Nursing Montage

I saw this great video clip from Sesame Street posted on some other blogs and thought I would share it as well. It's a great montage of mammals nursing their young, including a human mommy and baby :o)

Nursing Montage

Maternal Death Rates Rise in the USA

Recently I found this article describing how the maternal death rates in the United States has risen to 13 death per 100,000 live birth in 2004; the second year in a row that the rate has risen above 10 since 1977. Experts are contributing the increase in maternal deaths to the rising rates of obesity in moms and also in the rising Cesarean section rate. From the article:

Some researchers point to the rising C-section rate, now 29 percent of all births — far higher than what public health experts say is appropriate. Like other surgeries, Cesareans come with risks related to anesthesia, infections and blood clots.
“There’s an inherent risk to C-sections,” said Dr. Elliott Main,
who co-chairs a panel reviewing obstetrics care in California. “As you do thousands and thousands of them, there’s going to be a price.”Excessive bleeding is one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related death, and women with several previous C-sections are at especially high risk, according to a review of maternal deaths in New York. Blood vessel blockages and infections are among the other leading causes.

This article is disheartening, but certainly not a surprise. A Cesarean section is a major surgery that comes with all the potential complications and risks of other major surgeries: what did they think would happen if 29% of women had such a major surgery?

I am relieved, however, to see an article like this out in the mainstream media. Lots of women agree to have a C-section for unnecessary reasons simply because they do not know, and their doctor didn't bother to explain, the risks involved with such a surgery. Now, with articles like this, women can at least realize that while C-sections certainly do have their place in modern birth, they are being done way too much for unnecessary reasons. The best thing a pregnant woman can do is educate herself on her options and rights. Again, the best thing a pregnant woman can do is educate herself on her options and rights. The maternity system in this country is in trouble, and it is only going to change if we women, as its consumers, demand it to change.

Maternal Death Rates Rise in the USA

11 Month Old Letter

My Dearest Guppy,

You are now 11 months old. Unbelievable. In two weeks, we will be celebrating your sister's and your birthdays with one big party. I was finally able to pick out a date and time, and even think up some activities for the kids to do.

So yes, I may have planned your first birthday party. And yes, I will be so happy to celebrate that birthday. But for now, I am so thankful for our quiet nursing times, for the fact that you want to be held a lot, and for the fact that you still are, and always will be, my little baby.

This month your two front teeth and one side front tooth has come in. You also decided that you would, in fact, like to crawl. However, you keep one leg in front of you when you crawl and push it forward as you go, so it is definitely amusing watching you do your "special" crawl.

You love to crawl after your sister. You two are playing together so well I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. You love it when I pull you up to a standing position. You still love being in the Mai Tei. And you've also discovered the joys of the kiddie pool. Your signing vocabulary has expanded to include Daddy and Thank you. You continue to love your solids.

Some times you get fussy and irritable; I imagine it's because you've been teething so much lately. But for the most part, you are so calm and relaxed and you love to just go with the flow. Your favorite pastime is watching the Mermaid perform her wild antics and sometimes you crawl frantically after her, trying to keep up.

One thing that I have noticed and that I am glad for is that you tend to gravitate for the quiet toys. Flashing lights and loud sounds just don't do it for you. Instead you will reach for the wooden blocks, or your wooden zebra and elephant. This is a great relief as your father and I have decided to slowly convert all the toys in the house to wooden and more natural toys. You also don't show much love for the television, thank Goodness, unlike your sister who wants all the TV time she can get.

Although your nursing has slowed down since you started crawling, you still crawl over to me several times a day to nurse and "touch base" after all your play time adventures. I make sure to always be there for you during these times, as I understand the value of a little down time now and then. Remember that I will always be here for you, supporting you, loving you. The same goes for your sister and your father. You, my dear, are one lucky baby. ;o)
Love,
Mommy

11 Month Old Letter

Because I Know You've Missed Them...

My camera is back and the Knight and I took some pictures yesterday...

Helping to give her little sister a bath


Eating the Mermaid's toys
All smiles!

Because I Know You've Missed Them...

Breastfeeding Moms Now Protected in NY

Recently, NY Governor Eliot Spitzer signed into law legislation that protects the rights of breastfeeding in the workplace. According to the statement:

The legislation requires employers to provide uncompensated time, and make a reasonable effort to provide private space for women to express milk or nurse their children for a period of up to three years following the birth of a child. In addition, it also bars an employer from discriminating against an employee exercising this right.

Kudos to Spitzer and NY. Now it's time for Massachusetts to step up to the plate! MomsRisingPV has recently launched a campaign to protect the rights of breastfeeding moms to nurse their children in public. They are asking moms to participate in two ways: by sharing any experiences they have had with being harassed or discriminated for nursing in public; and by contacting their senators and telling them that they support Senate Bill 78, an Act that would protect nursing moms who nurse their children in public. So act today!

Breastfeeding Moms Now Protected in NY

Celebrities Breastfeeding

A Celebrity Breastfeeding update: Nancy O'Dell was recently quoted as saying that not only is she breastfeeding her daughter, but that breastfeeding has helped her lose most of her pregnancy weight. Way to go O'Dell!

Celebrities Breastfeeding

Lessons in Home Buying

For a few months now the Knight and I have been house shopping. Our plan is to be in our own house, or at least buying a house, by December. Anyone who is trying to buy their first house should really check out their local home buyer's program; our state's program has really helped us with our purchasing power.

One problem that we are facing when trying to buy a house is related to the rate of foreclosures in MA. In the past year alone in MA, the rate of foreclosure has risen 33%. That's huge. This, of course, makes lenders more cautious about approving mortgages and more conservative with the loan amounts that they approve. It also has made it so that no realtor will even begin to show you houses unless you present them with a letter of pre-approval.

Increased foreclosure rates have also resulted in another unexpected situation. It turns out that many people are not happy about losing their house, and they focus their anger and hate on the house itself. Since most of the houses that we are looking at happen to be foreclosures, it has made for interesting house viewing.

House #1: The former owners were angry, so they cut the oil line to the house. The house reeks of oil and there are oil stains as well. The bank simple can not get anyone to make an offer.

House#2: Again, the former owners directed their anger at the house, specifically at the walls of the house. With a sledgehammer. They also left a good amount of trash throughout all the rooms.

House#3: It seems like the sledgehammer method is popular in this area, although in this house the owners left most of the walls alone and just attacked the entire kitchen.

House #4: This house was an interesting situation. Instead of destroying the kitchen as in house #3. the owner had simply taken the entire kitchen with him, leaving nothing behind.

I want to clarify that I am in no way mocking or laughing at people who are forced to foreclose. I think foreclosure is a very traumatic and sad event for people to have to go through, and I really do feel for them. Who knows, we could end up in that position some day (although we are taken careful steps to prevent that). I'm just laughing at the irony of the situation where we are hard pressed to find a decent house in this area in our price range, and every time we do it seems like the previous owners got the best of us through their anger.

We have one or two more house viewings coming up this week. Wish us luck!

Lessons in Home Buying

Pain Drugs and Breastfeeding

Recently the FDA issued a statement warning breastfeeding moms about the dangers of taking pain medications containing codeine while nursing. According to the statement:

Nursing mothers who take codeine should watch their infants for increased sleepiness or other signs of overdose, federal health officials warned Friday.
The Food and Drug Administration warning of the rare but serious side effect was prompted by a 2006 report of the death of a nursing infant whose mother was given codeine for episiotomy pain. Genetic testing later showed the woman’s body converted the codeine to morphine more rapidly and completely
than in other people. That led to higher-than-expected morphine levels in her breast milk.

Signs of overdose in your infant include: increased sleepiness, difficulty breastfeeding, difficulty with breathing, and limpness.

Pain Drugs and Breastfeeding

Help Little Jack Strike Back

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT), along with other non-profit organizations, recently put together a great and informative, yet fun, website about formula marketing in the UK. The goal of the site is to spread the word and inform people about their campaign to stop formula advertising in the UK. The information is great, but for me the best part of the site is Jack.

Jack is an animated super baby that is out to destroy formula ads. You can play the game and help Jack destroy the ads. It's a great resource for kids too, if you want them to learn more about the campaign.

So head on over, read up on the campaign, and don't forget to help Jack strike back!

Help Little Jack Strike Back

Strike Over and Update

Well, thank goodness the strike only lasted for a day. I'm still not sure what set it off, but I'm thinking it's the teething.

Yesterday as part of my "training" the girls and I went to a Mercedes Benz dealership to look at all the different types of MB that are available. We went with some friends. We took lots of pictures and I will post them up as soon as I can.

You might be wondering why I haven't posted any pictures lately. My camera broke and it is really killing me that I haven't been able to take any pictures in almost a month. I'm supposed to get it back today so hopefully I will be posting some pictures tomorrow.

Lately it's been crazy around here with my new job plus my job at a local pharmacy and trying to keep the house decent and the Mermaid happy. It's times like these that I really appreciate the nursing relationship that I have with the Guppy, especially after not having it for a day. By breastfeeding the Guppy, I am allowing myself to take non-guilt breaks during the day, in which I can kick up my feet and reconnect with my baby. There are only two times during the day that I feel truly and really at peace: when I am nursing the Guppy, and when I am cuddling with the Mermaid right before her nap.

The Knight and I are planning the girls' birthday party. Not only do I have to face the fact that the Guppy will be one (already!) but also the Mermaid will be three (holy cow!!). We plan on doing something very informal, just cake and ice cream and we are also going to rent one of those giant blow up bouncy things for the kids. Although I plan on setting aside some time to let the adults have fun on it too ;o)

That's it for this update :o)

Strike Over and Update

Strike!!

Her back arched and her legs kicked. Her little arms flew about, trying to fight off air. Her mouth was wide open in a long, angry yell. She was angry!

My dear, sweet little Guppy is on a nursing strike.

It happened suddenly. We were fine yesterday night, in fact she nursed more than usual during that night. Then, after the Knight left for work, I settled into our armchair in order to nurse the Guppy like I usually do. That is when she threw the fit.

I didn't think anything of it, really. I figured, Okay, she doesn't want to nurse right now. But she didn't want to nurse later either. Or at nap time. Or at bed time. She will cry and fuss and sign the word nurse, but any attempts to put her on my breast leads to her throwing another fit.

*sigh*

I spent most of my day yesterday consoling the Guppy, trying not to neglect the Mermaid, and pumping at least every two hours to keep my supply up. I was really, really worried about how long this strike is going to continue.

Finally, during the night, I woke up to the Guppy asking to nurse. She finally nursed. All through the night. But then, when we got up, she went back to refusing.

Please send good vibes/prayers/thoughts my way. Now the Guppy is signing that she wants to nurse. Wish me luck!

Strike!!

Speechless

Amazing. Powerful. Beautiful.

What am I describing? A hospital birth.

Read the birth yourself over at Navelgazing Midwife. It's just one of those things that everyone should read.

This amazing and beautiful hospital birth is what every hospital birth should be like.

Speechless

Homebirth in the News

I recently read a few articles about homebirth that I would like to share.

I really liked this article because it presented a pretty positive perspective on homebirthing in general. A lot of people don't realize that for a healthy woman with a healthy pregnancy, a homebirth can be just as safe, or even safer, than a hospital birth. The article also describes another benefit of homebirth that isn't discussed as much: homebirths aren't as expensive as hospital births.

Another great article I recently read was written from the perspective of that father, Nathan. Although his wife gave birth at a free standing birth center and not at home, I think it is important to read his article because it is not often that you hear about a non-medical birth from a father's viewpoint. Nathan also mentions some important points about birth in the United States in general. For example, he writes:

In the US, just 8% of births use midwives, yet midwives attend 90 percent of normal births in Germany and virtually all normal births in Denmark and France. There is a whole feminist view of the denial of women's autonomy involved in the history of shifting power over births in the US from a female-dominated widwife profession to a male-dominated obstretrician hierarchy, but along with the overall medicalization of birth, the changes also are part and parcel of the ridiculous costs of the US health care system.

Finally, if you would like to learn more about hospital birth vs. home birth, then check out the hospital birth debate blog.

Homebirth in the News

Being in Labor Really Can Be Fun

Thanks to Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing for this sweet and hilarious video of a woman in labor.

Being in Labor Really Can Be Fun

Toxic Plastic Chemicals Found in Formula

For me, one huge benefit of breastfeeding my baby is that I know exactly what she is getting...nothing but pure, beneficial breastmilk. I don't have to worry about whether the water I made her food with is safe, and what chemicals may have gotten into the food when it was being manufactured.

The Environmental Working Group recently published a study in which they found formula to be contaminated with plastic chemicals. According to the summary:

Laboratory tests of canned infant formula conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a certified commercial laboratory reveal that a plastics chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) leaches from metal can linings into formula at levels which, according to new EWG analyses, would expose some bottle-fed infants to BPA in excess of doses that caused serious adverse effects in animal tests. There are no government safety standards limiting the amount of BPA in infant formula.

Read the summary. Inform people of the facts. Then let them come to their own conclusions.

Toxic Plastic Chemicals Found in Formula

Massachusetts Need to Step Up to the Plate

Massachusetts is usually pretty forward thinking with its policies and laws. But not so with breastfeeding. In fact, Massachusetts is one of the only five states that have no legislation at all designed to protect the rights of the nursing mom. You can find more information about the current situation in MA here.

The Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition is working hard to get breastfeeding friendly legislation passed in 2007. However, they need your help. If you reside in MA, give your Congressperson a call and tell them that you want to see these breastfeeding friendly bills passed. To learn more about the different bills in legislation right now, and to learn more about other ways you can help, be sure to visit the MBC's advocacy page. You can also join their mailing list/yahoo group for updates.

Many thanks to Tanya over at the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog for the heads up on the article and on the situation in MA.

Massachusetts Need to Step Up to the Plate

Cord Clamping After Birth

I recently came across an interesting article about how early cord clamping after birth can be harmful to the baby. From the article:

In the baby, evidence has shown that allowing the cord blood to keep flowing for a few minutes increases the iron stores. In the developing world, where anaemia is a big problem, practices have now changed to delay clamping and the World Health Organization has dropped early clamping from its guidelines.

When the Mermaid was born, her cord was cut almost immediately. Oh how I wish I had known what I know today! With the Guppy's birth, we left the cord attached to her until it stopped pulsating, I believe it was anywhere from 15-30 minutes.

The benefits of delaying cord clamping is proven. There is no need to rush and deny the newborn baby all the nutrients that his or her body is still trying to receive from the placenta. It doesn't take much to just say, No, we want our baby to remain attached to the placenta for now.


Another practice involving delaying cord clamping in infants is Lotus Birth, in which the baby remains attached to the placenta until it falls off naturally, usually in 3-6 days. I find Lotus Birth intriguing, and I am thinking of considering it for our next child.


What are your views on cord clamping? Did you delay cord clamping with your children, or perhaps you had a Lotus Birth? I would love to hear your thoughts/experiences/opinions!

Cord Clamping After Birth

Babywearing in the News

I recently read this great article on the benefits of babywearing. According to the article:

Babywearing helps young children adjust to life outside the womb. It reminds them of the nine months they spent in utero, according to the Web site thebabywearer.com. The mother’s heartbeat, breathing, warmth and rhythm of movement makes them feel more secure. Studies from the McGill University-Montreal Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Quebec and
Columbia University in New York have also shown that babies that are frequently carried receive more stimulation, have better digestion and develop earlier. Babywearing is sometimes recommended for mothers suffering from postpartum
depression because it helps them feel more connected to their child.

I don't know what I would do if I couldn't wear the Guppy. Babywearing has definitely been a blessing in this house. It allows me to get my housework done and chase after the Mermaid in the park without me feeling like I am neglecting the girls. The Guppy loves to be on my back and in fact, she really doesn't like the stroller. Yesterday we went to the mall for a few hours and she was so peaceful and happy on my back in my MT.

Babywearing in the News

Court Asks Mother to Stop Breastfeeding

I find this very sad and disturbing. In Minnesota, a district court investigator is recommending that a mother stop breastfeeding her 15month old son. From the article:

Carter Burton was born six weeks premature. Christa Burton said, her doctor told her that breastfeeding would be best for Carter. At first, Burton said she didn't think she couldbreastfeed, because she's taking three medications.She takes Topomax to ease migraine headaches, Baclofin for muscle spasms because of a car accident and Ambien to help her sleep.Burton showed WCCO-TV a letter from her nurse practitioner who urged her to breastfeed. They consulted the book, "Medications and Mothers' Milk" which lists all three medications as being safe."Carter and I have been bonding for almost 15 months. Every meal that he
takes has been from me," said Burton.

This court is basically disregarding all the research and studies that show extended breastfeeding to be beneficial, especially to children who are/were born prematurely. I wonder how this case will turn out, and what the mother will decide to do. Even though the investigator's report is only a recommendation, she must feel pressured to wean her child if doing so might change the outcome of the custody battle. I feel for this mother and her child, and for the whole family for what they are going through.

Court Asks Mother to Stop Breastfeeding

Another Milestone!

Our family experienced another milestone yesterday....the Guppy started crawling!!!

She doesn't crawl in a traditional sense....she actually sort of pushes one leg in front of her as she goes along, but she does get around. The poor Knight forgot that she started crawling last night and left his cup of soda on the floor near the sofa. The Guppy crawled over very quickly and knocked it right over.

My camcorder is charging right now but as soon as I get the chance I will upload some videos of her crawling.

Another Milestone!

Save a Snake...Spit!

The Mermaid and I were just watching the TV show Diego. You know, the one where the little boy who lives in the jungle has to rescue a different animal each episode. Well, this time the animal in trouble was an Anaconda snake who was trapped when the river she was in dried up.

The Mermaid saw the snake trapped and said "Oh No! There's no water! I'll save you, snake!"

She then proceeded to try to give the snake some water with the only means she had available at that second....she started spitting at the TV.

So now our TV is covered in spit, but the Mermaid is thrilled because she truly believes that her spit was enough to save the snake. She could only give a little, but she believed that even a small amount of help was enough.

Two lessons that I learned here:
1. Even though I can clean up poop, boogies, and vomit without a shudder, cleaning up spit makes me gag.
2. Every little bit helps. Even if you can't give much, believing that what small amount you can give will help is a wonderful thing.

Save a Snake...Spit!

Uncle Al

My great Uncle Al was always one of my favorite family members. I think a lot of people in my family felt the same way. Kind, gentle, and generous, I never heard him speak ill of anyone.

Uncle Al passed away Saturday. The wake was Monday night and the funeral was yesterday.

Even though I am still having trouble with my faith, I'm glad that I believe enough in God to know with absolute certainty that Uncle Al is now in heaven. Most likely sitting with his sister, my Grandmother, reunited with heavenly family at last.

On another note, on the way home from the funeral our one and only car popped a tire. And that took the rest of the day to get fixed, and we were only able to put a donut tire on it. So now the Knight is out right now getting a real tire put on it. Grrrr..

Uncle Al

Men and Babywearing

It's not too often you see a man wearing his baby, especially in one of the more traditional baby carriers, such as a wrap. So Stephanie's post Real Men Wear Babies was quite refreshing in that it pointed out the benefits of babywearing for Dads, too. The Knight will wear the Guppy, but only if he has to (as in, it's the only thing that will make her happy) and only if it's just in the house. He says that if I make a Red Sox or Patriots MT then he would consider wearing her more. Guess I better get sewing ;o)

Stephanie also gave her readers a heads up on this great video showing a dad putting his newborn daughter into a MT. Because the only thing sexier than a man who changes diapers is a man who wears his baby.

Men and Babywearing

Ingesting Your Placenta

Recently I came across an interesting article in USA Today about women ingesting their placentas and whether or not it was beneficial to them. From the article:

The practice, known as placentophagy, is far from widespread and is received with great skepticism by more traditional medical experts. But among a small but vocal contingent of expectant mothers and proponents, it is strongly believed
that the organ created by the woman's body to pass nutrients between mother and fetus and is expelled after birth is rich in chemicals that can help mitigate fluctuations in hormones believed to cause postpartum depression.

I would have to say that after my experience with post partum depression following the Mermaid's birth, I was seriously considering ingesting my placenta when the Guppy was born. I did a lot of research on the topic and felt that even if it didn't help, it wouldn't hurt me either and therefore I had nothing to lose. However, I felt so great and calm after the Guppy birth that I ended up putting the placenta in our deep freezer....it still sits there, waiting to be planted under a tree in the yard of our first house.

I have heard that if you are alone and birthing without medical aid nearby, and you start to hemorrhage after the birth, taking a big bite of your placenta will stop the bleeding and save your life.

If you do decide to ingest your placenta after you give birth, you can choose to eat it raw, get it dried and put into capsules, or you can cook it. There are great recipes for placenta meals on the web, including for placenta pizza, placenta roast, placenta spaghetti, etc.

Placenta roast....very interesting....

Ingesting Your Placenta

Post Secret Mini Movie

Every Sunday I look forward to seeing the new Sunday secrets over at PostSecret.
Reading these secrets makes me feel connected to hundreds of strangers who are courageous enough to expose their secrets in such a way. Some secrets make me laugh, some make me cry. Some make me angry. Some even make me say "OMG me too!!!"
I think PostSecret is a great reminder that people are not as different from one another as we believe, that no one is perfect, and that we are united in our imperfection.

This week the PostSecret mini-movie made its debut. Take a look, it's very intriguing. Maybe you'll find that you would like to send in some secrets of your own.

Post Secret Mini Movie

Profesionals Call To End of Water Fluoridation!

The Fluoride Action Network has recently released a statement signed by 600 professionals from all around the world that calls for an end to water fluoridation. According to the statement, eight events have led up to this call for the end of fluoridation. These eight events include:

1. Reports that fluoride has been linked to adverse side effects, such as an increased risk of bone fractures, decreased thyroid function, lowered IQ, arthritic-like conditions, dental fluorosis and, possibly, osteosarcoma.

2. Studies by the CDC have shown that fluoridation of water has led to dental flourosis in children.

3. The American Dental Association's call to make sure parents use only distilled and purified water when preparing their babies formula: not water with fluoride.

4. The CDC's concession that exposing the entire body to fluoride through water is not beneficial or necessary for dental health.

....and so forth.

This statement is an interesting read. Be sure to check it out and research the dangers of fluoride before giving any fluoride supplements to your child.

Profesionals Call To End of Water Fluoridation!

They Make You Think...

I love reading blogs, especially blogs that are written in such a powerful and thought provoking way that it makes you say "wow".

Some recent posts on other blogs that I love and that have made me smile or say "Wow!"

Mama Joy over at Breasts and Belly wrote a very powerful post on informed consent concerning ALL aspects of pregnancy and birth (breastfeeding, circumcision, method of birth, etc.) Take a look at this great post, it will definitely provide you with some food for thought. While you are at it, add Mama Joy to your blog roll: writing powerful posts like this one is easy for her and her blog is a great read overall.

Paxye over at A Hippie With A MiniVan also recently wrote a powerful post on the rights of children. I agree with every word she wrote. When are parents going to realize that children are not accessories, or status symbols, or "pets" that need to be trained to adapt to the parent's lives instead of the other way around? Definitely worth a look.

Finally, Colleen over at My Baby and More shares an excellent breastfeeding resource with her readers: a website that provides breastfeeding games and activities for children. Head on over and be sure to thank Colleen for the heads up!

They Make You Think...

Doulas Deliver Help

I found this great article about Doulas and how they help a woman through her labor. I recommend that any woman who wishes to have a natural birth in a hospital to hire a doula, the benefits of having the support of a doula are proven and amazing.

I also found this great video about Doulas and the work they do.

Doulas Deliver Help

New Milestone

We experienced a new milestone in this house yesterday.

No, the Guppy did not start crawling or walking.

No, the Mermaid did not use the potty.

Picture this: you make popcorn for you and your almost-three-year-old daughter to enjoy. She starts shoveling handfuls into her mouth and you tell her, "Slow down, honey, or you'll choke."

Her response? She rolls her eyes at you.

That's right. My little baby girl, who is only almost three years old, rolled her eyes at me.

At first I thought it was a freak thing, a coincidence. But then five minutes later I had to remind her again to slow down and she rolled her eyes at me again. Twice in ten minutes.

I thought this wasn't supposed to happen until they are 13!?!

Where did my baby go? Why did I get the feeling all of a sudden that I was looking at a teenager instead of a little toddler?

And yes, I told my mother, and yes, she absolutely thought it was hilarious. Go figure. *rolls eyes*

New Milestone

We Need A Vaca

The Knight and I are dreaming about what it would be like to take a vacation. Warm, sandy beaches with beautiful blue water. The salt wind whipping through our hair. The great tasting food and colorful drinks.

The Guppy has three teeth coming in. This poor baby girl is in so much pain. We've been using teething tablets, teething rings, and ice cubes in mesh feeders, and while those things do offer some temporary relief, our ears are still smarting from her cries.

I can't stand seeing my baby in pain.

The Mermaid didn't get her first tooth until she was 11 months old. And she had no reaction to teething at all. In fact I didn't notice she was getting a tooth until it had already cut through. Soooo much different with the Guppy :o(

I wish we could get away. Just me and the Knight and the girls. Take a nice vacation and go somewhere so beautiful and so wonderful that the Guppy would be too distracted to remember that her mouth is throbbing with pain.

But, since we can't, we'll just try our best to comfort and hold her and make sure the Mermaid isn't feeling neglected.

I can't wait until these teeth finally pop through!

We Need A Vaca

Unassisted Childbirth

I recently found this article about Unassisted Childbirth, in which a mother chooses to give birth at home without the assistance of a midwife or a doctor. According to the article:

For these women, out-of-hospital births are not accidents of timing, but deliberate expressions of their values. For most, a desire to retain control over one of life's most emotional, intimate and primal processes is paramount.

But the freebirth phenomenon alarms many obstetricians, midwives and feminist health experts, who characterize the practice as ill-advised at best — and life-threatening at worst.

My views on Unassisted Childbirth? I agree that it is indeed a powerful, primal and raw experience. I feel a little envious of those who have had the chance to experience it. But would I personally choose an Unassisted Childbirth? No. Not because I believe that it is dangerous or that women who choose to birth their babies in this fashion are wrong, but simply because I enjoy having a midwife at my birth. I am comforted by the presence of a midwife, by the laughter and joy that a midwife can add to a birth. Just like UC'ers feel most comfortable birthing alone or with only their partner, I feel most comfortable birthing with my partner, my mother, my sister, my cousin, and my midwife. And women should be able to choose to give birth in the way that they feel most powerful, and most comfortable.


I do believe, however, that having an Unassisted Childbirth should not be taken lightly. If a woman decides to go that route, it is my strong belief that she better get her butt in gear to prepare for the birth by ensuring she takes care of her self in terms of prenatal health, that she has a valid back up plan, and that she researches and educates herself on the process in childbirth and what exactly could happen. Which, from my understanding, is what most women who choose the UC route do.


So what is your view on Unassisted Childbirth? Do you believe that women have the right to choose to give birth in this manner, or in any manner of homebirth?

Unassisted Childbirth

La Leche League 50th Anniversary

Fifty years ago, seven suburban women embarked on a journey that would change the breastfeeding community forever. In a time where breastfeeding rates were extremely low, they banded together and created an organization to help mothers who wanted to breastfeed their babies. La Leche League is now an international organization with chapters all over the world, helping the breastfeeding mother one meeting at a time. Here's a wonderful video on the history of La Leche League, and how it all began.

La Leche League 50th Anniversary

I Can Fly!

The other night while I was at work the Knight watched Mary Poppins with the girls. When I talked to the Mermaid on the phone she was all excited about "Ary Oppins, cause she FLIES!"

Last night I again had to work and the Knight watched Peter Pan with the girls. Again, I called and talked to the Mermaid and she was all excited about "Pettie, cause he FLIES!"

I guess you can see where this is going.

I walked out into the living room this morning just in time to see the Mermaid scrunch up her face tight in concentration and then take a flying leap off the couch.

She found out quickly that, alas, she can not fly.

Lots of kisses and a special Care Bear band aid later, we were talking and she told me that she was most upset because her happy thought didn't work. I asked her what her happy thought was and she said:

"When Mommy doesn't work and we all get to stay home together."

*tear* I'm on a mission to find a way to make an income from home so I can stay home with the girls.

And I've found one.

Wish me luck!

I Can Fly!

Super Model Breastfeeding

Stork Magazine has a great article up right now about Super Model Jessica Hebert's breastfeeding relationship with her daughter. It's wonderful to see breastfeeding get positive media exposure, especially since it normally gets so much negative exposure (for example, from this idiotic woman, who I am not going to waste an entire post talking about simply because she isn't worth that much of my time).

Rock on Jessica Hebert!

Super Model Breastfeeding

New Mothers Stop Breastfeeding Too Soon

A survey done by the Center for Disease control shows that new mothers stop breastfeeding their babies too soon.

Nearly three-quarters of new U.S. mothers are breastfeeding their babies, but they are quitting too soon and resorting to infant formula too often, federal health officials said Thursday.
A government survey found that only about 30 percent of new mothers were feeding their babies breast milk alone three months after birth. At six months, only 11 percent were breastfeeding exclusively.
Formula is not as good at protecting babies against diseases,
eczema and childhood obesity. Ideally, nearly all mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months or more, said David Paige, a Johns Hopkins University reproductive health expert.Many do not because of their jobs, the inconvenience, and perhaps because of convincing advertising for baby formula

The new goal for for 2010 is to get 60 percent of women to breastfeed exclusively for the first three months and 25 percent through six months. You can help society obtain this goal by showing support for any nursing mom you come across, and encouraging new moms to breastfeed.

New Mothers Stop Breastfeeding Too Soon

Learning in Nature

So far I've been pleased with the way the Mermaid is learning through homeschooling. Right now I don't have a formal "structure" set up for her, and we don't even take time for "school" every day, but she is still picking things up quickly.

This past week we learned about fire safety. We also had the privilege of visiting with two exchange students from China, who are both living with my Aunt. The Mermaid quickly learned how to say Thank You, Please, and You're Welcome in Chinese, and she also learned how to count to ten in Chinese. That makes three languages, besides English, that she can count to ten in (German and Spanish are the other two).

The Mermaid also loves to draw and spell words. She is quite good at spelling her own name and the Guppy's name. Recently she realized that she can turn her crayon scribbles into actual drawings: she loves drawing cats, dogs, and giraffes. About two days ago she attempted to write her name, and did a great job for her first time.

Yesterday the Knight and I took the girls for a hike at a nearby state park that hosts a chasm. The Mermaid had a lot of fun hiking up to the top with us, and looking down at the view of the chasm. She also learned about pine cones, chipmunks, hiking safety, pine trees, and roots.

I love homeschooling the Mermaid. I love seeing her eyes light up, almost hearing that little click in the brain that happens when she "gets" something. She thrives on individual attention and loves learning new things. I love how there is not pressure for her to keep up with other students, to fit in to what a certain teacher thinks a good student should be, or to bend to peer pressure in order to make friends.

I'm by far not a perfect parent. But I know that I will never regret homeschooling our children.

Learning in Nature

Sunscreen Safety is a Myth

I found this article about sunscreen a while back and I thought I would share. This isn't the first time I've read this about sunscreen. In fact, very rarely do I use sunscreen on myself and the girls. Mostly I just make sure that they wear hats and we play in the shade as much as possible.

According to this article, people are taught that sunscreen is vital in order to avoid skin cancer. The author writes:

The scientific evidence, however, shows quite clearly that sunscreen actually promotes cancer by blocking the body's absorption of ultraviolet radiation, which produces vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D, as recent studies have shown, prevents up to 77 of ALL cancers in women (breast cancer, colon cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, brain tumors, multiple myeloma... you name it). Meanwhile, the toxic chemical ingredients used in most sunscreen products are actually carcinogenic and have never been safety tested or safety approved by the FDA.
They get absorbed right through the skin (a porous organ that absorbs most substances it comes into contact with) and enter the bloodstream.

With the research I have done, I find that there is some truth to what this author is saying. And if you do choose to use sunscreen, you can always use the Skin Deep Database to find the safest one to buy.

Sunscreen Safety is a Myth

Dance, Baby, Dance

I remember being pregnant was both an uncomfortable and magical time. Uncomfortable for obvious reasons, but magical because I realized that I was growing another human person inside of me, one that I would be connected to forever.

Both of my girls were big movers while in the womb. I remember with the Guppy balancing a cup on my stomach and then watching her kick it off.

I thought this video was neat and thought I would share. Isn't amazing to get this little preview of the miracle of life before the baby is even born?

Dance, Baby, Dance

Dangers of Animal Products

Cancer has run through my family like a sword. My grandmother died of cancer, my mom has had it, and the girls and I are at risk of getting it. Cancer has ravaged through the Knight's family. All three of his aunts died from cancer, and his grandmother also has it (and is now in remission, thank God).

So as you can imagine, one of my goals is to keep my girls away from as many carcinogens as possible. We do this through breastfeeding, cloth diapering, eating organic food, checking our beauty and cosmetic products for safety at the Skin Deep Database.

There is also one significant thing we do to avoid carcinogens, help protect the environment, and help protect ourselves from autoimmune diseases: we are vegetarians/vegans.

Every substantial, legitimate study on nutrition and health has pointed to the same thing: Casein, the protein found in milk and other meat products, have been linked to cancer. Eating meat and other meat products has also been shown to increase your chances of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases. If you are interested in learning more, I would highly suggest you read The China Study and You Don't Need Meat.

I have been a vegetarian/vegan for about six months now. I am healthy and strong, and I have been losing weight. I am not suffering from lack or protein or calcium. And I love what I am eating.

Do the research. Read the books. You'd be surprised at what you will learn. Try becoming a vegetarian for a short time, let's say a month. You'll be surprised at how healthier you feel and how easy it is. Just try it. What do you have to lose?

The Dairy and Meat industries are some of the strongest industries out there. They infiltrate our schools through "sponsored lesson plans." They infiltrate WIC. They pay big bucks to politicians. That is why we are taught from a young age that eating meat and drinking milk is vital to our health.

We are slowly killing ourselves. And our earth.

For every 25lbs of grain, 1lb of beef is created. What if we had taken that 25lbs of grain and fed it to starving people instead of to an animal? Cattle raising ravages our land. It upsets the fragile eco systems in the environment.

Read for yourself. Research this topic and learn. Knowledge really is power.

Some examples of the power of the Dairy/Meat industry and the dangers of meat products:

Dangers of Animal Products