getting on the plane, board the plan, hopefully take a bottle and go to sleep.

That is what I hope will happen with my cute chubby 6 month old but only time will tell. I have gotten a lot of tips from others who have flown with their little ones and the main thing I have been told is, " if anyone looks at you because Lawson cries or misbehaves just stare them down or curse at them.. hes a baby for heaven sake".

I will let you know how it goes and take pictures of our trip.

Lawson 6 month photo shoot

Yes its a day early but I decided to put Lawson in his Carolina Jersey and take some 6 month photo shoots!!

ENJOY!

InSoMnIa

For the past week I have not been able to go to sleep and have tossed and turned while Jonah and the dogs snore beside me. I don't know what is causing me to not be able to go to sleep. Its really bad.. 

Maybe its the upcoming Plane trip to Florida where I will have to manage Lawson all by myself.. 

Maybe its not getting enough exercise, but I have lost SO much weight breastfeeding my jeans are sagging and I'm worried about loosing too much after my annual check up 

(yeah I know I worried about loosing it now I'm worried about loosing too much).... 

Maybe its debating on when to stop breastfeeding... this goes through my mind daily...

Maybe its missing adult interaction on a daily basis or missing my husband......

Who knows... Since its almost midnight and I am still up.. have been trying to go to sleep since 9 pm I decided to look up some information..

Here it goes:

Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, or having non refreshing sleep for at least 1 month. (guess i have 2 more weeks to go till I am classified as having insomnia)

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Primary insomnia refers to insomnia that is not caused by any known physical or mental condition.
Insomnia is caused by many different things. The most common causes of insomnia are:

• Alcohol
• Anxiety
• Coffee
• Stress

Secondary insomnia is caused by a medical condition. Depression is a very common cause of secondary insomnia. Often, insomnia is the symptom that causes people with depression to seek medical help.

Symptoms

• Difficulty falling asleep on most nights
• Feeling tired during the day or falling asleep during the day
• Not feeling refreshed when you wake up
• Waking up several times during sleep

People who have primary insomnia tend to keep thinking about getting enough sleep. The more they try to sleep, the greater their sense of frustration and distress, and the more difficult sleep becomes.

Based on that information I think the stress and anxiety is getting to me.. Maybe I need to get on the treadmill and walk daily.. drink some herbal tea... All I know is that I need to be able to go to sleep or I might have the following effects from sleep deprivation.

OK back to bed I go to attempt sleep again.. Wish me luck and if you have any advice please leave a comment..

National Breastfeeding Awareness Week

Although National Breastfeeding Awareness Week is coming to a close I wanted to take a moment to recognize it. Growing up I never thought about breast feeding.. Having a baby didnt cross my mind much till I got married. I knew my brother, Grant, and I were both formula fed and I didnt know much about breastfeeding. Since alot of my close friends had children before I did, I learned a lot about breast feeding from them. Once I was pregnant with Lawson I told Jonah I wanted to breastfeed because it would help Lawson not have to deal with the allergies and asthma issues I had, Or so I hoped.

I’m so thankful that nursing has become “popular” again among new, young moms. Let’s hope this is a trend that never fades away! For whatever reason, our own mothers were encouraged to forget the breast and use formula only. WHY did this happen? Formula companies? Who knows. What matters is that breastfeeding is back in a BIG WAY.

Health benefits for baby:

• Children receive the most complete and optimal mix of nutrients & antibodies
• The varying composition of breastmilk keeps pace with the infant’s individual growth and changing nutritional needs
  
• Have fewer incidences of vomiting and diarrhea
  
• Reduced risk of chronic constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets
  
• Reduced risk of childhood diabetes and obesity
  
• Protection against ear infections, respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney infections, allergies, asthma, eczema, meningitis, botulism, childhood lymphoma, crohn’s disease and ulcerative entercolits
  
• Reduced risk of SIDS. (Statistics reveal that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breastfed.)
  
• Decreased risk of tooth decay, heart disease, acute appendicitis, rheumatoid arthritis, inguinal hernia, and pyloric stenosis
  
• Nursing promotes facial structure development, enhanced speech, straighter teeth and enhances vision
  
• Increased bone density
  
• Antibody response to vaccines are higher
  
• Are hospitalized 10 times less than formula fed infants in the first year of life
  

Health benefits for mom:

• Reduced risk of breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers
  
• Reduced risk of anemia
  
• Protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life
  
• Helps the mother’s body return to its pre-pregnancy state faster - promotes weight loss…can burn from 500 - 1,500 calories per day
  
• Develops a special emotional relationship and bonding with her child
  
• Breastmilk is free - reducing or eliminating the cost of formula (in the thousands of dollars/per year)
  
• Helps the uterus contract after birth to control postpartum bleeding
  

These benefits and MORE can be seen here.

As a nursing mom, I take joy in telling others about my experience (the good and the hard parts!) and spreading the word. I encourage my friends to breastfeed, openly talk about it with anyone and everyone. Although I don't feel comfortable about nursing in public, I can always find a way to make breast feeding work when out and about. The more comfortable we are with it, the more “normal” it will be for others.
Breastfeeding makes me feel good.  I’ve lost the baby weight quickly and easily.Though it was extremely hard in the beginning, I kept telling myself it would get easier and it is. I have created a bond with Lawson through this time and as Jonah says, " I will probably cry when I spot breast feeding".

I know breastfeeding isn’t for everyone. Some moms have a lot of difficulty with nursing. Others find it easier to use formula. As long as we do what’s best for mom & baby - THAT is what matters. Every family is different and we should celebrate that. As moms, we should support each other no matter what because we’re all in this together!

So, cheers to the boobies! Let’s keep our kiddos strong and healthy and give them the best start in life!