Breast Is Still Best

Nursing Josiah

You’ve all heard the “breast is best” slogan, and perhaps it’s high time we as a nation started believing it.  The article When It Comes to Breastfeeding, We Can’t Handle the Truth had me knodding my head in agreement, and got me thinking of my own experience.  Despite having read much of the breastfeeding research out there and understanding its many benefits, I have always felt guilty for pushing “my way” onto other mothers and expectant mothers.  I think the idea of being tolerant has become so enmeshed in our society that we are seen as the enemy when we speak up on these issues.  Similar to telling people they shouldn’t eat sugar and refined foods; but in the case of breastfeeding, it’s a baby who can’t make that decision for him or herself.

Formula companies make money just like any other commercial food company, and it’s in their best interest to make their product look good.  And in a society of convenience like ours, it seems like such a good idea.  Doesn’t it?  This website has excellent information on the ingredients in formula, and how other countries have actually controlled its availability due to its harmful effects.  There may be instances where the giving of formula is medically necessary – and even then I question its necessity (hello breastmilk banks) – but we are doing our children a disservice by allowing it to be so widely available and not informing consumers of its true nature.  But if we aren’t told what’s in the food on our table, why should we expect it to be any different for the food advertised for babies?  

I believe there are instances where some mothers truly cannot – for whatever reason – nurse her child.  But this is the exception, not the rule.  And you can always find a story to defend your position rather than looking at the facts and statistics.  While breastfeeding may have many benefits, it’s not a cure-all. Kids (breastfed or otherwise) that are in daycare or some type of school environment tend to get sicker just by being around other children.  If you’re giving your older baby or toddler fast food or refined foods, or course she’ll have a tendency to get sick.  But as a rule, breastfed babies tend to get sick less often, and when they do get sick, it’s for a much shorter duration.  I can attest to that.  Don’t believe me?  Go to the La Leche Leauge’s website to read all about the benefits of breastfeeding.

I didn’t have an easy time nursing Gwendolyn, my first.  She was only a week early, but weighed just over 5lbs.  I came down with rH disease during my pregnancy with her, and had IUGR to boot, so everyone was concerened about her size.  She cried constantly, always wanted to nurse, and I thought my body couldn’t keep up.  Did I mention how much it hurt?  Here I thought nursing would “come naturally,” and I was in pain for at least the first three months.  I kept saying, No wonder some mothers give up!  My pediatrician wrote “poor growth” on her charts, harped on it with each visit, and I was devastated as a first-time mother – I couldn’t feed my own baby!  She kept talking about supplementing, which I was firmly against.  Despite the fact that my baby was healthy, she remained on the small side, so all I got was insistence that she was too small and I needed to supplement.  Well, I didn’t give in, and Gwendolyn is just fine.  Turns out this is just her genetic pattern – on the small side, in the 5th percentile according to the charts they’ve developed for pediatricians.  Charts, mind you, based on averages for formula-fed babies.   I wonder how many mothers just take their doctor’s say-so because they’re supposed to be the expert.  I did see a couple lactation consultants, and will honestly say they weren’t much help; when my babies were newborns, they didn’t have a good latch so I just had to work at it and give it time.

I went back to work part-time, and pumped so my daughter would have breastmilk.  I never produced much milk (I firmly believe this correlates so breast size!), so I would set my alarm and get up at different times at night. Inconvenient?  Heck yeah!  But I’m so glad I did it.  I ended up nursing her past a year, until one day she shook her head “no” when I went to nurse her.  I thought I would be the one pushing for her to wean – I wasn’t ready!

Nursing for me wasn’t quite like riding a bicycle - the second time around it took a bit to get back into the rhythm.  Now, with Josiah at 19 months, we’re still going strong.    And since a toddler nurses far less frequently than an infant, some people have no idea we continue to breastfeed.  I love nursing him, and will be so sad when he stops.  Some people ask why you can’t get the same intimacy with cuddling as opposed to nursing.  ”Just cuddling” isn’t the same as nursing – besides the nutrition and antibody aspect, it provides an intimacy and comfort that can’t compare. 

I consider myself a private person – somewhat self-conscious and not the most comfortable in my own skin – so I try not to nurse in public if I can help it.  I’m perfectly comfortable nursing in the front seat of my car before I go into a store, and tend to be as discreet as possible.  Though I’m proud of breastfeeding, I’m not ready for the scrutiny and criticism, especially when breasts are seen mainly as sexual objects in our society.  Truth be told, I get scared off by stories of patrons told to leave a restaurant because they offended someone by breastfeeding their baby (nevermind the scantily-clad gals the next table over), people who approach nursing mothers and give them an earful.  You don’t have to be a tree-hugging, crunchy-granola mama who is comfortable baring her breasts in front of everyone to enjoy breastfeeding.  I love the bond it has afforded, treasure the calories it helps me burn, and feel wonderful knowing I’m doing one of the best things for my children by giving them the healthiest start in life.

Put Down That Chocolate Milk

A few weeks ago I read an article about the proposed ban of flavored milks in public school systems, opting instead for healthier white milk.  At the time I thought how ironic it was, considering that neither option is really “healthy.” 

Everyone has her own opinion on the matter, of course, and recently I came across an article entitled “Why Banning Foods in Schools Sends Kids the Wrong Message.” Aside from being a mom, the author is a registered dietitian, interesting to note while reading her remarks as well as her response to comments. 

Since reading more about food choices these days, becoming informed on the food products available in our grocery stores, I have been appalled at some of these so-called “foods” that are played off as having any semblance of nutritional value.  Just like any other Big Business, the USDA’s nutritional guidelines are skewed by those that give the most financial contributions to their cause.  I give them props for adding such a large portion of produce to the proverbial plate, and suggesting a reduction in sodium and “sugary drinks,” but they still recommend products that contain unhealthy ingredients. 

It scares me, seeing how much the government has injected itself into our every-day lives, trying to control how we raise our children, drive our cars, and even having a say in the food we eat.  While I’m against government control, don’t think they should have a say in what we choose to eat or drink, I find it interesting that they would suggest a ban on sugary drinks in schools or implementing a beverage tax, rather than informing people of the true nature of much of the packaged foods they throw at us in order to make a profit.

I actually haven’t followed up with the flavored milk proposal, although I believe the proposed beverage tax was defeated.  Do you think it’s a good idea for the government to make these decisions for us in the interest of public health?  Gets me thinking about my kiddos’ vaccination schedule (arrrgh)… but that’s for another time.

Homemade Yogurt

I never really liked plain yogurt, opting instead for yummy store-bought varieties like black cherry, strawberry banana, coffee, caramel, key lime pie, anything that sounded yummy and un-yogurty.  When I  had Gwendolyn, I knew I wanted to make homemade baby food, and got excited when I discovered you can actually make your own yogurt! 

Of course there are many resources out there on the world wide web, but the few recipes I  bookmarked mentioned sterilizing your equipment, heating the milk to a certain temperature (making sure it doesn’t burn in the process), cooling it to a certain temperature, adding your starter, and then maintaining a specific temperature in order to incubate the active cultures.  Needless to say, I wasn’t too thrilled with all these steps – but decided to undergo them nonetheless.  Having to babysit the yogurt and add more hot water so it maintained the optimum temperature was my undoing, and I finally decided to purchase a yogurt maker.

Following the steps that came with the yogurt maker was a no-brainer, and the little glass jars provided the perfect portions, especially for feeding the little ones.  I still bought my own flavored yogurt. 

When making some healthy changes last year, I decided to eliminate milk and milk products from my family’s diet (except for cheese, of course, which is its own essential food group).  Each step along the way has been a learning process, and when I learned about the benefits of cultured dairy products – specifically from reading Nourishing Traditions –  I slowly started adding some of these items back in.  We still don’t drink plain milk or use it in recipes, opting instead of almond or coconut milk, but I buy whole milk for making yogurt (and buttermilk!). 

Rachel over at Clean. recently posted a recipe for homemade yogurt, and I implemented her suggestion for using a small amount of starter (either from a store-bought carton or some left over from a previous batch) for the best results.  I always added a carton of yogurt, and was pleasantly surprised when the smaller amount yielded a better yogurt.

As much as I enjoy the ease of making yogurt in my yogurt maker, I’m limited by the amount I get – especially since one of the glass containers broke and I haven’t bought any replacements.  Now that both the kiddos and I often have yogurt for breakfast, use it in smoothies and baked goods, I go through yogurt much more quickly these days.  I was really excited when I came across another recipe for yogurt, and in discussing the directions with the author and some of her readers, learned that maintaining a temperature isn’t key to keeping the cultures alive.  I was all set to get out my canning jars and try a batch, when someone mentioned that her favorite way of making yogurt was in her crock pot.  Yogurt in a crock pot?  I have a crock pot!       

I already had a half gallon of milk and some yogurt in the fridge to use for a starter, so I decided to whip up my first batch of crock pot yogurt.  I was a bit nervous because I started it earlier in the day, which meant it sat on the counter for half a day and overnight… but in the morning when I removed the towel wrapped around the crock pot, opened the lid and peeked inside… it was filled with yogurt! 

I filled a couple containers, and strained the remainder to ake Greek yogurt/cream cheese.  

When you strain yogurt, the liquid that comes out is called whey.  I’ve used it in pancakes and baked goods for part of the liquid, for soaking beans and grains, but I’ve learned there are lots of different uses for this precious liquid which is packed with vitamins and minerals.  I would love to try making Ricotta cheese.   Don’t throw it out!  Just the other day I used some of it in the cooking water for pasta and again for cooking rice.       

Our favorite way of eating yogurt for breakfast is topped with frozen blueberries, ground flaxseed, walnuts, and honey.  And let’s not forget smoothies!  This morning, Gwendolyn comes out of her room and says, “My tummy’s sick because it’s hungry.  I want blueberries in my smoothie and blueberry pancakes and blueberries in yogurt.”  I reply, “So you want blueberries?”

I’ve got another batch of crock pot yogurt brewing right now.

Early Potty Training

Infant potty training, potty whispering, elimination communication – call it what you will.  There are many names for this practice which seems to be a growing trend… and yet… this is the way things were done before the convenience of disposable diapers. 

I cloth diapered my first baby on and off, and have done so exclusively with my second since he was a few months old, so I’m familiar with many of the more natural methods surrounding all things potty-related.  I became especially interested in elimination communication (EC) when I discovered that one of my cousins was practicing this with her baby.  When they came to visit, her baby was maybe six or seven months old, and her diaper was already staying dry for a large portion of the day.  Of course, this sounded wonderful to me!  Using cloth diapers provides an extra parental incentive for wanting to catch those nasty diapers before they occur.  But wait till you read about the many other benefits of EC.

I decided to start Josiah on the potty around the same time I started him on cloth diapers, and it just so happened to be when it started getting warmer so I was able to keep him diaper-free at times.  I didn’t stress myself out with rigid schedules, just put him on the potty at specific times - before and after nursing or meals, before and after nap- and bedtimes, before going out and upon returning home.  He never really gave me any specific signals that he was going potty or about to go potty in his diaper, so that provided an extra challenge.  If Gwen or I used the potty, I would put him on as well.  In fact, it was the start of Josiah’s potty-training that motivated Gwendolyn to get out of her diapers once and for all.  If Josiah could use the potty, so could she!  A definite win-win in my book.

In the beginning, I employed a cueing sound when putting Josiah on the potty, which not only provides a verbal correlation to what he was doing or was supposed to be doing on the potty, but also makes it more fun when they get older.  Potty songs are da bomb for an older baby as well.  High praise was given when successful – much clapping and rejoicing (and perhaps some dancing) ensued.  These all help to affirm the correct responses.  I practice simple baby signing with both kiddos, and now that Josiah’s spoken vocabulary is expanding, we now communicate in this way rather than cueing (although we often revert to it for the sole purpose of silliness – c’mon, just try not to smile when making pooping noises).

I wish I had started earlier with EC, and if we have another I will attempt to start from birth.  The idea of going diaper-free is exciting – imagine not having to buy all those diapering supplies and do all that laundry??  Recently Josiah got a yeast infection, and one of the ways of treating it was just letting him air out, go without a diaper for as much as possible.  It got me thinking – why not let him stay that way all the time, at least while we’re at home?  Once again, this has been more easily accomplished since the weather has gotten nicer, especially when the kiddos are outside a lot. 

I was putting pants on him without a diaper, and was thrilled to realize all of his poops were going into the potty!  I decided to look for some baby undies online, since it’s hard to find small sizes in stores, and found a comprehensive listing of websites that offer undies and training pants specifically for EC- families - but man, are they expensive!  I finally went to Diaper Swappers, one of my old standbys, and found a listing for a whole bunch of 18-month undies.  I got so excited over tiny toddler undies!  Now, during the day I keep Josiah in his big-boy undies, and use his cloth diapers for going out and bedtime.  The next step will be trying to forego diapers at naptime – wish me luck! 

Just like walking, talking, and other things your baby learns over time, it takes patience, guidance, and consistency.  And don’t get discouraged when you’re not “successful” overnight!  This is one of the biggest things I see when people attempt sign language with their babies – they may keep at it for a couple weeks, but then they give up because they’re not getting a response.  Even if you don’t get an immediate reaction, it doesn’t mean you’re not making progress!  Those little brains are making connections.  Do you stop speaking to your baby because he or she can’t speak by 3 months?  Of course not – you realize that some things take time to develop, and your baby often understands a lot more before he or she can effectively communicate.   

There isn’t any one way to practice EC and you see variety all across the board - from those whose babies are completely diaper-free to those part-timers who perhaps utilize disposables but put their babies on the potty.  Though it may be best to start from birth and employ specific methods, it’s never too late to start!  Here are some excellent tips for those starting with an older baby.

EDIT: I found a copy of Diaper Free Baby at a consignment shop and snatched it up.  It makes for an excellent, informative read.  It also lists some great resources for finding cloth diapers, small trainers, potties, and other EC gear.  Many cloth diapering and online retailers of baby items have jumped on the CD and EC bandwagon, so some of these items aren’t hard to come by if you go looking around.  Here are some they cite, in addition to others that I’ve come across and those listed in my cloth diapering post:
DiaperWare
The EC Store
Gap – small undies
Hanes - toddler undies

Baby Boys Get Yeast Infections?

A few days ago I freaked out when changing Josiah’s diaper.  At first I didn’t think much of the reddened skin - he often wakes up after bedtime with a wet diaper, and after getting changed his skin will calm down.  This time, I noticed the skin was cracked and bleeding a bit, and there was an oozing sore.  An oozing sore on his penis! 

Another Bad Mommy moment in my book.  I have lots of them.  What did I do wrong?  My sister-in-law wasn’t the only mother of boys (count ‘em – six) who told me that caring for baby boys would be so much easier than caring for baby girls.  You don’t have to worry about cleaning all those folds or wiping from front to back – just wipe and you’re done.  HA!   This guy’s penis has given me more trouble…!  

Shortly after he was born, I noticed… something wrong.  I took him to the pediatrician, who calmy assured me that it’s natural for a circumcision to reattach, and that you have to be vigilant about pulling it apart.  No one told me!  Poor little guy had to get cut again.  Luckily, they have a numbing cream for that, and it was more painful for me to watch.

Well, fast-forward to the pediatrician’s office a couple days ago, and I find out he has a yeast infection.  Guess it makes sense – warm, moist environment.  And yet – Gwen never had a yeast infection!  *sigh* 

Josiah has been doing so well pooping on the potty, I must have been letting him go too long between diaper changes.  I don’t know!  Since cloth diapers aren’t as absorbent as disposables, they have to be changed more often.  Well, I felt horrible - I put him on the potty all the time, change his diaper each time, what else am I supposed to do?

His pediatrician was going to give me a prescription for an antibiotic, but I already had some for when Gwen had a skin infection a while back and decided to use that even though - according to the doctor – it wasn’t anti-fungal.  I’m always trying to figure out natural remedies rather than resorting to drugs, and once I knew it was a yeast infection I figured I could handle it.

When we got home, it was naptime.  I cleaned up Josiah, put a bit of the antibiotic on him for good measure, and decided to try expressing a bit of breastmilk onto the area.  I’m still nursing, it’s there, and might as well give breastmilk’s antibacterial properties a try.  I put him down for his nap without a diaper so he would have good air-circulation.  Luckily for me, he woke up dry.  PHEW! 

Each diaper change since, I’ve put some breastmilk and coconut oil on the area, in addition to adding some apple cider vinegar to his bath.  He’s been diaper-free while we’re at home to encourage air-circulation, and it’s so funny how skinny he looks without a diaper.   I’m happy to report that he’s healing quite nicely. 

A few other natural methods I’ve read to help cure yeast infections:
Plain yogurt – both eaten and topically applied (don’t leave it on the skin, or it might have the opposite effect)
Garlic – ingested or applied, although I just can’t see rubbing garlic on my skin, much less my little guy’s private parts!  A couple of my friends swear by GOOT (Garlic Olive Oil Treatment) for their kids’ colds. 
Restricted diet – cut out sugar, grains, yeast, and dairy, which can apparently feed the yeast and make it worse.