5 Months in with a Baby Girl
5 INSIGHTS/TIPS
Hi Mommies!
In today's post I wanted to share some tips for nurturing a baby girl. Having a boy first has truly allowed me to see the difference between the genders. When my son Eilan was 5-months old, he was in his own little world. He didn't require too much to be happy. Since having Elle, I realize that girls have unique needs that begin to manifest as early as a few months old.
Gisele's 5 month photoshoot. We do these every month!
1. Girls need lots of interaction. I mean LOTS.
My daughter Elle loves to make eye contact and is always the most content when she is in the center of the action. Now, it could be a personality trait, but being that I am also a woman I am willing to bet that this is pretty universal for baby girls. As a matter of fact, in a recent conversation with my neighbors they indicated the same about their granddaughter, who is 7 months old. I like to talk to her about what I am doing, whether it be changing her diaper or preparing her food. I find that talking to her helps her feel loved and keeps her happy longer. That leads me my next point...
2. Girls may not sleep as well.
My daughter Elle has just now started to sleep a bit longer. It takes quite a bit of a routine to get her to sleep for four hours straight. On nights when the routine does not happen, she does not sleep as well. It's my theory that Elle has had a hard time because of the fact that she is so aware. She does not like to be left out of the fun, so sleeping is her least favorite thing to do. lol (I think she gets that from me).
3. Breastfeeding can be a challenge.
Elle absolutely loves to eat. But lately, I have noticed that she is too distracted to get in a full feed. If her brother runs past, or if my phone goes off she will unlatch and try to find where the sound is coming from. It takes quite a while to get her to feed until she is satisfied. I am having to seriously decrease her stimulation when it's time to eat. I do this by going in to a dark room with some kind of white noise to get her to relax and focus on feeding. My son Eilan would not get off of the boob until he was completely finished.
Baby girl is 5 months old!! Time please slow down!!
4. You'll have to consider ear piercing.
I'm not sure why I didn't think about this during pregnancy, but when the time came to decide whether or not I wanted to pierce Gisele's ears, I was so conflicted. Ultimately, we chose what we felt was best for our daughter and we pierced her ears during her fourth month of life. While I had many questions and fears, I found that research combined with conversations with other moms helped me make an informed decision. (When it comes to something so sensitive, it is best to allow the parents to make an informed decision. Once you have the information trust yourself to do what is best for your baby.) Gisele is unharmed and can choose not to wear earrings later on if she desires. She did so well during her ear piercing. (WATCH THE VIDEO) That leads me to my next point...
5. Baby girls are tough!
As a believer, I whole-heartedly accept the scripture that speaks to the woman (generally speaking) being the weak-er vessel. (1 Peter 3:7), but what I am realizing is that while our genetic make-up is different from the male, we have other strengths that make up for that difference. What I am noticing is that Elle has a strength of mind, if you will, that equips her to handle things her body alone would not. All the things that I thought would make her cry don't. All the times I thought she would be upset, she looks up at me with a smile! She reinforces the fact that women have strong minds! I mean, we are created to give birth! If that ain't strength, I don't know what is!
If you are a girl mom, please share some of your tips or discoveries with us in the comments!