Dads and Doulas

http://pregnancy.about.com/od/doula1/a/dads-and-doulas.htm

Yet another response to BMJ article on early feeding of infants

http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/unicef_uk_response_to_BMJ_article_140111.pdf

Cesareans and family size

The rate of Cesarean section in the US is at an all time high, with almost 1 in 3 women haveing C-sections.  I believe that part of the reason for so many cesareans is that we are anxious.  We cannot wait to meet our babies or for labor to begin, so we induce labors.  And, let's face it, labor takes a long time...so we use medication to speed up labor, and other medicines to take away the pain of a labor that we are trying to rush through.  I think that we sometimes create problems due to a lack of patience.  There are also many ligitmate reasons for a cesarean, but whatever the reason, many women are having this common surgery.

One thing that doesn't seem to come up until after the fact is that the first cesarean can dictate your family size.  Many doctors are resistant to Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC), even thought ACOG has stated that VBAC is safe even after two previous c-sections.  And some womean are scared to choose VBAC.  I remember talking to a friend when she was pregnant for the second time, her first birth was via cesarean.  She was scared to try for a VBAC.  We hear a lot of talk about uterine "rupture" and that just sounds really scary.  One of the things that surprised me, after doing to research, looking just at the stats, the risk of a complication from cesarean was higher than the risk of a complication from a VBAC.  The risk of a uterine rupture or tear is real, but it is very small.

The point that I am getting to, is that more and more women are having multiple cesareans.  How many ceseareans are too many?  I cannot find a concrete answer.  I met a woman once, who had had 5, the last two were against her doctor's wishes.  A quick Google search, led me to a discussion board, where a woman had 9!  I know of doctor's who have limited women to 3.  There is not always a choice when it comes to needing a cesarean or not, but there is a choice with subsequent pregnancies to choose VBAC.  Choosing to have multiple c-sections can limit family size.  Even if you think you don't want more than 1 or 2 children now, doesn't mean that you won't change your mind in the future.

I feel that this is an important aspect that is too often over looked until it is too late.  A great resource on this issue is the International Cesearan Awareness Network.  http://www.ican-online.org/

Response to New Breastfeeding Study

http://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2011/01/starting-solids-facts-behind-todays.html

Better than drugs??

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20101010/Bathing-better-than-pethidine-as-pain-relief-during-labor-Survey.aspx

”Birth is one of the most profound teaching experiences life offers. It touches us in the depths of our souls, the most private recesses of who we are. It requires that we respond with more creative energy, more conviction, more trust, than almost anything else we do. Birth requires an intensity that is rarely demanded by other experiences…And through it, we can learn more about ourselves, our strengths, our weaknesses, our relationship patterns, and our needs than through almost any other experience we will face in our life.” ~Nancy Wainer Cohen (Via: Peaceful Birth Project)

Cool Mom

When I was pregnant for the first time, I remember thinking that my life wasn't really going to change that much.  I thought I would keep the same friends, keep the same hobbies, workout everyday, and be a "cool mom".   People kept telling me how much my life would change after I had the baby, but I just wouldn't listen.  Looking back, no matter what anyone told me, it could not have prepared me for motherhood, it has to be experienced.  I was sure though that I was going to be the cool mom.  The mom, that all the other kids wished they had.  I would never go out in public wearing sweat pants and no makeup.  I definitely wasn't going to wear granny panties or buy frumpy "mom" clothes.  I just couldn't understand these moms that I would see, who didn't care about themselves or the way they looked anymore.  I was not going to let that happen, no way!

Now, I have 4 kids.  I have been pregnant 4 times and would consider myself to be an experienced mother of young children (I know....I still have a lot to learn, I have not been the parent of a teenager yet).  I'll admit it, yes, I have gone out in public in sweats, without taking a shower that morning, and with no makeup on.  Let's be honest here, sometimes you just don't have time to take a shower or do makeup....and sweatpants, just fit better.  Same thing with the mom clothes and granny panties, they just seem to fit the post-pregnancy body better than the clothes in the "juniors" section.  Well, I guess I'm not as cool as I thought I would be, afterall.  But ya know what?  I don't really care that much about being a cool mom anymore, I just want to be the best mom to my children that I can be.  I can love my kids, clean up after their messes, and teach the right from wrong wearing sweat pants. Heck, I'm probably a better mom in sweats than I am when I'm wearing clothes that I don't want to get dirty.  My kids are still young enough that they think I'm pretty cool, I'm sure in a few years that will change, but I'm OK with that now.

And I do have some non-granny panties that I save for date night with my husband :)

Women with infertility and recurrent miscarriages more likey to have undiagnosed celiac disease

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6K-51J7CKJ-1&_user=10&_coverDate=11%2F24%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=032962225aaccad95a79d065c845b872&searchtype=a

The Return to Work

Like many moms, I have to work outside the home.  I have 4 children now, and have never had to use formula.  Working and breastfeeding can co-exist....it just takes a little 'work'.
I would like to give some tips that have helped me.

• before returning work start pumping at home to stockpile some milk in your freezer
• talk to your baby and tell him or her that you will be returning to work (I don't know if they understand, but it always made me feel better to vocalize my feelings)
• pump during baby's naptime
• "cluster" pump.  just as your baby cluster nurses to increase your milk supply.  Try pumping 5-10 minutes after a feeding, wait another 5-10 minutes and pump again
• try to pump at the same time each day
• pumping in the early morning my produce more milk
• find a private place at work, where you will be comfortable
• arrange breaks ahead of time
• don't put off pumping, set a time and then be sure to go at that time
• try to pump every 3-4 hours
• bring a picture of your baby, or a video of your baby on you phone
• bring a blanket or piece of your baby's clothing with you, something that smells like your baby
• massage your breasts prior to pumping
• try to relax and think about your baby, not your work that is waiting for you
• pump for several minutes after the milk stops flowing
• milk is safe in a cooler with an ice pack for up to 24 hours

To me the extra effort was worth it.  I never had to spend money on formula, and my breast pump paid for itself in just a few months (with my first baby, and I'm still using the same pump now for baby #4).  I also felt somehow more connected to my baby, as I was taking the time to pump at work.  It truly was and is an act of love for my baby.
Good luck!

Why Hire a Doula?

http://www.pregnancytoday.com/articles/professionals-and-policies/why-hire-a-doula-2266/

Reason # 86 to breastfeed

"UNICEF estimates if all children were exclusively breastfed from birth, it could prevent over a million deaths in children under five in the developing world and calls it “the perfect food” for children up to two years old."

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2011/01/breastfed-babies-end-up-stronger-kids-literally.html

newborn weight loss after birth

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-2663v1?papetoc&eaf

Sleep

The other night as my husband and I were getting ready for bed, our dog, Trey, who was in his kennel, started barking. We thought this was unusual because he had just gone out to potty and he is used to sleeping in there.  Jokingly, I told my husband, we should just let him "bark it out" tonight.  Of course, we went to check on him and let him out of his kennel, and he came upstairs and got in bed with us (being a small dog, he easily fits at the foot of the bed).

After I made the joke about letting him cry bark it out, I started thinking about the way we treat our babies.  I wouldn't keep my dog locked in his kennel barking, even though I knew he was fed and had just gone potty, why would I ever keep my baby locked in his crib crying? (Ever notice how much cribs look like cages?)

Yet, I hear parents, frequently talking about how their babies eventually learned to sleep after they were left to cry it out in their cribs.  How much more do we love our children than our pets?  It was unthinkable to me to leave my dog in his cage barking, even if for purely selfish reasons-that I wanted to get some rest and not listen to him barking.  How many parents who have listened to their child cry, have been able to rest themselves?

I have tried to let my babies cry while I waited outside the room.  I felt terrible.  I wasn't at peace, and everything inside of me was also crying, "Go pick him up and hold him!"  It wasn't a quiet voice inside of me, but my instinct, my intuition was shouting at me, that this was not right.

And so, as I reflect on my apparently, lonely dog, and about to give birth to my 4th baby, I think back to those early days with my other children.  Granted, I have my share of some sleepless nights, but overall the majority of our nights were very calm and peaceful.  When my baby woke, I also woke to sounds of movement, thumb sucking and lip smacking, not crying.  My babies didn't need to cry to wake me, for they were sleeping right next to me.  Usually, all I had to do  was roll over and start nursing, before drifting back to sleep.  My husband and my dog slept through the whole exchange.  In the morning, was I always ready to jump up and start my day?  No, but I wasn't sleep deprived, I was ready to face another challenging day as a mommy.

Breech babies

This study says that a vaginal breech birth is safer for the mother and no more risky for baby than cesarean.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101026141510.htm

Obesity, even in the very young

This is very disturbing, that even babies are considered overweight and even obese.

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/01/03/baby-obesity-epidemic/