It's been difficult to get on the computer to blog lately because I've been battling a baby who is in love with his new found mobility and into everything. Even worse, I've been battling an even bigger demon- YEAST!
For a while I thought that it was just eczema because it was just red, dry and almost scaly. I'm embarrassed to say that we ignored it for a couple of weeks if not longer because we thought it was nothing. Within the past week it definitely started to get worse and my aunt commented on how bad it looked (I didn't know that it wasn't normal dry skin) I looked into it and called my pediatrician. They didn't see us but from what I said over the phone, they agreed that it was a yeast rash and recommended using ointment usually used to jock itch and apply it three times a day.
I looked online and saw that yeast stays in diapers so I had to disinfect the diapers. I had a load of dirty diapers so I washed those normally and then when all the diapers were clean, I did a few disinfecting loads (eeek- 1 regular diaper laundry load and then 4 disinfecting loads... don't tell hubby that we don't need ANY more diapers). I put the water on as hot as it would go and then threw in three capfuls of bleach, a quarter size drop of blue Dawn, about 20 drops of tea tree oil and then three BIG squirts of Bac-Out in each load. I set the wash to do an extra rinse and then when that was over I set it back to extra rinse AGAIN so it did two extra rinses. Hopefully it works.
In the meantime we used G-diapers with the disposable inserts and 7th Generation disposable diapers. Honestly, I was surprised with how much I liked the 7th Generation diapers. I liked that they listed some of the ingredients on the panel and I loved that they were unbleached so they don't contain dioxin, one of the most toxic ingredients. Obviously, I'd rather use cloth every day to avoid all the other health hazards in disposable diapers but if cloth is absolutely not available, I would use these again. The G-diapers are okay and great for days like this when cloth just isn't feasible but for everyday use the three part system is just sort of tedious. Honestly, I think that regular cloth diapers, even prefolds are less work. When the baby goes poop, sometimes the insert bunches up and the plastic part that makes the diaper waterproof gets dirty as well. The plastic part is pretty difficult to spray clean too. My biggest complaint with the G-diapers is that with continued use, he gets nasty looking red marks on his hips from the snaps. The rash looked less painful!
Between using diapers that didn't have yeast built up in them and the cream the doctor recommended, we noticed a difference in his rash after the very first diaper! It has been about 2 and a half days now and the rash is completely gone. I also read online somewhere that both vinegar and tea tree oil kill yeast so I threw about an ounce of white vinegar and about 20 drops of tea tree oil in his bath (we use a big garden tub to bathe him, so if you use a regular tub, I would probably use less) to help kill anything that was still on his skin. I will continue to use disposable diapers during the night for a few more days and I think that I will gradually switch back to cloth this afternoon.
To combat yeast in the future, I will do my intense clean with the Bac-out, bleach and tea tree about once a month or once every other month. I will use Bac-Out in every wash like I used to (I stopped doing this shortly before the rash started... I hope I didn't cause the rash). I will use a fleece insert in his night diapers to keep him dry during the night since he will be in those wet diapers so long. Also, I think I might put tea tree oil in his bathwater every so often to kill any yeast that might be stewing on his body.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
My Breastfeeding Story
I know, I know... another booby post!
I thought I'd let you in on some of the good things and bad things I've had to deal with through my short experience so far with breastfeeding.
The bad. Nolan was born via emergency c-section that I had to be sedated for. I didn't get to nurse him until about 2 hours after he was born, probably longer. We had latch problems because of my inverted nipples and we struggled for a couple days to find the correct size nipple shield and a comfortable nursing hold where my HUGE breasts wouldn't suffocate him. We settled on a larger than normal size nipple shield (not quite sure of the size) and the football hold worked wonders in the beginning. We eventually were able to utilize other holds like the cradle hold but that took a few months to get used to. Also we used the shield for an entire 4 months.
The shield was annoying, yes, but I couldn't imagine life any other way than nursing my baby so I stuck it out. It was tedious washing it before every feeding, struggling to get it on while he is screaming, readjusting every few minutes when it slipped off, worrying if he was getting enough milk because sometimes the shield doesn't allow the baby to adequately drain the breast... I just kept telling myself that there was no other way. Sure, I could pump and feed that to him but that was even more tedious to take the time to pump and then the time to feed him. Sure, I could pump a bit to get my nipples out and then feed him but again it took too much time and even then my nipples would only come out for a few seconds so if he didn't quickly latch on, I was stuck with an even more upset, frustrated and hungry child. Sure, I could feed him formula but I knew the benefits of breastfeeding outweighed my selfish annoyance with the shield so I stuck it out. I routinely tried to get him to latch without the shield but he would just get more and more frustrated so I eventually gave up and was content with the fact that we would always need the shield. At least I could still breastfeed and I'm thankful that shields exist to facilitate breastfeeding for woman like myself.
One day while latching on, Nolan kept pulling away from the breast immediately after latching on. The shield fell off and as I was messing with it in an attempt to get it back on, he latched on all by himself, without the shield! I was exhilarated but tried to be calm because I thought "hey this could just be a one time thing." Well, it wasn't. Although I kept the shields on my beside table for about a month afterwards, he NEVER used the shield again. Yay!
More problems. The shield made it difficult for me to breastfeed in public because my nipple had to be out in plain view for quite a while in order for me to attach the shield. Even now, without the shield, I am too shy (okay I'm not shy but I'm terrified of what people might say) to nurse where people might see. I've nursed in my car in the back of a parking lot a few times, in changing rooms a few times and my most public has been at our neighborhood pool with a blanket over us. I just started nursing in public recently and I feel a little bit liberated every time I do. I want to sing "I am woman hear me roar..."
I do think it would be so much easier to just be able to pop out a bottle of water, mix a little powder in and feed him where ever we are. Its annoying sometimes to have to go to the car or find a dressing room or walk to a more private place at the pool and throw a blanket over a wiggling baby. I'm terrified that some parent will come up to me at the pool and scream that they don't want their child to see something so private. Now as Nolan is getting older, I'm starting to hear things about when I should stop- some people even saying that I should've stopped already- so I'm terrified that people may think of me as one of those "freaks" who is going to be giving my child an after school snack of cookies and mama's milk. I know I shouldn't worry about people judging me when I KNOW that it is best for my child to be breastfeed for at least a year, but I can't help but feel a little insecure about it.
Even worse. Once we got rid of the shield, I experienced what most brand new moms experience. Painful, red, blistered, sometimes even bloody nipples! Ouch!
I still never questioned my commitment to breastfeeding because I knew that this would quickly pass. The pain was worst when he was latching on, so as soon as I got through the first minute or so of nursing, I was fine. When the blisters were at their worst, I pumped that side for a few feedings because it seemed to feel a little better with pumping. I applied lanolin like a crazy person before and after each nursing and the pain lasted maybe a week. It did come back a week or so later for another few days because I got lax with my lanolin and proper latch and positioning but we haven't had problems since the first shield-free month (knock on wood).
The wonderful. I feel proud every day of my commitment to breastfeeding. I know it is best for him and I know it is best for me. I am 100% sure that the benefits outweigh the downsides of breastfeeding. I weigh less now (about 30 lbs less!) than I did pre-baby. I KNOW that part of this is because of the breastfeeding (the other part is chasing him around the house, being able to walk with him as much as possible since I'm not working, and being able to cook as healthy as possible and eating out less).
I plan to breastfeed Nolan for at least a year and a half and maybe up to two years. I plan to pump and give him my milk in a sippy cup as he gets older (probably up to around 2 years) and nurse him to sleep as long as he wants (again... probably up to around 2 years). I love the bonding time we have because of it and I love just looking at him while he eats. He is changing so much, so quickly that it is nice to just have the quiet time with just him and I to relax and enjoy THIS moment.
If you are thinking about breastfeeding, give it a try. You never know how it is going to be until you try it yourself. Don't listen to others tell you how painful it is or all the downfalls of nursing- it could be different for you and even if you do experience some pain, it will pass. One great piece of advice I heard once regarding breastfeeding is "don't quit on your worst day." Its a great piece of advice that can apply for so many things in life but certainly for breastfeeding.
I thought I'd let you in on some of the good things and bad things I've had to deal with through my short experience so far with breastfeeding.
The bad. Nolan was born via emergency c-section that I had to be sedated for. I didn't get to nurse him until about 2 hours after he was born, probably longer. We had latch problems because of my inverted nipples and we struggled for a couple days to find the correct size nipple shield and a comfortable nursing hold where my HUGE breasts wouldn't suffocate him. We settled on a larger than normal size nipple shield (not quite sure of the size) and the football hold worked wonders in the beginning. We eventually were able to utilize other holds like the cradle hold but that took a few months to get used to. Also we used the shield for an entire 4 months.
The shield was annoying, yes, but I couldn't imagine life any other way than nursing my baby so I stuck it out. It was tedious washing it before every feeding, struggling to get it on while he is screaming, readjusting every few minutes when it slipped off, worrying if he was getting enough milk because sometimes the shield doesn't allow the baby to adequately drain the breast... I just kept telling myself that there was no other way. Sure, I could pump and feed that to him but that was even more tedious to take the time to pump and then the time to feed him. Sure, I could pump a bit to get my nipples out and then feed him but again it took too much time and even then my nipples would only come out for a few seconds so if he didn't quickly latch on, I was stuck with an even more upset, frustrated and hungry child. Sure, I could feed him formula but I knew the benefits of breastfeeding outweighed my selfish annoyance with the shield so I stuck it out. I routinely tried to get him to latch without the shield but he would just get more and more frustrated so I eventually gave up and was content with the fact that we would always need the shield. At least I could still breastfeed and I'm thankful that shields exist to facilitate breastfeeding for woman like myself.
One day while latching on, Nolan kept pulling away from the breast immediately after latching on. The shield fell off and as I was messing with it in an attempt to get it back on, he latched on all by himself, without the shield! I was exhilarated but tried to be calm because I thought "hey this could just be a one time thing." Well, it wasn't. Although I kept the shields on my beside table for about a month afterwards, he NEVER used the shield again. Yay!
More problems. The shield made it difficult for me to breastfeed in public because my nipple had to be out in plain view for quite a while in order for me to attach the shield. Even now, without the shield, I am too shy (okay I'm not shy but I'm terrified of what people might say) to nurse where people might see. I've nursed in my car in the back of a parking lot a few times, in changing rooms a few times and my most public has been at our neighborhood pool with a blanket over us. I just started nursing in public recently and I feel a little bit liberated every time I do. I want to sing "I am woman hear me roar..."
I do think it would be so much easier to just be able to pop out a bottle of water, mix a little powder in and feed him where ever we are. Its annoying sometimes to have to go to the car or find a dressing room or walk to a more private place at the pool and throw a blanket over a wiggling baby. I'm terrified that some parent will come up to me at the pool and scream that they don't want their child to see something so private. Now as Nolan is getting older, I'm starting to hear things about when I should stop- some people even saying that I should've stopped already- so I'm terrified that people may think of me as one of those "freaks" who is going to be giving my child an after school snack of cookies and mama's milk. I know I shouldn't worry about people judging me when I KNOW that it is best for my child to be breastfeed for at least a year, but I can't help but feel a little insecure about it.
Even worse. Once we got rid of the shield, I experienced what most brand new moms experience. Painful, red, blistered, sometimes even bloody nipples! Ouch!
I still never questioned my commitment to breastfeeding because I knew that this would quickly pass. The pain was worst when he was latching on, so as soon as I got through the first minute or so of nursing, I was fine. When the blisters were at their worst, I pumped that side for a few feedings because it seemed to feel a little better with pumping. I applied lanolin like a crazy person before and after each nursing and the pain lasted maybe a week. It did come back a week or so later for another few days because I got lax with my lanolin and proper latch and positioning but we haven't had problems since the first shield-free month (knock on wood).
The wonderful. I feel proud every day of my commitment to breastfeeding. I know it is best for him and I know it is best for me. I am 100% sure that the benefits outweigh the downsides of breastfeeding. I weigh less now (about 30 lbs less!) than I did pre-baby. I KNOW that part of this is because of the breastfeeding (the other part is chasing him around the house, being able to walk with him as much as possible since I'm not working, and being able to cook as healthy as possible and eating out less).
I plan to breastfeed Nolan for at least a year and a half and maybe up to two years. I plan to pump and give him my milk in a sippy cup as he gets older (probably up to around 2 years) and nurse him to sleep as long as he wants (again... probably up to around 2 years). I love the bonding time we have because of it and I love just looking at him while he eats. He is changing so much, so quickly that it is nice to just have the quiet time with just him and I to relax and enjoy THIS moment.
If you are thinking about breastfeeding, give it a try. You never know how it is going to be until you try it yourself. Don't listen to others tell you how painful it is or all the downfalls of nursing- it could be different for you and even if you do experience some pain, it will pass. One great piece of advice I heard once regarding breastfeeding is "don't quit on your worst day." Its a great piece of advice that can apply for so many things in life but certainly for breastfeeding.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Breastfeeding Troubleshooting
Okay so I promised I'd let you in on some of the cool facts I'd learned about breastfeeding from my breastfeeding class that I took before Nolan was born. It was almost a year ago so bear with me but here are some of the big ones I remember.
1. Your milk doesn't come in until 3-4 days after you give birth. I thought everyone knew this but I'm including it because no one in my class knew this and almost every mother who I've spoken with who have "failed" at breastfeeding "didn't make enough milk" and quit before they even left the hospital.
2. Speaking of the "not making enough milk" excuse... Pumping after feedings will tell your body that your baby needs more milk at each feeding and will increase your supply. You will want to do this if you want to create a supply, particularly if you are going back to work. If you don't really need a supply, it's not recommended to do this because then you will create an oversupply and your letdown will be too strong.
3. Letdown is when your milk starts to come out a little faster for your baby. You will notice that your baby sucks really fast when he or she latches on and then after about a minute his or her sucks starts to become slower and stronger- this is when your baby have achieved letdown and the milk is coming faster so he or she doesn't need to suck as fast to get it.
4. Cluster feeding is when the baby eats a lot- sometimes only getting off the breast for a few minutes per hour and then right back on. This usually happens at night and during growth spurts. Cluster feeds help tell your body that it needs to make more milk for the growing baby. Growth spurts usually happen at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. There are a few other "smaller" spurts that I hear mentioned usually (3 days, 7 days, 9 months are ones that come to mind) but these are the BIG ones. Our instructor told us not to get frustrated during these cluster feeds because you are providing the best nutrition possible for your growing baby. For me, understanding WHY it was happening really did make me feel so much better about having a baby hanging off my sore nipples 24/7.
5. Although it may be (IS) frustrating at times to be waking up in the middle of the night (multiple times!) with your newborn (or 6 month old), it actually helps to protect them from SIDS. Since breastfeed babies wake up so often at night, it is said that they sleep lighter and therefore are less likely to die from SIDS. This definately helped me MANY a night. I just try to remind myself as much as possible that I should be happy that he is waking up in the night because its just another way that my nursing him is protecting him from some of the horrible things that can happen to babies.
6. Our instructor taught us that the little whitehead looking things that develop on your breast during pregnancy actually secrete an oily substance that not only lubricates the breast to facilitate breastfeeding, but it is also similar enough to your amniotic fluid that it helps the baby to find the breast immediately after birth. Our instructor therefore noted that we should ask the staff at the hospital to NOT fully wash the baby until after the baby has had a chance to latch and eat. This actually came in handy for us because I remember telling DH (or screaming at him in between contractions) to not let them wash him off if I have to have a C-section (which I did).
7. One thing that I did not learn in the class but learned the hard way is that sometimes you may get a fever when your milk comes in. I seriously thought I was dying! I kept telling my husband that we needed to go back to the hospital (I think we JUST walked in the door and I started to feel like I was going to pass out, my boobs got rock hard in what seemed like 10 minutes, they felt HOT to the touch, and my temperature was like 102*). Thankfully my husband is proficient in his use of Google (OMGEEEE how did we live before the internet).
8. Kellymom.com has been another great source of information for me. One big myth about breastfeeding is that you can't drink. Kellymom's site debunks that myth for moms that just can't get off the bottle. WHAT?! I was drink-free for 9 FREAKING months... our anniversary trip to Sonoma/Napa... DRY for me- I deserve a little something. But key word- LITTLE. Just because Kellymom says its okay to have a drink or two, doesn't mean you can get wasted at your college roomate's wedding and then go home and feed the baby- probably not the best idea.
9. There are things that you can do and take to increase your supply. Whenever I feel my supply going down I take fenugreek for a few days (3 or 4 pills twice a day for about 3 to 4 days). I read somewhere that if you start to smell like maple syrup, you know you are taking enough. I bought my bottle of fenugreek at GNC. I also pump after every feeding, just for a few minutes so that it lets my body know that the baby needs more milk. Finally I drink some Mother's Milk Tea. Mine is from Traditional Medicinals and I get it at my local Kroger. It was hard to get used to the taste at first because it has a black licorace taste but I'm used to it now and actually enjoy it. If none of this works, I have heard there is a prescription medicine you can get from your doctor that might help as well.
10. Help is out there! Lactation consultants are usually available at every hospital so request that they come to your room to help you with latching, even if you think you don't need help. Also, check out La Leche League International and see if they have a local chapter where you can meet up with other breastfeeding moms for help and encouragement.
I'm sure there are more but again, it was almost a year ago so I'll edit and add more as I think of them. Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
1. Your milk doesn't come in until 3-4 days after you give birth. I thought everyone knew this but I'm including it because no one in my class knew this and almost every mother who I've spoken with who have "failed" at breastfeeding "didn't make enough milk" and quit before they even left the hospital.
2. Speaking of the "not making enough milk" excuse... Pumping after feedings will tell your body that your baby needs more milk at each feeding and will increase your supply. You will want to do this if you want to create a supply, particularly if you are going back to work. If you don't really need a supply, it's not recommended to do this because then you will create an oversupply and your letdown will be too strong.
3. Letdown is when your milk starts to come out a little faster for your baby. You will notice that your baby sucks really fast when he or she latches on and then after about a minute his or her sucks starts to become slower and stronger- this is when your baby have achieved letdown and the milk is coming faster so he or she doesn't need to suck as fast to get it.
4. Cluster feeding is when the baby eats a lot- sometimes only getting off the breast for a few minutes per hour and then right back on. This usually happens at night and during growth spurts. Cluster feeds help tell your body that it needs to make more milk for the growing baby. Growth spurts usually happen at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. There are a few other "smaller" spurts that I hear mentioned usually (3 days, 7 days, 9 months are ones that come to mind) but these are the BIG ones. Our instructor told us not to get frustrated during these cluster feeds because you are providing the best nutrition possible for your growing baby. For me, understanding WHY it was happening really did make me feel so much better about having a baby hanging off my sore nipples 24/7.
5. Although it may be (IS) frustrating at times to be waking up in the middle of the night (multiple times!) with your newborn (or 6 month old), it actually helps to protect them from SIDS. Since breastfeed babies wake up so often at night, it is said that they sleep lighter and therefore are less likely to die from SIDS. This definately helped me MANY a night. I just try to remind myself as much as possible that I should be happy that he is waking up in the night because its just another way that my nursing him is protecting him from some of the horrible things that can happen to babies.
6. Our instructor taught us that the little whitehead looking things that develop on your breast during pregnancy actually secrete an oily substance that not only lubricates the breast to facilitate breastfeeding, but it is also similar enough to your amniotic fluid that it helps the baby to find the breast immediately after birth. Our instructor therefore noted that we should ask the staff at the hospital to NOT fully wash the baby until after the baby has had a chance to latch and eat. This actually came in handy for us because I remember telling DH (or screaming at him in between contractions) to not let them wash him off if I have to have a C-section (which I did).
7. One thing that I did not learn in the class but learned the hard way is that sometimes you may get a fever when your milk comes in. I seriously thought I was dying! I kept telling my husband that we needed to go back to the hospital (I think we JUST walked in the door and I started to feel like I was going to pass out, my boobs got rock hard in what seemed like 10 minutes, they felt HOT to the touch, and my temperature was like 102*). Thankfully my husband is proficient in his use of Google (OMGEEEE how did we live before the internet).
8. Kellymom.com has been another great source of information for me. One big myth about breastfeeding is that you can't drink. Kellymom's site debunks that myth for moms that just can't get off the bottle. WHAT?! I was drink-free for 9 FREAKING months... our anniversary trip to Sonoma/Napa... DRY for me- I deserve a little something. But key word- LITTLE. Just because Kellymom says its okay to have a drink or two, doesn't mean you can get wasted at your college roomate's wedding and then go home and feed the baby- probably not the best idea.
9. There are things that you can do and take to increase your supply. Whenever I feel my supply going down I take fenugreek for a few days (3 or 4 pills twice a day for about 3 to 4 days). I read somewhere that if you start to smell like maple syrup, you know you are taking enough. I bought my bottle of fenugreek at GNC. I also pump after every feeding, just for a few minutes so that it lets my body know that the baby needs more milk. Finally I drink some Mother's Milk Tea. Mine is from Traditional Medicinals and I get it at my local Kroger. It was hard to get used to the taste at first because it has a black licorace taste but I'm used to it now and actually enjoy it. If none of this works, I have heard there is a prescription medicine you can get from your doctor that might help as well.
10. Help is out there! Lactation consultants are usually available at every hospital so request that they come to your room to help you with latching, even if you think you don't need help. Also, check out La Leche League International and see if they have a local chapter where you can meet up with other breastfeeding moms for help and encouragement.
I'm sure there are more but again, it was almost a year ago so I'll edit and add more as I think of them. Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
Monday, August 2, 2010
World Breastfeeding Week: 10 Steps
World Breastfeeding Week is this week- August 1 through the 7th- and this year is the 20th anniversary. Yay!!! The theme of this year is "Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps." Here are the 10 steps and how the hospital where I gave birth failed. Hopefully this year's theme will change the way my local hopsital sees breastfeeding so that more mothers in my area will be able to breastfeed.
1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is rountinely communicated to all healthcare staff. In all honestly I can't fairly grade this because I don't know if they had a written policy or not but I can tell you that they surely didn't seem to because there were a lot of very different opinions on breastfeeding from each nurse that came into the room.
2. Train all healthcare staff in skills necessary to implement this policy. Again, I can't fairly grade this because maybe they did, maybe they didn't. There was one nurse in particular that was very helpful in facilitating our nursing but honestly I feel like the lactation consultants weren't even particularly helpful.
3. Inform all pregnant mothers about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. F. I honestly don't think that my OB mentioned breastfeeding even once in all my appointments. Even during the hospital tour it was not mentioned AT ALL. My husband and I took a breastfeeding class at another nearby hospital that we LOVED. They taught us information that really, really helped (I'll let you know some of their tips/tricks in another post) and some of the things we even had to tell OUR hospital about.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half hour of birth. D. I was knocked out for my c-section because the epidural didn't work so I didn't wake up until an hour after he was born and even then I feel that they didn't bring him to me fast enough (it was probably another 1/2 hour later). I tried to breastfeed as soon as he was brought into the room and the nurse noticed there were latch problems (I have/had inverted nipples). She helped out by getting us a nipple shield (which I had to use for the first four months).
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be seperated from their infant. D. I was shown how to breastfeed but they seemed to want to give up because of my inverted nipples and having to use the nipple shield. I had to keep requesting help. In regards to te maintaining lactation, I had to ask about pumps and I personally researched ways to naturally increase my milk production through power pumping, fenugreek, mother's milk tea, massage and feeding/pumping throughout the day. Even the simplest way to make more milk- putting baby to breast as often as possible- wasn't even discussed at our local hospital.
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk unless medically indicated. F. They did give our son sugar water on a pacifier when I was still under from the surgery. They also recommended that we give him formula more than once before we even left the hospital.
7. Practive rooming in- allow mothers and infants to remain together- 24 hours day. D. They did allow rooming in at our hospital but STRONGLY recommened putting baby in the nursery at night. 2 nights while we were there they recommened this SO strongly that I felt that I couldn't say no (dumb move, I know) but I requested that they bring him back AS SOON AS he started to wake so that I could feed him. Both nights the nurse on duty mentioned that she could feed him.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand. D. They were helpful when asked but I definately wouldn't say that they were encouraging since I had to always ask for the help. Our local hospital never explained to me how breastfeeding on demand will help your milk come in and helps to establish how much milk your body makes for your infant. Thank goodness we took that class at another hopsital!
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers to breastfeeding infants. F. Obviously they gave him both but in their defense I needed the nipple shield (artificial teat) and we agreed with the nurse that he could have a pacifier since it is proven to reduce the risk of SIDS.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic. D. Through my own research I have found that our birthing hospital does have a breastfeeding support group but I doubt that anyone ever goes to it because it was never mentioned the entire 4 day stay despite my obvious breastfeeding issues and my obvious want to breastfeed my baby.
I think that one of the main reasons that breastfeeding is so taboo and not really seen in my area is the poor education of mothers in the hospital. I trust my doctors, nurses and local hospital to tell me what to do. They are the experts, or so I thought. I was, and still am, extremely disappointed by their lack of support and seeming lack of knowledge about breastfeeding.
More than once during my stay I was told to give him formula because he wasn't getting enough and was maybe jaundice (even though his counts ALL came back normal). My milk didn't come in until the day I was released. I knew that milk doesn't come in until 3-4 days after the birth from my own research, but this was NEVER mentioned at the hospital. I have friends who gave birth at the same hospital who didn't do their own research and were foolishly led to believe that they don't make enough milk for their baby because they weren't making enough on the very first day! They are now formula feeding because of bad advice from medical professionals!
If you are pregnant, please find a local breastfeeding class to find out as much as possible about breastfeeding. I'll fill you in on some of the things we learned in our class tomorrow!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Meal Planning
I always love reading other bloggers posts about their meals for the week because it gives me ideas to make for us so I thought I'd copy the idea. I'm so original!
Tonight: Slow Cooker Green Chili Pork Tacos and Spanish Rice
Tomorrow: DH works
Sunday: parents house for dinner
Monday: chicken tikka masala with naan
Tuesday: DH works
Wednesday: spicy orange garlic shrimp with broccoli and rice
Thursday: no cook fresh pasta sauce and pasta with bread and a nice salad
As you can see I LOVE the Pioneer Woman site and her Tasty Kitchen site. I would say 98% of what I make is from those two sites. It just makes cooking and meal planning for the week so easy.
We've had the pork tacos and the chicken tikka masala both before and obviously liked both enough to make them again. The chicken tikka masala is seriously to die for. I feel like a million bucks when I make such a delicious meal- it makes me feel like I can do anything!
Tonight: Slow Cooker Green Chili Pork Tacos and Spanish Rice
Tomorrow: DH works
Sunday: parents house for dinner
Monday: chicken tikka masala with naan
Tuesday: DH works
Wednesday: spicy orange garlic shrimp with broccoli and rice
Thursday: no cook fresh pasta sauce and pasta with bread and a nice salad
As you can see I LOVE the Pioneer Woman site and her Tasty Kitchen site. I would say 98% of what I make is from those two sites. It just makes cooking and meal planning for the week so easy.
We've had the pork tacos and the chicken tikka masala both before and obviously liked both enough to make them again. The chicken tikka masala is seriously to die for. I feel like a million bucks when I make such a delicious meal- it makes me feel like I can do anything!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Dirty Laundry
I promise I'm going to do posts on each type of diaper, what I have of each, what I like and so on but I want to take pictures of each type in my stash first but I keep forgetting to do that while he is sleeping. In the meantime I thought I would go into my laundry routine.
Cause that is fun (cue moans and groans).
Honestly its not that bad though.
Step 1- When diaper is dirty throw it in the pail. We use a big kitchen trash can with a pail liner in our bathroom. We keep it in our bathroom because our diaper sprayer is there (cue angels singing). No seriously! That thing is amazing!
Cause that is fun (cue moans and groans).
Honestly its not that bad though.
Step 1- When diaper is dirty throw it in the pail. We use a big kitchen trash can with a pail liner in our bathroom. We keep it in our bathroom because our diaper sprayer is there (cue angels singing). No seriously! That thing is amazing!
Step 2- When pail is filled throw the diapers and liner into the washing machine. I usually try to flip the liner so that the shiney side is on the outside so it gets a little more clean. Then I make sure the controls on the washer now read SUPER for load size, COLD for water temperature, and YES for extra rinse. Keep the lid of the washer up so that once you flip the knob to YES for extra rinse the water will start filling the tub but you don't want it to run yet. I usually do this overnight so the diapers soak overnight. Sometimes I do throw a scoop of detergent into the soak or a few squirts of BAC-OUT. Bac-out is a natural enzyme cleaner that will help get rid of bacteria, stains, and stinkies.
Step 3- When I wake up, I just close the lid to start the cycle on my way to Nolan's room to get him out of bed.
Step 4- By the time he is changed and fed, the rinse cycle is usually finished so I start the actual wash of the diapers. I flip the water temperature knob to HOT and then turn the cycle knob to the heaviest cycle. Put in your diaper safe detergent. You must use either a detergent specifically made for diapers OR use 1/2 of the manufacturers recommended amount of a DIAPER SAFE detergent. Here is a list of diaper safe detergents. Currently I use Crunchy Clean because I love the scents but I have also used Rockin' Green and Purex Free and Clear in the past.
Step 5- Throw the diapers into the dryer. I don't dry PUL so I pull out the covers and the pocket or AIO diapers. Usually I do the timed dry for as long as it will go (I think ours is 70 minutes) and then when that is finished throw on another 1/2 hour because they don't ever seem to be quite done after just one run through the dryer.
Step 6- Put the laundry away. Isn't that always the worst part of doing laundry?!
To make a long story short:
You want to have a pail to store the dirties and when it is full, you want to do a cold soak, hot wash with the proper detergent and then an extra rinse at the end. Easy peasy! Don't make it harder than it has to be :)
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