Adventures of a Breastfeeding Mother First Edition

I think a change would do me good....

2006-11-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Gah! I had typed out an entire entry then accidently deleted it!

Ok so here's what's up. I've decided to move my journal. I've enjoyed blogging through AOL but I'm going to move it for varioius reasons that I am not up to discussing. You can find my new journal here:

Adventures of a Breastfeeding Mother Part II

I really hope that those of you out there who read my journal continue to do so. And feel free to comment!

See you at the new journal!

Heartbreaking....

2006-11-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

I got the link to this video from a message board. It's heartbreaking but I do think its message is important and therefore I want to share it:

We kept Brooke rear facing for a while after the 20 lb, 1 year minimum. After learning more about the importance of Extended Rear-Facing for kids, we plan on keeping Summer rear facing for as long as possible. After watching this video, we are now planning on also keeping her in a five point harness seat that is tethered to the car as long as possible. People do not seem to be aware that the 20 lb and one year rule is a MINIMUM. For optimal safety, children should be kept rear facing...their neck muscles simply are not strong enough to withstand a crash safetly. Think of a cantelope on a stick....it is simply too risky to only follow the minimum guidelines.

MBC opens its doors...

2006-11-05T18:03:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a "retreat" held by the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition. It was basically a meeting where they invited non-members to come and participate as they plan their mission and agenda for the upcoming year. The invite did say "nurslings welcome" so I brought Summer with me, however I was the only one there with a baby. Which was fine, b/c she got lots of attention :o). I was rather pleased with our discussion and the goals that the coalition set forth for itself. The goals were numerous and included increasing statistics of breastfeeders, enacting a curriculum in elementary schools that focuses on breastfeeding, working with media, and passing at least one piece of breastfeeding legislation. I also brought up the point of somehow making the pediatricians in our area more breastfeeding friendly. Too many times I have heard women tell how they were breastfeeding but started to have problems, or the baby didn't gain weight fast enough, and so their pediatrician told them to switch to formula. I myself had to switch pediatricians twice when Brooke was an infant before I found one that did not shove formula in my face as the solution to every problem. All in all it was a good meeting :o)

Nothing much else went on this weekend. We did a little shopping and just hung out at the house. Next weekend we are getting family photos taken with the IL's for their wedding anniversary present. I hope that we also have time to do some van shopping, as it is way too crowded in our little car.

very, very angry

2006-11-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

Sixty minutes did a segment on Attachment Parenting. This segment made me very, very angry. Of course, they would find a family that follows AP philosophies to the extreme to represent the AP community. Here are the two clips:

Part one.

Part two.

We raise our children using many of the beliefs of the AP model. But we use discipline. If Brooke had called her father an idiot, you bet there would be consequences for her. If she was still nursing, she would know better than to walk up and lift up my shirt and demand to nurse. That is just impolite, and she is a polite girl. Not all AP parents homeschool (although we are going to ) or homebirth (although we did) or quit their jobs to stay with their kids 24-7. And their "expert" Dr. Irvine is a total idiot. As pointed out on a message board, this is from his website:

"* if you're visiting and there's no cot [crib], put the baby in the bath, make it cosy with towels and cushions, but make sure (a) that you remove plugs and soap, (b) that you try this only if the baby can't reach the taps. And (c) last but not least, only if your host doesn't have a child old enough to turn on the taps!"

And he accuses AP parents of socially neglecting their children! grrrr!

In the news.....

2006-11-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

I was just looking at some articles that have been in the news lately....

Here's a nice article that outlines the diaper debate and one on the joy of cloth diapers.We use cloth for many reasons, the main ones include saving money, helping the environment, and most of all, keeping those nasty chemicals off of our daughter's bum!

CHEC Articles: First Steps: The Diaper Debate

Mothering Magazine Article: Joy of Cloth Diapers

Lately in the news there have been stories of nursing moms not being allowed to take their expressed breatmilk with them when they fly on planes. Often they are left with no choice but to dump the liquid gold that they have worked so hard to pump. If you disagree with this policy, please sign this petition.

Unlimited expressed breast milk on board airplanes, now! Petition

Here's a nice article that reiterates the fact that CIO with a baby is a no-no.

For crying out loud, pick up the baby! | NEWS.com.au

New studies show yet another benefit to breastfeeding: better mental health:

ScienceDaily: Breastfeeding Boosts Mental Health, New Research Reveals

And finally, a nice article about the benefits of babywearing!

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal ¦ Wear your baby

awwwww....

2006-10-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

Isn't she adorable?

happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T18:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween everyone! To celebrate Halloween, we took Brooke to a children's Halloween parade, put on the by the fire department. There were a lot of kids there, and I posted pics. Before we left I tried to take some pics but Brooke was NOT a happy camper!

Poor kid was angry because I put her hood up on her costume.

Summer was a lot more cooperative in her Halloween outfit :o)

At the parade. You can see Summer peeking out from my pouch.

Brooke had a blast at the parade, she just loved walking around with all the other kids. She was a chatterbox, and tried to give a lot of people hugs.

After the parade we took her trick or treating for a bit, but we only went to four houses. She was very cute and polite, always thanking the people when she got the candy. She will be trading in her candy for a toy....no need for all that sugar ;o).

Well that's it...have a good night!

HELLOOOO?

2006-10-30T05:52:00.000-08:00

HELLOOOOOO! Does anyone even read this, or is it just an echo I hear?

You want to cut what off?!?!

2006-10-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well most people that know me know that I would never circumcise my sons (if I had any) unless there was a legitimate reason. I believe circumcision is a personal decision that all parents make, much like whether or not to vaccinate. However, if I were to choose sides in the circumcision debate, I would choose the non-circ'd side. So, I thought this story was interesting. A judge ruled that circumcism is not a necessary procedure. This ruling occurred concerning a case where a mother wanted her son circumcised, but the father did not. Since the father had say in all non-emergency medical decisions, and since circumcism is not a medical emergency, the judge ruled in favor of the father. I do believe this is the first court ruling that has stated circumcism is medically unnecessary.

Judge rules boy's circumcision not medically necessary - Blogging Baby

Judge rules boy's circumcision not medically necessary

Posted Oct 26th 2006 9:30AM by J.D. Griffioen
Filed under: Child Development, Health and Safety, Lifestyle, Pregnancy and Birth, Divorce

A decision has come down in an important Illinois case that has been carefully watched by both sides of the circumcision debate, and a judge has issued a written opinion stating that a 9-year-old boy need not be circumcised for medial reasons as asserted by his mother. The mother has sole custody, but her 2003 parenting agreement gave her ex-husband (the boy's father) a say in non-emergency medical decisions.

That fact may make this different from other situations, but intactivists are celebrating this case as a major victory for their cause. As the only legal challenge to the medical necessity of circumcision to reach this level in any American court, all other judges who consider the issue will look to this decision for guidance. Circuit Judge Jordan Kaplan wrote, "this court finds that the medical evidence as provided by the testimony of the expert witnesses ... is inconclusive as to the medical benefits or non-benefits of circumcision as it relates to the 9-year-old child. . . the injury to the child as a result of an unnecessary circumcision would be irreversible," adding that his order would remain in effect until the boy turns 18 and can decide for himself whether or not he wants to undergo the procedure. The boy had issued a written statement to the court that he did not want to be circumcised.

This case will almost certainly set up the next challenge: spouses who will choose to litigate such a dispute when the child is a newborn.

From "family bed" to "family air mattress..."

2006-10-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight Jason and I are taking the kiddos back to Wally World so we can pick up an air mattress. Four people squished together in one bed just isn't working well right now. I can only sleep in one position, which is the pain in the butt because my body falls asleep and I can't move. Jason experiences back pain. So we decided, that for now, we are going to get an air mattress to place next to our bed. Summer and I will sleep on the air mattress and Brooke and Jason will remain on the bed. That way we will still be cosleeping but everyone will have enough room to be happy. Not the ideal co sleeping situation that I would have liked, but close enough. I really don't want to kick Brooke out of the bed just yet because I really want to wait until she decides that she is ready, and I also don't want to make it seem like Summer has taken her place. For Christmas we are planning on buying Brooke a really cute Dora bed set, to get her all excited about her new "big girl" bed. Which we will place next to our bed, so we can slowly begin to transition her to sleeping in her own room. I really don't care if it goes so slowly it takes a year, as long as we don't push her before she is ready. I just want to give her small, baby nudges.

Brooke has once again changed her nap schedule. Yesterday she didn't take one at all and went to bed at 7:30 instead of the usual 9:30/10. I have yet to see if she is going to continue skipping them or just start taking them later in the day. To be honest, I think I would prefer if she just skipped them and went to bed earlier. I got more time to clean and excercise, and I had more flexibillity in my day, with not having to worry about being home in time for her nap. Only time will tell what she is going to do.

Well I am going to take the kiddos to the mall as soon as Summer wakes up and I feed her so I am off to get myself ready. Ciao!

Tadem mothering at its best..

2006-10-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

The past two days the girls and I have gone out and about. That's right, I finally worked up the courage to take both girls out all by myself. It went really well. Yesterday I took the girls to the mall, to both walk around and get excercize and also to look for some new shoes for me. We walked around for about two hours, and although I didn't find a pair of shoes that I liked and was in my price range, I did get some excercise. I put Brookie in the stroller and Summer in the pouch and we started off. Summer spent half an hour looking around then decided she wanted to sleep the rest of the time, and I gave Brookie a rice cake and a fruit smoothie, so she was content in her stroller. I love my new pouch, she loves being in it and I can carry her around all day with no back pain. I got lots of compliments, on both the kiddos and the pouch.

Today I took the kiddos to Wally world to pick up a few things. Again, Brooke went in the carriage and Summer in the pouch. Spent about an hour there, and Summer once again slept the whole time. Brooke was a little cranky because she skipped her nap, but nothing major.

Yesterday we also gave Summer her first bottle of expressed breast milk. Not sure how I feel about that, but since I plan on working it had to be done.

Tomorrow I am hitting up a different mall to look for shoes again. Wish me luck!

And the leaves keep falling...

2006-10-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Today Jason decided to start raking up all the leaves in the yard and Brookie decided to help. Of course, her version of helping is to scoop up armful of leaves and dump them where Jason just finished raking, so needless to say, he didn't get much done. But they had a lot of fun playing together and that is the important thing.

Miss "Helpful" scooping up her next armful

Summer loves to be held, she really does. If she's awake, she wants to be held. If she falls asleep in your arms and you put her down she will wake up and want to be held. There is one block of time each day that I can actually put her down and she will sleep for a good three hours, but other than that she is in my arms. And I'm loving it. I've been wearing her a lot in my adjustable pouch from kangarookorner.com, so wearing her isn't difficult. I can carry her and wash the dishes at the same time, so I am still getting all my housework done, and I had intended to baby wear her anyways. I joined a baby wearing group for moms in the area and we are working on getting together and just hanging out with our babies in their slings :o)

Today I sterilized and put together my new breast pump, the Medela Pump in Style. I sat down, totally loving the cute little carrying bag with the cute cooler and bottles. I pumped for 15 minutes.

I got 11 oz of breastmilk.

In 15 minutes of pumping.

Wow.

To put this into perspective, with my old pump I would sit and pump for 30 minutes....and get 6 oz if I was very lucky. I would also have to realllly concentrate in order to stimulate my let down and really get any milk. With the PIS, my let down was stimulated immediately. And I had the pump on the lowest setting. I wonder how much I can pump when it is on the higher settings?

Tomorrow I think I am taking the kiddos to Wally world, I have a TON of pictures that I need to develope. It will really depend on how Brooke is acting. And after Jason gets home I am going to go shoe shopping, I really need to get myself a pair of shoes that fit properly.

That's it,have a good night!

New pictures

2006-10-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

This morning Jason decided to have some fun with the camera. I posted the pics he took...some pics of the girls laying together in our bed, of Summer holding her head up(!) and Brookie watching TV. Also a nursing pic. These two are my favorites:

She is soo strong! She held her head up for quite a while, I was impressed!

I love this nursing pic. First nursing of the morning, the sun shining through the blinds....everything peaceful and serene. :o)

Family resemblance

2006-10-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

Well tonight our plan was to go out for a fun shopping trip, but it is sooo windy and rainy here and since both girls still have the sniffles we decided to put it off until tomorrow.

Meanwhile my mom comes up and hands me a picture of Brooke. Only....it wasn't a picture of Brooke, it was a picture of me! What do you think, do we look alike?

Brooke

This got me thinking of family resemblence in general and I went back for some old pictures. I personally feel that Brooke and Summer look alike, at least as infants.

Brooke as infant

Summer, of course.

Then I got curious of what Jason looked like as an infant. Back to the old photo albums, and this is what I found....

hehe..don't worry, he gets happier ;o) Day of Birth.

He was quite the chub-a-lubba, like Summer.

Awww...wasn't he adorable? 8 months old.

It's interesting to look back and see what people looked like as babies. I love looking at baby pictures, especially when the babies are now adults, and especially when the pictures are of family members and you can really see the resembelance.

Well that's it for my little walk down memory lane. Ciao!

Brooke's birth story

2006-10-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of blogs, especially ones written by mothers. One thing I have noticed while reading them is that when a child's birthday comes up, often the mother will post the child's birth story and write a letter to the child. I thought this was a nice idea. Although Brooke's second birthday was over a month ago, I've decided to post her birth story anyway. I figured better late than never, and also to provide a perspective on the differences between my two birth experiences. So, without further ado, the birth of Brooke Sarah:

Birth Story of Brooke Sarah

I started feeling back pain on September 2nd. Brooke was already four days overdue, so I went to the doctor. He hooked me up to the fetal monitor and told me that I was not in labor, and that I probably wouldn’t go into labor for another 48 hours. When Jason got home I told him what happened and how the back pain was now much more worse, and felt more like cramps then back pain. We put pillows and blankets on the living room floor and lay down, watching all the Batman movies as the night progressed and my cramps got worse. Finally, around midnight, I somehow fell asleep. I was woken up at 2am by the cramps, which had gotten much worse. I rolled over to wake Jason up and that is when my water broke. I told Jason that my water broke and he asked me if I was sure. At this point I stood up and another gush of water came and I said, “Yes, I’m sure.” I went to change my clothes and get my bag while Jason called the doctor to tell her we were going to the hospital. We also called my mom because I wanted her in the room with us, and she said she would meet us there.

We got in the car and drove and the cramps were really bad and I was yelling. We got to the hospital and I was shaking, the pain was so bad. We got to the hospital and after filling out paperwork the nurse said, “OK we’re going to hook you up to the monitor now to make sure you are in labor” but the doctor walked up and said “It’s obvious she is in labor, get her ready” They brought me to the private room and had me change, then had me lay in the bed. They gave me medication through an IV, which didn’t take away the pain, but made me feel really drunk so that the pain was tolerable. My mom was already there and she sat with Jason in the room with me, talking me through the contractions. I remember one point laughing because of the way the medication made me feel. About a half hour later they gave me the epidural. They kept saying how I was progressing really fast, especially for a woman who has never given birth before. Right after the epidural hit I told them that I felt the urge to push. They checked me and said I was close to ready, and that I would be doing 3 hours of pushing. The nurse took one leg and Jason took the other and the nurse said I could do a little push “for practice.” So I gave a little push and all of a sudden everyone started yelling that they could see the head! I kind of freaked out because it was all happening so fast, and I asked for a mirror so I could see what was going on. They lugged this huge mirror down the hallway and when I looked in it I got scared and asked them to take it away. After 45 minutes of pushing, Brooke Sarah was born into this world at Memorial Hospital on September 3rd, 2004 at 7:33am, after only 5 hours of labor and 45 minutes of pushing. They placed her right on my stomach and she was crying so loud and she was so beautiful!! She weighed 7 pounds, 9 oz and was 20.5 inches long. Her eyes were blue, she had thick black hair, and angel kisses on her eye, forehead, and back of neck

So there you have it. And, of course, what birth story would be complete without pictures? Here are some pictures of Brooke as a newborn:

new pics

2006-10-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pics of me and the girls. Not bad, considering all three of us were sick as dogs when the pics were taken!

inspired

2006-10-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

A truly inspirational video. One you must watch.

Sick babies :o(

2006-10-18T05:55:00.000-07:00

The past couple days have been a little hectic around here. Brooke came down with a horrible cold on Sunday while at the IL's. She had a runny nose, cough, and slight fever. By the time she went to bed she was absolutely miserable. She kept waking up all night screaming because she was frustrated that she couldn't breathe. Also because her throat hurt. I know her throat hurt because I now have her cold, and so does poor Summer. Brooke is almost totally recovered, she only has the sniffles now, but it looks like this is one of those things that has to run through the entire family before going away :o(. Summer and I were up all night, poor Summer was so upset that her nose wasn't cooperating and my throat was killing me. Thank God Brooke is feeling better, with the way she was acting when she was really sick I couldn't handle taking care of them both at the same time.

Last night I went to my first La Leche League meeting. The women there were very nice. The meeting was a tad boring, b/c they were just answering questions about nursing and most of it I knew already. But I did get invite to the daytime meetings, which are more like playgroups, and to the other meetings at people's houses. So it is nice to finally meet other breastfeeding moms, yay!

Well poor Summer is starting to get fussy so I have to go. I do have more pictures of Summer, but I will have to post them later when I find the time. Ciao!

Differences

2006-10-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well Summer will be three weeks old on Tuesday and it is still hard to believe that she is really in our lives. She brings such a joy to our days and she really does add to our family.

It's funny because Summer is my second child and I find myself comparing her to Brooke a lot. When Brooke was born I didn't really think of her having a personality until later. I just assumed that everything she did was what all babies did. Now that Summer is here I find myself seeing her personality already because she acts differently from how Brooke acted, which made me realize that all baby behavior is not the same and that her personality is shining through already. I think it's fun to think back and remember how things were with Brooke and compare them to how things are with Summer.

Differences:

One major difference, of course, is size and other physical characteristics. Brooke was 7 lbs 9 oz when born and had trouble with weight gain in the beginning. Summer was 9 lbs 4 oz and has already gained a pound, no trouble there. Although Brooke and Summer do look alike, Summer had my eyes while Brooke has Jason's, and Brooke had huge feet for an infant while Summer's feet look tiny to me. Brooke never got diaper rashes, ever, and yet Summer has had one since day 2. I have yet to use all those cute cloth diapers I bought her because I keep having to use Desitin on her rash. Her skin is definately more sensitive to things than Brooke's ever was. Summer is also more sensitive to what I eat. With Brooke I could eat what I want, drink five cups of coffee a day (and being in school at the time, I often would) and it wouldn't effect her. With Summer, I can't have caffeine (or she won't sleep) and I can't have anything carbonated (she'll projectile vomit).

I think these other differences show the differences in their personalities. Brooke hated to be held like an infant. She always wanted to be held so that she was sitting up. She liked to look around. Summer is the opposite, she hates being held sitting up and loves to be held like a typical infant. Brooke was never a crier per say but she didn't have qualms with crying. Summer is almost three weeks old and I've only heard her cry four times...she loves to communicate in other ways. Brooke hated being swaddled, Summer loves it. Brooke slept more than Summer does, Summer loves to have times where she just looks around and absorbs things.

Similarities:

There are a lot of similarities that I notice. Both love(d) to cluster feed then spend long blocks of time napping. Both sleep really well at night. Both love the boobie milk. And finally, the most striking similarity I find between the two is that they are both major Daddy's girls. That's right, Summer is barely three weeks old and she is a major Daddy's girl. If she isn't eating, then she wants to be in Daddy's arms. She is most content in his arms (unless she is hungry, of course).

Right now Summer is napping and Brooke is out with her Daddy to pick up a few things for tonight. We are having two couples come over for a poker/hang out night. It will be nice to interact with other adults. Ciao!

Long Friday

2006-10-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Well I was so proud of myself yesterday. I had both girls up, dressed and ready and in the car by 9am, a huge accomplishment considering I usually don't even fully wake up by 10am. I was excited and rearing to go to the playgroup. So, how was it? I don't know, we never made it.

I got lost.

Hopelessly lost.

As in we drove around for two and a half hours before I found my way back to someplace I recognized.

That pretty much put a huge damper in the day. Luckily, by some miracle, Summer slept through the entire trip and Brooke slept through most of it. The rest of the time she kept herself pretty occupied. But I still felt horrible because I had gotten her all excited by telling her we were going to a playgroup and I think she didn't understand why we never went. But we did end up going by Jason's work and taking him out to eat on his lunch break, so that was good. Later when he got home we went to Target and then just hung out at the house.

I still want to go to that playgroup, and when it happens next month I plan on trying again. Jason and I have examined his maps and we pretty much figured out where I went wrong, so next time I should actually get there (fingers crossed).

Pediatrician appt

2006-10-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Today Jason took the day off of work and we took the girls to the pediatrician. Their normal pediatrician is on maternity leave until January and I was nervous about how the fill in doctor would react to our homebirthing, non vaxing ways. Turns out she didn't bat an eye. In fact, she was wonderful....I like her better than the normal doctor and I will be sorry to see her go. She could not get over how alert and strong Summer is, how healthy she is and gave lots of kudos to me for having a homebirth. Brooke is also in perfect health and is growing great. Brooke now weighs 27lns and Summer weighs 10 lbs 4 oz. Another thing about this doctor that I liked was that she spent a lot of time talking with us, explaining everything that she was doing and why she was doing it. She also took the time to let Brooke get used to her before examining her, which helped calm Brooke, who really hates the doctor's office.

After our appointment we went out to lunch and then ran the errands needed to get Summer's birth on file for her birth certificate. Then we came home and just chilled for the rest of the night.

Tomorrow morning there is a LLL playgroup happening and I really really want to go to it. But taking both kids out by myself still overwhelms me, so I am not sure if I am going to go. I hope I am able to.

Well that's the update for now. Ciao!

MW appt

2006-10-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my two week checkup appointment with my Midwife. My lovely sister watched Brooke for me so it was just Summer and I. The appointment was wonderful. My midwife oohed and aahhed over Summer, took a lot of pictures, and made a lot of nice comments about how healthy and nice she looked and how nice her temperment is. We talked for about an hour, most of the time I was nursing Summer. We talked about the differences between Summer and Brooke, cord compression during labor (I had asked out of curiosity what her procedures where if cord compression occurred), my homebirth, and how good I was feeling. My mw weighed Summer and she is now up to 10lbs 4 oz, about. She didn't want to make Summer cold by stripping her down so she just subtracted a few oz for her clothes and diaper. We will know her official weight tomorrow when she has her first appointment with the pediatrician. Well it was a wonderful visit and I left feeling generally good. Can't wait for the six week checkup!

new pictures

2006-10-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would post some new pics of Summer. Some of them are dark, my flash was acting funny :o/

Back in the groove

2006-10-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, nursing a newborn can be very awkward. It's hard to remain discreet and modest when you are just trying to get the baby to latch on correctly. Which is why I was a little nervous about having to nurse in public, or NIP. But I found this past weekend I didn't do too bad.

Saturday night Jason and I took the kiddos to the mall....it was our first real outing as a family. Of course, Summer was wanting to nurse every 20 minutes and needed a diaper change every 15, but we managed. First we went and got a bite to eat at TGIF's. I nursed twice there, my first time NIP with Summer. Jason was a little nervous but he seemed very relieved when I managed to nurse her while remaining discreet. No one batted an eye, as far as I could tell. Then after walking around for a bit we sat down at a bench in the middle of the mall so I could nurse her again before we left. Again, I managed to be completely discreet....Summer was not completely covered, as I don't believe in making a baby eat under a blanket, but all of my skin was covered. You couldn't see anything. Yet when I happened to glance up, I noticed two older woman stop walking, and turn to look at me in disgust. I've never had a bad experience NIP, so I honestly thought for a minute I was imagining it. But no, they were clearly glaring at me b/c I dared to feed my baby in public @@.

Yesterday Jason was home due to Columbus Day, and we decided to go to Target to pick some things up. We got there and as we were walking around Summer wanted to nurse. I carried her over to a corner, stood facing the wall, latched her on, covered my skin with a burping cloth, and continued to walk around and shop. It was much easier than I thought it would be, and again, no one batted an eye. In fact, it took Jason a bit before he realized what I was doing :o)

So now that I've had those practice sessions I find that I am completely confident with NIP, and I like that feeling. :o) When Brooke was a newborn, I would pump and feed her the expressed milk in a bottle when we were out because I wasn't confident enough in my abilities to nurse discreetly. Now I am glad that I don't have to worry about pumping for that purpose :o)

cool article

2006-10-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would share this article, it's a pretty interesting read. A reporter nurses her baby in various locations in NY to see how people respond.

New York Daily News - Home - The great New York breast-feeding test

birth pic

2006-10-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

Summer is such a nursing champ but I actually have a break from nursing at the moment. My cousin took a lot of wonderful pictures at the birth and I have shared them with people although a lot of them are pretty graphic. Out of all the pictures, though, this is my favorite:

At first glance you would have to wonder why this would be my favorite. Nothing is posed pretty, heads are cut off, no one is looking at the camera. But I love this photo. In this photo, I am fully dialated and going through transition. The midwife is checking the baby's heartbeat, which is strong. I am surrounded by my husband, my sister, my daughter, my midwife, and my cousin (who is taking the picture). All eyes are focused on my belly, on the source of the strong heartbeat that fills the air through the doppler. When I look at this picture, I can't describe it, but I sense something larger than what meets the eye.....words that come to my mind are: support, community, love, friendship, welcoming, excitement, anticipation. When I look at Summer, this is what I like to think about, how when she was born she was surrounded by a peaceful and supportive environment with friends and family, how she never left my or Jason's side, how she wasn't pricked, poked at, or disturbed for the first three days of her life (on the fourth day she got her heel prick test done). That is why I love this photo.

update

2006-10-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

Things here have been going great. Despite the fact that I haven't been out of the house in over a week, I couldn't be happier. Summer is nursing like a champ now and my nipples are just about healed. Jason is beaming with happiness, I swear I can literally see him emit it when he is home. He loves being a family of four, a father to two little girls. He thrives in his fatherhood, it's so wonderful to just sit back and relax and watch him play with Brooke and hold Summer and talk to her for hours. I swear he is a baby hog LOL.

I'm feeling much better. I feel like I never had a baby at all LOL. I just have to lose all the weight now. But I am amazed at how much faster I am healing this time around, how much less pain there is. Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down, that I just had a baby and not to overdo it. Of course, with Summer nursing as much as she is, I am forced to sit down and relax, which is a good thing.

Well that's pretty much it. Ciao!!

Nursing once again...

2006-09-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

Right now as I sit here one of my nipples is cracked and bleeding. The other one is not far away from bleeding. We are definately having some latching problems....but every time I nurse her, and see how sweet and innocent she looks, I can't help but smile through the pain. What an amazing feeling.

Summer Judith is here!!!

2006-09-28T18:35:00.000-07:00

Well Summer Judith is finally here!!!!! I posted some pics and you can read the birth story here:

Summer Judith's Birth Story

We're having a little trouble with poor latching and sore nipples but we are working through it. I'll update more later!!

False labor and prayers needed.

2006-09-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

Well I guess I will start this entry off with the bad news/prayers needed. Jason's cousin, who is also a childhood friend of mine, was 14 weeks pregnant yesterday when she had a miscarriage. She was very excited about this pregnancy and understandably it's termination was very trajic for her. She did have to be sedated because she was so upset but she is home now, resting. Please send some prayers out her way.

Well last night I started having contractions but really didn't think anything of it because I've been having a lot of false labor lately. So Jason and I went out to eat with Brooke and my mom and by the time we got home I was convinced that it was the real thing. The house was a mess so Jason started the laundry and did some dishes while I cleaned up Brookie's room. Suddenly I heard a strange whistling sound. Then I heard Jason run downstairs and I could hear him and my mom yelling back and forth to each other over the whistling and I also heard a lot of banging....I thought, this can't be good. My mom runs upstairs, grabs some pots and runs back downstairs, telling me that nothing is wrong and to stay upstairs!!! Well of course I went downstairs where I discovered the water heater was going crazy and dumping hot water all over the basement. We had to turn the water off to the house and we had no heat. My mom was on the phone with the oil guy begging him to come down right away because "we're about to have a homebirth and we need heat and water!!" Well that pretty much stopped the contractions, I don't know if it was b/c it wasn't real labor or my body was reacting to the situation, but it is a good thing I didn't go into labor last night. Maybe tonight....Brooke was born four days late and today is day number four for this baby....maybe four is the magic number for my body......

Passing this along

2006-09-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

The first time I thought about breastfeeding was when I was a sophmore in college. I took a class called "Living in the Envrionment" and it was one of the most interesting classes I've ever taken. Anyways, we studied the impact of overpopulation on the Earth and that led to us studying the benefits of breastfeeding, since one of those many many benefits is naturally spacing out children. I was amazed at the information the professor presented to us....breastfeeding can do all that? I remember turning to my friend and saying, "I'm going to breastfeed if I ever have kids." One thing the professor had us look at was a web site that helped put the Earth's population into perspective. I found that link again and would like to share it with you.

http://www.miniature-earth.com/

Enjoy :o)

P.S. Yes, I am still pregnant.

update

2006-09-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

Well I am still here....still pregnant, and pretty miserable. My due date was Monday so I am officially overdue. I don't know why it is such a surprise, Brooke was four days overdue. I guess my babies just have a stubborn gene in them, or else they just like being all snuggly inside my belly. The worst part is, is that I am so much healthier this time around yet I am in so much more pain because of this stupid pelvic symbosis thing. It hurts to walk, to lay down, to move. The pain is the only reason why I am getting impatient, and the poor people who attempt to talk to me get their heads bitten off. I have to give a lot of credit to Jason, he's been dealing with my very well, cleaning the house every night and even doing the laundry.

Yesterday I saw my midwife and we picked up some Evening Primrose Oil. I'm taking them orally but I don't think I can bring myself to insert them vaginally. She offered to strip my membranes if I really wanted it, but I declined.....still a little too invasive for me. However I think if the baby hasn't come by the end of the week I will have her strip them, I don't know how much longer I can put up with this pain. The baby however is doing great, heartbeat is still strong, still growing. I'm a little worried that the baby will be big, but not really. I trust my midwives and I trust my body.

Brooke amazes me more every day. She is picking up and learning so much. Her alphabet, she can count to five in English and four in Spanish, so many new words. And she is so considerate of other people when she senses that they are sad. When she sees me in my worst pain she comes and strokes my face, like I do to her when she gets a boo boo, and gives me kisses. Her and Jason are the only things that make me smile these days. She's also got quite the creative streak in her, which she must have gotten from her grandmother, my mom. I posted some pics of projects that we've done this month so far. Also, one day when I was taking a nap my mom decided to make lasagna to freeze for the birth and Brooke helped, and did a great job. So I posted pics of that too.

Well I must go now. Hopefully my next entry will be the announcement of this baby. Ciao!

update

2006-08-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

37 and two days pregnant, I can't believe it. I only have 19 days until my due date.

Things here have been hectic. I have my home visit last week, and boy was that a scary day. My mom left the safety gate open at the top of the stairs and Brooke managed to go down to her part of the house and get into her Benadryl. I rushed her to the ER and she turned out OK, but it was definately scary and heartbreaking.

That night the home visit helped me calm me down. The midwives were great, they answered all my fam's questions and it was a great visit overall. The baby sounded good. Yesterday I had a regular appt at her office, and the baby is really low and sounding good. Unfortunately I have that condition where the pubic bones seperate, which is very very painful. Most times I can tolerate it but some days I can't even walk. It really sucks but I just keep thinking that there is only 19 days left, and I think of it as practice for the labor.

This past Saturday night we had a birthday party for Brooke. It was a small party but she did get a lot of new toys, mostly Dora themed. I posted pics.

Well I think that is it for now. I will try to update more often, it's just so hectic around here trying to get all the last minute stuff ready for the baby. I do have a TON of articles and stuff, but no time to post them :o(

update

2006-08-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how much I am slacking at writing in this blog. It's just that we've been so busy preparing the house for the baby and preparing for the baby in general that I've had no time. Then that stupid heat wave hit and I felt like I was dying all day.

Well let's see....I'm 35 weeks pregnant now. I still feel like I am ready to pop. Good news is, after we finish the bedroom, Brooke's room, and a few things in the living room and kitchen, the house will be prepared for the homebirth. Which is good, because my homevisit with the midwives is next Tuesday, so we have to have everything ready by then.

I posted some pics of things that we have been doing with Brooke. A few weeks ago we took her to the beach with some friends of ours. We had sooooo much fun, Brookie loved it, and even I had fun bouncing in the waves. The only problem was that Jason and I were so concerned about sun protection for Brookie that we forgot about ourselves, and we both ended up with HORRIBLE sun burns. I had to sleep sitting up and I couldn't wear a shirt or a bra for three days, because it hurt too much. It was awful, we definatly learned our lesson the hard way.

We took Brooke to the park yesterday and I included pictures of that. I also decided to do a little more arts and crafts with her, so I found a recipie for homemade clay online and decided to try it out. She loved it! She was so proud to show her daddy when he came home from his fantasy football draft. Right now it is goign through it's last day of drying, and then I think we will attempt to paint it.

Everything with the baby is going good. The midwife is pretty sure that she is head down, but they will do their final assessment during the home visit. Heartbeat sounds really good, and I've gained 40lbs less than what I gained during Brooke's pregnancy, which I am really happy about. I just feel healthier. I think it is due to the constant guidance of my midwife on what I eat, she has me write down everything I eat and then we go through it together. Plus all the house scrubbing didn't hurt, either ;o). Still wondering if this baby girl will actually turn out to be a baby boy, since Iam still having dreams of having a baby boy and I am still getting a slight boy vibe. Either way, this baby can KICK!

More good news is that we have someone coming to look at our car on the 23rd. If he buys it, we will finally be able to get our minivan. So wish us luck!

Also, just wanted to point out a couple of websites that I have been a fan of lately. www.theshapeofamother.com is awesome and so is http://truewifeconfessions.blogspot.com/ . I've submitted entries to both of these sites....can you guess which ones are mine?

Ciao!

In the news...

2006-07-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

I read a funny story about the US way of giving birth and the use of midwives.

Excerpts from the article:

The name midwife means “with woman.” Midwives have always been in charge of delivering babies, ever since the beginning of human existence, all the way up to about 150 years ago in the United States. That was when a small group of medical doctors decided to launch a war against midwifery, having unilaterally decided that medical doctors were better suited to the job than midwives.

What evidence did these scholarly gentlemen present to support the notion that they could do a better job? Evidence? Bah! They didn’t need no stinking evidence! They had clout, they had money, they were men, and that was enough.

You can read more here: http://www.planetc1.com/cgi-bin/n/v.cgi?c=1&id=1152244116

Here's an interesting story about advice that is now being given to formula feeding mothers in Scotland. According to the article,

FORMULA milk should only be made with scalding-hot water and never stored in the fridge, according to controversial new guidelines aimed at reducing the food-poisoning risk to babies.

The advice has been issued by food standards watchdogs amid mounting concern that formula milk is being contaminated with salmonella and other potentially deadly bacteria

Let's hear it for breastfeeding! (again). Read more here: http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=999972006

Finally, let's hear it for Alabama! Bravo!

The Alabama legislature passed a law in April saying a mother may breastfeed her child in any public place, and the law went into effect this Saturday.

Is the baby here yet?

2006-07-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

I still have ten weeks to go and I feel like I'm ready to pop. I was just telling my widwife at my appt that I am so glad I don't have stretch marks yet, and lo and behold they popped up yesterday:o(

My appt went really well, my midwife wants me to focus on eating more protein and more veggies and fruits.

Not much else has been going on this week. I've been making random trips to Wal-Mart and Target with Brooke just to give us something to do and just to be able to sit in the nice air conditioned car. I've also been on a huge cleaning kick. I got down and scrubbed the kitchen floor on my hands and knees, did a ton of laundry, washed the hallway walls, cleaned off the kitchen table, etc. Jason and I are really working hard to get this house in tip top shape for the baby. I also ordered my midwife kit so I am waiting to get that in the mail :o)

I got my hair cut today, which makes me feel lighter. My mom paid for it for a birthday present for me.

Brooke's good, her newest word is "pretty". My mom planted some new plants by the walkway out in the front yard, and whenever we are walking to and from the car Brooke has to stop, point to each plant individually, and say "pretty". This leads to the 3 second walk from the car to the house turning into a 10 minute stroll, which I only get annoyed at when my arms are full of groceries.

Well that's pretty much it. Ciao :o)

articles

2006-07-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

Some stuff that's been in the new lately.....

Here's a good article about cloth diapers, and their benefits in terms of financial and environment.

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2006/06/17/features/lifestyles/1124b1eed80609e68625718f004d2a9e.txt

Here's an article that talks about the importance of a good support network for breastfeeding moms.....I couldn't agree more, support is definately one of the most important things a new breastfeeding mother could have.

CAPTION: Photo courtesy of Courtney Hohnholt

Local La Leche League leader Courtney Hohnholt is seen nursing her nine-month-old daughter, Naomi. Hohnholt is one of many women who believe breastfeeding is an important element in the healthy development of the baby.

http://www.mininggazette.com/stories/articles.asp?articleID=2528

Here's an article about the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and how it is trying to teach physicians and other healthcare proffessionals the importance of breastfeeding.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060615005659&newsLang=en

This story tells of how a mother was asked to leave Applebee's restaurant because she was breastfeeding. I've nursed Brooke in Applebee's before, and never had a problem. It sounds like a case of an ignorant employee.

http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=5082113&nav=0RY5

An article on midwives and how they can help women have empowering births.

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060625/NEWS01/60625001/-1/news

An article about co sleepers.....no, not all co sleepers are hippies LOL!

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=886587cf-b1b1-43e4-8007-7e8321a392b9&k=47191&p=1

More articles on the new "aggressive" breastfeeding ad campaign....to those mothers who feel the ads make formula feeders feel guilty.....phooey. When I see an ad for a gym, I feel guilty...does that mean we should ban those ads to? Not to mention these ads are presenting FACTS to the public....whether it makes you feel guilty or not, it's still fact :o)

http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5032299&nav=1TjD

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13326810/

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/health/news-article.aspx?storyid=60028

http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060627/FEATURES04/606270313/1004/MTCN0303

Nurse-ins in the news...

Victoria's Secret got a lesson in what female breasts are for this weekend as moms across the US participated in mall 'nurse-ins.' The women were protesting two incidents in which Victoria's Secret employees told mothers to use a bathroom to breastfeed their babies.

http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/0002331/52/

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060629/NEWS01/60629037/1188

A little info on the dangers of soy formula..

http://www.westonaprice.org/brochures/SoyAlertTrifold.pdf

Info on the dangers of flouride...

http://www.westonaprice.org/envtoxins/fluoride.html

update

2006-07-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Well things are going really good here. Tomorrow I have my 29 week appointment with my midwife, and then after that I will be seeing her every two weeks.

I posted some pics of Brooke hanging out at home, and at the beach and at the fireworks. Jason had a four day weekend, so we were pretty busy these past four days. Brookie, the lucky girl, went to the beach twice and went to fireworks and we did other stuff with her, like shopping and stuff. She was so excited to see so much of Daddy that she refused to nap, which resulted in an extremely cranky baby today, but I finally got her to fall asleep :o)

Not much has been going on since the last update. We're getting our new van very soon, Jason thinks we will have one before the week is over. We're going to look at one today that we think might be the right one for us. I'm so glad, because as much as I don't want to be a mini-van mom, it was a PITA lugging all the beach stuff around in my tiny Jetta. Not to mention Brooke has had a growth spurt (*gasp* She actually fits in her current age-designated clothing!) and her legs are really starting to get cramped in that tiny back seat. I'll feel a lot safer once we're in the van :o)

We also saw Helen this weekend, and she is doing really good. She doesn't need surgery it turns out, but she is going to have to go through chemo. Jason took her to her doctor's appt and then picked up Brooke and I to go out to lunch and to Micheals for some craft supplies.

I really can't wait for this pregnancy to be over. I feel HUGE! And these past couple days have been really hot, when it hasn't been raining. On top of the three covers that I have bought, I also bought a dozen indian prefolds. Jason decided that we could splurge and buy some kissaluvs fitteds too, once he realized that the smalls may fit her up to six months. I don't think he wanted to deal with prefolds that long, he prefers the easy dipes LOL. So I just need to buy some more covers, some fuzzi buns for night time, and I think I may buy some more snappis and another dozen prefolds, since newborns poop so often :o) I also have to buy a breastpump, a sling, a "big sister" gift for Brooke, the midwife kit, and other small things. At least I don't have to buy a lot of new clothes, Brooke's baby clothes are all in excellent condition (Let's hear it for no formula stains, yay!).

I feel like I've been getting a lot of crap about the homebirth. And other stuff, like cd'ing and breastfeeding. Thing is, all this crap is going on behind my back, when I'm not there to defend myself against their malicious and ignorant comments. It did upset me at first, until Jason helped me realize that there is nothing to defend, we know what we are doing is what is best for our baby and our family, and they are just ignorant fools who really don't know what they are talking about. So lately I've been letting it roll of my back, but it is still a little annoying :o/

Well I gotta go. It's so hot today and my feet are so swollen that I haven't done any cleaning, but I'm going to put my feet up, have some water, and if the swelling goes down any, then get to work. With only twelve more weeks until the baby is due, I've got to get this house prepared!!! Ciao!

new lyrics to baby got back

2006-06-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some new lyrics to the song "Baby got Back." This had me cracking up!

I like milk breasts and I cannot lie
you other babies can't deny
that when a mom walks in with an itty bitty waist and
two round things in your face
you get THURSSSSSS-TEE
cuz you notice her bra is stuffed
she's deep in double d's she wearing
im hooked and i can't stop staring
OH MOMMA i wanna get witcha
and drink your juicy pitchers
Enfamil tried to lure me
but only momma's milk makes me WAY healthy!

Ooo boobie's smooth skin
it always makes me grin,
so feed me, feed me,
cause you know it makes me happy
I see 'em bouncin'
With at least six ounces
It's sweet.
This treat!
Sit down mom, pull up a seat!
I'm tired of magazines,
sayin' formula is the thing
Ask the average baby and they'll say, "Snap!
Give it to me straight from the tap!"

So, Mommas (yeah!)
Mommas (yeah!)
can you NIP without any drama?
(HELL YEAH!)
Then nurse 'em, nurse 'em, nurse 'em, nurse 'em,
nurse your precious babes

Momma's got milk!
(Mom's sweet face over big full boobies)
Momma's got milk!
(Mom's sweet face over big full boobies)

I like 'em round and big
I'm like a little baby pig
I just can't help my self,
I'm eatin' like an animal
Bottles can't hold a candle
I wanna get that booju and slurp,
slurp it up slurp slurp
I ain't talking 'bout Playtex
Cause silicone nips are made for chumps
I like 'em real big and juicy
so give me your big bubbles
boobies don't give me trouble
rarely do I get a gas bubble
I'm lookin' at TLC's baby shows
Oh would you look at that...Oh, NO!
You can keep that mooju.
I'll keep on stickin' with booju.
A word to all you new mommas.
It's no trauma
It's not a big drama
I gotta be straight,
your baby can nurse
til the break of dawn
Now you've got it goin' on
Similac won't like this song
Cause they count on you to try it and quit it,
but you know those breasts make milk
It's not wrong. You're strong
Let's get that lactating on

So babies (squee!)
babies (squee!)
Do you wanna have your thirst sated?
Momma undo your bra, whip it out,
you make this baby shout

Momma's got milk!
(Mom's sweet face over big full boobies)
Momma's got milk!
(Mom's sweet face over big full boobies)

Yeah mommas.
When it comes to breastfeeding?
Size ain't got nothin' to do with your ability.
Bs? Cs? Double Ds?
You've got all your baby needs.

So they gave you a "success bag"
complete with a Nestle tag
But don't think that you always need
to get some free swag
Leave that sample up on the shelf
you can make it yourself
You can have some wine and sushi,
Your babe can have your milk!
Some docs wanna play that hard role
and tell you to supplement.
Momma toss it! Leave it!
The trashman can retrieve it!
So the security guard says, "Stop that!"
Well, I ain't down with that.
Cause my boobs are full
and this baby needs feeding,
It's his needs that I'll be meetin'
Some knuckleheads tried to be snide,
but the law is on my side.
I'm not feeding her in the restroom.
So stop with your doom and gloom.

So momma if your babe needs food
Go ahead and do what's good.
Sit down and feed that baby there
and let your milkies flow
Momma's got milk!

update

2006-06-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

Well I thought I would pop on here real quick before I get Brookie ready for bed for a quick update. This week went by really really slow. For father's day, I made Jason a video of him and Brooke, more like a slide show of pics from her birth to the present with music in the background. I can't post it on the journal though, or at least I don't know how.

Today we went shopping for minivans. So far the one we like the most is the Dodge Caravan. I never thought I would be a minivan mom, but there is no way that two kids and the stuff for two kids will fit into my tiny jetta LOL. So a minivan it is.

Tonight we are going bowling with some friends. I hate leaving Brooke home, even though I know we need some grown up time and I trust my mom with watching her.

Lately I've been feeling like I pushed Brooke too much into weaning, and that she wasn't ready. I'm basing this on her behavior since she weaned, which on average has been horrible. Plus, I find myself really missing nursing her. So yesterday, when she started throwing one of her screaming, kicking, 45 minute tantrums, out of desperation I asked her if she wanted to nurse. She immediately said yes! Well, she pretty much doesn't latch on correctly, but it wasn't that painful and she only nursed for 20 seconds. Boy what a difference those 20 seconds made! Complete turnaround in her attitude, she hasn't thrown a tantrum since, she is back to being my cuddly girl. Whenever she gets frustrated or upset she just nurses for 10 or 20 seconds and then she is all set.

Well I gotta get Brooke ready for bed and then get myself ready for bowling. At this point my belly is so big I'll be rolling myself down the lanes! Ciao!

articles

2006-06-14T17:46:00.000-07:00

Some things in the news that I found interesting:

A really good article on the differences btw formula and breastmilk and the actions of formula companies to discourage breastfeeding. I thought this article was really great, it has fact sheets and everything. It's amazing all that formula companies will do to earn a profit. Here's the link:

http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/browse/307/308/1267/3/22

Here's an update on legislation in Kansas to protect bf'ing. Go Kansas!

http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/13463/

Here's an article on the ad campaign to promote bf'ing. A lot of people think that they are too harsh and make mothers feel guilty. My opinion? I like them. And if someone feels guilty b/c of these ads, then they really don't have confidence in their choice to formula feed. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Noone can make you feel inferior without your consent." With everything the formula companies do to advertise formula feeding, ads to promote bf'ing have to be "in your face" and shocking. It makes people think. Here's the link:

http://www.wkyc.com/news/health/health_article.aspx?storyid=53565

Well that's it for now. Ciao!

so far so good

2006-06-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well so far I've been able to access my journal, but I did start a new one just in case one day I can't. http://adventuresofabreastfeedingmother.blogspot.com/

For now I will continue to post in this journal, but if you don't hear from me for a while, then check to see if I started posting there :o)

Well lately I've been feeling like I'm all stressed out. We've done NOTHING to prepare for the baby, we've haven't bought anything and we haven't unpacked anything and we are still waiting to see if the house thing works out. Some days I just feel incredibly overwhelmed and frustrated. I have nothing against my mother, but I really didn't want to give birth in her house, I was really looking forward to giving birth in a place that we could call our own, that we would be living in for a long time. But I have begun to resign myself to the fact that we will still be here when the baby is born, and we will be incredibly crowded until we find a place of our own, whether it be a house or an apartment. Lately I've been feeling the nesting urge, and I think that it is so strong now that tomorrow I will be scrubbing walls and floors LOL. If we can't unpack things or buy things for the baby at the moment, at least I can prepare the house and make the most of it :o)

Brookie is a little monster. Seriously, I keep wondering where my sweet little angel went. I feel like I have to walk on egg shells around her, the littlest things set her off into the worst temper tantrums. It really doesn't help my frustrations, but we're doing time outs and that seems to be helping a little.

Well that's it for now. Ciao!

update

2006-06-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well here I am 25 weeks pregnant and I am ready to pop this kid out LOL.

Things have been going good around here. This past weekend was Jason and I one year anniversary, I can't believe it's only been a year, it feels like a lot longer LOL. We ate at a restaurant Sunday night and Sunday day we took Brooke to Old Sturbridge Village. Brooke had a lot of fun, I posted pics.

We're still waiting on if the house thing is going to work out or not, I keep praying it works out. Brooke has been talking even more, and now she throws temper tantrums. It's like she hit the terrible twos slightly early :o/

Well we have finally left the stone age and entered the current period by leaving behind dial up and getting high speed internet. I know that I will still be able to do a lot through AIM, but I'm not sure if I can still blog once our AOL is officially cancelled. I'm going to do some research and if I have to move my blog I will post the new link. I also have to try to figure out how to get all my favorite links off AOL and onto the new service, I miss my links already LOL.

Well that's pretty much it here. I'll update more later. Ciao!

update

2006-05-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

I keep saying that I am going to post more often but somehow it never works out that way.....

Everything is going good here. We have something in the works in terms of a new house, but since we aren't sure if it is going to go through or not, we made the decision not to tell anyone what it is exactly.

Recently we took Brooke to the zoo with Anna and Julia and Beth. They were so cute together and I think that Brooke had a lot of fun. I posted some pics. When we went into the monkey house a monkey pooped on her arm, which she wasn't happy about, but it was easily cleaned with lots of wipes and antibacterial soap.

Mother's day was....rainy. The night before the IL's came over. For my mother's day present we were going to go to Boston and spend the day, but it was POURING rain out and poor Brookie already had a cold so we scratched that idea. I think I am going to go tanning, the spray on type, instead.

The pregnancy is going well, I can't believe I'm already 22 weeks along. We have only four months! I saw my midwife last week and the baby feels good, heartbeat is good. She was impressed by the strengths of the kicks Summer was giving me and feels it might be a sign that she will be a bigger baby.

Well Brooke has officially weaned. It's bittersweet for me. My breasts were so incredibly sore that every nursing session was a wincing session for me, so I decided that I would stop offering and only nurse when she asked me. She asked twice in the two days after that, then stopped asking. She hasn't nursed for 13 days. She does make up for it in cuddling though. Instead of nursing to sleep for naps and bedtime, she comes to me holding her lovey and I hold her or lay down next to her until she falls asleep. Of course, right after she weaned she developed THE worst cold of her life, which she still has somewhat. Awful cough, runny nose, on and off fever. Coincidence? I think not. I do miss the nursing though, but I am enjoying my break before the baby gets here and I become the nursing machine again LOL.

Jason and I have decided that if it's possible, we would like to homeschool our kids. I am going to start with Brooke assoon as we move into our new place. She's been getting so good with words though, she now says "ats dish" for what's this, and yesterday when my sister came home she pointed at the gate and said, "Stacie!" I think that made my sister happy. She's also started to draw shapes, today when we were coloring she started drawing circles with the crayons.

On Friday we didn't do much, just hung out at home. Saturday I got a break from the monster and went to Wal-Mart, then we went to a birthday cookout for Julia and Anna. I posted pics. Unfortunately, we had to leave early due to Brooke. She has ALWAYS been good when out, we've never had a problem with her at all, but not that day! She kept having melt down after melt down, we finally threw in the towel and left. Of course, after we left she was a perfect angel, go figure @@. We ended up going to the library then going out to eat and to the mall before heading home to crash. I bought three new maternity shirts :o)Then today we did nothing but hang out at home and clean and then we just got back from eating out.

Well that's pretty much it. Brooke wants to color some more so ciao!

update

2006-04-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

Well everything around here has been going really good. This weekend Jason and I decided just to relax. Yesterday we went out to eat with my mom and sister and Brooke, and today we just hung out and got ice cream at one point.

Brooke's becoming so big and smart. It's amazing how much she understands, even if she doesn't talk much. She has a new word, "amen." It's so cute, she says it at the end of every prayer, it's so adorable.

Jason and I have still been looking at houses, but it's both frustrating and discouraging. At this point I fear that we won't be ready for the baby to come, but I know whatever happens we'll still be happy with our growing family.

I posted my ultrasound pics of Summer, and also some pics of Brooke hanging around the house and at the Children's Museum.

I thought about weaning Brooke, or at least pushing her more down that path, because my boobs are so dang sensitive right now that it really hurts to nurse her. But since she doesn't nurse too often anyway, I decided to let her do what she feels comfortable with concerning nursing. I just tell myself that the pain is practice for labor ;o) Some days she doesn't nurse at all, some days she only nurses for naps, and then there are the few days where it seems all she wants to do is nurse!!

Well, that's pretty much all I have to update on. Ciao.

articles

2006-04-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Here's an article on why it's important to make bf'ing normal again.

Here's an article on a Breast-Feeding Display On Campus To Raise Awareness. Kudos to those women.

Here's an article on the situation of home birth in Missouri.

Here's an article on some wonderful legislation in Scotland that was recently passed helping working mothers to continue breastfeeding. The article also points out other ways the gov't can encourage bf'ing.

Here's a great article on the benefits of hiring a doula.

Expecting couples have the option of hiring a doula, who can make giving birth a smoother, less stressful process for parents.Photo by: Chris Riley/Chief Photographer

Jeanne Batacan, a doula and Morgan Hill resident, holds a baby who she helped the mother give birth to.

Photo Courtesy of Jeanne Batacan.

it's been so long...

2006-04-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a long time, but it's been a little nuts over here. As of today I am 19 weeks along, almost half way there. It seems like this pregancy is going by much faster than brooke's did.

Jason and I found a midwife! She's really wonderful, I absolutely love her. I had my first prenatal appt with her last week, and it was great. The appt was scheduled for an hour, but we went over. We did mostly paperwork, discussed family history, etc. Then we talked about anything that was stressing me out and other stuff. She's really great, and suggested some herbal teas and stuff for me to drink. She listened to the baby, heartbeat sounds good. It was wonderful.

So before my first appt with my mw, I had my ultrasound done.....IT'S A GIRL! We decided officially on the name Summer Judith. I was very nervous the whole time, cause the us tech couldn't tell for a while due to the position the baby was in. And that was the last time that I will walk into that obgyn office for a visit, it feels so nice :o)

Easter was ok. Helen is now in the hospital getting treatment. They have to shrink down her tumor with chemo before they can operate on it. We've been to see her twice so far, and both times her optimistic attitude has been astounding. This woman just doesn't let anything get her down!!

I haven't heard about the job yet, they called me a couple days ago and told me that there's been some sort of delay with the decision but they will let me know as soon as they decided. *sigh* Meanwhile, I wish I hadn't told certain people about the job interview, I'm getting sick of hearing every other day, "did you get the job?" grrrr.

Brooke's been so good, she's getting so big. She loves to color like crazy. I took some pics of her coloring, and some pics of her at the children's museum that we took her to on Saturday. But the camera is in the car and it's raining out, so it can stay in the car for now. I'll have to post them later. Let's see, new things that she does.....she says, "oh man!", "I'm the dada!", and she wakes me up by giving me kisses on the eyes. We took her to an Easter egg hunt and she was absolutely adorable! I finished the teddy bear I made for her, but I'm not real happy with it. It looks like something out of a horror movie, and I can't blame her for not going near it LOL. I'll have to post some pics of it later.

Well that's all the energy I have to write now. I'll try to post more often, although it hasn't been working well for me lately.....

beautiful picture

2006-04-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

I was browsing through Bornfree! where I spotted this beautiful nursing picture and just thought that I would share.

"Her Universe" by Dejan Dizdar

hmmmmmmm

2006-04-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

Here's an update on the husband that went on strike over co sleeping.

"I'm not a criminal," said James Wilson, who has a son who is almost 2 and a daughter who is nearly three months old.

kick, baby, kick

2006-04-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

Well, finally it is the weekend. For every day this week I have taken Brooke to the park, and man my back and feet are really feeling it now. But it's worth it, she loves the park and she is so happy there.

So far I have heard nothing on whether or not I got the job, but hopefully I will hear from them this week.

I finally felt the baby move!! I was changing Brooke when all of a sudden I felt a good kick in my lower stomache. He/she doesn't move around much, but when he/she does, boy do they move!!

Today we are going to JoAnne's so that I can pick up some yarn and some fabric. The yarn is to finish the baby blanket and to start Brooke's bear, and the fabric is for the shawl I am going to make my mom for her birthday. We're also going to go to the library, and if the weather holds up, we might stop in at the park for a little bit.

Brookie had def cut down on her nursing. She no longer nurses to sleep at night and she only nurses in the morning about half the time. However, she does still nurse for her nap and if she isn't feeling well she will nurse. The rash she had never went away, so I took her to the doctors and she said Brooke has eczema. Then she told me that if she doesn't improve her vocabulary in three or four months then we should get her tested for speech development, since problems with speech runs in my family (my sister). Boy, did I really feel like a failure when I left the office. Eczema and possible speech problems? Not what I needed to hear. Last night I dreamed the Brookie was walking around and I was trying to get her to talk, but the only word she would say was "pizza". It was weird.

Well, gotta go get ready. Ciao.

links and stories

2006-04-01T05:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a nice little article on Attachment Parenting.

The Leaf Chronicle - www.theleafchronicle.com - Clarksville, TN

Alicia Archuleta/The Leaf-Chronicle

Austin Rees holds the hand of her daughter, Isabella, while carrying her son, Declan, in a baby sling.

Here's an article on Katie's and Tom's plans to have a homebirth. Unlike a conventional homebirth, however, their plan is to give birth in total silence, as they believe any sounds are traumatic to the baby. Hmmmm...... You can find the article here, and the lactivist blog makes interesting comments on the situation here.

Here is a study on the outcomes of planned homebirths in North America, very good read for those who are interested in the safety issues of homebirth. And if you are interested in homebirth experiences, you can find some wonderful homebirth birth stories here. My personal favorite is the story of the birth of Benjamin & Montana.

Here's an article about how Alabama passed a bill allowing mothers to breastfeed in public.

Finally, this is the most ridiculous story ever. A father went on strike b/c he did not wish to co sleep with his kids (3 and 3 months) anymore. So, instead of compromise and other forms of adult behavior, he throws a fit, camps out on his roof, and turns a very private family matter into a media circus. He really needs to get over himself. You can find the story here. Personally, if he were my husband, I would take the ladder away and make him stay up there.

Of course, I'm an avid reader of Hathor- The Evolution Revolution, and I just love her outlook on the situation :o)

articles, etc.

2006-03-25T16:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, but here are some links:

Here's a neat story on a breastfeeding-friendly cafe in the UK. Too bad it wasn't around here, I'd go there every day!

EDP24 - Breast is best at Baby Cafè

This just makes me groan. I mean, out of all the celebrities who have recently given birth, the artist chose Britney Spears, a girl who chose a cesarean to avoid labor pain, to honor in this statue?!? Not only that, but to depict her giving birth naturally on a bear skin rug is just dishonest, nothing about her birth was natural, per her choice!

Dedication Honors Nude Britney Spears Giving Birth - Fine Art & Artists News f

A nice article about overcoming mastistis. I had it twice, thankfully both times were only mild cases.

How To Prevent And Overcome Mastitis - Healthy Breastfeeding Tips

A nice interview with a woman who still breastfeeds her three-year old son.

MUMMY'S MILK: Rachel Torepe with sons Jake, 3 and Ryan, 5, says her son can breastfeed for as long as he likes

The Sunday Mail QLD: Breast is best for my son, 3 [19mar06]

Article on how bf'ing lowers the risk of diabetes for mothers.

Star-Telegram | 03/13/2006 | Breastfeeding cuts Mom's diabetes risk

Article on the obstacles that a nursing mom faces as a professional netball player in Australia

A problem too close to the heart .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper

Here's some article's on recent legislation concerning the rights of bf'ing moms. It seems like more and more states are smartening up and passing laws to protect our rights!

Kansas City infoZine - Sebelius Signs Bill Protecting Rights of Breastfeeding

AP Wire | 03/09/2006 | House panel OKs bill allowing public breastfeeding

*sigh* Is it any wonder that this article was written by a man?

Natural childbirth? No thanks

And finally, I was actually send an advertisement for this product.....it's disgusting.

Bib Feeder Baby Product Feeding Babies

Well that's it. Some of these articles are old, but it's been a while LOL. Ciao!

update

2006-03-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

Well I just thought I would update. Baby and I are doing good, and we are still planning a homebirth. However, the insurance company is giving us the runaround, and therefore we haven't been able to find a midwife yet. Jason is going to call them on Monday and let them know how it's going to be LOL.

On a more down side, we found out recently that Jason's grandmother, Helen, who I am very fond of, has throat cancer. She has refused to receive chemo or radiation. Jason['s father is taking her to a specialist in the near future, and I truly hope something can be done for her. Helen is an amazing person, one of the strongest women I have ever known. Out of six kids, one died from choking at a very young age, her daughter died at age ten from childhood lukemia, and her two daughters died from cancer when they were in their thirties. She raised all her kids with no support from her husband, who deserted them when the kids were very young. Her second husband killed himself. After all this, after everything she's been through, after watching cancer kill every female in her family, she now suffers from the same diesease. Yet her attitude is always upbeat, no regrets. A truly amazing woman!

On a lighter side, I have a job interview on Tuesday! I am interviewing for a part time position in Jason's company. It's perfect because the hours are such that Jason will be home when I'm working, so we won't have to put Brooke into daycare. The extra money will help us a lot, and def help us get into our own house sooner.

Brooke is doing well, she's starting to talk more. Jason and I went out to the movies with some friends last night and left her with another friend. While there she started saying "Thanks" LOL. Now she says it whenever we give her something. However, poor Brookie does have an awful rash all over her body! I took her to the ped and she told me it was viral and that it would go away in three or four days.....that was over a week ago@@. She also told me to give her Benadryl, which doesn't do anything to relieve the itch! On Monday I am going to call the pediatrician again, and she better take a closer look at the rash this time! I've also decided to start potty training Brooke. I didn't think she was ready, but for the past two weeks she has come to me whenever she needed a diaper change and told me, through her unique baby-chinese language, that she needed a change. The signs that she is ready just keep getting stronger, so I am going to dive in and see if she will pick up on it.

I'm so tired, we had such a long day. This morning, Brookie woke me up as usual and then turned to wake Jason up with her customary leap-on-Daddy's-stomache attack. POP! The water bed burst! WATER EVERYWHERE!! Needless to say, we were all very busy trying to save our stuff from the water.......all our laundry is soaked, I'm going to be washing clothes 24/7 for a month straight! It took all day to drain the bed. Now we just have a queen sized mattress thrown in the bed, and I like it soooo much better. To be honest, I wasn't crazy about the water bed, and we would have had to change anyway when the baby came since water beds are unsafe for co-sleeping.

Recent books I've read: A Midwife's Story, which I LOVED, not only b/c of it's insight into the life of a midwife, but also because it gave the reader a glimpse into the world of the Amish. The ways in which an Amish woman deal with labor and birth are amazing, I could only dream of being as strong as them! I also read Autobiography of a Geisha, which didn't thrill me too much. Finally, I re-read Birthing from Within, which really helped me to maintain my convictions about homebirth, since I've been getting a lot of criticism from some people. I've convinced Jason to let me get my own copy of the book with my first paycheck, so that I can continue to re-read it throughout my pregnancy, take notes in it, and practice the pain-relieving techniques that she teaches in the books. I'm so anxious to pick a midwife already, I can't wait to meet her!! I want someone who knows that I'm scared and can comfort me, who won't lie or sugar-coat anything, who will help me maintain my faith in myself and in my body, and who will understand that I am weak when it comes to pain and won't judge me if I scream during the labor or beg for drugs, etc. Basically, someone who understands.

Well, that is pretty much it for now. I'm sure there's other stuff, but in case you couldn't tell already, my mind keeps wondering (ah! the wonders of the preggo brain!). Ciao!

I wish I were one of those women!!

2006-03-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

There are some women who absolutely thrive during pregnancy. They glow, they smile, and eagerly jump into their pregnancy. They are always put together, never get sick, and go about their lives as if their bodies were not competing in a nine month marathon. These are the same women that, after the baby is born, are able to fit into their size 4 jeans right away, are able to shower, put make up on, and do their hair every morning, and their house is always clean.

I am not one of these women.

Morning sickness is kicking my butt. On top of that, I keep suffering from bad headaches and exhaustion. I have never felt so exhausted in my life, I can literally feel my bones becoming tired. I also can't shower unless Jason is home, b/c I need him there in case I get dizzy and pass out. Brooke is mad at me because I can't play with her, and the house is absolutely atrocious.

This has been my life since my last entry.

Things are looking up, though. The morning sickness is going away, slowly but surely. I have a little more energy. I can now take showers on my own. And Brooke loves me again. I still feel crappy most of the day, and the headaches are still killers, but there's hope, right? I think the exhaustion is the worst thing. I'm in bed every night by 8pm, the latest.

Well, the first doc appt went well. Got an ultrasound done, and the baby's heartbeat looks good. My next appt is the 15th, and I still haven't gotten my blood work done, bad me. My belly has popped out like there is no tomorrow, I am already in maternity clothes.

What else has gone on? Oh, I had my graduation party. It was pretty cool.

Jason and I have been looking at a lot of houses and a couple seem promising. I can't wait to move, to have my own house, I'm so excited.

Brooke is doing really well. She has three new teeth coming in, and she is learning new things every day. She has such the cutest laugh now, and it seems like she laughs at every little thing!

Well, that's it for now. Brooke is taking her nap, so I think I will nap too, while I still can. I'll try to update more often. Ciao!!!

oooo the dreams

2006-01-22T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well so far everything around here has been good. For some reason, I've gotten the urge to cook, so Jason and Brooke have been enjoying warm meals every night, which makes them happy LOL.

My doctor's appt is on Feb. 3rd, much too far away in my opinion. So far I have had a queasy stomache, but morning sickness has shown me mercy at this point. I have felt more tired and for some reason more prone to headaches. I also have to pee more often, and I am already getting up in the night to use the bathroom.

I still keep having a recurring dream that I give birth to twin girls. And today, my neighbor's goat gave birth to twins. Is this a sign, I wonder? I posted pics, and pics of Brooke being silly. Lately she has been a blessing, always in a good mood and doing silly things to make me smile through my fatigue and headaches. She's also more playful with her father, and much more interested in books. I swear, she brings me 15 books a day to read, and literally laughs when I put her in my lap to read them to her. She's also sleeping better.

After my doctor's appt, Jason and I are going to start calling and interviewing midwives. I want a midwife that I really click with, this is most likely going to be my last pregnancy and birth, so I want everything to go right.

Well, after much deliberation and some conversation with my cousin, I have decided to write a letter to my father. My father has never played a good role in my life, and the last straw occured when he stormed out of my wedding without saying goodbye because he didn't like where he was seated. I've decided to inform him of the pregnancy in this letter, and to tell him exactly what I think of him. Most likely, I won't ever mail it, but it will help to make me feel better. If I do mail it, whatever his reaction will be, I will still feel better because his reaction won't matter, its out of my hands. I'm putting the ball in his court, so to speak.

well, that's pretty much it. I'm off to bed. Ciao!!

very excited

2006-01-18T05:39:00.000-08:00

Well everyone around here is really excited about the pregnancy. I go either today or tomorrow to the doctor to confirm it. I've been doing research on midwives, and they are way out of our budget. I have to find out if our insurance covers it, and if they don't, I don't know what we are going to do.

For names, if it is a girl her name will be Summer Judith, with Judith being after my mom. If it's a boy, we're considering the more traditional names, but David and Jacob are our favorites so far, with Jason as a middle name after his father. I keep having dreams that we have twin girls, o my I would go crazy LOL.

So far no morning sickness, but I don't think that will hit me until I am ten weeks along, like last time. No cravings or anything either, except for popsicles. I can't wait to get an official due date. I decided that the blanket I was making will be for the new baby, and I will make Brooke somehting else. I have some other things I want to make for the baby too, and some stuff I want to buy, I can't wait. Ciao!

articles

2006-01-18T05:32:00.000-08:00

Does having babies make you smarter? This article says it does. It's hard for me to believe, because often I feel less smart since having Brooke, but like the article says, it must be sleep deprivation.

Brain power boosted by having babies, say Virginia researchers - Blogging Baby

Here's a really cool article on baby wearing. Although I do have an Ellaroo Wrap for Brooke, we didn't practice baby wearing with her. We are planning to practice it with the new baby though, and I am currently looking for a great sling that would be easy to nurse in.

NewsAdvance.com | Oh, baby!

Here's an article on legislation that is being enacted in Mississippi that would support the rights of breastfeeding mothers.

Bills back moms' right to breastfeed - The Clarion-Ledger

ANNOUNCEMENT

2006-01-16T15:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I just took a pregnancy test.....and it came out positive. It still has to be confirmed by a doctor, but I'M PREGNANT AND I AM SO EXCITED!! Scared, worried, but very excited. I can't wait to start planning the birth.

articles

2006-01-14T10:51:00.000-08:00

Help to reopen breastfeeding clinics in Canada.

Canadian Jewish News

Article on bills going before the Mississippi Senate. It would allow women to nurse in public and also allow them some rights in the workplace.

WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Bills Proposed to Support Breast-Feeding Moms

There's a lot in the news today on how breastmilk is contaminated because of things that nursing mother's eat. It's nice to read an article that looks at the positive studies on this subject.

Health News Article | Reuters.com

Here's an article on how breastfeeding can help combat obesity in later life.

Health News Article | Reuters.co.uk

I've posted this before, but I believe in the importance of safety when co sleeping. Studies have shown co sleeping to be safer and better for the infant's development as long as it is done following certain guidelines:

Ironwood Daily Globe, Ironwood, Michigan, USA | News

Good rest of week

2006-01-14T10:38:00.000-08:00

Well now that Brooke and I are fully recovered the week has been good. Tuesday we went to visit people and went shopping, and I bought Brooke a giant bouncy ball, which she loves. Thursday we went out to eat with my sister, and yesterday my mom watched Brooke while Jason and I went out for a much needed night of fun. We went out with my friend Beth and her boyfriend, we went to eat at Applebee's and then went bowling until 1am. When I got home, Brooke was still awake and my mom said she wouldn't go to sleep, just kept crying and looking for me, poor baby. But I am still glad I was able to go out, because I was suffering from cabin fever and it felt nice to have my batteries recharged.

Today we are going to the library, food shopping, and to the mall. Jason was going to go over his parent's house for the football game tonight, but got sick. IL's were not happy, I guess they thought Brooke and I were going to be going too, which was not our plan. Oh well.

Well, off to do some cleaning while the monster is napping. Ciao!

update

2006-01-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

Well I am finally able to sit up without getting sick, so I thought I would do a little update.

After I posted my last entry, I started taking care of Brooke and trying to get her to keep anything down, as long as it was something. When I had called the emergency doctor, I had asked her if it would be good to nurse her if she asked. I had already offered, but she didn't want to at the time that I offered. The doctor just said, "you're still nursing? How old is she?" I said, "16 months." Doc: "oh........" and didn't really answer my question. I figured that if she asked I would let her nurse. Well, aft4er an hour of keeping Pedialite down she asked to nurse and I nursed her, which helped her to sleep. Poor baby, she was so miserable and sick.

After a while, I started feeling really queasy myself. I said to DH, "I think I have it too" and then promptly ran to the bathroom and got sick. I was down for the rest of the day. Thank God for DH, he was wonderful!! He took care of everything, Brooke and myself, made us food, gave us our meds, and even cleaned the house. Brooke was still getting sick quite frequently, and he ended up having to change his shirt five times by the end of the day. The only time he got frustrated was when Brooke and I were getting sick at the same time, I think he got overwhelmed. Other than that, he was a god send.

By 9pm, Brooke stopped finally getting sick and feeling better. BY 10pm, she was cautiously moving around and playing with her toys. I was still sick as a dog though, so I slept alone on the living room floor while Brooke slept with DH. During the night she got sick two more times.

This morning, Jason went to work and my Mom came up to help out. She was also a Godsend. She let me sleep the last of the illness off while she took care of Brooke, because she was still miserable and teething. I woke up an hour ago feeling fine, but I haven't attempted to eat anything yet. Brooke is still really cranky, and doesn't want to eat anything substantial, but is still walking around and nursing and not vomiting, so I think it is finally going to pass us.

Well that was our sick adventure. The first time my poor Brookie was vomity sick, poor baby. She was a trooper though, and took her meds every time we offered them.

Well I'm off to lay down and nurse brookie again, and wait for DH to come home. Ciao!!

Co-sleeping saved my daughter's life

2006-01-08T08:47:00.000-08:00

At 3:30 am, I was woken up by a feeling of warmth spreading across the back of my shirt. It was from Brooke- she had vomited up everything she had eaten yesterday, including pasta. Somehow, a piece of pasta got lodged in her throat while she was vomiting, and I was able to dislodge it so she could breathe.

Last night was not a good night. Brooke conintued to get sick every half hour for the rest of the night, though each episode was not nearly as bad as the first one. By 9 am, she was pale and lethargic. I called the emergency doctor and because she does not have a fever, they told me not to bring her to the hospital, but instead gave me specific directions involving Pedialyte. She's doing much better now, and is dutifully taking her medicine. (Except now she just threw up and we have to start over.)

What really gets me is how lucky we were that we co sleep. The sound of her getting sick is not what woke me up - it was the feeling of vomit all over me. If she was alone in the dark in her crib, totally dependent on the monitor to let us know she was in trouble, would I have gotten there in time to dislodge the pasta?

Whenever people find out that we co-sleep, they react in either two ways: they give me looks of sympathy, or they tell me how it is a hard habit to break and that we will regret it when we want her to go to her own bed. What they don't understand is that for our family, a family bed is not a bad habit that needs to be broken - its a way of life, a choice that we made. Now, when people make comments, I can tell them that "co-sleeping works best for us, and even saved my daughter's life."

I'll update more on Brookie later. Ciao!

fun saturday

2006-01-07T19:25:00.000-08:00

Well today was a good day. Jason did overtime, so while he was at worked I cleaned the house and worked on my knitting. I posted a picture of the blanket that I am knitting, and the scarf that I am going to again attempt to knit for my mom.

My cousin and I went to the movies, we saw Memoirs of a Geisha. Very, very good movie, it followed the book well. The only problem was that we got there late and had to sit in the front row. My neck still hurts.

Tomorrow we havw nothing planned. I'll probably just clean and knit. Ciao!

quiet day

2006-01-06T06:31:00.000-08:00

Well yesterday was pretty much a quiet day. I did a lot of laundry and cleaning.

Right now I am knitting a baby blanket for Brooke and a scarf for my mom. The scarf is not doing so well, LOL. In fact, last night I started over, for some reason my scarf is looking NOTHING like the picture in the book. I might just make her a regular plain scarf.

The blanket was doing horrendous, but now it's doing great, after I went online for some help. However, I do think that I am also going to start over with the blanket, just because I know I made sooo many mistakes at the beginning, and also because my stitch count is off.

I'm also going to make Jason some matching pillow cases for the blanket Stacie made him, and Brooke a teddy-bear. Man, is it nice to have all this free time now that I am out of school!! Well, there is more laundry to be done and dirty dishes to be washed, so ciao!!!

update

2006-01-04T19:36:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how big Brooke is getting. Each day she continues to amaze me. She's full of wonder and curiousity. I took some pics of her at christmas, afterwards, and some pics of her building a tower out of cat food cans LOL.

Our christmas was awesome and so was our new years. For my resolution, I am losing weight and becoming more organized. Jason and I want to start TTC #2, so I want to lose some weight before that happens.

Well not much else has been going on. I've been looking for nanny jobs, but so far no luck. I think I might get a waitressing job for now just to make some extra cash. I'll be posting regularly again, so I will post updates.

Ciao!!!

oh my the links....

2006-01-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

Well even though I had to stop posting for a while, I did continue to save interesting links to share. Now I noticed that I have a LOT. So, I'm just going to put them all together in one post. Enjoy!

Here's an article on a bf'ing and attachment parenting friendly business

Offering Holiday Gift Ideas with an Attachment Parenting Flair, Breast Is Best

Excellent article on co-sleeping:

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal ¦ Experts divided on sleeping with infants

Very informative article on reasons why some moms quit breastfeeding

CBS News | Why Some Moms Quit Breastfeeding | December 5, 2005 16:18:29

Interesting article on CIO and Dr. Ferber's recant:

Winston-Salem Journal | Should infants be left alone to cry themselves to slee

Cool article on how more mom's are choosing to stay home with their children:

San Bernardino County Sun - Entertainment

Woman told to stop breastfeeding on plane:

The Eureka Reporter - Article

Ferber recants!!!

Chicago Tribune | `Cry' doctor adjusts advice

Breastfeeding helps mothers with diabetes:

Breastfeeding may be good for mothers, too - Concord Monitor Online - Concord,

Article on Lactivism:

ABC News: Breast-Feeding Moms Take Action

Breast-feeding mothers such as these have held nurse-ins everywhere from Capitol Hill to local merchants to protest restrictions on breast-feeding in public. (Ken Lambert/Washington Times via Newsmakers)

Paltrow blames bf'ing for state of breasts. Although I admire her commitment to breast feeding, she certainly doesn't put it in the best of light with her statements.

Plastic Paltrow | Movies | Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (26-12-2005)

Article on the dangers of increased cesarean rates for low-risk women:

Increased Cesarean Rate for Low-risk Women Contradicts National Goals and Guid

VERY cool article on co-sleeping from a father's perspective. Very long, but worth the read:

John Seabrook | Stories | Sleeping with the Baby

Here's an article on the new policy in MA where hospitals cannot automatically give moms formula bags. People seem really angry over this, but what some don't realize is that if the moms request the bags they can still receive them. The hospitals just aren't allowed to automaticallygive them out, so the critics can please CHILL!!

State Politics & Policy | Massachusetts Ends Hospital Gift Bag Programs To Pro

Finally, here's where you can get a beautiful calendar on bf'ing:

The Beauty of Breastfeeding

two more days

2006-01-01T19:50:00.000-08:00

Well on wednesday morning I pass in my final paper, and then I am FREE!!! Talk to you then!!!

Happy New Years!

2005-12-31T21:50:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!!!!

Well my final paper is due on Monday, and after that I will be done with school totally. My two new years resolutions are to lose weight and to write in this journal regularly, so I'll be posting again soon. Have a good night!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2005-12-25T06:03:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!!!

BIG NEWS IN MASSACHUSETTS

2005-12-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Got this in an email today....put a big smile on my face.

THERE IS BIG NEWS IN MASSACHUSETTS!

This morning, the Public Health Council approved revisions to Massachusetts'
Hospital Licensure Regulations for Maternal and Newborn Services that
prohibit the direct marketing of commercial formula materials to mothers,
including the distribution of commercial formula discharge bags. The
revised regulations also include additional provisions to strengthen
breastfeeding education and support in the hospital setting.

just a little pop in

2005-12-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

I'm just popping in quickly to say hi. I'm still alive and kicking. I haven't had time to update in a while. I'm in the final week of crunch time, last night was my last night of classes, but I still have a lot of papers to pass in and two finals to take. Monday I have three papers due and a final, and then my last paper is due the 22nd, so after that I will be back to posting regularly.

Brooke is good, she got another cold, which caused her to have an earache. The ped said she didn't have a full blown ear infection, but wanted to treat it as one anyway for preventive measures. She's doing great now, gives kisses regularly, and has learned how to point at things she wants.

She gave me a good laugh today while she was eating lunch. For anyone who wants to know what it's like to feed lunch to a dramatic 15 month old, the pictures tell the story.

Ciao!

Brooke's first hair cut

2005-12-03T21:32:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures of Brooke getting her first hair cut. She looks so cute with her new bangs!!!

graduation tomorrow....and other things

2005-12-03T21:28:00.000-08:00

Well I am sitting here, very tired, thinking about my graduation tomorrow. My lovely cousin had dropped off a bottle of wine and a nice card while we were out, and I drank all the wine. That is how nervous I am. I'd rather just skip the ceremony, but Jason and my mother won't hear of it. They insist I participate. So I am.

Let's see....nothing much happened this week. Again, just more schoolwork. It seems like everything is coming up due and I don't have enough time to get it all done. Thank God there is only two more weeks of classes left!!!

Friday I went to the mall with Brooke to kill time, and she did very good. She has another cold, and she's been miserable lately, but thank God it is pretty much gone now. Jason told me that he was going to go to a Celtic's game, but instead he surprised me with a trip to La Sallete shrine!!! I loved it, it was so pretty! We took lots of pics and I posted them.

Today we all went to my hair dresser's and I got my hair cut, and Brookie got her first hair cut!!! She's so cute, she has bangs now! Then we went to the mall and I got shoes and an outfit to wear tomorrow for my ceremony. Brookie was a monster in the mall, I couldn't believe how terrible she was. I think she might have an earache, because I thought I saw her rubbing her ear, but then she seemed fine and didn't rub it anymore once we got home.

Well, that's pretty much it. Nothing else is going on. I'm dreading the ceremony tomorrow, but at least it marks another step towards the end of school!! Ciao!!

article: Kate Hudson on public bf'ing

2005-12-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

I didn't even know Hudson had a baby, never mind that she was breastfeeding! Good for her, I say! And good for her for overcoming her shyness about bf'ing in public. I think it's awkward for a lot of women with a young baby who are bf'ing for the first time to attempt to do it in public: I know it was awkward for me at first. Now I don't care, I whip it out wherever I am LOL

Kate Hudson: Kate Hudson's public breast-feeding

article: border guard asks woman to lactate

2005-12-03T21:14:00.000-08:00

This article made me angry. For one, the woman presented a birth certificate when asked, and for another, why would you ask a woman to do such a thing? It's incredibly rude!

United Press International - NewsTrack - Mom says border agent made her lactate

article: obstacles to bf'ing

2005-12-03T21:13:00.000-08:00

Here's an article that discusses obstacles to bf'ing.

Breastfeeding is healthful, but obstacles still exist

article: another long update

2005-11-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

Well it's been a while again. I've been pretty busy. Sunday is my graduation, but I am too stressed to be excited LOL.

Our Thanksgiving was good, we were at the IL's. The day after Thanksgiving we drove up to New Hampshire with the IL's to visit DH's grandfather and his wife, Barbara. They are both really really nice.

Friday night my mom watched Brooke while DH and I went out to a bar with some friends. We had a blast! Then we were on our way to another bar when my mom asked us to come home so she could go out, so we invited everyone back to our place and hung out. It was nice to see our friends again, we are def going to do it again in the near future. After classes end, I will be able to go out with my friends a lot more, and I can't wait.

I still haven't heard anything from those nanny jobs, but I am still looking. I really want to get a Nanny job, it would be perfect because I could bring Brooke to work with me.

Saturday I am getting my hair cut and Brooke is getting her first hair cut! She is only getting her bangs trimmed, but that means she is growing up way to fast on me!! I don't even use the boppy pillow anymore, she's just too big for it!!!

Well, that's my update. I'm sure I had more to write about, but my brain is absolutely not functioning right now. All I can think about is how much work I have to get down, this is def the worst semester I've ever had. Ciao!

article: cloth diaper craze

2005-11-29T20:27:00.000-08:00

Here's an article on one family's experience with cloth diapers. After using disposable for 8 months before switching to cloth, I can personally say that I will never go back to disposables. Not only are cloth diapers healthier for Brooke and the environment, they are really cute, less expensive, they don't leak, and they don't smell as nearly as bad as disposables do!

delawareonline Â¦ The News Journal Â¦ Pin on a fashionable diaper

The News Journal/BOB HERBERTCherie Keenan of Wilmington changes her 1-year-old son, Liam, using a cloth diaper from his wardrobe of styles, patterns and fabrics. Keenan's son Gabriel McKenna, 11, watches from a safe distance.

article: CIO is bad!!

2005-11-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a great article on why CIO is bad!! I could never let Brooke CIO!

Bradenton Herald | 11/24/2005 | Ignoring crying babies a bad practice

article: Formula recalls!!

2005-11-29T20:20:00.000-08:00

When I read this article, all I could think was thank God we didn't have to worry about that! Dumb Nestle, this is why we boycott them, and I suggest other people do it too! Their buisness practices are about as ethical as the tobacco companies!!

domain-B : Indian business : companies : Nestle recalls baby milk in Europe

BBC NEWS | Europe | Baby milk scare widens in Europe

Italian authorities are seizing baby milk cartons across the country

Here's also a link with info on the Nestle boycott.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8148/nestle.html

article: udderly yours pillow wins award

2005-11-29T20:16:00.000-08:00

It's so nice to see that people who devote their time and energy into creating products that truly support breastfeeding are being acknowledged. Kudos to them.

The Udderly Yoursâ¢ Breast Pillow Wins Second Consecutive Award For Outstanding Product

article: importance of bf'ing for at least 6 months

2005-11-29T20:12:00.000-08:00

According to UNICEF in this article, if more mothers would breastfeed to at least 6 months, a total of 1.3 million lives could be saved. That's a lot of precious babies that could be saved just by breastfeeding.

CTV.ca | Breastfeeding saves lives of babies, UN says

article: police warns bf'ing mom in England

2005-11-29T20:09:00.000-08:00

Well, despite the ignorance the police man showed, at least this story had a good ending. Good for Kidney for introducing that bill.

United Press International - NewsTrack - Police warning outrages breastfeeding mom

articles: UN celebrates 15 years of supporting bf'ing

2005-11-29T20:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a nice article on the UN and how it has supported breastfeeding for the past 15 years. Since the UN has started its support, global breastfeeding has increased by 15%!

UNICEF and partners celebrate 15th anniversary of breastfeeding declaration

WebWireÂ® | 15 Years After Innocenti Declaration, Breastfeeding Saving Six Million Lives Annually

articles: bf'ing lowers risk of diabetes for mothers

2005-11-29T20:03:00.000-08:00

Cool articles on how bf'ing lowers the risks of diabetes for mothers....among other things.

VOA News - Study: Breastfeeding Lowers Mother's Diabetes Risk

News - Increased Duration of Breastfeeding Associated With Decreased Risk of Diabetes

KELOLAND.COM: News, Weather and Sports for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa

KELOLAND.COM: News, Weather and Sports for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa KELOLAND.COM: News, Weather and Sports for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa

article: nurture center celebrates 5 years

2005-11-29T20:01:00.000-08:00

The Nuture Center celebrates 5 years of helping moms to breastfeed.

The Nurture Center Celebrates Five Years Helping New Parents - Retail & Franch

big update

2005-11-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

Oh my, it's been so long since I've written in here. I've just been sooo busy with school. I'm absolutely swamped with work. I can't believe I only have 4 more weeks left, though. I'm excited and sad at the same time LOL.

Let's see....not much has been going on. I've just been doing school work. Brookie is doing wonderful, of course. She's growing up so fast, I can't believe it!! We bought her a toothbrush, and she loves it. She just has to brush her teeth whenever she sees Mommy or Daddy brushing their teeth, LOL. She's so cute! And she gives kisses now!! Whenever I say to her, "I love you" or "Can I have a kiss?" she really leans over and gives me one! I love it! Today she was a kissing machine, she was giving me kisses when I wasn't even asking, it was so cute!! However, Brooke recently has learned the fine art of the tantrum. This past weekend it was really bad. We went to the library, and the book store and both places we had to leave because she threw tantrums. The problem is that she is independent and wants to walk around, but she gets into things, so when we pick her up to carry her she throws a tantrum. But she's been better this week, thankfully. She is getting taller too, she now can reach things that she couldn't reach before, and she can now crawl up on the couch by herself. She also LOVES our new bed, and so do DH and I. It's nice having so much room with Brookie in the bed LOL!!

Hmmm....I think that is pretty much it. With all the school work lately, my life has been pretty boring LOL. Oh, I did apply for three jobs, but haven't heard anything yet. They are all nanny jobs, starting in January. I really want to get a job where I can bring Brooke with me, I'd hate to leave her in a daycare. I really hope I get a good nanny job, send good job vibes my way!!

Well, that's it. I'll try to update more often, but don't be surprised if you don't hear from me that often for the next four weeks. I can't wait to graduate!!!!! Ciao!!

article: co sleeping safety

2005-11-17T19:34:00.000-08:00

I know I've posted a lot of articles on this topic before, but I think that if you are co sleeping its important to review the safety rules whenever possible.

Co-Sleeping Safely - Attachment Parenting

article: buying slings to help tsunami victims

2005-11-17T19:33:00.000-08:00

This is a great way for people to help out the victims of the tsunami. I really respect these people for thinking of the mother's and how the mother's might need slings for carrying their babies.

press-citizen.com | Local News

article: AP = crunchy?

2005-11-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

Cool article on how AP parenting can lead to crunchiness....which I agree with ;o)

Attachment Parenting and Natural Living - Attachment Parenting

article: babies and sleep

2005-11-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

Well, babies and sleep seem to be in the news a lot lately. Here are some articles.

This article is especially interesting because it says that Dr. Ferber is changing his statements on CIO. I could never let Brooke cry it out, but I know some parents who do. However, these parents all have children over the age of 6 monhts. I think that letting a baby cry it out is horrible, but letting a young baby cry it out is barbaric and neglect.

Experts offer advice on getting babies to sleep

Here's another article on Dr. Ferber and his efforts to clarify his techniques.

Decades later, sleep doctor clarifies his theory - Nightly News with Brian Wil

And another article on babies and sleep.

ABC News: Desperate to Help Your Baby Fall Asleep?

Last one, LOL.

CTV.ca | Baby sleep experts changing their tune

article: AP basice

2005-11-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

Just a little article on the basics of AP parenting. It's nice that more and more people are getting to know what AP parenting is.

Attachment Parenting Basics - Attachment Parenting

article: court lenient to bf'ing mother

2005-11-17T19:17:00.000-08:00

Very interesting article. I must say, I agree with the courts allowing her time because she is nursing her baby.

Court lenient to breastfeeding mum - Fiji Times Online

article: bf'ing and celiac diesease

2005-11-17T19:16:00.000-08:00

Article on how bf'ing can help fight celiac diesease (among other things).

Breastfeeding fights gluten intolerance or celiac disease

article: bf'ing center opens in Chico

2005-11-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

Its nice to see people have more and more places to turn to for support while breastfeeding.

Chico Enterprise Record - Style

article: fight for your right to breastfeed

2005-11-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Here's a nice article describing one woman's determination to breastfeed despite it being condoned by family. One important thing for new mothers to know is that she knows what is best for her baby, not anyone else.

Baby Food and Nutrition: Breastfeeding Baby: Fight for your right to breastfee

article: breast feeding death?!?!

2005-11-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

This article really makes me angry. Especially the title. They should have said, drunk mother kills baby or alcohol leads to baby's death, but no. They had to write the title to cast shadows on breastfeeding @@

Wis. Mom Accused in Breast-Feeding Death - EarthLink - U.S. News

aricle: dangers of patch

2005-11-17T19:07:00.001-08:00

Just a head's up for anyone who uses the birth control patch.

USATODAY.com - Warning issued for birth-control patch

article: one breast is enough

2005-11-17T19:07:00.000-08:00

Very cool story that shows where there is a will, there is a way.

One Breast Is Enough by Patricia G. Blomme

update

2005-11-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

Well its been a while since I've posted, I've been really busy with schoolwork. Hmmm....Friday night we went over the IL's house to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Saturday was a waste. The IL's came over and helped Jason move in our new queen sized bed, and I took Brooke out shopping and to eat lunch at Applebees so that she wouldn't get in the way. Well it took a lot longer than expected, and the only good thing about that day was that Jason's grandmother came over also, and I love her. We talked a lot about differences in parenting styles. I didn't get to do homework or anything, and we were too tired to do anything Saturday night.

Sunday I spent the whole day doing homework. I had a lot of papers due and got them all done in time, thankfully. Monday, however, I had to miss class in order to go to the library to do research on the paper that was due today.

Today was really boring. Just did homework, went to class, and came home.

Brooke is doing really good, she's so cute! When I came home she ran up to me and gave me a big hug and cuddled with me for half an hour....it was really nice.

Well, I'm actually going to try to get some decent sleep tonight. Ciao!