Trace’s Fourth Month

I feel like each month the time goes by a little faster. I will say that blogging about his first year makes me stay on top of editing our personal photographs, which I am loving. Now, onto Trace’s fourth month!

Breastfeeding Update: This month Trace dropped his 4:00 a.m. nursing session as he is sleeping through the night. My schedule was to nurse Trace for his middle of the night feeding (4:00 a.m.) and the first feeding in the morning (usually around 7:00 a.m.) and then bottle feed/pump the rest of the feedings throughout the day. Since he sleeps through the night, I moved from 1 – 2 nursing sessions a day plus 5 – 6 pumping sessions to exclusively pumping 4 – 5 times a day. My supply took a dip when we dropped feedings, and we began supplementing 1 – 2 bottles a day with formula as needed. I tried every tip I could find to bring my supply back up. Drinking more water and milk teas. Pumping more. Rest. Skin to skin contact. Lactation bites and eating more breastfeeding friendly foods. Nothing has worked so far to bring my supply back up. So, we may be getting closer to ending our breastfeeding journey in the coming weeks.

Sleeping Update: Trace is sleeping through the night!!!! His bedtime is around 8:00 p.m. each night, and he wakes around 6:30 a.m. I started waking him up in the mornings versus letting him wake on his own, and he is happier baby. Our mornings run much smoother when I have everything ready to go (bottle warmed, pump setup, etc.), and then I wake him to start his day. My goal now is to work on naps with him in his crib. He is currently on the eat-play-sleep schedule. I usually try to put him down about an hour after his bottle. He is currently sleeping on me majority of the time for nap time. I do love our baby snuggles and nap times. If I am able to get him to nap in his crib, it is for exactly 20 minutes and then he wakes. It is like clockwork every time. Twenty minutes and then he cries.

FOUR MONTH MEMORIES

• Celebrating his first Mardi Gras season!
• Enjoying tummy time so much! After Trace finishes a bottle, he loves to do tummy time. Whether he is in his pack-n-play or on his baby mat, he loves being on his tummy. He will tummy time and talk the entire day if he could. Speaking of talking…
• Hearing his baby sounds and listening to him chat. He loves when you talk to him. If it gets too quiet in the house or if no one is talking to him, he cries. If you talk to him, the tears stop.
• He loves the nursery rhyme playlist on Amazon Music. That playlist is a lifesaver especially when we are in the car and he gets fussy.
• He is so curious and loves looking around. We have warmer weather now, and he loves to lay on a blanket outside and go for walks.
• With the change in feedings, this month he started to cry/freak out for a minute after he finishes his bottle. It is really cute and funny! It is this sad cry for about 30 seconds after his bottle finishes, and then he is good to go.
• Milestones reached: rolling over, big belly laughing, sleeping through the night
• Loves: bath time, being outside, spending time with his grandparents (they all spoil him!)
• Hates: nap time and finishing his bottle

Here are my favorite photographs from this month!

He celebrated his first Mardi Gras!

If you stop by our house, you have to be ready to snuggle a baby and pet puppies.

His baby thighs tripled in size this month.

We started a morning routine with Trace this month. He is waking up between 6:00 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. every morning. He is a happier baby when you wake him versus letting him wake up on his own.

He started to big belly laugh this month. I grabbed my tripod the first time I really heard it happen and tried to capture it. His baby laughs/giggles are hilarious!

Those chunky baby thighs!

His big milestone this month was learning how to rollover!