5 Reasons I am Looking Forward to Breastfeeding Again

This is a Sponsored Post by SMA® Nutrition

In the lead up to Cora's arrival I was feeling a mixture of nervous and excited. I knew that things were about to get very busy, that life with a newborn is exhausting and draining in every sense and that I will truly understand the term 'hands full' as I tackle life with four aged four and under. I also knew how amazing it was going to be, how the adrenaline makes you feel on top of the world, how precious those early days are and how perfect newborn cuddles are.


I breastfed all three of the boys for varying lengths of time and I am breastfeeding this little lady as well. In fact, it is one of the things I was really looking forward to, for many reasons.


1) Everyone wants newborn cuddles to touch their tiny toes, sniff their little heads and marvel at how small they are. I know family and friends will want to take the baby off me to hold, but once she starts crying, it will be straight back to Mama. Breastfeeding means it is only me that can feed her and settle her, that it is me that gets to enjoy those moments of calm, watch her fall asleep milk drunk and hold her close.

2) Breastfeeding is easy - not always at first, but once those early struggles have passed and things fall into a routine, it becomes so easy. There is nothing extra to pack in an already bulging changing bag, no problems if you decide to stay out later and the knowledge that you have everything you need somewhere that you really can't lose!


3) The knowledge that I am providing my baby with the very best start in life. The first 1000 days (pregnancy through to her 2nd birthday) are so important and my breastmilk adapts to my baby's needs providing her with the right amount of essential proteins she needs to grow and stay healthy. Protein in breastmilk is vital for growth and development and is the foundation for their cells, muscles, brain and other tissues I still find it amazing that my body makes all of this on demand! The World Health Organisation recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months as breast milk has been proven to support an appropriate rate of growth as the level of protein in breast milk changes as your babies grow. When babies grow at an appropriate rate it can reduce their chances of becoming overweight and obese later in life.


This video from SMA Nutrition shows the importance of protein in breastmilk

4) The extra calories having a newborn is exhausting and cake is one of the best ways to get through it. Breastfeeding mamas get an extra 500 calories a day which makes me feel so much better about all those extra biscuits I will be eating! It also means that the inevitable 'mum tum' shrinks a little faster, although I know with four pregnancies under my belt it is just a part of me now.


5) Savouring those moments, knowing that it won't be long before she is running around and not needing me so much. Knowing that whilst I am feeding my baby there is nowhere else I would rather be, that I am doing the most important thing I can be. Being able to stroke a tiny cheek, watch little fingers curl, little toes wriggle, a little body warm against mine. Being forced to slow down and appreciate the moment, exactly as we are, savouring the baby days.


I know that things may not stay easy, but it is something worth fighting for and I am enjoying every moment of breastfeeding my baby girl.

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Weaning Two Months In (Giveaway)

We have now been weaning for two months and Finn seems to be getting keener on food. He started off very tentatively, but I see his excitement now when I show him his dinner is ready. Those little eyes light up, his legs start kicking and he uses all his strength to propel himself towards the spoon.





We have worked out that he likes his food cold (out the fridge is preferable) and that with puree a slightly thicker consistency is best, although we haven't tried lumps yet. The vegetable puree that SMA® Nutrition had challenged us to make was a complete hit and the combination of sweet potato, parsnip and butternut squash worked really well.


Celebrity mum Sheree Murphy runs through the recipe that we tried in the video below.

Finn really liked this mix and ate it well. We gave him one portion and froze the others so that we could get them when we need them. He liked having the sticks of steamed veg to hold as well, although these didn't make it into his mouth so often (they did get bashed into the highchair and thrown all over the floor though!).




At the moment Finn's diet consists mostly of fruit, vegetables and of course formula milk, but over the coming months we will be introducing more meat and other flavours. Whilst we were away last month, he decided not to eat anything for a few days (I think the heat and jet lag meant he favoured the comfort of milk), so we haven't been progressing so fast as I thought we would, but knowing that he is getting so much nutrition from his formula milk at the moment is very comforting. I know he will get there in his own time and until then I am making meals perfectly suited to him.






I am running an amazing giveaway with SMA Nutrition, so for your chance to win £100 of fresh food vouchers, hop over to my facebook page and share a photo of your little one trying out one of these recipes or something else you have made for them. (Giveaway ends 6th Decmeber 2015 at 11:59pm, UK entrants only, one entry per person and all entrants must be over 18).

Disclaimer : In Collaboration with SMA Nutrition

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The Beginning of Weaning

After Finn's rocky start I was determined that he would lead the way with parenting. Whilst I had gone through pregnancy with set ideas on how I was going to parent and how the early days would be, nothing seemed to go to plan and I soon learned that I needed to follow his lead.

I had done my research on weaning and have weaned two babies previously, but Finn is that bit smaller and slower than his brothers and I wanted to wait until I believed he was ready before we started. The six month marker came and went and whilst he was starting to sit unaided, my instincts told me he wasn't quite ready. As the month progressed, he grew stronger, his coordination improved and he started showing a real interest in what we ate.

Just before he turned 7 months I decided we were both ready for the next little adventure and we started on the solid food. I decided that the best thing for Finn was to offer both puree and finger foods from the very beginning. As we had left it a little later than most I wanted to make sure he was getting some nutrients, but I wanted to promote the skills of self-feeding, so we have been offering him sticks of vegetables alongside the spoon feeds.

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