My baby girl Mia just turned one. When I was pregnant I remember thinking about taking breezy summer walks with my baby sound asleep in the stroller. I envisioned cradling my newborn in my arms as she peacefully gazed up at me. Yes, those things did happen but so did colic, screaming fits, sleepless nights, tears (mine and hers) and an internal struggle with parenting philosophies (cry it out just wasn't going to fly with me).
I work part-time as a dietitian in food PR and as such Mia's diet falls in my lap. When I look back on the past year I can't help but think about nursing. Something that is supposed to come so natural, didn't. It took months to get the kinks worked out and like many new moms I had a goal in mind -- nurse for a month, maybe six tops. Now that I've nursed for a year I find myself reading books like "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" while deflecting criticism from well-meaning family members. Nursing continues to be an important part of Mia's diet and I'll admit, I enjoy it too.
Some of my fondest memories from the past year are nursing Mia in the middle of the night in the quiet of my Chicago loft apartment. But nursing is only part of the equation. These days I'm trying to tip the balance in favor of more solids, less nursing. That's my year 2 project.
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