Copied from my other blog because it fits here too:
Ok, so I should have put up this post several days ago, but what can I say, I didn't think about it. Or I'm lazy. Or I was too busy. Or whatever other excuse you can come up with can be filled in. I didn't do it on time. Deal. =)
So, yeah, this passed Sunday, my baby boy became a boy. He turned two. I dunno. Two years in my mind are really the baby years. They change so much from month to month that I can't stop thinking of him as a baby at the age of one. I look at him now though and he really is a boy. He runs, plays, climbs, and throws tantrums. Yeah, he's two.
It's been amazing lately seeing all he can do and all he does. He's starting to put more and more words together which sometimes is adorable (like the other day when he was saying goodbye to the baby, the dog, and the books) and sometimes is not so cute (like when he's whining about something). It is exciting to see the development and depressing because he is getting more independent. At least when he's happy. If he's cranky or upset, that's when he wants his mommy. And some of those times I want to bang my head into a wall because as much as I want to snuggle my son, I don't want him to think crying is an appropriate response (like when the doctor comes into the exam room).
I'm not really ready for him not to be a baby anymore. I don't know if I ever will be. Even with currently have another baby, I'm not ready for my oldest to no longer be one. Being a mom makes you funny in the head that way.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
On Milk Donation
I donated my placenta, why not my milk? Ok, seriously though, I really wish this is something that had occurred to me when I had my first son. I really had no reason not to...
If you are not familiar with milk donation, I'll give a brief overview. There are several milk banks throughout the country, though there aren't even enough to have one per state. There are 12 milk banks that are members of HMBANA, or Human Milk Banking Association of North America. One of those banks is in Canada, the rest in the US. Milk banks work kinda like blood banks. They accept breast milk, pasteurize and test it, and then it gets packaged and stored where it is prescribed to babies in need. The babies that get preference are premature and ill babies primarily those in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). A prescription can be obtained for babies from pediatricians, however, this is not easy or cheap since there is such a high demand. Even though the American Academy of Pediatrics says that breast milk from another mother (if the mom can't nurse or pump her own milk for her baby) is a better feeding/nutrition option for babies than formula, most women are unable to obtain donated milk because there is such a low supply and a very high demand. The rate of preterm births is rising, but the number of donors is not, so the demand is even higher.
Milk donation is nothing new to me. Well, new for me actually doing it, but the concept is not new. I've known since I was a kid that my mom donated breast milk. Way back 35 years ago or so, my mom was asked to donate milk. She expressed and donated when two of my older sisters were babies (at separate times, they aren't twins). Back then, she said it worked kinda opposite of what we think of the milk man doing. In her case, they picked up the full bottles and dropped off the empty ones. My mom actually hand expressed her milk, something I can't imagine doing and I'm glad I don't have to, but apparently back then, hand expressing was much more efficient that using her manual pump that had a very small collection chamber.
In looking at the nursing relationship I had with my first son, I realized that I might have had some oversupply. He spit up copious amounts (which I'm sure you've read about if you've been following my blog) but still managed to be growing at the top of the charts. I also was able to pump a decent amount in one sitting and didn't realize until much later that most people typically pump less than I had been yielding. I decided that next time around, I would look into donating since as long as you keep pumping, your body will make more milk. It's just a matter of maximizing production.
When I got pregnant with my second, I started looking up information on donating milk and contacted the closest milk bank to me to find out what I would need to do. I had to wait until the baby was born - they wanted to make sure a good breastfeeding relationship had been established. After that point, I was able to start the screening process.
I was telling a friend the other day that I can understand to a certain extent why there aren't a ton of people that donate. It can be difficult. There are strict habits that need to be maintained. Not only do you have to pass the screening process (phone interview and questionnaire packet complete with forms to be signed by your OB as well as the baby's pediatrician) and blood work (which thankfully, they pay for); but you also have to adhere to strict rules about certain foods (or food components) to avoid - like large amounts of caffeine - medications or herbs you need to avoid (which is basically all of them with the exception of multi-vitamins or prenatals), and practices with how exactly you need to pump,what containers to use, and how to maintain your pump parts and collection bottles. It's a lot to remember and takes dedication. I still think it's worth it.
For the milk bank I'm working with, the initial donation is 100 oz. which is just under a gallon. After your initial donation, you can donate as much and as often as you like before your baby is a year old. Because the milk is primarily given to babies in the NICU, the nutritional components of your milk have to be closer to what a young baby would need and since it changes as your baby grows, the nutritional composition of milk for a nursing toddler is completely different than that of an infant, so there is a cut off point.
While I was waiting for all my paperwork to clear so I could pick up bottles to use for collection, I actually started donating to a local mom that I know that was having supply issues. Practices like this are normally not recommended since when you "casually share" there is no health screenings and it is unknown what you could be passing along. Typically if you know and trust the donor, however, there is the potential of less risk. In any case, it was nice to be able to help that mom out as well as work on increasing my supply since I was planning on donating anyway. I've recently had my blood drawn and I am waiting for the ok to drop off the milk I've collected up to this point. I actually ran out of bottles because I no longer was pumping for the mom I know (she was able to get her supply back up - yay!) so I ended up filling up the bottles faster than I anticipated.
I really do strongly urge any nursing mom who has a well established supply to look into donating. There is such a high demand and since you will make more milk to meet the demand, you won't be starving your baby, you'll just be making extra. It may be a bit of a pain or inconvenience, but it is so needed. More babies can be helped and if there are enough people that are willing to donate, the likelihood of babies being helped beyond the NICU is higher. I think all babies should benefit from breast milk and if for whatever reason they can't get it from their mom, it should be easier to get it from the milk bank than it currently is. The only way for that to happen is to have more women take the time to donate. Here is the link to HMBANA to find the milk bank closest to you and see what you can do to help: http://www.hmbana.org/
If you are not familiar with milk donation, I'll give a brief overview. There are several milk banks throughout the country, though there aren't even enough to have one per state. There are 12 milk banks that are members of HMBANA, or Human Milk Banking Association of North America. One of those banks is in Canada, the rest in the US. Milk banks work kinda like blood banks. They accept breast milk, pasteurize and test it, and then it gets packaged and stored where it is prescribed to babies in need. The babies that get preference are premature and ill babies primarily those in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). A prescription can be obtained for babies from pediatricians, however, this is not easy or cheap since there is such a high demand. Even though the American Academy of Pediatrics says that breast milk from another mother (if the mom can't nurse or pump her own milk for her baby) is a better feeding/nutrition option for babies than formula, most women are unable to obtain donated milk because there is such a low supply and a very high demand. The rate of preterm births is rising, but the number of donors is not, so the demand is even higher.
Milk donation is nothing new to me. Well, new for me actually doing it, but the concept is not new. I've known since I was a kid that my mom donated breast milk. Way back 35 years ago or so, my mom was asked to donate milk. She expressed and donated when two of my older sisters were babies (at separate times, they aren't twins). Back then, she said it worked kinda opposite of what we think of the milk man doing. In her case, they picked up the full bottles and dropped off the empty ones. My mom actually hand expressed her milk, something I can't imagine doing and I'm glad I don't have to, but apparently back then, hand expressing was much more efficient that using her manual pump that had a very small collection chamber.
In looking at the nursing relationship I had with my first son, I realized that I might have had some oversupply. He spit up copious amounts (which I'm sure you've read about if you've been following my blog) but still managed to be growing at the top of the charts. I also was able to pump a decent amount in one sitting and didn't realize until much later that most people typically pump less than I had been yielding. I decided that next time around, I would look into donating since as long as you keep pumping, your body will make more milk. It's just a matter of maximizing production.
When I got pregnant with my second, I started looking up information on donating milk and contacted the closest milk bank to me to find out what I would need to do. I had to wait until the baby was born - they wanted to make sure a good breastfeeding relationship had been established. After that point, I was able to start the screening process.
I was telling a friend the other day that I can understand to a certain extent why there aren't a ton of people that donate. It can be difficult. There are strict habits that need to be maintained. Not only do you have to pass the screening process (phone interview and questionnaire packet complete with forms to be signed by your OB as well as the baby's pediatrician) and blood work (which thankfully, they pay for); but you also have to adhere to strict rules about certain foods (or food components) to avoid - like large amounts of caffeine - medications or herbs you need to avoid (which is basically all of them with the exception of multi-vitamins or prenatals), and practices with how exactly you need to pump,what containers to use, and how to maintain your pump parts and collection bottles. It's a lot to remember and takes dedication. I still think it's worth it.
For the milk bank I'm working with, the initial donation is 100 oz. which is just under a gallon. After your initial donation, you can donate as much and as often as you like before your baby is a year old. Because the milk is primarily given to babies in the NICU, the nutritional components of your milk have to be closer to what a young baby would need and since it changes as your baby grows, the nutritional composition of milk for a nursing toddler is completely different than that of an infant, so there is a cut off point.
While I was waiting for all my paperwork to clear so I could pick up bottles to use for collection, I actually started donating to a local mom that I know that was having supply issues. Practices like this are normally not recommended since when you "casually share" there is no health screenings and it is unknown what you could be passing along. Typically if you know and trust the donor, however, there is the potential of less risk. In any case, it was nice to be able to help that mom out as well as work on increasing my supply since I was planning on donating anyway. I've recently had my blood drawn and I am waiting for the ok to drop off the milk I've collected up to this point. I actually ran out of bottles because I no longer was pumping for the mom I know (she was able to get her supply back up - yay!) so I ended up filling up the bottles faster than I anticipated.
I really do strongly urge any nursing mom who has a well established supply to look into donating. There is such a high demand and since you will make more milk to meet the demand, you won't be starving your baby, you'll just be making extra. It may be a bit of a pain or inconvenience, but it is so needed. More babies can be helped and if there are enough people that are willing to donate, the likelihood of babies being helped beyond the NICU is higher. I think all babies should benefit from breast milk and if for whatever reason they can't get it from their mom, it should be easier to get it from the milk bank than it currently is. The only way for that to happen is to have more women take the time to donate. Here is the link to HMBANA to find the milk bank closest to you and see what you can do to help: http://www.hmbana.org/
Monday, July 4, 2011
On My Friend the Moby (A Review)
Ah, my Moby. It is truly a good friend...
Here is the story of my Moby. When my first son was about 8 months old, he was a hefty fellow. I had been using my HotSling which I loved dearly especially for quick trips in and out of the store, but because my son was so large, it really started to hurt my shoulder for extended periods of time or for longer (or even normal length) shopping trips. I wanted another baby-wearing option that would spread the weight across both of my shoulders. From the various carriers I had seen, a Moby looked like one I was really interested in. After a casual mention of it to my mother-in-law, she actually got me one. I think I had just told her I was looking at them and before I knew it, she sent one to me in the mail.
Now, the Moby does have a bit of a learning curve to it since it is a lot of fabric, but the versatility is amazing. If you are not familiar with a Moby, it is a type of baby carrier referred to as a stretchy wrap (wrap carriers can also be made of a woven fabric). It is made of about 6 yards of cotton jersey knit so it is soft and comfortable. There are no buckles or straps, nothing hard so it's all soft material against yours and your baby's body. There are several configurations for wrapping the carrier to hold your baby. The Moby comes with an instruction booklet that demonstrates several wraps, but the internet is also your friend for learning new ways to wrap and carry your baby.
Mobys are very popular for newborns, but like I said, I got mine when my oldest son was about 8 months old and I loved it. I carried him in the "hug hold" which is the traditional wrap that holds the baby against your body facing you. The baby is in a seated position with his/her legs spread in a "frog" fashion. It was wonderful. After a while though, it became a bit difficult for me to carry my little one because he wasn't so little and I'm a bit short for a larger kiddo to be carried on my front side. A friend taught me a side carry that she had created which was fantastic and held the baby on my hip similar to the sling, but the weight of the child was carried on my waist rather than my shoulder. The only drawback to this carry is that you do have to hold the baby while you wrap it but it's very comfortable, very secure, and it still lets you carry the kiddo hands free. I also discovered a carry called the "double hammock" which is a back carry for a wrap. Traditionally, it is not recommended to use a stretchy wrap for a back carry, but I found that I was able to wrap the Moby tightly enough to hold my son securely and he loved it.
Now that I have an infant, the Moby is again proving to be well worth every penny that was paid for it. I wear it almost every day. With a baby and a two year old, it's invaluable. I can wear the baby in the newborn hold (which is like the hug hold except his legs are tucked in) and he is tight and close to me leaving me hands free to chase the toddler and still feel confident that the baby is safe and secure. He loves it and sleeps well in it. The Moby allows me to go grocery shopping where I place the toddler in the shopping cart and the baby in the Moby. I also take trips to the mall with a friend of mine wearing the baby in the Moby and my toddler rides in the stroller. I frequently take my toddler on wagon rides carrying my baby in the Moby. It's no fuss and hands free. I recently even learned a nursing wrap configuration (thank you, YouTube) where I can nurse the baby completely hands-free (although, this configuration does require you to hold the baby while you wrap it).
My Moby came with wrap instructions for the newborn hold, the hug hold, the kangaroo hold, a sling style hip hold, and a nursing hold (not hands-free). From what I've seen, the sling style hip hold and nursing hold are no longer included in the instructions, which is just as well, I didn't use them anyway. Well, I did use the nursing hold a couple of times but found it undesirable because it was not hands-free.
The Moby seems intimidating, but it really is a wonderful carrier that can be used from infancy to toddler-hood once you get the various wraps down and find the ones you like. The versatility is unmatched in any other style carrier I've seen. The biggest complaints I've heard about the Moby is the sheer amount of fabric which seems like a lot but it does allow for almost everyone to be able to wear it and the heat factor during the warmer months. I still wear mine in the south Texas heat, and yes, it's hot, but I would rather wear it than have the baby in the bucket carrier part of the car seat and I try to avoid going out during the hottest part of the day. Almost every day I'm out and about wearing my baby in my Moby I get comments on it. I've had many people ask where they can get one and others comment about how clever it is that something like the Moby is available (although some people think the baby is in my shirt since it's made from the same type of material as t-shirts are and it covers the greater portion of my upper body). I, of course, rave about how wonderful it is, because I probably would be at the end of my rope without it!
Here is the story of my Moby. When my first son was about 8 months old, he was a hefty fellow. I had been using my HotSling which I loved dearly especially for quick trips in and out of the store, but because my son was so large, it really started to hurt my shoulder for extended periods of time or for longer (or even normal length) shopping trips. I wanted another baby-wearing option that would spread the weight across both of my shoulders. From the various carriers I had seen, a Moby looked like one I was really interested in. After a casual mention of it to my mother-in-law, she actually got me one. I think I had just told her I was looking at them and before I knew it, she sent one to me in the mail.
Now, the Moby does have a bit of a learning curve to it since it is a lot of fabric, but the versatility is amazing. If you are not familiar with a Moby, it is a type of baby carrier referred to as a stretchy wrap (wrap carriers can also be made of a woven fabric). It is made of about 6 yards of cotton jersey knit so it is soft and comfortable. There are no buckles or straps, nothing hard so it's all soft material against yours and your baby's body. There are several configurations for wrapping the carrier to hold your baby. The Moby comes with an instruction booklet that demonstrates several wraps, but the internet is also your friend for learning new ways to wrap and carry your baby.
Mobys are very popular for newborns, but like I said, I got mine when my oldest son was about 8 months old and I loved it. I carried him in the "hug hold" which is the traditional wrap that holds the baby against your body facing you. The baby is in a seated position with his/her legs spread in a "frog" fashion. It was wonderful. After a while though, it became a bit difficult for me to carry my little one because he wasn't so little and I'm a bit short for a larger kiddo to be carried on my front side. A friend taught me a side carry that she had created which was fantastic and held the baby on my hip similar to the sling, but the weight of the child was carried on my waist rather than my shoulder. The only drawback to this carry is that you do have to hold the baby while you wrap it but it's very comfortable, very secure, and it still lets you carry the kiddo hands free. I also discovered a carry called the "double hammock" which is a back carry for a wrap. Traditionally, it is not recommended to use a stretchy wrap for a back carry, but I found that I was able to wrap the Moby tightly enough to hold my son securely and he loved it.
Now that I have an infant, the Moby is again proving to be well worth every penny that was paid for it. I wear it almost every day. With a baby and a two year old, it's invaluable. I can wear the baby in the newborn hold (which is like the hug hold except his legs are tucked in) and he is tight and close to me leaving me hands free to chase the toddler and still feel confident that the baby is safe and secure. He loves it and sleeps well in it. The Moby allows me to go grocery shopping where I place the toddler in the shopping cart and the baby in the Moby. I also take trips to the mall with a friend of mine wearing the baby in the Moby and my toddler rides in the stroller. I frequently take my toddler on wagon rides carrying my baby in the Moby. It's no fuss and hands free. I recently even learned a nursing wrap configuration (thank you, YouTube) where I can nurse the baby completely hands-free (although, this configuration does require you to hold the baby while you wrap it).My Moby came with wrap instructions for the newborn hold, the hug hold, the kangaroo hold, a sling style hip hold, and a nursing hold (not hands-free). From what I've seen, the sling style hip hold and nursing hold are no longer included in the instructions, which is just as well, I didn't use them anyway. Well, I did use the nursing hold a couple of times but found it undesirable because it was not hands-free.
The Moby seems intimidating, but it really is a wonderful carrier that can be used from infancy to toddler-hood once you get the various wraps down and find the ones you like. The versatility is unmatched in any other style carrier I've seen. The biggest complaints I've heard about the Moby is the sheer amount of fabric which seems like a lot but it does allow for almost everyone to be able to wear it and the heat factor during the warmer months. I still wear mine in the south Texas heat, and yes, it's hot, but I would rather wear it than have the baby in the bucket carrier part of the car seat and I try to avoid going out during the hottest part of the day. Almost every day I'm out and about wearing my baby in my Moby I get comments on it. I've had many people ask where they can get one and others comment about how clever it is that something like the Moby is available (although some people think the baby is in my shirt since it's made from the same type of material as t-shirts are and it covers the greater portion of my upper body). I, of course, rave about how wonderful it is, because I probably would be at the end of my rope without it!
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