I've written about breastfeeding before, including a recent post on The Mommy-Go-Round. And when I talk or write about breastfeeding I AM INSUFFERABLE!
It's so easy, she said. Anyone can do it, she said.
NOPE NOPE NOPE.
Consider me humbled, crow eaten and in awe of moms who make it through breastfeeding challenges. If I experienced this the first time around and didn't know how easy it is to "open bra, push baby to breast, go back to eating/reading/scrolling" I'm not sure we would have made it to seven months of exclusive breastfeeding, let alone 26 months total!
Everything went great with Jane (although reading back in the posts I did have a bout of mastitis that I cleared up without much trouble). But for the past couple weeks I've been in the land of eat-your-words, because breastfeeding has been anything but easy.
To start I had a sore nipple, maybe seemed like a milk bleb. I did hot compresses and lots of nursing to get it open, but it kept hurting and last Wednesday night I got the shock of my life when knife-like pains started internally in my breast, basically all throughout the milk ducts, after my last nursing of the evening.
I've done so much internet sleuthing, but it didn't seem like mastitis (no fever/chills) and didn't seem like yeast/thrush because Livia didn't have any symptoms and mine weren't typical and it was only on one side.
I started calling the doctor's office right away on Thursday afternoon after a terrible bout with pain, but because I felt some better when I called on Friday they didn't seem to be in any rush to have me be seen. Then I had to wait over the weekend to come in, and it got worse and worse (a couple hours of level 9/10 pain after each nursing on the right side).
So far I've been to a nurse practitioner (who diagnosed mastitis even without any mastitis symptoms) and prescribed an antibiotic. Then I had a lactation consultation, and they think it sounds more like yeast, and they recommended treating with diflucan. My doctor's office prescribed that, but only one dose, which is what is recommended for a vaginal yeast infection, with a second dose 7 days later.
The lactation consultants all referred me to "Tips from the Trenches," and the handout on yeast (and everywhere else on the internet) recommends a much longer-term dosing (instead of one dose you take a double dose and then one dose daily for 14 days). So far the doctor's office has said "no way" to that and told me to continue the antibiotic (even though an antibiotic can wipe out the good bacteria that can help fight off the yeast organisms).
I also got some advice on a better latch with Livia. She was pretty wild during the consultation -- slipping on and off the breast and chomping more than usual. It's most comfortable when she's calm/sleepy and can just get down to business. But having to TRY with the latch after months of pain-free automatic nursing has been difficult.
But the PAIN has been the worst. My nipple is still sore (got some prescription cream for that now, although I had to ask if that was OK/it was never offered as an option) so nursing/initial latch is painful. But it's nothing compared to the feeling after nursing is done and the yeast starts attacking.
My pain is worse in the mornings after the first feed, although I do have pain throughout the day after nursings. PERHAPS it's because I go so long in the night between feeds (Livia and I like to sleep) and I have been hesitant to nurse on the right overnight because I know the pain will wake me up totally. But tonight I'm going to try and nurse on the right and hope the morning pain is more manageable. I'm also going to take some ibuprofen in the night, which might help.
In my own opinion, not being an MD or nurse, I have a very stubborn and strong yeast infection that will need the bigger course of diflucan. In the meantime I'm trying grapefruit seed extract, taking high doses of probiotics to counteract the antibiotic and still looking for gentian violet locally (as usual if I'd just ordered it on Amazon once I suspected yeast I could have been using it already). For the pain I'm taking double doses of ibuprofen spaced 6-8 hours apart. It doesn't really touch the pain at all, unfortunately.
There's also the risk of re-infection and the breastfeeding literature says baby and mom should be treated simultaneously to prevent spreading it back and forth. So far Livi has no symptoms so her pediatrician won't treat for it. I hope it stays that way, and that if she does get symptoms we can do some gentian violet or similar to knock it out fast. There's lots of extra laundry in that towels and burp rags, baby clothes and bras all have to be washed in hot water with vinegar rinse. All the breast pump parts and any pacifiers/toys that go in her mouth have to be washed AND boiled (daily!). I've already melted some of her best toys doing that, so I've been limiting what I let her put in her mouth to things that are definitely washable/boilable or that I don't care if they get ruined.
I plan to write a Mommy-Go-Round post after all is said and done -- and to eat my crow in a more public way. And I have a lot more to say about the experience emotionally. But in the mean time, that's where I am now.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query nursing. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query nursing. Sort by date Show all posts
Gak is Not Forever
Last week Livia started preschool, a 2-year-old program three days per week at a nearby church. We chose to have her stay for lunch and nap to give me more time to get some work done. (I have picked up a very part time writing job at a local magazine, but we decided to do the 9-2 hours from Minneapolis thinking we could always change to 9-12 later.) So far she is LOVING school, and staying for lunch (from her "womey-womey," aka Wonder Woman, lunch box!) and a rest/nap has been a treat for her.
We were down to one nursing per day, just before her nap. And on Monday 9/10 I nursed her for the last time before that nap. I didn't KNOW it would be the last, but I suspected it, and the tears began flowing. After school on Tuesday (when she didn't actually sleep at school), I asked if she wanted "gak" when we were home. She said yes, but then we got distracted by a Daniel Tiger episode (then carpool to get Jane -- half my day is spent in the car it seems!), and she just didn't nurse.
She didn't ask Wednesday or Thursday either and I didn't offer, and my emotional stability bottomed out. I cried throughout the day, at night and have been short-tempered (even more short-tempered than normal). I got into it with a teacher at the preschool carpool (to be fair she stuck her finger in my face to point to where she wanted me to go next time, but I did NOT react well or really safely given that I was driving a huge vehicle!), and I haven't been my best dealing with all the range of emotions and first-grader upsets that came my way.
Liv DID ask for gak on Friday when we were together again for nap time, but I told her the gak is all gone. (It really is, sad as I feel about it.) She said OK, and we rocked and sang. She eventually went to sleep in her crib (and she slept Wednesday and Thursday at school -- I think the trick is to let her take her shoes off!).
So we made it to 29 months of nursing, and when combined with the 26 months I nursed Jane I was a breastfeeding mom for four and a half years. (My blog post about nursing Jane ending is Num Nums are Not Forever -- funny that the girls had different names for nursing).
Nursing mama was a role I have played for more than half of my motherhood so far. I know it is a brief season in the scheme of it all. But it was so treasured, and I'm definitely grieving the end of it. I'm proud of myself for nourishing my girls in this way. They're both healthy and growing, and I have plenty of mothering left to do. But I still feel hollowed out from the transition.
We were down to one nursing per day, just before her nap. And on Monday 9/10 I nursed her for the last time before that nap. I didn't KNOW it would be the last, but I suspected it, and the tears began flowing. After school on Tuesday (when she didn't actually sleep at school), I asked if she wanted "gak" when we were home. She said yes, but then we got distracted by a Daniel Tiger episode (then carpool to get Jane -- half my day is spent in the car it seems!), and she just didn't nurse.
She didn't ask Wednesday or Thursday either and I didn't offer, and my emotional stability bottomed out. I cried throughout the day, at night and have been short-tempered (even more short-tempered than normal). I got into it with a teacher at the preschool carpool (to be fair she stuck her finger in my face to point to where she wanted me to go next time, but I did NOT react well or really safely given that I was driving a huge vehicle!), and I haven't been my best dealing with all the range of emotions and first-grader upsets that came my way.
Liv DID ask for gak on Friday when we were together again for nap time, but I told her the gak is all gone. (It really is, sad as I feel about it.) She said OK, and we rocked and sang. She eventually went to sleep in her crib (and she slept Wednesday and Thursday at school -- I think the trick is to let her take her shoes off!).
So we made it to 29 months of nursing, and when combined with the 26 months I nursed Jane I was a breastfeeding mom for four and a half years. (My blog post about nursing Jane ending is Num Nums are Not Forever -- funny that the girls had different names for nursing).
Nursing mama was a role I have played for more than half of my motherhood so far. I know it is a brief season in the scheme of it all. But it was so treasured, and I'm definitely grieving the end of it. I'm proud of myself for nourishing my girls in this way. They're both healthy and growing, and I have plenty of mothering left to do. But I still feel hollowed out from the transition.
My Week in the Nursing Home
Last week I spent a lot of time in a nursing home. To be clear I wasn't living there, but I was visiting my Gran who was there temporarily (she went back to her home on Saturday).
Jane and I would spend most of the morning with her in her small room, go to my sister's house for lunch and a nap, and then back to the nursing home until dinnertime. Keeping a toddler entertained in a confined space full of buttons not to be pushed and needing to be somewhat quiet was difficult to say the least. But being there provided food for thought and opportunity for reflection between toddler tackles.
Being in that environment raises a lot of questions about dignity -- and how to maintain it for our elders. I also couldn't help but extrapolate and think about myself at that age -- if I could decide how I'd like to decline would I want to keep my physical capacity while giving up mental acumen (like my great aunt who lives in a different nursing home and whom we also went to visit)? Or would I want to stay sharp and be fully aware of what's going on yet not be able to physically care for myself in simple ways? There's no good answer, but it is a reminder that I'm not invincible and this body is aging like everyone else's.
A visit to the nursing home is also incentive to get active -- exercise hasn't felt as good as it has this last week or so. I know nothing can stave off the effects of aging, but I believe exercise can slow its march. So when I feel like being lazy and slacking off hopefully the memories of last week will help keep me in gear. (Yeah right.)
Jane and I would spend most of the morning with her in her small room, go to my sister's house for lunch and a nap, and then back to the nursing home until dinnertime. Keeping a toddler entertained in a confined space full of buttons not to be pushed and needing to be somewhat quiet was difficult to say the least. But being there provided food for thought and opportunity for reflection between toddler tackles.
Being in that environment raises a lot of questions about dignity -- and how to maintain it for our elders. I also couldn't help but extrapolate and think about myself at that age -- if I could decide how I'd like to decline would I want to keep my physical capacity while giving up mental acumen (like my great aunt who lives in a different nursing home and whom we also went to visit)? Or would I want to stay sharp and be fully aware of what's going on yet not be able to physically care for myself in simple ways? There's no good answer, but it is a reminder that I'm not invincible and this body is aging like everyone else's.
A visit to the nursing home is also incentive to get active -- exercise hasn't felt as good as it has this last week or so. I know nothing can stave off the effects of aging, but I believe exercise can slow its march. So when I feel like being lazy and slacking off hopefully the memories of last week will help keep me in gear. (Yeah right.)
Num Nums are Not Forever
This week I said goodbye to an important part of my parenting life up to this point. Jane stopped nursing, after just over 26 months. I'm feeling lots of feelings about it.
I have thought of myself as an accidental hippie mama in this respect, but really I am an intentional lactivist and wholly believe that extended nursing has been a boon to her health and development. It's also been pretty great for me, what with regular releases of feel-good hormones (and you know I need all the feel-good-ness I can get!).
Now that weaning is over I can feel the difference, but at least our weaning was gradual. I haven't had any engorgement or pain issues. When I started drafting this post, everything felt fine emotionally. But a couple days later and the hormonal bottom has dropped out so to speak. I've had a terrible, no-good, horrible day with lots of crying and am trying to regain equilibrium. I'm chalking it up to the hormonal shifts that come with completed weaning, although it is probably a lot of things together. I just didn't know it would hit me so hard.
I'm quite proud that we made it so far, but I'm actually more surprised that we've completed weaning! I was starting to think it wouldn't happen, mostly because we both love it so much. It had started getting more challenging, with her being so big and unfocused about it.
I wanted the perfect children's book to say goodbye to nursing, but I never found a good one. We did read "Ready to Wean" a lot (affiliate link), and talked about the concept, so it was at least partly an intellectual assent on her part too. She did understand why we were going to stop and was able to agree to "no more num nums."
We didn't set a firm deadline, but it just sort of happened, as I suggested not nursing one night before bed (extra singing and cuddles in its place), and we kept dropping until even the nap nursing was gone. The last time we nursed was very briefly on Sunday 1/12 before her nap.
My body had a very difficult time getting pregnant, and it's never been a well-oiled machine. But I found out that it can feed a baby to perfection. For the first 6+ months of Jane's life she was all breast milk all the time, and she was the chubbiest, most beautiful and healthy baby. Her doctor often proclaimed her "perfect" and pointed out how proud I should be for providing her with that nutrition.
But it was really just the easiest thing. I didn't have to think about it after the first month or so, and after six weeks we stopped tracking and just went to feeding on demand (mainly because Christmas travel screwed up my note taking). It's the feeding her food that's been so much more difficult!
Jane's been pretty healthy, avoiding most fevers and colds thanks in part I'm sure to the protective qualities of breast milk. I'll be interested to see if she gets sick more often now, although it's not a fair comparison since she's much more out in the world these days and her immune system is more mature.
It's a bittersweet time, as I'm going to miss the special bond -- and the guaranteed soother. But I'm glad to have this baby girl continue to grow into childhood.
I have thought of myself as an accidental hippie mama in this respect, but really I am an intentional lactivist and wholly believe that extended nursing has been a boon to her health and development. It's also been pretty great for me, what with regular releases of feel-good hormones (and you know I need all the feel-good-ness I can get!).
Now that weaning is over I can feel the difference, but at least our weaning was gradual. I haven't had any engorgement or pain issues. When I started drafting this post, everything felt fine emotionally. But a couple days later and the hormonal bottom has dropped out so to speak. I've had a terrible, no-good, horrible day with lots of crying and am trying to regain equilibrium. I'm chalking it up to the hormonal shifts that come with completed weaning, although it is probably a lot of things together. I just didn't know it would hit me so hard.
I'm quite proud that we made it so far, but I'm actually more surprised that we've completed weaning! I was starting to think it wouldn't happen, mostly because we both love it so much. It had started getting more challenging, with her being so big and unfocused about it.
I wanted the perfect children's book to say goodbye to nursing, but I never found a good one. We did read "Ready to Wean" a lot (affiliate link), and talked about the concept, so it was at least partly an intellectual assent on her part too. She did understand why we were going to stop and was able to agree to "no more num nums."
We didn't set a firm deadline, but it just sort of happened, as I suggested not nursing one night before bed (extra singing and cuddles in its place), and we kept dropping until even the nap nursing was gone. The last time we nursed was very briefly on Sunday 1/12 before her nap.
My body had a very difficult time getting pregnant, and it's never been a well-oiled machine. But I found out that it can feed a baby to perfection. For the first 6+ months of Jane's life she was all breast milk all the time, and she was the chubbiest, most beautiful and healthy baby. Her doctor often proclaimed her "perfect" and pointed out how proud I should be for providing her with that nutrition.
But it was really just the easiest thing. I didn't have to think about it after the first month or so, and after six weeks we stopped tracking and just went to feeding on demand (mainly because Christmas travel screwed up my note taking). It's the feeding her food that's been so much more difficult!
Jane's been pretty healthy, avoiding most fevers and colds thanks in part I'm sure to the protective qualities of breast milk. I'll be interested to see if she gets sick more often now, although it's not a fair comparison since she's much more out in the world these days and her immune system is more mature.
It's a bittersweet time, as I'm going to miss the special bond -- and the guaranteed soother. But I'm glad to have this baby girl continue to grow into childhood.
Self Care and Nursing Shirts
I've been reading some about "self care," which might just be "basic care," as in eating, moving your body, sleeping ... going through the motions of day-to-day living until you feel better. Part fake it til you make it and part genuine survival.
I've also seen a tweet that said "enough with the self care - this is why they think we can't be president" (or something like that). So yeah, there's that. Also an article about a harder kind of self care.
One thing I found mildly helpful was making a list of things that comfort me. I guess ways I can care for myself. That's somewhat trending on Twitter, at least I've seen a few similar lists. But I'm really not feeling much better.
Here's my list so far:
Today I wore my favorite nursing shirt, even though it is falling apart at the seams, especially the neckline. It's got a cool crochet inlay in the back, but after 2+ years wearing it with Jane it is a bit torn and tattered. But it's long, has pockets and is comfortable. So I save it for "special" occasions. (I've tried to find a replacement -- but Motherhood doesn't sell anything like it anymore and searches online for "nursing shirt with pockets" haven't been any more successful. I should be willing to pay $50 for a shirt I'd wear every week, but so far I'm not ... I digress.)
I don't know what right I have to feel so bad. It's the fear of the impending tyranny and stripping of rights -- for humans, for women and specifically for me. For my daughters. My disappointment over not seeing the first woman president may be subsiding slightly, but my abject terror of what's still to come only seems to ramp up.
And wearing a comfortable, useful shirt isn't really cutting it as far as successful self care, I'd say.
Also this, "a time to heal:"
I've also seen a tweet that said "enough with the self care - this is why they think we can't be president" (or something like that). So yeah, there's that. Also an article about a harder kind of self care.
One thing I found mildly helpful was making a list of things that comfort me. I guess ways I can care for myself. That's somewhat trending on Twitter, at least I've seen a few similar lists. But I'm really not feeling much better.
Here's my list so far:
- My babies & husband
- Cool air ... finally
- Cake making videos
- Crochet
- Offline reading
- Voyager (mid 7th season)
- Sleep
- Dixie Chicks music
- Consignment shopping
 |
| My favorite nursing shirt is on its last legs... |
I don't know what right I have to feel so bad. It's the fear of the impending tyranny and stripping of rights -- for humans, for women and specifically for me. For my daughters. My disappointment over not seeing the first woman president may be subsiding slightly, but my abject terror of what's still to come only seems to ramp up.
And wearing a comfortable, useful shirt isn't really cutting it as far as successful self care, I'd say.
Also this, "a time to heal:"
A Couple Firsts
Oh sure, firsts are par for the course for Miss Jane Pie. But I still have some firsts of my own. On Monday I got a two-for-one. And only one was pleasant. I went to my first movie since Jane was born, and I survived my first truly plugged milk duct.
I woke up Monday with a sore boob, and I knew it could be trouble but I thought some pumping, extra nursing and extra water would keep it from getting worse.
I had been looking forward to Monday -- Shawn had agreed to let me go to a movie while he watched Jane (since it was a holiday he didn't have to be in the office). All week while taking care of Jane solo I had been planning my mini break.
In the movie -- Silver Linings Playbook -- I held my cup of cold soda under my arm to help with the soreness/pain, and it worked. I got home, Shawn went to the office (holiday or not ... you know the drill), and I took Jane to the park. Everything was fine until we came home. I was feeling fine and then WHAMMO!
Fever spiked to 102.5. The pain in my boob didn't worsen, but I got so cold. Shawn came home and I went straight to bed, covering up with all the blankets in the house (practically).
The fever broke in the night (so it only lasted a few hours), and I kept drinking water and nursing like they were going out of style. Jane was a trooper, and for once her constant night wakings didn't bug me, because I needed them to get better myself!
I was better on Tuesday and by Wednesday afternoon was pretty much back to normal. Today I'm feeling just fine -- and I kind of wish I could go see another movie on my own without the pain-in-the-boob! Actually the part I was most upset about was missing my Bible study -- for the second week in a row since I didn't have child care last week. DRAT.
Usually plugged milk ducts happen to new moms while the supply is getting established, and I'm so glad this didn't happen then. I really think it would have threatened my resolve to nurse. But I'm pretty sure why it happened to me now was also related to my solo parenting venture ... while Shawn was away I stayed up too late (not enough rest) and didn't drink enough water (not enough hydration). Together that's a recipe for mastitis, which thankfully this didn't develop into.
I'm keeping after myself to drink more water and we're on our same general nursing schedule. This may be TMI to share with my public facing blog, but I couldn't not write about it.
I woke up Monday with a sore boob, and I knew it could be trouble but I thought some pumping, extra nursing and extra water would keep it from getting worse.
I had been looking forward to Monday -- Shawn had agreed to let me go to a movie while he watched Jane (since it was a holiday he didn't have to be in the office). All week while taking care of Jane solo I had been planning my mini break.
In the movie -- Silver Linings Playbook -- I held my cup of cold soda under my arm to help with the soreness/pain, and it worked. I got home, Shawn went to the office (holiday or not ... you know the drill), and I took Jane to the park. Everything was fine until we came home. I was feeling fine and then WHAMMO!
Fever spiked to 102.5. The pain in my boob didn't worsen, but I got so cold. Shawn came home and I went straight to bed, covering up with all the blankets in the house (practically).
The fever broke in the night (so it only lasted a few hours), and I kept drinking water and nursing like they were going out of style. Jane was a trooper, and for once her constant night wakings didn't bug me, because I needed them to get better myself!
I was better on Tuesday and by Wednesday afternoon was pretty much back to normal. Today I'm feeling just fine -- and I kind of wish I could go see another movie on my own without the pain-in-the-boob! Actually the part I was most upset about was missing my Bible study -- for the second week in a row since I didn't have child care last week. DRAT.
Usually plugged milk ducts happen to new moms while the supply is getting established, and I'm so glad this didn't happen then. I really think it would have threatened my resolve to nurse. But I'm pretty sure why it happened to me now was also related to my solo parenting venture ... while Shawn was away I stayed up too late (not enough rest) and didn't drink enough water (not enough hydration). Together that's a recipe for mastitis, which thankfully this didn't develop into.
I'm keeping after myself to drink more water and we're on our same general nursing schedule. This may be TMI to share with my public facing blog, but I couldn't not write about it.
Breastfeeding: Safety Pin Alternative
(Background: the baby nurses most vigorously on the
side she starts on, so you want to alternate start side to help keep
milk supply even.)
How am I supposed to remember which side I'm supposed to nurse on next?
One thing the breastfeeding books and classes all seem to say is to use a safety pin on your bra and move it back and forth to mark which breast to start nursing on next time.
I hated the idea of a safety pin, mostly because I might only have one hand to grapple with it, and in the middle of the night (or really any time) who wants a safety pin so close to a baby's precious head?! Also even with both hands I'm never really good at opening and closing them.
So I started keeping track by just writing it down. I kept a notebook (as I think most new moms do) and wrote down EVERY LITTLE THING. (I think I read someone call it the Pee, Poop, Milk diary recently.) And so I just added a notation for which side I started with for each nursing session.
Round about Christmas time we were staying at my mom's house and there was no nightlight. So I didn't want to turn on the light just to figure out which breast to use (whereby fully waking up myself, my baby and my husband). So I just guessed/tried to use my memory.
FAIL.
But I've come up with a better solution, and it's been working great for me.
I found a rubber bracelet -- the kind made famous by Lance Armstrong's Live Strong cancer organization -- in a drawer in my room at my mom's house. This one was for breast cancer awareness (which is a whole other post -- I am all for funding more research but have a tendency to think market saturation has been reached for pink 'awareness' products ... and don't get me started on Komen/Planned Parenthood).
Anyway, I started using the bracelet as my marker of which side to start breastfeeding on. I never have to take it off -- it's not hurt when it gets wet. Really it's the only thing that's with me even more than Jane! And it's going to be visible in some of her photos from this year (many that I appear in I mean, including one of my favorites from Christmas). There's also no risk to me or the baby while I'm moving it/I can't accidentally injure her with it like I could with a safety pin.
I've only forgotten to switch the bracelet a couple times, and it's usually when I'm half asleep in the middle of the night or early morning hours. But it's a part of our nursing routine that I'll move the bracelet from one arm to the other.
I think there could be a market for such a bracelet (if someone isn't already selling them ... it looks like this is something similar). Instead of being cancer or awareness related they could be customized with the baby's name, a favorite color, a date, etc.
As for me, it's one less thing I have to remember, although as an avid note taker I was a little sad to stop writing down every little thing.
How am I supposed to remember which side I'm supposed to nurse on next?
One thing the breastfeeding books and classes all seem to say is to use a safety pin on your bra and move it back and forth to mark which breast to start nursing on next time.
I hated the idea of a safety pin, mostly because I might only have one hand to grapple with it, and in the middle of the night (or really any time) who wants a safety pin so close to a baby's precious head?! Also even with both hands I'm never really good at opening and closing them.
So I started keeping track by just writing it down. I kept a notebook (as I think most new moms do) and wrote down EVERY LITTLE THING. (I think I read someone call it the Pee, Poop, Milk diary recently.) And so I just added a notation for which side I started with for each nursing session.
Round about Christmas time we were staying at my mom's house and there was no nightlight. So I didn't want to turn on the light just to figure out which breast to use (whereby fully waking up myself, my baby and my husband). So I just guessed/tried to use my memory.
FAIL.
But I've come up with a better solution, and it's been working great for me.
I found a rubber bracelet -- the kind made famous by Lance Armstrong's Live Strong cancer organization -- in a drawer in my room at my mom's house. This one was for breast cancer awareness (which is a whole other post -- I am all for funding more research but have a tendency to think market saturation has been reached for pink 'awareness' products ... and don't get me started on Komen/Planned Parenthood).
 |
| Bracelet is on my left wrist in this photo from Jane's baptism. |
I've only forgotten to switch the bracelet a couple times, and it's usually when I'm half asleep in the middle of the night or early morning hours. But it's a part of our nursing routine that I'll move the bracelet from one arm to the other.
I think there could be a market for such a bracelet (if someone isn't already selling them ... it looks like this is something similar). Instead of being cancer or awareness related they could be customized with the baby's name, a favorite color, a date, etc.
As for me, it's one less thing I have to remember, although as an avid note taker I was a little sad to stop writing down every little thing.
Read: How My Breasts Saved the World
How My Breasts Saved the World: Misadventures of a Nursing Mother by Lisa Wood ShapiroMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Hilarious. I found it while perusing the parenting shelf at my local library. Really glad I picked it up, and I read it within a day. While I couldn't relate to everything, the memoir of nursing really struck a cord. And it's written in such a way that keeps you laughing. I should look and see if she has a blog ...
View all my reviews
My Favorite Baby Products as of Two Months
Building on my initial baby gear thoughts post, I thought I'd add some more items to the list of baby products I've found helpful.
I'm not an expert on anything but my baby and what she likes at this time in her life, but hopefully these thoughts are useful, if for nothing else than for me to look back on when I want to reminisce about infancy.
I still love the Gerber prefold diapers for burp rags, and even better have got some pretty burpies as gifts. (If I had any sewing talent and scrap fabric I would turn my boring white ones into cute ones too!) The Boppy is still aces for nursing (although we can technically do it without the pillow it's still more comfy), and we still use the Aden and Anais swaddler blankets most every night. Although Jane does have a Halo sleep sack that's good too, since she doesn't really care about having her arms swaddled and actually prefers to sleep with them straight up as if she were in a hold up.
I didn't end up getting the fancy baby bath tub, although I'm sure it's great. I give Jane baths in the sink using this Infant to Toddler Tub with Sling. It fits just great in the double sink, and with my sink's spray nozzle I can get a good shampoo too (something some moms may not have to do if the baby doesn't have a full head of hair like Jane does).
I was tempted by this foldable Puj tub for travel, but when we went to Oklahoma we were able to take our tub with us in the van, and by the time we travel next Jane will likely be able to sit up unassisted, meaning a bath directly in the sink will be completely doable with a towel in the bottom for cushioning.
Some of my nursing favorites include "Mother's Love" nursing bras that I got for cheap on Zulily - with shipping worked out to be around $8 per bra. They're not cute but they work for me. I have a few other bras from Target or otherwise bought online, but I like the cotton Mother's Love ones the best. I use Johnson's breast pads, after reading a recommendation on a blog. I like them a lot, although I can usually find them cheaper at Target or Walmart than online.
I pump every day using an Ameda hand pump that I got at the hospital. If I had to do it more than once a day I'd want an electric model, and I'd probably rent it from the hospital, mostly so I wouldn't have a pump to throw away or store once Jane weans. I started pumping into the bottle that came with the pump and got some more like it for a total of 5. Now I pump into store and pour bags and am stocking the freezer -- they freeze flat and then I can stack them. We haven't actually used any of the milk yet -- but it's there when we'll need it, and I like to think it helps keep my milk supply up.
I haven't really found a bottle I like enough to recommend, mostly because Jane doesn't eat much from bottles, as I'm always around and it's just easier to feed her from the source. We've got a Dr. Brown's bottle that she did eat from when she stayed with Beth and Meme on Boxing Day, and another new mom recommended an Avent bottle that we have yet to try -- its nipple is supposed to be more like a breast.
Our cloth diapering adventure didn't go super smoothly. They definitely leak more than the disposables, and as much as I loved putting Jane in lots of different outfits in a day we kind of fell out of the cloth diapering routine when we traveled for Christmas. So we've been using Target up & up diapers mostly, although I'm sure the Amazon Mom Subscribe and Save would be cheaper in the long run. I'm not ready to totally give up on my idea of cloth diapering during the day. In any case we've found Seventh Generation wipes to be the best -- chlorine free and not so thick as to feel wasteful.
For getting around our best thing has been the Moby carrier. I use it every time we go to a store, mostly because she's too small to sit in the cart and her car seat is convertible, meaning it doesn't double as an infant carrier. (Safety note: those are NEVER supposed to ride in the front part of the cart -- always put the infant carrier/car seat into the big part of the shopping cart.)
Our favorite blankets are the hand made ones -- crocheted blankies and quilts. Jane is just starting to get into toys, so I'll probably do a separate post about those as she develops preferences. Most of her toys have been gifts. We'll also have to keep track of her favorite books -- so far she will listen to whatever I feel like reading. :)
I also am working on a post of the books I've read that I've found helpful (and those I haven't really thought much of). But we'll see when I can get myself together to write that up.
A baby picture for those of you who actually read this (or who just scrolled down)!
Disclosure: Amazon affiliate links used throughout.
I'm not an expert on anything but my baby and what she likes at this time in her life, but hopefully these thoughts are useful, if for nothing else than for me to look back on when I want to reminisce about infancy.
I still love the Gerber prefold diapers for burp rags, and even better have got some pretty burpies as gifts. (If I had any sewing talent and scrap fabric I would turn my boring white ones into cute ones too!) The Boppy is still aces for nursing (although we can technically do it without the pillow it's still more comfy), and we still use the Aden and Anais swaddler blankets most every night. Although Jane does have a Halo sleep sack that's good too, since she doesn't really care about having her arms swaddled and actually prefers to sleep with them straight up as if she were in a hold up.
I didn't end up getting the fancy baby bath tub, although I'm sure it's great. I give Jane baths in the sink using this Infant to Toddler Tub with Sling. It fits just great in the double sink, and with my sink's spray nozzle I can get a good shampoo too (something some moms may not have to do if the baby doesn't have a full head of hair like Jane does).
I was tempted by this foldable Puj tub for travel, but when we went to Oklahoma we were able to take our tub with us in the van, and by the time we travel next Jane will likely be able to sit up unassisted, meaning a bath directly in the sink will be completely doable with a towel in the bottom for cushioning.
Some of my nursing favorites include "Mother's Love" nursing bras that I got for cheap on Zulily - with shipping worked out to be around $8 per bra. They're not cute but they work for me. I have a few other bras from Target or otherwise bought online, but I like the cotton Mother's Love ones the best. I use Johnson's breast pads, after reading a recommendation on a blog. I like them a lot, although I can usually find them cheaper at Target or Walmart than online.
I pump every day using an Ameda hand pump that I got at the hospital. If I had to do it more than once a day I'd want an electric model, and I'd probably rent it from the hospital, mostly so I wouldn't have a pump to throw away or store once Jane weans. I started pumping into the bottle that came with the pump and got some more like it for a total of 5. Now I pump into store and pour bags and am stocking the freezer -- they freeze flat and then I can stack them. We haven't actually used any of the milk yet -- but it's there when we'll need it, and I like to think it helps keep my milk supply up.
I haven't really found a bottle I like enough to recommend, mostly because Jane doesn't eat much from bottles, as I'm always around and it's just easier to feed her from the source. We've got a Dr. Brown's bottle that she did eat from when she stayed with Beth and Meme on Boxing Day, and another new mom recommended an Avent bottle that we have yet to try -- its nipple is supposed to be more like a breast.
Our cloth diapering adventure didn't go super smoothly. They definitely leak more than the disposables, and as much as I loved putting Jane in lots of different outfits in a day we kind of fell out of the cloth diapering routine when we traveled for Christmas. So we've been using Target up & up diapers mostly, although I'm sure the Amazon Mom Subscribe and Save would be cheaper in the long run. I'm not ready to totally give up on my idea of cloth diapering during the day. In any case we've found Seventh Generation wipes to be the best -- chlorine free and not so thick as to feel wasteful.
For getting around our best thing has been the Moby carrier. I use it every time we go to a store, mostly because she's too small to sit in the cart and her car seat is convertible, meaning it doesn't double as an infant carrier. (Safety note: those are NEVER supposed to ride in the front part of the cart -- always put the infant carrier/car seat into the big part of the shopping cart.)
Our favorite blankets are the hand made ones -- crocheted blankies and quilts. Jane is just starting to get into toys, so I'll probably do a separate post about those as she develops preferences. Most of her toys have been gifts. We'll also have to keep track of her favorite books -- so far she will listen to whatever I feel like reading. :)
I also am working on a post of the books I've read that I've found helpful (and those I haven't really thought much of). But we'll see when I can get myself together to write that up.
A baby picture for those of you who actually read this (or who just scrolled down)!
 |
| Chilling on a quilt made 31+ years ago for me by Grandma Jane |
Some Things I Know from NLP
Norma Lee is my great aunt. She's my grandpa's sister on my dad's side.
Growing up, she lived about 45 minutes away from us in Frederick. (She still lives there, now in a nursing home, but I now live about 11 hours and 45 minutes away!)
Beth and I would spend a week every summer with her and other times throughout the year, including a couple New Year's Eve parties with our second cousins. She didn't have children of her own, but I don't think she could have loved us more if we were her direct descendents.
Lately I've found myself thinking of all the wonderful things we got to do at her house, probably in part because I'm starting to envision Jane's childhood and how it will compare with my own.
At NLP's, we did crafts: puff paint on plastic visors and T-shirts, beaded bracelets made of safety pins, drawing our own fashion lines, etc.
She had a killer Lego collection and we could express our creativity that way.
She took us to get hair cuts -- particularly WEDGE hair cuts. She also taught me that pulling all your hair forward on your shoulders is a TERRIBLE look because of the rear view.
We swam in a horse tank full of water in the summers.
We had 10 am Coke breaks and watched a craft show on TV. I learned that you want the cup that has the least amount of ice NOT the one that's filled closer to the top.
We watched many an episode of The Golden Girls.
She took us shopping -- to Gibson's, to the department store, to the children's clothing store that's long since gone but that had a play area for kids.
She loved to dress us up, buy us clothes and even toys. There was even a blue, floor-length, ruffle-skirt prom dress that became a dress up gown. There are photos of all of the girl cousins wearing it in turn.
She took us to church and to her church's baked potato suppers.
She would do a variation on "patty cake" with her cats, which I then used on Owen and now Jane -- both love it: "Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man. Roll 'em, roll 'em, roll 'em ... THROW THEM IN A PAN!" (When we visited NLP in the nursing home she did it with Jane's feet.)
I don't know what kinds of relationships Jane will forge with the other adults in her life, but I hope she has someone like Norma Lee in her childhood.
Growing up, she lived about 45 minutes away from us in Frederick. (She still lives there, now in a nursing home, but I now live about 11 hours and 45 minutes away!)
Beth and I would spend a week every summer with her and other times throughout the year, including a couple New Year's Eve parties with our second cousins. She didn't have children of her own, but I don't think she could have loved us more if we were her direct descendents.
Lately I've found myself thinking of all the wonderful things we got to do at her house, probably in part because I'm starting to envision Jane's childhood and how it will compare with my own.
At NLP's, we did crafts: puff paint on plastic visors and T-shirts, beaded bracelets made of safety pins, drawing our own fashion lines, etc.
She had a killer Lego collection and we could express our creativity that way.
She took us to get hair cuts -- particularly WEDGE hair cuts. She also taught me that pulling all your hair forward on your shoulders is a TERRIBLE look because of the rear view.
We swam in a horse tank full of water in the summers.
We had 10 am Coke breaks and watched a craft show on TV. I learned that you want the cup that has the least amount of ice NOT the one that's filled closer to the top.
We watched many an episode of The Golden Girls.
She took us shopping -- to Gibson's, to the department store, to the children's clothing store that's long since gone but that had a play area for kids.
She loved to dress us up, buy us clothes and even toys. There was even a blue, floor-length, ruffle-skirt prom dress that became a dress up gown. There are photos of all of the girl cousins wearing it in turn.
She took us to church and to her church's baked potato suppers.
She would do a variation on "patty cake" with her cats, which I then used on Owen and now Jane -- both love it: "Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man. Roll 'em, roll 'em, roll 'em ... THROW THEM IN A PAN!" (When we visited NLP in the nursing home she did it with Jane's feet.)
I don't know what kinds of relationships Jane will forge with the other adults in her life, but I hope she has someone like Norma Lee in her childhood.
Aged Out
 |
| Mama of 7 month old... |
Do I look old enough to have a 29 year old daughter?
In fairness, it was kind of dark in the room. The woman lives in a nursing home. And for more than half of our visit her left boob was just hanging out of her shirt.
So that was a fun visit...
Breastfeeding on Modern Family
One of the shows I watch is Modern Family. It's a sitcom done in the faux documentary style that seemed to start with The Office.
Anyway, last night's episode (which I watched about a half hour after it aired and was tempted to blog about right away), included Gloria, the sexy second wife of the grandfather, nursing her new baby while she signed for a package. They digitally pixilated her boob, and the dialogue made clear that the baby was nursing/not like it was popped off and it was just a boob that she was showing. There were jokes about her breasts, that she is too free with her body, etc.
Most of the time they were making those jokes she was clothed -- with the low cut tops she wears in which you could see even more of her breast than what was pixilated around the baby's head. I really don't understand why the breast when used for its intended function (even fictionally) is something that requires digital alteration lest we be scandalized. But when it's on display for sexual purposes we have no problem with it.
Furthermore, I don't know why depictions of breastfeeding have to be like that -- somehow shameful or sexual. And I guess it stuck in my craw even more because this particular show uses boob humor on a regular basis.
I know my thoughts aren't fully formulated or useful, but I had to put it out there since it struck me as just wrong and distasteful.
Anyway, last night's episode (which I watched about a half hour after it aired and was tempted to blog about right away), included Gloria, the sexy second wife of the grandfather, nursing her new baby while she signed for a package. They digitally pixilated her boob, and the dialogue made clear that the baby was nursing/not like it was popped off and it was just a boob that she was showing. There were jokes about her breasts, that she is too free with her body, etc.
Most of the time they were making those jokes she was clothed -- with the low cut tops she wears in which you could see even more of her breast than what was pixilated around the baby's head. I really don't understand why the breast when used for its intended function (even fictionally) is something that requires digital alteration lest we be scandalized. But when it's on display for sexual purposes we have no problem with it.
Furthermore, I don't know why depictions of breastfeeding have to be like that -- somehow shameful or sexual. And I guess it stuck in my craw even more because this particular show uses boob humor on a regular basis.
I know my thoughts aren't fully formulated or useful, but I had to put it out there since it struck me as just wrong and distasteful.
FitBit Phooey
I still love my FitBit, but its usefulness for new mamas is suspect.
During pregnancy there was an option in the dashboard to select "pregnant." I'm certain that it changed the "calories burned" and estimated I was burning more each day because I was growing a person (truth). But sometime during the pregnancy they removed that option entirely. I tweeted about it, and FitBit support tweeted back, directing me to a semi-helpful thread. It says that the "pregnancy" option didn't increase the calories burned estimate - was basically an option that served no purpose. I have no way of verifying that because the dashboard doesn't make it easy to scroll back to look. So whatever. Not a huge problem, especially because I'm not using it as a weight loss tool or really paying attention to the calorie burn. Just weird.
It also isn't very good at measuring sleep, and it thinks I'm sleeping as soon as I'm semi-still even if I'm tossing and turning or reading in bed. That's not unique to newborns' moms though, and that was an issue I noticed even before.
The "real" issue for new mamas is about how the tracker measures things that are not steps as steps. Specifically rocking in a rocking chair counts as steps -- and "intense" steps to boot. And patting a baby on the back -- for burping, general comfort, etc. -- is also stepping. I would have thought I'd need to have some forward momentum for that to be counted. I can almost see how the rocker could be mistaken for an elliptical machine -- there's no way for the FitBit to know that I'm sitting down while my wrist makes that gliding motion. (But it still doesn't count steps if I'm pushing a cart because my wrist is pretty still?!?!)
Basically my calorie burn still seems high, although as a nursing mom that's accurate, and my step count is WAY high -- being overestimated in the thousands I'd say. I can look at the dashboard and see the peaks in my activity are times when I was sitting on my butt holding/nursing/rocking. Another gripe - only the dashboard on the web shows this level of detail. Neither the app on my phone nor the direct software on my computer will actually show hour-by-hour info like the web dashboard will. Bad design on top of weak-ish technology?
But like I said before, data is data and as long as I only compare it to my own data from the same time period it could still be useful. I'm looking forward to being able to do more real steps. I can't believe I'm still recovering four weeks after the birth, but that's the rub in pushing out a 10.5 lb baby I suppose!
Here's a picture of some baby feet that one day will take steps of their own:
During pregnancy there was an option in the dashboard to select "pregnant." I'm certain that it changed the "calories burned" and estimated I was burning more each day because I was growing a person (truth). But sometime during the pregnancy they removed that option entirely. I tweeted about it, and FitBit support tweeted back, directing me to a semi-helpful thread. It says that the "pregnancy" option didn't increase the calories burned estimate - was basically an option that served no purpose. I have no way of verifying that because the dashboard doesn't make it easy to scroll back to look. So whatever. Not a huge problem, especially because I'm not using it as a weight loss tool or really paying attention to the calorie burn. Just weird.
It also isn't very good at measuring sleep, and it thinks I'm sleeping as soon as I'm semi-still even if I'm tossing and turning or reading in bed. That's not unique to newborns' moms though, and that was an issue I noticed even before.
The "real" issue for new mamas is about how the tracker measures things that are not steps as steps. Specifically rocking in a rocking chair counts as steps -- and "intense" steps to boot. And patting a baby on the back -- for burping, general comfort, etc. -- is also stepping. I would have thought I'd need to have some forward momentum for that to be counted. I can almost see how the rocker could be mistaken for an elliptical machine -- there's no way for the FitBit to know that I'm sitting down while my wrist makes that gliding motion. (But it still doesn't count steps if I'm pushing a cart because my wrist is pretty still?!?!)
Basically my calorie burn still seems high, although as a nursing mom that's accurate, and my step count is WAY high -- being overestimated in the thousands I'd say. I can look at the dashboard and see the peaks in my activity are times when I was sitting on my butt holding/nursing/rocking. Another gripe - only the dashboard on the web shows this level of detail. Neither the app on my phone nor the direct software on my computer will actually show hour-by-hour info like the web dashboard will. Bad design on top of weak-ish technology?
But like I said before, data is data and as long as I only compare it to my own data from the same time period it could still be useful. I'm looking forward to being able to do more real steps. I can't believe I'm still recovering four weeks after the birth, but that's the rub in pushing out a 10.5 lb baby I suppose!
Here's a picture of some baby feet that one day will take steps of their own:
More Writing ...
My freelance (emphasis on the free) writing continues to be published on my hospital's blog, The Mommy-Go-Round, and my doula's blog at Birth Help. Here are a few recent posts:
Better Birth Through Improved Communication
I’m a communications professional by trade with degrees in journalism and years of experience in public relations. I excel with the written word and communicating within a marketing framework. Communicating is my vocation, but when it came to talking to my doctor about my wishes for childbirth I came up short. Standing up for myself and what I need does not come naturally to me.
I needed some help to become a more effective communicator in the doctor-patient relationship.
VBAC Success: I Will Push This Baby Out of My Vagina
Despite everything stacking up against my desire for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) – previous big baby, ultrasound estimating an even bigger baby, being overdue and having gestational diabetes – I was ultimately successful and delivered my second daughter vaginally.
Our Jaundice Experience
Both my daughters had jaundice, a condition in which the baby’s blood contains too much bilirubin and makes her skin and eyes appear yellow. My older daughter’s jaundice resolved itself on its own, but my younger daughter born at the end of March had a more severe case. She had a lot of risk factors – exclusively breastfed, larger baby (born 10 lbs, 8 oz.) and our blood types were incompatible, which seemed to be the thing that worried the pediatrician the most.
A Mama's Choice: Getting Started Breastfeeding
I breastfed my first daughter for 26 months, and that nursing relationship was a very healing thing for me after the disappointment of my C-section. I’m proud of myself and my body for feeding and nourishing her for so long. So I knew no matter how my second birth went I would be a nursing mom again for this second baby.
I have high hopes to actually write more HERE and have a list of posts I'd like to write (and have probably written dozens of times in my head). Nothing earth shattering but just continuing to chronicle bits and pieces of this life I'm living. Time at a keyboard is limited, and I'm also trying to work on a (paid!) freelance project and ease back into my volunteer work at church.
Better Birth Through Improved Communication
I’m a communications professional by trade with degrees in journalism and years of experience in public relations. I excel with the written word and communicating within a marketing framework. Communicating is my vocation, but when it came to talking to my doctor about my wishes for childbirth I came up short. Standing up for myself and what I need does not come naturally to me.
I needed some help to become a more effective communicator in the doctor-patient relationship.
VBAC Success: I Will Push This Baby Out of My Vagina
Despite everything stacking up against my desire for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) – previous big baby, ultrasound estimating an even bigger baby, being overdue and having gestational diabetes – I was ultimately successful and delivered my second daughter vaginally.
Our Jaundice Experience
Both my daughters had jaundice, a condition in which the baby’s blood contains too much bilirubin and makes her skin and eyes appear yellow. My older daughter’s jaundice resolved itself on its own, but my younger daughter born at the end of March had a more severe case. She had a lot of risk factors – exclusively breastfed, larger baby (born 10 lbs, 8 oz.) and our blood types were incompatible, which seemed to be the thing that worried the pediatrician the most.
A Mama's Choice: Getting Started Breastfeeding
I breastfed my first daughter for 26 months, and that nursing relationship was a very healing thing for me after the disappointment of my C-section. I’m proud of myself and my body for feeding and nourishing her for so long. So I knew no matter how my second birth went I would be a nursing mom again for this second baby.
I have high hopes to actually write more HERE and have a list of posts I'd like to write (and have probably written dozens of times in my head). Nothing earth shattering but just continuing to chronicle bits and pieces of this life I'm living. Time at a keyboard is limited, and I'm also trying to work on a (paid!) freelance project and ease back into my volunteer work at church.
Cost of Fighting A Ductal Yeast Infection
I am still fighting a ductal yeast infection in my breast -- candida during breastfeeding or however you say it. It's the pits. I've spent significant time and some good chunks of change on my efforts to kill the yeast. I am cautiously optimistic that this infection is nearly gone. Knock on wood and cross all your fingers! Here's a rough estimate of what I've done since early July to get here:
- Six weeks of diflucan -- this is the actual prescription medication, and I'm lucky my insurance covers it. Apparently it was expensive as a brand name but is now available as generic flucanozole. I couldn't convince my doctor to prescribe it longer (I didn't try very hard), although the protocol says it should be continued until symptoms are gone for a full week. (I had not had a full week of symptom free when I stopped the diflucan, but I think I have now, or at least very nearly symptom-free.)
- All Purpose Nipple Ointment -- another one that needed to be prescribed. I had to get it at a compounding pharmacy that doesn't take insurance. It's $75, although I put in for it to be reimbursed by insurance. They sent a check for $10 without explanation. We still need to follow up on that one, but say $65.
- Grapefruit seed extract -- I have this orally as well as topically as a liquid. I mix the liquid into water (15 drops in a half shot glass) and use a Q-tip to saturate the nipple after nursing and follow up with the APNO. Liquid cost $11. Orally I take 250 mg three times per day. On Amazon it's about $11 for 60 pills, so a 20 day supply. I've probably been taking it for 8 weeks because I started it as soon as it seemed this was likely yeast. I've definitely purchased it five times so far (counting twice at Whole Foods in 125 mg dose, so the bottle doesn't last quite as long) and am working my way through the fifth bottle. (So $55 so far.)
- Gentian violet -- this took me a while to find because I kept thinking I would find it locally. In the end I could have ordered and received it from Amazon several times over, so I just did that ($10) and waited 2 more days. This does help, although I'm not sure how long it's OK to use. The protocol says on for 7 days then stop. If it hasn't worked in 7 days it won't. BUT it can be repeated. So I don't know. I do it, then stop and have symptoms flare and start again. It is HELLA messy and I hate it. I like purple OK but not on my poor baby's mouth. At church this week she had a big purple mustache and I had to get into my infection/medicine with more people than I would have liked (I should have agreed to others' ideas -- purple marker or a bruise). Definitely not what I had in mind when I say I want to help normalize breast feeding. (Update since I started this post - I was able to stop the gentian violet after about 3 cycles, so 21 days total using it. I've been off it for more than a week, and I know it's there to try again if symptoms flare.)
- Probiotics - buy locally at Whole Foods and also bought some inferior ones at CVS ($11 down the tubes) - $22 x two so far. They have to be refrigerated and need to be taken separately from the Grapefruit Seed Extract (which would just kill the probiotics I think). So I don't remember to take them too often, but at least once a day before bed and sometimes in the afternoon too. I think that's a good sign that I don't remember and am getting better!
- Vinegar for washing clothes and towels - minimal cost but for the sake of completion - $2. I wash everything of the baby's and everything that touches my breasts (bras, towels, etc.) in hot water with vinegar rinse. Acidity kills (?) the yeast, or at least inhibits its growth.
- Paper towels to limit yeast from towels on my hands after washing and limit chances of re-infection (not entirely convinced this is necessary) - $4, estimated because we use paper towels normally. I just kept a roll in the bathroom to use with each hand wash there and have used about 4 rolls over the time I've been doing this.
- Jack Newman book: Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding, includes the candida protocol I am trying to follow. $22.
- Lactation consultation - should have been $95, although maybe insurance would have covered it. I got my consultation free because while I was waiting for a call back in the hospital waiting area I was hassled by a security guard about breast feeding and that I needed to go to their special rooms/couldn't just nurse in the lobby even covered up. I tweeted my indignation, which got the communications people's attention and I was given a personal apology and the consultation for free, which was nice. It was helpful because they were the ones who agreed that it was more likely yeast. They weren't used to seeing such big/older babies though. If nothing else it made me feel like someone in the medical system actually cared about me/my pain at that point (when my doctor was out of town).
- Monistat 7 - before I got the APNO - $11
Crying Because It Hurts...
You may have a back strain or a pinched nerve (especially if there's tingling going down one leg).
Immediately after you feel the pain:
- Stop the activity that caused the pain, such as bending over.
- Apply a cold compress to the injured area.
- If the back is stiff, but there is little or no pain, apply a heating pad to relax muscles. Do not apply heating pad if there is swelling in back.
- Lie down flat on the floor with a pillow under the neck and knees.
Over the next few days:
- Avoid complete bed rest. This can lead to deconditioning and make the pain worse.
- Take pain medications. Ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen are helpful. Do not mix these medicines together. You can take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) with any of the above. Don't take ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen if you have ulcers or allergies to these medicines. NOTE: Do not give aspirin to children younger than 16 years of age. Pregnant and nursing women should talk to their doctors before taking any medications.
- Apply cold compresses regularly for 20 minutes at a time for the first day, then switch to a warm heating pad or hot shower to soothe muscles.
There's been improvement and I can still move, but I'm so tired of hurting that I'm getting emotionally spent and crying about it. I just want to go to sleep and wake up and feel better.
Unboxing Day
We brought in the Christmas tree last night. Shawn got it set up, as well as Candy Cane Lane, which is what we call the candy cane-shaped lights lining a part of our walk way toward our front door. Today I got a wreath from Trader Joe's and put that on the front door. We got a few girl-specific things out of the boxes, which are now sitting in the sun room by the back door. The felt Christmas tree, the Little People nativity set, a musical book are out and being played with.
But there's a lot more to do.
Unfortunately I don't have the Christmas cheer or spirit or will to do it just yet.
I'll get there -- for the girls, for Shawn, for my family if they make it for Christmas, for myself -- eventually.
But I sure wish my sense of anticipation didn't feel like a sense of foreboding.
Maybe I'm just exhausted and out of sorts from a broken night of sleep (Livia has a cold so was up half the night and would only sleep while nursing), from a week's visit from my in-laws, from a wanna-be teenager six-year-old with more sass than I can handle, from a million other tiny little cuts that combine to make me feel like I'm bleeding out...
Hope your holiday unboxing goes better than mine.
But there's a lot more to do.
Unfortunately I don't have the Christmas cheer or spirit or will to do it just yet.
I'll get there -- for the girls, for Shawn, for my family if they make it for Christmas, for myself -- eventually.
But I sure wish my sense of anticipation didn't feel like a sense of foreboding.
Maybe I'm just exhausted and out of sorts from a broken night of sleep (Livia has a cold so was up half the night and would only sleep while nursing), from a week's visit from my in-laws, from a wanna-be teenager six-year-old with more sass than I can handle, from a million other tiny little cuts that combine to make me feel like I'm bleeding out...
Hope your holiday unboxing goes better than mine.
Flood Recovery
Nothing happened to me because of the Louisiana flood. But it could have. There's nothing about my character or where I chose to live that exempted me from the flood waters. It just happened that the mega rain did not fall over my house. But others in our community were not so lucky, if luck is even the right word.
Together Baton Rouge is an organization that was started several years ago to address issues of social justice and bringing the community together in rational ways to solve problems. Boy have they stepped up and been incredible in their efforts for this flood recovery. I'm proud to support them financially, and I hope you'll consider a donation too.
As a Methodist I'm proud that no matter where the disaster we are always on the ground. UMCOR is another great option for your donation dollars, and for the Louisiana flood going through the Louisiana Annual Conference is a good idea too. Our church did a lot of work in the initial week after the flood, and we continue to house "second responders," or those teams of volunteers who have expertise in gutting houses and came out to do just that.
I still feel out of sorts -- I should be DOING something -- I am experiencing no negative outcomes to this flood that hits SO CLOSE to home. My life is uninterrupted, while those so nearby are still shattered. (Although I still have the "excuse" of nursing mother to keep me out of heavy work ... although if I look at myself I'm so weak I doubt I could do the physical labor required even without the need to remain with my baby almost all the time...)
The national media coverage -- rather the lack thereof -- is problematic for getting recovery dollars and private donations flowing into the community. It's also understandable if infuriating. There's no one to "blame" in the flood scenario is something I've read often, and really that means there is no villain other than mother nature. And we can pound our heads against the wall all we want there's no changing that.
But I also don't think the national media scoffs at stories of the Cajun Navy or people saving each other. It's just less compelling perhaps the farther you are from the tragedy. That's true as human nature I guess or at least the way our media system is set up now. I didn't give a lot of thought to Superstorm Sandy even though we'd recently moved from the area hit when it happened in 2012 and even though it got A LOT more national coverage.
A lot of donations have come directly to families via GoFundMe accounts that have been set up. I've donated to one for my friend. But the awful part of that is GoFundMe takes 8% off the top. I knew it was a bad idea and I should have bought a gift card or just sent her a check directly. Blurgh.
The other instinct that has kicked in during this time "after" is the desire to clean out all my crap. For several days I looked around and thought about the things on the floor/low shelves would just be gone should water come in. And how that would probably be OK for most of the stuff. And should I take steps to eliminate excess material goods? (Yes, a thousand times, yes.)
I've also been cutting way back on spending on non-consumables. We're still doing grocery shopping and getting medicines (wait for the post on how much fighting the breast infection is costing me to see that math...), but I haven't been shopping for new clothes or shoes or anything, even as back-to-school sales are in full swing. (I did buckle today at Target during the back-to-school clearance items, so I'm sure it won't be long before I'm back to my regular type of spending habit.) We have plenty and there's no need. We should put that money toward helping others rebuild their lives. What else is there to do?
These are the main thoughts that have been on repeat in the last few weeks. In addition to the deep sense of gratitude for remaining high and dry.
Together Baton Rouge is an organization that was started several years ago to address issues of social justice and bringing the community together in rational ways to solve problems. Boy have they stepped up and been incredible in their efforts for this flood recovery. I'm proud to support them financially, and I hope you'll consider a donation too.
As a Methodist I'm proud that no matter where the disaster we are always on the ground. UMCOR is another great option for your donation dollars, and for the Louisiana flood going through the Louisiana Annual Conference is a good idea too. Our church did a lot of work in the initial week after the flood, and we continue to house "second responders," or those teams of volunteers who have expertise in gutting houses and came out to do just that.
I still feel out of sorts -- I should be DOING something -- I am experiencing no negative outcomes to this flood that hits SO CLOSE to home. My life is uninterrupted, while those so nearby are still shattered. (Although I still have the "excuse" of nursing mother to keep me out of heavy work ... although if I look at myself I'm so weak I doubt I could do the physical labor required even without the need to remain with my baby almost all the time...)
The national media coverage -- rather the lack thereof -- is problematic for getting recovery dollars and private donations flowing into the community. It's also understandable if infuriating. There's no one to "blame" in the flood scenario is something I've read often, and really that means there is no villain other than mother nature. And we can pound our heads against the wall all we want there's no changing that.
But I also don't think the national media scoffs at stories of the Cajun Navy or people saving each other. It's just less compelling perhaps the farther you are from the tragedy. That's true as human nature I guess or at least the way our media system is set up now. I didn't give a lot of thought to Superstorm Sandy even though we'd recently moved from the area hit when it happened in 2012 and even though it got A LOT more national coverage.
A lot of donations have come directly to families via GoFundMe accounts that have been set up. I've donated to one for my friend. But the awful part of that is GoFundMe takes 8% off the top. I knew it was a bad idea and I should have bought a gift card or just sent her a check directly. Blurgh.
The other instinct that has kicked in during this time "after" is the desire to clean out all my crap. For several days I looked around and thought about the things on the floor/low shelves would just be gone should water come in. And how that would probably be OK for most of the stuff. And should I take steps to eliminate excess material goods? (Yes, a thousand times, yes.)
I've also been cutting way back on spending on non-consumables. We're still doing grocery shopping and getting medicines (wait for the post on how much fighting the breast infection is costing me to see that math...), but I haven't been shopping for new clothes or shoes or anything, even as back-to-school sales are in full swing. (I did buckle today at Target during the back-to-school clearance items, so I'm sure it won't be long before I'm back to my regular type of spending habit.) We have plenty and there's no need. We should put that money toward helping others rebuild their lives. What else is there to do?
These are the main thoughts that have been on repeat in the last few weeks. In addition to the deep sense of gratitude for remaining high and dry.
Read: Beyond the Sling
Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way by Mayim BialikMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wanted to love, love, love this book because I aspire to be a hippie mom of sorts (but fall short in so many ways, see part-time cloth diapering, non-organic carpet and window coverings, etc.) and am drawn to attachment parenting. I respect this book and its approach for sure, but in the same way the "cry-it-out" type books leave me feeling like I'm doing it wrong, parts of this made me question what I'm doing ... such as, should I have kept Jane's crib in our room indefinitely? But in other ways I am doing OK by this book's system (nursing, lots of carrying, spending insane amounts of time together, etc.).
This book is a look at one family's parenting strategies, and it's written by an actress with a neurobiology PhD. While some of her educational training does seep into the book, overall this is a parenting memoir (of early childhood -- her oldest is 7) and a very good one. I liked the writing and could tell she wasn't trying to talk down to people who make other decisions for their families. (Sometimes I'm not sure I'm making any decision at all though.)
Bialik lost me when she talked about vaccines. She didn't go into detail, but she did say her family chose not to vaccinate, although I do agree in the concept of choice (sound familiar?). The idea of elimination communication still seems foreign to me, but I was glad to get a first-person introduction to it.
I liked the idea of less stuff, which is a battle I fight constantly and am LOSING in terms of Jane's possessions -- although we have decided to try to rotate out toys, and I have a box of stuff put away to be opened in May. But one thing Bialik mentioned that was weird to me is "babies don't need a lot of books." I can't help it, I want Jane to have lots of books and spend lots of time with them, which she does. Maybe I'm doing her a disservice or overwhelming her with choices, but I know I won't be able to bring myself to stop. We even go to the library each week and check out more.
I love the idea of gentle discipline and am hoping to learn more and use that as Jane grows. It will go against my innate tendencies (which I know because of Owen include being short-tempered and impatient).
I also like delaying exposure to media, TV and advertising as long as possible. I know we want to keep to the American Academy of Physicians recommendation of no screen time before 2 and probably go beyond that if we can (although I cheat when we travel when Jane gets to look at pictures of herself on my iPod, and she also sees my computer screen from the background sometimes).
Anyway, Beyond the Sling gave me a lot to think about, as well as a list of other books to read (many of which were at the library and a few more were available for a couple dollars each used on Amazon). I'd recommend it if you're interested in knowing more about Attachment Parenting (the new AP in my life). And I subscribed to Bialik's blog on Kveller.
View all my reviews
Happiest
 |
| December 2011 I am the luckiest. |
I did not answer. Others talked about unexpected free days with nothing to do/nothing planned. My answer has to do with my babies. And this friend who asked the question happens to be walking through a time of infertility. I remember what it feels like and wouldn't want to blindside her. I remember the offhand remarks people made when it took so long for me to become pregnant. (Specifically cutting, and probably something I've mentioned on here before: "you know, Mari, babies grow up," as if I only wanted a baby and didn't ACTUALLY want all that parenting entails.)
It's hard to pin down a specific day, but my happiest times were sitting in my nursing chair with a new-ish baby. I was on maternity leave with Jane, had no responsibilities other than keeping her alive, and I was good at that. I had a great, still-new-to-me back yard view, the temperatures were nice after she was born and stayed cool/comfortable for a while. (Weather affect my mood more than I'd like to admit I think.)
I remember my girls' early babyhood as happy and content times in my life. Livia's is less vivid in my memory, probably because the juggle with Jane and that transition takes up some of the computer memory space of my brain's hard drive. But I know the bone-deep joy from caring for the baby you created, carried and birthed. And that was certainly my happiest time, even with sleep deprivation that I know I was experiencing simultaneously.
Speaking of happy -- I got a lot of happy birthday wishes on social media, mainly Facebook. It STILL kills me that some people write "Happy Birthday, Mary" even though my name is RIGHT THERE. That Indiahoma education for you I guess... For the last 2 years or more I have not written anything on most people's Facebook pages for their birthdays. There are exceptions - immediate family mainly, and even then I probably post ABOUT them and tag them on my wall. (Of course people I am close with in real life get a direct email or text birthday wish!) But seeing the cross-section of people on my life who remembered me (even when it was just Facebook saying "hey, it's this dummy's birthday") made me feel a little happier actually. So perhaps I should resume the ritual of "HBD" on others' walls. MAYBE...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Want to Order a Crochet Hat?
Thanks for your interest in silvermari crochet hats . Most of what I make are sized for infants and toddlers, although I can size up and dow...
-
Official artwork of this time *I love my initials* Housekeeping: I reverted the design of this blog back to "simply classic" o... -
Having just survived a big road trip with a 25-month-old I thought I'd share a couple successes for keeping her entertained. It was by n... -
OMG. I screwed up and missed November 13!