During World Breastfeeding Week, I remember reading a blog entry that was linked from one of the many breastfeeding articles, blogs, and forum discussions that were prominently linked or displayed on some of the social networking sites I belong to. I'm not sure where the actual link came from, but the blog stood out in my mind. I'm not even sure it was a blog, it could have very well been an article or editorial, but the actual source wasn't my focus, it was the subject matter.
The woman who wrote the essay, I'll call it, was intending to bring to light the fact that nursing in public is legal and a woman's right as much as smoking is. She discussed how she felt it was wrong to hold your breath or move on quickly past smokers or make rude comments because they are practicing their legal right to smoke. The same should be done for nursing mothers - rather than balk, make rude comments, or expect the mother to cover up or find another place to nurse, you should just go about your business because they are practicing their legal right to nurse in public.
While I understand the point she was trying to make, and agree with her position on nursing in public, I don't agree that it is the same as smoking in public. Yes, both are perfectly legal, I get that, but smoking has a much more profound affect on those not participating in the activity than nursing does.
When a mother is nursing in public, an offended or disturbed onlooker simply has to avert their eyes and move on. There is no one holding them in that spot or requiring them to watch a woman feed her baby. There is no need for them to focus in that particular direction.
The same is not so for walking by or seeing a smoker. When passing a smoker, one can hold their breath, but that does not mean that they are free from the ill effects that can occur from going past or being around that person. Even if the passerby made a point not to breathe, third-hand smoke (the smoke that settles on clothing and has been proven to be just as harmful as second-hand smoke) can still cause harm to the health of the person going by long after they passed the individual. Not to mention, an adult may know to hold their breath to protect themselves from the ill-effects of second-hand smoke, but a young child or infant doesn't know to do the same. The system of a baby is not even mature yet. Add that to the fact that many smokers ignore the laws that require them to smoke far away from entrances to public locations and it brings in a whole new set of problems. Above all, even a smoker who is following the law, can blow smoke into the air that can be carried by the wind and travel to a location near an entrance or near an individual that doesn't care to be negatively impacted by second- or third-hand smoke.
So, I would have to argue, that my health is negatively affected by someone smoking in public and I am not affected at all by someone nursing in public. They both may be legal, but they are not the same.
*As an added note: I am sorry if I offend someone who chooses to smoke, but I do not appreciate my efforts to keep my children healthy and free from the harmful effects of second- and third-hand smoke being unavoidably shattered simply because "it's legal". I don't say anything because as the original writer of the essay mentioned, it is within their rights. However, if you do choose to smoke, I beg you to respect those of us that choose not to and at least follow the law and smoke in approved areas. I know you can't change which way the wind blows, but you can do your part to respect the rights of others.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
On Toxoplasmosis
One of the big topics for pregnant women is Toxoplasmosis. We are warned to avoid our cats, or at the very least, their litter boxes. After years of working in pet hospitals and doing research on the topic for our expectant mother clients, I want to set the record straight.
This topic has utterly annoyed me since my first pregnancy, but now that I'm expecting my second child, I've come in contact with continued frustrations. Two stand out in my mind. The first, when I went into the doctor's office to have an early pregnancy consult with one of their nurses. I was already annoyed at the requirement for this meeting since I felt nothing of value was gained (I merely discussed my family's medical background and got an appointment for the doctor). In discussing my medical background, I was asked if I had pets, which I do - a cat and a dog. The nurse went on to ask if I knew about the litter box. Yes, of course I did, this wasn't my first rodeo. At least, that seemed to be the end of the discussion. A second incidence was with my mother-in-law who came to visit and insisted that she clean out the litter boxes while she was there since my husband was out of town.
Ok, so, why am I annoyed? Those don't sound bad, really. And all things considered, they aren't. I mean, c'mon, I got out of litter box duty. But in my mind, it's the same thing as using my pregnancy as an excuse to avoid housework, work, or activity in general, which is actually more harmful to me as a pregnant woman than doing those things in the first place, but I digress.
The thing is, our poor cats are being accused of transferring Toxoplama gondii (the protozoan that causes Toxoplasmosis) when there is a very high likelihood that they aren't. They are automatically cast as the villains in our pregnancies.
While most of us know that Toxoplasmosis is extremely bad in pregnancy - it can lead to birth defects or loss of the pregnancy - most of us don't know the whole story. We look up what could happen to us if we are infected and hear that we can get it from cleaning out the litter box and that is enough for us to steer clear of our feline friends. This is in error, however, and our cats should not be feared by us while we are pregnant. Let me explain. The information that is most often skipped over is how Toxoplamosis works in cats. That will give us an idea of what our risk really looks like.
Toxoplasmosis occurs in almost all warm blooded animals. The thing that makes cats different is that when they contract it, they can pass it in their feces - no other mammal does this. And this is why cats are called the definitive host for Toxoplasmosis and the reason we fear their litter boxes. There is more to the story though.
Cats typically get Toxoplama gondii by ingesting raw meat - like when they hunt rodents and birds or by coming in contact with contaminated soil or water. About a week after exposure, they begin passing the infective oocysts (kinda like eggs) in their stool - which, I'll be honest, can occur in large numbers. They pass the infective oocysts for up to two weeks. That's it. After that, the develop an immunity. They don't contract it again, they don't spread it. Here's another piece of the puzzle - the oocyst has to be outside the body for at least 24 hours before it truly becomes infective - a litter box that is cleaned out daily poses little to no risk.
So, what does that mean? Our villainous cats are not the big culprits. If your cat has been a happy indoor cat for years, your risk is virtually nil. An outdoor cat is more likely to be suspect, but again, if they are an older cat, most likely, they had it when they were very young and most likely no longer pose a risk.
Here's something else that they don't tell you - the most common way humans contract Toxoplasmosis is from eating raw meat or drinking raw unpasteurized milk. Not from cats. It is more likely to be found in sheep, goat, and pig as opposed to beef or poultry, but it is still possible. Just one more reason to ensure all meats are cooked thoroughly and your milk has been pasteurized. Also, fruits and vegetables should be cleaned thoroughly as contaminated soil on these foods can pose a risk - don't assume if you grew it yourself you are safe since neighborhood strays like to use gardens as litter boxes.
Where your cat is concerned, you can protect him or her by keeping your cat inside and not allowing your cat to hunt. Also, don't feed your cat raw meats or milk. Doing this will protect you as well. If you do have a cat that goes outside, that is a good reason to avoid the litter box or wear gloves when cleaning it out. Even better, if you have an outdoor cat, blood work can be run to check your cat's exposure. Any strays or new adoptions should be regarded cautiously since you don't know their history and exposure possibilities.
Above all, don't forget basic hygiene. A good hand washing is always recommended after handling raw foods or cleaning the litter box.
So, go on. Don't be afraid to give your cat a hug.
For more information check out: American Veterinary Medical Association and Cornell Feline Health Center
This topic has utterly annoyed me since my first pregnancy, but now that I'm expecting my second child, I've come in contact with continued frustrations. Two stand out in my mind. The first, when I went into the doctor's office to have an early pregnancy consult with one of their nurses. I was already annoyed at the requirement for this meeting since I felt nothing of value was gained (I merely discussed my family's medical background and got an appointment for the doctor). In discussing my medical background, I was asked if I had pets, which I do - a cat and a dog. The nurse went on to ask if I knew about the litter box. Yes, of course I did, this wasn't my first rodeo. At least, that seemed to be the end of the discussion. A second incidence was with my mother-in-law who came to visit and insisted that she clean out the litter boxes while she was there since my husband was out of town.
Ok, so, why am I annoyed? Those don't sound bad, really. And all things considered, they aren't. I mean, c'mon, I got out of litter box duty. But in my mind, it's the same thing as using my pregnancy as an excuse to avoid housework, work, or activity in general, which is actually more harmful to me as a pregnant woman than doing those things in the first place, but I digress.
The thing is, our poor cats are being accused of transferring Toxoplama gondii (the protozoan that causes Toxoplasmosis) when there is a very high likelihood that they aren't. They are automatically cast as the villains in our pregnancies.
While most of us know that Toxoplasmosis is extremely bad in pregnancy - it can lead to birth defects or loss of the pregnancy - most of us don't know the whole story. We look up what could happen to us if we are infected and hear that we can get it from cleaning out the litter box and that is enough for us to steer clear of our feline friends. This is in error, however, and our cats should not be feared by us while we are pregnant. Let me explain. The information that is most often skipped over is how Toxoplamosis works in cats. That will give us an idea of what our risk really looks like.
Toxoplasmosis occurs in almost all warm blooded animals. The thing that makes cats different is that when they contract it, they can pass it in their feces - no other mammal does this. And this is why cats are called the definitive host for Toxoplasmosis and the reason we fear their litter boxes. There is more to the story though.
Cats typically get Toxoplama gondii by ingesting raw meat - like when they hunt rodents and birds or by coming in contact with contaminated soil or water. About a week after exposure, they begin passing the infective oocysts (kinda like eggs) in their stool - which, I'll be honest, can occur in large numbers. They pass the infective oocysts for up to two weeks. That's it. After that, the develop an immunity. They don't contract it again, they don't spread it. Here's another piece of the puzzle - the oocyst has to be outside the body for at least 24 hours before it truly becomes infective - a litter box that is cleaned out daily poses little to no risk.
So, what does that mean? Our villainous cats are not the big culprits. If your cat has been a happy indoor cat for years, your risk is virtually nil. An outdoor cat is more likely to be suspect, but again, if they are an older cat, most likely, they had it when they were very young and most likely no longer pose a risk.
Here's something else that they don't tell you - the most common way humans contract Toxoplasmosis is from eating raw meat or drinking raw unpasteurized milk. Not from cats. It is more likely to be found in sheep, goat, and pig as opposed to beef or poultry, but it is still possible. Just one more reason to ensure all meats are cooked thoroughly and your milk has been pasteurized. Also, fruits and vegetables should be cleaned thoroughly as contaminated soil on these foods can pose a risk - don't assume if you grew it yourself you are safe since neighborhood strays like to use gardens as litter boxes.
Where your cat is concerned, you can protect him or her by keeping your cat inside and not allowing your cat to hunt. Also, don't feed your cat raw meats or milk. Doing this will protect you as well. If you do have a cat that goes outside, that is a good reason to avoid the litter box or wear gloves when cleaning it out. Even better, if you have an outdoor cat, blood work can be run to check your cat's exposure. Any strays or new adoptions should be regarded cautiously since you don't know their history and exposure possibilities.
Above all, don't forget basic hygiene. A good hand washing is always recommended after handling raw foods or cleaning the litter box.
So, go on. Don't be afraid to give your cat a hug.
For more information check out: American Veterinary Medical Association and Cornell Feline Health Center
Friday, November 19, 2010
On Car Seat Safety
Safety is the only reason you need.
Ok, let me explain. But, before I do, I'm sorry if I offend anyone with this post, but there are a few things I had to get off of my chest.
My little boy recently turned one. So did many of the babies in my mom group and several of the other babies I know have recently turned one or soon will. The topic of car seats seems to be coming up more and more frequently in general conversations I have had, on websites I've visited, and in various forum discussions. Needless to say, not from a single source, but many, I'm inundated with tons of comments and opinions about car seats, in particular, turning babies forward facing when they reach the age of one since many of them are 20 lbs by then, and this is the legal age at which they can be turned forward facing.
Like many other parenting topics this generates some very strong opinions, arguments, judgments (forgive me, because I'm contributing to this), and excuses. The thing that has really gotten me thinking lately on this particular topic, unlike many other parenting issues, is that car seat safety is not a topic that should generate this sort of discussion. I'm not saying we shouldn't talk about it, but what I'm saying is that unlike whether or not you vaccinate, bottle or breast feed, circumcise or leave in tact, attachment parent or practice Baby Wise, etc. the issue of car seat safety is black and white. Many other issues that generate such strong opinions are surrounded with facts, circumstantial evidence, and anecdotal tales that offer two or more sides in many cases that may or may not affect the child's future, their intelligence, their over all health, their mental stability, etc. Car seat safety? That's a whole different ball game.
I think when we hear the word "safety" or "safer", we understand, but the concept does not sink in. That factor is given as much thought as many others. I hear tons of other factors to consider when selecting car seats for young ones and whether or not to forward or rear face. Here are some:
My spouse wants to forward face our one-year-old.
My child prefers to face forward.
I want to be able to see my child and can't when they rear-face.
I was given a forward facing seat.
My child is too big to rear-face.
Harnesses are not available for larger/older kids.
I've seen all of these comments in more than one place, multiple times. These are things that you hear especially when an individual is faced with someone commenting that rear-facing is safer. And then an argument and not so nice words are exchanged repeatedly among strangers on a public forum. It gets ugly. And this is all despite the fact that the AAP has updated it's recommendations and now recommends rear-facing at least until the age of 2 and TxDPS (for those that live in Texas) has changed it's recommendations that children stay rear-facing as long as possible and to the upper limit allowed by the seat.
Here is the thing though (and here is where I get all judgey and get up on my soap box): Safety is the only factor that needs to be considered. No other reason has the right to be factored in when it goes against safety. Let's put it another way. When your child's life is on the line, why are there other considerations? It sounds drastic, but that is the reality. We are told that rear-facing is 5 times safer than forward facing. So, let's put that in terms that may sink in more: when forward facing, a child is 5 times more likely to die in a car accident than when rear-facing. Yes, it sounds harsh, but that is the cold hard truth. Automobile accidents are the number one cause of death in children. I don't know that they have statistics about proper vs. improper use of seats/harnesses, forward vs. rear-facing, harnessed vs. not harnessed, correct installations vs. faulty ones, etc. related with that little tidbit of information, but they do know that car accidents are the number one cause of death in children.
We are in our cars on a daily basis, often many times a day, and don't think about getting in an accident because most of the time we arrive at our destination safely. Think of all the near misses we encounter - someone cutting us off, another driver trying to come into our lane who didn't see us in their blind spot, the line of cars slamming on their brakes in the middle of the highway - it goes on and on. It only takes one time for it to be fatal to us or our child.
So please, really consider it. Too many parents have had to suffer the loss of a child. This is one argument that the proverbial in-laws shouldn't win (I apologize to all in-laws that may find offense - I do not mean to insinuate that all in-laws do not have the child's best interest at heart). Rear-face as long as possible, use the seat you have correctly, read all of the instructions that are included, etc. When you are faced with the fact that a hasty car seat decision could mean your child's life, safety is the first and most important factor to consider.
Ok, let me explain. But, before I do, I'm sorry if I offend anyone with this post, but there are a few things I had to get off of my chest.
My little boy recently turned one. So did many of the babies in my mom group and several of the other babies I know have recently turned one or soon will. The topic of car seats seems to be coming up more and more frequently in general conversations I have had, on websites I've visited, and in various forum discussions. Needless to say, not from a single source, but many, I'm inundated with tons of comments and opinions about car seats, in particular, turning babies forward facing when they reach the age of one since many of them are 20 lbs by then, and this is the legal age at which they can be turned forward facing.
Like many other parenting topics this generates some very strong opinions, arguments, judgments (forgive me, because I'm contributing to this), and excuses. The thing that has really gotten me thinking lately on this particular topic, unlike many other parenting issues, is that car seat safety is not a topic that should generate this sort of discussion. I'm not saying we shouldn't talk about it, but what I'm saying is that unlike whether or not you vaccinate, bottle or breast feed, circumcise or leave in tact, attachment parent or practice Baby Wise, etc. the issue of car seat safety is black and white. Many other issues that generate such strong opinions are surrounded with facts, circumstantial evidence, and anecdotal tales that offer two or more sides in many cases that may or may not affect the child's future, their intelligence, their over all health, their mental stability, etc. Car seat safety? That's a whole different ball game.
I think when we hear the word "safety" or "safer", we understand, but the concept does not sink in. That factor is given as much thought as many others. I hear tons of other factors to consider when selecting car seats for young ones and whether or not to forward or rear face. Here are some:
My spouse wants to forward face our one-year-old.
My child prefers to face forward.
I want to be able to see my child and can't when they rear-face.
I was given a forward facing seat.
My child is too big to rear-face.
Harnesses are not available for larger/older kids.
I've seen all of these comments in more than one place, multiple times. These are things that you hear especially when an individual is faced with someone commenting that rear-facing is safer. And then an argument and not so nice words are exchanged repeatedly among strangers on a public forum. It gets ugly. And this is all despite the fact that the AAP has updated it's recommendations and now recommends rear-facing at least until the age of 2 and TxDPS (for those that live in Texas) has changed it's recommendations that children stay rear-facing as long as possible and to the upper limit allowed by the seat.
Here is the thing though (and here is where I get all judgey and get up on my soap box): Safety is the only factor that needs to be considered. No other reason has the right to be factored in when it goes against safety. Let's put it another way. When your child's life is on the line, why are there other considerations? It sounds drastic, but that is the reality. We are told that rear-facing is 5 times safer than forward facing. So, let's put that in terms that may sink in more: when forward facing, a child is 5 times more likely to die in a car accident than when rear-facing. Yes, it sounds harsh, but that is the cold hard truth. Automobile accidents are the number one cause of death in children. I don't know that they have statistics about proper vs. improper use of seats/harnesses, forward vs. rear-facing, harnessed vs. not harnessed, correct installations vs. faulty ones, etc. related with that little tidbit of information, but they do know that car accidents are the number one cause of death in children.
We are in our cars on a daily basis, often many times a day, and don't think about getting in an accident because most of the time we arrive at our destination safely. Think of all the near misses we encounter - someone cutting us off, another driver trying to come into our lane who didn't see us in their blind spot, the line of cars slamming on their brakes in the middle of the highway - it goes on and on. It only takes one time for it to be fatal to us or our child.
So please, really consider it. Too many parents have had to suffer the loss of a child. This is one argument that the proverbial in-laws shouldn't win (I apologize to all in-laws that may find offense - I do not mean to insinuate that all in-laws do not have the child's best interest at heart). Rear-face as long as possible, use the seat you have correctly, read all of the instructions that are included, etc. When you are faced with the fact that a hasty car seat decision could mean your child's life, safety is the first and most important factor to consider.
Friday, August 27, 2010
On Baby Sleep
Baby sleep is one confounding subject. There are all kinds of articles on it that will tell you how much sleep they are supposed to get, what ages you'd expect to have your baby take two naps a day and when they'll transition to one nap, how to get them to bed at night, etc. If there is one consistent thing I've found with all of the articles I've read, it's that not a single one seems to apply to my baby. I'll explain.
How much babies sleep. I've read several articles that say even though it seems counter intuitive, the more a baby sleeps, the more they will sleep. Ok, what? Basically, they tell you that consistent naps and early bed times ensure longer naps and longer night time sleep. While you may think that the earlier they go to bed, the earlier they awaken, this is not true. They theoretically will sleep longer if you put them to be earlier.
Many people will recommend you let the baby cry it out. As in, you put them to bed awake and if they are crying, let them cry to exhaustion until they finally go to sleep. This is actually not a recommended solution, even though many pediatricians still tell parents to do it. The problem with crying it out (and we're not talking a 5 minute spurt, we're talking 20-30 minutes or longer) is that as a baby cries are unanswered, the more they become stressed out, the more thy are learning that their needs will not be met. They are learning, however unconscious, that people can not be trusted and this will not only lead to an anxious child, but also one that has problems developing relationships with people. Cry it out can be done following the Ferber Method which involves several steps of reassuring the child that their cries are not unanswered and helping them to soothe themselves, knowing that their parents are close by if they are needed. I have a whole post on cry it out, if you want to check that out.
I have many friends that talk about their babies naps and how they can't do certain activities or have to postpone to a later time because that is the baby's nap time. I hear of moms whose babies have slept through the night from the time they put them to bed until they get up in the morning since an early age. I've read that a consistent sleep schedule is best for getting your child to nap and sleep.
And then there is my child.
Now, granted, it's not for lack of trying. Pretty early on, when my little one started staying awake longer, he developed his own sleep schedule. Since I've adopted a more attachment-parenting parenting style, I did not insist on a particular schedule and followed my munchkin's cues to identify when sleep times were. So, pretty early on, this was established by him. He'd wake up around 6:30 or 7 in the morning, get cranky and tired for a nap around 11:30 or 12, get cranky for a second nap around 2, and then he'd go to sleep at night starting at about 10:30p and slowly moving up to around 8:30p. At around 1 year of age, he started skipping the morning nap crankiness and would get tired around 1pm. So, he went from two naps to one. All of this seems perfectly normal.
So where is the problem? Well, it's that he doesn't always sleep. I've tried to put him down to naps before he is cranky (as the articles suggest) around the times he'd normally get tired, but he'd do nothing but sit up and scream. I refuse to let him cry it out, and even trying the Ferber method, his crying doesn't subside upon seeing me as it is supposed to. We have a regular bed time routine too (also as books and articles suggest) but that doesn't mean he always goes down on time. Even if I start the routine at the same time every night. It doesn't matter. He also still wakes up at night (at 13 mo.) which some people seem to think this should be done by much earlier. It is rough. I don't get a ton of sleep, but, at the same time, it is kind of my choice. I don't use cry it out. I haven't tried methods lined out in "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" which I've heard works well. I haven't seriously sought out assistance in getting my baby to sleep more.
But at the same time, I am not stressing out over it, does it bother me? Sure, but I'd rather let my baby sleep when he needs it. I figure it's less stress on him (and me) if I don't try to force him. When he is cranky and fighting sleep and really needs a nap, I take a nap with him. That solves that problem. The bottom line is, it works for us. Don't let people tell you that you need to change what you are doing unless it is causing problems, stressing you out, or putting your child's safety at risk. So what if my baby doesn't take two naps a day and sleep 12 hours at night? I'm not alone and my baby is happy. He is not over-tired and sleep deprived as many of the articles would have you believe. When he doesn't take regular naps he catches cat naps here and there to get the sleep he needs and then goes back to playing and exploring - his favorite activities.
How much babies sleep. I've read several articles that say even though it seems counter intuitive, the more a baby sleeps, the more they will sleep. Ok, what? Basically, they tell you that consistent naps and early bed times ensure longer naps and longer night time sleep. While you may think that the earlier they go to bed, the earlier they awaken, this is not true. They theoretically will sleep longer if you put them to be earlier.
Many people will recommend you let the baby cry it out. As in, you put them to bed awake and if they are crying, let them cry to exhaustion until they finally go to sleep. This is actually not a recommended solution, even though many pediatricians still tell parents to do it. The problem with crying it out (and we're not talking a 5 minute spurt, we're talking 20-30 minutes or longer) is that as a baby cries are unanswered, the more they become stressed out, the more thy are learning that their needs will not be met. They are learning, however unconscious, that people can not be trusted and this will not only lead to an anxious child, but also one that has problems developing relationships with people. Cry it out can be done following the Ferber Method which involves several steps of reassuring the child that their cries are not unanswered and helping them to soothe themselves, knowing that their parents are close by if they are needed. I have a whole post on cry it out, if you want to check that out.
I have many friends that talk about their babies naps and how they can't do certain activities or have to postpone to a later time because that is the baby's nap time. I hear of moms whose babies have slept through the night from the time they put them to bed until they get up in the morning since an early age. I've read that a consistent sleep schedule is best for getting your child to nap and sleep.
And then there is my child.
Now, granted, it's not for lack of trying. Pretty early on, when my little one started staying awake longer, he developed his own sleep schedule. Since I've adopted a more attachment-parenting parenting style, I did not insist on a particular schedule and followed my munchkin's cues to identify when sleep times were. So, pretty early on, this was established by him. He'd wake up around 6:30 or 7 in the morning, get cranky and tired for a nap around 11:30 or 12, get cranky for a second nap around 2, and then he'd go to sleep at night starting at about 10:30p and slowly moving up to around 8:30p. At around 1 year of age, he started skipping the morning nap crankiness and would get tired around 1pm. So, he went from two naps to one. All of this seems perfectly normal.
So where is the problem? Well, it's that he doesn't always sleep. I've tried to put him down to naps before he is cranky (as the articles suggest) around the times he'd normally get tired, but he'd do nothing but sit up and scream. I refuse to let him cry it out, and even trying the Ferber method, his crying doesn't subside upon seeing me as it is supposed to. We have a regular bed time routine too (also as books and articles suggest) but that doesn't mean he always goes down on time. Even if I start the routine at the same time every night. It doesn't matter. He also still wakes up at night (at 13 mo.) which some people seem to think this should be done by much earlier. It is rough. I don't get a ton of sleep, but, at the same time, it is kind of my choice. I don't use cry it out. I haven't tried methods lined out in "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" which I've heard works well. I haven't seriously sought out assistance in getting my baby to sleep more.
But at the same time, I am not stressing out over it, does it bother me? Sure, but I'd rather let my baby sleep when he needs it. I figure it's less stress on him (and me) if I don't try to force him. When he is cranky and fighting sleep and really needs a nap, I take a nap with him. That solves that problem. The bottom line is, it works for us. Don't let people tell you that you need to change what you are doing unless it is causing problems, stressing you out, or putting your child's safety at risk. So what if my baby doesn't take two naps a day and sleep 12 hours at night? I'm not alone and my baby is happy. He is not over-tired and sleep deprived as many of the articles would have you believe. When he doesn't take regular naps he catches cat naps here and there to get the sleep he needs and then goes back to playing and exploring - his favorite activities.
Friday, August 20, 2010
On Baby Mobility - Pulling up
When babies start to pull up onto things, it can be exciting as well as one of the scariest things that ever occurs in the first year.
My little one discovered how to pull up the same day he started to crawl. Two milestones in one day isn't seen very often, but it happened with ours. My husband witnessed the pulling up long before I did and while he told me about it, seeing it yourself really makes it real. Not that I didn't believe him, but I guess I just had to see it.
That particular day, he was being especially cranky and I decided to put him down for a nap because the cranky was relative to his sleepiness. He fussed for a little bit and then quieted down and when I went to check on him, I found that he had pulled himself out of his sidecar co-sleeper and onto our bed. There he was, laying face first on our bed, legs still in his co-sleeper. Luckily, I was able to move him back to his bed without waking him up.
That type of pulling up can be really scary because there is the fall risk. Other pulling up comes with its fair share of falling though and that is why I think it is one of the hardest times as a parent in the first year.
When babies first learn to pull up, it is new and exciting, but unfortunately, they don't automatically know how to return to the floor. They will fall forward and backward. And not lightly, mind you. It appears as though they fall straight, like a board. And for some reason, they don't seem to have a sense of mobile things either. A chair or toy on wheels is just as good for pulling up as anything else, leading to more falls when it rolls away.
For these situations, I found it easiest to keep my little one off of the tile and just redirect him to the carpet. Our fireplace has a floor level hearth, so I originally wasn't too worried about it. I should have been. One day I saw him pull up on his bouncer seat and then take a face-plant directly into the side of the fire place. Luckily, he was okay. Seeing that and seeing how the hard hearth was still a potential site for injury lead me to line it with foam puzzle mats. These created a nice cushion should he decide to fall again, at least, if he hit the floor.
Before too long, they do figure out how to place their hands down to catch their fall or they will learn to sit to return to the floor. Before that though, it is very hard to see them fall, but it is part of their development. They have to figure out how to stop the fall and unfortunately, they can't learn to do that if they never fall. I'd suggest keeping them from real dangers like hard flooring until they get their bearings and learn to work their way back to the floor on their own.
My little one discovered how to pull up the same day he started to crawl. Two milestones in one day isn't seen very often, but it happened with ours. My husband witnessed the pulling up long before I did and while he told me about it, seeing it yourself really makes it real. Not that I didn't believe him, but I guess I just had to see it.
That particular day, he was being especially cranky and I decided to put him down for a nap because the cranky was relative to his sleepiness. He fussed for a little bit and then quieted down and when I went to check on him, I found that he had pulled himself out of his sidecar co-sleeper and onto our bed. There he was, laying face first on our bed, legs still in his co-sleeper. Luckily, I was able to move him back to his bed without waking him up.
That type of pulling up can be really scary because there is the fall risk. Other pulling up comes with its fair share of falling though and that is why I think it is one of the hardest times as a parent in the first year.
When babies first learn to pull up, it is new and exciting, but unfortunately, they don't automatically know how to return to the floor. They will fall forward and backward. And not lightly, mind you. It appears as though they fall straight, like a board. And for some reason, they don't seem to have a sense of mobile things either. A chair or toy on wheels is just as good for pulling up as anything else, leading to more falls when it rolls away.
For these situations, I found it easiest to keep my little one off of the tile and just redirect him to the carpet. Our fireplace has a floor level hearth, so I originally wasn't too worried about it. I should have been. One day I saw him pull up on his bouncer seat and then take a face-plant directly into the side of the fire place. Luckily, he was okay. Seeing that and seeing how the hard hearth was still a potential site for injury lead me to line it with foam puzzle mats. These created a nice cushion should he decide to fall again, at least, if he hit the floor.
Before too long, they do figure out how to place their hands down to catch their fall or they will learn to sit to return to the floor. Before that though, it is very hard to see them fall, but it is part of their development. They have to figure out how to stop the fall and unfortunately, they can't learn to do that if they never fall. I'd suggest keeping them from real dangers like hard flooring until they get their bearings and learn to work their way back to the floor on their own.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
On Nursing in Public
Nursing in public becomes a really hot topic, mostly with people that don't have kids or never breastfed. So many people will see a woman nursing in public and get really upset that she's flashing everyone. I can guarantee you, this is not her intention. She doesn't want her boob out there for everyone to see. Probably more likely, she's hoping that people will just look away and mind their own business. Either that or she is completely confident in what she is doing and does not care if people see her breast because it's more important to her that her baby gets fed.
World Breastfeeding Week just passed recently and there were many posts flying around Facebook and personal blogs about the wonders of breastfeeding. Nursing in public naturally came up in many of those places. One blog I read was from a woman who was pro-breastfeeding. She described three situations that she observed in a single day about women nursing in public. One mom bared all and tandem nursed her toddler and baby, another nursed her baby with her shirt positioned so it slid down over her if the baby unlatched, and the third mom fought the baby and the sweltering heat to cover up with a nursing cover creating a much larger scene than the other two.
Now, the way you choose to nurse in public is of course a personal choice. I can also tell you from experience that the more you do it, and the more people you know that do it, the more comfortable you will be. The first time I needed to feed the baby away from the home, I actually took him out to the car and sat in the back seat nursing him. That was the last time I did that. It was too hot and completely ridiculous for me to subject myself to that. Since then, I learned the skill of using a blanket as a nursing cover. Before long, the baby received a blanket that actually had Velcro on two corners which worked nicely as a cover as I could just attach it around my neck. That is until my baby decided that he didn't want to be covered.
In talking to many moms, there are certain things you need to know about nursing covers. First, the earlier you introduce them, the easier it is for your baby to accept nursing with something over their head. Second, almost all babies will eventually get to the point where they no longer tolerate the cover over their head. I have experienced this first hand. Often, you create more of a scene in trying to get the cover over the baby than you would if you just nursed them.
So, what's a woman to do? While I know that many moms aren't bothered by flashing the occasional stranger in the process of nursing a baby, I'm not one of them. I have nursed without much stress in my mom group, but then, since it started as a breastfeeding support group, having boobs out all of the time really becomes a non-issue. In other situations though, I've tried to find the happy medium of covering myself without too much of a scene - especially since the baby is less accepting of the cover. Nursing tops make nursing in public the easiest for access. They allow you to quickly latch on the baby without pulling up your whole shirt or practically undressing leading to less of a scene. I have found the easiest thing to do is use the baby's head to block yourself as you uncover your breast and latch the baby on. If the baby lets go, I've found that pulling the baby close to you usually will block an unsuspecting public from seeing you flash them. Again, the baby's head is blocking them from seeing anything. Occasionally I will get the baby in place and use a small cloth like a burp rag to cover up anything that may still be visible. This is usually less annoying to the nursing baby. Also, holding their free hand with your free hand is often effective for keeping the baby from pulling the cloth off. This does prevent you from continuing to eat or do whatever you were doing, but it does work.
I hope this helps you find a way to make it less visible. Remember though, it is better to accidentally flash someone than have a cranky, screaming, hungry baby. There is absolutely no reason to feel you have to excuse yourself or go hide some place that may be unhygienic, like a bathroom. One more thing, nursing in public is protected by law so never feel that you are in the wrong if you need to feed your baby. It may be awkward at first, but you'll get more and more used to it and ultimately be more comfortable. Believe me, no matter where you choose to feed your baby, you have the support of every nursing mother around you. They are all sending you a silent, "Congratulations!"
World Breastfeeding Week just passed recently and there were many posts flying around Facebook and personal blogs about the wonders of breastfeeding. Nursing in public naturally came up in many of those places. One blog I read was from a woman who was pro-breastfeeding. She described three situations that she observed in a single day about women nursing in public. One mom bared all and tandem nursed her toddler and baby, another nursed her baby with her shirt positioned so it slid down over her if the baby unlatched, and the third mom fought the baby and the sweltering heat to cover up with a nursing cover creating a much larger scene than the other two.
Now, the way you choose to nurse in public is of course a personal choice. I can also tell you from experience that the more you do it, and the more people you know that do it, the more comfortable you will be. The first time I needed to feed the baby away from the home, I actually took him out to the car and sat in the back seat nursing him. That was the last time I did that. It was too hot and completely ridiculous for me to subject myself to that. Since then, I learned the skill of using a blanket as a nursing cover. Before long, the baby received a blanket that actually had Velcro on two corners which worked nicely as a cover as I could just attach it around my neck. That is until my baby decided that he didn't want to be covered.
In talking to many moms, there are certain things you need to know about nursing covers. First, the earlier you introduce them, the easier it is for your baby to accept nursing with something over their head. Second, almost all babies will eventually get to the point where they no longer tolerate the cover over their head. I have experienced this first hand. Often, you create more of a scene in trying to get the cover over the baby than you would if you just nursed them.
So, what's a woman to do? While I know that many moms aren't bothered by flashing the occasional stranger in the process of nursing a baby, I'm not one of them. I have nursed without much stress in my mom group, but then, since it started as a breastfeeding support group, having boobs out all of the time really becomes a non-issue. In other situations though, I've tried to find the happy medium of covering myself without too much of a scene - especially since the baby is less accepting of the cover. Nursing tops make nursing in public the easiest for access. They allow you to quickly latch on the baby without pulling up your whole shirt or practically undressing leading to less of a scene. I have found the easiest thing to do is use the baby's head to block yourself as you uncover your breast and latch the baby on. If the baby lets go, I've found that pulling the baby close to you usually will block an unsuspecting public from seeing you flash them. Again, the baby's head is blocking them from seeing anything. Occasionally I will get the baby in place and use a small cloth like a burp rag to cover up anything that may still be visible. This is usually less annoying to the nursing baby. Also, holding their free hand with your free hand is often effective for keeping the baby from pulling the cloth off. This does prevent you from continuing to eat or do whatever you were doing, but it does work.
I hope this helps you find a way to make it less visible. Remember though, it is better to accidentally flash someone than have a cranky, screaming, hungry baby. There is absolutely no reason to feel you have to excuse yourself or go hide some place that may be unhygienic, like a bathroom. One more thing, nursing in public is protected by law so never feel that you are in the wrong if you need to feed your baby. It may be awkward at first, but you'll get more and more used to it and ultimately be more comfortable. Believe me, no matter where you choose to feed your baby, you have the support of every nursing mother around you. They are all sending you a silent, "Congratulations!"
Sunday, August 15, 2010
On Pets and Kids
Prior to having a baby, I worked for about 11 years in pet hospitals. I worked pretty much every position other than veterinarian and over the years I became obsessed with continuing education. I love to learn and the idea of getting free education and a meal was too good to pass up! What can I say, college does that to a person. When I graduated college, my desire to learn didn't go away and I not only attended continuing education seminars, but I sought out online opportunities and even attended a conference. While I focus a lot of my training on nutrition and behavior (as those are my main interests), I have also spent many, many hours learning about parasites in pets. The reason for this subject is because it is such a main focus in pet care that affects pretty much every pet and pet owner and there is a great need to understand the risks when working with and educating clients at the pet hospital.
People seem to take different approaches when it comes to pets and kids and especially pets and babies. Some people want the pets to stay away from the baby and have the kids wash their hands after touching or petting the dog or cat. Others, have the kids playing right on the floor with the animals and never think a thing of it. I'm of the second variety. I am the type to not get to stressed if I find the baby chewing on the dog toy, but that is because I know that there isn't anything on that dog toy that the baby couldn't get somewhere else and unless he's eating it, it isn't going to harm him.
There are, however, areas where there is valid concern with pets and the safety of children. Of course there are the pets that have behavior issues or those that are clumsy (like my lanky Labrador that has knocked over my baby more times than I can count); but it is the unseen problems that people don't always think about. For the most part, bacteria and viruses like particular species, so getting a cough or cold from the dog or cat is highly unlikely. Some skin infections can pass between people and pets like ringworm (caused by a fungus) or scabies (also known as sarcoptic mange caused by mange mites). If lesions show up on your pet and kids, take the pet to the vet and the kid to the pediatrician. Both the pet and the child will need to be treated simultaneously to clear the infection and prevent them from passing it back and forth.
Even more of a cause for concern than fungal or parasitic skin infection is that of intestinal parasite infection. The reason is that there is still a high prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in pets; and people, especially the young (babies and children), old, and immune compromised are at risk as well. While people don't usually get intestinal parasites, they are affected quite negatively by the larva of roundworms and hookworms. Most commonly seen are what are referred to as larval migrans. Eggs are passed in the feces of infected dogs and cats. Once the eggs hatch, the larva burrow into exposed skin and moves around the body. In dogs and cats, they work their way through the body and end up in the intestinal tract (sometimes after years of dormancy within muscles). In people these larva don't take the same path. They can stay just under the skin causing a severe itchy reactive area in the skin or they can work their way to the eye and cause blindness.
Many pets throughout the country are not on a parasite prevention all year long. It is very common in many areas to use heartworm or flea control just during the summer months, but this type of thinking is flawed. In areas where humans live, temperatures remain ambient enough for parasites to continue their life cycles. If it gets a little cold, they can go dormant and when it warms up, they can hatch and continue developing. Because of this, it is important to keep your pet on preventative all year long, every month. Most heartworm preventatives also protect against intestinal parasites (like hookworms and roundworms) so this is the best way to protect your kids from being exposed to them as well.
The main parasite that people think about when it comes to pets and people is Toxoplasmosis in the case of pregnancy and cat ownership. Unfortunately, there are a lot of rumors that get spread about this infection. Toxoplasmosis is a protozoan that cats can get from killing and eating wild rodents.When a cat contracts Toxoplasmosis, they typically will spread it for about three weeks and then they recover (they often never show symptoms). A cat that has had Toxoplasmosis becomes immune to it and will never contract or pass it again. Humans get it fecal/orally so if good hygiene isn't practiced when scooping the box, it can put them at risk. Pregnant women should especially be careful as a Toxoplasmosis infection can lead to major problems for the developing baby. Cats that have been indoor all of their lives are very unlikely to have ever been exposed. Cats that have been outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) all of their lives are very likely to have been exposed. If the cat's history is unknown, extra care should always be used especially since all cats do not show symptoms when they are passing the protozoan. Pregnant women are, however, more likely to get Toxoplasmosis from uncooked chicken so safe handling and cooking practices are just as important as when cleaning up after the cat.
Even if you don't have pets, they can still cause concern for your kids, especially when it comes to areas your kids may be outdoors. If possible, avoid the use of public sandboxes (stray cats love to use these as litter boxes and likely aren't kept on preventative) and other similar play areas that are not blocked or guarded from stray animals. If you have a sandbox at home, make sure to keep it covered when not in use (again, stray cats can jump the fence and leave little gifts).
For more information check out the following page for the Companion Animal Parasite Council
People seem to take different approaches when it comes to pets and kids and especially pets and babies. Some people want the pets to stay away from the baby and have the kids wash their hands after touching or petting the dog or cat. Others, have the kids playing right on the floor with the animals and never think a thing of it. I'm of the second variety. I am the type to not get to stressed if I find the baby chewing on the dog toy, but that is because I know that there isn't anything on that dog toy that the baby couldn't get somewhere else and unless he's eating it, it isn't going to harm him.
There are, however, areas where there is valid concern with pets and the safety of children. Of course there are the pets that have behavior issues or those that are clumsy (like my lanky Labrador that has knocked over my baby more times than I can count); but it is the unseen problems that people don't always think about. For the most part, bacteria and viruses like particular species, so getting a cough or cold from the dog or cat is highly unlikely. Some skin infections can pass between people and pets like ringworm (caused by a fungus) or scabies (also known as sarcoptic mange caused by mange mites). If lesions show up on your pet and kids, take the pet to the vet and the kid to the pediatrician. Both the pet and the child will need to be treated simultaneously to clear the infection and prevent them from passing it back and forth.
Even more of a cause for concern than fungal or parasitic skin infection is that of intestinal parasite infection. The reason is that there is still a high prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in pets; and people, especially the young (babies and children), old, and immune compromised are at risk as well. While people don't usually get intestinal parasites, they are affected quite negatively by the larva of roundworms and hookworms. Most commonly seen are what are referred to as larval migrans. Eggs are passed in the feces of infected dogs and cats. Once the eggs hatch, the larva burrow into exposed skin and moves around the body. In dogs and cats, they work their way through the body and end up in the intestinal tract (sometimes after years of dormancy within muscles). In people these larva don't take the same path. They can stay just under the skin causing a severe itchy reactive area in the skin or they can work their way to the eye and cause blindness.
Many pets throughout the country are not on a parasite prevention all year long. It is very common in many areas to use heartworm or flea control just during the summer months, but this type of thinking is flawed. In areas where humans live, temperatures remain ambient enough for parasites to continue their life cycles. If it gets a little cold, they can go dormant and when it warms up, they can hatch and continue developing. Because of this, it is important to keep your pet on preventative all year long, every month. Most heartworm preventatives also protect against intestinal parasites (like hookworms and roundworms) so this is the best way to protect your kids from being exposed to them as well.
The main parasite that people think about when it comes to pets and people is Toxoplasmosis in the case of pregnancy and cat ownership. Unfortunately, there are a lot of rumors that get spread about this infection. Toxoplasmosis is a protozoan that cats can get from killing and eating wild rodents.When a cat contracts Toxoplasmosis, they typically will spread it for about three weeks and then they recover (they often never show symptoms). A cat that has had Toxoplasmosis becomes immune to it and will never contract or pass it again. Humans get it fecal/orally so if good hygiene isn't practiced when scooping the box, it can put them at risk. Pregnant women should especially be careful as a Toxoplasmosis infection can lead to major problems for the developing baby. Cats that have been indoor all of their lives are very unlikely to have ever been exposed. Cats that have been outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) all of their lives are very likely to have been exposed. If the cat's history is unknown, extra care should always be used especially since all cats do not show symptoms when they are passing the protozoan. Pregnant women are, however, more likely to get Toxoplasmosis from uncooked chicken so safe handling and cooking practices are just as important as when cleaning up after the cat.
Even if you don't have pets, they can still cause concern for your kids, especially when it comes to areas your kids may be outdoors. If possible, avoid the use of public sandboxes (stray cats love to use these as litter boxes and likely aren't kept on preventative) and other similar play areas that are not blocked or guarded from stray animals. If you have a sandbox at home, make sure to keep it covered when not in use (again, stray cats can jump the fence and leave little gifts).
For more information check out the following page for the Companion Animal Parasite Council
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