Full Circle

And he is officially a Toddler.

My gorgeous little man.

Adventures in Solids

My son is doing things at a fast pace. He crawled at 6 months, had 6 teeth by 7 months and he took his first steps before 9 months. I knew that food would be no different. Being a new mom I thought for sure I would make every single thing that touched Ardun’s lips. He would have a developed palate all because of me. You can stop laughing now. I now know how unrealistic that was for me. I am a working mom. A really hard working mom and I knew my limits and making food for Ardun everyday was out of the question. I was so relieved to find HappyBaby. I originally tried starting Ardun on cereal when he was about 5 months because of reflux, that was a massive failure and the cereal we bought in haste at the grocery store was thrown out. After that, I started to research foods, I realized I could have made cereal for him myself, but again, I didn’t have time for that. I bought a can of HappyBaby cereal and Ardun loved it. I then was lucky enough to sample the HappyBaby line so I want to give you my thoughts.

We started with some HappyPuffs and some of the HappyMelts. Holy cow! Ardun loved them! We were road tripping to see my sister and her family for Halloween and Ardun was a complete a mess in the back seat, we had about ten minutes before we got there and before I could nurse him and so I grabbed the bag of HappyMelts and then there was nothing. I mean it was silent. Those HappyMelts honestly saved the end of the road trip from a massive meltdown. He smacked, sucked and smiled with his new food. Later on we tried the puffs which he loved being able to grab them and put them in his own mouth. I couldn’t believe how much he enjoyed feeding himself! I loved having something to give him to help build his new skills of pinching and picking up things.

The next week I made a run to Whole Foods and got the ice cubes of food. This was an interesting adventure into the food world. Up to this point Ardun refused anything green. We started with the Sweeter Potatoes and Purer Pears which he gobbled up, moved on to the Easy Going Greensand Great Greens next. This was met with mixed reviews. While the Great Greens were eaten with no problem, the Easy Going Greens were about 50% loved. He loved them the first time he had them, and even the second, but the last two times he decided he would just gag and refuse to eat them. I don’t think that this had anything to do with the food itself but with the reality that he was learning that doing something got a reaction out of me and I would switch to a more yummy fruit that I had ready for him as well. He was learning how to play me. I loved the convenience of the cubes and the only complaint was that the Easy Going Greens and Great Greens plastic covering didn’t just peel off, I had to cut it off from each cube of food which wasn’t hard but more time consuming. I know that is not the norm with these cubes, so, it must have been a fluke. A few nights later my husband and I actually got to go out to dinner with friends, of course we had Ardun in tow. We went to Grinder’s (which if you live in Kansas City and have eaten here you know it’s not a picture of perfect dining) and the waitress had me hold off on putting Ardun in the highchair because “what was left on it from the previous kid would stun her microbiology class.” I was sooo happy I had grabbed one of the HappyBaby Pouch foods that I had gotten. This was AWESOME. It was so easy to feed him in a busy, cramped space. I didn’t need him to be close to the table which maybe had the same science experiment in germs on it and I could just squeeze it onto my spoon and then feed him. It was awesome. That night he had the Banana, Beet and Blueberry, it quickly has become a favorite. I have to say, now that Ardun is older and demanding he touch and help feed himself everything I have just handed him the pouch and he loves just sucking the food out on his own. I know, parents be appalled, I am lazy and let my kid suck his food. At least it’s healthy and organic and I can feel confident I am giving him food that would be just as good as if I made it. And, honestly, I love that HappyBaby has interesting combos of food. I don’t have time to go out and buy a bunch of special foods to make baby food with, to have it right there to help him try new things is priceless, it’s just a little more time I get to spend with Ardun.

Overall, I really like Happy Baby foods and Ardun seems to love HappyBaby. Plus, it gives me more time to cuddle my little man who will be driving in the next few months if he has anything to do with it.

I'm still here!

It's been a crazy couple of months for me but wanted to chime in to let everyone know we are still here! Ardun is now 8 1/2 months old, he's been nicknamed Turbo and he's just amazing.

I was slightly jealous of Rachel's last post and her ability to pump and nurse beyond a year and I am just hoping that I make it another two weeks to his 9 month mark. I am insanely jealous of her paid pumping breaks where she gets to read! I don't get to take breaks to pump, in fact, I only get to pump once while at work, on my lunch break. My milk supply has been dwindling (like I only pump about 1.5 ounces TOTAL each time) and Ardun is still not the best nurser so who knows where we will be by then. At this point, we nurse when I am with him and then at the babysitter he gets formula. Yep, the dreaded formula.

Even if I don't make it to his first birthday, I am proud of making it this far. I know that breastfeeding has been one of the hardest things I have ever done and that I have stuck with it so long does make me feel good.


This past weekend I had to attend a class for work and it was 9-5 on both Friday and Saturday. I called in advance and let them know I was a pumping mom and needed to be able to use the lactation room, she said there wouldn't be a problem with that. I arrived a little late on Friday and I didn't get to ask where the room was and of course they didn't leave instructions for me. Thank goodness I wasn't the only pumping mom, I spotted something very familiar, a PIS bag from across the room. I thought I would ask her where the pumping room was when she got back. I watched the clock and thought, "wow, she pumps for a long time, she's been gone 30 minutes." Well, when I finally had her show me where the closet, err, lactation room was I understood why. It was soo out of the way and tucked in a corner of the purchasing department. There was no lock on the door, just a sign reminding people that the room is in use. At least there was a room, I pump in a storage room that is also our break room while everyone, including my boss walk in and out at lunch time. Well, Saturday rolls around and I go to pump and of course the purchasing department is locked, therefore, access to the lactation room was also locked. Do you know how hard it is to find someone with keys at UMKC Dental School on a Saturday? I was almost ready to find a bathroom with a plug out of the way, ugh, can you imagine? I finally did and got into the little room. I was never happier to get home to my little man and ignore the pump for the rest of the weekend.

On a different note...Ardun LOVES eating and recently I was able to try a bunch of the Happy Baby line-for free! Watch for Ardun's opinion coming soon!

I have made a big decision...

I have decided to continue pumping past one year. I told myself to make it to one year and then I would switch Eliza to an organic goat milk, but I just can't do it. I have no desire to let her wean, and she has no desire to wean. So, if she is still nursing full time, what is the point of me not pumping? I don't really want to pay for the organic goat milk, she loves her mom's milk, and I can continue to ship my milk through the Eats on Feets program.

My girl has started eating more solid foods, but she still loves her boob. I enjoy my pumping breaks (which are paid, thank you Courts!!!) because I can read and relax alone for a while. I only pump twice a day and since Eliza has been a nursing machine, I have been pumping a ton lately. I also stopped stressing out about it. I used to freak out if she didn't have fresh milk for Monday morning and I would pump all weekend to be sure. Now, I just let it go. If she doesn't have fresh Monday milk, she can drink frozen. Its no biggie.

Anyway. I was the anti-breastfeeder (I knew I would, but I just hated the idea of it), and here I am as an extended breastfeeder!

E will be 8 months old in two days!

4% of Nursing Mothers CANNOT make enough milk!

Its true, some women cannot make enough milk. I truly believe that some women try, and try and try, and cannot make enough milk. I have donated milk to women in this situation. Maybe Becky wants to talk more in-depth about this, but I have never seen a woman try harder to feed her son than this woman. 


So what is the answer? Should we shrug and go purchase formula? 


I am reading East of Eden right now and at one point the mother of an infant dies, the father gives him whiskey for 2 days and then buys a goat. Should we buy a goat? 


I had planned on nursing. Not "if" I can nurse, but when I can nurse. I have lots of friends who planned to nurse too, and things were not exactly as they planned. One of my best friends in the world was overwhelmed with the thought of breastfeeding her twins (who are huge, and grew and ate more than the average premature twin), and she pumped every day, and every night for over 7 months so that her sons had adequate breast milk with the occasional bottle of formula. (Standing ovation, you rule mama!)


How much does a mother need to try to breastfeed before its okay to supplement? 


This article is written by a woman who tried, and tried, and tried to nurse full time. I thought it was amazingly well written and very supportive of something that 4% of women cannot control, "primary lactation failure."


http://www.babble.com/baby/baby-feeding-nutrition/breastfeeding-problems-low-breast-milk-supply-lactation-consultant/


When she took on the question of why its not commonly discussed this was the reason:


""I believe the reason women aren't told about lactation failure is that there is a fear that it will lead to many women giving up before they've given breastfeeding a fair shot," says Daria Hoffman, a certified lactation educator in Los Angeles. "It's already often a struggle to prove to women that breast milk is superior to formula, though our numbers are improving, finally." She's right. In 1980, breastfeeding rates for women who breastfed "for at least some period of time" were at 54%. By 2004, it was up to 75%." HELL YEAH!


This sounds very true. I hear about food allergies all the time, but the scientific community reports that only 2% of adults have allergies:


"Fact: Although 25 percent of people think they're allergic to certain foods, studies show that about only 6 percent of children and 2 percent of adults have a food allergy. A true food allergy is a reaction triggered by the immune system (the part of your body that fights infection). Far more people simply have a food intolerance, which is unpleasant symptoms triggered by food (but does not involve the immune system)."


Manifestations of Food Allergy: Evaluation and Management by SH Sicherer, M.D. (American Family PhysicianJanuary 15, 1999, http://www.aafp.org/afp/990115ap/415.html)


So if 25% of adults think they have allergies, but only 2% do... what does that tell you about breastfeeding. Most women I talk to who don't breastfeed say that they didn't have the supply needed to feed their child. I truly believe that is true, but the reason their supply was low was probably based on a bad latch, poor nutrition or bad milk supply management (all of which could be remedied with support, education and better birth policies at hospitals). We need to support the 4% of women with primary lactation failure because they need support. BUT, before we make this rare problem mainstream, we need to support the women with lactation failure, and see if we can improve their supply before we jump on the "no supply" bandwagon.


Ill talk a little about the main reasons that women cannot properly make milk:


Nutrition: 


Did you know that there are certain foods that can lower your milk supply? Sage and peppermint are known for decreasing milk supply.


Do you get enough water? I used to force Becky to drink more water. I am a water junkie. TMI, but seriously, my pee is clear, always! I drink so much water that I have to replace the water jug at work at least once a day. I drink 3-4 cups of tea in the morning, and I fill my nalgene 32 oz. at least 4 times at work. I gave up soda completely and I am on an almost pure water diet (in terms of beverage). Water is amazing. I truly believe it is what gives me my supply. DRINK WATER!


What do you eat during the day? Protein, calories and nutrition are important. What you eat goes into your breastmilk. If you're not eating enough to properly care for your own body, your milk will suffer. Eat like you're pregnant, and I am not talking about a 100% fruit loop diet (I had a mom tell me she only ate fruit loops her entire pregnancy, made me sad for her growing fetus). Eat greens, lean meats, organics. What a great way to lose weight and retain your health. Also, eat enough calcium. Green leafy veg, dairy (if you can), etc. 


Hormones:


Did you go straight onto hormonal birth control? Did you know that it can decrease your milk supply? 


KellyMom has this to say: " For most mothers, progestin-only forms of contraception do not cause problems with milk supply if started after the 6th-8th week postpartum and if given at normal doses. However, there are many reports (most anecdotal but nevertheless worth paying attention to) that some women do experience supply problems with these pills, so if you choose this method you still need to proceed with some caution."


Your baby's latch:


Most LD Nurses and I hate to say it, Lactation Consultants aren't very helpful when it comes to breastfeeding. That being said, some are great! If you get a good one, you will learn to properly get your baby to latch at the hospital. Some women leave the hospital with sore nipples, a starving baby and stress. I highly recommend all new mothers read as many breastfeeding books as possible before birth, talk to friends, mothers, sisters, aunts, etc. Once the baby is born, go to a breastfeeding support group, LLL meeting, have friends come over and pick up the phone. Breastfeeding is not always natural. I cried and cried while my nipples bled. I remember shaking and crying while my mom said "FEED HER!" It wasn't until my cousin's wife called and said "pinch your nipple in your hand and shove it in the baby's mouth so that you cant see any areola" I did this and it still hurt, but it got better. As soon as my scabs healed, I realized I WAS DOING IT WRONG!!!!!!!! I had read at least 4 books, I watched videos, I talked to moms and I STILL DID IT WRONG! Once it was better, it took a lot of work to master nursing. I used my entire 6 week maternity leave to learn how to breastfeed. It took work, courage, late nights and lots of patience. By the end of 6 weeks, I admit that I still wasn't the most confident nurser, but I was on my way. Now at almost 8 months old, Ill whip it out in public and nurse that baby.... though you're not likely to see any boob, I'm pretty inconspicuous. 


Dr. Sears has a great article on proper latch: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T021100.asp

How circumcision can harm your breastfeeding relationship!

This site has a ton of information and medical journal articles on the mother/child bonding after an elective surgery after birth.


"A stressful, painful event such as circumcision, however, still appears to affect the feeding patterns of infants who have recently undergone circumcision" 


Marshall RE, Porter FL, Rogers A, et al. Circumcision II: effects upon mother-infant interaction. Early Human Development 1982;7:367-74.


"Preliminary studies suggested that pain experienced by infants in the neonatal period may have long-lasting effects on future infant behaviour. The objectives of this study were to find out whether neonatal circumcision altered pain response at 4-month or 6-month vaccination compared with the response in uncircumcised infants, and whether pretreatment of circumcision pain with lidocaine-prilocaine cream (Emla) affects the subsequent vaccination response."


Taddio, A., Koren G. et al. Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain response during subsequent routine vaccination. Lancet, Vol. 349: 599-603 (March 1, 1997).


"This study showed that neonatal circumcision in male infants is associated with increased pain response in vaccination 4-6 months after surgery. The results support our previous finding of a higher pain response in circumcised than uncircumcised male infants during routine vaccination"


Taddio A, Goldbach M, Ipp M, Stevens B, Koren G. Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain responses during vaccination in boys. Lancet 1995;345:291-292.


"In my client population of adult men, serious and sometimes disabling lifelong consequences appear to have resulted from this procedure, and long-term psychotherapy focusing on early trauma resolution appears to be effective in dealing with these consequences. Early prevention by eliminating the practice of routine circumcision is seen as desirable."


Rhinehart J. Neonatal circumcision reconsidered. Transactional Analysis Journal 1999; 29(3):215-22.


La Leche League refuses to talk about the correlation because they feel that they are combining two different causes, but we're experiencing babies dying from formula, and women being told they can't breastfeed. We need to take the obstacles out of breastfeeding and keep our sons whole!

Awesome post by an awesome blogger!

http://thefeministbreeder.com/when-it-comes-to-breastfeeding-we-cant-handle-the-truth/

When It Comes to Breastfeeding, We Can’t Handle The Truth

Check it out:

"Of course then people say “It’s her CHOICE to formula-feed – leave her alone!” But I don’t believe that most women are making this “choice.”  The CDC shows that 3/4 of women are initiating breastfeeding in the hospital, but only 13.6% of women are still exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months.  What this tells me is that somewhere along the way, they gave up on themselves, and the reason I hear most often is, “But, I tried! I just couldn't make any milk!”

Here is the cold hard truth ladies:  You have been lied to.

If only 13.6% of us could make enough milk, the human race would never have survived.  And it’s not your fault. It’s the fault of this system that completely fails mothers and babies, and sabotages a mother’s good intentions.  Somewhere along the line, some one told you that you couldn’t make milk, and you believed them because we’ve all grown up in a culture that tells women their bodies aren’t good enough for much of anything except being toys for men.  Is it easy to make this milk?  No, not always – but neither was bringing that baby into the world and your body did a fine job of that.  Think about that.  Think hard. Your body created an entire human being inside from nothing more than the joining of two single cells.  Your body is a miracle worker.So what leads you to believe that, after creating a whole person with organs and tissue and a beating heart, that your body would call it quits when it came time to feeding this thing?  The major problem here is that someone in your life probably put their own ignorance ahead of the short and long term health of you and your baby, and you believed them because women are used to feeling shamed."

I applaud you Feminist Breeder!