Keeping Me Sane

There are so many worrisome things when you're a mommy. Worrying about everything from what is the best sunscreen to whether it's warm enough for shorts and everything in between. One of my biggest worries has always been about feeding the little man. Breastfeeding has been one of the single most difficult activities of my entire life, but one of the most rewarding.
I've always worried about D's food intake with breastfeeding, mostly because for most of the day it's SO immeasurable. I say that because he's with my babysitter for 10 hours a day most days :( and I can see exactly how much he's getting. It's been a difficult ride for me from day 1, but since has had peaks and valleys that keep it interesting at least.
Since D has started solids he's done great keeping the breastfeeding up but it tapered off recently, since he's been on the other side of this ear infection. He's eating a lot of fruits and vegetables - more than "normal" but he's been happy/thriving/loving his diet up to now. Our pediatrician even suggested that we slowly let him increase his solid intake because he does well with it and he's a big boy.
Lately his milk intake has decreased noticeably - up to the point where we realized that perhaps his head-shaking that he was doing wasn't him being cute - it was that he still has some remnants of fluid or something in his ear from that ear infection causing him to want to slow down on the milk because sucking is uncomfortable. Even the doctor's office agreed and put him on a 2nd run of prescription so anything that's still hanging on could possibly be cleared up.
Okay yes - everyone says he's huge you have nothing to worry about, he looks healthy, etc. (yes, of course he's a biggie and looks healthy - but I don't want him to not look like that anymore). Some say that it's most likely because he takes SO much of his solid food (which does make sense - but he's taken the same amount of solids and WAY more milk before).
I say that there's no such thing as normal. Each baby and person is going to have an individual diet and mannerisms and schedule, etc. This is a realization that I think you make when you have a kid and see that the rulebooks go out the window. So, I was trying to relax and just go with the flow and not worry. However, now D's having trouble pooping. He can't do it and it's sad. I know this is a result of his lower milk intake.
Today I went to my favorite source of advice when it comes to D's issues. Not my doctor, or any other health professional...it's my breastfeeding group. YEP - a group of mommies that I still meet with who are going through the same things at the same time and know that what is "written" is not always what should be done. These other women and I all share experiences and make each other feel so much better. I trust them...I hear what they do, what advice they're getting (not necessarily taking either) and what their thoughts are. I always feel better when I talk with them and today was no exception. So with a new attitude, a few suggestions on solid food intake and a stop at the grocery store for organic baby food PRUNES - I'm feeling much better thank you. These women keep me sane in the new mommy world full of being unhappy with pediatricians, unwelcome advice, society's opinions, people who aren't parents pretending they are, and so many books/theories/practices that your head could spin with information.

I remembered to bring a camera today to take pictures of the babies that were there. There were only four out of the six of us there today - but the babies had a ball at the park in the swings - and then we all went for a walk on the trail and all the babies fell asleep in tandem!

D and LJ loving the swings:

And the girls, Hannah and Gwendolyn loving it as well:

And some close ups of D:

Hannah and D after they woke up from the walk/nap (although not quite fully awake):