Our "Child Plan" ;)

Again, same concept as the "Birth Plan", but how we plan to implement childhood!

We plan to do child led weaning in the breastfeeding department. I view it more as a connection and special time, than strictly nutritional. Every child weans and every child loses their latching ability, so it WILL end. However, at this time, I can't really see me doing it any further than three. But you never know what may happen! I want to nurse on demand for the first two years, then after only at sleep times or when necessary. I want to pump as well on a schedule of 10, 12, 2, and 4. I've known a few people who say that this is a great schedule and you get at least two bottles worth a day! Of course, this won't always be workable, but that's why this is a FUTURE plan ;) Whatever excess we don't use within that month or don't plan to use, I will donate to Mother's Milk Bank. I'd love to help an adoptive mother out for her new baby!

We also plan to cosleep. We will have an Arms Reach Cosleeper attached to the side of the bed on my side, but I can guarantee (s)he will end up in the bed with us at some point! We would like to pacify while sleeping to sooth any urge to suck while sleeping. Hopefully the space between us in the cosleeper will help out when they are older so they can sleep more soundly, if not, they're only little once! :) I also want a nap nanny for the first four months to prevent colic!

As far as education, this is where my expertise comes in from my degree. I would be really interested to start Your Baby Can Read with them once (s)he is four months old! I know it seems kind of extreme, I agree, but on of my close friends has used it on her son and he is now two, can read books and LOVES it! She even made a reward chart and he walked over, read the reward chart and then yelled because it didn't say "no yelling" on there!! ;) I guess it has it's advantages and disadvantages! I do not plan to make it like a chore, however. I want to make it fun and in no way a fight. We will also begin sign language around this age. Once they turn two we will start sensory projects and then three and four will be "preschool". We plan to homeschool so our preschool will be a far cry from traditional preschool, and that's how we like it :)

Once solid foods come into play we want to make our food. Why? Well, one, it's far cheaper than store bought food! Two, YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING IN IT! And you can make your own adjustments for what you want! We will start cereal very seldom at five just to test out her reflexes, then vegetables, then fruit, then mix, then meat :) We also would like to implement child lead weaning in this area and allow them to use a mesh feeder and steamed veggies! This can also be a huge time saver when you need to get the kitchen cleaned or eat dinner yourself!

Other than that? I have no clue. As I said, this is just a plan and will be very funny to see how everything pans out once we actually have one! :) But in no means do I think this is unattainable! I have known many to follow a similar plan or even more extreme, so I'm pretty confident. Never say never, right?! :)

Our "Birth Plan" ;)

So. I had this thought that sometime in the (near?) future we will have a little baby :) And that idea makes me all kinds of happy. So then I start fantasizing my "ideal baby" or I guess our ideal plan, since our baby will be perfect whichever kinda way it is! I thought it would be funny to look back on what my plan would be while I was still baby...less?

First the pregnancy:

I am terrified of having problems with my pregnancies. My mom never had miscarriages, nor has anyone in my family (knowingly), so that sort of calms my anxiety. I plan on taking the natural route in my pregnancy and child's life so that takes some planning. I have a list of techniques to use for nausea and queasiness so I feel good about that aspect! I will drink 64oz of water a day, filling my Nagalene up twice. I will keep my protien count for the day between 75 and 100 to ward out pre-eclampsia and other problems that would arrise! I plan to continue exercising throughout my pregnancy with prenatal yoga and pilates as well :) Around 34 weeks we will have our maternity pictures done by the wonderful Jessica Smith and they will be gorgeous, fitting in perfectly with all of her other stunning pictures. I plan to take herbal supplements and flower essences to get through the long ten months of pregnancy and travel an hour to Bettie Sheets' office in the Northern Neck for my care! I will go to Fun Fetal Photos at 18 weeks and again at 32 weeks for a sneak peak at our little one since our midwife doesn't do ultrasounds!

Now the birth:

I want a homebirth. Sooo bad. I will use Bettie Sheets as my midwife and Amara as my doula. Kimberlin Gray will be my birth photographer because money won't be an issue ;) I will use aromatherapy and the Bradley Method to get through the surges of labor. The birth pool will be in the living room with candles lit all around the room. It will just be me, my husband and our labor team. It will be a deeply personal, very life changing moment. I would labor in the pool, standing up and squatting, allowing gravity to do it's work! We will welcome a gorgeous baby into this world and it will be every bit of paradise. We will then find out the gender of our first born! We will wait for the cord to stop pulsing and (s)he will latch on immediately. (S)he will nurse while I naturally deliver the placenta, which we will later encapsulate. We will have a wonderful birth bonding experience and then we will go into an herbal sitz bath together and I will clean him up. I will then put a kissaluvs fitted diaper on with a pair of wool longies and a cute shirt. He will get weighed and get the specs done, then come back to nurse, while this is going on, my husband will call family to come and visit with the new baby! After the ooh and ahh's are done, we will fall asleep as a family.

The Fourth Trimester:

Between family, an amazing husband and a postpartum doula, I will sleep when the baby sleeps. I will make sure I get my 9-10 hours of sleep a night/day to maintain my mood. I will nurse on demand and we will cosleep with the Arms Reach Mini Cosleeper and Nap Nanny. I will wear our little one around the house and on our walks in either our Sakura Bloom, Moby, or Boba Wrap (formerly Sleepy Wrap) and I will love it so. I will not shut myself in the house, but I will remain cautious and keep germy hands off my baby. I will again use aromatherapy and exercise to ward off any signs of baby blues, as well as keep my herbal supplements and omega-3's high! I will pump on a schedule 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm for a reserve in the freezer for date night/weekends. We will also cloth diaper using a mix of prefolds and fitteds with wool covers at home and Grovia and gDiapers while out. I also would love to get the baby adjusted at the chiropractor (along with me) about two months postpartum! You have to think of everything that baby goes through during pregnancy THEN during labor! As well as all the stuff YOU get kicked and punched! :)

I have a very active imagination, can you tell? ;) I think it would be funny to look back on this next year (maybe?) when we are beginning to welcome our little one into a new life!

and yes. I do have a list and plan on how we implement all of these things (aromatherapy, supplements, exercise). I like being prepared ;)