A Year of Cloth Diapering

It was August of 2009 when I came home, ecstatic to find my package of Snap-EZ diapers, just waiting to be washed and worn.  A day later, my inserts arrived from Jillian's Drawers.  Several washes later and one night of drying, and Isabelle and I were ready for our first day of cloth diapering.  We've been using cloth ever since, and we've never looked back. 

Since it's now been a year since we started our cloth diapering journey, I thought I would devote a blog post to my love for cloth diapers.

Remember, I use pocket diapers. To refresh your memory, here's an illustration of how to use pocket diapers.

This is what most of our cloth diapers look like.

What Has Changed?
I started out with four cloth diapers, just to try them out.  That quickly changed to nine, which meant I had to wash diapers every day. It really wasn't a big deal, because it became a part of my evening routine--put the baby to bed, wash the diapers, hang the diapers, go to bed.  No problem.  But when we became pregnant with our second baby, a family member purchased six more diapers for us, bringing the total to 15.  Now I only wash every other day.  It's really nice.

I now have a diaper sprayer, which I highly recommend to anyone using cloth diapers.  This makes the yucky diapers much easier to clean.  I wouldn't want to go back to the days before I had my sprayer. 

Who Has Changed?
Me.  I have a growing distaste for anything disposable--it's literally throwing money away.  I've also decided that pocket diapers are sort of a gateway drug for other types of cloth diapers.  Now that I've started using pockets, it's not much of a jump to begin using the old school prefolds and wraps (no pins or rubber pants, thank you!).  In fact, that's on my wish list of things I need when baby #2 arrives.  Our stash of 15 diapers is not going to cut it when we have two in diapers, and prefolds/wraps will be a cheap way to increase my stash.

Others around me.  When I first switched to cloth, I knew one person who used cloth too.  That was it.  Later, I found out that a friend from high school used cloth as well (for all four of her kids!), so she's been a great source of information for me.  But I still knew no one else in town who used cloth.  As I was awaiting my order for diapers, I found out another friend of mine was planning on using cloth when her baby arrived in a few months.  We frequently discussed cloth diapers, since it seemed the rest of Texarkana thought we were both completely insane. 

Since then, I've seen other friends switch to cloth, both here and out of town.  I've learned of other out of town friends who use cloth.  I've also noticed that it has become the popular thing to do for moms my age, especially in larger cities.  More and more moms are switching to cloth, and it has become more socially acceptable to do so.  Initially, my gym's nursery refused to accept cloth diapers, even when I showed them Isabelle's super cool pocket diapers that are nothing like old school cloth.  Now they permit it.  Another parent complained, so they've decided that as long as the diapers are pockets, we can bring our kids in them.    

Daddy Approved
We were recently combating some odor issues with the diapers (solved by baking soda), so I asked my husband to tell me honestly if he was glad we'd switched to cloth.  He gave me a hearty yes.  He then pointed out that I handle the majority of the "gross" parts of cloth diapering (dumping dirty diapers, spraying when needed, and washing the diapers), so it makes it pretty easy on him.  I also asked his opinion on cloth wipes, since I've heard that some dads don't like them.  He said if we had more wipes, he'd be happy, but otherwise, he really doesn't care (I'm in the process of sewing more).  My opinion of the wipes is that you actually have less contact with poop when you use cloth wipes because they're so thick.  I was so glad to hear that he really and truly is glad we switched to cloth. 

When Do We Not Use Cloth Diapers?
Sometimes when traveling, especially if we'll be away from the house a lot.  Now that I've got more cloth diapers, I can travel with cloth because I don't have to wash every single day.  We'll be out of town in a week, and you can bet we'll be bringing cloth with us.  But in the past, it was just too exhausting to arrive in town at 11 pm or midnight, wash diapers, go to bed, and do it again the next day.  I did it once or twice and never did it again, until we got more diapers.

When a diaper rash gets out of hand.  We dealt with this last week.  Isabelle woke up at midnight one night with a dirty diaper.  It was so terrible that it had already left little blisters on her.  My faithful cloth diaper-friendly ointment irritated the rash further.  Over the next week, I did everything I could to eliminate the rash until it was nearly gone, but several small sores remained.  I eventually had to call the pediatrician, and after speaking with the nurse, I decided I had to switch to disposable diapers for a week to adequately lather her up with ointment and knock out the diaper rash.  I hated spending money on disposables, and I was so glad when I could finally switch back to cloth. 

Possibly with a stomach virus.  We've been fortunate.  Isabelle has never had a stomach virus, even though both Damian and I had one last spring.  She's got a great immune system.  But should she come down with one, I would definitely consider using 'sposies or being very, very careful with my diaper washing habits, in order to prevent the spread of germs. 

And With Baby #2...?
Cloth diapering with two kiddos means we won't have an added diapering expense when our second arrives.  I'd love for Isabelle to be potty trained, but I just don't think she's ready yet, and since we use cloth, there's no reason to push it. 

I'm not naive, however.  I know how hard those first couple of weeks can be after the baby is born, especially since I'll be recovering from a c-section.  Laundry is just about impossible to do--it's too much bending over, post-op.  I'm sure a couple of people will give us diapers for our newborn, and if not, we'll buy a package or two.  I already have a stash of size 4 disposables in the attic.  A friend gave them to me 8 months ago when her daughter potty trained.  I was using cloth but decided to take the free diapers anyway, "just in case."  Izzy will be wearing size 4 diapers when this baby arrives, so I'll have both kiddos in disposables until I'm physically able to do laundry.  I'll also print instructions detailing my wash routine and post it in the laundry room, so that my husband and mom can do the diaper laundry whenever we're ready to switch back to cloth. 

I also have a wish list.  I need a larger diaper pail and liner, since my current diaper pail only holds a day's worth of cloth diapers.  I also talked with a friend who has used cloth longer than anyone I know (other than moms who cloth diapered 20 years ago, before the great new products that are out now).  Elizabeth homeschools her four children and has cloth diapered all of them in prefolds and wraps.  I picked her brain for a good source for quality cloth diapers. 

Here's what she recommended (and it's exactly what I'm going to do): 

Little-Lions Cloth Diapers is her source for quality prefolds.  It does make a difference!  Chinese and Indian prefolds are considered better quality.  Gerber prefolds aren't going to last as long and they won't be as absorbent either.  Elizabeth gets prefolds in only one size, which will save money.  She buys the premium size and folds them as needed to fit her newborns.

Wonder Wraps:  This covers the diaper and makes it water proof.  Wonder Wraps are one-size, so they will take your child from birth to potty training.  *I need to do a bit more homework on these, but I know that regardless of what I use, I definitely plan on using a one-size wrap, as she suggests, to avoid having to buy more in the future.

I plan on using a combination of these wraps and covers, in addition to my pocket diapers, to get me through diapering two little ones.  We could use a few more pocket diapers, but even if we don't get anymore, the 8 one-size ones we have now will work out fine for outings, especially for the church nursery, MOPS nursery, etc.  I won't have to leave a nursery worker with prefolds and wraps, which are a little bit more complicated. 

Speaking of which, I don't even know how to fold the things!  Looks like I need some lessons.  Let me know if you've got any tips and tricks for folding your cloth diapers, especially for newborns!

My Top Ten Reasons to Love Toddlerhood

When you're in the throes of toddlerhood, it's easy to have days where you feel tired, overwhelmed, or frustrated.  After all, teething and whining are still prevalent, and potty training looms ahead like a formidable foe. 

One of my toddler's favorite things to do is dump out the entire box of Legos and either play with the Legos or wear the container on her head and walk around giggling.  Then I get to step on a Lego--ouch!  And then there's the concept of cleaning up.  My 20 month old understands it somewhat, but to her, cleaning up cheerios off the floor often means eating at least half of the cheerios.  And the little sweethearts follow us around everywhere we go...including the bathroom.  By the way, I find it more productive to have humor instead of frustration with all of these scenarios!    

And really, what parent of a toddler doesn't look forward to naptime?  It's a chance to relax, recharge, catch up on a project, or get a head start on dinner. 

But these little bundles of energy are also the source of much joy.  By the time my daughter turns three, I'll have another little one on the verge of toddlerhood, so I think I'd better fall in love with toddlerhood now, if I'm not already. 

Isabelle is completely in love with puppies. 

Here are my top ten reasons to love toddlerhood:

10.  I now have a reason to talk to myself in the grocery store (or at home, in the car, and anywhere else I go). 

9.  I receive applause anytime I sing the ABCs or count to 10.

8.  There's much excitement anytime a puppy or "keykey" (kittykitty) is spotted, even if it's really just a squirrel.

7.  I have an excuse to buy Goldfish and Spaghetti O's.  (Yes, I ate Spaghetti O's last week and loved them.  I'm blaming it on pregnancy, because I used to think they were disgusting, but they were the culinary highlight of my week). 

6.  Unlike the rest of the world, my toddler knows just how completely wonderful mommy and daddy are. 

5.  A little toddler voice sings the clean up song anytime she notices me unloading the dishwasher or putting something away.  Then I get applauded when I finish the task. 

4.  Storytime, and seeing her "read" the same Little Golden Books that I read when I was a child.

3.  Free hugs, kisses, and lots of giggles and belly laughs.

2.  Their little toddler potbellied look.

1.  It goes by so fast! 

Isabelle, showing daddy her doll's belly button and then her own belly button.  I love watching little ones learn and make discoveries.

What are your favorite things about toddlerhood?  I'm starting to think that every stage of babyhood and childhood is my favorite stage.

Playdough Time!

The natives were restless at my house today.  I don't know if the girls are just tired, if the exhaustion I've felt the past two days is rubbing off on them, or they're tired of being cooped up in the house, but the girls seemed bored today. 

I've had Lucy, the daughter of my friend, Emily, here at my house since Tuesday.  She's 2 1/2, and it's crazy to me to think that a 2 1/2 year old and a 1 1/2 year old could be bored.  Usually, there's no end to the silly games the girls play together. 

I can't take them anywhere because I only have a carseat for Isabelle.  There's a park within easy walking distance, but with the way I've felt today, I knew I'd be worn out by the time we made it there.  I've had a hard time turning on the fun, energetic mom part of me.  To make matters worse, Isabelle isn't her usual charming self, thanks to a couple of teeth that have just started making their way to the surface. 

To add some fun and structured play to our day, I decided to try my hand at making playdough.  It was surprisingly easy and came out much more vibrant that I would've expected.  Both girls enjoyed standing on chairs in the kitchen while I mixed the ingredients and cooked it on the stove.

Playdough when it's has just finished cooking and needs to be kneaded.

I thought I'd overcooked it, because it turned out so lumpy and thick.  But as soon as I added vanilla, stirred, and then began kneading it, it turned into the soft, pliable texture you'd expect from store-bought playdough.

With a little kneading, it was the perfect texture.  It's hard to tell with my fluorescent lighting, but this playdough is a great hot pink color.

Their Responses

Lucy had a blast.  She was so excited the entire time I was cooking the playdough.  This was not her first rodeo, so she knew what she was doing and enjoyed herself.

See the duck she made:

  You don't see the duck?  Why, it's right there.  It's the largest of all the pink blobs.  If you had the imagination of a 2 1/2 year old, you would definitely see a duck, beak and all.  She even gave him a bath later (by putting a larger playdough blob on top of him).

Isabelle's first time playing with playdough:

She's very unsure of the whole thing, but is mildly amused as she watches Lucy have fun with it. 

This is Isabelle, crying, because mommy has just helped her play with the playdough, and now her hands are dirty.  She hated the stuff. 

 

Isabelle only had fun when I got out the canape knives (spreaders) so the girls could safely cut their play-doh.  She liked banging her canape knife on the glass-topped table (which makes the perfect playdough spot--easy clean-up). 

She was so grouchy and miserable with the playdough that we eventually left Lucy to play to her heart's content, so that Isabelle and I could cuddle up in a chair and read Find the Puppy.  It's her current favorite book, and it cheered her up to shout out "puppy!" each time she found him.  Then she "read" books in the kitchen while I watched Lucy and cleaned up.  I can't wait for this teething to be over so I can get my happy girl back. 

Even if it didn't make Isabelle happy, Lucy had fun and I thought playdough-making added a nice bit of variety to our day. 

Recipe
There are tons of playdough recipes online.  I came across this one recently on the Life as Mom blog, when Jessica discussed providing a pre-school education at home.  She gave a link to her sister's blog, where she discussed how to make a playdough kit.  I liked that she'd tried several recipes and finally found this one that she loves.  I love it someone else figures it out for me.  Here's her recipe:

Homemade Playdough
makes the equivalent of 2 cans of playdough
1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tbsp. oil
food coloring
1 tbsp. imitation vanilla extract

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a saucepan.  Add the water, oil, and food coloring, whisking together until smooth.  You'll add enough food coloring to bring it to the desired color.  (I used Wilton decorator colors for my playdough, because that's the only food coloring I have.  It's guaranteed to result in vibrant colors, but since it stains easily, I was concerned about it staining the girls' hands pink.  It didn't, and the color was great.)  Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it's almost set (it will be difficult to stir).  Add vanilla and stir until combined.  It will probably look lumpy, but knead it on wax paper or a cutting board and it will be smooth and pliable. 


Both girls are napping, so I'd better get some rest too!  Anyone else try making playdough before?  What was your result?  I'm not sure how long this stuff will last.  I've stored it in a ziplock bag, but from what I've read, it may not keep longer than a month or two.

A Juice-free Toddlerhood

It's indeed possible. 

Isabelle was just a few months old when I began reading about monitoring juice intake closely.  I quickly realized that the easiest and healthiest thing to do would be to avoid juice from the very beginning.  To juice or not to juice is a hot button issue right now.  The American Academy of Pediatrics has even issued a policy statement titled "The Use and Misuse of Fruit Juice in Pediatrics."  In it, they provide specific guidelines on how much juice a child should drink in a given day.  I was surprised to read that children from 1-6 years of age should only consume 4-6 ounces per day. 

Hopefully it won't offend some of you if I tackle this issue and share my approach, which is very different than most people's.

Why Drink Juice?
Let's first look at the reasons why parents give their children juice.  The "juice junky" problem is a relatively new one.  Our parents and grandparents probably only drank water and milk all day long.

Here are some reasons why parents give their children juice:

• We want our children to be properly hydrated.  Juice is sweet, so children are likely to drink plenty of it and will stay hydrated.
• Juice can, in fact, replace a serving of fruit for your child if its a good quality juice.  If you do give your child juice, make sure you educate yourself on it so that you know what you're buying.  The AAP says to only give your child 100% pasteurized fruit juice.  But if you do consider juice to replace a fruit, do know that it's still not as healthy as eating the actual fruit because it lacks the fiber and added vitamins contained in fruit.

Many parents I know cut the juice with water to dilute it.  This is definitely a great way to handle juice and keep it from being too sweet. 

Why Avoid Juice?

• Obesity:  I think the biggest reason that the AAP issued a statement and magazines are devoting articles to the issue is because obesity is such a problem in the U.S.  While this can be a compelling reason to avoid juice, I wasn't too concerned about it with Isabelle.  She's been in the 5th-10th percentile for both height and weight, and I don't see that changing, especially since we eat relatively healthy meals at home.
• Cavities:  If a child sips on juice all day, it can wreak havok on their teeth, for the same reason that a child shouldn't walk around with a bottle or cup of milk all day.  The sugar simply eats away at the teeth.
• Sweets:  I've also read that the juice habit can easily lead into a soda habit for an older child.  Again, good family self-discipline can prevent this from becoming an issue.  But it's true that you should encourage your children to have a taste for water instead of sweet drinks. 
• Poor Nutrition:  This is one of the primary reasons I decided to avoid juice.  Drinking juice can easily drown a child's appetite for food, so your toddler may not eat the foods that will provide a variety of nutrients. 
• Sugar:  This is my other main reason for avoiding juice.  I first heard about the effects of sugar on the immune system before Isabelle was born, when I listened to a CD by Shaklee in which Sherrie Attilla discusses how to build your child's immune system.  When I read The Vaccination Book, Dr. Sears discusses the importance of keeping a strong immune system by avoiding sugar.  He points out that, as a pediatrician, the busiest time of the year at his office is the week after Halloween.  Why is that?  When you consume sugar, particularly in large amounts, your white blood cells aren't as effective at killing germs.  In fact, with 100 grams of sugar, your white blood cells can be 40% less effective, and this can take place in as little as 30 minutes after consumption.  So when you give your child a cup of juice and drop them off at the church nursery, you can bet he or she is more prone to picking up any germs that anyone has to offer.  Sugar makes your child susceptible to other issues as well.  If your child is finishing up a round of antibiotics and ends up with a diaper rash, the rash is more likely to become a yeast rash if your child consumes lots of sugar and white flour, because candida thrive on both of these.  The antibiotics throw off your child's natural balance and the sugar and flour add to the problem. 

So should you give your child juice or not?
That, my friends, is a personal decision.  I wanted to share this information with you simply to let you know that there is another way of doing things.  Much like sharing my cloth diapering stories with you.  I just want to let you know that you can do things differently than the status quo if you want.  But I promise, I don't consider you to be a bad parent for giving your child juice. 

When it comes to parenting, I like to take a long term perspective.  For example, with the juice issue, here's one question I asked myself:  Which adult is healthier?  One who drinks soda (we say Coke here in the south) or other sweet drinks all day long, or one who primarily drinks only water all day?  Definitely the one who drinks mostly water.

How do you end up with a teenager or adult who drinks primarily water?  You start with childhood.  The way we've ended up with a juice-free toddlerhood is simply by only offering water and milk.  If you don't give them juice, they won't know what they're missing.  And it's incredibly convenient.  I can put half-empty sippy cups in my diaper bag and know that it won't be a problem to fill them up at church or a restaurant because all we need is water, which is free everywhere.  Isabelle has recently started calling her drinks "juice" sometimes because she's picked up the word from other kids.  She thinks of it as a synonym for drink.  But I still just give her moo juice and water. 

Most of the friends that I respect as parents give their children juice. Part of this is because the problems with juice have only been publicized in the past couple of years. I've heard some parents say they'd do it differently if they could. Regardless, I'm not in the habit of making judgments on your parenting skills based on what you put in your child's sippy cup.

So where do you fall on the juice issue? 
 
On a more positive note, here's one of my favorite Veggie Tales Silly Songs: 
 

Things To Do Before Baby Number Two

It hit me today how fast this pregnancy is going!  In four weeks, I'll have my next prenatal appointment, and I will be 19 weeks pregnant.  That's about halfway!  Isabelle came at 38 weeks, and this baby will come sometime around week 39 (for a planned second c-section). 

We'll reach the halfway point in September, then Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here, and after that, we'll have 6 weeks until the baby comes! 

And I've got way too much to do! 

Here's my list.  When I offered to read it to my husband, he groaned, but said yes, he'd listen to the list, since he knows it will make me feel better to share it with him.  He gets me.  He really gets me.  =)

It mainly consists of redecorating rooms, as well as scrapbooking and sewing that I know I'll never get around to once I'm a mom of two. 

We have a three bedroom house, and one of the bedrooms has a door connecting it to the master bedroom.  This makes it a perfect nursery, so that I don't have to trek across the house in the wee hours of the morning to check on a baby.  It's really been wonderful.  But now that we're expecting baby #2, we'll need to make the guest room a toddler bedroom, so there's quite a bit of work to be done.  And the list gets longer if baby #2 is a boy.  Our baby bedding is pink, pink, and pink, so we'll have to redo the bedding and some other aspects of the nursery if this one is a boy. 

Most of the work consists of painting furniture, buying and hanging curtains, and getting a headboard for the bed.  Damian has some minor work he's doing on a chest of drawers we acquired from friends, but it's not much of a job at all.  I'll wait until it's a bit cooler to start sanding and painting furniture, but I don't want to wait too long!  We have a small table and chairs that are made for a toddler, but I'm not a fan of the 1970s look they have.  So inspired by the Pottery Barn Kids catalog, I'm going to paint the table white and the chairs will each be painted a different pastel color.  Here's the look I'm going for: 

Isn't it adorable?  Mine won't be quite so perfect, but I think it'll be pretty cute, and it'll be a nice place for Isabelle to color. 

Item #1 was scratched off the list this weekend.  We bought bedding for Isabelle's "big girl bed" on a whim Friday night.  I was shopping for a housewarming gift on Friday when I stumbled across bedding that I absolutely love.  It was an incredible price, and very much my style.  It also fits with the cottage feel of our home.   So we went back to the store on Friday to pick up the bedding, which my husband loves too. 

Silly Isabelle, checking out her new bed.

We'll keep Isabelle in the crib for a bit longer.  The guest room is also where I store my scrapbooking and sewing gear, so I have lots to do in the room before it's ready for a toddler.  Isabelle is in love with my sewing machine and takes any opportunity to play with it.  One of the items on my to do list is to create a sewing & scrapbooking nook in my bedroom.  I plan on refinishing furniture and completing the sewing nook so that it can be my birthday present in September. 

Am I too ambitious or what?  Is anyone in the mood to do some sanding and painting with me??  =)

Homesick, A Recipe, and Who Dat!

It started with seeing this video two days ago:



It's an intro for Madden 11.  After watching it, Damian and I were ready for some football. 

This morning, I saw this video posted by a friend on Facebook.



Would I be a sap if I admitted that I teared up while watching it??  I did.  I was born in Baton Rouge.  My mom was raised there.  I also attended college for one year at LSU, before I transferred to Louisiana Tech University. 

All growing up, we'd visit my grandparents in Baton Rouge, and my grandmother would take us for tours of the State Capital (old and new), and we'd picnic near the big Huey Long statue.  She also took us to the Baton Rouge Zoo (not to be mistaken for the Audobon Zoo, where they all axed for you).  We'd visit the USS Kidd and Mike the Tiger.  Mike's got a much better home now than he did back then.  We always felt sorry for poor Mike in his tiny cage.  Here he is in his newer, more humane habitat.

So yes, today I'm nostalgic for home, wherever that is.  I guess I consider it South Louisiana.  When we moved back to Louisiana, I was 12, and seemed more like a Texas girl because I didn't have a Cajun accent (and I have mom's blonde hair instead of dad's darker Cajun features).  But growing up in Houston, we considered ourselves Louisiana transplants and enjoyed our visits back to Opelousas and Baton Rouge, where my grandparents lived. 

So what's a Louisiana girl to do?  There's no visit home in sight until Labor Day, when we'll head down for a baby shower for my brother and his wife. 

To cope, I put on my Saints t-shirt, dressed Isabelle up in her pink LSU cheerleading dress, and we went grocery shopping.  While there, we picked up everything we'd need to make Crawfish Fettuccine for dinner tonight.  I'll post the recipe at the bottom of the page.

And let me add a big WHO DAT!  Tonight's the first Saints game of the pre-season.  I don't care if the Saints or LSU both have losing seasons (OK, so maybe I do care a little).  But last year's Super Bowl win was enough to tide me over for a few more years.  If we can stay LSU football fans during the 90s (remember the DiNardo years?), and hang on during the Saints eternal drought, we can make it through anything. 

Damian and I, watching the Saints win the Super Bowl, something neither of us ever thought we'd see. 

Now it's time to get cookin'.

This recipe comes from the cookbook, Simply Seafood. It was a fundraiser project for the Notre Dame High School (Crowley, LA) FCCLA back in 2002 and was given to us as a wedding gift by the Herpin family. Since I know it's about impossible for anyone to get their hands on this cookbook now, I have no qualms with sharing this recipe online.

Crawfish Fettucine
Ingredients:
1 sick butter or margarine
1 onion
1/4 c. flour
8 oz. Velveeta
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
Salt, pepper, and Tony Chachere's to taste
1 bell pepper
celery (a couple of ribs)
1 c. half and half
1 lb crawfish (I have to buy frozen packages here, and I find that a 12 oz. package is plenty of crawfish)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Fettuccine noodles

Instructions
Saute' bell veggies in margarine.  Blend all the remaining ingredients together with the pre-cooked noodles.  Place in a large pan or oven dish.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. 

Does it get any easier than that? 

This is a perfect recipe for doing freezer cooking (bulk cooking).  If you do plan on freezing it and you're using frozen crawfish tails, be sure to use safe food practices.  You'll have to completely cook the crawfish tails before freezing again, unless you want to make someone sick.  Just cook them in the pan with your veggies, and you'll have no problem.

Enjoy! 

Belated July Update

I was just so geared up to talk about nursing last week that I neglected to post a family update!  I realized it at some point during the week, but had no spare time to post another blog.  I'm actually pretty amazed that I managed to complete blog posts five days in a row!

As a Family
We've enjoyed more visits from family again this month.  We've hardly traveled this summer, but we've had enough family visiting to make up for it.  Damian's parents stopped by again for a couple of days last month.  We also had a great visit with Damian's brothers and their families.  Adam and his fiance, Shelly, drove down from Tulsa.  Gary, Damian's oldest brother, drove up from Baton Rouge with Celeste, his wife, and our two sweet nieces, Jolie and Jordan.  The girls are 5 and 3, and they both played really well with Isabelle.  Izzy had so much fun and hated for them to leave.  It was great to see everyone at the same time and relax together.  Usually we only see each other at Christmas, at family functions, and maybe once in the summer, so this was a great time to catch up.

Isabelle at 19 months
Izzy's vocabulary has started booming again lately, and she's become very proficient at communicating her needs.  Unfortunately, not everyone understands Isabelle-speak.  Let me translate:  lala=outside, gacky=thank you, and a doh= all done.  Some of her words sound more on target than others, but regardless, we're glad she wants to communicate with us verbally.  Even her sign language is becoming unnecessary, since she's now able to verbally say most of the words she signs.  She's picking up words pretty quickly.  As I was dressing her this morning, I was teaching her a few words.  I told her that she would play with Beth and Lily today.  She quickly learned to say both girls' names, and then I taught her the sign language for play, since she wasn't understanding the word.  In a matter of minutes, she'd learned three words and was able to say "Hi Beth!" when we walked into the living room at my friend's house 15 minutes later. 

Discipline is going pretty well with her.  She can be pretty persisitent (stubborn) at times, but we've found quite a bit of success with discipline in the past month.  I've seen her make great strides in obeying mommy and daddy.  I think I've been more consistent with her all day, and we're finally seeing some fruit from it.  It can wear a mama out at times, but it's great to see a pay off.  I'm sure in a few weeks, she'll start testing those boundaries all over again, but for now, I'm enjoying a toddler who obeys most of the time. 

She's doing better at feeding herself, but we still have days where she ends up looking something like this: 

While Mommy wasn't paying close attention, Isabelle dumped the bowl out and smeared oatmeal all over herself.  Charming, isn't she?

Gabby, personally
I'm now 14 weeks pregnant, so I've made it to the second trimester!  Yay!  Too bad the morning sickness hasn't taken the hint yet.  It can leave any time it wants.  I wouldn't mind a bit.  I've continued taking the over the counter medicines I mentioned a few weeks ago, and those continue to prevent me from feeling nauseous all day, which is wonderful.  I still get sick, on average, about 3 times a week, but it's manageable.  I keep reminding myself that I've dealt with worse, but that's small consolation when you're losing your lunch.  But we just roll with it.  Isabelle keeps her distance because she doesn't understand, and I just spend the next hour or so relaxing, when possible.  Most days, I feel really great, and I'm able to keep the house clean, cook, and play with Isabelle, so I'm very grateful to be feeling so well. 

Otherwise, believe it or not, I love being pregnant.  I love seeing my friends' new little babies, and knowing I'll have another one soon.  I love planning for a baby, and thinking about what this one will look like and be like.  And I can't wait to hold it.  I did get to feel a few kicks recently, which was exciting. 

I'm not showing yet, but I've totally outgrown any non-maternity pants.  It's all baby and uterus, because I've only gained the typical 1.5 pounds during the first trimester. 

Books, books, books!
Damian and I have continued meeting once a week to discuss God, Marriage, and Family, by Andreas Kostenberger.  We've really enjoyed it and our discussion has been wonderful.  It's our version of date night.  We've also been reading Marriage, the Journey, by Anne Trippe.  It's got a great perspective of marriage life that's unlike most of the marriage books out there.  Last month, I finished reading Seasons of a Mother's Heart, by Sally Clarkson.  Several of us read it at the same time, and I think we all found it both refreshing and challenging.  Sally Clarkson and her husband have a ministry for homeschooling parents, so reading this book made me very excited about what's in store for us as a homeschooling family.  I'm ready to order curriculum and get started!  Now I just need a school-aged kid!  But since 19 month olds aren't quite ready for school yet, we'll stick with our shapes, colors, and early phonics for now. 

We celebrated our 8th anniversary yesterday!  It makes me feel like an old married person to be so close to my tenth anniversary, but I feel so blessed to be happily married, 8 years into this journey. 

I hope you and your family are doing well!  Thanks again for the helpful contributions during last week's posts.  It was fun to write a series.

My Favorite Nursing Gear: WBW, post 5

There are few things I love looking at more than baby gear.  I think it's an illness or an addiction, or maybe it's because that's the phase of life I'm in.  Either way, I've definitely got a list of favorites when it comes to nursing gear.

From a purist's perspective, all you really need is mommy and baby.  That's the beauty of nursing.  If a storm hits and you're out of power for days at a time, as long as you're with your baby, you have no need of anything besides diapers.   

But many of us are on-the-go, so some of the items on this list are geared towards on-the-go moms, or they simply make nursing more comfortable.

Boppy:  It should come as no surprise that the Boppy tops my list of must-haves.  These things are awesome.  My mom frequently comments on all the great baby items we have now (I think she envies my super cool cloth diapers).  But the item she loves the most is the Boppy.  They're a must have, even if you don't plan on nursing, because they make it much easier to hold the baby.  A Boppy will also assist those younger family members in holding the baby without fear.  They're great for propping up baby before she can sit up on her own.  Be sure to get two slipcovers.  It's inevitable that the Boppy will be baptized with spit up at some point, so you want to be prepared. 

Nursing Cover:  Bebe Au Lait and other companies are making the cutest nursing covers.  They make it very convenient to nurse in public without fear of the baby yanking down a blanket or burp cloth and exposing mom.  I never nursed in very public places, but I used mine all the time at Bible study, at friends' houses, in the car, or in a sitting area of a women's dressing room at the mall.  Most nursing covers are made with boning at the top, making it easy to peek in on baby.  They often have a small pocket in the corner that can hold nursing pads.  These pockets are usually made of terry cloth so they can also wipe baby's mouth when he's finished nursing.

Ointment:  To avoid or treat chapping, use a lanolin ointment.  All of the ointments can vary in consistency, so my personal favorite is Lansinoh because it is so thick.  I was also advised to use it for Isabelle's chapped lips when she was just a few days old.  This stuff is wonderful and one tube can last quite a while.  I've also read that plain old breastmilk can work wonders too, but this was always my favorite.

Nursing Pads:  I also loved Lansinoh's nursing pads.  I tried every brand out there and decided these are my favorites because they're very discreet.  They're individually wrapped, which is nice for tucking into the diaper bag, but not so fun to fumble with at 3 am.  I often used a cheaper brand of pads, without wrapping, to keep on my end table for nighttime feedings.  Along the same lines, you must have nursing bras and maybe a nursing tank or two.  I know these truly are nursing essentials, but I didn't feel like blogging about under garments.

Gimble:  OK, so this isn't really a nursing necessity, but I loved mine.  My husband picked one up for me at the bookstore in town because he had watched me read and nurse for the previous 8 months.  I'm sure he noticed that at times I had to put something on the edge of the book to weigh it down so that I could read "hands free."  The Gimble, a simple plastic hook, fixes all of that (the package comes with two plastic hooks of different sizes, to fit various books).  I'm an avid reader, so I loved it.  Damian earned mega brownie points when he brought that home for me.  It's what I call a perfect "Gabby Gift."  Gabby Gifts always involve reading or cooking. 

A Good Breastfeeding Book:  My personal favorite is The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.  I borrowed it from a friend.  Siri came over one evening to bring us breakfast for the next day and see the baby, and I immediately dumped on her with all of our nursing issues.  She called her mom, a former La Leche League Leader, who talked me through some issues and was supportive of our efforts to get rid of the nursing shield.  Siri then ran home to get her nursing book, which I read avidly.  It will answer every question you have and more.  After reading most of the chapers (at least twice), I felt like an expert. 

Breast Pump:  If you're going to pump, you'll want a really good quality breast pump.  Don't skimp or cut corners.  I hear it really makes a difference.  It might be good to borrow one from a friend instead.  Another option for buying a good pump at a cheap price is ebay.  Nursing often doesn't work out for moms, but they've already invested in a $300 pump that's been used twice.  They sell their barely used pumps on ebay for great prices.  Only the horns, valves, and milk storage items actually touch the milk, and you can sanitize these easily.  You could also just buy a replacement package of accessories and you'll still save a ton of money.  Be sure to do your homework so you know what you're buying.  The newer pumps have BPA-free components.  My pump was given to me by my sister-in-law, and it's a very good quality Medela pump.  I didn't think I'd really need it, since I don't work outside of the home, but it really came in handy when we were having our nursing issues.  I've already decided that if my pump ever goes out, I'll buy one from ebay. 

You may also want to get a hand pump.  I rarely gave Isabelle a bottle, but I found it made car trips easier, since she was a slow nurser.  I sat in the backseat of the car and gave her a bottle, and we'd pull over to burp her and change her diaper.  Then I would use the hand pump to make another bottle and maintain milk supply.  Some hospitals give out hand pumps in the new mommy bag, which is how I ended up with several of them.  My sister-in-law received them at Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge, so she gave them to me when she was done with them. 

Bottles:  I was really hesitant to give Isabelle a bottle because we had worked so hard to get her to nurse.  Breastflow bottles relieved some of my fears.  These bottles mimic the nursing process more than any other bottle.  With a typical bottle, the baby just needs to suck to get milk.  With Breastflow bottles, a baby must suck and compress it with his tongue, just like nursing.  I loved these bottles and found that the four pack was more than I needed, since I rarely gave Isabelle a bottle.  To me, bottles are too much of a hassle. 

SNS (Supplemental Nursing System):  These aren't exactly a must-have either, but they can come in handy if you have to supplement in any way and you want to avoid giving a bottle.  If you have a real nursing problem, like I did, then an SNS can be a life saver.  Mine is still sitting in a box in the closet, since it arrived in the mail after we'd resolved all of our nursing issues.  But I have it for next time, or to loan out to any mom who might need it.

My favorite website for answering every imaginable nursing question is Kellymom.  Kelly is an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), so you can be sure that her ideas and thoughts are well-researched and intelligent.  My husband discovered this site when we were troubleshooting our nursing issues, and it was extremely helpful.  Kelly's opinions lined up completely with those of my La Leche League leader and my breastfeeding book.  I still prefer a good breastfeeding book because after having a baby (and having a c-section), the last thing I wanted to do was sit at the computer to look up info. 

Is there anything I've forgotten?  What are your favorite nursing items?  I hope you've enjoyed the World Breastfeeding Week posts.  I've loved the feedback I've received from many of you.  Thanks for reading and discussing with me! 

Troubleshooting and Breakthroughs! WBW, post 4

This is the fourth post in a five-part series for World Breastfeeding Week. To read previous posts and review ground rules for discussion, click here.  Again, please post all comments on my blog and not on Facebook. Thanks!

To resolve our nursing issues with the shield, we would essentially have to re-teach Isabelle how to properly latch.  Today, I'm going to outline the process that finally brought nursing success.  I would only attempt this with the guidance of a knowledgeable lactation specialist, and you should maintain careful logs of wet and dirty diapers, as well as nursing times, duration, etc. to make sure baby is adequately nourished.

I looked online for someone else's explanation of the process, but I found nothing, which proves my theory that I'm the only woman in the world to go through this insane process.  Kidding.  I've met one other person who went through this too, and lived to tell about it.  I think most moms have to just live with using the shield, supplementing and hoping it improves at some point.  I was fortunate to have help from a good lactation specialist who could guide me through this. 

Teaching Baby to Latch

• Skin to Skin Contact:  Not only will this help your baby be awake and alert for nursing, but skin to skin contact stimulates a baby's natural suckling reflex. This was not fun in the dead of winter, but it was a critical component for success. 
• Pump Before Nursing:  When a baby nurses, it can take a minute or two of nursing for mom's let-down reflex to begin and release the milk.  It would be a disappointment if the baby finally latches but is unable to get milk immediately, and the baby may quit prematurely.  I pumped on the side I wanted to nurse on, but only until milk started coming.  Then we began trying to nurse.
• The Medicine Dropper Approach:  We had to teach Isabelle exactly where milk came from.  To do this, my La Leche League leader said I would need someone to drip milk (that I'd expressed) down me so that the baby would be encouraged to nurse.  This became my mom's job, since she was our resident expert breastfeeder (she nursed 7 babies, including twins) and also has an infinite amount of patience.  My mother had to keep a steady stream of milk coming so that the baby would continue trying to nurse properly.  Ideally, the baby would latch and receive milk from both mommy and the the medicine dropper.  But much of the time, this doesn't happen, and the baby only gets milk from the medicine dropper.  We did this for every feeding, which usually lasted well over an hour, at least 8 times a day, including those 4 am feedings.  Sometimes she would latch for a bit and nurse, but other times she wouldn't.  Usually, she would at least latch on one side for 15 minutes or so, and sometimes she would nurse even longer.  We had to keep a close eye on how many ounces she had eaten from the medicine dropper.
• Spoon Feed if Necessary:  If Isabelle had not latched for very long and she hadn't consumed very many ounces of expressed milk, then we had to supplement her somehow.  Since she was only one week old when we began this process, we were hesitant to give her a bottle because we didn't want her to refuse nursing altogether after getting used to a bottle.  We were advised to try cup feeding or spoon feeding expressed milk to the baby.  It's very hard to spoon feed a newborn because she still has her tongue thrust or "extrusion reflex," and she will force everything out of her mouth.  
• Pump After Nursing:  During all of this, I had to become an avid pumper.  I'd received a good quality, hand-me-down Medela pump from my sister-in-law, although I really thought it would receive very little use, since I'm a stay-at-home mom.  But my La Leche League leader kept reinforcing that I needed to work hard to guard my milk supply.  If we were able to succeed with all of this, it would be for nothing if I had very little milk at the end of it, since she wasn't nursing very much.  And even if all of it failed, if I still had a good milk supply, I would be able to pump bottles and my baby would still receive the benefits of being breast fed.  There was another bonus too.  Mommy's milk is thinner at the beginning and fattier at the end of nursing.  This means that any milk I gave to my child through a medicine dropper would only be the best, thickest, fattiest milk, and would help her grow well.  Months later, if I needed a bottle for a car trip, I followed this same technique of pumping at the end of nursing to make bottles of only the best milk. 

After three days of this, we seemed to hit a wall.  Sometimes she'd nurse, and other times she wouldn't.  At this point, my mother also had to return home to South Louisiana.  She still has kids at home, and they needed her too.  My twin sister took off work to help me go through the nursing process during the day, while my husband was at work. 

Finally, it was Monday, and time for Isabelle's 2 week checkup.  We had been working with her on latching for a week, with no consistent results.  We were very concerned about her weight gain, but we were astonished when the nurse weighed her and we discovered she was down to 6 pounds even.  She'd started life at 6 pounds, 14 ounces.  We weren't given a weight update when we left the hospital, so we didn't know how much of her weight was lost at the hospital, how much was lost in the 6 days it took for my milk to come in, and how much was lost while we tried to teach her to latch.  Regardless, we felt like failures as parents. 

My one job was to feed my baby, and I couldn't do it.  I could earn a master's degree, teach Shakespeare to reluctant 14 year olds, and work miracles with at-risk students on standardized tests, but I couldn't feed my baby.  I was incredibly disappointed and depressed.  The doctor said we could keep trying this for a few more days, but on Thursday, he wanted to do a weight check.  If she hadn't gained adequately by Thursday, we would put her on a high calorie formula.  I wanted to breastfeed, but it wasn't worth the health of my child, so I agreed.  I did go home and place an order for Medela's SNS, Supplemental Nourishing System.  It's a gadget that holds milk and sends it down mom, so that baby can attempt to nurse and get other food at the same time.  I figured if we did have to put Isabelle on a high calorie formula, I could at least try to continue nursing some.

More Help
I still had hope.  That morning, I had set up an appointment with another lactation consultant.  My La Leche League leader had been pretty sick with a cold and was never able to make it to my house to help me, so she had just coached me over the phone.  I called Connie, a woman who had taught my breastfeeding class at the hospital.  She said to call if we needed help, so I did, even though I figured no one actually took her up on the offer. 

I met her at the OBGyn's office where she works, and although she should've been finished at 4, it was 5 before the patients had all left.  She spent about five minutes working with me on positioning, and then we tried the clutch or football hold.  I'd tried it before, but with her help, I held Isabelle in an even tighter football hold.  Immediately, my baby was nursing.  Fully clothed, no pump, and no medicine dropper.  We stayed in that exam room for almost an hour.  I was amazed as I watched watched Izzy nurse on both sides and listened to more advice from Connie.  When we left, only the janitors were left in the building.

I went home that day and we never had another problem.  Most likely, Isabelle had been able to latch since day three of our experiment, but I just needed some help with positioning.  Isabelle was very picky about how she was held.  If I changed just one little thing, she was done nursing, which is why she wouldn't sustain a latch.  I was so relieved to finally be a normal nursing mom.  That Thursday, I took Izzy in for her checkup.  She had gained several ounces over the past two and a half days, so she was in the clear.  The doctor was very pleased.  When I got home, I found that my $50 SNS had arrived in the mail.  Oh well.  I put it away in the closet, so that if I had nursing problems with another baby, I would be able to use it.  I was actually glad my $50 had been wasted, because it meant we'd finally succeeded.

Would've, Should've, Could've
What would I have done differently?  Well, to prevent the issues to begin with, I would've used a pump in the hospital (see yesterday's post).  But given the problems we had, I think the only thing I would've done differently is given my child a bottle, had I known she was losing weight.  But I didn't know.  Obviously, I would have wanted to make sure she was adequately nourished. 

But that aside, honestly, I would've done nothing differently.  It was a hard, emotional road to take, but it was worth it.  I was able to nurse my daughter throughout the first year, giving her the best possible start in life. 

I couldn't have gotten help from Connie sooner either.  All of this took place between Christmas and New Year's, so I was at her office for help the day they opened after the holidays.  I did learn the importance of asking for lots of help.  Most women who nurse are passionate about it and will do anything possible to assist another mom.  Even if it means staying at the office for an extra hour after work.


During that difficult week, I often prayed and more often, I cried.  I knew God gave this trial to me to challenge and grow me, and to keep me relying on Him, but it was still hard to see why we had to deal with it.  My mother pointed out that other moms might need help, and I would be in a position to coach them through nursing issues too.  Three months later, a friend called needing nursing help with her newborn.  I was pretty dubious.  "Are you sure you want help from me?  I didn't have an easy time with nursing," I told her.  She had no one else to call, so we talked through it over the phone and I brought her dinner later that night.  God was good to already show me some small rewards for the trial we'd had to go through. 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  -James 1:2-4

The Struggles of Nursing: WBW, post 3

This is the third post in a five-part series for World Breastfeeding Week.  To read previous posts and review ground rules for discussion, click here.  Again, please post all comments on my blog and not on Facebook.  Thanks!

Surgical Birth
Isabelle Rose was born on December 21, 2008.  She was in breech position, so after my doctor attempted to turn her in the womb, we had no option but a Caesarean.  Several days before, when we first discovered she was breech, I'd already cried at the thought of having a surgical birth.  On the day of her birth, when we realized we were definitely having surgery, I felt no need to cry.  I was simply elated to be having my baby.

Surgery was quick and easy, and dare I say fun?  All of us, including the doctor and nurses, were in great spirits as they delivered my baby girl, and we chit chatted as she sewed me up. Damian took Izzy to be cleaned up and weighed, and once we were done in the operating room, I was brought to recovery, where Damian met up with me.  I was still on an emotional high from having given birth, even if it was a surgical one.  Many women talk of feeling robbed after a C-section or detached from their babies, but I never felt this way.  I was instantly in love with the child I'd carried for nearly 9 months.  I couldn't even sleep that night, because I was too thrilled to be a mother.

My first time holding Isabelle. She was absolutely perfect.  I'd just finished nursing her for the first time.

First Time Nursing
Isabelle was quickly brought to me to nurse for the first time.  Suddenly, everything I'd read no longer mattered.  I remember feeling as if I needed about 5 more hands to juggle all that was going on.  Logistically, it was just difficult, but I kept trying.  My nurse was very impatient.  My husband commented afterwards that she seemed frustrated that a first time mom couldn't do it perfectly.  In fact, to be quite honest, she was a bit harsh and rude towards me, and after I'd tried for about ten minutes, she handed me a pink box and said to give it a try with this device.

   
It's a shield made by Ameda, although all the major breastfeeding support companies sell them.  It solved our problems for the moment, and Isabelle was quickly able to nurse.

Going Home
Isabelle continued to require the shield for nursing, although I still tried to nurse without it.  I didn't think anything was wrong, because she was nursing, seemed content, and I could tell she was getting some colostrum.  The first night home from the hospital, she kept me up all night with constant screaming.  She would pull her feet up and kick them out, telltale gas signs.  We called the pediatrician the next day (Christmas Eve), and he suggested Mylicon and suppositories twice a day, but Isabelle continued to have problems with gas.  I've heard of colicky babies, so I just chalked it up to having a gassy baby.  It just happens sometimes.

When Isabelle was 6 days old, my milk finally came in.  I remember watching her nurse, thinking that it was really a strange way to do it.  With the shield, she would get quite a bit of air at first.  No wonder we had problems with gas!  I began looking into it, and one of my new mommy books advised against using shields.  I read the shield's box and noticed the following statement on it:  "Extended use of a nipple shield may affect baby's ability to continue breastfeeding.  Please use only with the guidance of your health care practitioner." 

Gee, thanks.  I wanted to breastfeed longterm, yet my nurse gives me something that could prevent just that?  Wow.  Not to mention that once I read the page-long instructions, I realized I'd never been shown how to use it, and I was doing it wrong the entire time. 

What's So Wrong With a Shield?

There are a variety of reasons why a mother may be advised to use a shield.  La Leche League has a great article on the subject.  The main problem with a shield is that the baby is not able to latch on very well, and so she isn't able to stimulate mom as she should. Baby usually won't get an adequate amount of milk, leading to weight gain issues.  In my case, it also meant my milk came in very late.

Shields cause more problems than they solve, and should only be used as a last resort.  In my case, my body simply wasn't responding to nursing as it should have, either because I was a first time mom, or because I was so medicated from surgery that it could not respond appropriately.  I can see why the nurse gave it to me.  However, another possible solution is a breast pump.  Using a pump would have provided the same results, without creating more problems.  Sometimes shields are used when a mom is cracked and sore.  At this point, breastfeeding is usually well established, so it doesn't create a dependency on the shield for the baby.  Of course using Lansinoh, breast milk, or plastic shells can also work just fine and can prevent the mom from needing a shield.

The problem with using shields for the first nursing session is that a baby, like any human, has a muscle memory.  A baby develops a deep impression of that first time nursing.  In order to get Isabelle to nurse on her own, we had to override everything she already knew and essentially reprogram her muscle memory.  Fortunately for us, she was only one week old when we began that process, but some babies are harder to re-teach than others.

I actually know three different women who were also given a shield with their firstborn.  One had a C-section on the other side of the country, one had a completely natural childbirth at my hospital, and another had an epidural at my hospital.  We were all given a shield for the same reason, when we could've been brought a breast pump instead.  Some of the moms were able to nurse their babies without it eventually, but others were not.  I think most of them also experienced the same issues with gas.  All four babies struggled to gain weight adequately, forcing some of the moms to supplement with formula.  I think we all feel the same way:  Warn every new mom about these shields and make sure they do not use them.  One friend had, in fact, warned me, when I called to get her advice about having a C-section.  However, I was too concerned about the surgical birth that I wasn't really listening when she warned me.  I was too emotional and had greater concerns.  Oh, how I wish I had listened!

We've tried to figure out why hospitals continue handing these shields out.  Part of me wants to say it's because they don't care about a good nursing relationship, but I don't think this is true.  I think it's simply a quick fix, and from the nurse's perspective, it does solve the problem.  They don't see the baby two weeks later, when he hasn't gained weight as he should've.     

Seeking Help
The day after I realized the problems with a shield, I called the number of my local La Leche League leader. The hospital had included it with my dischage papers, and it just so happened that my LLL leader also attended church with us. I called Lisa and told her what was going on. She was extremely disappointed to hear that I'd been given a shield. She gave me two options for solving the problem. One was a kinder, gentler approach that involved simply attempting to nurse without it, but if the baby didn't want to, I could continue to use the shield. The second option would be very difficult and required some assistance, but had a pretty good chance of success. I chose the tough road, and believe me, it was extremely difficult and exhausting! But we did end up having success. I'll tell you about it in tomorrow's post.

This has not been my favorite subject to blog about, but I hope that sharing my struggles can help other moms out there and educate women on nursing.  We often think nursing should be easy, but few worthwhile things in life are really easy, and it's worth every bit of the effort.

Every Reason to Succeed: WBW, post 2

As I mentioned yesterday, this week is World Breastfeeding Week, so I'll be blogging on the subject all week.  The few comments I received yesterday were enough to convince me that I'd made the right decision in blogging about it this week.  I do want to remind you of the ground rules that I listed at the bottom of yesterday's post.  In a nutshell:  1. Keep the comments on the blog--let's not discuss it on Facebook, por favor.  2.  Contact me personally if you like.  3.  Girls only.  Guys, don't read it, and don't comment on it.  4.  Let's encourage and not tear down each other, especially those who choose differently than we do. 

Again, it's not my desire or intent to make anyone feel guilty for not nursing.  I know just how hard it is. 

Every Reason to Succeed:  Why Nursing Should've Been a Piece of Cake

Information is Everything
Yesterday, I shared with you several barriers to successful nursing.  One is a lack of good information.  So many times, I have heard things that are simply not true about breastfeeding.  Some myths are that your baby won't sleep as well when you nurse, you'll have to supplement with formula until your milk comes in, and that if you're meant to do it, it'll be easy. 

Isabelle never had formula, but she slept through the night consistently at 3 weeks of age.  As for the second myth I mentioned, it's simply not true.  A woman's body creates colostrum until her milk comes in, and it's the perfect substance for baby until mommy's milk arrives.  And in life, there are many things that are not easy, but worth the struggle.  Specifically, I'm thinking of "fighting" to make marriage work, being consistent with disciplining children, knowing that it'll pay off in the long run, and of course, breastfeeding.  During those first several weeks, it can be a struggle, and it's actually much tougher than bottle feeding.  But after you work through the tough spots, it's definitely easiest.  I'd rather work super hard for 2 or 3 weeks to have it easy for the next year than have to wash bottles and pay for a year's worth of formula.  Not to mention the miserable process of finding that perfect formula.  It seems every mom has to go through that.  No thanks! 

Those are just a few myths, but there really is a ton of important information that you should know prior to having your child.  If not, you could inadverdently sabatoge your nursing experience.  It pays to take a good breastfeeding class and buy a book or two about the subject (more about good books later!).  I wanted to know as much about it before hand so that I would be prepared for any struggles, or at the very least, I would understand the process.  I took a really basic class through the hospital where I would deliver.  It was helpful, especially for seeing videos and learning how to initiate that first feeding.  I also learned important things about how the body works.  And I knew I wasn't going to dare give my child a bottle at any time during those first few weeks.  Anytime you give your child a bottle, you're essentially telling your body not to create milk for that feeding.  You're reducing the demand on your body, therefore you're reducing milk supply.  Uh oh!  That's why it's so critical to nurse at any opportunity. 

My goal was to make myself as informed as possible, before my daughter was born.  I still had no idea what I was in store for, and I did make several mistakes.  There's no way you can know everything, but you can try to at least learn the basics ahead of time. 

Supportive Community
Another reason why breastfeeding should've been pretty easy is because I am blessed to have an incredible support system for motherhood and certainly for nursing.  I could spend lots of time bragging about my husband, but that would make you gag, and it would make him uncomfortable.  But a supportive spouse is important.  In fact, What to Expect When You're Expecting says that a supportive husband can make or break the nursing relationship. 

But my supportive community is not limited to my husband.  Our church is very much like an extension of our family, since we have no family in Texarkana.  The church is very family-oriented, and many of the women stay at home with their children.  A significant number of women at Fellowship Bible Church also nurse their babies.  If my opinion of how many people nurse their babies was based solely on FBC, then I would think about 80-90% of women exclusively nursed the first 6 months or year.  But I know lots of moms outside of our church, so I know that simply isn't true, and the data certainly backs that up as well.  Ours is a smaller church, but we have a great little nursing room in the nursery.  And women aren't surprised to see new moms nursing at Bible study.  That's just the norm, and everyone comments on how sweet it is. 

A bigger element of my supportive community is my mother and my extended family.  While nursing isn't common in my husband's family, my sister-in-law did nurse her children, so I wasn't even 4 months pregnant when I was blessed with a high quality Medela pump, plus all the accessories, courtesy of Celeste. 

In my own family, it was pretty much expected that I would breastfeed.  Breastfeeding used to be pretty uncommon, but my mother broke that cycle in her family by being the first to nurse her children.  She was a young mom who didn't know what she was doing, but she knew that nursing seemed natural, and it seemed as if God intended us to feed our children this way, so why not try it?  She went on to nurse all seven of her children, including my twin sister and I.  This gave me an incredible advantage.

Many lactation specialists, as well as books and magazines promoting breastfeeding, are quick to point out that a big struggle for most American women is that they have never seen a woman breastfeed her baby until they do it themselves.  So positioning, latching, and all the small details are completely new and unfamiliar.  I'm not advocating that we all expose ourselves to the world as we breastfeed, but I do think that's an advantage of a large family where mom nurses.  Having seen my mother nurse all four of my brothers, I was familiar with how she held them, how to nurse descreetly, and how to latch and unlatch a baby.  I also knew that it could be very easy to do, and that it was so much more convenient than washing bottles. 

I also knew that it wasn't gross.  The word on the street among young twenty year old girls is that it's disgusting to nurse your children!  Seriously!  I've heard this so many times from different girls.  Most girls that I know don't believe it's gross, but they tell me all their college-age friends say it's yuck!  That just saddens me. 

Since my mother nursed, I was also blessed with a built-in helper for nursing.  The problems I eventually dealt with were completely unfamiliar to her, but she was able to help me with every other area (and I was able to get help from a lactation specialist who, of course, goes to my wonderful church).  And certainly as Isabelle got older, I was able to call my mom with various nursing questions.  I also followed her advice for weaning, and it was a breeze (just hard on my emotions!).

The most important aspect of having seen my mother nurse is that I believed, from a very young age, that this was the best and only way to feed your child.  This gave me determination when things got tough.  I was so stubborn to fight and make it work, yet my mom says she was also amazed at my patience (because I'm not patient at all!!  I assure you, my patience was from the Lord, because there's not a bit of patience in this stubborn body of mine).  Because I'd planned, my entire life, to nurse my children, it would've been a huge disappointment had it not worked out.  But I've come to see that most nursing difficulties really can be worked through, with enough help, determination, and prayer. 

Interested in reading more breastfeeding information or getting great tips?  Check out Amy's Finer Things, where she's blogging all about breastfeeding this week.  Her posts are incredibly helpful and insightful.