All Things Supercinski

My, how time flies. It is difficult to believe that six months–half a year–has already passed since Josiah was born. (As I publish this it will be exactly six months ago to the minute!) He has changed so much in such a short time, but I guess that is what babies do. I am rather nostalgic today, my baby is already half a year old! He becomes less baby and more boy everyday. Everyone told us to treasure the baby times as they go by quickly. I’m glad we heeded their advice and enjoyed the holding and rocking and cosleeping while we could because now this little wiggleworm will barely hold still to cuddle these days. There are too many things to get into!

Josiah had his six month checkup and shots this morning and currently weighs 16 lbs, 12 oz. (50th percentile) and is 27.5 inches long (75th percentile). He is rolling all over the place. I don’t know if crawling will be delayed because he can get where he needs to go by rolling, turning and stretching. He’s starting to “army crawl” a little by stretching his arms out and pushing his legs. He’s turned his airplane move (see video below) into airplane, push up, bottom in the air and fall on his face. Check out the photos section for updated pictures.

For those of you who were unaware, yesterday began World Breastfeeding Week, launched to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Some of you are probably flipping out right now that this is on our blog, but that is precisely why I am writing this–to remind you that breastfeeding is normal, superior nutrition and what God created as nourishment for babies.

There are (at least) 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child. How we, as a society, perceive breastfeeding greatly impacts how long women breastfeed. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for 6 months and then to continue as the baby’s primary nutrition for a year. In the United States, only 72% of women report breastfeeding at least once, by six months only 39.1% are still breastfeeding, and by a year, only 20.1% are still breastfeeding (CDC).

The theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is Code Watch, referring to the 1981 International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which was designed to limit the undermining of breastfeeding through advertising. You can read more specifics here. As I have researched this more the past week, I am more and more tempted to join the ranks and boycott Nestle for their undermining of breastfeeding among the developing world. This is done by giving away free or reduced price formula to new mothers in the third world and then those women can’t afford the formula, prepare it with contaminated water, and don’t provide the immunities to their babies that only breastfeeding can provide. The World Health Organization estimates that over 1.5 million infants die every year that could be prevented by breastfeeding (source).

So to those of you still reading, thanks for reading and perhaps learning more about the importance of breastfeeding. Support moms you know that breastfeed!