Stomach Virus, Doctor Checkup for Mommy and My New Favorite Baby Book

Just when I thought we had gotten rid of all the sickbugs in our house... I came down with a horrible stomach virus late Friday night and finally started feeling better Sunday. Poor Tim had to rush Laurel to his parents' house to try to avoid having him and her get sick (which we did avoid) and then had to spend the night going back and forth between her and me. Thankfully after a few hours, I was able to start pumping and sending milk so Laurel was able to have breastmilk even though she didn't have mommy with her. Thankfully she did very well even though she was uprooted so abruptly.

She has been a little more fussy than normal since Saturday and I think it is primarily a result of having her routine interrupted and relying on her daddy and her grandparents whereas she usually depends on me for all her meals and to put her to sleep for nighttime as well as naps. She seems to be doing better now though and is currently asleep on my chest.

Also, I had my six week checkup on St. Patricks Day. Everything seemed fine and I'm now only 7 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight (which is pretty good considering that I gained a few pounds more than the recommended amount...we'll leave it at that). I guess the stomach virus might have helped a little with a few of those pounds, huh? :)

And I have officially fallen in love with a baby book! It is "The Baby Book" by Dr. Sears and it is wonderful!! The method of parenting that Dr. Sears advocates is known as attachment parenting and it is the idea that babies should be raised with love and compassion, not "trained." He (a pediatrician) and his wife (a nurse and lactation consultant) wrote the book and it just makes sense! They raised eight children, two of whom are now pediatricians and practice along with them. I wish so much that I had read this before Laurel was born but I'm so grateful I found it while she's still very young. One of the reasons I love this book so much is because it encourages mothers to use their intuition and to question methods of childrearing that just don't feel right, like letting baby "cry it out" and keeping baby on a strict schedule when they have such unique needs from day to day. I don't buy into the argument that babies can manipulate and that they can be spoiled when they are so young. I believe when Laurel cries it is because she needs something (food, sleep, diaper change, to be held or something is hurting her) and I believe it is mine and Tim's job to find out what that need is and meet it. It also encourages breastfeeding on cue, babywearing and sleep sharing (an arrangement I wouldn't have considered before she was born but that works well for us at this point). Attachment parenting always me to care for Laurel the way that feels best to me, with limitless cuddles, kisses and nurturing without feeling like I'm spoiling her or making her needy and dependent.