[Mars]

So, Amara's turning 1 on Thursday and she's going to be on whole milk from then and she can breastfeed in the mornings and evenings. Well, I stopped pumping today since I have a 2-week stash in my freezer. My boobs are so full they feel like they're going to pop! And they are so painful. I guess I have to wait it out until they adjust. Any tips on how I can make it more comfortable over the next few days?

[Resi]

I heard tight sports bra, cabbage leafs placed on breast... I hope it adjusts for you after a few days at the most. Has she tasted whole milk yet? I can never get Olive to drink more than a sip.

[Mars]

Thanks Resi. I haven't tried her with whole milk as yet. I'll give her a taste on Thursday. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that she likes it. She can be extremely picky sometimes.

[~*Bethy*~]

I wouldnt stop until you know she'll drink it. Heres to hoping!!

[Frozendesire]

Good luck!! Dustin will drink some but not lots... so we're still nursing during the day.

Hope you feel better very soon

[ShannonMVT]

I hope she takes it well! The only suggestions I have are the ones Resi made. Or you could still pump but pump for less and less time each day and make it a more gradual thing?

[*krista*]

I have no suggestions obviously, I just wanted to say I hope you (and Amara) adjust quickly.

[~*sierra*~]

i hope she likes the milk! i liked that idea about just pumping for less and less and doing it gradually......

[bittersweet]

I cant believe she is almost one! Wow. No suggestions, but I'll listen up when you find something that works!

[Mars]

Thanks ladies. I guess I'll be back to pumping from tomorrow.

[Chelnae6]

I know that having cabbage leaves in your bra works.

Good luck with the transition for both you and Amara!

[Resi]

Thursday she turns one! Already.. her and Oliver both were born on the 21st day of the month.

Your going to pump tomorrow? How many times do you normally pump per day? Maybe you can cut out all the pumps but one? I did that towards the end of my pumping at work time. I tend to get clogged ducts if I get too engorged. I hope that doesn't happen for you. It hurts!

[~*Bethy*~]

start with cutting out one - then work your way down every couple of days. Its hard to dry up milk - and it hurts!!!

[Mars]

I'll probably pump once. I don't really want to have much stock when she goes off, especially if she takes to the milk. I'd rather her get used to it and not be back and forth with it unless she's nursing. If the cow's milk doesn't work, I'm going to try her with rice milk (I think it was rice milk I saw in the supermarket.)

We saw our Health Visitor last Thursday for a weight check with Kirsty (She was 21lbs! Do you know what Amara is just now?) I asked about the transition to cow's milk and the HV said since we were so close to her 1st birthday and that I use it in her cooking, she said just to try it.

My plan was to do like 5oz formula with 1oz cow's milk then increase the cow's milk/decrease formula gradually. The HV said why not just try full cow's milk & see how she does with it, but just for 1 feed at first. So Friday morning, I tried her with 6oz cow's milk for her breakfast feed which she takes in her sippy... I wouldn't know I gave her something different, she scoffed it like it was regular formula! She has it for breakfast feed everyday now. I plan on switching her afternoon bottle this week (3oz), then once my tub of formula is finished I'll switch her bedtime one (9oz).

I hope Amara does equally as well!


Give us an update on her development stages please? We always compared our girls and they always were roughly at the same stages, it's amazing!

[sara~b]

I hope she does well! When you find your solution I will have to bookmark it so I remember what to do when the time comes! GL Mari and Amara!

[Mars]

Thanks everyone!

Fi, I keep toying with the idea of trying her with a wee bit since her birthday is in 2 days. I may try her with it this evening. Yesterday I couldn't wait for her to get home and feed from me because my boobs were so full.

You're right about our updates. We haven't done one in quite some time. I keep checking you blog and seeing how beautifully Kirsty is growing and what she''s doing but since I don't have a blog, I guess it's harder for you to know what's going on with me. Also, with work, I don't always get time to create post so I usually just do quick responses.

As for Amara's development, she's doing really well. She can take a few steps unassisted but she's still a bit timid when on the floor. She'll step unassisted in her pack n play but when she's on the ground she prefers to hold on to something.

She chats up a storm and can say dog, woof, car, cheese, sit (though it sounds like sex but we know what she means, lol), bye (she says baa), hello, thanks and a few others. She also says ears and points to her ears and she can point to her mouth and nose (she's picked these up from the gestures in the Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song). She says row, row from Row Your Boat as well. She loves to sing and hum to herself and she dances a lot especially to the them song from that show Hi-5 on Discovery Kids. I'm very proud of her with her manners because when she takes anything she says thanks and when she wants something, she holds out her hand and says thanks as well. It's funny.

Food-wise she's doing just OK in that department. Some days she eats really well and other days she can't be bothered. She loves fruit though and eats that very well.

I don't know her official weight or length. Her 1 year appointment in on the 26th January. I weighed with her on the scale recently and it was around 20/21lbs.

Thanks Sara.

I'll just add Kirsty's here

She has come on soooo much since Christmas week.... she started sleeping through the night. She started crawling fully & pulling up/cruising furniture. She has been self-feeding using her hands, and she eats what we eat, I chop it up small-ish for her. And she cut a lower tooth, next to the front one. The past 2 days I've tried to encourage fork use and as long as I load the fork with food, she can use it and manages to get the food to her mouth with it!

She is not standing or walking unaided. I don't think she is far off it but hasn't got the confidence to move or stand without holding on. She can say: mama, dada, down (sounds like daaaaa), off (sounds like awwww but it is said at times of meaning off!), poo (lol yes as in toilet poo ), teddy (sounds like de dee), baby (deedee) and "uh oh" when she drops something or if something falls on the floor, also she says uh oh when she breaks wind She blows kisses and she can make the mouth action if you ask her "what does a fishie do?" (video on my blog lol).

She knows all her stuffed toys by name, so if we ask where is nellie (elephant) or Emma (doll), etc, she will go and pick the corresponding toy up. I find this truly amazing!! She give cuddles as well, her form of a cuddle is laying her head somewhere on me (or anyone/thing) and saying "Awwwww". If I ask where her teeth are, she opens her mouth points in and says "ahhhhhh" lol!

She understand a huge amount of things. E.g. If she is eating a meal, and chokes a little I can say to her "take a drink to help" and she will pick up her sippy & drink from it! Today she did a poop in her nappy, crawled over to me and said "pooooo" lol!

Poor boobies

I LOVE the updates! Both of yours! Your girls sound so smart. I hope Jack is that smart when he gets to that age! Probably not though since girls are smarter j/k

Pics Mari? Fiona, you know I see them on your blog, but I like seeing them here too

[Mars]

Fi, Kirsty's doing so well and she and Amara are so alike! Amara too understands when you say things to her and she responds like Kirtsy does.

It's great that Kirsty know her teddies by name. Amara hasn't taken to her stuffed toys or to dolls as yet. Well, she'll play with them only if I allow her to eat their fur. LOL!

Michelle, I wold love to post more pics but Amara's not good with taking pics. When I get out the camera her intention turns to trying to get the camera so she doesn't sit still.

We're having a friend attempt to take some for her birthday so hopefully I will have some for you then.