Growing up, we heard adults say all the time “Don’t blink, you’ll open your eyes and they’ll be all grown up!”
Little did I know, they were right. I had my daughter Sawyer nearly two-and-a-half months ago, and already she is smiling, learning to laugh, holding her head up for longer periods of time, grabbing onto toys and the collars of our T-shirts. She is not even three-months old, and she already has loads of personality.
So far, holidays have been our thing. She was born on Valentine’s Day, and she had her first laugh on Easter. I feel like she’ll be walking before I know it. Being over two-months old, my daughter is officially no longer a newborn, but an infant.
During this time frame, babies will start to roll over, kick, reach out with their arms, and learn to grasp almost anything that comes their way. It is also the time to start considering vaccinations and immunizations for a baby (Which I believe hurts mommy far more than the baby).
We just had her two-month appointment, and the little stinker weighs a whopping 12 pounds, 12 ounces, she’s 22 inches long with a 16-inch head circumference. For those of you who aren’t parents yet and have no idea what any of that means, it means she’s right on track.
For many parents, a major highlight and milestone for their child is the introduction of baby foods.While Sawyer still has about a month and a half left before we try sweet potatoes and carrots, it is good to start researching what kinds of foods are safe for babies. Size, texture, density, flavor, and nutritional value are many things to take into consideration when choosing what one will feed their baby. Some may choose to make their own baby foods and others may choose store-bought, this is a very similar thing to breast milk vs. formula, a catastrophic debate among parents. However, the most important thing is that your child is fed and gaining weight, if they are packing on the pounds like my little one, you know you’re doing something right,
Good signs that tell you your baby is ready for baby food is when they reach four-to-six months old, start watching you eat, they bring things to their mouths, they are either a supported sitter or a sitter (in regards to how well they support their heads when sitting up), they don’t spit the food out, and they can firmly grasp things with their hands. Babies in this age range can eat foods such as apples, avocados, bananas, oatmeal, green beans, pears, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. It is advised that these foods merely compliment breastmilk or formula feedings.
Sawyer is doing pretty much all of the signs that she could eat baby food. However, that does not mean she is ready. If your baby is under four months of age and showing these signs as well, WAIT. They need that extra couple of months to develop proper motor skills and their little tummies aren’t quite ready to take all of that on just yet.
I am super anxious to find out what my little girl will like and dislike. If she is anything like me, she will love strawberries and absolutely despise beans. However, if you have a strong distaste for particular foods, do not push this on your child. Even though I would rather take a Razor scooter to the ankle than eat a spoonful of refried beans, this does not mean I will deprive my daughter of the proteins that beans can provide.
With a long to-do list for Sawyer in the coming months, we are so excited to watch her continue to grow but a little sad to let go of the 7-pound baby we feel like we just brought home.
This will be our last Gestation Journal for The Hutchinson Collegian, but out of curiosity, if these articles have either entertained you or informed you, or even if you are a young/new parent with questions, I would really love to hear about it. I have considered taking the Gestation Journal to a new platform for my readers to continue writing about the ups and downs of being a young mother with college experiences and a new career. I can be reached at [email protected] with any questions.
Brooke Greene is a Hutchinson alumna with a journalism degree, and now studying police science. She is the Collegian Editor In Chief and first-time mommy.
